At a cabin in the woods, Sam and Dean fight two werewolves. One of them grabs a gun and shoots Sam in the chest before Dean can kill him.
48 Hours Earlier
At the bunker, the Winchesters are doing research when Sam turns up a report of five missing hikers. One recently turned up dead, his heart torn out, and the brothers figure that werewolves were involved. Dean figures that they make a call and put another hunter on it. Sam considers and then says that they'll get Castiel back even if he doesn't know how. He tells Dean that they have to get out and clear their heads.
Now
Sam bleeds out and the two people--Corbin and his wife Michelle--handcuffed to the rafters look at him. Dean goes to his brother with a first aid kit and tells the prisoners to hold tight. He cuts the bullet out and Corbin points out that Michelle isn't doing well. Dean gets the key to their handcuffs and frees them, while Sam applies pressure to the wound. Michelle says that their captors could change at any time, and Dean explains that they were purebloods. He checks on Sam and confirms that there's no landline in the cabin. There's no cell phone signal, and Dean heads back to the Impala where they last got a clear signal. Meanwhile, Corbin tends to Michelle's infected wounds and assures her that he's fine despite the scratches he saw. He wants to go with Dean, saying that there are others out there, but Dean says that they have to stay and watches over Sam. However, Sam insists on going and they all head out.
Earlier
Sam and Dean talk to a local bar owner, Rose. She doesn't remember any of the hikers stopping by. They figure that they've hit a dead-end, and Rose suggests that they check out one of the easement cabins in the nearby park. Campers stumble on them and hole up for weeks, and the owners rarely check them out. Rose gives them directions and the brothers head out as a man watches them go.
Now
The group heads through the woods and Sam pauses, clutching at his stomach. Corbin finds a ranger cabin and they go inside. The phone is dead and there's no radio, but Dean finds some lanterns. Corbin talks to Dean privately and says that they have to get Michelle out because she has a chance. He points out that Sam is slowing them down, and Dean angrily shoves him. Sam hears them talking and agrees with Corbin, but Dean refuses to abandon his brother and goes out to get some wood for a litter.
Rose and the man from the bar go to the werewolves' cabin and find the two dead man. The woman complains that she served up the Winchesters but they failed, and figures that they'll clean up the mess and go.
Dean tries to put together a litter.
Sam tells Corbin and Michelle to leave him. Corbin figures that Dean won't leave without Sam, and they won't survive on their own. He then grabs Sam' and starts choking him.
Dean sees a truck in the woods and figures that it's the other werewolves. He puts out his flashlight and heads back to the station.
Sam sees the bite mark on Corbin's arm and struggles to pry off his hands. He fails and dies. Michelle wakes up and realizes that Sam is dead. Dean returns and goes to his brother, and confirms that he's dead. Corbin says that Sam just went, and they hear a truck pulling up outside. Dean draws a knife and prepares to kill them, and Corbin warns that they'll die if Dean stays and fights. He insists that Sam is gone, and begs Dean for help. Dean looks at the couple for a moment and then promises Sam's corpse that he'll come back for him. He then tells the couple that they're going. As they head into the woods, Rose spots them.
Earlier
Sam and Dean head for the cabin, and Sam wants to enjoy the experience.Dean isn't impressed with the wilderness and they head out.
Now
The next morning, Dean leads the couple to the car and tries to get a signal. Corbin tells Michelle that he saved them and he did what he had to do. They get to the road and Dean waves down a park ranger. The ranger, Ben, wants answers but Dean says that he has to head back and get his brother's body. When Ben refuses to let him go, dean punches him and tries to walk away. However, Ben tasers him from behind.
Later, Dean wakes up at the hospital and Dr. Kessler tells him to take it easy. She figures that he has a concussion and tells Dean to get some rest. Michelle is in the next room, and Corbin tells Ben that Sam just died and Dean claimed that their captors were werewolves. His wife insists that they were werewolves, and reminds Corbin that Sam and Dean saved them. Ben talks to Corbin privately and says that he'll have some rangers check the cabin and the station.
Once Ben leaves, Corbin tells Michelle that they made it. She turns away from her husband. Dr. Kessler comes in and insists on checking Corbin. He tries to refuse but Kessler insist and has him sit down on the next bed. She finds the bite marks on his arm and asks how Corbin feels, and he says that he feels good.
Ben calls the other ranger, Charlie, but gets no answer. Charlie is in his truck, dead, torn to pieces.
Dean is trying to get out of bed when Michelle comes in. She apologizes for what happened and assures Dean that death isn't the end. He listens and gets an idea, and goes to a supply room. Michelle follows him and wonders what he's doing, and Dean explains that he needs to talk to someone. He warns Michelle that there are other monsters in the world besides werewolves, and says that he can make contact by dying. Dean says that he'll understand if Michelle wants to leave, but asks her to help him find any barbital if she's going to stay.
Sam wakes up, gasping for breath.
Dean finds the pills and tells Michelle to get Kessler once he takes them and have her bring him back if she can. Michelle says that Dean doesn't have to do it, but he says that he does and takes the pills.
Sam pulls himself up and calls to Dean, and the pain drives him to his knees. He hears a truck outside and crawls to the window. Outside, Rose and the other werewolf get out and Rose sends the werewolf around the house to check things out.
Dean finally collapses.
Sam tries to get to the station basement and collapses.
Michelle goes to get Kessler.
Sam clutches at his wound and realizes that he's dying.
Michelle tells Kessler what Dean took, and does what she can to revive him.
Corbin goes to the restroom and looks at himself in the mirror. His wounds heal as he looks at them, and he starts to change into a werewolf.
The werewolf smashes down the station door and looks around. Downstairs, Sam hears him and tries to stay silent. The werewolf picks up the scent of blood and goes to the basement door.
In spirit form, Dean watches as Ben arrives and tries to help Kessler. Everything freezes and Billie the Reaper appears. She says that she's savoring the occasion and never took Dean for the suicidal type, and wonders what he wants. Dean says that he needs Sam back, and Billie refuses to make a deal. He says that Sam is the only who can stop Amara, and she'll destroy everything including Billie. Billie figures that Sam doesn't have any way to destroy Amara, and tells Dean that he's saving Sam because he can't lose him. The Reaper says that even if Sam could win, the answer will always be "no" and there's no more second chances. Dean begs her to bring Sam back and take him, but Billie refuses to bargain... and tells him that Sam isn't dead. She restarts time and says that Dean will soon be dead as well. Billie tells Dean that it's time and offers her hand. Dean revives and Billie--unseen--walks away.
The werewolf goes down the stairs and finds Sam's blood, and searches for him. He yanks asides some shelves and Rose, searching above, hears him. Meanwhile, Sam comes up behind his stalker and stabs him. Rose comes down and Sam kills her as well and then staggers upstairs.
Kessler helps Dean up and he says that Sam is alive. Ben refuses to give him a car and arrests him for trying to kill himself. He orders Kessler to sedate Dean but she refuses. As he talks to her privately in the hallway, Dean looks at Michelle and she starts cutting him free. Meanwhile, Kessler says that Dean could die if she gives him more drugs. Ben reluctantly agrees to have her keep an eye on Dean while he gets backup.
Sam drives Rose's truck to the Impala and calls Dean. Dean is leaving the hospital when Sam's call comes in. Sam asks if Corbin is with him but loses the signal before he can explain. He gets in the car and drives to the hospital.
Kessler hears someone screaming from Corbin's room and goes to investigate. Corbin opens the door and she sees his taloned hand, and he says that he's okay. Down the hall, Michelle hears Kessler screams and sees her body on the floor. Ben arrives and Corbin rams his hand through the ranger's chest. Michelle stares at her husband in horror, and Corbin insists that he didn't want any of it. He tells her that they'll be together forever and advances on his wife... and Dean tackles him. He tells Michelle to run, and Corbin shoves him off. Corbin chokes Dean and Sam arrives, and shoots the werewolf dead before collapsing.
Later, Dean sits with Michelle and tells her that the doctors confirmed that Sam's body went into shock when Corbin choked him. However, he'll be okay. Michelle says that it must be nice and insists that Corbin wasn't a killer. Dean tells her that she'll be okay, and eventually she'll get back to normal. Michelle says that she won't and wonders where she's supposed to go. She watched the man that she loves died, and figures that there's no normal after that.
Later, Dean and Sam leave the hospital. Dean figures that Michelle is strong and she'll survive, and Sam says that he'll be back to normal after a couple of day's bed rest. He asks Dean what he did when he thought he was dead, and Dean only says that he knew Sam wasn't dead. With that, they drive off.
Written by Gadfly on Mar 31, 2016