Chapter Five

The wallpaper was pretty dull.

The strange observation was the first thought in a long time for Sam as he just lay on the bed staring at the wall. He had already counted how many flowers there were on the one wall's pattern and had memorized the exact pattern it was in so that when he shut his eyes he could still see it in detail. However, whenever he shut his eyes, Dean’s figure in the water before he had left would superimpose itself on the pattern and Sam would immediately open his eyes to banish the sight.

He had stopped crying a while back, unable to even find the strength or tears to cry. He was numb, unsure if he could even continue in his life. Dean had been his life. To just *lose* that had completely crushed everything in him to cold ashes. Even the vengeance that they had vowed to extract on the demon that had destroyed their parents and Jessica was dulled to a shadow of its former potency.

The room was dimming as the sun set on the most earth shattering day in Sam’s life, but Sam couldn’t even find the will to care. He wanted to leave this God-forsaken state and all that he had lost behind. Hell, he was even thinking of just ending his life, that’s how much losing Dean had ruined his spirit. But he kept going for some reason, something he couldn’t quite touch on but knew it was there in the back of his mind.

Eventually, he began to become more aware as the niggling thought began to push to the forefront of his awareness. Something had been bothering him from when he had examined that victim at the morgue and then Dean later on and he decided to look into it further. He wasn’t sure just what it was that he was looking for, but he had been pondering on the transformation process and why the victims had died while Dean had made it.

Rolling out of bed, he went to the laptop and typed in a search on merpeople once more. He gazed at the links, occasionally clicking on one when it caught his eye until he found that it was just another squeeing fangirl over some new movie or music video. But then a particular site ensnared his gaze and he clicked on it. He found that it had a lot of old lore as well as a scientist’s observations on the old myths and why it could be that they were actually true.

One of the very rarely heard myths had been about how a mermaid or merman could lure a woman or man into the ocean and then change them into one of them for mating purposes at the full moon during a certain time. But, according to the scientist's speculations, the change wasn’t firmly in place until the next new moon. What sometimes would happen would be that the chosen would be transformed and, after mating, they would become unstable and would drown or disappear completely.

Alarmed and yet also strangely overjoyed, Sam jumped up and shouted in triumph. There might be a way to bring Dean back! But first he had to find his brother. Not only that, he also had to convince his brother that he had to come back. Sam then suddenly realized that he didn’t know *how* to change Dean back even if he succeeded in convincing his brother to leave the mermaid that had altered him.

Determined, he sat back down and began doing research on what might be able to change his brother back. He searched various sites that held information on how animals changed other animals for eating or for mating, but he couldn’t find anything on fish, which would be the closest approximation he’d have to what his brother had become. He grew more and more frustrated as his searches came up fruitless as time passed.

He stopped and nibbled on his lip thoughtfully, then pulled out his cell phone. Dialing quickly, he tapped his fingers as he waited for the pick-up.

“Hello, the Roadhouse, Ellen speaking.”

“Hey Ellen...it’s Sam,” Sam replied immediately, never more relieved to hear her voice than at that moment.

“Sam? Hey, what’s wrong? You sound rather tired there, hon. Is Dean taking care of you?” Ellen asked gently, though she sounded a bit distracted as the sound of glasses clinking together came over the phone.

Sam didn’t reply right away as the question brought a lump to his throat. He cleared his throat a couple of times before he was able to answer. “No, he’s not here. He’s um...the reason I’m calling.”

“What’s happened?” Ellen asked flatly and Sam could just see her standing with her hand on her hip as the other hand held the phone to her ear.

Taking a deep breath, he tried to compose himself. “Ellen, did William ever mention investigating merpeople?” he asked quietly, as if afraid that someone might overhear them.

“Merpeople? Like mermaids and mermen type of thing? He might have...why?” Ellen inquired and he imagined that she was looking through the book that Hank had kept from his hunts much like his dad and later on Dean had.

“Dean’s been taken by them, but there might be a chance of changing him back. I’m just wondering if he might have known,” Sam explained as he leaned back in his chair and covered his eyes with a trembling arm. He was so exhausted suddenly, but he wouldn’t stop until he knew for certain on what he could do.

“Not that I know of, hon. He just mentioned he had seen one or two of them down over by the Texas coastline and that they had just been harmless, merely playing in the sea. It sounds like they are actually fairly harmless,” Ellen responded distractedly as the sounds of pages being flipped came over the line.

Sighing softly, Sam pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration. “Thanks Ellen,” he murmured sadly, disappointed that that one source had not panned out.

“Hey listen, hon...if you need help, just ask. I’m sure Ash could help or something,” Ellen quickly said as she detected the sorrow in his voice.

“No...thanks though. I guess I’ll try to figure something out,” Sam replied in a half hearted attempt to reassure her. “You take care, ok? Tell Jo and Ash I said hi, k?” he added and smiled when she replied with her reassurances that she would and that ‘things would be all right, just you watch, Sam’. He hung up and clenched his hand into a fist as he put his arm over his eyes again. He had been so sure that Hank would have known something. Now he wasn’t sure on anything anymore. Who would know what could be done to save Dean?

Suddenly, it dawned on him: the mermaid. If he could at least convince her to bring Dean back...but no. What the hell was he thinking?! She’d stolen Dean in the first place! Why would she give him back?

But the notion stuck with him and Sam took it firmly in both hands and held it close to his heart out of sheer desperation. Changing clothes quickly, he grabbed the keys to the Impala and made his way to the car. He needed to get to the pier because that was the first place she had showed up and where his brother had been touched. He didn’t even think as he drove along since his mind a blank from the determination he felt fusing his mind and heart into one. He would do anything get his brother back. Anything.

Coming to the pier forty five minutes later, he parked in the beach lot and got out quickly. He stopped though and removed his shoes and socks before tossing them into the car. He then swiftly strode out towards where his entire life had changed for the worse. He slowed as he came to the edge of the dark waters and wondered on just how he was going to contact her. It was night time and he had no idea on whether or not she and Dean were really near there. He just knew that he had to find her and get her to give Dean back to him.

Frowning in determination, he walked into the churning waters as they swirled around the rotting pillars of wood that held up the old pier. He got to the point where he had to swim and went until he came to the third to last set of pillars. He looked around slowly, eyes searching for a sign of what he should do.

Suddenly, something caressed up his leg and back, startling him and making him shout in shock. He whirled around in the water as best he could and found himself looking at a female with pale green hair and wide fish like eyes that watched him in both curiosity and wariness. Her face had green and gold scales along her jaw line and down her neck that glinted from the far off lights of the boardwalk that was down the beach. She bobbed in the water and shifted up so the top half of her torso was out of the water as she just watched him. She then tilted her head in curiosity. Why are you here?

Startled for the second time in a row, Sam unconsciously brought a hand to his head as if to block her out as her silvery voice echoed through his mind. But he knew that this was his chance and regained control of his reactions. “I want my brother back and I know you know how to change him back,” he stated quietly as he watched her.

She ducked for a bit so only her eyes were out of the water as her hair floated around her like some kind of wispy seaweed and she blew some bubbles in the water thoughtfully, never looking away from him as she contemplated what he’d said. After a bit she shifted up again and shook her head. He is one of us now. You must adjust and so must he.

“No! He’s all I have!” Sam snarled urgently, startling her this time. She stared at him in surprise and he softened his tones. “Please...don’t take him away. I’ll do anything. Just please...give him back to me,” he whispered in a choked voice.

Her face became full of compassion and she glided through the water until she was pressed close to him. He fought the urge to pull back as she caressed his face with a wet clawed hand while she searched his gaze intently. She sighed softly, which was like a light whistle going through her lips, and pulled back just a bit. He loves you deeply as well, she revealed to him and smiled sadly. I would be jealous, but I am not. He has given me a gift as well as being my mate. But it hurts me to see him as sad and lost as you.

Watching her hopefully, Sam understood what she was saying. “You and he...mated and created...”

A child. Maybe, if my prayers are answered, two children, she answered and smiled at him, this time more warmly and filled with love. We both love him for his light and life, Sam. If not for that, I would refuse you. She tilted her head then and glanced over at the pier.

Confused, Sam looked over as well, then stopped as he saw another head floating in the water near the pillars. “D-Dean?” he whispered in disbelief and would have gone to his brother, but a gentle hand on his arm stopped him. He turned to the mermaid and bit his lip as he gazed at her pleadingly. “Please...my brother...”

Return here tomorrow evening as the sun sets. If you are willing to do anything for him, then come without anything barring you and we shall see where Dean’s heart will lead him, she instructed him before gliding around him and heading to Dean. Dean shifted out of the water and Sam’s heart stopped as he saw how changed his brother was...and how beautiful. There was a grace and enchantment that surrounded Dean as he floated in the water with small flicks of his tail.

Dean watched his brother intently, longing to go and touch Sam, but knowing that he had to stay away. For some reason, he had a feeling he wouldn’t be able to stop himself and that something would happen that they might regret. As Naida glided up to him and nestled into his arms, they looked over at his crestfallen brother and Dean felt his heart crack some more. Naida trilled tenderly at him and he nodded silently before forcing himself to look away and follow her into the water. He held tightly to her as they swam away, not wanting her to see his tears as they went back to their sanctuary.

Sam felt his heart rip as Dean left with the mermaid, but resolve patched that crack as he remembered what she had said. He had to return the next day and bring his brother back to him...no matter what the cost might be.

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