While hunting for the trickster, you tell Dean all about the young trickster you found before. He's surprised that there even was another one in this country; apparently, they are a rare breed. You even tell him that she committed suicide because she couldn't handle knowing what she was. Without thinking, you propose that this trickster might just be confused. Dean gets real quiet when you admit that you have a soft spot for misunderstood creatures.
After searching every square foot of the fields, the farm house, and the barn, you and Dean realize that there is not a single soul around. The sun begins to set on the horizon and you begin to worry about Sam. What would the trickster gain from singling out Sam? Dean grabs your hand gently and nods towards the farm house.
"We should probably get inside before it gets dark. Who knows what tricks this mother is planning."
It's like this trickster has some bad blood with Dean. You follow him to the house and blush when you see that you're still holding hands. Once inside the abandoned house, you drop his hand to find the light switch. The house looks like people were just here. The china in the cabinet even looks recently dusted. Dean makes a B-line to the staircase.
"Where are you heading off to, Winchester?" you say slyly.
He looks over his shoulder. "To sleep. Want to join me?"
Ignoring the fact that he is flirting back, you retort, "Dean, we can't sleep. We need to find Sam."
"Don't you think I know that?" he yells, suddenly making you take a step back. "I didn't sleep well last night and I can't begin to think of the things that this…thing is doing to Sam."
"I really wish you'd stop referring to the trickster as something and not someone."
He comes flying down the stairs, obviously ticked off. "Stop defending him! He's a murderer!"
"So am I, Dean!" you yell back in his face. "And so are you!"
"It's not the same!"
Even though you both are completely on opposite sides of the argument, you can't help but to feel significantly turned on by his authoritative voice. He keeps yelling about how the trickster tried to kill him over and over again in front of Sam for months. As you both argue in each other's faces, you continue to get closer to each other.
"And for another thing-"
You suddenly cut him off. "Are you as turned on right now as I am!?"
Dean stops and takes a step back from you. Well, that was a mistake to say aloud. His eyes move from the kitchen to the floor and then to you. He steps closer and puts his large hand on your neck and pulls you to him. His lips push against yours as your hands find their way to his chest. This kiss is more passionate, more needing than your first. His tongue darts into your mouth as he shoves you against a wall. The china in the cabinet rattles, but you don't care. You wrap your legs around his waist and let him carry you to the couch. He throws you down and then you feel the weight of his body on yours.
His lips graze your neck and you moan softly. He straddles you and takes his jacket and white shirt off. You watch as they hit the floor, but then you allow your eyes to soak in his bare chest. He's even more perfect than you imagined. His lips are on yours again as he snaps your bra off with your shirt. He's done this before, and it's more than apparent to you. Suddenly, this doesn't feel right. You cover your chest and sit up.
"Dean, I can't do this…not right now."
His breathing is strained. "You've got to be kidding me."
"I'm sorry…I just don't think this is right."
He gets off your lap and grabs his clothes. "This is why your partners leave you!"
You're shocked at his sudden change in demeanor. "Dean, why would you say that?"
"You're a tease! You don't want some bullshit love! You want to tease and manipulate people!"
"Dean, stop!"
"No! You're a bitch and I can't wait to see how this trickster kills you! Because that's what's going to happen! He left me with some bad excuse for a hunter!"
You begin to cry as his words hit you. He curses at you as he storms up the stairs. You slowly reach for your clothes and begin to put them back on. The front door opens and you rush to pull your shirt over your head. You look over and see Castiel. You both look at each other confused and in worry. Why is Castiel here? How did he get here? Is this the trickster working?
"Why are you still with Sam and Dean?" his voice is demanding and stern.
You wipe your tears. "I'm not even sure where Sam is. Dean and I have-"
"Dean?" he looks up the staircase in worry. "That's not Dean."
"The hell are you talking about?" you say standing up shakily. "I was just…talking to him a minute ago."
Castiel walks towards you, concern covering his face. "That is not Dean. Kill it."
You push him away. "How do I know you're not the trickster?"
Castiel doesn't seem fazed by your physical encounter. "You have never experience intercourse and that worries you to the point that you try to hide your anxiety by flirting with everyone around you."
"That's obvious."
"You also secretly wanted to be a beautician because you hate the way you look."
"Get out, Castiel."
He nods, but looks up at the staircase again. He warns you again about the thing upstairs not being Dean. You watch carefully as Castiel puts the wooden stake back into your hands. You stare at the weapon Dean made earlier. You look up to ask Castiel what to do, but he's gone. Dang it. Dean, or whatever it is, moves around in the room above you. He sounds pissed off still.
"Kate, can you come here?"
Your feet trudge up the steps in annoyance. "Coming, Dean."
You open the bedroom door and find him pacing the floor. He stares at you and sees the stake in your hands.
"What are you doing?"
"Castiel says you're not Dean."
His eyes roll. "Castiel isn't very smart."
"Prove to me that you're Dean."
He holds up his hands in the air and slowly turns around as if that his physical appearance would tip you off. Tricksters can look like whoever they want. Something about Dean's hands makes you raise an eyebrow. His rings are gone, or just a detail the trickster overlooked. He smirks at you like he won the argument, so you open your arms to hug him. He steps into your embrace. Your heart starts to race as you plunge the stake into his back.
He screams out in pain, and slumps to the floor. His face changes into a man you've never seen before; the trickster. Suddenly, you feel pressure around your neck like invisible fingers strangling you. The trickster opens his eyes and pulls out the stake from his back. There's not a drop of blood on it. He's not a trickster. He has to be something else! Your vision starts to blur and your lips become numb.
He stands up and begins to walk to you. A flash of bright light comes between you and forces you to shut your eyes. When you open your eyes, you are in the old paper mill and can breathe. You cough and choke before your vision clears. You look at the "trickster" and yelp. He's in a circle of fire, but someone else is on the other side of the fire. Dean and Sam!
"Kate!"
Sam runs to you and helps you walk over to Dean. You don't let yourself look at Dean. Instead you look at the man in the fire who is now clapping. He congratulates all of you and asks where he went wrong. Dean replies that he didn't do anything wrong.
"After how you talked about Armageddon, Michael and Lucifer, it was a hunch. Call it personal experience, but nobody gets that angry unless they're talking about their own family."
You have no clue to what they are talking about. Sam and Dean must have had to deal with their own alternate reality issues. Apparently, this trickster is an angel. That's why the stake didn't work. Only an angel can kill an angel.
"Who are you?" Sam asks the angel.
"I am Gabriel. I became a trickster as a part of my own private Witness Protection Program."
"What does God have to say about his son hanging out with pagans?" Dean says snidely.
"Daddy doesn't say anything about anything." His tone is cold and chilling.
"Why did you ditch your family?" Sam presses.
Dean answers for him. "I understand, our family is full of douche-nozzles too."
"I love my family and my Father, but I couldn't stand watching them tear at each other. So I left. And now it's happening all over again."
"Why don't you help stop this?" Sam asks desperately.
"I don't want it to stop. I just want it all to be over. What you guys call the Apocalypse, I used to call Sunday dinner!" Gabriel yells. "That's why there's no stopping this, because this isn't about a war. This is about two brothers who loved each other and betrayed each other."
He adds they should be able to relate. You look at Sam and Dean as they begin to tense at Gabriel's words.
"Why do you think you two are the vessels? Think about it," Gabriel says. "Michael, the big brother, loyal to an absent father. Lucifer, the younger brother. Rebellious of daddy's plan. You were born to this, boys. It's your destiny. It was always you. As it is in Heaven, so must it be on Earth. One brother has to kill the other. Why do you think I've always taken such an interest in you? Because from the moment dad flipped on lights around here, we knew it was all going to end with you. Always."
Dean is quiet for a moment, but says, "That's not going to happen."
I'm sorry," Gabriel says, "but it is. I wish this were a TV show, with easy answers and endings wrapped in a bow, but it's real and it's going to be bloody for everyone."
"Bring Castiel back or we will burn you with holy oil." Dean says between clenched teeth.
Gabriel snaps his fingers and suddenly, Castiel appears beside you.
"Hello, Castiel. How's the search for Daddy going? Let me guess. Awful."
Without a response, Sam, Dean, and Castiel begin to head for the exit. You make eye contact with Gabriel and sense fear rise within him. The purity of his fear rubs off on you. You can't just leave an angel in a circle of fire.
"You aren't going to just leave me in this circle forever," the angel's voice is anxious and scared.
Dean turns around. "No, because we don't screw with people. And for the record, this isn't about some prize fight between your brothers or some destiny that can't be stopped. This is about you being too afraid to stand up to your family."
You walk over with the guys to the exit. Dean freezes just before walking out and turns to Gabriel. Dean hits a switch and the sprinkler system kicks on. Dowsing the circle of fire gradually.
"Don't say I never did anything for you," Dean yells, making sure Gabriel hears his words.
As you all get in the Impala, Sam and Dean agree that life would be better as a TV show. You have no clue what they are talking about, but you don't say a word. Too much as happened. Castiel sits with you in the back seat. He watches you curiously, but doesn't say anything either.
