John knocked on the door, his hands in his pockets with Ondine playing in her wheelchair behind him. He turned, shaking his head as she attempted to get back onto two wheels, and she pouted. When he raised his fist to knock again the door swung violently open and Vera stood there with her dressing gown clutched in a fist over her chest.

"I thought you wouldn't back until late."

"We've been out for hours." John pointed toward his watch but Vera only scoffed at him.

"Ready to get rid of your daughter so quickly?"

John gritted his teeth, trying to stop the expansion in his lungs from taking over and allowing the blood thundering in his ears to drown out his sense. "You always complain when I take her at all so I thought I could earn some good will by being prompt."

"You could've called first."

"I did. You didn't answer." John turned to Ondine, "I'll get you from school tomorrow yeah?"

"I'm good for it." Ondine kissed her father's cheek when he bent to plant one on her hair. "Don't forget, I've got dialysis."

"I won't forget." John nodded at Vera, "Unless you want to take her to dialysis."

"Richard and I have plans." Vera stepped back to allow Ondine through the door but John risked a pace to stop her.

"If you want, I could take Ondine for the night since you seem… otherwise occupied."

"It's nothing she's not heard before."

"But she shouldn't have to hear it, Vera."

Vera let out a scathing laugh, "Like she wouldn't hear it at your place?"

"She wouldn't."

"That's right," Vera made a face as if trying to give some compassion for his condition but it only came off as a cruel taunt. "Because you've got no one that'll take you after I finally washed my hands of you."

"Always on the nose Vera but that doesn't solve our problem." John pointed his finger toward the interior of the house. "I don't care what you get up to with your boyfriend in your house because that's your business, but I do care about what my daughter might have to endure if it keeps happening."

"If you'd stuck around, Batesy, it'd be the same scenario and she'd just hear us instead."

"No she wouldn't." John sucked the insides of his cheeks, biting down to stop himself saying something else. "I can take her until you're both… done."

"That could be a long time. Richard's got amazing stamina."

"Then I'll keep her overnight and take her to school in the morning. She'll go to dialysis afterward and I'll bring her home in the evening. It's no trouble to me."

"I'm sure you'd love that, prove you're the better parent." Vera shook her head, "But you forget. The court gave me custody of her and you only see her at my whim. If I wanted to, I wouldn't have to do more than snap my fingers and you'd be no more than a phone call or a text message in her life."

"Ma," Ondine tried to say but Vera ignored her, standing nose-to-nose with John.

"What do you say Batesy? Do you understand how this works now?"

"I think I've got the hang of it as well now as I've gotten it every other time we've had this conversation." John lowered his voice, "I just want to be there for our daughter because I care about her as much as you do."

"Then maybe you should've thought about that before you left us."

"Left you?" John let his head go back and barked his own bitter laugh, "You kicked me to the pavement when you thought I wasn't fun anymore. You tossed me on my ass and screamed how you didn't need me."

"I don't."

"Then don't play the innocent victim when you're not that." John snorted, "Innocence doesn't suit you anyway."

"Vera?" Both turned their heads as Richard came to the door, wearing a towel and carefully combing back his wet hair.

"I thought I told you I'd be right back."

"You did but when you didn't come back I finished myself." Richard eyed John before retreating into the house. "I'll wait until you're done."

Vera turned her snarl to John, "See what you did?"

"I asked for time with my daughter so you could have time with him." John backed away, "That's all I did."

"You always think that."

John refused to respond, raising his hand instead to Ondine, "Tomorrow, after school."

"Tomorrow." She rolled herself into the house and John turned to Vera.

"If that's alright with you."

"Why wouldn't it be?"

"Maybe you wanted to take her."

"Given that this is all your fault, no." Vera went back inside the house and John wove back through the warren of houses to his truck.

Climbing into the cab, John steered himself back to his mother's house. As he walked up to the house he heard a noise and stopped in his tracks. John swallowed, trying to keep quiet on the rocky beach, and circled the house to the rear. But once he got there all he could do was smile.

Anna had an old apron covering the front of her clothes as she knelt in the overrun flowerbed and dug out the weeds. He cleared his throat and she looked up, giving a little smile of her own, and rubbed her hands free of dirt before standing. "I'd hoped to make it a surprise."

"Seeing you outside the house is a surprise."

"I rather ran out of things to do inside the house." Anna spread her arm over the beds. "This seemed the better option for my time now."

"You're making it feel a lot nicer than it's been." John sighed, "No one's touched those beds since my mother passed."

"Then I'm glad I could make it nicer." Anna bent down, "Care to join me?"

"I think we've got enough daylight left for it." John removed his jacket and rolled up his shirtsleeves. "Though I'm curious why you're bothering."

"With what?" Anna passed over the trowel as she raked through the dirt to retrieve a dead bulb.

"The house, the garden, any of it." John sighed, "You told me this morning that you're planning on staying."

"I think the motto is 'leave the place better than you found it'." Anna did not meet his eyes, digging into the dirt to extract another vined weed and toss it into the pile. "I'm just trying to repay your kindness."

"It's not a give and take."

"Aren't all relationships?" Anna reached for the trowel but John caught her hand.

"I want you here, Anna. I like having you here and Ondine likes you as well. We both want to get to know you, to involve you in our lives, and I think you want a place to stay."

"But I keep pulling away?" Anna took her hand back, "I know what I am, Mr. Bates, and I can't reconcile that with the happiness I've found here."

"Why not?"

"Because," Anna let out a breath, sitting back on her heels and resting her arms on her drawn up knees. "This is the most peaceful I've ever felt. There's nothing in the breadth of my experience that compares to the quiet and beauty of this little inlet and I can't… I can't risk ruining that by bringing what I've to offer here."

"And what do you have to offer?"

"I can't tell you." Anna shook her head, "I can't let you get involved in it."

"You're here and so am I." John risked a hand over hers and sighed a bit when she held to it. "Let me help if I can."

"I don't think you can." Anna wiped at her face, forcing a smile. "Besides, you've got so much to worry about with your ex-wife and Ondine being sick. I'd only add to your burdens and I couldn't bear to pull you into my troubles."

"What if I want to be pulled into your troubles?"

"You say that now but if you knew you wouldn't."

"You haven't given me a fair chance to prove myself in that."

"No, I haven't." Anna turned back to the garden, "But please, trust that if that moment does come that I'd… I'd come to you."

"Alright." John adjusted on his knees, hissing when his right leg seized. "Sorry about that."

"Old injury?"

"Got it in the Navy but it only causes issues when I get in one position for too long." John smiled at her, "It'll be fine."

"I hope so." She sniffed and John reached out to wipe away one of her tears.

"Are these the three tears that'll let you stay here forever?"

"I don't think so." Anna shook her head, "My tears don't have that kind of power."

"Maybe not yet." John shrugged, "You told me that selkies also have wishes to grant. Maybe you just need me to make a wish so you can stay."

"Those wishes are for selkies to use." Anna manipulated the trowel in her hand. "And if I had a wish I wouldn't use it on me so I could stay."

"What would you do with your wish?"

"I'd want Ondine to get better. I'd want her healed so she can run and swim and jump like all those other children." Anna dug into the dirt again. "I'd want her to have a life."

"What about my wish?" John's voice was soft but Anna stopped moving. She did not turn but the tension in her shoulders gave John the clue he needed to know she was still listening. "What if I made a wish that you could stay with us?"

"It doesn't work that way John." Anna set the tool down, "There's only one wish to make."

"One for you, one for me." John kept his focus on her eyes. "You made your wish and now I've made mine."

"It doesn't work that way."

"Who says?" John edged closer, noting the hitch in Anna's breathing as he knelt next to her with his hands on either side of her body to hold himself even with her eyes. "Who says magic can't work that way?"

"Reality."

"Screw reality." John adjusted to bring a hand to Anna's cheek. "I've not been sure of much in my life, Anna, but I'd be a fool if I didn't realize you were the best thing to happen to it after Ondine."

"You don't know me John."

"I want to." He ran his thumb along the line of her cheek, noting Anna's hands sliding up the fabric of his shirt. "If you'd let me."

Instead of words for a response Anna sat up on her knees enough to take John's mouth with hers. He immediately opened to the probing investigation of her tongue over his lips and adjusted his position to put his weight on his knees and open them to get closer to Anna as he dragged his trousers through the dirt. Her hands crumpled the material of his shirt in her grip to drag his mouth closer to hers, if that were even possible.

They maneuvered in the garden beds a moment more before John broke the kiss. Anna reached for him again but he took her hand and stood enough to drag them toward the little bench. But the worn and possibly rotted wood could not hold their weight when John's knee rested on it a moment just to hear it groan.

John's half laugh turned to surprise when Anna leaned him against the metal frame and seized control of his mouth again. Her hands left streaks of dirt over his face but he hardly cared and placed his foot around hers to shift their position so Anna's back was to the metal frame. The jostle separated their lips before Anna swiveled in John's grip to put her back to his chest.

He paused, hands trembling against her as he suddenly felt unsure. One of her hands grabbed his without looking for it, and directed his larger palm to cover her breast through the apron. John choked, struggling to get a better feel for her through the layers of fabric there, and finally managed to untie the apron and lift it over her head to expose her to his now questing hand.

Anna moaned into his touch, leaning her chest forward to get more of it while her hips dragged over the front of his trousers. His feet stuttered and his other hand grabbed the metal frame of the bench to hold himself up, immediately loosening his hold on her breast when he realized he tugged there as well. But the blood-boiling sound from the back of Anna's throat reengaged the pressure of his hand on her.

Placing his mouth to her neck, John laid a line of kisses there, licking up traces of sweat from her earlier gardening exertions that now matched the sweat their activities encouraged. One of her hands stroked her fingers into his hair, tugging and scraping in response to his other hand moving under her shirt to tickle at the skin of her stomach. A less-than-elegant flick of his fingers opened her jeans and his hand delved under the line of her knickers to rub against the hood of her clit.

She threw her head back, exposing more of her neck to him, and let out a series of gasping whimpers. They filled John's ears as his hand continued to manipulate and stroke over her breast while his other hand worked fingers through her dampening folds. His grip changed and faltered as he sought new positions only to drag the fabric over her sensitive core to leave Anna panting.

Sinking a finger inside her, John tried to maneuver his thumb to the right place to flick against her clit while driving as deeply as he could inside her. Anna rocked and writhed against his hand with each deepening stroke. When John added his second finger, curling both inside her each time he dragged lower, Anna shrieked and collapsed against him.

John held her in place, kissing at the exposed skin he could reach as he dragged his fingers slowly out of her. Anna managed to grab his wrist, stopping him from moving farther, and shimmied her jeans low enough to bunch around her knees with her now soaked knickers. He waited a moment but Anna's exposed ass grinding over the tent in his own trousers sent him leaving his grip on her waist to drop trou and follow suit.

He nudged her legs slightly farther apart, dragging his now free erection against the crease of her ass, and grinned into her shoulder when she whimpered for him. His wrist, still close to her, teased her open again until Anna practically quivered with anticipation. John used the moment of silence between them to drive forward until her ass rested in the cradle of his hips.

Swallowing, he tried to move slowly and used his hands as guides for his actions to soothe and caress the skin available to him. The fabric of her shirt was no barrier as he snuck under it to work over her breast again. And Anna's nails digging into the flesh of his arms when his fingers found her clit again to bring her higher was all John needed to increase his pace.

The bench under Anna's grip rocked and groaned to match their grunts and cries in the back garden. As John slid back to the very edge, circling around her before driving as deeply as he could inside her, Anna sobbed her second release. It unleashed John's matching drive and he snapped his hips against the skin of her ass while chasing his own high. Blood pounded in his ears, the slap of skin on skin sending him over the edge, and soon his hands shook as he ended inside her.

Resting his head on her shoulder, John inhaled the scent of them, the garden, and whatever detergent he bought to use in the washing machine of his mother's house. Her fingers trailed over his hands and eventually John noticed Anna's shoulders shifting against him to kiss his cheek. He lifted his head and met her lips with less passion than before but more emotion.

"Could I ask you to stay?" John murmured, sliding himself loose and helping restore their clothing to avoid sacrificed dignity.

"I'll stay as long as I can, like I promised."

"Then," John swallowed, "If I moved here, closed my flat in town, and lived in my mother's house with you, would that be alright?"

"I'd like that very much." Anna ran her fingers over his face. "For as long as we can have it."

John stroked back Ondine's hair. "So you're alright with it?"

"I always thought your flat was shit."

"Language," John warned, nodding at the beeping dialysis machine. "Do you ever feel like you belong in one of those science fiction shows you love when you're strapped to that?"

"I always hoped it'd be the moment I find out I'm actually a clone, like Martha Jones was once."

"You do remember that she died in that episode right… the clone, I mean."

"I know who died Da." Ondine chided, shifting on the bed slightly to find a better position. "I've watched it more than you."

"That you have." John settled back, resting his chin on his overlapped hands. "And you don't mind Anna and I living in your grandmother's house?"

"Isn't it technically your house?"

"Answer the question." John nudged her and Ondine shrugged.

"I think she makes you happy and I want that for you."

John nodded, "You haven't mentioned it to your Mum have you?"

"What kind of confidant do you think I am?"

"Alright, don't get your knickers in a twist."

"Not like you've gotten her knickers in a twist eh?" Ondine grinned and John raised a finger.

"That's not appropriate and not at all nice."

"I know you're having sex with her Da."

"But I'm not discussing it with you." John took a breath, "What about your Mum and Richard?"

"They're still having it."

"I mean, are they still doing it with you in the house?"

"No, they're trying to make sure I'm asleep or out first." Ondine pulled a face, "I guess it's all on Richard since Ma's not really the kind to care about someone else's feelings."

"You do know she loves you, right?"

"I know she wants to." Ondine sighed, "I don't know if she knows how to."

"Not everyone grows up with someone like your grandmother to help them learn the ropes of human kindness." John checked his watch, "I'm going to find Doctor Clarkson and see if there's been any news."

"If there'd been news he would've told us Da." Ondine tapped the machine at her side. "For now these'll have to do."

"But not forever." John stood, "I'll be right back."

"Alright." Ondine settled and John snuck out of the room.

"Is something wrong Mr. Bates?" He turned to see Sybil hurrying over, "Something with Ondine?"

"No, nothing's wrong, I was just hoping to catch Doctor Clarkson if he's got a moment."

"He's in surgery at the moment but he did tell me there's been news about your daughter's position on the list."

"Good news I hope."

"They're looking into a match from London because the age is right and it meets more of the markers but they'll know more in a few days." Sybil put a hand on his shoulder, "It's not the news you were hoping for but I guess it shows that they're making progress."

"We're all making some kind of progress." John nodded, "Thank you all the same."

"It's my pleasure."

John eased back into the room and noticed Ondine breathing peacefully. He sat down in the chair by her bed and leaned back, closing his eyes as well. They both slept until the machine beeped completion and John sat straight up in his chair. Ondine woke more slowly but was her chattering self by the time John wheeled her back to her door.

Richard was the only one there, dragging at his fag while reading a paper. He stood as they approached and pointed inside while addressing Ondine, "Your Ma's asleep so if you go in don't wake her."

"Alright." Ondine lifted her head for John to kiss the crown of it. "I'll see you at the carnival Da."

"Saturday then." John nodded at Richard, "Morning Richard."

"John."

With that he went back to his home, pulling the truck to a stop outside the house. But there were no lights on inside and John frowned to himself before he recognized the sound of gentle singing coming from his boat. He walked the dock quickly and saw Anna leaning over the side of the boat, painting the name in shining black ink.

"I was going to do that."

She jumped slightly at his presence and then smiled, "But I was here to do it."

"But we're going fishing and it'll just make the paint wear off."

"Then I'll paint over it again." Anna teased, setting the paint and the brush aside. "It's a touch-up and I didn't think you'd mind."

"I don't." John untied one of the ropes and reached for the other one before jerking his head toward the dock, "Do you want to go or stay?"

"I haven't been out on the water in a few weeks." Anna waved a hand toward the house, "And since I've cleaned every nook and cranny in that house I think there's nothing else to do but pace."

"You could always go to town or take in the sights."

"No," Anna shook her head, "Best if I'm not seen."

"I'm sorry," John raised his hands, "I forgot."

"It's alright." Anna picked up her tools, "It just means I get some time with you on the water."

"That it does." John untied the other rope and tossed it on board as he climbed over the edge himself. "I enjoy the company."

"Shame Ondine couldn't come with us."

"Early morning dialysis isn't her favorite but she had the day off and it'll give her more time to rest before the carnival on Saturday." John started the engine and steered the boat out of the inlet. "She loves it and wouldn't want to be too tired to appreciate it."

"What's so special about this carnival anyway?"

"Nothing really. It's just the only time the town actually looks all spruced up and things get decorative. Well," John shrugged, "That, Christmas, Easter, and St. Patty's day. All the other holidays are just excuses to stay inside and complain about not enough time to sleep."

"The constant struggle of humanity." Anna rested on the side, closing her eyes to lose herself in the steadily blowing wind as the boat took to open waters.

John craned his head out, smiling at the sight of her at ease on the boat, "When you say humanity, is that because your people sleep enough?"

"I'm not going to answer that." Anna taunted back, humming to herself as John found a spot to stall the boat and ready his trawling net.

He dropped it into the water, letting it run out a bit before holding it steady and taking his position back in the cabin. "Care to steer?"

"Not yet." Anna hummed to herself, "I want to enjoy the breeze for a bit."

Turning back to steering John found his smile broadened when he heard her start singing. It was the same haunting tune from before, echoing out over the waves from her small body, and putting John completely at ease. Slipping over the waves, guided only by the currents and avoiding all other boats in the bay, John eventually had to stall the boat again when a whine on the mechanism alerted him to the net's capacity.

He went back, working the winch, and hauled the net into the containment area to drop a load of fish. When the net cleared and he pushed its soaked nylon out of the way, John whistled. "That's not good."

"What?" Anna came to his side, "I don't understand. They're fish, like always."

"No," John crouched, rubbing at the back of his neck, "They're salmon."

"Aren't salmon fish?"

"They're fish you're not supposed to catch with a trawling net." John stood, "We've got to get rid of-"

Anna followed the direction of his gaze and covered her mouth with her hand as a ship bearing the markings of the Coast Guard hailed them. "What do we do?"

"Get below." John pressed at her shoulder, "I'll manage them."

Anna disappeared and John turned to his engine, stopping it fully as the Coast Guard ship pulled up next to his. Two tall men, a lanky ginger and a sincere-looking blonde, boarded his boat. Both raised their hands to their heads to greet him.

"Morning Mr. Bates."

"Alfred, William, it's been awhile." John shook their hands. "How can I help you today?"

"We're just running an inspection." William pointed to the side of the boat, "Noticed you found someone who writes nicer than you do to repaint the name of your vessel."

"I did and it does look nicer than it did." John tucked his hands into his armpits, "You're welcome to take a look about."

"Thank you." William nodded at him as Alfred's long strides took him to where the last of the salmon stopped flapping.

"You do know it's not salmon season don't you Mr. Bates."

"I do."

"Where are you drag nets Mr. Bates?" William waited and John took him to the container where he kept the drag nets. William opened it and pulled the netting out, feeling all over the nylon. "These are still dry."

"That's right."

"Then how'd you catch them?" Alfred frowned and John pointed over his head at the dangling net.

"Trawling."

"You don't catch salmon trawling." Alfred stood in front of John, matching his pose as he crossed his hands over his chest as well. "You can't."

"But I did."

"How?"

John shrugged, "I've no idea."

"Mind if we look over your boat?" William put his hand on a hatch and lifted before John could respond.

His gasp had John peeking in as well, Alfred leaning over the top. Anna sat there, crouched in the hold. William turned to John, then to Alfred, and finally back to Anna.

"Are you alright miss?"

"Yes."

"Then why're you in there?"

"I get nervous meeting new people." Anna took William's offered hand and climbed out of the hatch. "Sorry."

"It's no problem." William cleared his throat and pointed to the pile of fish. "How'd he catch those?"

"Trawling."

William and Alfred turned to one another, Alfred shrugging before William turned to John. "The odd nature of a woman in your hatch aside, I don't think there's anything to worry about here."

"Thank you." John shook their hands, "Always a pleasure gentleman and you're welcome to whatever of the fish I keep when you come over for dinner sometime."

"We'll hold you to it Mr. Bates." They both dipped their heads toward Anna and went back to their boat.

John sighed, facing Anna. "What now?"

"I guess we see if you catch anything else today and then go back to town."

"But you're-"

"It's too late for that."

"How is it too late?"

Anna waved a hand at the departing Coast Guard boat. "They've already seen me and they'll tell people about the woman they found in Mr. Bates's boat. People know I exist now."

"Is that bad?"

Anna shrugged, "I guess we'll find out, won't we?"