Disclaimer: I don't own Disney or Daughtry.

Title: Coming After You

Category: Movies – Little Mermaid

Rating: T (light language and torture/violence later on)

Genre: Drama/Romance

Summary: "In three years of marriage, that's the one thing I've never wanted to do." "Why not?" "She's here, and so is my life." "She's not here now." "No, she's not." Eric comes after Ariel, but their fight becomes the least of their problems when he vanishes into thin water.

Chapter One: Choice

Three days.

Who knew three days could change so much? Well… actually, he did. They all did, but Eric of all people knew entire worlds could change as rapidly as a sunset; three days could do anything beyond imagination. Including reduce a young prince from a thoughtless thug to a royal wreck, standing out on the balcony, not caring how intensely the sun burned his eyes as it rested just above the horizon, preparing for the most memorable time of day.

'Golden time… Right..'. But even the young rogue couldn't deny the power of this hour… sunset was when he'd found out that his heart had been right all along and that he simply needed to listen to it. Sunset was when he found his love; she had saved him only to have him fail to save her in time. Sunset was a reminder of his girl, and the moment he lost her again. Normally, that was simply off-putting, but today it was downright depressing.

Normally, this time would be spent with his wife before a hearty dinner and a pleasant evening. But not this week, it wouldn't. Why was that? It was simple, really. They'd had their first real fight, and the timing couldn't have been worse. In fact, timing was worse than the fight – the fight was over essentially nothing – because it prolonged the separation and prolonged the conflict.

How did it do that? Ariel might've chosen the world above for her home, but she ventured back below once or twice a year. The fight was the night before because, knowing that she would be going the next day he'd of course wanted to get into it before she left. And being the complete fool for her that he was, he thought that she'd understand and this wouldn't be a big deal.

What did that kind of thinking get him? A fight with his wife and a lot of uneasy time alone, staring at painful sunsets…

"You're gonna go blind if you keep at that, y'know." The foreign voice startled him as it broke the serene sound of the waves. Her informal, even inappropriate ease with him surprised and cautioned him. And as he whipped around to look at the stranger, her very being stunned him.

This stranger was a woman no older than his wife on the balcony above him. His private balcony, where she sprawled across the rail with the lax ease of a cat on a fencepost, her head propped up by her arm as she looked down at him with a discomforting mirth in her gleaming magenta eyes. The hot colors of the sunset played tricks with those eyes, making them shine blood red and adding another layer of danger to her unorthodox appearance. Her dress was simple, with very few layers to it, very little fabric to the bodice and no fabric at all for her sleeves. The colors were bronzes and berries, mimicking the light behind her quarry. Her hair seemed to add to the image of retreating daylight as it fell in soft waves over her shoulders and down towards him, waving hello in the ocean breeze. Honey and rose mixed magically into the most peculiar shade he'd ever seen on land. A color that bizarre was inhuman, and with the lack of modesty and ease of form, he hazarded a guess that the legs he saw peeking out from under her silk skirt weren't always hers.

"Sunsets may be beautiful and magical, or in your case damningly memorable, but such bright lights will burn those who try to partake in its glow too long." She stated with a soft smile on her dark lips. That smile only deepened as his eyes asked the question his mouth was too bewildered to manage at the moment: who are you, and what do you know of me? "I know more about you than I need, but I didn't need to know any of it to see the pain in your eyes."

He looked around to not see any of the staff in sight. Then again, that was the way he liked it, and they knew not to bother him lightly while he was out here. 'Perfect…' "Who are you and what do you want with me?"

"I was looking for a client, but apparently you're not interested in making up with your girl just yet, so I'll keep on." She shrugged before sitting up and stretching, eyes shut but still able to know the confusion and distrust on his face, "You're in pain rather than simply longing for her trip to be done with, so you two obviously got into it over something."

The royal fought a growl as he turned away, not willing to let her read him like a book any longer. Then he stopped, looking back over his shoulder at her in questioning. "What would you know of that?"

"Ah, so it was a fight, then." Her chipped tone earned her yet another glare, "Who started it?"

"Do you really need to ask?" Eric defended almost reflexively, turning back to the waves and staring at them rather than the painful light above it.

The soft clicking of heels on stone confirmed one suspicion: this infernal woman was a witch. So what did she want with him? Better yet, why wasn't he calling the guards? He kept his back to her, knowing that if she meant harm, she'd actually have more opportunity if she was looking at him. Then again, with magic, there was no telling what little she needed to cast her curses, and there was no telling how to defend from them.

She chuckled as he bristled before her. The stranger held back a few paces, whether for courtesy or casting a spell, he didn't know, and at this point, he really didn't care. She shook her head at this reaction, not wanting the prince she knew to be so open to the world to shut himself to her and her offer before she could even make the sales pitch, "No, but if you'd said it was her, I'd have walked out of here and left you to totally destroy your marriage."

"I won't destroy it." He automatically stated, absolutely sure of himself. "And maybe you leaving wouldn't be such a terrible idea."

Barking echoed from across the beach, and both turned to it, one apprehensive and the other appreciative. Eric knew Max was the best judge of character he'd ever seen, and if he saw his master was in danger…

"Hey, boy." The witch laughed softly as the furry tank of a dog barreled up the stairs and across to them, sniffing the woman in curious investigation before licking her outstretched hand. She smiled and knelt to pet the royal pet, scratching behind his perky ears before he all but jumped her happily, "Easy! Easy! Hah ha ha… good to meet you, too, mutt. You been a good dog, keeping your master company while he's in the dog house, so to speak? Huh? You been good?"

The dog licked her face once more before retreating to his master and letting the stranger up to extract a handkerchief and wipe her face. "Your dog's one of the most loyal I've ever had to pleasure of interacting with. Wouldn't even let me within ten feet of the shore first few times I came by. Took over a week to convince him that I wasn't the evil kind of magic…"

"So he didn't trust you. What changed his mind?" The question left his mouth and instantly he knew he probably didn't want an answer to it.

"Hmm? Oh, it was little stuff: respecting his territory, peace gestures, a few tests... He's a good friend for you to have; I was happy to satisfy his demands." She shrugged before plopping down on the rail. "But we're getting away from ourselves – Max, show some restraint. Where were we?"

"You've been snooping in on my marriage." He deadpanned, eyeing her with lessened – but still persistent – disdain, "Do you really want to know about the fight?"

"No, no, I don't need to ask about the fight. That's between you and your muse." The Stranger dropped the smile, satisfied with finally getting down to business. "No, I have another question, a better one…"

She bit her lip a moment, fighting the triumph out of her with every ounce of magical willpower she could muster. This was the moment her weeks of training could pay off and she could finally dive through her window of opportunity on a royal wind.

She looked up at him and cocked her head slightly in genuine concern, "Do you wanna go after her and apologize?"

Eric could all but literally feel himself blown back by the statement. Or maybe that was just the ocean breeze? He felt a little weaker as the emotional hurricane stirred him up, and the blinding sunset behind the stranger who might've just become his savoir was NOT helping. However, it was adding to her ensemble to give her the appearance of a seasonal angel, wreathed in summer light as the autumn beauty spilled from her.

At a total loss, he felt himself sinking to the rail besides her, sitting as he tried to bring some sort of helpful emotion around to act on. Shock and confusion were damn powerful tyrants, and they weren't letting go.

Voice almost shaking as he let slip a reply, he found himself a bit ashamed of the unbridled truth in it, "In three years of marriage, that's the one thing I haven't wanted to do."

"Apologize?" Her eyebrows skyrocketed as she reeled in slight shock, "Good lord, no wonder you're fighting!"

"No!" Eric seemed offended by the thought of that. All he wanted to do at the moment was say he was sorry, how anyone could think he was so callous was beyond him, "No, I haven't gone below. That's her world, and even then, she left it for mine. I much prefer to sail above the seas than go under them."

The witch shrugged a moment before her brows lowered and knitted in confusion.

"Why?" He almost couldn't believe the word as it came out of her mouth. He couldn't believe it… because he didn't have an answer.

His expression demanded her to elaborate her question. Or better yet, rephrase it. "You're not scared, are you?"

"No." The answer was automatic. This much he was sure of, and his confidence also gave him comfort as he shot down the notion of fear, "That's not it."

"Aren't you curious about it, though?" The intrigue and mystery vanished in her voice, replaced with honesty and genuine curiosity.

This was harder to answer, and so the prince did what most men under pressure do: he brushed it off with a vague half-truth, "No more than any other sailor."

Quirking a brow at him, he realized that she recognized his answer before he did. Of course he was curious, every sailor is. And those such as he who were lucky enough to even know that there WAS something down there, they were all the more interested. There was usually something to hold that back, though… and she wanted to know what.

"Then why not go?" The witch asked as she looked over her shoulder at the ocean, with the sun mere moments from vanishing for the night.

He gave pause a moment before answering, his head sinking to hide his stormy blue eyes beneath his jet-black bangs, "She's here… and so is my life."

"She's not here now." She bluntly replied, standing and turning to the ocean as the two surveyed the vanishing light.

"No, she's not." She wasn't there now to help him through the most difficult time of the day, and through the difficulties of royal life.

The stranger sighed and turned back to her king, deciding enough was enough. "Well, if you decide to take matters into your own hands, my door will always be open to you. It's hidden down the coast. To find it, one simply needs to think of what they desire… and my calling card. Good night, my liege."

The last ruby rays of the day's sun shone straight through the girl, blinding the royal. And when Eric turned back, his intruder was gone, leaving only a small amber gem with eight points, somewhat resembling the sun itself as it reflected the dimming daylight and intensified it to almost blind him again. His hand fell upon it quickly and as he squeezed it hard enough to almost draw blood, he knew that his day had only just begun. With magic involved, it always got complicated, so he wondered…

Just how many problems would be started trying to fix one as small as a lovers' quarrel?

The next chapter's more angst before we get into the good stuff. Tips and suggestions are always welcome, but reviews are required before I continue! Tell me to write!

-Ara