Outfits in the external link

THEN

From 8.14 "Trial and Error", on Fizzles' Folly, in the main compartment, Kevin was sitting at the table. Dean, Ness, Sam, Catty and Sabrina were standing nearby.

Kevin stood. "I figured out how to close the Gates of Hell. Basically, God built a series of tests, and when you've done all three, you can slam the Gates."

From 8.14 "Trial and Error", in the Cassity House, Ness and Dean were standing together.

"I need you to be safe," Ness told him. "I'm not trying to get myself killed here, Dean. I'm gonna gonna give it everything it takes to make it through alive. I just need to know that you're okay. That you have a family. I can't let you lose each other again."

"Ness, what happens if we lose you?" Dean asked.

From 8.14 "Trial and Error", in the Cassity House, Dean and Catty were talking.

Catty sighed, walking closer. "Part of me couldn't deal with it. Because it just got worse over time. It was worse torture than what really happened. And part of me just wanted it gone, and I knew that the only way it would be gone was if I was gone. I didn't even realize I was doing it. You know,  I didn't know what I was doing, until Zachariah told me what was happening, of all people. And then once I realized that he was right, I couldn't really let myself believe that I had nearly let myself die."

"And you think that's what Ness is doing right now?" Dean asked.

From 8.14 "Trial and Error", in the rooming barn's main room, Ness pulled herself away from the Hellhound, toward Catty's Knife. The Hellhound ran closer, growling and snarling, slashing its claws into Ness' stomach and side and chest, pulling her away from Catty's Knife, starting to tear into her, making her scream.

Catty: (voice over from 8.14 Trial and Error) "I guaran-freaking-tee you that Ness is not realizing what she's really doing. That it's just some part of her on the inside calling the shots, and Ness doesn't know why she's going along with it. Not yet, anyway."

Sabrina tackled the Hellhound to the ground, rolling it away from Ness, landing on the ground below the Hellhound, holding it off with both hands. Dean ran closer, kneeling next to Ness, holding her up for support with her back to his chest, holding her. Catty was wearing her Holy-Oiled glasses, gun drawn, shooting the Hellhound again. Sabrina was able to push the Hellhound off of her, to the ground, gripping it by its back as she stood, pulling it up, making it stand on its hind legs, struggling to restrain it. Sam ran in with Octavia's Angel Sword, sliding closer to Sabrina and the Hellhound, in front of them, slashing the sword through the Hellhound, bathing himself in its black blood. Sabrina gasped from effort, pushing the body of the dead Hellhound aside. Catty dropped her gun, running closer, kneeling next to Ness and Dean, looking at the fatal wounds that were causing Ness agony.

Dean: (voice over from 8.15 Man's Best Friend With Benefits) "Getting shredded and nearly killed by a Hellhound is a hell of a moment of weakness."

Sabrina ran closer, hesitating for a moment, looking at the blood, ignoring it the best she could, kneeling on the other side of Dean and Ness, holding her hands over Ness' chest and stomach, white light emanating from her hands as she healed her.

Dean: (voice over from 8.15 Man's Best Friend With Benefits) "Ness wouldn't be alive right now if it wasn't for Sabrina."

Ness gasped in relief, leaning her head back against Dean's chest, exhausted. Dean held Ness tighter, his chin resting on her head, gazing off, expressionless with worry.

From 8.15 "Man's Best Friend With Benefits", in the gas station, Catty looked at Dean. "It's not her fault, and you know it." Dean sighed, turning away, stepping along down the aisle. "Go easy on her." Catty turned to face Dean, making him stop. "One of these times, Ness is going to break. After what happened the other day, I'm pretty sure she's gonna break soon."

Catty: (voice over from 8.14 Trial and Error) "I didn't realize what I was doing until Zach told me. I'm pretty sure that Ness won't realize what she's doing until you tell her, Dean."

From 8.15 "Man's Best Friend With Benefits", in The Bunker, in Dean and Ness' Room, Dean walked closer to Ness. "I think I know something that you're not even admitting to yourself. Something that the second you thought it, you buried it, and you wouldn't admit it to anyone." Ness looked up. Dean sat in the chair in front of her. "Maybe you thought that even if you didn't make it through, you wouldn't have to live with what happened to you."

Ness looked away, shaking her head in denial. "Dean..."

"Because death would be easier to go through than what you did, and you still are," Dean told her. "Maybe you thought about it for an instant... even for a moment, you thought about going out like a hero... I can't really blame you."

Ness looked up, shaking her head. "You're wrong. You don't know how wrong you are."

"Then look me in the eyes and tell me that it had nothing to do with it," Dean told her. Ness met his gaze, but couldn't answer. She looked down, realizing that he was right, exhaling shakily, as if it was just now setting in, what she had almost let happen, in denial.  Dean nodded barely. "Look. What happened... happened. But I need to know that you're not gonna check out like that. Ever. I don't wanna hear that again. Okay? Like I told you before, Sam, Catty, Sabrina and I wouldn't be alive if it wasn't for you. You're a genius. You're the best damn hunter I have ever seen." Ness looked at Dean. "So, just--don't do that again, okay?"

Ness sighed shakily, nodding. "Promise."

Ness looked down sadly, slowly laying down. Dean laid down next to Ness, his arms around her, pulling her closer, holding her. Ness had her head on Dean's chest, still having a few tears falling, but she didn't make a sound.

From 8.14 "Trial and Error", in Ellie's Room, Ness, Dean, Sam, Sabrina and Catty stood together.

Sam sighed, pulling the paper with the spell out of his pocket, reading it aloud. "Kah-nuh-ahm-dahr."

There was a whooshing sound around them, making them look around. Sam contorted painfully, falling to his knees, groaning in pain.

"Uncle Sammy?" Sabrina asked worriedly. "Sam!" There was a crackling sound. Sam dropped the paper with the spell. The veins in his right hand, the one he killed the Hellhound with, were highlighted with bright white light. He grimaced and groaned in pain, gasping. "You okay?"

Sam gasped, watching the bright white light disappear from his hand and arm, clenching his fist. After a moment he took to calm down, he grabbed the paper, standing, looking at their worried expressions. "I'm good. I'm okay. I can do this."

Ness, Dean, Catty and Sabrina looked at Sam in hidden worry.

NOW

§

Great Falls, Montana

Day One

Night - On the Road

A truck drove down the road.

§ 

Truck

The driver was a rough looking, curly scraggy haired, bearded man with a mustache. He was drinking beer while driving.

§ 

On the Road

There was a sign at the side of the road. Entering Great Falls. Another man was walking along the side of the  road, away from the sign. He was young, handsome and fit looking, with light brown shaggy hair, bearded with a mustache. He was wearing a plaid jacket and a henley. When he exhaled, his breath was visible, suggesting it was very cold.

§ 

Truck

The driver was tired, falling asleep at the wheel.

§ 

On the Road

The man continued to walk down the side of the road. Headlights approached in the background. The man turned around to see the truck driving closer.

§ 

Truck

The driver jerked awake. He drunk more beer.

§ 

On the Road

The man watched as the truck drove closer.

§ 

Truck

The driver fell asleep again.

§ 

On the Road

The truck drove toward the man. The man turned around. Headlights shone right into the man's startled eyes.

§ 

Truck

The driver jerked awake just as the truck hit the man.

§ 

On the Road

The man crashed into the windshield, making it shatter. He was thrown onto the snow-covered ground, rolling a few times.

§ 

Truck

The driver stopped the car. "Oh, God."

§ 

On the Road

The driver got out of the car, walking toward the man on the ground. "Oh, God."

The headlights shone on the man's bloody forehead. The driver looked around. He looked at the body for a moment, walking toward his truck, getting in, driving away, leaving. There was a route sign. County Road 89. With the "Entering Great Falls" sign in the background of the route sign.

§ 

Later

The man was lying on the ground. His face was now covered with ice. There was a huge bloody hole on his left side. A crow or vulture was eating, pulling bits out of the man's wound in his side. A police car approached, stopping a good 15 feet away from the body. The bird continued to eat, pulling bits of bloody flesh out of the man's wound. The police officer got out of the car, slamming the door to his police car. The bird flew away, leaving, cawing.

The policeman walked toward the body. "Damn it." He felt for a pulse. There was police-band chatter in the background from the policeman's car. The policeman walked away, clicking on his radio. "Dispatch, Seven-Mary-four. You got your ears on?"

There was static.

Dispatch: (on radio) "Go ahead, Seven-Mary-Four."

"I got a hit and run on 89," the police man told her. "He's dead." 

There was police-band chatter in the background. The dead man suddenly gasped alive, opening his eyes. The bloody bruising on his forehead healed quickly.

Dispatch: (on radio) "What's the condition of the body?"

"Looks like he's frozen solid," the policeman told her. "Please advise."

The man lying on the ground sat up. The policeman had his back turned to the man, looking down at the truck's tire tracks. He looked back to see that the man had disappeared, stunned.

Dispatch: (on radio) "Seven-Mary-Four, please hold your position. We'll send an ambulance to your location."

The policeman was disbelieving. "What the hell?"

The police man walked back to where the body had been, looking around, walking further off the road.

§ 

Woods

The policeman followed the foot prints in the snow that led into some woods. He looked around in confusion.

§ Worlds Colliding (Supernatural) §

Lebanon, Kansas

Day Two

Morning - The Bunker - Outside

The Impala, Catty's Mustang and Ness' Car was parked outside The Bunker.

§ 

Inside - Bathroom

Sam turned away from the sink, drinking a glass of water. There were several gas masks and a pouch on a hook by the sink. Sam took a drink, swishing it around in his mouth, spitting bloody water back into the glass. He held the glass up to the light to see the blood clearly. He looked around, walking toward the sink, spitting out blood. His tired visage was reflected in the mirror. He poured the water into the sink, turning on the top to wash it down the drain.

Catty stepped into the view of the doorway, seen through the mirror's reflection, holding a cup of coffee. "What's up with you?"

Sam, flushing his mouth out with water, was startled, turning to face Catty quickly. "Nothing. Why?"

Sam turned off the water.

Catty didn't look convinced. "Breakfast's on."

§ 

Library

Sabrina was eating breakfast, sitting at one of the tables. Dean and Ness were sitting at the other table. Dean was drinking coffee. Ness was reading the newspaper. Catty and Sam walked in.

"Heard from Kevin?" Sabrina asked.

"Uh, no," Sam answered. "Nothing yet."

"What's it been, like, three weeks?" Dean asked. "What's taking that little brainiac so long? It's a book." He raised his hands slightly, frustrated. "Read it."

"Just a guess, but translating an ancient language with zero help might be more difficult than we think," Catty told them with honest sarcasm.

Dean nodded. "So, no word from Cas. Kevin's taking his sweet little time. Ness is 'fine' after what we talked about." Ness looked up. "And Sam is acting cagey. We need a lead before I start climbing these walls."

Dean took a drink of coffee.

"Well, um..." Ness trailed off, picking up the paper from the table. "In that case, I can give you Zombies." She handed the paper to Dean. Dean took it to read. "Guy gets hit by a car, left for dead overnight, guts spilled out all over the road, then gets up and walks away from it."

"Nothing about brain munching?" Dean asked.

"Remember my mom?" Ness asked. "She didn't... munch on any brains."

"Well, who's the witness?" Sam asked.

"Montana State Trooper, 20-year vet," Ness answered. "Checked his pulse, saw his insides spilled out all over the place, pronounced him dead with a capital 'D'. But you guys go ahead. Knock yourselves out. I'm gonna take a little breather."

Sam and Sabrina were surprised, nodding. Dean and Catty exchanged a slightly surprised look, looking at Ness. Ness raised her eyebrows slightly, taking a drink of Dean's coffee. Dean looked at Catty. Catty raised her eyebrows as if to say, I told you so. Dean looked at Ness, smiling a small smile.

§ 

Great Falls, Montana

Great Falls Sheriff Montana State Patrol - Outside

The Impala pulled up. Sam and Dean got out of the car, posing as FBI, walking toward the station.

§ 

Inside

The policeman that had found the man's body was speaking to Sam and Dean. "Since when have the Feds started tracking Zombie activity?"

"We don't track Zombie activity, because there's no such thing as Zombies," Dean told him.

"Uh-huh," the policeman told them.

"Why don't you just tell us what you saw?" Dean asked.

"Article said it all," the policeman told them. "Dead as dog poop, guts pecked out, face frozen. People don't walk away from that. Zombies do."

"And you don't think something could have dragged him away?" Dean asked.

"One set of footprints, no drag marks," the policeman told them.

"You didn't go after him?" Dean asked.

"That's grizzly country," the policeman told them. "You couldn't pay me enough to hike those woods, not without a bazooka."

A police office assistant looked at the policeman. "Uh, Jack? I got something here. Came across the wire from Livingston."

The assistant had a coroner's report on her computer screen showing the mauled face and upper torso of the dead walker.

"John Doe," Jack told them. "Presumably mauled by a grizzly. Holy crap, that's him."

"That's the dead guy?" Dean asked.

"Dead my ass," Jack told them. "That's a Zombie, boys."

Jack walked toward the coat rack, fastening on his gun belt.

"Uh, you know what, Trooper?" Sam asked. "Why don't you stay here? We'll take care of this one. We need someone to hold down the fort."

"You sure?" Jack asked.

"Yeah," Dean answered. "And if things go all 'Dawn of the Dead' on us, you'll be our first call."

"Boys..." Jack trailed off. "Aim for the head."

§ 

Hospital - Morgue

The body was on the metal table, mauled face and torso from the assistant's photo. Sam and Dean were speaking with the coroner.

"No ID on this guy?" Sam asked.

The coroner shook his head. "Fingerprints came up blank, too."

Dean opened the body's mouth, exposing teeth and the somewhat bloody gun line. He looked at Sam, shaking his head.

Sam pulled down the sheet, exposing the right side where there was a bloody gash. "What's going on down here?"

"Liver was eaten," the coroner answered. "Best guess is a bird got at it."

Dean nodded. "Hmm."

§ 

Hallway

Sabrina and Catty were outside the morgue, looking in through the window, watching the coroner walk out of the room and leave. Sam and Dean walked toward Sabrina and Catty.

"I got to say, I am a little disappointed," Dean told them.

"Yeah, 'cause you wanted to shoot Zombies," Catty told him.

"Damn straight I wanted to shoot some Zombies," Dean answered. "Look, guys, this is about as open-and-shut as it gets, all right?"

§ 

Morgue

The body was still laying on the metal table. Catty, Sabrina, Dean and Sam were visible through the window.

Dean's voice was audible. "Guy gets Mack-trucked, goes down for a nap, wakes up."

§ 

Hallway

Dean finished. "Takes a detour into mama bear's den. End of story."

"Then why would he run?" Sabrina asked. "He was hurt. That trooper was trying to help him."

"I don't know," Sam told them. "Shady past?"

§ 

Morgue

The man gasped alive, opening his eyes. He healed quickly.

He could hear Sabrina's voice. "Uncle Sam, Dean, don't guys with a shady past usually have a fingerprint on file?"

He heard Dean's voice. "Whatever it was, the guy's dead, all right?"

The newly revived man sat up. The rest of the damage to his body healed.

§ 

Hallway

Dean looked at Catty, Sabrina and Sam. "Remember what Bobby and Ness said, hmm? 'Wood chipper beats everything'? Yeah, well, so does grizzly bear."

Sabrina looked into the window that allowed them to see the morgue. "Then does that mean that grizzly bear-attacked dead bodies can disappear into thin air?"

Catty, Dean and Sam looked at Sabrina in confusion, following her gaze into the morgue to see that the lab table the dead body had been on was now empty. They looked toward Sabrina to see that she had disappeared, most likely going after the dead guy, running toward the morgue.

§ 

Morgue

Catty, Dean and Sam ran inside. Sabrina pushed the man through the double doors on the other side of the room into the morgue so no one would see. The man was draped in a sheet.

Sabrina looked at Catty, Dean and Sam. "Took you long enough."

Catty looked at the man. "You better start talking. What are you?"

The man didn't answer.

Sam nodded. "Sabrina."

Sabrina pushed the man face first onto the metal table. "If you say, 'Zombie', I swear--"

"What?" the man asked incredulously. "No, I'm not anything."

"Look, two minutes ago, you were room temperature," Dean told him. "You're something."

"Look, I don't know what I am, okay?" the man asked. "I don't know who I am. All I know is all I do is die, so if you want to kill me, kill me. Just promise me you finish the job, 'cause I can't take this anymore."

Sabrina looked at Catty.

Sam sighed, gesturing for her to let the man go. "Sabrina."

Sabrina let the man go. "Get up."

The man didn't move. Sabrina pulled the man up.

"All you do is die?" Sam asked. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Once a day, for as long as I can remember," the man told them. "After a few hours, I'm back."

"What are you, like, a real-life Kenny?" Catty asked.

"Who?" the man asked. "No, my name is Shane."

"All right, well, listen, Shane," Dean told him. "We're not gonna find out what the hell you are in here, so you're gonna come with us, okay?"

§ 

Motel Room

Shane was now dressed, sitting on the bed. Sam, Dean, Sabrina and Catty stood together.

"Sabrina?" Sam asked. "What is it?"

"I don't know," Sabrina told them. "I haven't seen anything like it. He's not Angel, and he's not Demon, or any monster I've seen, but he's not Human, either. And I can't read his mind. I don't know what it is."

"Well, what do you think it is, Sabrina?" Dean asked.

"I. Don't. Know," Sabrina told them.

"Okay," Dean told her. "Sorry."

Sabrina mumbled mockingly, turning away. Dean was only slightly taken aback.

Catty stepped toward Shane. "All right, so, uh, how long has this dying thing been going on?"

"As long as I can remember," Shane answered. "But my memory only goes back a few years."

"Wait," Catty told him. "So now you have amnesia? How do you know your name?"

"My real name isn't Shane," Shane told them. "It was given to me because... I don't know. People had to call me something."

"Okay," Sam told him. "So, then, what happened to you?"

"Got pulled off a mountain in Europe," Shane explained. "They said that I got caught in an avalanche. I don't remember anything from before the rescue. When I realized my condition, I knew I couldn't be around other people, so I built a little cabin, learned to hunt, kept to myself. Seemed easiest that way. Then a couple pot growers grew nervous with me being so near their crop. Shot me. Twice. I figured it was time to move on."

"Right into the grille of that pick up," Dean told him.

"You think maybe I could clean up?" Shane asked.

"Yeah, man," Dean answered. "Knock yourself out."

Shane stood, walking into the bathroom.

Sabrina turned to face Sam, Dean and Catty. "Well, he's definitely something."

"Yeah, but maybe he's not the monster," Sam told them. "Maybe he's the victim."

"You thinking curse?" Catty asked.

"Could be looking for a Witch, yeah," Sam answered. "You know, if Ness hadn't chose the wrong day to take a day off, we would probably already know what's going on."

"I'll call her," Dean told them. "Not ready to bring Ness in yet unless we have to. Girl needs a break."

"You know what?" Sam asked. "He's parked here. He's safe. Maybe we should just get another room until we can figure this out."

"All right, but you're the one going full-cavity for the Hex Bag," Dean told him.

Catty smirked.

§ 

Night - Motel Room

Shane was lying down, sleeping. A shadowy figure was close by the bed, watching Shane sleep. It stepped out of the shadows into the dim light coming from the window, revealing it was a pretty woman dressed in leather. She walked closer, sitting down on the bed, running her fingers through Shane's hair. Shane jerked awake, grabbing the woman's wrist. The woman looked longingly at Shane.

Shane looked at the woman coldly. "Who are you?"

The woman frowned in confusion. "You don't remember." She shook her head. "Never mind."

The woman raised a dagger to stab Shane. Shane caught the blade, standing, pushing the woman into the wall, onto a dresser, making glass break. The woman slid off the dresser, walking closer. Shane and the woman looked at each other, circling the other for a moment. The woman stepped closer to stab him. Shane caught her arm, pulling the dagger out of her grasp, pushing her back, raising the knife to stab her. The woman stepped aside to make him miss, ducking to the floor, leg sweeping Shane's legs out from underneath him, making him fall to the floor. Sabrina appeared next to the woman. The woman tried to punch Sabrina. Sabrina ducked, reaching above her head to grab the woman's wrist, spinning around to punch the woman into the wall. The woman looked at the dagger on the floor, looking at Sabrina, stepping toward the knife, picking it up.

Shane grabbed the woman's arm, flipping her to the floor, making her drop the knife again, making her groan in pain, pushing her against the wall, his own knife in hand, pressing it against the woman's cheek. "Who are you?"

"Now I'm your worst enemy," the woman told them, grabbing the blade from above the hilt, both she and the weapon disappearing with a bit of wind that ruffled Shane's hair.

Sam, Dean and Catty were standing nearby the open door.

"Who the hell was that?" Dean asked.

"She--she said that she knew me," Shane told them.

"Yeah?" Sam asked. "How?"

Catty closed the door behind them.

"I don't know, but, uh, I could have sworn that she was upset I didn't know her back," Shane told them.

"This is, uh, this is a lot more than a curse," Sabrina told him. "You've got, like, some tiger blood. Where did you learn that Kung Fu?"

Shane held his arm, falling to his knees, gasping in pain.

"Hey, buddy, you okay?" Sam asked.

Shane nodded unconvincingly. "Yeah." He breathed heavily. "Yeah, I just need a minute. I've never been in a fight in my whole life."

Shane started to spasm.

"Whoa, hey, hey, pal," Dean told him. Shane shook, as if he was having a heart attack, falling to the floor. "Hey. Are you--Hey. Whoa. Is he having a heart attack?"

"Do we call 911?" Sam asked.

"And tell them what?" Catty asked. "That the dead guy we stole from the morgue is alive and having a coronary?"

Shane laid on the floor, taking a last breath before he died.  Sam, Catty, Dean and Sabrina didn't know what to do.

§ 

Day Three

Morning - Motel Room

Shane was laying dead on one of the beds. Sam and Dean were sitting next to each other on the other bed. Sabrina and Catty were sitting at the table next to the window.

"I feel like I'm sitting Shiva," Dean told them.

"Well, that's not--" Sam started. "Never mind. Um... we need to think. What do we know of that has Jason Bourne fighting skills, dies a lot, and has a history with violent women?"

"I don't know," Catty told him, pointing at Sam. "You?"

Sam gave Catty a look. "Cat."

Sabrina smiled. There was a knock on the door. Sabrina and Catty exchanged a look, standing.

Catty looked out the window, seeing a woman with medium-length, light brown hair standing on the stoop, cocking her gun, placing it on the door, opening it, looking outside to the woman. "May I help you?"

The woman stood there with an arm wrapped around a boy with blonde hair. "Are Agent Bonham and Jones here?"

"That depends," Catty told her. "You are?"

"This is gonna sound really strange, but I'm looking for a corpse that went missing today," the woman told her, having a newspaper in her hand, having the same article that Ness had shown Sam, Dean, Catty and Sabrina back at The Bunker. "The coroner said that you were the last ones to see it. I'm Hayley."

"Uh, yes, they are," Catty told her, putting her gun away without her or the boy noticing. "I'm Agent Page."

Sam and Dean stood, walking closer.

"Why are you looking for our John Doe?" Sam asked.

"Well, his name is Shane," Hayley told them. "At least, that's what I called him." She looked down at the boy. "I'm the mother of his son."

Catty leaned toward the boy.  "Hey. What's your name?"

"He's shy," Hayley told them. The boy turned into his mother's side. "It's okay, Oliver." Sabrina closer. "Hey, look, Ollie. Another kid. Maybe you two can be friends."

"I'm Sabrina," Sabrina told them. "I'm not shy."

Hayley chuckled. "Yeah, I can see that."

Hayley could see Shane's body over Catty's shoulder.

Catty stood straight. "Oh, you weren't supposed to see--"

"It's okay," Hayley told them, walking past them into the room. "Stay with Sabrina, Oliver."

Sam looked at Sabrina, nodding to Oliver. "Sabrina."

Sabrina walked toward Oliver, taking his hand, leading him outside. "Hey, let's go play outside."

Sabrina closed the door behind them. Catty chuckled softly as how much Sabrina reminded her of herself, turning to look at Sam and Dean. Sam and Dean seemed to be thinking the same thing. They looked toward Hayley. Hayley sat down next to Shane's body.

§ 

Outside

Oliver and Sabrina were swinging on the swing set. Sam, Dean, Catty and Hayley were sitting at a picnic table nearby.

"When I was younger, I had friends that wanted to climb this mountain in Europe, and I thought it sounded exciting, so... I joined them," Hayley explained.

"The avalanche?" Sam asked.

"He--he told you?" Hayley asked. "What else did he say?"

"Just that he doesn't remember how he got there," Sam answered.

"My friends were gone, and when I found him, his clothes were torn off, his eyes were frozen solid, but he was still alive," Hayley explained. "I just knew there was something off about him, the way that... he would--"

"Die every day?" Dean finished.

"Yeah," Hayley answered. "I thought it was from exposure or shock. Maybe he was unconscious. We were both in bad shape. And I know I couldn't have made it down the mountain if it weren't for him. And when we got to the bottom, we, um... realized that it had become something else, and we spent the night together, and while we were, you know... He had a heart attack."

"Awkward," Dean told them.

"So, I called 911, and they couldn't save him," Hayley told them. "And when I had to go down to ID the body..."

"He popped up again," Catty finished. "Alive."

"I freaked out," Hayley told them. "And I ran. And nine months later, I had Oliver." They looked toward where Oliver and Sabrina were still swinging on the swing set. "I hired a private investigator. I really tried to find him, but when they gave up, I gave up. Until a couple of months ago."

"Now, what made you look again?" Catty asked.

"The worst thing," Hayley told them.

The motel room door opened. They turned to see Shane walk outside.

Shane looked shocked. "Hayley?"

Hayley stood. "Hello, Shane." She walked toward Shane, gesturing to Oliver. "Oliver, come here, honey." Oliver stood from the swing, running toward Hayley. "I thought it was time you two meet." Shane looked at them in confusion. "This is Oliver."

§ 

Later

Catty was leaning against the motel porch rail, holding a mug. Sabrina was standing nearby, watching Shane push Oliver on the swings with Hayley standing very close to Oliver's other side.

Catty looked at Sabrina. "What's wrong?"

"It's Oliver," Sabrina told her. "He's different, too."

"What do you mean, different?" Catty asked.

"He looks like Shane," Sabrina told her.

"Uh, Sow, he's Shane's son," Catty told her. "There's gonna be some sort of family resemblance."

Sabrina shook her head, walking closer to Catty. "That's not what I mean."

Catty looked at Sabrina for a moment. "You mean his true face." Sabrina nodded. "So, whatever Shane is, Oliver is, and we have no idea what that is."

Sabrina hesitated, confused, nodding. "Yeah. I guess." She sighed, tilting her head at Catty. "Why do you have to talk so confusingly?"

Catty chuckled at the way she had said it, taking a drink of coffee.

§ 

Inside

Dean was sitting at the table, on his laptop, on the phone. "Did you find anything?"

Ness' voice was on the other line. "Well, uh... looks like you were right about that curse thing." She was in The Bunker, sitting in the control room at the map table, on her laptop, looking at a page displaying a story about Greek Gods and Titans. "From what I can tell, we're looking at a Titan."

"A Titan?" Dean repeated. "What is that? Like, a God?"

"More like proto-God," Ness answered. "Like, the Gods before the Gods. They ruled over Greece before Zeus and the rest of the Olympian Gods overthrew them."

"Okay, so who is this guy?" Dean asked.

"Best I can tell?" Ness asked. "Prometheus."

"Seriously?" Dean asked.

"Yeah," Ness answered.

"Well, didn't he--he steal fire or something?" Dean asked.

"Yep," Ness answered. "He, uh, 'Ocean's 11'd Mount Olympus and stole the flames of Olympia."

"For what, kicks?" Dean asked.

"For us, actually," Ness answered. "Zeus decided to revoke Humanity's ability to make fire so we couldn't cook, couldn't stay warm, couldn't see in the dark."

"Sounds like a monster's paradise," Dean told her. "And this guy made it right for us?"

"And in return, Zeus decided to strap him to that mountain and make him relive death every day," Ness explained. 

"Damn," Dean told her. "Every day for how long? No wonder the guy's hard drive is fried. Did you figure out who, uh, Xena wannabe was?"

"I'm guessing Artemis, Zeus' daughter," Ness answered. "She's been known to carry around weapons like that dagger that you told me about. They're nasty. They'll kill immortals dead."

"All right, well, we've never battled a God curse before," Dean told her. "Hope we can break it. Okay, Ness, after we get a handle on the Arquettes, we'll be on our way to you."

"All right," Ness told him. "Just be safe, Dean. You think Gods are bad? Titans are worse."

§ 

Motel Room 

Sam, Dean and Shane sat at the table, looking at the same page that Ness had been looking at in the Bunker on the laptop. Catty was standing nearby.

"This is an eagle chowing down on your intestines," Dean told him, turning the laptop to show Shane the article. "You don't remember that?"

"No," Shane answered.

"Okay, look, I hate to break it to you, but you are Prometheus," Sam told him.

"Well, then, the best thing for me is to get as far away from them as I can," Shane told them.

"Wait," Catty told him. "I'm sorry. You just discovered that you have a 7-year-old son, and you want to walk away?"

"And I'm a God," Shane told them. "And this God and his daughter are hunting me. What choice do I have?"

"Okay," Sam told him, closing the laptop. "We're gonna help you, but we need a plan first, and we can't come up with one here, not when our genius is on standby at home."

"Where are we going?" Shane asked.

"Someplace safe," Dean answered.

Sabrina opened the door, walking in, holding the door open for Hayley. Hayley walked in, breathing heavily, carrying Oliver inside. Oliver had a large, bloody gash on his forehead.

"What's wrong?" Catty asked.

"He fell," Sabrina answered.

Hayley laid Oliver down on the bed.

"Do I need to call an ambulance?" Dean asked.

"No," Hayley answered. "Don't."

"He's dying, isn't he?" Shane asked.

"I was going to tell you," Hayley told him. "I just wanted you to have a chance to adjust."

"Wait a second," Catty told them. She looked at Shane. "He has your curse?"

Sabrina looked at Catty. "I told you they looked the same."

"What curse?" Hayley asked. "Who looks the same? What are you talking about?"

They didn't answer, looking at Oliver's bleeding gash, the blood running down the side of his face.

§ 

Lebanon, Kansas

The Bunker - Spare Bedroom

Ness opened the door, holding it open for Shane. Shane walked in, carrying Oliver. The room had a short couch, table and chairs on one side, a desk and chair on the other side, with a sink against the far wall.

Ness patted the bed. "Just put him right here." Shane put Oliver down on the bed. Sam, Dean, Catty, Sabrina and Hayley walked in. "This curse was put on you. Why the kid?"

"I don't know," Shane told them.

"You keep saying 'curse'," Hayley told them. "What curse?"

"How long has this been happening?" Catty asked.

"Oh, well, I--" Hayley started. "Since he turned seven a few months ago. It started with the dying, and then he stopped talking."

"Wait," Ness told her. "Seven?" Hayley nodded. "Age seven marks one of the first Greek rites of manhood."

"So, what?" Sabrina asked. "Are you saying the curse is hardwired into his programming? How do you know that, Aunt Ness?"

"Sabrina, once you're around Ness long enough, you'll learn that she knows everything and you'll never ask that question again," Sam told her.

Dean chuckled. "Ain't that the truth."

Hayley looked at Shane. "Look at me. I'm sorry that I ran out on you all those years ago. I was scared. I didn't understand what was going on. But we have a child." Catty looked down for a moment, looking at Sabrina. Sabrina looked up at Catty. "And whatever you have, he has. I need to know how to stop it. What curse?"

§ 

Library

Sam, Shane and Hayley were sitting at one of the tables. Sabrina, Dean, Ness and Catty were sitting at the other.

"Okay, so Ollie's dad is a Greek God who has been cursed to die every day by Zeus," Hayley told them. She looked at Sam, Sabrina, Dean, Ness and Catty. "And you guys are Ghostbusters. Am I getting this right?"

"Well, you know, due to the fact that your son is currently, albeit temporarily dead, I'm gonna let that one slide," Dean told her.

"You have to realize this sounds crazy," Hayley told them.

"It's true," Shane told her. "I didn't believe it myself at first, but it's the only thing that makes sense."

"Look, the faster you wrap your brain around this, the faster we can solve the problem," Dean told them.

"Solve the problem?" Hayley repeated. "I--I'm just not even sure I understand the problem."

"All right," Ness told them. "So, the way we usually handle this is, we summon the son of a bitch and we work him over until he undoes whatever it is he did."

Sabrina nodded. "Summon Zeus."

"And if he doesn't want to undo it?" Hayley asked.

"Then we take him out," Sabrina answered.

"And hopefully, the curse dies along with him," Sam told them.

"This can't be happening," Hayley told them. They could hear Oliver coughing in the background. "This, I can handle."

Hayley stood, walking out, leaving.

Catty looked at Shane. "Listen, you can run and hide and die for all eternity. It's your choice. But we are gonna go after Zeus. With or without you."

Shane took a moment to think, nodding. "I'm in."

§ 

Later

Catty had a book with the Aquarian Star on the cover, opening it. Ness grabbed a few books from the shelves. Dean took a drink of Scotch. Sam was reading at his table. Shane pulled a book off the shelf, sitting down at his and Sam's table to read. Sabrina watched as they did some serious research.

"Here we go," Dean told them.

"What you got?" Sabrina asked.

"Dragon penis," Dean told them.

"What?" Sabrina asked.

"Ancient Greek hunter by the name of Drakopoolos," Dean explained. "Near as I can tell, he was a badass who's name, incidentally, is Greek--"

"No, no, no," Ness told him. "We got that." Dean gave Ness the book. "Thanks, Ace."

Hayley walked in.

"Hey," Sabrina told her. "How is, uh... is Oliver?"

"He's fine," Hayley answered, looking at the research. "Oh, please, keep going."

"Right," Ness told them, reading from the book Dean had given her. "So, uh, Drakopoolos tangled with Zeus back in the day, and the Men of Letters translated his journal."

"Men of Letters?" Shane repeated.

"It's a secret society," Dean explained. "This is actually their lair. We're legacies." Hayley and Shane didn't look impressed. "No big deal."

Ness looked at the book. "Okay. So, it says here he summoned Zeus into a trap and found out how to kill him."

"What's that?" Shane asked.

"Wood from a tree struck by lightning," Ness answered. "So, it says we need two things for the summon. Frozen energy from the hand of Zeus, and the bone of a worshipper."

"Frozen energy?" Sam repeated. "You thinking fulgurite?"

"Well, it makes sense," Ness told them.

Dean sighed. "All right. Ness, you get on the Web, see if there's any Greeks nearby that are still worshipping the old Gods."

Ness pulled her laptop closer, typing away. "On it."

"W--what about the wood?" Shane asked. "Is that easy to find?"

"With a little bit of luck," Catty answered.

Hayley was reading the journal Dean and Ness had been reading. "Oh, Wait. This journal just ends."

"What do you mean?" Sabrina asked.

"I mean, how do we know if Drako-whatever survived?" Hayley asked. "How do we know Zeus didn't get to him?"

"We don't know," Sam answered.

"How do we know this is going to work?" Hayley asked.

"We never for sure, but these books?" Sam asked. "They're, uh, they're pretty good."

"So, we're hanging our lives on the writings of a dead man who... is named after genitalia?" Hayley asked.

"It's a loose translation," Dean told her.

Hayley nodded once awkwardly. "Experts."

Ness looked up from her laptop. "All right. Listen to this. Greek Pagans two towns over. Best part? They have an obit page with cemeteries."

"All right," Catty told them. She looked at Sam, Dean and Shane. "You boys are on grave duty." She looked at Hayley, Sabrina and Ness. "We'll handle the fulgurite."

"We'll be in touch," Sam told them.

Sam, Dean and Shane stood, walking out, leaving.

"Fulgurite?" Hayley repeated. "How do you find that?"

"It is available in crystal shops all over," Ness answered. "The new age people, they use it to make cheap jewelry. Not as rare as it sounds."

Hayley nodded. "Right."

§ 

Night - Greek Cemetery

The Impala was parked right outside the open gates of the cemetery. Sam, Dean and Shane were digging up the grave.

"Why are you two doing this?" Shane asked.

"We need a bone, so we dig," Dean answered.

"No, I mean for us," Shane told them. "This isn't your problem. You're risking your lives."

"Why'd you risk yours to steal that fire?" Sam asked.

"Good question," Shane told them. "Wish I could remember."

"Trust me on this," Sam told him. "It was worth it. You pretty much, uh, saved the whole world."

"Yeah, I guess," Shane agreed. "But none of that--none of that means anything unless I can save my son."

Sam and Dean nodded barely. They returned to digging.

§ 

On the Road

Ness' Car drove down the road.

§ 

Catty's Mustang

Catty was driving. Hayley was in the passenger seat. Sabrina, Oliver and Ness were in the backseat. Sabrina was showing Oliver different things she could do, making energy sear through her hand, making it crackle and sparkle through her fingertips. Oliver smiled. Sabrina laughed. Ness smiled a small smile at the exchange.

Hayley was watching Sabrina and Oliver through the review mirror, looking worried, chewing on her finger nail, but looking relieved that Oliver was having fun even if he wasn't saying a word. "That's the first time he's smiled in a while."

"Yeah, well, Sabrina knows how to make people smile," Ness told her.

"I'm guessing Sabrina's like Oliver," Hayley told them.

"Yes and no," Ness answered. "Sabrina's not a Greek God, but she is way more than Human."

Catty looked at Hayley. "And, uh... Listen. I know this all seems a little haphazard, all right? But trust me when I say that me, Sabrina, Ness, Sam and Dean have gone in with a lot less and come out on top."

"I believe you," Hayley told her. "It's just all this... And I'm about to ask Zeus, the Greek God, to help cure my son."

"The thing you got to remember is this is not about asking for his help, okay?" Catty asked. "He's not your friend. It's about getting him to do what's right."

Hayley looked at Catty curiously. "You sound like you know this a lot more than you should for just a witness."

"Oh, believe me, honey, I am a lot more than just a witness," Catty told her. She hesitated. "Would you believe me if I told you that I'm in the exact same place you are right now? Not knowing where the dad was at the moment and having to deal with someone who had a lot of power and wants more by using your child to do it?"

Hayley looked toward Sabrina in the backseat. "Yeah." She looked at Catty. "I would."

Catty looked down, continuing to drive. Ness looked at Hayley and Catty expressionlessly in sympathy.

§ 

Warehouse

Ness placed a copper bowl on the floor just outside of a large trap meant for Zeus, striking a match, standing, tossing the match into the bowl, flames shooting up from the bowl, dying quickly. Sam, Dean, Catty and Sabrina were standing behind Ness. Shane stood to the side, behind them, holding a short stake. Hayley and Oliver were further to the side.

"Stay calm," Dean told them.

Everyone looked around. The lights flickered. Thunder crashed. A lightning bolt stroke the bowl. Thunder crashed.

Another larger lightning bolt flashed, transforming into a man. Electricity flashed up his arm. He was an older man with a gray beard, light brown mustache and hair streaked with gray, very well dressed in a suit and tie. He looked around them. "Oh, come now. Can we do this civilized?"

"Well, it depends on you," Ness told him. "All we need is to break a curse you put on the little boy." Zeus looked at Oliver. "So how about you say, 'yes', and we all go home?"

Zeus looked at Shane. "Nice to see you again, Prometheus. All cleaned up. I've been looking for you."

"It's gone too far, Zeus," Shane told him. "Break the curse."

"It's your child who has the affliction," Zeus told him. "Interesting."

"So, what's it gonna be?" Ness asked. "The easy way, or we could do this the hard way."

"Break the trap, darling, and I'll break the curse," Zeus told her.

"No dice," Ness told him. "Fix the kid."

"Going once..." Zeus trailed off.

"Don't be that guy," Ness told him.

"Going twice..." Zeus trailed off.

"Hey, you can rot here for all I care," Ness told him.

"Yes, and the child will continue to suffer," Zeus replied.

Everyone exchanged a look.

"Let's roll," Dean told them, turning around, walking toward the door.

Sam, Ness, Catty, Sabrina and Shane followed. Hayley stood there with her arms wrapped around Oliver.

Zeus looked at Hayley. "He needs me, and you know it."

Hayley looked from Zeus to Sam, Dean, Ness, Catty, Sabrina and Shane. "No!"

Hayley ran toward the trap on the floor, breaking the line with her boot.

"Hayley, no!" Catty told her.

Hayley ignored her, looking at Zeus. "Now save my son."

"What do you say?" Zeus asked, stepping out of the trap. Lightning bolts shot out at Sam, Dean, Ness, Catty, Sabrina and Shane, throwing them back through the air, making them land on the floor badly, writhing in pain. "Shall we try this the hard way?"

Zeus laughed maliciously.

§ 

Zeus stepped closer, watching as Sam, Dean, Ness, Catty and Shane writhed in pain. Sabrina was the first to recover, breathing heavily in pain, but no longer writhing.

Zeus looked from Oliver to Sabrina. "These are the days for the extraordinary kids, aren't they? I do so believe the children are our future." He looked at Sabrina. "Although, you seem to have a bright future ahead of you. The Hybrid everyone has been spreading rumors about. Sabrina Winchester. The girl more powerful than anyone, but has yet to come to her full potential, as she is still learning." Sabrina looked at Zeus angrily, standing, trying to take a step toward him. Zeus chuckled, holding a hand toward Sabrina, making her stop in place. Sabrina struggled to move. Zeus smirked, looking at Oliver. "And the boy, Prometheus' son. He has the same curse as his father does, doomed to die every day, and yet never stay dead. What a rare day this is, indeed."

Sam, Dean, Ness, Catty and Shane stood. Dean had the stake, looking at Sam, Ness and Catty. Sam, Ness and Catty nodded. Sam, Dean, Ness and Catty walked toward Zeus. They were thrown back into a cement wall. Artemis had her hand up, palm out toward Sam, Dean, Ness and Catty, holding them in place.

Dean groaned in pain. "Balls."

"I trust you've met my daughter," Zeus told them.

"Hayley, don't do it," Catty told her.

Zeus looked at Oliver. "This is the son of Prometheus." Artemis looked at Shame. "And he's cured to suffer death every day. I must admit, I could never have conceived such a horrible fate for such a beautiful child. Just goes to show, we must all leave room for happy accidents."

"What does that mean?" Hayley asked. "I don't understand."

"Tell me," Zeus told her. "Has Prometheus experienced the child's death yet?" Hayley barely moved her head in a nod. "How did he take it? Did he hurt?" Hayley barely moved her head in a nod. "Good." Zeus pointed at Shane, using magic to restrict his breathing, making him fall to his knees. "Imagine a thousand children all dying in unison. Only then would you understand my pain. But we can't always have what we want, so..." He looked at Oliver. "One will have to do."

Hayley shook her head in denial. "No."

Zeus clenched his fist toward Hayley, using magic to choke her. Hayley grabbed her throat gently, gasping for breath. Artemis looked marginally upset.

Zeus looked at Oliver. "I have a special job for you, my little friend." Hayley could breath again. "Artemis."

Artemis walked past Sabrina, trailing a finger over her cheek, giving her room to move again, but having to follow Artemis, like a leash. Artemis looked at Sam, Dean, Ness and Catty, letting them off the wall, but putting them on the leash. "Move."

§ 

Hallway

Artemis escorted Sabrina, Sam, Dean, Ness and Catty down the hallway.

"So, you know who this is, walking us to our deaths?" Ness asked.

"Don't know," Sabrina told them. "Don't care."

"It's our God, Artemis, the Goddess of Hunters," Ness told them.

"Oh, that's fascinating," Catty told her sarcastically.

"See, she's who we'd pray to for courage when hunting the Gorgon or the Minotaur," Ness explained. Sabrina and Catty gave Ness a look for the before-death-by-Goddess history lesson. Dean and Sam looked at Ness in confusion. "Of course, she's not really worship worthy anymore, uh, having lost a step and all."

Artemis turned to face them, waving her hand, slamming them all against the wall, holding them there. "The hell I have."

"Really, Nessie?" Dean asked. "Trash-talking a God? Seriously?"

Ness raised her eyebrows, tilting her head, shrugging, looking at Sabrina, looking as if she was sending her a mental message. Sabrina realized what she was doing.

§ 

Room 

Shane was still kneeling on the floor, still having trouble breathing.

Zeus was still taunting Shane. "So, let's see if we can make up for seven years of lost time."

Zeus clenched his fist, lightning encasing his hand. He slammed the ball of lighting into Shane's stomach. Hayley hid Oliver from the torture so he didn't have to watch. Shane was screaming in agony, standing, the lightning still burning into his abdomen. Zeus was enjoying dishing out the abuse.

§ 

Hallway

Sabrina was still struggling. Artemis was distracted enough to where she didn't notice because Ness was still taunting her.

"Still at full power?" Ness asked. "Really? Then why did it take you seven years to track down Prometheus?"

Artemis didn't sound convincing. "He was hiding."

"Hiding from you?" Ness asked. "So the Goddess of Hunters couldn't find a shack in Montana? Maybe it's that you didn't want to find him."

Sabrina was able to pull herself free, nearly falling. Artemis slashed one of her daggers toward Sabrina. Sabrina ducked, reaching above her head to grab her wrist, spinning around to push Artemis against the wall, face first. Sam, Dean, Ness and Catty were let off the wall.

"Good, Aunt Ness, you're doing great," Sabrina told her.

Ness looked at Artemis. "Your dad's gonna kill that kid, you know?"

"Don't worry," Artemis told them. "He'll come back. Unlike you."

"He was in love with you, you know," Ness told her. "He told us."

Artemis hesitated, looking uncertain. "You lie."

"Okay, sure, yeah," Ness told her. "Believe whatever you want."

Artemis still looked uncertain.

§ 

Room

Zeus backhand punched Shane. "No, no, no, no." He punched Shane repeatedly, making him fall. "Don't pass out on me just yet. I'm only just getting started."

§ 

Hallway

They could hear Shane's screams in the distance.

Artemis looked at the others skeptically. "What did he say to you?"

"This wasn't the first time he escaped that mountain, and that you let him go free as long as you could hide your little tryst from the old man," Ness told her.

"The hell he said," Artemis told her. "His brain is mush."

"Oh, yeah?" Ness asked. "Then how did I know? What? Have you spilled it to anyone? Homer? Hesiod? Herodotus? Of course not. You were afraid big daddy would find out that you fell for the person he hates most in this world. Of course, when he saw the Zombie article, it kind of forced your hand, and you had to come hunt him down no matter how much it hurt. You know what? Sabrina, let her go." Sabrina looked at Catty. Catty nodded. Sabrina hesitated, looking at Artemis, letting her go. Artemis pushed away from the wall, turning to face them. Ness looked at Artemis, raising her arms slightly in a shrug. "Go ahead. Kill us. And let your father slaughter that boy. Over and over again. That won't leave a mark."

§ 

Room

Shane was lying on the floor weakly, bleeding and beaten.

Zeus knelt in front of Oliver, his tone like a loving grandfather. "You like being an immortal, don't you? Oh, sure, you die every day, but nothing can keep you dead." He looked at Shane. "It's almost like taking a little nap." He looked at Oliver. "All of your cares and worries disappear for a little while. Well, it's sleepy time, my dear boy."

Zeus stood, both hands crackling with lightning.

Artemis pointed her bow and arrow at Zeus, standing in front of Sam, Dean, Ness, Catty and Sabrina. "This has to stop, Father."

"Stop?" Zeus repeated. "I'm only just getting started."

"You've done enough," Artemis told him.

"I am doing this for us," Zeus told her. "For our kind." He gestured to Shane. "He is the reason we're here and not ruling the world. He's the reason they have forgotten all about us."

"Let them go," Artemis told him. "All of them."

"I am your father, and you will obey me," Zeus told her.

"You were once my father," Artemis told him. "Now you're someone else."

Artemis fired the arrow at Zeus. Zeus grabbed Shane, holding him in front of himself as a shield. The arrow hit Shane in the middle of his torso, making him groan a scream of pain.

"I never get tired of watching you die," Zeus told him. He whispered into Shane's ear. "Your boy is going on the mountain."

Shane looked at Oliver and Hayley. Zeus laughed. Shane grabbed hold of the arrow's shaft, forcing it out through the back of his body so that Zeus, who was still standing so close, was impaled, too. Lightning flashed, surrounding both Zeus and Shane. Hayley turned to cover Oliver, covering his and her own eyes. Catty turned to cover Sabrina, covering her and her own eyes. Sam, Dean, Ness and Artemis turned away from the bright light. Zeus and Shane fell to the ground, the lightning fading, dead. Everyone turned to look at the bodies. Artemis put her bow down on the floor, walking, then running over to the bodies, kneeling down next to Shane, who was lying on top of Zeus. She pulled the arrow out. The arrow was covered in blue light that changed to plain blood as she tossed it aside. She took one of her father's hands, one of Shane's hands. She looked at Hayley, releasing Shane's hand. She disappeared, leaving, taking Zeus' body with her as she left. Shane was left lying dead on the floor. No one knew how to handle this.

§ 

Woods

Sam and Dean were giving Shane/Prometheus a hunter's funeral, having his body wrapped in a sheet, laid out on a wooden pyre. Dean flicked his lighter open, placing the flame against the wood. The fire encased the funeral pyre. Dean stood next to Sam. Catty, Hayley and Ness were standing together further off.

"I'm sorry," Hayley told them.

Catty and Ness each put an arm around Hayley comfortingly. They looked toward Sabrina and Oliver. Sabrina and Oliver were sitting nearby Catty's Mustang and the Impala.

"You know what?" Sabrina asked. "How about we go get some ice cream sundaes?"

"No," Oliver answered. "I'd like to stay."

Sabrina hesitated, looking down, taking Oliver's hand comfortingly. Sabrina and Oliver looked at each other sadly. Oliver looked down with tears in his eyes. Sabrina embraced Oliver comfortingly. Oliver leaned his head against Sabrina's shoulder. Ness, Hayley and Catty were still watching sadly.

§ 

The Bunker - Library

Sam, Catty and Sabrina were sitting at one table. Ness was sitting at the other table.

Dean was standing, handing out burgers to all of them. "Well, here's to that crazy little wild card called love." He sat down across from Ness. "Sure, Ness, you wanted a breather, but you ended up saving the day again."

"Shane still died," Ness told them.

"But the rest of us survived," Dean replied. "See what I mean about us needing you around?"

Ness sighed. "Dean..."

"Look, I get it," Dean told her. "Moment of weakness. Nothing to worry about now."

Sam looked from Dean to Ness in confusion, looking at Catty. Catty shook her head.

Sam sighed. "Ness, how did you know Artemis had the hots for Prometheus, anyway?"

"Intuition," Ness answered. "Uh, luck."

"Yeah, well, whatever it was, it worked," Sabrina told them. "Pretty much. At least Oliver's all right."

"Yeah, I think Ollie there liked you, Sabrina," Dean told her.

Sabrina didn't understand what he meant, innocent. "He was my friend. Of course he liked me."

Catty smiled a small smile, looking down, shaking her head.

"You know..." Sam trailed off. "I'm starting to think maybe I was being naive."

"What are you talking about?" Catty asked.

"When I said that I could just will myself into coming out of these Trials unscathed," Sam told them.

"No, no, no," Catty told him. "Stop with the sullen emo crap, all right? That's--You're not gonna die like Prometheus."

"How do you know, Catty?" Sam asked. "Bobby, Rufus, now Prometheus. You think any of them chose death? No. The life chose for them."

"Yeah, well, you promised Ava, okay, Sam?" Dean asked. "You promised Ava to live a long, Clark Griswold life full of prostate exams and colonoscopies, all right? You're not welshing on Ava's deal, not on my watch. Sabrina and Catty aren't gonna welsh on ours, either. Once these Trials are over and the Demons are gone, and Sow's no longer part Demon, you two are not gonna be running, and you're not gonna be looking over your shoulders everywhere you go. And Ness is not gonna do anything that's gonna get her killed. If any of you die, it's gonna be because of something normal."

"Like a heart attack?" Sam asked, looking at his burger.

"Exactly," Dean answered. "Yeah, eat your burgers."

Ness couldn't help but smile and chuckle, taking a bite.

Sabrina looked at her burger for a moment, looking up. "Seeing Oliver and Shane like that... I want to see Dad again."

"Sabrina, maybe you should just leave him be for a while," Sam told her. "I mean, the guy's got to be busy."

"Busy with what?" Sabrina asked. "Why won't he come when we call? Why is he staying away when he said that he would be here to teach me?" Sam, Dean and Ness looked at Catty. Catty looked down, not knowing what to say. Sabrina looked at them for a moment. "What?"

"What 'what'?" Catty asked.

"Don't play dumb," Sabrina told her. "Yeah, sure, you're scared and paranoid enough to always have us pack up and move before we're found again, but you're thinking that someone got into Dad's head again?"

"Sow--" Catty started.

Sabrina stood, using Catty's voice to speak. "'No mind reading'." Catty gave her a look. Sabrina used her own voice to speak. "Well, what other way can I get the truth around here?"

"Sabrina, we're just trying to protect you," Ness told her.

"I don't want to be protected, not like this," Sabrina told them. "I want to know the truth. What's going on with Dad?"

Catty sighed, standing, walking closer to Sabrina, leaning back against the table, taking Sabrina's hands in both of hers. "We don't know. Okay? And that's the truth." Sabrina looked at her for a moment, looking in her head to see that she wasn't lying. "Get ready for bed, okay?"

Catty let her hands go, putting one on the back of her head, kissing Sabrina's forehead. Sabrina hesitated, turning around, running out of the room to go do as told. Sam, Dean and Ness looked at Catty, sympathetic but not knowing what to do anymore than Catty did.

§ 

Catty's Room

Catty walked into her room, closing the door, tossing her jacket to the side, sitting down on her bed, sighing, looking up at the ceiling. "Cas, you got your ears on? Listen, you know I am not one for praying, 'cause in my book, it's... it's the same as begging. But this is about Sam and Sabrina, so I need you to hear me. We are going into this deal blind... and I don't know what's ahead or what's it's gonna bring for Sam. Now, he's covering pretty good, but I know that he is hurting. And Sow... She needs help, Cas. She's doing so good, but... She still wants you to teach her what she doesn't know. She's just a kid, and she shouldn't be going through this without her dad. I'm Human, and I can't teach her what she needs to know. I don't know how to. So, for all that we've been through, I'm asking you... to keep a lookout for Sam, and to be there for Sabrina, okay? Cas, I can't do this alone." She looked around the room beseechingly, almost desperately, shaking her head. "Where the hell are you, Cas?"

There was no answer, or any sign that Catty's prayer had been heard.