Chapter Eleven

Jump

Blaine

Two things I never imagined could happen: 1) Coming out to my father by him catching me kissing another boy. 2) That same boy trying to kill my father. What has my life become?

I pushed through the water. The sun hadn't fully set so it wasn't completely difficult to see. Rachel was floating beside me, searching every which way for Kurt and my father. I couldn't find them. Panic was sinking in just as much as lack of oxygen.

As soon as Rachel and I went up for air, we plummeted under. Swimming in different directions, we searched. My father would suffocate if we didn't find him soon. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Rachel frantically waving. When I looked over, she was motioning below her. I swam as fast as I could.

I saw them. My father was fighting Kurt's hold. The look in Kurt's eyes was horrifying. He looked angry, menacing even. I motioned for Rachel to go back up for air then come directly down. She nodded and took off. I shot down.

Kurt had a firm hold on my father. My father was trying his hardest to slip free, his legs kicking Kurt's tailfin. Kurt's eyes didn't change when he saw me. I thought he was going to pull away when I approached, and for a second, my heart couldn't handle the thought of my life without my dad.

I got closer, and as I did, my father calmed. His eyes weren't open though. He was loosing consciousness. I grasped Kurt's shoulders. He looked into my face. His expression changed, like he finally saw past whatever was clouding his vision. I didn't even delay pressing our lips together. I felt my father, at my side, drift out of Kurt's hold. I clung to Kurt, breathing in the sweet, thick oxygen that escaped his lips. When Kurt's arms held as much of my back as they could, I pulled apart.

I looked him square in the eyes. I wasn't mad. I was just disappointed. In my mind, I though, I have to save him. You have to let me. This isn't you. You aren't a monster. Not with me. As if reading my mind, he let go.

My father was swimming, the best he could, towards the shore. I caught up to him. Taking hold of his arm, I kicked and pushed. We soon broke the surface. He was breathing in deep, hefty, breathes. I pulled him right up to the shore.

He lay sprawled across the sand. He seemed okay though. He wasn't choking; he just needed air.

Over my shoulder, I saw Kurt. He looked so sad, so guilty. I ran to him.

Kurt

I don't know what came over me. Actually, I did know. I was trying to force Blaine off me (kind of), but his kisses were so intoxicating. I knew his father was coming; I knew I'd have to fight off my instincts, but I was kissing Blaine, and he wouldn't let up. When we kiss, my mind goes blank and everything is him – no instincts, nothing.

I was completely unprepared when Blaine tugged me out of the water and onto the dock. When I saw Blaine's dad, I knew I couldn't resist. I had every intention of letting him drown, until Blaine found me. The way he looked at me... He knew what I wanted to do. He knew it wasn't safe, that I wasn't stable. He looked at me with sad, hopeful eyes, and I was lost.

When I pulled out of the water, I had a series of flashbacks of what I'd just done. I then saw Blaine, crouching over his father's body. Guilt surged against my chest. He turned, and then he was running towards me.

"I'll leave! I'll never come back! I swear. I'm so sorry, Blaine!" I cried, pulling away from the dock.

"No, Kurt, wait! Don't!" he answered. I was slipping under, and he dipped his hand in, grabbing at me. He'd done this once before, and I, in response, sliced up his forearm. This time, I let him grab hold of my shoulder. "Kurt, please…"

When I pulled back up, I couldn't meet his eye.

"You didn't mean to," he said simply.

"I did. You must have seen it in my eyes down there. Every cell in my body wanted to kill him."

"But you didn't."

"Because of you. I'm dangerous, Blaine. What if you didn't come? What if this ever happens to you? Who's going to save you?"

"Why'd you stop, Kurt? Was it because you didn't want to hurt me? Why, why would you ever try to drown me then? Kurt, I'm not blaming you for this. We just need to be more careful!"

"It was so stupid," I mumbled, hardly dismissing the subject. My voice quivered as I added, "I'd never hurt you though. I love you."

I said it. Without even thinking, I finally said the whole phrase. Maybe it was an inappropriate time. Maybe he didn't feel the same. I did though. His looked a little shocked, but then his eyes relaxed. With a small smile on his lips, he kissed me. It was soft and tender, really sweet. I smiled against his lips.

I wanted to wind my fingers through his wet, curly hair. I wanted to see what else we could do with our lips. I wanted to stay like this forever, just kissing, just holding. Simple. But it wasn't simple. There was a pang in my stomach that I knew wasn't as intense because I was kissing Blaine. It was a very familiar pang.

I pushed him away. But it was too late.

Blaine

I watched, helplessly, as my father threw me away from Kurt. A large net wrapped around him, and my father pulled him out of the water. Horrified, I tried to let Kurt loose, but my dad kicked at the back of my knee, sending me splashing into the ocean.

When I pulled up, all I heard was Kurt's hissing and my father shooting off profanities. I wrenched myself onto the deck. Kurt was being dragged through the sand. He was fighting really hard against the net binding him.

"Dad! What the hell are you doing?" I bellowed, closing the distance between us.

"This thing tried to kill me, Blaine!" he spat, whipping around. "I don't care what sick fascination you have with it. Say goodbye."

"What are you going to do with him?" I shrieked, pulling at the net. My father pulled back.

"Expose it. Kill it. I don't know. Stop getting in the way!"

Angry somewhat blinded me as I pushed my father into the sand, away from Kurt. I pulled the net off of him. Looking over his body, I saw that patches of scales were disappearing, being replaced by patches of skin. Kurt looked terrified. Hands took my shoulders and threw me into the sand.

"Blaine, of everything you've ever done wrong, this takes the cake!" my father said, glaring down at me.

Before Kurt could fight, the net was over his head. Now, there was more skin than scales. I also saw feet. Breath caught in my throat.

"If he stays out of water too long, he'll loose his tail and have legs! You have to let him go!"

"I'm not the bad guy here, Blaine. He is."

I was blind with rage again. Without much thought, I balled my fist up and thrust it through the air. It hit my father directly in the center of his face. There was a crack, and blood trickled down him and splattered across my hand. He keeled over, gripping his nose.

I threw the net off Kurt. There were only traces of scales. I pulled him up, cradling him like a child. I stared, singled-mindedly at the ocean. I didn't want to embarrass Kurt by looking anywhere else. He had so much new skin.

"BLAINE! You're insane!" my father yelled.

"…and you're crazy!" I yelled back. I looked down at Kurt. "You're safe. He won't touch you. I won't let him."

Suddenly, something clicked. Kurt gazed into my eyes. They spilled over with trust, not really any other emotions. He couldn't become human; I didn't want him to be a human. I may not want to be a Mer, but I knew one thing: him. I wanted him.

"I love you, too."

And I jumped off the dock, into the water. He immediately pulled away, kicking his newly formed legs. He smiled down at them. I saw the glisten of scales though. They were slowly multiplying. He kicked over to me. Placing a hand on my cheek, he left the slightest, tiniest kiss on my lips. When we parted, he was fully Mer.

We surfaced together.

My father was gone. We were alone.

Before I said anything, before he said anything, I had a jeering thought…

"Kurt," I uttered, my heart racing. "Where's Rachel?"

Author's Note: I was going to end the chapter at "I love you, too," but I wanted to make sure you guys knew shit was gonna go down, that this isn't the end. You're welcome ;)