A/N- Did you all miss me? I am so sorry it took forever to get this last chapter done, but my life has been hectic the last few months. This is the final chapter for this story and it is very long. I admit this may well be one of the longest single chapters for a fanfic that I have ever written. As before, I suggest you wait until you have a lot of time on your hands before attempting to read this because it is going to drive you crazy if you have to stop before you reach the end. Now, I will be frank here. There are a few scenes that simply did not turn out the way I had planned, so don't be surprised if you suddenly find yourself momentarily confused, or even bored with certain spots. I re-wrote the thing ten times before I just gave up and let my characters lead me to where they wanted to go. So blame them. As for the game, there is one partial quote in the chapter so keep a close eye. I've been keeping tabs on your reviews and noted who is getting it right. After this last review, I will be sending a special "prize" to the reader I think won the game. If you are that person, I will contact you via email either directly, or through the email connection on here. Lastly, be sure to read, review, and have fun. -Jas

Chapter 10-

Aquata, Arista, Andrina, and Adella Waters stood in a line, their scantily clad bodies displaying various states of undress and their expressions grim as they stared at their father. Triton Waters stood off to the side with an attractive young cop about Adella's age. The two men were going over the break-in for the tenth time, their voices hushed. Clearly there was something the men did not want the girls to know, and that set their minds adrift with all the terrible possibilities that their considerable imaginations could conjure.

Finally, Aquata broke the silent staring. "Anyone else think Daddy is keeping something from us?" She moved away from the back wall of Triton's Palace and took a long look at the damaged window that led into the restaurant's storage room. "Someone breaks in, steals nothing, but ransacks our dressing room and then disappears."

Arista twisted her hair in thought. "Yeah…It seems like whoever was searching for something…"

Adella crossed her arms over her chest and idly tapped her fingers against her skin. She was convinced someone had been looking for something, but her heart told her it was not found inside their dressing room. "Besides the cash and our over-priced getups, what was there to steal?"

Andrina scoffed. "Anything not nailed down." She shook her head and ran her hands over her bare arms to combat the sudden chill she felt. Like her other sisters and their father, she had jumped out of bed to get here and was wearing nothing but her sleep clothes, a tank-top and a pair of ultra soft, blue velveteen pants. Her long hair was loose though, so it covered her back and gave off a little warmth.

Aquata snapped to attention, about to reprimand her younger sister when their father started walking her way. She studied his drawn mouth, tired eyes, and sorrowful gait. He had really bad news. "What's wrong, Father?"

Triton stopped in front of his four eldest daughters and shook his head. "They stole the deed. If I can't recover it, I lose the restaurant."

"Daddy!" Atina's shriek rocked the little circle as she ran over to them, her eyes wide and her hands shaky. "My God! Daddy…" She about fell into Aquata's arms panting and then took a moment to right herself before continuing. "There's a man… dogs fighting over his corpse…we heard the ruckus and I went to see…"

At the mention of a corpse, the young cop joined the group. He trained his Hershey-colored gaze onto the nearly hyperventilating girl. "Where is this corpse, Miss Waters?"

Atina looked up and felt her stomach drop to her toes. The cop was so handsome, his smile so beautiful. "Down the alley there." She started to point, and then placed her hand over his arm instead. "Come on, I'll show you." She led him away from the group without a word.

Adella clicked her tongue as her sister departed. She turned to her sisters. "That girl cannot keep her hormones in check at all."

The remaining girls laughed at the comment, easing the tension, and then turned back to their father. Aquata, Arista, Adella, and Andrina had no idea what to say.

Triton sighed, patting the daughter nearest him on her arm. "Things will work out, my pearls."

"Tritdon!" Sebastian Carson was pounding the pavement with his bare feet, his legs clad in a pair of gray sweat pants with the drawstrings hanging loose and his chest bare. A white t-shirt was balled up in his left hand. "I geest got da nus. Came az fast az I culd." He reached the group and stopped short seeing all the girls half-dressed. "Looks az doe you did too."

Triton smiled to his old friend and chuckled. "Aye, that we did. All but Ariel of course. She hasn't been notified yet."

Sebastian studied the man's expression closely before responding. "But where iz Allana?"

Arista piped up first. "She went to the mainland for the next few days to see Scott. Had the trip planned for months but wouldn't leave till we dragged her out to the ferry."

Triton jumped in then. "I'm not calling her either. That girl needs some down time. There isn't anything she could do anyway. None of you girls really can do anything either. You should all go back home and get to sleep."

Aquata bristled. "Absolutely not!" She crossed her arms over her t-shirt. "The deed is missing, there's a dead guy in our alley, our dressing room looks as if a hurricane went through it, and our precious sister is batting her eyes at a cop five years her senior. We are going nowhere."

Everyone went quiet then. They all knew it was useless to argue with Aquata once she asserted her authority over something. They would all stay and get to the bottom of everything first, then call Allana and Ariel. Though in Ariel's case they would probably wait a bit longer to tell her the news because of all her own recent scrapes. It was better to let her be worry free for a little while longer.

Unbeknownst to her well-meaning sisters, however, Ariel was anything but worry-free. She was sewn into a mermaid tail, still woozy from being drugged by Ursula, and felt about as comfortable with her situation as a cat feels in a cage full of hungry German Sheppards. But being held by Eric was mellowing her terror to a faint ripple. She knew it was time to let go but she could not get her arms to cooperate because her heart was fighting her head. Sighing, she pulled back from their embrace, her newly restored voice reduced to a soft whisper. "We will finish later…"

Eric nodded, giving her a half-smile as he pressed his forehead against hers. "Count on that." He gathered his strength and stood up, pulling her with him. Neither said anything as he carried her over to the cabin door and she turned the knob, easing the door backward very quietly. The hall was silent, the smell of Ursula's home-cooked meal still lingering by the galley door. He stood in the doorway, listening.

Ariel glanced down the hallway toward the direction of where the crash had come from just a few minutes before. Even in the face of danger, her curiosity was teasing her imagination. What could have that crash been? A chair? A table? A…body? Considering the woman was a raging psychopath, any of those options was pretty plausible.

Inside the little cabin bedroom, Marcus Jetsam affectionately trailed his fingertips over Ursula's flawless, milk-white skin. "Sorry about the mirror…" He nearly purred into her ear, his voice descending into his trademark bedroom tone. He stepped closer to her, pressing her up against the frame of the broken mirror. "Mmm…"

Ursula Rancroft smiled back at the only man in the world who could hurt her and still make her beg for more. She titled her head, her white-blond hair snaking over her partially bare breasts as the black corset held them in its lacy grasp. Her eyes glittered with lust and she grabbed Marcus's shoulder, digging her perfect nails deep into his flesh. "Forget the mirror… broken glass is…very…very…good…" Her moist lips trailed over the wound she'd made, some of his blood clinging to them, and then lavished his mouth with a fierce, flirtatious, kiss.

Marcus savored the kiss, tasting his own blood never becoming more erotic than it was now. He felt his lower back tense even as another part of his anatomy stood at attention. He wanted Ursula. He had to have her. Had to run his fingers over the soft curls between her shapely thighs, had to revisit how powerful he felt when she broke her breathing because of his hands. He had not been breaking his back as her flunky for the past two years to be denied his one desire.

He slid his hands down to her waist feeling the fabric of her corset under his palms. God how he loved to see her like this! His heart began to pound inside his chest as he lifted one of her legs up onto his hip, stepping closer to the wall as he did so. He succumbed to the shudder of pleasure as the familiar sensation he craved fell over him instantaneously. She'd enveloped him in full, her strong embrace centered around his shoulders, fingers tickling the back of his neck as she buried her face into his shoulder. Fuck responsibility, he thought as he drifted into a sensual haze. He had something far more pressing to attend to before he let her leave his side.

Ursula's body tingled with the long-awaited feeling of physical abandon as she clung against Marcus's taunt form, her arms holding her up while the rest of her control sank to the floor. With him, she could be free, unrestricted, completely unbound in her actions. She coveted that reality, willingly falling under his seductive spell, his whole being calling out to her. She threw back her head as he began to make her forget everything but him. Him and his unyielding passion. It was not long before the build-up of their satisfaction was curling her toes and slicking her body with sweet-scented sweat, and she openly welcomed the situation with unbarred gasps and moans loud enough to travel throughout the yacht.

Eric was nearly to the top of the stairs when yet another pleasure-induced verbal response from the woman echoed off the walls. Embarrassed, he took his gaze off of Ariel and stared straight ahead as he continued to carry her to the safety of the deck. If he was being honest with himself, each sexual cry elicited by that woman made him think more intently about the red-headed girl in his arms and that train of thought was dangerous. He did not have the time to fantasize about Ariel's smooth skin warm under his touch, or her blue eyes sparkling as he laid her down on the bed for the first time. He did not have time to wonder about what kinds of sounds his kisses on her stomach and lower would bring out from her pretty mouth. He did not have the time to ponder how to make his move, or about her response to the action. He just did not have the time. Not till she was safely back in the little powerboat and he was taking her back to Siren Island. After that, though, he planned to let his mind wander and wander and wander…

"Do you think she loves him?" Ariel asked softly into Eric's ear, her breath hot against his skin. She was doing everything she could to ignore the pornographic voice-over that had been assaulting them for the last five minutes, but her mind had started drifting back to when Marcus held a gun on her, forcing her to strip in front of him. At the time, she had conjured an image of Eric to deal with how filthy she felt. But now, she was actually in his arms and he could not even look her in the eye. What was he thinking? She knew he had to be hearing it all too, so she may as well see how he reacted to it.

Eric's body tensed as Ariel's breath sailed over his ear and neck, but he suppressed the drive to let his libido get the better of him. He glanced at her. "In her own twisted way, she might." He stared at her mournful expression and softened all the more. "Ariel?'

She held his gaze in silence a moment before answering him. "Yeah?"

"Don't take this wrong, but why do you care?" He studied her closely, and then directed his attention elsewhere as they reached the deck of the yacht. He hated to admit it but, as light as she was, Ariel's weight was getting heavier in his arms. He was terrified he was going to drop her any second now but he had to get them both to the powerboat pronto if he wanted to be able to see his next birthday, and hers.

Ariel sighed. She did not know why she cared, but she knew that she did care and that was enough. "I guess, I don't know, it saddens me. They have this powerful pull toward each other and neither one can commit." She stopped speaking as the moon's light blanketed her surroundings. The ocean was deserted. There was no other boat in sight on the calm water. She scanned the space quietly, preparing to say more when loud footsteps reached her ears.

Clad in a red, satin robe, Ursula stood at the entrance to the stairs with dead eyes and Marcus's gun trained on the fleeing couple just a few feet away. "Leaving without saying farewell to your hostess is rude."

Eric's grip on Ariel tightened as he slowly turned to face the woman. "You were busy." Shit. Now what?

Ursula laughed, using her other hand to tuck her mussed hair behind her ear. "First rule of keeping ahead. If you want to stay that way, you reward your underlings for a job done well. And Marcus is a very good employee." She stepped aside and the man in question came out onto the deck, a carving knife in his hand and a matching robe covering his nude form. "Mommy's sorry to interrupt your fun, Jetsam Darling, but as you can see we have some loose ends to tend to."

Fear crept into her rational thought as Ariel tried to formulate a plan. She saw right away that her presence in his arms made Eric unable to protect either of them. Her gaze traveled from Ursula and the glint of the gun, over Marcus who looked intent on murder, and then to the railing which was about five feet away. Slowly, she was getting her ideas together, now she just needed Eric to go along. Her decision made, she pretended to tremble from fright and curled up in Eric's arms bringing her head against his shoulder. Lowering her voice to nearly inaudible, she quickly issued a command to him. "The railing's close. Drop me. Protect yourself. I'm going over the side. We'll meet at the boat."

Eric tried not to give anything away as he listened to Ariel's plan. The last thing he wanted to do was let go of her, but she was right. With her in his arms, he could not protect either of them. But once he dropped her she was fair game for the woman and her crazed henchman. And so was he. He stared straight ahead. There was no time to debate. If either of them was going to survive, actions needed to be taken immediately.

Ursula watched the young girl shake in her boyfriend's arms for a moment and then became impatient. "Your pathetic need to cling to each other is tiresome." She stepped closer, the gun aimed at the girl. "I'm not without a heart though. You may say goodbye to each other before I kill you."

Ready to jump in, Marcus leaned against the doorframe with an almost dopey look of admiration etched on his face as he watched his sexy siren. Ursula Rancroft was something else. A woman of power was usually so weak under the surface, but not her. There were no weaknesses in Ursula. He had learned that the first time they had met. She was in line at the bank he had intended to rob, just casually standing there in a pair of khaki slacks, heeled sandals, and a smart navy blazer tailored for her figure over a crisp white blouse. Even when he'd grabbed her arm and dragged her backward, demanding for the rest of the inhabitants to get on the floor, she had remained the picture of grace and elegance. She had stood there and let him man-handle her without one word of fear, not a single shudder or scream. And then, once she was in the passenger seat of his car, her true nature took him for one hell of a ride. He could see her sitting beside him as the car sped down the road, the sack of cash in her lap. She'd counted the money and then turned to him, holding his gaze without a hint of hesitation. She wanted a deal. Her life and one third of the haul in exchange for a sexual favor while he was driving and a night with her once he got them to a respectable establishment. Aroused by her very presence, he had readily agreed to the terms and she had promptly set the sack on the floorboard, unbuckled her seatbelt, leaned over and fulfilled her first portion of their deal.

Eric sucked in his breath, leaning his forehead against Ariel's and locking eyes with her. They were supposed to be saying goodbye to each other, but they'd perfected the ability to understand each other with voice-less expressions and gestures and were actually telling each other they were ready. He lightly kissed her lips, giving her a smile. "See you soon."

Ariel nodded, holding his gaze as if she was really telling him goodbye. "Count on it." She smiled, tears starting to trickle down her cheeks. "It's time to let me go."

Everything happened so fast, Ursula was blind-sided by the boy's actions. She stood there in shock as he literally threw the girl into the air and then took a running lunge at Marcus. She turned to watch the two of them tumble down the stairs, the girl momentarily forgotten. "Not the move I was prepared for. I give you marks for bravery, young man."

Left to her own devices for the moment, Ariel reached up for the railing and lifted her body up to a standing position. The damn mermaid tail hindered the use of her legs so much that she could barely keep her balance, but she clutched at the railing and drew herself up. She glanced back before making it to the other side of the railing. Ursula was still standing with her back to her, and she could hear the sounds of the fight for survival coming up the stairs. Please, she prayed fervently, let Eric be okay. Ready to dismount, so to speak, she cleared her throat and called attention to herself using all the animosity she had ever felt for the woman before her. "Hey, Bitch!"

Eric heard Ariel's cry for attention and winced. Of all the possible things she could have said, why that? It was going to be a miracle if the woman didn't shoot her now! But he had his own problems at the moment. He dodged another strike from the man with the knife, ducking down at the last second. He was in trouble unless he could get to the stairs.

Ursula whirled around, her eyes wide with disbelief. "How vulgar." She brandished the gun, walking toward the girl as she clung to the opposite side of the railing. "Did your mother not teach you how to talk to your elders between the time she was pleasuring your father, cooking your meals, and raising seven of the most ungrateful hussies on this island?"

Ariel paused mid-prep for her jump. "Don't you ever say a fucking thing about my sisters, you trussed-up, tyrannical, slut." Her blue eyes bored into Ursula's. "I don't understand why you hate my family so damn much, or why you feel like you have to ruin our lives, but so help me, if I ever hear you bad-mouth my mother again I will…"

Ursula chuckled, aiming the gun at the girl's head. "You'll what, Dear? If the rest of that sentence is 'kill you' then I suggest you shut up and attempt it. This bullet will crash into your cranium long before you could get one foot toward me."

Panting, and covered in blood, Eric scrambled up the rest of the stairs. Marcus lay unconscious in the galley, his own knife buried to the hilt in his side. He was still reeling from the outcome of the fight. He had never believed he was capable of such violence, regardless of the reason, but he had been wrong. Thinking about keeping himself alive had fueled his actions, almost putting his mind and body on auto-pilot for the whole of the fracas. And in the end he had managed to wrestle the bigger goon's knife out of his hand and turned it on him, plunging it into his side in a place he hoped would not kill him. He got to the top of the stairs in time to hear the woman threaten to shoot Ariel.

Ariel faced the woman down, her veins hot with fury. "If you really think I'm afraid of you, guess again." Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Eric inch out of the doorway and close the space between him and Ursula, whose back was turned away from him. She quickly jerked her eyes to the right indicating that she wanted him to tackle Ursula and then go over the side with her.

Eric got the hint and took off at a mad sprint, driving his shoulder into the woman's back and knocking them both to the ground. The gun skittered across the floor and landed at the edge of the railing. He wasted no time getting to his feet and heading in the same direction.

"Get the gun!" Ariel shouted at him since she was unable to reach it herself. "Run for the boat! I'll see you there!"

Eric grabbed her wrist. "No!" He brought his eyes to hers, surprised by his own actions. "…Ariel…"

Ariel shot him a half-smile. "I'll be okay. I'm one hell of a swimmer, remember? You just get yourself to safety on that boat and I'll see you shortly."

Knowing he could not hold her much longer, he nodded and released her wrist. "Be careful." She nodded, leaned back and let go of the railing. He watched her hit the water and waited for her to resurface before rushing for the boat at the stern of the yacht. The woman lay still on the deck exactly where she had been knocked to the ground moments before. Despite his fear for his life, he knelt down to check her pulse. She was alive, just out. Satisfied that he had not killed two people, he got to the powerboat and went to work on the moorings. He needed to get to Ariel as soon as possible before she became tired out and drowned.

Freezing ocean water rolled over her bare shoulders and arms as Ariel used them to push her way through the sea. Bound in the mermaid tail, her legs were unable to share the burden by kicking so she had to re-direct all her strength to her arms. The water's temperature was biting, amplified by her nearly naked upper body. She sucked in a ragged breath and started another stroke. Over the silence of the ocean, she could hear the powerboat slicing through the water as Eric turned it around and headed her way. She kept swimming, her lungs beginning to burn as the rest of her body went numb from the cold, determined to keep moving to combat the hypothermia that was beginning to settle in.

It was several minutes before Eric got the boat to the same spot where he saw Ariel fall into the water, but he searched the area thoroughly anyway. She was definitely ahead of him, he realized with a slight grin as he surged the powerboat forward. The girl was one hell of a swimmer like she'd said. After all, she had rescued him from the ocean during a hurricane and swam with him to the opposite shore. But she had not been confined to a mermaid tail costume that time. Her long, toned legs had been able to cut through the water easily. Tonight, though, all she had to go on was her arm strength. As strong as she was, as good a swimmer as was, she would get tired in time when all her energy had been depleted and her body would just shut down. He was determined to get her into the boat before that happened.

Out in the open ocean there was no sense of time, Ariel thought as she continued to swim with the remaining surge of energy she had. It could not have been more than five or six minutes since she had begun her journey because the water was too cold to let her be alive for long. It was amazing how different the weather could become in one week. Just seven days ago she had been able to swim in this very water for hours during a hurricane and again after being kidnapped and escaping, but tonight the water was arctic chilly and sucking all her body heat away from her as she swam through it.

"Ariel!" Eric shouted to the bobbing head a good twenty yards in front of him as he gave the boat another surge. He could see from here how tired she had become in such a short period of time and it was worrisome.

Ariel stopped swimming once the familiar shout reached her ears. Eric was behind her, gunning the powerboat for all it was worth. She treaded water, waiting for him to reach her. Just behind him, the yacht's shadow loomed in the darkness of night. She had not even been aware that the moon had disappeared. Her mind had been focused on swimming.

Eric sidled the boat up as close to Ariel as he could and let it go idle while he went to help her into the craft. She was already trying to pull herself up over the edge when he turned around so he grabbed her arms, hauling her the rest of the way over. She fell against him, knocking him backward into the boat with a hard thud, his arms circling her frozen waist and pulling her down on top of him. He looked up at her, taking in her wet hair and the drops of water that were falling off her face. "You're frozen."

She nodded, making no move to roll away from him. "But alive." Her blue eyes danced with relief and merriment as she smiled warmly at him. "I don't really want to go anywhere just now. I'm perfectly content to lie here, shivering and staring into your eyes."

He shook his head, a grin playing on lips. "I'm not letting you freeze to death on my watch. But you're more than free to stare into my eyes for as long as you feel the need." With that, he sat up, bringing her with him. "It's time to lose that tail."

She cocked her head to the side, eyeing him warily. Her body was shaking involuntarily now, and her words were interrupted by her chattering teeth as she spoke. "Uh huh… and how exactly do you plan on making that happen?"

Eric leaned over her, reaching behind her head. "There's a tool box under the tarp. I'm sure there's bound to be something sharp enough to cut the stitches." He took hold of the tarp and tugged it forward. The canvas enveloped both of them, creating a little bubble of darkness around them.

Ariel looked around after the tarp had settled over their heads. "You know, I'm kind of liking this. It's dark, secluded…" She smiled to herself. For a moment, her dropping body temperature was on the backburner. "I can't even see you right now."

"Is that good or bad?" He inquired, looking toward where he knew she was. He could not see her either. It was completely blacked out under the tarp. And, actually, it did have this odd vibe. He had to admit, he liked it too.

"I'm thinking good." She stated matter-of-factly, her teeth still clicking with each word. "However, something sharp in your hands in the darkness is not a comforting thought, so first we cut me out. Then we throw the tarp back over us and see where things go. Deal?"

Was it his imagination, or had she just propositioned him in a round-about way? And while she was freezing to death? He sat there in the darkness, truly confused. "..Deal…" He snagged an edge of the tarp and lifted it over his head. Cold air and the light from the stars rushed back into the space as he laid the tarp down behind him and shifted onto his knees. The tool box was sitting there in all its silver glory. "Unlocked." He lifted the lid and looked into the first tray.

Ariel surveyed the boat while he looked for something to use to cut her out of her shiny, sequined prison. This was the second time she'd been here tonight, and she really wanted it to be the last time. She crossed her arms over her chest, hugging her own body to keep warm. All of a sudden, she was really freezing. She needed to warm up as soon as possible. "Is there a blanket or anything?"

"We can check the hidden compartment under the chairs." Eric replied, sitting back with a triumphant thump as the edges of his flip-flops knocked against the floor of the boat. "Your choices are a screwdriver, a nail, or some rusty scissors."

"Are you sure you can do this without scratching my back raw?" She glanced to the objects in his hands. "I'm not really convinced."

He put a hand over his heart in mock-dramatics. "Ouch. I think my manhood just died." He smiled. "Just lie down and relax. I'm good with my hands."

She started to say something, then went quiet. Had he just given her double-meaning? Good with his hands? That sounded pretty innuendo-ridden to her, whether he had meant it that way or not. But then, did she really care? Was it really so bad to think of him touching her like that?

"Earth to Ariel. You're still sitting." He waved a free hand in front of her face. "You with me?" She was not responding at all. "Ariel?"

"Huh?" She shook her head and blinked. "What just…"

"I think the cold is getting to you. On your stomach. Now." Eric said.

Ariel obeyed, laying down on the floor of the boat with her legs parallel to his. She crossed her arms, using her elbows to hold herself up. "Be careful not to rip my shorts open."

"Thanks for telling me." He leaned over her lower back, the nail tightly clutched in his hand. Her long red hair was trailing down her bare back, covering the top of the mermaid tail. He gently swept the tresses over to one side and came face-to-skin with her lower back. The little dip that followed her spine and disappeared into the mermaid tail held his attention for a few seconds as he realized that she was practically offering herself to him. No matter how you looked at it, he was about to undress her and she was letting him do it. He steadied his nerves and blocked all the distracting sexual thoughts from his mind. He had to be careful. Very slowly, he placed the tip of the nail down over the top of the sewn portion of the mermaid tail and pressed it against the first few threads. The threads snapped easily and he relaxed some. So far, so good. But this was going to take some time.

Arista set the last wig back on its Styrofoam head on top of the costume rack and stepped back. "I've got Ariel's wig, but her costume is gone." She turned toward her sister. "Crazed fan maybe?"

Andrina looked up in alarm, her blue sweatshirt hanging over her arm. "That's a four hundred dollar outfit."

Aquata's head snapped up from the attention she'd been giving the costume rack along with Arista. "Are you serious? That's really the first thing on your mind? The price?"

Andrina glowered back at her older sister. "We can't afford a replacement. So yes, it is. It's not like Ariel is missing still you know."

Before anyone could say anything else, Sebastian stepped into the room. "Dee bodee haz been identified. A man named Vincent Flotsam."

Aquata shrugged. "Don't know him."

Arista nodded in agreement. "Never heard the name before."

Andrina sighed. "I have." She looked down to the sweatshirt, not wanting to meet the inquisitive gaze of her sisters or Sebastian. "Remember Trevor Thompkins?"

Aquata stepped away from the costume rack. "Your boyfriend from ninth grade?"

Andrina nodded again, bringing her eyes to her sister's. "Yeah. His dad worked at that garage, remember?" The two other girls nodded before she could continue. "One of his co-workers had a serious violence problem. The man's name was Flotsam. Vincent Flotsam. He attacked their boss and got hauled off to jail on the mainland."

Sebastian tapped his fingers on the door frame. "Clearly, he haz been released deen."

"But when?" Arista walked over to the door. "I mean, why is this guy who is all around bad news lying outside in the alley on the same night we get broken into?"

Aquata bit her lip. "Yes… why, indeed?"

As she came to, the reality of Ursula's failure washed itself into her face again and again. She lifted her body up off the ground, spitting in disgust. There was no telling how long she had been unconscious, and that infuriated her. She rose to her feet very slowly and moved back across the deck, down the stairs, and below-decks. "Marcus?" A sound like that of an injured bear groaning on the floor came from the room where they had shared a meal just hours ago. She bit her lip, truly scared for the first time in her life, and walked into the little room.

Marcus lay on his side, blood pooling under him, with a knife stuck fast into his lower left side just above the waist. He opened his eyes a moment, staring straight ahead. "..Ursula.." His response was more wish than question.

Ursula went to her knees beside her fallen partner in crime. "On your feet. I'm taking you to the hospital." She studied his glassy expression and let out a silent curse. He was slipping away. "Marcus Jetsam, get up! I really do not want to drag you up those stairs."

He laughed lightly at that, bringing his cold hand to her tear-stained cheek. "I always wondering if you cared about anyone but yourself, your own ambitions…" He trained his mouth to smile. "It looks as if you are human after all, my Mistress of Murder."

Completely broken, she nodded into his hand. "I chose you because you understood me. That day at the bank, you became my Clyde. And that night, in your bed, I became your Bonnie."

Marcus tried to sit up; shifting his weight onto his elbow, as he looked up at the one woman who he had truly believed was incapable of crumbling. In the ten years they had known each other, he had never seen her cry. Never once seen her show weakness. And here she was weeping like a wife over her slain soldier husband. "Stop those ridiculous tears. My Vicious Vixen does not weep. She reacts with stark clarity and willfulness." He softened his tone, his eyes searching hers. "You have no equal in this world, Ursula Rancroft, nor in my eyes. I'm not going anywhere if you can get me to a hospital soon enough."

Ursula nodded, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. "I will get you there. And then we will finish this." Her mind was a whirl as she helped him to his feet and half-carried him up the stairs, easing him into a chair just near to the main control center and the helm. Without a word, she threw the yacht into motion and began constructing her revenge on the Waters girl, that damn boy, and the rest of the clan. She saw pain, both physical and emotional, and lots of it. They were going to pay for everything.

"Done." Eric stated as the last of the stitches broke under the sharpness of the nail in his hand. "Can you still feel your body? I've watched you shiver for ten minutes now and then nothing." He moved back and dropped the nail back into the tool box along with the rusty scissors and the screwdriver, then shut the lid. "Ariel?"

Ariel lay on her stomach on the floor of the little powerboat, her head resting on her arms. Her long hair was covering her face, making it impossible to see if her eyes were open. She made no reply or movement.

"Ariel?" Eric's tone grew higher in alarm as he shook her shoulder. He shuddered as his hand came into contact with her ice cold skin. "Hey… come on…" He flipped her onto her back, pushing the hair away from her ashen colored face. Her lips were tinted blue, her cheeks white, and her eyes tightly closed. Panic seized him, running ramped throughout his body, as he pulled the frozen, unconscious girl into his arms. "Your father is going to kill me…"

He took hold of the waistband of the mermaid tail and yanked it downward. It took him a minute to get the damn thing all the way off her legs, but he finally got her free and kicked the hateful costume away from him. "…Stay with me, Ariel…" He kissed her hair lightly, running his knuckles gently across her icy cheek. He needed to warm her up, pronto! He looked around for anything he could use, frantic to get her conscious again. There was no blanket, but he still had the tarp. He remembered how warm it had been under the heavy canvas and quickly removed his shirt, dressing Ariel's upper body in the warm cloth. He laid her down on her back and then laid over her, pulling the tarp over them both.

Rule one about body heat was the necessity to keep the unconscious person warm. He had given her his shirt and was lying on top of her trying to transfer all of his body heat, but she was still so cold! Her wet clothes had to go. "Sorry…" He whispered into the darkness as he slid his hands under the shirt. He fumbled for the back of the purple costume bra, getting it undone as fast as he could and pushing the soaked fabric away from her breasts. He tried to ignore the fact that his hands were currently planted on Ariel's chest, the feel of her unbound breasts welcome under his rough palms. He had no time to think about this. No time to feel awkward. He needed to get her wet clothes off and get her warm; propriety be damned! Given the circumstances, she would understand. At least, he prayed she would.

Once he got the rest of the mermaid costume off her body, he moved his hands down her stomach, rubbing the warmth back into her skin. From her stomach he rubbed her arms, her hips, thighs, and shoulders. "Wake up…" He pulled her to him, hugging her tightly. "You have to come to; your father is going to gut me like a dead fish as it is."

The time began to run into itself as he continued his vigil, determined to warm her up and get her to open those beautiful blue eyes even if he could not see them underneath the tarp. Finally, as his hands made another pass over her thighs, he felt her leg twitch.

Ariel had slowly been coming conscious for a few minutes now, spurred on by this strange sensation of being rubbed down all over her body. Upon waking, she realized it was anything but a dream. She could clearly feel Eric's touch snaking over her skin in a slow, erratic movement. Then it hit her, he had been rubbing her down to get her body temperature back up. Instantly, she relaxed and deiced to let him know he had succeeded. "…Eric…"

Her voice was a godsend in the pitch black surrounding them. "I'm right here. Been trying to keep you warm." He smiled in spite of the fact that they could not see each other. "…Sorry about all the touching…" He let his sentence drift to a whisper, embarrassed by his actions and worried about his hormones. Truth be told, the act of rubbing her down had begun to play havoc with his imagination and he had been fighting his own perverted fantasies about her almost nude in his arms. He might have considered it before at the lagoon, but right now he was completely certain of it. He wanted her in every way a person could be wanted. He wanted to touch her, hear her laugh, hug her when she cried, kiss her, trail his fingers over her bare skin. He wanted to see her smile, smell her scent on his sheets, accidentally mix his laundry with hers and find her intimates in the dryer alongside his boxers and t-shirts. But most of all, he wanted her to want him too.

As she got her bearings, she realized that they were back under the tarp and that Eric was lying on top of her. Had it been any other guy, she would be screaming. But not with him. No; she was perfectly content to feel his weight and warmth covering her. She smiled to herself, wrapping her arms around his neck. "Don't apologize. And don't stop."

Don't apologize. And don't stop.- Ariel's words echoed in his mind over and over as he lay there silent and unsure of his next move. His body said keep going, his heart said she wanted him to continue, but his head was telling him to stop because she did not know what she had said. Fortunately, he was saved from making a decision as the little boat slammed against something, jarring them both.

"Is there anyone in it?" An oddly familiar, but gruff voice called out into the night over their heads.

"I can't tell. I see something shiny though." Another, much calmer, voice responded.

Underneath the tarp, Eric quickly took Ariel into his arms in the most innocent looking position he could manage considering the situation. He cleared his throat and called out. "We are under the tarp! I'm trying to keep my girlfriend warm!"

Instantly, the tarp was thrown off and Brooke stood there, flash-light in hand. "Eric!" She took one look at the girl in his arms and sucked in her breath. "You guys are lucky she's even awake."

Eric nodded. "I did everything I could."

Aaron stepped over to the edge of Brooke's boat. "Aye…you stripped her down… how very chivalrous of you." He smiled at his friend. "I got tired of letting you have all the fun. I left Grimsby twiddling his thumbs and went for Brooke."

Brooke nodded, her brunette hair flying into her face as a breeze passed over them. "He broke into my house, dragged me out of bed, and demanded we take the boat out."

Eric raised an eyebrow, momentarily confused. "I thought you lived with your husband. Didn't he freak out?"

Ariel sat huddled in his arms, silently watching the little drama unfold. She would let him get his answer first, then do some demanding of her own.

Brooke blinked. She glanced from Eric to Aaron. "I cannot believe you never told him!"

Aaron looked down, a sheepish expression playing over his features. "I..uh… told him you were married and expecting…… I just never told him I was the father and husband…"

Ariel blinked. "Holy shit."

Eric stared at Aaron in dumbfounded shock. "You're married? You're a father to be?"

Brooke sighed. "I'm in college at the mainland. Aaron was working for your father and really loved his job. We struck a deal. He could continue to work till I was four months in, then he had to come home until the baby is born."

Aaron stood there in silence, shuffling his feet and watching the water. "We can debate this all later. Ariel needs some looking after."

Eric suddenly felt horrible, he had completely forgotten about Ariel shivering in his arms. The shock that his best bud was married and about to be a daddy had hit him like a punch to the gut. "Shit., Ariel… I'm sorry…"

"It's okay. I'm awake and alert." Ariel smiled at him. "And I can use my legs now."

Eric watched the questioning expressions fall over Brooke and Aaron's faces and winced. He knew exactly what they were thinking. He addressed Aaron like nothing happened. "How long till you can get us back to your house?"

Brooke helped Ariel to her feet, holding her at arms length very carefully. She guided the girl, who was very cold to the touch, over the edge of the boat and into theirs. Aaron took hold of her from there, easing the girl into a chair by the wheel. Offhandedly, he answered his friend's question with a shrug as he went to retrieve a blanket from inside the cabin.

Eric moved from one boat to the other, retrieving Ariel's costume and his flip-flops in the process. He sat down in the chair beside her. "……Ari…"

A loud pang and whizzing sound reverberated through the air interrupting everyone and as a group, they all turned their heads.

Ariel's eyes widened in disbelief as the silhouette of a yacht, manned by a petite woman, drifted forward through the haze of mist that had crept up. "Oh my God. Ursula!"

Eric recognized her just as another bullet whizzed past them all, lodging in the boat's stern. "Shit! She can hit us. We're in her range. Gun the motor! Get us out of here!"

Aaron did as told, surging the little boat forward with a jump. "Done and done!" He called over his shoulder as the wind he was creating began to tear at their clothes. "All of you down below! Now!"

Brooke pushed the door to the cabin open, propping it with her arm. "Ariel, come on!" She practically shoved the other girl down into the space, not waiting for a response.

Still up-top, Eric turned to Aaron. "I'm staying here."

Back on the yacht, Ursula stood at the wheel, one hand on the metal. "The blood loss has affected your aim, I believe." She stated to the newly energized Marcus. "Maybe I should take over the shooting and you can man the wheel."

Marcus shook his head as he hunched his shoulders and trained his eye to look at the target prepping for another shot. "You're lucky I'm still around for you to boss. For once, my Darling Deviless, let me do something without your comments."

"Oh, very well. I suppose it does not matter how many shots need to be fired so long as you hit them eventually." She chuckled lightly to herself. "I really thought you were going to die tonight."

He paused. She was showing weakness again. "I got exceptionally lucky. Any higher and that damn kid would have been a party to man-slaughter." He set up his next shot again, trying to concentrate.

……….INTERMISSON …..

A/N- Okay, everybody breathe. I know this is a way long chapter, but you're nearing the end. Congrats on having the gumption to read the whole thing this far. I tried to make the ending as good as I could. I hope you all like it.-Jas

………END OF INTERMISSON…..

Back on the smaller boat, Aaron was running the engine at full speed. He could see the shoreline not too far in the distance. "We might actually make it!"

Eric nodded from where he sat, clutching the edge of the boat for dear life. "Hey, are there any shoals around the island? Or a rock bed?"

Aaron thought for a second. "Hmm… yeah there are! Do you want me to head that way?"

Eric called back to him over the roar of the winds. "If we can run them aground, then we may be able to keep them in one place for the police!"

"Ah! Understood!" Aaron swung the boat around a little too quickly. "Sorry!"

Eric cursed from the floor, righting himself and getting back to his feet. "Warn me next time! I don't want to be thrown out into the ocean while a madwoman is chasing me down!"

Inside the little cabin, Brooke and Ariel sat on the tiny bunk. Max was at their feet, snoring peacefully despite all the chaos.

Ariel ruffled the dog's fur as she spoke. "What do you mean?" She sat back against the wall, the over-sized gray sweatshirt Brooke had loaned her swallowing her waist and part of her thighs as she did so. She felt much warmer now all wrapped in fleece and snug under a pretty green afghan.

Brooke smiled, sitting back as well. She played with the ends of her loose hair before responding. "It's all over your face, honey. You are head-over-heels, all-in, all-or-nothing, and completely smitten."

"So what if I am?" Ariel shrugged. "He's just a boy."

"Oh, no, dear. To you, he is much more than just a boy. Trust me on that one." Brooke glanced down to her wedding ring. "Eric is to you what Aaron is to me. Face it. Sometime in the not so distant future, you two are going to get married because the time will come when you both want to stop looking around for the wrong people when you know deep down that you've already got the right one beside you day-after-day."

Ariel studied the floor before saying anything. "I won't deny that I have thought about a future with Eric, but marriage? I'm only sixteen and this is not the olden times."

Just then, the boy in question flung open the cabin door. "Girls! Let's go!"

At the sound of his master's voice, Max jumped to his feet and raced up the stairs with an eager bark. Brooke and Ariel quickly followed suit.

Eric affectionately ruffled the dog's fur. "Max! Where'd you come from, Boy?"

Brooke motioned toward Aaron, who was busy guiding the boat. "He came with him."

Behind them all, the Deceptive Nature was coming up fast. Ursula could see all their distinct shapes now. There was the boy, the Waters girl, and two others with a dog. This was becoming far more complicated. She had not planned to kill anyone else, but it looked like her plans were changing yet again. She sighed, tapping her fingernails on the wheel. "Marcus Dear?"

"Yes?" Marcus came up from below deck. "How can I help my favorite walking felony?"

She cracked a smile. "Check to see if that spear gun is still down there somewhere. It's time to reel in my fish."

With a nod, he descended the stairs, returning moments later with the sleek black instrument in his arms. "Found it." He walked over to her like a child giddy with excitement over a brand new toy. "Do I get to shoot it?"

"Yes. As long as you manage to hit the boat." She tipped the wheel a little to the right. "Try not to damage it though. I truly loathe ruining pricey tangibles just to have access to my prey."

Marcus smiled as he went over to the railing. "I feel the same way when I have to run people off the road in those beautiful sports cars." He set the spear gun on his arm, readied his shot, and took a deep, soothing breath as he released the trigger.

"Mother Fucker!" Aaron exclaimed as a reel-on-line spear slammed into the gunwale just as he and Brooke jumped into the water. He called back to the remainder of the group. "Guys, come on! This broad means business!"

That was rather obvious, Ariel thought as she straddled the boat's undamaged side. "Eric!"

Eric carried a terrified Max in his arms, the weight of both human and animal together being too much for the little boat to take. It began to pitch dangerously sideways on the already shallow water. "Ariel, jump."

With a nod, Ariel did just that, landing with a distorted splash into the less-icy water. She jerked around, looking back to see Ursula's progress. The yacht was closing-in on the boat like a train barreling down a track with one of those damsel-in-distress floozies tied to the cross-bars. They had little to no time left and almost no weapons.

Exasperated, Eric flung Max into the water and then jumped in after. He treaded water about five seconds, then began to swim, grabbing the dog's collar on the way.

Brooke crawled onto the cool sand, her arms tired and her breathing erratic. She could not recall the last time she had swum so fast, and her body was rebelling at the action. She dropped down on her side, coughing up sea water and cursing the bitch who was responsible for the damage to her boat.

Beside her on the sand, Aaron lay on his back breathing heavy. He felt like a marathon runner, his heart was racing so fast. "..Are.." He gulped down air. "you…okay?" He looked over to his pregnant wife, his worry for her safety etched clearly on his wet face. He searched her eyes.

"I'm fine. Baby feels normal." Brooke patted her stomach to reassure both him and herself, then slowly got to her feet and offered him her hand. "Sun-time is over. We have a witch to burn."

Ariel staggered up the shore, her arms tired, head pounding, and legs about numb. Her body was just give out after all that swimming earlier and she had literally pushed the line with those last few strokes to get away from the boat. She collapsed onto the sand with a ragged cough and looked up in alarm. The beach was bare. "This isn't Siren Island…"

"What?" Eric interjected as he and Max waded out of the surf. He let the dog go and watched as it shook its coat dry, spraying the rest of them. "Then where are we?"

Brooke sighed lifting her tired gaze onto her husband. "He took a wrong turn. We're on the unnamed one instead."

Aaron gulped, stepping backward in the sand. "I…I…I was a little distracted by the Sheila from Hell there."

Eric started to raise his hand to strike his older friend, then stopped. He saw something flash out of the corner of his eye and turned back toward the ocean. "Fuck!"

Back on the now-steady boat, Ursula, dressed in the previous day's clothes, was unhooking herself from a hand-harness and waiting for Marcus to finish his run down the line to join her. She checked her manicure idly waiting, not remotely worried about the time. She had them cornered and she was going to take advantage of it. "Do hurry up, Jetsam Darling. Mommy is anxious to spill some blood."

Marcus laughed as his feet hit the floorboard of the other boat. "Yes ma'am." He unhooked himself and then jumped over the side. "I want the boy."

She smiled, slipping into the water beside him. "I have no problem agreeing to that."

On the shore, Ariel stood frozen as the two made their way through the water. How could this be? All the running, all the fighting, only to be done in now? Her blue eyes flashed black with fury as she narrowed her gaze. This woman would not win!

"Oh my god…" Brooke offered in shock, watching Ariel plummet into the ocean and start swimming like a bat out of Hell. "She just…..she just…"

Eric stared after Ariel in horror. What the hell was she thinking? He glanced back to Aaron and Brooke. Of course, she was trying to protect his friends. But this was by far the dumbest way to do it! Furious, he ran into the water after her.

A hundred feet from shore, Ariel treaded water just shy of the boarding platform off the back of the yacht. She hefted herself over the edge, dropping down to the floor with a magnified thud, and then climbed the ladder to get on deck. She raced through the vessel, running toward the galley. Once there, she turned on the gas stove and grabbed a book of matches from the counter drawer.

While Marcus scuffled in the water with the boy, Ursula swam back to her yacht, grabbing the ladder with a surge of strength. "I do not believe this. One little girl. One ultra easy assignment, and still she lives." She growled under her breath, walking through the vessel. "Here, fishey, fishey…"

Ariel leaned against the railing, her eyes on the stairs that led down to the boarding platform. The book of matches felt like dead weight in her hand. She knew the boat would blow up, and she knew she could jump over the railing and submerge herself before it did. But could Ursula survive? As much as she hated the woman, her nature to be caring was winning out and she was genuinely worried about striking that match.

She looked back up in time to see Ursula's white-blond hair come into view. Another minute and there she was. "I thought you would be here sooner."

Ursula stood proud, her eyes on the young girl in the over-sized sweatshirt, which was dragging down her bearings it was so soaked with water. "I did not expect you to return to the yacht. An obvious oversight."

"So it would seem." Ariel said. The book of matches in her hand was starting to feel lighter by the minute.

"I knew your parents before you were born. Did you know that?" Ursula took a step forward. "Your father out-bid me for a nice piece of property on the strip. I got a little angry." She took another step. "It was really easy to break the king, though."

Ariel stiffened. Was this woman saying what she thought she was saying? Had Ursula been responsible for her mother's death somehow?

Ursula smiled, taking several steps closer to the girl. "A king is nothing without his queen. But the queen, she can survive without her king if she must."

"Did you have something to do with my mother's death?" Ariel couldn't hold out any longer. She struck a match. "Did you!"

Ursual laughed, a dark, psychotic chortle, and ran her hand over her hair. Her eyes flashed bright with mirth. "You know that answer without me confirming it."

Ariel stared into the woman's rage-filled gaze, matching it heat for heat. That did it! Ursula was not human! "Then you can go to Hell, you heartless whore!" Ariel flung the lit match into the open doorway leading down into the pit of the yacht, took a running leap, and swan-dived over the railing as fast as her feet could carry her.

The explosion rocked the night, causing massive waves and pieces of fiberglass, timber, and metal to come hailing from the sky far beyond the scene of the accident itself. Yards away and safely on the shore, Eric, Aaron, Brooke and their now captive prisoner, Marcus Jetsam, watched the fire burn like a beacon on the water.

"Did your girlfriend really just blow up a yacht?" Aaron asked Eric, his gaze never leaving the man on the ground.

Eric just smiled.

Hours later, Ariel sat on the sand behind Eric's beach house as the sun slowly set overhead. Her freshly washed, red hair danced in the breeze and her brilliant blue eyes searched the horizon. Her father and sisters had left a half hour ago, and Aaron, Brooke and Grimsby had relocated to Brooke…er, Aaron and Brooke's residence. Eric was dozing peacefully on his bed inside the house, Max keeping guard with a watchful eye just outside the door. She could not be more relieved than she felt right now, and still she could not smile.

To think, after all that time, Ursula had been the mastermind behind her mother's demise. How could someone be so cruel, so twisted? According to the police, Ursula had been trying to sabotage her father for years, even keeping tabs on the whole family, just waiting for her chance.

"You look deep in thought.." Eric supplied as he sat down on the sand beside Ariel. "You doing okay?"

Ariel brought her gaze to his, the wind picking that time to play tug-o-war with her hair. She started to tuck it behind her ear, but Eric's hand on her cheek stopped her.

Eric cupped Ariel's cheek in his hand, staring into her eyes. "It was you the whole time, wasn't it?" He smiled, kissing her softly, his lips lingering on hers.

"Meaning what?" Ariel asked in a whisper.

Eric trailed his hand down her arm, to rest on over hers on the sand. "Meaning, you are my little mermaid and I'm your sailor."

Ariel nudged him with her shoulder, a smile breaking onto her lips. "I'm okay with that." She shifted onto his lap, her legs crossways over his. "Shall I sing for you, Sailor?"

Eric grinned, nodding his head as his arms came around her waist. "In time, yes. But right now I just want you in my arms."

Ariel chuckled. "I want that too." She fell against him, hugging him tightly as she buried her head into his shoulder. His scent was strong and she breathed it in deep, wanting nothing more than to be enveloped in it for eternity.

Feeling happier than he had been able to feel in years, Eric whispered into her ear. "We rescued each other, huh?" And then lost himself in the hug wanting nothing else but to have her just where she was-in his arms.

……..

A/N- Well, that's it. Thanks for sticking with my story for so long and I hope you continue to read my work in the future. I had a great time writing this one and really loved all your comments and critiques throughout its run. Though, a few more wouldn't have hurt. Just saying. Now, as to the subject of which story I'm going to do next; I've decided to attempt making Disney's Sleep Beauty go modern. I'm not sure exactly when chapter one will be up, but start looking for it around the end of the month. The title is still up in the air too, but you all know that the rest of it will say : Disney's Sleeping Beauty, Gone Modern, so it shouldn't be too difficult to find in a search. Or just go to my author page and it'll be there too. Please make sure to write a review for the chapter and one final one for the story itself if you have been a fan from the start. I want to know what you all think, what worked, what didn't work, your favorite character(s), favorite scenes. Dig down deep and really tell me how the story made you feel. I always take all my readers' opinions into consideration before beginning a new story, so be as brutal as you think you need to be. Until we meet again, if ever…-Jas