Douglas jumped awake from a deep sleep as he heard a loud frantic knocking. Mary Ann had gone to the store and he feared she might have been locked out. He got up from the couch and opened the door to see Terrence.

Terrence was wide eyed and breathing heavily. Bone dry and covered in sand. He also had legs.

"Terrence!"  Douglas could only hug his brother tightly. He hadn't been this close to him in about two months and it felt so good being near his family again.

Terrence, though not usually a large fan of physical contact, hugged Douglas with all of the might in his body.

"Oh brother you have no idea what it means to see you." Terrence, for the first time since Alexander had gone missing a week ago and their father gone missing five days ago, finally didn't feel alone. "I have so much to tell you."

Douglas took him into the living room and sat him on the couch. Terrence had never been in a humans home before and took note of the moving picture on display, looked at the pictures of his brother and a female human kissing each other, the way that it felt small almost.

"Is this what all human homes are like?"

"Not all of them but this is how Mary Ann likes it. She really likes pictures but I think its cute."

"Why do some pictures move and some do not?"

Douglas chuckled. "Well theres a lot of different versions of moving pictures and non moving pictures. Its actually really hard to explain. You eventually just kind of know the difference, but anyhow what's going on brother what brought you here today?"

The front door opened and Mary Ann walked in with groceries piled up in both of her arms. The poor girl was clearly having a struggle.

A smile came across Douglas's face. "Excuse me a second brother." He proceeded to get up and get the large paper bags out of her arms - there had been very little use of plastic since he'd moved in - and he took them to the kitchen.

"Oh baby who is this?" She inquired after seeing Terrence sitting on the couch.

"Darling this is my brother Terrence."

Her face lit up. "Oh Terrence! Hi! Oh Douglas has told me so much about you." She reached out to shake his hand and from behind her Douglas showed Terrence he needed to shake her hand.

And he did, though not without being somewhat confused.

"And who are you?" Terrence asked while shaking her hand.

It made Mary Ann's heart sink thinking that he hadnt told his family about her. "Oh I'm Mary Ann hasn't Douglas-" She was cut off by Douglas.

"I haven't talked to Terrence since I got here on my trip baby I haven't had a chance to tell him about you."

Terrence took a deep breath. "Look Douglas I need to talk to you about whats going on at home. Father's gone missing and I believe Alexander has gone mad."

"Wait. Father's missing? What happened."

"Well I believe it was because the human was keeping you from returning home."

Douglas got tense. "Mary Ann dear go to the kitchen and start putting the stuff away. I'll be there in a moment."

Mary Ann nodded even though she was confused and stepped away.

"What happened." Douglas demanded.

"Alexander spoke to you. I don't know what you said to him but I do know that he was angry and demanded to know where father was. They were arguing about something and Alexander left. I asked father what was going on and he said Alexander just needed to calm down and he would be home the next day. When he didn't come back father decided to take it upon himself to search for Alexander. Neither of them have come back and the reefs and our palace and kingdom is being destroyed. I believe it was Alexander's doing and I need your help brother."

Douglas ran his fingers through his hair. "Terrence. Mary Ann doesn't know about me. She doesn't know who or what I am and I fear of what will happen if she does."

Terrence felt his heart harden. "Are you putting your human before our family and people?"

"No. I just need to tell her first is all."

Terrence took a deep breath and nodded. "Of course. And when you do if she would like she can come with us. Who knows brother she might wind up helping us more than we could imagine and when you become the king and she can be your queen."

Douglas smiled at those words and nodded.

"Go to the beach brother we will see you down there."