An hour after Uriel's departure, the four hunters are still in the living room of the model home, Dean, Sam and John standing and thinking aloud while trying to come up with a plan. They're getting nowhere fast as they have no weapons and no way to find the location of the young Dean and Sammy without Castiel's help. Lizzy, however, is sitting curled up in the corner of the couch. She's been silent since they got back inside. With everything Uriel dropped on them, she's at a loss.
"I think we really just have to wait for Cas to get back," Sam finally concludes. "We're kinda screwed without him."
"He'll know what to do, or at least have some info for us," Dean concurs while glancing over at Lizzy for the millionth time. He's worried about her, and worried may not be the best word for it. He's scared. And he's unsure of how to approach her after the reason she's nearly comatose is technically his fault. Being told she only exists to make him happy… that's beyond heavy.
Looking over to Sam for some kind of help, his brother offers no answers as he has none. Both stare powerlessly at the other, neither knowing what to say or do.
"Ah, boys, why don't you go out front and grab whatever you can from the trunk that you think would come in useful," John suggests while tossing the keys to Sam. "You'd know what's worth having on us better than I would."
Dean gives John a questioning look, hesitant to leave him with Lizzy like this. John just nods, giving Dean the assurance he needs. The brothers goes outside and John very slowly makes his way to the couch, sitting on the middle cushion next to Lizzy.
"I'm not gonna blow smoke up your ass," John starts in a serious tone. "I know there's nothing I can say to make any of what you're going through better."
Shocked to hear his open dialogue, Lizzy looks over to him and locks eyes. He's sympathetic towards her, she can tell.
"Thanks," Lizzy says quietly in return, honestly thankful to not hear any 'it's fine, everything will work out' kind of bullshit. There's no way anything is fine. She hates when people brush off massive issues and act like they aren't as big as they are. Thankfully John isn't like that.
"But I do know that you're strong," John tells her. "Stronger than most. Sam told me earlier that you're a hell of a girl and now I've seen it firsthand. I'd want to kill that son of a bitch too." He looks to her knowingly and Lizzy nods her head. "Hell, I do."
"It was a really stupid move on my part though," she admits quietly to the legendary hunter who must look at her like a fool after what she did. "I tend to do that sometimes, let my anger win… though I've gotten better once Dean got on my ass about it. From day one when we met he's been trying to make me better and help me manage my anger issues."
"How's he done that?" John asks, wondering how anyone could rein in this woman. She's a time bomb he's beginning to think.
"He, uh," Lizzy pauses. Maybe telling Dean's own father from a past time that usually when she blows her top his son will fuck the anger right out of her was a bad idea. "He came up with an alternate to throwing punches that works for me."
"Should I even ask?" John prods with narrowed eyes.
"Probably not," Lizzy responds.
"Yeah," John says while patting her knee. "Well at least you know that he's there to help you and make you a better person just like you are for him. No matter what the angels say, sounds like you guys are a two way street."
"We are," she agrees. "Dean's done more for me than I could ever explain. It's definitely a mutual thing we've got."
"Wonder if they planned on that," John thinks aloud.
"Most likely," Lizzy grumbles pessimistically.
"Either way, I need you in this fight," John tells her, his business like tone returning. "I know it hurts, I know it's unfair, but unless you help me get my boys back, there will be no Dean for you to be with or not in the future."
"I know," Lizzy says back, seeing his logic for exactly what it is.
"So time to sack up, soldier," John tells her sternly. "Let's go get my kids."
She shares a tight-lipped grin with John and sighs after his little pep talk starts to sink in and stick with her.
"Damn, you're pretty good at that," Lizzy says to him, sitting up tall and agreeing with his rational completely.
"Lots of practice," he explains.
Lizzy wraps her arms around John's neck, thanking him for the new perspective she so badly needed. Dean. It's the one thing that's going to keep her going. He's still there and they can figure it all out after. It's become their motto. Family first and we'll figure the rest out later.
It's then that Dean and Sam come back in, a duffel over Sam's shoulder, to find the two they left inside embracing on the couch. Lizzy breaks the hug, dropping a kiss on John cheek before cupping his face in her hands and making a vow to him.
"I will get them back, John. You've been unrightfully involved into this mess, just like your kids have. This has been all about me so I'll get them back to you, I promise you that."
Lizzy lets go and sits back again while closing her eyes, trying her best to find Castiel. It's been a while since they last saw him and she feels they need to have him back in order to make a plan of attack.
"Where is he?" Dean asks, knowing just what she's up to. It's only been a few days since they figured out that she had this ability, but he knows she's using it when he sees it.
"Far… really far," she says through closed lids and a concentrated face. "But on Earth. He'll be here soon."
"What'd you grab?" John asks, getting up from his seat and walking towards Sam. Sam unzips the duffel and grabs a few items.
"Knives," Sam tells him. "And this." He hands over a paper with a sigil drawn on it.
"What do I do with this?" John questions while sliding one of the small knives Sam gave him into his back pocket.
"It's the only thing we have against angels," Dean explains. "It's kinda like a distraction, like iron or salt to a ghost. Makes then back off and disappear for a bit, but only for a bit."
"And, um, it has to be done in blood," Sam keeps going. "It's drawn on a wall, a door, pick a surface and when you high-five the shit outta it the angels disappear."
John nods, pocketing the paper and finding himself even more worried for his kids. Sigils in blood is only a distraction? These things mean business.
"It'll be ok, John," Lizzy explains after watching his face twist. "I've never broken a single promise in my life. I'm not starting now." Lizzy's words come out dark and brooding, something feral and protective within them. "Cas is coming."
"About damn time," Dean complains as the angel appears in the living room.
"Sorry I took so long," Castiel says with clear annoyance at Dean's remark while staring at him. "The items I had to procure were not easy to come by."
"What did you get?" Sam asks quickly, ready to get moving.
"These." He holds up three angel's blades. "They were not easy to get," he explains sadly. "Do not lose these."
"Did you find out where they're being kept?" John hopefully asks.
"Yes," Castiel explains. "They're in a cabin in remote Alberta."
"Canada?" Sam asks with shock.
"Isn't all of Canada remote?" Dean quips quickly.
"Most of it," Castiel returns. "I can take us there. We can evaluate the situation once we arrive."
Lizzy pulls everyone into a line, holding hands and ready to go. Castiel gives her a look, an almost smile if she hadn't known better, and she nods her readiness. Castiel drops his hand on her head and they're gone.
"What can I do to make you more comfortable?" Uriel stiffly asks the two young children sitting at the long, splintered wooden table in the middle of a ramshackle, two room cabin. Sammy looks to him with guarded fear, not really wanting to ever answer this unknown man. He knew strangers were bad, dad had told him so several times before. He and Dean knew better than to trust someone they don't know. Now this stranger teleported them like some Sci-Fi movie Dean would make him watch to a scary, dark house and he's officially frightened.
"Yeah, that's not creepy," young Dean remarks from across the table from Sammy, thinking this guy's question is not exactly comforting like it's supposed to be.
"Dean! Dad said not to talk to strangers!" Sammy warns his brother in a loud whisper, worried for his safety.
"Isn't that just adorable," Uriel darkly comments. "I'm not here to make you uncomfortable, boys. I can get you whatever you require."
"What's the catch?" the world weary Dean questions.
"No catch," he's told.
"Well that's just a load of crap," Dean responds, crossing his arms over his chest and sitting back with an eye roll.
"No crap here, boy," Uriel assures him. "Go ahead. Ask for something, anything."
"Bring us back to our dad," Dean answers very quickly, Sammy sitting up and looking to the intimidating man with wide and hopeful eyes.
"You could have anything in the world and you choose your father?" Uriel asks in disbelief.
"Definitely," Dean answers with absolute certainty.
"Yeah," Sammy concurs brightly, hoping to go back.
"You want to go back to John? The guy who leaves you alone for days on end? The guy who orders you around and sucks the fun right outta your lives?"
"Our dad is a super hero," Dean angrily spits back. "So yeah, we'd like to go back now."
Silence fills the dining room as the angel considers his predicament.
"No," Uriel simply says to Dean.
"Why not?" Dean asks loudly, annoyed that he was told to ask for something and when he did it wasn't given to him. "You just said…"
"You'll see him tomorrow morning," the intimidating angel interrupts. "For now, you stay here."
"Kidnapping is a felony, you know," Dean once more angrily says.
"And so should smart ass comments like that be!" Uriel shouts, losing his patience over the child's relentless quips. Both Winchester kids stare with bug eyes at the outburst, the fear actually hitting Dean for the first time since they got to the cabin. The angel then leaves them, disappearing into the night air before the kids' eyes.
"Dean, what's going on?" Sammy asks from across the table, his body rigid with fear.
"Not sure," Dean answers. "But I do know dad's on his way. He'll come and get us."
"How do you know?" Sammy worries.
"Because he's dad," Dean huffs. "I wasn't joking when I said he was a super hero. He'll come for us. I swear it."
"I hope so…" Sammy worries, curling up in the seat as he looks around the dingy and long abandoned cabin. "I want to go home."
"Me too, dude," Dean tells his little brother as he looks around the small area, devising some kind of plan if he can. "Me too."
"This is the joint?" Dean comments once they've arrived at their intended destination. The group is situated behind the tree line about a hundred yards from the place Castiel brings them to.
"Yes," Castiel confirms as the group looks over the small and darkened log cabin situated in a snow blanketed clearing in front of them. The front has a crooked door in the center and a window to either side. The middle of the roof is sagging with decay and wear and it appears that no one has touched the place in decades.
"Scary place for a couple kids to be dropped into," Sam says aloud.
"They're fine," John assures. "They're together in there. They're ok."
"Hey," Lizzy calls out while pointing to one of the windows in the front of the building. They all look and see Dean's small face peering carefully out through the tattered curtains and surveying his surroundings.
"He's looking for a way out," John explains with sheer pride once he sees his son's eyes dart about. "I know he is. Dean's a survivor."
"And he needs to protect Sammy," Dean adds knowingly. It doesn't matter the age or time, Dean will always get Sam to safety, no matter what it takes. He turns to Castiel. "So is it safe to say that this place is surrounded?"
"Very much so," Castiel confirms. "And heavily."
"Great, how do we get in then?" Sam asks.
"I can get us in," Castiel offers. "But I am sure they are ready for me to do that."
"Then we need a distraction or something," Sam says. The group grows quiet for a few moments as they all think over the situation at hand.
"How about we go through the front door?" Dean says with an expression of mischief.
"The front door?" Sam doubtfully asks, knowing he'll probably hate whatever this plan of Dean's is that he so quickly came up with.
"Hey, we need to preoccupy the dicks while Cas gets in there and zaps little us to safety, right? Buy him some time?" Dean asks the group before looking strictly to Lizzy. "Right?"
Lizzy looks at Dean with suspicion. "Yeah..."
"Well, I think you and I can make that happen while the rest go in."
"By walking through the front door?" Lizzy questions suspiciously.
"You trust me, right?" he asks, already fully aware of the answer.
"Unfortunately," Lizzy responds, nervousness blanketing her tone.
"Then stop worrying so much," Dean smiles at her. "We got this."