Chapter 2

"So, you'd rather have her in your corner than me? Is that it, Sam? You think because she was there and I wasn't…"

"Dean…"

"No. I get it, I do. I hurt you. Hell, I nearly killed you. You'd rather trust her than me. Hey, I understand. I'll just pack and leave. I'll just go to Bobby's and… Hey you know what? Drop me a postcard when she gets me outta my deal like she says she can. Maybe we'll all do lunch!" Dean turned to leave and Sam caught his arm, spinning him around.

"What the hell, Dean? NO! You're not leaving. I've been trying to tell you, you pigheaded jackass, that I KNOW WHO SHE IS!"

"I'm glad you do, because it's time to be straight with each other if we want Dean out of his deal." Ruby said from behind Sam. He whirled to find her standing slightly unsteadily with an arm wrapped around her abdomen.

"You should be resting."

"You shouldn't be arguing. I'm okay Sam." Ruby said. "Come back in the room. I have a lot to tell the both of you." Ruby turned and moved to step back into the motel room when her legs gave out beneath her. Sam, being a step behind, quickly caught her and picked her up, carrying her into the room. He sat her down on the bed and pulled a chair out from the table, moving it closer to the bed where she sat. He motioned for Dean to do the same. He rolled his eyes but followed suit.

"Okay, so what makes you think we believe what you have to say?" Dean asked, leaning back in the chair and crossing his arms over his chest. He stretched his legs out in front of him and crossed them at the ankle.

"You don't have to believe it, but it would make it easier to get you out of the deep crap you're in if you did." Ruby glared openly at him before rolling her eyes and turning her attention to Sam fully. "What did you hear me say?"

"You were talking about your brother. It was just random. You had a fever."

"You gathered who I am…was…from that. It must've been more than random."

"It was Sanskrit, Ruby. I translated it. Aindri."

She nodded. "You know, then. You remember Bhairavi?"

"How could we forget?" Dean muttered.

"She touched me, hundreds of years ago. My twin and I were not demons. We were demon hunters, beyond human, and she was our next bounty. She touched me and made me fear the darkness that was inherent in my brother. I killed him and becoming the sole twin it became my fate to bear that darkness which I feared. You've heard of us, Akshay and Aindri, Sam?"

"The Indestructible Twins. Like Yin and Yang, light and dark. You were bounty hunters for the higher powers. One blood, two sides. You were light, goodness. He was dark, a demon, where you were an angel."

"Something like that. When I killed Akshay I absorbed the darkness he carried within. I became what he was, with a bonus that it didn't taint me like it had him. I had reason to fear him. He was changing, going dark." She glanced pointedly at Dean and saw his eyes flicker to his brother. Sam didn't see the look.

"So say I do start believin' you. How are you gonna get me outta my deal?"

"Simple, Sam takes his rightful place and …"

Dean was out of his chair and had picked up Ruby by the collar. "NO! No freakin way, bitch! Sam stepped between them and forced Dean to let go of Ruby. He shoved Dean hard down into his chair and Ruby sank back down on the bed. Dean bolted back to his feet immediately and menaced Ruby again. "I'm gonna send you back to hell in pieces if you so much as mention…" Sam turned and shoved Dean again, blocking the older Winchester's path to Ruby.

"Dean! Shut the hell up! Sit down, damn it!"

"Screw you Sam. No way in freakin' hell are you even considering…"

"Dean. Shut. Up. Keep talking, Ruby."

"Sam." Dean warned. Sam ignored him, his attention on what Ruby had to say.

"You've known it's going to come down to you saving your brother. It's always been that way. I know how you can do it without sacrificing yourself completely. My brother and I were born human, called to do what we did and we went through a ritual to gain our powers. I have that ritual. I can give you Akshay's abilities and you can fool the demon holding the contract. I know the demon. He is loyal to you Sam, or he would be if you took the throne. He would hand over the contract if you commanded him. Then you would hold it and you could summon the new crossroads demon to break it. Dean would be free, you wouldn't be dark, and the world would be right by the Winchesters again."

"Nuh uh. No way. There's a catch Sam. Not gonna happen."

"Dean, I am tired of you stopping me from saving you! This is gonna happen. Ruby, do it."

"I need some things." She said, reaching for her jacket.

"Name it." Sam said, now determined to save his brother.