A/N "Der Erlkönig" is a famous German poem by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. For this story I use the English adaption, so the poem parts are not mine, I'm good but I'm not that awesome.

Der Erlkönig

SPN

Who rides there so late through the night dark and drear?
The father it is, with his infant so dear;
He holdeth the boy tightly clasp'd in his arm,
He holdeth him safely, he keepeth him warm.

SPN

They were dashing through the night. Above the rushing of his own blood in his ears Sam heard the wind howling like it was alive and the rain clattering against the windshield. How Dean could even see where he was driving Sam had no clue. One hand in a white knuckled grip on the wheel and the other squeezing Sam's neck Dean didn't slow down one bit.

"I got you. It's okay, I got you." Dean repeated over and over again.

The words and the comforting hand on his neck lulled Sam to an almost sleep. Deep enough to dull the pain. His body still shook from the fever frying his nerves but leaving him freezing to the bone at the same time. This was bad he knew that. Really bad.

He squeezed his eyes shut and concentrated on Dean's mumbling combined with the familiar sound of the engine. Dean was there, it was safe and warm.

SPN

"My son, wherefore seek'st thou thy face thus to hide?"
"Look, father, the Alder King is close by our side!
Dost see not the Alder King, with crown and with tail?"
"My son, 'tis the mist rising over the plain."

SPN

When Sam opened his eyes again he didn't know how much time had passed. The rain had stopped, though. With heavy eyelids and unseeing eyes he blinked out into the dark. They were alone on the road, no headlights from other cars, no sign of civilization.

"Sam, you with me?" Dean asked but he sounded far away.

"Hmm." Sam made and the sound hurt in his chest. Everything hurt.

"Hang on. You hear me?" Dean brushed the sweaty bangs out of his face. "No checking out on me, man."

Sam wanted to say that he wasn't going anywhere but he couldn't form the words. Everything blurred together in a daze of pain and fever.

Then he saw it. It couldn't be so he blinked but it was still there. Right outside the window. Blindly Sam reached for Dean and shied away from the thing outside. Like a child he buried his face in his brother's jacket. The scent of leather and gun powder and Dean overlaid his own reeking of sickness and sweat.

"Hey, Sammy." One hand still in that iron grip at the wheel Dean patted Sam's shoulder with the other one, holding him close. Sam hid his face at his brother's chest.

"Lucifer." Sam croaked out. "He's there." Weakly he pointed at the figure outside the car. "Hell's crown and devil's tail."

"Shh." Dean rubbed soothing circles on his back. "Nothing there. Just the mist."

SPN

"Oh, come, thou dear infant! oh come thou with me!
For many a game I will play there with thee;
On my beach, lovely flowers their blossoms unfold,
My mother shall grace thee with garments of gold."

SPN

"Sam." Lucifer said. "Come, come with me."

"No." Sam shook his head and clenched Dean's jacket tighter. He couldn't quite feel his fingers anymore but he didn't loosened his grip. Cold settled in his body.

"No." He whimpered but wasn't sure what he tried to resist.

"Sam, come with me." Lucifer coaxed. "No pain, no hurt, just joy and sunshine and everlasting peace. I can give you everything. Everything you ever wanted. Everything you ever craved."

Seeking the warmth and safety of his brother Sam turned away from the sweet-talk and focused on the pain riding his body. The pain cleared his mind.

"I'm not coming with you." Sam mumbled into Dean's chest and his brother just hugged him closer.

"Stay with me, Sammy."

SPN

"My father, my father, and dost thou not hear
The words that the Alder King now breathes in mine ear?"
"Be calm, dearest child, thy fancy deceives;
the wind is sighing through withering leaves."

SPN

"Dean." Sam pleaded. Tears streamed down his face and he wiped his nose at Dean's shoulder. "Make him stop, please make him stop."

Dean glanced at him for a second but a wind gust caught the car and he had to fight to keep her on the road. She fishtailed for a horrifying second but then Dean had her under control again.

"Son of a bitch!" Dean screamed out his anger, his voice pitched with panic. Sam held on to him and tried to blend out Lucifer who just kept whispering in his ear.

"Dean, you hear him?" Sam didn't dare to look at the devil. "You hear him whispering?"

"It's the wind, Sammy." Dean's hold on him tightened. "Just the wind."

SPN

"Wilt go, then, dear infant, wilt go with me there?
My daughters shall tend thee with sisterly care
My daughters by night on the dance floor you lead,
They'll cradle and rock thee, and sing thee to sleep."

SPN

"Come with me." The voice in Sam's ear was soft, tempting. "I give you whatever you want."

Sam wanted to shake his head but it was to heavy. He heard his own blood rushing in his ears and beneath that the panicked thumping of his heart. Or was it Dean's?

"Your remember Jessica?" Lucifer asked. "Beautiful, innocent Jess? I can give her back to you. You and Jess, together under the stars. Dancing, kissing, loving. Forever."

Sam whimpered. He couldn't feel his legs anymore and his fingers were cold and numb but he felt Dean right next to him. A solid warmth, a wall against the dark.

"She's waiting for you." Lucifer tried again and Sam cracked his eyes open and glanced out of the window. There she was. Golden hair in the sunlight, a warm smile on her lips.

"I love you." She mouthed.

SPN

"My father, my father, and dost thou not see,
How the Alder King is showing his daughters to me?"
"My darling, my darling, I see it aright,
'Tis the aged grey willows deceiving thy sight."

SPN

"Sammy." Dean hushed him. "Almost there. I got you. Everything's okay. Don't cry. I'm here."

Dean babbled reassuring words while he stroke Sam's back.

"You see her?" Sam asked unable to turn his gaze away from Jess. She smiled at him.

"Who?" Dean didn't turn his eyes from the road. The wind was still howling and every now and then the car fishtailed but Dean had her under control. More or less. They were driving too fast and not fast enough. Sam knew he was running out of time. He licked the sweat from his chipped lips.

"Jess." The word tore through his throat. Now Dean had a quick look around and for a second Sam saw his face. What he saw there confirmed what Sam already knew, he was dying. But then Dean smiled down at him and stroke his head as if he was five again.

"Frigging trees playing tricks with your mind."

SPN

"I love thee, I'm charm'd by thy beauty, dear boy!
And if thou aren't willing, then force I'll employ."
"My father, my father, he seizes me fast,
For sorely the Alder King has hurt me at last."

SPN

"You're beautiful, you know that Sam?" Lucifer didn't stop. He kept talking, coaxing. "So beautiful. You're mine. Always been. Sam, I love you. I'd never hurt you." Lucifer was close now. His overwhelming presence looming over Sam. Making himself as small as possible Sam clung closer to his brother. Holding on for dear life.

Dean slammed his foot on the accelerator.

"One word, Sam. Just one word and all the pain and the struggle will end. One word."

"No." Sam didn't know if he actually brought the word out or not but it didn't matter.

"I want my vessel. Give it to me. Now!" Lucifer grabbed him and new pain shot through Sam's body. He screamed out his agony.

"Shh, Sammy." Dean tried to calm him down but couldn't hide his despair any longer. Dean was crying. Tears freely running down his face.

"Dean, hurts." Sam slurred out. His vision darkened but at least Lucifer had finally shut up.

SPN

The father now gallops, with terror half wild,
He holds in his arms the shuddering child;
He reaches his farmstead with toil and dread,
The child in his arms lies motionless, dead.

SPN

The black car dashed through the gate of the salvage yard. It came to a skitterish halt in front of the old house.

"We're here, Sammy. We made it." Dean wiped away his tears. They made it.

Behind the windows warm light awaited them, promising help and shelter. A second later the door flew open and Bobby hurried to the car.

"How is he?" He demanded to know but Dean had only eyes for Sam who still clung to him.

"Sammy, wake up. We're here." Dean shook his brother gently. "Sammy?"

Sam's head lolled lifeless against his chest.

"No, no, no." Cupping his face with both hands Dean searched for a sign of life. "SAMMY!"