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Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.
Hebrews 13:16
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'Are you serious?'
Castiel was startled awake, groaning as he felt joints crack when he rolled over on the lounge.
'Ok, thank you for getting back to me.'
With a click she shut her mobile and Castiel had his legs shaken.
'Come on, can't sleep all day.'

Sitting up, Castiel tangled his fingers in knotted hair as he blinked the grit away. It was a broken night's sleep but at least there were no strange names or images from his dreams causing him a headache like previous mornings.
That's all they were, strange dreams weren't they?

Something hit the back of his head, making him flinch. More alert now, he swung his legs to put his legs to put his feet on the ground, pulling the jacket from around his neck. Micah was drinking her coffee, the bitter rich aroma filling his nose. In response his stomach rumbled and Castiel stood, stretching out. He noticed the bed was unslept in, looking to Micah only to see dark bags forming under her eyes. He was straightening his pants and getting ready to change when Micah caught his eyes.

Pale light green eyes fell on him and Castiel smiled softly.
'Morning. Casual dress?'
Getting to her feet, Micah gathered her hair behind her, tying it neatly as Castiel rummaged through his backpack to pull out dark jeans and a clean red shirt. Not bothering with a shower he stripped off his shirt, noticing Micah turn away, trying to distract herself.

'Yep. I have a hunch that this kid has something to do with this.'
Castiel agreed, sliding on his dark brown jacket and neatening his hair before moving to stand beside her.
'So we're going to…'
'Interview the teacher.'
Nodding, he moved out the door as Micah shut it with a soft thud, slipping the key into her pocket.

'We have time for breakfast?'
'You mean lunch.' Micah laughed, tossing her car keys in her hands. Raising an eyebrow, Castiel looked around for a clock, Micah flipping her phone open to show him twelve thirty. It felt as though he had only slept five minutes.
'Why didn't you wake me?'
'You were tired. It was the first night I didn't hear you cry out.'
Castiel didn't know what to say so remained silent, thoughts trying to think back over all the nights he had been dreaming. He didn't recall ever crying out, but now he could see the dark ring forming around Micah's eyes.

Once they got to the car, Micah looked up at the heavy black clouds, pulling a face as she opened the door.
'Was hoping for a walk.'

Sliding into the seat, Castiel rubbed his eyes and groaned as his stomach grumbled. Micah chuckled beside him, starting the car and pulling out into the quiet street.
They were silent, her rock music playing quietly enough that all Castiel could hear was the beat.
'We'll stop and get you something just up here… I could so with something to eat to.'
Micah sneezed, rubbing her nose as she cleared her throat.
'Sounds like I'm the one getting the cold.'

Castiel shared her laugh, but for some reason he couldn't keep the cheerful mood.
'Micah, what you did yesterday…'
A hand was in his face, eyes glaring on the road as she continued to drive.
'No. I did what was needed.' She dropped her hand, glancing at him briefly before sighing. 'Guy died anyway.'
There was a hint of disappointment in her face, but whether it was for a waste of effort or just the death of the man Castiel wasn't sure. But even from what he knew of Micah over the past weeks, she would not be one to think that giving someone a chance of life would be a waste of effort.

'How did he die?'
Breathing in heavily, Micah parked the car on the street, hands falling into her lap.
'They found traces of a sedative in his system, enough to knock out three men plus, both his legs were broken. '
Stepping out of the car, Castiel zipped his jacket up from the cool wind, waiting for Micah to join him as they walked into the café.
'And get this, all over his arms and legs… seal bites.'
Castiel frowned, ordering something to go as he frowned at Micah.
'Seal bites?'

Micah nodded, grinning a strange grin. Castiel thanked the waitress for his sandwich, Micah sipping at another coffee. Castiel ran over everything he had heard and everything he had seen.
'Where you saved him, a seal was there no that long before he called for help.' They moved back out to the car again, Castiel swallowing a mouthful as his mind tried to find a link between all the information. It was linked, he knew it was.
'And Jim was the last boat out there. Could have thrown the man over.'
'Surely someone would notice a guy being tossed from the boat?' Micah curled her lip, holding her coffee as they returned to the road.

'What motive would he have for killing?'
Micah thought about it, Castiel watching as those eyes narrowed and he was sure if she could, she would be twirling the hair around her fingers.
'You said that Mr Barrington was a house call doctor?' Castiel nodded, watching as the rain began to lightly fall again. 'Well Jim could have had easy access to the sedatives, and he was within the area when the man was found. Eager to leave to… maybe he thought he had something to do with his brother's disappearance? Got what he needed and got rid of him.'

'We'll have to wait, he is talking with the local police currently. Waiting for a lawyer.' She snorted, getting back out of the car and quickly taking a bite of his lunch he followed Micah, his badge in his pocket as he studied the school before him. It wasn't much, kids running in from the rain as class started again.
'Dam it.' Micah mumbled. 'Was hoping to get this guy on his lunch break.'

Once inside, it wasn't hard to find their way and Micah knocked on the gentleman's office.
'Mr Frier? Agent Stephanie Tyler and my partner Ben Scott.'
The aged man stood, resting his glasses on the desk, inviting them in.
'Yes, please. Come in and take a seat.'
Castiel slid his badge back into his pocket, observing the small dark room as he sat in the chair beside Micah, facing the balding man as he leant back in his chair.
'Lucky I am late for lunch today.' He chuckled and Castiel nudged his head towards the man, letting Micah take control of this questioning.

Instead he tried to take in as much as he could from the man. It wasn't hard, he was a well-educated man with many years of teaching experience; history. It was all on his walls, framed in gold and silver.
'Thank you for seeing us on short notice. We just have a few questions about Luke Barrington.'
The man sighed sadly and Castiel could see the remorse on the man's face.
'Damn tragedy that. That boy was one of my best students.'
'And that was history…?
He nodded, turning a book around for them to face. It was a large book, tags hanging from the edges to mark pages of relevance.
'Ancient history and legends, great course but not a lot of the students are into that sort of thing,' he winked at Castiel who lifted the book, opening to a few pages, 'more interested in computers now days.'

As Castiel turned through the book, scanning over a few of the pages marked, he couldn't help but notice that they were all along the same lines; mythical creatures and lore's.
'This was Luke's book?' Castiel asked, looking up from the scribble of writing in empty spaces and columns. The teacher nodded, finishing his answer to Micah who gave Castiel a curious look.
'Could you think of any reason why he would want to run away or…'
Mr Frier shook his head quickly, a hand rising to stop Micah from speaking.
'There was nothing wrong with that boy. He was a bright student, and with parents who loved him. It might have been hard with a brother and sister that were only half related but there was no reason why he would just vanish. It isn't like him.'

He gave both of them a nervous glance, leaning in towards them.
'He wasn't kidnapped was he?'
'Why would you say that Mr Frier?' Castiel asked.
He leant back just as quick as he had forward, rubbing his receding hair line.
'It's just that with all these drownings the past couple of years and disappearances, it wouldn't surprise many of us if he washed up on the shore line within the week.'
Castiel dropped his eyes from the man, disappointed that he could speak in such a way but then again, in such a small place things would be taken more casually.

'You said half brother and sister. You mean Nicole and Jim?'
The man nodded, fiddling with a pen before making eye contact again with Micah and Castiel.
'It is not my place to speak but ten years ago Mr Barrington's wife died, drowned on a regular morning swim. It left only Gerard and Jim but not even a month later he was married again to Victoria.' He took a breath, coughing and moving the pen further away from him. 'Her daughter came across no long after from England and within six months Luke was born.'

Micah shared a glance with Castiel, raising an eyebrow and Castiel committed the new information to memory. A bell rang and Mr Frier groaned, his unopened container of tuna and salad still untouched on the desk beside him.
'Thank you for your time Mr Frier, sorry about interrupting your short lunch.'
Micah stood as well as Castiel, shaking the teachers hands.
'Do you mind if I hang onto this?' Castiel held up the used book and the teacher bowed his head in agreement.
'I have it all up here.' He pointed a finger to his temple smiling.

As they were stepping out into the corridor, Mr Frier called out to them.
'You said, if I knew any reason why Luke would want to run away….'
Curious and interested, Micah and Castiel leant in together, ears sharp over the sudden thunder of kids running through the halls.
'I don't know what his early childhood was like or how his parents treated him, but on his hands,' he held up a hand of his own, running a finger down the side of one on his other hand, 'each finger had a scar down on either side. I just hope that the poor lad wasn't mistreated by the parents.'

A few students ran into his office, ignoring the two strangers talking to him. Both Micah and Castiel nodded, turning to walk back out to the car. It was pouring again, but Castiel could only look down at the book.
'Why keep the book? Want to join the course?' Castiel ignored the jibe, just unfocused his eyes to study the elegant book. It was heavy, like it held all the answers and as Micah mumbled something about going into the shop for a few things, Castiel read every page as to find the link between the clues.

'A selkie.'
Micah raised an eyebrow as she walked back towards him from the shop. Tossing a bag in his direction, Castiel lifted himself from leaning on the car and sat back down in the passenger's seat, the book still open in his hands as he read through, confirming what he just said.
'Selkie. Basically it a seal that can shed its skin and become human.'
Micah frowned, looking between him, the book and the road. He could almost hear her thoughts ticking over time and Castiel grinned, closing the book.

'It is just a guess, but all through the book pages to do with animals morphing into people, the ocean or seals has been marked.'
Micah slowly nodded her head, leaning back in her seat as she twisted the blonde hair around her finger again.
'Best lead we have. Think I saw a movie on one when I was a kid.' She laughed and Castiel rolled his eyes. Whatever they were dealing with, Micah knew it was related to the boy and Castiel knew that it was related to the ocean.

Back in the hotel room, Micah kicked off her shoes, rummaging through the shopping bag and pulling out some beer and packed food.
'Could I use your laptop? I want to find out as much as I can about selkies.'
Lips around a beer already, Micah nodded and curled a finger to encourage him over. Leaning over the back of the chair, he gently took from Micah's hands a small silver mobile.
'I can't have you running around without one. I'll give you my number in a minute.'

Taking the gift, Castiel smiled as sat down at the table, waiting for the computer to turn on as he watched Micah. Something sad fell over her and she looked at her hand before slipping off a ring. Standing slowly, she came over to Castiel and handed him a necklace. On it was the ring.

'I want you to have this.'
Meeting her eyes, Castiel opened his palm, the necklace lowered into his hands. The gold chain was fine and the ring a mix of silver and gold, engravings forming shapes that reminded him of palms.

'Don't lose it.'

He blinked away the memory, his head forming a headache that he knew would be worse if he allowed that memory through.
'Where did you get it?'
Micah shrugged her shoulders.
'A boy gave it to me once. I saved him from a spirit, but he lost his parents. It was a thank you, he said it represents victory or something.'

Castiel pushed it around his palm for a while before holding it up to Micah for her to take it back but she shook her head.
'No I can't accept this Micah, it was a gift to you.'
'And now it is one for you. I just, really want you to have it.
'I need to return the favour, but I have nothing.'

Micah shook her head, blonde hair cascading around her neck and face. Castiel just wanted to push it away; he wanted to see completely the soft blush on her face as she leant forward, picking it up and slipping it over his head. It rested neatly against his chest and Castiel could feel true acceptance fill him.
'No, Cass, you have you. You don't need to be anyone else. Just be you and that is enough for me.'

She was so close as she stared at him. He couldn't tare his eyes from her. He wanted to lean forward, to close the distance between them, but was that the right thing to do?
Micah smirked, stepping back and waving a hand before picking up her beer and Luke's book of lore, collapsing onto the couch.
'Don't sprain yourself. It's like you never received a gift before.' She mocked, but Castiel could feel that it was a weak jibe.

Looking down at the necklace, Castiel smiled to himself.
He would be himself, he didn't even know himself but he would try for Micah. She sacrificed so much for others, he would do anything in his power to make Micah realise that she could also simply be herself around him.
That would be enough for Castiel.

Uneventful again, sloppy and gay but hey, it can't all be fun and action haha but getting closer to the end of the hunt.
Any recomendations for another hunt? Going to start easing into the main plot soon, so get ready haha
Next update soon I hope .
Thanks for reading and all your reviews, much love.

Silver-Kirin
xXx