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THEN
From 5.18 - Point of No Return: In the warehouse, Catty walked toward Castiel, Angelos, Scarlett, Ness, Sam and Dean. "You think Adam's okay?"
From 5.18 - Point of No Return: In the Angelic Green Room, the blindingly bright white light grew even brighter. Adam turned around in confusion.
From 5.18 - Point of No Return: In the warehouse, Angelos looked at the others. "Doubt it. Ava, either."
From 5.18 - Point of No Return: In the warehouse, the Angels ran closer to Castiel, Octavia and Angelos. Instead of stabbing the blades into the Sigil on Octavia's back, Castiel and Angelos cut their hands, slamming the blood over the Sigil. Light vibrated out of Octavia's body, making the rest of them disappear with a violent flash of bright white from within her, all except Castiel and Angelos.
Castiel: (voice over from 5.18 - Point of No Return) "But we'll get them, Los. We'll find Ava and Adam."
From 5.19 - Hammer of the Gods: Roadside, Dean, Catty, Scarlett and Sam were watching the video.
Gabriel: (on video) "The Cage you sprung Lucifer from? You can shove his ass back in. Key to the Cage? Four rings from the Horsemen."
From 5.02 - Good God, Y'All!: On main street, Ness took War's right hand, slamming it against Catty's Mustang, cutting off all four of his fingers, making him scream in pain. The ring clinked on the pavement.
Scarlett: (voice over from 5.19 - Hammer of the Gods) "We got War's."
From 5.14 - My Bloody Valentine: Outside Biggerson's, Famine sat in his wheelchair, having a Horsemen ring on his hand ring finger.
Dean: (voice over from 5.19 - Hammer of the Gods) "We nicked Famine's."
From 5.19 - Hammer of the Gods: On the road, Pestilence was driving. He was clearly not as sick as he had been playing. Files accumulated around him, buzzing loudly.
Zane: (voice over from 5.20 - The Devils You Know) "I can give you Pestilence."
From 5.20 - The Devils You Know: Outside Eagle's Pass General Store, Zane looked at Sam, Dean, Scarlett, Catty and Ness. "Do you want your Horsemen rings or not?"
From 5.04 - The End: In the future's street, Catty looked up, looking at the graffitied word at the end of the street on a building. Croatoan.
Dean: (voice over from 2.09 - Croatoan) "What are we dealing with? Do you know?"
From 5.04 - The End: In the future's alley, several people, infected with the Croatoan virus, due to their bloodshot eyes and murderous, rabid looks were breathing heavily, all looking at Future!Dean and Future!Ness, all looking ready to attack. Future!Scarlett grabbed Future!Dean and Future!Ness's hands from behind. They ran out of the alley.
Catty: (voice over from 2.09 - Croatoan) "Croatoan. A plague and a pestilence. More like germ warfare."
From 5.04 - The End: In the future's alley, Croat!Scarlett, Croat!Ness and Croat!Dean advanced on Future!Octavia, Future!Angelos, Future!Catty and Future!Castiel.
Scarlett: (voice over from 2.09 - Croatoan) "Who knows how far this thing can spread?"
From 5.20 - The Devils You Know: In the Niveus Pharmaceutical's meeting room, Brady was giving a meeting, showing them a newspaper. "They want our vaccine. They need our vaccine. It's called 'demand', people. Now, supply!"
From 5.20 - The Devils You Know: In Brady's Office, Brady leaned forward to look into the bowl of blood in front of him, opening his black eyes. "Sir, great news. The vaccine trials? The results have been..."
From 5.20 - The Devils You Know: In the lab, the Demon Janitor injected Doctor 2 in the neck with the syringe. Doctor 2 stood, his eyes bloodshot, looking murderous and rabid like a Croat. Croat!Doctor lunged toward Doctor 1, pulling him away from the door. Blood splattered onto the glass door.
Brady: (voice over from 5.20 - The Devils You Know) "Really quite grotesque. I think you'll be pleased."
From 5.10 - Abandon All Hope...: At William Jasper's Farm's Field, something rose from underneath the ground, unseen.
Lucifer smiled. "Oh, hello, Death."
From 5.20 - The Devils You Know: In the abandoned house, Brady was tied underneath the Devil's Trap with the burlap sack over his head, speaking it through it. "Ness Singer." Ness crossed her arms over her chest. "Mm, even after Lucifer and Death warned you, used your mother against you, you're jumping back in to help your friends." He chuckled. "So fearless. So brave. So stupid."
Ness rolled her eyes.
From 5.20 - The Devils You Know: In the Singer House, Zane looked at Bobby. "We can give you anything you want, Bobby. Up to and including Death's coordinates. All we need is..."
"My soul," Bobby finished.
From 5.20 - The Devils You Know: In the abandoned house, Ness and Sam were sitting across from each other at the table in front of the fireplace.
"Say we can open the cage," Sam told her. But then what? What if you guys lead the Devil to the edge and I jump in It'd be just like when Bobby turned the knife around on himself."
Ness stood, seeming anxious and exasperated, yet calm at the same time, pacing, holding her head. "Son of a bitch."
Sam stood, turning to Ness. "One action. Just one leap."
Ness stopped where she was, lowering her arms to her side, looking at Sam in exasperation. "Are you four trying to kill me?"
From 5.20 - The Devils You Know: In Catty's Mustang, Ness was driving. Sam was in the passenger seat.
"This would be the hardest thing that you would have to do," Ness told him. "You're trying to control Satan himself. But how are you gonna control the Devil when you can't control yourself?" Sam didn't answer. "I hate this idea, Sam. I think it's gonna be the death of you, and I don't want you to go through with it. I know sure as hell that Scar, Dean and Catty wouldn't want you to go through with it. But it's not really up to us, though, is it?"
Sam thought for a moment. "I'll only do it if we all agree, Ness."
NOW
§
Davenport, Iowa
Flash Forward
Night - Serenity Valley Convalescent Nursing Home - Patient Room
A woman was lying in bed, looking toward the door. "Dr. Green, how was your trip?"
Pestilence was the one walking closer, looking completely healthy. "Oh, very productive." He sat next to the woman. "And how are we tonight, Celeste, my favorite patient? The nurse says you can't sleep."
"Oh, I just feel worse and worse," Celeste told him.
Pestilence pulled out a pair of glasses, putting them on. "Well, that's because you're suffering from a combination of the common cold, Dengue Fever, and a nasty, nasty case of Japanese Encephalitis."
"What are you..." Celeste trailed off. She chuckled tiredly. "I'm sorry. I--"
"Oh, you heard me," Pestilence told her, sliding a hand across her forehead, using magic to make Celeste even more sick, making mumps and bumps appear all over her skin. "Oh, and look at that. You never had chicken pox as a child. Oh, this is gonna be fascinating."
Celeste could barely stay awake. "But I--H--How could I..."
"Have all those diseases at once?" Pestilence finished, taking off his glasses, rubbing his eyes. "Well, it's a proprietary blend. I mix it up in a petri dish, the petri dish being..." He put the glasses back on. "You." Celeste gasped weakly. "Try and relax. It'll be all right."
"Are you... gonna c--cure me?" Celeste asked.
"No," Pestilence answered. "You're going to die." He checked his watch. "In four, three." Celeste started to cough. "Two..." Celeste vomited a green substance over Pestilence. The green substance coated her skin around her mouth and neck. Her head turned limply to the side. She wasn't breathing or blinking, dead. Pestilence didn't seem to be bothered in the least. "Interesting."
§ Worlds Colliding (Supernatural) §
One Day Earlier
Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Day One
Morning - Singer House - Library
Bobby and Ness were sitting at the desk, going through papers and articles. Scarlett, Sam, Dean and Catty were in the kitchen, arguing.
Dean looked at Sam. "What the hell is wrong with you?"
"Dean--" Sam started.
"No, don't 'Dean' me," Dean told him. "I mean, you--you have had some stupid ideas in the past. But this--"
Scarlett looked at Bobby and Ness. "Did you two know about this?"
"What?" Bobby asked.
"About Sam's genius plan to cram the Devil down his throat," Scarlett answered with sarcasm.
"No," Bobby answered.
"Yes," Ness answered.
"Well, thanks for the heads up, Ness," Catty told her sarcastically.
"Hey, this ain't about me, Cat," Ness told her. "And I told Sam about what it would mean and that I hated the plan."
"Good," Catty told her. "So do we." She looked at Sam. "You can't do this."
"That's the consensus," Sam told them.
"All right," Dean told him. "Awesome. Then, end of discussion."
§
Singer Salvage Yard
Dean got into the driver's seat of the Impala. Sam got into the passenger seat. Catty, Scarlett and Ness got into the backseat.
Bobby sat outside the Impala in his wheelchair, next to Ness' window. "Be careful."
Ness nodded, smiling a small smile. The Impala drove away. Bobby watched them go pensively.
§
Delacroix Island, Louisiana
Hospital - Octavia's Hospital Room
Octavia was lying in a hospital room, covered with a hospital blanket. She was sleeping, attached to a breathing mask. Castiel and Angelos were standing nearby the window, looking outside. Octavia started to stir awake.
Castiel and Angelos looked toward Octavia in slight surprise and relief. "Ava?"
Octavia looked at them, still disoriented. "Cas? Los?" She noticed the mask, confused, pulling it off in annoyance, tossing it aside. She looked around in confusion. "Where are we?"
"A hospital," Angelos answered.
Octavia raised her eyebrows. "Hospital?"
Castiel nodded. "Los and I found you the other day, bloody and unconscious, on a shrimping boat off Delacroix. We're still cut off from Heaven's powers, and we couldn't heal you, so we had to bring you here. You had Los and I thinking you weren't going to wake up. The doctors thought you were brain dead."
Octavia looked around. "Why aren't I healing on my own?"
"You're lucky to be alive, Ava," Angelos told her. "How do you feel right now?"
Octavia thought for a moment. "I'm thirsty. Very tired. My body aches. I think I have to pee. It's like..."
"Like you're Human," Angelos finished. "We all thought you were dead. Cas and I didn't go through with your plan because it was suicide."
"I know that, Los," Octavia told him. "Thank you. Both of you." She sighed. "What do we do now?"
"What do you want?" Angelos asked.
"Food," Octavia answered. "And pain medication, ideally."
"All right," Castiel told her. "Well, don't worry about us. Ava, there's no point in getting yourself involved when..."
"When I'm useless?" Octavia asked.
"When you're healing," Castiel answered.
Octavia realized something by the way they were acting. "There's something going on, isn't there?" They didn't answer. "Cas? Los?"
Castiel sighed. "Michael took Adam instead of Catty. Catty said no." Octavia was barely surprised. "And we figured out how to put Lucifer back into the Cage."
"How?" Octavia asked.
"It's a long story, Ava," Angelos told her. "But you need to rest, to heal, to--"
"To help you," Octavia told him. "It's the final quarter, and I'm not going to be on the bench." Castiel looked at her in confusion. Octavia rolled her eyes at the cluelessness. Angelos smirked. "We have work to do, Cas. I'm not gonna turn my back just because I'm hurt, Los. You need all the help you can get."
Castiel considered this, nodding. "All right. Fine. Los and I'll leave so you can... do what you have to, Ava."
Castiel and Angelos walked toward the door.
"Cas, Los, wait," Octavia told them. They stopped. "I need you to understand why I did what I did. Or what I almost did."
Castiel turned to face Octavia. "We already know, Ava."
"No, you don't," Octavia told them. "I told you that I had to give this my all otherwise it wasn't worth fighting for, and I meant that. Sam, Dean, Scar and Catty, Ness and Bobby, their sense of family and loyalty... It's also worth dying for. I meant that, too. But only then did I realize something. Even if the Singers and the Winchesters aren't blood... they're family. And they'd die for each other and for what they believe in. It's just... something that I wish the Angels had." Castiel and Angelos nodded barely in agreement. Octavia seemed to be affected by something. "Whoa."
"What?" Castiel asked.
"Human feelings," Octavia answered. "They're a lot stronger than I would've imagined." She looked at Castiel and Angelos. "It's surreal."
Castiel didn't know how to help.
Angelos nodded barely. "Get some rest, Ava. I'll stay here with you to make sure you'll be okay. Cas, you might wanna go help Catty, Sam, Dean, Scar and Ness."
Castiel nodded in agreement. "Just keep an eye on her, Los."
Angelos nodded. "Of course."
Octavia rolled her eyes. "I don't need to be watched."
Castiel and Angelos gave her a look. "Ava."
Octavia sighed. "Fine."
§
Davenport, Iowa
Night - Serenity Valley Convalescent Nursing Home - Outside - The Impala
Catty was watching the building with binoculars. "So this is Dr. Evil's lair, huh?"
"It's kind of more depressing than evil," Sam told them.
"It's like a four-color brochure for dying young," Ness told them. "Of course, to Pestilence, it's probably Dollywood in there."
"Great," Dean told them sarcastically. "A whole building full of people. We don't know who's Human, who's Demon, and who's Pestilence. So, what do we do?"
Scarlett looked at the security camera outside the front door. "Hang on."
§
Inside - Guard Room
Sam, Dean, Catty, Scarlett and Ness could be seen walking down the hall through the security footage screens.
Catty walked in, looking at the guard keeping eye over all of the footage. "Hey. Hi. Uh, I'm looking for my Nana. Uh, her name is Julia Kennedy."
"Go around front and see the nurse," the guard told her.
"You mind just helping me out, sir?" Catty asked, closing the door, walking closer. "Uh, she's about, uh, about that small and gray hair, wears diapers."
Catty punched the guard in the face, making him fall to the floor, unconscious, knocking on the door to let Sam, Dean, Scarlett and Ness know that they could come in, walking toward the guard's body, pulling him aside to get him out of the way. Sam, Dean, Scarlett and Ness walked in with bags over their shoulders, closing the door behind them.
Sam looked at Catty. "Small, gray hair, wears diapers?"
"That the beauty about improv," Scarlett told them. "You never know what's gonna come out of your mouth."
Ness smirked.
§
Later
There were ten screens of security footage. They were in columns of two. Sam, Dean, Catty, Scarlett and Ness sat in front of each column to watch two screens each. Catty was drifting off.
"So, what are..." Sam trailed off, hitting Catty's arm to make sure she stayed awake. "Hey. What are we even looking for?"
"Well, we've already seen what Pestilence looks like onscreen," Ness told them. "We just have to wait to see if we can see it again."
Dean sighed sarcastically, rubbing his eyes tiredly. "Awesome."
§
Later
Hours seemed to go by. Dean stood, pacing. Sam, Catty, Scarlett and Ness were still watching the footage.
§
Later
Dean was leaning against the wall. Catty was drifting off again. Sam, Scarlett and Ness were still watching the footage.
Ness leaned closer to her screens, seeing something, hitting Catty to make sure she stayed awake. "Hey."
"Cat, we know you're still exhausted, but give us a little more time and you can sleep for weeks once we're done," Scarlett told her.
Catty sat up. "Fine. I'm trying."
Dean walked closer, standing behind Ness. Ness, Dean, Catty, Scarlett and Sam looked at Ness' screens to see a distortion on the monitor over a man's face, like they had seen from the gas station footage in 5.20 The Devil You Know.
"Oh, now we're talking," Dean told them.
Ness, Dean, Catty, Scarlett and Sam watched every screen for every camera that Pestilence would walk past, distorting the footage, exchanging a look.
§
Celeste's Room
Pestilence walked toward Celeste.
"Dr. Green, how was your trip?" Celeste asked.
"Oh, very productive," Pestilence told her, sitting down next to Celeste. "And how are we tonight, Celeste, my favorite patient?"
§
Hallway
Sam, Scarlett, Catty, Dean and Ness walked around a corner with weapons ready, seeing a nurse down the hall, backing away behind the corner of the wall to hide, looking around the corner to see the nurse wheel a patient in a wheelchair into the elevator, taking it up. Once the doors closed, they stepped out of hiding, walking down the hall.
§
Patient's Room
Sam, Scarlett, Catty, Dean and Ness walked past the door. A nurse looked up, turning toward the door as if she had sensed them.
§
Celeste's Room
The nurse walked in. "Sir..." Celeste was dead, the green substance coating the skin around her mouth and neck. Pestilence was standing, wiping the green substance away from his face. He looked at the nurse. The nurse let her eyes turn black. "The Winchesters and Ness Singer are here. We should go."
Pestilence chuckled, seeing that she was serious. "Are you kidding me?"
"They have a track record with Horsemen," the Demon nurse told him.
"You mean my brothers," Pestilence told her. "What they did to my brothers." The Demon nurse let her eyes return normal. "No." Pestilence held up his glasses, inspecting them. "The only reasonable thing to do here is to... take it out of their healthy young asses."
"We're under strict orders not to kill the vessels," the Demon nurse told him.
"Sam and Catty Winchester, yes," Pestilence agreed, lowering the glasses to his side, looking down. "Dean and Scarlett Winchester, and Ness Singer, however? Dean and Scarlett are just a way to get to their siblings." He chuckled, shaking his head with anger. "And Ness just keep getting in the way, even when she's been warned to stay out of it. Ness is the one that destroyed War. So Dean, Scarlett and Ness are fair game, but Sam and Catty have as much to do with it as they do. So if Satan wants them so bad..." He looked at the Demon nurse, yelling in rage. "He can glue them back together!" The Demon nurse seemed scared. Pestilence took a moment to calm himself, holding his arms toward her. "Come. Come." The Demon nurse slowly stepped closer. Pestilence wrapped his arms around her, twisting his ring on his finger. "Now then."
§
Hallway
A doctor was talking to a nurse. "Page me if she's dying."
"Yes, Doctor," the nurse told him.
The doctor vomited the green substance, falling to the floor, gagging. The nurse knelt next to the doctor worriedly. Mumps and bumps appeared all over her skin on her arms. She started to gasp for breath.
§
Hallway 2
Ness, Dean, Catty, Scarlett and Sam walked around the corner, walking down the hall. Ness stopped, starting to breathe heavily. Dean seemed to be getting dizzy. Catty raised her arm to her mouth to cough into her elbow. Scarlett was coughing. Sam could barely stand. Their visions were blurry, swirling, swimming. Ness, Dean, Catty, Scarlett and Sam kept going, walking around another corner to find the dead bodies of the doctor and the nurse.
Sam coughed up blood onto his hand. "Ugh. Must be getting close."
"You think?" Dean asked. Ness leaned against the wall weakly, coughing blood violently onto her jacket. "Ness?" Dean helped Ness stand. "Come on."
Ness and Dean stumbled sickly, falling to the floor, coughing. Scarlett and Sam slid down the wall weakly. Catty kept herself standing against the wall, using it to walk toward Celeste's room, hardly able to keep going.
The Demon nurse opened the door, her eyes black. "The doctor will see you now."
The Demon nurse stepped aside.
Pestilence was standing behind her. "The Winchesters and Ness Singer." Catty held up her mouth, coughing violently, falling to the floor. "Come right in."
§
Celeste's Room
The Demon nurse dragged Catty, Scarlett, Ness, Dean and Sam into the room. The closer they got to Pestilence, the sicker they became, unable to stand, coughing, gasping for breath.
"Hmm," Pestilence hummed. "You guys don't look well. It might be the, uh, Scarlet Fever. No offense, Scarlett. Or, uh, meningitis. Oh!" He chuckled. "Or the syphilis. That's no fun." Ness tried to stand. Pestilence grabbed Ness by her hair, keeping her down, making her look at him, using magic to make her even more sick, making her vomit blood onto the floor. "However you feel right now? It's gonna get so very, very much worse. You should have taken Lucifer and Death's warning seriously and stayed out of the way, Ness. Your stubbornness, your commitment to the Winchesters... it will be the death of you. Questions?" He let Ness go. "Disease gets a bad rap, don't you think?" He walked over to hand sanitizer, scrubbing his hands. "For being filthy. Chaotic. Uh, but really, t--that just describes the people who get sick. Disease itself... Very... pure. Single-minded. Bacteria have one purpose. Divide and conquer." He turned to face them. Catty reached for her knife on the floor in front of her. Pestilence stepped onto Catty's hand, making her gasp in pain. "That's why, in the end... It always wins." He slid the knife away from them, taking his foot off of Catty's hand, pacing. "So, you've got to wonder why God pours all his love into something so messy." He turned to face them, no longer pacing. "And weak!" Scarlett and Sam groaned in pain. "It's ridiculous." Pestilence took out glasses from his jacket pocket. "All I can do is show Him He's wrong, one epidemic at a time." He put the glasses on. "Now... on a scale of 1 to 10... how's your pain?"
Castiel appeared, taking Catty's Knife, grabbing Pestilence's hand, cutting off his ring and little finger, taking his ring away, making him cry out in pain. Pestilence screamed, falling to the floor. The Demon nurse ran toward Castiel. Castiel turned to her, easily driving Catty's Knife through her heart, killing her, making her flash with red, pulling the knife out, letting her fall to the floor. The sickness was immediately taken away. Catty, Scarlett, Ness, Dean and Sam could stand, as if nothing had happened.
Catty breathed deeply in relief, taking her knife from Castiel. "Thanks, Cas."
"Where are Ava and Los?" Ness asked.
"At your home with your father, where Los is making sure Ava is healing," Castiel answered.
"It doesn't matter," Pestilence told them. "It's too late."
Pestilence disappeared. Castiel, Catty, Scarlett, Ness, Dean and Sam exchanged a look. Castiel looked at Pestilence's ring in his hand.
§
Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Day Two
Morning - Singer House - Library
Bobby, Sam, Catty, Scarlett, Dean and Ness sat around the desk. Castiel and Angelos were standing nearby. Octavia was sitting on the window seat, leaning against the wall behind her, having Pestilence's ring in her hand, setting it on the window sill, looking at the ring, looking as if she was trying to use magic to move it. She sighed when she failed, using her fingers to spin the ring, watching it fall flat.
Sam noticed. "Ava? You okay?"
"Considering," Octavia answered. "Trying to get used to being without my powers. At the possibility of being Human. Not exactly how I thought my life would go, Sam."
Sam chuckled a bit.
"Well, it's nice to actually score a home run for once, ain't it?" Angelos asked. They didn't answer. "What?"
"Last thing Pestilence said," Castiel told him. "'It's too late'."
"He get specific?" Angelos asked.
"No," Castiel answered.
"We're just a little freaked out that he might have left a bomb somewhere," Dean told them. "So please tell us you have actual good news."
Bobby hesitated. "Chicago's about to be wiped off the map. Storm of the millennium. Sets off a daisy chain of natural disasters. Three million people are gonna die."
"Huh," Catty told them, leaning her head on the desk.
Castiel looked at Bobby. "I don't understand your definition of 'good news'."
Catty looked up. Bobby, Sam, Scarlett, Dean and Ness seemed annoyed, looking at Octavia, Angelos and Catty. Octavia shook her head, not knowing what to tell them. Angelos smirked.
"Well, Death, the Horseman, he's gonna be there," Bobby told them. "And if we can stop him before he kick-starts this storm, get his ring back--"
"Yeah, you make it sound so easy," Scarlett told him.
"Hell, I'm just trying to put a spin on it," Bobby told them.
"Well, Bobby, how'd you put all this together, anyways?" Octavia asked.
"I had, you know..." Bobby trailed off. "Help."
Crowley and Zane appeared behind them in the kitchen.
Zane was pouring himself a drink, looking at Bobby, walking closer. "Don't be so modest. Crowley and I barely helped at all. Hello, boys and girls. Pleasure, etcetera." He took a drink, looking at Bobby. "Go ahead. Tell them. There's no shame in it."
Crowley smirked. "And it's Vanessa that should really know, even if she won't like it at all."
Castiel, Octavia, Angelos, Sam, Scarlett, Catty, Dean and Ness looked at Bobby in confused suspicion.
"Dad?" Ness asked. "I should know what? Why won't I like it?"
Bobby glared at Crowley and Zane as if he hadn't wanted Ness to know. Crowley and Zane smirked.
Bobby looked at Ness. "World's gonna end. Seems stupid to get all precious over one little... soul."
"You sold your soul?" Ness asked incredulously.
All regretful and sympathetic, Octavia closed her eyes, looking away, and Castiel and Angelos sighed.
"Oh, more like pawned it," Crowley told them. "I fully intend to give it back."
"Well, then give it back," Ness told him.
"I will," Crowley told her.
"Now," Ness told him.
Catty looked at Bobby. "Did you kiss them? Crowley or Zane?"
"Catty," Castiel told her.
"Just wondering," Catty told him.
Castiel, Octavia, Sam, Catty, Dean and Ness looked at Bobby.
Bobby hesitated. "No! Neither!" Zane cleared his throat, holding out his phone to show them a picture of Bobby and Crowley kissing, the picture obviously having been taken by Zane. Dean, Scarlett, Catty and Sam took a closer look. Ness looked away in disgust. Castiel, Octavia and Angelos sighed, unamused. Bobby glared at Zane. "Why'd you take a picture?"
Zane smirked. "For proof."
"And why do you have to use tongue?" Crowley replied.
Sam, Scarlett, Catty and Dean looked at Bobby with what the hell? looks. Ness gave Bobby a look, serious. Bobby looked down, embarrassed and ashamed.
Ness shook her head in frustration, standing, turning to face Crowley and Zane. "All right. You know what? I'm sick of this. Give him his soul back now."
"I'm sorry, Vanessa," Crowley told her. "I can't."
"'Can't' or 'won't'?" Ness asked.
"We won't, all right?" Zane asked. "It's insurance."
"What are you talking about?" Ness asked.
"You kill Demons," Crowley told her. He gestured to Dean, Catty, Scarlett and Sam. "Squirrel, Moose, Fatale and Snidely over there have temper issues about it." Dean, Catty, Scarlett and Sam exchanged an annoyed look. "Castiel, Angelos and Octavia are Angels that smite on sight. Well, Octavia's not anymore, as far as I can tell. How does it feel to be Human, Octavia?"
"I'll let you know when I heal and return to Angel and smite you and Zane for being manipulative sons of bitches, Crowley," Octavia replied.
Sam smirked.
Zane chuckled. "Charming. And not likely." Octavia glared. Zane looked at Ness. "But you won't kill us... as long as we have your father's soul in the deposit box, Ness."
"How does that feel, Ness?" Crowley asked.
Ness shook her head, angry yet remaining completely calm. "You sons of bitches."
"We'll return it," Crowley told them. "After all this is over, and we can walk safely away. Do we all understand each other?"
Ness glared at Crowley and Zane, turning away, looking at Bobby. Bobby sighed, knowing he screwed up.
§
Singer Salvage Yard
Sam, Dean, Scarlett and Catty were packing up the trunk of the Impala with weapons. Sam leaned against the car, sighing.
"Let me guess," Scarlett told him. "We're about to have a talk."
"Look, guys, um..." Sam trailed off. "For the record... I agree with you. About me. You think I'm too weak to take on Lucifer. Well, so do I. Believe me, I know exactly how screwed up I am. You three, Ness, Bobby, Cas, Ava, Los... I'm the least of any of you."
"Oh, Sam..." Dean trailed off.
"No, it's true," Sam told them. "It is. But... I'm also all we got. If there was another way... But I don't think there is. There's just me. So I don't know what else to do. Except just try t--to do what's got to be done."
Ness walked closer. "And... scene. There's something you need to see."
Ness handed Catty a newspaper.
Catty took it, reading it over. "Niveus Pharmaceuticals is rushing delivery of its new swine-flu vaccine to 'stem the tide of the unprecedented outbreak'. Uh, shipments leave Wednesday."
Catty handed the newspaper to Scarlett, Sam and Dean in annoyed realization.
"What?" Sam asked.
"Niveus Pharmaceuticals," Ness told them. "Get it?" Sam and Dean didn't answer. "You two are lucky you have your looks. Our Demon, Brady? VP of distribution, Niveus." Sam and Dean started to realize. "We all caught up?"
"So, Pestilence..." Dean trailed off.
"Was spreading swing flu," Scarlett finished.
"Yeah, but not just for giggles," Catty told them. "That was step one. Step two is the vaccine." She looked at Ness. "And you think--"
"I know," Ness told them. "I'll stake my reputation. That vaccine is chock-full of Grade-A, farm-fresh Croatoan virus."
"Simultaneous, countrywide distribution," Catty told them. "It's quite a plan."
"They don't get to be Horsemen for nothing," Ness told them. "So, we all better stock up on... well, everything. This time next Thursday, we'll all be living in Zombieland." Catty looked away. Ness sighed. "We're gonna have to split up, divide and conquer. Who's coming with me to stop the Zombie virus?"
"I'll go," Dean answered.
"Me too," Scarlett agreed.
Catty looked at Scarlett, Ness and Dean worriedly. "What? No."
"Why?" Scarlett asked.
Catty didn't answer.
Ness realized. "This about Zachariah sending you to the future and seeing me, Scar and Dean get infected and you having to kill us? Lucifer saying that we would die even if we didn't?"
Catty hesitated. "No." Ness, Sam, Scarlett and Dean gave her an unconvinced look. Catty sighed. "Maybe. Look, Ava's Human, right? Ava's already one piece of the future puzzle put into place. I'd just like it if we can stop the rest from happening." She looked at Ness, Scarlett and Dean. "And Zachariah and Lucifer said that either you three get infected and get killed, or you all die in 2012. Let's try to stop that from happening, okay?"
"Fine," Dean told her. "Scar and I'll go with you to take down Death."
"Yeah," Scarlett agreed.
Catty sighed. "Thank you."
"I guess we'll figure out the rest later," Scarlett told them.
(Song) O Death - Jen Titus
Ness, Sam, Scarlett, Dean and Catty nodded, sighing.
§
Chicago, Illinois
Street
A wild storm was brewing in the sky. Wind was sweeping leaves all around. People were walking along a store strip on either side of the road. A pale 1959 Cadillac Eldorado drove along, pulling over at the side of the street. The door opened as a man thin as a skeleton, hair black, in all black, a wooden cane and a Horsemen ring with iron setting and white stone stepped out of the car, his face yet unseen, closing the door. This was Death. He walked down the sidewalk.
A man on his phone walked past Death, bumping into his shoulder on the way. "Watch where you're walking, pal."
Death stopped where he was, looking down at his shoulder, brushing it off lightly. The man who had brushed by him rudely was suddenly in pain, falling to the ground, dead. Death continued to walk away as if nothing had happened. Several people ran toward the dead man on the ground to help.
(End of Song)
§
Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Night - Singer Salvage Yard
Sam, Dean, Angelos and Castiel were packing up the Impala, loading weapons. Catty, Ness, Scarlett and Octavia were packing up Ness' Car, loading weapons. Octavia looked distracted.
Catty and Scarlett noticed. "What's wrong?"
"It's the 11th hour, and I am useless," Octavia told them. "All I have is this."
Octavia held up a shotgun.
"Yeah, well, you're angry and defiant and yet passionate enough to figure this all out, Ava," Ness told her. "You need our advice to get through this?"
Octavia shook her head barely, looking down. "I know that advice from Ness Singer is coveted, but I think I'll be fine."
Ness chuckled. "Thanks, Ava."
Octavia managed a small smile. "You too, Ness."
Sam, Dean, Angelos and Castiel walked closer. Bobby rolled closer.
Dean looked at Catty, Octavia, Scarlett and Ness. "Well, how about this? The Powerpuff Girls. Catty looks like Bubbles, Ava looks like Blossom, and both Ness and Scar look like Buttercup."
Catty looked at Octavia, Scarlett and Ness, realizing they actually did look like them, chuckling in surprise. She looked at Sam, Ness and Octavia. "All right, well... Good luck stopping the whole Zombie Apocalypse."
Ness nodded, looking at Dean, Scarlett, Angelos, Catty and Castiel. "Yeah. Good luck killing Death."
"Yeah," Angelos agreed.
Scarlett scoffed, shaking her head. "Remember when we used to just... hunt Wendigos? How simple things were?"
"Not really," Dean answered.
"Well, um..." Catty trailed off, pulling out her knife, holding it toward Ness. "You might need this."
Ness nodded, taking Catty's Knife from Catty. "What about you guys?"
Crowley and Zane walked closer.
Crowley handed Dean a scythe. "Scarlett, Angelos, Castiel, Catty and Dean are covered. Death's own. Kills, golly, Demons, and Angels, and Reapers, and, rumor has it, the very thing itself."
"How did you get that?" Castiel asked.
"Hello?" Crowley asked. "King of the Crossroads. So, shall we?"
"Bobby, you just gonna sit there?" Zane asked.
"No, I'm gonna river dance," Bobby told him sarcastically.
"I suppose, if you want to impress the ladies," Zane told him. "Bobby, Bobby, Bobby. Really wasted that Crossroads Deal. In fact, you get more if you phrase it properly. So, I took the liberty of suggesting to Crowley that he add a teeny little sub-A clause on your behalf. What can I say? I'm a altruist. Just gonna sit there?"
Sam, Dean, Scarlett, Angelos, Castiel, Catty, Octavia and Ness looked at Bobby. Bobby slowly, cautiously stood, able to stand without the wheelchair.
Ness smiled. "Son of a bitch."
"Yes, Ness, I know," Crowley told her. "Completely worth your father's soul. Zane and I are hell of guys."
"Thanks," Bobby told them.
"This is getting maudlin," Zane told them. "Can we go?"
§
On the Road
Ness' Car drove down the road.
§
Ness' Car
Ness was driving. Bobby was in the passenger seat. Sam and Octavia were in the backseat.
Octavia looked at Sam. "'Yes' to Lucifer? Then jump in the hole? It's an interesting plan. Well, that's one word for it, anyway."
Sam chuckled, looking at her. "So? Go ahead and tell me it's the worst plan you ever heard, Ava."
"I am happy to say that if that's what you want to hear, Sam," Octavia told him. "But it's not what I think."
"Really?" Sam asked.
"You, Scar, Catty and Dean have a habit of exceeding my expectations," Octavia told him. "Catty resisted Michael, even after all the hell the Angels put her through. Maybe you could resist Lucifer, but there are things that you would need to know."
"Like?" Sam asked.
"Michael has found another vessel," Octavia told him.
"What?" Sam asked.
"It's your brother, Adam," Octavia told him. "You must have considered it."
"We were trying not to," Sam told her.
"Sam..." Octavia trailed off, thinking. "If you say yes to Lucifer and then fail... This fight will happen. And the collateral... it'll be immense. There's also the Demon blood."
"What?" Sam asked. "What are you talking about?"
"To take in Lucifer, it would be more than you've ever drunk," Octavia told him.
"But..." Sam trailed off. "Why?"
"It strengthens the vessel," Octavia answered. "Keeps it from exploding."
"But the guy he's in now..." Sam trailed off.
"He's drinking gallons," Octavia told him.
Ness looked into the rear view mirror to look at Octavia. "Ava, how is that not the worst plan you ever heard?"
Octavia looked into the rear view mirror to give Ness a look. "I'm sorry, Ness, but I'm trying to find a way to stop Lucifer and end the Apocalypse, just the same way as all of you are."
Sam looked at Octavia hesitantly. "Ava..."
Octavia looked at him. "What?"
"I'm guessing Cas and Los filled you in on most things that's been going on since the blast that nearly killed you," Sam told her. Octavia nodded. "But there's one thing that I don't think they know that you should, Ava." Octavia looked at Sam in confusion. Sam hesitated. "It's about... Gabriel."
Octavia looked as if she knew where this was headed.
§
Day Three
Morning - Niveus Pharmaceuticals Warehouse - Outside - Ness' Car
Bobby, Octavia, Sam and Ness were watching a truck back away toward an open door.
Bobby was looking through binoculars to see two men loading boxes into the truck. "Yep. They're loading up hotshots of Croatoan in the trucks." He lowered the binoculars. "Okay. First truck don't leave for an hour. We get in, we plant the C-4 every 25 feet, then we pull the fire alarm."
Ness pointed toward the truck. "That truck is leaving."
Bobby followed her gaze to the truck driving away. "Balls! Okay, new plan."
§
Outside
The truck stopped at the gate. The man driving reached out of the window to slide his key card to open the gate. Octavia was outside the door, grabbing the man's arm, using the butt of her shotgun to hit him in the head twice, making him fall unconscious. His head leaned against the steering wheel, making the horn honk.
§
Warehouse
A man heard the horn blaring, looking out of the open garage door.
§
Outside
Octavia climbed up the steps to the door of the truck to push the man's unconscious body to the seat, making the horn silence, turning to the key pad, using the butt of her gun to hit it, breaking it. The gate stopped opening.
§
Warehouse
The man that had heard the horn honking had completely, Demon black eyes. He hit a button to close the doors, turning to another man, presumably another Demon. "It's Ness and Bobby Singer, Sam Winchester and the Angel, Octavia."
"Well, then, let's bake them up a little treat," Demon 2 told him.
Demon 1 continued to close all of the doors. Demon 2 opened the stacks of boxes nearby, revealing the Croatoan virus boxed up in vaccine boxes.
§
Outside
Octavia, Sam, Ness and Bobby ran up to the doors, unable to get in.
"Side door!" Bobby told them.
They ran to the side door, trying to open it. They could hear people inside yelling for help.
"Get back!" Ness told them. She shot the lock off, opening the door. "Go. Come on. Go."
People ran outside, past them, leaving.
§
Inside
Bobby, Sam, Octavia and Ness walked in, guns raised. They lowered their bags to the floor, walking further inside. They walked around a corner of boxes to see many people ripping into the Croatoan virus boxes. They turned to face them, their eyes bloodshot, looking at Bobby, Sam and Ness with murderous, rabid looks, now taken over. Bobby, Sam, Octavia and Ness raised their guns toward them, hating that they had to kill Human beings, but knowing there was no other way.
§
The Croats ran toward Bobby, Sam, Octavia and Ness. Bobby, Sam, Octavia and Ness shot all of them with laser-like focus, expressionless, killing all of them, making them fall to the floor, dead.
They heard a woman's voice. "Help me! Please! Help!"
"There's still people here," Octavia told them, walking toward the sound.
"Ava, wait," Sam told her.
"Wait here," Octavia told them. "I'll help the ones that are still Human get away." She walked away. Sam followed her. "Sam, I don't need protection."
"I know," Sam agreed. "But you could use the help."
They walked away.
Bobby stepped away from Ness, sighing. "Damn."
Ness backed away, having a handgun in one hand, Catty's Knife in the other. Demon 1 appeared behind Ness. Ness seemed to sense him, turning to face Demon 1, stabbing him in the stomach with Catty's Knife, killing him, making him flash with red, taking the knife out, letting him fall to the floor.
§
Chicago, Illinois
Warehouse - Outside
Crowley, Zane, Dean, Scarlett, Angelos, Catty and Castiel walked toward the building.
"Hey, let's stop for pizza," Zane told them.
"Are you kidding?" Scarlett asked.
"Just heard it was good," Zane told them. "That's all. Up ahead. Big, ugly building." They looked at the building in front of them. "Ground zero. Horseman's stable, if you will. He's in there."
"How do you know?" Dean asked.
"Have you met us?" Crowley replied. "'Cause we know."
Crowley, Zane, Angelos and Castiel could see something that Dean, Scarlett and Catty couldn't.
"Reapers," Castiel told them.
"Where?" Catty asked.
"Everywhere," Castiel answered.
Reapers were surrounding the warehouse in front of them. The warehouse itself was covered in symbols like 4.15 Death Takes a Holiday and 5.10 Abandon All Hope...
Zane looked around Dean, Scarlett, Angelos and Catty to look at Castiel. "Take all my thunder, will you?"
Scarlett ignored him, looking at Angelos and Castiel. "Can you get in?"
"No," Castiel answered. "The building's Angel-proofed."
"Great," Catty told them sarcastically.
"But it's not Demon-proofed," Crowley told them. "I'll be right back. Zane, let's go."
Crowley and Zane disappeared, leaving.
Catty looked at the others. "Hey." They looked at her. Catty showed them a coin. "Found this in the car."
"Is that the tracking thing Zane told us about?" Dean asked.
Catty nodded. "Already told Crowley and Zane what I'd do with this and the one in Ness' Car if they screwed us over." Dean, Scarlett and Angelos smirked. Castiel looked at the building uneasily. Catty looked at him in concern. "Cas? You okay?"
"I'm fine, Catty," Castiel answered. "With Los and I trapped out here, I'm just worried about what could happen when this falls to you, Scar and Dean."
Catty nodded in understanding. "We'll be fine, Cas."
"He has a point," Angelos told them. "Death will not like Crowley and Zane, Demons, interfering with his work, especially when he's working with Lucifer, who wants both Zane and Crowley dead. And Cas and I can't go in there, and that leaves only you, Catty and Dean to go in there, Scar."
Scarlett took him by the hand. "Well, like we said, Los. We'll be fine."
§
Niveus Pharmaceuticals Warehouse
A woman was on a step ladder, trying to get away from a Croat. The Croat grabbed her ankle, pulling her down.
Octavia shot the Croat in the back, killing him, watching the body fall to the floor. She looked at the woman. "You okay?"
The woman nodded.
"Ava, get her out of here," Sam told her.
"What about you, Bobby and Ness?" Octavia asked.
"We'll handle the Croats," Sam answered.
Octavia sighed. "Sam..."
Sam looked at the girl, leading her toward Octavia. "It's okay. Ava can get you out safely."
A Croat approached Bobby from behind. Bobby turned to face him, using the butt of his shotgun to hit the Croat in the face, making him fall to the floor, shooting him, killing him.
Octavia led the woman and a man toward Ness and Bobby, toward the door. "Go! Go!"
Octavia got the woman and man out. Sam and Bobby stood nearby Ness and Octavia. Octavia continued on, shotgun raised, looking around readily. Sam was impressed with how fast Octavia was learning how to fight/kill/defend herself/save others without her powers, as a Human. Bobby watched Sam, thinking.
§
Chicago, Illinois
Warehouse - Outside
Dean, Scarlett, Angelos, Catty and Castiel were waiting.
They heard Crowley's voice behind them. "Boy, is my face red?" They turned to face Crowley and Zane. "Death's in there."
"And you're out here why?" Dean asked.
"Because we're not fighting against him," Zane answered. He looked at Catty, Scarlett and Dean. "You three are." He looked at Castiel and Angelos. "And you can't go in. Sorry, Castiel, Angelos, looks like you're stuck with us."
Catty, Scarlett and Dean looked at each other, debating, turning around, walking toward the warehouse.
Castiel turned after them. "Dean. Catty. Scar." They stopped. "This isn't--"
"Safe?" Catty finished. "Yeah, we know, thanks, Clarence. But we don't have much other choice." She looked at Crowley. "Because we have two cowards for Demons here." Crowley shrugged. Zane smirked. Catty looked at Castiel. "But we'll be fine. Promise. We'll be back, Cas."
Scarlett looked at Angelos, leaning closer to kiss him passionately. Angelos was surprised but returned the kiss in kind. Zane rolled his eyes, looking away. Crowley smirked.
Angelos pulled away, looking at Scarlett. "What was that for?"
"Just in case," Scarlett answered. "We might die, and so might you, Los. Just didn't wanna regret not doing anything."
Angelos chuckled. "Come back, Scar. With Catty and Dean."
Scarlett nodded. "We will."
Dean, Scarlett and Catty turned around, walking away. Castiel and Angelos watched them go, worried. Zane was annoyed by Scarlett and Angelos. Crowley looked from Catty to Castiel, a smirk playing on his lips.
§
Niveus Pharmaceuticals Warehouse
A Demon punched Ness, making her turn away. Ness backhand punched him, stabbing him in the chest with Catty's Knife, killing him, making him flash with red, pulling the knife out, letting him fall to the floor.
Octavia led a girl and a boy toward the door. "Go! Go!" The girl and boy ran out, leaving. Octavia looked at Sam, Bobby and Ness. "All clear." She saw something behind them. "Sam! Ness!"
A Croat tackled Ness to the floor, strangling her. Sam aimed his shotgun. A Demon appeared next to Sam, pulling the shotgun away from him, using it to hit him in the head, making him fall to the floor. Sam saw Catty's Knife on the floor nearby, trying to reach it. The Demon kicked the knife away from him. Bobby aimed his shotgun at the Croat, shooting. It clicked, no bullets remaining. The Demon knelt next to Sam, punching him in the face repeatedly. Octavia used her shotgun to hit the Demon in the head, making him fall off of Sam to the floor, sliding over the tile on her knees toward Catty's Knife, throwing it into the Demon's chest, killing him, making him flash with red and fall to the floor, dead.
Sam breathed heavily in relief. "Thanks for the save and the heads up, Ava."
The Croat strangled Ness, his eyes red. He cut his wrist, cutting into Ness' skin, about to make blood-to-blood contact. Octavia stood, shooting the Croat in the head, killing him. The Croat fell dead next to Ness on the floor. Ness gasped for breath. Sam stood, looking at Octavia, impressed and surprised by how many people she had helped him save that day, including him and Ness, and for those who she had helped kill.
Octavia looked at the shotgun in her hand. "Actually, these things can be useful."
Sam chuckled. Bobby helped Ness stand.
Ness breathed heavily, trying to catch her breath. "Thanks, Ava."
Octavia nodded. "Sam? Ness? You okay?"
They nodded, still catching their breath.
"Can we commit our act of domestic terrorism already?" Bobby asked. "Let's go."
Ness chuckled in relief. She held the cut on her shoulder, realizing that she had been very close to turning, and that the future and Catty had almost been right.
§
Chicago, Illinois
Warehouse - Outside
Crowley, Zane, Angelos and Castiel were standing outside.
"Castiel, Angelos, what are we waiting for?" Crowley asked.
"Millions," Castiel told them. "Millions of people are about to die any minute."
"True," Zane told them. "So I strongly suggest we get out of here."
"So, what?" Angelos asked. "Call in a bomb threat? 1,000 bomb threats? I mean, if Scar, Dean and Catty don't succeed here, how are we supposed to get three million people out of Chicago in the next 10 minutes?"
Angelos and Castiel turned to see Crowley and Zane had disappeared, sighing.
§
Warehouse
Scarlett, Dean and Catty walked inside to see several people dead. They slowly walked toward the only person alive, Death. Death was sitting at a table, eating pizza. Dean had Death's Scythe. The scythe started to burn, the handle turning red as it continued to heat up, burning Dean's skin, making him drop the weapon.
"Thanks for returning that," Death told them. Scarlett, Dean and Catty looked at the floor to see that the scythe had disappeared, looking at the table next to Death to see it there. "Join me. The pizza's delicious." Scarlett, Dean and Catty exchanged a look, slowly walking forward. "Sit down." Scarlett, Dean and Catty sat down at the table across from each other, on either side of Death as he continued to eat. "Took you long enough to find me. I've been wanting to talk to you."
"I got to say, I have mixed feelings about that," Dean told him. "S--So is this the part where... where you kill us?"
"You have an inflated sense of your importance, Dean," Death told him. "To a thing like me, a thing like you, well... Think how you'd feel if a bacterium sat at your table and started to get snarky. This is one little planet in one tiny solar system in a galaxy that's barely out of its diapers. I'm old. Very old. So I invite you to contemplate how insignificant I find you. Although, Catty, Scarlett, you seem to know your place even all the while you're all anyone seems to be talking about recently. Tell me, Catty, is that your guilt or your self-loathing?" Catty didn't answer, looking away, rolling her eyes. Death smirked, gesturing to the pizza. "Eat." Dean took a bite of the pizza. "Good, isn't it?"
Dean barely nodded, continuing to eat.
Catty looked at Death. "Well, I got to ask. How old are you?"
"As old as God," Death answered. "Maybe older. Neither of us can remember anymore. Life, death, chicken, egg. Regardless, at the end, I'll reap him, too."
"God?" Scarlett asked skeptically. "You'll reap God?"
Death nodded. "Oh, yes. God will die, too, Scarlett."
"Well, this is way above our pay grade," Catty told them.
"Just a bit," Death agreed.
"So, then why are we still breathing, sitting here with you?" Dean asked. "Uh, what do you want?"
"The leash around my neck, off," Death answered. "Lucifer has me bound to him. Some unseemly little spell. He has me where he wants, when he wants. That's why I couldn't go to you. I had to wait for you to catch up. He made me his weapon. Hurricanes, floods, raising the dead. I'm more powerful than you can process, and I'm enslaved to a bratty child with a temper tantrum."
"And you think... we can unbind you?" Dean asked.
"There's your ridiculous bravado again," Death told him. "Of course you can't. But you can help me take the bullets out of Lucifer's gun. I understand you want this."
Death held up his hand to show Scarlett, Dean and Catty his ring.
"Yeah," Scarlett answered.
"I'm inclined to give it to you," Death told them.
"To give it to us?" Scarlett repeated skeptically.
"That's what I said," Death told them.
"But what about..." Catty trailed off.
"Chicago?" Death finished. "I suppose it can stay. I like the pizza." He took his ring off of his finger, holding it up for them to see. "There are conditions."
"Okay," Catty told him. "Like?"
"You have to do whatever it takes to put Lucifer in his cell," Death told them.
"Of course," Scarlett told him.
"Whatever it takes," Death told them.
"That's the plan," Scarlett told him.
"No," Death told them. "No plan. Not yet. Your brother. He's the one that can stop Lucifer. The only one."
"What, you think--" Dean started.
"I know," Death answered. "So, I need a promise. You're going to let your brother jump right into that fiery pit. Well, do I have your word?"
Scarlett, Dean and Catty exchanged a look.
Dean looked at Death, holding his hand out for the ring. "Okay, yeah. Yes."
"That better be 'Yes'," Death told them. "You know you can't cheat Death." He let the ring fall into Dean's hand. The storms outside stopped immediately. "Now, would you like the instruction manual?"
Scarlett, Dean and Catty looked at each other worriedly.
§
Day Four
Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Morning - Singer Salvage Yard
Dean, Scarlett and Catty were sitting across from each other at a table underneath an owning. Catty had the four Horsemen rings. She had three on the table, evenly spaced out. She held Death's ring, putting it on the table, sliding it toward the others slowly. Magnetism instantly brought them together. Dean, Scarlett and Catty looked at each other but didn't speak, pensive. Bobby walked closer.
"Well, how'd it go at the Rockettes audition?" Catty asked.
"Well, high kicks," Bobby told them. "Fair. Boobs need work. I walked up and down stairs all night for no damn reason. I'm sore. Feels so good, I'm scared it's a dream."
Ness walked closer with five beers, handing them out.
"Really?" Dean asked.
"The world's dying bloody, so I think that one more drink couldn't hurt," Ness told them. Dean, Scarlett, Bobby and Catty nodded in agreement, taking their beers. Ness sat down next to Catty, holding Catty's Knife toward her. "I think you'll want this back."
Catty took her knife. "Thanks." They each took a drink. Catty put down the knife and her beer. "Check it out."
Catty pulled the four Horsemen rings apart, moving one closer to the others. Magnetism instantly brought them together.
Ness took a drink of beer. "Hmm." She picked up the linked rings, looking them over. "Oh. So Death told you how to operate those? The whole deal?"
"Yeah," Scarlett answered. "It's nuts. Of course, we got bigger problems now."
"Really?" Bobby asked. "Like?"
"What do you think Death does to people who lie to his face?" Dean asked.
"Nothing good," Bobby answered.
"Yeah," Dean agreed.
"What'd you say?" Ness asked.
"That we were cool with Sam driving the bus on the whole Lucifer plan," Scarlett answered.
"So Death thinks Sam ought to say yes, huh?" Bobby asked.
"I don't know," Dean told them. "Yeah."
"Hmm," Bobby told them.
"But, I mean, of course, he'd say that," Ness told him. "He works for Lucifer."
"Against his will, I thought he said," Bobby told them.
"Well, I'd say, take his sob story with a fat grain of salt," Dean told them. "I mean, he is Death."
"Exactly," Bobby told them. "He's Death. Think of the kind of bird's-eye view."
"Seriously?" Scarlett asked.
"I'm just saying--" Bobby started.
"Well, don't," Ness told him. "I mean, Dad, what happened to you being against this?"
"Look, I'm not saying Sam ain't an ass-full of character defects," Bobby told them. "But--"
"But what?" Catty asked.
"Back at Niveus?" Bobby asked. "Ness, we watched that kid help Ava pull one civilian out after another. He and Ava must have saved 10 people. Never stopped. Never slowed down. We're hard on him. We've always been. but in the meantime... He's been running into burning buildings since he was, what, 12?"
"Pretty much," Scarlett answered.
"Look, Sam's got a... darkness in him," Bobby told them. "I'm not saying he don't. But he's got a hell of a lot of good in him, too."
"We know," Catty told them.
"Then you know Sam will beat the Devil," Bobby told them. "Or die trying. That's the best we could ask for." Ness looked down, knowing he was right. Bobby looked at Dean, Scarlett and Catty. "So, I got to ask all of you. What exactly are you afraid of? Losing? Or losing your brother?"
Dean, Scarlett and Catty didn't answer, looking at each other, looking as if they didn't know the answer themselves.