Title: And the Walls Kept Tumbling Down
Author: WanderingThisWay
Characters: Rikki (main), then by order of chapter: Cleo, Emma, Lewis, Bella, Will and finally, Zane
Pairings: Rikki/Zane (mentions of Cleo/Lewis and Bella/Will)
Summary: A 5+1 fic. Five people who infiltrated the complicated infrastructure around Rikki's heart, and the one who blasted his way in, no holds barred.
Notes: My daughter got me hooked on this show and Rikki, in particular, appealed to the part of me fascinated with psychology (I found her so delightfully nuanced) as such I decided to play *cough* - I mean explore - around with her psyche a bit. I am not one who believes in villianizing characters, and although Rikki is my favorite character, I have affection for all of the H2O protagonists. As such there are no villians here, simply me exploring Rikki's connections to the various people in her life, how each connection grows over time, how each one differs, what she gains from them and what she gives in return. This fic is unbeta'd, please forgive any errors.
Notes 2: The first two chapters, Cleo and then Emma, are written. The other four are only partially written but thoroughly outlined and shall be done shortly. I will do my best to post a chapter a week until it is all up, time permitting.
And all 'round your island
There's a barricade.
It keeps out the danger,
It holds in the pain.
~ Tom Petty, Walls
That was then:
Rikki's first impression of Cleo Sertori was that she was a cookie cutter of teenage angst and insecurity that fulfilled every stereotype of all adolescent female protagonists ever written into a John Hughes film.
Practically every school Rikki had ever been to had been chocked full of Cleo's. Which, considering Rikki's father took the word 'nomad' to a whole new level of being, was more 'places-of-institutionalized-torture-meant-to-turn-youth-into-mindless-drones' than she cared to remember.
Rikki knew Cleo's type. Wanting to be liked. Eager to please. Walking around like fillies who'd barely mastered control of their feet, let alone taken the first tentative steps towards mastering life.
She had zero patience for them. What was the point in getting those at the top of the high school food chain to like you if the top was relative and tentative and those who inhabited it were even more insecure and shallow then the puppies that nipped at their feet?
In her estimation the whole ritual of high school socialization was boorish. Not to mention ridiculous.
That didn't mean, however, that Rikki wanted Cleo, a relative innocent, to suffer the effects of Rikki's revenge on Zane Bennett for having the unmitigated gall of existing at all. Rikki could tolerate cookie cutters, but rich, spoiled snobs who felt entitled to everything because they'd never had to want for anything in their entire life were an absolute plague against humanity.
It was for Bennett's own good that his ego be knocked down a peg or forty.
She had thought depriving Bennett's boat of its spark plugs an act of genius, if she did say so herself. And she did. Let Bennett know that the universe didn't always buckle to his will. But when that act had resulted in Bennett tricking Cleo onto his lifeless boat and then cruelly sending her drifting out to sea, Rikki knew some intervention was in order.
She never made a habit out of punishing cookie cutters - they tended to punish themselves. And the enemy of her enemy was also her friend - or however that stupid saying went - which made Sertori an unwitting ally.
It was probably a good practice not to let potential allies drown. Maybe.
So she'd jumped onto the boat, spark plug in pocket, mind already plotting the next way she'd make Bennett pay (hopefully Sertori would have the smarts to stay out of Rikki's way this next time) and had the boat in working order in no time flat.
And then Cleo had thanked her. By name.
So. That was awkward.
Based on the attention Rikki had received since moving to this latest school, which was to say none at all, she'd been certain she'd somehow mastered the power of invisibility, no cloak necessary. To find out Cleo knew her name was a revelation. And also thoroughly annoying. Because really, how hard would saying 'hello'', at any point between now and then, have been?
Rikki might not care about 'fitting in', whatever that meant (she had the feeling it was relative based on personality, the airspeed velocity of an African sparrow versus an English one and favorite ice cream flavor), but a little recognition never hurt anyone. Cleo must have realized her faux pas right away because she started muttering excuses on why she hadn't spoken to Rikki until now and Rikki, basking in the glory of spraying Bennett with saltwater from his own, now working, boat, decided life was too short to add Sertori to her coveted list of 'People I Loathe' when there were individuals named Zane, Nate and Miriam (the three biggest perpetrators of unadulterated snobbery) out yonder who were infinitely more deserving of a little (or a ton, but who was counting?) ire.
So many people to torture, so little time. And all that.
So she decided to give Cleo a free pass. Which turned out to be one of the best decisions she'd ever made.
Because Cleo…. Cleo would come to fill a hole in Rikki's heart she'd never realized had been present. A hole otherwise entitled the 'I'd help this person bury a body in the backyard, no questions asked' role of best friend/platonic soulmate.
Rikki had always operated under the philosophy that it was easier to not like other people first, before they had the chance of not liking you. It made moving to a different school every year, and sometimes twice a year, just that much easier. But Cleo had the unique distinction of being the first to say, or at least heavily imply, that such philosophy was hogwash and that she and Rikki were going to be friends - no more than friends, family - whether Rikki liked it or not, so she best get used to the idea.
Of course finding out you had both somehow become mythological creatures overnight did a lot to inspire the aforementioned bonding of mermaid soul sisters, but for Rikki the evolution of viewing Cleo as one of them, to viewing her as a person of significant note came shortly before her new-found (and much beloved - mermaid and proud) tail.
There they were: Rikki, Emma, and Cleo, trapped in a saltwater pool, bathed in the light of a full moon, all within the bowels of a dormant volcano which existed atop a mysterious island, with only one way, that they knew of, out. Emma growing impatient. Cleo afraid of the water. And Rikki had implored Cleo to join her and Emma, both already in the water. Had held out her hand… which Cleo had taken.
Cleo exhibited such bravery, then, entering the water that so terrified her. That alone merited high estimation in Rikki's book. Courage had always been a trait Rikki respected. But more than that Cleo had faced her fear at Rikki's (and Emma's) urging. And that was, that was… something. It was the first time in Rikki's memory that anyone had ever shown her that amount of trust.
It was kind of nice to be trusted, even for jaded hearts like hers.
It also marked the first time Rikki wondered whether her system of categorizing others might contain a flaw or two. On occasion. Perhaps. Though she stood by her dissertation that Nate had been grown in a lab, made from various types of fungus (and not the edible kind).
It was obvious, at any rate, during that singular moment on Mako Island, that Cleo Sertori contained hidden depths. Depths Rikki would have missed out on if she hadn't gotten them all trapped on a deserted island with magic powers together and thus been forced into a situation that allowed her a second look.
If Cleo deserved a second look, it was possible, however remotely, that other people did, too.
This is now:
Rikki felt Cleo's eyes on her, boring holes into her back, as Rikki feigned a profound and rapt fascination with Will's wall of tools.
The air between them so thick with tension Rikki wondered how Bella and Will had gotten to the door to leave to pick-up some take-out without a machete.
Sure, she had apologized for shutting her friends out, and Cleo had apologized for not believing her about Ryan, but that was in front of Bella and Will. That had been for their benefit because they needed to hear it. Needed to know that the ties between their small group of misfit mermaids (plus one) had not been irrevocably severed. And it hadn't. But Cleo's and Rikki's bond, not to mention their history, went a bit deeper than a simple "I'm sorry, I messed up", so Rikki knew all too well that their brief exchange at the moon pool had not been enough. Not this time.
Cleo would have her say and Rikki would listen because she owed Cleo that much.
And if she knew Cleo, and she did, Rikki had a guilt trip of epic proportions coming in three, two, one…
"You've always been the brave one," Cleo said softly, "always so fearless. In a way I've always drawn strength from that. This thing we're facing with Mako, whatever it is? It became infinitely more scary when it felt like I'd lost you to it. I always thought it'd be me and you against the world. That we were this unbreakable team. I'd forgotten what it was like when Emma and I had first met you. How you used to push us away whenever anything got to be too much for you. I guess I mistakenly thought we had grown past that, Rikki."
Well, ouch.
"Did I always push you away?" Rikki asked, still not turning around to meet Cleo's eyes.
It was that she was afraid or anything! It's just that she already felt guilty enough, Cleo staring her down with the patented Sertori stare of 'I Am So Disappointed In Your Life Choices' would just be overkill at this point. No need to subject herself to it.
...Okay, so maybe she was afraid. Water tentacles she could face. Evil, power crazed mermaid's name Charlotte - bring them on! Narcissistic scientists with eyes way too close together? Pshhh, please, they didn't even merit a raised pulse. But a disappointed Cleo Sertori? That crap was torturous.
Besides, she didn't recall ever pushing Cleo and Emma away. Based on her recollection, one night they were three girls trapped on a deserted island being changed into mermaids - as happens in life - and the next day they were practically living in each other's pockets.
And here Rikki had thought she'd been joking when she'd teased, all those years ago, that the three of them sharing secret mermaid identities together didn't mean they were married.
"Sure you did," Cleo answered, voice breaking up a bit, "the first time you were under the influence of the full moon you ran away to Mako without us and when we followed you, you told us that you were meant to be alone. And then when you started to fall for Zane, but before the two of you started dating, you'd disappear for long stretches at a time. Same story for when you and Zane were going through issues with your father when he thought Zane had vandalized his motorbike. And when things started to come head to head with Charlotte when we were all planning Lewis' birthday, you withdrew from us. Pretty much used those exact words, if I recall correctly, 'I'm withdrawing myself'. And then there was the time your father was considering moving…"
"Okay, okay, I get it. There might have been some pushing away from time to time," Rikki admitted, finally turning around.
It was as she expected. Cleo didn't look mad. Didn't look indignant. She looked hurt.
And that was just the worst.
She didn't like anyone hurting her friends, was a tad protective that way (if by 'tad' one were to mean 'a lot'). Apparently that included even herself. Which sucked. Rikki wasn't a big on regrets kind of girl. You screw up, you learn from it, you move on - that was her philosophy. This whole regretting thing made her feel a bit like she had the flu.
"You and Emma were my first real friends, you know?," Rikki said. Because it was the truth. She'd never stayed anywhere else long enough to make close friends and even the few semi-friendly acquaintances she had from time to time she'd kept at arms length because she was always so embarrassed about her living situation. Taunting sucked, but pity was just about the worst thing that could happen, ever. She'd rather be covered in honey and dropped into a pit of fire ants than be judged because she and her father barely scraped by most of the time. "You were the first people in my life who actually cared whether I went off to lick my wounds in private or not. Sixteen years of learned behavior is a hard thing to overcome."
She hadn't been trying to shut Cleo out, exactly. It's just the water tentacle, when it touched her, there had been this profound feeling of belonging. With it. With Mako. With the mermaid side of her. It had enveloped her like a warm blanket, a cocoon. It had been intense, and strong, and difficult to shake off, even now. Especially for a girl who'd spent the bulk of her childhood feeling like she didn't belong anywhere.
But then, Cleo had always made her feel like she belonged, too.
"If it helps, I've always come back and I always will," Rikki promised. And she meant it. She would do her best to make that happen.
Cleo's expression softened and she sent a tentative smile in Rikki's direction, her eyes shiny, though to her credit, she kept the tears at bay. Rikki didn't know how to handle tears, never had. They were... awkward, and she never could figure out whether handing out tissues along and sisterly pats on the back took priority or threatening whoever had made them cry with untimely and painful demise. As a result she always just kind of stood there, internally debating with herself.
Cleo knew her well. It was disconcerting. Sometimes. Other times it melted Rikki, just a bit.
"Good to hear," Cleo said, her smile growing. "You and me against the world?" she asked, holding out her hand.
Rikki took it, lacing their fingers together. "You and me against the world."
Next up: Emma Gilbert
Excerpt: The problem with Emma was that Rikki doubted even a skilled surgeon with years of experience could remove the stick from Emma's bum, so tightly was it jammed up there...
...But then, while Cleo remained terrified of water, Emma was the one who agreed to accompany Rikki to take their new tails for a test drive.