Chapter Thirteen : I'm doing This For Us
Grace pulled her jacket on tighter against her body trying to block out the cold air as Crowley and she led the Winchesters into a dark abandoned farmhouse. She frowned trying not to sneeze as Crowley opened the front door stirring up a cloud of dust.
The farmhouse was located literally in the middle of nowhere surrounded by nothing but woodland. It was rundown with no running electricity and it was pretty filthy. There were dead leaves ,spider webs, and thick layers of dust everywhere. And she was pretty sure she had seen a rat or two. Grace was just grateful that Crowley and she weren't actually staying here.
Crowley and She had already made the decision not to take the Winchesters to their actual hideout, which was a tiny Winnebago RV they'd parked off in the woods, not far from this little rundown farmhouse.
It was best not to let the Winchesters or anyone else know where they were actually staying.
Crowley was the first to speak as the front door creaked shut behind them "Here we are. Our life on the run. How the mighty have fallen."
He paused motioning towards a fireplace causing it to ignite. Grace resisted the urge to roll her eyes as Crowley spoke up again really laying it on thick. "No heat or air, single paned glass...rats, filth, the water damage alone..."
Dean spoke interrupting him, annoyance clear in his voice. "Yeah my hearts bleeding for you. Now how do you know about the rings?"
Crowley smiled shrugging his shoulders slightly. "Well we've been keeping a close eye on you lot."
Sam frowned still quite irritated and unsure about this entire situation. "We have hex bags. We're hidden from demons."
Crowley shook his head as he pointed at himself. "Yes all but one...That night when you broke into my house, our first date I had my driver plant a tracking device somewhere in your car. A coin that easily trumps one of your little hex bags, allows Grace and me to hear things too."
He paused as he dropped his hand an amused smile developing on his face. "Oh and the things we've heard. So you want to cram the devil back in the box ? Cunning scheme, We want in."
Dean frowned not quite sure how to feel about this admission. He silently reminded himself to search his baby for this tracking device as he spoke up. "You said you could get us pestilence."
Crowley sighed shaking his head as he turned and began to make his way across the room stopping and turning suddenly. He spoke tilting his head to the side. "That's the thing...you see I don't know exactly where pestilence is per say, but I do know where the demon is, who does. He's what you might call the horsemens stable boy...he handles their personal needs...he's who you want. Believe me he'll tell us where sneezey's at. "
"Well how do we get him to spill...rip out his toenails ?" Dean asked still not quite sure if he should agree to this.
"No, nuts at his paygrade don't crack. We bring him here then I sell him." Crowley replied.
Sam spoke up knowing that he defiantly did not trust Crowley and Grace. "Sell him ?"
Crowley let out a sigh as he spoke up confidence evident in his voice. "Yes. Please I've been selling sin to saints for centuries, you think I can't close one little demon."
Dean spoke as he spotted Sam out of the corner of his eyes, looking more than ready to start protesting again. "Okay. So where do we find this demon ?"
Grace crossed her arms over her chest as she sat in the backseat beside Crowley, Dean Winchester up front driving.
They were headed to Niveus Pharmaceuticals where this demon or his meatsuit actually was apparently working as the head man in charge.
After more than a bit of arguing Sam had been left back at the farmhouse. He hadn't been too thrilled about being left behind, actually he had been furious.
But Crowley wouldn't have it any other way. He didn't trust Sam and besides Sam had a connection that he wasn't even aware of to this demon they were going after. He wasn't going to let Sam's grudges drag their plans down.
Grace could admit she was grateful that Sam had been left behind. Especially considering Sam Winchester had tried to kill Crowley more than once and if looks could kill Crowley and she would be dead right now from all the dark looks Sam had shot at them throughout the evening.
She uncrossed her arms resting her hands in her lap feeling nothing but dread about tonight. It wasn't like they could just go into Niveus Pharmaceuticals and politely ask this demon to come with them.
And besides hadn't Crowley and she spent the last month trying to avoid demons ? Not to mention the only demon she'd been around not counting Crowley, was Eli. And just the thought of Eli made her want to bend over and vomit in the floorboard.
She had a feeling that Dean might kill her if she vomited in his floorboard. He was obviously in love with this car. She never could understand men and their love affair with cars.
Her father had been that way. He'd had a classic car, a bright blue 71 corvette, when she was growing up. He wouldn't even let Grace or Holly go near it. God forbid they get smudges on his precious car and forget being allowed to ride in it. The damn car was the only thing he'd wanted when he'd divorced her mother. He hadn't cared too much about visitation privileges with his children, just the stupid sports car.
Crowley slid his hand across the backseat and she felt him clasp her hand in his giving it a gentle squeeze. She returned the squeeze trying hard to hide just how afraid she was.
She spotted Dean take a quick glance in the rearview mirror at the two demons in his backseat, a look of confusion and slight disturbance on his face as he spoke. "So what's up with you two anyway ?...how did she hook up with...you?"
Grace let out a sigh as she spoke up sarcasm clear in her voice. "We were pen-pals."
She paused rolling her eyes not wanting to have this discussion at the moment. The Winchesters would only judge her if they knew the entire story. How she had sold her soul to Crowley. They would judge her even more if they knew the extent of Crowley's and her relationship and the fact that she loved him. "It's a really long story."
Crowley smirked as an amused chuckled escaped from his mouth. He couldn't help but to be a little proud that some of his snark had rubbed off onto Grace. "What she means to say meathead is it's none of your business."
Dean didn't have any time to respond as the impala pulled in the almost abandoned Niveus Pharmaceuticals parking lot.
It was late but the lights on the inside of the building were still on shining brightly.
The three peered through the car windows looking into the big windows in the lobby of the building. There was a man at the front desk still hard at work.
Dean held up a pair of binoculars looking through them for a moment as he spoke. "Demons."
Crowley let go of Grace's hand as he suddenly appeared in the front seat. "No. Human shields, The demons are all up top. Twelfth floor."
Dean stared up at the building not taking his eyes off of it as he replied. "All right then we'll just have to find a different way in. Through the back."
"You Winchesters make everything so complicated." Crowley responded shaking his head and then disappearing.
Dean rolled his eyes annoyed with Crowley's little disappearing act. He let out a sigh as he spoke. "Oh crap. "
Grace felt her stomach drop not comfortable being left all alone with Dean Winchester.
Dean and Grace both looked back towards the building as they spotted Crowley standing behind the man working at the desk. Crowley held his hand up a knife in his grasp. He waved to Grace and Dean before he moved his hand down slashing the man's throat killing him instantly.
Grace felt bile rise in the back of her throat and a icy chill run down her spine as she saw this. Dean dropped his binoculars as he moved frantically to open the car door cursing all the while.
Grace got out of the backseat following Dean towards the building. For a moment she considered just teleporting inside, but quickly decided that doing that would take too long. She was still so slow and her skills were so underdeveloped.
Dean banged at the front door as he heard Crowley coolly respond to his knocking. "Doors open."
Dean and Grace entered the building automatically spotting two dead bodies. The body of the man at the desk and another man, both the dead men were sporting jackets that stated security.
Grace averted her eyes away from the bodies and the blood as Dean held his hands up giving Crowley a look that clearly stated what the fuck did you just do.
Crowley cleaned the bloodied knife with his gray silk handkerchief. He responded to Dean's look not stopping his cleaning. "What ?"
Dean motioned towards the bodies as he spoke disbelief clear in his voice. "You killed them."
Crowley rolled his eyes as he placed the knife in his jacket pocket and folded up his handkerchief. He stepped around one of the bodies as he placed a hand behind Dean ushering him away from the carnage "We're on a tight schedule. Come on."
Grace followed the two men not wanting to be anywhere near the bodies or the blood. Dean glanced back frowning at the corpses. Crowley gave him an irritated look as he ushered Dean towards the elevators. "Now you're squeamish, please."
Crowley pushed a button causing the elevator doors to open as Dean stepped inside. Crowley leaned over pressing the twelve button as Grace and he remained outside of the elevator. "Go get him tiger."
Dean stopped the doors from shutting placing a hand on one of the elevator doors as he spoke. "What ? You aren't coming."
Crowley shook his head as he replied. "Oh no. It's not safe. There's demons up there."
"Yeah I get that." Dean stated clearly irritated.
"Look just do what I told you and try to be convincing. It'll work like a charm. Trust me." Crowley stated as he shoved Dean back into the elevator and leaned in and pressing the twelve button once again.
The elevator doors shut on a bewildered Dean as Crowley calmly waved at him through the tiny window of the elevator.
Crowley turned around grimacing when he spotted the look on Grace's face. She frowned looking back at the corpses and all that blood trying hard to control her nausea.
She felt a chill run down her spine uncomfortable with how nonchalantly Crowley had slashed those men's throats. And how calm he was being now, no sign of guilt at all. She felt her stomach drop as she quickly realized that he had probably done far worst to far better people.
Crowley sighed realizing that she was freaking out. This was the last thing he needed, her being afraid of him, like she had been when he'd first come to collect her. Just when he'd got her to move past that and not only trust him but love him as well.
He spoke trying to lessen the blow of what he'd done. "We had no other choice darling."
Grace turned to face him a look of disbelief and shock on her face. "We could have sneaked in the back. Like Dean said."
"It would've been too dangerous. Trust me this was the best way to go about this." Crowley argued as he reached out and placed a hand on her shoulder thankful that she didn't pull away from him in fear or disgust.
"Easier ?" She spat out clearly still spooked by this whole situation.
He sighed trying hard to smooth things over. He didn't want her angry with him, not now. He didn't want to lose her. He refused to lose her. "Listen a few lost lives are better than everyone dying. Which is what will happen if we don't get those rings. It's about sacrifice love."
He paused seeing that she still looked panicky. He spoke trying to calm her. "You trust me don't you ? You know I love you right? I'm doing this for us. To keep us alive, and safe. This was the only way. We have to get those rings and we couldn't have those two stopping us from getting in here."
He opened his arms to her to her hoping that he had fixed things between them.
She frowned at him a bit hesitant to forgive and forget what he'd done. After all he was capable of doing worse much more terrible, horrible, and disgusting things wasn't he ?
Her brain was screaming at her that this was proof that he was evil and that she should get away while she still could. She couldn't deny what her heart was telling her though to believe him, to trust him, to love him.
She let herself be embraced by him as she spoke up her voice soft and still a little frightened. "I love you too."
He pulled away only slightly pressing a kiss to her forehead down to the tip of her nose and then to her lips. She returned the kiss trying hard to shove the knowledge of what he had done out of her mind.
Crowley pulled away from the kiss before he ushered her back behind him away from the elevator doors.
Crowley put on a pair of expensive looking leather gloves as he walked over to the other side of the room picking up a heavy tire iron. He spoke as he stared down at the tool. "Got this from the trunk of the impala. I'm going to need you to stay back Gracie. Go over there away from the elevator. Stay out of sight."
She did what he told her silently wondering why she needed to stay back but didn't have time to question him as the elevator doors opened and a beaten Dean hesitantly stumbled out.
Dean fell to the floor as a young man in a business suit delivered a swift push to Dean's back. The man delivered another kick as he spoke. "Good meeting Dean. You know I'm excited..."
The man didn't have time to continue what he was saying as Crowley shoved a burlap bag over the mans head and began to beat the man over the head savagely with the tire iron he was holding.
The man fell to the ground obviously knocked out cold. Dean looked at the knocked out man in shock before he looked up at Crowley who gave him a pleased look. Dean spoke up "What the hell was that."
Crowley responded as Dean stood up careful not to lose his balance and fall back down. "That, was perfect."
Grace stepped forward deciding that it was more than likely safe to come forward now. Dean gave Crowley an irritated look. "Perfect ? He didn't want the rings, he wanted me."
Crowley pointed the tire iron forward motioning at Dean. "And imagine the surprise on your face."
"What ?" Dean asked.
"Your ignorance and misinformation. I mean it was completely authentic. You can't fake that. It went like clockwork." Crowley explained.
Dean frowned angry. "Not for me you son of a bitch."
Crowley smiled nodding his head and motioning towards Dean with the tire iron again. "That's what you get working with demons."
Grace sat in the front passengers seat as Crowley sat in the back with the beaten and barely conscious man...or actually demon, as the impala sped down the darkened highway.
Dean wiped and dabbed at his bloodied head with a handkerchief as he glared in the rearview mirror at Crowley in the backseat.
He spoke as Crowley carved a symbol into the passed out demons chest. "Hey hotstuff watch the upholstery"
"Up yours mate." Crowley responded as he finally finished his carving job.
Crowley stared up into the front seat as he spoke. "This carving will hold our friend here down. No zapping off no smoking out. Locked in the meatsuit. An important piece of our bargaining strategy. "
He leaned forward pointing at the road ahead. "Now up here. We don't want I 50, we want 93 North."
Dean frowned at the backseat. "What are you talking about ?"
"We can't take this guy back to your brother."Crowley explained.
Dean glanced back quickly trying to keep his eyes on the road. "Why the hell not ?"
Crowley let out a sigh not wanting to get into this now. "They have history."
Grace grabbed onto the side of the door her seatbelt locking down as Dean slammed on the breaks causing the tires to screech and everyone to lurch forward a little. Dean spoke angrily. "You want to go anywhere you start talking. What history ?"
Grace stared back at Crowley as he let out a sigh and spoke telling the story of exactly how Sam Winchester and this demon knew one another.
Sam Winchester stared at Crowley and Grace as he made his way downstairs, not spotting his brother. "Where's Dean ?"
Crowley ignored his question. "For the record I'm against this. Negotiating this is very delicate business."
He held his hand up stopping Sam from making his way out the front door. "I begged Dean not to come back here. We should be miles away from here, away from you. When I pointed this out your brother replied with a colorful response."
Sam tried to move forward again as Crowley spoke. "So go ahead. Go, ruin everything. Ruin our last hope."
Sam moved past him a confused look on his face. Crowley spoke shaking his head. "It's only the end of the world."
Grace felt her stomach drop as Crowley spoke to her annoyed with the situation. "Lets hope the moose doesn't ruin our last chance."
Dean tied the still unconscious demon to a chair a devils trap underneath the chair. He spoke up as he looked up at his brother. "Sam I need you to stay on mission okay."
"What are you talking about ?" Sam asked completely confused with his brother's behavior.
Dean sighed. "Just stay focused. I'm doing this because I trust you."
"Trust me to what ?" Sam asked not helping but to wonder if Dean had lost his mind. What was he talking about ?, trust, stay focused.
The demon spoke finally his head still covered with the burlap sack. "Sam ? Sam Winchester ? Is that you ?"
Dean shook his head as he moved away from Sam and removed the burlap sack from the demon's head.
Sam gasped as he spotted just who was underneath the sack. "Brady ?"
The demon chuckled as he responded. "Brady hasn't been Brady in years. Not since oh...middle of our sophomore year at Stanford."
Sam spoke up not believing what he was hearing. "What ?"
"That's right. Had a devil on your shoulder even back then." Brady responded.
Grace frowned as she heard a scuffle and yelling in the room where the Winchesters and the demon were located. Crowley took a quick swig from his flask as he spoke. "See the moose is screwing things up already."
Crowley shoved his flask back into his jacket pocket as he walked into the next room Grace following him. She heard Dean speak in a firm voice to his brother as they entered the room. "No there's only one way to win and it's not by killing that thing."
Crowley smiled as he spoke sarcasm clear in his voice. "Well sounds like you got him nice and fluffed. Thanks so much."
He paused speaking again. "My turn now. Grace stay out here and keep the boys company will you love ?"
Grace frowned not comfortable with being left alone with the Winchesters. Then again she really didn't want to go into that room with Crowley and that demon.
She crossed her arms over her chest as she sat down in a near by chair trying hard to ignore the feeling of dread deep down in her gut.
She just hoped that Crowley could reason with this demon. This was their last hope.
sorry it took so long to get this out. I've been busy with real life things with friends and party planning.
So anyway here it is review please