Sympathy for the Devil (Lucifer, Supernatural)

2010: The Winchesters [1]

There had been an incline in chaos.

The past few days had involved small towns turning into violent bloodbaths, forest fires in the pacific northwest, towns dropping in temperature with no explanation...
Leila had been walking back to her current place of residence when she saw the thick black smoke fly autonomously into a young woman's mouth. 
The woman looked around, with pitch black eyes. 
Leila's walk turned into a run; she clung her groceries to her chest as she bolted for her front door. She turned the key in the lock whilst keeping her eyes behind her in case she was followed and proceeded to slam and bolt the door shut once she was inside.

Was that a...?
In broad public daylight...?
Another demon?

Leila had seen three instances of demonic possession in the small town over the past week. Such frequency was not normal. 
Something was wrong; like a switch was flipped.
Like the darker elements of the world were gaining the upper hand.
It all started from that vertical beam of light that had caused that plane to fall no more than two weeks before. 
Since then, it was like everyone was losing hope on the prevalence of the world. Too many, supposed, 'freak accidents' were occurring.

They weren't entirely accidents. Just demons running wild, and monsters not fearing Hunters as much as they used to. 
There were definitely some 'Hell hath risen on Earth' vibes going on .

Once she'd placed the groceries on the kitchen counter, she opened her cutlery draw which only had one of each utensil. Towards the back of the drawer was a silver pendant, a small jar with rock salt and a flask of holy water that had almost run out.  She put them in her back pocket for if she would head out later.

Leila wasn't exactly a hunter. She knew some of the tricks of the trade, but she never searched for a hunt. If someone called her, she'd help. Especially if it was a friend. Otherwise, she'd spent the past five years as a loner – to other hunters. She lived amongst the normal people who were clueless of the countless terrors of the night. She worked part time at a brewery when she wasn't finishing up her online university course in biochemistry. 

Leila is 26, a mid-height lean figure with long russet hair. Her face shape is defined round with admired pink heart-shaped lips and upturned mossy green eyes. Her sense of fashion was reserved to army greens, shades of black and the occasional brown or red garment. The idea of blending in to surroundings had always appealed to Leila and she figured herself good at it. 

Leila placed her groceries on the kitchen counter and drew out the cutting board to begin preparing dinner. The only sound in the whole house was the repetitious slamming of the knife on the wooden cutting board.
Until she heard quiet footsteps pacing down the corridor.
But not pacing quietly enough.

Leila twisted around and raised the knife to the intruder.
The man immediately put his hand up in surrender. He had brown hair with a similar russet tinge to Leila. He had bright green eyes and a slightly freckled model-worthy face.
She recognised him within seconds.
"Woah, woah, woah!" He protested, "Bobby Singer sent me, my name is Dean Winchester,"
He didn't recognise her.
Understandably...
Leila lowered the knife and slid her free hand into her back pocket.
"So, you decided you'd break in and surprise me when you could have knocked on the door like a gentleman?" The man began to speak again but Leila quickly corrected herself, "Sorry, I meant like a typical human being."

She grabbed his hand, pressing silver and rock salt against his skin.
"As much as I am loving our meet-cute right now, I'm thinking we're not at the holding hands stage yet," His eyes fluttered when Leila doused the last drops of her holy water on his face. 
Leila sighed. He was in the clear for the monster test. She showed him her hand which held salt and a small silver devil's trap pendant. "As much as I love your attitude, I was just being precautious of my dear intruder."
Dean sent Leila a charming smile. "Yeah, well, Bobby told me I had to break into your house just to see your reaction," He stepped back, allowing more space between them, "and it was so I could do the tests on you, but you're evidently not possessed because you just tried it on me."
"Mhm, and that sounds like Mr Singer," Only Bobby was probably expecting you to recognise me.
"I've been here for a few hours now, seemed like you were out," Dean leaned against the counter, "This would have all been so much easier if you had a phone, we could've called you in."
"Where's the fun and dedication in that?" Leila, now more trusting, turned her back on him and began her final chopping of vegetables. She tossed the cut materials into the sizzling frying pan. "Do you want to have some dinner?"
She could feel the moment of hesitation – or surprise- from her intruder. That was replaced moments later with 'yeah, sure, why not.'

Dean and Leila ate their dinners in the kitchen, standing. Dean leaned against the counter near to the refrigerator and Leila was opposite him to the right of the stovetop. His appreciation of the meal was expressed in frequent 'mmm' sounds. Leila couldn't hold back a smile and a breathy laugh. When they'd almost reached the end of their bowls, Dean began to explain his visit.
"So, long story short – it's the apocalypse,"
"I kept that as an option but didn't want to assume it without evidence," Leila poured herself a drink and offered a glass to Dean. He graciously accepted, "I'm guessing you have evidence,"

"Yeah," Dean took a sip, "Lucifer's out of the cage, out of Hell,"
Well that doesn't sound good at all. It explains why demons are the most common rejects trotting about. 
"Sounds like an all-hands-on-deck situation and would that be why Bobby Singer is asking for my help?"

"Yeah," He put down his bowl by the sink. "forgive me for sounding rude but you seem pretty young and Bobby asking for help from a young hunter is just not his usual thing."
"I'm not really a hunter," Leila began washing up.
"All the more reason for me to ask the question."
"Dean,"
He was silent for a moment, confused by her randomly saying his name. "Yeah?"
"You don't remember me at all?"
"I'd hope I'd remember a pretty face, but sorry, no,"
"Puberty does a lot to a girl," Leila smiled. Dean couldn't see it because she had her back to him again. "Bobby might refresh your memory about it all. You tell him that I'll come visit tomorrow."
"Can't you come back with me now?" Dean insisted, "we can talk in the car,"
But I have to finish my online degree tests by two weeks time... and I have that job at the bar.... what am I thinking? Whatever to that job in the bar. I can do the online course at Bobby's house if he's finally bought wi-fi.

The woman sighed, "I guess there's nothing for me here, I only just moved in a month ago so I still have a full suitcase upstairs, I'll pop it in your trunk."

"Uh, there's not much space in –" Leaving Dean in the Kitchen, Leila jogged upstairs and dragged down her surprisingly small suitcase of clothes which smashed the stupid gender stereotype. "Actually, that'll fit."

Leila turned off all the lights, salted all the window frames and the front door before locking it. Dean's car was an old fifties black car. It looked good. The seats were really comfortable. When Leila loaded her suitcase in the back, Dean made sure to first show off his trunk of monster hunting paraphernalia, followed by a cheeky wink.

They began heading to Bobby Singer's house. 
It was almost a nine-hour drive from Colorado Springs to Bobby's joint in South Dakota. 

"So, where were you living before?" Dean asked. He turned down the music to provide space for conversation.
"Delaware,"
"What was in Delaware?"

"Not too much you'd be interested in, it was just a place I settled in for almost a whole year, I met some nice people, some troubled people and the very occasional monster problem."

"But you're not a hunter?"

"I don't go looking for a hunt, I just deal with stuff if it's in my vicinity," She shrugged. "I have the knowledge, so I make use of it if needed,"

"You hunt alone?"

"Is this the sexist part where you restate how I'm a young female,"

"I mean, it's not a false statement," Dean shrugged as Leila had before, "What's your last name anyway?"

"Left,"

"Leila Left?" Dean scoffed, "Come on-"

"No, Dork," Leila called, "Turn left here if you want to get to south Dakota,"

Dean took her advice and turned left, letting out a breathy laugh through his nose. "What do you drive?"

"a car,"

"No shit sweetie, what type of car?"
"Jeep Wrangler," She leaned back in the seat, "It's a nice dark green and handles the off-roads super smooth," She patted the impala, "I don't know if I can say the same for this hot ride,"

"I'm just going to take that all as a compliment since you called her a hot ride," 

"Whatever you say Winchester."