Stronger Than Ever Δ SPN [3]

043. DEAN'S BACK

"Who goes to Duluth in October? Sure Michael didn't touch down in Orlando?" Bobby asks making Ophelia and Nathan share an amused smile at the older man's disdain for cold.

"Jo was pretty specific. Duluth." Mary says.

"Yeah, well, angel's ain't exactly known for their veracity." Bobby says. Mary clears her throat, everybody looking behind Bobby to find Cas. "No offense."

"None taken. I tend to agree with you." Cas says.

"Here you go." Mary hands Sam a gun.

"Thanks." Sam says.

"Hey, what's that?" Sam asks.

"So I've been searching through police reports in Duluth. Cops just turned up a pile of corpses that was dumped near some train tracks just north of town and their eyes were burnt out." Sam says.

"So Michael. We should go now." Cas says.

"No. This isn't just Michael we're talking about." Sam says.

"It's Dean." Bobby says.

"Yeah. Oph, you're not going." Sam states.

"What?" She asks.

"You-- you're not going." Sam says.

"Why not?" She asks.

"I--I don't want you to."

"Okay, well, sucks for you, then. It's my dad."

"Exactly. So if something goes south, then... I don't want you there to see it. You've been through enough." Sam says.

"Are you serious? I'm 18. I think I can go." Ophelia says.

"No." Sam shakes his head.

"Okay, what? Libby's getting snappy at you so you turn your overprotectiveness to me?" Ophelia asks.

"No, that-- that's not it."

"Keeping us stuck in the bunker isn't gonna fix anything. Or prevent anything. You know that, right? And it's only gonna make her hate you."

"Okay, look, we'll-- we'll stay." Nathan says.

"What?" Ophelia looks at him.

"Just... Sam's got a point. If something goes wrong, you don't need to see something happen to your dad." Nathan says.

"Fine." Ophelia mutters. She rolls her eyes, walking out of the room.

"Lia!" Nathan calls after her.

"See you later, wardens." Ophelia calls back.

Nathan sighs, wincing.

"Cas, you know why you can't come with us, right?" Sam asks.

"My angelic presence would be sensed by Michael, thereby nullifying your hopes of a sneak attack." Cas says.

"Yeah, sorry." Sam says.

"And you need me to stay here and babysit Nick, Jack, and Libby. And now Ophelia." Cas says.

"It's not babysitting, Cas." Sam argues.

"Only in the sense that they're not infants, but they all have to be supervised. Jack is lost without his grace, Libby and Ophelia are angsty teenagers, Nick is... he's just a mess."

"Well, it-it's not his fault. Cas, Nick was housing, you know. He-He deserves a shot at rebuilding his life."

"And yet every time I look at him, all I can see is the supreme agent of evil."