H2O- Just add water fanfiction

Starring:

Lorraine Chadwick, Rikki Chadwick, Zane Bennett, Terry Chadwick

Christina Dove, Emma Dove, Ash Dove

Hope Benjamin, Bella Benjamin, Will Benjamin, Melusine Benjamin, Rick Benjamin, Angel Benjamin, Rose Benjamin

Louise McCartney, Cleo McCartney, Lewis McCartney, Tony McCartney

Catherine Watsford, Charlotte Watsford

Wednesday

Catherine's POV

"Mom?" I ask. "Mom!" I wave my hand in front of her face.

"Huh?" she asks.

"What are you staring at?" I want to know.

"You see that island?" she raises her arm and points at an island that seems like a green gemstone in a sea of diamonds.

"It's pretty. Are you going to paint it? It'll make a great picture"

"That's Mako Island" she ignores my question. "We'll go there tomorrow"

"We just arrived and your already planning a sightseeing tour?" I secretly roll my eyes. I was hoping to enjoy a few quite days before school starts on Monday. I want to relax. All my life we've been living in the center of huge cities all around the world, never close to the beach. So I want to enjoy this as long as it will last. My mom was excited of moving here because this has been the place were she spent a part of her youth and where she got the inspiration for her paintings from. She's a well- known artist, although I don't understand what people see in her work. She's always painting the same things, fish, water, moons, mermaids. I'm going to do better than that, on day. I don't want to be mean but I am better than her. Sure she's a great artist but in my opinion she's a little boring. Old- fashioned. Not exciting at all.

"I'll show you something" she says. "You'll be stunned"

"Okay?" I ask a little confused.

She just nods and walks back to the street, but I could swear I hear her mumbling:

"I'm going to make her a mermaid" I shake my head at that ridiculous idea and follow her.

It's not far to our new house. Or better new mansion. It's a really classic place. It's built in the style of the beginning of 20's century and surrounded by grass that is perfectly short. On the back side of the house is a canal, leading to the ocean. My mother choose it really well. Inside it's decent, expensive but not over loaded with stuff. Stylish and modern with a touch of old colonial feeling. Somewhere plays soft jazz- music. I walk up to my room to unpack my stuff. I already love the place. It shows that its owners, means me and my mother are people that are wealthy but don't boast about it. Well, maybe we do but it can't be that wrong. My mother worked really hard, went from exhibition to exhibition and moved from town to town, always searching for customers. It's hard to live from art, but she made it. One day I'll be just as successful as her.

"Cathy! Five- o'-clock tea!" My mother calls. I go downstairs. Tea is a family tradition. Every civilized culture has traditions. And we are the image of a perfectly civilized society.

I sit down when I spot a picture on a shelf.

"That's not dad!" I say surprised.

"Well, I was a teenager once, so I had other boyfriends then just him" she answers with a smile.

"So he was your boyfriend?" I ask curious. My father died when I was seven and I can't imagine my mother with someone else. I reach for the picture. I can tell that it was taken somewhere around this area. The guy next to my mother is blond and has a face that seems friendly and open, maybe a little boring. More the buddy type then boyfriend material.

"Yeah. But not for long" she says and gets this facial expression she always shows when she's really pissed at someone.

"What happened?"

"Oh you know… I thought Lewis and I were meant to be, but his ex- girlfriend, his childhood- friend took him away from me. And not only him" my mother hisses through her teeth. I know she'll only get more pissed when I keep asking but I can't help it.

"What do you mean?"

"Don't ask. I'll explain it when we're at Mako Island, okay?"

I nod. I know that she won't tell me when she doesn't want to. But I can't help but wonder what this island got to do with it.

Thursday

Lorraine's POV

"Lorraine?" Ms Carter, the boss of the orphanage asks. "Can I talk to you for a second?"

"Sure thing" I shrug and look at her.

"In my office?"

I follow her. She sits in her huge chair and gives me one of her famous strict looks. But then her expression softens.

"Sit down" she orders in a serious voice. I look at her worried.

"Is it my mother?" I ask because I can't imagine another reason. She's the only relative I have, but she's more dead then alive. When I was a few months old we got in a horrible car crush. She's been in a coma ever since, for the last 16 years. Nobody knew her name or where she came from, which means I had to grow up in the orphanage. I always felt like an orphan. What's the difference in having a dead mother or in having a mother that lies in a hospital bed in a deep slumber she won't wake up from?

"Did she die?" I ask coldly. Sometimes I wish she would. I gave up hope she would wake up and always acted as if she was dead. I see no point in keeping an empty body alive. It's unnatural to see this almost dead body, see the frozen meaningless expression on her face. When I was younger I sometimes imagined that her ghost was trapped on earth, that she came to visit me in my dreams or that she was an angel that fell from heaven because nobody knew where she came from. She's only a distant creature to me, almost mystical and seems wrong to keep her on this cold earth.

"No Lorraine, she's not dead. Do you remember how the media tried to find out about her family?"

"Sure do" I say sarcastically. "That's my favorite memory from when I was not even a year old. Of course I remember"

Ms Carter purses her lips.

"Goodness, the fact that I forgot it's been a long time doesn't need to offend you" she says pouting. I have to keep myself from laughing at her stupid face.

"If it's not her, what is it?" I ask, not trying to hide my impatience.

"Well, it looks like we found a family member of yours"

"After 16 years? I don't think so. That's probably just some couple who can't get to adopt a child the usual way" I answer, just to turn my growing hope down.

"No, it's not just some couple. It's your grandfather"

"My grandfather?" I ask, not really believing her words.

"Yes. We've already met with him and he showed us some old photos of his daughter who disappeared 17 years ago and it's definitely your mother. We decided that you'll live with him"

For the first time in my life I'm speechless. I probably stare at her with my mouth hanging open. She smiles.

"You're flight is tomorrow morning"

"My flight? Where does he live?"

"Gold Coast"

I gasp. That's all the way on the other side of the continent. Whatever made my mother leave made her want to get as far away as possible. I rise from my seat.

"I'll… I better start to pack and say goodbye to everyone. What about my mom's body?"

"She can't be transported there, I'm sorry. We'll see what'll happen to her. Maybe her father will allow the doctors to cut of the machines and let her die"

I nod stiffly and open the door to walk out, but then I turn around.

"One question" I say.

"Yes?"

"What's her name? What is going to be my last name?"

"Chadwick. Your last name will be Chadwick, because your grandfather doesn't know about your dad, he didn't even know you existed. Your mother's full name is Rikki Chadwick"

"Rikki" I repeat. "Chadwick. Lorraine Chadwick. Lorraine Chadwick and her grandpa live in a small house in Gold Coast"

"A trailer, I'm afraid"

"Well then a trailer. That's way cooler anyways. Lorraine Chadwick and her grandpa live in a trailer in Gold Coast. Sounds good"

I close the door behind me and walk down the corridor. I look at the pictures on the wall, painted by all the kids who have been living here. Somewhere has to be a picture of me… I find it. It's supposed to show a mermaid. Even I've been a girly girl once. I grab it and stuff it in my pocket. Maybe I'm lucky and my grandpa really likes me. Maybe he'll be happy to see something I did when I was a kid. Damn, I'm getting all sentimental now.

Catherine's POV

Seriously? Who'd get the idea to go to the island when it's almost dark? I sigh as I watch my mother, trying to get the boat into the canal.

"No way!" I yell at my mom. "Where did you get that stupid idea from? I'm not getting into a boat with you! We have no idea how to handle it. Besides I won't explore some weird jungle island without a guide" I turn around and stomp away.

"Catherine!" she yells after me, "I can't do this without you! You have to trust me, the night is perfect, it's full moon! Just come with me, you'll understand"

"No!" I yell and slam the door. I don't understand her at all. My mom never did crazy things. But since we arrived here she's been weird. There's been a tension in the air.

"Catherine" she yells as she comes inside. When she sees me her voice suddenly gets all sweet and innocent. "Cathy. You know that I'd never ever get you into danger, right? I'm your mother sweetie! I just expect you to trust me, because if you don't trust me something goes wrong into our relationship. Come on now, let's take a boat ride"

I shake my head, unsure what to say. My mother looks at me with pleading eyes.

"You trust me, don't you?" she asks. I nod, but then turn on my heel and run up to my room. She just managed to talk a bad conscience into me. Talking and manipulating, that's the big strength of Charlotte Watsford. I don't say it's a bad thing, sometimes people need a little manipulating because they don't know what's good for them.