better man/worse than nicotine » arthur ketch

eight: bull in a china shop.

a/n: this is from the episode "bring 'em back alive" and it's one of my favorite episodes from season 13 because of the sheer amount of sass we get from ketch

Another month passes, and the brothers find themselves running into Ketch more often than they'd like. Once when they were on the hunt for Lucifer and Ketch happened to have the same intel, again when he saved them from Lucifer, and again when he stumbled into the bunker late one night with the Archangel Gabriel.

In this one month, the boys – or rather, Cas managed to find the spell needed to open the rift to the alternate universe where Joy and Jack are trapped.

Dean goes in alone. With Ketch.

Sam and Cas don't like the idea either, but someone has to be in their world to take care of Gabriel who...isn't doing well at all.

Nevertheless, since Ketch essentially helped Gabriel escape while simultaneously sabotaging his previous working relations with the last Knight of Hell, Asmodeus, Dean allows Ketch to tag along.

"Well...here we are."

If Dean had the time to roll his eyes at Ketch's remark, he would. But he doesn't. He spins around in a circle, taking in his surroundings. He's been here before, obviously, but it wasn't snowing here before. And now snow is covering the ground in a thick blanket.

"You do know where we are, don't you?"

That earns Ketch a glare from Dean.

"Because, not to be a nag, but we've only got 24 hours before—"

"Yeah, yeah, just shut up and gimme a minute."

"—the rift closes," Ketch finishes his sentence with a sigh.

"Look, we just got spin-cycled through space and time, okay? And yes, this is different than my last drop-by." Dean looks around again before returning to Ketch. "And what's this 'we' shit, huh? You came here to save yourself, so go save yourself. Somewhere else." Dean begins walking away, hoping Ketch will get the picture, but he doesn't.

"Actually, I thought I could help," Ketch suggests.

"What?"

"Find the boy. And your...sister. She's in danger. I owe her that."

"You know if she sees you she'll probably kill you," Dean reminds him. "Again."

"Perhaps," Ketch agrees. "But you don't know where you are or what's out there or even—You get the picture. Would having a little bit of backup really be so bad?"

So, because Dean realizes they don't have the time to argue, he walks away, and allows Ketch to follow.

This is a much different spot from before. Before it was dark and stormy, not quiet and snowy. The river is still running, snow is still falling, and it looks like the sun is shining behind the clouds. This place looks...normal.

Until Dean spots Angels on the bridge above them.

"Down, down, down," Dean hisses, shoving Ketch over toward branches that are thicker than the rest.

From there they watch the Angels as they plan to execute the humans on the bridge, supposedly for "high crimes of fomenting rebellion against the Archangel Michael."

One by one the humans have the black covers ripped off their heads and they are killed by the Angels. Until one familiar face is seen.

"No...Charlie?" Dean murmurs.

"She's with The Resistance. Inner Circle. She's met with the Nephilim and the Vessel, Joy. Michael will want her at the Northern camp for interrogation."