[AU] dark gonna catch me here

[gavemea_45]

Not two seconds after the door closed, Dean started demanding answers. Sam explained pretty much everything, although he glossed over the part where Wynonna'd threatened to shoot him, and for the most part Dean took it pretty well.

Until he made the suggestion of bringing Wynonna - and Peacemaker - to a crossroads and forcing the demon there to give up Dean's contract.

By the time the fight's over, Sam's certain of two things. First, that Dean's not willing to listen to reason because he doesn't want to risk Sam. And second, that he's not going to let his brother go to hell.

He makes sure Dean thinks he's asleep first, and waits until he hears his brother start snoring... then waits another half hour to make sure. Once he's certain Dean's not faking, Sam sneaks out and borrows the Impala.

There's a crossroads three miles north, an isolated one with an abandoned gas station nearby that he can use to get to the bar.

It'll do.

Comments

[pacificator]

She whistles, low and appreciative, and gives the glossy black paint a last pat. "Pretty sweet."

[gavemea_45]

"It sure is." He shoves the keys back in his pocket and comes back to join her.

"Ever seen a demon summoning?"

[pacificator]

She shakes her head.

"Not unless you count Happy Hour at Shorty's."

[gavemea_45]

"You guys have a weird setup with that," he notes. "Okay. So this is a pretty specific one. Crossroads demons - their whole thing is getting people to trade their soul in return for a wish. And because of that, they have to make it easy for people to reach them."

He goes around to the trunk as he talks and opens it to rummage through. "The way you do it is to bury a box with specific ritual items at the crossroads."

[pacificator]

"I guess they can't exactly go knocking door to door."

Her sharp glance flickers over the assortment of weapons and defenses stored in the trunk of the car. "What items?"

[gavemea_45]

He pulls out a metal box and sets it to the side with its top flipped open, then keeps rummaging until he pulls out a large leather case. Sam opens that too, revealing an array of corked and capped and sealed jars with a variety of contents.

"Graveyard dirt," he tells her, as he shakes some into the metal box and replaces the jar. "Yarrow. A black cat bone." Sam shuts the case and opens the bag that contains most of their fake IDs, rummaging through until he finds an older one that he can discard for this.

"And a picture of the person doing the ritual." His college ID photo stares up at them from the card in his hand.

[pacificator]

She watches, making note of the various elements. Waverly would be fascinated; Dolls, professionally interested.

He has even more of a baby face in that ID he uses. Somehow, it feels pretty damn wrong to use that innocent-looking kid to call up a demon. But it's not like she wants to summon the thing.

[gavemea_45]

He drops the card in the box and shuts it, then digs in a pouch that's tucked in between a machete and a hatchet. Sam pulls out a tarnished silver charm strung on a black cord and holds it out to her.

"Here. Put this on."

[pacificator]

She puts the cord over her head. The charm makes a gentle ticking noise as it swings against her own necklace. "What is it?"

[gavemea_45]

"Anti-possession charm," Sam tells her. "Don't take it off."

[pacificator]

She pauses, her fingers on the thin black cord, then drops her hands and nods. "Yeah, okay. Handy."

[gavemea_45]

"Yeah." Sam meets her eyes. "You ready?"

[pacificator]

In answer, she leans down and slips Peacemaker out from the side of her boot, curling her fingers around its familiar grip.

When she straightens, she looks Sam in the eye, level. "Yeah."

[gavemea_45]

He nods. "I'm gonna try talking to it first. It should be able to release Dean from the contract. If that doesn't work, then we can blow it back to hell."

Sam leads the way to the center of the crossroads, where he crouches down and scrapes gravel and dirt aside to make a hole in the very center. He puts the metal box in the middle and shoves the dirt back over it.

[pacificator]

She keeps her hand down, Peacemaker flat against her hip, her finger off the trigger, and watches as Sam buries the box of little offerings to whatever demonic asshole is hanging around. "Well, well, well."

The voice comes from behind them both. Wynonna spins to see a woman in a sleek black dress, her hair cut in a stylish bob. "Little Sammy Winchester," the demon says, and smiles.

[gavemea_45]

He turns, fast, and glares at the crossroads demon as her eyes flash a bloody red. "I'm touched," she purrs. "I mean, your brother's been to see me twice now, but you? I never had the pleasure. And you even brought a friend."

The demon's interested glance travels over Wynonna, up and down. "She doesn't seem like your type."

[pacificator]

"Yeah, well, at least I don't have a raging case of conjunctivitis and a demon using me for a hand puppet."

Her fingers tighten on Peacemaker. "So, you know, I'll take my wins where I can get them."

The demon smiles again, canting her head just slightly before her gaze flicks back to Sam. "Well, you've called me out," she says, spreading her hands, her tone conversational. "So, what can I do for you, Sam?"

[gavemea_45]

"You can let Dean out of his contract," Sam tells her, through gritted teeth.

The demon smiles, a smile as bright and sharp as a knife. "Oh, well, that's easy. No. Anything else?"

"I'd drop the wisecracks if I were you." His own glance flicks to Wynonna, just for an instant, before he focuses back on the demon. "You could try begging for your life, instead."

[pacificator]

Wynonna shifts as the demon follows Sam's glance and looks her way, Peacemaker coming up to shoulder level with one smooth, well-practiced motion.

The demon's eyebrows lift, and then she laughs. "And we were having such a nice conversation, too."

"I'm not really much of a talker," Wynonna informs her. "You should go ahead and do what the nice man asks."

[gavemea_45]

"Aw. That's cute," the demon says. "But that's not the original Colt. Where did you even get that thing?"

"Wouldn't you like to know," Sam says. "You should be more scared."

[pacificator]

"Don't listen to the bad lady, baby," Wynonna tells Peacemaker. "She just doesn't know you yet."

She doesn't cock the gun just yet, waiting on Sam's signal, but her finger is itching to blow this bitch back to Hell where she belongs. Or wherever demons go when they die. She doesn't honestly give a shit.

[gavemea_45]

"Scared isn't really my style," the demon tells Sam, with a slight shrug, and turns back to scrutinize Wynonna a lot more closely than before. "That's a new meat suit for you, darling. It is you, isn't it?"

[pacificator]

"First you don't know my gun, now you say you know me," Wynonna says, dry. "Make up your mind. And, honestly, if I were you? I'd be paying a whole lot more attention to what he's saying, if you want to live long enough to keep making stupid remarks."

[gavemea_45]

She rolls her eyes. "Oh, you are such a pain in my ass. Don't worry, you'll get what's coming to you soon enough."

"That's enough," Sam interrupts, sharply. "Pay attention. We're here to make you an offer."

The demon spins around to give Sam an incredulous stare. "You? You're making me an offer? Aw, sweetie, that's just adorable."

Sam ignores that. His expression is as flat as his tone. "Here's the terms. You let Dean out of his deal, right now. He lives, I live, she lives... and you live. Everyone goes home happy. If you don't, you stop breathing. Permanently."

[pacificator]

The demon's mouth forms an o, half surprised, half delighted. "All this tough talk," she purrs. "I have to tell you, it's not very convincing."

"No?" Wynonna thumbs back the hammer. Peacemaker's chamber rotates with a smooth click. "You know what might be convincing? A bullet in your skull."

The demon scoffs and turns back to Sam. "I mean, come on Sam. Do you even want to break the deal?"