Chapter Text
Chapter 23
Sinking Then Swimming
Sam was scared. He didn't know what’s next. He trusted his brother, he really did but times like now he doubted that Dean knew what he was doing. Why send away his best chance of getting out of there? Those new boats were circling the others and he’d be lying if he said it wasn’t worrisome.
But Dean said to trust him. Those are humans that he’s surrounded by, not sharks. Sam only knows the human traditions and habits that Dean taught him. How they think and act.
Sam looked up at the tiny boat and its single human inside. A runt of a thing. Smaller than Dean was before he became a Mer. He’d worried he’d hurt it just by holding it. He was pretty sure it was a male but it was so thin it could have been female. He didn’t want to be rude, to assume or check. So the human remained an ‘it’ or ‘they’ in his mind until they let him know.
It was a nervous little thing, but, in some ways, braver than Dean had been. That was probably thanks to seeing and talking to Dean earlier. The surprise that Mers exist must have been a shock. Dean sure didn’t take it well. So this new human must have befriended Dean, enough to earn his trust. To get Dean's voice on that small machine.
Human things were wondrous and frightening. He’d be more confused about machines but Dean did mention a few before. It was just… very odd to see it himself.
Sam swam until the ships were small in the distance and then slowed to a stop. Letting go of the tiny boat so he doesn’t get too much water inside. Sam noticed that it was sitting heavier in the water than before and figured that's what caused it. Watching that other boat fill with water and how it sank down below the surface and then stopped was fascinating. He would have dumped the water out but he didn't want to scare the little human inside further.
Sam took a breath and steadied his nerves for what he was about to do. The human wasn’t sticking their head over the sides and the only way to check on it was to lift his head up and look over the edge of the boat. He’s pretty sure they wouldn't like to be tipped out of it. Humans liked to be inside things, he noticed.
Dean loved his ship and this one is staying put inside theirs.
He did wait for the human noises to quiet down. The thumps and voice less frantic as it talked to itself. Sam watched it, wondering what kind of creature would put itself at risk like this. To help someone that wasn’t part of his species anymore. A noble creature. Only intelligent beings recognize the worth in other species, protecting them.
Sam waited for nearly all sounds on the tiny boat to quiet down to nothing. It must be asleep. He decided to do something he never did before. He was gonna stick his head out of the water.
The very idea was terrifying. But, Dean had obviously survived it. There were no holes underneath the ship for him to enter at all, so it must have been through air.
Sam wondered if that was because Dean had been human recently. If his body allowed it now because it had been that way before.
Sam then had to consider that he raised his hands up into the air and was just fine. He bit his lip and decided to try out his fins. At first it would be the end fin but changed his mind halfway through the move, deciding on the ruined fin. It’s not like it will get ruined more. Sam turned to his side and slowly lifted his hip up, the shredded fin limply raised up in the air and from little he could feel from that appendage, it weighed a lot out of the water. He lowered his hip and poked and prodded the fin, finding no new injuries. He did the same with his end fins. Bracing himself all the while, struggling to hold steady using his wings and hands, pushing himself up to see.
Nothing. No pain besides them feeling heavier in the air.
Sam moved a little further from the boat for safety. He took a few rapid breaths before holding it as best he can and lifted his head very slowly out of the water. The first thing he noticed once his eyes breached were that the sights became very blurry to him.
He lifted a hand and rubbed at his eyes, seeing the protective tears come away like blobfish before flicking them away. Looking out and seeing how the image cleared immensely. His eyes hurt with how bright it all was and his ears caught how sounds were very different from what he’s used to. Never noticing how they used to be muffled.
His nose came up next and the smells were muted but carried further, faster. The air stung a little so he ducked down again and laughed at how all this had been above his head and not once experienced.
His eyes teared up again. Lifting his head higher but remembering to keep his mouth underwater, he marveled at the sights in the distance, the small boat from above. The little human bundled in a blanket, wedged in the middle. Still sleeping soundly.
He looked around and up and at the little boats in the distance. Noticing something high in the sky. A tiny black dot moving along, leaving a trail of white behind it. Almost like a cloud. He’d seen distorted views of these, but now, even distant things were all so crisp and clear.
He enjoyed seeing light glinting off the waves, experimenting with air.
The hardest thing to do was to be quiet about it all. The poor little human was trying to sleep and all Sam wanted was to talk about it.
He moved to the side of the little boat and tried something totally crazy. Whales, dolphins and sharks do this and he was just dying to know first-hand what it felt like. He was going to jump.
Sam was pretty sure he could manage it. He knew his body weighed far more than whales but he was also very strong with solid muscles. He practiced doing a mock jump a little distance away from the boat, sure that the little one wouldn’t want to get drenched in waves.
Going farther down, he noted where the boat was, angling away from it he pushed hard with his tail and wings and bolted for the air above. His heart thrilled and thrummed with adrenaline. One last push from his tail and he was up and out!
Water sprayed all around him, the wind stung at his face, the sun blinded him. It was beautiful. The familiar weightlessness left him in a rush, his body crashed down into the water seconds later.
A stinging pain hit his entire belly and chest, the tail slapping a moment later and jerking his spine backwards. He sank back down and curled up a little into himself. Wow that hurt. But… it was exhilarating !
Sam spun in a circle, wiped off his eyes again because this time he wanted to see and feel it all. So he pushed hard, swam fast, and breached the water once again. Getting even higher than before, swearing that his whole body had left the water before he came crashing down again.
The elation he felt. The gravity pulled him back with momentum carrying him forward.
He learned to brace his hands forward, streamlining his neck away from wrenching back on impact. He was about to spin around and do it again, a joyous laugh in his soul when he spotted the tiny boat sinking. The human was caught inside.
His heart stopped. He quickly grabbed the little boat in both hands, racing it towards the surface.
He lifted his head a moment after and nearly choked on air again. Sam tipped the boat for water to rush out because they were still unresponsive. The bundle then started to make a groaning sound and moved slightly.
Relief crashed around him as the human pushed away blankets and struggled with freeing itself of the wooden boards. Sam was halfway to tearing the boards up when the human screamed and covered its head before trying to ward him off. Screaming and shouting at him in words that he’d heard before.
Dean had shouted them many times. Enough to know they meant, “stop” and “no”. Sam backed off his head and felt horrible. He thought he was being careful with this little one. That there was no way it could have gotten hurt from his jumping. But he was wrong.
He held the boat above water completely for several long moments. Watching the little one panic wildly, spotting Sam's face behind them and jerking back in stark fear.
Sam sighed, whispering as slow and calm as possible. “I’m not going to hurt you.” using one of his fingers to carefully stroke the edge of the boat instead of touching the frightened human. “It’s ok. You are ok.” Then slowly set the boat back on the water. Making sure it could still float. Once his hands left the boat the little one grabbed two long flat ended sticks. They dipped into the water and moved the boat around, away from him.
The little human started heading for the distant ships.
Fuck. He scared them into leaving. It’d take them far too long to get there on their own power, and Sam figured that if he simply grabbed the leash to the boat again, the human might just jump and swim instead.
Keeping people trapped always felt wrong to him, monstrous. So either he takes this human back to its own kind, or he lets it go on its own. Dean warned him to stay back… but… that was before this little accident.
Sam huffed and gently lifted up the end of the rope and showed the little one he had it again. The human shouted, cursed, and actually aimed the sticks at him, banging them on the boat to get their point across. Sam nodded along, chastised, before gently tugging the boat forward. It stopped shouting after it saw their destination.
It fumbled with that bag again and started talking into the thing with Dean’s voice. A ‘phone’ Dean called it? Is it contacting Dean?
Sam winced when he thought about what his brother would say to him when he finds out they’re returning, after being ordered not to. He just hoped that little one would explain the situation beforehand.
Sam lifted his head to see inside the boat while he pulled it along beside him. His wings lifted out of the water and slapping it a few times due to the odd angle and sudden weight. Sam liked how weird it felt. Wanting to be out of water more and more. No wonder his friends liked doing this. He shook his head and said to his little friend, “Please tell him I said I was sorry and it won't happen again. I’ll make sure I’m far enough away next time I jump.”
Balthazar was having a hell of a time getting the simplest things done. He and their little team managed to get Dean out of the tank and halfway to the deck when Jack called and they had to stop and calm the kid down. He admits that he’s not sure he would have handled it better.
Dean nearly suffocated just to reassure the kid. They had to end the chat though, because more people were fighting in the hall ahead of them. Pushing and pulling the people that were all for Team Dean getting the 12 ft Merman back into the ocean.
The oncoming ships were freaking everyone the hell out.
The Coast Guard came up and boarded the half-sunk Espirito Santo first and hailed the others who refused to send any message back. They struggled with the drastic slant to it. Everyone could hear them call out for any survivors while the other much larger ship rounded it and headed towards the other intact ships.
Both the Red Sky and Dean’s Muerte Omen started to crank their engines. This scared everyone that was evacuating in lifeboats.
The chaos on the deck was immeasurable. Dean’s group finally got the heavy Mer up top and stared at the mass of bodies running to and fro, abandoning ship in every flotation device around. The few that were determined to stay, were arming themselves with harpoons and whatever they could find. A few of them came at Dean’s small group and it was an all out fistfight brawl between them.
Near helpless, Dean’s hand grappled at the cart handle and the blanket he was tied in. He pushed away the enemies he could reach, while still sucking on the water hose so he doesn’t suffocate. He thrashed his tail a few times, taking out and breaking the legs of the assholes that were going after his allies. He was a force to be reckoned with once he was dumped off of the cart on accident. He clawed and whipped his tail and attacked almost indiscriminately. Pulling himself closer and closer to the outer railing.
Kevin and Balthazar made their way back towards him and each grabbed a forearm, pulling and dragging him closer to freedom. But he was just too heavy. They then grabbed at the blanket instead of his arms and Dean dug his free claws into the decking and pulled himself forward, his other hand holding the breathing hose firmly in place, making his gums bleed from the metal being shoved into his mouth. He then used the end fins to push off against whatever was closest. Trying to summon his inner seal in getting his ass closer to freedom.
All of them tumbled off course when the ship had yanked sharply to the port-side.
Their ship had started to move away from the others but unbeknownst to anyone there, all three were tied together. A fact that was made aware when they all jerked and juddered violently. The chains holding them together shrieking under the strain before snapping. The ships over-corrected the move and nearly capsized the Red Sky while the Omen was left to throw everyone left and right as it tried to find its balance. Balthazar and Kevin tumbled around Dean who struggled to keep himself from crushing them.
The engines screamed again while the loose chain got tangled hopelessly in the blades, causing an immediate explosion in the engine room. Smoke billowed out from below and even more men were jumping ship.
Apparently they had a pyromaniac onboard because small fires began breaking out all over. Seizing the opportunity while they had it. Whatever the case may be, the ship was fucked. All sense of order fled when captain Magnus was spotted on one of the lifeboats, kicking people away that swam towards him.
Soon after, seeing the chaos on the Muerte Omen, the Red Sky decided, ‘Hell with this’ and made a break for it. The Coast Guard let them go, too much going on too fast to chase it down and contain the disaster ahead.
The chains that tied them all together pulled the Espirito Santo sideways far enough to start sinking again. Filling all of the bulkhead compartments with water and it was dragged under much faster due to the boulders that were tied to its bow.
The Coast Guard immediately were forced to give up the search of the Espirito Santo. Evacuating immediately. It became clear from the lack of sound on that ship that there was no one left on board. That fact was confirmed by a few of the people in the lifeboats that came close to them, to surrender so long as they save them from the sea monsters.
The Coast Guard didn't know what to make of their rantings but accepted them onboard without hesitation, sending them to the mess-hall to await further orders.
Senior Chief Petty Officer Ellen Harvelle and her Chief Petty Officer Jo discussed what to do about the situation at hand. It was a mess.
The moment they got their Seamen onboard, they untethered from the Santo as fast as they could, giving it space as it took on water and sank faster than they ever saw before. Their ship swung around in front of the Omen. Halting its escape even as the engines billowed smoke and flame. If it tried to run now, it would endanger everyone’s lives.
The whaling ship was ordered to keep a safe distance away. The sheer number of sailors claiming there was a sea monster below started to make them believe. What were the odds that every one of the people invented the same outlandish claim.
They came here to assist one half-sunken ship and ended up witnessing two, with a third attempting to flee. They had the whaling ship here on the off chance there was something real about the claim, and seeing all this chaos… They were glad for the precautions.
But that would mean jack shit if the whaling ship was attacked like these ships were. So they were sent back far enough away to not be seen as a threat.
The Coast Guard continued to accept the refugees from the trawlers, circling around the problem ship now that it's stopped in its tracks. Apparently, this ship had captured one of the sea-creatures and had it in their hold. And the reason why they were being hunted by a huge sea-monster.
Sonar wasn’t much help, nothing moving around after the Santo finished its descent.
A debris field was found close to the Omen, a small sailboat perhaps, remains of drag nets and anchor chains.
What the Coast Guard did find down there stumped them. There were three anchor chains attached to each other, but not a single traditional anchor in sight. What’s there instead was a weird slab of metal that might have once been in a rough tube like shape. Now dented beyond all previous recognition, it was mangled into this new shape. Lord only knows what they were going for. It must have been important enough to sacrifice all three of the ship's anchors for it.
One of the rescuers had a gut feeling that it had something directly to do with the claims of a sea-monster. Ellen looked over the edge at the waters littered with debris and wondered how the hell they expected to contain such a beast. If it really was as big as they say it is, they might have to kill it instead of capture. The whaling ship will do its cruel job and they will all sleep and rest easier.
Some things just can’t be saved. Shouldn’t be saved.
These guys bit off more than they could chew and were suffering the consequences of their actions, taking everyone down with them.
Petty Officer Ash was in charge of the whaling ship and its motley crew of fishermen and former seamen.
He had his doubts about the claims of Cthulhu Jr. before, but that was when it was all coming from cell phone videos and rumors. Easily faked and soon shut down. What Ash was impressed most by was how fast they were discredited and removed from online.
Normally, false claims and videos stay up for ages, being debated and viewed for years, but these were barely cutting their teeth online before it was all discredited, deleted, and buried. To have every one of the cell phone videos be denigrated within hours, and removed, despite being uploaded by twenty plus people…
People who only had one thing in common and that was their employer. A man who must have a very good reason to delete all evidence. Perhaps, a man with something to hide. Something that is a dozen feet long with a large orange tail. If there was nothing important to hide, then they wouldn’t have hidden the videos so fast.
It screamed of conspiracy.
Ash loved conspiracies.
Ash contacted his drinking buddy Frank Devereaux in the states for a little snooping job. Frank is the guy you call to find an invisible needle in a stack of needles.
He received permission to question a few of the men and women pulled from the water using secured video feed between their vessels. What the coast guard didn't know is that he had his own camera recording their chat and had Frank on the other end. Working diligently at identifying all the major players.
He quickly got the names and numbers for nearly all of the amateur filmmakers, as well as the officers and captains. He hit paydirt when he overheard the interview of one of the crew-members of the Muerte Omen. Someone that claimed they guarded the small Merman himself and had a name to go with it. Dean Winchester.
Frank sought out everything about Dean Winchester and got to work finding out if he was a real person or if it was a made up name. He also had his other computers working on researching mythical sea-monsters in the background. Cross referencing what they found with past reports. If it exists on the web, He will find it.
Once the whaling ship was a decent distance away, and on its own mission to find and deal with the monster, the Coast Guard vessel prepared for conflict as they set out the inflatable welcome mat for the ones who abandoned ship.
Balthazar shouted at the few still on the fire spotted deck, “Help us! Get him in the water and he can have the giant save us!”
He was ignored at first but a few eventually came closer, others brought over the net they used to haul Dean up, and hastily explained it was the safest way to get him off of the ship without hurting him. They handed the net off to Balth and Kevin who looked to Dean for approval. Dean didn't like it but it was either that or there’s gonna be a fish fry.
They laid the net down next to Dean who rolled inside. All the while clinging to the hose one handed. Giving a thumbs up, they tied the net up onto the hook overhead and it lifted. The whole thing swung around in haphazard circles over the turbulent waters. The lifeboats were now a safer distance away so they simply dropped the net partially into the water but the hook securing it was still in the air.
The mechanism busted at just the wrong time. A glance at the base of the crane showed a few angry men destroying the control. They heard Balthazar’s enraged shout and ran away. Damage was done.
Dean ditched the hose when he felt the ocean water on his skin and could have cried with relief. That relief died in his throat as he saw the net stall in its descent. Seeing the ship underwater, he saw the blades of the engine were still pulling against the chain that wrapped itself around it. The deafening groan of the machine and then the roar of a fire inside the hull.
Suddenly, a hole appeared in the hull nearby, water gushing in. Balthazar and Kevin were staring helplessly at him from the deck.
Dean swam to the surface and screamed, “Get off of the ship!”
His friends just stared down at him, pointing all around. There were no more lifeboats. Dean spun in his net, pushing at it and clawing at the ropes. He saw the other ships round the first and he shot back up, shouting, “Get to their ships! They’re coming around! Save yourselves!” Coughing and gagging on the air a moment later.
Kevin turned to Balthazar who frowned at the shorter man, a confession on his lips. “I can’t swim.” Balthazar shrugged and added, “I didn’t think I had to learn. There was nothing in the job application that required it.”
Kevin firmed his jaw and looked back over at Dean inside the net. “I’ll get him out of there and we’ll both carry you to the Coast Guard. Piece of cake. We aren’t gonna die here.” and gripped Balth’s hand, guiding him to the rope ladder that still hung off the side of the ship somewhat close to Dean’s net. The ship juddered and started to dip backwards towards the engines and the hole in the hull that grew in size.
Dean watched as the hook holding the net up got closer and closer to the water. When it was just five feet from the surface, he swam to the bottom of the net and pushed against it with all his might to lift himself up out of the water and grab hold of the net. Holding his breath and grimacing at how much it hurt, he reached through and grabbed the hook, hanging himself limply from the hook alone, he then grabbed the loose net edges, pulling them up and off of the hook. The net fell open and Dean followed. Tumbling into the water and soon righting himself before swimming over to the rope ladder, arms above his head, waiting for his friends.
Kevin shouted down, “Balth can’t swim!”
“Ok!” Always gotta be something. He cursed and reached up to the ladder, steadying the base of it in his hands. The humans made their way down faster now that the ladder wasn’t swinging around as wildly.
All the while the ship was slowly sinking to join the Espirito Santo. The Red Sky was making a break for it and since the Coast Guard only had two ships, they didn’t pursue. But, they did have a BOLO on it and help was on the way.
Dean tried to sound calm and supportive, “You’re doing great Balth, doing good. I gotcha. Just three more steps and I gotcha.”
Balthazar had a white knuckle grip on the ladder and felt the large hand gently wrap around his ankle. Not gripping it just yet, steadying. Images flashed in his head of Dean’s claws digging into his leg and ripping him from the ladder had him freeze on the spot, head bowed towards the hull and breathing hard to calm himself down.
Kevin was still making his way down and nearly stepped on Balthazar's head. “Hey! Dude! We have to go! Dean will catch you!”
Dean let go of the leg and moved down again. Realizing his mistake. “Sorry! It’s ok, I gotcha, Buddy.”
Balth nodded his head into the hull before taking a breath and blowing it out unsteadily as his feet moved further down the ladder. Dean gave him room while still stabilizing the bottom rung. His tail flipped about, slamming on the hull, trying like mad to keep himself steady enough for the small humans. Correcting his hold every few seconds with all of the waves pushing against him and the ship.
Finally, Balthazar felt the water lap at his ankles and Dean reached up to wrap his hands around Balth’s middle. Prying him away from the ladder and turning him around in his grip to settle on his hip. A moment later, Kevin joined them and helped get their friend onto Dean’s back since it would be hard for him to swim normally while carrying the man.
Balthazar felt like a child again as his arms didn't even reach around Dean's neck and shoulders to clasp in front, he had to settle for gripping what he could, and wrapping his legs around Dean's belly.
Dean pushed his upper half with his hands to make damn sure that Balth could still breathe air and saw Kevin get into the water next. Dean lifted his head above just long enough to say, “Follow me.” And started for the Coast Guard. Slow enough to keep Balthazar from feeling like he’s going to be bucked off.
He felt the small warmth on his back, and wondered if this would have felt normal had he a younger sibling. Piggyback riding their older brother.
Kevin was an expert scuba diver and swimmer and after just a moment to get situated, he was leading the way instead.
Dean looked around underwater and saw the Santo on its side, with several lifeboats slowly sinking down to join his own crumbled mess of a boat and the other garbage and debris from this whole mess.
We’re gonna have a lot to clean up later.
The Coast Guards were bringing up people left and right, deploying their own flat life rafts. Dean cautiously kept the majority of his body underwater but there was no denying that any part they saw above water showed a huge form carrying a grown ass man on its back.
“Be cool, just be cool.” Dean muttered, struggling to keep his bright orange tail from going too far up. Slow and steady over to the raft. He winced at the first shout.
“Monster!” and more calls going out from above.
“Shit.” Dean swam faster over to the raft, pulling Kevin along with him who was able to hold his breath and go with the flow. Dean hoisted Kevin up onto the air filled platform raft, and then moved alongside it for Kevin to pull Balth from Dean’s back, but in all the excitement, Balth developed claws and dug into Dean's shoulders in his panic.
“Balth! You gotta let go of him!” Kevin said, gripping the clothes and trying to yank him free.
Dean had no problem prying the fingers off of him, he just didn't want to terrify his friend further. He grabbed both scared stiff little arms and pulled them over his head, pinned them together. Dean pulled his friend in front and cradled the man to his chest to calm him down.
“Thank you.” He said to his friends, before having to launch Balthazar onto the raft where he fell directly on top of Kevin.
Dean pursed his mouth shut tight at the fumble, lifting his front half onto the raft to check on them. Kevin gave a thumbs up past Balthazar's side and Dean patted his foot before flipping backwards into the water. He pushed off and bolted straight down.
No way in hell was he going to get caught a third time. Dean saw all the lifeboats that were capsized and the flailing humans still left in the water, joined by many more from the ship as it listed to the side, sinking.
As Dean approached and grabbed a couple by the upper arms, he started carrying them along, reassuring them, “Hey, I’m a person just like you. You don’t have to be scared.”
“A merman. Not a person.” They shook their heads even as they accepted the ride.
“You got me. I’m a Mer Person. A Merson. How about that?” Dean smirked and saw the human roll their eyes.
He caught and saved as many as he could, dragging the willing and unwilling humans towards the life raft. Most of the people in the water were able to save themselves and stay floating long enough for help to arrive.
He feared there might be more people stuck inside the Muerte Omen, so he went back to the raft and said as much, he grabbed a lifeboat and pulled it along behind himself. The vortex formed by the sinking ship almost pulled it under so he let it go and dove towards the ship.
It was still lit up inside the hallways and he heard bangs from deep inside, twisting and turning around the corners he found a human trapped inside a room that was quickly losing air. He pushed aside the door and desk and ordered the man to hold his breath. He then pulled the man tight and raced back outside, letting him go at the surface and going back for more.
The brief moment he was topside he saw several other boats nearby. One girl thrust an oxygen tank at him that had the mask still attached. He grinned and gave a thumbs up as he dove back inside.
He found several more survivors and made a daisy chain of them, grabbing a rope and having them hold on tight and share the oxygen mask as he dragged them back out. He made eight trips and saved fourteen people. Going back for more each time even as it settled on the ocean floor.
He could still hear bangs and located a group of humans trapped inside a room. The air was stable inside from what he heard them saying and reassured them that he would find a way to get them out safely. They had time, others might not.
Dean searched and found a few more humans, pulling them topside before heading back in. The lights went out and it was pitch black now. He ran into walls and doors before having to give up and go topside for a flashlight. Fumbling around in the dark wasn’t gonna save anyone. Especially if they drowned while he was stuck figuring out an underwater maze.
He knew what had to be done. There were untold more people inside and there was no way he could get them all out.
He went to the raft and shouted for Balthazar.
“What? What do you need?”
“Flashlight! And Sam! Call Jack to get Sam back here right now!”
Dean accepted the flashlight that was thrown down from the deck of the Coast Guard ship and started to dive back down. But was halted by Balth banging his hand on the raft and calling for him. “What?!”
“We don’t speak your language, you gotta record the message for Sam!”
A phone was thrown down next from the deck since Balthazar's and Kevin’s were too waterlogged to work anymore.
Dean growled at the delay and as soon as it was ringing Dean shouted, “Jack! Put Sam on the phone right now! He needs to get here right now! There is no time to waste!”
Jack fumbled at his bagged phone and put it underwater for Sam to hear. The giant Mer was still fretting for scaring the little human but jolted to attention when Dean's frantic voice came from the box.
“Sam?! Can you hear me?”
“Yes.. yes I can hear you!” Sam sighed in relief, “Oh Dean I need to tell you something,”
“It can wait, I need you to get your ass back over here right now. There’s people that are gonna die if we don’t do something. You can leave Jack there for now, we will have someone come get him. You have to get here and help these people. I can’t do it alone.”
Sam nodded at the phone and looked up at the little human. He lifted his head and using one finger pushed the little ‘phone’ back towards him. The human then went back to talking on the phone in that language and Sam faced the horizon again. Something black was lifting from the water, looking like clouds but coming from the boats.
Dean’s in trouble.
Sam turned to pat a finger to the tiny boat and nodded firmly at the human who waved for him to get going already.
Sam wasted no time and swam as fast as he ever swam before. His brother is in trouble. He won’t let him down again.
Dean pushed the phone back to Balthazar, “He’s coming, tell them not to shoot !” pointing up at the ships. Dean gripped the flashlight and a new canister of oxygen and returned to the Omen.
Only one minute later and Dean felt a quake shaking the whole ship. Sam’s voice outside bellowing towards the opening in the deck where fish were still streaming out in a bid for freedom. Dean made his way back out of the labyrinth of tunnels and rooms and dove towards Sam and spread his arms out wide.
Sam easily caught him in his hands and brought his small brother to his chest, ducking his head down and near sobbing with relief and surprise.
Sam’s fingers dragged down Dean's tail with a question on his lips, but Dean just shrugged him off, gripping tight to what he could of Sam's chest. So glad to see he’s ok in Merson. He composed himself and looked up at the concerned questioning face.
Dean flipped his tail to the side, dragging a hand down it. “Yeah, so… this happened.”
Sam didn’t know what to say about it. Mentioning Dean’s changed body in the past was always upsetting for him so he smiled reassuringly. He then looked at the sunken ship and heard faint bangs inside.
Dean jolted back around and swam towards the opening again, turning and facing Sam, “I can't get them all out. These are not all bad people, Sam, they need our help. I know you don't have a good history with them. They think you're a monster but we can prove them wrong . We can show them who we really are!”
Sam frowned but considered his words. He didn't want to see anyone else get hurt either. Listening to the bangs inside, knowing that they will all die if they do nothing. “What can I do?”
Dean looked at his brother and the ship. “Can you lift it? Even just one side to the surface?”
Sam swam closer to it, testing its weight. It was larger than his body, but, now that it was fully underwater the weight wasn’t as drastic. He coiled around the base of it and gripped the sides in a bear hug, pushing off the ground with his tail and having his wings flap like crazy. It groaned and clanked and things shattered inside. Faint screams were heard and he struggled even harder to lift it but it was just too heavy. He let it sink back down, breathless and tired.
“I'm sorry, I can't…” he whispered, not wanting to face his brother’s disappointed look. He felt small hands on his own as he dug claws into the outer hull.
Dean had an idea. It was their last option. “Ok, it’s ok. So. I want you to take it apart, we start at the top and peel off one layer at a time, I will bring the humans out of the ship and you pull them to the surface. My friends are on a small raft” Dean growled in frustration at the lack of words in Mer. “A ship made out of a bag.” He pointed out the inflatable raft. “My friends are on that thing, bring all the people up there and drop them off and come back.”
Sam grinned widely and moved to the top of the ship, at Dean’s command, he pulled the top off, finding no one, he moved it aside and pulled the next level up. Dean gripped a human who started to struggle and Sam grabbed them in a gentle fist, pulling them up to the surface quickly. He lifted his head partially above the water and saw dozens of humans scramble away from him. Shrieking and screaming. His brow pinched in worry and he dropped the human off where he was told and gave a little wave to the rest before diving back under.
He ran into Dean on the way down and grabbed the next two humans his brother had, putting them where the others were.
He ignored the tiny sticks thrown his way. They could try and hurt him but he didn't care. He was helping his brother and proving that he’s no monster.
He peeled off each layer and section of the ship until he came to the room filled with humans. Dean stopped him and knocked on the wall, speaking to them in their own funny language. Dean got some knocks back and motioned for Sam to move carefully. He saw a massive burst of bubbles rise up and a dozen or so humans tied together with rope, he cupped his hands under most of them and saw Dean pull at the others that clutched onto the pipes that were still attached to the ship, Dean pried them away and together they all made it topside.
The raft was overflowing with survivors at this point so Dean stayed with the ones still in the water. Sam caught on and kept his hands level. He saw them slowly climb up the side of the ship and that the line was moving just too slowly for him. Luckily, there seemed to be a large ship nearby with only a few people on it. More room!
Sam grabbed a few fistfuls of humans and lifted himself up out of the water just long enough to drop the people off on the other ship.
People were screaming and thrashing about.
Dean was shouting something at him but he’ll have to wait a moment. Sam’s got this. He can do this. He went back to the others and grabbed a few more squirming handfuls, mindful to keep them safe as he swam over to the other ship.
Moments after letting them slide off of his hands, he felt sharp pains all along his side.
He cried out and accidentally dropped the rest of the humans to the deck. Luckily it wasn’t very high. Sam pushed against the ship as he dipped sideways into the water. More and more sharp things were thrown at him, puncturing his skin. Blood poured out of the newest wounds.
Some of the poles had chains attached and snagged on his skin, pulling at it when he tried to get away. Sam felt the piercing sticks and couldn’t pull the stingers out fast enough before they were replaced with larger ones.
Dean was beside himself. He saw Sam heading toward the whaling ship and tried to call out but Sam just kept on going. “Stop! Sam! Come back!” Dean dove after him, reaching his brother just as another harpoon punctured his good hip fin, loud clangs of metal chains reeled in their catch. Numerous hooks and harpoons were being shot out, easily finding their mark since Sam was so large. They couldn’t miss.
Dean swam back to the Coast Guard, “Please! Tell them to stop hurting him! Sam’s a good guy! He’s good!”
Balthazar shouted back at Dean, “Get out of here!”
Dean paced and saw how many people were suddenly turning on their saviors. He bolted back over to Sam but had nothing to cut these chains.
The bolt cutters! They’re still down there from when he dropped it!
He dove down, having to ignore Sam's cries of pain and searched for the bolt cutters amid all of the debris. The ships had moved away from the initial site where they first trapped Sam so his ship and the bits of net were still mostly undisturbed. He swam in circles, tears in his eyes at how unfair it all is. They were trying their best and it’s not good enough!
He saw blood sink down below, clouding the waters once again. Sam doesn't have enough blood to spare after that first attack. Dean wiped his face off of tears again and pushed the massive amount of silt around. Searching. Digging. It has to be here!
Dean heard Sam cry out and then go silent. He looked up and saw Sam's body go limp, pulling only slightly at the whaling ship at his side that dwarfed him. Chains and harpoons littering his body. Flashbacks to this very same thing. Seeing his parents dead in the water. Tied up and dragged away from his home. Blood filled all of his senses.
“No! No! It’s not gonna end like this!” Dean raced around, pushing pieces of his ship around and out of the corner of his eye, his flashlight had shown onto something gleaming white in the darkness. Brighter than anything should be down here. He raced for it and smiled as he pulled the bolt cutters from the sand and swam fast and hard up to his brother. His skills at using his new body grew exponentially now that he wasn’t thinking about it. It became natural.
Dean wasted no time at all in cutting every single line he saw. Shouting reassurances up at his brother. Patting skin wherever he went. “Not leaving you. You're gonna be ok Sam. I promise. I promise I’ll look after you. You're safe with me.”
Chain by chain snapped with almost no resistance. He couldn't remove the harpoons himself, but he could make sure they weren’t going to be used as fish hooks to pull in their catch. Thankfully, his giant brother was submerged enough to keep breathing.
After what felt like hours, he saw and heard other chains snapping overhead. Lifting himself up enough to see that the people Sam put on board the whaling ship were now fighting with the crew and cutting line after line at the source. Dean cheered them on and went back to work.
“Sam! Look! Look up! They’re helping us!”
The massive 212 foot long body dropped from the side of the ship fully into the water. Dean had to swim fast to get out from under it as it sank.
Dean moved to Sam's slack face, slapping it and calling out for him to wake up. His heart beat rapidly against his chest, pressing his ear to Sam’s chest and waiting for that reassuring thump. Here it comes. It’s gonna come. Just be patient…
Dean's breaths became sharp and uneven. His heart is just slower than other people. It's ok. He’s not dead… he's not… he can’t.
“He can’t be dead.” Dean whispered, choking up, waiting for that heart to beat. Dean looked up at Sam's face. Mouth lax, eyes half lidded and unseeing.
“NOOO!” Dean screamed, hugging Sam's cheek, lifting up a single eyelid to see the unfocused pupil. “Sam!!”
He was distantly aware of people diving into the water, struggling with removing the harpoons. He glared at them but forced himself to stop. Sam’s blood is still coming out. If his heart stopped it would have slowed. He needs these damned things out of his body!
Dean set back to work, removing every hook he found. Watching the skin settle naturally closed. All the while others were doing the same, removing hooks and trying to revive the giant. But there weren't enough. It was too deep.
Dean went back to the chest and pressed his ear against it again. One last time.
Tha-thump.
Dean’s eyes filled with tears again and he looked up as the giant eyes squinted closed but the jaw was still lax. But he’s alive! After that confirmation, he went back to work, removing the hooks and tossing them aside.
Some of the people on the Coast Guard ship joined in, with better quality scuba gear and equipment. Using a kind of adhesive strip that Dean never saw before, but figured out that it was meant to repair ships on the outside of the hull while still underwater. It almost looked like tar on a flexible metal wire lined sheet. Super duct tape. In any event, it acted like a kind of bandage in a fix as they had teams of two paste them over the worst of the wounds first. Sealing them closed. They started handing out more of them to be applied to every one of his open wounds. It was all they had.
Even if Sam had taught him about healing salves of Mer’s, there wasn’t anything growing nearby, especially not in the quantities needed.
The hull duct tape was working wonders though, and Dean wondered where he could get more for emergencies.
Sam blinked blearily and his fingers twitched. Dean put on another strip to his good hip fin and saw the shredded remains of the other. Sam had suffered that wound when Dean wasn’t fast enough to save him. Dean was going to fix that and save Sam from any further harm from humans. He deserves peace. Not to be hunted down.
The only way to change the hearts and minds of people is to talk to them.
Sam knew that. That’s why he talked to Dean when Dean was the one that was scared of the unknown monster. And, Dean taught others that the Mers weren’t all bad. But this was too small of a scale for real change to happen. If there were others like Sam out there, they were in hiding. Scared for their lives, and for good reason.
Humans didn’t know the full extent of what they were doing to the environment. What they’re capable of. Not just the bad, but the good. Unfortunately it’s all ‘out of sight out of mind’.
Dean could use this as an opportunity to reach a larger audience. Convince people that had never even thought they could exist that just because they’re newly discovered, doesn't mean it’s something to be feared and hated. Sure, he heard some horror stories of what Merpeople had done before, but that was because he wasn’t looking at it from the Mer point of view. They had laws to protect their own kind. They also didn’t know enough about the rest of the world to change their ways for the better. Their ‘better safe than sorry’ wasn’t saving everybody when they either drove off or killed anyone that became sick, or mentally unstable.
When a Merson gets sick, there could be medicines developed to save them. It shouldn’t be a death sentence to get fin rot for God’s sake! If they were going crazy from solitude, they could have a whole team of humans come and just talk to them. Play with them. If Mers couldn’t find food or needed help with the local habitats, they should have human scientists helping figure out what was wrong and together they could solve the problem.
They had a chance for real change. Right here and now.
Dean wants to save Sam. Not just today, but make sure he has a future in cleaner waters. That the oceans can be cleaned of pollution. They can do it, they just need some help.
Dean figures he knows how to appeal to their humanity. Their natural willingness to help nature.
He made sure that Sam was taken care of and resting peacefully. “I’ll be right back, Sam. Pinky swear.”
Sam mumbled something and gave a half grin, fingers twitching towards Dean who moved down to the hand to drag his tail against the fingertips. Feeling them smooth out the scales there and gently rug his end fins.
Sam muttered, “Pretty.” that had Dean laughing.
Dean swam back to Sam's face and punched his nose and made it sniff at him in reflex. “I’ll be right back.”
“Back…” Sam muttered then snored.
Food was ordered for the sleeping Mer from the Red Sky which was finally detained by their backup that finally arrived. They weren’t alone however, as dozens of pleasure cruisers came following after. A few drones even made it into the air for better views of the goings on. Dean gave them a side eye, hoping that they were piloted by friendlies.
Dean made his way tentatively to the Coast Guard ship. Looking over to see Jack's boat being pulled in by another motorboat.
Jack stumbled as he dismounted the lifeboat onto the floating raft and glared at Dean, finger pointing at him. “You’re a dick.”
“Love you too, kid.” Dean winked and Jack rolled his eyes before accepting the help to get onto the ship.
Dean takes in the plethora of cameras focused on him. Sam must be too hard to make out on the ocean floor, so he’s the main attraction. At first Dean’s nervous to actually be showing himself to everyone without there being an immediate emergency.
Dean braced himself and started to swim level with the water, as high as he could to show off his orange tail and proving to everyone present that it’s not a costume or trick of the light. He even held his breath for a couple of leaps into the air. Diving back in and laughing at how fun that actually was. At the ‘oooh’s and aahhh’s’ he figured that was enough and waved for the camera’s. Staying still long enough for them all to focus because even though he’s in the middle of a circle of boats and ships, he made sure he wasn’t too close to any of them. Escape route clearly in place. Down and out. Heh.
“Ok everyone, I just want to say hi and y’all should get your cell phones going. You’re gonna wanna hear this.” he paused and watched as everyone that still had working phones and cameras aimed them down at him. He turned to his side to give them another good view of his tail. Flipping around and even doing another launch into the air to show it’s real.
“Got your cameras on? All set?” he heard whoops and cheers all around. “Ok! Hello Ladies, Gentlemen and Mersons, my name is Dean Winchester and I'm going to tell you a story. It's 100 percent true even if you don’t believe it.” He waits for the chatter to quiet down so he can be heard.
Dean takes a deep breath underwater again and lifts himself up to speak, “The ocean is a hell of a place to grow up in.”
Dean starts to tell the story of Sam’s parents. Renaming them after his own parents to personify them. Make the ‘sea creatures’ more relatable. They were just a young couple leaving home to grow a family. He explains a little about pod politics before getting side tracked a few times, seeing what's going on around his area. Even more ships are coming in from the distance. But he can’t stop the story now. So he keeps an eye on them and then starts to tell them what Sam had told him a few days ago. He gets the basics out, but soon he’s able to elaborate and expand on the story. Especially when it gets to their own part as children. All the while having to duck back down to breathe, and is immensely grateful that everyone is so patient with the frequent interruptions to his story.
The video feed from a hundred phones goes live and is relayed over and over again to different social media platforms simultaneously. With no one to delete them, it goes viral.
People start to doubt it, some are angry at his claims that Mers came first and that humans came from them. But most are moved by his speech. They demand to know what happened to Sam. Why he’s not there too. Questions upon questions.
Dean keeps on going, questions later. He has to take a break before talking about how the young Mer couple died at the hands of humans. How Sam was left all alone for decades. Then Dean started speaking about his own lives. His own experiences. He had to stop and recall what he remembers and name some people to look up if they doubt his claim. All the ones he named are no longer living, not wanting Castiel’s family harassed. Balthazar knows the truth about some of his lives, and gives a thumbs up when Dean gets to his life as a gardener and his shrub chopping apprentice.
Despite their best efforts, when Dean gets to the part of the story involving the trawlers, there are several fights breaking out. He tried very hard to speak objectively, but seeing the wounds all over Sam’s body has him laying it out straight. Making sure to publicly state that he forgives the people that changed for the better and helped him and his brother and the survivors of the ships.
Getting to the part of his speech where he pleads his case for the ocean. Begging people to give a damn about what’s been going on down there. That it is never out of sight out of mind for the beings that have to live in the polluted waters.
He backs off from being too preachy but his message is loud and clear. They need help.
Dean is overjoyed when he hears a familiar voice calling to him from the group of ships.
“Bobby!” he shouts for joy and races over, doing a few jumps in the air while he’s at it. Bobby jumps into the water and Dean plows into and bear hugs his adoptive Dad. Bobby gapes like a fish at how much Dean had grown. The cameras didn’t do it justice. Dean has to remind himself to breathe as he hugs Bobby’s chest to keep him above water.
Bobby tells Dean all that he’d been doing on the way over, getting this armada of ships together to break him out but it looks like his boy already handled it. Dean is just itching to show Bobby his brother and after a moment to give Bobby some goggles and air tank, he’s dragged down by the hand by an exuberant Dean.
Sam doesn’t rouse long, but long enough to grin tiredly at Bobby. Fingers outstretched to hold the adorable human and Dean’s quick to reassure and guide Bobby closer. Sam merely grazed a few fingers down Bobby’s side and said, “Thank you.”
Bobby got the impression it was for taking care of Dean. Bobby patted the fingers back and nodded his head, thanking Sam right back for saving his boy. Sam smiled again and booped Bobby’s head who soon ducked back from the enormous digit.
Dean chuckled, “It’s ok, he’s a lot to take in all at once. We’ll get there. You’re taking this better than I did.”
Bobby’s time down there was limited so Dean brought him back up to chat easier.
“So.” Bobby started a slightly bewildered look on his face. “All that stuff about reincarnation was true?”
Dean laughed out loud, patting his back with a little too much force, and Bobby bobbed in the water. “Yup! We kept on running into each other. I remember you were my apprentice when we were developing automobiles, then the next life I was… well… I was a dog that you found and adopted.” Dean blushed and turned away to cough - pretending it was from the air.
“A dog.” Bobby deadpanned.
“Hey, it wasn’t all bad, I got to watch you grow your business! You took to designing automobiles like a duck to water. I’m proud of you.” Dean bumped his elbow to Bobby’s side. “Oh! I bet with some practice, you can remember all your previous lives too. It gets confusing, I won't lie. But I can help you out. It’s kinda like hypnosis.” Dean continued on and drew in another crowd who were fascinated with the knowledge that yes there is an afterlife, but mostly people choose to come back over and over to experience new lives. God was giving everyone a choice. Dean had to hastily say that God didn’t label himself, that that was the name Dean gave the entity, because… it fit. He tried to remember all that happened when he was dead and it was getting fuzzy around the edges. He does clearly remember the choice and the decision to help clean the oceans and make it better for all living things. A tall order, but a good life goal.
All the while, people around the country are watching Dean on tv and feel a connection to him. Especially all the people from his past lives that are still being reincarnated. Something clicks and they want to help. Motivating their families and friends to help. A ripple of change that they hope will become a wave.
Bobby tells Dean about how hard his father is working to provide a place for Dean to stay on land. John was just waiting for Dean’s input and desire for where he wanted to go. Dean is touched and starts to tear up. He promises to visit, but his new home is the ocean. His soul has been drawn to it for ages and that it doesn’t mean he wants to shun dry land forever. He misses his friends terribly.
Bobby climbs back on board the loaner ship and rings up John who’s put on speakerphone.
Dean and his father have a long heart to heart that was a long time coming. John got all of his regrets laid bare and finally told Dean, “The biggest regret of my life was not being a better father. I drove you away and I… I want to redeem myself and do whatever I can to make it up to you.”
“You already did.”
They talk for hours.
The brothers gradually heal and wait till everything calms down. Dean is taken to their old nesting site where they settle in. Sam is overjoyed at seeing the pod of dolphins that were descendants of their neighbors. One day, they notice messages in bottles being dropped from above. Messages that their fans mailed to them from around the world.
Promises that they will do their best to stop the pollution of the ocean and to stop over fishing sharks and endangered species.
Sam grumbles about all the glass litter and is told that it’s ok, glass is just melted sand and it will break down into beautiful pebbles. Satisfied, Sam settles down to listen to Dean read off all their fan mail and support.
Over time, other Mers were found in remote places, coming back with the healing waters. The brothers discovered most of them in the arctic poles. Their foraging and normal activities broke apart and warmed a few glaciers and now that the Pods weren't living among them, the glaciers stabilized. The fragile ecosystem was restored once the giant Mers stopped eating all the krill and plankton. Letting the local wildlife thrive.
It wasn’t solely the humans fault for the state of things and Mer’s had to take responsibility too.
Dean set up a foundation to ‘save the sharks’ and would give selfies and autographs to top contributors. Sam didn’t understand half of what was going on and was just happy that the Mers were now a protected species.
Life isn't perfect, but it was better than before. If one side was in trouble, the other would help. Humans would alert Mers of whaling ships or tectonic plate shifting, and Mers would keep their ships from sinking in bad weather.
One Mer absolutely loved helping out the crab fishermen, and saved a number of lives. Making them an official mascot. A TV show was in production about the collaboration. Winning more hearts and minds to the cause.
Eventually Mers would be seen as more than monsters or creatures, but as just very big people. It was an uphill battle though. Mer populations slowly started to come back from near extinction when the elders passed and the new generations were allowed more children.
Many humans wanted to become Mers but Dean refused to help or tell them how. He didn’t need that on his conscience. His was a special case and couldn’t be repeated without ties to a centuries old sibling.
The oceans and seas were slowly cleaned and stabilized, but it was a lot of hard work on both sides.
Sam and Dean became ambassadors, finding their calling in life. Their friends and families moved to their small private coast, and they all lived happily ever after.
Fin.