Chapter 7

She blinked her eyes open as the light skipped through the water like an ADHD dance routine on steroids. Stretching and cursing herself for falling asleep she moved to the surface, breaking it quietly, so only her eyes and nose showed. She could use the small amount of power she held to change, but with her clothes at the end of the pool it was safer to stay a mer than risk whoever was out there seeing her naked – granted her hair reached her breasts now it wasn't enough to spare her modesty.

The chains to the door fell away and she watched as the 'saviors' of her life walked in and she sank until her head was under the water.

"You sure she's here?" Caleb asked. She'd never forget the deep rumble of his voice, like his eyes, they both reminded her of molten chocolate.

Staying in her corner she watched as one of them walked to her clothes. Noticing the long hair swinging in his face, and the deep whiskey voice that stated "Someone is." while poking at her clothes. It wasn't Reid's deep voice which elicited goose bumps, and a heated stirring in her stomach.

Flashlights danced around the pool until it landed on her. Caught, she covered her chest and raised her head above the water and immediately shied from the light. "Could ye shine that blasted thing elsewhere?"

Caleb and Pogue asked moving the light away. "Ryan?" the asked astonished. A few seconds later lights flooded the area.

"Who else?"

"Queen of England?"

"Sorry to disappoint?' She swam to where they were and pressed herself against the wall. "Could you look elsewhere?"

Nodding Caleb turned around as she hoisted herself onto the ledge. When Pogue only stared at her, she gave him an arched look and Caleb forced him around.

"I'm going to do laps, want to come?"

Red sat, staring at the television, not really watching what was on. "Nah, I'm good."

"She won't be there you know"

Which meant she was in her cave, think about that cave brought back the night. He still didn't understand how one somewhat, flirtatious night went so wrong.

After she ran off he had stood there for all but two minutes before running after her. He forced her to stop, turn and look at him before all the pent up sexual frustration burst out. And in one brain numbing moment he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her. He remembered her trembling, but more so he remembered that she kissed him back and clung to him. He thought it was a good sign – until she pulled back and said. "No."

"No?"

Pushing away from him she shook her head. "This isn't happening'"

"Sweetie it just did."

Staring at him hard she added, "You don't be wantin' me Reid."

"The hell I don't." He took a step forward.

She took three back. "That isn't what I'm talking about! You only want the idea of me. The mermaid." He stood there unable to say anything before he walked away. Maybe she was right.

Maybe it was her mer side he was drawn to.

Shaking his head he probably should've said something now that he thought of it. It was why he'd gone out with the whore of the century – to get Ryan out of his mind.

Problem was his body reacted to the mere mention of her name.

Problem was: he wanted her regardless of where she had to legs or a tail.

The other problem was that he was at a loss of how to approach her in this territory. Maybe the laps would actually do him good. "Let me get my suit."

Dressed in her shirt Ryan swam before them. Pogue still found it hard to believe that quiet Ryan Siris was a mermaid.

Caleb on the other hand was completely at ease with it. He sat at the edge and dangled his feet in the water, occasionally wondering what it would feel like to have a fin. Deciding against it he looked at Ryan and wondered how he hadn't known what she was – naturally that is.

"You can't tell."

"I know. We won't, just like you won't let anyone about us. Right?"

She placed an 'X' over her heart.

"So a mermaid, huh?" Pogue asked.

"Ain't it a bitch," she laughed.

"Nah, you're lucky it doesn't drain your life force. "

"That's the bitch." Pogue inserted before he finally relaxed enough to sit next to his 'brother'. "And at least you don't have people of your own trying to kill you for your powers."

Ryan gave him a perplexed look before turning to Caleb. "What is he talking about?"

"I have a feeling that new kid – Chase Collins – is one of us. Weird shit has been going on lately and in the pool at practice his eyes were night as black."

"I think someone is watching me." She blurted out. "I don't know if it's him, but it falls into 'weird shit'. It's malevolent, whatever it is, and not human."

They heard voices before they entered the pool area. Tyler was smiling and so was Reid until he saw Ryan. Ryan pretty much froze in place and stared at him before slipping into the water and darting to the middle of the pool.

Why was he here, she thought. Trying to collect herself she swam back and forth – and was completely oblivious to the fact that four pairs of eyes were watching her.

The collecting herself was not working though. And with a sense of deja'vu she made a dash for where her pants were at the same time Tyler did.

He won.

Holding her pants and stepping away from the pool with the knowledge of her last trick that she used when he and Reid first discovered her secret. Reid, being held back by Pogue with Caleb in front of him, was struggling to stay in control. They were using whatever powers they had to hold him back He wanted to leave, he wanted to throttle his friend for taunting Ryan, he wanted –

Ryan.

Damnit seeing her he wanted her all the more.

Tyler felt triumphant but only to the point that Ryan and Reid were in the same room. Now if they would only look at each and start talking this would hopefully be all over. His attention was brought back to Ryan who was still holding out her hands for her pants. "What?"

"Give me my pants."

"No." His smile actually got larger.

"Tyler. Give. Me. My. Pants."

"Forget. It." She watched as he strolled to where the other three were as she contemplated changing and making a dash for the locker rooms or keeping her modesty in tack. Or staying exactly where she was.

The second notion won. Again.

She mentally cursed herself before she started to swim away, when Tyler broke the silence. "In all honesty how long has it been since what happened with Donovan actually happened?" He looked at Reid who at least calmed and changed and changed back to normal before he cast a glance at Ryan and shrugged. Ryan lifted a shoulder before looking away. "Look whatever happened, happened. Let it go. Or hash it out here, or in a room, or where it all started. But this has got to stop because you both are acting like pussies.

"You both need to grow up, and that's saying something for you Ryan. You're miserable, and according to Amy you're grades are slipping. You refuse to talk to her, but she knows something is up." He turned to Reid. "You. You're just being a dumbass. Instead of facing your problems like a fucking man you coward between the legs of the easiest girl at our school. Gretchen is a man-eater, you know that."

"Why the hell do I get called names?"

They all gave him a droll stare, Pogue spoke up. "Because you're usually one.

They all looked at Ryan. Who swam to the edge of the pool and hoisted herself out. There was no use running now – at least not right now. Tyler had at least asked her roommate about her well-being. Caleb just cared about everyone close to him. Pogue was a softy at heart, but she still wasn't sure about him. And Reid she didn't know what would happen with him. When she looked up they were all staring at her. "What?"

"Will you at least try and talk this out?" Caleb asked.

"Do I have a choice?"

"Always."

"Will you at least try and talk this out?" Caleb asked.

"Do I have a choice?"

"Always."

Staring at all four of them, at least they were giving her a choice. And she did want Reid back in her life, though if she really thought about it he was never truly a part of it in the first place. But she wanted the contentment that she felt around him. She wanted – him. She stared at her tail, her cheeks on fire with the last thought but she muttered. "I'm willing to talk if he is."

They stared at each other. He promised her wouldn't use his powers to escape, as it would drain even more life from him, and he wanted to live a long life, despite what the rest of his family thought. Ryan was still in her more natural form but Reid's eyes would dart back and forth between her and the water.

Damnit he was nervous.

He was never nervous; all the cheesiest lines in the world could work.

She was different.

They looked at each other at the same time and just stared. Neither knew what to say. They both didn't want to say what needed to be said anyways. Reid didn't want to watch her run away again, and Ryan didn't want to watch Reid walk away regardless.

"So…."

The doors busted open and a frustrated Tyler walked in. "In an hour and a half you have muttered one syllable. One. Would you both get over yourselves already?" He slammed the door shut with a thud and once again the room fell silent.

Until Ryan started laughing and Reid glared at the door. Ryan focused her attention on his side profile which was quite impressive. His hair hung in his eyes, and she could see the little hoop earring that she found interestingly enough – attractive. His jaw was defined and squared. His nose nearly straight. High cheekbones. Then he looked at her and she felt herself lost in the depths of his eyes. So blue, the Aegean would weep at their color.

She couldn't look away. So when he asked a question she said 'huh' and looked confused.

"We screwed up didn't we?"

"In some shape, or form." She said quietly, looking away." You scared me."

"Figured as much." He scrubbed his hands over his face. "Look, I'm sorry."

"I believe it. Look I know you're not Donovan, but this is still a scary thing for me to let you close. I want to try, but you have to give me a reason to do that." He laid a hand over hers; she looked down and watched how his thumb stroked the skin along the back of her hand. Such small and gentle strokes. "Why Gretchen?"

The strokes stopped.

"Seemed like the easiest decision at the time."

It took a second for it to sink in, and it pissed her off. "So what – it's that easy to kiss me senseless and then run to Gretch the Wretch because you have an –itch?" She yelled. "Well fine. If it so damn easy don't let me ruin your fun." She jumped in the pool and swam away. He only caught up with her and grabbed her wrist to turn her around.

"Look I know you don't get it." When she scoffed he winced. "Ok…maybe you do. But it was my choice. But you have to believe me Ryan I regret it. I made a mistake. But I'm so damned sorry that I didn't know how to confront you after what happened in the woods." When she didn't say anything he swam to the edge and gripped the concrete. The bite he felt only dulled the ache in his gut. "You know I see you every day? Every fucking day. You usually walk with your head down, hair covering your face or your nose stuck in a book." He laughed as the image swam before his eyes. "Somehow you manage to not walk into anyone. I can't help but stare and want – I want you so much it hurts Ryan. It's never been like that before. I can't get thoughts of pushing you against the lockers. But I can't touch you because you're liked the fucking epitome of innocence!"

"So because I'm scarred you run to another girl. Makes sense."

The sarcasm dripped off her tongue like acid, but it made the corners of his mouth quirk up. "Did to me."

She groaned. "You would say that. But then against I guess because you're a guy it's ok to screw anything with two legs and a vagina whenever you're having a bad day. Excuse me if I don't see the sagacity in that."

Ryan swam to where the towel was. The doubts that they had anything returned the doubts that he could help throttled to the front of her mind.

Reid followed her and groaned loudly. He wanted to rip his hair out. He had no idea she would make him beg or drag all the details out. But as he watched her jump out of the pull he again was momentarily stunned speechless at the sight of her. He didn't dare get out of the water. But he did give into the urge of running his fingers over the scales where her knees would've been. When he looked up he saw that she was watching him.

"Ryan, I'm a screw up in general. I can tell you this though – you won't get out of my head. This form, your human form – it's you. Not your mer blood, but you. I close my eyes and I see you. I dream about the night in the cove. If you can't be with me can we – can we at least try and start over?"

Ryan paused for a second at his declaration before she continued to dry off. She was quiet through the whole thing thinking of what he said, what had happened, what could happen. He stayed in front of her and watched, utterly dumbfounded, as scales were replaced by flesh and a single fin became legs. "Why don't you change automatically? Like the night before?"

"It takes a lot of magick and energy, so I save it for emergencies. Unlike some people I know."

"What are you talking about" He asked shocked.

"Caleb told me about the –"She couldn't remember what it was called.

"Darkling?" He supplied

She nodded.

He placed his hands behind his neck and groaned towards the ceiling. "Why is that no one believes me? I didn't not use that night. I didn't use the night before, and I sure hell didn't use the night after." He jumped out the water.

Grabbing his own towel he vigorously rubbed his hair and body before looping it around his waist. His hair was sticking in all directions when she stood up, clutching the towel to her body, she let out a giggle. When he cocked an eyebrow she reached forward and fixed his hair without thinking.

When she realized what she was doing she immediately dropped her hands in front of her. "I was necessarily just thinking about the darkling, though I believe you didn't conjure that thing. But Reid, most of the time when you have fun, you use. You know what it does to you, why do you still do it?"

"Image to keep?" He shrugged. "I don't know it seemed harmless at the time. He grabbed her hand and tugged her closer until he could wrap his arms around her and rest his chin on her shoulder. "I am sorry. You've got me so messed up in the head and that's me saying something."

She thought for a few minutes and it had Reid worried that she would walk out and leave him. When she said "Apology accepted." he let out the breath he hadn't known he was holding.

"So where does this lead us?"

"What if it happens again?"

He sighed. "You know you have a nasty habit of answering questions with questions?"

The corners of her mouth quirked up. "I know, but in all seriousness can you truly promise me that it won't happen again? I'm not a prude, but I do have morals, which is more than I can say for the girls that you usually sleep with –"

"Ouch."

"You are a manwhore of sorts. But anyways, let's give us two weeks." At Reid's eye roll she poked him and bent to gather her things. "Would you listen you pig. In that two weeks, we are exclusive. We spend time together, do coupley things and see where it goes."

They walked to the door together and he held it open for her before he answered.

"So we're together but no together?"

"Exactly."

They walked together down the hall in silence. Their bodies close, occasionally brushing arms or fingers, but never linking them. When they came to her door Reid couldn't help but lean close and give her a small kiss on the lips. And without realizing what she was doing Ryan leaned into him, resting her head on his shoulder and just stayed there for a moment.

Reid put his arms around her and just held on, he knew that if it was any other girl he wouldn't have hesitated at leaving and finding someone new. But Ryan cut him to his core, made him crave her in ways he didn't even understand. He wasn't sure if it was her being a mermaid, or if it was something much more powerful than that. All he knew was that in the next couple weeks he alone had to prove to her and himself that he wasn't the cheating manwhore that he tended to be.

It was going to be a long couple of weeks.