A Little Big Surprise

Chapter 25 ~Part Five~

Aria poured her soul out to the three men. Between muffled sobs against Dean's chest and wails of pain she told them everything; Who Luka was, why he haunted her nightmares. Why he was back. Dean could hardly control the rage radiating throughout his entire body. Sam was beginning to feel twice as guilty but shared in his brother's anger. But Castiel remained impassive and thoughtful, listening to Aria with little to no emotion.  When she was finished the room was silent except for her hiccups and sniffles. It was deafening.

     "When do you think he'll come for you?" Dean spoke quietly, barely controlling his voice.

Shaking her head Aria curled up further into his neck. That was something she didn't want to think about. Sam gave a shuddering breath and stood from where he was sitting, running his hands through his hair and beginning to pace. If Luka had been able to find Aria when they were traveling he had to be watching the hotel. How long had he been spying on them? It made Sam's skin crawl to think that he had been so close for so long.

     Castiel interrupted Sam's inner battle "Who is going to be Aria's new buyer?"

The brother's heads snapped up and their anger began to pour out. They yelled and shouted about how none of that mattered, how they had to worry about Luka and what he would do to Aria next. Castiel was patient and waited for them to finish their ranting before speaking in the same calm voice.

     "Don't you think this is a bit too sudden? Aria told us that Luka was still living in France the last time they had contact, a few months after being bought by her previous owner. If he had known Carlise was dead, why come for Aria now instead of all those months ago?"

Sam and Dean were at a loss for words. Because Castiel had a point. Why was he only coming after them now? How did he even know Aria was with them, or where they were going? Someone had to have been giving them information. Another hunter? A monster?

     "Crowley."

All three looked down to Aria, who was staring blankly across the room. When they looked to what she was seeing a flurry of weapons were drawn and Aria was thrown behind them as they stood at the ready.  The king of hell sat smug in a nearby chair tapping his fingers on the table. His eyes trailed over each person slowly as if sizing up their threat level before landing on Aria with a mixture of victory and ill wishes. And she met this look boldly, clutching the back of Sam and Dean's shirts as Castiel walked forward with blade in hand. His face was impassive except for the tick of a vein in his jaw and he want to speak before he was interrupted.

     "Let's save the dramatics boys. I see that little Aria received my message so I've come to talk, and arrange a deal perhaps." Crowley spoke in the calm grandeur that he always did, his words practically a drawl.

Before any of them could react to this information Aria was lunging forward. She knocked Crowley from his chair in a wordless scream of anguish and unbridled fury, punching and scratching at any part of him she could grab onto. She had had enough. All those years of pain and abuse...she refused to go back to it. Finally she had found her happiness and she would rather burn this world to the ground than give it up.  Crowley was awestruck at her gall. This little human girl, trying to trade blows with a demon! The king of hell at that! In the commotion and confusion Dean thought quickly and grabbed a jug of holy water before throwing it onto them both, Crowley screaming in pain and anger as he threw Aria off of him onto the floor. When she went to pounce again Sam grabbed her quickly as both Dean and Castiel grabbed hold of Crowley and began to tie him to a chair as he tried to shake off the effects of holy water.

     "WHY!?" Aria screamed struggling in Sam's grasp "What did I do!? Why won't you all just LEAVE ME ALONE?!!"

Crowley grinned at her before Dean punched him across the face once, and then twice. After the third Crowley blacked out, and Castiel worked to draw a devil's trap. Sam continued to hold Aria as she screamed and kicked angrily, inconsolable at the moment. It was all unfair. Why had she been brought into this world? Why was it that all because a boy met a girl she came into this world to be beaten, raped, and forced to murder? Clearly there was a god! There was a being that had created this world and in turn he left it to rot like a child tossing away a toy. Aria's screams turned to cries and she gave Crowley's limp body a final kick before turning and clinging onto Sam. She was just so tired..all she wanted was to be held. To go back to the bunker and read stories with Sam. And stay up with Dean watching movies. And to have Castiel smooth her hair back and kiss her forehead goodnight. 

Sam rubbed at her back and whispered gentle words to Aria, looking up at his brother and nodding. Dean gave a nod back and took out a set of brass knuckles. If Crowley wanted to make a deal he would find it much harder to do with nothing but gums in his mouth. Castiel finished the devil's trap and set Crowley's chair within it before picking up his discarded blade and stabbing it into Crowley's leg so that he awoke with a painful scream. 

     "Now, let's talk."