Chapter 41

Denman's P.O.V

"I remember...everything," I said, I massaged my temples. He looked terrified of what I was going to say next.

"Mermaids!" I exclaimed, "Your wife! Lewis, your wife attacked me, she made me lose my memory!"

I heard Lewis mutter a few choice words under his breath. "Nonsense." He said.

"Lewis," I said disbelievingly, "I remember everything now, that recurring dream actually happened to a certain extent," I said. I could see that he knew it was no use denying it. The old me was back and I remembered all my past encounters with this man.

Lewis sighed, "Cleo didn't mean to. She totally regretted it and was appalled at what she did, we were the ones who took you to the hospital," Emotions flooded my mind. It was all too much. Why would they have taken me to the hospital? It was obvious they hated me; I had tried to exploit them. Lewis was frowning; he had dropped the friendly persona. I voiced my thoughts,

"Why would you take me to the hospital, after all I did?"

He looked at me like I was crazy, "Why? Why didn't we leave you to die on the island?" he shook his head, "We are human you know,"

I realised I knew that now. Those girls had looked terrified, yet defiant when I caught them. What I did – it was against everything I now stand for, I now have to have a good reason for catching and experimenting on specimens. The first time I caught them, I thought back to how low I had stooped - I had held Lewis hostage and the girls against their will, blackmailing them to not escape for Lewis' sake. It was so wrong. How had I been such a…such a cow?

"I know, I know that now. Oh Lewis, I am so sorry!"

"Why?" he asked, shocked.

"Call it cliché, but I finally realise the errors of my ways,"

"You never seemed to think you were in the wrong before," Lewis retorted.

"No…" I winced. "Why was I so obsessed?"

"You tell me,"

"You know that I never meant to physically hurt the girls…" I trailed off. Lewis crossed his arms; he was not impressed. I knew my side of the argument was not easy to believe.

"I just wanted the facts; surely you of all people should understand scientific curiosity."

"I understand scientific curiosity, but never the part where you were willing to give up the girls' livelihoods in order to obtain that information. You would have sold the information, or even put them on display as creatures, not people. If you could not do that you would have kept them locked away under all your research was complete, maybe release them after this. They would never be treated the same once the news was made public. When you released them, though no physical injuries came upon them, they would have been scarred mentally for life." He said. I had to admit this was probably true, had that happened without interference. I was really into being recognised in the scientific community and definitely interested in the monetary benefits. Now looking back, if I were in the same situation, I would not have done the same. I think the amnesia did me good, as much as it shocks me to think it.

"Lewis, I'm not expecting you to believe me, but I really am sorry. I don't expect you to trust me…" with this sentence, Lewis coughed his agreement, "…but I don't mean you any harm. I will not go to any lengths to expose your wife or her friends as mythological sea creatures." His eyes widened in disbelief. I expected this reaction.

"You won't? How can we be possibly sure? The last time you 'left', you faked it and caught the girls. How do I know whether this isn't just an act?" I looked at him sincerely.

"I mean it Lewis."

He was taken aback by this. He did not know how to respond. I could see the different emotions as they passed over his features. Disbelief, distrust, anger, sadness, worry, and finally hope.

"So…you're not going to pursue us?" he asked timidly. I shook my head sincerely. A degree of relief was shown as he sighed.

"I swear, I will not be any threat, intentional or otherwise, towards you, your family and friends." I said.

Lewis' P.O.V

I seriously couldn't believe what I had been hearing from Denman's lips. No threat? I didn't believe her. I certainly didn't trust her. I was still angry at what she had done to us in the past. I was sad that we were even in this position. I was worried she'd change her mind, and become a much larger threat than before. But then, she seemed honestly sincere. Could this be the end of the Denman issue?

"So…you're not going to pursue us?" I asked, annoyed at hearing my voice was not as strong as I intended it to be. Denman shook her head in response. She truly looked sincere. I sighed with relief.

""I swear, I will not be any threat, intentional or otherwise, towards you, your family and friends," she said, hand across her heart. I smiled for the first time since she arrived – genuinely. She returned the smile. I didn't trust and I definitely hadn't forgiven her yet, but, if she did as she said, our relationship was on the mend.

A/N: Thanks for reading

Special thanks and mention to Arocksprpl2, XxRaindr0pxX, Quillox, Beaker77, the crazy frog, Zikki3737, gotdraco, anon, Maria, Xmengal, and my real life best friend k8sastar for reviewing the last two chapters. It means a lot.

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