"We need to talk, Piper Finley."

Piper screamed and whipped around, still wrapped in a towel. "What the hell, wings? You can't just creep up on people like that!"

"Dean is going back to hell if we don't get Anna to heaven."

She went cold. "Excuse me?" She stepped forward, her fear forgotten. "Did you just threaten to send Dean back to hell?"

He looked uncomfortable. "Piper, this is serious."

She was incensed. "You're damn right it is! How dare you sneak up on me in the bathroom, and threaten to send my boyfriend to hell? What is wrong with you, Castiel?!"

"Lower your voice, Piper Finley. You have to get him to give us Anna."

"Screw you. Dean is going to do whatever the hell he wants. And I hope he never gives you Anna." She knew she was snarling, borderline being unreasonable, but she didn't appreciate being threatened.

"Piper, if you love Dean, you will convince him that this is the right thing to do."

xxxxx

The plan was in motion. Piper stood next to Dean, Anna on his other side, and Sam on the end. Piper was sick to her stomach. Even if it was a good plan, it was risky as hell.

The doors to the barn they were in blew open to show Castiel and Uriel coming in. Castiel met Piper's eyes, then looked at Anna. "Hello, Anna. It's good to see you."

Piper tuned out the rest, trying to brace herself for battle. She didn't bat an eye when Anna kissed Dean. The hickey on his neck was from Piper, so her possessiveness wasn't disturbed.

She heard Anna say, "You did the best you could. I forgive you. Okay. No more tricks. No more running. I'm ready."

"I'm sorry," Castiel said to her.

"No. You're not. Not really. You don't know the feeling."

Castiel looked upset. "Still, we have a history. It's just-"

"Orders are orders," Anna interrupted."I know. Just make it quick."

The door behind them burst in, and Piper whirled around. Alastair, two demons she didn't recognize, and Ruby entered.

"Don't you touch a hair on that poor girl's head." Alastair drawled smugly. Piper's spine felt like ice, and she hated him. She didn't miss the way Dean tensed.

"How dare you come in this room... You pussing sore?" Uriel growled, stepping forward with the angel blade in his hand.

Alastair clucked his tongue. "Name calling. That hurt my feelings... You sanctimonious, fanatical prick."

"Turn around and walk away now." Castiel also looked ready for a fight. Piper tightened her grip on the gun in her hand and wished she was anywhere else.

Alastair smirked. "Sure. Just give us the girl. We'll make sure she gets punished good and proper."

"You know who we are and what we will do. I won't say it again. Leave now... Or we lay you to waste."

"Think I'll take my chances."

Fighting exploded around Piper. She and one of the new demons zeroed in on one another. Piper's mind became clear, watching the demon's body for signs of what it was about to do. Her uncertainty and worries were washed away in the heat of battle. She was on solid footing. She was good at this.

"Piper Finley. I'm honored." The demon sneered as it swung down at her.

She smiled. "You are indeed. Exorcizamus te, omnis immundus spiritus-" She muttered the exorcism as they fought. The demon tried to hit her face, but she was quick. This was not her first rodeo.

Soon, black smoke flew from the meatsuit, allowing Piper to turn around. She ran to Dean, who was standing over Alastair and Castiel. The demon was taunting Dean. "Dean, Dean, Dean... I am so disappointed. You had such promise."

Piper didn't miss the tightness in Dean's shoulders, or the misery etched onto his face. Before she could respond, Anna was yelling, "Shut your eyes. Shut your eyes! Shut your eyes!"

Dean wasn't moving. Dammit. Piper tackled him to the ground, covering his eyes with her hand as she squeezed hers shut tightly.

When there was silence, Piper stood up slowly, getting off of Dean and helping him up. Dean was already looking at the angels, eyebrows raised. "Well, what are you guys waiting for? Go get Anna. Unless, of course, you're scared."

Uriel glowered at Dean. "This isn't over."

"Oh, it looks over to me, junkless."

The angels disappeared.

Sam turned to Ruby. "You okay?"

"Not so much."

Piper knelt to pull the demon's arm around her shoulders and help her up.

"What took you so long to get here?" Dean asked, bending to pick up the demon knife.

Ruby glared at him. "Sorry I'm late with the demon delivery. I was only being tortured."

Piper ignored the rest of the conversation to help Ruby to the car.

xxxxx

After they dropped Ruby off, they had stopped for beer and pulled over on the side of the road for a celebratory drink. Piper was next to Dean, his arm around her shoulders, leaning into his warmth. She still had icy fear at the base of her spine, and she couldn't understand why.

The men were talking about the fight. "I can't believe we made it out of there," Dean said, his voice tight. Something was wrong, but Piper kept silent about it. He would tell her when he was ready.

Sam smiled. "Again." The three of them clicked their bottles together.

There was a moment of silence before Dean spoke. His words chilled her even more. "I know you guys heard him."

She let Sam speak. "Who?"

"Alastair. What he said... About how I had promise."

Piper looked up at him. "We heard him."

Dean wouldn't meet her eyes. "You're not curious?"

"Dean, I'm damn curious," Sam said from behind him. "But you're not talking about hell, and we're not pushing." Piper nodded, leaning harder into him and wrapping an arm around his waist.

Dean was quiet for a moment. "It wasn't four months, you know."

"What?" Piper whispered, horrified.

"It was four months up here, but down there... I don't know. Time's different. It was more like 40 years."

"My God," Sam muttered. Piper put a hand over her mouth.

Dean didn't respond to either of them. "They, uh... They sliced and carved and tore at me in ways that you... Until there was nothing left. And then, suddenly... I would be whole again, like magic… Just so they could start in all over. And Alastair... At the end of every day, every one... He would come over."

Piper was sick to her stomach. She moved so she was wrapping both arms around his waist and resting her head into his chest. He didn't move to hold her, but shifted to give her better access. "And he would make me an offer. To take me off the rack... If I put souls on... If I started the torturing. And every day, I told him to stick it where the sun shines. For thirty years, I told him. But then I couldn't do it anymore, Sammy. I couldn't. And I got off that rack. God help me, I got right off it, and I started ripping them apart. I lost count of how many souls." Piper heard the sob he didn't let out, and hugged him tighter. "The, the things that I did to them..."

Piper's head was spinning. Oh, God, poor Dean… She hoped vehemently that Alastair had died in Anna's blast. No wonder he has nightmares.

"Dean," Sam started, then swallowed hard and continued. "Dean, look, you held out for thirty years. That's longer than anyone would have." Piper nodded against his chest.

Dean was close to openly crying now. "How I feel... This... Inside me... I wish I couldn't feel anything, Sammy. I wish I couldn't feel a damn thing."

xxxxx

Dean knew that Piper was taking him on some kind of farewell tour. He wished she would just get on with it.

When they had gotten back to Bobby's, she had insisted he get back into the Impala, leaving Sam there with Bobby. They had driven for a while, her head in his lap with her bare feet hanging out the open window. She talked almost the whole time, for which he was grateful.

He couldn't find words. He didn't know what had possessed him to tell her and Sam about hell. Maybe he couldn't keep it in anymore. Maybe he was letting them leave while they had a chance. God knew he didn't deserve any loyalty.

Piper had made him pull over in the parking lot of a nice hotel. She had hopped out and paid, helping him bring in their stuff to settle in their room.

He was sitting on the bed, back against the headboard, listening to her rattle out every thought that passed through her head. She must be nervous. He hoped she didn't think he would hurt her.

She was standing in front of the minibar, in a black sundress and bare feet. Her hair lay in waves over her shoulder. She was looking at the airplane bottles of liquor. "Are these good brands? They'd better be, this damn thing is expensive. I mean, I'm all for you only live once, but if it's not quality booze, is it even worth it?"

He closed his eyes and leaned his head back against the headboard. "Pipes, why are you doing this?"

"Well, we don't have to drink them, but you're kind of a drinker, and this should be a nice change of pace from-"

"I'm not talking about the damn alcohol, Piper," he interrupted, opening his eyes and raising his head to look at her. "Why are you drawing this out?"

Her brow furrowed. "Drawing what out?"

He gestured to everything around them. "The nice room, the mini bar." He smiled wryly at her. "Kind of an expensive way to leave me, Pipes."

She tilted her head, examining him with those hazel eyes. "Why would you think I'm leaving you?"

"Are you going to make me say it, kitten?" He asked miserably as she walked toward him. "You know why, because I… Did what I did."

She climbed onto the bed next to him, then moved to straddle his legs, facing him. The compassion in her eyes was almost unbearable. "Dean, of course I'm not leaving you."

He looked up at her, memorizing her face, not believing her.

"Dean, I'm in love with you." She put a finger to his mouth, interrupting his protest. "I don't say that so you'll say it back, you know. I say it because it's true. It was true when you were a cocky eighteen-year-old, and it's true now. Dean Winchester, I have loved you all of the time between then and now, but especially right now." She smiled as he stared at her, at the tears shimmering in her pretty eyes. "I did not bring you here to break up with you. I brought you here so you could feel safe for once."

Dean was in awe of her again. The steady love in her eyes, her hand that had moved to cup his face. Holy shit.

He reached up slowly to put a hand on her face. She sighed and leaned into it. He used it to pull her closer until their lips were a whisper apart. He was holding himself back, wanting to be gentle for her, to show her how much she meant to him. But the raging storm of emotions in him was screaming at him to take her hard and fast, to lose himself in her so the other screaming in his head would stop.

"Dean," she said softly, not opening her eyes. "Just get the hell over here and kiss me."

He moved fast, giving in completely. He ran both hands through her hair, holding her to him tightly, invading her mouth with his tongue. She whimpered into his mouth as he ran one hand from her hip to her shoulder, gently pulling the strap of her dress down to lick and nip his way down her neck.

He pushed her dress down further, freeing her breasts. He pulled one nipple into his mouth, sucking gently and running his teeth over it, using his free hand to pinch and pull the other one. She leaned her head back and gave a heavy moan, grinding herself down onto his cock.

"Dean, now, please," she lifted her head back up to look at him, and the heat there drove him insane. He used his hands on her hips to raise her up to her knees, then ran his hands up her legs. He almost came when he realized she wasn't wearing underwear. How does she always know?

Her hot little hands were at his belt buckle, zipping down his jeans, freeing his cock, then wrapping it in their soft warmth. She stroked him slowly, leaning forward to whisper filthy things in his ear, smiling when his hands tightened on her legs. "Christ, Piper."

She laughed softly into his ear, the desire in her voice making him dizzy. He moved hand to her center, moving a finger through her hot, slick folds. He felt a growl rumble in his chest at how wet she was for him. "Piper," he gasped, losing focus a little when she nibbled at his earlobe lightly.

"Now, Dean," she demanded, shifting so she was hovering over him. He realized she was waiting for his permission, waiting for him to tell her what to do. He scooted down to get a better angle and put his hands on her hips, meeting her eyes and losing himself in them for a moment. His voice was huskier than he'd intended when he ordered, "Now, Piper."

She came down fast, and they both gasped once he was fully sheathed in her. Dean closed his eyes, unable to look at her and last as long as she'd need him to. She set a fast pace, crying out and digging her fingernails into his shoulders. He would find marks there in the morning and smile for the first time since he'd told them about hell.

Dean reached down between her legs, circling her clit with his thumb, teasing her. "Oh, Dean, please," she begged softly, moaning when he moved harder against her clit. He moved his hips up to meet her thrusts, breaking into a light sweat from the effort he was exerting to hold himself together.

Just a little more pressure. He tilted his head back against the pillow and closed his eyes. "Come for me, Piper," he said roughly.

His words had the desired effect. Dean held her against him hard, listening to her cry out in pleasure as he lost himself in feeling her.

A few moments later she stepped off of him gingerly, going into the bathroom to clean up. When he heard the shower turn on, he stood and stripped (I didn't even take my jacket off, what an ass), and followed her in.

xxxxx

Several hours later, Dean was laying on his side with Piper's back pressed to his chest, his face buried in her hair. He breathed in her scent deeply, trying to go to sleep, unable to for fear he would have another damn nightmare and attack her.

She stirred in her sleep, nestling closer. "What's wrong, baby?"

He smiled at the sleep still thick in her voice. "Nothing, kitten, go back to sleep."

She sighed and interlaced her fingers with his. "Dean, stop worrying, you're not going to hurt me. Go to sleep."

How the hell does she always know?

xxxxx

Hi, everyone! Here's my notes:

I own only Piper Finley, the original character. I don't own Supernatural or the characters. (heartbroken)

Reviews and comments give me the warm fuzzies and keep me going.

If there are any mistakes in continuity, canon, or geography, blame me.

**Forgive me if Dean's confession isn't properly edited... It's so hard for me to read, I have to skip it when I watch the episode.