Chapter Four : Lunch and A Few Deals

Grace frowned studying her surroundings as she and Crowley suddenly appeared outdoors. It was early morning and the sun was shining down on them making the air hot and sticky. Wherever they were it was so humid that Grace could already feel her makeup beginning to melt off. She glanced over at Crowley to see him roll his eyes and squish a mosquito that dared to land on his cheek.

Crowley yanked a silk handkerchief out of his suit-jacket as he wiped away the bloody bug remains from his cheek.

He stuffed the handkerchief back in his pocket as he made her aware of just where they had suddenly appeared. "Louisiana, some backwoods hick town. Your target is up ahead."

She gave him a somewhat irritated glare as she heard the statement backwoods hick town, She had been born in raised in what Crowley would probably refer to as a backwoods hick town and she didn't exactly appreciate his assumptions about small towns.

She looked ahead peering through the muggy weather as she attempted to move forward. She let out an annoyed huff as her feet sank down into the muddy somewhat slimy ground. Crowley just had to leave her barefoot.

Grace finally saw her target. He was young a teenager, he looked to be about sixteen maybe a little younger. He had tan skin, was thin what one would consider scrawny, and short too short for his age. He had thick wire framed glasses on, dark shaggy brown hair, he was wearing dark blue jeans, an unzipped gray cotton hooded jacket, black Nike sneakers, and a t-shirt with an alligator on it that stated in bold green letters: McKinney High Home of the Gators.

The boy looked up when he spotted Crowley and Grace. He blushed refusing to lock eyes with Grace. Grace noted that the boy was obviously nervous around a girl, especially a girl in a tight low-cut dress.

Crowley was the first to speak up nodding his head at the boy. "Ronald Foster, I presume."

"How did you know my name, and who are you ? I thought there would only be one of you." The boy named Ronald blurted out his voice cracking. The joys of puberty Grace thought frowning slightly.

"There usually would be only one of us. I'm sort of her supervisor." Crowley answered not bothering to tell Ronald how he knew his name.

Grace rolled her eyes as she noticed Crowley looking at her expectantly. She couldn't do this...it was so wrong. He was just a kid.

"What can I do for you ?" She finally blurted out after an uncomfortable period of silence.

Ronald let out an anxious sigh finally locking eyes with Grace's face. He blushed once again before he spoke up sounding very unsure of himself. "I'm not the most popular guy."

He paused before he walked over to his bicycle. He reached into a dark green backpack that was laying on the ground beside the bike.. He fished around in the bag for a moment before he finally pulled something out of it. He walked back over them handing the object over to Grace.

She looked down at it raising an eyebrow. It was a newspaper, obviously a high school paper. She noticed a circled picture. It was a photo of a pretty red-haired teenage girl. She had a smile on her face and was in a cheerleaders uniform holding up pom poms obviously mid cheer. Grace read the caption underneath the picture : Junior Laurie Evans shows her team spirit at the first football game of the season.

Grace looked back up at Ronald as he spoke up again. "She'll never look at me...I'm a total nerd, and she'd just laugh at me if I ever talked to her. She's so amazing though, pretty and smart too. She's on honor roll and all the guys flirt with her. She's out of my league. I want you to make me popular. She'll have to talk to me if I'm popular."

Grace let out a sigh, oh god he wanted to get the girl of his teenage daydreams. She spoke up taking Ronald by surprise. "How old are you Ronald ?"

"Sixteen." He answered giving her a puzzled look.

Grace let out a sigh, only sixteen..her little sister was sixteen.

She spoke up again ignoring the irritated look Crowley was giving her. "Ronald you're so young. You have your entire life ahead of you. I don't think you really completely understand what you're asking me to do. I mean I get it high school sucks, but really it's not worth it."

She felt Crowley lean over close to her before whispering in her ear. "Watch it Gracie."

She glared at Crowley irritated that he was calling her Gracie. She looked back to Ronald as the teen spoke up again. "But I'm a total reject. I get beat up daily...and girls don't look at me. They all think I'm weird."

"Ronald your asking me to give you something in exchange for your soul...only ten years of happiness then hell. Ten years will go by fast. It's not worth it, trust me. Hell isn't worth being popular for a couple of years. You're a junior right ?" Grace asked refusing to look at Crowley.

"Yeah". Ronald stated. He was beginning to look as though he was considering what she was trying to tell him.

Grace spoke up stepping forward as she handed him the newspaper back. "Listen High School will be over soon. Just this year and the next. Two years. Things will get so much better trust me. You'll get far away from here and go to college. You'll meet other kids just like you in college and high school won't matter anymore. I cannot give you what you're asking for okay."

"Every one says things will get better, but they don't." Ronald tried to argue with her.

"They will though. In a few years you'll be out of this town and away from these people. Trust me it'll get better then." Grace stated.

She didn't have time to see what Ronald would say in response since Crowley took a hold of her upper arm gripping it a bit roughly.

Crowley snapped causing Grace and him to reappear back in the same study they had been in the night before. They were back at Crowley's house. He rolled his eyes as he looked at Grace not letting go of her arm. "You can't just do that."

"He was only sixteen years old ! That was wrong and you know it." She exclaimed loudly as she stepped back pulling away from his grasp.

"Don't raise your voice at me." He ordered glaring back at her as she shot him an icy glare.

She spoke up pointing at him poking him a bit roughly in the chest. "Don't you dare tell me what to do. I'll raise my voice if I want to. Especially when you're asking me to let a teenage boy sell his soul to me. There's no way in hell I'm letting him make such a huge mistake."

"It's not your place to make decisions for him or anyone else. We cannot worry about what's right and what's wrong. They know what they're in for when they summon us. They aren't so innocent." Crowley argued as he made his way over to the liquor cabinet.

Grace glared at the back of his head as she watched him pour himself whiskey into a heavy crystal glass.

She let out an irritated sigh refusing to even give him a vocal response. She crossed her arms over her chest as she stared straight into the lit fireplace.

Crowley turned back to face her frowning when he realized that she was refusing to even look at him. He didn't know why the fact that she was ignoring him bothered him so much, but it did.

They remained like that for a while, her staring at the fireplace ignoring him and him drinking his aged craig staring at her.

He finally spoke up having enough of her pouting. "Why don't we take a break hmm. Go out and have a nice lunch."

She turned to look at him raising an eyebrow, lunch ? He was seriously suggesting that they go out for lunch when they were in the middle of an argument.

She didn't have time to say anything to him since he snapped his fingers causing them to reappear sitting at a round table at the back of some fancy restaurant. Soft classical music was drifting through the air, high arched ceilings, and waiters and waitresses wondering around dressed in crisp white shirts and trousers, balancing round serving trays over their heads.

She let out a sigh thankful to see that her feet were no longer muddy and she was now wearing a comfortable pair of flats. She was even more thankful to see that she had a light black cardigan on over the tight cocktail dress that she was wearing.

Grace frowned looking across the table around a tall candelabra at Crowley. He was no longer holding a crystal glass in his hands. He was staring down at a menu.

She had no time to speak to him as a waiter walked up to the table and looked expectantly at her. The waiter spoke up speaking a language that was completely foreign to her. Spanish maybe...she had taken french in high school and had failed horribly.

She gave Crowley a puzzled look as he responded to the waiter in the same language that the waiter had just been speaking. The waiter nodded giving Crowley and she a pleased smile as he took the menus off the table and walked away.

Crowley gave her a surprisingly pleased smile. "This place has amazing steaks. No salt at all. Just perfect and the wine is the best."

"Where in the hell is this place ?" Grace asked feeling completely out-of-place. Not to mention that she was starting to get dizzy from all the teleporting they had done today.

"Argentina." He responded picking up a wine glass and sniffing the liquid in the glass before taking a drink.

Oh Argentina of course... she thought the sarcasm clear in her mind as she sat back and rolled her eyes.

Crowley spoke up again as he laid his glass back down on the table. "Consider this a chance to get to know each other."

She raised a manicured eyebrow at him. Why in the world would she ever want to get to know him. All she wanted to do right now was reach across the table and slap him as hard as she could.

He was really irritating her at the moment. How he was so calm as they sat at some stupid fancy restaurant in freaking Argentina and how he was avoiding talking about how wrong it was for her to try to get a sixteen year old boy to sell his soul to them for something as silly and petty as popularity and a girl.

She rolled her eyes for the millionth time today as she spoke up letting curiosity take over. "Whose meatsuit are you in any way?"

"A moderately successful literary agent out of New York." Crowley stated sitting back comfortably in the cushy chair below him.

She gave him a look of disgust. "So there's some poor man in that body you're possessing who's probably terrified and has no control over what you're making him do."

Crowley gave her a look of a slight amusement as he spoke up. "Not quite. I made a deal with this literary agent ten years ago. I gave him success and in ten years I came to get his soul myself. Being King of the Crossroads has its benefits. In exchange for all the success he had over ten years I got his body. There's nobody in here but me. I actually can keep this body for however long I want. Forever even, if I want to. It's my own personal vessel."

Grace couldn't help but to be a little impressed. He really was good at making deals that worked in his favor.

She let out a nervous sigh as she spoke asking the one thing that was currently bothering her. "How long will I get to keep my meatsuit huh? I mean it is my body."

She paused for a moment before speaking up a bit of fear leaking out under the air of confidence she was trying to present to him. "I won't have to possess someone and leave my body behind right ?"

Crowley heard the fear in her voice and the strangest thing happened. He felt...sorry for her...sympathetic for her... It made no sense why he should care about her feelings.

Then again if things worked out he was going to be stuck with her for an eternity, so he may as well try to please her. He tried to convince himself that this was his reason for caring. Making nice with her would be easier on him in the long run. This was about comfort not emotion or any fondness he may be beginning to feel for her he tried to tell himself.

"We'll see. If things go over well for us, then I'm sure there's something I can do for you darling. Don't worry about it." Crowley said trying to sound comforting.

He was pleased to see her make somewhat relieved face before she spoke changing the subject. "King of the Crossroads ?"

"Yes been king of the crossroads for years, at least a hundred years now. It's not enough for me though. It's a fancy title but I have no real power over anything but deals. I'll be King of Hell if things go our way. I have some big plans for hell if I get to be king." Crowley stated taking another sip of his wine.

Grace raised her eyebrows curious to ask him what exactly his plans were but decided that now wasn't the time to ask. In such a public place. If anyone who spoke english that is overheard their conversation they would probably think that Crowley and she were insane.

"So what's up with all those weird drawings all over your property ? What do they mean ?" She dared to ask.

Crowley gave her a calm smile happy to see that she was being so curious and cooperative, which was a nice change from the frightened temperamental woman she had been since he had come to collect her. "It's Enochian. In laments terms it keeps anyone that I don't want in out."

She frowned wanting to ask just who he was trying to keep out but she had no time as the waiter came back to the table placing two large plates in front of them.

Grace looked down at the big slab of red meat in front of her. She couldn't help but to let out a small disgusted noise as she sliced the steak open with her knife and spotted a little pool of blood and grease leak out around it. Rare bloody steak...awesome.

She looked up a Crowley frowning when she noticed the look on his face. He looked like he was in paradise chewing on a bite of steak.

She rolled her eyes looking back down at her plate. There was no way she could eat bloody meat. At least she had a dry salad and a piece of corn bread...

Crowley leaned in close to Grace before whispering. "That man right there. He's your target. His name is Lawrence Hamilton. This is your last chance to get this right darling. Just make the deal."

Grace gave Crowley an unsure look. He had teleported them to some dusty crossroads in the middle of the desert. A fresh start at her making deals Crowley had called it.

She let out a sigh annoyed that she no longer had shoes on or that soft cardigan she had worn back at the restaurant.

This was only the second time she'd tried to make a deal. She still hated the entire idea. She had spent most of the afternoon following Crowley around watching him make deals himself. An educational demonstration Crowley had called it.

She moved forward Crowley following her close behind. She studied her target. He looked to be in his early thirties. He had short styled blonde hair and he was tall and fit. Almost like a ken doll Grace thought somewhat amused. He was wearing a nice navy suit and he had driven a shiny red sports car out to the crossroads.

Grace spoke up not helping but to be a little disgusted as Lawrence stared straight at her cleavage. "Lawrence. What can I do for you ?"

Lawrence frowned as he noticed Crowley. "Whose he? I won't have to kiss him will I ?"

She rolled her eyes as she answered him "He's my boss."

Lawrence recovered from his shock at seeing Crowley with Grace. He gave Grace a smile that seemed far too smug for her tastes. Something about the way he was looking at her reminded her of a shark circling his prey. "I need to get rid of my wife."

She widened her eyes a little thrown off about how calm and collected he sounded. There was no sense of guilt or uncertainty at all. He wanted her to get rid of his wife...kill her...make her disappear...what an asshole.

"Why do you want to get rid of your wife ?" She asked trying to hide her disgust for the man.

Lawrence let out a sigh as he kicked away a dried clump of clay like sand the dust settling against his polished loafers. "Gloria my wife, she'll absolutely slaughter me in a divorce. The bitch owns half of my medical practice. I'm a plastic surgeon. One of the best in Vegas."

Lawrence paused for a moment letting out a frustrated sigh. "There's someone else. Susan and I are in love. Susan is so...young, so energetic, so carefree. So much better for me than Gloria. I can't marry Susan until Gloria is out of the picture. I don't want her dead... I just want her to file for divorce and give me the business and all of our assets. She can keep the vacation house out in Hawaii. I don't want to pay too much in alimony. I don't want to pay it at all if you can manage that."

Grace frowned at him not believing what she was hearing. He wanted her to force his wife to file for divorce so he could run off with his mistress.

She frowned as she thought of her own father. He had run off with someone young enough to have babysat her at one point, when she was about fourteen. He moved half way across the country and hadn't even bothered to come around all that often after that, not even when Holly had gotten so ill. Her father had just gone off and started a whole new family.

Grace let out a huff not helping but to think that if somebody deserved hell, then Lawrence Hamilton was probably it. Crap she would have to kiss him.

"I cannot guarantee the no alimony thing. It's just not in my...power." She lied. She probably could manage to get him a clean payment free divorce but she really didn't want to leave his wife with nothing at all.

"Okay, if that's how it has to be then I'll go for it." Lawrence responded sounding very unhappy about the fact that he would have to pay his wife anything at all.

Grace took a deep breath so not looking forward to this. "Okay then. It's a deal."

She moved forward locking lips with Lawrence. She frowned into the kiss he was way too forceful he had forced his tongue into her mouth and now his tongue was practically flopping around in her mouth like a fish on a boat.

She couldn't help but to think that she would rather be locking lips with Crowley. His kisses had been so nice..so good. She frowned totally thrown off and a bit disturbed by that thought.

She pulled away not helping but to wipe her lips with the back of her hand. Gross mixed saliva smearing on the back of her hand.

"Wonderful. See you in ten years Lawrence." Crowley exclaimed clasping his hands together before he walked over and wrapped an arm around Grace embracing her in a proud side hug.

Crowley snapped his fingers causing Grace and he to reappear back at his mansion. He led Grace inside thankful that he'd remembered to turn on the outside lights. The sun had already begun to set.

They walked through the darkened hallways as Crowley spoke. "How about we celebrate your first deal. I'll make you a drink. Whatever you want. No margaritas though. Salt and demons don't mix."

Grace didn't have a chance to respond to him as they entered his study.

A darkened figure moved forward his features becoming fully visible by the light coming off the lit fireplace. Grace frowned noticing the look of discomfort and slight shock on Crowley's face as he looked at the strange tall thin man standing in the middle of his study.

The man smiled a somewhat sinister smile as he spoke up his voice raspy. "Crowley. How nice to see you."