AN: Chapter Eight! The final chapter of this story/prequel story. Unfortunately, this one's slightly more mundane, but in the next segment, it'll be action packed (hopefully) Don't worry, I plan on hopefully uploading as often as before. It's been a lot of fun writing about Athaya as a teenager, but after here, it shall progress to her adulthood. And that's when the real fun starts!

Chapter Eight:

'Crap!' Athaya swore and bolted for the back door, shoving her water bottle deep inside her grey bag. She grabbed the most recently used handbag in her bedroom – the one with her iPod and lip-balm and other essentials and then stopped. She needed her necklace.

There was a necklace, one that her mother – her biological mother – used to own. Athaya's father had given it to her for her sixth birthday. It was a beautifully made metal rose with a pearl drop hanging from it. Athaya always wore it, but for going down to the beach – like she had that morning – she hadn't.

She remembered she'd left it in the sitting room, right next to the back door, and she ran down the hall for the back of the house just as her parents opened the front door. Athaya could hear them talking quietly and she made for the sitting room door so they wouldn't see her from the other end of the hall.

She dived into the sitting room just before they saw her, and Athaya grabbed the necklace from where it lay on the table, quickly stuffing it into her pocket. She waited until her parents sounded like they were in the kitchen and then darted out the back door. She turned around just as she was closing the screen behind her to take one final look at her childhood home.

And saw her little brother standing in the hall.

Athaya gasped and quickly jumped to the side of the door. Had he seen her? She hoped not.

Crowley stood up next to her immediately, seeing her panicked and opened his mouth to speak but Athaya shook her head fervently.

She stole a quick glance through the screen door to see if her brother was still there…and came face to face with his wide blue-grey eyes staring directly into hers.

Seeing her brother, Crowley grabbed her hand and Athaya snapped 'Go!'

And then they were gone.

Athaya gasped as the cold shot straight through her body and she noticed snow blowing in her face. Her light cardigan was no use in this kind of cold. Neither were her summery denim skirt and thin camisole.

'Holy shit!' She ripped her hand out of Crowley's and wrapped her arms around her sides to try and keep warm. Her backpack fell to the ground, discarded in favour of keeping warm.

Crowley grimaced. 'Sorry. Wasn't really thinking.'

'Where are we?' She shivered and jumped from foot to foot in her strappy sandals.

'Uh…If I'm right…somewhere in Greenland.'

'Greenland? Greenland?' Athaya took a deep breath and said quietly: 'Crowley…' The frozen girl sounded dangerously calm. 'What the hell are we doing in Greenland?!' Athaya was turning blue now, and Crowley quickly shrugged out of his black jacket, offering it to her. She swiftly accepted. After pulling it tight around her and turning the collar up, her tone matched the weather around them. 'And more importantly, what are we still doing in Greenland, Crowley?'

All around them was a rocky, mountain-like countryside, completely white in places where snow had drifted down from the mountains and tiny patches of brown, spindly grass struggled to grow. If you stopped to notice, it was breathtaking.

But mostly Athaya noticed the cold.

'Look, I didn't mean to bring us to Greenland. I just got us out of there as soon as I saw your brother,' Crowley said, adjusting the cuffs of his sleeves slightly. 'I wasn't thinking.'

'Well think now.' Athaya grabbed his arm and her backpack before they suddenly found themselves in a completely different place.

Athaya was used to travelling demon-style now, and barely moved when they appeared rather abruptly in a wooden cabin. A fire was crackling steadily and the wooden logs of the walls kept in the heat. Athaya rushed to the fire, tossing her bag to the ground, and crouched in front of the flickering flames, relishing the warmth on her hands and face.

'Sorry about that. I just thought of someplace remote and…the rest is history, as they say.'

Athaya sent him a tiny glare and stood up. She could tell it had been an accident, and didn't really mind. She had just been cold.

'So. Where are we now?' She asked, crossing her arms.

'Somewhere in Canada. Just outside Vancouver, if I'm not mistaken.'

'Huh. Canada. Is it cold out?' Athaya didn't want to leave the warmth of the fire to check through the window, but Crowley had no such qualms.

He glanced out the window and smiled slyly. 'Quite. It's snowing a bit.'

'We couldn't have gone somewhere a bit warmer? I only packed summer clothes!'

'I can move us somewhere else, if you want…' he suggested, but Athaya shook her head. She didn't want to owe the demon too many favours. He'd already done a lot for her. She could figure something out.

'No, it's fine. At least it's warm inside. Whose cabin is this?'

'Some couple wanting the winter woodland experience, no doubt. They'll probably be back in an hour or so in this weather.'

'Right. So I should get going soon.' Athaya started pacing, walking back and forth in front of the fire.

Crowley paused. 'You…don't want to talk about what just happened? You did just see your family for the last time. Not to mention your little brother catching you in your grand escape.'

Athaya didn't stop pacing. It was something she did when she was worried or concerned. She remembered her brother's wide, scared eyes staring at her, one question clear and plain:

How?

She shook herself free of her dark thoughts and held her hands slightly closer to the fire. 'I…I'm fine, Crowley. My parents will never believe him, even if he does tell them, which he probably won't. He's just a traumatised little kid who imagined seeing his dead sister.' Her voice broke slightly, but she coughed and wrapped Crowley's coat around her tighter, as if it was the only thing holding her together. She seemed to notice she was still wearing it, and started to shrug it off.

'Keep it for now. You need it more than me. Besides. Black suits you.'

She smiled half-heartedly, 'Thanks,' and left it around her shoulders. Crowley sat down in one of the armchairs while Athaya remained standing.

'You sure you don't want – '

'I said I was fine, Crowley. And I will be. I just need to focus on what's happening right now. I can worry about everything else later.'

He held his hands up in acceptance. 'Alright. What do you want to do?'

'Well for starters…I should probably plan where I'll go. I might make my way south from here, down to the US? Maybe get hold of some fake ID's or something. I can't cover up my accent, but I can still say I'm a recently made American citizen. What do you think?' Athaya looked up to find the demon gone.

'Crowley?' She said, turning around to look for him. 'Crowley where are you?'

'I'm here.' His voice came from behind her and when Athaya spun to face him, he was holding a small stack of paper towards her.

'What's this? Where did you go?' She accepted the gift and started sifting through the various documents.

'Well, while I was waiting for you outside, I took it upon myself to see if I could scrounge up some ID for you. A few people owed me favours. I just needed to know what country you wanted to start off in.'

'Oh.' Athaya was touched. 'Thanks, Crowley…that's really…decent of you.'

He shrugged like it was no big deal. 'Careful, Princess. Don't go calling a demon decent. We'll call this water under the bridge. Just don't tell anyone, alright? A reputation is all a demon's got these days.' He pointed to her documents, 'There should be an active bank account there too, which should give you enough to get started somewhere.'

Now he was giving her money? This was never part of the deal. 'Crowley…No offense, but…why are you doing all this?'

'I like to protect my investments. I can't have you spending the rest of your life in prison or get shipped back off home to be thrown into an asylum, now, can I? Then you'd be no use to me at all.'

'Why?'

'I want you to live.' He shrugged and elaborated. 'Generally, I've found people who live their lives properly are much more useful than those who never leave their comfort zones. And after the events that have taken place today…well let's just say…you're going to be very useful.'

'Wow. So…wow. Thanks. I mean it.'

'I know. I can tell,' he said with a smirk.

'Hey. Feeling things is my superpower, demon,' she grinned.

'And judging character is mine, Princess.' He grew pensive after a moment, 'But…you're sure you'll be okay? I can drop you off closer to where you're headed if you want.'

'Nah.' Athaya bit her lip in concentration. 'Wait. Maybe you could drop me off in Vancouver? Just so I don't have to walk through the snow?'

'That's fine,' Crowley assessed Athaya's attire momentarily. 'You'll be fine in those clothes?'

'Yes, Mum,' she laughed. 'I'll be fine, seriously. I'll buy something as soon I find a shop. Or maybe…after I buy some food.'

Right on cue, Athaya's tummy growled and made her laugh even more. Crowley crossed his arms and looked at her thoughtfully.

Athaya didn't miss his gaze. 'What's that look for?'

'I'm just marvelling at how well you're taking all this. I mean…how long ago did you get the feeling that something bad was going to happen? And then you just felt your way until you found me and discovered that demons are real? That's gotta be harsh.'

'Well yeah…I guess. I only realised I needed to find a demon about three days ago. Until I actually summoned you, I wasn't quite ready to believe that they were real, even though I felt it was true. I was even happy to chalk my 'ability' to just being really observant. Now I know demons exist.'

'That's not the only thing that exists, Princess. There's thousands of different beasties out there, all scrabbling for a piece of this world. It's just that some of us are lucky enough to see them.'

Athaya looked thoughtful for a moment. 'So…ghosts?'

'For sure. But you already knew that, didn't you?'

Athaya smiled. 'Well I do now.' Her eyes went glazed momentarily and when she came back, she looked slightly haunted. 'So…everything? Everything we're told is imaginary…the stories…it's all true? They're all real?'

'The stories had to come from somewhere, Princess. But not to worry. You'll be safe from them – as long as you stay out of their way.'

'Why?'

'Our deal basically marks you as a 'hands off' piece of property to someone of import. I've put the word out, too. Don't mess with Athaya Woolf, or you're screwed.'

Jeez. 'Wow. That's a little terrifying.'

'I'm a very terrifying man.'

'Demon,' Athaya corrected and Crowley grinned.

'Well. If you're all set, I'll leave you. I get the feeling that I might be on the menu soon, if you don't get any food into that stomach of yours.'

Athaya looked severely at her tummy and then up at Crowley. 'That might be a good idea. I'm not sure how long I have until my stomach takes over my brain.'

'My fears exactly. Now brace yourself; it's cold out there. I'll drop you off as near to a shop as I can.'

'Ta. Oh…and thank you for your service…Your Majesty,' Athaya said with a slight curtsy.

'Watch it,' Crowley growled.

'Hey, if you get to call me Princess, then I figure your actual title isn't nearly as bad. People would actually call you that, I assume?'

'Yes, but usually it's coming from other demons. With you it's just…plain rude.'

'My point exactly,' she smiled as she put her hand on his forearm.

Athaya blinked, and found that when she opened her eyes, she was standing in yet another different place. Crowley dusted a fleck of snow from his black shirt and stepped under an overhang covering part of the small alleyway they were standing in.

Athaya remained out in the open, pulling her backpack on over Crowley's jacket. He winced, 'Careful with that. That's worth more than the entire contents of your bag. Show some respect.'

Athaya on hiked her bag up higher. 'Relax. In twenty minutes time, I'll be fully clothed and warm in new clothes. Until then, deal with it. I'll get it dry-cleaned for you.'

'Keep it. As a reminder of our deal.'

'Like I could forget,' Athaya scoffed.

'True. I do make an impression,' he said modestly.

'Hah!' She barked and pulled at the edges of the backpack, making sure everything was as it should be. Lastly, she pulled her mother's necklace from her pocket and fastened it around her neck, the pendant falling to rest against her breastbone. It looked like it had always been there, which Athaya supposed it had. It was a part of her. Something special.

'Right then. I guess this is it.'

'This is what?' Crowley inquired.

'This is when I start my new life. It's going to take a while, but I'll meet some people who'll lend a hand along the way.'

'How do you know?'

'I feel it.'

'Right. I forgot about that.'

'You should stop doing that. Because remember: I'm not human either.'

Crowley shook his head slowly. 'No. You're something different, aren't you?'

'I guess we'll find out. But in the meanwhile, take care of yourself, Your Majesty. You're special too.'

Now it was Crowley's turn to laugh. 'I whole-heartedly agree.'

'I thought you might,' Athaya smirked. 'You don't strike me as a normal demon.'

'Why?' he inquired. 'You said I was different earlier. Did you feel it, Princess?' He teased.

Athaya turned and started to walk away. Before she did though, she shook her head.

'Nah. I know it,' she said with a wink.

AN: Tada! That's the end of that little segment/backstory. This was all set in the past, eight years prior to season one/two. Tell me what you thought about Athaya, and her relationship with Crowley. If you want to swing any ideas by me, I'll give them some consideration, but hopefully (the way I've planned it) she'll end up being a badass, and probably bump into our two favourite brothers along the way too!

Azazel will feature a little more as well, but more towards the end of the next segment, which I'll probably upload as a sequel story called 'Living'.

The next part in the story will take place in the 'present' (somewhere during season two, but before Sam is 'recruited' by Yellow Eyes) and then it will move on from there.

Thanks to everyone for reading and reviewing, but have no fear: the story is far from over! It's only just beginning! Mwahaha…

Thanks to , KatieMarrie, Marloweee1856, katie131925, esdertytg and Arlaeflores for the lovely reviews, I'm looking forward to writing more!

Xxx

~Fen~