Ariel was afraid. She stood by the shore watching the moon over the ocean, and knew that she only had till tomorrow evening. It was okay. She would accept the consequences either good or bad. Eric was worth it, a thought that he reinforced when he came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. With a sigh she leaned her head back on his shoulder.
"What are you thinking about?" He whispered.
She was quiet a moment before answering, "Tomorrow."
His arms tightened around her waist, "We'll figure it out. I won't let her take you."
Turning in his embrace Ariel looked at him sadly. "I don't know if there will be much you can do about it."
His jaw clenched in anger, "Watch me."
That fiercely protective look in his eye made Ariel fall in love with him all over again. In the water Ursula's spies watched them both with a shiver of fear running through their slippery bodies. When Eric lowered his head and kissed her it was different. There was a determination to it on both sides. The little mermaid had been willing to give up everything to be with him, no matter the consequence; while the Prince would do anything to be sure she didn't have to. Both decided in that moment that anything they had to give would be worth it for the other.
Ariel gasped when a strange warmth ran through her body. Eric looked up in alarm as she tensed.
"Ariel?"
She took a deep breath as all the pain she had been feeling from the last two days suddenly faded away. An enormous smile spread over her face as she realized what had just happened. Reaching down she tore off her boots and looked up at him in wonder. Her feet, though covered in blood from before, were completely healed.
"Eric." She whispered, excitement edging into the word.
He looked down, "You- You can walk!"
She took a few steps and looked up in awe. "We did it!"
Running forward he kissed her again. "I love you."
"I love you too."
"I've met hundreds of girls that Grimsby was trying to marry me off to, but none of them were ever the one. You're the one. It was you all the time."
"Oh Eric," She went to kiss him again, but was never made it. Suddenly she was ripped away when a tentacle snaked up around her and a monster emerged from the waves.