She returned in front of me a second later, her hand on the shoulder of a very beat-up looking demon in a suit.

"Crowley?!" I asked, looking over at Billie.

"He owes me a favor." Billie stated. "And, lucky for us, he hates Lucifer and the Darkness."

"Hello, Kai." He said, chipper as could be. "Great to see you again. Congratulations on the upcoming nuptials."

I stalked towards him, then, and socked him across the face. He cradled his cheek in hand, glaring up at me. "OW!" He shouted. Billie let out a soft laugh.

"You were right, Kylie. With Rowena off the board, you need some sort of training." She said. "And hopefully, her son can provide just that while I'm not here."

"Where are you going?" I asked, concerned.

"I may have picked sides, but I still have a job." Billie reminded me. "And Lucifer knew how to trap and control my father. You don't think if he figures out that he'll do the same to me?" She asked. I honestly hadn't thought about that scenario. "Don't worry, I'll be back if it's an emergency. You can still ring on my doorbell, remember?"

"I hope to God that wasn't a euphemism." Crowley muttered, rising. I socked him again, and he went back down to cradling his face and glaring at me. "AGAIN, OW!"

"Play nice." Billie ordered.

Then she disappeared, without another word.

"God, what are you wearing?" Crowley asked, glaring at my outfit. They had been in the dead woman's closet. I'd raided it after burying her.

"Not the same outfit for the past few weeks." I answered sharply, glaring back at him.

"If I stand, are you going to punch me again?"

"Only if you deserve it." I amended. Crowley stood and backed away quickly, so that he was out of my arms reach.

"I'm here to teach you." He reminded me.

"And how do I know you're not working for Lucifer?" I asked. "You're a demon. He made you."

"He would exterminate all demonkind if given the opportunity." Crowley answered. "And he had me chained, subservient as a dog, dressed in the tackiest floral shirt you could ever imagine."

"That's supposed to convince me to trust you?" I asked. He let out a dramatic sigh, and rolled up one of his sleeves.

The skin underneath showed the familiar marks of lacerations and contusions, but in a specific shape. It was a triangle, pointed downwards, with curly bits at the end and a V shape at the bottom intersecting the curls.

"That's the Sigil of Lucifer." Crowley stated, rolling his sleeve back down. "He branded me as his pet, his thing. I was the King of Hell!" Crowley exclaimed. "And that winged bastard made me his slave. I had to lick the floors clean. Now tell me, would you be on his side?"

Fair point.

"Why would you help me?" I asked next.

"Well, I haven't tried to kill you recently, and I was hoping that since you're the only powerful witch left on the playing field that maybe you would be useful." He offered as way of explanation. When I didn't budge, he let out a second sigh, this time exasperated, and continued. "We both want Lucifer and Amara back in their respective cages. You want to know how to control your powers and how to get back that life you had with your fiancé," Crowley threw his hands in the air. "What more do you want from me? A written contract?!"

"Actually, yes." I stated, sitting back down. "A written contract outlining the terms of how we operate together probably wouldn't be the worst idea."

Crowley perked up then, taking the seat Billie had previously claimed. "Now this is something unexpected." He stated, procuring a pen and yellow legal pad. "Outline your terms. Please."

"My soul is off the table." I said automatically.

"That was to be expected. I have considered a viable substitute instead of a typical soul deal."

"Which is?"

"I want information."

"Like what?"

"I'll think of questions to ask." He assured me. When I tried to argue, he held up a finger. "You will, of course, retain the right to deny giving an answer, but you can't do that for all questions." I didn't speak, thinking this over for a moment.

"I want things too." I stated.

"Like what?"

"I have a list." I answered with a smile. "And if you'll give me my own pen and paper I'll write it down for you."

He obliged, tearing off a piece of yellow paper and sliding across to me. A pen came next, from an inside pocket on his suit. I wrote down a few things, with information being at the top. Second was protection. Third was my notes on the Darkness. I'd kept them all saved on my laptop, encrypted in a way so that only I could get to them.

The last thing on my list were my knives. Call it sentimentality, but they were also angel blades. I wasn't going to say no to having those back in my possession.

I tore off my list and slid it over to Crowley. He read it over quickly, and looked at me with disdain. "Did you really just waste a whole sheet of paper to write down…" He paused for a moment, counting. "Six words and four numbers?" He asked.

"I left you space to write what you want as well." I responded. "That way we can start a civil negotiation."

He sighed (for the third time, I noted) dramatically, and began scribbling as well. I sat across from him calmly, the wheels in my head spinning rapidly. I was making a deal with a demon. I was doing the one thing I had been dead set against doing.

After a few minutes he slid me back the list, and I read his requests. Information and protection were at the tops of his as well, with access to my notes being third and the fourth simply saying "an associate."

"What do you mean by associate?" I asked.

"Do we have a deal?" He responded.

"Not until I know what associate means." I responded. There was no way in hell I was selling myself as a slave under a fancy name.

"Like I said, I need a new witch, one with power." He said. "You called Billie, manifested scratch marks on your arm from a lack of magical use, and didn't die when Castiel was an attack dog. You have, or at least had, an angel at your beck and call. You should've died, but you didn't, and on more than one occasion. Something about you is different, like the way Castiel hasn't died permanently."

"You want to use me." I said simply.

"I want Lucifer back in his infernal kennel, but I can't do it myself." He responded. "Rowena was the only witch that could open and close the cage."

"I'll want your witch necklace thing destroyed." I said.

"I'd rather keep it as my protection." He countered. I was about to argue, but he cut me off. "Which would only be used if you made an attempt to cross or kill me, first."

I sat back, thinking. I wanted Castiel back. He wanted Lucifer gone. But there was something we were both missing. "What about the Darkness?" I asked. "Lucifer is supposedly the only one that can lock it back up."

Crowley shrugged. "We cage him after he does that for us." He amended. "Or before if you become powerful enough to do it on your own."

I mulled it over, thinking through all the variables. We would be at an uneasy truce, for a long time. "I'll need to remain dead, in the eyes of Lucifer, Castiel, and the Winchesters." I pointed out. "Lucifer knows that I know, and I don't know if the Winchesters know or not. None of them can know I'm alive until it's safe for them to."

"Lucifer's probably already taken care of that." Crowley pointed out. "But if you're only reported missing then I'll just leak a story about a frozen girl. Now," he leaned forwards, lacing his fingers together before motioning to the paper in front of me. I looked down at it, and suddenly it was no longer a yellow piece of lined paper, but an actual contract. "Do we have a deal?"

I read through it, verifying a few things. My dad had been a lawyer. I'd learned how to read these after mom died. I knew how to check for harmful discrepancies. Everything was as it should've been.

"I want three copies for myself." I said calmly. He motioned to where the rest of the notepad had been. In it's place was three copies of the same contract, all awaiting my signature. They already had his written on it.

I read through all three of the copies to ensure that they read the same, and signed them without another second's thought. The original went to Crowley, and he stuffed it in a pocket within his coat. I took the other three and folded them neatly, placing them in my jeans pocket.

"Great." Crowley said, smiling at me. "Looks like we're partners now. Care to start a few rounds of the question game?"

"Only if you answer the ones I have as well." I responded. He smiled an annoyed parent smile, and motioned for me to continue.

That was how I spent my first day in the demon's company, talking and trading information. At one point I got up and retrieved a heavy blanket from the other room, wrapping myself up in the item as I rejoined the demon. I was smart, though. I made sure that I kept enough ones unanswered so that he wouldn't be holding all the cards.

Then again, Crowley was smart too. He wrote down every question I didn't answer. Where are Sam and Dean now? What kinds of items are stored in the bunker? How did I call Billie so effectively? How did I escape Cas? Names, locations, different odd things that my gut told me to hold on to for a little while longer.

When I asked, though, he surprisingly held nothing back. The demon truly had nothing to hide.

Finally, as it grew dark outside, we came down to the last few questions, and we both knew it. "Why train me, specifically, and not some random person off the street?" I asked.

"Like I said, you're special." He answered. "There's something about you that makes fate want to keep you around, for some reason, and something else that has you already set up with a fair amount of power. Why do you want your knives back, specifically, and not just some new ones?"

"They're important to me." I said. "Gifts that I've worked hard to maintain and keep safe. I wouldn't feel comfortable not having them. How long do you intend on having us stay here?"

"We leave tomorrow for a secondary safehouse. I'll make sure clothes are provided for you there." He told me. I felt a little dejected. I'd actually worked hard to set this one up. "We'll keep this one on the backburner as an 'in case of emergency' zone, but I would rather put my faith in protecting an asset somewhere I'm familiar with." I could see the logic in that. "Are you willing to accept the fact that in doing this, we might still end up killing Castiel?"

I hadn't been expecting that question. I paused, thinking it over in my head. I wasn't really sure about that, in all honesty. "I don't know." I decided to say. "I think I'll need more time on that question before I answer."

"Fair enough." Crowley conceded.

"When do I start my training with you?" I asked.

"Tomorrow, when we arrive at the safehouse. What will you do if The Darkness comes knocking?"

I stopped to think about that one as well. There were a few symbols and sigils and spells that I had found to ward an area against her, but if she showed up they would probably become moot, and then I would have nothing. No symbols or charms or anything. "Then we run like hell until we figure out a new plan." Maybe a Tulpa, imagined to defeat the Darkness? No, the universe requires balance, like Billie had explained, and that would offset the balance. "Where's the safehouse located?"

"Utah. Another backwoods place. Also a cabin not too far away from food and water. What will you do if the Winchesters spot you?"

"Your job is to make sure they don't." I pointed out.

"Say fate decides otherwise." He said. "I'm only asking a hypothetical, here. What plan do you have if the Winchesters find you?"

"I'll change my appearance." I decided, motioning to my now dried and not half-bad looking hair. "I've already colored my hair, I could wear makeup when I go out, dress differently, wear colored contacts. If you can get me one I'll even carry an I.D. under a different name. If I'm actually good at magic at that point then I'll either make them forget seeing me or just disguise myself like that."

"Clever." Crowley nodded his approval. I felt slightly sick at the sight of doing something he considered smart.

"What will you do, if the Winchesters start asking you questions?" I asked. I knew they would call him eventually. They always did.

"I'll just be myself." He answered. "Oh, what a pity. Darkness looming over us. Let's get back to work again." He thought for a moment before asking another question. "What if Lucifer finds you? He'll still look like your angel."

"I'll do the same thing for the Winchesters, maybe add in some protection for my mind." I remembered the psychic-proof necklace I'd made. I didn't have it with me, I hadn't been wearing it when Lucifer booted me out, but I knew I could make another one.

"That won't work." He said. "Angels can sense a person at the atomic level, by the imprint their soul leaves on the space around them. If you're there and he sees you, he'll know it's you."

"Is there a spell that can hide me or change that?"

"I don't know. I'm not a witch." He said, smirking like the devil he was. "If he catches you, will you keep our deal a secret or spill?"

"Secret. You?"

"Secret." He agreed. "Do you have any more questions?"

"Is there a way you can keep tabs on the Winchesters for me?" I asked. "Without them knowing?"

"Why?"

"I'm afraid of what Lucifer will do to them if he feels the need to." I answered. "And they're just as important, if not more, as I am. Dean bears the mark, and has a connection to Amara. Sam is the one that ensured her freedom, and who Lucifer will jump for if Cas becomes a bust."

"I will make attempts to keep track of them." He said. "Anything else?"

"Do the Winchesters already know about Casifer?" I asked. Crowley snickered at the new nickname.

"Oh yeah." He said. "And boy did he throw a fit. How do you think the Winchesters will react when they learn that you're a witch, and not just a girl pretending to be one because she can do a few spells?"

"They're family." I reminded him. "They'll be supportive." I knew they would understand. They've made difficult decisions before. "How did they learn about Lucifer riding shotgun?"

And then Crowley told me everything that Lucifer had ranted to him about, everything he had said while taking his anger out on the demon.

I tried to not let it sting that Castiel had managed to break through for Sam, but hadn't for me.

"How do you feel, knowing this information?" Crowley asked. I thought for a moment before shaking my head.

"I'd rather not answer that." I stated. He shrugged, and I went on to ask my next question. "How many other demons know about this?"

"Top secret, for the King's eyes only." He answered. "Lucifer has already gotten to the rest of them." Great. "Do you still remember how to make those demon killing bags my mother made?"

"The Bind and Purge ones?" I clarified. Crowley nodded. "Yeah."

"Would you use them?"

I thought hard on that one, but once I did, I realized that I shouldn't have had to. "Yes." I said, wishing that I could've honestly said no. "How are you getting the clothes?" I asked, changing topics. Crowley looked confused for a moment. "You said that new clothes would be provided in Utah."

"They were Amara's. At one point she grew to approximately your size, and we had her in the Utah safehouse then. The clothes are still there, as are the rest of the human toiletries that I was surprised she would need." I wasn't sure how to feel about wearing the cast-offs of God's sister, but I figured there were worse things to deal with. "Now, I believe this trade of information is sadly, closed." He declared, standing. "We leave tomorrow."

"How're we getting from Indiana to Utah?" I asked.

"The same way you called Billie, and how Billie got you from the Arctic Circle to here." He answered. "Magic."

I nodded, and got up from the chair to walk towards the fireplace. It was dark in color, with no flames burning in it yet. I grabbed a few logs that were stacked next to it and started a fire, hoping to find comfort and warmth in the flames. Once it was crackling comfortably, I took a seat in front of it, just thinking. I looked at my hands and arms, fresh new cuts adorning each one in my work to everything-proof the place.

Kylie was dead, officially. Kai and Kylie Dillinger were both dead, now. One like a phoenix, and the other one encased in ice. I didn't have any other identities to turn to.

With going to Kai, it was like I was accepting my new life – accepting that I was homeless and on the run; accepting that I had nobody else but me at that point. When I went to my name, with the Winchesters and Cas, it was as though I was accepting my new family, accepting having a family in general again and a life and something other than homelessness and running.

But I couldn't go by either of those again. Dean and Sam and Cas and, now by extension Lucifer, knew those. I would need something new. Something to get comfortable with and go by, so that I would draw less suspicion.

I kept staring at the fire, thinking through everything I knew. Thinking about my situation, my family, everything. I never thought I would be working with a demon, with CROWLEY of all people? Hadn't I been promising to kill him not too long ago?

Then again, not too long ago I also saw Castiel. I gave him a hug and kiss before he left. I had talked with Sam and Dean. I'd been doing research, reading books, been doing normal hunter things.

But I wouldn't be a hunter, not anymore. I was going to be a witch now. I would be trained by the son of the greatest witch that had ever lived, the only witch that could've opened Lucifer's cage. Everything that I had known had literally just burned around me in hellfire.

Things changed, and fast.

"The name on the identity," I started, turning to Crowley. He was still sitting at the table, this time with a book that had appeared at some point. He glanced up at me.

"You have a preference?" He asked.

"Diana," I replied. "Diana Nyx."

"Any particular reason?"

"Diana is the Goddess of the Hunt, in Roman Mythology." I said, forgoing the fact that it was also like my middle name.

"And Nyx?" He asked.

"Nyx is the Greek Goddess of the night." I replied. "Aren't witches supposed to be dark?"

"You are going to be fun to work with, I can tell." He said, his voice dripping sarcasm. "Diana Nyx. Are you sure?"

"Yes." I replied. I didn't even hesitate to think about it. Crowley had killed Kai, and now I was killing Kylie. Together, we'd make Diana Nyx.

And I'd be a force to fear, by then.