It's not right. Whatever was happening today isn't right. Crowley can feel it. Practically sense it. He knows it's there, in the air, but can't quite grasp what and where it is. It was just out of his reach.
What is it?
What is it?
What is it?
What is it?
Crowley was practically growling as he paced besides the Bentley that he parked on the side of the road. He almost crashed the card as it washed over him in a violent wave. But no matter how hard he tries, pacing furiously back and forth, Crowley just can't place what the hell it is and what the hell it even means.
Or would it be heaven?
One thing he has figured out during his two hour 'pit-stop', was that this thing was supernatural, specifically it came from above or below. Not the average monster. It's either of demon or angel origin.
And that just made it all the more frustrating. The fact that Crowley doesn't know which side it's from. There are different ways he handles with the two very different sides.
Crowley snarled, with an underlying suppressed hiss, as his phone began to ring.
"What!", Crowley snarls, not even bothering to care who was on the other end.
Luckily for him, the one on the other end didn't care either, just as frantic as the Fallen is.
"I know, I can feel it too.", Aziraphale's voice came from the other end.
Just like Crowley he sounded frantic, a little frustrated, but all Crowley could here in that moment was panic in his Angel's voice. And that unsettled him even more, because something told him Aziraphale had more answers than him to what's going on, but the answers aren't good.
Aziraphale is scared, whether it's for himself, Crowley, or someone/thing else. Aziraphale is scared. That meant something big is happening.
"The Angels,", Aziraphale pushed on, his voice frantic, ", I've never heard them so loud. There's a girl, she can hear us speak, she knows everything."
Crowley finally stopped moving from his two hours of pacing, eyes wide peeking over the glasses that slid down his nose.
"Everyone is after her.", Crowley says, his voice quiet and monotonous, "That's why I couldn't tell which side it was! Because she matters to both! For the Angels, she can hear important, secret, information, and for the Demons... Oh, they want it. And they'll do anything they can to take it."
As if the realization was the last piece of the puzzle he needed, Crowley can sense it now, the girl's energy, her power if you will. And now he can track it.
"What are we going to do Crowley?", Aziraphale asked, his voice drowning in worry.
"You are going to stay there, check on Adam, see how he's doing. Make sure he is okay. Wouldn't hurt to check on the others to if you can.", Crowley instructed, "I can sense her now. She's close by, a couple days drive if I push it, but I can get to her. I can't approach her, but maybe I can watch over her and step in when I'm needed."
"Are you sure Crowley?", asked Aziraphale, he had a white knuckled grip on his phone.
Very close to crushing it.
"Absolutely, just stay in the book shop, I'll call you when I can. You have the boys' numbers, right?", Crowley asked.
"Of course."
"If I don't answer any of your calls in the next, oh, couple of days. Call them.", Crowley instructed, "Or they'll call you. We'll deal with this as it goes, you just stay safe Angel."
"You as well."
"Don't I always?"
"Don't make me answer that."
Crowley paused, the words on the tip of his tongue, this was a little bigger than some of the things that's been happening. And honestly, Crowley isn't in any high regards on either side.
There's a small chance he may not make it through this one.
"Aziraphale..."
But he didn't need to say anything.
"I know, me too. Please, stay safe."
Crowley remained frozen for a moment until a small fond smile grew on his lips.
"Don't worry Angel, everything will be fine."
With all that said, Crowley shoved every last worry and anxiety fueled thought of the day to the farthest, darkest corners of his mind. Where he wouldn't think of them for a while.
His expression became that of stone as he shoved the phone in his pocket and marched to the driver's door of the Bentley. With a snap of his fingers the Bentley turned on, it's engine roaring with life as Crowley got into the car, slamming the door shut a little harder than he needed to.
The Bentley's wheels screeched as he drove off the dirt and back on to the road, speeding down the road, his senses on high, his focus on the road and on everything around him, and his senses latched on to the energy like a leech, refusing to let go as he followed its trail.
...
Crowley stomped up the stairs to the large local church in town, ignoring how his feet burned with every step. The trail is the brightest yet, he can practically taste it, and he was starting to think he may know where this stemmed from.
But unlike when he popped over to America and checked out the wave of power Aziraphale sensed, only to find out it was Dean popping back in from Hell, he wasn't as sure of his theory this time. Everything is just different enough that Crowley is even more clueless than before when tracking Dean and his angel.
Now that Crowely thought about it, he never asked which angel it was that pulled Dean from Hell. He never got the chance, and/or forgot to ask.
Crowley noted the smashed railing and window. He flicked a forked tongue in the air and could smell a demon, a high ranker from the smells of it. There was another, a lesser demon was here too. But at the same time, he couldn't tell, but he was betting his money on 'yes'. He could sense her here too, Anna, and...
Crowley couldn't help but scoff in dry amusement.
Of course, somehow the Winchesters got mixed into all of this too. Honestly, why was Crowley not surprised? They already got one angel on their asses, the demon was trying not to drag them any further on this angel and demon crap than he needed too.
Now, who on Earth was the high-ranking de-
Crowley spotted the dry blood that marked the white marble statue as tears.
-mon.
Oh, Crowley knows exactly who it was, he can taste now that he realized it. And that statement is pretty literal considering he smells best with his tongue. Crowley wagged his tongue in disgust.
Not something he wanted to taste.
Crowley made a noise that was a mix between a groan, snarl, and a hiss and he spun on his heels and quickly went down the stairs, going back to his Bentley.
Why is it, that ever sense Crowley was sent across the pond, he keeps finding himself in deep shit. These messes aren't something Crowley likes, and yet, when he's, technically, retired, is when he finds himself in these said messes.
He's not sure if that's better or not.
Being in these messes while retired he means.
…...
It was late at night by the time Crowley even got close to the energy again, but it led into dark forest, where there was probably an abandoned shack being used as Sanctuary.
Crowley's best bet is to continue on foot.
It was a little hard, trudging through the swampy forest, would've been easier if Crowley used a miracle, but he didn't want to cause any attention towards himself and the people, the girl, Winchesters, and maybe the lesser demon. Crowley is beginning to suspect maybe Ruby.
Suddenly, Crowley stopped, his forked tongue flicking in the air, then his eyes widened.
They're coming.
The angels are coming.
Screw it.
The moment Crowley appeared in the shack and the first thing he saw was Sam collapsing to the floor unconscious and Dean getting the shit beat out of him.
Crowley reached forward and grabbed the angel by the back of his suit jacket. Forcefully pulling him away from Dean and made him face Crowley. The angel's eyes widened in surprise at the sight of the fallen.
"That'ss one of my boysss you're beating you ssson of a bitch.", Crowley snarled darkly before throwing him back and into a wall.
The angel got up in a daze, before glaring at Crowley, making to take a step forward.
But suddenly, a bright white light filled the room and the two angels disappeared in a flash of light. Crowley didn't even get a chance to see which angels they were in the midst of all the chaos before they were gone.
He knew that spell all too well.
Both Dean and Ruby breathed heavily as they searched for the angels in confusion.
"What the...", Dean breathed, trailing off.
Dean got up with a grunt, walking over to Ruby to help her up while Crowely walked over to Sam and with a finger to his forehead the younger Winchester woke up.
"Come on. They're gone.", Crowley said softly so as to not startle the hunter as he lifted Sam up, from under his armpits, helping him up to his feet, "You okay?"
Dean runs into the back room calling for Anna.
"Yeah.", Sam grunts, rubbing his eyes as he shakes himself awake from the forced sleep, "Yeah, I'm good."
"I got him.", Ruby says quietly, and with little reluctance, Crowley handed Sam over to her.
Watching her worriedly check over Sam for a moment before going to the room to see Anna looking pale and tired, covered in her own blood, Dean wrapping a bandana over the deep cut on her arm.
"Did you kill them?", Dean asks.
"No, I... I...", Anna tried to answer through her heavy breathes.
"She sent them away.", Crowley answers stoically as he stares at the bloody sigil on the mirror that Anna obviously drew.
"Far away.", Anna agreed as Ruby and Sam entered the room, standing behind the Fallen.
Both Anna and Dean stared at the sigil, both looked unsure of what to make of it in their own way.
"Want to tell me how?", Dean asks incredulously.
"Banishing sigil.", Crowley asks, his voice stilted as he stared at the sigil, body stiff, "Banishes angels."
"That just popped into my head. I don't know how I did it. I just did it.", Anna says shakily, turning to Crowley, "What's happening to me?"
Crowley stared at her for a moment before shaking his head, expression blank, he honestly had no idea what to say or feel.
…...
Crowley was leaning against the wall, arms crossed, staring unseeingly out the window, while Ruby was cleaning and wrapping Anna's arm with proper medical supplies.
"I know your one of them.", Anna's voice suddenly rung out, sounding very loud in the heavy silence, "The demons. Yet your face isn't like the others."
Crowley turns to her, staring at her contemplating for a second before taking off his glasses and staring at her with his golden-yellow snake eyes. Anna stared into his yellow eyes with slitted pupils with wide brown eyes. Yet unlike when she stared at the other demons she has met or ran into, she had no fear. Ruby on the other hand sat stiffly, shifting anxiously at the sight of his eyes.
"Just as I told the boys, this is my face, this is what I look like.", Crowley explains to her gesturing to his whole face with his free hand before placing his glasses back on, "I'm not possessing anyone, this is my body, my face. Downside is, I can't hide my eyes, thus the glasses."
Anna stared at him; head tilted curiously, "Why help? Why aren't you trying to kill me like the other angels and demons."
"She's helping.", Crowley avoided the question by jerking his head in Ruby's direction.
"Only because of Sam.", Anna was quick to say, all three in the room knew the truth that lied in her words, "So why are you helping? Did the Winchesters call you? Do you owe them?"
Crowley stared at her for a moment before turning away to look out the window.
The silence didn't last long.
"You're not the first."
Anna's head popped up to stare up at Crowley, who didn't move from his spot. Not looking at her, still staring out the window.
"Not the first what?", Anna asked curiously just as Dean came in and paused, having heard her question to Crowley.
"Not the first that's been hunted by both Heaven and Hell that I've helped.", Crowley answered.
"Who was it?", Dean asked, unable to help his own curiosity.
"A young boy. When the hunt began, he was only eleven.", Crowley mumbled, yet was loud enough for the others to hear, "He was the antichrist."
The room stilled in shock, Crowley absentmindedly played with his wedding band.
"And you kept him safe?", Anna asks with a smile, tilting her head.
Crowley shrugged, "He was lost, everyone was searching for him, he was supposed to be the catalyst for the apocalypse. The beginning of the war between Heaven and Hell to see which is superior. At first Aziraphale and I were going to kill him. In the end, we decided other wise and supported him when he stood against the devil. Sent him back to Hell."
Ruby scoffed as she said sarcastically, "Bet you Heaven and Hell were happy about that."
"Not really.", Crowley said nonchalantly, "Both Aziraphale and I were dragged back to our respective sides and were both sentenced to be executed as punishment."
"Yet you're still here.", Dean raised a brow, finally speaking up.
Crowley smirked, finally turning to face the trio, "With a help of a book, Angel and I were prepared. We scared them into leaving us alone."
There was a pause of silence, but when Crowley made no move to say anything else about the subject, Dean knew he was done talking about it and decided to move on.
"Did you come in the Bentley?", Dean asked.
"Yep."
"Great, head over to Bobby's, we'll meet you there.", Dean barely finished what he was saying before Crowey was gone.
Appearing in his Bentley and driving off.
…...
Crowley stood in front of the vault, starring at it appraisingly with a raised brow. It is an impressive structure. Practically nothing can get in.
Except for Fallen and Angels.
Dean patted the side of the walls appreciatively.
"Iron walls drenched in salt.", Dean told Anna who sat inside, openly staring at the vault that is being used for her safe keeping, "Demons can't touch the joint."
"Which I find racist, by the way.", Ruby snarked.
Crowley just rolled his eyes with a scoff, "Speak for yourself."
"Write your congressman.", Dean replied uncaringly.
Ruby looked like she was about to snap back, she noticed the hard stare Crowley was giving her out of the corner of her eye and sighed. Throwing Dean two bags that Crowley was quick to identify as hex bags after a quick flick of his tongue, tasting the air in order to identify the objects.
Dean easily caught them before raising a questioning brow, "Hex bags?"
"Extra crunchy.", Ruby confirmed, "They'll hide us from angels, demons, all comers."
"Thanks Ruby.", Dean said genuinely.
While Crowly held back the urge to scoff once more. He doesn't like Ruby, and he doubts he ever will like Ruby. And until this fun adventure, Dean seemed to share the same sentiment. So, Crowley has no idea what caused the oldest Winchester to change his tune, but Crowley resolved to playing nice.
Still doesn't mean he has to like it.
Ruby on the other hand seemed unsure on how to react to Dean's genuine gratitude. They must've been at each other's throat a lot longer than Crowley first assumed, or much harder, or even both.
"Don't lose this.", Dean tells Anna as he hands her a Hex bag before walking off, checking over the vault once more, "So Anna, what's going on on Angel Radio? Anything useful?"
"It's quiet.", Anna answers turning to Dean, "Dead silence."
"I'd be surprised if it wasn't.", Crowley pipped up, "They know that you can hear them. They wouldn't, shouldn't, communicate when you can listen in so easily."
Dean nods at the both of them with an unreadable expression on his face.
"Good.", he said sarcastically, "That's not troubling at all."
"We're in trouble huh?", Anna comments, "You guys are scared?"
Dean looks over to Ruby and Crowley, his face clearly troubled, before turning to Anna with a confident smirk.
"Nah."
Unfortunately, Anna wasn't convinced from his lie.
"You'll be fine.", Crowley assured her, sending her a small smile, but tried to sound as genuine as possible.
"Hey, Dean!", they heard Sam faintly call from upstairs, drawing there attention away from the tense atmosphere.
Dean walks out the vault, patting Anna's knee comfortingly.
"Stay here, okay?", he tells her softly on his way out, only pausing next to the two demons, "Keep an eye on her."
Crowley never turned away from Anna as he heard Dean's heavy footsteps make their way up the stairs.
He didn't wait long for them to recede before tilting his head towards Ruby, but still never taking his eyes off of Anna.
"Go on up there with the boys, I'll watch her.", Crowley told her, clearly not asking, but telling her.
Ruby stared at him for a long minute before leaving.
"Why did you tell her to leave?", Anna asks, tilting her head curiously.
Crowley shrugged as he gave her another small smile.
"Don't really like her all that much, nor do I trust her.", Crowley admits, "But the boys do, so I will be civil... mostly."
Anna raised a brow, a small smile twitching on her lips.
"Discreetly, I might be less than civil.", Crowley told her with a grin.
His grin only widened at his success to make her laugh. Albeit, it was a weak laugh, but he still managed to make her laugh all the same.
"What about you?", she asked with a smile.
"What about me?", Crowley was quick to reply with a raised brow.
"You think she likes you?'", Anna wonders curiously.
Crowley stares at her, his expression turning thoughtful as he regarded her, "You want the truth or my wishful thinking?"
Anna couldn't help but let her smile grow wider, "I'm curious on the wishful thinking."
A smirk rose up on Crowley's lips, "She hates me as much as I hate her, but is playing nice so Dean let's Sam keep her around."
Not seeing that coming, Anna's smile turned curious as she raised a brow.
"That's not what I expected.", she comments.
"What were you expecting?"
Anna hesitated, thinking on the question, wondering what the answer is herself.
"I... dunno. Just not that.", she speaks honestly, "What's the truth then?"
Crowely didn't hesitate, speaking bluntly in his answer, "She fears me. Doesn't like to stand in the same room as me, much less a foot away."
Anna tilted her head, smile fading, as she stares at the Demon in confusion.
"I don't entirely see the difference.", Anna tells him in confusion, "Why do you wish she hated you. Usually, people want others to like them."
"I'm not people.", Crowley tells her.
"But Demons were once people.", Anna argues.
Crowley just shrugs, crossing his arms casually.
"Not me."
Anna stares at him before shaking her head.
"Really, why would you rather she hate you than fear you?", Anna asks, almost as if the answer would have a bigger meaning to life.
Her's or in general, Crowely's not sure, but that's how she's looking at him.
Crowley doesn't answer right away, thinking over his next words carefully, wanting to be as clear and precise as he could on the first try. There are many things to Crowley, patience isn't usually one of them. That was Aziraphale's job.
"Because I'm more than your average Demon.", Crowley finally replies, "And Ruby fears that. She fears me. Now I don't mind scaring your average mortal here and there. Could be beneficial or just fun, but I don't want them to fear me.
With hate, they act like themselves, Angel, Demon, and Humans, all of them, when they hate something, sometimes it makes them worse than who they are, but usually, their hate has them stay honest with you. They always act like that, because they hate you, they aren't trying to appease you so you won't hurt you. Hate can make a person fearless, and in intense cases, reckless. It's still them.
While when a person or thing fears you, they do practically anything in their power to get you to go away, and/or so you wouldn't hurt. They act whatever they think is expected of them, stay silent when they're usually loud, eye you as if you were the monster under their bed for so many years."
Crowley pauses, letting all that sink in, letting Anna process his words before continuing.
"Anna.", he calls calmly, "I'd rather someone hate me, than fear me. I'd rather fear something, than have it fear me. Because I can fight past my fear, I can pretend I'm not afraid at all. Not many others are the same. I like it when people are honest about who they are to me, about their feelings towards me. Fear doesn't do that."
The young woman stared at the Demon in front of her. Taking in every word he said, and seeing their merit. Understanding his reasoning behind them. Yet, Anna doesn't think she would wish the same towards herself. But that just brought up a different thought instead.
"Do they fear me?", Anna asks worriedly.
Crowley said so himself, he can hide his fear. What if Sam and Dean Winchester can do the same. They have more than enough experience to learn how to do so. But at the Demon's silence, Anna feared it to be true, or worse...
"Do they hate me?"
He arched an eyebrow staring at her with an unreadable expression.
"Nah, they don't hate you. They wouldn't help you if they did, or made sure you'd know that they hated helping you.", Crowley replies, sincerity clear in his tone, despite the careless way he said the words, "But fear? Now, why would you ask a question like that? Those boys have been through a lot. Seen a lot more. They've seen creatures made of fear, and never once blinked. But their fear, I think, is something that is obvious and simple, you wouldn't know it until after a while with them, or against them. It's what makes them so dangerous to the monsters that hide in the dark Anna. It's why you're safe as long as you're with them."
Anna smiled relieved, but Crowley's next words were like someone poured a bucket of ice-cold water down her back.
"But after doing this for so long, they maybe a little suspicious."
She snapped her head up at him, eyes wide with panic.
"What are they suspicious about?", she demanded.
Crowley just regarded her before smirking, an air of mischievousness about him.
"Now I'm supposed to keep an eye on you.", Crowley say's offhandedly, his smirk widening as he started at her pointedly, "No one said anything about making sure you stayed put."
Anna slowly perked up, understanding filling her eyes as she stared at the smug Demon who only arched a brow encouragingly.
"Wanna go have a listen?", he whispered conspiringly.
She needed no more encouragement after that, sneakily making her way up the stairs, listening to the tail end of the boy's conversation in Bobby's office.
"-wanted to kill her mad.", they heard Sam's voice just as they found the boys in Bobby's study.
Dean glances up at Sam contemplatively.
"Kind of heavy for a two-year-old.", he quipped seriously.
"Well, she saw a kid's shrink. Got better and grew up normal.", Sam droned.
"Until now.", Dean sighs, rifling through some papers in the folder Sam held, "So what's she hiding?"
"Why don't you just ask me to my face?", Anna asks hotly, arms crossed in front of her chest.
Crowley stood behind her languidly, hands in his pants pockets.
"Nice job watching her.", Dean says sarcastically to the older Demon.
"Thanks.", Crowley smirked, "Happy to do it."
Dean rolled his eyes while Ruby glared at Crowley in the back, in the doorway that led to the kitchen.
"No, you're right Anna.", said Sam apologetically.
Anna stared at him with wide glassy eyes.
Sam then asked, a hint of impatience in his voice, "Is there anything you want to tell us?"
"About what?", Anna asked, not understanding what the problem is.
"The Angels said you were guilty of something.", Sam pushed.
"But aren't we all Sam Winchester?", Crowley cuts in, sarcasm dripping in his tone, "Nobody's perfect. Nobody's completely innocent. Everybody's guilty of something."
Crowley pinned Sam in place with his expressionless stare that said nothing, yet everything at the same time.
"Even the Angels."
But Sam didn't back down, his eyes flickering back to Anna, but he stayed facing the Fallen, "But why would they say that?"
"You tell me.", Anna snapped, causing the two to turn their full attention back to her, her voice wobbled in emotion, "Tell me why my life has been leveled. Why my parents are dead."
Dean looked down in regret, Sam scrutinized her, Ruby looked unmoved, and Crowley placed a comforting hand on the girl's shoulder. She looked at him shakily, but her eyes held gratitude.
"I don't know.", she said wetly, "I swear. I would give anything to know."
Sam nodded, "Okay. Then let's find out."
Anna looked scared, but Crowley could see her determination. She needed to know.
"How?"