A/N: Sorry again for the long delay. I have fully moved and things have settled down a bit. I'm hopeful that this will allow me more time to write, and mean more updates to this story. What started as a simple writing exercise has developed a life of its own. As I'm sure you've noticed, a real story line is starting to develop. I have some notes and an idea of where it will go; we'll see what happens. Things are gonna get worse…much worse…
Well, here we go…
The chain slid over whatever was holding it and Dean crashed to the ground. He held himself up with one hand for a moment, the other tucked protectively to his chest. He waited, not daring to breath, as the echoes of his fall and the chains movement faded. Until the only sound was Lisa's muffled sobs. He waited for the demon to return.
Nothing. Either he hadn't heard or he didn't care. Dean flipped himself over and examined the cuffs at his feet. There was no escaping them. He crawled on his knees and the arm that wasn't broken as far as he could, just reaching Lisa. Ignoring the intense pain, he stretched out his mangled hand and took hold of her arm. She screamed and thrashed, but he held tight and pulled her to him.
"Shh, shh. It's ok. I'm not gonna hurt you." He croaked, shifting into a kneeling position and pulling her into his lap. She fought him, but there was little strength left in her. "Please, Lisa. Don't fight me. Let me see your face."
She froze when he said her name and looked into his eyes again. Her face was so covered with cuts and blood that Dean could barely recognize her. She looked so terrified, so lost. Dean's heart shattered at the sight. He had never allowed himself to love a woman like he loved her. He was so sure he'd saved her, kept her from harm. "Who are you?" she whimpered. "How do you know my name?"
"My name is Dean, Dean Winchester, and that's a little hard to explain. I know you though, and you used to know me." He hugged her close, tears slipped down his face. "I'm so sorry. I," Dean's voice broke, "I thought you would be safe. I thought you and Ben were safe."
Lisa let out a crazed whine that started low and gained in volume until she was screaming. Dean had heard the sounds of a lot of pain in his life, but nothing, not even the screams of Hell, had sounded like this. "Lisa! Lisa, what is it?" He shook her, desperate to get through to her, to find out where she was hurting. The cuts on her face couldn't account for the wail coming from her throat. "Lisa, please. Please stop. He'll hear you! He'll come back!"
The scream died out in a ragged way, like she had screamed out her soul and there was now nothing left. She grabbed onto him and began to sob, pressing the ragged remains of her face into his shoulder. He thought she was speaking, but he couldn't make out the words. Desperate, he pulled her face up to his. The words become clear, horrifyingly, terribly clear. "He killed him! He tortured him! He killed him!"
"Lisa! Lisa who did he kill?" Dean didn't want an answer. There was only one death that could illicit this response and he didn't want to know. He wanted to die himself rather than hear Lisa's hiccuping voice struggle to say the name.
"Isn't this sweet?" Dean's head shot up at the sound of Malleaphar's voice. The demon was standing before them, smirking. He reached a hand down and grabbed Lisa's head. Dean held tight to her, not daring to let go, willing to do anything to stop her pain. She clung to him, desperate to stay away from the demon. Malleaphar laughed. "Let's make this a little more fun, shall we?" He crooned, eyes white and locked on Dean's. He shifted his hand to press two fingers to Lisa's forehead, then stepped back and watched.
Lisa's whole body went rigid at his touch, then slumped into Dean when the demon pulled away. Dean shifted to check her pulse, but before he could see if Malleaphar had killed her she shuddered and was suddenly upright again. She looked dazed for a moment and then looked up at Dean.
"Dean?" She studied his face for a moment and then recognition filled her eyes. "Dean! No! No you have to get away! He'll kill you! He-" Her voice broke and she hugged him fiercely. "Dean," she whispered, "he killed Ben." She broke down into sobs once more and Malleaphar laughed.
"What is this Crowley? What are the white-eyed demons?" Sam yelled into the phone.
"Nice to hear from you Moose, I see you got my message." The King of Hell's voice came from the other end. "Where are you? We should talk."
"To hell with that Crowley!" Sam spat. "You can say it over the phone. What is this?"
"Face to face or nothing Moose. I'm not doing this any other way." Crowley growled.
Sam relented. "I'm near the coordinates you gave me. There's nothing here! It's just a patch of National Forest. It stretches for miles." He looked around himself at the woods and the road. He hadn't even seen a car pass him for hours. The forest stretched out on both sides of the road, seemingly endless in every direction.
"I'll be right there." The line went dead and a rush of air announced Crowley's presence behind Sam. "Hello Moose."
Sam spun to face him, pulling at the wound in his side as he did so. "What do you know Crowley?" He growled.
Crowley tucked his hands into his pockets and shrugged nonchalantly. "Not much more than you Sam." Sam started to shout at him, but Crowley put up a hand to stop him. "Hold it. I came to help, believe it or not. I don't know much, but what I do know is enough to tell me you won't rescue Dean alone."
"I've killed white-eyes before Crowley. Now tell me what you know or I will end you." Sam pulled the Ruby dagger from his belt and held it up threateningly.
Crowley raised both hands in surrender, brows drawn down in an angry frown. "I just said I was here to help and you threaten me? Me?!" With a flick of one hand he flung Sam into the side of the Impala, pinning him there. The dagger fell to the ground. "Now you listen here, Moose. Dean is dead unless I help you. Worse than dead. If you don't show me just a little courtesy you can kiss your brother goodbye."
Sam gasped from pain, the wound in his side had broken open from the impact and he could feel the blood soaking his shirt. He nodded. "Sorry Crowley, haven't slept in a few days." Crowley released him and he slumped to the ground. With an air of concern, Crowley bent down and helped Sam to his feet.
"Where's Cas? We'll need that fool angel if we're going to have a chance, especially with you barely standing."
Sam shook his head. "No idea, I've prayed to him but he hasn't answered." Sam squeezed his eyes shut. "I'll try again." He turned and pressed his hands on the Impala. "Cas I really need you. I've teamed up with Crowley, this is big man. Dean's in trouble, more than we can handle on our own. Please, Cas. Answer me dammit!" He righted himself and looked around. He saw exactly what he thought he would, nothing. He looked at Crowley and shrugged. "See? Nothing."
Crowley shook his head and took out his cell, pressing a button on it and putting it up to his ear. "You'd better answer your Moose you buffoon. I'm not going up against Malleaphar on my lonesome. I will leave Dean to die." Then he hung up and looked pointedly at Sam. "Try again."
Sam heaved a heavy sigh and closed his eyes. "Castiel, I'm hurt and teamed up with Crowley. Dean has been captured by Malleaphar. Come on man." He opened his eyes and looked around, then turned to Crowley and shrugged.
The low rumble of a car engine filled the air and both Sam and Crowley looked around, startled by the sound. They looked up the road and saw a gold Lincoln Continental speeding towards them. Sam felt like an idiot as the car pulled to a stop and a terrified and angry Castiel leaped out of it. Of course Cas hadn't answered, Cas couldn't fly. Sam slid to the ground as Cas ran to his side. He touched the wound and held his blood soaked fingers up to his face. Cas hit the ground beside him just as Sam began to laugh, a half-crazed sound that echoed into the woods around the three. Castiel glared at Crowley before pressing two fingers to Sam's forehead.