Well thank you all for the reviews! I love you all! 3 3 3

So I'll definitely try to slow down the story process, because that seems to be working well :D Well I'm thinking this chapter is going to be the juiciest one yet [ in my opinion] But I'll get started on the story now! :D

Gotta gotta be down

Because I want it all

It started out with a kiss

How did it end up like this?

It was only a kiss, it was only a kiss

Now they're goin' to bed

And my stomach is sick

But it's all in my head

But she's touching his chest now

-Mr. Brightside

The Killers

Seamus woke up a little earlier than everyone else in the castle. He crept quietly down the steps and into the kitchen. It was almost seven, and Ariel was just the type of girl to be an early riser, not to mention the staff would surely be up soon. He rummaged through the icebox, until he found some orange juice in the back. He poured it into a glass, and then pulled out the little vial he got from Ursula. He looked at it, and decided to only put half in.

Just in case.

He stirred the potion into the orange juice. He grabbed a few hotcakes, well, now coldcakes, just so it wouldn't seem odd that he was just bringing her some juice.

It was time for the plan to work. He was sick and tired of just sitting around.

"Good morning"

Ariel's eyes flew open instantly. She did not recognize the voice in her room. Carlotta's "Good morning Darling!"s where cheerful and bright. Eric would wake her up sometimes, but his "Mornin'!"s were playful, and he would usually shake he shoulder a little. But this voice was deep, slimy, and cold. Ariel felt chilled. She sat up in bed, pulling her sheets up to her neck.

"You look beautiful." Seamus stood there with a glass of juice and some corncakes.

Ariel felt scared, and she didn't know why. Seamus did not seem like he would hurt her – he loved her too much, right?- but he just seemed so ill-intentioned standing there!

"I brought you some juice." Seamus stated, holding it out to her.

Ariel gulped, but took the juice. It smelled…off? She faked a smile, but placed it on the table next to her.

"I should go." Seamus left the room.

Ariel shook the feeling out of her head and rolled out of bed. She went into the closet and put on a lilac dress. She ran outside her room and slid down the banister, just looking to put the creepy morning behind her.

Seamus walked back into Ariel's room, and saw the glass of juice, just as full as it was when he gave it to her. His teeth clenched together. He picked up the glass and threw it out the open window.

Next time, he wouldn't fail.

"Mornin'!" Eric smiled as Ariel came to the breakfast.

"Morning Eric, but can I ask you something?" Ariel said, tilting her head.

"Anything!" Eric said.

"Did you ask Seamus to bring me breakfast?"

"What, no!"

"Well I was confused, because he brought me juice, and he seemed so…odd about it. I don't know…" Ariel dipped her head a little bit, and poked her toast with a dinglehopper.

"I'm sure you're just being paranoid." Eric whispered. "He doesn't seem like he's that bad, probably just a little scared from being shipwrecked and all. You processed it pretty well though."

Just then, Eric sat up straight. Seamus pulled out the seat next to Ariel and sat down.

"Am I interrupting something?" Seamus asked, smirking.

"No, no." Eric insisted. "But Ariel, I was wondering if you wanted to come with me today. See my kingdom?"

"I'd love too!" Ariel smiled, leaning her face on her hands.

"Yes, that just sounds wonderful." Seamus smirked. "I simply can't wait."

"Oh…you're coming too?" Eric tried to be polite, but he really wanted to be alone with Ariel.

"Naturally, I wouldn't want you two to be stuck together."

Dinner was quiet. It had been considerably less loud since Ariel left, but tonight was the worst. Everyone poked at their seaweed soufflé, not eating or talking. Then Alana began to cry.

"Alana! What's wrong, honey?" Artista asked, rubbing her shoulder.

"It's Ariel! Daddy, why aren't we looking for her? You have some of the guards out, yes, but they don't know her like we do! Why can't we help?" Alana said, wiping her eyes.

"You girls know I can't!" Triton tried to reason. "I can't even stand the chance of one of you going missing! We don't know what happened to Ariel, she could have been kidnapped or k-k-kil…the point is we don't know what could have happened to her, and if there's someone out there who wants to hurt my daughters-"

"Daddy, Alana is right!" Aquata said, banging her hands on the table. "We don't do anyone any good by sitting in the Palace day after day! Whoever took Ariel took her with complete protection by the guards. I think if someone wanted another one of us, we'd be kidnapped by now!"

"Aquata, don't say such things!" Triton roared. "I will have security doubled, no, tripled so no one will touch you!" He turned to one of the nearby guards. "Is that clear? By midnight tonight, there will be triple the security than there is currently!"

"But daddy!" Attina gasped. "Do you know how many guards you are taking away from the hunt for Ariel?"

"Attina, I can't put all my guards out for a chance, when I still have all of you to protect! I want Ariel back more than all of you, but I JUST CAN'T LOSE YOU GIRLS!" Triton bellowed.

"No! Daddy, you can't just let Ariel go so easily! It's only been a few days; they have to keep looking for her!" Andrina tried to reason.

"I will here no more of this! Go to your room, all of you! Guards! Stand watch at the door! I will be the only one let in or out!"

The guards nodded as the girls sulked back to their room. The guards let them in the rooms, and then stood outside, swords crossed over the door.

"We have to get her." Attina wheeled around as soon as the door closed, hands on hips.

"Can we really?" Alana smiled and clasped her hands together.

"Alana, I don't think you grasp how serious this is!" Artista said, grabbing Alana's hands. "There might be someone after us, after you, after daddy, the kingdom, we don't know! We have to find Ariel, she's our baby sister! But we have to be very, very careful.

The sun was setting and it was getting dark. Ariel yawned and leaned her head on Eric's shoulder. Eric smiled and put his arm around Ariel's shoulder. Seamus tried to slip his hand through Ariel's.

"What are you doing?" Ariel asked, appalled, pulling her hand away from Seamus.

"Ariel, you know how I feel about you. I believe I deserve a chance to try to win your heart." He cupped her chin but Ariel looked down.

"Seamus, stop! I-I'm done." Ariel bit her lip, hoping Seamus would drop the idea. Eric was still sitting next to her, and she couldn't have him know about everything that happened with Seamus!

"Ariel, just listen to me." Seamus began.

"Hey, just stop." Eric said, looking Seamus straight in the eyes. "You're bothering her. Lay off."

The three were silent for the rest of the ride home.

Ariel was sitting on her bed, drawing pictures of fish. There was a knock on her door.

"Come in!" Ariel said.

"Ariel, I need to talk to you." Seamus closed the door behind her. "I told you that I love you, my beauty. You're uncomfortable, I understand. Love is new to you."

"Seamus, stop."

"Shush." Seamus pressed a hand over her mouth. Ariel's heart was beating faster than normal. "I'd like to take you out tomorrow. Don't worry, I can romance you! I'll take you wherever you want."

"Seamus, stop!" Ariel rolled off the bed. "I don't love you! I love Eric!"

Seamus was quiet. "He'll never love you. You aren't even a real human. You ran away, you were half fish! You're just a freak."

Seamus turned on his heels as soon as he saw tears spring to Ariel's eyes.

Fine. He had to tear them apart. It will be done.

"Grim! Look at this!"

"What is it Eric?" Grimsby asked, smiling. Eric finally was smiling! Grimsby owed a lot to the little redhead upstairs. Maybe he would be proposing soon…

"We went to town today, and I finally found something for her." Eric pulled out a little blue box with a diamond ring. The diamond was small, for Ariel was not the type of girl to want a big flashy ring. It was shaped like a heart and there were ocean-blue sapphires around it.

"Eric, does this mean you're going to get married?" Grimsby smiled.

"If she says yes." Eric smiled.

Grimsby clapped Eric on the shoulder, "I'm so happy for you Eric! I'm sure she'll say yes!"

"I hope you're right. I'm going to propose tonight."

"Oh no you won't." Seamus shoved his hands in his pockets. He had overheard everything.

The plan could not wait any longer.

"We should go back. We've been gone all day! Daddy's probably noticed, oh he's gonna kill us!" Aquata moaned.

"This was such a waste of our time!" Andrina cried. "We've spent the whole day unguarded, and we're no closer to finding Ariel!"

The six girls sat down on a rock. They fanned their faces and stretched their arms.

"Let's face it. We've just screwed up!" Artista sighed blowing her bangs out of her eyes.

"We can help you find your sister."

Two blue eels slithered out from underneath a rock. They each had one yellow eye and one white.

"What do you mean? Who are you?" Attina pushed herself in front of the girls.

"We are watchers of the kingdom." One of the eels said. "We cannot save your sister ourselves, but we can lead you to her."

"Let's go!" Alana yelled, swimming forward.

"Alana, how are you so sure?" Artista asked.

"We may be wrong, but what if we're not? Ariel is not worth risking! Eels, can you take us to Ariel?" Alana asked, cocking an eyebrow.

"In only fifteen minutes, my dear." The other eel answered.

The sisters followed the eels forth, placing their complete trust in them. The eels placed their eyes together, and gave Ursula a warning. Ursula smiled and began to quickly throw things into her basin, all the while watching the picture of the girls she would be leading into her trap.

Finally, Aunt Ursula was going to meet her nieces.

"There!" Ariel held up a picture of Flounder and Sebastian she had drawn, the first picture of the night she was truly proud of. She signed her name and decided to give it to Eric. She stood up and brushed her hair. Once she was satisfied with her appearance, she turned around to walk out.

"I just heard Eric." Seamus stood in her doorway, fuming mad.

"Seamus, please go!"

"Ariel, you're being too stubborn for your own good! I heard Eric talking; he says you're imposing on his hospitality. He wants you gone already. I'll leave too, we'll go together."

"No, no I don't believe you!" Ariel touched a hand to her heart. "Eric loves me, I know he does, he wouldn't say that!"

"Well you would be wrong." Seamus said, his voice icy. "'Just trust me Ariel, I'm better for you than he is."

"No! I wo-" Ariel began to yell, but Seamus grabbed her and forced the vial to her mouth. He threw the bottle onto the floor and clamped both hands over her mouth. Ariel struggled, but as soon as the swallowed potion took effect, her demeanor shifted completely.

Eric was nervous, but understandably so. He had known Ariel for only days, but he just felt so much better around her! No suitor had ever just captured him the way she did. And he had to know she'd be with him forever. He had to marry her.

He had to.

He had rehearsed a thousand speeches in his head, but as soon as he started to say them, they sounded cheesy and stupid. He'd just have to wing it.

He took a deep breath and did some push – ups. He felt a little better, and decided to go looking for Ariel. He had to remember: breathe in, out. In, out. Hopefully he wouldn't pass out when he saw her.

"Eric! ERIC!" Eric heard Ariel yelling for him. She sounded happy.

He smiled and called back, "What is it? Where are you?"

Oh Eric! I have wonderful news!" Eric smiled watching Ariel run into the room.

"What happened?"

"I'm getting married!" Ariel spun and smiled, placing her arms around Seamus. "Isn't it great, he just proposed!" Seamus kissed Ariel's neck.

Eric's heart stopped.