Disclaimer: H20: Just Add Water is the property of Jonathan M. Schiff Productions.

CHAPTER 10: ABANDONED

As the girls rode out on Lewis's boat, the stars shimmered brilliantly and reflected in the dark water. Cleo shivered, wondering how she would explain to her dad that she had not come home. In her haste to leave Emma's house, she had left behind her mobile phone and would not be able to call him to tell him she was safe.

Rikki, meanwhile, was no longer sulking, nor was she putting on her usual front of "I don't care" attitude. Instead, she was sitting as still as stone, staring out at the horizon, her eyes wide with fear for Zane. She wondered if she would ever see him again. Something about that comment she had read had made her very anxious, and the fact that both Zane, Lewis, and by all accounts, Ash, had inexplicably jumped into the water and swam away only confirmed her fears.

Emma was busy steering the boat, although she did so distractedly. It had been a long time since the girls had been able to just sit in a boat and feel the breeze and drops of water on their faces. However, they were not enjoying it in the least.

Suddenly, Emma saw something in the water, a glint perhaps, illuminated by the moon.

"Ash!" Emma called out, suddenly abandoning her steering and jumping out of the boat, swimming after the figure she had just seen glide past underwater.

"Emma, come back!" Cleo called out. Rikki, however, was just about to jump into the water, as well.

"Rikki, no!" Cleo held her back. "It's dark, and it's deep here," she tried to reason.

Rikki's eyes were almost blank, and she didn't seem to accept any of Cleo's words.

"I have to get to Zane," she rationalized, fumbling to take her shoes off.

"Emma can swim better than we can, you know that," Cleo moaned, still trying to keep Rikki from following Emma into the water.

"I'm a mermaid," Rikki snapped, shaking loose Cleo's hand and diving into the water to follow Emma, or, more specifically, Zane.

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When Emma had first jumped in, she had managed to grab an arm, though it had been Lewis, and not Ash. However, he had twisted out of her grip and swum off as quickly as possible, not giving Emma any chance to catch up. She swam back to the surface and gulped down some air, desperate for breath. As she treaded water and started to orient herself to swim back in the direction of the boat, she heard Cleo's voice calling out her own and Rikki's names. Each time she cried out, the hysteria in her voice rose, until the names had blended together and all Emma could hear was Cleo crying.

"Cleo, Cleo, calm down. What's the matter?" Emma soothed, after she had climbed into the boat. Cleo could not stop crying.

"Rikki jumped into the water! I told her not to, b-b-but she wouldn't l-listen!" Cleo said between sobs.

Emma looked all around. The dark water showed no sign of Rikki, and she certainly couldn't jump into the water, blind, without any idea where Rikki might be.

"Did you see where she swam?" Emma said, trying to keep her voice calm for Cleo's sake, although fighting down a terrible fist of fear that had gripped her stomach. This wasn't a game, and it wasn't magical anymore. Rikki was underwater and they had no way to help her get back to the boat.

Cleo continued to sob, then said to Emma, "He didn't help her."

"What do you mean?" Emma said, confused.

Cleo looked out at the water, tears still streaming down her cheeks.

"Zane," she explained, describing what she had witnessed. "Rikki jumped into the water to go after him, but he was too fast for her. She got tired really quickly and was g-going under—"

Cleo's words were interrupted by another sob, as Emma patted her back gently. So much time had already past, and Rikki was nowhere to be found…

Cleo inhaled deeply and continued.

"She called out Zane's name, and he turned around for a second, but then he just swam away," Cleo finished, rushing over the last part, not mentioning that awful look she had seen in Rikki's eyes, illuminated by the moon and stars, when Zane had ignored her plea for help. Rikki had been too far away from the boat for Cleo to help her, and she had only been able to watch helplessly as she sank further and further beneath the dark waves.

The two friends looked out from the boat, which had been drifting with the tide. There was nothing that could be done now, and they hugged each other, as much for comfort as for warmth. Cleo continued to cry and Emma could only look out at the unforgiving water with disbelief.

There had been frightening moments in their time as mermaids, it was true. But never had their lives truly been threatened. Now, it seemed, the ocean was almost taking revenge on them for something. The boys were gone, probably for good, and as for Rikki…

Emma peered over the edge of the boat, into the water again, hoping to catch a glimpse of her blonde hair or her red shirt. The dark water would not disclose its secrets to her.

Author's Note: This is a short chapter, I know, but I had to put it up. I'll have a new one soon enough, I hope. As always, if you have the time, please leave a review.

-Tess