Dawn Summers was going to be in some serious trouble. She was also trying very hard not to laugh.

 

She was sitting in her favorite spot (Sam’s lap) with her head nestled in that perfect place where his neck meets his shoulder. And if she turned her head just so, her hair would fall like a curtain to hide her face.

 

It was a strategy that she might have to use because the whole not-laughing thing was becoming increasingly difficult.

 

Buffy was having a similar dilemma. Wisely, she sat directly behind Dean on the bed so that he couldn’t see her.

 

Sam kept having to ‘cough’.

 

Dean…well Dean was clueless.

 

“Someone stole your gold?” Dean asked their guest.

 

With an Irish lilt, the leprechaun answered, “No, m’boy. Someone is trying to steal me gold.”

 

“Right. Sorry.”

 

It had taken the leprechaun at least thirty minutes to convince Dean that a) leprechauns really existed b) he was really a leprechaun and c) he needed Dean’s help.

 

That in itself had been hilarious, especially since that last little part was completely untrue.

 

“So if someone were to steal your gold…?”

 

“Are you implying that I can’t protect me gold?” The leprechaun asked indignantly.

 

Dean backpedaled. “No, no, of course not.”

 

Sam ‘coughed’.

 

“What makes you think that someone can get a hold of me gold?”

 

“I thought that you were here because…”

 

“Someone’s trying to steal me gold!”

 

“Okay then. Let’s just say that someone, somehow, got a hold of your gold, through no fault of your own, what would happen? Hypothetically.”

 

“I cannot answer your question because I do not know what that word means.”

 

“What word?”

 

“The word you said.”

 

“Gold? Steal? Buffy? Help?”

 

“Hypothetically,” Buffy offered.

 

Sam started ‘coughing’ hysterically.

 

“Dude. Grab a lozenge, willya?”

 

“Sorry,” Sam coughed.

 

Dean turned back to the leprechaun. “Let’s pretend, for a minute, that another leprechaun, not you, lost his gold…”

 

Dramatically, the leprechaun waved his hands around. “Why it would be disastrous…tragic…apocalyptic…!”

 

“Okay, okay, I get it. It would be bad. But what exactly would happen?”

 

“I’d lose me luck.”

 

“Your luck?”

 

“Me luck.”

 

“Okay. That would be bad, I guess.”

 

“You have to help me, boy.”

 

“I’m trying, believe me.”

 

Dawn started to giggle, she just couldn’t help it. The leprechaun had led Dean around in so many circles that even she was getting dizzy.

 

Still, she wasn’t about to ruin Buffy and Sam’s fun. So, she buried her face in Sam’s neck and let her hair fall across her face.

 

From Dean’s perspective it must have looked like she was crying because he soothed, “Don’t cry kiddo. I won’t let anyone steal the leprechaun’s luck.”

 

She choked back a laugh that hopefully sounded like a sob.

 

Sam rubbed her back as if she was actually upset. She could only imagine the look of distress he was giving his brother on her behalf.

 

Dean got down to business. “Who is trying to steal your gold? Be as specific as possible.”

 

“A demon.”

 

“Okay, now we’re talking. Buffy, honey, get the books.”

 

“What do you need books for?” the leprechaun asked.

 

“I’m going to have you look through some pictures of demons. See if you can ID the one that’s trying to steal your gold.”

 

“Don’t need pictures. I can describe that devil.”

 

“Okay, what does he look like?”

 

“He’s big. With horns.”

 

“Big…with horns,” Dean sighed audibly. “Just out of curiosity, why would a demon want to steal your luck?”

 

“Demons,” the leprechaun said with disgust, “They’re always after me lucky charms.”

 

Dean opened and shut his mouth like a fish out of water.

 

Sam lost it first. He squeezed Dawn to him while he howled with laughter.

 

Dawn peeked out from behind her hair in time to see Buffy collapse onto the bed, holding onto her stomach.

 

“Oh, freaking hi-larious,” Dean told them acidly. To the leprechaun he asked, “Are you really a leprechaun?”

 

“Aye. And you, laddie, are gullible.” The leprechaun took Buffy’s hand (once she managed to be upright again) and kissed it. “A pleasure as always m’dear.”

 

“Hey! Get your little leprechaun lips off of my girl!”

 

This sent Sam into fresh peals of laughter.

 

The leprechaun gave Dean a little salute and was gone in a swirl of rainbows.

 

Dean glared at each of them in turn. “You are all going to pay.” Causing her to squeal with delight, he picked up Buffy and tossed her over his shoulder in a fireman’s carry. “Starting with you.”

 

Dean hauled Buffy out the door and into their own room.

 

Sam kept laughing so hard that tears were rolling down his cheeks. He looked at her with a big goofy grin on his face. “He’s gonna kill us.”

 

Dawn laughed, “Yup, we are in deep trouble.”

 

Then, Sam kissed her and held her tight against his body. Dawn sighed, “Definitely in trouble.”