Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Puck woke up as the car slowed to a stop outside of the airport terminal. He yawned obnoxiously and stretched, staring out the passenger window. “Time to pick up dogface?”

Jake nodded, putting the car in park. “Yup, we’re here. And don’t act like you’re not excited to see your little girlfriend,” he teased. “I know you two have been video calling each other non stop for the past year.”

Puck scoffed. “Yeah, well. At least through a computer screen I don’t have to smell her breath.”

It was then that he saw Sabrina emerge through the sliding glass doors, pulling her suitcase behind her. She had gotten taller since he saw her last. In fact, she had almost caught up to him in height. She stepped into the sun, causing her blonde hair to shimmer like gold.

“Jake, there she is,” said Puck. “There’s Sabrina.” He couldn’t take his eyes off of her– seeing her in person was just so different .

Jake’s face lit up when he saw his niece waving at them. “I’m gonna go help her with her stuff,” he said, unbuckling his seatbelt and getting out of the car.

Puck watched as Jake approached Sabrina and the two embraced happily. For a moment, he considered getting out of the car and doing the same, but he pushed the thought out of his mind. That’s so unlike me. And plus, she’d probably start complaining about how I stink or whatever.

Sabrina got into the back seat and grinned at Puck. “Hey, fairy boy. You happy to see me?”

Puck turned around to look at her. “Happy isn’t the right word. Mostly I feel…”

“Relieved?” Sabrina asked teasingly. “Lovestruck?”

“Gassy. Besides, I’m not super excited about having to lug you through the Welsh mountains for three days while us guys look for treasure.”

Sabrina stuck her tongue out at him as Jake got back in the car and closed the door. 

“You guys ready to find this necklace?” he asked them.

“I’m ready,” Sabrina replied. “I was reading about it on the plane. I’ve got the whole story memorized.”

Puck stared out the window as Sabrina explained the history of the Necklace of the Lady of the Lake. She recounted how, according to the legend of King Arthur, the Lady of the Lake gave the enchanted necklace to Sir Pelleas after helping an old woman cross a river. When worn, it causes the wearer to be “unfathomably loved” by all who see them. 

What Puck was really paying attention to, though, was how she was saying it. This new, taller Sabrina spoke more confidently and seemed way more sure of herself. Unlike in the past, she didn’t seem angry or bitter at all. She was… well adjusted. 

This thought also came with a crushing realization: They were not children, and never would be again.

“How old are you now, ‘Brina?” asked Jake.

“Nineteen,” she answered. “And Daphne’s fifteen.”

Jake shook his head. “You guys really need to stop growing so fast. I mean, take it from me. I haven’t aged since we became Everafters, and it’s great.”

“Yeah, also if you’re nineteen that means I’m nineteen,” Puck added. “Which is gross.”

“I’d rather not be a teenager forever,” Sabrina said with a shrug. “I think Daphne feels the same way.”

They drove up the steep mountain roads until they arrived at their destination: a car park at the foot of a hill known by locals as “The Skirrid”. It was here where they would enter the Black Mountains to find the hidden lake that Sir Pelleas found all those years ago. 

They all got out of the car and put on their backpacks, each one loaded with supplies. Jake retrieved a machete from his.

“What’s that for?” asked Sabrina. 

“This lake is gonna be pretty far off the path,” Jake replied. “I’m gonna need to cut stuff out of our way.”

“Boy, this really is your first treasure hunt,” Puck commented. “Try not to die, Grimm. I swore off saving people when I moved out of your granny’s place.”

“You swear off saving people every few days!” Jake chuckled, turning to Sabrina. “To tell you the truth, he’s even had to save me a couple times.” He pulled a map out of his jacket pocket. “Now, the only other Grimm who’s even come close to finding this necklace is Spaulding Grimm. He wrote in his notes that crossing far enough into the northeast part of the Black Mountains will lead to a secluded area where ‘the air is thick with magic’.”

Puck saw Sabrina become visibly nauseous. “Are you gonna be okay?” he asked before he could stop himself. 

“Yeah,” she replied. “It’s just… I have a really low tolerance for magic these days.”

“Well, you did almost overdose on it when you were twelve,” Puck said. Sabrina grimaced, remembering the feeling of magic mirror shards under her skin.

“Don’t use the word overdose,” Jake snapped suddenly. “Magic is not a drug.”

Puck and Sabrina exchanged a look as he stepped onto the trail and pulled out his compass. 

“Well,” he sighed. “Let’s start heading north.”

They trudged through the muddy, steep forest as Jake slashed tree branches out of their way with his machete. Puck and Jake traversed this terrain with ease. Sabrina, who was less experienced in adventuring, lagged slightly behind.

“Wow Puck, you’ve gotten really fit,” Sabrina remarked. 

He blushed crimson and hoped she didn’t see. “Thanks.”

“If I were you I would just fly everywhere.”

“Of course you would,” he said. “But I’m an explorer. I’m rugged. I gotta keep these pecs lookin’ good.”

Jake rolled his eyes before changing the subject. “So Sabrina, how do your parents feel about you coming here?”

“They’re fine with it.”

“Tell the truth.”

“Okay, I didn’t tell them,” she admitted. “They think I’m still at my dorm.”

“You’ve always been a sneaky one,” said Jake, shaking his head. “What was it they called you at the orphanage?”

“The Queen of Sneaks,” Sabrina recalled. “I don’t call myself that much anymore. I don’t have a lot of reasons to sneak around these days.”

“No wonder you were so eager to come,” said Puck. “Normal life sounds booooring.”

At that moment, they passed by a clearing where a group of people were taking a tai-chi class. Most of the group didn’t see them, but the ones who did eyed Jake’s machete with alarm. 

“Like, look at these people doing mountain yoga or whatever this is,” Puck continued. “I bet they’d kill to be going on a magic adventure like we are.”

“Could you please keep your voice down?” Jake pleaded, walking quickly down the path away from the clearing so that they wouldn’t make a scene. Puck followed close behind.

“Oh good,” Sabrina panted, trudging behind them slowly. “A path. Hold on, let me catch my breath.”

She stopped walking and put her hands on her knees, trying to muster up the energy to continue as Puck and Jake stared at her.

“Geez, Grimm,” said Puck. “We haven’t even left civilization yet.”

“I know, I know,” she said. “I’m sorry.”

Puck felt bad, because he could tell she meant it. He sighed heavily. “Okay, fine,” he said before turning on his heels and transforming into a mule. 

Sabrina stared at him.

“Get on my back,” Puck brayed. She thanked him and did so, leaning forward and resting her head on his. 

Jake smiled. “Look at you two. The Trickster King and the Queen of Sneaks.”

“Shut up, Jake,” said Puck. “I’m only trying to get us to the necklace faster.”

They continued north, with Sabrina now navigating from Puck’s back as they strayed once again from the public path, clearing their own path through the thick foliage. Hours passed and night fell, so they found a place to rest and set down their sleeping bags. 

“Sorry about today, guys,” said Sabrina, scanning their surroundings for danger before getting in her sleeping bag. “I’ll try to be more helpful tomorrow.”

“It’s okay,” said Jake, craning his neck to look at her from his spot on the ground. “Tomorrow’s your day anyway. Your sensitivity to magic is gonna help us out a lot when we’re trying to find that clearing.”

Sabrina nodded. “I guess.”

Hours passed, and Puck couldn’t fall asleep, which was a rarity for him. I think Sabrina’s presence is distracting me. He rolled over to face her. “Sabrina? Are you awake?”

“Yeah,” she answered softly. “I’m awake.”

“What are you thinking about?”

“How loud Jake snores,” Sabrina answered. “And the fact that I’m freezing.”

Puck saw that she was, indeed, shivering. He hesitated for a moment before sighing and unzipping his sleeping bag. “Alright, get in here.”

She grinned, slipping out of her sleeping bag and into his. They lay huddled together like that for a while, and Puck became increasingly aware of the inherent flirtatiousness of their position. He was relieved when Sabrina eventually broke the silence.

“What do you get out of all this, anyway?” she asked.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, looking for magic artifacts with Uncle Jake. I know you’re not in it for the heroism, or so that it ‘doesn’t fall into the wrong hands’. I know you, Puck.”

“Then you should know I’m a thrill seeker. Always have been.”

“So… you like adventure more than you like me, is what you’re saying?”

Puck stared at her in shock and alarm. “No, I–”

“I’m just teasing you. You can do whatever you want.”

He chuckled weakly. “Wow, you got me.” They were silent for a moment before he said, “I think this is the life I deserve.”

Now the alarmed look was on Sabrina’s face. She looked up at him. “Why?”

He looked down at her. “Nice try. You can’t play therapist with me.”

“I’m not ‘playing therapist’, Puck. I’m requesting citations.”

He couldn’t help but smile at her choice of words. “Do you think we could ever work as a real couple?” he blurted out.

The initial silence was crushing. Puck silently cursed himself for saying something so embarrassing. 

“What do you mean by ‘real couple’?”

He took a deep breath. “Like, if I were to come to New York and be with you. And if we made it official.”

“Um..,” she stammered. “Well…” She searched for the right words. “There would have to be a lot of adjusting.”

Puck got up. “I knew it. That was a stupid question. Of course you don’t want to let this craziness into your life. You deserve someone normal.”

“No, that’s not what I was gonna say!” Sabrina denied. “Come back!”

“God, why do I always do this to myself? I let you mess with my head!” 

Now Sabrina was upset. “I’m not doing anything! Moving in together is a big commitment. I just need time to think about it.”

Two pink wings sprouted from Puck’s back. “I… I have to go. I need to clear my head.” 

She grabbed his arm. “No. I won’t let you do this. You’re gonna sit here and we’re gonna talk about this like adults.”

He looked into her eyes. “Are you really in love with me?”

“Yes. I love you.”

Oh. He didn’t expect such a straightforward answer. “Oh, well… good.”

“Now you say it.”

Puck hesitated. 

“Now who’s messing with whose head?”

He retracted his wings and sat back down on the ground glumly. “I don’t know what to do anymore. I don’t know what I want.”

“That’s adulthood for you.”

“Do you ever think about how messed up it is?” he asked her, voicing the thought he had earlier. “That we’re not children anymore, and we never will be again?”

“To me, that’s a comforting thought,” Sabrina replied. “Never again will I have to be that small, or that helpless.”

He looked at her face, which was serious and intense. Right then, he thought about kissing her, but he couldn’t bring himself to. He was too embarrassed.

And so she did it for him.

Chapter Text

They were woken up by the sound of Jake’s laughter. Puck opened his eyes to see him standing over them, cackling at their sleeping position. Puck immediately wriggled out of their shared sleeping bag, mortified to find that he and Sabrina had been spooning in their sleep. 

“Good morning, lovebirds!” Jake laughed. “I see you two slept well.”

“It’s not like that, Jake,” Puck replied humorlessly, packing his things. “Sabrina was cold.”

“Yeah,” she yawned. “Nothing else happened.”

Nothing ‘else’? What does she mean by ‘else’?!  Puck felt like the world had lost its mind. “We should get moving,” he said urgently.

The three continued their journey through the mountains. Sabrina and Jake talked the whole time, but Puck was silent. He couldn’t bring himself to speak to her again after how pathetic he had acted last night. I have to stop acting so childish , he chided himself. The time for that is over.

He let out a loud burp, and chuckled when Sabrina gave him a dirty look. Okay, not completely over I guess. That was pretty funny.

They walked for a few more miles before Sabrina suddenly dropped to the ground. Jake and Puck rushed to her side.

“Sabrina, are you okay?” asked Jake, taking her arm. 

“Yeah, I’m okay,” she answered. “It’s just that I can feel the magic. We’re getting close.” She got up weakly, with Jake holding her arm to steady her. 

“Do you think you can walk?” Jake asked. Puck turned away so that she wouldn’t see how concerned he was.

She nodded. “Yeah. It’s just… harder for me to keep my balance. But I’ll be fine. I just have to be careful.”

“I’ll help you walk,” said Jake, slinging her arm around his shoulders.

“Thank you,” she said with a smile. “That helps.”

They went on like that for a while, with Jake helping to steady Sabrina as she used her heightened senses to navigate. Eventually, they came out the other side of the forest, finding nothing but grassy hills with a winding river running through them. 

“Oh god,” Sabrina groaned in pain, stumbling slightly. “It’s here. I can feel it. It’s here.”

Jake looked around; there was no lake in sight.

“Well,” Puck said, “I guess it did say ‘hidden’.”

“No wonder Spaulding couldn’t find the lake,” Jake murmured, setting Sabrina gently on the ground. “You have to get it to appear. But how?”

Little by little, Sabrina could feel her strength coming back to her as her body got used to the magic. Slowly, she picked herself up off the ground. “There’s a test,” she said shakily. “Like the old woman that Pelleas helped across the river. The Lady of the Lake needs to know you’re capable of good deeds.”

“So… what’s our test?” Puck asked uneasily, keeping his eyes on the river in case something appeared there. Sabrina shrugged. 

Just then, Jake saw a figure at the top of the hill. “Guys. Look.”

Puck’s hand brushed the hilt of his sword as they watched in silent anticipation. The figure appeared to be towering over them as it descended the hill towards them. As it got closer, he could see that it had long white hair and was wearing a long pale blue gown, gliding across the grass like a ghost. “Is that… her?”

As the ghostly figure reached the foot of the hill, a shimmering lake appeared there, spreading like molten silver across the grassy terrain as willow trees sprouted up around it, their branches hanging over the reflective surface.

“Definitely her,” said Sabrina. “Maybe she’s gonna let us off easy instead of testing us.”

“Don’t jinx it,” said Puck, taking her hand. “Let’s go.”

He didn’t know why he was so scared. He had come face to face with monsters a lot more menacing than this woman, but Sabrina’s weakened, vulnerable state made him nervous. For once, I hope no one resorts to violence.

They came to the other side of the lake and waited for the woman to say something. She was eyeing them with an indecipherable gaze, one neither of goodwill nor of malice. Her eyes were pure black. “My name is Nimue,” she said finally. “I am one of the Ladies of the Lake. What is it that you seek?”

Jake hung his head in respect, leading the other two to do the same. “We humbly seek the necklace that you gave Sir Pelleas,” he replied politely. “The one that rewards its wearer with unfathomable love.”

Her eyebrows pricked up. “I don’t have it, child. Sir Pelleas gave it to his lover, Ettarde.”

“That’s not true,” Sabrina piped up. Puck and Jake widened their eyes, impressed at her courage. “Upon the wearer’s death, the necklace is reclaimed by the lake. According to Arthurian legend, Ettarde died of sorrow thousands of years ago.”

Nimue had a faint smile on her face as she regarded Sabrina carefully. “That is correct. But sadly, I still cannot give it to you.”

“Why not?” Puck demanded. “Do we need to prove ourselves or something?”

She shook her head. “No. I’ve been watching you three ever since you entered these woods, and you, child, have already proven yourself as noble and caring.”

Puck blinked. “Wait. What?”

“I see how you make sacrifices for her,” she explained, pointing to Sabrina. “Going out of your way to support her when she is tired, and warm her when she is cold.” 

Sabrina couldn’t help but smile at this. Puck smiled too, although he still couldn’t tell whether or not Nimue was planning on killing them. 

She turned to Sabrina. “You have also proven yourself. In return for your friend’s kindness, you stand by him, offering your advice, affection, and companionship at his lowest points.”

Puck felt a surge of embarrassment as he remembered the night before. I didn’t know she saw that.

Nimue turned to Jake. “It is you that I take issue with.”

Jake’s face fell. “What?” He looked to Puck and Sabrina, and then back to her. “You may be mistaken. I have also been helping my niece throughout this trip. In fact, I was helping her stay upright until a few minutes ago when we got here.”

“That does not matter,” Nimue replied, her expression grave. “You seek this necklace for selfish reasons.”

Jake paused for a moment before chuckling nervously. “I’m not sure what you mean.” He looked again to Puck and Sabrina, only to find that they were both staring at him. 

“I see what you do in the early hours of the day,” Nimue chided him sharply. “You fill your journals with fantasies of taking what’s mine, and using it only for yourself. You only want this necklace so that you can gain unfathomable love, and therefore unfathomable power.”

“Is this true?” Sabrina demanded.

“No, no!” Jake insisted vehemently. “I only want to make sure it doesn’t fall into the wrong hands. That’s why Puck and I got into this business in the first place.”

“This necklace is not in ‘the wrong hands’,” said Nimue coldly. “But if I give it to you, it will be. Now leave me.”

“Is she telling the truth?” Puck asked, looking at Jake as though he were a stranger. 

“No! Well, not completely!”

“The more you lie, the angrier it makes me,” Nimue hissed. “Leave me, now.”

“Oh my god, I can’t believe you!” Sabrina cried. “All this time, I thought you had learned your lesson! I thought you learned that being greedy and power hungry ultimately hurts the people around you!”

“All I want is to protect the people around me,” Jake said defensively. “I don’t do this for me!”

Nimue began to grow in size, her white hair extending until it reached across the lake in long, white tendrils. Her eyes turned from black to red.

“Looks like there is gonna be a fight after all,” said Puck, drawing his sword. “Sabrina, get behind me.”

“Think again,” she replied. He turned around to find that she had brought a sword of her own, and was wielding it with determination.

“You’re feeling strong enough?” he asked. 

She nodded as Nimue’s white hair began to wrap around Jake, dragging him towards the water. “Guys, help!” Jake called out, desperately trying to reach inside his pockets for a weapon. 

“Well then,” said Puck, “Holler if you need me.” With that, he took off towards Jake, freeing him swiftly with a slash of his sword.

“Thanks, bud,” Jake said, getting up and digging through his pockets. “I’ll explain this later, I promise.”

Puck was doing flips in the air, slicing each tendril of hair that came near Jake. Sabrina, meanwhile, tried to sneak around the lake and take Nimue from behind. She and Puck made eye contact. “Keep distracting her,” she mouthed to him. 

He began to taunt Nimue, fluttering around her head as she swatted at him. “All of this because the man wanted a necklace? I think you’re being hysterical.”

She took a swing at him and he dodged it, laughing and sticking his tongue out at her. Sabrina crept up the hill behind her as she let out a growl.

“ You disrespect me, you attack me, all to protect this liar! ” she yelled in a voice that sounded like a thousand voices speaking at once. 

Sabrina jumped from the top of the hill, bringing down her sword and chopping off Nimue’s hair in one swift motion. It fell to the ground and melted, seeping into the lake. Nimue fell to her knees, causing Sabrina to fall off her back. 

She hardly had time to catch her breath before Nimue let out a scream of rage and plucked her off the ground. She brought Sabrina to her eye level and glared at her with such intense fury that Sabrina thought her head might melt. 

“You wretched brat,” Nimue seethed. “You have no idea what you’ve done! ” Her eyes crackled and glowed with magic, and Sabrina braced herself for the end.

“DON’T TOUCH HER!” Puck shouted, shooting through the air towards them. He swung his sword back and was about to bring it to Nimue’s neck when something blasted him out of the air. 

He hit the ground and looked around wildly for who had fired at him. Then, he saw Jake standing there, holding a magic wand. “Don’t kill her,” said Jake, keeping the wand pointed at Puck. "We can still rectify the situation if we keep her alive."

“Are you stupid?!” Puck cried. “She’s gonna kill Sabrina if we don’t kill her first!”

Jake shook his head, and Puck turned around to find that Sabrina had been placed back on the ground, looking scared but unhurt. Nimue had returned to her original size and was now weeping into the lake, clutching her short hair in both hands.

“What does that mean?” Puck asked Jake.

“I… I don’t know,” Jake replied, approaching Nimue tentatively. Puck, meanwhile, rushed to Sabrina’s side and embraced her.

Nimue looked up at him. “Jacob Grimm, you have saved my life.”

“Technically,” he said with a shrug. “Sorry about your hair.”

“Even though I tried to drown you,” she elaborated, “You saved my life. I can no longer fight you. It would be against my principles.”

“What about the necklace?” Puck asked, still holding Sabrina. Nimue nodded and waved her hand, causing a silver necklace to rise out of the lake. It had a large blue pendant hanging on it, which glinted in the sun as it floated over to Sabrina.

“Me?” she asked, taking it hesitantly.

“Out of the three of you, you have the purest heart,” Nimue explained miserably. “Now, I must heal myself. Leave me.” 

She got up and glided back to the edge of the lake. She stepped into the water, submerging herself lower and lower until she disappeared. The lake faded from view, and it was like nothing had happened at all.

Chapter Text

There was a moment of silence as the three of them collectively took a breather.

Jake looked around the vast, empty grasslands and anxiously ran his fingers through his hair. “Sabrina,” he said finally, approaching her. “Let me see that necklace.”

She guarded it with her entire body. “No. I can’t trust you with it.”

“In fact, I’m not sure we can trust you at all,” Puck growled. “You lied.”

“Are you two serious?” Jake asked. “Just because sometimes I fantasize about taking things for myself doesn’t mean I’m a monster. You both know me. I’m part of your family, for God’s sake.”

She looked up at him. “You’re not a monster, but you’re falling back into old habits,” she stated. “And you lied to us. Nimue gave this to me, so I’m going to protect it.”

Jake sighed exasperatedly. “Well," he said finally, "I guess there’s nothing left to do but head back.”

They made the journey again, this time downhill. The view was breathtaking, but nobody was in the right mood to admire it. Little was said on their first day of traveling as everyone processed what had happened in the clearing. Since it was cold, Puck and Sabrina shared a sleeping bag again that night, this time without shame. If Jake noticed, he didn’t comment on it.

"Sabrina?"

She rolled over to face him. "Yeah?"

"I... want to, um," he stammered. "God, I'm so bad at this."

Sabrina raised her eyebrows. "Go on."

"I'm, I mean... I want to apologize. For how weird I was last night."

"So this is you saying you're sorry?"

"Yes. I'm sorry."

She smiled at him. "Thank you, Puck. I accept your apology. I know how hard apologizing is for you."

He nodded. "It really is." See? She gets it.

"You should do it more often, though."

We'll see. "We'll see," he replied with a mischievous grin, making Sabrina scoff. "I'm kidding, I'm kidding." Oops.

Sabrina rolled onto her back and looked at the stars. Her expression turned sour, and her shoulders became tense. "Now if only Jake would apologize, too," she said quietly. "He has a lot more to answer for."

Puck was slightly uncomfortable. He hadn't seen Sabrina this bitter or angry in a long time. "You know how he is," he replied nonchalantly. "Just Jake being Jake. This has always been a problem for him."

She shook her head. "I don't like being lied to, Puck. It makes it really hard for me to trust people. Especially if they just won't learn, or change."

Puck didn't know what to say to that. Everything she said was right, but at the same time, Jake did seem pretty guilty about it. He had barely said a word to them all day. "He'll earn your trust back somehow. I guarantee it," he said finally. "Now we can only hope he doesn't break it again."

"Yeah. Hopefully this is the last time." She looked at him. "Hey, when did you get so wise?"

"Um..." He counted on his fingers. "I'm gonna say somewhere around my 4018th year."

She snorted. "You're so weird."

Puck lit up. "That noise you just made was adorable!" he exclaimed fondly. "Lemme hear it again."

"Oh come on, don't tease me. I'm still upset about what Jake did."

He looked up at the sky. "Okay, I'll lay off. But just until you feel better."

She grinned and snuggled closer to him. "Deal."

The way down was a lot easier than the way up. Again, it was a quiet journey. Sabrina hardly spoke to Jake, and Jake was feeling too bad about himself to make conversation, so Puck sprang to action, filling the silence with anecdotes and gross-out humor. Surprisingly, it did help lighten the mood a bit. And unlike last time, it only took them about a day in total to reach their destination, meaning they got back to the car park at only 11:00 in the morning. 

“I’m gonna sit in the back with Sabrina,” Puck said as they all got in the car.

“Yeah,” Jake exhaled, starting the car. “That’s fine. Listen, um, do you guys want lunch? I’ll buy you whatever kind of food you want.”

“A food I want? In Wales?” Puck joked.

“Ha ha,” said Sabrina sarcastically, her head resting on his shoulder. “But seriously, just get us whatever.”

“You wish you were as funny as me,” Puck said, looking down at her affectionately.

She looked up at him and smiled. “Keep telling yourself that, fairy boy.”

Jake drove them to a pub/restaurant near the downtown area. “This looks like a nice place. I’m starving.”

“We’re all starving, we’ve been eating nothing but granola, fruit, and water for almost two days,” grumbled Puck, holding his growling stomach.

“True, but I feel great,” Sabrina admitted. “Probably because now that the air isn’t ‘thick with magic’ anymore, I can actually think straight.”

Puck and Jake got out of the car as Sabrina stuffed the enchanted necklace in the glove box. 

"That feels like disrespect," Puck remarked, watching Sabrina try to cram the necklace into the packed compartment with great difficulty.

"Hey, it's hers now," Jake said with a shrug. "She can do what she wants." 

Sabrina got out of the car and joined them. "Sorry I took so long, there was a lot of stuff in the glove compartment. I had to move things around."

"What are you gonna do with that thing, anyway?" Puck asked.

"I'll have to keep it safe somewhere," she sighed, walking briskly. "God, I miss the Hall of Wonders."

They entered the restaurant, immediately catching people's attention with their dirty, beat up appearances. A hostess approached them, speaking in Welsh. Jake nodded, and she grabbed a few menus and led them to their table.

"I have no idea what she just said," Jake admitted.

"I don't like that everyone's staring at us," said Sabrina as they passed by an old man who pinched his nose and glared at them. "Just because we're dirty? Have they never seen hikers before?"

"Just ignore them," Jake replied.

"Actually, this is what every day is like for me," Puck bragged. "Being dirty makes you kind of a celebrity."

Jake ordered himself a burger and a beer. Puck ordered two lasagnas and a slice of chocolate cake. Sabrina got a sandwich with fries and a soda.

As they ate, Jake cleared his throat. “I want to apologize for how selfish I was,” he stammered. “I think I took on this job for the wrong reasons.”

You think? Puck shrugged indifferently. “I guess I forgive you,” he said through a mouthful of lasagna.

“No harm done,” sighed Sabrina. “As long as you don’t do it again.” She put down her drink. “I have something to say, too.”

She turned to Puck, who had just finished his first lasagna.

“I want you to come live with me in New York,” she said.

“What? Really?” asked Puck, perking up. “Like, at your dorm?”

“Yeah, I can make a little bed for you on the floor or something. We can slum it. You know, like young people do. We have plenty of time before shit gets real.” 

Jake laughed. “That’s true.”

Sabrina turned to him. “And I want you to go stay with my parents for a while. Take a break from this life. It’s not good for you.”

He hung his head in shame. “I guess I deserve that,” he said sheepishly.

“It’s not a dig at you. I just care about your health.” She patted him on the shoulder reassuringly.

"Yeah, I know I have a problem, and I'm messed up. My lifestyle is gonna have to change." He shrugged. “Guess I just need a vacation!” he concluded with a goofy smile. Sabrina smiled back.

Puck was still processing what she had said. Leaving his life of adventure behind to go live a domestic, peaceful life with Sabrina in New York was indeed a big change. Who knows, maybe I'll hate it. But right now, it sounds like a dream. 

But dreams have a habit of never coming true.

“I need to get some fresh air,” Puck said finally, after finishing his dessert. “I ate wayyy too much.”

“As usual,” Sabrina snickered, sliding out of the booth so Puck could get out.

He turned around. “Wanna come with me, ugly?”

“Sure, freak,” she said, linking his arm with his. “Just don’t get any of your stink on me.”

The two of them left the restaurant and stepped out into the brisk Welsh cold. They stood there for a while, their breath making clouds in the air, before Puck finally spoke. “Did you mean that in there?”

“Yeah,” she replied. “I did tell you I would think about it.”

“But you don’t think I’ll wreck it?”

“What do you mean?”

“Your normal life. You know, the one you always wanted," he muttered, looking at the ground.

“I also want to be around the people I love,” she replied. “And I love you. We're boyfriend and girlfriend. We always have been, really.”

Puck grinned. Boyfriend and girlfriend! “Okay fine, Grimm, you twisted my arm. New York it is. We’re gonna sit in traffic, eat your mom’s cooking, watch your sister make goo goo eyes at my brother, all that great stuff.”

Sabrina laughed. “Wow. Whatever happened to ‘normal life sounds booooring’?”

“Like you said earlier, we’re young,” Puck chuckled, putting his arm around her. “We have plenty of time.”

They looked out at the horizon as mist billowed across the Black Mountains, obscuring them from view behind a thick blanket of fog.

“Things can still change.”