Season 13, Episode 4: The Big Empty in story form with minor canon divergence, minimal changes this episode.
Teaser: flashbacks to the previous episodes in the season. Castiel opening his eyes.
NOW:The Big Empty.
"Hello?" Castiel says as he walks.
His voice echoes back, 'Hello, hello, hello."
Castiel continues to wander through the darkness.
Water surges on the 'floor' and forms into a human figure.
"I know you're there," Castiel says in a low voice. "I can feel you."
"Hello," a smirking Castiel materializes to one side.
Castiel turns to face the creatures and shrinks away from it. "What are you?"
"Oh, just your friendly neighborhood cosmic entity," 'Castiel' says in a creepy voice.
"Why do you look like me?" Castiel asks.
"Oh, yes, yes, yes. If I show up in my real form, and you freak out, rip out your own eyes, etcetera. That would be embarrassing, wouldn't it, for both of us," the entity says.
"What is this place?" Castiel asks.
"You see, before God and Amara, what was there?"
"Nothing," Castiel says.
"Yes, that's right, nothing. Nothing but Empty. And you are soaking in it. Angels, you all come here, when you die."
"Here," Castiel says, turning and looking. He trembles as the entity gets close.
"Yes, sleeping an endless, peaceful sleep. You know, I. I was sleeping too. Hey, since we're pals, there's something I gotta know, I just gotta ask. Hmm, why are you awake? Cause, fun fact, in all of forever, nothing ever wakes up here…. And when you woke up, I woke up, and I don't like waking up. It's not my time. So, what's up, smart guy?" the entity snarls.
"I don't know," Castiel says.
"Well, think!"
"Perhaps Sam and Dean made a deal," Castiel offers.
"No. No, no, no. Not with me, and I'm the only one who has any pull here. So, think harder! Rack that perky little brain of yours," the entity jabs Castiel in the forehead unkindly.
"Don't touch me," Castiel pleads.
"Okay, fine, I'll rack it for you," the entity says, raising one hand, he places it on Castiel's head. Castiel screams and sinks to the ground, with the entity's hand clamped on his forehead.
SUPERNATURALMadison, Wisconsin
It's night. A man in a suit briskly enters a luxurious house. He walks across the room, turns on a light and puts down a black leather case with a thump.
"Hi," a woman in a summer dress stands in front of the fireplace.
"Erica!" the man says.
"Aren't you going to say hi?" she says, walking up to him.
"Hi," he says, with a smile.
"I missed you," she runs a hand on his shoulder, then moves to kiss him. She shoves a large kitchen knife into his stomach.
"Aagh." The man falls to the ground, dead.
She walks out the door.
The Bunker. Map Room.
Dean enters, carrying a bag of takeout. "Hey."
Sam's sitting at the map table, below the entrance. He looks at Dean. "I'm researching a case."
Dean walks down the stairs and looks over Sam's shoulder.
"A murder in Madison, police say it was a home invasion." The man in the suit's face shows on Sam's laptop. "But a neighbor claims that she saw the vic's dead wife leave the crime scene."
"I'll check it out," Dean says.
"I thought we'd all go, together," Sam says.
Donatello wanders into the room, heading for the takeout bags. "It'll be a good experience, and of course, I can't leave Jack. Research on Asmodeus has turned up absolutely nothing useful."
"We're not reennacting adventures in babysitting the Antichrist!" Dean says.
"Dean, we can't hide him forever," Sam says.
"Yeah, we can," Dean says.
"It's not working. He's not learning to control his powers. He's just binge watching Netflix all day," Sam says.
"Yes, it is working. Because, as long as he's here, he's not out there doing God knows what," Dean says.
Donatello digs into his burrito, watching Sam and Dean argue with a lack of concern.
Sam says, "Dean, Jack needs to get out. He's a good kid, he is, just, give him a chance, please. For me."
Later, Sam walks down a hallway in the Bunker and knocks on the door. "Jack?"
Sam opens the door. "Hey..." he walks over to Jack sitting cross-legged on the bed in front of a laptop. "Rogue One, huh?"
"It said, because you watched Return of the Jedi," Jack says.
Sam sits on the bed. "What did you think about Return of the Jedi?"
"I'm Luke, and Lucifer is Darth Vader, and you're Yoda," Jack says while staring at the screen. "I haven't decided who Dean and Donatello are."
"Huh," Sam says with a funny expression at equating himself to Yoda. "Hey. You remember when I told you what Dean and I do? Saving people, from um monsters."
"You kill monsters because you're the good guys," Jack says flatly.
"Right, right, and we've got a case, so, I thought you might want to come along," Sam says.
Jack doesn't say anything.
"Jack, I really think this would be good for you. You know, maybe a change of scenery might-"
"Get my powers working again?" Jack says.
"Yeah, maybe," Sam says. "Besides demons coming after you…. When you were born, it ripped a hole in reality. Like a… like a door from this world to another. To a really bad place, where the apocalypse happened. So Dean and Cas and I, and … Crowley, we closed that door, but our mom, Mary, she's trapped on the other side."
Jack pauses the video and looks at Sam.
"If we can get your powers back, maybe we can open that door, maybe…," Sam sighs and looks away.
"You want to save your Mom," Jack says.
"Yeah, yeah, I do," Sam says. "It's worth a shot. I should have told you earlier, but it's a lot, and um….
"Dean's still angry with me," Jack says.
"Yeah, I know. Dean … if he spends time with you, he'll come around. Let's go be the good guys," Sam says.
Jack nods and gets off his bed.
The Big Empty
"What did you do to me?" Castiel asks from the floor.
"I read your mind."
"Why did I wake?" Castiel asks.
"Hmm, that I won't tell you. No. It is time to sleep."
Castiel struggles to sit upright. "Why-"
"I want you to shut up! I want - hmmm - having you awake is like having a gnat fly up my nose and buzz there."
"Having me awake, irritates you," Castiel says.
"If you can't sleep. I can't sleep. And I like sleep. I need sleep."
"Then send me to Earth," Castiel says, looking up, barely holding himself upright, canted sideways.
"Oh, I should, should I?"
"Yes," Castiel says.
"Or I throw you so deep into the Empty that you can't bother me further."
"That wouldn't work, or you would have done it already," Castiel says.
"Pretty smart, pretty smart, dumb little angel." He crouches by Castiel. "No, no. You don't want to go back."
"I do, Jack needs me," Castiel says.
"I've tiptoed through your little tulips," he taps the top of Castiel's head obnoxiously. "There is nothing for you back there. Here. Let me show you," he grabs Castiel's face in both hands.
A horrible flashback of all the worst things in Castiel's memory starts and Castiel screams.
Madison, Wisconsin. Day.
Summer flowers bloom in front of an idyllic suburban neighborhood. The Impala rolls to a stop. Sam and Dean are in the front in fancy FBI suits. Donatello and Jack are in the back.
Jack flips through fake IDs. "Agent Bonham, Agent Seger, Special Agent Anderson, these are you?"
"Yeah, sometimes," Sam says, looking out the window in his FBI suit.
"Alright, here we go," Dean looks at a police report. "Victim Wes Bailey, his wife Erica Bailey died 6 months ago. Sudden cardiac arrest. The question is, what is she? Did she come back, or is it a shapeshifter?" Dean says.
"People, come back?" Jack says.
"When a person dies and their soul can't move on-" Sam starts to say.
"They're called ghosts," Dean cuts in. "And hanging around makes 'em angry."
"Question is, since when do ghosts kill somebody and walk out the front door?" Sam says.
"You told me Sixth Sense was fictional and didn't happen," Jack says.
"It is fictional. Some fictional stories are closer to what happens than others," Sam says.
Donatello takes out a battered paperback copy of one of the 'Supernatural' series from his briefcase and hands it to Jack. "Give these a try," he gives Jack a look, like keep this a secret or this stuff is great. Sam and Dean don't appear to notice.
"So maybe it's a revenant," Dean says to Sam.
"The world's never seemed more dangerous than when I'm sitting here next to you, yet at the same time I feel oddly safe," Donatello comments.
"Huh. There's our witness," Dean looks out the window.
A redheaded woman dressed in purple and wielding a garden hose, is watering plants outside. She's just moved into view.
"Jack, we're gonna talk to her and check out the crime scene, stay here with Donatello," Sam says.
Later, Sam stands next to the witness, towering over her. "Now, you're sure it was his wife?"
"I've lived next to Erica and Wes for six years. I watered her plants every time they went on a vacation," she says plainly.
"Did you notice anything unusual about Erica when you saw her?" Sam asks.
"She was wearing a very light dress," the witness says. "And she walked down the street," the woman gestures, "And didn't close the front door. I was shocked. That's not like her at all. And later, when I took out a bag of trash, I saw their front door was still open, so I went over, and that's when I saw Wes' body."
Sam looks at the witness. "Did you notice anything unusual about the body?"
"No, I left and called the police," she says.
"What about that night, did you notice anything else, flickering lights, cold spots, any detail you can remember could help us," Sam says.
"...I … I think a street light did flicker. … Maybe," the witness says.
"Right, if you remember anything, anything at all, please get in touch with me," Sam smiles. "If I could take your number, in case I have follow up questions, that would be very helpful." He glances at the car. Jack is reading and Donatello is looking at his phone.
Sam puts the witness' number in his phone. "Thank you," he says with a smile.
Dean gives her a grimace, and then they walk to the house.
Sam checks the blood spot on the carpet and Dean gets out an EMF meter.
"Nothing," Dean says. He nods, looking up, and Sam agrees silently. They split up, Dean searches upstairs while Sam searches downstairs.
Sum turns around from searching the study. Jack is crouching by the large blood spot in the beige carpet, while Donatello watches complacently. Jack reaches out to touch it-
"Jack!" Sam says. "Donatello!"
"We got bored waiting in the car and decided to assist in the investigation," Donatello says. "Don't worry! We waited until the neighbors were looking the other way, especially that neighbor you were talking to."
Dean comes down the stairs. "What the hell are you doing?"
"I'm just looking," Jack says, crouched by the blood stain.
"Don't touch," Dean says sharply.
"It's okay, Dean," Sam puts out his hand. "Jack, did you find anything?"
"That," Jack says, pointing at the blood stain.
Dean rolls his head.
"Did you get anything?" Sam asks Dean..
Dean shakes his head, no. "You?"
"No," Sam says.
"Let's go check out her grave. Come on," Dean says.
Cemetery.
A full moon shines over a grave in a cemetery.
"Hey, you wanted to be helpful, dig," Dean hands a shovel to Jack, then walks away.
Sam hands his shovel to Donatello and follows Dean. "What's up with you. You're acting like dad. His orders worked on you, but they didn't work with me." He talks to Dean's back.
Dean turns around.
"That's not the way we're gonna get through to Jack," Sam says.
"Look, you wanted the kid here, he's here. But I'm not gonna hold his hand and tuck him in at night." He waves his hand at Jack. "And the kid can dig, so give him that."
Sam walks back to the grave. With a look, Donatello cedes the shovel to him and Sam digs into the ground. "Someone's dug through this recently," Sam says.
Dean takes over Jack's shovel and feels the dirt.
Finally, they reach the coffin. It's charred. Inside, are ashes.
"Ah, a Hunter has been here and burned the body," Donatello pronounces.
Sam holds out a hand to Jack and helps him out of the hole.
"Whoever did this, didn't finish the job," Dean says.
"We'll do more research," Sam grimaces.
"My mother, could she be a ghost?" Jack asks.
"No we um, we burned the body," Sam says. "That usually prevents ghosts from staying."
"That's right, what gets salted and burned, stays dead," Dean says, as they get into the Impala.
Route 15. Night.
A car's tires spin on the road and the car pulls over to the side. An elderly woman gets on her cell phone. "I blew a tire, I'm on Route 15."
"Okay, no problem, we'll get you -"
The grandmother sees her grandson sitting on the back seat. She puts down the cell phone, the operator's voice continues but the words are not distinguishable.
"Scotty?"
The little boy nods. "Mama, aren't you going to say hi?"
"Oh, baby!" she reaches back, then the view cuts away and blood spatters the inside of the car.
Route 15. Dawn.
Jack and Donatello sit in the Impala, reading the 'Supernatural' books as Sam talks to a police officer. Through the trees, the sun is rising.
"Thanks," Sam says, fiddling with his phone.
"Get anything?" Dean asks as they fall into step.
"Get this, the vic was on the phone to roadside assistance when she died. Operator said she was talking to someone named Scotty," Sam says. "Here's the recording."
The recording of the roadside assistance operator plays with sounds of snapping bones and a scream quickly cut short.
"One of the cops said he used to play with the vic's son, Scotty, who drowned in '96," Dean says.
"Coincidence?" Sam asks.
"As coincidental as Dr. Sexy coincidentally falling into the arms of sexy anesthesiologist Dr. Brown for the twentieth time," Dean says.
Sam grimaces.
"It's not as good as it used to be," Dean says sadly.
As they finish talking, Sam and Dean walk through the busy scene to stand in front of the victim's car and look at the blood-spattered windows.
Dean turns on the EMF reader and checks it, it stays silent.
"So..." Sam says, taking out gloves from his pocket.
"...aside from getting dead, what did Gloria Simon and Wes Bailey have in common?" Dean asks.
Sam opens the bloody driver-side door and looks inside.
Madison Police Station. Day.
Sam walks out of the police station, past a stand of fuchsia Gerbera daisies, carrying a file. "Where's Jack and Donatello?" he says in an annoyed voice, while clearly seeing that across the street at at hot dog truck, Jack waits in line and Donatello watches from a bench. It's a busy, sunny day in the vibrant town center.
"Across the street, food run," Dean says casually, glancing up then back at his phone. "No one's owning up to the salt and burn here." He looks up, "and no sign of a ghost or a hunt in the past six months."
"Dean, they're not our interns and Donatello's soulless. We need to keep an eye on them," Sam says.
Dean eyes Jack comedically. "I can see them," Dean says.
"Mmm," Sam grumbles his disagreement.
"The kid keeps staring at me," Dean says.
"Yes, he wants you to stop threatening to kill him," Sam hisses. He jaywalks across the busy street to Donatello and Dean follows him. Jack is waiting in line, listening to the man in front of him argue with the hot dog seller.
"Ah, Sam. What did you find?" Donatello asks.
Sam flips open the file and hands it to Donatello. "It's a grief journal, both vics had the same grief counselor," Sam says, "Mia Vallens, who apparently, assigns journaling as homework."
"Lucky us," Dean says.
Donatello looks at the file.
"I got the address," Sam says.
"Shrinks," Dean says.
"Are how healthy people deal," Sam finished for him.
"Sam you read this chicken scratch?" Donatello comments.
Dean takes the file with a look at Donatello. "Let's see how good ole Gloria was dealing: ...and now that I've achieved catharsis I can see the program works." Dean looks at Sam.
Sam raises his eyebrows and looks away.
"The program, come on, man, she's one kool aid away from Jonestown. What'd Wes' journal say?" Dean asks, flipping through the photocopied pages.
"More of the same, the last entries he wrote were all about catharsis," Sam says.
"Yeah, sure, who wouldn't like 'catharsis,'" Dean mocks.
Sam glances casually at Jack, talking to the hot dog seller.
"So, what else could this be, if it's not a revenant or a ghost," Donatello asks.
"Witches, shapeshifters," Dean says. "A spell."
"A curse," Sam says.
"Ah!" Donatello says. "So many options! Which do you think is the most likely?"
Sam and Dean look at each other.
"We need to do more research," Sam says.
"I'm betting on shapeshifter," Donatello says excitedly. "The first shapeshifter novel and the one with the bank and the mandroid were enjoyable reads."
Sam and Dean stare at Donatello.
"You been reading those books?" Dean demands.
"Now that I'm back in the midst of the action, as you might say, I thought I'd better brush up on supernatural history, although I think when I was soulled, I would have found the purple prose and the graphic sex scenes off-putting," Donatello says.
Sam and Dean give Donatello horrified looks.
"Luckily, that's no longer a problem," Donatello says. "Of course I read them with a grain of salt, seeing as they were fictionalized. I heard gossip there are unpublished novels, do you have any copies?"
"No!" Dean says firmly.
Jack comes up with hotdogs and drinks.
"Hey, Jack," Sam says, relieved to see him.
"What took you so long?" Dean says, taking a chili dog.
"The man in front of me wanted sriracha on his hot dog, but the hot dog seller didn't have any. He was very angry," Jack says, puzzled.
"Good story," Dean says, licking cheese sauce off the hot dog and getting sauerkraut on his nose. He blows the piece of sauerkraut off his nose. "Let's check out the 'grief counselor.'"
The alternate universe past the rift.
Mary scrambles up the side of a grassy hill, and walks between two pillars. The grey lifts and a ring of angel-get-lost pillars surrounds a patch of woods. She looks up at the clear skies, down at the ground. She crouches to look: a footstep is visible in the grass at the right angle, stepping from the desolation behind, deeper into the woods.
She steps through the brush and finds a small cabin in a clearing, and hides while she watches the cabin.
Mia Vallens' business/residence.
Sam, Dean, Donatello, and Jack sit in the Impala, watching a house, with an entrance up a steep set of stairs.
"Are you done?" Dean asks.
Sam glares. "No, we're not done."
"This is very dull," Donatello comments.
"You!" Dean looks in back and sees Jack reading a Supernatural book. "Stop reading that!" He reaches back and grabs the battered paperback from Jack, throwing it in Sam's footwell.
"Get out of the car, we're going in," Dean says.
Sam gives Dean a look, but gets out of the car. The cross the street
"Follow my lead," Sam says to Jack, as they walk up the stairs.
"The mystery doctor's gonna eat our livers with a side of fava beans and Chianti," Dean grumbles. He stops talking as soon as a man comes out of building, clutching a journal in a black leather case.
The awkward, bald man says, "Hello," as he walks through the group.
Jack's the only one who turns around and says, "Hello!" in an excited, happy voice to the man.
As they enter, the home still looks like a house, but has been redesigned into an upscale business.
A receptionist carrying a clipboard says, "Can I help you?"
"We're, uh, hoping to see the doctor," Sam says.
"I'm sorry, we only take patients by appointment," the man says. "I may have an opening in a few weeks."
"We just need a moment of her time," Sam says.
A woman appears on the staircase. "You lost someone recently?"
"Our mother," Sam says. "We're having a difficult time." He puts a hand on Jack's shoulder.
"Mia Vallens," the woman says as she rushes to them to shake Dean's hand. He avoids it by shoving his hands into his pockets and smirking like a jerk.
"Dean," Dean says.
"I'm Sam, this is our little brother, Jack," Sam says, stepping in front of Dean and smiling.
Donatello reaches out and grasps the woman's hand. "I'm a ... friend, of Jack's grandfather."
Mia Vallens looks taken aback by Donatello, but she puts on a warm smile. The receptionist looks at them with a stone face.
"I see. Please, this way," Dr. Vallens says. "Your mother, she passed suddenly?"
"Yes, she did," Sam says.
Dr. Vallens enters a large sitting room, decorated beautifully with a white couch, and three white sofa chairs. Gauzy drapes soften the sunlight. "Mmm. Most of the people I see are in the same boat. It's sudden. No warning, no goodbye, no closure."
Dean gestures to Jack to sit down in the chair across from the couch, and closes the door. Dean sits on the other end of the couch from Sam. Sam and Donatello sits closest to Dr. Vallens.
"Right, yeah, pretty much the same for us," Sam says. "So... how does this usually work with your patients?"
"Usually, they just," Dr. Vallens opens up her hands and closes them, "Start talking about the person they've lost."
"Alright, well, Mom was great, now she's dead," Dean says.
"I see, and you're angry about it," Dr. Vallens says.
"Hell yeah, I'm angry," Dean glares at Sam. "I want to know what this catharsis business is, before I go on."
"What do you know about catharsis?" Dr. Vallens says.
"A patient of yours, Gloria Simon, mentioned it and referred us," Sam says.
"I don't talk about my patients. And I'm delighted she referred you, but she's not supposed to discuss individual aspects of the program that may not be the best method for other patients," Dr. Vallens says.
"Sure, um," Sam says. "But your process," Sam looks at Dean. "We wanted to know what it would involve before we continued."
"My program ... is a range of things, talk therapy, meditation, and hypnosis. You ever journal?" Dr Vallens says.
"Our dad did," Sam says. "We both do," he says, indicating Dean.
"They've had professional writers journal for them, in the past," Donatello interjects. "It's fascinating!"
Sam gives Donatello a look.
"Interesting," Dr. Vallens says. "W-"
"I've journaled ever since I was a little girl," Dean smirks.
"Dean. You think this shrink stuff is a load of crap, am I right?" Dr. Vallens says.
"How'd you guess?" Dean says with a smile.
"Then, why are you here?" Dr. Vallens says.
"Because, uh, we all agreed we'd give it a shot, right?" Sam says.
Jack nods.
"Right?" Sam looks at Dean.
Dean gives the doctor a smile. "I want to know what I'm getting into."
Dr. Vallens says. "I can't promise any specific technique will work for you, or that you will achieve catharsis, however, the program I've developed, over many years of working with patients with grief issues, has helped people immensely." She looks at Jack, Dean, and then back at Sam, avoiding looking at Donatello. "Catharsis is, when, under a hypnagogic state, a person may be able to see or hear their lost loved one and say goodbye."
"I see. And how long have you been doing grief counseling?" Sam asks.
"I've been practising here fifteen years. Now, tell me, why are you here to see me?"
"My brother, he's not uh, processing his grief," Sam says.
"Really. No, I'm good, Sam. With death, closure, the whole bottle of Jack," Dean says with a smirk.
"Are you," Sam says pointedly.
"Yeah, because I know that mom's dead and I know that she's not coming back," Dean says.
"Okay, I hear what you're saying…," Sam says.
"But you wish he'd be more open to discussion?" Dr. Vallens cuts in commandingly.
"Sure, exactly," Sam says, opening and closing his hands like Dr. Vallens did.
"Alright, this is a safe place, right Doc? My brother's delusional," Dean says.
"Dean," Sam says.
"You said you wanted to give this a shot," Dean says. "Here we go. He won't even admit that Mom's dead. Won't even admit it."
"Stop," Sam says quietly.
"Because if he admits it, it's real. If it's real, then he has to deal with it, and he can't handle that," Dean says nastily.
"I am handling it!" Sam snaps. "At least you had a relationship with Mom. Who would she always call? Who did she look to for everything!"
Dean looks away.
"You had that. I'm not going to accept that I'll never have that! I need some water," Sam gets up and races out of the room, closing the door behind him.
Sam looks in the reception area. No receptionist. Down the hall, the bathroom door is closed. There's a sign on a decorative chain, 'Please respect our privacy,' hanging across the stair. Sam steps over it and walks up. There's a splash of dried blood on the railing. He draws his gun.
In the bathroom, Sam sees blood on the shower curtain. He draws it aside and winces at the smell. There's skin and blood and teeth in the tub. He quickly leaves.
Back in the therapy room, the door closes behind Sam.
Dr. Vallens says, "Dean, you just upset your brother so much, he had to leave the room. What do you feel about that?"
Dean smirks at her, "Peachy."
"And Jack, look at him, he's terrified of you," Dr. Vallens says.
"No, no, we're simpatico, right kid?" Dean says.
"We're simpatico," Jack repeats woodenly, he looks at Dr. Vallens.
Dean smirks.
"Convincing," Dr. Vallens says. "You're angry, Dean."
"And?" Dean asks.
"And if you don't want to do anything about it, that's your business. But you're aiming that anger at everyone in your life." She looks at him. "But despite what you're saying, you came because your brother wanted you to and I honor that."
"And what happens," Donatello asks. "After catharsis takes place, if it does so at all."
"Then, we have a few sessions to reflect on the experience and wrap up the program. There is a long-term support group, that meets once a month. I'm not personally involved, but it is a resource available for you after you've completed the program," Dr. Vallens says, avoiding looking at Donatello.
"Fascinating," Donatello says.
"Doc, you got a problem with him?" Dean looks at her.
Dr. Vallens forces a smile as she looks at Donatello. "Soullessness is not a condition I can treat."
"Fascinating again! What do you know about my condition?" Donatello asks.
"Very little," Dr. Vallens says.
Sam walks back in the room, passes by Dean, and sits down on the end of the couch, near Dr. Vallens.
"I treated a soulless person over a year ago. There are limits to my grief program." She looks at Sam and Dean. "Sam, you and Dean have genuine grief issues. The program would help you come to terms with your loss."
Dean snorts.
"Dean, your anger issues are a separate matter," Dr. Vallens says. "I can't recommend a qualified therapist you could speak to freely, but I can refer you to group therapy."
"What happened to the soulless person?" Sam asks.
"She continues to be soulless. We used a todo app to remind her to show more affection and care to her daughter," Dr. Vallens says tensely. "It allowed her daughter to heal, but the underlying condition remains." She glances at Donatello and Jack.
"Did she hurt you?" Jack asks.
Dr. Vallens nods. "Yes. She attacked me when I told her that I could not help her recover her soul. I haven't seen her in months. I'm sorry for your loss," Dr. Vallens says to Jack.
"No, no problem at all." Donatello responds.
"Have you met Hunters?" Sam asks.
Dr. Vallens says. "I suspected you were Hunters. If a patient told me that they planned a murder... I would report it to the police," she finishes.
Sam says, "And people who think about murder?"
Dean stares at Sam and Dr. Vallens while Donatello looks on curiously.
"I would feel it," Dr. Vallens says. "If you're here about Mr. Bailey, I don't know who killed him."
"Hmm. And you took steps to make sure it didn't happen again?" Sam says coolly.
"I … sent Tom to burn the corpse, in case it was a ghost," Dr. Vallens says.
"What if a patient avoided touching you?" Sam presses.
"No, in that case I would not have a psychic connection," Dr. Vallens says.
"And can you read the mind of another shapeshifter?" Sam asks, intent on Dr. Vallen's response.
"No. No, I can't do that," Dr. Vallens says.
"She's a shapeshifter?" Dean asks.
"Yes, I am," Dr. Vallens says.
Dean stands and whips out his gun, moving to the clear space to the side of the couch.
Dr. Vallens shrinks in her chair, holding up her hands.
"I read about shapeshifters, they are exceptionally deadly," Donatello says as he gets up and gestures Jack to stand in the corner furthest from Dr. Vallens. "Best to be cautious, even though she has been helpful and accommodating so far."
Sam looks annoyed, putting up a hand to calm down Dean. "Is one of your patients a shapeshifter?"
"Yes," Dr. Vallens says. "But, I won't be giving out the name. No one had any cause to harm Mr. Bailey. I see good people who have grief issues. They would not be involved in anything … a hunter would want to know about."
"Or Gloria Simon?" Sam asks.
"Gloria!" Dr. Vallens sounds distressed.
"She died last night, killed by a creature that looked like her son," Sam says.
"Why'd you kill them?" Dean asks.
"I … I didn't kill them. I would never harm my patients. It is a sacred trust-" Dr. Vallens stammers.
Sam looks at Dr. Vallens. "Is there anyone who would want to hurt your patients?"
"I … there is a shifter who might come after me. He liked hurting people. We met … when the Mother of All called us together. I hated what she made us do, but he enjoyed it. He enjoyed hurting people, he liked to ruin people's lives. He liked the look on their face when they'd lost everything. What I'm doing here, is, everything he would hate. The Alpha will not step in unless he attacks me directly, or attacks a child."
"Dr. Vallens, if you want your patients to live, we need your cooperation," Sam says.
She looks at them. "Yes, yes of course."
"I see. Who else has access to your office?" Sam says.
"Patients, but I'm here with them. Tom, my assistant. A cleaning company comes once a month," Dr. Vallens says.
"We'll set up surveillance. Do you live here?" Sam says.
"Yes, I do," Dr. Vallens says.
"Good," Dean says. "One less place to watch."
Outside Mia Vallens' business-residence, the sun is setting. Jack, Dean, and Tom walk to the Impala.
"Sam told me about the plan for your mother," Jack says. "I-"
"Well, Sam's plans don't always work out," Dean says curtly and hands Jack and Tom Donatello's suitcase, two heavy duffels, and a backpack. "Take these up to the house."
"Okay," Jack says, turning away. Tom takes the two duffels and walks back to the house.
A sound makes Jack look around. Dean says, "Quit dawdling and get your ass in the house."
Jack looks uncertain, turns back, and walks to the house.
Tom says, "Hurry up," and stands there, waiting for Dean. "Dr. Vallens doesn't have all day," he says snootily.
Next to the Dean standing up, Dean's crumpled body is partly hidden under the Impala, in the shadow of the car.
Shapeshifter Dean smirks and steps out from behind the Impala, putting a shotgun, a glass bottle, a propane torch, and a t-shirt into a small duffel and carrying it with him.
Inside Dr. Vallens' office, Sam sits next to Dr. Vallens and Donatello, looking through security footage of the front entrance, careful to avoid touching her.
"I'm sorry about Dean," Sam says.
She smiles stiffly at him.
"So, tell me. How exactly does this work with your patients?" Sam asks. "When you show up as their dead relative or loved one. What do they think?"
"I tell them it's a lucid dream that occurs under a hypnagogic state. What matters is they get to say goodbye," Dr. Vallens says. "People ruminate over an experience until it's resolved and once they've integrated the experience, they can let it go." She looks at him. "You never had a chance to say goodbye, did you."
"No, I didn't," Sam says. "And I hope I won't have to. She's trapped in another world, we don't know if she's dead or not." He pauses the video. It's the awkward man who left the house as they entered. He zooms in on the eyes, which flare in the camera. "So this is him?"
"Yes, that's John Driscoll, I started seeing him a week ago. Today was his second session. He's a shifter who recently lost his family," Dr. Vallens says.
"To Hunters?" Donatello asks.
"...Yes … I think so," Dr. Vallens says. "He hasn't been as forthcoming as many of my patients."
Inside the entryway, Jack drops Donatello's suitcase. Sam, Dr. Vallens, and Donatello come out to meet him and Tom. Dean stands in the doorway, partly hidden.
Tom undoes the chain blocking the stairway. "Let's go," he says to Dean.
"Thank you, Jack," Donatello says, taking his suitcase and walking upstairs.
Tom and Dean leave the house. Sam takes the bags and heads upstairs.
Jack approaches Dr. Vallens. "Doctor Vallens," he says. "Could I talk to you?"
"Yes, of course, this way," she puts a hand on Jack's shoulder and they walk into the sitting room.
Jack says, "Sam and Dean aren't my real brothers. Sometimes we lie. I'm still trying to understand." He takes out a laptop from his backpack. "My mother died when I was born." He starts to play Kelly Kline's video, then stops it. "I never met her. I… this is all I have. And I just … I need to… see her, just once. Please."
"Jack. I ...," Dr. Vallens says. She hugs him, and he gradually falls into her hug. "Close your eyes." "Why do you need your mom?"
"I'm afraid," he says.
"Oh Jack," Dr. Vallens speaks with Kelly Kline's voice. "Why are you afraid?"
Jack says, "Dean wants to kill me. Sam thinks I'm good, but ... I've hurt people. I didn't mean to. And I know I should feel bad and I tell Sam that I feel bad, but most of the time, I don't feel anything. And that's why I think, maybe, maybe I'm a monster."
"Oh Jack, it doesn't matter what you are. It matters what you do. Monsters and humans, they can do good in this world," Dr. Vallens says.
"You really believe that?" Jack asks.
"I do," Dr. Vallens says.
Jack opens his eyes.
Dr. Vallens smiles at him. She speaks in her own voice, "There is always hope, Jack."
Thump.
Dr. Vallens looks around. She gets up and Jack hesitantly follows her into the entryway. Sam and Donatello rush down the stairs.
Someone is banging on the front door. The door bursts open.
It's Dean.
Another Dean comes in and tackles Dean.
Dean and shifter Dean thrash on the floor as Sam draws his gun and aims at the struggling figures.
"Get back," Sam yells to Dr. Vallens and Jack.
Donatello and Dr. Vallens back away, but Jack shouts:
"No!" Jack says. "Stop!" he yells. Jack screams silently and waves of orange light lift up the two Deans and hold them in the air.
One of the Dean's turns into a different person.
Sam shoots, perforating the shifter with bullets. Dean and the shifter fall to the ground as Jack closes his mouth.
Dean rolls over with a silver knife in his hand and stabs the shifter in the heart.
"Tom!" Dr. Vallens says.
Sam runs out the door as Dean gets to his feet.
The Big Empty.
The entity kicks Castiel, who is lying on the ground. "Wouldn't you like to stay here. Just lay down." He strokes a hand along Castiel's trench-coated side and back as Castiel slumps down even more. "Try to sleep. Infinite peace, yes, yes. No regrets. No suffering. No pain. Sleep. This is the perfect world that was promised to you."
Castiel seems to still. However, when the entity backs away, Castiel immediately rolls over and tries to get up.
The furious entity kicks Castiel, "I get angry when bad little angels won't go to sleep! Go! To! Sleep!" The entity punctuates his words with kicks that break Castiel's body. Castiel heals almost immediately.
"This will not help me sleep," Castiel says. "I am awake and I will stay awake."
"No, no, no, no!" The entity kicks Castiel again.
"Please, send me to Earth," Castiel says. "I have been called. I cannot sleep. I will not fall asleep."
A field.
A lump on the dry grass looks like Castiel's trenchcoat. He stirs and gets up.
Mia Vallen's business/residence.
Inside the house, Sam sits with Dr. Vallens in her office.
"You're the only therapist I know of, who knows about the supernatural world," Sam says. "If I wanted to talk to you-"
"No. I wouldn't have the impartial perspective," Dr. Vallens cuts in. "...to treat your issues. I need time to deal with my own grief. Later, another time, I may be able to."
"I understand," Sam says. He gets up and leaves, while Dr. Vallens watches him.
Sam joins Dean, Donatello, and Jack. They carry a large body-sized bag out to the Impala, putting it in the trunk.
Inside the car, Dean says, "Nice save."
"Thank you," Jack says.
The Impala drives away.
The image zooms out and appears on a computer monitor in an office. A man with a British accent says, "Another one."
"Watch her," a woman with a British accent says.
#Note: I like the big empty scenes and love the creepy entity Castiel. The scene in the front of the police station was funny. Backedited :(.