( ICED )

LIBRARY
[ ☼ ]

        Garth and Sam get out of Garth's vehicle and walk towards the library. "Hey, uh, Sam. If you ever need to talk, I just want to let you know that I'm here. About anything – you know, life, uh, Dean, you." Garth says.

      "I'm okay. Thanks." Sam says.

       "I mean, it just seems like you and Dean are talking but nobody's listening to each other." Garth says. "I had this cousin once – well, he's gone now – but his name was Frank. Frank and I used to build..." He goes inside the library. Sam stands on the steps outside.

FLASHBACK

MOTEL ROOM
[ ☼ ]

        Sam wakes and rolls over. "Hey." He says. Amelia is dressed and carrying a handbag.

       "Hey. Uh, just lock up when you leave. I'm late." Amelia picks up her keys.

       "Wait, what?" Sam asks.

       "I just think it's better if neither of us get the wrong idea here."

       "O-okay." He says.

       "And I know I said a lot of things last night, and I know I can't ask you to forget them. But just... Do."

       "Why?" Asks Sam.

       "Because I don't need your pity. I don't need you looking at me the way they all – like that."

       "Wait, um... you think this is pity? Amelia, I'm glad you told me about Don. It helps me understand." Sam says.

       "How messed up I am?" She asks. "You think I don't know that? You don't have to feel sorry for me, Sam."

      "I didn't mean it like that."

      "Yeah, well, like I said, I'm late. So..." Amelia leaves the room.

END FLASHBACK

LIBRARY
[ ☼ ]

       Garth opens the front door of the library and speaks to Sam, who is still standing on the steps. "Hey, you comin'?" He asks.

HOSPITAL
[ ☼ ]

       Dean and Elena get out of the Impala, which is parked behind the Sheriff's vehicle. Dean glances in the open window of the Sheriff's vehicle and walks on.

LIBRARY
[ ☼ ]

       A librarian is leading Sam and Garth through the library. "You do know there is a good reason he's called the unknown soldier, right?" She asks.

       "Right. Uh, we were just hoping maybe a theory or two had been a floated around over the years – something local, maybe?" Sam asks.

       "There is one." She takes a book from a shelf.

HOSPITAL
[ ☼ ]

       A Woman and a Man in hospital employee uniforms are laughing together on opposite sides of the reception desk when a shot shatters a pane of glass next to them. They scream and duck for cover.

       Deputy Karl points his rifle at the Man. He has black goo coming from his right ear. "Hey, ump. You remember me? I stole second!" He yells.

      "Karl? What the hell are you doing? Why are you doing –" The Man starts.

      "Why am I gonna make mustard from your brain stem?! I don't know. Why did you call me out, ump?"

       "I'm sorry." The Man says as Deputy Karl pulls the trigger, but the gun doesn't fire.

       "Looks like you're shooting blanks." Dean says as Deputy Karl turns to face him. Dean grabs the rifle and punches him.

       "Hey, that tickled." Deputy Karl punches Dean, who falls heavily to the floor. He grabs Dean and pulls him to his feet again.

LIBRARY
[ ☼ ]

       The librarian is turning pages in a book as she speaks to Sam and Garth. "Corporal Collins of the Union shot and killed his brother, Vance, who fought for the Confederacy. Local boys." She says. We see a photograph of Vance in the book.

       "Wait, so two brothers fought on opposite sides of the Civil War?" Sam asks.

       "Legend has it that Vance swore vengeance on his brother with his dying breath." She says. "Years later – consumed by guilt, no doubt – the corporal dug his brother up where he'd buried him on the battlefield and brought him home."

       "Are you suggesting this Vance guy is the unknown soldier?" Garth asks.

       "That's one theory, anyway."

      "What's that?" Sam points to the photograph, in which Vance is wearing a necklace with a round disk pendant.

HOSPITAL
[ ☼ ]

       Deputy Karl is holding Dean by the throat. "Karl, listen, I know the spectre's turning the temperature up in there. So just tell me what the object is, and we'll send this joker home." Dean says. Elena stands by, waiting for the right moment.

       "I don't think so. There's unfinished business, thanks to you." Karl sniffs Dean. "Oh, the spectre likes you."

      "Oh, yeah? Why don't you tell him to come on out here and we'll make promise bracelets." Dean says as Deputy Karl flings him onto and over a desk.

LIBRARY
[ ☼ ]

       "Most of the soldiers were poor farmers, so..." She turns to another page in the book, which shows a close-up of a 1859 Indian Head penny on a string. "...the families would give them a penny on a string. It was for good luck, and in case they ever got lost, they always had a penny for food or drink."

       "A penny." Sam says.

HOSPITAL
[ ☼ ]

       Deputy Karl holds up a penny with a hole drilled through it. "Here. Have a taste. He presses the penny into Dean's palm."

LIBRARY
[ ☼ ]

       Sam and Garth leave the library. Sam is on the phone. "It's me. Do what you gotta."

       "Dean, hey. There was a string on the floor of the tomb. It used to hold an old penny. That's the object. We're coming right now." Sam says.

MOTEL ROOM
[ ☼ ]

        Sam and Garth enter. Sam has his phone to his ear and we hear a phone ringing in the room. Elena is standing in the room with a look of fear. "Sam, don't." She says.

       "Dean? What the hell, man? We went to the hospital." Sam says and Dean is sitting on a bed. His ringing phone is next to him. "You're not answering your phone."

       Dean has black goo running from his right ear. He stands up and points a gun at Sam. "You should have looked for me when I was in Purgatory." He says.

CEMETERY
[ ☾]

       Three Days Ago Soundgarden's "Fell on Black Days" plays. Teenagers drink beer and look into the casket. One points a gun that was in the casket. Another takes the penny on a string from around the skeleton's neck. He breaks the string off and puts the penny in his pocket.

       The teenager who took the penny uses it to pay for purchases at a convenience store. The cashier gives the penny as change to Mary Lew. We see a flashback of Mary Lew kicking the jack out from under the car her husband was working on.

       Scott Lew takes the penny from Mary Lew's bag, which is next to him on the seat of his car. We see a flashback of him stabbing Jeff with the shovel. We see a flashback of Doug going into the evidence room and tipping the inhaler and keys into his hand.

       We see that in addition to the inhaler and keys, he also tipped the penny into his hand. We see a flashback of Doug shooting the Sheriff. The penny drops from his hand onto the floor.

       Deputy Karl handcuffs Doug and picks up the penny from the floor. The scene then cuts to a flashback of Deputy Karl pressing the penny into Dean's hand.

MOTEL ROOM
[ ☼ ]

       Dean is pointing his gun at Sam. "Come on, Dean. I know it's not you in there pulling the strings." Sam says.

       "Shut up!" Dean yells and turns to Garth, who makes a move towards his belt for a weapon. "Don't!" He turns to Sam. "You never even wanted this life. Always blamed me for pulling you back into it."

       "That's not true." Sam says.

      "Really? 'Cause everything you've ever done since you climbed into my ride has been to deceive me."

       "What do you want me to say?" Sam asks. "That I've made mistakes? I've made mistakes, Dean."

      "That's not Dean, Sam." Garth says.

       "Shut up! Mistakes? Well, let's go through some of Sammy's greatest hits." Dean says. "Drinking demon blood, check. Being in cahoots with Ruby. Not telling me that you lost your soul. Or how about running around with Samuel for a whole year, letting me think that you were dead while you're doing all kinds of crazy. Those aren't mistakes, Sam. Those are choices!"

      "All right. You said it. We've both played a little fast and loose." Sam says.

      "Yeah, I might have lied, but I never once betrayed you. I never once left you to die." Dean says. "And for what, a girl? You left me to die for a girl?"

       Sam put a hand on the gun and punches Dean. He pushes Dean into a glass pane, which breaks, and punches Dean twice more. Dean backhands Sam, headbutts him, then kicks him across the room. Sam falls to the floor, then pulls himself up to lean against a sofa.

       "Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!" Garth gets between Dean and Sam.

       "Garth, don't." Sam says.

       "No, he won't kill me. His beef isn't with me." Garth says. "You're not gonna shoot me, are you, Dean?"

       Dean points the gun at Garth. "Move." He says.

      "Come on, Dean. You do not want to kill your brother. You – you've been protecting him your whole life. Don't stop now."

       "He left me to rot in Purgatory!" Dean yells.

      "All right. All right. Maybe he did. I don't know. I wasn't there." Garth says. "But I'm sure he had his reasons."

      "Just like you had your reasons for Benny." Sam says.

      "Who?"

      "Benny has been more of a brother to me this past year than you've ever been!" Dean yells. "That's right. Cas let me down. You let me down. The only people that haven't let me down are Elena and Benny."

      "I know you're angry. But, man, you got to fight this thing. Do not do this! Just let it go. Come on, Dean." Garth says.

      "Goodbye, Sam." Dean tries to push past Garth. Garth punches him. The penny drops from Dean's hand.

       Garth shakes the hand he used to punch Dean. "Ow! God!" He says and picks up the penny.

      "Garth, don't!" Elena yells.

       "It's cool. It's all good. I'm cool." Garth says as Dean touches the black goo on his ear. Sam sighs and Garth looks at the penny.

MOTEL
[ ☾]

       Garth walks to his vehicle, carrying a bag. Dean follows him. "It took me forever to melt that penny, but it's finally gone." Garth says.

       "How come that penny didn't jack you like everyone else? I mean, I can understand why it didn't affect the kid who took it. He's young and innocent." Dean says. "But, uh, everyone at some point in their life feels like they've been screwed."

       "Not me, man. I let all that stuff go with the help of my yogi, my Sega Genesis." Garth says. "And you should, too. You can't change the past, amigo. Now, there's something I want to say to you. Stop being a idjit!" He yells and Dean looks surprised. "With Bobby dead, you Elena and Sam are all each other has. And that's not so bad, man. Now, you know what's coming next, right?" He spreads his arms slightly. "Come on."

      Dean looks away. "Oh..." He starts.

       "Come on."

       "Yeah, okay." Dean says as he hugs Garth. "Hey, uh..." He takes Bobby's hat out of his back pocket and puts it on Garth's head. "Keep on truckin', Garth."

      "Thanks." Garth touches the brim of the cap in salute. One of his cell phones plays M.C. Hammer's "U Can't Touch This." "Oh, got to go. Yo, Lamar. What do we got? Wendigo?" He gets into his vehicle. "You got a flare gun? No? What about a flame thrower?" He laughs. "Then you'd better get some sneakers, buddy, 'cause you're gonna have to run. All right."

       Garth tries unsuccessfully to start his vehicle. He slams a hand on the steering wheel. "Balls!" He tries again to start his vehicle, this time with success. He gives Dean a thumbs-up and drives away.

MOTEL ROOM
[ ☾]

       Sam is wiping his face with water at a sink. There is a knock at the door.

FLASHBACK

MOTEL ROOM
[ ☾]

       Sam is knocking on Amelia's motel room door. She opens it. "Sam, I can't." She starts to close the door, but Sam stops her.

       "I don't pity you. Okay? I don't. You and I – we're a lot of things, but we're not to be pitied." Sam says. "Look, I lost my brother, Dean, a few months ago. It felt like my world imploded and came raining down on me, and... I ran. Just like you."

       "Is that supposed to be a pep talk?" Asks Amelia.

      "Yeah, uh, sort of." Sam says.

      "Because... See, now I pity you."

       Sam follows Amelia into the room. Amelia is holding an empty glass. "Well, I mean, that wasn't really my point." Sam closes the door behind him. Amelia picks up another glass

       "Yeah, well, bell's rung on that one, so..." Amelia starts. They sit down on the sofa and Amelia pours whiskey.

       "So, uh... so what now?" Sam asks.

        "I don't know. You want to talk about it?"

       "Last night?" Asks Sam.

       "No. Dean, you pervert." Amelia says.

       "Yeah. Yeah, I'd like that. Do you want to talk about Don?" Sam reaches a hand towards her.

      "Hey, I'd like that, too." Amelia covers his hand with her own.

END FLASHBACK

MOTEL ROOM
[ ☾]

       We hear more knocks. Sam is looking at himself in the bathroom mirror. Dean yells from outside the motel room. "Sammy!" There are more knocks at the door. Sam sighs and slowly walks out of the bathroom.

       Later, Sam closes the trunk of the Impala. "For the record, the girl – her name's Amelia. Amelia Richardson. She and I had a place together in Kermit, Texas." He says.

       "Look, man, I don't even remember what I said, but, uh –" Dean starts.

       "But what? But you didn't mean it? Oh, please." Sam says. "You and I both know you didn't need that penny to say those things."

       "Come on, Sam." Elena says. "Now's not the time for this."

     "Oh I think it is." Sam says. "Own up to your crap, Dean. I told you from the jump where I was coming from, why I didn't look for you. But you? You had secrets. You had Benny. And you got on your high and mighty, and you've been kicking me ever since you got back. But that's over. So move on, or I will."

       "Okay. I hear you." Dean says.

      "Good." Sam walks towards the passenger seat and faces Dean over the car. "You know what? Hear this, too. I just might be that hunter that runs into Benny one day and ices him."

       "I guess we'll cross that bridge when we come to it, won't we?" Dean asks.

      "Yeah. Yeah. You keep saying that."