Standing Outside the Fire

63

[I'm No Angel]

EXT. ST. ANNE'S CATHEDRAL; GARDEN - NIGHT

Two priests, one young and one old, were walking through the garden together.

"Monsignor Cassidy will join us for dinner on Saturday," the old priest said. "And mass, of course. He can be a pain, so let's have everybody on their toes."

They stopped as they rounded a corner and were confronted by two angels in gray suits.

"Gentlemen," the female angel greeted. "We're looking for a man we believe you may know. His name is Castiel."

INT. ST. ANNE'S SHELTER FOR MEN; LOCKER ROOM - DAY

Various men were wandering about, chatting, getting changed, etc. Castiel stood from the basin and looked at himself in the mirror. He was wearing regular clothes as opposed to his trench coat. He picked up a tube and squirted a glob of toothpaste directly into his mouth as a man approached.

"Hey, Clarence," a man greeted. "How much longer are you gonna be with us?"

Castiel chewed on toothpaste. "I'll be moving on tonight after work. It's time." The man nodded and hung up his towel. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

Castiel walked into one of the bathroom stalls. "Do you ever tire of urinating? I'll never get used to it."

EXT. ST. ANNE'S CATHEDRAL; GARDEN - DAY

Various men from the shelter were helping with the gardening - mowing the lawn, raking leaves, etc. Castiel was picking up trash but stopped when he noticed something on a rock. He touched it - blood.

Finding more blood on a nearby gate, Castiel followed the trail through to the back part of the garden where the blood trail ended at a large smear on a statue. Castiel looked up to find the two priests from before, skewered through the chest on fence spikes with their eyes burned out.

INT. BUNKER - DAY

Dean was pouring himself and Francesca coffee. They looked like they'd just woken up and were both wearing a bathrobe. The twins had just been fed and were sleeping once again. He strolled from the kitchen to the main room, then to the library. Francesca remained in the kitchen, trying to decide what she wanted for breakfast.

"Sam!" Dean called. "You here?"

Right on cue, Sam entered through the front door carrying a takeout container.

"Hey!" Sam greeted. "Morning."

Dean checked his watch. "You've been outside already?"

"Yeah. Woke up, went for a run - beautiful sunrise. Anyways, cleaned up, went and got breakfast, grabbed you real bacon and eggs, extra grease, not even gonna argue, got Frankie real bacon and waffle mix." He put the containers on the table and the brothers sat.

"Mm, perfect. Wait. You went running?"

"What? Why do you look so worried?"

"Let's see. There's Cas, who I told to haul ass here. That was days ago. He's still out there. Um, there's you."

"Me? I feel great."

"I'm sure you do, but, Sam, you went through the trials. Okay, that put a big strain on you. I think it's better if you took it easy, you know, and didn't act like you were-"

Ezekiel took over and said, "Possessed by an angel. And he does feel better. A work in progress, of course, but I am slowly healing him."

"That's great. Um, but, Sam-"