All right. Let's see how I can rationalize Ariel's choices when Bridgette made them. Thanks for reviewing, Elizabeth Fire Ice Heart, Gage the Hedgehog and Bloodylilcorpse.

Although Geoff wasn't about to leave Bridgette's mind, she started to realize that the closest she got to forgetting him was when Alejandro was talking to her. He could tell when she wasn't sure if her decision to take the chance was the right thing, and was able to change her thoughts completely.

"You don't have to be scared." he told her softly. "Blaineley has helped many people before. I used to be one of her clients. Justin, too."

That was convincing enough. Alejandro was lying, although Blaineley had given him an incentive to work for her – he'd mainly started working for her because she had promised that once she overthrew Chris, he could court any of her daughters, while Chris kept them sheltered and only let them chase boys, not the other way around. Alejandro had already decided that although he was going to play the field a bit, gauging the reactions of all of Bridgette's sisters, he would choose one of the two eldest.

Justin, too, had an incentive – Blaineley, although she was a lot older than him, would take him as king, giving him the power to go along with his good looks, although they'd agreed that the relationship was nothing but a business deal, with no physical, sexual or emotional parts in it.

Finally, the merpeople reached the opening of Blaineley's cavern. Justin and Alejandro swam in so fast that Bridgette was suddenly drifting through the cave's mouth on her own. Instantly, a feeling of discomfort overwhelmed her, and she almost turned back, before she heard a voice.

"Come in! You don't have to look so scared. No one's going to hurt you!" The voice was a woman's, and, just as she had when she heard the name, Bridgette felt something tug on her memory. Still, she wasn't sure where she'd heard the voice before. Still, she followed the voice.

Blaineley gave her a film-star smile. "Hello." she said. "Bridgette, isn't it? I'm Blaineley Stacey Andrews O'Halloran." She had decided not to tell her youngest daughter anything else. The less she knew, the better, and she could see that Bridgette didn't remember anything. Understandable, since she was less than a year old when Chris banished her – she doubted that Izzy and Sierra remembered much about her either, if they remembered anything.

Bridgette managed a smile, and nodded. "Nice to meet you."

Courtney and DJ stayed in the shadows, watching. They couldn't be caught out, but they needed to be there, so at the vital moment, they could save Bridgette if she was in danger.

"So," Blaineley said cordially, "My...associates told me that you were treated cruelly by your father for wanting to have contact with a human. Is that correct?"

"Sort of." Bridgette murmured. "He's part of the reason. But I've always wanted to know more about the human world."

"The solution is simple, my dear girl." Blaineley said. "There's only one way to get what you want. You need to become human yourself. And I can make that happen."

"Really?" the blonde whispered.

"I've done it before." Blaineley lied smoothly. "That's what I do to help people – help merfolk that feel they cannot turn to anyone else. You see, I had some...complications growing up. For a long time, I was bitter. And now I feel that I have to make up for how unkind I was to people at that time, and so I help those who have the pain in their lives that I had. Now, shall we make the deal?"

Bridgette hesitantly nodded. "What are the specifics?" she asked, straight to the point.

"I can make a potion that will turn you human for three days." Blaineley said carefully. "Now, you have three days to get your prince to fall for you. He doesn't necessarily have to love you, but he has to be close to it. That means, he has to kiss you. And there has to be true feeling behind that kiss. It's not just any kiss from a random guy – he has to want to be with you. And if he does...you'll be human forever. If not, you'll turn back into a mermaid on the sunset of the third day, and then..." Blaineley's voice dropped. "You'll come back here and work for me with the boys."

Bridgette thought. "If I do that...I'll never see Chris or my sisters again. I won't be able to talk to Lindsay any more. DJ and Courtney won't talk to me, because they won't go to the surface on their own."

"But you'll make friends on land, and you'll have your man." Blaineley said carefully. "But we better discuss payment. Don't worry, it's not much. All I want is...your voice. No talking, singing, humming..."

"Will you...cut my tongue out?" Bridgette quavered.

"No, of course not!" Blaineley laughed. "I have powers. It won't hurt." She held up a shell. "I just need you to sing a few notes, and this shell will take your voice. If the plan doesn't work, you get a full refund, although you will still be here."

"But if I don't have a voice," Bridgette began, "I won't be able to-"

"Oh, I doubt that will be a problem!" Blaineley said. "You're pretty and expressive. That's all you need!" She said it so convincingly, that Bridgette almost believed her. "So, have we got a deal?"

"Bridgette, no-" Courtney tried to call, but her voice was muffled by Justin, who kept her in a headlock, her mouth covered. Strong as she was, he didn't react to her trying to bite, or get free. At the same time, Alejandro restrained DJ. They were about evenly matched in strength, but DJ had no way to get out. Whatever move he used to free himself, Alejandro guessed, and managed to keep him restrained.

If Chris hadn't just destroyed all of her things, Bridgette wouldn't have considered signing the golden contract Blaineley presented to her. But now, she was too upset to think straight.

She signed, and Blaineley tossed a smirk at her two men. While Justin kept both Courtney and DJ back, Alejandro zipped forward, and Blaineley gave him the shell, which he opened.

"Now." Blaineley said. "Sing."

Alejandro smiled encouragingly at the nervous mermaid. She finally started "la-la-la"ing the tune she'd been humming that day on the beach, when Geoff first opened his eyes. She closed her eyes, not wanting to see the ghostly hands reaching, but suddenly, she wasn't singing any more. But she could still hear her own voice echoing in her ears.

And then...it was happening. Bridgette felt incredible pain as her tail changed into legs, splitting in two and fading from sky blue to the same pale colour as the rest of her skin. Her chest felt as if she was on fire as her gills melted into part of her lungs. Justin let her friends go.

DJ took one arm, Courtney took the other, and they managed to get Bridgette to the shallows, where she could finally go to the surface and breathe.

Poor Bridgette! She has no idea what it's going to be like, unable to talk. There's no way she's going to write on paper that she's actually a mermaid unless she wants to be deemed insane. We had enough of that last time I put Bridgette in Disney.

Also, if you know much about the "Babysitters Club" books, or even if you don't, PLEASE check out my fic "Stacey and the Not So Bad Girl". Better than it sounds, honestly.