They get to a cafe and sit at the counter, Dean putting money on the counter. Sam is holding Liam and puts him on his lap, keeping an arm around him so he doesn't fall off.
"What can we get for, uh, $4.60?" He questions the waitress.
"Um, a slice of pie and a cup of coffee." She states.
"A lot of forks?" Dean asks. The waitress chuckles, walking away. "Damn it, I was hoping for a cheeseburger."
"You can't even digest cheese anymore." Sam retorts.
"Dude. Lactaid." Dean says.
"What are you gonna buy it with?" Larissa questions.
"I just won't buy it." Dean shrugs and Larissa rolls her eyes.
"Bad Dean." Athena smacks him on the arm.
"He's always bad." Natalie mutters, staring longingly at a plate of waffles another customer has.
"Alright. So, if Garth is right, we take this road, but honestly, it doesn't look like there's anything up there." Sam says.
"Hey, how long have you lived here?" Dean asks the waitress gives them coffee.
"All my life." She states.
"Great. Can you tell us what is up that road?" Dean points to the part on the map.
"No. Are you for real? Did Candy put you up to this?" The waitress asks.
"No, nobody put us up to this. We're-- we're just headed that way and wanted to know if there's anything up there." Sam says.
"Um, forget it. Sounds nuts." The waitress says.
"Nuts is good, yeah. A group of Mr. and Mrs. Fucking Peanuts here." Dean says.
"Okay. There's-- there's kind of this, um, urban legend around here, about this place in the middle of nowhere. It's a-a pool hall that is... magic." The waitress says.
"Magic pool hall?" Sam asks.
"I told ya. They say that if you get up there and you win, then you come back lucky. Like, hit the Powerball lucky." The waitress says.
"Sounds good to me." Dean says.
"Except no one ever does." The waitress says.
"What do you mean?" Sam asks.
"Um, one of our regulars, Leonard. The bank was coming for his house, so he went out to find the place and he never came back. Heard he had some sort of accident." The waitress says as the phone starts ringing. "Excuse me."
"Yeah." Sam and Dean mutter as the waitress goes to answer the phone.
"Okay. I guess now we know what the downside is." Sam says.
"Eh, not from where I'm sitting." Dean says.
"A-a pool hall that makes you lucky or might kill you? I mean, it sounds like a demon or a witch or--"
"Or it could be awesome." Dean cuts his brother off. "It's pool. The-the-- the game of champions, kings. My game. Hell, our game. How many honest to goodness great memories do we have hustling pool?"
"Yeah, because we had to. To eat." Sam says.
"Okay, well, my point is, that if pool is the way we get our mojo back, then maybe we ain't as screwed as we thought." Dean says.
"Hey, do you guys drive an Impala?" The waitress asks. "I, uh, I think you have a flat."
+++
"Relax. We might actually have some fun." Dean tells his brother as they get out of the car and walk to the pool hall. Larissa picks Liam up and Sam tightly holds onto Athena's hand.
"Right." Sam mumbles as they walk in. "Dean, we don't even have beer money, much less whatever the buy-in is here."
"Hey, we'll figure something out." Dean assures, the family walking to the bar.
"Get you something?" The woman behind the counter asks.
"Yeah. Waters, por favor." Dean tells her and she nods, starting to pour the waters. "Hey, uh..." He trails off.
"Evie." She informs.
"That's her name, too." Athena grins, pointing to her sister. The woman Evie gently smiles at the girl's excitement.
"Evie. Say, listen, if, uh, me and my family here wanted to get ourselves a game...?" Dean asks.
"Pax. Some more for ya." Evie calls and a man, Pax, walks over.
"Hey, you remember a guy who was in here a few weeks ago? Uh, name was Leonard?" Sam asks.
"No. Sorry." Evie walks off.
"Follow me." Pax tells them group and they do so. "So, how'd you guys find us?"
"Uh, a friend." Sam says.
"Did your, uh, friend say how we wager?" Pax asks.
"Yeah, listen, uh, money's a little tight right now." Dean says.
"Yeah, we don't bet with money." Pax states. He opens a box and takes out a coin. "We use this." He puts the coin on the desk, sliding it across to them.
"Okay. What are we looking at?" Sam asks.
"Go ahead. Touch it." Pax says.
The group exchange looks, none of them really wanting to risk it. Dean reaches out and puts two fingers on the coin. A green light shimmers from the coin for a few moments before disappearing and Dean takes his hand away.
"Not great. Not the worst, either." Pax says.
"And that means...?" Dean asks.
"Well, you see, everybody walks in here with a certain amount of luck. That glow... that's you. About average." Pax says.
"Yeah, that sounds about right." Dean says.
"But you set that coin on that table, you get yourself a game." Pax points to the pool table behind them. "And you win? You might just see your fortune improve."
"And if he loses?" Sam asks.
"Play again. Have a good time. You know, keep playing. But if the coin goes blank, that means you're out of luck. You gotta leave. Questions?" Pax asks.
"Yeah. What is this place? Who owns it?" Sam asks.
"I just work here. Look, if you don't like it, door's open." Pax says, sitting down.
"When I win, can I split it? The luck?" Dean asks.
"It's yours. You do what you want." Pax says.
"Yeah. Uh, just give us a second. Thanks." Sam drags them away. "No, no, no. No, no, no, no, no. No way."
"Man, I've been slinging pool cues since before you were born." Dean says.
"What? When you were four? Really? What, between nap time and snack?" Sam remarks making Larissa snicker.
"Look, we barely made it out of that monster fight club, okay? We need this. And you know it. Now, look, you're better than me at pretty much everything, okay? That's okay. I'm not mad. I'm proud. But I can wipe the floor with you when it comes to pool."
Sam scoffs before sighing and nodding.
"Good. All right." Dean goes back to Pax. "Okay, pal. Let's give it a go."
~ ~ ~
Dean circles the table as he holds a pool cue in his hand.
"So, how long are we supposed to just wait around?" Sam asks, keeping his arms wrapped around Athena's shoulders protectively.
"You know, if the fish aren't biting, throw 'em a little chum." Dean says. He leans down and hits the white ball with the cue, making the colored and striped balls disperse.
"I don't know, Sammy. I'm a little rusty." Dean says loudly. A few moments later, a woman walks over.
"Go on. Rack 'em up." Moira says.
"Yeah, yeah." Dean agrees.
Sam and Larissa make their way over to the bar.
"Decided not to play?" Evie asks.
"Uh, yeah. It's not really my thing." Sam says, sitting down. Larissa sits down, leaving a chair between them empty for Athena.
"So, what's her deal?" Sam asks, motioning to the woman Dean's playing.
"Who? Moira? Been here a while. Guess her sister's still in a coma." Evie says.
"So, she's playing to wake her up?" Sam asks.
"Everybody wants something." Evie asks.
"Yeah." Sam mumbles. "Hey, do you ever smell anything weird, like rotten eggs or...?"
"Just Charlie." Evie jokes, the couple glancing at Charlie who is playing pool.
"Right. What about... have you ever noticed little bundles laying around?" Sam asks.
"Uh... no. Look, you're new. I get it. You're trying to figure this out. I guess it is pretty unbelievable." Evie says.
"Places like this don't exist for no reason." Sam says.
"Most people think it's a Godsend. Take that guy." Evie says, the three looking over at a guy who is wearing a suit. "Loves his wife, but she has expensive taste. He came here from Atlantic City, not a dime left to his name. Or her..." They watch a woman walk past with a drink.
"Three kids, works doubles, buys a scratcher every night. They both deserve a lucky break. And they almost got one. They went on a streak, could have walked away winners, but they kept on playing till their luck went sour."
"They're not actually winning?" Sam asks.
"Not anymore. Like I said, they should have walked away." Evie says, giving the couple a certain look. She walks away and Sam and Larissa look at each other.
"That seemed like a message for us, right?" Larissa asks.
"Oh, yeah." Sam nods.
+++
Dean ended up winning the game and the family are sitting at the bar while Sam tells them what Evie told him and Larissa.
"It felt like a warning, like she was telling us to cut our losses." Sam says.
"Come on, man. I'm on a roll." Dean says.
"Dean, you won one game. Listen, I think this place sucks you in, right? And if you keep playing, you'll lose. And if you keep losing..." Sam says.
"You go all Leonard." Dean says.
"Exactly." Sam says.
"All right, so we need to minimize our risk and maximize our profit, right? It's kind of like that action we took back in Tallahassee. Remember that? The-- the... the "Fast Eddie"?" Dean recalls.
"I don't remember." Sam says.
"It was dad's favorite, from the movie. Paul Newman. The Hustler." Dean says.
"I tend to not remember anything about John." Natalie says.
"What's with the first name basis?" Dean asks.
"He doesn't deserve to be called dad." Natalie shrugs.
"Ditto." Ophelia says. "You." She points to Dean. "Not you." She points to Jacob.
"Alright, fine. One more game. One." Sam relents.
"Okay. Now we just gotta find our Jackie Gleason." Dean says, looking around.
~ ~ ~
"What did you say your name was again?" Joey Six asks Dean as they play.
"Well, my name's Dean Winchester. And I'm gonna kick your ass." Dean states. "Now, what kind of name is, uh, Joey Six?"
"Oh, it's just something they used to call me back in PBR." Joey says.
"Professional bull riding circuit. Nice." Dean says. He sinks a ball into a pocket. "Tell me. How was that? Corner pocket." He hits the cue ball and the eight ball rolls, but stops just short of the corner pocket.
"Good times." Joey says. He shoots, but misses. "And some not so good. The cue ball is next to a striped ball which is by the eight ball. Dean angles his pool cue. "Double or nothing says you miss that shot."
"You trying to hustle me, Rodeo?" Dean asks.
"I thought you were gonna kick my ass." Joey says.
Sam grabs Larissa's hand, holding it behind her back, and anxiously squeezing it. She gives him a reassuring squeeze back.
"Alright." Dean angles the pool cue and hits the cue ball. It jumps over the striped ball and hits the eight ball, knocking it into the pocket. Everybody in the bar cheers and claps. Sam sighs in relief, Larissa feeling his grip on her hand loosen.
"Helluva shot." Joey says.
Joey's coin shimmers before it goes blank and Dean's coin shimmers as he gains the luck. Joey takes his coin out and walks off. Dean takes his coin, sharing a look with Sam. The five adults follow Joey out. Billy and Nathan focus on the little kids while Ophelia and Daphne both talk and share concerns.
Libby's bites the inside of her cheek as she looks around, looking over at where Pax is sitting.
"Oh, no." Ethan groans.
"What?" Libby asks.
"That's your thinking face. You're about to do something risky." Ethan says.
"I am not." Libby argues, but starts to walk towards Pax's desk.
"Wh-- Bee." Evie calls, watching her walk over. "Bee, dad's gonna kill you."
"What else is new?" Libby brushes off.
"Just let her go." Delaney says. "Can't get any more fucked than we already are."
"Hey, hey. Lizzy." Ethan hisses which gets her to stop and turn to him.
"What did you just call me?" She questions.
"Lizzy. I-- I meant Libby, but the-- the "B's" and the "Z's" got mixed... somehow." Ethan frowns in confusion at his own brain.
"Never call me that again." Libby says, starting to go to Pax's desk again.
"Lizzy. Lizzy, Lizzy, Lizzy, Lizzy, Lizzy, Lizzy." Ethan repeats, following her. Libby rolls her eyes, stopping and turning back to him. "If you don't do what you're about to do, I'll stop."
"I'll dump you if you call me "Lizzy" again." Libby says.
"Lizzy." Ethan says, Libby rolling her eyes. "Lizzy, Lizzy, Lizzy. Ah. No break up. Seriously, don't do this."
"Look, one coin is not gonna suffice for all of us. I am doing this." Libby states, going over to Pax's desk. "I wanna play."
"How old are you?" Pax questions.
"I'm an adult. I'm getting you business, do you really care that much?" Libby remarks.
Pax shrugs, taking a coin out.
"Li--" Libby puts two fingers on the coin, it shining green and it gives her the same thing it gave Dean.
"Have fun." Pax chuckles.
~ ~ ~
"Hey." Billy steps outside, the five turning to him. "Uh... you guys might wanna come see this." They share confused, slightly worried looks before following Billy inside.
"Dada." Liam calls the moment he sees Sam.
"Hey, buddy." Sam manages a small smile, picking his son up. "Okay, see what?"
"That." Daphne nods over to a pool table.
Libby stands by the pool table and is leaning against a pool cue while her opponent lines up his shot. Ethan is leaning against the wall, his hand over his mouth as he nervously watches.
"Oh, she didn't." Sam mutters.
"She did." Athena smiles, knowing her sister's screwed.
"She's so dead." Sam states.
"I tried to warn her." Evie says.
"Yep." Athena nods, quietly giggling with Briar and Justin.
"Please tell me she's not the solid." Larissa pleads, seeing how many of those balls are still on the table compared to the two striped balls.
"Nope. She's the stripes." Ophelia says.
"She's the stripes?" Larissa asks.
"Mm-hmm." Ophelia nods.
"Have any of us ever taught her how to play pool?" Natalie questions.
"No." Sam shakes his head.
"I don't have the patience for that." Dean says.
After getting her last striped ball in, Libby focuses on the eight ball. It's near a side pocket but a few of the solid balls are making it a little bit of an obstacle course.
Libby lines her cue up with the cue ball, looking up when the guy she's playing chuckles.
"There's no way you're gonna make that, kid." He laughs.
"Oh, yeah?" Libby smirks. "Double or nothing."
"No. No, Elizabeth. No." Sam hisses, Libby either not hearing him or ignoring him.
"Deal. It's your loss." The guy says.
Libby smirks as she lines up the cue again. She looks up at the guy, not breaking eye contact as she hits the ball. The cue ball bounces off the wall, perfectly missing all of the other balls and it hits the eight ball which slowly rolls into the side pocket, the cue ball stopping short of it.
Libby smiles at the man while the luck from his coin transfers to hers. She doesn't notice all of the gobsmacked expressions on her family's faces.
"Are we sure nobody ever took her out?" Jacob questions. "Dude, you can't even be mad at her. That was fucking awesome."
"I don't-- how did she-- we never--" Sam stammers.
"See? Told you it wouldn't be that bad." Libby smiles, standing in front of Ethan and she holds up her coin.
"That... that was, like, really sexy." Ethan says, letting out a breath, and Libby giggles. "I mean, if we were doing stuff, I'd totally take you out right now and have sex with you." He quietly says. "But we can make out. That's just as hot. Or nothing, whatever you're comfortable with, we'll do nothing. You're just really, really beautiful right now."
"Oh, yeah?" She smirks.
"Yeah." Ethan nods, leaning down, getting close to her.
"Oh, he has a death wish." Delaney quips, watching Sam take long strides towards the young couple.
Just as their lips are about to connect, somebody yanks on the back of Libby's jacket, pulling her away. Ethan stumbles, but manages to catch himself.
"Wha-- dad." Libby whines.
"Grounded." Sam states, gently grabbing onto the back of her neck, enough to move her, but not enough to hurt her.
"Dad." Libby protests.
"So grounded." Sam declares, dragging her over to the bar.
"Dude, when did you get so cool?" Billy asks.
"I was born cool, doofus." Libby frowns.
"Where did you learn all that shit?" Ophelia asks.
"I grew up in a family of hustlers. You pick up a few things." Libby remarks. "Plus the internet."
"Well, I liked that leathery son of a bitch." Dean says, dragging the attention away from the girl.
"Yeah, when he bet double or nothing, you cleaned him out." Sam says. "Wait, did you--"
"Nah, he's still got a little luck left. Below average, though." Libby says. "Sucks to be him." Sam nudges her for the insensitive part. "Just saying."
"Okay, well, plan worked. Let's hit the road." Dean says.
"What about everybody else? Just give me some time, alright? I-I need to figure this out." Sam says.
"Dude, we're in a fight with God, okay? And... we just got our mojo back." Dean says.
"You really think there's enough luck in those two coins to make up for whatever Chuck took from us?" Sam asks.
"Why don't I give it a whirl?" Dean asks.
"How?" Sam asks.
"I'll go for a quick drive. If Baby treats me right, then I know we're out of the woods. But when I get back, it's adios." Dean says. He takes the coin from Libby and leaves.
"So..." Libby smiles. "How you guys doing?"
"You are still so grounded." Sam tells her.
"Wha-- but, daddy, I was just trying to help us." Libby says, giving him her puppy eyes and trying to appear innocent. "I just wanted to help and not feel useless. Don't be too mad."
"Not working, Elizabeth." Sam tells her, making her sit down.
"Damn it." She pouts.
"You have everybody else's approval if that makes you feel better." Evie smiles at her sister.
"You are so cool." Nathan whispers to Libby, kissing her on the head making her smile.
~ ~ ~
Dean walks back inside.
"Well, car's dead. Again. Didn't even make it out of the parking lot. This coin blows. I think you're right. Didn't have enough juice." Dean says.
"Hold on." Sam picks up the coin. "No way." He mumbles. "At first I thought maybe these coins were-were hexed or cursed."
"Like the rabbit's foot." Dean says as Sam takes another coin out.
"When you win, you're-- you're taking luck from whoever you beat, right?" Sam asks.
"Right." Dean nods.
"But Joey Six beat how many people? 30? 40? More? All of that accumulated luck should've been passed to you." Sam says.
"Well, tell that to Baby." Dean says.
"Exactly. It didn't. Because what if someone's stealing, every game, skimming luck off the top?" Sam asks.
"What-- what do you mean? Like, the house?" Dean asks.
"Her." Sam holds the coin up, a face on it. "I think." Dean takes the coin and inspects it, Libby leaning closer to see the coin.
""Atrox Fortuna"?" Dean asks.
"Roman Goddess of Luck." Sam says.
"Okay, say you're right. What do we do?" Dean asks.
~ ~ ~
"I-I can't help you. I'm sorry." Evie tells them.
"Then why warn us in the first place?" Sam asks.
"So you'd take your family and go." Evie says.
"Wait, why are you here? Does she have something over you?" Dean asks.
"I came to play. I lost. I'm only alive cause she lets me stay. Long as I keep working." Evie says.
"So, if you don't play yourself to death, you work yourself to death. Is that it?" Dean asks.
"Yeah, that's it." Evie nods.
"Is she here?" Sam asks.
"I don't know. I only talk to Pax. Her son." Evie states.
~ ~ ~
"Pax. Hey, uh, can I ask you a question?" Sam asks, him and Larissa walking over. Athena holds Liam's hand, staying a few feet back, the youngest twins standing next to them. Pax stands up and Dean comes up behind him, a brass blade held to the man's throat and the others walk up. "Where's your mom? Fortuna!"
"We have your son." Dean announces.
Moira, who is apparently Fortuna, the woman Dean played against earlier, walks over.
"Enough!" Fortuna exclaims.
"Fortuna?" Dean questions.
"That's one of my names." She states.
"We know you're skimming luck off what we won. We want it back." Sam says.
"Or I kill him." Dean says.
"Well, you probably could. His daddy was human. But, no." Fortuna denies.
"Mom." Pax says.
"I'm sorry, baby. I can always make more sons." Fortuna says.
"Oh, hey. You two might actually get along." Ophelia smiles, pointing between the woman and Dean.
"Honey, no." Nathan frowns.
Natalie slowly backs up to the four children, pulling them towards her, keeping her arms around them. Jacob slowly walks over, grabbing onto Nathan and Ophelia's arms, pulling them back, forcing them to stay behind him.
"What the fuck is wrong with her?" Larissa whispers to her husband. She walks over to Natalie, staying with them as she takes her two kids, the two mothers holding onto each of their kids protectively.
Sam grabs Libby's arm, pulling her to his side. He leans over, grabbing onto Evie's jacket and pulling her closer. The girl quickly latches hands with her girlfriend, dragging Delaney with her.
"Guess we can just get killed." Daphne whispers.
"We're the two oldest." Billy shrugs.
"Then play me for it." Dean says, letting Pax go.
"I played you already." Fortuna says.
"Then we go again." Dean says.
"When I play someone, I get a read on them. And you... you're just a beach read. Sexy, mm, but skimmable." Fortuna states.
"Beach read? Lady, I'm Tolstoy." Dean says and Fortuna laughs.
"That's very funny. Your family, though... they could be interesting." Fortuna says.
"Wait. No, no, no. That's... uh-uh." Dean objects. "None of them."
"Fine." Sam says. "Yeah, I'll play. But not for our luck. I'll play for the lives of everybody in here."
"No. Only for your luck. And if you lose, I get your lives. Come on, you threatened my baby, my livelihood. An example must be made." Fortuna says.
"You almost let us kill your baby and your livelihood." Larissa remarks.
"Motherhood is complicated, you understand." Fortuna says.
"No!" Larissa and Natalie exclaim.
"Somebody puts a knife to my babies' throats, they're the ones dying, not my damn kids." Larissa states.
"You're feisty. I like it." Fortuna comments. She looks back at Sam. "So... are you in? Or should I play your wife instead?"
~ ~ ~
Sam hits the cue ball into the balls, sinking a striped ball into one of the pockets. Larissa is holding Liam and has another arm wrapped around Athena's chest, keeping her close. Natalie has her arms around Briar and Jacob has one arm around Justin.
"Guess that makes me solids." Fortuna comments. "So, why do you need this luck so bad? Wife trouble? Mistress problems? Liver failure? Annoying children?"
"Hey!" Libby frowns.
"I mean..." Billy trails off making Evie punch him in the arm. "Ow. Jeez. Exhibit A." He grumbles, rubbing his arm.
"Accursed by God." Sam says.
"Life's a bitch, then you die." Fortuna says.
"The God... literally cursed us." Dean states.
"You've met?" Fortuna asks.
"Yeah. Little guy, squirrely as hell." Dean says.
"Yeah, that's him. Well, welcome to the club." Fortuna says.
"The club?" Dean asks.
"Yes, the club." Fortuna says, finally able to take a shot after Sam missed one. "God created the world, but you know who created us gods? You did. You humans. Sort of. When you apes first climbed down from the trees, you didn't pray to him. You prayed the the-- the sun, the womb, the rain, and the stars. Well, at first, the creator was furious. How dare you not recognize his beneficence?"
"But soon enough, he birthed us... Ra, Anu, Hera, Mixcoatl, all the rest."
"Why?" Dean asks.
"Why? Why?" She scoffs. She takes another shot, but missing the pocket. "To take the blame. Bad harvest? Stillborn child? Our bad. Not His. Plus, we made for epic stories. But his ego could only handle that for so long. Now he's happy to behind whatever religion has the most syndication deal. While we survive on scraps in the wilderness."
"Most gods, they're forgotten. But I'm old. I hold a grudge. Oh well. What are you going to do?" Fortuna questions.
"We're gonna fight him." Dean states.
"Are you now? And when you lose...?" She asks.
"We lose swinging. Eight ball, corner pocket." Sam says. He takes the shot, getting the eight ball in the corner pocket.
"You little minx. You got me talking. You're good." Fortuna says.
"I learned from my brother." Sam says.
"Alright, you know the deal. Even up." Dean says.
"What do you say we make it interesting? Okay? You're gonna fight God. That's the stuff of heroes, right? So, you're gonna need the luck of heroes. Hercules, Cuchulain, Gilgamesh. I helped them all. I can help you, too."
"What's the catch?" Sam asks.
"Another game. Double or nothing." Fortuna says.
"Double. That's how the cowboy died." Dean says.
"Mm-hmm." Fortuna nods.
"Yeah. Deal. But not for more luck. For them. If I win, you have to let them go." Sam states.
"Honey, I'm not stopping them." Fortuna says.
"Okay, then when I win, you have to give back the luck you stole. Close up shop." Sam says.
"What is with you and these losers? They're nothing! They don't matter." Fortuna says.
"They matter to me." Sam says.
"They matter to us." Dean corrects.
"Well, fine. Rack 'em up." Fortuna says.
After resetting the game, Fortuna gets the first shot and she sinks all of the balls, Sam not even getting one chance to play.
"Eight ball, corner pocket." She says before taking the shot, the eight ball rolling into the corner pocket. Larissa quietly sighs, wincing. "You challenged the Goddess of Luck in her own joint. What did you think was going to happen?"
"Well, we had to try." Dean says.
"Well, that was stupid." Fortuna walks away.
Sam walks over to his family and Larissa rubs his arm.
"You did your best." She says, kissing his shoulder.
"Yeah." He mumbles, nodding.
They go outside and make their way to the cars.
"Thought she was going to kill us." Dean says.
"Yeah, she doesn't have to. Our luck will do that on its own. Guys, we can't just..." Sam says.
"Just leave them. No. I know. Alright, well, let's go find some Wi-Fi and see what kills Lady Luck. Then we'll circle back." Dean says.
"Hey." Sam greets, noticing everybody walking out and Evie walks over to them. "What... what's going on? What happened?" Sam asks Evie.
"She-- she shut it down." Evie says.
"What?" Sam asks.
"Because of you. She said she thought your kind had gone extinct." Evie says.
"Our kind?" Sam asks.
"Heroes. Like the old days. And, uh, she gave me a message. She said, "Don't play his game. Make him play yours."" Evie says. She holds her hand out, holding two coins out and Sam takes one, Natalie grabbing the other. Evie walks away and the coins glow green over the twins' hands.
They pass the coins around between the rest of the family, including the little kids for good measure -- it even glowing for the four.
Liam goes to put the coin in his mouth after it glows.
"Ah, ah, no!" Larissa pulls his arm away.
"No, no!" Sam covers Liam's face with one hand and takes the coin with the other.
"God, this kid will eat anything and everything." Larissa mutters.
"Come on." Dean says, the group getting in the two cars. Dean puts the key in and turns it, the car starting and the engine revs.
"We're back, baby!" Dean cheers.
"You all mighty and powerful again?" Nathan asks his wife. Ophelia stares at the radio, trying to turn it on. She frowns when it doesn't work. She flicks her hand to open the door, but nothing happens.
"No." She mumbles, frowning. "It-- it's not working." She says, getting the others' attention. "Wh-- why isn't it working? We used the coin."
"Maybe... uh, maybe it's a different thing Chuck did." Sam says. "Maybe he just... completely took them away."
"But-- no, he can't just do that!" Ophelia protests, her eyes tearing up. "He can't just..." She stares at her hands. "I don't have anything?"
Nathan winces, wrapping his arm around her shoulders, pulling her into his side, and kissing her on the head.
The others exchange sad and somewhat worried looks before Dean drives off.
+++
"Alright, this is it. Last scratcher. Come on, come on." Dean mutters as they walk into the bunker. He blows the scraps off the card, frowning. "What the hell? I mean, so much for that "Luck of Hercules" bullshit."
"So, we didn't win the lottery. But no car trouble. Uh, credit cards work. Oh, and back to back bacon double cheeseburgers didn't kill you, so..." Sam says.
"That was beautiful, by the way." Dean says.
"It's like watching a caveman." Larissa retorts.
"I'm just saying, would it have killed her to give us a little extra?" Dean asks.
"Yeah, like psychic powers." Ophelia grumbles, plopping into one of the chairs. Nathan kisses her on top of the head, wrapping his arms around her shoulders.
"Well, she thinks we're real heroes. Maybe they don't get all the shortcuts." Sam says.
"Fuckin' gods, man." Dean says.
They walk into the library.
"Cas?" Dean asks as he walks in.
"Hey. Everything okay?" Sam asks.
Cas steps aside and Jack walks out. Larissa's eyes widen and she freezes.
"Hello." Jack raises his hand.
"Jackie!" Athena grins, racing over to him, the twins following her. The three crash into him, tightly hugging him. Jack smiles a little, hugging them back.
"Jack?" Sam asks.
"It's really him." Cas states.
Sam quickly goes to Jack and hugs him, smiling at the Nephilim.
"Is he yours?" Jack asks, pointing to Liam who is tugging on Libby's jacket until she picks him up.
"Oh, yes. Yeah. Right. Um, Jack, this... this is Liam." Larissa informs.
"Hi." Jack waves at him.
"Hi." Liam waves back.
Dean steps up, putting a hand on the side of Jack's neck. He looks at Cas who nods.
+++
The group are sitting around the map table as Jack explained where he's been and what he's been doing. Liam is sitting on Libby's lap and playing with the ends of her hair, giggling at the ticklish feeling it gives when he puts her hair on his face.
"Jack, you... you ate their hearts?" Sam asks.
"I... I had to." Jack states.
"And you let him?" Dean asks Cas who nods.
"You could've called us." Sam says.
"Every day I wanted to come home, but... I couldn't." Jack says.
"Why not?" Dean asks.
"Because if I don't stay hidden, if I use my powers, my grandfather -- he'll know I'm back, and he'll try to kill me... again. He's afraid of me. And that's why we had to wait."
"Billie kept him hidden in the Empty until Chuck went off world." Cas informs.
"She let me out when it was safe." Jack says.
"Safe to what? Eat a bunch of angel hearts?" Dean asks.
"Safe to do what I have to do. The hearts, they were just the beginning. They made me strong, but I-I'm not strong enough. I... if I do exactly what she says, if I follow her plan, then I'll get stronger and... I'll be able to kill God."
+++
Libby and Ethan are in her room and sitting on her bed, Libby having a leg over his lap.
They both jump when they hear somebody clear their throat and turn to see Sam in the doorway. Ethan pushes Libby's leg off of him and stands up.
"I, uh... I should get going home. My-- my aunt should be back from her own hunt by now, so..." Ethan says.
"Good idea." Sam smiles.
"Yeah." Ethan mumbles. "Bye." He gingerly pats Libby on the head before rushing out so Sam doesn't attack.
"Really?" Libby whines.
"You're still grounded." Sam says.
"Oh, come on, dad." Libby groans.
"No, Libby. You-- you know that what you did could've gone really bad. I mean, if the luck on your coin ran out, who knows what could've happened."
"Yeah, but I knew I was a really good player." Libby says.
"I don't care how great you are, there's always somebody that could be better." Sam says. "I didn't want you to take the risk. I told you no. You disobeyed me."
"To help out." Libby says. "You always say you want me to help people no matter what. That's what I was doing."
"Nice try." Sam says and Libby huffs. He kisses her on the head. "Just grounded for a weekend, you'll live." He walks to the door. "Oh, and, uh, I can't take much away from you so, no Ethan."
"Wha-- no Ethan?!" She shrieks.
"Sucks to be you." Sam remarks, smiling, walking out.
"No. Daddy--"
"Love you!" He calls out, shutting the door behind him.
Libby whines, face planting on her bed.
+++
Nathan walks into his and Ophelia's room after showering and the girl is in bed, resting her upper back against the headboard.
"Hey you." Nathan quietly greets, shutting the door behind him. "How you holding up?"
"'M fine." Ophelia mumbles.
"Here's the pie you didn't finish." He holds out a Styrofoam container that holds apple pie inside it. "Figured you might want it now since you didn't finish it earlier." Ophelia shakes her head and Nathan quietly sighs, putting the container and fork on her nightstand.
"Is there... do you want anything? Can I do anything at all to help you?" Nathan asks.
"Can you just hold me?" Ophelia asks.
"Yeah. Yeah, of course." Nathan immediately agrees. He climbs into bed next to her and sits with his back against the headboard. He pulls Ophelia to him, her head resting on his chest as his arms wrap around her shoulders.
Nathan looks around and reaches for the first stuffed animal he sees.
"Quacko?" He asks, holding the stuffed duck in front of her face. Ophelia gently takes the duck and holds it against her chest with one hand, her other arm wrapped around Nathan's waist.
Nathan brushes his fingers through Ophelia's hair, gently kissing the top of her head before resting his cheek on it.
"It'll be okay. I got you." Nathan mumbles reassuringly.