"This is why you called us? This is your emergency?" Dean asks Cas.
"Yes." Cas answers.
"No, Cas. An emergency is a dead body, okay? Or-- or a wigged out angel or the apocalypse take three. Some chick bolting on you is not an emergency. That's... that's every Friday night for Sam."
"Dude." Sam says.
"Well." Dean says.
"That joke doesn't even work. I'm with him every Friday night. Every single night, seven days a week." Miranda says.
"This isn't just some chick." Cas states. "I'm responsible for her."
"Since when? You met her once, how many years ago?" Dean asks.
"Look, Cas, even if we do find Claire... then what?" Sam asks.
"She rolled you, and then she ran, okay? It's pretty clear that she doesn't want to play house." Dean says.
"I understand. But I need to know that Claire is safe. And I need your help." Cas says.
"All right. Uh... why don't we go ask around at the group home?" Sam suggests.
"Uh, you know what? We're going to stick here in case she circles back. You two go ahead." Dean says. He gives Sam the keys.
"Thank you." Cas tells them.
+++
Sam, Cas, Miranda, and the kids are waiting outside the Weiner Hut for Dustin.
"Dustin Tate?" Sam asks an approaching employee.
"Nah, man." He denies.
"Oh, really?" Sam asks.
Sam stops him and Cas walks up, grabbing the back of his jacket.
"Yes you are." Cas says. He pushes Dustin against the wall. "And you're going to tell me where Claire Novak is." He wraps his hand around Dustin's neck, lifting him off the ground. "Now."
Dean walks up, eating a hot dog.
"I'd do what he says." Dean says with his mouth full. Sam gives Dean a look and Dean points back at the Weiner Hut then gives a thumbs up.
+++
They're waiting in the alley of the convenience store. The kids are in the backseat of the Impala and all asleep.
"Claire, wait!" Cas calls.
"Screw you." Claire bites.
"Whoa, hey, Miley Cyrus. Settle." Dean says.
"Eat me, Hasselhoff." Claire fires back.
"Claire, hold on a second. Look, my name's--"
"Sam. And you're Dean and you're Miranda. We've met, remember?"
"Claire. You were going to rob that convenience store." Cas says.
"So?" Claire asks.
"So? So... it's-- it's wrong." Cas says.
"You want to talk to me about wrong? You killed my dad. Is that wrong enough for you?" Claire asks.
"No, I didn't."
"Really? Because without you, he'd still be here. And my mom would still be around."
"Claire, I'm--" Cas takes a step closer, but Claire points the gun at him.
"Don't!"
"That won't hurt me."
"Fine." Claire aims the gun at the three hunters.
"Whoa! Hey, come on." Dean says.
"Hold a second." Sam says, stepping in front of his wife.
"Why? Like you don't have it coming? You stood there while this monster took my dad." Claire says.
"Well, personally, I figured it was better than the monster taking an innocent... what? 10 year old girl? But maybe that's just my absurd opinion." Miranda remarks.
Claire puts the gun down, turning to Cas.
"I used to pray to you, Castiel. Every night. I would beg you to bring him home safe." Claire says.
"I know." Cas says.
"Yikes." Miranda whispers.
"You know... my father was a good man. In what messed up world does he have to die and you get to live?" Claire questions.
"I'm sorry." Cas tells her.
"No. You feel guilty. There's a difference." Claire says.
"So what? Now you run back to Randy? The guy you steal for?" Sam asks.
"How do you know about that?" Claire asks.
"Dustin." Dean says.
"Claire, that man is using you." Cas says.
"He was there for me. When things got bad -- and they got real damn bad -- he was there when no one else was. He's my family. And you're just... you can go to Hell." Claire storms off.
+++
Miranda is in the Impala with the kids, staring up at the house as she waits for her husband, at least. She feels some relief as Sam, Cas, and Claire rush out and they get to the Impala.
"You okay?" Miranda asks her husband.
"Yeah." He nods. Miranda glances back at the blonde girl as she shakes and cries.
"Are you okay?" Cas asks Claire.
"Yeah." She nods. She leans over, hugging Cas, and he hugs her.
Sam hears shouting and looks back at the house. Sam doesn't pay any of the others any mind as he gets out, racing to the house. Cas and Claire soon follow.
After a moment, Miranda can hear Claire scream and soon Cas is dragging her outside and back to the car.
"What happened?" Miranda asks.
"It's... it's bloody." Cas says.
+++
"She barely speaks to me." Cas says. "She's like a wounded animal, just watching me."
"Look, Cas, you know what? You really tried to do the right thing that night. You did. This guy Claire was hanging out with, Randy, all he did was use her." Sam says.
"Well, she thought he was kind. And for that, she loved him. Shows how little kindness there was in her life." Cas says. "You know, whatever Randy did, he didn't deserve--"
"No, yeah, I know, I know. I hear you. Dean has had to kill before. We both have. But that was--" Sam says.
"That was what?" They turn to find Dean.
"Dean." Sam says.
"That was a massacre. That's what it was." Dean says, walking further into the room. "There was a time I was a hunter, not a stone cold killer? You can say it. You're not wrong. I crossed the line. Guys, this thing's gotta go."
"That won't be easy." Cas says.
"Well, then burn it off! Cut if off!" Dean orders.
"It is more than just a physical thing. It will take a very powerful force to remove the effect." Cas states.
"Dean, we have been through all the lore. There's nothing." Sam says.
"This reaches back to the time of creation. It may pre-date the lore." Cas says. "If we had the demon tablet, maybe."
"But you said it was missing." Sam says.
"It is." Cas says. "There may be another way."
+++
"Lovely room." Metatron comments, sitting in the dungeon. "It's where you bring the kinky chicks, am I right? Bet you two are down here a lot, huh?" He looks between Miranda and Sam.
"Gross." Miranda mutters. Sam looks at her. "Not that." She says, loosely motioning to his crotch.
"I'll ask the questions here." Sam says, chaining Metatron to the chair. "You... your only job is to provide information."
"Ah. Well, information does happen to be a specialty. Got about two billion fun facts up here." Metatron points to his temple. "Of course, whether I choose to cough one up or not is another matter."
"We need to know how to remove the Mark of Cain from Dean's arm." Sam says.
"What? He's back? Because of the Mark? So... he's a demon." Metatron says.
"No." Sam says.
"Okay, what then?" Metatron asks. "What, did he "kill a human" or something?" He uses air quotes. "He's gone nuclear! Total, foaming at the mouth, balls out maniac. Ah, haha, that's fantastic!"
"Do you know how to remove it?" Sam asks.
"Maybe. But here's the thing. You expect any help out of me, you keep that crazy brother of yours on a short leash." Metatron says.
"Buddy, I don't care what happens to you. You killed my brother." Sam says.
Dean walks into the dungeon.
"Ain't life a bitch? Nebbishy little guy -- me -- always sticking it to the lunkhead jocks and their dummy side chick." Metatron says.
"Side chi--" Miranda steps forward, Sam grabbing her arms and stopping her.
"You know what, screw the Mark. Let's just kill him." Dean says.
"Boy, he really is a mess." Metatron says. "Who knew the mark was so toxic? Well, actually, I did." He says. "You know it is going to own you sooner or later." He tells Dean.
"Yeah, so how do we get rid of it?" Sam asks.
"What, just like that, social hour's over?" Metatron asks.
"Yes, and now we're moving on to our keynote speaker." Sam says.
"Which is you. With us asking the questions. And me taking the personal pleasure of carving the answers out of you." Dean says.
"Now, just-- whoa, whoa, whoa. Hold on there, badass. Lighten up. Why do you just assume I'm not gonna be helpful?" Metatron asks.
"Because you're a dickwad." Sam says.
"But I'm your dickwad. I have a special place in my non-heart for you both. To which end -- ta-da! I'd be tickled to help you pop this biblical zit. To do it, you are gonna need one specific thing. Your old bud -- the first blade."
"What?" Sam asks.
"As I said -- ain't life a bitch." Metatron laughs.
~ ~ ~
"This is the single worst idea I've ever heard." Sam says as the three walk into the library. "You just whacked a whole house full of people, and that's when the blade was nowhere around. And now you wanna be in actual contact with it?"
"We don't know that I have to be in contact with it. All we know is that we need it." Dean says.
"No, no, all we know is he says we need it. We don't even know what he wants us to do with it." Sam says.
"One step at a time, all right? We play it safe, we learn whatever the spell is, how it works, and we keep the blade out of my hands." Dean says.
"Are you sure this isn't the mark making you want the damn thing? I mean, why would we trust anything Metatron says?" Sam asks.
"I don't trust Metatron." Dean says.
"You don't tru-- then what?"
"What's his game if he is lying, huh? The blade without me is useless. The blade with me is trouble for him." Dean puts his phone to his ear.
"What does he want?"
"I don't know. But if we weren't willing to take a shot, then what was the point of bringing him here? Unless you got a better idea."
"Crowley. We need to meet ASAP." Dean says. After giving him a location, he hangs up.
+++
Sam and Miranda are sitting at the map table.
"The first blade is back in play and Crowley is the one getting it?" They look up to see Cas. "I don't mean to be an alarmist, but you--"
"Yeah, well, you know us." Dean walks in. "When we screw ourselves, we like to go whole hog."
"This would be the Crowley who let the blade turn Dean into a demon?" Cas asks, walking down the stairs.
"I don't have a choice, okay? I don't do this, I'm down the rabbit hole. Hear evil, see evil, do evil. The trifecta." Dean says, sitting down.
"Cas, look, let us worry about this. You've got enough on your plate with Claire." Sam says.
"Claire is gone." Cas states.
"Gone where?" Sam asks.
"I don't know, I-I should have stopped her. But I am certain that she is destined for more trouble and disappointment. She is so... so full of rage." Cas says.
"Listen, man, if I could make it better I would." Dean says.
"It's actually why I'm here. I was hoping you might reach out to her." Cas says.
"Me?" Dean asks.
"Yes." Cas nods.
"Seriously, I'm probably the last person she would wanna hear from."
"I thought there would be a connection. One extremely messed up human to another, you could explain why you murdered her only friend."
"Oh, well, yeah, when you put it like that."
"All I know is she won't talk to me. I thought if she understood the kind of man Randy was and the danger she was in, she might..."
"What the hell, why not? Long shots seem to be the theme around here. I'm gonna go make a sandwich." Dean gets up.
"I'll, uh... I'll text you her number." Cas says.
"Okay."
"I like texting. Emoticons?" Dean leaves. "He seems calm. Considering the effects of the Mark. Metatron in proximity."
"Too calm. I think he's worried about what'll happen if he pops the cork." Sam says.
+++
"It's late. I'm gonna drive around a little bit, see if I can find Claire." Cas says.
"Right now?" Sam asks, checking the time on his watch.
"I have to try." Cas says, the three walking out of the map room.
"Well, be careful." Sam says, glancing into the empty kitchen which makes him stop. "Wait, guys? Where's Dean?"
They all exchange a look before racing to the dungeon. They get to the shut door, but it won't budge.
"Dean!" Sam shouts, pounding on the door. "Dean! Dean, open the door!"
"Dean!" Miranda shouts.
"Hey, open the door!"
Sam tries to kick the door open, but it doesn't work.
"Move." Cas shoves them aside. He holds his hand up and blasts the door off. Sam races past him.
"No, Dean! Hey, stop, stop!" Sam pulls Dean away from Metatron. "You were killing him."
"I have to take him back." Cas says, leading Metatron out. Sam puts an arm between Dean and Metatron out of caution.
"Cas, this won't happen again." Sam says.
"I gave my word. I have fences to mend in Heaven, and as it is, I have a lot to explain." Cas says.
"If you ever ask me for help again, I will choose death. You realize it's going to get worse, Dean. You're gonna get worse!" Metatron shouts as Cas drags him out.