Castiel was wide eyed now. He didn't fear his own life more than he feared for Melinda's. He placed a hand on the dashboard, another on the back of his seat. He watched the crowd just yards away, then turned to Melinda.

"I told you not to stop." Castiel's tone went from cool and paniced, and this pumped jolts of electic fear into Melinda's heart. Once Castiel was scared, she knew it was time to really worry.

"Can't I just run them over?" Melinda asked rather hopefully. She never took her eyes of the crowd.

Castiel waited a minute to think about her proposal. At that moment, Castiel knew he was staring at Melinda, but he saw Dean in the driver's seat.

"Somehow, if I say no, you will end up doing it anyway."

Melinda rolled her eyes. Castiel spoke to her like he was speaking to Dean. She didn't like it, but she put that aside. There was a much larger problem at the moment.

"What do you suppose I do?" Melinda took her eyes away from the windshield, but only for a moment. It seemed eye contact was the only force keeping the infected at bay.

Castiel's eyes went from Melinda, to the front, then to the back window. It was clear; no one in sight in the rear.

He looked at her. "Back is the only way out."

Melinda didn't have to think twice. She jammed the gear shift into the reverse, then gave the pedal all the gas it could offer. They flew backwards while the crowd began to chase them down. When there was a enough space, and the way was clear, Melinda cranked the steering wheel around, stopping for a moment to switch back to drive, then drove away, the impala squealing and a trail of dust formed where the tires touched the road. The crowd slowed to a stop. Melinda and Castiel had gotten away.

The impala reached top speed, then began to slow down to normal when Melinda was certain enough they were far away. She panted heavily--she never thought she'd have to do that. They sped thruogh the streets, trying to find their way out of this broken city.

"Would they have killed us?"

Castiel turned back around, facing the windshield. He sat with his hands folded in his lap. He seemed fine now.

"They know you're Melinda Winchester. They would definfately kill you."

Castiel's words were blunt, and they shocked Melinda to her bones. She didn't want to hear that. She didn't want Castiel telling her that at all. She was better off not knowing.

However, Castiel thought differently. Yes, his main mission was still to protect until he couldn't anymore, but that last incident was too close. She didn't listen to him, and that could have been worse than it was. Castiel was thankful they got out alive, but Castiel wouldn't have never forgiven himself if he let them get to her.

Melinda appeared to be deep in thought with her hands gripped tightly on the wheel. She sat foreward, peering outside the windshield. Melinda was multi-tasking; looking for more infected in her peripheral vision and thinking deeply about something all at the same time.

Castiel wanted to look inside her head and know what she was thinking. Even Castiel knew this was not a time for secrets anymore. This wasn't a time to keep thigns from one another. If Castiel wanted them to survive, they had to be a team.

"What are you thinking about?" Castiel asked.

Melinda waited a moment before answering him. She wasnted to waited until they were back on the lonely interstate, far away from this infected town.

"I'm thinking I need to pull over, grab a few things from the trunk. If we're going to be jumped like that again... we might as well be prepared."