Discovering Me

Summery: It's been three years since Justin let her go from the boat and into the water. Since then Mila has only seen him, Sandy and Doctor Beck one other time. Now with people coming to the island regularly to fish, what can they do to help Mila and how will it affect her? Will Mila even want to be saved? And who is the strange fisherman that spotted her in the ocean?

Disclaimer: I own nothing...except my original characters. And the book from which I read and became inspired. All other characters belong to Karen Hesse, the brilliant writer of the book. So don't sue...I'm broke anyways.

Chapter One: It Begins

I pull myself to the shore while my dolphin family searches for food. I go into the forest to find water to drink. Water trickles from a small place in the rocks deep in the forest. I cup my hands to catch the water and then bring my hands to my mouth. I drink thirstily, and go back for more. After a few more handfuls of water, I feel refreshed and go back to where I left my dolphin family.

My dolphin mother swims close to the shore and tosses me a fish she has removed the head and tail from. I quickly run to grab it before a seagull does. I sink my teeth into the fish and taste its goodness. She tosses me another and I eat that one as well. My mother calls to caution me, for this is near the season when the men from far away come to fish. They have been coming here since just before I came back.

I find some soft, sheltered sand and lay down for a short nap. My mother urgently whistles something to me, but my eyes are half closed and I'm already beginning to drift off. I know I should try to stay awake and understand what she is saying to me but it's hard to resist sleep. My eyes close and I drift off into a dreamless sleep. The next thing I know there are loud shout coming from a few feet to the left of me.

"Simon! I found last years markers! Simo-"I suddenly stop calling for my coworker. A brief movement to my left catches my attention. I jerk to the side trying to see what it is. I creep slowly closer hoping to catch a glimpse of what the movement was.

"Jon!" Simon suddenly hollers close to my ear. I jump and turn around quickly only to face Simon laughing in my face. I try to appear unfazed, but it's not working so well.

"Jon," Simon says trying to control his laughter. "What are ya looking at? What's so interesting in them bushes?"

Shaking off my nervousness I say, "I thought I saw something in the bushes. It was...a little weird."

"Somethin in the bushes?" Simon laughed and playfully slapped my back. "It was prolly just some sorta critter or something. You're just over reactin. Now come on and lets head back to the ship and unload." He walked away still laughing at me.

I turned to follow and started to do so. But a few feet away I felt someone staring at me a turned to check. Scanning the bushes behind me I saw nothing to suggest someone was behind me. Hesitantly, I turned back around and followed Simon to the ship.

I watched the man named Jon turn back toward the man called Simon and follow him. I wondered what they could be doing her. It seemed that the season for fishing was still a time away, and the men should not be here. When the men left my line of vision I turned and headed back to my dolphin mother.

I silently cursed myself for not listening and almost being caught. I swam out to my dolphin family and we headed away from where the men had landed their ship. We younger ones laughed and play like usual, while the elders discussed the strange arrival of the people. We swim around playing and chasing each other, my dolphin cousins swimming fast, playing a game of tag.

I'm just above the water taking a breath wondering about the strange men. Suddenly a picture a human boy flashed in my mind. I shook my head trying to get rid of it, while, at the same time, trying to place his face. A faint memory of my days with people flashed in my mind, but before I could recall anything, my dolphin mother called to me. Shaking my head of the memories, my long, wet hair stuck to my face. Diving to remove the hair from my face, I swam toward my dolphin family in an effort to catch up.

I turned toward the ocean on a sudden impulse. In the glare of the sun, I thought I saw a woman swimming with the dolphins. Or at least that's what I thought I saw. Maybe it was just my imagination, but it appeared to be a mermaid. Although I hadn't had a drink yet, I was almost positive it was just a hallucination. I stared for a few minutes carrying the load that had been handed to me. I didn't seem to notice that my arms began to ache or that the sun hurt my eyes, I just wanted to catch another glimpse of the woman.

"Jon!" I jerked to face Ray at the sound of my name. "Man, what's wrong with you? I've been calling you for the past few minutes or so." Ray reached to grab the box in my hands.

I shook my arms out trying to release the pain that had formed in my arms. "I'm sorry," I murmured. "I must have zoned out for a second there. I thought I saw something. It was weird and strangely beautiful." I looked out over the sea again, hoping to see her again.

"Are you okay Jon? You seem to be a bit out of it right now. Do you need to lay down?"

I slowly shook my head. "No. I'm fine just a little homesick I guess."

Ray nodded seeming to understand, but at that moment Simon approached. "Is he talkin about seeing things again? He thought he saw somethin in the bushes earlier." Simon laughed mockingly at me.

I sneered at him hoping to play it off, but he just walked away still laughing at me. I smiled pathetically at Ray, and he gave me an apologetic smile. He has known Simon longer than me. I just joined the fishing crew, but Ray has been on for at least five years. Simon has been in this fishing crew a lot longer than him. Ray seemed to realize that Simon's age is wearing him down. Fishing is not an easy job for an old timer.

We arrived at a different cove, one more secluded and harder to reach. I hoped I wouldn't be found out. But a small part of me wished for the man called Jon to find were my hideout was. The only problem was, every time I pictured him in my head, I would see the other guy instead. The other human guy offered me some strange sense of calm. Like he was a comfort from my life with the humans. I just couldn't remember him. I couldn't recall his name, or why he meant so much.

A/N: This is my first fanfic and I seem to be needing a beta. So if anyone is at all interested...just email me...or put it in your review. I welcome all forms of criticism. Sorry this chapter is so short, maybe ill right a longer one. wink wink But I really appreciate compliments. smiles Anyways...just r and r.

Love to all my readers,

takunkitty