Oh, I'm just hanging around... thanks for asking...

[tara_the_damsel]

Tara didn't believe demons existed. She didn't know about what happened late at night on the streets that she never walked on. Her mother, when she was still alive, had always taught her to walk on streets with lots of people and bright lights. She would be safe there

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[herecmestrouble]

This was probably one of the sloppiest demons he'd ever seen. There was a trail all the way from the girl's apartment to the warehouse where he was holding her, and Michael was starting to think that this was going to be like taking candy from a baby

[tara_the_damsel]

Tara's eyes opened wide and she almost squeeked behind the duct tape when the he appeared. He had a gun and she sure as hell didn't know what to think about where she was.

But he came over and started to untie her, which automatically put him higher in her friend list than the guy with the knife and the black eyes.

However, she must have been like that for a long time because her legs were both pins and needles when her feet touched the ground again and she could barely stand.

[herecmestrouble]

Michael kept an arm around her waist to support her as he lowered her back to the ground again, using the other one to pick up the shotgun as he started to haul her out of the room. He didn't know how much longer the demon's back was going to remain turned to him, which mean they needed to haul ass as fast as they possibly could.

"Can you walk?" he mouthed, his voice coming out just barely a whisper.

[tara_the_damsel]

She shook her head, afraid to remove the duct tape because she might make a noise and it was safer that way. Her wrists, now that they were lowered, started to bleed a bit from where they were raw from the chains, and the edges of the cuts were infected from the rust.

Her eyes were also starting to tear up at just how scared she was. Then they widened as the demon turned around and noticed them, and she clung to her rescuer tightly, whimpering.

"I don't remember inviting a Winchester into my home," the demon snarled.

[herecmestrouble]

Michael's head snapped around, and he smirked back at the demon, all the Winchester confidence coming in to play. "Yeah, well -- it's all part of the Winchester package: dashing good looks and a big inability to resist crashing a good old fashioned demonic ritual."

He raised the shot gun with his free hand, taking a shot directly to the chest, trying to buy him enough time to scoop the girl up and get out. Which he did, sliding his free hand under her legs and starting to bolt for the door.

[tara_the_damsel]

Her arms went around his neck, holding tight and closing her eyes as she hid them in his neck. If she didn't see it, it wasn't happening.

The demon snarled at the rock salt, knocked back a few steps, then went to throw the knife at the retreating boy's back as he stepped around the alter.

[herecmestrouble]

"Michael!"

Not that the smartass comment was the cue, but Ruby had been around Winchesters long enough to know that smartass meant trouble. Michael dropped into a crouch at the sound of his mother's voice, waiting for the clunk of the knife hitting the support beam next to him before bolting for the doorway where Ruby was standing.

Ruby stepped to the side in order to let him out, before closing the door behind him, her eyes narrowing at the demon across the room from her.

"Big mistake."

[tara_the_damsel]

"Of course, where one boy goes, the bitch must follow," the demon managed to get out before the door shut. "I take it Daddy was too busy looking after his flock to be bothered and sent Junior and the missus instead."

Tara was shaking now. The quick drop in altitude and her fear was overtaking her. She hated when she got girly like this. Who would have thought she'd actually become a damsel in distress? The girls at the club would laugh if they ever saw her like this.

But she was terrifed, feeling sick, weak and not sure when she had even ate last. But the arms holding her were protecting her and she didn't want to leave them for anything.

Michael. Someone had called him Michael, and the demon said Winchester. Who is this guy?

[herecmestrouble]

Get her out of here. Don't argue with me, I'll be fine.

Michael rolled his eyes at the order before sliding the girl into the passenger's seat of his car, then moving around to the driver's seat. Once he was inside and the car was started, reached over and touched the side of her face gently with one hand, and the other reaching for the edge of the duct tape.

"This is going to smart a bit, but it'd be worse if I did it slowly. Trust me." With that, he gripped the tape and yanked, pulling it off her face quickly.

Meanwhile, inside, Ruby just smirked, pulling the knife out of the holster on her hip, gripping the handle between her fingers. "No. He's not busy, actually. He just doesn't think you're worth his time."

[tara_the_damsel]

She tried to grab onto him when he put her into the car. She didn't want to go anywhere but she got dizzy trying to move that she just sat there.

When he got into the other side, she was relieved, nodding at his words before pulling the duct tape off. She muffled a cry at the pain, burying her head in the seat of the car.

"oh god... oh god..." she managed to whimper, curling up in the seat. "This isn't happening..."

[herecmestrouble]

Michael took a deep breath, before placing a hand on her shoulder gently. "Hey, look -- it'll be okay, alright? I'm gonna take you somewhere safe."

After that, he turned back and started the car, driving as fast as he could back home.

[tara_the_damsel]

"I just wanna go home," she said softly, watching him carefully.

[herecmestrouble]

"I know. You need some medical attention, though," he said as he drove, just barely minding the speed limit. "And we don't know if that guy has friends that still want to get the ritual done. It'll only be overnight -- just to make sure they lose their window and won't come after you again."

[tara_the_damsel]

She was quiet a moment, biting her lip. She had so many questions she wanted to ask, but she was afraid to. She wasn't sure she wanted the answers to them.

But there was something. "So who are you? The guy called you a Winchester. That like the family that owns the huge corporate stronghold downtown?"

[herecmestrouble]

"Yep," he said with a soft sigh. He didn't mind saying who he was, but he did get slightly annoyed when things went right back to the fact that his dad was Sam fucking Winchester. That really only worked to his advantage when he was dealing with demons -- not when he was dealing with people.

"I'm Michael Winchester. My dad kind of owns the place."

[tara_the_damsel]

"So what's a corporate billionare's son doing running around in places like..." she curled up a bit again. "i mean, that wasn't exactly a playboy mansion..."