Hi guys, I hope you enjoy this chapter :) It's getting close to the season finale :)

"Cleo, I really need you".

"Ash? What's going on?"

"Linda Denman has trapped Zane, Rikki, Emma and Lewis in her lab. Please get them out". Ash said urgently. He was so afraid for their safety, especially if Denman found out Zane and Lewis were mermen too.

"I don't understand why would she do that, is this some kind of prank? I would expect that from Zane but you-"

"No Cleo please this isn't a prank, they really need you".

"Where are you-"

Cleo was cut off when Ash's phone turned off causing him to sigh in frustration. It had completely run out of battery. Ash was glad he was at least able to get Cleo's help for his friends and girlfriend. Girlfriend. The word made warmth flow through his tummy despite the situation. Ash's heart sank though when he realised he might never see Emma again or his friends and family. He was so scared of what Denman had planned for him, he knew he would probably spend the rest of his life strapped to a table and that terrified him.

Thirty agonising minutes later the car came to a stop and Ash's heart hammered even more wildly in his chest. When the boot opened he saw Denman grinning at him. Denman leaned in close to Ash and stroked his cheek causing him to flinch back but Denman wouldn't let go of him. Denman kept staring at Ash with the same look as longing she did before when she came to his house, and it really freaked him out, until someone coughed behind her causing Denman to jump and glare at the man behind her. Denman grabbed Ash and pulled him harshly out of the car causing Ash to stumble and nearly fall but Denman caught him. Denman pulled Ash close to her and suddenly there was a pain in his neck.

"Sweet dreams", Denman whispered as the world turned black.

Zane had his arms wrapped protectively around Lewis and Rikki, while Emma snuggled into Rikki who hugged her tightly trying to comfort her as much as herself. They had tried to find ways out but everything they had done had failed. There was a man and a woman outside guarding them and they had often came in and taunted them about Ash. Emma and Lewis had had to hold Zane and Rikki back and themselves from punching them a lot of times.

"I'm so scared for Ash, Denman's going to do terrible things to him, she'll experiment on him and-"

"Em, Ash is strong he'll be okay", Rikki said trying to sound convincing but failing.

"I'm going to kill Denman!" Zane said furiously and was about to speak again but suddenly the door was flung open and the last person anyone expected came in. It was Cleo. They all stared at her in shock.

"How?" Lewis said.

Cleo grinned, "I tricked the guards into thinking Miriam needed help. She's here looking for you Zane by the way". Zane grimaced, he wished Miriam would just leave him alone. Lewis hugged Cleo and she hugged him back tightly. "Guys what's going on? Ash called me and-"

"Ash called you?" Emma asked in suprise and hope.

"Yeah but he sounded scared, and why were you guys trapped in here?"

The group shared a look.

"I think we should tell her", Lewis said.

"I don't know Lewis", Zane said anxiously.

"Cleo has just saved us and we need all the help we can get to save Ash".

"What happened to Ash?" Cleo said sounding alarmed.

Rikki took Zane's hand and squeezed it, "I think Lewis is right".

Zane shared a meaningful look with her and then with Emma who nodded. Zane sighed, "Okay but we have to go now".

The group ran out of the lab, being careful so that they weren't spotted by the guards who were talking to a very confused Miriam, and ran to Zane's house. They felt it would be the safest place because of the high security. Cleo sat next to Lewis who kept fidgeting anxiously. Lewis had been wanting to tell Cleo the truth for so long, but he was afraid of how she would react. What if she hated him and exposed him and his friends? Lewis jumped when Cleo put an arm around him but the touch helped him to relax a bit.

"So...um...", Lewis tried to say but the words just wouldn't come. Lewis looked helplessly at Zane who nodded in understanding.

"It's probably better if we show you".

Lewis shared a silent conversation with Zane when he could tell that Zane wanted to show Cleo his merman self rather than him. Zane reluctantly nodded and Lewis smiled gratefully at him, Lewis loved Zane's protective side but this was something he needed to do. Lewis got up and got some water trying to stall the reveal for as long as possible. Lewis's panic increased the closer he was to coming back to the living room. He couldn't bear the thought that Cleo's beautiful eyes could become full of hate or fear. Lewis lied down and tried his best to calm his racing heart. Zane sat next to him protectively and Lewis was so grateful for that. Lewis made himself poor the water over himself and he transformed into a merman.

Cleo gasped and Lewis was afraid to look at her so he turned away and squeezed his eyes shut. Lewis was startled when he felt a hand grasp his. Lewis opened his eyes and saw Cleo had come to sit next to him and was staring in awe at his tail.

"Your tail is so beautiful Lewis. Can I... Can I touch it?"

Lewis nodded still feeling scared that Cleo would change her mind and run from him. Cleo gently touched Lewis' tail and stroked it reverently.

"Wow", Cleo whispered. "Lewis this is incredible".

"You can't tell anyone", Emma said anxiously.

"Don't worry I wouldn't do that", Cleo said not taking her eyes of Lewis' tail.

"Ash and I are both mermen too", Zane said still feeling worried that this was a bad idea, but Lewis was right they needed all the help they could get to save Ash. The thought of Ash made his heart hurt, Zane was terrified for him and wanted him back so much.

Cleo gaped at Zane, "You both are?" Cleo said and Zane nodded. Cleo turned to Emma and Rikki, "What about you two, are you mermaids?"

Rikki laughed, "No but it would so cool if we were", She said causing Emma to smile at her.

"So is this why we need to save Ash?" Cleo said.

Emma hugged herself and tried to stop the image of Ash being experimented on entering her mind but couldn't, "Yeah Denman knows that he's a merman and has kidnapped him". Rikki noticed Emma's distress and hugged her.

Cleo's eyes widened, "Does she know about you two?" Cleo asked Lewis anxiously.

"No she doesn't and we can use that to our advantage".

"What are we going to do?" Zane asked feeling hope as he recognised the look on Lewis' face as an idea hit him.

"We're going to..."

When Ash woke up everything was blurry and it took a while for his eyes to adjust. The room seemed to have come straight out of his nightmares. It was completely white. When Ash managed to get to his feet he saw that his right leg had been chained to the wall and his hands had been tied together. Ash really hoped this wasn't because Denman knew about his powers. Ash frantically looked around to see if anyone was in the room with him but he was alone.

"Please let me go!" Ash shouted in the hope that someone was listening.

"I can't do that Ash", Ash jumped at the sound of Denman's voice. He didn't think she or anyone would actually reply.

"You can't do this, this is kidnapping".

"Actually as you aren't really human I can do this. You have no rights I can do whatever I want to you".

Ash froze in terror at those words. He wished so much that he wasn't here, that he was cuddled with Emma on the couch or with his friends in the moon pool. Ash's thoughts were interrupted when Denman came into the room followed by some people in white bringing a table. Ash immediately tried to escape but Denman grabbed him.

"No please don't do this", Ash said unable to stop the tears spilling out of his eyes, but Denman just ignored him and helped her colleagues force Ash onto the table no matter how hard he struggled.

Denman smiled down at Ash, "You know something has been bothering me", she said as she stroked Ash's cheek again making him wince. "You're a merman you are supposed to love water yet you are scared of it".

"How do you know that?" Ash asked in shock.

"I have my ways. Tell me why are you scared of water?" Ash looked away not wanting to talk about his past but none to gently Denman grabbed his chin and made Ash look at her. "Tell me!" Ash was about to make himself answer but the door suddenly opened and Ash froze when he saw that it was his ex.