March 29th - March 30th, 2010

Sam, Bobby, Cass, Nate, and I searched everywhere for Dean but were having no luck. Eventually, Sam realized that he probably went to visit Lisa to say goodbye. We ended up finding out what motel he was staying in.

Sam and I walked into his room and found him taping up a large box marked for Robert Singer.

"Sending someone a candy-gram?" Sam asked.

Dean turned around, looking shocked that we were standing there. "How'd you find me?"

"You're going to kill yourself, right? It's not too hard to figure out the stops on the Farewell Tour. How's Lisa doing, anyways?" Sam asked.

Dean shook his head. "I'm not going to kill myself."

"No?" Sam asked, "So Michael's not about to make you his Muppet? What the hell, man? This is how it ends?"

"You just… walk out on us?" I asked furiously.

Dean nodded. "Yeah, I guess."

Sam shook his head. "How could you do that?"

Dean furrowed his brow. "How could I? All you've ever done is run away."

I nodded. "And he was wrong."

Sam nodded. "Every single time I did it, I was wrong." He sighed. "Just… please." He shook his head. "Not now. Bobby is working on something."

"Oh, really? What?" Dean asked, unconvinced.

Sam and I didn't answer. We hadn't come up with that lie yet.

Dean shook his head. "You got nothing, and you know it."

"You know we have to stop you," I said.

Dean nodded. "Yeah, well, you can try." He pointed at Sam. "Just remember: You're not all hopped up on demon blood this time."

Sam nodded. "Yeah, I know."

"But we brought help," I said.

Dean turned, and Cass appeared right beside him. Cass touched Dean's forehead with his fingertip, and he immediately dropped to the ground, unconscious.


Dean paced around Bobby's study angrily as Bobby sat at his desk, flipping through several books.

"Yeah, no, this is good." Dean scoffed. "Really. Ya know, eight months of turned pages and screwed pooches but tonight, tonight's when the magic happens."

"You ain't helpin'," Bobby snapped at him.

"Yeah, well, why don't you let me get out of your hair, then?" Dean asked.

I shook my head and gave him a dirty look. "What the hell happened to you?"

"Reality happened. Nuclear's the only option we have qleft. Michael can ice the Devil, save a boatload of people," Dean said.

Bobby shook his head. "But not all of them. We gotta think of something else."

Dean nodded. "Yeah, well, that's easy for you to say. But if Lucifer burns this mother down, and I could'a done something about it, guess what? That's on me."

Bobby sighed. "You can't give up, son."

Dean glared at him. "You're not my father. And you ain't in my shoes."

Bobby hesitated for a second and then reached into his desk. He pulled a gun out and set it down, then he took a bullet out of his pocket and looked at it.

"What is that?" Dean asked.

"That's the round that I mean to put through my skull." Bobby set the bullet down on the desk in front of him. "Every morning, I look at it. I think, 'Maybe today's the day I flip the lights out.' But I don't do it. I never do it. Ya know why? Because I promised you I wouldn't give up!" he shouted.

We all stared at Bobby in disbelief, and then Cass grasped his head and hunched over in pain.

"Cass, you okay?" Sam asked with worry in his voice.

Cass shook his head and groaned. "No."

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"Something's happening," Cass said.

"Where?" Dean asked.

Suddenly, Cass disappeared, causing wind to blow papers off Bobby's desk and around the room.


While we waited for Bobby to figure something out and for Cass to hopefully come back, I went into the living room. I paced around angrily while Nate tried to calm me down.

I shook my head. "I can't believe him."

Nate nodded. "I know. You said that like twenty times now."

I sighed. "I'm sorry." I shook my head. "Just can't—"

"Believe him." Nate nodded. "I know."

"It's just… it's Dean. Ya know?" I shrugged. "He doesn't just give up. He's like the most stubborn person I know. He's taught me almost everything I know. I mean, he's my big brother… he basically raised me." I shook my head, starting to feel my throat tighten. "I can't lose him. Not like this."

Nate walked up and put his hands on my shoulders, stopping me from walking. "Then you need to tell him that." He looked at me very seriously. "Trust me." Then he pulled me into a hug.

"Help!" Cass yelled from Bobby's study.

"Guys!" Bobby shouted.

We immediately ran into the room as Cass laid a mud-covered man down on the cot next to the window. When I saw his face, I realized exactly who it was.

"Who is that?" Nate asked.

"That's our brother," Sam said.

All of us were in shock.

Bobby shook his head. "Wait a minute. Your brother? Adam?"

"Cass, what the hell?" Dean asked.

"Angels," Cass said.

Sam furrowed his brow. "Angels? Why?"

"I know one thing for sure. We need to hide him now," Cass said and put his hand on Adam's chest.

We heard a scraping sound, and then Adam woke up with a pained scream.

He looked at all of us. "Where am I?"

"It's okay. Just relax, you're safe," Sam said calmly.

"Who the hell are you?" Adam glared at us.

"You're going to find this a little…" Dean shrugged. "A lot crazy, but we're actually your family."

Adam looked at us like we were crazy.

"It's the truth. John Winchester was our father, too," Sam said, "See, I'm Sam…"

Adam nodded. "Yeah, and I'm sure that's Dean and Maddison. I know who you are."

"How?" Sam asked.

"They warned me about you," Adam said.

"Who?" I asked.

"The angels. Now where the hell is Zachariah?" Adam asked.

Dean shook his head and walked over to fill a glass with whiskey. "Let's get you cleaned up first, and then we'll talk."

Cass walked up to Adam and touched his forehead. In a flash, the dirt and mud was gone. "There."

Dean turned around to see what Cass had done and then shrugged and handed Adam the glass of whiskey. "Uh, okay. So why don't you just tell us everything?" He sat down. "Start from the beginning."

Adam sighed. "Well, I was dead and in Heaven. 'Cept it— it uh, kinda looked like my prom and I was making out with this girl, her name was Kristin McGee—"

Dean nodded. "Yeah, that sounds like Heaven. Did you get to third base?"

Sam cleared his throat. "Just, uh— Just keep going."

"Well, these— these angels, they popped out of nowhere, and they tell me that I— I'm chosen," Adam said.

Sam furrowed his brow. "For what?"

"To save the world," Adam said.

"How you gonna do that?" Dean asked.

"Oh, me and some archangel are going to kill the Devil," Adam said.

Dean furrowed his brow. "What archangel?"

"Michael." Adam shrugged. "I'm his, uh, sword or vessel or something." He shook his head. "I don't know."

Dean shook his head and chuckled. "Well, that's insane."

Cass shook his head. "Not necessarily."

Dean turned to look at Cass. "How do you mean?"

Cass shrugged. "Maybe they're moving on from you, Dean."

Dean shook his head. "Well, that doesn't make sense."

"He is John Winchester's bloodline, Sam's brother." Cass shook his head. "It's not perfect, but it's possible."

"Well, you gotta be kidding me." Dean scoffed.

"Why would they do this?" Sam asked.

Cass shrugged. "Maybe they're desperate. Maybe they wrongly assumed Dean would be brave enough to withstand them."

Dean glared at him. "All right, ya know what? Blow me, Cass."

Sam shook his head. "Look, no way. After everything that's happened? All that crap about destiny? Suddenly the angels have a Plan B? Does that smell right to anybody?"

"You know this has been a really moving family reunion, but uh, I got a thing, so…" Adam slapped his knee and stood up with a sigh.

Sam put his hand out. "Whoa, whoa, whoa. No. Sit down. Just listen, okay…? Please."

Adam rolled his eyes and sat back down. "It's unbelievable."

"Now, Adam… the angels are lying to you. They're full of crap," Sam said.

Adam shook his head and chuckled. "Yeah, I don't think so."

"Really." Sam scoffed. "Why not?"

"Um, 'cause they're angels," Adam said.

Sam nodded. "They tell you they were gonna roast half the planet?"

"They said the fight might get pretty hairy, but it is the Devil, right?" Adam shrugged. "So we got to stop him."

Sam nodded. "Yeah, but there's another way."

Adam shrugged. "Great. What is it?"

"We're working on the power of love," Dean said sarcastically.

"How's that going?" Adam asked.

Dean smiled and shook his head. "Mmm. Not good."

I shot Dean a look.

Sam sighed. "Look, Adam… you don't know me from a hole in the wall, I know. But I'm begging you. Please, just trust me. Give me some time."

"Give me one good reason," Adam said.

Sam took a deep breath. "Because we're blood."

Adam shook his head. "You've got no right to say that to me."

"You're still John's boy," Bobby said.

Adam shook his head. "No, John Winchester was some guy who took me to a baseball game once a year. I don't have a dad. So, we may be blood, but we are not family. My mom is my family. And if I do my job, I get to see her again. So, no offense, but she's the one I give a rat's ass about, not you."

Sam nodded. "Fair enough. But if you have one good memory of Dad, just one, then you'll give us a little more time. Please."


Cass and Sam brought Dean down to Bobby's panic room to keep him on lockdown.

Nate and I were hanging out in the living room when I spotted Adam push his food away and then stand up. As he approached the front door, I stood up and walked over to him.

"Where're you going?" I asked.

Adam swung around and nodded. "Out for a… beer."

Sam walked up behind me. "Great. We got beer." He pointed to a chair at the table. "Have a seat."

Adam sighed. "Great. Ya know, you pitched this whole dewy-eyed bromance thing, but the truth is, I'm on lockdown, aren't I?"

I sighed. "Look, you may not believe this, but Dad wasn't around because he was trying to protect you."

Sam nodded. "He was keeping you from all of this."

Adam nodded. "Yeah, well, I guess the monster that ate me didn't get that memo."

Sam furrowed his brow. "You remember that?"

Adam nodded. "Oh yeah."

"Still, trust me. The one thing worse than seeing Dad once a year was seeing him all year," Sam said.

Adam shook his head. "Do you know how full of crap you are?"

"What?" Sam asked.

Adam nodded. "Really. You see, it was me, and it was my mom. That's it. She worked the graveyard shift at the hospital. I cooked my own dinners. I put myself to bed. So, you can say whatever you want about our dad, but the truth is, I would have taken anything."

Sam nodded.

"All right?" Adam asked.

Sam sighed. "Look, if we had known we had a brother—"

Adam shook his head. "Well, you didn't, so—"

Sam shrugged. "We would have found you."

Adam scoffed and shook his head.

Sam sighed. "Look, I can't change the past. I wish I could. But from here on out—"

"What?" Adam snapped, "We gonna hop in the family truckster? Pop on down to Wally World?"

Sam scoffed and shook his head. "Tell you one thing… with an attitude like that, you would have fit right in around here."


Sam, Bobby, and I went downstairs to check on Dean. When we opened the door, Sam and I stepped in, but Cass stood outside and glared at Dean.

"Well, Cass, not for nothing, but the last person who looked at me like that… I got laid," Dean said.

Sam turned to Cass. "Uh, why don't you, uh, go keep an eye on Adam?"

Dean winked at Cass, and then Cass slammed the door shut.

Dean put his hands out, gesturing to the room. "Is this really necessary?"

"Well…" Sam chuckled. "I mean, we got our hands full, Dean… a house full of flight risks."

"I'm not letting him do it," Dean said.

Sam furrowed his brow. "Who? Adam? No, we— we're not, either."

Dean shook his head. "No, you're not getting me."

I shook my head. "No, we get you."

Sam nodded. "But we're not letting you do it, either."

Dean sighed and leaned against a desk. "That kid's not taking a bullet for me."

Sam shook his head. "Dean—"

"I'm serious," Dean snapped, "I mean, think about how many people we've gotten killed, Sam. Mom, Dad, Jess, Jo, Ellen. Should I keep going?"

Sam shrugged. "It's not like we pulled the trigger."

Dean nodded. "We might as well have." He shook his head. "I'm tired, man. I'm tired of fighting who I'm supposed to be."

"Well, do you think maybe you could take a half a second and stop trying to sacrifice yourself for a change?" Sam asked, "Maybe we could actually stick together?"

Dean shook his head. "I don't think so."

"Why not?" Sam asked. "Dean, seriously. Tell us. We— We want to know."

Dean sighed and shook his head. "I just— I— I don't believe."

Sam shook his head. "In what?"

"In you." Dean stared directly at Sam.

Sam looked significantly hurt by this and looked away.

"I mean, I don't…" Dean shook his head. "I don't know whether it's gonna be demon blood or some other demon chick or what, but… I do know they're gonna find a way to turn you."

Sam furrowed his brow. "So, you're saying I'm not strong enough."

Dean shrugged. "You're angry. You're self-righteous. Lucifer's gonna wear you to the prom, man. It's just a matter of time."

Sam shook his head, tears in his eyes. "Don't say that to me. Not you… of all people."

Dean shook his head. "I don't want to. But it's the truth. And when Satan takes you over, there's got to be somebody there to fight him, and it ain't gonna be that kid. So, it's got to be me."

Sam shook his head, trying not to cry, and then turned toward the door. I grabbed his arm, but he pulled away and walked out.

Dean nodded toward the door. "You should probably go talk to him."

I shook my head. "He's not the brother I'm concerned about right now."

Dean rolled his eyes. "What else is there to talk about? I don't care what you guys do… I'm not gonna let Adam take the fall."

"Just shut up for a minute," I snapped, "What is wrong with you?"

Dean raised his eyebrows. "You want me to talk or—"

"I literally don't know who you are anymore," I snapped, "And I hate who you are right now."

"Gee, thanks," Dean said sarcastically.

"Stop being a smart-ass. You're just pissing me off more," I said, "You realize that giving these angels exactly what they want doesn't make you stronger. Even if you think you're doing it to protect people… becoming their bitch isn't the way to do it."

Dean shook his head. "I really don't want to hear this."

I shrugged. "I really don't care what you want to hear or not right now." I shook my head. "I think you're misunderstanding me."

Dean shrugged. "I understand you perfectly."

I shook my head. "No, I'm not telling you this because I think it'll change your mind. I'm not stupid. I know how stubborn you are. I'm just letting you know exactly how I feel before you go do something I think is unbelievably dumb and so unlike you." I looked at him sadly. "I looked up to you my whole life, Dean. You taught me to stand up for myself and to not take anything from anyone. You taught me… we don't go down without a fight." I furrowed my brow at him. "I still need you, and you're just giving up. Turning your back on everything you've ever taught me." I shook my head. "Well, screw you."

"This is a great pep-talk, seriously," Dean said, trying not to make eye contact with me.

"I really don't care what you think because you clearly don't care what I do." I took a deep breath and sighed. "Lucifer has come to me multiple times in my dreams. It's the only way he can talk to me."

Dean furrowed his brow, finally looking at me. "Why wouldn't you tell us that?"

"Because I didn't want Sam to do exactly what you think you're doing for Adam!" I shouted.

"What?" Dean asked.

I shrugged. "I'm his back up vessel, just like Adam is Michael's."

Dean glared at me. "How could you keep that a secret?!"

"Because Dean. It doesn't matter!" I shouted. "No matter what happens, I'm never saying yes to him. But he wants me to convince Sam to, and he said if I don't, he will kill you and Sam and make me say yes." I shook my head. "I still said no, and I will always say no because I thought that was what you would've done." I shrugged. "For the greater good and all that." I sighed. "Look, all I'm saying is Michael may not be the Devil, but I'm not seeing how he's any better." I stepped closer to him. "If you say yes to him… I'm promising you right now, I will find a way to stop him, and I will kill him myself. I don't care if it's you who's looking back at me when I do it." I stared at him very seriously.

I felt my eyes well with tears and turned away. Then I walked out of the room and closed and locked the heavy door behind me. I walked up the stairs and shut the basement door.

"You okay?" Nate asked as he walked up to me.

I shook my head with tears in my eyes.

He pulled me into a hug and kissed the side of my head. "It's Dean. He'll make the right choice."

I shook my head. "I really don't know this time. I mean, he's had doubts in the past before, but he's never let them take over."

"I don't think it's a good idea to give up on him right now." He rubbed my back. "I honestly think he needs you to have a little faith in him." He kissed my forehead. "Just don't give up, okay?"


A couple of hours later, Cass went down to check on Dean, but he hadn't come back up for a while, so Sam went down. He immediately ran back up and past Nate and me.

"Sam?" I asked and got up to chase after him into Bobby's study. "What's going on?"

"Where's Cass?" Bobby asked.

Sam shook his head. "Blown to Oz."

"What?" I asked, "Where's Dean?"

Sam shrugged. "Hell if I know." He looked at Bobby. "Look, Maddi and I will get Dean. He couldn't have gone too far. Just watch Adam."

Bobby shrugged. "How? You may have noticed... he's got a slight height advantage."

Sam shrugged. "Then cuff him to your chair. I don't know." He turned to Nate. "Just watch him." Then Sam and I left.


Sam and I hit the road, searching everywhere for Dean along the way.

I took a deep breath and sighed. "I have to tell you something, but you can't freak out or do anything drastic."

"What are you talking about?" Sam asked, looking over at me worried.

"Since Dean knows now, it's only fair you do, and it's probably just a matter of time before you find out anyway," I said nervously.

"What?" Sam asked urgently.

"I'm like Adam…" I said.

"Meaning?" he asked.

"I'm a backup if you won't say yes…" I looked over at him.

"What do you mean?" Sam asked, trying not to look terrified.

"I think you know what I mean," I said, "Lucifer wants me to convince you to say yes, and if I can't… he'll make me say yes."

"How did he tell you this?" Sam asked.

"He's talked to me in my dreams," I said.

"Dreams?" Sam asked, "As in, he's done that more than once?"

I nodded. "Yeah."

He shook his head. "Why would you hide that?"

I sighed. "'Cause honestly, I was worried that—"

Sam nodded. "You don't believe in me either."

"Sam, no." I shook my head. "I was worried you were gonna do something crazy, thinking you were protecting me."

Sam shook his head, still looking hurt. "I'm not going to betray you guys again."

I reached over and put my hand on his arm. "Honestly, it wasn't like that." I sighed. "I just know how protective you and Dean are of me." I sighed and shook my head. "Maybe it was selfish to think you would do something like that because of me. But I couldn't live with myself knowing that the reason you said yes… was me."

Sam just nodded.

"I'm sorry. I guess I should've told you," I said.

Sam shook his head. "No, I get it. You're right. We do stupid things to protect each other."

Ring! Ring!

I answered my phone immediately, thinking it could be Dean, "Hello?"

"You gotta get back here. Adam's gone," Nate said.

"What? What are you talking about? Gone how?" I asked.

"Maddi, he's just gone," he said.

"We'll be there as soon as possible," I said and hung up.


We ran into the house and into Bobby's study as soon as we got back.

"Bobby, what do you mean Adam is gone?!" Sam yelled.

"Should I say it in Spanish?" Bobby asked.

"He's gone, how?" Sam shook his head. "What the hell, Bobby?!"

Bobby furrowed his brow. "Watch your tone, boy."

"Sam, he was sitting right in front of us and then just disappeared." Nate shook his head. "There was nothing we could've done."

Suddenly, Cass appeared next to us, with a bloody and battered Dean hanging off his shoulder. "Because the angels took him."

"What the hell happened to him?" Sam asked, pointing to Dean.

"Me," Cass said and put Dean down on the couch. "The angels took Adam."

"What do you mean?" Bobby asked, "You branded his ribs, didn't you?"

Cass nodded. "Yes. Adam must have tipped them."

Bobby shook his head. "How?"

Cass shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe in a dream."

"Well, where would they have taken him?" Sam asked.

"They took him to the room I took Dean to, the day you killed Lilith," Cass said.

I had remembered Dean talking about this room. He called it the "beautiful room." Apparently, the room provided whatever food and drink the occupant favored the most. Cass and Zachariah had taken him there when Sam was on his way to kill Lilith. That was why he had disappeared from Bobby's house.


Sam and I went down to check on Dean because Sam thought it was a good idea to bring him with us to get Adam. He was handcuffed to the cot that he was passed out on, and eventually, he woke up and sat up slowly.

"How you feeling?" Sam asked.

"Word to the wise: don't piss off the nerd angels. So, how's it going?" Dean asked.

"Adam's gone. The angels have him," Sam said.

"Where?" Dean asked.

"The room where they took you," Sam said.

"You sure?" Dean asked.

Sam nodded. "Cass did a recon."

"And?" Dean asked.

"And the place is crawling with mooks… pretty much a no-shot-in-hell, hail-Mary kind of thing," Sam said.

Dean nodded. "Ah, so the usual. What are you going to do?"

Sam shrugged. "For starters… we're bringing you with."

Dean furrowed his brow. "Excuse me?"

Sam unlocked Dean's handcuffs. "There are too many of them. We can't do it alone. And uh, you're pretty much the only game in town."

"Isn't that a bad idea?" Dean asked.

I was feeling hesitant about the idea, but I wanted to try and listen to what Nate told me.

"Bobby and Cass think so." Sam shrugged. "Some of us aren't so sure."

"Well, they're right. Because either it's a trap to get me there to make me say yes, or it's not a trap, and I'm gonna say yes anyway. And I will. I'll do it. Fair warning," Dean said, very seriously.

Sam shook his head. "No, you won't. When push shoves, you'll make the right call."

Dean nodded. "You know if tables were turned… I'd let you rot in here. Hell, I have let you rot in here."

Sam nodded. "Yeah, well… I guess I'm not that smart."

Dean shook his head. "I— I don't get it. Why are you doing this?"

"Because… you're still our big brother," I said.


Sam, Dean, Cass, and I went to an old abandoned warehouse in California. Cass said it was where the "beautiful room" was located.

"Where the hell are we?" Dean asked.

"Van Nuys, California," Cass said.

"Where's the beautiful room?" Dean asked.

Cass pointed to the building. "In there."

Dean furrowed his brow, looking at the building doubtfully. "The beautiful room is in an abandoned muffler factory in Van Nuys, California?"

Cass nodded. "Where'd you think it was?"

Dean shrugged. "I— I don't know. Jupiter? A blade of grass? Not Van Nuys."

"Tell me again why you don't just grab Adam and Shazam the hell out of there," Sam said to Cass.

"Because there are at least five angels in there," Cass said.

Dean shook his head and shrugged. "So? You're fast."

Cass shook his head. "They're faster." He took off his tie and shoved it into his pocket. "I'll clear them out. You three grab the boy. This is our only chance."

"Whoa, wait. You're gonna take on five angels?" Dean asked.

Cass nodded. "Yes."

Dean shook his head. "Isn't that suicide?"

Cass shrugged. "Maybe it is. But then I won't have to watch you fail. I'm sorry, Dean. I don't have the same faith in you that they do." Then he pulled a box cutter out of his pocket.

"What the hell are you gonna do with that?" Sam asked.

Cass ignored his question, lifted his shirt, and carved the angel banishing symbol into his chest. Then he walked into the warehouse.

A few minutes went by, and a bright white light flashed through the cracks of the door, and we went in after the light dulled.

When we entered, the warehouse was empty except for a dead body lying in the center of the room and a small enclosed office.

Dean opened the door, and a glowing light shined out. He put a finger up for Sam and me to wait, and then he entered the room by himself.

"Adam, hey," he said, "Hey."

"You came for me," Adam strained.

"Yeah, well, you're family," Dean said.

"Dean, it's a trap," Adam said.

"I figured," Dean said.

Then Zachariah's voice echoed out of the room, "Dean, please. Did you really think it would be that easy?"

"Did you?" Dean asked.

Sam and I pulled out angel blades and ran up behind Zachariah, each ready to stab him, but he turned around and knocked the blades out of our hands. Then he threw each of us against the wall, and the door slammed shut.

"No!" Dean yelled.

Zachariah turned back to Dean. "You know what I've learned from this experience, Dean? Patience." He waved his hand, and Adam fell to the floor, coughing up blood.

"Adam?" Dean bent down next to Adam and looked back up at Zachariah. "Let him go, you son of a bitch."

Zachariah shrugged. "I mean, I thought I was downsized for sure. And for us, a firing…" He chuckled. "Pretty damn literal. But I should have trusted the boss-man. It's all playing out like he said… you, me, your hemorrhaging siblings."

He put his hand out toward Sam and me, and we both started coughing up blood. It felt like my stomach and lungs were on fire, and I was just choking on my own blood. He turned his attention back to Dean.

"You're finally ready, right?" Zachariah asked.

Dean looked between all of us in horror as we painfully continued coughing up blood.

Zachariah shook his head. "You know there's no other choice. There's never been a choice."

"Stop it. Stop it right now!" Dean yelled.

"In exchange for what?" Zachariah asked.

"Damn it, Zachariah," Dean's voice was strained as he looked at Sam and me. "Stop it, please. I'll do it."

"I'm sorry." Zachariah cupped his hand behind his ear. "What was that?"

Dean nodded reluctantly. "Okay, yes. The answer is yes."

"Dean!" Sam shouted.

I looked up at him in shock.

"Do you hear me? Call Michael down, you bastard!" Dean yelled.

"How do I know you're not lying?" Zachariah asked.

"Do I look like I'm lying?" Dean asked with a straight face.

Zachariah observed him for a moment and then turned to look up at the ceiling. "Zodiredo… noco… aberamage… nazodpesade…" He smiled. "He's coming."

Dean looked at us and winked. "Of course, I have a few conditions."

Zachariah turned back to Dean. "What?"

"The few people whose safety you have to guarantee before I say yes," Dean said.

Zachariah nodded. "Sure, fine. Make a list."

"But most of all… Michael can't have me until he disintegrates you," Dean said.

"What did you say?" Zachariah asked.

"I said… before Michael gets one piece of this sweet ass… he has to turn you into a piece of charcoal," Dean said.

Zachariah chuckled nervously. "You really think Michael's gonna go for that?"

Dean shrugged. "Who's more important to him now? You… or me?"

Zachariah charged forward and grabbed hold of Dean's collar. "You listen to me. You are nothing but a maggot inside a worm's ass," he snapped, "Do you know who I am… after I deliver you to Michael?"

Dean nodded. "Expendable."

Zachariah shook his head and laughed. "Michael's not gonna kill me."

Dean shrugged. "Maybe not. But I am." He slipped an angel blade out of his sleeve and stabbed him through his chin and out through the top of his head.

As soon as Zachariah fell, the pain stopped, and we stopped coughing up blood. Then a bright white light filled the room, followed by an ear-piercing noise, making Dean cover his ears and drop to the ground too.

He made his way to Adam and helped him up, and then he ran over to us. "Come on, move it!" He reached his hand out to me and pulled me up, and then Sam up, and we ran out of the room.

When we broke the threshold, the door slammed behind us, locking Adam inside.

"No! Dean! Help! It won't open!" Adam yelled as he slammed on the door.

Dean ran back and tried the knob, but it singed his hand, and he immediately let go.

"Dean, help! Dean!" Adam yelled.

"Hold on! We'll get you out. Just hold on!" Dean yelled, but then Adam went silent. "Adam! Can you hear me?!"

Bright white light shined out of the cracks in the windows and then suddenly faded. Dean grabbed the knob, but this time he was able to open the door. When the door swung open, we were just looking at an empty office, not the beautiful bright room we had just walked out of.

"Adam?" Dean asked.


After we left the empty warehouse, we made our way back to Bobby's in the Impala.

"You think Adam's okay?" Sam asked.

Dean shook his head. "Doubt it. Cass either. But we'll get 'em."

"So…" Sam said.

"So what?" Dean asked.

"I saw your eyes. You were totally rockin' the yes back there. So, what changed your mind?" Sam asked.

"Honestly?" Dean shook his head. "The damnedest thing. I mean, the world's ending. The walls are coming down on us, and I look over at you two, and all I can think about is… I don't want to let them down."

Sam shook his head. "You didn't."

I shrugged. "You almost did." I chuckled softly. "But you didn't."

Dean looked at me in the rearview mirror. "I owe you both an apology."

Sam shook his head. "No, man. No, you don't."

Dean nodded. "Just… let me say this. I don't know if it's being a big brother or what, but to me, you've both have always been these snot-nosed kids that I've had to keep on the straight and narrow." He looked at Sam. "It took me a long time to see it, but you aren't a little kid anymore." He shrugged. "I mean, hell, if you're grown-up enough to find faith in me… the least I can do is return the favor." He looked in the rearview mirror. "And sometimes you're too much like me for your own good. So, I know that you would try to do exactly what you promised me. Which means you would either hate yourself for it, or you would get yourself killed, and I didn't want to put you through that." He nodded. "So, screw destiny, right in the face. I say we take the fight to them and do it our way."

Sam nodded. "Sounds good."