Sorry I didn't update sooner! (I'm a terrible person, I know! But I have so much work!) The fic's now called High Tides, but I'm not sure about it, so if anyone's got any better ideas, please say! So, here's chapter two!

Dedicated to xgrinx, for being my first ever reviewer! (I'm working through you guys! You make my day, you really do! :))

Chapter Two

"Sapphire?" Roger calls as he walks into the kitchen, looking around for the familiar head of tangy dark hair.

"She's gone to the cove," Jennie replies from the other room.

"Oh, right," he says, trying not to sound disapproving. He knows it's not his place to say what her children should and shouldn't be doing, but it's hard after getting to know them over the last five years. Indeed, he almost looks on them as children of his own, or favourite nieces and nephews at least; not that he'd tell Sapphire that. He knows she's still coping with her father's death, and doesn't want to do anything to stir up any feelings of grief or resentment…he doesn't want to try and usurp a place that isn't his. But nevertheless, he still wants to have a positive relationship with her, the kind he has with Conor as a sort of friendly uncle and confidante, some kind of authority figure who can still be her friend.

"Why did you want her?" Jennie says, emerging from the living room, brushing her honey-brown hair from her eyes.

He shrugs, feeling ever so slightly embarrassed about his reasoning, like a child presenting a crayon drawing to a parent and hoping that they'll like it and see that he's trying his best. "Well, I've haven't seen her much recently, and I wanted to know if she fancied a boat trip today, before Mal's party."

"Aw, that would be lovely." Jennie beams, and he feels his own lips twisting into a big smile, still hardly able to believe she didn't run away screaming from his at the altar or something of the like. Hardly able to believe that this caring, intelligent, beautiful woman agreed to spend her life with him. "She only left a minute or so ago; I'm sure you'd be able to catch her up."

"I guess I'll just pop down to the cove and give her a shout," he says, shrugging, still smiling like an idiot.

"Do us a favour and take her inhaler down to her for me Roger? She's had that cold, and it makes her asthma play up, and you know how I worry..."

"Sure, Jen." He picks up the small blue plastic asthma pump and kisses her gently before walking out of the door. He follows the track down to the cove with brisk strides, and soon he sees her, long hair blowing in the wind before she slips down the hidden path through the brambles, bushes and nettles.

"Sapphire!" he calls, but she doesn't hear him; she just keep on walking through the waist high grass and foliage. He jogs to catch up, but isn't even halfway there before she begins to climb over the cliff edge, towards the golden stretch of sand below and out of his sightline. He picks up his speed, but his shoelace tangles around his ankle, almost tripping him. He stops to tie it, and by the time he finishes must have already reached the beach. He starts moving along the track once more, and finally reaches the greenery, following the same path she did. But by the time he walks over to the cliff edge himself, and looks around, it's too late. He blinks, hardly able to believe his eyes. She's gone.

~x~

"So where are we going Faro?" I ask, as the weak, but warm current tosses my hair around my face.

"There are some caves I wanted to show you; you can't get to them from land," Faro says loftily, idly wafting his tail, his hair floating around his face. "So very few humans have visited them, only the ones with boats and diving gear."

I roll my eyes, poking his arm. "Don't tell me; divers should not come into Ingo?"

"You read my mind," He grins, exposing his perfect white teeth. (I hate the fact his teeth are so perfect! My dentist is still saying that I might need a brace soon! So unfair!)
"No; I just know you very well." I stick out my tongue.

He laughs, before sticking his tongue back out at me. "I know you better."

"You do not!"

"I do. For example, I know right now that you are supressing feelings of grumpiness. Tell me why you're grumpy, Sapphire."

I roll my eyes. "It's nothing. No reason."

"Is it the diver?"

"No! Well. Yes. Kind of."

His eyebrows are beginning a trek up his forehead. "No-well-yes-kind of? What a strange, nonsensical answer. Just like one of your human politicians, Sapphire." He shoots me a sly look, as if to say; 'Check me out! I probably know more about human politics than you do!'
The sad thing is that he probably does.

"Well…it's just…Roger's a nice guy. I mean, a really nice guy. He makes my Mum happy, and now he's having a baby with her and he's nice to me and gets on really well with Conor…but…"

"But?" The teasing eyes grow unusually gentle.

"But I just…miss Dad." I can feel the tears building up in my throat, but I refuse to let them out. "It's stupid. I should have moved on. But…I don't know."

"It's not stupid." His hand brushes mine gently, and for a moment I feel a tingle of something rush through me before it's gone. "Of course you miss your father. I know what it's like to miss someone."

"How is Elvira?" I ask. I haven't seen her in over a year. Neither has Conor. In fact, come to think of it, I can't even remember the last time he went to Ingo; it's all homework and A-levels and AS results and University offers, as well as the odd party.

He shrugs dully. "Loving life in the North." He manages to force a smile. "I'm happy for her, of course."

"But you miss her."

He shrugs again before abruptly changing the subject. "You're worrying about something else, other than your father. I can tell. Don't try to hide things from me, Sapphire; I am the great mind ninja."

How the hell did Faro find out what a ninja is? I decide it's better not to ask.

"Roger's beginning to wonder what I do down at the cove." I sigh. "He's beginning to ask questions."

I feel him go very still for a moment. "Things have not been well in Ingo either." He admits after a long pause. "Some of Ervy's old followers…well, let's say they're becoming very vocal. Funny how soon people forget that dolphin and Mer blood was spilt that night, because of Ervys," He almost spits the name, his voice bitter.

I bite my lip, glancing up at him. "Ingo will heal, Faro. Eventually. One way or another."

He tries to smile, but I sense that it takes an effort. "Of course it will, Sapphire," he says finally. "It's just idiotic people like his followers that just…" he sighs. "It just feels like every time we make amove forwards, people are pushing us back."

"Faro…"

He shakes his head. "We're here. Come on, Sapphire. Let's think of lighter things." He takes my hand, and for a moment the tingle returns, a thrill of something not unlike fear rushes through me, but then it's gone, and it's just, me and Faro, pulling out of the current.

Just two friends.

"Two good friends," Faro corrects, picking up on my last thought.

"Two best friends," I say tentatively. He nods and smiles, glancing down at our wrists. I follow his gaze, and smile as well when I see our deubleks. Linking us together; an inseparable bond.

"Let's go," Faro says, breaking me out of my thoughts. Still holding my hand, he pulls me along towards the caves. I smile happily, not just because of our exhilarating speed. But because holding Faro's hand makes me feel like I'm home.

~x~

Roger jumps the last few feet onto the sand, and runs out into the centre of the cove. He looks around, searching in vain for a girl with long dark hair.

"Sapphire?" he calls, his heart thudding in his chest like a drum, panic beginning to rush through him. What if she's hurt? Or been washed out to sea and drowned? Worry, a sickly twisted feeling in his stomach, is growing for the girl. And for Jennie…what would her daughter's disappearance do to Jennie? She's already lost so much….But no, he mustn't think like that. He would have seen her if she'd gone into the sea, wouldn't he? She's a strong swimmer…she'd have struggled. There are no currents inside the cove either. He peers into caves and behind boulders. He searches until he is positive that there is no one there. "She must have gone back. Slipped past me," he mutters to himself as he heads back up the cliff after one final search. "She can't have just...disappeared..."

~x~

I lie on the rocks in the sun with Faro. My clothes are slowly drying out in the heat (apparently this is the hottest March since 1967) and, with a bit of luck, so will my hair, and I will be able to avoid any more awkward questions. Faro slides off the rock, into the water, to refresh his tail, before jumping back up next to me. We look up at the clouds above us, and I smile. There is nowhere else I'd rather be than here with him.

"Watch the clouds," he says, "You can see a storm being born."

"Will it rain then, Faro?" Hope leaps through me- if it does, it'll surely be too wet for the party...

"No. The wind will carry it far away. It's only young now."

I look up at the clouds in question.

"A baby storm."

"You could call it that. Now Sapphire, tell me about this party you're worrying about."

I groan. "I hate parties. Too many people. They play annoying music you have to dance to- and I can't do 'cool dancing'."

"You like the midsummer bonfires."

We're sharing memories now. "Yes, but that's different."

He nods. "Maybe it won't be as bad as you think..."

"Hmmm..."

He laughs. "Who's this 'Mal' anyway?"

"Friend of Conor's." I let an image of Mal drift into my mind.

"Does he still do that annoying accent?"

I laugh. "No, he stopped that, thankfully."

Faro grins. "Good. I can see how that would get irritating…but really, just because he called you 'Saph'?"

"I was freezing cold and half drowned! And twelve! I'm allowed to snap at people when I'm half drowned and aged twelve!"

He laughs. "I'm sure you must have been terrifying."

I stick my tongue out at him. For a moment, I wonder how many other teenagers there are right now lying side by side with one of the Mer, how many with the same blood as me and Conor, who have stumbled across gateways to hidden worlds, how many there are right now struggling to walk the thin line between Air and Ingo, Norvys and Moryow.

"More than just you and your brother," Faro says softly, glancing over at me. "Many more."

I close my eyes, sighing softly. "People keep asking me what I want to do with my life. If I want to go to University, or Medical School or whatever. Maybe I should be tracking down others like us, others with mixed blood."

He takes my hand and squeezes it. "That's going to be quite a big task, Sapphire."

"I know." I sigh softly. "But I could at least make a start? Not right now, not with exams coming up, but later, maybe? In the summer?"

He nods slowly. "It's an idea. But you're still young, Sapphire. Don't totally devote yourself to this. Not yet."

I sigh. "Okay. And yeah, I suppose it would be harder for a sixteen year old to roam the country looking for others with merblood than a twenty one year old or something."

"I'll help," he says, squeezing my hand, before winking. "I will aid you in your noble quest anyway I can."

I laugh. "Well thank you, Prince Charming." I poke his arm and he grins at me. I grin back, before I catch sight of the sun in the sky and sit bolt upright, eyes wide.

"What?" Faro asks, frowning.

"Rainbow. She's coming round to mine...What time is it?" I look around, as if hoping for a giant clock to suddenly manifest itself in the sky.

"Er..."

"In that case, I'd better be getting back." I sigh, and stand up on the rocks. "See you later Faro."

"Bye Sapphire." He grins at me and slips off the rocks into the sea. I begin to make my way back across the rocks to the beach. When I reach the cove, for a second I look back. Faro is still there, watching me go. I wave to him and he waves back, before diving back below the waves and out of sight.

Hope you enjoyed that chapter! Not sure when the next one will be up, but school finishes next week, so more writing time then! See you soon, please review!

Love Sapphy

xxx

P.S. Also, has anyone else noticed that there is a traumatic lack of important characters in the character list? Oh and that they spelt Conors name wrong? (How dare they? XD). So I've sent a new character list in. A very detailed one. :D! I hope it's up soon! Just thought I'd let you know!