Disclaimer... I do not own Supernatural

There is a bridge, in the woods by the town. It crosses a small stream, one that is crystal clear and cold as ice. It isn't falsely quaint or kitschy, instead, it is moss covered and rotting, the planks crumbling slowly into gaps large enough to admit an unwary traveller's foot. There are legends, about this bridge. Half-forgotten stories whispered by grandmothers around a summer's campfire. They are dark tales. 'Not for the young ones', the mothers would tut, sweeping their unwilling offspring off their roughhewn stools fashioned from stumps.

Or, they would encourage them. 'That's what happens if you don't eat your vegetables!' they would trill, and the grandmothers and grandfathers would shake their heads sadly that their stories were discounted and discarded.

It was a Sunday, and the sun just flitted through the dense tree cover, illuminating the bridge in a shaft of golden light. The girl ran over rough roots and moss covered pebbles, revelling in the freedom and the coolness of the day. Unwilling to get her shiny Sunday shoes wet, she carefully picked her way across the bridge.

Her foot slipped through. The wood bit through her cotton stockings into her ankle, and she could feel the warmth of blood well to the surface. She bit her lip, unwilling to cry out. It seemed wrong, somehow. Like speaking in a library.

The girl tried to pull her foot out carefully. The wood refused to give. She frowned, balancing carefully, and reached down to pull at the shattered board. Her fingers stuck to the wood. Truly panicking now, she screamed, and her cry echoed in the empty woods around her. Nothing happens.

She remains there, in that awkward, hunched over position till nightfall. She sobs, every so often, but it seems pointless, because there is no one to hear her.

As she watches the sun dip beneath the trees, there is a whisper, in the woods behind her. A woman steps from behind the trees, smiling gently. She is tall, with creamy golden skin and amber eyes with cinnamon coloured hair.

"Please!" the girl cried, "Help me, I'm trapped"

"I know" the woman said gravely, "and I am sorry, but I cannot help you. Goodbye, child. Your end will be swift, at least"

A cloud of golden light swells from her to envelope the girl. The girl's last thought is how lovely it is, and how warm.

Sam tapped at his laptop, clicking through articles.

"So, three every three years, it looks like. The pattern goes back centuries. Even before there was a town at the site. They're always last seen in the Faerie Woods"

Dean grimaced. "Faerie Woods, dude? We have to go to a place called Faerie Woods? No way in hell"

Sam sighed, and stabbed at the image on the screen impatiently. A smiling little girl with warm brown eyes grins out at them. There was a delicate purple flower tucked absently behind her ear.

"This year is the third year, and this little girl was the first disappearance. The victims disappear over a period of nine days during Midsummer, one every third day"

"Why all the threes?"

Sam shrugged "Three is a powerful number in magic. Along with six, and nine. This girl was nine years old"

"The victims are never seen again?" Dean asked.

"Nope"

Running a hand through his shortly cropped brown hair, Dean rolled off the creaky motel bed onto the stained carpet.

"Witches? With the threes, it might match"

Sam frowned, looking unconvinced. "Maybe… I don't think so, though"

"Right, well we better get into the monkey suits. Might as well talk to the local cops"

"Sure"

The Impala raced down the highway, tall evergreens casting light shadows on the highway. Dean picked through a bag of a bag of chips with one hand, and Sam looked at his brother in distaste.

"I think there's some sort of rule about junk food before eleven am" he said, eyeing the crackling bag.

Dean waved the hand that rested on the wheel emphatically. The Impala swerved.

"Whoa, whoa, hands on the wheel, dude!"

Dean sighed. "You're such an old lady"

"Well" Sam pointed out, "old ladies get old for a reason. They're careful"

"Yeah, that'll work well in our line of work"

After another hour of bickering, they rolled into the small town of Impswitch.

It sat right on the edge of the woods, clusters of small, cosy houses sat along tree lines streets, and they passed a wide open park area where kids ran and played.

Green and gold ribbons wrapped the lamp poles, and a few banners proclaimed 'HAPPY MIDSUMMER'

"That's weird" commented Sam.

"How so?"

"Well, how many towns do you know of that celebrate Midsummer, and the summer solstice"

Dean frowned, considering. "Yeah, that is fairly odd"

Sam grabbed at the wheel, and Dean jerked it instinctively.

"Dude, quit that" he scolded.

"Pull over!" Sam said urgently.

Dean gazed at the store they were in front of, and raised an eyebrow.

"White Magicks and Wild Magicks?" he read doubtfully, and glared at Sam, "Seriously?"

Sam shrugged. "Can't hurt to check out the local magic scene"

Dean grumbled, but followed Sam into the shop.

It was flowery and light, with heavy rose perfume scenting the white painted shop. Tables of rose quartz and crystals promised speedy results in love and healing spells, and baskets were filled to the brim with fragrant herb sachets. Dried flowers were strewn on the floor. There was an entire display of varicoloured candles, with appropriately matching scents.

Sam inspected a shelf of incense dubiously. Dean sneezed.

A young woman with long straggly blonde hair emerged from the back, dressed in flowing bits of a gauzy purple material. She gasped. Perhaps it was just surprise at the fact that there were customers.

"Hello!" she gushed, moving towards them. Dean took a hasty step back. She smelled like patchouli. Sometimes it stuck.

"Uh, hey" Sam said awkwardly, and she turned her large, upturned blue eyes on him.

"We're Agents Tomas and Rend. We're investigating the disappearance of Holly Fowl" Dean told her, flashing the FBI badge.

She gasped again. "Oh it's just horrible, isn't it? That sweet young girl… I tried a tracking spell, but she's beyond the reach of my powers. She must have been taken by something very powerful indeed" she finished solemnly, dabbing at her eyes with a scrap of silk.

Dean barely resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "Ok, cut the crap, sister. Are you a witch, or not? This little girl's been missing for a day, and all sorts of things could've happened to her in those woods. We need to find out if there are any supernatural nasties in those woods that could've taken a little girl"

Her eyes looked dreamy for second as she regarded Dean. "I prefer the term 'Wiccan'" she told them, "'Witch' has all sorts of unfortunate connotations. And as for supernatural creatures, there are the faeries, of course, but they would never harm a child. They're nature spirits, who exist in harmony with the natural world…"

Her dreaminess faded for a moment, and she produced a small spray bottle. She spritzed it on them.

"Lemongrass" she explained, "wonderful for increasing mental agility"

Dean and Sam escaped the heavily scented air of the shop, coughing. Dean was swearing furiously between breaths.

"Uh, Dean?" Sam said.

"What?"

"You got a bit a glitter- well; actually it's all over your face"

Dean went pale. He scrubbed furiously at his face with his sleeve. "That damn witch must've had glitter in that bottle. What is it about the crazy faerie people that they always have glitter?"

Sam shrugged, sneezing again.

The local station was small, but efficiently run. An assistant typed busily at her desk, and a stack of MISSING posters sat on her desk. The young girl's face and name were emblazoned across them. A potted lilac sat on the windowsill near her desk and the woman stood to water it as the boys entered.

There was water colour paintings of what Sam assumed were the local woods, and the neatly framed artwork seemed out of character for a police station.

The sheriff had deep lines carved into his face from worry, and he regarded Sam and Dean seriously from across his desk.

"So, when was Holly Fowl first reported missing?" Sam asked him, notebook out.

"Day before yesterday evening. She'd been off to play in the woods in the morning and when she didn't come home at dark, her folks started to worry"

"She was playing in the woods alone?" Dean's tone left no one in doubt as to what he thought of the parents.

"Look, Agents, this is a small town. Our kids grow up close to nature, running around in the woods. There's nothing in there that could hurt a kid, the most dangerous thing in there are a few skinny squirrels. We just need to find her fast"

"Thanks Sheriff. We'll keep in touch" Sam promised, standing to go.

Dean looked like he wanted to stay and grill the sheriff a bit more, but a swift kick to the back of the knees from Sam got him moving.

"Parents next?" Sam asked.

"Yep, sure" Dean replied, loosening his tie hastily.

They moved out the front door, and Dean turned his head to look back at the station. Behind it, he could see the woods, deep and fantastical looking. An involuntary shiver trailed down his spine.

The Fowls looked shrunken by their grief and worry. Their living room was plastered with photos of their daughter, a mischievous looking girl with golden skin and shining black hair. It was filled with light, and intricate carved tables rested atop silk carpets, with small enamelled bowls resting on the mantel piece. Sam could smell cloves and cinnamon. It definitely wasn't your typical suburban home done in shades of beige and inoffensive blue.

"Holly's always loved to play in the woods, ever since she was a little girl" Mrs Fowl told them, "she practically grew up there, she couldn't have gotten lost, or anything like that"

"Was there any place in particular that she spent a lot of time at?" Sam asked.

Mr Fowl hesitated. "Well- she's always been fascinated by the bridge. The other kids wouldn't go near it, said it was haunted, but Holly spent hours there. I never knew why she likes it so much, it's just a rotting old bridge"

"No" Mrs Fowl interrupted, "the story wasn't that it was haunted. It's called Seelie Bridge. My grandma always told me it led to Faerieland. That's how the woods got their name, apparently. But they weren't nice faeries, they were cruel. They would steal those that crossed their bridge under the light of the Midsummer moon. But of course, not many people crossed at night time, so they devised a trap. Whoever crossed the bridge under the Midsummer sun would be trapped upon the bridge until the moon rose and they could be taken to Faerieland"

The woman seemed to fall into a sort of dream, telling them the story. She shook herself, blushing and looking embarrassed as she blinked at Sam and Dean. "Of course" she added hastily, "It's just a story"

Sam and Dean traded quick glances. "Ma'am, did Holly ever talk about seeing anything odd, in the woods? Strange lights, maybe, or odd shadows"

Mrs Fowl shrunk back into her husband's side, blinking at them owlishly. "Agents, it was just a faerietale. It's not real"

"Humour me" Sam suggested, and Dean flashed them a quick grin.

"She told me that she saw lights dancing in the woods, one evening. In a circle. She called it something- I can't quite recall" Mr Fowl broke off, shaking his head.

"A Faerie Ring" Mrs Fowl said, sounding sure of herself, "Yes, that's it, a Faerie Ring. She said they were- celebrating"

Sam stood. "Thank you. Really, you helped a lot. We'll try our very best to get your daughter back"

Mrs Fowl shook her head, looking suddenly uncertain, "It's just a faerietale" she said faintly, pressing her hand to her lips, "Just a faerietale"

"We understand ma'am. But sometimes, the things that seem to mean nothing, can mean the most" Dean said, and Sam shot him a look. That sounded uncharacteristic for Dean. Normally his brother would term that as 'whiny emo yoga crap'. Sam wasn't exactly sure how all that went together, but according to Dean, they did.

They departed, Dean shaking his head furiously. "Man, I hate faeries. 'Member the ones that kidnapped me?"

Sam snorted. "I remember that you microwaved one"

"Yeah" Dean said grimly, "It had nipples"

Sam nodded.

"And" Dean said, off on a roll now, "You slept with that hippie chick instead of looking for me"

Sam nodded, more hesitantly thing time. Being reminded of the time when he was soulless was never fun.

"And furthermore, they were pretending to be aliens"

"Maybe these faeries are actually aliens pretending to be faeries" Sam suggested.

Dean considered it for a split second before shaking his head. "Nah. That's crazy, even for us"

"Yeah, probably. So, next stop, the Seelie Bridge?"

Dean frowned. "What's a Seelie, by the way? Isn't it one of those mermaid-seal things?"

Sam stared at his brother. "Dean, that's a Selkie. Seelie is another name for faerie"

"Huh. The things you learn"

Despite it being a fairly small, and apparently 'harmless' forest, there was still a cabin with a park ranger presiding.

"I'm guessing you're feds?" the man asked curiously. He was casually dressed and lean and tan. Clearly, he enjoyed his job.

"How'd you guess?" Dean asked with a laugh.

"Just the demeanour. You're here about Holly Fowl?"

"Yeah" Sam said, staring at a stuffed moose head. It stared back. It looked unhappy. "You help out with search parties?" he asked.

"Yep. Those crazy LARPers in the woods have been real helpful. I thought they were gonna be a damned nuisance, but once they heard a little girl was missing, they all pitched in to look for her"

Sam grinned at Dean.

"LARPers?" he asked.

"Yeah. Live Action Role Play. Pretend they're from some mystical kingdom. Moondoor, I think it was. They're weird kids, but they're not bad, all things considered"

Sam tore his gaze away from the moose head. Dean was grinning like a loon, and clearly the park ranger thought he was a little nuts.

"Well, good luck boys. I sure hope you find her, she's a sweet little girl"

Dean tipped an imaginary hat, and departed at high speed, Sam in his wake.

"You think Charlie's here? Where there are more faeries? Weird coincidence"

"No kidding" said Sam, casting a quick glance at a wooden sign that directed them into the dense woods.

"Maybe she just wants to get laid by another faerie" Dean suggested, looking falsely innocent.

"Dude!" Sam protested.

It was midday, and the light dappled the ground in golden patterns that made Sam think of sleeping jungle cats. The woods were beautiful, and he could see why a little girl like Holly Fowl had been so drawn to them. There was an air of playful mystery and magic about them that was hard to resist.

After a brisk twenty minute walk, striped tents began to show up amongst the dense foliage. Sam could see figures moving between them, and chattering voices soon reached them.

Dean accosted a short young man, who was dressed in a squire's uniform. He smiled, all teeth. "Take us to your leader" he said.

Sam rolled his eyes.

The kid directed them to a large tent, the entrance flaps looped back with braided golden rope, a plush red carpet leading the way inside.

"Your Majesty? I have two visitors for you- they just showed up"

"Bring them in" ordered a familiar voice.

The boy turned to them. "You can go in now" he said pompously.

Sam and Dean ducked through the low entrance of the tent, letting their eyes adjust to the dim lighting inside. Sam spotted a slight red headed figure sprawled on the large bed. She was grinning at them.

"Sam? Dean? What are you doing here? Did you hear about the disappearance pattern too?"

"Too? You're here because of it?" Dean asked.

"Yep. It's a great place for LARPing, plus, lots of local legends which just make it more fun. But then that little girl, Holly Fowl went missing…"

Charlie stood, and bounced over to them cheerfully, flinging her arms around Dean, and then Sam.

"So" she asked, "can I help you guys?"

The brothers traded quick looks. "Actually, yeah. We're looking for a bridge. Called the Seelie Bridge, I think. Apparently there's a local faerietale about it, and Holly spent a lot of time there"

Charlie nodded. "I visited it yesterday. I thought it'd make a good place to go questing"

"No!" Sam exclaimed, "Everyone needs to stay away from it. According to the story, it's a bridge to Faerieland"

Charlie widened her eyes and sat down heavily on a rough wooden chair. "Why is it always faeries?" she asked glumly.

Sam grabbed another chair, and Dean perched at the end of the bed, eyeing the tent gleefully. He would never admit it, but he had loved LARPing with Charlie.

Charlie crossed her legs, foot tapping the air nervously. The late afternoon sunlight slipped through gaps in the tent, and one shaft fell across her red hair. She had no problem helping the Winchesters on a case, occasionally, but the whole faerie thing was just weird.

"So, your Highness. Think you can take us to the Seelie Bridge?" Dean asked her gently, seeing the worry in her eyes.

She perked up, and jumped to her feet.

"Of course. You're cool with being my handmaiden again, right?"

According to Charlie, the bridge wasn't far, maybe about a half mile past the camp. There were no marked trails, but the trees and shrubs seemed to part obligingly, making the walk easy. They followed a burbling stream, which raced over rocks, following the way that they had come.

Dean's feet crunched on the leaves, and he glanced over his shoulder every so often. There was a feeling of being watched, in these woods. It wasn't a malevolent presence, simply a curious one, which was very, very ancient.

He slipped his hand into his pocket, feeling for the vial of sugar that he held. No matter how powerful the faerie, they would have to stop to count every grain if he spilled it in front of them. The feel of the smooth glass was reassuring under his fingers. Friggin faeries. He was still annoyed about being kidnapped a few years ago.

"You ok there, Dean?" Charlie asked, looking quietly amused.

"Yeah, why?"

"Just- you were scowling like someone had kicked your puppy"

Sam looked back over his shoulder and peered at his brother. Dean did look annoyed, but he suspected it was more habitual than anything.

"We're almost there" Charlie continued, brushing aside a spider web that still glistened with dew. It stuck fast to her hand and she shook it impatiently to get it off.

"Good. In two days, the second victim is due to go missing. Hopefully we can get this thing tied up before then" Sam reached down to pluck a pebble out of his shoe.

A butterfly flapped a few lazy turns around them, before moving on.

Charlie bit her lip. "Do you think we can get her back?" she asked, "Holly, I mean"

Dean gazed off into the woods. "God, I hope so"

They continued through the woods, following the stream that reflected the sun into their eyes.

Finally, they came to a break in the trees. The boys followed Charlie's pointing finger until they saw the bridge. It was old, but ornately carved with delicate flowers and vines. Moss had started to creep up it, enveloping the carvings and distorting them until they became strange and frightening.

Sam repressed a shudder. He could almost feel the power and magic thrumming through the seemingly tranquil spot, coating the bridge in spells until it became an irresistible beacon. He noticed Dean starting to drift towards it, as if in a dream, and lunged forward, snagging his brother's wrist before he climbed onto the bridge.

"Dude, what the hell?" Dean demanded, wrenching his hand back.

"Can't you feel it?" Sam was incredulous, "All that power… It's enchanting you, Dean. You have to stay away from it"

Charlie had been headed towards the bridge too, but at Sam's words, she stopped and shook herself out of the spell.

"How come it didn't affect you?" she asked in a small voice.

"I dunno" Sam shrugged, peering closer at the bridge. It was so shrouded in enchantments and mirages that it shimmers, like a heat spot on the road.

"Must be your weird-ass ESP powers" Dean suggested, nodding wisely.

"I haven't had those in years" Sam reminded him, carefully moving towards the bridge.

He was about a foot away when he stopped and crouched down, his knees sinking into the damp soil. Sam felt a lump in his throat as he gazed at the centre of the bridge. Two small, shiny shoes sat there, as if their owner had just taken them off a minute before. They were untouched by rain or dust, and Sam could see a pair of white socks neatly folded into them. There was a blood spot on one.

"Guys" he looked back over his shoulder, swallowing to dispel the tightness in his throat.

Charlie sucked in her breath with a hiss, eyes fixed on the little shoes. Dean cursed, kicked at the dirt in dismay.

"Guess the legends are true" he murmured.

There was a rustling in the underbrush about twenty feet away from them, and Dean and Sam both spun towards it, guns out and cocked.

"Hello?" said Sam.

It rustled again. Seconds later, a huge elk barrelled towards them, kicking its legs out crazily and bellowing.

"I didn't know elks could bellow" Dean said, looking surprised.

Sam shoved him and Charlie out of the way, dodging the rampaging elk. It skidded on its hooves and followed them.

"Go, go, go!" Dean yelled, running back the way they had come.

"This" Charlie panted as they ran, "is so insane. You know that, right? Normal people do not get chased through the woods by crazy elks"

Sam was lifted off his feet as the elk crashed into him from behind, flinging him into a tree. He dropped to the ground limply, and didn't move.

Dean stopped so fast that Charlie nearly ran into him and darted back to Sam's side. His heart was pounding crazily as he assessed Sam's condition frantically. What if that sonvabitch elk had killed him?

Dropping to his knees, he patted Sam's cheek gently. "Hey Sammy. Come on, dude. Wake up, we gotta move"

He was about to haul Sammy up and drag his giant kid brother out of those damn woods, but the elk got to him first. It lashed out with a hoof, and caught him in the gut, tossing him high in the air before he came down with a resounding thump.

Charlie stared at the boys for a moment, before starting to back up, hands held up.

"Come on" she pleaded, "Let's talk about this! There's no need to act so crazy and run around knocking people out. D'you think you could just let us go? Please?"

Apparently, this was the wrong thing to say. The elk snorted disdainfully, and charged.

"Oh crap"

The words were barely out of Charlie's mouth when the elk hit. The world went black around her.

Hopefully you enjoyed! If you did (or if you have any constructive criticism) please leave a review!