So last chappy...hope everyone is enjoyed the story!! Bambers;)
Chapter Four
As the Winchesters, Bobby and Ash neared the last step, they noticed that the door they had destroyed the last time they were there, had been repaired. Dean pulled his .45 out of his waistband, aimed and fired at the center of the door handle, blowing a hole through it. The door creaked open, and the four men slipped into the Witch's chambers.
The Wicked Witch lay fast asleep on the red-cushioned throne with her arms bound to the arm rests. Her raven black hair fell over her deep green face, covering her eyes. For a moment, Dean stood mesmerized by her, until Sam pushed him forward.
"You sure you don't wanna kiss her, dude?" Sam snickered. "You know, wake sleeping beauty, and all that crap."
"I'm so not kissing her, Sammy, but I'm not gonna stop you if you feel the urge."
Bobby noticed the massive crystal ball in the center of the room, and eyed it wearily as it began to churn with purplish-gray fog. "Dean, stop foolin' around and get those damn slippers on her before Glinda figures out we're here."
Dean strode to the Wicked Witch, knelt before her, and slipped off her black shoes, replacing them with the ruby boots. Bright shimmering light emanated from the shoes as they transformed into shimmering silver slippers, and formed themselves to her feet. Slowly, the Wicked Witch's green skin paled and turned to a soft rosy flesh color. Her crooked black hat toppled off her head as a crown of glimmering crystals took its place. Beneath the crown, her black hair curled and waved, lightening to a rich chestnut color. As her dusky blue eyes fluttered open, her long pointed nose pushed inward, and her lips turned the perfect shade of dewy pink.
All four mens' mouths dropped wide open as they stared at the transformation of the hideous Witch into a beautiful enchantress. She glanced down at the binds around her wrists, and they fell away. The Enchantress took hold of Dean's hand and lightly kissed it.
Dean shifted to look at the others, and let out a deep sigh of relief. "Show of hands of everyone who's relieved she didn't turn into Almira Gulch." Ash's paw immediately went up in the air, followed by Sam's, and lastly Bobby lifted a metal arm in the air. He refocused all of his attention on the beautiful woman, and gave her his best smile. "I'm Dean, and the Scarecrow's my brother Sam," he said, pointing toward his little brother. "The Tin Man's Bobby, and the scrawny one posing as a Lion is Ash."
"I'm Morning Star," she said, in a soft, lilting tone, "Enchantress of the Western Horizon, and I thank you for returning my slippers to me."
Dean opened his mouth to say something, but abruptly snapped it shut when he heard a loud crack from behind him. Leaping to his feet, he swung to stare at the crystal ball. With an explosion of fiery crimson light, the glass shattered. Shards of thick, jagged glass hurtled through the air toward them. Sam, Ash, and Bobby hastily threw themselves to the ground, covering their heads as Dean grabbed hold of Morning Star, and pulled her off the chair. Dropping to the ground, he covered her protectively. Back arching forward, Dean cried out as several shards ripped through his flesh.
Glinda stepped from the shattered remains of the crystal ball, and as she did so, she transformed into a hideous green witch with fiery crimson hair. Hairy warts sprung up across her face as her teeth splintered and cracked. With a malicious grin, she spit out several teeth. "How did you manage to get those slippers off your feet without dying, boy?" she asked as she took a calculated step toward Dean.
Ash uncovered and lifted his head. "We read the spell, and found the loophole."
She swung to glare at Ash, flowing black dress swishing across the stone floor as she did. "There was no loophole in my spell."
"I beg to differ." Ash made his way to his feet. "It's a well known fact that Witches of Oz are terrible spellers."
"Not that well known," Dean managed to utter as he slowly shifted to look at Glinda.
"Maybe not." Ash smirked. "But anywho . . . instead of writing die you wrote dye." He motioned toward Dean. "So we just stopped at the Easter Egg Shop in Oz and had him dipped a few times . . . Sam thought one color would work, but I thought he'd look better tie-dyed . . . an' as you can see, I was right." Dean grimaced in pain and also at the reminder that his skin was now purple, pink, blue, red, yellow, and green. "I actually think his neon green hair sets off his baby blue eyes." He chuckled as Dean glowered at him, and continued onward. "Those ladies at the beauty shop really can dye your eyes to match your gown . . . or in this case, Dean's overalls."
"I took pictures," Sam interjected, "in case he ever thinks to show the ones of me hanging on that pole you stuck me on."
"Very clever of you, Lion," Glinda conceded. With a sweep of her hand, Ash was thrown through the air, slammed into the wall, and crumpled to the floor in an unconscious heap. "I've always hated know it alls."
Morning Star gently placed a hand on Dean's back, and softly murmured a few words. The jagged pieces of glass slipped from his flesh, fell to the floor, and his wounds instantly healed over. With a feathery light kiss on his lips, she whispered, "Arise my bold, colorful knight, and kick her ass."
As Dean and Sam leapt to their feet, followed by Bobby at a much slower rate, a gathering of winged monkeys flew in the window, and transformed into beautiful, shimmering fairies. They circled Glinda, weakening her with sparkling fairy dust.
"The winged monkeys are fairies?" Dean said in utter disbelief.
"Why of course they are," Morning Star chuckled. "What on Oz would you have to cross with a monkey to get it to have wings?"
"Huh, I think I asked that same question myself once before." Dean swung into action, aiming his .45 at Glinda. At the sound of rapid gunfire, the fairies scattered as he fired round after round into the evil Witch.
"Is that the best you've got?" A malevolent smile crooked on Glinda's lips as she raised her arm, and Dean was lifted into the air. "Because I'm afraid it's not even close to being good enough." She squeezed her fingers closed, and Dean clutched hold of his throat, gasping and struggling to draw in air.
Sam and Bobby rushed forward to help Dean, but Glinda snapped her head to the side, pinning them with a cruel stare. With a quirk of her brow, the two were thrown backward into the wall.
Morning Star swirled her hand around, and cupping her fingers together, a sphere of silver fire appeared within her grasp. Cocking back her arm, she heaved it at Glinda. Wretched shrieks filled the room as silver flames engulfed Glinda, scorching and burning her flesh. As her spindly fingers uncurled, her hold on Dean loosened, and he gulped in several much needed breaths of air.
"Dean," Morning Star shouted above the din, and as she waved her hand a buckets full of water appeared at his, Sam and Bobby's feet. "Holy Water . . . liquidate her."
The two Winchesters and Bobby snatched up the buckets, rushed toward the evil Witch and hefted them at her. The roaring blaze sizzled and died away as Glinda shriveled before their eyes; her body contorting snakelike as she melted into nothingness.
As she died away, the last of evil spells dissolved. A fine silvery mist floated in through the open window, and everywhere it touched everything turned to sparkling silver. Within a matter of moments, the red cushioned throne transformed into a finely crafted bed with a silvery down comforter and a multitude of fluffy feather pillows. The scattered shards of glass flew to the walls and reformed into colorful pictures and mirrors. The table slid backward, and transmuted into a tall chest of dressers.
Morning Star pivoted on her heel, and glanced around at the splendor of her room, smiled and held up a finger. "It's missing one little thing." With a wave of her hand, another picture appeared on the wall, depicting the boys, Bobby and Ash saving Morning Star from Glinda. "Now it's perfect."
"Guhh . . . did you have to make me tie-dyed?" Dean grimaced.
Closing the distance between them, Morning Star gently caressed Dean's cheek, and kissed him softly on the lips. "You look perfect, my beautiful knight."
"You gotta be kidding me." Ash groaned, pushing himself to his feet. "Even looking like a rainbow barfed all over him, he somehow still manages to get the freakin' hot chick."
"Regrettably," the enchantress went on to say, "it is time for you to leave the Silver City of Oz, and return home." She took hold of her broom, and it magically transformed into a crystal wand. "But as is our tradition with all visitors from the outer realms, we would like to know what you have learned while in the wondrous land of Oz."
"Well," Sam was the first to speak up, "I learned that we're having hot dogs for Christmas dinner cause Bobby forgot to thaw the turkey."
"An' I learned that if Sam an' Dean say they're coming for Christmas dinner, I need to say I'm going somewhere far away on vacation an' won't be home," Bobby grumbled as he rubbed the back of his head.
"I learned that Dean seems a bit too comfortable in girls clothes." Ash chuckled, earning him a slap in the head from Dean. "Oh, and I also discovered that I am the foremost authority on all things Oz."
When it came to Dean's turn to divulge what he had learned about himself in his time at Oz, he leaned in and whispered something in Morning Star's ear. With a soft giggle, she nodded and then refocused her attention on the others. "Now Bobby, since you brought them all here, it is time for you to send them home."
Scrubbing a hand across his face, Bobby let out an aggravated groan. "You're kidding me, right?"
"No, I'm afraid not." Morning Star moved to stand beside Bobby, and waved her wand in a circular motion around him. "You must say the words or you will remain trapped here forever."
With another heavy groan, Bobby clinked his tin feet together and uttered, "There's no place like home . . . there's no place like home . . . ."
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"There's no place like home." Bobby's eyes fluttered open, and he instantly squeezed them shut when he heard Sam and Dean laughing. "Either of you Chuckleheads say a word an' you'll be eating Christmas dinner at a diner instead of here."
"Well, at least they'd have turkey there instead of hot dogs." Sam grinned as he carefully helped Bobby to his feet.
"You remember being in Oz?" Bobby's brow furrowed as he rubbed the lump on the back of his head.
"I didn't at first," Sam admitted, nudging his head toward Dean. "But then Dean showed me the pictures of me hanging in the corn field . . . he also has some really good ones of you, too."
"So," Dean clasped his hands, and rubbed them together vigorously, "I'm starving, an' if we're having hot dogs at least tell me there will be some pie to go with it . . . would really love me some apple pie."
"I told you two to bring the pies," Bobby said as he trudged to the couch and collapsed on it.
"Hmmm . . . don't remember you saying that." A frown tugged at Dean's lips. "So, no turkey . . . no pie, please tell me you have plenty of beer or it just won't be Christmas."
Bobby opened his mouth to respond, but a knock at the front door, stopped him from saying anymore. His brows furrowed as he tried to figure out who would be coming to his house on Christmas Day.
"I'll get it," Dean said, and hurried to the door. With a quick glance through the blinds, he smiled at Sam and opened the door.
Four beautiful women sauntered into the house carrying platters of food. Behind them, a woman in a furry silver cape escorted Ash through the door. Ash kicked the door closed behind him, and set down the bottles of wine he carried in both hands.
The woman in silver removed her cowl, and her wavy chestnut hair tumbled down over his shoulder in wild disarray. She bowed her head to Sam, and then made a sweeping gesture toward the food on the table. "After you saved my life, how could I possibly let you have hot dogs for Christmas dinner, Sam."
She turned her attention to Bobby, and again lowered her head. "I'm afraid the only thing I have to offer you and Ash is the finest wine that Oz has to offer."
"And for you . . . ." Morning Star focused all her attention on Dean, and motioned toward the door and it instantly blew wide open again. "I give you the Wizard of Oz as you told me how much you missed seeing him in Oz this time around." She giggled as all three Winchesters stood staring incredulously at each other. "It seems as if the Great and Powerful Oz was busy conferring with himself on important matters of state, so I basically abducted him and brought him home for Christmas."
"Dad," the two younger Winchesters said simultaneously as John stepped forward, caught Dean in a huge bear hug and then turned to embrace Sam.
"Merry Christmas, boys," John said with a tearful glint in his eyes.
Dean moved to stand beside Morning Star, leaned in and with he smile he whispered, "Thanks, Morning Star."
"No need to thank me, Dean." She gave him a saucy wink. "Besides, you did promise that if I ever made it to your neck of the woods, you'd give me a night I'd never forget, so how could I resist making the trip?"
"Oh, darlin'," Dean breathed softly against her ear, "one night with me, an' you'll never wanna go back over the rainbow." Dean wrapped his arm around her waist, and led her to the dinner table to join the others.