Chapter Seven

A/N: Hey guys, sorry for not uploading in a while, and that this chapter is a little on the short side. I was a bit stuck for ideas, so thanks for all the helpful reviews :) Thanks and here's the chapter,

Ginger xx

"Right," said Lewis, slapping down a large paper map in the centre of Zane and Rikki's table in the JuiceNet.

Zane and Rikki had been enjoying a quiet juice together in the JuiceNet Café after the events of the day before… until Lewis butted in.

"What do you want, Lewis?" Zane asked.

"A thank you for yesterday would be nice," Lewis grumbled.

"Fine, thank you," Zane muttered.

"Thanks, Lewis," Rikki added.

"Anyway," Lewis continued, "I am planning a group camping weekend out on Mako!" Zane and Rikki stared at him as he waited out the silence for a response. "Well?"

"Mako?" Rikki asked as Zane said, "Camping?"

Cleo came over with a smile on her face. "Did you tell them, Lewis?"

"Yep," said Lewis sourly, "and they don't seem too impressed."

"I'll make you understand," said Cleo cheerfully. "Ash, Emma? Do you have a minute?"

Ash and Emma came over, Ash wiping his hands on a dishcloth. "What is it?" he asked.

"Well, Lewis and I have come up with the idea for a group camping trip out on Mako," Cleo told them. "What do you think?"

"Sounds interesting," Ash shrugged. "Carry on."

"I thought that we ought to spend some time together - and not just me and Emma and Rikki," said Cleo. "I thought it would be nice to have you guys along too. So then I brought the idea to Lewis and he made all the arrangements."

"This Friday afternoon," said Lewis, "we get into the boats and head out to Mako Island with all the camping gear we need. We take extra fuel if we need extra to get back and we take two three-man tents." He paused to point at the map of Mako Island - to a part on the south coast. "We put up the campsite here and we have the whole weekend to have fun without the girls having to stress about hiding their secret."

"Sounds good to me," said Ash. "What do you think, Emma?"

"Yeah…" said Emma slowly, "It would be nice not to have to worry for a change."

"OK," said Cleo. "Rikki? Zane?"

Zane turned to Rikki. "Do you fancy it?"

Rikki sighed. "Oh alright," she relented. "I can't resist a weekend of swimming."

"OK," said Cleo, "so is everyone good to meet at the canal tomorrow?"

"Yeah," everyone agreed. And so it was sorted.

Later on, Zane and Rikki were walking amongst the sand-dunes, their hands intertwined and their shoes swinging from the other.

"Rikki," said Zane, "are you alright? I mean, after the whole thing at the moon pool."

"I'm not sure you really fit the 'sensitive boyfriend' role, Zane," Rikki joked.

"Seriously, Rikki-"

"I'm fine, Zane," said Rikki. "I can't believe I'm spending a weekend on Mako, though."

"Ugh, I'll have to share a tent with Lewis," said Zane with a grin.

"And Ash," Rikki reminded him.

Zane laughed. "It'll probably turn out to be a lot of fun," he said wryly.

"Fun, Zane? With Lewis?" Rikki laughed at him. "Come on, the others are at Cleo's house. We should probably go."

"OK," said Zane, and the two of them slowly walked back across the beach to the Setori residence.

"So, we've got tents, a camping stove, and sleeping bags," Cleo said, checking the things of on her fingers.

"And some fishing rods," Lewis added.

Cleo rolled her eyes. "Yes - and fishing rods," she said. "Where are the others?"

"They should be here soon," Lewis replied confidently.

"You did tell them to come, didn't you?" Cleo looked at him, alarmed.

Lewis sighed and put his hands on her shoulders. "Cleo, when have I ever let you down?"

Cleo raised an eyebrow.

"OK, fair point," Lewis muttered. "But seriously, I promise I told them."

At that moment, Rikki and Zane walked down towards them, shaking the sand from their shoes and putting them on. A blue jeep pulled up beside the house and Ash got out, untying his apron and leaving it on the seat.

"Where's Emma?" Cleo asked.

Ash looked confused. "I thought she was with you," he replied.

"Well she's not," said Lewis.

"Well where is she?" Cleo asked.

"I'll check her phone," said Rikki. She gave Emma a call, but there was no answer.

"She's probably just held up somewhere," said Zane. "Let's get all this stuff in the car, shall we?"

They all helped to get the camping equipment into Ash's jeep, but when they were done, there was still no sign of Emma. Eventually, they decided she would probably meet them there, and started to get in the car to take the stuff down to Lewis' fishing boat and the Zodiac. It was then that Emma came rushing into view, looking strangely panicked.

"I've got bad news, guys," she said, breathing heavily.

"Don't tell me the trip is cancelled!" Zane said sarcastically.

Emma shot him a look. "I went for a swim," she started to explain.

"So?" Lewis asked.

Emma took a breath. "And someone saw me," she finished.

There was a moment of silence. Finally, Cleo asked, "Who?"

"I have no idea," Emma admitted. "I had never seen him before in my life."

Ash frowned. "Him?" he repeated suspiciously.

Emma sighed. "I'm not going to run off with watcher-boy, Ash," she said.

"No-one will believe him," said Zane. "I learnt that the hard way."

"Stop feeling sorry for yourself, Zane," said Rikki. "Who cares if he saw you? He will have forgotten all about it by the time we get back from Mako."

Emma shrugged. "I suppose," she said. "Shall we go now?"

The six of them drove down to the docks, loaded up the fishing boat and the Zodiac, and then set off for Mako island. The girls swam there, and met the boys on the beach. They set up camp for the night and built up a fire - helped by Rikki of course. Spending the weekend on Mako was actually a good idea.

"Hey, Zane," said Rikki, looking at her boyfriend thoughtfully.

"I see an idea forming in your head," said Zane. "What is it?"

"Have you ever scuba-dived?" Rikki asked.

"Yeah," Zane replied, still not quite seeing the picture, "I brought a snorkel in case I'd need it."

"Want to come swimming?" Rikki gave him a winning smile.

"Sure," said Zane. "Let me just get this tent up first." After lots of struggling, Ash helped Zane to put up the tent, and then Zane fetched his scuba gear. He and Rikki headed off into the waves, diving into the deeper water. It was amazing for Zane to swim down in the deep with a blonde-haired mermaid beside him. She gripped his hand and lead him through the coral and the seaweed. It was incredible.

Up on the beach, Emma was still feeling nervous. She had swam away so quickly after her encounter with the diver-boy, that she had only caught a glimpse of his blond hair. She knew for a fact he had seen her though, and that unnerved her. As she sat on the warm sand, Ash joined her and put his arm around her shoulders.

"It'll be fine, Emma," he said reassuringly, knowing it wasn't the time to tease her with her nickname Em, "Trust me."