Motel Room – Night
Dean dampens a washcloth in the motel room sink and starts to clean his jacket. Castiel appears behind him. Dean sees her in the mirror and startles "God" Dean thumps the sink "Don't do that"
"Hello, Dean" Dean turns around, Castiel is inches from him. "Cas, we've talked about this. Personal space?"
"My apologies" Castiel steps back. Dean grabs his jacket and walks toward the bed. "How did you find me? I thought I was flying below the angel radar" Dean rubs his ribs to illustrate the point.
"you are. Bobby told me where you were" Castiel looks around the motel room, which has no sign of Sam's presence, not even a second bed. "Where's Sam?"
Dean puts his jacket on without looking at Castiel. "Me and Sam are taking separate vacations for a while. So. You find god yet? More importantly, can I have my damn necklace back, please?"
"No, I haven't found him. That's why I'm here. I need your help" Castiel tells him.
"With what? God hunt? Not interested"
"It's not god. It's someone else" Cas tells him.
"Who?"
"Archangel. The one who killed me"
"'Scuse me?"
"His name is Raphael"
"You were wasted by a teenage mutant ninja angel?" Dean jokes.
"I've heard whispers that he's walking the earth. This is a rare opportunity."
"for what? Revenge?"
"Information" Dean goes back over to the sink, picks up his knife and a washcloth, and starts to clean the knife. "So, what, you think you can find this dude and he's just gonna spill God's address?"
"Yes, because we are gonna trap him and interrogate him" Dean pauses and turns back to her "You're serious about this" Castiel turns around to face Dean. Dean drops the washcloth and walks back toward Castiel.
"So, what, I'm Thelma and you're Louise and we're just going to hold hands and sail off this cliff together?" Castiel stares at Dean, confused. Dean goes around her. "Give me one good reason why I should do this"
"Because you're Michael's vessel and no angel will dare harm you" Dean looks at Castiel "Oh, so I'm your bullet shield"
"I need your help because you are the only one who'll help me. Please" Castiel pleads.
Dean considers. "All right, fine. Where is he?"
"Maine. Let's go" Castiel reaches to touch Dean's forehead with two fingers. Dean leans away "Whoa" Castiel removes her hand "What?"
"Last time you zapped me someplace I didn't poop for a week. We're driving"
**********
Street – Day
Dean and Castiel get out of the impala. "And we're here why?" Dean asks.
"A deputy sheriff laid eyes on the archangel" Castiel answered him.
"And he still has eyes? All right, what's the plan?"
"We'll... tell the officer that he witnessed an angel of the lord, and the officer will tell us where the angel is"
"Seriously? You're going to walk in there and tell him the truth?"
"Why not?"
"Because we're humans" Dean pulls out another fake ID and stashes it inside Castiel's coat, then adjusts her coat and tie. "And when humans want something really, really bad, we lie"
"Why?"
"Because that's how you become president" Dean told her seriously before walking towards the sheriff's department.
**********
Sheriff's Department – Day
"Deputy Framingham?" The deputy turns around and Dean holds up an FBI ID. "Hi. Alonzo Mosely, FBI. This is my partner, Edna Moscone" Dean introduces himself then Castiel, who does nothing.
"Also FBI" Castiel does nothing. Dean stares at her. Castiel catches on and pulls out her FBI ID, which she displays upside-down. Dean turns it over for her. "She's, uh, she's new. Mind if we ask you a few questions?" Castiel looks at the ID, curious.
"yeah, sure. Talk here, though" Framingham indicates his right ear, leading Dean and Castiel to his office. "Hearing's all blown to hell in this one"
"That happen recently?" Dean asks.
"Yeah. Gas station. Why you're here, isn't it?"
"Yes, it is" they all sit down. "You mind just, uh, running us through what happened?" Dean asks.
"A call came in. disturbance out at the Pump and Go on Route 4"
"What kind of disturbance?"
"Would not have believed my eyes if I hadn't seen it myself. We're talking a riot. Full scale"
"How many?"
"Thirty, forty, in all-out kill-or-be-killed combat?"
"Any idea what set them off?" Dean asks.
"It's angels and demons, probably" Castiel says. Framingham looks at Castiel, and she looks back. "They're skirmishing all over the globe"
"Come again?" Framingham turns back to Dean "What did she say?"
Dean and Castiel speak simultaneously "Nothing. Nothing." "Demons. Demons" Castiel shuts up "Demons, you know, drink, adultery. We all have our demons, Walt" Dean saves her.
Framingham looks back and forth "I guess"
Dean looks at Castiel "Anyway" Dean returns his attention to Framingham "What happened next?"
"Freaking explosion, that's what. They said it was one of those underground gas tanks, but, uh, I don't think so"
"Why not?" Dean asks.
"Wasn't your usual fire fireball. It was, um—"
"Pure white" Castiel finishes for him.
"Yeah. Gas station was leveled. Everyone was...it was just horrible. And I see this one guy, kneeling, real focused-like, not a damn scratch on him"
"You know him?" Dean asks.
"Donnie Finneman. Mechanic there"
"let me guess, he just, uh, vanished into thin air?" Dean asks.
"Uh, no, Kolchak. He's down at Saint Pete's"
Castiel turns to Dean "Saint Pete's"
"Thank you"
**********
Hospital – Day
Donnie is sitting in a wheelchair, catatonic. Dean and Castiel observe him from the hallway window. "I take it that's not Raphael anymore"
"Just an empty vessel" Castiel tells him.
"So it this what I'm looking at if Michael jumps in my bones?"
"No, not at all. Michael is much more powerful. It'll be far worse for you" Castiel bluntly tells him. Dean looks away.
**********
Abandoned House – Day
Dean walks through the empty cabin, paging through John's journal. He sets it down on the table and turns. Castiel is there, holding a ceramic jar. "Where've you been?"
"Jerusalem"
"Oh, how was it?"
"Arid" Castiel sets the jar on the table.
"What's that?" Dean asks gesturing to the jar.
"It's oil. It's very special. Very rare" Castiel sits down.
"Okay, so we trap Raphael with a nice vinaigrette?"
"No"
"So this ritual of yours, when does it got to go down?" Dean asks.
"Sunrise"
"Tell me something. You keep saying we're gonna trap this guy. Isn't that kinda like trapping a hurricane with a butterfly net?"
"No, it's harder"
"Do we have any chance of surviving this?"
"You do"
"So odds are you're a dead woman tomorrow"
"yes"
"Well. Last night on earth. What are your plans?" Dean asks her.
"I just thought I'd sit here quietly" Castiel tells him.
"Come on, anything? Booze, men?" Castiel looks at Dean and away, uncomfortable. "You have been with men before. Right? Or an angel, at least?" Castiel rubs the back of her neck. "You mean to tell me you've never been up there doing a little cloud-seeding?"
"Look, I've never had occasion, okay?"
"All right" Dean grabs his jacket. "Let me tell you something. There are two things I know for certain. One, Bert and Ernie are gay. Two, you are not gonna die a virgin. Not on my watch. Let's go" Dean leaves. Castiel stares after him, then follows.
**********
Brothel Bar – Night
Dean drinks and Castiel looks terrified. "Hey. Relax"
"This is a den of iniquity. I should not be here"
"Dude, you full-on rebelled against heaven. Iniquity is one of the perks" A male hooker approaches. Dean notices "Showtime"
"Hi. What's your name?" He asks Castiel, who tries not to looks at him.
"Cas" Dean answers for her. Castiel startles, stares at Dean. "her name is Cas. What's your name?"
"Chastity"
"Chastity" Dean repeats. Castiel drinks her beer "Wow. Is that kismet or what, buddy? Well, she likes you, you like her, so dayenu"
Chastity tugs Castiel up "Come on, baby" Dean catches Castiel on the way past "Hey, listen. Take this" Dean holds out a handful of money "If he asks for a credit card, no. now just stick to the basics, okay? Do not order off the menu. Go get him, tiger" Castiel stays still "Don't make me push you"
Castiel takes the money and turns to follow Chastity. Another hooker walks past, Dean follows her. She and Dean clink glasses at the bar. "Well, cheers to you" Suddenly there is a scream and Dean goes to investigate.
**********
"Get out of my face! Leave me alone! Bastard! Screw you, jerk!" He throws something at Castiel, who is a little disheveled. "I'll kill you!" He storms past Dean. "Screw you too! God! Oh! Jerk!" Dean approaches Castiel.
"The hell did you do?"
"I don't know. I just looked him in the eyes and told him it wasn't his fault that his father Gene ran off. It was because he hated his job at the post office"
"Oh, no, man"
"What?" Castiel asks innocently.
"This whole industry runs on absent fathers. It's, it's the natural order" Two bouncers enter from the door Chastity left through "We should go. Come on" he and Castiel head for the door at the opposite end of the corridor.
**********
Alley – Night
Dean is laughing as he closes the door behind himself and Castiel. "What's so funny?" Castiel asks confused, tilting her head to the side.
"Oh, nothing. Whoo. It's been a long time since I've laughed that hard. It's been more than a long time. Years." Dean face falls as he realizes that.
**********
Hospital – Day
A nurse walks down the hallway. Dean watches her go and slips into the room, shutting the door behind him and closing the shades. Castiel is already inside, she pours the oil in a circle around Donnie's wheelchair. "When the oil burns, no angel can touch or pass through the flames, or he dies"
"Okay, so we trap him in a steel cage of holy fire, but one question. How the hell do we get him here?" Dean asks.
"Very simple. There's, well, almost an open phone line between a vessel and his angel. One just has to know how to dial" Castiel leans down to Donnie's war and chants in Enochian. "I'm here, Raphael. Come and get me, you little bastard" Castiel leaves the oil circle.
"Just out of curiosity, what is the average customer wait time to speak to an archangel?"
"Be ready" Castiel lights a match and drops it on the oil, which bursts into a ring of flame.
**********
Road – Night
Dean and Castiel drive up to a house. "Well that's a day I'll never get back" Dean and Castiel enter the house.
"Dean, wait" there is a bright light and Donnie is already inside the cabin, flaring with lightning in the shape of wings, now he is Raphael. Lightbulbs shatter.
"Castiel"
"Raphael"
Castiel and Dean walk closer "And I thought you were supposed to be impressive. All you do is black out the room"
"And the Eastern Seaboard" Lighting flashes outside "It is a testament to my unending mercy that I do not smite you here and now"
"Or maybe you're full of crap. Maybe you're afraid God will bring Cas back to life again and smite you and your candy-ass skirt. By the way, hi, I'm Dean"
"I know who you are. And now, thanks to her, I know where you are"
"You won't kill him. You wouldn't dare" Castiel tells him.
"But I will take him to Michael"
"Well then. Sounds terrifying. It does. But, uh, hate to tell you, I'm not going anywhere with you" Dean grabs a beer.
"Surely you remember Zachariah giving you stomach cancer?"
"Yeah, that was, that was hilarious" Dean says sarcastically.
"Well, he doesn't have anything close to my imagination"
"yeah? I bet you didn't imagine one thing"
"What?"
"We knew you were coming, you stupid son of a bitch" Dean lights his lighter and drops it. Holy oil ignites in a circle around Raphael. "Don't look at me, it was her idea"
"Where is he?" Castiel asks.
"God? Didn't you hear? He's dead, Castiel. Dead"
**********
"But there's no other explanation. He's gone for good" Raphael tells her.
"You're lying" Castiel denies.
"Am I? Do you remember the twentieth century? Think the twenty-first is going any better? Do you think god would have let any of that happen if he were alive?"
"Oh yeah? Well then who invented the Chinese basket trick?" Dean jokes.
"Careful. That's my father you're talking about, boy"
"yeah, who would be so proud to know his sons started the friggin apocalypse"
"Who ran off and disappeared. Who left no instructions and a world to run"
"Daddy ran away and disappeared. He didn't happen to work for the post office, did he?" Dean jokes.
"This is funny to you? You're living in a godless universe"
"And? What, you and the other kids just decided to throw an apocalypse while he was gone?"
"We're tired. We just want it to be over. We just want...paradise"
"So, what, god dies and makes you the boss and you decide you can do whatever you want?"
"Yes. And whatever we want, we get" The window bursts in.
**********
"If god is dead, why have I returned? Who brought me back?" Castiel asks.
"Did it ever occur to you that maybe Lucifer raised you?"
"No"
"Think about it. He needs all the rebellious angels he can find. You know it adds up"
"Let's go" Castiel tells Dean.
"Castiel, I'm warning you. Do not leave me here. I will find you" Raphael warns her.
"Maybe one day. But today, you're my little mitch" Castiel leaves. Dean follows, but pauses "What she said"
**********
Impala – Night
Dean drives and Castiel rides shotgun. "You okay?" Dean asks, Castiel is silent. "Look, I'll be the first to tell you that this little crusade of yours is nuts, but I do know a little something about missing fathers"
"What do you mean?"
"I mean there were times when I was looking for my dad when all logic said that he was dead, but I knew in my heart he was still alive. Who cares what some ninja turtle says, Cas, what do you believe?"
"I believe he's out there" Castiel tells him.
"Good. Then go find him"
"What about you?" Castiel asks him.
"What about me? I don't know. Honestly, I'm good. I can't believe I'm saying that, but I am, I'm really good."
"Even without your brother?"
"Especially without my brother. I mean, I spent so much time worrying about the son of a bitch. I mean, I've had more fun with you in the past twenty-four hours than I've had with Sam in years, and you're not that much fun. It's funny, you know, I've been so chained to my family, but now that I'm alone, hell, I'm happy" Dean looks over, the shotgun seat is empty. His smile falters.