Going in Circles

Thank you for the kind reviews. One explanation for the crop circles, coming up.

Chapter Four

Tom took another step toward Winters who raised his shotgun to fire.

"Whoa, whoa there," Dean said. "I don't want to have to shoot you, Simon, but I can't let you hurt Tom. He's not himself at the moment."

"No one calls me, Si," the man said, the whites of his eyes showing like a panicked horse. "Nobody."

"How soon we forget," Tom said, still moving forward, oblivious to the shotgun pointed at his chest. "I've called you Si since we were little boys. Since we were in Mrs. Patterson's class. Remember? You hit me for stealing your crayons?"

"N-no," Simon said, looking like he was going to faint. "It's not possible."

"Tom?" Sam said tentatively, despite the fact that he was fairly certain the night had just gotten a lot more complicated.

"I don't think Tom's home right now," Dean replied, still not taking his eyes off of Winters.

"J-Joe?" Simon asked, the shotgun starting to drop.

"I'm honored that you remember me, Si. Then again, it's not everyday you kill someone, is it?" Tom continued walking, very slowly, one studied step in front of the other. As he walked Sam felt movement around him. He looked and saw that the corn was silently toppling, falling in a circle all around them, as if a fierce wind were pushing it over until it lay flat on the ground. As Tom moved forward the circle moved with him, stretching out around them. Dean was still watching Simon and the shotgun, but Sam saw him shift uneasily and knew that he was seeing it too.

"Simon, if you've got something to say to Joe, I think now would be a good time," Dean suggested.

"Joe… It was an accident."

"You accidentally locked me in the silo?" The ghost's voice was a low growl, nothing like Tom's.

"Joe, that silo was empty… It was empty!" Simon said frantically.

"How long did you think I could last, locked in a metal coffin? It was a hundred degrees in the shade that day!"

Sam looked from one man to the other, not really sure what those two things had to do with the other.

"I… I just wanted you out of the way for a little while… I didn't know!"

"Maggie was my girlfriend. Mine!" Tom shouted. "I loved her! We were friends, Si," he added sorrowfully. "More than friends. We were like brothers. How could you?"

Sam looked across at Dean who appeared to be just as confused as he was. "Anyone else feel like they just stepped into an episode of Smallville?" Sam heard him mutter.

Tears began to fall down Simon's cheeks and the shotgun fell from his hands. He slumped to the ground as if his legs could no longer support him. "I'm sorry… so sorry… I just wanted to spend the day with Maggie. She… she was so wonderful. It was going to be the three of us… I just thought if I could keep you busy, it would be just me and Maggie… Just the two of us… I thought maybe I'd have a chance."

"You locked me in that silo," Joe said angrily. "I knew what you were up to. I saw the way you were acting around Maggie. I paced and paced, walking my feet off, walking in circles around that silo. It was so hot… so hot…" Joe's voice trailed away, lost somewhere in the past.

"Joe, I didn't know," Simon said, his voice breaking on a sob. "I'm sorry… I didn't know."

"You forgot it was harvest time," Joe said distantly. "It was so hot… I couldn't move… Didn't have any energy left… I heard the truck pulling up outside… I remember thinking how heavy the corn was… How could dried up corn be so heavy? I couldn't breathe… I tried and all I did was suck in corn and dust… I tried to cough… but it was so heavy… crushing me… crushing my chest… You forgot it was harvest time, Si."

Simon was leaning forward his forehead almost touching the ground, sobs wracking his body. "I didn't know… I didn't know," was all he kept repeating.

"We were like brothers," Joe said again, his voice a low, furious hiss.

Sam frowned, his throat tightening in sympathy, almost pity. Dean had wordlessly forgiven him time and again, simply moving on when he thoughtlessly or sometimes intentionally hurt him. He knew Dean remembered the harsh words, the times he had failed him as a brother, but despite that Dean would hold on to him for all he was worth, would sacrifice himself to save him, would die for him. Looking at Joe and Simon, Sam thought that there were brothers and then there were brothers. Those years when he had refused to pick up the phone when Dean called… No matter what else, no matter how much Dean might infuriate him at times, he vowed to never let that happen again.

"Joe, I never meant it to be that way," Simon pleaded.

"But you didn't tell anyone, did you, Si?" Joe spat, all traces of that distant voice gone. Simon blindly shook his head. "You didn't tell anyone that you killed me. Not my family and not Maggie."

"What did you do, Simon?" Dean demanded. "What did you do with the body?"

"Tell him," Joe said furiously. "It's time you told someone what you did."

"Joe, please!"

"TELL HIM!" he roared.

"The deputy said you had an accident here," Sam prompted.

While they were talking, he had slowly been making his way around Tom to stand next to Dean. He wasn't armed and Dean didn't need the added worry of trying to protect someone standing opposite him. Barely nodding his approval, Dean moved slightly to screen him from whatever the ghost was up to. Of course, Sam thought, it didn't really block him since he was so tall. He tried not to smile as he imagined informing Dean of that fact.

"When I got back… I saw what had happened and I… I panicked. I used the car… I rammed the silo and… and found the … the body… I knew Maggie would never forgive me. I just buried him in the field. I never told anyone."

Sam and Dean were both stunned into silence. Dean could see the pain and sorrow on Joe's borrowed face. He could see the betrayal and anger.

"That was how much I meant to you?" Joe said furiously. "We were best friends, Si! You spent more time at my house than you did yours! My mother fed you, cleaned you up when we got hurt, sat on the porch and laughed at us while we played two-man baseball. Si, my mother loved you! And you never told her! Never let her know what had happened to me!"

"I'm sorry, Joe," was all Simon could say. "I can't tell you how much I wish I could take that day back."

"If wishes were horses, beggars would ride. Beg all you like, Si. It's too late now." Joe began to move forward again, towering over Simon who was still sitting on the ground, not even daring to look up. "You never did anything to make it right."

Joe reached out his hand to touch him and Sam saw Dean tense, raising his gun to point at Tom this time.

"Don't touch him," he ordered. Sam saw him shift his aim slightly. Dean didn't have any rock salt, but he could wing Tom. It might be enough to wake him up.

Joe turned, his glowing eyes fastening on Dean. "Why not?"

"Because I can't let you kill him," he said simply.

"Why not? He deserves it," Joe said just as simply. He looked from Dean to Sam as if just now realizing they were there. He withdrew his outstretched hand and took a step toward them. Sam and Dean both took an involuntary step back. "I see you now," his eyes widened. "I see why you both shine so brightly."

"We shine?" Dean said incredulously. He spared Sam a quick glance, one side of his mouth quirking upward. "Sam, remind me not to bother buying anymore batteries for the flashlight."

"Dean…" Sam said in warning.

"You are avenging angels," Joe said. "You were sent here to help me."

"Hold on there, buddy," Dean said, looking stunned. "I'm pretty sure every preacher in town just sat up and said, 'heck, no.'"

"I can see what you are." Joe frowned in confusion. "Why won't you punish him?"

Dean was still looking stymied. "It was an accident," Sam answered gently. "We will make sure that your body is found."

Joe straightened, all his tension and rage returning. "Not good enough." The ghost turned back to Simon, his eyes glowing angrily. "If you will not do anything, then I will have to."

"I said don't touch him, Joe. I wasn't kidding," Dean's voice was calm and even. It was a standing family rule. Try not to yell at the ghosts. It made them cranky. Sam was just surprised that Dean was sticking to it. That was normally rule number one to go.

"Simon?"

Every man in the field, with the exception of the still unconscious deputy looked up at the sound of the female voice.

"Simon, is everything all right?" The woman stepped into the flattened circle of corn, holding a large flashlight. She was a tiny woman, just over five feet tall and dressed simply in jeans and a knit shirt.

"Maggie, go back to the house!" Simon ordered frantically.

"Maggie?" Sam and Dean whispered simultaneously.

Before anyone could say another word, Joe/Tom strode across the circle and pulled the woman into his arms, lifting her off the ground as he held her close and kissed her.

Been called in to work overtime tomorrow (on Halloween night, no less… Don't get me started). So y'all might have to wait an extra day for the next chapter. Sorry about that.