𝐃𝐎𝐍𝐎𝐕𝐀𝐍

𝐅𝐈𝐅𝐓𝐘-𝐅𝐈𝐕𝐄

Katherine's soul has never felt so heavy. Her eyes are puffy and dry, her nose is stuffy. She's been curled up in the corner of the room she's locked in. The door unlocks and opens.

Yellow Eyes sighs. It appears to her in her own body, wearing the clothes Katherine put on when she went for that awful walk in the hotel.

"They stopped looking for you, you know," Yellow Eyes says to her. Katherine lifts her head from her arms.

Her face looks different, even to her. Thinner, more severe. Darker.

"So stop dragging your feet. I'm kind of not able to function with your little problems." Fingers wave in Katherine's direction. Something within her snaps.

"My little problems?" Katherine snarls, rising to her feet. "You killed my best friend!"

"Ah, ah, ah." Yellow Eyes shakes her head, holding a finger up. "Jake Talley killed your best friend."

"By the rules you implemented!"

"Believe me, sweetheart, I much preferred Sam to win." Yellow Eyes crosses her arms. "But crying about it is just slowing the both of us down. Nobody can hear you in here."

"Bring Sam back," Katherine whispers, striding towards the demon. "Bring Sam back and I'll do whatever you want. You said you wanted me to lead that army of yours. Bring Sam back and I'll do it!"

"While you drive a hard bargain, Miss Donovan, I'm afraid rules are rules, and I cannot."

Katherine gawks. "You brought Dean back! He told me his father traded his life for Dean's."

"Those were different circumstances."

"So change the damn rules!" Katherine cries, gripping the collar of Yellow Eyes' jacket between her fists. "I can be twice the leader that Sam Winchester can be. I'll sell my soul, I'll do whatever you want me to. Just bring Sam back."

Yellow Eyes shakes her head. "No can do, sweetheart."

"Then let me see him," Katherine whispers. "Let me see him!"

The Yellow-eyed demon is gone, and her fists clench thin air.

Jake Talley has made a nice little camp for himself. A tent from tree leaves, stones in a circle for a small fire pit. Yellow Eyes sits on a fallen log, props her wet boots close to the flame, and waits.

She smiles. "Aloha, Jake," she says. Jake snaps awake, scrambles to a standing position.

"I'm dreaming, aren't I?"

"Ugh," she mutters, the corner of her mouth turning down a bit. "I've got a genius on my hands." She sends a look upward in a comical attempt at a prayer. Prayer. Perhaps it would work, in this Divine meatsuit. "Congratulations, Jake," the demon drawls. "Last man standing, how's it feel? I do admit, you weren't the horse I was betting on, but I've gotta give it to you."

There isn't so much as a snarl in his cold voice. "Go to Hell."

Yellow Eyes winces. "Been there. Didn't agree with me."

"Everything you put me through, dragging me to that place, making me kill those people—"

Anger.

"All part of the game. Sit down, quit your cryin'. You sound like this one right here," she grumbles, rising to her feet. "I needed the strongest—that's you."

"Needed me for what?"

"Oh," the demon scoffs, then grins. "I have got a laundry list for you!"