This episode is nearly completed. A lot of you want me to end when Dean, Sam and Christina reunite with John Winchester in Chicago which is what I'm going to be doing. I know some of you want me to skip episodes to get to the end pretty quickly but I'm not really wanting to miss episodes as in them will be events that would help shape the meeting with John in Chicago.

So that being said please enjoy the journey to Chicago. I will try and get to the meeting quickly so please enjoy. Thank you! -DSCWIN

Chapter 20

Dean grumbled a small string of curses when he heard the door, to the room he woke up in, open up. He raced to the stairs only to be stopped with a double barreled shotgun in his face. He moved back keeping a trained eye on the Sheriff giving him no reason to pull the trigger. A sobbing Emily was brought down and pushed into Dean's arms. He instinctively pulled Emily behind her his eyes glaring at the small group of adults who didn't seem too upset about the two of them down in what, Dean could find out, was a cellar.

"Aunt Stacy," Emily sobbed tears streaking down her face. "Uncle Henley, please."

"This has to be done, Emily." Stacy said coldly. "Without this sacrifice the town will die." Emily opened her mouth to interject something but Stacy's cold demeanor over shadowed making Emily to close her mouth. "The means of the many, out ways the means of the one."

Dean glared darkly before being forced to stay put as the adults moved up the stairs and closed the cellar doors. Dean rushed up and started to push on the cellar doors but cursed when the doors wouldn't budge.

"Sonovabitch." Dean growled slumping hard on the bottom step.

"What now?" Emily sobbed sitting down on a small chair and hold her arms closer against her.

"I'm working on it." Dean said looking back up at the cellar door. "Do you have a cellphone?" Dean asked. "I can call my sister and get her to help us out."

"I don't have a cellphone. But she already knows that we're in trouble. But I don't think she knows where to find us."

"Don't count her out just yet." Dean said interlocking his fingers and leaning his forehead against them. "I just hope she can get here in time."

~DSCWIN~

Christina was wanting to start punching everyone in town as she darted past everyone to look for a vehicle. She kept her face low as to not attract unwanted attention. She turned her head when she thought she heard someone call out for her making her start to sprint down the sidewalk and into the road. A vehicle squealed to a stop but bumped into her pushing her to the street and hitting her bad shoulder making it start to bleed again as she felt it slowly slide down her arm.

Stupid, stupid, stupid; she repeated as she struggled to get to her feet. A car door opened and feet rushed to her side. The sky had darkened and she was staring directly into the headlights. Something tall stepped in front giving her the momentarily fear of being caught by the older couple. At least Emily would be freed; she thought again before clutching her shoulder that felt like it was dislocated.

"Christy?!" Sam's voice sounded strange and foreign. She looked up hoping that it wasn't some kind of sinister trick for them to use Sam's voice but seeing Sam's towering frame she calmed down.

"Sam?" She limped over towards Sam and body slammed him as one shoulder wasn't wanting to work while the other was holding on as support. "Why'd you come back?"

"None of you guys would answer my calls." Sam said helping his sister into the car he had swiped just outside of the bus stop. "I figured you guys were in trouble."

"Well, Dean is." Christina said wincing as she rolled up her injured shoulder's sleeve to look at the wound already soaking the gauze completely. "God Damnit." She hissed as she rolled her sleeve back down. She knew she wouldn't be able to clean and redress the wound as Sam started to drive. "The orchard." She said seeing the hesitation in Sam's face as they drove. "We need to get there fast."

~DSCWIN~

Dean glared at the older adults as they finished tying up his hands. He wanted to kick but as he sat on the cold ground he knew he wouldn't be able to get out before the Scarecrow gutted them like a fish. He listened to Emily's sobs as she kept begging her Aunt and Uncle to let her go. That they didn't have to do this. But they walked away, as their footsteps got quieter and quieter.

"I hope your apple pie is freakin' worth it!" Dean screamed before letting out a mumbled curse. His fingers fought against the rope but he knew he couldn't do anything in time, not without any weapons or help from his sister, and if miracles loved him his brother too.

"We're not getting out of here are we?" Emily sobbed seeing that Dean was struggling just a few trees a head of her.

"I'm working on it." Dean said already thinking of the best way to die. While he was fighting tooth and nail, giving that Scarecrow something to fight before eventually devouring. "Can you see anything?" Dean asked wanting to fight without letting the Scarecrow get the full surprise attack.

"No, I can't." Emily cried. Dean had to take several deep breaths to calm down. He wished his sister at least would show up with his Impala that way she could use the weapons in the trunk against the Scarecrow for them to survive the night. "I'm so sorry, Dean." Emily cried a few minutes later while Dean continued vainly to untie his wrists. "I'm sorry I had to drag you into this."

"It's not your fault." Dean said wishing his nails were just a little longer to be able to cut into the strands of rope. "I grew up to deal with situations like this."

"What do you mean?" Emily asked suddenly curious.

"I'll tell you once we get the through tonight." Dean pulled and felt his arms getting fatigued. But he couldn't give up. He had a job to do. He had to keep doing that job.

"Dean, something's coming." Muffled footsteps were slowly getting closer making the voice in Emily grow to be hysteric. His finger slipped and caused the rope to dig roughly into his wrist.

The footsteps were getting closer and Dean felt like he had failed. Failed at protecting an innocent like Emily. Failed at finishing this case. Failed at being an older brother to Sam and to Christina.

"Dean?" Sam's voice was like the most beautiful song he had ever heard as his brother appeared.

"Oh my god! I will take everything back that I have said to you." Dean said laughing, and he would never admit it but he was crying a little. "Come on and get us out. Where's Christy?"

"She's looking for your Impala." Sam said walking behind Dean's tree and started to cut into the rope.

"Sam keep an eye on that Scarecrow will you?" Dean said feeling the rope loosen on his wrist.

"What Scarecrow?" Sam asked making the air around the three turn cold.

Dean felt the ropes break and he quickly stood up. Sam made quick work of the ropes around Emily's wrist before pulling her to her feet. Same as it had done the night before, the fog began to drift across the floor of the orchard making the three now huddle close together.

"So how did you get here?" Dean asked keeping an eye out on any movement that belonged to a homicidal lawn ornament.

"Stole a car." Sam answered, feeling the urge to run.

"That's my boy." Dean said giving Sam a quick slap on the back of his shoulder.

A twig snapped in the dense fog and Dean pushed Emily and Sam back staring hard at the swirling fog. Suddenly Emily screamed making Dean and Sam look back as Christina had grabbed her shoulder.

"Sh! Come this way!" Christina hissed before tossing Dean his keys to his Impala. "Come this way. I lead him the other way." She was trying to take in a slow breath to calm her down but stopped when they heard someone moving towards them.

"I think we should take this on the road." Dean said grabbing Emily's hands and pulling towards the direction he felt was the road. The four members ran off being careful to keep an eye on what might be appearing out of the row of trees until they had to stop when four shapes emerged out of the darkness.

Dean, Sam, Christina and Emily stopped in their tracks as the adults that allowed the killings to happen stood in their way to escape. Henley stood with a shotgun pointed at the four escapees.

"That's the furthest you'll go." Henley said his hands shaking as nerves set into his body.

"Uncle Henley you can't be doing this!" Emily screamed tears once again falling down her cheeks.

"This has to be done, Emily." Stacy said stepping from behind Henley. "For the betterment of the town."

"It has to happen, Em." Henley said. "It will be better for every-"

Henley's eyes widened as a sharpened hand scythe ran through his chest making Stacy let out a loud scream. The Sheriff and another another older man ran away screaming leaving Stacy to be pulled away from the Scarecrow that lifted Henley's body over his shoulder easily before pulling Stacy into the darkened orchard her screams slowly fading until they stopped suddenly.

Emily gasped before burring her face into Dean's chest who instantly wrapped his arms around her. Not feeling safe in that Orchard as the fog slowly faded away as if the Scarecrow had called it, Dean nodded his head signalling Christina to lead the way to his car. Keeping a secure arm around Emily, the four of them walked back to the car waiting for first light to arrive.

~DSCWIN~

The Impala was quiet as Dean, Sam, Christina and Emily sat for the first rays of sun begun to appear over the distant hills.

Emily sat in the front of the Impala a small throw blanket wrapped around her shoulders as Sam and Christina silently sat in the back.

"Hey, Emily I need you to help us." Dean spoke softly looking at Emily's flushed face gently. "We could end all this today if you want. We just need to know if there's an old tree that you've seen that maybe your town held in a lot of respect."

"There is one." Emily said softly. Looking out the windshield with a determined look on her face. "And it's not that far from here."

"Then let's go." Dean said watching as Emily pushed herself out of the Impala before the others followed after. They only stayed at the Impala to gather some lighter fluid and matches before making the trek inside the now quiet orchard.

Just as Emily had stated in the Impala the tree that was older then the rest sat only a couple of yards away surrounded with rocks at the base as though they would protect it from harm. Emily and Christina sat in silence as Sam walked away searching for something to make a torch while Dean sprayed a healthy dose of fluid over the tree itself.

Sam returned and taking out his handkerchief he wrapped it near the top of a tall stick and Dean doused the fabric. With a quick swipe of the wrist Dean then lit and match and barely touched the soaked handkerchief, which lit up instantly.

"Wait." Emily said as Sam got himself ready to light the main tree. "May I do it?"

Dean and Sam nodded before Emily was given the burning branch. Emily stood there feeling the heat of the flames lick at her face before she took a step towards the tree that she was told about as a young child. She hesitated for just a moment before she couldn't stand the images she had seen and gently placed the flaming branch next to the tree. Flames instantly began go consume the ancient tree making all four bystanders take a small step back.

The evil that resided in that Orchard seemed to burn away as the tree continued to become devoured. No one spoke until the last of the embers burned away leaving nothing but a pile of ash. The town may been doomed to die but Emily knew the sacrifice of the one tree didn't come close to the need to protect the many in town.

~DSCWIN~

The bus stop was moving as Emily and Christina talked near a bus while Sam and Dean stood next to the Impala.

"So where do I need to drop you off?" Dean asked as they watched Emily and Christina hug before Emily climbed on board the bus that was heading to Boston, Massachusetts.

"Not wanting to be dropped off anywhere." Sam answered looking over at Dean. "This case got me thinking, if I had gotten on that bus...chances are I could've gotten to California and like Christy said Dad could have gone. Then I would be dragged back to avenge the death of you I guess."

"What are you talking about?" Dean asked as Christina waved goodbye as Emily's bus took off. Dean and Sam saw Emily wave back at them only to have them wave back. "I could have gotten out just fine."

"Sure you would, Dean." Sam chuckled as Christina finally made it back to them.

"She going to be okay?" Dean asked as Christina stood in between her two brothers watching Emily's bus slowly start getting smaller as it drove away.

"Yeah she will." Christina said giving Dean and Sam a hug each.

"What was that for?" Sam asked surprised.

"She wanted to give each of you a hug. Dean she also wanted me to give you something else."

"What's that?" Dean asked afraid of what she might do.

Christina leaned in close as if she was going to give Dean a kiss on the cheek until she pulled out a small silver covered Kiss. "Here have a Kiss." She said before dropping the small chocolate mound in Dean's hand. The three Winchesters all looked at each other before erupting in a loud laugh.

"That was good." Dean said starting to unwrap the treat. "You got me."

"It was hard keeping a straight face." Christina said with a chuckle." God I love this family." She shook her head before sliding into the backseat while Dean climbed behind the steering wheel while Sam took the front passenger.

"Of on another adventure." Dean said before starting his car and driving off to find another hunt.