Nadia paced the cabin, her nerves frayed. Sunset had long passed, and there was still no word from the boys. She could sense they were alive and not in immediate danger, but the silence made it impossible to settle. They needed a call, a text, anything to calm her down. Until then, she and Ruby were stuck in an abandoned cabin in the woods with Anna, who was growing more anxious by the hour.

Ruby stood across the kitchen counter from Nadia, her body tense. The two exchanged a lingering stare, the air between them thick with unspoken tension. Nadia could practically taste the fear coming off the demon—something she found both satisfying and curious. Ruby had been on edge since their first meeting at the bar, but this was different. She was clearly wary of Nadia. The idea amused her.

"So, Sam told you I was an angel," Nadia said, leaning on the counter with her arms crossed, watching Ruby's every move.

Ruby shifted, her gaze darting away briefly before she met Nadia's eyes. "What if he did?"

Nadia raised an eyebrow. "You guys back on your little rebellion again?"

"Why, so you can run off and tell Dean?" Ruby scoffed.

"Sam's an adult," Nadia replied evenly. "If he wants to sneak around behind Dean's back and trust you, that's on him. And it'll be on Dean when he finds out. And trust me, he will. And when he does, you better pray you're not within arm's reach."

Ruby's lips curled into a smug grin. "Well, not that it's any of your business, but no. Sam says he's done with it. There's nothing I can do to convince him otherwise."

Nadia's satisfied smile curled up at the edges. "Good to hear."

Ruby narrowed her eyes, her expression tightening. "Think what you want, but you and Dean have no clue what it was like for Sam. He was a mess, and I cleaned him up. Helped him get his crap together. Helped him save lives. We built trust—together. I'd think you'd understand that."

"And why is that?" Nadia tilted her head, watching Ruby carefully. "Enlighten me."

Ruby's gaze softened, almost sympathetically. "Caring about a Winchester isn't easy. They're stubborn. Handsome, yeah, but they'll risk their lives for anyone and anything. And if you piss them off, you've unleashed a monster who won't stop until they get their revenge... You and Dean share that, don't you? Same kind of connection."

"Please, don't compare yourself to me and Dean," Nadia rolled her eyes, scoffing. "Gosh, you talk about Sam like you slept with him or something."

Ruby's eyebrow quirked, a suggestive smile forming on her lips.

Nadia's face twisted in disgust. "Of course," she muttered, shaking her head. "Why am I even surprised?"

"I told you," Ruby pressed on. "Sam and I might not be in love, but what we have? It's special. I've got his back."

"And I've got Dean's," Nadia said coolly. "Sam is important to him, which means he's important to me."

Ruby's lips twitched into a smirk. "And what's that supposed to mean?"

Nadia stepped closer, her calm, unwavering demeanor unsettling. "I think you know."

Ruby hesitated, her eyes flicking nervously to the floor. She'd never met an angel, not in the flesh. And Nadia's serene yet powerful presence was more intimidating than anything Ruby had ever encountered. She didn't know what Nadia could do, but she wasn't eager to find out, especially if she ever found her grace.

"This is ridiculous," Ruby muttered, growing restless. "I'll go get the boys. Watch Anna."

Without another word, Ruby dissolved into a cloud of black smoke, vanishing through the cabin's vents.

Nadia lingered for a moment, eyeing Ruby's empty vessel warily before joining Anna in the living room.

"Doing okay?" Nadia asked softly, taking a seat next to the redhead.

Anna sighed heavily, her face marked with exhaustion and worry. "Not really. I just want this to be over. I want to see my parents."

Nadia nodded, her eyes sympathetic. "I know. Ruby's gone to get the boys. They should be here soon. We'll sort this out."

"Thank you," Anna whispered.

"Of course."

A pause hung in the air as Anna nervously fidgeted with her hands. "I've been meaning to ask... Did you start hearing voices when Dean returned?"

Nadia sighed, recalling the familiar battle she had fought as a child. "Something like that. I was diagnosed with schizophrenia as a child, and the medication they put me on stopped the voices, stopped everything that was wrong. But now, without the meds, it's all come back... gradually."

Anna's eyes widened, a mix of empathy and confusion on her face. "So, what I'm going through now, you went through as a child?"

"Yeah," Nadia nodded. "Exactly. Which is why I wanted to ask... If you thought there was a possibility you could be an angel, too?"

Anna's face scrunched with doubt. "Oh, no," she chuckled nervously, standing up. "No, no, that's impossible. I mean, I think it's impossible. It sounds crazy."

"Then why would the angels say you need to be tried for your crimes?" Nadia's tone was gentle but firm.

"What?" Anna whispered, her voice trembling. "They said that? You heard them say that?"

"I did. They want you, too. Do you know why?" Nadia's expression softened, but there was a weight in her words.

Anna's mind raced, panic setting in. "No, I—I don't know anything. I don't understand—"

"Okay, okay," Nadia urged, holding up her hands to calm her. "It's okay. We'll figure this out, alright?"

"Angels and demons," Anna murmured, her eyes wide with confusion. "We have to go, we—"

"I won't let either take you away," Nadia interrupted, her voice steady and reassuring. She extended her pinky. "I pinky promise."

Anna blinked, her eyes softening as she looked at Nadia. A small smile tugged at her lips as she hooked her pinky with Nadia's. For a fleeting moment, Nadia's presence felt like a protective force, and Anna found herself imagining a time when Nadia was little, her innocence radiating in a way she hadn't expected.

"Glad you guys could make it," Ruby greeted, swinging the door open for the boys.

They'd had to sneak out of their motel, leaving the car behind to avoid drawing attention. A few hours of dodging people later, they finally arrived.

Without missing a beat, Nadia and Dean locked eyes and immediately closed the distance for a tight hug.

"I knew you guys made it out," Nadia said, her voice tinged with relief.

"Had to jump out of a window, but we got out," Dean replied with a grin.

"I've been there," Nadia pulled away, her hands instinctively checking him over. His face was marked with a few bruises, but nothing too serious. "Looks like you patched yourselves up pretty good."

Her eyes moved to Sam next, who gave her a reassuring nod.

"Yeah, we're good. Anna, are you okay?" Sam asked, concern in his voice.

"Yeah," Anna nodded, offering a small smile. "I think so. Ruby's not like other demons. She and Nadia saved my life."

"Yeah, I hear she does that," Dean said, his eyes narrowing slightly as he glanced at Ruby. There was a note of hesitation in his tone.

"Did you hit your head?" Nadia whispers softly, her voice tinged with concern.

"I'll explain later," Dean murmurs, rubbing her back in an attempt to soothe her growing unease.

Nadia takes a deep breath, forcing herself to stay calm. She'd learned to be mature about situations like this, calling a truce where needed—especially if it meant getting the brothers to settle their differences. But the thought of Dean trusting Ruby? That was something she wasn't sure she could handle.

"Hey, Sam," Anna calls out from where she sits, looking up at him. "You think it'd be safe to make a quick call, just to let my parents know I'm okay? They must be completely freaked."

"Uh..." Sam hesitates, glancing at Dean, who looks back at him, both unsure of how to handle this.

"You've been with her for hours and didn't tell her?" Dean mutters, disbelief coloring his voice.

"I couldn't tell her," Nadia admits quietly, feeling a knot twist in her stomach. She knew what it felt like to be in the dark about something like this, and she hated having to put Anna through the same thing.

Anna's face falters, her expression becoming anxious. "What?"

Sam exhales sharply, finally sitting next to Anna. "Anna... your parents... I'm sorry, but..." He trails off, the words hanging in the air like an unbearable weight.

"What about them?" Anna's voice trembles, tears welling up in her eyes. "No, they're not..." She shakes her head in denial, not wanting to hear what Sam's about to say.

"I'm so sorry," Sam murmurs, his voice cracking slightly as he places a hand on her shoulder.

Anna collapses forward, her hands shaking as she sobs uncontrollably into her lap.

"Hey." Nadia gently kneels in front of her, placing a hand on Anna's trembling arms. "I'm here. It's gonna be okay."

Anna pulls herself together for a moment, sitting up, her hands trembling with the weight of the loss. "Why is this happening to me?" she asks, her voice barely a whisper, filled with heartbreak.

Nadia looks at her with a shared sadness. "I don't know," she says, her throat tight. "But I understand. I really do."

For a brief moment, Anna leans into Nadia's arms, sobbing quietly before they both go still, their gazes locking as the reality of the situation settles over them.

"They're coming," Anna gasps, her voice rising in panic as the sound of distant footsteps echoes down the hallway.

Nadia's heart races. The lights flicker ominously, casting eerie shadows across the room.

"They're here," Nadia says firmly, taking Anna's hand. "Come on," she pulls her toward the backroom, her mind focused on keeping Anna safe. She quickly closes the door behind them, locking it.

Anna collapses against the desk, gasping for breath as she hyperventilates in fear. "This is bad," she mutters, her voice shaky.

"Hey, hey, hey, stay with me," Nadia snaps, kneeling beside her and grabbing her by the shoulders. "We're gonna be fine. Just breathe and try to stay quiet."

Nadia presses her ear against the door, listening to the boys prepare, their movements tense and purposeful as they ready the shotguns.

Ruby flailed her arms up with a huff. "Great. Just peachy. Impeccable timing, guys, really."

The wind started to whip unnaturally through the back door, drawing everyone's attention. Dean stepped between Ruby and Sam, both of them tense, waiting for whoever was about to walk in.

The door flew open, and to their surprise, in came Castiel and Uriel, the gust of wind blowing in behind them.

Ruby's eyes instantly went black, the familiar darkness creeping across her irises as both angels locked their gazes on her.

"Was wondering when you would show up," Dean said, his voice steady, gun still aimed in their direction.

Uriel, ever blunt, flicked his gaze toward Ruby with a scowl. "Want to explain why you have that stain in the room?"

"Never mind that," Sam cut in, his tone demanding. "What do you want with Anna?"

Nadia, still standing in the backroom, could hear the surprise in Uriel's voice as he spoke, "How did you know that we... Nadia. Sticking her nose where it doesn't belong... again."

"So, you are here for her?" Dean's voice was sharp, but there was no hesitation.

"Yes," Castiel answered in his usual flat, monotone voice.

There was a long pause before he added, "She has to die."