"Well, I'll be damned," Maya had stood up from the booth, backing away slowly and in a defensive stance, her eyes wide with shock. Sam didn't know why. Other than the exploding glass, they'd been pretty civil. Though from the look behind her eyes, Sam was guessing that their manners (or maybe lack thereof) weren't the problem.

Sam was about to ask what was wrong when she said something that surprised him more than if she had said that she was a demon.

"Holy crap," she said, shifting her stance a little bit. "You're real."

Sam froze.

Well, his brain supplied. You've never heard that one before.

Finally, his brain caught up to the conversation, once again focusing on the shocked woman to his left.

"I-I'm sorry?" His question seemed to ground her as well, pulling her out of her thoughts.

"You're real." she breathed, smiling a slightly crazed smile that put him on edge. "I thought I was losing my mind." She once again settled in the booth next to Sam. She smiled at Dean, who furrowed his brows in confusion. Even Sam could tell that she wasn't meeting his eyes. For some reason, she was focusing right above them, in the middle of his forehead.

"Why would you think that?" Sam asked.

Maya focused on him with a sad smile, shaking her head slightly. "You guys are gonna think I'm crazy." She glanced Dean's way before continuing, locking eyes with Sam. She leaned forward, prompting the brothers to lean in as well. Her face was solemn and serious, her eyes resigned. "I see dead people."

Dean snorted. "Alright, M. Night, be serious." Sam glanced in Dean's direction for a second, as if to remind him that he wasn't always serious himself. Dean promptly ignored him.

Maya laughed lightly, leaning back in the vinyl seat. "Damn it, I thought you'd be fooled." The mischievousness died down in her green eyes, replaced by acceptance and if Sam wasn't mistaken, a little bit of fear. The poor attempt at comedy must've been for her own benefit rather than theirs. She sighed, leaned forward, and suddenly she looked... older. More tired.

Sam instantly hated that look.

"Alright then, you asked for it, boys." Once again she leaned forward, hesitating slightly before seemingly chasing the words out of her own mouth. "I have visions." She gauged the brothers' reactions and, realizing that they weren't negative, continued. "I-I can see people die."

The shaggy-haired man-Sam, she realized excitedly- stiffened in the booth next to her. She faced him and, throwing away all self-consciousness, said, "And you have telekinesis, right?"

Sam's head snapped towards her, startling her slightly. His face was surprised but his eyes screamed at her to keep her mouth shut. She could practically hear him thinking shut up, Maya, you're gonna give me away. She pursed her lips, her comment dying in her throat. Didn't Dean know?

Speaking of the older Winchester, Maya glanced his way again, eyes wandering to his forehead. She couldn't stop herself from constantly checking that there wasn't a bloody, gaping hole in the center of his skull. She shuddered, thinking of the gruesome memory.

Dean, however, didn't seem shocked by Sam's telekinesis. He did seem shocked that Maya knew about it. He exchanged a glance with Sam, seemingly having a silent, brotherly conversation. Maya frowned.

Rude.

They had company.

Maya must've thought-projected or something because Sam looked at her strangely and completely focused on her, simultaneously taking a sip of his water, hazel eyes piercing her goddamn soul.

Maya nearly cracked a smile. 'Holy shit, you're being dramatic today, aren't you?' She thought to herself.

Sam choked while sipping his water, sputtering like an idiot, trying to laugh and breathe at the same time. Dean looked at his brother as though he'd grown another head.

Maya thumped Sam on the back, which seemed to help him clear his lungs. When they were free from any restraining liquid, he was finally free to laugh. He was practically doubled over, clutching a stitch in his side.

'Ding'

Her head snapped to the side when she heard the bell, her waitress instinct kicking in. She saw Pauli standing impatiently by the pass, his spatula still poised in the air from hitting the top of the bell. She smiled sheepishly and flushed slightly. She slid over to the side of the booth, wincing as the meaty flesh of her thighs stuck to the vinyl seats.

Maya almost turned around and walked away before realizing how incredibly stupid that would be. She whipped out a pen from her breast pocket (green, of course, her favorite color), and scribbled what time she got off from work and her personal cell number on a piece of paper from her notepad.

"I get off at 5, but I'll see if I can get out early" She scribbled something else on the paper. "There's a motel a few streets from here. I'm friends with the owner. Say I sent you, you'll get one of the better rooms and a discount. Hole up there, then call me. My lunch is at 11. Text me your room number then." She ripped off the piece of paper with a bit of a flourish, folded it in half and held it out to Sam, pinched between her pointer and middle fingers. He took it, albeit a little hesitantly.

As soon as the paper left her grasp, Maya turned to Dean and stuck her hand out. An invitation.

"Maya Gonzalez, Capricorn," she said with a smile. She could've sworn that the corner of Dean's mouth twitched. That counted as a win.

"Dean Winchester, Aquarius." He shook her hand firmly, a smirk playing on the corner of his lips, his green eyes welcoming.

This time Sam stuck out his hand and they shook, his large hand dwarfing her thin fingers.

"Samuel Winchester, Taurus." Maya couldn't help but wrinkle her nose. Even Dean's eyebrows crawled their way up to his hairline. Samuel? Really?

Sam grinned.

"Yeah, I get that a lot. I don't normally use my full name," he explained, his white teeth flashing. Maya mirrored his grin.

"Sam it is, then." With one final smile at the boys, she turned and walked towards the pass, which was piled high with orders by now. She quickly was put to work, partly by her own instinct, partly by Pauli and Sharon's eyes burning holes into the back of her head. Maya bustled about the diner, picking up dishes and dropping them off in the back, dropping off orders at tables, cleaning tables and collecting tips. By the time she was done, the Winchester brothers had already left. Feeling a slight pang that they didn't say goodbye, she walked over to their table, intending to clean it like all the other tables. With a large amount of surprise, she noticed a few crumpled twenty dollar bills that very clearly went over their tab. On a napkin near the money, writing was scribbled. She picked it up, careful to not drop any of the bills, which added up to at least $50 maybe $60 over their tab.

Keep the change. Gas is on us.

-S.W.

Maya laughed aloud and glanced outside to the parking lot, hoping that she would catch the boys before they peeled out of the parking lot. Luck, as it would seem, was on her side.

Dean was behind the wheel of the Impala, a small smirk adorning his face. Sam was next to him in the passenger seat, a full-blown smile on his face. Maya grinned and scooped up the money on the table, waving it around for a little bit for the boys to see.

'Thanks,' she mouthed, smiling. Dean cracked a smile and Sam merely nodded, his own grin still in place.

'No problem,' he mouthed back, hazel eyes twinkling.

And then they were gone.

Maya smiled. It was nice to finally meet the boys.

Down in Hell, past the many pits and bodies burning in the flames, past the range of the screams of the souls of the damned, there was a building that screamed 'enter if you dare'

It looked like a regular office building, at least thirty stories up, glass windows surrounding it. It looked to be made of polished obsidian, the glass looked to be permanently stained red, reflecting the flames of the fiery pit.

Up at the top floor, it was the penthouse suite, checked out to one of the Princes of Hell.

The demon, one of the original demons, eclipsed only by Lilith (that bitch), was watching the scene unfold with delight. He was the one trusted enough by his father to seek out his true vessel, the only one who stuck by Lucifer's side after his brothers left. The demon grinned.

It was an unnerving sight.

The smile was warranted, however. The plan was proceeding perfectly.

Max Miller's death had been a tragedy. He would've been so easy to mold. Considering the abusive childhood he'd had, it wouldn't be too much trouble to get him to say yes. All the demon's father would have to do is promise deliverance, possibly revenge against those who'd hurt him, and Max would be under their control.

Lily Baker was also turning out to be an interesting specimen. She had accidentally killed her girlfriend around a few months ago, sending her into a deep depression. She would be a good place to start for a vessel.

The two that intrigued the demon the most, however, were the Winchester siblings. Considering their work before, the demon was sort of regretting not entering the Winchester's abode four years earlier. Dean would've been an excellent addition to his pack. Still, the eldest Winchester child had a large prophecy to fulfill, alongside those he loves the most.

Sam, however, was positively fascinating.

The boy was Lucifer's true vessel, after all.

It was predestined. Before the boys were even born, centuries before their parents were even thoughts. When Lucifer, God's favorite son, fell, Fate had let loose a prophecy to end all prophecies. One that would affect the entire world as anyone knew it, with the Winchesters caught right smack dab in the middle. Again.

The demon grinned as he went over his grand plan. One to coerce Sam Winchester into saying yes to Lucifer, one that would help get Dean out of the way before he could say yes, one to bring little Scarlett Winchester into the mix. Stealing her as a baby hadn't been part of his original plan, neither was placing her with a human family. He'd had demons trailing her from a young age, getting close to her, watching her. It was the same with Sam. They both were stalked as young children, though with Sam it was harder, with John being a hunter and all. Always salting door and windows became a pain in the ass, if you encountered it often enough.

While manipulating Sam had been hard, trailing him had been harder. Scarlett had been easier, knowing nothing of the real world underneath her thin veil of normality. Both of their powers were progressing quickly. Sam had already developed premonitions, with telekinesis and empathy following close behind. Scarlett's powers had developed wonderfully, with verbal mind control developing before the premonitions.

So far, they were the only ones to develop more than one power. All the others still only had one, though each of them was powerful in their own right.

Down in the depths of Hell, reclining lazily behind his desk, at the top floor, Azazel's yellow eyes regarded the scene before him with delight, his unwilling vessel's eyes crinkling in the corners.

Yes. Things were going swimmingly. He just needed to contact his sleeper agent in order to put all the pieces in play. Snapping his fingers, he summoned the young demon before him.

She appeared a few moments later, kneeling immediately. "Yes, my Lord?" Her voice was quiet, respectful. Azazel's lips twitched. She must be new.

"How are things going with the Winchester brat?" he asked, not bothering to give a name.

The demon flashed her vessel's white teeth as she smiled, locking her brown eyes with her superior's yellow ones. "Perfectly, sir. Everything is in place. They have no idea of my presence," she said with an evil smile. Azazel nodded.

"Good. Subtelty is key this late in the game." Azazel's statement was met with a flash of the younger demon's black eyes as they reflected her excitement. He flicked his wrist, signaling her to stand.

"You don't need to kneel, Edme," He tilted his head thoughtfully, a wry smile lifting his vessel's lips. "Or maybe you're used to being called Kristy."

Edme-the demon possessing Kristy's body- scrunched her nose in disgust as she stood up and brushed off her suit pants, dark brown hair falling in her face. "I've never been in a single body this long, sir. It's..." she trailed off, seemingly searching for the right word.

"Disconcerting?" Azazel supplied.

Edme nodded. "To say the least, sir."

"Well, I've been in this body a while, Edme. Trust me, you'll get used to it," Azazel's statement was met with a quiet 'thank you, sir' as he stood up, standing and moving in front of his insubordinate.

"You have new orders," He watched as Edme's head snapped up from its submissive floor-watching.

"Yes, sir?"

Azazel smiles at her eagerness. "The Winchesters have found her. When the time is right..." he trailed off, thinking of what torture would be the most poetic. He smiled as he finally thought of something. "...make 'em burn."

It was 1706 when Maya finally got off of work, yelling farewells to Sharon and Pauli, a to-go box in her hand.

It was 1707 when she locked herself in her car, ready to decompress after a long day of work.

It was... still 1707 when she nearly burned the skin off the bottom of her thighs, the scalding hot leather practically flambeing the sensitive skin. She hurriedly tried to bring her knees up to her chest, succeeding in bumping the top of her knees on the bottom of her steering wheel and accidentally honking the horn while trying to maneuver around the offending part and soothe the burning on her legs.

It was 1709 when she was on the freeway, phone buzzing in her purse. She reached over to get it, flicking it open and answering without a second thought.

"Hello?" She had to yell a little bit, due to the windows being open and letting the smoggy air of downtown Los Angeles in the car. Sue her, she was almost out of gas. Clicking her blinker on, she merged into the lane on her left. There was a chuckle on the other end.

"Hi, is this Maya?"

"Yes, this is she. Who am I speaking with?" she asked.

"The Taurus you met in the diner earlier. I was with an Aquarius about yea-high, looks like he just got out of jail?"

Maya laughed. "The Winchesters, yes. I remember you. Thanks for the oh-so-generous tip, by the way. My car definitely appreciates it."

There was a chuckle on the other line.

"Don't mention it."

There was a slightly awkward pause before Maya decided to break it.

"So did you guys get a good room at the motel?"

"Oh yeah, it's definitely better than most of the others we've stayed in. Thanks for the recommendation. I don't think we would've gotten the room without it. The desk clerk practically pissed himself in fear when we mentioned your name."

Maya flushed a bit in embarrassment. "Yeah, Marco had a crush on me in our junior year in high school. He got a bit handsy at prom." she paused for a second, remembering the snaps and cracks of Marco's fingers when she broke them. "Long story short, he couldn't write for the rest of the year."

Sam barked out a surprised laugh. "Geez, remind me not to get on your bad side."

Maya chuckled lightly. "I aim to please."

Sam was still laughing softly when he responded. "Yeah, so, we're bunked in room 23 on the first floor, towards the back end of the motel."

"Yeah, I just got off of work so give me..." She trailed off, checking her location and the current time. "15 minutes?"

"Yeah, okay. See you soon."

"See you." The words had barely left her mouth before she heard the telltale click of the line being dropped. She brought her phone in front of her, staring at it in disbelief before chuckling and tossing her phone back in her purse.

A few moments later, Maya exited the freeway and turned right onto Wesson Street, driving a few minutes longer before finally pulling up to a gas station not far from the motel she'd told the brothers about. She climbed out of her BMW, tugging her wallet loose from her purse, before realizing that she still had the brothers' ever so generous donation in her front pocket. A small smile found its way to her lips as she placed her wallet back in her purse, pulling the 60 dollars from her breast pocket. She turned off her car and stepped out, shoes crunching on the gravel beneath her feet. She filled up her tank with 91, still having about ten dollars left over.

Bless those boys and their generosity.

After a moment's hesitation, she went inside the Gas n' Sip, taking a six pack of beers from the refrigerator in the back and placing it on the front counter with a thunk. After using the remainder of the Winchester's money, and adding a few dollars of her own, Maya walked out to her car, the cardboard of the beer holder cutting into the soft skin inside her knuckles. She entered her car, placing the beers in the foot space of the passenger seat and snuggled them in with the to-go box she brought from Pauli's so they didn't fall and break.

Not in her car, dammit.

As she pulled out of the gas station, she could've sworn she saw her older sister standing by the street light. She hit the breaks. Hard. The driver behind her hit the brakes too, honking and yelling various obscenities. Not that she was listening. All she saw was the woman who looked so much like her sister who, as far as Maya knew, lived an hour and a half away. She didn't notice the white-knuckle grip she had on the steering wheel.

She finally eased onto the gas, leaving the gas station parking lot and succeeding in merging onto a lane without hitting another car or the curb.

When she looked back, the woman was gone.

Dismissing the woman as a figment of her imagination, Maya kept on driving towards The Green Palm, ignoring the prickling in the back of her neck that was telling her that she was being watched.