My Home Is Always With You {10}

Chapter 17: "Inside Man"

Liz is walking toward the library texting Castiel to meet her somewhere, when she looks up to see Dean on the laptop and she says, "Hey." Dean looks at her and says, "Hey." Liz says, "So, um, I'm gonna go." Dean says, "Where?" Liz says, "To see a French movie." Dean smiles and says, "You mean like nudie French?" Liz says, "Even better. It's about a mime that's secretly a cockroach." Dean says, "I-I don't get it." Liz chuckles and says, "Well, it's playing in Wichita, so I might not be back till morning." Dean says, "Well, I trust you. Make good choices." Liz nods and pecks Dean's lips and she walks out the bunker. Later, Liz meets up with Castiel and she gets out the car and says, "Thanks for coming, Cass." Castiel says, "Of course. Where's Sam and Dean?" Liz says, "Sam's on a case and this is about Dean." Castiel says, "Is he..." Liz softly says, "He's getting worse. Cass, we've gone through every other option possible. I'm running out of time." Castiel's confused and says, "What do you mean?" Liz sighs and says, "My vision about a man whose gonna kill me is... is Dean." Castiel widens his eyes and says, "What?" Liz nods and says, "Yes. Cass, I have to get the Mark off his arm before he kills me. Charlie's gone radio silent, everything else we've tried has a been a dead end. I do have an idea, but I'm gonna need your help." Castiel nods and says, "Okay." Liz softly smiles. Meanwhile with Crowley he walks in on his mother naked in his room and he looks away and says, "Oh, God." Rowena rushes to cover herself with a robe and she says, "Please. It's nothing you haven't seen before." Crowley says. "You're my mother. I don't want to see anything. I've been to hell, thanks." Rowena says, "Next time, knock." Crowley says, "This is my domain. I don't knock." Rowena sighs and says, "Did you want something, Fergus?" Crowley says, "It's Crow-- forget it. What are you doing?" Rowena innocently says, "What do you mean?" Crowley says, "I mean, you've been nattering constantly at me for weeks, and now you haven't annoyed me for days. You're up to something." Rowena says, "You're right. I'm seeing someone. I'm a woman. I have desires, needs, and Trent is--" Crowley cuts her off and says, "Trent? You're dating a... Trent?" Rowena says, "He's an assistant manager at Biggerson's. He's not the brightest bulb, but he's so... firm." Crowley doesn't want to hear this and says, "Please stop talking." Rowena says, "You asked." Crowley says, "Just put some clothes on." Crowley walks away. Later, Castiel takes Liz to heaven's gate and an angel says, "That's far enough, Castiel." Castiel says, "Excuse me?" The angel says, "I have orders. You aren't allowed upstairs." Liz says, "Says who?" The angel says, "Hold, please." The gate glows and out comes an angel and it comes into the body and the angel says, "Hello, Castiel." Castiel smiles and says, "Hannah." Hannah says, "I swore I'd never occupy another vessel, but... we need to have this conversation face-to-face." Castiel's confused and says, "What conversation?" Hannah says, "What do you want in heaven?" Castiel says, "Metatron." Hannah says, "Why? Is this about your grace? Are you fading?" Castiel says, "I'm fine for now." Liz says, "This is about my boyfriend." Hannah says, "Because you think Metatron might have information about the Mark of Cain?" Castiel says, "No. We know he does." Hannah says, "So, he says. But Metatron lies." Liz says, "Hannah, we just want to talk with him." Hannah says, "No, you want his help. But we both know the only way Metatron helps you is if he's free. And I can't let the scribe out of his cell. Not again. He's too dangerous." Castiel says, "We won't--" Hannah cuts Castiel off and says, "Yes, you will. Because you're desperate." Castiel says, "After all I've done for heaven..." A few angels emerge from the woods and Castiel continues to say, "...after all I've done for you." Hannah says, "I'm sorry." Castiel says, "You should be." Liz grabs Castiel's shoulder and says, "Cass, let's go." As they're walking away, Castiel says, "What? We're leaving?" Liz says, "Yeah, we can't fight off four angels. I mean, I know we could, but it's not gonna help us." Castiel says, "So-- so what? You just want to give up on Metatron?" Liz says, "No, we need him. Time for plan "B." We break him out." Later, Liz and Castiel are on their way to meet with a psychic. Liz says, "So, back in the '50s, Oliver Pryce was a kid psychic. He performed everywhere-- Carnivals, Atlantic City, you name it. He was the real deal. Now, the Men of Letters were teaching him how to control his powers when they got-- you know." Castiel says, "Brutally slaughtered?" Liz says, "The point is he's one of the good guys. He might be happy to see us." Castiel sees a bunch of signs that say keep out and he says, "Or not." Liz sees a no trespassing sign, a keep off property sign and Liz and Castiel walk over to the house and knock on the door. Liz says, "Mr. Pryce?" Liz knocks again and she says, "Oliver Pyrce!" Castiel clears his throat and says, "I'll break it down." Liz stops Castiel and says, "Dude, chill." Castiel says, "What? I'm helping." Liz says, "Just follow my lead." Liz knocks again and the lights turn on and Liz says, "Mr. Pryce? This is Elizabeth--" The door opens, and Mr. Pryce says, "Singer. You're Elizabeth Singer. Woman of Letters." Liz says, "Yeah. How did you, uh--" Mr. Pryce cuts her off and says, "Mind reader, remember? And you're... what are you?" Castiel says, "I'm an angel." Mr. Pryce shakes his head and says, "That... no, you can't be." Castiel says, "Why not?" Mr. Pryce says, "Because I'm an atheist." Liz says, "Not anymore." Liz and Castiel walk into the house and Castiel looks at a younger version of Mr. Pryce and he says, "That you?" Mr. Pryce scoffs and says, "Was me. I don't do the psychic stuff no more. Being around people, it's kind of... hell. All those brains yapping all the time drives a guy bananas." Castiel says, "Because you can hear everyone's thoughts." Mr. Pryce says, "Well, not yours. All I'm getting from you is... colors. But the Ms. Singer over here? I'm seeing some creep-ass hobbit-lookin' fella, a prison cell?" Castiel says, "That's heaven's jail." Mr. Pryce says, "Heaven's got a freakin' jail?" Liz says, "Yeah. Yeah, it does. And we're looking to break someone out of it." Mr. Pryce says, "Okay." Castiel says, "We have an inside man, but we need your help to talk to him." Mr. Pryce says, "And if I say no?" Liz says, "You're the mind reader." Liz is thinking about forcing him against his will and Mr. Pryce says, "I'll get my crap." Once Mr. Pryce gets his stuff together, they're all sitting around the table and Mr. Pryce says, "You got aanything that belonged to the deceased?" Liz says, "Yes. Right here." Liz takes out her dad's hat from her purse and places on the table and Mr. Pryce says, "Good. Now shut up and hold hands." They all hold hands and Mr. Pryce says, "Amate spiritus obscure, te quaretimus. Te oramus, nobiscum colloquere, apud nos circita." Liz says, "Dad? Dad, can you hear me? Dad, we need your help." Liz explains to her dad about what's going on leaving the part about Dean killing her out of it and she says, "And, uh, that's what's been happening-- the short version of it, anyway. You still there, Dad?" Her dad says, "Yeah, honey. It's just... real good to hear your voice." Liz softly smiles and says, "You too, dad." Her dad says, "Okay. If, uh, I'm understanding right, you got to figure a way to get the Mark of Cain off Dean before it turns him back into a demon?" Liz says, "Pretty much." Her dad says, "So, just another day at the office for you guys, huh?" Liz chuckles and her dad says, "Put Dean on the line." Liz says, "Dean's not here." Her dad says, "Why not?" Liz says, "Dean's, um... he's not in a good place right now, Dad." Her dad says, "So, what's the play?" Castiel says, "Each soul in heaven is locked in its own private paradise. That's where you are now. You need to escape. You need to find the gate to earth and open it. Then you and I will find Metatron, the scribe of God." Her dad says, "Hey, Liz, you remember when this job was just chopping up some fang and tossing a cold one?" Liz softly chuckles and says, "I miss that." Her dad says, "Ditto. So, while I'm playing Steve McQueen, anyone gonna be looking for me?" Castiel says, "Everyone. The angels will not like a soul wandering free." Her dad says, "We got a way to slow them down?" Liz says, "Not exactly, but you'll figure it out. You always do." Her dad says, "Listen, I appreciate the warm fuzzy, but I ain't exactly playing on the big leagues these days. I'm mostly drinking and reading the classics. Truth is, I'm rusty. And maybe there's somebody better out there." Liz says, "There isn't, Dad. And with Dean the way he is... this is all we got." Her dad says, "Hell, I'm already dead. What's the worst that could happen?" Meanwhile with Rowena, she found one of the Winchester boys and she's sitting at the bar drinking a glass of wine and she sees Dean and she says, "Dean." Dean says, "Rowena? What's a nice girl like you doing in a place like this? I'm sorry. Did I say, 'nice girl'? I meant 'evil skank.'" Rowena chuckles and says, "You say that like it's an insult. But nice girls, they're pathetic. Here's to evil skanks." One of the guys that Dean hustled attacks him and then two more go to attack Dean. Rowena watches as she sees Dean about to kill one of the guy's Dean stops and drops the stick, but then another guy jumps Dean and attacks him and Dean knocks all the guys out and Rowena removes her robe and she says, "Someone's tougher than he looks." Dean says, "You have no idea." Rowena does a spell and says, "A spioradi an tsaoil, etstigi liom! Doighi an fear seo! Doighigi go luaithreach e!" Dean covers his eyes at the bright light, and nothing happens to him because of the Mark of Cain. Rowena says, "Not possible." Dean walks over to Rowena and places a blade under her neck, and he says, "What the hell are you doing here?" Rowena says, "Saving my son." Dean's confused and says, "Your son?" Rowena says, "Crowley." Dean slightly widens his eyes and says, "Crowley Crowley?" Rowena says, "My son is a king, a God-- or he wouldn't be if you didn't-- you snap your fingers, and he comes running like a wee lapdog." Dean says, "Lady, I don't know what you're talking about." Rowena says, "You're a good influence on him. That's why you need to die." Dean says, "Well, sorry your little light show didn't work." Rowena says, "Oh, I'll try again." Dean says, "What, you think I'm just gonna let you walk out of here?" Rowena says, "I think you're a hero. You could have killed those men, but you didn't because they're innocent. 'Cause you're the good guy, and you want them to live. But the spell I cast will devour them from the inside out like it did that girl. I'm the only one that can save them. What's it going to be... hero?" Meanwhile back with Liz and Castiel, her dad says, "So, where do we start?" Castiel says, "You need to find your heaven's escape hatch. Look for something that shouldn't be there, and that's your way out." Meanwhile with Rowena, she cuts herself up to make it look like Dean did it and she shows her son and Crowley says, "Rough date, mother?" Rowena says, "Dean Winchester did this to me." Crowley looks at his demon and says, "Get out." The demon says, "Yes, sir." The demon walks away and Crowley pour's himself a glass of scotch and he says, "Why were you anywhere near Dean Winchester?" Rowena sniffs and says, "I was trying to kill him." Crowley says, "Been there. Never seems to work out quite the way you want." Rowena says, "The spell I casted should have ripped him apart, but--" Crowley cuts off his mother and says, "It was like Dean was protected from on high. It's the Mark of Cain. It never lets its host die easy." Rowena says, "The Mark? It's just a curse. T-the first curse. But still, it can be removed." Crowley says, "How?" Rowena says, "I'll find a way." Crowley says, "You do that. I assume you had a reason for this little suicide run of yours." Rowena says, "The best reason-- you. Those tumshies have you on a leash. I thought i-if they were gone, you--" Crowley cuts her off and says, "I know what you thought. And I know that you were wrong. I have Sam and Dean exactly where I want them." Crowley doesn't say Liz because he doesn't want his mother asking questions about her. Crowley continues to say, "What do they say? Friends close, enemies closer." Rowena says, "Maybe they were your enemies once. But now? Please. Do you even care that Dean Winchester mutilated your mother?!" Crowley says, "Because you were stupid." Rowena has tears in her eyes and says, "Because I love you. Well, if my suffering's not enough, you know how much demons gossip. Right now, word's already spreading about all this. If you do nothing, you'll look weak. Your subjects will start to doubt you, mock you. Then it's just a matter of time before you have a revolt on your hands, before you lose your throne." Crowley says, "You're playing a dangerous game." Rowena says, "And it's your move. So, you can't kill Dean. Fine. Take him, throw him in some dank cell, let him rot. But do something! No more stalling. No more excuses. Show them how strong you really are. Be a bloody king!" Back with Liz and Castiel, there waiting outside in the car near the playground of heaven's gate and Castiel says, "You sure he can handle this?" Liz says, "He's Bobby. He can handle anything." Back with Crowley, he goes to meet Dean at the bar and Dean says, "Been waiting on you." Crowley says, "Squirrel." Dean says, "Boris. Where's Natasha?" Crowley says, "Would it make a difference?" Dean says, "Not really. So, we gonna do this?" Back with Liz and Castiel, the gate glows and Liz says, "Go. Go!" They get out of the car and Liz glows her eyes and starts killing the angels as Castiel goes through the gate. Back with Dean and Crowely there sitting at the bar drinking and Dean says, "Look, I'm not saying that I didn't want to slice and dice the witch. I'm just saying that that's not how it went down." Crowley says, "So, she's a liar." Dean says, "Must run in the family." Crowley says, "Mother says that Mark is just a curse, can be removed. Of course, she doesn't know how." Dean says, "Figures. But I'm good, thanks." Crowley says, "Who's the liar now? She says I've gone soft." Dean chuckles and says, "You have." Crowley gives Dean seriously look and Dean continues to say, "What? Yeah, maybe it's all the human blood that Sammy pumped into you, you know? Maybe it's, uh-- I don't know. I don't know. But the old Crowley, he would have come in here with Hellhounds and demons, and he would have blown the roof off the joint. Now? You didn't want to fight. You wanted to talk. And maybe I've changed, too. Here I am playing Dr. Phil to the King of Hell. Never saw that coming." Crowley says, "Maybe we're getting old." Dean nods and says, "Never saw that coming, either. What is it, huh? Why you letting mommy dearest tie you into knots?" Crowley says, "Because... we're family. Blood." Dean says, "That's not the same thing. A wise man once told me, "Family don't end in blood." But it doesn't start there, either. Family cares about you, not what you can do for them. Family's there through the good, bad-- all of it. They got your back... even when it hurts. That's family. That sound like your mother. Speaking of your mother, I can't believe that's the woman who left Liz." Crowley nods and says, "Yeah." Dean says, "You gonna tell her?" Crowley says, "No. Keeping our mother away from her, is to keep her safe." Dean nods and says, "Good. No humanity Liz wanted to kill her, and I think it's best if Rowena doesn't know Liz is her daughter." What they both don't know is that Rowena already knows about Liz. Back with Liz, she watches the gate open and out come Castiel and Metatron. Metatron smiles and says, "Liz-tastic! Miss me? Oh, smell that? That smells like freedom. Well, let's go. I call shotgun!" Castiel says, "You don't get to make demands, Metatron. You're not in charge here." Metatron says, "Oh, I'm afraid I am. I know about the Mark. I have your grace. I make the rules. It's called leverage, guys. Learn it, live it, love it." Castiel looks at Liz and she nods her head and Castiel takes Metatron's grace and with a wave of Liz's hand she breaks Metatron's leg, and he falls to the ground in pain and says, "Ow! Ow!" Castiel says, "We have your grace, Metatron. You're mortal now. So, you will answer our questions, or Liz will, um... what's the phrase?" Liz raises a brow at Castiel and Castiel continues to say, "Blow your fricking brains out. It's called leverage, Metatron." Liz says, "Learn it, live it, love it. How do we get rid of the Mark?" Metatron voice breaks and says, "I-I don't know." Liz glows her eyes at Metatron ready to break the other leg and he holds his hands up and says, "I don't know! No, i-it's old magic-- God-level magic. Or Lucifer level, but you can't ask him, exactly, can you?" Castiel says, "What about the tablets?" Metatron says, "No, th-there's-- there's nothing in them about the Mark." Liz says, "So, when you said, "The River ends at the source," that was--" Metatron cuts her off and says, "I was just making up crap, trying to buy time till I could screw you over." Liz scoffs and says, "I knew it." Castiel says, "Kill him." Liz glows her eyes and Metatron holds his hands up and says, "No, no! No. Your grace. I wasn't lying about that. There's still some left. I'll take you to it." Liz says, "It's your call, Cass." Back with Crowley, he walks into his mother's room, and she has smile and says, "Is it done?" Crowley says, "We're done. Get your things and get out." Rowena drops her smile and says, "You aren't serious." Crowley says, "Deadly." Rowena says, "But I'm your mother." Crowley says, "You may have brought me into this world, but you were never my mother." Rowena says, "So, you're choosing the Winchesters." Crowley says, "I'm choosing me. I put up with your lies, your sad little schemes because-- no. Because maybe you were right. Maybe I did lose my edge. But that ends now. Tell me, Rowena, if I were not the King of Hell, would you have ever bothered to pretend to care about me?" Rowena's voice breaks and she says, "You-- you can't." Crowley says, "I can. I'm bloody Crowley! I'm the King of Hell. I do what I want when I want. And I don't take orders from you." As Crowley turns to walk away, Rowena's tears roll down her cheeks and she says, "Everything you have, I will watch it burn!" Crowley says, "I'll give you five minutes. After that, pray I don't see you again." Crowley walks out the room. Back with Liz, she's back at the bunker and she sees Dean eating and she says, "Hey." Dean looks up at her and says, "Hey. How was the movie?" Liz says, "It was okay. What about you? What did you do last night?" Dean says, "Played some pool. It was kind of boring." Liz nods and says, "All right. I'm gonna go clean up." Dean nods and Liz walks to her room and takes out the note that Castiel gave her from her dad, the note reads, "Liz... so... this weird, huh? Look, I just wanted to say that Cass told me what you're doing for Dean. And I'm not asking you to stop, but maybe going behind his back ain't the best idea. Your boyfriend, he can be stubborn. But I think he'd understand. And I know it's the life-- doing a little bad so you can do a lot of good. But sometimes the bad's real bad and the good-- it can come at one hell of a price. I ain't there on the ground, and whatever you do, I know you'll make the right choice. You have a good heart and I'm so damn proud of you, honey. I was content up here. But getting call from you, it's the happiest I've been in forever, no matter what it costs. So, stay safe, keep fighting, and kick it in the ass. Love, Dad." Liz has tears rolling down her cheeks and she wipes them away with a sigh.