Sam flinched at Alyssa�s mention of �yellow eyes� � Azazel � the demon that had killed his mother and fed Sam its blood when he was just a baby.  That might have been the beginning of trouble for Sam Winchester.  Azazel always seemed to be in the mix when it came to Winchester trouble.  He or one of his minions killed Jess.  Meg is his daughter.  In some ways, Sam had always felt he was just playing out some convoluted grand plan that Azazel had cooked up long before his birth.  Maybe even what he was doing and planning now was a part of that plan.  But if that was the case, it didn�t matter, because Sam knew what he was about to do was right.  Even Faith and Dean would come to realize it after they saw and experienced the world that Lilith would create with Samantha�s blood.

�No, I�m just fine, really.�  They agreed to meet at the cafeteria at Saint Mary�s hospital.  They�d get something to eat before going upstairs to visit with Faith, Dean, and Samantha.  Sam terminated the call.  He glanced at his watch.  Alyssa would be here by about 6:00 pm.  There were preparations to be made.  Sam had never taken care of a baby before.  He�d have to buy diapers, formula, one of those car seats.  There were all sorts of baby stuff he�d probably need.  They had baby stores for all of that, right?  He just needed to find one. Samantha was precious.  Lilith would be very angry indeed, if he didn�t care for her to the best of his ability before the ritual. Sam wasn�t sure if Samantha was meant to survive the ritual or not.  But it didn�t matter, really, either way she would become the mother to a new race, to a new world.  She would be revered and worshipped until the end of time. 

Sam checked his phone, looking up baby stores in Lebanon while he tucked the spotting scope under one arm and headed for the stairs.  He had a spring in his step and the future was so bright he was almost blinded by the infinite possibilities. 

�Niece.  And they�ve named her already � Samantha.  Didn�t have anything to do with her Uncle�s name.  I think its because they think she�ll be witchy.�  He paused to see if Alyssa got it.  �You know, like Samantha Stevens.�  He paused again, but didn�t get a response.  So he moved on, awkwardly.

�And me?  I�m as right as rain.  Fine and dandy.  No problema.  All is gas and gaiters. The only thing that is out of the ordinary is that which isn�t.  Ya know?  And that has to do with the case I mentioned.�  He searched his memory banks for a plausible reason to get Alyssa here.  �Vampires.  Lots of �em.  They�ve nested.  Obviously Dean is occupied.  Faith too.  Normally I�d just have Faith take care of it, ya know?  Vampires.  Vampire slayer.  The perfect matchup.  But there�s little witch girl.  She�s special - Samantha.  Did I mention that?  You�ll have to meet her as soon as you get to town.  You�ll be enraptured.  Everyone is.  The little girl is� special, ya know?� 

He peered through the spotting scope again, hoping to catch a glimpse of the baby.  But she must still be on the bed with Faith, hidden away.  As he fiddled with the focusing knob he realized he�d created an awkward pause in his conversation with Alyssa.  �Sorry.  Woolgathering.  So, bring some sharpened stakes, holy water, and that trademark Alyssa Singer attitude.  We�re gonna have us some fun!�

Sam watched from the third floor Ramada Hotel room across the street from Saint Mary�s Hospital.  The hotel was considerably more upscale than the usual Winchester accommodations, but Sam was only doing what needed to be done.  Besides, he had a credit card.  And he was pretty certain he wouldn�t have much need for money after all this was over.  So he�d also bought a top-of-the line Swarovski spotting scope at the local Sportsman�s Warehouse, complete with a 95 mm objective lens and 30-75 power.  He had that spotting scope focused on the window of Faith�s hospital room, and the image was so crisp and clear he could almost read the lips of the people talking.  Almost.  He could see that Buffy Summers and her kid sister, who wasn�t so much a kid anymore, had arrived suddenly.  Magically.   Probably the work of the red-headed witch about whom Sam had heard tall tales.  Improbable tales at best, but this at least proved that teleportation was in her wiccan bag of tricks.  Buffy was supposed to be squirreled away where she couldn�t cause any trouble.  Where she wouldn�t disrupt Lilith�s plans. Lilith had essentially drained her essence, taking the slayer into herself.  But apparently she�d escaped somehow.  Must have been witchcraft again.  The bitch was resilient, Sam would give her that much.  An unfortunate development for sure.  Also unfortunate was the arrival of the two others � Azrael and Allura.  Sam didn�t know the motives of the Nephilim.  Her race was a hybridization, or better put, a bastardization of humans and angels.  The Nephilim were unpredictable, and tended to be mischievous.  A wild card, but maybe she could be corrupted.  On the other hand, Azrael�s intentions were almost certainly counter to that of Lilith.  None of this was good. 

Then his phone started mewing at him.  Upset by recent events, he almost tossed the damned thing out the window.  But he glanced at the caller ID before he did.  Alyssa.  And with her entrance into the story came opportunity.  And hope.  Sam answered the call, doing his best to sound upbeat, and like his old self.  �Hey Alyssa, how�s it going?  Got a case down here in Lebanon I could use your help with.  And, did you hear?  Dean�s a father!�

The other side was accumulating allies like rotted meat attracts maggots.  It was time that Sam did the same for Team Lilith.