It had been over a month since they moved into the bunker. For the first few weeks, Mack was really good at following directions. She went on a couple small hunts, checking in regularly and returning to the bunker like Dean had requested between each one. And then suddenly she stopped in the middle of a hunt. It stressed Dean out, especially since he was also dealing with the aftermath of Sam completing the first of three trials to shut the gates of Hell. "I'm telling you, man, she wouldn't just stop checking in," he ranted to Sam while they were taking inventory of items in the bunker. "I was very clear about the rules if she wanted to go off by herself."

"I'm sure it's fine, Dean. She's probably just in the thick of it and can't get to her phone. Just watch, she's gonna take care of whatever the monster is and then she's gonna call and explain," Sam assured him. "But she's gone radio silent because of that before, and that only took a few hours, max. It's been days since she last called me." Dean frowned as he went through boxes, Sam breaking out into a coughing fit in the background. "Hey, Doc Holliday, you alright over there?"

"Uh, yeah," Sam replied, taking the napkin he coughed in away from his mouth to see blood. "Um… I'm fine." He tossed the bloody napkin into the trash. "And I'm sure Kinley's fine, too. You're probably getting worked up over nothing." Dean didn't reply, opening a box and finding a vintage copy of 'Voluptuous Asian Lovelies'. "Well, hello," he smirked, flipping through the old porno. "These Men of Letters weren't so boring after all. Konichiwa." He walked over to show Sam. "Check this out."

"Dude, what is wrong with you?" Sam wrinkled his nose. "What's wrong with me? You kidding me? This is a first edition, dude. You know what this would go for on eBay?" Sam frowned up at his brother, " No. Why? Do you?" Dean blinked, looking from the magazine to Sam. "No. Maybe. Shut up. You find anything?" He took a seat at the table across from Sam, settling in to read the magazine. "I did, yeah- uh, dead bodies showing up all over the Midwest last week. Benton, Indiana; Downers Grove, Illinois; uh, Novi, Michigan; and then last night in Lincoln Springs, Missouri."

"And how is this us?"

"Because each of the victims had severe burns around their eyes, hands, and feet, puncture wounds through the back of their hands, eyes and internal organs liquified."

"That sounds like us."

"Yeah. Also, no link between the victims. Uh, one was a real-estate agent. Another was a local historian. Woman killed last night was a teacher," Sam explained. "So, chupacabra," Dean translated and Sam laughed. "What do we got? Power tools gone rogue? Wait- are we talking a- a 'Maximum Overdrive' situation here?" Sam shrugged, "I don't know. Worth a shot, though. I'll grab my gear. We should probably leave in five."

"Mm-hmm," Dean hummed, still focused on the porno. "'Less, of course, you need some more time with Miss October," Sam quipped. "What?" Dean looked up. "Oh. Yeah. Yeah, make it ten." Sam chuckled, heading off to his room. As soon as he was gone, Dean grabbed the trash can, looking in at the bloody napkin Sam had thrown away.

After talking to Mr. Morton, the husband of the dead teacher, they figured out that someone was killing demons. All the victims who were possessed had the same weird obsession with digging for something, which didn't make any sense to them. They headed to talk to Wendy Rice, the last person to see Mrs. Morton alive. When they arrived, Wendy answered the door with large blue and purple curlers in her hair. "Special Agent Lynne," Sam introduced himself. "This is my partner, Special Agent Tandy. We'd like to ask you a few questions about Ann Morton."

"Oh," Wendy chuckled self-consciously, playing with a hair curler. "Uh, uh, uh, of course. Please come in. I had never met her before she called the other night." Sam and Dean entered the home, following her into the living room. "Now, why was she calling you?" Sam asked. "She was looking for an original map of the city," she replied, taking a seat in a chair across from the brothers seated on the couch. "Did she say what for?"

"Well, she- she didn't, but she did mention an- an old orchard that had gone missing." Dean blinked, "Missing?" Wendy nodded, stammering some more. "This- this town was wiped from the Earth by one of the river's hundred-year floods. It was- it was rebuilt. But all the original records were- were lost." She smiled, playing with her curler again. "I'm- I'm a PhD candidate. And this- this is my research. I, uh… My dissertation is- is on the history of the town and, uh, its connection to the Underground Railroad and- and- and whatnot."

She hopped up from her seat almost too eagerly, bringing back a bright pink binder and pulling out a map. "I've been working to re-create a map for years as part of my research, and this- this is the old Jakubiak orchard there," she pointed to a section of the map. "I found it yesterday where Downey meets Bond Street." Sam nodded, "Now, did Ann say why she was looking for the old orchard?" Wendy shook her head. "No. We- we had set a time to meet, and she never showed. Then I read about her in the paper. It's just tragic. Ann's assistant called this morning, though, asking if I still had the map."

"Assistant?"

There were several knocks at the door. "Oh. That's probably him. Maybe he can help." Sam and Dean trailed after her as she went to answer the door. "Oh. Are- are you-?" She opened the door to find three men standing there. All their eyes turned demon black when Sam and Dean appeared at her shoulder and she screamed. The three demons barged in, fighting the Winchesters. Wendy was flung into the living room, smashing into the coffee table. The demon who flung her grabbed the map and ran out the door. Dean went to stab one of the other demons with Ruby's knife, but before he could, black smoke billowed from the host's mouth and went into Wendy.

Dean ran after her as she tried to take off out another door. Meanwhile, Sam was getting bested by the third demon, when suddenly it was burnt out by Cas who tossed the demon aside. He was holding the demonic Wendy by the hair curlers. Dean was a few steps behind him in the doorway, breathing heavily. Sam moved to sit on the couch and Dean headed back into the kitchen where Cas was tying Wendy up in a chair, grabbing an ice pack from the fridge. "Put this on your shoulder," Dean told Sam, tossing him the ice pack. Sam caught it, throwing it on the floor and clearing his throat. Dean walked over, taking a seat next to him. Cas joined them a moment later.

"I'm fine," Sam insisted. "The other demon escaped. I bound the one I caught in a Devil's Trap," Cas informed them. "I'm gonna interrogate it now." He turned to head back into the kitchen. "Wait a second. Cas," Sam stopped him. "How about you answer some questions first. Like where the hell have you been?"

"You heard me, didn't you?" Dean asked the angel softly. Sam turned to his brother in shock. "You prayed to him?" Dean opened his mouth to argue, but Cas cut him off. "Yes, I heard you. But that's not why I'm here," the angel took a seat, sighing. "I've been hunting demons."

"So this is you. Why?"

"What should I tell them?" Cas asked as he appeared in the seat across from Naomi's desk. He tried not to look over at the corner where he knew Mack would be. Naomi had kidnapped her nearly a week ago because he'd been resisting her orders. She'd taken away Mack's voice so she wouldn't be able to beg him for help. "The truth," Naomi replied. "Most of it anyway." She got up, walking around to sit on her desk in front of Cas. The way she was positioned forced him to be able to see Mack's broken, bloody form in the corner behind her. "Maybe they can get us closer."

"I've been searching for the other half of the Demon Tablet," Cas informed the Winchesters back in Wendy's living room, forgetting what he'd just seen in Naomi's office. "Without us?" Dean asked him. "I've been trying to help, Dean. And in my search, I uncovered that Crowley has sent out demons to find Lucifer's crypts." Dean frowned, "Lucifer had crypts?"

"Dozens of them, apparently," the angel nodded. "But why the storage wars? I mean, what the hell are they all looking for?" Sam asked. Cas once again consulted Naomi. "It would be more helpful if they knew everything." She shook her head. "They cannot be trusted."

"But-" he began to protest. "Lie Castiel," she ordered. "Tell them what we discussed, or I hurt Mckinley more." Cas nodded, returning again to Sam and Dean and lying to them without knowing why he was doing it, just that he had to. "They're looking for a parchment that would allow them to decipher Crowley's half of the Demon Tablet without a Prophet." Dean scoffed, "A demonic decoder ring? In Crowley's hands? Awesome."

"The crypts were, uh, lost over time. Only those closest to Lucifer knew their whereabouts." Sam frowned at him. "Then how did Crowley find them?" he asked. "His demons have been possessing locals who may have special knowledge," he replied. "That would explain the crazy room at Ann's house," Sam addressed Dean, who sniffed. "But how did they know where to start looking in the first place?" Cas shook his head, "I don't know. I'm hoping the strange-haired demon in the kitchen is more knowledgeable than the others I interrogated." He stood up, heading through the swinging door into the kitchen.

"Well, he really puts the 'ass' in 'Cas', huh?" Dean grumbled. "He's definitely off," Sam agreed. "Off? He hasn't been right since he got back from Purgatory. We still don't know how he got out of there."

"I don't know, Dean. If he's so sketchy, then why were you praying to him?"

"My daughter's missing, Sam. I-"

"You know, I can hear you both," Cas called to them through the door, cutting Dean off. "I am a celestial being." Sam and Dean exchanged a look, standing and joining Cas and demon Wendy in the kitchen. Cas had tied her hands palm down to the kitchen table. She chuckled as the Winchesters came in, leaning against the sink facing her. Cas stood off to her side. "Sam and Dean Winchester," she grinned at them. "Oh, the thoughts she had about you two. Mostly you, Sam. What can I say? She has a thing for smutton chops."

"Alright you douchebag, listen-" Dean started, cut off as Cas stabbed his angel blade into the back of one of Wendy's hands. She screamed, panting and whimpering as he removed it. "Who told you about the crypts?" he demanded angrily. "I thought angels were supposed to be the good cops." Cas impaled her other hand and she screamed again. "Wait! Stop! Stop! We have a hostage!" Cas wrenched his blade out, the demon panting from the pain. "It's one of Crowley's pets. She's at the Murray Hotel, down by the interstate. She knows the towns where all the crypts are buried. She saw them all back in the day."

"And she told you about the parchment?" Sam asked.

Cas and Naomi shared a quick worried glance.

"What parchment?!" the demoness asked. "Hey. Hey!" Dean yelled, getting in her face and pointing at Cas. "Think he's the only bad cop in this room? Stop lying! We know what you're really looking for." The demon shook her head. "No. I'm telling you, we're looking…"

"Kill it!" Naomi ordered.

"... for- aah!" the demon screamed as Cas stabbed his blade through her chest, killing her. "Cas! What the hell was that?" Sam demanded. "It told us what we needed," Cas answered. "No, she didn't! You can't just-" Cas rounded on him, getting in his face. "I started this hunt without you because I didn't want anything to slow me down. We have to get to the motel now."

"Hold on a second-"

Cas disappeared with a flap of wings. "Cas!" Sam and Dean chorused. "Cas? Cas? Damn it!" Dean swore as they rushed out of the house. "Go, go, go!"

When they arrived at the motel, Cas had already killed the two demons who were guarding Crowley's hostage. "Thanks for waiting," Sam bit out sarcastically. "The hostage is in there," Cas nodded at a closed door, ignoring Sam's comment. Dean crossed over, opening the door to reveal Meg with long, ratty blonde hair and a bruised, bloody face, tied up and sitting on the floor. "Aren't you a little short for a Stormtrooper?" she quipped. Rolling his eyes, Dean walked over and cut her free of her restraints.

"So, I got to ask. Um…" he started when she'd taken a seat on the bed. "What's up with the hair?" He and Sam were seated in chairs at the foot of the bed, Cas standing facing them with his back to the window and his arms crossed over his chest. "What?" Dean asked when he noticed Sam's face. "Aww," Meg cooed. "Thanks for noticing, Dean. But this wasn't my idea. It was Crowley's. And it's just another reason I want to stab him in the face."

"Wait a second. You've been telling Crowley the location of Lucifer's crypts?" Sam asked. "What can I say? I needed a break from the constant torture. And I did visit them all during my time with Yellow Eyes. But don't worry. I haven't exactly been giving them the Glengarry leads," she smirked. "You mean you've been lying to them?" Cas translated. "I just get them in the ballpark. Enough time's passed and enough's changed that they bought it."

"Why lie?" Dean questioned her. "Buy myself some time, dummy. Try to find a way to get free." Sam frowned. "Wait- so…" he trailed off for a moment. "A bunch of innocent people died so you could… buy yourself some time?" Meg grinned at him. "Hi. I'm Meg. I'm a demon."

"So, what have they found?" Cas asked her. "Bupkis," she answered. "Every crypt's been one Al Copone's vault after another. And on top of that, someone kept picking up the trail and icing demons. I'm guessing that was you, Castiel. But Crowley just keeps sending more. He's hell bent on…"

"She's gonna tell them the truth," Cas frowned, back in Naomi's office. "Do I have to kill her?" Over in the corner, Mack lifted her head to look at him, but he ignored her. "She does know the location of the crypts," Naomi mused. "But working with a demon is… unclean."

"Well, we could use her- as Crowley did," Cas suggested.

"Agreed."

"... finding that Angel Tablet," Meg said. "Wait a second," Sam knit his eyebrows together. "Did you just say 'Angel Tablet'?" Meg smirked at him, "You know, I get why Crowley calls you 'Moose' now. Yes, 'Angel Tablet'. Crowley found out Lucifer had it, figures it's stashed in a crypt."

"Well, this is news to me, as well," Cas piped up from by the window. "Demons I interrogated, they must have been lying about their true intentions." Dean turned in his seat to glare at him. "Really?" he quirked an eyebrow. "'Cause I saw you 'Zero Dark Thirty' that demon. You were more than persuasive."

"You're both missing the point," Meg cut in. "I lied to them, which means they're digging in the wrong place. But not for long. They'll be back here soon. So, who's up for fleeing?" Sam nodded in agreement. "She's right. We need to find those crypts before they do. Meg, you're the only one who's been there."

"We need your help."

"Any of you dummies have a map?" she chuckled.

Sam and Dean had changed from their FBI suits into more casual clothes. They were in the basement of the Morton house with Meg, studying the scale model of the town Ann had built. "There," Meg pointed to a spot on the model. "That's where the crypt was."

"What's there now?"

"Do I look like Google to you? None of these buildings were here back in the day. Figure it out, genius. Is there any booze in this dump?" The demoness headed up the stairs to join Cas. She cleaned herself a bit before grabbing a liquor bottle and joining the angel in the living room. "These wounds have festered," Cas informed her, wrapping gauze around one of her wrists. "You really do know how to make a girl's nethers quiver, don't you?" she purred. "I am aware of how to do that. Although it doesn't usually involve cleaning wounds."

"Why are you so sweet on me, Clarence?"

"I don't know," Cas admitted. "And I still don't know who Clarence is." Meg rolled her eyes. "Would it kill you to watch a movie, read a book?" she took a swig directly from the bottle of alcohol. "A movie, no. But a book with the proper spells- yeah, it could, theoretically, kill me."

"You know, you're much cuter when you're shutting up. So, which Cas are you now? Original make and model or crazy town?" Cas frowned at her. "I'm just me," he replied. "So, your noodle's back in order?"

"Yeah, my… noodle remembers everything. I think it's a pretty good noodle." Meg hummed. "What's going on between you and Deano? Things seem pretty tense between the two of you." Cas glanced away, shifting guiltily. "Dean and I… haven't exactly been seeing eye to eye. Purgatory… messed a lot of things up between us. Although, I suppose what happened before didn't exactly help things, either."

"Alright. Let's roll, campers," Dean interrupted the conversation. He and Sam had come up from the basement after figuring out what was at the location Meg had given them. Sam looked at Meg and Cas, but Dean just ignored them, heading straight out the door. Sam trailed after him and after a few moments, Meg and Cas joined them.

"So, this is it," Meg said when they got to the alley outside the abandoned warehouse. "Basement?" Dean nodded, "Alright, Cas and I will head in and get our Indiana Jones on. Sam, you stay outside with Meg." Sam stared at his brother incredulously. "What?" Dean drew his mouth in a thin line. "We got this." The younger Winchester shook his head, protesting. "What are you talking about, Dean? I'm not letting you go in there alone."

"He won't be alone," Cas cut in. "That's not what I mean," Sam dismissed him. "Meg can hang here, watch our backs." Dean scowled, "Oh, what? Now you trust Meg?"

"Hey, I got you this far," the demoness pointed out. "Shut up," Dean snapped at her. "Shut up, Meg," Sam echoed. "Dean-" The elder Winchester cut him off. "Sam, I saw your bloody rag in the trash, okay?" Sam shifted guiltily. "That wasn't-"

"Stop. Just stop," Dean snapped. "Sam, we don't know what's in there, okay? And you almost let a demon get the best of you back there." Sam glanced down, "I'm fine." Dean scoffed, "You're not fine. You haven't been fine since the first trial. That's the other reason I called Cas."

"Trial?"

"Shut up, Meg!" the brothers cried in unison. Sam refocused on his brother. "Dean, I'm telling you- I'm okay." Cas chose that moment to interject. "No, you're not. Sam… you're damaged in ways even I can't heal. Dean's right. You should stay out here and protect Meg." The demoness frowned, "Since when do I need protecting?" Cas turned to glare at her. "Since you were held captive and tortured for over a year." Meg swallowed, conceding his point. "Touché."

"Alright, we'll be back."

Cas walked off, and Dean handed Sam Ruby's knife before heading after the angel. The duo headed through the halls in silence for a few minutes before Dean got the courage to speak up. "Hey, what did you mean back there about Sam?" he asked curiously. "It's difficult to say. It's something on the subatomic level and his electromagnetic field-"

"Okay, bottom-line it for me, Bill Nye," Dean snapped. "Is it lethal?" Cas glanced sidelong at him, replying in a blasé tone. "I don't know." Dean frowned, getting in front of Cas and stopping him in his tracks. "Okay, seriously, you gotta tell me what's going on with you, Cas. I thought we were on the same page in Purgatory, that things were finally getting back to a good place with us, and now… I don't even recognize you, man."

"I'm fine, Dean," Cas answered flatly. "I'm sorry I haven't been around much lately, but I've had other priorities." Dean clenched his jaw, green eyes searching Cas' face. "No, you're not fine. Something is messed up with you, Cas. I get that you're on some heavenly mission, or whatever, but seriously? You're prioritizing that over us, over Mack? I've needed you, Cas. She's missing. And all you care about is the job." Cas stared back at him blankly, a shadow of the angel Dean fell in love with. "As soon as we get the Angel Tablet and find Crowley's half of the Demon Tablet, I will help you find Mckinley, Dean. But this is important."

"You're her guardian angel, damn it!" Dean yelled angrily. "Shouldn't she take a little more priority over a couple hunks of stone?!" Cas looked away, getting distracted by the wall. "Wait," he murmured, feeling the cement. "No, I'm not gonna wait, Cas. I-"

"Dean, stop talking. There's a draft. There's something behind there. Stand back."

Cas walked through the door into Naomi's office. "I found it," he informed her. She smiled, pleased. "Tell the Winchester the crypt is empty. Then you can come back-"

"It's warded against angels," he cut her off. "Well, you can come back-" Naomi started again. "Crowley's demons are still in town, and we're running out of time," Cas shook his head. "What should I do?" Mack was staring back and forth between him and Naomi, eyes wide with fear. "Handle it," Naomi snarled in frustration. Cas blinked, the bright lights of Naomi's office giving way to the darkness of the dusty crypt. "Dean…" he pointed to an item on a shelf against the wall. "That's it." Dean shone his flashlight on a carved, wooden chest.

"How do you know?" he asked. "It's the only thing in here warded against angels." Dean went over, picking up the chest and placing it on a table in front of Cas. He used a small dagger to pry open the lid, reaching in and lifting out a large block of stone, similar to the clay casing the Demon Tablet had been in. "Winner, winner, chicken dinner," he smirked. "Good. Hand it to me, and I'll take it to Heaven." Dean looked up at Cas and the angel realized his error. "No, we will take it to Kevin so he can translate," he corrected, holding the block of stone in both hands. "Right, of course," Cas nodded, trying to think of a way to convince Dean to hand over the Tablet to him. "I'll take it to him right away. No time to waste."

Dean shook his head, not cooperating. "Well, he's not far. I've been meaning to… go check on him, bring him supplies." In Cas' mind, he could see and hear a projection of Naomi, who was now holding Mack tightly by the arm, the young girl whimpering silently. "If the demons get their hands on the Angel Tablet, they'll kill us all. They'll destroy Heaven," Naomi told him. "I can reason with Dean," Cas protested. "He's a good man."

"Kill him."

"I can resupply the Prophet, Dean," Cas informed him, coming around the table to get closer to him, eyes focused on the stone in his hands. Dean took several steps back to put more space between them. "You know, why don't, uh, why don't Sam and I take it over to him, and you can get back to your mission? Finding the other half of the Demon Tablet- that is priority, isn't it?"

"I can't let you take that, Dean," Cas growled. Dean stared back at him with wide, fear-filled eyes. "Can't or won't?" he questioned. "Both." Cas moved closer, Dean rooted in place as he held the stone tightly in his hands. "How did you get out of Purgatory, Cas?" he asked gently.

Cas' eyes widened as he saw Naomi again, Mack struggling in her grip. "There has to be another way," he begged. "You have done this a thousand times, Castiel!" Naomi growled, tightening her grip even more on Mack and making the girl cry out silently. "You're ready. Kill him. Then take the Tablet and bring it home, where it belongs." Her angel blade dropped into her hand and Cas' eyes widened as she pressed it to Mack's neck. "You know the consequences of disobedience."

"Please," he begged. "You can't make me do this. I love him." Naomi pressed the blade harder against Mack's neck, drawing a thin line of blood. "Kill him, Castiel. Kill him or she dies. And if you continue to test my patience, I will kill them both!" Cas stared down at Dean, inexplicable tears on his face despite that his expression wasn't sad at all. "Dean, give me the Tablet," he growled. "Just tell me how you got out of Purgatory. Be honest with me- for the first time since you've been back-" Dean nodded at the stone in his hands, "and this is yours." Cas' blade dropped into his hand.

"Cas. Cas, I don't know what the hell is wrong with you, but if you're in there and you can hear me, you don't have to do this." Cas attacked him, Dean blocking the blow with the stone. "Cas!" Thunder rumbled and there was a flash of light. "This isn't right!" Cas protested, staring wide-eyed at Naomi as his fist hit her desk, smashing it in half. "Do you realize what that Tablet can do for us?" she snarled. "I…" Cas trailed off, staring at the scared child in her grasp. "For Heaven?"

"I won't hurt Dean," he shook his head. "Yes. You will. You are." He brought his fist down on the broken halves of her desk, realizing as he did so that he was actually hitting Dean. "Cas, fight this!" Dean cried. "This is not you! Fight it!" Cas struck him again, hearing Naomi's urging voice to kill him in his head. "What have you done to me?" he asked desperately, clutching at his head. "Kill him, Castiel. Let your vessel do what you know deep down is the right thing," Naomi told him. "What have you done to me, Naomi?" he demanded again.

"Who's Naomi?!" Dean asked. "What have I done to you?!" Naomi cried, taking Mack and slamming her skull-first into the wall. Cas sobbed as Mack silently cried out in pain. "Do you have any idea what it's like out there? There's blood everywhere, and it's on your hands. After everything you did- to us, to Heaven. I fixed you, Castiel. I fixed you!"

"Cas!" Dean put a hand on Cas' shoulder. Cas backhanded him, sending him flying into the wall and falling to the floor. Dean attempted to throw a punch as Cas continued to attack him, the angel grabbing his forearm and breaking it. Dean cried out in pain as his bone snapped, dropping the stone. It shattered open, revealing the Tablet encased inside. "You want it?" Dean asked as Cas stared down dispassionately at the Tablet. "Take it! But you're gonna have to kill me first. Come on, you coward. Do it. Do it!"

"Please," Cas begged again, staring at Naomi with tear-filled eyes. "End this, Castiel. Or I will." He raised his fist once more, delivering another blow to Dean's bloody, swollen face. "Cas… This isn't you. This isn't you," Dean choked out. "Bring me the tablet!" Naomi's voice echoed in Cas' head. "Cas. Cas," Dean reached toward him weakly. "I know you're in there." Cas raised his angel blade, ready to strike. "I know you can hear me. Cas…" Dean's voice broke. "It's me. We're family. We need you. I need you."

"You have to choose, Castiel- us or them." Cas shook his head. "No. I won't let you control me any more. You aren't going to hurt anyone I love ever again." Naomi gaped in shock as the transmission of Castiel vanished- he'd somehow broken the link through sheer force of will. Down on Earth, Dean blinked in surprise through his one good eye as Cas just disappeared.

In Heaven, Naomi's office door flew off its hinges with a bang as Castiel stalked inside, vessel thrumming with energy. A mighty wind rushed through the office, sending his trench coat billowing around him as he raised a hand and sent her flying back into the wall. The light emanating from his eyes and vessel dimmed as he approached Mack, who was cowering in the corner once more. "I'm so sorry, bee," he whispered, reaching out and healing her injuries and restoring her voice at once. "Let's get you out of here."

He gathered her in his arms, and the pair came tumbling back into the crypt with a mighty crash that rattled an already very injured Dean. He stared in shock at the angel who laid on his back, body curled around a small form that he recognized as his daughter. "Mack," he gasped. Cas released her as he got to his feet, and she immediately ran into her father's arms, tears streaming down her cheeks. "Shh. It's okay, baby. I got you, it's okay." He looked over at Cas, who had reached down and picked the Angel Tablet from the floor. "Cas, what the hell?"

Cas turned to him, walking over and touching his face gently, healing his injuries. "I'm so sorry, Dean," he murmured. "Seriously, what the hell?" Dean demanded. "Naomi… She's been controlling me, with that," Cas gestured to a bloody chip on the ground that he'd pulled from his eye, "ever since I got back from Purgatory. I was resisting, and so she took Mack to try and keep me in line better. She wanted me to kill you, or she was going to kill her."

"W-well what broke the connection?" Dean asked, mind working to process the information. Cas shook his head. "I don't know. I just know that I have to protect this tablet now." Dean swallowed. "From Naomi?" Cas looked at him. "Yes. And from you."

"From me? What are you talking about?" Cas and the Tablet were suddenly gone, the sound of his wings rumbling through the crypt. "Cas? Cas! Damn it!" In his arms, Mack flinched, clutching his jacket tighter in her fists. "Hey. Hey. Sorry. It's alright. You're safe now. It's alright."

"Dean!" Sam's voice carried into the crypt as he came barreling through the door. "Dean. Where's C-?" He stopped when he saw Mack in Dean's arms. "Kinley?"

"Cas is gone," Dean answered Sam's first question. "Meg?" Sam shook his head, still staring at his niece in shock. "We got to go- now."

They hurried off in the Impala, leaving Crowley and Meg behind. Crowley ended up killing Meg as they were driving off, tires squealing. Dean kept glancing back at his daughter in the backseat as they drove. She was curled in a ball with her knees pulled up against her chest, staring silently out the window at the dark night.