The sound of feet stomping on the ground echoed throughout the hallways. Dean was having a bit of trouble keeping up with Castiel, but he didn't really mind being a few steps behind. Whatever they were running to, whatever had Sam, Cas knew it was dangerous. Castiel had told Dean to keep his gun back in the hotel room, but there was no way he was going to leave it. That thing was almost always with him, ever since his father had given it to him when he turned 17.

Gabe had made sure to leave as quickly as he could. Once Castiel had made it clear that they were to go and find Sam, he immediately became antsy, unsure about joining. He made some sad excuse about his cake needing him, and that he'd be more trouble than help. There, Dean agreed, but said nothing.

"Dean, we must hurry!" Cas called, quickening his pace to that similar of a cheetah in sprint.

The hunter took in a deep breath before pumping his legs a little faster, a little stronger. He was used to running, but never this fast! Maybe he was just a little worn out from…before. But he was certain not even Sam ran this quickly, and his legs were as long as some of the skyscrapers in New York. Maybe they should have brought silver, holy water, salt…anything that could help them.

"What the hell are we even going after?" Dean huffed out, hot beads of sweat running down his temple.

"Nothing you've ever dealt with before," was the quick response.

The hunter suddenly wished for the other angel to be there, just for back up. Or Bobby. Hell, why not have the whole crew join up and invite Ellen and Jo while they were at it.

"Cas," Dean scolded, hardly able to keep moving, "You have to communicate! Isn't that what couples do?"

There was a moment of silence except for Dean's hard breathing and two pairs of heavy footfalls.

"It's complicated, Dean."

"It's not like I haven't heard anything crazy before. You have to tell me just what it is if we're going to get Sam back safely. I can't go in blind!"

Another helping of silence. It was clear that Cas was weighing the two options. Either he could tell Dean and risk the usual shoot now ask questions later response, or he could keep it to himself, and be at greater risk of Dean doing something irrationally, purely because he's already angry.

The two were nearing their destination. It couldn't be avoided.

Cas sighed. "Your brother is with an alien."

"What?"

"Your brother is with an alien."

"I heard you the first time! This just doesn't make any sense."

"It will in a minute."

They were stopped running, standing outside, stars shining down on them, a tall blue box right in front of them. Dean took in the crisp air, very much out of breath. Cas simply looked up at the sky, quietly whispering a prayer. His companion tried to listen in to the silent words, making out only a couple in each sentence.

"Are…are you praying a protection prayer?" Dean asked nervously.

"We will need it. This man, this alien, is the most powerful being in the universe, only second to my father. We have seen this man end empires, destroy worlds, and conquer men with incomprehensible power. He is a force to be reckoned with," the angel said timidly, continuing to look at the stars.

"What's this sucker called?"

"We don't know his true name…he goes by many. But for those who fear him, they call him the Oncoming Storm."

"And he's hiding, with Sammy, in this little box?" Dean asked quizzically. It was clear he was having trouble seeing the seriousness of the situation. Cas frowned, but nodded his head, continuing his prayer.

"Well the little sign here says to pull to open it…" Dean reached out for the handle, his angel watching with a face of terror, a face that Dean had never seen before. As he gripped the cool metal, he shut his eyes in fear, pulling just so. The creak of the wooden door was heard, voices and light flowing from it.

"Dean, no!"

The hunter opened one eye. All oxygen that was inside of him escaped, as if someone had punched him straight in the gut. Wires fell from the tall, curved ceiling. Lights seemed to be everywhere imaginable, paneling against the walls. Growing from the bottom of the contraption, there were trees, countless, curved trees without leaves, simply filling up some of the immense space. At the center, there was a strange, foreign device, a few lights inside of a tall glass cylinder glowing a shade of electric blue. Underneath of it was its base, covered in buttons, screens, levers, and even more lights.

In the middle of this contraption, there stood a tall, lanky brunette man in a striped suit. His red converse shoes tapped on the glass bottom impatiently as the stranger spoke to a woman on the screen in front of him. His voice seemed to dance around the huge space, bouncing off of one wall and hitting another. To add upon that, his body seemed to dance around it, sprinting to one side of the center device to another, as if trying to catch the noise with an elaborate ballet. It was in his movements that he swirled around, his face staring straight at the open door that revealed Dean and Castiel.

Two words left his mouth. Two simple words. Two words that the angel had never expected to leave the lips of this figure.

"You're back."