Chapter Text
Drowning in Guilt
Bot Prompt: Dean is having another slice of pizza; Cas is polishing his angel blade; Sam is at the library
Summary: When Sam discovers a case of people drowning after leaving the local bar. They head to check it out, what they didn't expect was to lose Dean to the creature. Now Cas and Sam need to find Dean before its too late.
--Dean--
Dean was enjoying a movie and pizza in the Dean Cave when Sam entered with his laptop Cas right behind him. "Hey, Dean. I found a case."
Dean looked up at his brother, “Yeah? What is it?”
Sam shook his head, “not quite sure.” Sam turned his attention back to his laptop, “Says here, that people are disappearing from the docks after visiting one of the Seawall Bars. Eye witness accounts could swear it was a horse, but it's on an island.”
Dean raised his brows, “horse? Where exactly is the place?”
"Galveston, Texas. It about an 800-mile drive. The halfway point would be Oklahoma City. That's for five hours."
“Would be two days drive there and back. Plus however long it takes to find this 'horse'”
Sam nodded, “Silver bullets should do the trick in case its a shapeshifter.”
After finishing his slice of pizza, Dean stood up. "Right then, let's get packing.” They headed their separate ways to their rooms to pack for the case and then met up in the garage to load up the Impala. Soon enough they were on the road heading south to the Texas coast.
Just over five hours later Dean pulled baby into the parking lot of a cheap motel in Oklahoma City. They had stopped a few times to refuel and stretch their legs. But now it was starting to get late. Dean parked in front of the office and checked in before moving Baby to the stall closest to their room.
One inside the motel room, the boys took a closer look at the island town they were headed to for their hunt. A little research before arriving would probably help their chances on this hunt.
“All right, let's see the sight you found this hunt on?” Dean said after throwing his duffel bag at the foot of the bed furthest from the door. Sam sat at the tiny rickety table and open up his laptop to the correct website. As they looked over the files one thing became clear about the victims, they were drowned. As he looked closer at the article, Dean frowned, a thought plaguing him, “Hey, Sammy? What was that place you mentioned they disappeared from?”
“Ummm,” Sam thought for a minute, “Oh! Seawall. It says its a place with bars, cocktail lounges, and live music. It sits at the pier in Galveston.”
Dean nodded, “So I guess that's the first place we check then.”
Sam agreed, “Good idea. We should be able to reach Galveston tomorrow.” Checking the clock and deciding to call it a night the brothers headed to bed.
The next morning saw Sam and Dean once again on the road south. It was late afternoon when they drove the Impala across the bridge that separated the island community from the rest of Texas. Sam could practically feel Dean's excitement as they took in the sights.
“Man, I really wish we weren't here for a case,” Dean mumbled under his breath, “What I wouldn't give to explore this place.” Sam nodded in agreement, this would have made a perfect vacation spot if they didn't have to work.
Dean pulled into the parking lot of one of the cheaper downtown motels and went to check out a room. Once inside the hotel room, the brothers started making plans on how to handle the hunt now that they were there.
It was in the midst of that planning, that Cas popped into the motel room to see how things were going. “Any luck on identifying this creature?”
Dean shook his head, “Not really. It's weird, you think it would be a siren, but all of the witnesses spoke seeing a horse.”
Castiel frowned, “a horse?”
Sam nodded, "Yeah, I'm going to head over to the local library and see if any of the local legends match up to what we're searching for. Why don't you go with Dean and check out Seawall's establishments? Maybe someone knows more?"
Agreeing, the trio split up as Dean and Cas headed towards the waterfront. After visiting the local establishments and having no luck, Dean decided to head back to the motel.
“This is going to have to wait until night. Most of these places have more people then.” Once they reached the motel Dean started pulling out his weapons and checking to see if everything was in order. Cas did the same, pulling out his Angel blade and polishing the metal.
While he worked Dean thought about the past few months, more he thought about his growing realization of his feelings for Cas. He'd come to terms with the fact that he saw Cas as more than a friend a few months ago, but he has yet to do anything about his feelings. Mainly because he was scared, things were going so well between them, that he was afraid to ruin it. Plus there was also the chance that their 'Profound Bond' wasn't what he thought it was; so Dean kept quite.
Dean sighed as he put the last of his weapons down, before turning to look at the clock on the nightstand. It was after 6 pm, so the bars should be open and info searching on their creature should be easier now. He then turned his attention towards his angel, "Hey Cas. Let's head to the Seawall and grab a beer."
The angel nodded, "Alright, Dean." Cas put his blade away and left the motel with Dean. A short drive in the Impala once again had them at the waterfront. The sight of the three-story white structure greeted the hunter and Angel as they made their way around the decks. Live music greeted them as they approached one of the bar entrances. Dean looked around with a grin, this was certainly a place he could enjoy. Walking up to the bar he ordered two beers and brought them over to the small bar table he found Cas at.
"Here ya go, man," Dean said handing over one of the drinks in his hands. Cas took it with a nod of thanks as Dean turned his attention to the people in the bar. "I think I'm going to talk to the bartender about those people. You good?"
Cas nodded, “Yes Dean. I'm fine.”
Dean flashed him a grin then once again made his way through the crowd. Once he reached the bar he took a seat on the barstool and waited for the man to finish his latest drink order. But before he could say anything a smooth voice to his right caught his attention, "You're not from around here, are you?"
Dean looked over and saw a brown-haired man, but it was his eyes that really caught Dean's attention. They were a warm brown, that held curiosity and interest as they looked Dean over. A slow smile curled the man's lips as his eyes trailed over Dean's body. "I would have definitely noticed someone as sexy as you."
Dean could feel the heat rushing to his cheeks, before he cleared his throat, “Just visiting. How about you? You live here?”
The other man nodded, “Yep. Lived here my whole life. And frankly, there's nowhere else I'd rather be.”
Dean nodded, “Yea, I can see the appeal.”
The man winked at him, “How about you let me buy you a drink? We could get to know each other a little better.”
Dean found himself agreeing, the case taking a back burner for the moment as he watched his companion order two Whiskey's and led him over to a small table.
Dean soon forgot about the case as he and his new acquaintance, Aquila, made small talk in between the flirty banter. Once the drinks were gone, Aquila spoke up, “Wanna go for a walk along the pier? There's a place I know that I think you'll enjoy,” the words were practically purred as he leaned in closer to Dean.
Dean blinked, his mind blanking momentarily before he found himself nodding. He completely forgot that Cas was still in the bar as he left the stool and followed Aquila out of the bar. Once outside the pair headed down closer to the waterfront to walk along the pier.
--Castiel--
Castiel frowned as he watched Dean chat with a stranger at the bar. There was an uncomfortable feeling in his chest as the man led Dean over to a table before handing him a drink. The pair sat talking, completely oblivious to their surroundings, the man had managed to capture Dean's complete attention, and the Angel didn't like it one bit.
He was momentarily distracted by his thoughts as Sam made his way through the bar entrance. “Hey, Cas,” the hunter greeted.
Cas nodded in greeting, “Sam. Found anything about the creature?”
Sam grinned, “Actually quite a bit. You see there's this legend about a Kelpie and it fits to profile.”
Cas tilted his head in confusion, “A Kelpie?”
Sam nodded, "Yep. It's a water horse able to take on a human form to lure its targets into the ocean. Hence the drownings."
“Ummm...according to what I read. They are usually identified by a silver pendant. This pendant allows them to change forms, but in their true form it takes the shape of a bridle.”
Cas hummed thoughtfully, “Any idea on how to kill it?”
“Yep, silver. Just like any other shapeshifter.” Sam then frowned as he looked around the bar, “By the way, where's Dean? I thought you would have been here together.”
Cas looked at Sam then at the table where he had seen Dean with that other man, only to find it empty. Cas frowned, "He was right over there talking to someone he met at the bar."
Sam followed his gaze, but also found the table empty, “Maybe he found the Kelpie?”
Cas shook his head, "I don't think he even knows what we're hunting yet..." Cas trailed off before his expression turned into one of alarm, "You said the Kelpie drowned its' victims, right?" At Sam's nod, he continued, "We need head further up the pier."
Sam's expression also changed into one of alarm as he registered what Castiel was saying. "Shit! Dean!"
With urgency in their steps, the left the bar and ran towards the pier.
--Dean--
Dean took a deep breath of the salt air as he and Aquila made their way further up the pier towards the deeper water. “Wow, look at that view,” he breathed as he took in the sunset setting off the coast.
The man laughed, "Knew you would enjoy this. Let's move a little closer, shall we? The light reflecting on the water is such a sight."
Dean nodded absentmindedly, “Sure.” He felt dazed as they resumed walking, something was nagging at the back of his mind, but Dean couldn't figure it out. There was something he was supposed to be doing or someone he was forgetting, he was sure of it.
But another look into the brown eyes of his companion and the thought slipped away. Dean leaned against the railing, his attention on the sunset and the man at his side. Aquila looked over at him and smirked, “Don't know about you but I could go for a swim. Care to join me?”
Dean green eyes locked with brown and he took a second to think, "...I guess so?" He was unsure, the dark water didn't look very safe, but then it wasn't like he was alone.
Aquila moved closer voice lowering as he tried to coax Dean into joining him, “C'mon, what's the harm? It's just you and me and that spectacular sunset,” his voice was smooth, purring the words out as he stepped even closer to Dean.
Dean was speechless, his thoughts foggy, what was the harm? He tried to think of an excuse, but nothing came out. "I don't think...." His voice trailed off. His attention was diverted briefly as he thought he heard someone call his name. But before he could respond, he felt the breath leave him in a rush as he suddenly staggered backward hitting the rotting wood railing and falling through. He hit the water, breathless and confused. A flash of brown out of the corner of his eyes had him turning. He then saw a flash of silver dart past him in the water before his burning lungs had him swimming towards the water's surface.
His head broke the surface and he managed to pull in a lungful of air before he was grabbed and pulled back under. He fought back, trying to get loose only for his air to be knocked out of him again by a forceful hit to his stomach. Blackness descended then, and before his eyes closed he saw a flash of a familiar blade, Cas, was his last thought.