Love Never Fails

101. Galaxy Brain

FOUR WEEKS AGO - EARTH TWO

A red-haired girl was looking at items in a Radio Shed. The clerk kept staring at her, making her uncomfortable.

As the girl left, the clerk raised a hand and said, "Come again."

The clerk turned off the radio and looked at a product before hearing the door chime. He turned to see Chuck and raised an arm. "Hello, sir. Welcome to Radio Shed. Where superstore inventory meets swap meat prices."

As Chuck walked towards a wall of TVs, the clerk continued. "Oh, uh, I take it you're unsatisfied with your viewing experience at home?"

"You have no idea," Chuck deadpanned.

"Okay, well, we got everything the big box stores have; 4K, 8K, HD, LED, OLED, HDMI2.1, 48'', 55'', and 65'' inch, free-standing or wall mounted and to bring it altogether," he pulled a remote from his back pocket, "this universal remote." He held it up. "Radio Shed exclusive."

"Sorry. I already know what I'm lookin' for."

"Oh. Um, then what are you looking for?"

"An audience."

"An audience."

"It's monologue time." Chuck raised his hands and each TV projected a different image of nature and the clerk tried turning the TVs off. "In the beginning, it was just Me and Sis. And it was fine, but I wasn't satisfied. So I made more, I created the world." Chuck showed an image of the Winchesters in the bunker. "But I didn't stop there. No, no, no, I got the bug. So I kept creating, I made other worlds." He showed other versions of the Winchesters. "Different combinations, scenarios, characters, different versions of the same characters -- you know my-my other toys. Is that where I screwed up?"

"Sir, this is a Radio Shed."

"Dean and Alana say I'm not going to get the ending I want. And I don't know, maybe that shouldn't matter, right? I've gotten what I want from hundreds of Sams, Deans, Alanas, Sylvies, Aidens, Adahs, Gideons, Briannas, Marens, Spencers, Claudias and Shawns and I can get what I want from a hundred more. And I don't care, those other toys they don't -- they don't spark joy. But Sam, Alana Sylvie, Aiden, Adah, Gideon, Brianna, Maren, Spencer, Claudia, Shawn and Dean, the real Sam, Alana Sylvie, Aiden, Adah, Gideon, Brianna, Maren, Spencer, Claudia, Shawn and Dean, they do. They challenge me. They disappoint me. They surprise me." He looked back at the screen. "They're the ones."

"How about a stereo?"

Chuck turned around. "I don't need more. More things, more distractions. I need less. It's time to clear the board." The screens turned to black with a wave of his hand. "All the other worlds, alternate realities, the subplots, the failed spin-offs. It's time to start cancelling shows."

SIOUX FALLS - OUR WORLD - NOW

Jody was investigating a dead cow.

As she looked at it with her flashlight, she groaned. "Ugh. Oh, yikes."

Her phone started ringing and she pulled it from her pocket to see who was calling. "Oh, hey, Alex."

"Lasagna's getting cold."

"Well, who made it? You or Patience?"

"I made it. It's vegan."

"You know, actually, tonight, I'm great for that. I assumed we had a monster on our hands, but it's lookin' like human on animal cruelty. Poor Bessie was clubbed to death."

"That's sick."

"Yeah. Keep the lasagna in the oven."

"Will do."