Crashing through the prickly protruding branches of the pine trees, Dean dashes to aid his brother, wielding a loaded pistol. "Sam! Don't do it! She'll kill us all!" He is followed closely behind by Alex, who is struggling to keep up with his remarkable pace.
Cory groans. "For God's sake, gimme a break... Look, do you want me to summon Lilith or not?"
Sam's attention is diverted back to the demon before him. "So you'll do it?"
"I could." he shrugs. "But what's in it for me?"
"How about I don't exorcise you?" Sam scowls, glancing about him to the surrounding trees. Cory follows his gaze. There are symbols inscribed in the bark; distinct devil's-trap symbols that cage the two of them.
"I will not be blackmailed by a hunter." Cory snarls, folding his bare arms. "I'll tell you what I want: I want you to give up your supplies."
"'Supplies'?"
"I want you to tell me the whereabouts of Ruby."
"What does Ruby have to do with this?" Sam says defensively.
"Lilith has quite a bone to pick with her." Cory informs him. "If you surrender the treacherous bitch, then I can quickly exchange her for Lilith."
"What?" Sam scoffs. "No!"
Dean and Alex finally arrive on the scene, panting and heaving.
"Ok...if that's how it's gonna be..." the demon shrugs. "I'm gonna give you one final option."
"I'm listening." Sam assures him.
The demon grins, bearing his yellowed teeth. "Dean."
Dean stops panting and eyes the demon dangerously. Alex looks between the three men, anticipating the decision. Sam's heart stops with every second.
"C'mon Sam." Cory beckons. "What's it gonna be? Ruby? Or Dean?"
It's too late. There doesn't need to be a decision. The hesitation is all it takes for Dean's heart to break, sharply stabbing like a knife to an artery. He squints slightly, with the force of the wind and the water in his eyes.
Alex, standing just behind his shoulder, detects the sudden slump in Dean's posture, as though his body is on the brink of collapse. He steps forward.
"Neither. Have me instead."
Sam keeps his gaze fixated on the forest floor, and the leaves trembling beneath his boots. Dean looks to Alex with not only surprise, but admiration, combined with agony.
Cory sneers at the pathetically pale boy confronting him. "Kid, your chance has long gone. I've got bigger fish to fry."
"You know what?" Sam interrupts. "Just forget it."
He turns on the spot, but is suddenly gripped by the throat by some invisible rope, pulling him back.
"Not so fast, Winchester." the demon snarls. "I'm not finished with you."
"Hey, let go of him you son of a bitch!" Dean grimaces, before he too is lifted off his feet and hung by his throat.
"I could kill you both right now." Cory threatens. "Or, even better; I could hand you straight over to Lilith."
"Fuck this..." Alex mutters, and snatches the loaded pistol from the ground where it was dropped. While the demon is preoccupied with his hostages, he fires the gun.
The silver bullet strikes Cory in the pelvis. He drops the two brothers. "Ow, Alex! That tickled!"
"It was enough to damage the skin." Sam splutters, clutching his throat desperately to recover his breath. "And therefore damage your vessel."
Cory glances down at his stomach. Blood is spilling heavily from the wound, seeping into the soil and dyeing the rotten leaves red.
"Oh, it's all clear now..." he laughs, half panting. "Was this the plan all along? Shoot me up and then throw in a little sacrificial lamb to step in for you?"
"No!" Dean snaps as he crouches on the ground. "No, Alex is not becoming your vessel!"
"Dean, please." Alex smiles, silencing him with a gesture. He addresses the demon directly. "Here's the deal: you take my body, my soul, whatever, as long as you promise to leave these boys alone. Forever." He takes a sharp intake of breath before continuing. "I want you to hide them from whatever it is that's hunting them. And finally, I want you to leave this mountain, and never come back. Go and find somewhere else to fuck up people's lives."
Cory is close to hyperventilating now, grasping his bleeding guts; but he still manages to smirk. "Who are you to be calling the shots?"
"If you don't find a new vessel quick, you're gonna die." Sam reminds him.
Cory looks helplessly to the painted trees which trap him. The realisation strikes him that Sam is right, and he has no choice but to comply. "Alright then, Alex. You know my terms and conditions."
He holds his free arm out as though offering a hug. Dean grits his teeth. "No, Alex, you can't do this!"
Alex rolls his eyes. "You can't stop me. You're not my boyfriend...and you never could be." "Josh was a one-off. I know I can't bring him back...so I'm gonna join him. And I'm helping you and your brother in the process. Goodbye Dean."
Alex embraces his fate in a final sealing kiss with the demon in the orange Hawaiian shirt. The consuming black smoke drifts from Cory's stubbly lips and straight into Alex's mouth. Sam and Dean watch, half-intrigued, half-sickened as Cory's discarded meatsuit drops to the floor.
Alex stands up, and brushes the soil from his shirt. "Well thank God that's over. Now how about you boys let me out of this cage? In return, I'll send you away unscathed." His eyes glaze over with a misty white smoke. "Deal?"
Dean observes Alex's new form with sadness. Sam glances from his brother to the demon. "Yeah, sure."
He rubs the red paint off the bark of the trees and sets Alex free.
"You know, maybe you're not such a bad guy after all, Sam Winchester." the demon grins. "Lilith shouldn't be so afraid of a guy with a heart like yours. Good luck preventing the apocalypse."
He edges backwards, further into the trees, and pauses.
"Oh, and by the way, Dean. I'm sorry you lost your new playmate. But don't worry - he's still here." Alex taps his temple. "He just wants to say thank you for helping him overcome his grief. The two of you would have made a great couple."
Dean snarls viciously as the demon plays with his tangled emotions. Alex laughs and throws his head back to the sky. The fog has cleared and the stars shine down upon the scene.
"Goodbye boys! See you around sometime!"
Alex vanishes into the early morning air. Dean stares at the empty space for a short while after, before Sam tugs at his sleeve.
"Dean. Come on, let's go."
Sam leads him away down the mountain trail, with the starry-night sky glistening above their heads.