Oscar didn't know what happened, but he knew something weird definitely happened with Mer. He kept touching his lips and playing with them a little. Every time he went in to check on him, he also felt like he was blushing. What exactly happened between Mer basically trapping him on the bed and when he ended up on the floor? He didn't think Mer was going to tell him and so he went to the studio to see what pictures he could take to the aquarium to try and sell. He didn't want to take too many... He looked through a few of the paintings he had in the corner and decided to bring three of the small ones and one of the medium sized pictures. He yawned and walked out of the studio with the pictures in hand and was heading to the hall closet to get the large portfolio folder when he heard Mer crying in the bathroom. Oscar stopped for a moment and then decided to just finish his task before getting into what was happening with Mer.

After making sure his paintings were set in the portfolio binder and weren't going to fall out, Oscar went to the door and knocked on it.

"Mer? You alright in there?"

He didn't answer and so he tried the doorknob to see if it was unlocked. Luckily it was and so he opened the door. Mer was laying against the toilet, half asleep. Oscar walked over and bent down in front of him. Mer's eyes flickered over to him and he watched him for a moment.

"You okay?" Mer shook his head. "You still feel sick?" Mer nodded. "You want some help?" Mer nodded again. "Are you going to push me away?" Mer thought for a moment and then gave a small shrug.

Oscar smiled a little and stood up to get in position to be able to carry Mer out of the bathroom. He grabbed under him and hefted him up bridal style. Mer laid his head on Oscar's chest, listening to his heartbeat.

"I'm sorry if I did something to make you mad a minute ago." Mer looked up at him. "You seemed to have pushed me off the bed and was very angry. I'm sorry if I caused a problem but I mean... you wouldn't let go..."

It wasn't you. Mer signed.

"Are you sure?" He nodded. "Would you tell me if it wasn't?" He nodded. "I feel like you wouldn't." Mer just smiled a little, leaning his head back onto Oscar's chest. "You're a lot heavier than you look. I keep thinking you're really light and then I try to carry you and I feel like my arms are about to fall off."

You don't have to carry me. I can walk.

"Every time I've seen you, you look like you're having a lot of trouble with it."

I just haven't gotten used to them yet.

"I think you just secretly like me carrying you everywhere." He said with a grin.

Mer smiled, listening to Oscar's heartbeat. Maybe... You feel safe.

"If it makes you feel safe, then I don't mind doing it."

I know I... I know I bother you and you can't sleep. You don't have to take care of me.

"Why wouldn't I?"

Because it causes too much trouble.

"I'm sure I was a lot of trouble when I needed it back then and you were there to help me through all my issues. Let me just be your friend and repay the favor. I'm not doing this to gain something out of it; I'm doing it because you're my best friend and you were in pain. You're still in pain, but that's not for me to dictate. I'll be here and I'll help you no matter what."

I know... Thank you...

"No problem."

He got back to the room and laid Mer down on the bed, pulling the covers over him and touching his forehead again. The fever was still there but this seemed to be one of those rare lucid moments for Mer.

"By the way, my dad's going to be coming over tomorrow for a little bit. I have some things I need to do but I don't want you to be by yourself. He volunteered to watch over you while I'm out. Is... that okay?"

Where are you going? Are you coming back? Mer asked with a panicked expression.

"Yes, I'm coming back. I have to verify some things with this new job I'll be starting soon as well as some other stuff. I won't be gone that long but it'll be long enough that I don't feel comfortable leaving you to your own devices. I also really need to get a good night's sleep. I've been so worried about you that every little noise you make makes me wake up and make sure that you're alright. I just need a little boost of energy so..."

Mer nodded and Oscar smiled a little. Mer could now see the dark circles under his friend's usually vibrant blue eyes and the haggard appearance of someone who had been running a race all day. Mer reached out to him and touched his face.

Sleepy.

"Exactly... While you're still recovering, if you need me to take you to and from the bathroom so you aren't stranded, I'll gladly do it for you."

You need to sleep more than take care of me.

"While you are still having nightmares, I can't do that. Besides, my mind won't let me do that, so just take what is given."

Mer made a face and then pointed at the bed.

Sleep here.

"No offense, but it's worse if I sleep next to you."

Mer thought for a moment and suddenly seemed shy, looking away.

If you sleep next to me then I won't feel so alone and be left with the memories. I know your touch and your scent... I... I know your heartbeat and I...

Oscar caught his hands to stop him from blabbering.

"I can't sleep here because the bed is too small. If you want to share a bed, we have to go in my room. It's a king and has plenty of room. I figured you wanted your own space after whatever happened out there."

Mer shook his head no quickly, grabbing Oscar's hands into his.

I don't want to be alone! Please! It's the last thing I want! he practically yelled in sign language, the signs large and very much out of Mer's usual 'talking space'.

Oscar stopped his hands again. "Okay, okay... I'm sorry. I should have delved a little more into your comfort instead of guessing. I'm sorry."

"Okker, no..." Mer said, suddenly starting to shake as he squeezed Oscar's hands. "Okker... no... no..."

Oscar put his hand on Mer's cheek and moved his face to look at him.

"Hey, it's okay. I'm right here and I won't let anything hurt you. You have to trust me and trust that I will be here." Mer nodded. "Come on, let me take you to my room."

Oscar moved and picked Mer up as Mer clung to him, seeming to be triggered by the memory of being alone or whatever caused Mer to behave so out of character. Once he got to his bedroom, he placed Mer on the bed but he wouldn't let go.

"Mer, you have to let go." He shook his head. "Mer-"

"No..." he said softly, looking up at Oscar, his turquoise eyes pleading for Oscar not to leave. Don't leave me.

Oscar sighed, moving his arms to allow him to get in the bed too. He unhooked from Mer to adjust the pillows and covers and covered them with the blanket. Mer scooted up to Oscar, laying his head on his chest, still shaking. Oscar put his head on Mer's and sunk into the pillow. Mer tapped him on the shoulder to get his attention and moved away a little to sign.

She... played tricks on me.

"She?"

Mer nodded but Oscar could tell he wasn't going to go into detail about who 'she' was.

She would say you were coming, that you found me, but... it wasn't true. Seeing you again was the only thing that kept me going. She was very cruel to me but... but now you really are here. I can't even believe it's you and I just... I don't want you to go.

Oscar sighed and touched Mer's face again. "Mer, I'm not going to go anywhere. I won't let you deal with all this by yourself and especially whatever memories that keep creeping back to cause you pain. I can't be with you 24/7, but I will be with you as much as I can. Whatever that bitch said is a lie and I am right here, for real this time. I'm not an illusion or a fantasy. I'm really here."

I know. he said with a smile.

Thunder suddenly rumbled outside again, making both of them jump. Hearing the rain pelting on the roof was atmospheric and almost immediately, Mer fell asleep with his head on Oscar's chest with Oscar falling asleep soon after.

***************

Mer woke with a start, the thunder outside waking him up. He breathed heavily, trying to regain his composure from the thunder, and stared into the darkness of the room. He heard a soft snoring noise and looked over, finding Oscar's back to him as he slept on his side. Mer sighed, turning over on his own side and watching his friend's back bob up and down while he breathed, so serene and gentle. Without thinking, Mer reached out and touched Oscar's back, making Oscar wake up.

"What is it?" he said sleepily, looking over his shoulder.

Nothing. Sorry. Mer signed.

He wasn't sure Oscar saw his signs in the dark but he didn't seem to take his touch as something urgent and turned back over. Mer smiled a little in the dark and scooted closer to Oscar until he was basically spooning him. He was warm and fresh and Mer soaked in his scent. He couldn't describe Oscar's scent, but it was something that brought him comfort ever since they were younger and especially now, when Mer's mind was still reeling from the events from before, smelling Oscar kept his mind clear and verified what Oscar had said before, "I'm really here." Having that knowledge alone was enough to quell his fears and fall asleep again.

*******************

For the first time since Mer had been found, Oscar got a great night sleep. No screaming, no panicking, just a good solid slumber. In fact, he was so deep in his sleep, he didn't hear the knocking at the door until he felt someone shake his shoulder.

"Oz... Oz, wake up."

Oscar opened his eyes and found Isaiah standing there.

"Dad?"

"I've been knocking at the door for a few minutes. When you didn't answer I got worried and let myself in."

"Sorry..." he said, sitting up and stretching. "What time is it?"

"Almost nine." He looked past his son's shoulder. "Why is Mer in your bed?"

"Huh?"

Isaiah nodded behind him and saw Mer curled up where he had been against Oscar's back.

"Oh... Well... He slept there."

"I see that."

"Nothing weird happened." Oscar said with a frown.

"I didn't say it did." Isaiah said, holding up his arms. "I came here because you said you needed my help."

"I do. I have to go by the aquarium today to take some paintings in and verify the schedule. I can't leave Mer by himself or I fear he'll have a mental breakdown. He told me the smallest of details about what may have happened to him and it sounded like the tip of a very large iceberg."

"Don't worry, I'll keep him safe while you do what you need to do."

Oscar nodded and got out of bed, going to the bathroom to start the morning.

"Was the traffic bad?" he asked.

"No, it was decent for this time of year. The storm flooded a few side streets." Isaiah said, looking at Mer for a moment.

He hadn't seen the merman since Oscar was a young teenager and they stopped coming to the beach house while Oscar was in college.

"How is Vanessa?" Oscar asked, walking out of the bathroom and wiping his face where he had splashed water on it.

"She's fine. She asked about you when I told her I was coming to help you. She wanted to know who Mer was, so I told her it was a friend you had made before when we came here all the time."

"What did you tell her as to why you had to come?"

"The truth in its own way. I told her that Mer had some issues and needed to be watched while you did what you needed to do. I didn't go into any details. She said she's worried about you being by yourself."

"Well, I won't be by myself now. I've got Mer."

Isaiah looked back at the merman. "You don't think he'll go back to the ocean?"

"You didn't see what I saw that night and unless he has an episode while I'm gone, you haven't seen him go off. He also told me when we were younger than when a merperson wants legs, it's not like the stories we read about just drying off their tails and they have legs. From what he told me, you have to purchase the magic to allow you to have legs and it's very expensive. I don't know if they are permanent or not so..."

"I see. Well, you know more about what's going on than I do. It's just odd to see his hair so short and looking so... human."

"Yeah, I thought that too. You get used to it after a while. That reminds me, he's been getting these bouts of sickness and he needs help getting to the bathroom. You'll have to help him because I don't think he's got his land-legs yet. I've been carrying him but I know you won't be able to do that."

Isaiah lifted a black eyebrow. "You carry him to the bathroom?"

"He's usually pretty weak. Besides, it helps with my bench press. He's at least 150lbs, you know?" he said, flexing his biceps.

Isaiah rolled his eyes and left the room to go to the kitchen.

Oscar got dressed and put his shoes on on the edge of the bed. He turned around and touched Mer on the shoulder.

"Mer? Mer, can you hear me?"

"Mmm..." he said softly.

"I'm going to go for a few hours. My dad is here, so if you need anything, let him know, okay? I'll be back before you know it."

Mer didn't say anything and he was pretty sure Mer heard nothing he had just said. No matter, he needed to get to the aquarium.

+++++++++++++

and now a small segment called LESSONS IN SIGN LANGUAGE!i feel like i mentioned it before, but when people sign, they have this thing that's sometimes referred to as a 'sign box'. basically, it's the width of your body and in sign language that's considered of normal volume. since signing doesn't have inflections like voices do, when someone is 'yelling' in sign language, they make their signs big and outside of the sign box, indicating that it's broader and more expressive. so when mer is signing at oscar and he is confused by his large expressions, it's because mer doesn't 'talk' that way normally. the more reserved you are, the closer to your body the signs will be.END OF LESSON!