DISC: I DO NOT own any of the chars from TLM. They belong to Disney. I do however own Andrina's special name for Ariel.
Enjoy!

A/N: I hope everyone likes this next chapter! This one as well as the last one are dedicated to everyone who has stuck with this story even during my hiatus.

"I Remember Music"

Chapter 12-Family Memories

Ariel tried to back up a little. However, the fact that a statue was in back of her made it quite difficult.

Triton frowned when he saw the fear flash across his youngest daughter's face. He could only imagine what her mind was remembering of times past when he had caught her in a place she wasn't supposed to be in. He was determined to show her that this time she wasn't in trouble.

"Ariel?" he tried again, "it's okay."

Ariel was surprised to hear her father sounding so understanding. After all it was late and he had found her in a place she was sure she wasn't supposed to be.

"I want Andrina," she pleaded softly. "Please?"

"Oh my little Ariel," Triton said with a sigh. He thought of moving closer, but held back when he saw the fear in her eyes. "I'm not going to hurt you."

"Please," she repeated. She was fighting hard against the tears of fear that were threatening to fall.

"I'm sure she's looking for you," Triton told her. "But I think we need to talk. You can stay there if you feel safe. I won't come any closer unless you say its okay."

Ariel nodded resignatedly. She felt better knowing her father wasn't going to violate her space.

"I know you and Andrina are really close," Triton started, "but you need to know that I love you too. I don't like seeing you so afraid. I want to help you too."

"You do?" She whispered.

Triton nodded.

"I-I'm sorry I came in here without asking," she continued softly.

Triton sighed.

"We need to talk," he finally decided.

Ariel stayed silent, figuring it was her best option at the moment.

"I'm sorry for everything," he apologized.

"It wasn't your fault," Ariel tried.

"That's just it, Ariel, it was. At least it was partially my fault. If I hadn't forbidden you from singing or going after Andrina, this never would have happened."

As Triton spoke, Ariel was suddenly hit by another image. For some reason, this one didn't hurt as much as the last one had. This time, she saw herself not only pushing Sebastian out of the way, but also trying to shield someone else as well. Could it be possible? Was what her father had just said true? Before Ariel could try and figure it out, her father spoke again.

"I want you to have this," he told her.

Ariel glanced up and saw her father was holding out the small box to her.

"I-I couldn't," she stammered.

"It's okay," he assured her, "I know you'll take good care of it. Besides, your mother left it for you"

"She did?"

Triton nodded.

"Daddy?"

"Yes?" he replied.

"Could you tell me about her?"

Triton smiled a little at the request.

"Your mother was my best friend. She was beautiful inside and out. She loved you and your sisters very much. She would always sing to all of you before bed. When she…when she died, a part of me died with her. But you brought it back for me."

"I did?" Ariel asked in disbelief.

"Yes you did. I just wish I could bring your memory back for you."

Just then, the door to the treasure room opened and Andrina joined them. She looked relieved upon seeing Ariel in one piece.

"Ariel, thank goodness! What happened? Are you okay?"

"Yeah," Ariel replied, "I'm just tired."

"Okay."

"Why don't you two go back to bed," Triton suggested with a wink, "Ariel needs her rest."

Andrina nodded. She slipped her arm around her little sister and guided her back to her room. Once inside, Ariel gazed around until her eyes settled on a starfish bracelet sitting on Andrina's coral dresser.

"Do you like it?" Andrina softly asked.

"It's pretty," Ariel replied. Another image suddenly flashed in her mind. But just like before, she recovered quickly.

"El?"

"I'm okay," Ariel said, "Andrina, can I ask you something?"

"Anything, El," Andrina smiled at her lovingly.

"Will I ever remember again?"

Andrina swam closer and took her sister into her arms.

"I hope so," she said.

Pulling away, Ariel's eyes travelled back to the bracelet.

"Did I Give that to you?" she asked.

"You sure did," Andrina confirmed.

"Was it a birthday gift?" Ariel asked.

Andrina's heart soared.

"Uh-huh. It was my eighteenth birthday. It was pretty eventful."

"Will you tell me what happened?" Ariel asked.

"Sure." With that, Andrina and Ariel cuddled on her bed and the older mer-princess started her story.

"Well the party was just about to begin, but a certain little sister of mine just had to get me the perfect gift," Andrina giggled at the memory.

Ariel smiled a little. Before she knew it, she had fallen asleep.

"Sweet dreams, El, I love you," Andrina kissed her cheek and laid down to rest beside her…

*******

Ariel woke up to find herself in the same room with the twinkling lights for the third time in one week. She knew where she had to go, so she wasn't worried. Swimming forward, the youngest mermaid princess suddenly found herself facing the statue where the music box had sat nights before. Only this time, the statue's middle was hallowed out. In its center was a shimmering pool of light. It danced around, its ripples turning different colors every so often.

"What do I do?" Ariel asked herself aloud.

When no answer came, Ariel decided to take a chance. Feeling her heartbeat speed up in anticipation, Ariel swam forward. She soon found herself in a warm place with the same twinkling lights all around her. As she swam further, she found herself on the other side. She was surprised to see someone waiting for her. She was doubly surprised when she realized she recognized her.

"Mom?"

"Hello, sweetheart," Athena greeted. She held her arms out and Ariel dove into them once again.

"What's going on?"

"You're almost there," her mother explained.

"You mean I'll remember soon?" Ariel's cobalt eyes were full of hope.

Athena nodded.

"How much longer?"

"I can't tell you that. But I am so proud of you for letting Andrina and the rest of your sisters help you."

Ariel allowed her mother to hold her for a few minutes. Once they pulled away, Athena smiled at her once again.

"The last piece of the puzzle lies within you. You'll find it soon. I love you, honey."

"I love you too," Ariel replied. Once her mother was gone, Ariel suddenly glanced down on the floor and spotted something shiny laying there. Not being able to resist, Ariel picked it up and held it close. She recognized it as a hair pin. She didn't know where it had come from, but she knew what it was.

Just then, she heard Andrina calling her name.

"Ariel! Ariel! El, come on, it's time to wake up now. El…"

******

Ariel awoke suddenly to the sound of Andrina calling her name. Sitting up, she realized something was in her right hand. Opening it up, she glanced down to see the hairpin from her dream lying there.

"Andrina?" she realized a minute later.

"Hey, El, it's time for breakfast," her sister informed her.

"Okay," Ariel replied.

"Are you hungry?"

"Yeah," Ariel replied, "come on!" with that, she led the way out of Andrina's room. ON the way down to the kitchen, Ariel stopped off in her room. She put the pin in her hair. She was about to leave when she caught sight of two shiny things poking out from under a book. She reached her hand underneath and pulled out a blue pair of earrings. They went with the hairpin perfectly! Slipping them on, Ariel rejoined Andrina the rest of the way to the kitchen.

When Andrina caught sight of the earrings, she frowned.

"El, are you sure you want to wear those?"

"Uh-huh. Why not?"

Andrina frowned, trying to figure out how to explain the problem the earrings posed. Finally, she just shook her head.

"Maybe it'll be okay."

Entering the dining room, Ariel sat next to Andrina and across from Arista and Alana.

"Ariel, are you sure you should be wearing those?" Arista raised her eyebrows when she saw the earrings.

"Andrina asked me the same thing," Ariel told her, "I found them under breath of a book in my room."

"Where did you get that pretty hairpin?" Alana asked.

"I'm not sure," Ariel replied truthfully just as their father entered the room. He took his usual place with Sebastian on his right side and addressed his daughters.

"Good morning, girls."

"Morning, Father," they chorused.

"So what do you have planned for the day?"

"Well I was thinking of going to Jeremy's seaball game," Arista piped up. She turned to Ariel, "Ariel, do you want to go?"

'Sure!" Ariel agreed.

"Is that okay, Father?" Arista asked.

"I don't see a problem with it. As long as you watch Ariel closely. If she looks tired, bring her back home."

"I will," Arista promised.

"And what about you-" Triton stopped in the middle of his sentence when he caught sight of Ariel's jewelry. Trying his hardest not to lose his temper right away, he simply requested, "Ariel, we need to talk after breakfast."

Ariel didn't know why, but a shiver went through her at her father's words.

"Yes, Daddy," she replied.

"Uh-oh," Arista said under her breath. She gave Ariel a sympathetic look.

"Do you think I'm in trouble?" Ariel asked.

"I'm not sure," Arista replied.

"I'll stay with you, El," Andrian offered.

"Thanks," Ariel said gratefully.

Throughout the rest of breakfast Ariel couldn't concentrate on the conversations around her or the food. She only ate a little due to her nervousness.

After Otto had cleared the breakfast dishes and most of her sisters left the table, Ariel approached her father.

"You wanted to see me, Daddy?" Ariel asked.

"Yes I did. I couldn't help but notice you have some new jewelry on. I know the hair pin was your mother's. She gave it to you when you were four. Where did the earrings come from?" his voice was calm, even though he was growing suspicious of the earrings origin.

Ariel tried to think. She saw Andrina out of the corner of her eye. She was waiting for her and staying really quiet.

"I don't know," Ariel finally said truthfully.

Triton nodded. He had a feeling in the state Ariel was in now, she wouldn't remember. Taking this into consideration, Triton made sure his next request wasn't too harsh.

"Since you don't know where they came from, you need to take them off. They might be dangerous."

Ariel was about to obey when another image of the past interrupted her attempts. It barely hurt as it came. As she recovered, she suddenly felt a fire igniting her soul.

"But Daddy, they're just earrings. They're no more dangerous than the bracelet I bought Andrina for her birthday."

Triton was about to argue back when he realized what Ariel had just said.

"Andrina told me about it," Ariel explained at the look on her father's face.

"Be that as it may, you need to take the earrings off. For all we know, they could have been made by Humans."

"What's wrong with that?" Ariel asked innocently.

"Ariel, I realize given your current memory loss, you may not understand how dangerous Humans can be. I'm asking you one more time, take the earrings off."

"No! I've been wearing them all morning and they haven't hurt me."

Triton sighed. Despite Ariel's disobedience, for one split second, he could see his Ariel again. The Ariel who fought tooth and fin to set things right when injustice was being done or to make someone else see things her way. The Ariel who had no problem collecting Human things and storing them Neptune knew where.

"Ariel…"

When Ariel made no moves to take the earrings off, Triton sighed once again. He hated to do this, but Ariel was pushing his hand. He remembered what Arainia had said about treating Ariel as normally as possible. And as hard as it was for him to do so, Triton knew it was for Ariel's own good in the long run.

"If you won't remove the earrings, then you give me no choice, you're beached for the rest of the day."

"That's not fair!" Ariel exclaimed. She looked towards Andrina for help, but her sister shook her head sadly. Turning back to her father, Ariel could feel the tears coming, but she fought to hold them back. Something about this scenario felt strangely familiar, but she couldn't put her fin on it at the moment. "This is ridiculous!" Ariel declared. "They're just earrings. It shouldn't matter if they were made by Humans or mer-people."

"It matters to me. Now, go to your room!"

Ariel couldn't help it, a few tears escaped from her blue eyes as she turned away and swam from the dining room.

"El, wait!" Andrina called after her.

As Triton watched his second eldest daughter go after his youngest daughter, he sighed. Had he done the right thing? He wasn't sure. He just prayed he hadn't sent Ariel's recovery back…