Content Warning: language and violence
DISCLAIMER: any words or phrases in bold in the story are not my own and are credited to the writers of Supernatural.
Spring had finally come which meant the rain showers came with it. The pitter patter of falling drops hit the top of the motel roof and slid down the windows. It was still dark, but morning was close by. Riley, Sam and Dean were sound asleep. Even Finn had curled up in a ball next to Riley's side of the bed and had found his way to "dreamland."
Dean's phone vibrated on the nightstand. Sam was the only one to wake from the noise. "Dean." Again, it vibrated. "Dean." Another vibration. Sam leaned over and picked up the phone. Seeing an unknown number, he flipped it open. "Hello?" His voice was sleepy and raspy.
"Sam, is that you?" The voice on the other end was deep and one Sam knew all too well. He shot up from bed.
"Dad? Is that you? Oh my god, we've been looking everywhere for you! Are you ok?"
"I'm alright, Sammy. What about you guys? I know Riley's with you now."
"Yeah, yeah. We're all good. Dad, where are you?" Sam was desperate to get answers.
"Sorry, kiddo," John replied. "I can't tell you that."
"What? Why not?"
Riley and Dean woke hearing the conversation. Looking at his brother, Dean's eyes widened as panic and eagerness rushed through him. Riley was barely awake, and feeling his emotions overwhelmed her with how tired she was.
"Is that dad?!" Dean reached for the phone, but Sam held it to his ear.
"Look, I know it's hard for you to understand. You're just gonna have to trust me on this."
Sam realized what was going on. "…you're after it aren't you? The demon."
"I heard about your girlfriend, Sammy; and Riley's aunt. I'm so sorry. I would have done anything to protect you from that." The guilt John felt was evident with every word he spoke.
"…you know where it is."
"I think I'm closing in on it."
"Dad, let us help." Sam pleaded to his father.
"You can't be any part of it. That's why I'm calling. You and your brother, you gotta stop looking for me. Listen, Sam, I need you to take down some names."
"Names? Dad, what are you talking about? Where the hell are you?"
"This is bigger than we thought. They're everywhere. It's too dangerous. Even us being on the phone is risky. Now look, I gave you an order. Stop following me and do your job, you understand me? Now write these names down."
Dean had his arm extended waiting for the phone the entire time. "Sam? Let me talk to him."
Sam's face turned to anger, and his brow furrowed. Breathing heavy, he tried to contain himself from yelling at his father on the other line. He handed the phone to Dean and tried to control his rage. Fully awake now, Riley felt the change in Sam's emotions and the anger was so much it almost became her own. She had never seen Sam like that before.
Taking the phone, Dean put it to his ear. "Dad, it's me. Where are you? We–" He stopped mid-sentence and listened to John. "Yes, sir." He paused again to listen. "Uh..yes, sir I got a pen."
—–
Baby roared down a highway after the three had jumped in the car right after receiving John's call. Sam was adamant about driving. He was going to get them on the road as quick as he could. Dean sat in the front and Riley sat in the backseat with her furry companion.
"Alright, so the names dad gave us? They're couples. All went on cross-country trips and were never heard from again. There's a pattern: one couple, every year, disappearing in the second week of April." Dean rifled through the few things he could print on the information he was given.
"Wait. It's the second week of April, now." Riley realized this case was more urgent than she had already thought. Another couple was going to be in danger.
"Yup. And apparently, they all went through the same stretch in Indiana. I can't believe dad was able to put all this together. I mean, think of how much research he had to do to find the links in the cases. The man is a master."
Still reeling from his conversation with John, Sam jumped in. "Okay, but we're not going to Indiana. We're going to California. Dad called from a Sacramento area code."
"What?" Dean asked. He couldn't believe Sam wasn't on the same page as him. "No, no. Dad gave us an order and we're gonna see it through."
"I don't care!" Sam barked back. "Dad's close to the demon. That thing killed Jess and mom and Debbie. We're gonna meet him out there and we're getting answers." He exhaled sharply. "I don't get you! You have such blind faith in the man."
"It's called being a good son!" Dean was fed up with Sam's lack of obedience.
Riley knew it wasn't her place to interject during this argument. She sat quietly petting Finn feeling the tension and anger grow through the car. Pacing her breathing, she closed her eyes trying to calm herself. The boys' emotions swirled inside her like a coming storm.
Pulling the car off to the side of the road, Sam slowed down as the gravel came from under the car. He got out in a huff and headed for the trunk. Dean and Riley followed after him.
"What the hell are you doing, Sam?" Dean's anger came through his every word.
Sam grabbed his pack from the trunk and slung it over his shoulder. "I told you, I'm going to find dad."
"Sam," Riley said calmly. "Please, don't do this."
Ignoring her comment, Dean stopped controlling his anger. "You're a selfish bastard, you know that?"
The youngest Winchester looked at his brother and scoffed. "Well this selfish bastard is leaving."
Desperate to defuse the situation, Riley jumped in again. "Guys come on. We can figure this out." Her breathing quickened and she began to feel dizzy. The frustration and anger between the brothers was too much; overwhelming her senses. Riley bent over feeling sick to her stomach and Dean ran to her side.
"Hey, hey. What's going on?"
Trying to not make the moment about her, she waved him off. "I'm good. I'm good." Riley leaned against the trunk using it to stabilize herself.
"No you're not," he said full of concern. "Wait a minute. You were talking before about how higher emotions can get the better of you." He pointed a finger between himself and Sam. "Is this because of us? Because of this?"
Feeling terrible for not being able to control her abilities, she nodded with her eyes closed.
"Great, Sam. Now you got Riley sick because of your damntantrum."
"Don't blame me, Dean. You are just as much to blame for this whole situation. Actually, maybe even more so." Sam looked at Riley's concerned and saddened face and went to hug her. His face was in her hair and her stomach seemed to settle as love flowed from him. A moment passed and he kissed the top of her head. "I love you. I'm so sorry." Sam quickly released her as he turned away.
"Sam, it's the fucking middle of the night! I swear to god, I will leave your dumbass," Dean threatened.
Looking back at his brother Sam responded with a snarky tone. "That's what I want you to do."
Dean let out an annoyed sigh and mumbled under his breath. "Un-fucking-believable."
A confused Riley was filled with the emotions being flung around and couldn't handle the stress. She yelled for Sam as her voice broke. "Sam! Come back!" He didn't turn around and continued on.
Opening the passenger door, Dean turned to Riley waiting for her to get inside. "Honey, come on. Let him go. He's a lost cause."
As her eyes welled with sadness, she glanced back at Sam trying to send her thoughts to beg him to stay. "Don't go. We need you. I need you. …please."
When he still didn't turn, she walked towards Dean. Tears stung the corners of her eyes as she tried to hold herself together for him. He took her hand and guided her into the car.
Soon as he was back in his seat, Dean put Baby in drive and took off down the dark road. Riley watched out the side mirror as Sam began to disappear behind them.
—
Sam had walked for miles until the sun came over the horizon. The highway seemed to go on forever and with few cars passing through, hitch-hiking wasn't working. He secured his bag on his shoulder and trudged on.
The night before weighed on him. It felt as though he was hauling something heavy with every step. Sam hated fighting with Dean. Despite how much they could disagree, he was still his big brother.
And Riley? She was his sister. The pain in the ass kind that he never really knew he needed. Sam remembered the hurt in her eyes and how guilty he had felt that he had to leave her behind. "I just hope she'll understand…"
Looking ahead, there seemed to be someone sitting on the side of the road. As he got closer, he saw the back of what looked like a young woman. She had headphones on over her short, platinum blonde hair. Sam walked up and tapped her on the shoulder. The touch of the stranger caused her head to whip around in panic. She exhaled as she saw the innocent looking hunter.
"Oh my god! You scared the shit outta me."
"I'm so sorry," he laughed. "I just saw you and thought maybe you needed help."
"No. Thanks, I'm good." She smiled at him. "So, uh…where you headed?"
"California."
"No way. Me too."
Sam let out a breathy laugh. "Well, I mean we could get some miles under us and head that way together."
"I don't know you. You're hitch-hiking. You could be some kind of freak." The girl gave him a mischievous smirk. He chuckled in response.
A large truck was driving towards the two travelers. The girl stuck out her thumb as she tried to get the driver's attention. The truck seemed to slow down and then stopped in front of them. "Need a ride?" The driver was a man with a husky voice that looked dirty and questionable. But they did need that ride.
They both went towards the truck and the driver stopped them. "Nuh-uh. Just the girl."
She got in and closed the door as Sam walked up to her. "You trust 'shady trucker-guy' but not me?" As she gave him a final smile, the truck pulled away.
Sam watched as they drove away, and dirt spun out beneath the tires. He scoffed with a smile at the encounter that left him completely puzzled.
—–
The Impala pulled into the small town of Burkittsville, Indiana. The rain sprinkled around them, and the smell of freshly wet pavement filled the air.
Riley and Dean hadn't spoken most of the night. She was annoyed with both Winchesters for their childish behavior. Watching her best friend leave them the night before, broke her heart. Not to mention she had been struggling just to function every day since she lost Deb.
Dean could see Riley was in no mood to interact with anyone. He looked over at her and placed his hand on hers that sat on the seat. "I'm gonna go talk to some locals. You wanna wait in the car?" She nodded and wiped away a tear that snuck down her face. He kissed her cheek and got out of the car.
Riley took a deep breath and looked back at Finn. He had been sitting patiently waiting for her attention. "Hey, buddy." She rubbed his head as she grabbed her sweater. Bundling it up, she made a pillow and put it against the window to rest her head.
Opening her eyes, Riley saw she was in Debbie's bedroom. Trying to move, she realized she was completely frozen on the bed. As she fought against whatever was holding her down, she looked up. Deb was on the ceiling; her stomach had been slashed and blood covered her abdomen. Her face was washed out and full of terror.
Riley began to hyperventilate as she panicked. Her heart was beating fast against her caged chest and she could hear her pulse in her ears. She could do nothing but watch the horror of her aunt's death unfold. No words would come out of her mouth. Deb screamed out for Riley as fire consumed her and spread across the ceiling like it had come to life.
A wet lick on her face woke Riley from her nightmare. She gasped for air trying to calm her racing heart. Finn had reached over the seat trying to bring her out of whatever dream was tormenting her. He whined waiting to see if she was okay. Riley turned to him and rubbed his ear. "Good boy."
The last two weeks had been nothing but pain. On top of her constant nightmare of dad finding her dead, now another of her suffering aunt found its way into her mind. Riley wasn't even there when Deb died. Why was she seeing it in her dreams? It wasn't fair. It was like she could never find a moment of peace.
A dark cloud seemed to crawl over Riley's heart. She had felt it all too often since losing Deb. It was sadness, hopelessness and anguish all balled into one. The light in her eyes began to slip away.
This wasn't the first time she felt this. Since the fire, it seemed to follow her wherever she went. Riley had to fight just to get out of bed most days. And on some, she lost that battle. Some days all she could do was lie in bed and shut the world out. It all hurt too much. She wasn't even able to help on the most recent hunt. Riley got good at trying to fake it though. There wasn't a moment that went by that she didn't ache. But the demon was still out there and that was her driving force to keep going. Well, that and Sam and Dean.
Dean got into the driver's seat and settled in. "Alright, so I think I got some info." As he looked at Riley, he could see how unsettled she was. "Hey, you okay?" Dean reached for her and rubbed her thigh over her jeans.
Swallowing hard and trying to forget the nightmare, she turned to see him waiting for a response. "Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine. Must have dozed off."
Dean hesitated before speaking again in case she decided to share more. When there was silence for a moment he went on. "So, I met some dude named Scotty. He owns the town's cafe. How he gets business I'll never know. The guy probably never smiled a day in his life. Anyways, I showed him the flyers of the missing couple from last year and told him they were friends. Said I was looking for them and thought maybe they passed through. Scotty said he never saw them."
Riley listened but ran her hand through her hair still trying to calm down.
"After talking to the man with the 'sunny disposition', I went inside and spoke to an older couple that lived in the town; Mr. and Mrs. Jorgeson. I showed them the pictures and they also said that they hadn't come through here. But, when their daughter looked? She recognized the missing guy's tattoo and said they stopped for gas at some point. Her father had directed them down the highway. Never saw them again."
Turning towards Dean, Riley finally engaged in the conversation. "Okay, so either they're lying, and the daughter has no idea, ormaybe they just had nothing to do with it."
"Yeah, I dunno. They seemed pretty sketchy to me." He thought for a moment. "I say we drive down the highway they went on and see what we find." Putting the car into reverse, he put his arm over the front seat and looked over his shoulder. They pulled out of the one-horse town and turned towards the road.
After only a few minutes had passed, a loud noise came from Dean's bag in the backseat. It was the EMF detector and it was whirring out of control. Dean and Riley looked at each other in confusion.
"What the hell?" Reaching back into the seat, Riley found it and checked to make sure it wasn't broken. It continued to sound off.
Dean pulled off to the side of the road and parked on a stretch of dirt and gravel. There was a fenced off area with an arched entryway that led into what looked like an apple orchard. Vines wrapped around the fencing.
Getting out of the car, Dean stood and closed the door as he checked the area. Riley got out and then opened the door for Finn to follow. She turned to look back at the orchard. It wasn't inviting at all and Riley got chills up her spine. Without a word, they walked past the gate.
Going further in, the trees seemed to go on forever. It was the middle of the afternoon and there was still an unsettling feeling of being watched. Finn walked by Riley's side and scanned around them. He always seemed to take his job of protecting her very seriously.
"I don't like it here. Something doesn't feel right, Dean." Riley put her hands on her opposite arms as another shiver came over her.
"Yeah, no argument there."
As they walked on, they stumbled across a post. Hanging on it was a scarecrow, tied with rope to the pieces of wood; its head hanging down. They went in for a closer look. Upon reaching the post, an unfriendly face looked back at them. A brimmed hat sat on its head and shadowed over its hollowed-out eyes. It had a long black cloak on that was tattered and ripped at the hands. In his right hand, was a large rusted sickle.
"Dude, you fugly." Dean made a disgusted face as he looked at the hanging "man".
Riley let out a small chuckle. "You know? No one says that enough anymore. We gotta bring that word back." Dean smiled at her response.
Finn gave a low growl and bared his teeth. His hair stood on end. Riley always trusted his instincts; they never seemed to be wrong. She knew he sensed something.
There was a wooden ladder that rested against a nearby tree. Dean grabbed it and leaned it against the post. As he reached the scarecrow, he looked it over carefully. He was looking for anything that might stand out. Eyeing the sickle, there was a mark that peeked out from the sleeve. Dean raised the worn jacket cuff. A tribal tattoo was on its arm and the arm itself almost looked decayed or like a strange leather. It was an exact match to the tattoo on the arm of the missing man.
"Nice tat." That was all Dean needed to know they were in the right place.
—
Riley unlocked the motel door and the couple went inside with their canine companion. They put their bags down and Dean went to kick off his boots. Riley took two stacked bowls out of her bag and filled them with food and water for Finn. When she finished, she fell backwards onto the bed and let out a sigh.
"As much as I hate these crappy hotels, I never get sick of the feeling of crashing into a bed."
Dean chuckled. "Being on the road all the time will do that to you." He walked over to her and pulled off her boots as she giggled. "Mind if I join you?" Her arm extended as if to say "there's plenty of room." Dean threw himself on the bed, looking over at his favorite girl.
"You know what I just realized? This is the first time we've gone on a hunt just the two of us."
"You're right. I didn't even think of that. Well, there's actually three of us." He turned his head and eyed the sleepy dog on the floor.
She laughed and turned on her side to face him. "I know you never really liked dogs, Dean–"
He quickly stopped her and let out an awkward chuckle. "Wh-what? That's not true." Riley gave him a look that showed she knew better, and he sighed. "Fine. You're probably just gonna read my mind anyways. No, I never really was a dog person." His face fell and he almost felt guilty for saying what he did.
"Dean, I already knew that." She smirked at him. "That's why it meant the world to me that you let Finn come with us. I don't know how I could ever thank you for how good you've been to me."
Leaning into her, he kissed her, and his hand found the back of her head. His fingers laced between her auburn locks. Dean pulled away and looked at her. "Well, I know one way."
"Oh!" she said in a flirty tone as she raised her eyebrow. "That I can do." Riley put her hand on his chest and pushed him back onto the bed. She crawled over him and straddled over his hips as she leaned down to kiss him. A small moan escaped his throat as her kiss took over him.
He pulled away for a brief moment as he ghosted his lips over hers. "This might be what makes me a dog guy." She laughed, hard, as he pulled her in for another kiss. Her lips still smiling against his.
—
The next day, Dean went back to the cafe. He knew it was best to leave Riley behind. They didn't need to look like the kind of couples that seem to disappear in the area.
He walked in and looked around. It was small and cozy. The walls were wooden paneled and there were solid wooden support beams in parts of the room. It smelled delicious. All the tables were empty except for one. A young man and woman sat across from either. It was obvious they were together romantically. They both looked like college students. The man he had met before, Scotty, walked over to the table and placed a warm apple pie in front of them. He told them it was on the house and gave them an overly eager smile.
He then turned to see Dean seated at one of the tables. Scotty almost looked exasperated at the sight of him. It seemed that his plan was to completely ignore Dean's presence as he attempted to walk by.
Dean cleared his throat. "Uh–can I get a cup of coffee? Black." Rolling his eyes, Scotty went to leave. "Oh! And some of that pie!" Dean added as he looked over at the couple's table. Clearly annoyed, the man walked towards the back without a word.
"That looks good," Dean said looking at the couple's pie. "You guys staying in town?"
"No. We're just passing through." The young dark hair woman smiled at the stranger.
The man she was with joined in the conversation. "We came in for gas and the guy at the gas station saved our lives. One of our brake lines was leaking. We had no idea and he offered to fix it for us."
Dean knew that this all smelt like a trap. "Nice people," he said trying to hide how fake he was being. He didn't hide it well. "So how long until you're up and running?"
"Sundown." The young man then turned to continue his meal.
"Really? To fix a brake line?" His voice showed disbelief. "You know, I know a thing or two about cars. I could probably have you ready to go in about an hour. I won't charge you anything."
The woman looked back at him with gratitude. "Thanks a lot, but I think we're just gonna let the mechanic do it."
"Dammit. This isn't working," Dean thought. He needed to change his tactic. As he leaned over as he spoke in a soft tone to them. "You know, it's just these roads. They're not real safe at night. I know it sounds strange, but uh–you might be in danger."
The couple looked at each other in an awkward moment. They saw Dean's words as a possible threat. The man at the table put his silverware down onto his plate and looked his way. "We're just trying to eat. Okay?"
"Yeah. Yeah, sure." Dean realized he needed to pull back on the reigns and drop it for the moment.
"Thanks for coming, Sheriff." Scotty walked over as a man in uniform had come inside. He whispered into the Sheriff's ear and they looked back at Dean.
"I'm gonna need to have a word with you." The officer stared at the young hunter.
Dean was slightly annoyed. "Is there a problem? I'm just waiting for the pie I still haven't got."
The Sheriff took a deep breath. "Look, pal. Don't make it worse."
—
The door opened as Dean walked into the room. Putting his keys on the counter, he saw the blinds were shut and there was nothing but silence. Riley was still in bed. It didn't seem like she hadn't moved since he left.
He let out a heavy sigh. She was having one of her bad days. It killed him to see her suffering like that. Dean felt helpless seeing the woman he loved lose herself in her grief.
Walking over to her, he saw the ever-faithful Finn lying beside her. Dean smiled knowing that someone was taking care of her when he couldn't. Putting a hand on the dog's head, he rubbed it. "Good boy." That dog didn't seem half bad after all.
Dean went and sat on the bed beside her. The blankets were pulled up next to her chin as she gripped them underneath. Her eyes were glazed over as she stared off. There was no expression on her face. It didn't even look like Riley was still in that shell of a body.
"Hey, beautiful." He rubbed her back. "I missed you today." She faked a smile but said nothing. "Come on. I saw this little place down the street with a big sign that read: 'best wings in town.' You know we can't leave without trying that." Dean chuckled and waited to see if he had enticed her.
"Thanks, Dean. But I'm not hungry," Riley said as she pulled the blanket tighter to her face and nuzzled into it.
He knew he had to get her out of that bed. Looking around the room, he tried to come up with an idea when it finally hit him. Dean ran over to the clock radio and flipped through the stations. Hall and Oate's "You Make My Dreams Come True" came through. He smiled and turned it up as he switched the light on.
Dean had his mouth hanging open with a goofy smile, as he snapped his fingers to the beat and strutted in front of her. He turned his back and waited for the beat. Turning back to look at her he mouthed the words as he danced like a fool.
"What I want you've got and it might be hard to handle. Like the flame that burns the candle. The candle feeds the flame, yeah, yeah. What I've got's full stock of thoughts and dreams that scatter. Then you pull them all together and how I can't explain. Oh, yeah. Well, well you…" He pointed at Riley in a dramatic fashion. "You make my dreams come true."
As she watched Dean, putting everything he had into this ridiculous attempt to make her happy, she couldn't help the smile that crept up her face. She giggled and he lit up seeing his plan working. Dean took her by the hand as he continued moving to the beat and slowly pulled her out of bed. Still trying not to smile, Riley reluctantly got up with him.
The song continued and he took her hands as he danced her around the room. Dean spun her out and back into him as she let out a full laugh, throwing her head back. She surrendered to the moment and got lost in being with the man she loved. "Oh, yeah. I've waited, waited for you, girl. You-hoo, hoo-hoo-ooh. Oh, yeah…You make my dreams come true"
Dean was beaming and joined her in laughter as the couple danced to the song.
—
Night had fallen as Baby drove back into Burkittsville. The Sheriff had kicked Dean out of town earlier and made sure he wasn't coming back. It was obvious he had never met a Winchester before.
With Riley at his side and Finn back in their motel room, they returned to the orchard. It was even worse at night; so much worse. A fog had rolled in and had spread over the ground. The moon's light fell between the leaves of the apple trees. That sickening feeling that Riley had picked up the first time they were there, only intensified. They knew being among those trees wasn't a safe place to be. But the two had to go back to find out what was really was happening in that field.
Dean held his shotgun in his hand and Riley followed by his side as they walked further in. It was quiet. Not the kind of quiet you usually experience at nighttime. This was the kind of quiet that you could feel in your bones. The only sounds they could hear were the random twigs and leaves they stepped on along the way. Both stayed silent and alert on their way back to the scarecrow's post.
Out from a distance came a scream. It was a woman and hearing it, Riley could feel the woman's incredible fear. She swallowed it down as she and Dean looked at each other before taking off towards the cries for help.
Coming around another row of trees, they ran into the couple that Dean had met earlier in the diner. The man looked panicked and the woman had tears running down her face as she shook. She yelped again, as she was startled the hunters.
"Get back to your car!" Dean commanded. As he spoke, coming from another row was the scarecrow. He was alive and walking at a brisk pace behind the couple with his sickle in hand. Growls grew from its chest as it went after them.
"Go! Go!" Riley shouted at them. Hearing her orders, they took each other's hands and ran in the opposite direction.
Dean fired a shot at the creature, and it didn't even slow it down.
"We gotta go, Dean! Run!" Riley tugged at his jacket and turned him in the other direction urging him on. He turned several times as they fled and fired more rounds into the scarecrow. The animated creature didn't seem phased in any way as it quickened its pace behind them.
They ran through the arch at the entrance of the orchard and turned around. Dean cocked the shotgun and was ready to fire again with it aimed in the direction they had come from. Whatever was chasing them, had disappeared into the night.
"What the fuck was that?" the man asked.
"Don't ask," Dean said firmly.
—
Riley sat on the bed with her ankles crossed. Finn laid beside her with his head on her lap as she rubbed his head. Dean was leaning against the wall, his arms crossed in front of him. They were both still calming themselves after their run-in with the creature in the field.
There was silence. Riley had been holding her tongue long enough and finally spoke up. "Are you gonna call him?" she asked looking at him intently. Trying to control her ability, she attempted to hear his thoughts on purpose this time.
"I almost called him earlier. I just don't even know what I would say,"he thought.
Sighing, her face was soft and gentle. "I know you want to. And I know he'll want to hear from you too." It seemed like she always knew what to say. He did want Sam's advice on the case anyways.
Opening his phone, he found his brother's name. Before dialing, he looked at his girlfriend and seemed almost uncomfortable. She knew exactly what was bothering him and she chuckled. "Take the call outside so you can talk alone. Just call your brother already." Her voice was sweet and came through a small smile. Dean gave her a grateful smirk and went outside.
Riley rolled her eyes. "Ugh. Boys."
Outside, Dean was mid-conversation on his call. Sam sat on the other end and listened about what had happened that night. "So, the scarecrow climbed off its cross?" Sam was enthralled in his brother's story.
"Yep. Burkittsville, Indiana. Fun town."
"It didn't kill the couple did it?"
"No, we can cope without you, you know."
Sam went back on topic, "so something has to be animating it. Maybe some kind of spirit?"
"No, this is more than a spirit. It's a god. Well, a pagan god anyways. The annual cycle of its killings and the fact that its victims are always a man and a woman. I'm thinking some kind of fertility thing." He paused. "Oh, and you should have seen how the people in town treated this couple. It was like they were fattening them up like a Christmas turkey."
Scoffing, Sam replied, "the last meal, given to sacrificial victims."
They talked further into the details and discuss how it may be a ritual to appease a pagan god. There was a theory shared that maybe the god inhabits the body of the scarecrow and takes the sacrifice. Doing this would bring a good harvest and protection for the people. Though, neither knew which god could be responsible.
"Well, if you figure out what god it is, you can find out how to kill it." Sam began to wish he was there helping his family. He felt guilty for having left them.
"I actually got an appointment with a professor tomorrow morning. This is all kind of all in his wheelhouse. You know, since I don't have my trusty sidekick geek boy who usually has all the answers." Dean always made jokes as a desperate attempt to lighten the mood. This time, it did the trick and Sam let out a soft chuckle.
Dean swallowed his pride and knew it was time to fix things with his little brother. "Actually I…uh–I mean, don't think that–" He stumbled trying to find the words. Winchesters were never great at apologies.
But Sam knew exactly what he was trying to do and he smiled. "Yeah, I'm sorry too."
"Sam, you were right. You gotta do your own thing and live your own life. You've always known what you wanted, and you go after it. I mean, you even stand up to dad." He paused. "Hell, I wish I–" Dean couldn't finish that sentence. He was always "the dutiful son" and the "good soldier"; it was his whole identity. "Anyway, I admire that about you. I'm proud of you, Sammy."
The youngest Winchester was at a loss for words. He wasn't prepared for his brother to reach out to him like that. "I don't even know what to say…"
"Say you'll take care of yourself."
"I will."
"Call me when you find dad."
Sam's voice softened. "Ok. Bye, Dean."
Closing his phone, Dean looked at the time. It was after one in the morning. He put it in his jacket pocket and stood looking out from the entrance of their room. Not knowing if or when he would hear back from his brother was eating him alive. But he knew that letting Sam go was the right thing to do. All Dean wanted was to have his family together again.
He took a deep breath and turned to open the door. Riley had fallen asleep curled up with her golden friend. Even the dog's eyes had shut peacefully knowing his other half was safe. Dean smiled at the sight and was grateful they had gotten a larger bed.
Sneaking into the sheets, he curled up behind her. His mind didn't even focus on the fact that a dog was sharing the bed.
—
Riley and Dean stood in the professor's office. It was covered in bookshelves that had been stuffed full. His wooden desk sat close to the window and two chairs sat in front of it. Sitting down, they began to ask the professor about local lore with pagan gods.
The man was taken back. "I'm afraid Indiana isn't really known for its pagan worship."
Remembering something she had read, Riley thought she might be onto something. "Well, this area was mostly settled by immigrants. Isn't it possible that they brought their old religion over with them? Like that one town close by; Burkittsville. Where are their ancestors from?"
"Scandinavia, I believe. Now if we're talking about those pagan gods, there were hundreds of Norse gods and goddesses." The professor went and began to scan his shelves for a specific book.
"We're actually looking for one." Dean answered. "Might live in an orchard?"
Seeming to find the right one, he pulled it from the shelf and placed it on his desk. It was old, and a worn leather had bound it together, and the pages looked frail. The professor flipped through the book. There were drawings that the Norse people had made of their gods.
As another page turned, there was a sketch of farmers plowing the field with a figure up on a post. It resembled the creature. "Wait. What's that one?" Riley pointed her finger to the image.
Dean looked at the text beside it and read out loud. "The Vanir were Norse gods of protection and prosperity. They kept the local settlements safe from harm. Villages built effigies of the Vanir in their fields. Others practiced human sacrifice; one male and one female. This particular Vanir, its energy sprung from a sacred tree?"
The professor looked confused by the boy's fascination with the god. "Well the pagans believed a lot of things were infused with magic."
"So, what would happen if the sacred tree was torched? Do you think it would kill the god?" Dean stood upright and waited for the man to answer his question.
Riley suddenly got an uneasy feeling. It was coming from the professor. She looked at him with her brow furrowed and her eyes studying him. Her telepathy wasn't happening in that moment and she worried not knowing what the man was thinking.
"Son, these are all just legends we're discussing here," the professor chuckled.
Humoring him Dean smiled and nodded. "Of course. You're right."He looked back at the image and then at Riley. Her eyes grew and she used them to point at the door, saying they needed to leave. He then looked back to the man in front of him. "Well, thank you very much for your help." They shook hands.
Riley's nerves began to have her on edge. Something wasn't right. They both walked away from the desk and towards the door. Dean whispered to her, "are you okay?"
"Dean, something's wrong. I don't know what it is, but it's not good."
As soon as they opened the door, two men stood waiting for them. The sheriff from earlier, took his shotgun and rammed the stock end into Dean's face. He hit the floor, unconscious.
Riley threw a punch at Mr. Jorgeson and clipped his nose. As she pulled back, the sheriff slammed his fist into her face, and she hit the ground next to Dean.
—
"Riley. Riley, wake up."
Opening her eyes as her head was spinning, Riley could see Dean standing over her. She held her head in pain and groaned. "Ugh. What the fuck happened?"
"Looks like our friends from town got the drop on us. I heard the professor out there talking to them. He was in on it the whole time." He looked Riley over for more injuries and then hugged her. "Are you ok?"
"Yeah, I'm fine. I just gotta get my sea legs back is all." She stood with Dean's help as she tried to regain her balance. He took her face in his hands and examined the large bruise where she had been struck. She winced.
"I'm gonna kill that son of a bitch." Dean could feel his blood boiling knowing someone had hit her.
"Dean…where are we?"
"I don't know. Some kind of cellar? I think we're back in town, and I'm pretty sure they're planning to kill us. Well…'sacrifice us'. That just sounds classier doesn't it?"
"Oh, good," Riley said as her fingers felt the warmth from her bruise. "I was hoping this week was gonna be interesting."
Dean chuckled. "Careful what you wish for, honey." There were people gathering outside the door and whispering. "Riley, we gotta find that sacred tree and burn it. It's the only way we're gonna stop this thing."
The cellar doors swung open and four of the townspeople stood looking back at the couple. Armed with guns they forced them outside. Riley came out first and the Sheriff used the tip of his gun to push her in the right direction to keep moving.
"You hurt her, and I swear to god–" Dean tried to finish his sentence as another fist came flying at his face.
—
They had been led back into the orchard and tied to apple trees with their hands tied above their heads. Scotty, the Jorgeson's, the Sheriff, and the professor stood over them. Guns aimed at them in case they attempted to escape.
Looking up at them, Dean couldn't keep his mouth shut. "So how many people have you killed, Sheriff? How many cars have you hidden, or clothes have you buried?"
Mrs. Jorgeson looked at the bound hunter. "Our crops are already failing. This has to be done. The good of the many, outweighs the good of the few." They all began to walk away.
"I hope your apple pie was friggin' worth it!" Dean yelled.
Both of them struggled to find a way to release the ropes. Riley tried to reach her head down in an attempt to gnaw at them but couldn't reach. She looked around and then back at Dean. "Those bastards even took the knife I kept in my boot. Man, that was my lucky one too." Riley looked out at the field. "It's almost sundown. What's the plan?"
He wiggled and grunted as he fought to loosen the ropes. "I'm working on it."
—
The sun had set, and the darkness crawled through the orchard. Riley sat still realizing she couldn't untie herself and looked over at Dean. "How's that plan going, genius?"
Dean was scanning the area, hoping the Vanir wasn't nearby. "I'm working on it." He couldn't see the post. "Can you see it? Is he moving yet?"
She extended her neck trying to get a better view and then sighed. "No. I can't see anything."
There was a noise behind them. Twigs were snapping and the sound of someone coming towards them grew louder. Riley and Dean both stayed quiet and worked again to try to get out of their restraints. There was no way to know what was creeping up on them.
"Dean?" Sam came around the tree and both sighed heavily with relief.
"Oh my god. I take back everything I said. I'm so happy to see you." Dean closed his eyes and tried to catch his breath as his brother began to untie him. "How'd you get here?"
Sam gave an awkward smirk and answered, "I uh–I stole a car."
Riley laughed. "HA! Who's the delinquent now?"
"Keep an eye on that scarecrow, Sam. It could come alive at any minute." Dean was finally untied and grunted as he pulled his hands free. He ran to Riley and worked to get her off the tree.
Looking back, Sam saw an empty post with its ropes swaying. "What scarecrow?"
"Sammy, help me get her out, we gotta go!" They both worked at different ends as fast as they could and finally pulled the rope from around her. Dean grabbed her hand and hoisted her to her feet as they all ran.
"So, we're looking for a tree in an apple orchard?" Sam asked with sarcasm.
"Yeah. It's sacred; the source of its power. We gotta burn it." Riley tried to keep her breathing steady as they kept up the pace.
"In the morning." Dean was ready to get out of there. "Let's just shag ass before Leather Face catches up."
"Oh, and Sam?" Riley added. "If we live, remind me to kick your ass for ditching me." He let out a small laugh as they continued to run.
Lights came from every direction as the townspeople shined their flashlights on the escaped sacrifices. They had surrounded them, and Dean put his arms out in an attempt to shield Riley. The pagans cocked their guns and closed in on them, as a growling came from nearby.
"You don't have to do this. We can help you," Riley said looking at Mr. Jorgeson.
His gun was raised as he spoke. "It'll be over quickly. I promise. You have to let him take you." As he finished his sentence, a rusty sickle blade came through his chest. The remaining pagans ran to save themselves. Mrs. Jorgeson screamed as her husband fell to the ground beside her. The Vanir grabbed her around her neck and dug his weapon into Jorgeson's leg. Using it as an anchor, the creature dragged his body away as he held onto the woman. She wailed in fear as they disappeared into the fog.
—
The next morning, there were birds singing as the sun flooded the field. Sam, Dean and Riley walked back into the orchard. The youngest Winchester was carrying a container of gasoline. All the while, Finn was taking in all the incredible smells as he trailed along. A squirrel ran by and he chased it through the nearby trees.
They soon stumbled upon a tree that seemed different from the rest. It was thicker and darker than the rest. As they took a closer look, carved ancient symbols ran up its trunk. Knowing they had found the right tree, Sam poured the contents of the container over the tree wherever he could reach.
Dean lit the end of a long stick with his lighter and touched it to the doused trunk of the tree. The fire spread and slowly rose up. It crackled as it burned the wood as it destroyed the evil within it. Soon, all that could be seen were the rising flames.
—
Riley walked out of the motel room and towards the Impala. She put her guitar case and bag in and motioned for Finn to get in the back. The two brothers were waiting by the car.
"What do you think will happen to the people back in Burkittsville?" Sam asked.
"I guess they just get away with it." Dean shrugged. "What will happen to the town now will have to be punishment enough."
"So, Sam…" Riley looked up at her friend. "Are we gonna be dropping you off somewhere or…?" She gave him a smile with an innocent look that made him laugh.
"Nah. Looks like you guys are stuck with me." He threw his arm around her and kissed her head.
Dean was surprised at his brother. "You changed your mind?"
"No. I still wanna find dad, and you're still a pain in the ass." He smirked. "But Jess, mom, Deb…all of them, they're all gone." Sam squeezed tighter around Riley knowing she would be hurting at his words. "Dad is god knows where. But the three of us? We're all that's left." He paused and searched for the words. "So, if we're gonna see this through, we're gonna do it together."
"Hold me, Sam. That was beautiful." Dean reached out to touch Sam's shoulder and feigned a sniffle as he mocked his baby brother. His brow bone was swollen and bruised but his sarcasm never rested. Riley gave him a soft punch to the arm and Sam chuckled.
"You should be kissing my ass right now," Sam joked at Dean. "You both were dead meat, dude."
"Yeah, right. I had a plan. I would've gotten us out."
Letting out a sarcastic laugh Riley turned to her boyfriend. "Oh, yeah. That plan was working out real well too, babe."
"Hey," Dean pointed at her. "That's enough outta you." She rolled her eyes at him in a teasing manner as they all got in the car.
Dean turned the key as the engine roared beneath them. Fixing his rear-view mirror, he saw Riley with her arm around Finn. She seemed more herself that day and had that twinkle in her eye that he loved so much.
He turned to Sam and they looked at each other. "We good?"
"Yeah. We're good."
Even with John still missing, it was like the world had stopped turning. Dean felt real contentment rush over him, and everything else washed away. As Sam and Riley laughed over a joke, he smiled. They had made their own family together over the last few months and for just a moment, he couldn't be happier.
Riley felt real joy illuminate from Dean. The kind that was enough to fill your spirit and bring you back to life. She looked at him as he soaked up the moment and smiled.
"Where to next, Captain?"
—