Chapter Fourteen : Is that A Hellhound
Grace pulled her knees up to her chest as she sat back on a lumpy faded sofa. She glanced at the closed doors in front of her wondering what exactly was going on behind them. She couldn't help but to feel dread bubble up deep in her gut as she thought of all the possible scenarios.
Surely Crowley was capable of getting through to this Brady character. She had to stay hopeful that Crowley could pull this off. They had to find pestilence there was no way around it. This was their last chance to stop the end of well everything, to make things right.
She glanced at Dean as he took a gulp from his bottle of beer. Sam had long ago stormed off upstairs. And Grace was grateful for that. One less hunter for her to have to babysit.
She almost wished that she'd ignored Crowley's orders and insisted on going in there with him. She knew that doing that wasn't an option though. She wouldn't be any help to Crowley in there.
She frowned a little surprised as Dean spoke up holding out an unopened beer to her. "Want a drink ?"
She quickly remembered one of the first lessons Crowley had taught her, never ever except a drink from anyone, especially a hunter. Holy water could easily be slipped into any beverage, or any food item for that matter. She ignored her dry throat and shook her head not verbally responding to him.
Dean mumbled something that sounded like suit yourself as he plopped down on a recliner across from her. He kept silent for a moment before asking her the same question he'd asked in the impala earlier that evening. "So how'd you end up with someone like Crowley ?"
She let her knees fall as she crossed her legs and kept her hands in her lap, sitting in her seat normally. She didn't want to tell Dean the truth. He would only judge her if he knew what just what she had done. And if he didn't judge her for that then he would surely judge her once he knew about her feelings for Crowley.
She was no idiot. She knew no one would believe that Crowley could have the ability to love anyone but himself. And she knew what people would think of her if they knew just how much she loved Crowley, how much she trusted him.
"I just did and lets leave it at that." She answered not wanting to give him a real answer.
She let out a tiny relived sigh as Dean rolled his eyes slightly obviously not getting the answer he wanted. She was just thankful that he'd dropped the subject.
He didn't have any chances to ask her any more questions. Since the doors opened and Crowley stepped into the room being sure to shut the doors behind him.
Grace frowned as she studied the look on Crowley's face. She couldn't quite tell how he was feeling. His face was calm almost emotionless.
Dean spoke up as he spotted Crowley. "So did he buy the girl scout cookies ?"
Crowley shook his head his face still emotionless. "Not yet."
Crowley glanced at Grace taking note of her worried expression, before he shifted his eyes a bit studying the room. "Where's your moose ?"
Dean took another drink after he spoke up. "Cooling off."
Crowley nodded his head letting out a sigh before he spoke. "All right then. Get bent."
"You going somewhere ?" Dean asked a little irritated that he hadn't gotten Pestilence's location quite yet.
Crowley nodded towards the closed doors. "Well he won't budge. So now I go stick my neck out."
Grace stood up her stomach in knots as she spoke. "What are you going to do ?"
Crowley glanced at her seeing the clearly distressed look on her face. "I get to do the exact desperate swash-buckle I was hoping to avoid. I have to go kick open a hive of demons."
"What !? No, you can't." Grace exclaimed as she went over to him. She placed a firm hand on his upper arm as though as long as she had a grip on him she could force him to stay put.
She began to plead with him. "Please don't. It's insane...it's suicide. I mean we've been trying to avoid demons for the past month...and this is...it's insane. Please just stay here. Don't do this."
Crowley reached out for her pulling her against him. He pressed a kiss to the top of her head as she buried her head against him. "It's the only way. I need leverage over the little rat."
She wrapped her arms around him not wanting him to let go of her. She spoke again her voice cracking as she struggled not to have a full blown panic attack. "Please...just stay."
Crowley ignored Dean as the hunter watched this scene take place in front of him. Crowley began to rub her back trying to calm her.
He didn't like seeing her so upset especially after all she'd been through over the past month and a half. She was so panicky, so terrified at times. She was so afraid of having him out of her sight. It was as though she'd developed some kind of separation anxiety.
"I have to go love. I'll be back before you know it."
She moved back only slightly looking up at him as she spoke. "You promise ?"
"I swear darling. Trust me okay. I'll be right back." Crowley did his best to reassure her as he lowered his voice unhappy that Dean was listening in on such an intimate moment between Grace and he.
She reluctantly allowed him to release her from his embrace as she spoke trying to sound as demanding as she could manage despite her fear. "You come back to me."
Grace sat at the top of the stairs as she watched the front door. She silently hoped and prayed that Crowley would walk through that front door completely unharmed at any minute now. Though she did feel silly praying considering what she was now.
Crowley had left an hour ago, she had kept an eye on her crappy plastic watch. Crowley hated her watch. She had bought it when they'd made that first shopping trip a month ago. It had been a five buck clearance purchase, red and white with little ladybugs on the wrist band.
It usually drove her a little crazy not knowing what time it was, but right now she wished that she wasn't aware of what time it was. Every minute that passed made her stomach knot up tighter and tighter until she felt like her stomach could just fold in on itself.
What if Crowley didn't make it back ? She literally wouldn't be able to survive without him. She didn't know enough about being a demon to make it all on her own. She wouldn't be able to stay in hiding all by herself. She couldn't manage without him.
She shook her head trying to knock these worries right out of her mind. Of course he would make it back. He had promised. That was one pure thing that she could point out about him, he always kept his promises.
She stood up as she heard a loud ruckus downstairs. She stomped down the stairs making her way into the living room as she saw Sam open a door letting an angry Dean out of the bathroom.
Dean ignored Grace's presence as he questioned Sam harshly. "What happened ?"
Dean and Sam moved past Grace as Sam answered his brother. "Nothing. Dean I'm fine."
She followed the boys as they made their way into the room where Brady was still tied down. Dean spoke questioning what his brother had done while he was locked in the bathroom. "Yeah and what about Brady ?"
Sam spoke up as the three entered the room spotting that Brady was still alive and still tied down to the chair. "Like you said we need him."
The Winchesters had no chance to bicker any farther as Crowley appeared behind Grace and spoke. "God the day I've had."
Grace turned and wrapped her arms around Crowley not helping but to embrace him in a tight hug. Crowley smiled genuinely happy to be locked in a loving embrace with her even if the Winchesters were witnessing this exchange.
Crowley pressed a quick kiss to the top of her head as he pulled away from her. He walked over toward Brady as he spoke his voice cheerful and somewhat smug. "Good news you're going to live forever."
He chuckled as Brady glared at him and asked. "What did you do ?"
"Went over to a demons nest had a massacre. Must be losing my touch though. I let one of the little toads live...oops." Crowley stated as he circled Brady being sure to stay far away from the devils trap that Brady was trapped inside.
He paused for a moment as he finally stopped standing in front of Brady remaining outside of the devils trap. "Also I may have given said toad the impression that you left your post last night because you and I are wait for it...lovers in league against Satan...hello darling."
Brady closed his eyes obviously beginning to break. Brady spoke trying hard to ignore the fact that Crowley had ruined his chances of survival. "They wouldn't believe that. What about your girlfriend huh ? You and her betrayed our father...not me."
Crowley smirked as he spoke up. "Well you see I gave them the impression that the two of us and her...well they think it's a three-way thing. Which I have to point out would never actually happen...I'm far too attached to Gracie to ever share her...especially with the likes of you."
Crowley paused for a moment enjoying the defeated look on Brady's face. He let out a satisfied sigh as he spoke. "So now that deaths off the table you get to be on the bosses eternal torture list with little old me. Something else you and I have in common not counting our torrid passion of course, is our need for self-preservation. So where's pestilence ?"
Brady opened his mouth ready to respond as they heard a sound of a wolf like howling in the distance followed by a series of barks.
Dean frowned trying to stay calm as he spoke. "Is that a hellhound ?"
Crowley nodded his head as he began to feel around his suit searching for something almost hoping that he wouldn't find what he was looking for. "I would say yes."
"Why is that a hellhound ?" Dean asked.
Crowley let out a frustrated sigh as he found what he was looking for. A tracking device. "Remember when I was telling you about my handy little tracking device ? Demons planted one on me."
Sam spoke irritation clear in his voice. "So you're saying a hellhound followed you here ?"
"Well technically it followed this." Crowley stated waving the coin like device around.
Grace stepped closer to Crowley her stomach dropping at the mention of hellhounds. The only hound she'd ever seen was Growley and as much as the hound had bonded with her, the thought of hellhounds still horrified her.
"Let me out of here and I'll tell you anything you want." Brady pleaded.
Sam frowned as he ignored Brady's pleading. "Shut up."
Dean spoke panic beginning to creep up in the back of his throat. "Okay we need to get out of here now."
Crowley shook his head knowing that they would have no time to make a run for it. "Sorry boys no one knows more about the hounds than I."
And with that Crowley tossed the tracking device, the coin landing in Dean's hand, as Grace and Crowley disappeared.
Grace blinked a little dizzy from teleporting her stomach still knotted as Crowley and she suddenly appeared in their actual hideout. A little RV Winnebago from the early eighties that they'd parked out in the middle of the woods.
She frowned speaking up as Crowley made his way across the room. "We can't just leave them there with that hellhound. We need the Winchesters to find those horsemen rings."
"I know love. I'm here to collect something that will help us get out of this mess." Crowley stated as he snapped his fingers repairing his slightly torn suit.
She tilted her head to the side a little confused about what could possibly help them escape from hellhounds.
It didn't take her long to figure out what Crowley meant as he whistled causing a large hellhound to appear in the RV between Crowley and Grace.
The hound was almost as tall as Grace with four glowing red eyes two side by side on each side of the hounds head, it's fur was a shaggy pale gray, it was foaming at the mouth it's teeth razor sharp, it's tail was docked, it was muscular she could see that even underneath the shaggy fur, and it's ears were sharply pointed.
Before she had time to say a word Crowley snapped causing the two of them and the hound to appear back in the farmhouse.
Crowley shouted making his return known."Hey!"
The other hound made it's way towards Grace, Crowley, and Crowley's hound.
Dean frowned a little thrown off by Crowley's apparent ability to control the hound. "You're back."
"I'm invested...currently." Crowley responded. As he stared at the hound.
This hound was smaller than the hound Crowley had brought with him. It's fur was black and short, it's eyes were a bright shade of red every hound had red eyes but no hound's eyes usually shared exactly the same shade of red, it had the same pointed ears, the same sharp teeth, and a curled shaggy tail. It was far less muscular than Crowley's hound. It was younger than Crowley's hound, and less experienced.
Crowley frowned as his own hound began to move forward perfectly ready to pounce at its opponent. He spoke up his voice firm. "Stay !"
"You can control it ?" Dean asked surprise and curiosity clear in his voice despite his current irritation at having to put up with the hound that had followed Crowley here.
"No not that one. I brought my own mine's bigger." Crowley pointed out as he reached out petting his own hound on it's back.
Crowley shouted out knowing that his hound wouldn't hold back much longer. "Sic em boy !"
And with that the hounds charged at one another scratching up the wood floors and breaking furniture and glass as they fought.
Everyone fled the house and made their way to the impala including the now untied Brady.
Grace rolled her eyes as they reached the impala and Crowley spoke chuckling and sounding far too cheerful considering what had just taken place. "I'll wager you a thousand my pup wins."
Grace was glad when they finally made their way downtown behind a cluster of old closed buildings far out of sight, only the faint light from a near by street light shining down on them.
She had been stuck sitting in between Crowley and the door, she had forced Crowley to sit beside Brady in the backseat since there was no way she wanted anywhere near the other demon.
Crowley took a slip of paper from Brady as the demon spoke a snotty irritated tone to his voice "Yeah, I'm sure Pestilence well be there."
Crowley glanced down at the slip of paper before he handed it over to Dean. Dean stared down at the scrap of paper as he spoke. "What do you think ?"
"It's good He has no reason to lie. Like I said before he's in my boat now." Crowley stated as he made his way over to Grace.
Crowley wrapped an arm around Grace's waist as Brady spoke. "You screwed me over for eternity."
Crowley shook his head as he turned to leave. "It won't last that long trust me."
Brady frowned as he watched them leave. "Where are you going."
"I'm going to do you a favor." Crowley answered before he stopped to look at Sam.
He stared up at him as he spoke. "I expect we'll be in touch."
Grace let out a tired sigh happy to be done with this. She didn't want to know what Sam was going to do with Brady though she had a feeling that she already knew.
Right now though she didn't want to think about it. She just wanted to go back to the RV and forget about all of this.
Crowley smirked down at Grace as she began to hyperventilate. "No stop please. It's not funny anymore."
Crowley continued to run his fingertips along Grace's stomach as she squirmed and laughed below him struggling to catch her breath. "Crowley please it's not funny."
He smirked not ready to give up just yet. It was good to hear Grace genuinely laugh. She didn't have a care in the world right now. He liked knowing that he could make her laugh.
It was so foreign to him, being able to cause someone such joy. He could admit that most of the emotions he'd experienced with Grace were foreign to him.
Hell had tried to beat any positive emotion out of him. He'd suppressed these types of emotions so long. It was almost overwhelming the things he felt for Grace.
She placed her hands on top of his as he finally stopped tickling her bare stomach. He knew that he had the strength to push her hands away and continue what he'd been doing but he didn't want to.
She had really had enough of it. Her face was pink , her eyes were watering, and she was still struggling to catch her breath. She stared up at him completely exhausted as she pulled her t-shirt back down covering most of her nude body.
They had made love off and on all morning and she'd barely had the time to put just her shirt on before he had found a sensitive spot on her stomach and began tickling.
He had just wanted to relax her especially after last night. He had also wanted to keep her calm and relaxed before he told her the next part of his plan. He thought that he might as well butter her up a bit before he dropped his plan on her.
He knew she wasn't going to be thrilled once she found out that he planned to get Bobby Singer to sell his soul to him in exchange for the location of death the final horseman.
Crowley knew that Grace and he needed the insurance. If they had Bobby's soul in their back pockets then the Winchesters couldn't turn on them.
Crowley reached down pulling the black comforter over them as they settled down on the tiny bed they were sharing.
She turned to face him as she reached out and placed a gentle hand on his cheek. She spoke as she began to feel sleepy. "I love you."
He leaned into her hand as he pressed his lips to hers responding to her as he moved away from the kiss. "I love you too darling."
She moved her hand away from his cheek as she curled up to him placing an arm over his waist. He watched her close her eyes obviously exhausted.
He wondered if now was the best time to bring up his plans for Singer's soul. She seemed so relaxed and he wasn't really in the mood to argue with her at the moment.
He pressed a kiss to her forehead as he decided to wait until tomorrow. First thing tomorrow he would tell her everything. Tomorrow they would pay a visit to Bobby Singer.