Well, you all figured it out! Yes, Dean's attached himself to the amulet. I literally love all of you. Thanks for making this so much fun to write! (PS I know that y'all REALLY want Dean back. Just trust me when I say I have a plan for this. Method. Madness. :D)

Back in South Dakota, Sam was sitting at a bar, drinking a beer and watching Jo play pool with a bunch of slightly drunk college guys. He watched as she sunk the 8 ball, and with a collective groan all the college boys forked over their money. Sam laughed as Jo sauntered over, counting her collection. He had to admit, she could play. Jo looked over at him and caught him laughing.

"What, think you can beat me, Winchester?" She joked.

Sam put his hands up and laughed. "I don't think so." They joked around some more.

It was moments like this that Jo began to enjoy. It seemed like with Dean gone, she had become Sam's protector, even though she was younger. It was moments like this, when Sam wasn't haggard and worried, they could almost forget all the sadness at least for a little while. So she took it when she could. She sat down by Sam and ordered a beer. They sat in silence for a moment, trying to ignore the question at the back of both their minds:

"So what happens next?"

For now, they were all at Bobby's, trying to figure out the next move. Lucifer hadn't made any appearances, nor had any Angels. And on a rare occasion, there were no hunts. No omens, no giant disasters, and what little hunts there were, other hunters were taking care of. So for now, Bobby, Ellen, Sam, and Jo had some time off.

Sam looked over at Jo and tapped his beer bottle to hers.

"Want another?"

"Dean Winchester has to be down there. We already went to Carthage. We checked the whole town. He wasn't there. He isn't in Heaven, he isn't in Hell. So he must've attached himself to something!" Zachariah slammed his fist on the desk. "I just don't understand how those Enochian markings could still ward him from us. After all, he is dead."

The man sitting behind the desk clasped his hands together. "And where do you suppose Casper is hiding?"

Zachariah thought for a moment before it dawned on him. "Thats it! He found a way to attach himself to his brother. Of course!" He hit himself on the head. "So if I locate the Winchester brat-"

"-you locate big brother."

"Exactly! Now, the last known whereabouts of Sam Winchester is Oklahoma."

"Well, why don't you track down that stupid car of his? Funny an angel wouldn't think of that."

Zachariah looked across from the desk. "You know if anyone finds out that I'm assisting you, I'm done for. You could at least be a little respectful."

"What? Worried about getting your wings fried, little brother?"

"And so afterwards, I was entirely red, my mom lost her voice, and Ash couldn't poop for a week," Jo said through fits of laughter. The bar was pretty much empty, except for the bartender and a few older men. A Johnny Cash song was playing, and Sam was on his 7th beer. He and Jo were swapping funny stories about things that had happened in their lives, and Sam could feel tears in his eyes from laughing so hard.

"Oh-okay, okay. So this one time, Dean and I were at some motel in Iowa, and there was this huge-" Jo felt her phone buzz in her pocket and put up her hand to cut Sam off. "Sorry Sam, but it's mom. She's probably wondering when we'll be back, so just give me a sec." She got up from the bar and mad her way to a much quieter area out in the hall. "Hey Mom. What's up? We'll leave in about..."

Sam turned his attention to the label on his beer. He smiled to himself, thinking about the story Jo had told about the first (and last) time her mother had taken her and Ash camping. He felt someone sit in the chair next to him.

"So what's the wor- YOU."

Zachariah smiled. "Yes, it's me."

Jo finished talking to her mother and quickly put the phone away. She was about to make her way back to the bar when she noticed a strange dude sitting in her chair. She looked at Sam and cocked her head to the side. He subtly motioned for her to stay back. She slid back into the hall, making sure she still had a full view of Sam and the man whose back was to her.

"So," he spoke, "how's life, Sammy? Are you moving on with your life? Tell me, where is that pretty little blonde thing you've been hanging around? I don't see her."

Sam's jaw clenched. "She left."

"Aw, what a shame. She's going to miss the party," the man started messing with a pepper shaker that was on the bar. "Because you see, Dean has gone missing, I think you know where he is."

Sam laughed bitterly. "So you haven't gotten the memo? Dean's dead. No thanks to you. So go to Hell and leave me alone."

"Ah yes, he is dead, but he isn't gone. I suppose you know enough about ghosts that you know how they work?" Sam's eyes shot up and briefly connected with Jo's. They were thinking the same thing. Dean a ghost?

"Why should I believe you?" Sam questioned. "Sam, I'm hurt," Zachariah mocked. "When have I given you reason to doubt me? I've never lied to you."

"So what does Dean being a ghost have to do with me?" Sam asked.

"Well, ghosts can attach themselves to things, to people," he stressed. "So I am sure he attached himself to you. So now I have an offer you cannot refuse," he said. "You come with me, we get this sorted out, and then I'll leave you alone. Deal?" He stuck his hand out to Sam.

"If he's dead, then what do you want with him? Wait, because he's dead, he can't be you precious little vessel. So the apocalypse is on hold?"

"Pretty much."

"Well then screw you, I'm not going with you."

Zachariah sighed. "I thought you might say that." He looked over at the bartender who began to bleed out of his eyes. He began screaming in pure agony while the other patrons in the bar began to freak out because they saw what was happening and they couldn't move. Jo noticed she couldn't budge from the position she was in.

"If you don't agree, everyone in here will end up like this poor fellow," Zachariah motioned to the bartender, who was now convulsing on the floor and bleeding from his eyes, nose, mouth, and ears. Sam once again glanced at Jo, then looked back at Zachariah defeated.

"Stop! Just stop. I'll go. But you have to fix him first," Sam stated as he pointed at the bartender who was barely breathing. Zachariah snapped his fingers and the bartender was suddenly okay, face still intact. Jo noticed that now she could also move. "Alright then! Shall we leave?" Sam nodded his head and began to get up from the bar. Jo watched intently, and noticed Sam stick the keys to the Impala underneath a napkin. "Oh, and one more thing. We'll be watching your little hunter friends like hawks. If any of them as so much leave that scrap yard, I'll smite them myself." Sam gasped. He and Zachariah made their way out of the bar. She ran over to the bar, grabbed the keys, and pulled out her phone.

The only thing Sam noticed is that the room was immensely dark. "Isn't this a little to dark for, you know, angels?"

Zachariah nodded. "We aren't in Heaven. These things have to be done on Earth." He led Sam to the corridor and guided him until they came to the end. Zachariah knocked on the door and two men opened it.

"Sam! How nice of you to join me!"

Sam's eyes had finally adjusted to the darkness. He felt nothing but rage.

"Lucifer."

"Mom, I'm tellin' ya what this guy said! I'm pretty sure he was an angel too, because Sam started talking about vessels and the apocalypse." Jo suddenly felt very vulnerable. "Mom, I'm scared. You and Bobby can't leave, 'else they'll kill ya!" She pulled into the parking lot of a nearby motel and sighed. "I think this is stupid, Mom. I shouldn't have to stay somewhere else! Whatever. I love you." She hung up on her mom and leaned back into the seat. How could the evening go so bad?

"Screw this," she mumbled to herself. She pulled out of the parking lot and found herself driving on the interstate. Her only thoughts were on the open road and Sam. Creedence Clearwater Revival was playing softly on the radio, and the constant asphalt laying before her gave her a false sense of security. Pretty soon, she was dozing off at the wheel.

She didn't mean to close her eyes, it was only for a second. She felt the steering wheel jerk to the left and heard a prolonged honk from the car next to her that she almost collided with. Now fully aware, Jo Harvelle looked over on the passenger side to check the rearview mirror. Only instead, she saw Dean Winchester riding shotgun.

"SON OF A BITCH!" she screamed as she swerved off the road.