Discovering Hell [COMPLETED]

Chapter Sixteen

"I am not sitting back here the whole drive," I stated, leaning forward between the driver and passenger seats.

"And why not?" Dean asked, barely looking at me.

"I have long legs," I counted off my reasons on my fingers, "it's cramped back here, and it's over three hours from here to Lawrence." I looked over at Sam. "Will you trade me spots?"

He looked at me like that was the most ridiculous suggestion he'd ever heard. "Uh...no?"

I frowned. "And why not?"

"Because I always get shot gun."

"Exactly. You always get shot gun. Time to suffer in the back with the rest of us."

"He's not moving," Dean spoke up.

"Why do you care so much about where Sam sits?" I demanded, moving my gaze to Dean.

"Because that's his spot. Nobody else ever has shot gun."

"That's just no fair." I sat back in my seat, folding my arms.

Sam sighed, shaking his head slowly. "You can have shot gun on the way back."

Dean looked at Sam, total betrayal spelled out on his face. "Just because you got some last night does not mean that you back down and give up your seat." He shook his head, disappointed. "Get a back bone, man."

I didn't get what Dean was referring to at first, but it only took a minute for the pieces in my head to click: Dean must've seen Sam go into my room the night before.

"What makes you say that?" Sam asked defensively.

"Oh don't play innocent with me. I saw you sneak into her room last night."

Sam scoffed. "I did not sneak into her room last night."

"You did come into my room last night," I pointed out.

Dean laughed triumphantly.

"Sure, yeah," Sam shrugged. "But I didn't sneak."

I shook my head. "And he didn't 'get some' either, Dean. We just talked. But it's really none of your business, is it?"

"'Just talked' is girl speak for 'just banged,' " Dean mumbled.

I smiled but said nothing, not wanting to argue about it anymore.

Dean took the 204 exit to Lawrence, Kansas and drove into the first gas station, stepping out of the car to fill it up.

Zoe woke up then, groggily peeling her face off the window. "Are we there yet?"

"Sort of," I answered. "Dean is filling up his car and then we'll drive over to the field."

"Do we have a plan?" She inquired, yawning and stretching her arms over her head.
"I'm not really itching to go up against the king of hell without a well developed, fully thought through plan."

I stared blankly at her.  I honestly hadn't expected to get this far so I'd never given 'a plan' much thought. If anything, I'd expected Sam or Dean to have a plan. They seemed like they did this a lot. I shrugged. "I dunno. I thought Sam and Dean would come up with something."

Dean got back in the car again, stopping Zoe short. "I have a plan."

We all stared at him, expecting him to continue. When he didn't, Zoe spoke up. "Do you wanna share with the rest of the class, maybe?"

"Gimme a sec. I've gotta get Cas's heavenly butt down here. He's a major part of the plan." Dean rubbed his hands together. "Cas, we're ready to--"

"I'm here, Dean. What's the plan?"

I jumped when I heard Castiel's voice right next to me, cursing him for not announcing himself.

"Okay," Dean started, unphased, "everyone but Cas will go to the field. Cas'll stay behind, using his celestial hearing or whatever to listen in on the conversation we'll be hav with Crowley. We'll agree to the trade and give him Lauren."

"What?" Sam cried, obviously not okay with this plan.

"Calm down, lover boy," Dean said, "she'll be fine. Before Crowley can disappear with her--we all know he'll have something stupid to say before ditching--Cas'll come and take Lauren back to the Bunker. We'll fight the demons and get Meg back safely."

I shrugged. "Sounds good to me."

"No," Sam argued, "not good."

"Sam," I shook my head, interrupting him before he could talk me out of it. "This is the only reasonable way to do this. If I'm not willing to put myself in harm's way, this'll never work. Meg is in this situation because of me. Let me help fix it."

Sam looked like he still wanted to argue but he kept his mouth shut.

"Alright then," Dean said, starting the car, "Let's do this." He sped out of the gas station and down the street.

During the car ride (which wasn't really that long) I began to fully understand what I'd just agreed to. I was about to be handed over to the king of hell who happened to be my father, to save another demon that was in love with my angel friend. When did my life get so screwed up?

We reached the field and I could see Crowley standing a little ways in. The sun was setting now, making the sky turn beautiful shades of pink and orange. I stepped out of the car and heard the cicadas chirping in the wheat. I wasn't from Kansas but it sure was incredible, despite the high humidity.

We walked into the field--Dean, Sam, Zoe, and I--and all the cicadas seemed to disappear.

"Who's your new pal?" Crowley asked, talking about Zoe and smirking.

"Why do you care?" Dean shot back. "We're here now. Do you wanna sit here and chat or did you wanna just make the deal?"

Crowley made a face. "Calm down, Squirrel. Where's the fire?" When Dean continued to stare, Crowley sighed. "Fine, we'll trade." He waved a hand and the Asian guy that had been in my apartment so many weeks ago, came forward, gripping Meg's shoulder. "Here she is."

Meg looked like she did in my dream. Er, at least, she was wearing the same clothes as in my dream. One eye was swollen and her lip was cut and puffy. She was limping as the demon pulled her forward, wincing as the demon holding her shoved her forward.

We were maybe five yards away from them and I knew I was supposed to walk forward now, give myself up, but I was frozen in place. I tried telling myself to move forward but my feet weren't cooperating. I was pushed from behind and I stumbled forward, shooting a glare over my shoulder at Dean. I continued forward and passed Meg on my way, who was limping in the opposite direction.

Crowley was grinning at me, waiting for me to reach him so that we could disappear. My heart was pounding an my mouth ran dry. Everything was moving in slow motion and all I could think was: where is Cas?

Crowley reached out for me and my stomach dropped. I raised my hand and closed my eyes as we disappeared.