This chapter is dedicated to VoteKingCrowley. This is the chapter where you helped me figure out what I wanted to do here.

The song here is "Rock Bottom" by UFO.

Rock Bottom

With a snap of Crowley's fingers, he was back in the Men of Letters' bunker with Dean in the handcuffs that Sam had provided. He wasn't thrilled about being exchanged and cuffed, but was compliant, knowing very well that the King of Hell didn't want to lose his Knight that bore the Mark of Cain.

Sam had a Devil's Trap, within an uncompleted circle of salt, and a chair full of chains waiting for Dean. Talk about overkill.

Once Dean was secured, it was only then that Castiel had released Clara from the dungeon, and Crowley quickly took notice that she lacked those handcuffs. He glanced at Castiel who watched her carefully as she joined Crowley. There was something about his stare and the way she walked. Crowley knew she must have played the poor little lost soul in order to gain Sam and Castiel's trust. And the fools bought into it.

Once Clara stood beside him, he immediately wrapped an arm around her waist and glared at the has-been angel. He glanced down and met Clara's eyes which were full of relief. She seemed unharmed and that simmered down his rage… for now.

When Sam was satisfied, he waited for Crowley to disappear. Only, the King of Hell just grinned.

"I kept my deal." He said with that low and grave voice. "I gave you Dean without any tricks, demons or Hellhounds." He added and, at that moment, Clara glanced at Castiel and grinned darkly. With a flick of her fingers, Sam and Castiel were tossed off their feet.

Crowley didn't have to say anything. It dawned on Sam that the words: "I made a deal" was more or less the code for Clara to do whatever she wanted to turn the tables. Sam and Castiel both had thought that they'd have a chance to persuade her… but not anymore.

"You were right, Cassie. I am different." She said with a cold, but dark playful tone. "Maybe I should remind you of who I am." She added with rage in her eyes.

As she approached Dean, still glaring at Castiel, the salt blew away and the paint was being scuffed as if an invisible creature was scratching it. The Devil's Trap was now broken. Almost simultaneously, with a flick of her fingers, the handcuffs and the chains shattered and flew in various directions with such force; Castiel's jaw fell in terror just witnessing how much he had underestimated her. Unlike Jesse, her power was not associated to Lucifer, Crowley or Hell. Her power may increase due to Hell, but it was all her own since the beginning.

Sam looked up at Crowley, enraged and trying to get up, but was being held down by Clara's demonic power. Dean stood up and glanced over his shoulder at Sam with a sinister grin.

"You don't give my Queen enough credit, boys." Crowley said, smirking at Castiel and Sam. "She's the bloody Queen of Hell!" he shouted and added a slight laugh, as if that should have obviously told them that their little idea of persuading her was doomed from the beginning.

At that moment, all the floors and ceilings under the Devil's Traps were cracking and the rest of those traps were being scratched like giant claws tearing at the paint. All of the salt was being blown around and dispersed to the far corners of the room.

Crowley stared at Clara with such pride, watching her radiate with power, as Sam and Castiel were nothing but horrified. Dean glanced around at all the damage and smiled darkly. He even chuckled and glanced at Clara with what seemed like amusement.

At that moment, a low and grave growl erupted in the silence that fell once the Devil's Traps had been destroyed. Clara's beautiful lips curled into a sinister grin as she set her eyes on Sam.

"Come Ginger," Clara said, her voice chillingly dark. "Come and take in their scent." she added and Sam flinched as the sounds of the Hellhound grew louder as it approached him. She lost her grin and her eyes became so dark that Castiel stared at her with pure fear.

"Since you like making deals, Sam, let's make one right now; just you and me." She said as Ginger growled in Sam's face. "Don't summon or trap me again and I won't send Ginger to devour you and Cassie like she did her Cabbage Patch doll." She added and her giggle was almost like the growl of her Hellhound. "She tore its head off within seconds and the stuffing was all over the place. It was quite the mess." She said and turned away, arms curling around Crowley's neck. She twisted to glance over her shoulder at Sam who continued to struggle against demonic power.

There was a dark glimmer in her eyes. Everything Castiel had said to her meant nothing. She played him and she enjoyed taking in the fear that was written all over his face. He could see the anger that burned in her eyes at that moment. It was clear to him then: she didn't want his empathy. She didn't want to be like Jesse Turner: she wanted to be better, stronger, and powerful.

Staring at both Clara and Crowley, Sam was overwhelmed with the thought that he'd never be able to defeat them or turn Clara against Crowley, at least not on his own, not without his brother.

"She's exquisite, isn't she?" Crowley asked with a grin. "Well, I've kept my word. Here's your brother. Remember what I told you." He added and with a snap of his fingers, the both of them vanished and the Hellhound's growling faded away, as if she was following her owners back to Hell. Sam and Castiel were instantaneously released from demonic power and quickly rose to their feet.

That left Dean who grinned at them with black eyes. Crowley had warned him that Dean would be a handful and that the King of Hell wouldn't show up if Sam tried to get a hold of him. Nothing was stopping Dean from realizing any nightmare Sam ever had.

"Sammy." Dean said, his voice sinister, making chills run down Sam's spine.

"There's still a part of you there, Dean. The brother I've always known. It doesn't have to be this way." Sam said, but he was beginning to realize that Crowley was right: Dean didn't want to give up being a demon. Once he blinked and those green eyes returned, that glimmer in his eyes told Sam he might never get his brother back.

"This is me." Dean replied. "For the first time, I like who I am." He added with a dark grin. "I'd like to stay and chat, but I have better things to do than be held back by you, my weak, whiny pathetic little brother." He concluded, turned, but stood still. He slowly glanced over his shoulder at his brother and grinned. "Maybe I should repay you for everything you've done. All those times I had to stop and save your ass, the times I had to hunt alone because you had better things to do." he remained silent after that, but winked and vanished, leaving those words to weight down heavily on his brother and his old angelic friend.

Author's Note:

I really thought about Crowley being enraged and taking revenge on Sam (because angry Crowley is intriguing), but I thought it'd be better if he let Clara handle this. Unlike Sam and Castiel, he didn't underestimate her and took pride in her relentlessness. Not only that, but if Sam and Castiel saw what she could do, without Crowley butting in, they'd be afraid of her. Plus, she's the big Cambion Queen of Hell. It would look pretty bad if the King stepped in and made it look like she couldn't defend herself (because that's not who she is and that's not the woman he chose).

Besides that long note, thanks for the reviews and the votes on my poll. You've helped me a lot there :D

xoxo

Laurie Archer