Air Date: 08 October 2010

Sam: Hey, Dean.

Dean: How long you been back?

Sam: About a year.

Dean: What have you been doing?

Sam: Hunting.

Dean: You been back practically this whole time?!

Sam: You finally had what you wanted, Dean.

Dean: I wanted my brother,alive!

Sam: You wanted a family. You only gave it up because of the way we lived. But you had something, and you were buildingsomething.

Lisa: I need you to go. You're a hunter. And now you know your brother's out there. Things are different. You don't want to be here, Dean.

Dean: Yes, I do.

Lisa: Me and Ben will be here, and... you come when you can. Just come in one piece.

Dean: And you really think we could pull something like that off?

Lisa: It's worth a sh*t.

INT. Dean's GARAGE - DAY

Dean pulls the tarp off the Impala, smiles.

FLASHBACKS to Gabriel, Lucifer and Raphael

Castiel (voice over)

Archangels are fierce. They're absolute. They're heaven's most terrifying w*apon. Raphael. Come and get me, you little bastard.

RAPHAEL

Castiel.

Castiel: When the oil burns, no angel can touch or pass through the flames, or he dies.

RAPHAEL

Castiel. I'm warning you. Do not leave me here. I will find you.

Dean: What are you gonna do now?

Castiel: Return to heaven, I suppose.

Dean: Heaven?

Castiel: With Michael in the cage, I'm sure it's total anarchy up there.

INT. Police LOCKER ROOM

JERRY, wearing a t-shirt, is toweling his face after shaving. He sees a spot of blood on the towel and notices a nick on his left cheek. He rinses it off, but it persists.

JERRY

Oh, come on.

JERRY rubs his right cheek. A patch of skin peels off and lands in the sink.

JERRY

Ohh. Oh. [ Exhaling sharply. ]What the hell?

A second cop, Ed, has been dressing in the locker behind.

Ed: Come on, man. Let's get going.

JERRY walks backward from the mirror, breathing rapidly and leaving bloody footprints. Blood seeps through the back of his t-shirt.

Ed: Jerry?

JERRY

[ Bleeding from the mouth. ]Ed, I think I'm bleeding.

JERRY falls forward. Blood splatters at Ed's feet. The camera pulls back to reveal a mash of flesh and blood where JERRY used to be. Ed is horrified.

INT. Dean's HOUSE - DAY

Birds are chirping as morning light floods into a bedroom window. Dean is sleeping. Lisa wakens next to him.

Lisa: Hey, you.

Dean: Hey.

A light peck becomes a long and passionate kiss. Dean is distracted by the sound of a heartbeat. A horn blares and Dean wakens from his dream. He is alone in the Impala, parked just off a busy highway.

INT. Hotel ROOM - DAY

Sam is inside, shirtless, working through a fitness routine of push-ups and sit-ups. These scenes are intercut with: EXT. HIGHWAY - DAY

Dean is by the side of the road, fully clothed, stretching to work the kinks out. The Impala pulls out and is back on the road.

INT. Hotel ROOM - DAY

Sam is doing chin-ups on a pipe suspended from the ceiling of the room.

A PROFESSIONAL LADY emerges from the bathroom.

PROFESSIONAL LADY

Don't stop on my account.

Sam: [ Laughs. ]I'm done.

PROFESSIONAL LADY

Last night was a... [ clears throat ]high point, if you don't mind me saying.

Sam: Good.

PROFESSIONAL LADY

All right. Well, I see you need to start your day. When did you say you were heading out?

Sam exhales, indicating impatience.

PROFESSIONAL LADY

You didn't. Right. Damn, you know how to play that mystery card.

As she turns to leave, Sam clears his throat and holds up some cash.

PROFESSIONAL LADY

Right. I almost forgot. Next time... [ gives Sam a note ]you can call me on my night off. If you want.

Sam: Okay.

PROFESSIONAL LADY

Okay.

She leaves. The phone rings. Sam scrunches up the note and tosses it into a wastepaper basket. He picks up his cellphone.

Sam: Hey.

EXT. BURGER HEAVEN - DAY

Dean: Hey. I'm about eight hours out of the Campbell Base.

Sam: Uh, change of plans. I need you to meet me. I'm in PA. Town called Easter.

Dean: What are you doing in Pennsylvania?

Sam: Caught a case.

Dean: A case? When? It's been like a day and a half.

Sam: I like to work.

Dean: Apparently.

Sam: Glad we hashed that out. Call me when you roll into town.

Sam hangs up.

Dean stares at his phone.

Dean: Who died and made you boss?

EXT. HIGHWAY - DAY

A cop, TOBY, is parked on the side of a road. A car speeds by, clocking 70 mph.

TOBY

Well, now, you could do better than that.

He settles back to pour some booze into a giant-sized plastic convenience store cup. His cellphone rings.

TOBY

Why are you calling me? He's d*ad, right? That's it. Now, I don't want to talk about it. We do what we do -- we go to work, we go to the funeral. [ Sighs ]Calm down. This is nothing to do with you and me. You're just working yourself up. Don't call me. [ Hangs up. ]Idiot.

Something crashes through the branches toward the cop car. Boils break out on the TOBY's face and hands.

TOBY

God! God! Dispatch, this is -- Please, I -- I need... Please.

TOBY chokes and stills.

EXT. STREET - DAY

Sam is in a suit, is leaning against his car and reading some reports.

Dean drives up in the Impala and exits it in the midst of a phone conversation. He is also in a suit.

Dean: Ben...I know you're lying. Because I lie professionally, that's how. Now tell your mom that you broke the damn thing and take it like a man. Okay? Ok-- okay. [ Hangs up. ]

Sam: Wow.

Dean: What?

Sam: You -- molding the minds of tomorrow. Who knew?

Dean: Yeah, tell me about it.

Sam: How'd it go?

Dean: With?

Sam: You and Lisa. How'd she take it when you bailed?

Dean: Shockingly cool, actually.

Sam: Better for everybody.

Dean: Yeah, I suppose. Still driving the plastic piece of crap, huh?

Sam: What's your mileage, again?

Dean: Shut up.

INT. Police STATION - DAY

Sam briefs Dean as they walk through the station to the morgue.

Sam: Officer Gerald Hatch, 17-year veteran, found d*ad in the ready room three days ago.

Dean: [ Reading the file. ]Whoa. Somebody was over-hydrated.

Sam: [ Laughs. ]Basically, yeah. The guy just... liquefied. Most of the meat, bones, dense tissues -- they just turned to blood.

Dean: Okay, I don't get it.

Sam: Nobodygets it.

Dean: No. I mean, I get that.I'm saying, if the guy was a mop job, then what are we doing in the morgue? What's left of him to look at?

Sam: Not here to look at him.Here.

Sam opens a drawer, revealing the boils-covered cop.

Dean: Ooh. Bad news.

Sam: Officer Toby Gray. They just brought him in. Found him d*ad in his patrol car, sitting at a speed trap on the outside of town.

Dean: "Extreme allergic reaction."

Sam: Yeah. Boils. Covered from head to toe.

Dean: Yeah, on the inside, too. It says his airways are chock full of them. This startin' to look a little witchy to you?

Sam: That was my first instinct, but I found zero signs of hexwork anywhere. Far as I can tell, witchcraft was not involved.

Dean: There's got to be some sort of link between, uh, skid mark and bubble wrap here.

Sam: No question.

Dean: All right, well, can I get a witness?

Sam: Yep. Uh... [ reads from notes ]Officer Ed Colfax. Saw Hatch go from a solid to a liquid.

Dean: Another cop?

Sam: Hatch's partner.

Sam pushes the body back into its drawer.

EXT. STREET - DAY

Sam's car swings around a corner. Dean's car pulls out in front of him and is first to park his vehicles at their destination in a leafy neighborhood.

Sam: Were you, uh... were you racing me?

Dean: No. I was kicking your ass.

Sam: Very mature.

Sam and Dean knock on the door of a suburban house.

Dean: Hello? Officer Colfax?

The door opens to reveal Ed in full dress uniform.

Dean: Whoa. Lookin' sharp, Kojak.

Ed: Who the hell are you?

Sam: We're the Fed, Ed. We're here to ask you a few follow-up questions about your partner's death.

Ed: Don't worry about it. It's nobody's business.

Sam: Officer Colfax --

Ed: Don't worry about it!

Ed slams the door shut. Exasperated, Sam kicks the door in.

Dean: Dude!

Walking toward Ed's office, Sam and Dean pass a wall of family photos with the faces scratched out. They find Ed in his office, using a screwdriver to scratch out the face of his police portrait.

Sam: Officer Colfax?

Dean: Hey, man, you all right?

Ed: Don't worry about it.

Dean: Right. Look, Officer Colfax -- Ed. We think that your partner died of unnatural causes.

Ed scratches his hat.

Dean: Did he have any enemies that you know of?

Ed: You might say that.

Sam: Oh, yeah? Who's that?

Ed: They both had it coming. Me too. I'll be the next to go, and then it'll be over. And God will be satisfied.

Dean: Why does God want you all d*ad?

Ed: 'Cause of Christopher Birch.

Ed knocks over a bottle of booze. He watches it spill for some time.

Ed: Oh, damn it.

Sam: Who's Christopher Birch?

Ed: He has no face.

Sam: Ed?

Dean: Officer, you all right?

Ed rights the bottle.

Sam: Who is Christopher Birch, Ed?

Dean: Ed!

Ed: Christopher Birch is a kid with no face... and a planted g*n.

Dean: Uh, you, uh... you got a little something...

Blood is dribbling from under Ed's hat. Ed puts his finger to it.

Dean: ...yeah.

Ed: Damn. My head's been itching like a dirty jock.

Ed falls forward. His face lands on the broken glass of the picture frame.

Sam: Ed?

Sam walks behind the desk and checks Ed's neck for a pulse.

Sam: d*ad.

[ Buzzing sound. ]

Dean: You hear that?

Sam removes Ed's hat. Locusts crawl out of a hole in Ed's head.

INT. Hotel ROOM - DAY

Dean is seated at a table, looking through papers. Sam is at the other end, working on his laptop.

Dean: Sweet. Blood, boils, locusts.

Sam: Three of your more popular Egyptian plagues.

Dean picks up a jar containing the locusts.

Dean: Yeah, but these guys... ate their way out of a cop's melon. I don't quite remember that in the King James.

Sam: Meanwhile, a kid named Christopher Birch [i]was[i]sh*t in the head last month after a vehicle pursuit. Hatch, Gray, and Colfax were the three officers involved, and they all filed the exact Same police report.

Dean: [ Reading a report. ]"Suspect exited vehicle brandishing a firearm. We were forced to f*re."

"Just a kid with no face and a planted g*n."

Bunch of dicks. So they pop the kid, plant the piece.

Sam: Maybe Colfax is right. You know, maybe heaven has a hate-on for bad cops.

Dean: So we're listening to the guy with the bug in his custard? That's -- that's the, uh, the theory you want to go with?

Sam: Dean, angels got to have something to do, right, now that we're post-Apocalypse?

Dean opens a beer.

Dean: We should call Cas.

Sam: You're kidding, right? [ Scoffs ]Dean, I tried. It was the first and second and third thing I did, soon as I got topside. Son of a bitch won't answer the phone.

Dean: [Sitting on a bed. ]Well, let's give it a sh*t. Now I lay me down to sleep. I pray to Castiel to get his feathery ass down here.

Sam: You're an idiot.

Dean: Stay positive.

Sam: Oh, I [i]am[i]positive.

Dean: Come on, Cas! Don't be a dick. We got ourselves a... plague-like situation down here, and... do you...do you copy?

Sam: Like I said... [ clears throat ]son of a bitch doesn't answer -- he's right behind me, isn't he?

Castiel: Hello.

INT. Hotel ROOM - DAY

Sam: Hello?

Castiel: Y-yes.

Sam: [ Imitating Castiel ]"Hello."

[ Normal voice ]"Hello"?

Castiel: Uh, that is still the term?

Sam: I spent all that time trying to get through to you. Dean calls once, and now it's [ imitating Castiel ]"Hello"?!

Castiel: Yes.

Sam: [ Normal voice ]So, what, you -- you like him better or something? [ Scoffs ]

Castiel: Dean and I do share a more profound bond. [ To Dean ]I wasn't gonna mention it.

Dean: Cas, I think what he's trying to say is that... he went to Hell for us. I mean, he really took one for the team. You remember that? And then he comes back without a clue, and you can't take five friggin' minutes to give him some answers?

Castiel: [ Strongly. ]If I had any answers, I might have responded. But I don't know, Sam. We have no idea who brought you back from the cage... or why.

Sam: So... it wasn't God?

Castiel: No one's even [i]seen[i]God. The whole thing remains mysterious.

Sam: What the hell does [i]that[i]mean?

Castiel: What part of "I don't know" escapes your understanding?

Dean: Cas, look, if Sam calls, you answer. Okay? You wing your ass down here, and you tell him, "I don't know." Just because we have some sort of a -- a bond or whatever...

Castiel: You think I came because [i]you[i]called? I came because of this. [ Walks to table where Dean's research is spread out. ]

Dean: Oh, well, it's nice to know what matters.

Castiel: It does help one to focus.

Sam: Wait, so -- so you and the Halo Patrol, you guys aren't the cause of these killings?

Castiel: No. But they were committed with one of our w*apon. There's only one thing that could have brought this into existence. You call it the Staff of Moses.

Sam: [i]The[i]Staff?

Castiel: [ Picks up the jar of locusts. ]It was used in a dominance display against the Egyptians, as I recall.

Dean: [ Scoffs ]Yeah. That one made the papers

Sam: B-but I thought the Staff turned, like, a -- a [i]river[i]into blood, not one dude.

Castiel: The w*apon isn't being used at full capacity. I think we can rule Moses out as a suspect.

Dean: Okay, but... what is -- what is Chuck Heston's disco stick doing down here, anyway? I mean, don't you guys put away your toys?

Castiel: Before the apocalypse, Heaven may have been corrupt, but it was s*ab. The staff was safely contained. [ Sighs ]It's been chaos up there since the w*r ended. In that confusion, a number of... powerful w*apon were... stolen.

Dean: Wait, you -- you're saying your nukes are loose?

Castiel: Yeah, I'm afraid so. But you've stumbled onto one of them. We must find the w*apon that did this. [ Indicates the jar of locusts. ]I need your help.

Sam: [ Scoffs. ]That's rich. Really.

Castiel: [ Grunts, tosses the jar of locusts at Sam. Castiel performs air quotes during this speech. ]Sam, Dean, my "people skills" are "rusty." Pardon me, but I have spent the last "year" as a multidimensional wavelength of celestial intent. But believe me, you [i]do not[i]want that w*apon down here. Help me find it. Or more people will die.

Dean: All right. Okay. Well, if the angels didn't pull the trigger, then that brings us back to motive.

Castiel: What?

Sam: Back to the case. Right now, we got three d*ad cops. Only thing linking them... is this. [ Dean hands Sam a newspaper clipping. ]"Father of slain suspect calls for investigation."

INT. BIRCH FAMILY LIVING ROOM - DAY

Newspaper clippings are strewn on the coffee table. The camera pulls back to reveal DARRYL BIRCH intently reading a tabloid with a front cover story entitled, "Police Officer DIES AT PRECINCT."

[ A door slams, someone walks into the house. ]

AARON, a boy

Come on, dad. How many times are you gonna read that thing? You know what? We should just throw it away.

DARRYL

[ Mumbles, not looking up from the paper. ]Go out back and play.

AARON leaves, DARRYL begins to cut the story out of the paper. ]

Sam, Dean and Castiel suddenly appear in the living room.

Dean: Oh, Cas, a little warning next time.

DARRYL

What the... how'd you get in here?!

Sam: Mr. Birch, settle down. [ Shows FBI badge. ]Federal agents.

DARRYL

But you can't just walk in here!

Sam: [ Indicating the clippings. ]Quite a collection you've got there, huh?

DARRYL

What are you trying to --

Sam: Look, we know the truth, all right? Chris didn't have a g*n on him when those cops sh*t him. They set him up.

DARRYL

Yeah. They're all getting theirs.

Sam: [ Accusational tone. ]And who's giving it to them, Darryl?

Dean: Darryl? Did you k*ll Toby Gray and the others?

DARRYL

[i]Me?![i]I didn't k*ll anyone! Look at how they died!

Castiel: You smote them with the Staff of Moses!

DARRYL

The hell kind of Fed are you?

Castiel: We don't have time for this. [ Steps up to DARRYL. ]Where is it?

AARON

[ Brandishing part of the Staff as if it were a g*n. ]Leave my dad alone!

Castiel: Is that...? Yes.

Sam: Shouldn't it be bigger?

Castiel: Yes. It's -- it's been sawed off.

AARON

Leave him alone! It wasn't him!

DARRYL

Aaron, get out of here!

[ Castiel presses two fingers to DARRYL's forehead, DARRYL falls back onto the sofa, unconscious. ]

AARON

What did you do to him?

Dean: It's all right. He's just sleeping.

AARON points the staff at Dean.

Castiel teleports next to AARON, takes away the staff.

Dean: Cas, take it easy! [ To AARON. ]Listen, we're not here to hurt you, okay? But we need to know... where did you get this thing?

AARON

Please don't k*ll my dad. It was me. I did it.

Dean: Okay, nobody's k*lling anybody. What's your name?

AARON

Aaron. Aaron Birch.

Dean: Okay, Aaron Birch, where did you get this?

AARON

You won't believe me.

Dean: Try me.

AARON

It was an angel.

Dean: An angel?

AARON

Those liars, they k*lled my brother, and nothing bad even happened to them. It's not fair. So I prayed to God every night he would punish them. God didn't answer. But [i]he[i]did.

Castiel: His name -- did he give you a name?

AARON

No. He just said I could have justice, but I was gonna have to take it myself. He... he gave me the stick.

Dean: He just... gave it to you? Ah, come on. He didn't just [i]give[i]it to you, did he, Aaron?

AARON

I bought it.

Sam: You [i]bought[i]it? [ Chuckles. ]With what? What's your allowance?

Dean: What did the angel want for it? What did you give him for it?

AARON

My soul.

Sam: You sold your soul to an angel?

Dean: [ To Castiel. ]Can that even happen?

Castiel: It's never happened before. An angel's buying souls. That could explain why he cut the staff into pieces.

Sam: Why?

Castiel: More pieces, more product.

Dean: More "product"? Who is this guy?

Castiel: We'll find him.

Castiel presses his fingers to AARON's forehead; AARON falls unconscious.

Dean: What did you do that for?

Castiel: Portability.

Camera pulls back to reveal Castiel, carrying AARON over his shoulder, back in Sam's hotel room. Castiel places a still-unconscious AARON on the bed.

Dean: Cas, you realize you just kidnapped a kid?

Castiel: If the angel we seek truly bought this boy's soul, when a claim is laid on a living soul, it leaves a mark, a brand.

Sam: What, like a -- like a shirt tag at camp?

Castiel: I have no idea. But I can read the mark and find the name of the angel that bought the soul.

Dean: How?

Castiel: Well, painfully for him. The reading will be excruciating.

Dean: Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. Hold on.

Castiel: Dean.

Dean: He's a kid, Cas. A ki-- Sam?

Sam: [ To Castiel. ]Any permanent damage?

Dean: What?!

Castiel: Physically, minimal.

Dean: Oh, well, yeah, then by all means, stick your arm right in there.

Castiel: Dean! If I get the name, I can work a ritual to track the angel down.

Dean: And I'm all for that. But come on. There's got to be another way.

Castiel: There is no other way.

Dean: You're gonna t*rture a kid?

Castiel: I [i]can't[i]care about that, Dean! I don't have the luxury.

Castiel pushes his hand into AARON's chest. AARON screams. Dean advances. Sam holds him back. They watch as AARON screams and his body lights up from the inside. He stops screaming and falls unconscious when Castiel withdraws his hand.

Castiel: He'll rest now.

Sam: Did you get a name? What is it?

Castiel: I thought he died in the w*r.

Sam: What, he -- he was a -- he was a friend or something?

Castiel: [ Sighs. ]A good friend.

Dean: Yeah, well, your frat buddy is now moonlighting as a crossroads demon.

Castiel: Balthazar. I wonder...

Sam: So we can find him now, right?

AN ANGEL appears.

ANGEL

Balthazar. Thanks, Castiel. We'll make good use of the name.

The ANGEL att*cks Castiel with an angel-k*lling sword. Castiel blocks it with his own.

ANGEL

And by the way, Raphael says hello.

The ANGEL and Castiel fight in the room until they both lose their swords. They grapple each other and jump through the window, falling several stories onto a car parked on the street. Sam and Dean look out the window. The ANGEL disappears, leaving Castiel standing next to the desTroyed vehicle.

Sam: My car.

Dean: Okay. Silver lining.

EXT. STREET - DAY

Castiel is standing by the wrecked car. Sam and Dean are still up in the room.

Castiel: [ Now back in the room behind Sam and Dean. ]He's gone.

Sam: Alright Cas, who was that guy?

Castiel: A soldier of Raphael. He must have followed me when I answered your call.

Sam: Raphael? The archangel? I'm sorry, what's going on here?

Castiel gets a bowl from a cupboard.

Castiel: I can explain later. Right now we have to --

Dean: No, not later. Now. Stop, all right? Too many angels, Cas! I don't know who's on first, what's on second.

Castiel: What is"second"?!

Dean: Don't start that.

Castiel: It is simple: Raphael and his followers, they want him to rule Heaven. I -- and many others -- the lastthing we want is to let him take over. It would be catastrophic.

Sam: You're talking civil w*r.

Castiel: Technically, yes. Which is why we have to find Balthazar and his w*apon before Raphael does. Whoever has the w*apon wins the w*r.

Castiel pulls Sam's w*apon bag from under his bed.

Sam: Help yourself.

Dean: And what happens if Raphael wins? What -- what does he want?

Castiel: [ Gets a flask of holy water from Sam's bag. ]What he's always wanted -- to end the story the way it was written.

Dean: You mean the Apocalypse, the one that we derailed?

Castiel: Yes. That one. Raphael wants to put it back on the rails.

Dean: Why?

Castiel: I need myrrh.

Sam: Myrrh?

Castiel is no longer standing by the bed.

Dean: Freakin' angels.

Castiel reappears behind Dean. He is drawing on the kitchen table with chalk.

Dean: Why does Raphael want to bring back all this crap?

Castiel: He's a traditionalist.

Dean: Cas, why didn't you tell us this?

Castiel: I was ashamed. I expected more from my brothers. I'm sorry. Now I need your blood.

Castiel grabs Dean's wrist and slices his palm.

Dean: Whoa, whoa! Hey! Ahh! Why don't you use your own?

Castiel: It wouldn't work. I'm not human.

Dean squeezes his hand shut. Blood drips into the bowl. Castiel adds myrrh and holy water and intones.

[ Sirens sound. ]

Sam: Uh, Cas, how long does this spell take?

[ Wailing intensifies. ]

Castiel: Got him. Let's go.

Dean: Whoa, whoa, whoa. What about him?

AARON is still lying on the bed, unconscious.

Castiel: Don't you think the police will take him home?

EXT. MANSION - NIGHT

[ Crickets chirping. ]

Dean: Huh. I was expecting more Dr. No, less Liberace.

Dean, Sam and Castiel advance on the mansion.

Castiel is in an opulent foyer. A frog perched on the balustrade of a grand staircase is croaking. Castiel teleports upstairs, follows loud music into a room with a piano and strobe lights. The door closes. Castiel readies his angel-k*lling sword.

BALTHAZAR

Cas. You're here.

Castiel: Balthazar.

BALTHAZAR

It's so good to see you. He told me you were floating around.

Castiel: He?

BALTHAZAR

I believe you two have flown together. [ He turns on the lights and the music stops. ]Oh, you know, the old frog in the throat.

The body of the ANGEL who att*cked Castiel earlier is on the floor. A frog jumps out of his mouth and croaks.

Castiel: Even Iknow that that's a bad joke. I grieved your death.

BALTHAZAR

Yeah, yeah. I'm sorry about that, you know. I wanted them to think, you know, so... they wouldn't come looking for me?

Castiel: What... is all this? What are you doing?

BALTHAZAR

Whatever I want. This morning I had a ménage à -- what's French for 12?

Castiel: You stole the Staff of Moses?

BALTHAZAR

Sure, sure. I stole a lotof things.

Castiel: You were a great and honorable soldier. We fought together.

BALTHAZAR

Yes, too many times to count.

Castiel: I know you. You're not some common thief.

BALTHAZAR

Common? No. Thief? Eh.

Castiel: I need your help.

BALTHAZAR

I know. I've been hearing all about you, and as far as I'm concerned, you and me, Cas, nothing's changed. We're brothers. Of course I want to help you.

Castiel: Thank you. I need the w*apon.

BALTHAZAR

Don't ask that.

Castiel: Why take them? Why run away?

BALTHAZAR

Because I could!What? What? I me-- you're the one who made it possible. The footsteps I'm following -- they're yours. What you did, stopping the big plan, the prize fight? You did more than rebel. You tore up the whole script and b*rned the pages for all of us. [ Laughs. ]It's a new era. No rules, no destiny. Just utter and complete freedom.

Castiel: And this is what you do with it?

BALTHAZAR

Hey, screw it, right? I mean, dad's not coming back. You might as well blow coke and jump on the bed. You proved to me we could do anything, so I'm trying [i]everything[i]. What difference does it make?

Castiel: Of course it makes a diff-- it's civil w*r up there!

BALTHAZAR

I know.

Castiel: If we can b*at Raphael, we can end this! Just give me the w*apon.

BALTHAZAR

[ Laughs. ]Do you know what's funny about you? You actually believe that you can stop the fighting. It will never stop. My advice -- grab something valuable and fake your own death.

Castiel: You've gone insane. Your little holiday is over. Raphael knows you're alive by now.

BALTHAZAR

Oh, Raphael can try me anytime. I'm armed. I'm sorry, Cas. All else aside, I'm really, really happy to see you. Even though you still have that stick up your ass.

[ Thunder crashes. ]

BALTHAZAR

Was that you?

Castiel shakes his head.

BALTHAZAR

Oh, that's my cue then. Tell, uh, Raphael to bite me. [ Disappears. ]

Rear view of three ANGELS standing outside the mansion where Sam, Dean and Castiel had stood before.

EXT. MANSION - NIGHT

[ Thunder crashes. ]

RAPHAEL

Watch them. They're all snakes.

RAPHAEL and two angels walk toward the mansion.

INT. - BALTHAZAR's MANSION

Castiel is alerted to some developments.

EXT. MANSION - NIGHT

An ANGEL armed with an angel-k*lling sword is patrolling the grounds.

Sam: Hey, there. [ Produces an angel-k*lling sword. ]Yeah, I got one of those, too.

ANGEL

[ Appears behind Sam, holding the Kn*fe to his throat. ]You think you can Kn*fe-fight an angel?

Dean: Who's fighting? Peace out, douchewad.

Dean slaps an angel-banishing sigil painted on the side of the house. The ANGEL disappears.

[ Thunder crashes. ]

INT. BALTHAZAR's MANSION

Castiel

[ To a thr*at ANGEL. ]You're making a mistake. Please. There is another way. Brother, please. I don't want to hurt you.

The ANGEL advances on Castiel. Castiel throws his Kn*fe into the ANGEL's chest. The ANGEL screams and vacates the body.

Castiel: Why won't any of you listen?

Castiel is grabbed from behind.

RAPHAEL

They don't listen, Castiel, because their hearts are mine.

RAPHAEL grabs Castiel by the collar and throws him back against a set of double doors that fall open. RAPHAEL kicks Castiel while he's down, then pulls him up to punch him several times. Castiel falls half-way down the grand staircase. RAPHAEL kicks him to the bottom and teleports there to punch Castiel again.

RAPHAEL

[ Raising an angel-k*lling sword. ]Somehow, I don't think God will be bringing you back this time.

BALTHAZAR

Hey! Look at my junk. [ Holds up a glowing crystal. ]

RAPHAEL

No.

RAPHAEL turns to salt from head to toe. The salt clatters to the floor.

BALTHAZAR

[ Chuckles. ]Same thing happened to Lot's wife. Iodize the poor sucker, and your kitchen is stocked for life. [ Laughs. ]

Castiel: You came back.

BALTHAZAR

Well, now Raphael will have to go shopping for a new vessel. Should give me a nice

long head start on him. Until next time.

Castiel: Next time.

Dean: No time like the present. [ Flicks a lighter and drops it on a circle of holy oil that surrounds BALTHAZAR. ]

BALTHAZAR

Holy f*re. You hairless ape! Release me!

Dean: First you're taking your marker off of Aaron Birch's soul!

BALTHAZAR

Am I?!

Dean: Sam?!

Sam: Unless you like your wings extra crispy -- [ uncorks a bottle of holy oil ]-- I'd think about it.

BALTHAZAR

Castiel, I stood for you in Heaven. Are you gonna let --

Castiel: I believe... the hairless ape has the floor.

BALTHAZAR

[ Laughs. ]Very well. [ Inhales, touches his clasped hands to his forehead, exhales. ]The boy's debt is cleared. His soul is his own.

Dean: Why you buying up human souls, anyway?

BALTHAZAR

In this economy? It's probably the only thing worth buying. Do you have any idea what souls are worth? What power they hold? Now... release me.

Dean: Suck it, ass clown. Nobody said anything --

Castiel lowers his hand, lowering the flames.

Dean: Cas, what the hell?

Castiel: [ To BALTHAZAR. ]My debt to you is cleared.

BALTHAZAR

Fair enough. [ Sound of an angel in flight. ]

Dean: Cas, are you out of your mind?!

Castiel disappears.

Dean: Cas?! Oh, friggin' angels! Come on!

EXT. ROADSIDE - DAY

Dean is rearranging w*apon in the trunk of the Impala.

Dean: Yeah, well I didn't realize I had this much stuff back here.

Sam: Well, I need some space. Kind of picked up some stuff along the way.

Dean closes the false bottom on the w*apon cache. Sam places his duffle bag on top. He notices a mask there and pulls it out.

Sam: What the hell is that?

Dean: Oh, it's, uh, Ben's Halloween costume.

Sam: Wendigo?

Dean: Yeah.

Sam: [ Approvingly. ]Accurate.

Dean closes the trunk. The camera pulls back to reveal that they are parked at the side of a creek. Dean and Sam have a conversation leaning over the roof of the Impala.

Dean: Hey, so, uh... are you okay?

Sam: Me? [ Chuckling. ]Yeah, I'm great.

Dean: Really? 'Cause there's been a few times that you got me wondering.

Sam: Come again?

Dean: Well, like where were you when Cas was, uh, giving the Holy Taser treatment to that kid?

Sam: I was right there.

Dean: Really? 'Cause honestly, I felt like I was the only one raising a card.

Sam: Right. Uh, I mean, I was with you, but...I don't know. W-we needed the intel.

Dean: Yeah, I know, but we tortured that kid to get it.

Sam: [ Sighs. ]

Dean: I just didn't get the feeling that you -- that you even cared.

Sam: Y- you're wrong.

Dean: Hey man, I'm just trying to figure this out because... something's different with you. You know that.

Sam: Yeah. Yeah, I know.

Dean: Really?

Sam: Yeah. I mean... I've been hunting non-stop for the past year, kind of... kind of on the wild, you know? So, yeah, I suppose I'm a little rough around the edges.

Dean: Yeah, I get that. I just don't think I'm getting the whole scoop. You went to hell, Sam. And believe me, I know what that does to a guy.

Sam: To you.

Dean: What?

Sam: You know what it does to [i]you.[i]It -- it tortured [i]you.[i]You know? I think it still does. But, Dean... I'm okay.

Dean: So you're saying, what, that -- that you're stronger than me?

Sam: [ Chuckling ]No. Just saying we're different.

Sam pauses, slaps the roof of the Impala and gets inside.

Dean ponders, then gets into the car.
{"type": "series", "show": "Supernatural", "episode": "06x03 - The Third Man"}