A/N: Sorry for the long wait everyone! I've been so busy but I'm gonna try to go through hopefully another two chapters tonight and get them uploaded either today or tomorrow X) Did anyone see last weeks episode of Supernatural? I almost died when I saw who came back for a bit XD *cries tears of happiness* ;'D
So anyways long chapter for this update lol I had to watch the episode again and read the transcripts which I should say by far "Changing Channels" is probably one of my all time favorite episodes. I was just so funny to read and watch it all over again I couldn't stop laughing. So special thanks go the writers and creators of Supernatural for giving this awesome show life :) I do not own anything and this is doe merely for entertainment and I don't make anything!
Please enjoy this!
CelestialAngel ^I^
Amy rubbed her eyes tiredly as she walked up to the motel door that she was given the address of. Yawning, she knocked and stepped back to wait for it to open. A small creak heralded the door opening in her face and a large body enveloping her in a hug. She smiled and wound her arms as well around the muscular giant. It had been quite a while since she had seen the brothers and she was more than eager at the prospect of catching up. Although, something made her hesitate as if knowing them calling her was not a good sign.
"Amy," Sam said into her hair, as he gave her one last squeeze and pulled away, "find the place okay?"
She smiled up at him. "Hey Sam! Yup it wasn't hard."
From around Sam's shoulder, Dean's head popped over. He grinned at her and also wrapped her in a large, rib cracking hug. "How's it going?" he asked her when he had pulled away.
"Good!" she said smiling. "Well, I mean, as good as it can get with Lucifer up and about. Have you guys read the paper or watched the news lately? Shits hitting the fan on like the four corners of the globe."
Sam winced at that. "Yeah, unfortunately it only seems to be getting worse," he said lowly, "hey, come inside and let's get all caught up. We'll tell you why we asked you to come here."
She followed Sam back into the motel room and Dean closed the door behind them. Looking around she saw it was the same kind of room as any motel would have. The furniture was beat up, drab colours suffused the walls, and questionable stains littered the place in the most unusual locations.
"I don't mean this to sound weird," she said as she stood in the middle of the room – Sam took a seat at the table and raised his eyebrows at her, "but I haven't "sensed" you guys since this whole thing with Lucifer began. What did you do? Hex bags?"
Dean smirked at her. "You could say that. Although it's more of the Enochian sigils branded on our ribs."
Her eyebrows rose at that and she looked at Sam, who nodded his head. "Wow, okay, all or nothing, huh?"
"Yeah that's safe enough to believe or so it seems," Dean said chuckling. "So uhh Amy, where exactly are all of you holed up right now?"
She frowned in puzzlement at the idea but answered none the less. "Uhh here."
"Here?" said Sam, "Like Wellington, Ohio here."
She shrugged. "Yeah, why what's the prob – oh."
Dean strained a smile at her. "Yeah."
Amy sighed tiredly. "Okay, so let me get this straight. Gabe's up to his old tricks again and you're here to stop him. You guys do remember mystery spot right? That didn't work out so well for anyone."
Sam rubbed his face tiredly and rolled his shoulders. Leaning back in the chair he trained her with a cool stare. "Yeah, we know. But the thing is we can't exactly walk away from him can we?"
Amy arched an eyebrow. "I don't know can you? Or do you have this sick, perverted twist in your subconscious that you have to save everyone; even if it's suicidal for yourselves?"
Dean and Sam couldn't help the nervous chuckle that emanated from the two of them. "Well I have to say, you have a strong point there," he told her pointing his pointer finger at her.
She rolled her eyes. "Yeah, how would I know that?" she looked up at the ceiling and sighed. "So what exactly did he do this time?"
"Well, a woman said that her husband, of so many years, always had a bad temper," Sam began.
Amy snorted. "Oh, I can only imagine what he did."
"So," Sam continued on, "a few nights ago, he got really pissed and started getting violent. Here's where it turns strange, the woman claims that the gigantic Hulk broke down her door, charged into the room, and throttled her husband until he was dead. Then he just disappeared."
It was quiet for a few minutes then Amy nodded. "Yup, that sounds like Gabe alright. Glad he's got his inspiration back."
Dean stared at her in bafflement. "You're joking, right? I'm pretty sure a year ago you wouldn't have said that."
"A lot changes sometimes with enough time, Dean," Amy said. "Look, I know what you two want; unfortunately I can't exactly give it to you."
"Amy look, all we want to do is just talk to the guy. Maybe if we can talk to him, he'll agree to back off at least while were around," Dean tried to reason with her.
"No Dean, you don't understand," she told the hunter, "I mean it, none of us actually know where he is."
Dean frowned at this. "None of you?"
Amy shrugged. "No. Jazz and Missy are off on another errand trying to figure this whole thing out with Lucifer, and Lance has been visiting some covens for anything that he can scrounge up. Let me tell you, so far the well is dry in this department. I mean; how much information can anyone really have about these things when it hasn't exactly happened before."
"So how exactly do we find him?" asked Sam in slight frustration.
Amy shrugged at that. "Your guess is as good as mine."
Suddenly, a crackling echoed throughout the room and Amy looked to a small, beaten down box, sitting innocently on the countertop in the small kitchen. A voice started to garble through the line.
"Um, Dispatch? I, I got a possible 187 out here at the old paper mill on Route 6."
Sam's eyes widened. "Hey, wait."
Dean stoped what he was about to say, walks over to the small box and starts fiddling with one of the dials on the front. The voice becomes clearer and the static clears up somewhat.
"Roger that, what are you looking at over there, son?"
"Honestly, Walt, I don't even know how to describe what I'm seeing. Please, just send everyone," the voice tremors over the static.
"All right, just stay calm, and stay by your car. Help will be on the way any minute now."
Dean turns off the scanner and narrows his eyes. "Huh, that sounded weird."
"Weird enough to be our guy?" asked Sam from his perch on the chair.
"I would say so; it doesn't hurt to check anyways," Dean remarked. "You coming, Amy?"
She nodded her head as they slowly made their way out of the motel and into the Impala. She couldn't help but feel the rumbling of nerves that Gabe was luring them to this particular place.
~x~
The Old Paper Mill
~x~
They stepped out of the car and looked around suspiciously. No police cruisers were anywhere to be seen; in fact the place looked completely deserted the wind whistling up in the rafters of the old mill. Amy's eyes narrowed and a shiver ran down her spine. Sam and Dean were like wise on edge as they gazed around. They walked around to the back of their car, opened the trunk and pull out a couple of stakes.
Amy's eyes narrow. "I thought you were just going to talk to him, not stake him on sight."
"These are just a precaution," Dean reassures her. "Because we know what your boyfriend is like and in case we have to defend ourselves-" he held up the stake in order to answer her.
She rolled her eyes. "Don't get too insulted when I say this, Dean, but, he's already outsmarted you two more than enough times. I'm really not that worried."
Dean and Sam gaped at her as she turned on her heel and walked towards the door in the warehouses' side. They followed closely on her heels. Opening the door they step through – and out into a brightly lit corridor. The smell of medicine and the bustling of people walking by serenely pass them. Amy looks down at herself and sees that she's wearing some kind of blue scrubs, with white lace up tennis shoes. Her hair is done up in a ponytail, when she reaches back to feel why her hair is tugging on her scalp and she winces.
Dean and Sam stand on either side of her, each wearing a long white coat and a plain black shirt underneath paired with black pants.
'Oh shit,' she can't help but think to herself as she swallows the knot that had lodged itself in her throat.
"What the hell?" Dean voices out as some nurse passes them by.
"Doctor," she says politely inclining her head at Dean, then keeps walking. Dean watches after her, seemingly impressed by himself.
"Doctor," another nurse passes them. She looks Asian in appearance and continues on like the first one.
Amy stares after them puzzled her eyebrows shooting up into her hairline. Sam looks equally baffled by this turn of events and looks at Dean in confusion.
"Doctor?"
Dean puts up a finger and turns back around. He opens the door that they had just walked through and all their eyes widen slightly when they see a man and a woman making out in what appears to be a broom closet. Closing the door behind them, Dean turns back around looking slightly freaked.
Suddenly, a brunette doctor turns away from the reception desk and walks up to the three of them. Her eyes are sparking in anger as she addresses Sam.
"Doctor," she says before immediately slapping him straight across the face.
Dean and Amy both flinch and wince as Sam cups his cheek and exclaims, "Ow!" as he looks down at the woman in shock. At this point she's at a complete loss of what to do and only gazes helplessly as the woman says to him furiously, "Seriously."
Sam looks bewildered as he stares at her with large brown eyes. "What?"
The woman shakes her head. "Seriously? You're brilliant, you know that? And a coward. You're a brilliant coward." She says this all while tears seem to collect in her large brown eyes.
Sam still looks baffled as he stammers out, "Um, what exactly are you talking about?"
The brunette looks affronted. "As if you don't know!" With that she turns on her heel and stalks back down the corridor where she came from. Dean gazes after her as if love struck, almost like he just saw his dream woman. She doesn't know whether to laugh or scream.
"I don't believe this," he mumbles out quietly as he scratches his face.
"What?" asks Amy.
"That's Dr. Piccolo," Dean says as if seeing the sun shining for the first time. He points back at the woman's retreating figure.
"Who?" Sam asks equally just as lost.
Dean turns to look at them. "Dr. Ellen Piccolo." The music keeps playing in the back ground and it makes Amy grit her teeth in slight annoyance. "The sexy yet earnest doctor at –" Dean continues on as he looks up at the sign behind the receptionist's desk. He gestures at it angrily and loudly proclaims, "Seattle Mercy Hospital!" Seemingly impressed with himself he crosses his arms in front of his chest and beams; playing the part of a genius.
Sam gives Dean a dead pan look. "Dean," the music keeps playing on as Sam and Amy exchange a quick glance, "what the hell are you talking about?"
Dean gestures at them, and around them. "The doctor get ups! Amy wearing the scrubs! The, the sexy interns," he grins at a nurse walking by at that moment who smiles back and rounds the corner, "the 'seriously's'. It all makes sense."
Amy gazes at him utterly confused as she looks around. "I'm still kind of lost. What makes sense?"
"We're in Dr. Sexy, MD."
Amy rolls her eyes. "You've got to be shitting me." She turns on her heel and begins to stalk down the hallway her shoulders tensed and her fingers clenched. Dean and Sam follow closely on her heels, equally both as befuddled.
"Dude, what the hell?" asks Dean through clenched teeth.
Sam shrugs. "I don't know."
"Amy get your boyfriend to get us out of here!" he hisses out at her.
She rounds on him her eyes spitting fire. Dean takes half a step back. "Back off, Dean," she hisses, "I'm trying but for some reason, my own mojo isn't working right at this second."
Sam frowned at that. "Wait, you can't access your powers?"
She shakes her head, a grim look plastering her features. Sam cocks his head in confusion. "A trickster has that kind of power?"
Dean sighs in frustration. "Look, guys, can we figure this out at a later date? Do any of you have a theory? At least one?"
Sam raises his hands up in a defeated gesture. "Uh, the Trickster trapped us in TV Land, I guess."
Dean looks at him. "That's your theory? That's stupid."
Sam gives him a dead pan look. "You're the one who said we're on Dr. Sexy, MD. So humor us, Dean."
"Besides that, Dean, you looked like you were ready to fan girl over there in a few more seconds, when you realized where we were," she said with a smirk over her face. "If you don't keep it down you may have an aneurism and really need a doctor." Amy pauses and looks around. "Oh wait, it must be your lucky day."
Dean glared at her but didn't otherwise comment. Turning to Sam he addressed him, "Okay, sure, but TV land isn't actually TV land. There's actors, lights, crew members all that jazz. But this," he waved his hand around to encompass everything around him, "this looks real. Solid."
"It can't be. Dean, how can this possibly be real?"
Dean scratched his chin. "I don't know."
The same Asian doctor passes them again. She gives a slight smile to the two brothers, as if Amy isn't even there. "Doctors," she says in a light voice.
Amy rolls her eyes. "If I have to constantly hear everyone say doctor, I may just be sick."
"There goes Dr. Wang. The sexy, yet arrogant heart surgeon of the show," says Dean proudly. Sam and Amy both share raised brows as they watch Dean, gesture to another man sitting on a gurney at the end of the corridor.
"And that's Johnny Drake. He's not even alive, he's a ghost in the mind of – "another brunette doctor comes over to the man and sits beside him. Dean smiles, "Her. The sexy, yet neurotic doctor over there."
Amy can't help the snort that she's been trying to contain at all of this. "Wait, so let me get this straight. This show that you like so much has ghosts in it? Anyone else see the irony to this whole situation? Want me to get some salt for you?"
Dean glared at her again. "You just don't understand a good show."
Sam snickered now. "I don't think that's the problem here, Dean. Why do they even have ghosts, though?"
Dean shrugs. "I don't know," he says scratching the back of his head, "it's compelling."
"I find it funny that you haven't denied that you're a fan of this show yet, Dean," Amy said smiling.
"I'm not," Dean said raising a hand. "I'm not," he said with finality. Suddenly, Dean stops as his eyes focus in on someone strolling down the hallway. "Oh boy," he says quietly his eyes brightening up.
Sam frowns slightly. "What?"
"It's him," Dean says in awe.
"Who?" Sam and Amy ask in unison.
"It's him, it's Dr. Sexy," Dean says excitedly. Amy tries to contain her unbridled laughter and does a remarkable job of doing so. Dean turns back around to face the doctor as he strolls closer.
Dr. Palmer stops in front of the three of them and looks them over. He has wavy, dark brown hair and chocolate eyes that you could get lost in. He looks over at Dean first.
"Doctor," he says inclining his head.
Dean looks down, attempting to hide his smile. Amy could have sworn that she almost saw him blush. "Doctor," he says quietly.
Then Dr. Palmer turns and addresses Sam. "Doctor." Sam merely nods at him and Dean whacks him quickly.
Sam glances at his brother and shows him a slight frown. "Doctor," he grits out from his teeth. The doctor nods at that, as if content with Sam's answer then turns to her.
"Nurse," he says. At that a slight twinkle shines from his eyes and Amy sucks in a breath. Those eyes for just a split second…
"Doctor," she says quietly.
After addressing them all Dr. Palmer looks up at Dean. "You want to give me one good reason why you defied my direct order to do the experimental face transplant on Mrs. Biehl?"
'Face transplant?' Amy thinks to herself in slight alarm. 'I'm in over my head here.'
Dean's face instantly does a one eighty. His demeanor changes from awed, to shock then downright confusion. He looks at the both of them, expecting them to come to his rescue. When he sees he's on his own he looks back at the doctor and offers him a nervous smile.
"One reason?" he asks hesitantly.
Dr. Palmer raises an eyebrow and nods, patiently awaiting his response.
Dean shifts awkwardly on the balls of his feet. "Sure," he looks down playing with his hands. He frowns as he looks down at the floor at Dr. Palmer's footwear. Looking up he braces his forearm on the doctor's chest and slams him against the wall.
"You're not Dr. Sexy," he hisses out in anger his eyes narrowing.
"You're crazy," Dr. Palmer states not even breaking a sweat at Dean's threatening attitude.
Dean cocks his head to the side as he looks at him. "Really? Because I swore part of what makes Dr. Sexy sexy is the fact that he always wears cowboy boots. Not tennis shoes."
Amy snorts at that. "Yeah, you sure aren't a fan, Dean."
Dean looks at them from the corner of his eye, before they flick back to the man he has pinned against the wall. "It's a guilty pleasure!"
Dr. Palmer looks off to the side. "Call security," he says lamely.
Dean grins at him. "Yeah, go ahead, pal. See, were not falling for it this time; we know who you are."
Dr. Wang, from earlier, along with another doctor, and a security guard all begin to make their way over to their small group at the corner. Just before they can come any closer, everyone suddenly freezes in position. The only ones who seem unaffected are Sam, Dean, Dr. Palmer, and herself.
"Amy?" asks Dean from the side.
"Don't look at me," Amy says, "that wasn't my doing."
Dr. Palmer gives Dean a small grin then suddenly, before their eyes, he morphs into the Trickster. "You guys are getting better!" he says with a big grin on his face. "Hey, Aimster! Sorry about the whole you know," he gestured at her as she frowned at him, "but I can't exactly have you ruining all the fun just yet!"
Dean glared at him. "Get us the hell out of here, and give her, her powers back."
The Trickster arched an eyebrow. "Or what?" He grabs Dean's arm, twisting it, so that he had to let go. Dean's face twists in pain as Gabe lets go and gives him a slap on the back. "Besides, I don't see your wooden stakes, big boy. And Amy? She'll be fine! I didn't take anything from her just capped her mojo for the time being, so she can't access it."
"That was you on the police scanner wasn't it?" Sam says interrupting the Trickster. He looks at Sam in amusement. "This is a trick."
Gabe rolls his eyes. "Hello? Trickster," he says pointing at his face, "Oh come on! I heard that you two yahoos were in town, and how could I possibly be asked to resist that?"
"Where the hell are we?"
"Like it? It's all homemade," the Trickster said in glee. "My own sets," he raps on a window, "my own actors," he sweeps his arm across everyone, "Call it my own little idiot box if you will."
"How do we get out?" asks Amy, frustrated at him.
"That, my girl is the million dollar question," he says smiling at her.
Sam sighs. "Whatever. We just, look; we need to talk to you. We need your help."
The Trickster pauses at that. "Hmm," he says a thinking face over taking his features, "let me guess. You two baboons broke the world," he indicates Sam and Dean, "and now you want me to sweep up your mess."
Amy frowns at that and glances at the brothers in confusion. They broke the world? So they had something to do with Lucifer being freed from his cage?
"Please," Sam pleaded with Gabe, "just give us five minutes to plead our case."
The Trickster merely gazes at him; then slowly nods. "Sure. Tell you what, survive the next twenty-four hours, we'll talk."
Dean frowns in confusion. "Survive what?"
"The game!"
"What game?"
"You're in it," he answers cryptically as he smirks at Dean.
Dean sighs in frustration. "Okay, how do we play?"
Gabe looks up at the ceiling as if in great thought. "You're playing it," he states with a shrug.
"What are the rules?"
The Trickster then pauses, raises his eyebrows at Dean, grins and vanishes into thin air with a burst of static. The actors all around them un-pause and begin moving again as if nothing had interrupted them.
"Dr. Sexy?" says a blonde doctor in confusion, "Dr. Sexy?" She walks past the three of them and continues down the corridor. The three of them follow closely behind her.
The intercom crackles to life, paging the doctor down to the ER as they continue to trundle through the hallway.
Dean looks at the three of them and mutters, "Oh, by the way, talking with monsters? That was one hell of a plan."
"Whatever, Dean; just, what do we do now?" says Sam tiredly.
"Wait, so let me get this straight again," says Amy in a quiet voice, "you guys wanted to talk to Gabe, because you thought he could have helped you? With Lucifer?"
Dean raised his eyebrows at her. "Yeah, that was the general stupid idea that we had," Sam grunted in discomfort, "but now after all of that, I don't think he's exactly in the listening mood, do you?"
Amy rolled her eyes. "Well, call me crazy but maybe if you hadn't tried to walk in here with stakes-"
"Okay, you know what? This is what we're going to do," Dean said forcefully, "were going to leave."
Before they can get a couple more steps the same doctor that had slapped Sam just a little earlier, Dr. Piccolo, rounds the corner and attempts to take another swing at him. Sam ducks in the nick of time, just barely missing the hit.
"Lady, what the hell?" he asks in outrage.
"You are a brilliant, brilliant –"
"Yeah, a coward. I heard you the first time, scarily enough. But I got news for you. I'm not actually a doctor," Sam says to the woman. Amy rolls her eyes at this as Sam tries to get through to the woman.
Dr. Piccolo looks scandalized by what Sam had just said, as she places a hand directly on her chest. "Don't you ever say that. You are the finest cerebrovascular neurosurgeon I have ever met, and I have met plenty." Amy chokes on the disgusted laugh that she wanted to emit. The lady takes no notice and continues on, "So that girl died on your table," Amy can feel her mouth beginning to drop, "it wasn't your fault. Sometimes people just die."
"Holy shit," Amy whispers into the quiet that overtakes the four of them.
Sam looks at her quickly then at the other woman. "I have no idea what you're saying to me."
Dr. Piccolo blinks back the tears from her eyes. "You're afraid. Afraid to operate again; and you're afraid to love." She leaves sobbing.
Amy opens and closes her mouth a few times before she finds her voice. "Yeah, I think she just put the fear of love in me too. Don't worry, Sam," she claps his back, "we can have love-a-phobia together."
Sam looks down at her. "Okay, yeah, we are so getting out of here."
"Hey, doctor." A man comes up from behind them looking at Dean. Dean stops and turns to face the man.
"Yeah?" he asks.
The man looks down at his clutched hands. "My wife needs that face transplant."
"Okay, you know what pal? None of this is real," Dean tells the man harshly, "and your wife doesn't need jack squat. Okay?" He rolls his eyes as he turns back to them, and they proceed back down the hallway.
"Hey, doctor?" the man says again to their retreating backs. He raises a gun, unbeknownst to them, and shoots Dean in the middle of the back. Dean turns around and stares at the man, as he bolts back down the hallway, and slowly he falls to his knees.
"Real," Dean stutters out to them, "it's real-"
Sam panics as he kneels next to Dean. "Hey! No, no, no Dean. Hey! We need a doctor over here!" he shouts out. Panicking he looks up at Amy. "Amy, come on heal him."
"Sam-"
"Amy just try!" he hisses out to her.
She bites her lip and kneels down next to the two of them. Stretching out her hand she can feel her grace heat up just below her skin; as she reaches out for Dean though, she sees a strange criss-crossing pattern just under her skin. Her grace can't reach the surface, and the marks solidify and take on the appearance of chains. She frowns at this and looks up at Sam. He's staring back in complete bewilderment.
The whole room freezes once more and they hear a slight clucking. "What did I say, Amy? No cheating now. Play your roles." The scene unfreezes again around them and she looks up at Sam in a panic.
"You."
Sam looks at her confused. "What do you mean me?"
"Sam, you're a doctor!"
"Not in real life!"
"This isn't real life!" she hisses out at him, trying to make him understand, "you're a doctor on this TV show. So BE a doctor!"
Understanding clouds his eyes. They both hoist Dean up onto a stretcher and quickly wheel him into an operating chamber. Transferring him to the other table, they quickly make sure he's secured before quickly donning paper thin clothing and wheel a table with different, silvery, metallic instruments.
Dean is completely aware at this time as he is face down on the operating table. He watches the white tennis shoes bustling around him and has a small, stray thought of the fact that he is not under any anesthesia. Sam holds some gauze against the wound with a pair of tweezers. He hands them to another doctor on his other side.
The blonde doctor on the other side of the table looks over at him. "BP is eighty over fifty and steadily dropping."
Dr. Wang looks at Sam and holds up a scalpel. "Doctor." Sam merely gazes at the instrument in consternation.
"What?" he asks. The two other female doctors' exchange glances at his question.
"Sam, Amy," Dean calls out from his face down position. "Come on, I need you two to do something."
Sam leans over so that he's closer to Dean's head and speaks to him quietly, so as to avoid being overheard by the other two women. "I don't know how to use any of this crap here, Dean."
"Figure it out," Dean hisses out, "you're not the one with a bullet lodged in his back." Sam grins awkwardly at the other doctors but otherwise doesn't make a single move. "Sam, come on. I'm waiting down here, and I'm not getting any better."
"Sam," Amy whispers to him. He looks up at her completely lost. "Just calm down, what exactly is it that you need in order to do this?" When he begins to stammer at her she shakes her head cutting him off. "No, don't tell me. Tell them," she jerks her head pointedly at the other two women staring at them.
"Okay," Sam takes a deep breath, "I need a penknife, some dental floss, a sewing needle, and a fifth of whiskey."
Dean winces on the operating table at Sam's orders and holds his breath. Everyone in the room seems to have paused at his orders, looking to one another for confirmation.
Sam looks around at them finally losing his patience. "Stat!" he shouts out. That gets everyone moving frantically to comply with his wishes, and Dean lets out the gust of air he hadn't realized he had been holding.
After a few minutes Amy stands over Dean's back with bloody gloves on her hands, as well as Sam's. Half of the bourbon has been emptied and the dental floss is left discarded next to the surgical tools which haven't been touched. She holds the extra amount of floss to which Sam snips off with a pair of scizzors.
"We okay?" Dean asks from below them.
"Yep, you'll be fine," Sam reassures his brother, as Amy begins sponging the blood off from around the area.
Sam finally looks up to rub his forehead with the back of his hand. He sees Dr. Piccolo standing on the other side of the glass for the first time. She mouths to him, 'I love you,' and seems to sigh smiling. Sam looks away awkwardly and Amy snorts in amusement.
Suddenly, Dean notices that the soft music playing before, fades and lights start to flash in the tune of clapping. He frowns as the floor becomes two doors which slide apart. Behind the doors, strides a Japanese man a large grin lighting up his features. He comes to stop between the two of them as well as two ladies. One is Japanese and the other one is Amy. She's wearing a short, rubber orange skirt and a cut off top. Wincing at the clothing choice she looks up at the two of them and grimaces; they grimace back at her to show their discomfort as well.
The host begins speaking in Japanese to which none of them understand. "Let's play, Nutcracker!" he shouts out to the tune of the audience cheering and applauding.
Dean looks around quickly taking in the situation. His feet are trapped in these boots on his feet and bolted into the contraption beneath them. Looking up he sees a large ball attached to a long stick and gulps. Whatever this is, it doesn't look like he should be here. Looking over he sees Sam's in the same predicament and beyond him is a LED screen that has the number 20 on it in bold letters.
The man says something again, and then pulls out a card from his pocket. He turns and looks at Sam. "Sam Winchester," he addresses the younger brother, "what was the name of the demon you chose over your own brother? Countdown!" he shouts as he rolls his hand in the air.
Sam stares at the man. "What?" Dean looks behind Sam and sees that the countdown is running and times slowly bleeding out. Sam looks at him in frustration. "Uh, what am I supposed to say? "
"You think I know?" Dean exclaims. He looks down at Amy. "Hey, Amy, you're smart. Amy chance you know what Jackie Chan just said over there?"
She narrows her eyes at Dean. "No, I'm sorry I never took Japanese in all my years. Ancient Mayan, yes, but not Japanese! How stupid am I?" she asked clearly having a small mental breakdown.
"Okay she doesn't know," Dean states looking over at his brother.
Sam rolls his eyes and sighs; he looks back at the host. "Uh, I, I don't, I don't understand Japanese."
The host looks at Sam in confusion then reads off of his card one more time; presumably repeating the question back to Sam. "What was the name of the demon you chose over your own brother?"
Sam merely stares at him, and then looks over at the two of them. "He's screwing with me isn't he."
Before they can answer the screen behind Sam hits zero and a buzz goes through the room. They look around in anticipation. Then the host steps forward and begins to speak in Japanese again. "The answer is, Ruby!" The crowd cheers at the answer as they all look to one another. "I am sorry, Sam Winchester," he says in English finally.
Sam frowns at that. "Sorry? Sir, umm for what?"
The host hides his mouth, miming to the audience that he's trying to hide his laughter.
"Dean?" Sam asks on edge. Dean shrugs at him puzzled, until the pole mounted on Sam's platform springs up, allowing the ball to hit Sam square in the crotch. Dean raises his hand to his mouth to hide his horrified face and Amy lets out a faint squeak. The crowd cheers at this and applauds as the host shouts to the ceiling, "Nutcracker!"
"Sam?" Dean asks hesitantly as his brother leans over panting for breath.
"Sam, are you okay?" Amy asks quietly.
Sam merely widens his eyes at them and then looks back to the ground. Dean and Amy glance at each other then look at his ball, lying prone at his feet. Dean gulps as he realizes it's his turn next. The Japanese woman behind them says something and the hosts' walks over to her, to help promote a product.
"Amy, any chance you got any of your mojo back yet?" asked Dean starting to feel sweat beading on his forehead.
"If I did have it back, Dean, I wouldn't be in this ridiculous outfit still," she remarks.
"Point taken," he mumbles quietly. "It's not so bad though-" he trails off at the glare she throws at him. Suddenly, the light on the door behind them begins flashing, and a pounding ensues from the other side. Dean grimaces at that. "Oh now what?" he asks turning his body as much as he can to face the doors.
They explode open and Castiel strides in looking around the game show. The crowd cheers in the background at his appearance.
"Cass?" Dean whispers out to the angel as he stops beside Amy, in between the two of them.
"Is this another trick?" asks Sam not daring to believe his eyes.
"It's me. Uh, what are you doing here?" he asks in confusion.
"Wait, us? What are you doing here?" asks Amy.
"I've been looking for you, well more Sam and Dean, sorry Amy I didn't realize you were with them," Castiel says as an apology. "You've all been missing for days."
"So get us the hell out of here!" Sam says still stuck on the platform.
Castiel nods and reaches out his hands to the two brothers as Amy walks closer to grip his coat. "Let's go." But before he can touch anyone, and she can make contact, he vanishes in a burst of static.
"Cass?" Dean calls out.
"No, no, no, no," the host mutters out as he comes to stand in between them again, "Mr. Trickster does not like pretty-boy angels." With that he pulls out another Japanese card and begins speaking again as if nothing had happened, "Dean Winchester."
Dean gulps as the host turns to face him.
"Would your Mother and Father still be alive, if your brother was never born?" he asked in Japanese, "countdown!"
The screen again begins to tick down from twenty as Dean begins to panic; looking to the two of them.
"What do I do, what do I do?" he asks frantically.
"What?" asks Sam.
"I don't wanna get hit in the nuts!" Dean exclaims, gesturing at his package.
"I don't know, I, I, uh, just, uh – wait a second," Sam says looking at him.
"What?" Dean asks desperately.
"I played a doctor."
"What?"
"In, uh, what was it? Dr. Sexy! I played a doctor! I operated on you!" Sam exclaims.
"So?"
"So I played the role the Trickster wanted me to play. Maybe we should just go along with it," Sam said trying to reassure his brother.
"Go along with what?"
Amy's eyes widen. "Sam's right, Dean! Go along with the game! You're on a game show right? So answer the question!"
"In Japanese?"
"Yeah!"
"That's great and all guys, but I don't exactly know any Japanese now do I?"
"Just try!" Amy shouted at him. "What do you have to lose? If you don't try you'll be hit in the crotch anyway!"
"Dammit!" Dean shouts as he smacks the button in front of him, freezing the clock just before the buzzer. The host looks at him, and a hush falls over the audience as everyone seemingly holds their breath. Dean hesitates for a second then opens his mouth. "The answer is … yes?" Dean asks in perfect Japanese as he awaits the reaction from the host.
Quietly the host repeats the last few syllables of his answer. Dean repeats it back at him uncertain, and then the host shouts something and Dean winces, bracing himself for the hit.
"Dean Winchester is the Nutcracker Champion!" The audience cheers at this news and Dean grimaces.
"How did you do that?" asks Sam.
"I have no idea," he answers truthfully glancing at them.
"So that must be it then," says Amy from beside them, "we play our roles, we survive."
"Yeah, but play our roles for how long?" asks Dean nervously.
"Good question," Sam finishes ominously.
Dean forces a grin onto his features and waves out at the cheering crowd.
~x~
Cuts to Commercial
~x~
Amy breathes in deeply as she stretches her body into the perfect yoga pose. She smiles at the camera.
"I have genital herpes."
The camera then pans to an older gentleman sitting on a couch. He too looks up at the camera.
"I have genital herpes."
The screen cuts out to four men playing basketball. One of them makes a basket, and then he turns around to face the camera. Sam grimaces as he sees it, feeling extremely uncomfortable.
"Seriously?"
Dean runs up to him. "Hey, you're the one who said that we have to play our roles."
He glares at his brother. "I thought that was Amy."
Dean shrugs and grins. "Doesn't matter; she's playing hers and believe me she doesn't like it any more than you do. Go get'em tiger." He claps his brother on the shoulder then jogs back to the game.
Sam sighs. "I've got genital herpes."
The camera cuts back to Amy, still doing her yoga on the small floating dock. "I try to be responsible."
Then it pans to the old man on the couch; this time joined by an older woman. "Did I try," he says to the camera.
The camera returns to Sam and focuses on him. "But now I take twice-daily Herpexia to reduce my chances of passing it on."
Amy looks back up at the camera. "Ask your doctor about using Herpexia."
The camera shoots to the old man and woman slow dancing in their living room as Dean's voice fills in the background. "Patients should always consult with a physician before using Herpexia. Possible side effects include headache, diarrhea, permanent erectile dysfunction, thoughts of suicide, and nausea."
Sam grimaces at the camera as he says his last line, "I am doing all I can to slightly lessen the spread of….genital herpes. And that's a good thing." With that he turns around and rejoins the game as the Herpexia logo appears on the screen.
~x~
Cut to the Sitcom
~x~
A motel shows up on the screen; it's bright colours vibrant for a place that looks like it sees sunshine 345 days of the year. Dean's voice comes over the picture. "We now return to Supernatural."
Dean looks at the camera, his face screwed up in a look of panic. "Son of a bitch!"
The audience that has been taped laughs and begins to applaud the performance. Sam grits his teeth and walks over to the woman clad in nothing but a bikini. He glares over his shoulder at Dean as they pass.
"Uh, I am really, really sorry, but, umm, we've got some work to do right now," Sam tries to apologize to her.
"But we did do work!" she exclaims at Sam. She looks over her shoulder back at Dean and bites her bottom lip. "In depth."
The "audience" begins laughing again and, Dean, gives her an awkward wave as Sam let's her out and shuts the door behind her. He walks over to his brother again and shakes his head. Dean gives his brother a forced smile that looks like it pains him.
"How long do we have to keep doing this?" he asked his voice sounding strained.
Amy walks in between them; having been in the other room for a bit. "I don't know."
The audience applauds again at this.
"Maybe forever?" Sam hazards a guess.
The audience gasps in fake concern and anticipation.
"We might die in here," Sam says again.
This time the audience begins laughing and applauding. The three of them look out into the dark space aghast at the reaction.
"How was that even funny?!" Dean shouts out to them, as they continue to laugh. "Vultures."
As the audience keeps laughing, the door that Sam had just closed opens again and Castiel steps in. He has minor injuries, on his face are a few scratches, and he appears slightly rumpled. The audience begins applauding and cheering.
"Cass? You okay?" Dean asks quickly at seeing the angel.
Castiel raises a hand. "I don't have much time."
"What happened to you?" asks Amy her face screwed up in worry.
"I got out."
"From where?"
"It doesn't matter," Castiel said roughly, "now listen to me. Something is not right; this thing is much more powerful than it should be."
Amy felt a stone sink in her stomach; so she was right. Gabe wasn't just a trickster; she had had a suspicion for the longest time, but hearing Castiel basically confirm it added a whole new level to it, and made it even more real. 'Okay it's time to get to the source of this problem,' Amy thought to herself as she steeled herself to confront the Trickster. 'No more lies.'
"What thing?" asks Dean intruding on her thoughts, "the Trickster?"
"If it is a trickster."
"What do you mean?" Sam asks in confusion.
"Wait, Sam, Dean, I think I know what Cass might be talking about," she said as she went to stand beside the angel. "For a while now, I've been thinking something's off with him but I could never understand what it was. I think I may have an idea that he might be a-"
Before either of them could answer, Castiel goes flying back into the wall behind them. He slams into it with a large bang, then slumps to the ground. Before she can even utter another sound silk ropes wrap around her wrists pinning them behind her, and a gag covers her mouth. She lets out a strangled cry at the treatment.
Before anyone can move the Trickster comes barreling through the door. "Hello!" The audience applauds and cheers for him, as Castiel slowly regains his feet. His mouth has been duct taped shut; as she tries to struggle and worm free of her bonds.
"Thank you! Thank you ladies! Bah you're so kind!" he shouts out to them while Castiel glares at him. Finally, taking notice of the wayward angel the Trickster beams at him. "Hi, Castiel!" He gestures at him and then the angel vanishes again with a burst of static. "Amy, you don't look to comfortable like that; here sit down." A chair appears behind her and she feels like she's forced gently onto it a slight pressure keeping her down and relaxed into the soft cushions. He smiles at his work.
"You know him?" asks Sam his eyes narrowing.
"Where did you just send him?" Dean demands, a hard glint shining in his eyes, "and why is Amy, trussed up like a thanksgiving turkey?"
The Trickster waves his hands. "Relax she's fine; I just can't have her ruining any kind of fun, now can I? And Cass? He'll live…maybe."
The audience begins to laugh at that again. Dean glares and strides over purposely, stopping once he's in Gabe's face.
"All right, you know what? I am done with this monkey dance, okay? We get it," he spits out harshly, his voice rising as his anger starts to take over.
"Yeah? Get what, hotshot?"
"Playing our roles, right?" Dean asks waving his hands at everything around them, "That's your game?"
"That's only half the game," says Gabe holding up a hand. She struggles against the bonds again, but it seems that no matter how much she struggles to free herself they just constrict until she stops. She sighs in frustration as she listens to the three of them talking.
"What's the other half?"
"Play your roles out there," Gabriel motions with his hands.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Dean asks angrily.
"Oh you know, Sam, starring as Lucifer," Gabriel says in a dramatic voice as if announcing the next boxing match, as he points at the brother, "Dean starring as Michael. Your celebrity death match. Play your roles."
Amy's eyes widened. So that's why they were so important. They were the two, true vessels.
"You want us to say yes to those sons of bitches?" Sam asks his eyes screwed up in disgust.
"Hells yeah. Let's light this candle!" Gabe says ecstatically.
"We do and the world will end."
"Yeah?" asked the trickster leaning back slightly, "and whose fault is that?" he asked raising an eyebrow at the younger Winchester. "Who popped Lucifer out of the box? Look, it's already started; and you started it! It can't be stopped, so let's get it over with!"
Sam glares at the Trickster silently fuming. Dean smirks at the somewhat small man. "Heaven or hell, which side are you on?"
The Trickster chuckles at that question. "I'm not on any side."
Dean snorts at that. "Yeah, right. You're grabbing ankle for Michael or Lucifer. Which one is it?"
The demeanor changes with Gabe as his eyes lose their usual sparkle and turn into a hard glint. Amy whimpers behind the gag as she feels the room darkening with his aura. "You listen to me, you arrogant dick. I don't work for either of those S.O.B.s. Believe me," he hisses out at Dean, not three feet away from his face.
Dean merely smirks. "Oh, you're somebody's bitch alright."
Before anyone can cry a warning, the Trickster's personality does a complete 180. He grabs Dean by the collar of his shirt, and in one fluid movement, turns and slams him against the wall beside the door. He glares straight into Dean's eyes, as the hunter gasps and struggles against the iron grip. Amy cries out from behind her gag, but her cries go generally unheeded as everyone freezes.
"Don't you ever, ever presume to know what I am," he spits at Dean quietly. His voice sounds like he can barely hold himself back from throttling the hunter in his grasp. Dean frowned at him, but his anger was drowned out by the worry that was burning just below the surface. Sam stared at them having not dared to move from his spot. Gabriel let go of one side of Dean's shirt as he held up a hand and looked back at Sam. "Now listen very closely, here's what's gonna happen. You're gonna suck it up, accept your responsibilities, and play the roles that destiny has chosen for you," he finished glaring back at Dean as the hunter continued to struggle against his iron grip. He was breathing in pants and fits as his eyes rolled once in a while.
"And if we don't?" asked Sam from behind the Trickster.
The Trickster grins at Dean; then he turns back to Sam and shrugs. "Then you'll stay here, in TV Land. Forever." Sam swallowed harshly at that statement. "Three hundred channels and nothing's on."
He snapped his fingers.
~x~
Prison Cell
~x~
Amy came to in a cell; shakily she stood up and looked around. It wasn't cold, it was actually quite warm. She noticed a door in-bedded into the wall and walked over to it. Turning the handle slowly she walked into a nicely furnished room. Wooden furniture dominated the space, a fire roaring in the hearth, and Castiel standing in the middle of the room. He had flinched when she had walked in then relaxed upon seeing it was her.
"Cass," she said breathlessly as she walked in, "are you okay? He hasn't hurt you has he?"
Cass shook his head. "No, he hasn't. He's just been keeping me here against my will."
Amy nodded as she looked around. "How were you able to get out before?"
"I think it happened at some point when he was distracted," Castiel told her gazing around the room. "I don't believe he will make that same mistake twice I am afraid; the so called bars of this room are reinforced."
She sighed as she looked around. "Maybe we should sit?"
Castiel nodded at her and followed her to the fire and the plush rug in front of it. Sitting down in their own respective armchairs she fiddled with her fingers in her lap.
"Are Sam and Dean alright?" asked Castiel breaking the silence between the two.
She jumped slightly at the sound of his voice then nodded her head. "Yeah, they were when I was still with them." She bit her lip as she looked into the fire. "Cass?" she asked hesitatingly. When the angel looked at her with his questioning eyes she took a deep breath, "what is he? Really?" she asked haltingly.
Castiel sighed as he looked back at the flames. "I thought that he died many years ago." She remained quiet, hoping that her silence may tempt him into divulging more. "He is an angel, one of the highest angels in heaven. When he was still with us we knew him as Gabriel."
Amy couldn't help sucking in a large breath at that. She had been having suspicions about him, and once or twice had toyed with the idea that he was an angel. But an archangel? Never. He didn't exactly act how she would have envisioned an archangel to behave; righteous, serious, protective….wait, no he was all those things and more; he just chose to show it to everyone in a different way. In a roundabout way he still was an archangel, he never had left his old values behind; he had just applied them differently and took a sick twist with them all at the same time.
"An archangel, huh?"
"Correct," Castiel said quietly, "we thought he died shortly after the fall, maybe, but it turns out that he's been here this whole time."
Amy looked down at the plush rug. Her mind was spinning with what Castiel had just told her and so many things began to make sense. "So Sam and Dean, their Michael and Lucifer's vessels?"
Castiel nodded slowly. "They are. However, they are trying to fight against it."
Amy snorted at that, and with that Castiel trained his ocean blue eyes on her. "How's that going?"
"Not exactly as well as I had hoped I must admit," Castiel responded.
They remained quiet for a while until another thought encroached in her mind. Frowning she asked the angel, "Cass? You never told them."
Castiel cocked an eyebrow at her. "I beg your pardon?"
She cleared her throat. "You never told them, the angels I mean, about me. You knew I was a nephilim but you never said anything to them. Why?"
Castiel shifted in his seat. "Because Dean and Sam cared about you." Amy looked down at the floor at the confession and didn't say anything to what the angel had just confided in her. She knew they did, even she cared about them; they had stabbed Gabe, more than once, and they would probably do it again, but…he kind of deserved it sometimes. "I didn't want to hurt them, and I know what the other angels would have done to you had they known," he said snapping her out of her thoughts.
"I am grateful for that Cassie, by the way," a voice said from the side. They turned and there, striding into the light, was Gabriel. The fire lit his features handsomely adding a warm glow to his skin, almost like he was on fire himself. "It made keeping her identity under wraps, from the winged FBI easier."
Castiel's eyes narrowed at the archangel. "Where are Sam and Dean?"
Gabriel cocked an eyebrow. A mars bar appeared in his hand as he stripped off the wrapper and took a large bite. "Relax, little bro. Right about now their probably figuring out that their not actually back in Kansas quite yet." He walked closer to them. "Sorry about your face by the way," he said gesturing to the angel, "if you just didn't put up such a fight there wouldn't have been a need for force."
Amy looked over at Cass wondering if she should say something; Gabe, noticed the look. "So you know everything now."
She nodded slowly. "I do."
"And what do you think?"
What did she think? That was the sixty-four dollar question, so Gabe would say. She already had her suspicions, for a while now to be honest with herself. As she mulled it over she came to the conclusion that nothing had changed. She still felt a burning desire for him, her heart still tripled in speed when she saw him smile, and butterflies filled her stomach whenever he was near. She was comforted by that fact; and when she thought about it, all she needed was a little time to digest the idea.
She offered him a tentative smile, and he gladly reciprocated. Suddenly, his gaze drifted off into the distance. He shoved the last of his chocolate bar in his mouth.
"Sorry kids, but duty calls," he said smiling at them both, "now behave yourselves, and I'll be right back."
With that he disappeared leaving her and Cass, to themselves.
~x~
Warehouse
~x~
They came too suddenly inside a dilapidated warehouse. Looking around Amy saw Gabe, in front of her, trapped in a ring of fire, Sam and Dean standing off to the side. Castiel stood next to her still panting; his face still bore the scuffles of his earlier escaping attempt.
Dean looked over at the two of them. "You two alright?"
Amy nodded as Castiel stared at the archangel. "Hello again, Gabriel."
Gabriel smiled at the trench coated angel. "Hey, bro. I forgot to ask earlier, how's the search for Daddy coming along? Let me guess, awful." Castiel glared at him; to which Gabriel raised his eyebrows and shrugged almost egging the other angel on. He rolled his eyes at the stone like glare Castiel gave him and sighed.
"Okay, were out of here," Dean says spinning on his heel. "Come on, Sam." Dean turns and begins to walk away.
Gabriel looks after them in confusion. "Uh, guys? This is a joke right? Huh?" Sam turns on his heel and follows his brother, along with Castiel, as Gabriel shouts out at them again. "You're just gonna, you're gonna leave me here forever?"
Dean stops and glares at him. "No, we're not, because we don't screw with people the way you do. And for the record? This isn't about some prize fight between your brothers, or some destiny that can't be stopped; this is about you being too afraid to stand up to your family!"
Gabriel gives him a hard glare from within the circle. Dean smashes the small glass surrounding the fire alarm and pulls it. As the shrieking begins to permeate the warehouse, Gabe gazes upwards at the sprinklers. They go off dousing everything on the ground floor as the fire around him starts to sputter out.
"Don't say I never did anything for you," Dean says as his parting remark.
Gabriel glares at their backs as Sam, Dean and Castiel leave the warehouse. The door closing behind their retreating figures with a final loud boom. The fire goes out around Gabriel, and he slowly looks to Amy standing next to him.
She walks over to him, smiles gently, then with a soft flap of her wings they disappear from the warehouse; leaving no trace behind but the faint smell of burnt oil.
A/N: Like I said I'll try to get another chapter or two done for today and tomorrow so hopefully see you soon!