01.

It was a quiet evening. The stars were shining bright on the night sky. In the middle of a small australian island two people were walking hand in hand arguing over who loved who more.

They had just finished their dinner at the restaurant and had decided to come to their favorite place for a little walk. They stopped at the sight of a small entrance that led to the place that was really special for the both of them.

The boy made a gesture with his hand. "After you, milady."

The girl laughed at his words and he looked so mesmerized by her.

She was so beautiful wearing a silk, purple dress, which fit her perfectly and showed quite boldly a big part of her chest, making her look sexy. Her curly mess of hair was falling heavily and at the same time so gently on her shoulders. Her ocean blue eyes were shining like the stars. He was in a dark blue suit and also looked stunning.

Being a mermaid, she normally used to swim to their place, but this time her boyfriend had asked her to come with him by his boat, and she had agreed.

Both of them didn't and couldn't know how much this one night would affect both of their lives. Or in particular: one single glass of champagne...

Before they entered the place where the moon pool was, he turned around to her.

"Close your eyes." He said.

"Why?"

"Just do it."

She obeyed and closed her eyes. He gently helped her enter in.

"You can open them." He said with a smile.

She obeyed and for a split second she thought she'd faint. There were thousands of little candles in there. On the floor there were dark red covers. The blue stones in the dark walls were shining brightly like little stars in the night sky. Even though she hated all the romantic-kind-of stuff, she had to admit it was perfect.

"Zane, this is just..." She didn't know what to say.

"Glad you liked it." He said.

She smiled. He had said exactly the same before they got back together for a second time.

"Mind to tell me what's all this for?"

Instead of answering, he kneeled down and took out something of his pocket. A small, dark red, velvet box. He opened it to reveal the most beautiful ring.

"Zane", she backed away from him, "We already went over this about a thousand times and I told you I don't believe in marriage and that I prefer our relationship to stay the way it is."

"I know." He nodded. "But I love you so much and I want us to bring our relationship on a further level."

"The only further level our relationship can be is us having kids, and I'm not planning of having kids for the next ten years at least."

"Rikki, why can't you swallow your pride and stubbornness just for once in your life and let us be something more?!

She sighed and the two looked each other in the eyes.

"Rikki Chadwick, will you, the love of my life, make me the honor of becoming my wife?"

He couldn't know, but neither the candles nor anything else romantic mattered to her the way those few words did, even though she'd never admit it. She really hated marriage and she didn't believe in it, but that doesn't mean she wasn't happy that Zane was begging her to pop the big question. She was deeply touched by his kneeled down to him, kissed him and told him, "The honor will be all mine."

He smiled and put the ring on her finger. Its stone was half red half blue (Zane had ordered the shocked jeweler to make it that way) and the ring was engraved "Together". It meant not only them, but Rikki's special self too. Her mermaid self that was uniting fire and water together in one.

"Would my beautiful fiancé like to spend the night here with me?" Zane asked with a smile.

"I'd love to." Rikki answered with a smile.

"In that case our engagement deserves a little celebration!" He said.

He went to his bag and took out two glasses and a bottle of champagne. Rikki froze and her smile vanished.

"Zane!" She said in a sharp tone.

"Come on, we need to pour this."

She shook her head. She couldn't let him make a step back now when he seemed to have completely recovered.

"Just one glass." He said and gave her a pleading smile.

She hesitated. She wanted to say "no" so bad, but she thought that one glass wouldn't hurt. She was so completely wrong.

"Fine, just one!" She said eventually.

He gave her a glass and after filling both of their glasses, they made a toast.

She lifted her glass to her mouth and so did Zane. Rikki observed him closely for his reaction, but he seemed calm.

However she couldn't know how much he actually enjoyed that glass of champagne.

As he was lifting the glass to his lips Zane found himself excited to taste it.

The minute the liquid came in contact with his tongue he felt extremely good. Like a part of himself that was missing was finally back. The only thing he knew was that he didn't want the drink to end and the feeling to go away.

He wanted more.

"So? Did you feel anything?" Rikki asked me concerned.

He couldn't tell her the truth, because he knew for fact she would probably freak out and start yelling or worse - leave.

"It's fine. I'm fine." I lied. "I didn't feel a thing."

She observed Zane's face for a sign if he'd lied. He tried to make a blank face so she didn't suspect anything. He couldn't let her know how ecstatic he felt drinking alcohol again.

"Are you sure?"

"Positive." He lied.

He put the empty glass away, trying to ignore the feeling of his body desperately wanting more. He couldn't know that this single glass of champagne would lead to those deadly consequences that it did.

Rikki hesitated for a moment, then said, "Good."

No one said anything else about alcohol on the rest of the night.

"So, Mrs Bennett, what do you propose to do next?"

She answered him with a kiss. Zane left the empty glass and ran his hand through her back. Because if there was something he wanted more than the alcohol, it was Rikki.

They spent the whole night together. It was about 4 in the morning when Zane woke up. He and Rikki's bare bodies were tied up in a hug under the covers and she was still sleeping. She was so beautiful.

He gently slipped out the covers and took my glass and the bottle of champagne. He knew it was wrong and he knew it was not fair to Rikki, but he desperately needed a drink.

He poured himself a whole glass of the champagne. The minute the liquid touched his lips, his whole body relaxed. He drank it on ex and poured another glass. He hated the feeling of wanting more, but it was stronger than him and he couldn't help it. He couldn't fight it, because it was too powerful. He continued pouring glass after glass until the whole bottle was finished.

He was slipping back in his old vice, into his deadly trap, but he didn't care.

He put the empty bottle back into his bag and went back under the sheets where Rikki was. She was murmuring something in her sleep and her left hand that was on the top of the covers periodically was curling into a fist and then was relaxing again. He gently took it in his own, and he felt Rikki relaxing next to him.

He loved watching her sleep. He couldn't believe how happy he was to be with the most beautiful girl on the planet. To know that she loves him and she wanted him.

He was so stupidly happy that he thought nothing can ruin his he was wrong. Not only there was someone who could do it, but that someone was non other but Zane himself.