A/N: Song from this chapter is Heathens by Twenty-One Pilots. Also, important Trigger Warning. This chapter includes mention of child abuse. If you or someone you know is a victim of child abuse and needs help there are many resources out there, including AACAP. Ty is not a good role model here.

A/N#2: Made a few small edits and re-uploaded


Chapter 11: Don't Make Any Sudden Moves


All my friends are heathens, take it slow

Wait for them to ask you who you know

Please don't make any sudden moves

You don't know the half of the abuse

All my friends are heathens, take it slow

Wait for them to ask you who you know

Please don't make any sudden moves

You don't know the half of the abuse

Welcome to the room of people

Who have rooms of people that they loved one day, docked away

Just because we check the guns at the door

Doesn't mean our brains will change from hand grenades

You'll never know the psychopath sitting next to you

You'll never know the murderer sitting next to you

You'll think, "How'd I get here, sitting next to you?"

But after all I've said, please don't forget

All my friends are heathens, take it slow

Wait for them to ask you who you know

Please don't make any sudden moves

You don't know the half of the abuse

We don't deal with outsiders very well

They say newcomers have a certain smell

You have trust issues, not to mention

They say they can smell your intentions

You'll never know the freak show sitting next to you

You'll have some weird people sitting next to you

You'll think "How did I get here, sitting next to you?"

But after all I've said, please don't forget

All my friends are heathens, take it slow

Wait for them to ask you who you know

Please don't make any sudden moves

You don't know the half of the abuse

All my friends are heathens, take it slow (Watch it)

Wait for them to ask you who you know (Watch it)

Please all my friends are heathens, take it slow (Watch it)

Wait for them to ask you who you know

Why'd you come? You knew you should have stayed

I tried to warn you just to stay away

And now they're outside ready to bust

It looks like you might be one of us

The next morning, Ty had originally planned to go back to the track early, but after talking with Dean and sharing the events of their recent time apart, she decided that he and Sam could use a few more hours of sleep. Even so, he was still dead asleep well after sunup when she figured they needed to get up and get moving.

"Dean." she said gently.

He stirred a little, but didn't wake. Ty smiled and pressed a kiss against his shoulder.

"Come on. Wake up."

Dean groaned in protest, but eventually cracked open his eyes. Ty rewarded his efforts with a kiss to the side of his mouth, then climbed out of bed to get ready herself.

"Nnhhh...no…" Dean groaned, reaching after her, "Stop getting dressed. I hate that plan."

"Yeah, well as much fun as playing naked hookie with you would be, we've got a demon to trap." Ty replied over her shoulder as she pulled on a shirt before turning to face him.

"...naked hookie…" Dean repeated. He paused, then blinked, suddenly seeming more awake, "Hey, is that where nookie comes from?"

Ty opened her mouth to reply, then paused, "Huh. No clue."

Both hunters seemed lost in thought for a moment before Ty shook her head. She stood to grab socks and shoes, pausing by Dean's bag to dig out some clothes for him, tossing them his direction. Dean grumbled but pulled the shirt on.

When the pair headed out to the cars, they found Alex and Sam already waiting for them, nursing some coffee. Sam handed a cup to Dean and Alex offered another to Ty. She took it, but looked at him suspiciously, taking the lid off and sniffing the drink.

"I wouldn't stoop to your level." Alex said, taking a sip of his coffee and glancing sidelong at her over the cup.

Ty still took a small experimental sip before deciding it was safe, "Okay, ready?"

The men nodded. Alex climbed in his truck, and Ty gestured to him that she was going to ride with the Winchesters. Sam relinquished the front seat to her and climbed in the back. With Ty directing, they soon rolled into the racetrack parking lot.

The now familiar security guard waved to Ty as she strode over with the men in tow. She gestured to them, calling out that they were with her and he nodded and waved back. The Winchesters exchanged a look, somewhat impressed at how easily she'd maneuvered around the security, but not questioning it.

Ty led them across the backside, weaving through the barns and pointing out anything that seemed possibly relevant. They'd missed the busiest part of the morning, so things were relatively quiet, the few workers they passed generally on their way out.

"Is that little Annie's fanny I see?" a voice called out, making Ty freeze in her tracks.

She shut her eyes, a scowl appearing on her face and muttered, "Son of a bitch."

Dean looked confusedly from Ty to the older man approaching them from one of the barns. He was tall and thin with graying hair and mustache that led Dean to peg him as somewhere in his late forties or early fifties. He was wearing dirty jeans, a faded t-shirt, a battered baseball cap, and jeans. All in all he looked fairly normal, but judging from Ty's reaction, something had to be off. The girl who wasn't afraid to face off with an army of demons seemed to be having trouble making herself turn around and face this guy. Dean took a couple steps closer to her, a frown pulling at the corners of his mouth. He didn't know why but something in her face and the tense lines of her body was making him feel like he should put himself between her and whoever was approaching.

"It is! Well, let me look at you, girl! I haven't seen you in ages." he said as he joined them, a wide smile on his face that displayed slightly tobacco-stained teeth.

Ty finally managed to make herself turn to face him, but her voice lacked its usual strength and confidence, "Hi, Jack."

Jack pushed his cap up as he looked Ty up and down, "Well, well. Looks like you've grown up good. Where's your daddy? You working for him again?"

Ty took a subconscious step back at his perusal, her arms raising to cross her chest. Her body language was screaming that she was uncomfortable, that she didn't want this guy near her. Dean's urge to intervene was ratcheting up quickly.

"I...uh...no...I'm…" Ty stuttered, shifting her weight and not seeming to be able to find words even though he'd seen her smoothly talk her way past armed security guards and bark comebacks at monsters trying to kill her.

Dean couldn't stomach staying on the sidelines any longer. Stepping forward, he threw one arm around Ty's shoulders and reached his other hand out towards this Jack guy, "Hey, I'm Dean. Sounds like you know my girl."

Jack's smile faltered for just a second as he looked at Dean before he extended his own hand to shake, but Dean caught it and his distrust of the man grew.

"Oh, little Annie and I are old friends." Jack said, his smile returning, his eyes again focused on Ty rather than Dean even before he'd released his hand, "Known her since she was just a rugrat."

Dean reminded himself to use Ty's legal name when he replied, keeping his arm around her and pulling her tight into his side, "Wow. Anna said there'd probably be some old family friends around. She was just giving us the tour."

Dean shot a quick glance back at Sam, sending him a silent message to back him up because somehow this guy was bad news. Sam immediately moved forward, taking over for his brother, "I'm Sam, Dean's brother. We were just passing through and Anna mentioned it would be fun to stop by for the day. So, are you a trainer like her dad?"

As Sam took over the conversation, distracting the guy, Dean took the opportunity to move Ty further away. Much as he wasn't a fan of the guy, he also noticed that Alex had moved between them and Jack, helping Sam. With those two running interference he felt he could turn his full attention to Ty who was still uncharacteristically quiet.

"Okay," Dean whispered to her, turning her away from the others to face him, "what's the deal with that guy?"

Ty shook her head. She felt like somehow she was thirteen again without the power or the words to defend herself. Self-loathing coursed through her. She had been so sure that she'd moved beyond this, that she'd buried it in the past never to rear its ugly head, but somehow it had all come back with a vengeance.

"Talk to me." Dean urged, searching her face, trying to get her to meet his eyes.

Ty wanted to tell him no, but she realized suddenly what a hypocrite it would make her if she did that. How could she ask Dean to confide in her if she didn't do the same? Ugh, but how to tell him? She'd never told anyone, never even written about it in a journal. Ty took a deep breath and tried to stay detached, like she was just telling him about something that had happened to someone else, but all the same she couldn't bring herself to meet his eyes while she spoke.

"There's some shady characters that hang around racetracks. But, you know, I grew up in places like this so I always felt safe. I never thought… Anyway, when I was younger, just a kid really, I was helping my dad for the summer, working at the track. I guess, maybe I'd had a growth spurt or something that year 'cause I started getting attention from some of the sleazier guys. I didn't know what to do. I mean, I was kind of a shy, awkward kid and such a tomboy. I'd never even had a crush on a boy yet. And for the most part, they went away if I just ignored them. But not Jack."

Dean was already scowling. He had a feeling he knew where this story was going and he could already feel the rage inside him boiling over. To be honest, it almost felt good to have another outlet for it besides hunting. But he didn't want to interrupt her. Part of him needed to hear her say it before he let himself give in to the rage, while another part of him thought that maybe she should get it out for her own good, too. If he was right about his suspicions, then the issues he'd noticed she had with her body were completely understandable. So, he clenched his fists and his jaw and waited for her to continue, trusting Sam and, to a lesser extent, Alex, to give them the time she needed.

"My parents are kind of old fashioned and they raised me with that whole 'always respect your elders,' 'always be polite' stuff. So, I didn't know how to tell him to stop, that I didn't like the looks or the comments. Plus, he was friends with my dad and...I don't know. I felt like no one would think he was doing anything wrong, that I was the weirdo. And he just kept at it, kept trying to get me to go places with him. I made excuses, tried to avoid him. But then, towards the end of the summer, I got this sort of award for being a good groom and they had a little ceremony at the races. My dad had some clients there, had a horse running later, so he was pretty busy. Jack said he wanted to take me out for ice cream to celebrate my award and my dad said I should go. I didn't want to, but…"

Ty stopped again. Her eyes were fixed on her boots and she kicked at the ground, trying to force the rest out. It wasn't that big of a deal, she told herself. Worse things happened to people all the time. She was making this way harder than it should be.

Dean swallowed his anger for a second, forcing his face into a more neutral expression before putting a hand on her arm. Her eyes flicked up briefly and he tried to give her an encouraging smile, "It's okay."

Ty nodded, but her eyes were back on the ground. Eventually, she continued, "We didn't get ice cream. He took me to his place. I don't...really remember everything, for some reason. Some stuff I remember like every detail, but other stuff...I don't know. It's just a blank. Like I remember somehow ending up in his bedroom, sitting on the bed. There were like dirty pictures on the walls, Playboy centerfolds or something. All I wanted was to leave."

Dean couldn't take it anymore. He practically growled the question, "What did he do?"

Ty closed her eyes, keeping them closed when she answered, "He just...he made me take my shirt and...and my pants off and he touched me. He wanted me to touch him, but I wouldn't...He kept saying these things… Anyway, I just remember somehow finally convincing him I needed to get back. He didn't...I wasn't...I mean, I guess it wasn't that bad, but…"

Ty trailed off, eyes flying open when she heard Dean spin on his heel and move quickly away from her. She stared after him in surprise, but before she could even think of saying anything, he shoved past Sam and Alex and released a vicious punch at Jack's face.

"Dean!" Sam exclaimed in surprise, lunging forward to try and pull his brother back.

Dean shrugged him off and unleashed another furious punch, catching Jack on the other side of his face and sending him staggering.

"You sick fuck." Dean growled, stalking after him. He kneed him sharply in the stomach, before yanking him upright again to send his fist barreling back into his jaw.

"Dean!" Sam yelled again, trying to snap his brother out of it. He didn't know the specifics, but judging by Ty and Dean's actions, this guy must have done something to her. And while he probably deserved a sound beating, Dean looked like he wanted to kill him. Besides, they did not need to be attracting attention to themselves right now. They were supposed to be hunting a demon. This wasn't the time or the place.

Dean continued to ignore him. His fist in Jack's shirt was the only thing keeping the guy standing as Dean continued to wail on him, blood splattering with each blow. Sam turned to Alex who was looking from Ty to Dean with concern and confusion.

"Alex, help me." Sam said, gesturing towards his brother.

Alex sent another concerned look Ty's way before he finally nodded and joined Sam to pull Dean off the older man. Dean almost turned his fury on them instead when they intervened, but Sam managed to get a good hold on him and, with Alex's help, was able to drag him away from Jack who collapsed to the ground, out cold.

"Dean, Dean! You need to stop! This isn't why we're here." Sam reminded him while Dean continued to struggle to break free from him.

Dean's face remained twisted by a furious, disgusted sneer, but luckily Sam's words reached Ty and managed to snap her out of her own shock at seeing Dean's intense reaction to her childhood trauma. She had to stop this. Sam was right, this wasn't about her. They had more important things to deal with, more at stake, and they needed Dean for that. If he got arrested for brawling on the backside of the track, they were screwed.

"Dean!" she called and, when her voice reached him, he finally stopped fighting Sam and Alex and turned his head to look at her. She met his gaze and shook her head, "He's not worth it. Let's go."

"But…" Dean protested, eyes flashing with fury again when they shifted back towards Jack's crumpled body.

"No." Ty said firmly.

"Fine." Dean agreed gruffly, clearly not happy about it, but deflating a bit. He shrugged and twisted, "Let go of me."

Sam and Alex released him and Dean readjusted his jacket, stomping away from Jack.

"What was that about?" Alex asked Ty.

Ty shook her head. She definitely couldn't go through the story again. Instead, she gestured for the others to follow and started after Dean, "Not important. Come on. We've got a demon to find."

Alex's brow furrowed. He knew when she was lying and she clearly was now. Even if he didn't know her that well, Dean wouldn't have flown off the handle if it was nothing important. But he also knew she was right about needing to focus on the job. Still, the Ty he knew should be pissed right now, screaming at Dean not to fight her battles for her, maybe even telling them all off for trying to shield her from whoever the hell this guy was. This was something important, alright, but he supposed he would just have to wait to figure out what it was.

"What about…?" he gestured at the bloody and bruised horseman lying in the dirt.

Ty shrugged, "Just move him out of the road. Hopefully we'll be long gone by the time he comes to or someone notices him."

Alex exchanged a look with Sam who shrugged back. He clearly didn't have any insights or other ideas. Sam took Jack's arms and Alex grabbed his legs and they moved him off to the side, behind a stack of hay bales. Sam then started after Ty and his brother, but Alex loitered another moment. He thought over what had happened one more time while he glanced after his partner. Since no one was looking, he stepped over towards Jack and sent a swift, hard kick into his ribs. Something told him when he finally heard the story behind this, he'd be glad he got at least one hit in. He then hurried to catch up with the others.

By the time Ty finished showing them the rest of the grounds, it became abundantly clear that there were way too many places where a demon could corner someone to cover them all. Their only hope was that using Dean as bait to lure it where they wanted it would work. Plus, they would need to pick just the right place, away from any bystanders, but not in a way that would tip the demon to their plan. Eventually they came up with something, but it felt too risky for Ty's comfort.

"Are you really sure about this?" she pressed anxiously.

Dean was still having a hard time keeping his mind on the task at hand when all he really wanted to do was go back, find that pervert, and finish what he'd started, but the barely concealed worry in Ty's voice drew his mind back to the present moment. He summoned a confident smile for her, "Don't worry. I'll be fine."

Ty didn't look convinced, but she didn't argue either, which was for the best since they didn't have much time before the grandstands opened up for the afternoon racing and Dean didn't want to wait any longer than they had to. The longer they waited, the more time the demon had to get the drop on them instead.

"Alright." Sam said with finality, glancing from one hunter's face to the next to see if there were any final objections, "Then we better get to work."

A few hours later, Dean waited until the security guard patrolling the grandstands was distracted by a rowdy drunk and slipped down the staff-only hallway. He checked over his shoulder to make sure he wasn't being followed, then quickly moved further down the hall. He tried a couple of door handles until he found one that was unlocked and slipped inside, pulling the door shut quietly after him.

Reaching along the wall, Dean found the switch and flipped the lights on. He was in some kind of laundry and storage space. He wrinkled his nose a little at the smell of damp, sweaty, horse-scented material as he explored the space. He was poking through the items stacked on a shelf along the wall when the overhead lights flickered. He paused, glancing up at the lights. When he lowered his gaze again, a brunette woman was standing between him and the door.

"Well, there you are." she grinned, eyes trailing slowly and deliberately over him, "Dean. You're just as delicious as I remember."

"And you must be the demon skank we sent back to hell." Dean replied.

"Temporarily." she shrugged, "Now that I'm back, how about a quickie for old time's sake?"

"Shut up, bitch."

"But I've got so much to tell you." she replied, unphased and moving closer to him, "That's what you want, right? The inside scoop on the demon front."

"You're a lying slut. I'll believe you when I torture the info out of you."

"Torture, Dean? You promise? I'm getting hot just thinking about it."

Dean just made a disgusted sound and continued to sneer at her.

"Speaking of torture," the demon said, pausing a few steps from him and acting as if she'd just remembered something, "I've been hearing a lot of talk about your daddy."

"Don't you talk about my dad." Dean warned.

"You know time down there is different," the demon continued casually as if he hadn't spoken, "A month up here is like a decade down there. How long has it been since John bit it again?"

"I'm gonna enjoy killing you." Dean threatened.

"Hell's number one torturer working on him day after day, every day. But from what I hear, he wouldn't say a word. Pretty impressive, I've got to say. I know the demon working on him. Most don't make it a week, much less over a decade. I'm sure it's a record."

Something about the way she phrased that caught Dean's attention, even though he wanted to ignore everything that came out of her mouth. His dad died almost three months ago. If she was right about time in Hell, that was over two decades, not one.

"It's cute how you can almost see the wheels turning while you do the math." the demon grinned.

"What do you know about my dad?" Dean finally demanded.

"Thought you didn't want me to talk about him." the demon taunted, "Okay, okay. Unclench, hot stuff. I'll tell you anything you want to know. Rumor has it that the high and mighty John Winchester is Hell's newest torturer."

"What? What the hell does that mean?"

"It means he's off the rack and wielding the knife. It means he's working for us now. Just like Lilith wanted."

"My dad wouldn't...what do you mean like Lilith wanted?"

"Boy, you really are in the dark, aren't you? Lilith is the one who made the deal with Daddy Winchester for little Sammy. And not just because she has plans for Sam. She needed John in Hell. It was the key to her whole plan. She needed a righteous man in the pit, shedding blood, to break the first Seal."

Dean wanted to continue to deny that his dad would ever switch sides, he refused to believe it, but he forced himself to focus on her other words and continue pumping her for more information, "Seal to what?"

The demon paused and met his eyes. He was surprised to find she wasn't smirking at him anymore. She actually looked...worried.

"Lucifer's cage."

"Lucifer? Like the actual devil?" Dean said, biting back a laugh and wondering if this demon bitch had lost her mind. This was ridiculous. Next she would tell him Lilith was working with the Easter Bunny.

"Did I stutter?" the demon snapped, "Yes, Lucifer, Prince of Darkness, Father of Lies, the Morning Star. Lilith wants to set him free and if she manages to spring him, that's it. End of Days."

Dean was momentarily at a loss for words. He had to admit, that sounded like just the kind of insanity that usually tended to be true in his world. Plus, if the demon was going to sell him a lie, he couldn't imagine why this would be the story she'd choose. But that didn't explain why she would tell him all this.

"If that's true, why would you tell me?"

"I have my reasons." the demon hedged. She then sent him another suggestive look, "Plus, I like you."

"Cut the crap."

The demon sighed, rolling her eyes, "If you must know...I don't particularly want Lucifer back...or the world to end. Just think of me as Crowley from Good Omens."

Dean looked at her blankly. She shook her head at him, a very Ty-like expression on her face. Dean hated that she'd somehow retained some of Ty's mannerisms.

"You know, it wouldn't kill you to pick up a book, Winchester. Nevermind. The point is, I don't want Lilith's plan to work and neither do you."

"God, now you sound like Ruby." Dean grumbled.

"Ruby?" the demon asked in surprise, frowning, "How do you know that whore?"

"She showed up spouting a lot of the same enemy of my enemy crap you're selling."

"Yes, well that little bitch is probably just hedging her bets. She's been a two-faced skank since before she even turned."

"Turned?" Dean prompted to keep her talking, his mind recalling what the demon in Massachusetts had said about Ruby once being a human witch.

"Into a demon. That was...oh, a few hundred years ago, I think. Again, time in hell is different so it's hard to keep track up here. She was one of those witches who whored herself to one of my 'relatives' for her magic. Deal came due, she went to Hell, Hell worked its mojo, and tada. A new baby demon was born."

"You're saying demons used to be human?" Dean pressed because even though he now had pretty good confirmation that it was true, it still seemed pretty far-fetched when he thought about the demons he had encountered.

"Well, where else did you think demons came from, Dean?" the demon grinned, "Did you think that when two demons love each other very much…"

"Screw you."

"All demons used to be human at some point. So, yeah, things ain't looking so good for dear old John." she paused, her gaze locking on Dean's, "Or you, for that matter."

"Now what bullshit are you spewing?"

"Oh, didn't you know? You're a wanted man, Dean Winchester. And not in the cute, FBI's most wanted way. No, Lilith made sure that every demon up here has a reason to be hunting you down and taking you out, sooner rather than later."

"Yeah, I'd heard something about that. What makes me so special? Is it my perky nipples?" Dean quipped, refusing to show any weakness in front of this demon even if she was dumping a whole steaming pile of horrible at his feet. Assuming he could believe any of it. Still, he didn't want her to know that he hadn't put it together before that if some demon collected that bounty on him and he got dragged into the pit, he would end up one of them. Thinking about that sent a chill down his spine.

"Oh, Dean. Don't tease me." the demon replied, biting her lip and gazing up at him through her lashes. Dean scoffed so the demon rolled her eyes and continued, pacing back and forth as she spoke, "Well, first it was because Daddy didn't want to play ball. Looked like he wasn't going to give in to the torture no matter how bad it was. She figured, if she couldn't break John, then she should just move on down the line and start to work on you. But, I guess when John heard that...well, you Winchesters do love to do the self-sacrificing thing. He broke the Seal to try and keep you out of Hell. But, I guess Lilith has decided she still doesn't like you very much because she never pulled the bounty. Bet that really stings for poor John."

Dean forced down the lump that wanted to form in his throat when he thought that his dad had not only sacrificed his life to save Sam because Dean had failed in his duty to keep his little brother safe, but that he had then sacrificed his humanity to save Dean from a similar fate. He instead leaped on the discrepancy in the demon's story.

"That doesn't make any sense. You said she needed a righteous man to spill blood in Hell. I'm pretty damn far from righteous."

"That's what I thought, too, but maybe Lilith knows something we don't. I wouldn't be surprised. She likes to play things close to the vest and so far I've found you Winchesters keep proving to be more than meets the eye. Not that I don't like what I see." the demon smirked again.

"Or maybe you're full of shit." Dean challenged.

"Believe me, don't believe me." the demon shrugged, looking thoughtful, "I suppose if Lilith has you dragged to Hell, you'll end up on my side eventually. Actually, that might make the end of the world tolerable after all. Maybe I ought to collect that bounty myself."

"Take your best shot, bitch." Dean immediately replied, shifting one foot back, clearly ready for a fight.

"Relax, darling. I would rather have a world to play with you in. Which leads me to my proposal." the demon stopped pacing, glancing over at him, "I can offer you protection, keep you out of the pit."

"And all you want in exchange is…"

"A relationship. When I need something, you pick up the phone. And no pesky exorcisms." she added, wagging her finger at him like he was a naughty child.

"So you want me to be your bitch? Not gonna happen."

"Come on, Dean. Be reasonable. I'm not even asking for your meat suit. Or Ty's, for that matter, which is much more fun for me. You..."

"Leave her out of it." Dean interrupted.

The demon raised her eyebrows, "Hmm, touchy. I'm surprised. I figured you'd be bored of her by now. Hmmm, I wonder. Did she get the gift I sent her? Goes by the name of Jack."

Dean almost lunged at her before he got control of himself. He should have known this demon bitch had something to do with that nightmare from Ty's past turning up here.

"Really, Dean, you're much too easy." the demon chastised, smiling with amusement, "But fine, if that's what you want, I'll make that part of the deal, too. Ty's off the table. Happy?"

"Ecstatic." Dean drawled, "But I'm still not making any deals with you."

The demon frowned. She raised a hand and Dean felt himself being yanked across the floor towards her. The next thing he knew, she had her hand fisted in his shirt and was yanking him around to shove him up against the large, industrial-sized washing machine, her eyes flashing black. The demon just stared at him for a moment, eyes dark and furious before she sprang forward, yanking on Dean's shirt again and locking her lips over his. She kissed him roughly, forcing his lips apart and shoving her tongue into his mouth. When she finally released him, Dean was still pinned in place, but he turned his head to the side and spit.

"I'm getting tired of asking nicely." the demon snapped.

"And I'm getting tired of telling you to go screw yourself." Dean replied with a sneer.

"Damn it, Dean! Do you have a death wish?" the demon demanded angrily, "I'm the only chance you've got to keep your skin on your bones."

"Hmmm...you or death? Gee, tough one." Dean mused sarcastically.

The demon growled in annoyance and slammed Dean against the washing machine again. The machine screeched as it slid across the floor from the force of the impact. Dean grunted in pain, but continued to sneer.

"That all you got?" Dean taunted, "I thought I remembered you being tougher before. Must have been Ty."

With a furious snarl, the demon flung her hand and Dean felt his body being smashed so hard against the machine that it flew across the room to crash against the wall. It felt like being crushed between a slab of concrete and a ton of bricks. He cried out in pain, then found himself coughing as blood came up his throat. Between Massachusetts and this, his insides were really taking a beating.

The demon was scowling at him, hand still raised to hold him in place. She took a couple steps forward, shaking her head, "It didn't have to be this way, Dean. We could have…"

She stopped abruptly and Dean almost collapsed to the ground as the force holding him in place suddenly vanished. He spit once more to clear the blood from his mouth before glancing up at the demon and giving her a grin, "Gotcha."

The demon looked down to see the Devil's Trap etched into the floor where the washing machine had been. She released another furious shout before she took a deep breath, seemingly pulling herself together, before looking back at Dean.

"You're good." she admitted, "I should have expected something like this when I tipped Ty off. But now what? Exorcise me again?"

"Not this time." Dean replied, using a hand against the washing machine to help pull himself back to his feet.

He moved around the demon to the door and opened it. Sam, Ty, and Alex entered. Alex held the Colt, already leveled at the demon. Her eyes widened when she saw the gun.

"Hold on a second. You don't want to do that." the demon said quickly.

Alex cocked the gun, moving to stand just outside the Trap, "Oh, I really, really do."

The demon's eyes shifted to Ty, "Are you really going to let him waste your only chance to save Dean?"

A flash of uncertainty crossed Ty's features but before she could say anything, Dean interjected, "I seem to be doing just fine, thanks."

The demon shook her head, "You have no idea what's coming for you. You still don't even know what my dear old demon daddy had in mind for Sam, what Lilith is planning for him."

Dean held up a hand, silently telling Alex to wait, "Alright, I'll bite. What do you know?"

Alex glared at Dean as the demon heaved a relieved sigh, refusing to lower the gun, "You can't be buying this!"

A smirk was starting to spread across the demon's face again, "Of course he is. He knows how useful I am. We make such a good team."

"Dean…" Sam began, brow furrowed. They both knew that he was Dean's weakness and so did the demons. He couldn't let his brother fall for that again no matter what this demon might know.

Dean ignored Sam and Alex, eyes still focused on the demon. He raised an eyebrow, "Well?"

"Let me out first." the demon insisted, "And take that gun from Skippy."

Dean's face didn't give away anything of his thoughts, but after a moment he held his hand out to Alex, palm up.

"No way!" Alex shook his head, moving away from Dean, keeping the Colt trained on the demon.

"Dean!" Sam protested at the same time.

"Alex!" Dean snapped, again ignoring his brother, "Give me the damn gun!"

"Screw you, Winchester." Alex snapped back, "I don't take orders from you."

"Alex," Ty interjected, shooting Dean a look before he could say anything else, "Give me the gun."

Alex glanced to where Ty was standing on his other side holding out her hand, first looking incredulously at his partner for evidently buying into the demon's ploy, but then wavering a little. He trusted Ty. He knew she wanted to end this demon as much as he did. She wouldn't let this thing talk its way out of this.

Finally, with an agitated sigh, he uncocked the hammer and slapped the Colt into Ty's hand, turning away in disgust at the whole situation. So close. They were so close to ending this. Why couldn't they just finish this once and for all?

Alex turned back around when he heard the gun being cocked again. Ty had the gun leveled at the demon now, her aim just as steady and resolute as Alex's had been. Alex almost smiled, relieved that he'd been right to trust her.

"I'd start talking if I were you." Ty said flatly.

The demon shook her head, "Not until you let me out."

Dean looked over at Ty, "First puff of smoke, hell, she even twitches funny, shoot her."

Ty nodded, never taking her eyes off the demon. Dean stepped forward and rubbed his shoe against the edge of the circle until the line was smudged. The demon flashed Dean a smile, stepping out of the Trap and into his space, leaning forward to bring her lips to his ear. Ty frowned, shifting sideways to try and get a clear shot without risking Dean. The demon's head snapped to the side, catching Ty's gaze. She flung her arm out with a grin.

"Not this time, Ty." she said as Ty was knocked backwards.

Ty squeezed the trigger, but her aim had been disrupted by the demon's powers. The bullet whistled through the air and Ty had one horrified moment to realize that it was headed straight for Dean.

"No!" Sam cried, reaching his own hand out as if he could somehow stop it from happening, but of course the bullet continued on its deadly path.

Until the demon raised her other hand and the bullet stopped in mid-air before clattering to the floor. Dean couldn't help but stare, in equal parts shocked over how close he'd come to being shot, that once again a demon had saved his life, and that this demon had also managed to neutralize the Colt.

"We'll call that one a freebie." the demon said, leaning back and kissing Dean's cheek, once again whispering in his ear, "Call me when you're ready to deal, lover."

The lights flickered again and in the moment of darkness, the demon vanished.