#this random weirdo on the internet loves ya and wishes ya well

[nerfpuncher]

[ramblesanddragons]

On Your Shoulders

A very late birthday (might as well be a holiday gift) for @lemonfodrizzleart

I saw something and immediately went “That would be amazing with Jackie and Stan.” 10 internet points to anyone who guesses what it was.

Read it on AO3 or under the the read more.

Summary: Stan gains the eye of a visitor and Jackie has to save him.

Jackie slid to a stop at the edge of the forest and gathered all of her nerves. Ford and Fiddleford were still at the house trying to think of the best plan to save Stan but by the time any rescue robot could be built Stan would be gone.

Whisked away to where ever the hell faeries come from.

Hoping that that they hadn't made it too far Jackie ran full sprint into the forest. She dared any gnome or shadow creature to mess with her today. Her hunch could be wrong but she had a feeling the band of faeries that had kidnapped Stan were headed to that large ring of mushrooms Ford had found earlier in the week. That had been around with the new folks had shown up. For a guy that studies the supernatural he apparently couldn't tell someone was some sort of fae by looking at them.

Jackie had know something was up though. The head guy's movements were so graceful, Unnaturally so. He had a sharp wit and sliver tongue. At first there was a thought that it was just jealousy because of how obvious it was this guy was into Stan but she ignored the feeling. Now she wish she had gone after the guy with an iron horse shoe.She grew closer to the clearing and thanked whoever was listening that her hunch was right. There was the guy with his friends. He was leading a dazed looking Stan by the hand into the ring.

Now this was the part where the farm hand probably should have paused to think of a plan but the absolute fear at the idea of losing the love of her life drover her forward. With all of her might she crashed into the strange man with a scream.

The past few days felt like a blur to Stan. It started when this group of five guys showed up one evening. Weary travelers asking to stay in the barn for a night or two and willing working around the farm in exchange . Normally Stan wouldn't have felt comfortable with the idea. There was something about these folk that seemed a little off but whatever hesitations melted away as he listened to the leader of the group talk. He was tall with the greenest eyes Stan had ever seen. His dark hair reached midway down his back when it was not braided. Without really knowing why Stan found himself wanting to spend every free moment with this stranger. Something in the back of mind kept yelling at him that something was wrong. That he wanted to be with Jackie and his family but he couldn't fight it. He couldn't fight it as this man and his minions took what they wanted from the house. the group walked unopposed into the woods with several large bags of items that ranged from home spun yarn Jackie had made from the wool, several jars of homemade jam, some of Ford’s books, the good silverware, and the nice dress Jackie had sown for herself.  As the visitor took Stan's hand and guided him through the words he whispered into Stan's ears. There were promises of riches and a life where he would be waited on hand and foot. All Stan needed to do was give his name. Give over his name and an eternity of comfort was waiting for him.

He wanted eternity with Jackie.

Even in the middle of the woods it was like he could hear her.

She was yelling. Why was she yelling?

Wait was that a yelp of pain?

The haze lifted. Fear and anger gripped him and he spun to see this random weirdo tossing a frantic Jackie off of him and tumbling into some roots. He began to walk toward her. Instantly Stan lunged but was held back by two of the others who suddenly looked a lot less human than they did a minute ago. Ever the fighter Stan took the heel of his boot and kicked back hard getting one in the shin. With the other he swung his head back as hard as he could and got them in the nose. Now free Stan charged towards the guy over Jackie but he just tutted and snapped his fingers. Vines erupted from the earth and ensnared Stan. With a roar he tore himself free of the earth but the vines clung tight around his arms in legs. A few frantic hops forward and Stan toppled to the ground.

The fae creature smiled at Jackie as she got to her feet.

“I’ve never met a human dumb enough to try something like that,” he said in a silky smooth voice.

“Yeah well you pissed me off!” She yelled back trying to hide the fear she felt shaking her to her core.

“How so?”

“The fae are tricky," Ford had said earlier this week. "Never be specific with them. The vaguer you are the better.”

“Oh you know why. You took my shit! I worked hard on a lot of that and God knows I’m not paid enough for it.” She tried to ignore the crestfallen look on Stan’s face. She refused to look at him. There was no way she was going to tip this guy off.

“Paid?”

“Yeah this yahoo is my boss.” If Stan was trying to pull this off Jackie bet that he wouldn’t feel so sick to his stomach like she did. He was a smooth talker. Charming. A lot like this guy but way less creepy.

“Tell you what human. Your antics amuse me and I wish to return home with my new consort as soon as possible. For your bravery...and to get you out of my hair how about this? You can have back whatever you can carry on your shoulders out of here. The items are just amusing trinkets after all.”

Jackie though for a moment then smiled.

“Whatever I can carry? Do I have your word?”

“You have my word.” She felt the fae’s words in her very bones and knew that some sort of deal was struck.

“Well alrighty then.”

Without another word she walked over to Stan who had struggled to a standing position. She looped and arm under his legs and balanced him as best she could on her back.  With a deep breath she lifted with all of her might.

“Jackie stop! You’ll hurt yourself!”

“Babe just trust me here,” she said through grit teeth.

Slowly but surely she began to walk. Stan was heavy but that didn’t matter. If this had happened when she had first been hired on she might have been screwed but working on the farm had made her stronger. She didn’t spare the group of fae another look as she walked back to the edge of the forest. (Later Stan would tell her that the smug bastard who tried to take him seemed to be struggling between angry and impressed. Each of the guy's friends held their mouths open in shock. For once in what was probably a very long life the guy had been conned. Apparently as they walked out of sight Stan even flipped them off.)

Once the mushroom ring was out of sight Stan moved to get down but Jackie just clung tighter.

“No. I’m not dropping ya until we’re out of the forest.”

"But..."

"Stan I love you but shhhhh."

A moment passed in silence and Jackie sighed. Even on her back she could tell Stan was about to burst."What do you want to say?"

"Honey I'm so sorry. You know I would never want to leave you right? That guy out some sort of spell on me and I should've fought it harder. God you could have been hurt of killed and this is gonna break your back. I'm not wor..."

"Stanley Pines if you’re about to say you’re not worth it I will drop you on your head when we’re out of here!”

“Okay then I wont. But I will say the was reckless. I'll also say damn proud of you.”

“Reckless but makes me proud is a good descriptor for you too you know.”

Stan chuckled a bit at that. Jackie could see the edge of the forest. Her back ached and her legs burned by this point but she could do it.

“Besides. You’ve rescued me from enough weird shit ‘bout time I...rescued...YOU!”

They two of them crossed the treeline and the moment Jackie felt free she tumbled. They both ended up flat on their backs. Stan scrambled to get himself free if the vines and next to his love’s side. He smiled as he wiped the sweat off of her forehead.

“You’re amazing you know that? Even when I was under that creep’s spell I was still thinking about you. I love you.”

“I love you too.”

Gently Stan scooped the aching woman off the ground and into his arms. He was saying something about a chiropractor but Jackie was so exhausted she started to drift missing most of what he was saying. What she didn’t miss with the frustrated but amused fae watching them go from the edge of the woods.

Just like Stan she flipped him off until they were out of sight.

( Ford later puts wards around the farm which come and handy later when a pretty woman comes across Jackie and Stan working in the field and both of them go gaga for a minute. Ford ends up dragging them away from the bemused fae women muttering under his breath.)