The song here is "Breaking Inside" by Shinedown

Breaking Inside

Crowley roamed Hell and the demons he met along his walk looked at him with disdain. Was it just because they didn't like him or did they somehow know he got mad at their Queen? He couldn't shake that look he saw in Clara's eyes from his mind. She was all he could think about. She was everything to him and he made her cry.

He had done some shitty things in his existence, counting his human years, and he loved it, but this was the one and only thing that made him feel guilty. Yeah, he wouldn't say that out loud, unless it was Nikolai. He was the only one he could really trust, besides Clara. He'd probably offer advice without making it sound like advice.

He was so distracted, that when one demon stopped and stood in his path, he didn't notice until the last second. When he glanced up, the demon was pissed off about something and looking to let off a little steam.

"Make this quick." Crowley snarled. The demon continued to glare, but eventually answered. Maybe he should have said 'piss off' instead.

"Not only did you let a human soul out of Hell, but you allowed it to live again." It said and Crowley rolled his eyes. Like he had the time and energy to put up with this bullshit. "You're not fit to be –" it began, but it quickly stopped when Crowley snapped.

"You challenging me?" he roared and the demon remained silent. When it looked up past Crowley, all anger faded and the demon became submissive. Crowley knew it was because Nikolai was now standing behind him. Still, he wasn't finished with this scum. "Your Queen is pregnant. Her hormones are a little crazy. Don't you dare question what we do!" he snapped again and once the demon lowered its eyes to the ground, Crowley softened his tone only slightly.

"Now, I suggest you refocus your desire for a fight on something useful, like destroying the angels." He said and when the demon looked up with confusion, he narrowed his eyes. As if it wasn't obvious. "They know something is on the rise and they'll eventually plan an attack. You and all the other demons need to shape up and fight the angels, not your King and Queen. Or else there won't be a Hell to call Home. Do I make myself clear?" he asked, that snarl slowly returning to his tone of voice.

The demon nodded its head and lowered its eyes once again, giving up his fight against Crowley like a coward.

"So what are you still doing here?" he asked and then the demon vanished. He then sighed and placed his hands in his pockets, returning to his thoughts of Clara. Minutes stretched on and he lost track of how long he was still standing there. "I think you were right Nikolai." He said and his Knight frowned. "I don't think demons can say they're…" He said, letting the sentence fall, as if even to mention it was difficult.

"Sorry?" Nikolai replied and tried to think of when he had said that. It was back in Crowley's office; he was being sarcastic and said that the King must not be getting laid because he was cranky. Clara told him to apologize and that's when he asked if demons could do that.

"Might not want to say that too loud." Nikolai said with a grin, but when he walked around his King to see his expression, he was slightly surprised to see that distant look in his eyes. "What's up?" he asked. He knew very well what was wrong, but he didn't want Crowley to know that he went to see Clara and comforted her. He especially wasn't going to mention that his Queen offered him a deal that included his throne and his daughter.

"I upsetted Clara." Crowley said and Nikolai had to stop himself from deepening his frown. Upsetting her was putting it very mildly. "I never wanted to hurt her." he said and Nikolai nodded, knowing that that was true.

"What would you usually do to fix something that you didn't like?" he asked and Crowley shifted his gaze to him, still deep in his thoughts.

"Kill it, but in this case, I suppose I'll have to do something grand to show... remorse." He replied, going back to his thoughts. Nikolai resisted shaking his head and just narrowed his eyes. Seeing his mentor like this bothered him and the thought of him having to motivate him seemed strange.

"Yeah, something big. Something no one is going to expect, least of all Clara." He added and then Crowley glanced at him again and there was a spark in his eyes. He just figured out his plan of action and Nikolai grinned, eager to hear it.

"I have just the thing." He said and he continued on his walk, but with more speed and a clear direction.

"But you still have to say something." Nikolai said, hinting about the apology. "I think after your gesture it'll be easier. Once she smiles, that's your moment." He added, imaging Clara smiling like her good old self again.

"Did I ask for your opinion?" Crowley asked without looking over his shoulder. Nikolai glanced at his King and grinned.

"It was implied." He answered and his grin broadened as Crowley snorted.

They remained silent as they turned down several corridors, but Nikolai could tell that his King was once again deep in thought. Making Clara cry affected him deeply. It tortured him more than when Abandon had tried to take over Hell.

Once Nikolai had an idea where they were going, before he could ask, Crowley began talking about what was bothering him.

"If the angels are as intellectual as they claim, they would strike when Clara is at the hospital as well as attack Hell. In that scenario, Nikolai, you will protect Clara at no end." He said and it sort of surprised his Knight of Hell to hear this. Still, he listened and agreed wholeheartedly. "I can lose Hell, but I can't lose her." Crowley said with a tone so soft it was evident that this thought pained him. He was momentarily silent, but continued, regaining his usual tone of voice. "I can always get back Hell and my throne, but if I lose her, then I lose everything and I won't have that." He added and stopped to turn and glance at Nikolai. "If the angels succeed in conquering Hell, they'll be no match for Clara."

When they turned down the last corridor, they walked right to the dead end and then Crowley conjured up a piece of paper and a pencil, looking at the wall. Nikolai just arched an eyebrow, looking at the wall.

"You were saving this for your tavern." He said, remembering Clara's expression when Crowley told her. Crowley began sketching lines on the paper and as Nikolai looked down at the paper, he knew it was a blueprint. But to what? After a few more lines, Crowley stopped and looked at the wall again.

"Not anymore." He replied and then Nikolai understood. "I need demons to start demolishing this and to start building. Now." He added and Nikolai nodded and went off to gather those demons. He wasn't certain of just what Crowley was planning, but he knew its purpose.

This was the grand gesture to Clara and it would indeed be grand.