Bobby, Miranda, and Dean are in the living room and listening to Sam screaming. Miranda's fingers are digging into her scalp, her eyes tightly shut to try to tune him out. Bobby pours three glasses of whiskey.
"How long is this gonna go on?" Dean asks.
"Here, let me look it up in my demon detox manual. Oh, wait. No one ever wrote one. No telling how long it'll take. Hell, or if Sam will even live through it." Bobby says. The phone rings and Bobby picks it up. "Hello. Suck dirt and die, Rufus. You call me again, I'll kill you." He hangs up.
"What's up with Rufus?" Dean asks.
"He knows." Bobby states.
Miranda gets up and quickly walks out of the house, slamming the door shut.
+++
"This is pathetic." Sam looks up at Miranda.
"Randi--" He tries.
"I mean, look at you. You've been denying secrets for months, you keep lying... and look where all of that got you. Locked in a tiny ass room like a poor little shelter dog."
"You know, if you had just stayed at Stanford -- or stopped being so desperate for big brother's approval, this could've all been avoided. We could've gone back to school and had normal lives. But you just had to get sucked deeper and deeper into your shithole of a family. You had to give in to your urges. God, I can't believe I had a kid with you."
"Randi--"
"Her dad's a monster. A freak. And if she ends up like you, can you imagine what's gonna happen to her?"
"No." Sam starts to panic. "No. No, you wouldn't do anything to her, no matter what."
"Well, hey, if she ends up as a monster like her daddy... monsters need to be put down." Miranda says.
"No!" Sam yells. "No. No." He whimpers. "She-- she's just a baby and-- and even with my blood, she-- she hasn't done anything. She won't do anything."
"You know, unless somebody else gets to it first... I'm gonna kill Ruby... and then I'm gonna kill you." Miranda leans close to him, pressing her face against his. "And that'll be two less monsters in the world."
+++
Miranda goes down to the basement.
"What are you doing?" Dean asks, following her.
"I'm letting him out." Miranda states.
"No, you're not." Dean denies.
"Yes, I am." Miranda states.
Dean grabs her and slams her against the wall.
"Dean, this is not helping him. Getting him off the demon blood? I'm all for that. But the isolation isn't doing anything but hurting him more." Miranda states.
"It'll work." Dean says.
"No, it's not working! This is just you being an idiot little bitch like you always are!"
"Fine. You wanna be with him so bad?" Dean tightly grabs a fistful of her hair making her whimper.
"Dean, let go of me." She tries to get him off of her.
Dean unlocks the door and opens it before throwing her in, Miranda landing on the floor.
"Pretend it's your honeymoon." Dean slams the door shut and locks it.
"Randi." Sam rushes over to her. "Hey, hey." He helps her up. "Dean!" He pounds on the door. "Dean, what the hell are you doing?!"
"Keeping her from doing something stupid!" Dean yells back.
Miranda rolls her eyes, sitting on the cot and running her hands through her hair.
"Randi?" Sam cautiously calls.
"Yeah?" She looks at him.
"What are you doing?" He asks.
"Well, I was trying to let you out. It didn't work." Miranda says.
"Why?" Sam asks. "What, you want me drinking demon blood?"
"No. No, I don't. I just didn't want you to be going through this trapped and alone because it's only gonna cause more stress which kind of reduces any sort of development for anything."
"Thanks." Sam quietly says.
"Whatever." She mumbles.
~ ~ ~
Sam is sitting on the floor, his back leaning against the wall, and Miranda is sitting on the cot.
"Would sex help this go by faster?" Miranda questions.
"You wanna have sex?" Sam asks.
"If it gets me out of here, sure." Miranda says.
"Not in the mood." Sam mumbles.
"Whatever." She mutters.
"You know, you're kind of an idiot." Sam says.
"Excuse me?" Miranda glares at him.
"You know that Dean's stubborn. A pain in the ass. You hate him. You really think he wouldn't do something if you tried to let me out?" Sam asks.
"Well, yeah, I thought he'd do something to you, not me." Miranda says.
"Thanks." Sam scoffs.
"Well... now our daughter is stuck in the care of a dumbass and an old grouch." Miranda comments.
"You always leave her with Bobby." Sam points out.
"I know. I'm not saying he's a bad option, I'm just saying he's an old grouch." Miranda says. Sam's lips barely quirk up in amusement.
"Do you think I'm doing a bad thing?" Sam asks.
"I know you're trying to kill Lilith." Miranda says. "I think you're going about it a bad way... and I'm sure it's not all you, I-I think Ruby's gotten into your head... maybe some other people have -- angels, demons, whatever. And Dean bashing you every other day doesn't help. Not that I've done much to help you either."
"You hate me." Sam mumbles.
"Maybe." She says. "But not because of the demon blood."
"Then what?" Sam asks.
"You broke my heart." Miranda says, painfully smiling. "By leaving... and staying gone... hooking up with Ruby. Abandoning your daughter. Because I know that if Dean didn't pop up, you'd still be gone. Maybe even dead."
"I'm sorry." Sam tells her, sadness and regret filling his tone.
"I know." Miranda says. "I'm not sure you're forgiven yet, but... I know."
"Do you think I'm a monster and pathetic?" Sam asks.
"No." Miranda answers. Sam looks up at her in shock. "I think you just got dealt a bad hand. Not really your fault. Only thing I blame you for is--"
"Leaving." Sam says.
"Yeah." Miranda nods.
"I'm just trying to kill Lilith. That's all I wanna do. I want to make this place safer for Carly." Sam says.
"I get that, but there are still other ways to do it." Miranda says. "And the best way to make sure Carly is safe is to be there for her, protect her yourself. Don't leave her."
Sam nods, looking down. He frowns.
"Sammy?" Miranda asks, seeing his freaked out look. "Sam?" She asks as he gets up and looks in the mirror.
"Help!" Sam shouts. "Help!" He screams. "Guys!"
"Sammy. Hey." Miranda rushes over to him. "Hey, hey, what's happening?"
"It hurts. It hurts! Aah!" He yells in pain.
"What? What hurts?" She asks.
"These!" He holds his hands up, Miranda still not seeing anything on him.
"Sammy, there's nothing. Nothing is on you. You're okay." Miranda tells him.
"No. No." He whimpers in pain.
"Sammy. Hey. No, no, hey, baby, look at me. Look at me." Miranda urges, but he just walks away, groaning in pain. "Sammy." She pleads. Sam yells out in pain, falling to the floor. "Sammy!" She rushes over to him while he writhes in pain. "No, no, no. Sammy?"
Sam starts to seize.
"Fuck." She whispers. "Bobby!" She screams. "Bobby! Help! Help!" She screams, her eyes welling with tears.
Miranda screams when Sam flies against the wall. The door opens, Bobby and Dean rushing in and trying to contain Sam.
They get him on the floor and hold him down, Bobby putting his belt in Sam's mouth to prevent him from biting on his tongue.
Miranda curls up against the wall, her hands violently shaking as she tries to regain control of her breathing. The next few moments pass by in a blur as the two men get Sam onto the cot and cuff him to it.
"Come on, darlin'." Bobby helps Miranda to her feet, the woman still shaking. "He'll be all right. You're all right. Let's go calm you down and see that little girl of yours." He ushers her out of the room.
+++
Miranda is sitting curled up on the couch, her sweater sleeves pulled down past her hands as she stares off into space.
"I'm gonna ask one more time. Are we absolutely sure we're doing the right thing?" Bobby asks.
"Bobby, you saw what was happening to him down there. The demon blood is killing him." Dean says.
"No, it's not." Miranda mumbles.
"No, it isn't. We are." Bobby says.
"What?" Dean asks.
"I'm sorry. I can't bite my tongue any longer. We're killing him. Keeping him locked up down there. This cold turkey thing isn't working. If-- if he doesn't get what he needs soon, Sam's not gonna last much longer."
"No. I'm not giving him demon blood. I won't do it."
"And if he dies?"
"Then at least he dies human!" Dean yells. "I would die for him in a second, but I won't let him do this to himself. I can't. I guess I found my line. I won't let my brother turn into a monster."
+++
"How the hell did he get out?" Dean asks as he, Miranda, and Bobby get to the panic room.
"Maybe he had help. Room full of busted devil's traps." Bobby says.
"Demons? Ruby." Dean says.
"That'd be my guess." Bobby says.
"How did she even touch the door?" Dean asks.
"You think she's got the mojo?" Bobby asks.
"I didn't think so. I don't know, man." Dean says.
"What difference does it make? How he got gone ain't as important as where he got gone to." Bobby says.
"Well, I'll tell you one thing. At this point, I hope he's with Ruby." Dean says.
"Why?" Bobby asks.
"Cause killing her's the next big item on my to do list."
"I thought you were on call for angel duty." Bobby says as Dean leaves the room. "One thing."
"What?" Dean asks.
"Sam don't wanna be found, which means he's gonna be damn near impossible to find." Bobby says.
"Yeah, we'll see." Dean says.
+++
"Police found my car. Abandoned in an alley in Jamestown, North Dakota." Bobby informs.
"He's switching up. Any other cars stolen in Jamestown?" Dean asks.
"Two. 1999 Honda Civic, blue. Nice and anonymous, like Sam likes." Bobby says.
"What was the other one?" Dean asks.
"White '05 Escalade with custom rims. It's a neon sign." Bobby says.
"You're right. He'd never take that. Which is exactly what he did." Dean says.
"You think?"
"I know that kid. All right, I'll head in that direction. You stay here, ride the police databases. We gotta find him quick."
"I'm going with you." Miranda states.
"No, you aren't." Dean denies.
"Yes, I am. You're just gonna push him away. I actually wanna try to help the dude."
"You hate the dude."
"Doesn't mean I want him dead or anything. I want him to be okay. And leaving you two alone will not make him okay." Miranda states, getting in the Impala.
+++
Dean is driving and has the phone on speaker.
"Cops found the Escalade in a ditch outside Elk River." Bobby says.
"How far away are we?" Dean asks.
"A couple of hours. I pulled up a weather map, made some calls. There's a town not far from there, Cold Spring. Lighting up with demon signs." Bobby says.
"A good place to look." Dean says.
"Hey, listen." Bobby says.
"What?" Dean asks.
"Us finding Sam? It's gotta be about getting him back, not pushing him away." Bobby says.
"Right."
"I know you're mad, Dean. You got a right to be, but I'm just saying. Be good to him anyway. You gotta get through to him." Bobby says. Dean hangs the phone up.
"If you push him away, Dean, I swear to God..."
"Shut up." Dean rolls his eyes.
+++
Miranda and Dean hide as they see Sam leave the hotel room. They walk in and find Ruby as she packs. They sneak up behind her and she turns, Dean cutting her arm.
Miranda punches her and manages to get her in a chokehold. Dean goes to stab her, but Ruby holds his arm back with all her strength.
Dean tries to stab her, but she manages to hold him back. Dean reels the knife back to stab her.
"No! Let her go!" Sam grabs Dean and shoves him towards the bed. "Just take it easy." He grabs Miranda, yanking her away from Ruby. Miranda scoffs at Sam protectively standing in front of the demon.
"Wow, that must have been some party you two had going, considering how hard you tried to keep us from crashing it." Dean says, standing up. "Well, solid try, but here we are."
"Dean, Miranda, I'm glad you're both here. Look... let's just talk about this." Sam says.
"Soon as she's dead, we can talk all you want." Dean says.
"Ruby, get out of here." Sam says.
"No, she's not going anywhere." Dean says, stepping forward, but Sam prevents him from getting too close. Ruby jogs to the door and leaves, Miranda rolling her eyes.
"She's poison, Sam!" Dean states.
"It's not what you think, Dean." Sam says.
"Look what she did to you. I mean, she up and vanishes weeks at a time, leaves you cracking out for another hit!"
"She was looking for Lilith."
"That is French for "manipulating your ass ten ways from Sunday.""
"You're wrong, Dean."
"Sam, you're lying to yourself. I just... want you to be okay. You would do the same for me. You know you would."
"Just listen." Sam raises his hand and realizes he's holding Ruby's knife so he tosses it on the bed. "Just listen for a second. We got a lead on a demon close to Lilith. Come with us." He tells them. "We'll do this together."
"That sounds great." Dean says. "As long as it's you and me. Miranda's acceptable. Demon bitch is a dealbreaker. You kiss her goodbye, we can go right now."
"I can't."
Dean nods and turns away.
"Dean, I need her to help me kill Lilith. I know you can't wrap your head around it, but maybe one day you'll understand. I'm the only one who can do this."
"No, you're not the one who's gonna do this." Dean turns back to him.
"Right, that's right, I forgot. The angels think it's you." Sam says.
"Great." Miranda mumbles, walking out of the way, deciding to let them lash out and regret their decisions later.
"You don't think I can?" Dean asks.
"No. You can't. You're not strong enough." Sam states.
"And who the hell are you?" Dean questions.
"I'm being practical here. I'm doing what needs to be done." Sam says.
"Yeah? You're not gonna do a single damn thing." Dean says.
"Stop bossing me around, Dean. Look... my whole life, you take the wheel, you call the shots, and I trust you because you are my brother. Now I'm asking you, for once, trust me. Trust me, please."
Miranda winces, knowing he shouldn't be doing what he is and he's convinced what he's doing is right.
"No. You don't know what you're doing, Sam." Dean says.
"I know what I'm doing." Sam argues.
"Then that's worse!" Dean says.
"Why? Look, I'm telling you--"
"Because it's not something that you're doing, it's what you are! It means--" Dean cuts himself off.
"What?" Sam asks. "No. Say it."
"Dean." Miranda growls.
"It means you're a monster." Dean says.
Miranda quietly scoffs, clenching her jaw.
Sam nods and a tear falls from Dean's eye. Sam punches Dean. Dean manages to get up and he punches Sam back.
"Dean!" Miranda yells.
Dean punches Sam a few more times and knocks him back. Miranda gets in the middle and knees Dean, knocking him back. She headbutts him and then punches him.
"Whose side are you on?!" He shouts.
"Stop being a fucking idiot!" She yells. Dean punches her, sending her to the floor.
Sam hits Dean and knees him. Sam punches Dean a few times, the last punch sending Dean into the mirror. As Dean goes to hit Sam, he grabs Dean and throws him through the barrier between the bed and the couch and Dean crashes into the glass coffee table, it breaking.
"Sam. Sammy, look--" Miranda tries.
"Get off of me." Sam bats her hand off of his arm.
"I'm not gonna fight you. I am trying to help you. I want to help you!" She yells.
"Then come with me!"
"No! That-- that's not the correct way to help and-- and I can't-- please... just come home and we will figure it out. Sammy, you are not a monster. Please."
"No." Sam shakes his head after a moment.
Miranda's face drops and Sam goes to the door.
"You walk out that door, don't you ever come back." Dean orders.
"Dean!" Miranda yells, glaring down at him.
Sam stands at the door for a few moments. He opens the door and walks out, shutting it.
Miranda storms over to Dean and kicks him in the side making him cry out in pain.
"Stop pushing him away, Dean. You are such a coward. You're a piece of shit!" She sneers. She digs through his pockets and grabs the keys. "Find a new fucking ride back to Bobby's." She storms out of the hotel.