(1) The Devil's Hybrid (D. Winchester)

Chapter Forty-Nine

Dean smiles and climbs out of the impala as Erika's mini pulls up behind them, Sam shakes his head amused and climbs out after his brother. Erika climbs out of her mini and smiles at them both walking towards them.

"Is there a reason you're parked out here, loves?" she asks.

"Bridge is out," Dean tells her as Sam opens the impala trunk.

"Hmm," she hums and pulls her coat around herself. "You're not scared of a little walk, are you, love?" she teases, Dean sticks out his tongue at her and then pulls her closer to kiss her. Erika touches his chest and holds onto his jacket to kiss him back. The different between Lucifer and Dean is...well, Lucifer's kisses are cold and desperate, starved almost, and don't get her started on his forked-tongue. Dean's are softer, with more behind them, warm and human. Dean pulls back and frowns raising his hand to Erika's cheek, brushes away a tear.

"You okay?" he asks her, she nods and smiles.

"Just....glad to be back" she answers softly, stroking his chest. "I was worried too you know" she admits. "I didn't know you and Sam were okay after the Convent" Dean kisses her again pulling her closer. "But I'm glad you got out" she whispers.

"Yeah, we got zapped onto a plane" Dean shrugs. "No idea who....maybe the same person who zapped you" he takes her hand and kisses the back of it, she doubts that.

"Shall we get going?" Sam asks.

................

Sam and Dean walk along the street, carrying guns and bags and scanning the area, Erika walks behind them, hands in her pockets. The near side of the street has a sporting goods store advertising ammo, rods and reels, and a thirty percent sale for Pioneers Day; the far side is residential. There is no sign of anyone other than Sam, Dean, and Erika. A blue two-door sedan is overturned in the street. Erika ducks down to examine the car, before she turns it upright, Dean and Sam hold up their guns as they approach. They each share a look, it's empty. They move on. A sprinkler is running in front of one of the houses: whatever happened to clear the area happened fast enough that no one turned it off. There's another car in the street, this one tan and the right way up. The driver's door is open, the engine is running, and the radio is playing "Spirit in the Sky". Sam and Dean approach this car, guns ready. It's empty. Erika turns the engine off. Silence falls. Sam sighs. They pause at a gleaming red classic Mustang. Sam loses interest when he sees it's empty; Dean admires it for a moment and whistles. Erika cocks her head staring at it before following the brothers. Something sparks at the gas station. The young man's blood is still there next to the silver minivan. The driver's door of a silver four-door stands open. There's a baby stroller next to the door and a great deal of blood in front of and leading away from the door. Erika, Sam and Dean approach, then scan the area again. There's a large hole in the silver four-door's windshield. They move on. The veins on Erika's face crawl up, she closes her eyes, Dean takes her hand and the veins disappear. A gun cocks. Erika is gone and reappearing behind them grabbing the gun pointed at them and turns it on the woman. Dean whips around, leveling his shotgun; Sam turns. Dean lowers the gun.

"Ellen?"

"Hello, boys" Ellen greets, Dean glances back at Sam before looking to Erika.

"It's fine, Eri" Erika raises an eyebrow and then lowers the gun handing it back to Ellen. "Ellen, what the heck's going on here?" Ellen splashes Dean in the face with holy water and raises her gun. Dean closes his eyes for a moment, letting Ellen see that the water is neither boiling nor burning him. "We're us" Ellen lowers her gun and then looks to Erika.

"She's new" Ellen points out looking over Erika.

"Erika Mikaelson" Erika greets. "Charmed, I'm sure"