Okay guys. Just a little info on this chapter. This chapter, and the next couple ones, follow the plot of Supernatural's Season 4 episode "It's the Great Pumpkin, Sam Winchester." I play a little fast and loose with some of the details, to add the girls into the story. I figured it was time to show a seal being broken, instead of just mentioning it in passing. We'll have another one too, all in good time. ;)

**Nothing from Charmed or Supernatural belongs to me. Especially in this chapter, anything you recognize from the show definitely belongs to Kripke.**

Chapter Ten

Melinda stuck the keys to the Impala in her pocket with a smile. It hadn't been easy, convincing Dean to let her drive. It was the girls' turn to work the scene, while the boys got a room and started researching. Dean had whined, bitched and moaned, but after Melinda promised to protect the car with her life, along with a few other promises, Dean had relinquished the keys.

She and Peyton walked into the house, taking their sunglasses off as they did. Peyton fluffed her hair over her shoulders and walked over to a cop. Melinda followed, and the cop gave them both a smile and a slow once-over.

"Can I help you ladies with something?"

Peyton smiled.

"I'm Agent Crow with the FBI. This is my partner, Agent Benatar."

They flashed their (fake) badges, as the cop's face fell. Melinda wanted to laugh out loud, but she didn't. He led the girls into the kitchen, where there was still blood on the floor, to the victim's lost-looking wife, who was sitting at the table. Peyton sighed and walked over to the woman.

They had discovered shortly after hitting the road that Peyton was a brilliant interrogator. As an empath, she was hard-wired to feel exactly what someone else was feeling. By opening herself up, she could tell when someone was lying, or if their tears were real. Dean had gotten good at playing "bad cop" to Peyton's "good cop," which left Sam and Melinda on research. Melinda had an almost photographic memory, plus a vast knowledge of random crap, nearly mirroring Sam. They would switch it up every now and then, because Melinda's freezing power could come in handy.

While Peyton questioned the wife, Melinda walked through the kitchen. She gave it a thorough once-over before opening cabinets, the oven, the microwave. Peyton would glance at her every now and then, and Melinda would shake her head. Melinda opened the refrigerator, sighing when she closed it, until she noticed the tiny scuff mark on the floor. She turned to look back at Peyton, and wiggled her fingers. Peyton nodded, and reached to lay a hand on the woman's arm. When she did, Melinda froze the room, and Peyton relaxed back in her chair.

"What did you find, Mel?"
"I'm not sure yet. I need to move the fridge."

Peyton nodded as Melinda stepped back, moving her hand slowly, the refrigerator following her movements. She stopped, bending down.

"Son of a bitch."

Peyton smiled, shaking her head. Dean was rubbing off on Melinda way too much. The smile fell from Peyton's face when she saw what Melinda held up.

"Let's wrap this up and hit the road, Peyt."

Peyton nodded, taking her place again as Melinda unfroze the room. Peyton said a few more things, leaving a card with the woman. Melinda drove back to the motel, where the boys were waiting. One room this time, two beds. Melinda tossed the keys to Dean when the girls walked in.

"Baby's fine, Dean."

He breathed a sigh of relief, and Peyton let out a laugh. Sam was sitting at the table, books in front of him. He looked up at them.

"What did you find?"
"Guy goes to sneak a piece of Halloween candy, coughs up four razor blades."

Dean made a face as Melinda stripped off her jacket. Peyton walked over to Sam and ruffled his hair.

"Wife's clean. She's devastated, blown away."

Sam nodded as Melinda reached in her jacket.

"But I found this behind the fridge."

Dean stood up.

"Is that a—"
"Hex bag? Yep."

Dean let out a groan.

"Freakin' witches. I hate witches."

Peyton and Melinda gave him a look, while Sam coughed. Dean sighed.

"Not you. The … nasty ones. The hex bag ones. Witches are so skeevy."

Melinda shook her head as she sat at the table by Sam. She opened the hex bag, and a confused look crossed all of their faces. Dean scratched at his head.

"Not the usual."
"Hey, heads up."

They turned to Sam, who was bent back in his chair, ear to the police scanner.

"Sounds like we got another one."

Hours later, Melinda and Peyton came walking back in. Dean was asleep on the bed, a book beside him, while Sam was bent over a book at the table. Melinda tossed the keys, hitting Dean in the chest and waking him up. Dean sat up with a yawn. Peyton pulled her hair up into a ponytail.

"Girl goes bobbing for apples and drowns when the water begins to boil."

The guys stopped, raising their eyebrows. Dean looked to Melinda.

"Another hex bag?"
"Had to cut it out of the couch."

Peyton tossed the hex bag to Sam, who opened it. Melinda looked to Dean and stretched her arms.

"Anything on our first vic?"

Dean shook his head.

"So vanilla he made vanilla seem spicy. Absolutely no reason I can find for anyone wanting revenge."
"I have a gut feeling that vic number 2 will turn up the same way."

Sam groaned from the table and rubbed his eyes. Peyton went to stand behind him and began to rub his shoulders. Melinda walked over, taking the seat across from Sam. He pushed a book towards her.

"Maybe you can find out what this is. I've been searching through these books, but I can't find it."

Melinda nodded and opened the book, then sat back as the pages began to flip. She and Peyton shared a smile as the book settled on a page.

"Okay, this twisty herb right here is goldthread. It's been extinct for a couple hundred years."

She looked up to Sam, who scratched his head.

"Okay, that's weird. I did find that these are Celtic coins, and those—"

Sam motioned to Dean, who was holding them in his hand.

"Are the charred metacarpals of a newborn baby."

Dean yelped as he set the bones back down, wiping his hands on his jeans. Sam and Melinda shared a sigh, settling in for a long night of research. The next morning, Peyton woke up with the sun, looking over to see Dean sprawled across his bed. Sam was slumped over a book at the table, sound asleep. Melinda was sitting back in a chair, with her eyes closed.

"Mel?"

Melinda spoke, but kept her eyes closed.

"Do you remember those reports we had to do in like, third grade? About the holidays?"
"Oh, yeah. I had, what, Arbor Day? And you had—"
"Halloween."

Melinda opened her eyes and patted the book in front of her.

"Found it."

Peyton yawned as she stood up, stretching. She walked over to Melinda, resting her hands on her shoulders.

"Did you sleep any?"

Melinda shook her head.

"You and Dean were out before midnight. I lost Sam just south of 2:00."
"Melly…"
"Peyt, we need to stop this thing. I can sleep later. When this is all over."

Peyton sighed, running a hand over Melinda's hair before going to take a shower. Dean stirred and Melinda wrote a few more notes, then glanced over at him. A smile crossed her face.

"Hey, Sleeping Beauty!"

Dean smiled at her, walking over and bending to kiss her. He glanced at the table, saw the opened books and the copious amount of notes in Melinda's handwriting.

"Did you sleep at all?"

Melinda shook her head, and Dean sighed.

"Mel…"
"Later, Dean. I can sleep when this is over. Trust me, we've got bigger fish to fry."

Dean leaned over the table and flicked Sam's ear. Sam woke with a start, sighing when he saw Melinda's work.

"Mel, why'd you let me sleep?"
"Oh, I wanted to have all the fun."

Sam sighed as he stood up, stretching. Melinda and Dean grimaced as they heard his bones pop. Peyton came out of the bathroom, her hair wrapped up in a towel. She walked over and kissed Sam, and he took a seat beside her on the bed. Dean took Sam's old chair at the table, and they all looked to Melinda, who smiled.

"Okay. Our victims were disgustingly squeaky clean. So, Sam and I were thinking, what if this is not your run-of-the-mill witch work? What if this isn't about vengeance, but a spell?"

She pointed to a book on the table.

"That's when I found this. The ingredients of the hex bags are part of a ritual to raise a demon. And not just any demon. Samhain."

Dean just blinked at her, but Peyton nodded.

"I remember you telling me something about him… But I was 8, so I really didn't pay attention."

Melinda smiled at Peyton.

"I know. Samhain is pretty much the origin of Halloween. Centuries ago, people would wear masks to hide their faces from him. Faces carved into pumpkins were to worship him."

They nodded, and Melinda sighed.

"This isn't just a run-of-the-mill raising, guys. The spell involves three blood sacrifices, ending on the last day of the final harvest. Which is …? Any guesses?"
"Halloween."
"And Sam for the win. We're already two down, up to bat again. And we're dealing with some heavyweight witchcraft here. This ritual can only be performed every 600 years, and we're rolling around on mile marker 600 tomorrow night."

Melinda tapped the book in front of her with a finger.

"Samhain is not one we want to mess with. He is the epitome of 'misery loves company.' If he's raised, he has the power to raise all kinds of unmentionables. Demons, ghosts, ghouls, and that's just the beginning. All the things that go bump in the night, every single nightmare you've ever had, Samhain can bring it up and lay it out for us."

They nodded, and Dean stood up.

"Then let's gank this witch before she gets number three and get the hell out of dodge, shall we?"