Author's Note: Thanks for following on this story. It's definitely gotten much larger than I had originally planned. Can you believe this crazy adventure started from a single word prompt!?

Alice has been whispering in my ear ever since rain started pounding on the roof three days ago. The tornado warnings? Yeah, she loved that. Spent the last two nights reading In the Fold and Where Is My Mind chapter by chapter, backwards. She wants to save Sam and she's ready to make a deal.

Jefferson City, Missouri

Alice scanned the parking lot from inside the doorway again. She didn't know why she was; it wasn't like she was waiting for a car to drive up. She chalked it up to habit and checked the dusty clock on the wall. It had been thirteen minutes. She wasn't sure how long to wait before giving up and throwing Sam into the car. Except that she couldn't risk it. Not after what had happened earlier.

She could hear Sam in the other room, painfully calling her name. She hurried back to the bathroom doorway and looked inside. He was trying to claw his way out of the water, tightly gripping the edges of the worn tub. The ice had long melted but he was still shivering his way through the fever. It had lessened but not abated.

"This is a bad idea," he said as she stepped into view. "I can wait. Let's just get to Bobby's. Please…"

"No, you can't wait," Alice snapped. "And yes, this is probably the stupidest idea I have ever had. But it's the only one we've got."

"No plan B, huh?"

"Nope, just this one. So suck it up, buttercup."

He looked away from her, trying to force himself to find the strength to just stand but couldn't. He was done. The demon blood was going to win. He was going to die before he could figure out where Dean's soul was. He had failed. The physical pain was immense, but the shame of having someone witness this, his deepest failure, was hard. Last time he had gone down this road to addiction Dean had been angry and Bobby had been pissed. Those things he knew how to handle, but Alice—she was just plain annoyed. If it hadn't been for this weakness in him, they would be barreling down the interstate to find Dean's missing soul.

The last bit of demon blood in the flask had been enough to lessen the withdrawal but he could feel it, ready to spike again at any minute. The delusion that was Dean would be back soon; Sam couldn't imagine what he would say this time. Each time his words were more terrifying and more believable. Sam needed more demon blood to function on his own and Alice wasn't willing to leave him alone while she went hunting to find one.

"We can just go find a demon. I can tell you what I do and you can just do it. We can do this on our own," Sam begged again. "I'll be okay in the car."

He watched as Alice slowly shook her head, even as her harsh gaze softened. He tried once more, seizing what he hoped was a weakness. "Please Alice. I won't run! I'll stay in the car! I swear…."

"Sam, trust me," she muttered as she ran a hand over her tired face. "I wish we were on the road, headed to Bobby's. But I can't put you in the car if you're going to start getting tossed around like a rag dog again. And I can't get you out of the tub, you're still boiling. You'd be under ice right now but the damn ice machine broke. And to be honest, Sam…I can't trust you right now. You're an addict. You'll say anything you think you need to." She watched Sam's grip on the tub loosened as his face fell. She swallowed back the tone in her voice; it wasn't helping going to help anyone. "Don't worry about it. We'll figure something out if he doesn't show."

"He's not going to help us," Sam whispered as he leaned back against the tiled wall, his eyes closing in exhaustion. "He's not coming."

"Oh, I summoned his ass. He'd better show up," Alice snapped as she checked her phone. It had been nearly twenty minutes.

"He doesn't do freebies and we don't have anything he wants," Sam said through chattering teeth.

Alice shook her head without thinking. "Then we'll find something he wants. But slaughtering all those crossroad demons didn't really help your chances any either."

Sam could hear something in her voice, disappointment maybe. Irritation, definitely. He swallowed the lump in his throat and forced the words out. "So what do you think the demon meant about Dean's soul?"

Alice turned away slowly. She wanted to take her time and think it over, maybe even talk it over with Bobby before she gave any opinion to Sam. "I'm not sure…but I know we're going to look into it. But first things first, we have to get you back to Bobby's. Dry you out…make sure you're okay. Then we sort out the demon gossip."

Before Sam could respond to her comment, someone cleared their throat in the other room. "You rang?"

Alice spun around and closed the bathroom door behind her, hoping to block Crowley's view of Sam.

"I need a favor," Alice said with a grimace.

"I don't do favors. Ask anyone."

"Then what about a deal," Alice offered.

Crowley frowned and crossed his arms over his chest. "I retrieved my scroll. Your red pen handiwork may impede any future deals we may have had."

Alice smiled. "So you're saying that a little graffiti ruined any hopes of future business? You're a business man. You can't afford to be pissed off by everyone's opinion."

"That wasn't your opinion drawn all over Lucifer's signature," Crowley spewed angrily. He turned around and straightened his suit jacket, forcing himself to calm down. Anger made for hasty decisions. He needed to be cunning, not hasty. "Besides, I seem to recall you saying that we wouldn't have a business relationship, ever. And yet here you are, summoning me for a favor."

"So I spoke to soon. What's it going to take to make a deal?"

Crowley glanced around the motel room; his distaste for it was obvious. "This place is awful. It suits you though."

"Did you come here to shoot the shit all night or can we talk business," Alice snapped. She could exchange insults all night but Sam had needs and a very short shelf life.

"What do you need?"

Alice held out the flask between them. "Demon blood."

It was Crowley's turn to smirk. He had seen this coming. "So this is it then? Moose ran out of the good stuff and now he needs saving?"

"Something like that," Alice admitted. "I can either ask for it nicely or you can lose another cross roads demon. I'm going to get the blood from somewhere."

"So why bother calling me? Why not just go find a demon and deal with it? Why bother to ask me?"

"Convenience. I don't have time to hunt down a demon while Sam needs a baby sitter," Alice said with a grimace. "I was hoping that you might take our asking, rather than outright killing as some sort of professional courtesy."

"Coming from you that means very little."

"If you're not willing to make me deal, can you at least point me toward the closest demon?"

"There's another cross roads demon a hundred miles from here. He might make it there if you hurry but I wouldn't count on getting any of the red stuff."

"Why not," Alice asked worriedly.

"I can't just have cross road demons getting slaughtered every time Sam wants a taste of the good stuff. It's wasteful! Do you have any idea how much training goes into a cross roads demon," Crowley mused as he slowly moved toward the open motel room door.

"Probably none?"

Crowley shrugged. "Maybe not, it's an assumption on my part. But that's not the point! Consider yourself blackballed from all crossroad deals. No one will show up, simple as that."

Alice felt her temper flare. This was an unforeseen problem that could kill Sam. "He'll die without it."

"And?"

"And I'm willing to make a deal, right now, with you."

Crowley turned slowly on his heel and looked curiously at her. "What are you offering me? What have you brought along to trade with? Your soul is off limits, so what exactly do you want to give me for a pint of the good ol' demon juice?"

"What do you want?"

Crowley paused. "Information."

Alice laughed. "Information is worth more than demon blood and you know it! Sweeten the pot."

"Fine. I'll assume you have some questions of your own that need answering," Crowley mused as he slowly paced the room. "We swap answers. A question for a question. I get five questions and you get four. At the end, I'll see about sating Sam's blood thirst. Seem fair?"

"Coming from the King of Hell, it seems a little too fair," Alice said.

Crowley turned on his heel, considering how to ask the questions without tipping his hand. "Why is Sam killing demons?"

Alice's eyes narrowed. She wasn't going to give more information than required. "He's binging for demon blood. Hence he's killing them to get it. My turn; I want to know if demons lie."

"Sarcasm. That's my love language," Crowley said with his most charming smile. "We demons rarely have to lie. The truth is always so much more damaging that a lie need be."

"Do cross road demons lie?"

Crowley cleared his throat. "What about my next question?"

"Fine," Alice snapped. She was getting worried about Sam. She couldn't hear any noise from the other room.

"How have you come to be…whatever is it you are," Crowley asked with a vague gesture at her.

Alice swallowed her anger and rolled her shoulders, wishing she had any other way to play this game. "A curse."

"And how does—"

"Uh uh," she snapped, shaking her finger at him. "My turn."

He scowled and gestured at her. "Proceed."

"Do cross road demons lie? I want a firm yes or no answer."

Crowley paused. He was nearly certain what she was playing at. He knew what Sam had been after. "No. They're all business and contracts. That takes integrity."

"Sounds like bullshit to me," Alice muttered with a scowl. "Fine. You're turn."

"Do you know where Dean Winchester is?"

Alice considered the answer. She had seen him die. She had watched his pyre. She had his bones in a hex box in the car. But Crowley already knew Dean was dead. If it hadn't been for Sam's little bathtub confession she wouldn't have hesitated to answer but circumstances had changed. Across the room, Crowley cleared his throat. "Looking for a good answer? Would you like to phone a friend?"

She rolled her eyes. "Dean Winchester is dead. You already knew that. Why waste the question?"

"Is that really your question?"

Alice paused, watching his face. "Yes. Why would you waste the question on something you already know?"

He sighed and scowled at her. "Because Sam's been hunting Dean, even as he knows Dean is dead. My turn….do you know where Dean's soul is?"

Alice turned and faced him, scrutinizing him. "This would be easier if we could just compare notes on what we both know...To answer your question, no, I don't know where his soul is."

Crowley's expression didn't betray his puzzlement. "Last question for you. Use it wisely."

Alice considered her question carefully. He was obviously one step ahead of her. She crossed her arms and stared at him. She needed to get as much information as possible in one last question. "Where is Dean not?"

Crowley turned on his heel. "I can see why the boys needed you. You're not stupid—"

"Your answer please," Alice demanded. "And remember, good little demons don't lie."

Crowley scowled and considered leaving Sam to die. "He's not in Hell. Or Heaven. Or anywhere on Earth I can see."

"How did you check Heaven?" Alice asked curiously.

"Your part of the game is over, sweetheart. You don't have any questions left. Now, for my last question...how exactly did Bobby take ownership of your soul?"

Alice turned and crossed her arms defensively over her chest. "Some ritual he found carved in some saint's leg bone. It hurt like a bitch when he did it. Still does. The soul stays with me, but he has ownership of it."

"Interesting."

"And this," Alice said as she held out the flask.

"Where is he?"

Alice turned and opened the door behind her. She moved to the side, allowing Sam to come into view. He was nearly as white as the stained tile. His fever bright eyes were lined with dark lines; she couldn't even guess how long it had been since Sam had gotten real sleep. Probably not since before Dean had died.

"Are you sure he's alive," Crowley asked. "He looks dreadful."

At the sound, Sam's bloodshot eyes seemed to focus on them. He stared at Alice and Crowley in the doorway, not saying anything as they continued to talk. He slowly tried to pull himself into a sitting position in the tub, his movements made more awkward by his still bound hands. Crowley walked over and leaned down. "Got yourself in a royal mess this time Moose."

Sam pulled back from Crowley and looked hesitantly at Alice.

"So how long before you to get the flask filled and back to me," Alice asked, ignoring Sam's behavior.

Crowley held out his hand. "I'll need a knife."

"What for," Alice asked suspiciously.

"For my own reasons," Crowley growled back.

Alice frowned and sighed deeply before digging her pocket knife out. She watched as Crowley leaned down and grabbed Sam's hand. Sam tried to pull away weakly but couldn't; Crowley's grip was iron clad.

"What the hell are you doing," Alice exclaimed as Crowley jabbed Sam's thumb with the blade.

"Paying my debt," Crowley snapped as he brought the blade to his mouth.

Alice watched in fascinated horror as Crowley tasted the blood. "What the f—"

"I see the Amish upbringing has begun to wear off," Crowley dryly stated as he shook his head and dabbed the bitter blood from his mouth. "One flask full isn't going to fix him."

"What did you do," Sam slurred, pulled his still bleeding hand away from Crowley. He didn't feel any worse, but he was far from alright.

"Had to know how far you'd gone," Crowley said as he stepped back from the tub where Sam still sat in the cool water. "And you, Sam, are nearly around the bend. You've more demon blood than human at this point."

"Look, I don't want him supercharged. Just alive and not imminently dying," Alice explained. "Just enough to—"

"How many demon blood addicts have you seen in your lifetime," Crowley sneered. "I'm perhaps a little more apt to determine how much he needs to survive. I take it that is what you want—for him to survive, yes?"

"No shit," Alice snapped even as a shiver crept up her spine.

"Well, you're too late. He's gone a bit too far this time. One whole flask would keep him breathing for maybe another few hours if he's lucky."

"So just get him a whole demon," Alice shouted as she took a step toward him.

Crowley didn't budge as she stepped closer. "A full demon might get him up and even passable for normal, if he didn't do anything stupid like try to use any demon fueled powers. But even then, that would only last for a short time."

"So what are you saying? What's it going to take to get him back on his feet?"

"I'm saying that his Winchester luck has finally run out! A demon a day wouldn't keep him alive for more than a week. He's done. Not worth the bloodshed at this point. Might as well do him a favor and mercy kill him here," Crowley said as he stared down at Sam. "Sorry Moose. But this time, you're stupidity finally caught up with you."

Alice felt herself getting angry and forced her hands to her side. "I want you to pay up and get me that flask full of goddamn demon blood. You owe me that."

Sam slowly turned his head toward Alice. "Don't, Alice. Just do it…"

"SHUT UP, SAM!" she shouted before turning to look down at him. It made her cringe, how awful he looked sitting there. She could imagine what John would have said, disappointment at how she had failed to save not one, but both of his sons.

"I'm done." Sam stared up at her, a faint shrug all he could manage. "It's over." Maybe it was his fever, or maybe it was the delusions beginning again, but the usually faint red in her eye was beginning to burn bright like fire. He remembered when he had first noticed it, back when he had worked with her to save Dean from the Wendigo, back when he had first gone toe to toe with her. "Go home Alice."

"I told Bobby I was bringing you back and that's what I'm going to do."

Crowley turned back to Alice. "Stubbornness won't save him… Didn't save Dean either, did it?"

Without a thought, Alice landed a sharp slap across his face. She felt herself flush, heat rising from her skin. She leaned close to Crowley, her eyes locked on Sam, as she whispered in Crowley's ear. "I don't have much else to offer, or bargain with. But what I do have is all of eternity to ruin your every goddamn day. I might not can kill you, but I can make you miserable. Starting with letting all your followers know that you struck a deal that promised to help the very Winchester that has been killing them. Think of all those cross road demons you helped send to their very permanent deaths. Even a king has to be loyal to his subjects, especially when in Hell."

"I'll get the blood, and you and I will settle this later," Crowley hissed.

"Good," Alice snapped. "So how are we going to do this?"

"You can use a knife, although that creates a lot of waste," Crowley asked.

Alice practically growled at him. "I meant where is the damn demon we're getting blood from?"

You're looking at him."

"NO," Sam cried out, trying to rise from the water. "Not you…"

He didn't get far before Alice pushed him back into the water. "You can't be serious," Alice snapped at Crowley as she placing herself between them. "You're not giving Sam your blood! Demon blood is bad enough, but—"

"But what? Can you afford to be picky? I didn't realize you had options aplenty," Crowley snapped.

"Just get me some random demon! I don't want your blood in him," Alice exclaimed.

"I can't just drain one of my men to help a Winchester. I am not going to play into your hand and let that rumor get out. We wagered blood, you never specified whose blood it was to be."

Alice tiredly ran her hands over her face. She was playing with fire. Hellfire, no less. Bobby was going to kill her. But probably not until she finished digging her own grave.

"You want blood or not? I have a schedule to keep."

Alice glanced over at Sam. He was staring at her. "Sam, you with me? You want to help make this decision?"

His eyes flicked from Crowley to Alice. She leaned down to get eye level with him. "Sam, I know you're in a shitload of pain. This isn't what I wanted for you, but this may be the only thing I can offer you. You heard what Crowley said. You aren't going to make it to Bobby's without demon blood."

He took a shaky breath and locked eyes with her. Her expression was guarded but he could see the determination in her eyes. She wanted him to say yes, she expected him to say yes, but she also wanted him to make this decision for himself.

"Do you want it?" She stared at him, all but nodding as she asked the question.

Sam hated himself as his situation seemed to worsen. He desperately wanted to say yes. But of any demon out there he could feed his addiction from Crowley would have been the last one he would have picked. Sam knew Alice would get him just enough to keep him alive, not enough to hunt for Dean. He was stuck between misery and death. If Dean could only see him now. He would be so disappointed.

"Sam, I need you to choose," Alice said, drawing his attention back to her.

"I won't lie to you Sam, it's going to hurt like nothing you've had before. But you're about to die anyhow," Crowley mused aloud as he turned the pocket knife in his hand. "So…do you want to die now? Or later, after more excruciating pain? You could ask your friend here to mercy kill you. Or you could ask me to save you…"

"Shut up, Crowley," Alice snapped before turning to back Sam. "I need you to decide."

Sam tried to think past the pain but it was difficult. The ringing in his ears had returned, as well as the pounding headache. His bones burned with every movement and the lukewarm water in the tub felt like fire licking at his skin. But even with Crowley's blood, he was just delaying the inevitable. Whether it was in some random motel's bathtub or Bobby's panic room, he was going to die. He bit his lip until he tasted his own blood and turned away from Alice. "I can't."

Alice hung her head and shook it. "Then I will," she said as she held the flask up to Crowley. "Fill 'er up."

Author's Note: I've got the next chapter underway. I just need Castiel to speak to me.

He's being a little shit.

Angels are dick.

Even on Christmas.