So this one took forever to get up, but I hope it doesn't disappoint. Unfortunately, chapters are going to be far in between for a while due to school. Have some patience and give me lots of reviews and I promise they will keep coming. Anywho, enjoy the chapter!
I still don't own H2O, but I also no longer own a fish so it all worked out. :)
It wasn't a pleasant feeling when Lewis finally woke up. He felt achy and sore and as if he had been lying on the beach for too long. When he opened his eyes it wasn't hard to figure out why. He had to blink rapidly for his vision to clear. Dr. Denman stood over him, a pensive and determined look on her tired face.
She didn't say anything to him, but rather just stared. Lewis tried to sit up to get out of her line of eyesight, but he found himself unable to move. He sighed, getting really tired of constantly waking up strapped to the same metal table.
"Can't you just once tie me up somewhere else?" He tried to bring some humor to his situation, but Denman's expression didn't change.
Lewis at least tried to stretch his limbs, hoping to get some of the aching stiffness out of them. First he rolled his shoulders, and then quickly stopped. Something else on his back moved; something that was stinging from being awkwardly pressed to the metal slab. That was all the realization he needed to have his recent ordeal jump back into his mind. He gasped and then flailed against the binds holding him. It couldn't have been real. In panic he glanced down at where he knew his legs would be; where they should be.
Reality didn't plan on being that kind to him. From the waist down was his blue and white tail, hanging off the end of the table. His scales were dim and flaky, as was his skin. He let his vision wander to his hands that seemed to almost have atrophied because of the webbing shrinking from lack of moisture. Then there were his gills. A strange, homemade looking device was wrapped around his chest. Water from a bowl-like container glided over his gills and then bubbles were exhaled back into the contraption. When he gasped the bubbles would increase, as would his heart rate. Was that really how he was breathing? He tried to inhale a huge lungful of air, but his gills flared dramatically instead. He let his head drop back to the table with a thud. This was just too much.
Linda Denman wasn't in any sort of mood to ease the panic session she was seeing before her. She was too busy wondering what she was supposed to do with him. She had told her boss about the recent developments and he was eager to have Lewis finally turned over to his care. Transport was ready and her team was standing by to move him.
But she felt she was missing something, some little detail about all this. Actually, she knew she was missing a lot of details. How did Lewis get like this? He had repeatedly told her that he didn't know; that it just happened. She wondered why he suddenly started changing so rapidly and what had caused that. Lewis had claimed to not know that either. Denman knew he was lying. Lewis just didn't have a very good poker face.
Even though she knew he wasn't being truthful, she had no solid or evident way to find out anything. The only way she knew how she would be able to know was to get Lewis to somehow tell her. As she watched him she ran scenarios through her head on how she could trick him into giving it to her. She watched him flail and his gills work in overdrive. Now that he couldn't breathe out of water, things were going to be a whole lot more complicated.
Lewis watched his unmoving chest as he panicked. It was disconcerting to know that he was breathing water and not air. It was disconcerting to know that he had a giant fin protruding out of his back. And it was disconcerting to look down and feel every inch of his tail twitch as it dried out. He tried to remember his legs being there, but he struggled in his panic to bring up the memory. It really hadn't been that long since he had been human had it? He counted the time backwards in his head, trying to get as close as he could, but knowing he was off.
A month and a half, he guessed. He had been completely human a month and a half ago. How quickly his life had changed. His thoughts turned to Cleo and his friends. What were they going through right now? Were they all like him, completely stuck to the water? His heart ached for Cleo and to know what she was going through. He just wanted to get to her, to see if she was okay.
Lewis took another deep, watery breath and stared at Denman, who still had that same look on her face. It was like she was worried for him, but Lewis knew that had to be wrong. Denman wasn't worried about him in the slightest. To her he would always just be an experiment. If only he had never been so curious those few years ago when she'd first showed up. Cleo had been right about her then. She was always right.
Finally Dr. Denman backed up and tapped a few buttons on the tablet in her hand.
"Today's your lucky day, Lewis." She walked to the door and hit an intercom button. "Prepare the transport." She paused. "Deng and Dr. Brant to the loading dock please." A raspy affirmative echoed back to her.
"Loading dock?" His voice was hoarse, and Lewis could feel his panic start to rise again.
Denman didn't respond. Putting her tablet down, she grabbed a syringe from the counter and stepped over to him again. Lewis squirmed and writhed, knowing he was completely helpless to get away. The needle went into his forearm effortlessly and his panic helped pump the liquid through his veins faster. Just before he went under, he thought he saw a sly smile cover the scientist's face.
-h-2-o-
Sophie sat across from Zane on the picnic blanket. She was relaxed, nibbling at her piece of watermelon. He was rigid and staring out at the water. The ocean only made Zane antsy, like he no longer felt at ease around it. His suspicions for his uneasiness, he was sure, had to do with his lessoning transformations. Every day the effects of the water were getting less and less powerful. This morning when he had tested it he hadn't grown a tail for nearly half an hour. When his legs had been changing, it was slow and uncomfortable. It didn't feel right and his tail was small and pail when he did have the audacity to let it form.
And those days seemed to be fading quickly. It had been two months since he'd changed and he felt like there was an end coming to this nightmare.
"Hey, you look a million miles away." Sophie threw a grape at his face.
Zane smiled at her with a smirk. "Just thinking about all the crap that I'm not going to have to put up with anymore."
Sophie smiled and scooted closer to him so they were side by side. "Once you're completely normal, we can start working on my brother."
Zane nodded, but inwardly he wasn't so sure. Despite all his efforts, Zane hadn't been able to get up the nerve to talk to the gang. His gut told him something big had happened on the full moon. He was almost positive that none of them were experiencing what he was. Someone would have said something to him if that were the case.
Rather, Zane suspected they were even more entrenched within the mermaid business. He'd thought about what Ms. Chatam had told them – about the ocean claiming them. He had very specifically run away from all of it that night and now he was going through the consequence. What he wondered was how much the others had embraced that silly legend.
Sophie had seen them swim off. Their only destination could have been the moon pool, and Zane could only guess at the crazy stuff that went on there on a full moon. Zane figured from the way Bella and Will had been acting up to that night, they were the most likely out of all of them to go along with the crazy Ms. Chatam. He needed to confirm it for sure, but something told him that Sophie wasn't getting brother back. At least not as a human.
-h-2-o-
Will sat on his bed, his head resting against the head board and Bella tucked in at his side. Her knees were curled up and she was trying to write a new song for the band. He rubbed a hand through her long blonde hair aimlessly, simply letting his mind wander. He thought about the moon pool and how much he missed it. He thought about his sister and how strange she had been acting lately.
And he thought about Bella. She was putting up a brave front to her friends, but he knew that she was starting to get depressed and sick. Dark bags had developed under her eyes, as well as her cheeks. Her skin was flaky to the touch and her hair brittle and dray. While his own skin was beginning to dry out, he knew she had it worse. She was a mermaid through and through, and now she was land locked.
Will's heart ached for her. Part of him knew she wasn't going to be able to stay out of the ocean for much longer. Daily baths simply weren't enough. One of these days she was going to cave and go swimming, and he would follow. Not only that, but he blamed himself for what had happened. When he became a merman it was the most amazing thing. He'd finally felt like he'd found a place where he belonged. Now there were consequences for his choice, consequences like Bella giving up everything for him. In return, what could he give her? In the future they'd seen they lived in the ocean. He wouldn't have a job or a way to provide for her.
Looking down, Will glanced at the ring hanging from the delicate chain around her neck. He still wanted to marry her, but in all honesty, what kind of husband could he really be? Not for the first time he wondered why Bella still stuck by his side. Then a conversation he'd recently had with her came to mind. He had asked Bella, right after it had sunk in what was happening to them, why she wanted him. Her response had been sweet and simple: because he accepted her completely.
That was what Bella loved the most; that he had never tried to change her. And that was why Will loved her in turn. She had let him into her life. When he'd stumbled upon her secret, she was open with him. When he became a part of it, she never left his side. While she didn't try to change him, she also encouraged him to be his best and to be the person he could be.
Will shook his head. Maybe he didn't know how to be a husband at this moment, but he knew Bella would help him. Their marriage was going to be a partnership of learning and growing. He was sure that together they would be able to figure it out – fins and all.
"Hey, tell me what you think." Bella straightened and sang her few, worked out lines.
"Because moments are changing,
Coming in and rushing out,
Your arms swing around me,
And together we can find a place to start."
Will closed his eyes as Bella's lilting voice swept over him. The tone was upbeat and funky, just her style.
"You catch me in the tumble,
Of ocean waves pouring around.
While dancing octopus arms wave,
We know we've got nothing figured out.
In the depth of the abyss,
Our eyes search in the clearing murk,
It's like the world is changing,
Coming in and rushing out."
Will smiled as she finished and kissed her on the cheek. "That's really good."
"You really think so?" Bella gave a shy smile as she played the words again in her head.
"Of course. The band's going to love it." Will rested his head on hers and they sat there in silence for a moment.
"School ends next week." Bella sighed. "I started revision last night, but I just can't concentrate."
"I know what you mean. Every time I open my astrology book I think about the moon, and then I think about us, and then I just can't stop thinking about everything else."
Bella nodded. "I called Cleo to see if I could study with her, but she didn't pick up the phone. I didn't see her at school today."
Will paused. "It's Lewis. He's all she can think about." He squeezed Bella closer. "I know if I lost you like that you'd be all I could think about."
Bella gave a sweet smile. "I'm already all you can think about."
Will kissed her jaw. "Seriously though. I wish we had some sort of clue. He and that scientist seemed to have completely disappeared."
"That's the weird part." Bella sat up and turned to face Will. "You would think this Dr. Denman would want the recognition for catching the first merman. Why hasn't she come forward?"
"You have another theory?" Will crossed his arms over his chest.
"Just, when Lewis ran off, what if something worse happened? There are not just scientists in the ocean." Bella looked away and Will grabbed her hand.
"You think he's…"
"Gone." Bella faced him. "His mom is holding his eulogy tomorrow. I think we need to be there. It's been almost two months, and we have no leads or new information."
Will frowned and nodded. "I know. It's just hard to accept."
"I know, but I think if we can accept it, we could all get moving on with life again." She leaned back against him again.
"Cleo's never going to accept it." Will wrapped his arms back around her.
"I know. But if the rest of us can, than we can at least start supporting her better."
Will nodded. "We'll definitely be there tomorrow. Hopefully that will be a good step in the right direction."
Bella shut her song notebook and closed her eyes, taking comfort from Will. Tomorrow was going to be a hard day. Just because she suggested letting Lewis go, that didn't make it any easier for her. But she knew they all needed to focus more on what they were going through. It was the only way they were going to get some control of their lives back.
They'd only been cuddled up for a few minutes when Bella's phone buzzed in her pocket. She pulled it out and was surprised to see Emma calling.
"What's up?" She answered.
Will watched Bella's calm face turn to one of concern.
"We'll be right there." She clicked her phone off and jumped off the bed, searching for her sandals.
Will sat up. "What's going on?"
Bella slipped them on then tossed Will his own. "That was Emma."
Her voice was panicky. Will thrust on his shoes and then stood next to Bella.
She took a deep breathe. "It's Cleo. Something's happened and we need to get over there."
Will just nodded and then they both rushed out the door.
-h-2-o-
When Lewis came to he vowed that the next person who tried to put him under was getting slapped with his fluke. As he blinked he realized that he wasn't strapped to a table. At least Dr. Denman had finally listened to him for once. But where was he? He was underwater, that much was for sure. He moved his fin and his arms. Everything seemed to be okay, well as okay as a merman gets. Touching his wrist he realized his "shock bracelet" had been removed. The skin where it had pricked was tender and he winced as he rubbed it.
The water around him wasn't sloshing, so he didn't think he was being moved, but maybe that had already happened? Cautiously he began to swim around the dark tank. Wherever he was the lack of lighting was making it almost impossible to make out any details. The area was huge, but an odd shape and he got a sense of large plants growing around him. The comical image of a miniature, goldfish sized version of himself swimming in a fishbowl popped in his head. Great, so now he was someone's pet instead of an experiment.
Gingerly he swam down until his hands hit sand and substrate. Rocks were placed randomly and occasionally he felt a fish or something swim by him. His eyes were slow to adjust to the tiny light source that came from outside the tank. After what felt like forever of swimming in one direction he realized what was going on. The tank was donut shaped with wide but tall walk on both sides. There also seemed to be some sort of walkway under the tank at one point where the floor of the tank became a small hill. Who would have such an oddly shaped tank? The realization dawned on him as the lights suddenly came on above him.
Someone who wanted a merman on display, that's who. As the tank brightened, Lewis was able to make out details around him. On the outside of the tank he could see into two rooms, depending on which side he was on. One room was a huge library, and the other was what appeared to be a kitchen that opened into a fancy dining room. Both areas were well furnished and screamed wealth. In the middles of the tank seemed to be an office or a reading room – Lewis wasn't sure. The only way to access it was through the walkway that did indeed traverse under the giant aquarium. No matter where Lewis was in his cage, if a person was in that room, they would be able to see him.
Flipping his tail, Lewis swam for the surface where the lights had come on. To his dismay there was metal meshing over the giant expanse. He swam the whole donut shape until he finally came to a grate that was locked. Carefully Lewis reached up and grabbed the mesh and tried to see the room that was above him. He could make out a storage container, a metal table, and then a bunch of pumps. For all intents and purposes it appeared to be a maintenance room. But Lewis new very well how deceiving appearances could be. He dropped back into the water and sank to the bottom. Exotic tropical fish, and even a few small sharks, occasionally swam past him. He watched the giant plants, some real and some fake, sway in the current produced by the gigantic filter.
A part of Lewis's brain kept telling him he needed to surface for air. But he knew that burning sensation in his lungs would never come again. His gills opened and closed effortlessly on his chest. Another, newer part of his brain kept urging him to find a hiding spot. He felt antsy being exposed out and in the open. Even though he was the biggest creature he'd seen so far in the aquarium, some knew instinct insisted that there was danger nearby. Lewis made snide remarks in his head as he thought of his captors giving him something to hide in. No, he was not going to stoop to that level.
Hours passed. For the first hour Lewis had stubbornly laid there, not wanting to give anyone a show. After an hour he just couldn't take being still any longer. He had started on slow laps around his donut. After fifty laps he had started cataloging the fish, trying to identify the species. He was surprised at how many he didn't know.
It was five hours in that he tried to test out his power again. It took all of his concentration to make his whole body turn into water. At first he could only hold it for a few seconds. Two hours more of practice and he was up to a couple minutes, but he was also exhausted from the effort. Not to mention starving. His stomach rumbled painfully as he lay on the sand. He was considering eating some of the growing kelp when a clanging sound echoed through the water. Looking up at the surface he was surprised to see the metal grated had been opened.
He stared at it cautiously, waiting for someone to appear. Slowly he swam towards it and then poked his head through. The opening landed six inches above the surface, making it just over his head. With some effort he was able to grab onto the sides and pull himself up and onto the metal mesh covering. He sat and let most of his tail hang back into the water, his new instincts telling him that he shouldn't go very far from it. His gills flapped in the air and Lewis felt like he was breathing through a tube. How long before his body couldn't take being out of water? Now, he figured, wasn't the time for him to find out.
Clapping suddenly came from behind him and Lewis panicked. He craned his neck behind him and saw an older gentleman sitting in a plush chair nearby. Lewis chided himself mentally for not checking if anyone was watching before he pulled himself up. He should have known better by now. Carefully he maneuvered himself around the opening so he could face the man.
"You are just as marvelous in person as you are in the videos Lina gave me." The man laid his arms on his lap, his right leg crossed over the knee of his left one. "I was worried for a bit there that somehow this final transformation had addled your brain. It's good to see that you are still just as curious."
Lewis didn't say anything. Was this man the person who had been funding Dr. Denman? His heart pounded at the thought. If so, he had essentially just been bought by him. Everything he had gone through was because of this person.
"Don't scowl at me like that, young man, or you won't get any dinner." His tone was sharp and Lewis knew his threat was serious.
"Who are you?" Lewis tried to not sound as indignant as he felt.
"I am Sir Henry Briston, boy. But you can call me sir." His English accent was heavy on his name.
Right then Lewis could think of many other things he wanted to call this man, none of them 'Sir.' He pushed aside his rude thoughts and focused. The man was dressed in a silk, cream colored robe that ended mid-calf. It was tied at his waist by a deep maroon sash. His shirt underneath was a simple whit collared shirt with the top button undone. Around his neck was tied a barely yellow scarf that was tucked under his collar in a regal fashion. His face was clean shaven except for a white goatee, and he was bald. Lewis decided he definitely looked like a man who was rich enough to have this kind of set up in his home.
The man had been examining Lewis simultaneously. He cleared his throat and smiled. "I was worried that Linda wouldn't keep to her word. She finds you quite the modern marvel, you know. If I had let her she would study you the rest of her life, I'm sure."
Lewis didn't respond. He already knew all about Denman's intentions.
"There is one thing, to my disappointment, that she has yet been able to figure out." Sir Briston massaged his goatee in thought. "It seems that in all her discoveries, she has been unable to discover what made you the way you are."
His pulse quickened as Lewis broke eye contact and stared at the water below him. "Like I told her, I have no idea how this happened."
The man scowled and made a 'harrumphing' sound. "She may believe such foolishness, but I am a man of experience. "Your lie is evident on your face. You know exactly how this happened." He stood up from his chair and walked across the grate towards Lewis. "I want to make a few things clear." He knelt down and Lewis could smell tobacco and whisky on the man's breathe as his face was inches from his own.
"Firstly, you are now my property. I own you and have complete control of your life. You can try to resist or defy me, but I am ready to enforce any measure to ensure that you behave the way I see fit." Malice shown in his eyes as he stared Lewis down. "I also know all about your little group of friends. If you want them to join you then, by all means, continue to lie to me."
He stood back up. "I only make you one promise. You give me everything I want, and I will leave them alone."
Lewis stared at his captor. He was giving him the same ultimatum Dr. Denman had given him and he was smart enough to not believe him either. He had spent these last two months trying to protect his friends. Maybe Denman had had no way to enact on her threat, but Lewis knew that this man did. But he had to start trusting at this point that his friends could take care of themselves. He had good reason to believe that what was happening to him was probably happening to them too. Glaring at the man he slipped back into the water. Like a dart he swam to the bottom of the aquarium. He would give this man nothing. He trusted his friends. They would be okay. They had tricked Denman once before. He hoped they would be able to defeat Sir Henry Briston when the time came.
The clanging noise sound above him again and he looked up to see the grate closed. He sank deep into the sand and closed his eyes. His stomach rumbled painfully at his hunger and tried to ignore it. He would not give in anymore. Fitfully he drifted into a half sleep, images of Cleo in danger dominating his dreams.
-h-2-o-
Bella, Will, Emma, Ash and Rikki all huddled in Cleo's room. Cleo sat on her bed, rubbing her hands to try to relieve the awkward tension in the air.
"What happened again?" Rikki had her arms crossed over her chest.
Everyone nodded. The news was hard to swallow.
"I was in the bath, trying to relax. When I went to grab the soap that's when I saw it." Cleo held up her hands.
Rikki grabbed one and looked at it. It looked completely, boringly normal.
"You said your hands were webbed?" Will clenched his own hands, wondering what that would feel like.
"I know it sounds crazy, but I know what I saw." Cleo jerked her hand from Rikki's grasp. "It was really thin and copper colored, like my tail."
"Was it between every finger?" Bella couldn't picture it.
"No. It only went between a few fingers, and it was really small." She pointed between her pinkies and ring fingers." But it was there. It felt so weird."
Everyone grew silent again. It wasn't like her friends doubted her; they all just didn't know what to think. In turn, Cleo was freaking out. She had been so shocked to see the webbing that she'd splashed water all over the bathroom floor. It had taken forever to dry off and then to make sure the floor was dry before she could safely make it back to her room.
"So, what does that mean for us?" Bella gestured to her and Will. "Are we going to grow webbing too?" Her voice sounded scared.
"None of us know. That's the problem." Rikki flopped on the bed next to Cleo. "Ms. Chatam's legend didn't mention any of this."
"And I still haven't found anything online that can help." Emma frowned. "We've just got to keep taking it all one day at a time."
Will shook his head. "For how long? I don't think we'll be able to hold out like you think. Just look at the toll it's taking on us just trying to avoid water. Bella is getting sick, and I keep waking up every hour at night because I'm so thirsty." Will shook his head again.
Ash finally spoke up. "Then what would you rather do?"
The question hung in the air like a pink elephant in the room. What other choice did they have? Giving n meant taking twenty treacherous steps off the cliff of the unknown. None of them knew what was waiting for them at the bottom.
"It's hard, but we can't give in. School ends next week." Cleo pulled her study guides from her book bag. "Let's all just try to focus on that."
Once again everyone nodded. Together they were going to try to get through this. What other choice did they have?
-h-2-o-
The gang staid at Cleo's house for a couple hours, trying to work on their revisions. Ash had left early, needing to go home and pack. He left in less than five days and he still had so much to organize. While they were all able to laugh and joke a little, most of the time had been spent in somber silence. Rikki had been the one to bravely bring up the subject of the service for Lewis the following evening. Will and the girls agreed they would go together. Cleo had been adamant that she would only go to support Lewis's mum. Going didn't mean that she had given up on him.
Now it was late and Cleo was getting ready for bed. She had wanted to take another bath after such a long night of studying, but then she thought about her hands. Would they be worse if she changed again? The thought made her shudder and she had changed into her jim-jams without another thought. As she climbed under her covers her thoughts focused on Lewis. She imagined him as his happy, human version. She didn't like to think about how miserable he was before he disappeared, or about how miserable he might be now. Picturing him happy and smiling was the only way to keep from crying.
She didn't remember falling asleep, but her hacking cough woke her up. Glancing at her clock she was exhausted seeing she had only gotten three hours of sleep. Coughing again she stumbled towards the bathroom, filling a cup with water and downing it as quick as she could. In the mirror her eyes were blood shot and her hair was a mess. And her skin! She scratched aimlessly at her itchy arms. He skin was flaky and she felt like she was made out of sand paper. Sighing in frustration she turned on the bath, slipped out of her clothes, and relaxed into the warm water.
As her long copper and orange tail stretched out in front of her, Cleo couldn't help but smile. Growing her tail felt like a nice big stretch. The hot water steamed around her and Cleo laid her head back, soaking in the tantalizing sensation. For a moment she could forget about her worries and heavy sadness.
And, again – quite by accident, Cleo drifted to sleep.
Cliff hanger! …ish. The votes are in for the contest on who should find out about Cleo: Kim, Sam or Don. The winner is…. *drum roll please!* … the one who got the most votes! Lol, I can't just give it to you guys like that. Stick around for the next chapter for one of the biggest plot twists yet! Happy reading!