STREET
Car alarms blared. Several cars in various states of smashed to pieces were in the street. Castiel appeared and silenced the alarms. He walked through the wreckage to the body of a woman. He moved part of her clothing off her neck to see that she'd been stabbed to death.
"Goodbye, sister," Castiel said.
Police cars arrived and officers rushed to the scene.
"What the hell?" an officer asked.
A spotlight from a helicopter illuminated the ground on either side, where the image of wings had been seared into the asphalt.
ROAD
Sam was driving. "Ruby will meet us outside Cheyenne. She's been tracking some leads. I know she's not exactly on either of your Christmas lists, but if she can help us get to Lilith-"
Dean cut him off. "Hey, man, work with Ruby, don't. Elena and I don't really give a rat's ass."
"What's your problem?"
"Pamela didn't want anything to do with the and we dragged her back into it, Sam."
"She knew what was at stake."
"Oh, yeah. Saving the world. And we're doing such a damn good job of it."
"Dean-"
"I'm tired of burying friends, Sam."
"Look, we catch a fresh trail-"
"And we follow it, I know. Like I said, I'm just - I'm just getting tired."
"Well, get angry. Elena, you're strangely quiet."
Elena met Sam's eye. "I'm trying to remain hopeful in a hopeless situation, Sam."
MOTEL ROOM
The trio entered the room.
"Ah, home crappy home," Dean commented.
As soon as Sam flipped on the lights, Uriel said, "Winchester, Winchester and Elpis."
Uriel and Castiel were waiting inside the room.
"Oh come on," Dean muttered.
"You are needed," Uriel told them.
"Needed?" Elena repeated. "We just got back from needed."
"Now, you mind your tone with me."
"No, you mind your damn tone with us," Dean retorted.
"We just got back from Pamela's funeral," Sam explained.
"Pamela. You know, psychic Pamela? You remember her. Cas, you remember her. You burned her eyes out. Remember that? Good times. Yeah, then she died saving one of your precious seals. So maybe you can stop pushing us around like chess pieces for five freaking minutes!"
"We raised you out of Hell for our purposes," Uriel said.
"Yeah, what were those again? What exactly did you want from me and her?"
"Start with gratitude."
"No," Elena spat.
Castiel looked between them. "Dean, Elpis, we know this is difficult to understand."
"And we-" Uriel gave Castiel a significant look, "-don't care. Now, seven angels have been murdered, all of them from our garrison. That last one was killed tonight."
"Demons?" Dean questioned. "How they doing it?"
"We don't know."
Sam frowned. "I'm sorry, but what you do want to do about it? I mean, a demon with the juice to ice angels has to be out of our league, right?"
"We can handle the demons, thank you very much."
"Once we find out whoever it is," Castiel told them.
Elena frowned. "So you need our help hunting a demon?"
"Not quite. We have Alastair."
"Great," Dean said. "He should be able to name your trigger man."
"But he won't talk. Alastair's will is very strong. We've arrived at an impasse."
"Yeah, well, he's like a black belt in torture. I mean, you guys are out of your league."
"That's why we've come to his student," Uriel explained. "You happen to me the most qualified interrogator we've got." Dean looked down.
"Dean, you are our best hope," Castiel told him.
Dean shook his head. "No. No way. You can't ask me to do this, Cas. Not this."
Uriel walked up to Dean. "Who said anything about asking."
Sam and Elena looked around to find the room empty and the former yelled, "Damn it!"
Elena turned on her GPS and followed Dean to his location. There was something about the angels that she was suspicious of, and she didn't want her friend to be alone.
BUILDING
Alastair was visible through a window in a door, chained to a hexacle standing in the middle of a Devil's Trap.
"This Devil's Trap is old Enochian. He's bound completely," Castiel said.
"Fascinating," Dean muttered as he turned from the door. "Where's the door?"
"Where are you going?"
"Hitch back to Cheyenne, thank you very much."
Dean walked past Uriel, then stopped since Uriel was blocking his path.
"Angels are dying, boy," Uriel told him.
"Everybody's dying these days," Dean shot back. "And hey, I get it. You're all-powerful. You can make me do whatever you want. But you can't make me do this." He felt a wind behind him and turned. "Elena? What are you- Why the hell are you here?"
"I was worried about you," she stated.
Castiel turned to Dean. "This is too much to ask, I know. But we have to ask it."
Dean watched Castiel for a moment, then turned back to Uriel. "I want to talk to Cas alone. Elena can stay."
"I think I'll go seek revelation," Uriel decided. "We might have some further orders."
"Well, get some donuts while you're out."
Uriel laughed. "Ah, this one just won't quit, will he? I think I'm starting to like you, boy."
Dean watched Uriel vanish. "You guys don't walk enough." Castiel didn't react and Elena to smirk lightly. "You know, I'm starting to think junkless has a better sense of humor than you do."
"Uriel's the funniest angel in the garrison," Castiel replied. "Ask anyone."
Dean walked up to the angel. "What's going on, Cas? Since when does Uriel put a leash on you?"
"My superiors have begun to question my sympathies."
"Your sympathies?" Dean and Elena repeated.
"I was getting too close to the humans in my charge. You. They feel I've begun to express emotions. The doorways to doubt. This can impair my judgment."
"Well, tell Uriel, or whoever... you do not want me doing this, trust me," Dean warned.
"Want it, no. But I have been told we need it."
"You ask me to open that door and walk through it, you will not like what walks back out."
"For what it's worth, I would give anything not to have you do this."
Dean closed his eyes.
ROOM
Dean wheeled a loaded cart covered with a cloth into the room where Alastair was imprisoned. Alastair watched Dean enter, grinned, and began singing, moving with the chains as though he was dancing.
"Heaven, I'm in Heaven, and my heart beats so that I can hardly speak," Alastair sang. "I seem to find the happiness I seek, when we're out together dancing cheek to cheek..."
Dean pulled the cloth from the cart, revealing an assortment of torture implements. Alastair laughed and Dean ignored him.
"I'm sorry," Alastair apologized. "This is a very serious, very emotional situation for you. I shouldn't laugh, it's just that - I mean, are they serious? They sent you to torture me?"
Dean finally spoke. "You got one chance. One. Tell me who's killing the angels. I want a name."
"You think I'll see all your scary toys and spill my guts?"
"Oh, you'll spill your guts, one way or another. I just didn't wanna ruin my shoes."
"Oh, yeah."
"Now answer the question."
"Or what? You'll work me over? But then, maybe you don't want to. Maybe you're, ah, scared to."
"I'm here, aren't I?"
"Not entirely. You left part of yourself back in the Pit. Let's see if we can get the two of you back together again, shall we?"
"You're gonna be disappointed." He walked towards the cart.
"You have not disappointed me so far. Come on. You gotta want a little payback for everything I did to you. For all the pokes and prods. Hm?" Dean remained impressive. "No? Um... how about for all the things I did to your daddy?"
Dean lifted his head.
MOTEL ROOM
Sam opened the door for Ruby.
"I can still smell them," Ruby said. "Seriously, Sam, I'm not exactly dying to tangle with angels again."
"I need you to find out where they took Dean and where Elena went off to. I tried contacting her, but she's not answering."
"Not sure I see the problem. You know they have Alastair strung up six ways from Sunday. Dean cuts himself a slice, Al's reduced to a quivering heap, and the good guys get the goods. What's wrong with that?"
"He can't do it. Elena shouldn't see him like that."
"Look, I get it. You don't want him going all torture master again. You want to protect your little sweetheart."
"No. I mean he can't do it. He can't get the job done. Something happened to him downstairs, Ruby. He's not what he used to be. He's not strong enough. I don't know what seeing him like this would do to her."
"And you are?"
"I will be."
PRISON ROOM
"I had your pop on my rack for close to a century," Alastair said.
"You can't stall forever," Dean told him.
"John Winchester. Made a good name for himself. A hundred years. After each session, I'd make him the same offer I made you. I'd put down my blade if he picked one up."
"Just give me the demon's name, Alastair."
"But he said nein each and every time. Oh, damned if I couldn't break him." Dean took off his leather jacket. "Pulled out all the stops, but John, he was, well, made of something unique. The stuff of heroes. And then came Dean. Dean Winchester. I thought I was up against it again." Dean drank from a bottle. "But daddy's little girl, he broke. He broke in 30. Oh, just not the man your daddy wanted you to be, huh, Dean?" Dean put the bottle down. "Now."
Dean picked up a jigger and filled it from a large bottle of water that had a rosary in it.
Alastair continued. "Now we're getting somewhere. Holy water? Come on. Grasshopper, you're gonna have to get creative to impress me."
Dean finally looked up. "You know something, Alastair? I could still dream. Even in Hell. And over and over and over, you know what I dreamt? I dreamt of this moment." Alastair looked nervous as Dean picked up a needle. "And believe me, I got a few ideas."
Dean felled the needle from the jigger, sprayed a little water from it, and went over to Alastair. "Let's get started."
NEXT ROOM
Castiel and Elena heard Alastair screaming.
Elena glanced at the other room with a concerned expression.
PRISON ROOM
"Oh, man," Alastair said. "Ooh."
Dean put the needle back on the cart with his other tools. "Let me know if you want some more. There's plenty left."
"Go directly to Hell. Do not pass Go, do not collect two hundred dollars."
MOTEL ROOM
Ruby chanted, holding a lit candle to the corner of a map. Sam watched the fire spread around the edges.
"Relax. The fire is our friend," Ruby reassured. "Besides, the only part of the map we need is the 'where's Dean and Elena?' part. Out."
The flames vanished. The map was charred to unreadability with a small circle in the middle remaining untouched.
"There," Ruby said. "Your brother and friend are there. It's a good thing angels aren't concerned with their hiding their dirty business. Not used to being spied on. I mean, who'd be stupid enough to try."
"Ruby, it's been weeks. I need it," Sam told her.
"You don't seem to happy about it."
"You think I wanna do this? This is the last thing I-" He sat on the bed. "But I need to be strong enough."
Ruby straddled Sam's lap. "It's okay. It's okay, Sammy. You can have it."
She kissed Sam and pulled a knife from an ankle sheath and cut her arm, drawing blood. Sam drank it straight from the vein.
Ruby stroked his hair. "It's okay, Sam." She smirked.
PRISON ROOM
Dean held up Ruby's knife. Alastair looked at it and laughed before saying, "There's that little pig-poker. I wondered where it went." Dean dipped a ladle into a bowl of holy water and poured it over the blade. "Do you really think this is gonna fix you? Give you closure? That is sad. That's really sad. Sad, sad."
He approached Alastair, watched for a moment, then stabbed him; which caused a sizzling sound.
"I carved you into a new animal, Dean," Alastair said. "There is no going back."
"Maybe you're right," Dean replied. "But now it's my turn to carve."
"No!"
A faucet turned on and started dripping onto the chalk of the Devil's Trap on the floor.
NEXT ROOM
Castiel and Elena listened to Alastair's groans. Elena closed her eyes, wishing she could help him and stop what the angels were having him do.
The light flickered, catching there attention and the bulb exploded. Anna appeared behind Castiel.
"Anna," Castiel greeted.
"Hello, Castiel," Anna said. "Hello, Elpis."
Castiel turned to look at her. "Your human body-"
"It was destroyed, I know. But I guess I'm sentimental. Called in some old favors and..."
Alastair became slightly more audible.
"You shouldn't be here. We still have orders to kill you."
"Somehow I don't think you'll try. Where's Uriel?"
"He went to find revelation."
"Right."
PRISON ROOM
Dean pulled the knife from Alastair, whose head fell forward. Dean tilted it back up, ignoring the blood.
Alastair laughed. "Now it's your professionalism that I respect."
Dean turned away, disgusted and Alastair spat blood.
NEXT ROOM
"Why are you letting Dean do this?" Anna asked. "Why are you letting her hear this?"
"He's doing God's work. She insisted on staying."
"Torturing? That's God's work? Stop him, Cas, please. Before you ruin the one real weapon you have."
"Who are we to question the will of God?"
"Unless this isn't his will."
"Then where do the orders come from?"
"I don't know. One of our superiors, maybe, but not him."
PRISON ROOM
Dean splashed Alastair in the face with holy water and it steamed and sizzled. Alastair gargled.
"Who's murdering the angels?" Dean questioned.
Alastair choked.
NEXT ROOM
"The father you love. You think he wants this? You think he'd ask this of you? You think this is righteous?" Castiel couldn't meet her eyes. "What you're feeling? It's called doubt."
PRISON ROOM
Alastair screamed and choked. Dean poured out more holy water, splashed Alastair in the face, and watched him sizzle.
NEXT ROOM
Anna touched Castiel's hand. "These orders are wrong and you know it. But you can do the right thing. You're afraid, Cas. I was too. But together, we can still-"
"Together?" Castiel repeated, yanking his hand away. "I am nothing like you. You fell. Go."
"Cas."
"Go."
Anna vanished. Castiel listened to Alastair scream while Saoirse looked sadly at the other room again.
PRISON ROOM
Alastair spit out blood and holy water. "You're just not getting deep enough. Well, you lack the resources. Reality is just, I don't know, too concrete up here. Honestly, Dean..." Dean poured salt into another container. "You have no idea how bad it really was, and what you really did for us."
"Shut up," Dean whispered.
"The whole bloody thing, Dean. The reason Lilith wanted you there in the first place."
"Well, then I'll just make you shut up." He grabbed Alastair's chin.
"Lilith really-"
Dean poured salt into Alastair's mouth and Alastair tried to scream.
ROAD
Sam was driving through the rain.
PRISON ROOM
Alastair spit out blood and tried to breathe. "Something caught in my throat. I think it's my throat."
"Well, strap in, 'cause I'm just starting to have fun," Dean said, going back to his cart.
"You know, it was supposed to be your father." Dean poured out more holy water. "He was supposed to bring it on. But, in the end, it was you."
"Bring what on?"
"Oh, every night, the same offer, remember? Same as your father." Dean shook salt onto the blade of Ruby's knife. "And finally you said, "Sign me up." Oh, the first time you picked up my razor, the first time you sliced into that weeping bitch..." Dean turned to face him. "That was the first seal."
Dean didn't react, but walked closer to Alastair. "You're lying."
"And it is written that the first shall be broken when a righteous man sheds blood in Hell. As he breaks, so it shall break." Dean turned away. "We had to break the first seal before any others. Only way to get the dominoes to fall, right? Topple the one at the front of the line."
Dean looked away from Alastair, shock on his face.
Alastair continued. "When we win, when we bring on the apocalypse and burn this earth down, we'll owe it all to you, Dean Winchester." Dean closed his eyes, trying not to react. "Believe me, son, I wouldn't lie about this. It's kind of a religious sort of thing with me."
Alastair noticed the dripping faucet and the broken edge of the Devil's Trap.
"No," Dean said. "I don't think you are lying. But even if the demons do win..." He looked at Ruby's knife. "You won't be around to see it."
Dean turned around. Alastair was behind him, out of the chains.
"You should talk to your plumber about the pipes," Alastair told him.
Alastair punched Dean, who went down and the demon grinned.
LATER
Dean was covered in blood. Alastair held him by his shirt collar and punched him repeatedly, then dropped him and picked him up by the throat and shoved him against the hexacle, lifting his feet off the floor.
"You got a lot to learn, boy," Alastair said. "So I'll see you back in class bright and early tomorrow morning."
Alastair turned and Elena ran up to him. He dropped Dean, who didn't move, and started punching Elena. She kicked and hit Alastair. She continued kicking and punching as she yelled, "Stay away from him!"
Castiel, who had Ruby's knife, stabbed Alastair in the heart. The injury sparked gold light, but not as much as when it killed.
"Well, almost," Alastair commented. "Looks like God is on my side today."
Castiel lifted a hand and the knife twisted itself. Alastair grunted in pain and pulled out the knife, then tossed it away and charged Castiel. The two fought. Alastair slammed Castiel against the wall, choking him.
"Well, like roaches, you celestials. Now, I really wish I knew how to kill you. But all I can do is send you back to Heaven."
Alastair chanted in Latin. Blue light appeared in Castiel's eyes and mouth. Alastair stopped abruptly, choking, and was slammed against the wall. Sam had arrived, one hand raised. Castiel slumped to the ground.
"Stupid pet tricks," Alastair stated.
"Who's murdering the angels?" Sam asked. "How are they doing it?"
"You think I'm gonna tell you?"
"Yeah, I do." Sam twisted his hand and Alastair's eyes rolled white as he choked. "How are the demons killing angels?"
"I don't know."
"Right."
"It's not us. We're not doing it."
"I don't believe you."
"Lilith is not behind this. She wouldn't kill seven angels. Oh, she'd kill a hundred, a thousand." Sam stopped. "Oh, go ahead. Send me back, if you can."
"I'm stronger than that now. Now I can kill."
Sam held out his hand. Gold light flared inside Alastair as he screamed. Alastair's host collapsed, dead.
Elena stared at the younger Winchester in shock before saying, "Sam. What did you do?"
HOSPITAL
Dean was in bed, heavily bandaged. Elena sat in a chair next to him. He had a breathing tub and an IV drip. Sam sat next to Elena by Dean's bed. Castiel appeared in the doorway, paused, and continued down the hallway. Sam followed him out of the room. Elena frowned at her friend and the angel before turning back to Dean.
"Sam-" Castiel began.
"Get in there and heal him. Miracle. Now," Sam demanded.
"I can't."
"You and Uriel put him in there and she followed-"
"No."
"-because you can't keep a simple Devil's Trap together."
"I don't know what happened. That trap... it shouldn't have broken. I am sorry."
"This whole thing was pointless. You understand that? The demons aren't doing the hits. Something else is killing your soldiers."
"Perhaps Alastair was lying."
"No, he wasn't."
Sam went back to Dean and Elena. Castiel looked as though he'd been slugged in the face.
SNOWY PARK
Uriel sat on a bench with eyes closed and Castiel appeared. "Castiel, I received revelation from our superiors. Our brothers and sisters are dying and they... they want us to stop hunting the demon responsible." Castiel sat next to Uriel. "Something is wrong up there. I mean, can you feel it?"
"The murders," Castiel said. "Maybe they aren't demonic. Sam Winchester said the demons had nothing to do with it."
"If not the demons, what could it be?"
"The will of Heaven. We are falling, Uriel. We are losing the war. Perhaps the garrison is being punished."
"You think our father would-"
"I think maybe our father isn't giving the orders anymore. Maybe there is something wrong."
Uriel stood. "Well, I won't wait to be gutted." He vanished.
"Anna," Castiel called. "Anna, please."
The streetlight above Castiel flickered. He looked up and turned around.
"Decided to kill me after all?" Anna questioned.
"I'm alone."
"What do you want from me, Castiel?"
"I'm considering disobedience."
Anna nodded. "Good."
"No, it isn't. For the first time, I feel..."
"It gets worse. Choosing your own course of action is confusing, terrifying." She put her hand on Castiel's shoulder. He looked at it and she dropped it. "That's right. You're too good for my help. I'm just trash. A walking blasphemy." She turned to walk away.
"Anna." She stopped. "I don't know what to do. Please tell me what to do."
Anna turned back. "Like the old days? No. I'm sorry. It's time to think for yourself." She vanished.
PRISON ROOM
Castiel examined the Devil's Trap. He noticed the dripping faucet and shut it off without touching it.
"You called?" Uriel questioned as he entered. "What do you say, Castiel? Will you join me? Will you fight with me?"
"Strange," Castiel commented. "Strange how a leaky pipe can undo the work of angels when we ourselves are supposed to be the agents of fate."
"Alastair was much more powerful than we had imagined."
"No. No demon can overpower that trap. I made it myself. We've been friends for a long time, Uriel. Fought by each other's sides, served together away from home, for what seems like forever. We're brothers, Uriel. Pay me that respect. Tell me the truth."
"The truth is, the only thing that can kill an angel..." a sword slid from Uriel's sleeve into his grasp, "...is another angel."
"You."
"I'm afraid so."
"And you broke the Devil's Trap, set Alastair on Dean and on Saoirse when she entered."
"Alastair should never have been taken alive. Really convenient, Cas. Yes. I did turn the screw a little. Alastair should have killed Dean and Saoirse and escaped, and you should have gone on happily scapegoating the demons."
"For the murders of our kin?"
"Not murders, Castiel. No. My work is conversion. How long have we waited here? How long have we played this game by rules that make no sense?"
"It is our father's world, Uriel."
"Our father? He stopped being that, if he ever was, the moment he created them. Humanity, his favorites. This whining, puking larva."
"Are you trying to convert me?"
"I wanted you to join me. I still do. With you, we can be strong enough to-"
"To..."
"To raise our brother."
"Lucifer."
"You do remember him? How strong he was? How beautiful? And he didn't bow to humanity. He was punished for defending. Now, if you want to believe in something, Cas, believe in him."
"Lucifer is not God."
"God isn't God anymore. He doesn't care what we do. I am proof of that."
"But this? What were you gonna do, Uriel? Were you gonna kill the whole garrison?"
"I only killed the ones who said no. Others have joined me, Cas. Now, please, brother, don't fight me. Help me. Help me spread the word. Help me bring on the apocalypse. All you have to do is be unafraid."
"For the first time in a long time, I am."
Uriel smiled. Castiel punched hm through the wall several feet away. Uriel got up. They fought. Uriel clobbered Castiel with a metal bar and Castiel went down.
"You can't win, Uriel," Castiel said. "I still serve God."
"You haven't even met the man," Uriel told him. "There is no will. No wrath. No God."
Between each phrase, Uriel punched Castiel. The last time, he raised his fist and was stabbed through the neck from behind.
"Maybe," Anna said. "Or maybe not. But there's still me."
Anna pulled out Uriel's sword and Uriel collapsed. Anna went over to Castiel. Uriel screamed as white light flared in his eyes and mouth. The light exploded out of him and out of the building. Castiel stood and looked down at Uriel's corpse. His wings were seared into the floor across the Devil's Trap.
HOSPITAL
Dean was still in bed, his breathing tube gone. Elena was still sitting next to him, but looked more hopeful.
Castiel sat next to his bed and asked, "Are you all right?"
"No thanks to you," Dean shot back.
"You two need to be more careful."
"You need to learn how to manage a Devil's Trap," Elena retorted.
"That's not what I mean. Uriel is dead."
"Was it the demons?" Dean asked.
"It was disobedience. He was working against us."
"Is it true? Did I break the first seal? Did I start all this?"
Castiel glanced at Dean. "Yes. When we discovered Lilith's plan for you, we laid siege for Hell and we fought and searched to get to you before you-"
"Jumpstarted the apocalypse," Dean finished.
"And we were too late."
"Why didn't you just leave me there, then?"
"It's not the blame that falls on you, Dean, it's fate. The righteous man who begin it is the only one who can finish it. You have to stop it."
"Lucifer?" Elena questioned. "The apocalypse? What does that mean? Hey! Don't you go disappearing on us! What does that mean!"
"I don't know."
"Bull," Dean retorted.
"I don't. Dean, they don't tell me much. I know our fate rests with you."
"Well, then you guys are screwed. I can't do it, Cas. It's too big. Alastair was right. I'm not all here. I'm - I'm not strong enough. Well, I guess I'm not the man either of our dads wanted me to be. Find someone else. It's not me." He began to cry.
Elena placed a hand on her friend's shoulder. "Whatever it is you need to do, I know you can do it. I believe in you, Dean."
He smiled sadly. "Thanks, Elena. I wish I felt the same."