Dean placed the ring in the front pocket of his plaid shirt as the dust of War blew into the wind. The three looked at one another before heading back into town. The silence was explained by the pile of bodies where the huge fight was fought, Ellen and Jo standing amongst them. When they saw the three, Ellen and Jo walked over.

"Are they dead?" Sam asked, looking at the bodies strewn about.

"No, their hearts are still beating." Ellen said with a sigh. "I'm guessing the strain of War's hold suddenly being lifted caused them to fall unconscious. When they awake, I wonder how the media will explain this one."

"A gas leak. It's their excuse for everything," Dean said.

"You're probably right."

With that, the group headed back toward the cars. Ellen and Jo planned to lay low for a bit just to regain some strength. Meanwhile, Carly, Sam, and Dean would head a few states over as Castiel had called to tell them where he believed the next horsemen was, but would go into more detail when they arrived.

Sam and Dean got the car ready as Ellen did the same with hers. As they worked, Carly went to help, but Jo grabbed her arm to stop her. Carly looked back at Jo as she motioned Carly to follow her a good distance from the others so they couldn't listen in.

When they were back aways, Jo turned to Carly. "I know everything is a shit show right now and you've been thrown right into the middle of it, but don't let the apocalypse stop you from being happy."

"How could anyone be happy at a time like this?" Carly asked.

"I know it may feel like that right now, but trust me, don't push happiness away when it's right in front of you because you may never find it again," Jo said.

"What are you talking about?" Carly asked.

"I think you know," Jo said, motioning her head in Dean's direction.

At first, Carly didn't understand and then she saw the look on Jo's face. She realized what Jo was implying and Carly shook her head frantically.

"You think I like Dean...like that? Oh, no. We're just friends. I only see him as my friend," Carly denied, obviously lying.

Jo leaned forward with a smile. "I don't think he sees you as a friend."

Carly looked toward Dean who was putting something in the trunk. As he closed the lid, he noticed her gaze. When he did, he smiled toward her. She turned back to deny it once more, but Jo was already by her mother. Carly shook off the feeling and pushed that idea deep into her mind. She couldn't think about that right now when things were so damn complicated already.

The group went their separate ways as Sam, Dean, and Carly drove in one direction and Ellen and Jo went the other. Castiel gave them the town's motel address and they went straight there. In honesty, they should've waited to get a breather and figure things out, but the longer they waited, the longer Lucifer walked free on this Earth.

They arrived a few hours later and checked into the room Castiel suggested. The three arrived and decided to rest up before telling Castiel they were in town. Carly got one bed while Dean and Sam shared the other. Rest did not come easy for them, but eventually, the three fell into unconsciousness. Carly awoke a few hours later as she pushed herself up to sit. Her head throbbed as she got to her feet, going into the bathroom to wash her face.

Carly stepped into the small bathroom to look at herself in the dingy mirror. She looked like crap. She looked weak and...broken.

Her reflection made anger rise up within herself. Carly hated the feeling of weakness. She wanted to be strong and fearless, but right now she felt anything but. Maybe her dream was right. Maybe giving into her demons would help her in the end.

Yet, doing so would be stooping down to a level she judged Sam for going to. Giving in would mean becoming like him and no matter what her mind told her, she would never let that happen. Not if she could help it that is.

Carly tried to ignore that thought as she bent down over the sink, turning the faucet to the coldest setting. With both hands, she threw water up at her face. She felt the water droplets drip from her skin as she closed her eyes.

She stood like this for several moments before reaching over and grabbing the hand towel above the toilet. When it was dry, she looked back into the mirror. What she saw caused her to drop the towel on the floor.

Her reflection was replaced with a strong, woundless version of herself. A smile plastered upon its face with eyes as dark as charcoal. Carly backed into the opposite wall as it crawled out of the mirror. First the hands, then the feet, and then the entire doubles body stood outside of the mirror in front of Carly.

Her eyes went wide as her heart raced in her chest, fear coursing through her veins. This other version of her walked over so they were face to face. When it spoke, it was almost a whisper. "You cannot hide from what's inside of you."

Then it lunged forward, causing Carly to scream. As she did, Carly opened her eyes and found herself back in the bedroom with moonlight shining through the crack in the curtains. Her scream caused Sam and Dean to wake up just as she did. Both looked concerned, but neither had a chance to ask before they noticed a figure standing in the corner of the room.

The three got out of bed as Carly turned on the lamp, Dean pointing his gun in the direction of the figure, only to lower it at the sight of Castiel standing there with a burger in hand. Dean's eyes went wide with confusion as this was the first he had ever seen Castiel eat anything. He looked back at Sam and Carly and they had the same look on their faces as well.

Dean voiced the confusion of the group. "Are you eating...a burger?"

"Yes, that is the effect of the newest horseman Famine," Castiel murmured, taking another large bite of the burger squished between his fingers.

"If this horseman is Famine, why are you shoving a burger into your mouth?" Sam asked.

"Famine has the opposite effect on those he is near," Castiel said, swallowing the food in his mouth. "He makes you hunger for the thing your soul most desires. Whether that be sex, money, or in my vessel's case...hamburgers."

"How come we don't feel anything?" Carly asked.

"That's because you just got to town. It will probably affect you three in mere hours, which is why you need to take Famine down as fast as you can before it fully takes control of you," Castiel explained.

"Why don't you help us?" Dean asked, taking a step forward.

"I cannot do much as Famine's control has taken me. I can think of nothing but when I will eat another burger, so fighting is out of the question. Yet, I can tell you where he is, which is a diner across town where he killed everyone inside by using their desires against them," Castiel said.

"So, let's go right now," Sam said.

Castiel shook his head. "You aren't going."

"And why not?" Sam asked.

"Because the closer we get to Famine, the stronger the hunger within each of us grows. I will crave red meat more than anything else while Dean will probably crave porn or beer." Castiel said, Dean silently agreeing as Castiel turned toward Sam. "You'll crave demon blood more than you ever have before. If you stay here, the cravings will steadily get stronger, but if you go into the Lion's den, you'll frenzy and attack anything that isn't human."

"Why aren't you looking at Carly as well? She'll have the same cravings I will," Sam whined.

"But she hasn't given in as you have. She'll be able to hold back longer than you, which is why she and Dean will be going to defeat Famine and you will be staying here in the safety of this motel room," Castiel said.

"What if I give in?" Carly asked, wringing her hands.

Dean noticed this and wrapped his hands around hers. "You're a lot stronger than you give yourself credit for. You can do this."

Sam noticed Dean's movement and clenched his fists tight. The more he saw Dean fawning over Carly the more his anger grew. He had no right to be angry as he and Carly were no longer together, but that didn't stop the feelings from showing up.

Carly went with Castiel as Dean took Sam into the bathroom. The hunger in his gut was growing and if he was going to stay in the motel room, he had to be secure. He sat down on the floor as Dean handcuffed him to the piping of the sink.

When it was tight enough to keep him from escaping, Dean began to get to his feet, but Sam grabbed his hand. Dean crouched back down with a confused look as Sam's gaze met his.

"Don't," Sam said.

Dean raised a brow in more confusion. "Don't what?"

It was obvious Sam wanted to stay something, but when he opened his mouth no words escaped. He gritted his teeth and looked down at the floor. When his gaze returned to Dean's, he said something entirely different than what he originally planned.

"Don't fail. Defeat Famine and get that ring. Just be careful and watch over her." Sam said as they both looked toward Castiel and Carly talking a few feet away from them. "Don't let her give in as I did."

Dean nodded before getting up and closing the bathroom door behind him, locking it just to be safe. The three left the motel room and headed down to the car. Dean drove while Carly sat in the back and Castiel gave directions from the passenger seat in-between chews of his burger.

A mere twenty minutes later they were parked across the street from the diner with all the lights turned out. Cars littered the parking lot, but at least from their distance, there was no movement inside. The plan was to sneak around back and catch Famine alone.

As they planned, Carly felt this pit in her stomach, almost a pain of hunger. She was shaking and her throat was dry. She gritted her teeth as she squeezed her eyes shut with a deep breath. The hunger was stronger than she ever felt before.

The three got out of the car as Carly stumbled onto the sidewalk. "Dean…"

"Yeah?"

"It's getting worse."

She was growing weaker by the moment as Castiel kept shoving burgers into his mouth, but Dean was fine. He didn't look like an addict waiting for a fix, he looked completely fine as if it was just another day.

He came to Carly's side and helped her stand up straight. "Just hold on a little longer. We'll defeat Famine and the hunger will vanish."

"Will it?" she asked, meeting his gaze. "We both know that it'll still be there lingering."

"We can do this. I know we can."