Disclaimer: I don't own SPN.

So I don't really ship Suby but I figured that in honour of Jared's birthday, he and his wife deserved some fanfiction and I don't feel comfortable writing about them, so here's the next best thing :) Though this did turn out a lot more depressing than I intended…

Ruby was a complex being. Her loyalty was first and foremost to Lucifer, of course – he was her 'father' and what sort of child would she be if she abandoned him? So when Lilith had approached her with a special mission to help free Lucifer, she had been honoured. She had been picked! Out of all the demons! Not even Alastair would know her mission!

Ruby knew that this mission was fraught with danger. Nobody else could know, for fear of word leaking to the wrong ears and endangering their whole plan, and so the other demons would think that she had turned traitor and hunt her down. Lilith was also firmly convinced that the upper level angels (and Ruby shuddered whenever she heard the name of their deadliest enemies) were working with them to free Lucifer and, as she had said, they were 'stupid fools'. Ruby wholeheartedly agreed with Lilith's prediction that Lucifer would crush them. But the common angels had no clue of this plan and were firmly against Lucifer's rise and, should word get back to them, the whole plan was a bust.

Ruby's instructions were clear. Once Azazel had opened the Devil's Gate, she was to find Sam Winchester and gain his trust (a difficult task, being what she was). Once Dean was in Hell and the brothers were separated, Ruby then had to manipulate Sam into complete reliance on her and then get him addicted to demon blood. Only then could he be tricked into releasing Lucifer!

Ruby had expected to simply pop up at random intervals, feed Sam helpful information and then leave him to await her next return. What she hadn't counted on was actually growing attached to the shaggy-haired idiot! And when he and Dean had gone to kill Lilith in New Harmony, Ruby was ashamed to admit that a tiny part of her had actually been rooting for them! What was going on? Demons shouldn't feel like this!

"Oh, Ruby," Lilith tutted. Ruby watched her mistress with only a hint of the terror she felt oozing off her. "This is unfortunate. You've grown attached to Sammy, haven't you?"

"No more than what you ordered," Ruby forced herself to say through her dry mouth. Lilith raised her childish eyebrows.

"Now why don't I believe that?" she sighed. "You're playing a dangerous game, Ruby. Have you forgotten your mission?"

"No! Of course I haven't!" Ruby said quickly. Lilith tutted again.

"You're playing with fire. I think you need to be reminded that fire is very dangerous to play with. And I think I want to be an adult now. Your meat suit's all pretty and grown-up."

She waved a hand. A terrified Ruby felt herself being ejected forcefully from her meat suit and then, to her horror, she was dragged straight back downstairs where Alastair was waiting with his razors and chilling, evil grin. He might not know her mission but Ruby knew that Alastair didn't need to excuse to torture. He just did it.

Ruby was grateful that she only suffered ten years on the rack as punishment for her 'humanity'. Lilith rescued her soon after she finally broke and screamed, soothing her and promising that her horrible ordeal was over.

"It's okay, Ruby." Lilith stroked Ruby's disfigured soul. "Your punishment is over, little gem. You can relax now. But you've learned your lesson now, haven't you?"

Ruby nodded, trying not to cry.

"Then all's forgiven!" Lilith chirped, patting Ruby's twisted head. "Come. I'll raise you from Hell again. But remember your mission this time. Okay, little gem?"

"Yes, Lilith," Ruby mumbled. Lilith gave her a stern look and she corrected herself. "Yes, mistress."

"That's a good girl, little gem."

Lilith kissed Ruby on the top of her head, pressed another kiss to her scorched, melted lips and then sent Ruby on her way.

Ruby remembered her lesson. While manipulating an angry, grieving, suicidal Sam, she told herself that this was exactly what they wanted and that she could easily toy with him now. While sleeping with him and allowing him to seek comfort from her, she convinced herself that she cared nothing for Sam and this was all for the mission. And when Sam began to get hooked to her blood, she revelled in the small spark of triumph and happiness that she felt at their plan working magnificently.

Once Sam was well and truly hooked, Ruby began to distance herself from him. Not only was this to make him desperate for her blood and even more dependent on her, it was also to allow Ruby to sort out just how she felt for her father's true vessel. Shouldn't Hell have burnt away any last vestiges of her humanity? Why was Ruby feeling like this? Why did she actually care for Sam? But, not willing to go another round on the rack, she kept these feelings buried deep down and ignored them. If she didn't think about them then they would go away! Right?

Ruby carefully kept Sam away from Lilith. She knew that it didn't matter how much training he got, so long as he drank enough demon blood he could kill Lilith at any time. And that wouldn't do. Lilith couldn't die until the sixty fifth seal had been broken! So she lied to Sam, spun a story that he wasn't powerful enough and that Lilith would kill him and they had to be patient. She helped Sam track down several of Lilith's entourage, knowing that she didn't have to torture Lilith's location out of them. Lilith could easily tell Ruby where she was once it was time for the final seal to be broken. But Sam would be suspicious if Ruby just happened to know where Lilith was, especially with Dean and his constant nagging and distrust of her, and what were a few oblivious demons in the grand scheme of things? And besides, Lilith was supposed to be her mortal enemy now that Ruby had 'thrown her lot in with the Winchesters' – it would blow everything if Ruby was caught talking to Lilith.

Finally, at long last, the night was upon them. It was time for Lilith to die and Lucifer to rise! After making sure that he drank gallons of blood, Ruby helped Sam 'track down Lilith'. Then, once they got to the convent, she and Lilith worked together to goad Sam into using his powers and it seemed to be working! Until that annoying pest of an older brother had to turn up, that is. Ruby hurriedly closed the doors and bolted them with her powers, smiling triumphantly, but it did nothing to stop Dean from trying to get through to Sam.

"Sam!" he called. Sam paused in his killing of Lilith and slowly turned around to look at the doors. "Sam!"

'No! Not now!' Ruby thought in annoyance. They were so close! And once Lucifer was free, he would reward Sam beyond his wildest dreams! Maybe, Ruby dared to hope, maybe Lucifer would even let her keep Sam for a little while. Maybe they could be together without any more lies!

"What are you waiting for?" Ruby shrieked at Sam "Now, Sam! Now!"

Lilith began to laugh and offered Sam the final push that Ruby knew he needed.

"You turned yourself into a freak!" she crowed. "A monster! And now you're not gonna bite? I'm sorry but that is honestly adorable!"

Ruby was ecstatic when Sam turned back to Lilith and raised his hand again. His face contorted in concentration and Ruby was both thrilled and a little unnerved to see his eyes go fully black. Now that was something she hadn't expected! Lilith convulsed several times, her body glowing and flickering orange, and then at long last she went limp. As blood began to pour out of Lilith's body and form the shape of the final seal, Ruby allowed herself to finally give a small laugh.

"I can't believe it!" she whispered in excited shock. The mission had succeeded! Lucifer was free!

"Ruby, what's going on?" Sam said warily. Ruby ignored his less-than-thrilled tone. He'd come around once he knew what he'd done! She was sure of it!

"You did it!" she said. "I mean, it was a little touch-and-go there for a while…" And it had been, what with Dean trying to dig his claws into Sam and attempting to force Sam off the demon blood along with Bobby Singer. "But you did it!"

"What? What – what did I do?" Sam said in alarm.

"You opened the door!" Ruby said in a 'duh' voice. "And now he's free at last! He's free at last!"

Ruby felt like jumping for joy. Lucifer was free! And now Sam would say yes and Lucifer would possess him and she would rule the world along with Lucifer! She would be his queen! How could Sam not be excited at this prospect?

"No!" Sam exclaimed. "No, no, no! He – Lilith – I stopped her! I killed her!"

"And it is written that the first demon shall be the last seal!" Ruby said fervently. "And you bust her open! Now guess who's coming to dinner?"

Sam buried his face in his hands.

"Oh my God," he murmured. In the background, Dean was hammering on the door but Sam and Ruby ignored him.

"Guess again," Ruby said. Why was Sam so upset? He'd done it! "You don't even know how hard this was! All the demons out for my head! No one knew. I was the best of those sons of bitches! The most loyal! Not even Alastair knew! Only Lilith!"

Sam was shaking his head in denial. Ruby's voice rose in her smug, excited boasting. But she'd earned the right to brag!

"Yeah, I'm sure you're a little angry right now but, I mean, come on, Sam! Even you have to admit I'm – I'm awesome!"

"You bitch," Sam whispered. "You lying bitch!"

He thrust out his hands and tried to kill her but instead dropped to his knees, clutching his head.

"Don't hurt yourself, Sammy," Ruby soothed mockingly. She couldn't help but poke fun at him. Maybe he'd calm down once he realised the futility of his anger and see the bigger picture! "It's useless. You shot your payload on the boss."

"The blood…poisoned me…" Sam panted. Ruby kneeled down in front of him and put a hand on his shoulder.

"It wasn't the blood!" she said. "It was you and your choices!" And it was. The blood may have unlocked his powers but Sam had chosen what to use them for! "I just gave you the options and you chose the right path every time! You didn't need the feather to fly – you had it in you the whole time, Dumbo!"

Sam was still fuming. Ruby attempted to calm him down and comfort her.

"I know it's hard to see it now but this is a miracle! So long coming! Everything Azazel did and Lilith did, just to get you here! And you were the only one who could do it!"

"Why? Why me?" Sam said brokenly.

"Because it had to be you, Sammy!" Ruby whispered. "It always had to be you! You saved us! You set him free! And he's gonna be grateful. He's gonna repay you in ways you can't even imagine!"

Dean finally broke into the convent, the demon-killing knife drawn. Ruby stood to confront him.

"You're too late," she said triumphantly. He couldn't do anything! And now Lucifer was going to be free and Ruby was going to be his best, his most trusted demon! She'd be a queen among demons! The Queen of Hell!

"I don't care," Dean spat. He advanced on her and Ruby tensed, prepared to fight. However, what she was not prepared for was for Sam to stand up and grab her arms from behind, holding her in place so that Dean could stab her in the stomach.

'Why?' Ruby tried to say. An overwhelming sense of betrayal filled her very being, mixing with the overpowering agony streaming through her body from her gut. Why had Sam betrayed her? Didn't he understand? He was a hero! He had set Lucifer free! He had saved the world! He would have been a king! A celebrity! And Ruby was going to be right by his side!

Her vision blackened and the corpse of the demon who had loved Sam Winchester and his power crumpled to the ground.