"So we're visiting Cicero, Indiana over some guy dead by an electric saw?" Henry asked from the back seat, leaning slightly forward.
Dean kept his eyes on the road, one hand on the wheel, the other resting near the gear. "That's what the news says," he replied.
Henry frowned. "That's not our job," he said. "We don't do random accidents."
Dean didn't argue that. "I know," he said. "But it didn't sound normal. And…" he paused for a second, then added, "there's someone I know in Cicero. Thought I'd take the chance to check on her."
Sam glanced at him briefly from the passenger seat. "Someone you know?" he asked, already having a guess.
Dean smirked slightly. "Yeah," he said. "Something like that."
Henry leaned back again, exhaling. "Right," he muttered. "So we're chasing a maybe-case because you want to meet a girl."
Dean didn't deny it. "Multi-tasking," he said. "We hunt, we check things out, and I say hi."
Sam shook his head faintly, but didn't push it further.
"But how can you be sure she remembers you? Maybe she forgot about you?" Henry asked, even though he knew she hadn't.
Dean didn't even hesitate. "No one forgets this face," he said, tapping his cheek lightly with a smug look.
Sam let out a quiet laugh, shaking his head. "Yeah," he said, "keep telling yourself that."
Dean glanced at him briefly. "You'll see," he said, confidence intact.
"So while you go chasing her, Henry and I will check out this electric saw case," Sam said, turning slightly in his seat. "See if it's just an accident or something we actually need to deal with."
Dean smirked, like that worked perfectly for him. "That's my Sammy," he said.
Sam gave him a look. "I mean it, Dean. If this turns out to be real, we call you."
Dean nodded once, still relaxed. "Yeah, yeah. Phone's on."
***
Dean pulled over near the local spot and stopped the Impala. Sam and Henry got out, and without wasting time, Dean drove off, already focused on his own plan.
Henry watched the car disappear down the road and shook his head slightly. "He's way too excited," he said.
Sam let out a small breath, half amused. "Yeah," he said. "Let him have it. We'll handle the case."
He glanced around, then nodded toward a nearby diner. "Let's grab something first before we start digging. Might be a long one."
Henry didn't argue. "Food is always welcome," he said.
They walked in and took a seat.
A few minutes later, Henry had already ordered enough for three people and was halfway through it, eating like he hadn't just done that an hour ago. Plates stacked up quickly in front of him.
Sam sat across from him with something simple, barely touching more than a salad while going over notes in his head.
Henry glanced up briefly. "You always eat like that?" he asked.
Sam shrugged slightly. "Keeps me focused."
Henry looked at his own table, then back at Sam. "Yeah… I'll stick to this."
From another table, Ruby watched.
Her attention stayed on Sam, but her eyes flicked to Henry more than once. This wasn't how she had planned it. She wanted Sam alone—wanted a clean moment to talk, to start building trust—but Henry's presence complicated things.
And not just because he was there.
She had been watching long enough to understand one thing clearly.
He wasn't normal.
Anyone who could go toe-to-toe with Azazel and walk away alive wasn't something demons took lightly. Whatever Henry was, he wasn't someone a normal demon could deal with casually. That made him a problem.
A dangerous one.
So she waited.
Patient.
Timing mattered more than anything.
Henry finished eating, wiped his hands, downed the last of his drink, and let out a small breath as he stood up. "I'm gonna wash up," he said, already heading off.
That was the moment.
Ruby moved.
She stood from her table and crossed the distance without hesitation, sliding into the seat across from Sam like she had every right to be there.
Sam looked up immediately, eyes narrowing just slightly. "Can I help you?" he asked.
Ruby gave a small, calm smile.
"I think so," she said.
Sam's expression changed the moment he recognized her.
No hesitation.
His hand moved under the table and came back up with the demon blade, the tip angled straight toward her.
"Where did you get that?" Ruby asked, eyes flicking to the weapon for a split second before returning to his face.
Sam didn't lower it. "Why does that matter?" he said, voice steady but cold. "I was told to put this through your heart the next time I saw you."
Ruby didn't flinch, but she didn't smile either. "I saved you," she said. "Twice, if you count properly."
Sam's grip tightened slightly on the blade. "Yeah," he replied. "And I don't believe in free favors."
There was a pause.
The tension didn't break.
"This—" Sam gestured slightly with the knife, not taking his eyes off her, "—this is me being nice. So get up, walk away, and don't come back."
Ruby studied him carefully, like she was measuring how far she could push without breaking it.
"Because if he comes back," Sam added, quieter now, "he won't talk. He'll just start stabbing."
That wasn't a threat.
It was a fact.
Ruby leaned back slightly, considering that, but she didn't leave.
"Then take this as goodwill," she said, voice calm, measured. "Just because the yellow-eyed demon is dead doesn't mean his plans died with him."
Sam didn't lower the knife, but his eyes narrowed slightly.
Ruby continued, watching his reaction. "You think yellow eyes did all that—what he did to your mom, to the others like you—for nothing? That it just ends there?"
Sam's expression didn't change, but there was something there now. Focus.
"You don't know everything yet," Ruby said. "Not even close."
Sam's grip on the blade stayed firm. "Then start talking," he said.
Ruby shook her head slightly. "No," she replied. "You're not going to believe me if I spell it out. You need to see it yourself."
Sam's patience was thinning. "Try me."
Ruby leaned forward just a little, her voice lowering. "Dig into your mother's past," she said. "Find out why she was chosen. Why you were chosen."
That made Sam pause.
Just for a second.
Ruby saw it.
"That look," she said quietly. "Yeah. That means you don't know."
Sam didn't answer, but the question had already landed.
Ruby leaned back again. "Start there," she said. "Then we'll talk."
She stood up, like she had already said enough.
*****
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