(Disclaimer: Don't own anything but this story)

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The Crone.

Chapter Seven.

They walked slowly towards Mickey's. Sam and Dean with their hands on their heads, the woman at their backs with swords they knew were ready to be put to use if they so much as moved sideways. They stopped when they saw headlights turn into the alley and head slowly towards them.

"Aaah, hate to point this out 'Xena', but that there's the po-lice" said Dean "You think maybe we should…"

"Just shut up and keep walking…slowly" she said.

"But…" started Sam. He stopped when he saw Dean wince.

"Dude, you think…" Dean stopped when he saw Sam wince.

"Are we starting to get the picture now?" they nodded "Okay. Now keep walking"

They kept a steady pace as the headlights got closer. Sam and Dean both turned their heads as the police car drove slowly past, the cops looking right at them…but they kept going, not stopping at the sight of a woman holding swords on two men who were obviously in some sort of hostage situation. Typical, thought Dean…or was it something else?

They got the front door of Mickey's and they heard the woman whisper quietly before a man scrambled in front of them and opened the door, smiling at the woman and glaring at him and Sam.

"Thanks, Bob" she said.

"Welcome. Thanks for dinner"

"Sorry I was late, got caught up with something" she pushed her swords lightly into Dean and Sam's backs "Get inside. Keep your hands on your heads. Catch you tomorrow, Bob"

Dean and Sam walked in and stared into the smiling eye of Mickey, leaning against the bar, shotgun in hand. They heard the woman re-sheathe her swords and Mickey raised his shotgun "Don't move"

They stayed where they were as the woman patted them down and removed their weapons.

"Take a seat" said Mickey, pointing to a table just in front of the bar. They walked over to it and sat "Hands on the table, palms flat against it" they did as they were told and watched as the woman walked behind the bar, grabbed a bottle of JD and a glass and came round and took the seat opposite them.

She stared at the two men. The one called Dean glared at her; he was pissed and wasn't trying to disguise it either and he wasn't just pissed at being taken here this way, there was more to it. She looked at the one called Sam, he wasn't pissed at her, he just stared at her curiously and tried to smile.

"Well we know you can speak, so how about you tell us why you bought us here like this when we were willing to come?" asked Dean.

She poured herself a sizeable glass of JD and sipped at it "I think it's you two that need to do some explaining. Like how you knew where I was and how you knew what I looked like"

"I dreamed about you" said Sam.

She raised an eyebrow at him and he smiled awkwardly as Dean rolled his eyes "I realise how lame that just sounded so let me try again"

"Please…do me a favour" she said.

"I've been having these dreams…weird dreams. You're in them and so is this other woman. An old woman, she's… evil, there's no other word for it and…" he paused and looked at her "she's coming for you"

The woman smiled "Is she?"

He nodded "She's already on her way here. I'm not sure if she knows you're here…at Mickey's, I mean. But she knows you're in New York"

She looked at Dean "Don't even think about it"

Dean glared at her and Sam turned to him "What are you doing?"

"Seems Dean thinks he can get to the knife I left in his left boot before I'd realise what he was doing" she smiled "He can't"

"Then why'd you leave it?" asked Dean.

"To see what you'd do"

"Why didn't you leave me a weapon?" asked Sam.

"Because you don't want to kick my arse, so you don't need a weapon" she smiled "Dean here, does"

Mickey laughed "Good luck with that"

"What are your names?" she asked.

"Sam and Dean Winchester"

Dean rolled his eyes at his brother "Jesus, dude. Why don't you tell her what brand of boxers we wear"

She raised an eyebrow "That's when you're wearing them right?"

Sam looked at Dean "Dude…"

Dean shrugged "Missed laundry day"

Sam shook his head and turned his attention back to the woman "Can I ask you a question?"

"You can ask"

He nodded "The doppelgangers…how do you do that? I mean I know it's some kind of magic, I understand that…but how?" he sat forward in his seat "How?"

"What makes you think it's magic?" she asked.

"Well …because I saw you and some big dude ...what was his name..." he drummed his fingers on the tab;e then grinned "Malachai. You and Malachai had a sword fight upstairs and you were whispering and shit and …" he grinned again "it was fucking awesome!"

"You had a sword fight upstairs?" asked Mickey incredulously "How many times have I told …"

Sam turned to Mickey "Oh don't worry, it wasn't real…but it was 'cause she was hurt but…" he turned back to her "you're fine now. Why? How?"

"You ask a lot of questions"

"I've got one" said Dean.

"Of course you do"

"What's your name?" he asked.

"It's not important"

"Well seems only fair. You know our names. What's yours?" he asked again.

She finished the rest of her JD and filled the glass again "Tell you what, you answer another question and I'll tell you my name"

"Okay" said Sam.

She looked at them "Tell me, why is it that two hunters who I don't know from shit, come here claiming to have dreams about me and some old evil chick" she looked at Sam "When you know exactly why you're having the dreams"

Sam looked at her confused "I don't know why. All I know is that I had to come here and warn you, to…help you stop her…I think"

"If you've seen me fight then you know I don't need your help" she smiled "And seriously after the way you two just handled yourselves out there…"

"You don't know us from jack, bitch! So you watch your mouth!"

"Dean!"

The woman laughed "Settle down there, Rambo. I'm sure you can kick arse with the best of them, alright?" she smiled sweetly at him "There's a kindergarten just down the road from here…"

He laughed "I could kick your 'arrrrse' all over this crappy bar! Might even stick that damn freaky lookin' rabbit up your 'arrrrse' too! He needs a new home!"

She laughed uproariously "Oh, I like you, Dean" she put her hand out "Name's Finn. Finn Jacobs"

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All the weapons had been put away or returned to their rightful owners and the four of them were sitting around the table, drinks in hand. Dean was still suspicious of the woman, he didn't trust her one bit but Sam was surprisingly at ease with her. He didn't like that either.

Finn looked at Sam "So you really have no idea why you're having the dreams?" Sam shook his head "How'd they start?"

"Just …had one" said Sam.

"You weren't doing anything, like messing around with shit you shouldn't be?" she asked.

He rolled his eyes "No, I just went to bed and had a freaky dream"

Finn and Mickey glanced at each other.

"Okay, what was that?" asked Dean.

Finn ignored him "You said she saw me resurrect someone"

Sam nodded "That guy that tried to help you kill those…what we're those things?"

"They're called 'The Wrong Ones', long story and not really important" she glared at Mickey when he coughed a 'bullshit' into his hand.

"Your dagger…she saw your dagger and it freaked her out…she said something about you being one of…them …" said Sam "Them who?"

Finn and Mickey glanced at each other again.

"Alright, there it was again" said Dean "What the hell is it you know but you're not fucking telling?"

"Finn, might be an idea…" started Mickey.

"What else have you seen, Sam?" she asked.

"Last I saw her, she was on an old wooden boat…right after she turned wolves into men, they're coming as well and…fuck me, she has this Staff and on the top…" he shook his head "there's a… a child's head on it…"

Dean watched Finn as Sam spoke. This meant something to her and although she hid it well, she was worried and he didn't know whether he was picking that up from her, but he was starting to get some seriously bad, bad feelings about staying here ...and staying around Finn.

"You said I should know why I'm having the dreams" said Sam.

She nodded "Yeah, you should" she looked at Dean "So should you"

"Finn, you need to explain to them what's going on. They're involved in this too" said Mickey.

Dean laughed "Oh no, we're not. Sam's delivered his message, now we're off" he put his beer down "Come on, Sammy" he grabbed his brother by his jacket and hoisted him out of his chair.

Sam shrugged out of Dean's grip "Let go, dude. I'm staying"

"No, you're not" said Finn and Dean in unison.

"Sam, you need to get out of here" she looked at Dean "You get him as far away from here as possible. You get in your car and you drive and you never look back. Understand?"

"No!" said Sam "Mickey said we're part of this so until you explain it, I'm not going anywhere"

"I don't need to explain shit to you" she stood "You can't be here" she looked at Dean "And neither can you. I'll sort this out…you just get the fuck outta here. The sooner the better" she pointed "There's the door"

"Don't need to tell me twice" said Dean angrily.

"Actually, I did. Now go"

"Finn…"

"No, Mickey. We didn't expect it to be them" and she pointed to Dean and Sam "but you know as well as I do that they can't be here" she said.

"It's too late, Finn" Mickey looked at Sam "You said the old woman saw you, you and Dean in one of the dreams" Sam nodded and Mickey looked at Finn "It's too late, Finn. She knows who they are and she knows they're here"

"I don't give a shit what that old bitch knows" said Dean "We're leaving"

Sam glared at his brother "No. I'm not going anywhere!"

"Oh yes, you are" said Finn, she turned to Dean "You take him and you go. You forget about this place, you forget about those dreams, Sam ...and you …"

"Finn! If he's only having the dreams then he still has a chance…" said Mickey.

"Shut the fuck up, Mickey!" she turned back to the brothers "Why are you still here?"

Dean stood his ground as he directed the question to Mickey "What do you mean he still has a chance? What the fuck is going on?"

"Nothing you need to worry your pretty little head about. Now if I have to say it again…"

Dean ignored Finn "Mickey, if Sam is in danger…."

"Jesus Christ! That's exactly what I'm saying! Hence the 'get the fuck out of here!'" said Finn.

Dean turned on Finn "You shut the fuck up" he turned to Mickey "I want an answer!"

"Seems your brother…" started Mickey.

Finn drew one of her swords and put it to Mickey's throat "I said shut the fuck up, Mickey"

Mickey smiled at her "Do it, Finn. It's not gonna change the fact that Sam here has just unleashed evil incarnate on your ass"

To be continued…