While the brothers stood facing each other with everyone around them wondering which one was going to strike first, a man strolled into the roadhouse and up between them. "Hello boys.", he said in a cheeky accent. Sam's eyes flicked to the demon in question, "What do you want Crowley?" Crowley, hands in pockets walked around Sam looking up at the much taller man, "Nice to see you too Moose. Looks as if you've lost control of big brother over here.", he said as he pushed his chin in the direction of Dean. Sam didn't answer the demon but glared over his head at Dean. Dean finally broke his stare with Sam and glanced at Crowley. "You two buggers need to come with me.", Crowley said as he threw a few bills on the table to cover the food and beers and sauntered out the door.

Dean took a deep breath and headed out after Crowley with Sam close on his heels. They found Crowley leaning against the Impala in the parking lot, "Moose you must be a bigger idiot than you look like you are! You're going to willingly go out hunting with a friggin demon that you don't even know how to control?" Sam gave Crowley one of his patented bitch faces and then rolls his eyes. Crowley continues, "You do realize the Mark of Cain has to be fed I'm sure, Moose?" He waited for Sam's reply and when it didn't come he went on, "Well it does. The mark makes Dean's demon tendencies more aggressive than they would normally be. If he doesn't kill then the mark takes over and makes him kill." Crowley watched Sam while what he said sank in.

Sam's expression changed from mad to hurt and then he squared his shoulders. "Crowley I really don't care what it takes. He's my brother. I'm going to save him no matter what.", Sam said defiantly. Crowley circled Sam again, hands in pockets still, "What if it costs you that little sweet thing you've got back at the bunker?" Sam swallowed hard because he had never thought of that possibility. He refused to answer Crowley. "You know that's how Cain was saved right? It was the love of a woman that saved him. Could be yours this time." Sam still wasn't able to think of that possibility. He silently shook his head. Crowley chuckled softly and just like that he was gone. Sam ran his hand through his hair and looked toward Dean, "I'm not sure what you want me to say. I kind of like the person I am Sammy. I don't want to be saved."

Sam shook his head and climbed into the passenger's seat of the Impala and just sat there in the quiet of the empty car. He kicked at trash that littered the floor of the Impala after a few minutes. Dean climbed into the driver's seat and looked over at Sam, "You know you really need to clean your baby out Dean." Dean only chuckled, "It's just a car Sam." Sam's eyes widened at that and he knew Dean was long gone if he didn't care anymore for his car than that. She had always been his most prized possession. Sam slowly shook his head again and pulled his phone from his pocket as Dean pulled back out onto the road. He checked his text messages and saw that he had a couple messages from Jade. He tapped out a quick reply not really wanting to worry her yet and replaced his phone. Soon they pulled up outside a hotel and Sam got out to go in and get a couple rooms. He wasn't sure he wanted to share a room with Dean just yet.

Nancy and I hung out most of the day together. We cleaned up the bunker some with the music blaring and did some prep cooking to freeze that would hold us over for a couple weeks even if she stayed here. When I heard my phone begin to ring I felt like it was Sam since he was about the only one to call me anymore. I told Nancy I was going to answer the phone and take the call to my room. She winked at me knowingly and headed to the laundry room to grab the load of towels that had just buzzed.

I slid my finger across the display that showed me sitting in Sam's lap with his arm around me. We were looking at each other in the picture and it was one of my favorites. Nancy had taken it not long before the guys had left and it conveyed so many emotions between the two of us. "Hello.", I said in my most sexy voice since I already knew it was Sam. "Hey baby.", he simply said as I sat on the edge of his bed. "You sound tired. Is everything alright?", I questioned. I really wanted to be there so that I could pull him into my arms and hold him. He sounded like he needed it. "I guess I am more tired than I knew I was." I heard him blow out a breath. "Do you want to talk about it?", I knew there was more to what was going on with him than tired. "I didn't feel comfortable with staying in the same room as Dean so I got my own room. He's worse than I thought he was."

I slid back onto the bed, leaning against the wall, "Did something happen?", I asked trying to pull more from him. "It was just this drunk guy bumped into Dean and he went off the deep end. He even told me he wanted to rip my throat out. Then Crowley showed up." I could hear the frustration in his voice. I knew how Crowley rubbed him the wrong way. "Oh God! What did he want? And how did he know where y'all were?" I heard water running on the other end of the phone, "I guess his special demon spidey senses or he and Dean have a connection now or something. He told me that I was an idiot for bringing Dean back into my life and he said the Mark of Cain has to be fed. By fed he means Dean has to kill or he'll blow. I don't know Jade, maybe you were right to be so concerned." I would never tell Sam 'I told you so' but I was thinking it but said, "Please be careful with him Sam. I need you to come home to me."

I heard the squeak of a bed over the phone and heard Sam groan as he must have lain down on the hotel bed. "Baby you have no idea how bad I wish I had brought you with me. I was just afraid it would be way too dangerous." Again I heard the tiredness in his voice and longed to be with him as well. Instead I changed the subject a little, "How is your shoulder? You said it had been feeling better but I hope you're keeping your sling on." I knew I sounded like a mother hen but I didn't care. "It hasn't hurt me at all today. I think I can get rid of this sling maybe after we get back. I'll be sure and leave it on when we go into the nest tomorrow." I nodded even though he couldn't see me, "Good. We'll look at it good when you get back." Sam groaned again, "I'm about to call it a night. I'll check in with you tomorrow. Sleep well little one." I smiled at the new pet name, "I will my love. Take care of yourself and watch your back. I don't trust Dean to do it for you just yet. Love you Sammy." "Love you too Jade. Bye." I whispered a bye and waited for the click on the other end.

I clicked my phone off and put it on the charger. Climbing off the bed I went over to the closet and pulled out one of my favorite t-shirts of Sam's and went to the bathroom. I washed my face, combed through my hair and then brushed my teeth. The last thing I did was exchange my clothes for Sam's t-shirt. It smelled like him, of old books and man with maybe a hint of gunpowder. Walking back to his room I pulled back the covers and slid beneath them. They also smelled like him, wrapping me in cocoon of Sam. Soon I drifted off to a fitful sleep. There were dreams of blood and fangs and blades and all sorts of things that I was sure Sam would be facing tomorrow.

Sam swung with all his might with his good arm but it wasn't enough. He was hit from behind and went down hard. He called for Dean to no avail.