Come Little Children by katethegreat19.
Italics mean singing. It helps to listen to the song before or during reading.
"Mermaid?" Dean arched an eyebrow at Sam as he stuffed the last of his bacon into his mouth. Sam nodded, fingers tapping rappidly at the keyboard.
"Witness said he saw a mermaid in the water, beckoning to his sister and possibly speaking to her."
"How old was the witness?"
"14."
"Huh."
"Anyway, the sister's waist deep in water before the brother manages to drag her out. Apparently she was pitching a fit too. And that's not the only kid. Kids have been vanishing from this town for over 300 years, Dean. This year alone there have been 7. This place has hardly any families left because of it."
"Well then I guess we go find ourselves an Ariel then!"
The car ride is quite. Everytime Sam tries to bring up Bobby Dean simply turns the radio up louder, code for shut the fuck up Sammy. It's hard. He doesn't know what the hell he's supposed to be doing. Playing sane is getting harder and harder when his entire world is falling apart. But like Dean, he will throw himself into his work and pretend that everything is fine because they're Winchesters. That's just what they do. The town is pretty. All picket fences and vintage lamp posts. Sam likes it. Dean calls him a chick. It's almost like old times. They head to the police station, a royal blue wooden building that smelt of coffee and cinnamon.
"I'm Agent Laslow, this is Agent Burley. We have some questions about you're recent missing children's cases?"
The chief just grumbles under his breath and directs the secretary to get some boxes. 12 boxes actually.
"This is all we have. Have fun boys."
And with that, they are left alone in one of the small interrogation rooms with 12 bursting boxes of files. Dean opens his mouth but Sam slaps him around the head with a file and tells him no he cannot go ask the secretary for any more information. Sam was not saying in this room with all this work by himself. It takes them almost 5 hours to go through every single page of every single file. And they come up blank.
"There's nothing connection the kids. They're different genders, ages, races. The only thing they have in common is they are never seen again." Dean throws down the last file and rubs a hand over his face.
"So what? We thinking this is a viable mermaid? I mean, are they even real?"
"I dunno Sammy. I mean, there's been records of mermaids for centuries. Ain't never heard anything solid on them but hell, I'm willing to believe anything at this point. Why don't we go down to the beach tonight. See if we can see anything. And dig up any lore we can on fucking ariel."
It's unnaturally warm outside, for 1am. The sky is clear and the water still. They're leaning against the car, beer in hand. It should be the impala. But it's not. And it just doesn't feel right. Sam shifts nervously in the silence and Dean just looks at him. Daring him to even bring it up. He doesn't though. Just clears his throat and grabs another beer. Eventually, about 2am, Dean suggests they split up. Walk the beach. Sam's grateful to escape the awkward silence and tells Dean he'll call if he sees anything. Sam loves sand. Loves how his sneakers sink into it as he steps and how by morning they'll be washed away. He stares out at the water looking for anything. But the water is still and nothing breaks the surface. If there's anything out there, it's hiding.
Dean muttered under his breath. Sammy. Always trying to fix what ain't even broke. He throws his empty beer bottle into the water and watches the ripples dance. Mermaids. This was just stupid. Even if it was and mermaid they had no lore on how to kill it. Some said stab, some said shoot, some said poison, some said suffocate. That was a lot of things to try on a human fish. If they could even catch it. Suddenly Dean stops. He hears whispering. Giggles. Two girls are stumbling down the sand towards the water. They're twins with long blonde hair and matching pajamas. No more than 12. Suddenly they stop giggling and whispering. They stare wide eyed out at the water and Dean turns and stares too. She's beautiful. Dean has to give her that. And topless. Dean can appreciate that. Then to his surprise she opens her mouth and begins to sing. Her voice is low and gentle. Dean watched in horror as the twins move through the sand towards the figure, eyes glazed. Her skin is almost glowing white in the moonlight and she's got a hand out, reaching for them. Her tail flicks up behind her, moving through the still water with ease.
"Hush now dear children, it must be this way. To weary of life and deceptions"
Finding his feet Dean is running through the sand, grabbing the twins and tugging them back. They scream, desperate to reach the water, to reach the beautiful creature beckoning them. She's howling now, hissing and spitting with anger as Dean pulls them back further and further. Her tail thrashes on the water with a loud slap and then she's gone. Sam is running towards him now and Dean's just standing there, holding the two struggling girls and staring at the fading ripple. A motherfucking mermaid. It's been two days. They haven't gone back to the beach. Now they know what it is, it's time to find out how to kill the bitch.
"Those two girls you saved? They're dead." Dean grabs the newspaper out of Sam's hands.
"A car crash?"
"Yup. Dad was driving drunk. I don't know whats worse. Death by father or death by mermaid."
"Yeah well that still doesn't help us out. We've gotta find out how to kill this thing Sam. And hope she's working alone."
They settle on trying stabbing, shooting and suffocating. Because they can't find anything solid. Dean wades into the water, glancing back at Sammy at the waters edge. He feels stupid doing this. And more than a little scared. When the waters up to his armpits he stops.
"Okay! I know you're out there! Here fishy fishy fishy!"
Dean can feel Sam's bitchface at his back but he doesn't care. He just wants to kill this bitch and go get laid. Something moves a head of him. Something brushes against his legs. Then she's there, bursting out of the water, sharp teeth bared in a snarl. Dean has the gun raised in a second but she doesn't even flinch. He can get a better look at her now. Her hair is dark and thick. Her eyes are fully white and it reminds him of a old blind lady he met once. Her teeth are all sharp canines that glint in the dull light.
"You killed them! They're dead because of you!" She hisses. Her voice is rough and grating like the sound of a boats engine. Nothing like the calming song of before. "What do you mean?" Dean should just pull the trigger. He really should. Pull the goddam trigger you pussy he snarls to himself. But he doesn't. He just keeps his arm raised and ready.
"I protect them. I save them from their fate! I have always saved them."
"You...what?"
"They are my children. MINE! I never let them suffer like you humans do."
Sam's in the water now, knife in hand.
"You, you turn them into mermaids?"
"Yes."
"How do you know? How do you know who's going to die?"
"We know many things. We are very old Winchester. We live in the darkest depths of the ocean, we speak with the angels and the demons and the gods and the fates. Nothing escapes us."
Sam's next to him now but the knife isn't raised. Dean realizes that he's dropped his own knife now too. And she's humming a slow lullabye as she swims backwards away from them.
"Next time you stay away. I will not let the children die. Come little children I'll take you away Into a land of enchantment."
They pack their bags and leave. Dean's confused. Morally. Is a mermaid a monster? It didn't actually kill anything. It turned them sure. But if they didn't the kids would die. He knew what his father would say. Some rant about fate and monsters and he would drag that thing out by it's hair and gut it alive. He'd make them watch too. Just to make sure they understood that it wasn't human. And anything that wasn't human had to die. Killer or not. As they drove away from the town with it's picket fences and vintage signs, Dean could hear the wind howling outside. He swore he could hear her singing. The same haunting song.
Come Little Children I'll Take Thee Away
Into A Land Of Enchantment
Come Little Children
The Time's Come To Play
Here In My Garden Of Shadows