Hi guys I hope you enjoy this chapter :)

Thanks for your comments and opinions about my story idea. I'm going to write it as a separate story set in an alternate universe of this story, so the guys will become mermen. I'm thinking of setting it in college instead of school.

Warnings: discussion of an abusive relationship and flashback of abuse.

Lewis dragged Ash roughly on their way to the lab, Ash tried pleading with him but Lewis either ignored him or was cruel. When they arrived at the lab Lewis helped Denman's colleagues force him on to the table but to his surprise they only strapped his wrists and not his ankles. But the reason why became clear when one of the people in white threw water at him and he transformed into his merman form. They all stared at him in awe making Ash look away, but he jumped in fright when he felt someone touching his tail. Denman had come back and was stroking his tail.

"Please don't", Ash whimpered but Denman just ignored him and continued to stroke his tail.

"You're so beautiful", Denman whispered.

Ash didn't know how long they stroked and examined his tail but he hated every minute of it, it felt like a violation and it made him feel sick to his stomach. Ash suddenly found himself back in the white room chained to the wall again. After making sure he was alone Ash allowed himself to curl up and cry himself to sleep.

Meanwhile Denman was in her office looking at the photos she had taken of Ash and his friends. She had been spying on them for a long time, but she hadn't been able to get a photo of him in merman form so she was very happy that she had now and she pinned them to the wall.

"You took pictures of me?"

Denman turned to Lewis, "I had to I needed to know how you were involved in this. Do you know how Ash became a merman?"

"Unfortunately I don't".

"Really? I'm surprised he didn't trust you with this information". Lewis was about to speak but someone knocked on the door.

One of Denman's colleagues came in, "Denman you need to see this".

"Wait for me here Lewis".

Denman was surprised when she was lead to Ash. "What do I need to see?"

Denman's colleague harshly grabbed Ash's hands that he had been trying to hide and Denman's eyes widened when she saw that they were glowing. "What are you doing?"

Ash looked at Denman fearfully, "I-I don't know, this has never happened before". Suddenly the light grew so that it covered all of Ash's body after a few minutes the light disappeared and Ash was completely healed. Ash stared at his healed arms in amazement.

"That's incredible", Denman breathed. "How did you do that?"

"I really don't know-"

"You expect me to believe that".

"I told you this has never happened before".

"Take it back to the lab, I need to talk to Lewis and see if Ash is telling the truth. Lewis was looking at the pictures when Denman came back to her office. "Something very interesting just happened", Denman said making Lewis jump.

"What happened?"

Denman explained everything and realised that Ash was telling the truth when Lewis gaped in shock at her. "So I'm assuming this really hasn't happened before".

"Yeah it never has, wow that sounds amazing. If Ash can heal himself maybe he can heal others too".

Denman grinned at Lewis, "That's what I was thinking, we need to find a way to do that-" Denman was cut off when her phone rang.

"Linda, the merman has escaped!"

"What? Find him now and bring him back to me alive!" Denman shouted furiously and hung up.

"Ash escaped?" Lewis said earning a glare from Denman.

"It escaped, now help me find it".

Ash didn't know how he had managed to heal himself but he was so glad he had or he certainly wouldn't have had the strength to escape and run. Ash hid behind a wall as some people in white ran past him. Ash continued to run as fast as he could through the white corridors but he ran straight into Lara. Lara smiled terrifyingly at him, Ash wanted to run but he was frozen and found himself being backed into the wall. Lara pressed herself against him and cupped his face.

"You're coming with me Ash, I didn't realise how much time Denman was going to spend experimenting on you. I need you all for myself". Lara said and kissed Ash hard but suddenly she was thrown away from him. Ash stared at Emma in shock and relief, she was shaking in fury.

"Get away from him", Emma growled as she stood protectively in front of Ash who took her hand. Emma squeezed it comfortingly and he squeezed back.

Lara smirked at Emma, "So you're the one he loves. He won't love you for long, Ash is going to love me forever!"

Emma punched Lara taking her by surprise, Emma then kicked her making her fall to the floor but before Emma could attack again Lara scrambled to her feet and pointed a gun at her. "Step away from Ash now!" Emma reluctantly started to move but there was a bright flash of light and Lara was thrown against the wall.

"Come on!" Magnus said frantically creating a portal and Alec had an arrow ready to shoot. Magnus hadn't wanted him to come, he was afraid of what Denman would do to him if she found out he was a Nephilim, but Alec had argued that he felt the same way about her finding out about Magnus' magic and that he could fight her. After reassuring Alec he could also fight her Magnus had reluctantly given up arguing, but that didn't stop him standing protectively in front Alec.

Emma grabbed Ash's hand and pulled him with her to the portal but Ash felt someone grab his arm. Ash's eyes widened in fear when he saw that it was Denman. Denman yanked his arm hard and pulled him away from Emma. "Let me go!" Ash said his voice full of fear, he tried to fight Denman but she pulled out her gun and pointed it at him.

"Lewis tie Ash's hands together!"

"Lewis?" Emma said in shock and hurt as Lewis tied Ash's hands together. Lewis briefly glanced at Emma but turned his attention back to Denman. Magnus closed the portal and blue sparks appeared in his hands as he made to throw a spell at Denman but she jabbed the gun threateningly at Ash.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you", Denman said staring at Magnus' magic in wonder. "Give yourself up to me now or I will kill Ash".

Magnus growled but moved toward Denman, but Zane appeared out of nowhere and used the suprise to kick the gun out of Denman's hands and push her and Lewis away from Ash. Magnus created another portal Zane grabbed Ash and they ran to the portal, they jumped through followed by Emma, Magnus and Alec. Ash suddenly found himself in the living room of Zane's mansion. How did this Magnus do that? Ash noticed that there was a new guy there but before he could ask anything Emma hugged him tightly and he hugged her back.

"I was so afraid I'd never see you again", Emma whispered.

"So was I", Ash said tearfully. "Thank you all for saving me". The others joined in the hug too.

"I can't believe Lewis betrayed us", Zane said brokenly after a while.

"What?" Rikki said angrily as Cleo's eyes widened.

"Lewis was meant to go in before us to help Ash escape but he joined Denman!" Zane said and punched the wall in his anger.

Ash looked forlornly at the floor, "He helped them experiment on me". Zane pulled him into a hug and tried to comfort him but on the inside he was seething and wanted to make Lewis pay.

"No! Lewis wouldn't betray us", Cleo said furiously.

"I'm sorry Cleo but he did", Emma said and tried to put her arm around Cleo but she shrugged her off.

"Ash is lying! Lewis wouldn't experiment on him he wouldn't hurt us like this".

Ash flinched making Zane even more angry, "He isn't lying, I saw Lewis help Denman", Zane said angrily.

"I refuse to believe that!" Cleo said and stormed off and at the same time Zane jumped when his phone rang.

"Give Ash back to me and maybe I'll consider not making you pay for taking him from me!" Denman said.

"I don't care what you do to me I'm not giving Ash up", Zane said making everyone turn to him. Zane tightened his grip on Ash when his eyes widened in fear.

"Know this Zane, I will not rest until I have Ash back and he will face the consequences for trying to get away from me" Denman said dangerously and hung up.

"She wants me back doesn't she?" Ash asked though it wasn't really a question.

"I won't let her get her hands on you again", Zane said comfortingly. Ash smiled gratefully at Zane but he was still so scared of Denman.

"Thank you so much for saving me but um who are you guys?" Ash asked Alec and Magnus. Zane introduced them to Ash and explained everything. After Ash thanked them again Emma spoke up.

"Ash can I have a word with you?" Emma said.

"Um sure", Ash said nervously, Emma took his hand and led him to one of the rooms in the mansion.

"Who was that girl that I saved you from?"

Ash flinched at the mention of Lara. Ash was going to just keep this to himself but he trusted Emma and she deserved to know. "That girl was my ex girlfriend Lara. But she-she abused me".

"What?" Emma said furiously.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you, I tried to keep it a secret from everyone but one night my parents caught her hurting me..."

Ash and Lara's one year anniversary...

Lara wanted to spend their anniversary at Ash's house and Ash had made dinner, but only for Lara she didn't allow him to eat while he was with her. Ash had tried hard to ignore his hunger but it was hard when Lara was deliberately eating in front of him. Ash jumped when she suddenly slammed her fist on the table.

"That was terrible Ash! I could barely eat the food", Lara said furiously and pushed the table over in her anger.

Ash flinched violently, "Lara please I'm sorry-"

"Sorry isn't good enough!" Lara backhanded Ash hard enough that he fell to the floor.

Lara punched and kicked him repeatedly ignoring Ash's cries of pain. Lara was so angry that she hadn't heard the door close.

"Ash!" Ash's parents shouted in horror and pulled Lara off him.

Ash threw himself at his mother and sobbed into her shoulder as she soothed him while his father restrained Lara. "Jackson call the police", Rachel said as she tightened her grip on her son. Jackson nodded and called them.

"How long has this been going on?" Rachel said.

"A-about 8 months", Ash managed between his sobs.

Rachel and Jackson glared furiously at Lara, it was taking all their willpower to not take their anger out on her. The police soon came but somehow her parents had found out and had come too. They had a lot of power and made sure she wasn't arrested. Lara had even tried to bring Ash back to her house but his parents wouldn't give in to the pressure Lara's parents put on them, and they made them leave to Ash's immense relief.

Now...

"Lara's going to wish she had never been born by the time I'm done with her!" Emma growled.

"She is so dangerous Emma I don't want you to get hurt".

"I don't care how dangerous she is Ash, she hurt you and I can't let her get away with that!"

"So you're not mad I kept this from you?" Ash asked anxiously.

Emma took Ash's hands gently, "No of course I'm not mad".

Ash sighed in relief and was about to say something but Rikki came in saying she needed Emma's help with something. "I'm going to stay here I need some time to think", Ash said.

Emma hugged him and kissed his cheek, "I will do everything in my power to protect you from Denman and Lara", Emma vowed.

Ash smiled and melted into the hug, "That means so much to me".

When Emma left Ash sank into a chair. He was so afraid, he knew Emma and his friends would protect him from Denman and Lara but he was scared they would get hurt doing so or that Denman would use them against him. Ash's heart was aching so badly because of Lewis' betrayal. First Lara now Lewis, he couldn't bear to lose someone else he loved. Ash had to protect his loved ones and in order to do that there was only one thing he could do. He had to run.