Chapter 28

This story ended up different than I planned :P but I still enjoyed writing it. Only 2 chapters left till it's all over. Side note, I will within the next year be going back and re writing. I won't be changing what happened, just making my writing a little crisper.

Dean ran his fingers trough his hair, he and Sam had been camped outside the gate to hell for three days. Cass had gone up to heaven to see if she could get more information. Bobby forced Austin back to the house, there were a couple hunters in need of help and Sam and Dean weren't moving so the other two had to take up the slack.

"If she doesn't come back Sammy-" Dean couldn't even finish that sentence.

If Nichole was lost trapped in hell for the rest of her life, Dean honestly wouldn't be able to live. He's give up a life without torture to be tortured along side his daughter. At least that way he would know how she was and maybe offer her some kind of comfort.

"I know." Sam replied softly, his thoughts were the same as his brothers.

"How much longer do you think he's going to keep her down there?"

"He's Crowley, until he gets bored and moves on."

"Awe moose I'm touched, you know me so well." Crowley's British accent filled their ears.

Dean jumped to his feet and was across the space in no time, the fabric of Crowley's coat gripped tightly in his fists.

"You son of a bitch! You put her on the rack didn't you." Her shook him, "DIDN'T YOU!"

Crowley pried Dean's hands off him and flattened his now wrinkled coat, "We had a vacancy."

The demon smiled like it was no big thing, like Dean shouldn't be upset to hear such news. But he was, he was beyond pissed and wanted answers.

"You had a- take her off!" Sam snapped.

"She's already healing, she should be brand new in no time, I can't return her to you all sliced up now can I."

Dean lunged and Sam barley got there in time to hold him back, grabbing the back of his coat.

"Dean!" He yelled to keep him in line.

"You cheated you son of a bitch! She was going to pass with flying colors wasn't she? You couldn't just let her go through and be done with it."

"I wouldn't be me if I didn't. She's took everything, accepted it like it was happening, and the things I showed her." Crowley blew out a breath. "It was rough, so I put her on the rack, and she was even more boring then before."

Both Winchesters looked at him with confused expressions on their faces.

"She screamed for the first day or two, after that she didn't"

Did that mean it was all too much for her body and she was dead?

"That's impossible." Dean said.

Both brothers knew more than anyone how much pain is involved when your on the rack, Dean had even inflicted some in his time. There was no way a teen girl would be able to just think of a happy place and not feel the pain of an icy hot blade.

Crowley shrugged, "Either way I'm done with her, I'll send her out soon."

With that he was gone and the brothers were left looking at each other.

.

This was their last bit of torture, Nichole felt every second of her body healing it's self. The nerves, muscles and skin healing after months of being ripped, cut and burned.

When the last gash had sealed Nichole slowly started to sit up, they had never let her fully heal before. She felt like the last couple months hadn't happened, all the plain was a far off memory.

"Crowley." Nichole noticed him lurking in the shadows.

"The Winchesters are anxiously awaiting your arrival, though I wouldn't hung them till they've had the chance to shower, there a little ripe."

Of course they'd waited but, "How long was I down here?"

"How long did it feel like?"

"Months."

The demon nodded, "It was only four days up top."

That isn't too bad, hopefully Bobby had kept his head and feed everyone, her uncle was good like that. Her father and Sam on the other hand, most likely didn't more from the grave yard. Her father had probably sent Austin away with Bobby after a certain amount of time, Nichole knew her father still wasn't Austin's biggest fan.

"This is it then? My soul is right where it should be."

Crowley nodded and waved his hands toward the stair Nichole had come down at the start of the trials. Moving fast, as if afraid if she didn't move fast enough the stair would disappear Nichole made her way back to her family.

The doors at the top were steal, surprisingly cold to the touch. Pushing on them Nichole watched as the dial spun, making a loud sound as it unlocked. When they swung open a grave yard stretched out before her.

"Dad? Sam?" She called out softly.

.

"Did you hear that?" Sam asked, looking around the grave yard.

It sounded like two rocks had been hit together, the sound seemed to echo off the grave stones. It wasn't till the doors started opening that they realized she was coming out.

Dean rushed toward the doors with Sam at his heels, they eyes immediately landing on the girl in front of them. Dean's heart never felt so light in his life, Nichole looked happy and there wasn't a scratch on her, she was wearing the same outfit with the same weapons she'd been wearing when she'd left.

"Hi." Nichole couldn't help but laugh at the looks on their faces.

Dean pulled her forward into a bear hug, his lips in her hand giving her a kiss. When he finally let her pull away Sam had her in his arms the next second.

"I am really happy your back."

"Me too." She replied. "I thought Crowley would never let me leave."

That joke was a little soon to the brothers, they'd just lived through four days in their own hell imagining the worst and reliving their own experience.

"You're back now, we don't have to think about it any more." Her uncle assured her.

"You don't remember anything?"

Dean asked as Sam moved away to answer his phone.

Nichole shook her head, " I walked through those doors and next think I know I'm pushing them back open."

Dean smiled, "Good."

"That was Bobby." Sam came back over to them, stuffing his cell back in his pocket. "He and Austin were on their way over but I told them we'd see them at the house."

Dean got the hint. "Yeah we should get back on the road. They will be happy to see you."

Nichole nodded, when they reached the impala, Nichole started disarming herself, handing Dean all the weapons as she went.

"I bet he didn't even let you keep any of these." He muttered to himself, he knew she wouldn't remember.

.

Bobby's door was flung open before the impala was in park, Austin can through first followed by Bobby.

Nichole laughed and jumped up into Austin's arms, her legs hugging his waist as her arms did the same around his shoulders. Austin held her tight and kissed the naked skin of her shoulder, not wanted to pull away just yet for her lips.

"You two can cuddle later, I still need a hug."

Nichole laughed detaching from Austin arms and flew into Bobby's, he held her just as tight and kissed her forehead the way her dad had.

"Welcome home."