Thea struggled to think of something, anything, except the truth to tell Crowley. She stared at the floor afraid to meet his eyes. She still just had a working theory and needed more time. It was too early to even say the words yet, to give voice to what she feared was true.

"Can you blame me for wanting to know more about my new tattoo?" Thea spoke with more attitude than she was really feeling.

"I suppose not, but why not just ask me?" Crowley leaned back, his pose deceptively relaxed.

"Would you have told me the truth?"

"I have never lied to you." His voice was low and rough. Thea refused to give in to the flutters in her stomach that she got whenever he spoke that way. She was rapidly gaining confidence.

"Yet, have you ever told me the whole truth?"

Crowley stared into the fire, avoiding her eyes. That was all the answer Thea needed.

"You ask me to trust you, gave me no choice, really. Yet, I know there is more going on." Thea stood and paced the room.

Still Crowley said nothing, but she could feel his eyes on her now.

"Yes, I researched behind your back. And I will continue to research until I get the answers I'm looking for because I doubt I will get them from you. If you don't like it, then feel free to let me in on whatever it is that you are hiding. Until then, this...relationship will be strictly business."

Thea turned and she very nearly ran into Crowley. Trying to stay firm, she side stepped him and to her shock, he let her past him. She made her way to the fire and gazed into it, so intent in her study that she jumped when she heard the distinctive clink of ice against glass.

Crowley was angry and fearful. He wanted to just take Thea and shake her. She was pushing all the right buttons. No one had the nerve to continually stand up to him like she did. Even the Winchesters backed off when they felt they were pushing too hard. Thea, no, she just kept at it. There was no way that he could let her keep digging, but the more he tried to stop her, the harder she pushed. Taking a sip of the scotch, he deliberated what to do.

Oh, he could easily keep her here - but then he would have to deal with the Winchesters and their feathered guard dog. No, that would not do. She didn't trust him and he didn't really blame her for that. He was, after all, just who he was - there was no changing his nature. He felt a tiny pang at that thought. Frowning, he actually felt bad for a microsecond, he wanted her trust.

She would have to go back. He would have to keep her busy and distracted so she didn't have the time to dig into him or the ritual further. As for keeping his distance, well, that was not going to happen, and he knew that she was aware of that. He would let her think she had the upper hand for now though, since that would help keep her out of trouble.

Crowley continued to study her back as she was silhouetted against the fire. She looked delicious in his shirt. Her bare legs glowed in the firelight. He decided to sit down and focus before he was distracted further. Moving silently to his desk, he went to work making a list of items that he would have her look into instead of her current path of research. Many of the items were useful to him, but since he suspected the Winchesters would be hovering about, he also added several dead end items to keep them from stumbling onto his plans before he was prepared.

Clearing his throat, he got Thea's attention and she turned. Propping his legs up on his desk he leaned back and motioned her over.

"You wanted business Ducky, I've got a list. I'll expect regular status reports and if you need anything to help with on these items, please let me know." Holding the list up so she could see it, he watched her carefully.

She walked over to him slowly and glanced at the list in his hand with disbelief.

"Sure thing, boss." She said grabbing the list out of his hand. As she read it over quickly, he noticed that her interest in it and hoped that was a good sign.

"One more thing," He grabbed her wrist with slightly more force than necessary. "do not think for one second that you will get away with disobeying me again." Noticing with satisfaction that her eyes widened, he pressed forward while at the same time pulling her to his bare chest. He was content with just keeping her eye contact, let her get off balance. She was more malleable that way.

After several seconds he let her go, but stayed where he was. He noted that she didn't immediately step away or break eye contact. Finally after several long moments, Thea stepped back with a slight shake of her head.

"Crowley?" Thea spoke softly. Only a few feet separated them. She could still feel the heat from where only moments ago she had been pressed against his smooth, bare skin.

"Mmmm." He was back behind his desk again, having moved silently yet again.

"If you want me to get started, I'm going to have to go home." She desperately needed distance. And perhaps a very long cold shower. The list that he had given her was long and varied. If she had to give a guess, what he was truly after was buried somewhere in there. She would just have to be very careful in looking.

"More's the pity, you do look delicious in my shirt." Thea got goosebumps as he looked her up and down very slowly. Standing up, he offered her his hand, taking it and hoping he wouldn't notice the slight shake she blinked as she was suddenly back in her bedroom. The room was dark, so she had no way of telling how long she had been gone. The bathroom light was off, which meant someone had been there.

"Well, Darling, as much as I'd like to dally further, I am very busy." with that Crowley disappeared with a smirk. Thea shivered, and noticed with a start that he'd taken the shirt that she had been wearing.

"Prick." She mumbled under her breath, and as she went to find something to wear she could have sworn that she heard faint laughter.

Changing quickly into faded jeans and an over-sized shirt, she opened the door to the hallway and walked quickly down to the library.

Settling quickly into a rhythm of sorting the list and making a preliminary note of what books to start with Thea quickly became engrossed in her work.

Standing on a ladder and straining to reach a book on a higher shelf, Thea found herself losing her balance. Fighting to regain it she dropped the books she was holding onto her foot and slipped down the ladder. The last thing that she saw before she lost consciousness was a pair of dark blue eyes