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ACT II
INTERIOR - BOBBY'S FRONT ROOM - NIGHT
MUSIC playing is 'YOU SHOOK ME ALL NIGHT LONG" by AC/DC. Room is full of people laughing and talking.
Camera looks dead on DEAN, leaning against wall. He is watching crowds of people talking while he sips at large glass of something dark brown.
SAM enters shot right, pushing through people. SAM stops next to DEAN, in shot. DEAN doesn't look at him and SAM turns slowly. Leans back against wall too, bringing them side by side. SAM looks at his feet.
SAM
[disappointed]
Glad you're enjoying yourself.
SAM'S face is apologetic. His mouth is pulled wide and straight and there's a lot of teeth - it should be a smile, but it's too nervous and/or worried.
DEAN snatches a brief glimpse at him. Sips at drink.
DEAN
Freaks me out, man. Too many people I don't really know.
SAM
They only came to say happy birthday. To be honest, I had no idea they were all going to be here. I thought it was just going to be Missouri and Pamela.
SAM risks a look at his brother. DEAN grunts, grumpy look on face.
MUSIC changes to 'CAN'T FIGHT THIS FEELING' by REO SPEEDWAGON. DEAN'S eyes go large and scared.
DEAN
Sam - the music. Change it.
SAM
Change it?
DEAN
Change it! Change it before--.
[spots something in crowd]
Aw, crap. Too late.
SAM looks up. New camera looks out at crowd of party-goers and spots blond head pushing through. Camera back on SAM, quickly moving through crowd, intercepting JO HARVELLE and pushing her along with him back to the music player.
Camera back on DEAN. He breathes out a sigh of relief. He begins to relax.
HOLLY approaches shot right in tiny, frightened steps. She stops not too close to him.
HOLLY
Hey.
DEAN realises someone is talking to him. He looks at her. He fights to keep horror off his face. He manages. Just. In background, music changes to 'HEY MAN, NICE SHOT' by FILTER.
DEAN
Hey, ah… Sorry, what was it again?
HOLLY
Holly - Holly Mendleson. Sorry to creep up on you - but this is such a fabulous party. I mean, everyone's here! I was kinda hoping for Ash, too, but I guess he can't make it cos I suppose it was, like, a surprise to everyone really, and like, you must be really stoked cos all these people have just, like, driven or flown over to be here and it's like the most f'awesomest thing in the world ever, cos like when I was fifteen and I went to--
DEAN'S eyes close momentarily. HOLLY does not pause for breath. DEAN puts his hand out and it lands heavily on her shoulder.
HOLLY stops talking. She stares. Her eyes bulge. She swallows and then a high-pitched keening, like a kettle whistling off steam, starts.
DEAN'S face turns instantly horrified. He removes his hand. The noise doesn't stop.
DEAN
[shouts]
Sam!
HOLLY looks like her head might explode from excitement. She's still making the kettle whistling noise.
DEAN
[desperate shouting]
Saaaaaaaaaauuuum!
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CUT TO--
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PAMELA BARNES pushing through crowd. Her head turns as if she hears something. She turns to her left and breaks through throng. She walks quickly forward until she makes sure she bumps into something. Camera pans back to keep PAMELA and DEAN in shot.
DEAN
Pamela! Thank God!
PAMELA leans on DEAN as if to get her bearings.
PAMELA
[innocently]
Oh! Dean! I'm so sorry! Guess I wasn't looking where I was going!
PAMELA pushes black sunglasses up bridge of her nose pointedly. She smiles knowingly in his direction. She turns to her right.
PAMELA
Oh, hi. And who are you?
HOLLY is still making the strange noise. PAMELA leans more on DEAN. She leans her head closer and mutters from the side of her mouth:
PAMELA
Rabid fangirl. You can tell from the squeeeing. I'll get rid of her.
PAMELA puts her hand out and finds HOLLY'S arm.
PAMELA
[dripping with sympathy]
Hey, honey. You sound a little over-excited. Come on, let's go talk about puppies and kittens and ice-cream and Sam's lovely hair and all that really cute stuff, huh?
PAMELA puts her arm round her and walks her away quickly. Camera follows them until crowd of guests is in the way.
New camera on DEAN. He sags against wall, wiping his face with his free hand. Another hand comes into shot from the left, holding a small shooter glass.
MAN'S VOICE
Here. Don't say I never give you nothin'.
Camera stays on DEAN as he looks at shot glass. Takes it first, then looks off-shot to his left. Camera still on DEAN.
DEAN
Rufus! What are you doing here?
Camera is fixed but RUFUS TURNER slides against wall into shot. He is looking haggard and bored. Leans on wall next to DEAN.
RUFUS
Heard you died. Heard you came back. Heard there was a party going on.
DEAN pulls Patented Cynically Surprised Face Number One: eyebrows up as far as they'll go, mouth taut in tiny pout that makes it look like a horizontal staple.
DEAN
You heard all that? You gotta have spies everywhere.
RUFUS
Hey, I didn't wear black on The X-Files for nothin'. Now drink the shot.
DEAN looks down at small glass in left hand.
DEAN
Whut is it?
RUFUS
[smiling]
Do you care?
DEAN shrugs and downs the shooter. He winces and has trouble breathing for a moment. RUFUS laughs.
DEAN
[croaks]
You bastard.
RUFUS reaches over and takes shot glass, sniffing back his mirth.
DEAN
What was that for?
RUFUS
To help you with what comes next.
DEAN looks worried, alert.
DEAN
What comes next? You mean now I'm out of the Bad Fire? Now we're in it up to our eyeballs with angels and demons?
RUFUS looks at him. He smiles suddenly.
RUFUS
I mean now Sam's got himself a chair to stand on.
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CUT TO--
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SAM is picking up a wooden chair and pulling it over to stand it next to music player. He pauses music on iPod and stands on chair quickly, waving his hands for quiet.
SAM
Ok! Ok, people! Hello!
Wide camera on crowd. Everyone begins to quieten down and pay attention. Camera closes on SAM. He looks pleased.
SAM
So you know why you're all here, right?
There is a generally happy murmur from the crowd.
SAM
Right. So I want to say, thanks to everyone for making the trip out here. I can't believe so many of you survived the seasons, and quite frankly, I think Bobby's shocked we've actually done half the stuff we say we have - so thanks for proving to him we actually did handle all those cases after all.
Laughter and good-natured heckling from guests. SAM waves hands again for quiet.
SAM
And it's great to see that all you season one people are mingling with the others. Season two people, thanks for not feeling like you came second - even though, technically, you did - and I know there are a helluva lot less season three guests, but seriously, that wasn't our fault - and it was all in a good cause.
Laughter and clapping.
SAM
Season four people - thanks for bringing us new stuff and new challenges. Pamela - where are you, Pamela? Raise your hand for us.
Camera pans across crowd and a hand comes up. People clap and whistle.
SAM
Hey, there you are. Thanks for kicking the new season off so well for us. I know Dean was very pleased to meet you in episode one.
Heckling and filthy jokes fill the air. SAM laughs but waves them quiet.
SAM
And Wesley - Wesley Mondale? You here tonight?
Camera on crowd. A pale hand comes up. Cut to SAM.
SAM
Dude, thanks so much for lifting that coin. Really. Losing one shoe is one thing, but two? That's just excessive.
WESLEY [off-screen]
Yeah, well it was be smart and do that or be remembered as Joxer for the rest of my life.
Camera on crowd; laughter and clapping.
Camera on SAM.
SAM
Last but by no means least - thanks to Bobby for letting us use his place for probably the only Winchester family house party there will ever be - and for leaking the time and place to every surviving cast member of the series so far.
Camera over SAM'S shoulder to see BOBBY lift a hand.
BOBBY
[calls from inside crowd]
Honestly, boy, it wasn't me! Ask your psychic friends about that one - I ain't paying their phone bill. I hear they even tried a few dead folks, but the budget didn't allow for ghostly effects.
Laughter interspersed with a few calls of 'budget be damned!' Camera back on SAM.
SAM
Well, you've all come here for one thing - to drink Dean's alcohol before he can. And I, for one, really appreciate that.
Laughter.
SAM
It's no secret we've had a rough few years - Hell, half you people were there. Not all of you know why Dean didn't return your calls half of last year - but you'll have to excuse him. He used up all his sick days and had to call in dead.
Gasps and guffaws.
SAM
But he's back now, and we're all real glad of that.
General applause.
SAM
I'm just happy to have him back. Mostly cos it means I don't have to drive everywhere any more. Seriously though, I missed him… and I know everyone who knew of his whereabouts was pretty cut up about it, too.
DEAN [off-screen]
[calls]
Bad joke, dude!
Crowd laughs and shushes him.
SAM
Looks like I'm done. Dean? Get up here and thank all these poor, misguided fools for turning up tonight.
Camera on DEAN, still leaning against the wall. He is reluctant, waves empty hand. RUFUS takes his drink from him. People converge on him and push him through crowd.
DEAN
[slightly grumpy]
Alright, you asked for it.
Camera back on SAM. DEAN enters shot right, walking up to chair and waving SAM down. He steps down out of shot and DEAN gets up into shot. He looks out at everyone. Uses Patented Smile Of Nervous Bravado Number Three: worried eyes over almost-convincing cheerful half-smile.
DEAN
So you're all waiting for the free pie, right? Sam lied, there ain't any.
Laughter.
DEAN
Seriously? I… ah… I can't believe you're all here tonight. Ah, I think I should say thanks. So, ah… thanks. And ah… That's about it.
SAM [off-screen]
[protesting]
Dude!
DEAN looks down at SAM. Camera follows, stays on SAM.
DEAN [off-screen]
Whut? Is there something else?
Camera still on SAM. He tuts and turns to look at crowd.
SAM
That's Dean's way of saying it was all very kind of you to turn up, that he's really touched, that he's really surprised and humbled, and he never thought he'd see a thirtieth birthday like this one!
Camera on DEAN looking a little grumpier.
DEAN
Dude, don't tell them my age!
BOBBY [off-screen]
That's ok, chicks dig older men!
DEAN smiles despite himself. He waves at the crowd, who cheer and shout encouragement. He steps off the chair. New camera watches him meet floor and bump into someone. Camera over DEAN'S shoulder as person turns round.
TRICKSTER
Hey there, champ. Gotta tell you, this party is swingin'. If I'd known I'd get invited to shindigs like this, I never woulda tried to kill you two.
DEAN looks surprised. Camera pans over his shoulder to see who THE TRICKSTER is talking to. It's CASSIE and JAMIE.
JAMIE looks very pleased.
JAMIE
Hey, Dean. Remember me? Season four, episode… er… episode five, I think. The black--
DEAN
[indignant]
--black and white one. Yeah! Of course I remember you!
DEAN'S attention shifts from JAMIE to CASSIE and back again. His small smile disappears. He looks nervous suddenly.
DEAN
You two, ah… [clears throat] getting along there?
CASSIE
Oh, are we. Jamie's great. We were just trading information.
DEAN
[lightly]
Really?
JAMIE
Really. We were comparing notes.
DEAN
[decisive]
Right. 'Scuze me, I should be… anywhere with a whiskey bottle.
CASSIE
[sly]
Worried, Dean?
DEAN
[worried]
Well you know, two's company, three's a group rate.
DEAN turns quickly and disappears into crowd. Camera goes for tight shot of his right shoulder from behind. Hand lands on it heavily. DEAN stops, surprised.
Camera pans round crowd. It's SAM.
SAM
Dude, you have to see something.
DEAN
Can it wait till I've found a drink?
SAM lets go of shoulder. He jerks head at far door.
SAM
No. We have to get to the end-of-act-two shocker before we get much more into the episode. Act One was too long.
DEAN shrugs, past caring.
DEAN
Well ok, man. But I still don't see how we're gonna get a creature-feature out of something as harmless as a surprise birthday party.
SAM rolls his eyes as he pulls at DEAN'S shirt over his shoulder, yanking him through the crowd.
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CUT TO--
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Top of staircase. SAM is first, walking down hallway. DEAN follows.
New camera sees them approach bathroom door. SAM reaches it first. He puts hand on doorknob, leaning. He looks at DEAN.
SAM
You don't see how we're gonna get a creature-feature out of this?
Camera behind boys watches SAM turn knob and push door open. Camera closes in on heap of bloody clothes concealing mangled corpse on bathroom floor.
DEAN [off-screen]
Ok, now I see.
END OF ACT II
MUSIC CHORD SLAMS TO BLACK SCREEN.
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