The brothers are in town on a case and stopped by the motel to change out of their fed suits before they went to the hotel that a missing person goes to often.
There's a knock on the door and Dean looks at it confused as Sam answers it.
"Hey." He smiles, stepping aside.
"Hey." Larissa smiles back, walking in. "Hey, Dean."
"Hey, Rissa. What, uh... how'd you get here?" Dean asks.
"A car." She answers.
"Mm, yeah, funny." Dean rolls his eyes. "What are you doing here?"
"I called her." Sam states. "Figured maybe... you know, maybe she could help on the case. Three brains are better than two, right? Plus it's been a while since we saw her, so." He shrugs.
"Oh, you-you called her?" Dean asks, a small smirk on his face.
"Yeah." Sam nods.
"You called her." Dean repeats.
"Yes." Sam nods again, looking at his brother weirdly. Dean just smiles and nods.
"You said you two were good." Larissa mumbles to Sam. "You know, after the whole... break and fighting things."
"We-We are. I mean, you know, basically. I don't know what his deal is right now." Sam says.
"You called her." Dean chuckles.
"Is there an issue, Dean?" Sam asks.
"Not at all." Dean argues, shaking his head. "Come on, let's go. Losing daylight." He grabs his jacket, walking out of the room.
Larissa looks up at Sam and he awkwardly smiles, motioning for her to leave first, which she does.
+++
The three are walking down the hall of the hotel to where Cliff's room is.
"Well, at least he's consistent. Same room every Tuesday, hourly rates." Sam says.
"Hope I got that kind of luck when I'm his age." Dean says.
"Yeah, like either of us will live that long." Sam says.
"True." Dean says.
"Bobby's pretty old." Larissa says. "Don't tell him I said that." She says making Sam chuckle.
"So... what do you think's in there?" Sam asks as they stop outside the door.
"A wrinkly, gooey corpse." Dean states.
"Ew." Larissa mumbles.
Sam takes his lockpick kit out and picks the lock.
"Oh, God! Oh, God! Oh, God!" A man yells out from in the room. The three look at each other before Sam opens the door. Larissa's jaw drops, her eyes widening at what they just walked in.
A man and woman are sitting in bed, both at least mostly naked, if not completely.
"Oh." Sam mumbles.
Another woman sits up, appearing from under the covers.
"This is extremely awkward." Larissa whispers.
"It's gooey." Sam notes.
Both of the women get out of the bed, quickly going to the side of the room.
"Sorry. Uh, got the wrong room." Dean says.
"Close the door!" The man orders.
"Hey." Sam stops. "Nice tattoo." He walks into the room. "Happen to know anybody named Cliff Whitlow?"
"Never heard of him." The man denies.
"Well, that's weird. Cause you're carrying his wallet." Sam states.
Dean walks over to the bed and pulls the covers up, looking at the man's privates.
"Do you guys have any boundaries?" Larissa quietly asks.
"Your wife told us about your, uh, birthmark there. That's nice." Dean says. "Well, you look great, Cliff. Did you get some work done?"
"Could you give us some privacy?" Cliff asks the women.
~ ~ ~
Cliff gives the women some money and they leave, him shutting the door behind them.
"Please don't tell my wife." Cliff says.
"Slow down." Dean says.
"I'm begging you. As far as she knows, I'm dead. For the love of God, let's keep it that way." Cliff says.
"How can you possibly be Cliff Whitlow?" Dean asks.
"I can't tell you." Cliff says.
"Well, either you tell us or we tell the missus." Dean says.
"Or I can shoot you in the dick." Larissa offers.
"Okay! Okay!" Cliff exclaims, putting his hands over his crotch. Larissa smirks proudly. "It was a game."
"Like Xbox?" Sam asks.
"What's Xbox?" Cliff asks. "No. Poker. High stakes. Instead of cash, you play for years."
"What is that supposed to mean?" Dean asks.
"Look, I know it sounds crazy. Guy comes up to me at a bar, invites me to play. Gives me 25 of these weirdo poker chips, right? Chants some mumbo humbo over them, says now they're 25 years. I'm laughing, but then I come out up. And look at me."
"What was he chanting?" Sam asks.
"How should I know? All I know is, my bad hip's good, I threw away my glasses. One of those ladies was here for free! Man's some kind of miracle worker." Cliff says.
"What does this miracle worker look like?" Dean asks.
"Just a guy. Maybe 35, brown hair. Irish accent. His name was Patrick." Cliff informs.
"All right, all right. Where's this game at?" Dean asks.
"He said he likes to keep moving. Never stays in one bar long. And he finds you." Cliff says.
"Thank you, Cliff." Dean says, the three walking out. "Oh, and, uh... stay classy."
+++
The three had split up to search different bars for Patrick. None of them found anything and Sam said that he was picking the three up dinner and Larissa could head back to the motel if she wanted to.
Where he was going was close to where she was so she just met him there and the two ordered theirs and Dean's food and are waiting for it.
"So... would you play a poker game to change your age?" Sam asks.
"Mm, no, I suck at poker." Larissa laughs making Sam chuckle a little. "But if I could play poker, then maybe if I was like 80." Larissa says. "Why stop being 25?"
"Right." Sam nods.
"Do you really think you won't live that long?" Larissa asks.
"I doubt it. I mean, with what we do, and... and this whole apocalypse thing. It doesn't seem that likely." Sam says. "Why? Do you?"
"I don't know. Maybe." Larissa shrugs. "It'd be nice, I guess. Living that long."
"Really?" Sam asks.
"I'm not exactly on a life mission to die young." She says.
"Right." Sam mumbles.
"And, I mean... like I said earlier, Bobby's getting older, you know? So we know it isn't impossible."
"Yeah." Sam nods.
"Here you go." The waitress gives them a bag of food and carton of drinks.
"Thanks." Larissa politely smiles.
"Thank you." Sam tells her.
Larissa grabs the drinks and Sam takes the bag, the two heading for the door.
"Hey, um... what if we just ate here before going back to the motel?" Sam asks.
"What?" Larissa asks.
"Yeah. Yeah, you know... why not?" Sam shrugs.
"Cause we got take out." Larissa says.
"We can eat outside." Sam suggests.
"Won't Dean be waiting on the food?" Larissa asks.
"We gave up searching while he was at a bar. He'll be a while." Sam says.
"His burger will get cold." Larissa says.
"He'll live. Cold or hot, it's meat... Dean will eat it." Sam says. He walks outside, holding the door open for her. She walks out and Sam lets go of the door, letting it shut. "So?"
"Okay." Larissa says. "It's a date." Both of their eyes widen. "It's... not a date. It's just-- it's dinner. I just-- it was a... terrible sentence."
"Right. Uh, so, um... so food." Sam says, fidgeting, holding up the bag.
"Mm. Yeah. Love food." Larissa says.
"We should eat." Sam says.
"Yeah." Larissa nods.
+++
After a mostly silent and slightly awkward dinner, the two returned to the motel with Dean's food.
"Hey, Dean? You find anything?" Sam calls out.
"Uh, you might say." They hear somebody say. They watch as an old guy walks out of the bathroom in a bathrobe. Sam takes his gun out, stepping in front of Larissa.
"Who the hell are you?!" Sam shouts.
"Dude, relax. It's me." The guy says.
"Dean?" Sam asks, lowering his gun.
"Hi." Dean greets.
"What the hell happened?" Sam asks.
"I, you know... found the game." Dean says, going for the food.
"You f-- I thought you said you were good at poker." Sam says.
"I am. Shut up. So, you were just gonna shoot some old guy? Is that it?" Dean asks.
"If he broke into your motel room, yeah." Larissa nods.
"I didn't know what you were. I mean, have you seen you? You look like--"
"The old chick in Titanic. I know. Shut up." Dean says, his mouth full of burger.
"I was gonna say Emperor Palpatine." Sam says making Larissa smile in amusement.
"This burger's cold." Dean notes.
"Oh, yeah, um... long walk." Sam says.
"No it isn't. And you guys didn't get you any food. Aren't you eating?" Dean asks.
"We, um... we did." Larissa informs.
"You ate without me and let my burger get cold?" Dean asks.
"It was Sam's idea." Larissa throws him under the bus.
"Really?" Sam gives her a look.
"Hey, dude, every person for themselves." Larissa says making Sam roll his eyes.
The door opens and Bobby rolls in.
"I see you two met John McCain here." Bobby says.
"Yeah. Either of you want to tell us what happened?" Sam asks.
"Bobby's an idiot. That's what happened." Dean says.
"Not the only idiot, apparently." Larissa comments and Dean glares at her.
"Hey, nobody asked you to play." Bobby tells Dean.
"Right. I should have just let you die." Dean says.
"And for damn sure, nobody asked you to lose!" Bobby exclaims.
"It's like Grumpy Old Men." Sam grins making Larissa giggle.
"Shut up, Sam." The two oldies demand.
"What the hell were you thinking? He's a witch. He's been playing poker since guys wore tights." Dean says.
"You just don't get it." Bobby says.
"Yeah, I get it, Bobby. You saw a chance to turn the hands of the clock back and get out of that damn chair. Pretty tempting, I can imagine." Dean says.
"No, you can't." Bobby argues.
"You got. I never been paralyzed. But I can tell you something -- I've been to Hell, and there's an archangel there wanting me to drop the soap. Look at me! My junk's rustier than yours!"
"Ew." Larissa mumbles.
"You hear me bellyaching? Huh?" Dean asks.
"Uh, actually, yeah." Sam says, the group hearing Dean's stomach rumble.
"oh!" Dean sits back down. "I think I'm having a heart attack."
"No, you're not." Bobby argues.
"What is it?" Dean asks.
"Acid reflux. Guys your age can't digest certain food. You're gonna need to put down that cheeseburger." Bobby says. Dean sighs and sadly puts the burger down. "So, you want to keep emoting, or you want to talk about solving this little issue of yours? It's got to be about the chips."
"I slid 'em across, Patrick did his little witchy number, and you prettied up in a hurry." Dean says.
"I mean, what are you all thinking? Some kind of magic chips or something?" Sam asks.
"Definitely." Bobby answers.
"You remember what he chanted?" Dean asks.
"Yep. Every word." Bobby says.
"All right, then. Let's find out where he stashes his chips." Sam says.
"And steal me 50. Benjamin Button me back into burger shape. What do you think?" Dean asks.
"I think you ought to put some clothes on." Bobby says.
~ ~ ~
Dean is now dressed and there's a knock on the door that he answers, a young and pretty maid there.
"Ready for housekeeping, sir?" She asks.
"Born ready." Dean grins and the maid laughs.
"You're just like my grandfather. He hits on anything moves too." The maid says, walking in. "You're adorable."
"And dangerous." Dean adds.
"Aw." The maid coos, laughing as she goes to the bathroom.
Sam and Bobby smirk in amusement as Larissa quietly laughs.
"Can we just go?" Dean asks.
+++
The four are in Bobby's van and see Patrick walk out of a building. He crosses the street and gets hit by a car. The driver of the car gets out as Patrick lies on the ground. The driver rushes over to some construction workers nearby for help.
Another car drives by and they see Patrick in the driver's seat, where he was lying on the ground now empty.
"I got to say, I kind of like the guy." Dean says, laughing.
~ ~ ~
They followed Patrick to an apartment building and wait as he walks out of it, getting in his car, and driving off.
They get out, helping Bobby into his wheelchair, and they go inside.
"Well, I'm out." Bobby says. He motions to the out of order sign on the elevator.
The three others start up the stairs, Dean lagging behind. Sam and Larissa jog up one flight of stairs and stop, waiting for Dean who is huffing and puffing.
"Dean." Sam calls, getting his brother to look at him. Sam points to the sign that informs they're only on the second floor.
Larissa and Sam continue up the stairs, Dean following slowly. Soon enough they get to the correct floor and the two twenty something year olds leave the stairwell.
After a few moments, Dean walks into the hall, practically gasping for air.
Sam picks the lock to Patrick's apartment and they go inside and looking around.
"Guys." Dean calls. The younger two go over to him where he found a safe. "Dime store model. Piece of cake." Dean turns the dial, squinting and leaning in close.
"It's like Mission: Pathetic." Sam comments making Larissa snort. "Watch out." Sam shoves Dean out of the way and easily gets the safe open. He opens it, a few poker chips being in there.
"I could have done that." Dean says.
"You really couldn't." Larissa argues.
"What are you doing?" They turn to find a woman.
"Aren't you the chick from the bar?" Dean asks.
"I'm a lot more than that." Lia says. She holds her hand up, clenching it into a fist and twisting making Dean double over in pain.
"It's all right, sweetheart. It's all right. They're harmless." Patrick tells Lia and she lets Dean go. "You three want some chips? Take 'em. They're just chips, Einsteins. It's showmanship. This may come as a shock, but the magic does not lie in a pile of crappy plywood or in any phony abracadabra. It's in the 900 year old witch. You boys and lady want years? Score 'em the old fashioned way. Texas hold 'em."
"Fine. Let's do it." Dean says.
Patrick pulls a card out of his pocket, holding it up.
"What card am I holding up?" Patrick asks. Dean squints as he fails to see it and Larissa rolls her eyes. "That's what I thought. If your eyesight's that bad, what about your memory? I'm not a murderer. You two, on the other hand..." He turns to Sam and Larissa.
"No." Dean objects.
"Dean." Sam says.
"What, Sam not much of a player? Guessing the little lady isn't, either? Okay, well, happy trails, Dean. Enjoy the twilight of your life. Should have taken better care of that ticker, though." Patrick says. He opens the door. "You're free to go."
Dean walks out, the other two following.
"Oh, but, Sam." Patrick calls making the three turn back to him. "Your brother's situation -- that's punishment enough. But I can't let you leave without a small parting gift. Though, I can let the beauty off with a warning." Patrick claps his hands three times.
"What are you doing?" Sam asks.
"You'll find out soon enough." Patrick says.
"Let's get out of here, Sam." Dean says, the three leaving.
They walk outside and Sam fidgets, scratching his legs and readjusting his jeans.
"Dude... I believe that he-witch gave you the clap." Dean says.
Sam freezes as Larissa and Dean break out laughing.
+++
They're in the parking lot and have to walk up a small hill.
"Little help here?" Bobby calls making the three turn. Sam walks down and pushes Bobby up the small incline.
"You know, I still think I should play." Sam says as they get to the top.
"No, no, no. You're not good enough. I'm better, Bobby's way better. We both lost." Dean says.
"Exactly." Bobby says.
"So, what? So I don't get a say in this anymore?" Sam asks.
"Sammy, when you get to be our age--"
"You're 30, Dean! Look, I've watched you hustle plenty of poker--"
"Knowing the game is not enough, Sam. It's not about playing the cards." Bobby says.
"It's about playing the other guy. I know that." Sam says.
"Well, hooray for you." Bobby remarks. "All I'm saying is, I played this guy. I know his style. I can take him."
"No, Bobby, you don't have enough years in the bank." Dean says.
"I got enough." Bobby argues.
"No, you'll die if you lose, Bobby." Sam says.
"So what if I do, huh? What exactly am I living for, huh? The damn apocalypse? Watching men die bloody while I sit in this chair, can't take a step to help 'em?" Bobby asks.
"Bobby--"
"No, no. It's the facts. I'm old... and broke down... and I can't..." Bobby takes a deep breath. "I ain't a hunter no more. I'm useless. And if I wasn't such a coward, I'd have stuck a gun in my mouth day I got home from the hospital."
Larissa feels her heart drop, a frown appearing on her face at his words.
"Bobby, you are not playing again. I'm not letting you do that." Sam states after a moment. He notices Larissa start to play with the ends of her hair and he steps a little closer, his arm touching hers.
"There's another way out of this. There's gotta be. And I'm gonna find it." Sam states. He grabs Larissa's wrist, dragging her with him past Dean and Bobby. "You okay?" He asks her. She gently smiles, giving him a small nod. Sam slips his hand from her wrist to her hand, comfortingly squeezing it.
+++
Sam and Larissa walk into the room under the bar where Patrick is playing a poker game.
"Hesh here is gonna live to see his granddaughter's bat mitzvah." Patrick tells the two. "Isn't that right, Hesh?" He asks.
"Thanks again, Patrick." Hesh says.
"Shalom, my friend. Shalom." Patrick says and Hesh leaves.
"That was nice of you." Sam says.
"I'm a nice guy. What can I do you for?" Patrick asks.
"Deal." Sam says, sitting across from Patrick who smirks.
Larissa stands off to the side, playing with the ends of her hair.
~ ~ ~
"I like you, Sam. I do. You're smart and your heart's clearly in the right place." Patrick says. Sam doesn't say anything. Patrick takes the toothpick out of his mouth and takes a drink of whiskey. "I can a lot about a guy by looking."
"You mean you're psychic." Sam says.
"No. That'd be cheating. I'm talking about good old fashioned intuition." Patrick says and Sam nods.
"Right. Let's just play. "Sam says.
"We are playing." Patrick says. "Does your big brother know you're here?"
"Bet five." Sam puts some chips on the table.
"Didn't think so." Patrick says. He puts five chips on the table and then adds some more. "I raise. Here you are, right? Trying to clean up their mess, and they still want to sit you at the kiddie table. You're not the little brother anymore, Sam."
"Then again, maybe you are. You're in over your head here, Sam. I mean, you can keep making these moves. You know, playing it cautious, playing the percentages. But I'm still gonna kick your ass into the nursing home."
"Does this armchair psychology routine usually work for you?"
"You tell me. You're the one who's losing."
~ ~ ~
Patrick is shuffling cards while chewing on his toothpick. Larissa nervously glances at Patrick's amount of chips before looking at Sam's lesser amount of chips. The door opens and Lia walks in. She goes to Patrick and kisses him.
"Little break?" Patrick asks.
Sam and Larissa walk out of the bar, finding Dean.
"How's it going in there?" Dean asks and Sam scoffs.
"How do you think it's going? What about you? You have everything you need?" Sam asks.
"We still need a little he-witch DNA." Dean states.
"He was chewing it." Sam gives him the toothpick. "Hurry up, Dean. Please."
"All right. Just keep him busy. And Sammy... don't lose." Dean says, walking off.
"There isn't another way to do this?" Larissa asks worriedly. "I mean, if you don't stall him long enough or if this whole thing fails, and it could fail, and you--"
"Lissy, Lissy." Sam puts his hands on her shoulders, getting her to stop. "I'm good. It's gonna... hopefully work." Larissa frowns. "Well, hey, if it doesn't, I lived to old age, huh?"
"That's not funny... and not correct. Cause technically, you will still be 26, you'll just look 96." Larissa says.
"Come on." Sam mumbles, opening the door and letting her walk in first.
~ ~ ~
Patrick sits back down across from Sam and Lia stands behind Patrick. He chants something.
"Question." Patrick says and he holds a toothpick up. "Is this what you meant to give your big brother?" Larissa tries not to show the inner panic. "The one you gave him never passed my lips. Won't do a scrap of good. I don't like cheating, Sam."
Patrick clenches his fist and Sam gasps for air.
"Sam?" Larissa asks. She goes to go over to him, but suddenly can't breathe, struggling for air. She looks at Patrick and sees he has two fists clenched now.
"Stop it!" Lia shouts after a bit. "Patrick, let them go!"
"They tried to kill us!" Patrick yells.
"I did it!" Lia screams. "I gave them the spell!" Patrick looks at her shocked, Larissa and Sam both being released from the invisible grasp, both gasping for air.
"What?" Patrick asks, standing up. "Why... why would you do that?"
"You know why." Lia touches the silver locket around her neck. "You know." Patrick looks away from her and sits back down.
"Keep. Playing." He orders. Larissa worriedly looks at Sam.
~ ~ ~
"Well, look at you. The percentage player betting the farm." Patrick comments after Sam puts five chips next to some others. "Awful transparent of you, Sam. I mean, if I had a monster hand like you have, I'd trap you. But you get so excited, you bet yourself right out of a big pot."
"I fold." Patrick says. "Set of ladies, I'm guessing."
Sam grabs some chips before turning his cards over. He has three of clubs and five of diamonds, and one pair of queens. Sam stacks his chips.
"Nice bluff. If we had time, I could make a real player out of you." Patrick says.
"I got time." Sam says and Patrick grins.
"Maybe. But I can't say the same for Dean. Your brother's gonna be dead soon." Patrick says. "And when I say soon... I mean minutes."
Sam stands up, but Patrick uses magic to force him to sit down. Larissa takes her phone out, but Patrick flings it out of her hand, it shattering against the wall.
"The game's not over till I say it is. And don't even think about leaving." Patrick tells Larissa, putting two chips down and Sam grabs one.
~ ~ ~
"So." Patrick puts three cards down, spreading them out. Ace of spades, fours of hearts and clubs. "When it's about your brother, you get so emotional, your brain just flies right out the window. Good to know."
"Go to Hell." Sam sneers. "I'm all in." He shoves all the chips forward.
"Sam." Larissa mumbles worriedly.
"Don't do that, Sam." Patrick says with a sigh.
"I can't leave till it's over? Fine. It's over. Now, where's my brother?" Sam asks.
"Look, there's poker and then there's suicide." Patrick says.
"Just play the hand." Sam says.
"Fine." Patrick slides his chips to the pile. They continue playing, Larissa twirling the end of her hair around her finger, nervously gnawing on her bottom lip.
Patrick turns his cards over, aces of clubs and diamonds.
"I'm sorry, kid. Aces full." Patrick says.
"You're crying." Sam notes, looking at Lia, making Larissa look at her. Lia sniffles and looks away. "For a witch, you're so nice, it's actually kind of creepy." He says. "It's okay. It was a great hand."
Patrick goes to collect the chips.
"Just--" Sam starts making Patrick look up. "--not as great as--" Sam turns his cards over, fours of diamonds and spades. "--as four fours." Larissa proudly smiles, biting her lip to keep her grin from getting too wide and ducking her head so none of them see.
"Well played." Patrick leans back. "You know, that whole... going out of your head bit -- very method." He comments and Sam smirks. "Well, there's more to you than meets the eye."
"Cash these in for Dean, please." Sam says.
"With pleasure." Patrick says.
~ ~ ~
Sam and Larissa are leaving the poker game, Sam having called Dean and found out that he's back to his usual 30 year old self.
"So you really suck at poker?" Sam asks.
"I'm not gonna lie... I was lost for a lot of that." Larissa says making Sam laugh.
"Well, uh... I could always teach you." Sam suggests. "If you would want."
"I'll consider it." Larissa says. "Then again, supposedly, Bobby and Dean are better than you, so..."
"So maybe them?" Sam asks with a small laugh and Larissa nods, also laughing a little.
"Mm, well, not Dean. He'd probably wanna teach me strip poker." Larissa comments.
"Uh... yeah. Yeah, probably." Sam nods.
"I'm glad you're not looking like Dumbledore now, though." Larissa says.
"Me, too. Even if I lost, I couldn't anyways." Sam says making her look up at him confused. "Don't have the beard for it." He says, rubbing his chin.
"Shut up." Larissa giggles, gently shoving Sam making him laugh.