The Devil You Know
Sam, Dean, and Michelle walked through a hospital, dressed in their suits, led by a doctor, all of them wearing surgical masks as the hospital was over crowded with the sick. They paused in a waiting room to see people everywhere, hunched over, coughing, sniffling, sneezing, looking miserable.
Dean turned to Sam, "Hey, check it out," he gestured to his mask, "I look like the king of pop," Sam just rolled his eyes at his brother, "Too soon? Too soon."
"Don't get me wrong I'm glad the CDC is here," the female doctor stopped and turned to face them, "But what we really need is vaccine."
"Yeah, you got that right," Dean commented, looking around.
"Well, tell me, have you noticed anything unusual about this strain?" Michelle asked, "Any signs of behavioral change?"
"Like aggression?" Sam suggested, "Maybe?"
"Excuse me?" the doctor's eyebrows scrunched in confusion.
"Have the flu victims shown any sign of homicidal tendencies?" Dean asked nonchalantly.
Michelle refrained from rolling her eyes. She'd given the boys a run through of a better way to ask those sorts of questions, Sam seemed to be paying attention at least.
The doctor just looked between them, "Um, symptomatically speaking we're looking at a relatively mild case of swine flu here. Probably add up to a miserable week off of work, that's about it."
"So nothing unusual," Dean clarified.
"Well, day and a half ago we didn't have a…" the doctor continued, taking a clipboard another doctor had handed her, "Single case, now we're looking at over seventy. An infection equivalent to a brief case bomb, so yeah," she looked down to sign it as they exchanged looks, "I might call that a little unusual."
"Day and a half," Michelle whispered to them.
"That's the same time that the statues started crying," Dean commented.
"Yeah…" Sam agreed.
"I'm sorry, what was that?" the doctor looked up sharply.
"What was what?" Dean asked, just a slight nervous hint in his tone.
"Did you just say a bunch of statues started crying?" the way her eyebrows moved, they just knew she was frowning at them.
"A what?" Sam laughed nervously…apparently he hadn't been paying that much attention, "No, no, who…"
"Who would say that?" Dean finished suspiciously, "Huh?"
"Crazy people," Michelle said, giving them a hard look, telling them they were acting like crazy people.
"Exactly," Sam nodded.
"Which we are not," Dean grinned.
"Jury's still out on that one…" Michelle muttered.
The doctor looked at them oddly a moment before sighing, "Just…get us some vaccine."
They nodded as she walked away. As soon as she was gone they let out a breath of relief, their happiness at having gotten away with it lasting only a moment before Michelle smacked them both upside the head.
"What did I tell you about that?!" she hissed at them, glaring.
They both gave her a sheepish look before she rolled her eyes at them and walked out, the two following behind.
~8~
The Impala was speeding down the road that night, Sam in the passenger's seat, talking to Bobby on his cell, Bobby on speaker, while Dean drove and Michelle sat in the back, a book and a pen light in her hand.
"Let me guess," Bobby said, "Another steaming hot pile of swine flu?"
"Yup," Dean replied.
"Doesn't make any sense though," Michelle frowned, "Pestilence touched down here, I'm sure of it."
"Why's he dealing up soft serve like swine flu when he's got the Croatoan Virus up his sleeve?" Dean asked, "I don't get it."
"Doesn't matter what the sick son of a bitch is doing," Bobby countered, "What matters is this is the fourth town he's hit, that we know of, and we're still eating his dust. Did you get anything? We got even a snowball of his probable next target?"
"Uh, no pattern we can see," Sam said.
"Ok," Bobby sighed, "Hold on…" there was the sound of wheeling and then Bobby was back on the line, "As far as I can tell, he's still heading east so…head east I guess."
"East?" Sam and Dean asked at the same time, looking at each other.
"Bobby we're in west Nevada," Dean replied, "East is practically all there is."
"Yeah well, you better get to driving," Bobby replied before hanging up.
Dean sighed as Sam flipped the phone closed.
"Hey," someone said behind them. Michelle quickly moved to the side as Crowley appeared beside her, "I've got an idea."
Dean, seeing the demon in the rearview mirror, jammed on the brakes, turning the car as Sam grabbed the demon-killing knife and half-threw himself over the seat to try and stab Crowley, only for the demon to disappear and the knife go through the backseat.
"Did you get him?" Dean asked as the car stopped.
"He's gone," Michelle breathed.
"You ok?" Sam asked, shaken by how close a demon had gotten to her. God, Crowley could have killed her or popped out with her and they would have been powerless to stop it.
"Fine," she smiled lightly at him, holding up her hand which already had her gun at the ready. As soon as she'd seen Crowley she'd grabbed it and been about to fire when Sam acted.
Someone knocked on the window, standing outside the car. Sam leapt back into his seat to see Crowley.
"Fancy a favor and chat?" he asked. The trio quickly stormed out of the car, well Sam and Dean did, Michelle just got out, eyeing the demon cautiously, "You're upset. We should discuss it. Not here but…" he backed away quickly at the advancing brothers, both of which had stepped in front of Michelle as though to protect her. Neither was too happy with him getting the jump on them as well as having been so near Michelle when he had.
"You wanna talk?" Sam demanded, "After what you did to us!" he stalked towards the demon.
"After what…after what I did to you?" Crowley asked incredulously, "I gave you the Colt!"
"Yeah and you knew it wouldn't work against the devil!"
"I never!" Crowley sounded offended.
"I did," Michelle said, they turned to look at her, "I must have told you both a dozen times it wouldn't kill Lucifer. You didn't listen."
"Doesn't matter," Sam replied, turning to face Crowley again, they had thought that, since a demon like Crowley, clearly powerful, believed the Colt would work, that it just might, "You set us up. We lost people on that suicide run. Good people!"
"Who you take on a ride is your own business!" Crowley countered, "Look…" he glanced between the three, "Everything is still the same. We're all still in this together."
"Sure we are," Sam scoffed, before lunging and trying to slice him with the knife, but he disappeared, reappearing behind them. Sam nearly growled as Crowley had the nerve to stand behind Michelle and hold her shoulders, actually seeming like he was cross between using her as a shield and hiding behind her.
"Call your dog off please!" Crowley shouted.
Dean looked over at Michelle, Sam having frozen at seeing that he could not attack the demon without potentially harming Michelle. Michelle nodded and Dean reached over and tugged Sam back.
"Give me one good reason…" Dean began, not too happy with the demon's position either.
"I can give you Pestilence," he said quickly.
"What do you know about Pestilence?" Michelle asked, trying to look behind her at the demon.
Crowley popped up, looking over her shoulder at the boys, "I know how to get him. That's got your interest hasn't it?"
Sam looked over to see Dean actually considering the demon's words, "Are you actually listening to this?" he wasn't sure what he was more angry about, the fact that Dean wasn't doing a thing to get Crowley away from Michelle or that Crowley had managed to get behind Michelle in the first place.
"Sam…" Dean began.
"Are you friggin' nuts?!"
"Shut up for a second Sam."
"Shut up the both of you!" Michelle and Crowley shouted at the same time. The boys looked over at them to see Michelle and the demon looking at each other in shock.
Crowley cleared his throat before stepping away from Michelle. As soon as he had, Sam had reached out and pulled her away, to his side. Crowley eyed the movement before sighing and talking more calmly to the boys, "Look, I swear, I thought the Colt would work. It's an honest mistake. It's all part of the learning process. But nothing's changed. I still want the devil dead. Well, one thing's changed. Now the devil knows that I want him dead which, by the way, makes me the most buggered son in all of creation."
"Holy crap, we don't care!" Dean snapped.
"They burnt down my house!" he shouted as they all shook their heads at him, "They ate my tailor! Two months under a rock. Like a bloody salamander! Every demon on Hell and Earth's got his eyes out for me! And yet, here I am, last place I should be…" Sam gripped his knife tighter, Crowley eyed it, concerned. Michelle, seeing that they would probably need the demon, for now at least, reached out and laid a hand on Sam's, calming him down just a bit, "In the road, talking to Sam and Dean Winchester and Michelle Davidson, under a friggin' spotlight!" he raised his hand and blasted the street light. They looked at him as he took a breath to calm himself, "So come with me. Please," they didn't move, "Do you want the Horsemen rings or not?" Dean looked over at him, startled, "Yes, I know all about that. Shall we?"
He gestured for them to move but they stayed still.
Michelle sighed and turned to the boys, "Let's go."
"Michelle…" Sam began, hurt that she, too, was trusting a demon.
"If he can get us the Horsemen's rings, then great. If he can't…then we kill him," she shrugged, "Win-win for us."
Sam sighed, seeing the logic, and more than a bit hopeful that he'd get to kill the demon that had his grimy paws on his girlfriend.
~8~
They entered an old, decrepit house, Crowley gesturing around for them to see its rundown appearance, "Here we are. My life on the lamb. How the mighty have fallen. Single pane glass, used contraception in the fireplace…" he lifted a hand and a fire started in the fireplace, "The water damage alone…" he trailed off, turning to face them.
"My heart is bleeding for you," Dean said sarcastically, "Now how do you know about the rings?"
"Well now, I've been keeping a close eye on you lot."
"We got hex bags, right, we're hidden from demons," Sam argued.
"All but one," Crowley smirked, pointing at himself, "That night you broke into my house, our first date, my valet hid a tracking device in your car. A magical coin that easily trumps your bags and bows, allows me to hear things too. And my, the thing's I've heard…" he laughed, "So you wanna cram the devil back in the box, cunning scheme. I want in."
Dean eyed him warily, "You said you could get us Pestilence."
Crowley grimaced and turned around, "Well now, I don't know where Pestilence is…per say. But I do know the demon who does," he added quickly, turning to face them, "He's what you might call the Horsemen's stable boy. He handles their itineraries, their personal needs. He's who you want, believe me. He'll tell us where sneezy's at."
"Well how do we get him to spill? Rip out his toe nails?"
"Well, you do have a walking demonic torture machine riding around with you," Crowley countered, eyeing Michelle.
The boys tensed.
"Not going to happen," Sam said fiercely, stepping closer to Michelle, who had tensed as well. She still had bad feelings about all that.
Crowley just shrugged, "Nah, nuts of his pay grade don't crack anyway," he smirked at the boys, "Bring him here, then I sell him."
"Sell him?" Sam frowned.
"Please, I've sold sin to saints for centuries," Crowley rolled his eyes, "Think I can't close one little demon?"
"Alright, so where's this demon of yours?" Dean asked.
~8~
Later that night as Dean was packing a bag of supplies he and Michelle had gathered, Sam stood beside him, "Why are we even listening to him Dean?" Sam asked, "This is totally insane."
"I don't disagree," Dean said, loading a gun.
Crowley clapped and they looked up to see him enter the room, "One big happy family are we then? Fantastic."
"You ready to go?" Dean asked, glancing at the demon.
"Yes, yes, I am. Sam keep the home fires burning."
Dean looked up as Crowley turned to go, "What are you talking about?"
Sam frowned, looking up as well.
"Sam's not coming," Crowley answered as he stopped in the doorway to face them.
"Why the hell not?" Sam glared at the demon.
"Because I don't like you," he said simply, starting to list all his reasons, "I don't trust you. And, oh yes, you keep trying to kill me."
"There's no damn way," Sam shook his head, "This isn't gonna happen!"
"Well I'm not asking you, am I?" Crowley countered, "'Cause you're not invited. I'm asking you…" he pointed at Dean, "What's it gonna be?" Sam looked over at Dean and then back at Crowley, "Well then, enjoy your last few sunsets."
He turned to leave, when Michelle called out, "Wait," Crowley stopped, waiting, Michelle sighed ,"Dean, go with him. I'll stay here with Sam."
Sam looked at Michelle in shock before turning to his brother, "Dean. Don't."
Dean just picked up his gun and walked out after Crowley, stopping to look back at Sam, "Ok, say I believe the guy..."
Crowley smirked and walked out, Dean following along as Sam watched in horror. He turned to Michelle as soon as the front door shut, "Is this what Dean felt when I picked Ruby?"
She smiled sadly and shook her head, "That one felt much worse. Because, while Dean may believe him, it doesn't mean he trusts him and it doesn't mean he'll ever leave you Sam or defend Crowley over you."
Sam looked down, guilt coursing through him once more.
Michelle stepped forward and took his hand, "Come on," she tugged him back into the makeshift living room, "Gotta keep the fires burning, right?" she smirked at him, a suggestive look in her eyes.
He couldn't help but smile at her for it and let her push him down onto the couch, climbing on top of him as his arms wound around her.
~8~
Sam was sitting before the fire later, taking a swig of whiskey, speaking with Bobby on the phone as quietly as he could. He and Michelle had gotten cozy on the couch earlier and she'd drifted off, so he was loathe to wake her.
"So Michelle tells him to go with him and then Dean just walks," Sam sighed, "Right out the door, with Crowley."
"Well look Sam," Bobby replied, "I got no love for demons, and yeah, this whole thing is crazy, but, I don't know, after a year of chasing up zilch, maybe its time to go crazy."
"Yeah, maybe," he sighed again, "Hey Bobby…" he took another swig.
"Yeah?"
"Uh, remember that time you were possessed?" Sam hesitated a moment, not really wanting to bring it up.
"Yeah, rings a bell," Bobby said, Sam could practically hear the eye roll in his words.
"When Meg told you to kill Dean, you didn't. You took your body back."
"Just long enough to shank myself, yeah."
"Well, how'd you do it?" Sam got up and walked over to lean in a doorway to the kitchen, "I mean, how'd you take back the wheel?"
"Why are you asking Sam?" Bobby's frown was evident in his words.
Sam just took another swig, "Say…we could open the cage. Great. But then what? We just lead the devil to the edge and get him to jump in?"
Bobby sighed, "You got me."
"What if you guys lead the devil to the edge…and I jump in."
Over on the couch Michelle's eyes snapped open as she watched him in the doorway, his back still to her.
"Sam…" Bobby started.
"It'll be just like when you turned the knife around on yourself, one action, just one leap," Sam continued.
"Are you idjits trying to kill me?!"
"No, Bobby…"
"We just got done talking your brother off the ledge and now you're lining up to say yes?!"
"It's not like that, I'm not gonna do it."
"Does Michelle know about this?" Bobby asked him, a threat underlying his words.
"No. Neither does Dean, look Bobby I'm just…"
"After everything that girl's done for you…you're gonna let the devil take you over? You know what that'll do to her?"
"I won't do it!" Sam shouted, finally getting a word in, "Not unless we all agree. But I think we gotta look at our options."
"This isn't an option Sam," Bobby nearly growled.
"Why not?"
"You can't do it. What I did was a million to one! And that was some piss ant demon I was brain wrestling. You're talking about taking back control from Satan himself!"
"Yeah, yeah I am."
"Kid…it's called possession for a reason. You, of all people, ought to know."
"Well I'm strong enough…"
"You ain't. He's gonna find every chink in your armor Sam and use it against you. Your fear, your grief, your anger, and let's face it you're not exactly Mr. Anger Management. How are you gonna control the devil when you can't control yourself."
"I've been better lately. Michelle's been helping me and…"
"That's just it. You don't think the devil's gonna kill her first chance he gets? Make you kill her?" Sam froze at the notion, "The devil won't just use your fear, he'll use everything against you, including her. Me, Dean, Michelle, we're all fair game here."
Sam nodded slowly to himself, "Yeah, alright Bobby. Talk to you later."
He flipped the phone closed before Bobby could get a word in and sighed, rubbing a hand down his face.
"Love usually bests demonic possession," a voice said behind him. He spun around to see Michelle sitting on the couch, looking at him.
"You were awake?" he asked her, his eyes wide in fear of what she would say about his idea.
"I'll tell you what I told Dean," she smiled at him a bit, a small one that didn't reach her eyes, she was unhappy, "You both really need to learn when I'm awake or not."
He smiled and walked into the room, sitting down beside her, "So how?"
Her smiled morphed into a smirk, "You'll figure it out eventually," they were silent for a moment before she spoke again, "Don't change the subject Sam."
He sighed, "How much did you hear?"
"All of it."
"And?" he turned to her.
She frowned, taking his hand in her own, "And…you're stronger than you were, I agree there," he started to smile, "But…" he frowned, "It's a huge risk. We really need to think every detail through first before we even begin to form a plan."
And with that, she leaned over and put her head on his shoulder, just snuggling into his side. His arm wound around her automatically as he thought on her words. And then he realized…
She hadn't said no.
~8~
Dean was grumbling to himself as he tied up the demonic stable boy in the living room of the rundown house, inside a Devil's Trap. He'd wished more than once that Michelle had gone with them on their errand. She could see the demons and the humans, she could have dealt with the stable boy more easily than he had and, as she proved numerous times, she was a far better liar than he was. Hell, she probably could have kicked the demon's ass before he even laid a hand on her, especially with all her angelic powers starting to act up from the looming Apocalypse.
He heard someone coming down the stairs, two sets of footsteps, and realized Sam and Michelle must have heard the Impala.
He glanced over at the archway that led to the hall to see Crowley standing there, ready to intercept Sam and Michelle.
"Where's Dean?" Sam asked, seeing Crowley.
"Now, for the record," Crowley cut in, not answering, "I'm against this. Negotiating a high-level defection it's…very delicate business."
Sam just rolled his eyes and tried to walk into the next room but Crowley moved into the way, holding up his hand to stop him, "What are you talking about?" Sam frowned.
"I begged Dean not to come back. He should be miles away from you…" he nodded to Sam's side, where Michelle was standing, "But he insisted the girl could keep you under control and then replied with a colorful rejoinder about corn shoot."
"Wasn't all I said," Dean called, walking into the small foyer.
"Dean!" Michelle shouted, taking in his beaten appearance.
"What happened to you?" Sam asked, eyes wide at his brother.
Dean shrugged, "Few cracked ribs, cut on head, busted lip…"
Michelle stepped up and frowned, biting her lip.
"Go for it," Dean said, seeing her expression, it was one she typically wore when she had an idea or wanted to say something but wasn't sure it would go over well.
Michelle sighed and held out a hand, resting it on Dean's chest. He could feel a warmth spread through him. Sam's eyes widened. When Michelle pulled away he turned to a broken mirror behind him to see that all his injuries had been healed. He looked in perfect health. He smirked and turned to her, "That could be very useful."
She smiled a bit.
"So she's the angel-child," Crowley remarked, eyeing her.
The boys tensed as they looked over at him. Michelle just put a hand on Sam's shoulder, "The demons figured it out a long time ago, remember? War?" she turned to Crowley, "I'm guessing you heard it through the grapevine?"
"And then some," Crowley smirked.
"So where's the demon?" she asked, turning to Dean, getting back on topic.
Dean nodded to the room he'd just come out of, motioning for them to follow.
"Oh, go ahead, go ruin our last best hope," Crowley called out as they walked into the room, "It's only the end of the world."
Sam and Michelle paused, seeing someone in a suit tied up to a chair inside a Devil's Trap, a bag over his head with an upside down pentagram on it.
"Sam…" Dean began when Sam took a step towards the demon.
"What's going on Dean?" Michelle frowned, both he and Crowley seemed reluctant for Sam to get too close.
Dean sighed, "I need you to stay on mission," Dean turned to his brother, "Ok? Focused," and then to Michelle, "I need you to keep him on mission."
"I don't understand," Sam frowned, shaking his head, "What's all this about?"
"I'm doing this because I trust you," Dean continued as the man started to move, lifting his head.
"Trust me to what?"
"Sam?" the man called, they looked over, Sam's gaze sharp as he recognized the voice, "Sam, is that you?"
Dean sighed and pulled the bag off the man's head, Sam stared in shock, "Brady?"
Michelle looked confused a moment as Brady looked up and smiled.
"Brady hasn't been Brady in years," the man laughed, "Not since oh…middle of our sophomore year?"
"What?" Sam breathed.
"That's right!" Brady smirked, victorious, as Sam looked at Dean and back at him, "You had a devil on your shoulder even back then."
Sam started to breathe heavily, freaking out.
Michelle turned to him, laying a hand on his arm, "Sam?"
"Alright now, let it all sink in…" Brady began.
"You son of a bitch!" Sam shouted, glaring at Brady, who just smirked back, "You son of bitch! You introduced me to Jess!"
He lunged at Brady, but Dean pushed him back, Michelle grabbing an arm to help hold her boyfriend back. Sam was pissed. Yes, he'd moved on from Jess's death, and he'd found peace in Michelle, but to be confronted with an old friend, now knowing that said friend had most likely planned to have Jess killed…he wasn't in love with Jess anymore but it didn't mean he wanted her to have died because of him.
"Ding ding!" Brady goaded, "I think he's got it."
"Damn it Sam!" Dean shouted, pushing with all his might.
"I'm gonna kill you!" Sam threatened.
"Sam, stop it!" Michelle called, managing to pull Sam into the foyer again with Dean, Brady laughing the entire time.
Dean gave a final shove, pushing his brother away from him. Sam just turned and stormed back towards the room but Dean got in his way, "Hey! That's enough!" he shoved Sam again till his stumbled.
"Get out of my way," Sam threatened.
"No."
"Get out of my way Dean."
"No," this time it was Michelle who answered as she stepped in front of Sam beside Dean.
"Michelle…" he began. He had no problem punching his brother…but just the idea of hurting Michelle…
"You need to calm down Sam," she told him gently, "I understand. You're pissed because Jess is dead and you realize now that a demon gave her to you just to hurt you by killing her. But you can't kill Brady…not yet."
"There is only one way to win and it ain't by killing that thing in there," Dean agreed just as Crowley walked in.
"Well, sounds like you got him nice and fluffed," the demon remarked, walking towards the room, "Thanks so much."
Sam glared, watching him disappear into the room.
"Listen to me," Dean turned to his brother, "We need Pestilence to get the devil and we need Brady to get to Pestilence."
"Why?" Sam asked, "Because Crowley said so? Because we trust him now? Like I trusted Ruby? Or like I trusted Brady back in school?"
"It's gone back far longer than that," Michelle said quietly, but they heard her nonetheless.
"What?" Sam breathed, on the verge of feeling like his whole life was a giant lie. She had mentioned something like this before, but he hadn't given much thought to it, it hadn't seemed real, but now...
"The priest, during my first hunt with you, he tried to manipulate you away from Dean. The teacher at that high school who told you to do what you wanted," she shook her head, "I would guess almost everyone who tried to get you away from family was a demon Sam. They really wanted you vulnerable…and without your family, that's what you are."
Sam shook his head, "No…"
She stepped forward and took his hand, "But they failed. You hear me Sam. They failed, you're too strong to be affected by them anymore. You have your family, you have Dean, and now you have me. We won't let them toy with you again. Right Dean?" she looked over her shoulder at Dean, who nodded, a determined look on his face, "Good," she smiled, tugging Sam back towards the stairs, "I'm going to take Sam to calm down, watch Crowley," she called to Dean.
~8~
Sam crept up to the bathroom door, where Dean was splashing water on his face, slamming it shut and locking it. He quickly put a chair under the knob just to be safe.
"Sam!" Dean shouted, banging on the door, "Sam come on! Michelle!" he yelled, trying to get the girl's attention from wherever she was to stop his brother.
Sam turned to his side and held a finger to his lips motioning for the girl in question, who was right beside him, to keep quiet. She rolled her eyes, as though she would ruin their plans by talking. The only way Sam had gotten her to agree to this was by allowing her to call the shots.
"Hey! Open the door! Open the door!"
Sam pulled out the demon-killing knife and walked into the room that held Brady, clearly Crowley was having a hard time getting to him.
Brady looked up, smirking, clearly expecting Sam…but his smirk faded when he saw Michelle there as well, "Why's she here?" he asked. Sam didn't answer, but the grip on the knife tightened. Michelle stepped forward and put a hand on his arm, relaxing him a bit. Brady's eyes widened in realization, "Oh she's here to keep you in check. Got you on a short leash huh?" Sam just glared at him. Brady rolled his eyes, "Well, here we go. We doing last words or no?"
"Sophomore year, huh?" Sam finally spoke.
"Brady here, he was a good kid. Straight arrow. I mean, your best friend really. Perfect point of access."
"Thanksgiving?" Sam guessed, recalling a time when Brady had changed drastically.
"Yes sir," he laughed, "Remember when I came back from break all messed up, dropped out of pre-med, the drugs, the bitches?" Sam nodded, "That was the new Brady. That was me. Remember how much time you spent trying to get me back on the right track? You really were a good friend. But old yellow eyes didn't send me back to be your friend. No, he could tell we were starting to lose you. You, becoming a mild-mannered, worthless, sack of piss. Now come on, we couldn't have that! You were our favorite. So I hooked you up with a pure, sweet, innocent piece of tail. And then I toasted her on the ceiling. That's right, Azazel might have put the hit out on Jessica…" Sam's grip tightened again, but Michelle did nothing to stop it this time, "But man! I got to have all the fun!" he laughed, "You know?" Sam looked up, "She thought we were friends too. Let me right in. She was baking cookies. She was so surprised! So hurt when I started in on her…" Sam lunged at him, holding the knife to the demon's throat, "Do it! It'll make you feel better!" Sam shook, "Do it Sammy! Do it! Come on! Come on!"
Michelle stepped forward, putting a hand on his shoulder. Sam took a deep breath and stepped back. He took Michelle's hand in his own and turned to walk out of the room.
"Oh, she's got you whipped!" Brady called after them.
But Sam just kept walking till they got to the foyer, before pulling Michelle to him, hugging her tightly.
"Thank you," he breathed in her ear, knowing she knew he needed to hear the truth from Brady, hear why he'd done it, and be reminded not to kill him.
She just nodded into his shoulder, continuing to calm him down enough where he could deal with Dean.
~8~
When they headed back to the bathroom, Dean was still banging on the door, calling for Sam or Michelle to let him out.
"I'm out here!" Sam shouted back, walking up tot the door, "Alright. I'm gonna open it."
He opened it to reveal a very pissed off Dean, "What happened?" Dean demanded, storming out.
"Nothing."
"My ass," Dean scoffed, heading toward the room with Brady.
"Dean…I'm fine," Sam breathed, actually feeling ok.
He'd done what Michelle had once suggested he do when he encountered a demon that made him angry beyond normal levels of anger and she wasn't around when it happened, he'd pictured something that brought him peace. He'd found himself, quite often, recalling the feeling he had when he would wake up in the morning with Michelle nestled in his arms…nothing, to him, was more peaceful than that.
"Yeah, and what about Brady?" Dean asked.
"Like you said…" Sam sighed as Dean walked into the room to see Brady still alive, sitting there, "We need him."
Dean paused a moment before rounding on Michelle, "What the hell was with you locking me in?" he asked her, "Letting Sam loose on that guy?"
Michelle rolled her eyes at Dean's dramatics, he really needed to have more faith in his brother, "It was something Sam needed to do on his own."
"You were there," Dean pointed out.
"Fine," she countered, getting a little pissed at his attitude, "It was something he needed to do without someone judging him."
That seemed to snap Dean into place. He stiffened, his eyes widening at her statement. And then he realized…he'd been expecting the worst out of Sam, but so far, his brother had managed to control himself…excepting the little lunge when he'd first seen Brady, but that sort of shock couldn't be helped.
"God," Crowley gasped, appearing behind them, they spun around, "The day I've had," he shook his head. They just looked at him as he walked into the room with them and Brady, "Good news! You're going to live forever."
"What did you do?" Brady asked, eyeing Crowley suspiciously.
"Went over to a demon's nest," Crowley shrugged, "Had a little massacre. Must be losing my touch though, let one of the little toads live. Oops. Also might have given said toad the impression that you left your post last night because you and I are…wait for it…'Lovers in League Against Satan,'" Crowley grinned as Brady closed his eyes and shook his head, "Hello darling," he greeted as Brady opened his eyes again, "So now, death is off the table. Now you get to be on the boss's eternal torment list with little old me."
"Oh no, no, no, no," Brady groaned, shaking his head, "No. No!"
"Something else we have in common, apart from our torrid passion, of course," Crowley continued, "Craven self-preservation. So, now, why don't you tell me where Pestilence is at?"
Brady opened his mouth to give a retort, when a howl echoed throughout the house. They all looked around, the trio startled, while Brady looked fearful, "Oh God Crowley…" Brady breathed.
"Was that a hellhound?" Dean asked as Crowley turned to face them.
Sam moved closer to Michelle, taking her hand in his own, thinking back to the last time they'd encountered a hellhound, how close she'd come to dying…like how Dean had already died at their hands...if it hadn't been for her angelic healing…
Michelle squeezed his hand, pulling him out of his thoughts, reassuring him.
"I'd say yeah," Crowley grinned.
"Why was that a hellhound?" Dean asked again.
"What's that?" Sam asked as Crowley pulled out a coin from his pocket.
"Remember how I was telling you about my crafty little tracking device?" Crowley grinned.
"Yeah?" Sam said slowly, almost fearing the answer he knew was coming.
"Demons planted one on me," Crowley said nonchalantly.
"You're saying a hellhound followed you here?" Michelle frowned, sensing something lying beneath the surface of Crowley's statement.
"Well, technically, he followed this," Crowley held up the coin again.
"Get me out of here, I'll tell you anything you want," Brady called, struggling in his bindings.
"Shut up," Sam shot back.
"Ok, well, then we should go," Dean nodded quickly.
"Sorry boys, no one knows more about the hounds than I," Crowley mock sighed, "Long past the point of car," he flipped the coin up in the air and Dean caught it, when he looked back up Crowley was gone.
"Damn it!" Dean snapped.
"I told you!" Sam rounded on his brother as Michelle frowned at the spot Crowley had been standing in.
"Oh, well, good for you…" Dean rolled his eyes, "Luckily we have salt in the kitchen."
He turned and headed out of the room to get the salt as Sam called after him, "We'll watch Brady."
Brady scoffed, "Watch me? Get me the hell out of here!"
"You want some cheese with that whine?" Michelle rolled her eyes at him, "It's just a little hellhound. You'll live."
There was another howl and the sound of a window breaking, followed by a table, followed by the sound of a gun firing three times.
"Sammy!" Dean shouted, firing again as he backed into the room. He looked over to see Sam using Michelle's knife to free Brady, while Michelle stood by with her own shotgun out.
"Salt?" Sam asked, looking up at Dean, Dean just gave him a look and loaded the gun.
"Damn it get me out of here!" Brady yelled.
"Shut up!" both Dean and Michelle shouted at once.
"Great. Just great."
"Hey!" someone called. They looked up to see Crowley standing in the room Dean had just come from.
"You're back?" Dean shook his head, confused.
"I'm invested," he shrugged, "Currently…" a dog barked from beside him, "Stay!"
"You can control them?" Dean's eyes widened.
"Not that one," he gestured to one near Dean but then patted the air next to him, "I brought my own. Mine's bigger. Sic 'em boy!"
Dean ducked back over to Sam, Brady, and Michelle as Crowley's hound attacked. They watched as the hounds tore up the room, blood splattering everywhere as Dean scratched the Devil's Trap and Sam finished the ropes, Michelle guarding them.
"Go!" Sam shouted, "Go, go, go!" they ran out of the room, as the hounds entered, and outside towards the Impala, "Go, go!"
Crowley was already standing there as they got in, "I'd wager a thousand my pup wins," he laughed as they got in and bolted.
~8~
They were standing in a tunnel that night as Brady explained what he knew about the Horsemen's whereabouts.
"Yeah, I'm sure Pestilence will be there, thanks," Brady handed Crowley a paper with an address on it.
Crowley took it, looked at it, and walked over towards Sam, Dean, and Michelle waiting a few feet away.
"What do you think?" Dean asked the demon.
"It's good," he said, handing it to Dean, "You got no reason to lie have you?" he called back to Brady, smirking, "Like I said before, you're in my boat now."
"You've screwed me," Brady glared at him, "For eternity."
"Nah, won't last that long," Crowley grinned, "Trust me."
He and Dean turned to leave, Brady just standing there, "Where are you going?" he called as they walked past Sam and Michelle, who stood there, watching him.
"I'm going…to do you a favor," Crowley called back, before looking over at Sam, "I expect we'll be in touch."
Crowley turned and walked off, stopping at Dean, who was making a salt line. Dean paused, letting Crowley slip past and disappear, before finishing and walking back over to Sam and Michelle.
"What is this?" Brady asked, eyeing the three of them.
"All those angels, all those demons, all those sons of bitches, they just don't get it, do they Sammy?" Dean asked, eyeing Brady.
"No they don't, Dean," Sam agreed.
"You see Brady. We're the ones you should be afraid of…and trust me, you should really be more afraid of Michelle, 'cause, honestly, she scares the crap out of us on a good day."
Brady laughed at that. But Michelle just held up a hand, now glowing. Brady's eyes widened as he realized that the rumors they'd heard of the child of an angel were true…and she was standing right before him. He tried to laugh off his fear as Sam got in a defensive fighting position with the demon-killing knife, slowly walking towards him, "I bet this is a real moment for you big boy. It'll make you feel all better. Huh?"
"It's a start," Sam admitted.
"Gonna make up for all the times that we yanked your chain," Brady continued, though slowly backing away from the Hunter, "I bet your girlfriend there told you about a few of them," he tried to smirk at Michelle, "Old yellow eyes, Ruby, me. But it wasn't all our fault, was it? No, no, no, no. You're the one who trusted us. You're the one who let us into your life. Let us whisper in your ear, over and over and over again. Ever wonder why that is Sammy? Ever wonder why we were so in your blind spot? Maybe it's because we got the same stuff in our veins. And deep down, you know you're just like us."
He lunged at Sam, but Sam managed to defend himself, cutting Brady twice on the arm and then slashing his back. Brady fell, face first, against the back wall, groaning in pain, before spinning around to glare at Sam, "Maybe you hate us so much because you hate what you see every time you look in the mirror! You ever think of that?!" he started to laugh as he tried to speak, "Maybe the only difference between you and a demon is your Hell is right here!"
Sam lunged forward, the knife at Brady's neck, "Interesting theory," he said after a moment of glaring into Brady's eyes, "Want to hear a counter?" Brady said nothing, not that he was in the position to do so anyway, "This isn't my Hell…" he glanced over his shoulder at Michelle, still standing there, always supporting him, "It's my Heaven," he turned back to Brady, "And the real difference between me and a demon…" he stepped back, allowing Brady to sink to the ground as he walked back till he was beside Michelle, taking her hand, "I have an angel looking out for me," he looked over at her and nodded.
She squeezed his hand in return and stepped forward, crouched before Brady, pausing a moment to see the fear in his eyes as she reached out and touched his chest. Brady's eyes filled with a horribly dark light as demon smoke began to burn within him, much like when the other angels exorcized demons…though this time, they knew, Michelle was getting stronger by the day, and Brayd...he wasn't being exorcized, he was being killed.
A/N: I hope last chapter sort of explained why Michelle seems so powerful. She's the daughter of an archangel, one of the most powerful creatures there are. And as Heaven's power rallies, her powers are being activated, getting stronger the nearer it gets. Just how strong will they become? Well, we've only got 2 (OMG!) chapters left to find out :) Next chapter we get Death, I love him, he's so creepy in a cool way :)
Just to mention something from a review. There's a small reference to how Michelle knows Bobby, I think, in my second chatper of 'Hell.' It was really a sort of throw away line so it's understandable if it was read over. When Michelle was a little girl her parents found a group of creatures nearby and called in some backup, John Winchester (we now know they'd met him when he was possessed by Michael before Michelle was born). He came to help, with Bobby, who had been travelling with him and the boys at the time. That's how Michelle first met him, and Bobby seems to be a sort of go-to guy for a lot of Hunters so I could imagine her family keeping in touch with him over the years. He and Michelle have gotten especially close since she started travelling with the boys, but I could see her relying on him after her parents died for guidance in what little her family history didn't prepare her for and just needing a father figure again :) Hope that explains a little about the Bobby/Michelle dynamic :)