Authors Note:

Disclaimer: I don't own any of this except my OC. I'm doing this for the sheer fun of it.

Chapter 1: Australia arrival and an unexpected meeting!

"Time to get up!" Denman's voice called from beside my bed. "Lot's of work to do today."

With an annoyed groan I flipped over and pulled a second pillow over my head. I hoped if I ignored her she'd go away and I could get a few more minutes of sleep. This hope was dashed when I heard the solid 'clunk' of a cup hitting the stand next to the bed followed shortly after by the aroma of real fresh brewed coffee.

"You don't play fair," I groaned from my nest of pillows and blankets.

"There's more where that came from out on deck. Hurry up and it might still be there when you crawl out and join us." Denman's voice echoed with mild laughter.

I tossed off the blankets, sat up, and proceeded to glare at her back as she walked out of the cabin where I slept on our research ship. Not that she could see me do it, but I felt mildly better for it. I turned to the coffee and held my hand over it palm down and fingers slightly curled, I tensed the muscles in my arm and visualized myself drawing away the heat. I could feel it when the temperature of the coffee lowered a few degrees. Don't ask me how I could tell when it was just right, I don't know how, I just knew it was right.

I took a careful sip and noted the flavor, herbal with a nice smokey finish, and quickly downed the rest. Like most coffee addicts I'll swear to you I could feel it when the caffeine hit, and it gave me the motivation to get on my feet and start picking out my outfit for the day. A nice skirt, a cool new top with floral patterns stitched on it, and some strappy sandals that I'd gotten at the same time. I also grabbed a one piece swim suit to go under it all since we were supposed to end up in the water at some point today. Not that it really made a difference to me but it was a good cover story if we ran into others during the day.

Once dressed I took my now empty cup and headed out on deck. I found Denman talking with the local Fishing Union rep. They were going over the details of the check we were here to do of the local fishing lanes. Or to put it bluntly we were going to check if the fish had moved back to where they used to be prior to recent events.

"Ah Mr. Sertori I'd like you to meet Laura Westbrook. Laura this is Don Sertori of the local Fishing Union," Denman said as way of introduction.

"Unnngh," I vocalized as I picked up the coffee pot and refilled my cup.

"Well it's a right pleasure to meet you Missy," Don answered holding out his hand.

I put down the now empty pot and shook his hand. "Let me finish this and I'll finally be awake enough to follow your conversation, " I said as I lifted my now full cup.

"I know how that is, " Don agreed. "Some of us just aren't fully human until we've had our morning coffee."

I nearly choked on the mouthful of coffee I'd just attempted to swallow when he said that. If only he knew the truth. Denman managed not to laugh at the irony either but only just.

"Am I missing something?" Don asked.

"No," I sputtered and coughed. "I just though what you said is so true that it was funny in a way and it just went down the wrong way when I tried to laugh."

"Oh. Well sorry about that. Didn't mean to make you choke." Don said by way of apology.

"No worries, you're forgiven." I said glad that in my sputtering I'd neither spilled or splashed any of the liquid on myself. That would have been so not good. I really didn't feel like diving over the side into the water first thing in the morning. At least let me get some breakfast first.

Speaking of which I headed over towards the side table where several different breakfast items were laid out and quickly decided on a bagel with some cream cheese. As I looked up from the table I noticed a girl about my age with dark brown hair heading towards us carrying what looked to be a lunch tote at her side. She skidded to a stop the second she saw Denman and her expression fully embodied the phrase 'if looks could kill'. I had a feeling she was one of the three girls Denman had told me about and made a snap decision to intercept her before she got on board and did something rash, even if Denman would agree she deserved it.

I hopped over the side to land in front of her before she could decide to take another step, thankful no one else had noticed her yet. "Hello there, if you're who I think you are now is not the time to do something rash."

"I don't know what you're talking about," she answered me. "Now please move I'm supposed to bring my Dad his lunch. He forgot it when he left today."

"No. I think you do know what I'm talking about, and I've convinced her she really owes you and the others an apology at the very least. If you stick around after your father leaves you can say what ever you need to say to her. Fair?" I countered

She glared over at Denman, then back at me. "Fair. For now"

"Ok does your Dad know what you were?" I asked

She gave me a strange expression and shook her head. I had no idea what it meant so I just ignored it for now.

"How about this then. Just play it like this is your first meeting with her and let your Dad introduce you. I'll try to let her know while you greet him and hopefully she'll play along until he leaves. Then you two can talk." She nodded her agreement to that. "I'm Laura by the way."

"Cleo."

I made a quick follow me motion and lead the way on board.

"Cleo, what brings you out here?" Don asked rushing over to her.

I quickly walked up to Denman who looked like someone marching her way to a gallows. "She's going to pretend that you've never met before," I quickly whispered. "At least until her father leaves."

Denman nodded and quickly smoothed her expression back to a smile. I though it looked over forced but it's not every day your past mistakes come back to get even with you.

I turned around to face Don and Cleo as they walked up and Don made introductions. "Dr. Denman and Ms. Westbrook I'd like you to meet my daughter Cleo. Cleo this is Dr. Linda Denman and Laura Westbrook"

"Pleasure to meet you Cleo." we both replied, with an honest smile from myself. Denman just looked like she was waiting for the ax to drop.

"Well I must be off. I have to at least try to meet our quota for the day." Don said. "Cleo thanks for bringing me this, I can't believe I forgot it at home today." He motioned to the lunch tote Cleo had given to him.

"And Sam only reminded you three times not to forget it too. Yet you still did." Cleo looked part annoyed, part frustrated, and part amused with him. Clearly a close family. Made me feel nostalgic for the States and my family.

Don, after one more quick round of hand shakes, quickly hopped over and headed down towards the exit clearly in a hurry to catch the tide. Cleo watched him go till he was completely out of sight then turned to back to Denman and just glared at her in what I could only call a mix of pure fury and total dislike.

"Well? Let's hear it!" she demanded.

I grabbed my coffee and bagel and ducked back into the upper cabin out of view but not out of earshot just in case things went completely south.

"Cleo." Denman started. "I know it won't fix things, and I know it's not much, but for what it's worth I am truly sorry for my actions two years ago. I've had a lot of time to reflect on what I did wrong and what I should have done, as well as some not so subtle encouragement," she flicked her eyes towards where I was hidden.

"And so you came back here just to look us up for that?"

"No. I wasn't going to go looking for you at all if it could be avoided. I felt that might be like rubbing salt in an old wound, but if I happened to run into you then yes I'd apologize to you. Especially after we ran into Emma last year in the Tropics." Denman rubbed the side of her face in memory.

"She told me about that when she got back. Said she nearly sprained her wrist."

"Nearly knocked out some of my teeth, but I guess I deserved it."

Cleo nodded and then straightened to her full height, sized Denman up and delivered a full armed slap to the other side of her face hard enough to knock her back into her chair.

"I guess I deserved that too. Is Rikki going to do that as well?"

"Don't know. Guess you'll have to run into her and find out." Cleo turned on her heel and left without a backwards glance.

"That went well," I commented as I walked back out. "By the way where are the guys?"

"As well as can be expected, and they're out getting supplies while I meet with group reps for our job here. You can help by doing the hull inspection if you feel like being useful."

I finished the last bite of my bagel and drained the last of the coffee from my cup. "I though you were supposed to wait half an hour after eating before going in the water."

"Doesn't apply to you, but then you're a special case."

I rolled my eyes over dramatically and dove over the side to do a check. I should have checked to see if anyone was watching me before I dove. I found out later that Cleo had been standing at the gate and when I dove in the water fully dressed she'd started counting. Needless to say Cleo and the others weren't going to be happy with me next time we met. Why is only hindsight 20/20? And yes she stayed there, hidden, until I came out of the water too. And you ask why I don't like to get out of bed most mornings?