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A few weeks after his mother had left – to his surprise, Crowley could have sworn she had almost hugged him, and only gone after promising she’d be in touch – he and the boys visited another hunters’ meeting. He’d originally been reluctant to attend, since most hunters were understandably wary about him, but Jody Mills was going to be there and had pointedly invited “all of you”.
She was also the one to open the door for them. “Hi guys. Crowley, how’s your mother doing?”
She had actually called him the night before. “She’s quite well, thank you”.
“Good to hear. Come in, grab a beer”.
Crowley registered with relief that neither Walt nor Roy were attending. True, Sam had saved him in time, but he still wasn’t eager to see him again.
Cas was hugging Claire Novak, his vessel’s daughter.
“Cas! Sam, Dean”. She looked at Crowley.
“If you want to punch me, be my guest”.
“You’re not gonna try and kill Jody again, right?”
“I wouldn’t dream of it”.
“Good then. By the way, some of the guys here are a little nervous about a former angel and a former demon joining the team, but I told them not to be stupid”.
He’d bet it had been fear of Jody’s wrath rather than respect for Claire’s opinion that made everyone greet them politely, but still.
Garth arrived shortly after them.
“Hey!”And even Crowley got another enthusiastic hug.“Heard about your Mom, dude. Sorry she got snatched by a wicked witch but glad she’s alive”.
“How did you – “
“Hunters” Dean said, “You know how they are. Once a rumour gets around...”
“Plus last week I met a guy she’d just helped out.”
“Rowena MacLeod? My mother?”
“Yeah. Said she’d helped him and talked a bit about her son, the hunter”.
The concept that his mother of all people might end up being proud of him had never even crossed his mind.
Dean laughed. “Garth, calm down, or Crowley here’s gonna need something stronger than beer to get through this”.
“Aw, come on man, we’re not that scary”.
“Hardly that”, said Crowley, “I can just easily believe my presence might make some people uncomfortable”.
“Yeah, well, they need to suck it up unless they too stabbed themselves in front of the devil, am I right?”
“That’s the spirit, Garth” Jody said, stepping up to him.
“You want a drink?”
“Sure”.
Donna came by soon afterwards. “Oh my, I can’t tell you how good it feels to see the Winchesters again.” She hugged Dean.
“Doug tried to get back together, by the way”.
“I hope you told him where he could go?”
She chuckled. “You bet I did. Okay, and now I get why Jody lost her head back then”.
It took him a moment to understand what she meant.
“Why do you always have so handsome friends? It’s unfair,” Donna added.
“We try our best” Sam said drily.
All in all, things were going rather well, and once again, Crowley should have drawn his conclusions.
The demons attacked at sunset.
Thankfully, Jody’s house was well-warded, but they still felt the onslaught.
“Jesus” Dean cursed. “What are they – “
Then, a voice rang through the house, loud and clear. Hunters it said. We know the former king is in there with you. Here’s our offer: Surrender him and you will not be harmed.
“Fat chance of that” Dean mumbled. Crowley had to agree. There was no reason to think the demons would let them go. But he wasn’t one of them anymore. He was human now.
He cleared his throat. “I am of course ready to meet them. If you –“
“Seriously?” Dean asked. “Of all the things you could learn from us Winchesters, this is probably – “
“Dean” Cas interrupted him. “It’s Crowley’s decision.”
“So we’re just supposed to let him walk out of here.”
“I’m not saying I want to”, said Crowley. “I’d like to live a while longer, and I’m not so stupid to believe I can hold out against an entire army. But if the majority of you want me to get out of here, I will.”
“Now you’re learning basic democratic structures?” Dean began.
“Dean...” Sam said slowly.
“I know, I know”. Dean turned to the other hunters.
“Crowley’s right. This is not a decision he can make on his own. But I want you all to know... if he goes out there, he won’t be alone”.
“Dean!” That was the last thing Crowley had wanted.
“You already killed yourself for us once, I am not letting it happen again”.
“We’ll accompany you” Cas said, Sam nodding.
“I guess that’s it, then” Claire decided. “I think we can all agree that the world is a better place with the Winchesters in it, right?”
The other hunters looked at one another.
“You’re right” Donna said. “Plus, he’s kind of cute. Would be a shame if he died”.
Jody rolled her eyes at her friend. “Well, seems like we are going to fight”.
“No one has to stay if he doesn’t want to,” Crowley hastened to say. “There’s – “
“Okay, you sure you got the right guy? He was the King of Hell, right? Remorseless demon?” one of the other hunters asked Dean.
“Yeah, but he got better”.
In the end, they all decided to stay.
Crowley didn’t know how to feel about it. Sure, he’d known the same feeling back in the parallel world at camp, but the Winchesters were his closest friends, the first he’d ever made.
“Don’t look like that we’ve dealt with worse” Dean said calmly. “And you killed the devil yourself. So. Any idea who’s out there?”
“The Princes are dead. I can’t imagine who’s the new sheriff in town. If they were clever, they kept out of my way”.
“Which means they probably spent a lot of time in Hell” Dean said.
“I know I wasn’t very hands on, alright?”
“And you know I didn’t mean it.”
“Sorry I just get a little nervous when everyone I know decides to throw themselves into danger to save me” he bit back.
“You get used to it”.
He’d rather not, but he didn’t have much choice in the matter.
At least Jody was well equipped for the challenge.
“I see you’ve taken advantage of being the sheriff,” said Crowley. “Last time I saw so many guns I watched a Rambo movie”.
“Doesn’t hurt to be prepared.”
The voice spoke up again. I see you have made the foolish decision to shield the former King. You will pay for it. And suddenly, it clicked.
“God dammit”.
“What is it?” Dean asked.
“Leonard. It has to be. He’s one of the oldest demons – of the black-eyed ones, that is. I left him alone, he left me alone”.
“He was biding his time”.
“Seems like it”.
“Killing you is probably his way to demonstrate strength” Sam said. “After all, the only reason you died was because you decided to”.
“Yes, Crowley, while loathed by every demon we have ever encountered, was an effective ruler” Cas chimed in.
“Way to make a guy feel special, boys”, replied Crowley.
“You know what I meant.”
“Yes I do, but this is how I cope with stress.”
“How do you get anything done?” Jody interrupted them. “Every time I see you, you’re bickering”.
“It’s how we work,” said Dean. “So, this guy. Any weaknesses?”
“He’s a normal black-eyed demon, even if he’s pretty powerful.”
“Still, he’s probably the biggest player on the field right now?”
“Should be. Stronger demons probably wouldn’t allow him to take over”.
Great One. Ah. Leonard had decided to mock him, it seemed. I do understand that the Winchester are your... friends. It seems rather cruel that you’ll let them die... from a human standpoint.
“If he really thinks he can mock me by pointing out I am human... I forgot how stupid demons can be”.
Another voice reverberated through the house.
Hello, my King. Remember me?
Somehow, he knew that it was the demon that had possessed him.
I’m looking forward to tearing you to shreds...
“Do you have any specific history with that one?” Jody asked.
“They possessed me. Dean figured it out instantly”.
“Pathetic, really,” said Dean. “Didn’t even really try to imitate him.”
“Don’t worry” Crowley assured Jody. “I have several anti possession tattoos now”.
“Great, but right now I’d rather have one that stops you from being torn apart”.
“The place’s secure” one of the hunters who’d been busy checking all entrances reported.
“At least if they only –“ Crowley began and that was of course when all demons attacked at the same time and broke their warding.
Before they could blink, they were engaged in battle; Crowley’s reflexes thankfully had gotten pretty good in the Apocalypse, and he managed to throw a demon off Sam with a salt shot. At the same time, Dean and Cas were disarming others, and Jody managed to wrestle one into a devil’s trap in the living room. Claire held her own with a group of four or five other hunters including Garth; Crowley quickly turned and –
Apparently Leonard had decided to use Ramiel’s old tactic of throwing him through a wall, but didn’t quite manage to do so. Bouncing of the living room wall still hurt, though.
“Crowley!” He thought it was Dean who called out his name.
“Ah, the Great one. Fallen from Grace a bit, have we?” Leonard chuckled.
He got up. “Hardly”.
Crowley shot him with salt. He stumbled back but remained standing. He was more powerful than Crowley had thought.
“That hurt”.
“Welcome to the club,” Crowley snapped.
The others were, of course, rendered immobile by the demon. At least the other demons had withdrawn, apparently leaving the glory of the kill to their leader. He searched Dean’s eyes. There was a slight chance that he’d let them go once he had killed Crowley –
No one could have predicted what happened next, least of all him.
Leonard had raised his hand to kill him, and Crowley found himself that this time, dying was accompanied with far more regrets than –
“Manete!”
Leonard stood still.
Crowley blinked.
“Mother?”
But Rowena didn’t pay him or the others (who could move again, thank God) any attention. “Stay away from my son” she hissed, performing a few silent spells that led to Leonard crumpling down on the floor.
Crowley winced, remembering how this would have felt if he had still been a demon.
“Crowley, you alright?” The boys had hastened to his side.
He nodded. “A little banged up, but otherwise fine, I promise”.
“Good” Dean breathed.
“Do you understand!?” Rowena continued torturing Leonard, ignoring them completely.
Jody came to their side. “On the one hand I should probably stop her, but on the other... Where are his demons, anyway?”
“Demons are not only stupid, but cowards. They probably fled when they saw what happened to their leader” Crowley said. “Cas, help me out here. You’re rather new to being human too. What do I feel?”
“I’m afraid I can’t help you, I am experiencing mixed emotions myself.”
“I’m enjoying this” Dean said, crossing his arms.
“Dean...” Sam began.
“What? He went after one of our own. Should have known better”.
Leonard once more cried out in pain.
“Maybe I should...” Crowley said slowly.
“Yeah, I guess” Dean replied, rolling his eyes.
“Just trying to be the good guy here”. He walked up to his mother. Leonard was writhing on the floor.
“Mother...”
She froze Leonard again and turned to him. “Crowley dear, I’ll be with you in a second. You’re not hurt too badly, are you?”
She’d never called him “dear” in his entire life. “No, but – “
“Good”.
And she resumed her activities.
“Mother!” he tried again after a particularly blood-curdling scream. “I think you’ve done enough – look at him, you even locked him in his meat suit! Injuries like these will take months to heal, demon or not!”
“Yes, won’t they?” she asked with a satisfied expression on her face.
“So why don’t you send him back to Hell? As an example.”
“You mean so the others can see – Ah, that’s my boy. Always ten steps ahead.”
She waved her hand and Leonard vanished. “So. Now...” her eyes turned to Jody.
“Why don’t you introduce me to your... friend?”
It was going to be an interesting evening.