Unbreakable Hope

03. In the Beginning

INT. MOTEL ROOM

Dean was asleep. Sam paused and looked at them before leaving the room. Elena had gone for a late night walk.

EXT. MOTEL

A car pulled up. Sam got in the passenger's side.

Ruby, who was driving, asked, "Ready?"

"Definitely," Sam replied.

INT. MOTEL ROOM

Dean was dreaming. His face was terrified and he screamed. He woke to find Castiel sitting on his bed.

"Hello, Dean," Castiel greeted. "What were you dreaming about?"

Dean frowned. "What, do you get your freak on by watching other people sleep? What do you want?"

"Listen to me. You have to stop it."

"Stop what?" Dean asked.

Castiel put two fingers to Dean's forehead.

EXT. STREET

Dean was sleeping on a bench.

An officer tapped one of the bench legs. "Move it buddy -- you can't sleep here."

"Okay... sleep... where?" Dean asked.

"Anywhere but here."

Dean tried to make a call on his cell, but got no signal. "Perfect."

He got up and entered Jay Bird's Diner.

Dean sat at the diner's counter, next to a young man.

"Hey, where the hell are we?" Dean asked.

"Jay Bird's Diner," the young man replied.

"Yeah, thanks. I mean, uh... city and state."

"Lawrence, Kansas."

"Lawrence," Dean repeated.

"Hey, are you okay, buddy?"

"Yeah, tough night," Dean said.

"Hey, uh, two coffees here, Reg," the young man said.

"Okay, coming right up," Reg replied.

Reg nodded. "Sure thing, miss."

Dean pulled his cell from his coat pocket. "Can you tell me where I can get reception on this thing?"

The young man looked at the phone. "The USS Enterprise?"

Dean looked at Reg as he brought the coffees over. Reg was dressed in 1970s hippie gear.

"Thanks... nice threads," Dean commented. "You know Sonny and Cher broke up, right?"

"Sonny and Cher broke up?"

Dean looked around the diner and noticed everyone was dressed in 1970s-era clothes. He looked at the newspaper the young man was reading. The headline read 'Nixon accepts resignation of top...' and the date was Monday, April 30, 1973. A man entered the diner.

"Hey, Winchester," the man greeted.

Dean and the young man looked around. The man shook the hand of the young man.

"Son of a bitch. How are you doing, Corporal?"

"Hey, Mr. D," the young man said.

"I heard you were back."

"Yeah a little while now."

"Good to have you home, John, damn good."

"Dad?" Dean asked.