The digital numbers on the clock read 3:00 AM when the computer screen started to blur in front of Sam. He sighed and rubbed his eyes, running his fingers through his hair. He was just about to close his computer and wake up Dean to take the next watch when a shadow fell over him. "Hello, Sam." Sam jerked up and fell backwards out of the chair onto the floor, jerking out his gun from the waistband of his pants and holding it up.

Castiel was standing by him, his brows furrowed. "Are you alright?"

"No thanks to you!" Sam said, pushing himself up to his feet and sitting up the chair. "What are you trying to do, Cas, give me a heart attack?"

Castiel shook his head before walking to Dean and Oshea and touching their foreheads. Oshea lurched upward with a gasp. "Castiel?" She groaned and touched her head, brushing back some of her hair. Castiel stepped over to Ella and did the same.

"Cas?" Dean blinked, squinting his eyes a little at the alarm clock. "Cas it's three in the morning!"

Castiel nodded, walking to the couch. He glanced down at Chuck, but did not move to wake him. "I realize that, but there is something very important I need to speak with you about. There is a seal about to be broken. We need you to help us."

"And it couldn't wait til morning? Cas we've only gotten like an hour worth of sleep," Ella said with an exhausted frown.

"No, this could not wait. Human souls are being harvested from Pierce County, Iowa. This is very urgent. If just a few more are taken, the seal will be broken. It is imperative that you get there as soon as you can and find out who or what is doing this and stop them."

"Pierce County?" Dean arched a brow. "That's like a seven hour drive from here," He rolled his eyes and sighed deeply, rubbing his eyes. "Fine, but if one of us passes out at the wheel and we all die in a horrible fiery car accident, it's your fault, Cas."

Sam yawned and closed his laptop, packing it back. "Well I definitely cannot drive. I'm about to fall over. And Chuck the prophet is drunk. So I nominate you, Dean." He said with a weary smile as he patted his brother's chest and moved to pull his suitcase out from beneath the bed.

"Well, at least we didn't unpack," Oshea said weakly as she pulled out her suitcase.

"Chuck," Ella said, getting up from the bed and tapping him a couple of times on his arm. "Chuck," She said again.

Chuck groaned and turned over, pressing his face into the pillow. When she tapped him again, he jerked up a little and turned over, sitting up in the couch quickly and held up his hands in karate positions. When he saw it was Ella, he sighed and let his hands fall into his lap. "Oh… hi…," He rubbed his eyes and yawned. "What… what's going on? What time is…." he looked at his watch and flopped back onto the couch. "Guys it's three in the morning!"

"We have a seven hour drive ahead of us, we can sleep in the car," Ella said, groaning a little as she brushed a hand through her slightly messy hair and then leaning down to pick up her suitcase.

Chuck sighed, looking up at Castiel. "Did you at least bring my stuff for me, Castiel?"

The angel nodded, "Your things are in the Impala."

"Thank you," Chuck said as he sleepily wandered around the couch toward the door of the hotel room.

Dean yawned and snatched up his duffle bag and the car keys from the top of the dresser.

xx

PIERCE COUNTY, IOWA

xx

They arrived in Pierce County about eight hours later, and they pulled into the parking lot of the first motel they found. It was a small, dingy looking building that was painted a pale yellow on the outside. The lights on the sign were flickering on and off. Chuck was practically sleep walking into the motel. He dropped his suitcase right inside of the door and moved to the couch, falling over the arm of the couch onto the cushions with a groan. Oshea rubbed her eyes and ran her fingers through her hair as she moved to the bed and sat down her suitcase before sitting down on the edge of the bed. "Seven… hours…"

Without a word Dean dropped the keys on the dresser, rubbing his eyes tiredly as he walked across the room and passed out on one of the beds. Ella glared as the sunshine shined brightly through the tacky floral curtains. She pulled them closed. "I say we follow Dean's example and get a couple of hours sleep. It's barely noon now, we can get a little rest and figure out this whole seal thing later today."

Chuck yawned, lifting a hand to cover his mouth as he grabbed a handful of clothes and tossed it into the washing machine. The group had gotten a late start that morning since they had gotten in so early. It was well after noon before they were up and ready. They had decided to split up; Ella was in the Laundromat with Chuck washing up the group's clothes, Sam and Dean had gone to check out the bodies of the victims, and Oshea had left to talk to the victims' families. Chuck closed the washing machine and popped in a few coins. He was wearing a red shirt beneath a green button down and a grey zip up sweater over his jeans.

Ella yawned a little, shoving her and Oshea's clothes in the washer next to the one Chuck was standing in front of. After she had popped in a few coins, she grabbed a magazine and hopped on one of the vacant machines, and sat down Indian style, flipping through it. She lost interest quickly, and sat it down next to her, swinging her legs over the edge of the machine and dangling them.

Chuck glanced over to her, watching her set down the magazine and swing her legs back and forth over the open air. "I'm sorry," He said after a moment, lowering his eyes and toying with the edge of his sleeve. "If I weren't here you could be with your sister instead of doing this.."

"It's fine, Chuck," She said with a little shrug. "I'm sure she'll do just as good a job without me. Besides, it's not you're fault you're having to tag along with us. Between you and me, I blame the angels. They're not doing a very good job screening out the crazy ones."

Chuck smiled a little at her and nodded. "Thanks, Ella." He said before moving back over to the basket of clothes. He began to pull out his things and throw them into the wash beside of the machine that was cleaning Sam and Dean's. He frowned as he realized he would need more detergent and stepped away from Ella and the machines, moving to a small dispenser on the wall and digging some change from his pocket to pay for the soap.

A pretty blonde stepped through the doors of the Laundromat, holding a small basket of clothes. She smiled and winked one of her blue eyes at Chuck as she walked past him and sat the basket down on top of one of the machines. She loaded her clothes into the washer, which happened to be mainly lingerie, and then stuck her hand in the pocket of her low rise jeans, digging for change. "Oh shoot," She muttered.

The prophet glanced briefly toward the doorway as the little bell tinkled, signaling the arrival of another customer. His eyes widened as he saw the woman and his lips parted slightly. When she winked, he blushed and blinked rapidly, slowly looking around himself to see if there was someone else that she could be winking at. When he saw no one, he turned his attention back to her and gave a shy smile. His blush deepened slightly as he saw the lingerie being thrown into the machine. He was at her side almost immediately as she spoke. "Is.. Is there anyway I can help?" He asked her, his voice a little unsteady.

The woman batted her eyelashes a little flirtatiously, pulling her hand out of her pocket. "I must have forgotten my change at home, silly me. Do you have a few quarters?"

Chuck nodded quickly, digging around in his pockets before he pulled out a handful of quarters. "Here you go, ma'am!"

She smiled, taking the coins from him. "Thanks cutie," She said with a wink, turning from him to put the coins in the machine.

Chuck smiled shyly back and lowered his eyes a little. "Anytime," He said with a nod. "Do you need help with anything else?"

"Nope," She said smiling at him as she closed the machine. "Oh wait, I have a few errands to run, do you think you could keep an eye on my clothes til I get back?"

"Oh of course!" He said quickly with a nod and a shy smile. "It would be my pleasure!"