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(3.3) ─ Up For A Swim ?

𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫:
‧⁺˚*‧☾ 𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐦𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐞𝐚, 𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐫 ☽‧*˚⁺‧

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"Okay, this little boy Peter Sweeney vanishes, and this is all connected to Bill Carlton somehow." Carmen questioned trying to keep everything from tangling together in her mind. "Yeah, Bill sure as hell seems to be hiding something, huh?" Dean remarked.

"And Bill, the people he loves, they're all getting punished." Sam added.

"So what if Bill did something to Peter?" Dean questioned.

"What if Bill killed him?" She suggested getting a look from both brothers. "Peter's spirit would be furious. It'd want revenge. It's possible," The oldest agreed as the Impala pulled up to the front of the Carlton house.

The three walked up to the back of the house near the dock. "Mr. Carlton?" Sam called out. "Hey, check it out," Dean stated, making the two younger siblings look around to see Bill Carlton boating out into the lake. Running to the edge of the dock all yelling and warning him not to go any father, and to turn around and come back to shore.

But he didn't. Ignoring them and just kept going. Suddenly something knocked the whole boat, making it jump backwards and it quickly sunk with Mr. Carlton not in any sight. It looked like a huge rough wave hit the boat but the water was calm and still.

💾

The three arrived at the station with the sheriff wanting to question them. Andrea sat on a chair with Lucas giving them a confused look as she stood up. "Sam, Dean, Carmen? I didn't expect to see you here."

"So now you're on a first-name basis," Sheriff Jake said with a little smile before looking at his daughter, "What are you doing here?"

"I brought you dinner,"

"I'm sorry, sweetheart, I don't really have the time,"

"I heard about Bill Carlton. Is it true? Is something going on with the lake?"

"Right now we don't know what the truth is. But I think it might be better if you and Lucas went on home," Lucas looked up and whimpered. Jumping up and grabbing Dean's arm. "Lucas, hey, what is it?"

"Lucas," Dean and Andrea said at the same time.

"Lucas, it's okay. It's okay. Hey, Lucas, it's okay. It's okay," He tried to calm the boy down.. Andrea finally pulled Lucas away from Dean and led him outside but he didn't look away from the oldest Winchester. Jake threw down his jacket to a chair and walked into his office. The three filled in, keeping Carmen between the two as they told him everything that had happened. For once telling the truth.

"Okay, just so I'm clear, you see...something attack Bill's boat, sending Bill--who is a very good swimmer, by the way--into the drink, and you never see him again?"

"Yeah, that about sums it up,"

"And I'm supposed to believe this, even though I've already sonar-swept that entire lake? And what you're describing is impossible?" Jake looked between the two brother, "And you're not really Wildlife Service?"

The two looked surprised, which meant to Carmen that now was a great time to start panicking. "That's right, I checked. Department's never heard of you two." He told Sam and Dean. "See, now, we can explain that," Dean started to excess. "Enough. Please. The only reason you're breathing free air is one of Bill's neighbors saw him steering out that boat just before you did. So, we have a couple of options here. I can arrest you for impersonating government officials and hold you as material witnesses to Bill Carlton's disappearance. Or, we can chalk this all up to a bad day, you can get into your car, put this town in your rearview mirror, and you don't ever darken my doorsteps again."

"Door number two sounds good,"

"That's the on I'd pick." The Sheriff agreed as Sam and Dean held onto either arm of Carmen, pushing her in front of them as they quickly filled out of the room an dout of the station.

💾

They sat at a traffic light, Carmen looked over at the road sign, 'I-43 North to Milwaukee'. The light turned green, but the Impala didn't move.

"Green,"

"What?" Dean asked previously dazed out.

"Light's green," Sam started, only for Dean to turn right. "Uh, the interstate's the other way." He pointed out his brother's mistake. "I know,"

"You have that weird feeling too?" Carmen asked, sitting forwards. When it was only Carmen and Dean doing hunts, the way they could differ real cases from false ones was when both of them had the weird feeling.

Sam glanced between the two, sighing, "Dean, this job I think it's over." Dean shook his head, "I'm not so sure." He stated otherwise. "If Bill murdered Peter Sweeney and Pete's spirit got its revenge, case closed. The spirit should be at rest." Sam protested. "All right, so what if we take off and this thing isn't done? You know, what if we've missed something? What if more people get hurt?"

"But why would you think that?"

"Because Lucas was really scared," Carmen spoke up.

"That's what this is about?" Sam asked, looking from her to the oldest. "I just don't want to leave this town until I know the kid's okay." He said truthly. The youngest siblings looked at each surprised, then back at Deam. Sam smirked, "Who are you and what have you done with my brother?" He teased. "Tweety does like other kids?" Carmen teased making Dean glare at the two of them before turning back to the road. "Shut up,"

💾

"Are you sure about this? It's pretty late, man" Sam asked as they stood on the doorsteps of Andrea's house. Carmen nodded her head, yawning at the word 'late' wishing they weren't doing this so late. Dean didn't reply, just rang the doorbell.

The door swung open revealing a desperately afraid Lucas. "Lucas?" Lucas!" Dean shouted after the boy who had already taken off. Running up the stairs and seeing the water pouring from under the bathroom door and down the stairs. Lucas started pounding his small fist on the door. Dean gently pushed him over to Carmen before kicking the door in.

Lucas grabbed Dean, leaving Carmen and Sam to run into the bathroom. Sam quickly stuck his arms into the flooding tub trying to pull Andrea out. Only for her to get pulled back under the water every time.

Carmen turned back to Lucas crouching down to his level, holding either side of his face. "Lucaus, just look at me okay? They're going to get your mom. And we are gunna wait in the hallway." She said making sure he didn't see anything he wouldn't want to see.

She took his hand and took him to the hall as they sat against the wall. She sat closest to the open door as Lucas nervously looked between her and the light. Once they heard Andrea start to cough she peered around the frame, waiting for them to get Andrea calm and a towel before letting Lucas see her.

It was now morning, all sat in the living room. Andrea was dry and wore different clothing. "Can you tell us?"

"No," She quietly shut down. Carmen rubbed her shoulder trying to console her. "It doesn't make any sense. I'm going crazy." She put her face in her hands and started to cry. "No, you're not. Tell us what happened. Everything," Carem told her in her softest smile. "I heard... I thought I heard... there was this voice," She finally said. "What did it say?" Sam asked, matching his sister's softness. "It said...it said 'come play with me'," She informed before starting to sob. Camren turned her gently, allowing her to cry onto her shoulder. "What's happening?" She cried.

Dean put a book down in front of Andrea and opened to a picture of Explorer Troop 37. "Do you recognize the kids in these pictures?" He asked. "What? Um, um, no. I mean, except that's my dad right there. He must have been about 12 in these pictures," She moved her finger over to another picture of Jake as a child; he was standing next to Peter.

Dean looked between Sam and Carmen. "Chris Barr's drowning. The connection wasn't to Bill Carlton. It must have been with the sheriff." He whispered not wanting to add to Andrea's distress. "Bill and the sheriff–they were both involved with Peter." The youngest added as Dean looked over to check on Lucas, who was staring out the large window. "What about Chris? My dad–what are you talking about?" Andrea asked, lifting her head up. "Lucas?" Dean asked, making them look over at the little guy. "Lucas, what is it?"

Lucas ignored them and opened the door, walking outside as everyone were right behind him. "Lucas, honey?" He came to a stop looking around at the ground, then looked at Dean. "You and Lucas get back to the house and stay there, okay?" Dean told Andrea, she did so pulling Lucas back home with her.

Dean went back to the Impala and brought back shovels. Handing one another to either sibling as they started digging around the spot Lucas was at. Sam's shovel clanked against something and they quickly started digging with their hands. Pulling out a red bicycle. "Peter's bike," Sam breathed out as they all tried to catch their breaths.

"Who are you?"

They turned around to see Sheriff Jake, who was pointing a gun at them. "You don't want to hurt us Jake," Carmen said calmly, as her brothers swiftly put her behind them. "How did you know that was there?" He asked, clearly stressed. "What happened? You and Bill killed Peter, drowned him in the lake and then and then buried the bike? You can't bury the truth, Jake. Nothing stays buried," Dean explained, not trying to escalate the situation.

"I don't know what the hell you're talking about,"

"You and Bill killed Peter Sweeney thirty-five years ago. That's what the hell I'm talking about."

"Dad!" Andrea yelled running over the them.

"And now you got one seriously pissed-off spirit," Dean finished explaining. "It's gonna take Andrea, Lucas, everyone you love. It's gonna drown them. And it's gonna drag their bodies god knows where, so you can feel the same pain Peter's mom felt. And then, after that, it's gonna take you, and it's not gonna stop until it does." Sam added on.

"Yeah, and how do you know that?" He asked.

"Because it's exactly what happened to Bill Carlton," Carmen said in between her brother's arms. "Listen to yourselves, the three of you. You're insane." He declared, shaking his head. "I don't really give a rat's ass what you think of us. But if we're gonna bring down this spirit, we need to find the remains, salt them, and burn them into dust. Now tell me you buried Peter somewhere. Tell me you didn't just let him go in the lake." Dean told him.

"Dad, is any of this true?"

"No. Don't listen to them. They're liars and they're dangerous."

"Something tried to drown me. Christ died on that lake. Dad, look at me." Andrea pleaded. Finally her dad slowly looked at her, "Tell me you-you didn't kill anyone." He didn't answer, all he did was turn his head. "Oh my god." She whispered not wanting that answer.

"Billy and I were at the lake. Peter was the smallest one. We always bullied them, but this time, it got rough. We were holding his head under the water. We didn't mean to. But we held him under too long and he drowned." Jake finally confessed.

Andrea was speechless after just finding out that he father killed someone, and now he's killing people. Jake looked at Dean, Sam, and Carmen, which made them push her back even more. "We let the body go, and it sank."

The two brothers shared a knowing look. Jake looked at his daughter, "Oh, Andrea, we were kids. We were so scared. It was a mistake. But, Andrea, to say that I have anything to do with these drownings, with Chris, because of some ghost? It's not rational."

."All right, listen to me, all of you. We need to get you away from this lake, as far as we can, right now." Dean ordered them.

Carmen glanced around, seeing Lucas going down to the lake. "Lucas!" Carmen shouted running after him. She was the first one on the dock seeing the boy leaning over the side, reaching for one of his toy soldiers in the water. "Lucas!" Dean yelled as the rest of the group reached the dock. "Lucas! Baby, stay where you are!" Andrea yelled trying to stay calm hoping it would help. Carmen had a hold of Lucas's arm but Peter was faster. A hand roughly pulled the two into the water.

"Carmen!" Both brothers yelled running to the edge of the lake. Both not hestatenting diving into the lake. "Oh my God!" Andrea shouted trying to ger her jacket off. "Andrea, stay there!" Sam yelled back see she was about to jump in.

"No! Lucas!"

"We'll get him! Just stay on the dock!" Sam told her before diving under the water.

After a few long seconds Dean broke the surface, "Sam!" Just as Sam broke the surface, "Dean!" He shook the water from his eyes, seeing him behind him. "Carmen, Lucas?" The oldest ask only to get a head shake in response before both went back under.

The Sheriff was quick to shed his jacket after seeing Peter's head. "Peter, if you can hear me..." Andrea looked over watching her father. "Please, Peter, I'm sorry. I'm so – I'm so sorry,"

"Daddy, no!"

"Peter. Lucas – he's, he's just a little boy. Please, it's not his fault, it's mine. Please take me," He begged. Both brothers came back up for air, still without either Lucas or Carmen. "Jake no!" Dean shouted seeing he was inching towards the water. "Just let it be over!" Peter grabbed Jake's leg and dragged him under.

"Daddy! Daddy! No!"

The two boys dove back under once more. Only for Sam to came back up first, shaking his head at Andrea. When suddenly Dean broke the surface with Lucas in his arms. Swiftly Carmen was now back up gasping for air and coughing and choking on water. Swimming towards a burry Sam who quickly grabbed her.

💾

The three walked out of the motel keeping an arm around her. Dean opened the car door and with his free hand tossed their duffel bags in. The two youngest took notice of the disappointment on his face. "Look, we can't save everybody,"

"I know,"

"Carmen, Sam, Dean." A female voice said, turning to see Andrea walking up with Lucas. "Hey." Dean said as they met them half ways. Lucas was carrying a tray of sandwiches. "We're glad we caught you. We just, um, we made you lunch for the road. Lucas insisted on making the sandwiches himself,"

Lucas looked up at his mom, "Can I give it to them now?" He asked as they all smiled at his response. "Of course," She smiled at him, kissing his head.

Carmen crouched down, "Come on, you can help me load these into the car." She said with a smile as Lucas, Dean, and her walked to the back of the car.

Andrea stopped the oldest, before kissing him. The youngest looked at each other matching their grins. "Damn, we should really start betting." She joked as Sam laughed, making Dean give them a look. "Language," He said as Andrea smiled at them, looking between the two. "Language," She mocked back.

"Thank you," Andrea said.

Dean thought for a minute, scratching his head. "Sam, Carm move your ass. We're gonna run out of daylight before we hit the road. Both rolling their eyes, waving their hands before climbing into the car. Dean started the engine as Andrea and Lucas started waving as they drove off.

A thought quickly came to Carmen. She started to go through her backpack and didn't find what she was looking for. Moving towards their other bags and still not finding it. Both brothers looked at each other confused by her sudden actions. "I can feel your judgments."

"Well what might you be looking for?" Sam asked turning and resting one of his arms across the back of the front seat. "Mr. Whiskers."

"Mr. Whiskers?"

"I haven't seen him in ages." Dean pointed out before seeing Sam was till confused. "That little black cat animal thing she had."

"That Mr. Whiskers."

"Yeah and now I can't find him." She went back to searching the back seat. Sam glanced at Dean seeing she was still confused by her actions. "It was one of the few memories she has of her mom." He told him as if it clicked. But she still couldn't find her missing black cat.