I don't own Supernatural or any of it's characters. I only own Isabeau and my own original characters.

At the bus station, Sam and Meg are sitting at a table with beers and different foods around them.

"So, what, are you on some kind of vacation or something?" Sam asks.

Meg laughs, "Yeah, right. It's all sipping Cristal poolside for me." They laugh. "No. I had to get away from my family."

Sam shakes his head, "Why?"

Meg shrugs, "I love my parents. And they wanted what's best for me. They just didn't care if I wanted it. I was supposed to be smart. But not smart enough to scare away a husband." Sam smiles.

"It's just…because my family said so, I was supposed to sit there and do what I was told. So I just went on my own way instead." Sam stares at her. "I'm sorry. The things you say to people you hardly know."

"No, no, it's okay. I know how you feel. Remember that brother I mentioned before, that I was road-tripping with?" Sam says.

Meg nods.

"It's, uh, it's kind of the same deal."

"And that's why you're not riding with him anymore?" Meg asks.

Sam shakes his head and Meg raises her beer bottle, "Here's to us. The food might be bad, and the beds might be hard. But at least we're living our own lives. And nobody else's." Sam taps his bottle against hers and they both drink.

Meg then hums, "I thought you were road-tripping with another person?"

Sam chuckles and smiles fondly at the thought of Isabeau, "Yeah. My best friend. She's been with us since the beginning."

Meg stares at Sam and smiles once it clicks, "You love her."

Sam looks at Meg surprised, "How did you?"

Meg chuckles, "Just by mentioning her, your entire face lights up like a beckon. Did she not want to come with you?"

Sam presses his lips into a thin line, "I didn't really give her much of a choice. I left without telling her. Which I regret."

Meg nods, "Out of curiosity. Do you have a picture of her?"

Sam blinks at the request, but nods and searches his bag. He pulls out a small stack of photos that he keeps on him that Isabeau developed during the week they stayed at her home.

He sets his bag down and tries to find a picture of just her, "Here." He hands Meg the picture. It was of Isabeau sitting down on one of the big chairs of her living room, reading a book, not aware of the picture being taken. Sam took that photo and the other photos in his hands as well. It was his own personal collection.

"Wow. She's gorgeous. She's got this haunting beauty to her, almost unreal." Meg says as she looks in awe at Isabeau's photo.

Sam nods, Isabeau's beauty wasn't normal, Meg was right when she said that Isabeau seemed unreal, "Been friends since we were babies. We grew up together and… I fell in love."

Meg smiles at Sam, taking a look at the rest of the photos, "Tell me more about her."

The couple's car has broken down and they are walking through the orchard. "I can't believe it. We just got the car fixed." The girl says.

"This way." The man says. They start walking towards a clearing. The scarecrow moves quickly behind them. The girl gasps and they turn around, "Steve?"

They hear more noises, "Who's there?"

They look around and the scarecrow comes out from behind the trees. It begins walking towards them, and they start running away. They are almost at the clearing when Dean and Isabeau run in front of them with their guns. The couple stop.

"Get back to your car." Dean orders. The couple looks behind them and sees the scarecrow getting closer. Isabeau's eyes widen, "Go! Go!"

The couple runs away. Dean cocks his gun and shoots the scarecrow, which stumbles but keeps walking. Dean and Isabeau begin running, and Isabeau cocks her gun, and shoots.

Why do you hurt me, Mother? Should I not take these people?

Isabeau shakes her head, confused.

Again, the scarecrow keeps going. Dean tries one more time, but the scarecrow keeps moving. Dean and Isabeau keep running. "Go! Go!" Dean screams out.

Finally, Dean, Isabeau and the couple reach the clearing. Dean cocks his gun and looks around, but the scarecrow has disappeared.

"What—what the hell was that?" The man, Steve pants out.

"Don't ask." Isabeau says.

It's the middle of the night at the bus station, Meg is sleeping on the floor and Sam is sitting by his bags, on the phone with Dean.

"The scarecrow climbed off its cross?" Sam asks.

"Yeah, I'm tellin' ya. Burkittsville, Indiana. Fun Town." Dean says.

"It didn't kill the couple, did it?"

"No. I can't cope without you, you know." Dean says and grunts when Isabeau hits his arm.

"So, something must be animating it. A spirit."

Dean looks over at Isabeau, pulls the phone away from his ear and puts it on speaker. Isabeau speaks, "No, it's more than a spirit. It's a god. A Pagan god, anyway."

Sam smiles when he hears Isabeau's voice, "What makes you say that?"

Isabeau laughs, "Witch remember? Anyway, the annual cycle of its killings? And the fact that the victims are always a man and a woman. Like some kind of fertility right. And you should see the locals. The way they treated this couple. Fattenin' 'em up like a Christmas turkey."

Sam shakes his head, "The last meal. Given to sacrificial victims."

Isabeau nods, "Yeah, I'm thinking a ritual sacrifice to appease some Pagan god."

"So, a god possesses the scarecrow…"

"And the scarecrow takes its sacrifice. And for another year, the crops won't wilt, and disease won't spread." Dean says.

"Isabeau, do you know which god you're dealing with?" Sam asks.

Isabeau shakes her head, "No, not yet."

"Well, you figure out what it is, you can figure out a way to kill it." Sam says.

"I know. We're actually on our way to a local community college. We've got an appointment with a professor. You know, since we don't have our trusty sidekick geek boy to do all the research." Dean says.

Sam laughs, "You know, if you're hinting you need my help, just ask."

"I'm not hinting anything. Actually, uh—I want you to know….I mean, don't think…." Dean stutters. Isabeau smiles at Dean.

"Yeah. I'm sorry, too."

Isabeau smiles to herself. Even though Dean didn't say it, he was sorry.

"Sam. You were right. You gotta do your own thing. You gotta live your own life." Dean tells him.

"Are you serious?"

"You've always known what you want. And you go after it. You stand up to Dad. And you always have. Hell, I wish I—anyway….I admire that about you. I'm proud of you, Sammy." Dean glances at Isabeau who smiles sadly at him.

"I don't even know what to say."

"Say you'll take care of yourself." Dean says.

"I will."

Dean smiles sadly, "Call me when you find Dad."

"Beau?" Sam asks.

Isabeau chuckles, "Find John, Sam…" Isabeau's smile drops, "It's what you want." She says sadly. She wanted to tell him to come back to her and Dean. She didn't want him to leave. And if he was, she was going back home. She loves Dean, but she needs both of them.

"OK. Bye, Dean, Isabeau." Sam says sadly. They hang up.

Meg wakes up and moves next to Sam, "Who was that?"

"My brother… Isabeau."

"What'd they say?"

"Goodbye." They exchange a look.

Dean and Isabeau are with the college professor, walking down the steps of the college. "It's not every day I get a research question on Pagan ideology."

"Yeah, well, call it a hobby." Dean says.

"But you said you were interested in local lore?" The professor asks.

Dean hums, with a nod, "Mmhmm."

"I'm afraid Indiana isn't really known for its Pagan worship."

Isabeau nods, "Well, what if it was imported? You know, like the Pilgrims brought their religion over. Wasn't a lot of this area settled by immigrants?"

The professor nods, "Well, yeah."

"Like that town near here, Burkittsville. Where are their ancestors from?" Dean asks.

"Uh, northern Europe, I believe, Scandinavia." The professor answers.

"What could you tell us about those Pagan gods?"

The professor chuckles, "Well, there are hundreds of Norse gods and goddesses." Isabeau nods, she knew that already. There was too many to learn.

"We're actually looking for one. Might live in an orchard." Isabeau says.

They ended up in the professor's office and he put a large book down on a table and opens it, "Woods god, hm? Well, let's see."

He leafs through some pages. On one page, Isabeua notices a picture of a scarecrow on a post surrounded by farmers in a field, "Wait, wait, wait. What's that one?"

"Oh, that's not a woods god, per se." The professor says.

Dean reads from the book, "The V-Vanir?" The professor nods and Dean continues reading, "The Vanir were Norse gods of protection and prosperity, keeping the local settlements safe from harm. Some villages built effigies of the Vanir in their fields. Other villages practiced human sacrifice. One male, and one female."

He points to the picture, "Kind of looks like a scarecrow, huh?"

The professor chuckles, "I suppose."

"This particular Vanir that's energy sprung from the sacred tree?" Isabeau reads.

"Well, Pagans believed all sorts of things were infused with magic." The professor says and Isabeau nods.

"So what would happen if the sacred tree was torched? You think it'd kill the god?" Dean asks.

The professor laughs, "Son, these are just legends we're discussing."

Dean nods, "Oh, of course. Yeah, you're right." Dean looks down at the book and notices a symbol of a spiral at the corner of the pages, "What's that?"

"Ah, it was believed in most religions that the gods themselves worshiped a goddess more powerful than them. They never said her actual name or title, they just called her 'Mother.' That is her symbol." The professor explains.

Mother… Isabeau looked down at the symbol, "Listen, thank you very much." Shee shakes the professor's hand and so does Dean.

"Glad I could help."

Dean and Isabeau walk to the office door. When Dean opens it, the sheriff hits him and then Isabeau on the head with the end of his rifle. Dean and Isabeau fall to the ground, and the sheriff and the professor exchange a knowing look.

In the streets of Burkittsville. Stacy, Harley, Scotty, and the sheriff are standing in the rain, upset.

"You don't understand, Harley. All of us here—It's our responsibility to protect the town." Scotty tells him.

"I understand. Better than all of you. I'm the one that gives 'em directions. I'm the one that sends 'em down to the orchard." Harley says.

"Harley, please." The sheriff begs.

"We all close our doors. Look the other way. Pretend we can't hear the screams. But this is different, this—this is murder." Harley says.

"It's angry with us. Already the trees are beginning to die. Tonight's the seventh night of the cycle. Our last chance." Stacy says.

Harley sighs, "If the boy has to die, the boy has to die. But why does it have to be her? Why not that other woman that came with him?"

"Because Harley," Scotty starts, "That woman, it's her. She will be given to it, but not as a sacrifice, as a gift." They say nothing, but stare at the ground, disappointed.

Dean and Isabeau are by themselves in a cellar. Suddenly, the cellar door opens and Emily is there, being held by her aunt and uncle and is crying.

"Aunt Stacy. Uncle Harley, please." Harley brings her down the stairs, next to Dean and Isabeau and goes back upstairs. "Why are you doing this?" Emily asks.

"For the common good." Stacey says and she shuts the cellar door and Dean, Isabeau and Emily are left in the dark.

At the bus station, Meg is gathering her things and Sam is trying to call Isabeau on his cell phone.

"Hey. Our bus came in." Meg says.

Sam hangs up the phone, shaking his head, "You better catch it. I gotta go." He puts on his backpack.

"Go where?" Meg asks.

"Burkittsville." He begins to walk off.

"Sam, wait." Meg catches up to him.

"I've been trying to call my brother and Isabeau for the last three hours. I'm just getting their voicemails." Sam explains.

"Well, maybe their phone's turned off."

Sam shakes his head, "No, that's not like them. Meg, I think they might be in trouble."

"What kind of trouble?"

"I can't really explain right now. I'm sorry, look, I don't want you to miss your bus."

"But I don't understand. You're running back to your brother? The guy you ran away from? Why, because he won't pick up his phone? Sam—come with me to California." Meg says.

Sam shakes his head, "I can't. I'm sorry."

"Why not?"

"He's my family and…"

Meg sighs, "You love her."

Sam says nothing and leaves. Meg watches him go.

"I don't understand. They're gonna kill us?" Emily asks.

Dean is trying to open the cellar door, but he fails, "Sacrifice us. Which is, I don't know, classier, I guess?" He walks over to her as Isabeau paces. "You really didn't know anything about this, did you?"

"About what? The scarecrow god? I can't believe this." Emily asks.

Isabeau stops her pacing, "Well, you better start believing, cause we're gonna need your help."

Emily nods, "Okay."

Isabeau shoves her hands in her pockets, "Now, we can destroy the scarecrow, but we gotta find the tree."

"What tree?"

"Maybe you can help me with that. It would be really old. The locals would treat it with a lot of respect, you know, like it was sacred." Dean explains.

Emily thinks about it, "There was this one apple tree. The immigrants brought it over with them. They call it the First Tree."

"Is it in the orchard?"

Emily nods, "Yeah, but I don't know where."

Isabeau furrows her brow in confusion, "One thing that doesn't make sense to me is they have Dean and I for a sacrifice… why do they need you?"

Emily stares at her, "I don't know. I did hear them talking about you though."

Dean waits, "What'd they say?"

"They said that you would…" Emily pauses, looking at Isabeau, "That you would be a gift, not a sacrifice."

Dean blinks, "A gift?"

Isabeau and Dean share a look and the cellar door opens and the four elders are standing there, Scotty pointing a gun at them.

"It's time." Stacy says. Dean, Isabeau and Emily look at each other, nervous.

The elders are tying Dean and Emily to two adjacent trees. Isabeau is off to the side with her hands bound in front of her and another townsfolk, holds onto Isabeau's upper arm, keeping her in one place.

"How many people have you killed, Sheriff? How much blood is on your hands?" Dean asks.

"We don't kill them." The sheriff answers.

Isabeau scoffs, "No, but you sure cover up after. I mean, how many cars have you hidden, clothes have you buried?" The sheriff gives her a look and walks away, picking up a gun and points it at Dean.

"Uncle Harley, please." Emily begs.

"I am so sorry, Em. I wish it wasn't you." Harley says.

"Try to understand. It's our responsibility. And there's just no other choice. There's nobody else but you." Stacy says.

"I'm your family." Emily cries.

Stacy kneels down next to Emily, "Sweetheart, that's what sacrifice means. Giving up something you love for the greater good. The town needs to be safe. The good of the many outweighs the good of the one."

The four elders walk away, along with the other townsfolk, dragging Isabeau along.

"Hey! Where are you taking her?!" Dean shouts as they walk away.

"She is a gift for Vanir. She will be taken to the sacred tree, and it will find her." Scotty says.

"Beau!" Dean shouts one last time.

Isabeau clutches a part of her rosary in her hand as they bring her deeper into the orchard. They come to a tree that is different from all the rest. It looked healthier compared to the trees surrounding it.

They set Isabeau down on the ground and tie her hands above her to the tree, just like they did Dean and Emily.

Isabeau glares at them as they walk away when they're down, "I hope your apple pie is freakin' worth it!"

She sighs and closes her eyes, slumping against the tree, "Just great."

"So, what's the plan?" Emily asks once the both of them are alone.

Dean huffs, "I'm workin' on it."

Hours passed and morning turned into night.

"You don't have a plan, do you?" Emily asks.

Dean is slightly panicked, "I'm workin' on it." If anything, his mind was focused more on Isabeau. Was she okay? Did she escape? He didn't want to think the worst. He just hoped that she was fine. That he would get out of this mess and find her. "Can you see?"

"What?"

Dean tries to look over, but can't see anything, "Is he moving yet?"

"I can't see."

A shadow is seen moving near the trees.

"Oh my God." Emily exclaims.

As it moves closer, Dean tries to untie his ropes. Sam comes out from behind the trees, "Dean?"

Dean is overjoyed, "Oh! Oh, I take everything back I said. I'm so happy to see you. Come on." Sam begins untying Dean from the tree. "How'd you get here?"

"I, uh—I stole a car." Sam says sheepishly.

Dean laughs, "Haha! That's my boy! And keep an eye on that scarecrow. He could come alive any minute."

"What scarecrow?"

Dean gets up and sees the scarecrow's post is empty. He and Sam exchange a nervous look. "Wait, where's Beau?" Sam asks, scared.

Isabeau pulls at the ropes, trying to free herself. "Come on." She whispers out in annoyance.

Isabeau freezes when she hears twigs snap behind the tree. She breathes heavily as she slowly turns her head and looks up.

Standing in front of her was the scarecrow with a sickle in its hand. It raises the sickle up and Isabeau closes her eyes and turns her head away, awaiting the pain.

She hears a snap and her now untied hands land in her lap. Isabeau looks up at the scarecrow, confused.

It extends its hand out for her to take. Hesitantly, she takes it and the scarecrow helps her to her feet. Isabeau takes a step back, unsure of its intentions.

The scarecrow tilts its head at her.

Who do you wish, Mother? Who will be the sacrifice?

Isabeau takes a breath, "Um, uh…" She shakes her head. Was she seriously talking to a scarecrow. Scratch that, a pagan god.

She thought to herself, if it wanted a sacrifice, then it was going to get one. "Stacey and Harley."

The scarecrow nods and points into the orchard.

Friends are that way. I will protect them and you, Mother.

Isabeau nods and begins to run in the direction that the scarecrow pointed to. The scarecrow watches as she runs away and heads in the opposite direction, searching for the man and woman she said would be it's sacrifice.

Sam, Dean, and Emily are running in the orchard.

"Alright, now, this sacred tree you're talking about—" Sam says.

"It's the source of its power." Dean says.

"So let's find it and burn it."

Dean nods, "We need to find it, Sam. They brought Isabeau to it."

"What? Why?"

Dean huffs, "They said that she was a gift. And that the scarecrow would find her."

Sam's eyes widen, "A gift? What the hell does that mean?"

Dean looks back at Sam, "I don't know."

Just as Dean turns his head forward, he crashes into someone, causing the both of them to fall to the ground, the other person on top of Dean. Sam and Emily skid to a stop just behind them.

"Dean!" Isabeau exclaims, their faces only a few inches apart.

A smile breaks out on his face, "Beau!" He pulls her into a quick hug and the two stand up. Dean immediately looks over her for any injuries, "You good?"

Isabeau nods, "Yeah, I'm fine." She looks behind Dean and smiles when she sees Sam.

"Sam!"

Sam returns the smile, "Beau!" He walks up to her and pulls her into a tight embrace.

Isabeau laughs, "I thought you were heading to California?"

"Alright, catch-up game later." Dean says.

Isabeau and Sam pull away and Isabeau nods, "Right. We can come back for the sacred tree in the morning."

Dean agrees, "Let's just shag ass before Leather Face catches up." The four of them reach a clearing. Waiting for them are the elders and a few other townspeople. "This way." They turn around, but they are blocked in all directions.

"Please. Let us go." Emily begs.

"It'll be over quickly, I promise." Harley says.

"Please."

"Emily, you have to let him take you. You have to-" All of a sudden, the scarecrow sticks his sickle through Harley's stomach. Emily and Stacy scream. Emily turns and hides her face into Isabeau's chest. Isabeau instinctively wraps her arms around Emily, not wanting the poor girl to see any more.

Then Stacy is captured by the scarecrow, too. Emily's aunt and uncle are dragged away by the scarecrow and the rest of the townspeople run away in fright.

"Come on, let's go." Dean orders and him, Sam, Isabeau and Emily start running. They hear a noise and turn around, but the scarecrow and its victims have disappeared. The three of them stay there and look around.

Did I do good, Mother?

Isabeau's eyes glow green, though Sam, Dean, nor Emily notices.

Yes, you did good.

The next morning, Isabeau, Sam, Dean, and Emily walk to the sacred tree with gasoline and a lighter. The tree has markings all over it.

Sam goes to the tree and pours the gasoline on it. Dean picks up a long branch and lights it.

"Let me." Emily says and she takes the branch from Dean.

"You know, the whole town's gonna die." Isabeau reminds her.

"Good." Emily throws the burning branch onto the tree, and the four of them watch it go up in flames.

The three are standing at a bus stop as Emily is getting on a bus to Boston. She turns and smiles at Dean and Isabeau, who wave to her. She waves back and takes a seat. Isabeau, Dean and Sam watch the bus leave.

"Think she's gonna be alright?" Sam asks.

"I hope so." Dean answers.

"And the rest of the townspeople, they'll just get away with it?"

Isabeau purses her lips, "Well, what'll happen to the town will have to be punishment enough."

They start walking to the impala. "So, can I drop you off somewhere?" Dean asks.

Isabeau frowns, she was hoping that Sam wasn't leaving.

Sam scoffs, "No, I think you're stuck with me." They stop at the car and Isabeau smiles.

So does Dean, "What made you change your mind?"

Sam shakes his head, "I didn't. I still wanna find Dad. And you're still a pain in the ass." Sam slings an arm around Isabeau's shoulder, "Missed this one."

Dean nods.

"But, Jess and Mom—they're both gone. Dad is God knows where. You, me and Isabeau. We're all that's left. So, if we're gonna see this through, we're gonna do it together." Sam explains.

Dean pauses, "Hold me, Sam. That was beautiful." He puts his hand on Sam's shoulder, who hits it away and all three of them laugh.

Isabeau pulls away shaking her head as Sam points at Dean, "You should be kissing my ass, you were dead meat, dude."

"Yeah, right. I had a plan, I'd have gotten out." Dean says.

"Right." Sam says.

Isabeau bounces in happiness and without thinking, she rushes to both brothers, giving them a kiss on each of their cheeks, "Thank god! I couldn't take it anymore. Get your asses in the car, my treat tonight!"

Isabeau slides into the backseat, happy that all three of them were together again. Sam and Dean smile and get in the car. What did they do to deserve her?

Driving along the highway, another shady guy is giving Meg a ride. "So, where to, pretty lady?"

"How about you pull over?" Meg suggests.

The van driver looks at her, "Okay. That works." He pulls over and Meg reaches into her bag and pulls out a silver bowl. "What's that?"

"I've got to make a call." She reaches into the bowl to get something.

"I've got a cell phone you could use." He offers.

"It's not that kind of call." She pulls out a knife and slits the van driver's throat. She holds the bowl under his neck and lets his blood pour into it. "Thanks for the ride."

She begins stirring the blood in the bowl with her finger, "Tire quiero patem me a di." The blood swirls around and seems to grow spikes. "It makes no sense. I could've stopped Sam. Hell, I could've taken all of them. Why let them go?"

Meg pauses, seemingly listening to someone, "Yes." She pauses again, "Yes." She pauses again, "Yes, Father."

Meg pauses one more time, but with a smirk. She reaches into her bag and pulls out a close up photo of Isabeau that she stole from Sam when he wasn't looking, "She's with them, Father. Our Isabeau."

I'm just gonna drop this here... have fun! Hope you all enjoyed! Feedback is always wonderful! (Believe me when I say your guys comments make me excited everyday to write this.) All the love!~