Oooh, a new chapter! This story has surprisingly gotten pretty good reviews. I didn't really expect any; I got a lot more than I thought.

And too every reader of this story, I thank you for reading and dedicate this chapter to all of you.

Updated/Ended: 07/31/2013

Ariel gasped as the water filled her lungs; there was no pain though. Turning slightly, she saw that she had her tail back. She was a mermaid once again! Looking around, she saw the edge of a yellow tail visible through some weeds. Swimming towards it, she saw a merman lying there, unmoving.

"Flounder?" she asked, her voice weak from no use for two days. The merman stirred a bit before he opened his eyes.

"Ariel!" he cried, leaping up at once; he wobbled a bit as he looked at his tail. "I'm a merman! Her magic worked!" He was slightly chubby, not toned and fit, but still good looking to Ariel. She hugged him and sighed.

"Flounder… You did this all for me."

"Are you upset?"

"No… touched. I love you."

"Really?"

"Yes. I think a part of me always has… It just took me being selfish to realize it." He chuckled and hugged her tightly. "We should tell Daddy!" she exclaimed, grabbing his hand and pulling him behind her. Before they could get too far though, Ursula's eels had found them.

"Sssshe wissshes too sssspeak to yooou."

"We have nothing to say to her!" Flounder said bravely, moving in front of Ariel, as if shielding her. "I won, fair and square."

"Ssshe wantssss to congratulate yooou."

"Yeah right," Flounder said, sounding braver than he felt; but he would do anything to protect the girl he loved.

"If you don't come to her, ssssshe'll come to yooou."

"Let her try!" Quickly, Flounder and Ariel swam off, leaving the eels behind as they made their way to the Kingdom. Once they reached King Triton, they hurriedly explained what they had done. He sized up Flounder and gave him a soft smile.

"Better you than a human, I hate to say," he said, shaking Flounders hand. Ariel rolled her eyes but turned sharply. "What is it?"

"Her… She's coming." And sure enough, in the distance, they could see a dark, looming shape making its way to the castle. Triton grabbed his trident and made his way forward, Flounder and Ariel behind him, holding onto each other. As Ursula neared, she screamed to them in a booming voice.

"Triton, I am tired of waiting! I want your kingdom!"

"It's not yours to have!" Triton called back, his trident beginning to glow. They were all focused of Ursula that no one noticed the two eels lurking closer and closer to Ariel. Quickly, one wrapped itself around her mouth so she couldn't cry out; the other, around her sides, pinning her arms down. Together, they dragged her away.

"Maybe I can persuade you to see things my way," Ursula said with a smirk. "How about your youngest daughter for the kingdom?" Triton's bearded face paled as he saw Ariel struggling against the eels; Flounder's jaw dropped in shock.

"Give me my daughter!" bellowed Triton, raising his trident and striking at Ursula; she withered slightly, as did the eels, who loosened their grip on Ariel. Struggling some more, she got free enough to swim towards her father.

"No you don't you little brat!" Ursula screamed, grabbing something and hurtling it at her; Ariel turned in time to scream, only for her to be blocked by someone else.

"Flounder no!" she screamed, watching as he convulsed before turning back to his original form; he seemed to fall in slow motion to the ground below them. Ariel followed him and picked him up in her arms. "Flounder, why?" she sobbed; he wasn't breathing, or moving.

He was gone.

"You've gone too far Ursula!" Triton screamed, pointing his trident at her. "I hate to do this…" then, with the biggest blast he could muster, Ursula was gone, as were her eels. Slowly, he made his way to his sobbing daughter, who still clutched Flounder's unmoving fishy body.

"Ariel-"

"No!" she sobbed over him. "Don't say it daddy!" He placed his hand on her shoulder.

"Ariel, let him go."

"No!"

"Please, Ariel." She sobbed again but laid him down, where he stayed; there was a black scorch mark against his yellow skin; that was where Ursula had struck him. Triton looked at his daughter, who was still sobbing into her hands, then at the fat yellow fish who loved her so much that he would sacrifice himself. He pointed his trident at him and sighed before warm light surrounded him. Ariel, her face tear-streaked, watched, her hands covering her mouth in shock.

As the light got brighter and warmer, Ariel could make out a shape emerging from it. Pulling his trident away, Ariel gasped.

"Flounder… Is it…?" Flounder looked at himself in surprise; he was a merman again, and alive.

"But how?" Flounder asked, looking at King Triton, who nodded. "Thank you your majesty," he said, bowing. Ariel looked from her father to Flounder and back before hugging her dad tightly and practically catapulting into Flounder's arms.

"You were dead," she whispered, still sobbing a bit. "You sacrificed yourself for me you silly guppy." Flounder laughed and kissed her forehead.

"You know I'd do anything for you." Ariel gave him a smile and then turned to her father.

"Daddy, do you-"

"Yes," he said, giving her a smile. She smile happily and kissed Flounder as hard as she could.

He kissed back, happier than he had ever been.

Because Ariel loved him back.

Yes, that was the end.

I hope it wasn't too bad.

Thanks for reading!

-JustMe133