Between Heaven and Hell

"Do you ever sleep, man?" Dean griped as he pulled out a chair, glancing over at his younger brother.  

Sam didn't even move to look up from the computer screen until he found what he was looking for before sliding it over to Dean. The older man rolled his eyes before gripping the device in his hands, pulling the screen closer to him so he could read it.  

It wasn't the first time he had seen something like this – hell, he had seen it all. But it was the first time the only connection between the victims wasn't something that either of them could've predicted. Dean's jaw dropped slightly before he let out a groan, his hand rubbing over his chin in agitation.  

"Are you kidding me? These people... we haven't seen them in years, Sam. Who the hell would want to start picking people that we saved off?"  

Sam only shrugged, his facial expression mimicking his brothers'. "Dunno. A lot of people don't exactly like us, Dean. Could be anyone."  

"I bet I can give you a few guesses," came a softer, feminine voice from the other side of the room. Both of the brothers were quick to draw their guns, their faces stoic. A smirk was on her face, though, as she watched them, rolling her eyes. "Oh, come on. You can't possibly be surprised when you had a little kid guarding the door."  

Sam's eyes flitted to Dean's before he shrugged, keeping his gun aimed at the girl. The kid that she was referring to was none other than Kevin Tran, not that two brothers were aware that she knew him. A moment of silence passed and it was weighted, almost hanging in the air as they exchanged glances. It was obvious that she wasn't making any advances, which both confused and terrified Dean. Not that he would openly admit it because he wasn't one that admitted defeat, let alone show fear over a girl that had to be a decade his junior.  

"What the hell do you want?"  

She made a show of heaving a sigh, rolling her eyes. A smirk was painted on her lips as she took the last few stairs, crossing the floor with little hesitation until she stood directly in front of Sam. He cast another wary glance at his brother before Dean clicked the safety off, tilting his head to the side. "Might want to stop right there, sweetheart. I've killed people for less."  

"Shoot, then," she tested, her stature almost relaxing. "If you've done it before, do it. Pull the trigger, Winchester."  

Dean let out a low growl before lowering his gun and taking the girl by the shoulders in a swift, fluid motion, handcuffing her to a chair. He rolled his eyes as she stared up at him expectantly, resting his hands on the arms of the chair, glaring at her. "You think this is funny?"  

"You haven't changed at all since the last time we met."  

He wanted to shake the smirk off of her face the longer she stared at him, but Sam was the one to pull his brother away from the girl. The younger man knelt in front of her, his eyes searching her face. If this girl knew who they were, she knew what they did for a living. For a second, he could've sworn that he recognized her, but he had made mistakes before. "Give us a name to start with, and maybe we'll consider uncuffing you."  

"I don't mind them," she muttered. She almost let out a snort at the expression on Sam's face before she let out a breath, taking her lip between her teeth. "Okay, fine. Arielle. Arielle Davis."  

When it finally registered, Sam drew in a breath, running a hand over his chin. He knew where Dean's thought process was going before he said anything, but he wasn't one to jump to conclusions. Even though he considered the timing less than convenient, accusing her of something wasn't the way to get answers. "The case we worked back in '06 with the vampires. Your family—?"  

"Dead. After you two brought me back to my parents, they traced me there. My guess is that they were out to get me back, but I had gone to a friend's house. As soon as I got home, blood painted the walls and everyone was dead. I considered calling, but I just took things into my own hands."  

"You were just a kid," Sam argued, shaking his head as he looked to his brother. Unlike him, Dean wasn't at all phased, his face still expressionless.  

"Yeah, well most thirteen-year-olds aren't kidnapped by vampires and come home to find their entire family slain in a span of a week. Guess I had to grow up a little fast."   

"So, what, then? You just turn to hunting for the past eleven years? Seems a little odd that you'd suddenly make your rounds to us now, kid," Dean cut in, his eyes narrowing at the girl.  

She only shrugged. "You have something I want, I have information you need. The way I see it, you two owe me. And I know you want to save those people."  

"We don't owe you jack shit," Dean growled, leaning down again to glare at her. "You know, most people just let well enough go and move on. Something tells me you enjoy being miserable."  

"Oh," Arielle laughed, leaning forward in the chair so that her face was only a few inches from Dean's. "And it looks like someone has issues that he hasn't sorted out yet."  

Before Dean could react any further, Sam cleared his throat and tore him away, holding him at arms' length. "Ignore her." He cast another glance at Arielle before giving her a pointed look. "Talk."  

"Let me go with you on the next case, and I'll tell you."  

"Hell, no!"  

"Dean," Sam warned, his jaw clenching as he turned back to Arielle. "And how do we know that we can trust you?"  

"I guess the same way I'm expected to trust that you two will keep your word. You Winchesters aren't too great at that from what I hear."  

Dean had walked away by this point, a dull ache forming at the front of his skull. He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but something about the girl seemed off and he couldn't be bothered to mess with it any further. If Sam wanted to play into whatever she was feeding, so be it.  

"Deal," Sam told her, his eyes searching hers for a split second. "Now, talk."  

"Maybe you should give your...old friend Crowley a call."  

Arielle knew the second that she opened her mouth, she'd end up regretting it. She just didn't know how yet.  

She just knew it would end up catching up with her.