"She never sent an address, Dean. Is it worth the risk?" Sam asked.

"It's the only lead we have," Dean replied, running a hand over his stubbled jaw before grasping the back of his neck. "What are the odds that the bitch would suddenly show up out of nowhere because she "misses" you?"

"I know Olivia isn't the best person…but working with Lucifer? That's kind of a stretch, even for us."

"Why do you think it's so crazy? Cass hid us, Dad is dead, we have no other family for this thing to bargain with…the only person that demonic son-of-a-bitch could run to was Olivia. She is branded to you after all…his supposed vessel. I'm sure it didn't take long before he was striking up some kind of a deal with her," Dean finished, turning his back on Sam, his jaw working feverishly. He cocked his head a bit to the side before speaking once more. "Besides, we know that Liv's number one priority has always been herself. She wouldn't think twice before handing us over."

"So, you want to spend the next two days driving straight through to Louisiana in hopes that this hunch of yours is right?"

"Do you have a better idea?"

Dean watched as Sam's expression changed quickly. He was trying desperately to come up with another explanation as to why Olivia could possibly want to know their current location. Why would she suddenly be willing to travel 1500 miles to see boring 'ol Sammy when she supposedly hated his guts, unless…

Unless the devil himself was pulling the puppet strings.

Skylar sat nearby, absentmindedly twirling a little blade in her hand, which was making Dean's nerves stand more on edge than they already were. However, yesterday had proven to be a turning point for them all. Instead of going upstairs to shower, Skylar had overheard the whole fucking thing. These past twenty-four hours had been pure torture. He couldn't remember a time when he and Skylar had argued so much, and to the delight of Bobby, Dean had slept downstairs on that cluttered pull out sofa.

As much as he wanted to ring her little neck for eavesdropping, he shouldn't have kept her in the dark for so long, even if she continued to not know the full story.

She now knew that Dean and Sam were the vessels of heaven and hell and why they were hiding out instead and of trying to gank some evil assholes. These weren't your run of the mill monsters, and up until this precise moment, the Winchester's were actually trying to avoid a suicide mission for the first time in their lives.

However, she still had zero clue that she was hell's bitch, too.

It wasn't fair to keep it from her, but how in the hell would she react if she found out that her destiny was to open hell and spend an eternity in the fiery pit? If she was in fact the key to hell, Dean had to keep Skylar as far away from Lucifer as she could possibly get.

It was not only important for Skylar's survival.

It was essential for the survival of them all.

Finally, Sam's shoulders slumped forward in defeat, his long fingers tapping gently against the table, bringing Dean out of his own troubled thoughts.

"Okay," Sam said quietly.

"Okay!" Dean mimicked loudly, clapping his hands together. This was finally happening. They were going to find this ugly red monster that was probably living in some poor soul's meat suit. Yes, they were going in blind, but it was the first solid lead they had had since this whole shit show began.

"What's the plan?" Sam asked.

"Let's drive down south, and then we'll come up with a plan."

"This is officially the dumbest thing we've ever done."

Ignoring his brother's pessimistic attitude, Dean moved over to the sofa, shoving wadded up clothes into his duffle bag. "Bobby, keep us posted if you hear anything useful."

"Will do," Bobby said, folding his arms while leaning against the door frame that led into the kitchen. Dean was surprised that Bobby wasn't calling them 'idjits' right now, but he had a suspicion it was only due to the fact that Bobby was flat out of answers himself, which rarely happened.

"I'll go get my stuff," Skylar spoke for the first time that morning, forcing Dean to pause and grit his teeth for the millionth fight that was bound to happen. He took a deep breath before speaking softly.

"You aren't going," Dean said, watching as Skylar halted her steps, turning a steely blue eyed gaze in his direction.

"What do you mean, 'I'm not going?"

"You heard me," Dean muttered, turning around to continue packing his own belongings.

"You can't leave me here!" Skylar screamed, causing Dean to wince and the other two men to advert their eyes, whistling as they sauntered into the next room.

Cowards, Dean thought.

"This isn't up for discussion," Dean stood up to his full height of 6'1", his own voice biting cold.

"You can't keep me locked away," Skylar spoke, seething, moving away from the stairs and towards him. "Why have you put me through hell this past month if you've been planning to fight without me, anyway!?"

"Just in case…"

"Just in case?" Skylar cut him off, a look of exasperation on her naturally flawless face. She reached up to pull her hair back tightly, and for a moment, Dean realized that she looked half deranged. He hated seeing her like this, but it was for her own good. There was no way in hell he was going to purposely drive her towards the one thing that wanted to take her away from him.

It wasn't going to happen.

"I'm coming with you," she said with final determination as if she was dismissing their entire conversation. Turning on her heels, she began to walk away, but Dean reached out, whipping her around sharply by the arm. She instantly struggled against him, and Dean knew that he should release her. He promised her that he was a changed man, and he was…for her sake.

But he was trying desperately to keep her alive, and while she didn't understand that he was only doing it for her own good, Dean didn't know how else to get through to her.

She could hate him all she wanted, but she wasn't dying on his watch.

Dean grabbed a fist full of her hair like he had so many times in the past, grasping her chin firmly in the other hand. He knew that he was being rough with her, and the pained cry that escaped her lips tore at his hardened heart.

Their faces were only inches apart, and Dean had the sudden urge to lean down and kiss her into submission, but something told him that the last thing Skylar wanted in this moment was his touch.

"I don't give a fuck whether you believe me or not…but I love you, and there is no way in hell I'm going to let you go near the devil himself if I can help it. Is…that…clear," Dean growled between clenched teeth.

Skylar's eyes continued to stay rooting like ice, unblinking and full of malice.

"Let me go," she spoke detached, causing Dean to falter slightly. If there was one thing he loathed more than her anger, it was the distance she was slowly putting between them emotionally.

For a moment, Dean continued to hold onto her, though his grip had lessened considerably. Reluctantly, he let her go, watching as she quickly moved away from him, grabbed her jacket off the nearby rack, and slammed the door behind her without another word spoken.

Dean contemplated the last several minutes, wondering if he should stay. This was the worst possible time to leave Skylar, but he refused to take her with them. However, he could feel his marriage slipping from his grasp, and it pained him to think that his little wife would leave him. She had nowhere else to go, but that brought Dean little comfort. Something told him that she would refuse to let that hold her back.

Sam cleared his throat, gaining Dean's attention.

Dean swallowed harshly, not realizing the lump that had formed.

"You ready?" his brother asked hesitantly.

As ready as I'll ever be.

Skylar couldn't believe that they actually left without her.

She thought that her little temper tantrum might work. It's always worked in the past. She knew that she had been unnecessarily cold to Dean. The last thing she said to him was 'Let me go.'

What if that's the last thing she ever said to him?

That thought was slowly going to eat her alive. Even in the midst of his anger, Dean had still told her that he loved her.

She still loved him more than ever, but he had intentionally kept her in the dark about…everything! He must still see her a child. He thought she was weak and unable to take care of herself.

Perhaps he was right.

Of course he was right!

Skylar knew that she would never be able to fend for herself, and it haunted her to know that she would forever be dependent on Dean Winchester for survival.

She had watched him from afar as he loaded his precious car, his gaze scanning his surroundings. It was clear that he was searching for her, but she hid out by the old run-down shack, unable to say goodbye. She heard Bobby say that after she had time to cool down, he would go look for her and Dean shouldn't worry.

She was in good hands.

She was in good hands… Skylar echoed those words within her mind over and over.

Seventeen years old, and they still thought that she needed a babysitter. It was absolutely maddening.

Especially since they had their suspicions that Lucifer was as far away as possible and the angels weren't able to find her either.

And that's when it happened.

He drove away.

After watching him speed away from her countless times in the past, this was the second one to hurt the most. The worst had been when he left after telling her that he was going to hell and there was no stopping it. She walked away from him then, too.

You're an idiot.

Those last words she spoke to him had haunted her continuously until he had been pulled from the pit. Skylar knew that she was terrible at goodbyes. But she wouldn't have to endure those horrendous goodbyes if only her husband would stop leaving her behind.

She had yet to apologize for those word and for walking away when he needed her most, Similar to how she walked away from him now.

Turning around, Skylar walked slowly away through the freshly fallen snow, sitting down on an old bench next to the dried up well. It was freezing outside, but she didn't want to face anyone right now. Not even Bobby.

In the middle of her troubled thoughts, a twinge of nausea overcame her, and she swallowed harshly, working hard to keep down what little breakfast she had ate. The stress was becoming overwhelming, and the past few days had begun to take a toll on her physically.

Taking a deep breath, she willed herself to calm until the sickness past.

Skylar was uncertain how long she sat in the cold, periodically checking her phone to see if Dean had called.

He hadn't.

Maybe he was giving her the space that he thought she needed?

Maybe he was fed up with her childish behavior and decided that she wasn't worth the headache.

Either way, her heart was hurting the further she felt him drive away from her.

It was in that moment that a strong wind came rushing over her, sending a chill down her spine. Despite the naturally biting cold, it felt abnormally out of place.

Skylar stood abruptly; her breath ragged as she searched her surroundings. She saw no one.

Her brow furrowed in frustration, realizing that she was slowly losing her sanity. The thought terrified her, and she needed to figure out some way to regain control of herself before she lost her mind completely.

Trudging back through the snow, she began to make her way towards the house, when a voice stopped her in her tracks, causing her blood to run cold.

"Leaving so soon?"

The voice coming from behind caused her to stand frozen in place. She was on the verge of running away, but she turned her head slowly, her entire body shaking against her will. Off into the distance, she could see a man gazing at her, a devilish smile on his lips.

"What do you want?" she said through clenched teeth, biting down hard.

She was determined to stand her ground and use every ounce of discipline and strength that Dean had forced upon her recently. Something told her this man wasn't human. It was soon to be proven accurate.

Within a flash, he was standing before her, and while her balance faltered slightly, she held firm. She refused to back down. She was tired of running and it was past time to face their actual demons and get this over with, no matter what the outcome may be.

"I've been searching relentlessly for my vessel…and, of course, you, my dear," he spoke, his voice taking on a lighter tone, which surprised Skylar as he slowly backed away, yet he continued to keep an eye vigilantly upon her.

Vessel?

"Me?" Skylar asked hesitantly, without a doubt knowing that this was now Lucifer. Great timing. The moment Dean and Sam leave, he shows up on their doorstep. The one thing they were running from, yet determined to vanquish, and he had somehow managed to get her alone with little to no effort.

Serves Dean right for leaving me behind.

Skylar shook her head to clear her absurd thoughts.

"Of course!" he beamed. "In some ways, you're more important to me than Sam will ever be." He stated casually as if the entire matter was of little to no consequence. "I've been searching endlessly for weeks. I must say, the three of you are incredible champions at the game of hide and seek. Where are the Winchester's, anyhow? Something tells me they aren't nearby if they let you out of their sight, free to roam around where any sicko can come along and snatch you up? A tasty little thing like you. A little birdy told me you're quite precious to those boys."

Skylar remained silent, unsure of what to say. Should she lie and say that Dean and Sam were nearby? Maybe it would buy her some time?

But something told her that it wouldn't matter. Lucifer would see through her façade and she wouldn't get two steps before he ended up smiting the shit out of her.

"What do you want from me?" Skylar breathed, fear coursing through her veins. Lucifer gazed at her from within his current vessel, his eyes beaming a bright red.

"You and I are going on a little trip," he said, moving towards her with determined malice. "We have a very important mission to complete, you and I."

"What kind of mission could I possibly help you with?"

He grinned bright, the devil himself coming out full force. "You and I have a portal to finish opening, my dear. And this time, we're going to do it my way."