DEAN'S MIND

Sam, Elena and Castiel are walking in a black, empty space.

"Cass...where are we?" Elena Asks

"In Dean's mind." Castiel Says

"Then where's he?" Sam Asks

"Excellent question." Castiel Says

Castiel raises his hand and a light emanates from his palm. There is indistinct shouting. As Castiel looks around, we hear Dean's voice mixed with others.

"We had a deal!"

"Wait. Hold on, okay?, We're coming."

"You can't escape me, Dean. You're gonna die.
And this-this is what you're gonna become!"

"Somebody help me! No!"

"There's so much." Castiel Says

"Your own father didn't care whether you lived or died. It's about who's the bigger badass."

"So much trauma in Dean's mind. So many scars." Castiel Says

"Well, yeah. Dean's been through a lot, but he's strong." Sam Says

"Sam...all of you have both been through a lot, and Dean is more than strong. What I meant was, if I knew..if I knew what I was looking for, I could just-I could simply go to it. But because Michael has Dean trapped away, drowning, I have to wade through all of Dean's most terrible memories." Castiel Says

"Cass, wait a second. Would Michael bury Dean in trauma?" Elena Says

Castiel dropping his hand and turning towards her, "What do you mean?"

"I mean, Michael said it himself. The reason he left Dean in the first place was because Dean was fighting back so hard." Elena Says

"So, if Michael wanted to keep Dean placated..." Castiel Says

"Dean thrives on trauma. I mean, he's had to his whole life, right?" Elena Says

"Yeah. It keeps him alert, keeps him ready." Sam Says

"Mhm, and if I wanted to distract Dean, I-I..I'd give him something he's never had before." Elena Says

"Contentment." Castiel Says

"Exactly." Elena Says

"So maybe, instead of looking through his bad memories, maybe let's, uh..maybe let's look through his good memories." Sam Says

Castiel raises his hand again, light glows from his palm and we hear Dean's voice around them.

"I think I'm adorable."

"You seem pretty cheery."

"Strippers, Sammy, strippers. We're on an actual case involving strippers."

"Finally. I'll stay here, hook up with the posse. 'Cause you know me -- I'm a posse magnet."

"Hey, see if they got any pie."

"You and me huh."

"No backing out now."

"Wasn't planning on it."

"This bar, this bar, this bar I've never had anything this nice. Rocky's still isn't for sale."

"Wait a second." Elena Says

"Still working that ghoul thing in Wichita with Cass. They should be back tonight."

"So that sale that you want so bad, well, it's just not gonna happen."

"Yes. Definitely..." Elena Says

"Cass...This has never happened, there. Let's go there." Sam Says

Castiel's eyes glow blue and he, Elena and Sam appear in Rocky's Bar. Dean turns from behind the bar and faces them.

"Hey! There they are, kill a ghoul, get a beer." Dean Says

"Dean?" Sam Says

________________________________

ROCKY'S BAR

Dean starts pouring them drinks, "Got this great IPA from Austin Cosmic Cowboy. You're gonna love it."

"Hey, Dean, what's going on here?" Sam Asks

"What are you talking about?" Dean Says

Pamela walks out from a room in the back of the bar, "Cass, Elena Sam."

"Pamela?" Elena Says

"I'm glad you're back safe. I was starting to worry. Don't tell Dean. He'll use it against me." Pamela Says

"Uh, Pamela Barnes was blinded when she saw my true form." Castiel Says

"Yeah. She was also killed by a demon, so..." Sam Says

Dean places drinks on the bar, "Hey, what are you guys waiting for? Drink up."

"None of-None of this is real, okay? T-This-This bar, uh, uh, Pamela..." Sam Says

"Excuse me? You've never met anyone more real than me, Sam Winchester." Pamela Says

"You're just a complex manifestation of Dean's memories designed to distract him." Castiel Says

"You really know how to talk to a lady, don't ya?" Pamela Says

"Okay, Dean listen to me. You have to remember what's going on out in the real world." Elena Says

"I know it's raining. What else do I need to know?" Dean Says

"No, I'm not talking about the rain-I'm talking about Michael!" Elena Says, as Dean and Pamela disappear.

"Where'd they go?" Castiel Asks

Pamela and Dean are back at the desk, toasting and drinking a shot and laughing.

"Is that...? I think I can hear them." Sam Says

Dean walks into the refrigerated room in the back of the bar. Switch to him and Pamela behind the bar, Castiel, Elena and Sam are facing them

"So, you guys gonna tell us about the hunt or what?" Dean Asks

"Okay, so now I know what it feels like to trip on acid." Elena Says

"Okay, W-What? You were just...what the hell is going on here?" Sam Says

"Okay. All right. Now you're starting to worry me. What is going on?" Dean Says

Castiel, Elena and Sam watch as the scene replays of Pamela and Dean shooting and decapitating the vampires. The three of them gets splattered with vampire blood, as Pamela and Dean are back behind the bar again.

"You guys got real messy on that ghoul hunt, huh?" Pamela Says

"No, we didn't get messy on a hunt. We got messy just now, in this bar, in a vampire fight." Castiel Says

Pamela looks at Dean skeptically, "Maybe we should rethink the beers."

"Yeah." Dean Says

"Okay, Dean, listen to me. I think you're-you're stuck in a loop in-in your mind. Michael is possessing you. You-You have to remember that." Sam Says

"Michael?" Dean Says

"Yes." Sam Says

"No, Michael's in the Cage. Come on, guys. What is this some kind of a joke?" Dean Says

"No, Dean, it's not a joke." Elena Says

"Okay. Okay. If we're all in Dean's head, then he should be able to control things, like a lucid dream?" Pamela Says

"Yeah. I-I don't know." Sam Says

"Maybe." Elena Says

"Get me a shot. With your brain." Pamela Says, as she and Dean laughs.

"Okay. Dean, listen to me. This bar is not real. Pamela isn't real. Man, we were all there together when she was blinded." Sam Says

Dean looks Pamela, and he has a quick flashback to Pamela's eyes being burned out. He looks at Pamela, whose eyes are now pure white.

"You're blind?" Dean Says

"Yeah, I've been blind for a while. Thank Feathers here for that one." Pamela Says

"That was-Dean, that was an accident." Castiel Says

"Dean, she's not just blind. She's dead. Pamela died helping us." Sam Says

Dean starts to remember as he has a flashback to Pamela dying after being stabbed. Back in the bar, Dean looks around and Pamela is gone.

"No. No, no, no, no. Guys, this is-this is my life.
This-This is the dream." Dean Says

"No, no, it's not. It's just a dream, Dean. That's all it is." Castiel Says

"Please, you have to you have to try to remember, because the people in your life in your real life, out there we need you to come back." Castiel Says

"Poughkeepsie." Elena Says, as Dean looks to her.

"What'd you say?" Dean Says

"Poughkeepsie." Elena Says

Dean has a flashback to various monsters that Michael killed over the last couple of months, he looks at them as his memory comes back.

"I remember. I remember everything." Dean Says

Michael appears in the bar, clapping his hands.
"Hey, guys. Well, this is fun."

"Get out of my head." Dean Says

"You don't mean that, Dean, not really. You may lie to them, but, deep down, I know you. I am you.
You only tolerate the angel because you think you owe him, because he "gripped you tight and raised you from Perdition." Or whatever. But since then, what has he done? Only made mistakes, one after the other." He looked to Sam, "And, Sam oh, Sam... You know, Dean was his happiest when you quit hunting, leaving him with your dad, just the two of them. See, deep down, he knows that you will always abandon him, again and again." Michael Says

"Shut up!" Dean Says

"Oh can't forget Elena, your sweet sweet Elena who's just another burden. I mean how could you be with someone who's caused you so much pain and heart break, let's be honest at the end of the day he doesn't really love you..nor that abomination child of yours, who's just another burden you have to take care of..what's she called again oh Wren." Michael Says

"Don't you talk about my daughter you son of bitch!" Dean Says

"You don't need them. You don't even like them.
They're not your family-they're your responsibilities. They're a weight around your neck. And deep down, you wanted-you were desperate to get away from them, and that is why you said yes." Michael Says

"I said shut your damn mouth!" Dean Says, as he approaches Michael.

"Wait. Something's wrong. You're stalling." Castiel Says

"Am I?" Michael Says

THE BUNKER

Back in the bunker, Jack is watching over Sam, Elena, Michael and Castiel. A door creeks open. Maggie and the hunters come down the stairs.

"Monsters! We're barely ahead of them. Where's Sam? We need-" She looks over at them, "What's going on?" Maggie Says

"They're trying to help Dean." Jack Says

"Tiger lock down the front door. The rest of you guys get ready if they make it through." She turns to Jack, "You ready?" Jack nods his head, "Okay." Maggie Says

ROCKY'S BAR

"He's buying time so his monsters can get to us and rescue him." Sam Says

"You think I need them to save me?." Michael Says

"Yes, because if you didn't you would've done something by now." Elena Says

"Please." Michael Scoffs

"Fine. You're so tough, why don't you snap your fingers and nuke us all?" Dean Says

"Is that what you want?" Michael Says

"Yeah, I do." Dean Says

"He can't. Because, in here, we're all just mental projections, so in here, we're all the same." Castiel Says

"So, in here, you're all talk." Sam Says

"You think I need my powers? I destroy worlds, and I'd crush you with my bare hands." Michael Says

"Prove it." Dean Says

Dean, Sam, Elena and Castiel all go after Michael. He beats them easily. In the bunker there is pounding on the door.

"Is that...?" Jack Says

"It's them." Maggie Says

"Okay, they can't. They won't be able to get through the door." Jack Says

"They won't have to." Tiger Says

"Tiger?" Maggie Says

Tiger's eyes glowing blue, "Tiger shouldn't have gone in the woods alone."

Maggie pulls a gun on Tiger but he knocks it away and throws her to the ground.

"You should've locked the door." Tiger Says

The monsters enter the bunker and come after the hunters. They fight, the monsters over powering the hunters. Jack stand by, watching the hunters go down.

"No!" Jack Says

Jack thrusts his hand out in front of him, his eyes glow as he vaporizes the monsters. Back in the bar, Michael, Dean, Sam, Elena and Castiel are still fighting.

"You all didn't think this out, did you? Even if you could force me out, what do you think I'd leave behind, hm? You'd be nothing but blood and bone." Michael Says

"Then we don't kick him out, we keep him in." Jack Says

Dean grabs Michael and he and Sam toss Michael into the refrigerated room. Michael starts screaming and banging on the door.

"It'll hold. My mind, my rules, I got him. I'm the Cage." Dean Says

________________________________

THE BUNKER

Sam and Maggie are in the map room in the bunker

"We'll get the rest of this cleaned up." Maggie Says

"Yeah. What about the rest of Michael's monsters?" Sam Says

"We're getting in reports, After you guys woke up, they all just went their separate ways. I guess Michael can't control them now." Maggie Says

"Huh." Sam Says

"Okay, we'll I'm gonna-" Maggie Says

"Maggie wait, ...thank you. For everything." Sam Says

"It wasn't me. Jack, he..I didn't know he could still do that angel stuff." Maggie Says

"Yeah. Yeah I didn't, either." Sam Says

Meanwhile Castiel and Jack are sitting at a table in the kitchen.

"That magic burns off your soul." Castiel Says

"It was an accident." Jack Says

"Yeah, but you can't afford that kind of accident.
You need your soul to stay alive, to-" Castiel Says

"They would've killed you." Jack Says

"I know. Look, I'm not mad at you. I...I've just seen firsthand what the absence of a soul does. And it's not just about you staying alive, Jack. It's about you staying you. You understand?" Castiel Says

"It won't happen again." Jack Says

"Okay." Castiel Says

Dean is sitting on his bed in silence, there's a knock at the door as Elena enters the room.

"Hey." Elena Says

"Hey." Dean Says

"I just got off the phone with your mom, she says she's glad we're all safe." Elena Says

"Yeah." Dean Says

"She said she's going to drop Wren off so we can spend a proper Christmas with our daughter, I know she won't remember it but..she should still be with her." Elena Says

Dean nods then looks back at the ground, Elena sits down next to him and lifts his chin up.

"Dean, you okay?" Elena Asks

"Mhm, yeah I'm fine it's just..my head. It was a lot going on in there, I'm sorry you guys had to go through that." Dean Says

"Don't be, I mean we were expecting the worst going in there..considering on how much you've been through." Elena Says

"Listen, Lena what Michael said-" Dean Says

"I don't believe him, okay. I know what he said wasn't true..he was just saying things because he was stalling, for a moment there..he was weak." Elena Says

"Yeah I guess." Dean Says

"But I'm still worried, I know we got you back but he's still in there." Elena Says, tapping his head.

"Nah Nah like I said, I'm in control now..I've got him, no need to worry." Dean Says

"Okay." She sighs, "Some Christmas this was." Elena Says, as Dean chuckles.

"The worst Christmas ever." Dean Says

"Hopefully next year will be better, okay I'm going to go shower and get this vamp blood off me." Elena Says

"Okay." Dean Says

"Okay, love you." Elena Says, giving him a quick kiss.

"Love you too." Dean Says

Elena smiles then gets up and leaves the room, he gets up and stands in front of a mirror, Michael is screaming and banging on the door inside his head.

"It's just you. It's just...you." Dean Says

"Let me out! Come on!"

"It's all you." Dean Says

Michael continues to throw a 'tantrum' in the refrigerated room, banging beer kegs against the door; it's thundering outside.

"Dean. So...not all good news. I did say I'd see you again soon." Billie Says

"You could've knocked." Dean Says

"Figured all that banging on the door in your head was enough." Billie Says

"Michael's all locked up." Dean Says

"Seems that way." Billie Says

"Sam said that one of your reapers really came through with the assist. I'm thinking that was probably you." Dean Says

"Don't tell anyone." Billie Says

"You broke the rules." Dean Says

"I took a calculated risk. I warned you about the dangers of jumping from world to world. But you ignored me, didn't you?" Billie Says

"Rescuing Mom, Elena and Jack, helping out those other folks-I'd say it was worth it." Dean Says

"And just look at you now. Do you remember visiting my reading room? The shelves and shelves of notebooks describing the ways you might die?" Billie Says

"Yeah. Upbeat classics." Dean Says

"Well, it's the funniest thing, but they've all been rewritten. They all end the same way now with the archangel Michael escaping your mind and using you as his vessel to burn down this world." Billie Says

"All of them?" Dean Says

"All of them. Except one." Billie hands Dean a book. He opens it and then looks at her, stunned.

"What am I supposed to do with this?" Dean Asks

"That's up to you." Billie Says

Dean looks at the book again and when he looks up, Billie is gone. He looks back at the book and then looks around, a mixture of fear and confusion on his face.