The song here is "Darkness Darkness" by Ann Wilson featuring Nancy Wilson

Darkness Darkness

Crowley sat at his desk, looking at the text message he just sent to everyone, dreading what he had to say to them. Most knew that one of the prisoners wasn't a demon, but part of felt disgusted that he would admit it was his mother. His vile mother that insisted she was the centre of his universe; that without her, he'd be nothing, non-existent.

It was sickening and he'd rather not say anything, but his trusted circle had to know so that they could watch his back. His mother loved to play the role of the adoring mother, but she always loved to dig her claws into his back and manipulate him. As much as he knows this, he wasn't entirely sure he would see her devious plans of manipulation.

The first ones to walk in were Gabriel and Keara. Crowley smiled as his daughter danced her way across the office to sit on his lap like she had often done. He pushed his chair back, pick her up and sit her on his lap. He used to bounce her on his knee, but then she would turn and glare at him like a Hellhound. She had grown out of being bounced.

Keara sat on her father's lap and looked at the papers on his desk, her finger gliding over her father's signatures.

He wrapped an arm loosely around her and he brushed the hair out of her face lovingly. He smiled as she hummed a song he knew too well to be "Raise Hell" by Brandi Carlile. As he looked at his daughter, he knew he was a far better parent than his mother. He actually loved his daughter and there was no way he was going to manipulate her. She was his world and he'd stop at nothing to keep her safe.

Crowley kissed her cheek and Keara giggled, hiding her face as Gabriel smiled, having watched the cute interaction between father and daughter.

At that moment, Nikolai and Clara walked in with smiles on their faces as if they had just done something fun. Crowley would have liked to have heard the details, but if he asked, Clara would accuse him of stalling. Despite her smile, she was worried about an emergency meeting in the office.

"Now that we're all here," Crowley began and Clara crossed the floor to sit on his desk, in front as to not obscure anyone's view of their King. Having her sitting on his desk gave him pleasure, as it always did. His Queen would understand his predicament and support him. "I'm sure you would like to know about our non-demon captive." He said and everyone continued listening attentively. "I have spoken with her and…" he said, letting his sentence fall which was unusual for him.

Everyone seemed to virtually lean closer with curiosity and Crowley decided to just let it out.

"She's my mother." He blurted and the room remained silent. Keara perked her head up and turned to look at her father with an arched eyebrow.

"I have a grandmother?" she asked and Crowley nodded his head with tight lips.

"Yes, however she's a bi –" he began, but Clara cleared her throat and frowned at him, discouraging him from saying the word "bitch" in front of their daughter. "Bitter old woman." Crowley said and Clara nodded approvingly.

"Is she going to get chased out of Hell like the other grandmother?" Keara asked Crowley with a sweet smile. The corner of his lips twitched as he stroked her chin.

"It would be fun." He replied, but as he glanced up at Clara, he revealed the worry in his eyes and she understood immediately.

"It's a "damned if you do, damned if you don't" I'm guessing." She said and he nodded his head.

"She plays the part of a loving mother, but she'd no sooner have her teeth gashing through my flesh." He replied and the others exchanged glances as if to say it seems the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. "I cannot trust her despite how she may be endearing. It's a lie and I tell you all this because I need you all to be aware of her deceit." He added and the room was silent once more, except for Clara who made it easier for everyone by speaking.

"So she might have your well-fair at heart, but for reasons that are self-beneficial." She said and he nodded. "Being a witch, could she be helpful with the rebellion?" she asked and Crowley remained silent for a couple of seconds longer.

"She will watch my every move and scrutinize what I do. If she does help, she will do so in a demeaning fashion and never let it go. She's the Queen of nagging and belittling." He replied and Clara nodded her head. "I'm not sure we can trust her." he concluded and Clara smiled at him with a dark glimmer in her eyes.

"We're demons, we do don't trust very well." She said and got the corner of his lips to twitch into a half grin.

"Gabriel's not a demon." Keara pointed out and everyone looked at him. He grinned at Keara and seemed quite comfortable to be an Archangel among all these demons. "He can be an honorary demon!" Keara added with a beaming smile and Clara glanced at Crowley with a slight expression of uncertainty.

"Honorary demon it is." Crowley replied, then grinned as Keara applauded happily and Clara seemed relieved she didn't have to disappoint her daughter. "Now, I'd like to ask what you and Nikolai were doing." He asked with curiosity in his dark eyes.

"Oh, yes." Keara said and looked to her mother with admiration, wanting to hear what happened after she left.

"Gabriel and I were taking care of Micah, the thorn-in-my-side angel, when I had been summoned. Turns out, Metatron, the washed up Scribe had the balls to summon me and it was all to make a deal.

"He wanted my help to close Heaven, having thought that it would interest me. When he learnt that he was wrong, he decided to share some minor details about Jesse Turner. I found that to have been an interesting choice and he mentioned the link with Lucifer. I couldn't help but refer to your theory that the demons could want Lucifer to reclaim the throne.

"Well, Metatron was nice and snug in a circle of Hell fire, squirming once he realized that there was nothing he had that I wanted. Nikolai joined me and just as we were about to end his pitiful existence, Gabriel showed up with Micah.

"It was wonderful to see him disguise Micah as Metatron." Clara said and she watched Crowley's expression. "We killed Metatron and Micah took his place so that he may be locked away." She concluded and Crowley's eyes narrowed as this thrilled him. However, he could sense something troubling her.

"What else?" he asked with a hint of concern.

"As the Hell fire burnt Metatron's vessel, I could sense what he had done, as if I could see it for myself. I believe Metatron and Jesse had planned to infiltrate Hell; send multitudes to attack us so that we are entirely occupied fighting them off and protecting Keara, so that Jesse and others liberate Lucifer." Clara concluded and the room remained silent, but it became heavy with tension.

"So, that's their play." Crowley said and as he glanced around the room, knew that Jesse couldn't anticipate everything. How could he know there was an Archangel in Hell? How could he plan an attack on a Knight of Hell, bearing the Mark of Cain and wielding the First Blade? How could he foresee with Hellhounds and two Cambions stronger than him? How could he anticipate a witch, that was obviously part of his plan, turn against him? How could he envision the King of Hell knowing his plan?

"We could use the witch." Nikolai said and when Crowley met his eyes, he grinned mischievously. "I'm sure she will be a pain in the ass, but I'm also sure she'll want to protect her son." He added and it got Crowley to begin a mental list of pros and cons in regards of including his mother.