Huntress

Part 24: Loss

"Okay so let me get this straight, we beat the Brits, kick their smug, tea-swirling asses -no offence Y/N- and instead of finally catching a break we get Lucifer?!" Uncle Dean sighed, pacing about the bunker while you sat with your Dad and Mary. You looked up from your mug of tea, glaring at him over the rim before turning your attention to the photographs your Dad had printed.
"You're sure that's him?" Mary asked.
"Yeah I'm sure." Dad nodded, not looking at them for too long. It was Lucifer, alright.
"In his old vessel?" You asked.
"Yeah...""How's that possible?" Mary took a photograph from the table and studied it.
"Kelly I guess..." Dad shrugged.
"So what do we do?" You said, putting your tea down and sitting back in your chair.
"Well," Dad cleared his throat, "Rowena can slam Lucifer back in the cage."
"Great," said Mary, "where is she?"

Dad picked up his phone almost immediately, standing up from the table as he did so. You all watched in anticipation as he held the phone to his ear. He rose his head, his eyes pacing the room. He then breathed a sharp breath and looked to Uncle Dean who shot him a frown: "What?"
Dad put the phone on speaker and held it up so you could all hear.

Then came a voice: "Oh and if you're looking for Rowena she is presently indisposed which is a delicate way of saying I stomped on her face till the white meat showed and then stomped on her face just in case," Lucifers voice sounded as smug as usual, "uh...it was messy. Screamy. Had to be done, though. I'm about to be a Dad! Can't raise a kid from a cell, can I? Speaking of, any idea where Castiel is?"
"Go to hell." Dad snapped.
"Oh good one! Let me write that down."
"Look-" Dean cleated his throat, but was interrupted.
"Oh, hey Dean! I know I know you guys are gonna want to kill me but you've never done it and you never will. Especially now Rowena is gone," he paused, but none of you had anything to say, "catch you guys later!"

You all fell silent with the phone, aware he was right, but not wanting to admit it.You sucked it up and spoke, "He's got a point."
Dad threw you a look you couldn't quite read, but composed himself and said, "Okay, so we just have to keep Cas and Kelly moving. Lucifer can't hurt them if he can't find them."
"And Cas will go along with that?" Mary asked, sounding unconvinced.
"We won't give him a choice." Uncle Dean said sternly.
You frowned with concern, "What he means is we'll figure something out by talking it through with them." You corrected, not willing to make any more causes for tension.
"Right." Dad nodded.
"How do we find them?" Mary turned to your Dad.
"There will be signs: locust plagues, freak storms things like that."
"Okay so we're looking for something weird." Mary said unenthusiastically.
"Story of our lives." Uncle Dean huffed.

——————

You all sat back around the table, researching on phones and laptops to find anything weird.
"What about this?" Uncle Dean held up a news report about a three-headed calf being born.
You chuckled, "Poor mother." which made him cringe.
"Not biblical." Dad muttered, not looking up from his tablet.

"You rang?" Crowley spoke up from now where, appearing at the table. Before you could even take him in, Uncle Dean launched himself at him, punching him square in the jaw and sending him flying.
"Did you do it?!" Uncle Dean shouted, holding a demon-blade to his throat, "Did you let Lucifer out of the cage?"
"I didn't let-"
"Tell me!" Uncle Dean pushed, shaking Crowley by the collar.
"Dean, wait! Don't kill him." Dad put a hand out.
"Seriously?" Mary raised an eyebrow.
"He wrote the cage spell with Rowena," you nodded in understanding, "he could help."
"What if he can't?" Mary asked, eager to put an end to Crowley.
"Well then we kill him." Dad said, making Crowley's eyes widen as Uncle Dean loosened his grip.

Crowley stood himself up when Uncle Dean let go, patting his coat down. He swivelled his head a little and cleared his throat, aware you were all waiting for what he had to say and making the most of that small amount of control.
"I put Lucifer in a vessel of my own making. I had to win. Too damn many people have been after my throne. I put the Devil on a leash to show everyone not to mess with me." Crowley explained.
"Worked out well." Uncle Dean scoffed.
"And then I narrowly escaped death," Crowley paused and eyed you all, "by hiding in a rat."
"Must have been nice being clean for a change." You remarked, earning a smirk from the others.
"Gave me a break from my work," Crowley continued, ignoring your comment, "made me realise just how much I hate it. The constant stupid questions the mountains and mountains of paperwork, who wants that? Not me. Not anymore."
"So you decided to hide in a rodent?" Mary asked.
"I placed my bets. The Winchester's come out on top. And I can help, after we put Lucifer in the cage I'll seal the gates and you'll never see another demon again...except me, of course. Do we have a deal?"
You looked to your Dad who you could see was thinking it through, analysing the pros and cons in his mind. Uncle Dean looked as suspicious as always, but Mary was harder to read.
"Okay, fine. But you stay here and you keep quiet." Uncle Dean lurched forward and slammed a demon blade into Crowley's hand. It pierced through his skin and into the table, holding his arm in place. Crowley grunted and scowled, watching as you all stood up to gather your things.