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He was screaming in agony. Bobby Singer pushed back against the chair, face contorted in pain. He tugged manically at the restraints around his wrists. He had been beaten, blood trailing down from his nose, little cuts marking his cheek, lip split in the centre. Bobby's eyes widened suddenly, looking at someone unseen.
"No no no no. Please! No! Crowley help! Help me!"
Crowley's eyes shot open. He hadn't been breathing and with a shudder he began to draw in large breaths, almost panting. He felt cold all over but he'd been sweating. His blood ran cold.
Bobby Singer was in trouble.
In less than a second Crowley teleported to Bobby's. He needed to know if what he'd just witnessed was real or a dream. Was he okay? He stumbled at the rough arrival, mind not being focused on transportation had given him a rocky landing and he lost balance, stumbling into someone's back.
"Hey! What the hell." Was the unmistakable sound of Sam's voice. The giant spun on his heel to find the culprit. "Crowley? What the hell are you doing here-"
"Bobby Singer." Crowley demanded. "Where is he?" Sam studied Crowley.
He was pale, more so then usual. And a gleam of sweat hung over him, hair sticking out wildly, eyes bloodshot and crazed. Sam's eyes widened. Something was seriously wrong. Hearing floorboards creak behind him, Sam turned to see Dean walking in. He paused as he saw Crowley.
"What's he doing here?" He asked non menacingly through a mouthful of food, motioning to Crowley with his tortilla.
"I don't know he just turned up, asking where-"
"Answer the bloody question Sam!" Crowley interrupted. The absence of the usual pet names made Sam's ears perk, as did the lack of the cheeky teasing tone that came as a package with his voice. "Where's Bobby Singer. Is he okay. Has someone taken him?"
"Whoa whoa, who would take him?" Dean queried, brows furrowed. He shot Sam a look and saw a concerned look daubed on his face. Concern for Crowley, he hadn't seen that before, not from Sam anyway.
"I don't know! Where is he!" Crowley exploded, waving his hands around. The floor trembled in a mini earthquake and Dean's heart skipped a beat at the sudden sight of Crowley's smoking red eyes. As soon as the small quake subsided, Sam moved very carefully and slowly, making sure to avoid any movements that might startle Crowley. He softly put the book in his hands down and turned back to Crowley.
"Crowley you need to calm down." Sam said, voice stern. Crowley's breathing was quick as if he were on the verge of hyperventilating.
Sam started to take a step forward. It was just his luck that the floorboard groaned loudly under his step. Crowley's eyes darted to the side of Sam and his tongue dashed over his bottom lip. Sam saw it coming. Crowley dashed to the side only to be caught by the lapels of his suit jacket and swung back to where he had been standing. He felt something hard pressing into his lower back and glanced behind him to see Bobby's desk. He struggled against Sam's hold and Dean hovered worriedly to Sam's right elbow.
"Crowley, come on man." Sam said through gritted teeth, struggling to keep the demon in place.
"Where is Bobby Singer?" Crowley shouted, hoping he'd finally break through their thick skulls and that at least one would answer him. He needed to know. Had all the horrific things he'd seen done to Bobby simply been a dream, or a vision of present times? He needed to know-
"I'm right here." Called a familiar surly voice. Crowley strained, eyes shooting around Sam to see Bobby walking through the archway cautiously. "Sam it's ok let him go."
Sam looked down at Crowley. His breathing was already beginning to level out, a look of relief washing his facial features clean of worry. Sam eased his grip before letting go, stepping back to stand next to his brother.
Crowley strode forward without hesitation and Dean tensed. Bobby stood still, not moving at all, although by the way Crowley was advancing, his subconscious was telling him he should flee or get ready to fight. He opted for tensing his body and Crowley stopped walking, halting directly in front of Bobby. His eyes travelled over his features, studying every line and refreshing his memory. Crowley looked for any hint of injury, his hand hot in his pocket, ready to heal. He was like a dog sniffing a person to make sure they were ok.
But Bobby wasn't injured. Not at all. He looked perfectly fine. Crowley furrowed his brow. That couldn't be right, he saw Bobby beaten and bloody. Where did that all go? Why would that type of thing just randomly come to mind in such a vivid way?
"You're... You're ok." He said, voice quiet and oozing with wonder and confusion.
Bobby nodded slowly in response, stating the obvious.
"Yes, that's right, I'm fine." He spoke the words slowly and lowly as if he were speaking to a wild animal. Crowley's eyes shot up to Bobby's and he blinked, still frowning. He looked lost in thoughts. Bobby noticed a slight gleam to Crowley's skin.
"I, I have to to go." Crowley muttered but Bobby grabbed his arm, causing the demon to jump, his green eyes shooting down at Bobby hand.
"No, you're going to stay and tell me what the hell that was all about." Bobby commanded sternly. Crowley shot a glance at the boys who watched on anxiously and then one at Bobby with a pained expression.
"Bobby, it was nothing." He said, more hushed, suddenly looking embarrassed.
"Didn't seem like nothing." Bobby replied, his tone not wavering but his eyes softening at Crowley. He wanted him to feel comfortable, to not feel the need to flee. Why had he turned up here like that? Bobby had never seen Crowley like this and he was going to know why.
"Bobby I-"
"Come sit down Crowley. I'll make you a tea or something poncy like that if it helps calm you down." He started to walk Crowley towards the kitchen and when the demon realised what the hunter was doing he stopped walking.
Bobby gave a slight reassuring squeeze to Crowley's arm and his eyes shot to Bobby's again. Bobby looked back sincerely.
"C'mon." He said more quietly to Crowley.
Crowley held his gaze before his eyes shot around the room. He was so jumpy Bobby observed. He'd never really seen Crowley this way and it made Bobby frown, concern evident on his face.
Not caring about the watching eyes, Bobby slid his hand up from Crowley's arm, passed his shoulder and into the centre, between his shoulder blades. He rubbed Crowley's back soothingly and surprisingly it worked. He felt a bit of tension ease out of him and his eyes finally properly really connected with Bobby's, breathing becoming more steady with each second. Bobby's hand came to a rest on Crowley's shoulder and he gave the tense muscle a squeeze.
"You here Crowley?" Bobby asked softly, tone tender.
Crowley was frowning, eyes downcast. He was thinking, that Bobby could see. Crowley blinked quickly and shook his head, eyes still not meeting Bobby. Suddenly he clenched his eyes shut, lips twisting into a grimace.
"I saw you." Crowley said slowly. "You were screaming.. Someone was torturing you."
"I'm fine. No one's been hurting me. Look at me I'm fine." Bobby said sternly like a parent telling a child monsters weren't real. Crowley looked up and made eye contact with Bobby before breaking it to glance over him.
"It felt... real." Crowley mumbled. He still wasn't entirely convinced everything was dandy.
"It wasn't real Crowley. It must have been a bad dream-" Crowley was shaking his head before Bobby even finished his sentence.
"I know what a bad dream was. That... that was something else." Bobby gave a sigh. He cast a look to Sam and Dean who shrugged back hopelessly in response. They looked entirely clueless as to why Crowley was being like this.
"Well what do you need to do?" Bobby asked him. Crowley made eye contact with him at the words. He knew what the hunter meant. What did Crowley need to do to be put at ease. Bobby saw the realisation and nodded at Crowley, giving him the silent go ahead to do whatever he needed to do. Bobby feel an energy around Crowley, like the air was full of electricity. He needed Crowley to be calm. He felt the minor earthquake before, his old house didn't need anymore.
Without hesitation Crowley reached up with his right hand. Bobby resisted the reflex to stiffen when Crowley's hand slipped around the back of his head, pulling him down so they were face to face, almost level. Bobby wasn't entirely sure what was to come next but he hadn't been expecting Crowley to lean forward and place his forehead against Bobby's. Bobby watched Crowley. His eyes were scrunched up in what was probably concentration. He felt a warm feeling on his forehead. It's wasn't just the warmth of Crowley's skin. It was something more. The feeling pushed back and through his head, soft and painlessly. If anything the feeling was a comfort and Bobby couldn't help but close his eyes to it. Crowley was sifting through the hunters most recent memories, checking if Bobby was for some reason lying to him. Had he actually been hurt and was just lying about it?
But it was true. Bobby was telling the truth. In fact, he hadn't even been in any danger in the past week. Crowley let go of Bobby and the taller man shifted, straightening his posture. He raised his eyebrows in silent question. 'Did you get what you needed?' Crowley nodded in response although he still looked troubled, a frown on his face.
"It felt so real. It was just a dream but it felt so real..." Crowley said quietly. Bobby wasn't sure if he was speaking to him or not but he answered him nonetheless.
"Night terrors can be pretty realistic. I imagine being in hell all the time wouldn't exactly be a help either."
But it wasn't if it were real or not which was bothering Crowley now. It was the fact that he'd felt crazed at the thought of Bobby being in danger. Being hurt. How had he felt horror and anger at the same time for Bobby Singer? A hunter. And he was a demon. Was he truly having feelings for a fucking hunter? Was he truly having feelings? Maybe the dream hadn't been real, but the emotions he felt regarding Bobby when he woke up sure as shit were.
"Crowley?" Bobby asked. He'd become lost in his own thoughts again and Bobby had reached out, giving his shoulder a small shake. Crowley looked at Bobby with an unreadable expression.
"Bobby." Crowley replied, copying Bobby's tone. It was almost like he was doing it to mock Bobby. Bobby saw Crowley's shield go up, saw the way a sudden expression of annoyance washed over his features. Was he annoyed at Bobby or himself?
Bobby's hand dropped suddenly as where Crowley had been was now nothing but an empty space. He looked at the spot where Crowley had stood, shocked and blinking at the sudden disappearance. Well that was unexpected. He turned and looked to Sam and Dean who were watching with confusion and concern.
"What the hell was that about?" Sam said first, cutting through the short silence. Bobby shrugged in response. He was frowning again and he gave a quick glance to where Crowley had been. He clenched and unclenched his hand, still feeling the residue of Crowley's warmth in his palm and in his head.
"The dude was totally freaked. I'm freaked. I'm freaked because he was freaked because he thought you'd been hurt and that freaked him." Dean said, speaking quickly. Bobby quirked an eyebrow at him. He spoke it strangely enough but Dean was right. Why the hell did Crowley have a bad dream, and why was his idea of a bad dream Bobby being tortured? And in turn why did that scare Crowley so much so that it had left him in hysterics?
Bobby shook his head and turned away. He thought back to how Crowley had looked at him with so much fear and concern in his eyes. And then just how quickly that had been buried just when Crowley had realised the fool he'd made of himself. Strangely Bobby started to wish that Crowley had stuck around for a bit longer. He felt... touched by the concern Crowley had shown for him, the desperation to make sure he was ok. He lifted a hand up and placed it over his chest, feeling his heart beating quicker than usual. Bobby knew he didn't have any angels watching over him like the Winchester brothers did. But maybe he had a demon watching over him instead.