"Are you sure you saw him walk this way?" Sam questioned.

The alien nodded. "There aren't too many of you here... where did you say you were from, again?"

"I didn't. You said he was following someone?"

"Yeah, some woman. She was like you with short dark hair, but she with dark clothing."

"Thank you." Sam left the alien and went back to the group. "He said Dean left the market this way, following a woman." He explained.

"You think she's the murderer?" Donna pondered. Why else would another human be here?

"He wouldn't be stupid enough to follow the murderer alone, would he?" Jack asked, and all he got in reply were frowns. "Right, I guess he would."

"At least we know where to look. Come on, let's go." The Doctor led the group in the direction the Shedirian had told them Dean went. It wasn't too long before Sam made them stop.

Sam knelt down in the grass, which was just like the grass at home. He ran his finger over a few of the blades, and it came back red. "There's blood, here."

Jack knelt beside him. "Not much blood. But seeing as how Shedirians bleed blue, this must be where they went."

"There are footprints here, leading up to it..." Sam continued, putting his hunting skills to good use. "But... there's only one leaving. It looks like... it looks like someone was dragged away..." Damn it, Dean...

"Where'd they go?"

Sam frowned. "Follow me."

…

"Son of bitch..." Dean groaned. He tried to pull his hands to his pulsing head, but they were bound together. He opened his eyes, blinking a few times until he could make out his surroundings.

"A shed? Really? This was all you could muster up?" Dean saw the woman standing in the corner, hovering over all her stolen goods. "I'm disappointed, Mara."

Mara turned around, grinning. "You're awake, Dean. That's good, I was starting to get lonely."

"I'm sure you were." Dean tried to silently pull at his restraints, but the rope was too tight for him to simply pull free. "So what's your plan, huh? Just leave me here to die while you go out and get your Catwoman on?"

Mara snickered. "Of course not, sweetie. I'm not going to leave Batman here to plot against me. I'm not that stupid; I know it will only be so long before you get out of those binds and run off to find the Justice League. No, I think my fun here is over. With Harkness on my tail, and now you, it's in my best interest to get the hell out of here."

"So you're going back to Earth?"

"No. We're going back to Earth. This machine should be able to manage both of us, plus all this fabulous loot." Mara shrugged. "I guess we'll find out."

"Look, lady, I ain't going anywhere with you. I'd much rather you leave me here and run off without me." Who knows where Mara would take them? It would be much easier for the Doctor to find him if he was still on this planet.

"Can't do, hun. Sorry." Mara turned back around, grabbing a small hand-held machine from her pile.

"Is that your teleporter?" Dean asked, and Mara rolled her eyes. "Where did you get that?"

"You'd never believe me, Dean. Let's just say I stole it from someone very important." Mara walked over to Dean, kneeling beside him. She opened the side of it, exposing two little dials with a screen beside it. She typed in her 'destination. Planet Earth, December 2010.

"Wait, wait... you're from 2010?" Dean stared at the machine, incredulously. She had time traveled, not just teleported.

Mara just shrugged. "Yeah, I know, I messed up a bit on the date when I came here. Ended up a few years in the past- what is it, 2006 or something? Anyway, don't ask me how I managed that. It was my first time."

Dean could hear footsteps approaching the shed, wherever they were. He said nothing, hoping it was his friends. "Aren't you going to get your things over here before we leave?" He said, motioning to the pile of stolen trinkets.

"Oh, yes, don't worry. I was just getting ready." She had just stood up when the door to the shed swung open.

Sam, followed by the others, barged in. Sam immediately drew his gun, but so did Mara. "Put the gun down, and step away from my brother." He demanded.

Mara smirked. "Dean, you didn't tell me you were here with family. And here I thought we told each other everything."

"Mara, come on, be smart, here." Dean pleaded. He knew Sam was ready to pull the trigger at any moment. "You can leave here one of two ways. Alive and with Jack, or dead. Which one is preferable, here?"

Mara seemed to ponder his words. "You forgot my third option, hun. I can leave here alive, with my things, by myself. I believe I'd like door number three." She pointed the gun at Dean's head. "Don't test me, boy," She said, speaking to Sam, now. "I'm much faster than you. Now, put down your gun, or I'll kill your handsome brother, here."

Sam glowered, but slowly put the gun on the ground.

Mara smiled again. She turned her attention to Jack. "Jack Harkness. Glad to finally meet you. I'm sorry I have to leave so soon, but... I'm already late for my appointment."

"Come on, Mara. You know I'm not going to stop until I find you. You might as well give up, now." Jack took a step forward.

"I don't think so." Mara slowly back away, still keeping her gun aimed at Dean. "It was nice meeting all of you- especially you, Dean. But it's time for me to go." She put her hand on the stolen goods, and quickly flicked the switch on the machine. "Maybe next time, Batman."

By the time Sam managed to get his gun back off the ground, she was gone.

"Damn." Jack cursed. "I was so close."

Sam ran over to untie Dean. "Thanks, Sammy. You guys showed up just in time. She was going to take me with her."

"You're an idiot, Dean!" Sam ignored Dean's thank you. "You're lucky she didn't just kill you."

"What, kill me? She'd never." Dean grinned, but it didn't seem to lighten Sam's mood.

"We're glad you're okay, Dean." Donna walked up and gave him a hug.

"Thanks," was all Dean could think of to say.

"Maybe we should get going, huh?" The Doctor asked.

"Yeah, I think so," Sam replied.

…

"Sorry about Mara, Jack." The Doctor apologized. "At least you know who you're looking for, now."

"Yeah, don't worry about it, Doctor. It was good seeing you." Jack turned to everyone else. "It was a pleasure meeting all of you," He smiled, winking at Dean.

Dean's eyes widened, and he shared a glance with Sam.

They left Jack, making it back into the TARDIS.

"Well, Doc, I'll say that it was certainly an adventure."

The Doctor sighed. "It seems they always are, aren't they?"

"Don't sweat it. That's the fun part." The Doctor smiled, but Dean's grin made him remember what Sam had said to him. Was he being reckless with Dean? He was older right now, sure, but most of the time he saw him he was just a kid. Was he bringing him into unnecessary danger?

Maybe Sam was right. Maybe Dean's trips with him were just fairytales. And maybe they were only going to end up badly. The Doctor would never forgive himself if something happened to the kid because of him...

He set the coordinates, and flew them home. He landed the TARDIS just where it was when they had picked the boys up. "I'm going to miss you, Dean," Donna smiled, hugging him. "You too, Sam. It was nice to see you both."

"Goodbye, boys." The Doctor waved them off.

"Go ahead, Sammy. I'll be there in a minute." Sam didn't seem happy about it, but he said his goodbyes and headed into the motel room.

Dean turned back to the Doctor. "Look, Doc, whatever Sam told you... don't worry about it, okay?"

"What do you m-"

"You know what I mean. You keep giving me weird looks. What did he say?"

The Doctor sighed. "Nothing I didn't already know. This is... this is dangerous, Dean. Whenever I bring you on the TARDIS, I'm putting you in danger- danger that I'm not sure you fully understand."

"You saying you don't think I can take care of myself?"

"No, I'm not. I'm just saying... I have a responsibility. A responsibility to you to not put you in danger."

Dean frowned. "Doc, look. I'm in danger every damn day of my life. I'm used to it. But the difference between everyday, and these trips is you. These are some of the best days of my life. Don't take that away just because my little brother is being overprotective."

The Doctor couldn't help but smile. Dean knew just what to say, of course. "You're right. I guess I'm being a little overprotective, myself."

Dean grinned. "Well, Doc, you should go. Somewhere out there, in my past or present, I'm waiting for you to show up with this freakin' blue box. Don't disappoint me."

"Never."