Did anyone else know about that scar? Marina would have been subjected to Check over and a medical examination on her arrival to Marineville so Had the hospital staff known? given patient confidentiality they wouldn't have shared any details sure. But Would it have been in depth or left to auto-nurse and just a peck on the mermaid's notes? Would they have been sympathetic about the scarring? Had anyone even spoken to Marina about them? Had any one even considered that just because the girl from the sea couldn't talk, Marina might have needed someone to talk too? Just because she was now a freed slave that was it, no need to worry about anything else?

" No we all so busy making sure she wasn't a spy with that stupid plant! And analysing how deep she could possibly swim, weren't we?" Atlanta complained, all guilty and bitter, to herself. And to Candy. But meows don't make for good solutions.

"Do Troy or Phones know, you think?" She wondered as Resumed Pacing up and down her room as she got ready for bed. She couldn't see Troy keeping schtum about such a thing, even if Marina had shown him the scar in confidence, such was his fascination with her. Or if he'd seen Marina's injuries, Troy would have moved hell and high water to make sure it was .

Phones could know, maybe? marina seemed very chummy with him nowadays especially training to be a fully fledged aqua naught and learning to better the communication of the crew. Trouble was, if Marina had confided in Phones, Phones would either take the concern to his grave or the whole of Marineville would know by the next high tide. There was no inbetween with the guy. Lovely as he was. He was both a blabber mouth and the world's best secret keeper.

No Atlanta decided. They didn't know. Atlanta remembered the look of horror on Marina's face. The pleading not to tell look. If the fellas knew about the scar, they'd have put two and two together and consoled their friend. No, Marina had kept it- that scar hidden and secret.

And why shouldn't she? It was her own body after all. But the idea that Marina had been or might still be in any pain, hurt Atlanta and shook her very heart. It didn't have to be physically painful either, but emotionally? If it gave marina so much as a nightmare. And No one to keep her council… Marina was on her own.

Or more, Marina was- and up till this point- on her own. But she didn't have to be. Not anymore.

Exhausted Atlanta gave up and resolved to speak to Marina tomorrow. leaving Candy to do whatever a house cat did on a night, She went about the house One last time checking the doors and lights, that her uniform was ready and prepared for tomorrow. Then Finally Much later than she normally would, got into bed. Tring one last time to put it all from her mind Atlanta set her alarm for the morning and, after a while Fell into Restless sleep.

But as if Atlanta's mind hadn't gone around the issue enough all day, Bad dreams bothered her all night too.

Not nightmares as such… just, incredibly weird and real feeling dreams that kept startling her awake and bleeding into each other. She couldn't remember them exactly. But Atlanta woke with the impressions of cold. Of metal. Dark water, terrible huge fish circling the control room tower. She wasn't drowning but had hung there, Tears and bubbles float upwards in the waters. Same fat tears leaving damp patches on her pillow the following morning.

The loneliness. Green scales. That scar. Bright underwater flowers. and then something grabbing at Atlanta's ankle, in a hard vice like grip, and pulling her down.