"Wait a minute. Your brother? Adam?" Bobby asked in surprise. "Cas, what the hell?" Dean demanded. "Angels," Cas replied simply. "Angels?" Sam repeated. "Why?" Cas shook his head, "I know one thing for sure. We need to hide him now." He put his hand on Adam's chest, branding his ribs like he'd done with the other three Winchesters. The pain of the branding woke Adam up, and he sat up with a gasp. "Where am I?" he asked, looking around.
"It's okay," Sam assured him, holding out his hands placatingly. "Just relax, you're safe." Adam blinked, confused. "Who the hell are you?" he demanded. "You're gonna find this a little... a lot crazy, but we're actually your brothers," Dean told him. "It's the truth. John Winchester was our father, too. See, I'm Sam-"
"Yeah, and I'm sure that's Dean," Adam nodded in Dean's direction. "I know who you are." That surprised them, considering they'd never met Adam in real life. When they'd learned about Adam, he and his mom had been killed by ghouls and they'd hung out with the ghoul version of Adam the entire hunt until they'd managed to kill it. "How?" Sam asked. "They warned me about you," Adam replied. "Who?" Dean asked. "The angels. Now where the hell is Zachariah?"
Of course that douchebag of an angel had gotten to Adam first. "Alright," Dean rolled his eyes, "look. We're happy to talk about that all you want, but how about you get yourself cleaned up first?" Adam looked down at his dirt-caked clothes and skin. "Yeah. Fine. Where's the bathroom?" Sam gestured, "Upstairs. Third door on the left." Adam stood, heading in that direction. When he got to the top of the stairs, though, he got distracted. The second door on the right was open a little, and a young girl was peeking out at him.
"Hello, there," he told her. "I'm Adam, what's your name?" She studied him with piercing green eyes. They looked like Dean's eyes, now that he thought about it. "I'm Mack," she finally spoke softly. "Nice to meet you, Mack. Can you show me where the bathroom is?" Mack opened the door a bit more, slipping out in the hall and pointing at the exact door Sam had directed him to. "That one." He smiled at her, "Thanks."
He headed into the bathroom, waving goodbye to her as he went. Zachariah had mentioned Mack to him as well when he warned him about his brothers. The angels apparently wanted her as well, though they wouldn't tell him why. While he showered, Sam had come up and taken his dirty laundry, putting it through the wash. Twenty minutes later he was clean and had on a fresh outfit- some of Sam or Dean's old clothes from Bobby's attic.
Mack still hadn't come down from her room. Cas leaned against one of the shelves across the study from the cot. Bobby had wheeled around to the other side of the desk and Sam and Dean both sat in chairs in front of Adam who was back seated on the cot. Sam's chair was positioned regularly, while Dean had spun his around so his arms rested on the back of the chair. "So, why don't you tell us everything?" Dean suggested. "Start at the beginning."
"Well, I was dead and in Heaven. 'Cept it- it, uh, kinda looked like my prom and I was making out with this girl, her name was Kristen McGee-"
"Yeah, that sounds like Heaven," Dean interrupted. "Did you get to third base?" Sam glared over at Dean, then looked back at Adam. "Just uh, just keep going," he told him. "Well, these... these angels, they popped out of nowhere, and they tell me that I- I'm chosen." That sounded promising. "For what?" Sam queried. "To save the world," came the reply. "How you gonna do that?" Dean raised an eyebrow. "Oh, me and some archangel are going to kill the devil." Wait... "What archangel?" Adam looked dead into Dean's eyes. "Michael. I'm his uh, sword or vessel or something, I don't know."
Dean couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Well, that's insane," he shook his head. "Not necessarily," Cas piped up behind him. He twisted in his chair, "How do you mean?" Cas shrugged, "Maybe they're moving on from you, Dean." No way. "Well, that doesn't make sense," he insisted. "He is John Winchester's bloodline, Sam's brother," Cas pointed out. "It's not perfect, but it's possible." Dean scoffed. "Well, you gotta be kidding me."
"Why would they do this?" Sam chimed in. "Maybe they're desperate," Cas suggested. "Maybe they wrongly assumed Dean would be brave enough to withstand them." That got a rise out of the man in question. "Alright, you know what? Blow me, Cas," Dean snapped. He and the angel glared at each other for a moment and then Dean turned back around in his chair to face Adam. "Look, no way," Sam shook his head. "After everything that's happened? All that crap about destiny? Suddenly the angels have a Plan B? Does that smell right to anybody?"
"You know, this has been a really moving family reunion, but, uh, I got a thing, so-" Adam stood up, but was immediately shot down by Sam. "Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, no, no, no. Sit down. Just listen, okay? Please." Adam reluctantly sat back on the cot, scowling. "It's unbelievable," he muttered. "Now, Adam... the angels are lying to you. They're full of crap." Adam scoffed, glaring at Sam. "Yeah, I don't think so."
"Really? Why not?"
"Um, 'cause they're angels," Adam stressed like Sam was stupid. "They tell you they were gonna roast half the planet?" Sam pressed. "They said the fight might get pretty hairy, but it is the devil, right? So we gotta stop him." Adam glanced around the group. "Yeah, but there's another way," Sam insisted. "Great. What is it?"
"We're working on 'the power of love'," Dean smirked sarcastically, earning a glare from Sam. "How's that going?" Adam scoffed. "Mm. Not good," Dean shook his head. "Look, Adam..." Sam tore his hard gaze from Dean to look at the youngest Winchester brother. "You don't know me from a hole in the wall, I know. But I'm begging you. Please, just trust me. Give me some time."
"Give me one good reason," Adam challenged him. "Because we're blood." Adam's expression soured immediately. "You've got no right to say that to me," he hissed. "You're still John's boy," Bobby said. "No, John Winchester was some guy who took me to a baseball game once a year. I don't have a dad. So we may be blood, but we are not family. My mom is my family. And if I do my job, I get to see her again. So no offense, but she's the one I give a rat's ass about, not you."
"Fair enough," Sam nodded. "But if you have one good memory of Dad, just one, then you'll give us a little more time. Please." Adam held his gaze for a moment, and then nodded, relenting. They left him there, and ended up shutting Dean in the panic room since he, like Adam, was a flight risk. Cas stood guard outside the door while Sam tried to talk some sense into Adam some more. Mack had snuck down from her room, ignoring her uncles and Bobby and heading down to the basement.
"What are you doing down here, bee?" Cas asked when he saw her. "I wanna talk to Daddy," she said, looking up at him pleadingly. "I don't think that's a good idea, Mckinley," he informed her. "Please, Cas," she begged. "No, Mack."
"Why not?"
"It's not safe," he replied. "What's going on?" Sam asked, coming down the stairs. "I wanna talk to Daddy," Mack said before Cas could speak. "I told her I don't think that's a good idea right now." Sam sighed, "She can go in with me. I need to talk to him now, anyway." Cas nodded, opening the door to let Sam and Mack inside with Dean. He stood in the doorway, glaring at Dean as they entered. "Well, Cas, not for nothing, but the last time you gave me that look... I got laid," Dean quipped. When Cas just glared at him more intensely, Dean winked at him. "Uh, why don't you, uh, go keep an eye on Adam?" Sam suggested to Cas.
The angel closed the door without touching it, giving the Winchesters some privacy. "Is this really necessary?" Dean snapped at Sam. "Well, I mean, we got our hands full, Dean... A house full of flight risks." Dean scoffed, "Why's she in here?" Mack was hovering by her uncle, staring at him sadly. "She said she wanted to talk to you. I wasn't going to let her come in here alone. Neither was Cas." Dean shook his head, "Oh, so now the two of you are acting like you're in charge of her?"
"Somebody has to, considering what you've been acting like lately," Sam pointed out. "That's not..." Dean let out a huff through his nose. "I'm not letting him do it." Sam blinked. "Who, Adam? No, I'm... I'm not either." Dean shook his head. "No, you're not getting me," he insisted. "Oh, no, no, I 'get' you perfectly. But I'm not letting you do it, either."
"That kid's not taking a bullet for me."
"Dean..."
"I'm serious," Dean growled. "I mean, think about how many people we've gotten killed, Sam. Mom, Dad, Jess, Jo, Ellen. Should I keep going?" Sam swallowed, giving Dean the same sad look Mack was. "It's not like we pulled the trigger." Dean chuckled humorlessly, "We may as well have. I'm tired, man. I'm tired of fighting who I'm supposed to be." Mack looked up at Sam, waiting for her uncle's response. "Well, do you think you could take half a second and stop trying to sacrifice yourself for a change? Maybe we could actually stick together?"
"I don't think so," Dean shook his head. "Why not?" Sam asked, but Dean just turned away. "Dean, seriously. Tell me. I- I want to know." Dean looked back at him. "I just... I- I don't believe," he said. "In what?" Sam asked. "In you. I mean, I don't. I don't know whether it's gonna be demon blood or some other demon chick or what, but... I do know they're gonna find a way to turn you."
"So, you're saying I'm not strong enough."
"You're angry, you're self-righteous. Lucifer's gonna wear you to the prom, man. It's just a matter of time." Sam shook his head, tears in his eyes, "Don't say that to me. Not you... of all people." Dean glared at him, "I don't want to. But it's the truth. I told you before, I got to say yes so we have a chance at defeating Lucifer. It can't be that kid." They were both quiet for a moment. "I wanna talk to Mack alone," Dean requested. "No," Sam protested. "I'm not gonna do anything, man. She's my daughter."
"Dean-"
"Please, Sammy." Sam swallowed, glancing down at his niece. She was chewing on her thumb nail, staring from him to Dean and back. "Two minutes. Then I'm sending Cas in to get her," Sam warned. "Fine." Sam exited the panic room, closing the door behind him and leaving Mack alone with Dean. His gut still told him it was a bad idea, but his brain justified that Dean really wouldn't do anything to her like he said. Once Sam was gone, Dean knelt down, spreading his arms invitingly. Mack took the invitation, rushing forward into his arms and hugging him tightly.
"I'm so sorry, bug," he whispered, kissing her on top of her head. "Please don't do it, Daddy," she begged him. "Don't leave again." Dean's chest constricted painfully, knowing he didn't have a lot of time left. "I gotta do this, bug. I'm not going to let Lucifer get to you." He let her go, taking out his switchblade and cutting his palm. "Daddy? What are you doing?"
"It's going to be okay, baby. I promise," he assured her. He began using the blood from his palm to draw an angel banishing sigil on the inside of a cabinet. "Daddy, no!" He finished the sigil, turning back to face his daughter. He could hear Cas' footsteps approaching outside the panic room. "I'm sorry," he told Mack again. He grabbed her, covering her mouth with one hand and dragging her off to the side out of sight of the window in the door. She thrashed, fighting against him, but he managed to subdue her, uttering another silent apology as he knocked her out using a lamp.
The door opened immediately following the crash, Cas entering the room. "Dean? Mckinley?" The angel spotted Mack unconscious on the ground and rushed to her side. "Mckinley?" he rolled her onto her back, noting some blood on the side of her head from where Dean had struck her. "Cas," Dean spoke. Cas turned to see him standing beside the sigil he'd made. "NO!" Cas yelled, but it was too late. Dean slapped his hand to the sigil, sending Cas away screaming. He paused briefly to look at his daughter sadly, and then made his escape.
"What the hell happened?" Bobby asked. "Where's Cas?" Sam had gone down to investigate when they had heard Cas scream and he'd found a burned banishing sigil, an unconscious Mack and no sign of Dean or the angel. "Blown to Oz. Dean knocked out Kinley to get him into the room. Look, I'll go after him. He can't have gone far. Just watch Kinley and Adam."
"How? You may have noticed, but he's got a slight height advantage plus there's two of them, and one of me."
"Then cuff him to your chair," Sam suggested. "I don't know. Just watch them."
"The end is nigh! The apocalypse is upon us! The angels talk to me, and they asked me to talk to you! The apocalypse-" a preacher on a street corner was saying. "Hey!" Dean interrupted him. "I'm Dean Winchester. Do you know who I am?" The preacher gaped at him openly, "Dear God." Dean rolled his eyes, "I'll take that as a yes. Listen, I need you to pray to your angel buddies and let them know that I'm here." This was the fastest way Dean figured he could get the angels' attention. After all, it was how Zachariah had found him before- by getting a tip from some Bible thumper.
The preacher knelt on the sidewalk, looking Heavenward as he began to pray, "Our Father, who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name-"
"You pray too loud."
Dean's heart dropped in his chest. He hadn't counted on Cas being the angel to answer the man's prayer. Cas touched two fingers to the preacher's head and he fell to the ground, unconscious. Dean suddenly found himself being manhandled by the angel into a nearby alley and getting beat up. "What, are you crazy?" he asked. "I rebelled for this?!" Cas cried, throwing him into the wall. "So that you could surrender to them?"
"Cas! Please!" Dean begged, but it fell on deaf ears. His face was quickly becoming swollen and bloody and he spat out some blood as Cas dragged him up and slammed his back into the brick wall. "I gave everything for you," he spat in Dean's face. "I loved you. And this is what you give to me?" Tears mixed with the blood on Dean's cheeks as he stared back at the angel. "Do it. Just do it!" he challenged him. Cas slowly unclenched his fist, instead touching Dean's shoulder gently, knocking him out.
Back at Bobby's Sam was freaking out. Both Adam and Mack had disappeared right in front of Bobby and he couldn't do anything to stop it. "Bobby, what do mean, 'they're both gone'?" he demanded. "Should I say it in Spanish?" Bobby quipped. "They're gone, how? What the hell, Bobby?!" Sam snapped. "Watch your tone, boy. They were right in front of me, and then there was a flash of light and they'd both disappeared." Cas appeared at that moment, carrying a bloody, battered Dean. "Because the angels took them," he explained.
"What the hell happened to him?" Sam stared wide-eyed at his brother. "Me," Cas answered, dumping Dean on the cot Adam had previously occupied. "What do you mean the angels took them?" Bobby asked. "You branded both their ribs, didn't you?" Cas nodded, "Yes. Adam must have tipped them."
"How?" Bobby queried. "I don't know. Maybe in a dream," Cas suggested. "But why take Kinley, too?" Sam questioned. "Because they had no intention of having Michael possess Adam. It's a trap to get Dean to say yes." Sam and Bobby gaped in surprise. "Well, where would they have taken them?"
Mack cowered in the corner of the familiar white and gold room. She remembered being here with her father before, and she just wanted to escape. In the middle of the room, like before, was the table with the bowl of beer and the platter of burgers. Adam was sitting at that table, grabbing a burger and digging in. Mack, however, remembered her father's warnings from last time, and stayed far away from the food. "I see you and your brother share the same refined palette," Zachariah observed, appearing across from Adam. Over in the corner, Mack cowered even more.
"Ah," Adam smiled, brushing the crumbs from his hands and standing up. "So, uh... We ready?" Zachariah seemed confused, "For what?" Adam blinked, "What do you mean, for what? For Michael." Understanding lit up the angel's face. "Oh. Right. About that... Look, this is never easy, but I'm afraid... we've had to terminate your position at this time."
"Excuse me?"
"Hey, don't get me wrong. You've been a hell of a sport, really. Good stuff. But the thing is, you're not so much the 'chosen one' as you are... a clammy scrap of bait." Adam couldn't believe what he was hearing. "No... but what about the stuff you said? I'm supposed to fight the devil." Zachariah grimaced, "Mmm, not so much. I mean, why did you think we were interested in getting the child as well?" he gestured over to Mack in the corner. "So you lied... about everything," Adam glared. "We didn't lie. We just avoided certain truths to manipulate you."
"Oh, you son of a bitch."
"Hey, how do you think I feel? I'm the one that's got to put up with that dumb, slack-jawed look on your face. Kid, we didn't have a choice. The Winchesters got one blind spot, and it's family. See, Sam and Dean, they're gonna put their differences aside and they're gonna come get you and little baby Winchester, and that is gonna put Dean right... here... Right where I need him. This is the night, kid. Our night. Michael's seen it. The tumblers finally click into place, and it's all because of you. And me. But who's keeping score?"
Adam was livid. "Yeah, I'm not gonna let you do this," he glared. "Cool your jets, corky," Zachariah smirked. "Sit down. We're doing it together. Plus, you still get your severance. You still get to see your mom, okay?" Adam shook his head, "Why should I believe you?" Zachariah rolled his eyes. "You know what? I keep hearing this," he made a talking motion with his hand. "But what I want to hear is this," he closed the hand-mouth and then made Adam fall on the table, coughing up blood. "Yeah, that's better."
Over in the corner, Mack whimpered as she watched the entire conversation. "Oh, don't think I haven't forgotten about you, missy," Zachariah smirked over at her. "Unfortunately, I can't hurt you because of that little mark on your arm, but I can do this." He snapped his fingers and Mack's hand flew to her throat, unable to make a sound. Zachariah winked, vanishing from the room.
Dean groaned, sitting up on the cot. He was back in the panic room and one of his hands was cuffed to the cot. "How you feeling?" Sam asked. He was leaning against a desk on the opposite side of the room. "Word to the wise, don't piss off the nerd angels," Dean quipped. "So how's it going?"
"Adam and Kinley are gone. The angels have them." Dean's eyes widened in shock and his jaw dropped. "W-where?" Taking Adam was bad enough, but taking Mack, too...? "The room where they took you," Sam replied. Oh, crap. Mack had been terrified the last time they had been in that room together. And now she didn't even have him there with her. "You sure?"
"Cas did a re-con," Sam nodded. "And?" Dean pressed. "The place is crawling with mooks... Pretty much a no-shot-in-hell, hail-Mary type of thing." Dean scrubbed his free hand over his mouth, heart pounding in his chest. "Ah, so the usual," he quipped, voice calmer than he felt. "What are you going to do?" Sam straightened up, the key to Dean's cuff in his hand. "For starters... I'm bringing you with." That shocked Dean. "Excuse me?" Sam came over, unlocking the handcuffs and releasing him. "There are too many of them. We can't do it alone. And, uh, you're pretty much the only game in town."
"Isn't that a bad idea?" Dean pointed out, still sitting on the cot. "Cas and Bobby think so. I'm not so sure," Sam admitted. "Well, they're right. Because either it's a trap to get me there to say yes, or it's not a trap and I'm gonna say yes anyway. And I will. I'll do it. Fair warning." Sam shook his head, "No, you won't. When push shoves, you'll make the right call."
"You know, if tables were turned... I'd let you rot in here. Hell, I have let you rot in here," Dean scoffed. "Yeah, well... I guess I'm not that smart." Dean shook his head. "I- I don't get it. Sam, why are you doing this?" Sam stared at him with those big, sad eyes of his. "Because... you're still my big brother.
Cas, Dean, and Sam walked toward the side door of an abandoned warehouse through overgrown grass and rocks. "Where the hell are we?" Dean asked, looking around. "Van Nuys, California," Cas replied, not looking at him. "Where's the beautiful room?" he asked. "In there," Cas gestured to the warehouse door. "The beautiful room is in an abandoned muffler factory in Van Nuys, California?" Dean didn't believe it. "Where'd you think it was?" Cas looked at him sidelong. "I- I don't know. Jupiter? A blade of grass? Not Van Nuys," Dean muttered.
"Tell me again why you don't just grab Adam and Kinley and shazam the hell out of there," Sam said as they came to a stop just outside the door. "Because there are at least five angels in there," Cas explained like that made it obvious. "So? You're fast," Dean pointed out. "They're faster," Cas shook his head. He removed his tie, wrapping it around his palm and Dean had to dart his tongue out and wet his lips a few times as his mouth went dry. "I'll clear them out. You two grab Mack and the boy. This is our only chance."
"Whoa, wait. You're gonna take on five angels?" Cas finally looked Dean dead in the eyes. "Yes." Dean's brain stuttered, "W- Isn't that suicide?" Cas kept his gaze on Dean, glaring at him with a fury. "Maybe it is. But then I won't have to watch you fail. I'm sorry, Dean. I don't have the same faith in you that Sam does. Tell Mack I'm sorry." He pulled a box cutter out of his pocket. "What the hell are you gonna do with that?" Sam asked.
Cas began unbuttoning his shirt and Dean's brain went offline. And then he plunged the box cutter into his stomach and began to carve a banishing sigil into his skin. "Whoa, whoa, whoa! W- what are you... what are you doing?" he demanded. "Taking precautions," Cas replied. "This is how I get rid of the angels in there."
"What will it do to you?" Dean was extremely worried about this plan. "No idea," Cas said, finishing the sigil and buttoning his shirt back up. "But we're about to find out. Don't come in until the coast is clear." He opened the door, entering the building alone. There was a concrete structure with a wooden door in the middle of the room and he made his way toward it. As he moved in, several angels attacked him from behind. He killed one, then dropped his blade, taunting the rest. "What are you waiting for? Come on."
As the angels closed in, he ripped open his shirt, revealing the sigil he'd carved there. He pressed his palm into it, sending all the angels, including himself, away. As soon as the noise died down, Sam and Dean came through the door. Dean paused, picking up Cas' angel blade from the floor and handing it to Sam. He looked at the one dead angel body, and then headed into the concrete structure. The interior was just as he remembered- white walls with gold trim, pedestals, paintings, and all. Ignoring Adam for the time being, Dean rushed to the other corner where Mack cowered.
"Hey, bug. Are you hurt? How do you feel?" he asked her. She opened her mouth, and her lips moved to say the word 'Daddy', but no sound came out. "Bug?" There was the sound of wings and a familiar voice sounded behind him. "Dean, please. Did you think it would be that easy?" Dean straightened up, turning to glare at Zachariah. "Did you?" Sam charged Zachariah from behind with Cas' blade. The angel knocked it from his hand, throwing Sam against a screen. "Sam!"
"You know what I've learned from this experience, Dean? Patience," Zachariah mused. He waved his hand and Adam fell to the floor, coughing up blood. "Adam? Let him go, you son of a bitch." Zachariah ignored him. "I mean, I thought I was downsized for sure. And for us, a firing... pretty damn literal. But I should have trusted the boss man. It's all playing out like he said... You, me, your mute kid, your hemorrhaging brothers." Zachariah turned his fist in Sam's direction, making him cough up blood as well. "You're finally ready, right?"
"Stop it," Dean begged. "Stop it right now!" Behind him, Mack was trying to cry out, but her voice still wouldn't work. "In exchange for what?" Zachariah asked. "Damn it, Zachariah. Stop it, please. I'll do it." The angel quirked an eyebrow, "I'm sorry. What was that?" Dean stared back at him brokenly. "Okay, yes. The answer is yes."
"Dean!" Sam cried out at the same time Mack screamed the word 'Daddy!' with no sound. "Do you hear me? Call Michael down, you bastard!" Dean's voice cracked, tears in his eyes. "How do I know you're not lying?" Zachariah questioned him. "Do I look like I'm lying?" Immensely pleased, Zachariah turned his back on Dean, reciting in Enochian. "Zodiredo...noco...aberamage...nazodpesade... He's coming." Sam gave Dean a questioning look and Dean winked back at him. "Of course, I have a few conditions." Zachariah turned back. "What?"
"The few people whose safety you have to guarantee before I say yes," Dean explained. "Sure, fine," Zachariah shrugged. "Make a list." Dean smirked, taking a step closer to the angel. "But most of all... Michael can't have me until he disintegrates you." Zachariah's face went slack. "What did you say?" he hissed. Dean took yet another step forward. "I said... before Michael can have one piece of this sweet ass... he has to turn you into a piece of charcoal." The angel laughed, but there was fear in his eyes. "You really think Michael's gonna go for that?"
"Who's more important to him now? You... or me?" Dean challenged. "You listen to me. You are nothing but a maggot inside a worm's ass. Do you know who I am... after I deliver you to Michael?" Zachariah asked. "Expendable," Dean deadpanned. "Michael's not gonna kill me."
"Maybe not. But I am." Dean stabbed Cas' angel blade through Zachariah's head through his chin. The angel fell, the black imprint of his wings burnt across the wall and floor beneath his body. Dean had fallen back on the ground beside Mack. White light and an ear-piercing noise from above indicated Michael was coming. Sam had dragged himself up, helping Adam to his feet while Dean scooped Mack into his arms. He led the way, Sam staggering behind him with Adam in the rear. "Come on, move it!" he urged them. Sam managed to get out on his heels, but the door shut before Adam could follow. "No! Dean! Help! It won't open!"
Dean set down Mack beside Sam on the ground, hurrying back to the door. When he tried to touch the knob, he hissed, burned. "Dean, help!" Adam called from inside. "Dean!" He called back desperately, "Hold on! We'll get you out. Just hold on. Adam! Can you hear me?!" There was no response from Adam, and a second later, the light streaming through the cracks around the door faded. Dean tapped the knob a few times, finding he could touch it again. When he opened it up, instead of the beautiful room, he found an abandoned office. "Adam?"