Okay, so I changed the end of this chapter up a bit so it isn't all random and weird. Enjoy!:D


Lupin barged into Jigen and Goemon's room, a look of anger on his face. Jigen and Goemon jumped, startled as the door slammed against the wall. Lupin pointed an accusing finger at Jigen, coming towards him.

"What in the hell did you do to Fujiko?" He screamed.

Goemon looked from Jigen to Lupin, a thousand bad thoughts running through his mind. Jigen just shrugged and turned back to the television. Lupin jumped in front of the television, his hands on his hips.

"Don't just shrug, you asshole! What the hell did you do to her?"

"I didn't do anything. Now, will you calm down and get outta the way of the TV?"

"No!" Lupin snapped the television off. "You acting bizarre is one thing, but you fucking with Fujiko's mind is where I draw the line!"

"I'm not fucking with her mind!" Jigen jumped up. "Are you even listening to what you're saying?"

"Are you on a bad acid trip, Jigen? First you think you see a mermaid and tell us that you're basically dating her and now, you're forcing Fujiko to believe your bullshit? Did you slip something into her drink or something? Did you brainwash her?"

"Why would I? I wouldn't even come near Fujiko, if I had a choice!" Jigen yelled back. "She was just there at the lake this morning, she was talking to Raquel."

"I am so glad that we're leaving tomorrow." Lupin said softly, shaking his head. "The first thing I'm going to do when we leave is get you some help. Don't say anything to Fujiko the rest of the time we are here."

"Why don't you believe me, Lupin? Raquel is real!"

"Jigen, it really breaks my heart to see you like this." Lupin sighed and left the room.

"You stupid . . . asshole!" Jigen growled.

"Hey, where're you going?"

Jigen and Goemon heard Lupin ask someone outside their room.

"Out." Fujiko answered.

"Where?" The tone in Lupin's voice suddenly turned angry and accusatory.

"I'm just going out for a walk! What's your prob – Hey! Let go!"

Jigen and Goemon heard quick footsteps going into Lupin and Fujiko's room, the door slam then Lupin and Fujiko arguing. The two looked at each other, hearing things being slammed around and Fujiko yelling in the room next to them. They ran from the room and stopped short when the door to Lupin and Fujiko's room flew open and Fujiko's suitcase was tossed out, hitting the wall across the door. Another one of Fujiko's suitcases flew out followed by her purse and Lupin's suitcase.

"Lupin, stop it!" Fujiko shouted, grabbing at his arm as he stomped from the room. "You're going to make people call security!"

Lupin jerked his arm away from Fujiko and gave her a nasty look before turning to Jigen, giving him an even worse look.

"I have had it with all this bullshit!" Lupin exclaimed, his face becoming red. "Pack your shit, we're leaving now. If you're not down in the lobby in fifteen minutes, I'm leaving your ass here."

Lupin glared at Jigen for a moment then turned and grabbed the suitcases he had thrown against the wall and made his way to the elevator.

"But Lupin, I–"

Lupin stopped short and turned on his heel to look at Fujiko.

"You're not going to that god damned lake, Fujiko!" He looked at Jigen. "And neither are you! If anybody even brings that lake up, I'll kick you out of the car while it's moving."

The three watched him angrily make his way to the elevator, throwing the suitcases in when the doors opened.

"You have fifteen minutes, starting now." He called out before the doors closed.

Fujiko looked at Jigen, her hair flying. She looked distraught. Jigen avoided eye contact with her, lowering his fedora to cover his eyes.

"I was going to go to the lake." She said, her voice sounding watery as if she were about to start crying. "I was just . . ."

Jigen glanced at the broken object in Fujiko's hand. He couldn't tell what it was, just that it was broken. Fujiko's hands shook and her lip quivered then she turned and rushed into her hotel room, slamming the door behind her. Jigen and Goemon stood awkwardly in the hallway, pretending that they couldn't hear Fujiko crying in the room next to them.

"Jigen," Goemon said slowly. "What the hell is going?"

Jigen was silent, looking down at the floor.

"Jigen?"

He sighed and shook his head.

"I have no idea, Goemon." He mumbled finally. "C'mon, let's get our stuff."

"Stop crying." Lupin ordered Fujiko through clenched teeth as he tossed the suitcases into the back of the car. "Stop crying right now or I'll leave you here!"

"Good!" Fujiko snapped, startling Lupin. "I wish you would! Then I wouldn't have to deal with your controlling, annoying –"

Lupin straightened up and gave Fujiko a quick slap on the cheek. She gasped and put her hand to her face, her eyes wide. He grabbed her by her upper arms, pulling her closer to him and digging his fingers into her skin.

"I don't know what Jigen has done to you, Fujiko –" Lupin started, his voice low.

"He hasn't done anything!" Fujiko screeched, interrupting him.

"But I'm going to get you both the help that you need." He finished, ignoring her interjection. "I'm worried about you two – Jigen, especially. I think he needs some intense psychiatric help."

Fujiko scrunched her face up angrily and swatted Lupin's hands away.

"You don't know what you're talking about!" She snapped. "She's real!"

"You don't know what you're talking about!" He shouted back, grabbing his hair. "There are no such things as mermaids! Why don't you just open your eyes and grow the fuck up, Fujiko? Stop acting like a little girl stuck in Imagination Land and start acting like the backstabbing, conniving bitch you normally are!"

Fujiko silently seethed, glaring daggers at Lupin. He groaned then jerked his head to the car.

"Get in."

"No." She said defiantly.

"Fujiko." He said slowly through gritted teeth. "Get. In. The car."

She put her hands on her hips and quirked an eyebrow, her lips purse.

"Make me." She spat.

The two glared at each other. Keeping eye contact, Lupin took a step forward with compelled Fujiko to take a step back. Lupin bent down and wrapped his arms around the back of Fujiko's legs. She let out a startled yelp as he lifted her up, slinging her onto his shoulder as if she were a sack of potatoes. He carried her to the passenger side of the car and yanked the car door open the best that he could as she kicked at his front and punched at his back. He dropped her onto the passenger seat and, when she crossed her arms over her chest, buckled her.

"If you're going to act like a child," He muttered. "Then I'm gonna treat you like one."

Fujiko remained silent, her lips still pursed in a child-like pout.

"A grown woman acting like a damned four-year-old!" He shook his head, exasperated. "All because you think you saw a mermaid."

"I did see her, Lupin! Jigen didn't make her up!"

Lupin stood and slammed the car door on Fujiko's glaring face. He walked around the car and got into the driver's seat. The two waited in the car for Jigen and Goemon, stewing in an angry silence. A few minutes passed and Lupin glanced in the rearview mirror to see Goemon and Jigen walking towards them, Goemon carrying their suitcases. Lupin got out of the car just as Jigen was walking by quickly.

"Where do you think you're going?" Lupin hissed, grabbing his friend by the shoulder and spinning him around to face him. "Trying to say 'goodbye' to make-belief mermaid girlfriend?"

Jigen hated the taunting, malicious tone in Lupin's voice. He opened his palms them closed them tightly, balling them up into fists and resisted the urge to punch Lupin right in his smug little mouth.

"So, what if I am?" He shot back, smirking when he saw Lupin's eyes twitch.

"Didn't I say –"

"Yeah, we all heard what you said, you idiot, and I don't really care if you leave me here or not."

Lupin's eyes twitched again and he took a few quick steps closer to Jigen.

"Jigen, I don't want to leave you here." He mumbled. "You and Fujiko are really freakin' meet out, so why not be a pal and just get in the car?"

"No."

"What is with people telling me 'no'!" Lupin shouted, making Jigen flinch involuntarily. "Just get in the damn car and I won't knock you unconscious!"

"No, I'm going to the lake." Jigen turned on his heel and walked away.

"No, you're not!" Lupin shouted, running after Jigen and grabbing him by the shoulder again. "Get your ass in the car!"

Jigen reached inside his jacket, feeling for his gun, but stopped suddenly.

"Missing something?" Lupin shot at Jigen, dragging him back to the car.

"Damn it, Lupin, gimme back my damn gun!" Jigen shouted.

"Not until we're out of this town and away from that lake."

"Fuck this, you can keep it!" Jigen exclaimed, shrugging off his jacket. "I don't need it anymore!"

Lupin stopped and turned to see Jigen run off towards the lake. He threw his friend's jacket to the ground, kicking up dust.

"Fine!" He screamed to Jigen, his hands cupped around his mouth. "Stay here with your made-up mermaid! We don't need you anyway!"

He turned back to the car, an angry warning look on his face as he glared at Fujiko and Goemon sitting inside. He trudged back to the car and got into the driver's seat, slamming the car door harder and louder than necessary. He started the car and sped out of the hotel parking lot.

After a few excruciating minutes of silence, Fujiko reached over and turned the radio on. Lupin sat up straight as he recognized the song playing, his knuckles white as he gripped the steering wheel tightly in his hands.

"Fujiko," He said warningly. "Turn it off."

"No." She said defiantly. "I love this song."

"Fujiko. Turn it off now!"

"No!"

Lupin reached over and turned the radio off, almost breaking the knob as he did. The car became eerily silent once again. Fujiko crossed her arms over her chest and glared outside the window.

"I'd like to be, under the sea in a octopus' garden in the shade." Fujiko started to sing.

"Fujiko, stop it. Shut up." Lupin growled.

"We would be warm below the storm in our little hideaway beneath the waves!" She continued, her voice getting louder. "Resting our head on the sea bed in an octopus' garden near a cave."

"Fujiko, shut up!" He screamed at her, almost swerving off the road.

"We would sing and dance around! Because we know we can't be found! I'd like to be! Under the sea! In an octopus' garden in the shade!"

Lupin slammed on the brakes, making all three of them fly forward. Fujiko came close to hitting her head on the dashboard.

"All right!" Lupin raged, his face flushing red as he glowered at Fujiko. "That is enough! I don't care if that's your favorite song ever, Fujiko, I don't want to hear that shit right now!"

"Since when did you start hating the Beatles?" Fujiko rolled her eyes, turning her gaze outside the window.

"Why, you little –"

Goemon waited patiently as the two in the front of the car screamed at each other. He blinked, seeing something in the corner of his eye, then turned to look out his window. His eyes widened at what he saw; Jigen sitting close to the edge of the lake talking to a woman in the water, flipping a dark purple fish fin. Yes, a fin.

"Look!" He said, jerking Lupin and Fujiko's attention away from each other.

It took a while for what was happening to register for Lupin and Fujiko.

"What is that crazy man doing?" Lupin exclaimed. "Who is that woman?"

"It's Raquel!" Fujiko beamed, unbuckling and opening her car door.

Lupin reached out and caught her wrist as she got out.

"Hold on! That's not Raquel, there is no Raquel!"

Fujiko yanked her wrist free and locked eyes with Lupin.

"Even when she's right in front of you, you refuse to believe she's real!"

Lupin stared at her as she slammed the door on his face. He watched her run around the back of the car and towards the lake, shouting happily and waving her arms in the air in an attempt to get the attention of the lovers at the lake. Lupin turned and looked back at Goemon to see the back car door open and the backseat empty. His head swiveled to look out his window, seeing Goemon follow Fujiko to the lake.

Lupin cautiously opened his car door and stepped out, his eyebrows furrowed in confusion as he jogged over to the lake just as Goemon sat down at the bench. Fujiko crouched down by the edge of the lake, smiling down at the woman in the water.

"What in the hell is wrong with you people?" Lupin shouted, flailing his arms in the air. "You all a bunch of lunatics!"

Raquel swam to the edge of the lake, reached out and grabbed Lupin by the ankle and pulled him into the freezing water, all the while laughing playfully.

"Come on, lighten up!" She exclaimed, smacking Lupin on the back when he resurfaced. "You're acting just like Jigen!"

"Hey!"

"I'm just joking, sweetheart!" Raquel chirped, swimming over to Jigen. She put her hands on the edge of the lake and raised herself high enough to kiss Jigen on the cheek.

Lupin blinked then stared at Raquel. He watched her flip her fin absent-mindedly. He reached out and grabbed a hold of the fin and squeezed, a look of child-like curiosity on his face. He tugged on it, blinking again.

"Hey, ow, cut it out!" Raquel said through a laugh.

"It's real, Lupin." Jigen said gruffly. "She's real."

Lupin let go of Raquel's fin then looked at her with wide eyes. He lifted his hands up out of the water, reaching out to her.

"Is all of her real?" He mumbled lecherously.

Goemon hit Lupin on the head with the handle of his katana. Fujiko shook her head, tsking. Jigen rolled his eyes and gave Raquel an apologetic look.