Rating: T

Supernatural crossover: Jareth/Sarah, Sam and Dean Winchester

Teamwork

"That goddamn Knuckle Head—!"

"Nuckelavee," Sam Winchester corrected.

His brother stopped wiping the black and red slime from his face long enough to glare. "Whatever," Dean Winchester growled. He stomped away from the shores of Lake Michigan ahead of Sam with a scowl on his face, holding his arms away from himself in disgust. "Next time, you get to do that."

The Nuckelavee had exploded. Only Sam had been fortunate—or maybe quick-footed—enough to avoid the spray. He pressed his lips together, trying to contain a snicker as Dean dripped bits on their way back to the car. Dean glared at him over the roof of the Impala.

"Yeah, okay, yuck it up. You'll get yours."

As the brothers slid into the car and slammed the doors shut, Sam wrinkled his nose. He glanced into the back seat, sniffed experimentally, then leaned toward his brother.

"Is that—Oh! Dude! What did you eat?!" Sam wedged himself against the opposite door, wrapping the collar of his jacket over his nose as he scrambled to get the window down. He gagged. "Oh my God, it's in my mouth!"

Dean cackled as the Impala roared to life. "That's not me, buddy boy," he said with a shake of his head and a wide smile. Sam gagged again. "The only thing that would make this better is if I had child locks on the windows…"

oOOooOOo

"…and we'll have to find the entire nest to get rid of them," Sam was saying. His brother grunted absently around a large mouthful of his bacon buffalo burger. "They're like supernatural bedbugs—are you even listening?"

"Kill 'em all, got it." Dean waved a fry in the air to punctuate his sentence before stuffing it in his mouth. "Who knew buffalo could be so good? Take a bite and tell me this isn't the best damn thing you've ever tasted." He shoved the burger under Sam's nose.

"Get that out of my face."

Dean shrugged and took another bite, unconcerned with the ketchup dribbling around his fingers.

"Are you going to take this job seriously or what?"

"I take everything seriously." Dean's gaze wandered around the diner as he spoke, and he gestured with another fry. "Like seriously attractive women."

Twisting in his seat, Sam looked at the woman in the last booth. Her attention was fixed on the tabletop in front of her, dark eyebrows pulled together in concentration. As Sam watched, her head came up and she stared absently out the window, tucking a strand of long, dark hair behind her ear and tilting her chin at an inquisitive angle. She looked like she was listening to something. Or someone. Despite the slightly odd behavior, Sam dismissed her, shaking his head as he turned back around.

"So she might be a little…" Dean made a few circles with one finger by his temple.

Sam leaned back and sighed. "Your powers of concentration are astounding."

"It's called letting off steam," Dean replied. "You should try it sometime. Preferably with a woman who isn't going to kill you…or me, for that matter."

"Shut the hell up."

An irritating smile hitched up one side of Dean's mouth. "Nice one, Sammy. Are we going to start with the Yo Momma jokes, next?" Sam scowled, but Dean looked over his brother's shoulder again. "Actually, let's skip that and go right to the…" Dean's brow furrowed. "And here I thought she was just a strange bird. Get a load of this."

When Sam turned around this time, he saw the woman's lips moving. "So she's on the phone, Dean," he began with a sigh. "Quit getting into everyone's…" He trailed off as the pretty woman picked up a French fry, held it out to the side—

—where it disappeared from her fingers.

"Whoa," Sam breathed. Theories immediately started churning in his head. "What do you think? A ghost? Maybe she's haunted?"

Dean swallowed another large bite and took a long drink of his soda. "Maybe. I've never seen anyone so calm about it."

"Everyone responds differently. Maybe she's not freaked out because it's a loved one."

A grunt of agreement came from Dean. The brothers watched the woman for a few more minutes in silence. When a little leather-brown creature appeared on the table, Dean nearly choked, and Sam sucked in a sharp breath.

"Did you see that?" Sam whispered, alarmed. "What the hell was that?"

Dean put his burger down and rid his hands of crumbs. "Something tells me this isn't a haunting. Look." He pointed at the floor where two more of the creatures darted toward the woman. When they reached her feet, she glanced at them and shook her head, her lips moving again as she whispered to them. "I think it's time to find out what's going on."

Adjusting his jacket as he stood, Dean strolled purposefully to the other end of the diner, his brother following. They came to a halt at the woman's table. Dean wore his most charming smile when she looked up with a curious expression.

"Excuse me, ma'am, we don't mean to bother you—"

"Yes you do." Dean blinked at the woman's bluntness. "I know you've been watching. And I know you think you saw something, but you're mistaken. Probably mice."

Dean glanced at his brother, who gave a slightly bemused shrug, then looked back down at the woman. "Nice try, lady. But we've been through too much weird shit for the Jedi mind tricks to work."

After contemplating them for a moment, she nodded. "Fair enough." She gestured to the bench across from her, and the two men slid over the worn red vinyl. "They only appear to those who they think need to see them. I suspect I know why they chose you and your…boyfriend?"

"Brother," Dean said, the annoyance in his tone echoed by the expression on Sam's face.

"Fanfiction," Sam muttered in a surly voice.

The lovely woman gave them a puzzled look, but Dean waved a hand. "Never mind." Brows lowering, he placed his arms on the white Formica table and leaned forward. "Now, tell us about these droids…"

oOOooOOo

The Winchesters paused at the stairs leading up to an old Victorian.

"White heather," Sam murmured, nodding toward the bushy plant edging the white-columned porch.

"Horseshoe," Dean said, directing Sam's attention to the top of the front door.

Sam frowned. "Ends down." The brothers exchanged a glance.

"My spidey senses are tingling," Dean said as they followed Sarah Williams into the house. "You've got some powerful juju around here."

"I have some powerful things to keep out," Sarah told him. She took their coats and hung them on the pegs of a mahogany hall stand.

"The goblins?"

Sarah chuckled and shook her head. "Goblins are like cats. Immune to magic," she added when she saw Sam's puzzlement. "I don't know if they were always that way or if it was an adaptive thing. Whatever it is, it's probably the reason they can survive the Labyrinth."

A high-pitched yee haw! echoed down the hall. Sam and Dean watched as a goblin went racing by on the back of a fat Tabby, wildly waving a sprig of heather around its head. When the brothers looked at Sarah again, she shrugged like a mother resigned to the reality of her unruly children.

"Maybe it's not so much immunity as it is simply ignoring it," she amended with a wry smile. She led the two men into a cozy living room complete with a fireplace, plush area rugs, and thick throws draped over the couch and chairs. "Would you guys like anything to drink? Coffee? Tea?"

"Coffee would be great," Dean said.

"I'll help," Sam said.

Sarah nodded and gestured for him to follow. "I can't tell if you're genuinely nice or trying to keep an eye on me while your brother rummages through my things," she said as they waited for the coffee to brew. Sam blushed and began to stammer out a denial, but Sarah waved a hand dismissively. "It's okay. I would do the same if I met myself." She allowed him to carry the tray of mugs and carafe back into the living room.

"So, goblins, huh?" Sam said, settling into a comfortable Victorian-style wing-backed chair with his cup of coffee. He made a gesture at an open sketchbook on her table. Rough drawings of goblins ran across the pages. "I always thought they would be more Gremlin and less…cute."

"Don't let their appearance fool you," Sarah warned. "They may not look all that terrifying, but they can be dangerous."

Dean snorted, clearly unconvinced. "Like feeding Gizmo after midnight dangerous?"

Sarah looked between the brothers and seemed to come to a decision. "You said you'd been through a lot of weird stuff," she began, slowly. When they both nodded, she mimicked the gesture. "Then I'm going to assume you know your fairy lore." The brothers nodded again. "Good, then the thing you need to remember is that danger isn't always marked by a skull and crossbones. Sometimes, it looks harmless. It's insidious and sneaky. The goblins may seem simpleminded and innocuous, but that's part of the danger."

"We'll have to do some research before we know exactly how we can deal with them," Sam began.

"Oh, I don't think you understand. I don't need help."

"But you have all these goblins running around." Sam nodded to one currently attempting to stuff a tapered candle up its left nostril.

"They're just a byproduct of…exposure." Sarah stood to gently take the candle from the goblin and settle it back in its holder. "What did we talk about yesterday, Gash?"

The goblin's face screwed up on one side in thought. "Candles poke out brains," it finally said. "And eyes if used as swords." It paused and thought a moment longer. "And they can burn the house down if left unattended," it recited carefully.

"Well done," Sarah said, amusement lacing her words. "What are your compatriots up to?"

"Borrowing from the black steed's rear end," the goblin said nonchalantly as it clambered down the fireplace.

Sarah cast a glance at the brothers. "One of you might want to check your car." When they gave her a quizzical look, she smiled. "The 'black steed's rear end'? That would be—"

"—the trunk of my car!" Dean shot out of his seat and pounded toward the door. "You damn goblins better not have scratched my baby!"

Sam watched his brother go with a shake of his head. "Sometimes I think he cares more for that Impala than people."

Sarah chuckled as she resumed her seat. "So, what's your story? You gave yourselves a name when we were at the diner…?"

"Hunters. We find things that go bump and…" Sam made an ambiguous gesture.

"Bump them back." When Sam shrugged, Sarah spread her hands in front of her. "You do realize you aren't here to kill any of these creatures, right?"

Sam's brow furrowed at her phrasing. "You make it sound like we were led here."

"And you make it sound like that's hard to believe."

"To tell you the truth, there's not much that surprises me, anymore. After all the monsters, demi-gods, demons, angels, and prophets, learning my brother and I were set on a path to arrive here at a precise time is hardly a shocker."

"Angels and prophets, hm? Well, I can assure you, this situation won't be pixie dust and rainbows."

"I'm allergic to the former, and the latter never has a pot of gold at the end because leprechauns are stingy and vicious."

Sarah laughed just as Dean stormed back into the room.

"They were eating the hex bags," Dean huffed, hitching a heavy duffel bag higher on his shoulder. "And half the artillery. How'd they even open the lock? I'm pretty sure one farted a fireball after eating a grenade."

"They are kind of the Underground's version of a goat," Sarah said, nodding. "Immune to magic and with digestive systems built like tanks. They did you a favor though," she said and looked at her watch. "It's time to go, and you might find some of those things useful." She stood and gestured for the brothers to follow. She led them out the back door and across a sprawling yard, stopping in front of a large tree in the far corner.

"Hawthorn," Sam said, looking at it warily.

"You guys do know your stuff. That's a relief. I need to introduce you to someone." Sarah looked both men in the eye, which made the brothers shift uncomfortably. Her gaze held the sheen both of them recognized as something other than human. "The Hawthorn is a gateway to his world, but I need your permission."

Dean ran a hand along his jaw as he eyed the tree. "Well," he said, glancing at Sam. "I mean, we've come this far…" Sam shrugged and nodded. "We're in."

"Good." Sarah stood between them and reached down to grasp their hands. "All you have to do is step forward."

"Should we close our eyes?" Dean asked.

"If it makes you more comfortable."

The trio took a step forward…

The lush green backyard melted around them into an arid landscape covered in rusty-orange dust. At the foot of the hill they stood atop of, a huge maze sprawled away from them.

"Where in the world…?"

Sarah let go of their hands and laughed. "Not ours, I promise you," she told Dean. "This is the Underground. And that," she gestured toward a barren tree a few yards away. A tall, lean man stood beneath it. "Is who I want you to meet. The Goblin King, ruler of this realm."

"Holy shit!" Dean looked from the Goblin King to Sarah and Sam, then back again. "It's…it's…"

"Er…he does look an awful lot like…" Sam seemed as incapable of finishing the sentence as his brother.

"He does, doesn't he?" Sarah replied with a grin. "I mentioned it to him once, and he got all bent out of shape. 'Comparing me to a mortal.'" She deepened her voice, giving the words a faint accent and a snarl. "Typical immortal snobbery. Don't bring it up. It's been a sore point with him for years."

"This is what you brought me?" the Goblin King said, doubt heavy in his voice as the three approached.

Sarah looked over Sam and Dean. Both men wore jeans and jean jackets with dark t-shirts underneath. Dean sported an attractive five o'clock shadow while Sam's dark hair was sleek and lush in comparison to the Goblin King's smooth face and wild platinum locks. Dean's narrowed-eyed skepticism and Sam's broad, tall height made both men a little imposing—at least, that's what Sarah figured most people would think about them. The Goblin King looked bored.

"You wanted help," Sarah said. "This is what came when I wished for it. My opinion is they can handle it."

Dean kept his gaze steadily on the Goblin King while Sam seemed to take in everything around them. "Depends on what we're doing," Sam said. "We may need more supplies."

The Goblin King pushed away from the tree, giving Sarah one last frown before shifting it to the Winchesters. "Apparently, you have been recruited by the cosmos to rid me of a…pest problem."

"Fairies again." Dean grimaced, then shrugged to adjust the duffel on his left shoulder and shook his head. "You need to call Terminix. C'mon, Sammy. Sarah, if you'd be so kind…?"

"Wait, wait!" Sarah stepped in front of Dean to stop him. "It's a bigger problem than he's letting on. There's a redcap who's taken up residence at the border of the Labyrinth."

"And? He's in charge here. Sounds like a him problem."

Sarah's gaze flickered to the Goblin King, and she hesitated before she spoke. "Because it's the Border Lands. He…"

"I have no power over that place," the Goblin King finished for her. "I can admit my limitations, Sarah, dear."

"So it's a nasty goblin you want us to get rid of?" Sam asked. When Sarah nodded, he shrugged. "No problem. We probably have everything we need in the duffel. We'll be finished before dinner."

"Terribly sure of themselves, aren't they? This isn't something you take care of between snack and nap time. You mostly will have to stay the night." Jareth gave a suffering sort of sigh. "I have accommodations ready for the three of you."

"Oh, I'm not staying," Sarah said, shaking her head. "I have reality to get back to."

"Nonsense. You will stay and accompany us in the morning," the Goblin King said. And his voice was full of imperial certainty. "You're the one who brought these…men…here, after all. It's only fair you should be the one who looks after them."

A grimace touched the corners of Sarah's mouth, and she glanced at the Winchesters, as though wondering if they were worth the predicament she now found herself in. "Fine," she relented. "But my room better have a lock. And don't you dare think of poofing yourself in there."

The Goblin King ignored her glower and flicked his fingers, as though dismissing her words. The gesture induced the scenery around the four to waver like a bleeding watercolor. The landscape washed away then formed together into a round room with stone walls, a sunken area in the middle, and a horned chair draped with fabric at the front. Sarah sighed in a rather resigned way and beckoned for the Winchesters to follow her.

"I'll show you to your room," she said.

As they moved through the cool halls, Dean lengthened his stride to walk beside her. "I'm a little confused about the relationship between you two," he said to Sarah.

"There isn't one," she said, her voice stiff.

"And usually I'd take a lady at her word," Dean said, scratching his cheek with a finger. "But considering I'm having this conversation in the halls of a castle in another world which you seem to know your way around intimately…well, you can see how I'm less inclined."

Dismay twisted Sarah's mouth. "He terrorized me when I was a teenager, then decided I was somehow fascinating to him as an adult. That's it. Here's your room. Lock the door. Don't open it until dawn no matter what. And don't let the goblins lead you anywhere. I'll be back for you in the morning." With that cryptic advice, she turned on her heel and disappeared around the corner.

Dean and Sam glanced at each other. With a shrug, Dean pushed open the heavy wooden door and looked around their room. "Not as opulent as I was hoping the fairy realm would be," he commented. "The motel we were at last week was fancier…and less drafty."

"What do you suppose is between those two?" Sam asked, hooking a chair from a small table and slouching into it. "The tension between them is crazy."

"Easy. They're your classic enemies to lovers," Dean said. He bounced on the obscenely thick mattress a few times before looking at his brother with a frown. "Why the hell is there only one bed?"

oOOooOOo

"Look, we know how to take care of this, okay? I think after the likes of Lucifer, we can handle this without the help of…" Dean looked the Goblin King up and down with a sarcastically critical eye, "…Baryshnikov." He turned his back on Jareth dismissively. "Another douchebag with an ego bigger than what's in his pants."

"I wouldn't—" Sarah began to warn, but Jareth's anger already crackled through the air. The wind kicked up, blowing dead leaves around the foursome before capturing Dean and Sam within the center.

"The Devil?" Jareth's voice was dangerously low and menacing. "You think the Devil compares to me? Some sniveling angel who can't keep his subjects in line—"

"You're one to talk," Sarah muttered. Jareth's scathing glare made her pale, but she shrugged in a Well, it's the truth, kind of way.

"—long enough to get anything accomplished?" Jareth concluded. His eyes silvered, and he took a step toward the Winchesters. Sam swallowed audibly. Dean's jaw clenched. "I am the ruler of time. I was in existence before the Morning Star was a spark in your god's eye."

A sigh broke through the tense silence. Sarah had been tired of this argument from the time it started in the castle. That it had persisted for the hour it took them to get to the boundary of Jareth's kingdom was ridiculous. "I'm going to find something else to do while you guys take size inventory," she said, shaking her head as she wandered away.

"Okay, Mr. King, then how do you suggest we do this?" Dean finally said.

They stood where Jareth's kingdom butted against the Border Lands. The line between the two couldn't have been clearer. Jareth's kingdom may have been stark and dusty, but it felt alive. The ground glittered under the sun and the dust shifted as though it breathed. The trees, black and desiccated though they were, shimmered like they contained their own souls.

Comparatively, the Border Lands appeared green and lush. But the shadows were matte, smudging between the foliage like ink. The trees moved in a breeze, but their leaves didn't utter a single rustling word. The absence of life was chillingly palpable.

"You need to think. You little humans believe you eradicate the nightmares from your world, but that is not entirely true. Even if most of the creatures you come up against were weak enough to be defeated by the likes of…" Jareth took his own turn at looking the brothers over with a disapproving air, "…you, they are not mortal. They do not die."

"But they're gone…" Jareth watched the younger Winchester carefully and with surprising patience. "They have to go somewhere if they're no longer in our world."

Jareth clapped slowly. "Well done, Samuel." Sam scowled. "That somewhere is here." Jareth gestured toward the wood. "Just as the demons return to Hell, the fairies return to their home as well."

"So how do you get rid of something that has nowhere else to go and is immortal?" Sam asked.

"Ah, now we're getting to the business," Jareth said, raising a finger. "We have a secret weapon."

Sam and Dean stared at the Goblin King. "We do?" Dean said.

A sly smile curved Jareth's mouth, and his gaze shifted from the brothers to a point over their shoulders. When they turned, they saw Sarah crouched and patting the head of a long-tailed goblin wearing a metal pot helmet.

"The goblin?" Dean asked, incredulously.

Sam rolled his eyes. "I think he means Sarah," he said. "But isn't she just an ordinary woman?"

"I assumed the same, once." Sam glanced at Jareth and saw the king's expression had softened to match his voice. "Not all of your kind are unremarkable. And she…"

"Does she know you're in love with her?" Sam asked.

Sadness briefly touched Jareth's eyes before a self-deprecating smile slid into place. "A presumption I dare not make. Regardless, she may be ordinary in your world, but here…she holds the power to undo the very fabric of magic itself."

"Then why do you need us?"

"I find myself unable to teach her how to wield this power since it's the antithesis of my own. Where I create, she destroys. I am…not entirely sure how to explain this to her. She is ever reluctant to hurt living things. I thought perhaps those of her own ilk who were adept at hunting would be able to show her."

The Winchesters watched as Jareth strolled across the dusty plain toward Sarah. Dean scratched the back of his neck and glanced at his brother. "Am I getting this right?"

"I think we just got hired as teachers."

"Better than goddamn matchmakers."

"Wouldn't be the weirdest thing we've done."

oOOooOOo

The air around the Winchesters exploded with stones zinging out in every direction.

"Duck and cover!" Dean yelled. He scrambled toward a fallen column, sliding over the ground on his hip as he covered his head with his arms. When the spray ceased, he looked up and saw Sam next to him. "Son of a bitch! This bastard's full of tricks."

Sam wiped away a trickle of blood from a scrape over his left eye and grunted an agreement.

"We have to get to Sarah."

Sam looked over his shoulder to see the woman hunkered behind a large stump of what had once been a gigantic tree. Somehow, in her fright, she had disintegrated the rest of the tree and all the foliage around her. It was a neat trick, Sam thought, but now left her completely exposed. They had taken the fight into the Border Lands' territory when they were unable to tempt the redcap into crossing into the Goblin King's area of influence. Jareth had warned he wouldn't be able to help if they got into trouble. Dean had replied he wasn't much help anyway, which had caused the air to frost and crackle with the Goblin King's ire.

"There's a corner that would provide good cover for all of us," Sam said. They'd been pinned down by the redcap in the ruins of a castle left to the ravages of the strange forest. The safe spot Sam indicated was all that remained of the thick outer walls. "You get Sarah, I'll distract the goblin."

The brothers moved in smooth unison, Sam darting out first in the opposite direction of Dean, who made his way to Sarah. The loose stones scattered along the ground began to shake as Dean hunkered next to the clearly terrified woman. He pointed toward their destination. She nodded. As they broke cover, the shaking stones shot up into the air, flinging toward them. With Sarah tucked protectively against his side, Dean ran swiftly toward the half-wall, his attention split between making sure they made it without tripping over hidden rubble and making sure Sam was circling back to them. A shout of alarm sounded from the younger brother. Dean pressed a hand against Sarah's shoulder, encouraging her to lean against the wall—he'd felt her trembling against him during their sprint.

"Stay here," he told her. She nodded and sank to the ground with closed eyes. Assured she would be safe, Dean turned to track his brother. Sam was peeking out from behind one of the few remaining upright columns. Dirt sprayed up around him, divots violently appearing in the ground from the projectiles the redcap hurled at him. One slammed against the column, forcing Sam behind it again as it shattered the edge of the thick stone. Sam was only a few meters away from the hiding place, but if one of those rocks hit him, it would rip right through him. Dean swore under his breath.

Before he could come up with a plan of action, the Goblin King appeared next to him. "Looks like you're in need of some assistance." His tone made Dean's hands curl into tight fists; the older Winchester wasn't above sucker-punching a king. "Too bad I'm of no help."

Dean rolled his eyes. "You know what your problem is, buddy? Your magic makes you lazy and unimaginative," he said before Jareth could ask. "If you want to save her," he jabbed a finger at the seemingly unconscious Sarah, "then get your twinkling ass out there," and he thrust the same finger in Sam's direction, "to save him."

"I'm not sure any mortal has insulted me as much as you do," Jareth said, darkly. His gaze fell onto Sarah and his expression briefly softened. "With the exception of one," he amended. Jareth took a deep breath, then looked at Dean. "What do you require?"

"My brother understands this deconstruction crap better than I do," Dean said. "If she's the one who can get rid of the redcap, you need to get him over here without any holes in him."

"Done."

Jareth snapped gloved fingers. Sam popped into existence in front of his brother and looked around wildly.

"Son of a…why didn't you do that earlier?" Dean nearly roared the question, then held out a hand and shook his head. "You know what, never mind. We have bigger problems."

"You are correct. It's time to put an end to this. Sarah." The way Jareth said her name was commanding and expectant, as though he spoke to an instrument required to perform its intended task. When Sarah remained still and silent, Jareth growled and reached for her.

Dean shouldered Jareth aside. "She isn't your tool," Dean said with scathing reproach. "Dammit, man, don't you know how to treat a woman?"

Jareth drew himself up indignantly, but before he could say anything, Sam cut him off. "Extolling your prowess probably isn't a good idea right now."

Dean turned his attention to the lovely brunette. "Sarah." He crouched down in front of her and cupped her face gently between his hands. "Sarah, look at me."

Slowly, her eyes opened and focused on the ruggedly handsome Winchester. Her smile was wan. "Dean," she whispered. Her gaze drifted over his shoulder. "Sam. I had a dream…" Her brow furrowed. "I can't remember. But you were both there, and so was…"

"Sarah, we don't have time to get Freudian," Dean said. His hands squeezed her shoulders hard, hoping the pain would clear the clouds from her gaze. "I need you to concentrate for me, Sarah. Can you do that?"

She nodded. Dean helped her to her feet, then released her. She took a small step forward. And immediately crumpled.

Between the space of one heartbeat and the next, Jareth was there, catching her before she hit the ground. A low hum came from Sarah, and her fingers curled around the Goblin King's slim waist.

"I always thought…I always thought you would be cool to the touch," she murmured. "But you're so deliciously warm." She snuggled further into the embrace. "Delicious," she slurred.

Jareth's spine went rigid. Then, he relaxed, his entire body curling protectively around Sarah. He tipped his chin down so his cheek rested against hers. "My apologies, Sarah. I should not have treated you as…" He glanced at Dean. "…a tool. You are so much more to me, I hope you know."

A muffled snort came from Sarah. "You can just say you love me, Goblin King. With all your fancy words, those three simple ones should be a piece of cake."

"Would that they were."

Sam cleared his throat. "Not really the time, guys," he said. "Sarah…?"

She took a deep breath then pulled back from Jareth. But not away. Her fingers lingered in the folds of his shirt. "Tell me," she said, wearily. "Tell me so I can go home."

Sam didn't miss how Jareth turned his head so no one could see his expression. "I'm not a hundred percent, but I think you just need to envision the deconstruction of what you want to…"

"Destroy," she supplied with a faint grimace.

"The Goblin King described magic as fabric. Think about it like pulling apart the threads." Sam paused, remembering the sketches in her living room. "Or maybe like erasing pencil marks."

"I need to see what I'm…erasing."

Jareth turned her around and began to steer her beyond their dilapidated safety.

"Wait," Dean began. "You're powerless…or nearly so."

"Having no power over something and being powerless are not the same." He looked down at Sarah, who held on tightly to his hands where they rested on her shoulders. Sam thought it was a shame she was facing away and missed the adoration on the Goblin King's face. Jareth glanced at the younger Winchester and inclined his head slightly. "Let's finish this."

"I don't get it," Dean said.

"I think when it comes to protecting her, there's no limit to what he's able to do," Sam said, softly.

Sarah and the Goblin King entered the open area. A deluge of rocks blasted toward them. Before the stones reached the duo, Jareth raised his hands. And everything came to a standstill. The rocks halted in midair, as though suspended in a thick liquid. Jareth made a beckoning gesture. The redcap was jerked from his hiding spot amid the canopy of trees. It hovered there, its red eyes gleaming with murderous rage, the blood-stained talons at the end of its obscenely long fingers scrabbling at the air. It snarled, showing a row of razor-sharp teeth.

The rubble along the ground began to tremble again.

"Now, Sarah."

Sam couldn't see her face, but he saw her head drop, and she clutched her hands together in front of her. As she slowly brought them apart, a high-pitched screech pierced the air.

The recap began to disappear from its center outward, as though it really was being rubbed out by a giant eraser. Its scream rose another octave.

And it was gone.

Sam released a breath he didn't realize he was holding. Dean visibly relaxed. Sarah looked shaky and pale when she rejoined them, but she attempted to smile.

"That didn't feel great." She looked at Jareth, then away; the Goblin King was watching her very carefully. Sarah sighed, a resigned sound. "But it wasn't as terrible as I imagined." She turned her attention to Sam and reached for him. "Will you be okay?" Sarah asked, indicating the cut on his forehead. When the younger brother nodded, she looked at Jareth expectantly. "Well? Take us all back," she said when he raised a questioning eyebrow. "You can at least show your appreciation by not making us walk if you're not going to say it."

With a put upon air, the Goblin King snapped his fingers. The walls of Sarah's living room washed into existence around them. Jareth watched as Sarah grabbed a box of tissues from a side table and held one to the cut on Sam's forehead. The Goblin King grimaced slightly. "You…have my thanks," Jareth said to the brothers, the grimace deepening as though he didn't particularly care for having to say the words.

"Don't strain yourself," Sarah said.

"We usually celebrate with a beer, but…" Dean looked at Jareth. "I have a feeling that would be too ordinary for you."

"And we should get going, anyway," Sam added. He waved away Sarah's attempts to allow her to bandage him up. "I'm okay. This's nothing."

Sarah walked them to the door. Jareth was a hovering shadow behind her. "I know it doesn't show," she said, softly, looking over her shoulder at the Goblin King. "But he is really grateful for your help." She smiled at the brothers. "You two are a great team. Thank you."

"Oh, we're at the hugging stage of our relationship," Dean said, but he wore a large grin and wrapped his arms around Sarah until she pulled away.

Sam shook his head and laughed, readily embracing Sarah when it was his turn.

"If you ever need us, Sarah…"

"Yeah, if you need us, for any reason at all…"

She smiled again, the expression full of nostalgic humor. "I'll call."

A/N: Hi! Stretching these muscles again…They're a little sore, but I'm trying to get back into shape! I struggled keeping everyone in character, I think, but this one's been sitting as almost-complete-but-not-quite-ready-for-consumption for too long. It got a little out of hand, but I hope you enjoy!