Diana's POV

The tires squeal as Carl swerves the van onto the sand and hits the brakes. I grip the inside door handle and grit my teeth. The second the vehicle stops, the three of us hurry from it. A large crowd of civilians are gathered by the shore of the beach. Sarah rushes forward and Carl and I follow her.

"Carl, can you push the crowd back please?" I request, still unsure of the details. He nods and begins to wave people away. I push through the people after Sarah and… pull up short.

Lying in the surf, surrounded by a large pool of blood and red tinged froth, with waves lapping gently against it, is the body of a mermaid. Her blond hair is woven up intricately with multiple small seashells. A long sunset orange tail is stretched out behind her, exactly like the four others I've seen before, except for the fact that it's a bloody mess. Many scales are missing and several puncture wounds are embedded in her tail, hips, and abdomen. My hand covers my mouth, smothering a gasp, and I resist the urge vomit.

"Sarah, is she…"

Sarah has her fingers pressed against the girl's throat. After a moment she shakes her head. "No, there's a heartbeat, she's alive. But she won't be for long if we don't stop the bleeding. We need to get her back and fast."

I nod and whip around. "Carl, I need a stretcher!" I yell frantically. Carl takes off towards the van, pulling open the back doors and removing the stretched. A man with curly black hair rushes over to help him carry it over.

They set it down in the sand and Sarah and I carefully roll the mermaid onto it. We grip the poles of the stretcher and hoist it up. My feet pound against the sand as the three of us quickly return to the van. We push the stretcher through the open doors of the back of the van. Sarah and I climb inside with our patient and pull the back doors shut, while Carl runs around to the driver's seat. He starts the vehicle and takes off.

"Any way I can help?" I ask Sarah.

She nods. "Yeah, behind you there are towels. Grab them and use them to keep pressure on as much of this as you can, we need to slow the bleeding!" she shouts over the roar of the van. Carl is speeding down the highway as fast as he can. I pull out the towels and unwrap two, pressing them firmly against the mermaid's side. Sarah presses two fingers against the girl's throat and curses. "We're going to lose her soon. I don't suppose you have contact with Rita Santos do you?"

I look up, startled and worried. No one should know about that. Sarah picks up on it. "Relax, I'm not interested in where they are. Diana, I thought you knew me better than that. But this one is going to need a transfusion and I doubt that humans can give her the blood. Those four may be her only chance."

"I left the number back at the center, along with my cell," I reply. "I was in a rush."

"It's okay," Sarah reassures. She bangs on the wall separating us from Carl. "Five minutes Carl. That's about all we've got!" she shouts. The vehicle picks up speed and I mentally thank the fact that we've got permission to act like an ambulance or we'd be pulled over.

When we arrive at the center, things dissolve into chaos. Sarah begins to shout orders at people as the mermaid is loaded onto a gurney and wheeling into the emergency rescue treatment room. "Diana, can you make that phone call?" she requests. I nod.

"Yeah, I'll join you in a few minutes and help in any way I can," I reply. I rush to my office and pick up the phone. I yank open the desk drawer and grab the sticky note with Rita's number on it. I dial quickly and count the seconds as it rings.

"Hello?"

Rita's POV

I pull back the covers and climb into bed. Turning on the bedside lamp, I open my book and begin to read. Across the hall there's heavy footsteps and clamoring as the girls prepare for bed. Poseidon jumps up onto the bed and settles in beside me. I gently stroke his silky white fur with my free hand. A deep content rumbling echoes from his chest as I do. I jump, startled, as the phone on the bedside rings loudly; the noise cutting through the silence like a siren.

Who would be calling at this time? Certainly not the school. Only administration has my number in the school computers, but they'll all be at home now. I bite my lip, but reach out and wrap my fingers around the receiver. Lifting it from the stand I answer it and bring it to my ear. I take a deep breath.

"Hello?"

"Rita! Okay, you're there. Look, I'm so sorry for calling you now, especially since we just spoke an hour ago, but it's important," Dr. Evans voice is fast and panicky. Worry worms its way through me.

"Why, what's the matter?" I demand.

"How soon are you and the girls able to get here?"

"What? Dr. Evans, please, what is going on."

"There was an accident, down at one of the beaches. Washed up on shore, unconscious… was a mermaid. I don't want to intrude, but its pretty bad and the only chance she's got is if she receives a blood transfusion. But her body will reject human blood and you four are the only mermaids we know so…"

My eyes widen. "Alright, relax, we'll swim over, it's a heck of a lot faster than driving. Those outdoor pens Nixie was telling me about. Can you open the gates? That way we don't have to leave the water."

"I'll wait for you there myself," Dr. Evans confirms.

"We'll be there as soon as possible," I reply, hanging up. I jump from the bed. "Girls!" I yell frantically, stumbling into the hall. Nixie and Lyla come running from their room. Sirena follows a little slower.

"Rita, what's the matter?" Lyla inquires.

"Sirena, are you okay to swim," I demand, ignoring Lyla's question. She nods.

"I-I think so, why? What's going on?"

"We need to get back home as fast as possible," I reply. Equal looks of confusion and concern cross their faces.

"Rita, what's going on?" Nixie inquires worriedly.

"We just have to get to the marine center. Dr. Evans needs us and it's a matter of life and death.

The next emotions I get are worry, though its grim determination that is splayed across Nixie's face.

"Then let's hurry," she decides. I nod and lead them out back and into the sea. We speed off towards home.

Diana's POV

I pace impatiently across the deck. The sea gates to one of the pens are open, waiting. Darkness has fallen and I'm growing more frantic by the second. Sarah locked herself inside the treatment room with a medical intern and extensive equipment almost two hours ago. There's been no word on how things are going. I keep picturing that poor girl in my mind. All the blood, her pained, yet unconscious face, and the extensive injuries splattered across her body. By the looks of it, the injuries are tooth marks; she was grabbed by something out there, probably a salt water crocodile. I grimace at the thought of her struggling as those powerful jaws snapped shut around her. It was most likely her powers that helped her get away, though odds are she blacked out from blood loss not long after. She's lucky that she washed up on a public beach or we never would have found her. I shudder at the thought. I sit down on the deck with a sigh and burry my head in my hands, my fingers tangling in my hair.

I feel so useless sitting here waiting. Sarah wouldn't let me in with her, saying I'm too emotional to be of any help. Since she had more important things to do than argue with me, I let the subject drop.

I raise my gaze to the water. The waves lap gently at the dock, but everything is dark and silent.

Come on guys, where are you! I cry out in my head.

As if on cue, a flash of orange shines against the dark water before a sodden head breaks the surface. Exhaustion is evident in Rita Santos's face. She takes a deep breath before raising her arms up onto the deck and beginning the laborious task of dragging herself up.

"Need a hand?" I ask. She shakes her head and hoists herself up to sit on the wooden planks. Seconds later, Lyla and Sirena surface.

"That was not fun," Sirena states. Nixie's head clears the water as well.

"I agree. I don't think I've ever swum so far and fast in my life." The three girls pull themselves out next to Rita and begin to steam dry themselves. Rita pants.

"Are you alright," I ask her. she nods.

"Yes, I just don't swim as often anymore, I am very out of shape," she admits. ""Give me a moment, I'll be fine." Lyla glances over at Rita, a concerned look on her face. She folds her legs underneath her and reaches out a hand. Steam begins to rise off of Rita's tail and after a moment it fades entirely, leaving the woman clade in a tank top and a pair of blue pajama shorts. Lyla, Sirena, and Nixie are also wearing sleepwear.

"Sorry if I woke any of you," I apologize.

"None of us were asleep, besides this is more important," Rita states, climbing to her feet. I nod.

"We'd better get inside. Sarah's waiting for you."

"How's it going in there?" Sirena inquires.

"We can't do anything more, it's just the blood we need." I turn to Rita. "Before we go in there, do you know anything about mermaid blood? I know her body will reject human blood, but do mermaids have different blood types?"

Rita shakes her head. "No, she can get blood from all four of us and be fine."

I sigh with relief. "That's good. I really appreciate this. Come on." I lead them inside to where Erin is waiting.

"Dr. Evans, you're back! Sarah's ready for your erm…guests."

"They're not guests Erin, Miss Santos and her nieces are more than welcome here at any time," I say firmly. I turn to Rita. "It's probably one of Sarah's medical students that is going to work with you. Are you alright with that?"

"Yes, let's just get this over with, I'm sure we're very pressed for time," Rita replies.

"Right then, follow me and I'll get you all situated," Erin responds. I watch them leave, feeling more than a little useless. I head to the treatment room and slide the door open. Sarah is cleaning off blood from several of her medical instruments.

"How are things going in here?" I inquire, pointedly keeping my gaze away from the gurney in the middle of the room. Sarah sets down the scalpel she was wiping with a sigh and walks over to the mermaid, gently resting her fingers on the girl's forehead.

"There's not much else I can do. I've stitched closed what I can and bound everything, but there's a lot of damage. Even without a blood transfusion, her chances of surviving the night are slim. I just hope she stays unconscious, otherwise the shock of the pain could cause more damage."

"Can't you just sedate her?" I inquire.

"No. If I do that, it's almost a guarantee that she won't ever wake up."

"Well, Rita and the girls are in the other room now, so you should have the blood for the transfusion soon," I inform her.

"I'll start preparing then," she confirms. "Can you wheel that stand over? We'll need it to hook up the blood bag." I nod and drag the wheeled blood stand over to beside the gurney. A groan, soft and weak, escapes Sarah's patient. The groan quickly becomes pained gasps as she begins to wake up.

Sirena's POV

I hesitantly hold out my arm as the medical intern moves to me. According to the little tag on his shirt, his name Cody. He brushes his floppy dark brown hair from his eyes and grasps my wrist. "You might want to sit down," he suggests. I obey, sitting on the bench behind me. He pushes the needle into my skin, filling a small clear bag with the blood that flows from my arm.

When he removes the needle I place my hands on either side of the bench, trying to steady myself. I shake my head, feeling dizzy. Cody pushes a glass of water towards me.

"Thank you," I say, accepting it and taking a sip. He grunts and moves on to Lyla. Rita puts her arm on my shoulder. "I feel really dizzy," I tell her.

"Its just because of the sudden drop in blood. You never had blood taken before, it will pass in a moment," Rita replies. "Or at least that's what I've been told." She rubs at her eyes briefly. I stand up.

"I think I need to go for a bit of a walk," I say. "Staying still is making me feel worse."

"I'll come with you," Nixie offers, standing up as well. Rita nods.

"Go, but stay close and don't get in the way," she warns. I nod and leave the tiny white room, Nixie hot on my heels.

"It smells like chemicals in there," Nixie complains.

"I know, it was making me even dizzier," I reply. We walk out into the main lobby and sit on a bench. My gaze drifts to one of the tanks where a sea turtle is grazing on some of the sea grass sprouting from the sand at the bottom of the tank. She kicks forward with her hind flippers, slightly off balance because of her missing left front flipper. Pity wells up in me.

Poor thing. I think to myself.

"I hope whoever needs our blood is alright," I say.

"I'm sure they'll be fine," Nixie replies, her voice tight.

"Do you-" I pause. "Do you think it was someone from our pod?" Nixie shakes her head firmly.

"No, our pod is far from here. It was probably just a loner. She probably swam into unfamiliar territory and had an accident," Nixie explains.

I sigh. "Yeah, probably."

My muscles tense as a blood curdling scream echoes through the building. It has me launching myself to my feet and rushing towards the sound.

"Sirena, wait," Nixie calls. I ignore her and hurry through a door and pull up short, my eyes widening. Diana and Sarah are huddled around someone on a metal table. I watch the blond haired mermaid fall, her head hitting the table as she slips into unconsciousness. One of the shells in her hair produces a loud 'clank', as it hits against the metal. My hand finds my mouth and tears water in my eyes.

"A-Aquata," I whisper as Nixie catches up with me, pulling up short as well.

Well, I don't know who saw that coming, but there it is. I've been pondering throwing Aquata into this for a while, so at least now I can move on with planning out the plot. I hope you are all okay with this turn of events, and as always I love to hear your feedback, even if you aren't happy with the chapter or story, let me know so I can work on making it better. Like I said, plot isn't fully formed yet so ideas are always welcome. So on another note, this is not only my longest update in this story, but also the forth update in roughly a month's time span, which is definitely a record for me. I'm definitely going to try and keep the updates relatively frequent and not go dormant for months like I did in the last one. But let me put emphasis on the try part, sometimes school and writer's block like to gang up on me and I'm not saying expect an update every week, but know I'm putting my best effort in not to keep you waiting too long. So, as always, let me know what you think, and thank you for reading :)

-Mermaid