Disclaimer: I don't own H2O: Just Add Water.

Author's note: The first part of my new Emma Gilbert-collection, a series of stories about Emma's life while she travel the world with her family.

Emma Gilbert: Time away

Emma Gilbert's POV.

Hello, people!

My name's Emma Rowena Gilbert and I'm a young woman with a twist. I'm also a mermaid. Yeah, you heard me...a real...actual real life mermaid.

When I think of home, I think of the Gold Coast, Australia. Right now though I travel the world with my family. My dad, Neil Adam Gilbert. My mom, Lisa Caitlin Gilbert. And my little brother, Elliot Brian Gilbert.

No matter how much I love my wonderful family, there are those moments when I miss my life back home at the dear old GC. That's where I have my friends. My true life. Whatever happens, my heart always has a strong desire to return home and I wanna sleep in my own bed again. Meet my friends and swim out to Mako Island with them.

I try to go for a swim whenever possible, always makin' sure not to reveal my secret mermaid-self, of course. We've already seen what can happen when some people find out about me and my friends' secret. Remember that damn Doctor Linda Denman? She almost told the whole world about the mermaid-secret. With some help from Zane and Lewis everything went okey in the end, but still...that was way too close to be cool though. At least in my opinion.

As a secret special sign of who I am, I wear a very special locket that was given to me, well...actually I wear Cleo's locket. We switched lockets just before I left. So she's got mine and I have her locket now. Maybe when and if I ever go back home we'll switch back...or not. Who knows?

You might already know that before I became a mermaid I was a swimming-champ. I've even been swimming in the regional competition several times and won many trophies in a wide range of competitions. Some of you who are into swimming just like me, might even have seen me swimming at competitions, maybe more than once.

I share my mermaid-secret with two other girls, Rikki Chadwick and Cleo Sertori. We all, all three of us got our powers at the same time at Mako Island.

As I understand it there's now a fourth mermaid, Bella. I don't know much about her. All I know is her name and some basic stuff that I read in an e-mail from Cleo.

Out of my friends I feel the closest to Cleo. I've known her longer than I've known Rikki and I think that Cleo and I have more in common. Rikki and I are usually a little too different, but both are still my friends. At first I got a little mad when I found out that my BFFs had replaced me with another girl. How could they be so rude to me? Now it's been a few weeks since I got that e-mail from Cleo and I know understand, being the smart and most mature one out of the mermaids, that it's no reason for me to be mad at Cleo or Rikki, not even Bella.

I guess it's good for them to have someone to be there at their side while I'm gone.

Bella is probably a good girl, otherwise I don't think my friends would even hang out with her. I know Cleo would never even speak to Bella if she wasn't a least a little nice so there's probably nothing to worry about. No biggie, as Cleo would say.

I trust Cleo's judgement when it come to people. She's very empathic and friendly.

Rikki has a fiery soul and can be very sassy and arrogant, but she's pretty much always nice to people she care about, such as her dad, me, Cleo and Zane.

And Bella...well, like I've already said, I don't know much about her. I hope that I can return home one day and meet her.

To me my friends and family are very important. I care about them very much. Mess with them or hurt them and you'll have to face my anger. Nobody can be a bitch with those who are dear to me. Hurt my family or my friends and I'll hurt you back, big time.

I'm usually very calm and happy, but if you make me angry, fear my wrath.

Something else that's important to me is school. I always try to get good grades. Now that I travel the world, never staying that long in one place, I study online. You didn't think I would forget about school and be a lazy airhead just because I'm out on the adventure of my life, did you? That's not the Emma-path.

Part of being me. A huge part, is to be responsible and totally organized. I always write down important things I gotta do so I won't forget. Some of you may think of me as a perfectionist, but I don't really see myself as such. On the other hand, maybe I really am a perfectionist. That's okey though. I want things to be done in a mature calm organized way.

I once attempted to be more like Rikki, but that didn't go the way I wanted. It didn't work out at all.

Guess I should not try to change who I am and just be Emma and be proud of that. Yeah, that sounds like a great idea.

Why would I wanna be someone else anyway?

I enjoy being me. Emma Rowena Gilbert, the responsible mermaid from the Gold Coast.

When am I gonna return to my dear GC in Australia, you might wonder?

To be honest, I don't know. A few months from now...maybe never. I really don't know. Sorry...!

I really wanna go back home someday. After all...I have my hot boyfriend Ash Abraham Dove waitin' for me home at the Gold Coast and I don't wanna live without him forever. He's awesome. I love him.

What else can I tell you about me?

Let me think...

Well...my favorite food is Lobster Thermidor, which is also my dad's favorite food too. What else...?

Oh yeah, my mermaid-power is to create ice...and also snow, when I access the advanced version of my powers.

If I use my powers in a combo with Rikki and Cleo I can summon super-strong electro-storms. This is very dangerous though.

Just thought of something...

I wonder what would happen if I were to use my mermaid-power in a combo with Bella...? I don't know. I'm not even sure what her regular mermaid-power is.

Someday maybe I'll find out.

Wanna know where I am right now?

I'm in Italy.

It's a very beautiful place. Those of you who's been here know that, of course.

"Em, tomorrow we're goin' to Rome." says my mom to me.

"Wow, that's gonna be really great!" says I with a smile.

It's always been a special dream of mine to visit Rome, the famous city that was once the capital of the great Roman Empire. I really wanna see the Colosseum. You know what the Colosseum is, right?

Other places me and my family's been to are...London, UK. Paris, France. Madrid, Spain. Chicago, USA. Even Moscow, Russia...just to mention a few.

"Em, what would you feel about going to Egypt next week?" says my dad to me.

"Oh, that could be interesting." says I.

"Elliot..?" says my dad to my little brother.

"Egypt sounds fun." says Elliot.

"Than it's decided. Egypt, here we come." says my dad with a smile.

"Yes, but let's enjoy Italy now." says I.

"Sure, Em." says my dad.

When we get to Egypt I'd really like to visit Abu Rawash, the site of the fourth great pyramid, also known as the lost pyramid. That would be really cool to see.

Yes...I'd really like to see that.

If I remember my ancient Egypt classes from school right I believe the pyramid at Abu Rawash was built on the orders of Pharaoh Djedefre.

See there? I know a lot. I'm the academic one. We can be pretty sure that Rikki doesn't know this sort of things, since don't study much. Cleo? Not sure...

Maybe she knows, maybe not...

I really don't know for sure.

Cleo's no airhead though. She's really smart, just a little insecure. That's why she seem less smart than she actually is.

Rikki is pretty smart too, but she's kinda lazy when it comes to school and things like that.

I'm sure that both Rikki and Cleo could be as smart as me if Cleo became more confident and if Rikki could stop being so lazy in class and actually try to get good grades.

"Em, you know that I think you're really awesome?" says Elliot to me.

"Yes, you've told me before, Elliot." says I.

My brother and I get along really well. I think of Elliot as a friend. A good friend...and a good brother.

That's it for now.

I'm Emma Gilbert, known as Em by my family and friends.

Bye!