This was a lot to handle, first my wife leaving me for her boss who was also my boss. Then my uncle leaving behind everything to me and now my friend of which I have no memories of who happens to be a mermaid. Yep, I have officially lost my mind. Still, when I look at her though, it doesn't feel like she is a stranger to me. She was someone who stood up for me, even in front of my wife and that jerk Paul. She wasn't willing to let me get hurt or disturbed by what happened, she took things into her own hands.

Looking at her from my viewpoint, she was the best friend I never had. Shaking my head, I walk back to my uncle study and grab a book. I didn't look at the title or anything instead I just grabbed a random one. Something then fell out of the shelf behind it. Turning my attention to the floor now I see an old photo. Bending down I pick it up in my hand and lift it to the light. It was a picture of Areona and I. We were sitting on the dock and it looked like she was laying her head on my shoulder. Too bad I couldn't remember anything about this memory. What was she like?

Then there was a loud knock on the front door. Jumping from my spot, I run down the stairs and open the door to see a police officer standing there. What in the world was he doing here?

"Can I help you, officer?" I question as I look around to see if he is alone.

"No, I'm sorry I usually come to check on Carmichael but once I heard the news I wanted to offer my condolences to the family. He was a great guy and had a lot of stories to tell." The officer chuckled probably thinking of memories he had with my uncle.

"Thanks, I'm sure he appreciated his time he had with you as well," I reply not really knowing what else to say.

"If you ever have a problem with anything or anyone on the ground don't hesitate to give us a call. The number is still 911." He tells me with a tip of his hat and takes his leave.

Well, that was one of the weirdest conversations I had ever had in my life. Shutting the door behind me, I turn around and lean my back against the door. What had I gotten myself into? Looking up to the stairs I can see Areona looking down at me. She stood there and was dressed in one of my old work shirts. I had to change her into something since what clothing she had was drenched.

"Are you ok?" I question as I walk to the bottom of the stairs and look up at her.

Shaking her head almost as if to shake herself free from her own thoughts she then looks down at me, her eyes were back to normal too which made me feel a little bit more at ease.

"I wanted to apologize. I shouldn't have placed my opinion where it didn't belong. You just looked so hurt by her words, I couldn't stand aside and let her hurt you." She says as she walks down the stairs but stops two stairs before she reaches me.

"I understand what you mean, thank you for what you did. I'm not good at standing up for myself, hearing you did it actually made me feel good." I chuckle and the minute I do, she smiles.

What I didn't expect was for her to yell out in pain and fall onto one of the steps gripping at her legs. Jumping to her side, I grab her and hold her close to me.

"What going on?" I yelp as I look down and see her legs are turning a green color.

"My time's up, I have to get back in the water." She yelps as tears fall from her eyes.

Taking her in my arms, I quickly get down the stairs and run right to the lake. Stopping right at the edge, I look down at her and our eyes meet. What the heck am I doing?!

"Throw me in, please William I need the water." She tells me as her hand caresses my cheek and she holds her tears in.

I could only imagine the pain she might be in, without a second though, I knelt down and gently pushed her into the water. She dove deeper than my vision would let me see but I waited for her. Waited to see if she was alright and that we didn't get to the lake too late. A few moments later a bright white light came from the water. Maybe that meant everything was well? I was wrong, a few minutes later she came up from the bottom of the water and was doing a dead mans float.

"AREONA!" I yell at the top of my lungs to get her attention.

Looking down at the pool I notice the water is bubbling, something it hadn't done before. Turning around I saw a white van pulled up on the other side of the lake. It was a water treatment company and the man was talking to a woman and another man across the way. Trying as hard as I could to see farther, I could barely make out the woman's hair color but it told me all I needed to. It was my ex-wife but why would she do anything to the water? Running to the edge of the lake, I wade in just far enough to grab Areona and run back inside the house. The tub, that was the only thing I could think of.

Dashing up to the bathroom, I gently sit her in the water and run the water over her. I hold her hand and I pray the water does something to help her. Looking to her legs I waited for her fins to return but they didn't. Her breathing was steady but had so much pain in her voice. What little I could hear. Maybe uncle wrote about something like this? The lawyer said he wrote sea stories. I searched the office and I did find a handwritten book uncle titled 'Mermaid Lore'. Opening up right beside the tub I began to search for any explanation until I finally found one.

'Tempering with the water of a non-sea mermaid. If a mermaid is extracted from their home (the sea) and brought to other waters it would take them time to adapt to the waters they were not born in but it can be done. However, do not ever shock treat the water or that means death for any and all mermaids living in the water.'

"A shock treatment? Why would the lake need that?" I question as I turn the page.

'A mermaid's life can only be saved one way if that should ever happen. Any exchange must be made. Bringing the mermaid into a family or bonding with them for eternity. To do so, human and mermaid must make a blood pact. With the blood pact, the mermaid absorbs human blood and the human absorbs mermaid blood, therefore, making both half-bloods.'

Looking to Areona I could see her face starting to become more and paler. I didn't know what else to do so I grabbed and knife and followed the books instructions on a blood pact, step by step. I wasn't willing to let her die...I had to save her as she saved me.

~Will's Dream/ Forgotten memory ~

"Will, you have been a very good friend and I can't thank you for all you've done for me." Areona's voice calls out to me.

Opening my eyes, I saw the woods before us. Turning my head I saw Areona was laying her head on my shoulder and I was much younger than I should be. Looking down at her, she looked the same though. Uncle did say that mermaids aged much slower than humans did.

"Areona?" I ask her as she looks up at me.

"Yes?" she says as she looks up at me.

With that one look from her eyes, all the memories come back to me in a flash. She was my everything, I had found her washed up on shore and took her home to my uncles because I knew my mother didn't want me around girls. Uncle agreed to take care of her and take her in. He made her believe that he saved her just like I asked him to. The more time I spent with Areona, the deeper my feelings for her became. I really did love her.

"Will?" Areona asks again but she starts to go out of focus.

~Reality~

Sucking in a deep breath, I sat up and looked in the tub. It was empty. Turning to look beside me, I saw Areona laying there on the ground along bandage on her right arm. Looking to my right arm I see a similar bandage. It had to have worked...right? Carefully I gently touched her shoulder and she took a deep breath and her eyes opened wide.

"It worked...thank god you're alive." I say as I grab her and pull her to my chest.

"What happened? I remembered the water being so different, it felt like it was trying to kill me." Areona cries as she holds onto me.

"It was a shock treatment, one that I intend to find out the reasoning of very soon," I tell her and I hug her tighter. "I had to keep you with me, I'm sorry I cut you but I had no other choice."

Areona pulled away from me and looked at me confused.

"What do you mean?" she asks and I take her right arm and bring it beside mine showing her the bandages.

"You're half-blood now, just like me. Uncle's book said it was the only way to keep you alive." I tell her the truth not wanting to hide anything from her.

"William...I can never repay you for all you have done for me." She says as she grabs my head and kisses me right on the lips.