Author's Note:

I never, never, never, ever, ever would have written this if it weren't for twilidiot. Its all twilidiot's fault! I will forever be in her debt for pushing me into the deep end of the fan fic pool and teaching me how to swim. She also kindly beta'd this for me, and since it is my first, she had a LOT of work to do. Many, many, many thanks to her!

I also want to thank OneWarmMomma for standing up for me when CherylSab said I was crazy and insisting this story would be great even when I know she too was thinking I was insane for writing it. I love all my twitter h00rs, but OWM will always be my number one. :)

Of course, Stephenie Meyer owns all. I'm just bastardizing her characters for awhile. :)

As the last drop of rum dripped onto his tongue he threw the bottle across the room. Instead of shattering it landed on the floor with a dull thud. Edward climbed to his feet with the help of a nearby chair he couldn't recall falling out of in the first place. A glance in the mirror revealed his auburn, near permanent bed head to be no worse than usual, but he should probably find his shirt and boots before stepping out on deck.

The shirt was easy enough to find, draped over the back of the same chair he used to pull himself to standing. The boots, however… After pulling the off white, cotton shirt over his head, covering a broad chest and magnificent physique earned through years of hard labor on various ships, E dward stumbled around the cabin tossing stray blankets and pillows out of the way. As he tossed aside the second blanket he discovered the first of his bucket boots. The woman wearing it looked worse than he felt. She didn't seem to notice as Edward pulled her foot free and she remained motionless as he jammed his own foot into the boot and faltered, falling flat on his back. From this vantage point the second boot was easily spotted underneath the large wooden table which dominated the center of the room.

Edward rolled to his side and stretched out cat-like on all fours; his muscles pulling taut as he snagged the boot and flopped back against the wall. He pulled the second boot on, a safer move sitting than standing. Pulling himself to his feet was easier this time. Being conscious agreed with him. Staggering to the door he couldn't help checking himself in the mirror once more on the way. His hair was still a sexy, disheveled mess. Perfect.

Edward barely made it out the door before three men turned the corner coming towards him. He ducked behind the stairs to the upper deck and watched as they entered the cabin and discovered the scene he'd just left behind. He didn't hesitate to leave the shouting in the captain's quarters behind and run out onto the deck, leaving the captain's daughter to explain.

Even if someone spotted him as he quickly ran off the deck and exited the ship, he didn't give the girl his real name, so he wasn't expecting any trouble from that crew in the future. Let Jasper have fun sorting that confusion, he thought to himself with a smug grin. Jasper had left Edward to pay the bar tab in Tortuga while making off with both of the twins they'd been entertaining.

Edward made his way to the furthest pub from the harbor. He hated having to go so far out of his way to get a decent drink but he hated the stares and whispers around him whenever he went to the tavern closest to the pier even more. He had mistakenly told a very personal story there once, on a drunken night, that no one could ever believe but that he knew to be true. He was certain it was true. It had to be true because Edward was unconditionally and irrevocably in love with the woman in his tale. Only she was more than just another woman in his bed. His love - his Bella - was a mermaid.

It was a few years ago that Edward had gotten into the liquor storage hold on the Sirène and helped himself. The ship had just set sail two nights before and he was already feeling restless and mutinous. Despite being skilled at sailing, Edward had deep-seated issues with authority and preferred to be alone than on a big ship with a large crew. But a man's gotta eat, and drink, he reminded himself. Edward's preferred form of anger management was rum and seeing as he'd already exhausted his own stock he felt it was time to partake of his share of the ship's stores. When the crew found him passed out the next morning having imbibed much more than his fair share they were ready to lynch him. Captain Carrés stepped in and suggested a punishment only slightly better. Edward was to walk the plank. The ship was a little more than a half-day's swim from the nearest scrap of deserted land - if he could make it.

Adding to his problems was the fact that Edward wasn't so much hung over as still wasted from the night before. As he sank below the surface of the water he realized his legs felt like jelly and concrete all at the same time. The cold water was bracing and brought him to his senses enough to realize just how dire his situation was. Of course, under normal circumstances he was an excellent swimmer. In this moment, however, he was not as sure of his abilities. Still, he knew he had to try to make it to land before nightfall if at all possible and he began kicking and pumping his muscled arms and legs as quickly as he could.

The seas were choppy and Edward was not making the progress that he should if he hoped to endure. The sun was beginning to set and with little more than a quarter moon, he had little hope of navigating the rough waters in the dark. His legs and arms were fatigued beyond anything he'd ever felt before and he was losing hope of surviving.

Just before the last rays of sunshine were about to disappear under the horizon he thought he saw something in the water a few yards away. At first he was certain he'd seen a woman, as impossible as that was, swimming in the water along a parallel course. In another glance, he was certain he'd seen a tail coming up out of the water. But Edward was now certain of only one thing. He simply couldn't keep moving. His body had reached its limit and now it appeared his mind had as well. Edward stopped the rhythmic flailing of his arms and legs and allowed the jarring waves to push him about and quickly under.

Floating, tossing about in the ocean is a fitting end for a life-long sailor, Edward thought. He was prepared to die in the sea. As he surrendered to visions of Fiddler's Green, he was shocked to feel a pair of small but strong arms wrap around his torso and pull him through the water propelling him to the surface where he took in great, gasping breaths of air. His exhaustion quickly overwhelmed him and he knew he would not be able to hold himself above the jostling waters. Somehow, though, he remained afloat and, he thought, moving in the direction of land. The sun had now completely set and darkness cloaked the sea. Edward gave up trying to understand this strange experience and allowed himself to slip away into the black fog in his head.

Cool drops of water brought Edward back to consciousness. Edward was certain he was either dreaming or dead. The most beautiful woman he had ever seen was leaning over him, a huge, bright smile on her face as she beamed down at him.

"I was starting to worry you'd never wake up," she breathed. Her voice was like an angel - the sweetest thing he'd heard in his life.

"How?" was all he managed to croak out in his shock and confusion. The most wonderful feelings pulsed through his body as the angel laughed. Edward was stunned by her beauty even more than her voice. The angel's dark hair hung down her back in soft waves. Her sun-kissed skin seemed to glow in the early morning light. She had a petite body atop the most perfect set of legs he'd ever seen. Edward now took notice that he was bare-chested and that she was wearing nothing but his shirt. He tried to sit up but the angel's small hands pressed against his bare chest, pushing him back down.

"Stay still for just a little while longer, please. I don't think I can carry you any farther and you need some time to regain your strength."

Edward didn't have it in him to deny her anything. She could ask him to bring her the moon on a silver platter right now and he would acquiesce. They sat there in silence for quite some time. The angel seemed content to just sit and squish her feet in the sand. Edward sat spellbound by her smile.

"My name is Bella," she finally broke the silence.

"Bella," the name tripped off his tongue effortlessly. "I'm Edward." He made no effort to move in any way. The angel, Bella, was still sitting as close to him as she had been when he awoke.

"Where did you come from? How did we get here? Why are you wearing my shirt?" Edward felt the fog in his brain lifting to uncover so many questions. He could not understand how he came to be lying on this beach with the world's most beautiful girl wrapped in his shirt beside him.

Her face fell. "Do you want it back?" She moved to take off the garment but Edward reached out and grabbed her hands to stop her.

"No!"

He hadn't meant to shout, but he urgently wanted to take back the words that had upset her.

"No, it's okay. I just meant, why do you have need of it? How did we get here and in this state?" Bella placed her hands in her lap. Edward had still not let go.

"I watched you try to make it to land. You couldn't go on and I simply couldn't allow you to drown." As she talked of his near drowning her eyes looked so haunted and her voice trailed off as if she couldn't bring herself to explain further.

"I think I can stand now. Let's move off the beach and into the shade for a bit." Edward didn't move until she did. Bella helped him stand and didn't let go of him as they slowly walked up the beach towards the trees. They had been in constant contact since the moment he woke up. When they reached the tree line they sat on a fallen tree under the shade of the canopy.

Edward reached up and brushed a hair from Bella's face. "I just… I want to try something." He swallowed thickly. "Don't move," he whispered. Edward leaned in slowly, so slowly. Bella sat still, her breath coming faster and harder. Finally, Edward's lips brushed hers, softly at first and then more fiercely. The electricity that passed through both of them was palpable. They broke apart as suddenly as his approach was slow, stunned by the exquisite feeling.

"I'm sorry," Edward murmured, but he didn't mean it. He could never be sorry for taking that moment.

For the first time since she'd rescued him they had lost physical contact and Edward felt the dull ache of separation in his bones. Bella reached out and stroked his face, pushing a stray curl of hair off his forehead. She ran her slender fingers through his hair and grasped at the base of his neck, pulling him towards her and kissing him passionately. His tongue danced against hers, and the electricity between them grew stronger. His hands and hers sought purchase against each other's body, pushing and pulling, frantically trying to get closer. Edward gently laid Bella on the ground, never breaking contact.

She ran her hands over his chiseled chest as he swiftly removed his pants and settled between her legs, his body hovering over hers as they continued kissing passionately. Edward slowly ran his hand up her leg, hitching her thigh over his hip as he pushed into her.

The feeling of being inside her was ten times as electrifying as their kisses. Edward had bedded plenty of women in his life but nothing had ever felt this good. Bella continued to run her hands over his back, arms and chest. Every touch left a trail of heat behind pushing Edward deeper into ecstasy. He moved slowly, letting the heat between them build. He ran one hand across her chest, caressing her nipples and sending a delicious shiver of current through her body. The sounds Bella made were a symphony to his ears, spurring him on towards his climax. Edwards could feel Bella's grasp on him tighten, her whole body winding up as her orgasm approached. Without breaking his rhythm Edward kissed his way down Bella's neck to her chest and took her nipple into his mouth, sucking and teasing his tongue across her flesh. Bella cried out and came fiercely, dragging Edward over the edge with her.

Only the sounds of their erratic breathing permeated the air. Edward and Bella did not loosen their grip on each other even a little bit. They simply clung to each other, neither wanting the ecstatic moment to end.

"I've never experienced anything so beautiful," Bella sighed, contentedly. Edward untangled their limbs enough to retrieve his pants. He sat again with his back against the fallen tree and pulled Bella into his lap, holding her against his chest. He stroked her hair and back as Bella wrapped her arms around his torso.

"I don't want this moment to end, but I have to go soon," Bella announced sadly.

Edward chuckled. "Where are you going to go, sweetheart? We're on an island in the middle of nowhere." He kissed the top of her head and inhaled her delicious scent. He couldn't get enough of this woman.

"I will send someone to find you, I promise, but I must return to the ocean. I only have this one day." Bella was biting her lip nervously. Before he could respond, she started again. "I've seen you sail before. You are my favorite to watch. You move so much more gracefully than the other men, even those with good sea legs."

"I was born on the water," Edward said with a smile. "My mother gave birth in the middle of a voyage from England to Port Royale. I always imagined I'd make the journey back some day, maybe look up some old relatives. Where are you from, Bella?" Edward was so overwhelmed right now, but he wanted to learn everything he could about this mysterious woman he'd fallen instantly in love with. It was all too much, too good to be true it seemed.

"I was born in the water too," Bella answered with a grin, "not far from here, actually. My family comes from all over these waters." The sun was just beginning to set over the horizon, and Edward thought he felt Bella stiffen in his arms.

"You should find shelter and something to eat before the light is gone," she noted.

"All right," he said. "Let's go." He moved Bella off his lap and stood, offering her his hand, already feeling bereft at there being more distance between them. "Let's walk inland a bit and find a good place to make camp for the night."

"You go ahead," Bella encouraged. "I'll stay near the edge of the tree line and look for some fruit and fire wood."

Edward hesitated. The thought of being apart caused an ache in his chest. "Are you sure?" he asked, hoping she would decide to stay close. "We can gather food and firewood along the way." Bella looked up at him with such a determined look in her eye he knew she would not argue the point further.

"You go on," she said. "I won't be far. Please." Edward pulled her body against his and bent his head to kiss her. Edward put all of his energy into memorizing the feel of her lips against his and the sound of her heartbeat racing as he deepened the kiss. He realized he was holding onto Bella so tightly she had lifted off the ground. He set her back on her feet. He kissed both her hands before finally letting them drop to her sides. He walked away studiously ignoring the pulling in his chest telling him not to go.

Edward started inland, looking back to the tree line often hoping to catch just a glimpse of her, to remind himself that she was real. He felt so overwhelmed and yet so calm. She was the perfect woman and he already knew that he loved her. He kept looking every so often back towards the beach even after he was so deep into the terrain as to be too far to see anything. Edward found a white rock along his way and used it to mark a few trees as he passed, assuring he'd be able to find his way back to his angel. When he happened on a small spring nestled between two large boulders after only a short time he rejoiced that he'd be able to turn back.

It was getting dark now. He hadn't wanted to leave Bella alone once the sun had gone down and so had hurried back to her. When he got back to the fallen tree Edward found a small pile of firewood and scavenged cherry plums and passion fruit. His shirt had been discarded next to it. Bella was standing naked on the beach; her body was twisted as if she wanted to turn back but was fighting it. He was about to call out to her when he saw her straighten up and walk straight into the water. His feet took him forward, towards her, without his knowledge but he stopped abruptly as she waded into the water. The sun plunged below the horizon and Bella's legs disappeared, giving way to a stunning, long fish-like tail. Bella dove into the sea, a large tail flicking up over the surface of the water as she submerged and disappeared.

Edward stood on the beach, his jaw dropped open and his hands pulling at his hair. He could not believe what he had just seen. His brain was already over worked trying to figure out how she had saved him and dealing with the overwhelming feelings he had for her. Now, it simply stopped working. He couldn't think. He couldn't move. He still felt an overpowering pull to go after her, but the shock kept him in place. The sun completely disappeared and the temperature had cooled significantly by the time he came to his senses enough to move back to the trees. What was she? Why had she saved him? How could she have if she was a… what was she? Edward had heard the stories, everyone had; myths and legends of various creatures of the deep, giant squids, Davy Jones, and mermaids. Was that what she was? He remembered now thinking that he had seen a girl with a fish tail before nearly drowning the night before.

The enormity of his current situation had not yet come to him. All he could think about that night was his Bella. By morning's light he had decided he didn't care what she was. It didn't matter. He just had to see her again. This was when the full extent of his predicament hit him. He was stranded on an island with no way to signal a passing ship and no food or water. Bella had left a small pile of foraged fruit last night, but some animal had scavenged it in the night as he lay distracted by his thoughts. She had said she would send someone for him. Would she? Could she?

He decided it best to wait it out. He could do nothing but trust that his love would send someone to rescue him. Somehow, he felt certain she would. So it didn't surprise him when a ship, the Netzach, arrived and sent out a small boat to retrieve him a few days later. He was weak, having subsisted on nothing but wild fruits and water from a spring he'd found inland on that first day. He asked the man who helped him into the boat how they had found him.

"A girl," he answered, "she paid handsomely for the captain to retrieve you and bring you back to Port Royale. We have instructions to send you on a ship from there to England."

Edward wasn't about to leave the Caribbean. He couldn't understand how she could think to send him so far away. When the ship docked at Port Royale, Edward had run from the pier as fast as he could. He stayed in town a few days drowning his sorrow of losing his love and waiting until the ship that saved him had left port. He then bartered passage to Tortuga and began his years long search for the love of his life, for a mermaid, for his Bella.

Edward walked down back alleys and dark streets avoiding the main thoroughfares. He'd developed a reputation in this town and abhorred having to come here, but he had little choice. He heard there was a man in town with information for him. Even avoiding people, he knew word would get around he was here and this mystery person would have no trouble finding him. Arriving at the Broken Cask pub, a seedy joint in an equally seedy part of town, he took a seat at the bar and ordered a pint. After only his first drink, a man approached him.

"I hear you're looking for someone," he said.

Edward assessed the man standing before him. His dark hair was long and tied back. His clothes looked worn and patched. He had a large pack, carrying probably his every possession on his back.

"I've been looking for a very long time. What makes you think you can help me?" Edward had had few leads over the years. Stories and myths tended to get in the way of the truth when it came to her kind.

"I know someone who can help you find her. A Roma named Nuri. She can not only help you find who you are looking for, she can give you a way to be together forever." The stranger had lowered his voice so low Edward wasn't sure he had heard him correctly. A way to be together? Edward had considered often what he would do if her were even able to find her. He had no good answers.

"I can take you to her, but we have to go now. She won't wait around for you. She never stays in one place for very long and she's already been here three days waiting for you to arrive."

Edward groaned. The ship had actually pulled into port yesterday, but he was too drunk and preoccupied with the Captain's daughter to disembark. He'd spent every minute he wasn't chasing down a lead on Bella trying to forget her with booze and women. None of them ever measured up and he regretted every one.

"Let's go," he said, gesturing for the stranger to lead the way.

The man led Edward outside and into the dark alleyway. Edward quickly realized he may have made a great error trusting this man as he found himself surrounded on all sides. With a stealth he'd never seen before four men had him trapped, two grabbing his arms and one shoving a cloth in his face as the fourth pulled a dark hood over his head. Everything went black. The last thing Edward was aware of before losing consciousness was the feeling of being swept off his feet and carried away.

Edward woke up lying on a cot in a small and cluttered cabin. The four men were sitting around a table drinking and playing cards. An old woman was sitting by the side of his bed, her hands in her lap, staring at him. Her long gray hair was pulled back and kept in place with a scarf. She wore a plain dress below layers of what were probably once vibrant scarves, but were now dimming tatters. Bracelets and bangles covered her wrists and a simple leather cord hung round her neck, the spiraling symbol of a Ram's horn carved from wood hanging from it.

He stared back at the woman, confused as to what to do next. After a full minute of staring Edward spoke up. "Where are we?" The old woman didn't answer. She just continued to stare into his eyes. Edward felt exposed, as if she were looking right through him.

"Why do you love her?" The old woman finally spoke, still not taking her scrutinizing gaze off of him.

"I'm not sure," he replied, honestly. "But I do. It's stronger than anything I've ever experienced. I will always love her and I must find her." The familiar burn in Edward's chest flared. He missed her so much. If there was any hope, he had to try. The old woman's eyes continued boring into his. "Please help me find her, help me be with her. It's physically painful. I yearn for her with every bone in my body. I have since the moment I saw her disappear into the ocean."

At this the old woman finally broke her gaze and looked back at the four men sitting at the table. They had abandoned their game and were all staring at Edward now. The old woman turned back to him. "You saw her? You saw her swim away?"

"I saw her walk into the water. I saw her sink into the water. I saw her tail appear and break the surface as she dived. I know what she is and I don't care. I want to be with her. I'll do whatever it takes." Edward spoke with such conviction. He could only hope the old woman didn't think him insane. Her penetrating stare was back as she contemplated his words. He couldn't read her expression; her face was like stone, her stare penetrating as if she was trying to read his soul.

"I can help you," she said. Edward's heart soared. He had been searching for so long and had finally found his only hope: the gypsies. He was so elated, he barely heard her next words to him, "Be cautious though, boy. The heart wants what it wants, but we are not always so happy when we finally get what we've sought."

The old woman stood and walked to a cabinet, pulling a jar down from the shelf. She scooped a powdery substance into a cup and filled the cup with liquid from the cauldron on the fire. She stirred this together, whispering and murmuring into the cup the whole time. Edward still hadn't moved from the cot. She brought the cup over to him and placed it in his hands. "Drink this. It will send you on your way," she said.

Edward looked into the cup. The swirling dark liquid smelled sickeningly sweet. Edward experienced a moment's hesitation. "Why would you help me?" he asked.

The old woman smiled down at him. "Because I believe in love," she stated simply. Edward downed the whole cup.

The old woman continued, "It is its own reward when people seek from me more than they can handle. You've no idea what you've asked for. I hope you will find your love, this Bella, but you must deal with the consequences of your desires. You've sought out too many secrets and mythical creatures in your time and uncovered too many truths. You must be silenced. This is just one means to that end."

Edward's eyes widened. The old woman's words worried him, but not as much as the sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach which had nothing to do with what he was hearing and everything to do with what he'd just ingested. Edward was beginning to panic. "What have you done to me?" he questioned standing and moving towards her.

The four men moved between Edward and the woman faster than he would have thought possible. "Take him to the island and leave him there. If they are to find each other, it will be there," she spoke.

Two of the men moved forward and grabbed Edward by his arms, dragging him out of the cabin. The sinking feeling in his stomach was now a painful burning that spread throughout his body. Edward closed his eyes and writhed with the pain. It felt as though he were on fire. He could concentrate on nothing else and became unaware of everything around him. How the four men got him to the pier and on a ship escaped him. He registered only bits and pieced of the journey as they made their way to sea, heading for the island he'd once been stranded on. When people asked how he escaped he always told them it was on the backs of sea turtles. The story seemed less preposterous than explaining his mermaid love had sent help.

Days later, when the pain subsided, Edward found himself lying, half in the water, on that beach. It was the same beach he found himself laying on when Bella had rescued him so many years ago. Only this time, his circumstances were quite different. Edward realized he was alone, no ship or boat to be seen on the horizon. More importantly, he felt different. Edward looked down at his legs and noticed no changes. His appraising gaze moved to his hands and arms and he gasped in shock. His hands appeared almost webbed, as if he had three tentacles as the end of his arms rather than five fingers. Small suction cups replaced the pads of his fingers and covered his palms. Looking down Edward could see long, squirming tentacles reached down from his once magnificent face and lay against his perfect chest, hanging just above his washboard abs. His head felt elongated, slimmer and smoother. His eyes were larger and set further apart. When he had first come to this island with Bella he had been the picture of perfect masculinity, strong and muscular. Now, he appeared to be a monster. He had no way to see his reflection, but he was sure whatever the old woman had done to him had made him a monstrosity. She had promised to help him and instead had cursed him and left him on a deserted island to die. What little hope he had clung to all these years was broken and lost.

Edward sat on the sand at the water's edge and stared out over the waves. Somewhere out there was his Bella. He knew it. As he sat there, bewildered by his condition, he saw a fin breach the water in the distance. He was certain of it. He stood and stared at that spot, praying it would happen again, that he could see something come out of the water. After minutes of staring at the horizon, he caught another flash as a mermaid breached the water and her tail glinted in the sunlight as she dove under again. Without thinking Edward ran into the water, plunging head first into the surf. As he began to swim he realized how what the old woman had done to him was a blessing in disguise. Edward's squid-like features allowed him to push himself through the water smoothly and quickly. Most importantly, he could breathe! Edward found that he did not need to breach the surface of the water to be able to breathe. He took advantage and propelled himself forward as quickly as possible towards the place where he'd seen the tail come out of the water.

As he got closer he could feel the gaping hole in his chest that ached for his Bella for all these years closing. His heart felt lighter. His whole body sang with the electricity it had when they first touched. He could feel he was getting close. Before he had even reached her Bella turned towards him, as if she could feel him coming. Edward saw her look of shock when she first saw him and felt a sudden dread. What had he done to be able to be with her?

"Edward!" she called out, and despite being underwater he heard her bell-like voice clearly, sounding even more beautiful than it had on land. She swam to him, but hesitated, as they got close. Edward worried she was too repulsed by him to want him any more. "Edward, how? You were supposed to leave, to go to England." Her voice sounded desperate.

"I couldn't stay away," he managed. Being near her and not touching her seemed even more painful than all those years apart.

"I tried for so long, begged so many for even one more day on land to explain to you, to be with you, but it was impossible. Each mermaid is granted one, single day on land in their lifetime, and I had spent mine already," Bella explained. Edward thought she looked as though she might swim away at any moment.

His words tumbled out desperately. "I found a Roma, a gypsy woman. She offered me a way to find you and to be with you forever. I didn't ask any questions, I just took it. And now, I'm this monster. How could you still want me?" Edward voiced his greatest fear, that in his zeal for finding any way to be with her again, he'd destroyed his chances.

"I will always want you. It doesn't matter. I hoped every day that you would find a way," Bella said, moving towards him as slowly as he had during their first kiss.

He had found a way, no matter what that was, to be with her. They swam into each other's arms, embracing for the first time in so many years, completing each other. Edward finally felt whole.