The minute that my head hit the pillow, I was asleep. And then I was awake again, somewhere totally different, in an office looking like it belonged to someone important. It was huge, with embossed dark red wallpaper, two of the walls actually glass windows, although it was too dark outside of them to see anything. Bookshelves lined a wall behind a huge mahogany desk.

There were two men near it, one sitting in a swivel chair and leaning lazily, the other standing on the other side, ignoring a seat that he could have used, instead propped up against a marble column, long legs crossed, wearing strangely old fashioned clothing...

I realized with a start that I knew both of them.

"Sit down, Jack," Crowley instructed.

"Rather not, thanks," Jack replied, nonchalantly, still leaning on the column.

A moment later, he was in the chair anyway, forced, it seemed against his will.

"You've been a bit naughty tonight, haven't you?" Crowley asked, toying.

"It was just a deal," Jack shrugged.

Crowley stood and walked over to the shelves that were behind him. They were filled with all sorts of oddities, old books, rocks, talismans, leaves, things in jars. What might have been a terrarium holding god only knows what.

"Ah, but I told you not to offer her a deal. And I know that you didn't just forget. You can't break orders."

"I didn't offer the deal," he replied, putting his feet up on Crowley's desk. "She did. Loophole."

"Well. That does put a bit of a wrench in things," Crowley muttered.

Jack raised an eyebrow.

"So you were going to do it? Give her what you gave me?"

"Yes and no. She would have had a few less... Liberties." Crowley replied, clearly wondering himself why he didn't do the same thing to the rebellious teenager in front of him. I wondered why he would tell these things to Jack. "And now, because of you, I can't hope to sell her so much as a grape."

"I wish I could say that I was sorry," Jack replied, leaning in his chair and staring absently out the window, only to slowly turn to Crowley. "But I simply can't bring myself to apologize."

"What you should bring yourself to be is grateful that I owed you. Otherwise..." He let the threat linger for a moment.

"You'd what? You can't touch me any more than you can her. Clause 12A."

"There are always loopholes," Crowley replied, unconcernedly.

"If you can find one to torture me, I'll pay you five hundred souls. I made my deal as best I could. Which was pretty damn good."

"Don't remind me."

"I regret that I have to. Let her alone. I'll take care of it."

Crowley paused from searching the bookshelf and laughed.

"You? You really think-" he paused for a minute. There was some kind of exchange, where Jack raised an eyebrow and smirked and Crowley stopped laughing.

I could see the body language, but not read it.

"She's not going to be pleased when she finds out who you are," Crowley replied, relenting, and apparently granting permission for Jack to have his way.

"No one ever is," Jack replied, a little sadly."'S alright, though. There's always you to come crawling back to."

"Just be careful you little bastard." Crowley replied.

These two were almost acting like father and son.

I wondered if that was part of Jack's deal, or was even real. Or if any of this had been. Everything faded to black, and I fell into a deeper state of sleep.

So, just a tiny but very important chapter here. I'm really excited to get this back on the road. Anyway. thanks for reading and for all of the positive reviews! Love you all (in a totally not creepy way). Ta!