A/N: two chapters in one day should speed things up ;) I hope you like it.
Disclaimer: I do not own any recognizable parts of twilight, only original characters ond plot.
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Taking Edwards hand we dived beneath the surface together. The landscapes underneath the waves were very different than it was back home, but the calm weather and stray rays of sunshine showed off the beauty.
Green plants lined the bottom and sides of the cliffs in clusters along with stones in almost every color, shape and size. Giving Edward a big smile, I led him to a large rock at the bottom and motioned for him to sit down. I could sense the fish hiding and I wanted to give Edward a better show than I had been able to with the aquarium.
I started with a couple of laps to get a better feel of the marine life currently in hiding. Still feeling a buzz from being in the ocean again, I threw in some twirls to show off a bit. Concentrating my hearing, I sensed nothing even remotely close to humans in the water. I would've been surprised if I had, considering the waters temperature was just over freezing.
Satisfied that no one would hear me, I started to sing softly. I had barely finished half of the song before a small school of fish had joined me in my dance. They were less colorful than the ones at home, but they were beautiful to me none the less. Focusing on making them feel safe I swam in smaller and smaller circles closer to Edward. When I reached him, I let the fish swim around him. His smile was glorious. Pushing off from the rock he swam with me and the fishes for a short while longer before I let them go from my influence. After that we just swam a relaxed trip around the bay before rising to the surface again. Before returning, we found a secluded nook in the corner of the cliffs bathed in sunlight. Edward raised himself up to sit on the edge of the rock, while I chose to only rest my arms and head on it so I could float with my tail in the water relaxing completely.
"That was amazing" Edward exclaimed looking almost awestruck.
"I'm glad you enjoyed it."
Laughing carefree he responded, "It was more than that. I think it's the closest to I've been to animals that haven't become my dinner. Not that fish would ever become dinner anyway"
His carefree spirits were very infectious and we spent the next forty-five minutes just joking around and relaxing, soaking up the rare sunshine in our little corner of the world. Eventually when the sun disappeared back behind the clouds we decided to return to the boat.
By the time we got back the entire family was packing up.
Looking up Emmett started whistling and yelling "Look what the lovebirds dragged in" at us which was promptly answered by a slap to the back of his head.
"I didn't realize we were gone that long" I said.
"It's quite all right dear" Esme answered.
Edward almost jumped into the boat again pulling himself up by the railing. Turning around he reached out for my hand, but I just shook my head.
"Please don't ask me to go back onto the boat. It feels so unnatural to be dry but still surrounded by the ocean"
I almost broke my heart to see Edwards face fall in response to my statement. Hearing what I said Carlisle came over to him.
"Ana, I'm afraid you have to come back with us at least once. I have to check your wound again and I suspect remove the stitches and I don't have the supplies to do it here".
"I wasn't planning on leaving Carlisle." Edward seemed to relax somewhat at that. "I just want to swim back instead."
"Ana, that's dangerous, think of the wolves!" Edward exclaimed looking horrified.
"We agreed I would try to swim up the river running by the boarder to your house when I felt stronger, and I really do feel stronger."
"But…"
"Edward please, you saw how it was for me to be on the boat. You had to hold me back yourself."
"I know, but it's not safe. We haven't even had a chance to speak to the wolf pack yet to set up an agreement for you"
"Edward" Jasper cut in. "If she swims slowly, we can manage back in time to man our side of the river. It will be okay"
"I promise" Alice piped up in the background.
"Thank you Alice" I yelled to her grinning at the thought of the swim I had ahead of me.
"Alice, I know you can't see the outcome so don't pretend to" Edward snapped at her looking very annoyed. When he looked back at my falling facial expression though he conceded "Fine, but Ana please promise me you'll be careful and take it slow"
"I promise".
Half an hour later I was waving them off. Trying to keep my end of the deal I took my time swimming, giving the family plenty of time to make it back before me. The weather was calm today so I swam along the bottom for most of the way to stay hidden from any boats and to scope out the plant life in these waters. I hoped to see any of the medical plants from home, but that hope was diminished the further I got. Instead, to distract myself I just focused on the joy of a long swim, postponing the search to another day.
I started to recognize the area and began to ascend from the depth of the ocean. My head broke the surface a good distance away from the shore. I could see the cliff side where I was injured and half a mile to the left, the mouth of the river that was my destination. The sunset played off the waves and the cliff making the whole scene beautifully breathtaking and far more peaceful than the first time I saw it.
Just as I was about to dive again my attention was caught by some loud yells and laughing in the distance coming from the top of the cliff. I knew I shouldn't, but I was feeling bold and so I decided to get closer and get a better look.
Swimming gently just below the surface I hid behind a rock to get a better view. There at the top of the highest cliff a bunch of very large men were laughing and pushing at each other. At first I smiled at the look of their carefree happiness. The smile vanished quickly though when I recognized the largest of the young men in the group as the leader of the wolves.
Turning my back I was about to leave when I heard a loud splash behind me in the direction of the rocks that had injured me previously.
I peeked out from behind my rock to see what had happened. I couldn't see anyone on the surface but I could hear the laughter increase from the rest of the boys at the top of the cliff.
Seconds passed and still no head emerged in the water.
Some of the laughter died down and a couple of voices were calling out for a name I couldn't quite distinguish.
Despite my history with the wolves, I started to worry about the young man who had falling from the cliff. Slipping under the surface once again it didn't take me long to spot him. He was trapped at the bottom by the currents, unconscious and with blood flowing from his left temple.
He looked so young flowing in the water like that. I hadn't ever been close enough to shore to see a human drown before, but seeing that boy vulnerable like that made up my decision, I just couldn't let him die.
Flipping my tail harder than I had in a long while, I raced towards him. Manipulating the water around him I tried to pull him towards me to get to him sooner but he was too big and the currents were too strong.
Finally I reached him. I grasped him and with all of my strength, I tried to break out of the current that had trapped him. Hearing splashes at the surface around me I guessed the rest of the wolves had come to look for their friend. Panic started to play at the edges of my mind. I wasn't technically supposed to be here, but I couldn't get myself to leave the young man I was trying to help.
Praying that their eyesight wasn't very good under water I pulled at him and finally broke through the current. Avoiding the bodies in the water I swam him to the surface near the beach. He was heavy and slowed me down but I managed to keep his head somewhat above water. My worry increased when he didn't appear to be breathing.
Clumsily I dragged him onto the sand the best my tail would allow me. Voices out in the water told me that his friends had discovered that he was missing. I tried my best to ignore that and instead focused on the fact that the young man still wasn't breathing.
Focusing my magic, I sensed water blocking his lungs. Getting it all out was a complicated piece of water manipulation, but I knew I had to try. Focusing I moved my hand above his chest where I could sense the water.
"Hey you! What are you doing to him?" Someone yelled from the background, sounding angry.
They had found me and there was no escape. The sand was too wet for me to gain my legs, not that I knew how to run anyway, and the water was packed with the remaining wolves. My only hope was to keep helping him and hope that his pack mates saw my attempt to help for what it was and would spare me.
Trying hard to keep my focus, I moved my hand above his chest. I couldn't rush this no matter how much I wanted to. Water started to rise from his lips, it wouldn't be long now.
Behind me, I could hear the wolves getting closer.
My heart beat frantically, I was running out of time.
Finally I could feel the last drop of water leave his throat and join the rest of it in a bubble I had formed hovering a feet over his head. Almost immediately, his body responded and I heard him take a small breath. He would be okay.
I had barely finished that thought when a warm hand grasped my arm roughly and jerked me back, making me lose my concentration causing the water to splash back down in the young man's face.
Frightened I looked up into the face of the wolf holding me. It was Sam, the leader, and he looked murderous.
"I thought I told you to stay away!" he yelled dragging me across the sand further up the beach. Small stones and seashells getting caught in my scales made me whimper in pain when he dragged me behind him. A particularly sharp stone ripped some of the stiches from the healed wound making me cry out in pain.
Finally, five yards from the water's edge he let go of me. Panicked I tried to back away a bit only to find out that there was a boulder behind me and that he had blocked me in.
"What did you do to him?!" another of the wolves yelled at me, stalking up to where Sam had trapped me.
"I didn't hurt him, I swear…" I stammered
"LIAR!" the wolf yelled at me as he began to shake.
"Calm down, Paul" Sam said to his pack mate, restraining him with one hand "We got her trapped, she can't do anything".
Facing back to me Sam spoke again "Embry knew how to swim, so tell me; what did you do to him?!"
I sent a prayer to thank Poseidon for all of the water in the sand, drawing it to me to form a shield when I had enough. Until then I had to stall them.
"He had hit his head and was trapped at the bottom by the currents… I only wanted to help."
"Say I believe you, why would you help us?"
"Because he looked so young floating in the water… I didn't want him to die"
"Don't listen to her Sam!" Paul sneered. His shaking increased but as he reached out for me, I managed to form a shield from the water I had gathered. His hand bounced off it making him howl in rage and start to pound repeatedly on the shield with his fists.
Covering my head with my hands, I curled up as small as I could and put all of the concentration my terrified mind could muster into the shield.
"Stop it Paul!" a new voice yelled and suddenly the pounding stopped.
"Mind your own business Black! She's an enemy!"
Peeking out I saw Paul and another young man circle each other.
"No she's not. I saw it with my own eyes; she saved him!"
Finally interfering Sam stepped in between them.
"Is that true Jacob?" Sam demanded.
"Yeah, go see for yourself! Embry's got a nasty cut on his head, but he's alive and he's waking up!"
Perking up at those words, I looked over to the previously limp form on the beach. He was on his side and coughing. One of his friends was holding him and trying to get him to sit up. Yes, he was most definitely alive.
Seeing that Embry were waking up, Sam dragged a protesting Paul with him to check on him, leaving me alone with Jacob.
"Hey, it's okay. I won't let them hurt you, I owe you one. The guy you pulled out of the ocean is one of my best friends." Jacob said smiling.
I just nodded, but didn't respond otherwise keeping my eyes on Sam and the other wolves.
Sam returned by himself shortly after confirming that his pack mate would be all right.
"It seems I owe you an apology, if you wish you will be welcome in the waters of la push…" Sam said looking somewhat apologetic before he walked away and disappeared into the forest. Speechless I just stared after him.
With eyes big as they would go I just looked from Jacob to the forest where Sam disappeared. Confused and not quite trusting the quick change in the situation I held on to my shield. Sam
"Thank you" a raspy voice shocked me out of my stupor "It would have sucked to die just 'cause these idiots decided to test my fear of heights".
Embry was being held up by Paul and another guy I still didn't know the name of. He looked tired and he still had some blood on the side of his face, but he was awake and smiling.
"You're welcome…" I whispered.
After they left Jacob remained as the only one. He took a seat next to me on the outer edge of the shield, leaning back against the boulder.
"When you're ready to let down that shield, I'll help you back into the water"
Closing his eyes, he leaned back his head and let me take my time.
About a minute later, I started to feel the tingle of my feet appearing. I really didn't want the wolves to be privy to that information yet so instead I finally let down my shield and spread the water from it over my tail as discretely as I could.
I carefully stretched my tail a little bit from my cramped position, careful of the rough sand. Jacob looked up at the movement and smiled at me.
"Ready to get back in?" he asked.
I nodded and gave him a small smile. He moved slowly, carefully lifting me up.
"I never really agreed with the way Sam treated you that day in the forest."
"You were one of the wolves?" I asked him
"No, but we share a pack mind when we're in wolf form so I've seen their memories"
The water reached his waist when he let me go and let me drift away a bit before saying goodbye.
"Thank you for standing up for me"
"Sure sure, I think it's kinda cool to have met a mermaid in real life. Will we see you again?" he asked me.
"Maybe…" I answered him, not quite decided yet.
I heard a howl in the distance.
"And that's my cue to leave. Take care." Jacob said giving me a wave and a smile before leaving, exploding into a giant wolf when he reached the forest edge.
Exhausted I slipped beneath the waves ready to get back to Edward and the safe confines of my tub.
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