Chapter 3

The midsize plane took off and Sam drew in a sharp breath as the rumbling and weird feeling washed over him until it leveled off once it was at cruising speed and altitude. He let out the breath he was holding and tried to stretch his long legs in the tight confines of the cabin. The flight Storm had booked him on was in a smaller plane than usual and only held around fifty passengers. It was understandable since the flight was only going to take less than thirty minutes to make. He was glad because he wanted to find Dean as quickly as he could. He tried to remember what he had found on the case that Dad sent them on. Couples were going missing, same time each year, and around the same place, Burkitsville. That in itself was weird and wondered what Dean had walked into since this was the week of the disappearances.

He glanced out the side window and watched the plane seem to float through the sky among the clouds. It still amazed him how a metal tin can with engines could fly in the air like this. He could feel the power behind the engines vibrate through the plane as it settled in a flight pattern. Sam tried to get comfortable in his seat and not poke the person sitting beside him. He checked his watch for the time and started planning on how to find Dean once he got to Burkitsville.

It felt like the plane had just taken off when the pilot announced to fasten your seatbelt they would be landing shortly. Sam blinked his eyes quickly and pulled himself back to the present before he complied and tightened the belt around his waist. He stiffened as the plane circled and began its descent toward the airport and the runway.

Sam braced as he glanced out the window and saw the ground coming up toward them fast. The plane lined up with the runway and the landing gear lowered as the pilot reduced the speed and brought the nose up slightly and trimmed the flaps to slow the plane more. The wheels touched the runway and bounced slightly as it rolled down the tarmac. The pilot reversed the engines and pressed on the brakes to slow the plane as he taxied down to the terminal, slowing even more until it stopped at a gate.

Sam breathed a sigh of relief and unfastened his seatbelt but waited for others get up and exit before getting up and getting his bags from the overhead storage and followed the last of the passengers from the plane. Sam walled down the hall toward the airport terminal and exited into the main hall. He looked both ways trying to decide which way to go, finally spotting signs for car rentals and went that way.

Enterprise Car Rental was at the end of the row and Sam walked to the desk where a young woman was typing quickly on a keyboard.

"Hello, can I help you?" she asked giving Sam a warm smile as she looked him over.

"There should be a car on hold for me, Sam Winchester," Sam replied.

"One moment," she said as she looked up his name. "Yes, I have it right here, a midsize sedan. I just need you to sign some paperwork and you'll be ready to go." She tapped a few keys and a printer started printing out behind her. Once it was done, she pulled the papers out and looked them over before putting them down on the counter and pointed to where Sam should sign.

Sam picked up a pen and scribbled his name quickly on the forms and accepted the keys and a copy of the paperwork.

"If you will go out the door to the side there, your car is in slot C-6. I hope you enjoy your time here and come back again."

"Thanks, oh, do you have a map of the area?" Sam asked her as he shouldered his bags.

"Yes, here you go sir," she replied handing him a map.

Sam glanced at the parking lot and saw the large letter and number assigned to each parking spot. He walked slowly over and down the rows until he found the right vehicle. Sam pressed the button on the key and heard the ding of the alarm as the door opened. He was pleased Storm had gotten a midsize vehicle making it more comfortable for him. He unfolded the map and traced out his path before starting the car and pulling out of the parking lot.

spn

Sam slowed as he saw the sign for Burkitsville ahead and started looking around at the landscape. He remembered from his talk with Dean a couple of days ago, that it was probably a pagan god that was being worshiped here. Something caught his eye, and he slowed the car and parked it on the side of the road beside an apple orchard. Dense fog seemed to suddenly start rolling in making it hard to see. He got out and stood by the car, getting his bearings. Sam cocked his head because he thought he heard voices deeper io the orchard and followed the sounds. He sped up when one of the voices sounded like Dean.

"Someone's coming," a scared female voice cried out. "What do we do?"

"Where?" Dean asked trying to loosen his bindings to see. He jerked and twisted as a long shadow moved toward them.

"Dean?" Sam questioned when he saw him tied to an apple tree.

"Sammy," Dean gushed out. "Man, I take back every mean thing I said about you. Get me out of these ropes."

"What are you doing out here?" Sam asked as he pulled a knife to cut his bindings.

"Being sacrificed to a damn scarecrow. Do you see him back there?"

Sam looked behind him frowning when he didn't see anything but an empty cross.

"I don't see a scarecrow," Sam told him, letting him take the knife to release Emily.

"We need to get out of here," Dean insisted as he helped Emily to stand.

They started heading back through the apple orchard and was stopped by townspeople carrying guns. Dean pulled Emily back behind him to protect her as Sam drew his gun and pointed it at the people holding guns on them. Dean gripped the knife tightly as he squared off against the attacker.

"We can't let you leave," Emily's uncle told them.

"We have to think of the town and it's lively hood dear," Emily's aunt told her. "All it wants are two lives a year and the town prospers and has a good harvest while others around us suffer."

"You're insane," Emily yelled at them as she gripped Dean's arm tightly.

Before anything else can be said, a sickle was suddenly stabbed into Emily's uncle's chest by the scarecrow and he fell to the ground breathing his last breath. His wife screamed and tried to run but was caught by the scarecrow and they were dragged away into the darkness of the night. The townspeople scattered in different directions leaving Dean, Sam, and Emily standing along in the apple orchard.

"Didn't see that coming," Dean commented as he looked around. "Let's get out of here."

The three headed out of the orchard and to Sam's rental car to take it into town. Dean wanted to find his Baby and be sure she was okay.

"You need to call Storm and let her know you're okay Dean," Sam told him once they found the Impala. "She's the reason I got here so fast."

"You're right," Dean nodded taking Sam's cell since his had been destroyed. He dialed Storm's number and got an answer on the first ring.

"Sam, did you find Dean?" Storm rushed out, an urgency in her voice.

"Hey Babe, it's me," Dean greeted her.

"Dean, oh thank god, are you okay?" Storm cried out in relief at hearing Dean's voice and couldn't stop the soft sobs from escaping.

"I'm fine hon, honest," Dean told her as he heard crying from the other end. He hated to hear a woman cry, especially if it was Storm. "Stormy, please, don't cry, I'm okay," Dean begged not liking to hear her distress.

"I-I can't help it," she sobbed. "I'm just…Happy and relieved you're okay…"

"Thanks to you helping Sammy get here so fast. They were ready to sacrifice us like lambs being led to slaughter." Dean paused as he listened to Storm's hitched breathing and soft sobs coming from the cell. "Listen, why don't I call you back later after you've had time to calm down and process this?"

"Okay," she whispered sniffing hard.

"Try to get some rest Babe, we'll talk later."

"Is she okay?" Sam asked after Dean hung up.

"I think so, she sort of lost it there for a minute," Dean told him. "I know this must have been stressful for her not knowing."

"Yeah, I'm sure. Do you want to talk to Emily now?"

"Yes, let's get this over with and see if she knows anything."

They questioned Emily about a special tree somewhere in the orchard that was planted here when the town was settled. She replied there was a tree in the middle of the orchard that had strange markings on it and was supposed to be brought over with the first settlers of the town.

The next morning, they went into the orchard with gasoline and found the mother tree. Sam splashed gas on the trunk and Dean asked Emily was she sure about this, that the town would probably die if they destroyed it. She replied, 'let it die'. He gave her a burning branch and let her light the fire and watched as it consumed the tree, destroying the pagan god's hold on the town. Never again would couples be sacrificed to it for a good harvest.

Dean and Sam took Emily to the bus station so she could catch a bus to Chicago to go stay with her aunt. They wished her the best of luck and watched the bus pull away.

spn

"Okay, are you staying or heading back out now that I'm…" Dean started as they walked back toward the cars.

"You need to go see Storm, Dean. She needs to see you're okay," Sam told him in a strong voice. "We need to turn in the rental car. You need me to back you up, I see that now."

Dean looked at Sam and saw how serious he looked and knew he was right. He wanted to see Storm too.

"Yeah, you are probably right," Dean sighed. "I'll follow you to the rental place."

"Okay, it shouldn't take long to do it." Sam got into the rental car and pulled away from the bus station. He glanced in the rearview mirror to be sure Dean was behind him as he pulled out into traffic. He headed across town to the rental car place to return the car.

Dean waited outside for Sam to finish up inside. He cranked the car when Sam strolled from office building toward him. Sam opened the passenger door and dropped into the seat with a sigh.

"There's a possible case in a small town that is on the way if you want to check it out," Sam told him.

"What do you have?" Dean asked. He really didn't want to stop for another case. He wanted to get to Storm but let Sam finish.

"Children are disappearing, and one witness said it was a monster that took them," Sam told him. "The town is less than two hours from us and we're not going out of our way really."

"I was sold when you said kids were involved. When I stop for gas, I'll call Stormy and let her know we're heading her way but have to make a stop along the way."

"I'm sure she'll be glad to hear it," Sam nodded. He typed a quick text to Storm to assure her Dean was really okay but didn't tell Dean. "If you take highway 24 across that will put us right above the town."

"Got it." Dean followed the signs to 24 and headed west across the state following Sam's directions. He set a steady pace putting miles between them and Burkitsville. Dean thought about something he could do special for Strom, since she pretty much saved his life by getting Sam to find him. Maybe he would ask Sam's advice to see what he thought would be a nice gift.

Sam tried to find more information on the missing children and on the one witness to the kidnapping. He remained quiet throughout the drive because he was still beating himself up for leaving Dean to work the case alone. It had almost cost him his life and he would never have been able to forgive himself if that happened. Sam decided he needed to stay with Dean, and they could look for their Dad while working cases.

A/N: The brothers are on their way to see Storm but are going to check one more case out. A twist is coming, hope you like it. Remember this is an AU, it will not be exactly like the show. Reviews are great. NC