𝐃𝐎𝐍𝐎𝐕𝐀𝐍

𝐄𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐘-𝐓𝐇𝐑𝐄𝐄

Sam shakes his head. "Why? I don't understand."

"Hey, Hot Stuff," Dean calls. "We can take care of a few kitchen witches—thanks."

"I'm not talking about witches, you jackass. Witches are whores." Ruby looks to Katherine, and the huntress glowers.

"Dean, can I hold that for a minute?" Katherine hums. "Just wanna test it."

"I'm talking about who they serve," Ruby continues.

That hangs in the air for a moment.

"They get their power from demons," Katherine murmurs.

"Took you long enough," Ruby gripes. "There's one here, now."

"Oh, what, besides you?" Dean asks, re-positioning the Colt.

"Sam, it knows you're in town, and it's gonna come after you, and it's way more than you can handle."

"Heellooo!" Katherine bellows. "In case anyone needs a refresher, I'm a new-age Lorraine-fuckin'-Warren! We can gank the witches and the demon."

"You're an idiot—" Ruby begins, and Dean lays into her. Katherine doesn't even know what was said, but the argument escalated so much he actually shot off the Colt, but Sam shoved his arm, throwing the bullet, and Ruby disappeared.

"What the hell were you thinking?" Dean snarls. Katherine sighs, shrugging her coat off.

"What?" Sam asks. "What the hell was I thinking? What the hell were you thinking?"

"She's a demon, Sam! Period, all right? They want us dead, we want them dead!

"Oh, that's funny! Remember that demon chick in Ohio—Casey? You didn't want her dead!"

"Yeah, well, she wasn't stringing me along like a fish on a hook." Dean throws his jacket onto his bed, and Sam glowers at the wall for half a second before he explodes.

"No one is stringing me along!" Even Katherine gives him a flat expression. Sam lets out a heavy sigh. "Look. I know this is dangerous—she's dangerous. But like it or not, she's useful."

"No!" Katherine cries. "We kill her before she kills us! Somethin' ain't right with her, Sam—"

"Kill her with what?" Sam snaps. "The gun she fixed for us? Guys, if she wants us dead, all she has to do is stop saving our lives." Dean rolls his eyes and turn away from Sam. "Look, we have to start looking at the big picture. Start thinking in strategies and moves ahead. It's not so simple—we're not just hunting anymore." Katherine crosses her arms, leaning against the wall, as Dean presses cold water to his face. "We're at war!"

"Sam, I've been in this goddamn demon war my whole life," Katherine says. "And it ain't gonna end—ever! Unless someone with in good with literally Satan who is also in good with us says, "You know what, boss? Maybe we should keep the demons off the Earth."" Sam glowers at her, and she throws knives back at him, nostrils flares in rage, mockery oozing off of her tongue like silver. "Oh, wait. Ain't gonna happen!" She runs her hand through her hair and sighs, eyes softening as she holds her hands out, appeasing. "Look, are you—are you feeling okay?"

Sam groans, sitting on the edge of the bed. "Why does everyone keep asking me that?"

Katherine's eyes blow wide and she starts gesturing with her hands. "I—well, for one, you're starting to take advice from demons, and you seem less and less worried about offing people. It used to eat you up inside."

"Yeah, and where has that gotten me?" Sam asks, turning his glare to Katherine. She stiffens a bit, pushing herself off of the wall, and crosses her arms. Sam was expecting a tongue-lashing, but he was met with a gentle tone.