A/N: This is dedicated to Vicki and Angelique, because they helped with the ideas. Love you girls.

Your songs remind me of swimming

She kicked and tried to power herself up with the force of her tail, but the drink dragged her down. Frightened and bewildered, she tried again to swim away, she tried to breathe underwater, like she had done her entire life. But she started to sink, started to drown, and her beautiful smooth legs were only an accessory, dooming her to the bottom of the ocean. She struggled to breathe, clawed at the bubbles that escaped her throat, but the ocean was punishing, vindictive at her treason, and the oxygen was scarce here, though it was clear in the sky she saw over the green tide. But dragged further away from the shore, breathing was inexistent. She regretted her ingratitude, she regretted loving a dreamland that betrayed her in the end, and her home wouldn't take her back. The black arms of the current pulled her under, and she closed her eyes, and in the darkness of her mind she imagined blue eyes twinkling, his throaty laugh a lullaby as she gave in. The green of the ocean faded into nothing and the desperation grasped her and she mourned: "I failed as a mermaid, I couldn't allure you. I failed as a human, I couldn't make you feel…" and the darkness engulfed her.

The scratching at the door becomes frantic knocking. She lies in bed, panting, the tears flowing silently, and the tremors mocking her fear.

"Ariel, are you awake? I heard crying. Are you alright?" Killian asks, the concern unsure, as the fragility of their relationship still confuses him. She takes a deep breath and turns slightly, burying her face into the pillow. The nightmares have disturbed her for the past month, and she wakes up sweating, usually crying, the remorse unforgiving her for the callous way she threw away the gift of her human life.

"Come in." she calls, barely over a whisper.

Killian opens the door but just stands there. She is huddled in the corner of her bed, the blankets all on the floor except for one, which she clutches desperately, shaking and silent. Her face is ghostlike, and the only feature that stands out is her red mane, a bird's nest after the night of rolling around, and the redness of her eyes after crying. Her face softens as he looks at her, and he cocks his face to the side, studying her. She opens her mouth but he lifts his hand and she hushes.

"It's ok, you don't have to tell me." he comes closer and moves the tendrils of hair from her face and his finger follows the trail of a tear down her cheek. Her lashes tremble and she closes her eyes; he grins, satisfied by her reaction.

"Would you like to do something fun today?" he asks as he removes his hand, she opens her eyes and stares astonished.

He has changed so much in the past month, he's taken her to see funny monkeys in the jungle, dolphins in the cape and toucans that eat fruits out of her hands. He and his sailors play songs for her every night, and they're trying to teach her how to dance, her legs are still unsteady but Killian catches her every time she stumbles. They all ask her to sing during sunsets as the sea carries them away to new lands. They've all been kind to her, John the cook always makes fruits and vegetables for her because she still can't eat any fish. Mr. Smee tells her tales of battles and fairies, of princes and hunters, she loves those afternoons where she sits next to him and the hours waste away with stories and lives filled with journeys. And Killian… Well Killian is doting and courteous, even teasing at times, but he hasn't kissed her again. She thinks he's still scared of what it meant, their first kiss, more like kisses, and he's still in denial of what she has become to him. She's not afraid, and even though she's curious and wants to explore more of the magic that holds them together, she's patient, she has waited a long time for this, she can wait some more.

He's waiting for her answer, his eyes calm, friendly, but nothing more, never pushing, never suggestive. She smiles, excited, curious to see what he'll show her next and nods.

"Where are we going?" she asks, unable to hide her enthusiasm. He grins again, and his eyes get that mischievous, unreadable look like whenever he's cunning and playful. He pretends to lock his mouth and throw away the key and she pouts, and his eyes settle on her wide mouth and he bites his lip. He offers his hand and she takes it and stands, he looks her from head to toe and chuckles. She's wearing a granny-like pink lace dress. She looks like a pastry, all pink and cream with red hints.

"Not that I don't find you completely delectable darling, but we need something different for our little adventure." he teases and she blushes and frowns. She goes to her closet and pulls out a blue dress and a ribbon, he smiles but shakes his head.

"No, that won't do either. We need something you can move in. Wait here." and he left the room in long strides. She slips off her dress and stands in her silk and lace chemise. When he comes back, he stops abruptly as he sees her, all delicate clothes covering softer skin, her body petite and curvy. Her legs are firm as she stands next to the bed, her thighs ample and her waist small, he knows his hands could circle it completely. "I'm not sure you can appreciate how much I want to lay you out before me and make you scream my name." he thinks but just smirks, his instinctual reaction to hide something; but she hasn't noticed, staring at the garment in his hand.

"You need freedom to move, so let's try this," he hands her the trousers and she look puzzled.

"How do I put this on?" she questions intrigued, but lost. His laugh is loud and fills the room and she smiles, his mocking lost to her in the delicious sound of his amusement. She understands they're his trousers, so she eyes his legs and crotch and circles him and looks at his butt. He turns and he laughs even harder to see her blatant examination of his bottom and groin, but holds his tongue, bidding his time.

"Each leg goes here and you pull it up and fasten it with a belt" he tells her, his voice barely hiding his pleasure at her questioning look. "Just try it lass, I'll help you if you need to."

He turns as she eagerly starts putting on the pants and he hears her stumble and stamp her foot and then the other, he hears the fabric being pulled up and stretched.

"I think I'm ready Killian." she says delighted. He turns to see her but stops and starts laughing like a maniac. He laughs until he bends and puts his hands on his knees, trying to catch his breath. She looks hurt and confused and just stands there, both her legs into one leg of the pants, the other hanging limp, like a tail, she looks like a parody of the mermaid she once was. He stands and tries to stop his booming laughter, the chuckles uncontrollable and he steps forward but as she tries to do the same, she hoops like a penguin and he cracks up again. Her feet get tangled in her tail and she falters, almost falling; even as his arms wrap around her, he wheezes.

"It seems like you're in a bit of a tangle. You wore them wrong sweet, I'll show you." he tells her with a wide smile, and he crouches in front of her. He undoes the belt and slowly rolls them down, he smoothes his hand down her legs as he takes off the pants, her creamy legs long and rounded, her skin like Chantilly silk and he feels his stomach tighten with the sensation of taking clothes off her.

"Now step off them" he instructs, his voice dark and gravelly. "One leg here" and she puts her leg on the pants, and as she puts her leg on the other, he steadies her by holding her thigh. The feeling of his hand gripping her there, the impulse of kneading the thick flesh was the worst temptation he had face, and he barely holds back a groan. He stands as she pulls up the pants and fastens the belt. Her wide smile is so proud of herself he grins back, amused even when he is desperate to kiss her, at least.

"Let's go get some very cold water, shall we?" he tells her and she just smiles, barely containing her excitement.

The walk takes them a while, the path was sinuous and stiff. Ariel was awkward at times, but Killian was always there to seize her, steadying them with the hook latched to a tree. Her impatience made her clumsier and she was practically running in front of him, trying to decipher where he was taking her. He would stop and hold his ground and she wouldn't notice until she was so ahead of him she started to feel lost and had to go back to find him, leaning over a tree, smirking at her. She'd then have to beg him to keep going and he would laugh and wait until she pouted and then they walked again. But she stops dead in her tracks when she sees their destination.

The waterfall and the lagoon are breathtaking. The water has the strangest color, it looks like his eyes, a rare mix of turquoise, just a dense light blue, unnatural in its brightness. The foam mixes with the aquamarine and it glistens in the sunlight, the water forming small rivulets of blue and white, hiding the bottom of the pond.

"Do you like it?" he asks nervously, standing behind her, concentrating on the waterfall and how the gust moves her hair, tickling his chest. "It's called Celeste Waterfall. The legend says the blue fairy used to bathe here, so fairy dust turned the water light blue like her. It's supposed to be magical."

"Oh Killian it's lovely," she sighs, "Thank you for showing me this place." But as she turns, her eyes go wide with shock as he takes off his jacket. His vest follows, so the shirt and the boots and the hook, until he is standing in front of her wearing his trousers and nothing more. She is opening and closing her mouth, like a fish trying to breath out of the water and he sniggers.

"Gorgeous I didn't bring you here just to show you the waterfall. We're here to swim." and he jumps into the blue pool and she screams, alarmed that he could drown or hurt himself in the fall or just leave her here. But he floats up and laughs at her, he even splashes her.

"Come on mermaid, let's teach you how to swim." he teases her and splashes her more, and she moves far away from him, squealing. But her eyes are huge and unsettled, and she starts trembling with fear and uncertainty. She was terrified of the water, of the feeling of being surrounded by its force, of the feeling of being pulled under, of not being strong enough to resist its power, of hating something that was deep inside her heart. He must have read it in her face, because he swims to the edge and just stays there. His face is tender, but his eyes poignant, he wants so much to hold her and make her feel safe. He knows how much it breaks her inside to feel this scared of the very thing that made her, cradled her until she came to him, the very thing he drove her to, with his silence and his ignorance. He needs to bring her back to the start, to her home, he wants to see her float, liberated. He yearns the auburn of her wet hair, the pearly drops in her lashes, the rosiness of her skin in the aquamarine water.

"Sweetheart, get closer" he beckons and she takes a shaky step towards him and kneels in front of him. Her face is pleading, begging him to make her not afraid, to give her courage, to give her the strength to stop the nightmares. He smiles, forlornly, but he tries to pour all his bravery and his feelings for her, whatever those were, into his voice.

"Ariel, water does not resist. Water flows. When you plunge your hand into it, all you feel is a caress. Water is not a solid wall, it will not stop you. Remember you are half water." he finishes and he brushes a tear that escapes her. "You can swim again, I'll show you how, I promise. Try a little something new, darling, it's called trust." She sniffs and stares at him and he smiles, engaging and gentle. "I won't let you sink I swear."

She takes a tentative step into the water and gasps, surprised the water was warm, either from the sun or the hidden fairy magic.

"Here, give me your hand," he offers his and she holds on strong and the waterfall thunders, the magic of true love shaking the waters, the birds fly away loudly, and she looks up startled. As precarious as her position was, she lost her balance and Killian tried steadying her, but the rocks were slippery and he falls, pulling her with him.

She whimpers, horrified of the feeling of falling, of sinking, of the water's power singing with the waterfall's howl. But his arms come around her and she wraps her legs around his waist, desperate to not feel the emptiness of the water beneath her. He sucks in a breath and tightens his arms around her and her face goes to his neck and she inhales, trying to calm the panic coursing through her. His throat is hot and she feels his pulse fast and wild, and the muscles under her, around her, taut. He was like a rock, defying the water's temper for her.

"I've got you Ariel, it's alright, breathe." he soothes and she buries her face harder against him, and her breath causes his pulse to speed up and he swallows thickly. She closes her eyes, focusing on his warm skin and his tempting scent; the secure beat of his heart calls her more than the roar of the cascade.

"I'm going to move okay? Hold on tight, I'm never letting you go, not even for a moment, not until you're ready." he promises and turns. His steps are slow and deliberate and she feels the embrace of the stream around her like an old dream, like a memory, and his hand is on her lower back, anchoring to him.

"There's nothing to be afraid of," he appeases and she opens her eyes. The sun was playing on the lagoon surface, the glimmer looked like fairies playing in the water, and she smiles captivated at the beauty of the turquoise paradise. Her legs had relaxed around his waist and she feels lighter, with the water holding her just as much as he is; but the moment she realized where he was going, she tenses her legs and arms and she bites the inside of her cheek, trying not to scream in his ear.

"Killian please no…" she hesitates, but he brushed a kiss to her temple and the shock of his lips on her skin, after days without that feeling, renders her speechless. His mouth is still pressed to her forehead and she feels the curve of his smirk, and she sighs and he kisses her temple again.

"You're going to feel the waterfall, it's strong and will pull you under for a moment. But I've got you and you're safe, I won't drop you."

She swallows, trying to push away the uneasiness; her legs are getting tired with the force she's clutching his waist. The waterfall is almost upon them and she draws blood as she bites her lip, stifling a scream. His hand moves higher and her back arches with his touch, she closes her eyes as she feels the water hit her shoulders. The dread of the invisible force pulling her towards the bottom is so hard she feels like drifting away, almost fainting. But as he promised, it was quick and he held her, his biceps powerful around her, his voice soft in her ear, whispering encouragements.

She realizes he brought her to a hidden grotto, the reflection of the water is just a blue shine illuminating the cavern, and she breathes stunned at the hidden world he's shared with her.

"Ariel untangle your legs." he whispers, but she tightens her arms.

"I don't want to." her voice echoes around the cave, the notes tender and small.

"I'll still hold you. The water is very shallow here, your feet will touch the bottom." he reassures, but her fingers never left his neck and shoulders.

He sighs, defeated, but gets an idea. His fingers ghost over her back, memorizing the curve of her hips, painting the dip of her waist. Her pants in his ear prove his theory and he grins, pleased, even if he is as affected as she is. His hand goes lower and passes her bottom and stops at her thigh, he draws circles on the skin there and she moans softly, and he closes his eyes, tortured and thrilled. Her legs have been loosening and her hands are combing his hair, the tugging connecting with his groin and he prays to the deities for strength. Her feet are almost touching the bottom, and she's too distracted with the feel of his hand smoothing the underside of her knee, her mouth open and appealing, her breath shallow and sweet. But he mustn't kiss her, not yet, not there.

He kisses her earlobe, so gentle she's sure she has imagined it, but the way her heart pounds is his signature and her confirmation. She stands in tip toes, without realizing it, and brings his face down, a breath away from hers and she fixes her eyes on his lips, she licks hers and moves to close the space between them when he says: "I told you could do it".

His dark angel voice echoes and she startles and loses her grip, but his hand never leave her back. She looks around and takes a step back, unbelieving herself. She stares at him and he grins, proud and affectionate, and she takes a step forward and one step back again, the water swirling around her.

She squeals unrestrained and throws herself at him. His laughter bounces around the cave, like pixies having a carnival, and he catches her and spins her around.

"I have an idea. Close your eyes. Remember I've got you." he tells her and she trusts him. He lowers her, but there's no more panic, only the loving touch of water, like a bed she could fall asleep forever, and his arms embracing her, her shelter now.

His fingers play on her belly button and she giggles, and then he moves his hand to her lower back and just holds her there. Her fiery hair frames her face in the water, her lashes wavering, but her lips are relaxed and he just holds her while she floats.

"I missed this," she confesses, and sighs as he moves her, forming a circle, and she feels a small current around her. "This feels like being complete again." She can't see him, but he smiles at her adoringly and he puts his hookless arm under her knee and pushes her leg up.

"Ariel, I want you to kick." he orders, but she lays dumb-founded.

"Why should I kick?" she asks taken back. He chuckles as she scrunches her nose, confused.

"You have to learn how to move in the water. If you kick with one leg, and then with the other, you'll swim." he explains patiently. The first time she does it, she almost kicks his groin. He grunts in shock, though she didn't hit him.

"Easy tiger!" he stirs her body away from his waist, so she ends staring up at him. They try a few times, his hand cradles her head and his other arm supports her back. Her face was combination of utter focus and childish excitement, and she learns quickly how to kick. She even allows him to let her go and she swims on her back for a few moments until she sinks, but even then she just surfaces and coughs for a bit, though she wasn't panicked.

He picks her up and hugs her, she wraps around him like a vine. She presses a kiss to his neck, and he trembles. He feels her sobs, but as he tries to see her face, she shakes her head.

"I'm happy Killian, I'm really happy, that's all. I never thought I would feel safe in the water again." she whispers between shed tears. She drops kisses over his shoulder, marveling at the hard muscles and the feel of his skin.

"I'm really proud of you, Ariel. You owned your fear, I knew you could do it." he says. "Let's go back, shall we?"

She nods against his neck and sighs. They walk out the cave, pass the waterfall and move to the border, where he left his clothes. He sits her there and pushes himself up. He can feel her eyes on his arms, on his chest, on the way his pants hung low on his hips.

"Thank you for this Killian." she beams at him and holds his hand. He looks at their joined hands, hers delicate and white like an orquid.

"My pleasure, lass. You're stronger than you believe. Your body remembers the water." he moves towards the road, but she pulls his hand and points at the blue water, where the sun was mixing with the shimmer, forming small rainbow reflections. She looks at it enthralled, but he looks at her, fascinated by her exquisiteness and her ability to be amazed by every little detail in the world. His heart was out of control and his lips begged for a taste of hers, but he wouldn't. Not yet. "My heart beats her name as the sun sings in her hair" he thinks puzzled.

She can feel his eyes on her, so she turns and moves closer. She's craved his kiss, she's decided she can't wait any longer. But as her mouth brushes his chin, he steps back. Her face falls, her breath shallow, her eyes upset once more.

"No beautiful, don't be like that. I want to kiss you, I need it. But not now, we must wait." he tells her as his thumb commits to memory the contour of her mouth. "There will come a time when there's nothing you want more than us. Together. When you're free of every fear and nothing is in our way, I will kiss you. I will kiss you so much, our mouths will be fluent in the language of each other and my taste will be the only breath you know."

Her heart feel like climbing out of her chest and reaching for his words, but she just closes her eyes and exhales, her labored breath begging for mercy.

His finals words before they left the waterfall were a whisper, inviting and sensuous: "That's a promise, my lady."

A/N: The quote Killian says about water is actually from "The Penelopiad" by Margaret Atwood. He also quotes Noah Shaw from "The Evolution of Mara Dyer" by Michelle Hodkin. The place he took her to is called Rio Celeste, it's in Costa Rica, check it out. Remember to review guys!