My Home Is Always With You {6}

Chapter 3: "The Third Man"

Liz and Dean are in the Impala on the side of the road. While Liz is reading a book, Dean's sleeping. Then a truck passes by and Dean jolts awake. Liz looks over at Dean and says, "You, okay?" Dean looks at Liz and says, "Yeah. I'm fine." Liz says, "Bad dream?" Dean clears his throat and says, "No." Liz smirks at the blush on his cheeks and says, "Okay." As they're on the road, Dean stops to get some food and then he calls Sam. As their driving to meet Sam, Dean says, "So, change of plans? We're meeting Sam in PA." Liz nods and says, "Okay." Dean nods and says, "He was pretty demanding." Liz nods and says, "Ever since he came back, he seems different. Don't you think?" Dean nods and says, "Yeah. I don't know maybe he's changed. I mean, we don't know what happened to him when he went to hell." Liz nods and softly says, "Yeah, I know." Later, there in a motel room looking at lore, because they found bugs in a guy's head. Dean says, "Sweet. Blood, boils, locusts." Sam says, "Three of your more popular Egyptian plagues." Dean holds up the glass jar of bugs and says, "Yeah, but these guys ate their way out of a cop's melon. I don't quite remember that in King James." Liz is on her computer and says, "Meanwhile, a kid named Christopher Birch.... was shot in the head last month after a vehicle pursuit. Hatch, Gray, and Colfax were the three officers involved.... and they filed the exact same police report." Dean reads the police report and says, "'Suspect exited vehicle brandishing a firearm. We were forced to fire.' Just a kid with no face and a planted gun. Bunch of dicks. So, they popped the kid, planted the piece." Sam says, "Maybe Colfax is right. Maybe has a hate on for bad cops." Dean says, "So we're listening to the guy with the bug in his custard? That's the, uh, theory you wanna go with?" Sam says, "Dean, angels have to have something to do, right? Now that we're post-apocalypse." Dean says, "Yeah, maybe. You should call Cass." Sam says, "You're kidding, right? Dean, I tried. It was the first, and second and third thing I did... soon as I got topside. Son of a bitch won't answer the phone." Dean's sitting on a bed and says, "Well, let's give it a shot. Now I lay me down to sleep... I pray to Castiel to get his feathery ass down here." Sam says, "You're an idiot." Dean says, "Stay positive." Sam says, "Oh, I am positive." Dean says, "Come on, Cass, don't be a dick. Got ourselves a plague-like situation down here and.... do you--? Do you copy?" Sam says, "Like I said, ahem, the son of a bitch doesn't answer." Liz and Dean both look to see Castiel, and Sam says, "He's right behind me, isn't he?" Liz smirks and says, "Yep." Sam turns around to face Castiel and Castiel says, "Hello." Sam says, "Hello?" Castiel says, "Yes." Sam says, "Hello. Hello?" Castiel says, "Uh, that's still the term?" Sam says, "I spend all that time trying to get through to you. Dean calls once and now it's hello?" Castiel says, "Yes." Sam says, "So, what, you like him better or something?" Castiel says, "Dean and I do share a more profound bond." Liz softly smiles at that, and Dean gives Castiel a look and Castiel says, "I wasn't gonna mention it." Dean stands up and says, "Cass, I think what he's trying to say is that he went to hell for us. He really took one for the team, remember that? And then he comes back without a clue... you can't take five minutes to give answers?" Castiel says, "If I had any answers, I might have responded, but I don't know, Sam. We have no idea who brought you back from the cage or why." Sam says, "So it wasn't God?" Castiel says, "No one's even seen God. The whole thing remains mysterious." Sam says, "What hell does that mean?" Castiel says, "What part of "I don't know" escapes your understanding?" Dean says, "Cass, look, if Sam calls, you answer. Okay? You wing your ass down here and you tell him, "I don't know." Just because we have some sort of bond or whatever--" Castiel looks at Dean and says, "You think I came because you called." Dean's nods and Castiel continues and says, "I came because of this." Dean says, "Well, it's nice to know what matters." Castiel says, "It does help one to focus." Sam says, "Wait, so you and the Halo Patrol aren't the cause of these killings?" Castiel says, "No. But they were committed with one of our weapons. There's only one thing that could have brought this into existence. You call it the staff of Moses." Liz says, "The staff?" Castiel says, "It was used in a dominance display against the Egyptians, as I recall." Dean says, "Yeah, that one made the papers." Sam says, "Well, I thought the staff turned, like, a river into blood, not one dude." Castiel says, "The weapon isn't being used at full capacity. I think we can rule Moses out as a suspect." Dean says, "Okay, well, what is Chuck Heston's disco stick down here anyway? I mean, don't you guys put away your toys?" Castiel says, "Before the apocalypse, heaven may have been corrupted... but it was stable. The staff was safely contained. It's been chaos up there since the war ended. In that confusion, a number of powerful weapons were stolen." Dean says, "Wait, you're saying your nukes are loose?" Castiel says, "Yeah, I'm afraid so. But you've stumbled onto one of them. We must find the weapon that did this. I need your help." Sam scoffs and says, "That's rich, really." Castiel toss the jar full of bugs to Sam and says, "Liz, Sam, Dean, my "people skills" are "rusty." Pardon me, I have spent the last "year"... as a multidimensional wavelength of celestial intent. But believe me, you do not want that weapon down here. Help me find it, or more people will die." Dean says, "All right, okay. Well, if the angels didn't pull the trigger, then that brings us back to motive." Castiel nods and then says, "What?" Liz says, "Back to the case. And now we got three dead cops. Only thing linking them is this. 'Father of slain suspect calls for investigation.'" Then Castiel zaps them where the Birch family lives and Dean says, "Cass, a little warning next time." The man on the couch says, "How'd you get in here?" Sam says, "Mr. Birch, settle down. Federal agents." Mr. Birch says, "But you can't just walk in here." Sam says, "Quite a collection you got there, huh?" Mr. Birch says, "What are you trying to--?" Liz says, "Look, we know the truth, all right? Chris didn't have a gun on him when those cops shot him. They set him up." Mr. Birch says, "Yeah. They're all getting theirs." Sam says, "And who's giving it to them, Darryl?" Dean says, "Darryl, did you kill Toby Gray and the others?" Mr. Birch says, "Me? I didn't kill anyone. Look at how they died." Castiel says, "You smote them with the staff of Moses." Mr. Birch says, "What the hell kind of Fed are you? We don't have time for this. Where is it?" Then they hear a voice say, "Leave my dad alone." They turn around to see a kid holding part of the staff at them." Dean says, "Is that--?" Castiel says, "Yes." Liz says, "Shouldn't it be bigger?" Castiel says, "Yes, it's-- Been sawed off." The kid says, "Leave him alone, it wasn't him." Mr. Birch says, "Aaron, get out here." Castiel then touches his forehead and Mr. Birch is knocked out. Aaron says, "What did you do to him?" Dean says, "He's all right, he's just sleeping." Castiel then appears behind Aaron and grabs the stick. Liz says, "Cass, take it easy. Listen, we're not here to hurt you, okay? But we need to know. Where did you get this thing?" Aaron says, "Please don't kill my dad. It was me. I did it." Dean says, "Okay, nobody's killing anybody. What's your name?" Aaron says, "Aaron. Aaron Birch." Dean says, "Okay, Aaron Birch, where did you get this?" Aaron says, "You won't believe me." Dean says, "Try me." Aaron says, "It was an angel." Dean says, "An angel?" Aaron says, "Those liars, they killed my brother and nothing bad even happened to them. It's not fair. So, I prayed to God every night he would punish them. God didn't answer, but he did." Castiel says, "His name. Did he give you a name?" Aaron says, "No. He just said I could have justice. But I was gonna have to take it myself. He gave me the stick." Dean says, "He just gave it to you?" Aaron nods and Dean doesn't believe him and says, "Come on. He didn't just give it to you, did he, Aaron?" Aaron says, "I bought it." Sam says, "You bought it? Heh. With what? What's your allowance?" Liz softly says, "What did the angel want for it? What did you give him for it?" Aaron says, "My soul." Everyone's shocked and Sam says, "You sold your soul to an angel?" Dean says, "Can that even happened?" Castiel says, "It's never happened before. An angel's buying souls. That could explain why he cut the staff into pieces." Liz says, "Why?" Castiel says, "More pieces, more product." Dean says, "More product? Who is this guy?" Castiel says, "We'll find him." Castiel then touches Aaron's forehead, and he is knocked out. Liz says, "What did you do that for?" Castiel says, "Portability." Then their back in the motel room and Castiel lays Aaron the bed. Dean says, "Cass, you realize you just kidnapped a kid." Castiel says, "If the angels we seek truly bought this boy's soul-- When a claim is laid on a living soul, it leaves a mark, a brand." Sam chuckles and says, "What, like a shirt tag at camp?" Castiel says, "I have no idea. But I can read the mark... and find the name of the angel that bought the soul." Dean says, "How?" Castiel says, "Well, painfully, for him. The reading will be excruciating." Liz moves to Aaron and says, "Whoa, whoa, whoa, hold on." Castiel says, "Liz." Liz says, "He's a kid, Cass, a kid." Liz looks at Dean and Sam. Dean says, "Liz's right, you can't do this." Sam says, "Any permanent damage?" Liz and Dean both say, "What?" Castiel says, "Physically, minimal." Dean says, "Then by all means, stick your arm right in there." Castiel says, "Liz, Dean, if I get the name, I can work a ritual to track the angel down." Dean says, "We're all for that, but come on. There's got to be another way." Castiel says, "There is no other way." Liz looks sadly at Castiel and softly says, "You're gonna torture a kid." Castiel says, "I can't care about that, Liz. I don't have the luxury." As Castiel goes to do it, Liz says, "Wait." Castiel sighs and looks at Liz and says, "I'm sorry, Liz. This is the only way." Liz has silent tears rolling down her face and she sniffs and softly says, "At least let me lesson the pain for him." Castiel nods and Liz places her hand on Aaron's head and Castiel puts his hand through Aaron. Aaron grunts, but Liz takes his pain away with her powers. Dean and Sam watch Liz's eyes turn a blue-purple color. Castiel takes his hand out and Liz stops and sighs. Castiel says, "He'll rest now." Sam says, "Did you get a name? What is it?" Castiel says, "I thought he died in the war." Sam says, "What, he was a friend or something?" Castiel says, "A good friend." Dean says, "Yeah, well, your frat buddy is now moonlighting as a crossroads demon." Castiel says, "Balthazar, I wonder." Liz says, "So we can find him now, right?" Then they hear a voice appears and says, "Balthazar. Thanks, Castiel, we'll make good use of the name." Dean and Sam move out the way and Castiel fights the angel. Liz stays near Aaron. The angel says, "And by the way, Raphael says hello." Then they both fall out the window and land on Sam's car. Then Castiel appears behind them and says, "He's gone." Sam says, "All right, Cass, who was that guy?" Castiel says, "A soldier of Raphael. He must have followed me when I answered your call." Sam says," Raphael? The archangel? I'm sorry, what's going on here?" Castiel says, "I can explain later. Right now, we have to--" Dean cuts Castiel off and says, "No, not later, now. Stop, all right? There too many angels, Cass. I don't know who's on first, what's on second--" Castiel says, "What is second?" Dean says, "Don't start that." Castiel says, "It is simple, Raphael and his followers... they want him to rule heaven. I and many others, the last thing we want is to let him take over. It would be catastrophic." Sam says, "You're talking civil war." Castiel nods and says, "Technically, yes. Which is why we have to find Balthazar and his weapons before Raphael does. Whoever has the weapons wins the war." Castiel looks through their weapons bag and Sam says, "Help yourself." Liz says, "What happens if Raphael wins? I mean, what does he want?" Castiel says, "What he's always wanted. To end the story that way it was written." Dean says, "You mean the apocalypse, the one we derailed?" Castiel says, "Yes, that one. Raphael wants to put it back on the rails." Liz says, "Why?" Castiel says, "I need myrrh." Sam says, "Myrrh?" Castiel looks at Liz and says, "Do you have any?" Liz nods and goes to her bag and gets it out and gives it to Castiel. Castiel says, "Thank you." Liz nods and then Castiel draws a circle on the table with chalk. Liz crosses her arms and says, "Why does Raphael wanna bring back all this crap?" Castiel says, "He's a traditionalist." Dean says, "Why didn't you tell us this?" Castiel says, "I was ashamed. I expected more from my brothers. I'm sorry. Now I need your blood." Castiel grabs Dean's hand, and he says, "Whoa, whoa, hey. Agh! Why don't you use your own?" Castiel says, "Wouldn't work, I'm not human." Castiel then let's go of Dean and puts the myrrh in the bowl with the blood and then says a spell, while pouring holy water into the bowl. Sam says, "Uh, Cass, how long does this spell take?" Castiel says, "Got him, let's go." Liz says, "Whoa, whoa, wait, what about him?" Castiel says, "Don't you think the police should take him home?" Later, they go to Balthazar's place to fight Raphael's angels and then tell Balthazar's to give Aaron his soul back and he does and then Castiel disappears. Later, Liz says to Sam, "Hey, so, uh... are you okay?" Sam says, "Me? Yeah, I'm great." Liz says, "Really? Because there's been a few times you got me wondering." Sam says, "Come again?" Liz says, "Well, like where were you when Cass... was torturing Aaron?" Sam says, "I was right there." Liz says, "Really? Because, honestly, I felt like me and Dean were the only ones raising a card." Sam says, "Right. I mean, I was with you. Both of you. But, I don't know, we needed the intel." Liz says, "Yeah, I know, but we tortured that kid to get it. I just have a feeling that you didn't even care." Dean says, "Liz." Sam looks at Liz and says, "You're wrong." Liz sighs and says, "Ever since you came back, there's been something off with you and I just can't figure out what it is. I mean, you do know that, right?" As Dean says, "There's nothing wrong with Sam." Sam says, "Yeah, yeah, I know." Dean looks at Sam confused and says, "Huh?" Sam looks at Dean and says, "Yeah, I mean.... I've been hunting nonstop for the past year. Kind of out in the wild, you know? So yeah, I suppose I'm a little rough around the edges." Liz nods and says, "Yeah, I get that. But I don't think I'm getting the whole scoop. You went to hell, Sam. I don't know what that's like for you, but..." Dean says, "I do. I know what that does to a guy." Sam says, "To you." Dean says, "What?" Sam says, "You know what it does to you. It tortured you, you know? I think it still does. But, guys, heh, I'm okay." Dean says, "So you're saying, what, that you're stronger than me?" Sam says, "No. I'm just saying we're different." Sam gets into the car and Liz looks at Dean and says, "Come here." Liz grabs Dean's hand and they walk away from Sam. Liz looks at Dean and says, "There's obviously something seriously wrong with Sam." Dean says, "I don't see what's wrong with him." Liz says, "Babe, he didn't care about Aaron being tortured. It's like he doesn't have any remorse for people anymore. Not like he used to. How about this, why don't you and Sam hunt just the two of you? So that you can see he's not the same Sam we used to know." Dean sighs and says, "Okay, so you want me to drop you off at home?" Liz softly smiles and says, "Yeah. I miss the kids." Dean nods with a smile and says, "Okay." Liz smiles and kisses Dean and Dean kisses Liz back and sighs in content.