"Wake up Lexi." Dean whispers. "I have a busy day planned for us."
Lex blinks and rubs her eyes. "No busy. More sleep."
"I've made a decision." He says, sitting up. "You need to learn to drive."
Lex sits up strait, now wide-awake. "You want me to drive?! Like in a car? No! Nonono. No."
"You have to learn sometime." He grins, climbing out of bed, and pulling on his jeans.
Lex pulls the pillow over her head, and flops back on the bed, groaning.
Dean jumps on top of her, and wrestles the pillow out of her hand. He begins to nibble her neck and ear. "Get up."
"No" she giggles, kicking him off her.
He grabs her by the waist, lifting her out of bed, and standing her on her feet. He sits on the edge of the bed, and pulls her face down, kissing her softly. "I have faith in you. You can do this." He whispers, then bends down to slide on his boots.
"Ugh, fine." She grumbles, storming to her dresser to pull out jeans and a cotton t-shirt.
He walks up behind her, sliding his hands around her waist, and kissing her neck, just below her hairline. "Meet you outside." He says.
A few minutes later, Lex scrambles out the front door, and toward the Impala where Dean is leaning, waiting for her. He stands up and smiles, opening the driver's side door for her.
"Are you sure about this?" She asks, her eyebrows pushed together.
"YES. Get in." He grins.
Lex sighs, climbing into the front seat. Dean leans over, and adjusts her seat, so that her feet can reach the pedal.
Once Lex is situated, Dean gets into the passenger seat, and hands her the keys.
She puts the key in the ignition with shaky hands, and starts the engine. It roars to life, and she jumps.
"Okay good lesson." She says quickly, attempting to shut the car back off.
Dean intercepts, and brings her hand to his lips, kissing it. "Push on the breaks, and put the car into gear."
She complies, foot still pushed firmly on the break.
"Let up off the breaks." He sighs. "Slowly."
Her foot lifts, and the car lurches back. Lex screams, and slams on the breaks again.
Dean laughs. "Its okay, you're doing good."
She sighs, and takes her foot off the pedal again, and the Impala begins to back up. She panics, and looks at him for instruction.
"Hit the gas, gently."
The car flies backward, and into a metal trashcan. Dean pulls the emergency break, as Lex slams the break pedal.
"Oh shit!" She jumps out of the car, horrified.
Running to the back of the car, she examines the damage, and tears well up in her eyes.
Dean climbs out, and walks around the other side. He leans over, and rubs the scratch on Baby's rear bumper with his thumb. He looks up at Lex, squinting against the early morning sun. When he see's the expression on her face, he stands up, taking her by the shoulders and pulling her into a hug.
"I'm sorry." She sobs.
Dean shakes with laughter, and Lex pulls back, looking at him incredulously. "You aren't mad?"
"It's an easy fix." He chuckles, wiping the tears off of Lex's face with his shirtsleeve. "Don't stress. You'll get better."
He climbs in and pulls the Impala forward, leaving it idling and climbing back into the passenger seat.
"Again." He commands.
She climbs in, and this time makes it onto the road, places the car in drive, and hits the gas.
As the car accelerates, Lex begins to feel a rush. "This is really fun."
"See. Not so bad." He replies.
After a few minutes, Lex pulls over, and puts the car in park.
"What's wrong?" Dean asks.
Instead of answering, Lex climbs across the seat, and straddles Deans lap. She leans forward kissing him passionately.
Dean groans and slides his hands around her hips, pulling her further toward him. She leans over, grabbing the lever that lowers his seat, and pushing him back. She unbuttons his shirt and brushes her lips down his neck and chest.
As she runs her hands down his torso toward his pants, he pulls her shirt over her head.
She kisses his jawline at the base of his ear, and whispers, "I love you."
"I love you too." He breathes, as her hands trace the waistline of his pants, groping for the button.
...
They pull back into the bunker an hour and a half later, grinning and disheveled.
Sam stands in the doorway, a serious look on his face. "Where have you two been?" He asks sternly.
Dean chuckles, and then clears his throat "Driving lesson."
"Riiiight…" Sam says, raising one eyebrow. "Well we have a hunt."
"Really?" Lex says, as she climbs out of the Impala, pulling her messy hair into a ponytail. "What are we hunting?"
"Mermaids." Sam says.
"Mermaids Sam? Really?" Dean rolls his eyes.
"Well salt-water Nymphs…oceanids, which are basically what are referred to as mermaids…" Sam replies.
"WE GET TO GO TO THE OCEAN?!" Lex squeals, bouncing up and down eagerly.
"It's not a vacation, it's a hunt…" Sam reminds her, but he can't help but smile at her childish excitement.
Once inside, they gather around the table, and Sam lays out an autopsy report that was sent to him by a fellow hunter, detailing several unusual shark attacks around Myrtle Beach.
"The wounds don't match a shark bite," Sam explains, his finger outlining a bite-mark shown along a teen girls torso. "Too small, and look at these-" he points out the deep gashes that surround the bites.
"Looks like something with claws grabbed her as it bit down…definitely consistent with oceanids…lets load up and head out." Dean says, walking toward the room to grab his ever-ready duffel bag.
On the way to the beach, Lex sits up on her knees, staring out the window.
"We wont be there for like…twenty hours." Dean says, exasperated. "Put on your seat belt."
"Fine," She flops down in the seat, buckles her belt, and crosses her arms.
Dean watches her in the rearview, and rolls his eyes at her tantrum.
"I have to pee." Lex says matter-of-factly.
"Oh god. We've only been driving half an hour." Sam groans.
"Why didn't you go before we left?" Dean adds.
"Because," Lex replies, "I didn't NEED to go then."
...
Nineteen and a half hours and six pit stops later, they pull into the hotel.
"Wake up Lexi, we're here." Dean reaches over the seat to shake a sleeping Lex awake.
"I'm up." She sits up, and looks around. "Where are we?"
"We are at the hotel." Sam says.
"Ok." She blinks hard, and rolls out of the car. Her sundress whips in the wind, and she stands on her tip toes, sniffing. "What is that?"
"Sea air." Sam replies inhaling.
"Amazing." She grins.
Dean grabs her hand, and leads her around the side of the hotel, and to the front of it. Stretching out before her is the ocean. Her eyes widen, and she gasps. "It's beautiful."
She takes off running toward the ocean, dragging a laughing Dean behind her. When they hit the beach, she jerks to a stop, and pulls off her flip-flops, digging her toes in the sand. She bends down, and grabs a handful and let's it run through her fingers.
Dean looks down at her, and his heart swells. Everything is so new and wonderful to her; he wishes he could see it through her eyes. Instead he looks up and surveys the waves, looking for danger.
Sam catches up to them, "Hate to be a spoil sport, but we should get checked in." He says.
"Ok." Lex grimaces, and they make their way back to the hotel.
Once they get checked in, Sam, Dean, and Lex head to the hunters house who called them there for help.
Dean knocks, and a woman opens the door. Her eyes light up. "Dean," she exclaims, pulling him into a hug. "Sam too! I'm so glad you both are here. This one is way over my skill set!"
"Hey Macy." Sam smiles. "Good to see you."
Macy notices Lex for the first time, and raises her eyebrows. "Who do we have here?" She says.
"Macy this is Lex, she hunts with us now. She's also...well...we're together." Dean struggles to put a concrete definition on their unusual relationship.
"Oh." Macy's face goes blank for a moment, and then she smiles tightly. "That's nice."
Lex's eyebrows scrunch together momentarily, as she tries to decipher Macy's reaction, but she shrugs it off as they enter the house.
"This is the third attack this month," Macy explains, "And none of them match proper shark bite measurements."
"Macy is a marine biologist, slash hunter." Sam explains to Lex.
"We should be able to get some scuba gear, and spear guns, from my work." She continues, "You boys will need earplugs."
"Earplugs?" Lex cuts in.
Macy looks at her with an annoyed expression. "Yeah, oceanid's song can cause men to lose it. Go all stupid."
"Oh." Lex responds.
"We'll get the earplugs, you get the rest of the equipment." Dean says, standing up. "We'll meet you at the docks tomorrow morning at ten."
They go back to the hotel and climb into bed, exhausted from the drive.
Dean wraps his arms around Lex, and she drifts in and out of consciousness. Her mind keeps drifting back to the cold look Macy gave her. Finally, she begins to dream.
As usual, her mind replays snippets of Dean's history, from the testimony.
She see's Dean and a woman in a dark room, tangled up in the sheets, breathing heavily. A beam of light shines through the blinds, and lights up her face.
It's Macy.
Suddenly Lex sits up strait in her bed, and punches Dean in the arm.
"Owwww," he gripes, rolling over. "What was that for?"
"YOU SLEPT WITH MACY?!" She growls.
"Oh shit." Dean gasps, falling out of bed.
Lex rolls over, and walks onto the balcony of the hotel, that overlooks the ocean. She folds her arms around her shoulders, and sits in the wooden chair. She feels like crying, but refuses too. She is not sure why, but she feels betrayed.
Dean treads out on the balcony, looks down at Lex's forlorn face, and rubs the back of his head, sighing. He drops to his knees in front of her, placing his hands on her face, so that she has to look him in the eyes.
"That stuff with Macy... it happened a long time before I met you." He says, "There's nothing between us."
"Then why didn't you tell me?" Lex asks.
"I didn't know how to bring it up..." Dean explains. "But I promise, she is just a friend. I love you."
Lex studies his face, and thinks about his past. "I believe you." She decides, leaning forward to kiss him. "Sorry I over reacted."
"Sorry I didn't tell you." He replies. "Let's go back to bed."
"I'm wide awake. I don't think I can go back to sleep." She sighs.
"Then let's go skinny dipping." Dean wiggles his eyebrows suggestively.
"What's that?"
"Oh don't worry, I'll show you." He grabs her hand and they sneak out of the room quietly.
Before the exit the lobby, Dean stops, "Wait here." He says, running back upstairs. He comes back carrying two iron blades, handing one to Lex. "Just in case."
They run to the shoreline, and Dean begins to strip off his clothes. Lex watches confused. Once he is down to his boxers, he walks over to her. "Strip!" He commands, grinning, as she blushes red.
"In public?" She asks nervously.
"No one's here." He walks toward her, sliding his hands under the hem of her cami, and brushing them up her sides softly, causing her to shiver.
She raises her arms obediently, and her bare chest is bathed in moonlight, as her shirt falls to the warm sand. Dean inhales, and brushes her hair behind her shoulders.
Lex slides her pajama bottoms off, and stands naked. "Your turn." She says, sliding her thumbs into the waistline of his boxers and pulling them down. He grabs her hand, and walks backward into the warm water, guiding her.
As they get further in, Lex begins to look nervous. They get chest deep when she whispers, "I don't know how to swim."
"I won't let you drown." Dean promises.
"O…kay." She says, unsure.
Suddenly a piece of seaweed brushes her leg.
"Something touched me!" She gasps, throwing her arms around Dean's neck, and wrapping her legs around his waist. He puts his hands on her ass cheeks, holding her in place, and laughs.
"It's seaweed." He points to the floor of the sparkling clear water, at the wavy sea plant.
"Oh." She says, but doesn't let go.
They stair into each other's eyes for a moment, and then she lowers her head, kissing Dean fervently. He let's her sink back into the water, returning her kiss zealously.
A wave pushes Dean in the back, pressing his body against Lex's. His heart hammers in his ribcage as their skin makes contact.
He pulls back, taking Lex's hands in his, and pulling her into deeper water. Instinctively her legs begin to kick, and her arms sway, causing her to tread water.
"See, you're a natural." He smiles.
She takes a deep breath, and stops moving, allowing her head to dip under the water. The salt stings her eyes a little, but she can see clearly.
Dean joins her, and they begin to explore. As amazing as the underwater world is, Dean keeps finding his eyes drawn to Lex. The waves ripple and reflect off her skin, and she looks like a goddess.
They come up for air, and her eyes shine with excitement. "Dean this is amazing!" She swims, toward the shallow water, and he follows in a trance.
When her feet touch the sand again, she stops, grabbing Dean's hand, and drawing him toward her.
His hands memorize her soft curves, as she tilts her head back. He caresses her exposed neck, and collar bones, and further down her body, causing her to gasp. He guides her back toward the shore, and lays her on her back onto the soft white sand.
The moon reflects in her amber eyes as she pulls him into her, and they both gasp in unison.
Neither of them recalls the danger in the water behind them for the rest of the night.
…
As the sun rises, Dean and Lex sneak back in the room where Sam still sleeps.
They change into jeans and t-shirts, laughing and talking quietly.
Sam opens one eye, and squints at them. "You two are up before me? I must be dreaming."
Lex chucks a pillow at his head, and he sits up.
He observes the sandy mess tracked on the floor, "You didn't sleep last night did you?" He realizes. "Oh my god you're like a couple of kids."
A knock on the door saves them from having to answer. Lex walks over and answers. Macy huffs in, carrying a duffel bag of scuba suits. She hands them each one, and they take turns changing in the bathroom. Lex goes in last, and realizes that the suit Macy brought her is way to big.
So big, in facet, that there is no way this was an accident. Rather then punching Macy in the face like she wants to, Lex strips back down to her underwear and bra, and opens the door wide.
She makes sure Macy is looking, before saying "Baby, can you come in here a minute?"
Dean's eyebrows lift, and he walks into the bathroom, shutting the door behind him.
Lex explains the suit situation, and Dean calms her nerves, by kissing her gently on the nose. "I'll go pick you up a suit," he says, opening the door back up. "Be back in ten."
"Oh no, did I get the wrong size?" Macy says with mock innocence. "I could have sworn I got it right."
Sam shakes his head, and says exasperatedly, "Really Macy? This isn't high school. That bullshit isn't going to work. We came here to help you, the least you can do is be an adult about this."
"Oh go fuck yourself Sam." Macy growls, and storms out. "Wait up Dean, I'll come with."
Lex pulls on a robe, and walks out of the bathroom, flopping into a chair.
Sam sighs. "Macy never really got over Dean. They didn't date long, because...well because of bullshit like this really."
"Yeah she is kind of a bitch." Lex frowns. "But she is also stupid if she thinks an over sized scuba suit would put me off the hunt."
"I was afraid something like this would happen when she asked for our help originally." Sam admits. "But I don't see how we could have said no. Peoples lives are in danger."
A few minutes later, Dean comes back in, carrying a shopping bag. Macy follows, still looking disgruntled. He pulls out a turquoise scuba suit, and holds it out to Lex. "I like this color on you." He winks.
She smiles, and takes it, going back to the bathroom to change.
When she emerges, Dean looks her over. "Hot." He grins mischievously.
"Let's kill some mermaids." Lex responds, grabbing her hopefully-not-booby-trapped spear gun.
Twenty minutes later, they all climb onto Macy's boat, and head out. The boat treads water, and Lex leans over the side, peering into the depths.
Sam inclines over the boat beside her, and they laugh and talk. Dean lies flat on his back on the deck, breathing deeply, and trying not to hurl.
When they reach the site of the most recent attack, the boat comes to a stop, and the anchor drops. They begin to pull on their scuba gear, and then drop into the water one by one.
As they descend, Lex looks around in awe. Fish swim around them, barely noticing their presence. She swims over to Dean, who is reaching his hand out for her. She takes it, and they begin to swim downward, spear guns at the ready.
Macy swims in the opposite direction, and, after a moment of indecision, Sam follows Dean and Lex.
Lex swims ahead, stopping to examine everything. She picks up a shell off the ground, and holds it up to show the boys, but they are both swimming lazily in the wrong direction, toward some jagged rocks.
She drops the shell and paddles to catch up to them, swimming under them, and coming up to block their path. They do not veer, but nearly swim right into her, until she dodges them. One look at their glazed over eyes, and she remembers. "Earplugs. Dammit."
They had completely forgotten.
She grabs the boys each by an ankle, and digs her heels into the silty floor. It does no good, as they simply drag her along with them.
The oceanid's begin to emerge from among the watery landscape, and Lex let's go, readying her spear gun.
There are four of them, and they are definitely not mermaids. Their top halves are vaguely humanoid, but not at all pretty. Their mouths are so big that their heads are nearly split in half, to accommodate immense rows of shark-like teeth. Their skin is a slimy green, and they have no eyes, only empty sockets. Their hands are webbed, and clawed.
One of them speeds toward Dean, and Lex takes it out immediately with a well-aimed shot. It is pinned to the ground, wriggling and bleeding grey-green inky blood.
Lex drops the gun, and swims toward Sam, who is closest to her. She wrestles his spear gun from him with little trouble. Instead of shooting another sea nymph, she shoots it at the ground. She takes the length of rope from the gun to the spear, and runs it around the boy's ankles, tangling them in place, as the other three oceanid's circle her. She takes Deans gun, and shoots another, letting it float to the top of the water, dead.
The final two streak toward her, as she draws her dagger. She slashes out at one, killing it within seconds, but the other reaches out, clawing into her side. She jerks back, as the creature opens it's mouth to take a chunk out of her. Suddenly Macy appears out of nowhere, and a cloud of the green blood surrounds them, as a spear shoots through the final oceanid.
Lex swims toward where Sam and Dean are coming too, and struggling with their bonds. She cuts them free, and they swim toward the surface.
They begin to climb up into the boat, when Dean looks up, and realizes Lex is wounded. He pulls himself up, and hurries to her. "Is it bad?" He asks, examining the wounds.
"No, Macy saved me from the worst of it." Lex smiles, looking up at Macy.
"Yeah but you had already killed three of them before I even got there. Kick. Ass." Macy grins, offering Lex a fist bump.
Lex smiles, and obliges.
"These at least need stitches," Dean frowns.
"I don't want to go to the doctor." Lex says firmly.
"I can do it..." Macy offers.
"Fine." Lex says, laying back onto the bench seat, while Macy pulls out her first aid kit.
Dean cuts open the side of Lex's suit, and Macy sterilizes the cut, and the needle.
As Macy sews, Lex squeezes Deans hand.
When they are finished, Macy steers the boat toward the docks.
They disembark, and Macy walks up to Lex, looking embarrassed. "Sorry I was such an ass earlier. I am sort of a selfish bitch."
"Not to selfish to admit it." Lex jokes, and hugs Macy.
"Bye boys." Macy waves, as she walks up the boardwalk, toward her car.
Lex sighs, and turns to Dean. "Do we have to leave right now?"
Dean looks at Sam, who shrugs.
"I guess we could stay a couple more days." He says finally, pulling Lex under his arm, and walking back toward the hotel.