Until they could come up with a proper plan to stop Castiel on his mad killing spree, everyone hid out in Crowley's mansion. The Winchesters and Bobby had no where else to go, as Castiel knew Bobby's address and the angel wardings wouldn't help to keep him out anymore. Crowley assured them that this was the safest place on earth and Balthazar actually refused to transport them all over the place just to get home. He would have to get them back here anyway come morning, so they could plot together against Castiel.
Of course they didn't trust the demon and further than they could throw him and were very wary about the angel, but what other choice did they have? As soon as they set a single foot out of Crowley's warded castle, their newly appointed God would be able to find and kill them.
And they weren't particularly keen on either – getting killed or bowing down. They had to admit, Scotland wasn't a bad place to be and while Crowley and Balthazar might be strange company, they never tried to kill or screw them over.
The building was big enough to house several dozens of rooms. Sam, Dean and Bobby got each their own, truth be told the humans had their own wing, as the two supernatural creatures slept somewhere far, far away on the other end of the mansion, to give them some privacy and lessen their fear to get killed or tortured in their sleep.
Crowley even allowed them to put up angel and demon wardings in their rooms, to show his good intend.
On the fourth night in the huge castle like building Dean sneaked over to Sam's room, finding his little brother awake, doing some research on a laptop Crowley had provided.
"You awake?" Dean asked with a mischievous grin, sticking his head into the room. Sam shook is head in silent amusement at his brother's enthusiasm. Not even the end of the world could keep him from causing mischief.
"What does it look like Dean?" retorted Sam, faking to have fallen asleep on the laptop.
"You up for a little sneak around the house?" asked Dean, flipping a pen from the nearby desk over to the fake asleep form of his brother. Sam jolted upwards, trying to deflect the pen but he was too late and got lightly hit on the head. "Let's see what Crowley's really up to."
"You think he has a hidden agenda?" wondered Sam, rubbing the spot on his head where the pen had hit him, screwing his face up in played pain.
"He is a demon! They don't do things out of the goodness of their sulphur covered heart. I want to know what his game is." Dean picked up the next pen to flip over but this time Sam was faster and got hurriedly out of bed. "You coming?"
"Yeah, sure. Let me get my slippers." Dean chuckled softly, while Sam put on his house shoes.
"Whatever princess", mumbled Dean, turning to leave.
"Jerk.", called Sam, catching up to his brother, who was already halfway out to door.
"Bitch", responded Dean in his usual cheerful manner.
They sneaked around the house for what felt like hours. Crowley's mansion was that huge, one could almost get the feeling it was bigger from the inside than it looked from the outside, but neither Sam nor Dean have even been outside the building. For all they knew there might not even be a door to the outer gardens.
Most of the rooms were empty. There were guestrooms, libraries, studies a swimming-pool, more libraries...
After some time the furnishing of the rooms started to change, less dust and more expensive looking things adorned the rooms. It didn't take long and they could hear the faintest whispers of two voices talking in subdued tones.
Intrigued, they followed their sounds, ending up in front of an old unmarked door. There was no mistaking it – Crowley and Balthazar must be in that room. Carefully Dean pressed the doorknob down. For once he was thankful for Crowley's tendency to keep the building in perfect conditions, as the door didn't squeal on its hinges when Dean pressed against it.
Dean was the first to peek inside. Immediately he turned away from the little slit between door and doorframe, pressing his fingers against his eyes in a senseless effort to banish the images. They were right okay, Crowley and Balthazar were in the room. The angel and the demon had been sitting together in the room as Dean pecked in, huddled closely together on a soft couch, in a lazy embrace.
Sam couldn't resist taking a look at the room himself. He let out a surprised yelp, falling back against Dean in a futile attempt to get away from the image. It didn't take much for Dean to imagine that Sam probably must have seen them do more than just cuddle.
Not a second later, the door blew open, all but flying off its hinges by a powerful yet unseen force of sheer power.
Behind the now gaping hole where once a door had been, stood Balthazar angelic dagger in hand. It was larger and bigger than your average angel killing blade, more like a real sword and as he whipped it about, it slowly started to ignite.
That goddamned angel possessed an honest to god flaming sword.
"What the hell", yelled Dean backing slowly away from the furious angel who looked like he had come straight out of hell's worst nightmare… or in this case heaven's worst nightmare.
As soon as the door blew away Balthazar all but charged them, ready for the kill and even Crowley had jumped up from the couch, pointing an unknown object in their direction.
The demon was the first to gain his bearings and lower the weapon, resting a comforting hand on the angel's shoulder.
"It's okay Zira", he whispered calmingly, "it's only the bloody Winchesters, you can put the knife down. No danger anymore, we are still safe."
"Well excuse me", replied Balthazar in an exasperated British voice, "for being a little worried, after a few centuries hiding from Him." He pointed an accusing finger upwards, "and now even my own brothers are out to get me. So sorry for being just a tad worried for my skin and yours too I might add."
"I know", replied Crowley wearily, rubbing a hand across his face. "I wish we wouldn't have to hide but there is no chance that Cas is any more friendly to our partnership than the others were."
He gave the angel a quick hug, whispering an apology in the other's ear. "This is my fault, if it wasn't for me you wouldn't have to hide."
"My dear," Balthazar complained, taking hold of Crowley's hands, "don't say that. I might not have to hide but I wouldn't have lived! Don't be sorry for what we are."
Crowley gave the angel a shy smile, bringing his hand up and kissing the back of Balthazar's hands. "And without you, hell wouldn't have been as pleasant as it was Zira."
"Whoa", interrupted Dean the oncoming chick-flick moment, "what do you mean? Zira… What kind of nickname is that? Sounds like a bad hiccup."
"Excuse me young man", responded Balthazar/Zira in his weird accented very polite tone, "it is the shortening for Aziraphale I have you known. I did change my name when I first came to earth."
"Yeah", snorted Dean.
"That is hardly an unsuspicious name", laughed Sam, "did you want to be found out?"
"It was a very acceptable name when I was stationed here." He huffed in annoyance. "The name was, as you would call it, hip in that period."
"Oh and when was that?" mocked Dean further, "the stone age?"
"No", replied Zira confused, "of course not, we didn't need any angels on earth at that time. It was shortly after the Eden disaster." He gave Crowley a stern look, who had nothing better to do than blush furiously.
"Well…", he stammered embarrassed, "if it wasn't for out dear brother Lucifer, I wouldn't have being there to point out the apple in the first place. Not my fault those humans were greedy little buggers."
"Of course not dear", smiled the angel warmly.
"What?" asked Sam at the same time Dean yelled "whoa." "Come on man, back up a bit. What's he got to do with Eden and the apple?"
Crowley turned towards them, looking them square in the eyes. His usual round eyes shifted and a pair of sickening yellow eyes starred at them, with slitted pupils, giving them the look of snake like eyes.
"He is the serpent of Eden", explained Balthazar. And with a slight blush and a wink he added, "and quite a tempter he is."
"Okay", announced Sam, "this is too weird for me... goodnight." He turned around, grabbing a dumb-folded Dean by the arm, all but dragging his brother back with him.