In "Lady in the Water," the main character lives in the apartment complex for which he works as the manager. One night, he finds a strange woman in the pool of the complex. Over the next few days, he comes to believe that she is a member of a mythical race who come to earth for only a brief period to complete a transformative quest. One of the residents in the complex tells him the story of these beings and the humans who they must find in order to complete the quest. As it becomes clear that the young woman's life is in danger, the residents of the complex band together, each fulfilling a unique role, to help her complete her quest.