"Crowley holds your deal?!" Sam couldn't even bring himself to say those words out loud. As if acknowledging it would summon Crowley right then and there. "The king of hell holds your deal." He needed Riley to confirm it once again.
She did not defy. "He was just a crossroads demon back then," she shrugged, "a lot has happened since."
"It can't be true." Sam kept shaking his head in disbelief. "He's a king for a reason. He's too powerful." How could they even fight him?
"Like I said. He kept the deal. It's a Winchester deal. The only way he would let me go is taking one of you instead."
"No, it's... Dad, he... I kept asking about the case and he told me, it was you. When the hellhound tore him up in front of the library, that you... The demon didn't left you on its own. You repulsed it."
"I did what? He must've been mistaken."
"He wouldn't be wrong about that. He was dead sure. That's how he justified we needed to get rid of you and leave it all behind."
Riley was looking for some kind of a further explanation of what was going on. But that was all Sam had.
"I wasn't able to do that again at Bobby's." She sounded almost apologetic.
"You were in the trap. You couldn't send the demon anywhere. We locked him in."
"So what... now I'm a demon possessed by a human?"
However hard Riley mulled it over, whatever came up and brought different point to the situation back then, it still had no impact on her main objective now. She didn't have much time, but she could still do one thing. Save the brothers.
"Either way, Sam. You can't tell Dean."
Sam hated keeping things from his brother. He fidgeted in discomfort. He didn't want to lie to Dean, but he couldn't say no to the Riley's dying wish.
"You know, nothing good ever happens behind the curtain. Secrets ruin relationships." He said.
Riley nodded and they both sat in silence for a moment going over all that came to light.
"I still can't believe Dad would make a deal. What brought him to do that? He must've known better."
Riley decided to ease Sam's mind. "There is only one thing that would make your dad do that and you know that."
"His family."
"His family." Riley nodded.
"Mom? It can't be."
Riley shook her head.
"Adam!" Sam figured it out.
"Yes, for Adam. He traded for Adam so he could have an ordinary life."
"All of this for him? And he didn't even get to stay out of it."
"Heaven had different plans for Adam. Castiel... he's not in his full power, is he?"
"No, he's not. His grace is missing."
"He can't help anyway. No more deals, Sam. This ends with me. Do you understand? Promise me."
"I promise."
☁︎
As the time went by, Winchesters over and over again hit the wall. There really was nothing they could do to drag Riley out of her fate. She hardly left her room anymore, her hallucinations were getting more vivid and more frequent. She had a perfect picture painted of where she was heading. Never ending restlessness was her destination.
"How is she?" Dean asked Sam when he came back with another full plate of food. Riley hasn't eaten more than a spoonful.
"Not eating. She's just sitting there, not even crying anymore."
"You know what? That's it."
"What is it? Where are you going?"
"I'm taking her out."
"You can't be serious, Dean. They will find her."
"They will find her anyway. She can live a little until then."
Dean channeled his secret desires and took Riley out to a bar to hear some live music. They had the same taste in music. He could not go wrong with this one.
He practically had to carry Riley to the car, but she really spaced out of her desperation once she heard the first notes.
"So it seems Dean is back in his skin," Riley motioned to Dean flirting with a girl at the bar.
"He can't help it, really." Sam tried to excuse his poor behavior.
"Thank you for doing this for me."
"We're ready if anything..."
"I love this song!" Riley was heading to the dance floor, meaning to grab Dean along the way there when a vision flashing in front of her eyes froze her in place.
She bounced away from the song she could no longer hear and headed to the exit. Dean didn't notice. Sam did and followed her out.
"Riley, what is it? Another hallucination?"
"A countdown."
"What?"
"A countdown. He knows where I am and he's giving me a day, then he's getting me. He just showed me that."
"Damn it, Crowley. Let me just get Dean..."
"No, Sam. Please, don't let him see me like this. Let him have his fun. Stay here with me. Please?" The truth was, she couldn't bear looking at him at this moment. All of this was for Adam and it wasn't even worth it. Dean didn't save him.
Sam nodded and they leaned against the Impala side by side and watched the night sky. Doing just a little bit of talking.
"I wish I wouldn't miss another Halloween with you." Riley wished upon a star.
"What are you talking about. Every day is a Halloween for us."
"That's what I'm talking about."
Sam's eyes saddened a bit, but he laughed under his breath at the same time. He didn't want to be the one to bring Riley down with his own emotions.
"You should smile more, Sammy. You do that so rarely."
As if he tried to fulfill her wish, he pulled the corners of his mouth wider. There was his smile and he meant it. It was only natural to be soft and upbeat with Riley. He always went on full alert when she walked into the room.
Riley smiled back at him. She couldn't help herself but bring her hand to his cheek. She intended only to stroke his cheek, but her palm continued further back past his ear, into his hair and to the back of his head.
She sprung to her toes as she pull him closer to her. Their lips were almost touching for a couple of breaths. And then they kissed.
They both smiled some more as they broke the kiss and returned to their former position leaning against the Impala. Only this time Riley rested her head on Sammy's shoulder and they interlaced their fingers.
"Hey, you two party poopers! What are you doing out?" Dean made it out of the bar and to the car.
"I needed to get some air," Riley explained. "Would it be okay if we headed back?"
Dean only nodded and unlocked the car. The ride was quiet. They only made it as far as the bunker, when Riley's legs gave up on her. She collapsed right in the middle of the hall.
The boys were by her side in a second.
"Let me die. You should've let me die." She kept on repeating. "I don't wanna go. Please don't let me go."
"What is she talking about, Sammy?"
Sam was only cradling her in his arms.
"SAM!"
"One day, Dean, okay? She's got one more day and then they are coming for her."
"Your first impression did not lie, Dean. You thought I was bad for you and I am." Riley cried.
"Take her to her room, Sam. I'll get her something to calm her down."
Sam took weeping Riley with him. Dean stayed behind. As soon as they turned corner, Dean grabbed one of his fake IDs, pack of graveyard dirt and a bone of a black cat. There was no time to look for any special ingredients. If they were interested in the deal, they would show up anyway. Especially, their king. Dean needed to reach someone competent.
Always ready, the duffel bag swayed over his shoulder.
"One day," he scoffed taking the stairs two at a time. "Over my dead body." He closed the door shut behind him.