Supernatural: Crossroad Blues

A/N: Hello, now since the Hell Hounds are invisible and we have no idea of what they actually look like, I've come to the conclusion that they probably look like the creepy dogs introduced in the movie version of the scary dogs in The Hunger Games.

Read, review, and enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own anything from Supernatural or Criminal Minds. I just own any and all characters that I just happen create.

CHAPTER TWO: GOOFER DUST

"Then did I beat them small as the dust before the wind: I did cast them out as the dirt in the streets."

Psalms 18: 42

Rosedale, Mississippi

1930…

Robert Johnson knelt in the dust at the dead center of the crossroads; he buried a rough sack tied with a string. He wore a hat and a brown blazer and had a guitar slung around his back. After patting the ground flat, he stood. Suddenly behind him was a beautiful young black woman in a white dress; he turned and saw her.

"Holy…" he gasped, startled.

"Holy?" the demon repeated as her eyes burned red for a moment. "Guess again." And she walked slowly towards him on bare feet.

Robert swallowed. "I want to play guitar," he told her before his courage failed him. "I want you to make me the best blues man that ever lived."

She placed a hand gently on his cheek. "If that's what you want." He nodded, and she smiled, pleased.

"So…how do we…do we shake on it?" Robert asked, stammering.

She shook her head, still smiling, and pulled him in for a deep kiss. When she pulled back, his eyes were closed for a moment. He opened them slowly, and he was alone; he pulled his guitar into his hands and caressed it.

Present day…

"So it's just like the Robert Johnson legend, right?" Sam asked as they stood next to the Impala; it was a new day and they were back at the crossroads, having just learned of Dr. Pearlman's death. "I mean, selling your soul at the crossroads, kind of deal?"

Dean nodded. "Yeah, except that wasn't a legend. I mean, you know his music." And was surprised when Sam shrugged. "You don't know Robert Johnson's songs? Sam, there's, there's occult references all over his lyrics, I mean, Crossroad Blues? Me And The Devil Blues? Hellhound On My Trail?" Sam frowned, Liz sighed, and Dean rolled his eyes. "The story goes, he died choking on his own blood, he was hallucinating, and muttering about big evil dogs."

Now that Sam understood perfectly. "And now it's happening all over again."

"Yeah," Liz agreed.

"We've gotta figure out if anyone else struck any bargains around here," Sam stated.

Dean groaned. "Great. So we've gotta clean up these peoples' mess for 'em? I mean… they're not exactly squeaky clean. Nobody put a gun to their head and forced 'em to play Let's Make A Deal."

"So what, we should just leave them to die?" Liz asked, shocked by what her twin was saying since it wasn't like him.

Dean scowled. "Somebody goes over Niagara in a barrel, you gonna jump in and try to save 'em?"

Sam glared at him. "Dean."

"All right. Fine," Dean sighed. "Rituals like this, you've got to put your own photo into the mix, right?" and he pulled a small photo out of the box. "So this guy probably summoned this thing, let's go and see if anyone inside knows him. If he's still alive."

It wasn't long before the Winchesters were walking up a set of wide, wooden stairs to the fourth floor of an apartment building.

"What's this guy's name again?" Sam asked.

"George Darrow," Dean responded. "Apparently quite the regular at Lloyd's. Though this house probably ain't up next on MTV Cribs, is it?"

"Yeah," Liz agreed. "So whatever kind of deal he made-"

"Wasn't for cash," Dean finished. "Oh, who knows. Maybe this place is full of babes in Princess Leia bikinis." Both Liz and Sam sighed. "No, I'm just saying, this guy's got one epic bill come due. Hope at least he asked for something fun."

Soon, they reached the landing and stopped in front of apartment 4C; the floor was dusted with a fine black powder.

"Look at that."

They crouched down, fingering it.

"What is that, pepper?" Dean wondered.

Just then, the door opened to reveal George, a middle-aged man with graying hair, wearing a grimy t-shirt and open button-down. "Who the hell are you?" he demanded as they quickly stood up.

"George Darrow?" Dean asked.

George glared at them. "I'm not buying anything." And began closing the door.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, looks like you went for the wrong shaker there," Dean said quickly. "Heh. Usually when you want to keep something evil out you go for the salt."

George stopped and stared at him. "I don't know what you talkin' about."

"Talkin' about this," Dean said, holding up the small picture. "Tell me. You seen that Hellhound yet?" and Liz elbowed him in the ribs.

Sam sighed. "Look. We want to help. Please. Just five minutes," he requested.

Reluctantly, George showed them in and poured himself a glass of whisky. The studio apartment was filled with paintings, completed and half-finished, and a nearby table was holding painting supplies.

"So what is that stuff out front?" Sam asked.

"Goofer Dust," George responded and they look at him blankly. "What, you kids think you know somethin' about somethin' but not Goofer dust?" Chuckling, he tossed Dean a brown sack, tied close with twine, and he caught it.

"Well, we know a little about a lot of things," Dean responded, opening the bag and fingering the dust. "Just enough to make us dangerous."

"What is it?" Liz asked.

"Hoodoo," George answered. "My grandma taught me. Keeps out demons."

Dean nodded. "Demons we know."

"Too well," Liz muttered.

"Well, then. Maybe it'll do you some good," George suggested and walked over to a chair. "Four minutes left."

Both Dean and Liz glanced at Sam, who took the lead.

"Mr. Darrow. We know you're in trouble."

"Yeah, that you got yourself into," Dean added.

"But it's not hopeless, all right?" Sam said, partly to Dean. "There's gotta be something we can do."

George sighed. "Listen. I get that you guys want to help. But sometimes a person makes their bed, they've just got to lie down in it," he informed them. "I'm the one called that demon in the first place."

"What'd you do it for?" Liz asked.

"I was weak," George admitted. "I mean, who don't want to be great? Who don't want their life to mean something? I just…I just never thought about the price."

Dean frowned. "Was it worth it?"

George shook his head, disgusted. "Hell no. 'course, I asked for talent," he explained. "Shoulda gone for fame. I'm still broke, and lonely. Just now I got this pile of paintings don't nobody want. But that wasn't the worst."

"Go on," Sam requested.

"Demon didn't leave," George told them grimly. "I never counted on that. After our deal was done the damn thing stayed at Lloyd's for a week. Just chattin'. Makin' more deals. I tried to warn folks, but, I mean who's goin' to listen to an old drunk?"

"How many others are there?" Liz asked.

George thought for a moment. "Uh, the architect, that doctor lady…I kept up with them, they've been in the papers. At least they got famous."

Dean nodded, that was true. "Who else, George? Come on, think."

George thought again. "One more. Uh, nice guy too. Hudson. Evan, I think. I don't know what he asked for. Don't matter now. We're done for."

"No. No, there's gotta be a way," Sam protested.

George glared and stood up. "You don't get it! I don't want a way!"

Sam was taken aback, along with Liz and Dean. "Look, you don't –"

"I called that thing!" George snapped. "I brought it on myself. I brought it on them. I'm going to hell, one way or another. All I want is to finish my last painting. Day or two, I'm done. I'm just trying to hold them off 'till then. Buy a little time. Okay, guys. Time you went, go help somebody that wants help."

"We can't just-" Sam began.

"Get out!" George repeated angrily. "I got work to do."

Sam wasn't about to back down. "You don't really want to die."

George rolled his eyes. "I don't? I'm…I'm tired."

Reluctantly, they left as George started painting.

That night, Evan Hudson was working at his computer when he heard a familiar loud barking outside his window; quickly he stood and pulled back the curtain, peering out. at that moment, his wife Julie entered.

"Evan? You spying on the neighbors?" she asked.

Evan quickly closed the curtain and shook his head. "No, I uh, I thought I heard something in the yard, but it's nothing. You all ready to go?"

Julie raised her eyebrows. "You know…if I didn't know better I'd say you want me out of the house."

"Of course not," Evan said, smiling slightly. "It's just, you, you've barely seen your sister since she had the baby."

Julie knew that was true. "Well, what are you going to do all weekend?" she asked.

Evan shrugged. "Um, not much, I, I got some bills to pay." He turned and looked at her sadly, crossing the room to take her in his arms. "Come here. I'll miss you."

Julie smiled, returning the hug. "You'd better."

Evan chuckled. "You know I love you, right? Forever."

"Of course. Evan, are you okay?" Julie asked, concerned.

Evan nodded. "Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine. Now get going." And he kissed her again.

Julie returned the kiss. "Okay, I'll call you when I get there." She went to the door, stopped, and turned back. "Hey, sweetie?" Suddenly her face twisted horribly, her skin went gray and cracked, eyes white. Evan recoiled and she returned to normal. "I love you too."

Evan just nodded and watched his wife leave. The question was…would he still be alive when she came home?

A while later, the Winchesters approached the front door, and Sam knocked, already sensing just how scared the man inside was. A moment later, Evan opened the door.

"Yes?"

"Evan Hudson?" Liz asked, and Evan nodded warily.

"You ever been to a bar called Lloyd's?" Dean asked. "Would have been about ten years ago." Terrified, Evan slammed the door and latched it. "Come on, we're not demons!" he protested.

Inside, Evan bolted into his office to hide.

"Any other bright ideas?" Sam asked.

Rolling his eyes, Dean stepped back, set himself, and then kicked the door down in one go; they entered the house.

Outside the room Evan has just entered, Dean prepared to kick down that door too, but Sam caught his leg, stopping him.

"What-" Dean began.

Looking at him pointedly, Sam turned the handle and pushed the door open gently. The room was quiet as they entered.

"Evan?"

Evan jumped out from behind a bookshelf, scared. "Please! Don't hurt me."

Sam held his hands out in a pacifying manner. "We're not going to hurt you, all right? We're here to help you."

"We know all about the genius deal you made," Dean added.

Evan was floored. "What? How?"

"Doesn't matter," Liz told him. "All that matters is, we're trying to stop it."

Evan looked at them, unsure. "How do I know you're not lying?"

"Well, you don't, but you're kinda running low on options there, buddy-boy," Dean pointed out.

Evan swallowed and started pacing. "Can you stop it?"

"Don't know," Sam admitted. We'll try."

Evan trembled at the thought. "I don't want to die."

Dean scoffed. "Of course you don't, not now."

"Dean. Stop," Sam hissed.

Dean ignored him and advanced on the scared man. "What'd you ask for anyway, Evan?" he demanded. "Huh? Never need Viagra? Bowl a perfect game? What?"

Evan stood his ground. "My wife."

Dean laughed. "Right. Gettin' the girl. Well, that's worth a trip to hell for."

"Dean, stop," both Sam and Liz snapped.

"No. He's right, I made the deal," Evan admitted, sighing. "Nobody twisted my arm, that…woman, or whatever she was, at the bar? She said I could have anything I wanted. I thought she was nuts at first, but…I don't know how to…I was desperate."

Sam frowned. "Desperate?"

Evan nodded. "Julie was dying."

"You did it to save her?" Liz asked.

"She had cancer, they'd stopped treatment, they were moving her into hospice, they kept saying…a matter of days," Evan explained. "So yeah, I made the deal. And I'd do it again. I'd have died for her on the spot."

Dean couldn't believe what he was hearing, partly because their dad had done the same thing. "Did you ever think about her in all this?"

Evan frowned. "I did this for her."

Furious, Dean advanced on him. "You sure about that? I think you did it for yourself," he growled. "So you wouldn't have to live without her. But guess what? She's going to have to live without you now. But what if she knew how much it cost? What if she knew it cost your soul? How do you think she'd feel?"

Sam moved forward and placed a hand on Dean's chest, pulling him back so that Liz could get him out of the room. "Okay, that's enough," he ordered and then looked over at Evan. "You just sit tight, all right? We're going to figure this out." and then followed Liz as she dragged Dean into the hallway.

"You all right?" he asked.

Dean grunted as he pulled himself free of his twin. "Yeah, why wouldn't I be? Hey, I got an idea." He then pulled out the Goofer dust. "You both throw George's hoodoo at that Hellhound, keep it away from Evan as long as you can. I'm gonna go to the crossroads and summon the demon."

"What?!" Liz yelped as the bag was shoved into her hands.

Sam was stunned. "Summon - are you nuts?"

"Maybe a little," Dean admitted. "But I can trap it. I can exorcise it, and I can buy us time to figure out something more permanent."

"Yeah, but how much time?" Sam asked.

Dean shrugged. "I don't know, a while. I mean…it's not easy for those suckers to claw their way back from hell and into the sunshine."

"No. No way," Liz protested.

"You're not allowed to say no, Liz," he stated, "and you can't say no either, Sammy, not unless you've got a better idea."

"Dean, you can forget it, all right?" Liz snapped before Sam could react. "I'm not letting you summon that demon."

Dean was surprised that Liz was arguing with him. "Why not?"

"Because we don't like where your head is at right now, that's why not," Liz stated.

Dean frowned. "What are you talking about?"

Sam sighed. "You know, you've been on edge ever since we found that crossroads, Dean, and I think I know why."

"We don't have time for this," Dean grumbled and brushed past Sam, but he was stopped by Liz getting in front of him.

"Dad," she snapped. "You're wantin' to do this because Dad made one of these deals, huh? Hell. You know that Azazel wants you down in hell, too, and I'm not letting you do anything that will cause that to happen."

"I know that, Liz," Dean said quietly. "I know that yellow-eyed demon was involved. I was there when he made the deal. So why can't I do the same to get him back?"

Liz sighed. "Dean, you know very well that if you did something like that, then dad would rip you a new one for doing something that stupid."

`"I think I hear it!"` Evan shouted, frightened. `"It's outside!"`

Dean sighed, hating that his siblings were right and that they were also running out of time. "Just keep him alive, okay?"

"Dean…" Sam began.

"Go!" Dean snapped and hurried away.

Sam and Liz exchanged looks, worried that Dean would do something really stupid.

A/N: I admit, I was seriously freak out when I first watched this episode, and writing out hasn't help stop the freaking out aspect. Darn crossroad demons. R&R everyone!