"Let me guess, another steamin' hot pile of swine flu."

"Yep," Dean said into the speakerphone on the cell phone that Sam was holding while Dean drove.

They had just interviewed a doctor about the fourth case of widespread swine flu they'd come across. Sam was in the passenger seat next to him, and Piper was in the backseat, her head resting on her hands on the back of the bench seat. Dean had almost made her sit next to him up front, but she had shot him a look and slid into the backseat without a word.

"Doesn't make any sense, Bobby," Sam said thoughtfully. "Pestilence touched down here. I'm sure of it."

Dean shook his head. "But why is he dealing them soft serve like swine flu when he's got the croatoan virus up his sleeve?"

"He's got to have something worse planned," Piper said softly. Dean nodded.

"Doesn't matter what the sick son of a bitch is doing," Bobby said over the phone. "What matters is this is the fourth town he's hit, that we know of, and we're still eating his dust. Did you get anything? We got even a snowball at probable next target?"

"Uh, no pattern we can see," Sam said regretfully.

Bobby sighed. "Okay. Hold on." There was a beat of silence, then, "Well, far as I can tell, he's still heading East, so… Head East, I guess."

Piper smiled. "Bobby, we're in West Nevada. East is all there is."

"Yeah, well, you better get to drivin'."

"Say, I've got an idea," a very familiar English accent said from the backseat.

Dean jerked the wheel in surprise, and he heard Sam swear. Piper, however, was calm, and when he looked at her through the rearview, she was considering Crowley silently. Dean slammed on the brakes.

Sam had gotten the demon blade out, but stopped in his tracks when Piper held a hand up.

"Crowley," she said formally.

"Peach," he replied.

She rolled her eyes. "Ugh, ew. What do you want?"

The demon smiled. "Fancy a fag and a chat?"

"You want to talk?" Sam asked incredulously. "After what you did to us?"

Crowley frowned. "After what I… What I did to you? I gave you the Colt!"

"Yeah, and you knew it wouldn't work against the devil!"

That idea hadn't occurred to Dean, and it started anger burning in his chest, until Piper interrupted.

"Sam, that makes no sense," she snapped. "I mean, he's got to be persona non grata after trying to off Lucifer." She turned to him. "Am I right?" When Crowley stayed silent, she rolled her eyes again. Gonna give herself a migraine if she keeps that up, Dean thought absently.

"All right then," she said evenly, "what do you want?"

"I can give you Pestilence."

Dean frowned. "What do you know about Pestilence?"

"I know how to get him." At Dean's eyebrow raise, "That's got your interest, doesn't it?

xxxxx

"Why are we even listening to him, Dean? This is totally insane."

Piper sighed and listened to the brothers argue. She thought they were both pretty much correct. It was a terrible idea to trust Crowley, he was a demon, but what choice did they have? Pestilence had had them chasing their tails for a week now, she had no idea how else to catch him.

"I don't disagree," Dean said easily.

Crowley smiled. "One big happy family, are we, then? Fantastic."

Dean turned to look at him. "You ready to go?"

Crowley smiled. "Yes, yes I am. Sam, keep the home fires burning."

Piper frowned as she stood up. "What?"

"Sam's not coming."

"And why the hell not?" Sam snapped, anger creating a dangerous air around him.

"Because I don't like you, I don't trust you, and, oh yes, you keep trying to kill me!"

Sam shook his head. "There's no fucking way. This isn't gonna happen!"

Piper sighed. "Sam," she said gently, "Come on. What if I stay here with you?"

"No, Pipes," Dean said firmly. "You're with me." He looked at Sam. "Sorry, brother. What can I say? I believe the guy."

xxxxx

Piper looked through the binoculars at the pharmaceutical building Crowley had led them to. There were a couple of security guards milling around. "Demons?"

"Nah," Crowley said, "Human shields. The demons are up top. Twelfth floor."

Dean nodded. "All righty, then. We'll have to find a way in through the back."

Crowley sighed, and Piper looked over at him. "You Winchesters make everything so complicated." He winked at Piper. "Except you, of course, peach." He disappeared

"Oh, fuck," Dean said nervously.

Piper looked through the binoculars to see Crowley reappear behind the security guard in the building and slit his throat. "Dean! Fuck!"

She dropped the binoculars and got out of the Impala. Dean followed suit, apparently trusting her that there was trouble, and they ran to the building and started hitting the doors. "Crowley!" Piper shouted.

He opened the door. "It's open." In response to Piper's baleful glare, "What?"

"You killed them!"

Crowley shrugged. "We're on a tight schedule." She continued to glare at him. "Come on, now you're squeamish? Please."

She frowned, but followed him into the building, shary wary glances with Dean. He reached out and grasped her hand, and even though they were working with a demon to get another demon to help them get a Horseman of the apocalypse, she felt safer.

When they got to the elevator, Dean stepped inside, but Crowley grabbed Piper's other arm and pulled her back. "Go get 'em, tiger," Crowley said cheerfully.

Piper pulled her arm from his grasp. "Excuse me?"

"Oh, just he's going, peach," the demon said, as if it was obvious.

"What? Why?"

Crowley raised his eyebrows. "It's not safe up there. There's demons. Gotta protect the missus."

Piper growled, irritated. "Why can't we go with him?"

Crowley shook his head. "Look, Dean, just do what I told you, and try to be convincing. It'll work like a charm. Trust me."

Dean sighed and looked at Piper. He took a step forward, wrapped a hand around the back of her head, and pulled her in to kiss her hard. She sighed into him and kissed him back, worried and angry and loving him.

He pulled away and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Stay here, kitten, I'll be back."

She watched him go back into the elevator and hit the button, then kept eye contact until the doors closed on him.

As soon as he was out of sight, she whirled to Crowley. "Why can't we go with him?"

He smiled. "Because Dean is the only one who can convince him."

She stared at the demon for a few moments, and when the faint crashes started from the upper floors, a lightbulb went off. "Bait," she said softly, "You're using him as bait."

Crowley's eyebrows went up. "Now, peach, you wound me. Does that even sound like me?"

Before she could reply by telling him just how wounded he was about to be, he grabbed her arm and pulled her behind him, taking several steps back. "What the fuck?"

"Hush," he said softly, pulling what looked like a canvas bag out of his pocket.

The elevator dinged, and Dean ran out. Piper's heart froze at the blood running down his face. His head swivelled, but before he could make eye contact with her, a man came from the same elevator and hit him over the head.

"Dean!" Piper cried, stepping around Crowley.

Before she could get any further, Crowley ran forward and dropped the sack over the man's head. Piper saw the devil's trap drawn onto the canvas, and surmised that this was the demon they'd come for.

She ran to Dean and crouched next to him, her hand fluttering on his face. "Hey, you," she said gently.

He smiled. "Hey, kitten." Then he frowned and looked at Crowley as he stood. "What the fuck was that?"

Crowley looked smug. "That was perfect."

"Perfect?" Dean asked incredulously as Piper came to stand next to him, wrapping her arm around his waist. "He didn't want the rings. He wanted me."

Crowley's eyebrows went up in a smug gesture that Piper truly despised. "Imagine the surprise on your face."

"Excuse me?" Piper snarled.

"Your ignorance and misinformation, I mean, completely authentic! You can't fake that. What? I-It went like clockwork."

"Not for me, you son of a bitch!"

"Well, that's what you get for working with a demon."

xxxxx

Piper held her tongue serenely until they got back to the ramshackle little house Crowley had brought them to. It was where he claimed he had been staying, and while Piper agreed it was terrible, she was of the opinion that it was exactly what the rat bastard deserved.

While Dean quietly took the demon into the house, hoping to avoid Sam as much as possible, Piper gently slipped the demon-killing knife out of his belt and tucked it into her coat. It would be better if he and Sam didn't have it, anyway, if Crowley was telling the truth about Sam's history with Brady.

As soon as Dean was out of sight, and it was just her and Crowley, she grabbed the demon by the lapels and slammed him against the side of the house, growling.

"Armani, dear, easy on the suit," he snapped.

She pulled the knife out and held it idly, but let him see it. She saw his eyes widen fractionally, and was fiercely glad.

"Let me make something very clear to you, Crowley," she said softly. "I don't give a fuck what you're helping us with, I don't give a fuck who you know, and I don't give a fuck how useful you can be. You ever put my husband in danger like that again, I will take a personal pleasure in ripping you apart, eyeballs to entrails. Are we clear?"

She let the truth of what she said shine in her eyes. She was willing to accept angels as her friends, some of them were on the right side of things. But demons weren't an option. Ever.

He examined her for a moment, then, "Crystal, darling, crystal."

xxxxx

Piper sat on Dean's lap in an armchair in the little living room of the house. His big arm was wrapped around her back, the other hand holding a beer balanced on her knee. He looked pensive and upset, so she put her arm around him and ran her fingernails lightly along the back of his head, hoping to give him some comfort. By the way his eyes closed and his breathing became slow and even, it was working.

Sam had lost it when he had seen Brady. Piper had tried to stop him, but it had taken Dean shoving him out of the room to get the younger Winchester to chill.

He was out "taking a walk" when Crowley came back into the room.

Dean opened his eyes, but didn't make a move to stop her gentle ministrations, so she didn't. "Well, how'd it go?" he asked the demon. "He buy your girl scout cookies?"

"Not yet," Crowley said with a bitter smile. "Get bent."

Piper's eyebrows rose. "Are you going somewhere?"

"Well, he won't budge, so now I go stick my neck out."

Dean frowned. "What are you gonna do?"

"Exactly the kind of desperate swashbuckle I've been trying to avoid. Now, I go kick open a hive of demons." Crowley turned away, then turned back. "This whole bloody ring business better work." Then he disappeared.

Piper sighed and stood, pulling Dean with her. "Come on, handsome," she said softly, leading the way into the bathroom at the top of the stairs.

Once there, she wet a washcloth and turned to wipe his face with it, washing away the last remnants of blood at his temples. He closed his eyes again and leaned into her touch.

"Beaches and little umbrellas?" she asked softly.

His ridiculously green eyes opened and stared at her. The corner of his mouth twitched up into an almost smile. "Beaches and little umbrellas, kitten. Whatever you want."

She smiled and stepped closer to kiss him. As she did, the door behind him slammed closed.

Dean whirled and pushed her behind him, then stepped up to try to open the door. It didn't budge, so he started banging on it. "Come on, Sam! Don't do this! Sam, come on! Hey! Open the door! Open the door!"

Piper sighed and put a hand on his back. "Dean," she said softly, "Come on, you're going to break the door down."

He stepped back, pushing her back with him. "Good," he snarled, lifting his foot and kicking hard at the door. The door itself shook, and the doorframe rattled, but it stayed shut. "Fuck!" he shouted.

She put her hand on his back again. "Dean, chill, you freaking out isn't going to help."

He nodded and ran his hands through his hair. "He's going to kill that kid," he said roughly, "and there goes our chance."

She frowned and stepped closer to him, resting her hands on his hips and tugging him toward her. "Dean, look at me, baby," she said softly, smiling a little when he obeyed immediately. "Dean, this is not the only chance. Listen, I trust Sam, I do." She took a deep breath, and wondered when she'd stop being nervous when she declared her love for him. "But I believe in you. You will find a way to stop this, okay? Is this the most readily available chance? Yes. Is it our only chance? Not on your life, Winchester."

He stared at her for a moment, his arms coming down to wrap around her. She wrapped her arms around him in kind and rested her cheek on his chest, savoring the feel of him around her.

"What would I do without you, kitten?" he asked huskily.

"You'll never find out," she said immediately, without opening her eyes.

xxxxx

Piper watched Brady hand Crowley a piece of paper. "Yeah. I'm sure Pestilence will be there. Thanks."

Dean looked at Crowley. "What do you think?"

The demon nodded. "It's good." He looked back at Brady. "You've got no reason to lie, have you? Like I said before, you're in my boat now."

Brady scowled. "You've screwed me. For eternity."

Crowley shrugged. "Nah, won't last that long. Trust me."

Dean turned and came back toward her, Crowley turning to follow. Brady stared after them. "Where are you going?"

Piper bent and started pouring a salt line across the mouth of the alley, behind where Sam was standing.

"I'm doing you a favor," Crowley said. He turned to Sam. "I expect we'll be in touch."

Piper stood in front of Crowley, staring him down for a moment, then moved aside to let him by. Mistake, her mind told her, should have killed him. But the boys had given their word, and she didn't want to be the reason they went back on their word.

"What is this?" Brady ask, nervousness tinting his tone. The predator in Piper celebrated, wanting him to be nervous as her husband circled him.

"All those angels," Dean said, his voice low and dangerous, "all those demons, all those sons of bitches. They just don't get it, do they, Sammy?"

"No, they don't, Dean."

"You see, Brady," Dean continued, tilting his head in that cocky way that made Piper's heart beat faster, "We're the ones you should be afraid of."

Piper distantly heard Brady speaking, but she was too wrapped up in the way Dean moved. His bowed legs carrying him with grace, the muscles in his shoulders rolling, that picture perfect face like it had been carved from granite. Her husband was a warrior, he exuded strength, and it was making Piper squirm a little, wishing they'd get it over with so she could take him home and fuck his brains out.

She was shaken from her thoughts by the lights flashing in Brady's body. She met Dean's eyes, smiling a little when she saw the smug heat there. He had caught her checking him out. She bit her lip, watching his eyes get hotter as he approached her.

He slung an arm around her waist and kissed her hard, bending her backward a little and making her head spin. She was moving so she could wrap her arms around his neck when she felt something thump against her back.

She turned and smiled sheepishly at Sam, who was smirking at the two of them. She bent to pick up the wad of cash he'd thrown at her.

"Go get a room, guys," Sam said with a smile. "Be gross indoors."

Before Dean could respond, Piper grinned. "Done."

xxxxx

Later, exhausted and sweaty, Dean held Piper as she drifted off to sleep. He didn't know what the hell had gotten into her, but he liked it.

As they lay there, he thought about the moment in the bathroom with her, her soft hands on his hips, her gentle voice telling him that she had faith in him. He had looked down into her hazel eyes and seen a belief and love so strong it had shaken him to his core. Again. For the several hundredth time.

Piper.

She amazed him still, constantly. He honestly didn't know how he would be upright and walking around if it wasn't for her. He got out of bed every morning purely so he could get breakfast for her.

He hoped she would be all right when he died stopping Lucifer and Michael.

I'm sorry, kitten. I love you.

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.

**I am so sorry this update took so long. It has been a really rough week for me, anxiety/depression- AND just regular life-wise. I will try to make sure we never go this long between updates again, at least not without some warning, lol.