A/N- So when I first wrote this I didn't know that the Australia and American school breaks were so different so this is going to be a little off as I thought there were 3 months for summer vacation and planned around that. Please don't hate me.

3rd person P.O.V.

Emma knew that she was definitely not going to make it back in time for graduation. She really hoped that they would be at the new cafe she heard had opened where the JuiceNet cafe had once been. If they weren't there, she had a good feeling that they would be over at Cleo's house.

CHCHCH

It was the end of the night after graduation and Rikki, Cleo, Lewis, Bella, and Will had decided to stay and help Zane clean up the cafe despite their differences. It did take a little convincing on Bella and Cleo's parts to get Rikki to stay and help them but in the end they got her to stay and help. Most everything was now picked up so Bella and Will were up by the stage talking quietly to one another for the time being while the group stood around talking. The others,minus Zane, were standing by the counter when someone walked in. Bella and Will glanced over at the girl who had walked in. Will dismissed her immediately but something about her and the way she held herself seemed strangely familiar to Bella. Cleo, Lewis, and Rikki seemed to know her because they each gave her a hug and started talking to one another.

"Any idea who that is?" Will asked, looking at Bella and bringing her out of her thoughts.

"No, I've only been here as long as you but she seems familiar kinda like..." Bella began to trail off because her next words seemed ridiculous to her, even in her mind. It was then that she heard Cleo say, "Emma, it's so good to see you again, we really missed you."

A disbelieving look crossed Bella's face when Cleo said 'Emma'. It couldn't be.

"What's the matter Bella, is something wrong?" Will asked, seeing the expression displayed on Bella's face.

Emma chose that moment to look over at Bella and Will, having heard the two of them talking. She did a double take and before Cleo got the chance to try and explain anything, Emma whispered, "Bella?"

"Emma."

"It really is you, I haven't seen you since we were like 10. It's so good to see you," Emma said, walking over to Bella to give her a hug, they met halfway between the stage and counter.

"It's good to see you too," Bella said to Emma. Cleo, Rikki, and Lewis looked over at the two blond girls in confusion. How did they know each other? Will watched his girlfriend and the other girl she knew with even more confusion than all the others. Who was this Emma girl? Bella and Emma were oblivious to the confusion of everyone in the room with them as they updated each other on their lives over the last approximately eight years; of course, they both left off on the details of having tails.

After letting Bella and Emma talk for a little while, Rikki asked, "Okay, so how in the world do you two know each other?"

"I'll explain," Bella said putting up her hand to silence Emma who already had her mouth half open to explain. "Now I know you guys have already met but I'd like you to met my cousin, Emma."

Cleo, Rikki, and Lewis were shocked, two of their best friends were cousins. When the shock wore off, they all came to the realization that neither Emma nor Bell knew about the other being a mermaid.

Will slowly started over towards Cleo and Rikki. He suspected that Emma knew something about them being mermaids but didn't want to say anything himself. Whispering to them he asked "Does Emma know about, you know, your tails?"

"Yeah, why?" Cleo responded.

"Just wondering," he shrugged.

"Sorry to interrupt this little family reunion but we have something to explain to both of you," Rikki started. Emma and Bella turned towards her, she looked over to Cleo to explain the rest.

Cleo took a minute to gather her thoughts before speaking, "Both of you guys know about us being mermaids," she spoke bluntly. Emma and Bella looked at each other and smiled slightly and nervously, not wanting to tell the other that they have a tail, at least not yet without knowing how the other would take it. "Anyway there's something. . . big you guys should know about each other."

"What?" they asked at the same time. They laughed before falling silent to consider Cleo's statement.

"Wait, you don't mean Emma's a. . . do you?" Bella said as her voice trailed off as she avoided saying the actual word out loud.

"And you're a. . . too?" Emma asked, directing this towards Bella, not saying the actual word out loud herself either.

"Oh for goodness sake, do I need to shove the both of you off the end of the dock?!" Rikki exclaimed, somewhat annoyed at the vagueness of the two.

"No, I don't think that'll be necessary anymore." Emma replied.

"Good, because the water's cold and I wouldn't steam dry you guys back to the state you're in right now."

"It all makes sense now," Bella started. "That's why you quit the swim team, isn't it?"

"Yeah, I really couldn't swim in competitions with a tail."

"I always wondered why you stopped competing when mom told me a few years ago, you were so good. It all makes sense now though. I wish I would have thought of that as a reason for why you stopped competing but I was so used to avoiding water by then that it never even crossed my mind."

"When exactly did you change?" Emma asked, "And who's this?" she added as an after thought. "I'd assume he knows..." she trailed off.

"Well, I became a mermaid when I was nine. And yeah, he knows. This is Will, my boyfriend." Bella replied, motioning for Will to come and join the rest of the group.

"Hi," Will greeted Emma shyly.

"Oh, come on now Will, no need to suddenly get shy." Bella spoke teasingly.

"Nice to met you Will," Emma said, reaching out to shake his hand, he took her hand in a short and friendly handshake.

As the group of six all started talking together, Zane entered the main portion of the cafe from his office. He had some paperwork in his hands and wasn't paying all that much attention to what was going on around him. He only looked up when he heard someone say, "Hey Zane."

"Oh, hey Em," he replied offhandedly not taking note of his words as he set the papers down. "Wait, Emma. When did you get back?" he asked, suddenly taking note of her presence in the cafe.

"Just about an hour ago. I see you must own the place, considering the name."

"Yeah but, um..." Zane tried to find the words to explain.

"We're not together anymore," Rikki finished. Zane nodded his thanks to Rikki.

"Oh." Emma paused, trying to think of a way to change the subject as an air of awkwardness filled the room. "Hey, why don't we met up sometime tomorrow, maybe at the moon pool," Emma suggested a minute later.

"The moon pool's actually in bad shape right now, we're not even sure if it's stable," Cleo explained.

"Really, what happened to it?" Emma asked, sounding disappointed.

"Well, lets see, one- Zane, two- Will's sister, three- this guy that works for Sam," Rikki said, listing off the three reasons for the moon pool being destroyed.

"Rikki, Emma doesn't know who Sam is yet," Cleo scolded. "Why don't we go to my house now so can talk," she suggested. Everyone seemed to agree and soon they were on their way out.

"Bye Zane," everyone said heading out the door, Rikki mumbling it to him as she was still mad at him for kissing Sophie and destroying the moon pool.

CHCHCH

As they walked to Cleo's house Bella took Will's hand in her's, letting their fingers intertwine. Lewis took hold of Cleo's hand as a reassurance that he really was there with her.

"So Bella, who is Sam anyway? Nobody really explained who he or she was at the cafe," Emma spoke, whispering to her cousin.

"Oh right, she's Cleo's step-mom."

"Really? Cleo's dad remarried?" Emma spoke questioningly.

"Yup."

"I feel like I missed so much in the year that I was away."

"I missed a lot before we moved here so it's okay, we'll bring you up to date on everything."

Emma nodded in response.

Once they reached Cleo's house everyone slipped in as silently as six people can at nine at night. Cleo's parents were sitting on the couch in the living room.

"Oh, Cleo, you're home," her dad said, pausing as he saw everyone that had entered his house. "And it seems that you've brought all your friends."

"Yeah. We were just going to go upstairs and catch up because Emma and Lewis just got back," she said motioning to the two.

"Okay then, but everyone who doesn't live here has to be out by eleven," Mr. Sertori spoke very clearly. Everyone knew they would definitely need to be out of his house by eleven.

The group of six headed up to Cleo's room. Kim, who was moping in her room because she had been grounded, wondered what the commotion was and stuck her head out the door to her room.

"You've brought everyone here. Why can't you go somewhere else? Why do you always come here?" Kim groaned.

"Because we do, Kim," Cleo said, in an annoyed tone.

"And thanks for noticing that I'm back, Kim." Emma said, putting in a slight undertone. Cleo closed the door behind her as she entered her room.

Everyone sat themselves in random spots around the room. Emma took a seat on the end of Cleo's bed and Rikki, feeling like acting like a loon, sat down cross legged on the floor and looked up at Emma expectantly.

"Rikki, what on earth are you doing?" Emma asked in confusion.

"I thought it was story time and this is what you do for story time, right?"

"Rikki, do you have to make Emma think you have gone completely insane in the past year?" Cleo asked.

"Aw, c'mon I was just having a little fun," she said taking a seat next to Emma on Cleo's bed. She conveniently didn't notice Cleo and Bella rolling their eyes.

"So how was your trip around the world, Emma?" Lewis asked.

"It was amazing, although at times it was really hard to keep my parents and Elliot from figuring out about my tail."

"Where all did you guys go? I might know some of the places," Bella asked.

"Well some of the most recognizable places that we went where Paris, Italy, California in the States, and Spain. We were on the coast except for in Paris."

"That must've stunk," Rikki said.

"Trust me it did. I couldn't just jump in the water if I ended up getting wet, I actually had to find somewhere to hide," Emma explained. "That was definitely the hardest part, getting away when I got wet."

For the next hour and a half or so Emma caught everyone up on some of the stuff she had gone through in the past year. Then Cleo, Rikki, and Bella, along with Will and Lewis occasionally, told her everything that had happened there in the past year since she had left. They explained how the water tentacle had attacked them and how they first thought it was against them before realizing that it was on their side.

"Hey Em, did you hear much from Ash while you were traveling?" Cleo asked.

"We talked a little bit by way of chat and e-mail. We video chatted a few times when my parents were out; but I somehow managed to forget to tell him I was coming back today."

"Did your parents know you were video chatting with your boyfriend?" Rikki questioned.

"Well no, not exactly. Don't tell them, I'm sure I'd be in trouble."

"Oh. My. Goodness. Em, you disobeyed your parents, how... unlike you, I guess I must have rubbed off on you in the past few years." Rikki said proudly.

"No, I just - forget it."

"Well, it's quarter to eleven, you guys should probably get heading home now," Cleo said, interrupting the two.

"Yeah, I guess we should all get going home, I'm not sure my parents were planning on us being out this late, Will."

"Well come on then," he said taking her hand and leading her out of Cleo's room. Everyone followed, except Lewis, who wanted to take longer saying goodbye to Cleo.

"Lewis, aren't you going to get heading out with everyone else?"

"What, you don't want me to stay?" he spoke, wrapping his arms around her to pull her in for a kiss.

"I never said that," Cleo paused. "I do have to admit that I didn't mind the kiss. but you need to get home so I'll see you in the morning."

"Bye," he said giving her one last kiss before walking down the hall and leaving the house.

CHCHCH

Bella and Will left Cleo's house and started towards Bella's. Will noticed that Bella was shivering from the cold night air so he pulled her close to his side to keep her warm.

"Thanks."

"No problem."

"I love you," Bella spoke a few seconds later.

"I love you too," Will replied.

There were a few more seconds of silence before Bella slowly spoke again, "You know, I kind of thought you wouldn't want to have anything to do with me after you found out I was a mermaid."

"Why?"

"I mean, mermaids are, we're things of mythology and who really actually wants to date a mermaid in real life?"

"The kind of guy who's not stupid and shallow. I love you for you. I'd love you if you weren't a mermaid, and I love you being a mermaid. Nothing can change how I feel about you."

Bella smiled up at Will and leaned her head up against him. The rest of their walk back to Bella's house was relatively quiet as they just enjoyed each other's company. When they reached her house, they stood outside her front door for a minute just listening to the silence that the night offered and the other quiet sounds of the night.

"Well I don't think my parents are awake at the moment, I guess I'll have to be really quiet," Bella said, turning away from Will to unlock the door as quietly as is humanly possible. After opening the door, Bella turned back to Will and they shared a quick goodnight kiss.

"I wonder if that shy guy will ever come back."

"I don't think he will, not as long as I have you," Will spoke softly. He gave Bella a quick peck on the cheek before turning towards the street.

"'Night Bella."

"See you tomorrow."

"Love you."

"Love you too." Bella closed the door silently and leaned back on it. She let out a content sigh; she had finished high school, has amazing friends, an amazing boyfriend, and life seemed to be working out perfectly for her.

CHCHCH

On his way back to his boat shed, Will thought about how well everything was going between him and Bella. He never expected a first relationship to be this great and it amazed him every time he thought about it.

He also thought about some of the events of the day. At graduation, Sophie had told him and Bella that she was happy for them and Lewis had returned from the states. Not only that, but at the cafe he met another mermaid, Bella's cousin who also happened to be a mermaid. With four mermaids in town, things were bound to get interesting.

CHCHCH

Rikki walked home in silence. She didn't believe that all the magic could be gone from the moon pool. It was a special place for mermaids and nobody could really take it away from her. She was planning to to go out to the moon pool in the morning so she could try and figure out how to fix it. She knew the others wouldn't really approved of her going out there so she wasn't telling them about her plan, or at least not yet.

CHCHCH

Emma was excited to be back after being gone for so long. Some might have thought that her best friends now being best friends with her cousin would set her on edge and have her worried but it really had the opposite affect on her. She didn't have to worry about Bella stealing her friends or anything like that because they'd been friends since nearly birth. Now they shared best friends and a secret, that would only make them closer.

Another thing of excitement for Emma was that she'd finally be able to see Ash in person again after almost a year of not seeing each other. She planned to text him later and let him know that she was back.

Upon arrival on her street, she could see the moving truck in the driveway that held all the stuff that belonged to her and her family. While they had been gone a family had rented their house, meaning that they had to put everything that they couldn't take with them in a storage locker. Her parents had asked some of her uncles on her dad's side to get their stuff taken out of the locker and back to their house for when they got home.

As she got closer to the house, Emma noticed that there were still some lights on. She figured everyone would have gone to bed by now. "Mum, dad, what are you still doing up?" Emma asked when she walked inside.

"Just trying to see what we could get out for the night. We can't get to anybody's beds so we have to use these air mattresses. Your's is up in your room all set up for you," Emma's dad, Neil, explained.

"Okay, thanks." Emma replied as she headed up to her old room, telling her parents goodnight before she left. Her room was exactly as she had left it with plain walls that would need everything put back up on them within the next few days.

Emma turned her attention down to the air mattress that would function as her bed for the night. It already had her pillow and a few sheets and blankets on it. After changing into her pjs, she quickly sent a text to Ash to let him know she was back home. Emma sat her phone down next to her bed and was asleep a few minutes later.

A/N not all the chapters are going to end up being that long, I think. There might be some but most will probably be shorter. Except the first few might be long because I really did no planning for separation when I first wrote this.

Let me know what you think. If I you like it, let me know and I'll continue with it. I have a plan in my mind for this summer then a fast-forward through college and life after college for the gang. So tell me what you think I should do, constructive criticism is highly appreciated so I know what to do to improve and get better. Thanks for reading, peace out.