Disclaimer

Supernatural is a television series, created by Eric Kripke, produced by Kripke Enterprises, Wonderland Sound and Vision and Warner Bros. Television, distributed by Warner Bros. Television

I'm writing this for fun and I'm not making any money from this. The lines quoted from the show are in Italics.

Secret meetings between Crowley and Naomi in which they discuss the progress of the plan to kill Lucifer. (Season 5)

Secret angel-demon cooperation

Crowley stood on the shores of the Euphrates, looking at the river that had witnessed some of the most horrific battles between the armies of Heaven and Hell, pondering those simpler times. If things would still be simple, if evil and good just as readily identifiable as then, he would not be on the path to the throne of Hell.

It hardly registered to him that his house had been burned down. Just the fact that he lost his tailor bothered him a little. It was hard to find that level of craftsmanship

in this century and he was aware that it would be months until he would be safe for him to visit Savile Row.

Naomi appeared next to him out of thin air. He was expecting her and it still freaked out that she just knew when he was alone.

"So, it begins," she said.

"They have the Colt. Out of my hands now."

Naomi nodded almost uninterestedly which annoyed him.

"Oh, it's not like it's the future of... everyone at stake. Please, stay calm! Don't care too much or anything!" he almost yelled at her.

"I care. Do you think that I should be surprised that you managed to give them the weapon? You can talk anyone into anything."

He wrinkled his forehead as if considering her remark, than nodded, granting her the point. Apparently he could be flattered, too. Although, it wasn't flattery if it was true. The comment coming from Naomi of all people, he considered it high praise.

"Actually I think it went a little too smoothly," he said.

Naomi gave him one of his least favourite looks: the disappointed pure angel.

"Their mother died in flames. A demon took their father's soul. One of them lost the woman he loved and the other lives believing he will never have a family of his own. All this to bring them to this point and you think it went smoothly?"

"You used to like how I think," he pointed out.

"I never said that. Your mind is flawless, that didn't mean I like it."

"Why are you quibbling?" Crowley asked coming closer to her.

"I'm worried," she admitted. "All this grand design to be undone by a human weapon."

She shook her head, looking deeply troubled. So much so that she wasn't distancing herself from him.

"Is this what got your knickers in a twist then?" he asked, squeezing her shoulder, almost affectionately.

She turned to face him. He allowed his hand to glide along her upper arm as if by accident. He was addicted to the tingling sensation he got from touching her through layers of fabric.

"Why are you hiding your soul?" she asked looking him straight in the eye.

Oh, that.

"You still don't trust me!" he exclaimed, trying an evasive manoeuvre.

"Why, Crowley?"

Not cockroach. Not snake. His name. He sighed.

"Because I wouldn't be able to do this if I have it. It makes me doubt myself."

"After this is over, if you remain soulless, I will have to destroy you. "

"Threats, Naomi? Really?"

He was no longer the young demon she could grind under the heal of her show, but he wasn't sure he could win in a fight. Not yet.

"Just a warning. We both know that I'm not one for open combat, but you leave me no choice."

Not open combat, but she had her talents. She had managed to sneak into Hell and get his soul back. That spelled all kinds of dangerous. But he couldn't admit anything like that aloud.

"I'm sure you can come up with something. You, bureaucrats, always do."

She flinched at his words.

"I am not a bureaucrat! Just because I try to get things done cleanly, before there's need for bloodshed, doesn't mean that I'm a bureaucrat!"

"It wasn't an insult, love. It was meant as a compliment to your resourcefulness."

Naomi's eyes starting glowing with celestial light and her whole being began to sparkle. Crowley decided it was a good moment to vanish. He did it with a smirk on his face, thinking that, for his favourite angel, her reaction was the equivalent of the stereotypical Italian woman throwing a plate at her lover's head during a heated argument. The fun thing about stereotypical Italian relationships was that crazy arguments ended up in fiery make up sex. It had never happened with him and Naomi, but a demon could dream.

"IT DIDN'T WORK! IT DIDN'T BLOODY WORK!" Crowley was yelling.

In her seat, Naomi was watching him patiently.

"Are you quite done?"

"Oh, excuse me. I thought that was something to be worried about. Not like now I'm on the black list of the most powerful being in existence. Oh, wait I AM!"

"You really like the sound of your voice," she said.

"Yes, well, I don't take it graciously when my plans don't work," he said in an almost perfectly calm tone.

She smiled at his admission. This calmed him down even more and that was disturbing.

"Let's find another way, then."

Crowley smiled despite himself. He kind of liked the idea of a brainstorming session with Naomi. She wasn't his kind of smart, she had too much knowledge to deal with and she was slow at making certain connections that seemed obvious to him, but she was coming closer than anyone else. At least she was smart enough to appreciate him to his true value.

Their collaboration worked because she had the raw data and her construction allowed her to present the facts without, or at least with little distortion due to personal views.

"Okay, let's go back to the basics. What can kill Lucifer?"

She answered promptly, machine-like.

"Another archangel or an archangel blade."

They both fell silent and Crowley tried to clear his mind. He decided to distract himself from the problem and the only interesting thing in the room was the quiet angel who sat in an armchair across from him with an expression of serenity and meditation.

He tried to undress her in his minds, to superimpose the image of her naked body over the reality of her office attire. It was working pretty well and he was at an interesting point, mentally caressing her inner thigh when the listening device in the Wichesters' car started transmitting. The demon and the angel listened in awe. Dean and Sam were talking about remaking the Cage.

"Gabriel," Naomi whispered.

Crowley turned to watch her. He had never heard that tone before.

"A soft spot? Naomi, I am shocked," he said it with his silkiest voice.

He was trying to embarrass her but he was the one pretending that he didn't notice her blush. And pretended real hard that it did not bothered him.