"I'm well aware of how most hunters raise their children Ellen." He ran his fingers of the wood under his fingertips. "But, no, you don't know his pain. You know what it is to loose a spouse, but not one that we tied to your heart." They had done too much to John to allow him to move on. "And him moving them around? It did protect them. Had I thought they would be safer, better suited to our purpose elsewhere, I would have arranged it. And, Sam would have. Azazel and his merry band stalked him, possessed his classmates, teachers, many people. John's sudden running was most often due to a demon getting ahold of Sam. John was just clever enough to recognize it, and track it. None of you could have, not then. And Azazel? He wanted Sam with John. Wanted him to feel like an outcast, he'd have killed you, or Jo, or both. Same as he did Mary, same as he did Jess. One of his demons introduced Sam to Jess, solely so they could kill her later." It was a harsh dose of truth, but one he felt that Ellen needed to hear. "And John? John did in Hell what no one managed to do, and I don't mean just clawing his way out from under Alistair and out of Hell."

"And by the way Ellen - Sam did say yes. Dean nearly did as well, before Sam. We didn't count on Castiel. If it wasn't for him, our plan would have succeeded." And Raphael was not happy about that, hated Castiel for that. Even though he loved his brother.