Chapter 2

"I'd say it's good to see you, but then I'd be lying," Crowley said, smirking. "After all, you trapped me in Hell."

"And the rest of the mother—"

"Language, Dean," Crowley snapped. "There's a lady present."

Claire joined them.

Crowley stared at her with an evil gleam. "Little young for you boys, don't you think."

"And you're an asshole pervert demon," Claire stated, glaring at Crowley. He stared at her, somewhat taken aback.

"Spunky," he said. "Where'd you find her?"

"How did you get out?"

"Beats me. Someone must have opened a devil's gate."

"Impossible," Sam said, seizing Crowley's jacket and shaking him. "Those gates are supposed to be permanently closed."

"Well, yes, about that, Moose," Crowley said, pushing Sam off him and dusting his coat as though it got a little dirty. "It was closed. We were all trapped. We shouldn't have been able to get out at all."

"Then how?"

Crowley shrugged. "No one knows. It's not Lucifer or Michael. They're still in the cage. I doubt it was God, but someone opened the gates somehow. The spell you used, only an angel or something or someone stronger than an angel could have broken it."

Crowley backed away. "Till next time, boys." He said. Crowley looked at Claire again and smirked, "Same to you, Sweetheart." He vanished.

Claire looked at them. "Crowley?"

"Yep."

"He's a dick."

"A major dick," Dean agreed. "And we're screwed seven ways to hell."

"Why?" Claire asked.

"We're the ones who trapped them, with the help of a prophet."

"What kind of angel would want demons back?" Sam asked.

"I'm not thinking angels," Dean said heading into the room. Sam and Claire followed. "I think we're dealing with a leviathan."

"Leviathan?" Sam asked.

"Well, why not? They're the first creatures God created right? They're as strong as the angels, even stronger."

"I don't think leviathans would want the demons back," Sam said. "The less competition the better it is for them."

"Demon's aren't competition. The monsters however, they are."

"Still, why bring back demons?"

"I got a more disturbing question," Dean said, "how many demons can do what Crowley can do now? You know, go from gas to solid?"

"Does it matter?" Claire asked. They looked at her. "They're here again. You know how to send them back to Hell."

"We're not going to have another chance. They'll expect us to try again."

"Don't underestimate me," Claire hissed.

"This isn't about underestimating you," Dean said. "It has more to do with keeping you safe if anything. Crowley's gotten some sort of interest in you."

"So? He's a demon. I know a few exorcisms and how to draw a devil's trap."

"Good. You've got a defense."

"Which is the closest thing to an offense we got right now," Sam said. "When we banished all the demons back to hell, our only offensive weapon became completely useless." He dug through a bag and held out a broken dagger shaft. The blade had been completely destroyed. "We didn't think much of it, since there were no more demons to worry about."

Claire stared at the dagger. "But 'defense' worked out well enough for the most part."

"Yes, but we can't track down every demon that got out and send them back via exorcism. They'll come back eventually."

"Plus, seven years of rusty demon lore, a lot of hunters are in for a world of hurt."

"Then we give them a head's up," Claire said, pulling out her phone. "I'll call my contacts. How about you do the same?"

Claire left the room, dialing numbers as she did.

Sam and Dean exchanged looks again.

"Crowley was right about one thing," Dean said. "She's got a lot of spunk."

"Dude, Cas' daughter."

"Yeah, I know. Do you?" Sam glared at Dean. "Hey, at least she's legal."

"I thought you stopped trying to hook me up with women. Besides that is a fifteen year difference at least."

Dean blinked. "Bobby and Annie."

Sam narrowed his eyes at him. "Annie did the three of us, Dean. She doesn't count."

"Sam, c'mon, cute blonde chick who looks like Jess. You think I wouldn't notice?"

"Jess was seventeen years ago, Dean," Sam said, taking out his phone. "I healed. Besides, Claire is not Jess." He dialed a number and began warning all the hunters he could.

Dean shook his head. Sam wasn't that old, there was nothing wrong with getting it on with a girl as cute as Claire had become. He did remember her: the little preteen who ended up smiting a few demons when her family was attacked.

The bad ass action from that night must have rubbed off on her, he thought.

#

Claire pocketed her phone, having finished texting all her contacts. She debated whether to go back inside, see how the brothers fared. She decided against it and went back to her own room.

"A little rusty on demon warding, aren't you."

Claire turned around. Crowley smirked at her.

"What do you want?"

"A deal, Sweetheart. You're proximity to the brothers is advantageous for me."

"Only temporary." Claire crossed her arms. "I'm not helping you. I'm only sticking with them till they tell me what really happened to my dad."

"Hmm. Your dad? Perhaps we have an agreement. Spy on the Winchesters for me, and in return I'll find your father for you."

"Unless you know what happened to Castiel—"

Crowley's smirk vanished. "Castiel?" He stood. "Castiel is your father?"

"Castiel is inside my father."

"You're never going to see him again in that case," he said. "Last I heard, Castiel, and your father, were stuck in purgatory."

Claire shook her head. "That's not true either."

"I promise you, I'm not lying. I saw him go. Dean went too. He escaped seven years ago and left his boyfriend behind to rot. So, Claire," Crowley said, staring at her again. It was disconcerting. "Do we have an agreement?"

"No. I don't believe you. He's alive and he's not in purgatory. Now get out of my room before I exorcise your ass back to Hell."

Crowley shrugged. He patted her shoulder as he left.

When the door closed behind him, Claire ran to the bathroom, fully intending to take a shower. Crowley didn't touch her skin, but damn! She felt dirty.

As the water beat against her skin, rolling off her back like beads, Claire thought about what she had been told so far.

What happened to her father?

Dead? Purgatory? Neither of them seemed right. But what if that was exactly right. What if her intuition was wrong and her father was dead or worse?

Claire wept, unable to hold herself in any longer.

#

Dean sat in the chair, downing a fifth of whiskey. Seven years had gone by since he thought about what happened that day in purgatory.

Cas screaming for his help. Benny holding him back as the Leviathans pulled Cas away.

He knew he'd have to own up to it eventually, but to have to own up to it now when demons have returned to walk the earth again.

And just as Claire Novak showed up demanding to know what happened to her dad.

In a way, Dean felt relieved. Demons were sometimes too easy to get rid of. Other times, they were damn difficult. And he'd been begging for a challenge.

"Dean! Dean!"

Dean closed his eyes and bowed his head, massaging his temple.

Sam stepped out of the bathroom.

"What is it?"

"Nothing," Dean said, straightening. "Nothing. A little tired, is all. It's been a long day."

Sam scoffed. "Tell me about it. Tell Claire the truth tomorrow."

"I can't." Dean said, taking another sip. "If I tell her the truth, she'll probably kill me. I just…left him there, Sam."

"Dean, it was not just Cas back there, but her father. She's come this far, tracked us down. The least we can do is tell her the truth."

"Then you tell her!" Dean shouted. "I can't look at that kid in the eyes knowing what I know."

Dean bowed his head again.

"Dean! Dean!"