Crossroad Blues.

chapter forty-three , Crossroad Blues

a/n : I skipped a few episodes because...bro I just didn't want to write them lmao

For some reason it took everything out of me to try and finish that previous chapter, and it was ass

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Jo Harvelle wanted nothing to do with the Winchesters. And it was all because of their father. Even dead he was making their lives so much more harder than they had to be. Normally, Jo and Athena would talk over the phone and catch each other up on what has been going on in their lives.

But that has been at a standstill. Athena would tell Jo everything. She would talk to Jo about her insane theories about her father, and she would even get to the point to almost opening up about his death. Almost. Anytime Jo would get close to that topic, Athena would quickly pivot to a completely different conversation.

Athena once changed the conversation to talking about a unicorn. How do you go from talking about your dead father to suddenly talking about a unicorn? Athena was talented in that way.

"So much for our low profile."

Athena looks over at Sam's laptop and raises her brows. "That is an awful picture."

"What?!" Dean grabs the laptop and looks at it. "Uh, no it's not." He frowns. "Damn, I look good."

Athena rolls her good eye. "And now you sound like an idiot."

"Guys, can we please focus?" Sam snatches his laptop back from his brother. "You got a warrant in St. Louis, and now you're officially in the Feds' database."

"I'm like Dillinger or something."

The three siblings were taken into custody. But only Dean was the one who got warrants. Athena was relieved, but both Dean and Athena could tell that Sam was a bit jealous. And it was showing in his tone.

"Dean, it's not funny." Sam states. "It makes the job harder. We got to be more careful now."

"Well, what do they got on you guys?" Dean asks.

Athena pats her hands in the table, then she wiggles her fingers. "I'm clean, baby."

"I'm sure they just haven't posted it yet." Sam murmurs.

"Wait—no accessory, nothing?" Dean smirks.

"Shut up."

Dean laughs, "You're jealous."

"No, I'm not!" Sam snaps.

"Sammy?"

Sam looks at Athena and she raises her brows with a wince.

"You sound a bit jealous."

Dean points at Athena, adding onto his point.

"All right, what do you got on the case there, you innocent harmless young man, you?"

Sam closes his laptop with a scoff and a small smile cracks onto Athena's lips. He grabs the paper off the table and looks across it.

"Architect Sean Borden plummeted to his death from the roof of his home—a condominium he designed."

"Build a high-rise and jump off."

"You gotta give it to him." Athena sips her water. "The man has class."

"When did he call animal control?" Dean asks.

"Two days earlier."

"Did he actually say 'Black Dog'?"

"Vicious, wild, black dog." Sam reads. "The authorities couldn't find it, and no one else saw it. In fact, the authorities are a little confused as to how a wild dog could get past the doorman, take the elevator up, and start roaming the halls of the cushiest join in town."

"After that, no more calls. He doesn't show up for work. Two days later, he takes a swan dive."

A crease forms between Dean's brows. He looks between his two siblings. "You guys think we're dealing with an actual black dog?"

"Well, maybe." Sam flips the page.

"What's the lore on it?" Dean asks.

"It's all pretty vague." Sam states. "There are spectral black dogs all over the world, but some say there animal spirits, others say death omens." He hands the papers to Dean. "But anyways, whatever they are, they're big, nasty—"

"Yeah, but they could jump the crap out of your leg." Dean chuckles. He turns to the picture to Sam. "Look at that one, huh?"

Sam kicks Dean's shin and Dean grunts.

"Fine, the joke wasn't funny." Dean winces. "My bad."

☆

"That's weird."

Athena looks around the crossroad, her eyes shift to the newly grown flowers. "Do you think someone planted these?" She points at the yellow flowers.

Sam pulls his brows together, "I'm the middle of all these weeds?"

Dean snaps his fingers, trying to jog his memory. "These are, uh, what do you call them?"

"Yarrow flowers."

Dean nods, "Yeah. Used for certain rituals, aren't they?"

Athena slightly tilts her chin up. "Yeah."

"Summoning rituals." Sam adds.

Athena gnaws on her lower lip, thinking.

"So, two people become sudden successes about 10 years ago, right around the time they were hanging out here at Lloyd's." Dean voices.

"Where there just so happens to be a crossroads." Sam adds.

Athena purses her lips, "Coincidence? I think not." She trots over to the middle of the crossroads and crouches down. Sam and Dean watch as Athena presses her hands against the gravel. Athena feels the difference between the texture of the gravel. The ground was softer under her hand. Athena looks at her brothers. "Can one of you get a shovel?"

As soon as Dean got the shovel, he starts to dig up the dirt and gravel where Athena pointed to. The shovel hits something metal, catching everyone's attention.

"Yahtzee."

Athena raises her brows, "It's such a good game."

The siblings crouch down and look into the hole. Dean grabs the metal box and cleans the dirt off of it. He opens the box, revealing bones and graveyard dirt.

"That's serious spellwork." Dean states. "I mean, that's Deep South hoodoo stuff."

"Used to summon a demon." Sam states.

"Not just summon one." Athena speaks with a crease between her brows. "Crossroads are where pacts are made, right?"

Athena looks at her brothers and they all stand up. "So, they're making deals with the demon." Her stomach turns.

"Cause that always ends good." Dean rolls his eyes.

"It doesn't." Athena pulls her brows together. "When has it ever worked well?"

"I was being sarcastic, Athena." Dean clarifies.

Athena slightly tilts her chin up. "Oh..."

"They're seeing dogs, all right...but not black dogs." Sam speaks. "They're seeing Hellhounds—demonic Pit Bulls."

"Whoever this demon is, it's back and it's collecting." Dean says. "And that doctor lady, wherever she's running, she ain't running fast enough."

Sam and Dean wanted to dive head first into helping save these people from their deals. Athena was quiet about the whole thing. But she hesitantly agreed in helping too. The youngest Winchester had so much going through her mind, she was barely taking part in the conversation for this case. Ever since John died, Athena has been slowly forming her own case, hoping to solve it herself.

Once they got to the door, they noticed a trail of black dust along the bottom of the door.

"What is that pepper?"

The door flies open, causing the siblings to jump.

"Who the hell are you?" The dark-skinned man questions.

"George Darrow?" Dean asks.

"I'm not buying any Girl Scout cookies." He looks at the siblings.

Athena knits her brows together. "We're selling any cookie."

"Whoa, looks like you went for the wrong shaker, there." Dean points. "Usually when you want to keep something evil out, you go for the salt."

George shifts, "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Talking about this." Dean holds the man's young lucite up. "Tell me...you seen that Hellhound yet?"

"Look, we just want to help." Athena softly assures the man. "Can you give us 5 minutes to explain?"

George looks at the 11-year-old and let's out a deep sigh. "Step over the line." He orders.

Athena softly smiles and enters the room with her brothers behind her. The sound of soft blues music was playing throughout the room. George pours himself a glass of whiskey.

"So, what is that stuff out front?"

"Goofer dust."

Athena raises her brows, "What's that?"

George lets out a soft scoff from the clueless look across all three of the hunter's faces. He tosses the bag towards them and Dean catches it.

"We know a little about a lot of things, just enough to make us dangerous." Dean states.

George ignores Dean's statement and looks at Athena. "It's hoodoo. My grandma taught me. It keeps out demons."

"Demons, we know."

"Well, then, keep it." George insists. "Maybe it'll do you some good."

"4 minutes left."

"Mr. Darrow...we know you're in trouble." Sam states.

"Yeah, that you got yourself into." Dean murmurs.

Sam glares at his brother. "But it's not hopeless, all right? There's got to be something we can do."

"Listen, I get that you three want to help, but sometimes a person makes their bed and they just got to lie down in it." George explains. "I'm the one who called that demon in the first place."

"What'd you do it for?" Dean asks.

"I was weak." George states. "I mean, who don't want to be great? Who don't want their life to mean something?"

A lump forms in Athena's throat from the shakiness in George's voice.

"I just...I just never thought about the price." George sighs.

"Was it worth it?"

"Hell, no."

"Course, I asked for talent." George states. "Should have gone for fame. I'm still broke...and lonely. Just now I got this pile of paintings don't nobody want."

"But that wasn't the worst..."

Sam pulls his brows together, "Go on."

"Demon didn't leave." George informs them. "I never counted on that. After our deal was done, the damn thing stayed at Lloyd's for a week, just chatting, making more deals."

"I tried to warn folks, but who gonna listen to an old drunk?"

"How many others are there?" Athena asks.

"Uh, this architect, a doctor lady, I kept up with them. They been in the papers." George sighs. "At least, they got famous."

"Who else, George? Come on, think." Dean urges.

George raises his brows, "Oh, one more. Nice guy, too."

"Hudson—Evan, I think." George says. "I don't know what he asked for. Don't matter now. We done for."

Sam shakes his head, "No. No, there's got to be a way."

"You don't get it." George says. "I don't want a way."

Athena pulls her brows together.

"Look, you don't—"

"I called that thing!" George stands up. "I brought it on myself! I brought it on them..."

George turns away from the siblings. "I'm going to hell, one way or another. All I want to do is finish my last painting."

"Day or two, I'm done." George informs them. "I'm just trying to hold him off till then, buy a little time."

"Okay, it's time you three went. Go help somebody that wants help."

"We can't just—"

"Get out! I got work to do."

"You don't really want to die." Sam says.

"Oh, I don't?" George looks at him. "I'm tired."

Athena shifts her eyes to the ground and her chest tightens. As the Winchesters left the house, Athena couldn't help but wonder why George's words struck her so hard.

☆

"Please! Don't hurt me."

"We're not gonna hurt you, all right?" Sam says, his hands up. "We're here to help you."

"We know all about the genius deal you made." Dean informs.

Evan pulls his brows together. "What? How?"

"Doesn't matter. All that matters is we're trying to stop it."

"How do I know you're not lying?" Evan asks.

"Do you really have anybody else around that's willing to help you right now?" Athena bunches her shoulders. "Why not just take a chance with us?"

Evan lets out a reluctant sigh. "Can you stop it?"

"Don't know. We'll try." Sam assures the man.

"I don't want to die." Evan whispers.

Dean scoffs, "Of course you don't. Not now."

"Shut up, Dean." Athena snaps.

"What'd you ask for, anyway, Ev, huh?" Dean smirks, but there was anger in his voice. "Never need viagra, bowl a perfect game, what?"

"My wife."

Dean laughs and Athena's eye twitches.

"Right, getting the girl. That's with a trip to hell for."

"Dean, stop." Sam growls.

"No. He's right. I made the deal." Evan says. "Nobody twisted my arm. That, uh, woman, or whatever she was, at the bar, she said I could have anything I wanted. I thought she was nuts, at first, but...I don't know. I was—I was desperate."

Athena tilts her head, "Desperate?"

Evan looks away from the siblings, something heavy in his heart. "Julie was dying."

Athena raises her brows.

"You did it to save her?" Dean asks.

"She had cancer. They had stopped treatment." Evan states. "They were moving her into hospice. They kept saying, 'matter of days'."

"I told you to shut up." Athena murmurs to Dean.

"So, yeah, I made the deal...and I'd do it again." Even says. "I'd have died for her on the spot."

"Did you ever think about her in all this?" Dean asks.

Athena rolls her good eye. Just when she thinks Dean doesn't haven't anything else to say...

"I did this for her." Evan retorts.

"You sure about that?" Dean asks. "I think you did it for yourself...so, you wouldn't have to live without her. But, guess what, she's gonna have to live without you now."

"And what if she knew how much it cost?" Dean asks, his voice shaking.

Athena pulls her brows together. Dean was so passionate about his words that Athena knew that he wasn't talking about Evan and his wife anymore. Athena's gut turns, everything in her head finally clicking together.

"What if she knew it cost your soul? How do you think she'd feel?"

"Okay, that's enough." Sam speaks, stepping forward. "Evan, sir right, all right? We're gonna figure this out."

Dean stalks out of the room and Athena quickly follows.

"What were you talking about in there?" Athena asks.

Dean looks at Athena and his eyes slightly widen. "Uh, nothing—"

"Was it about me?" Athena asks. "Me and Dad?"

Dean inhales a deep breath and Athena's eye widens.

"Hey, you two all right?" Sam asks, stepping into the hall.

Dean looks at Sam, "Why wouldn't we be?" He walks toward Sam as Athena stares at the wall, stunned.

"Hey, I've got an idea." Dean digs through his inside jacket pocket. "You throw George's hoodoo at that Hellhound, keep it away from Evan as long as you can." He hands Sam the Goofer Dust.

"I'm gonna go to the Crossroads and summon the demon."

Sam and Athena snap their eyes over to Dean.

"Summon—are you nuts?" Sam asks.

Dean frowns, "Maybe a little. But I can trap it. I can exorcise it, and I can buy us time to figure out something more permanent."

"Yeah, but how much time?" Sam asks.

"I don't know. Awhile." Dean shrugs. "It's not easy for those suckers to claw their way back from Hell and into the sunshine."

"No. No way." Sam forces out a chuckle.

"Not allowed to say no, Sammy, not unless you got a better idea."

"Dean, you can forget it, all right?" Sam says. "I'm not letting you summon that demon."

"Why not—"

"Because I don't like where your head is at right now. That's why not." Sam says.

Athena and Sam were both thinking about it, but neither of them have ever said it.

"What are you talking about?"

"You've been on edge ever since we found that Crossroads, Dean, and I think I know why."

"Can we not do this right now?" Athena places her hands over her ears. "There is a guy out there who is hours away from death. We can't...I'm not talking about him right now!" She looks at them with tears welling I'm her eyes.

"And I don't want to hear you guys talking about him, okay?!"

Sam and Dean watch as Athena breathes quickly. Athena wipes her eye and sighs. "I'll go with Dean. Would that make you feel better?" She asks softly, looking at Sam.

Sam and Dean look at each other, both noticing Athena was probably close to some kind of breaking point.

"Yeah, that's fine..." Sam says, a weak smile on his lips.

Athena looks at Dean, waiting for his answer. He slightly opens his mouth, "Yeah, it's cool. Let's go."

Athena lets out a soft breath and she sniffles. "Okay, good."

☆

For the first half of the car ride it was silent. Neither of the siblings wanted to talk, because their minds were on the same topic. The topic that made the both of them defensive and cold.

"You know I...I didn't mean to sound mad when I was talking to Evan." Dean glances at the quiet girl. "I'm not mad, Athena."

"You don't have to lie." Athena says. "Dad's dead because of me and you looked up to him. You can hate me all you want."

Dean pulls his brows together. "You think I hate you?"

Athena leans her head against the window. "I don't know. But you have every right to." She sounds tired.

"Athena, I'm not mad at you and I don't hate you." Dean's tone was firm this time. "And I am sorry if I ever made you feel like I did."

Athena pulls her brows together. "Then who would you be mad at?" She scoffs. "Sam? I'm the only plausible—"

"Dad."

Athena closes her mouth, but she pulls her brows together. Dean glances at Athena, then looks back at the road. "I know we're all thinking the same thing about the Crossroads, the Demons, and the Deals..." he shifts in his seat. "We're all thinking that dad made a deal for you."

Athena looks away from Dean and looks out the window, guilt slowly rising in her.

"No matter how much of a shitty father dad was...he knows you. Knew you—he knew how smart you are." Dean shakes his head. "He had to have known that you would've figured out how he died. And how that would make you feel—

"You don't know how I feel." Athena becomes defensive. "I'm fine. Dad made his choice." She wipes her nose. "I might not ever find out why he made that choice for me and honestly I don't care."

"You don't have to lie, Athena." Dean says.

A lump forms in Athena's throat. She quickly clears her throat and inhales a soft breath, "Are we almost there?"

Dean exhales a breath through his nose, his attempt at bringing Athena's walls down became futile. "Yeah, hang on..."

Dean parks the car to the side. He gets out of the car and so does Athena. Dean takes the white spray can out of his bag. He hands it to Athena, "Here, I'll summon the demon and lure her into the trap."

Athena raises her brows, "You're just gonna...walk her into the trap?"

"I'll...drive the Impala over the trap and let her into the car." Dean suggests.

Athena blinks. Dean cranes his neck forward. "Is that okay?"

"Do...whatever you want." Athena waves a dismissive hand. She pulls the cap off the can and starts to spray the demon's trap across the gravel. After, Athena finishes the trap, Dean drives the Impala over the trap.

"Okay, go, hide in the bushes." Dean waves.

Athena's eye widens, "What?—"

"She can't see you, then she's going to know it's a trap."

Athena puts her hands on her hips. "I really don't like this plan."

Dean follows her lead and places his hands on his hips. "Well, do you have a better idea?"

Athena squints her good eye and sighs. "Not at the moment..." she tosses the spray can into her bag and walks over to the bush. She stops underneath the bridge and tilts her head up. The girl squints her good eye, thinking.

"Hey, Dean!"

The eldest Winchester stop and looks at Athena. He walks over to her, "Yeah?"

Athena points at the wooden bridge, "Is there anyway we could make a trap up there?"

Dean looks at the bridge and sputters. "I mean...do we have a ladder?"

"Get on top of the car and—"

"No. No way."

Athena rolls her good eye, "Hey, man. I'm just trying to offer you some ideas just in case your first trap back fires—and it will." She holds her hands up.

Dean looks at Athena and sighs. She has a point. She always has a point. Dean walks over to the Impala and touches the hood. "Oh, please, forgive me, Baby."

Athena wrinkles her nose, "Your relationship with this car is so unsettling. There's a lot to unpack there."

"Can you just hand me the spray paint?" He holds his hand out.

Athena grabs the paint from her bag and hands it to Dean. The eldest Winchester gets on top of the car and paints the trap underneath the bridge. Dean hops off the Impala with a huff. "Okay, now, get behind the bush."

Athena rolls her eyes, "Fine..." she sighs and gets behind the bush that was under the bridge. She sets her bag down and sits crisscrossed behind the bush. She lets out a deep huff and waits patiently for Dean and the Demon to come back.

Athena soon hears Dean's voice and the Demon's voice gradually get closer to the Impala.

"I'll make it worth your while."

Athena wrinkles her nose.

"Oh, really?" The demon raises her brows. "What are you offering?"

"Me."

Athena's eye slightly widens from the one word Dean spoke. Why the hell would he offer himself up? Was this apart of his plan?

"Well, well, well." The demon chuckles. "You'd sacrifice your life for someone else's."

She tilts her head, knowing this would strike a nerve; she speaks the next words. "Like father, like son."

Both Athena and Dean's stomachs turn. The demon pulls her brows together. "You did know about your dad's deal, right? His life for Athena's." She then shrugs a shoulder. "Oh, I didn't make the deal myself, but, boy, I wish I had."

Dean's jaw clenches from the amusement in the Demon's voice. His sister has been tearing her own hair out trying to figure out what happened to John, because she knew it was her fault. And this Demon had the audacity to be amused. Dean runs his tongue across his teeth and opens the car door.

"After you." He motions to the Impala.

The demon softly smiles, "Such a gentleman." She goes to sit into the Impala, but stops when she spots the demon trap underneath the car. "A Devil's Trap?"

Athena's face drops, "Shit."

"You've got to be kidding me." She slams the car door shut. "Who came up with that idea? Your kid sister?!"

Athena's mouth drops open with offense. The demon's upper lip curls, "Come out from that bush—now!"

Dean swallows thickly and Athena slowly rises from behind the bush. "I must say—I am offended, you think I came up with that plan." She speaks, standing beside her brother.

The demon lets out a sharp chuckle, but it just came off as an angry one. "You stupid, stupid..." she stalks toward the two siblings and the siblings step back.

"I should rip her limbs off and beat you with them!" The demon barks.

"O-Oh yeah? Go ahead and do it!" Athena slightly lunges with an attitude. Dean's eyes widen, "Now, now, Athena...maybe we should settle—"

"Take your best shot!" Athena exclaims.

Dean snaps his eyes over to Athena, she's actually on the edge right now. The demon knits her brows together and her face relaxes. "No, I don't think so."

Athena raises her brows from the Demon's statement.

"I'm not gonna put you out of your misery." The demon shakes her head.

"Uh...why not?" Athena scrunches her brows.

"Cause your misery is the whole point." The demon says. "It's too much fun to watch. Knowing how your daddy died for you, how he sold his soul. Must be confusing since he hates your guts—"

"Hey!" Dean snaps.

"Your brothers probably blame you too, and they're just no telling you." The demon pouts her lower lip.

Athena blinks her tears away and clenches her jaw, going to keep a strong facade. The demon chuckles, "He's all you ever think about. I mean, you're literally ripping your hair out over him."

"I swear to God lady—"

"And do we really have to even talk about you?" The demon looks at Dean. "I mean, the first thought you have when you wake up is 'I can't do this anymore'."

Athena looks at Dean with a crease between her brows.

"You Winchesters. You're all lit up with pain."

Athena forces a smile onto her lips. "Aw, thanks." She tilts her head.

The demon looks at Athena, "You two blew it." She shakes her head with amusement. "And to think I could've given you both what you needed."

"Yeah? And what's that?" Dean squints his eyes.

"Your father. I could have brought him back."

Dean's expression drops and Athena's stomach twists to the point that she feels sick.

The demon sighs, "Your loss. See ya, Winchesters. I wish you two nice long lives." She starts to walk away and Athena's eyes widen. If the Demon left, they would lose their chance to save Evan.

"W-Wait!" Athena grabs Dean's arm and pulls him under the bridge. The demon stops in her tracks. Dean pulls his brows together, "Athena, what the hell—"

"Can you really bring our dad back?" Athena asks. Dean shifts his eyes up to the Devil's Trap above them. And Dean catches onto what Athena was doing. The Demon looks at the siblings and chuckles. "You're lucky I've got a soft spot for lost puppies and long faces."

Athena pouts her lip, "I would say my face is pretty short, actually. And I'm not really into animals."

"I thought you liked cats?" Dean asks.

Athena scoffs, "Yeah—'liked'." She motions her head to the Demon. "Can we focus now?"

"I can't leave you two like this." The Demon tilts her head. "And I'm sure Dean didn't just call me here to bargain for Evan. Not really."

"Can you bring him back or not?" Dean asks.

The demon smirks, "Of course I can, just as he was. Your dad would love a long, natural life, like he was meant to. That's a promise."

"What about me?" Dean asks.

The Demon shrugs a shoulder. "I could give you 10 years, 10 long, good years with him. That's a lifetime."

"The family could be together again—John, Dean, Sammy, and the little Half-Blood Burden."

Dean takes a step forward and Athena grabs his arm. "It's fine, I've heard it all before, remember?" Athena looks at her older brother.

The Demon walks closer to the two siblings. "Look, your dad is supposed to be alive." She crouches in front of Athena and lightly taps her nose. "And you're supposed to be dead."

"So, why don't we just set things straight—"

"No, it's supposed to be me, that's the reason I summoned—"

"Oh, please..." The demon rolls her eyes and stands up. "Did you really think I would want your soul for your fathers? I'm much more interested in your sister's."

"Besides, this will just put things back in their natural order, and she'll get 10 extra years on top." The demon lols back at Athena. "I mean, I know your father wasn't the best. But do you really want his death looming over you forever?"

Athena sighs, she walks more under the bridge to make room in the Devil's Trap. "Could you also get me a puppy?"

Dean snorts while the Demon squints her eyes. She walks closer to Athena. "You know, this Smartass self-defense mechanism of yours—" she stops in her tracks before she could get another inch closer to the girl.

A small mischievous smirk spreads across Athena's lips. She tilts her head up to and the demon follows Athena's eyes. "Oh, would you look at that?" Athena softly gasps. "You seem to be in a sticky situation."

Dean groans and hangs his head low, "Oh, God..."

"Athena..."

"Yes?" Athena bats her eyes at the demon.

"Let me out now." The demon orders.

Athena frowns and looks at Dean. And Dean looks at Athena. "I mean..."

"We could." Dean shrugs.

Athena nods her head, "Yeah, we definitely could."

"But we just got to make a little deal here first." Dean stands beside Athena with his arms crossed. "You call off your Hellhound and let Evan go."

"Then we'll let you go." Athena smiles cheekily.

The Demon presses her lips into a firm line. "I can't break a bringing contract."

Athena frowns, "Awww, that's too bad." She bunches her shoulders. "Have fun wasting away here."

"Well, not really, wasting away." Dean says, he opens John's journal.

"What are you doing?" The demon asks.

"Oh, you're just gonna go on a little trip." Dean says. The Demon looks at the cross in his hand.

"To Hell."

The demon snaps her eyes over to Athena. The youngest Winchester smiles softly. "If that wasn't obvious."

"Look, forget Evan. Think of your dad."

Athena squints her good eye. Her face gets hot with anger and guilt. For a moment, Dean could see Athena thinking about it. And Athena could feel her guilt slipping away by the second. But almost like a flip of a switch, Athena looks back at the demon without a care in the world.

"You can send her to Hell now." Athena's voice was distant.

Dean starts to read the Latin words across the journal and the Demon groans in pain. With every word that passes it was obvious that she was deteriorating fast.

"Wait!"

Dean stops and looks at the demon with a smug expression. He closes the journal and looks at Athena. The youngest Winchester shrugs her shoulders, "She caved!" She holds her arms up.

"We just need to seal the deal." The demon huffs.

Dean steps into the Devil's Trap, "Okay, and how do we—"

The Demon grabs Dean by his jacket and kisses him. Athena's eye blows wide, a small scream escapes her lips and she turns away from the two. "Gross, gross, gross!"

The demon pulls away from Dean and he blinks. "What was that for?"

"Sealing the deal."

"I usually liked to be warned before I'm violated with Demon tongue." Dean shudders.

"I would think you would like to be warned before you're violated—period." Athena looks at Dean.

"Evan Hudson is free." The demon says. "He and his wife will live long lives."

"How do I know you're not lying?"

The demon shrugs, "My word is my bond."

Dean scoffs, "Oh, really?"

"It is when I make a deal." The demon's voice was filled with frustration. "It's the rules. You two got what you wanted."

"Now let me go."

Dean steps out of the Devil's Trap and looks at Athena. She shrugs a shoulder, "Do whatever you want."

"You're gonna double-cross me?" She chuckles with disbelief. "Funny how I'm the trust-worthy one."

"You know, you renege, send me to hell, sooner or later I'm gonna climb out, and skinning Evan Hudson will be the first thing that I do."

Athena sighs, "Well, we wouldn't want that." She looks at Dean. Dean tilts his head to the sky and groans. He climbs up the arm of the bridge and pulls one of the planks down, breaking the Devil's Trap.

The demon steps out from under the bridge. "I got to tell you, you would have never pulled that stunt if you knew." She says.

"Knew what?" Athena and Dean chorus.

"Where your dad is?"

Athena pulls her brows together.

The demon chuckles, "You should have made that deal." She tilts her head. "See, people talk about Hell, but it's just a word. Doesn't even come close to describing the real—"

"Shut your mouth, bitch."

Athena raises her brows, "She's just saying this to get in your head."

"Well, if you could see your poor daddy, hear the sounds he makes cause he cane even scream—"

"How about I send you back there?" Dean stalks over to the demon. The demon screams as the black smoke leaves her mouth. Athena's eye widens from the sudden screaming. The girl's body falls to the ground and her breathing quickens, when she looks around the unfamiliar place.

"What?—How did I get here?"

Athena snaps her eye over to Dean. "Why did you snap like that?" She scoffs.

"What? Athena—"

"She did that on purpose! Just so she could see you squirm, and she did!" Athena snaps. She closes her good eye and inhales a deep breath, calming herself down. "I told you that she was saying those things to mess with you and you didn't listen to me."

"What if she was right, Athena?" Dean asks, his voice shaking. A lump forms in Athena's throat.

"What if Dad is being tortured, I mean—"

"What are we supposed to do about it?" Athena asks, her voice weak. "We can't..." she trails off her sentence and tears fill her eye. "...we can't help him." She wipes at her tears.

"We're powerless."

☆

The Impala was filled with guilt-ridden words spoken about their father's death and him being tortured. The entire conversation made Athena zone out, she didn't even realize they were back at the Motel until Sam opened the door. Athena immediately went to her room without another word.

"Okay, so, who's gonna talk to her?"

Sam pulls his brows together. "Maybe she just wants to be alone, Dean."

Dean nods his head, "Right, yeah. Of course, of course..." he leans against the wall.

Sam presses his lips together and looks back at his laptop. Silence fills the room except for the clicking on Sam's keyboard. Dean inhales a breath, "It's just I was talking a lot in the car and maybe some of it bothered her—"

"Then you should go talk to her, Dean." Sam sighs. "Because unlike me, you're still on Athena's shit list."

"You should change that." Sam looks back at his laptop. Dean sighs, "She's scary when she's angry."

"Well, the choice is yours, Dean." Sam says. "Keep being the dismissive brother she's grown to know or..." he stands up, walks over to the front door, and opens it. "...you could introduce the brother I know."

Dean pulls his brows together.

"The brother who made me chicken soup when I was sick or tried to make Christmas a thing, despite our Motel hopping."

Dean thinks about the difference in age between himself, Sam, and Athena. There were so many things that Athena was left out of due to her being born later in Sam and Dean's lives. Dean pulls his brows together, "So, should I make her soup now or—"

"Just go." Sam seethes as he points out of the door. Dean nods his head, "Yep—going now." He leaves the room.

Dean stands at Athena's motel door. He swallows, "I can do this, I can do this..." Dean lightly knocks on the door and waits patiently.

The door opens and the young girl's relaxed face immediately scrunches up.

"Is there something you needed?" she arches a brow.

"Uh, can I come in?" Dean asks.

"No."

Dean sags his shoulders, "Athena, please, we've gotta talk."

Athena lets out a harsh breath and rolls her good eye. "Fine." she walks over to the desk and sits back down in her chair. "What seems to be on your mind, brother?"

"Uh..." Dean walks into the room and closes the door. "I'm sorry."

"For?"

"Being a dick." Dean looks at his boots.

"That's okay, I'm used to it." Athena huffs. "Glad we had this talk. You know where the door is."

"Look, it wasn't just me who was affected by Dad's death--"

"I don't want to talk about him." Athena hops off her chair and walks over to the front door. "And if that's the only reason why you wanted to talk to me, then you can leave."

Athena opens the door.

"Athena--"

"What?!" Athena slams the door shut and turns to Dean. "What do you want me to say?!"

"Do you want to bond over everything he put us through?" Athena bunches her shoulders. "Do you want to cry? What do you want--"

"I want you to talk about how you feel." Dean's voice was soft. "That's all."

Athena keeps her eye on Dean. Her body start to shake with anger and she scoffs. She nods her head, "Okay, fine." Athena inhales a soft breath.

"I hated dad."

Dean's body tenses, "Okay."

"I hated how he treated us. And I hated how he blamed every single inconvience on me! Like, I was this collossal...thing that purposefully screwed everything up!" Athena's breathing quickens and she pulls her brows together. "I hated that I loved him." she softly speaks.

Dean watches as Athena's eye starts to water and her hands start to tremble.

"I hated that I tried so hard to get him to love me. To treat me like a daughter." Athena sniffles. "Because I was his daughter—I am his daughter! And I hate that I kicked him out of my room when he was apologizing. I don't have to forgive--I'm never going to, okay?"

"You don't have to Athena." Dean walks toward her.

"No, get away from me!" Athena shoves him back. "I hated you for making me feel bad about his death!" she cries. "I..." she shoves him again.

"I hate you for making me feel bad about how I grieve!"

"Athena, I'm sorry." Dean's voice starts to shake.

Athena shoves Dean again, then she hits his stomach. "I hate everything!" she lets out a choked sob. Athena goes to hit Dean again, but it turns out to be weak. So, she tries to hit him again, and again, and again. Then a weak cry leaves her lips. A painful lump forms in Dean's throat as Athena breaks down.

"It's okay..." Dean reassures, he touches the back of her head.

Athena reluctantly wraps her arms around Dean's middle and nuzzles her face into his stomach. "I hate..." she trails off her sentence and cries even harder than before. Tears form in Dean's eyes and he stays there with his sister, comforting her. Athena and Dean have a long way to go before their relationship is fully mended.

But this...

This was a start.

━━━━━━━━━━

author's note.

I'm not crying. You are.

Sam in the other room happy that they're finally talking.

Also, it's been a year since Athena was created and she has grown to be one of my favorite ocs I have ever written. I love her so much and the strength she embodies. No matter how much Athena goes through, she comes back stronger than before and I love her for that 🤍

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