Ariel woke to the sun streaming into her room. She smiled, not yet opening her eyes. She had one more day and with the way things were going she was sure to get that kiss today.

"Get up child!" a voice came from besides her as they gently nudged her head.

She gave a silent giggle and sat up pulling the king crab up to her lips and giving him a little kiss on the head. Sebastian sputtered and wiped fervently at him head and demanded her to set him down.

"That's enough child. I have come to congratulate you. You, but whatever power, managed to get your Prince." He said bashfully tears forming in his eyes "My little princess, my little girl, you are finally grown up."

Ariel's eyebrows creased in confusion. She hadn't even gotten the kiss yet what did he mean by 'she had managed to get her prince'?

Sebastian noticed her confusion and gave her a quizzical look. "He did ask you didn't he?" he asked "He asked you to marry him right? It is all over the kingdom that he will be married before sunset tonight to the girl he found wandering the beach. That is you right?"

Ariel shook her head and sprang up from her bed and rushed out the door not bothering to change or comb through her wild red hair. She ran down the staircase and down the hall to the dining room but stopped short as she caught sight of a beautiful girl with black, wavy hair and pretty pale skin wrapped around Eric. She stood in the doorway horrified as she watched him look down at her with eyes filled with love.

"Oh Pearl dear," Grim called in a breathy voice obviously distressed "Come, come and meet Eric's fiancé."

Ariel forced a smile on her face, though she could feel tears start to build in her eyes. She slowly walked toward them and acknowledged the girl's presence with a nod.

"Pearl this is Vanessa, Eric's umm…fiancée." Grim choked looking at Ariel with concern "Vanessa this is Pearl. Please forgive her; she cannot speak so she will not be able to greet you properly."

The girl, Vanessa looked over Ariel and gave her a cold smile. "I see."

Ariel jumped as she Vanessa spoke and had to fight the urge to grasp at her own throat. That voice, she knew it, it was her very own voice. But that was impossible, she had given it to…..Ursula. Ariel's eyes widened and Vanessa smirked at her confirming her worst fear. Vanessa was her aunt Ursula.

Ariel snapped her attention to Eric and tried to communicate this to him using her eye but this proved difficult because Eric was doing his best to avoid looking at her. She made a grab for his hand but Vanessa wrapped her arm around his middle and pulled him away.

"Come now love, we must go and make sure the marriage boat will be ready before sunset." She said taking him from the room.

Ariel watched them go feeling her heart crack into a million pieces. She stood frozen and let the tears leak from her eyes.

"Oh honey," a sob came as warm arms wrapped around her from behind. "I thought for sure…oh? How could he?"

As Carlotta cried Ariel felt her knees give way from beneath her. She had been so close, she was right there and then her aunt, the one she trusted most betrayed her. She fell through Carlotta's arms and sank to the floor. Her head was bent downwards facing the floor tracing the patterns of sea shells encased in the stone.

"Come on now dear." Grim said lifting her easily up into his arms and giving her a kiss on the head. "We will let you rest before….before the wedding."

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Pearl walked down the street huffing and crying. She didn't mean to snap at her god-father like that. She was just frustrated. With everything that was going on she didn't know how on earth she was supposed to deal with all of it. She sniffled and wiped her eyes with the sleeve of her coat. It was getting colder. But as she turned the corner she felt her whole body run cold. Neith had just stepped out of Granny's accompanied by a girl from their philosophy class. Alicia was a beautiful girl with straight blonde hair that bounced slightly as she walked. She was sweet and innocent looking and was always curious about everything. They were laughing and talked in whispers quite enjoying one another's company. Neith looked up and spotted Pearl standing only feet from him. His face dropped and he jolted as she turned around and quickened her pace.

"Hey Alicia I will catch you later okay?" he said over his shoulder as he started to trot away.

"GO get her lover boy." Was Alicia's reply

Neith threw her a quick, bitter smile and he exploded into a sprint. HE had chased her for half a block before he finally caught up with her. Pearl sniffled and hurriedly wiped her face on her sleeve once more as his hand enclosed her shoulder.

"Pearl, what's the matter? Why are you crying?" he asked making it so that he stood in front of her. He wrapped his arms around her and smoothed her short red hair.

Pearl pushed away from him and straightened her jacket narrowing her eyes up at him "Where's Alicia. I don't think that she would like you leaving just to talk to me."

Neith felt the corners of his mouth tug upwards "Alicia is just a friend. We were working together on a project for philosophy."

Pearl just glared and turned away "Yeah sure, you guys sure looked pretty cozy." She grumbled thinking he couldn't hear her.

He smiled and ran to stand in front of her once again. "Are you…jealous?"

"Will you move?" Pearl snapped "I've got to get home. Some of us have homework to do."

"I will once you answer the question." He smirked "Are…you…jealous?"

"NO!" Pearl shouted "Now move."

"You are jealous!" he laughed poking at the pink appearing on her cheeks.

"I said I wasn't! Now get out of the way." Pearl scoffed trying to move around him. But he was too quick for that.

"Okay if you aren't jealous," he smirked "then give me a kiss."

"Go ask Alicia for a kiss." She spat making to punch him in the chest.

Neith caught her fist and with a gentle tug pulled her into him. She staggered a bit but was steadied by his hand around her waist. "Now why would I kiss her," Neith asked playfully "when I have you?"

He didn't give her anytime to respond as he swooped in and let his lips make contact with hers with a short kiss.

Pearl was breathless and couldn't believe his boldness. She marveled t the way his blue eyes shone into hers and the love that was reflected in them.

"Did I ever mention that you are beautiful when you are angry?" he asked chuckling.

Pearl made no reply but instead pulled on his collar and forced her lips against him once more.

Mr. Gold sat in his car looking at the young couple with a troubled heart. He was both overjoyed and extremely fearful for what was going to come next. He knew there was a storm approaching and as he spotted Ms. Desdemona slipping into an alley near-by he could tell that it was coming real soon.

In loving memory of those who lost their lives in the Sandy Hook Elementary school shooting last Friday. May you rest in peace.