Catching Up
Chapter 13 – Scarecrow

"Finally, John actually called. Let's see the next episode," Mary insisted but Sam and Dean couldn't meet their mother's gaze. "Boys… What's wrong?" Sam silently picked up the DVD case and handed it to her so she could read the description. "Sam and Dean finally make contact with their father, but he tells them to stop looking for him and sends them on another ghost-hunting job." Mary had completely deflated by the time she was finished and set the case down. "Oh."

"Yeah." Dean said shortly.

"I still want to see it," Mary said evenly and her boys acquiesced by starting the show. It began on a shot of Burkitsville, Indiana a year previously where a couple had gotten lost and the townspeople had helped them out. They get stranded by an orchard and decide to go through it for help, stumbling across a creepy scarecrow on the way.

"It's kind of Blair-Witchy, you know, minus the snot," Dean commented.

"What?" Mary asked.

"Horror movie," Sam said simply. Everyone cringed as the couple was attacked and the women's screams filled the room. The scarecrow had clearly come off it's stand.

"And that is why I can never watch the Wizard of Oz ever again," Dean shuddered.

"I'd suggest closing your eyes but I should hope that you don't have ruby red heels around," Cas inserted.

"Not anymore but green is more my colour," Dean winked.

Onscreen, TV!Sam and John were talking but John refuses to say where he is but does say that he's tracking the demon that killed Mary and Jess. He tries to get TV!Sam to write down some names but his son doesn't care, he's more focused on what's going on. Then TV!Dean takes the phone from him and automatically complies. "Dude you can almost see the shift into soldier-mode," Sam said to his brother.

"I seriously had issues," Dean concurred as TV!Dean ran down the case about the pattern of couples going missing.

"We both did," Sam added as their counterparts began to argue about whether to go to Indiana or to follow John to California.

"Please tell me this isn't going where I think it is," Mary watched with worried eyes. The boys were spared the trouble of answering as the TV!Winchesters' argument blows up and they go their separate ways.

"I wish I could say this is the only time you're going to see that," Sam said to his mother apologetically.

"It's okay sweetheart," Mary assured him although it sounded hollow even to herself. Onscreen, TV!Dean arrived in Burkitsville to investigate and immediately encountered an uncooperative local.

"Well that's foreboding," Cas said.

At the same time, TV!Sam is walking along and finds a girl on the side of the road. "Meg!" Dean exclaimed.

"Yeah, I told you how we met," Sam said.

"Guess I forgot, it's been a long time," Dean shrugged.

"Friend of yours?" Mary asked,

"Yep and a demon in disguise."

"Why am I not surprised?"

"She did help us out a few times," Sam reasoned.

"I wonder what's become of her…" Cas mused and cold dread filled Sam and Dean. They shared a loaded stare that only Mary noticed and immediately understood. The brothers tried to remain in their spot and watch TV!Dean look around the orchard but their guts were churning. They spared a snort for the 'dude you fugly' line but within seconds Sam jumped up and left the room with Dean right behind him with a mumbled 'be right back'.

"Tell me you told him," Sam said the second they were out of earshot.

"Me? What about you? You could have told him, apparently both of you two were so fond of her," Dean hissed back.

"We have to tell him before he finds out in the show," Sam insisted.

"I know," Dean's shoulders sagged and rubbed a hand across his mouth. "Let's not drop the hammer on the guy just yet. It's been a rollercoaster already, the dude had to share a vessel with Lucifer for months. Choice or not, that can't have been pleasant."

"It's not," Sam said curtly. He looked towards the study, "When?"

Dean fell against the wall, "After the leviathan I guess, maybe when he gets stuck in the asylum. Look there's no good time for this but the least we can do is let him enjoy some of the memories he's got with her."

Sam was still unconvinced but relented, "Fine." They dragged themselves back to the study, pointedly not looking at the angel as they sat down. "What did we miss?" Sam asked hoarsely.

Cas of all people answered, "Dean identified the tattoo on the scarecrow as the same one from the man who went missing. He spoke to the girl Emily and she told him that the town was oddly prosperous and there was another couple in town. You are at the bus station but won't be able to leave until the next day."

"Right," Sam attempted to calm himself back down as his television-self contemplated calling Dean just as his brother had done earlier. Well aren't you a lovely couple? "I was wondering where you've been." I was busy, kind of a lot going on here. Aw Baby-Sam- face is so precious! Sam rolled his eyes but didn't say anything to that. Him and Meg introduced themselves properly while Dean tries to help the next victims at the café but it doesn't go well. So subtlety wasn't on the short-list of baby names for that one. "On the contrary," he continued in a louder tone, "subtlety thy name is Dean Winchester."

"That would be an excellent hooker name," Cas added and Mary and Sam burst out laughing.

"You guys suck," Dean grumbled. Unsurprisingly, TV!Dean is forced out of town while TV!Sam and Meg bond over some drinks. "Well she certainly laid it on thick," Dean remarked.

"No kidding," Mary agreed but squeezed Sam's hand sympathetically. "I'm sorry Sam."

Sam didn't have to ask what for, "I'm fine." Meanwhile, TV!Dean was back in town as the latest victims were in the orchard being stalked by the scarecrow. Thankfully TV!Dean was there to save them and finally makes contact with his brother. They go over the case and actually share a touching moment and make up. Mary can't help the cooing 'aw' that escapes her and the voice snickers, how sweet. Sam doesn't care and from the look of it, neither does Dean.

"I am confused," Cas said. "How does what Dean said equate to 'goodbye'?"

"He let go," Mary said softly. She put her head on Dean's shoulder as they learned about the lore of the Vanir, Norse gods of protection and prosperity. But of course, nothing ever goes smoothly so TV!Dean is ambushed and the townspeople prepare to sacrifice him and Emily to the Vanir. TV!Sam becomes worried when his brother doesn't answer the phone and decides not to go to California, against Meg's protests, and heads back to Burkitsville.

TV!Dean and Emily are trapped in a cellar, waiting for the sacrifice to happen. As it turns out, she didn't know what was going on but would help Dean find the sacred tree that would kill the Vanir. The townspeople come and tie them to trees in the orchard but TV!Dean swears he's working on a plan.

"He doesn't a plan." Sam said.

"Did too!"

Night fell and TV!Dean and Emily were still trapped.

"He didn't have a plan," Cas shook his head.

"I had Sammy," Dean said happily as TV!Sam returned to help them.

A knight on a stolen white horse, the voice chimed in and Sam rolled his eyes doubly hard.

"And now the scarecrow is alive," Mary sighed, becoming far too used to this narrative far too soon. "And the lynch mob is still around, perfect." Onscreen the Vanir took Emily's aunt and uncle and she winced, "Okay, not perfect. I'd feel worse but…"

"Yeah sacrificing your niece to a pagan god doesn't really earn much sympathy in the end," Dean commented.

Aren't pagans just the worst? Sam snorted, "Pagans can be real pains in the ass." *GASP* SAM! Chuckling Sam continued, "But we were able to get away and the others were so spooked, they didn't bother looking for us or anything afterwards."

"Small favours, still at the price of two people," Mary said.

"Nobody liked it," Dean replied evenly staring, much like his TV self, at the now burning tree Emily had ignited. It was almost like he was standing on the other side of time, opposite himself and TV!Sam, knowing what lay ahead. If only all their problems could have been solved with some flammable liquid and a lighter. Dean shook his head to clear it and watched as Emily boarded the bus and TV!Sam made his speech about them sticking together. "That really was beautiful Sam."

"Shut up jerk."

"Bitch."

"I suppose that's returned now," Cas added. "Hang on what is this?" he asked referring to another scene with a van driving down a lonely road. It was Meg. She told the driver to pull over before killing him to take his blood and 'make a call'.

"Jesus," Mary gasped but it only got stranger and worse as she hinted at being after Sam and possibly Dean. "Yes father?" Mary repeated. "What the hell?"

"Exactly actually," Cas turned to her. "Meg being a demon and all. It's strange seeing her like this, knowing what she'll become in the future."

"Hey, how about that next episode huh?" Dean proclaimed loudly and all but snatched the remote to begin the next one.

"When are you going to tell him?" Mary whispered to them.

"Soon," Sam promised. "For now let's just keep going with…" he checked the case, "Faith. Fantastic."