Here we are again, so soon! Chapter 3 already :P

Disclaimer as per usual

I have to say that I'm a little disappointed with the reaction to this story, with only one reviewer I can't tell if people like it or not. It has a fair amount of traffic but hardly any followers. I'm sorry to say that if things don't pick up then I may discontinue this. There's no point posting something that no one likes.

Enjoy

On the last part, Abbadon's actual torso, Dean went on ahead to the dig site while Sam kept an eye on the various boxes containing limbs. They were slowly shifting closer together, as if they could sense their nearness (if that was a word) and it wouldn't do for them to reassemble before they got her somewhere safe first. Dean didn't mind the solitude. To tell the truth, Sam's constant worried glances and weak attempts at small talk were giving him a headache. He had cracked a few jokes but his heart wasn't in it and he knew that Sam could tell. He hated worrying Sam. Especially a Sam that was as fragile as he was now. The first two trials had really taken their toll and he wasn't sure that the third one would make him any better.

Why hadn't he just killed the damn hellhound? Better him than Sam. If the third trial ended up killing him (and of course it was, when did anything this important not kill one of them?) then Dean would never forgive himself. Sam had managed a life outside of hunting. He hadn't. Lisa and Ben had been a dream but never really tangible, he had been happy, but that life wasn't right for him. When all of the sons of bitches were sucked back to Hell, where did that leave him? Sure, there might still be some monsters out there but if not then what would he do? He was a hunter. He had always been a hunter. And he would die a hunter. Sammy didn't deserve that life, it was because of him that he'd even come back to it. He stuck the shovel hard into the dirt and heaved dirt out of the makeshift grave.

It was too late for him to jump in now, as he'd known it would be. But he had trusted Sam, because Sam had asked him to, he had said he could handle it. And now he was coughing up blood and feverish, huge headaches and glowing on occasion which was scarier than the other physical symptoms put together. He hated seeing Sammy in pain. There was a reason that he had wanted to do the angel trials instead.

He heard a noise behind him and straightened up, rubbing his back

'I'm nearly done, Sam, give me a minute' he turned to face his brother and was met instead with an evil grin and black eyes, Dean yelled and lifted his shovel, but the blow hit him before he could swing it, he staggered but recovered quickly and leapt out of the grave. They circled the hole in the ground slowly, eyeing each other. Dean didn't recognise the man the demon was possessing.

The demon launched itself at Dean and they tumbled to the ground, Dean lost the shovel and they were throwing punches and struggling to gain the advantage, Dean managed to slam it's head against a rock but somehow the demon managed to position itself so it's feet were on Dean's stomach.

Dean went flying across the clearing and smashed into a tree. Pain exploded in his head and black spots danced across his vision

'Sam!' he cried, he wasn't far away, surely he would hear. The demon laughed as he watched Dean struggle to his feet, spitting blood from his mouth

'Your brother has already been taken care of.' it said, 'all it took was one blow to the head. Pathetic-'

Dean ignored his pain and roared, barrelling into the demon he slammed his fist into the demons head again and again, he heard something break but he didn't stop. If he could just knock him out... Sam had the knife. He paused for a second to assess the damage. The demon's face was a bloody mess and he wasn't moving. Dean stood shakily and turned to the direction of the impala, he hefted the shovel at the ready and went to go and check on Sam. The impala was there, but his brother wasn't

'Sam!?' he yelled, spinning around to search the trees 'SAM!' his throat felt constricted and his heart tightened painfully in his chest.

'Do stop yelling Dean' came the slick, gravelly voice behind him 'Sam's fine. For now' Dean's blood boiled and he spun around quickly, ready to swing but the shovel went flying and suddenly there was a demon on each arm and he was facing the king of Hell

'Crowley' he growled, pure venom in his voice 'You son of a bitch! Where's Sam?'

'Don't worry squirrel, you'll be reunited with your precious moose in 3, 2, 1'

'Dean!' Sam called out to him. Dean looked around wildly and saw his brother tied to a chair, he looked unharmed

'Sammy, you okay?' he asked as the demons holding him forced him into another, similar chair, facing his brother, on the other side of the dirty, circular room.

'Yeah, you?' Dean just nodded and began to struggle, testing his chains which were tight and unrelenting the demons watched. It was likely that they'd heard tales of how badass the Winchesters were. The stupid ones would be overjoyed at their powerlessness, and would be less careful; the smart ones would keep their eyes open. Dean prayed for stupid.

Crowley appeared directly in the centre of the room

'Hallo boys' he greeted, as he always did

'Can't think of anything original to say, Crowley?' Dean shot back. Crowley smiled, as if he was indulging a child

'Now, now, squirrel, mind your manners' he said; wiggling his finger in Dean's direction. Dean responded with a very colourful two words. Crowley just laughed

'Now, I hoped you were going to say that. Makes my job much easier. Now shut up for a second squirrel. I need to have a word with moose.' Crowley then turned his back on Dean but still spoke loud enough for the both of them to hear

'Now moose. What I need from you, is to stop all of this... demon trial nonsense. I'm sure you can see how this will affect my business if you close up shop. So just stop all of this silliness, and I'll let you both go.'

Sam mumbled something unintelligible that sounded like an insult and Dean grinned in pride, which turned into anger as Crowley, still with that freaking smirk on his face, smartly smacked his brother, hard across the face. 'I thought you'd say something similar' Crowley said in his infuriatingly calm way 'But, you see, no one is coming to rescue you' he looked over his shoulder at Dean 'word on the grapevine is that you and your precious angel have had a lovers tiff.' he turned back to Sam 'and dear old Bobby's dead isn't he? Can't say I've missed him. He was a terrible kisser.' Crowley laughed at Sam's futile attempts to get loose

'You son of a bitch!' he spat out. Dean tensed at that too, Crowley wasn't fit to mention Bobby's name.

'Temper, temper' the self-made man said, smiling fondly at Sam's glare 'I daresay I can make you change your mind. There's a reason I brought both of you here after all. All I need is for you to sign this contract, give me both halves of the demon tablet and stop the trials and I let your brother live' Sam stopped swearing

'There, now I have your attention. You see, you Winchesters are so predictable. Torture you and you'd never give in, but torture him' Crowley made a gesture and one of the demons stepped forward with what looked like a modified cattle prod 'and I get what I want from you. It's pathetic, but it works.' Sam met Dean's eyes across the room

'Don't you dare Sammy' he warned, bracing himself 'If you sign that thing, I'll kill you myself', he saw the hesitation in Sam's eyes before he nodded, and faced Crowley

'No deal'

The demon holding the cattle prod grinned and jammed the vicious looking instrument into Dean's side, jolts of pain flooded through him, sharp, jagged, unending, strong. He bit his lip until he tasted blood, the pain didn't let up, he couldn't help it. He screamed.

So, some more action as promised

Please, please let me know what you think. If you don't like it then what improvements can I make?

This story rests on the balance.

I need reviews people. . . or any reaction at all xD

Now I feel mean :/

Love Tibbins xx