This has been edited by QueenOfHearts!

Chapter 9

The second Gabriel went under Sam didn't need to see to know who was dragging his lover away. With a frantic cry, Sam darted toward his father. He wasn't fast enough; John had surprised him, making Sam lose precious seconds while the older merman dragged Gabriel deeper into the water. Pushing himself as fast as possible, Sam tried to catch up, the estuary coming quick. Unable to slow down lest he lose Gabriel, Sam held his breath and hoped that it would help with the transition from fresh to saltwater.

It didn't.

With his head dizzy from the rush and Gabriel moving farther away, Sam wondered if he would be able to save the man from drowning by his father's hands. One thing was for sure. John Winchester was going to answer for his crime. Locking gazes with those golden eyes he loved so much, Sam watched as Gabriel blacked out, his lungs expelling what little air he had left as he lost consciousness. He was out of time. Thankfully a flash of green and blue rushed at John, knocking him out of his stride and making him lose his grip on Gabriel's ankle.

Sam didn't bother rushing to his father to fight, from the spear in Dean's hand and the blade in Bobby's, they had the other merman beat. Diving, Sam caught Gabriel's hand tugging the human toward him and pressing his mouth on the other's. Breathing in through his gills, Sam tried to force the air past his lips and into Gabriel's lungs while darting to the surface. There was no response, and because they were still underwater he didn't want to chance compressions on the other's chest.

"Gabriel, Gabriel, please baby open your eyes."

Small crystals fell from Sam's eyes, his tears forming the gems in the salt water while he cried for his lover. Trying again and again to breathe life into the human, Sam was just about to break the surface when something grabbed his tail and yanked him back down making him bite his lip hard enough to bleed. John was severely injured; the merman had his dorsal fin sliced open and was bleeding into the surrounding area. Sam wanted to defend his lover, to take John out once and for all, but he didn't have time.

His brother grabbed John and pulled him away from Sam, but by then too much time had passed. Gabriel wouldn't be able to breathe again. Trying one last time to force his own air into his lover's lungs, Sam prayed to anyone who would listen that it would work, that he could save his mate. Gabriel jerked. Sam heard the last cries of his father at the same moment that Gabriel's golden eyes opened and stared at him. Thinking his lover needed more air, Sam started to swim again to the surface, locking their lips together and breathing into the human's mouth.

Frantic hands gripped his hair, keeping Sam's lips locked on the blonds while they moved when suddenly Gabriel cried out in pain. Not understanding what was happening, Sam pressed his mouth to Gabriel's again, blowing as much air as he could into the other's lungs. As he tried to make his way to the surface, Sam was halted by someone grabbing his fluke and tugging down. Infuriated and scared, Sam turned to the culprit only to look into concerned blue eyes. "You gotta keep him under, Sam. You bled into his mouth, Son. There ain't no land left for him after that."

"That's a myth!"

Bobby shook his head and nodded toward the bottom of Gabriel's feet which were fusing together. "Never thought I would say this but it's a good thing your boy is naked, makes the transition easier." Gabriel continued to whimper and scream, his cries frightening any marine life away while his body changed. Sam held his lover against him, even though he knew there was nothing he could do to stop the process. Dean, who wore a grim expression, came to help Sam, guiding them to Sam's cave and away from the body of their father. John would be nothing more than seafoam in a few hours, and though Sam knew he should say goodbye to the merman who sired him, he couldn't, not when his mate needed him.

Bringing a crying Gabriel to his home, Sam laid the man down on his nest. The soft kelp and moss hopefully would help his comfort. Running his hand through Gabriel's hair, Sam remained beside his mate, watching Gabriel's body change from a man of land to one of the sea. Bobby stayed with him for a while, the older merman having a bit more medical knowledge than the rest of them in case something went wrong.

Now that he was looking, Sam could see the slits on the side of Gabriel's neck, the gills allowing him to breathe on his own. "What if he hates me?" whispered Sam. He didn't mean to speak with both Bobby and Dean in the room, but he couldn't help the fear from being voiced. Gabriel hadn't even wanted to stay on their island; he had wanted to go back to the humans, to visit his friends at the very least. Now he was stuck in the ocean with Sam.

"Dude, I wouldn't worry about it. That guy wasn't about to leave you, Sammy. I don't know what he might have said, but I talked to him. He was going to bond with you once he got his head out of his ass. This just means you guys can have a life here with him without him being stuck to that island."

Another scream from Gabriel and Sam was frantically trying to soothe the man. Gabriel's tail was forming his dorsal fin which was sensitive on a good day. For a second Sam thought Gabriel opened his eyes only for the man to reach out his now-clawed hand and grasp Sam's arm. Laying beside the blond, Sam tried to comfort him, running his hand along the man's chest and back, keeping his touches away from the new tail and gills as not to overstimulate them.

"You know when this is done, you're going to have to teach him everything like a sapling. He's not going to know how to function; and is going need you for a while. You think you're up for that? If not, we can move closer to one of the communities. I know your father liked his seclusion, but they may be able to help."

Shaking his head at Bobby's suggestion, Sam continued to soothe Gabriel, which seemed to be working as the man stopped screaming and was now clinging to Sam's chest. "No, I don't want anyone else around him right now until he feels ready."

Dean nodded with a smirk, "I bet you don't. You might want to keep him away from other merpeople for a while until you two bond. I've never seen that color of tail before; I mean golden? Really? He's going to be a hot topic, and I know a few people who would like to claim him as their own. You might have competition now."

Growling, Sam glared at his brother, but the second he made the sound Gabriel reacted, nuzzling along his throat and curling tighter against him. His mate was trying to calm him even though Gabriel himself was in pain. "I think we'll be fine until he wakes up, Dean. You don't need to be here." Getting a snort in response, Dean made his way to the cave entrance before Sam called out.

"De? Thank you. I know it would have been hard, but I couldn't let Gabriel die."

Dean sighed, the small bubbles escaping from his mouth. "I wouldn't have been able to do anything else; you don't need to thank me. Just try to be happy with your golden-boy, alright?" Not one for talking about emotional issues, Dean left the cave, darting around the corner and vanishing from sight. Bobby was the next to leave, patting Sam on the shoulder before mentioning that he would stick close by in case something went wrong.

Laying on his back with Gabriel resting on top of him, Sam tried to think of how he was going to explain this to his mate. Even if Gabriel never wanted to see him again, Sam knew he made the right choice. Petting his lover's hair, Sam waited for the other to wake up, their tails entwined.