I hope everyone is liking where we are heading. I'm trying to set up for a sequel, which I'm still deciding if I want to do. Just a few chapters left.
I own nothing! Just playing for a while.
Christine watched people walk in and out of the fairgrounds. Friends, happy couples, and families all milled about in the sunshine enjoying the day. She sat in her car watching them, thinking about the past year. So much had happened, her father passing away, David disappearing. Her mind stopped on Crowley. She should be over him by now, and for the most part she was, but she couldn't stop thinking about that night. It had been almost 5 months ago now, but it still seemed so real to her. Christine was so sure it wasn't just a dream, but there was always just a bit of doubt that the encounter sprung straight from her whiskey fueled sub conscious. Sometimes the memory of it was so vivid it was like watching a movie in her mind. Dating had been hard at first and it took her a while to be absolutely ready. Tim was sweet and understanding, but just not for her. They hung out as friends, but both of them knew it would never be more than that and they were okay with it. About a month ago she had bumped into Brett at the grocery store. Literally, because she hit him with her cart while she was texting. That was when he asked her out. They had been out several times in that month and she really liked him.
Brett was a tall and handsome man, with bright blue eyes and sandy blonde hair. He was a science teacher at the junior high. Christine had seen him around a few times, but had never had cause to talk to him. He made her laugh easily, he was goofy and the kids in his class adored him. She really enjoyed spending time with him. What impressed her most was that he hadn't once tried to pressure her into sex. She told him that she wanted to wait until she got to know him better, and he agreed to taking it slow. A knock on her window interrupted her train of thought. She smiled when she saw Brett standing there and got out of the car.
" Hey, you ready for some questionable carnival food and unsafe rides run by sketchy carnies?" He asked her as he slung his arm over her shoulders.
" I'll pass on the food if you want me to get on any of those rides." Christine replied.
" Come on, you haven't lived until you've puked on the tilt a whirl." He said, laughing.
" Hard pass, but I'll hold your hand while you vomit."
" Wow. That's so nice of you."
" I'm a giver, what can I say?" She said, and they walked on to the ticket booth to begin their afternoon together.
After several greasy snacks and a few rides, Brett was looking a bit green. Christine laughed at him, " Hey how about a candy apple and spin on the bumper cars?"
Brett placed his hand over his stomach and grimaced, " Um, I think I'll pass on that. How about we play a few games, I'll win you a prize?"
" Sounds good to me. Lead on oh winner of stuffed bears." she said taking his hand and they started walking toward the game booths.
Christine was carrying a large, violently green duck. " I'm sure that thing is gonna glow in the dark." He told her.
" Hey, if you're going to insult my duck son you can kick rocks. Isn't that right Chester?" she said to the ducks purple bill.
" Chester?" Brett questioned, " What kind of name is Chester for a duck? Shouldn't it be Danny or David?" as soon as he said the name he stopped. " Hey I'm sorry, I wasn't thinking. I was just trying to joke,"
" It's okay." she told him. Not wanting to admit that the name brought up too much, and not all of it was to do with David.
" Really, I'm sorry. If you like Chester, then I like Chester. Sounds important, like he could be king of all ducks one day."
Without realizing it the word king took her mind straight to the one person she didn't want to think about." It's okay, really. You didn't mean anything. Besides, there's no rule that says a duck name has to start with a d."
" True," he said, " so what next? Face painting? Think Chester wants a balloon?"
Chris smiled at him. " Nah, I'm pretty pooped. Can we call it a day?"
" I guess. I mean if you're upset about the David thing," he started.
" No, I'm really not. I just worked last night and then just a short nap today, I'm just tired."
" Okay, if you're sure."
" I am. Now walk my son and I to the car. I heard there's a nasty ring of duck-nappers around here."
Brett took her hand and led her toward the field where everyone parked. When they reached her car he put the duck in the backseat and buckled it in, " You behave Chester." he said and closed the door. He took Chris in his arms and gave her a soft kiss and hugged her tightly. " I had a great time today."
" Me too." she said as she hugged him back. Pulling back from him she said, " Thanks for today, it was fun."
" So I'll call you tomorrow after school?"
" Sounds good." she said and got in her car and drove away.
Crowley had watched them the whole day. From the shadows he saw how they held hands, every kiss , every touch. ' Of course she would have someone, I told her to move on. Why would I think that after all this time she would be alone.' He thought to himself. He had waited to see her, there were things he had to take care of. He was still King of Hell, there's no way he would let that go, he just ruled from afar leaving a few of his more terrifying demons to run the day to day things. Crowley popped in from time to time and he answered most of his summoning's from people willing to deal for their souls, he loved that aspect of things. He had told Sam and Dean he would help them when needed but when it came to demons he was strictly hands off, they were on their own on those cases. He may point them in the direction of an answer or help them research if needed, but he would not kill, exorcise, or trap any demon. His one rule. Bad form for a king to kill his own subjects. Now as he watched Christine drive away and leave the young man standing there he wondered if he really wanted to uproot her life once more. She seemed to be happy, and that's all he really wanted for her. ' I should at least speak with her, then I'll go.' he thought as he walked to the big black Harley Davidson parked near the rear of the parking area. He got on and kick started the bike and the engine roared to life. Crowley pulled out onto the road and drove off in the direction Christine had taken just a few minutes before. It was time to pay her a visit.
Christine stopped by and picked up Chinese food on the way home. Carnival food wasn't really her thing, she hadn't been kidding about that, but Brett liked it so she was more than happy to watch him devour corn dogs, funnel cake, cotton candy, and lemonade. She was glad to be home as she pulled into her drive. Grabbing the food from the passenger seat she got out and went inside. Chris had just sat down at her kitchen table when there was knock on the door. She got up and went to answer it, when she opened it she was stunned.
" Hello darling." Crowley smiled at her. He watched the emotions play across her face and waited to see which one she would land on. She reached up and slapped him across the face. " What in the bloody hell was that for?" He asked, rubbing his left cheek. Demon or not it stung.
Christine just stared at him.
" Right, well, I guess I know what that was for." He mumbled.
" What are you doing here?"
" I wanted to see you," he said.
" Oh, so because you wanted to see me suddenly it's okay. Never mind the hell I've been through the past year trying to get over you, but you want to see me so you just pop over? No, I don't think so." she told him and started to shut the door. Crowley reached out and caught it pushing it open, even though she was pushing it closed, it easily opened. Christine rolled her eyes. " Fine you can come in, 5 minutes and then you're out." she told him and left the door open and walked back to the kitchen. Crowley followed her inside and shut the door behind him. He found her sitting at the kitchen table picking at her food. Crowley pulled out a chair and sat opposite of her.
" Could you look at me love?" He asked her.
Christine looked up from her plate into his eyes. Those gorgeous eyes, she refused to get lost in them. " What do you want?" she asked him.
" You. I came back for you. I told you, you belong to me, and I always come for what's mine." he said smugly, not able to help himself. Old habits die hard.
" Huh, that's funny because I seem to recall you telling me that you couldn't be with me so you had to go, and leaving me in a hospital room. So belonging to you, no, don't think so."
Crowley glared at her, " Oh you belong to me. You'll always belong to me."
" No! You don't get to come in here and do this." she said slamming her hand on the table. Tears had begun to fall from her eyes and she was trying so hard to hold them back. " You left me! You said it was too dangerous for me to be with you so you left. I've spent these past months trying to be okay with that," she told him.
" I know. Christine, I know I hurt you. I'm sorry. At the time I thought I had no other choice. I was trying to protect you. Please see that."
" So what's changed? You're still the devil I presume, so what's changed that all of the sudden it's safe."
Crowley laughed softly and shook his head when she called him the devil, she was the only person who called him that. Even if it was accurate, King of Hell sounded so much better. " Well, yes."
Christine rolled her eyes. " So because you decide it's okay, then it's okay. I would have fought for you, for us! You didn't even give me a chance to try, I'm a lot tougher than you think."
" I know you are Christine. I wouldn't be here if I thought otherwise." he told her. " I've spent the last year trying so hard to forget you, to try and push you out of my head, out of my heart. I did everything I could think of. I even spent time with those two flannel clad annoyances. " Christine smiled at the way he referred to Sam and Dean. She could just see him in his suits trying not to get dirty. " Nothing I did worked." He paused, " About a month ago, I slept with a woman." He told her, wanting to be as honest as he could be. " When it was over I sat watching her sleep, I felt sick, and dirty. I've done things in my life, horrible things. I've never felt guilty, until that night. I knew then that I had to find some way to figure out how to make this, " he gestured with his hand back and forth between them, " work, because if I didn't, well, I don't really know. I just knew I had to. I went and spoke with Sam and to make a long story short, here I am. As far as being the devil, well, yes I am, just in a more hands off, as needed role. " He told her. He got up and went to kneel beside her, " I've learned that I don't have to do the things I've always done. Sam told me that I'm a completely new being, the only one of my kind. I've been with them some this past month, researching and trying to find anything that would tell me what I am or what it means. I've helping them when I can. I know now that I don't have to give you up. I can protect you, if you'll let me. I can give you the world." He reached out and took her hand and brought it to his lips kissing it softly. " Let me Christine. Let me make up the last year to you. Let me try. It's new to me, and I can't promise that it will be easy, old habits and all, but please let me try."
Christine took her hand from his. " So you slept with someone." she stated.
" Yes," he answered, " but in the whole time we were apart, it was only the one, and it was more an experiment than anything else. It meant nothing, absolutely nothing."
" I need to know something, and I want you to be honest with me."
Crowley had a good idea of what she was about to ask, he stood and waited. Looking down at her he knew what was coming.
" Was it a dream? That night," she started. " That night I had a dream we were together. Was it a dream or was it real?"
Crowley stood there gazing down at her, " Why would it matter?" he countered, trying to avoid answering her.
Christine stood and looked him in the eye. " I need to know." She crossed her arms and waited.
Crowley held her stare for a few moments and then looked away. " It happened. It was real."
Christine slapped him again for a second time that day," You son of a bitch! Were you there? Then next morning when I woke up on the couch, were you there? When I was begging you to say something?"
" Yes," he whispered.
Christine brought her hand up to hit him again and he caught it before she made contact, " That'll be enough of that love. I don't like being struck. I tolerated the first two, not saying I didn't even deserve it, but that's enough. I never have and I never will lay a hand on you, I expect the same in return." He told her and dropped her hand.
" Why," she asked quietly, sitting back down, " Why would you do that to me?"
Crowley pulled a chair close to her and sat down, " Because I couldn't help myself. I was selfish and I was there that day, watching you. When you started to cry I just wanted to hold you. I didn't mean for it to go that far, I shouldn't have let it. When you kissed me I was lost. I'm sorry if I hurt you but I thought it would be better if you thought it was a dream. I wasn't trying to hurt you. I'm sorry if I did." He told her sincerely.
" But why? Why not just let it be real for me?"
" Because I still would have left you in the morning. It didn't change what I was thinking at the time. I still felt I had to keep you safe."
" So you had to keep me safe but you were spying on me?"
Crowley rolled his eyes, " Demon. Doer of evil things." he said sarcastically.
Christine just shook her head. " Oh I'm sorry, that makes it okay then," she said back just as smartly.
" I didn't say it was okay! It is what it is at this point, it's in the past." He said raising his voice slightly. " Being real shouldn't matter, it doesn't matter! It doesn't change the fact that it's something that's in the past. I said I'm sorry, I meant it!" he said hotly.
" So I'm just supposed to accept that you used me, and then just left?"
" I used you? You didn't exactly tell me to stop, as a matter of fact, you kissed me! And as I recall I asked you specifically if you wanted me to stop! No love, come down off the cross, you don't get to play the martyr here. I used you, maybe, but if I did you used me as well!"
They were fully arguing at this point, each talking over the other, when the doorbell rang. They stopped and looked at each other. " What's it going to be Christine? Do you want me to go?" The doorbell rang again.
Christine picked up her plate and put it in the microwave to heat it back up and said, " Don't just stand there, go answer the door."
Crowley, still angry, went to the front door and opened the door to find the man who had been at the fair with Christine standing there. " Of course." he said sharply and slammed the door in Brett's face. Walking back into the kitchen he found her sitting at the table waiting for the microwave to finish, " It's for you." he said and went to pour himself a glass of her whiskey. This was about to get interesting.