CHAPTER 11

Bobby was grumbling curses at Dean as he dug his keys out of his pocket and fumbled for the right key to unlock the van. He knew that none of this shit was going to end well for anyone. His prayers seemed to turn into desperate screams as he climbed behind the wheel. Just as he reached out to close the door, a gruff voice sounding from somewhere in the dark parking lot.

"I heard you! You can stop shouting!", a familiar voice playfully growled at Bobby, making him jump.

"JESUS!", Bobby wheezed out with a gasp. He searched the darkness looking for the demon that he's wanted to drive the demon blade into for years. Crowley walked into the circle of light thrown out by a nearby street light. He wore his signature black suit, black shirt, and silk tie. His patent leather shoes gleamed in the light.

"Not quite", Crowley chuckled. "He's far too uptight". Crowley strolled closer and leaned on a 'NO SMOKING' sign. Bobby found the irony of the image hard to ignore. He snorted before he could stop himself. Crowley looked up, frowned at the sign and huffed. He snapped his fingers and the sign started to smolder. The paint ran down the front of the sign just before the sign itself started to melt, dripping onto the concrete in steaming metallic puddles around the pole. Crowley smiled at his handiwork. Bobby just rolled his eyes.

"What do you want Crowley?", Bobby said through clenched teeth. Crowley frowned again and sighed heavily. He strolled towards Bobby with his hands clasped behind his back. He leaned on the side of the van, crossing his arms. His smirk faded and his expression became serious. Crowley looked out into the darkness as he spoke.

"God's not the only one who hears prayers, you know". Bobby just glared at Crowley like he was ready to snap the evil Bastard's neck. "And as loud as yours were, it was bloody hard to ignore. So here I am!" His Cheshire Cat grin was back and he blew Bobby a kiss. Bobby grimaced and looked away.

"Piss off, Crowley, before I do something you'll regret!", Bobby bellowed. Crowley threw his hands up in the air as if in defeat and laughed as he backed away. Bobby was not in the mood to deal with yet another demon. Especially, not THIS demon. Every time Crowley popped in, he just couldn't resist goading the old hunter.

"If that's what you want, Bobby. But don't ever say that I never offered you a way out of this bloody mess." Crowley turned and strode off the way he came without a second glance, his shoes clicking loudly as he walked away. Bobby jumped out of the van and ran after him.

"What do you mean 'a way out'?" Bobby was suspicious, but he couldn't let him go without an explanation. He grabbed Crowley by the arm and spun the demon around to face him. Crowley looked down at Bobby's hand gripping his arm and back up to Bobby's face, his eyes turning blood red in an instant. Bobby dropped his arm as he mumbled an apology and Crowley's eye shifted back to human eyes as he flashed Bobby a toothy grin.

"Civility is key in any relationship, don't you agree?", Crowley chided. Bobby simply grunted and looked away. "Now I know this day has been difficult for all involved, but we must not act like heathens, yes?" Bobby nodded with his head down like a child scolded by his mother. "Good. Now shall I continue?". Bobby growled in reply. "I'll take that as a yes", Crowley chuckled. "You wish to save the sweet lass from the evil demon, correct?"

"Yeah?", Bobby grumbled.

"And you wish to rescue said demon from himself, correct?" Bobby wasn't sure where this was going and he wasn't sure he would like where it ended. But he didn't have any other ideas at this point, so he would listen.

"Yeah?", Bobby repeated.

"But you have no idea where he is or how to cure him, correct?, the demon asked. This was getting tiresome to Bobby. He wondered when Crowley was gonna get to the point.

"Yes and no", Bobby retorted. Crowley gave him a curious look. "We don't know where he is but we do know how to exorcise a demon", Bobby grouched. Crowley laughed hysterically at Bobby's ignorance.

"You really have no concept of what's happened here, do you, old man?", the demon said breathlessly, wiping the tears of laughter from his eyes. Bobby was rapidly losing his patience with this asshat clown. "Dean is not possessed by a demon. He IS a demon!", Crowley spit the words at Bobby like they were making him sick.

The demon explained that Abbadon had returned to enact her revenge for Sam and Dean's ass whooping. She wanted the girl. And that the only way to get rid of her for good was to kill her with the First Blade. But to wield the blade he had to take the mark of Cain. It worked. Dean killed the Bitch, but the mark made him crave killing. Dean was killed by the angel Metatron and the First Blade brought him back twisted and evil.

"Why did you care enough to tell Dean what was going on?", Bobby glared at the demon with suspicion. Crowley just smirked at the old man. Bobby's eyes grew huge and his rage peaked He lunged at Crowley landing a direct hit to the demon's nose. Crowley landed hard on his backside. "YOU SON OF A BITCH! YOU KNEW WHAT WOULD HAPPEN, DIDN'T YOU?", Bobby spat. He stood over the demon with his hands balled into fists at his sides. Crowley held his bleeding nose and wobbled upright. Grabbing a handkerchief, Crowley chuckled.

"I suppose I deserved that". Crowley dabbed at his nose but made no move to retaliate. "Yes, I knew. I was hoping to get a Winchester to change sides and I knew that Dean was the logical choice. He is more reckless and hot tempered. And I knew how he felt about that girl. I wanted him to serve me, I even made him a Knight of Hell. But he refused to take orders. He is uncontrollable and uncontrollable demons are trouble. I don't want to earn a reputation for not being able to control my demon flock."

"And you don't want the competition", Bobby added, leaning close.

"Yes, there is that", Crowley retorted. "There can only be one King of Hell."

"So how do we find Dean and cure him?", Bobby sighed. He was so tired and Crowley was getting on his last nerve. "Stop beating around the bush, would ya?"

"Yes, well, I know where he is. I can take you to him", Crowley whispered, looking around as if to make sure nobody was listening. "But, curing him, that's another matter altogether. It requires a large amount of human blood purified by a priest. You must inject Dean in the neck with the blood eight times. Once per hour. When the last dose is given, You must recite this incantation", Crowley said as he pulled a slip of paper out of the inside of his suit jacket.

"Exorcizamus te, omnis immundus spiritus. Hanc animam redintegra, lustra! Lustra!", Bobby read. Bobby raised an eyebrow at Crowley. "That's it?", Bobby asked skeptically.

"Not quite", Crowley said, raising a finger. "It has to be Sam that performs the ritual".

"And why is that?", Bobby growled. He wasn't putting Sam in danger again without a damn good reason. Not in his condition.

"Because, Genius, the ritual also needs the blood of a close family member", Crowley yelled, losing his patience. "The closer, the better! As he says the incantation, Sam must cut his palm and slap it over Dean's mouth". Bobby ran a palm down his face. 'I guess that's a damn good reason', Bobby thought. He raised his arms in an 'oh well' gesture. "I can supply the blood, if you don't ask me where I got it. But you'll have to supply the priest", Crowley said.

"I know a guy", Bobby mumbled, stuffing his hands in his pockets. "How do we hold him?", Bobby asked the demon. "He walked right out of the devil's trap and all of our other wards!"

"I told you", Crowley said irritably. "Dean isn't possessed by a demon. He IS a demon! All the usual traps won't hold him. We need something older, more powerful to restrain him."

"And what might that be?", Bobby spat. He felt like he had tumbled down the rabbit hole and there was no way back.

"The strongest Enochian sigils were carved into Lucifer's cage", Crowley said. "It's our only option".

"How do you know that will work?", Bobby asked.

"I don't", Crowley replied. "This has never happened before".

Bobby dreaded having to tell the youngest Winchester about this whole sorted scheme. He hated Crowley and working with a demon made Bobby's skin crawl. And Sam having to be involved in this means that they will have to wait until he is well enough to leave the hospital. Which means Y/N will have to wait too. She will be at the mercy of a sadistic demon named Dean Winchester.

Sam was not going to like this. Not at all.