Crowley shouted as gunfire shattered the already searing air in the oppressive room. A high-pitched whining assaulted his ears as the blinding light subsided.
Gingerly, he peeled his eyes open.
"Never cross a Time Lord," The Doctor proclaimed, who now stood in the middle of the room, earning a wordless growl from Crowley, who rolled his eyes from where he sat, stuck in place on the floor.
"Wh—what was that?" Sam gasped.
"Singularity charges," The Doctor replied, smirking. "A lesson borrowed from an old friend. Ace, quite a clever girl..."
"Who shot Crowley and Dean? You don't have a gun…?" Sam interrupted.
"Oh, I had some help," he said, as Canton came forward from the shadows at the back of the room.
"Hello, Sam," Canton nodded coolly.
"But…Crowley…. I thought he killed you!" Sam exclaimed.
"Oh, no. He rather likes me. Says we think a bit alike. Anyhow, he just had me shackled up somewhere. This came in handy, though," He twirled a metallic object, the sonic screwdriver, Sam realized.
"Yeah…so….I guess you got the gun?"
"Oh, yes. The Doctor wasn't too enthused with it, but I assured him it was worth it, saving you and whatnot. I, uh, did have to shoot your brother, though. Sorry about that." He explained as moved to as he moved tosearch Dean for weapons, taking the First Blade which he found in the pocket of Dean's jacket. Dean didn't say anything, merely glared up silently from where he lay on the floor, bound in place by the etched bullet that had buried itself in his shoulder
"Yes, by the way, I'll be having my sonic back now," the Doctor said, taking the screwdriver from Canton, going immediately to work on Sam's shackles.
"Bloody Time Lords," Crowley muttered bitterly as Canton moved now to search him likewise. "I should have known…"
"Yes, yes you should have," The Doctor replied, looking up from his work for a moment. "You knew the stories. But you thought you were stronger. Even the Daleks, the darkest evil of my universe, fear me. You should have taken the warning."
"Oh, come on, now you're just bragging!" Crowley snarked as Canton stepped back from him, brandishing the angel blade. "Well, this is it for weapons on him." With that Canton stowed it In his duffel where Sam supposed he had the guns as well.
"And you, by the way, can shut up," Canton admonished, smacking him over the back of the head. "If you quit whining, maybe we won't get his angel friend fry you inside out."
"Castiel? The disgraced, Castiel, who has a stolen grace? Oh, I'm so scared," Crowley remarked.
"No, really," Sam cut in, stepping away from the wall as the Doctor released the last of his bonds. "You might not have Cas to worry about, but you have me. Do you really think you're going to get away with this? Turning my brother into a demon? Maybe you've heard, just what I've managed on my own." Sam continued, a quiet rage seeping into his voice.
Canton shrugged, relenting to allow the two to continue their exchange. He and the Doctor stood by, looking on.
"Oh, yes, I've heard Sam. I've heard all about your escapades as of late. It's rather the irony, how you still think yourself so superior, going around, flaying alive lower-level demons, left and right. Convincing humans to sell their souls. Killing them all alike for no reason whatsoever, except you're so desperate to find your brother. Well, I think you can see. Dean's here, and he's happy with his life. The only thing he isn't happy about is you."
Crowley finished, smirking, a heavy silence filling the room.
"Sam?" The Doctor spoke up after a long moment, stepping toward him. "Is it true, what he's saying?"
"What about it?" Sam huffed.
"You've been torturing and killing living, sentient beings, humans as well as demons that have done nothing?" The Doctor pressed.
"Yeah," Sam scoffed. "Look, the humans, I tried to stop, but really, the demons? What do you expect? And what else do you think they deserve—"
"Yeah, because we all just deserve to die," Dean cut in, his voice bitter, blinking deliberately as he stared his brother, allowing his green eyes to turn black.
"You are different, Dean!" Sam exclaimed, his words raw with emotion.
"Really? Am I? I'm a demon, Sammy. Just saying, maybe you ought to think about the ideals you're fighting for, OK?!" Dean spat the words, turning away from his brother as far as he could as he finished speaking.
"You keep running from the truth," Crowley said smugly, crossing his arms. "You, and your alien friend. You're not so different from me. And no better. We all just want to survive. Demons. Daleks. Time Lords, but if you had your way, why you'd kill us all."
"Stop it," The Doctor admonished. "You don't know what you're talking about. They were going to destroy reality itself—"
"Oh, boo, hoo, reality itself. It's always excuses with you lot—" Crowley rolled his eyes as he spoke, his tone scathing.
"No, no, it's not!" The Doctor shot back, his voice growing harsh with anger. "You were not there. You know what you've been told, but you cannot begin to understand what happened. So, just, shut up already. You aren't the one making the decisions here. I am. And I am talking. So please, just, shut up! Let me think."
"Oh, that's all very well," Crowley said anyway, returning the glare the Doctor sent his way. "But what are you going to do? What can you possibly do to the King of Hell? And besides, who are you to judge, the man with the blood of millions on his hands?"
The Doctor looked away, shaking his head, waiting a moment before he spoke, his voice soft, but filled with tightly suppressed rage. "Canton, do you have the duck tape?"