The Search for John Winchester

3) Dead in the Water

Will Carlton sat on the counter finishing his cereal as Bill Carlton read the paper.

Sophie Carlton, Will's sister and Bill's daughter, came into the kitchen, kissing her father on the cheek, "Morning, Daddy."

"Morning, sweetheart," her father replied. Sophie turned away, heading towards the refrigerator.

"All this workouts, Soph, I don't know," Will grinned. "Guys don't like buff girls."

"Yeah, well, girls don't like guys who still love at home," Sophie grinned back at her brother.

Will drank the last of the milk in his cereal, then slid off of the counter, "Ha ha ha."

"Ha ha," Sophie opened the door to leave.

"Be careful," Bill said.

"I will," Sophie smiled.

Sophie stood on the dock, watched from a distance by Will. She dove in, swimming some distance away before she came back up for air. She had heard something in the water, something that sounded like laughter, but couldn't see anyone. She dove back into the water, hearing the sound again. She came back up, looking around but not seeing anyone. Suddenly, Sophie was pulled beneath the surface. There were bubbles, and then there was nothing.

***

Sitting at a table in a diner, Dean circled an obituary in the newspaper. Percy was sitting beside him, messaging Leo about how he shouldn't make Piper a makeup kit for her birthday. Leo kept arguing that she would love the makeup.

Both boys knew she would not.

"Can I get you anything else?" The waitress asked, and Percy glanced up. Dean was grinning at her, and he rolled his eyes.

"Just the check, please," Sam said.

"Okay," Wendy said, walking away.

Dean shared a look with Percy, then looked up at Sam, "You know, Sam, we are allowed to have fun once in awhile." He pointed to Wendy walking away, and Percy had to admit, the waitress was attractive. "That's fun."

Sam just stared at Dean. Dean sighed, handing Sam the newspaper, "Here, take a look at this, I think I got one. Lake Manitoc, Wisconsin. Last week Sophie Carlton, eighteen, walks into the lake, doesn't walk out. Authorities dragged the water; nothing. Sophie Carlton is the third Lake Manitoc frowning this year. None of the other bodies were found either. They had a funeral two days ago."

"A funeral?" Sam asked.

"Yeah, it's weird, they buried an empty coffin," Dean said. "For, uh, closure or whatever."

"Closure?" Sam questioned. "What closure? People don't just disappear, Dean. Other people just stop looking for them."

Percy grimaced, looking down at his hands.

"Something you want to say to me?" Dean frowned.

"The trail for Dad," Sam shook his head. "It's getting colder every day."

"Exactly," Dean scoffed. "So what are we supposed to do?"

"I don't know," Sam frowned. "Something. Anything."

"You know what?" Dean shook his head. "I'm sick of this attitude. You don't think I wanna find Dad as much as you do?"

"Yeah, I know you do, it's just—"

"I'm the one that's been with him every single day for the past two years, while you've been off to college going to pep rallies. We will find Dad, but until then, we're gonna kill everything bad between here and there. Okay?"