AN: EEEHHHHH! GET ME, TWO CHAPTERS IN ONE DAY, WHOOP WHOOP! Also, if you get the aliens and towels reference, I officially love you. And, if you don't, why haven't you read this book?!
Later that day, I sat cross legged on my bed, reading my book again. It was very interesting, one that Sam had dug out for me. He said it had been one of his favourites. It was about a man called Arthur and his best friend was an alien called Ford and they all seemed be very interested in towels. It was still very good. Sam and Dean were talking over at the table, the light of the laptop screen illuminating their faces. Every now and then, they would look to me, and see I was watching them, and both hastily turn back to the screen. Suddenly there was a sudden "Yes!" from Sam.
"Hey, Cas, come over here," said Dean, waving a hand at me. I decided the vase incident was forgiven and scooted off the bed and came and stood next to him. "It's water spirit," he pointed to a picture of what looked like a woman made of water.
"How did you know?" Sam pulled a piece of folded paper out of his pocket.
"After you went out to the car, Dean and Mrs Blasnyk went into the kitchen to make coffee or something, and Eddie suddenly said that he was lying and had seen something, but he didn't think anyone would believe him. He drew what he saw in my notebook, and said he could hear her, but he wasn't affected by her," he waved the piece of paper. "This is what he saw." I studied the page. He brought up several images on the screen, and some information.
"So, water spirits…" Dean read. He murmured under his breath, taking in the text. "It says a hostage is not completely drowned until twenty-four hours after they have been submerged. She surrounds them with a bubble of some sort, slowly draining them until they're dead. Then she doesn't need another hostage for anther ten years," he searched through the papers on the desk before holding one up triumphantly. Dean stabbed at a headline. "Ten years ago, another kid drowned in Santo Lake. I'm guessing she was the previous hostage. But, if Andy jumped in yesterday, about 6 in the evening that means that we have a maximum of three or four hours." He looked at Sam and I. "We have to leave, now. Santo Reserve is about half an hour away, so we need to get a head start." Dean slammed the laptop screen down, making Sam wince. He pulled on his jacket, and threw Sam's at him.
"Are you ready Cas?"
"Yes, just give me a moment!" I called as they made their way down the steps. I had noticed a page of my book had been lodged between the screen and base, so I carefully lifted it out. And then, as I casually peered at the webpage still displayed, I saw a couple of lines that nearly made my heart stop. I shut it quickly, and raced down the flights of steps, two at a time, my heart pounding.
"Dean! Dean, I have to tell you something!" I shouted, sprinting towards him. They both turned around, the keys to the Impala in Dean's hand. "It's about the water spirit! We have to-" I ran full throttle into him, the keys twisting and scratching against the Impala's black paint. Sam hands went up a moment to late and Dean shoved me off quickly. I fell onto the tarmac, feeling my elbows bruise. Dean spun around and started rubbing at the ugly silver scar, cursing.
"Dude, calm down!" said Sam, but Dean continued to fuss over the car. After several minutes spent cursing, he turned to me and hauled me up.
"You scratched my car. You. Scratched. My. Frigging. Car." He growled at me. I shrank away slightly.
"I am sorry, Dean! I didn't mean to-"
"My car. My beautiful car."
"Dean, please you are hurting me!" I pushed him away, and Sam put a steady hand on his brother's shoulder.
"Both of you, just stop it! Dean, I know how important the car is, yeah, yeah, and Cas, you need to learn to walk like a normal person, but that kid is slowly drowning and we need to save him. So can both of you stop being morons, and work together?" He stared at both of us, eyebrows raised. I looked wide eyed at him. Dean climbed into the car, slamming the door shut. Sam sighed a little and got in next to him, leaving me standing awkwardly next the car. Dean rolled his window down slightly.
"Are going to get in?" He asked sharply.
"Yes, I am." I gingerly climbed into the back seat, trying to make as little disruption as possible. I had to tell them what I'd seen, but now seemed not the time. They wouldn't want to listen anyway. I stayed quiet, cracking each of my knuckles over and over again to pass the time. Dean turned to radio up, and he and Sam continued to stare at the dusty road infront of us. I looked out of the window, and after a while, starting seeing signs for Santo Reserve.
"Dean?" I asked quietly. "The Reserve is-"
"Yeah, I know, Castiel. It's four miles away, I can read." Was the blunt reply. I sighed and leaned against the back of the seat. Soon enough, he pulled into the entrance of the Reserve. Sam tapped his watch.
"Five o'clock, Dean. We've got one more hour." Dean nodded, slammed his door shut, running his calloused hands over the scratch. I winced as he gave another throaty growl and turned on his heel, marching towards the direction of the lake. Sam shoved his hands in his pockets, and cocked his head at me in the direction of Dean. I followed him down the path, my coat catching on the undergrowth. We came to a long wooden jetty and Dean held up the newspaper, comparing the black and white photo on the cover to the jetty.
"We're in the right place," he called over his shoulder to Sam, and I jogged after him to platform.
"Dean! Please listen to me," I said quickly. "It is of great import you listen carefully. There was a link the laptop that you clicked by accident when you slammed the lid down. To successfully rescue a water spirit's hostage, you must replace it with another individual, otherwise she will kill everyone within the walls of her territory, that's everybody in the park." I finished. Dean and Sam stared at me, mouths open.
"Why the hell didn't you tell us before?!" I looked down at the stones on the floor.
"Uh… I thought that you were angry with me…" I said quietly. Dean put a hand to his forehead, sighing deeply.
"Cas, look I probably over-reacted but, for God's sake, we need to know stuff like that!"
"I know. I am very sorry." I mumbled. Dean squatted down a little, his head in his hands. Sam and I gathered around him. He looked up at both of us.
"Can't we get somebody else willing to do it, like Nancy did?" Sam shook his head. "No, we haven't got time," Dean groaned.
"Me." He said.
"No." Sam and I said in unison.
"Yes."
"No, Dean!" said Sam.
"Sammy, not you. I've already lost you too many times before, not again." Dean shook his head, his eyes shining. Sam bit his lip and pinched his nose.
"But Dean, I'd have to live without you. I can't do that either,"
"I will," I said clearly. Silently, their heads swivelled to me.
"Cas-"
"It seems I am the only one that is able to do it." I gave them a small smile. "I won't be missed, I am very sure." Dean stood up and pulled me into a tight hug.
"Cas, you are incredibly brave, you know that?" he said.
"I am not brave, I am a coward," I said, "I could not the thought of life without either of you." Dean laughed and clapped me hard on the back, almost winding me.
"Oh God, I'm going to miss you, man." He said. He wiped his sleeve over his eyes for a second before returning to his usual self. He ran along the jetty and threw a huge stone into the lake. It splashed into the water with a loud plopping sound. "Come out and show yourself, you stupid bitch!" he yelled. Suddenly, the ground started to shake, and a high and silvery voice filled my ears.
How dare you insult me, I am the Lady of LakeSanto, and what right do you have to disturb me?
"Can you hear that?" I shouted over the sound of her voice. I covered my ears, trying to block it out.
"Cas, why are you shouting?" asked Dean. "There's nothing there. The ground just shook, that was it."
"Can't you hear her? The Lady, she's right there," I pointed to where the Lady stood, looking like a majestic ice statue, floating above the surface of the lake. Dean opened his mouth and frowned.
"No. Are you saying you can hear her speaking? Like Andy and Eddie did?" I nodded.
"Very loudly."
"Well tell her this," he cupped his mouth and cried out: "You better be ready, you son of a bitch, because we're going to save that kid!" The spirit screamed in anger and smashed her clenched fists against the lake, sending giant waves towards us.
NO! No, you can't have him!
"She didn't like that, Dean!" I cried. He shrugged, his hair being blown back from his face from the sudden wind that was whipping our faces. Sam glanced at his watch.
No! No you can't! No you can't!
I covered my ears.
"Cas, we have ten minutes!" he yelled. "You have to go now!" I struggled against the wind. I was going to die, and I couldn't die without telling Dean.
"Dean Winchester, I love you!" Was all I could say before Dean grabbed the collar of my coast and pulled me towards him. Our lips met and it felt like the world had stood still. I leaned into him, longing to keep his sweet, warm lips on mine forever. But, I couldn't. I had a job to do. We pulled apart and he smiled at me.
"Go on, Cas. Go save that kid." I ran up the jetty, and as I got to the end, I jumped off. For a moment, I wondered if my wings would unfold like they had before I had Fallen. But they didn't, and I plummeted into the lake, the cold water shocking me. As I slowly sank down, I cast one last glance at the rippling surface of the water, before turning back to the deep black bottom, and the task of rescuing Andy.
AN: HAH! A wonderful cliff hanger for you all to steam over mwuhahahahahaha! I seem to have a thing about drowning, if you've read any other fanfics of mine.