Down the Rabbit Hole

The Heart is a Lonely Hunter Part 2

Soundtrack:

Yeah Yeah Yeah's Sheena is a punk rocker

Pat Benatar Love is a battlefield

Sam and Dave Hold on

Elkins had called in the Sheriff and he was now standing by the bed examining the remains of Judge Mortimer.
"You ok, Sheriff?" Sam asked.
"Course I'm ok."
"It was a ghost!" Darla exclaimed as she stood up from the corner, regaining some of her composure, though a look of shock and fright still lingered on her features.
"It wasn't a ghost. The Sheriff grunted. "Unless ghosts leave footprints." He indicated the black prints leading from the door.
"I am telling you, Elias Finch was here. He did...that. Then he walked out that door." Darla protested.
"Rope didn't kill him. Seen it before." The Sheriff muttered.
"Well, you got any idea where he could be?" Sam asked.
"Could be a thousand places."
"Well, you got a way to flush him out?"
"Course, we're gonna form a posse. Then we're gonna string Finch up right. Put a bullet in his head for good measure."
"That actually sounds like a good plan." Dean admitted.
"You should come along. Meet downstairs at dawn."
"Yeah, we'll be there." Dean nodded.
"Get yourself some real gear first, huh?" The Sheriff advised as he turned to leave.
"Well, I think we ought to pay our respects to Finch."
"I was thinking the same thing." Sam nodded and the three of them headed to the cemetary.

"You thinking what I'm thinking?" Sam asked as they poked around the open grave of Elias Finch.
"Rose from the ashes, burned up its victim? You know maybe we're not looking for a flaming bird. Maybe the phoenix is actually walking around in cowboy boots."
"That makes sense, right? Could be Finch. So question is, how do we put this thing out?"
"Well, we do know one thing that'll kill friggin' anything right?" Dean pointed out. Lacey raised her hand proudly then remembered her powers didn't work here and lowered her hand looking dejected.
"Yeah, the Colt."
"So, you go get the gun." Dean suggested.
"But isn't the gun coming here? I mean according to Samuel Colt's journal?"
"Yeah, but people here barely even know who Colt is. Maybe you got to go find him and make history. We'll stay here, hook up with the posse. Cause you know me, I'm a posse magnet. I mean, I love posse. Make that into a t-shirt." Dean smirked but Sam just glared at him.
"If you're quite finished." Lacey chuckled and gave him a small shove.
"Look, the problem is, Colt's 20 miles outside of town. How am I supposed to get there and back before noon?"
"Ride 'em cowboy." Dean nodded his head in the direction of some horses that were tied up. Dean negotiated with their owner and managed to buy one for Sam. As Dean led it over Sam looked back at it, nervously.
"Try the other side." Dean suggested as Sam approached the horse. "Yeah, good boy." Dean calmed the horse as Sam climbed on, looking ridiculously large astride it.
"Right. Hey, this actually feels all right."
"All right just take it easy." Dean advised as he let go of the reins.
"Yeah, you bet. I'm good. All right, 11am, right?"
"Don't be late."
"Okay."
"All right. Go on, hyah!" Dean smacked the back of the horse and got it going. They watched as Sam cantered off out if the town.
"That poor horse." Dean remarked.
"I know right." Lacey shook her head.
"Come on." Dean put his arm around Lacey's shoulders and led her back into town.

A few hours later Lacey was sitting in the Saloon, watching Elkins clean up as she waited for Dean. There was a creak as the swing doors opened and Lacey looked up. Her eyes widened as she took in the sight before her. Dean was standing in the doorway, he had changed up his fake wild west outfit for a real one and was now wearing a long coat and a Stetson hat.
"Wow." Lacey got to her feet and walked over to him. "Please say we can take this outfit home." Dean chuckled and pulled her in for a kiss.
"New hat." Elkins noted as they headed towards the bar.
"I look good." Dean noted. "Where's the posse? We must be early."
"Or you're the only greenhorns dumb enough to go chasing after a ghost."
"What are you talking about? Sheriff's tough as nails. He'll be here." From outside they heard a shout;
"Oh god, the Sheriff's dead!"
"Or not." Dean muttered as they hurried outside and found another pile of ashes, the Sheriff's badge sitting on top.
"Great, who's the Sheriff now?" Dean asked. Elkins bent down and picked up the badge before pinning it to Dean's shirt.
"What...." Dean looked at him, speechless.
"Now, congratulations, Sheriff."