Standing Outside the Fire

69

[Road Trip]

Dean and Francesca, holding the twins, stood near Kevin's pyre as his body burned.

They made their way back to the bunker in silence.

Dean stood in the library, looking at the floor where Kevin had died. His gaze turned to the table. Kevin's books and notes laid open. There was a plate with a half-eaten sandwich and an empty glass of milk. Dean picked up Kevin's phone and he lit up the screen to see a picture of Kevin and his mom. His face dropped and he fought back tears as he touched the phone to his forehead.

Something inside him exploded. He threw the phone against the wall with all his strength and swept the table, sending everything flying to the floor. He shoved the lamp off the table and slung a heavy chair across the room. He leaned on the table, feeling white anger, then despair.

Francesca was in the room she shared with Dean and stared blankly at the wall. The twins had since been put down. She hadn't spoken a word to Dean since she found out what he'd done to Sam, as she was incredibly angry by her husband's behavior.

BACKSTAGE OF A HUGE ROCK CONCERT

The rock star, a boy in his early 20's, with long blond hair and wearing glasses, was dressed all in leather, and his manager rounded the corner.

The crowd in the background chanted, "Corey! Corey! Corey! Corey! Corey! Corey!"

"You're on in ten," the manager said. "The label wants to open with Baby, Be My Baby. Then you can roll right on into Babycakes, and then the clean version of Babymaker. Oh, and, Corey? Let's try to take it easy with the groupies tonight, huh?"

"Yeah, whatever," Corey replied.

They reached his dressing room door and when they opened it, they saw Gadreel, in Sam's body, sitting inside.

The manager reacted quickly. "The hell – security!"

"It's fine, Margey. You can go," Corey told manager Margey.

"What? Corey –"

Corey lowered his sunglasses. "Bitch, did I stutter?!" He entered and shut the door behind him. Gadreel rose. "Hello, Gadreel."

"Thaddeus. That's a new look, I must say," Gadreel said.

"Well, what can I say, you know? We all got booted out of the penthouse, and I just kind of figured... Why be an angel when you can be a God?" He motioned to the monitor on the wall showing the raging crowd. "How are you, old friend?"

"I am not your friend."

"Well, I think you're being a little bit mean there, considering all the quality time we spent together."

"I was imprisoned, and you tortured me."

"Heaven has rules. Do the crime, do the time. That's it."

"I made a mistake."

"I was a guard. I was doing my job."

"What you did to Abner, was that was your job?"

"Your boyfriend? Now, that, mnh – that was just fun. Is that what you're here for – the big payback? Fine. If you want to get a little bloody, uh, I have no problem kicking your ass – again. You know, w-we'll say for old time's sa–" Thaddeus paused as he bent down to open his guitar case, but found it empty.

Gadreel held an angel blade. "Looking for this?"

"Gadreel... I'm sorry."

Gadreel stabbed him in the chest and he exploded in angel light.