I don’t remember falling asleep, but I do remember not going to bed with him next to me. I screamed out in surprise again but this time I kick him off the edge bed. He reappeared over the edge of the mattress rubbing his now sore shoulder.

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

“What are you doing in my bed?” I asked using the pillow as a barrier.

“We already went over this yesterday, it’s ‘our’ bed. Now go to sleep, its way to early” he said glancing at the clock before attempting to crawl back onto the mattress. I hit him away with the pillow determined to keep him at bay. He grabbed the pillow stopping me from swinging. “Calm down, what’s the matter?” Ah what’s the matter? He honestly didn’t know?

“I want to go home, for starters,” I was about to go on with the rest of the list when he stopped me.

“Are you hungry?” he asked still holding onto the pillow. I nodded and he finally let go of the pillow. “If you want your brekkie, you’ll have to get to the kitchen by yourself today.” He grinned before leaving the room, probably to crash of the couch as he expected me to take a long time. I took this as an opportunity to change into the turquoise strapless top I had gotten yesterday and pin back my hair with a silver comb with an Asian style lily on it in a similar shade. And then I attempted the journey down to the kitchen my stomach now grumbling.

 I could propel myself a little forward with my hands but the tail was still a big problem. Unlike everyone else mine wasn’t a ‘fin’ shape. It was like a ruffle goldfish tail. Holding onto the door frame I practiced just moving it up and down. It was about finding the right amount of power and rhythm. I let go of the doorframe when I felt confident enough and I moved forward. Yes I was doing it! That was until I got to a wall. Stopping let alone turning proved impossible as I crashed into the wall. So after a second wind, I took it slower. About twenty more minutes later I made it down to the kitchen a bit more battered than when I started. Sebastian, who as predicted was on the couch sat up, instantly noticing the scratches on my arms and a bruise forming on my hips and shoulders. Swimming over he circled me twice before pulling me the last few meters to the kitchen where he made me breakfast.

Sebastian didn’t trust me enough to make me swim down the street by myself and dragged me through the city. I noticed quite a few people… I mean Mers, were looking at us and whispering between themselves as we passed. I clung closer to Sebastian hoping they would stop.

We made it out to open water where he made me paddle as he guided, claiming direction would come later. It felt like hours, as I paddled back and forth at different speeds with Sebastian leading the way. He let go of me drifting less than a meter out of my reach.

“Don’t let me go, I’m going to sink,” I wailed reaching for him.

“Ye with little faith,” he said as I slammed into him. “Want to learn to turn now?” he asked. I shook my head.

“What about stopping?” I asked looking back down at my now developed bruises. He laughed.

“Just turn your fin like this,” he demonstrated. I tried copying but he had nudged my tail into the correct position. He made me try stopping several times till he was satisfied that I could. And then came with the turning. Moving the tail certain ways, you didn’t move it left or right but every axis affected which way you went. I had noticed when swimming in straight lines I would sometimes veer off courses a little. After ten minutes I told him I had enough as I was getting frustrated. It had taken most of the day just to move forward. I would hate to learn how to go backwards. We rounded the corner to the familiar street where Sebastian lived.

Outside the house where what I’m going to assume were reporters. Sebastian stoped me and backed around the corner.

“How would you like to go on a little holiday?” he asked suddenly, pulling me down another street.

“What’s going on?” I asked trying to stop him, practicing the new technique with little success.

“It seems that people want to know our story?” he replied. I gave up on resisting and let him pull me along through the submerged streets

“We don’t even have a story. What wrong with that?” I asked. He backed up and wrapped his arm around my waist and held me close.

“Because I want to keep you all for myself. And I’m scared mers’ will try to steal my beautiful wife away from me.”

“I’m not your wife,” I argued. “I’m not beautiful either,” I grumbled. “Or worth stealing,” I added. Sebastian drew me closer and kissed my cheek.

“You might think that, but you’ll find that many here will find you very desirable, others perhaps jealous,” he whispered in my ear. I tore my head away from him putting some distance between us.

“Jealous? Jealous of what? A little frill on the fins. Pfft,” I scoffed.

“Partly, but also because you are now engaged to one of the ocean’s ‘Most eligible bachelors,” moved his hands as if bill boarding his own words. He returned to my side and continued. “But many others will be happy, to see that I have moved away from Nicole; the one I use to like, remember?” he explained. We reached the palace but to the side was a smaller building that we entered. There were many archways that lead into connecting rooms with even more connecting ache ways. In the centre of the main circular room was a large desk with a merman peering down into a large book. He looked up as we entered.

“Hello Sebastian,” he smiled taking off his little specs. He was a short tubby mer his hair beginning to thinned out. “And this is your sweet little Halfling Singer?” he asked. I could tell he knew that we were a suppose ‘couple’. Sebastian nodded. “So what can I do for you?” he asked.

“Is there any openings for the tropical regions?” Sebastian asked. I glanced at the doorways. Each had engraved the different oceans. Looking into one of the rooms there were more arches to places within that ocean and through those doorways to more within that particular region. Some doors would stop at a dead ends, generally after three of four doorways.

“Hawaii is full at the moment. The Philippines is open. The tip of Australia is lovely this time of year, well most of the year. Or perhaps you were looking closer to the equator?”

“I’ve always wanted to visit Australia,” I smiled thinking of Uluru and the beautiful orange sands. I had also wanted to visit Sydney Harbour. I had also wanted to see a real live kangaroo.

“Well Australia it is then, I’ve been meaning to meet up with a friend there.” Sebastian mentioned. He signed the book, and some other details. And we went through to the Australian archway.

“Umm is there going to be like a bus to take us there?” I asked perplexed as to what was supposed to happen.

“Not quite. We’ll be using the portal, when Rufus, decides to turn it on to transport us.” I jumped back as a loud sound came and the portal flicked to life. The archway had a weird ripple to it. Similar to the ones you see when a jet engine sets off. Or like really hot roads in the distance.

“How does it work?” I asked hiding behind him from the weird contraption in front of me.

“I don’t know, the people who had built Atlantis had begun working on it.  It was suspected that there was a miscalculation and that was the reason they sunk. But since then it’s been figured out and we’ve worked it and set up checkpoints around the globe. This building is portal central, all the other portals lead to here.” I marvelled at it.

“Is that even possible?” I wondered aloud. Sebastian led me to the archway holding my hand we swam through into bright warm water. I opened my eyes and found myself in a new world. Everything was beautifully colourful and clear.

“Are we in the Great Barrier Reef?” I asked in awe. Sebastian smiled and pulled me away from the portal.

“We can’t leave the portals on for long due to water difference. And yes we are here, do you like it?” he asked. I spun around taking in all the new colourful fish and the turtle in the distance.

“It’s amazing,” I laughed. I started swimming off in a random direction following a fish with bright yellow fins. I giggled when it swam between the coral. I suddenly started following the turtle. Sebastian pulled me back.

“I’m glad you like it here, but let’s leave grandmother in peace. I have to meet up with a friend.” We swam for about half an hour.

“Where are the houses around here?” I asked not having seen another mer since we arrived.

“They are around but are camouflaged and more spaced out than Atlantis. Here we are.” I looked around, just more coral. I quickly learnt that the majority of the reef wasn’t brightly coloured as they made out to be. Still super cool, but not as colourful and in turn, a little disappointed.

Sebastian dove down to a gap in the coral. I followed closely behind. “Keep close, he specially made it a maze.” He made so many turns helping me along, waiting for me to squeezed through the narrow parts clumsily, till we got to a hatch. Sebastian knocked four times and waited. “Just so you know, Earl is a bit on the defensive side.” I heard the hatch squeak open and lifted up to reveal a blonde merman with a goatee. First smiling at Sebastian and then frowning when he saw me.

“Sebastian, it’s been a long time,” he finally spoke turning and glaring at Sebastian. “Who’s the bird?” he asked but didn’t give Sebastian time to answer. “Mate we made a deal about keeping the ‘Hatch’ a secret.”

“Yeah, but I’m sure you can make an exception for Aubrey,” he smiled holding my shoulders and peeping over my head.

“Why? It’s not like she’s your wife,” he said folding his arms. I grinned so hard, suppressing a, ‘I told you so’.

 “Oh my god, you didn’t!” Earl exclaimed, obviously the penny having finally dropped. “He looked at me up and down as I darted around to hide behind Sebastian. “Well at least you picked a pretty one,” he ducked down and we followed suit.