A/N: I do believe some apologies are in order. Not about the sporadic updates; if it was about that, I'd never post a new chapter without a profuse apology. No, this is about my forgetfulness in another area. See, this is the... third? I think, H2O fan fiction I've written, and although I have a few readers who followed me from previous stories, not all of you are familiar with my style and agenda. I'm terribly sorry for adding this note so late in the game, but it'll give you a chance to back out now if this sort of thing doesn't suit you.

1. I'm extremely fond of Clewis and Zikki pairings, and I'll never have it any other way. If you were hoping for different pairings involving any of those characters, they won't happen here. I've dabbled in different couplings for characters like Nate, but will never stray from Clewis and Zikki.

2. Not only do I stand by those pairings, but I have no interest (or ability) in writing a story without them becoming my two favourite couples. It'll happen slower in some stories, quicker in others, but it's going to happen. I'm incapable of writing them platonic relationships.

3. Things might get dark or creepy in my stories, but I still give my couples their happy endings.

If you can't live with these three motives of mine, this is most definitely not your cup of tea.


ix.

"We're not doing this, Zane."

"What are you talking about?" He blinked in mock surprise at Rikki's hand raised in a ceasefire gesture.

"You're purposefully reading like you're nearsighted so our faces get close."

He narrowed his eyes at the book of legends they had open between them on the park bench. "That's a bit farfetched," he said, but even as he denied it, he moved a bit closer to her. "What could I possibly gain from getting close to you like this?"

"I don't know," she cocked an eyebrow at him. "You might try to steal a kiss or something."

Zane chuckled and his smile widened. "To be honest, the thought hadn't entered my mind yet, but since you mention it..."

Rikki started away, nearly jumping off the bench as she did so. "I just said it wasn't going to happen!"

Zane was taken aback by her reaction. He was used to her quick retorts and somewhat flirtatious rejections. She'd never snapped at him for any of his teasing. And compared to some of the suggestions he'd made before, a kiss hardly ranked as too forward. "Are you mad at me?" he asked.

"No, sorry." She relaxed back into her normal sitting position and shrugged it off. "We're good. Let's keep reading. I want to see if we can solve the topless problem."

"Remind me again why that's a problem. I for one find the view quite enjoyable."

She gave him a none-too gentle shove before huffing.

And Zane was not oblivious to the red tinge to her cheeks that belied her annoyance.

"What?" he prodded one more time, "You don't find the transformation rather liberating?"

"That's... not how I'd describe it, no," she said with a slight eye roll.

She wasn't prepared for how intense his voice sounded when he turned serious and said her name. "Rikki, you know I love our back and forth banter. But if it's really upsetting you I'll make an effort to stop. Much as I don't want to," he added.

"It isn't that," she sighed. "Maybe it is. Look, I can't tell if you're sincere or not. It's great hanging out with you, but now and then I feel like you're just using me for kicks and giggles and it makes me uncomfortable."

"So you like harmlessly flirting with me, but you don't like that I'm not sincere? Or is it... that you're more scared of me being serious?"

"I don't know," she admitted, feeling his question was probably best answered in the way she immediately resisted the idea of any conversations devoid of sarcasm.

"Well, I have the solution to that. One date, Rikki. Just give me one date and I'll show you I'm perfectly serious."

She expelled a short laugh. "You mean all this one-on-one larking around isn't dating?"

"Not when Lewis can pop in at any moment, and I haven't bought you anything to eat."

"You're making an awfully big deal over the sake of a meal."

"That's because I'm confident you'll be worth it," he countered with a rather winning smile. "I want to know you better than this project says we have to, but how can I if you don't give me something to work with? I know I come across as... cocky," Rikki snorted amiably at his honest assessment. "But I'm serious about liking you, even more than myself," he grinned. At that, Rikki laughed outright.

"Please go out with me," he finished. "At least once. I can be quite charming when I try, you know."

"Oh, I'm well aware of that," she smiled. "But we can't."

"Give me one good reason."

"How about the fact that you're swimming in money, and I'm just..." she scrunched up her face, finding it impossible to complete her thought verbally. "It wouldn't work, trust me. There are some things that can't be ignored because of nice feelings. We're from two totally different worlds."

"Not when we're in the water. And I said give me a good reason."

"We can't live our entire lives underwater just to have a normal dating life."

"Hah! What's normal? Look at us, Rikki. We're merfolk. Fish people! Do you really think we'll get a normal dating life with anyone while we're like this? I don't want to be that guy, but you don't have a lot of other options. Who else can you trust with your secrets if not me? I mean, there's always Lewis..." he wiggled his eyebrows at her, making her laugh and snort. "Sure, we're not the only guys on earth, but I think I know enough about you to get that you don't open up easily, and I doubt you have the ability to get close to someone you couldn't tell everything to."

Rikki was quiet, taken a little off guard by how well he did seem to know her.

"Unless you want to put your life on hold while we sort all this out, that's up to you. But I'm here, and I'm interested. Seriously interested."

"Wow, Zane. You should become a shrink."

"I'm being serious!"

"I know, and I'm trying to process, okay? I... I like you a lot. But what happens if we mess all this up?"

"The science project? I'll buy Lewis a microscope to make it up to him."

"No, stupid. I mean..." her voice lowered to a near whisper when she said, "I mean us."

"I don't know, yet. But I'm more than willing to find out if you let me."

By the end of the day, she'd decided it couldn't hurt to let him have one date. She had nothing to lose. She and Zane already spent more time together than some students who'd been dating for months. It was true what he said about already knowing her darkest secret. Plus he had seen her topless, as he loved to remind her.

For his first and last chance to impress her, Zane took her to dinner. It was early in the evening and far enough away from their school mate's haunts to limit the likelihood of running into any of them. Rikki was pleasantly surprised by how comfortable it was. He didn't choose a place stuffy or overpriced, and she only hit him twice for being cheeky.

After dinner, Zane asked if she wanted to go home and tried very hard not to look smug when she suggested a number of things that would keep them out later.

He opted for seeing a movie, certain that if he kept her too concerned with making small talk she might grow uneasy. It was his turn to be surprised when after the movie Rikki asked for ice cream and a walk on the beach where she found herself admitting that she wasn't ready for him to walk her home.

"I'm not going to ravish you on our first date."

"If I thought that of you, you'd never get this far," she assured him. "My home life..." she started haltingly, "it's not the greatest. My dad does what he can to pay the bills, but I'm not ready to bring you into all that. And if I'm being honest, your own enviable life doesn't hurry that decision along."

"It's not as enviable as you think," he said, studying the bottom of his cone. "My parents don't get along unless they're away from each other. I never see my dad until I've disappointed him somehow, and then he won't get off my back. I don't have any real friends because most people stick with me on account of the perks. I've never had someone I could count on just to be there for me."

"My mum ran off and left us when I was four," Rikki shared in a hush. "I've learned not to bother counting on anyone."

Zane saw that she was finished eating her dessert and toyed with the idea of filling her now-empty hand with his own. "Maybe... we could start by counting on each other."

"What if I let you down?" She frowned so pathetically that he couldn't help but grab her hand in comfort. "What if you let me down?" she added.

"We'll worry about that when the time comes," he murmured, and it sent a strange fluttering to her heart to hear him talk as if their worries were mutual. "But for now, will you take a leap of faith for me?"

She raised her eyes to ask for clarification, or possibly to make a joke and shake off the suddenly heavy atmosphere. Zane would never know which. He leaned in to capture her lips, and in that moment she was lost. They could have stood there for hours without time having meaning for either of them, except that they were brought to the present by a shaking of their legs, and suddenly both Zane and Rikki were tumbling over each other with their tails flopping in frustration.

"Really?" Zane cried angrily, "Kissing, too?"

Rikki only shrugged sheepishly. She was still a little dizzy from falling. Or maybe the kissing. Either way, she wasn't ready to call it quits. Some things were totally worth the tail coming out. Zane smiled at her nonchalance and positioning them into a less awkward position, he moved to kiss her again. But Rikki was no longer looking at him with a funny smirk. Her gaze had locked into place and he followed her line of sight to whatever captured her attention with such a mesmerising pull.

There was nothing too remarkable. The ocean was steady. The night sky was calm.

The moon was full.