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-o-

Crowley

He woke up to the sound of someone yelling his name. Quite hysterically, actually. "Crowley! Oh God! Crowley! Please, please! Don't you dare be dead! You're The Bloody King of Hell! You will not die from this! Please don't.. Please, love. Please.."

Right. Moving. Why was he not moving again? He heard another voice, a darker one. Castiel. "Demons do not fare well with the Archangel light. He already knew this. But do not worry, he is alive."

Crowley felt two fingers on his forehead, and the world came rushing back so fast he gasped. "But she was not supposed to know that, now was she?"

He managed to sit up somewhat, but before he could say anything, he was mercilessly kissed by the creature that had just yelled ass-butt to an Archangel. Finally catching her breath, she shook him a bit. "You knew? And still you came? You bloody idiot!"

Focusing on her, he gave her an innocent look. "Are we kissing, or are we arguing, love? Do make up your mind, will you?"

She growled at him. "We are..both! How dare you risk yourself like that?!"

He was kissed breathless again before he was able to answer. "Now, love, I was not the one yelling ass-butt to an Archangel. We will have words about that, by the way."

She shook him again. "You can be bloody sure we will have words! And not about me yelling ass-butt! Infuriating demon!"

Crowley glanced around before looking back at the angry woman in front of him. "What do you think will be today's top headline? Princess killing one of the most powerful beings in existence, or the fact that The King of Hell has a girlfriend? Either way, the cat is out of the bag."

He watched as Jenny's expression turned from fury to shock. "Oh..I didn't really think about that." She giggled. "Not that I bloody care. Because we are alive." Shaking him again, she narrowed her eyes. "Do not do anything like that again, though. You scared me out of my mind!"

-o-

Jenny

The cat was indeed out of the bag, she realised, reading the expressions around the room. She had been so focused on Crowley that she hadn't thought for a second about what she was doing.

She had woken up about the same time as the rest, and seeing how Nikki, Castiel and Dean were moving and checking on Bobby and Sam, she had run over to Crowley and found him not moving. Hearing Sam groan, and Dean confirming that Bobby was alive, she had let go of everything else and focused on her lifeless lover. To her frustration, demons did not even need to breathe, and she had found no signs of life, not even a pulse. So she had panicked. Oh well. Not much to do about it now. The cat could not go back in the bag, after all.

She pointed at Crowley. "Don't go anywhere. I need to check on the others."

Sam had a huge bump on the back of his head, but was otherwise pretty much alright. Dean had a cut on his forehead, and was clutching his side. Bobby.. Bobby was conscious, but just barely. And his leg was in a very unnatural angle. Jenny headed for Bobby while glancing at Nikki. Dean was there, so she figured her friend was doing okay for now. Are you injured?

Nikki shook her head. Just the leg. And I hit my head. But not too bad. I'll live.

Jenny reached Bobby, but Castiel came over and kneeled down. "I will take care of this."

"Are any of you going to acknowledge me any time today?"

Jenny spun around from the familiar, but still so very unfamiliar voice. Oh, right. Balthazar. Castiel stood up and looked at him. "Thank you for not aiding Raphael."

Balthazar cocked his head. "I had no wish of joining this mad crusade anyway. But he left me no choice. Thank you for not killing me." He turned to look at Nikki. "And where did you find her?"

-o-

Nikki

They all managed to get home alright. She couldn't believe it. Raphael was dead. And they were all alright. Somewhat wounded, but Castiel had healed broken bones and injuries. They were all alright. Or so Nikki thought.

-o-

Later that night, after everyone had gone to bed, Nikki was in her room, getting ready for bed as well when she heard a thumping sound coming from down the hall. Like something heavy hit the wall. She considered ignoring it, but her gut told her something was off, so Nikki went to investigate what just went bump in the night.

She gently knocked on Dean's door. "Dean?" No answer. He is probably sleeping, she thought. She turned around to walk back to her room, but couldn't make herself move. Something is wrong. It has to be. She knocked on the door a bit harder. "Dean? Are you sleeping?" Still no reply. Nikki felt a growing sense of unease spread in her gut. Taking a deep breath, she opened the door.

It was like the air was sucked out of her lungs from the sight that met her when she entered the room. "Dean.. Dean?!"

Dean was lying lifeless on the floor. And his skin was unnaturally pale. Nikki rushed over, falling to her knees next to the unmoving man. Gripping his shoulder, she rolled him over on his back, and the way his head lolled to the side made her insides turn cold.

He had a pulse, although very faint. But something was obviously very wrong. Very wrong, indeed. He was clutching his side earlier, she thought before lifting his t-shirt. Oh, god, you STUPID man! Dean's whole right side was one huge, grim-looking bruise. Internal bleeding. Why didn't he say anything?

Nikki didn't even think. She just placed both hands on his pale, bruised skin and closed her eyes.

She had no idea how long she had been sitting like that, but was jolted from her state of mind when Dean gasped. And then she realised how exhausted she was. She was almost unable to keep her head up.

"Nikki? What..what happened?" She couldn't concentrate enough to answer him. She could barely register his sudden alert expression and worried eyes. "Nikki! What's wrong?!"

She wanted to answer him, but couldn't even open her mouth. Her vision started to grow more and more blurry before the world fell completely out of focus.

-o-

She woke up to the sound of voices. "What's wrong with her? Did Raphael do this? Is this because of that ass-hat of an angel? Can you fix her?"

Another male voice could be heard. Castiel, her mind told her. "Raphael did not do this. You did. She has exhausted herself healing you. Why didn't you tell me you were injured?"

Nikki heard Dean groan. "I didn't think it was that bad. You had more than enough with the rest."

The world slid out of focus again.

-o-

She heard a voice. Or.. There was a voice in her head. Jenny. So, anyway, it resulted in me throwing away that pair of jeans. I wonder if Cesar Milan takes on Hellhounds?

Nikki did not recognise her voice when she spoke. "Uh..what?"

"Oh, God, Nikki! You're awake! How are you feeling?"

-o-

Two days. Two days she had been out cold. And Dean.. Well, Dean had sat with her almost the whole time. Jenny had made him get some shut-eye in the end and, of course, that's when she woke up.

Jenny had gone to inform the rest that Nikki was awake, and less than a minute later Dean came into the room. Nikki wondered for a moment if he was going to rip the door of its hinges from the way he barged into the room. He was at her side in a moment, taking her hand as he sat down on the edge of the bed. "How are you feeling?"

She blinked. "Uh, fine. A bit tired."

Dean rolled his eyes. "I'm sorry. It was my fault. Didn't think it was that bad." She gave him a confused look, so he continued. "Castiel told me that you exhausted yourself healing me. So, yeah, go me."

Ah. That's right. She remembered. The sight that met her when she entered the room. Dean's sickly pale skin. She shivered. "That was incredibly stupid of you. You could have died if I hadn't found you!" Realising the truth of her words, she couldn't breathe for a moment. She slapped him on the shoulder. "You need to think! And not be so damned self-sacrificing all the time!"

Dean sighed. "Yeah, everyone has made sure that I know that. Constantly. For two days." His expression softened. "I'm really sorry."