4.16 On the Head of a Pin

Air Date: 19 Mar 2009

Teaser

EXT. STREET - NIGHT

Car alarms blare. Several cars in various states of smashed to pieces are in the street. Castiel appears and silences the alarms. He walks through the wreckage to the body of a woman. He moves part of her clothing off her neck; she has been stabbed to death.

Castiel: Goodbye, sister.

Police cars arrive. Officers rush into the scene.

Officer: What the hell?

An aerial view of the woman's corpse. A spotlight from a helicopter illuminates the ground on either side, where the image of wings has been seared into the asphalt.

ACT ONE

EXT. ROAD - NIGHT

Sam is driving.

Sam: Ruby will meet us outside Cheyenne. She's been tracking some leads. I know she's not exactly on your Christmas list, but if she can help us get to Lilith-

Dean: Hey, man, work with Ruby, don't. I don't really give a rat's ass.

Sam: What's your problem?

Dean: Pamela didn't want anything to do with this and we dragged her back into it, Sam.

Sam: She knew what was at stake.

Dean: Oh yeah. Saving the world. And we're doing such a damn good job of it.

Sam: Dean-

Dean: I'm tired of burying friends, Sam.

Sam: Look, we catch a fresh trail-

Dean: And we follow it, I know. Like I said, I'm just-I'm just getting tired.

Sam: Well, get angry.

INT. MOTEL ROOM - NIGHT

They enter the room.

Dean: Ah, home crappy home.

Sam flips on the lights.

URIEL

Winchester and Winchester.

URIEL and Castiel are waiting inside the room.

Dean: Oh come on.

URIEL

You are needed.

Dean: Needed? We just got back from needed.

URIEL

Now, you mind your tone with me.

Dean: No, you mind your damn tone with us.

Sam: We just got back from Pamela's funeral.

Dean: Pamela. You know, psychic Pamela? You remember her. Cas, you remember her. You burned her eyes out. Remember that? Good times. Yeah, then she died saving one of your precious seals. So maybe you can stop pushing us around like chess pieces for five freaking minutes!

URIEL

We raised you out of hell for our purposes.

Dean: Yeah, what were those again? What exactly did you want from me?

URIEL

Start with gratitude.

Dean: Oh.

Castiel: Dean, we know this is difficult to understand.

URIEL

And we-

URIEL gives Castiel a significant look.

URIEL

-don't care. Now, seven angels have been murdered, all of them from our garrison. The last one was killed tonight.

Dean: Demons? How they doing it?

URIEL

We don't know.

Sam: I'm sorry, but what do you want us to do about it? I mean, a demon with the juice to ice angels has to be out of our league, right?

URIEL

We can handle the demons, thank you very much.

Castiel: Once we find whoever it is.

Dean: So you need our help hunting a demon?

Castiel: Not quite. We have Alastair.

Dean: Great. He should be able to name your trigger man.

Castiel: But he won't talk. Alastair's will is very strong. We've arrived at an impasse.

Dean: Yeah, well, he's like a black belt in torture. I mean, you guys are out of your league.

URIEL

That's why we've come to his student. You happen to be the most qualified interrogator we've got.

Dean looks down.

Castiel: Dean, you are our best hope.

Dean: No. No way. You can't ask me to do this, Cas. Not this.

URIEL walks up to Dean.

URIEL

Who said anything about asking?

Sam looks around. The room is empty.

Sam: Damn it!

INT. BUILDING - NIGHT

ALASTAIR is visible through a window in a door, chained to a hexacle standing in the middle of a devil's trap.

Castiel: This devil's trap is old Enochian. He's bound completely.

Dean: Fascinating.

Dean turns away from the door.

Dean: Where's the door?

Castiel: Where are you going?

Dean: Hitch back to Cheyenne, thank you very much.

Dean walks past URIEL, then stops: URIEL is blocking his path.

URIEL

Angels are dying, boy.

Dean: Everybody's dying these days. And hey, I get it. You're all-powerful. You can make me do whatever you want. But you can't make me do this.

Castiel: This is too much to ask, [i]I[i]know. But we have to ask it.

Dean watches Castiel for a moment, then turns back to URIEL.

Dean: I want to talk to Cas alone.

URIEL

I think I'll go seek revelation. We might have some further orders.

Dean: Well, get some donuts while you're out.

URIEL laughs.

URIEL

Ah, this one just won't quit, will he? I think I'm starting to like you, boy.

Dean watches URIEL vanish.

Dean: You guys don't walk enough. You're gonna get flabby.

Castiel doesn't react.

Dean: You know, I'm starting to think junkless has a better sense of humor than you do.

Castiel: Uriel's the funniest angel in the garrison. Ask anyone.

Dean walks up to Castiel.

Dean: What's going on, Cas? Since when does Uriel put a leash on you?

Castiel: My superiors have begun to question my sympathies.

Dean: Your sympathies?

Castiel: I was getting too close to the humans in my charge. You. They feel I've begun to express emotions. The doorways to doubt. This can impair my judgment.

Dean: Well, tell Uriel, or whoever...you do not want me doing this, trust me.

Castiel: Want it, no. But I have been told we need it.

Dean: You ask me to open that door and walk through it, you will not like what walks back out.

Castiel: For what it's worth, I would give anything not to have you do this.

Dean closes his eyes.

INT. ROOM - NIGHT

Dean wheels a loaded cart covered with a cloth into the room where ALASTAIR is imprisoned. ALASTAIR watches Dean enter, grins, and starts to sing, moving within the chains almost as though he is dancing.

ALASTAIR

Heaven, I'm in heaven, and my heart beats so that I can hardly speak. I seem to find the happiness I seek, when we're out together dancing cheek to cheek...

Dean pulls the cloth off the cart, revealing an assortment of torture implements. ALASTAIR laughs. Dean ignores him.

ALASTAIR

I'm sorry. This is a very serious, very emotional situation for you. I shouldn't laugh, it's just that-I mean, are they serious? They sent you to torture me?

Dean: You got one chance. One. Tell me who's killing the angels. I want a name.

ALASTAIR

You think I'll see all your scary toys and spill my guts?

Dean: Oh, you'll spill your guts, one way or another. I just didn't wanna ruin my shoes.

ALASTAIR

Oh, yeah.

Dean: Now answer the question.

ALASTAIR

Or what? You'll work me over? But then, maybe you don't want to. Maybe you're, ah, scared to.

Dean: I'm here, aren't I?

ALASTAIR

Not entirely. You left part of yourself back in the Pit. Let's see if we can get the two of you back together again, shall we?

Dean: You're gonna be disappointed.

Dean walks over to the cart.

ALASTAIR

You have not disappointed me so far. Come on. You gotta want a little payback for everything I did to you. For all the pokes and prods. Hm?

Dean is impassive.

ALASTAIR

No? Um...how about for all the things I did to your daddy?

Dean's head comes up.

INT. MOTEL ROOM - NIGHT

Sam opens the door for Ruby.

Ruby: I can still smell them. Seriously, Sam, I'm not exactly dying to tangle with angels again.

Sam: I need you to find out where they took Dean.

Ruby: Not sure I see the problem. You know they have Alastair strung up six ways from Sunday. Dean cuts himself a slice, Al's reduced to a quivering heap, and the good guys get the goods. What's wrong with that?

Sam: He can't do it.

Ruby: Look, I get it. You don't want him going all torture master again.

Sam: No. I mean, he can't do it. He can't get the job done. Something happened to him downstairs, Ruby. He's not what he used to be. He's not strong enough.

Ruby: And you are?

Sam: I will be.

INT. PRISON ROOM - NIGHT

ALASTAIR

I had your pop on my rack for close to a century.

Dean: You can't stall forever.

ALASTAIR

John Winchester. Made a good name for himself. A hundred years. After each session, I'd make him the Same offer I made you. I'd put down my blade if he picked one up.

Dean: Just give me the demon's name, Alastair.

ALASTAIR

But he said nein each and every time. Oh, damned if I couldn't break him.

Dean takes off his leather jacket.

ALASTAIR

Pulled out all the stops, but John, he was, well, made of something unique. The stuff of heroes. And then came Dean. Dean Winchester. I thought I was up against it again.

Dean drinks from a bottle of something probably alcoholic.

ALASTAIR

But daddy's little girl, he broke. He broke in thirty. Oh, just not the man your daddy wanted you to be, huh, Dean?

Dean puts down the bottle.

ALASTAIR

Now.

Dean picks up a jigger and fills it from a large bottle of water that has a rosary in it.

ALASTAIR

Now we're getting somewhere. Holy water? Come on. Grasshopper, you're gonna have to get creative to impress me.

Dean looks up finally.

Dean: You know something, Alastair? I could still dream. Even in hell. And over and over and over, you know what I dreamt? I dreamt of this moment.

ALASTAIR begins to look nervous. Dean picks up a needle.

Dean: And believe me, I got a few ideas.

Dean fills the needle from the jigger, sprays a little water from it, and goes over to ALASTAIR.

Dean: Let's get started.

INT. NEXT ROOM - NIGHT

Castiel hears ALASTAIR screaming.

ACT TWO

INT. PRISON ROOM - NIGHT

ALASTAIR

Oh, man. Ooh.

Dean puts the needle back on the cart with his other tools.

Dean: Let me know if you want some more. There's plenty left.

ALASTAIR

Go directly to hell. Do not pass go, do not collect two hundred dollars.

Dean smiles.

INT. MOTEL ROOM - NIGHT

Ruby chants, holding a lit candle to the corner of a map. Sam watches the fire spread around the edges.

Ruby: Relax. The fire is our friend. Besides, the only part of the map we need is the 'where's Dean?' part. Out.

The flames vanish. The map is charred to unreadability; a small circle in the middle is untouched.

Ruby: There. Your brother's there. It's a good thing angels aren't concerned with hiding their dirty business. Not used to being spied on. I mean, who'd be stupid enough to try?

Sam: Ruby, it's been weeks. I need it.

Ruby: You don't seem too happy about it.

Sam: You think I wanna do this? This is the last thing I-

Sam sits on the bed.

Sam: But I need to be strong enough.

Ruby straddles Sam's lap.

Ruby: It's okay. It's okay, Sammy. You can have it.

Ruby kisses Sam. She pulls a knife from an ankle sheath and cuts her arm, drawing blood. Sam drinks it straight from the vein. Ruby strokes his hair.

Ruby: It's okay, Sam.

Ruby smirks.

INT. PRISON ROOM - NIGHT

Dean holds up Ruby's knife. ALASTAIR looks at it and laughs.

ALASTAIR

There's that little pig-poker. I wondered where it went.

Dean dips a ladle into a bowl of what is presumably holy water and pours it over the blade.

ALASTAIR

Do you really think this is gonna fix you? Give you closure? That is sad. That's really sad. Sad, sad.

Dean approaches ALASTAIR, watches for a moment, and stabs him. A sizzling sound.

ALASTAIR

I carved you into a new animal, Dean. There is no going back.

Dean: Maybe you're right. But now it's my turn to carve.

ALASTAIR

No!

The view pans to a faucet that is turned by an unseen hand. It begins to drip, right onto the chalk of the devil's trap on the floor.

INT. NEXT ROOM - NIGHT

Castiel listens to ALASTAIR's groans. The light flickers, catching Castiel's attention; the bulb explodes. Anna appears behind Castiel.

Castiel: Anna.

Anna: Hello, Castiel.

Castiel turns to look at her.

Castiel: Your human body-

Anna: It was desTroyed, I know. But I guess I'm sentimental. Called in some old favors and...

ALASTAIR becomes slightly more audible.

Castiel: You shouldn't be here. We still have orders to kill you.

Anna: Somehow I don't think you'll try. Where's Uriel?

Castiel: He went to receive revelation.

Anna: Right.

INT. PRISON ROOM - NIGHT

Dean pulls the knife out of ALASTAIR, whose head falls forward. Dean tilts it back up, ignoring the blood. ALASTAIR laughs.

ALASTAIR

Now it's your professionalism that I respect.

Dean turns away, disgusted. ALASTAIR spits blood.

INT. NEXT ROOM - NIGHT

Anna: Why are you letting Dean do this?

Castiel: He's doing God's work.

Anna: Torturing? That's God's work? Stop him, Cas, please. Before you ruin the one real weapon you have.

Castiel: Who are we to question the will of God?

Anna: Unless this isn't his will.

Castiel: Then where do the orders come from?

Anna: I don't know. One of our superiors, maybe, but not him.

INT. PRISON ROOM - NIGHT

Dean splashes ALASTAIR in the face with holy water; it steams and sizzles. ALASTAIR gargles.

Dean: Who's murdering the angels?

ALASTAIR chokes.

INT. NEXT ROOM - NIGHT

Anna: The father you love. You think he wants this? You think he'd ask this of you? You think this is righteous?

Castiel can't meet her eyes.

Anna: What you're feeling? It's called doubt.

INT. PRISON ROOM - NIGHT

ALASTAIR screams and chokes. Dean pours out more holy water, splashes ALASTAIR in the face, and watches him sizzle.

INT. NEXT ROOM - NIGHT

Anna touches Castiel's hand.

Anna: These orders are wrong and you know it. But you can do the right thing. You're afraid, Cas. I was too. But together, we can still-

Castiel: Together?

Castiel yanks his hand away.

Castiel: I am nothing like you. You fell. Go.

Anna: Cas.

Castiel: Go.

Anna vanishes. Castiel listens to ALASTAIR scream.

INT. PRISON ROOM - NIGHT

ALASTAIR spits out blood and holy water.

ALASTAIR

You're just not getting deep enough. Well, you lack the resources. Reality is just, I don't know, too concrete up here. Honestly, Dean...

Dean pours salt into another container.

ALASTAIR

You have no idea how bad it really was, and what you really did for us.

Dean, whispering

Shut up.

ALASTAIR

The whole bloody thing, Dean. The reason Lilith wanted you there in the first place.

Dean: Well, then I'll just make you shut up.

Dean grabs ALASTAIR's chin.

ALASTAIR

Lilith really-

Dean pours salt into ALASTAIR's mouth. ALASTAIR tries to scream.

EXT. ROAD - NIGHT

INT. PRISON ROOM - NIGHT

ALASTAIR spits out blood and tries to breathe.

ALASTAIR

Something caught in my throat. I think it's my throat.

Dean: Well, strap in, 'cause I'm just starting to have fun.

Dean goes back to his cart.

ALASTAIR

You know, it was supposed to be your father.

Dean pours out more holy water.

ALASTAIR

He was supposed to bring it on. But, in the end, it was you.

Dean: Bring what on?

ALASTAIR

Oh, every night, the Same offer, remember? Same as your father.

Dean shakes salt onto the blade of Ruby's knife.

ALASTAIR

And finally you said, "Sign me up." Oh, the first time you picked up my razor, the first time you sliced into that weeping bitch...

Dean turns to face ALASTAIR.

ALASTAIR

That was the first seal.

Dean does not visibly react. He walks closer.

Dean: You're lying.

ALASTAIR

And it is written that the first seal shall be broken when a righteous man sheds blood in hell. As he breaks, so shall it break.

Dean turns away.

ALASTAIR

We had to break the first seal before any others. Only way to get the dominoes to fall, right? Topple the one at the front of the line.

Now that Dean is not facing ALASTAIR, his shock is visible on his face.

ALASTAIR

When we win, when we bring on the apocalypse and burn this earth down, we'll owe it all to you, Dean Winchester.

Dean closes his eyes, trying not to react.

ALASTAIR

Believe me, son, I wouldn't lie about this. It's kind of a religious sort of thing with me.

ALASTAIR notices the dripping faucet and the broken edge of the devil's trap.

Dean: No. I don't think you are lying. But even if the demons do win...

Dean looks at Ruby's knife.

Dean: You won't be there to see it.

Dean turns around. ALASTAIR is right behind him, out of the chains.

ALASTAIR

You should talk to your plumber about the pipes.

ALASTAIR punches Dean, who goes down. ALASTAIR grins.

ACT THREE

INT. PRISON ROOM - NIGHT

Dean is covered in blood. ALASTAIR holds him by his shirt collar and punches him repeatedly, then drops him and picks him up by the throat and shoves him up against the hexacle, lifting his feet off the floor.

ALASTAIR

You got a lot to learn, boy. So I'll see you back in class bright and early Monday morning.

ALASTAIR turns around. Castiel is behind him with Ruby's knife. ALASTAIR drops Dean, who doesn't move, to focus on Castiel, who stabs him in the heart. The injury sparks gold light, but not as much as when it kills.

ALASTAIR

Well, almost. Looks like God is on my side today.

Castiel lifts a hand. The knife twists itself. ALASTAIR grunts in pain and pulls out the knife, then tosses it away and charges Castiel. They fight. ALASTAIR slams Castiel against the wall, choking him.

ALASTAIR

Well, like roaches, you celestials. Now, I really wish I knew how to kill you. But all I can do is send you back to heaven.

ALASTAIR chants in Latin. Blue light appears in Castiel's eyes and mouth. ALASTAIR stops abruptly, choking, and is slammed against the wall. Sam has arrived, one hand raised. Castiel slumps to the ground.

ALASTAIR

Stupid pet tricks.

Sam: Who's murdering the angels? How are they doing it?

ALASTAIR

You think I'm gonna tell you?

Sam: Yeah, I do.

Sam twists his hand. ALASTAIR's eyes roll white and he chokes.

Sam: How are the demons killing angels?

ALASTAIR

I don't know.

Sam: Right.

ALASTAIR

It's not us. We're not doing it.

Sam: I don't believe you.

ALASTAIR

Lilith is not behind this. She wouldn't kill seven angels. Oh, she'd kill a hundred, a thousand.

Sam stops.

ALASTAIR

Oh, go ahead. Send me back, if you can.

Sam: I'm stronger than that now. Now I can kill.

Sam holds out his hand. Gold light flares inside ALASTAIR as he screams. ALASTAIR's host collapses, dead.

INT. HOSPITAL - DAY

Dean is in bed, heavily bandaged with a breathing tube and an IV drip. Sam sits next to him. Castiel appears at the doorway, pauses, and continues down the hallway. Sam follows him out of the room.

Castiel: Sam-

Sam: Get in there and heal him. Miracle. Now.

Castiel: I can't.

Sam: You and Uriel put him in there-

Castiel: No.

Sam: -because you can't keep a simple devil's trap together.

Castiel: I don't know what happened. That trap...it shouldn't have broken. I am sorry.

Sam: This whole thing was pointless. You understand that? The demons aren't doing the hits. Something else is killing your soldiers.

Castiel: Perhaps Alastair was lying.

Sam: No, he wasn't.

Sam goes back to Dean. Castiel looks as though he has been slugged in the face.

EXT. SNOWY PARK - DAY

URIEL sits on a bench, eyes closed. Castiel appears.

URIEL

Castiel, I received revelation from our superiors. Our brothers and sisters are dying and they...they want us to stop hunting the demon responsible.

Castiel sits next to URIEL.

URIEL

Something is wrong up there. I mean, can you feel it?

Castiel: The murders. Maybe they aren't demonic. Sam Winchester said the demons had nothing to do with it.

URIEL

If not the demons, what could it be?

Castiel: The will of heaven. We are failing, Uriel. We are losing the war. Perhaps the garrison is being punished.

URIEL

You think our father would-

Castiel: I think maybe our father isn't giving the orders anymore. Maybe there is something wrong.

URIEL stands up.

URIEL

Well, I won't wait to be gutted.

URIEL vanishes.

EXT. SNOWY STREET - NIGHT

Castiel: Anna. Anna, please.

The streetlight above Castiel flickers. He looks up, then turns around.

Anna: Decided to kill me after all?

Castiel: I'm alone.

Anna: What do you want from me, Castiel?

Castiel: I'm considering disobedience.

Anna nods.

Anna: Good.

Castiel: No, it isn't. For the first time, I feel...

Anna: It gets worse. Choosing your own course of action is confusing, terrifying.

Anna puts her hand on Castiel's shoulder. He looks at it; she drops it.

Anna: That's right. You're too good for my help. I'm just trash. A walking blasphemy.

Anna turns to walk away.

Castiel: Anna.

Anna stops.

Castiel: I don't know what to do. Please tell me what to do.

Anna turns back.

Anna: Like the old days? No. I'm sorry. It's time to think for yourself.

Anna vanishes.

INT. PRISON ROOM - DAY

Castiel examines the devil's trap. He notices the dripping faucet and shuts it off without touching it.

URIEL

You called?

URIEL enters.

URIEL

What do you say, Castiel? Will you join me? Will you fight with me?

Castiel: Strange. Strange how a leaky pipe can undo the work of angels when we ourselves are supposed to be the agents of fate.

URIEL

Alastair was much more powerful than we had imagined.

Castiel: No. No demon can overpower that trap. I made it myself. We've been friends for a long time, Uriel. Fought by each other's sides, served together away from home, for what seems like forever. We're brothers, Uriel. Pay me that respect. Tell me the truth.

URIEL

The truth is, the only thing that can kill an angel...

A sword slides out of URIEL's sleeve into his grasp.

URIEL

...is another angel.

ACT FOUR

Castiel: You.

URIEL

I'm afraid so.

Castiel: And you broke the devil's trap, set Alastair on Dean.

URIEL

Alastair should never have been taken alive. Really inconvenient, Cas. Yes, I did turn the screw a little. Alastair should have killed Dean and escaped, and you should have gone on happily scapegoating the demons.

Castiel: For the murders of our kin?

URIEL

Not murders, Castiel. No. My work is conversion. How long have we waited here? How long have we played this game by rules that make no sense?

Castiel: It is our father's world, Uriel.

URIEL

Our father? He stopped being that, if he ever was, the moment he created them. Humanity, his favorites. This whining, puking larva.

Castiel: Are you trying to convert me?

URIEL

I wanted you to join me. And I still do. With you, we can be powerful enough to-

Castiel: To...

URIEL

To raise our brother.

Castiel: Lucifer.

URIEL

You do remember him? How strong he was? How beautiful? And he didn't bow to humanity. He was punished for defending us. Now, if you want to believe in something, Cas, believe in him.

Castiel: Lucifer is not God.

URIEL

God isn't God anymore. He doesn't care what we do. I am proof of that.

Castiel: But this? What were you gonna do, Uriel? Were you gonna kill the whole garrison?

URIEL

I only killed the ones who said no. Others have joined me, Cas. Now, please, brother, don't fight me. Help me. Help me spread the word. Help me bring on the apocalypse. All you have to do is be unafraid.

Castiel: For the first time in a long time, I am.

URIEL smiles. Castiel punches him through the wall several feet away. URIEL gets up. They fight. URIEL clobbers Castiel with a metal bar; Castiel goes down.

Castiel: You can't win, Uriel. I still serve God.

URIEL

You haven't even met the man. There is no will. No wrath. No God.

Between each phrase, URIEL punches Castiel. The last time, he raises his fist and is stabbed through the neck from behind.

Anna: Maybe. Or maybe not. But there's still me.

Anna pulls out URIEL's sword. URIEL collapses. Anna goes over to Castiel. URIEL screams as white light flares in his eyes and mouth. The light explodes out of him and out of the building. Castiel stands up and looks down at URIEL's corpse. His wings are seared into the floor across the devil's trap.

ACT FIVE

INT. HOSPITAL - DAY

Dean is still in bed, though the breathing tube is gone. Castiel sits next to him.

Castiel: Are you all right?

Dean: No thanks to you.

Castiel: You need to be more careful.

Dean: You need to learn how to manage a damn devil's trap.

Castiel: That's not what I mean. Uriel is dead.

Dean: Was it the demons?

Castiel: It was disobedience. He was working against us.

Dean: Is it true? Did I break the first seal? Did I start all this?

Castiel: Yes. When we discovered Lilith's plan for you, we laid siege to hell and we fought our way to get to you before you-

Dean: Jump-started the apocalypse.

Castiel: And we were too late.

Dean: Why didn't you just leave me there, then?

Castiel: It's not blame that falls on you, Dean, it's fate. The righteous man who begins it is the only one who can finish it. You have to stop it.

Dean: Lucifer? The apocalypse? What does that mean? Hey! Don't you go disappearing on me, you son of a bitch. What does that mean!

Castiel: I don't know.

Dean: Bull.

Castiel: I don't. Dean, they don't tell me much. I know our fate rests with you.

Dean: Well, then you guys are screwed. I can't do it, Cas. It's too big. Alastair was right. I'm not all here. I'm not-I'm not strong enough. Well, I guess I'm not the man either of our dads wanted me to be. Find someone else. It's not me.

Dean begins to cry.