Long time no see? Yeah, I know, it's been a RIDICULOUS amount of time since I was last active. I'm sorry. But, umm, I have a new chapter, so don't hate me?

Okay, so truth to be told, I was reminded recently of one of my fanfiction stories and it's bothering me that they're unfinished, so I'm coming back and going to attempt to actually finish them this time.

However, I've since changed my writing style, moved to third person point of view over first. It's a bit sloppy to change mid-story, I know, but that's sort of just what's got to happen. That aside, I hope you all enjoy.

Diana arrives bright and early at the center, though she feels less eager to show up than usual. It will be another day of having Janice point out ridiculous things that she's already learned from managing the place during Janice's many trips and meetings for several years. Her former friend and supervisor is simply being malicious and petty with her one opportunity to extract revenge for the wrongs she feels have been committed, and Diana has little desire to engage in such a childish game.

Stepping into her office, she sets her keys in a little glass shell shaped dish before making her way over to the filing cabinet. She pulls open the top drawer only to discover everything she'd managed to organize yesterday now out of order.

A frown twitches at her lips. Seriously Janice? This game is going to get very old, very rapidly. Diana sighs and grits her teeth before resignation sets in.

Janice clearly intends to make her look sloppy and disorganized. It's a good thing I got here early.

It takes Diana nearly an hour to get all her files sorted, and post that, she takes a walk around first her office and then the rest of the center, checking to make certain everything is in the proper order. Thankfully, the files seem all Janice decided to mess with.

Finally allowing the tension to slip from her shoulders, she decides to peek in on Sarah. "Knock, knock," she says, rapping her knuckles against the door. Aquata raises her head as Diana enters and her eyes narrow, thin lips twisting into a frown. The mermaid hasn't really warmed up much to people yet.

Sarah glances up as Diana slips more fully into the room. "Hey, what can I do for you?" she inquires.

"I just thought I'd step in and check on things before the rescue center opens. How is everything going?"

Sarah steps away from the counter and approaches, stuffing her hands in the pockets of her doctor's coat. "Well enough. Aquata's healing well, I've just given her a dose of painkillers. At the moment, there's not much else I can do. We're going to have to get her moved soon. Keeping her moist here isn't an issue, but she'll be more comfortable in proper water. We'll need to set up a shallow pool for her, though. Something that allows her to breathe easily without having to swim much. I've been wracking my brain on a good way to immobilize her tail. It's the best way to ensure that she doesn't reopen her wounds."

Diana purses her lips and chews the inside of her cheek. "Tricky dilemma. Let me know if you think of anything. I'm happy to help in any way I can." She turns her attention to Aquata next. "And how are you feeling, Aquata. I know this situation has been less than ideal, but we just want to see you get better."

Aquata waves a hand. "I'm fine. Where's Sirena?"

Diana sighs and pulls up a stool. "She's not here. The three of them have gone someplace safe. Unfortunately, it's not safe for them here. My former boss caused quite a few problems for them and she's back for now. Her name is Janice. If she comes to talk to you at all, it's best you don't know them, okay?"

Aquata's eyebrows knit together, creases deepening on her she means to hurt-"

"We have no intention of allowing any harm to come to your sister and her friends. But it's best that no one knows they're here. Which is why…" she trails off and raises an eyebrow.

"I don't know them," Aquata agrees, though the answer seems reluctant.

Diana smiles and nods. "Now you're catching on," she says with a wink.

"Catching on about what?" Diana turns to see Janice leaned in the doorway. The woman's hair is pulled into a tight bun and her arms are crossed casually over her chest. Diana doesn't fail to notice the way Janice's lips are turned up at the corner, showing her teeth in a smug grin, clearly thinking she's caught Diana with her hand in a metaphorical cookie jar.

Instead, Diana allows a much more relaxed smile to spread across her features. "Sarah's been having a bit of a tough time with our patient here. I was just trying to explain the situation and she finally seems to understand that we only want to help her get better."

"Don't you have more important tasks to tend to?" Janice counters, one eyebrow quirking.

Diana shakes her head. "Actually, as manager, it's part of my job to check in on all faucets and departments of the building, including updates on critical rescues."

"Manager in training," Janice corrects, her back straitening. She jerks her head. "Come on, we have things to go over."

Diana sighs internally, but forces a smile. "Of course," she responds, refusing to rise to the bait. "Sarah, be sure that I'm informed if there are any changes, alright?"

Sarah dips her head, having scooped up her mug, which she's now nursing. As the steam wafts up in her face, the dark circles under her eyes becoming immensely noticeable. "You'll be the first to know." Even her voice is haggard with exhaustion.

"On second thoughts, I want you to put one of your interns on guard duty. They're more than capable of keeping an eye on things and reporting changes. Go and get some rest. You're no good to anyone if you can't see straight."

Once again, Sarah nods. "Alright. I guess you're right on that. It's been a long two days. Thanks, Diana," she responds.

With a satisfied nod, Diana turns her attention back to Janice, and resigns herself to another tedious day. Swallowing a groan, she follows after the scientist she can't quite believe she used to look up to. She was different then. I'm really starting to miss the old Janice.

Diana sinks down into a chair with a groan and buries her face in her hands for a few agonizing seconds before she finally sets about opening up her lunch container. A quick glance at the clock has frustration welling up once more. She's been here since six in the morning, and only now at four-thirty in the afternoon is she sitting down to eat. Janice kept her at performing mundane tasks and making her jump through hoops all day so her progress and capabilities could be 'reviewed'. Diana never once complained. A good manager can do the little tasks too, and put off her own needs when the day is busy. If Janice hadn't needed to call for lunch, then neither would Diana.

A small smile twitches on her lips, however, at the memory of getting the better of Janice. The look on the woman's face when she'd asked for a specific account file from two years ago and Diana had produced it in seconds was rather priceless. Janice didn't know that Diana had reorganized the files once more this morning. It was a satisfying moment. As was the ever growing scowl and deepening frown lines Janice developed with each task Diana left no possible complaint for.

"Long day?" Sarah asks, interrupting Diana's thoughts.

"Very. What are you doing here? I wasn't expecting you back until tomorrow."

Sarah shrugs and, after chewing a mouthful of her salad, responds, "I napped a few hours, I feel better, but I don't want to be gone large intervals. Dr. Taylor being here has me just as nervous as it has you. I don't want to leave Aquata long. Interns are impressionable, after all, whereas I won't bend to any unethical wishes she may have."

Diana sighs and nods. "It's going to be a long haul this month. I won't try to stop you from sticking around, but make sure you're taking care of yourself too. Don't forget Aquata isn't exactly helpless."

Sarah turns, her expression darker than thunder clouds. "That," she begins, her voice low, "would be a very, very bad situation. Can you imagine the backlash if Aquata attacked Janice? It would give her all the ammunition she needs."

A shudder races down Diana's spine and she nods. "I guess I didn't think about it that way. Damn, I should have. I feel ready to rip my hair out. I thought I was finally done with jumping through these idiotic hoops to prove myself competent." She stabs angrily at her container of leftover rice, not having bothered with heating it up.

Sarah sighs. "I know you're worried. I am too. I didn't like what happened either, with Nixie and the others. But you have to do this. You have to jump successfully through as many hoops as she can lay out. You know what happens if you don't. Then Aquata has no chance, and it probably wouldn't take Janice long to track down the others either."

Hearing that simple statement is something she needed, and Diana feels her resolve tighten. To protect the mermaids, she's willing to put up with a lot more than a few insufferable weeks of Janice's tricks. Feeling a bit more confident and renewed, the smallest of smiles touches her lips as she tucks into her food. This is just one more trial. And getting though it is something she has every confidence and intention of doing. For the sake of Lyla, Sirena, and Nixie, along with the rest of their kind. Mermaids should stay as much a secret as possible. "You're right," she says finally, offering a smile to Sarah. "This is something we have to do, and something we can do. It's going to work out."

When Rita returns a few days later, carrying Poseidon, Nixie is about ready to lose her mind. She'd been going stir crazy, listening to Sirena fret about Aquata and Lyla pace like a caged bull shark the past two days.

She breathes a sigh of relief, running her hand through her hair. "Finally," she exclaims, only to frown as she eyes the fluffy pillow with beady eyes in Rita's arms. "What, did you swim him home?"

Rita levels her with a tired, irritated expression. "Of course not. I drove. I parked the car down the street. I don't want anyone noticing it in the driveway. I hope you three have been being discrete.

So there's the new chapter. As another note, I have a touch of time for self-advertising, so...yeah. I'm writing my own stories now too, you can find me under the username Fantasy Ocean on FictionPress, Quotev, DeviantArt (FantasyOceans), and Booksie. I also have a going, also under the username Fantasy Ocean, and I sometimes livestream on Twitch under FantasyOceanWriting. I'd love to maybe see some new faces around the forums of any of the above, so feel free to check me out if you like. ^_^ Hope everyone is having a fantastic day.