Phoenix [Supernatural Season 1]

Scarecrow

Sam and Dean were sleeping in a motel room, Phoenix took a room next door.

Dean's phone rang but he did not wake up.

"Dean," Sam called out, but the eldest brother did not wake up. Sam sighed as he got up to answer the phone "Hello?"

"Sam, is that you?"

Sam sat up as he heard John's voice on the other end. "Dad? Are you hurt?"

"I'm fine," John replied.

"We've been looking for you everywhere. We didn't know where you were if you were okay,"

"Sammy, I'm all right. What about you and Dean?"

"We're fine. Dad, where are you?"

"Sorry, kiddo, I can't tell you that,"

"What? Why not?"

"Is that Dad?" Dean asked, finally awake.

"Look, I know this is hard for you to understand." John told Sam "you're just gonna have to trust me on this,"

"You're after it, aren't you? The thing that killed mom," Sam questioned.

"Yeah. It's a demon, Sam,"

"A demon? You know for sure?"

"I do. Listen, Sammy, I, uh...I also know what happened to your girlfriend. I'm so sorry. I would've done anything to protect you from that,"

"You know where it is?"

"Yeah, I think I'm finally closing in on it,"

"Let us help,"

"You can't. You can't be a part of it,"

"Why not?" Sam argued.

"Give me the phone," Dean said.

"Listen, Sammy, that's why I'm calling." John explained "You, your brother, and your friend, you gotta stop looking for me. Alright, now, I need you to write down these names,"

"Names? What names, Dad-talk to me, tell me what's going," Sam said.

"Look, we don't have time for this. This is bigger than you think, they're everywhere. Even us talking right now, it's not safe,"

"No. Alright? No way,"

"Give me the phone,"

"I have given you an order." John scolded Sam "now, you stop following me, and you do your job. Do you understand me? Now, take down these names,"

Dean grabbed the phone from Sam "Dad, it's me. Where are you...Yes, sir...Uh, yeah, I got a pen. What are their names?"

***

Phoenix leaned through the middle of the Impala from where she sat in the back. "Alright, so, the names John gave us, they're all couples?"

"Three different couples." Dean nodded "All went missing,"

"And they're all from different towns? Different states?"

"That's right. You got Washington, New York, Colorado. Each couple took a road trip cross-country. None of them arrived at their destination, and none of them were ever heard from again,"

"Well, it's a big country, Dean." Sam scoffed "They could've disappeared anywhere,"

"Yeah, could've. But each one's route took 'em to the same part of Indiana. Always on the second week of April. One year after another after another,"

"This is the second week of April," Phoe realized.

"Yep,"

"So, John is sending us to Indiana to go hunting for something before another couple vanishes?"

"Yahtzee. Can you imagine putting together a pattern like this? All the different obits Dad had to go through? The man's a master," Dean gloated.

Sam looked annoyed, pulling over to the side of the road and turning off the Impala.

"What are you doing?"

"We're not going to Indiana," Sam said.

"We're not?"

"No. We're going to California. Dad called from a payphone. Sacramento area code,"

"Sam," Dean sighed.

"Dean, if this demon killed Mom and Jess, and Dad's closing in, we've gotta be there. We've gotta help,"

"Dad doesn't want our help,"

"I don't care,"

"He's given us an order,"

"I don't care," Sam said firmly "We don't always have to do what he says,"

"Sam, Dad is asking us to work jobs, to save lives, it's important,"

"Alright, I understand, believe me, I understand. But I'm talking one week here, man, to get answers. To get revenge,"

"Alright, look, I know how you feel,"

"Do you? How old were you when Mom died? Four? Jess died six months ago. How the hell would you know how I feel?"

"Jess was my friend too, Sam." Phoenix spoke up "your dad says it's not safe. For any of us. I mean, he obviously knows something that we don't, so if he says to stay away, we stay away,"

Sam got out of the car.

Dean and Phoe followed him as he began unloading things from the trunk.

"You're a selfish bastard, you know that?" Dean spat "You just do whatever you want. Don't care what anybody thinks,"

"That's what you really think?" Sam asked.

"Yes, it is,"

"Well, then this selfish bastard is going to California," sam put on his backpack and started walking away.

"Come on, you're not serious," phoenix said.

"I am serious,"

"It's the middle of the night!"

"Hey, I'm taking off, I will leave your ass, you hear me?" Dean said.

Sam stopped walking and turned around. "That's what I want you to do,"

"Goodbye, Sam," Dean turned around when he heard the trunk close, and saw Phoe with her own bag. "Phoe?"

"I'll keep him out of trouble," Phoenix stated simply as she walked towards the youngest Winchester.