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Series One, Episode Three, Part Five
Burn*
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The sun was setting in the west as the troop arrived at 3695 Pennbrook Lane. Sam and Cas stood at the trunk of the Impala as Dean passed out shotguns and rocksalt rounds. The elder Winchester led the way up the stairs to the front door. He turned the handle and the door creaked as he pushed it open. Sam and Cas followed Dean through the door which Cas shut behind them once they were all inside.
"Alright. Sam, you search the basement. Cas, you take this floor. I'll take the upstairs."
The three went their separate ways.
Cas figured the study was the most logical place to search first, seeing as how that was where Lucas Marshall had killed himself. The newly painted room had a fireplace to the left, and to the right was a blank wall. Unpacked boxes of books were still positioned under the built-in bookshelves to the right and left sides of the fireplace. In front of the bay window was a mahogany desk and a blood-red cushioned swivel chair. The Angel tilted his head and walked to the wall to the right.
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Sam found the door to the basement in the newly-upgraded kitchen which was decked out with granite countertops and stainless steel appliances. With caution, Sam opened the basement door and warily descended the creaky wooden steps. The basement was small and damp, and had a faint mildew smell. There were cheap bookshelves that held nothing and new laundry machines, but not much else.
Sam could not find anything that might have dated back to the 1920s, so he figured he would go help Cas on the first floor. When he went back upstairs, Sam looked out the windows in the kitchen and saw that the sun had fully set. He went on alert knowing that the ghost would probably come out of nowhere at any moment.
"Cas?" Sam shouted.
"I'm in the study Sam." The Winchester walked into the study and found Cas looking intently at the wall. "I believe I've found something. May I use on of your knives?"
Sam looked around the room, keeping an eye out for the ghost. "Why can't you use your Angel thing?"
Annoyed, Cas responded, "Angel Killing Sword, and being used as a tool to carve into a wall is not its intended purpose."
Sam rolled his eyes. "Fine, here," he said, then handed Cas one of his non-demon-killing knives.
The Angel was about to thank Sam for the knife when they heard a shot upstairs.
"Dean?" Sam yelled, but he heard no response. "Cas, stay here and do, whatever it is you're doing." Sam ran out of the room. "Dean?" He yelled again as he ran up the stairs. Another shot rang out and then Sam heard banging on one of the doors.
"Sammy! Second door on the right! The bastard's locked me in here. Kick it down!
Sam darted towards the door. "Okay, move away from the door!" After giving Dean a moment to move out of the door's range, Sam kicked it in. As Dean looked at Sam, the younger Winchester saw a man in a gray suit and black hat appear behind Dean. "Dean duck!"
Dean ducked and Sam fired a salt round at the ghost. It dissipated.
"Come on, I think Cas found something," Sam said as he ushered his brother out of the room, then led him down the stairs to and into the study.
Cas was studying something small he was holding between his index finger and thumb. "I think I've found the object that is keeping Lucas Marshall's spirit here," the Angel stated.
On the other side of the desk, Marshall appeared. Dean shot him with a salt round and turned to Cas. "I think it's time for a salt and burn."
Sam held out an open hand towards the angel, "Give me the bullet, Cas." Cas complied. Sam took the bullet and quickly made his way to the fireplace. He removed the logs and their holder, tossing them aside.
"Sam!" Dean shouted.
Sam turned and saw Marshall standing over him holding a knife. A shot rang out and once again the spirit dissipated, only this time, it was Cas who had fired the round. The Winchester gave the Angel a nod and returned to pouring salt and gasoline over the bullet.
Sam lit the match, but dropped it as he was flung into the far wall, breaking his right arm. Suddenly Dean went flying and was pinned against the same wall, but on the other side of the window. Marshall stood at the doorway, smiling at Cas. Then the smile left the ghost's face and appeared on the Angel's.
"I'm an Angel of the Lord, your powers won't work on me. ... But mine will work on you."
Cas made a pushing motion with his hand, and the Marshall promptly flew into the darkness.
For a quick moment, Cas's display of power turned Dean on, but he shoved that thought away because for one, he wasn't gay, and two, now was not the time to be thinking about anything other than the spirit trying to kill them.
Cas held his palm towards the fireplace. Marshall appeared behind the Angel, holding the knife in the the air. The bullet burst into flames and so did the ghost behind Cas. Marshall screamed until he vanished a final time.
Dean was released and Cas went over to Sam and pressed two fingers to his forehead, instantly healing the Winchester's arm. The Angel helped Sam up.
"Thanks, Cas."
"You're welcome Sam."
Dean looked from the doorway to Cas. He walked over to the Angel. "That was pretty badass!"
Sam looked from the Angel to his brother. "Uh, yeah, badass," he repeated, slightly confused his brother being so outwardly appreciative.
Cas smiled slightly at the compliment. Dean rarely saw that smile; he thought the Angel should do it more often. The hunter mentally shook himself, What the fuck is wrong with you, Winchester?
"I had no idea that your powers worked on ghosts. Maybe you should tag along more often," Sam told Cas.
Cas full-on smiled. "I would like that Sam."
Dean held back a smile, then mentally scolded himself for feeling like smiling in the first place.
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After another job well done, the three stopped for burgers and pie before heading back to the motel.
The image of Cas displaying his power played over and over in Dean's mind. He even had a dream about it. Though, the way he reacted to it, one would assume that Dean had had a nightmare.
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*Burn is a song by We Are The Fallen.