Epilogue

Sirena Island

July 13, 5:16 am

Bella was sitting on the beach, sobbing hysterically. Melia, I tried so hard to save you, but I failed. I'm so sorry. She put her face in her hands and continued to cry.

"Bella?" a voice said softly. She looked up and saw Emma, her expression laced with concern.

"Go away," Bella said harshly. "I don't want to talk to you."

Emma smiled, remembering their first conversation on Mako. "Sorry, but I'm not going to go away. I'm your friend, Bella." She sat down beside Bella on the beach, both of their hair blowing from the gentle ocean breeze. "I got to know Melia and Eva really well during my four days there," she commented. "Melia had nothing but good things to say about you."

Bella raised her head and wiped her tears. "It's my fault she's gone, Em."

Emma shook her head. "No, Bella, it's not. You saved her life by sending her into the past. She forgives you. The last words she said to me were to tell you that you were forgiven and it wasn't your fault."

Bella's lip quivered. "I just can't believe she's gone forever."

"Hey," her friend said gently. "She's always with you in your heart. As long as you remember her, she's never truly gone."

"I wish I could tell her mother the truth," Bella mused. "However, I don't think she would believe the whole story."

"You're probably right," Emma replied. "Maybe you should call her sometime."

"Maybe." Their other friends walked onto the beach.

"Ashley just sent Stevens' men home," Rikki said. "She wiped their memories, too. They won't remember us. Our secret's safe."

"Good," Emma said. "How are we supposed to get home?"

Cleo grinned. "She's transporting us all home."

Ashley strolled towards them. "It's time," she whispered.

"Will we ever come back?" Andrea asked, looking around at their tropical home.

The brunette's expression was unreadable. "Who knows?" she answered mysteriously. Then there was a flash of blue light and all six girls vanished from the beach.

~*O*~

San Francisco, California

July 13, 6:00 am

Natalie and Andrea coughed and sputtered as they spit seawater from their mouths. "Where are we?" Andrea asked. They were treading water in the ocean.

Her friend looked up and saw their swimming rocks nearby. "Home," she whispered.

"I'll race you there," Andrea challenged.

"You're on!" The two mermaids raced towards shore. They stopped at a secluded beach and waited to dry off before making their way back to their townhouse.

"I wonder if we'll ever go back to Sirena," Andrea said as they walked down the quiet streets.

"I don't know," Natalie replied as she put her arm around the young girl's shoulder. "I do need to call Alex, though. Last time I talked to him, he wasn't too happy to hear from me."

"Let me deal with him," Andrea said with a grin. "He won't argue with his little sister."

"That's probably true, but let me talk to him first." They had reached their townhouse and Nat unlocked the door. The two sisters walked inside.

"I'm going straight to bed," Andrea moaned as she went to climb the stairs.

"Me, too." Natalie was about to go to her bedroom when the light in the living room flicked on. Both girls froze and turned around to see a furious Alex Wilkens sitting on their couch.

"Where have you been?" he asked angrily.

"Alex, I can explain…" Natalie began nervously.

"Don't bother explaining, Nat! Andrea, get your things. We're leaving." He glared at the auburn haired girl. "You're lucky I'm not pressing charges for kidnapping."

"Alex!" Andrea yelled. Her brother looked at her, temporarily forgetting his anger at Natalie. "Listen, we went back to the island for the one year anniversary."

"You went back to that horrible place?" Alex gave Nat an angry glance.

"It wasn't Natalie's idea!" Andrea cried. "It was our friends from Australia's idea. We took a boat out there, but we ran out of gas. It took us forever to flag down a passing ship. We literally just got back."

Alex looked at Natalie. "Is this true?"

She nodded. "Yeah. I'm sorry I didn't talk to you, but my cell phone had really bad service. It died shortly afterwards." She brushed her hair behind her ear. "Alex, Andrea told me that you said that you love me?"

The young man seemed shocked. "Andrea, you told her?"

"Sorry, it slipped," his sister admitted.

"Is it true?" Natalie asked cautiously.

He smiled. "Yeah, it was. That's why I was so worried." He stepped closer to her. "I'm sorry. I lost my temper. Andrea's never been happier here. She belongs here with you."

Natalie also grinned. "So, she gets to stay?"

"Yeah, she does." He gently put his hand on her cheek and pulled her in close. "I love you, Nat."

"I love you, too." Natalie and Alex began to kiss tenderly while Andrea covered her eyes in mock disgust.

"Well, at least it all worked out," she said with a smile.

~*O*~

Gold Coast, Australia

July 16, 7:46 pm

"Will, what are you doing?" Bella asked as Will led her, blindfolded, down the street.

"It's a surprise," her boyfriend replied mysteriously. Bella sighed. Will had been incredibly nice to her ever since she had come back from the dead for the second time in a year. She had finally been honest to him about her past and instead of judging her, Will accepted it and let her mourn her long-lost friend.

Cleo, Emma, and Rikki had also been kind and compassionate, but let her have her space as well. "We'll be here whenever you need us," Emma had said. "You're our friend and we want to help you."

"You don't have to surprise me," Bella argued. "I was ready for a quiet night at home. I'm shocked Mom even let me out of her sight."

"Trust me, I think you need this." She heard a door open. "All right, here we go." He pulled off the blindfold and Bella saw Cleo, Emma, Rikki, and Lewis standing in the café.

"What are you doing here?" she asked in surprise.

"We wanted to give you some closure." Rikki used a remote to turn on the big projector. Bella was stunned to see a large picture of Melia projected onto the screen. Fancy script below it proclaimed: Amelia Elizabeth Clark, 1992-2011, Gone, but never forgotten.

Bella collapsed to her knees, tears threatening to fall. "You did this…for me?"

Her three friends knelt beside her. "Melia deserves a proper service," Emma explained. "She never really got one."

"I didn't even go to her funeral, well the fake one." Bella stood and touched the picture of her childhood friend. "Thank you."

"Bella," Will prodded gently. "Would you like to say anything about Melia?"

She smiled. "I'll try my best." She looked back at the picture. "Melia was my best friend when I was a little girl. She was sweet, feisty, and always looking for trouble. She was the one who pulled me into one of our greatest adventures when we turned into something extraordinary. When she became sick, I took it into my own hands to save her. I forced her to make a terrible sacrifice that would eventually lead to her sacrificing herself for Emma. I don't know everything that happened to her after April 14, 2002, but I know she tried her best to make it home to her family. Even though she isn't here anymore, as long as I live, I will always remember her." She wiped away her tears. "Amelia Clark, this is for you." Bella walked to the microphone. "Will, can you help me?"

"Sure." He climbed up on stage with her and picked up the guitar, which he had learned so he could accompany Bella.

"Clouds," she whispered. He nodded and began to strum the guitar.

I fell down, down, down

Into this dark and lonely hole

There was no one there to care about me anymore

And I needed a way to climb and grab a hold of the edge

You were sitting there holding a rope

And we'll go up, up, up

But you'll fly a little higher

Go up in the clouds because the view's a little nicer

Up here my dear

It won't be long now, it won't be long now

And we'll go up, up, up,

But you'll fly a little higher

Go up in the clouds because the view's a little nicer

And maybe someday I'll see you again

We'll float up in the clouds and we'll never see the end…

Bella finished and her friends cheered. "That was beautiful," Cleo complimented.

"Thanks." She hugged everyone. "I think Melia would have appreciated it."

"How about we have some smoothies?" Rikki suggested. "I'll buy."

"You're the namesake," Will replied with a laugh. "You drink for free!"

"I'll take that!" As everyone crowded around the counter, making their orders, Bella strolled over to the window and looked up at the evening sky.

"Make sure she's okay for me, Ashley," Bella whispered. "Keep an eye on her." She smiled and turned around to her friends. "Save me a strawberry smoothie!" she called.

Outside the café, Ashley watched the group celebrate with a soft expression. "Mission accomplished again, girls," she said proudly. "I'll see you soon." She turned to float away. "Your adventures aren't over yet." As she drifted into the sky, she gave one final wave. "I'll see you again."

The End!

Song credit goes to Zach Sobiech and his song "Clouds." Rest in peace.

Well, after almost five years, H2O: JAS has reached its end. I am not going to write stories 3 and 4 because I do not have time and I have a published series to write. I have appreciated each and every one of your reviews and support. Feel free to come back anytime and read again, I will be leaving these stories up for you to enjoy. The final chapter of H2O: JAS: Winds of Change will be up soon. Thank you again.

-Alyssa "Aly" Holloway