The Runaway Bride.

[broken_brushes]

I should say right at the front that none of what I did that day had anything to do with me not loving George. In fact, if you want to get right down to brass tacks, the whole day start to finish was a result of how much I did. Some people probably can't understand that, but not everybody knows what it's like to have died, either

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[nightwandering]

If I was panicking, it wasn't showing. It was possible that I was too shocked to show it at all, but I'd always tried to be the calm one. The stable one. A thick lump rose in my throat that I couldn't just swallow away. My own tie wasn't loosened with the force of Dean's, but I did slide my finger into the knot to pull the thing from around my neck before I unbuttoned the top button to my shirt.

I gave no answer to the question because I didn't really hear it as I was too focused on the boat I knew was out there sailing across the surface of the water with my sister on it. It was easier to walk in sand without shoes, so they and my socks were removed next. When I stood up straight again, my shoes dangling between the fingers of one hand (stuffed with my socks), my tie in other, I stared at everyone like they had two heads. Were they all afraid of getting wet? "Well, I can't go get her alone," I said, mildly testy. "There's other boats, right?"

Truth told, part of me didn't want them to come with me. That selfish part of me wanted to swim out there and get on that boat with Shari, but the realistic part of me knew what was right. That wasn't to say that one didn't hurt much more than the other.

[unchosen_son]

Of all the things and the monsters that Sam and Dean had seen, Sam definitely felt the most helpless now. He'd followed his brother in hopes that they could track down Shari, but now that there were no other boats, no other ways to find her, Sam was pretty clueless. He let out a huff of a sound, glancing to Dean and Jim. "Isn't there another one...somewhere by her place?" Sam estimated, glancing to the guy who had been following, the one who had been at the party too.

Webster something? Or David? Sam just knew that he was a friend of Shari's and had trailed after them when they'd started heading this way.

[thewordofweb]

I come to a halt in front of them, letting out an exasperated sharp sigh as I glance at the two strange men and Jim. "Like I was saying before everyone tore off this direction," I note with only the mild bit of distaste. "If you know where she is, I can get us there. You just have to listen to me exactly and not ruin my boat," I add with a faint note of worry.

But for Shari? Yeah, I have the feeling if I don't help get her back, half of Easy Company is going to throttle me for it.

[weary_head]

"Where she is?" Dean repeated. "She's out in the fucking ocean somewhere." Despite his outward flailing, Dean was damn good in a crisis, but he couldn't guess coordinates through wishful thinking.

He clamped his jaw shut, for once heading off the tirade before it could start, because if this guy had a boat, then he needed to be on it.

They all did.

"She can't have gone far." He looked out at the waves and swallowed. "We just have to pick the right direction."

[nightwandering]

This wasn't happening. It wasn't. My stomach tensed and I tried to push back the image of Shari's boat going down somewhere in the middle of the ocean. It didn't work, and that was when I grabbed Dean's arm briefly because I knew, for some reason that he'd understand my hastiness as I started walking. "Then let's go," I insisted, impatient. I didn't know anything about boats, so I mostly looked to Web while attempting to keep my newly forming panic at bay.

[unchosen_son]

Sam was already following right behind because as far as he was concerned, he still followed Dean when it came to plans and this sounded pretty good. He turned to Webster and glanced him up and down. "Lead the way," he said firmly, more of an order than a suggestion. "What are we supposed to do exactly when we get there?" he added, as an afterthought as they were walking.

[thewordofweb]

"Don't look at me, I'm just the transport," I say under my breath as I take long strides to take the lead, feeling as if I have to make a certain time or my CO's going to have my head. The dock isn't too far from Shari's and I'm already getting the oars and the sails out, hauling the anchor up. "No one touches the sails," I snap and point to the ropes. "One of you, untie those, someone else help me with the anchor and we can set off."

[weary_head]

Already standing near him, Dean went to help Webster with the anchor, swearing under his breath the entire time. For every comforting glimpse he caught of Sammy, his gut clenched right back up for every glance that went Jim's way.

He wanted to tell him his sister'd be all right, but even if Dean had known that to be true, it wouldn't have mattered. Big brothers worried with or without cause, and the only thing that'd make it better was getting Shari back again.

"Just tell me what to do to make this thing go faster," he grunted.

[nightwandering]

I couldn't have told you how we got to the boat or how anything there unfolded, other than my hands worked quicker than they had while yanking lines from the ground. I was quiet, and I remember the last time I was this quiet, I'd just walked downstairs to where my parents had been holding each other.

Dean's glances were afforded from time to time and Web's instructions were followed without question as it seemed Dean was better at asking them than I was. If it were up to me, we'd all be paddling with our hands. As soon as I could, I joined Web to hoist up the anchor. It was a good thing I never got ill or I thought I'd surely be sick then.

[unchosen_son]

Sam had instantly gone to the ropes, remembering how to tie and untie them pretty well from all the times they had needed to bind a possessed person to them. By the time he was done, he was back on the boat and nodding his head. "What next?" he demanded. "What do we do next, how do get there?"

[thewordofweb]

I just glance at the three of them with wide eyes, heading to unfurl the sails. "Someone start the motor," I indicate. "Start the motor to get us out there until we know what direction the wind is in and where she is." And that's about all I can do until I head to the back to man the rudder and steer, sitting and praying that she's not too far ahead.

[weary_head]

Dean went right for it. Any other time, he'd have been happy to have a motor at his whims again, but the situation was just too dire. He revved the engine to life, breathing out a long breath of stoppered air when he felt the deck hum beneath him.

His fingers traced over the wheel and gripped tight. It was amazing how far the simple touch went to clearing his thoughts, and Dean took a breath to replace the one he'd released, eyes over the bow to be certain their path offshore stayed clear.

[nightwandering]

Later, I'd be grateful to them. I was, in fact, grateful then, too, but all of that would come soon enough and I didn't want to throw my gratitude on them while we still needed to find Shari. It should have calmed my nerves, knowing we were setting off, but it seemed I couldn't get far enough at the front.

The wind tossed my hair in front of my face, and I pushed the strands to the side they wanted to whip. Spotting Shari's boat shouldn't be difficult, especially not with three sets of eyes. Any thought of some Bermuda Triangle incident having happened was quickly pushed away.

[unchosen_son]

Sam had hopped in the boat the minute he got the last of the ropes tied up and instantly made his way to Dean's side, exhaling heavily and fidgeting, knowing that he didn't understand what was going on, but all he needed to know was that Shari was safe. He squinted against the sun, searching all over. "Hey, hold on. There!" he said, with alarm. "There! I see a boat there, go there," Sam commanded of Webster, only feeling mildly guilt for being so demanding.

[thewordofweb]

I hurry to the rudder at the back of the boat and keep the motor going, knowing it might kill the gas, but I've always believed sails are a truer form of sailing, anyway. "At this point, we just hope we can somehow cut her off. Hope she's not trying to get away." Because if she has the lead and a sleeker sloop, we're fully out of luck.

[weary_head]

Dean grabbed Sam's shoulder on reflex as he, too, saw the boat, fingers digging hard and uncomfortable. They were beginning to pick up some decent speed, but it didn't feel like enough. With Shari out there by herself, nothing would.

"This'd be so much easier with a car," he muttered, voice all but vibrating with frustration.