Nadia ran her fingers over the edges of her leather-bound journal, her mind swirling with thoughts that refused to settle. The crisp Spring morning had yet to warm, leaving a chill in the air that seeped into her bones. She hunched over in the passenger seat of the Impala, the smell of aged leather and faint traces of engine oil grounding her.

She wrote in a steady hand, the act of journaling one of the few things that brought her clarity these days.

May '09

I haven't had time to journal these last couple of days. So much is going on, and I can barely put it into words. I forgive Dean for not talking to me before he gave himself up to the angels. I had to because he's right—I'm holding back. I should have told him about Michael right then and there, but with tensions so high, and after what had just happened with Sam... I couldn't bring myself to do it.

I'm scared. There's a clock ticking in my head, knowing the angels. Michael could cash in at any minute. Anna hasn't reached out—I can't sense her anywhere. I know I felt Castiel last night.

Something is going on, and it's happening right under our noses. I just don't know what. Anyway, I can't think about that right now.

Right now, the plan is to get Sam back. And if I'm honest... I'm worried about that too.

Nadia snapped the journal shut, the sound cutting through the quiet of the morning. She locked it, tucking it into the passenger seat behind her. For a long moment, she sat silently behind the wheel, her legs dangling out of the open door.

Dean was under the hood, the sound of tools clicking against metal punctuating the stillness. He worked with practiced precision, wiping grease from his hands every so often.

The chill bit through her jacket, finally prompting her to slide out of the car and shut the door behind her. Leaning against the side of the hood, she crossed her arms, watching him. Dean glanced up, sensing she was about to speak, his green eyes catching hers briefly before he returned to the engine.

"You know, it's not going to be easy," she said after a beat, her voice soft but steady.

Dean didn't look up this time, his attention still on the task in front of him. "What?"

"Killing Ruby."

That got his attention. Dean straightened slightly, his gaze flicking to hers.

"Hear me, Dean," Nadia continued, turning to fully face him. "Your brother is an addict. Demon blood is the drug, and Ruby is his dealer. He's not just going to let you kill her."

Dean pulled his head out from under the hood, his full attention now on her.

"I hate Ruby just as much as you," she said, her voice hardening. "But in Sam's state, he's going to protect her at all costs. Whatever that looks like for him. You won't believe how far someone in Sam's state of mind is willing to go. Prepare yourself."

Dean held her gaze for a long moment, her words sinking in. He finally nodded, his voice quieter than before. "Yeah. I hear you, Robin."

Nadia's stance softened slightly, the tension between them easing.

The sound of the back door creaking broke the moment as Bobby stepped outside, his hands stuffed into his pockets. "Police found my car," he announced. "Abandoned in an alley in Jamestown, North Dakota."

Dean grabbed a rag to wipe his hands, the familiar rhythm grounding him. "He's switching it up," he said, nodding for Bobby to continue.

"Two cars were stolen in Jamestown," Bobby went on. "1999 Honda Civic, blue. Nice and anonymous, like Sam likes."

Nadia tilted her head. "And the other one?"

Bobby chuckled dryly. "White '05 Escalade with custom rims. It's a neon sign."

Dean shook his head with a humorless laugh. "He'd never take that." He paused, his expression darkening. "Which is exactly why he did."

"You think?" Nadia asked, arching a brow.

Dean's jaw tightened. "I know that kid," he said firmly. "All right. We'll head in that direction. You stay here, ride the police databases." He closed the hood with a decisive thud. "We gotta find him quick."

Trying to find Sam felt like chasing shadows. The Impala roared down empty highways, her engine steady, but the tension inside the car buzzed like static. They had been driving all day, the landscape shifting from the fiery hues of sunset to the cool blues of twilight. The sun dipped below the horizon, waving them goodbye, while the moon rose to greet them, casting an eerie silver glow over the desolate road ahead.

Nadia leaned her head against the window, her breath fogging the glass as she stared out at the endless expanse of darkness. Time was ticking, and every mile felt like it stretched the space between them and Sam further. The weight of uncertainty pressed heavily on both of them, but Dean's determination was relentless. He refused to give up on Sam, and Nadia, true to her nature, was right there with him, steady and unwavering.

Dean's phone buzzed in his pocket, breaking the silence. He pulled it out, glancing at the screen before answering. "Bobby," he said, putting the call on speaker.

"Cops found the Escalade in a ditch outside Elk River," Bobby said, his voice tinny through the speaker.

Dean straightened slightly, his grip on the steering wheel tightening. "How far away are we?"

"A couple of hours," Bobby replied. "I pulled up a weather map, made some calls. There's a town not far from there—Cold Spring. Lighting up with demon sign."

"A good place to look," Nadia commented softly, her eyes flicking toward Dean.

"Hey, listen," Bobby's tone shifted, taking on a weightier seriousness.

"What?" Dean asked, glancing at Nadia as if bracing himself for whatever Bobby was about to say.

"Us finding Sam? It's gotta be about getting him back, not pushing him away," Bobby said. His words hung in the air, heavy and deliberate.

"Right," Dean muttered, his jaw tightening. His eyes remained fixed on the road ahead, but his mind was elsewhere, running through every possible scenario.

"I know you're mad, Dean," Bobby continued, his voice tinged with understanding. "I get it—you got a right to be. But I'm just saying, be good to him anyway. You gotta get through to him."

Dean's lips pressed into a thin line. Instead of replying, he ended the call. The silence that followed was deafening, filled only by the low rumble of the Impala's engine.

Nadia's gaze lingered on him, her quiet presence a reminder of the reality Bobby had just laid out. She could see the storm brewing behind Dean's hard expression, the war between his anger and his love for his brother.

Dean sighed heavily, the tension in his shoulders easing ever so slightly. "I know he's right," he admitted, his voice low, almost begrudging.

Nadia nodded, her expression calm but thoughtful. She didn't need to say it aloud—it wasn't about whether Dean knew Bobby was right. It was about whether he could actually listen.

Dean glanced at her briefly before returning his focus to the road. The flicker of uncertainty in his eyes was quickly replaced by resolve. 

"Alright, I think I should stay out here," Nadia told Dean, her tone calm but firm as they stood outside the rundown motel where Sam was staying. The neon sign above flickered, casting brief, red-tinged glows across the parking lot. The front desk clerk had confirmed Sam's presence—and Ruby's.

Dean turned to her, frowning. "Why would you stay out here?"

Nadia crossed her arms, scanning their surroundings. "Because someone's gotta be here, just in case one of them decides to make a run for it. Besides," she glanced at him with a faint smirk, "I know you can handle yourself in there. If more than five minutes pass, though, I'm coming in."

Dean considered her words, nodding reluctantly. "Okay."

As Dean disappeared inside, Nadia walked to the side of the building. She leaned against the wall, her eyes darting to the parking lot's far edges, her angelic senses stretched out like invisible antennae. She felt for flickers of emotion—fear, anger, desperation—but found only the hum of humanity in the neighboring rooms. Her vigilance didn't falter, her hand resting lightly near the archangel blade hidden in her jacket.

Inside, Dean's boots thudded softly against the worn carpet of the hallway as he approached Sam's room. He slowed at the corner, pressing himself against the wall, his breath shallow. Peeking around, he saw the door open just as Sam stepped out, closing it quietly behind him. Sam moved purposefully down the hall, his strides quick but not hurried.

Dean waited until his brother turned a corner out of sight. Then, gripping the demon knife, he moved toward the door, his jaw tight with determination. He entered silently, the hinges creaking faintly as he stepped into the room.

Ruby was at the foot of the bed, shoving clothes into a worn duffel bag. She froze mid-motion, her head snapping up. Her dark eyes met his, wide with alarm.

Before she could react, Dean lunged. The demon blade glinted as it slashed toward her, but Ruby blocked it with her forearm, her jacket absorbing the impact. She hissed and shoved back, her strength nearly matching his.

They grappled fiercely, each movement violent and precise. Ruby's gaze flickered to the knife, her fear palpable at the blade pointed directly at her. Dean, teeth clenched, twisted their hold, slamming her into the wall. 

Ruby snarled in response, wrenching her arm free. Dean swung the knife up again, but before he could strike, Sam's voice cut through the chaos.

"No! Let her go!"

Dean barely registered Sam's approach before his brother's hands were on him, shoving him backward. The knife clattered to the ground as Dean stumbled, catching himself on the edge of the bed. Sam placed himself firmly between Dean and Ruby, his chest heaving.

"Just take it easy," Sam pleaded, his voice steady despite the tension crackling in the air.

Ruby stayed behind Sam, her gaze darting between the two brothers as she caught her breath, her shoulders tense and ready for another attack.

Dean straightened, his face twisted in fury. "Well, it must've been some party you two had going, considering how hard you tried to keep me from crashing it. Solid try, but here I am."

"Dean, I'm glad you're here," Sam said, his voice soft and sincere. "Look, let's just talk about this."

Ruby rolled her eyes, muttering under her breath.

Dean ignored her, his focus locked on Sam. "Soon as she's dead, we can talk all you want."

There was a pause as Ruby exchanged a glance with Sam. Finally, he spoke. "Ruby, get out of here."

Dean stepped forward, his knife-hand twitching. "No, she's not going anywhere."

But Sam stood his ground, his posture unyielding. Ruby, with one last look at him, slipped out the door.

Ruby pushed through the motel entrance, her boots clicking against the pavement as she made her way toward their car. The faint hum of cicadas and the distant flicker of a faulty parking lot light did little to mask the tension in the air.

"I was really hoping you would try to escape."

Nadia's voice rang out, cutting through the quiet night like a blade. It stopped Ruby in her tracks.

The demon let out an exaggerated sigh and rolled her eyes, annoyance flickering across her face.

"You didn't forget about me, did you?" Nadia stepped into view, her tone light but laced with steel. She chuckled, though there was no humor in it, only the promise of retribution.

"How could I forget Dean's guard dog?" Ruby turned to face her, her lips curling into a smirk.

The two women squared off in the middle of the parking lot, their gazes locking in a tense standoff. The air between them was electric, crackling with unspoken threats.

"What are you going to do, huh?" Ruby taunted, taking a single step forward. "You gonna smite me with your angel powers? Better yet, how about you throw some Latin my way?"

Nadia's eyes narrowed, her expression hardening. "Oh no," she said, voice low and dangerous. "That would just be too easy." She advanced on Ruby with slow, deliberate steps, her hands flexing at her sides. "Let's keep this clean. Just an old-fashioned ass-whooping."

Ruby's grin widened, a glint of something dark and eager in her eyes. "I've been waiting for this."

Without warning, Ruby lashed out, delivering a sharp slap across Nadia's face. Before Nadia could react, Ruby grabbed her by the shoulders and hurled her into the nearest car, the sharp impact knocking the breath from Nadia's lungs. She barely had time to recover before Ruby slammed her backward onto the unforgiving concrete.

The pain was sharp and immediate, but Nadia wasn't out of the fight. As Ruby moved to pin her, Nadia planted her hands on Ruby's shoulders and flipped her over her head with a grunt of effort. Both women landed hard, rolling onto their stomachs, their eyes locking again like two predators sizing each other up.

Ruby chuckled, a low, mocking sound as she slowly pushed herself to her feet. "Surprised, angel?" she sneered. "I bite, bitch."

Nadia tilted her head, her brows furrowed in irritation. "That's my line."

They rushed at each other, the fight descending into a flurry of punches and kicks. Nadia's strikes were sharp and precise, each left and right hook landing with practiced force. She aimed another blow at Ruby's face, but the demon caught her fist mid-swing. Ruby's triumph was short-lived, however, as Nadia drove her knee into Ruby's stomach, sending her stumbling back into a car.

Ruby turned away to catch her breath, but Nadia gave her no reprieve. Grabbing Ruby's head, she slammed it against the hood of the car with a sickening thud. Ruby crumpled to the ground, clutching her bleeding nose as she groaned in pain.

Panting, Nadia stepped back, brushing stray dreadlocks from her face. "You done already?" she asked, her tone almost casual despite the fire burning in her chest.

Ruby wiped the blood from her nose with the back of her hand, her movements slow but determined. "Not even close." She lunged at Nadia, tackling her to the ground.

Ruby straddled her, landing two brutal punches to Nadia's jaw. The metallic taste of blood filled Nadia's mouth, but she refused to give Ruby the upper hand. With a burst of strength, she flipped Ruby off of her, pinning the demon beneath her.

Ruby struggled under her, but she froze when she felt the cool press of Nadia's archangel blade against her neck.

"I thought we were going to keep it old-fashioned," Ruby hissed, her chest heaving.

Nadia spat a mouthful of blood onto the ground, glaring down at her. "Oh, as much as I love using you as a punching bag, that isn't what's gonna kill you."

Nadia raised the blade high, ready to strike. But before she could deliver the fatal blow, the squeal of tires tore through the parking lot. Headlights bathed them in harsh light as a car barreled toward them.

Nadia barely had time to react before the car slammed into her, sending her crashing into the windshield and then rolling onto the ground. She groaned, her body aching from the impact, but she forced herself to look up. Ruby was still lying on the ground, staring at the grill of the car with wide eyes. Relief washed over her features as the passenger door swung open.

"Get in!" Sam yelled from the driver's seat, his face pale and bruised.

Ruby dragged herself up, using the car for support as she limped to the passenger side. She spared Nadia one last smug glance before climbing in and slamming the door shut behind her.

Nadia pushed herself to her knees, bones cracking as they began to reset themselves. Her wounds healed almost instantly, but the ache of failure lingered. She considered teleporting into the car, ending things once and for all, but something held her back.

Sam was in the wind. And if Sam was gone... Dean might be hurt.

She hurried into the motel, her boots crunching over broken glass as she searched the room. The sight of Dean slumped on the floor, bleeding and panting, made her heart drop.

"Dean!" she called, rushing to his side. She knelt beside him, her hands hovering as if unsure where to touch first.

"Robin," he rasped, his voice hoarse. His wet bloodshot eyes met hers, filled with defeat. "They're gone."

Nadia's chest tightened. She closed her eyes, exhaling shakily. "Yeah," she said softly. "They're gone."

The room was silent except for their ragged breathing, the tension between them heavy and suffocating.