You guys are amazing! I want to seriously thank you for all your kind reviews and for reading along this far. It's been a wonderful journey and I've been so happy share it with you. This isn't the last chapter. But the end is just around the corner. I hope this has brought some joy to your life. Enjoy!

A/N: Still don't own the characters in the original movie, but boy do I wish Cody was real…

Jess had wanted to go home first. He knew his dad must be worried sick and he missed him. But it wouldn't take very long for someone to realize he was gone from Sea Haven. Plus, the longer he was gone, the more time they had to experiment on Cody. So, while he raced down the road, his thumb thrust out like a hitchhiker, he made the hard choice. He would go the Griffin's first. From there they could call his dad and they could convene at the lighthouse. Jess figured that would be the second place they would look, so at least that would buy him time.

He had been running for roughly five minutes when someone finally pulled over to help him. His heart hammering, Jess was afraid at first it was some from Sea Haven. Instead, the white-haired and worried-faced lady showed only concern for him. Grateful beyond belief, Jess climbed into her front seat.

"Oh, dear. You look like you're in trouble!" The old lady patted his shoulder and then fished for her purse. "Are you alright? Did you get lost?"

"I'm…" Jess began then paused. What could he tell her? That he had been kidnapped? No, she'd take him to the police station first and he didn't have time for that. "My, I, crashed….my bike."

The lie sounded obvious. He'd never been good at lying.

"Poor thing. Let's get you home then," she said. Finally done rummaging, she pulled a stick of gum from her purse and handed it to him.

Giving her an awkward smile, Jess thanked her for the gum and chewed on it while they drove into town. It took only twenty minutes for him to realize the horrible truth. Sea Haven sat right outside the city limits of Mahone Bay. They had been this close the whole time. That meant his mom had been nearby his whole life and yet had never come home. He had to choke back the tears as a new feeling of abandonment weighed on his heart. It would have been better, he thought, if she had died at sea.

"Are you alright?" The lady was glancing over at him every few seconds, her back hunched as she leaned over her steering wheel.

"F…fine," stammered Jess. "I live on the Island. If you can drop me off at the ferry, I'll be able to make it home from there."

"Of course. I love the island, you know. So quaint and peaceful. And isn't that old lighthouse just beautiful?"

Jess half listened while he watched houses go by. It was all familiar but now so foreign. He really hadn't been gone that long, but in those few short days his whole life had changed. Knowing how close Sea Haven had always been, he'd never be able to look at his town the same way.

The ride was quick and wonderfully uneventful. The old lady patted his knee and reminded him to get a good night's rest as he climbed out of her car. He stood at the entrance to the pier as he watched her small, red car drive away. Now the hard part. Quickly ducking into a nearby public beach bathroom, Jess locked the stall and pulled his feet off the floor. There were too many people around. Also, he needed to be out of sight for a while to make sure he hadn't been followed. He would sit there in that stall all day until he felt it was safe to leave.

The sun was nearing the horizon, getting ready to set on what had been a gorgeous day, when Jess emerged from the bathroom. He guessed it was almost dinner time by how much his stomach growled, and by how few people still meandered around. Now he felt he would have the best chance of making it to the Griffin's without anyone noticing him.

He had one more problem though – Jess wasn't going to be able to take the ferry. Pete would undoubtedly be on the lookout for the missing boys. No, Jess needed to get to the island without anyone noticing him. Dropping his head and hunching his shoulders, Jess made himself as unnoticeable as possible while he sped walked to a lone dock far down from where Pete docked the ferry. He had spent years pretending to be invisible at school and the old habit came easy.

Looking up and glancing around him quickly, Jess was confident he was alone. First, he hopped from one foot to the next, quickly stretching his calves, then took a deep breath, held it, exhaled, and repeated. On the third breath he dove into the slightly chilly waters of Mahone Bay.

The water was dirty around the boats, but he paid it no mind. Keeping underwater, Jess kicked and swam as hard and as fast as he could. His shoes weighed him down, but he would need them to run to the Griffin's. Cody had told him how he'd once swum from one shore of the inlet to the next. It had been the first time he'd felt so right in the water. Jess suspected that was really when his transformation had started. For Jess, this would be the longest distance he had ever swum. His arms ached, and his legs were heavy and getting tired, but never once did he feel the need to breath. His second lungs were working like a charm.

Quickly the shore of the island came into view and he pushed himself forward. Peeking his head above the water near a boat, he made sure the coast was clear, then climbed out onto the plankway. Dripping, waterlogged, and limbs burning from the exertion, Jess didn't let himself stop. From his best guess, it had been over five hours since he'd escaped. He had to be very careful that he didn't get caught.

With his shoes squelching, he ran past the boats and a couple of dock workers. The warm, early evening air was helping to dry him out, but he knew he must look very strange to anyone who noticed him. He didn't stop to see what kind of glances he was getting. He couldn't risk it. He was just hitting pavement to race towards Cody's street when a familiar shout echoed behind him.

"Jess! Jess!"

Slowing, Jess allowed himself to look over his shoulder. It was his dad, racing towards him, right arm waiving frantically in the air while his left hand kept his hat firmly on his head.

His hesitation was enough. John Wheatley caught his son by the shoulders and pulled him into a tight, rib-crushing hug.

"Jess," he mumbled into his son's hair. "You're okay."

"Dad," said Jess, a catch in his throat. He returned his dad's embrace.

John pulled back, hands firmly on his son's shoulders. "Where have you been? Are you alright? What happened?"

Shaking his head, Jess peered over his dad's shoulder and spotted their familiar, beat-up blue truck parked at a nearby curb. "I'll explain on the way, but we have to get to the Griffin's. Now."

Nodding, John had to jog to keep up as Jess raced towards the truck. Climbing in, he gunned the engine and made a beeline for the Griffin's Lighthouse. Only a few minutes away, Jess gave his dad the cliff notes version of what had happened to him but left out a few crucial details. Like how his mom was alive. He didn't think his dad could handle that right now.

Jess didn't mention his own changes either. Cody needed to be the focus right now, not him. He was about to mention the cure when they reached the Griffin's. Before the truck was fully parked, Jess was out of his seat and racing up the sidewalk to the front door, knocking frantically.

After a small eternity, Sharon Griffin opened the front door slowly, warry of who could be on the other side. Seeing Jess, and then John close behind, she flung open the door and quickly ushered them in.

"Whit," she called to his office, "it's Jess!"

Running, Whit slid around the corner into the hallway.

With both the Wheatley's inside, Sharon shut the front door and hurried to join them in the living room.

"Mr. and Mrs. Griffin, I know where Cody is," said Jess.

Whit gestured for the Wheatley's to sit while Sharon quickly returned to the kitchen to turn off the stove. Eager for news, dinner was abandoned while the four of them sat on the couch and lounge chairs. Jess ran them through his story. In turn, Whit told him how Cody had been able to reach out to Sam.

"Wait, Cody was able to talk to Sam?" Jess was amazed. "That's great. He was having a hard talking, or, thinking, uh… with it when I left." Jess rubbed his hand through his hair.

"I can't believe it," choked out Sharon.

Whit had his arms wrapped around her as she quietly sobbed into his shoulder. It had been very hard for the both of him to hear Jess's account of the last couple days. Angry more than anything, Whit wanted to find those scientists and give him a piece of his mind. Usually a pacifist, he would love nothing more than to give that Dr. May a quick punch to the face.

"We need to call Sam," said Sharon, wiping at her eyes. "She's in danger."

Jess shook his head. "No, you can't. We need to get Cody first."

Sharon didn't seem to hear him. "Whit, call Sam. Tell her not answer the door for anyone."

Already ahead of her, Whit had his phone to his ear.

"Dad? What's going on?" Jess could only think about how they needed to be looking for Cody. Sam would be fine.

"Jess," John was wringing his hands in front of him. "Sam, well, she's…. she's turning into… a mermaid."

"Cody shocked her too?"

Sharon was now standing and pacing by her chair. Whit was dialing Sam's number for the third time, but she wasn't picking up.

John nodded in response to his son's question. "Not on purpose."

"I can't get a hold of her," said Whit. He slipped his phone back in his pocket. "I agree with Jess. Our best chance to go and get Cody is now."

Sharon was about to point how dangerous that could be when another knock on the front door made them all freeze. No one made a move to answer.

"Could that be Sam?" whispered John.

Whit put a finger to his lips, motioning with his other hand for everyone to stay still.

A second knock came, this time louder and harder, almost an anxious pound.

No one moved, barely breathing.

"Mr. and Mrs. Griffin, I know you're home," came a muffled yell through the door.

That definitely wasn't Sam, and by the way Jess gasped and then shrank back in his seat, they had a pretty good idea what kind of person was on the other side.

More pounding came at the door, followed by the turning of the doorknob. Sharon cursed under breath as the door began to open. She hadn't relocked it after letting John and Jess in.

-TSLOF-

The water around Sam had gone frigid and goosebumps covered her arms. She shivered slightly but didn't move from the bathtub. All day she had tried her best to stay away from water. To pretend she wasn't going crazy and that she wasn't really becoming a…a…

A mermaid.

Shaking her head, she held her hand in front of her, turning it this way and that, staring at the scales that covered her palm and forearm. Her other arm looked the same. Her ankles as well. In a matter of hours, she had gone from uncertainty to full out panic. An hour ago, she finally couldn't take the itch in her skin and had drawn herself a bath. After a half hour the scales had begun to multiply but she hadn't left the water. It helped to clear her mind, even as it went cold.

She knew she should dry herself off. The longer she sat there, the worse it was going to get. But she was conflicted, and so she continued to stay in the water. If she got out and tried to stay away from the water as much as possible, the longer she could pretend she was only human. But if she staid human, she would lose Cody. Staring at the scales again, Sam didn't think she would have a choice either way.

A familiar itch pricked the back of her skull and she sat up straighter in the tub, wrapping her arms around herself. His voice was faint at first, but then finally came through loud and clear.

'Sam…'

'Cody!'

'Hey, Sam.'

'Hey.' She smiled to herself. He sounded much better than last time.

'I don't have much time. Everyone here, well, there's a lot going on.'

'Are you okay? Are they still hurting you?'

'I'm,' he paused, 'I'll be okay. Jess escaped. Stay home. Whatever you do, do not…'

He fell silent for a long moment, but Sam could still feel him there. She also felt his apprehension and how still he was trying to be. Whatever drug they had given him had worn off, but it seemed he still needed to pretend it hadn't. That meant he wasn't safe, and they would drug him again if they had the chance. She stayed silent, allowing him to take his time, knowing it was for his own safety.

'Sam, stay safe. I don't know if they will come for you too."

'I'll be fine, I promise. I'm not going to go anywhere.'

She could feel him relax at that.

'Cody, there's something you need to know…'

A wave of fear flooded through her, sent over their bond. She froze in the tub, her heart stuttering.

'Sam, I'll be okay,' Cody told her.

A brief flick of love washed over her followed by a feeling of sharp pain and a distinct, all-encompassing heaviness. Then, he was gone.

'Cody…'

She waited for a few more heartbeats, hoping they hadn't drugged him again. But his thoughts didn't come back.

She knew he was lying when he said he'd be okay, and it tore at Sam's heart. Talking to her had broken his concentration, but it was so he could warn her. Jess had escaped, but he'd left Cody behind. It then occurred to Sam that Cody, most likely, was a full merman again. She thought back to their conversation earlier that morning and could only recall the numbness she'd felt from him. She'd seen images from him about her grandpa, Sean, and the people around him, but never one of himself.

She pictured him again, not as a human but rather with his fins. His silver and blue tail that flashed in the light and the gentle smile that went with his deep, water green eyes. She loved him, scales and all. And because of that, she would do as he asked. Everything was crazy enough without her getting kidnapped too. Shuddering again from the cold, Sam pulled herself from the tub, her knees shaky as she carefully stepped over the rim.

Wrapping a towel around herself, she slowly shuffled her way to her bedroom. Her legs felt wobbly and the scales itching as they began to dry. Her throat was still tight, and she felt a pull in her gut to return to the now draining tub. She pushed those feelings down as she got dressed then laid across her bed to work on her homework. It was hard to concentrate, and more than once she caught herself reading the same passage over and over. Every few minutes she glanced over at her old red phone, wanting to call the Griffin's. Or at least Jess's dad. She wondered if he'd been successful in his escape. Had he gone home?

Questions spun through her mind and she snapped her eyes shut until little specs of color danced on the back of her eyelids. Opening them again, she shook her head and focused on her textbook, pencil in hand to take notes. Sam ignored the itching as she dried out and closed off her mind to the worries that nagged at her. She could do this for one more day. And then if she had to wait a day more, she would do that too. She would wait for Cody as long as it would take.

-TSLOF-

The man entered the Griffin's house, quick to shut the door behind him, his white hair covered in an old news printer hat. His eyes were heavy with lack of sleep, but they held a mischievous gleam that made Sharon nervous.

"I promise, Mr. and Mrs. Griffin, that I am not here to hurt you," he said.

Whit was the first to react. Steeling his nerves, he stepped towards the older man and pushed him backwards. "Who do you think you are to come barging into my home?"

The man seemed genuinely shocked. "I am here to help you and your son."

Grabbing him by the collar of his coat, Whit pushed the older man again, this time into the wall. A picture wobbled then fell off its nail, glass cracking as it hit the wooden floor.

"Are you the one who took him? Are you the one who has been experimenting on him?" growled Whit.

"That's Dr. May," said Jess, partially hidden behind his dad's bulk. "He's actually one of the nicer ones."

Whit didn't let go. "Where is my son?"

Pressed against the wall, Dr. May stared around the room. Sharon, the merman's adoptive mom, was on the phone, her face ashen white. Jess stood by his dad, a man Dr. May was familiar with through Abigail, though they had never met. It was intriguing to see him here.

"Mr. Griffin, your son is fine. And he will remain that way if you take your hands off me so we can talk as two rational adults," he said.

One heartbeat…three heartbeats. Whit counted to ten. Then thirty. After fifty he finally let go.

"Thank you," said Dr. May. He tugged at his coat, straightening the heavily starched material. "I'm sure that by now Jess has told you all about who I am and the organization I represent."

"Dr. May from Sea Haven," spoke up John. He had moved closer, leaving Jess to hover by Sharon.

"That's correct. I'm also sure that he's told you all about Cody and the harm he has caused. Poor Sean is just now recovering and will thankfully be able to go home soon. Luckily, the same can be said for most of the people who have found refuge at Sea Haven." He looked pointedly at John.

John didn't move. "What does that mean?"

Gulping, Jess came forward a bit more. "Dad, I didn't tell you everything."

"Oh, dear. Jess, that's not really something you should have kept from him. Well, John, um, I guess I'll be the one to tell you." Dr. May gestured toward the couch, but Whit blocked his way.

"He's going to want to sit down for this, Whit."

Crossing his arms stubbornly across his chest, John nodded at the doctor to continue.

"Very well then," said Dr. May. He clasped his hands behind his back. "My partner at Sea Haven is a woman named Abigail. Abigail Wheatley." He paused, then continued. "John, I believe she was your wife."

Jess barely reached his dad in time as the older man collapsed to his knees. His face was slack with disbelief.

"I'm sorry, Dad," said Jess. "I should have told you. I just didn't know how…"

"Your wife didn't die in a boat accident like you thought," the doctor continued, everyone's eyes trained on him. "She did get in an accident, and almost drowned. That's how it happened for most of us, even your son if you recall. Well, your wife met a mermaid that day who saved her life. However, when the mermaid shocked her to save her, it changed her. She had to stay away for her safety, and yours."

"Abby, my Abby…" mumbled John. "She's alive."

"Dad," started Jess, but the doctor cut him off.

"Yes, and she has spent her time at Sea Haven helping me research a cure. Now, thanks to Sean, and admittedly Cody, we finally have one."

"What about my son?" asked Sharon. She had put her phone away but still stood by her chair, grasping at the back of it for support.

"We are transporting him to a beach located a two-hour drive west from here. He will be allowed to return to his real home, under a few conditions."

"His home is here," said Whit. He took a threatening step forward.

"The first," continued Dr. May, taking his own small step back, "which Abigail requested, is that Jess come back to Sea Haven so he can also be cured."

Jess didn't understand. Why would they care? They hadn't cared about him this whole time.

"Second, everyone in this room will sign a contract indicating that they will never speak to anyone else of merfolk or of the place called Sea Haven."

Dr. May waited for any of them to put up a fit with the first two conditions. After no one did, he nodded with satisfaction. "The third condition will be, well, the hardest to keep. Cody will be released to the ocean under the condition that he and all other merfolk never return to or near land ever again."

Sharon gasped, dropping into a nearby lounge chair.

"He's our son!" yelled Whit, his hands once again on Dr. May's now wrinkled coat collars.

"And he's a danger, Mr. Griffin," menaced Dr. May. "He nearly killed one boy. What other damage do you think he will do? At the facility he exploded a tank and tried to shock the rest of us. He is a dangerous creature, no matter how human he looks!"

Whit shoved the doctor back into the wall, more pictures falling to the ground with loud snaps and the crack of glass. "He is our son and you have no right to kidnap and hold him against his will."

"Then call the cops on me, Mr. Griffin. Tell them that I have your merman son and we'll see what happens next."

Sharon's sobbing filled the room, her head in her hands. "Please," she looked up at the doctor, "let's talk about this."

"It's no use," said Jess. "They have what they need. This is the best thing for Cody now." Tears had welled up on his own eyes and he gulped as he tried to quickly blink them away.

"Jess, son," John pulled himself to his feet. "We can't do that. Cody deserves better. He needs to come home."

He met his dad's eyes, then Mrs. Griffin's, then Mr. Griffin's. "Cody is a merman." He let the words sink in for a moment. "The truth is his kind can be dangerous. What Sea Haven did is bad, but they are just trying to help people get their lives back."

"You're defending them?" asked Whit.

"No. They haven't treated me any better the last couple of days. I hate them for it." He stared pointedly at Dr. May. "But as Cody's friend, if he stays, he will be in danger, and we will be too."

Shaking her head, Sharon sobbed. "I want to see him. Please, let us at least see him."

Letting his hands drop to his sides, Whit took a step back, staring at the family pictures that now lay on the ground. Cody smiled from them at different ages and in different places. One from the first time they'd gone fishing together. Another from him learning how to drive his first boat. And there was his picture from the last school year, taken just before he had turned thirteen. How had it all come to this?

"You can see him," said Dr. May, "only if you agree to the conditions first."

Everyone stared around at each other, defeat hanging heavy in the air.

"Alright," Sharon finally said, her hand clutching tightly to the arm of her chair. "We accept."

Whit stared at his wife, tears streaming down both of their faces. What else could they do? They would play along until they saw their son. Then, if it was the last thing Whit could do for his son, he would make sure he was safe and free of these vile people.

Within half an hour, the Griffin's and the Wheatley's had all signed a contract stating they agreed to all three terms. Cody would also sign before he left, but that was a matter for two hours from then. Per instruction, Dr. May would text Whit the coordinates after he had pulled away from the lighthouse. They would wait fifteen minutes and then be allowed to follow. For everyone's safety, they were not to follow directly behind them.

As Dr. May left, Sharon began picking up the pictures that had fallen and cleaning up the abandoned dinner. Cleaning had always been one of her ways of coping. It helped her clear her mind and refocus on what really mattered.

Whit sat on the couch, glued to his phone, waiting for the coordinates to come through. This could have all been a lie. Was Dr. May really going to let them say goodbye to Cody? Would he really see his son one last time?

Exactly one minute after Dr. May had left, a single text came through. He plugged the coordinates into his map app and then grabbed his coat.

"Whit," Sharon was tugging on her own jacket. "I'm going to call Sam. She needs to be there."

"Of course. We won't have time to pick her up though. Make sure she can convince her mom to take her."

Sharon pulled out her phone again. She had tried dialing her multiple times when Dr. May had shown up but had still been unable to get through. She prayed this time would be different. If Sam didn't leave the same time as them, she would miss him.

Thirteen minutes to go.

-TSLOF-

Tepid water sloshed around him as he bumped into the crowding walls of the small tank. His stomach churning with the jostling, Cody kept his eyes firmly shut. His limbs were still too heavy from the renewed drug in his system, and his mind was slow and sluggish. He couldn't stop himself from sliding around with the water, but he could keep his motion sickness at bay for a little bit. He could only guess why they were moving him, but he was grateful his arm was no longer suspended out of the water. His fin burned where it had cracked, his scales itched fiercely, and his shoulder muscle was tight and twinging with pain.

A screech of tires sounded, and he felt his stomach settle as the water stopped moving. Still unable to do more than slightly twitch his fingers and the tips of his fin, he lay there motionless so he could focus on listening. A car door slammed, and the water sloshed slightly. Was he in a vehicle of some kind? Where were they taking him? He wanted to reach out with his mind for Sam, but a migraine threatened with even the slightest try. They must have really drugged him this time.

Footsteps tapped away from the vehicle and Cody waited in anticipation. He didn't know how long he waited, or what his captors were doing. He did know the longer they left him alone, the more and more the drug wore off. Not able to hear anything, he finally opened his eyes and his hope for his situation disappeared.

He was in a van. White sloped metal walls surrounded him. There were no side windows and no opening leading to the cab of the van. Fading daylight filtered in from a small moon-roof above him, barely lighting the cramped space. From what he could feel, he lay in a small, slender and shallow tank, barely wide enough for him to stretch his arms from his sides by a few inches. His tail curled against the end slightly and his head kept bumping against the top. From base to lid he probably had two feet of movement. He could maybe turn over if he wanted, but nothing else. The lid looked to be secured with multiple latches with a loop of hoses at the end by his tail filtering the water in and out to keep it oxygenated. Well, at least he wouldn't suffocate.

But why had they gone through all this trouble? He had just assumed they would keep him locked up to continue running experiments. Or even sell him off to the highest bidder once they had everything they needed for their cure. Now his future seemed more uncertain than ever.

After what felt like a long while, footsteps once again reached the van. A door creaked open, making the water slosh with the movement, and then they were moving. Cody had to close his eyes again as he was banged around in the water. After the fifth time bashing his head, he almost wished he could be unconscious for this part. Besides the head wound, his arm fins and tail were taking a lot of beating as he numbly tried to brace himself in place.

As the van moved, he began to notice a different feeling in his gut. A familiar, dull ache he'd been trying to ignore for months. The pull of the ocean. Ignoring the motion sickness, he opened his eyes and focused on the tug he always felt to his true home. They were moving toward the ocean, but why? Wouldn't that be the last place they would want to take him?

Were they really just going to let him go? Cody knew he would have his answer soon enough. The road was growing rougher under the tires and he winced as his body regained full feeling for the worst part of the journey. He was going to have a lot of bruises when this was all over. But as the numbness disappeared, so did the heaviness in his mind.

Reaching out, he searched for Sam. Usually she was easy to find, just like his mom, but not now. He tried to reach farther with his mind, but pain blossomed behind his eyes and he winced. It was still too soon. He needed more time for the drug to fully wear off.

As the van came to a halt, what time he had been hoping for disappeared. Once more the doors opened and shut. This time the footsteps drew closer to the back of the van and Cody didn't pretend he was unconscious as the doors opened wide. He wasn't going to miss what was coming next.

-TSLOF-

"Mom! Mom!" yelled Sam, running out of her room and down the stairs as fast as her shaky legs would take her.

"Sam, what is it?" Her mom sat at the dining room table, a hot mug of tea in her hands as she typed on her laptop.

"Mrs. Griffin just called," Sam stooped, hands on knees to catch her breath and steady her knees. "It's Cody. They know where he is. We have to go and meet them!"

"What, really?" Standing, her mom began searching for her purse and keys. "Did the police call? Is he safe? What about Jess and Sean?"

"They didn't say. But they did say he wants me to be there," lied Sam. "We need to hurry." She had already put on her shoes and jacket before rushing out of her room.

"Okay, okay."

After a few minutes of searching the two brunettes were headed down the road in the beat-up Pontiac.

"Is he okay? What did Mrs. Griffin tell you?" asked Sam's mom.

Sam didn't know how much to tell. Sharon had only been able to give her the basic run down. What she did know was her mom was about to get the biggest surprise of her life. Cody was a merman again; Sharon had confirmed that over the phone. On top of that, he was being transported by the scientists at Sea Haven so he could return to the ocean. For good. Sam didn't want to think about that part. She was still hoping that she could somehow find a way for Cody to stay. He boyfriend hadn't known what he was doing. He wasn't the kind of person to intentionally hurt anyone. There was no way he could be the danger they thought he was.

"He's…well…" Sam hesitated. "You'll want to prepare yourself, mom."

"Honey, I'm a nurse, there's not much I haven't seen. And if he's hurt, he should be at a hospital, not a police station."

"We're not going to a police station."

"Then he is at a hospital?" Her mom was getting confused.

"No… from the address Mrs. Griffin gave me, it looks like a small beach just past Marsh Springs," said Sam. That was true at least.

"Why is he there? Sam, what's going on?" Her mom looked over at her, suspicion in her eyes.

"I…you'll see, mom. Please, you'll just need to see for yourself."

Her mom didn't press any farther. Sam had never been one to keep secrets from her. It was obvious Cody had gotten himself into some kid of trouble, and it didn't make her happy that her daughter was involved. But Sam seemed so anxious and almost hysterical with the news. She would just have to confront the Griffin's herself when they got there.

"Alright. But I expect full, straight answers from everyone when we arrive."

"Trust me, mom," said Sam, staring out the passenger window. "You'll definitely get some answers."

And, Sam knew, she would have a lot more questions before the night was up.

As always, I leave you lovelies with a cliff-hanger. I've already started on the next chapter, so that should be up sooner rather than later. Thank you again for reading and reviewing. It has meant the world to me. Happy swimming!