Dark Horse!
(Chapter Twenty-Seven)
Beck was in the kitchen of her father, Bobby Singer's house. She was trying to hide from her dad's fussing and her own impatience with it by cooking. At that moment was trying her hand at cooking whatever recipe sounded good. Her father's kitchen was filled with canapes, stuffed mushrooms, perogies, fruit smoothies, as well as other foods.
Bobby watched his purplish-blue bruised daughter and smiled. If she kept this up he'd have to go up a pant size or two.
"Dad, how do you feel about Beef Wellington?" Beck called out to her father.
"Sounds good, honey. Do you have everything you need for it?" Bobby yelled.
"Think so!" Beck yelled back.
"How much food are you planning to make, girl?" Bobby asked walking into the kitchen.
"I don't know. I'm just keeping busy until you and Sam quit agreeing with Dean. And let me hunt again." Beck complained.
"A pagan goddess nearly turned you into an eggplant, honey. Luckily there haven't been any signs of internal injuries. I'm sorry, Becca but I agree with Dean on this one. For the time being, you're on the bench." Bobby patiently told his daughter.
Beck pulled a cat butt face at her dad and went back to cooking.
Bobby's cellphone rang. He looked at his daughter, shook his head, and answered his phone, "Let me guess, another steamin' hot pile of swine flu."
"Put the phone on speaker, dad." Beck said.
Bobby put the phone on speaker.
"Why swine flu when he's got the Croatoan virus. It makes no sense. I...I don't get it." came the sound of Dean's voice through the phone.
"It doesn't matter why the sick son of bitch is doing it. What matters is this the fourth town he's hit… that we know of. And we're still eating his dust." Bobby responded.
"You need to find Cas and wait for Crowley." Beck stated on the phone.
"Find Cas? Why Becks? Not that we don't want to." Sam asked.
"And why the hell are we waiting for Crowley?!" Dean demanded.
"Remember that trusting me thing. Well, do it!" Beck snapped, walked over to her dad, and pressed the button on his phone to end the call.
Bobby looked at his daughter and raised an eyebrow waiting for an explanation.
"Before you ask. Pestilence will be in Vegas. But Crowley knows the location of the horsemen's handler. We can use the handler to get more exact information on the location of both Pestilence and Death, to fill in the gaps I am unsure of." Beck explained.
"And Cas?" Bobby asked.
"We need him for the showdown with Pestilence and Lucifer. He's our only angel backup even if he's at diminished capacity." Beck let him know.
"Great." Bobby replied sarcastically.
Suddenly Crowley popped in and said, "Sorry my darling, but I need your assistance."
Beck had a serving tray of canapes in one hand and a beer in the other. Before she could ask what he wanted, Crowley transported the both of them to Sam and Dean's location.
"What the hell?!" Dean yelled at seeing Beck.
"Canapes and a beer. Hungry babe?" Beck answered as confused as Dean.
"Would you please call off the flying monkey?" Crowley begged Beck.
Beck looked over at Sam and saw he had Ruby's Demon Blade.
"Sam. Put. The. Knife. Down." Beck instructed annoyed.
"After what he did?!" Sam loudly argued.
"What did he do?" Beck asked with a confused frown.
"He knew the colt wouldn't work and got you killed." Sam returned hotly.
"No, he didn't. I told you from the jump that the goddamn colt wouldn't work Samuel Winchester! I died because I love my family! And if you've forgotten I am standing right in front of you alive!" Beck yelled at Sam.
"I can give you pestilence. I know how to get him. Look…I swear…I thought the colt would work. Nothing's changed. I still want the devil dead. Well…one thing's changed. Now he knows I want him dead. Which, by the way, makes me the most buggered son in all of creation." Crowley said trying to diffuse the situation.
"Holy crap. We don't care." Dean told him.
"Speak for yourself, Dean. What do you need Crowley?" Beck said first to Dean and then asked Crowley.
"Well my darling, they burnt down my house. My tailor was eaten. I've been living under a rock for the past two months, like a bloody salamander! Every demon in hell and on earth's after me. Yet…here I am…Last place I should bloody be; in the road trying to negotiate with two of your men, under the friggin spotlight." Crowley complained to Beck. (Crowley gestured to the light above them, and it exploded.)
"Well, that explains why I haven't heard from you in a while. I can fix your clothing problem. My grandmother used to be a seamstress and she taught me. I'm not anywhere as good as she is, but if you give me your measurements and a rough sketch of what you want the clothes to look like you will be able to look decent again. Anything else?" Beck offered.
"Thank you, love. Please the three of you come with me. You want the horsemen's rings, yes? I know all about that. Shall we?" Crowley wheedled.
Crowley touched Beck's elbow, looked at Sam and Dean; then transported the four of them to an old abandoned house. Once at the abandoned house Beck found a questionable-looking coffee table and placed the tray of canapes on it. She then tipped the beer towards Dean, offering him a drink. Dean took the bottle of beer from her and gave her a "thank you" smile.
"Here we are -My life on the lam. How the mighty have fallen. Single-pane glass, Used contraception in the fireplace. The water damage alone - Beck, my love why are you the color of a plum?" Crowley began to complain again but interrupted himself finally noticing the recent bruised coloring of the young lady.
"I had a run-in with the pagan goddess Kali. Got thrown against the wall. Got benched by them (nodded towards Sam and Dean) and have been turning my dad's kitchen into a nonstop to-go restaurant (gesturing to the canapes.) " Beck explained with a shrug.
"Bloody hell! What in the name of the seven hells is wrong with you two?! I thought you gave a shit about this girl, but a pagan goddess turns her into a bloody rag doll and you do what to protect her?! C'mere, darling." Crowley ranted then gently called Beck to him.
Beck walked over to Crowley. She couldn't help but smile at his reaction to her injuries. But it wasn't Sam or Dean's fault. She had been the one to take a poke at the bear and she suffered the consequences for it. Crowley used his demon powers and healed Beck's injuries; seen and unseen.
"Feel better my darling?" Crowley asked.
"Much, thank you. But Dean and Sam aren't responsible for my injuries or my actions." Beck replied.
"So, how do you know about the rings?" Dean asked.
"Well, now...I've been keeping a close eye on you lot." Crowley answered.
"We got hex bags. We're hidden from demons." Sam said.
"All but one. That night you broke into my house, our first date, my valet hid a tracking device in your car -A magical coin that easily trumps your little bags o' bones. It allows me to hear things, too -and, my, the things I've heard. (Chuckles) So you want to cram the devil back in the box? Cunning scheme. I want in." Crowley explained with a smile.
"Sneaky demon." Beck teased.
"You said you could get us Pestilence." Dean stated.
"He knows the location of Pestilence and Death's handler. Which would be a huge help to us. Remember I don't have specific details on them, but the handler will." Beck said.
"Well, how do we get him to spill? Rip out his toenails?" Dean asked.
"Ew, Dean." Beck said and pulled a face.
"No. Nuts at his pay grade don't crack. We bring him here, then I sell him." Crowley replied.
"Sell him?" Sam asked unconvinced.
"Please. I've sold sin to saints for centuries. Think I can't close one little demon?" Crowley answered insulted.
"All right, so where's this demon of yours?" Dean wanted to know.
"Why are we even listening to him? This is totally insane." Sam demanded
"I don't disagree." Dean replied.
"Seriously?! Have you two heard anything I've said! Crowley has a lead on the information we need. Get your head out of your asses! You (turning on Dean) talk about trusting me but it's all bullshit, either do it or shut up. You (turning to Sam) stop acting like a petulant child and get a grip!" Beck yelled at Dean and Sam.
"One big happy family, are we, then? Fantastic." Crowley said enjoying watching Beck chew out the Winchesters.
"You ready to go?" Dean mumbled.
"Screw that! You are going to babysit the toddler (glared at Sam) and I am going with Crowley." Beck told Dean.
"Well, now that that's settled. I'm ready when you are my lovely." Crowley said with a smug grin.
"There's no damn way. This isn't gonna happen! Dean, say something!" Sam shouted.
"This is happening! You open your trap and try to dictate or raise your voice at me one more time Samuel Winchester, I'll throw you across the room. And believe me, I have the magical skill to do it regardless of whether it drains my ass or not!" Beck snarled angrily.
"Give us a minute. (to Crowley) Becky, come over here a minute…please." Dean requested walking to the other side of the room.
"What Dean?" Beck asked tiredly once on the other side of the room with him.
"You're right, I've been talkin' about trusting you to Sam and I ain't been doing it. But Sam is right to…this is a little insane. I'm not saying we shouldn't do it, but…" Dean trailed off.
"But you're worried. I've just been healed and this little excursion could very well get me killed again. You're right, it could. But if we wanna beat the devil we need this information. We need the rings, you know that." Beck finished for him.
Dean nodded. He wanted to pull her into his arms but was worried she would become angry again.
"Someone needs to stay with Sam. He can't go. There's a connection between him and the handler that would jeopardize everything. There's more, Sam's already contemplating becoming Lucifer's vessel. He's got the idea in his head that he can take back control. The way dad took back control when the demon possessing him tried to get him to stab you." Beck told Dean softly.
"Shit. You're right the kid does need a babysitter." Dean replied quietly.
Beck chuckled and asked, "Kid? Dean, you do remember that Sam is three years older than me right?"
"It's easy to forget. You act like you're his age or older most of the time." Dean excused himself.
Beck rolled her eyes. She loved that he thought that, but she didn't agree.
"Okay, sure Dean. So what do you want to do? One of us at least needs to go with Crowley. And Sam needs to stay." Beck reminded him.
"Wanna go hunt up a horseman's bitch with me, Becky-baby?" Dean asked.
"You're such a romantic, my love." Beck laughed.
"So I take it we have reached an agreement?" Crowley asked.
"We have. Dean and I will go with you. Sam will stay here and wait for us." Beck replied.
"Don't fight her on this Sammy. Just chill, eat some canapes, and we'll be back before you know it." Dean advised his brother.
Dean, Crowley, and Beck walked out the door, climbed in the Impala, and drove away.
"Then Dean and Becks just walk...(scoffs)...Right out the door with Crowley." Sam complained on the phone to Bobby, drinking a bottle of whiskey.
"Well, look, Sam, I got no love for demons, and, yeah, this whole thing is crazy, but...I don't know. After a year of chasing up zilch, maybe it's time to go crazy. I can't say I'm pleased about that demon healin' Becca, but at least she's fit to do more than fatten me up. And why the hell are you two fighting anyhow? You get along better'en most I know, it's usually Dean pissin' her off." Bobby replied, from the other end of the phone taking his own slug of whiskey.
Sam sighed and asked. "Hey, Bobby?"
"Yeah?" Bobby returned.
"Uh...Remember that time you were possessed?" Sam requested.
"Yeah. Rings a bell." Bobby replied.
"When Meg told you to kill Dean, you didn't. You took your body back." Sam stated.
"Just long enough to shank myself, yeah." Bobby agreed.
"Well, how'd you do it? I mean, how'd you take back the wheel?" Sam asked.
"Why are you asking, Sam?" Bobby wanted to know.
Sam took a swig from his bottle and asked, " Say we can open the cage. Great. But then what? W-we just lead the devil to the edge and get him to jump in?
"You got me." Bobby returned confused.
"What if you guys lead the devil to the edge and I jump in?" Sam proposed.
"Sam." Bobby admonished dumbfounded.
"It'd be just like when you turned the knife around on yourself. One action - just one leap." Sam explained.
"Are you idjits trying to kill me?! Or git my daughter to kill you?!" Bobby demanded.
"Bobby,…" Sam started to argue.
"We just got done talking your brother off the ledge, and now you're lining up to say "yes"?" Bobby demanded.
"It's not like that. I'm not gonna do it. Not unless we all agree. But I think we got to look at our options." Sam reasoned.
"This isn't an option, Sam." Bobby told him.
"Why not?" Sam asked.
"You can't do it. What I did was a million-to-one, and that was some pissant demon I was brain-wrestling. You're talking about taking back control from Satan himself." Bobby answered frustrated.
"Yeah. Yeah, I am." Sam agreed.
"Kid...It's called "possession" for a reason. You, of all people, ought to know." Bobby tried to reason.
"I'm strong enough." Sam declared.
"You ain't. He's gonna find every chink in your armor, Sam, and use it against you -Your fear, your grief, your anger. And let's face it - You're not exactly Mr. Anger Management. How are you gonna control the devil when you can't control yourself?" Bobby asked his concern for his youngest adopted son growing.
Dean, Crowley, and Beck arrived at Niveus Pharmaceutical. They sat in the Impala and ran surveillance on the building. Surveillance basically was Dean watching the building with a pair of binoculars. Beck worried about Sam and had a nagging feeling that he wouldn't stay put. She also felt guilty about the recent fighting they had been doing. Beck and Sam rarely fought and never had the yelling/screaming matches that had taken place.
Dean noticed a few people inside the building and asked, "Demons?"
"Nah, human shields. The demons are up top…12th floor." Crowley replied.
"Food chain administration?" Beck asked playfully.
"Something like that, dear." Crowley grinned.
"Alright then. We'll have to find a way in from the back." Dean said.
"You're overcomplicating this." Crowley said and disappeared.
"Ah, crap." Dean said.
Inside the building, Crowley reappeared behind the security guard and slit his throat.
"That was efficient." Beck commented disgustedly.
Dean and Beck exited the Impala and ran to the building door.
Dean knocked.
"It's open!" Crowley called out.
Dean opened the door and Beck walked through, then he followed.
"You killed them." Dean stated shocked.
"We're on a tight schedule. Come on. Now you're squeamish? Please." Crowley scoffed.
"We generally try not to hurt or kill humans." Beck replied icily.
"Noble of you. However, we don't have time for nobility." Crowley returned.
Crowley guided Dean and Beck to the elevator. The elevator opened and the two humans stepped inside. Crowley did not.
"Happy Hunting." Crowley told them.
"wh…You're not coming?" Dean asked.
"Oh no. It's not safe up there. There's demons." Crowley replied.
"Yeah, I get that." Dean said.
"Just get our girl to the handler safely and let her do the rest." Crowley instructed.
"My joy in your confidence in me knows no bounds." Beck said sarcastically.
"As it should, my darling." Crowley returned cheekily.
Beck rolled her eyes and pressed the button for the 12th floor.
"You actually trust him?" Dean asked as the elevator rose.
"No. But we're fresh outta ideas so this level of crazy is really all we have left." Beck answered.
"I don't like it." Dean told her.
"What else is new." Beck replied.
The elevator dinged and the doors opened on the 12th floor. They got off the elevator and started walking toward the handler's office. They ran into demons and started to fight their way to the office. The last demon was waiting outside the office Dean dealt with him. The office door swung open to reveal that the Horsemen's handler was waiting for them.
"Dean Winchester and Miss Lindsey. What, no appointment?" the handler asked evenly.
Dean and Beck walked into the office. The demon flicked his wrist and closed the door behind them.
"Kind of an 11th hour thing, ya know?" Dean replied.
"Well, then, you're just on time. Have a seat. Now down to business. What can I do for you?" the demon asked.
Beck sat down across the desk from their host while Dean remained standing.
"Start with calling me Beck. But if you must use my last name to be professional it's Singer. I'm sure you're aware that War and Famine have been taken out of the game." Beck replied pleasantly.
"Yes, I got the memo. Please call me Brady." Brady replied.
"Well, Brady the boys kept their rings. A little serial killer trophy-ish if you ask me but no one usually does so…. They've been led to believe that you would be willing to pay to have them returned. I think it's utter bullshit myself, but as I've already told you no one usually asks what I think." Beck told him.
"Hmm. Where are they?" Brady asked pleasantly.
"At this particular moment? Either downstairs in the car's glove box, at the crack house a friend of mine is crashing at, or at my father's place. I really couldn't say for sure, but what does it matter you don't really want them." Beck replied.
"Becky, what the hell are you doing?" Dean demanded.
"Hush, sweetheart. We've talked about you interrupting before." Beck chided him.
"You're absolutely right, Miss Singer. Even if I could cram the rings back on their bony fingers, I doubt it would do much good. They're withered husks right now…Fetal position on the floor. All thanks to your men. (Brady stood up and looked directly at Dean.) What I do want is retribution. And I'm going to rip it right out of your ass!" Brady declared.
He used his demon powers and threw Dean across the room.
Beck jolted to her feet, swung around, and saw that Dean had crashed through the office door.
"This is so good." Brady chuckled.
Dean groaned on the floor as Brady advanced on him. Beck watched as Brady approached Dean. She winced internally at what the demon was about to do.
Brady chuckled, "therapeutic for sure. You know Dean, I really owe you one buddy, cause I feel… (he kicked Dean) (Dean groaned) So. (he kicked Dean again) (Dean groaned again and Beck slipped out of the office) Much. (Brady kicked Dean again) (Dean groaned again) Better!" (Brady kicked Dean a final time and Dean groaned in pain).
Dean kicked Brady's legs out from under him and scrambled to his feet.
Once on his feet, Dean ran for the elevator where Beck was waiting for him. Beck pushed the down button when she saw Dean race towards her and stepped inside only a few moments before he ran in. Dean pressed the buttons to close the doors and to the bottom floor repeatedly
Before the doors shut Beck and Dean looked saw Brady approach the elevator and heard him say, "Dean where are you going? We're just getting started."
"Well, that failed spectacularly," Dean complained catching his breath.
"No it didn't, We're not done yet, babe." Beck replied.
The elevator dinged, they had reached the lobby. The doors opened and Beck quickly got out first. Dean followed her out. Brady appeared in the elevator behind him and hit him on the head. Dean yelped in pain, fell forward, and slid across the lobby floor. Beck watched and waited knowing that she was going to have to clean up a very angry hunter.
"Good to meet you, Dean. You know I'm excited." Brady said.
Crowley approached from behind and dropped a sack covered in a devil's trap over Brady's head. Beck took the crowbar from Crowley and then bashed Brady's head it.
"What the hell was that?!" Dean demanded after standing up.
"That was perfect." Crowley said.
"Yes, I thought that went extremely well. Good job, babe." Beck agreed.
"Perfect? Good job? He didn't want the rings. He wanted me." Dean exclaimed angrily.
"Yes, dear. We were already aware of that." Beck said calmly.
"Your ignorance and misinformation -I mean, completely authentic. You can't fake that. What? I-it went like clockwork." Crowley said happily.
"Not for me, you son of a bitch! And you actually agreed to this?!" Dean yelled at his girlfriend and the demon.
"That's what you get -working with a demon." Crowley told him unapologetically.
"Complain to me when you get thrown by a pagan goddess and the people you love are more interested in trying a futile attempt at killing the devil than helping you." Beck answered icily.
"Shall we then?" Crowley asked.
"Yes, I'm sure Sam is getting stupid ideas about now. Time to get back to him. You can handle Brady though." Beck answered.
The two humans and the two demons made their way back to the Impala. Once there Dean helped Crowley throw Brady in the backseat and Crowley climbed in with him. Beck slid onto the front seat from the driver's side and Dean joined her a moment later.
"Hold on a minute." Beck said
"What?" Dean asked gruffly.
Beck reached under the passenger's side seat and grabbed out the first aid kit.
"You look like shit and I'm sure you have a concussion." Beck told him.
"Demon used me as a punching bag. Hard to look pretty." Dean replied.
Beck snorted, opened the first aid kit, and slid next to Dean. Using the contents of the first aid kit Beck was able to get Dean cleaned up and give him some painkillers.
"Now, you and I are going to switch places. I'm driving. You have a concussion. Please don't waste time arguing with me. I'm not in the mood." Beck said.
Beck snapped the first aid kit shut, stuffed it back under the passenger's side seat, opened the passenger's side door, and walked around to the driver's side. Dean begrudgingly slide onto the passengers and closed the door. Beck opened the driver's side door, climbed in behind the wheel, shut the door, and started up the Impala. Beck drove down the road back toward Sam when there came a sound of clothes being ripped from the backseat.
Dean turned around to see Crowley carving a sigil into Brady's torso.
"Hey, hot stuff, watch the upholstery!" Dean yelled at him.
"Up yours, mate. This bit of carving will tie our friend here down. No zapping off, no smoking out -Locked in the meat suit...An important piece of our bargaining strategy." Crowley told him and continued to Beck, "Now, up here, we don't want I-50. Take 93 north."
"What are you talking about?" Dean demanded.
"Look, we can't take this guy back to your brother." Crowley said reasonably.
"Why the hell not?" Dean wanted to know.
"Do you not remember what I told you before we left babe. Brady and Sam have history. The kind that could end with us not getting the information you got your ass kicked for. Crowley's right, taking Brady to where Sam is is a recipe for disaster." Beck reminded Dean patiently.
"Stop the car." Dean told Beck.
Beck obeyed and stopped the car. She turned and looked at him waiting to find out what he wanted her to do next. Beck already knew if Dean wanted to go back to Sam with this, that's where she would drive. There was no way Crowley would be able to convince her otherwise.
"Exactly what history do they have together?" Dean demanded, not caring where the demon or his girlfriend answered.
"Brady introduced Sam to Jessica. The demon Brady, not the poor bastard who got his meat suit jacked. This poor son of bitch hasn't been the real Brady since like the second year of college, babe." Beck softly explained.
"Now you see why we can't bring this bugger back to your brother. His anger will get the best of him and…Well, there goes the whole thing down the drain pipe." Crowley reasoned.
"No. We get back to Sam. I gave the kid my word I would trust him. If things get too hot I can handle him." Dean said.
"Believe me, Dean. You can't and our girl here knows that as much as I do, don't you darling?" Crowley told him.
"Becky." Dean said waiting to see what the woman he loved would do next.
Beck started the car back up and began to drive. When it came time to choose between I-50 or 93 North, Beck picked I-50, right back to Sam.
"My darling you are making a monumental mistake. I understand, you love this moron and you're following your heart. Now is not the time to be doing that." Crowley argued.
"If you try one more time to talk her into driving anywhere but where we are going I will shove my Baby's tailpipe right up your corn chute." Dean threatened.
Beck stifled a snort-laugh at Dean's colorful threat. She kept her eyes on the road ahead and her focus on the task of what came after they reached Sam. Crowley wisely kept his mouth shut for the remainder of the car ride. He did, however, catch Beck's eyes in the rear view mirror, perhaps this little change in plan would be a good chance to teach her some new magic tricks.
Once they had arrived at the abandoned house Beck parked the car near the door. Crowley did his little vanishing trick, presumably into the house, while Beck and Dean were left to get Brady out of the vehicle. Beck and Dean exited the car from their respective doors.
"You still pissed at me?" Beck asked as Dean came around to the driver's side.
"No, I ain't happy you didn't tell me what the real plan was. But when I needed you to come through about comin back here you did it without takin' Crowley's side." Dean replied.
"No, babe. I agree with Crowley. Sam is the last person who should be involved in this. But he's your brother and if I want you to trust my judgment, I have to trust yours." Beck told him.
"Why don't you go in and try to make nice with Sammy. I'll get this douche out of the car." Dean said.
"Okay." Beck replied, then leaned over and gave Dean a quick kiss on the lips.
"Well, that was unexpected. That means I gotta chance of getting laid before Lucifer tries to fry our asses?" Dean asked with a smile.
"As long as you don't ditch my ass again. You can get laid as soon as this little nightmare is over." Beck grinned in return.
Dean grinned and turned his attention to extracting Brady out of the Impala. Beck walked up to the house and in the front door.
As she joined Sam and Crowley, she heard the latter say, "We should be miles away...from you. I begged our girl not to drive back here, but she being the young fool in love with your brother she is, chose to disregard my sage advice. Dean replied with a colorful rejoinder about my "corn chute, should I attempt to continue to dissuade her."
Sam scoffed.
"Crowley, that's enough." Beck warned the demon.
"You know this is a bad idea, love. But it's only the end of the world, so please go ahead, show your best mate how much you trust him." Crowley warned.
"Dean's in the other room with our guest, Sam. Please, try to listen to him. Try to keep your anger in check." Beck begged her best friend.
"You still pissed at me?" Sam asked walking over to her.
"No. Of course not. Just really worried about you. This isn't going to be easy." Beck replied.
"What's going on, Becks?" Sam asked with a confused frown.
"C'mon. You'll see in a moment." Beck answered grabbing Sam's hand and guiding him into the next room.
Beck and Sam entered the room where Dean had Brady, still hooded, tied to a chair.
"What happened to you?" Sam demanded looking at his brother.
"Dean played bait, for our friend here." Beck replied.
"What?!" Sam demanded.
" It doesn't matter Sam. We got him here. Now what I need from you is to stay on mission. Stay focused." Dean replied.
"I don't understand. What's this all about?" Sam asked confused.
"I'm doing this 'cause I trust you. And Becky is doing this 'cause she trusts me." Dean told him.
"Awful decision in my opinion. Misplaced confidence and heart above common sense instincts really." Crowley interjected.
"Hush. You're not helping. Come give me a magic lesson if you really feel you must do something at the moment." Beck chided the demon.
"First good idea you've had in a while sweetheart. We'll be in the next room when you're ready." Crowley told Dean and then zapped out with Beck.
"Trust me to what?" Sam interjected.
"Sam? (clears throat) Sam, is that you?" Brady called out through the hood.
Dean removed Brady's hood.
"Brady?" Sam asked surprised.
Brady chuckled and said, "Brady hasn't been Brady in years. Not since, oh..middle of our sophomore year?"
"What?" Sam demanded.
"That's right. You had a devil on your shoulder even back then. All right, now, let it all sink in." Brady jeered.
"You son of a bitch. You son of a bitch! You introduced me to Jess!" Sam yelled.
Sam approached Brady, but Dean held him back.
"Ding, ding! I think he's got it!" Brady taunted.
Sam struggled to push past Dean and get at Brady.
"Damn it, Sam!" Dean exclaimed.
"I'm gonna kill you!" Sam shouted.
Dean pushed Sam out of the room, while Brady laughed. Dean wrangled Sam into the room where Beck and Crowley had been having their magic lesson.
"Get out of my way!" Sam yelled at his brother.
"No." Dean said.
"Let go of him, Dean. It's okay, I got this." Beck told her boyfriend.
Beck raised her hand slightly, turned her wrist, and slowly fanned her fingers down. Sam was unable to move temporarily.
"What the hell did you just do?!" Sam yelled at Beck.
"Just keeping you in one place until you can calm down." Beck told him calmly.
"Nicely done. Ready?" Crowley complimented Beck and asked.
"Whenever you are, but I doubt the guys have made it any easier." Beck chuckled.
"Becky, how long is this going to last?" Dean asked concerned.
"Only as long as you need it to love. The hold will stop as soon as you can get Sam to listen to you. I may have conjured the spell, but it's tied to you and Sam." Beck explained patiently.
Beck followed Crowley into the next room where Brady was.
"Hello again, Miss Singer." Brady greeted pleasantly.
"Hello. Any chance we could just do this the easy way and you tell us what we want to know?" Beck asked sweetly.
"Fraid not. Unlike him, I'm not a traitor." Brady replied glaring at Crowley.
"Look...Do the math yourself. If Lucifer wins, he'll turn this place into his kingdom. When the Morningstar cleans house, we all get the mop." Crowley said reasonably.
"He created us. Why would he destroy us? That makes no sense." Brady argued.
"Look at who -at what he is. Then take a look at what we are." Crowley returned still trying for reason.
"Maybe you should be a little less worried about our necks and be a little more worried about yours." Brady advised.
"Has crossed my mind. That's not really the point." Crowley admitted.
"Actually, Crowley, that is the point. No one will know greater torment than you. Lucifer is never gonna let you die. As for me, I know the score. I'm dead, whether I tell you anything or not. So I think I'll die on the winning side, thanks." Brady said.
"Good talk. Cheers. You're up, darling." Crowley told Beck.
Crowley exited the room and went back to Dean.
"So, what exactly is torment to a demon? Not that I expect you to tell me, but I am curious." Beck asked Brady conversationally.
"Are you going to torment the information out of me? I mean I'm a demon and you're Dean Winchester's girlfriend." Brady said unimpressed.
"The Horsemen haven't told you anything about me, have they? I mean beyond that I'm traveling with the Winchesters and that I'm dating Dean. Wow, you're lower level than I had anticipated." Beck mocked.
"Watch it pretty girl it's just you and me right now." Brady warned.
"No, actually it's you, me, and a very angry Sam. But don't worry I won't let him kill you, yet." Beck corrected him.
Sam came into the room and glared at Brady.
"Well, here we go. We doing last words or no?" Brady asked Sam nonchalantly.
"Sophomore year, huh?" Sam asked calmly.
"Brady, here, he was a good kid -Straight arrow. I mean, your best friend, really. Perfect point of access." "Brady" told him.
"Thanksgiving." Sam stated.
"Yes, sir. Remember when I came back from break all messed up - Dropped out of pre-med, the drugs, the bitches? That was the new Brady. That was me. Remember how much time you spent trying to get me back on the right track? You really were a good friend. But ol' yellow eyes didn't send me back to be your friend. No, we could tell we were starting to lose you. You were becoming a mild-mannered, worthless sack of piss. Now, come on. We couldn't have that. You were our favorite. So I hooked you up with a pure, sweet, innocent piece of tail. And then I toasted her on the ceiling. That's right - Azazel might have put the hit out on Jessica, but, man, I got to have all the fun!" Brady taunted.
Sam's hand twitched around Ruby's knife.
"You know, she thought we were friends, too. Let me right in. She was baking cookies. (laughing) she was so surprised...So hurt when I started in on her." Brady laughed.
(Sam pressed Ruby's knife against Brady's throat.
"Come on! Do it if it'll make you feel better!" Brady shouted.
Sam nicked Brady's throat with the knife.
"Sam, enough. Go let Dean out of the bathroom, he's going to end up dislocating his shoulder trying to bust himself out. I'll watch this prick." Beck said calmly.
Sam looked at Beck and smiled. He hated fighting with her and while he wasn't pleased about the spell she had used on him, he got it. Sam walked over to Beck and placed a kiss on her forehead. Beck smiled, feeling so much better that she and Sam were okay. She would deal with Dean and whatever issues he had later. Sam walked out of the room, presumably, to free Dean from the bathroom.
"Just you and me, babydoll." Brady mocked.
"Yes. It is." Beck returned with a sinister smile.
Brady looked at her and frowned.
"Did you know that I made a deal with Crowley, some time ago?" Beck asked advancing on the chair-tied demon.
"Really? So what you pissed that you only got maybe a year instead of ten for your soul?" Brady snidely asked.
"Oh no. Crowley didn't want my soul. He wanted to teach me magic, he's a very good teacher. Care to see." Beck replied.
Beck murmured a spell under her breath, turned her hand into a clawlike grasp, and rotated her wrist.
Brady began to scream in pain. Beck smiled, cracked her neck, and opened her hand. Brady gasped in relief.
"You bitch! What did you just do to me?!" He demanded.
" I just told you, I've been taught magic by. a. demon. You're locked in that meat suit you stole, so I know how to make everything hurt. Body and demon vapor." Beck replied with a smile.
Dean and Sam came running into the room. Both men looked wildly between the demon and the young woman standing in front of him. They both noticed the smile on her face, it was not a good sign. They knew that that smile meant nothing but trouble.
"What the hell is going on here?" Dean demanded.
"Your bitch is trying her hand at torture!" Brady spat out.
Beck mumbled something and held up her hand in a stop sign gesture. Dean tried to take a step toward his Becky and the demon. He found that was unable to do so. He looked over at Sam, who smirked. Sam had already been on the receiving end of a similar spell.
Sam walked tentatively past his brother, stood next to Beck, and asked, "Same spell?"
"Similar. This one just prevents Dean from hitting Brady and potentially bruising his knuckles." Beck responded.
"So I can still walk just not towards you or him?" Dean asked fuming.
"You can walk anywhere you want to except to hit our guest for calling me a Bitch. That's what you were going to do right?" Beck replied.
"I don't like you using this shit." Dean growled.
"Don't worry, my love. I won't make a habit of using it on you or Sam." Beck chuckled.
"Yeah, that would be good." Sam said.
Beck turned to Sam, smiled, and said, "Now you know what Crowley wanted out of our deal."
"Wait, you made a deal with that slime piece of shit in a designer suit?!" Dean demanded.
"Indeed she did. Quite the prodigy she is too. Talented. Quick study. Best deal I've made in a while actually." Crowley said zapping in.
"Stop, your making me blush." Beck said sarcastically.
"God. The day I've had. Good news. You're going to live forever." Crowley told Brady.
"What did you do?" Brady asked.
"Went over to a demons' nest, had a little massacre. Must be losing my touch, though. Let one of the little toads live. Oops. Also might have given said toad the impression that you left your post last night because you and I are -wait for it -Lovers in league against Satan." Crowley chuckled.
Beck faked a gasp and said, "Darling you should have told me. I would have gotten you a housewarming gift."
Brady sighed.
"I'd rather have a nice house again, pet. But thank you for supporting us." Crowley grinned.
"Anything for true love." Beck giggled.
"I'm starting to think that Becky is enjoying this a little too much." Dean said softly to Sam.
"Hello, darling. So, now death is off the table. Now you get to be on the boss's eternal-torment list with little old me." Crowley told Brady.
"Oh, no, no, no, no. No." Brady cried.
"Something else we have in common -apart from our torrid passion, of course -Craven self-preservation. So, now, why don't you tell me where Pestilence is at?" Crowley requested.
Suddenly the five of them heard the sound of far-off howling.
"Oh god, Crowley." Brady said scared.
"Was that a hellhound?" Dean and Beck asked simultaneously
"I'd say yeah." Crowley replied.
"Why was that a hellhound?" Dean demanded.
"Dean and I aren't big fans of hellhounds if you remember." Beck interjected.
Crowley groaned and pulled out a coin.
"What's that?" Sam asked.
"Remember I was telling you about my crafty little tracking device?" Crowley reminded.
"Yeah." Sam said.
"Demons planted one on me." Crowley stated.
"You're saying a hellhound followed you here?" Sam demanded.
"Well, technically, he followed this." Crowley replied holding up a coin.
"Get me out of here. I'll tell you anything you want." Brady begged panicking.
"Shut up." Sam yelled.
"Okay, well, then we should go." Dean said.
"Sorry. No one knows more about the hounds than I. You're long past the point of "go."" Crowley told him.
Crowley tossed the coin to Dean who caught it and disappeared.
"Damn it." Dean ground out.
"I told you!" Sam shouted at Dean.
"Not helpful Sam!" Beck yelled running out of the room.
"Where are you going?!" Dean called after her.
"Salt!" Beck yelled back.
"You go with Becks. I'll watch Brady." Sam told his brother.
"Right." Dean returned.
Brady scoffed, "Watch me? Get me the hell out of here!"
The howling and snarling continued; Beck and Dean found the salt. Beck ran to get it but as she grabbed it the window shattered and the Hellhounds broke through the glass.
"Ahhh! Dean!" Beck cried out.
"Hold on, baby. I'm here." Dean said.
Dean fired gun rounds at the hellhounds, desperately trying to protect Becky and himself all while returning to Sam.
"Salt?" Sam asked as Beck ran over to him
The hellhound growled.
"Dropped it! Between the hound on my heels and your brother firing that gun trying to get it off my ass while not hitting me." Beck told him.
"Damn it, get me out of here!" Brady cried.
"Shut up!" Sam, Dean, and Beck yelled.
"Great. Just great." Brady said.
Sam and Beck managed to cut Brady free. The two of them moved toward the open exit.
"Hey!" Crowley called out, suddenly reappearing.
"You're back?" Dean asked incredulously.
"I'm invested. Currently." Crowley smirked.
A hellhound barked.
"Stay!" Crowley commanded.
"You can control them?" Dean asked surprised.
"Not that one. (Crowley pointed in front of Dean) I brought my own. ( Crowley patted the hellhound beside him) Mine's bigger. Sic him, boy!" Crowley commanded.
The hellhounds barked and growled as they fought each other.
"Go, go go go." Dean told Sam, Beck, and Brady.
Dean, Sam, Beck, and Brady ran outside to the Impala. Crowley appeared at the car next to Sam and Beck. Brady climbed into the backseat of the car via the driver's side.
"I'll wager $1,000 my pup wins." Crowley said, then climbed in the backseat on the passenger's side.
"Done." Beck replied climbing into the car and sliding onto the middle front seat.
Sam and Dean shared a look, then got in the car with Dean at the wheel. Dean drove the car to the nearest city and parked in an alley with a dead-end to the right. The five of them exited the vehicle and walked into the dead end. Crowley gave Brady a small notepad and a pen. Brady wrote down the location of Pestilence.
"And you're sure Pestilence with be there?" Crowley asked.
Brady handed Crowley a piece of paper he had torn out of the notebook and said, "Yeah. I'm sure pestilence will be there. Thanks."
Crowley took the piece of paper looked at it and then handed it to Dean.
"What do you think?" Dean asked handing the paper to Beck after looking at it.
"It's exactly what we need. I knew he would be in Vegas. I just didn't have the address." Beck replied with a nod.
"Clever girl." Crowley smiled.
"You've screwed me…for eternity." Brady told Crowley.
"Nah. Won't last that long. Trust me." Crowley informed Brady.
Crowley and Beck followed Dean down the alley past Sam who was standing, staring at Brady.
"Where are you going?" Brady demanded.
Dean bent down and began to pour a salt line behind Sam.
"I'm going to do you a favor. Crowley said to Brady, then to Sam, I expect we'll be in touch."
Beck followed Crowley past the salt line and headed for the car. Crowley disappeared.
"What is this?" Brady asked.
"All those angels, all those demons, all those sons of bitches -They just don't get it, do they, Sammy? What do you think Becky?" Dean asked his brother and his girl.
"I'm afraid not, my love." Beck called back and leaned against the Impala.
"No, they don't, Dean." Sam replied.
"You see, Brady...We're the ones you should be afraid of." Dean said.
Brady scoffed.
"Want me to hold him in place for you Sam-I-Am?" Beck called out.
"No, thanks Becks." Sam called back.
Sam approached Brady with Ruby's knife.
"I bet this is a real moment for you, big boy. Gonna make you feel all better?" Brady asked starting to walk backward.
"It's a start." Sam replied.
"Gonna make up for all the times that we yanked your chain -Yellow eyes, Ruby, me? But it wasn't all our fault, was it? No, no, no, no. You're the one who trusted us. You're the one who let us into your life, let us whisper in your ear over and over and over again. Ever wonder why that is, Sammy? Ever wonder why we were so in your blind spot? Maybe it's because we got the Same stuff in our veins and, deep down, you know you're just like us." Brady taunted.
Brady lunged at Sam, and Sam nicked him with the blade.
"Aaah! (panting) maybe you hate us so much because you hate what you see every time you look in the mirror. You ever think of that?! (laughing) maybe the only difference between you and a demon...is your hell is right here." Brady mocked.
Sam stabbed Brady hard in the stomach until Brady was dead and said, "Interesting theory."
Sam walked out the alley, past Dean to Beck waiting by the car.
"Feel better?" Beck asked him.
"I don't know Becks, but like I told Brady it's a start." Sam replied.
"Gimme a break and bend down here you." Beck said with a grin.
Sam bent down as requested and Beck gave him a kiss on the cheek.
"Coming Dean?" Sam asked straightening up.
"Yup." came the reply.
Five minutes later the Impala was back on the road, with Beck in the middle, Dean in the passenger's seat, and Sam driving.