I don't own Supernatural or any of its characters. I make no monetary profit off of this story.

Twilight Zone

"Oh, no, no, don't leave me lonely now

If you loved me how'd you never learn

Ooh, color crimson in my eyes

One or two could free my mind.

This is how it ends,

I feel the chemicals burn in my bloodstream.

Fading out again,

I feel the chemicals burn in my bloodstream…" – Bloodstream by Ed Sheeran

Chapter 26: Bloodstream

The time passed and the sky seemed to become even darker, somehow. As though the night hadn't reached its full blackness. Sam watched this happen outside the window, only distantly noticing Crowley was coming and going at random. Apparently taking care of Hell matters but never being gone long enough for the boys to leave or set a trap for him.

Dean, however, seemed to be paying him no attention. The elder Winchester was playing with a knife and drinking from his third bottle of whiskey. Sam wondered where Cas went, worried about him but his brother was his priority. Dean was all that mattered. He'd spent the time since everything calmed down thinking about what Crowley and Dean had said to him, considering it. At this point, however, his mind had taken that information and was now dwelling on something else.

He wasn't going to just let this happen. Not any of it. He couldn't cure Dean, he knew that for certain now. But he knew better than his brother that there was something else he could do. Something that would have lasting effect and bring most of his brother back to being human.

Sam waited, patiently. Watching Crowley's disappearances last longer and longer as the king apparently began to trust Sam more. That was a mistake. Now, the moment the king vanished, Sam casually got up and strolled towards the bar. Grabbing a beer glass, he felt his brother's eyes linger on his back for a moment. Instead of filling it with alcohol, Sam calmly filled it with water, dropping a crucifix necklace in it and mentally blessing the water. He waited until he knew Dean was no longer watching him then turned, swiftly dumping the water on his brother, watching smoke rise as it burned him. As Dean flailed, this being his first time experiencing the pain of holy water, Sam slapped the demon cuffs on his wrists. One at a time.

Before Dean could start putting up a fight, Sam hauled his brother over his shoulder and stepped out of the hotel room, leaving the door open.

Xxxxxx

"If you're here to kill me, brother, do it quickly. That's all I ask." Stated Cas, tone tired and defeated as he faced Lucifer.

"Kill you? Why would I kill you, Castiel?" asked Lucifer, smiling at the dark haired, dying angel.

"Numerous reasons. One being that I helped try to kill you during the apocalypse." Replied Cas, matter-of-factly.

"I don't wish to kill you, little brother. In fact…I'm going to do you a favor."

"What might that be?" asked Castiel, watching the devil suspiciously.

"I'm gonna give you your wings back." Answered Lucifer, smiling wider at his brother, starting to pace around the weakened angel, much like a wolf circles its prey. Cas simply hung his head and let out a tired laugh.

"At what price? Getting the horsemen back? Killing for you? No."

"Don't be stupid, brother. If I wanted the horsemen, I'd get them myself. If I want someone dead, they'll die. I don't need you for that. All I ask in return is that you run an errand for me, one that you'll want to run." Explained Lucifer, cold blue gaze on his sibling as he stopped in front of him again.

"What errand?" asked Cas before he could stop himself. Caught off guard and unable to hide his curiosity.

"I want you to find Gabriel."

"Find…. He's dead, Lucifer. You killed him. How do you expect me to find him?" snapped Cas, now glaring at his big brother.

"He's not dead. I returned for his body, I was going to take it somewhere so it could be returned to Heaven. It was gone, Castiel. Gabriel is alive. Hiding. As usual."

"You lie." Snarled Cas, now fully feeling the hurt over losing Gabriel, now that he had human emotions in full.

"I never lie, brother. I would not lie about this. I love Gabriel, it broke my heart when I thought I'd killed him. Originally, I believed maybe one of those Pagans had taken his body. They didn't. I searched them all out. What I did find while looking for him was the remains of a spell. Just another trick. He won't come to me, Castiel, but he'll come to you. You can find him." Explained Lucifer, almost as though pleading with Cas. Something the dark haired angel thought he'd never, ever see.

"Why? So you can kill him again?"

"No, of course not. I want to fix what I broke between us. Gabriel was always my favorite little brother, you know this. He was to me what you are to him. I raised him just as he raised you."

"Why don't you start at the source and fix things between you and Michael first?"

"You know how Michael is. He's hellbent on completing Revelations. He won't talk, Castiel, he'll want to fight. Talking isn't what he does."

"How will this work? You just…out of the kindness of your heart give me my grace back so that I go searching for our dead brother?" asked Cas, a flicker of hope blooming in his chest despite who he was talking to.

"I will give you back all that's left from Metatron's spell and do a spell of my own so that it returns you to full grace. I swear it. In return, you immediately go searching for Gabriel. No side stops with the Winchesters or Crowley, just find Gabriel. You almost found Father once, Castiel, you can find Gabriel." Stated Lucifer, chin raising as he finished speaking.

Cas stood there in silence, deep in thought, weighing his options. There was no way this was a clear and clean deal. He knew that. Lucifer had to be planning something he wasn't telling him or going to do some dirty little trick. However, he had to admit that he wanted to find Gabriel, badly enough even to risk this deal with the devil. One more deal couldn't end any worse than his previous ones had, right? This couldn't be worse than the fallout with his and Crowley's deal over Purgatory, his working for Naomi, or his plan with Metatron. If it did end up worse, perhaps he'd finally be killed this time and finally have peace. This would be the point and time he'd think about what the boys would want him to do, but he didn't think the boys were in his corner anymore.

"I will." Stated Castiel, raising head to look at Lucifer, almost seeing him as the famed angel God loved most rather than the sinister Satan he was known as now.

"Thank you. Come with me, brother." Answered Lucifer, grinning widely as he set his hand on Cas's shoulder and they vanished from the side of the road.

Xxxxxx

Crowley appeared in the hallway and stopped as he saw the door to his motel room was open. He looked around behind him and down both ends of the hallway before slowly nudging the door open fully with his foot and cautiously stepping in. Trying to smell any sulfur or sense the presence of an angel, expecting to be attacked at any moment.

As the king slowly made his way in and checking every room, he allowed himself to relax somewhat. Which only caused rage and then fear to rise up. Dean was gone, as was Sam. All he could think was that Moose had convinced Dean to come home with him, to get away from all of this, to leave. He saw no signs of a struggle and the fear shivered down his spine. I've lost him, I've lost Dean. He's gone. He thought, then shook his head, trying to force that thought away as he pulled out his phone and dialed Sam's number.

The phone rang for a few moments then the familiar voice answered, the sound of a heavy door shutting.

"Thought you'd call earlier, Crowley." Stated Sam's voice.

"Where are you two? What've you done, Samantha?" snapped Crowley, masking the fear through anger.

"I had a talk with my brother and reminded him that family is what's important. You're not family, Crowley. You never were and you never will be. Dean is back where he belongs, with me, ready to go hunting sons of bitches like you. In fact, we might even start with you."

"What'd you do, Sam? Drug him? Cast a spell? Demon cuffs when he wasn't paying attention?" accused Crowley, voice raising in volume with each question.

"I didn't do anything, Crowley. He's done with you, this was his decision." Stated Sam, easily lying to the king.

"Tell me why I don't believe you, Moose." Answered Crowley, teeth grit as he spoke, well, growled the words.

"Because you don't want to believe me. You think I don't remember your breakdown during the trials? I get it. You want love. Good for you. But Dean is not your pet, he's not your friend, he never will be. You are to him what Ruby was to me. Just a bad influence, Crowley." Replied Sam. Crowley's end was silent for a few moments, Sam actually thinking he'd hung up on him.

"Then I want you to listen, Sam, and listen closely. Because what I'm about to say to you is what you generally say to me at the end of these chats. I don't believe you, I think you're lying, I think you took him. And believe me when I say I'm coming for you, Moose. I'm going to beat you into the ground and take him back." Said Crowley, then hanging up before Sam could answer.

Sam sighed and put his phone down on the table before stepping into the dungeon where his brother sat glaring at him.

"I heard him, you know." Stated Dean, eyes black as he watched his large brother step into the room.

"Good for you." Retorted Sam, sticking a needle into his arm with a slight wince, pulling blood out.

"You can't cure a knight of hell, Sammy."

"Maybe not but I can give you humanity back."

"You really believe that'll work?" asked Dean, tone curious as Sam moved over to him.

"Yeah." Lied Sam. He was only going on a hunch, well, a hunch and a whole lot of hope. He set his hand on Dean's head just as he'd done with Crowley not long ago, forcing it to the side and jamming the needle into his neck, pushing the blood in as his brother growled. Dean shook his head like a wet dog when the needle was pulled out.

"You're livin on a prayer that ain't gonna be answered, little brother."

"Shut up, Dean." Replied Sam, sitting down and watching his big brother.

"You're fuckin up my life, Sammy. You realize that?"

"I'm saving you from yourself. That's what I'm doing."

"No, you've pissed off my best friend to the degree that he's gonna come down on you with all the fury of Hell. Which means, since you're my beloved brother, if he hurts you, I'm gonna have to hurt him. Which I really don't wanna do."

"Since when, Dean? What in God's name did he do to you to get you to trust him so much?"

"Oh, nothing. Other than helping me save you, bringing me back, teaching me how to control myself, showing me the ropes."

"That's not enough, Dean. Pick a damn side."

"Did I make you pick a side when it came to you and Jess?" retorted Dean, eyes blinking back to green. Sam stared at his brother, rather thrown by the question.

"What? What's she got to do with any of this?"

"Answer the question. Did I let you go back to her, grudgingly but still? Did I ever tell you that you had to chose between me or her?"

"Dean, what-"

"Answer me!" snapped Dean, growling.

"No, you didn't. Now what the fuck does she have to do with anything?" snapped back Sam, angry on principle that she was brought up.

"My point is that you don't have the right to make me choose between you or him."

"Dean… are you gay?" replied Sam, a confused look on his face, sensing something more than friendship here.

"No, I'm not gay, you asshat. How many women have you known me to sleep with?"

"Yeah, but when someone becomes a demon, it can make them different. I honestly always wondered if maybe you were a little bit gay."

"Well, I'm not. I'm bi. There's a difference."

"Okay, so what you're telling me is that you have a crush on Crowley and that's why you're mad at me because I've just screwed up your chances or something?" asked Sam, brows still furrowed in confusion.

"We're a bit past that point, Sammy."

"What? Oh, you mean…" started Sam, then going wide eyed and immediately putting his face in his hands for a moment.

"Get it? Get it? Now, let me go."

"Oh, my god, Dean, I didn't need to know that… I don't wanna know about your and Crowley's sex life…" groaned Sam, lifting his head with a disturbed look. Dean rolled his eyes so hard that they went from green to black.

"Don't be such a homophobe." Blurted Dean.

"I'm not, but…Crowley? I don't wanna picture him like that, oh my god, my brain is seared with nightmares forever."

"Whatever. Done? Gonna let me out, now?"

"No. In about forty minutes, I'm giving you another injection."

"Dammit, Sammy! Don't do this to me!" shouted Dean, rage boiling in his belly.

"Crowley wants to come and start a fight, fine. I'll kick his ass." Replied Sam.

"Sam…come on. Don't do this." Groaned Dean, hanging his head after seeing that determined, stubborn Winchester expression on his brother's face.

Xxxxxx

Appearing outside the bunker, a few hours later, Crowley hardly had to work to get the door open. Sam had, unwisely, left it unlocked because Dean was struggling and almost got loose. The king made his way into the bunker slowly, his hound Juliet with him. The demented dog cleared the path for her master, sniffing out the boys and leading to the dungeon.

Sam had heard Crowley come in and was hiding next to the doorway, demon blade in hand. Before he could realize that a hound was inside, Juliet bit onto his ankle and tugged him to the ground. Crowley stepping in a moment later while Dean growled from his chair.

"I told you I was coming, Moose. Did you really think I'd come alone?" asked Crowley, stepping on Sam's wrist before he could slice at him. Kneeling down next to the tall man as he thrashed against the hound keeping him pinned.

"Fuck you, Crowley." Growled Sam, straining against the dog he couldn't see.

"You thought you'd make him a blood junkie, hm? Get the whole family involved? Throw him into what you threw me into? Karma's a bitch, innit, Moose?" asked Crowley, taking the demon blade from Sam's hand.

"Crowley, don't!" barked Dean from his chair, straining against the cuffs. The king ignored him. Dragging the blade across his palm and slicing it open before closing his fist over Sam's mouth.

"Don't fight it, Samantha. You know you need this. Let it in. Taste the power in my blood, feel it course through your veins." Whispered Crowley, opening his hand and forcing his palm down against Sam's mouth. Sam caught in a predicament. He had a choice between suffocating or swallowing the blood. Trying with all the strength he had, even as the intoxicating taste hit his tongue, his eyes clenched closed. Sam tried to close his mouth but the way Crowley's hand was positioned forced it to stay open, the blood dripping and spilling in.

Before the younger Winchester even realized what he was doing, before he could halt at the point of no return, he found himself swallowing the blood. Breathing in short pants through his nose as he went from fighting to practically sucking the blood from Crowley's palm. A stray groan leaving him as he felt it hitting his bloodstream, as he felt himself becoming stronger. Those old powers that he thought were gone forever, that lingering evil Azazel had placed in him, popping to the surface at lightening speed.

Crowley nodded at his hound once, Juliet swiftly moving off of Sam as the king released the pressure on the hunter's arm. Instead of throwing him off or attacking, Sam's hands gripped Crowley's arm. Eyes closed, eagerly sucking in every drop of blood he could get, teeth biting at the incision on the King's hand to force more of it out.

Dean stared, in disbelief and horror that he hadn't expected. Too much humanity pumped into him from Sam, who now had very little left in him, ironically. Though this wouldn't have remotely bothered him just a few hours ago, he realized he felt nothing but fear, pain, guilt, and heartbreak at watching his brother drop back into the dirty pit he'd been in before the apocalypse. Using the human blood pumped into him, he broke free of the cuffs and chair, sprinting across the room and tackling Crowley.

Slamming the king down hard on the floor and pinning him, he found a human rage boiling in his chest. Rage at himself for what he'd become, for wanting to stay that way, rage at Sam for bringing him back, rage at Crowley for what he'd just done. Before he knew what he was doing, he was swinging fist after fist. Trying with all his strength to hurt the king.

Startled and hurt, everything clicked in Crowley's mind and he swiftly waved his hand, sending Dean off of him and into the wall with a thud.

"I came here to save you, you moron!" roared Crowley, neither of them noticing Sam was standing, blood staining his chin.

"Save me?! By hurting Sam?!" snapped Dean, no longer stuck against the wall.

"I didn't hurt him, jackass, I gave him his true strength back." Stated Crowley, spitting blood at the floor, narrowed gaze on Dean.

"Shut up, both of you." Blurted Sam in a terrifyingly controlled and cool tone. They turned and looked at him.

"Sammy, I'm gonna fix this. Okay? I'm-" started Dean.

"You're not gonna do jack shit, okay? I keep getting brought down this road, Dean, maybe it's time you stop shoving me onto the exit ramp."

"Look, you can both come back with me. We'll talk, settle all this." Stated Crowley, watching both of them closely.

"I'm not goin anywhere with you." Growled Dean, glaring at the king. Crowley felt his heart drop into his stomach and swallowed hard.

"Dean…listen. I-"

"Fuck everything up! That's what you do! And I'm done! I'm done with everyone! I don't need Sam, I don't need Cas, and I really don't fucking need you!" shouted Dean. Sam raised his eyebrows but said nothing, watching his brother melt down. Crowley felt the old familiar pain rising and clenched his jaw, refusing to break in front of them.

"Well, you perfect, blunt, little instrument… Good for you, Dean! Oh praise the Lord, I don't have the most miserable bastard in existence on my back any longer! God bless it! I do believe Sam is even more relieved than I am!" retorted Crowley, shouting right back, face getting rather red in his anger. Sam leaned against a shelf and watched, feeling oddly like he was watching a married couple have a bad fight.

"Good! I'm fucking thrilled! You can go back to running the pit and being a goddamn junkie cause that's all you're fucking good for!"

"Right, an alcoholic who's drowning his liver and his pain in whiskey is so much better! You're a pathetic excuse for a man, Dean. You were even worse of an excuse for a demon. And you know what? The only thing I blame myself for is being stupid enough to think I could use you in the first place."

"Goddamn user. I can't believe I ever enjoyed your company. I really can't. Fuck off, Crowley. Get out of my sight."

"Gladly. By the way, I've been fucked better when fast asleep than by you. I see why you've never settled down. No one in their right mind would want you to fuck them more than once." Retorted Crowley through grit teeth, glaring at Dean. He vanished just as Dean whipped one of the chairs across the room at him. The chair passing through thin air and hitting the wall.

"Next on Couple's Therapy, who's the real father of Dean's baby?" blurted Sam, then chuckling. Dean turned a glare on him.

"And fuck you, too. After everything, after that whole goddamn speech you just gave me about saving me? You're willing to accept this? You don't want it out of you? You wanna be dirty? Fine. Be it. I'm done tryin to fix you. I should've killed you a long time ago." Growled Dean before stomping out. Sam stared after him and then got up, trying to follow him out.

"Dean, dammit, stop it. Come back." Stated Sam, going silent when he saw the bunker door slam shut then sighing heavily.

Xxxxxx

Crowley hid himself away. From Hell, from Heaven, from hunters, from everyone. He was always someone who couldn't be found unless he wanted to be and he used that to his advantage.

If someone were to find him at the moment, however, they'd find a disaster. The entire room destroyed, windows blown out, furniture thrown around, a mess from rage. The eye of the storm sitting on the floor, leaning against the wall with his sleeve rolled up and two empty syringes on the ground next to him.

The human blood pumping through his veins, from an unwilling donator, Crowley's head rested back against the wall and his eyes were closed. He was numb, he was gone. At least for now. Not having to feel, not having to worry, not having to hurt. Safe from that drowning feeling of loneliness. Temporarily, anyway.

**((Okay, well, that took an angry turn. Hope you guys enjoy it. Thank you for reading. Please leave me a review on your way out))**