Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeh….. It's been over three yeaaaaaaaaaaaars….. I'm soooooooooooorryyyyyyyyyyyy…. I lost the paper I'd pre-written this chapter on and couldn't for the life of me sit down and try to rewrite it from memory. I'm the worst. Honestly I only sat down and decided to just write the last half (cough- two thirds it wasn't even half done -cough) because I haven't really been getting a lot of feedback on HAWOM (my other SPN/TW fic). I'm not sure if it's a bug with the website or what, because it's really uncharacteristic for my readers over there so I don't know what's going on with that, BUT THE POINT IS it's had me depressed af and YEARNING for that SWEET VALIDATION. I would've just worked on one of my many original stories and just gotten validation from my life and actual sense of purpose, but I've also been in a Steter kinda mood you know? Sooooooo…. Here's the chapter that took 3 years, I'm really super sorry, let's get to replies? yeet me

Yaoi: Right? Peter is a sweet and tiny boy, and I love him. Claudia is the most wonderful bean in this AU. The sweetest… The most lovely…. Small easter egg for anyone who reads HAWOM, Claudia and Peter also knew each other in that, but their characters in that are VERY different than in this… And so was their relationship.

Skywalker: Uuumm… Well… Wish granted technically? I'm sorry….

HeidiFox: THANK YOU, HEIDI! Also I'm sorry, Heidi. I really hope you had this on following or whatever. Because if you aren't still here I'm gonna CRY.

Cassie: I'm almost certain you're not reading anymore so I'm also cry but I KNOW RIGHT?

Dana: THANK YOU SWEET HONEY TOMATO, AND I'M SORRY FOR LITERALLY EVERYTHING.

Amber: Thank you, Amber, so am I, Deanmon is a good boy. Isn't it sad you're one of the recent reviews? I'm terrible.

Ladyblade: 1- Yes, kind of? I'm gonna try and be less horrible, at least. 2- I'm sorry. 3- Is also I'm sorry. 4-You'd think with how sorry I am I would've just written the damn thing, but nah, I'm trash. 5- This review was really sweet, thank you! 6- Welcome to the shit show, Lady!

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"No way." Sam said with a smile on his face and a moment away from laughter.

"All true. I'd kiss on it." Crowley assured with a small smirk. Sam rolled his eyes but urged Crowley to continue.

"What'd you do?" He asked, still amused.

"Well, I reminded the idiot he could ask for anything and asked if there was anything else he wanted. Still, he said 'No, just fix me ears.'!" Crowley laughed.

"So'd you do it?" Sam asked dubiously, sipping his to go coffee as they walked.

"Lord, no. It was daft." Crowley looked at Sam the weird way he had been since his first human blood binge. Sam figured it was just a humanity thing but he smiled anyway.

"I thought you were a businessman. Screw the customer, do anything for a deal." Crowley rolled his eyes, in what Sam assumed was a fond manner.

"Maybe so, but I do have my dignity. And I have to protect our integrity. What would people think if we allowed such idiotic trades? I told him to try again once he sorted out his priorities. Or at least, considered plastic surgery..." Sam hid his smile by pressing it to the rim of his cup, as Crowley took a bite of the croissant that Sam assumed he bought for show.

"I don't think I've ever seen you eat." Sam noted aloud. "Or drink, although I know you do. It's almost interesting to finally see it." Crowley laughed and Sam smiled. It was hard to get Crowley to laugh genuinely and he was glad to impress him. Once Crowley stopped he smirked at Sam.

"I can do a lot of interesting things with my mouth, Moose. Should show you what I can do with a cherry stem sometime." Sam ignored Crowley's obnoxious joke, smiling, even as a realization hit him.

"I just realized something... You're 'King of the Crossroads', as in you're in charge of all the crossroad deals demons made;" Crowley nodded. "And you hold all the contracts." Crowley nodded again, a bit cautious now. "And have for- since Lilith was in charge, since you were her right hand man?" Crowley gave a curt nod, confirming once more. "So, that means you held Dean's contract. Maybe even our Dad's, if you were in charge then." Crowley cleared his throat, steeling himself some.

"Not your father's, Azazel made that on his own and Lily was still ahead of me then... I wouldn't have taken such a deal. We only take souls immediately if say, someone is selling their soul for someone else's immortality, or the such." Crowley nodded. "Unfortunately though, yes, I oversaw Dean's deal." Sam raised an eyebrow.

"Unfortunately? Don't tell me you're getting sentimental Crowley." Sam noticed Crowley almost rolled his eyes again, but must have thought better… Or just not wanted to.

"I don't like unnecessarily cutting deals short. Lilith insisted, and she was next in line after you for the throne. And of course she could've chewed me up and spit me out, no matter how much she favored me as an apprentice. It was in my best interest to do as she wished. If it was up to me, I'd figured neither of you would have given us any problems had we given Dean a fair 10 years. To be safe I'd probably have given 25. But I didn't know about raising Lucifer, so..." Sam was quiet for a while and Crowley raised his eyebrows. "Is that a problem? That I held Dean's deal." Sam looked over.

"It's just, had we found that out back then, we'd probably have killed you." Crowley scoffed.

"You say that as if I'd just have let you." Crowley then turned the conversation in a slightly different direction. "If we came to the same crossroads today, would you still try?" Sam knew what he should say ("yes, of course, obviously") but he also knew that would be a lie. He wouldn't kill Crowley- at least not right away. He probably would, if he had to, but it certainly wouldn't be his go to solution the way it would have been then.

"Well, not first thing..." Crowley's eyes gave their twinkle that signaled curiosity, and Sam prayed he wouldn't bother asking why. Because honestly Sam didn't know, and Sam was worried what his honest answer would be.

"What would you do?" Crowley asked instead and Sam smirked.

"Well, I'd expect you to ask for something better than his soul first of all. A favor, us off your back, something..."

"Especially since Sparkles would just yank him back out if I did." Crowley said knowingly and Sam gave a little conspiratory grin.

"You… notice that too? Right? I'm not crazy here, am I?"

"Please, Sam, they've been smitten for years. An old blind nun could see that." Crowley scoffed. Sam smiled, pleased with himself for calling that way in advance.

"Hopefully, now that things are a bit more out in the open, they'll see it…."

"Big dreams…" Crowley answered a bit sarcastically. Sam smiled a bit wider, letting the ghost of a laugh out his nose.

"Big dreams for a big moose." Crowley laughed again, a bit more tame this time, as Sam grinned over at him. They walked for a bit longer in comfortable silence. As they approached the room, Sam sighed, almost sad it had to end. "Crowley… You know I've gotta ask…" Crowley turned a questioning look to him. "What's your real business here?" Sam expected him to sigh or roll his eyes or even glare or sneer or something, but he didn't. He just looked away, almost as if he was shutting down.

"I already told you three idiots-"

"You already told us a lie… Crowley we're here because of these werewolves and whatever weird shit's going on around them. We're not looking to fuck with your business if it's not anything we need to worry about, we just… wanna know what we should be avoiding." Sam tried his best to reason with Crowley, but he just shook his head without considering.

"Loose lips sink ships, Samantha."

"Yeah, and keeping secrets from your allies gets you killed, Crowley… Whatever you're doing here, whoever you're keeping quiet about, heaven knows, and they don't seem like they're fucking around." Crowley whipped to attention when he said that, voice serious as steel.

"They knew? What'd they say?"

"Well, we were-" Sam started but Crowley cut him off.

"None of that! What did it say?" Crowley looked absolutely frantic. Sam shook his head, focusing on what was important. Dean opened the door of the motel, dressed and apparently ready to go, despite his obvious pain and discomfort.

"She- She asked us where 'the demon' was. It didn't seem like she meant you." Sam explained quickly. Dean shook his head, cutting in.

"Nah, not him, his daughter. You remember how uppity Heaven got last time they heard of a Cambion kid? Cas is on his way to warn the mom." He explained. Sam looked to Crowley, who looked conflicted at the moment, worried perhaps. Wondering if he could trust them with his daughter maybe. He had to know how they'd tried to help Jesse though?

"Crowley, could she be who they're after? Is she demonic?" Crowley took a moment before he looked up to Sam, his face still tied in knots of stress. Sam almost felt bad for him. But if he'd shared this with them from the beginning, maybe they could've actually helped before now.

"She… hasn't shown any clear signs yet, late bloomer, but…." He nodded, defeatedly. "I think she is, yeah… Who they're after…" Sam nodded in return.

"It's alright, Crowley. Let's just... get to her before they do."