XLIII. COMING UP FOR AIR.

☽ ༓ ☾

A HUNTER'S FUNERAL wasn't something Birdie had seen or been a part of very often growing up. She would occasionally attend a funeral with her father when one of his "somehow friends" died, but it'd been many years since then. Her mother never went to any of the funerals; she considered them a waste of time. However, Birdie assumed it was actually because her mother didn't have any friends though Serena always claimed she did. But, seeing how often Birdie was around death, she didn't mind it when her father went without her. Adam and his mother weren't hunters, nor were they ever aware that monsters actually existed, but they'd both been given a hunter's funeral.

It was at the same place they'd taken "Adam" to practice shooting, the large pyre engulfed in flames along with Adam and Kate's bodies. They'd buried the ghoul bodies a few yards away, not wanting the bodies to be found at the Milligan house and it somehow point back to the boys or Birdie; Birdie didn't doubt that the waitress, Denise, would be more than happy to inform the police that "Adam" had met with some strangers just a couple days before him and his mother both disappeared. That wasn't another thing they needed on their plate. As for Adam and Kate's bodies. . .going back to the tomb and busting open the door, it made Birdie's heart ache. Considering the state the bodies were in━━━something that deeply hurt Sam when he saw them for himself━━━it wasn't easy. Instead of attempting to even get the bodies out, they'd cut the inside fabric of the coffins, using it to carry the bodies out that way. Then they wrapped some white sheets around them, placing the bodies on top of the wood.

As the bodies burned, it truly dawned on them that the ghouls didn't fake the pictures, or what was in John's journal. Adam was Sam and Dean's brother.

He and his mother had died like hunters, and they deserved to go out like them.

Sam had suggested maybe they could get a hold of Castiel, call in a favor to see if he could somehow bring Adam back. However, Dean denied the suggestion. He said Adam was in a better place, and somehow they all believed that.

"You know, I finally get why you and Dad butted heads so much," Dean had said to Sam after a couple of minutes. Birdie fought the urge to look over at the boys, keeping her focus on the burning pyre in front of her. "You two were practically the same person." Sam looked over at Dean, brows slightly furrowed. "I mean, I used to worship the guy, you know? I-I dressed like him, I acted like him, I listened to the same music. But you were more like him than I ever could've been and I see that now."

Sam slowly nodded, looking at Adam's burning body again. "I'll take that as a compliment," he said after a few seconds.

Dean glanced at Sam, and then back at Adam's body. "You take it any way you want."

That was two days ago and Birdie and the boys were back at Bobby's once again.

When Dean told him about Adam and all that happened, Bobby thought he was joking. But, after seeing the glum expressions on their faces━━━most likely picturing Adam and Kate's mangled bodies again━━━he realized they were telling the truth. He didn't remember John ever mentioning a Kate Milligan, though he doubted John would've told him about her in the first place. Reese never said anything about her or working some of the case with John, which probably meant he didn't know about her either. Nothing else was said about it after that, however Birdie and Bobby could see that Sam and Dean were still thinking about their brother they never actually got the chance to meet.

When morning finally came along, Birdie was the last one to wake. Nightmares had of course taunted her all night, but for the first time in a while, they were at least different. She no longer heard her father's agonizing screams, witnessing him die over and over with her helpless to save him each time. Her mother hadn't appeared either, nor had the boys or Kaiya which Birdie was thankful for.

She wasn't sure how many more times she could see them get hurt, killed, or turned into ruthless monsters.

Birdie quietly made her way into the living room, immediately halting when she spotted Dean. He was sitting at Bobby's desk, feet propped on it with a box of Oreos in his hand━━━a box that had BIRDIE'S! DO NOT TOUCH! scribbled on just about every side to make it obvious whose they were. She placed her hands on her hips, slowly stepping into the room with her brown eyes narrowed on Dean. She could see there were only two left inside.

"Dean! What the fuck are you doing?"

Dean jumped when he heard Birdie's voice, sharply turning his head. Half of an oreo was sticking out of his mouth, some black crumbs stuck to his lips. He'd been caught red-handed. "Birdie! You're-you're up early," Dean said around the Oreo, hastily stuffing the rest of it in his mouth.

Birdie raised her brows as she walked further into the room, hands still on her hips. "It's noon," she said.

"Yeah, I know," Dean nodded, setting the box of Oreos off to the side and wiping his mouth off with the sleeve of his flannel. "We didn't think we'd see you 'till two."

Birdie was curious as to why they thought that, however, she knew Dean was trying to change the topic. She wasn't going to let that happen.

"Don't try and change the subject, asshole," Birdie snapped, shaking her head as she walked closer. She narrowed her eyes on Dean, snatching the Oreos off the desk. "I know you can read. Why the hell are you eating my damn Oreos?"

"I-I wasn't," Dean denied a little too quickly, innocently shrugging his shoulders. Birdie raised her brows again, giving him an incredulous look. She couldn't believe he was trying to lie to her when she'd already seen him eating them. "Okay, I was, but that's━━━consider it payment for all your free meals over the years courtesy of me."

"Oh, you m━━━"

"I swear to god if you two idjits are already fighting, I'm gonna lock you both in the damn panic room with nothing but water and green vegetables."

Dean and Birdie turned their heads just as Bobby walked into the room with Sam and Rumsfeld a few steps behind him. Sam had an amused smile on his lips, dimples poking out as he stood in the doorway. Bobby's eyes flickered between Dean and Birdie, his brows slightly raised. Rumsfeld walked up to Birdie, expectantly peering up at her with his tail wagging from side to side.

"We're not fightin'," Birdie said, crouching down in front of the Rottweiler. She gave the dog a small smile, scratching behind his ears as she looked up at Bobby. "Dean was just promising to go and buy me some more Oreos."

"I just bought those damn things yesterday," Bobby said, eyes growing wide. "There's no way in Hell they're already gone."

"They are. Dean ate them all."

"I did not━━━"

"Dammit, Dean. How many times do I gotta tell you not to eat her Oreos?" Dean gaped with offense, annoyance coursing through him when Birdie stood up and smirked at him. Bobby rolled his eyes, shaking his head. "She's as protective of them as you are your damn car."

"Don't you bring Baby into this," Dean firmly said, pointing a finger at Bobby as he stood up from the desk.

Sam chuckled to himself, taking a few steps further into the room. "Way to prove his point, Dean."

Dean huffed, begrudgingly shaking his head. He shot Birdie a glare as he snatched the keys off the desk, shaking his head with a glare directed at the younger woman. "Fine, but I'm only goin' 'cause we're outta of beer."

"Oh, noooo, we can't have that," Birdie sarcastically said, snickering when Dean shot her another glare. "Make sure the Oreos are double stuffed."

"Don't push it, kid," Bobby said, shooting her a stern look. Birdie softly chuckled, watching Bobby start to follow Dean.

"Why are you goin'?" Sam wondered.

"To make sure he gets the right Oreos. I don't wanna hear her bitchin' over them again," Bobby said, nudging his head toward Birdie. Birdie gaped with an obvious offense, but Bobby just chuckled under his breath. "And I gotta get Rums some more food, too."

Birdie breathed out a fake laugh, playfully rolling her eyes as Dean grumbled about only eating a few Oreos. Sam and Birdie watched the two men leave, glancing at each other when the door closed. Birdie turned her head when Rumsfeld moved away from her, jumping onto the couch and making himself comfortable at the end. Birdie softly smiled and walked around Bobby's desk, letting out a content sigh as she sat down in his chair and leaned back, casually propping her feet up.

Sam raised a brow, folding his arms over his chest. "How the hell are you already out of Oreos?"

"Oh, I'm not. I got the other box upstairs," Birdie shrugged. "But I figured he would get into them so I wrote my name on it just to see if that would stop him."

Sam shook his head with a growing smile, sitting on the couch next to Rumsfeld. "You should know by now that's not gonna stop him."

Birdie let out a sigh, nonchalantly shrugging her shoulders. "Yeah, I know. . ."

Sam leaned back into the cushion, smiling to himself as he petted Rumsfeld. "I thought you'd still be asleep."

"Dean said the same thing," Birdie said with a look of confusion. "Why?"

"'Why?'" Sam repeated with surprise. "Maybe because you were up all night?"

Birdie furrowed her brows together, but then she breathed out a laugh after a couple of seconds. She ran a hand along her face, wrapping her arms around herself. "Oh, right. The nightmares. . .they were pretty ruthless. Being awake made me feel safer, I guess."

"I was. . .I was pretty worried," Sam softly said.

"You were?"

"Yeah. I mean after. . ."

"After the djinn got me?" Birdie quietly suggested. Sam twisted his lips, nodding his head. "Sammy, I get you're worried about me, but I'm fine. It'll get better soon━━━for both us."

Sam nodded again, giving her a timid smile. It fell after a few seconds and Birdie tilted her head, watching him look away. "What did the ghoul mean when she said your blood tasted different?" he asked.

"What?"

"Adam's mom━━━the ghoul one━━━she said that your blood tasted different too," Sam said, leaning his elbows on his knees as he looked at her again. "What did she mean by that? It shouldn't because Felicity's gone, right?"

"I-I don't know," Birdie shrugged, twisting her lips at the thought. She didn't know why the ghoul had said that. "Maybe it's still in my system? It might take time to revert back to normal."

"Are you sure she's gone, Bird?"

Birdie shifted in the chair, suspiciously eyeing Sam. "Why? Do you want her to still be here?"

Sam heavily sighed, giving Birdie a look. He sat up straighter, pushing some of his hair out of his face. "No," he denied. "I'm-I'm fine. I don't need it." Birdie just hummed to herself, clearly not believing him. Sam rolled his eyes, relaxing back on the couch again. "I don't, Birdie."

"Okay," Birdie said, holding her hands up in surrender. She still didn't believe him. She could see he was becoming more strung out, acting more impulsive and twitchy. It pained her to not be able to help or say anything, fearing Dean would overhear and find out what really had been going on between Sam and Birdie.

Sam sighed a few moments later and stood up, briefly glancing at Birdie. "I need a shower. I'll be back."

Birdie just nodded, biting the inside of her cheek as her eyes watched him exit the room. She let out a long sigh once he was out of sight, lazily turning her head towards Rumsfeld. "Wanna take a walk with me, bud?"

Rumsfeld immediately perked up, hopping off the couch. Birdie chuckled and placed her feet on the ground, pushing herself onto her feet. She made sure her phone was still in her pocket and walked around the desk. Rumsfeld led the way to the door, tongue flopping out of his mouth and a cheerful bounce in his step. Birdie softly smiled to herself and opened the door, quietly closing it behind her. She paused, wondering if she should leave a note for Sam just to let him know she was going on a walk, but she decided against it. She'd most likely return before he was even done with his shower.

Rumsfeld barked at her and she laughed, quickly heading down the porch. "Okay, okay," she said, peering down at the Rottweiler. "As you wish."

She and Rumsfeld walked side by side, the feet and paws stepping over fallen leaves and branches as they walked into the woods behind Bobby's house. Twigs snapped, occasionally startling a bird or a squirrel and causing them to scamper or fly to another tree. Larger logs or branches were just stepped over or nudged out of the way by Birdie. They followed an unofficial path, absentmindedly heading towards a lake that hadn't been visited by Birdie in almost seven years.

Before she knew it, the lake was coming into view. Birdie slowed to a stop, her breath catching in the back of her throat as she slowed to a stop.

"Doesn't that look like the perfect place to go for a swim?"

Birdie immediately scrunched up her face, questionably glancing between her father and the lake that loomed in front of them. It was incredibly warm out on that summer day, the water almost just as warm. The trees were full of leaves, vibrant flowers blooming all around as if creating a perfect scene for a movie. A dock was off to the right of them, showing some age but was still in good condition. There was a small, metal boat on the other side, the ores partially sticking out and ready to be used for anyone who happened upon it.

Birdie slowly looked at her father again, quickly shaking her head in denial. "No."

Reese softly chuckled, turning his head to look at his daughter. "You don't think so?"

Birdie breathed out a forced laugh, giving her father a pointed look. "You know I don't, Dad."

Reese chuckled again, facing the water. He tucked his hands in the pockets of his shorts, thinking for a couple of seconds. "I'll teach you."

Birdie blinked in surprise. "You what?"

"I'll teach you how to swim," Reese said, facing Birdie with a warm smile. "What do you say?"

Birdie stammered, stealing another look at the lake. It was dark, much too dark for her liking. After just a couple steps in, she wouldn't even be able to see her own feet. Who knew what else might've lurked inside the water, just waiting for someone to take a dip.

"I can see what you're thinking," Reese said, interrupting Birdie's rampant thoughts. He turned to face her, his smile never once leaving his lips. "And there's no monsters in there, Bird. And besides, this isn't the place I was talkin' about."

Birdie furrowed her brows together. "Where then?" she asked.

"How does a trip to California sound to you?" Birdie's eyes noticeably widened, causing Reese to chuckle. "I'm serious. They've got some of the best beaches. No better place to learn, right?"

Birdie softly sighed, shrugging her shoulders with uncertainty. "I-I don't know, Dad. . ."

"I'll be right there with you," Reese said, placing his hands on her shoulders to make her look at him. He softly smiled, noticing Birdie's weariness that still lingered on her features. The older she got, the more she looked like her mother. But, her strength and kindness was all from Reese. "Nothin's gonna get you. Not on my watch, kiddo."

Birdie twisted her lips, looking at her father. "You promise?"

"I promise."

Birdie let out a heavy sigh, finally nodding her head in agreement. "Okay, but can we do it in a few days? I-I need more time to mentally prepare myself."

Reese loudly laughed, shaking his head at his daughter. He reached his arms out, pulling her in for a tight hug. Birdie chuckled along with her father, happily wrapping her arms around him. "Alright," Reese softly said, kissing the top of Birdie's head. "A few days then."

Birdie let out a heavy sigh, resting her elbows on her knees. She set her head on her hands, twisting her lips as her eyes stared deep into the lake in front of her. The murky water was dark, even darker than the lake she'd been pushed into by the demon. The rickety dock was now broken, multiple boards missing and rotted out from neglect. The metal boat was still at the opposite end of the lake, pushed further onto land with only one paddle now sticking out of it.

Birdie closed her eyes, letting out a slow breath as she listened to the sound of birds chirping in the surrounding trees, branches and leaves crunching as squirrels raced around with one another. The wind occasionally howled, making Birdie's hair tickle her neck as it blew past. Rumsfeld was laid on the grass by her feet, an occasional snore slipping from his snout as he slept. Birdie wasn't sure how long they'd been sitting there, though surely it wasn't more than five minutes.

"This is just about the last place I expected to find you."

Birdie breathed out a small laugh, glancing over her shoulder. Sam softly smiled at her, walking closer. He had on a plain black shirt and a pair of dark jeans, his hair slightly damp and pushed out of his face from his shower. Rumsfeld lifted his head to see Sam, but then he gently laid his head back down after a couple of seconds; Sam wasn't a threat, so he was perfectly free to continue with his afternoon nap.

"I wasn't trying to come here," Birdie said, looking at the lake as Sam came to a stop beside her. "It's just. . .where our feet ended up taking us."

Sam slowly nodded his head, folding his arms over his chest. "Maybe it was a sign."

"A sign for what?"

"I think you know."

Birdie sat up straight, raising her brows at Sam in disbelief. "You think I subconsciously walked here so I would learn how to swim?" Sam just shrugged in response, a hint of amusement on his face. Birdie forced out another laugh, shaking her head at the suggestion. "No, I don't think so. Not anymore. . ."

Sam turned his head when he heard her, a confused look on his face. "'Not anymore?'"

Birdie twisted her lips, scrunching up her nose. She was hoping he didn't catch that. "It's, uh. . .it's nothin'," she said, shrugging her shoulders. "Don't worry about it, Sammy."

Sam let out a quiet sigh, taking a few steps closer. Birdie closely watched him, softly smiling when he sat down on the ground by her and Rumsfeld. Rumsfeld shifted his position, pressing his body against Sam's. "Is there a reason you haven't learned how to swim yet?" Sam asked Birdie, gently stroking Rumsfeld's head.

"I. . .no. I just. . .no," Birdie stammered, shaking her head. "It-it's freaky."

"More freaky than dealing with actual monsters?" Sam retorted.

Birdie playfully rolled her eyes, scoffing under her breath. "With monsters, I usually know what to expect. But with water as deep as that. . .when you can't see what's below. . .just lurking there. . ."

Sam faintly nodded his head, resting his arms on his knees. "Maybe that's why you should learn," he suggested, giving Birdie a lopsided smile. "That way if something grabs you, you'll know how to swim away at least."

"Hopefully I won't be there in the first place."

"You might not be able to stop it."

Birdie's brows furrowed together slightly, a hint of sadness spreading across her features. She tapped her fingers along the top of her knees, biting the inside of her cheek as she stared at the gloomy lake. It looked more dull compared to the last time she was there with her father.

"My dad was supposed to teach me." Sam looked at her again, his surprise apparent on his features. Birdie could feel Sam's eyes burning into her, however, she kept facing forward. "After my mom died. . .we were out here one day, just days before he. . .my Dad said we could go to California━━━he would teach me how to swim at one of the beaches out there. I-I wasn't too sure. . .but with my mom gone and it being just us. . .I knew it'd be okay because he'd be there. But. . .that never got to happen."

"So, all this time. . ." Sam frowned, keeping his gaze on Birdie, "That's why you've been pushing it off?"

"Uh, pretty much," Birdie timidly nodded. She finally tore her gaze away from the lake, offering Sam a sad smile. "I know that's probably a stupid reason━━━"

"It's not a stupid reason, Bird," Sam interjected, shaking his head at the younger woman. "I get it."

Birdie twisted her lips, letting out a quiet sigh. She glanced down at Rumsfeld, breathing out a chuckle as he slept without a care in the world. Then she looked at Sam again, noticing his eyes were still on her. "Would. . .uh, would you maybe. . ." Birdie sucked in a sharp breath, resting her head on her hands, "Would you teach me?"

"Yeah, of course," Sam said almost immediately, giving her a bright smile.

Birdie returned it, but it fell a few seconds later as she lifted her head. "But wait. . .I don't own a swimsuit."

Sam stood up, chuckling. "That's okay. I don't think I have any trunks with me."

Birdie tilted her head, suspiciously narrowing her eyes at Sam. "Then how do you expect━━━"

"Um, like this." Sam grabbed the hem of his shirt, pulling it on over his head. Birdie raised her brows in surprise, unable to stop her eyes from traveling down to his abs. "You like what you see?"

Birdie's cheeks immediately turned pink, realizing Sam had caught her staring. She huffed and stood up, placing her hands on her hips. "Well, good for you for being able to go topless," she said. "But I can't, and I don't want to━━━it's probably nippy in there or something."

"Bird, you don't have to take your shirt off. I wasn't even gonna suggest that," Sam said, giving her another smile as he held his shirt out to her. "Here. You can wear this."

Birdie twisted her lips, hesitantly taking his shirt in her hands. Considering she was wearing a white shirt, Sam's black one would be a better choice. She glanced down at her jeans, vividly remembering how clammy and heavy they get when they're wet. But, Sam's shirt would surely be long enough to cover her up her legs. She lifted her head, giving Sam an appreciative smile. "Okay. But you gotta turn around."

Sam chuckled, giving her a look. "Really? But I'm your boyfriend."

"Fake boyfriend," Birdie corrected, pointing a stern finger at Sam. "There's a big difference. Now, turn around."

Sam snickered but did as asked. Birdie smiled to herself and removed her shirt, slipping Sam's on in its place. Sam removed his shoes and socks, keeping his back turned to Birdie as he set them off to the side. Birdie shimmied out of her jeans, setting them on the rock she'd previously been sitting on. She glanced down, nodding in approval. The shirt went down to her thighs, covering enough of her legs. Sam was still turned away, patiently waiting as he crouched down, his hand dipped into the water.

"Okay," Birdie said. "I guess you can look now."

Sam breathed out a laugh, standing up and turning around to face Birdie. His eyes were soft, taking in the sight of her wearing his shirt. Birdie bit the inside of her cheek under his lingering gaze, fiddling with her fingers behind her back. "It looks better on you than it does me," Sam said, taking a few steps closer.

Birdie playfully rolled her eyes, shaking her head as he came to a stop beside her. She noticed he was still wearing his jeans, causing her to look up at him in confusion. "You're gonna wear your jeans?" she wondered.

Sam shrugged, nodding his head. "Yeah, I don't mind it." Birdie hummed, glancing out at the lake. "Why? Do you want me to take them off?"

Birdie stammered, sharply turning her head to look at him. "Wh-I━━━you can do whatever you want," she managed to say. "Just as long as-as you're comfortable, you know. . ."

Sam chuckled, his dimples poking out. "I'm fine," he said. He took another glance at the lake, turning his head to look at Birdie. "You ready?"

"No," Birdie truthfully answered, shaking her head. Sam's eyes softened, catching her eye. "But I will be pissed if another demon tries to fuckin' drown me."

Sam chuckled. "Yeah, I would be too." Birdie partially smiled, breathing out a heavy breath. Sam took a few steps forward, turning back to face Birdie when she didn't move. Rumsfeld lifted his head, closely watching them. Sam held his hand out to Birdie, a twinkle in his eyes as he stared at her. "It'll be okay, Bird. I promise."

Birdie stared at Sam's hand for a couple of seconds, hesitantly slipping her fingers through his. She took a couple of steps forward, peering down as her toes just barely dipped into the water. It was warmer than she was expecting, though she would've liked it if it'd been a tad bit warmer. Sam walked a little deeper, the bottom of his jeans already soaking up the water.

Birdie took just a few more steps, tightening her hold on Sam's hand. "Sam, wait," she said, frowning as she started to shake her head. "I-I don't think I can do this."

"Hey, hey, hey. It's okay, you're okay," Sam softly assured, walking closer so he was standing directly in front of Birdie. Birdie nervously gulped, brows still tightly knitted together. Sam moved closer, taking Birdie's other hand into his. Birdie's fingers instantly slipped through his, gripping his hand as tight as possible. "I'm right here, Bird. Nothing is gonna happen to you. I got you."

Birdie gazed into his eyes, feeling a wave of easiness wash over her. She breathed out a shaky exhale, attempting to mentally prepare herself. "Okay. . ."

Sam warmly smiled, taking a cautious step backward. Birdie kept a tight grip on Sam's hands, occasionally pausing when she felt something odd under her feet. It was a mixture of mud and rocks, but she wasn't very fond of the wet, squishiness of it that seemed to increase the deeper they got.

"You're doing great, Bird," Sam said, backing up until his hips finally touched the water. Birdie had a death grip on Sam's hands, her heart rapidly racing as the water pooled around her upper thighs. "You think you're okay to go a little deeper?"

Birdie stood perfectly still, lips parted as she glanced around the water. It was incredibly dark. She couldn't see the rest of her body, something that sent shivers down her spine. "Uh, actually. . .I don't think I can━━━fuck me!"

Sam jumped in surprise when Birdie suddenly scrambled towards him. Her hands let go of his, allowing her to wrap her arms around his neck in a giant bear hug. "Woah!" he shouted, immediately wrapping his arms around her as he staggered back. Birdie wrapped her legs around him, clinging onto Sam as if her life depended on it. "What happened? What's wrong?"

"Something touched my fucking leg!"

". . .Birdie, that was me."

Birdie immediately froze, slowly leaning her head back to look at Sam. His brows were raised, a hint of amusement on his face though he did his best to try and hide it. "That-that was you?" she whispered.

Sam pursed his lips together, nodding his head. Birdie slowly blinked, knowing perfectly well that her embarrassment was clear as day on her face. But, then Sam started to smile. "That got you in the water, didn't it?"

Birdie frowned in confusion, but then she looked at just how much deeper into the water they were. Her shoulders were almost completely underwater, the ends of her hair dipping into the water and floating near the surface. Sam's shirt she wore was soaked, clinging to her skin the same way she clung to Sam.

As the realization dawned on her, her grip on Sam loosened just a little. "I. . .did you do that on purpose?" she asked.

Sam tilted his head, giving her an offended look. "You really think I would do that to you?"

"Yes," Birdie said, quietly laughing.

Sam chuckled along with her, playfully rolling his eyes. "No, I didn't do it on purpose," he said. "But it worked out for the best."

"No, I don't think so," Birdie said, firmly shaking her head. She adjusted her grip on Sam, feeling his arms move so he was holding her at a better angle. "I'm definitely not letting go of you now. I don't want anything else to touch me."

"Nothing else will," Sam said.

"You don't know that for sure."

Sam sighed. "No, I don't, but nothing dangerous will touch you. It'll have to get through me first."

"And what if it does?" Birdie retorted.

"Alright, now you're just stalling," Sam pointed out, moving a few steps forward so they weren't as deep. Birdie instinctively tightened her grip on Sam, no sign of wanting to let go of him just yet. "It's time you learn how to swim. I'll still be right here. All you have to do is put your feet on the ground."

"Okay. . ." Birdie reluctantly lowered her legs, keeping her arms around Sam as her feet touched the ground once again.

Sam warmly smiled, nudging his head towards her arms. "And your arms." Birdie frowned, but she slowly removed her arms from around his neck. "Good. Now, it's time for you to actually swim."

"But I still don't know how to do that," Birdie said. "I'm just standing here."

Sam didn't respond. Instead, he simply started to back away.

Birdie's eyes immediately widened and her jaw dropped. "Sam, what-what are you doing?" she demanded, shaking her head as he continued to move further away from her. "Samuel!"

"I'm right here, Bird," he said. He was no longer able to touch the ground, but he was keeping afloat by kicking his legs, his hands held out at his sides. "All you have to do is lean forward, kick your legs out behind you and move your arms like this," he instructed, moving his arms as he swam back over to her with ease. He stopped in front of her, moving to the side so he was standing right next to her. He reached out, gently grabbing her shoulders and slightly turning her. "I'll be right here, Bird. And if you wanna stop, you'll be able to still touch the ground this way."

Birdie took another weary look at the lake, trying to push aside all of the things she thought might've been hiding in the depths of the eerie darkness. She leaned forward like Sam did, beginning to kick her legs and move her arms like Sam instructed. Sam immediately started to grin, quickly moving alongside her. "Yeah, just like that Birdie!" Birdie kicked her legs as fast as she could, finding that it was easier to do than she was anticipating. Rumsfeld barked a few times, cheering Birdie on as he stood with his tail wagging back and forth and his tongue dangling out of his mouth. "You're doing great, Bird!"

Birdie continued to swim for a few more feet, planting her feet back on the ground once they were a good distance away from where they began. Sam stopped next to her, beaming with joy. "How was that?" Birdie wondered, wiping some water away from her face.

"That was amazing for it being your first time," Sam said.

Birdie softly smiled, ignoring the warmth she felt spread across her cheeks. "Thanks."

"You ready to try again?" Sam asked. "But in the other direction?"

"Oh, I don't know━━━"

Sam was already swimming again, moving into the deeper part of the lake with a grin still on his lips. Birdie gaped at him, shaking her head as he continued to move further away from her. "Sam! I'm not Michael Phelps, you know!"

"I know! If you were, you'd already be over here!"

Birdie scoffed at that jab, quickly pushing herself in Sam's direction. She kicked her feet behind her, paddling closer to Sam. His smile widened more and more the closer she got, reaching out once she got close enough. She grabbed Sam's arm, grinning back at him as he wrapped an arm around her waist. "See? You're a natural at this," Sam said.

"I can't believe it took me 24 years to do this," Birdie giggled.

"Me either," Sam snorted.

Birdie shook her head, splashing Sam in the face with her free hand. He gaped at her, but that only made Birdie laugh even more. "You're gonna pay for that," Sam said.

"No, wait, Sam━━━"

Sam chuckled, splashing her back with just a little more force. Birdie shrieked, turning her head as she clenched her eyes shut. Water trickled down her face and she wiped it away with one of her hands. "You asshole!" Birdie loudly laughed, shaking her head as she playfully narrowed her eyes at him.

"You started it!"

Birdie giggled again, moving closer to Sam. She placed her hands on his shoulders, hearing him let out a surprised yell as she quickly pushed him under. She moved back, gently kicking her legs out to keep herself afloat. She was expecting Sam to pop back up just a few seconds later, but he didn't.

Her smile faltered, but she didn't have any time to panic as her ankles were yanked from below. She shrieked in terror, feeling herself get pulled under. Her eyes clenched shut and her arms frantically moved above her head, kicking her legs out to reach the surface. She resurfaced moments later along with Sam as heavy pants spilled from her parted lips, hands frantically wiping the water from her face. Sam was loudly laughing, paddling backward towards land so his feet would be able to touch the ground. Birdie pushed her wet hair out of her face as she glared at Sam, swimming closer to her so-called boyfriend.

Sam noticed Birdie's expression as she got closer, chuckling. "Hey, you started it," he said, dimples poking out.

Birdie tried to refrain from smiling, but she couldn't help it. She laughed as well, shaking her head as she stood in front of him, their legs slightly bent as their shoulders dipped under the water.

"Bitch," Birdie huffed.

"Jerk," Sam said.

Birdie and Sam both started to laugh even more, their laughter echoing across the lake. Rumsfeld watched from where he was laid on the grass again, tail lazily wagging as he curiously watched Sam and Birdie. The sounds of nature swirled through the air, though none of it registered to Sam and Birdie as they focused on one another.

Birdie sighed in contentment, the corner of her lips curling into a tiny smile. She moved closer to Sam, wrapping her arms around him in a hug. "Thank you," she whispered into his neck. Sam smiled to himself, hugging her back. "Seriously, Sam, thank you."

"You're welcome, Birdie."

Then they pulled away, their arms still around one another as they stood face to face. Water still trailed down their faces, dripping down into the water where it belonged. Their eyes gazed into one anothers, the sloshing ripples in the water and gentle gusts of wind inching them closer together. Birdie's eyes briefly flickered down to Sam's lips, and he saw it. She looked back up just as fast as she'd looked down, feeling her breath hitch in her throat after she realized Sam caught her.

Sam slowly leaned forward, Birdie almost immediately moving closer. They both hesitated when their faces were just inches apart, foreheads resting together as their hearts thumped so loud they thought the other might've been able to hear it. Everything seemed to grow quiet, only the sound of their breathing registering in their ears.

Their eyes locked again, and that was it.

Sam closed the gap between them, his lips connecting with Birdie's.

Birdie reciprocated instantly, kissing him back. Sam's arms tightened around Birdie's waist, pulling her even closer. Her chest pressed up against Sam's, one of her hands carding through his slick hair. Sam smiled into the kiss, his hands gently moving up and down her back in a comforting manner.

"Freeze!"

Sam and Birdie abruptly broke apart, turning their heads in the direction of the shout. Their eyes were wide, staring at Dean and Bobby who were now next to Rumsfeld. Birdie's eyes widened even more, stealing a quick glance at Sam before she looked at Dean and Bobby again. Dean was grinning from ear to ear, his amusement on full display. Bobby's arms were folded over his chest, brows slightly raised as his eyes flickered from Birdie and over to Sam.

"Uh, I we, uh. . .we were just━━━"

"Sam taught me how to swim," Birdie said, Sam quickly nodding along with her. She plastered a smile on her lips, putting just a little distance between herself and Sam. Dean and Bobby shared a look with each other, snickering under their breaths.

"Is that what the kids are calling it these days?" Bobby wondered.

Sam breathed out a scoff at the older man's jab. He pushed some hair out of his face, taking another glance at Birdie. She pursed her lips together, briefly catching Sam's eye. "I was," Sam said. "She's a natural."

"Oh, is that so?" Dean hummed.

Birdie rolled her eyes. "Why don't you go make yourself useful and grab us some towels?" she asked. Dean made a face, tilting his head in disbelief. "Please? I'll love you forever, and I might even share some Oreos with you."

Dean took a sharp inhale, muttering under his breath as he turned around. Bobby turned his head and watched him for a few seconds. Then he faced Sam and Birdie, shaking his head. "Don't do anything I wouldn't do in there," he said, starting to turn to follow Dean back to his house. He patted his leg, beckoning Rumsfeld to follow him. "That's my outdoor bathroom, you know."

Birdie immediately grimaced, blinking at Bobby as he started to walk away with a proud smile. Rumsfeld happily followed his owner, moving right beside him. Sam gaped at the back of Bobby's head, slowly turning his head to look at Birdie. As soon as they locked eyes, they scrambled out of the lake, lips twisted in disgust as they traipsed back onto dry land.

Birdie frantically wiped at her arms and legs, balling up the end of Sam's shirt to try and squeeze out all of the excess water that she could. Sam lowered his head and shook his hair out, trying to get some of the water out. Then he ran a hand through his hair, doing a double take when he saw Birdie had the shirt slightly raised. He could partially see the black and pink polka-dot panties she wore, the corner of his lip curling up into a smile. Birdie turned her head when she felt his stare, sheepishly smiling when Sam quickly looked away though he knew he'd been caught.

Birdie lowered the shirt again, twisting her lips as she took a few steps closer to Sam. "Did you. . .did you know they were standing over there?" she wondered, nudging her head in the direction Dean and Bobby had gone.

Sam furrowed his brows together, pushing his wet hair out of his face as he peered down at Birdie. "What?" he asked.

"Did you see them walking over?" Birdie asked, fiddling with her fingers. "Before we. . .before we kissed?"

"Actually. . .no. Did you?"

"No," Birdie truthfully answered.

"So, it wasn't just for show, was it?"

"No," Birdie quietly replied, softly smiling up at Sam.

Sam smiled back at her, breathing out a content sigh. "Where do we go from here?"

"I don't. . ." Birdie's voice quieted, blinking as her vision suddenly started to blur. She took a small step back, rubbing her eyes to see if that would help.

"Birdie?" Sam frowned, the sense that something was wrong beginning to stir.

Birdie blinked again when she moved her hands, but her vision was only getting worse as the seconds passed. Black dots started to speckle her vision and she wobbled on her legs, causing Sam's eyes to widen.

"Birdie!" Sam rushed forward, catching Birdie as she fell towards him. He stared down at Birdie, noticing her struggle to keep her eyes open. "Birdie, hey, keep your eyes open! Keep 'em open!"

"Sam. . ." Birdie whimpered, weakly clinging onto him, "I'm sorry."

Sam's confusion only increased, his heart stuttering when her eyes shut and her head went limp against him. "No, no, no," he whispered, shaking her shoulders. "Birdie! Wake up!"