( NEGOTIATION )

ABANDONED HOUSE
[ ☾]

      Sam sits on a bed waiting. He hears The Impala approaching and finds Crowley downstairs. "Where's Dean?" Sam asks.

      "Now...For the record, I'm against this. Negotiating a high-level defection—It's very delicate business." Crowley says.

      "What are you talking about?" Sam asks.

      "I begged Dean not to come back. We should be miles away...from you. He replied with a colorful rejoinder about my "corn chute." Crowley says and Sam scoffs. "So, go ahead. Go—ruin our last best hope. It's only the end of the world."

      Sam enters the room where Dean has Brady, still hooded, tied to a chair. "Sam." Dean says.

      "What's going on, Dean?" Sam asks.

      "I need you to stay on mission, okay? Focused." Dean says.

      "I don't understand. What's all this about?"

       "I'm doing this 'cause I trust you." Says Dean.

       "Trust me to what?"

        "Sam?" Brady clears throat. "Sam, is that you?" Dean removes Brady's hood.

       "Brady?" Sam asks.

       Brady laughs. "Brady hasn't been Brady in years. Not since, oh..middle of our sophomore year?" He asks.

       "What?" San asks.

       "That's right. You had a devil on your shoulder even back then." Brady says. "All right, now, let it all sink in."

      "You son of a bitch. You son of a bitch!" Sam approaches Brady, Dean holds him back. "You introduced me to Jess!"

      "Ding, ding! I think he's got it!" Brady says as Sam struggles to push past Dean and get to Brady.

      "Damn it, Sam!" Dean yells.

       "I'm gonna kill you!" Sam yells as Dean pushes Sam out of the room, while Brady laughs. "Get out of my way!"

       "No." Dean says.

       "Get out of my way, Dean." Sam says.

       "There is only one way to win, and it ain't by killing that thing in there." Dean says. 

       "Well...sounds like you got him nice and fluffed. Thanks so much." Crowley says.

      "Listen to me. We need pestilence to get at the devil, and we need Brady to get to pestilence." Dean says.

      "Why? Because Crowley said so? Because we trust him now?" Sam asks. "Like I trusted Ruby? Or like I trusted Brady back at school?"

       "Look...Do the math yourself. If Lucifer wins, he'll turn this place into his kingdom. When the morningstar cleans house, we all get the mop." Crowley says.

       "He created us. Why would he destroy us? That makes no sense." Brady says. 

      "Look at who—at what he is. Then take a look at what we are."

       "Maybe you should be a little less worried about our necks and be a little more worried about yours." Brady says. 

      "Has crossed my mind. That's not really the point."

      "Actually, Crowley, that is the point." Brady says. "No one will know greater torment than you. Lucifer is never gonna let you die. As for me, I know the score. I'm dead, whether I tell you anything or not. So I think I'll die on the winning side, thanks."

      "Good talk. Cheers." Crowley exits the room and goes back to Dean.

      "Well, how'd it go? He buy your girl scout cookies?" Dean asks. 

       "Not yet. Where's your moose?" Crowley asks.

       "He's cooling off." 

       "All right, then. Get bent." Says Crowley.

      "You going somewhere?" Dean asks. 

      "Well, he won't budge, so now I go stick my neck out."

       "What are you gonna do?" Dean asks.

       "Exactly the kind of desperate swashbuckle I've been trying to avoid." Crowley says. "Now I go kick open a hive of demons. This whole bloody ring business better work." H disappears, Dean goes into the bathroom to wash his face. Sam comes by closes the door and puts a chair against the doorknob of the bathroom, preventing Dean from exiting.

       "Sam? Come on, Sam! Don't do this!" Dean bangs on door. "Sam, come on! Hey! Open the door! Open the door!" Sam goes to Brady.

      "Well, here we go. We doing last words or no?" Brady asks.

      "Sophomore year, huh?" Sam asks.

       "Brady, here, he was a good kid—Straight arrow. I mean, your best friend, really. Perfect point of access."

       "Thanksgiving." Says Sam.

       "Yes, sir. Remember when I came back from break all messed up—Dropped out of pre-med, the drugs, the bitches? That was the new Brady. That was me." Brady says. "Remember how much time you spent trying to get me back on the right track? You really were a good friend. But ol' yellow eyes didn't send me back to be your friend. No, we could tell we were starting to lose you. You were becoming a mild-mannered, worthless sack of piss. Now, come on. We couldn't have that. You were our favorite. So I hooked you up with a pure, sweet, innocent piece of tail. And then I toasted her on the ceiling. That's right—Azazel might have put the hit out on Jessica, but, man, I got to have all the fun!"

      Sam's hand twitches around Ruby's knife. Brady laughs. "You know, she thought we were friends, too. Let me right in. She was baking cookies." Brady laughs. "She was so surprised...So hurt when I started in on her." Sam presses Ruby's knife against Brady's throat. "Come on! Do it if it'll make you feel better!" Sam nicks Brady's throat will the knife. "Do it, Sammy! Do it! Come on! Come on. Ohhhhh."

BATHROOM
[ ☾]

      Dean bangs on door. "Come on." He says.

      "Hey, hey, hey! All right! Wait! I'm gonna open it." Sam lets Dean out.

      "What happened?" Asks Dean.

      "Nothing."

       "My ass." Says Dean.

       "Dean, I'm fine." Sam says.

       "Yeah? And what about Brady?"

       Sam sighs. "Like you said...We need him." He says.

       "God. The day I've had. Good news. You're going to live forever."

       "What did you do?" Brady asks.

       "Went over to a demons' nest—had a little massacre." Crowley said. "Must be losing my touch, though—Let one of the little toads live. Oops. Also might have given said toad the impression that you left your post last night because you and I are—wait for it—Lovers in league against Satan. Hello, darling. So, now death is off the table. Now you get to be on the boss's eternal-torment list with little old me."

      "Oh, no, no, no, no. No." Brady says. 

      "Something else we have in common—apart from our torrid passion, of course —Craven self-preservation. So, now, why don't you tell me where Pestilence is at?"

       "Oh, God, Crowley." Brady says.

       "Was that a hellhound?" Dean asks.

      "I'd say yeah."

       "Why was that a hellhound?" Asks Dean.

       Crowley groans, and pulls out a coin. "What's that?" Sam asks him.

      "Remember I was telling you about my crafty little tracking device?" Crowley asks.

      "Yeah." Sam says.

       "Demons planted one on me."

      "You're saying a hellhound followed you here?" Asks Sam.

       "Well, technically, he followed this." Crowley says.

       "Get me out of here. I'll tell you anything you want." Brady says.

      "Shut up." Sam says.

       "Okay, well, then we should go." Dean says.

      "Sorry, boys. No one knows more about the hounds than I." Crowley says. "You're long past the point of "go." Crowley tosses the coin to Dean who catches it.

      "Damn it." Dean says.

       "I told you!" Sam yells.

      "Oh, well, good for you." Dean mocks. "Luckily, we have salt in the kitchen."

      "I'll watch Brady." Sam says.

       Brady scoffs. "Watch me? Get me the hell out of here!" The howling and snarling continues, Dean finds the salt but before he can get to it the window shatters as the Hellhounds break through.

       Dean fires shotgun rounds at the hellhounds. "Sammy!" He yells.

      "Salt?" Sam asks.

       "Damn it, get me out of here!" Brady yells.

       "Shut up!" Sam and Dean yells at the same time.

      "Great. Just great." Brady says.

      "Hey!" Crowley yells.

       "You're back?" Dean asks.

       "I'm invested. Currently." Crowley says. "Stay!"

      "You can control them?" Dean asks. 

      "Not that one." Crowley points behind Dean. "I brought my own." He pats the hellhound beside him. "Mine's bigger. Sic him, boy!" The hellhound barks and growling as the hellhounds fight each other.

      "Go, go go go." Dean says to Sam and Brady.

ALLEY
[ ☼ ]

      Brady hands Crowley a piece of paper. "Yeah. I'm sure pestilence will be there. Thanks." He says.

      "What do you think?" Dean asks.

       "It's good. You got no reason to lie, have you? Like I said before, you're in my boat now." Crowley says.

       "You've screwed me—for eternity." Brady says.

      "Nah. Won't last that long. Trust me." Crowley follows Dean down the alley past Sam who is standing, staring at Brady.

       "Where are you going?" Brady asks. Dean bends down and begins to pour a salt-line behind Sam.

       "I'm going to do you a favor." Crowley says. "I expect we'll be in touch." Dean lets Crowley pass, then closes the salt-line.

       "What is this?" Asks Brady.

       "All those angels, all those demons, all those sons of bitches—They just don't get it, do they, Sammy?" Dean asks.

      "No, they don't, Dean."

       "You see, Brady...We're the ones you should be afraid of." Dean says.

      Brady scoffs and Sam approaches Brady with Ruby's knife. "I bet this is a real moment for you, big boy. Gonna make you feel all better?" He says.

      "It's a start." Sam says.

      "Gonna make up for all the times that we yanked your chain—Yellow eyes, Ruby, me?" Brady says. "But it wasn't all our fault, was it? No, no, no, no. You're the one who trusted us. You're the one who let us into your life, let us whisper in your ear over and over and over again. Ever wonder why that is, Sammy? Ever wonder why we were so in your blind spot? Maybe it's because we got the Same stuff in our veins and, deep down, you know you're just like us." Brady lunges at Sam, Sam nicks him with the blade. "Aaah! Maybe you hate us so much because you hate what you see every time you look in the mirror. You ever think of that?!"

      Brady begins laughing. "Maybe the only difference between you and a demon...is your hell is right here."

      Sam stabs Brady hard in the stomach until Brady dies. "Interesting theory." He walks out the alley, past Dean.

BOBBY'S HOUSE
[ ☼ ]

      "Yea, I followed up. Nasty omens, but none of it's death with a capital "d." Well, just give me a ring if it turns into anything. And, Rufus...You watch your ass out there." Bobby says.

      "Chin up. Cavalry's arrived." Crowley says and Bobby cocks his gun. "Charming. That won't work on me. Name's Crowley. Maybe you've..."

      "You're Crowley?" Bobby asks.

      "In the flesh—of a moderately successful Literary Agent out of New York." Crowley says as Bobby shoots him. "Aah! I see you have heard of me. I liked this suit."

      "What are you doing here?" Bobby asks.

      "Looking out for Crowley."

      "Meaning...?" Asks Bobby.

      "The boys are on to ring number 3, but we still need number 4. I'm here to help." Crowley says.

      "You know where death is?"

      "No. Haven't the foggiest." Crowley says.

       Bobby cocks his shotgun and aims it at Crowley. "Well, then get the hell off my property before I blast you so full of rock salt, you crap margaritas." He says.

       "That's a mite unfriendly, seeing as I could be getting you death's location in about the time it'd take you to reload."

      "You're just gonna chat some demons up and hope they don't recognize you?" Asks Bobby.

      "God, no. That could get me killed. But there is this little spell that I know." Crowley says.

      "That so?" 

      "Results are 100% guaranteed." Says Crowley.

      "Okay. Then why are you snake-oiling me?" Bobby asks. 

      "Well, it's a little bit...Embarrassing. There's this...Technicality."

      "Uh-huh." Bobby says. 

      "I need a little something to get the magic going." Crowley says.

      "And what's that?" 

      "You make a wish. I can give you anything you want, mate—Up to and including death's coordinates. All I need is..." Crowley says.

      "My soul." Bobby says.

       "I've done more with less. Let's just say when they're getting their Grammys, they shouldn't all be thanking God. It's worth it, Bobby. Think."

      "Okay. Here's my counter." Bobby shoots Crowley with the shotgun.

      "Ow! Bloody hell! Feisty." Crowley says.

      "Get out." Bobby says.

      "I'll give it right back."

      "You think I'm a natural-born idjit?" Asks Bobby.

      "Quite the contrary. Look, you're right to be suspicious. But I'm your ally. Enemy of my enemy and all that. I need the devil back in his stock. In fact, my delicate ass depends on it. I promise you—temporary loan. I'll give it...Right...Back.

JENNA'S HOUSE
[ ☼ ]

Elena is sitting on the couch, eating a bowl of cereal. Her Aunt Jenna comes down stairs in a business suit. Elena looks up. "What's with the getup?" She asks.

"This may come as a surprise, but I have a job interview." Jenna says and smiles at her niece.

"You might actually be the first and only Hunter to ever live a normal life." Elena jokes. "I know I can't. The Winchesters have really screwed me up."

Jenna walks over to Elena. "Speaking of the Winchesters, when can they visit? I really fancy the short one."

"I don't think that'll be happening anytime soon." Elena says.

"And why not?"

"Oh I don't know, maybe the world is ending?" Elena says. Jenna knew about the apocalypse.

"Well while the world is burning, I'll be trying to make the best of it as I can." Jenna says and leaves the house. Elena looks at her phone deciding if she wanted to call Sam or not. She thought about what they talked about.

FLASHBACK

MOTEL ROOM
[ ☾]

"You and Dean can't keep me from helping." Elena says. "Like it or not, you boys need me."

Sam is packing all of Elena's things. "We might need you, but you don't need us." He says.

"Sam..." Elena says softly. "I can help. Dean needs my help."

"I can handle Dean." Sam raises his voice. "I just need you to stay with Jenna until this while thing blows over."

Elena scoffs. "You mean until you and Dean blow up the planet. I don't think so." She says and puts her bags down."

"Elena! You don't understand—"

"I understand perfectly, Sam!" Elena yells. "You don't think I can handle it! I am perfectly capable of handling things myself."

"I need you to understand!"

Elena steps closer to Sam. "Then make me!" She yells.

"Because I can't lose you!" Sam yells. Elena shuts her mouth. "Because I can't loose the thing that I care about most...and that's you." He puts his hand on the side of her face.

Elena places her hand over his and smiles sadly. "You're not going to." She says and leans in to kiss him. After they break, their foreheads touch.

END FLASHBACK

Elena picks up the phone and calls Sam. "Hello?" Asks Sam.

"Hi."

"Elena." Sam says. "Is something wrong."

"No. I just—I just wanted to hear your voice." Elena says as she picks the threads off the blanket she's laying on.

"It's good to hear your voice too." Sam says.

"I just wanted to talk to you about what happened the other night...when you kissed me." Elena says.

Sam smiles into the phone. "I recall you kissing me." He says.

"Maybe it was the other way around..." Elena says and they both smile. "I don't know if this is the right thing to do or not, but I was thinking maybe we should take it slow this time." She says.

"You're giving us another chance?" Sam asks.

"Yes, and I thought it through. I love you, and I don't wanna throw away everything we had." Elena says as the doorbell rings. "Hold on, someone's at the door." She goes to the door and opens it to find Caroline there. "Oh, it's just Caroline." Elena says.

"Hello to you too, Elena." Caroline says and steps inside, closing the door behind her. She leans into the phone. "Hi Sam."

"Hey." Sam says.

"Sam says hi." Elena says as they move back to the living room.

"I'll call you later, alright?" Sam says. "Dean and I are gonna pick you up tomorrow. And guess what? He didn't say yes to Michael."

"That's great news!" Elena says.

"Thankfully. I'll call you later, bye." Sam says and he hangs up. But he didn't tell her he was debating.

"What did he want?" Caroline asks.

"I actually called him." Elena says. "I think we can make this work this time."

Caroline scoffs. "Like how they worked out all those times before." She says.

"Wow, Care. Tell me how you really feel." Elena says.

"I'm just saying. You've given Sam millions of times to get things right." Caroline says. "Why jump into it now?"

"Time is dwindling by the second." Elena says. "The world is ending and I just...want to spend it with the guy I love. Is that so bad?"

Caroline slams her keys down. "Because it's not the only guy that you care about!" She yells.

"What are you talking about?" Elena asks. "Is this about Dean?"

"Of course it is!" Caroline says. "I remember that time when Sam cheated on you with a demon and you cried here for days, weeks. But when you talked about Dean...you seemed happier."

"Dean's just my friend." Elena says.

"It doesn't matter what he does, he's gotten under your skin." Caroline says.

Elena looks down. "That's not true." She says.

"Oh my god!" Caroline yells. "Just admit it Elena, you're attracted to him and all his bad brother glory."

"I can't Caroline!" Elena yells. "If I thought—even just for a second...what does that say about me?"