John guided the boat back to the dock, squinting at the shapes in the water before he recognized the mechanized chair on the beach. The boat bumped the side of the dock and he shut off the motor before leaping the side to tie it into position. Without the motor to drown out the noise he could hear the giggling squeals of his daughter and the lovely, lilting laugh of Anna as they splashed together in the cold water.

Ondine saw him first, waving enthusiastically from her perch in Anna's arms. Anna turned over her shoulder, a smaller smile blooming over her face. They matched pace as John walked to the dock back to the beach and Anna deposited Ondine near a towel. John joined them as Anna finished wrapping the towel around Ondine and grabbed for her own.

He beat her to it, enfolding her in the fabric, and faced her. Anna's breath caught and John forced a swallow past the tightening in his chest. A giggle from Ondine brought him back to the present and John bent to scoop her off the ground.

"And does your mother know where you are?" He nuzzled into her neck and she batted him away.

"She's been with Dick all day and won't be back until late."

"Was she leaving you alone?" John's voice hardened, "I've told her-"

"I told her I'd be with a friend because it's the weekend."

John frowned, "She didn't question that?"

"I do have friends you know."

"I know."

"Then it's not so hard to believe." Ondine nodded toward the house, "Are we going to chat out here all evening because I'm freezing?"

"Sometimes," John adjusted his hold on her, "I forget you're only eleven."

He turned to see Anna, head bent over to wring out her hair, "I guess introductions aren't really necessary at this point."

"She made her introduction this morning." Anna held the towel over her shoulders, John noting her bare legs and trying not to think of her dripping wet in only her underwear. "And you're right, she's a bit of a spitfire."

"Da, have you been talking about me behind my back?" Ondine interjected and John laughed.

"If I told you about her don't you think I told her about you?"

They went back to the house, John waiting outside the bathroom as Ondine changed out of the sopping shirt and into her clothes. Anna wrapped herself in a blanket and sat in the rocking chair, using her toe on the floor to set an easy pace that filled the quiet between them with the creak of the wood. John stepped away from the bathroom door, jerking his thumb toward it.

"Sorry you ended up as impromptu babysitter for her."

"I'm not. The company was good for me." Anna nodded at the door, "She's an incredible girl."

"Yes she is." John sat on the edge of the sofa, as near to Anna as he dared. "Did you teach her to swim?"

"I thought it might relax her and it's a low impact sport." Anna frowned, "Did I do something wrong?"

"No," John waved a hand, "No, I'm grateful to you. I've wanted to teach her for a long time but her mother refuses."

"Ondine said as much." Anna lowered her voice, "Is her mother afraid of the water?"

John shook his head. "Vera and I met on a boat and she was always a good swimmer."

"Then why won't she let Ondine learn?"

"She's afraid if Ondine learns to swim then she'll want to be a fisherman like me." John sighed, "Vera knows Ondine's always loved the water, loved going out trawling with me, and that the smell of the sea is practically in the girl's blood but she doesn't want her to have anything to do with that life."

"Then what does she want for her?"

"Not to die." John's gaze slid off Anna, losing focus on some distant object as he spoke. "For as much as Vera and I hate one another, for as much as I think she's a bad influence on Ondine, I truly think that deep down Vera wants to be a good mother to her. She just doesn't know how."

"I thought motherhood was instinctual."

"For some, not all."

"And she doesn't try?"

"Most of what she does is the bare minimum because I think she sees Ondine as more of a weapon against me."

"That's cruel."

"It's all Vera knows." John stood at the sound of the latch clicking on the bathroom door. "Are you ready?"

"Mostly dry I think." Ondine's slow gait took her toward Anna's chair. "Thank you for teaching me to swim."

"Thank you for braving the cold water with me." Anna stood, pausing a moment until Ondine wrapped her arms around her. Anna returned the hug and placed a kiss on Ondine's cheek. "You're an incredible girl."

As Ondine pulled back she felt her face, "Was that a tear?"

"I guess you'll have to wait and see." Anna gripped the blanket tighter, making her way into the bathroom. "I hope I see you again soon Ondine."

John waited for the door to close before scooping Ondine into his arms. "I hope you don't find this too undignified."

"You always say I'm light as a feather."

"You are." John carried her to the truck, securing her with the seatbelt before going back for her chair. He struggled a bit to get the larger contraption into the bed and secured it with loose bungee cords. With a shake of his head he joined her in the cab. "That thing's not as easy as your other chair."

"Yeah but I never could've gotten here in my other chair now could I?"

"We actually need to talk about that."

"I hope you're not about to lecture me on riding it all the way out here on my own."

John smiled over at her, keeping his eyes on the road. "Oh, so you know what I'm going to say. Good, saves me the trouble."

"Da," She whined but John held firm.

"I know it's freedom and I know you love it but I can't risk the battery on that thing running out while you're on some tiny, winding road and some berk's joyriding."

"That's worst-case scenario."

"Then here's a small-case scenario." John stopped at a light, "What if your Mum finds out you lied to her?"

"You're not going to tell her are you?"

"And have her thinking I put you up to it, are you mad?" John shook his head, "Brave as I am, I'm not stupid."

"Then it's our secret?"

"Just like Anna's our secret."

Ondine nodded, "Mam wouldn't want to know you've got yourself a girlfriend."

"Anna's not my girlfriend."

"She's living in Gran's house and wearing clothes you bought her."

John's eyes widened and he only turned back to the road at the honk of the horn urging him to go at the green. "What'd you know about that?"

"I followed you home yesterday."

"Ondine Annabelle Bates you did not."

"I did." She grinned, "I watched you size out her clothes and buy them for her."

"She only had the dress I fished her from the bay in."

"Doesn't matter. You buy a woman clothes and she's yours forever."

"She's not property, Ondine."

"And she's not blind either." Ondine teased, "I saw the way she looked at you. She's interested in you."

"She's just being grateful."

"I doubt gratitude is what people feel when they smile like that."

John shook his head, "I need to put blocks on what you can watch on the telly."

"It's not the telly you should worry about Da. It's the internet."

"That too then." John pulled into a space and stopped the truck. "I'll have a talk with your Mum about your internet access."

"She'll never block it. It's how she and Dick watch their porn."

"And how do you know anything about that?"

Ondine shrugged, "Because Mam told me not to go on her computer for any reason and Dick always uses his with the door closed."

"Then I really need to speak with her."

John got out of the truck and pulled Ondine's chair free of the bed. He wheeled it over to her door and helped Ondine get adjusted before following her to her front door. He waited there as Ondine took out her key and only turned at the sound of obnoxious laughter floating toward them.

Vera and Richard swayed against one another, singing drunkenly of-key as they came through the gate toward the house. John stepped to the side to avoid Richard when he tried to catch Vera in her stumble. But the motion only had the three of them closer together when Vera finally righted herself.

Her eyes glazed and then focused John. Her finger jabbed toward him and he dodged the sharp nail while turning away from the alcohol infused breath. "What are you doing here?"

"Just bringing Ondine home."

"Home from where?"

"Her friend's house." John pointed to the road. "I was coming back from the harbor and saw her driving along. Thought it wouldn't be out of the ordinary for a father to drive his daughter home."

"Who said she needed your help?"

"Do I need an invitation?"

"I could get a judge to say you do."

John closed in on Vera, "I'd like to see you try."

"Ma!" Ondine's voice broke through the ice between them. "I didn't want to run out my battery so I asked him for a lift."

"You don't need his help Ondine." Vera bent toward her daughter, shooting an ugly expression at John over her shoulder. "Nobody needs him."

John clenched his jaw, "I'll see you tomorrow Ondine."

"We still going fishing then?"

"That's the plan." John edged away from Richard, standing like a silent statue. "Unless your mother wants to object to the scheduled visits now."

"Don't take that tone with me or I will."

John shook his head, "Sober up Vera."

"And be no fun like you?" Vera cracked a scathing laugh. "I don't think so."

"Goodnight Ondine." John bent to kiss Ondine's head, "I'll pick you up tomorrow at noon yeah?"

"Yeah." She waved him off, "I'll be fine until then."

He nodded to her, keeping his expression as bland as he could at Vera, and went back to his truck. The lanes were quiet and empty all the way back to his mother's house and he parked in the space lit by the light from the house. A smile crept toward his lips as he knocked on the door.

Anna opened it, allowing him inside. He noted her hair was up, darker than normal as if still wet from a shower, and a fresh scent permeated the house. She stood near him, her hands fidgeting a bit.

"Did Ondine get back alright?"

"Yeah, she's fine." John pointed toward the table, "Did you eat?"

"No," Anna shook her head, "I don't like eating before I go out on a boat."

John frowned, "Are you going out on a boat."

Her eyes widened and she hurried to backtrack her statement. "I'm sorry, I assumed the offer for night fishing was ongoing."

"Oh," John's eyebrows rose and he sent his fingers through his hair. "I hadn't planned on it but since I didn't have much in the way of a haul today I guess we could go out now."

"Only if you want to-"

"I don't want to assume-"

"I wouldn't want to impose if-"

"I didn't-" John laughed and Anna returned it with a nervous giggle. "I guess that's a yes, then?"

"I'd like that, yes."

John gathered himself and opened his arm toward the door, "Then after you."

They walked the dock together, chatting about the conditions of the evening, and John helped Anna board the boat. He untied it from the dock, throwing the rope up before jumping to catch the side and pull himself after it. Thumping on board he scooted around Anna to start the motor and steer the boat out of the inlet.

With the lights overhead on and the sun setting, the glow over the water drew John to take a deep breath. That breath hitched as Anna joined him, far more at ease than she had been their first time on the boat. The steady humming beat of the boat's motor carried them farther out of the bay and toward the open water.

"Care to take a turn?" John nodded at the wheel when Anna frowned in confusion. "If you know how to steer a car then it's a breeze."

"I think I can manage to keep us on course." Anna slipped between him and the wheel, John closing his eyes a moment at the feel of her pressed to his chest before hurrying to step back. "What do I aim for? There aren't lines here to guide me."

John pointed his arm over her shoulder, head close to hers as he guided her eye line. "There's a light just there, that's the lighthouse. Keep that in your left peripheral vision and we'll be just fine."

Anna turned her head toward him and their eyes met a moment. "And what do I keep the to the right?"

"That dark mass there." John slipped back, swallowing hard. "It's the edge of the bay and we don't want to get too close or we'll sink ourselves."

"I'll bear that in mind."

He left her in the cabin, working back to start up the nets and set them to drag behind the boat. When it all settled he returned to the cabin and instructed her how to slow their speed, to work through the currents, and manage their course. She took to it easily and soon they glided through the water until the motor on the net whined.

John set it to reel in and coughed his own laugh when the net spilled a load of fish in the holding tank. He pivoted to face the cabin and met Anna's grin. Pointing a finger at her he spoke, "You're good luck to me."

"I'm just filling in."

"Filling in for what?" John called over the nose as he readjusted the net and cast it behind the boat again.

"Ondine I think." She pulled the wheel and John joined her in the cabin. He stopped the motor and Anna faced him. "I thought we were fishing."

"Why'd you say Ondine's my good luck?"

Anna shrugged, "I've watched your face when you talk about her. I saw you when you held her. She's your world, John. She's what drives you to work as hard as you do. To sacrifice what you do. She's your good luck."

John could not say what possessed him but in that moment he found himself compelled to kiss her. Her hands came off the wheel and interlaced behind his head, holding him close as their lips worked over one another. They fumbled a moment, trying to find a groove, and John managed to drop anchor to keep them slowly rolling in place.

She broke the kiss first, her breathing elevated and her eyes shining in the dim glow from the boat lights. His thumb stroked over her cheekbone and Anna smiled at him. "If you want to kiss me again John, I won't say no."

"I want to do more than that Anna."

"Then why don't you?"

"Because I've known you for all of three days."

"That's all it took for Jesus to rise from the dead."

John laughed a little, smoothing his fingers down a strand of her hair. "I don't want to take advantage of you."

"You wouldn't be." Anna ran one of her fingers over his lips, her eyes focused there while her other hand gripped in the fabric of his jumper. "Not if I want you to."

"You deserve something better than the small cabin of this boat."

"I think it's exactly what we both deserve right now." Her lips came close to his, "Would you please love me John?"

After such an endearing plea it was all John could do not to immediately devour her. But he restrained himself. Barely.

Guiding her down the steep steps he flipped one of the switches to give a low light to the cabin. A slight musty scent betrayed the age of the boat but Anna only responded by tugging on her hand to bring his face back to her. Her fingers spread over his cheeks, the sensation fluttering John's eyelids, and her mouth met his again.

Perhaps it was the undying fisherman in him, but John wondered if the slow rock of the boat set the speed for their actions. If his gentle caress of her face and hair allowed her the freedom to release his coveralls. Or if it was her soft sighs that had them both shedding their shoes.

His coveralls hit the floor and soon his fingers, so dexterous in their manipulation of nets and needles, fumbled over the fabric of her long-sleeved shirt. Her fingers betrayed whatever nerves she had when they skittered over his jumper, catching in the fabric and clutching there when they rocked on the waves, until she slipped her hands beneath it. John moaned when the sensation of her fingers traced over his thin undershirt and he guided her closer to him.

Their lips met in a continuing dance, almost inseparable, while they tried to keep pace with their clothing. But his height and the low ceiling proved their enemy. John pivoted around Anna and sat on the edge of the bunk so she could expose his tight shirt after freeing him from the jumper. He found the edge of her trousers and slid his rough fingers over the skin of her hips toward her back, guided by the hissing whisper she released on contact.

John would be hard pressed to say whose shirt hit the floor first but soon his hands glided over her exposed stomach and back, reveling in the feel of her silky skin under the pads of his fingers. Her fingers teased between the gentle exploration of his chest and the grate of her nails against his skin. Sucking air through his teeth John broke their kiss and took his lips to her neck.

One of Anna's hands surrendered to the motion, holding the back of John's head to keep his attentions dedicated to her skin while her other hand swept over his shoulders. He used a hand at her back to hold her in place while he trailed his lips lower, following the lines of her collarbones and the dip toward her breasts, and soon found himself playing over the edge of her breasts where they escaped the confines of her bra. With a look and one hand he worked the catch on her bra and Anna ricked a second to shed it and leave them both topless in the cabin of his boat.

Had the evening gone no further John knew he could die a happy man. His hands quivered when they brushed over her breasts but took courage when Anna sighed. Easing over them John experimented with kneading massages, working deeper or faster when Anna keened and whimpered under his attentions, and eventually set his lips to working there in tandem with his hands.

It might have been some time but John followed his instincts and spread his legs so Anna could stand between them. The movement brought her close enough that he barely had to lean to take a nipple in his mouth. Her fingers raked in his hair, digging for purchase in his scalp when he ringed it with his tongue. And she cried out what sounded like his name when he operated in sync with his hands at her other breast. Even switching sides to give the same attention to the other breast seemed as natural as breathing.

It was Anna that pulled him away but she met his frown with a furious kiss that took over his mouth. She pushed him back on the bunk and he fell to the hard mattress as her fingers opened his belt. With a handful of good yanks she removed his trousers, socks, and boxers to expose him to her. And he could hardly believe his eyes when she stripped her own jeans and knickers to leave her as bare as the day she was born.

Their eyes met and Anna crawled onto the bed. A rock of the boat unsteadied her and John reached up to stop her falling over. They both managed a laugh, ease returning despite their nerves, and Anna settled over him.

She restarted their kiss, one of her hands on the mattress next to his head, while the other held herself to him by gripping the back of his neck. John adjusted his position to set Anna's back against the mattress and waited for her. Her easy breathing encouraged him to continue and his knees settled on either side of her hips as he started their kiss again.

Anna returned it with a quiet confidence that allowed John to sculpt down her undulating body to the apex of her thighs. She gasped slightly and he paused, their eyes meeting again. He waited for her to open her legs and he moved between them but remained over her.

Her fingers guided him back to her mouth while her other hand wrapped over his wrist. The shudder that ran through them both had John working a gentle finger over her folds. But the wetness he found there only encouraged him to continue. She writhed under him, leading his motions to what she wanted, and soon John moved his lips from hers to her neck so he could hear her when her whimpers and cries took over the sounds of the water.

When he slipped a finger inside her Anna bucked on the bunk. John worked his lips over her skin, retracing his earlier path to her breasts, and soon had her crying out his name when he met her nipple while working another finger inside her. The nerves under his fingers and thumb left her breathing ragged and her fingers raking furrows over his shoulders. But he exulted in every prick of pain to hear her voice hit high notes.

The stranglehold of her inner muscles over his fingers signaled her end and John massaged himself free. Her closed eyes and her thrown back head painted the grin over his face and he adjusted in an attempt to relieve a bit of pressure. But she almost destroyed his restraint when her hand blindly sought him.

John choked, falling under the spell of her fingers tracing over him while one of her knees slotted over his hip. When she established a third grip at his neck John followed her lead to press at her entrance. He waited until she opened her eyes and watched her face for a sign. Her nod and the meeting of their lips was cue enough for him to press forward.

She opened slowly, the rock of the boat lending to the glide inside her, and they settled when John seated inside her. He pulled back and thrust forward as slowly as he could. But when Anna wrapped her leg over his other hip he was not entirely sure he could maintain a slow pace. When she lifted her hips to meet him he was even less sure she wanted him to.

They worked a rhythm between them, using the swell of the waves and the rise of the boat to their advantage. Anna met his thrusts and sank her nails into his side when she raised her leg to take him deeper. John buried his head at her neck, kissing there when he was not seeking to breathe her in, and drove forward.

"Faster." He caught himself, not sure he heard her, but when Anna dug her heel into his ass he realized what she wanted.

John followed her guidance, speeding up, and worked a hand between them. He wanted her to reach a peak again and pressed in alternating frequency with his thrusts to rub her until she gasped out his name. That was all it took to send him over the edge.

They breathed together, the sweat on his skin slipping her hands off him. John lifted up to see her face, drawing himself free, and ran a finger down the line of her jaw. She smiled at him, her own hand cupping his face.

"Thank you." She sighed, taking his lips a moment before laying back. "I've never… I've never felt that before."

John frowned, "You're not-"

"No, not that part." Anna blushed a little, "Never climaxed before."

"Really?"

"Or felt so loved and cared for." She took a deep breath, "Not matter what happens I want you to know that."

"What's going to happen Anna?"

"Just…" She shook her head, "Nothing. I was just saying that if anything does happen then you'd know."

"I think I'll always care for you Anna." He smiled, "Something about finding a girl in my net would do that."

Anna laughed, "I'm glad you found me."

"So am I." John settled on his side next to her. "I think it's the day my life changed."

"Mine too."