Chapter 2

Chasing Fish

Pushing myself away from the dock and slipped underneath the water again. I moved along the ocean bed. It really was fascinating. The blues and greens of the ocean floor, illuminated by the rare rays of sun that slip through the wave on the surface.

I stay as close to shore as I dare, always keeping the dock always insight, to make sure that I see Jacobs return. But this new form is easily distracted. No matter how much I try and pay attention, the movement of a small fish in the coral, or the sea weed wrapping itself around my tail, would send my mind wandering in all directions. I soon got lost in my own world playing with the fish that I didn't see Jake return to the dock, until after he, the pack, the imprints and the elders have all sat down and appeared to be waiting for something. It took a few minutes to realize they were waiting for me.

I speed off toward the dock. I stopped just below the water, I can hear Jake arguing with someone, but they are still unaware of me.

"Just wait a few more minutes, this is important!" He yelled at someone.

"Really?" I recognized Leah's voice. "If it is so important then whoever we are waiting for would have shown up on time."

I silently pushed myself my upper body out of the water and supported myself on the pier.

"Sorry I'm late." I whispered.

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JACOBS POV

"Sorry I'm late" The whisper was so quiet that I almost didn't hear it. I spun around an saw Bella half perched on the end of the pier. Her shoulders and arms are visible but everything else was either hidden by the pier or still in the water.

"Bella!" Seth exclaimed happily. He and Bella are really close; he treats Bella like she is his sister, much to Leah's great annoyance.

"Hey Seth, what's up?" Bella asked, but Seth didn't get the change to reply.

"What are you doing in the water Bells, going fishing?" Quil asked laughing.

"I should hope not." She replied. "I might be a freak but I haven't reached the point of suicide yet."

The smile dropped from Seth's and Quil's mouth as they tried to decipher the meaning of her words. Bella seemed to sense the confusion on everyone's face because she pushed herself up from the water and let herself sit on the pier, with her tail in full view. She looked stunning.

Silence fell over the pack as they took in Bella's new appearance. She sat on the end of the pier, tail in the water gently swaying with the waves, staring intently at her hands as she shifted uncomfortably under everyone's gaze.

"B...Bella?" Embry, Quil, Seth and Billy stammered out, everyone else was frozen and staring in disbelief.

Claire, Quils imprint, was the first to recover and made her way through the pack, walked right up to Bella, ran her hands over Bella's tail and proceeded to tell her how pretty she was. And Bella, being Bella, blushed.

"Thank you Claire."Bella said pulling the toddler into a hug.

"Bella? What happened to you?" Emily asked.

"I'm not entirely sure. Jake and I were messing around on the beach, through me in the water and next thing I know I have a tail." Bella's voice cracked at the end of her brief explanation. Emily, Kim and Rachel (I don't remember if there are any other imprints, sorry if I missed anyone.) all ran forward to comfort Bella, and to run their hands along her new scales.

"Wow, they're so soft."

"I love that colour."

"How fast can you swim?"

"Can you breathe under water?"

The girls chatter pulled everyone out of their surprised state. And soon the questions were flowing so rapidly that I don't think Bella was even listening to them anymore. She seemed to be much more interested with gently flicking water at Claire, and listening to the little girl laugh in delight.

"Bewwa, can you take me swimming?" Claire asked excitedly. "Pwease?"

"You would have to ask Quil!" Bella replied calmly, looking at him pointedly. Claire stood and did a little toddler run, that looked more like a penguin waddle, over to her imprint.

"Can I Quil? Peaze?" She cried wrapping her arms around one of his big legs, looking at him with the biggest, saddest puppy eyes ever that no one was surprised when he sighed and told her to go ahead. Squealing, she penguin ran back over to Bella. Who looked more than slightly surprised.

"You sure, you're okay with this Quil?" Bella asked as she slid herself off the pier and again propped herself on the wooden edge.

"Ya, just be careful with her okay?" Quil said in a pained voice, like he thought Bella was going to take Claire out into the middle of the ocean and never bring her back.

"Of course, I will Quil. I won't let anything happen to her. I promise." Bella smiled reassuringly.

Claire gave and excited squealed, sat down on the edge of the pier and held her hands out in the universal sign of 3 year olds, meaning that she wants to be picked up.

Bella grabbed Claire and pushed herself off the landing hugging the excited child close to her.

"Can you hold your breath?" Bella asked Claire gently. The child gave an excited nod. "Okay, take a deep breath and tap on my shoulder when you need air. Okay?" With another excited nod and a big gulp of air, Bella and Claire disappeared under the water's surface.

X X X

QUIL POV

The next 2 hours, 14 minutes and 37 seconds, were the longest moments of my life. The very thought of my little Claire being somewhere that I could not protect her was very nearly tarring me apart. The only thing that was keeping me from going completely insane was that, mercifully, Bella and Claire would pop their heads out of the water every 30 seconds. And thankfully they are starting to make their way back to us.

Their heads had just gone under again and, like I did every time, I started to count the seconds until I could see the beautiful ringlets on my imprints head. 12. 13. 14. 15. I hate having her so far away, almost 3 miles out to sea. 23. 24. 25. 26. They should be coming back up soon. Claire can't hold her breath for very much longer. 37. 38. 39. 40. 41. Something is very wrong. They have never spent more than 35 seconds underwater, and when they do they usually spend twice as long above so Claire can catch her breath. 52. 53. 54. 55. 56. I'm on my feet now scanning the water. Bella promised she would take care of Claire. What is she doing? My baby girl doesn't have gills; she can't hold her breath for that long. 69. 70. 71. 72. 73.

Claire is dead. I know it, and the pain from acknowledging that fact is excruciating. 81. 82. 83. 84. There is no point in counting anymore, but I couldn't stop, couldn't let go of the chance, no matter how small, that my sweet innocent little girl did not die at the hands of Jacob's stupid, thoughtless, careless mermaid girlfriend. 97. 98. 99. 100. 101. 102. 103. I'm numb now. The anger has been drained from my body, sucked away like the life from my baby girl as she slowly drowned in the arms of a woman she trusted. 115. 116. 117. 118. ...

Bella's head broke the surface as she made a bee-line straight back towards the dock. But my Claire was nowhere in sight. Bella was moving fast and something was following about 5 feet behind her. A small flash of red shot above the surface and made a grab for Bella then disappeared under again. So the psychotic bitch has finally caught up with Bella, at the one time that we can't protect her. And Bella just handed my life over to her.

Bella disappeared underneath the water a mile and a half from the shore line and I wasn't even paying attention anymore. I was in mourning. I couldn't stop the sobs and the shakes that raked through my body. I buried my head in my hands and let my body surrender to the pain and heartache. I almost missed Jacob shouting about Bella surfacing again, and claim she was coming back to the pier.

But I didn't miss it, not entirely. And when Bella finally made it back to the dock, moving sluggishly, I let my rage fill my body again and take over my senses. She had barely put a shaky had on the wooden support beam when I harshly grabbed her upper arms and lifted her straight into the air.

"Where is she?" I screamed, "How could you let her die? And you just left her out there! As what, A peace offering for Victoria? Claire trusted you! I trusted you? Give me one good reason why I shouldn't snap you in half!" I screamed shaking her.

"Because, Claire's not dead!" Bella breathed through rattling teeth.

X X X

End Chapter 2

I will tell you all now, I don't have the third chapter written yet so it will be a while before I can update this story again.

Until then