EXT. ST. ANNE'S CATHEDRAL; GARDEN - NIGHT
Two priests, one young and one old, were walking through the garden together.
"Monsignor Cassidy will join us for dinner on Saturday," the old priest said. "And mass, of course. He can be a pain, so let's have everybody on their toes."
They stopped as they rounded a corner and were confronted by two angels in gray suits.
"Gentlemen," the female angel greeted. "We're looking for a man we believe you may know. His name is Castiel."
INT. ST. ANNE'S SHELTER FOR MEN; LOCKER ROOM - DAY
Various men were wandering about, chatting, getting changed, etc. Castiel stood from the basin and looked at himself in the mirror. He was wearing regular clothes as opposed to his trench coat. He picked up a tube and squirted a glob of toothpaste directly into his mouth as a man approached.
"Hey, Clarence," a man greeted. "How much longer are you gonna be with us?"
Castiel chewed on toothpaste. "I'll be moving on tonight after work. It's time." The man nodded and hung up his towel. "Can I ask you something?"
"Sure."
Castiel walked into one of the bathroom stalls. "Do you ever tire of urinating? I'll never get used to it."
EXT. ST. ANNE'S CATHEDRAL; GARDEN - DAY
Various men from the shelter were helping with the gardening - mowing the lawn, raking leaves, etc. Castiel was picking up trash but stopped when he noticed something on a rock. He touched it - blood.
Finding more blood on a nearby gate, Castiel followed the trail through to the back part of the garden where the blood trail ended at a large smear on a statue. Castiel looked up to find the two priests from before, skewered through the chest on fence spikes with their eyes burned out.
INT. BUNKER - DAY
Dean was pouring himself and Alana coffee. They looked like they'd just woken up and were both wearing a bathrobe. He strolled from the kitchen to the main room, then to the library. Alana remained in the kitchen and sat at the table with a yawn.
"Sam! Sylvie!" Dean called. "You two here?"
Right on cue, Sam entered through the front door, followed by Sylvie, carrying a takeout container.
"Hey!" Sam greeted. "Morning."
Dean checked his watch. "You've been outside already?"
"Yeah. Woke up, went for a run - beautiful sunrise. Anyways, cleaned up, went and got breakfast, grabbed you real bacon and eggs, extra grease, not even gonna argue, got Alana real bacon and French toast." He put the containers on the table and the brothers sat.
"Mm, perfect. Wait. You went running?"
"What? Why do you look so worried?"
"Let's see. There's Cas, who I told to haul ass here. That was days ago. He's still out there. Um, there's you."
"Me? I feel great."
"I'm sure you do, but, Sam, you went through the trials. Okay, that put a big strain on you. I think it's better if you took it easy, you know, and didn't act like you were-"
Ezekiel took over and said, "Possessed by an angel. And he does feel better. A work in progress, of course, but I am slowly healing him."
"That's great. Um, but, Sam-"
"I have news. I've picked up chatter among the angels. Not all are wandering around in confusion."
"Yeah, some of 'em are after Cas."
"There is a faction that is rapidly organizing and finding human vessels to contain them."
"Led by Naomi?"
"I have not heard that name, no. But it is this faction's leadership who want Castiel found. You seen, Dean, I can be useful."
"So can my brother. So, why don't you go check your email, and if I need your help, I'll let you know."
"Dean."
"I said I'll let you know."
Ezekiel switched back to Sam who said, "I mean, you know, Cas is human now. It's gonna take him a lot longer to reveal."
Dean said to himself, "I'm gonna get whiplash."
"What?"
"Nothing. Um, all right, so, I was thinking that if the angels are organizing, then that makes them a lot more dangerous than we thought."
"Why do you think they're organizing?"
Dean paused, trying to quickly think of a way to cover his slip-up. "It makes sense. My point is, that the more of them that are after Cas, the worse it is, so... we gotta find him."
Aiden walked up, rubbing his eyes. "Where's Mommy? Bri is crying." He frowned. "Are you going somewhere?"
"Do you want to come?"
"Can I? And Aunt Sylvie or Mommy?"
"Why don't you go ask? I think Mommy might be in the kitchen."
Aiden ran to the kitchen to find Alana. "Mommy, Daddy has a job. Do you wanna come?"
Alana shook her head. "No, I think I'll stay. Aunt Sylvie is taking your siblings to the park. How about you do a Daddy/Uncle Sammy day?"
Aiden grinned. "Yeah!" He ran back to his father. "Mommy thought maybe a you/Uncle Sammy day."
Dean picked up his son and set him on his shoulders. "That sounds like a great idea, bud."
INT. PHARMACY - DAY
The pharmacist was standing at the front desk, watching a video on his smartphone. The video was titled 'GOIN' FOR GLORY HOUR' and was hosted by Reverend Buddy Boyle.
EXT. PARK - DAY
Another man was watching the same video and nodding in agreement with it.
On the video, Buddy Boyle said, "Folks, like I've been telling you, we're in that most sacred of times. A legion of angels reaches out for us. Can you feel their divine presence? And if you do, there's nothing to fear. Heck no! If the angels come a-knocking, you just let 'em on in and fill yourself up with their grace. This is the Reverend Buddy Boyle in the Goin' for Glory Hour wishing you a most blessed day. Amen."
INT. CHURCH - DAY
Buddy was preaching live from his church.
"And we're clear," a secretary said.
"Beautiful, Buddy," a man told him. "One of your best."
"Oh, well, that is high praise, sir, seeing as how you're an emissary of the man upstairs himself. Thank you, Bart," Buddy said.
The man was another be-suited angel. "It's Bartholomew. And I have to say, God has personally assured me that he is highly pleased with your work. He prepareth a special reward for helping him populate as true heaven on earth."
"Well, between you and me, it's practically reward enough being one of the few humans of all time to get orders from an actual angel. But if he prepareth I am honored."
"Terrific."
The secretary, a young girl, entered. "Sir? I'm ready."
"Oh?"
"Let me be a vessel for the divine. I give myself over to you."
"Oh. Hallelujah!" Buddy exclaimed.
"Yes," Buddy said. "Well... if you're certain."
She nodded excitedly. Bartholomew raised his hands and two streams of brilliant white light entered through the windows. They converged and entered the secretary through her mouth.
Buddy smiled a moment before a crunch was heard. The secretary started breathing heavily as she began bleeding from every place and her face started melting. She finally screamed and exploded, blood splattering around the room.
"Bart!" Buddy cried. "What the hell?"
"Buddy... the simple truth is, not all who are willing are designed to contain Heaven's grace," Bartholomew explained. "We have to expect a casualty now and then. It's a small price to pay when you think about it."
"Like the lamb of the sacrifice."
"Sure."
INT. BUNKER - LIBRARY - DAY
Dean was poring over a map of Colorado and the surrounding states. There were radius circles drawn at intervals around Colorado. Sam was on his laptop.
"All right, so this is where Cas called from on Tuesday - Longmont, Colorado," Dean said. "Each circle is how far he might have gotten in one, two, and three days out."
"Okay," Sam noted. "Here we go. The same day they called from Longmont, weird murder, same town. Cops said it was like the girl was blasted from the inside out."
"Angel kill," Aiden realized. "Maybe they missed Cas. But what if they didn't, Daddy? I don't want Cas to go."
Sam opened another news article on their laptops and asked, "You two got an Emory Park, Iowa?"
Dean checked the map. "Emory Park, Emory Park. We just saw that. Yeah, a couple days outside of Longmont."
"Okay, because two priests were murdered there Thursday," Sam informed. "Eyes blown out, evidence of torture. They were impaled on posts."
"Torture?"
"Yeah."
"Angels are looking for info. Man, if they get to them before we do..."
"Yeah."
EXT. HOMELESS CAMPING GROUND - NIGHT
A group of homeless people were taking shelter for the night. Castiel was eating a tin of beans with another homeless man.
"Thank you," Castiel said. "I was so hungry. Very kind of you to share."
"It's okay," the homeless man told him.
"You know, I'm finding that often people with the least to give are the most generous. Anyway... I've got to plan better. I ran out of food very quickly today."
"You're new at this, aren't you?"
"Food... sleep, or passing gas, it's all very strange. And it's occurred to me that one day we're gonna die."
Castiel and the homeless man looked at each other curiously.
Castiel spoke. "Well... I better try falling asleep. It's quite a process, isn't it?"
"Try counting sheep," the homeless man suggested.
"Thanks once again."
Castiel got up and walked to an abandoned bus. He stepped in and found a seat, using his jackets as a pillow and his overshirt as a blanket.
"What sheep?" Castiel wondered.
LATER
Castiel had fallen asleep on the bus. The pharmacist from before was standing outside, watching him. Castiel woke and looked outside but the pharmacist was suddenly gone. He was obviously possessed by an angel.
Castiel, wielding his angel blade, cautiously got up and went to open the door of the bus. There was no one outside. He turned to go back to their seat only to be face-to-face with the pharmacist. He sliced Castiel across the shoulder and he gasped in pain.
"You're human?!" the pharmacist cried.
Castiel swiftly turned and stabbed the pharmacist in the stomach. A bright white light shined from the pharmacist's eyes and mouth before he finally collapsed. Castiel gasped again, his shoulder bleeding profusely.
EXT. ST. ANNE'S CATHEDRAL; GARDEN - DAY
Dean was in his FBI suit and Aiden was in a nice button down shirt and pants talking to the man from the shelter that was speaking to Castiel previously.
"Yeah. Yeah, I think I know this guy you're both talking about," the man said. "Sounds like Clarence."
"Clarence?" Dean repeated.
"The church - it runs a shelter in town, and we work here. We earn our keep. Clarence spent a couple nights, and then had to move on."
"And they left the day the bodies were found?"
"Matter of fact. Oh, man, those poor guys were a mess. They must have suffered bad. But at least now they're with the angels."
"I sure as hell hope not," Dean muttered in sync.
The man's face fell.
Dean continued. "Clarence happen to mention where he was headed?"
"No. He just said he always had to keep going."
INT. IMPALA - DAY
Sam was in his suit too, typing on his laptop. Dean and Aiden got back into the car.
"All right," Dean said. "Well, they've definitely been here. Good news is they're getting cagey. He's using a fake name - Clarence."
"That's what Meg used to call him," Sam reminded his brother. "Of course, he doesn't get that's the name of a pretty famous angel."
"What?"
Aiden smiled. "When a bell rings, an angel has wings. Daddy, Mommy likes that movie."
Dean shook his head.
"Dude, seriously?" Sam said.
"What'd you come up with?" Dean asked defensively.
"Another angel kill, outside a town called Lafayette, about a day's travel east of here."
"What is that, Indiana?"
"Yeah. Body was found in a homeless camp. Insides barbecued, the whole nine."
"Homeless guy?"
"No, a pharmacist from Dayton."
"Huh."
EXT. CITY STREET - DAY
Castiel was walking amongst the bustling people. He reached a hot dog stand and stopped, looking longingly at the food. He looked at the money he had in his hand - about $20 each in small notes and loose change. He glanced up at the shop next to him - a tattoo parlor.
He entered the tattoo parlor. He handed the tattoo artist his money, pulled up his shirt and pointed out a section of his abdomen. The tattoo artist nodded and indicated for Castiel to take a seat.
INT. CHURCH - DAY
"Reverend Boyle's influence is astonishing," a female angel said.
"I'll never understand these people," Bartholomew commented.
"Our fallen brothers and sisters are finding vessels faster than we'd even hoped."
"They better. And then they need to help us find Castiel. You know, the one you let slip through your fingers?"
"Our Dayton operative is tracking him."
"Good, because frankly, you're hanging by a thread." A male angel knocked on the door. "What?"
"Our operative did manage to find Castiel, but Castiel was somehow able to kill him," the male angel informed.
"What?!"
"He's a madman, sir, and very dangerous," the female angel said.
"No. I'm very dangerous. Now you will find this madman, and you will destroy him. Do you understand?"
"That may not be possible, sir," the male angel replied.
"I'm getting a little tired of you."
"Castiel has vanished. We're unable to track him. He must have found a way to ward himself against us."
EXT. CITY STREET - DAY
Castiel was once again wandering through the noise and the people. He was trying to take everything in - he glanced from a hot dog stand to a woman's breasts to a supermarket. The entire place was noisy and crowded and confusing. He was overwhelmed.
INT. CHURCH - DAY
Castiel entered and walked down the aisle. He chose a pew about halfway down and sat. He looked around at the various angel decorations but his attention was drawn to the only other occupant - a woman in one of the front-most pews, praying out loud. Castiel observed her curiously.
"Please, Lord," the woman prayed. "Mike is such a good man. Please send your angels to heal him. Thank you for hearing me. Amen."
She made the sign of the cross across her chest and got up to leave. She stopped when Castiel spoke to her.
"Mike is your husband?" Castiel asked.
The woman nodded. "He's very sick."
"Yes. Humans - so fragile. I never - never realized how fragile until recently."
"I guess that's why we pray. When you get dealt such a bad hand sometimes, you need something stronger than yourself."
"That's a wonderful idea, but..." Castiel looked at an angel in one of the stained glass windows.
"What?"
"What if you found out no one was listening? That God had left, that Heaven was out of business? What would you do?"
"But that's not possible."
"I think it's completely possible."
"You're missing the point. It's not possible because I have my faith."
"But when I tell you the truth-"
"Your truth, not mine. Your lack of faith doesn't cancel what I believe. That's not how it works. You know... I think you might feel better if you tried it my way. Someone is listening." She left.
INT. ANOTHER CHURCH - DAY
Bartholomew was speaking with a tough-looking man.
"The issue is, he somehow managed to ward himself against us," Bartholomew said. "Our ability to track him has been jammed, which brings us to you."
"My kind, we always get what we're looking for, chief," the reaper replied.
"Yes, reapers. But some of you have taken your skill set to a whole new level..."
"That's the rumor."
"...and are willing to freelance. For a price. That's the rumor."
The reaper smiled. "Jumpstart me. How do I start looking for this... Castiel?"
"I got one word for you. Winchester."
INT. POLICE STATION - DAY
Dean, Sam and Aiden were back in their suits and button down shirt and were walking and talking with the police chief.
"Damnedest thing I ever saw," the police chief said. "Vic had a stab wound, but it's not what killed him. It's like his insides were-"
"Vaporized?" Dean finished. "It's been going around."
"So, this guy was a pharmacist from Ohio?" Sam asked.
"Apparently," the police chief replied. "Total family man, religious. One day, just hops in the SUV, takes off, dies under a bridge here from God knows what. This is his stuff. Help yourselves." The police chief handed them two plastic evidence bags and left.
"Thanks."
"Thanks," Dean repeated.
They opened the bags and went through the contents, which were standard - wallet, keys, watch, pen, etc. Sam picked up a miniature Bible while Dean started flicking through the man's smartphone.
"Anything?" Sam asked.
"Nothing weird," Dean replied. "Crappy music, a lot of podcasts, all the same one. Reverend Buddy Boyle's 'Goin' for Glory Hour'."
"Cops said he was religious," Sam informed.
Aiden pressed a video, playing one of Buddy's podcasts.
On the video, Buddy said, "Join me in a heapin' helpin' of glory, friends. When you're in the presence of the divine, you'll know it. And if you let yourself, you'll hear it." Dean skipped ahead in the video. "So, remember, when angels come a-knocking, let 'em on in."
Dean and Sam shared a knowing look while Aiden frowned.
"Angels can't possess a human without permission, right?" Sam questioned.
"Yep," Dean confirmed.
"So, what, they're using this guy to find vessels?"
"It's a willing audience. They're all religious types like our pharmacist here. Buddy Boyle was telling them to let the angels take them over."
"Like body snatchers," Sam guessed.
"How big a reach does this Boyle guy have?"
Sam did a quick search on the computer and brought up the 'Global Influence' page from Buddy's website. There were red dots over virtually all major cities in the entire world.
"Pretty much the entire planet," Sam said.
They got up and left quickly, revealing the reaper was sitting behind them the entire time.
EXT. ALLEY - DAY
Castiel was going through a dumpster when a kitchen hand dumped some food scraps in a nearby can and went back inside. Castiel moved over to the scraps; he dug through them, pulled out a pickle and sniffed it. He stopped, dropped the pickle and turned as a woman approached him from behind.
"I'm not stealing," Castiel told the woman.
"And I'm not a cop," the woman replied.
"It's a shame, isn't it? So much is wasted when there's so many hungry. I never knew."
The woman pulled a plastic-wrapped sandwich from her bag and held it up. "Peanut butter and jelly?" She walked up to Castiel and offered it to him, smiling. "It's pretty good."
"No, I can't take your food."
"You aren't. I'm giving it to you. Look, I've had hard times myself." She put the sandwich in Castiel's hand and walked to the back door of a nearby restaurant.
"Thank you."
"Yeah," the woman replied, smiling and nodding before going inside.
EXT. HOMELESS CAMP - DAY
Dean, Sam and Aiden were trying to convince the homeless man to give them information on Castiel.
"Look, for the billionth time, we're just looking for some information, okay?" Dean said. "We're not cops. I mean, do we look like cops?" The homeless people looked amongst each other and nodded. "Well, we're not cops. I mean, there's a kid here. We just need to find a friend who's in it deep."
"Look, he might have been here the night that guy was killed," Sam told them. "Were any of you here then?"
The homeless man from before came down. "Maybe."
"Oh, okay. Uh, he's-he's got dark hair, blue eyes, a little out of it," Dean informed.
"He maybe called himself Clarence?" Sam added.
"Clarence, yeah," the homeless man said.
"You two talk?"
"Not much."
"And, uh...?" Dean trailed.
"I think he was on the run."
"You see him with the vic - uh, victim?" Sam questioned.
"No."
"Okay..."
"He went off to sleep in another part of the resort."
"Where?"
"He's not there now."
The reaper appeared in the distance, watching Sam, Dean and Aiden.
"Where'd he go?" Aiden asked.
"I saw him running from a bridge to the highway," the homeless man replied.
"You gonna pay us for all this teeth pulling?" Dean retorted. "Where was he headed?"
"He flagged a truck heading north. Detroit, probably."
"Why Detroit?" Sam questioned.
"Truck was marked "Motor City Meats"."
EXT. ALLEY - NIGHT
It was raining heavily. Castiel was huddled up against the wall in a tiny alcove, but he was still soaked through. He was next to the door that the woman went through before. She came out and opened her umbrella. She made to run home through the storm, but stopped and turned when she noticed Castiel.
INT. APARTMENT - NIGHT
The woman had taken Castiel home to shelter him from the storm. Castiel gazed around as she locked the door.
"Wow, it's beautiful," Castiel commented.
"If you say so," the woman replied. "Uh, just so you know, I don't usually bring home strange men."
"Am I strange?"
"No, I mean... men I don't know. But you look like you've been to Hell and back."
"Yeah, a few times."
"April, by the way. April Kelly."
"Um, Castiel."
"One name?"
"Yeah, like God."
"Or Cher?"
April smiled and handed him both a towel. As Castiel dried himself, she glanced at his shoulder wound. "Uh, not to raise any red flags, but do you know your shirt is soaked in blood?"
EXT. CONVENIENCE STORE - NIGHT
Dean, Sam and Aiden were exiting the store and heading back to the car, Dean carrying a bag of groceries while Aiden had a toy car in hand.
"Look at these chemicals," Sam said. "Do you even read the label?"
Dean snatched it and put it back in his bag. "No. I read "pie". The rest is just "blah, blah, blah". Listen, when we hit Detroit, we start with the homeless shelters."
"Right, then go to the encampments, soup kitchens."
"Check out places that he might have gone looking for work."
They passed a payphone the reaper was standing at. He followed them inconspicuously.
"Yeah, and I can - we can check for vagrancy arrests."
"Yeah, and you all know..." Dean mimed a head exploding. "Odd deaths."
Dean, Sam and Aiden rounded a corner, but when the reaper followed them seconds later, they were no longer in sight. The reaper started down the street cautiously when Dean, Sam and Aiden appeared out of nowhere and the men slammed him up against a chainlink fence, angel blade and Ruby's knife against his throat.
"Who are you?!" Sam demanded.
"Why are you trailing us?" Dean asked, motioing for Aiden to stay where he was.
INT. APARTMENT - NIGHT
April dropped Castiel's rag into the sink. Castiel was sitting on the bed, shirtless.
"You call this rag a bandage?" April questioned. "You're lucky this wasn't infected. What happened to the guy who attacked you?"
"Oh, I stabbed him. He exploded," Castiel replied.
April mulled his words over and seemed to decide he was joking. "Funny. You don't look like the knife-fight type. Or the homeless type, actually." She started cleaning his wound.
"Yes. Well... I guess I trusted the wrong person."
"Bad investment advice?"
"No, vanity. I thought I was more important, more effective than I am, that I could... fix everything. Now all I can do is keep running."
"Well, all patched up, but, God, your delts are in knots. You got to relax."
"Ah, it's all new to me. Hunger. Cold. This feeling, being all alone."
"You're not alone tonight." She kissed him gently on the cheek, but stayed close and eventually kissed him on the lips. Castiel seemed surprised at first, but joined in.
INT. ABANDONED WAREHOUSE - NIGHT
The reaper's wrists were cuffed to an overhead beam. Dean and Sam were interrogating him, occasionally slashing him with the angel blades. Aiden was in a separate room, playing with his car as he tried to ignore the strange sounds.
"So, Maurice," Dean said. "You bounty hunters are like the Delta Force reapers. Why would they sic you on Cas?"
"He warded himself," Maurice replied.
"Naomi hired you?"
Maurice chuckled. "You really are out on the loop. Naomi's dead. Resting in pieces."
"So then who's running things now?" Sam asked.
"Answer!" Dean yelled.
"Her protégé, Bartholomew," Maurice answered. "He's an up-and-comer."
"So he figured we'd lead you to Cas," Sam determined.
"This Bartholomew, he organizing the angels?" Dean questioned.
Maurice didn't answer so Dean slashed him with the angel blade again before the reaper said, "That's all I know." Dean put the tip of the blade to Maurice's throat. "You can kill me. It won't matter. If I don't find Castiel, there are others that will. But do what you want."
"Sure," Dean said, pushing the blade through Maurice's throat and killing him.
INT. APARTMENT - NIGHT
April and Castiel were lying in bed, nude. There were lit candles everywhere.
"Well, say something," April said.
"There aren't words," Castiel replied.
"So, that was okay?"
"Very much so. Um... what I did, that was, uh... correct?"
"Very much so."
Castiel smiled. "Good."
The two laughed.
"Castiel... I can't help thinking, all that stuff you said earlier, blame... and guilt. It seems like you're taking on a heavy load for such a sweet guy."
"Believe me, I've done a lot of foolish, unwise things. I'm no angel."
"Well, whoever you trusted... can't they help undo this?"
"We're not in contact."
"So what happens next for you?"
"More of this, I hope."
They smiled and started making out again.
EXT. ROAD - DAY
The Impala drove into Detroit.
INT. APARTMENT - DAY
Castiel came out of the bedroom, buttoning his shirt. April was cutting fruit in the kitchen.
"Oh. I washed your stuff," April told him. "Find everything okay?"
Castiel checked through his things. "As a matter of fact, something is missing."
"Oh?"
"It was with my jacket. It's hard to describe."
She spun around, suddenly threatening, with his angel blade in her hand and held it to his throat. "Oh, you mean this?"
EXT. PARKING LOT - DAY
Dean pulled the car to a stop. Aiden was asleep on the seat.
"What's up?" Sam asked.
"We've been chasing our tails all night. No Cas. "What's up?" I'm fried. Aiden's asleep. I think it's time for plan B," Dean said.
Sam frowned. "I'm not following."
Dean spoke meaningfully to Ezekiel. "I'm letting you know."
"O-okay," Sam replied. "Um, letting me know what?"
Dean's tone got stronger. "I'm letting you know."
Ezekiel took over. "What is it, Dean?"
"We need your help."
"That is flattering. We've been through this. I cannot be making public appearances."
"Oh, I understand that. I'm not asking you to walk the red carpet, Zeke, okay? We need your help finding Cas."
"It cannot be done. He is warded."
"I know that, but maybe you could use your intergalactic, hyperspace X-ray eyeballs to find someone else. There might be a reaper for rent on his ass. Could you find him?"
"I could try." He began focusing his angel radio.
INT. APARTMENT - DAY
Castiel was tied to a large lounge chair. April was twirling his angel blade menacingly.
"It's probably pointless, washing the blood out of your shirt, really," April said. "It's the kind of thing the real April would have done." She took a bite of the grapefruit she'd cut earlier. "I miss being her. Very sweet. Didn't mind me entering her one bit."
"Why didn't you just attack me right away?" Castiel asked.
"My briefing said you were dangerous and powerful. And you did arrive armed, so... I needed information, so I had to gain your trust."
"And that required intercourse?"
She laughed. "Well, I am allowed some leeway for executive decisions." She straddled his lap. "And I can't say I didn't find you attractive."
"Who hired you? With Naomi gone, things were in chaos."
"New sheriff in town, Cas. He hired a bunch of us. I got lucky." She got up and walked behind Castiel. "Enough questions from you. I have several of my own. Let's talk about your buddy Metatron." She made a quick slice on his injured shoulder.
EXT. ROAD - DAY
The Impala sped further into the city.
INT. APARTMENT - DAY - LATER
Castiel's shirt was wide open and he had multiple large gashes across his chest, bleeding everywhere.
"All right, let's try this again, and one of these times, we'll get it right," April said.
"I knew nothing about Metatron's spell," Castiel told her. "I didn't know he was gonna cast the angels out of Heaven. I was cast out, too."
"Oh, dear. Nothing but reruns on this channel." She stabbed him lightly in the chest and held it there. "These blades are marvelous, aren't they? They really do a number on humans, too."
"I told you last night, and I meant it. I was naïve. I had no idea what he was planning."
She pushed the blade in a little further. "You're lying. It's known you helped Metatron enter Heaven, collaborated with him."
"'Cause we were going to restore Heaven, bring the factions together." She sliced his chest again.
"He lied to me."
April grabbed him by the hair. "You were with him when he unleashed the spell. You know how the angels were cast down!"
"I didn't know he was assembling a spell." She stabbed him again. "I only knew that I was the final ingredients."
"You?"
"My grace. That's why I'm human. He took my grace for the spell."
She put the blade to his throat. "Or you gave it."
"It'd be unwise to kill me. If my grace were the key to empowering the spell, I may be the key to countering it."
"Are you negotiating with me, Castiel?"
Suddenly the door burst open and Dean and Sam ran in. Aiden had been instructed to stay in the car.
"Cas!" Dean cried.
Seeing the hunters, April turned and swiftly stabbed Castiel straight through the chest. Dean drew his own angel blade and the two ran at April, but she effortlessly used her angel powers to fling Dean into the kitchen bench and Sam into the closet across the room. She kicked Dean's angel blade away as she made her way to Sam.
"This girl's popular with all the boys," April said.
Dean eyed the angel blade still sticking out of Castiel's chest. Sam got up to face April, but before he could make a move, she punched him across the face and sent him back to the floor. April turned around just in time for Dean to stab her in the chest, killing her in a flash of brilliant white light. Dean turned to Castiel.
"Cas. Cas. Cas!" He shook him, but he was cold and unmoving. His voice broke. "Cas! No."
Sam regained consciousness and rose from the floor.
"Sam, he's gone," Dean told his brother.
Sam approached Castiel, quietly and solemnly. Dean looked up and realized that it was actually Ezekiel, not Sam. Ezekiel knelt down and gently placed his hands over Castiel's chests. With another brilliant white light, all of Castiel's wounds quickly healed themselves.
Ezekiel finished healing Castiel and stumbled back, weakened. Castiel gasped back to life as Ezekiel slumped back to the floor, unconscious again. Dean went to help Ezekiel/Sam but stopped and turned with Castiel spoke.
"Dean," Castiel called.
"Hey. Hey! Yeah," Dean said.
Sam woke, shocked by the scene he'd woken up to.
"And Sam."
"Cas. You're okay," Sam realized.
Castiel looked equally as confused as Sam.
"Never do that again!" Dean told the angel.
"All right," Castiel agreed. "But I'm confused. I know she stabbed me, but I'm - well, I don't appear to be dead."
Dean quickly invented another lie and turned to Sam. "Well, you got dinged." He turned to Castiel. "And, uh, you. I made a deal with her. Said she wouldn't get kabobed if she brought you back. She brought you back."
"You lied."
"We did. I do that."
INT. BUNKER - MAIN ROOM - DAY
Sam and Dean were walking and talking. Dean was eating a burrito.
"You know, you never answered my question," Sam said. "How did you know where to find Cas?"
"I told you," Dean replied. "Aiden and I went through Maurice's pockets. He found an address and I took a shot."
"I never saw you and Aiden go through Maurice's pockets."
"What are you talking about? I don't see half the nerdy stuff that you do. It doesn't mean that you don't do nerdy stuff. Aiden was being a curious kid."
Castiel entered, wearing fresh clothes and looking clean for the first time in awhile.
"I'm really enjoying this place," Castiel said. "Plentiful food. Good water pressure. Things we never even considered before. There really is a lot to being human, isn't there?"
"It ain't all just burritos and strippers, my friend," Dean replied.
"Yeah. I understand what you're saying."
"You do?" Sam asked.
"Yes, there's more to humanity than survival. You... look for purpose, and you must not be defeated by anger or despair. Or hedonism, for that matter."
"Where does hedonism come into it?" Dean wondered.
"Well, my time with April was very educational."
"Yeah," Sam agreed. "I mean, I would think that getting killed is something."
"And having sex," Castiel added.
Dean choked on his burrito for a second. "You had sex with April?"
"Yeah, that would be where the hedonism comes in," Sam noted.
"Shh."
Castiel and Sam nodded awkwardly to each other.
"So... did you have protection?" Dean asked.
"I had my angel blade," Castiel replied.
"Oh - oh he had the angel blade."
"Um..." Sam began.
"In any event, I-I do now see how difficult life can be and how well you two and Alana have led it. And I think you'll be great teachers."
"Thanks, Cas."
"Are there any more burritos?"
"Uh, yes." Dean pointed toward the kitchen and Castiel walked away. Dean chuckled as Ezekiel took over.
"Our little Cas. He gave it up to a reaper. That is-" Dean was cut off.
"Castiel cannot stay here," Ezekiel said. "He will bring the angels down on all of us."
"No, no, he's got the Enochian tattoos. He's warded."
"He was warded when April found him, and she killed him."
"Yes, and you brought him back, and I thank you for that, but this is Cas, okay, who vouched for you when we didn't know you from jack."
"Bartholomew is massing a force. We cannot stand an incursion. Castiel is in danger, and if he is here, I am in danger."
"Wait, you're in danger? From who, the angels?"
"If they stay, I am afraid I will have no choice but to leave."
"Oh, no, you can't do that. Sam's not well enough. If you leave his body..."
"I know. I am sorry."
Dean went into the library, where Castiel was sitting at the table, happily eating a burrito.
"Epic food," Castiel commented. "I can't get enough."
"Cas, uh, can we talk?" Dean asked.
"Of course," Castiel replied as he pulled out a chair for Dean.
Castiel continued. "Dean, you know I always appreciate our talks, our time together."
Dean sat on the table and said, "Listen, buddy. Um... You can't stay."
Castiel looked at him, confused and hurt.
Alana, who walked into the room, frowned as she heard the tail end of the conversation. "Love? Why would you say that?"
Dean turned to her. "There's reason."
"What reason?"
"I... I can't say."
"Relationships are about trust. If you can't trust me to tell what's on your mind... Dean, I wish you would trust me. I want to help, but I can't if you won't talk to me. Whether you've done something good or bad, I'll love and be here for you no matter what. But it starts with trust and communication." She sighed as she turned and walked away.
Dean mulled on her words. She was right, but if she knew the truth, he feared the worst. He knew he shouldn't think that in regards to his wife, but he still felt that way.