something in the orange, spn [ 2 ]

057. third trial

They call Crowley and he picks up after a couple of rings.

"You have less than one minute before a very dear, attractive, and slightly tipsy friend of yours snuffs it." Crowley says.

"Call it off, Crowley." Dean demands.

"Because?" Crowley asks.

"Because it's over, you son of a bitch. We want to deal." Dean says.

"30 seconds."

"We stop the trials, and you stop the killing."

"I want the demon tablet -- the whole demon tablet."

"Fine, but then the angel tablet comes to us."

"On what grounds?"

"On the grounds that you're a douchebag and no douchebag should have that much power. Deal or not?"

"First, I need to hear two little words. I surrender."

+++

They pull onto the side of the road where Kevin told them to meet up. There's a sign for a chili restaurant and it has the devil on the sign. Kevin walks out of a shallow hole, holding the demon tablet.

"You hid the demon tablet underneath the devil? Seriously?" Dean asks.

"What? I was delirious." Kevin defends. Jacob shrugs. He puts the two pieces together before giving it to Sam. "You sure this is gonna work?"

"What chance do we have?" Sam asks.

Dean takes the key to the bunker out of the box.

"All right, listen, this is a secret lair. You understand me? No keggers." Dean says, handing Kevin the key.

"I don't have any friends." Kevin says.

"Yeah, well, just lay low. Who knows? You'll be a mathlete again before you know it." Dean says.

"I'm not babysitting, am I?" Kevin asks.

"Ophelia can handle the babies." Natalie says. "It's up to you if you spend time with her or Libby. They're... pretty independent with basic home things."

The five hunters start to leave.

"You guys?" He calls, getting them to turn back. "You're doing the right thing." The five leave.

+++

They pull into Bobby's former junkyard and get out.

"Hello, boys, girls." They turn to Crowley. "What's that old expression? Success has many fathers. Failure is a Winchester." Crowley laughs. "Where's the stone?"

"You show us yours and we'll show you ours." Dean says.

"Really, Dean? I'm trying to conduct a professional negotiation here and you want to talk dangly bits?" Crowley asks. "The stone." Sam goes to the pull the stone out. "Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. Slowly." Sam slowly pulls the tablet out.

"There she is." Crowley says. Crowley shows the inside pocket of his coat where the angel tablet is.

"And the contract?" Dean asks. Crowley pulls out a scroll and throws it, it unrolling about 10 feet. "Yeah, I'm sure there's no hidden agenda in there."

"The highlights -- we swap tablets, you stand down from the trials forever." Crowley says.

"You stop killing everyone we've ever saved." Sam says.

"Agreed." Crowley says.

Dean takes a pen out of his jacket and takes the cap off.

"Unh, unh, unh." Crowley disapproves, yanking the contract back a bit. "Nice try, squirrel. Moose is doing these trials. Moose signs."