Outfits in the external link 

THEN

From 8.23 "Sacrifice", in Heaven, in Naomi's office, Castiel turned to face Metatron. Metatron put an Angel Blade to Castiel's throat. Castiel was strapped to the chair. Metatron pushed Castiel's head against the head rest of the chair, pulling out an Angel Blade, holding it to his neck, cutting his neck.

Castiel: (voice over from 9.01 I Think I'm Gonna Like It Here) "Catty, Metatron..."

Castiel's glowing Grace seeped out through the cut.

Castiel: (voice over from 9.01 I Think I'm Gonna Like It Here) "He took my Grace."

Metatron held a small vial to Castiel's neck.

Catty: (voice over from 9.01 I Think I'm Gonna Like It Here) "What?"

Castiel's Grace spilled into the vial.

Catty: (voice over from 9.01 I Think I'm Gonna Like It Here) "That means you're Human."

From 10.17 "Inside Man", in the playground, Octavia and Sabrina brought Metatron out of Heaven, out to the playground with Sam, Dean, Catty and Castiel, still having him cuffed and chained.

"Hey, guys," Metatron told them. "Miss me?"

Sabrina pushed Metatron to the ground. She held her hand toward him, concentrating. Metatron started to gasp quietly. Sabrina closed her eyes, focusing. Metatron's Angel Grace started to seep out of his mouth, toward Sabrina's hand, levitating underneath her hand. Dean shot Metatron in the leg.

"We have you Grace, Metatron," Octavia told him. "You're mortal now."

Sam looked at Metatron. "How do we get rid of the Mark?"

"I--I don't know," Metatron told them.

"What about the Tablets?" Castiel asked.

"No, th--there's nothing in them about the Mark," Metatron told them.

"Sam?" Octavia asked. "Shoot him."

Sam went to shoot Metatron.

"No, no!" Metatron told them. "No." He looked at Castiel. "Your Grace. I wasn't lying about that. There's still some left. I'll take you to it."

"It's your call, Cas," Catty told him.

Castiel looked torn.

From 10.11 "There's No Place Like Home", in the Bunker's control room, Sam, Dean, Catty, Ness and Charlie were talking.

"Anything about the Mark?" Charlie asked.

"Yeah, maybe," Sam answered. "I found this book. It's a lore book. 'The Book of the Damned'."

"Sounds legit," Ness told them.

"I'll go check it out," Charlie told them.

"Charlie, thank you," Sam told her.

"Arrivederci, bitches," Charlie told them, walking out, leaving.

From 10.17 "Inside Man", in the restaurant, Ness walked in. It was deserted.

Rowena was drinking from a glass of red wine. "Ness."

"Rowena," Ness replied.

Ness pulled out Catty's Knife. Rowena started to glow with purple light. The purple light soared toward Ness, but it didn't hurt her. At all. Nothing happened.

Rowena was confused, shaking her head in disbelief. "Not possible."

Ness walked closer to Rowena, gripping her throat, pushing her against the counter, the knife posd at her throat. "What the hell are you doing here?"

Rowena gasped for breath. "Saving my son."

"Your son?" Ness repeated.

"Crowley," Rowena answered.

Ness looked her in shock, processing. 

From 10.17 "Inside Man", in the playground, Dean was walking along, reading his letter from Bobby.

Bobby: (voice over from 10.17 Inside Man) "Dean. Look, I just wanted to say that Ava and Sabrina told me what you're doing for Ness. And there's no way in hell I'm asking you stop, because you're just protecting and trying to save Nessie and your children with all you got. And I know that you'll tell Nessie, but, boy, you better do it soon. And I know it's the life... doing a little bad so you can do a lot of good. But sometimes, the bad's real bad, and the good... it can come at one hell of a price. I knew that you were the right man for my daughter, Dean Winchester. Thank you for protecting her and fighting for her and being there for her. Ness wouldn't be able to do this without you, Dean. Just like I know that you can't do it without her. I'm damn happy for both of you, having gotten so far. When you tell Ness, and when she's ready to take my letter, be there with her when she reads it. You know my daughter's no good at goodbyes, Dean, and so it might take a while for her to finally let herself read the letter because she doesn't want to think of this as a goodbye at all."

From 10.17 "Inside Man", in Hell, in the throne room, Crowley and Rowena were talking.

"It's the Mark of Cain," Crowley told her. "It never lets its host die easy."

"The Mark?" Rowena repeated. "It's just a curse. T--the first curse. But still, it can be removed."

"How?" Crowley asked.

"I'll find a way," Rowena told him.

From 10.17 "Inside Man", in the restaurant, Ness and Crowley were still facing off.

"Mother says that Mark is just a curse," Crowley told her. "That it can be removed. Of course, she doesn't know how."

From 10.17 "Inside Man", in the hospital, Ness was lying on the bed, jell over her exposed belly.

The OB/GYN was checking the babies with the ultrasound wand. "They seem to be okay." She put the wand down. Ness sat up. "Believe me. They are fine. Whatever happened, they were protected by some kind of miracle."

Ness looked at the Mark of Cain on her arm. "I doubt that."

NOW

§

Day One

Des Moines, Iowa

Night - Alleyway

The alleyway was dark and smokey. A hooded figure with a sword sticking out of their backpack walked along, ducking behind a dumpster. Two men walked along, looking for the hooded person. The hooded person pulled back their hood, revealing it was Charlie. Man 1 took out a special compass, waiting for it to point the way, closing it, putting it away, taking out his gun, aiming it in the direction. Man 2 drew his gun. The men walked further into the alley. Man 2 began to look into the dumpsters, opening the second. Charlie stood from within the dumpster, stabbing Man 2 in the neck with her sword, jumping out of the dumpster, kicking him out of the way, turning to Man 1, slashing the hand he was using to hold his gun, making him drop it. Man 1 laughed.

Charlie pointed the sword at his chest. "Who the hell are you? And why are you following me?"

Man 1 had a slight southern accent. "I ain't following you. I'm following what you got in your bag there. That don't belong to you, girl. Belongs to my family."

"Yeah?" Charlie asked. "Well, sorry, Gambit. Finders keepers."

"It's beyond your understanding," Man 1 told her. "Hell, you can't even read it."

"Are you always so condescending when someone's pointing a blade at you?" Charlie asked.

"Now, you look here," Man 1 told her. "You can cut me down, but my people will never stop." He raised his hands. "And you can tiptoe through the tulips like you did in Russia, or you can stow away on the back of a train like you did in Alaska, but soon enough, my kin will find you." Charlie noticed a tattoo on his wrist. "This ends with you being dead." Man 1 grabbed the sword, pushing the tip away from his chest, making her back away. He picked up his gun. Charlie ran away. Man 1 shot into her side, making her groan a scream of pain. Charlie climbed through a hole in the fence, continuing to run away. Man 1 ran up to the fence. "You can't run forever, little girl."

§ Worlds Colliding (Supernatural) §

On the Road

Octavia's Camaro drove around a corner, continuing to drive.

§

Octavia's Camaro

The hood was down. Octavia was driving. Castiel was in the passenger seat. Sabrina and Metatron were in the backseat. Metatron was chained up.

The radio was on. "Our flashback playback continues with a song that climbed all the way to number four on the charts. Here's Alanis Morissette's 'Ironic'."

Castiel turned off the radio.

"Really?" Metatron asked. "That song is a classic." They didn't answer. "Yeah, I hear you. I do. And you're right. Inclement weather on the day of your nuptials and the wrong cutlery at inopportune times is hardly ironic. But it sure is catchy. Yeah, fair point. Can't argue taste. But since I became Human, it's just so... strange. All these feelings, you know? i mean, I can feel music. Like that last song, 'Sussudio'. I don't even know what it's about, and I love it. Gives me goosebumps. And goosebumps, don't even get me started on those. Creepy. And yet... arousing."

Sabrina lost her patience, looking up at Castiel and Octavia. "Can I just kill him now?"

Metatron looked at Sabrina in surprise. "You know I can hear you, right?"

"Sow, we need him alive for now," Castiel told her. "Look, after he gives me my Grace back, you can do whatever you want with him."

"Well, I'd like to kill him slowly," Sabrina told them.

Metatron gave Sabrina a look. "I am, like, two feet from you. Every word? Crystal clear?"  Sabrina didn't like the look he was giving her, punching him in the face. "Ow! What was that for?"

"Don't look at me like that," Sabrina told him. "Aunt Ava, what about Aunt Ness? How are we going to help her?"

"Sabrina, the answer is out there," Octavia told her. "We will find a cure for Ness. I promise you."

"I don't know why you'd want to cure that little firecracker now," Metatron told them. "She's finally interest--" Sabrina punched Metatron in the face. "Ow!"

"Don't talk about Aunt Nessie like that," Sabrina told him.

Castiel and Octavia exchanged an amused look, smirking.

§

Lebanon, Kansas

The Bunker - Library

Ness was sitting at the table, eating a bowl of cereal.

Dean walked in. "Hey."

"Hey, Dean," Ness told him. "How was the job?"

"Crazy," Dean answered. "Ness... there's something I gotta tell you."

Dean sat at the table with her.

"Me, too," Ness told him. "I, uh, I played some pool at the restaurant a few blocks over. And I found out the Mark is a curse."

"Yeah, tell me about it," Dean told her.

"No, Dean, it's a... it's an actual curse," Ness told him.

"What are you talking about?" Dean asked.

"Crowley told me," Ness told him. "Or, rather, Rowena told him after she tried and failed to kill me."

Dean looked at Ness in worried surprise. "What the hell happened?"

"The Mark protected me and the babies," Ness answered. "Rowena doesn't really have a beef with me. She was pissed at Crowley because she thinks he's going soft."

"She's not wrong," Dean told her.

"Yeah, well, after he and mommy dearest got into a fight..." Ness trailed off.

"Mommy dearest?" Dean repeated.

"Rowena is Crowley's mother," Ness told him. Dean looked at her in shock. "More about that later. So, then, he came and told me about what she had said. The Mark is an actual curse. So, anyway, I was going to call you to tell you, but my phone didn't make it out of the fight. I gotta get another."

Dean was overwhelmed with all of the information. "Uh, just tell me if you and they are okay."

Ness took his hand. "We're all okay. Now, what did you want to tell me?"

Dean reached into his pocket to pull something out. Sam and Catty walked in.

Catty held her phone on speaker. "Guys, you need to hear this."

"Who is it?" Dean asked.

"It's Charlie," Sam answered.

Ness stood. "Charlie? What's going on? Where are you?"

Charlie was in a phone booth outside of a gas station. "Uh, uh... I'm exhausted, and... and I'm bleeding. And I'm in a phone booth. A phone booth. I didn't know these things existed outside of Bill and Ted's."

"Okay, hey, hey," Ness told her. "Take a deep breath, kiddo. Tell me what happened. Why are you bleeding?"

"I, uh, I got shot," Charlie answered. "It's okay. I only passed out twice."

"Charlie, you probably need to go to a hospital," Sam told her.

"No, no, I--I'm fine," Charlie told them. "I just got to get someplace safe. These guys are still after me."

"What guys?" Dean asked. "Who?"

"Some southern fried d-bag," Charlie answered. "They've been after me since I dug up 'The Book of the Damned'."

"You found it?" Catty asked. "Where?"

"After some near misses and some broken into museums, I found historical documents that led to a monastery in Spain," Charlie explained. "It burned down years ago, left for dead, but, uh, I had this hunch about it. Turned out I was right."

"Okay, Charlie, what does it say about the Mark?" Dean asked.

"I have no fraking idea," Charlie told them. "The language it's written in? I've never seen anything like it. I, uh, I found some research notes in the monastery crypt, though, by the Friar that buried it. 'The Book of the Damned' is a spell book for creating or undoing any kind of damnation there is. We translate this thing, I think we can get the Mark of Cain off of you, Ness."

"Charlie, you're a genius," Ness told her.

"A genius fugitive," Charlie told them. "I--these dudes following me? They are well trained. One of them keeps talking about his family."

"Family?" Sam repeated. "Did you get a name?"

"No clue," Charlie told them. "I--I--I spotted a tattoo on one of them. Might be a family crest. It seemed occulty. Soon as the book was out of the ground, they were all over me. I, uh, I don't know how much more running I got left in me. T--they're tracking the book somehow."

"All right, then we need to get you off the grid," Catty told her. "Charlie, you gotta pray to Sabrina. She can find you, she can heal you, and she can save you before you bleed out, all right? Sow's gonna get you someplace safe. Tell her to take you to Rufus' Cabin. We'll be there soon."

"Okay, bring snacks," Charlie told them. "And every Men of Letters decoder ring there is. This book is old and scary, and I've never seen anything like it."

§

Sam and Catty packing files in a box. Dean was carrying a cardboard box.

Ness showed them a metal box. "Hey, check it out. I found this in the store room. It's lead-lined and warded. If those guys are tracking this book, pretty sure this bad boy will take it off the radar. You ready?"

§

On the Road 

(Song:) The Boys Are Back In Town - Thin Lizzy 

The Impala cruised down the road. 

§

The Impala

Dean was driving. Sam was in the passenger seat. Ness and Catty were in the backseat. Ness nodded her head along to the song, dancing a little bit in her seat. Sam, Catty and Dean looked at Ness in surprised amusement.

Ness stopped, looking at them. "What?"

"Nothing," Sam told her, turning off the radio.

(Song Ends)

Catty chuckled. "Nothing. We just haven't seen you like this in a while, that's all."

"It's a good song, Catty," Ness told her. "Shut up."

Catty chuckled. "Yeah, it's..."

"Look, it has been one crap sandwich after another for the past few months, okay?" Ness asked. "The only good thing is the gift of life inside of me. You heard Charlie. We got a shot at fixing this thing, so if that don't put gas in your tan, well..."

"If by 'shot', you mean a spell in a book that we can't read that's currently being tracked..." Sam trailed off.

"We're due for a win, okay?" Ness asked. "Overdue."

Dean seemed to agree, looking at Ness. "I'll tell you another thing. If this actually does work, after the birth, we're gonna take some time off."

"Both of us?" Ness asked. "What, like a vacation?"

"Mm-hmm," Dean answered. "And I'm not talking just, like a weekend in Vegas or sitting in some crap motel watching pay-per-view. No, I'm talking about a beach. Taking mini-us along the beach, you and me drinking Cervezas, go for a swim, take them for an adventure. And we'll take them to Vegas one time, show them where their mom and dad got married." Ness smiled. "When was the last time either one of us was on a beach?"

Ness smiled, shaking her head. "Never."

"Sand between our toes, baby," Dean told her. "Sand between our toes."

Sam and Catty smiled. Dean turned the radio back on.

(Song Continues)

Dean drummed along to the beat. Sam, Ness and Catty smiled.

§

On the Road

The Impala continued to drive along.

(Song Ends)

§

Day Two

Day - Diner

Castiel, Metatron and Octavia were sitting at a table. Metatron and Castiel were each eating waffles with whipped cream, strawberries and blueberries on top.

Metatron was relishing every bite annoyingly. "Mm! O... M... Me! Oh. Food. Glorious food. Mm. All the countless descriptions in so many books, but those are just words. Oh, the taste, the--the actual taste... I had no idea. Oh, and the process. Goes in here..." He pointed at his mouth. "Comes out here." He pointed toward his ass. "Sorcery. I mean, Cas, you're Human. And, Ava, you used to be. Don't you miss all this?"

"No, I don't miss digestion," Octavia answered.

"No, no, no," Metatron told her. "Not that. I mean, don't you miss the feeling of all this? I mean, I know that you still have some Human feelings after your Human experience, but you don't get to enjoy meals or little things like this like they do. Like we do. Look at us. We're a couple of Angels who've touched not only the divine, but the mundane. The three of us have a lot in common."

"Don't," Castiel told him.

"What?" Metatron asked. "I thought we were having a moment. Can't we be besties?"

"No," Castiel answered. "Because you killed our friend."

"Oh, pfft," Metatron told them. "Ness is fine, mostly. Can't you get past that?"

"Never," Castiel answered. "Now we've hit three of your so-called safe houses, and all of them are empty. So, either you've lost my Grace, or you're stalling."

"Can you blame me?" Metatron asked. "The minute I have over your Grace, I'm dead."

"You have made your bed, Metatron, and nothing is going to get you out of it," Octavia told him. There were loud digestive noises coming from Metatron. "What are you doing?"

"I think I need to use the little boys' room," Metatron told them, holding up his handcuffed hands in front of him. "Little help."

Octavia looked at Castiel. "Cas."

Castiel gave Octavia a look. "Ava."

Octavia shrugged.

Castiel sighed, helping Metatron get up, leading him to the bathroom. Octavia looked down at the table, holding her head in her hands. A man who looked like a trucker was sitting at the counter. He watched Castiel and Metatron go past. He looked toward Octavia at their table. He opened his denim jacket to reveal an Angel Blade tucked away.

§

Whitefish, Montana

Rufus' Cabin - Outside

There was a lake out back behind the cabin. The Impala pulled up nearby the lake.

§

Inside

Charlie was sitting in a chair. Sabrina was kneeling in front of her, healing the gunshot wound in her side. Charlie and Sabrina stood.

Charlie smiled. "Oh, I missed you, girl."

Charlie and Sabrina embraced. Catty, Dean, Ness and Sam walked in.

Sabrina smiled. "I missed you, too."

Charlie and Sabrina pulled away.

Charlie pointed at Sabrina. "But you need to stop growing, 'cause you're giving me whiplash." She looked at Catty, Dean, Ness and Sam. "I can't imagine how you guys are dealing with her growth spurts." She looked at Ness in surprise. "Holy pregnant baby mama. I mean, I knew about the twins, but I didn't think that you'd gotten so prego yet."

Ness smiled, walking closer. "Yeah, I missed you, too."

Charlie and Ness embraced, pulling away.

Charlie put a hand on her belly. "If you're this cute right now, imagine how they'll be."

They smiled, chuckling. Catty, Dean and Sam each embraced Charlie in turn, pulling away.

"Were you followed?" Sabrina asked.

"No, no," Catty answered.

"Where's the book?" Dean asked.

"Okay, here's what I've learned so far," Charlie told them. "About 700 years ago, a nun locked herself away after having visions of darkness. After a few decades squirrelled away by herself, she emerged with this." She pulled the book out of her backpack. "Each page is made out of slices of her own skin written in her blood. I told you, it's eekish." She handed the book to Sabrina. Sabrina opened the pages, seeming strangely affected by it. Ness was looking at the book, very much lost in thought. "According to the notes I found, it's been owned and used by cults, covens, and the Vatican had it for a while. There's a spell inside that thing for everything. Talking some black mass, dark magic, end-of-times nastiness. As far as what language it's written in, I'm thinking it's some kind of, uh..."

Sabrina was still lost in the book.

"Sow?" Sam asked. Sabrina didn't answer. "Sabrina!" 

Sabrina looked up. "What?" They looked at her in concern. "I don't think it's a good idea that I touch this." Sabrina handed the book to Charlie. "I gotta get back to Dad, Aunt Ava and Metatron."

Sabrina disappeared, leaving.

"I'm--I'm gonna go get some fresh air," Ness told them, walking out, leaving.

Charlie looked at Catty, Dean and Sam. "What the hell was that?"

"It's all in the name of this stupid thing," Catty told them. "'The Book of the Damned'. Sabrina's part Demon and every other monster out there, even if Sow's part Angel and Human. And with the Mark, Ness... she's not getting better. She's trying to cover, but... as long as she has that Mark..."

"Ness and Sow are both damned," Sam finished.

"That's why it's affecting Nessie and Sow so much," Dean told them. "We need to find that cure for Ness, fast."

§

Diner - Outside

Castiel, Metatron and Octavia walked out of the diner.

Metatron looked at Castiel. "Sorry about the mess. I guess I'm lactose intolerant."

"Let's never speak of it again," Castiel told them.

The Angel from the diner was leaning against Octavia's Camaro. "Metatron, Castiel and Octavia. This really must be my lucky day. Three birds, one blade."

The Angel pulled out his Angel Blade from his denim jacket.

Octavia pulled out her Angel Sword from her leather jacket. "Who are you?"

"Just a Cupid," the Angel answered. "Just an angry, angry Cupid."

"I understand you're upset," Octavia told him.

"You all corrupted Heaven," Cupid told them. "It's never gonna be the same!"

Cupid lunged at Octavia with the Angel Blade. Octavia pivoted back onto one foot to make him miss, punching him in the face. Metatron tried to get away. Castiel grabbed him, pushing him to the ground so he wouldn't try to escape. Cupid tried to stab Metatron. Octavia used magic to push Cupid away from Metatron, to the ground, walking closer. She punched Cupid in the face, making him turn away. Cupid raised his blade to try to stab her. Octavia slashed her sword across his stomach, making him bleed with Grace, punching him in the face, kicking him in the chest, making him fall to the ground. Cupid stood, running toward Octavia, grabbing her around the waist, pushing her against Octavia's Camaro, trying to stab her in the heart with his Angel Blade. Sabrina appeared, using magic to push Cupid away from Octavia, to the wall of the diner, making him fall to the ground. Castiel, Metatron and Octavia looked at Sabrina. Cupid ran toward Sabrina. Sabrina put a hand to his chest, using a bright white light to teleport him away like a light from an Angel Banishing Sigil would do.

Castiel sighed in relief that his daughter made it there in time. "Sabrina. Where did you send him this time?"

"Alaska," Sabrina answered. 

Metatron stood, looking at Octavia in surprise. "You saved me."

"Only because we need you," Octavia told him. "This changes nothing. Let's go."

Castiel pushed Metatron forward, walking along. Sabrina and Octavia followed.

§

Rufus' Cabin - Outside

Ness stood outside by the lake nearby the cabin, looking over the water, thinking. She took a deep breath, walking inside.

§

Inside

Ness and Charlie were sitting on the couch, researching 'The Book of the Damned'. Sam, Dean and Catty were researching files.

"Okay, I got a pretty good look at his tattoo," Charlie told them. "It's something like this."

Charlie handed Dean a piece of paper with a drawing of the tattoo.

Dean opened another box of files. "The douche clan. Got it."

"Well, this is everything the Men of Letters had on occult families, so there should be something in here," Sam told them.

Charlie looked at Ness. "You got anything?"

"Maybe," Ness answered. "Uh, yeah. It's all in an obscure Sumerian dialect. Actually found a rough match for it in this book."

"Great," Charlie told her.

"I thought so, too," Ness told them. "But I've been translating, but none of the translated words make any sense. It's all just gibberish. I mean, I think this is in code."

"An entire book of unreadable text that's also in code," Sam told them. "Great."

Catty looked at Ness and Charlie teasingly. "And you call yourselves nerds. Come on. You got this."

Charlie looked at Ness. "Catty's right. Let's get our Alan Turing on. Decrypt this bitch."

Ness looked nervously at the book, trying very hard not to be drawn in.

Dean noticed the struggle, taking the book. "You know what, guys? Why, uh... um, why don't we stick with the notes for a little bit?"

Dean put the book into the warded lockbox. Ness looked at him in relief. Dean nodded in understanding.

§

Gas Station - Parking Lot

A truck pulled into the parking lot. Man 1 from the teaser and another man got out. Man 1 looked around.

"What is it?" Man 2 asked.

"Shh," Man 1 told him, taking out his compass, but it just spun around. He closed the compass, putting it away. "Damn it. She found a way to hide the book. It was here. It was on this road. She was on this road. Send the boys up and down the way. See if anybody saw her."

§

Library

Metatron, Octavia, Castiel and Sabrina walked into the dark library.

Sabrina looked at Metatron. "Oh, come on. You expect us to believe that you hid my dad's Grace in a library?"

"Nobody goes to libraries anymore," Metatron told them. "It's the safest place in the world."

Castiel turned the lights on. "I can feel my Grace. It's here, but you've hidden it somehow. Where is it?"

"Honestly, I have no idea," Metatron told them.

Octavia pushed Metatron into a chair, squeezing the wound from the shot on his injured leg, making him scream in pain. "Where is it?"

Metatron gasped for breath. "I don't know, I swear! I had another Angel hide it, even from me." Octavia squeezed the gunshot wound in his leg even harder, making him groan a scream. "You know, in case someone tries to torture the information out of me. Case in point!"

Octavia let him go. "Where is Cas' Grace?"

"I told the Angel to hide some clues in some of my favorite books," Metatron told them, standing, holding up his handcuffed wrists. "Mother, may I?'

Metatron limped over to a shelf, pulling out a book.

Octavia took the book, opening it, removing a note. "'What is the maddest thing a man can do?'"

"It's a riddle?" Sabrina asked. "What--what's the answer?"

"Beats me," Metatron told them. "I've only been a man a day. Um, the--the answer to the riddle will lead to another book. And inside that book, you'll find Cas' Grace. We're gonna work this out together, okay? Teamwork."

Sabrina, Castiel and Octavia exchanged an exasperated, annoyed look.

§

Rufus' Cabin

Sam, Dean, Catty, Ness and Charlie were still researching.

"Okay, even the Bletchley Circle couldn't crack this thing," Charlie told them. "I've tried ever cryptographic algorithm there is. Goose egg."

Sam looked through the files. "Well, maybe that's not such a bad thing. Those people following you, hmm? All kinds of wrong. Talking multi-generational, centuries old wrong. The Stein family. Men of Letters' files have them dated back to the early 1800's. They used spells to create disease, to destabilize markets. Hell, they even helped the Nazis before they came into power, and they profited from all of it."

"So, they're like the supernatural Du Ponts?" Catty asked.

"Basically," Sam answered. "All the spells they used came from a book of 'unspeakable evil', which they lost nearly a hundred years ago."

"Okay, so they're bad," Dean told them. "So what? We've faced worse."

"Dean, read the file," Sam told him. "The way the book works, is when you use it, there is a negative reaction. I'm talking Biblical negative. Dark magic always comes with a price. We know that. We've been down that road before."

"Well, let's at least translate it, see what it says," Catty told them. "You'll help with that, right, Ness?" Ness didn't answer, overwhelmed. "Ness?"

"The book's been calling out to me ever since I laid eyes on it, Catty," Ness told her. "Calling out to the Mark. I can hear it like it's alive. It wants me to use it, but not for good."

Sam sighed. "And it was clearly doing the same thing to Sabrina, so much that Sow had to skedaddle up and out of here and away from that thing."

Ness looked at them sadly. "Look, I wanted it to be the answer, too, okay? I really did. But we have got to get rid of that. Burn it, bury it. I don't give a damn. We'll just have to find another way to fix the Mark."

"Like what?" Dean asked.

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

"So you're giving up?" Catty asked.

"No, I'm not giving up," Ness answered. "Catty, I don't have a death wish. Okay, even if I did, I can't die, not with this thing on my arm. And if I do, I turn back into a Demon, and if that happens before delivery, then I'll be having Demon babies. I'm not giving up, hell, no. I--I--I just can't touch that thing and not struggle with the decision to do good or bad."

"Ness, you're not in this alone," Dean told her. "Okay, you might be our best chance at translating it--"

"Yeah, and I can't even touch the thing," Ness told them. 

"Look, just let us translate the book, okay?" Catty asked. "If there's a cure, we'll do it, and deal with the consequences later."

"I can't lose you, Ness," Dean told her. "Not again. I won't lose them, either."

Ness took a deep breath, overwhelmed. "Okay. But I--I..."

"You don't have to be near it to help me translate it," Charlie told her. "I'll help you. Okay? You don't have to look at it again."

Charlie held an arm around Ness' shoulders, leaning her head against her shoulder, patting her belly.

Ness took a moment to calm down. "I'm gonna go for a drive." She stood. "Uh, Charlie, we forgot to pick up your snacks, and I'm starving."

Ness walked out, leaving. Sam, Dean, Catty and Charlie watched her go in concern.

§

Library

Metatron, Sabrina, Octavia and Castiel were walking through separate aisles of bookshelves, searching.

"You know, we really do make a good team," Metatron told them. "Kind of like a buddy comedy, without the comedy."

"Or the buddies," Sabrina told them.

"Oh, now, come on," Metatron told them. "Back at the diner? That was some pretty awesome action."

"Sabrina sent away our brother, because she believes no more of our brothers and sisters should die, Metatron," Castiel told him.

"Brothers and sisters?" Metatron repeated skeptically. "Listen to you. Still spitting out the company line like anyone cares. Like we're actually a family? When what we really are--are a bunch of glowing lights filled with self-loathing or delusions of grandeur. Or both. Ava, Cas and I weren't even born, Sabrina. We were created by the same maker, God, the reason why we call Him father, the reason why we call each other brothers and sisters, when we're not really related in any way at all."

"Would you shut up?" Octavia asked impatiently in annoyance.

"No!" Metatron answered. "If I'm gonna die, I want answers. Like, you two, Castiel and Octavia. Who are the two of you now? Like, you're obviously not Angels of the Lord. And, Cas, you're Human, but you're dying to get your Grace back. And you, Ava, the Angel that has the thoughts and feelings of a Human. And what about you, Sabrina? Always striving to be the best you can be because everything inside of you is telling you to be the worst. And what about all this walking the Earth like Caine from 'Kung Fu' crap? Cleaning up Heaven's messes? How many more rogue Angels are there out there? And what are you gonna do once you're done with all that? Continue to live with the Winchesters, continue to rid the world of Demons and monsters and Angels to protect Human life? Continue to live out life as a family? You three always were better hunters than you were what you really are. So, tell me, truly, what are your missions now?"

Octavia didn't find anything in her aisle, walking over into Sabrina's aisle to help her look.

"Saving as many people as we can," Sabrina answered.

"And why is that?" Metatron asked. "Because you're scared of what you're able to do if you didn't keep yourself on such a short leash, Sabrina? Are Cas and Ava as worried about you becoming a monster as much as you are? Is Catty?"

"Would you just shut the hell up and keep looking?" Sabrina asked in annoyed exasperation.

"Well, cannot say I didn't try," Metatron told them. He was using blood from his bullet wound to write blood Sigils on the books in the shelves closer to Sabrina and Octavia, activating them. The Sigils started to glow. In the next aisle, Sabrina and Octavia couldn't breathe, gasping, coughing, falling to their knees. Metatron walked toward them. "Poor little Sow and Ava. Swam so far just to drown in shallow waters." Castiel walked toward them from the other side of the aisle, looking at Metatron on the other side of them incredulously. "Isn't it ironic? Don't you think?"

Metatron smirked. Sabrina and Octavia glared, but the spell from the Sigils was slowly starting to kill them.

§

Rufus' Cabin

Sam, Dean, Catty and Charlie were still researching.

Catty looked troubled, as if she felt like something was wrong.

Charlie looked up curiously. "You know, I haven't been a hunter for very long, but it feels like this is the life. Mostly ends in Sophie's choices, death, or tears. Usually, all of the above, huh?" Sam, Dean and Catty nodded. "How did this become my life? I mean, I was gonna own my own startup, marry Scar Jo, invent something cool. Now, I'm just... I'm just happy to be alive."

Sam took a moment to speak, looking at Dean and Catty. "You know, when you two came to get me at school, I--I told myself... one last job, you know? One more job. And then, when--when I, um... when I lost Jessica, I, again, told myself one more job. Same thing after Ava died. There's always one more job, you know? And one more job, and one more job, and then I was gonna go back to law, and--and to my life."

"You were the Dread Pirate Roberts of hunting," Dean told him.

Sam chuckled. "Yeah. I guess I really understand now that... this is my life. Dean, I love it. I love it, Catty. And no matter how many bumps in the road we hit, or no matter what happened, or no matter what any of us did, I'm glad that you came to get me from school. But I can't do it without you." He looked at Dean. "But I know you can't do it without Ness. And if something happens to Ness this time, and if it's permanent, I know that you won't be able to do this anymore. I know that you don't want to do it without Ness. But you gotta understand, Dean. Losing Ness and the babies would devastate all of us, again. I mean, me, Catty, Cas, Ava, Sow."

Catty nodded. "So Sam and I, Ava, Cas, Sow and I, we're gonna do whatever we can to help you save Ness. Whatever it takes, because she may be your wife, but she's our family, and she's been in the family... far too long for us to give up on her that easily. We're gonna save Ness, and your babies, Dean. I promise you."

Dean nodded. "I know, Sam. Catty, I know."

Sam, Dean and Catty managed small smiles, nodding.

§

Library

Sabrina and Octavia were still tormented, slowly being killed by the spell.

Castiel ran past them toward Metatron, tackling him to the floor. "Reverse the spell."

"All right," Metatron told him. "First things first. Find what I really came here for." He gouged his bloody fingers into Castiel's eyes, making him scream in pain, making him fall to the floor. Sabrina and Octavia continued to cough and gasp in pain. Octavia coughed up blood and Grace onto the floor. Metatron stood, walking over to a shelf. Sabrina coughed up blood and her essence (see 9.06 Heaven Can't Wait, 9.11 First Born, and 9.21 King of the Damned) on to the floor. Metatron took a book from the shelf, taking a note from the book, reading. "'What two things do you need to succeed in life?' Ignorance and confidence."

Castiel looked at the note from the first book.

Octavia coughed, gasping for breath, looking at Castiel weakly. "They're quotes."

"So, uh, did you and amateur hour really think I wouldn't have a backup plan?" Metatron asked, locating a book, opening it to reveal a Tablet. Castiel ran down another aisle, looking for a book. "Ah. Hello, Demon Tablet." Castiel grabbed a book, pulling it off the shelf, opening it to reveal the vial with the rest of his Grace. "The places I'll go with this." Metatron limped to the row with Sabrina, Octavia and Castiel. "And your Grace. Well, one out of two ain't bad."

Sabrina weakly held her hand toward Metatron, using the white light to push him back into the wall, making him fall. Metatron stood, running away, limping, leaving.

Castiel opened the vial with his Grace. "What's the maddest thing a man can do? Let himself die."

Castiel inhaled his Grace. He started to glow with bright white light. The glowing blue blood Sigils on the books changed from blue to red. Sabrina and Octavia were in more pain, writhing on the floor. Sabrina screamed in pain, making power burst outward all around them like a bomb, magically throwing the shelves and the books around, the books raining down around them. The books with the Sigils were on the floor, Sabrina's explosive power ending the spell. Castiel stood, emanating with bright white light, his eyes glowing blue from within. Shadows of his wings were on the wall behind him, broken and tattered. Sabrina and Octavia had to look away from the bright light.

Octavia gasped in pain. "Cas."

Castiel returned to normal. Sabrina and Octavia struggled to stand.

Castiel walked closer to them instantly, worriedly. "Are you all right?"

Sabrina and Octavia nodded. Castiel put a hand to either of the heads, healing them from the rest of the damage. Sabrina and Octavia could breathe easier now. Sabrina and Castiel smiled, embracing, happy that Cas had his Grace back, pulling away.

Octavia smiled a small smile. "Yeah, Cas. We're okay."

Sabrina, Castiel and Octavia looked over the damage of the library, the happiness fading, because they knew that Metatron had gotten away with the Demon Tablet.

§

Gas Station

Behind the front counter, Man 1 was standing next to the body of the clerk he had just killed, wiping off his knife. "God just don't build to last, does he?" Ness walked in, past the front counter. Man 1 looked at Ness. "Afternoon, ma'am."

"Hiya," Ness told him, walking past, getting a bag of chips and a six pack, walking toward the counter, setting them down, grabbing a pack of gummy worms from a rack, putting them on the others. "There we go."

"That'll be it for you?" Man 1 asked.

"Uh, yeah, that's it," Ness answered.

"Okay, then," Man 1 told her. "That'll be $15.75." Ness pulled out some money. "You heading home, or you just passing through?"

Man 1 man held out his arm, his wrist having the Stein family crest tattoo.

Ness handed him the money. "Just passing through." Man 1 put the money in the register. Ness looked into the mirror behind the counter to see the dead body at Man 1's feet. Ness looked around cautiously. "Must get awful lonely out here all by yourself."

"Oh, I get by," Man 1 told her, drawing a gun from behind the counter.

Ness drew her gun, aiming at Man 1. "Don't move. Hands where I can see them."

"Don't you want your change?" Man 1 asked, throwing the money and coins into her face. Man 2 stepped out of hiding from behind Ness, pulling her arms behind her back, throwing her gun aside, restraining her from behind with her arms over her head. Man 1 walked around the counter to stand in front of Ness. "Now..." He used his knife to point at her. "Who might you be?" Ness didn't answer. Man 1 noticed the Mark exposed on her arm. "Well, hello, there." He pulled down her sleeve to see the Mark clearly, using the knife to point at her stomach. "Where'd a pretty thing like you get your hands on something like that?"

"What's it to you, Mr. Stein?" Ness asked.

Man 1 chuckled, stepping closer. "My friends call me Jacob."

Ness smirked, shaking her head. "Well, I ain't your friend."

Jacob smirked. "Hmm." He turned to pick up the six pack and gummy worms and chips, putting them back down. "What a rarity you are, darling. How my family and I would love to learn more about you and what you're cooking up while having the Mark." Ness rolled her eyes, looking away. "You wouldn't happen to know a redheaded little gal, now, would you? Y'all hid the book, didn't you? Lead-lined little number, I'm betting."

"I don't know what the hell you're talking about," Ness told him.

Jacob wasn't convinced. "You don't? See, if you're worthy enough to bear the Mark, I wouldn't go for the clueless act. That right there shows how much you know." Ness didn't answer. Jacob used the knife to point toward the body behind the counter. "You see that man back there? Well, he said the same thing all the others at truck stops and gas stations up and down the way. Nobody had seen that redheaded girl. And then a woman bearing that Mark comes in here, to me." He laughed. "Well, there's coincidence, and then there's just providence. See, 'The Book of the Damned'? It wants to be found. It wants to come home. Let me guess. You want to use it to get that gift off your arm, don't you? Probably because you don't want what's happening to you happen to what's inside of you." He used the knife to point at Ness' stomach. Ness shifted uncomfortably, still restrained. "Now, the book... can remove that Mark. But you mess around with that, you're gonna do far more harm than good. So, why don't you do the right thing here, sweetheart, and tell me where that book is?"

Ness nodded, looking down. "Yeah, sure, I'll tell you."

Ness mumbled under her breath.

Jacob chuckled, stepping closer. "One more time. I didn't hear you."

Ness looked up. "I said... "

Ness headbutted Jacob hard enough to make him fall into the counter, backing away, making the man restraining her back into a wall hard enough to make him let go. Both fell to the floor, standing. Jacob ran for the door. The man stalked toward Ness. Ness slid to the floor, grabbing her gun, aiming at the man, shooting him in the chest twice. Nothing happened. Ness was confused, continuing to shoot until she unloaded the clip into his chest, killing him, watching him fall, reloading, standing, looking around. Jacob was gone. Ness put her gun away. She was clearly extremely effected by the kill, having it been the first kill she had had in months. She pulled out her phone to see it was broken, walking out, leaving.

§

Rufus' Cabin

Charlie was stoking the fire. Sam, Dean and Catty were standing nearby. Ness walked in worriedly with alarm.

"What's going on?" Dean asked.

"The Steins," Ness answered. "They found me."

§

On the Road

A car raced down the street.

§

Rufus' Cabin

Ness walked toward the others. "Those douches are all jacked up, to."

"What are you talking about?" Sam asked.

Ness threw a cup of Holy Oil into the fire. "I emptied a full clip into one of them before the son of a bitch went down."

"Ness, what are you doing with the Holy Oil?" Catty asked.

"There is a curse for the Mark in the book," Ness told them. "But it comes at a price. We got to destroy it."

"Are you sure about this?" Catty asked.

"It's calling to me, Catty, okay?" Ness asked. "I can hear it. It's calling to the Mark. It wants me to take the book and run away with it. I have to burn it now."

§

Outside

The Steins got out of the car, walking toward the cabin.

§

Inside

Sam, Dean and Catty drew guns. Charlie drew her sword. Four Steins shattered through the windows, tackling Sam, Dean, Catty and Charlie to the floor. Ness knelt by the fireplace. The Steins, Sam, Dean, Catty and Charlie stood. Stein 1 punched Sam in the face. Sam punched him in the stomach repeatedly. Stein 2 raised a chair over his head to slam it down onto Charlie. Charlie cut her sword into his leg and stomach, making him drop it, punching him in the face, kicking him back into the wall. Stein 3 tried to punch Catty. Catty ducked, punching him in the stomach, making him double over, kicking him in the back, making him fall to the floor, pushing him into the wall, shooting him in the chest repeatedly. When that didn't have an effect, she shot him in the head, killing him. Dean stabbed Stein 2 in the heart with a knife, killing him, taking it out, letting him fall. Dean grabbed a chair from nearby, slamming it down onto Stein 4, making the wooden chair fall into pieces. Ness opened the warded box with the book, having it wrapped in cloth, taking it out. She struggled with the decision to destroy it or to use it. Dean kicked Stein 4 into the wall. Stein 1 tried to get Sam in a headlock from behind. Sam bit into his arm, making him let go and groan in pain, flipping him over his head to the floor in front of him, shooting him in the heart three times, killing him. Jacob kicked in the door, walking in, having a gun aimed at Ness. Dean shot Jacob in the chest repeatedly, but it didn't seem to have much effect. Ness threw the book in the cloth into the fire.

"Silly girl," Jacob told her.

Catty stabbed Stein 4 in the back of the neck, killing him, taking out the knife, letting him fall. Dean continued to shoot Jacob in the back. Jacob gripped Ness by her throat, pulling her up from the floor. Ness stabbed Jacob in the heart, pushing it into his chest deeply until he finally died, letting him fall.

Charlie, Catty, Dean, Sam and Ness looked at each other, breathing heavily, looking at the wrapped book burning in the fire.

Ness looked at them, breathing heavily, obviously highly affected by taking two lives in one day with going months without a single kill.

§

Lebanon, Kansas

The Bunker - Control  Room

Castiel, Sabrina and Catty were standing together.

Sabrina was explaining to Catty. "It felt like everything inside of me and Aunt Ava was liquefying and melting."

"But you stopped the spell," Catty told her. "That's the part that counts."

Sabrina took Castiel's hand. "We stopped the spell."

Catty smiled a small smile.

Castiel looked at Catty. "I was foolish, selfish. Should've just killed him. Who knows what he'll do with that Tablet?"

"Well, you know what, Cas?" Catty asked. "You got your Grace back. You're back. You saved Sow and Ava. You did the right thing."

"Thank you, Catty," Castiel told her.

Catty nodded, taking their hands. "I'm just happy you guys and Ava are okay." She wrapped an arm around either of them, pulling away. She looked at Cas. "And extremely happy that you're back and that you're not in as much danger as you were before, Cas."

Catty pulled Castiel closer into a kiss for a long moment, wrapping an arm around his neck, pulling away. Sabrina smiled happily. Sam, Octavia, Dean and Ness walked in with food in bags and pizza in boxes.

"We're back, jerks," Sam told them.

"Bitches," Catty replied.

Dean smirked. "Dicks."

Octavia, Ness, Sabrina and Castiel smiled.

"I'm surprised Ava decided to show," Dean told them. "Since Cas and Sow actually live here, they're always here, but Ava here is hardly ever here."

"Yeah, I'll try to change that soon," Octavia told them.

Sam smiled, wrapping his arm around Octavia. "Yeah, you better, Ava."

Octavia smiled. "Love you, too, Sam."

Sam and Octavia smiled, kissing for a moment. The others smiled, cheered and clapped, mainly Sabrina and Catty, which made everyone smile.

"So Cas' Grace is back?" Ness asked. "100%? How did that happen?"

Sam, Octavia, Ness and Dean put the food on the table.

Castiel glanced at Dean. "Um, it was Hannah." He looked at Ness. "She managed to get the location of the remainder of my Grace out of Metatron."

Ness wasn't convinced, nodding. "Okay. Good to have you back, Cas."

§

Library

(Song:) Behind Blue Eyes - The Who

Sam, Octavia, Dean, Ness, Catty, Sabrina and Castiel were sitting at around and at the two tables, eating and drinking and having fun conversation to ease the tension away for a little while.

Dean was laughing with a mouthful of pizza. Sabrina was showing Catty and Castiel a fortune teller paper trick. Catty and Castiel smiled. Catty held an arm around Castiel, looking at him, smiling. He held an arm around her. Catty leaned her head against his shoulder, looking up at him, smiling, kissing Cas slowly and passionately. Castiel returned the kiss in kind. Sabrina smiled at the sight of her parents happy together.

Octavia smiled, sitting back in her chair next to Sam. Sam held his arm around her. Octavia looked at him, smiling. They kissed slowly and softly, pulling away. Dean held an arm around Ness. Ness looked at her stomach as if she felt something, gasping softly.

Dean looked at Ness in confusion. "What?"

Ness took his hand, holding it over her stomach to let him feel one or both of the babies kicking.

Dean was in awe, laughing. They all smiled. Sam chuckled.

§

Dean and Ness' Room

Dean and Ness were talking alone, dressed for bed.

"I might be foolish, or selfish, for what I did," Ness told him. "I should have just thrown the right book into the fire."

§

Flashback - Earlier That Night 

Rufus' Cabin

Ness was kneeling next to the fireplace as the fight raged on. She took 'The Book of the Damned' out of the cloth, hiding it in the metal lockbox, closing it. She took another book, wrapping it in the cloth. Jacob kicked in the door, walking in, having a gun aimed at Ness. Ness threw the wrapped book into the fire.

"Silly girl," Jacob told her. Dean continued to shoot Jacob in the back. Jacob gripped Ness by the throat, pulling her up from the floor. "My family will never stop looking for that book."

Ness looked at the other book burning in the fire, stabbing Jacob in the heart.

§

Now

Night - The Bunker - Dean and Ness' Room

Dean and Ness were talking alone.

Ness was shamed and confused on what to do. "Who knows what will happen with 'The Book of the Damned'?"

"That thing has the answer to getting that Mark off of you," Dean told her. "And I know that you didn't do it for you. You did it for the ones inside of you. You're being a good mother, and trying to protect them. That's not selfish, Ness, if your just trying to protect them and save them."

"But what happens if it ends up being the wrong thing?" Ness asked.

Dean pulled Ness closer. "We'll figure it out, all right? And I get it. You can't be anywhere near that book. We'll find another way. All right?"

Ness nodded barely. "What did you want to tell me, before all of this? Something that you guys were doing? Because I know that you guys are lying to protect me. But I know that you wanna tell me, Dean, so tell me."

Dean nodded. "When Sam, Catty and I were gone, we were doing a job. Yeah, we did the job with the Demons. But we were also working with Cas, Ava and Sow to get Metatron out of Heaven, to get Cas' Grace back, and to and to find out what he knew about the Mark. He didn't know anything about the Mark, Ness. He was playing us. But he did have the rest of Cas' Grace, and we broke him out of Heaven to get him to give it to Cas. Sow and Ava took his Grace away, so now he's a Human." Ness raised her eyebrows in shock. "Cas obviously got his back, but Metatron double-crossed Cas, Sow and Ava, and he got away." Dean hesitated, taking a deep breath. "And we did all of this with the help of Bobby." Ness looked at him, stunned. "Your dad helped us break Metatron out."

Ness had to sit down on the bed, taking all of this in. "You didn't tell me. Why?"

"Because I didn't want to get your hopes up over nothing, because I knew that you would be crushed," Dean answered. "I knew that if we hit one more dead end, you would start to lose faith. Faith that we could save you, and save them. And I knew that you would do anything to get into Heaven to see your dad again. Because if you went to Hell to see him and to save him, we knew that you would've torn ass to get into Heaven to see him. And with everything that was happening, you couldn't do that. Not now." Ness looked up, knowing he was right. Dean took out a letter, sitting down next to her. "This is from your dad. And this is what I wanted to give you before we got the call from Charlie the other day. I think it's his goodbye, but I didn't read it. It's not for me. It's for you."

Ness took a deep, shaky breath, tearing in her eyes. "I don't wanna read it. Not yet." Dean was not surprised. "My dad's been dead for years, Dean, but a lot of stuff about my dad has been dug up lately, and it reopened wounds that have healed. I just... I don't want to say goodbye again. Not until I'm ready. I will read it. I promise. But just not today." Dean nodded understandingly. Ness took a deep breath, looking at him. "Thank you, Dean. For telling me. You could've kept this to yourself, but you didn't."

"You needed to know," Dean told her. "My only regret is that I didn't get the chance to tell you sooner."

Ness nodded, looking down, letting a tear fall. "This is getting out of control, Dean."

Dean took one of her hands. "We'll figure it out. We always do." Ness looked at him. "All right?"

Ness nodded. "Okay."

Dean kissed Ness lightly on the head, pulling them both back into bed for the night.