The Third Man Part 2

Castiel was standing by the wrecked car. Sam, Dean, and Angela were still up in the motel room.

Castiel suddenly appeared behind the three hunters. "He's gone."

"Alright, Cas, who was that guy?" Sam asked.

"A soldier of Raphael," Castiel replied. "He must have followed me when I answered your call."

"Raphael? The archangel?" Sam raised a brow. "I'm sorry, what's going on here?"

Castiel got a bowl from a cupboard. "I can explain later. Right now, we have to—

"No, not later," Angela said, walking up to Castiel so that they were inches apart. "Now," she demanded. "Stop, alright? There are too many angels, Cas! I don't know who's on first, what's on second."

"What is second?!" Castiel replied, clearly confused.

Angela sighed, frustrated. "Don't start that, Cas."

"It is simple: Raphael and his followers, they want him to rule Heaven," Castiel explained. "I—and many others—the last thing we want is to let him take over. It would be catastrophic."

"You're talking civil war." Sam realized.

"Technically, yes." Castiel sighed. "Which is why we have to find Balthazar and his weapons before Raphael does. Whoever has the weapons wins the war." He added, pulling Sam's weapons from under his bed.

"Help yourself," Sam muttered sarcastically.

"And what happens is Raphael wins?" Dean asked. "What—what does he want?"

Castiel got a flask of holy water from Sam's bag. "What he's always wanted—to end the story the way it was written."

"You mean the Apocalypse, the one that we derailed?" Dean asked.

"Yes. That one." Castiel replied. "Raphael wants to put it back on the rails."

"Why?" Dean asked.

Castiel looked around the room. "I need myrrh."

"Myrrh?" Sam asked.

Castiel suddenly disappeared.

"Freakin' angels," Dean muttered.

Castiel reappeared behind Dean and Angela. He was drawing on the kitchen table with chalk.

"Why does Raphael want to bring back all this crap?" Angela asked.

"He's a traditionalist," Castiel replied.

"Cas, why didn't you tell us this?" Angela sighed.

"I was ashamed," Castiel admitted. "I expected more from my brothers. I'm sorry. Now I need your blood." He grabbed Angela's wrist and sliced her palm.

"Whoa, whoa! Ow!" She exclaimed. "Why don't you use your own?!"

"It wouldn't work," Castiel replied. "I'm not human."

Angela squeezed her hand shut. Blood dripped into the bowl. Castiel added myrrh and holy water and intones.

Suddenly, sirens sounded.

"Uh, Cas, how long does this spell take?" Sam raised a brow.

The wailing intensified.

"Got him," Castiel said. "Let's go."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa." Dean cut in. "What about him?" he gestured to Aaron, who was still on the bed, unconscious.

"Don't you think the police will take him home?" Castiel replied.

~/~\~

There were crickets chirping.

"Huh," Dean mumbled. "I was expecting more Dr. No, less Liberace."

Dean, Sam, Angela, and Castiel advanced on the mansion.

~/~\~

An angel armed with an angel blade was patrolling the grounds.

"Hey, there." Sam pulled out his angel blade. "Yeah, I got one of those, too."

The angel appeared behind Sam, holding the knife to his throat. "You think you can knife-fight an angel?"

"Who's fighting?" Dean asked. "Peace out, douchewad." He added before slapping the angel-banishing sigil, causing the angel to disappear.

Thunder crashed.

~/~\~

"Well, now Raphael will have to go shopping for a new vessel," Balthazar said. "Should give me a nice long head start on him. Until next time."

"Next time." Castiel nodded.

"No time like the present," Dean said as he walked in. He flicked a lighter and dropped it on a circle of holy oil that surrounded Balthazar.

"Holy fire," Balthazar growled. "You hairless ape! Release me!"

"First you're taking your marker off of Aaron Birch's soul!" Angela demanded.

"Am I?!" Balthazar retorted.

"Sam?" Dean nodded.

"Unless you like your wings extra crispy," he said, uncorking a bottle of holy oil. "I'd think about it."

"Castiel, I stood for you in Heaven," Balthazar said. "Are you gonna let—

"I believe…the hairless ape has the floor." Castiel cut him off.

Balthazar laughed. "Very well." He inhaled, touched his clasped hands to his forehead, and exhaled. "The boy's debt is cleared. His soul is his own."

"Why are you buying up human souls, anyway?" Dean asked.

"In this economy?" Balthazar sassed. "It's probably the only thing worth buying. Do you have any idea what souls are worth? What power they hold? Now…release me."

"Suck it, ass clown." Dean glared. "Nobody said anything—

Castiel lowered his hand, lowering the flames.

"Cas, what the hell?!" Dean snapped.

Castiel looked at Balthazar. "My debt to you is cleared."

"Fair enough," Balthazar replied before disappearing.

"Cas, are you out of your mind?!" Dean yelled.

Castiel disappeared.

"Cas?!" Dean snapped. "Oh, friggin' angels! Come on!"

~/~\~

Dean was rearranging weapons in the trunk of the Impala. "Yeah, well I didn't realize I had this much stuff back here."

"Well, I need some space," Sam replied. "Kind of picked up some stuff along the way."

Dean closed the false bottom on the weapons cache. Sam placed his duffle bag on top. He noticed a mask there and pulled it out.

"What the hell is that?" Sam frowned.

"Oh, it's, uh, Ben's Halloween costume." Dean shrugged.

"Wendigo?" Sam asked.

"Yeah." Dean nodded.

Sam nodded approvingly. "Accurate."

Dean closed the trunk. The three hunters leaned against the Impala.

"Hey, so, uh…are you okay?" Dean asked.

"Me?" Sam chuckled. "Yeah, I'm great."

"Really?" Angela looked up at him. "Because there have been a few times that you got me and Dean wondering…"

"Come again?" Sam frowned.

"What she means is, where were you when Cas was, uh, giving the Holy Taser treatment to the kid?" Dean asked.

"I was right there." Sam shrugged.

"Really?" Angela asked. "Because honestly, it felt like Dean and I were the only ones raising a card."

"Right." Sam nodded. "Uh, I mean, I was with you guys, but…I don't know." He shrugged. "W-we needed the intel."

"Yeah, I know, but we tortured that kid to get it," Dean replied.

Sam just sighed.

"Angie and I just didn't get the feeling that you—that you even cared," Dean replied.

"Y-you're wrong." Sam shrugged.

"Look, Sam, we're just trying to figure this out because…something's different with you. You know that. I mean, it's like you don't care anymore." Angela said softly.

"Yeah. Yeah, I know." Sam admitted.

"Really?" Angela asked.

"Yeah." Sam shrugged. "I mean…I've been hunting non-stop for the past year, kind of…kind of on the wild, you know? So, yeah, I suppose I'm a little rough around the edges."

"Yeah, uh, we get that. But I just don't think you're giving us the whole scoop." Dean replied. "You went to hell, Sam. And believe me, I know what that does to a guy."

"To you," Sam said.

"What?" Dean asked, confused.

"You know what it does to you," Sam explained. "It—it tortured you. You know? I think it still does. But, Dean…I'm okay."

"So you're saying, what, that—that you're stronger than me?" Dean frowned.

Sam chuckled. "No. Just saying we're different." Sam paused, slapped the roof of the Impala and got inside.

Dean and Angela shared a look, then got into the car as well.

A/N: Hey guys! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! The next two chapters are going to be mostly from Bobby's POV, just letting you know. Right now I'm editing Live Free or Twihard and omg I am so excited to post those chapters! Don't forget to review! Your feedback is so, so important to me. Love you guys!

~Emily