A/N: a couple of you seem confused. My hope was to keep you guessing but not to mess with your brain! Hope this chapter helps. Thanks again to my bitch & beta. Lil, you're FAB!

Ellen backed across the room away from the door and looked on in disbelief and fear as Sam welcomed the guest inside. She watched them both nodding in quiet greeting and her head was spinning as the smartly dressed boy turned to her and smiled warmly.

"Hello, Ellen."

Gasping in fright, Ellen drew her pistol and aimed it squarely at him. "Who the hell are you?" She demanded, her hands trembling as she saw him regarding her in assured calm.

"No!" Sam stepped in front of the visitor and held up his hands. "Ellen, don't!"

Moving her eyes from the amused smile of the stranger to Sam's earnest frown, Ellen's heart was pounding in her ears and she shook her head in confusion.

"Ellen, it's okay." Sam urged, chancing a step forward and forcing a smile to his lips. "He's here to help us."

"What?" Ellen gasped, peering past Sam to see the stranger still looking on in amusement. He was taller than Sam but similarly built, his broad shoulders giving him him a maturity that his young face did not match. He was not unpleasant on the eyes but something about his pale face made her skin crawl and she shuddered involuntarily. Tearing her eyes from him and turning back to Sam, she could feel frightened tears forming. "What the hell is going on, Sam? Who is this guy?"

"Go ahead. Tell her." The stranger chuckled softly.

"Shut up!" Sam demanded, glancing quickly behind him to shoot a warning glare at his guest. He then looked back at Ellen and took a deep breath. "Listen, I can explain. Okay? Just calm down … put down the gun …"

Pausing for a moment, Ellen tried to clear her thoughts and then gasped as something thudded against the window behind her. She turned and frowned as she saw nothing but the tops of the bare trees beyond the glass. And then a group of large black birds suddenly swooped down and pounded against the window. Gasping in fright, she looked on in horror as the birds flew back a short way from the window and then again swung themselves at the glass.

"Malphas, stop!"

Hearing Sam's angry shout, Ellen spun back and saw him glaring at the strange man. And suddenly she understood. "Oh god, Sam … you haven't …"

Hitting redial and lifting his phone to his ear yet one more time, Dean closed his eyes and groaned softly. "Oh hell, Sammy … where are you …?" He peered up and down the quiet centre of the town and clenched his fist at his side. Since the Feds had hot-tailed it out of the town a few minutes ago, an eerie calm had descended and Dean was starting to panic. The lights had flickered back on soon after the birds had disappeared and the radio was transmitting as normal but something didn't feel right.

Listening to his call switching straight to Sam's voicemail yet again, Dean slammed his cell shut and groaned in dismay. "Dammit!" Spinning round to meet Bobby's equally concerned expression, he shook his head and then stomped quickly towards Bobby's truck. "I gotta get over there."

"What?" Bobby hurried after him, grabbing his arm and pulling back from the cab door. "Wait! What if there's more spooks about?"

Dean shrugged free of his grasp and shook his head in earnest. "I need to know what the hell is going on, Bobby."

"Then I'll go see." Bobby suggested quietly. "You finish the car. Keep out of sight."

"But - "

"Dean!"

Dean flinched slightly at the sudden anger in Bobby's voice and his heart skipped at the all-too-familiar tone that was addressing him. Instinct made him nod and back away from the truck. "Yes, sir."

As if in apology, Bobby reached out to pat Dean's shoulder and seemed about to add something further. Deciding against it, he looked away and climbed up into the cab.

"Sam?" Ellen urged quietly, her voice cracking in her tight throat. "Tell me he's not what I think he is …"

Sam flicked his head back at Ellen and saw her disbelief. He had no reply and could only watch her realization turning into disappointment.

"Oh dear." Came a gentle chuckle from behind him. "Secret's out, huh?"

Sam looked back at his guest and frowned in confusion.

Malphas was grinning in obvious delight and shrugged his shoulders. "I give her 3 seconds before she totally freaks."

"What?" Sam husked.

"Sam, what the hell have you done?" Ellen suddenly demanded angrily.

"One …" Malphas smirked, counting on the fingers of one hand.

"Shut the fuck up!" Sam spat impatiently.

"Sam Winchester, are you listening to me?" Ellen continued, advancing on him. "That thing will - " And suddenly she stopped, her body froze and her eyes rolled back into her head. With a slight groan, her legs buckled beneath her and she collapsed to a heap on the carpet.

"Ellen!" Sam dropped to the floor and quickly leaned over her, checking her unresponsive form.

"Women, huh?"

Sam turned and stared up at Malphas in dismay. "What have you done to her?"

"Oh, nothing permanent." Malphas waved a hand dismissively. "She was becoming annoying." He crossed the room and peered out of the window with calm disinterest. "Anyway ... you and I have business to discuss."

Sam slowly got to his feet and headed over to him. Usually taller than everyone around him, Sam found it odd and yet equally refreshing to have to look up slightly to meet Malphas' even gaze. "Listen, you can't just - "

"What?" Malphas' smile fell from his mouth and he glared at Sam. "This is my game, Sammy. If you don't like the rules, you should never have asked to play."

Sam closed his eyes and hung his head, his shoulders sinking as he groaned softly. He took a few steps backwards and met the edge of the bed behind him. Sagging down onto the soft mattress, he sighed and shook his head slowly. "I must be insane …"

"Quite possibly."

Sam lifted his head and watched the young man regarding him in fond amusement. There was something oddly familiar about the dark eyes that held him in a steady gaze and he watched him in curiosity.

"I was so pleased when you called." Malphas offered quietly. "You have no idea how much I've wanted to meet you."

Sam's heart was suddenly in his throat and he clutched the edge of the mattress tightly. "Oh?"

"Oh please!" Malphas waved both hands in exaggeration. "Don't be so modest!"

Sam watched him laughing merrily and he took a deep breath, his mouth dry as he tried to find the words to ask what he needed to know. "Do you … do you know of the plans for me?"

"Wo!" Malphas laughed a little harder and leaned one elbow casually on the window sill. "Straight in there, huh?"

Watching expectantly, Sam frowned and then threw up his hands in slight impatience. "Well?"

Malphas gave a heavy sigh and turned away from Sam. He slid back one of the glass panelled windows and leaned forward to hold one hand out through the opening, smiling as a large black bird landed gently on his wrist.

Sam looked on in wonder as another four birds then swooped down from seemingly nowhere and balanced agilely on the window frame. He watched as Malphas greeted each of them, stroking their chests and smiling fondly.

"Believe me, I wish I could give you some answers." Malphas responded quietly after a time, glancing back towards Sam. "But I don't tend to mingle in those social circles any more." He shrugged and turned his focus back to his birds, smiling as they gently warbled in greeting. "Now … who else do you need us to get rid of?"

As if only now fathoming exactly how huge a can of worms he had opened, Sam groaned and hung his head.

"Who's coming?"

Flicking his head back up, Sam saw Malphas was apparently having a conversation with one of the crows and suddenly wanted to smile; he could well imagine the smart remark his brother might make at such a strange sight. The thought of Dean made his stomach turn and he swallowed back the rising bile as he watched Malphas quickly urge the birds to flee.

"Shit!"

"What?" Sam urged, getting to his feet.

"He's coming!"

Sam's heart was suddenly racing, several possibilities spinning in his mind. And then he heard the thudding of someone running along the corridor. Instinctively grabbing for the open kit bag on the end of his bed, he curled his fingers around the handle of one of the revolvers and turned towards the door.

He saw the hatred and fear that flashed in Malphas' eyes and shook his head in confusion. And then he gasped in horror as Malphas took a few steps back from the window and then launched himself through the opening.

It was instinct that made him grab for the departing figure. Despite knowing full well that someone like Malphas was in no danger of falling to his death, Sam could not fight the impulse to try and save him. But all he grabbed was armfuls of air and his vision was blurred by the cloud of black smoke that erupted around him, disappearing as quickly as it had formed. And Malphas was gone.

Sam paused by the window, stunned and more than a little baffled. He then heard the shout from the corridor and smiled in relief. He spun and headed quickly over to the door.

"Bobby!" Sam greeted merrily, opening the door and bidding the flushed man to enter.

"You okay?" Bobby demanded breathlessly, frowning up at Sam in concern as he stepped inside. He then saw the slumped body on the floor and hurried over to the slowly waking Ellen. "Shit! Sam? What happened?"

"I … erm …" Sam flicked his hair from his eyes and laughed gently, clueless as to how to even begin -- and not sure if he should tell the complete truth. He watched as Bobby helped Ellen to sit up and she shook her groggy head, glancing up at Sam to shoot him an angry glare. And Sam knew he was in trouble.

"It was a demon, Bobby." Ellen managed huskily, shuffling back to lean heavily against the bed behind her. She closed her eyes and held her head in her hands.

"What?" Bobby turned to Sam expectantly.

Sam shrugged a response. "I … well …" He smiled nervously, "Bobby, I - " He stopped as he saw Bobby's attention had been taken by something on the small desk under the window. He followed his gaze and groaned in dismay.

Bobby was on his feet and across the room in a heartbeat. He slammed shut the faded yellow pages of the large book and then spun at Sam, shaking his head in disbelief."Good god! You shouldn't be messing with stuff like this."

"Bobby, I know what I'm do - "

"Bullshit!" Bobby countered in fury, "My lord, Sam! What have you done?!" He shook his head in horror and dismay, glancing at Ellen as she gingerly got to her feet and then sat heavily on the edge of the bed. "How could you be so stupid, boy?!"

Sam stared at Bobby in tight-lipped indignancy, unable to believe he was being chastised in such a manner. Suddenly feeling as though he was eleven years old and caught red-handed with the loaded shotgun that was no longer out of his gangly-limbed reach, he felt embarrassment and anger redden his cheeks.

"Shit …" Bobby turned away from Sam and leaned his arms on the edge of the desk, staring down at the worn, leather-clad book. "Who is it?"

Sam cleared his throat and glanced warily at Ellen. "Someone who can help us."

And Bobby gave a derisive chuckle. "Oh please … tell me you're not serious …"

"Very." Sam countered.

Bobby then saw the black feather that lay on the ledge by the window and reached out to grasp it in his worn fingers. He then recalled the crows that had swooped down onto the Feds' car and he nodded in understanding.

"I'm tired of running, Bobby." Sam explained quietly, "And I'm tired of being afraid."

Bobby turned slowly and met Sam's determination. "This isn't the answer, Sammy."

Sam's jaw tightened and he nodded quickly. "No? Then what is? Huh?" Sam grated, advancing on Bobby and anger flashing in his eyes. "Tell me!"

"Sam!" Ellen cautioned carefully, moving towards him.

"No!" Sam backed quickly away from both of them and shook his head in defiance, his chest heaving as his breath came in angry gasps. "You gave me that book, Bobby! You knew what it contained!"

"I never meant for you to do something like this!" Bobby argued, "God, Sammy, I - " He hurried forward and gasped as Sam shoved him away roughly. He looked up into eyes full of pain and confusion and his heart sank.

Sam then grabbed the duffel from the bed beside him and swung it over his shoulder. He stepped closer to Bobby once again and glared down at him in frustrated anger. "It's Sam." He corrected icily. "I'm not a child."

Ellen shuddered involuntarily at the sudden chill in the room and watched in unease as Sam tore open the motel room door and was gone.

Tbc ...