A/N: Thank you all for being so patient while my classes restarted. I appreciated the reviews. Also, remember to go FOLLOW this story's blog on tumblr at chestervelle-tswu. There you can see gifsets and photosets depicting the story!

Slippery Slope

SPN Episode(s): (Metamorphosis)

"We have no past, we won't reach back. Keep with me forward all through the night" – Sleeping at Last

At the moment, Jo was debating with herself whether it had been a good idea or not to tell Dean that his younger brother was working with a demon. She sat and waited quietly next to him on a scratchy motel comforter while she waited for him to process the news. A million different emotions flashed across his features: confusion, sadness, anger…. Each took only a few seconds to appear and disappear, and each turned his face a new shade of red. "How- how do you know this?"

"I overheard him talking with the ghost of a girl named 'Meg' the other day. When we were dealing with the witnesses. She accused him of working with a demon," her voice got smaller, "and he didn't deny it."

"Dammit, Sam!" Dean yelled, jumping up from the edge of the bed in anger. His sudden outburst had cause her to jump a little. Dean swiped his hand over his face. "That must have been what Cas was talking about when…" he muttered to himself, Jo just barely hearing him. He let a long breath out his nose while his eyes were shut, probably trying to calm himself. Speaking up louder again, he asked Jo, "Uh, why didn't you say anything to me earlier?"

Jo suddenly felt very guilty, even though she had done nothing wrong. The truth was that she hadn't told Dean because she didn't want to push the brothers apart, especially after Dean just got back from hell. Both brothers would have been deeply hurt to have a falling out just after Dean returned. Yet now it looked like it would happen anyway. She decided to not tell Dean that an angel appeared to her. One named Ithiel who told her she should let Dean know about Sam. That would just pile onto his stress. Jo scrambled then for a good excuse for Dean. "Well, because I was kinda hoping that Meg was lying. Y'know, it's Sam! I figured he couldn't have gotten himself in that much trouble. He's the gentle one for Christ's sake!"

Dean held up his hand to Jo. He appeared calm, but Jo knew better than that. Dean was ready to snap at any moment. "Okay. Do you know what we're gonna do? We're gonna go find my idiot brother, and then get back on the road." He dropped his hands again, and began moving to gather up his things from the room. "And then I'm gonna tell him to cut this shit out," he added to himself.

Dean had driven like a madman to get the address that Cas had told him about, his anger never breaking once the entire way. In that moment, Jo wished that she hadn't left her truck at Bobby's and agreed to ride with the Winchesters. She would have really appreciated being able to drive herself. To keep her mind off of the road whizzing by and the sound of tires screeching on pavement, she asked Dean more about what Castiel had told him. "So Dean, what did you mean when you said 'That must have been what Cas was talking about'?"

Dean's gaze flickered to her for a second, but he didn't seem to have heard her. His jaw was still clenched, and his eyes still looked murderous. Even though Jo was slightly afraid of him, she tried again to gain his attention. "Dean?"

Again his gaze flicked to her. "Yeah?"

"What did Castiel say to you before? You said 'that must have been what Cas meant when he said', and then you trailed off."

A long and frustrated sigh escaped Dean. "After Cas went all Back to the Future on me, he told me that I had to stop Sam because he was 'going down a dangerous road'." He paused for a moment, but still stared daggers at the road in front of him. "I didn't know what that meant until you told me."

Jo felt guilty. If this tore apart the brothers, she would now be partly responsible.

Ten minutes later, Dean and Jo made it to the address the Castiel had given him. Dean swerved into the gravel area outside of what appeared to be an abandoned warehouse so violently that gravel sprayed in several directions. He turned the car off and got out in one fluid motion, pacing briskly to the trunk. Jo was only a couple steps behind, and she saw Dean grab the demon knife out of his bag right before he slammed the trunk shut. "Stay here, Jo," he ordered, tucking the knife into the back waistband of his jeans.

Stay here? She questioned his order. So this was gonna be how it was. Again. Dean obviously thinking that she couldn't do the job. Yet, as she thought about it more, maybe that's not what this was about. Maybe he told her to stay back because this was between him and Sam. Between brothers. She shook her head. Even if it was, he might need back up. She was going to stay back, but not too far.

She went and stood near an open window where she could see Sam, a brunette woman (who she assumed was Ruby), and a man tied to a chair. She looked at the ceiling above them, and a large demon's trap made out of chains and metal hung over the chair.

"Where's Lilith?" Sam's commanding voice forced her to turn to him, instead of scoping out the place.

"Kiss my ass," the man in the chair retorted, eyes going black. Demon, Jo thought.

A menacing smile spread across Sam's face. "I'd watch myself if I were you."

"Why? Huh? Because you're Sam Winchester, Mr. Big Hero?" The demon paused for a minute, gauging Sam's reaction. The younger Winchester's nostrils flared. Seeing that the demon was successfully angering Sam, he continued "And yet here you are, slutting around with some demon. Real hero."

"Shut your mouth." Sam demanded, the smile gone from his face. Ruby seemed unfazed by the interaction, she just crossed her arms and leaned back.

"Tell me about those months without your brother," the demon in the chair started again. "About all the things you and this demon bitch do in the dark. Huh? Tell me, hero."

Sam's jaw began to quiver in anger. He held his hand up slowly to the demon. Jo was unsure about what that was supposed to do, until pain flashed across the demon's features. He began gagging, black smoke dripping and pouring from his mouth. As Sam shut his eyes tighter in concentration, the smoke began to come out in a thicker and more constant stream. It pooled around the man's feet, floating just above the ground. As the last few streams came out, the smoke burned into the concrete ground on the floor, leaving tiny embers in its wake. Sam's hand dropped and his head sagged in exhaustion, as did the man's. Looking up again, Sam and Ruby nodded to one another, pleased with their work.

Jo was completely taken aback by what she had just witnessed. Sam had just exorcised a demon using his mind. It could have no good consequences, Castiel had said so himself. But that didn't stop her from being slightly amazed.

Looking back inside, she saw Sam checking the man's pulse while Ruby looked on. Finding a pulse, Sam smiled widely back at Ruby, amazed with himself as well.

"How'd that feel?" Ruby asked, a proud smile stretched across her face. Sam set to work untying the man.

"Good. No more headaches." Oh Sam, Jo thought, shaking her head. This was not good.

"None?" Ruby asked happily. "That's good."

Sam smiled up at her as he took the last of the ropes off. The man was starting to come to and Sam made sure that he knew he was safe and going to get help. Sam and Ruby started walking the man back towards the entrance, but a very angry looking Dean stopped them in their tracks. Dean's face still appeared murderous. Jo knew that this was probably going to get ugly, and so she sprinted around the side of the building to follow Dean. Dean was already halfway to Sam, and so she only took a couple of steps inside as to not anger him further. Sam and Ruby noted her presence, as their eyes flicked to hers for just a second, but Dean seemed to not notice the appearance of Jo behind him.

"So…anything wanna tell me, Sam?" Dean asked coolly, although his voice was near cracking, his anger ready to burst at any moment. Jo gripped the door frame next to her, bracing herself for his inevitable outburst.

"Dean," Sam tried, holding up a hand in defense. "Hold on. Let me exp-"

"You gonna say 'Let me explain'? You gonna explain this?" Dean kept walking toward his younger brother with slow and calculated steps. "How about this? Why don't you start with who she is and what the hell is she doing here?" Dean paused for a moment before adding the dreaded question. "Is that Ruby?"

Dean knew that Jo had told him that Sam was working with Ruby, but he still held hope that this brunette standing in front of Sam was just mixed up in a hunt – maybe she was related to the man in the chair. A longshot, he knew, but that didn't stop him from hoping. Sam looked up at the ceiling in desperation, as if somehow he would find the answer there. He was breathing fast and his face became flushed, the obvious signs of guilt. Jo suddenly knew that she had been right, and that Meg had told the truth. For sure this time.

"Good to see ya again, Dean," Ruby replied unfazed. Jo took the time to study the brunette woman with dark eyes a little bit closer, now that she could see her better. Ruby seemed to notice this, and turned her head towards Jo. "Who's your friend?" she asked, nodding to Jo behind Dean.

When Ruby noticed Jo, Dean turned slightly to see that Jo was standing near the door. Turning back coolly, he replied "Leave her out of this."

"Oh, touched a nerve, did I? So she's more than that to you, huh? She's pretty, it'd be a shame if she got hurt in all of this," Ruby taunted with a smile. And that made Dean's anger peak. He charged towards Ruby and used his forearm to pin her against the wall. He drew his demon blade from its spot in his belt. He held the knife high, ready to strike down when Sam tackled Dean from the side to stop him. The brothers fell to the floor, wrestling in each other in a tangle. In the mix, the knife clattered to the ground, and Ruby used this opportunity to snatch it up. Her eyes became filled with anger and she started walking towards Dean, who had just managed to push his brother off of him, and was now lying on his back. She raised the knife above her head, ready to drive it into Dean's chest.

"Dean!" Jo shouted, sprinting towards Ruby to stop her from killing him. She stopped Ruby the quickest way she knew how – and that was to tackle her to the ground. A fight between the girls began. In the exchange, Jo felt a sharp slice go up her bicep and then warmth pool beneath her jacket and arm.

"Ruby, stop!" Sam shouted loudly, grabbing Ruby off of Jo. As Sam held Ruby around her waist, Jo still lay on the floor in shock. She checked the damage done to her arm and winced. The cut Ruby had inflicted on Jo was deep. The demon knife had cut through her jacket and several layers of skin. It looked as though it needed stitches.

Dean noticed the way the arm of Jo's coat was turning red and stomped over to her, his anger with Sam and Ruby flaring. He grabbed the bicep of her good arm and her other hand and pulled her up. Then he posted himself slightly in front of her, so that Ruby could not get to her again without going through him first.

Everyone stood around the room, staring at each other. No one was sure what the next move would be. Sam broke the silence first. "Ruby…Ruby, he's hurt," Sam nodded to the exorcised man who was still waking up, "Go."

Ruby walked over to him and draped his arm across her shoulders. As she began walking toward the door, Dean snapped out "Where the hell do you think you're going?"

"To the ER. Unless you or your girlfriend wanna go another round first?" Ruby retorted, looking back at him. "Although I think I won round one," she added, nodding to Jo's bloody arm.

"Keep walking, bitch," Dean practically growled. All was silent again for a moment, before Dean turned his head to look at his younger brother.

Sam seemed at a loss for words, unsure of what to say, unsure of whose side he was on anymore. All he could muster was a small pleaded "Dean."

Dean's face remained stony, ignoring his brother and instead turning to Jo, who was now clutching her upper arm near her chest. Even though Dean was filled with rage, Jo still noticed how gently he grabbed her arm. He assessed her injury and muttered under his breath that it was going to require stitches. Without another word to Sam, Dean placed his hand on Jo's back to lead her out of the warehouse.

Another "Dean!" was heard from Sam, but only Jo looked back.

They had only been driving for a few minutes, and Dean had not said a word. Jo wanted to speak up, but she was afraid of setting off Dean even more. Jo knew that Sam was the most important thing in Dean's life, and to have such a rift between them was very painful for them. They had been together for most of their lives, and seemed to rely on each other. To find out that Sam had been doing something so wrong to Dean really hit him where it hurt.

What she didn't know at that moment, though, was that Dean was also battling with himself over something else.

As dawn started to break, Dean veered the car off to the side of the road and stopped there, getting out of the car. Jo looked to where he had gotten out in confusion, unsure of what he was going to do. She turned her head to watch him disappear around the back so that when he was suddenly opening the passenger door she jumped in her seat. "Come on," he muttered. "That arm needs looked at."

She stared at him for a few seconds, trying to gauge how angry he was. At the moment, he seemed genuinely concerned. His gaze was fixed on her sliced arm that she still clutched her chest. Deciding it was okay, she got out and followed him back to the trunk, which he propped open with a shotgun. He dug around for a minute, producing the necessary supplies to stitch up Jo's arm (which included some hunter's helper). Of course, they weren't going to go to a hospital because they would ask questions, and they would probably spend the night in the waiting room of the ER for a procedure that would take fifteen minutes.

"Sit down," he told Jo calmly, indicating that she sit on the bumper of the Impala. She sat down gingerly, waiting for him to soak the needle in some alcohol. "Take off your jacket," he said, noticing that she still wore it. However as soon as she began to take off the garment, the warm, sharp pain returned with a new degree of intensity. A hiss escaped through her gritted teeth and she clutched at the sleeve of her jacket with a tightened fist. Dean noticed that she was having trouble, and reached out to help. "Jesus, Jo. You're gonna make it worse."

Jo accepted the help, knowing that there was no way she was going to get her jacket off without it. The pain was just too great, and she would probably only make it worse. She let out a sigh and let her arms fall back down. However, when Dean grabbed the lapels of her hunter green coat and started to pull it off of her, her breath caught in her throat. The action had her heart hammering in her chest, and the feelings she had for Dean Winchester seemed to be the only thing she could think about in that moment. She was staring at him while he took off the jacket, and all she could think about was the fact that Dean was undressing her. Jo realized she had been staring when Dean turned his gaze to her after tossing her jacket over the lid of the trunk.

Her mind also went back to what Ruby had said about her and Dean in the warehouse. She had assumed they were together. It was probably because of how protective of her Dean was. Yet as quickly as the thoughts appeared, she shoved them down. Was she really looking into the meaning of what a demon had said?

If Dean noticed that Jo had been staring, he didn't comment on it. Instead, his face looked slightly pained. It made sense, Jo guessed, especially since he had just fought with his brother over something so substantial. She couldn't even imagine what she would do if someone she was close to was working with a demon. If her mom had, or if Ash had been…. No. She couldn't even think that.

As Dean rolled up the sleeve of her shirt to expose the wound, she was zapped back to reality, and where she really was. Dean poured a little splash of whiskey over the cut, and Jo gritted her teeth in pain at the sting. "Sorry," Dean said, taking a swig of the drink himself. "Here."

He offered the bottle to Jo, who accepted it graciously. She took a quick gulp of it herself, watching as Dean prepared a needle and some thread. Before Jo could drink enough of the whiskey to feel a decent buzz, and to therefore numb the pain, Dean was ready to stitch up her arm.

Jo looked away as Dean held the needle in between his fingers, coming at her with it. She jumped when the needle first pierced her skin and let out a small squeak of surprise and pain.

Dean's eyes flashed up to hers at the sound. "You alright?" he asked in his gruff voice.

"Yep," Jo responded quickly, remaining tough in front of Dean.

"You're fine," Dean said in a teasing manner.

"Well, it'd help if you weren't a butcher," she said with a small smile, remembering the night she pulled a bullet out of his arm. The night he'd promised he'd call her. It seemed so long ago now.

"You're welcome," Dean replied, smiling as he stitched, also remembering that night.

For the remainder of the stitches both Dean and Jo remained quiet. Jo stared at Dean's face as he worked, admiring him. His bright green eyes watched his work carefully, the tip of his tongue poking out and his eyebrows furrowed in concentration. He was so careful with her, and it made her heart swell. Most people would not think Dean Winchester had the ability to be as gentle and caring as he was at that moment. But Jo knew better. She was so wrapped up in him, that she barely felt the needle poking in and out of her flesh.

As he finished the last of them, he began wiping away the extra blood and wetness from the alcohol from around her wound. His face fell again, as it had when he had been driving, and his movements slowed. He stroked the cloth down her arm slowly, and his eyebrows furrowed, but in apparent sadness this time. He seemed to be wrestling with himself over something. Putting a piece of gauze and tape over the wound, he stood up from where he was sitting next to her on the bumper. He toyed with the rag in his hands, and kneeled in front of her. He looked down and then let out a sigh. "Jo, maybe it's not such a good idea for you to tag along with me anymore."

What? Where did that come from? The past couple of days he had believed that they should all stick together, what with the end of times and all. Did he really think he could just get rid of her? Just like that? "Wh-what?" Jo asked. "I thought we all agreed that we should stay together."

Dean let out a humorless chuckle. "Yeah, that's when I thought we were all on the same side. Now I don't know what side my brother is on." He thought over his words – the gravity of them. "It's just that you don't need to deal with this crap. Me and Sammy have our fair share of problems. I don't want them dumped onto you."

His impossibly green eyes looked back up to hers again. Her heart broke for him a little when she saw the tortured look on his face, but she regained composure quickly, knowing that he was not speaking rationally at the moment. He always beat himself up over nothing. "Dean, no. You shouldn't be in this alone right now. After everything. I mean-"

"No, Jo. You don't understand. I seem to hurt everyone and everything in my path. You don't have to be next." I don't want you to be next, is what Dean wanted to say. But Dean was being his usual self, and keeping his emotions in by pushing everyone away from him. He always played the martyr, and believed that anyone close to him was bound to get hurt.

"Dean, it's too late. I'm already in this. Besides, you don't get decide what I do, Winchester," Jo stated firmly. She crossed her arms for effect, ignoring the pain that radiated through her new set of stiches that came from the action. "This is the freaking apocalypse, you can't kick me out now."

Dean nodded to himself and looked down. His eyes remained sad. He would never understand why someone as young and beautiful as her would want to hunt. Of course, she had told him before that she did it to feel close to her father. He understood the feeling, but he knew that once you got into the hunter lifestyle, there was no leaving. The bad guys knew your name, and they would always try to find you.

Dean looked at Jo with a pained face. He smiled to himself, too, secretly happy that he would have her with him. She was so smart, and she always drew out the protective side of him and she always knew what to say and how to comfort him. She made him quicker, smarter. Looking back, Dean would maybe think that he backed down too early, and that he should have fought her more. Get her to stay away from him to keep her safe. But now, he realized he needed her with him. But in true Dean Winchester style, he didn't tell her how much he really needed her. Not yet, anyway. Instead, he leaned his forehead against hers, shutting his eyes, and resting his hand on the side of her head. He pushed his fingers through her hair, although his hand was so big that it covered the whole side of her head. He seemed so content and at peace like that. She was so goddamn beautiful and she wanted to stay with him. Even though he was broken, a shell of a man, Jo Harvelle wanted to fight with him and for him. That idea totally blew Dean's mind. A thought nudged at the back of his mind that maybe he would want her around all the time.

On the other side of the exchange, a thrill ran through Jo at Dean's touch, even though she was still officially pissed. He stroked his thumb across her cheek and through her hair, more so soothing himself than he was her. Too soon though, he withdrew his head from hers. "Okay, Jo," he let out a huff of air, "uh, we need to get our stuff from the motel." He pushed himself up from where he had been kneeling in front of her, and started to put equipment back in the trunk.

That's it? Jo questioned herself. He was giving up just like that? He wasn't going to keep fighting her on this? She had been ready to argue with him for a lot longer than that. Getting up without a word, she decided it was better not to question it and to take a little victory when she could. Jo helped Dean clean up the trunk, and then they both got back into the Impala. They rode all the way back to the motel without saying another word, and Jo kept shooting him questioning glances along the way.

Dean and Jo pulled into the parking lot of the motel to get their stuff and then leave.

At the moment, Dean was at a loss for exactly what he was supposed to do at this moment. Should he trust Sammy and take him along with him and Jo? Or does he tell him that he crossed the line, and that they should part ways? Dean was so tired, he decided to just wing it.

Dean parked the car, and blew air out of his nose in preparation for the inevitable confrontation that would happen with his younger brother. He shut his eyes and hung his head, unable to believe his current predicament.

"What's the plan?" Jo asked, trying to prep Dean.

"Just go in, grab your stuff as fast as you can, and then we bolt." Dean replied curtly.

Jo was only able to nod.

Dean's face suddenly turned to stone, a stern expression settling on his face. Without warning, he got up briskly and slammed the car door behind him. He set off for the motel room, walking slowly and menacingly. This left Jo to follow in his wake. She gave him space, allowing the brothers to deal with this on their own.

Dean threw open the motel door to see Sam sitting at a small table, reading a book. He paid his younger brother no mind, not even acknowledging his presence.

Sam, on the other hand, was startled when his older brother banged through the door. He jumped up out of his seat, fully expecting Dean to pick a fight. He had geared himself for this, ready to try and make his brother see his point of view. Instead, Sam was shocked to see his brother gather up his things. "Dean, what are you doing?" he questioned, "What, ar-are you leaving?"

"You don't need me… or Jo." Dean challenged. "You and Ruby go fight demons."

"Hold on. Dean, come on, man!" Sam reached out and grabbed Dean's arm. This turned out to be a mistake, because as he did, Dean turned and punched Sam across the jaw without warning.

Jo was shocked at the action, never having seen this side of the brothers before. Sam seemed dismayed as well, dabbing a few fingers at the blood that trickled out of his nose. "You satisfied?" he asked.

Instead of answering, Dean threw another punch. "I guess not," Sam commented, keeping his cool.

"Do you even know how far off the reservation you've gone?" Dean finally spoke. "How far from normal? From human?"

"I'm just exorcising demons!" Sam shouted back.

"With your mind!" Dean roared. He shook his head, disappointment etched across his features. "What else can you do?"

Sam seemed to mull over whether or not to answer his brother truthfully, before admitting "I can send them back to hell. It only works with demons, and that's it."

Jo took this distraction of the brothers to start gathering her things, while making sure to keep an ear on the conversation. She ignored the pain that radiated through her stiches as she picked up her heavy equipment. A loud crash sounded behind her that caused her to jump, the result of Dean throwing Sam backwards.

"What else can you do?!" Dean questioned again, not believing his brother.

"I told you!"

"And I have every reason in the world to believe that." Dean answered rather quietly. He turned to walk out of the door again, grabbing his packed bag from the bed. Jo saw his movements, and began walking ahead of him towards the door. She walked outside, but then heard the brothers begin to argue again. She kept her back against the outside wall of the motel, still listening in to the brothers' argument.

"Look, I should've said something!" Sam defended, trying to stop Dean from leaving. "I'm sorry Dean. I am. But try to see the other side here."

"The other side?!"

"I'm pulling demons out of innocent people!" Sam reasoned.

"Use the knife!" Dean's voice cracked a little as he reached maximum volume.

"The knife kills the victim!" Sam yelled back. "What I do, most of them survive! Look, I've saved more people in the last five months that we save in a year."

"That what Ruby wants you to think? Huh?" Dean asked, his voice lowering again. "Kind of like the way she tricked you into using your powers? Slippery slope, brother. Just wait and see. Because it's gonna get darker and darker, and God knows where it ends"

"I'm not gonna let it go too far." Sam said, a hint of trepidation in his voice.

Dean nodded and chuckled to himself. His anger rose to dangerous levels, as was evident by the lamp he sent hurtling across the room. Outside, Jo jumped. "It's already gone too far, Sam. If I didn't know you, I'd wanna hunt you." Ouch. The statement hit Sam like a freight train. Tears formed in his eyes, and he stared in disbelief at his brother. The breath that Jo had been holding escaped her quickly and she wondered what this meant for the inseparable brothers. "And so would other hunters."

Sam's voice came dangerously close to cracking. "You were gone. I was here. I had to keep on fighting without you. And what I'm doing…it works."

"Well, tell me." Dean said, developing a cocky fake bravado again. "If it's so terrific, they why did you lie about it to me? Why did an angel tell me to stop you?"

"What?" Sam seemed genuinely confused by the statement. It showed on his face.

"Cas said that if I don't stop you," Dean pointed a finger at Sam, "he will. See, what that means, Sam – that means that God doesn't want you doing this. So, are you just gonna stand there and tell me that everything is all good?"

The tears that Sam had desperately been trying to hold back began to fall. Dean's expression didn't change, he still stared at Sam with anger. The phone rang suddenly then, causing all three hunters to jump. Sam seemed to debate with himself over whether or not to pick it up, before he decided to answer. "Hello? Hey, Travis. Yeah, hey." Sam pinched the bridge of his nose in an attempt to pull himself together for the hunter on the other end of the phone. "Uh… it's good to hear your voice, too. Um, look, it's not really a good time right now-" Something Travis had said caused Sam to stop and listen. He grabbed a pad of paper and a pen, ready to jot down the information Travis gave him. "Yeah, okay. Uh, well, just give me the details, and, uh – Sam began to write on the notepad – "Carthage, Missouri. Looking for Jack Montgomery."

Up in heaven, Ithiel listened in to and watched the Winchesters' conversation. He smoked a cigarette, eyebrows pointed upwards in feigned boredom.

Suddenly, he noted the presence of another angel standing next to him, also observing the exchange. He turned sideways slightly, seeing that it was his brother, Michael. The archangel didn't wait long to let his business with Ithiel to be known. "Is everything running smoothly? According to plan?" Michael questioned.

"Yes, sir," Ithiel responded dutifully, not looking over to his brother. A mention of a town name in the Winchesters' conversation caused Ithiel to startle in surprise. Carthage, Missouri. "Is it time already sir?"

"What do you mean, brother?" Michael asked, eyes trained on the Winchesters' actions.

"Carthage. Is it time for the Harvelle girl?" Ithiel repeated, finally turning to look at Michael.

A deep chuckle reverberated in Michael's throat. "No, not yet, brother. She still has work to do."