Ariel woke up on the floor of her secret grotto. She was surprised that her father hadn't sent anyone after her. She got up and swam towards the palace. She tried to find her father, but she was found by her oldest sister, Attina.

"Ariel? Is that you?"

"Attina?" Ariel hadn't seen her sister in 4 years.

"We were worried when you didn't come home last night, but Daddy said you would be ok."

Ariel reminded herself to thank her father when she saw him. "I'm alright. I just needed some time by myself."

Attina swam over to Ariel and gave her a big hug. "I've missed you."

"I've missed you too." Ariel had missed her sisters so much.

"Would you like some breakfast?"

"I would, but I don't know if I feel like seeing everyone right now. I think I am going to wait for Eric and Melody on the shore."

"Ok, but be careful. Remember you're a mermaid again. Some humans aren't too kind to us still."

"No one is going to catch me."

"Ariel I mean it. Be careful."

"Ok Attina. I will."

Ariel swam to the shore by Eric's castle. He was already walking down to the beach with Melody in his arms. He saw Ariel emerge from the water and began to run to her.

"Ariel!"

"Eric! Melody!" Ariel waved her hand in the air to signal them to come to her.

Melody had a huge smile on her face.

"Mommy! I missed you!" Eric handed Melody over to Ariel and Ariel hugged her tightly. She didn't want to let go. Ariel hid her tail under the water so Melody wouldn't see her tail or ask questions about it.

"Mommy missed you so much Melody."

"Mommy come home now?" Ariel knew this was going to come up, but she didn't want to answer her daughter. She decided to change the subject.

"Eric how was she last night."

"Honestly, I couldn't put her down without you. I asked Carlotta to do it."

"Oh Eric she needs her father to put her to sleep not poor Carlotta."

"I know, I know. I will put her to bed tonight complete with milk and a story."

"That should make up for it."

"How was your night darling?"

"Well…" Ariel didn't know if she should tell Eric the truth about how sad she was last night and that she slept on the floor in a secret grotto he knew nothing about.

"Ariel." Eric stated. He wanted to know what she did last night.

"I was fine. I went straight to bed and woke up to come here." Ariel didn't feel like sharing the truth at the moment.

Eric's eyes showed he didn't buy the whole story, but he didn't push the subject. "Did you see any of your sisters?"

"I saw Attina this morning, but no one else was home yesterday." She didn't mention the fact that she was avoiding them.

Melody turned to her mom and asked, "Can we go home now?"

Ariel couldn't imagine how confused Melody was right now. Eric jumped in to help.

"Melody do you want a nap?"

"I want Mommy to come home."

"Melody…I… I can't. Mommy lives in the ocean now."

"Mommy lives at home with Daddy."

Ariel couldn't handle the situation. She began to tear up and looked at Eric.

"Melody sweetie, Mommy has to be in the ocean. You and I are on land."

Melody gave a confused look at her father. Eric knew she wasn't going to understand the situation until she was older. He looked at Ariel who was crying heavily now.

"Ariel darling she's too young to understand the situation. It's not your fault."

"Eric, she hates me. She wants me to come home and I have to tell her no. What kind of mother am I?" Ariel gave Melody back to Eric and swam into the ocean.

"Ariel! Come back!" Eric called to his wife, but she didn't hear him.

Ariel swam to the palace as fast as she could and found her old bedroom in the palace. She held her pillow and cried for hours. She was a horrible mother and this situation was never going to work out. How could she help raise her human daughter from the ocean? Melody would always be asking her to come home and she would never be able to say yes. She would keep disappointing her daughter. She thought of leaving Eric so he could find a new wife and a new mother for Melody; a mother that could be there for her every hour of the day. She needed a mother to help her become the queen she was meant to be. She fell asleep in her old bed and began to dream of her life on land and how perfect it used to be.