Sam's P.O.V.

The ride back to the bunker was uncomfortable. Dean kept sighing, Cas was uncharacteristically fidgety, and Sam had the ultimate bitch face on.

"I'll try to locate another demon." Gadreel said before poofing away.

Dean looked in the rear-view, sighing when he saw that Gadreel was already gone. "This had better work."

Sam looked over at his brother. "It will, just give him a chance, okay?"

It had been weeks, and no word from Gadreel. Sam, forever being the optimist, kept researching all he could about demon experiments. Dean went on his own demon-questioning excursions with Cas, but he had little patience, and often killed them without giving them much chance to tell them anything.

After a month, Sam started to worry. He prayed to Gadreel almost every day, but to no avail. He soon became so desperate that Castiel offered to try to find him. Dean shot down that idea, saying that if Gadreel couldn't take care of himself by now, he'd never learn. Obviously, Cas went anyway, causing Dean to leave many long-winded voicemails that usually started with threats, and ended in begging.

It was awful for the brothers. They had become so accustomed to having at least one of the angels around; the bunker felt incredibly empty.

The brothers were starting to get tired of each other. Someone always ended up going to bed angry, and more than once, Dean would even leave the bunker for days at a time.

The amount of angst was incredible.

Nearly two months after Gadreel's disappearance, Sam decided that enough was enough. Dean was holed up in his room yet again, Led Zeppelin blaring out from under the door.

Sam figured that now was as good a time as any. He grabbed some salt and headed down to the dungeon.

A few minutes later, he was standing in front of Crowley, who squinted at the sudden light. "Well, hello Moose! Finally come to visit me? It's been lonely down here. All alone. Would it have killed you to keep me company once in a while? I-"

"Shut up, Crowley." Sam cut him off. "I need your help."

"Well after the way you've left me here to rot, why would I want to help you?"

Sam slammed his hands down on the table, knocking the salt down that he'd put on the table when he walked in. "Because someone is trying to take over your throne, which you'd know if you hadn't let yourself get caught by us."

Crowley straightened, getting a dangerous glint in his eye. "Who's been questioning my authority? Let me out of this wretched dungeon! I need to make calls! This is important, Moose! Let me go!"

Sam smirked slightly and straightened. Even though he hadn't lied, he had gotten Crowley exactly where he needed him. "How about a deal? You help me, and I'll let you go. Deal?"

Crowley eyed Sam suspiciously, but gave in, regardless. "Fine. What do you want?"

Sam sighed, not really liking what was coming. "I need you to find someone for me. Well someones, but you get it." And for him to do that, he'd have to be-

"You're letting me go? Well, this is a surprise. Clever Moose isn't so clever, is he?"

Sam leaned in close. "If you screw us around, we will find you, and bring you straight back. We already have, so you know I'm not bluffing."

Crowley rolled his eyes. "Alright! I won't run! Just let me go!"

Sam reluctantly unchained the demon, who stretched and looked over at Sam.

"You gonna let me out?" He indicated the devil's trap he was standing in.

Sam gave him a bitchface, but still pulled out a blade and scratched some of the paint away.

With his usual smugness, Crowley stepped out of the trap, and cracked his neck. "So who is it you're looking for?"

Sam really didn't want to tell him. He knew he'd never hear the end of it. "Gadreel and Castiel."

Crowley's eyebrows shot up. "Really? You lost your angels? How's squirrel feeling about this? Is he too moody to ask me with you? Unless…he doesn't know?" He eyed Sam mischievously.

"Shut up, Crowley. Are you gonna help me find them or not?"

Crowley waved his hand dismissively. "Yes, yes. Don't get your knickers in a knot." He disappeared before Sam could say anything else.

Sam slowly made his way back to his room, all the while wondering if he had just made a huge mistake.