The Winchesters are gathered at Bobby's. Bobby is sitting at his desk. He picks up a newspaper and wheels toward the kitchen. Dean is pointing accusingly towards Sam who's in the kitchen. Jamie is leaning against the doorframe so that she's partially between them. "What the hell is wrong with you?" Dean spits at Sam.
"Dean –"
"...no, don't "Dean" me. I mean, you - you have had some stupid ideas in the past, But this –" He looks at their sister. "D-did you know about this?"
Jamie rolls her eyes in his direction. "Prophetess." She says simply.
"How could you?!" Dean yells.
"I haven't done anything. Yet." She answers calmly.
Dean whirls around and looks toward their surrogate father. "Bobby!"
"What?" He asks, he too isn't in the mood for Dean's angry outburst.
"You too? You knew about Sam's genius plan to cram the devil down his throat?" Bobby nods. "Well, thanks for the heads up!"
"Hey, this ain't about me." Bobby tells him.
"Or me." Jamie adds.
Dean turns back towards Sam. "You can't do this."
Sam shrugs. "That's the consensus."
"All right. Awesome. Then, end of discussion." Dean's phone rings. He glances down at his pocket, hesitantly.
"Answer." Jamie commands.
"This isn't over." He replies pointedly, taking out his phone. "Hello?"
"Dean?"
"Cas?"
Jamie and Sam both look up. "Is he okay?" Sam asks. Dean holds up a finger.
"We all thought you were dead."
"I didn't think he was dead." Jamie mutters. Sam gives her a look. She shrugs.
"Where the hell are you, man?" Jamie grabs Dean's phone and puts it on speaker. Dean takes his phone back with a glare. "Cas?"
"A hospital." The angel answers monotone.
"Are you okay?" Dean asks.
"No."
The siblings immediately look at each other. "You want to elaborate?" Dean says, concerned.
" I just woke up here. The doctors were fairly surprised. They thought I was brain-dead."
Dean rolls his eyes toward the ceiling. "S-so, a hospital?"
"Apparently, after Van Nuys, I suddenly appeared, bloody and unconscious, on a shrimping boat off Delacroix. I'm told it upset the sailors."
"Uh, well, I got to tell you, man - You're just in time. We figured out a way to pop Satan's box."
"How?"
"It's a long story, but, look -we're going after Pestilence now. So if you want to zap over here..."
"I can't "zap" anywhere."
"What?" Sam and Jamie both ask. Dean stares at them.
"What do you mean?"
"You could say my batteries are - are drained."
"What do you mean? You're out of angel mojo?"
"I'm saying that I am thirsty and my head aches. I have a bug bite that itches no matter how much I scratch it, and I'm saying that I'm just incredibly..."
"Human. Wow. Sorry."
Sam looks at Jamie. She sighs. "Goddamnit."
"Well, my point is - I can't go anywhere without money for...an airplane ride. And food. And more pain medication, ideally."
Dean sighs. He whirls around and looks at Bobby. "All right. Well, look, no worries. Uh, Bobby's here. He'll wire you the cash."
"Dean, wait."
"I will?" Bobby asks, staring at Dean.
Jamie gestures to Bobby. "I'll take care of it."
"Nice try. Last time I checked you were broke."
"Later, Bobby."
"Dean, You said "no" to Michael. I owe you an apology."
Dean immediately takes his phone off speaker. "Cas...I-it's okay."
"You are not the burnt and broken shell of a man that I believed you to be."
"Thank you. I appreciate that."
"You're welcome."
Dean hangs up. The siblings stare at each other for a moment and then walk away in opposite directions.
Dean and Sam are standing by the Impala in Bobby's yard. Bobby is in his chair next to the car. Jamie walks out and hands Dean a bag.
"Sure you don't wanna come with?" Dean asks her.
"I'm gonna wait for Cas. We'll meet you as soon as possible." Jamie tells him.
Dean nods, taking the bag. He and Sam get into the Impala.
"Be careful." Bobby calls. Sam waves to him.
"Be friggin damn careful." Jamie mutters, she goes to stand by Bobby and they watch Sam and Dean leave.
Pestilence has Dean and Sam doubled over on the floor, bleeding from their mouths and coughing. They can't stand. "Hmm. You boys don't look well. It might be the, uh, Scarlet fever. Or, uh, the meningitis. Oh! Or the syphilis. That's no fun." He walks over and grabs Sam by the hair. "However you feel right now? It's gonna get so very, very much worse. Questions?" He drops Sam's head roughly. "Disease gets a bad rap, don't you think?" He walks over and puts disinfectant on his hands and walks back toward the boys. "For being filthy. Chaotic. Uh, but, really, t-that just describes people who get sick. Disease itself... Very...Pure...Single-minded." Dean looks up and sees his knife. He tries to reach for it. "Bacteria have one purpose -divide and conquer." Pestilence steps on Dean's hand. He cries out in pain. "That's why, in the end...It always wins. So, you've got to wonder why God pours all his love into something so messy...And 's ridiculous. All I can do is show him he's wrong, one epidemic at a time. Now... On a scale of 1 to 10, how's your pain?"
Behind him the door blows open, revealing Jamie and Castiel. Dean looks toward them. "Cas. Jamie."
"Jamie!" Sam calls out.
"How'd you get here?" Pestilence demands.
"I took a bus. Don't worry, I-" Castiel falls to the floor, also coughing up blood. Jamie looks down at him.
"Crap." She hisses, looking toward Pestilence. The horseman smirks.
"And you must be the prophetess. Oh don't worry. I won't hurt you. Much." He smirks, walking towards Castiel. "And would you look at that. An occupied vessel, but powerless. Oh, that's fascinating. There's not a speck of angel in you, is there?"
"Cas!" Jamie waves her fingers and the knife slides over to him. The nurse rushes over and attacks her. Jamie waves her arm and throws her into the wall. She is dispossessed. Castiel grabs Sam's knife and cuts off Pestilence's ring finger and pinky finger.
"Oh!"
"Maybe just a speck." Sam goes over to help Cas up. Dean and Jamie rush over to get the ring.
"It doesn't matter. It's too late." Pestilence disappears.
Back at Bobby's house, Bobby is back at his desk. It's littered with papers. Dean is leaning heavily on his arm, which is propped on the back of his chair, playing with Pestilence's ring. Sam is seated beside him. Castiel is sitting behind them, on another desk. Jamie is leaning against him.
"Well, it's nice to actually score a home run for once, ain't it? What?" Bobby asked, seeing the four of them looking grave and exhausted.
"Last thing Pestilence said. "it's too late." Sam says, glancing towards Bobby.
"He get specific?" Bobby glances around.
Jamie is shaking her head. "No."
Dena lifts his hand. "We're just a little freaked out that he might have left a bomb somewhere. So please tell us you have actual good news."
Bobby sighs and then looks away. "Chicago's about to be wiped off the map. Storm of the millennium. Sets off a daisy chain of natural disasters. Three million people are gonna die."
Jamie groans, putting her face in her hand. "Ugh."
"Huh." Dean lets his face drop into his arm. Sam looks defeated.
Castiel leans against his arm. "I don't understand your definition of good news."
Bobby gives him a look. "Well...Death, the horseman - he's gonna be there. And if we can stop him before he kick-starts this storm, get his ring back –"
Dean scoffs. "Yeah, you make it sound so easy." He says sarcastically.
Bobby raises his arms in frustration. "Hell, I'm just trying to put a spin on it."
Sam sighs, trying to calm the tension. "Well...Bobby, h-how'd you put all this together, anyways?"
Bobby doesn't answer right away. "I had, you know...Help." He says quietly.
Dean looks up suspiciously. "How? Jamie's been with Cas" He gestures back to his sister. "and then with us."
There's a clink and someone is pouring a glass of whiskey in the fridge. The Winchesters turn to see Crowley. "Oh please. Don't be so modest. I barely helped at all." He walks into the study. Cas and Jamie look up. He sniffs the glass and then sets it down. "Hello, boys. Pleasure, et cetera." He looks at Jamie. "Prophetess. We finally meet face to face."
Jamie straightens a little. "Hello Crowley."
"You know of me, I'm honored."
Jamie blinks. "Save it."
"Just like your brothers." He mutters and then turns his attention elsewhere. "Well Bobby, go ahead. Tell them. There's no shame in it."
Dean and Sam turn back to Bobby at the same time. "Bobby? Tell us what?" Sam demands.
"Bobby!" Jamie exclaims.
Bobby shrugs. "World's gonna end. Seems stupid to get all precious over one little...Soul.
"You sold your soul?" Dean demands. Castiel sighs and shakes his head. Jamie leans into his arms.
Crowley smiles. "Oh, more like pawned it. I fully intend to give it back."
"Well, then give it back!" Dean yells.
"I will."
"Now!" Dean and Jamie both yell.
"Did you kiss him?" Sam asks after a beat.
"Sam!"
"Just wondering."
The three siblings immediately turn to Bobby. It takes him a minute to answer. "No!" Crowley clears his throat and holds out his phone which has a picture of him and Bobby kissing on it. Dean, Jamie, and Sam stare at it. "Why'd you take a picture?"
"Why do you have to use tongue?"
Jamie looks between Crowley and Bobby. "The hell?"
Dean shakes his head, getting up. "All right. You know what? I'm sick of this. Give him his soul back now."
Crowley stares at him. "I'm sorry. I can't."
"Can't or won't?"
Jamie takes a step forward. Dean waits for an answer.
"I won't, all right? It's insurance."
"What are you talking about?"
Crowley gestures to him. "You kill demons." He points at Jamie. "That's Michael's prophetess." He turns to Sam. "Gigantor over there has a temper issue about it. But you won't kill me... As long as I have that soul in the deposit box."
"You son of a bitch." Bobby mutters.
"I'll return it. After all this is over, and I can walk safely away. Do we all understand each other?"
Dean is riffling through the trunk of the Impala. Jamie hands him various things and he puts them inside. Sam walks over and leans against the car, sighing. Dean looks up. "Let me guess. We're about to have a talk."
Jamie looks up. "Looks that way, don't it." She slams the trunk shut and leans against it. Dean walks over closer to Sam.
Sam looks at his sister and then to Dean. "Look, Dean, um...For the record...I agree with you. About me. You think I'm too weak to take on Lucifer. Well, so do I. Believe me, I know exactly how screwed up I am. You, Jamie, Bobby, Cas...I'm the least of any of you."
Dean sighs, turning away and crossing his arms. "Oh, Sam..."
"No, it's true. It is. But...I'm also all we got. If there was another way...But I don't think there is." Dean looks back at Sam. Jamie moves over to Sam's other side. "There's just me. So I don't know what else to do. Except just try t-to do what's got to be done." Jamie wraps her arms around him.
"And...Scene." The siblings turn to see Crowley. "There's something you need to see." He hands a newspaper to Sam. Jamie pulls the paper down so she can see it too.
Sam looks at the paper and starts reading. "Niveus pharmaceuticals is rushing delivery of its new swine-flu vaccine to "stem the tide of the unprecedented outbreak." Uh, shipments leave Wednesday."
Crowley stares at them. "Niveus pharmaceuticals. Get it?" Jamie starts to say something. "Not you, Jamie." Dean and Sam look at each other and shake their heads. "You two are lucky you have your looks. Your demon lover, Brady? V.P. of distribution, Niveus." Dean and Sam look at each other and then at Jamie, realization dawning. "Ah, yes, that the sound of the abacus clacking? We all caught up?"
Jamie shakes her head. "Son of a bitch."
"So, pestilence was spreading swine flu." Sam says.
Dean nods. "Yeah, but not just for giggles. That was step one. Step two is the vaccine. And you think –"
Jamie cuts him off. "I know. That vaccine is chock-full of grade-a, farm-fresh croatoan virus."
Sam shakes his head. "Simultaneous, countrywide distribution. It's quite a plan."
Crowley nods. "They don't get to be horsemen for nothing. So, you three better stock up on...Well, everything. This time next Thursday, we'll all be living in zombieland."
An alarmed look passes between the Winchester siblings. "Bobby!" Sam yells, taking off for the house.
"Cas!" Jamie and Dean echo, following him. Crowley shrugs and disappears.
That night Sam packs inside the house. Dean puts water on his face. Jamie laces her boots and grabs her utility jacket.
Outside Bobby is putting things in a bag in the garage. Cas is standing in front of the open van holding a shotgun and looking depressed. "What's your problem?" Bobby asks.
"This is what they mean by "the 11th hour," right?"
"Pretty much."
"Well, it's the 11th hour, and I am useless. All I have is this." He waves a shotgun. "What am I even supposed to do with it?"
"Point it and shoot."
Castiel rolls his eyes. Jamie walks over and puts a bag in the van.
"What I used to be –"
Jamie looks up. "Cas…"
Bobby huffs. "Are you really gonna bitch -to me? Quit pining for the varsity years..."He throws the bag into Cas's arms. "And load the damn truck."
Castiel throws the bag in. Dean slams the trunk of the Impala. Jamie puts her bag over her shoulders and then hands her gun to Sam. Sam takes it and looks down at it. "Jamie."
She shrugs. "In case you get into trouble." Sam hugs her.
Dean clears his throat. "All right, well...Good luck stopping the whole zombie apocalypse."
Sam nods. "Yeah. Good luck killing Death."
Jamie shakes her head. "Sounds so wrong."
Dean nods. "Yeah."
They look around at each other. Sam sighs. "Remember when we used to just...hunt wendigos and vampires? How simple things were?"
"No." Jamie says.
"Not really." Dean adds.
"Well, um..."Sam pulls out Ruby's knife "...You might need this."
"Keep it." Crowley appears and hands Dean a small scythe. "Dean's covered." Sam hands the knife to Jamie. "Well her, I guess. Anyway, Death's own. Kills, golly, demons and angels and reapers and, rumor has it, the very thing itself."
Castiel stares at it. "How did you get that?"
"Hello -king of the crossroads. So, shall we? Bobby, you just gonna sit there?"
"No, I'm gonna riverdance."
Crowley shrugs. "I suppose if you want to impress the ladies, not including Jamie." He looks at Dean and Sam. "Bobby, Bobby, Bobby. Really wasted that crossroads deal. Fact - you get more if you phrase it properly. So, I took the liberty of adding a teeny little sub-a clause on your behalf. What can I say? I'm an altruist. Just gonna sit there?"
Dean, Sam, Jamie, and Cas watch as Bobby tentatively takes his feet down. Bobby gets out of his wheelchair. The siblings turn to each other. Sam grins.
"I'll be damned." Jamie whispers.
"Son of a bitch." Bobby mutters.
"Yes, I know. Completely worth your soul. I'm a hell of a guy."
Dean smiles. Jamie steps out from Dean's side. She and Bobby look at each other and then hug. Bobby pulls back at looks at Crowley. "Thanks."
"This is getting maudlin. Can we go?" He gestures to Dean.
Dean and Crowley get into the Impala. Bobby and Sam get in the van. Jamie hangs back. "Cas."
Castiel turns around and grabs unto Jamie. "I…feel very odd right now." Jamie snickers. She leans in and kisses him. He kisses her back. They wrap their arms around each other, deepening the kiss.
"Jamie!" Dean yells from the Impala.
"Cas! Now!" Sam yells from the van.
They pull apart. Jamie gets into the Impala and Castiel gets into Bobby's van.
It's morning, Dean, Jamie, and Crowley are walking down a street. It's freezing, Dean and Jamie pull their jackets tighter around them. "Hey, let's stop for pizza." Crowley says, turning to them.
"What?" Jamie asks.
"Are you kidding?" Dean asks.
"Just heard it was good." They walk to the end of street. Jamie gasps. Crowley stops them both. "That's all. Up ahead. Big, ugly building. Ground zero. Horseman's stable, if you will. He's in there."
"How do you know?" Dean asks.
"Have you met me? 'cause I know."
"Reapers." Jamie says quietly.
Crowley nods. "Also, the block is squirming with reapers. I'll be right back." Jamie steps in front of Dean. Crowley disappears and reappears again. "Boy, is my face red. Death's not in there."
"You want to cut the cute and get to the part where you tell us where he is?" Dean demands.
"Sorry. I don't know." Crowley starts to walk away.
"Oh God." Jamie mutters.
Dean runs after Crowley. "Whoa, whoa, whoa. Wait a minute. You don't know?"
"Signs pointed. I-I'm just as shocked as you." He turns around. "Jamie?"
Jamie is still standing in the same spot. She looks up. "If I could find Death don't you think I would've? Some things I can't see."
Crowley tilts his head. "Interesting. Is it Michael doing that? Because I heard you ganked Famine and Pestilence didn't even make you twitch." Jamie catches up with them. Crowley starts walking again.
"Who cares? Bobby sold his soul for this!"
Crowley stops and turns back to Dean. "Relax. All deals are soul back or store credit. We'll catch Death in the next doomed city."
Jamie and Dean look at each other. Dean turns back to Crowley, obviously pissed off. "Millions, Crowley. Millions of people are about to die any minute."
"True. So I strongly suggest we get out of here." Crowley turns around.
Dean and Jamie follow after him. They cross the street and get into the Impala. Crowley is sitting shot gun. Jamie suddenly looks up. "Dean! I think I know where Death is."
Dean and Crowley turn to her. "So, what? Where? Jamie?"
Jamie is looking around. "Hang…" Crowley has disappeared.
"Come on!"
"Dean." Jamie points across the street.
Crowley speaks to Dean from across the street in front of a pizzeria. "What? I can't hear you!"
"This is it, he's there."
Crowley appears back in the front seat. "I said I found him. Death -he's in there."
"You coming or..."Crowley disappears again. "...Not."
Jamie gets out of the Impala. "Come on."
Dean gets out beside her and they go inside. Jamie goes in first. They see that the waitresses and customers are all dead. Dean closes the door as quietly as possible. Jamie turns to Dean and he frowns. They slowly walk forward, seeing a man sitting down and eating. Jamie gets in front of Dean. They approach Death, the scythe heats up, Dean drops it and it clatters to the floor. Jamie looks at Dean, they cringe. It reappears on the table Death is sitting at. "Thanks for returning that."
"Was that…"
"Supposed to happen?" Jamie finishes. She shrugs.
"Jamie, Dean join me. The pizza's delicious." Death has still not turned to look at them. Dean looks around. Jamie shakes her head and gestures to the table. They slowly walk over. "Sit down. Took you long enough to find me. I've been wanting to talk to you."
Dean clears his throat. "I got to say -I have mixed feelings about that. S-so is this the part where...where you kill us? Cause I…Jamie….run!"
Jamie shakes her head, sinking down in her chair. "Way too late for that, Dean." Death raises his hand and looks at them, specifically at Dean.
"You have an inflated sense of your importance. To a thing like me, a thing like you, well...Think how you'd feel if a bacterium sat at your table and started to get snarky. This is one little planet in one tiny solar system in a galaxy that's barely out of its diapers. I'm old, Dean. Very old. So I invite you to contemplate how insignificant I find you." Death gestures to the pizza. "Eat." Dean takes a bite of the pizza. "Good, isn't it?" Jamie takes a bite.
Dean still looks uneasy. "Well, I got to ask. How old are you?"
"Old." Jamie mutters, taking another bite of pizza. "Older then time itself."
Death glances at Jamie. "As old as God. Maybe older. Neither of us can remember anymore. Life, death, chicken, egg. Regardless - at the end, I'll reap him, too."
Jamie's fork clatters to the table. "God? You'll reap God?"
Dean looks on in disbelief. "What?"
Death looks up. "Oh, yes. God will die, too."
Dean tries to smile. "Well, this is way above my pay grade."
He looks at his sister. Jamie is wide eyed. "It's above my pay grade." She gestures to herself.
"Just a bit."
Dean looks around. "So, then why are we still breathing, sitting here with you? Uh...w-what do you want?"
Death looks up at him. "The leash around my neck -off. Lucifer has me bound to him. Some unseemly little spell. He has me where he wants, when he wants. That's why I couldn't go to you. I had to wait for you to catch up. He made me his weapon. Hurricanes, floods, raising the dead. I'm more powerful than either of you can process, and I'm enslaved to a bratty child with a temper tantrum."
Dean looks up. "And you think...we can unbind you?"
"There's your ridiculous bravado again."
"That isn't what we think." She glares at Dean and then turns back to Death. "We can't."
"Very good, Jamie. She's right, you can't. But you can help me take the bullets out of Lucifer's gun. I understand you want this." Death holds up his ring.
Dean nods. "Yeah."
"I'm inclined to give it to you."
"To give it to me?" Dean looks at Jamie. She nods.
"He's serious."
"That's what I said."
"But what about..."
"Chicago? I suppose it can stay. I like the pizza." He takes his ring off and holds it out to them. "There are conditions."
"Okay. Like?"
"You have to do whatever it takes to put Lucifer in his cell."
Jamie looks up, her face twisted in shock. "Wh…"
Dean cuts her off. "Of course."
"Whatever it takes."
" That's the plan."
Jamie grabs Dean's jacket. "No, Dean. That isn't…he's talking about..." She looks at Death.
"Your brother. He's the one that can stop Lucifer. The only one."
"What?" He looks at Jamie.
Jamie nods. "Yes."
Dean looks at her and then at Death. "You think –"
"I know. So, I need a promise. You two are going to let your brother jump right into that fiery pit." He holds the ring towards Dean. "Well, do I have your word?" Jamie is nodding her head. "Dean?"
It takes him a minute. "Okay, yeah. Yes."
Dean holds his hand out for the ring. "That had better be "yes," Dean. You know you can't cheat death." He drops the ring into Dean's hand. "Now, would you like the instruction manual or can you handle this, Jamie?" Death gestures to his head. Jamie swallows.
"I've got it." Outside the storm has stopped.
Dean and Jamie are back in Bobby's garage. Dean has the rings all laid out. "Watch." Jamie tells him. The rings all pull together. Dean nods.
"You got the incantation memorized?"
"Of course. Now if you don't mind, there's an angel waiting for me." Jamie starts to leave and Dean grabs her shirt and pulls her into a hug. Bobby moves a barrel aside with his foot, startling them. Jamie smirks when she sees it's Bobby. "Hey."
Dean looks at him. "Well, how'd it go at the Rockettes audition?"
"Well, high kicks - fair. Boobs need work. I walked up and down stairs all night for no damn reason. I'm sore. Feels so good, I'm scared it's a dream. But then I remember that the world's dying bloody, so, drink?" Bobby hands the two of them a beer.
"Bobby watch this." Jamie says, taking her beer.
"Check it out." Dean and Jamie show Bobby how the rings link together.
"Hmm. Oh. So death told you how to operate those? The whole deal?"
Jamie nods. "Straight from his own head."
"Yeah. It's nuts. Of course, I got bigger problems now."
"Really? Like?"
"Dean lied to Death." Jamie takes a sip of her beer.
"Yeah, what do you think Death does to people who lie to his face?"
Bobby looks at him. "Nothing good."
"Told you." Jamie broods.
Dean rolls his eyes. "Yeah."
"What'd you say?"
"That I was cool with Sam driving the bus on the whole Lucifer plan."
"So Death thinks Sam ought to say yes, huh?"
"I don't know."
Jamie looks at Bobby. "Yeah."
"Hmm."
"But, I mean, of course he'd say that. He works for Lucifer."
Jamie rolls her eyes. "Against his will."
"Yup."
"Well, I'd say, take his sob story with a fat grain of salt. I mean, he is Death."
"Exactly. He's Death. Think of the kind of bird's-eye view." Bobby tells Dean.
Jamie shakes her head. "Jesus." She drinks her beer.
Dean looks at her. "Seriously?" She shrugs.
"I'm just saying –"
"Well, don't. Jamie, how can you let Sam go to hell? You begged me not to die, remember?" Dean practically yells in her face.
Jamie take a step back, looking up at him. "I don't want this to happen, Dean. But this is different."
"How?"
Jamie sighs. "He can beat Lucifer."
Dean shakes his head. "What if he doesn't? He's still your brother. If he says yes, it's storytime for the world, authored by Jamie Winchester."
Jamie's eyes widen in anger. "I know that!"
"Aren't you afraid of that?"
Jamie looks down and shakes her head. "I'm terrified." She mutters. "But I'm not fighting it anymore."
"Because it's not me whose Michael's vessel anymore. It's Adam." Dean turns away.
Jamie looks up. "Dean."
"No." He turns back to her. "That's why isn't it? It's because you'll always choose me over Sam."
Jamie throws her beer down. "Is that what you think? That I love you more then I love Sam?"
"No." He gets in her face. "But I think when it comes down to it, I'm more important to you then Sam is. So if one of us has to die, you'd rather it be him." He stares into her eyes. She stares back at him.
"How can you…" She rears back and smacks him across the face before walking away.
Bobby scoffs. "Smart idea, burning bridges with your sister."
Dean rubs his cheek, turning to Bobby. "Don't start."
"She loves your stupid ass, you idjit."
"She worships the ground I walk on like I'm some damned saint." He opens his beer and takes a drink.
Bobby nods. "Yeah she does. And I would be pretty damned grateful for that, if I were you, because otherwise she would not be apart of your life."
Dean looks down. "I guess."
"And she loves Sam too. This isn't any easier for her. He is her brother too."
Dean looks up at him and sighs. "What happened to you being against this?"
"Look, I'm not saying Sam ain't an ass-full of character defects. But..."
"But what?"
"Back at Niveus? I watched that kid pull one civilian out after another. Must have saved 10 people. Never stopped. Never slowed down. We're hard on him, Dean. We've always been. But in the meantime... He's been running into burning buildings since he was, what, 12?"
Dean takes another drink. "Pretty much."
"Look, Sam's got a...Darkness in him. I'm not saying he don't. But he's got a hell of a lot of good in him, too."
Dean sighs. "I know."
"Then you know Sam will beat the devil...Or die trying. That's the best we could ask for. So I got to ask, Dean. What exactly are you afraid of? Losing? Or losing your brother?" He stares at Dean and Dean doesn't answer.