Title: A Kingdom For The Winchesters
Genre: Labyrinth/Supernatural Crossover
Spoilers: If your not current up to S6 finale for Supernatural, then there might be spoilers.
Summary: Dean and Sam Winchester find themselves in the Labyrinth where nothing is as it seems and magic doesn't require blood. Crowley isn't dead, Castiel shows his true form, and everyone seems to like Dean's boots.
Rated: 'M' for a potty mouth.
Pairing: Jareth/Sarah
A/N: I was inspired to write this in response to a post on the jdbfangirlharem message board in Yahoo groups. The post read as follows: "Ohhh... Sexy Dean... Jareth meets Dean, so does Sarah, Jareth gets jealous... Sarah likes Dean... He does have a sexy body... Sam gets in the way... Oh..." This wasn't a challenge, and I've never written Supernatural characters before, but I had a lot of fun writing this. (even though my muse took it in a different direction than I had intended) I just hope it's readable and you enjoy! Review and let me know what you think!
Disclaimer: The only thing I claim to own is the insane idea that formed this story. Everything else is borrowed.
A Kingdom For The Winchesters
"Hey!" A strong, masculine voice cried out from down the dim lit tunnel. "Hey, is someone there? Help me outta here!"
"Hello? Is someone there? Who is that?" Sarah called back, mentally cursing Jareth for putting her in the oubliette just because she didn't like his new boots.
"Hey! I'm in here!" the strong, masculine voice yelled back with urgency, hope and relief all mixed together.
Sarah picked up her pace to follow the sound of boots kicking at a thick, wooden door that rattled on its heavy hinges. Rounding a bend in the tunnel Sarah saw strong hands gripping the iron bars in a small window of one of the wooden doors. "I see you!" she shouted over the din of his frantic banging. Sarah had a feeling that given enough time the man would've eventually shook the door right off its hinges by pure force alone. She paused on the far side of the tunnel across from the prison door, wary of who, or what, could be inside the cell.
"You human?" the man asked suspiciously, pressing his face up to the bars to look out into the dim lit tunnel at her.
"Yeah. Are you?"
"One hundred and ten percent, sweetheart," he replied with a flashy smile that shone in stark contrast of his dark surroundings, his voice suddenly flirtatious and pleasant. "How about you find the dog with the key, or whatever works, to get me out of here."
"The dog?" Sarah repeated, confused. "You mean Ambrosius? He doesn't have a key." She unconsciously stepped closer to the bars to see the man inside more clearly. She hadn't expected for him to be so good looking with rugged features, strong jaw, full lips, and short, dark hair. "In fact, there is no key. It's locked by magic."
"Magic," the man quipped deadpan. "Well, isn't that just terrific." He took a deep breath with an exaggerated sigh before looking back at the woman again. "Alright, what kind of symbol do I have to bleed on the wall to get out of here?"
"Blood?" Sarah shot back affronted, stepping back half a pace. "You don't need blood! Only Jareth or Hoggle can get you out." She squinted her eyes suspiciously, the idea that there might be a 'reason' Jareth put this man in a locked cell just entering her mind. "What did you do to make Jareth put you in there?"
"Jareth? Is that the name of the tights wearing Twisted Sister?"
Sarah smirked as she turned her head away, chuckling under her breath. "Twisted Sister, that's funny."
"I don't know this Jareth guy you're talking about," the man continued saying. "I'm in here because Castiel said he had a friend who owed him a favor. Next thing I know I'm running for my life in a muppet movie horror flick, took a wrong turn, and ended up in Dungeons and Dragons!"
"You're pretty funny for someone who was shoved into the oubliette," Sarah remarked.
"You help me get out of here and I can promise a bundle of laughs all night if that's what you want. Or, we could explore each other's fancies together, if you like."
"Are you flirting with me?" she asked slightly flustered, an amused smile on her lips. There was definitely something about this guy that was alluring. She liked his easy banter, the way he could joke when he was obviously in trouble, and his good looks didn't hurt his cause at all.
"Oh, yeah," he grinned back, his eyes shone with interest as he looked her up and down. "From what I'm seeing, there's plenty of reason to be flirty, if you know what I mean." He winked at her then smiled when he saw her face rush with color. "Hell, if I can't get out, maybe we can get you in." he licked is teeth invitingly. "I'm sure we can amuse each other in the dark."
"Oh my god, I can't believe you just said that!" she exclaimed, feeling a hot flush stain her cheeks at his open perusal of her body, his flirtatious tone, and the way he licked at those sensual lips of his.
"Come on, admit it," he insinuated. "You were thinking the same thing," he stated with a knowing smile, waggling his brows promisingly.
"I most certainly was not!" she replied with a flustered laugh, the color in her face grew darker and traveled down her neck. She had to admit that it suddenly got a lot warmer in the tunnels and the temptation to fan herself was tangible. She wasn't used to a man openly flirting with her this way, but she had to admit, it was exciting.
"My name's Dean, by the way," he informed her, his voice still holding a hint of flirtation. "Dean Winchester."
"I'm Sarah," she replied sheepishly, licking at suddenly dry lips while tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "Sarah Williams."
"Well, Sarah Williams, it's a pleasure to meet you."
Her breath caught at how the word, pleasure, sounded coming from his lips. But, she hid the effect it had on her by turning away from the door completely. "There has to be something around here we can use to get you out," she stated hurriedly, forcing herself to focus on the matter at hand as she searched for a distraction. Then she stopped and turned back to face him. "You know, the way you were shaking those bars a few minutes ago had the very foundation of the castle vibrating." She paused to lick at her lips shyly. The thought of him being strong enough to physically break down the door sent a thrill up her spine. A thrill that settled in her stomach hot and throbbing. "I bet if you keep pulling and shoving at them, the hinges would come loose."
"Ya think so?" Dean voiced with interest. It hadn't seemed as though his attempts were doing much of anything but making a bunch of noise. But, if the woman thought it was working the hinges loose from the stone, Dean was game to try. "Step back," he told her in a firm tone. "In case something breaks loose, I don't want you gettin hurt."
Sarah stepped back to the far side of the tunnel passage, licking her lips in anticipation with a growing excitement in the pit of her stomach. Maybe, just maybe, she finally found someone she could have a relationship with. Someone that wasn't involve in magic, or crystals, or wishes. Someone who was normal, like her.
XxXxX
Jareth's eyes narrowed dangerously as he gazed into his scrying crystal, watching and listening to the scene playing out in the dim lit passage of the oubliette. When the being, Castiel, had come to Jareth asking for a favor Jareth had been given the impression that the mortal who needed protection was weaker than most, incapable of defending himself in any way. However, gazing into one of his scrying crystals Jareth could see how wrong that assumption was. Not only was the mortal man strong and cunning, but he'd managed to gain Sarah's attention within a very short time.
The odds of Sarah finding the mortal man should've been too numerous to even calculate, and yet there she was encouraging the mortal to shake loose the very foundations of the castle with pure brute strength and muscle. And, judging by her flustered appearance, was admiring the man's show of strength far too much.
He paced in agitation before his own throne. The man was more than a threat where Sarah was concerned. To hell with keeping him safe from whatever he was involved in with Castiel, the man had gotten Sarah's attention within sixty seconds. Had her blushing as Jareth had never seen her blush, and flustered her in a way that Jareth had never been able to fluster her. No, it was time for Dean Winchester to be on his way, and as far away from Sarah as possible!
"Castiel," Jareth summoned in a steady, authoritive tone. "I would have a word with you, please." It never hurt to be polite, especially with another magic user of great substance.
"Don't tell me he escaped already," Castiel stated from behind Jareth. "He's only been down here for three minutes."
"Yes, well," Jareth voiced airily, turning to face his ageless acquaintance. "It seems he found the one thing in my entire kingdom to insight his ego, hence making him all the more determined to break free."
"He found Gabriel's sword?" Castiel questioned, stepping closer to Jareth. "How could you let him…"
"I'm referring to Sarah Williams," Jareth interrupted tightlipped before the other being could say another word.
"Oh," Castiel murmured, deflated. "A woman. That's just as bad where Dean Winchester is concerned."
"I've noticed," Jareth stated dryly, his lips a thin line. "I want him out of my kingdom immediately."
"You gave me your word to keep him here until I was able to sort a few things out," Castiel reminded the magical king, stepping forward with urgency. "I can't have him interfering. Dean and his brother 'can't' get involved in this!"
"None of those things are my concern, Castiel," Jareth reminded in a calm, casual tone. "I only agreed to keep him here as a token of our alliances, nothing more. He has unwittingly sought the only thing that would be forbidden to him, and I want him gone, immediately."
"Just give me two days," Castiel implored, stepping closer yet towards the king. "Stall him for me… please," Castiel's mind raced for a solution to this new problem. Well, an old problem, which was keeping Dean safe, only with new circumstances; how to not jeopardize his alliance with Jareth. "Can't you make him do whatever it is you make humans do when they enter your kingdom? Something to keep him busy?"
Jareth regarded Castiel intently for a moment, noticing for the first time how tense and on edge the being truly was. "You're pressing your luck, you realize," Jareth quipped flatly.
"I know. But, I need this," Castiel stressed. "I have nowhere else to put him where he would be safe and keep him out of trouble at the same time."
"Well, you've got one thing right, he's safe. But, he's managed to get himself into trouble none the less."
Castiel turned away from Jareth, raking his fingers through wavy brown hair as he paced in a tight circle. "Damn Winchesters," he muttered. "Both of them are going to be the death of me, I swear!"
"You mentioned a brother," Jareth voiced from behind Castiel's back. "Where have you deposited him, and wouldn't it be more beneficial if they were together, seeing how troublesome they can be?"
Castiel froze in mid pace to meet Jareth's unique gaze. "You don't want them together, trust me on that one. They've single handedly started the apocalypse, ended the apocalypse, trapped both Michael and Lucifer in the pit, and somehow found out that Crowley isn't really dead as I led them to believe. No, putting them together is the worse thing we want to happen. They're too powerful when together."
"Perhaps," Jareth voiced in a sing song tone, turning his back to step up to his throne.
"Perhaps, what?" Castiel prompted, knowing that Jareth had one of the most conniving minds he'd ever met.
"Perhaps having the brothers search for each other would afford you the time you need to keep them out of your way."
Castiel frowned deeply as he thought this over then cleared his expression when he came to a decision. "That could work. They'd be too busy finding one another to be able to do anything else. I like it. It's a good plan."
"Of course it is," Jareth stated casually with a pleasant smile. "Because I thought of it." He stood up and joined the angel in the center of the room. "Bring the brother to me, and I will not only see to both their safety, but I can keep them distracted for you, giving you the time you desire."
"Two days? Maybe three?" Castiel asked hopefully.
"Three days is pushing it, Castiel. I suggest you make the most of the time I've allotted you."
"Yes, I can do that," he conceded, nodding his head in agreement. "You won't regret this, Jareth, you have my word."
Jareth grimaced at Castiel's parting vow. He found his old acquaintance's new behavior out of character and somewhat untrustworthy. His manner of speech was strange, not to mention how he shifted his gaze too frequently, only meeting Jareth's eyes at certain moments. Jareth was more than aware that the balance of magic was being threatened, which was why he agreed to help Castiel in the first place. But, he hadn't expected the mortal in question to be quite so troublesome. Jareth procured a scrying crystal and raised it to his eyes just in time to witness Dean Winchester step through the dust and debris of the crumbled doorway of his cell.
"I already do."
XxXxX
"Well, well, well," Jareth sarcastically announced his presence in the oubliette's passageway. "It seems I've underestimated the brute strength of a mortal human."
"Oh, you've underestimated a lot more than that, buddy," Dean retorted, dusting off his leather jacket as he faced Jareth squarely. "The way I see it you have two choices; the easy way, or the hard way."
"Dean," Sarah warned. "That's Jareth, he's..."
"Sarah," Jareth addressed politely, sparing her a brief glance while holding Dean's gaze. "Why don't you use the ladder behind you and meet up with your friends. Dean and I have some business to discuss."
"Excuse me?" Sarah retorted hotly, placing her hands on her hips. "You did 'not' just dismiss me like some under-rated servant!" Jareth magically procured a crystal. "Jareth, what are you doing?" Sarah asked warily, stepping back once. He spun the crystal in and around his hands a few times before suddenly tossing it at Sarah.
"Catch."
Sarah caught the clear globe by pure reflex, and immediately disappeared from the tunnels.
"Whoa, fuck!" Dean exclaimed at Sarah's sudden disappearance, jumping back and to the side. "What the hell did you do to her? Where did you send her?" Then, pulling himself together he stalked upon Jareth threateningly, stopping just shy of their chests touching. "If you hurt her in any way, shape, or form, I swear…"
"Forget about her!" Jareth growled threateningly, meeting the man's gaze eye to eye. "She is well protected within my kingdom. Stay away from her!"
"You're' kingdom?" Dean quipped in confusion, pulling his head back slightly to look at Jareth fully. "You're not a demon, are you?"
"Well, aren't you the enlightened one?" Jareth retorted sarcastically, relaxing his defensive stance. "I am Jareth, King of the Goblins, and you are in my Labyrinth Kingdom for safe keeping for the time being."
"King of… what?" Dean questioned. "Are you fucking kidding me?" He spun on his heels and began shouting at the top of his voice. "Cass! Get your winged ass down here, right now!"
"You don't have to shout," Jareth informed Dean. "He can hear you just fine by the mere mention of his name. Though, he isn't listening to you at the moment, I can assure you."
"Oh, so you're an expert on angels, too, huh?" Dean retorted with more sarcasm, facing Jareth fully again. "I don't know who, or what, the hell you are, and I honestly don't care, but I'm getting the fuck out of here, and I'm taking the woman with me!" He turned his back on Jareth. "Cass!"
"Castiel won't help you," Jareth stated in an agitated tone. "And Sarah is no concern of yours." He paused to straighten his back. "She won't leave with you anyway, even if you could find her. She belongs here with me, and here with me is where she'll stay."
"I don't think so, George," Dean stated in a deep threatening tone, turning around to face Jareth once again. "Judging by what she told me, she's as much a prisoner here as I am. And, trust me," he paused to smile broadly with confidence. "I 'will' find a way out, I always do. And, not only will I find her, but I 'will' take her back with me."
"Dean?" Sam's disembodied voice called faintly. "Dean, where are you?"
"Sam!" Dean responded without pause, calling out to his brother as he glanced around his surroundings. "I'm in some kind of tunnel… uhh… an oubliette! Where are you?"
"You've died!" Jareth exclaimed with a horror stricken expression. "Both you and your brother have died and been magically brought back to life!"
"Yeah," Dean chuckled in amusement at the king's distress. "Been to hell and back, Stardust, both of us. Oh, and we've been to Heaven, too. Can't forget that little tidbit." He winked at Jareth, reveling in his distress, before turning his back to him once again. "Sam!" he called out loudly. "I'm coming to find you!"
Jareth slowly backed away to fade from sight while the man was preoccupied with shouting at his unseen brother. This wasn't part of the deal. Jareth should've been told that the brothers had both seen death and been revived. It gave them unmentionable power within his kingdom! It made them unpredictable, uncontrollable, but worse of all, there was no way to know exactly what they were capable of and what limits, if any, they may possess.
Castiel would've known that only when the brother's were together would their bond be powerful. A power that would be sought out by every magical force in creation! That Castiel had so easily agreed to send Dean's brother to him told Jareth what he had already suspected, that Castiel could no longer be trusted. He had purposely placed him, Jareth, and his kingdom in jeopardy by even suggesting one of these men be brought to the labyrinth. But to agree to both of them in one place was pure foolishness!
Now Jareth was faced with yet another problem, how to convince the Winchester brothers that they would be safer in the Underground than any other realm in existence while keeping them apart from one another, and making sure Sarah didn't cross paths with either one of the mortal men. Unfortunately, just by meeting Dean Winchester, Sarah couldn't simply return home without being in danger.
Suddenly feeling his age, Jareth returned to his throne room to think and formulate some sort of plan to save everyone involved. His rage towards Castiel for tricking him into doing his bidding aside, it was up to Jareth alone to make sure his kingdom remained impartial to everything that was unraveling around it. Jareth glanced at his goblins present within the throne room, and cringed inwardly as the innocence left his servants right before his eyes, turning each and every one of them into hardened warriors. The labyrinth was preparing itself for war, and all its inhabitants would be transformed to meet any threat that may present itself.
Jareth sat up straight uppon his bone, horned throne, and met each pair of eyes that stared solemnly back at him. "We must conserve our resources," he commanded them. "Use your magic only in the face of a direct threat." He paused, his eyes scanned over his goblin army with a hint of regret showing briefly within them. "The mortals are to be protected at all cost. They must not be found, and they must not find their way out. Do I make myself clear?"
"Aye, King Jareth!" the horde sounded as one voice.
XxXxX
"Sarah!" Hoggle exclaimed in surprise when his human friend suddenly appeared before him.
"Son of a bitch!" Sarah exclaimed hotly, regaining her balance from the sudden shift of location under her feet. "I can't believe he just did that to me!"
"Well, you should know better than to insult his wardrobe by now," Hoggle chastised lightly, knowing why Sarah had been brought back to the labyrinth by the king. "He don't like making changes all that much. And, he really liked those boots! It wasn't easy for him to gets rid of them for new ones."
Sarah huffed in exasperation. "Yeah, it's nice to see you again, too, Hoggle," she stated cynically. "Are you aware that he sent me to the oubliette?" she questioned, her face still flush crimson, though more from agitation towards Jareth than the excitement that Dean had insighted in her a few moments beforehand.
"O'course I was," Hoggle answered with an offhanded carelessness. "I was actually on my way to go get you, again." He bent his knees slightly as he looked up at her curiously. "How'd you get him to let you out so easy?"
"He has someone else down there. His name is Dean Winchester, and I helped him break out of the cell Jareth had him locked in." Sarah crossed her arms and raised her chin proudly, satisfied that she had caused some inconvenience to Jareth, even if it was only a small inconvenience. She was certain that he would simply fix the door with his magic and put Dean right back inside. Which, gave Sarah something to do. "And I'm going back down there to rescue him, again," she stated firmly. "Are you coming with me, or not?"
"He's not supposed to be rescued, Sarah," Hoggle informed her tentatively. He caught the way Sarah had spoken the human's name, and he was certain that that didn't bode well with Jareth. Because, if Hoggle could sense her liking the man, then the king was surely aware of it. "In fact, he wasn't supposed to be found at all. He's under protection of the king."
"Protection!" Sarah retorted shortly. "Well, if that's how Jareth protects people then I'm glad I'm not on that list!" She stepped closer to Hoggle, bending in half to look him eye to eye. "He had him in the oubliette, Hoggle. In the dark, in a locked cell, alone, and scared!"
Hoggle snorted at that last bit. "I doubt that very much. It would take more than a dark cell in a tunnel to scare that one! He's been to…" Hoggle stopped talking all of sudden and cocked his head as though listening to something far off.
"Hoggle, what is it?" Sarah whispered, glancing around cautiously when everything all of a sudden went dead quiet. "Hoggle, what's happening?" she asked fearfully, sensing that something wasn't right.
"The labyrinth's changing, Sarah. You needs to find Jareth, and stays with him!"
"Why? What's happening, Hoggle? Why is the color fading from everything?" she questioned, watching as everything around them lost its vibrant colors, looking more like a black and white photograph.
"You can't be here alone," Hoggle replied, his voice suddenly having a deeper timbre to it.
Sarah spun around to look at her friend and gasp in surprise as she watched him grow at least two feet taller, his body filled out with muscles, and his soft friendly eyes hardened to those of a seasoned soldier. He now bore a war axe in strong, warrior-like hands.
"I must take you to King Jareth," Hoggle stated in a flat, emotionless tone. "Follow me."
"Hoggle?" Sarah cried after him, not following as he had commanded. "I'm scared, what's happening?"
Hoggle retreated by three paces, bringing himself abreast with Sarah. "The labyrinth is at war, Sarah," he answered in what was probably the kindest tone he possessed at the moment. "All humans are to be protected at all cost. You must be taken to King Jareth, only he can protect you from what may come."
"What may come? What's that mean, Hoggle?" she asked as she followed behind him when he turned to march towards the castle. Suddenly she was grabbed by strong hands, one over her mouth and the other snaked around her waist from behind.
"It means all hell's going to break loose, and we have to hide!" Dean whispered urgently in her ear as he pulled her off the path and into some bushes.
Hoggle reappeared with a few short seconds, searching his surroundings methodically, almost mechanically as if he were in a trance. Suddenly Jareth appeared before his servant, his back facing where Dean held Sarah in the bushes. His hand tightened over her mouth for her to keep quiet.
"Where is she, Hoggle?" Jareth demanded to know in a curt tone.
"He took her, King Jareth," Hoggle answered obediently. "They can't be too far, she was behind me only a minute ago."
Jareth slowly turned his head to peruse the surrounding area, snapping his head to the other side when his neck reached its limit over one shoulder. With his head now glancing over his other shoulder with narrowed eyes, he spoke in precise words. "Then he better protect her with his life. Because if she is harmed, in any way, his time in hell will seem like a vacation when I am through with him." Jareth snapped his head forward to look at Hoggle. "And, stop using your magic! We must conserve every ounce of it if we want to survive this!"
"Yes, King Jareth," Hoggle replied, and immediately became colorless as everything else in the labyrinth, leaving only Jareth to shine brightly in full color. Only, besides his hair and skin, the only color Jareth shone was black. His armor glinted off a ray-less sun like black obsidian, shimmering like liquid with his every move, even his breaths caused his aura to shimmer around him.
Sarah leaned back against Dean's chest, seeking comfort from the formidable sight before her. She knew Jareth was powerful, that he possessed a great amount of magic, but it wasn't until that moment that the truth really sunk in for how powerful of a being Jareth really was, and it both frightened and thrilled her beyond words.
Jareth tilted his head to one side attentively. He could hear her heartbeat thumping erratically within her chest, along with the quick but steady heartbeat of the man who held her captive. 'Let him hold her, for now,' Jareth thought, straightening his head to set his gaze forward. 'I can't allow her to distract me while I am in transition. She will be safe with him as long as he doesn't find his brother.'
Realizing his own train of thought, Jareth slowly turned bodily to face in the direction of the two human's hiding place. "I know you hear me, and I warn you," Jareth stated calmly in a steady voice. "Being apart from your brother is the safest recourse for us all. We have all been misled by Castiel, and I need you to trust me if you want to survive." He lowered his gaze to stare unseeingly at the ground, his voice, when next he spoke, was humble and low. "Keep her safe, above all else."
Sarah would've gasped at the intense emotion she saw in his eyes if it weren't for Dean's hand still covering her mouth. He tightened his arm around her in case she had the intention of breaking free from him, and run to the king. But, the magical king turned on his heels and vanished within the blink of an eye before either human could've reacted in any way.
XxXxX
"Here you go, hot chocolate with whipped cream on top, just the way you like it, see?" the hunched back old woman stated in a craggy voice as she handed Sam a ceramic mug with racing cars on it, filled to the brim with hot cocoa and cream. "Now you don't have to search anymore, everything you want is right here. Yes, indeedy."
"I told you," Sam stressed for the umpteenth time, holding the hot mug by the handle. "He's not lost, we were separated."
"Separated at birth," she rambled on. "Yes, yes, that's it. Separate and yet the same. I know, I know."
"No, you don't know!" Sam stated with exasperation. "I have to find my brother before its too late!" He took an exasperated deep breath to calm himself, then tried reasoning with the woman again. "Look, it's not like I don't appreciate the hot chocolate, or your hospitality, it's just that I need to find Dean before it's too late. We have something very important to do, and we only have a little bit of time left."
"Drink your hot chocolate, Deary, and everything will work itself out." The old woman patted Sam on the shoulder reassuringly then stepped away just as the house started to rumble and shake. "Ohh…"
"What's that?" Sam questioned, stretching out his arm so the hot liquid didn't spill on him as the small dwelling rumbled and swayed. Small objects and trinkets, that looked familiar to him and yet weren't familiar at all, fell from their shelves. "What's happening?"
Sam watched stupefied as the hunched back woman slowly straightened her back and stood tall before him. Gone were the age old wrinkles from her face and hands, the ragged clothes that had hung off her back, and matted hair that had framed her ruddy face. He gulped speechlessly at the woman who now stood tall and beautiful in front of him. Her slender arms and legs toned with delicate muscle, her long, red hair cascaded down her back and over slender shoulders in waves of silken beauty. Her face turned in his direction, ageless and wrinkle free, and her green eyes shone of wisdom and clairvoyance.
"You're time is up, Sam Winchester," she stated in a delicate, smooth voice. "The only thing you have to do is hide and hope they don't find you."
The sound of her voice was intoxicating, it caressed over Sam's senses like a drug. His head wobbled dazedly, his thoughts unclear and muddled, as the woman came to him and reached out her hand to touch his face.
"Sam! Where the hell are you?" Dean's disembodied voice suddenly shouted at him, breaking him from the spell he was being put under.
"I'm in a hut with an old hag who just changed into a beautiful woman!" He jumped from the chair he was seated in, dropping the mug in his anxiety to get away from the woman. Looking back to the floor, he discovered the ceramic mug hadn't been a mug at all, but a small bundle of sticks tied together. It was covered in some honey like substance that now oozed onto the dirt floor. He glanced back at the woman who cowered in a far corner. Sam swallowed hard at the sight of the old hag peering back at him dejectedly. "Dean, get me the hell out of here!"
"I'm working on it, Sam," Dean's voice replied. "Just keep moving and trust no one. This place is under lock down, and I'm not sure whose side they're on."
Breaking free of the old hag's trance, Sam was able to find a door and stepped outside. Glancing around he caught sight of the castle in the distance. "I can see a castle, meet me there!"
"No!" Dean shouted urgently. "Stay away from the castle!"
"Fine. I'll head due east from the castle, then."
"I'll meet up with you, eventually. And Sam," Dean added with a hint of amusement in his tone. "Stay away from beautiful women."
"Very funny," Sam replied irritably, and started making his way eastward at a brisk pace.
"I think we should head for the castle," Sarah suggested to Dean when it was obvious that he broke the connection with his brother. "That seems to be the center of all the magic. If we want to get out, then we have to get out that way."
"I'm sure that's what The Duke wants you to think, but you'd be wrong. The center of all the magic, especially for a place as morbid as this one, would be an isolated spot. A place where nothing grows, a desolate, gloomy, dead place as far from everything else as possible."
"I think I know where it is," Sarah stated with dawning. "And Jareth's a king, not a duke," she corrected.
"Could you please stop saying his name?"
"Why? He's not looking for us, and he's not using his magic, so…"
"So, every time you say his name he knows exactly where we are, sweetheart." Sarah grimaced at his condescending tone towards her. "Oh, I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings, Princess. But everyone knows that using a magic user's name binds them to you. Why do you think demon's lie and tell you someone else's name? Except for the really brazen ones who think they're better then the rest." Dean took a deep breath and moved to stand in front of Sarah, placing his hands upon her shoulders. "I'm sorry, I'm just really stressed out right now. I realize that your scared, and I'm not helping. But I promise I 'will' get you out of here."
Sarah saw the sincerity in his eyes as he held her gaze, and forgave him instantly. "There's a dead tree on a hilltop just outside the front gates of the labyrinth, to the north of the castle. I think that might be what you're looking for."
"Ohhh," Dean drawled appreciatively with a warming smile. "I'd kiss you if I didn't think I'd get slapped!"
Sarah blushed at his declaration then felt a stab of disappointment when he turned away from her completely.
"Sam! New game plan." He waited a few seconds then called his brother again. "Sam! Where are you? Can you hear me?" Another few seconds and still nothing from Sam. "Why can't he hear me? What's different from before?"
Sarah shrugged her shoulders while shaking her head. "I don't know. How did you talk to him in the first place?"
"I just pictured him in my mind and called him. … Sam!"
"What?"
"Head north of the castle!"
"Gotchya!"
Dean bestowed Sarah with a priceless smile. "You are a genius, don't let anyone tell you otherwise."
"You're just saying that," Sarah replied with a shy smile and doe eyes.
"No, I mean it," Dean stated, meeting her gaze directly. "Most women would've been hysterical and hyperventilating this whole time, but not you. You're one tough cookie." He paused to smile and wink at her. "I like that."
XxXxX
"This, is how you conserve magic, King Jareth?" the old hag stated accusingly as she entered the throne room to find the king scrying in a crystal. "I hope that breath's worth you just wasted isn't needed to save one of our own."
Jareth gazed at her peripherally with narrowed eyes from over his shoulder. Letting his scrying crystal dissipate at his fingertips, he then turned to face her. "You allowed the brother to escape you. I'm interested in knowing why."
"He isn't what he seems, King Jareth. He is marked by another. I didn't noticed it until I was almost upon him."
"They're both marked, Agatha. But, that holds no bounty here, so, why did you let him escape you?"
Agatha lowered her gaze submissively before answering. "There is something within him, King Jareth. He is not what he seems to be."
"Again, neither of them are what they seem to be, and I grow impatient with your avoidance to my inquiry!"
"He's been here before," she whispered urgently. "Not wished away or in the physical sense, but he has dreamed of this place as a child. He knows, King Jareth. He knows! And if I had touched him it would've awoken that part of his mind that, as of now, remains in slumber and unaware of what's going on."
Jareth turned his back to the seer. Closing his eyes he mentally wondered what else could possibly go wrong with having these men within his kingdom. "Is there a way to use it to our advantage?" he asked from over his shoulder.
"I'm uncertain, King Jareth. That would be a risk that I personally would not advise."
"You may return to your dwelling, Agatha. I will summon you if you are needed further."
"Yes, King Jareth." She bowed and headed for the exit with a sly grin plastered upon her lips.
"Did he believe you?" a masculine voice asked from the darkened corner of her dwelling as Agatha closed her door.
Turning in the direction of the voice, she smiled before answering. "Of course he did. He has no reason not to. It won't be long before he will confront the mortal himself, and by doing so, he will seal his own fate to perish by another's hand."
"Excellent," Crowley praised, stepping from the shadows. "I just need on more thing from you, my sweet, and then everything will be in place."
"Anything to break free from this place, from 'him' once and for all!" Agatha responded willingly. "What is it that you need, Crowley, tell me, and it's yours!"
"Your soul," he stated simply, and shifted his eyes towards a dark spot on the far side of the room. Before Agatha realized she was in danger, that Crowley had lied to her, betrayed her, she was overcome by the demon that hid within her own dwelling. She screamed in terror as the black shapeless form pounced upon her and entered her body by her gaping mouth.
Within a minute the demon had full control over Agatha's body and soul. She looked over at Crowley and smiled. "I like this body," the demon possessing Agatha stated seductively, running her hands down the full length of her body. "She's just full of interesting ways of pleasure."
"Is she now?" Crowley remarked with interest. The demon nodded, smiling broadly with promise. "Well, I think we can spare some time for a bit of pleasure," he stated, starting to undo the buttons of his shirt. "Let's test drive her and see what she's got."
XxXxX
"Dean."
"Yo?" Was Dean's response to his brother's disembodied call.
"Something's not right. I don't think it's a good idea to keeping heading north. I think you should head back towards the castle."
"Oh, no way in hell!" Dean exclaimed, bracing his hands on the stone wall before him. "Do you have any idea how long we've been searching our way through this fucking thing! The walls keep changing behind our backs!"
"Dean, listen. Back at that house I was in, things looked familiar, and I didn't think about it at the time, but, I just realized where I've seen some of those nick-knacks before. And you're not going to like it."
"Sammy, you're killing me here!" He pretended to bang his head on the stone wall, making Sarah cover her mouth to hide her amusement. "I give, 'where' did you see the stupid little nick-knacks before, Sammy?"
"In someone's house, a mansion more precisely, but the mansion didn't belong to him, it was borrowed, if you know what I mean."
"Of course I know what you mean," Dean replied, his tone suddenly somber. "Are you referring to who I think you're referring to?"
"Yeah, I think so."
"Wait a minute. Let's be clear about this. You're talking about someone who comes from the deep south and likes torturing people for fun, right? Someone we thought was dead, but found out he wasn't? And, now he's king of a place we have no intention of going back to."
"Yeah, that would be him."
"Oh that's just fucking great."
"What's going on?" Sarah asked, not amused by the way the brothers antagonized each other anymore.
"Warn him, Sammy. And make it fast."
"That's just it, Dean. I can't. That empty feeling is back inside of me, Dean. I have to do this my way for us to have any kind of chance. Don't ask me how I know this, hell I don't even know how we're even talking to each other right now. But, trust me. we have to stick together, just like we've done before. 'You' have to do it, Dean. You're the one who has to get his attention and save the girl."
Dean remained quiet for a long moment, knowing that Sam was speaking in a cryptic code, warning him that Crowley somehow got into the kingdom, and that Sammy was already working on a plan to stop him. "Alright, Sammy. Whatever it takes, I'll handle it."
Sam nodded, then realized that Dean couldn't see him. "Will do. And Dean, be careful. We already died for each other, more than once." He chuckled without humor. "I don't want to repeat that any time soon."
"I'll see ya on the other side," he joked, trying to make a smile but failed. Dean raised his gaze to meet Sarah's. "I need you to call Mister Fancy Pants."
"You know, I'm starting to resent how you call him names all the time," Sarah retorted, folding her arms. "His name is Jareth!"
"Good, now say his name again!" Dean stated urgently between clenched teeth, grabbing Sarah by her shoulders. "Say it loud and clear, he has to hear you and pay attention!"
"You're hurting me!"
"Just call him, dammit!"
"Call him yourself!" Sarah spat back with a sudden rage of her own, shoving at muscular shoulders to no effect.
"I can't!" Dean all but shouted at her. "He's been tagged! If me or my brother say his name or call him to us in any way, all hell is going to break loose! There is something far worse than anything you've ever seen in this kingdom. He could be in any body and any where at any given time. I need you to call that king of yours so I can warn him!"
"There's no need to frighten her so badly," Jareth stated in a calm tone from behind them. Sarah broke free from Dean's suddenly lax grasp to run into Jareth's waiting embrace.
"You have to let us get out," Dean stated to Jareth urgently. "And, you can't use any magic to do it, or you'll have both heaven and hell collapsing down on your kingdom, and I know you don't want that!"
"Perhaps having you here is precisely what I want, both of you as a matter of fact. Have you ever thought of that?"
Dean narrowed his eyes suspiciously and squared his shoulders defensively. "That would be suicide for every living thing in this kingdom," Dean stated informatively.
"Yes, but there's enough magic in this place to bring them back, again, and again, and again. I'm sure that would fuck up anyone's number count for souls, now wouldn't it?"
"Sarah, I know I just scared the hell out of you, but you really need to trust me right now, and step away from him."
"Oh, now why would she want to do that? After all, this is the first time she's willingly gotten this close, isn't that right, my pet?"
Sarah stared up at the man who looked like Jareth, sounded like Jareth, but was 'not' Jareth! Her body began to tremble at the ominous feeling that emanated from the imposter, and she looked back at Dean with a helplessness in her eyes.
"It's alright, Sarah," Dean reassured her, holding a steady hand out in her direction. "I won't let him hurt you."
"Oh, isn't that just so touching," the imposter drawled. "And how do you suppose to do that when all I have to do is snap my fingers," he raised his free hand to snap his fingers, making both himself and Sarah disappear, only to reappear in the same place. "And…"
"And, what?" Dean prompted, remaining silent as the imposter glanced around in confusion. After a brief moment Dean stepped forward and took Sarah by the arm. "Come here, Sarah, we got this under control."
"No!" the Jareth imposter retorted angrily, moving to grab a hold of Sarah before Dean ushered her out of arms reach. But, Dean was faster and tucked Sarah safely behind him.
"Sammy! Now!" Dean shouted, then began to chant an exorcism in Latin, Sam's disembodied voice lent strength and power to the spell as their intentions connected, bonded with each other, from brother to brother, and extracted Crowley using Jareth's likeness.
As soon as Crowley's true form was visible, which wasn't human in any way, the real Goblin King appeared next to Dean. Weilding his own staff of power and magic, Jareth attacked Crowley with all his magical energy. Crowley screamed in agony as he was reduced to ash. Lowering his staff, Jareth glanced back over his shoulder towards Sarah. The ashen paleness of her features gave Jareth the impression that she would never allow him near her again. She had just witnessed something that mortals were never meant to witness, the death of a magical being.
"Well," Dean stated in a calm, almost bored sounding voice, looking over at Jareth. "I guess that's it." He half twisted his body to glance back at Sarah. "That was pretty cool, wasn't it?" he stated in a flirtatious tone while grinning at her.
"Cool?" Sarah retorted with exasperation. "There was nothing 'cool' about any of this!" She stepped closer to Jareth, looking as though she was about to hug him, then thought better of it and simply hugged herself. "Jareth, what happened to you?" she asked, full of concern. "Where you really possessed by... that thing?"
"Oh, sure," Dean expressed dryly. "Me and my brother risk everything we've got to save this dump, and you're worried about Ziggy over there having a hair out of place!"
"I am sick and tired of you calling him names!" Sarah shouted, boring down on Dean heatedly. "He is Jareth, King of the Goblins! And, I want you to find your brother and get out of my kingdom, right now, you leather wearing, cocky smiling… rogue!"
Dean chuckled heartily at a red in the face, flustered to all hell Sarah Williams, while Jareth looked upon her with raised brows in surprise. "Well, if you'll excuse me, I have a brother to find." Dean turned and began walking away from the couple staring dumbly at one another, careful to step around Crowley's ashes that were seared into the ground. "Sammy! Where the hell are you?"
"I'm at the front gates, waiting for you to get your ass out here. Huh, look at that. There's fairies. Ouch! The bitch bit me!"
"What did you expect? Favors and wishes?"
"Well, … never mind, just out here!"
Dean was suddenly standing behind his brother. He staggered for a moment as he shook off the feeling of disorientation. "I could get used to this," he stated, making his brother jump in surprise. "I think I figured this place out. We got something good going here, as long as we both agree on the same thing, we could be awesome!"
"We're leaving," Sam stated in a deadpan tone.
"Aww, come on Sammy, we could…"
"No, we're leaving."
Dean stopped to look back at the massive gates that were slowly closing behind them. Once the two sides connected in the middle, the entire structure concealed itself by turning into a solid stone wall. Taking a deep, resigned breath Dean turned to follow his brother up the steep incline to reach the hill top with the dead tree.
"Neither of you fully understand the concept of the magic you possess, do you?" Jareth asked, once both brothers reached the top of the hill.
"No," Dean answered breathlessly. "But, I'm sure if we were given some time…" He glanced over at Sam then back at Jareth. "We'd have it figured out in no time."
The confident smile on the man's face was disarming to say the least. However, Jareth wasn't concerned in the slightest. "Since that isn't an option, I have a proposition for you."
"Yeah, and what's that?"
Jareth produced two crystals out of thin air, making them spin in and around his hands mesmerizingly. "I have a gift for you both."
Both brothers snorted, each for his own reason.
"That's okay," Dean stated, starting to turn away from the king. "I've seen what those things can do and I'm not interested."
"I'd only lose it," Sam stated. "We're never in one place long enough to keep souvenirs. Besides, I doubt we'll forget this place any time soon."
"But, that's just it, gentlemen," Jareth stated smoothly. "You must forget all about my kingdom in order to prevent these occurrences from happening again." Dean and Sam stared at Jareth warily, inadvertently watching the crystals spin faster and faster in his hands. "Either you accept my gifts and simply awaken in your own world, exactly where you were before being brought here, remembering all that transpired as though it were a vague dream. Or Castiel takes you back his way, and you would remember nothing at all."
"Wait a minute," Dean expressed, stepping forward. "I thought Castiel was the one who betrayed everyone and started this mess to begin with."
"Your faith in me is as touching and heartfelt as always, Dean," Castiel stated sarcastically, suddenly standing just behind Dean. Dean spun on his heel to face the angel. "Crowley somehow manifested himself to appear in my image," he explained. "Well, not my image, but this human one that I've been using since the human eye can't look upon an angel directly."
"Well, that doesn't seem to apply here, Cass," Dean stated stepping up to the angel. "Because I saw Crowley in his true form just before we ganked him, for real this time. So, why not show us what you really look like. Because we doubt we'll ever make it upstairs to meet you in the afterlife."
Castiel glanced towards Jareth. "If you don't mind, I suppose they deserve to see my true form. Perhaps it will make them show me more respect in the future."
"I have no doubt that they would look upon you differently for certain," Jareth replied. "However, I will allow this for a small trade, a token of appreciation for my generosity."
"Like what?" Sam asked. "We just helped save your entire kingdom. What else do you want from us?"
"It was your fault my kingdom was in danger in the first place, and I don't want anything from you, Sam, just your brother."
"Okay, I'll bite," Dean stated, stepping forward. "What do you want?"
"Your boots."
"My… what? Oh, no. Think of something else, dude. There is no way in hell you're getting my boots!"
"Sarah seems to fancy them more so than the ones I've recently acquired for myself. I feel it's a small gesture on your part for scaring her so badly, and let's not mention the bruises on her shoulder from your manhandling."
"You manhandled a king's girlfriend?" Sam inquired of his brother incredulously. "It's embarrassing to be your brother, sometimes, do you know that?"
"Stuff it, Sammy. Fine!" he shouted irritable, turning to point at Castiel. "First you show us your true self," Then he turned to point at Jareth. "Then, you give us those crystals and you can have my boots."
"I'll have those boots first, if you don't mind," Jareth stated, smirking triumphantly as Dean bent to remove first one boot, then the other, throwing them at the king in turn.
"There! Now let's get this show on the road!"
Castiel looked over at Jareth, who nodded his approval, then stepped a few yards away from the small group of men. Closing his eyes, he spread his arms wide and threw his head back. A blinding white light emanated from within the human body, and filled a quarter of the sky.
"Sweet mother of god," Dean voiced in utter amazement as he stared up at the celestial figure who hovered above them. Sam merely stared open mouthed in awe.
"Dean, Sam," Jareth called, and tossed a crystal at each of them when they gave him their attentions.
"Did you really let them remember everything?" Castiel asked after the brothers disappeared and he was once again within the human body.
"Not anything that will make sense to them," Jareth replied mischievously. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have yet to show my future queen my new boots."
"I've always admired those boots," Castiel remarked, staring down at Jareth's feet. "And yet they look better when you wear them."
"Of course they do, I am a king!" Jareth vanished from the hill top and returned to Sarah, who was making herself comfortable in his private chambers within the castle.
"Are they gone?" Sarah asked, pushing away from a window as soon as she realized Jareth was in the room.
"Yes, they've been sent home."
"Are you sure? Because they were getting pretty good with how to use the magic between them." Suddenly her eyes went wide. "Oh! You got the boots!" she exclaimed excitedly, then looked up at Jareth warily. "You didn't kill him for them, did you?"
"No," he answered, appalled that she would think him capable of killing a mortal for his boots. If there were any good reason for him to kill Dean, it would've been his brutal manhandling of Sarah, but she insisted that he not be punished for the bruise he'd left behind. "Why would you think I killed him?"
"I know you're still upset about the bruise on my shoulder, for one. And two, I saw a blinding white light over the hill top, and I thought maybe you had to fight him for the boots!"
"I acquired them in a very nice deal, and everyone went home happy."
"You didn't let them remember a damn thing, did you?" she asked knowingly.
"On the contrary, I let them remember most of everything that transpired here. Only the true extent of their power was altered, for all our sakes."
"Wow," Sarah voiced in amazement. "Why such generosity towards two men who nearly got your kingdom destroyed?"
Jareth stepped closer to her and cautiously reached out to engulf her within his arm. His heart swelled when she leaned into him, letting him hold her for the very first time. "I wasn't generous for them almost destroying my kingdom. I was generous for them giving me the one thing that matters the most to me."
"And, what's that?" she asked innocently, looking up at him with curious eyes.
He gazed down at her with a warmth that she'd never seen before. "I'm holding her."
The End