~*****~

Bobby looked so depressed, sitting by that window, staring out with a cold look on his face. "It's been like, what, three days now?" Dean asks as he approaches with a packet of Bobby's X-Ray results.

"We got to cheer him up somehow." I mutter softly.

"Maybe I'll give him a back rub." Dean comments.

"Dean," Sam scolded.

"Well, what, then?" Dean retorted quickly.

Sam sucked in a soft breath before releasing it. "Look... we might have to wrap our heads around the idea that Bobby might not just bounce back this time." Sam suggested. Dean didn't answer. Instead, he just gazed towards Bobby with a saddened expression. "What's in the envelope?"

"Went to Radiology. Got some glamour shots," Dean answers as he hands them to me. I pull out the film and held it up a little. "Let's just say the doctors are baffled."

"Holy crap--" Sam murmurs as I gaze over it.

"Yeah, well, Castiel carved into you two, as well." I mention as I tilt it to the side. I hand the film to Sam as my cell begins to vibrate. "Hello?" I hum as I press the phone to my ear.

"This is Castiel--"

"Where the hell did you learn how to use a phone, Castiel?" I retort teasingly.

"Speak of the devil," Dean chuckles.

"Where are you located?" He asks.

"St. Martin's Hospital. Why, what are you--" The phone ends abruptly, and just as it does, I see Castiel walking down the hallway.

"Cellphone, Cass? Really?" Dean ask. "Since when do angels need to reach out and touch someone?"

"You're hidden from angels now-- all angels." Castiel mentioned. "I won't be able to simply--"

"Enough foreplay." Bobby snaps out of nowhere. "Get over here and lay your damn hands on." When Castiel remains in his spot, Bobby turns his head towards us. "Get healing-- now."

"I can't." Castiel says softly.

Bobby just glares at him and turns in his wheelchair. "Say again?" He asks threateningly.

Castiel approaches Bobby. "I'm cut off from Heaven and much of Heaven's power. Certain things, I can do. Certain things, I can't."

"You're telling me you lost your mojo just in time to get me stuck in this trap for the rest of my life?!" Bobby growled.

"I'm sorry." Castiel apologizes.

"Shove it up your ass."

"Well, at least he's talking now," Dean whispers to me.

"I heard that." Bobby snaps, causing the two of us to flinch.

Castiel turns back to us. "I don't have much time. We need to talk."

"Okay?" I shrug.

"Your plan to kill Lucifer." Castiel mentions.

"Yeah, you want to help?" Dean snorts.

"No!" Castiel says quickly. "It's foolish. I can't be done."

"Thanks for the support," I mutter.

"But I believe I have the solution." Castiel says. "There is someone besides Michael strong enough to take on Lucifer-- Strong enough to stop the apocalypse."

"Who's that?" Sam asks.

"The one who resurrected me, put you two on that airplane, and transported you away from the convent." Castiel explains. "The one who began everything. God. I'm going to find God." Castiel states firmly.

I quickly shut the door. "God?"

"Yes."

"God." I repeat.

"Yes. He isn't in Heaven. He has to be somewhere." Castiel explains.

I scoff. "Yeah, well, dear old dad skipped out on me as a child, so I don't think he's gonna come around for the other kids he abandoned to make me." I snap. "Why don't you try Mexico? I heard he's on a tortilla."

"No, he's not on any flatbread," Castiel retorted with that confused expression on his face.

"Listen, Chuckles, even if there is a God, he is either dead-- and that's the generous theory--" Dean backs me up.

"He is out there, Dean," Castiel tries.

"Or, he's up and kicking and doesn't give a rats ass about any of us. Just like Lottie said." Dean snapped. "I mean, look around you, man. The world is in the toilet. We are literally at the end of days here, and he's off somewhere drinking booze out of a coconut! All right?"

"Enough." Castiel says. "This is not a theological issue. It's strategic. With God's help, we can win!"

"It's a pipe dream, Cass." Dean comments.

"I killed two angels this week." Castiel says lowly as he approaches Dean. "My brothers. I'm hunted. I rebelled. And I did it-- all of it-- for you. And you failed." Castiel says to Dean. "You, your brother, and the failed second coming destroyed the world. And I lost everything-- for nothing. So keep your opinions to yourself."

"You didn't drop in just to tear us a new hole." Bobby mentions. "What is it you want?"

"I did come for something." Castiel says. "An amulet."

"An amulet?" I echo. "What kind?"

"Very rare, very powerful." Castiel explains. "It burns hot in God's presence. It'll help me find him."

"God EMF?" I chuckle.

Castiel nods. "Well, I don't know what you're talking about. I got nothing like that." Bobby shrugs.

"I know you don't." Castiel says as he glances at Dean's necklace.

Dean glances down at it for a moment. "What-- this?"

"May I borrow it?" Castiel asks.

"No." Dean snaps.

"Dean, give it to me." Castiel urges.

Dean glances at me, his brows drawn together in confusion. I shrug. "All right, I guess," Dean huffs and slips it off from his neck. Just as he is about to put it in Castiel's palm, he tugs it back with a firm look on his face. "Don't. Lose it." Castiel nods subtly and takes it. Dean rolled his shoulders and grimaced. "Oh, great. Now I feel naked."

"I'll be in touch." Castiel states.

He disappears with that fluttering noise, leaving us grimacing at his sudden exit. "When you find God, tell him to send legs!" Bobby shouts.

I roll my eyes at him before kissing the top of his head. "How about burgers for lunch?"

Bobby grimaced, but told me his order nonetheless. Just as I grab my bag to leave, Bobby's phone begins to ring. "Hello?" Bobby hums as he answers. "Rufus? I can't hear you. Where are you?" Bobby struggles to listen to his old friend. "Coloro-- Colorado? River Pass, Colorado? Rufus? You there? Ruf-- Rufus?"

Bobby glances down at the phone as the call disconnects. "Rain check?" I hum. Bobby nods and I glance at Sam and Dean to follow.

~*****~

The bridge into River Pass is out-- the whole damn thing is busted right down the middle. Dean peers over the ledge. "This is the only road, in or out." He comments.

"What a coincidence, too--" I murmur as I wave my cell around. "No signal."

"Rufus was right. Demons got this place locked down." Dean hums.

"Looks like we're hiking in." Sam sighs.

I glance down at my heels and grimace. "Great... Well, let me grab my boots." I complain and pop open the trunk of the Impala. "The hits just keep on coming, don't they?" I huff.

The town of River Pass was completely silent. No one was outside, there were no cars driving around. It looked like the whole place was hit by a tornado or something. "Pioneer Day, huh?" I mention as we pass under the large banner.

Dean chuckles before stopping to stare at a sweet looking cherry red mustang. "Damn. Wanna pose naked on this for me?" Dean asks as he bumps his shoulder with mine.

"Dude." Sam scolds.

I rolled my eyes. "Maybe later."

Dean beamed brilliantly as I stride off, shaking my head at him. I approach an overturned car, grimacing at the blood surrounding it when I hear the telltale click of a gun behind me. We whirl around, guns raised, but who I see is surprising. "Ellen?" Sam exclaims.

"Hey, guys," Ellen hums naturally with her gun still trained on us.

She eventually lowers it, and approaches us slowly. "What the hell is going on here, Ellen?" I ask softly. She splashes water into my face. It burns at my nose and I scrunch it up for a moment before spitting out the water that slipped past my lips. "We're us, Ellen." I mention irritably as I wipe my face. Ellen gazes at us for a moment longer before brushing past us and towards the white church on the other side of the street.

The inside of the church is decked with devils traps and salt lines. I carefully step over the one at the entrance, only to be crushed in an embrace. "Real glad to see you three," Ellen says in a strained tone as she hugs me tightly. She pulls away, turns a smile on Dean before cracking him once across the face. "The can a whoopass I oughta open on you." She scolds angrily as I blink and take a step away from them.

"Ow!" Dean complains.

"You can't pick up a phone?" Ellen snaps. "What are you-- allergic for giving me peace of mind? I got to find out that you're alive from Rufus?!"

"Sorry, Ellen--"

"Yeah, you better be!" Ellen retorts. "You better put me on speed dial, kid!"

"Yes ma'am." Dean says softly.

There's a tense silence that I break with a chuckle. "Damn, did I miss you, Ellen," I mention softly. Ellen smiles before trailing down the stairs. "What's going on, Ellen?"

"More than I can handle alone," Ellen explains.

"How many demons are there?" Sam asks.

"Pretty much-- whole town." Ellen sighs. "Minus the dead people and these guys. So... this is it, right?" Ellen asks. "End times?" Sam, Dean, and I glance at each other warily. "It's got to be."

"Seems like it," Sam nods.

Ellen bangs on the door after a moment. "It's me." She announces. There's a scraping noise before the door is opened. There's a crowd of people inside, waiting anxiously. "This is Sam, Dean, and Carlotta." Ellen introduces us. "They're hunters-- here to help."

"You guys hip to this whole demon thing?" One man asks.

"Yeah. Are you?" Dean retorts.

"My wife's eyes turned black. She came at me with a brick." A different man explains from one of the tables. He's dressed in a suit with a shiny gold ring on his finger. "Kind of makes you embrace the paranormal."

"All right," I heave out a sigh. "Catch us up."

"I doubt I know much more than you." Ellen responds. "Rufus called-- said he was in town investigating omens. All of a sudden, the whole town was possessed. Me and Jo were nearby--"

"You're hunting with Jo?" Dean asks.

Ellen nods. "Yeah, for a while now. We got here, and the place-- well, the place was like you see it. Couldn't find Rufus. Then me and Jo got separated. I was out looking when I found you."

"Don't worry, we'll find her." Dean reassures Ellen.

"Either way, these people cannot just sit here." I mention lightly. "We've got to get them out now."

"No, it's not that easy. I've been trying." Ellen explains. "We already made a run for it once."

"What happened?" Sam asks.

"There used to be twenty of us." Ellen sighs.

Dean glances around. "Well, there's four of us now."

"You don't know what it's like out there," Ellen mentions. "Demons are everywhere. We won't be able to cover everybody."

"What if we get everyone guns?" Sam asks.

I swat at his arm. "You're gonna arm up a pregnant woman?"

"It's more salt we can fire at once, more demons we can keep away." Sam explains.

I rub at my forehead. "There's so many things wrong with that, Sam, I can't even--" I trail off.

Dean rubs at my back. "There's a sporting-goods store we passed on main on the way in." Dean mentions. "I bet they got guns."

"All right, you stay. We'll go." Sam says to Ellen.

"What about--" Ellen starts.

"If Jo and Rufus are out there, we'll bring them back." I state.

I close the door behind us as Dean stops Sam. "Why don't Lottie and I just go." Dean suggests.

"What? Alone?" Sam retorts.

"Well, yeah. Somebody's got to stay here and start giving them shotgun 101." Dean comments.

"Yeah, Ellen--" Sam tries.

"No, no, no." Dean says. "It's gonna go a lot faster if you stay and help, okay?"

"While you two go get guns and salt and look for Jo and Rufus?" Sam retorts. "That's stupid."

"What?" I say. "We can handle it. I'm kinda offended you think we can't."

Sam glances between the two of us for a moment before sighing through his nose. "You don't want me going out there." Sam mentions.

"We didn't say that," Dean states.

"Around demons." Sam adds.

"We didn't say that!" Dean says more adamantly.

"Fine. Then lets go." Sam snaps.

I rub at my brow and follow after Sam.