Being a hunter, or rather a Winchester, meant Selina was well used to having nightmares.

Oftentimes they'd only plague her mind after a truly traumatic event, like seeing Dean getting ripped apart by hellhounds or Sam taking a nosedive into Hell, but after that day in Appalachia? After what happened to her... What almost happened to her?

Well, let's just say that Selina saw a lot more of the night sky than she did the inside of her own eyelids. Tonight being no different.

The air outside was crisp and cool, nothing but a gentle breeze drifting around her as Selina sat upon the hood of her brother's beloved Impala. The moon shone brightly as she did nothing but stare up at the cloudless sky, watching the subtle twinkle of the stars that cascaded over her, offering her just a touch of peace from the memories of that eventful day.

Selina always loved the quiet nights outside the bunker, where no sound could be heard except the faint chirps of the bugs that lived within the grass surrounding the property. It allowed her some moments of clarity. A chance to forget all of her worries and focus solely on the stars above her.

Only tonight was a lot different to the past week, as it turns out her brothers felt like right now, in this moment where Selina would rather be by herself, was the perfect time to bring up what she confessed in the bar that day.

"You do it, she's your twin."

"But you're the oldest. And besides, you have that Purgatory bond thingy."

"And that beats the twin bond?"

"Yes."

"One of you better hurry up and do whatever it is that you're out here for." Selina muttered in annoyance, silence erupting over her brothers.

The soft crunches of the gravel beneath them filled the air as Sam and Dean walked slowly towards their sister, carrying a small amount of worry? Fear? Perhaps, over how this all might go down as it seemed like Selina had been avoiding them ever since they got back from Appalachia.

Which she may have been but that's only because she wanted to put this conversation off for as long as humanly possible. But it was bound to happen sooner or later and she guessed tonight was the night.

It took Selina a few seconds longer than it should have for her to meet their gaze, her chest filling with regret as she could see the hurt behind their eyes. The hurt she'd caused by basically telling them she preferred Crowley's company to their own. Which she didn't, of course. She just preferred how Crowley was with her, that's all.

Not to mention the slight crush she had on him but that wasn't exactly the point here.

"I know why you're out here." Selina began, a gentle sigh leaving her parted lips as she sat up properly, the hood of the car squeaking quietly under her. "And before you have a go at me or whatever, I just want you both to know that I didn't mean what I said. Not really. I just meant..."

"We know what you meant, Cat." Sam interrupted softly. "And you were right. We do treat you like a child sometimes but it's only because we're trying to keep you safe."

"And that's worked brilliantly over the years hasn't it?" Selina scoffed unintentionally, her eyes also rolling against her will.

But she couldn't help herself as they hadn't exactly done a bang up job of keeping her out of harm's way since they dragged her back into things after Jess died.

In fact, dragging her back in was what led to all the shit she'd been through so really, keeping her in the dark probably would have been better. Except she wouldn't change the past few years as had they not happened, she'd more than likely never have become the woman she was today and the more the thought about it, the less she liked who she used to be.

Selina sighed again, running her fingers through her tousled hair and grimacing at the hurt look her brothers shared with each other. Damn, she was really beating them with her words lately wasn't she?

Maybe she hadn't changed as much as she thought.

"Sorry." She mumbled, biting at the skin of her lip as she half expected them to just go back inside and leave her be for another week.

"Don't be." Dean replied sincerely, watching as Selina's brow dipped over tired eyes. "You're right. We haven't done a very good job at keeping you safe. Which is why we've decided... We ain't gonna do it anymore."

"You're not gonna do it anymore?" Selina repeated, confused being an understatement as who were these men and what had they done to her brothers?

"You get by better on your own." Sam explained, drawing Selina's attention. "Like you said, you survived half a year in Purgatory by yourself... You walked right into Hell... I mean, you took down fifteen demons when you could barely stand up so I think you've done plenty to prove yourself."

"We're just sorry it took us so long to realise that." Dean added, reluctantly as, after all, it was his job to take care of Sam and Selina. But even he knew he needed to loosen the reins a little if he wanted to keep them around. "And if you want to leave and be on your own again like you were then we'll respect that."

"I never said I wanted to leave." Selina replied, shaking her head as she couldn't think of anywhere she'd rather be than here. "All I wanted was for you both to stop treating me like I'm made of glass."

"And we will." Sam said seriously, nodding his head a touch in assurance. "Starting now... You have our word."

"And if I say I want to keep being friends with Crowley?" Selina inquired, deciding to test how loose the leash around her really was. She noticed the slight tense of Dean's jaw, clearly fighting with himself so as to not resort back to that over protective big brother role. "What would you say to that?"

"You're a big girl." Dean replied bluntly, his brooding face telling Selina that he wasn't overly happy about what he was about to say. "You can be friends with whoever you want."

"Really?" Selina exhaled, narrowing her eyes towards him as she half expected him to add 'except Crowley' to the end of the words he used so much strength to get out.

Only, he didn't. Not without biting his tongue. And hard too as he did not want Crowley anywhere near his sister, thank you very much. But he trusted Selina. He trusted her enough to know she wouldn't allow the demon to get under her skin, as she'd shown in the past she was fairly good at that.

And she'd also proven herself to be fairly capable of taking down fifteen demons, so just one? King or no King, Crowley would most definitely not be an issue for her. Therefore Dean would sleep alright...ish, at night knowing they were friends.

"Really." Dean said, barely hearing the surprised 'huh' escape through Selina's lips. "I mean, I ain't happy about it and I don't trust that limey dick as far as I can throw him but hey, it's your life. You wanna have him in it? Then who am I to say otherwise."

"Wow, Dean." Selina breathed out, mocking being touched as she sniffled sarcastically and put her hand over her heart. "That's really big of you. Thank you for allowing me to choose my own friends."

"Alright, well if you're gonna be a bitch about it then I'm going back to bed." Dean grumbled, although he couldn't help but smile a little. And despite his threat, he didn't even move.

"Relax, would you? I'm just yanking your chain." Selina chuckled, rolling her eyes at Dean's flare for the dramatic as she slid off the car. "Look, you know I love you guys and I appreciate you looking out for me my whole life. And I'm not saying that you have to stop completely as I know that ain't your style... All I'm saying is... Tone it down a little."

"We will." The boys said in unison. Seriously.

"Good." Selina said thankfully, and satisfied, hopping back up onto the hood of the car as she didn't know why she'd gotten off it in the first place. "Now go away. You're invading my 'me' time and I've had enough chick flick moments recently for one lifetime. I don't need anymore."

"Please." Dean scoffed, already making his move to head back inside. "You love chick flicks."

"Yeah, not as much as you do." Selina replied humorously, leaning back against the hood of the Impala before mumbling to herself. "Mr Congeniality."

She'd never forget the look on Dean's face when she caught him watching that movie. Talk about priceless... Oh, if only she'd had a camera with her that day, then she'd never be without leverage again.

The rest of her rather peaceful night drifted by a lot quicker than Selina expected it to. She didn't move from that exact spot the entire time, doing nothing but gazing up at the stars above her as she tried her best to clear the thoughts from her mind.

And it had worked... a little.

At least she had one less thing to worry about now that she'd fixed things with her brothers. Not that they were truly broken as they'd all said worse things to each other over the years. But with Crowley involved? That was bound to have irritated an otherwise untouched and shallow nerve within her brothers, so she was just incredibly thankful that it all worked out without anyone getting hurt. Again.

And that she didn't end up having to choose between them as something tells her Crowley might have been a little... Upset? Disappointed? Perhaps both? If he learned she was cutting him off as he didn't seem to have many people left in his corner, which to be honest, did break Selina's heart a little.

But no matter how much she liked Crowley or how much she wanted to be around him, family would always come first and she wasn't sure she'd have been able to manage sneaking around to see him if the risk was losing her brothers.

Thankfully, though, that didn't happen. She was allowed to keep all of them in her circle which meant today was off to a better start than she would have ever expected it to, especially when she was running on about three hours sleep because of a nightmare she didn't really want to talk about.

And the day was about to get a whole lot better as the second Selina's feet hit the ground with a soft crunch of the gravel beneath her, her phone dinged, the name on screen making her smile warmly to herself as she began to head inside.

Only, that smile quickly turned upside down once she opened the message and was immediately greeted with a rather gruesome crime scene photo. A lifeless body lay still amidst the blood bath. His eyes frozen in fear and panic. Mouth still open. Blood splattered across his skin and his torso ripped open in an almost familiar fashion.

Claire: What do you think could do something like this??

Selina: Jesus, Claire, it's 7am... What happened to hello? Good morning? How are you?

Claire: Those are irrelevant... But good morning or whatever😋 So, what do you think did it?

Selina: My first thought would be werewolf but by the looks of things his heart is still in his chest??

Claire: Correct... Which is annoying as I really wanted to use that silver knife you gave me🗡️

Selina: Bullets, Claire. Use bullets. That knife is a last resort. You gotta keep your distance from wolves, or do you want to get bitten and turn into one?

Claire: If I did, would I have to move in with Garth?

Selina: Yes.

Claire: Okay, bullets it is then. I don't want to end up roped into another puppet show... I still have nightmares about the last one🫣

Selina: You and me both... Anyway, back to the case. Any signs of forced entry?

Claire: Yeah, actually. The window to his bedroom was broken. Jody said it looked like someone smashed it from the outside as there was glass on the floor.

Selina: Did they find anything outside?

Claire: Claw marks in the dirt. But according to "forensics" they belong to a dog

Selina: Oh, they belong to a dog alright, but it ain't your common golden retriever

Claire: Meaning?

Selina: What was the victim's name?

Claire: Desmond Hunt

Selina: Gimme a sec, I gotta look into something

Claire: Okie dokie

Selina: ...You've been spending too much time with Dean

After a reply from Claire featuring a certain one-fingered emoji, Selina clicked out their message thread, chuckling softly to herself as it really did surprise her how much like Dean, Claire really was. She scrolled down just a little, passing a few messages from Henry, Charlie and Kevin before she came to the person she was looking for.

If Selina's gut was right about what happened to Desmond, then she was certain that more bodies would be popping up soon. And if that happened, she really needed to keep Claire out of it otherwise she'd get herself killed.

Selina: Desmond Hunt, Sioux Falls. Did he sell his soul ten years ago?

Crowley: I don't think you quite grasp the concept of a good morning text, darling.

Huh... Maybe Selina and Claire were a lot more alike than she thought they were. And apparently so were Selina and Crowley as they'd both answered in roundabout the same way.

Selina: Just answer the question, Crowley🙄

Crowley: Fine. He did indeed sell his soul. To yours truly. Why?

Selina: Just needed to know, that's all.

Crowley: You're welcome

Selina: Right, sorry... Thank you ☺️

Ignoring the slight flutter she felt in her chest anytime she simply opened their text thread, Selina clicked out of Crowley's chat before she lost focus and ended up talking to him for the entire day, leaving Claire to think she'd ghosted her or something. She went back into the young girl's chat, preparing to warn her to keep her nose out of things otherwise she'd lose it.

Selina: It was a hellhound

Claire: A hellhound? I thought you killed that?

Selina: I killed one of them, but every crossroads demon has their own... Litter, apparently. Anyway, they're incredibly dangerous, not to mention invisible... Which is why you need to stay out of it and let it do its thing.

Claire: You mean let it kill people?

Selina: It only goes after people who sold their souls. And there isn't anything you can do about that, so yes. It sucks, but I'm afraid you just have to let it do it's thing and hope nobody else was stupid enough to make a deal with a demon

Claire: Didn't you make a deal with a demon?

Selina: That was Dean and he's an idiot who ended up going to hell. So if you don't want to end up like him then stay out of it

Claire: But Cat, I'm bored... I haven't hunted anything in weeks

Selina: Claire, you gotta listen to me, okay? Hellhounds are not to be messed with. They are dangerous and once they get your scent they won't stop until they've ripped you to pieces and dragged your soul to hell... Now does that sound fun to you? Do you like the idea of an eternity of torture?

Claire: ...No.

Selina: Then stay away from it. I mean it.

Claire: Fine, I won't go after it 😒

Selina: Good

Claire: When are you going to come and visit? It's been ages

Selina: Aww, do you miss me?🥺

Claire: Pfft, no🙄

Selina: I think you do🥰 But hey, tell you what... I could use a break from the manliness of this bunker so I'll swing by and stay with you girls for a bit. We can finally watch those movies you were telling me about?

Claire: Yay! I'll go tell Alex😃

The drive to Sioux Falls only took around five hours, which was a half hour less than predicted as Selina seemed to inherit Dean's tendency, and likeness, for speeding, especially along those back country roads that were often empty and allowed for things to get fast. But not furious.

She was honestly surprised she didn't get pulled over by the cops given how many limits she went over on her way there. Not that it would have really mattered as Selina could charm her way out of a murder charge if necessary, so a speeding ticket? Easy peasy.

But what would be hard would be explaining why the registration for her car dated back to the 1950's and belonged to someone called Cuthbert Sinclair. She may have used a lot of aliases in her life, and most of them she got away with given their unisex qualities, but somehow she didn't really think she'd manage to pull off Cuthbert. Too manly. And honestly, too outdated.

Luckily, Selina's journey to Jody's house remained uneventful, in the fact that she didn't have to talk her way out of any police charges, not that she wasn't prepared to do so as being a Winchester, she sort of had to be. But still, she was incredibly thankful that things went smoothly as she could do with some ease these days.

The events of Appalchia had been crazy enough for one month, maybe even two, so all she wanted to do now was relax with her girls for the weekend and not have to worry about anything.

The sight of Jody's house was a particularly welcome one to Selina as she eventually pulled into the drive, making sure to park as close to the fence as she could so she didn't block the sheriff's own car in. She'd barely shut off the ignition and stepped out of the vehicle before the front door flew open and a blur of blonde hair came sprinting towards her, almost knocking her off her feet the second they touched the damp ground beneath her.

"Oof." Selina huffed out, barely regaining her balance after being pounced on by Claire, who she hugged back almost instantly once she knew she wasn't about to end up on her ass. "Didn't miss me, huh?"

"Nope." Claire replied with extra emphasis to try and come across at least a little believable, which had Selina chuckle softly into the head of hair currently stuck in her face, making sure not to breathe any in.

This must be what her brother's felt like anytime she allowed them to hug her and for once she almost felt like apologising to them for it. But she wouldn't. And nor would she be tying her hair up next time either as she was their, technical, little sister after all, if you counted the ten minutes between her and Sam, so it was her job to make their lives a little less comfortable.

When Claire finally released her, after nearly squeezing all of the air out of her lungs and almost having her beg for mercy, Selina grabbed her bag from the back seat and followed the young girl inside, where she was almost knocked off her feet again by another head of hair. Only this time, a dark one.

"God, you'd think I'd been gone for months with the way you guys are reacting." Selina said around a gentle laugh, getting as much hug time in with Alex as she could before pulling back.

"You have been gone for months." Alex pointed out as she folded her arms over chest, almost like she was telling Selina off for it.

Opening her mouth to protest that it couldn't have been that long since she was last here, Selina paused, her brows dipping in thought before they softened. It had been that long. If not longer and she quickly realised that, regret blossoming in her chest as her mouth slowly shut again, her lips pressing together apologetically.

Nodding, Selina whispered. "You're right... It has been that long and for that I apologise."

"Hey, you were trying to close Hell, I think you're off the hook for this one." Came the welcome and rather humorous voice of Jody, who soon came into view as she descended down the stairs.

"Too bad it was for nothing." Selina breathed out, running a hand through her hair.

"Not nothing." Jody said softly, shaking her head as she placed her hand on Selina's shoulder, drawing the Winchester's attention towards her and noticing the lingering tiredness behind those dark eyes. "You got Bobby out of Hell, that counts as something."

"Yeah." Selina whispered, forcing a weak smile. "Yeah, you're right." She carried on, shaking her own head as though trying to rid herself of those thoughts. "Sorry. I don't mean to be a downer, it's just... Been a long few months."

"Well you're here now." Jody smiled, positioning herself next to Selina with her arm wrapping comfortably tight around her shoulders. "So forget about all that... You're gonna need to be on your game in order to survive a weekend with these two."

"Hey!" Claire and Alex said in unison, partially offended however unable to disagree.

Allowing Jody to lead her further into the living room, Selina was quick to notice that the girls had already prepared for her arrival, and probably hours in advance too as they always did get excited when she came to visit.

The couch was covered in blankets and pillows, nearing a fort like structure but without disassembling anything or raiding the dining room of its chairs. Snacks littered the coffee table, from pretzels, to doritos, to the chocolates that Selina was particularly fond of.

There was even a bottle of scotch, along with a glass sitting amongst the coloured bowls of treats, which Selina wouldn't lie in saying didn't make her feel a little like an alcoholic. But at the same time, it just goes to show how much the girls knew her and that was enough to warm her heart.

"Hey Cat?" Claire began, Selina humming in question as she glanced over her shoulder from where she was pouring herself some of the aforementioned scotch. "How did you know it was a hellhound that killed that guy?" She asked, before jokingly adding. "Do you have a list of people who've sold their souls now that you've been to Hell?"

"Claire." Jody warned, eyes widening a touch towards the blonde until Selina brushed it off with a wave of her hand.

She couldn't fault Claire for being curious, now when she was exactly like Selina was at that age. Full of excitement and eager to know everything.

"In a way, I guess." Selina mumbled, adding an extra inch of alcohol to her glass as something told her she might need it.

"Wait, for real?" Claire's head tilted a little, much in the way that Castiel's did. She raised her eyebrow, looking questionably towards her with all manner of interest behind her eyes.

"No, Claire, I don't have a list." Selina sighed, but not out of frustration. More like anxiety. She took a rather long sip of her scotch, mentally debating whether it was worth answering with the truth or if she'd be better to lie.

Lying seemed like the safest option given Jody's history with the particular demon who technically was Selina's "list". But at the same time, she didn't think they deserved to be lied to and Claire wasn't exactly known for letting things rest and they'd more than likely never hear the end of it until she told them. So all in all, Selina didn't think she had much choice.

"I just... Had help."

"Help? Like, from Cas?" Claire asked, Selina shaking her head as she slowly took another sip. "Then who?"

Eyes flicking towards Jody, who looked equally as confused as Claire did over the hesitancy, Selina bit down on the rim of her glass a little. She could feel her stomach tightening with nerves and she really hoped she wasn't going to end up kicked out for what she was about to say. Otherwise she'd more than likely find a bar to drown her sorrows in rather than go back home.

"From..." Selina swallowed thickly, in attempts to push down her nerves. Finally she lowered her glass, realising she couldn't hide behind it, or her stalling tactics, any longer. And so she confessed. "Crowley."

"Crowley?" Jody repeated, voice laden with disgust. As was her face. Her jaw tensed, fists clenching by her sides as she tried to keep her cool. "He's still alive?"

"Mhm." Selina nodded, downing the rest of her drink in one go. She leaned forwards, setting her glass down and reached for the bottle. Before she stopped, closing her fist in the air next to it as she couldn't keep hiding behind alcohol. "But he's... Different now. After the trials. After the blood. He's... better."

"Better?" Jody scoffed, eyes drifting from Selina as she ran her tongue across her teeth, wishing this conversation wasn't happening in full view of the girls. But it was too late to back out now. "The guy tried to kill me."

"I know." Selina whispered, that part of her which would never forgive Crowley for that itching fiercely inside her. "And it probably won't make you feel any better but he has tried to kill me too."

"It doesn't." Jody said bluntly, not meaning to come across so harsh but she wasn't exactly able to stop herself at the memory of what happened. She sighed, running her hand over her chin when Selina simply sank a little in her seat, regret clearly eating away at her. "But if you say he's different... I believe you."

"You do?" Said Selina, Claire and Alex, all in unison and all equally as surprised as one another.

"I do." Jody nodded, reluctantly. "You know more about this demon stuff than I do so if you say he's better then who am I to say differently? Just don't go inviting him to the next barbecue I host otherwise we're gonna have issues."

"Something tells me he isn't exactly the suburban barbecue type." Selina chuckled, mentally picturing Crowley standing amongst soccer moms with a hotdog in his hand and kids running wild around him. "But you won't have to worry about that. I'm sure you won't be seeing him again soon. Or ever."

"Good." Jody breathed out, happily and ready to put this conversation to rest.

Nobody said anything on the subject afterwards. Nor did they say anything at all. They simply kicked off their shoes, tossed their jackets on the empty chair and got themselves comfy on the couch, ready to embark on a rather crazy journey involving tornadoes and... sharks?

Something Selina found absolutely ridiculous but at the same time, quite entertaining and she wouldn't lie, she'd never been more invested in a series of movies as she was right now and once she got home she'd definitely be watching them with Dean because he would love them. Sam would hate them, but that would only add to the joyful experience.

After the credits of the third movie began to roll, Claire and Alex retired sleepily to their rooms for the night, leaving Selina and Jody to tidy up the mess they'd created when the two girls began throwing M&M's at each other.

There was a slight awkwardness in the air, the two women avoiding eye contact with each other as they went about their task in complete silence. Selina grabbed her empty glass, the half drank bottle of scotch too and made her way into the kitchen, where Jody was busy washing bowls in the bubble filled sink.

"The reason I believe Crowley has changed..." Selina began, her voice soft and careful. She set her glass aside, stepping up beside Jody whose hands continued to bury themselves in the water she stared at. "Is because he saved my life."

"He..." Jody sucked in a breath, lifting up her head and tilting it to the side with furrowed brows. "He saved your life? How?" She removed her hands from the sink, flicking off excess water before accepting the towel Selina handed her.

"Last week after this Wendigo hunt up in Appalachia... One that could have gone better." Selina said with grievance as she gestured to the still stitched wound on her chest. "After that we hit the town bar. Crowley and I had been texting for a little while before that, after some other stuff happened but that's not really relevant here...

"Anyway, he ended up showing up and of course that spelled trouble with my brothers. Words were said, mostly by me and then I stormed out... I was too busy wrapped up inside my own head that I didn't pick up that I'd been followed out of the bar, not until my face was pressed up against the wall and some dirtbag was pressed up against me."

At that, Jody reached out her hand, clasping it tightly with Selina's in a way that made carrying on that little bit easier.

"I tried to pull out my gun but the only thing I managed to hit was the ground. That's when he went for my jeans and I thought that was it, you know? That he'd do his thing and more than likely shoot me with my own gun. My last words to my brothers being how I hated the way they treated me. Instead of thanking them for all they'd done for me. But then..."

"Crowley showed up."

Selina nodded, sucking in a shaky breath as this was the first time she'd openly talked about what happened and it was a lot harder than she'd imagined. She turned and took a few steps forward, settling herself down in a chair at the dining table, Jody following along behind her.

"Any other demon would have let it happen. Hell, they'd have possessed the guy so they could do it themselves but Crowley..." His name slipped fondly from Selina's lips, which twitched upwards a touch as she fought with her crush and its urge to smile. "He pulled the guy off me. Sent him to hell for what he did. Then he took me home, made sure I was okay... And I know that doesn't make up for what he did to you..."

"It's a start." Jody said softly, the gentle smile on her face causing Selina's brows to knit together as she wouldn't have imagined it would be that easy. "But you don't need to explain yourself to me, Selina. I trust you and if you say things are different then... They're different."

Smiling, Selina sank down further into the chair beneath her, the wood creaking softly over the silence. Her shoulders sank a little, the tension in them slowly releasing as the relief coursed throughout her body. She'd have never thought it would be that easy to sway Jody on the Crowley of it all.

Honestly, she'd spent the whole drive here worried as to how Jody might react should she have found out about them and their strange friendship, so to hear that? To hear that she trusted her enough to, not so much forgive, but to... Forget? What Crowley did. Well, that was more than she could have ever asked for and it made her feel a little better about staying in the demon's rather empty corner.

"I meant what I said though." Selina sat back up, fiddling with a loose thread on her jeans as she tried to ignore the intense flutter deep in her stomach. "You won't have to worry about him again. At least not in the way you used to. He's a lot more... helpful now, than murderous."

"Well I am glad to hear that." Jody said with a humorous chuckle, patting Selina lightly on the knee before standing up as even though they'd said what they said, she wasn't keen to keep talking about Crowley. "Oh and by the way... Thank you. For making Claire stand down on that case."

"I just told her the truth." Selina shrugged, following suit and getting to her feet. "If she'd have gone after that hound it wouldn't have stopped until it killed her and dragged her to hell."

"And that's why I'm thanking you... She doesn't listen to me when I tell her things are dangerous. But she does listen to you. You're a good influence on her."

"I don't know why. Or how." Selina scoffed, partially amused at the thought that she was considered a role model. "I was just like her when I was that age."

"And I think that's exactly why she listens." Jody said softly, before bidding Selina goodnight and retiring upstairs herself.

Selina wasn't far behind her either, heading up to the guest room after grabbing her bag that had lain abandoned by the front door since she walked in. The girls hadn't exactly given her time to settle in before the fun began and not that she was complaining about it but she did have an indent in her stomach from the button on her jeans and she wished they'd have at least allowed her to change into her sweats before starting the movie.

It was nearing only 11.30pm by the time Selina slid into the freshly changed bed, the aforementioned sweats now comfortably on her body as well as a rather large, oversized t-shirt that Sam was probably missing from his drawer right about now.

Stolen, obviously, but it was comfy. And soft. And Selina would not be apologising for taking it, nor would she be giving it back.

About an hour later, after surprisingly drifting off to sleep, Selina awoke. Her chest rose rapidly with each, almost airless, breath she took and her body was drenched in sweat. So much sweat that the stolen shirt stuck to every inch of her skin that it touched and made her shiver uncomfortably. She sat up, pushing her hair from off her face as she blinked, adjusting her eyes to her surroundings as though needing to remind herself that she was safe.

And she was safe. She was at Jody's. Far away from the Wendigo's lair and even further away from her attacker, who was currently miles under the ground and hopefully begging for his pathetic life. Her mouth was dry, stomach churning and had she not taken a few deep breaths to calm herself down she might have thrown up all over the clean sheets. And she didn't exactly have it in her to clean up vomit when she could barely manage to keep her eyes open.

However, sleep was the last thing on Selina's mind that night as she couldn't bring herself to fall back into one. She didn't want to be thrown into that hellscape inside her head again so instead she slid out of bed and left the room, tiptoeing all the way down the stairs and praying the creak of them wouldn't wake anybody up as she needed to be alone right now.

The breeze that greeted Selina the second she stepped out of the front door had never felt more needed than it did right now. She took a deep breath, filling her lungs with that late night fresh air as she took a seat on the bench out front, a slight tingle shooting down her spine at the chill in the air surrounding her.

"Couldn't sleep?"

The voice that Selina had grown a lot more fond of quickly swept through the air, making its way towards her and the second it entered her ears, she couldn't help but smile. She glanced to her side, just in time to see Crowley step out from the cover of darkness, his hands in his pockets as slowly began to close the distance between them.

"Are you stalking me now?" Selina teased, rather flirtatiously as she raised her eyebrow, catching sight of the slight upwards tug of Crowley's lips.

"You wish, darling." Crowley replied quietly, the use of his favoured pet name sending another, and completely different in every way, shiver right down Selina's spine. He came to sit next to her, his body so close to her that the heat that radiated off it was enough to give her goosebumps.

Maybe she didn't want to be alone right now after all, as the second she felt the brush of Crowley's coat against her skin, it was like the nightmare didn't even happen.

"I was simply curious." Crowley began, Selina's eyes narrowing in question. "As to the nature of your text this morning. You don't exactly strike me as the type who's interested in all things hell related."

"And you couldn't have just called me?" Selina asked, trying her best to remain casual and not at all like she wanted him there. Because she did.

"I suppose I could have... But then I wouldn't have been able to see your pretty face now would I?"

"Flatterer." Selina muttered, a touch breathlessly as she forced an eye roll in attempts to remain somewhat like she used to be. Aka, fed up with Crowely and his flirtatious nature.

Only nowadays she actually liked it when he flirted with her, which may have been why she dipped her head away from him, in attempts to hide the redness forming on them as she blushed like a schoolgirl. Sure, she'd been called pretty by many men before but to hear it from Crowley; the demon she was crushing on, she wouldn't deny, it made her stomach flutter something furiously.

Even more so as for once he appeared to mean what he was said, rather than having just said it to get a rise out of her or her brothers.

"But if you must know." Selina began, inhaling deeply and doing everything in her power to not look back over at him just yet, you know, in case she melted under his gaze. "Claire was investigating the death of the guy. I guess his time was up... So, I told her to stay out of it and let the hound do its thing."

"I must say, I'm surprised..." Crowley began. Only after Selina had finally looked back over at him as he didn't exactly want to talk to the back of her head, which tilted a little, her eyes narrowing in question as to his meaning. "Saving people... Hunting things? Isn't that the Winchester gospel?"

"I don't make a habit of trying to save people who willingly sold their soul." Selina replied matter of factly, running her fingers through her hair to push it back, wanting to keep it off her face. "That's how you end up as a hellhound's chew toy and I'd rather not end up in hell, thanks. Once was bad enough so forgive me if I try my best to keep away from all things related to that place."

"And yet you're sitting here with its King." Crowley pointed out, although there was no indication of offence in that smooth voice of his.

"Yeah well..." Selina exhaled, casting a glance in his direction as she shuffled in her seat from minor embarrassment. "I guess there's an exception to that rule."

"Careful darling, you're starting to make me feel things." Crowley teased, or at least to Selina it seemed that way as unknown to her, she really was making him feel things.

"Oh, cramps?" Selina replied wittily, allowing her lips to curl upwards in amusement as Crowley's fell, into a forced frown that she could tell he didn't mean.

Crowley's face relaxed after a few brief seconds of pretend unamusement, as really, he was rather enjoying being able to openly banter with Selina in ways he'd never had the pleasure of doing before. Strange how one little moment in the dungeon of their top secret base could change what used to be a hate-hate relationship.

Although, honestly? Crowley never truly hated Selina. Or her brothers. Sometimes, they just got in his way.

"What's got you out here at this hour?" Crowley asked, curiously. Eager to keep the conversation flowing for as long as possible.

"Couldn't sleep." Selina replied, bluntly and to the point. She wasn't about to start pouring her heart out to the King of Hell, no matter how much she seemed to want to.

A brief moment of silence and speculation passed, in which a light gust of wind breezed over the two of them, causing Selina to shudder a little at just how cold the air seemed to have gotten. Funny, given her demonic company. She folded her arms over her chest, running her hands up and down her biceps in an attempt to regain the heat she had in her only moments ago.

Without thinking, and without even realising, Crowley unbuttoned his coat and slipped his arms out of it, fanning it open a little before draping it over Selina's shoulders. The second the material landed on her, allowing him to feel her shoulders beneath his hands, he froze, unblinking and on the edge of his seat as to her reaction.

To his surprise, Selina said nothing but a quiet thank you as she pulled the dark coat closer, allowing the lingering heat of Crowley's body to not only warm her up, but to bring her a hint of comfort as well. Ignoring the slight sulphur smell that seemed to permanently reside within the fabric.

Brushing a loose strand of Selina's hair back over her shoulder, Crowley asked again, with minor hesitance. "Why are you really out here?"

Sighing, as she knew he wouldn't let up until she told him the truth, Selina confessed. "I had a nightmare."

"About?"

"That day in Appalachia."

"The Wendigo? Or what happened afterwards?"

"Both." Selina exhaled, slipping her arms properly into Crowley's coat. "It starts out in that alley. With me hiding from that guy and when he finds me... When he... When he pins me against that wall..." Her voice wobbled enough that Crowley gave in to temptation and took her hand, the tight hold she took of his own having the demon's chest flutter in a way he'd never really felt before. "He changes. He morphs into the Wendigo...

"Which I don't really know why as it's not like I've ever had a problem with monsters before. I've been chained up plenty of times. Held captive and hurt..." Selina carried on, her words causing Crowley to seeth internally with anger over the thought. "So I'm not sure why this particular case is getting to me."

"You've been through a lot these past few months, Selina." Crowley said softly, his hand pulling gently from hers and instead placing itself on the side of her face, turning her head properly to look at him. "That would take a toll on anyone, even someone as stubborn as you Winchesters."

A slight smile rose on Selina's face, one that Crowley could not only see, but feel beneath his touch. His eyes shifted upwards, moving from her lips to meet her own, dark and tired as they stared back at him. He lifted his thumb, ghosting it lightly over the circle beneath her eye and part of him wished there was something he could do to ease the trouble inside of her as even for a Winchester, he hadn't seen her look this tired since the trials.

"You're not the same demon you once were, are you?" Selina whispered, in both a statement and a question as with the mere hold he had on her, it was obvious he wasn't.

"No." Crowley replied plainly, slowly leaning in with each painstaking second that passed by, surprised Selina hadn't backed away yet. "No, darling, I don't believe I am."

What happened next wasn't what you'd call a kiss. Far from it actually as their lips had barely brushed against one another's firmly enough, or long enough, to even feel each other's breath before a rustle of shrubbery pulled them apart.

Clearing their throats in minor fluster, Crowley's hand left Selina's blushing face almost instantly as her eyes drifted towards the origin of the noise. She wasn't sure what she expected, or if she was glad or disappointed for the disruption, but seeing Alex sneaking down the driveway wasn't exactly at the top of her list and she quickly pushed what almost happened to the back of her mind.

"Alex?" Selina stood up, not casting Crowley a second glance as she didn't want to risk it. She moved forwards, watching as the young girl stopped dead in her tracks, her back tensing as she more than likely grimaced at being caught.

"Shit." Alex mumbled under her breath, slowly spinning on her heels just in time to see Selina stop in front of her. The first thing she noticed was the coat. And then the unfamiliar man sitting on the bench behind them, evidently missing said coat.

"Where are you going?" Selina asked, noticing Alex's attempts at hiding her smile as she pieced together the puzzle of what was in front of her.

Which was... nothing. Sort of. Selina wasn't exactly going to tell her she'd almost kissed the King of Hell outside the house of the woman he once tried to kill, had it not been for Alex's impeccable timing. Whether she was grateful for it, she still didn't know.

Alex didn't answer. Instead, the car that rolled slowly up to the house answered for her, raising Selina's eyebrow when the headlights shut off and there appeared to be a young man behind the wheel.

"Are you gonna tell Jody?" Alex asked around a sigh of defeat, her eyes falling to the ground beneath them.

"Do I look like I'm gonna tell Jody?" Selina chuckled, using her knuckle to raise Alex's face, which had a touch more makeup on it that she was used to seeing. "Given what you've been through, I'm sure Jody would actually be pleased to catch you sneaking out like a regular teenager."

"You think?"

"Definitely." Selina nodded, mirroring the smile that rose on Alex's lips before the young girl hugged her, whispering a thanks into her ear as Selina pressed a soft kiss to the side of her head. "You're welcome... Just don't do anything I wouldn't do."

"Is there anything you wouldn't do?" Alex asked humorously, Selina's eyes narrowing towards her as she pressed her lips together.

"There are a few things." Selina said hesitantly, brow furrowing in thought as she tried to at least think of something. Only, she couldn't. "Whatever... Just be good."

"I will if you will." Alex raised her eyebrow a little, cocking her head in Crowley's direction, who was doing nothing but watching the interaction curiously.

"That..." Selina began with emphasis, sucking in a breath and hoping Alex couldn't hear the fast beat of her heart. "...Is not what it looks like."

"Yeah, sure." Alex chuckled as she began to back away and towards the car that was here to pick her up. She offered Selina one last thankful smile before hopping in, waving out the window before they were gone.

Selina took a few seconds longer than necessary to turn back around, watching the car until it turned a corner and disappeared for good. Part of her was glad Alex interrupted them as she wasn't sure how great of an idea kissing Crowley would have been, no matter how badly she might have wanted it.

"Often find yourself encouraging the youths of today to sneak out?" Crowley asked, causing Selina to glance over her shoulder to see him stroll towards her, twisting her stomach with every inch closer he got to her.

"After what Alex went through, it's just nice to see her acting like a normal teenager." Selina said softly, her head turning back to where she stared out at the darkened street.

"What she went through?" Crowley inquired curiously, stepping up beside Selina yet keeping his eyes firmly planted on her. He desperately wanted her to look at him again, so maybe, if she wanted to of course, they could continue towards what might have happened had Alex not shown up.

Only, deep down he knew the moment was gone, but still, he would like to be able to look her in the eyes once again as he could tell by the way she picked anxiously at her nails that she was more than likely about to go back inside.

"It's nothing." Selina shook her head, dropping her hands back down to her sides and clenching her fists a little. She sighed, slowly removing Crowley's coat from around her small frame, barely turning to look at him as she held it out. "I should head back in, but thank you."

Nodding once in response, Crowley took the coat from her, their fingers barely brushing against one another's but enough to make walking away that much harder for Selina. She did it anyway though, even with how heavy her legs seemed to feel in the process as she knew she had to. It was too risky staying outside with him any longer.

Crowley turned just in time to see the woman who'd so easily captivated him glance back over her shoulder towards him, her hand gripped around the door handle and after one last heartwarming smile aimed in his direction the door opened, and before the demon could even blink, Selina was gone.