Libby groaned and threw her head back as the couple on TV practically ate each other's faces off. Dean shot her a dirty glare before training his eyes back on the TV.

"You're a celestial being that's been locked away for millenniums. How are you not entertained by this?" Dean questioned, never looking back at Libby. She rolled her green eyes at him, frowning slightly and cocking her head to the side as she watched the TV.

"I don't get it."

"Get what?"

"How people enjoy kissing. It looks uncomfortable and..." She squinted, studying the TV further. "Gross," she finished. Dean's expression turned flat and he shot her a glare. She held her arms up in surrender and looked back down at her book. Sam stepped out of the bathroom at that moment, noticing the TV before Libby and Dean. He furrowed his eyebrows in confusion.

"What are you watching?" he questioned.

"Hospital show. Dr. Sexy, MD. I think it's based on a book," Dean replied. Sam scoffed, chuckling before walking past the TV towards his jacket. He tossed Libby her blazer.

"When did you hit menopause?" Dean rolled his eyes and got up.

"It's called channel surfing," he defended, turning off the TV. Libby got up from the bed and shrugged on her blazer, pulling her red hair out of the jacket and letting it fall over in waves. "You ready?"

"Are you?" Sam retorted, referring to the show that Dean had been watching. Libby let out a chuckle and shook her head, following the brothers out of the motel as Dean tossed his keys around in his hand. "So, Libby, what happened back at that gas station?" She waited for Sam to specify. They had been to a lot of gas stations. "When you forgot everything."

"Guess I just zoned out. I've been a bit out of it lately, you know with Lucifer abducting me and everything." The Hunters nodded and decided not to press her further.

"One more time, the FBI is here why, exactly?" an officer questioned.

"Might have something to do with one of your locals getting his head ripped off," Dean replied, quite sassily if I may add. A small argument had broken out between Libby and Dean in the Impala, resulting in both of them being in bad moods for the rest of that day.

"Bill Randolph died from a bear attack," the officer said. Libby rolled her eyes. She didn't understand how humans could be so stupid and clueless to the supernatural world.

"How sure are you that it was a bear?" she snapped. The officer shot her a glare, obviously not happy with her attitude. But Libby didn't care. She just wanted to work this case, solve it, and continue to track down Lucifer to kill or lock his ass up.

"What else would it be?"

"Well, whatever it was it chased Mr. Randolph through the woods, smashed through his front door followed him up the stairs, and killed him in his bedroom. Is that common, a bear doing all that?" Dean asked, tilting his head to the side slightly and narrowing his eyes at the officer. All three Hunters were starting to get fed up with the questions. They were FBI as far as the police knew. They shouldn't be interrogating them.

"Depends how pissed off it is, I guess. Look, the Randolphs live way up in high country. You got trout runs to make a grown man weep. And bears." Sam nodded.

"Right. Now, what about Mrs. Randolph? The file says she saw the whole thing." The officer nodded in confirmation.

"Yes, she did. My heart goes out to that poor woman." Dean nodded slowly, raising his eyebrows and exchanging glances with the angel standing next to him.

"She said bear." The officer hesitated before speaking which meant that he was hiding something. Warning bells went off in Libby's mind and she crossed her arms over her chest, pursing her lips.

"Kathy Randolph went through a hell of a trauma. She's confused."

"What did she say?"

In the interrogation room, Sam, Dean, and Libby all sat on one side of the table with Mrs. Randolph on the other. Her hands rested in her lap, her fingers fidgeting. "No, it must have been a bear. I mean, what else could it have been?" She glanced back down at her hands. Sam leaned forward slightly.

"Mrs. Randolph, what do you think it was?" he questioned. She shook her head.

"No, I, I remember clearly now. It was definitely a bear." Libby nodded, sending her a small, warm smile.

"We're sure it was. But see, it helps us to hear every angle. So just tell us what you thought you saw," she told Mrs. Randolph. Mrs. Randolph shook her head then nodded. Her breath was shaky and she continued to fidget.

"It's impossible, but...I could have sworn I saw...the Incredible Hulk." Dean glanced over at Libby discreetly and Sam maintained eye contact, but in his mind he wasn't sure how to process what she had just said.

"The Incredible Hulk," Sam repeated. Mrs. Randolph nodded.

"I told you it was crazy," she replied. Without hesitation, Dean jumped in.

"Bana or Norton?" Libby furrowed her eyebrows and looked to Dean in confusion. She wasn't sure who those people were, nor did she know who The Incredible Hulk even was. She made a mental note to asked Sam and Dean about it once they left.

"Oh, no, those movies were terrible. The TV Hulk."

"Lou Ferrigno," Dean clarified.

"Yes."

"Spiky-hair Lou Ferrigno."

"Yes." Sam, Dean, and Libby all looked each other, unsure of how to take it. Mrs. Randolph sighed and clutched her head, shaking it.

"You think I'm crazy." Dean's gaze snapped back to the woman and he shook his head, a soft expression on his face.

"No. Uh, no, it's just...is there, uh, would there be any reason that Lou Ferrigno, the Incredible Hulk, would have a grudge against your husband?" Mrs. Randolph seemed taken back by the question, staring at Dean as if he were crazy.

"No."

"No," Libby repeated, sighing and looking at the hazel-eyed Hunter. "No, he did not have a grudge." She leaned back in her seat, rolling her bottom lip between her teeth in thought. They had nothing to go on now.

Libby had decided to stay at the motel with Dean instead of checking out the house. She was still a bit on edge since her father took her and she'd rather not see some random house with Sam when there were more important issues at hand. Ever since Sam had argued for her to stay, neither of them acted the same around each other. Their personalities weren't the same anymore.

"Are you going to read the same page over and over again?" Dean questioned. Libby's eyes drifted up from the book and her eyebrows furrowed before she looked back down. He sighed and rolled his eyes, scooting the laptop away. "What is up with you lately? You've been acting weird."

"I'm scared, Dean," she whispered. "He can get to me so easily and all a demon has to do is spot us and then I'm—" Dean shook his head, feeling slightly sympathetic for the girl. He couldn't even imagine what her childhood was like.

"Libby, he's not going to get you. I promise. We just have to focus, okay? We work this case, we can continue looking for Lucifer. Now come on. Read up." The eldest Winchester patted her book before looking back at his computer screen. Just at that moment the door to the motel opened to reveal Sam.

"Hey," Sam greeted.

"Find anything?" Dean asked, glancing up from the computer screen. Libby continued to read through the page again, licking her blood red lips in concentration.

"Well, uh, I saw the house."

"And?" Dean pressed.

"And there is a giant eight-foot-wide hole where the front door used to be. Almost like, uh—"

"A Hulk-sized hole," Dean finished. Sam sighed, nodding.

"Maybe. What do you got?" Dean glanced back down at the computer as he explained his findings, Sam reading over Libby's shoulder.

"Well, it turns out that Bill Randolph had quite the temper. He's got two counts of spousal battery, bar brawls, and court-ordered anger management sessions. You might say you wouldn't like him when he's angry." Sam chuckled slightly.

"So a hothead getting killed by TV's greatest hothead. Kinda sounds like just desserts, doesn't it?" Dean snorted, nodding in agreement. "It's all starting to make sense." Libby looked up finally, furrowing her eyebrows.

"How is it starting to make sense?"

"Well, I found something else at the crime scene." Sam dug around in his jacket pocket, pulling out a handful of candy wrappers and dropping them on the table. Libby eyed them and leaned back in her seat. "Candy wrappers. "Lots of them."

"Just desserts, sweet tooth, screwing with people before you kill 'em—we're dealing with the Trickster, aren't we?" Dean asked. Sam nodded and sighed.

"Sure looks like it."

"Good. I've wanted to gank that mother since Mystery Spot." Sam crossed the room and Dean got up from his chair, as did Libby.

"What's Mystery Spot?" she questioned, cocking her head to the side slightly. Sam's gaze shifted over to the innocent redhead.

"The Trickster killed Dean to mess with me. Many times. He got away," he quickly explained. Libby nodded slowly, still unsure of it. She hadn't really heard of a Trickster before and she knew most of her monsters. Sam focused back on his older brother. "You sure?"

"Yeah I'm sure."

"No, I mean are you sure you wanna kill him?"

"Son of a bitch didn't think twice about icing me a thousand times." Sam scoffed, nodding. He wanted to gank the Trickster, too, but he had something else in mind. Maybe Libby wasn't enough to help stop the Apocalypse. Maybe they needed something more.

"No, I know, I mean, I'm just saying—"

"What are you saying? If you don't want to kill him, then what?" Libby turned on her heel and stormed out of the motel room abruptly, Sam and Dean watching her go in confusion. They couldn't recall anything they had said to offend her. She hadn't met the Trickster as far as they knew.

Libby stopped and leaned against the Impala, trying to catch her breath. "Don't you dare," she whispered to no one, shaking her head. "Don't you dare be him. I don't think—" There was a soft humming, a melody she knew all too well. Slowly looking up and taking her hands off of the Impala's hood, she glanced around. No one was in sight, but there was a familiar presence. Chills raced down her spine and her gaze landed on a candy wrapper. She walked over to it and picked it up, studying it. She turned it over to see something written in sharpie.

Siding with the humans?

Another candy wrapped dropped behind her and she spun around, eyes wide, before picking it up.

Good. But it may not end well for you.

Her breathing sped up as she searched the parking lot. She knew that handwriting. She had grown up with it. It was the handwriting she had learned everything she knew from. Another candy wrapper dropped at her feet from nowhere.

Go with them.

She furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. Go with them? Go with who where? Suddenly Sam and Dean rushed out, nodding for Libby to follow them to the Impala. She stuffed the candy wrappers in her pocket and followed. If this was who she thought it was then she was going to be seriously pissed.

Libby, Sam, and Dean all climbed out of the Impala, glancing around in confusion. Not one other person or vehicle was on sight at the location of the warehouse. Libby rolled her bottom lip between her teeth and glanced down at her jeans pocket where the candy wrappers she found rested. A humming caused her head to snap up and look around, but Sam and Dean didn't seem to hear it. Her breath shook and she met Sam's worried gaze.

"There was a murder here, and there's no police cars. There's nobody. How's that look to you?" Dean asked as he opened the trunk, loading up on weapons. He handed Libby a blood-tipped stake and a flashlight.

"Crappy," Sam replied. Dean pulled two other stakes and flashlights from the trunk and handed one of each to his younger brother, slamming the trunk shut. Libby gave the empty lot one last glance before following the two Hunters into the building.

Sam, Dean, and Libby suddenly stopped, glancing around before looking down at their clothes. Sam and Dean were wearing lab coats fit for a doctor and Libby was dressed in blue scrubs and sneakers. She scowled down at it, pulling at the fabric before letting her hand fall to her side.

"What the hell?" Dean questioned. A blonde nurse and an asian nurse, Dr. Wang as her nametag read, passed by, smirking at the brothers.

"Doctor," the blonde one greeted.

"Doctor," Dr. Wang chimed.

"Doctor?" Sam asked. Libby furrowed her eyebrows and turned, pushing open the door they had just entered through. Instead of seeing the gravel lot where the Impala was parked they were greeted by the sight of a man and a woman making out. A glare caught her eye and she shifted her gaze to the corner of the closet where a candy wrapped rested, sharpie scrawled over it. Libby turned back around and slipped her hand through the cracked door, an invisible force pulling the wrapper into her hand right before she closed the door. She stuffed it in her pocket.

Dean and Sam exchanged glances, Dean looking a little freaked. The trio started to walk away from the closet when a familiar brunette doctor caught sight of them, storming over. Dean's eyes widened in recognition but he never opened his mouth to say anything.

"Doctor," she said before reaching out a slapping Sam. Libby's eyebrows rose in shock and her mouth parted slightly. She studied the doctor before letting out a quiet chuckle. She was staring at Dr. Piccolo from Dr. Sexy, M.D. The Trickster really gave them a run for their money.

"Ow!" Sam yelped, clutching his cheek and sneaking a glance at Libby.

"Seriously."

"What?"

"Seriously? You're brilliant, you know that? And a coward. You're a brilliant coward," Dr. Piccolo told him. Sam furrowed his eyebrows in confusion.

"Um. What are you talking about?" he questioned. She slapped him again and Libby's hand flew to her mouth to hide her laugh, this slap harder than the last.

"As if you don't know!" Dr. Piccolo stormed away, Dean gawking at her in awe.

"I don't believe this," Dean said, turning to look at Libby. She watched him with a smile, glad to see him happy for the first time since she had met him. It was rare to see Dean Winchester have a real, genuine smile on his face.

"What?"

"That's Dr. Piccolo," Libby chimed in.

"Who?"

"Dr. Ellen Piccolo." Dean started to walk, still smiling. "The sexy yet earnest doctor at—" Dean stopped and eyed the sign behind the receptionist's desk, gesturing at it angrily. "Seattle Mercy Hospital." He grinned before looking around, almost confused again. Libby caught a figure staring at her down the hall. When she locked eye contact with the man he disappeared around the corner, out of her line of sight causing her to frown slightly.

"Dean." Sam grabbed his brother's shoulder. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"The doctor getups. The, the sexy interns. The 'seriously's. It all makes sense." Sam looked to Libby for an explanation but she just shrugged, wrapping her arms around herself. Someone was watching her and she wasn't completely sure who.

"What makes sense? What's going on?" Sam pressed. Dean grinned and looked back to his brother.

"We're in Dr. Sexy, MD."

"Dude, what the hell." The trio wandered the corridors of Seattle Mercy Hospital, searching for any clues or theories at all that could help them figure out where they actually were. Libby kept her mouth shut, knowing that she had to play along.

"I don't know," Sam replied to Dean. Dean held his hands out in front of him, waving them frantically.

"No, seriously, what the hell."

"I don't know."

"One theory. Any theory," Dean requested. Sam shrugged, racking his brain for anything that could make sense. He looked to Libby for help but she seemed to be lost in her own little world, a bit on edge, too.

"Uh, the Trickster trapped us in TV Land," Sam concluded. Dean looked to him in disbelief.

"That's your theory. That's stupid." Libby rolled her eyes, finally tuning back into the conversation.

"You're the one who said we're on Dr. Sexy, MD," she chimed in.

"Yeah, but TV land isn't TV Land. I mean, there's actors and, and lights and crew members, you know. This looks real," Dean told her, observing their surroundings. He was right. There were no sets or cameras. Libby pressed her hand against a wall and pushed with half her strength, but nothing happened. She heard a rustling in her pocket and looked down at the forgotten candy wrapper.

Play safe, Libby

She smiled to herself but quickly dropped the smile when Sam and Dean stared at her curiously.

"It can't be. Dean, how can this possibly be real?" Libby asked, deciding to play along as requested. Dean shrugged, shaking his head. He eyed Libby in the scrubs, studying her. She seemed different....happier.

"I don't know." Dr. Wang walked passed, grabbing his attention.

"Doctors." Dean nudged his brother's side and nodded his head towards her excitedly.

"There goes Dr. Wang. The sexy but arrogant heart surgeon." Dean watched her walk down the corridor, the doctor passing a man sitting on a gurney. Dean pointed to him discreetly. "And there's Johnny Drake. Oh, he's not even alive, he's a ghost in the mind of—" Another brunette doctor entered, leaning on the gurney next to Johnny. "Of her. The sexy yet neurotic doctor over there." Sam raised an eyebrow.

"So...this show has ghosts?" He scoffed. "Why?" Dean shrugged.

"I don't know. It is compelling."

"I thought you said you weren't a fan," Libby teased with a knowing smirk. Sam bit his lip to hide his smile, watching Dean in amusement.

"I'm not." The redhead raised her eyebrows. "I'm not." Something else grabbed Dean's attention because the fanboy stared straight ahead in awe. Libby followed his gaze and gasped, grinning. Dean chalked it up to the fact that she thought the man was hot, but she was excited for a completely different reason. She could see his true face. "Oh boy."

"What?" Sam asked in a flat tone, not at all amused by what was going on. Libby bit her lower lip in excitement, bouncing on the balls of her feet.

"It's him."

"Who?"

"It's him, it's Dr. Sexy," Dean exclaimed in a hushed tone. Dr. Sexy—also known as Dr. Palmer—stopped in front of Sam, Dean, and Libby. Dean glanced down for a minute to attempt to recompose himself but failed.

"Doctor," Dr. Palmer greeted.

"Doctor," Dean returned. Dr. Palmer looked to Sam, addressing him.

"Doctor." Sam gave him a curt nod, earning a hit to the gut by Dean. He grunted and forced a fake smile on his lips.

"Doctor." Dr. Palmer turned back to Dean.

"You want to give me one good reason why you defied my direct order to do the experimental face transplant on Mrs. Biehl?" Dean's expression dropped to confusion, glancing at Sam and Libby and then back at Dr. Palmer.

"One reason?" he asked, cocking his head to the side slightly. Dr. Palmer hummed and nodded. "Sure." Dean got ready to come up with a lie when he looked down, greeted by white sneakers instead of cowboy boots. Surprising Libby and Sam, Dean slammed Dr. Palmer against the wall. "You're not Dr. Sexy." Libby went to pulled Dean away but one knowing stare from Dr. Palmer stopped her.

"You're crazy," Dr. Palmer told him calmly. Dean raised an eyebrow.

"Really? Because I swore part of what makes Dr. Sexy sexy is the fact that he wears cowboy boots. Not tennis shoes." Sam chuckled.

"Yeah. You're not a fan," he said sarcastically. Dean gritted his teeth and glanced over his shoulder at Sam.

"It's a guilty pleasure." Dr. Palmer looked over to two approaching nurses.

"Call security."

"Yeah, go ahead, pal. See, we know who you are." A security guard started to approach, the nurses also making their way to the trio and 'Dr. Palmer', but froze. Dean, not sensing any movement, glanced around to see that only he, Sam, Libby, and Dr. Palmer were able to move. Suddenly the character morphed into the Trickster.

"You guys are getting better!" he complimented. He looked over Dean's shoulder at the redheaded angel. "Libby, always a pleasure." She nodded curtly at the Trickster, knowing not to expose him. "It's been awhile. Glad to see you're finally out of the time-out that you didn't deserve. How are you?"

"Get us the hell out of here," Dean snapped. The Trickster looked back to Dean almost tauntingly.

"Or what?" He reached out and grabbed the Hunter's arm, twisting it. Dean opened his mouth in pain, cringing and clutching his arm.

"Don't hurt him, please. We need him," Libby said boredly, almost as if she knew him. The Trickster gave her a curt nod and let him go. She nodded back at him in thanks.

"Don't say you have wooden stakes, big guy." He shoved Dean away, flashing a warm smile Libby's way. Dean glanced between the two in confusion.

"That was you on the police scanner, right? This is a trick," Sam said, not at all amused by the situation.

"Hello? Trickster," the Trickster said, gesturing to his face mockingly. "Come on! I heard you two yahoos were in town. How could I resist? Especially with Elizabeth here, Lucifer's very own daughter? Oh, I just had to see her for myself. It's been too long!" He looked back to Libby. "Looking beautiful as always, my child."

"Where the hell are we?" Dean demanded, still holding his arm. Sam sent a glare Libby's way, one that told her that he would confront her about this later.

"Like it? It's all homemade. My own sets—" The Trickster rapped his fingers on the window of a nearby door, then walked around Libby and held his arms out towards the frozen extras. "My own actors...call it my own little idiot box," he explained with a grin.

"How do we get out?" Libby asked, finally deciding to take the Winchesters' side. Gabriel frowned slightly at her for a brief moment before grinning again and pointing at her.

"That, my child, is the sixty-four-dollar question." Dean and Libby exchanged glances.

"Whatever. We just, we need to talk to you. We need your help," Sam said. The Trickster stopped, raising his eyebrows at the Hunter.

"Hm, let me guess. You two muttonheads broke the world, and you want me to sweep up your mess because little Libby here isn't enough without her precious arsenal," The Trickster replied. Libby sighed and rolled her eyes.

"Please. Just five minutes. Hear us out," she begged. The Trickster nodded, pursing his lips in thought.

"Sure. Tell you what. Survive the next twenty-four hours, we'll talk."

"Oh, no," Libby muttered.

"Survive what?" Dean questioned.

"The game!" The Trickster replied as if it were obvious. Dean furrowed his eyebrows.

"What game?"

"You're in it."

"How do we play?"

"You're playing it." The Trickster smirked at Libby. "Sweetie, you're welcome to quit and join me with the popcorn anytime." She crossed her arms over her chest, a sickly sweet smile on her face.

"No, thanks. I'm good." He shrugged as if to say, 'Your loss.' "What are the rules?" Libby inquired, cocking her head to the side slightly. The Trickster raised his eyebrows twice, smirked, and vanished in a burst of static. The extras resumed their motion and Dean scowled.

"Oh, son of a bitch," Dean muttered. A blonde doctor walked by, completely ignoring the trio.

"Dr. Sexy? Dr. Sexy?" she called out. Sam, Dean, and Libby continued down the corridor after her.

"Oh, by the way. Talking with monsters? Hell of a plan," Dean snapped. Sam rolled his hazel eyes at his brother.

"It worked with Libby!" he defended. She narrowed her eyes in a glare at him and he raised his arms up in surrender. "Just...what do we do now?" Dean looked up to Sam, pissed off to hell.

"You know what I'm doing? Leaving." Dr. Piccolo appeared from around the corner and took a swing at Sam who ducked just in time. Libby snorted.

"Lady, what the hell?" Sam demanded.

"You are a brilliant, brilliant—"

"Yeah. A coward. You already said that. But I got news for you. I am not a doctor." Dr. Piccolo stared up at the Hunter with a sorrow-like expression, shaking her head. Libby let out a sigh and rolled her eyes. She could definitely say that TV wasn't one of her top ten favorite human hobbies.

"Don't say that. You are the finest cerebrovascular neurosurgeon I have ever met, and I have met plenty. So that girl died on your table. It wasn't your fault. It wasn't anybody's fault. Sometimes people just die," Dr. Piccolo rambled. Sam furrowed his eyebrows and stared down at her.

"I have no idea what you're saying to me," he told her calmly, almost playing along.

"You're afraid. You're afraid to operate again. And you're afraid to love." Dr. Piccolo shoved past Libby and Dean, her choked sobs echoing throughout the hallway. Dean held his arms out in a 'what the hell' look to Sam and Libby. Sam nodded.

"Yeah, we're getting out of here," he agreed. Libby shook her head.

"You can't leave," she called out, catching up with them as they picked up their pace down the hall. "The Trickster wants you to play and you're going to play and trust me when I tell you that you do not want to disobey him." Sam and Dean ignored her, knowing that if either of them spoke to her they'd snap.

A man stepped out of a room, catching the brothers just in time. "Hey. Doctor." Dean stopped and turned to him.

"Yes?"

"My wife needs that face transplant," the man told him solemnly. Libby cringed when Sam grabbed her arm, ready to pull her away. It was obvious to her that he was upset with her, but she didn't understand why considering she took their side on everything.

"Okay. You know what, pal? None of this is real, and your wife doesn't need jack squat. Okay?" Dean hissed. They started to walk again, Sam practically dragging Libby along down the corridors.

"Let go of me!" the redheaded angel whined, desperately trying to peel Sam's hand off of her arm.

"You need to explain to us what's going on and how you know the Trickster now," Sam demanded. Libby opened her mouth to reply when the man called out:

"Hey, Doctor." Libby turned and yelled out just as he raised a gun, shooting Dean in the back. Dean stared after him before collapsing to his knees, Libby trying to catch him but going down with him. His eyes widened in pain.

"Real—it's real—" he gasped out as Libby tried to calm him. Sam fell to his knees next to his brother.

"No no no, no no no no no—hey! We need a doctor!" Libby got up to get the closest actual doctor when something grabbed ahold of her, teleporting her into another show. She didn't recognize it at all. When she observed everything closer she realized that there were no people.

"What the hell?" she yelled out in frustration, her fists clenching at her sides. The Trickster appeared suddenly in front of her, making her jump slightly. "What the hell is your problem?" The Trickster raised his eyebrows in shock and disbelief.

"My problem? What's wrong with you? Libby, you're working with the Winchesters," he growled. She nodded as if it were obvious. "I know I said to protect Humanity but this isn't what I meant." The Trickster pointed to a set of closed doors. "Libby, those boys are going to get you killed."

"And I will go down fighting," she defended. The Trickster sighed and ran a hand down his face in what seemed to be stress. When he opened his eyes their gazes locked, his worried and Libby's angered. "This is my fight. I'm the one who is supposed to kill Lucifer and I'm the one who's going to do that."

"And how many demons have you killed since you got out?" Libby looked away, earning a nod. "Exactly. You could barely kill the one and even after you did, you froze. You think you have to guts to kill an Archangel, let alone your own father?" the Trickster asked. Libby's gaze lowered to the ground.

"I will find a way. I always do," she whispered. The Trickster shook his head and sighed.

"Not this time, Libs. We're talking about the Apocalypse. Michael and Lucifer are going to destroy the whole world whether they battle or not. Now, you have a relationship with those boys. Convince them to say yes." Libby's head snapped up, her green eyes wide. She stared at him in disbelief. How could he even suggest that to her?

"Are you crazy?" she shrieked. "I'm not letting my father and my uncle use those men as meatsuits! They are good men. Sam and Dean don't deserve this. They don't deserve any of this. You are not helping the situation."

"It isn't about what they deserve, Elizabeth!" the Trickster yelled out in hope that she'd understand. "It's about what they believe, and humans believe in God, and Lucifer, and Michael, and—"

"And you." The Trickster stopped, recoiling at her words. "They believe in you to help save them when Michael and Lucifer cannot get along. That is what you and Raphael are here for. God isn't here right now and I am not strong enough to help these humans." He sighed, shaking his head.

"Libby—"

"If you will not help the humans then help me, just as you always have. I know I've been gone a long time, but I do hope you haven't changed too much. I loved you the way you were." The Trickster tilted his eyes slightly, staring at Libby lovingly. He was proud of her. He was truly and genuinely proud of what she had become. "I need your help, Gabriel. I cannot do this alone."

"Where is your mother?"

"I have not heard from Nadia since before my banishment. For all I know she could be dead." The Trickster—or Gabriel—let out a small laugh and briefly glanced at the floor.

"Well, for both of our sakes I hope she is." Libby frowned at her uncle. "She was horrible to you."

"She's my mother and she's my responsibility, just as Lucifer is. Help me kill him and I'll do whatever you want. I will go with you wherever you want, whenever you want. Just help me do my duty to God," Libby pleaded. Gabriel smiled at her, reaching out and cupping her cheek in his hand. She returned the smile, staring up at him.

"I have raised you as my own daughter and I have trained you as much as I possibly could. I'm proud of you, Libby."

"I know." Gabriel sighed.

"But it's time I let go and let you fight your war. You've sided with Humanity and I couldn't be happier, but unfortunately that means we are on opposite sides." Her smile fell and she took a step back, shoving his hand away. Anger boiled in her blood and she clenched her fists at her sides, gritting her teeth. "You've chosen the Winchesters and they will be your downfall, Elizabeth. Just give it time." She shook her head, tears almost threatening to slip.

"I should have known you would side with Heaven. Whenever it comes down to it you always choose Daddy Dearest, don't you?" Libby sneered. Gabriel frowned down at her. She closed her eyes and sucked in a deep breath, shaking her head. Her eyes snapped open, now filled with anger and hatred. "You're a coward, Gabriel. You always stick with God, even when He isn't here. I am done fighting for him when He has done nothing but punish me for no reason."

"Elizabeth—"

"No! No. No, you don't get to defend yourself. Not this time. Not after everything you've done." She took a step towards him, raising her chin slightly to stare him straight in the eyes. "I will make sure you regret siding with Heaven. Do you understand me? You've chosen the wrong side this time, Gabriel." Gabriel sighed, nodding, and with a snap of his fingers Libby was transported onto a stage.

She looked around frantically, her green eyes wide when she caught sight of Sam and Dean stuck on a raised platform. She noticed two large balls at their feet and cringed.

"Oh, no." Sam and Dean turned around as best as they could upon hearing her voice. Sam grinned.

"Libby!" he exclaimed. "Oh, I've never been happier to see you. Get us out of here!" She looked around before feeling a slight breeze and looking down at her outfit. She was dressed in a skimpy red devil's costume with knee high white boots, and when she looked to her left she noticed an asian girl dressed in a similar outfit.

"Oh, you bastard! Well, played!" she yelled out. Sam and Dean exchanged defeated glances. "What?"

"We can't understand you," Dean told her slowly. Libby furrowed her eyebrows and took a step towards them.

"I'm speaking English!" Sam and Dean looked at each other, Sam shrugging. Sam turned back to Libby, smirking.

"Oh, and since we can't understand you, I can say this without a snarky reply." Libby stared at the younger Hunter in confusion. "You look good in that outfit." Dean chuckled despite the situation and Libby only scowled at Sam, stomping away towards the doors. She went to pull them open but found that they wouldn't budge. Turning to say something, music started to blare out of speakers. She glanced around in confusion. There were no speakers.

The blue doors slid open and a Japanese man in a suit came running out with a grin. Libby recognized him as game show host, but she wasn't sure what show it would be on considering there were so many that were just American.

"Let's play Nutcracker!" The crowd erupted into cheers and applause and Sam and Libby exchanged glances. Dean looked around, noticing that he was standing in shoes glues to a platform and slot for a pole with a large ball at the end of it. Sam was similarly situated with an LED screen off to the side with a bright red '20' plastered on it. The host said something in Japanese, pulling cards out of his pocket as silence fell over the set. "Sam Winchester." He continued in Japanese. "What was the name of the demon you chose over your own brother?"

"What?" The screen began to tick down the seconds. "Uh, what am I supposed to say?"

"You think I know?" Dean asked. Sam looked to Libby who shrugged.

"I can only hear him speak Japanese. I don't know the language." Sam furrowed his eyebrows at her, not understanding what she was saying.

"Uh, I, I don't, I don't understand Japanese," Sam told the host loudly and slowly, his gaze constantly shifting between the man and the timer. The host said something in Japanese again and repeated the question, gesturing to both Sam and Dean.

"What was the name of the demon you chose over your own brother?" Sam looked back up to his brother.

"Is he screwing with me? I, I, I can't speak Japanese." Dean shrugged just as the screen hit zero.

"The answer is...Ruby!" Libby furrowed her eyebrows. Ruby? What did Ruby have to do with anything? "I'm sorry, Sam Winchester."

"Sorry? Sorry for what?" Sam demanded. The host mocked laughter behind his hand. "Dean?" Suddenly the pole on Sam's platform shot up, the ball ramming into Sam's crotch. Dean's hand flew up to his mouth in shock and Libby gasped, cringing, as Sam groaned and grabbed his crotch in pain. The crowd cheered.

"Nutcracker!" the host yelled, pumping his fist into the air.

"Sam?" Dean asked cautiously. Sam looked over and made an inarticulate noise, groaning out in pain. Libby went to rush over to his aid when an invisible force stopped her. She looked up and scowled. "You okay?" Dean looked down at the shoes and ball on Sam's platform before looking down at his own with wide eyes. The lights on the doors started flashing again and there was a loud banging. "Oh now what?" The doors opened to reveal Castiel.

"Castiel! Thank God! Help us out of here!" Libby exclaimed. Cas turned to look at the redhead before looking back at the boys.

"Cas?" Dean asked.

"Is this another trick?" Sam questioned. Cas shook his head.

"It's me. Uh, what are you doing here? And why is Libby speaking Japanese?"

"Us? What are you doing here?"

"Looking for you. You've been missing for days, and when Lucifer's daughter disappears with the Winchesters Heaven starts to talk," he explained.

"So get us the hell out of here, then!" Libby yelled out, her words coming out in Japanese as she rushed over to Cas.

"Let's go." He went to press his fingers to Sam and Dean's heads and Libby reached out to grab onto his shoulder when he vanished in a burst of static.

"Cas?" Dean called out. The host made his way back to the center of the stage, wagging his index finger at the Hunters.

"No, no, no, no. Mr. Trickster does not like pretty-boy angels." Dean glanced away, processing his words. Libby's eyebrows shot up questioningly. The moment the host pulled out another card and started speaking in Japanese she cringed. "Dean Winchester." Dean looked to him with wide eyes. "Would your Mother and Father still be alive... if your brother was never born?"

"What do I do, what do I do?" Dean asked frantically.

"What?"

"I don't wanna get hit in the nuts."

"I don't know, I, I, uh, just, uh—wait." Sam stopped, realization dawning on him. Dean glanced between his brother and the timer. Libby rolled her bottom lip between her teeth in anxiety. She reached up to scratch her head, stopping when she hit a headband. She pulled it off to see devil horns. Scowling, she threw it across the stage.

"What?"

"I played a doctor."

"What?" Dean repeated, not sure where he brother was going with this. Libby had a feeling she knew, though.

"In, uh, in Dr. Sexy I played a doctor. I operated."

"So?" Dean pressed.

"So I played the role the Trickster wanted me to play. Maybe we should just go along with it," Sam explained.

"Go along with what?"

"With the game! You know, we're on a game show, right? So just answer the question!"

"In Japanese?"

"Yeah!"

"I don't know Japanese!" There were three seconds left on the clock.

"Try!" Two seconds.

"Dammit!" Dean slammed his hand down on the button, the countdown freezing just before the buzz. Trying his hardest, Dean answered in Japanese. "The answer is...yes?" The host repeated the last word, Dean saying it again. Dean braced himself for the impact, closing his eyes.

"Dean Winchester, Nutcracker champion!" The crowd cheered and Dean's eyes snapped open, Sam staring at him in bewilderment.

"How did you do that?"

"I have no idea," Dean admitted. Libby stomped forward, looking between the two boys and speaking in Japanese. They shook their heads at her to let her know that they still couldn't understand her. She let out a defeated sigh and crossed her arms over her chest.

"So that's it. We play our roles, we survive," Sam said.

"Yeah, but play our roles for how long?"

"Good question."

"Son of a bitch!" Libby looked around her as a laugh track played along with applause of an audience. She wasn't sure where she was considering she didn't recognize the set, but it seemed as if something had already happened. Her gaze landed on a huge sandwich before shifting over to a woman in a bikini, pink high heels on her feet.

"Uh, I am really, really, very sorry, but, uh, we've got some work to do," Sam told the woman as he escorted her to the door.

"But we did do work!" she defended, staring at Dean as she passed with a smirk. "In depth." Another laugh track played and Dean waved at her as she left. Sam shut the door and shook his head.

"How long do we have to keep doing this?" Dean asked through a smile. Sam awkwardly walked back over, Libby following behind him.

"I don't know," he replied in a similar position. Applause rang out through the set. "Maybe forever? We might die in here." Another laugh track played and Dean dropped character, holding his arms out in disbelief.

"How was that funny? Vultures." He looked to Libby, pointing at her. "Wait. How come the Trickster doesn't get mad when you don't play your role?" Libby scoffed, shaking her head and crossing her arms over her chest.

"Call us family." Suddenly the front door opened, Castiel walking in with minor injuries. Blood ran down his nose and his eye was bruised slightly. Another round of applause sounded, the Hunters all ignoring it.

"You okay?" Dean asked.

"I don't have much time," Castiel told them frantically, making his way to the table where Sam, Dean, and Libby stood.

"What happened?" Libby questioned.

"I got out."

"From where?" Dean added.

"Listen to me. Something is not right. This thing is much more powerful than it should be."

"What thing—the Trickster?" Libby's gaze shifted off to the side guiltily, but only Cas seemed to catch it.

"If it is a trickster."

"What do you mean?" Sam asked, but before Cas could answer he was flung back into the wall, his face hidden. The Trickster appeared at the door, racing in happily before shutting the door behind him.

"Hello!" he exclaimed. More applause and cheers. Cas got up, his mouth duct-taped shut. "Thank you. Thank you, ladies." Cas glared at the Trickster. "Hi, Castiel!" The Trickster gestured to Cas who vanished once more in a burst of static.

"You know him?" Sam asked. But his question was quickly drowned out by Libby's yelling.

"Where did you just send him?" she demanded, walking towards the Trickster.

"Relax, he'll live. ...Maybe." Another laugh track played and Libby lunged for the Trickster when he grabbed onto her, turning her around to face the Winchesters with the angel pressed against him. His arms were wrapped around her arms and torso and she struggled to get out of his grasp.

"All right, you know what? I am done with the monkey dance, okay? We get it," Dean snapped. Libby continued to struggle, kicking behind her. Suddenly her ankles were tied together, but her arms were still pinned to her sides by the Trickster. He didn't bother with the duct tape, knowing that she wouldn't give up his identity.

"Yeah? Get what, hotshot?" the Trickster asked.

"Playing our roles, right? That's your game?"

"That's half the game."

"What's the other half?" Sam inquired, stepping forward. He met Libby's gaze, sending her a sympathetic look.

"Play your roles out there." The Trickster nodded his head towards the crowd as a gesture to the outside world. He knew that if he let go of Libby then she'd fight back, just as she had done in the past.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Dean demanded.

"Oh, you know. Sam starring as Lucifer. Dean starring as Michael. Libby starring as the helpless damsel in distress, stuck between three sides. Your celebrity death match. Play your roles," the Trickster explained. Libby scowled and turned her head to look up at him.

"You better hope you win this war or I'm going to make you suffer," she growled. The Trickster patted her head with a chuckle.

"Easy, sweetie. We both know you won't hurt me. You love me too much." Libby let out a defeated huff and continued to glare up at him. He looked down, smiling at her. Fed up with his attitude, Libby jumped on his foot, earning a slap to the face. Dean's eyes widened as he watched Gabriel lean forward, whispering in her ear. "I may not be your mother but remember what happens when you disobey me."

"You want us to say yes to those sons of bitches?" Sam asked in disbelief. He wanted to help Libby but he was no use to her if the Trickster decided to hurt or even kill him for attempting to free her. Libby nodded curtly, letting him know that she understood.

"Hells yeah. Let's light this candle!"

"We do that, the world will end," Sam hissed. The Trickster looked over to Sam.

"Yeah? And whose fault is that? Who popped Lucifer and Libby out of the box? Hm? Look, it's started. You started it. It can't be stopped. So let's get it over with!" he exclaimed. Libby cringed at the volume of his voice in her ear. Sam simply glared at the Trickster, guilt eating away inside of him.

"Heaven or hell, which side you on?" Dean asked. Libby sighed.

"I'm not on either side," he said.

"Yeah, right," Dean said with a scoff. The Trickster looked down at Libby as if telling her to back him up. She rolled her eyes but obeyed.

"He's not on either side, Dean. He's telling the truth. Ga—" The Trickster's fingers dug into Libby's sides and she let out a cry of pain. "The Trickster," she corrected, "is on the side of the Archangels." Sam furrowed his eyebrows in confusion.

"Meaning?" he asked. Libby looked up to Sam, frowning.

"Meaning he doesn't care who wins. Michael, Lucifer, or me. We are all Archangels and in the end we will all benefit him one way or another. It's all about him in the end—" She looked up to the Trickster. "Isn't it?"

"You're grabbing ankle for Michael or Lucifer. Which one is it?" Dean asked, not believing Libby. The Trickster's joking demeanor shifted instantly, but his grip on Libby loosened slightly.

"You listen to me, you arrogant dick. I don't work for either of those S.O.B.s. Believe me," he told the Hunter. Dean scoffed, smirking slightly. Libby's heart raced in fear. If Dean was going to say something along the lines of what she thought he'd say, she had a feeling it wouldn't end well.

"Oh, you're somebody's bitch."

The Trickster's smile vanished and he shoved Libby away, the redhead stumbling into Sam's arms, before he grabbed Dean by the collar of his shirt and slammed him into the wall. Sam looked down at Libby to check for any wounds but she nodded, assuring him that she was okay. He held her tight against him protectively.

"Don't you ever, ever presume to know what I am. Now listen very closely." He turned to look at Sam and Libby, still pinning Dean against the door. "Here's what's gonna happen. You're gonna suck it up, accept your responsibilities, and play the roles that destiny has chosen for you," the Trickster hissed. He studied Sam and Libby in their position, keeping his shock inside. He hadn't realized it until now.

"And if we don't?" Sam challenged, still holding Libby. The Trickster grinned.

"Then you'll stay here in TV Land. Forever. Three hundred channels and, uh, nothing's on." The Trickster let go of Dean and snapped his fingers, Libby suddenly appearing in front of him. She looked up with wide eyes. "I'm gonna hold onto her for safekeeping. Call her leverage." Snapping his fingers again, he and Libby disappeared into static. Sam yelled out in protest just as he and Dean were transferred into another show.

Libby groaned, rolling her head to the side a bit to loosen up her stiff muscles.

"Ooh, the princess is awake!" Her eyes fluttered open to see Gabriel sitting in front of her. She frowned at him and went to get up but was tugged back down by restraints. "Call it a precaution." She struggled against the rope, hissing when they burned a cut on her wrist. "Oh, so the holy water does affect you."

"What?" Gabriel squatted down in front of her, gesturing to the ropes with the lollipop in his hand.

"See, I dunked those in holy water. I wasn't sure if it'd affect you or not, but I guess it only affects direct blood contact. Interesting," he explained. Libby continued to tug at the ropes.

"I thought you were on my side, just like you promised when I was a kid," she said through gritted teeth, growing desperate to get back to Sam and Dean. Gabriel sighed and pointed the lollipop at her now.

"I could say the same thing about you." He pulled up another chair and sat down in it across from her, leaning forward. "I'm proud yet disappointed at the same time. I thought I raised you better than that, Elizabeth." She gave up and just sat there, staring at her father figure. He tossed the lollipop to the floor. Libby glanced around, recognizing it as the warehouse where the Impala was parked. "I am sorry for what I did to you back in that stupid sitcom show. You just weren't listening."

"You're turning into them." Gabriel leaned back, his hand pressed against his chest in mock hurt.

"Offended." She just rolled her eyes at the Archangel. "I see the Winchesters have taught you sass. You might be as good as me one day."

"God, I hope you never have children," Libby spat. Gabriel chuckled, shaking his head as he patted her cheek. She cringed and turned her head away from him.

"Too late. I mean I did raise you, didn't I? I can't take all of the credit, though. It was a team effort what with your two deadbeat parents. You really pulled the shortstraw, didn't you?" Libby looked back to Gabriel, sighing.

"I know you didn't tell me to go with them and then pull me out just to taunt me. What is it that you want?"

"Why would I want something?" Libby stared at him with a flat expression.

"You're Gabriel. You always want something." Gabriel's taunting demeanor fell and he nodded, clapping his hands together. She knew him too well for their own good. It would get one of them killed one day, their loyalty to each other.

"You're right." Gabriel glanced around and leaned closer. "We both want this war over just as much as the other, right?" Libby nodded as if it were obvious, which it was. "What do you say we leave?" She furrowed her eyebrows, shaking her head.

"I-I don't understand. Our duty is to Humanity." Gabriel nodded, trying to find a way to word it so it'd make sense. Libby was too innocent for her own good. She understood sarcasm and sass thanks to Gabriel, but she didn't understand how people could just give up and only care about themselves.

"Leave Earth, Libby. I can't seem to find God anywhere and you're really not wanted here by Heaven or Hell. Why don't we create some place where we can go together? I can create that beach again that you loved, or we can create something else entirely," Gabriel explained.

"But what about Sam and Dean? What about Bobby and the others? We can't just leave them with the Apocalypse. They'll never win it on their own." Gabriel shook his head, his gaze falling to the ground. Realization hit Libby. "You don't want anyone to win the war. You just want to get out and start fresh." Gabriel chuckled softly and looked back up.

"Now you're getting it."

"How can you even suggest that?" Libby yelled. Any hope Gabriel had of her agreeing vanished. "These are my friends! I have a sacred duty to protect all of Humanity, Winchesters included. Leaving them as chew toys for Michael and Lucifer is disobeying every order we have ever been given. Are you really going to turn your back on your family and your father to stay alive?" she asked in disbelief. Libby started to struggle against the restraints again.

"I'm not turning my back on my family if I'm taking you with me."

"You repel me," she growled, her eyes starting to tear up. "You are nothing but an egotistical bastard. You're just like the rest of them!" Gabriel sighed and got up, disappearing into thin air. Libby could only assume that he was going back to mess with Sam and Dean, which left her alone and defenseless in the middle of nowhere.

It wasn't long before Gabriel returned, clutching his stomach from laughing so hard. Libby just rolled her eyes and eyed the ropes before looking back up. "Libby, you should've seen Dean's face when he realized that I wasn't dead." She furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. "Your boyfriend is now a car. Congratulations."

"My boyfriend?" she questioned.

"Sam," he clarified. Libby scoffed, shaking her head. "Are you telling me that you can't feel that sexual tension? The way he held you in his arms damn! The tension is like starring in an adult video." Libby cringed and stared at the Archangel with a 'what the fuck' look. "Sorry, sorry. I forgot that you're little miss innocent."

"Just let me go, dammit," she told him. Gabriel nodded, pointing to her.

"That's why I'm here, actually." Her eyes widened. "I'm going to give you one last chance to take my side on this."

"I already gave you my answer, Gabriel. I'm not leaving my friends." She nodded her head towards the ropes. "Now, be a good father figure and untie me. Angels will talk if they hear that you have your niece tied up in an abandoned warehouse, and I'd rather not walk around with another label," she told Gabriel with a smug smirk. Gabriel chuckled, shaking his head.

"I see you do have sass and sarcasm in you. You get that from me."

"You're pushing your luck." He walked over and untied her, letting her go. Libby stood up but stumbled, Gabriel catching her before she could fall. She shoved him away. "Don't touch me, you dick." Gabriel frowned.

"Come on, Libby. You can't be mad at me forever." She glared at him as she rubbed her wrists. Cocking his head to the side, Gabriel grabbed her wrist and studied it. "I see that pretty scar is gone. Give it away?" Libby yanked her arm back.

"Of course I gave it away. That was the last thing I needed when trapped in Hell." She sighed and let her arms drop to her sides. "Where are Sam and Dean? I need to get back to them."

"Dean?" Sam's voice from the Impala said.

"What?" Dean snapped, rummaging around in the trunk.

"That, uh, feels really uncomfortable." Dean slammed the trunk shut. "Ow. You sure this is gonna work?" Impala!Sam questioned as Dean rounded the car. He shook his head.

"No, but I have no other ideas." Dean stared up at the sky, shouting, "All right, you son of a bitch! Uncle! We'll do it!" After a minute of silence, Impala!Sam chimed in.

"Should I honk?"

Suddenly the Trickster appeared out of nowhere, letting out a low whistle. "Wow. Sam. Get a load of the rims on you," he said, observing Sam as he circled the car.

"Eat me," Impala!Sam growled. Suddenly Libby appeared, stumbling slightly and falling to the ground. She looked up from her spot in the dirt.

"You couldn't have me land anymore graceful?" she snapped sarcastically, pushing herself off of the ground. She brushed the dirt and grass from her outfit, ignoring the eye roll her uncle sent her way. The Trickster chuckled, stopping in front of Libby.

"Okay, boys. Ready to go quietly?"

"Whoa whoa whoa, not so fast. Nobody's going anywhere until Sam has opposable thumbs," Dean told him. The Trickster shrugged.

"What's the difference? Satan's going to ride his ass one way or another." Libby stepped forward and smacked him across the back of the head, Dean just giving him a look. The Trickster turned to hit Libby back when she ducked, tackling him to the ground. She pinned him down, her hands holding down his arms and her knees trapping his legs.

"Turn Sam back into a human or so help me God, you will wish you spent all of that time in Hell instead of me," Libby growled lowly. The Trickster rolled his eyes and snapped his fingers, Dean's eyebrows raising in shock. Once Sam stepped out of the passenger seat Libby rolled off of the archangel, helping him up. "Thank you," she said with a curt nod.

"Happy?" he asked.

"Tell me one thing. Why didn't the stake kill you?" Dean inquired. The Trickster thought about it for a moment, his hesitation making Libby snort.

"I am the Trickster." Libby heard a click.

"Or maybe you're not." Sam held up a flaming cigarette lighter, Libby's green eyes widening. The circle of oil turned into a ring of fire, trapping both Libby and the Trickster. They exchanged worried glances. "Maybe you've always been an angel. Because, see, Libby can't get out of that ring because of what she is. So maybe you can't either." The Trickster stared at them incredulously before laughing.

"A what? Somebody slip a mickey in your power shake, kid?" he teased. Sam and Dean didn't seem amused at all, and Libby just sighed and crossed her arms over her chest.

"I'll tell you what. You just jump out of the holy fire and we'll call it our mistake," Dean said. The Trickster looked to Sam who held the same serious look that his brother did. The Trickster laughed then suddenly stopped, realizing he'd been caught. Libby smirked smugly as there was a burst of static.

The Trickster clapped, all four of them suddenly in the warehouse again, Libby and the Trickster still trapped in the ring of holy fire. "Well played, boys. Well played. Where'd you get the holy oil?" the newfound angel questioned.

"Well, you might say we pulled it out of Sam's ass," Dean joked in all seriousness. Sam gave his brother a flat look and Libby bit back her laugh. Despite this case being stressful and heartbreaking, it was quite amusing to her.

"Where'd I screw up?"

"You didn't. Nobody gets the jump on Cas like you did," Sam told him.

"Mostly it was the way you talked about Armageddon," Dean chimed in. The angel raised an eyebrow.

"Meaning?"

"Well, call it personal experience, but nobody gets that angry unless they're talking about their own family," Dean said. Libby nodded in agreement. "Also, it was the way Libby acted around you. Almost as if you were family and you two cared for each other. I knew you couldn't be lovers because, well, she has higher standards and you seemed more of disciplinary figure to her than anything else." The angel and the redhead exchanged glances, the latter giving him a small shrug.

"Family reunions are just too good to be true, aren't there?" Libby asked with a smug smirk. The angel rolled his eyes at her.

"So which one are you?" Sam questioned. "Grumpy, Sneezy, or Douchey?"

"Gabriel, okay? They call me Gabriel," he told them softly, knowing he was caught. Libby now stood next to him instead of behind him, her chin raised slightly as she stared at the Winchesters. She had the same posture as him. The same build. Almost even the same attitude and personality. She was like a more innocent copy of Gabriel.

"Gabriel? The Archangel?" Sam inquired.

"Guilty." Dean nodded, looking to Sam before focusing his attention back on the two Archangels.

"Okay, Gabriel. How does an Achangel become a trickster?" Dean asked curiously.

"My own private witness protection. After Libby was banished to Hell I skipped out of Heaven, had a face transplant, and carved out my own little corner of the world. Till you two screwed it all up," he hissed. Dean glanced between Libby and Gabriel.

"What did Daddy say when you ran off and joined the pagans after losing his precious granddaughter?"

"Daddy doesn't say anything about anything," Gabriel responded. Libby's gaze dropped to the floor. She stared at the fire, the reflection flickering in her eyes. She had hoped that God was still around, but if Gabriel was able to leave so easily then it was clear He wasn't here anymore.

"Then what happened? Why'd you ditch?" Sam asked.

"Do you blame him? I mean, his brothers are heavyweight douchenozzles." Libby's eyes widened and she gave Dean a pleading expression, telling him to shut up. Family was a touchy topic for Gabriel. It always had been and it always will be.

"Shut your cakehole," Gabriel snapped. "You don't know anything about my family. I love my father, my brothers. Love them. But watching them turn on each other? Tear at each other's throats? Watching one of them throw their own child into the mix? I couldn't bear it! Okay? So I left. And now it's happening all over again."

"Then help us stop it," Sam begged. Gabriel shook his head.

"It can't be stopped."

"You want to see the end of the world?" Dean asked in disbelief.

"I want it to be over!" Gabriel roared, Libby flinching away. "I have to sit back and watch my own brothers kill each other thanks to you two! Heaven, Hell, Humanity, I don't care who wins, I just want it to be over."

"It doesn't have to be like that. There has to be some way to, to pull the plug," Sam said.

"Why do you think I chose the Winchesters?" Libby chimed in. Gabriel turned to look at the redhead. "I don't want Michael or Lucifer to win, but I also don't want them to kill each other. Help us, Gabriel, and we can end this all. You, me, and the humans. We can stop this all if you would just have some faith in me!" Gabriel laughed, shaking his head and looking back to the two humans.

"You do not know my family. What you guys call the apocalypse, I used to call Sunday dinner. That's why there's no stopping this, because this isn't about a war. It's about two brothers that loved each other and betrayed each other. You'd think you'd be able to relate." Libby's eyes widened.

"What are you talking about?" Sam asked. Gabriel stared at the brothers in confusion before he realized that they had no idea.

"Gabriel, no," Libby tried. "Shut up." He just ignored her and started to speak. "Gabriel—" He clicked his tongue and let out a whistle.

"You sorry sons of bitches. Why do you think you two are the vessels?" Libby started to pace the circle, shooting Sam and Dean an apologetic glance. "Think about it." He looked to Dean. "Michael, the big brother, loyal to an absent father, and Lucifer." Gabriel shifted his gaze over to Sam. "The little brother, rebellious of Daddy's plan. You were born to this, boys. It's your destiny! It was always you! As it is in heaven, so it must be on earth. One brother has to kill the other."

"It doesn't have to be like that," Libby told them. Sam and Dean looked over to the redhead. "Destiny doesn't control everything. I've been fighting mine for as long as I can remember. You don't have to say yes." Gabriel shot her a glare, but she didn't stop. She was done taking orders. "Think about it, guys. Why do you think I found you so fast?" Sam sighed, running a hand down his face.

"You've been trying to protect us," he muttered. Dean looked back to Gabriel, his glare hardening on the Archangel.

"What the hell are you saying?" Dean demanded.

"Why do you think I've always taken such an interest in you? Because from the moment Dad flipped on the lights around here, we knew it was all gonna end with you." He lowered his voice from his shouting to a whisper. "Always." There was a long stretch of silence, Sam and Dean looking down in thought before looking at each other.

"No. That's not gonna happen," Dean said.

"I'm sorry. But it is." Libby clenched her fists at her sides, willing herself not to reach out and punch Gabriel. She wished she hadn't been standing next to him when they set the trap. The man she had looked up to her whole life was now just like the rest of them. Gabriel sighed, shaking his head. "Guys. I wish this were a TV show. Easy answers, endings wrapped up in a bow...but this is real, and it's gonna end bloody for all of us. That's just how it's gotta be."

After what seemed like hours of silence but was only a matter of minutes, Gabriel spoke up. "So. Boys. Now what? We stare at each other for the rest of eternity? I think Sam and Libby have plans they need to get to." The mentioned stared at Gabriel in confusion, neither understanding where he was going with this.

"Well, first of all, you're gonna bring Cas back from wherever you stashed him," Dean demanded. Gabriel raised an eyebrow.

"Oh am I?" he challenged. Dean nodded.

"Yeah. Or we're going to dunk you in some holy oil and deep-fry ourselves an archangel." Libby's chin rested on her fist and she looked up slightly.

"He's not kidding," she muttered. "Bring back the angel." Gabriel gave in, snapping his fingers. Libby pulled her hand away from her chin and looked over at Castiel as he appeared.

"Cas, you okay?" Dean asked, turning to study him from afar. Castiel nodded curtly.

"I'm fine." He looked to Gabriel and Libby. "Hello, Gabriel." Gabriel smirked.

"Hey, bro. How's the search for Daddy going? Let me guess. Awful." Castiel only glared at him, his breathing speeding up in anger. Libby scowled and stomped on Gabriel's foot, holding her arm out to block his returned hit.

"Nice try," she spat.

"Okay, we're out of here. Come on, Sam." Dean started backing away and Libby's eyes widened. Were they going to just leave her there with Gabriel? Cas and Sam followed the elder Hunter.

"Uh. Okay. Guys? So, so what? Huh? You're just gonna, you're gonna leave us here forever?" Gabriel called out. Dean stopped at the door and turned back, facing the two Archangels.

"No. We're not, 'cause we don't screw with people the way you do, and we actually like Libby." The redhead smiled slightly. "And for the record? This isn't about some prize fight between your brothers or some destiny that can't be stopped. This is about you being too afraid to stand up to your family," Dean roared. "You're a coward, Gabriel. I saw the way you hit Libby when she stood up for herself and us. The only good one out of your whole damn family seems to be her." Dean pulled the fire alarm. Gabriel and Libby looked up, water starting to rain down on them and put out the holy fire.

The moment that it was safe to walk through, Libby hopped out and walked over to Team Free Will. They went to leave when Libby stopped, turning back to a wet Gabriel. "Don't say we never did anything for you. And when you lose this war, don't blame it on me. In the end it was your fault because you were too stupid to see what you had right in front of you all along."

Gabriel glared at the group as they left, the sprinklers drenching him, Castiel and Libby lingering behind to shoot Gabriel one last glare before making their way to the Impala.

"All that stuff he was spouting in there, you think it was the truth?" Dean asked as he, Sam, and Libby made their way to the Impala.

"I think he believes it," Libby said, glancing between both Hunters. "Gabriel has only ever worried about two people in his life; himself and me. It's going to get him killed."

"So what do we do?" Dean questioned. Sam rapped his knuckles on the hood of the Impala before shaking his head and shrugging.

"I don't know," he admitted.

"Well I'll tell you one thing. Right about now I wish I was back in a TV show." Sam chuckled softly in agreement.

"Yeah, me too." The trio got in the Impala, each situating themselves in their seats before Dean took off to wherever their next case lead them. Upon hearing silence, Sam turned in his seat to see Libby staring out the window with red eyes. "You alright?" She nodded.

"Yeah, I think so." She looked back to Sam. "I just thought he would've stayed the same, ya know?" Sam smiled reassuringly at her and nodded.

"Yeah, I get it. But you were in Hell for a pretty long time, and judging by the way I can tell he cares for you, your banishment really hit him hard," Sam replied. This time she nodded. It was silent for a few minutes before Libby spoke up.

"He wasn't abusive." Dean glanced at her in the rearview mirror. "I know that you were thinking it. It's not hard to tell, but Gabriel was the best father you could ask for. He's just consumed by anger and guilt right now. Hopefully he'll get over it once we stop this whole war," she explained. Dean sighed.

"And how do you know that we'll win?" Libby smiled slightly.

"Because I picked the right side."