Standing Outside the Fire

21

[Meet the New Boss]

INT. CROWLEY'S LAB - NIGHT

"Well, all right then," Bobby said. "Is this good, or you want the whole "forehead to the carpet" thing?" He looked to Dean. "Guys?"

Dean and Sam started to kneel.

"Stop," Castiel told them. "What's the point if you don't mean it? You fear me. Not love, not respect, just fear."

"Cas..." Sam began.

"Sam, you have nothing to say to me; you stabbed me in the back." He spoke to Bobby, Dean and Francesca. "Get up."

"Cas, come on, this isn't you," Dean said.

"The Castiel you knew is gone."

"So what, then? Kill us?"

"What a brave little ant you are. You know you're powerless, you wouldn't dare move against me again. So I have no need to kill you. Not now. Besides... once you were my favorite pets before you turned and bit me."

"Who are you?"

"I'm God. And if you stay in your place, you may live in my kingdom. If you rise up, I will strike you down. Not doing so well, are you Sam?"

"I'm fine..." Sam cleared his throat, "...I'm... fine."

"You said you would fix him - you promised!" Dean yelled.

"If you stood down, which you two hardly did. Be thankful for my mercy. I could have cast you back into the pit."

"Cas, come on, this is nuts! You can turn this around, please!"

"I hope for your sake, this is the last you see me."

Castiel disappeared. Bobby, Dean, Sam and Francesca looked around and at each other for a few seconds, until Sam's nose began bleeding.

"Sam, you okay?" Dean asked.

Sam saw a vision of himself burning in Hell, then fell to the ground and cut his hand on some broken glass. He kept seeing glimpses of his body on fire.

EXT. WOODED MEADOW IN HEAVEN - DAY

"Understand," Castiel said. "If you followed Raphael, if you stood against me, punishment is certain; there is nowhere to hide. The rest of you, our Father left a long time ago, and that was hard. I thought the answer was free will. But I understand now. You need a firm hand. You need a father. And I am your father now. Be obedient, children. Or this will be your fate."

Castiel was standing, surrounded by dozens of dead angels, evident by all the scorched black wing marks.

"It is a new day. On earth and in Heaven. Rejoice."

EXT. BOBBY'S YARD

Dean was crouched inside the Impala, seemingly upside-down, with his boots pressed against the roof.

Dean grunted. "Come on." He grunted as metal sounded while he tried to push the dented roof out with his feet. "Come on, baby!"

He was on his backs.

"So, you fixin' her or primal screamin'?" Bobby asked.

Dean extricated himself from the Impala and accepted a beer from Bobby.

"Ah, thanks," Dean said. "How's Sam?"

"He's still under. But alive. Frankie's watching over him."

"Yeah? Good. What about God part deux?"

"Frankie and I got all kinds of feelers out, so far diddly."

"And what exactly are you two looking for?"