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

Chapter Seventy-Seven

Dean snuggles up with Erika, wrapping an arm around her and lacing his fingers with hers. She shifts slightly curling back against him.

"We got it," he tells her. "Pestilence's location" she glances over her shoulder at him, he smiles. "We got it" he kisses her, she turns to face him and wraps her arms around his neck to kiss him back. "We could actually do this," he tells her and smiles warmly at her. "Nab his ring and it's just one to go"

"And Lucifer's ring" she reminds him. He nods and shrugs.

"We'll worry about that one later" he strokes her cheek, she smiles at him.

"What?" she asks noting his look.

"You look beautiful" he answers, she rolls her eyes, he kisses her and pulls her closer. "You do..." he assures her, kisses her softly, he runs his hand over her side and up under her shirt.

"Dean" she whispers, he kisses her neck and shifts closer to her.

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

Dean drives, Erika curled into his side, the silence comfortable, peaceful, Dean smiles and looks to her, she's smiling back at him, he kisses her nose and turns back to the road, stroking her arm.

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

Bobby looks to Erika as she pours herself a drink, Sam's just told Dean his trip the devil into his box plan, Erika wasn't listening.

"You own a bar, why are you drinking my whiskey?" he asks her, she raises the glass to him and drops into the armchair, Dean pinches the bridge of his nose.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Dean asks turning to Sam.

"Dean..."

"No, don't Dean me. I mean, you -- you have had some stupid ideas in the past, But this..." Dean turns to Erika. "D-did you know about this?" he asks her.

"What, love?" she asks.

"About Sam's genius plan to cram the devil down his throat" Erika pulls a face.

"Yes, I did" 

"Well, thanks for the heads up!"

"Hey, this ain't about me" she mumbles looking away, Dean turns to Sam.

"You can't do this"

"That's the consensus," Sam tells them.

"All right. Awesome. Then, end of discussion" Dean's phone rings. "This isn't over. Hello?"

"Dean?"

"Cas?"

"Is he okay?" Erika asks.

"We all thought you were dead. Where the hell are you, man?" Dean asks Castiel.

"A hospital"

"Are you okay?"

"No"

"You want to elaborate?" Dean asks him.

"I just woke up here. The doctors were fairly surprised. They thought I was brain-dead"

"S-so, a hospital?"

"Apparently, after Van Nuys, I suddenly appeared, bloody and unconscious, on a shrimping boat off Delacroix. I'm told it upset the sailors" Castiel answers.

"Uh, well, I got to tell you, man -- You're just in time. We figured out a way to pop Satan's box"

"How?"

"It's a long story, but, look --we're going after Pestilence now. So if you want to zap over here.."

"I can't "zap" anywhere"