Twenty One

Dean didn't hit the ground though. He felt a hard firm saddle underneath him and Puck leading the horse it belonged to. Dean was shocked, but eternally grateful for the fairy's assistance. Dean spun around on the saddle so he wouldn't fall off and looked over to predict his next move against the Basket Woman.

"Couldn't have you dying on us human," Puck exclaimed over to the roar of the beast and Dean's attention was turned back to the fairy prince. "You're our only hope after all."

"What's with the sudden humble attitude?" Dean chuckled.

"Don't push it," Puck replied. "I'm not normally this nice to people that get on my nerves."

"Touché," Dean said and held on when Puck made a sharp turn to avoid her giant foot. Dean was especially glad when he saw the two children they'd rescued run away from the beast and out of the way of her massive feet. "Any plans for a distraction while I try to stab this bitch?"

"I have one but I doubt it'll be pretty." Puck replied, moving the horse quickly around her foot again. He watched Sam and Bobby follow Mike and do the same action with her other foot.

"Never said it had to be pretty," Dean explained. "It just has to work."

"Then take the reins." Puck tossed them to Dean and then disappeared before his very eyes. Dean gasped and quickly tried to take control of Moonbeam with some difficulty since the horse apparently didn't like anyone, but his master riding him. Dean suspected Puck sent some good vibes to the steed a moment later because he seemed to calm under Dean's control and listen to him. Dean veered right when the Basket Woman took another step forward and when he looked up he saw Puck had appeared on her shoulder.

"Hey bitch!" Puck yelled and she turned her eyes to look at him. "You wanna hurt someone hurt me! But don't think I'm not going down with a fight."

The Basket Woman sneered and roared before reaching up to her shoulder and trying to grab Puck, but he vanished and reappeared on her other shoulder.

"Guess again." He taunted her, his level of magical ability really impressed Dean and the others. She took another swing at Puck, but once again he turned into thin air and left her confused. He ended up on her head and smirked and teased her by dancing around on her head. It was immature, but Dean had to admit it was a hell of a distraction to what was going on around her. Dean lifted his knife again, thankful that it hadn't dropped out of his reach in the fall. He took hold of the knife with his left hand and kept hold of the reins with the other. He didn't' have a clear shot though. The Basket Woman was moving around too much. He looked over towards Sam and started running the horse over to him.

"Sam!" Dean yelled to get his brother's attention and Sam immediately responded by racing his horse over towards Dean. The two met and ran around the Basket Woman again. They couldn't keep still for fear of her crushing them. "Sam. I want you and Bobby and Mike to go into her cave and cut off plants."

"Plants?" Sam was confused.

"Yes plants," Dean explained. "Trust me these plants are strong. I want you guys to cut off the longest strands you can find and then start running around her feet two of you in one direction and two in the other direction. Were gonna tie her up so I can get a good shot."

"You better hope this works Dean," Sam muttered and took off, motioning for Sindri Mike and Bobby to follow him. He abandoned his horse and ran off into the darkness. Bobby and Mike ran in after him without hesitation which Dean was happy about. Dean made another circle around the Basket Woman's feet trying to avoid them as Puck messed with her in his signature trickster fashion. He prayed Sam and the others wouldn't take too long.

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In the cave Sam could barely see, but he led the others cautiously and quickly towards the back where the bigger vines were growing. He'd tripped over one rock and run into one wall, but overall his only goal was reaching the plants. He hadn't expected to actually find more children along the way. While Sam took his knife and cut the vines he listened to Mike talking to the children and telling them they'd be back for them they just needed to be safe and stay in the cave until they came back. Mike used a knife he'd stolen from the fairy armory and sliced the vines binding the children's feet and hands and each gave them a hug to comfort them before chopping off a few long vines himself. Bobby had produced quite a hefty load of them, Sindri too, and Sam threw the ones he'd cut over his shoulder as the four of them made it back out to their horses.

Once they all mounted their steeds, led by Mike, they all sped off towards the beast and spun the vines in the air like lassos. Sam had instructed them to tie them into loops before they'd rode off so that they could hook on to her bumpy feet. They all three tossed their vines and all of them successfully hooked onto one part of each of her feet. Bobby and Sam ran right while Mike and Sindri ran left just as Dean had instructed and it was beginning to work. The Basket Woman was beginning to stumble. Dean smirked in satisfaction before taking his place. Puck kept annoying her and the more he did the faster Bobby, Sindri, Mike and Sam went. They were wrapping up her legs at an alarmingly fast rate and providing Dean with a better and better angle.

The Basket Woman started to tumble over just as Sam and the others ran out of vines. They all took off in opposite directions so as not to get crushed and Dean took aim. Sweat pooled around his brow and his hand was shaky. Trying to hold onto a horse and not fall off was hard enough without having to concentrate on something else. The horse took a sharp left turn in fear and the knife was almost knocked out of Dean's hand. He cursed and regained control almost instantly. The Basket Woman's shadow was looming over him and she was falling now. Everything felt like it was slow motion and Dean was sure he'd be crushed. So he closed his eyes and tossed the knife. It sailed through the air and sunk into the Basket Woman's shoulder and she let out a terrible shriek. That was all Dean heard before he was certain he would die.

But he didn't die. He cracked open an eye and found that his horse had transported to just outside the reach of the Basket Woman. Puck was sliding off her shoulder like Legolas had in Lord of the Rings when Sam had made Dean marathon it with him. Dean had to admit it looked just as cool, but he highly doubted Puck had seen the film himself so he wouldn't understand any reference Dean made. Dean commanded Moonbeam to gallop over to his master and the horse was happy to obey. Puck petted Moonbeam's snout and motioned for Dean to go towards the cave.

"We should go get those kids." Puck said. Dean nodded in agreement and as they turned to face the cave they saw before them that the Basket Woman was dissolving and disappearing into nothingness. Dean smiled in pride and Puck smirked as he saw her vanish completely. Sam, Sindri, Bobby and Mike all smiled at the two of them and they all met at the entrance of the cave. The two children that had been rescued already came over towards them and Sierra latched onto Dean like he was an anchor. Dean reached for her stuffed animal, but found it was missing from his jacket. He panicked for a moment before he saw Puck wave his hand it appeared in Sierra's arms. She ecstatically smiled and hugged it tight. The boy smiled too and looked up at Puck. Even Dean broke into one.

Sam, Sindri, Mike and Bobby all collectively brought almost fifty kids out of the cave. Christopher had ventured further into the cave while Dean and the others had been fighting the monster and when his eyes met Mike's Dean knew something had been missing since they'd started the investigation.

"D-Dad?" Christopher said, barely breathing.

"Chris..." Mike was blinking back tears. He gave his son a huge hug and Christopher closed his eyes in content when Mike's arms wrapped around him. Dean felt his heart ache at the scene. He knew what it was like to lose someone for so long and think you'd never get them back.

Dean was the last one to venture into the darkness and at the end of his trek he found Lily, alive and tied up. He freed her and she hesitated before throwing her arms around him and hugging him.

"My hero..." she hoarsely muttered.

Dean was glad she was okay. He limped back with her to the others, but only after making sure the rest of the cave was clear of children who were alive. Luckily Mike confirmed when Dean and Lily had returned to the group that all the children who had been rescued were from his town. Dean was overjoyed that all the parents in the town would have answers. Dean and the others went around offering comfort and aid to the scared children as Puck whistled and a falcon appeared on his arm. He told it to go get more help and it took off with a shrill cry into the air and through the mountains.

An hour later Puck's army joined the group and immediately starting helping children onto horseback and preparing them to be taken to the fairy kingdom for the time being until the next day when they could be taken to the other realm. Dean was the last to mount his horse, with Sierra and the little boy Lane with him. Christopher and Mike both rode on the same horse and Puck had a child and his sister comfortably and safely situated onto his saddle. Her eyes were on Dean and a smile was on her face from ear to ear. Dean realized that his knife had appeared in his belt holster most likely due to Puck and as he saw Puck's army moving out back through the mountains towards the kingdom he commanded his horse to follow.

Reviews are appreciated!

There's probably going to be one more longer chapter after this then the story's probably going to be done folks.