Gunpowder and Lead

XXXV

[Stuck in the Middle (With You)]

NOW

Inside Raul's Diner, Ketch carefully measured a spoonful of sugar and stirred it into his tea. "So. Tell me a story."

5:20 PM

Inside Raul's Diner. Lover Boy by Toodlum Barker & Emil Lomax played. Dean, Sam, Castiel, Mary, Kennedy, Nadia and Wally ordered dinner.

"Mandy. That short for Amanda?" Dean asked.

"Duh," Mandy said.

"Yeah, I'll – I'll go with the cheeseburger."

"Oh, yeah," Wally agreed.

"Hey, what's the, uh, wifi password here?" Sam asked.

"Extra cheese," Mandy replied.

"No, no. Just, uh, as it is, is fine," Dean told her.

"That's the password. "Extra Cheese.""

"You know what, that sounds good. I'm gonna change mine to a cheeseburger as well. Extra cheese. I wanna carbo-load," Wally decided.

"Cheese isn't a carb."

"Cheese isn't a carbohydrate," Castiel agreed.

"Mnh, well," Wally said.

Mandy smiled at Castiel, and the angel was confused.

Kennedy glanced up at the waitress. "I'll do the burger. And nuggets and fries for the little girl."

"Steak and eggs. Bloody," Mary said.

"And how 'bout you, handsome?" Mandy asked.

"What?" Wally questioned.

"Um, uh," Castiel studied his menu, "uh, Sunrise Special, please."

Mandy smiled brightly. "Nice."

Wally watched Mandy leave.

Dean leaned across the table to talk to Castiel. "Oh, dude, she is into you."

"Mm hmm," Wally agreed.

"Dean..." Mary began.

"No, this is good. We've been looking for teachable moments. This..." Dean clicked his tongue.

Mary's phone vibrated and beeped.

"Everything all right, Mom?" Sam wondered.

"Yeah, just a hunter, needs some help," Mary replied.

"Another one?" Dean and Kennedy asked.

"Can't have too many friends in this line of work."

"Okay..."

"The internet here sucks," Sam complained. "I downloaded all the bunker's files to a new archive, but we're not getting any signal, so I'm j–"

Dean made snoring noises and pretended to sleep. "Nobody cares. Cas, here's the thing you need to know about waitresses, okay? They get hit on all day long, so you gotta bring your A game. But, upside?" He clicked tongue. "They always smell like food."

Wally nodded along with Dean, then pointed at him. "They always smell like food. The waiters too, right, Kennedy?"

Kennedy frowned. "Need I remind you, my husband is sitting right next to me. But, I guess so."

"Okay," Mary said.

"Is that really an upside? They smell like food?" Sam asked.

"Okay – okay..."