Pivotal chapter in the story. I tried to make it more romantic, and I think I might've succeeded. idk, just review and let me know how I did. If Aquamarine doesn't respond the way she should've it's because it's almost 2 in the morning where I am and I JUST finished. Anyway, enjoy!

2D wasn't sure how to start taking care of Aqua. After all, it sounded like all she really wanted was to go back to the one place she could never show her face again. But he was determined to show her that he truly did care for her. He mulled it over while he got dressed and had a quick cup of tea, and came to a solution; he would row her out a few meters into the water. It was simple enough, just to take Aqua in the rowboat and drift just barely off the plastic coastline, but it was a gesture he was sure she'd appreciate.

Meanwhile, he lent Aqua a t-shirt to slip on over her bikini. It was awfully distracting when she wore that thing, and he'd be able to keep his intentions more honest if she had something to cover it up. It was a little big on her, but he thought she looked cute and he told her so. She only stared at him blankly.

Outside it was hot and humid on the island, the temperature well into the nineties and felt much worse. But as the rowboat inched away from Plastic Beach, the atmosphere cooled rapidly around them. 2D rowed out into the water just barely enough to be out of reach from the heat waves surrounding the island. He stopped and let the oars dangle lazily in the waves.

"What are we doing?" Aqua asked, her green eyes shimmering with the reflection of the water. 2D couldn't help but notice.

"Well, you wan'ed to go back to the ocean, righ', bu' I can' le' you ge' killed. So this is the closes' I can take you." He waited impatiently for a response.

Aquamarine remained deadpan for a few more moments, staring at him. But she finally let a smile break out and shine. "It is a good intention. You are trying." She turned away and skimmed the water with her fingers. The corner of 2D's mouth turned up, watching her like this. It was the happiest he had seen her.

She sunk her hand mid-palm, grinning broadly, then wrist-high, then leaning over to sink in to her elbows. She was laughing now, a sound he had never heard from her before. She was leaning in farther and farther, giggling excitedly and staring wide-eyed at the salty ocean luring her in. 2D was thrilled to see her enjoying herself so much.

Just then, he thought he heard the bellowing of a whale and jerked his head in the general direction, tensing up and preparing to row back to the island as quick as possible, when he heard a splash. He jerked back to where Aquamarine had been sitting to find-

-She was gone.

"Aqua?" He whispered, trembling. Had the whale taken her? Was it after him next? He gathered his wits just enough to raise his voice. "Aqua! Did the whale ge' you? Aqua, come back!" He leaned over the side where she had fallen in, hoping to see her and expecting to see a giant whale eye when he felt a weight on the other side. 2D jolted upright, his eye sockets widened.

"Are you looking for me?"

2D's heart slowed a little at the sound of Aqua's computerized voice. At least she was safe. He turned to her. "Don' scare me like tha', love! I fot a whale had go'en you or somefing!"

Aquamarine giggled cutely. "You are forgetting that I come from the sea, and that whales do not harm my kind." 2D grabbed her by the elbows and lifted her back into the boat, struggling to keep a grip on her slippery skin. She sat back down in her spot and smiled at him. "I almost thought about leaving. But I want to stay. I want to be with my mate."

2D's eyebrows furrowed. "Er...mate?"

"Yes. We have performed the human mating ritual. Does that not mean we are mated?"

"Oh, that. Well, I guess so." 2D sat with his elbows resting on his knees and thought a little bit. This would be the perfect time to ask her, he thought. This is romantic enough, isn't it? Alone on a sailboat in the ocean? But maybe mermaids have different ideas about what's romantic. He could feel his heart race a little bit. Just go for it! "Er, lis'n Aqua, er, I know we haven' known each ovver too long, bu' d'you, erm, wanna be, er..."

Aquamarine studied him. "What do you want me to be?"

"My...girlfriend?"

There was a murderous silence in which 2D felt as if he might die, or at least want to.

"What does that mean?"

"In a, er, relationship...wiff...me..."

"I thought we already were bound to each other. Isn't that why you mated with me?"

"Er, I...guess so?"

"Is a 'girlfriend' a human word for mate? If so, then I would love to be."

2D only nodded, half-smiling. If this is what it took to keep her, he would be anything to her she wanted. Aqua fairly fell forward into 2D and wrapped her arms around him, soaking through his clothes with her own drenched t-shirt. But it was okay. It kind of felt good, even. He kissed her on the temple and held her close. Aqua then pulled away just enough to kiss his lips, her own tasting salty. It was strangely delicious.

"Our offspring will be in good hands," she whispered in his ear. "You will make a good father."

Oh. That. He'd forgotten.

"Lis'n, abou' tha'-"

"I cannot wait until we finally reproduce. They will be beautiful, healthy, strong-"

"Murdoc says tha'-"

"They will have your weakness, I am sure, but it is a good weakness, it will suit them-"

"Murdoc made it so you can't have kids!"

Aquamarine stopped talking and pushed away from 2D, staring at him. He couldn't make eye contact. "What? I cannot reproduce?"

"Tha's wha' Murdoc said. He says you're broken...Somefing abou' cloning...S'not my faul'-"

"Why did you mate with me if you knew I could not produce offspring?" 2D dared to glance at her not. She looked cold and uncaring now, her eyes narrowed and her chin held high.

"Well, I fot you would like it, and it fel' good an'-"

"There is no reason for me to stay now, is there?"

2D looked at her now and grabbed a firm hold of her arm. "You can' go back, love. You'll die. I won' le' you! Look, I'm sorry tha' you can' have my babies, bu' there's more t'life than kids, yeah? We can be happy wivvout them. I promise you I'll give you anyfing else you wan', just stay wiff me, Aqua! I didn' save your life f'nuffing."

She wouldn't look at his face. Instead, she tore her arm away and backed off. "You have destroyed me! You take away my tail, you bar me from my home and now this? Why should I stay? You will only destroy me more! You and Murdoc have ruined my life! I hate you!"

She launched herself off the rowboat and disappeared in a ripple beneath the waves.

2D let the tears trickle down his cheeks. He couldn't save her this time, and neither could Murdoc. At this point, Aquamarine was as good as dead.