Author's Note: Hey all. I just wanted to drop in and say that the character links have been updated and the Ruby 2.0 on the show isn't portrayed by the same actress as in my story. I have her concept up. Tell me what you think. Happy Reading. Y'all rock. ~Beccatdemon13

Chapter Thirty-Six: Broken Sorrow

"In the ashes of my demise, I realize how much my life was built on lies."

Hailey's Point of View

"Hails, what are you doing?" Darren asked. "It's cold out here."

"Thinking," I mumbled.

"Nightmares?" Darren sighed.

"You sound surprised," I shook my head. "It stops becoming a shock when it's happened every single night for the past three months."

"You should talk about it," Darren prodded.

Darren climbed through the open window and sat down next to me, against the wall. He pulled me to his side and I laid my head down on his chest. This was one of the nicer motels we stayed in. It had a patio although the only way you could get to it was through the window.

"It's the same dream over and over," I whispered. "Him covered in blood, screaming for help. Recently though it's been him doing the torturing."

"You know he would never do that," Darren soothed. "They're just nightmares, Hailey. You did witness your brother die right in front of your eyes."

"I miss him, Dare, I miss him a lot," I sniffled. "It's like a giant hole has been punched through my chest."

Darren's arms wrapped around my torso pulling me onto his lap as I cried into his neck. His hands stroked up and down my arms and back as I cried out my pain. Nothing felt right anymore not with Dean dead. And he was just another death in a long list of people we had lost but Dean, he was different. Losing people in this life was commonplace but loosing someone like Dean was so much worse. Dean was the one who was in charge of us and always had been. The one we could count on to always have our backs and be there no matter how bad we fucked up and now he was in hell and try as I might I was starting to think there was nothing I could do to save him. And after all Dean had done for me coming to that realization hurt, a lot.

"Hailey, come on, we're going inside," Darren said.

I nodded softly crawling through the open window and tucking so that I would tumble and land back on my feet. Darren climbed in after me and shut the window after me. I turned on my heel as Darren opened his arms enfolding me in his grasp. He tilted my chin up and kissed me softly. My hands tangled in the back of his sweatshirt as the kiss deepened as he began to walk forward causing me to walk backwards until the back of my knees hit the bed causing me to fall onto the bed as Darren laid on top of me with his hands on either side of my head.

"Oh Darren," I groaned as he pulled away and began nibbling at my neck as one of his hands went underneath my tee-shirt and played with the lacy fabric of my bra. I arched up as a wayward finger brushed against my nipple. My breathing turned ragged as Darren found the hollow of my neck as my shirt began to ride up.

When my phone began to ring I huffed rolling us over so that Darren was pinned under me as I answered my cell phone.

"Taz," I groaned.

"Look, you can make out with your boyfriend later, Hailey, this is important," Natasha snapped.

"Whoa, who pissed in your Cheerios?" I gaped.

"Sam's with a demon," Natasha sighed.

"Taz, what exactly do you mean by that?" I demanded. "Demons have him cornered?"

"No," Natasha corrected. "It's Ruby. And, Hails, what she's teaching Sam it isn't good."

"What do you mean?" I hissed.

"You know how Azazel gave your brother abilities?" Natasha asked, "Well there's only one way to strengthen them."

"You're joking," I grimaced.

"I'm sorry, Hails," Natasha sighed.

"Don't be," I snarled. "This is all on him."

"None of you have been in the right mind since Dean died," Natasha soothed. "It's only been three and a half months."

"I know how long it's been," I warned.

"Just be careful, Hailey," Natasha said.

"Where is he?" I demanded.

"Richmond, Virginia," Natasha answered.

"I'll talk to you later," I stated disconnecting the phone line.

"Where do you think you're going?" Darren asked.

"Out," I stated as I climbed off of Darren and opened the closet where a duffel bag was ready and waiting.

"Out where?" Darren asked.

"The door for starters," I muttered.

"Cut the crap, Hailey," Darren fumed. "Where are you going?"

"I'm going to find Sam," I replied.

"Why?" Darren questioned. "He's okay, right?"

"Sam's with Ruby," I growled. "And what they're doing isn't good."

"Hailey, wait a second, and think about this," Darren pleaded as he raced behind me and down the stairs and towards the parking lot where three motorcycles and a mustang was parked in two spots. I saw Lucy and Abby, who were already waiting for me and turned in my direction as I came storming up.

"What's up?" Lucy asked.

"Why are you guys out here?" Darren asked.

"We felt that things weren't right so we came down here," Abby shrugged. "So, what gives, Hails?"

"It's s Sam, he's with Ruby," I snarled.

"Let's go," Abby stated.

We all hopped on the bikes at the same time. Abby's was red and Lucy's was orange. We floored out of the motel room unsurprised when the mustang quickly fell behind us and was coming up fast. I waved Lucy and Abby ahead as I coasted alongside the mustang.

"Hey, Darren," I shouted over the roar of my motorcycle and the car.

"What do you wanna do, Hails?" Darren asked.

"You go on ahead," I said. "We'll meet you at the New York cabin," I said. "That okay?"

"Yeah, of course," Darren grinned. "Stay safe, alright?"

"You know it," I smirked.

Darren nodded before driving off and after saying some quick words to both Abby and Lucy he was off driving towards New York. I hit the gas and floored it so that I was driving along side both Abby and Lucy again. It wasn't that much of a drive between North Carolina and Virginia. It was three hours and some change before we pulled up at the motel room that Sam was staying at.

I barely glanced at the impala, knowing she looked as pristine as ever as I crept to Sam's motel room. Abby and Lucy were on either side of me and we nodded to one another before I raised my hand and pushed it forward, a gust of wind came and knocked the door hard against the wall as Abby, Lucy, and I walked inside.

"What are you doing here?" Ruby snapped.

I glared at her before twisting my hand, I heard the sickening crack of bone as the knife tumbled out of her hand; I then tilted my head sending her soaring smack into the wall.

"Where's my brother, bitch?"

"Hailey?" Sam gasped. "What the hell are you doing?"

"No, Sam," I corrected lightly turning to face my older brother. "The real question is what the hell are you doing?"

"I don't know what you mean," Sam snorted. "Put her down, Hailey, now."

"What is going on, Sam?" I growled.

"It doesn't matter!" Sam fumed.

I recoiled before I looked at him, "Who are you?" I demanded. "She's a demon, Sam. We want them dead, they want us dead!"

"It's not like that, Hailey!" Sam retorted. "She's not like that. Last I checked she wanted to help you once upon a time."

"Yeah, that's what she wants," I snarked. "To help us. Or maybe she wants you to strengthen your demon connection."

"Shut up," Sam ordered harshly.

"What's the matter, Sammy?" I muttered. "You didn't want anyone to learn your dirty little secret."

"Hailey, I don't have to explain my actions to you," Sam reprimanded.

"You're drinking blood, Sam!" I shouted. "A demon's blood and for what?"

"To kill Lilith," Sam snapped. "I'm getting strong enough to kill Lilith."

"Because that falls on you," I rolled my eyes.

"Damn straight it falls on me," Sam said. "Dean left me in charge."

"Bang up job you're doing there, Sammy," I sighed. "Aiden's back on drugs and you ditched the both of us the first chance you got. Some leadership skills you have."

"Let her go, Hailey Jade," Sam barked.

"Make. Me." I snarled.

"Hailey," Lucy whispered.

"Luce," Abby shook her head. "Just let them be."

"Hailey, I swear to god…"

"Shut the fuck up, Sam," I interrupted. "You're associating with a demon and for what? Revenge? Where did revenge get Dad? Where's Dean now? Dean said he didn't want her teaching you anything and now that he's out of the picture you can do whatever the fuck you want to? Just because you're the big man all of a sudden."

"You're one to talk," Sam retorted. "What happened to no running away?"

"There's a difference between running and revenge, Sam," I shook my head. "And, my brother use to be able to see that."

Sam and I glared irately at each other as we circled around each other. We both knew that the only way Ruby was getting down was if I let her down and that wasn't happening. I stopped circling and sank into a defensive position and waited for Sam to make his move. Some things would never change, whenever Sam and I had to spar he started with the typical right hook to my face. I ducked past it knowing by the very glint in his eye that this time wasn't for shits and giggles or because Dean told us to we were both out for blood and everyone in the room knew it.

As I ducked past the fist my hands latched around his arm pulling him in the direction the punch was going allowing his own momentum to throw him over my shoulder. He landed with a sickening thud and skidded a couple of feet away from me. When he scrambled up he came at me with a barrage of kicks and punches. He got me a couple of times before a backhand slammed me to the ground, air whooshed out of my lungs but Sam still moved kicking me in the side twice before sending another punch at my face. How I ducked away I wouldn't know. I moved and kicked back sending him away from me. I got unsteadily to my feet and Sam shoved me once more.

I was sailing through the air and I landed on the glass table that was in the middle of the motel room. The table broke around me sending sharp shards of glass into my skin all over my body. I let out a small shriek as I struggled to get away from glass.. Sam stood panting over me, glaring at me malevolently. My hands were flailing, which was why I wasn't surprised when a lamp from one of the nightstands went flying in Sam's direction.

"Oh, my god," Lucy gasped. "Hailey!"

I held up a shaky hand as Lucy rushed to help me to my feet. I climbed up unsteadily wincing as my body began to throb in stereo with my heart. I didn't know what hurt more the fact that Sam trusted some demon over family, my body, or the way Sam's betrayal cut to the quick far deeper than the glass had managed to go. Suddenly, it looked like I had my brother back as realization hit him like a ton of bricks. His expression went from bloodthirsty to remorsefully to concerned as both Abby and Lucy helped me up, supporting me so that I was upright between the two of them. Lucy, Abby, and I walked out of the motel room and past the impala walking towards a grassy area. Abby laid me gently on the grass, wincing as I moaned again.

"Hailey!" Sam called.

"Stay away from her, Sam!" Lucy retorted. "You've done enough."

I vaguely remembered Abby and Sam fighting as Lucy frantically dialed Darren before I passed out. When I woke up I recognized my surroundings. I felt the bed I was on shift as I was confronted with concerned silver eyes hovering over me.

"Take it easy, Hails," Darren whispered.

"Dare?" I murmured. "Where am I?"

"New York."

"What happened?" I groaned.

"You're brother thought you needed an introduction to a glass coffee table," Darren stated. "You guys had one hell of a fight. You've been sleeping on and off for the past couple days."

I nodded to myself as I flipped over the covers and climbing out o bed and standing straight up. I winced as some of the deeper cuts were pulled as I moved around. I shook my head as I moved down the stairs and walked into the kitchen, grabbing a bowl and one of the boxes of cereal. I poured some milk and a little bit of sugar onto the cereal as I took a big spoonful and shoveled it into my mouth The cereal was gone faster than I expected as I placed the bowl in the sink and filled it with water.

"Oh, god, Hailey," A voice whispered.

"What are you doing here, Sam?" I mumbled not turning to face him as I began to clean the dishes in the sink.

"You wanted me to man up, well here I am," Sam replied. "Dean left me in charge and it's about time I start acting like it. Hailey, I'm sorry about our fight."

"You threw me into a table," I snapped as I spun around. "That's a little more than fighting, Sam."

"Hailey, I promise it will never happen again," Sam pleaded. "And if it makes you feel any better you did connect when you threw that lamp at me."

"Good," I smirked. "You deserved it."

"We okay?" Sam prodded.

"Yeah, Sammy," I sighed. "If you ever do it again. I'll kill you, though."

"I'd like to see you try," Sam snarked.

"HELLO?"

"Aiden?" I gasped running out of the kitchen and into the foyer leaping into Aiden's outstretched arms.

"Hey, kid," Aiden rasped.

"Aiden," Sam whispered.

Aiden didn't let me go as Sam tossed his arms over the two of us. I adjusted my grip so that I was hugging Sam as well as Dean. For the first time in months I felt safe and complete. Not as complete as I'd feel if Dean was here but it felt good nonetheless. We had all made a mistake by going off my ourselves. We had lost a brother, another authority figure but that didn't mean we had to lose each other too. We needed each other more than ever and now we'd find a way to get Dean out of hell, together.

That night the cabin was filled with more people than I remembered in a long time. Lucy, Abby, Natasha, and I were making dinner while all the guys caught up. Dinner was a fairly quiet, nice affair. Aiden ate more than enough for everyone. Not that I was complaining he was far skinnier than I ever remember him being; he was always a bit on the lanky side. Natasha had told me that she found him in an alley withdrawing from all sorts of things and once he had cleaned himself up they had hooked up. It wasn't all that surprising, really. They had been dancing around each other for as long as I could remember.

He seemed healthier now just slightly skinnier than normal. He seemed happy talking about Natasha talking about her like I'd never heard him talk about a girl before. Darren and the girls volunteered to clean up as Sam, Aiden, and I got reacquainted.

"What the hell happened to you?" Aiden asked.

"Got thrown into a glass table," I shrugged.

"What?" Aiden demanded.

"Don't worry about it, Aiden," I sighed. "What about you with needle marks all over you?"

"I went through a little rough patch," Aiden muttered. "I'm fine."

"Okay, so we all had our little rough patches," Sam agreed. "But the fact remains that Dean's in hell and Lilith is still breathing."

"What do you suppose we do about that, Sam?" I questioned.

"We find her and kill her," Sam stated.

"And what about Dean?" Aiden replied.

"We've tried everything," Sam sighed. "Opening the Devil's gate, the crossroad demons, anything. No one has enough juice to pull someone out."

"Then what are we going to do?" I grumbled.

"We're going to do what Dad and Dean raised us to do," Sam snapped. "We're going to kill everything evil between here and Lilith."

"You sound like you already have a case," Aiden said.

"Yeah, Pontiac, Illinois," Sam said.

"What about it?" I questioned.

"I've been after a couple of demons, they were in Texas and then they've been running ever since."

"How do you know that they're in Pontiac?" Aiden questioned.

"I just do, alright?" Sam retorted. "And, I wanna leave as fast as possible. Ten minutes, guys."

"Who put redbull in his wheaties?" Aiden mumbled as he followed me upstairs to help me pack.

I shook my head, shrugging as I pushed open my door throwing random clothes into the duffel as Aiden grabbed my weapons duffel and began to walk back down the stairs. Lucy, Abby, and Darren were in the foyer waiting for us and talking to Sam about the demons.

"Be careful, baby," Darren whispered kissing me softly.

I kissed him back and burrowed into his side, hugging him tightly as Natasha and Aiden shared a similar goodbye.

"Stay safe," Darren said.

"You know it," I grinned.

"Bye, Hails," Abby said.

"Bye Abs," I said hugging her before looking over to Lucy, "See you, Luce."

"Be careful," Lucy whispered hugging me tightly.

"Bye, Hailey," Natasha said as I hugged her as well.

"Bye Natasha," I replied.

With goodbyes taken care of I shrugged my duffel bag up to rest higher on my shoulder as I followed my brothers out of the cabin. I tossed my bag into the trunk as I climbed into the impala relieved to find that nothing had changed except for the fact that there was now an ipod dock attached to her. Aiden climbed into the passenger seat and noticed the ipod about the same time I did.

"You better hope Dean never comes back," Aiden shook his head.

"Why's that?" Sam frowned.

"He'll kill you for putting an ipod in here," Aiden laughed.

"Shut up, Aiden," Sam grumbled starting the car up and driving towards Illinois.

Aiden busted out laughing as Sam sped up hitting the interstate in a matter of minutes. It took nearly fourteen hours to get to Pontiac but Sam managed to drive it straight through only stopping a couple of times for food and fuel for the car. Not to mention with my brothers being as tall as they were we had to stop to stretch every so often. I grabbed some of the bags as Aiden went to grab keys for the motel room. He tossed Sam one of them. It was rooms 207 and 209 of the Astoria Motel, rooms that were right across from one another.

After Aiden and I had laid down the traps, charms, and salt lines, I went strolling over to Sam's room and frowned almost immediately. Sitting at the table looking at me with a smirk on her face was Ruby.

"What the fuck is she doing here, Sammy?" I demanded.

"Hails, let it go," Sam ordered.

"Yeah, Hailey, I just want to be friends," Ruby grinned.

"Shove it where the sun don't shine, hell bitch," I snarled.

"Hailey!" Sam reproached. "Can you come here a second?"

I wasn't stupid I knew that what Sam had just said was one of the preferred orders-disguised-as-questions that the Winchester men absolutely loved to drop on me. I straightened up glaring sharply over the room divider to the small kitchenette where Sam was standing an expectant expression on his face.

"Better do what big brother says, Hails," Ruby smirked. "Wouldn't wanna be in trouble now would you?"

Exorcizamus te, omnis immundus spiritus…" I snarled.

"Hailey Jade!" Sam barked.

I moved one step forward bristling when Sam moved out of the kitchenette, grabbed my arm and pulled me bodily out of the room like some errant child throwing a tantrum for not getting the toy they wanted in a department store. He didn't stop until we were back in the room I shared with Aiden. Sam released his vice like grip as he shoved me bodily into the chair leveling me with a reprimanding stare.

"What?" I mumbled.

"When I tell you to do something, Hailey, I expect you to do it," Sam growled. "And to show me the same respect you would show Dad or Dean. They wouldn't put up with this attitude and I won't either."

"She's a demon, Sam," I retorted hotly, "Who is playing you for a chump."

"I can take care of myself, Hailey," Sam warned. "And I'm not going to have this conversation with you every single time she's here."

"Sam…"

"You don't have to like her, you don't even have to acknowledge her existence but she is helping us find Lilith and that is what is important," Sam interrupted. "So, you and Ruby bickering ever second stops now, do you hear me?"

I crossed my arms and adverted my gaze. This wasn't something I ever thought would happen. Not only was I being lectured but I was being lectured on my manners concerning demons. Apparently demons or at least 'helpful' demons deserved my courtesy. I huffed and rolled my eyes this was just unbelievable.

"Hailey," Sam prodded.

"Yes, Sam, I understand," I muttered. Knowing that the aforementioned sentence was the only thing I could say to get Sam to stop with the lecturing already.

I had forgotten how good at lecturing Sam was, I guess it was a lawyer thing and it was something I really should've remember after all once Sam got old enough it was normally both Sam and Dean who raised us. Sam was the one who had cared about school. Dean and Dad's only concern when it came to school was that we kept our noses clean and under the radar, any breach of those two rules were dealt with seriously mostly because it meant most of the time we had to move again depending on what it is we did. Most of the time it was fighting it was the one thing that gave away the fact that we weren't normal. Most eight-year-old children, a girl no less can defend herself against a bully five years older than her and twice her age. That one was my fault, the fact that Aiden, Sam, and Dean beat him and his friends up after wasn't so much. There was also the time that Aiden was convinced his geometry teacher was possessed. Trying to explain how an eleven year old knew Latin had to be rather difficult.

"Did I miss something?" Aiden asked. He had plastic take out bags clutched in his hands as he eyed Sam and me critically.

"Nope," Sam said. "Right, Hailey?"

"Yeah, nothing," I shook my head and dug into one of the bags that were offered to me.

Sam left soon after that closing our door behind him as he walked across the hallway. Aiden got up and made sure the door was bolted before he looked at me an unreadable expression darting across his features.

"What is it?" I asked.

"You're hiding something from me," Aiden noted. "I'd like to know what it is. Sam was a bit on the quiet side when it came to what he had been doing for the past three months."

"You remember Ruby?" I scoffed.

"You're kidding," Aiden demanded.

"No," I shook my head. "Stupid bitch is probably in there with him right now."

"I can't believe this," Aiden shook his head.

"She did something," I mumbled. "She has him so snowed that he was lecturing me on how I was treating her. She's a demon, this goes against everything Dean or dad ever taught us."

Aiden shook his head again moving towards the bed. He called over his shoulder, "Get some sleep, Hay, we're waking up early tomorrow."

"You can pretend this doesn't bother you all you want to, Aiden," I muttered as I crawled into my own bed. "But I know it does."

"He has to have a good reason," Aiden disagreed.

"Yeah, revenge," I sighed.

"Like we haven't done that one before," Aiden scoffed. "Night, Hay."

"Night Aiden."

I rolled over and curled under the covers trying to ignore the feeling of foreboding on the horizon. Something big was coming and it was coming fast.