At Hell's Gates

by mrsemmettcullen12

What if Sam had a twin sister? This is the story of Dean and Sam with a sister, Alex.

41. Brothers and Sisters

This is my first story, so please be nice. Tell me what you think.

I do not own any of the characters (except for Alex) and I do not own any of the storylines.

Chapter 41

Alex leaned against the hood of the Impala with Sam as they both brushed their teeth. The car was parked along a harbor and Dean was napping in the car. Alex and Sam both turned around as they heard commotion inside the vehicle. Dean pushed open the passenger side door and crawled out, grunting as he did so. Sam removed the toothbrush from his mouth.

"Hey. How'd you sleep?"

Alex smirked as Dean slowly stood up, squinting as the sun shone into his half-lidded eyes.

"How do you think?" asked Dean.

"I'm starving. Let's get breakfast," he said, wiping his face with his hand.

"Where? We're like, two hours away from anything," said Sam.

"But I'm hungry now," whined Dean.

Alex rolled her eyes and took her toothbrush out of her mouth.

"Well, there's probably still a sandwich in the backseat," she offered.

Dean reached through the open backseat window and grabbed a brown paper lunch sack out of the backseat. He smirked as he pulled it open, sniffing it. His head flew back from the rank odor and he took in a few deep breaths.

"It's tuna," he complained.

Alex rolled her eyes once again as a cell phone started ringing. Dean threw the lunch sack on the ground and Alex and Sam spit the toothpaste out of their mouths as they turned around to see Dean. He reached inside the vehicle and sifted through his glove box, finding the ringing cell phone. Dean stared at it in his hands.

"Isn't that Dad's phone?" asked Sam.

Dean looked over at his siblings, nodding as he flipped open the silver cell phone. He hit the green button and held it to his ear.

"Hello?" asked Dean, his voice now gruff and businesslike.

"Um, is this John?" asked the kid on the other end of the phone call.

"He can't come to the phone, so can I help you?"

"Um, no, no, no, I really need to talk to John. This is Adam Milligan, he knows me."

"Well, I'm really sorry to have to be the one to break this to you, pal, but John died more than two years ago."

Sam and Alex faced Dean fully now, confused as to who would be asking for their dead father. The person on the other end of the call let out a strangled gasp.

"Who is this?" asked Dean.

"Um, I'm his son."

A few days later, Sam, Dean, and Alex were in the small town of Windom, Minnesota. Dean parked the car in front of a very small diner and they all climbed out, Dean slamming his door shut angrily as he walked back to the trunk, opening it. Sam sighed.

"Dean, look. The best I can tell, this Adam Milligan kid is real. Um, born September 29, 1993 to Kate Milligan. No father listed on the birth certificate. He's an Eagle Scout, graduated from high school with honors. And currently goes to the University of Wisconsin, Biology major, Pre-Med," finished Sam, holding a file folder in his hands.

Alex and Sam watched as Dean stuffed his pockets full of small knifes and stuck a gun in the large pocket in his jacket. Alex raised her eyebrows at her oldest brother.

"Um, Dean?" she asked.

Dean slammed the trunk closed and turned to face her and Sam.

"Are you even listening?" asked Sam.

"This is a trap."

Sam sighed and watched as Dean walked away from them, heading for the diner's front entrance. The bell rang as the three of them walked inside the small restaurant. Dean grabbed a chair from one table and dragged it over to another table, Sam and Alex following him. Alex sat next to Dean while Sam sat on the booth across from them.

"Dean, we're telling you, this kid really checks out," explained Alex.

"Great, so he's an actual person on this planet. Sucks that he's got a demon in him."

Alex and Sam both sighed heavily as the waitress approached their table. She handed all three of them an ice cold glass of water and began to speak again, but Dean rudely interrupted her.

"We're actually waiting on someone."

The waitress scoffed and threw their menus down rudely.

"Thank you," said Sam.

Once she was gone, Alex and Sam glared at Dean. Dean ignored their stares and grabbed his small glass of water, pouring it out into the plant behind his chair.

"What the hell are you doing?" whispered Alex, her eyes wide as she looked at her brother.

Dean pulled out his silver flask and placed the cup in his lap as he uncorked the flask.

"Really, Dean? Holy water?" whispered Sam.

"Yep. Once he drinks this Jesus juice, this evil son of a bitch is gonna be in a world of hurt," explained Dean.

Alex closed her eyes and rubbed her temples with her fingers.

"Oh my God," she whispered to herself.

Dean placed the water glass full of holy water in the empty spot on the end next to Sam and then began unrolling his silverware.

"And what if he's not possessed, Dean?" asked Sam.

"Then he's obviously a shape-shifter," replied Dean, his face completely serious as he glanced over at Sam.

"Hence the silver," said Sam, watching as Dean removed all of the diner's silverware and replaced it with real silver.

Alex looked over at Sam, nudging him under the table with her foot. Sam sighed and Dean looked between the two of them.

"What?"

Sam sighed and opened their father's leather bound journal.

"Look, Dean. There's an entry in Dad's journal from January of 1993, saying he's headed to Minnesota to check out a case," said Sam.

"That's roughly about nine months before this kid was born," said Alex, her eyebrows raised.

"Coincidence," said Dean.

"Oh, coincidence? Right, that's why the next two pages of the journal are torn out," said Sam.

"You two aren't actually buying this, are you?" asked Dean.

"Look, man, I don't want to believe it either, but I'm just saying, it's possible. I mean, Dad would be gone for weeks at a time and he wasn't exactly a monk," explained Sam.

He closed their father's journal and placed it down at his side.

"I mean, a hunter rolls into town, kills the monster, saves the girl. Sometimes the girl's grateful. I mean, that's how Kellan and I got together. I mean, I was pregnant because I was grateful," said Alex.

Dean and Sam both cringed while Alex looked a little sheepish.

"Sorry, guys," she whispered.

"Now I'm thinking about Dad having sex, stop talking," said Dean.

The bell over the diner's front door chimed as a tall, skinny kid walked in. He looked to be about 19 or 20 and he was at least six feet tall. Alex's face fell as she saw him and Sam and Dean looked over at the front entrance. The kid looked at the floor, so Sam called out his name.

"Adam?"

Adam suddenly looked up, walking over to them.

"Are you Sam?" he asked him.

"Yeah. Um, that's Dean and Alex over there," introduced Sam.

Adam nodded and took the empty seat beside Sam, setting his backpack down on the floor beside him. He stuffed his hands in the pockets of his tan coat and glanced at all three of them.

"So, um, how'd you know my dad?" asked Adam.

Alex bit her lip nervously as Sam answered for all of them.

"Um, we all worked together."

"How'd he die?"

"On the job."

Adam looked a little confused.

"He was a mechanic, right?"

"A car fell on him," said Dean, his tone hostile.

Adam glanced over at him and Alex nudged Dean under the table gently. Their waitress reappeared then, handing Adam a fresh glass of water and greeting him with a soft smile.

"Hey, Adam, how you doing?"

Dean quickly reached out and grabbed the glass of water before Adam could even touch it.

"Oh, I'll take that. I'm very thirsty," said Dean, throwing back half of the glass.

The waitress gave Dean a weird look and then turned back to Adam.

"The usual, Adam?" she asked him.

"Um, yeah. Thanks, Denise."

She walked back into the kitchen as Adam picked up his water, clearing his throat. The Winchesters all watched closely as Adam brought the glass up to his lips. He drank a couple sips and then placed it back down on the table, wiping his mouth with the back of his left hand.

"So, um, when's the last time you saw John?" asked Alex.

"Gosh, I don't even remember. It's been at least a couple of years."

"What made you decide to call him now then?" asked Sam.

Dean was staring off into the distance, but he discreetly removed his handgun from inside his jacket. He rested it on his knee, pointing it straight at Adam as he focused his attention back on the conversation.

"I really didn't know who else to call. He's the only family I've got left."

Alex and Sam looked at Adam sadly and Adam looked down at the table briefly before answering their unspoken question.

"My mom's missing."

"Really? I'm so sorry. For how long?" asked Sam.

"That's tragic, really, but if you're John's kid, how come we've never heard of you?" asked Dean.

Adam just shrugged.

"Because John and me didn't really know one another. Not until a few years ago, anyway," answered Adam.

"What do you mean?" asked Alex, looking at Adam sadly.

"My mom never really talked about him. I mean, I knew some stuff."

"What kind of stuff?" asked Dean.

Adam hesitated before answering.

"My mom's a nurse and Dad came into the ER once, pretty torn up. Hunting accident or something? Anyway, I knew his name. John Winchester. That's about it, we're not exactly a nuclear family," explained Adam, smiling slightly.

"Yeah, well, who actually is one these days?" joked Sam, smiling over at Adam.

"So when did you, um, finally meet him?" asked Dean.

"When I was 12. My mom had one of his old numbers and after I begged her 24/7, she finally called him. God, when John heard he had a son, he dropped everything and raced to town, driving all night to get here."

The waitress dropped off Adam's food then and Adam stopped talking to begin eating his plate full of eggs and bacon.

"That's heartwarming," said Dean, his face showing no emotion whatsoever.

"Do you all mind?" asked Adam, motioning to his silverware.

Dean smirked.

"No, please, dig in," encouraged Dean.

Adam nodded and pulled his napkin out from underneath his silverware. Dean's face turned serious once again as he cocked his gun, ready to shoot and kill Adam at a moment's notice.

"He would come by once a year or so. Called when he could, but still…"

Adam picked up his knife and fork and Dean watched as nothing happened to Adam. Dean put the safety back onto his gun and stuck it back into his jacket discreetly.

"He taught me how to play pool and poker. He even bought me my first beer when I was only fifteen. And, um, he showed me how to drive. Dad, he had this beautiful, gorgeous 1967 Impala-"

"Oh, this is complete bullshit! You know what, you're lying," exclaimed Dean.

Alex and Sam's eyes went wide at Dean's outburst.

"No, I'm not lying," said Adam.

"Yes, you are."

"I'm sorry, but who the hell are you to call me a liar?"

"We're John Winchester's kids, that's who. We are his children," said Dean, motioning to Alex, Sam, and himself.

Adam looked from Dean to Alex and then to Sam sitting next to him. His eyebrows were raised.

"I've got siblings?" asked Adam.

Dean shook his head angrily.

"No, you don't have siblings. Look, man, I don't know if you're a hunter or what kind of game you're playing here."

"I have never been hunting in my life."

"Whatever. I'm out of here. Come on," said Dean.

He glared at Adam one last time and then stood up from the table, briskly walking over to the diner's entrance to leave. Adam sighed before speaking up.

"I can prove it."

At Adam's house, Alex stood in between her brothers as they all stared at the framed picture she was currently holding in her hands. The picture showed Adam standing next to John, John's arm slung over Adam's shoulders as they both smiled for the camera.

"He took you to a baseball game?" asked Dean, looking over at Adam.

Adam smiled fondly as he recalled the memory.

"Yeah, right as I turned fourteen. Dad was around for a few of my birthdays."

Sam opened up John's journal and read another excerpt to Dean and Alex.

"September 29, 2007. One word: Minnesota."

Sam looked over at Adam while Alex glanced at Dean. Dean was struggling with his emotions, his eyes closed. A few seconds later, Dean opened his eyes, looking over at Adam once again.

"He took you to a freaking baseball game?"

Alex sighed, biting her lip nervously.

"Yeah. Why, what'd Dad do with you on your birthday?" asked Adam.

Alex handed him back the picture as Dean smirked sarcastically, scoffing. Adam placed the picture back on the end table where it had been before.

"Adam, you said you called Dad because your mom was missing?" asked Sam.

"Yeah."

"How long has she been gone?" asked Alex.

"Three days."

"Who was the last person to see her?" asked Dean.

"Mr. Eb and Nancy, our neighbors. They saw her come home Tuesday night, but she never showed up for work on Wednesday."

Dean noticed a framed picture of John and Adam's mom on the mantel above the fireplace. He looked down at the floor, keeping his emotions in check as Adam continued talking.

"Did you call the police?" asked Alex.

"Um, her supervisor at the hospital did. And then I drove down here as fast as I could from university. I should've been here," said Adam, looking sad.

Dean cleared his throat and focused back in on the conversation.

"What'd the cops say?" he asked Adam.

"They, um, they searched the house. They didn't find anything though."

Adam choked up then.

"She would never leave without telling anyone. I mean, it's like she just dropped off the face of the earth, you know?"

Dean pushed Adam's mom's dresser back into place against the wall up in her room. As he stood up, he glanced at the pictures she had placed on top of it. One was of her, Adam, and John all standing in a field, Adam holding a dead rabbit in his hands. Dean's eyebrows pulled together in thought. He heard a creak from behind him and he whirled around to see Adam standing in the doorway. Dean walked towards Adam a few steps.

"The, um, nightstand was knocked over. Anything else?" asked Dean.

Adam shook his head, his hands back in his coat pockets once again.

"No, not really. The sheriff said there were no signs of a break-in," answered Adam.

Dean scoffed and glanced around the room.

"What, you think the police missed something?" asked Adam.

"It's possible. They don't have my eyes."

Dean walked over to the window, peeking out of the curtains as he looked through the room.

"You're a mechanic," stated Adam.

"Yeah, that's right."

Adam sighed.

"Dean, what else can you tell me about Dad?"

Dean shrugged.

"You knew him."

"Not nearly as well as you."

"Trust me, kid. You don't wanna know."

Dean gave Adam a long, hard stare as they heard shuffling in the hallway. Adam turned and faced the doorway again as Alex and Sam came marching into the room, Alex holding up a piece of paper for Dean to see. Dean looked over at Adam.

"Give us a minute."

Dean left the room with his siblings and they walked a little farther down the hallway, out of Adam's earshot.

"Talk to the cops?" asked Dean.

"Yeah. Like Adam said, no leads on his mom so far. But we did find this," said Alex.

She pulled open the piece of paper and all three of them looked down at it in her hands.

"Here."

She handed it over to Dean so he could read it himself.

"In 1993, there were 17 grave robberies in this town," explained Sam.

"Think that's why Dad came through here?" asked Dean, looking at the newspaper article in his hands.

"Yeah, we'd say so. Check it out," said Alex.

She pointed to a figure in the picture and Dean held the newspaper article closer to his face, seeing his father in the background of the picture accompanied with the newspaper article.

"Alright, so he was hunting something. What?" asked Dean.

"We have no clue. Those are the pages he tore out of the journal. But last month, the corpse snatching started back up again, three bodies from the local cemetery," explained Sam.

"So whatever he was after, he didn't kill it and now it's back," said Sam.

"Kate's missing and so is a local bartender," said Alex, snatching the newspaper article from Dean's grip and replacing it with a picture of the missing bartender.

"This guy's named Joe Barton," said Alex.

Dean looked at the picture for a few more seconds and then headed back into the bedroom where Adam looked up at all of them as they re-entered his mom's room.

"Hey, does your mom know Joe Barton?" asked Dean, showing the picture to Adam.

"Um, I don't think so. Why?" answered Adam.

Dean folded the picture back up and sighed, not answering Adam's question. He looked down at the floor and cocked his head to the side in confusion as he saw marks going under the bed. They looked like marks someone would make if they were being dragged against their will. Dean crouched down and headed towards the bed, Adam standing up as Dean got closer to his mother's bed.

"What is it?" asked Adam.

"Watch out," said Dean.

He pulled up the covers and the bed skirt that were obstructing his view under the bed and then he released them after only a couple of seconds. Dean motioned to Adam.

"Give me a hand with the mattress," he ordered.

Adam obliged and they lifted the mattress up and away from the bed, setting it against the wall in an empty corner of the room. Underneath the bed was a small, metal door, leading into an air duct. Adam looked at the three of them, Sam and Alex now standing beside Dean. Without speaking a word, they all held up their fists and counted to three in their heads. Dean held out scissors while Alex and Sam held out rock. Dean threw his arms out in frustration before he placed his hands on his hips, Alex and Sam smirking at his little temper tantrum.

"Every time," whined Dean.

Adam looked at Sam and Alex, who nodded.

Dean shined his flashlight down the air duct, seeing nothing ominous yet. He climbed in head first and sighed as he barely fit inside the small space.

"Why didn't I throw paper?" he asked himself.

He began crawling through the air duct, groaning as he would hit the smaller spaces. He stopped when he had almost reached the end of the duct, seeing tiny spots of blood in the corner. He crawled forward slowly, his gun in his other hand. Once he got closer to the end, he threw himself around the corner, but nothing was there on the right side except another metal door leading out into the hallway beside Adam's mom's room. Dean sighed and pushed himself farther out, whipping his head around the corner to look at the left side of the air duct. He rested his head on the duct behind him when he saw the blood, hair, and chunks of skin that were on the left side of the air duct.

Dean was cleaning out his shotgun in their motel room when a knock sounded on their motel room door. He turned around as Sam opened the door, Adam pushing his way inside their motel room.

"Who the hell are you guys?" asked Adam.

"Adam, hey. Take it easy," said Sam.

"No, don't tell me to take it easy, okay? My house is now a crime scene, my mom's probably dead, and you three, you told me to call the police, but you all have to bail before they show up at my house? So, who are you, really?" asked Adam, looking between the three of them now.

Dean looked at Alex and Sam, no one answering Adam's questions. Adam looked at Dean then.

"The cops didn't know where to look for my mom, Dean, but you sure did. And I heard you talking earlier, something about grave robberies."

Adam looked over to Dean's side and saw Dean's shotgun. He looked at Alex.

"You're not mechanics. I just wanna know what's going on. Please," asked Adam, his voice pleading now.

Alex sighed, biting her lip.

"We're hunters," she said.

"Alex!" yelled Dean.

"He deserves to know, Dean," said Alex.

"What do you mean when you say hunters?" asked Adam.

Dean shook his head at his sister.

"So, basically you're saying that every movie monster, every nightmare that I've ever had, that's all real?" asked Adam, a couple hours later.

Sam nodded sadly.

"Godzilla's just a movie," said Dean.

Alex rolled her eyes while Sam just ignored him.

"We hunt them. And so did Dad."

Adam looked away, nodding.

"Okay."

"Okay? That's it?" asked Dean.

"Well, what am I supposed to say?" asked Adam.

"That we're liars, that we're crazy. Nobody just says okay."

"You're my family. You're telling me the truth, right?" asked Adam.

Sam nodded and Alex smiled at Adam.

"Yeah," said Sam.

"Then I believe you. Now, what took my mom?" asked Adam.

"We're not sure. Something's in town stealing bodies, living and dead. But we don't know what," explained Sam.

"There's a long list of freaks that fit the bill," said Alex.

"Do any of you think maybe she might still be alive?"

Adam looked at each of them, but they all avoided eye contact.

"Oh," whispered Adam, looking down at the floor.

Dean looked over at Adam then.

"How can I help?" asked Adam, a determined look on his face.

"You can't," said Dean.

Adam looked at him across the room.

"This thing killed my mom. If you're going after it, I want in."

"No."

Sam sighed.

"Dean, look. Maybe-"

"Maybe what?"

"He lost his mother. Maybe we can understand what that feels like!" yelled Sam.

Dean stood up from his chair and walked over to join all of them.

"Why do you think Dad never told us about this kid, Sam? Huh? Why do you think he ripped out the pages?" asked Dean, holding up John's journal to emphasize his point.

"Because…"

"Because he was protecting him," whispered Alex, biting her lip nervously as she spoke.

Sam and Dean both looked at her, Dean pointing at her.

"Exactly," agreed Dean.

"Yeah, well, Dad's dead," said Sam.

"It doesn't matter. He didn't want Adam to have our lives, okay? And we're gonna respect his wishes because we sure fucked it up once already," yelled Dean.

He threw John's journal down on the bed Sam was sitting on, not noticing the look of panic Sam was giving him from his previous statement. Alex stood up from her spot next to Adam.

"What do you mean, you already fucked it up once?" she asked.

Dean turned around, his face panic stricken.

"Lex, I didn't-"

"You mean that time I ended up in the hospital because of that damn car accident and Dad ended his life to save mine? Or that time I was pregnant and you still blame yourself because I lost the baby? Damn it, Dean, just stop it! I was the pregnant one, I was the one who lost a child, not you! It was all my fault, not yours, not Dad's, mine! He ended his life to save mine and I have to live with that guilt every fucking day! I don't want to hear about the guilt you feel for all of my fucking problems!"

Tears rolled down Alex's face as she brushed past Dean and Sam, who was standing up now as well.

"Lex, please," said Dean, grabbing Alex's wrist as she moved past him.

Alex pulled her arm out of his reach and gave him a hateful glare.

"Just leave me alone."

She stormed out of their motel room, Adam's eyes wide as he watched her leave. Dean rubbed his hands over his face as he headed for the door.

"Babysit the kid," he told Sam.

"Where are you going?" asked Sam.

"I'm going to fix this!" yelled Dean, motioning towards the door Alex had just walked through.

He slammed the door after him and Sam expelled a deep breath.

"Are they always like that?" asked Adam.

Sam chuckled darkly.

"Welcome to the family."

Adam looked down at the ground and Sam sighed. He pulled the gun from the waistband of his jeans and held it out for Adam to take.

"Here. Let me teach you a few things."

Adam's eyes widened.

"Um, Dean said-"

"Yeah, I know what Dean said."

Sam held the gun out towards Adam, who took it in his hands gently.

"I know what it's like to want revenge," said Sam.

Alex paced around the parking lot of the motel, wiping the tears off of her cheeks as she walked. She cursed when she saw Dean walking towards her. When he was only a few steps in front of her, Alex looked up and Dean's face broke her heart. He had tears in his eyes as he looked at his little sister.

"Alex, I'm so sorry. I never knew how much guilt you felt," whispered Dean.

Ale chuckled sarcastically and toed a pebble on the cement, not looking at Dean as she spoke.

"Yeah, well, I have an awful lot to feel guilty for."

"Stop that. Don't play the blame game."

"What game, Dean? Dad's dead because of me. Kellan will never know what it's like to be a father because of me!"

Alex's tears spilled over and Dean took two more steps, pulling her into his arms as she sobbed into his chest.

"Why do all these awful things keep happening to us? Why couldn't we have lived a life like Adam, oblivious to the horrible things this world has to offer?" cried Alex.

Dean closed his eyes as a tear fell from his eye onto the top of Alex's head.

"I wish I knew, Lex. I wish I knew."

Alex nodded as they stood there for a few more minutes. Once Alex's tears had subsided, she stepped back, looking up at Dean's face. She grabbed his chin in her hands and forced him to look at her.

"Now, you listen to me, Dean Winchester. Don't you ever blame yourself for any of my problems ever again. Do you understand me?"

Dean nodded and Alex let go of his chin. They started to walk back to their motel room slowly.

"You know, my baby would've been two months old by now. You think someday I'll be able to have that life? A white picket fence with a yard full of kids?" asked Alex.

Dean stopped walking and looked over at her then, smiling.

"I sure hope so. But I really think it's too late. For all of us. You, me, and Sam. But Alex, I promise to do what I can so that you can have a better life."

Alex leaned up on her tip-toes and kissed Dean's cheek. Dean smiled and kissed her forehead.

"Come on, big brother. We've got some work to do."

Dean nodded and he pulled her over to the Impala.

"Let's go for a ride. I need to blow off some steam for a little while."

Alex nodded and followed Dean into the Impala.

Adam looked over at Sam, who was polishing off a sawed-off shotgun.

"Sam, what really killed Dad?"

Sam never looked up from what he was doing.

"A demon."

"So you three hunted it down and got revenge?"

"Dean killed it."

"So it's over for you?"

Sam stopped what he was doing and finally looked over at Adam.

"It's never over."

As soon as Sam finished speaking, the lights in their motel room shut off.

"What the hell?" asked Adam, standing up from his spot on the bed.

"Shh," cautioned Sam, also standing up.

Sam loaded a few bullets into his shotgun as he walked over to the bathroom. He pushed the door open, but no one was there. He heard another noise, so he whirled around, looking up at the air vent right next to the bathroom door.

"It's in the vents," whispered Sam.

He grabbed Adam and they headed for the door, Sam shooting at the air vent as they ran away. Adam grabbed his jacket as they ran out of the motel room door, Sam directly behind him. They rushed down the stairs to get to the parking lot, Adam leading the way to his car.

"Keys!" yelled Sam.

Adam threw him the car keys and Sam caught them in one graceful catch. As Sam began unlocking the driver's side door, something grabbed him from underneath the car. Sam fell flat on his back as the mysterious creature tried pulling him under Adam's truck.

"Sam!" yelled Adam.

As Adam rushed over to Sam's side of the car, Dean and Alex pulled up in the Impala.

"Help!" yelled Adam, grabbing one of Sam's arms.

Dean grabbed Sam's other arm and they pulled Sam away from the creature. Alex grabbed Sam's abandoned shotgun and pointed it under the truck bed, firing the shotgun. Adam laid flat on the ground as he tried to catch his breath. Alex looked at Sam and Dean.

Adam pulled his truck out and parked it in the next spot over. A sewer grate was directly underneath his car, the top open and covered with what looked like blood. Adam, Sam, and Alex watched him walk back towards them.

"I winged it. Did you two see anything?" asked Dean, opening the Impala and placing the shotgun in the trunk arsenal.

"I didn't get a good look," said Sam.

"What the hell is this thing?" asked Alex, looking down at the sewer grate.

"Should we go after it?" asked Adam.

"No, no. With that maze, that thing is long gone," said Dean.

"Alright, so we don't know what it is, but we do know who it's going after. Joe Barton, Adam's mom…" began Sam.

"And Adam," finished Alex.

"I mean, it was under his truck just waiting for him," said Dean.

"It set a trap. And I walked right into it," said Sam, shaking his head.

"That doesn't matter. You're right, there's a pattern. Joe Barton was a cop. I'm pretty sure he helped out Dad. So we've got him, Dad's girl, and his son," explained Dean.

"All the people Dad knew in this town," said Alex.

"At least we know why its back," said Dean, looking behind him at the sewer grate once again.

"It wants revenge," said Adam.

Adam opened the side door of his house, Dean tearing down the crime scene tape that blocked the doorway. Adam flipped on the kitchen light switch as he headed into the hallway and up the stairs.

"Grab your stuff and then we'll hit the road," said Dean.

Adam nodded as Sam and Alex sat at his kitchen table.

"We shouldn't leave," said Sam.

"Yeah, let's just stay here where the kid's mom got ganked. Good one," said Dean.

"I'm serious."

"No, Sam. We're gonna take the kid, we're gonna drop him off at Bobby's, and then you, me, and Alex are gonna come back here and finish what Dad started," said Dean.

He began looking at all of the pictures stuck to the fridge.

"How? We've got no leads, no witnesses. But we do have what this thing wants," said Sam.

Alex and Dean both cocked their heads to the side, looking at Sam curiously.

"Are you suggesting that we use Adam as bait? That's why you want to stay here?" asked Alex.

"Maybe this thing will come back. We could train Adam. Get him ready," said Sam.

"He could die, Sam," said Dean.

Sam finally looked over at his siblings then.

"We could all die, Dean. Even if we do kill this one thing, there are tons of other freaks that want revenge on us, on Dad. What if they find Adam instead and he's not even ready?"

"I'll do it," said Adam, standing in the entryway of the kitchen.

The Winchesters all looked over at him then.

"Whatever it takes, I'll do it. I wanna do it."

Alex shook her head.

The next morning, Sam aimed his handgun at the target, hitting the bull's-eye every single time he shot off his gun.

"Whoa," said Adam.

Sam smirked.

"It's easy. Just feel the recoil and time the trigger pulls. Three taps," said Sam.

He handed his gun over to Adam, who shot it three times, hitting the target every single time. Sam smirked.

"Beginner's luck, right?" asked Adam.

Sam just shrugged.

Later that night, Sam was telling stories of their previous hunts to Adam while Dean sat with Alex in the next room.

"This is some cool job you three have here," said Adam.

Sam's face hardened as he looked over at Adam.

"Hunting isn't a job, Adam. It's a way of life. You got a girlfriend, friends?" asked Sam.

Adam nodded solemnly.

"Not anymore you don't. If you're really gonna do this, you can't have those kinds of connections. Ever. You'll just put those people in danger and end up getting them all killed. That's the price we pay."

"Sam. Can we talk to you please?" asked Alex, her arms crossed over her chest with exasperation.

Sam stood up from his spot at the kitchen table and followed Dean and Alex into the hallway.

"What the hell was all of that?" asked Dean.

"What?" asked Sam.

"Um, hunting is life, you can't ever have connections. Dad gave you that exact same speech, remember?" asked Dean.

"It was just before you left us all for Stanford. You hated Dad for saying all of that stuff to you years ago and now you're sitting here quoting him?" asked Alex.

Sam just shrugged.

"Yeah, well. Turns out Dad was right."

"Since when?" asked Dean.

"Since always. When I look at Adam, do you know what I see?"

"A normal kid?" offered Alex.

"No. Meat. Because to the demons and monsters out there, that's all he is. I hated Dad for an awfully long time, but now I think I understand him. Dad did right by us, he taught us how to protect ourselves. Adam deserves the same," said Sam.

"Sam, listen to yourself," whispered Alex.

"What, you two think I'm wrong?"

"I think it's too late for us. This is our life, this is who we are, okay? And it's fine, I accept that. But with Adam? He's still got a chance, man. He can go away to school, he can be a doctor," said Dean.

"And what makes Adam so special?" asked Sam.

"What are you, jealous of the kid?" asked Dean.

"Are you? Dean, all of this, it's not real. The dad Adam knew, he wasn't real. The things out there in the shadows, those are what's real. The world is ending, that's real."

"Dad didn't have a choice with us, but with Adam, he did. Adam doesn't have to be cursed."

"He's a Winchester. He's already cursed."

"No. Whatever's hunting Adam, we're gonna find it," chimed in Alex.

"We've already looked everywhere," said Sam.

"Then we'll look again."

"Fine. Maybe I should come with you this time since you clearly didn't do it right the first time," taunted Sam.

Alex shook her head at Sam and Dean clenched his jaw.

"I'll watch over Adam. You two go," said Alex.

Dean nodded and kissed Alex's forehead before he marched out of the room, Sam following right behind him. Alex gave Adam a small smile as the boys left.

Dean and Sam were in the town's small cemetery mausoleum, where Dean and Alex had been earlier that day. Dean noticed a small opening, so he and Sam worked together to pry the cement block away from the wall. Dean crawled through the tunnel first, Sam right behind him. As they crawled through it, they found themselves in the creature's lair, dead body parts scattered everywhere. As they looked around the large room, they heard the brick being moved back into place. Dean shot at the person down the tunnel, but he only caused more dirt to fall into the tunnel.

"Son of a bitch!" yelled Dean, seeing that their escape route was now caved in.

Sam rolled his eyes and pulled out his cell phone, holding it up into the air. He sighed when he couldn't get any service.

"Son of a bitch," said Sam.

Back at Adam's house, Alex and Adam worked together to salt all the doors and windows. They nailed wooden boards over all of the air vents except for one. They stood over the air vent in the bedroom of Adam's mom, Alex looking over at Adam.

"Alright, we've closed every other way into your house, so if this thing's coming, it's coming through here," said Alex.

Adam nodded and they both turned around when they heard a creaking noise from somewhere in the house.

"You were saying?" asked Adam, his eyebrows raised.

Alex's eyes widened as a woman's voice called out from downstairs.

"Adam? Adam! Adam!" yelled the woman.

"Mom?" called out Adam.

He ran for the door.

"No. Adam!" yelled Alex.

"Mom!" yelled Adam.

Alex ran after Adam down the stairs and into the kitchen. Adam was directly in front of a woman who looked like his mother. She was dressed in her nurse scrubs, holding her stomach. Blood was all over her face and matted into her dirty-blonde hair.

"Adam, please wait!" yelled Alex.

Adam hugged his mother into his chest as Alex held her shotgun up, aimed at Adam's mother.

"Adam, step away from her," demanded Alex.

Adam's eyes widened as he took in Alex's raised gun.

"Alex, what the hell?"

"She's not your mother!"

"Adam, what is going on?" asked Adam's mother.

Sam kept trying to bust his way out of the mausoleum while Dean took a longer look around. Dean saw a coffin in the corner and he walked over to it, prying it open. He held back a gag as he took in the smell coming from the coffin he had just opened.

"Sammy, you may want to come take a look at this," said Dean.

Sam rolled his eyes, but walked over to stand beside Dean.

"What?" he asked him.

Sam looked inside the coffin and saw Kate, Adam's mother. He exchanged a curious glance with Dean.

"Adam, you have to listen to me," begged Alex, her eyes still on Adam's mother.

"Alex, it's really her, I know it," said Adam.

"No, there was too much blood. Your mother's dead," said Alex.

Adam stepped towards her and grabbed the shotgun. Alex fought for it, but somehow, Adam got it into his hands. He aimed the shotgun at his own mother.

"Adam, you have to shoot her, okay? I know this is difficult, but you just have to trust me, alright?" asked Alex.

"Adam, she's crazy. Honey, it's me, I swear," begged Kate.

She began crying into her hands and Alex cocked her head to the side, confused. The woman's tears sounded fake as she cried. Adam smirked as he held the gun towards his mother, his face turned away from Alex.

"Fuck," cursed Alex, realizing something was wrong as chills suddenly ran up her spine.

She took off running up the stairs, Adam right behind her.

"Leave me alone!" cried Alex.

As she reached the landing at the top of the stairs, Adam grabbed her by the ankle. Alex fell to the floor, wincing as she felt something cut into her abdomen. Alex kicked out, hitting Adam straight in the shoulder. Adam let go for a brief second as Alex kicked out, but he was still too quick. Alex had crawled away down the hallway, but Adam caught up to her in less than a minute. He smirked as he brought the end of the shotgun down onto Alex's forehead, knocking her unconscious.

Dean and Sam spotted another coffin in the lair. They walked over to it, Sam lifting up the lid this time. They both sighed simultaneously as they saw Adam's dead body inside the second coffin, dried blood splattered everywhere.

"Sammy, we have to get to Alex."

Sam nodded.

"I know."

"Fuck!" yelled Dean.

He threw his hands up in the air in frustration at putting Alex in danger once again. Sam looked above them and saw a stained glass window in the top of the creature's lair.

"Dean," whispered Sam.

He pointed skyward and Dean looked up.

Alex woke up, taking in her surroundings. She was tied spread-eagle to the kitchen table, ropes holding her hands and feet down. Kate was humming beside her and she smirked when she noticed that Alex was awake. Alex tried pulling on her bonds, but they wouldn't budge. Alex looked over at Kate, sighing.

"No wonder none of the tests worked. You're not shape-shifters. You're ghouls," said Alex.

Kate turned her head, looking at Alex.

"You know, I find that term very racist."

"Oh, you do, do you?"

Alex looked away as Kate came closer, sniffing her.

"Mmm, fresh meat. So much better than what we're used to."

"I should've known. It was the fresh kills that threw us off your trail. Ghouls don't usually go after the living. See, you're just filthy scavengers, feeding off of the dead and taking the form of the last corpse you choked down," said Alex.

"And their thoughts and their memories. Like Adam, for instance," said Adam, walking into the room.

"You're just monsters," said Alex.

Adam pulled out a small silver knife and made a horizontal cut on Alex's forearm. Alex groaned in pain, gritting her teeth together to hold in her scream and then turned away when Kate began licking the blood from her wound.

"You know, you all use that term a lot, Alex. I don't think you know what it means. Our father was a monster. Why? Because of what he ate? He never hurt anyone, Alex. Living, anyway," said Adam.

"No. He was no monster, but the thing that killed him was. A monster named John Winchester," said Kate.

Dean and Sam had piled up the coffins inside the lair up so that they could reach the stained glass window in the ceiling above them. Sam handed Dean some sort of bar he had found and Dean broke the window, flinching as the glass rained down on them. Once the glass was gone, Dean used the same bar to climb out of the lair, Sam coming up right behind him. They ran across the cemetery to the Impala.

Alex screamed in pain as Adam stuck his finger into the wound on her abdomen. Adam twisted his finger in deeper as Alex screamed.

"Thanks to your daddy, my brother and I were forced to grow up on our own. At least we had each other," said Kate.

Adam finally removed his finger from Alex's wound and licked all of the blood clean from his finger.

"Like you and your brothers. Inseparable."

"Actually, it was really hard to get one of you on your own," said Kate.

"Like your twin brother said, Alex. The only thing you can count on is family," said Adam.

Kate licked more of the blood from Alex's arm wound, Alex looking away in disgust.

"And for 20 years, we lived like rats. Graveyard after graveyard, all that rotting flesh," said Kate, licking her fingers clean of Alex's blood.

"But then we thought, hey. Why not move up to fresher game?" asked Adam.

"And we knew just where to start. Revenge, it's never over, Alex."

Alex screamed once again as Adam dug his knife into her open arm wound.

"Scream all you want, baby. No one can hear you," said Adam, whispering in her ear.

Alex cringed away from him as he licked her earlobe, sighing with contentment at her taste.

"First was John's cop friend. And then his little slut and then his son," said Kate.

"And then I called John, but the bastard was already dead."

"So, I guess you three will have to do instead. We figured we might as well start with Daddy's precious little angel who could never do any wrong."

Adam reached out and brushed a hand over Alex's cheek. Alex flinched and tried to move away from the creature's touch.

"We're gonna feed on you nice and slow. Like we did with good old Adam," said Adam.

"Oh, and by the way. He really was your younger brother. I thought you should know that," smirked Kate.

She winked over at Alex, who looked up at the ceiling, praying for Sam and Dean to get there soon.

"He was still alive when we took our first bites," said Adam.

"And he was a screamer," whispered Kate.

She exchanged a glance with Adam and then both ghouls cut a vertical slit on both of Alex's forearms. Alex screamed in pain as blood began gushing from her arms, dripping into bowls on the floor. Kate made the incision longer and Alex cried out in pain, wishing it would all go away. She closed her eyes and Kellan's face flashed through her mind. She focused on his face, willing herself not to cry or give up.

"Alex, I'm impressed. You aren't struggling as much as we hoped you would considering that the more people struggle, the faster they bleed out," taunted Adam.

Kate looked at Alex and saw that her eyes were closed.

"Aww, she must be in her happy place."

Adam smirked and made another incision directly on Alex's wrist. Alex screamed and began struggling in immense pain. Blood poured into the bowls on the floor faster as she struggled.

"Hey!" yelled Dean, entering the room.

Sam shot at Adam and Alex lifted her head up to see her brothers.

"Sammy, they're ghouls!" she yelled.

Her head fell back onto the kitchen table as Sam nodded. He lifted up his shotgun and shot Kate straight in the head, decapitating her.

"Which means headshots," said Sam and Dean simultaneously.

Dean nodded and rushed over to begin untying Alex. Just as he reached the kitchen table, Adam tackled him through the entryway and into the hallway. Sam looked over at Alex and then at Dean's struggle with Adam. Alex nodded weakly and Sam ran for Dean. He tossed Dean a fireplace poker and Dean caught it, turning around to hit Adam in the head with it. Adam had rolled away from Dean, but Sam caught him, holding him down. Sam threw Adam to the ground and watched as Dean bashed his head in with the bottom of a lamp.

Alex turned her head to see her brothers killing Adam.

"Dean," she called out weakly.

Dean quickly stood up and ran over to Alex, whose eyes had fluttered closed. She was very pale as Dean began untying her wrists. Blood spattered everywhere as Dean freed her.

"Come on, baby girl, open your eyes for me," whispered Dean.

Alex didn't move and Dean cursed. He climbed up on the table and sat on it, putting Alex's head in his lap. Sam wrapped towels around her wrists once he had finished freeing her legs. Sam applied pressure around the towels on her arms and waited.

"Alex?" whispered Dean.

Alex's eyes didn't open and Sam cursed.

"Sammy, start the Impala. We've got to get her to the hospital," said Dean.

Sam nodded and rushed out of the kitchen, Dean throwing him the keys as he reached the door. Dean gently set Alex down on the table and climbed off of it, blood covering his jeans. He winced as he saw all of the blood in the bowls on the floor. Dean heard the Impala start up outside, so he grabbed Alex and pulled her into his arms, cringing as he felt the blood seeping through the towels on her arms. He ran outside as fast as possible and Sam pushed open the passenger side door, Dean climbing inside and shutting the door as Sam sped away to the hospital.

Dean ran inside the emergency room, Alex in his arms. The nearest nurse took them in and her eyes widened as she rushed over to them.

"What happened?" she asked Dean.

"She was attacked. Please, just help her," begged Dean.

The nurse nodded and waved another nurse over. Sam rushed into the ER then and walked over to his siblings. Dean placed Alex down on the gurney the new nurse had brought over and watched as they wheeled her away. The first nurse looked at the brothers.

"She's gonna need a blood transfusion. What's her blood type?"

"She's, um…"

"She's A-. I can donate," offered Dean.

The nurse nodded.

"Come with me, please."

Sam and Dean followed her.

The next morning, Dean sighed in relief as he saw Alex open her eyes, her skin back its normal shade. Alex smiled weakly over at him, frowning when she took in the bandage wrapped around his arm. She looked down at her forearms and saw that gauze was wrapped tightly around them.

"Dean, what happened?" whispered Alex.

"You lost a lot of blood, Alex. We had to bring you here and you needed a blood transfusion."

Alex's eyes widened.

"Did Sam give blood?" she asked.

"No. Why?"

Alex shook her head and smiled instead.

"Oh, no reason. Thanks for saving me, big brother."

Dean smiled at his little sister.

"That's what family's for, Lex."

Sam smirked from the doorway where he stood, listening in on their conversation.

Later that same night, Alex watched as Dean broke a big stick over his knee, throwing it onto the pile of kindling underneath Adam's dead and wrapped body.

"Are you sure we should be doing this?" asked Sam, glancing over at Dean.

"Ghouls didn't fake those pictures. And they didn't fake Dad's journal. Adam was our brother. He died like a hunter, so he deserves to go out like one," said Dean.

Alex nodded, Dean's jacket over her shoulders as she shivered from the cold night air.

"Maybe we could bring him back. Get a hold of Cas and call in a favor," said Sam.

"No, Adam's in a much better place," said Dean.

He struck a match and then threw it onto Adam's body. It immediately burst into flames.

"You know, I finally understand why you and Dad butted heads so much, Sam," said Dean.

Sam said nothing and Alex smiled.

"You two were practically the same person," said Alex.

"Exactly. I mean, I worshipped the guy, I dress like him, I acted like him, and I even listen to the same music. But you were more like him than I will ever be. And I see that now," explained Dean.

Sam nodded, his hands in the pockets of his coat.

"I'll take that as a compliment," said Sam.

"You can take it any way you want," said Dean.

Alex groaned as she, Dean, and Sam walked through a dark building in the middle of the night.

"What did he say, Dean? What was so important?" asked Sam, shining his flashlight in the shadows as they passed them.

"If I knew, would we be here?" shot back Dean.

Alex nodded with agreement and followed her brothers up a set of metal stairs. Debris was strewn everywhere around the room at the top of the stairs and lights would spark and fizz out every few seconds.

"What the hell?" whispered Alex.

"It looks like a bomb went off in here," said Sam.

They all crept forward very slowly so as not to disturb anything. They all looked around for clues as to what would have happened in this torn up room.

"There was a fight here," remarked Dean.

"Between who?" asked Alex.

Dean didn't answer, turning around to look at the rest of the room. His eyes widened as he took in the wall on the other side of the room.

"Check it out. Look familiar?"

Alex and Sam looked at the symbol painted on the wall directly behind them.

"Yeah, it does," said Sam.

"You use something like that to wish the angels back to the corn field," remarked Dean.

"So, what? Cas was fighting other angels?" asked Sam, moving his light away from the symbol and glancing over at Dean.

"I don't know," said Dean.

Alex sighed deeply and she looked around the place. She leaned forward when she spotted a figure lying on a large pile of debris. She gasped when she realized it was Castiel. She grabbed Dean's arm.

"Dean, look."

Dean's eyes widened as he spotted Castiel and the three siblings rushed over to Castiel's still form.

"Cas? Cas!" yelled Dean.

Once he reached Cas, he began shaking him roughly. Castiel's eyes opened and they grew wider as he took in the three siblings.

"What's going on?" asked Castiel.

Alex cocked her head to the side in confusion, noticing that Castiel's voice was very different.

"Just take it easy, take it easy," said Dean, holding out his hand for Castiel to take.

"Cas, are you okay?" asked Sam.

Castiel stood up suddenly, facing the three siblings.

"Castiel. I'm not Castiel. It's me," said Castiel.

Sam, Alex, and Dean looked at him strangely.

"Who's me?" asked Alex.

"Jimmy. My name's Jimmy," said the man.

"Where the hell is Castiel?" asked Dean.

The man shook his head.

"He's gone."

Dean turned around and faced his siblings.

Alex chuckled as the three Winchesters watched Jimmy shove down a hamburger in less than five minutes as he sat at their motel room kitchen table. Dean looked disgusted with Jimmy.

"Mind slowing down over there? You're making me nauseous," said Dean.

Jimmy just shrugged.

"I'm hungry."

"When's the last time you ate?" asked Alex, watching as Jimmy picked up his drink and took a sip from it.

Jimmy just shrugged.

"I don't know, months."

Jimmy continued eating and they all watched him eat until Sam spoke up.

"What the hell happened back there? I mean, it looked like an angel battle royale."

"All I remember is a bright flash of white light and then I woke up and I was just, you know, me again," explained Jimmy, shrugging.

"So, what? Cas just ditched out of your meat suit?" asked Dean.

"I really don't know."

"Do you remember anything about being possessed?" asked Alex.

"Yeah, bits and pieces."

"Okay. Well, Cas said he wanted to tell us all something. So please tell us you at least remember that," said Alex.

Jimmy shook his head sadly.

"Sorry."

Dean rolled his eyes.

"Well, what do you know then?"

Jimmy swallowed the bite of food that was currently in his mouth and then looked deep in thought for a few seconds before he spoke again.

"My name is Jimmy Novack. I'm from Pontiac, Illinois, and I have a family."

Alex sighed sadly and glanced at her brothers.

"So what do we do now?" asked Alex.

She was standing outside with her brothers, leaning against the Impala, while Jimmy paced inside the motel room.

"What do you mean? The guy's got a family. We buy him a freaking bus ticket and send him back home," said Dean, his eyebrows raised.

Alex nodded with agreement at Dean's statement, but Sam sighed, his lips pulled between his teeth nervously.

"I'm not so sure about that. Dean, he's the only lead we've got," argued Sam.

Dean looked back towards their motel room window.

"He doesn't remember a damn thing, Sam!"

"Okay, but are we one hundred percent sure about that?"

"You think he's lying?" asked Alex.

"Look, all I'm saying is that maybe he doesn't even know what he knows," said Sam.

"What?" asked Alex, looking thoroughly confused.

"Yeah, huh?" asked Dean.

Sam sighed deeply.

"I say, let's take him to Bobby's at least. Maybe all he needs is hypnosis or a psychic. Hell, maybe Castiel will just drop back into him. Back there, that was angel on angel violence. Look, I don't know what the hell's going on, but it seems pretty big to me and we can't just let the only lead we've got skip out," argued Sam.

Dean and Alex shook their heads, Alex biting her lip nervously as she looked between her two brothers.

"Sam, remember when our job was helping people?" asked Dean.

"Yeah, like getting them back to their families?" chimed in Alex.

"Look, I want to help him, but I'm just being realistic. Hell, we're doing him a favor," said Sam.

"How?" yelled Dean.

"Dean, if we can question the guy, you can damn well bet the demons will too," said Sam, raising his eyebrows.

Dean and Alex looked at Sam then, Alex shaking her head and Dean sighing.

"What the hell are you talking about, I can't go home?" asked Jimmy, looking at the three siblings like they were all insane.

"There's a really good chance that you have a gigantic bull's-eye on your back right now," explained Dean.

"What? From who?" asked Jimmy.

Dean hesitated and looked back at his siblings. He stuck his hands in his pockets and then turned back to face Jimmy.

"Demons."

"That's crazy. What would they even want with me?"

"I don't know. Information, maybe?"

Dean shrugged while Jimmy's eyes widened.

"I don't know anything!" he yelled.

"I know, but-"

"Look, I'm done, alright? With demons, angels, all of it. I just want to go home and see my family."

"We understand that," said Dean.

Jimmy shook his head vigorously, stepping towards all of them as he spoke until he was right in front of Dean.

"No, I don't think any of you do understand. I've been shot and stabbed and healed and my body's been dragged all over this earth and by some miracle, I am out and I am finished. I've given enough, alright?"

"Look, all we're saying is that until we figure this entire situation out, the safest place for you right now is with us," said Sam.

"For how long?" asked Jimmy.

Sam looked at his siblings, shaking his head.

"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it," replied Sam.

Jimmy shook his head and huffed in indignation. He headed towards the door swiftly.

"Where are you going?" asked Alex.

Sam stepped in front of Jimmy, grabbing his shoulders to stop him from leaving.

"To see my wife and daughter, alright?"

"No, you're not," said Sam.

"So what, now I'm a prisoner?" asked Jimmy.

"That's an awfully harsh way to phrase it," said Alex.

Sam looked around the motel room as the clock struck 4:34 AM. His siblings were fast asleep in one bed while Jimmy tossed and turned in the other. Sam sighed deeply, but he headed for the door, opening it slowly. As he stepped outside, he failed to notice Jimmy's eyes pop open, watching him intently. Sam shut the door behind him and headed straight past Dean's Impala.

Jimmy sat up and pushed the covers off of his form. He glanced at Dean and Alex, who were still dead asleep, Alex curled up into Dean's chest with a smile of contentment on her sleeping face. Jimmy grabbed his tan trench coat and shut the motel room door behind him. He set off at a brisk pace, glancing around him as he took off. There was no sign of Sam, so he continued walking forward.

Sam pulled out a small silver flask and poured some of the contents into his hand. He was standing behind the vending machine across the parking lot from the motel room. Sam looked down at the puddle of demon blood in his palm. He brought it up to his lips and licked all of the blood off of his hand, savoring it. He continued drinking more of the blood for another ten minutes.

The next morning, Alex gave Sam a sideways glance as she took in his attitude. He was shoving clothes into a duffel bag hurriedly.

"Dean! Would you please hurry up?" called out Sam.

Dean emerged from the bathroom then, brushing his teeth and chuckling at Sam.

"Oh, I'm sorry. This is funny to you?"

"Yeah, it's pretty funny," said Dean, removing his toothbrush from his mouth just to reply to Sam's question.

"What were you doing anyway?" asked Alex.

"I was getting a soda from the vending machine," answered Sam.

Alex and Dean looked at him and Sam sighed.

"Can we just go, please?" asked Sam.

Dean chuckled once more before heading back into the bathroom to finish up brushing his teeth. Alex slung her duffel bag over her shoulder and followed Sam out the door to begin packing the Impala.

Dean drove as Sam sat in the passenger seat, heading for Jimmy's hometown of Pontiac, Illinois. As Alex sat in the backseat, she looked out her window. As she glanced over to Dean, she shrieked as she saw Anna now sitting beside her. Dean swerved into oncoming traffic briefly as he saw Anna in the rearview mirror.

"Oh, Jesus!" yelled Dean.

He drove the car back into the proper lane of traffic.

"You ever try calling ahead?" asked Alex, scooting farther away from Anna in the backseat.

"I like the element of surprise. Anyway, that's not why I'm here. You three let Jimmy get away?" asked Anna.

Alex and Dean both looked over at Sam.

"Talk to Sammy over here," said Dean.

Sam glanced back at Anna.

"Sam?" she asked him.

Sam didn't say anything, but Anna continued to stare at him.

"You seem… different."

"Who, me? Um, a haircut, maybe?" chuckled Sam.

Anna shook her head.

"That's not what I'm talking about, Sam."

Sam's face fell and he faced forward once again. Alex bit her lip nervously as Anna turned to face Dean then.

"So, what'd Jimmy tell you three? Did he remember anything at all?"

"Why, what's going on, Anna?" asked Dean.

"It's Cas. He got sent back home. Well, more like dragged back."

"To Heaven?" asked Alex.

Anna nodded.

"That's not a good thing?" asked Dean.

"No. That's a very, very bad thing. Painfully and awfully bad. He must have seriously pissed someone off."

"Anna, Cas said he had something to tell me, something important," said Dean, his attention turned back to the road once again.

"What is it?" asked Anna eagerly.

Dean shrugged.

"I don't know."

"Does Jimmy know?" asked Anna.

"I don't think so."

"You don't think so? Whatever it is, it's obviously huge. You've gotta find out for sure."

"That's why we're going after Jimmy," responded Sam, turning back to look at her.

"That's why you never should've let him go in the first place. He's… probably dead already or something," said Anna.

A couple of hours later, Sam, Dean, and Alex were stopped at a trucker station. Alex was using the restroom while Dean waited outside by the Impala, leaning against the trunk of the car. Sam stood inside the small building, leaving a voicemail for Ruby.

"Where the hell are you, Ruby? This really isn't funny anymore. I'm all out. Stop whatever you're doing and please, call me. I need more," begged Sam.

He took in a large, deep breath and hung up his cell phone. He sighed deeply as he held onto the countertop. Alex sat around the corner from where Sam was standing, her cheeks stained with tears. She had heard every word Sam had said to Ruby on his voicemail and she knew she had to tell Dean. Soon.

Another hour later, Dean pulled the car up to Jimmy's house. He put the car in park and got out, glancing up at the house. Alex and Sam joined him as they all walked up the steps to the front porch. As they reached the front door, they saw that it was ajar. Dean quickly pulled out Ruby's demon-killing knife and headed inside first. The three siblings skidded to a stop in the front hall leading into the living room. A man was holding a butcher knife to Jimmy's daughter's neck while Jimmy was being beaten up by a woman. The three siblings acted quickly then. Dean grabbed the man holding the little girl and slit his throat, throwing him to the hardwood floor once he was finished with him. Alex took the hand of Jimmy's daughter and the woman on top of Jimmy stood up, looking at Sam and Dean. Sam held up his palm, closing his eyes as he began to exorcize the demon from out of the woman. Dean stared at him.

"Go, get out of here, now!" yelled Sam.

"Go, go!" yelled Dean, following Alex, Jimmy, and Jimmy's family out of the house.

Back inside, Sam was struggling to exorcize the demon from the woman. She smirked and walked closer to him as Sam let down his palm, trying to catch his breath.

"Well, well. Can't get it up. Can you, Sam?"

Sam looked startled at the use of his name.

"Now, but I can," said Dean, coming up behind the woman.

As Dean brought his arm back to stab the woman, she opened her throat and let the demon escape from her body in a cloud of large black smoke. She fell to the floor, unconscious, once the demon had escaped from her body.

"Come on, come on," said Dean.

Sam nodded and followed Dean out the front door. They met Alex outside, where she was huddled next to Jimmy and his family.

"Let's go, let's go," yelled Dean.

He ran around to the driver's side of his car and unlocked it, Alex and Jimmy's family all crowding into the backseat. Dean peeled away from the curb and they headed out of town.

Jimmy looked back at his wife and daughter, who were nestled together in the backseat of the Impala.

"Well, you were right," said Jimmy, facing the siblings now.

Dean nodded, staring at Jimmy's family as well.

"I'm sorry we were right."

"But I'm telling you guys, I don't know anything."

"I don't think they're inclined to believe you," said Dean.

"And even if they did, you're a vessel. They're still gonna wanna know what makes you tick. So, I'm going to tell you once again, you're putting your family in extreme danger. You have to come with us," said Sam.

Jimmy sighed and glanced back at his family once again. He looked back at the siblings, crossing his arms over his chest.

"For how long?" he asked them.

The siblings all looked away.

"And don't give me that, we'll cross that bridge when we come to it crap."

"Don't you get it? Forever. Demons will never stop looking for you. You can never be with your family again. So you either get as far away from them as possible or you put a bullet in your head. And that's how you keep your family safe. But there's no getting out and there's no going home," said Sam.

"Well, don't sugarcoat it, Sam," said Alex, her eyebrows raised.

"I'm just telling him the truth, Alex. Someone has to," said Sam.

He looked back at Jimmy, basically glaring at him now. Jimmy looked down at the ground, sighing sadly. He nodded and headed back towards the Impala, squaring his shoulders to tell his family the bad news. Alex sighed and leaned in to Dean. Dean grabbed her and pulled her in closer, pressing a kiss to her temple. Alex looked up at her oldest brother.

"It's just not fair, Dean. Why can't he be happy with his family? Why do we always ruin people's lives?" cried Alex.

Dean pulled her into his chest then and Alex buried her face into his jacket.

"I wish I could change things, Lex, I really do," whispered Dean.

Dean watched as Jimmy hugged his crying wife and he sighed. He nodded to Sam, who went over to a brown vehicle and broke into it, hot-wiring the car. He nodded to Jimmy's wife as he climbed inside the Impala with his sister and Jimmy in the backseat. Dean pulled the car out of its parking spot and they headed off down the road, away from Jimmy's family.

Dean glanced over at Sam when he noticed that Jimmy was sleeping in the backseat. Alex leaned forward to listen to her brothers.

"What the hell happened back there?" whispered Dean.

"What?" asked Sam.

"You practically fainted trying to gank a demon back there," explained Dean.

Sam sighed and rolled his eyes.

"I didn't faint. I just got a little dizzy," answered Sam.

"You can call it whatever the hell you want, but the point is, you used to be strong enough to kill Alistair. And now you can't even kill a… stunt demon number three?"

"Well, what do you want me to say about it, Dean?"

"Well, for starters, what's going on with your mojo? You're yo-yoing all over the place. Now, I'm not trying to pick a fight here, it's just… you're scaring me, man."

Sam paused for a few seconds, staring straight ahead at the road in front of them.

"I'm scaring myself," whispered Sam.

Alex bit her lip nervously as Sam's phone began ringing shrilly in the quiet of the car. Sam pulled it out of his jacket pocket and held it up to his ear, pressing the TALK button.

"Hello?" he answered.

His face turned to one of confusion as he listened to the caller on the other end of the line.

"Who is this?"

Sam nodded and reached in the back, rousing Jimmy from his sleep.

"Hey. It's your wife," said Sam, holding out his phone for Jimmy to take.

Jimmy sat up quickly and placed the phone on his left ear.

"Amelia."

Jimmy paused and then he took in a sharp gasp.

"Oh my God."

Dean parked the car in the alleyway next to the building they were meeting Amelia at.

"Alright, they're expecting you to come alone and that's exactly what you're gonna do," explained Dean.

Jimmy shrugged on his tan trench coat, heading for the large, lit-up building.

"We'll make our way through the catwalks. We'll be right behind you though," explained Alex.

"All you've gotta do is stay calm and stall. Let us do our job," said Sam.

Jimmy whirled around to face all of them.

"You're asking me to stay calm? This is my family we're talking about here!" yelled Jimmy.

"Listen to me, this will work. You understand? No one is going to get hurt," said Dean.

"Yeah, whatever. Just give me a minute, alright?" yelled Jimmy, heading for the building once again.

Jimmy headed around the corner and out of earshot as Sam and Ale sighed, facing their oldest brother.

"There's absolutely no way they're expecting him to come alone, Dean," said Alex, biting her lip nervously once again.

"Yeah, you know this is probably all a trap, right?" asked Sam.

"Yeah, I know. And that's why I have a plan," answered Dean, leaning against the side of his beloved Impala.

Alex craned her head to the side as she heard the crunching of gravel behind her. She turned around and screamed when she saw the five demons running towards them. They all began running away, but they were grabbed. The demons held them roughly as they shoved them inside the building, standing behind Jimmy.

"Nice plan, Dean," said Sam.

Dean just shrugged.

"Yeah, well. No one ever bats a thousand," shot back Dean.

"And you know what's funny?" asked Amelia, staring over at Dean now.

"You wearing a soccer mom?" asked Alex.

"I was actually bummed to get this detail. Picking up an empty vessel. Sort of like a milk run. Now look who landed in my lap," smirked Amelia, her eyes roaming over the three siblings then.

"Yeah, well. You've got us, okay? Let these people go," said Sam.

"Aww, Sam. It's easy to act chivalrous when your Wonder Girl powers aren't working, huh?"

Sam glared at her while Alex and Dean looked over at Sam.

"Well, now for the punch line. Everyone dies," said Amelia.

She pulled out a revolver from her jacket pocket and held it up towards Sam, her face serious. Sam stared at her, his eyebrows raised, but then Amelia whirled around and shot Jimmy straight in the stomach instead. Jimmy fell to his knees as he gasped for breath. He held his hands over his gunshot wound. Amelia looked at one of the demons holding Alex back.

"Waste little orphan Annie," she ordered.

She walked past all of them and the demon obliged, letting go of Alex's right arm. He walked over to Jimmy's daughter and grabbed a metal pipe, walking over to the little girl. As he leaned towards her, her eyes suddenly popped open. She held her palm up to his forehead and a bright white light shot out from his eyes and nose. That was when the siblings acted and whirled around, punching the rest of the demons holding them. As they struggled to fight off the demons holding them, Jimmy's daughter stood up from her chair and looked over at Jimmy. Jimmy's eyes widened.

"C-Castiel," he managed to stammer out.

The little girl ignored and walked past him, going over to help out Alex, Sam, and Dean. The girl put a palm to one of the demons' foreheads, exorcizing him. The demon screamed in horror and Alex stood up. She watched as Sam cut the throat of the demon he was tangling with. He dipped his head down and when he came back up, his mouth was covered in blood. He whirled around, breathing heavily. Alex and Dean stared at him, both of their eyes wide. Sam turned back around and stabbed the demon underneath him, finally killing her. Sam whirled back around to face his siblings, but he was looking past them towards Amelia. Sam held up his palm as Dean pulled Alex off to the side with him. Sam exorcized the demon from Amelia's body, sending it straight back down to Hell where it belonged. Amelia fell to her knees, coughing. Alex stayed where she was while Dean ran over to Amelia, helping her stand back up straight. Jimmy's daughter walked over to him, where he was struggling to take in deep breaths. He shook his head when he saw her.

"No. Claire!" he managed to yell out.

His daughter looked at him.

"She's with me now."

Jimmy screamed in pain.

"She's chosen. It's in her blood as it was in yours as well."

"Please, Castiel. Please, just take me. Take me. Please," begged Jimmy.

Sam, Alex, Dean, and Amelia walked over to watch the scene unfolding in front of them between Jimmy and Castiel, who was using Claire as his current vessel.

"You won't die or age. If this last year was painful for you, imagine hundreds. A thousand more," she explained.

Jimmy grabbed her arm roughly.

"It doesn't matter. You take me. Take me!" begged Jimmy, his teeth chattering.

"As you wish."

Claire put her hand to Jimmy's face and suddenly, a bright white light erupted from Jimmy's eyes. After a few seconds, the transformation was complete. Claire was back to herself and Jimmy was now Castiel. Jimmy stood up, giving no second glance to Claire as she tried to catch her breath. Amelia rushed over to Claire as Castiel walked past her, standing in between all of the Winchester siblings now. He stared at Amelia and Claire before walking off. Dean whirled around to look at him.

"Cas. Hold up," said Dean.

Castiel turned back around to look at him.

"What were you gonna tell me?" asked Dean.

"I learned my lesson while I was away, Dean. I serve Heaven, I don't serve man. And I certainly don't serve you," answered Castiel.

He gave Dean one last hateful glare and then stalked off, walking away from all of them and out of the building. The siblings watched him walk off.

In the car later that night, it was dead silent as Dean drove. The only audible sounds were the windshield wipers as they brushed off the rain and the sound of the roaring Impala engine. Sam sighed.

"Alright. Let's hear it," said Sam.

"What?" asked Dean.

"Drop the bomb, man. You saw what I did. Come on, stop the car, take a swing."

"I'm not gonna take a swing at you."

"Then scream, chew me out!"

"I'm not mad, Sam."

"Come on, man. You're not mad?"

Dean glanced briefly over at Sam, shaking his head as he turned back to face the road.

"Nope."

"Right. Look, at least let me explain myself," said Sam.

"No. Don't," whispered Alex.

Sam looked back at her.

"We don't care, Sammy," she replied.

"You two don't care?" asked Sam.

"Well, what do you want me to say? That I'm disappointed? Yeah, I am. But mostly, I'm just tired, man. Alex and I are just tired. We're done, I'm done. I'm just done," answered Dean.

Sam's cell phone rang then and he answered it swiftly.

"Hey, Bobby," answered Sam.

"Hey. You and your siblings better shag ass to my place ASAP," replied Bobby.

"What's going on?" asked Sam.

"The apocalypse, you genius you. Now get your asses over here immediately," answered Bobby.

Sam hung up the phone then, staring at it in his hands.

"What'd Bobby say?" asked Alex quietly.

"He said we need to get to his place as soon as we possibly can," answered Sam.

Dean and Alex nodded in unison and Dean stepped on the gas pedal.

A couple of hours later, Dean, Alex, and Sam followed Bobby downstairs to his safe room. Sam pulled open the heavy metal door and looked back at his siblings and Bobby. Bobby nodded towards the room.

"Now go on inside, there's something I wanna show you," offered Bobby.

Sam nodded and headed inside first, not noticing that no one else was following him inside the safe room.

"Alright. So, what's the big demon problem?" asked Sam, his voice echoing around the solid iron walls of the safe room.

He glanced back at Alex, Dean, and Bobby, who were crowded around the safe room's door.

"You are. And this is for your own good," said Bobby.

Bobby slammed the heavy metal door closed as Sam walked towards it, peeking out through the slot located in the middle of the solid iron door.

"Guys?"

Bobby pulled a slab of metal over the slot in the door and locked it, Sam's voice muffled behind it now.

"Hey, guys, this isn't funny! Guys! Hey! Guys!" yelled Sam.

He cried out in frustration and banged his fists on the metal door repeatedly with anger and frustration concentrated with every punch he made on the solid iron door.

An hour later, Dean walked back down into Bobby's basement, opening the small slot in the door so he could look inside and see Sam. Sam looked at Dean through the small slot in the door.

"Seriously, let me out, okay? This isn't funny anymore, Dean."

Dean nodded his head with agreement.

"Damn straight."

"Dean, come on. This is crazy."

"No. Not until you dry out."

"Look, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have lied to you or Alex, just… open the door."

"You don't have to apologize. It's not your fault. It's not your fault that you lied to me over and over again. I get it now. You couldn't help it," said Dean.

"I'm not some junkie!" yelled Sam.

"Oh, really? I guess I've just imagined how strung out you've been lately."

Sam chuckled and ran his hands through his hair in frustration.

"You're actually trying to make this into some twisted form of a drug intervention right now?"

"Well, if it quacks like a duck…"

"Dean, I'm not drinking the damn demon blood for kicks. I'm getting strong enough to kill Lilith."

"Strong? That's about as far away from strong as you can get, buddy. Try weak. Try desperate, pathetic!" yelled Dean.

"Killing Lilith is what matters. Or are you so busy being self-righteous you forgot about her?" smirked Sam.

"Oh, Lilith's gonna die. Bobby, Alex, and I will kill her. But not with you."

"You're not serious," said Sam.

"Too bad, Sammy. You just bought yourself a bench warmer seat to the apocalypse."

Dean smirked and then shut the slot in the door, walking back upstairs and away from all of Sam's yelling.

Alex looked up as she saw Dean re-enter the kitchen. She gave him a sad, gentle smile as she finished preparing him some lunch. She set his ham sandwich down on the kitchen table and Dean smiled back at her. As Alex turned to wash her hands in the kitchen sink, Dean walked up behind her, pulling her into his chest. Alex turned around and began crying into his chest, hard. Dean stroked her hair softly, trying to soothe her.

"Dean, I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner," she whispered into his chest.

Dean's brow furrowed in confusion and he held Alex's chin in his hand.

"What?"

Alex's teary eyes widened as she looked up at her older brother's face.

"Um, r-remember that time Castiel asked you to, um, torture A-Alistair? And Sam and I stayed at the motel looking for you?" she whispered.

Dean nodded as Bobby walked into the kitchen. He stared at the two of them, hanging on Alex's every word.

"Well, Sam thought I was asleep, so he called Ruby. And, I..."

Alex trailed off, looking down at the floor as her eyes filled with tears once again.

"Alex, please tell me you didn't see Sam drinking demon blood from Ruby," whispered Dean.

Alex slowly nodded and Dean cursed under his breath. He pulled away from Alex and walked over to the kitchen counter. He braced his hands on either side of the sink, taking in deep breaths.

"Dean, I'm so sorry I didn't tell you earlier. I just didn't know how. Please don't be mad at me," pleaded Alex.

Dean never turned to face her. Alex's tears fell over her cheeks as she walked out of the kitchen, brushing past Bobby to leave. Bobby watched her leave, looking after her sadly.

A few hours later, Bobby and Dean found Alex sitting in the study. She was curled up in one of the huge armchairs, looking off into the distance at nothing. Bobby winced as he heard Sam cry out from the basement. Dean didn't move a muscle as he grabbed the Scotch bottle and poured two shot glasses full, handing one to Bobby. They heard Sam gasping from down in the basement. Dean glanced over at Alex, who hadn't moved since they entered the room.

"How long is this gonna go on?" asked Dean.

Bobby looked over at him.

"Here, let me look it up in my demon detox manual. Oh wait, no one ever wrote one," said Bobby.

He leaned back in his chair, Dean closing his eyes as he heard Sam let out another horrific scream.

"No telling how long it'll take. Hell, or if Sam will even live through it," sighed Bobby.

Dean's eyes popped open and he looked at the older man's face. Sam's muffled screams continued even as the phone began ringing. Bobby threw back his shot of Scotch and stood up, grabbing the telephone from off of his desk.

"Hello?"

Bobby rolled his eyes as the person on the other end responded.

"Suck dirt and die, Rufus. You call me another time and I'll kill you."

Bobby hung up the phone angrily and Dean looked at him curiously.

"What's up with Rufus?" asked Dean.

Bobby sighed.

"He knows," explained Bobby.

Dean sighed as well and the phone began ringing again. Bobby let it ring for a little while longer and then he grabbed it, answering it in one smooth motion.

"I'm busy, you son of a bitch, so this better be important."

Bobby's face changed as the person on the other end of the line responded. He looked over at Dean, his eyes wide. He hung up the phone suddenly and grabbed a set of papers from his fax machine, which had just finished printing them off.

"I've got news, but the news ain't good," said Bobby.

He handed the papers over to Dean, who quickly began reading through them.

"Is this what Rufus called about?" asked Dean, leaning on the edge of Bobby's desk as he read the papers in his hands.

"Key West, 10 species go extinct," read Dean.

"Yep. Plus Alaska, 15 man fishing crew all stricken blind, cause unknown. New York, teacher goes postal, locks the door, kills exactly 66 kids. All this in a single day? I looked 'em up. There's no doubt about it. They're all seals. Breaking, fast," explained Bobby.

Dean turned to face him then.

"How many are even left?"

Bobby just shrugged.

"Who knows, can't be very many. Where the hell are your angel pals?" asked Bobby.

"You tell me."

Dean glanced over at Alex, who had moved slightly, but was now sleeping. He sighed. Bobby scratched the side of his face.

"I'm just wondering…"

"What?" asked Dean.

"With the apocalypse being nigh and all, is now really the right time to be having this domestic drama of ours?"

"What do you mean?"

"Look, I don't like this anymore than you do, but Sam can kill demons. He's got a shot at stopping Armageddon!"

"So, what? Sacrifice Sam's life, his soul, for the greater good? Is that what you're saying? Times are bad, so let's use Sam as a nuclear warhead?"

Bobby sighed, looking down at the floor.

"I know you hate me for suggesting it, I hate me for suggesting it. I love that boy like a son. All I'm saying is maybe he's here right now instead of on the battlefield because we love him too much," said Bobby.

Dean stood outside in Bobby's backyard, the junkyard full of broken down cars. Dean paced around, hoping and waiting for Castiel to appear and help him. As Dean turned and began pacing in a new direction, he heard the flapping of wings. He whirled around and saw Castiel standing behind him.

"Well, it's about time. I've been screaming myself hoarse out here for about two and a half hours now!" yelled Dean.

"What do you want?" asked Castiel, his voice gruff.

"Well, you can start with what the hell happened in Illinois."

"What do you mean?"

"Oh, cut the crap. You were gonna tell me something."

"Nothing of importance."

Dean just stared at him.

"You got ass reamed in Heaven, but it wasn't important?"

"Dean. I can't. I'm sorry. Now, get to the reason you really called me. It's about Sam, right?"

"Can he do it? Kill Lilith? Stop the apocalypse?" asked Dean.

Castiel stuck his hands in his pockets.

"Possibly, yes. But as you know, he'd have to take certain steps."

Dean nodded.

"Crank up the Hell blood regimen."

"Consuming the amount of blood it would take to kill Lilith would change your brother forever. Most likely, he would become the next creature that you would feel compelled to kill. But there's no reason that this would have to come to pass, Dean. We believe it's you, Dean. Not your brother. The only question for us is whether you're willing to accept it. Stand up and accept your role. You are the one who will stop it."

Dean turned to face Castiel, nodding his head slowly.

"If I do this, Sammy doesn't have to?"

"If it gives you comfort to see it that way."

Dean scoffed and shook his head, turning away from Castiel.

"You're a dick these days."

He walked away from Castiel a few steps, taking in a deep breath.

"Fine, I'm in."

"You give yourself over fully to the service of God and His angels?"

Dean closed his eyes.

"Yeah, exactly."

"Say it."

Dean's eyebrows rose and he turned back around to face Castiel. Castiel stared right back at him.

"I give myself over fully to serve God and you guys," said Dean, walking back over to stand in front of Castiel as he spoke.

"You swear to serve God's will and His word as swiftly and obediently as you did your own father's?"

"Yes, I swear. Now what?" asked Dean.

Castiel nodded.

"Now, you wait. And we call on you when it's time," explained Castiel.

Alex stood in the archway between the study and entryway. She was leaning against the pillar located there. She cringed as she heard Sam's cries and screams for help. She closed her eyes and sighed. When she opened her eyes, she looked over at Dean and Bobby, who were standing in the middle of the study.

"Now, correct me if I'm wrong here, but you willingly signed up to be the angel's bitch?" asked Bobby, crossing his arms over his chest.

Dean glared over at him.

"After everything you've said about them, now you trust them?" asked Bobby.

"Come on, give me a little bit of credit here, Bobby. I've never trusted them less! I mean, they come on like shady politicians from planet Vulcan!" yelled Dean.

Alex chuckled as she watched the two of them, but suddenly stopped when she couldn't hear anything from downstairs.

"Well, then why in the hell did y-"

"Because what other option do I have? It's either trust the angels or let Sammy trust a demon?" yelled Dean, cutting him off.

Bobby nodded slowly.

"I see your point."

"Um, Dean?" asked Alex.

"What?" yelled Dean, whirling around to face her.

Alex flinched back and Dean's face softened.

"Do you hear that?" she asked.

Dean and Bobby stopped and listened.

"That's a little too much of nothing," said Bobby.

He and Dean rushed down the stairs, Alex right behind them. They rushed over to the safe room and pulled open the slot on the door. Sam was lying on the ground, his body rolling from side to side as he seemed to be choking on something.

"What if he's faking?" asked Dean.

"Do you really think he would do that?" whispered Bobby.

"I think he'd do anything," replied Dean.

Alex bit her lip as she stood behind the two men, not knowing what was happening. She jumped back, startled as she heard a loud thumping noise come from inside the safe room.

"That ain't faking," said Bobby.

Dean rushed to unlock and open the door as an unseen force propelled Sam across the room and into the iron metal walls of Bobby's basement safe room. The three of them rushed inside, Ale standing by the open door as Dean and Bobby grabbed Sam by the arms, pulling him away from the walls. Alex's eyes filled with tears as she watched Bobby remove his belt and place it tightly into Sam's mouth so Sam wouldn't hurt himself.

"We're gonna have to tie him down for his own safety," said Bobby, looking over at Dean.

Dean stared down at Sam, not saying a word or moving a muscle.

"Dean, you with me here?" yelled Bobby.

Dean still didn't move, watching as Sam's eyes rolled back into his head.

"Dean!" yelled Bobby.

Dean startled back to the present at Bobby's yell and he nodded.

"Yeah, yeah, let's just get this over with," agreed Dean.

Alex cried as she watched Bobby and Dean tie Sam down to the small bed in the safe room.

Sam awoke to find himself chained down to the only bed in the room. His eyes widened as he moved his hands and feet.

"We had to," said Dean.

Sam saw Dean standing at the foot of his bed, so he sat up.

"The demon blood was flinging you all over the room. Tell me something, Sam, why did you do this to yourself?" asked Dean, a pained expression on his face.

"You know why."

Dean nodded.

"Right. Kill Lilith, good excuse. But why? You want revenge, right?"

"Of course."

"Revenge for what? For sending me to Hell? Did you happen to notice that I'm back? Alive and kicking. So what's the point?" asked Dean.

"The point? How about stop the damn apocalypse?"

"My gig, not yours! The angels said so, remember? God picked me, man. So, do you have any other fantastic excuses? Hmm?" asked Dean.

Sam was hallucinating downstairs while Dean, Bobby, and Alex sat in Bobby's study upstairs. Bobby sighed as he stood behind his desk.

"I'm gonna ask y'all one more time. Are we absolutely sure that we're doing the right thing here?"

"Bobby, you saw what was happening to him down there. That damn demon blood is killing him!" yelled Dean.

Bobby shook his head.

"No, it isn't. We are."

"What?" asked Alex, standing up to stand beside her brother.

"I'm sorry, I just can't bite my tongue any longer. We're killing him. Keeping him locked up down there, this cold turkey thing isn't working. Look, if he doesn't get what he needs, soon, Sam's not gonna last much longer."

Alex shook her head as Dean stared at Bobby.

"No. I'm not giving him demon blood, I won't do it," said Dean.

"And if he dies?" asked Bobby.

"Then at least he dies human!" yelled Dean.

"I would die for him in a second, so would Dean. But we won't let him do this to himself. We can't. We won't let our brother turn into a monster," said Alex.

She stepped closer to Dean and grabbed his hand. Dean squeezed her hand gently as she held it in her own. Alex looked up at him and Dean sighed.

"Lex, it's okay that you didn't tell me about Sam sooner. I know you were confused and unsure of how to tell me. It's alright, I forgive you," said Dean.

Alex's smile beamed as she looked at her older brother. She stood on her tip-toes and kissed his cheek. Bobby smiled softly over at the two of them.

Later that night, Sam watched as his bonds were removed and the safe room door swung open. He sat up and looked out into the dark basement.

"Hello?" he called out.

No one answered back to him, so Sam took the opportunity that was presented to him and stood up, stepping over the bottom of the doorway and walking into the dark basement. He climbed up the steps, not noticing Castiel, who stood underneath the steps. Castiel shut the safe room door, locking it as well.

Sam walked up the stairs, being quiet as he went. He grabbed his jacket off of the coat hook right beside him and stopped as he saw the entryway to the study. The three of them were asleep, Bobby sitting in his desk chair while his head rested on his desk. Dean was asleep on the small loveseat and Alex was curled up into a ball form on the large armchair in the room. Sam glanced at them one last time before steeling himself and turning away, heading for the front door.

Sam walked around to the back yard, looking for a drivable car in the junkyard. As he finally managed to unlock one car, he heard the sound of a gun being readied to shoot. Sam whirled around and saw Bobby standing right behind him.

"Uh-uh, Sam. The only place you're going is back inside with me," said Bobby.

Sam looked at Bobby sadly.

"No," said Sam.

"Damn it, boy."

"You won't shoot me, Bobby," said Sam, walking forward.

Bobby shook his head, his teeth clenched together.

"Don't test me, Sam."

Sam shook his head as he stared at Bobby, waling a few more steps closer to Bobby.

"You won't shoot me. You can't do it."

"We're trying to help you, Sam."

Sam stepped closer still until Bobby's rifle was touching his shirt.

"Then shoot," said Sam, tears welling up in his eyes as he moved the rifle over until he rested directly on his heart.

Bobby's eyes widened and he looked up at Sam's face. Bobby hesitated too long, so Sam grabbed the gun and flipped it around, ramming the butt end of the rifle into Bobby's face, knocking him unconscious as he fell to the ground. Sam sighed sadly and threw the rifle down onto the ground next to Bobby's unconscious form. He turned back to the car he had been ready to steal and he pulled open the driver's side door, climbing inside. He hotwired the car and then Sam took off, leaving Bobby unconscious in his own backyard.

The next morning, Alex, Dean, and Bobby opened the door to the safe room, trying to figure out how Sam had ever escaped. Dean checked the door thoroughly as Alex looked around the room.

"How in the hell did he get out?" asked Dean.

"Maybe he had help," said Bobby.

Alex nodded, pointing down at the floor next to all of their feet.

"A room full of busted Devil's Traps," she explained.

"Demons?" asked Dean.

Alex shook her head.

"Nope. Ruby," she relied, staring at her older brother.

"That'd be my guess," said Bobby, raising his eyebrows.

"But how'd she even touch the door?" asked Dean, inspecting the door frame closer.

"You think she's got that kind of mojo?" asked Bobby.

"I didn't think so," said Alex, shrugging her shoulders.

Dean bent down, looking at the Devil's Trap marked on the cement basement floor outside of the safe room door. He sighed.

"I don't know, guys."

"Well, what difference does it even make? How he got gone ain't as important as where he got gone to," said Bobby.

"Yeah, well, I'll tell you one thing. At this point, I hope he's with Ruby," said Dean.

"Why?" asked Bobby.

"Because killing her is the next big item on my to-do list," said Dean.

"I thought you were on call for angel duty," said Alex.

"I am on call. In my car, on my way to murder the bitch. Lex, you coming or what?" asked Dean, heading for the stairs.

Alex nodded eagerly and headed after Dean. Bobby stepped out of the safe room right behind them.

"One thing. Sam don't wanna be found. Which means he's gonna be damn near impossible to find," said Bobby.

"Yeah, we'll see," said Dean.

He headed up the stairs, Alex right behind him.

Dean was working on tuning up the Impala while Alex sat on the hood of the car next to the Impala, watching him work. Bobby came outside and they both looked over at him. Bobby placed his hands in his pockets.

"Well, the police found my car. Abandoned in an alley in Jamestown, North Dakota."

"Ah, he's switching up. Any other cars stolen in Jamestown?" asked Dean.

He stood up and began wiping his dirty hands off with an old rag sitting beside him. Bobby nodded.

"Two. A 1999 Honda Civic, blue. Nice and anonymous like Sam likes."

"And what was the other one?" asked Alex.

Bobby scoffed.

"White '05 Escalade with custom rims. That's a neon sign."

"Yeah, you're right, he'd never take that," said Dean.

"Which is exactly what he did," said Alex, hopping off of the hood of the car she had been sitting on.

She walked over to stand between Dean and Bobby.

"You think?" asked Bobby.

Dean nodded.

"We know that kid. So, we'll head in that direction. You stay here, ride the police databases. We've gotta find him, quick," said Dean.

He slammed the hood of the Impala down. Bobby nodded with agreement and watched as Alex and Dean climbed into Dean's precious car.

"The cops found the Escalade in a ditch outside Elk River," said Bobby.

Alex looked out her passenger side window as Dean drove, his phone to his ear as he spoke to Bobby.

"How far away are we?" asked Dean.

"A couple of hours. I pulled up a weather map, made some calls. There's a town not far from there, Colt Spring. Lighting up with demons signs," explained Bobby.

"That's certainly a good place to look," said Dean.

Bobby sighed over the phone.

"Hey, listen. Us finding Sam? That's gotta be about getting him back, not pushing him away."

"Right."

"Look, I know you're mad, Dean. I understand, you have the right to be mad. But I'm just saying. Be good to him anyway. You've gotta get through to him."

Dean said nothing in response, but just hung up the phone. Alex looked over at him worriedly, her bottom lip now pulled between her teeth with nervousness.

Sam walked out of his motel room and walked down the hallway, Dean and Alex watching him from around the corner on the other end of the hallway. Dean and Alex walked over to the door that Sam had just left and Dean pushed it open slowly. They both saw Ruby standing at the foot of the bed, packing her duffel bag. She heard the door creak open and she whirled around, her eyes widening as she saw Dean lunge towards her with her demon-killing knife in his hand. Ruby deflected his first blow and then she held his wrist away from her, fighting him as Dean pushed forward trying to stab her. Alex watched from the doorway as Dean struggled to stab Ruby. She heard footsteps from down the hall and watched as Sam rushed into the room. Alex grabbed his jacket and Sam whirled around to face her.

"Sammy, let it be. This has to happen," said Alex.

Sam ignored her plea and shoved her out of the way, Alex falling back into the door. Sam rushed over to Dean and Ruby, grabbing Dean's arm. He took the knife from Dean's hand and shoved Dean away from them, Dean falling onto the bed.

"Stop, Dean. Just take it easy," said Sam, holing up his palm to placate Dean.

Dean slowly stood up, staring at his brother.

"Well, that must have been some party you two had going. Considering how hard you tried to keep me from crashing it. Well, solid try, but here I am," said Dean.

"Dean, I'm glad that you and Alex are here. Look, let's just talk about this," said Sam.

"As soon as she's dead, we can talk all you want," said Dean, shaking his head.

Sam turned back to speak to Ruby.

"Ruby, get out of here."

"No, she's not going anywhere," said Dean, starting towards Sam.

Sam stepped forward, blocking Dean from getting to Ruby. Dean looked at Sam. Alex glared at Ruby as she walked out of the room.

"She's poison, Sam!"

"Look, it's not what you think, Dean."

"Look what she did to you! She up and vanishes weeks at a time, leaves you cracking out for another hit!"

"She was looking for Lilith!"

Dean scoffed as he stared at his brother.

"That is French for manipulating your sorry ass ten ways from Sunday."

"You're wrong, Dean."

Dean shook his head sadly as he stepped towards his brother.

"Sammy, you're lying to yourself. Look, I just want you to be okay. And you would do the same for me, you know you would."

"Just listen for a second. We've got a lead on a demon close to Lilith. Come with us, Dean. You and Alex. The four of us, we'll do this all together."

"That sounds great. As long as it's you, me, and Alex. That demon bitch is a deal breaker. You kiss her goodbye and we can go right now, this very second."

Sam sighed sadly.

"I can't. Dean, I need her. To help me kill Lilith. I know you can't wrap your head around it right now, but maybe, one day, you'll understand. I'm the only one who can do this, Dean."

Dean had turned away from Sam, but he suddenly whirled back around. Alex looked between the two of them, her bottom lip in between her teeth nervously as she stood by the closed door.

"No, you're not the one who's gonna do this," said Dean, facing Sam once again.

"Right, that's right, I forgot. The angels think that it's you."

"What, you don't think I can?"

"No. You can't. You're not strong enough."

"Then who the hell are you?"

"I'm being practical here. I'm doing what needs to be done."

"Oh, yeah? You're not gonna do a single damn thing."

"Stop bossing me around, Dean! Look, my whole life, you take the wheel, you call the shots and I trust you because you're my brother. Now, I'm asking you, for once, trust me."

Alex watched as Dean shook his head.

"No."

Sam let out an exasperated sigh and looked up towards the ceiling for a brief second after Dean's rejection.

"You don't know what you're doing, Sam."

"Yes, I do!"

"Then that's worse!"

"Why? Just listen to me!"

"Because it's not something that you're doing, it's what you are! It means-"

Dean stopped.

"What?" asked Sam.

Sam stared at his older brother, tears in his eyes and a sarcastic smirk on his lips. He grit his teeth together.

"No. Say it," said Sam.

Dean nodded exasperatedly.

"It means you're a monster," he finally said.

Sam nodded and looked over towards the door where Alex was standing.

"Is that what you think too, Alex? Huh? That I'm some kind of freak, some kind of monster?"

Alex shook her head, tears welling up in her eyes as she looked at her twin brother.

"Sammy, please," she whispered.

Sam looked away from her and turned back to face Dean. Alex watched as a tear fell from Dean's eye and down his face. She gasped in horror as Sam punched Dean straight in the face. Dean fell to the floor, but quickly stood back up. He ran towards Sam, grabbing him by the lapels of his jacket and punching him in the face. Dean got in a few good punches until Sam kneed him in the stomach. Dean stumbled backwards, but caught his footing quickly. He punched Sam right in the face and Sam stumbled backwards then, falling into the entryway of the bathroom. Dean stalked towards him, but Sam was ready for him. Sam punched Dean in the stomach and grabbed him by the collar of his jacket. He pushed Dean up into the wall and hit him a few more times. Sam jabbed Dean with quick uppercut under the chin, sending Dean flying into the mirror behind him. Alex gasped in horror and ran over to the two of them. She watched as Dean turned around and ran toward Sam. Dean went to strike Sam in the face, but Sam ducked and grabbed Dean around the middle. Sam threw Dean into the decorative pillar that stood between the door and the bedroom. Dean broke it on his way down into the glass coffee table, which shattered into a million tiny pieces as he fell on top of it from Sam's throw. Dean coughed from his position on the floor, wincing as he felt the glass beneath him. Dean wheezed and gasped for breath as Sam stalked towards him. Alex looked on and watched as Sam wrapped his hands around Dean's throat. Dean held Sam's hands on his neck, but he was too weak to fight him. Dean's eyes were beginning to roll back into his head when Alex rushed over to them. She began yelling at Sam, so Sam let go of Dean's throat. Dean began coughing profusely as Sam stood up straight. Alex looked at her twin brother, tears welling up in her eyes and rolling down her cheeks as she cried.

"Sammy, what the hell is wrong with you? You almost fucking killed Dean!" she yelled.

Sam glared at her.

"Neither one of you know me. You never did and you never will."

Sam began heading for the door when Dean spoke.

"You walk out that door… don't you ever come back!" yelled Dean.

Sam grabbed the doorknob, turning his head to look down at Dean on the floor. He pulled open the door and Dean rolled over onto his side, wincing as he did so.

"Sammy, please don't leave. You're my twin brother, I love you," whispered Alex.

Sam looked over at her. He said nothing and stepped outside into the hallway, slamming the motel room door closed behind him. Alex crouched down to the floor, shaking as she began crying profusely, sobbing loudly into the now empty room.

"Come here, Lex," whispered Dean, his voice gruff.

Alex nodded and walked over to where Dean was sitting up in the middle of the disastrous room. Dean grabbed her hand and pulled her sideways onto his lap, her head in his chest and his lips at her ear.

"I should be the one helping you. You're the one who just went through a whole fight," said Alex.

Dean smirked slightly.

"Nah, I'll be fine. Don't worry about me, baby girl."

Alex nodded into his chest and began crying once again. Dean kissed the side of her head as they sat in the middle of the motel room.

"Dean?" called out Alex, staring at her brother.

She sighed when he didn't respond and stared over at him. Dean was looking out the window of Bobby's study while Bobby sat behind his desk and Alex leaned against it.

"Dean? You hear a word I just said?" asked Bobby, glancing over at him as well.

"Yeah, I heard you," said Dean.

He shook his head.

"I'm not calling him."

Bobby sighed and looked over at Alex, who looked down at the floor, avoiding the question.

"Don't make me get my gun."

Dean turned around and glared at Bobby.

"Bobby, we are damn near kickoff for Armageddon. Don't you think we've got bigger fish to fry right now?" asked Dean.

"Look, I know you're pissed off and I'm not making apologies for what Sam's done, but he's your-"

"Your blood? He's our blood, is that what you were gonna say?" asked Dean.

"He's your brother. And he's drowning."

"Bobby, we tried to help him, we really did. And look what happened."

"So try again."

Dean shook his head and paced across the study floor.

"No, it's too late."

"There's no such thing as too late."

"No, damn it! No. Look, we've gotta face the facts here. Sam never wanted to be a part of this family. He hated this life growing up, ran away to Stanford first chance he got. And now it's like déjà vu all over again. Well, I am sick and tired of chasing him. Screw him. He can do whatever the hell he wants to do now," said Dean, sitting down in an armchair next to Bobby's desk.

"You don't mean that," said Bobby.

"Yes, he does, Bobby. Sam's gone. And I'm not even sure if he's still our brother anymore. If he ever even was. He doesn't want us, he never wanted us," whispered Alex.

Bobby looked over at her, his eyes wide. He began fuming and suddenly threw all of the papers and books off of his desk, throwing them all off to the side. He stormed over to Dean.

"You stupid son of a bitch! Well, boo-hoo, I am so sorry that your and Alex's feelings are hurt. Are you two damn idiots under the impression that family is supposed to make you feel great? Make you an apple pie, maybe? They're supposed to make you miserable, that's why they're family!" yelled Bobby.

"I told him that if he walked out that door, don't come back and he walked out anyway. That was his choice!" yelled Dean.

"You sound like a whiny little brat."

Dean rolled his eyes and shoved past Bobby, moving to stand over beside Alex now. She looked between the two of them, her eyes wide as Bobby looked at Dean's retreating form, shaking his head.

"No, you sound like your father. Well, let me tell you something. Your dad was a coward."

Dean turned around to face Bobby then.

"My dad was a lot of things, Bobby, but a coward?"

"He'd rather push Sam away than reach out to him. Well, that don't strike me as very brave. You are a better man than your daddy ever was. So you do all three of us a favor. Don't be him," said Bobby.

Dean turned away, looking out the window in the study once again. Alex walked up to him, placing a hand on his shoulder. Dean reached out, covering her hand with one of his. As Dean turned around, his brow furrowed with confusion. He and Alex were no longer standing in Bobby' study, but were in a large open room full of paintings and statues.

"Dean, where the hell are we?" asked Alex, taking her lower lip in between her teeth with nervousness.

"Hello, Dean. It's almost time."

Alex and Dean whirled around to see Castiel standing behind them. Dean stepped a little in front of Alex, blocking her only slightly from Castiel's view. Castiel suddenly disappeared and Dean visibly relaxed. He turned around to face Alex.

"Dean, I don't understand. What did he mean, it's almost time?" asked Alex.

Dean took her face gently between his hands and forced Alex to look up at him.

"Alex, I need you to listen to me. I made a deal with Castiel, remember? That I would help them take down Lilith instead of Sam, right?"

Alex nodded as best she could while Dean was still holding her face.

"Now, I don't know why they brought you here with me. Probably because they knew you would be more of an asset if you were here with me too. Just listen to me, okay? We'll get through this together as long as you just stay and listen with me, alright?"

Alex tried to nod once again and Dean finally let go of her face. He kissed her forehead and they looked around the room. A marble table held a large tray of cheeseburgers and a large bucket of beer. Dean walked up to it hesitantly, not noticing the two angels standing beside it as he grabbed a bottle of beer from out of the ice filled silver bucket.

"Hello, Dean," said a voice to his right.

Dean looked over to his right and saw Castiel and Zachariah standing there.

"You're looking fit," said Zachariah, smirking as he took in Dean.

Dean scoffed and placed the bottle of beer back into the ice filled bucket.

"Well how about this. So what is this? Where the hell am I?" asked Dean.

"You can call it a green room. We're closing in on the grand finale here. Wanna keep you and your sister safe before show time. You're both important for our success here," said Zachariah.

He looked behind Dean at Alex, who didn't look directly at him. Dean stepped into his line of vision.

"I wanna know what the game plan is."

Zachariah nodded.

"Let us worry about that. We want you two focused, relaxed."

"Well, we're about to be pissed and leaving. So, start talking, Chuckles."

"All the seals have fallen. Except one."

"That's an impressive score. That's right up there with the Washington Generals."

"Oh, you think sarcasm's appropriate, do you? Especially considering that you started all of this?"

Dean's face fell and Alex walked forward.

"Okay, you know what, asshole? You're being a real dick and I don't appreciate it. Either tell us your fucking plan or I'll kick your holy ass all the way back to Heaven," said Alex.

She stepped closer to Zachariah and Castiel, but Dean grabbed her around the waist, keeping her in place right beside him. Zachariah's eyebrows rose as he chuckled at her outburst.

"Ooh, you're just a real feisty one, aren't you? But the final seal, it'll be different."

"Why?" asked Dean.

"Because Lilith has to break it. She's the only one who can. Tomorrow night at midnight."

"Where?"

"We're working on it."

"Well work harder," said Alex.

"We'll do our job, you two just make sure you do yours," said Zachariah.

"And what is that exactly? I'm supposed to be the one that stops her, how, with a knife?" asked Dean.

"All in good time."

"Isn't now a great time?"

"Have a little bit of faith."

"In you? Give me one good reason why I should."

"Because you swore your obedience. So obey," threatened Zachariah.

Dean looked over at Castiel, who looked down at the floor.

Alex watched as Dean paced the floor of the room they were currently stuck in. She was seated at the marble table in the room while Dean smacked his phone against his open palm as he paced. She rolled her eyes as Dean stared down at his phone.

"Dean, please just do it," begged Alex.

Dean looked over at her and then nodded.

"Ah, screw it," said Dean.

He flipped open his phone and dialed Sam's phone number. It only rang a few times until it rolled straight into Sam's voicemail message. Dean waited for the beep to sound and then he spoke.

"Hey, it's me. Um, look… I'll just get right to it then. I'm still pissed and I owe you a serious beat down. But… I shouldn't have said what I said. You know, I'm not Dad. We're brothers, you know, we're family. And, um, no matter how bad it gets, that doesn't change. Sammy, I'm sorry."

The beep sounded then, indicating that Dean's message was over. He nodded and pulled his cell phone away from his ear. He sighed, but sat down across from Alex at the white marble table.

"I'm proud of you, you know," said Alex, smirking over at him.

Dean looked over at her, smirking right back.

"Hey, I'm proud of you too. And I'm sorry you were dragged into all of this mess."

He waved his hand around, indicating the angels and the waiting they were currently doing. Alex smiled softly over at him now.

"It's alright. I know I'd probably be going stir crazy over at Bobby's trying to figure out where they had taken you."

Dean smirked and nodded with agreement.

Another hour later, Alex was asleep with her head resting on top of her arms, which were resting on the marble table. Dean walked over to an end table and pushed over a small white statue. The statue shattered and Castiel appeared behind Dean then.

"You asked to see me," said Castiel.

Dean whirled around to face him. He looked down at the broken statue and then back up at Castiel, his face now a little bit sheepish. He cleared his throat.

"Yeah, listen. I, um, need something," said Dean.

"Anything you wish," responded Castiel.

Dean nodded.

"I need you to take me to see Sam."

"Why?"

"There's something I've gotta talk to him about."

"What's that?"

Dean just shrugged.

"What's it to you? Let's make this snappy here."

"I don't think that's very wise," said Castiel, looking around the room instead of looking at Dean.

Dean stepped forward towards Castiel.

"Well, I didn't ask you for your opinion."

Castiel finally looked at him.

"Have you forgotten what happened the last time you met?"

"No. That's the whole point. Listen, I'm gonna do whatever you guys want, okay? I just need to tie up this one loose end. Five minutes, that's all I need."

Castiel stared at him for a few seconds.

"No."

Dean flinched back.

"What do you mean, no? Are you saying that I'm trapped here?"

"You can go wherever you want."

"Super, I wanna go see Sam."

"Except there."

"I wanna take a walk."

"Fine, I'll go with you."

"Alone."

"No."

Dean smirked sarcastically.

"You know what, screw this noise, I'm out of here."

"Through what door?" asked Castiel.

Dean looked back at him curiously and then turned around to see that the door that has just previously been in front of him was now gone, having vanished into thin air. Dean turned back around to face Castiel, who was now nowhere to be found.

"Damn it," muttered Dean, looking up towards the ceiling.

Alex was startled awake by the sounds of Dean pounding into the wall. She sat up straight, stretched her arms above her head, and saw Dean across the room. He had flipped a bronze statue around and was using the bottom of its base to smash a hole into the wall.

"Dean, what are you doing?" asked Alex.

"Trying to get us out of here," replied Dean.

He turned back to the wall, but the hole he had just been making was now completely gone. He stared at it curiously, brushing his hand over the wall where his hole had been. He threw the statue to the ground carelessly and turned around. Alex was standing up, glaring at Zachariah. Dean walked over to join her side.

"Let us out of here," said Dean.

"Like I told you, it's too dangerous out there, Dean. Demons on the prowl."

"I've been getting my ass kicked all year and now you're sweating my safety? You're lying. We want to see our brother," yelled Dean.

"That's ill advised."

"You know, I am so sick of your crap riddles and your smug, fat face. What the hell is going on, huh? Why can't we see Sam? And how am I gonna ice Lilith?"

Zachariah sighed and briefly looked down at the floor before he looked back up at Dean and Alex once again.

"You're not. Neither one of you are. Going to ice Lilith, I mean," answered Zachariah.

"What?" asked Dean.

"Lilith's going to break the final seal. The train's left the station," said Zachariah.

He plopped himself down on the golden loveseat that was located at the other end of the large white room. Dean and Alex walked after him.

"But we can stop this," said Alex.

Zachariah looked up at both of them, a smug smirk on his face.

"You don't want to stop it, do you?" asked Dean.

Alex looked over at him.

"Nope. Never did. The end is nigh, the apocalypse is coming, kiddos. To a theater near you."

"So what was all of that crap about saving seals?"

"We couldn't just tell everyone the whole truth, we'd have a full scale rebellion on our hands. I mean, think about it. Would we really let 65 seals get broken unless senior management wanted it that way?" asked Zachariah.

"But why?" asked Alex.

She reached over and grabbed Dean's hand, his face visibly paling from this new round of information.

"Why not? The apocalypse. Really, all it is is we like our chances. When our side wins, and we will, it's paradise on earth. What's not to like about that?"

"What happens to all the people during your little pissing contest?" asked Dean.

Zachariah stood up then, shrugging his shoulders slightly.

"Well, you can't make an omelet without cracking a few eggs. In this case, truckloads of eggs, but you all get the picture. Look, it happens. This isn't the first planetary enema we've delivered."

"You're despicable," spat Alex, glaring over at Zachariah.

Zachariah just smirked and buttoned up his black suit jacket.

"And what about Sam? He won't go quietly, he'll stop Lilith," said Dean.

Zachariah took in a deep breath through his nose, still smirking while he did so.

"Sam has a part to play. A very important part. He may need a little nudging in the right direction, but I'll make sure he plays it."

"What does that mean?" asked Dean, stepping closer to Zachariah.

"What are you gonna do to him?" whispered Alex, her eyes fearful now.

Zachariah rolled his eyes at both of them.

"Sam, Sam, Sam. Forget about him, would you? You have larger concerns. Why do you think I'm confiding in you? You two are still vital. We weren't lying about your destiny, Dean. Just omitted a few pertinent details, but nothing's changed. You are chosen and you will stop it. Just… not Lilith or the apocalypse, that's all."

"Which means what exactly?" asked Dean.

Zachariah didn't answer right away, but looked at the picture in front of them now. Dean and Alex looked at it as well. It was a picture of a curly haired man clad in black armor.

"Lucifer. You're going to stop Lucifer. You're our own little Russell Crowe, complete with surly attitude and all. And when it's over and when you've won, your rewards will be unimaginable. Peace, happiness. Trust me, one day we'll look back on this and laugh," explained Zachariah.

He turned away from them, beginning to walk away from them as well.

"Tell me something. Where's God in all of this?" asked Dean.

Zachariah stopped walking away from them, but he didn't turn to face them as he responded.

"God? God has left the building."

Dean and Alex remained staring at Zachariah's back, but once they blinked, he was gone. Alex sighed and ran a hand through her long, blonde locks while Dean glanced over at the picture of Lucifer once again.

Dean pulled out his phone, trying to call Sam once again, but it wouldn't even let him leave a voicemail. The phone emitted static noises. Dean hung up in frustration and as he tried to reach Sam once again, Alex noticed Castiel standing beside her now. She jumped in fear, holding a hand to her now pounding heart.

"Dean, we have a visitor," announced Alex.

Dean whirled around to face them, his cell phone still in his hand.

"You can't reach him, Dean. You're outside your coverage zone," explained Castiel.

"What are you gonna do to Sam?" asked Dean.

"Nothing. He's gonna do it to himself."

"And what's that supposed to mean?" asked Alex, crossing her arms over her chest as she stared at Castiel angrily.

Castiel looked down at the floor, avoiding answering her question.

"Oh, right, right. You've gotta toe the company line. Why are you here, Cas?"

"We've been through much together, you and I. And I just wanted to say I'm sorry that it ended like this."

"Sorry?"

Dean reared back and punched Castiel in the face. Castiel hardly flinched, his head flying backwards. Dean cradled his hand to his chest in pain, Alex looking on in shock and horror.

"It's Armageddon, Cas, you need a bigger word than sorry," said Dean, turning back around to face Castiel once again.

"Just try to understand that this is long foretold. This is your-"

"Destiny? Don't give me that holy crap. Destiny, God's plan. It's all a bunch of lies, you poor, stupid, son of a bitch. It's just a way for your bosses to keep me and keep you in line. You know what's real? People. Families. That's real. And you're gonna watch 'em all burn?"

"What is so worth saving? I see nothing but pain here. I see inside you, I see your guilt. Your anger, confusion. In paradise, all is forgiven. You'll be at peace. Even with Sam."

"Okay, well, you can take your peace and shove it up your ass. I'll take the pain and the guilt, hell, I'll even take Sam as is. It's a lot better than being some stepford bitch in paradise. This is simple, Cas! No more crap about being a good soldier. There is a right and there is a wrong here and you know it. Look at me! You know it! Now, you were gonna help me, help us once, weren't you? You were gonna warn me about all of this before they dragged you back to Bible camp. Help me. Now. Please."

Castiel looked straight ahead instead of at Dean or Alex.

"What would you have me do?" asked Castiel.

"Get me and Alex to Sam and we can stop this before it's all too late."

"If I do that, we will all be hunted. We'll all be killed."

Dean looked back at Alex, who stepped up to stand beside her older brother. Dean looked back at Castiel then.

"If there is anything worth dying for, then this is it."

Dean and Alex looked over at Castiel, who shook his head, looking down at the floor. Dean shook his head, stepping away from him.

"You spineless, soulless son of a bitch. What do you even care about dying, you're already dead, we're done."

Dean turned his back on Castiel, walking away from him.

"Dean," muttered Castiel.

"We're done."

Alex sighed as Castiel disappeared into thin air. She glanced over at Dean, who was angry as hell. She plopped down onto the golden loveseat on one end of the large room and rested her elbows on her knees. She placed her head in her hands and sighed, praying that Sam was doing alright out in the real world with Ruby.

An hour later, Dean walked over to the marble table, grabbing a cheeseburger. As he held it up to his lips, Castiel grabbed him from behind, throwing him up against the wall behind them. Alex rushed over to Dean and Castiel, standing beside her older brother. Castiel held a finger to his lips and Alex and Dean both nodded with understanding. Castiel pulled out Ruby's demon-killing knife from his trench coat pocket and held it up to his left forearm. Alex and Dean's eyes both widened as they watched Castiel cut himself, blood dripping onto the white floor. Castiel took his other hand and began painting something onto the wall with his blood, Alex and Dean moving out of his way so he could do so. As he painted, Zachariah entered the room.

"Castiel," he called out.

They all whirled around to face him. Zachariah stalked forward and just as he reached the three of them, Castiel finished his symbol drawing. He stuck his palm in the middle of the drawing and a vibrant white light flashed, Dean and Alex ducking as they shielded their eyes. Zachariah disappeared and Castiel glanced behind him at Alex and Dean.

"He won't be gone long. We have to find Sam now," explained Castiel.

"Well, where is he?" asked Alex, looking over at Castiel expectantly.

"I don't know. But I know who does. We have to stop him, Dean. From killing Lilith," answered Castiel, handing Dean Ruby's knife with his blood on it now.

"But Lilith's gonna break the final seal," yelled Dean, taking the knife from Castiel's hands.

"Lilith is the final seal. She dies, the end begins."

Alex blinked and then she noticed that she was now standing in Chuck Shirley's kitchen, staring at him as he hung up the phone. Dean and Castiel stood beside her. Chuck sighed and grabbed a stack of papers off of his desk. He handed them over to Dean.

"St. Mary's? What is that, a convent?" asked Dean, staring down at the paper.

"Yeah, but you guys aren't supposed to be there. You're not in this story," responded Chuck.

"Yeah, well. We're making it up as we go here," said Castiel.

Suddenly, the room began shaking and a bright, white light began filling up the room.

"Come on, not again!" yelled Chuck, putting his arms above his head to shield himself from the falling debris.

"It's the archangel! I'll hold him off! Just stop Sam!" yelled Castiel.

He put a palm on both Alex and Dean's foreheads and they were suddenly transported to St. Mary's convent in Ilchester, Maryland. They were standing in a hallway, so Dean grabbed Alex's hand and began dragging her around the first corner he could find. After about three minutes, they rounded another corner and stopped. Down the hallway they were currently facing, they saw Sam standing in a large room, Lilith lying on the floor in front of him while Ruby stood beside him. Ruby turned her head, seeing the two of them at the end of the hallway. She smirked evilly and held out her palm, causing the wooden doors to slam shut.

Back in the room, Sam stalked forward towards Lilith, smirking as he did so.

"I've been waiting for this for a very long time," said Sam.

"Then give me your best shot," sneered Lilith, her lip curling upwards as she spoke.

Sam held up his palm towards Lilith, Ruby smiling behind him. An orange light began shining from Lilith's chest and her pupils turned yellow. Sam cocked his head to the side as he heard a background noise. His eyebrows pulled together with confusion and he lowered his palm, freeing Lilith. He turned towards the closed doors.

Dean and Alex banged on the closed doors, screaming for Sam.

"Sam! Sam!"

"Sammy, open the door! Please!"

"Dean?" whispered Sam, ignoring Ruby's screams beside him.

Lilith began laughing behind Sam, so Sam turned back to face her.

"You've turned yourself into some kind of freak. A monster. And now, you're not even gonna bite. I'm sorry, but that is honestly adorable," said Lilith.

She began chuckling once again, which pissed Sam off even more. With his eyes now as black as night, Sam held up his palm towards Lilith once again. He clenched his fist and Lilith began gasping for breath, her eyes wide. A bright white light burst from her chest and then she slumped to the floor, dead. Sam's eyes returned to their normal coloring as he caught his breath, staring down at Lilith's dead body. Ruby stepped closer to Sam, both of them watching curiously as Lilith's blood began flowing from her head swiftly. It started to form a pattern on the floor beneath their feet.

"What the hell is going on?" whispered Sam.

"I can't believe it," muttered Ruby, stepping closer to the ever faster flowing blood.

"Ruby, what the hell's going on?" asked Sam, looking at the demon beside him.

"You did it. I mean, it was a little touch and go there for a while, but… you did it," answered Ruby, turning to look at Sam beside her.

Sam shook his head, his eyebrows raised.

"What? What-what did I do?"

"You opened the door. And now he is free. He's free at last."

"No, no, no, no. Lilith, I stopped her, I killed her!"

Ruby smiled up at him.

"And it is written that the first demon shall be the last seal. And you busted her open. So now, guess who's coming to dinner?"

Sam's eyes widened even more and he ran his hands through his hair as he walked away from Ruby, staring down at Lilith's cold, dead body.

"Oh my God," he whispered.

"Guess again," said Ruby, watching the blood pool on the floor.

Sam glared over at Ruby.

"And you don't even know how hard this was. All the demons out for my head, no one knew. I was the best of those sons of bitches! The most loyal! Not even Alistair knew! Only Lilith! And yeah, I'm sure you're a little bit angry right now, but, I mean, come on, Sam! Even you have to admit, I'm fucking awesome!"

"You bitch. You lying bitch!"

Sam flung out both of his arms, but nothing happened to Ruby. He fell flat on his back with pain, an excruciating headache tearing through his forehead suddenly. Ruby just stared at him knowingly.

"Don't hurt yourself now, Sammy, it's useless. You shot your payload on the big boss."

"The blood... You poisoned me!"

Ruby shook her head at Sam, looking sympathetic now as she moved closer to him.

"No, it wasn't the blood. It was you and your choices. I just gave you all of the options and you simply chose the right path every single time. You didn't need the feather to fly, you had it in you the whole time, Dumbo."

Sam stared over at her with disgust. Ruby fell to her knees in front of him.

"I know it's hard to see it now. But this is a miracle. So long coming. Everything Azazeal did and Lilith did, just to get you here. And you were the only one who could do it."

"Why? Why me?" whispered Sam, looking into Ruby's face as she held and caressed his cheek with her palm.

"Because. Because it had to be you, Sammy. It always had to be you. You saved us. You set him free. And he's gonna be so grateful. He's gonna repay you in ways that you can't even imagine!" said Ruby, a mega-watt smile spreading across her face as she stroked Sam's cheek.

Suddenly, the doors burst open and Alex and Dean stormed inside. Ruby whirled around to face them, Sam looking over at them sadly. Dean pulled out Ruby's knife from his waistband as Ruby stood up, smirking as he stalked towards her. Sam stared at the circle of blood in the room while Alex rushed over to him.

"You're too late," said Ruby, a triumphant smile on her smug face.

"I don't care," said Dean.

Alex stood behind Ruby and quickly grabbed her arms, holding her down as Dean stabbed her straight in the stomach. Ruby cried out in pain as Dean twisted the knife in even further. Dean pulled out the knife after a couple more seconds and Ruby's dead body fell to the marble floor. Dean and Alex both looked over at Sam then, who looked about to burst into tears, his face very apologetic.

"I'm sorry," whispered Sam.

As Sam finished muttering his apology, Lilith's blood finished pooling into a large round circle. A bright white light shot straight up from the middle of the circle of blood as the siblings looked on in horror.

"Come on, guys, let's get out of here," said Alex, grabbing the sleeve of Sam's tan jacket.

"Dean, Alex. He's coming," whispered Sam, staring into the bright white light.

Alex's other hand grabbed onto the arm of Dean's jacket and she stood between her two brothers, watching as the bright white light continued flooding into the room.