April 14th, 2006

Hilton Nashville Downtown Hotel

Nashville, Tennessee

Charlie Warren

Charlie jerked awake at the sound of the shrill ringing of her phone. A groan left her as detangled herself from the sheets and reached for the nightstand, pausing to glance at the alarm clock before answering the offending object.

"I hope you know this is going to cost you extra," she greeted, managing to put some warmth in her voice.

Dean chuckled at that. "I was hoping that I could get the friends and family discount," he told her.

She let out a snort. "Oh, honey, my friends and family don't have this number," she teased, pushing herself up to sit against the headboard. "So what can I do for you at three in the morning?"

He let out a groan. "It's three?" he asked. "Shit, I'm sorry, Charlie, I didn't even-"

"I'm already awake, Dean, there's no point in apologizing," she interrupted. "What did you want to talk about?"

"Who said I wanted to talk about something?"

"If you were going to ask me about a hunt you wouldn't have tried to apologize about the time," she pointed out. "Now, what do you want to talk about?"

He was quiet for a moment before letting out a long sigh. "I really don't know why I called you," he admitted. "I just…."

"Wanted someone other than your brother to talk to?" she suggested.

"Let's go with that," he agreed. "So what's happened since the last time I saw you?"

She pulled in a deep breath as she thought that through. "Well, Courtney and I have made great leeway in our study of the destructive patterns of Poltergeists," she answered. "We've taken out three of the nasty bastards and each and every one of them fucked up some poor family's kitchen. We still can't figure out why they do it but they do it."

He laughed at that. "I can't believe you're actually studying the damn things," he said.

She laughed with him. "They're actually fascinating creatures," she told him. "You know, when they're not trying to kill you."

"Charlie, they're always trying to kill us," he reminded her.

"I guess I've just gotten used to it," she said.

"Yeah, like that isn't fucked up."

Charlie laughed at that. "Yeah, well, if something isn't trying to kill you then you're not doing your job right," she stated.

"Ain't that the truth?" he agreed with a soft chuckle. "Hey, uh, can I ask you a kind of personal question?"

She thought about that for a moment before letting out a sigh. "What's a personal question between acquaintances?"

"How did you and Courtney get into hunting?"

She hadn't expected that question. "Born into it," she answered. "Like we told you, we're third generation Exorcists."

"Yeah, but did you have a choice?"

She frowned at that. "What do you mean?"

"Did you ever get the choice of having a normal life?"

She hesitated at that.

"Charlie?"

"I've never really thought about it before," she admitted, slumping further back against the headboard. "Uh, being a Warren means that Hunting is normal but, uh, Courtney and I kind of forced our way in."

"What do you mean?"

"Our mom died when I was eight and Courtney was four," she answered. "Dad left us with a family friend because he didn't want us to be involved but we couldn't let it go. We studied, learned everything we could and five years later we told him that he couldn't stop us from helping. He knew we were right and from then on we were hunting."

He was quiet for a moment. "So you never wanted a normal life?"

"I would be lying if I said I've never thought about it," she told him. "Every Hunter thinks about it at least once. Haven't you?"

"More times than I care to admit," he answered, the sound of a beer being uncapped following.

She pursed her lips at that. "Why did you really call me at three in the morning, Dean?"

He didn't respond.

"Did something happen?" she pressed.

"Nothing you wanna hear about," he finally answered.

"Dean, you wouldn't have called me if you didn't want to talk."

He let out a frustrated sigh. "Have you heard of the Roosevelt Asylum?"

"Yeah, in Rockford, Illinois," she answered. "Dr. Elllicot experimented on his patients, they ended up killing him, right?"

"Yeah, well, people were going in sane and coming back out homicidal," he told her. "We got trapped in the building with these idiot kids and Sammy and me got separated."

She listened to him gulp down his beer. "What happened to Sam?"

"Dr. Ellicot was frying peoples brains, hardwiring them to attack their families. Sam, he, uh, he came after me."

"Are you okay?" she found herself asking.

He let out a humorless laugh. "That depends on your definition of 'okay'."

"Are you physically injured?" she rephrased.

"Nothing you need to worry about, sweetheart," he assured her.

"Okay," she allowed, "but I have a feeling that your brother going after you wouldn't bother you this much."

He sighed again. "It's stupid."

She rolled her eyes. "Obviously it's not if it has you calling me at three in the morning," she pointed out.

"Charlie-"

"Just tell me, Dean," she interrupted, finding her patience dwindling.

"He said some things about me not having a mind of my own and how we're not any closer to finding Dad then we were six months ago. He said that he was sick of me telling him what to do," he rushed out. "So I gave him one of my guns and told him that if he hated me so much then he should pull the trigger."

Charlie's eyes slipped closed as she let her head drop back against the wall. "Please tell me it wasn't loaded."

"I'm not an idiot, Charlie," he chastised.

"You're right, I'm sorry," she apologized, "but he did pull the trigger."

The sound of another beer opening sounded. "Yeah, he pulled it."

She sighed and shook her head. "You know he wasn't himself, right?" she questioned. "That it wasn't Sam?"

"Only problem is that it was Sam," he argued. "Because no matter what that son of a bitch did to him it was still his thoughts. It was still my brother."

"Dean, you just said that he had his head hardwired," she reminded him. "Do you honestly think that if it had been you you wouldn't have said things like that?" she challenged.

"I've never-"

"Had a harmful thought about your brother?" she asked with a laugh. "I find that hard to believe."

He was quiet for a moment. "I don't blame him. I can't. He's right."

"Right about what?"

"Everything," he answered.

"No he's not," she argued. "Dean, you have a mind of your own and you not finding your dad is because he doesn't want to be found," she told him, "and maybe he is sick of you telling him what to do but he's his own person, he can argue with you, give his opinion. That's his own fault, not yours."

"It's not that simple, Charlie," he told her with a sigh. "It's just….not."

She knew that he was right, that every sibling dynamic was different. She knew how Courtney and she would handle it but she didn't know the Winchesters well enough to gauge it. "What are you going to do?"

"What we always do," he said, "act like it didn't happen."

"Well that's not healthy," she mused.

He scoffed. "What are you talking about? We're the poster children of health."

She couldn't help but smile at that. "I wouldn't really call you children," she told him. "More like those Abercrombie and Fitch models that are all too happy to strip for the sake of retail sales. Maybe that's what you and Sam could do instead of Hunting," she suggested. "I hear that they get better tips than pole dancers."

"Well shit," he laughed out. "I'm quitting my day job."

"I'm right there with you," she stated.

He sobered after a moment and let out another sigh. "I'm sorry about calling so late," he apologized again.

"Buy me a drink the next time we see each other and we'll call it even," she told him.

"You got yourself a deal, sweetheart."

She beamed at that and nodded despite him not being able to see it. "Finish up that beer and get some sleep, okay, Winchester?" she requested.

"Will do, Warren," he complied. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight."

The Mustang

Just outside Harrisburg, Pennsylvania

Courtney + Charlie Warren

The roar of the Camaro nearly drowned out of the music blasting from the stereo as it cruised down the Pennsylvania road. Charlie was laid out in the passenger's seat with the window rolled down while Courtney gripped the wheel with a smirk, her hair flying wild in the night air. They had been on the road for little over ten hours and they had five more ahead of them but neither of the women were complaining.

Credence Clear Water Revival's Green River had just started to play when Charlie's cellphone interrupted the peace.

She grumbled as she pulled it out of her pocket, a small smile pulling at her lips when she saw the caller ID. "Well it's been forever and an age since I last talked to you," she greeted.

"What can I say? I've missed our conversations," Dean greeted back with a small chuckle. "Where are you?"

Charlie pushed herself up in her seat to look out the window. "We are just outside of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania," she answered. "I believe it's my turn to ask where you are."

"I'm on my way to Burkittsville, Indiana. I've got a list of couples that have disappeared while traveling through the town and I was wondering if you wanted to meet up."

She arched an eyebrow at that. "That doesn't sound like something the Winchesters would need our help with," she stated.

"Yeah, uh, it's just me on this one."

She frowned at that. "Where's Sam?"

Courtney glanced over at her.

Dean let out a sigh. "Dad called this morning and Sammy tracked it back to California. He wanted to go looking for him but Dad told us not to. We argued, he got out of the car and I left him there."

"You left him there?" she repeated.

"He told me to," he defended. "I threatened to leave him there and he said it was what he wanted me to do, what was I supposed to do?"

Charlie rolled her eyes. "God, you Winchesters are so stubborn," she accused. "You're going to Burkittsville, Indiana?"

"Yeah."

She thought for a moment. "I can get there in ten hours," she told him.

"Where's the little sister?"

"Hang on," she said before pressing the phone to her chest. "So, Sam has tracked John to California and he ditched Dean somewhere around Indiana. Do you want to go after him? Make sure he doesn't get himself killed?"

Courtney let out a snort of laughter but nodded nonetheless. "Why the hell not?" she asked. "It shouldn't be too hard to find the Jolly Green Giant."

Charlie gave her a wink as she pressed the phone to her ear. "Little sister shall be going after little brother," she explained. "She'll drop me off in Burkittsville and continue on to catch up with him. He can hitchhike with her, maybe she can talk some sense into him before they get all the way to California."

Dean was quiet for a moment. "That's, uh, that's kind of overkill, isn't it?" he asked. "I mean, Sammy can handle himself."

"Yeah, but let's just say that it'll be all our asses if Sam actually manages to track down John," she explained. "I'm really not looking forward to a lecture from Papa Winchester."

Dean barked out a laugh. "Can't say I blame you there," he said. "So, I'll see ya in a few hours?"

"I'll call you when I get into town," she told him.

"Alright, drive safe."

"You too," she said before hanging up. "I knew these boys were going to be trouble the moment I saw them," she stated, pulling the lever on her seat to bring it upright. "Pull off at the next gas station and I'll take over for the next five, alright?"

Courtney shook her head. "What the hell was John thinking?" she asked. "I mean, what did he expect to happen?"

"I think both of us can agree that John expects everyone to just follow his orders."

"Understatement," she scoffed.

Charlie smirked at that. "Honestly, I feel bad for the kid," she admitted. "Could you imagine growing up with John?"

Courtney pulled a face that summed it up pretty well.

She shook her head and looked down at her phone. "A part of me is saying we should call John and another part is saying 'fuck him'."

"Fuck him," Courtney advised. "What he doesn't know won't hurt him."

Charlie gave a nod and shoved the object in question back into her pocket. "I love the way you think."

Ten Hours Later

Burkittsville, Indiana

Charlie Warren + Dean Winchester

"Well isn't this a slice of nowhere," Courtney commented as they pulled into the small town.

Charlie frowned as she looked out the window. "Do you feel that?" she asked, the knot growing in her stomach.

"Yeah," she agreed, her eyes narrowing as she scanned the town. "It's something…..old."

She wrinkled her nose as she pulled up to the curb and parked. "I swear to all that is holy if this is a Pagan god I'm going to scream," she stated, twisting around and grabbing her bag from the backseat. "I hate Pagan gods."

"You and me both," Courtney agreed, throwing open the passenger's door and stepping out onto the sidewalk. "This really is the middle of nowhere."

Charlie followed suit of her sister and threw open the driver's door. "It's kind of surprising how thriving it is, huh?" she asked, closing the door and walking over to her sister. "It has to be a Pagan god."

"Don't assume," Courtney chastised.

She rolled her eyes and pulled the shorter woman into a hug. "Good luck on your hunt for Big Foot."

"Have fun on your date."

Charlie scoffed and pushed her away. "It's not a date," she denied.

Courtney held her hands up in defense. "Whatever you say, sis," she said, backing up to walk around the car. "Hunt well."

She gave her a nod. "Stay safe."

"Always am," she said swinging down into the driver's seat.

Charlie waited for the Camaro to disappear down the street before beginning her search for Dean. She was pulling her phone out when she spotted him across the street. She jaywalked over and snuck up behind him. "Guess who," she said as her hands came up to cover his eyes.

He tensed at the sudden contact but didn't jerk away from her, his hands coming up to cover hers. "Candy. From that phone sex hotline, right?"

"Oh, in your dreams, honey," she said, pulling her hands back to smack his shoulders. "Please tell me you don't actually call those places."

He spun around to face her, a wide smile stretching across his lips. "I get lonely," he defended.

She rolled her eyes. "So, what have you found out?"

Dean glanced over his shoulder before shaking his head. "I'll explain on the way. Come on," he said, turning back and starting back the way he was going before.

Charlie fell in step beside him as she looked the town over. "Have you ever heard of this place before?" she asked.

He shook his head. "Not till yesterday morning," he answered.

"Yeah, me neither," she mused. "Kind of strange, huh?"

He shrugged. "It's a small place."

"I guess," she muttered before perking up when she spotted the Impala. "She gets prettier every time I see her," she complimented.

Dean beamed at that. "Doesn't she?" he asked.

"I don't suppose you'd ever let me drive her?" she asked despite already knowing the answer.

He barked out a laugh and shook his head. "No can do, sweetheart," he stated. "It's a miracle I even let Sammy drive."

"Mark my words, I'll drive her one day," she told him, walking out into the street to climb into the passenger's seat.

Dean let out another laugh as he got into the driver's seat. "Yeah, the day I'm dying."

"You just jinxed yourself," she told him, shoving her bag down to her feet and pausing when she spotted the shoebox. She pulled it up onto her lap and smiled at the cassette tapes it help. "A Tracks were too retro for you?" she questioned.

He glanced over at her as he started the engine. "Oh, don't you start on that too," he said. "I've got a stereo with a tape player, what else am I supposed to do?"

"Calm down, I was just teasing," she told him, shifting through the plastic cases. "I haven't heard this in a while," she mused, picking one out and reaching for the stereo.

Dean's hand shot out and smacked hers away. "Driver picks the music, shotgun shuts her cakehole."

She looked to him in surprise. "Technically this is the driver's music," she stated, "and if you smack my hand again I'll smack your face."

That seemed to shut him up.

She smiled triumphantly and exchanged the tapes, turning the volume up as Foreigner's Feels Like the First Time began to play. "Is that so bad?" she asked.

Dean cleared his throat and shifted in his seat. "Guess not," he allowed, pulling the Impala out onto the road.

"So where are we going?" she asked.

"The last couple that went missing stopped in town and asked for directions back to the interstate. It's the only way out of town so they all had to have left this way, right?"

She nodded. "Right," she agreed. "So John called?"

"Wow," Dean said, glancing over at her. "You don't waste time, do you?"

She shrugged. "I can be blunt sometimes," she admitted, "but I really do hate dancing around issues."

"It's not an issue."

Charlie thought to push him but if she pissed him off she would be stuck with him so she let it go. "Okay, but can I ask why you called me?"

He scoffed. "You didn't have to come, sweetheart."

She shot him a look. "That's not what I meant," she argued.

"Then what did you mean?"

Charlie rolled her eyes. "I meant, out of everyone you know why did you call me for help?"

He was quiet for a moment before shrugging it off the best he could. "I owe you a drink," he offered. "Anyway, I could ask you the same question. Why did you drive ten hours just because I called?"

She smiled over at him. "You owe me a drink," she answered.

He rolled his eyes and let out a soft laugh. "You think you're so clever."

She shot him a wink before looking out her window, a soft smile pulling at her lips when the town disappeared into forest. "I love stuff like this," she mused.

"What? Missing people?"

She smacked his shoulder aimlessly. "No, being on the road," she corrected.

"We spend our whole lives on the road," he pointed out.

She looked over to him. "And don't you dare tell me that you don't like driving," she challenged.

Dean couldn't help the smile that stretched across his face as his fingers tightened around the steering wheel. "Okay, I won't tell you."

She nodded. "So do I but I love the ride, you know?" she asked. "I mean, Courtney and I were in the middle of a 15 hour drive when you called and it didn't even faze us to turn back around and drive another ten."

"Wait, turn back around?" he asked, looking over at her. "You said you were in Pennsylvania."

"Yeah, but we started in Nashville," she told him.

He shook his head at that. "Let me get this straight," he said, holding his free hand up. "You drove ten hours from Tennessee to Pennsylvania only to drive another ten hours back the way you came?"

She shrugged. "Pretty much."

"Because I called?"

"Because you asked me."

His eyebrows shot up at that. "Huh," he said, looking back to the road. "That, uh, I don't know what to say to that."

"You don't have to say anything," she told him. "It's not that big of a deal."

"If you say so," he muttered.

She glanced over at him but didn't comment, a little amused by the whole thing. She was about to roll down the window when a wiring sound came from the back seat. "What is that?" she asked.

Dean glanced back and frowned. "What the hell?" he asked before reaching back and digging through his bag, struggling as he did so.

Charlie rolled her eyes and turned around in her seat. "Eyes on the road," she told him, moving his arm away before grabbing his bag and shifting through it.

"Seriously?" he asked, looking between her and the road almost nervously.

She ignored him and pulled out the offending object. "Is this an EMF reader?" she asked, sitting properly again as she looked it over.

Dean frowned and pulled off to the side of the road. "Yeah."

She looked up at him. "Did you make this?"

"Yeah, out of a Walkman," he answered.

A laugh escaped her as she looked back down at it. "That's impressive," she praised. "I wouldn't even know how to do that."

Dean shrugged it off with a smile. "It's easy," he dismissed.

She scoffed and looked around them, trying to spot whatever had set it off. "Is that an apple orchard?" she asked, pointing over his shoulder.

He twisted around. "Looks like it," he answered. "D'you think that's it?"

Charlie frowned. "It's the only thing around," she stated.

"How easy do you think it would be to get lost in there?" he asked, scanning the rows of trees.

"Considering that everything would look the same? Very easy."

He gave a nod. "Let's go check it out," he said before climbing out of the car.

She tossed the EMF back into his bag before following after him. "You know, if we weren't looking for missing people this would be pretty cool," she noted. "I've never been in an orchard before."

"Well, don't say I never take you anywhere," Dean said, crossing over to one of the other rows.

Charlie lulled behind him, the knot in her stomach getting tighter and tighter the farther they went into the trees. She spun in a slow circle before she spotted it, her eyes widening as a shiver passed down her spine.

"Is that normal?"

Charlie looked over to Dean and found him watching the fog. "Not really but it's not as bad as the scarecrow," she answered, reaching out to grab his arm and pull him around. "I thought scarecrows were supposed to be made of hay and burlap?" she asked, walking towards it with his arm still in her hand.

They stopped in front of it, looks of disgust twisting across both their faces.

"Dude, you fugly," Dean commented.

Charlie would have laughed if she hadn't of been grossed out. "That's skin, isn't it?" she asked, looking at the face. "And hair."

Instead of answering Dean stepped over and grabbed one of the ladders. He maneuvered around Charlie and set it in front of the scarecrow before climbing up.

"Careful," Charlie warned, holding onto the ladder to keep it sturdy. "I'm getting serious Jeepers Creepers vibes off of that thing."

Dean paused as if waiting for it to move before reaching out to push the sleeve up on its right arm. He pulled the missing persons flyer out of his jacket and looked it over before holding it down to her. "Those look the same to you?" he asked.

She took the flyer and stepped up to the arm, stretching up onto her tiptoes to get a better look at the dried skin. "I wish I could say no but I can't," she answered.

Dean let out a humorless laugh and looked back to the scarecrow. "Nice tat."

Charlie shook her head as she backed away from it. "I knew something wasn't right with this town," she stated.

Dean started back down the ladder. "You know, the only person to recognize them was this twentysomething girl at the general store. Then when she said something the couple I was talking suddenly remembered them."

Charlie pursed her lips and tilted her head to the side. "She's the only one?"

He nodded. "Yep."

"Out of the whole town?"

"Yep."

"I think we should talk to her again."

"Yep."

She pulled a face at that and smacked his shoulder. "Stop saying yep," she complained. "You sound like a broken record."

He shot her a look as he rubbed his shoulder. "You've hit the same damn spot each time," he told her. "How do women do that?"

"It's genetic," she answered with a wide smile. "How many women have slapped you?"

He paused to think for a moment before shaking his head. "Honestly, I've lost count," he answered. "I've pissed off a lot of women."

"That doesn't surprise me. You've got one of those faces."

He frowned at that. "What the hell does that mean?"

She reached out and cupped either side of his face. "Have you ever heard the saying 'he's so handsome I could just slap him'?" she asked.

His eyebrows pulled together as he gave a small nod. "Yeah?"

"Well, Dean," she said, pulling his face closer to hers, "you're so handsome I could just slap you," she told him, bringing her hands out and back in to smack his cheeks. "Feel better?" she asked, letting him go and starting back towards the car.

"Not really!" he called out before jogging to catch up to her.

The Mustang

Just outside Burkittsville, Indiana

Courtney Warren

She glanced back in the rearview mirror as she passed the town line and pulled off onto the shoulder. She threw the Camaro into park and popped open the glove box to pull out the map they kept there. She folded out the section with Indiana and pulled her knife from her boot. She ran the blade across the pad of her thumb and let the blood drip down onto the map.

In nomine Domine

Perelitum invenire filius

Samuel Winchester

Her blood darkened as it glided across the surface of the map before stopping on Galesburg, IL.

Courtney licked the blood off her finger as she smiled at the map. "Gotcha, Winchester," she said before turning back in her seat and shifting the car into drive, gravel spraying out behind as she took off down the road.

Burkittsville, Indiana

Charlie Warren + Dean Winchester

"There she is," Dean said as he pulled up to the general store just in front of the gas pump.

"She looks innocent enough," Charlie mused, flashing her a smile when she looked over.

Dean let out a laugh. "Yeah, they always do," he agreed before getting out of the car.

Charlie couldn't help but agree with that as she climbed out, looking the girl over with a now wary eye.

"You're back," she said to Dean as he walked around the car.

He shook his head. "Never left," he told her.

"You still looking for your friends?" she asked, looking between him and Charlie.

He leaned against the back of the Impala and nodded to the trunk. "You mind filling her up there, uh, Emily?" he asked, looking at the gold necklace with the name on it around her neck.

The girl nodded and did just that, even managing to find the gas cap under the license plate.

Charlie was slightly impressed with that as she walked around to join Dean against the car, making a show of stretching her legs.

"So, did you grow up here?" Dean asked, attempting to sound casual.

"I came here when I was 13," she answered. "I lost my parents in a car accident. My aunt and uncle took me in."

Dean gave a nod. "Well they're nice people."

Emily nodded. "Everybody's nice here."

Charlie let out a soft laugh. "The perfect little town, huh?" she asked.

Emily shrugged. "It's the boonies but I love it. I mean, all the towns around us are losing their homes, their farms, but out here it's almost like we're blessed."

That all but confirmed it for Charlie. "So, we went out to the orchard," she started, "and the scarecrow that's out there? Jesus Christ it gave me a heart attack."

Emily nodded as she laughed. "Yeah, it's always creeped me out," she agreed.

"Whose is it?" Dean asked.

"I don't know," she answered. "It's always been there."

The two accepted that, knowing that it was probably true.

Dean peered over her shoulder and looked at the red SUV parked in front of the garage. "That your aunt and uncle's?" he asked, nodding over to it.

Emily glanced back and shook her head. "It's a customers. They were having car troubles."

Dean nodded at that. "It's not a couple is it? A guy and a girl?"

"Mhm."

He gave a strained smile before looking over to Charlie. "You hungry, sweetheart?" he asked, bringing his arm up to wrap around her waist.

She raised an eyebrow at that but went along with it. "Sure, honey, I could eat," she answered, raising her own arm up to wrap around his waist, her hand shifting down his lip to slip into his back pocket.

Dean jerked up straight at that and looked down at her in surprise.

She smirked up at him and flexed her fingers, challenging him to say something.

He cleared his throat and relaxed back into her. "Is, uh, is Scotty's any good?" he asked, looking to Emily.

She nodded with a bright smile. "Oh yeah, they've got the best apple pie."

Charlie perked up at that. "Apple pie?" she asked before smacking Dean on the chest. "Honey, we're going to Scotty's."

He laughed at that and nodded. "Guess we're going to Scotty's," he said, reaching into his pocket with his free hand to pull out his wallet. "How much do I owe ya?" he asked, nodding to the pump.

Emily glanced back before crouching back down to pull the hose from tank and twisting the cap back on. "Ten even," she answered, putting the hose back.

Charlie pulled away from Dean and started back around the car, the prospect of pie putting a skip in her step. "Let's go, honey!" she called, practically clambering into the passenger's seat.

Dean laughed and handed Emily the ten dollar bill. "Thanks, Emily," he told her, flashing her his smirk before walking back to the driver's seat. "Really? The ass grab?" he asked as he started the Impala again.

She looked over to him. "Are you complaining?" she asked.

"No. God no," he answered, shaking his head. "I'm just surprised is all."

Charlie shrugged. "I saw an opportunity and I took it," she explained. "Now come on, I want that pie."

He laughed as he pulled away from the store and drove down the street to the store front that read Scotty's Cafe. "Oh, uh, call me John Bonham."

She snorted at that. "You seriously used the drummer's name from Led Zeppelin?" she asked.

He pulled a face. "No one ever knows the drummer's name," he defended.

"Obviously not," she mused shaking her head. "You need to work on that, honey," she told him, throwing open passenger's door and stepping out onto the curb.

"Sweetheart, I'm perfect," Dean said as he climbed out, his door creaking like it always did as he shut it.

"I'll believe it when I see it," she told him.

He winked at her as he jogged up to the door and held it open for her. "Sweetheart?"

She let out a dramatic gasp and walked forward. "What a gentleman," she said, stepping in.

The windows were covered with white lace curtains and a few tables were scattered across the room. A couple sat at the closest table to the door, a man standing at their sides.

"Hiya, Scotty," Dean greeted as he went in after her, looking to the man next to the couple. "I'll take a cup of black coffee and a slice of pie for me and my girl," he said, walking them over to the table beside the couple. "How you doing? Just passing through?" he asked.

They looked over.

"Road trip," the woman answered.

Charlie flashed them a smile. "Us too," she told them. "We're on our way to New York. Right, honey?" she asked, reaching out to put her hand over Dean's.

He put on a wide fake smile. "Yep, all the way from Texas," he agreed.

Scotty walked past them with a pitched of what looked like apple cider and filled the other couples glasses. "I'm sure these people want to eat in peace," he commented, glaring over at Dean.

"Just a little friendly conversation," Dean defended.

Charlie smiled up at him innocently. "I just want pie."

"And that coffee," Dean added.

Scotty continued to glare as he walked back to the bar.

"So what brings you to town?" Dean asked, undeterred by Scotty's annoyance.

"We just stopped for gas and, uh, the guy at the gas station saved our lives," the woman answered once again.

Charlie let out a soft laugh. "Really?"

The man nodded. "One of our break lines were leaking," he explained. "We had no idea. He'd fixing it for us."

"Nice people," Dean noted, glancing over to Charlie. "So how long till you're up and running again?"

"Sundown," he answered.

Charlie pulled a face. "For a brake line?" she asked, moving her foot under the table to tap it against Dean's.

He nodded.

She frowned and looked over to Dean. "Honey, they're getting ripped off," she said in a low tone.

Dean nodded and leaned over towards the guy. "You know, I have a garage back in Texas and I could take a look at your car for you," he told them. "Get you back up and running in an hour."

"No charge," Charlie threw in, hoping it would seal the deal.

The couple looked to each other with uncomfortable expressions.

The woman gave a Dean a smile. "Thanks for the offer but I think we'll just let them handle it," she told him.

Charlie tilted her head and gave them a concerned look. "Are you sure?" she asked. "We've been on this road for a couple of days and we've seen about five accidents after dark. It's really not that safe."

Dean nodded. "Yeah, we stop every night. It's dangerous out there."

"Thank you for the concern but we'll be okay," the guy said, nodding to them before looking back to his food.

Dean frowned and leaned a little closer. "Listen, I don't think-"

"Oh, John, honey, leave them alone," Charlie said, reaching out to pull him back into his seat. "They're big kids, they can take care of themselves."

Dean looked back at her with surprise.

She gave him a tight lipped smile and shook her head.

He glanced back at the couple but gave up, turning back to their table. "If Sam was here he would give them those puppy dog eyes and they'd buy right into it," he grumbled, slumping forward.

Charlie gave him a sympathetic look and rubbed her hand across his shoulders. "How did you ever manage without him?"

He let out a laugh. "Hell if I know," he answered.

The door to the café opened and a cop stepped, looking directly to Charlie and Dean.

"Sheriff, thanks for coming," Scotty said, walking out from behind the bar to the front of the café, pulling the sheriff towards the windows to whisper.

Charlie frowned and gripped Dean's shoulder. "He really doesn't like you, does he?" she asked.

Dean shook his head. "No he does not," he agreed.

"He can't arrest us," Charlie said. "The worse he can do is run us out of town."

He looked back to her. "You know that from experience?"

"You have no idea," she said before smiling up at the Sheriff as he walked over.

"I'd like a word, please," he said, looking to Dean.

Charlie sighed dramatically and glared at the Winchester. "Oh what have you done now?" she demanded.

He shot her a look. "Nothing," he told her before looking up at the cop. "Come on, I'm having a bad day already"

The Sheriff leaned down against the table. "You don't want to make it worse."

Dean opened his mouth to retort but cut off when Charlie kicked him under the table.

"Go talk to the nice man," she told him. "I'll get our pie and coffee to go."

He gave her a sour look but got up all the same and followed the Sheriff out of the café.

Charlie sighed and looked up to Scotty. "I don't know what he did but I want to apologize," she told him. "We're on the same route the people we're looking for took and he's becoming more and more antsy with each town."

The man was entirely unamused.

"So I'm sorry and if it's not too much trouble could we get that pie and coffee to go?" she asked, smiling up at him brightly.

He watched her for a moment before walking back to the kitchen.

Charlie stuck her tongue out at him as he walked away and looked back out the window to where Dean and the Sheriff were arguing.

"I'm so sorry," the woman said, remorse written across her face. "We didn't want-"

She waved them off. "That has nothing to do with you two," she assured her. "John probably got a little too enthusiastic while asking people questions."

The guy looked over to her. "You said you were looking for people?"

She nodded with a sad smile. "Two of our friends went missing. John and I are retracing their route, asking around at every town if someone recognizes them. John was closer to them so he doesn't handle the rejection so well," she explained. "This is the first place that's anyone said they've seen them."

She shook her head. "I'm so sorry."

"How long have they been missing?" he asked.

"It'll be a year next week. It's why he's so determined."

The two looked to each other with frowns.

"Is that why he was so concerned about us on the road after dark?" she asked.

Charlie nodded. "Yeah."

The guy sighed and gave her a sympathetic smile. "I hope you find them."

"Thank you," she said before Scotty walked over to her, a Styrofoam container with two to-go coffees sitting on top. "Thank you, Scotty," she said, getting up from her chair and reaching into her pocket to pull out the twenty she kept there. She grabbed the food from him and slipped the bill into his shirt pocket before starting towards the door. "Stay safe, you two," she said, nodding to the couple before stepping out onto the sidewalk.

"Oh come on, I didn't do anything!" Dean snapped.

Charlie rolled her eyes. "Honey, stop arguing with the nice man," she called, walking over to them. "Are you going to arrest him for anything?" she asked, handing the food off to Dean as she stood between him and the Sheriff.

The man watched her for a moment before slowly shaking his head. "No, Ma'am," he answered.

"Then we'll get out of your hair," she told him before spinning around and pushing Dean towards the front of the car. "I would like to be in the next town before dark," she said, pulling the passenger's door open and swinging down into the car. She waved to the Sheriff before turning towards Dean to take back the food as he climbed in. "I officially hate this town," she told him, making sure to keep her tone pleasant.

"You and me both, sweetheart," he agreed, jerking his door closed and jamming the keys into the ignition. "The bastards going to follow us out of town," he told her, starting the engine and pulling away from the curb.

Charlie glanced back to watch the Sheriff get into his car and turn on his lights. "Son of a bitch," she muttered, watching as he pulled out behind them. "So I believe that most of the town is in on it," she stated, turning back around to hand Dean his coffee.

He took it from her with a small smile. "You think?"

She nodded. "I think all the missing people have been Human sacrifices to a Pagan god of harvest."

Dean did a double take at her, his coffee half raised. "You're not serious."

She nodded again. "What Emily said about all the other towns going under but this one is fine?" she asked. "Not to mention that a large amount of the Pagan gods demand sacrifices of both male and female."

He pulled a face. "So that scarecrow is a Pagan god?"

Charlie shook her head. "Think of the scarecrow as the god's personal assistant," she explained. "It just takes the sacrifices and the god bestows good weather or healthy crops."

Dean let out a snort and took a sip of his coffee. "So they're killing all these people for what? Apples?"

She shrugged. "People have done more for less," she stated, glancing back at the Sheriff. "I kept talking to the couple after you and the jerkoff went outside. I'm pretty sure I put the fear of God into them about driving at night."

"Think they won't go?"

She let out a humorless laugh. "Hell no, but they'll be more cautious."

"Being cautious isn't going to save them," he stated.

"No shit," she deadpanned. "Which is why we're going back tonight, right?"

He rolled his eyes. "No, Charlie, we're going on to the next town. Of course we're coming back tonight!"

Charlie couldn't help but laugh. "You Winchesters never can take teasing," she stated, reaching over to shove his shoulder. "I know you wouldn't let two people die."

Dean shot her an unamused look and took another gulp from his coffee. "I can't believe he actually gave you the pie," he said, glancing down at the container on the seat between them.

"What can I say? People love me," she said, slumping down into the seat and setting the Styrofoam container on her lap to open it. "Shit," she cursed when she saw that there weren't any forks. "Do you have any forks stashed in here?" she asked, already looking around her.

Dean pointed to the glove box. "Try in there."

She popped it open and riffled through it, a triumphant yell leaving her when she found the white plastic utensil. She pushed the glove box closed and stabbed a piece of the pie off. "Oh my God," she groaned, slumping further down into the seat.

Dean looked over at her in surprise. "Seriously?"

She nodded quickly as she stabbed off a chunk from the other piece. "Here," she said, holding it out to him.

He raised an eyebrow at that. "You're feeding me?" he asked.

"Did you not just hear the orgasm I had over this?" she countered, moving the fork closer to him. "Plus you're driving."

He gave in and leaned forward the bite the piece of pie off the fork. "Oh my God," he groaned as he chewed. "This is the best pie I have ever tasted."

"I know, right?" she asked, forking off another piece for herself. "This is even better than mine."

"You bake?" he asked, gesturing for another bite.

She nodded. "I bake and Courtney cooks," she explained, taking another piece from the other slice and hold it up to him. "It's a good balance."

Dean took the bite and shook his head. "When the hell do you find time for that?"

"We don't live from motel to motel like your family," she told him. "We have a house up in Massachusetts. We try to make it up there at least once a month and take a few days to recharge our batteries."

"You have a house?" he asked. "In Massachusetts?"

She took another bite. "Well, it's actually Godfrey's house."

"Godfrey?"

"The family friend my Dad left Courtney and I with," she explained, feeding him another piece. "We've been living with him for 17 years."

"And he knows about Hunting and all that?" he asked, reaching out to take the fork from her only to have his hand slapped away.

"Of course he knows," she said, breaking off another bite from his slice and offering it to him. "Do you honestly think that he could be a friend of the Warren's and not know?"

Dean chewed thoughtfully. "Honestly, I don't know that much about your family."

"Sure you do," she denied. "Amityville, Annabelle, the Haunting in Connecticut."

"Seriously?" he asked. "That was your family?"

Charlie nodded. "Oh yeah, Courtney and I grew up with Annabelle just down the hall."

"Shit. What was that like?"

Charlie smiled to herself as she cut into the crust. "Let's just say that there was never a dull moment," she answered. "Do you want another bite?"

He gave a nod and held his mouth open.

She allowed a small smile and fed him another bite. "Don't get used to this," she muttered before looking back at the Sheriff as they passed the state line into Kentucky. "And he's gone," she said as he turned his lights off and flipped around to head back into town. "Where are we going to hide out?"

He shrugged. "We'll swing back around once it starts to get dark," he answered, gulping down some of his coffee. "Hope you like wandering aimlessly for a few hours."

"Ooooh, we can play car games."

Hope y'all are enjoying the story!

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