Luna curled her tail tighter to her body and squeezed the old plush tiger she was still clinging to. She was not certain she had set it down once in the past couple of days. It was soft and comforting – even if the notion was silly – and it once belonged to Katie, so it helped Luna feel more connected to her sister.

She did not like the new house. It was small and dim, and it made horrible creaking sounds when anyone walked or the wind blew at night, and it only wound Luna’s nerves up more and more.

The panicked car-ride had been incredibly stressful. They had gotten into a different vehicle, and Luna had sat in the middle this time while they had carefully pulled Katie into the back so she could lie down. Sophie had wedged herself back there with her daughter, resting Katie’s head in her lap and trying to help keep her calm enough to breathe properly.

Despite her efforts, the very tense drive had been filled with Katie’s hoarse rasping and coughing. They had driven for a long time, and at one point had pulled into a lot with a strange little building and a bunch of shiny metal things. Sophie had named it a gas station when Luna had asked.

She did not know what that meant, but Sophie had seemed so stressed that she did not bother to inquire further, simply watching as Lukshia had gotten out of the car and slotted a hose into the side of the vehicle. It clanked a little and made a noisy hissing sound, but no one seemed concerned about it, so Luna had merely attempted to sit and remain calm enough not to panic and make the situation worse; though it had been immensely difficult.

While Lukshia was doing that, Lewis had opened the front door on the opposite side and gotten in. He’d looked flustered, with beads of sweat dotting the back of his neck and widened eyes as he twisted to take in the rest of them. He’d spoken briefly to Sophie about Katie’s condition, and then had reached out and taken Luna’s hand to give it a squeeze.

It had not made her feel better, but she had appreciated the kindness in the attempt.

When Lukshia had gotten back in, they had driven for a long time. Despite it being late morning when they left, the sun had been drooping low in the sky by the time they had stopped again. Luna had pressed her lips and not said anything – knowing Lukshia probably knew what she was doing – but some instinct in her had warned her they were going in wide circles and seeming to go nowhere at all. Later, Lukshia had apologized and said something about shaking a tail – whatever that meant – though Luna had wished it had been a shorter trip. It was hot and dry in the car, even with the mechanism that blew cold air, and Katie had wheezed the entire way.

Lukshia had taken them to a small house on a tiny strip of beach. It was walled in on all sides by a sheer cliff with a road they had driven down. Unlike the last house with the short deck into the cove, this had a long dock and the sand shelf dropped out very quickly into dark, deep water. There was a large boat docked out there, and though Lukshia had assured her it was safe, Luna had not felt comfortable going swimming since the first time. The boat made her uncomfortable. It had a large, dark hull and no way up onto it from the water like the last boat, which had been white and open, and far less threatening. This one tugged at the back of Luna’s mind. It reminded her of some fuzzy memories in her past and she could not help avoiding it.

Currently, Sophie, Lewis, and Lukshia were huddled in the tiny kitchen of the small house, discussing what to do next. Luna had wanted to participate, hoping to find some comfort in answers, but Sophie had shooed her out and asked her to stick close to Katie, just in case.

Luna would never object to helping Katie, but the main reason she did not argue was due to the deep creases on Sophie’s brow and the dark circles beneath her eyes. She was stressed, and clearly there was something Luna was not meant to hear, so now she was curled up on the floor beside Katie – who was sprawled atop a few blankets of padding with her bag of fluid still hanging on the stand beside her. She seemed to be asleep for now, but she was almost paler than Luna used to be, and her body shook with every breath she took.

Luna glanced at her now, watching with a cracking heart as Katie’s chest struggled to rise, and the air whistled back out in a tiny puff. They had tried putting her in the water when they got here – to see if it would help Katie breathe more easily – but her gills had oozed a slimy yellow fluid and she had coughed and spit up water until they had brought her back in. It had been terrifying to see.

Her head jerked up and Luna cocked her head, listening, as she heard a door opening and then some voices. Previously, the others had been talking softly so that Luna could hear nothing but the occasional frustrating murmur of muffled sound. Now, however, she could hear Lewis greeting something, and then footsteps echoing down the hall. There was someone new, but also something else, with a strange scampering, scraping sound. Luna tensed despite herself. She knew it was unlikely Lewis would welcome anyone into the house who was not safe, but after all the anxiety of the past few days, Luna was already on the edge of her frayed nerves.

The door to the room they were in swung open and revealed a tall man with thick black sweeps of hair dotted with occasional silver strands. He had black follicles surrounding his mouth and chin, and dark brown eyes that did not seem menacing, but he towered over Luna and she could not help but shrink away.

Her attention was quickly drawn away from him, however, because flanking at his leg, at the end of a long tendril that looked like dried kelp, was an animal.

It stood on four legs and was covered in thick, shaggy fur, with claws scratching on the floor and a tongue lolling from a long maw with sharp rows of teeth. It was patterned with black and white splotches and had dark black eyes that fixated on her.

Luna’s heart was hammering in her chest, and the moment it stepped towards her, her back arched. Her lips parted and she raised the tip of her tail so her fin flared up, and a horrified hiss echoed through the room. She jerked herself back, trying to get closer to Katie. She inhaled sharply, her gaze darting between the stranger and his beast as she braced herself to fight with the thing in order to protect her sick sister.

“Chopstick, down!” the man ordered firmly.

Luna did not know what a chopstick was or if it was simply the animal’s name, but once he spoke, the creature’s rump hit the ground and its fluffy tail began sweeping back and forth.

“Luna,” Katie wheezed behind her, but Luna could not tear her gaze away long enough to glance back. She remained focused on the animal and growled in warning. It cocked its head as though her threat confused it.

Sophie came hurrying into the room next, drawn by the noise and shouldering her way past the man in the narrow doorway. Her injured shoulder – still wrapped in bandages – was visible past the short sleeve of her shirt and Luna tried not to wince at the damage she had done not long ago. Sophie crouched down in front of her so that Luna’s view of the animal was cut off. She whined and tried to jerk around Sophie, who held up a hand to stop her.

“Luna, it’s okay,” she said. “Just relax. That’s just a dog, honey; it’s not going to hurt you. Just take a deep breath, okay? Calm down.”

Though her breathing was heavy, Luna forced herself to relax more. She lowered her tail and her snarl faltered and faded from her expression as she held Sophie’s gaze.

“Carlos is here to help, Kiddo.” Luna’s gaze drifted up to see Lewis standing behind Sophie. “He’s an old friend of mine and a doctor; a better qualified one. He’s going to try to help Katie.”

“Yes,” the man agreed with a nod. “And then, Lewis, we’re going to have to have a discussion. I let the last one slide and kept quiet because you seemed just as baffled, but what are these creatures and why do you keep ending up mixed up with them? Isn’t that one of the two missing from that American attraction up in Oregon?” He nodded at Luna as he spoke, and she shrunk back again. She was still too riled up and acted on instinct as she hissed at him.

Once again, Luna had Sophie’s hands in her face as the woman blocked her view and hushed her in soft tones. “It’s okay,” she murmured. Then she sighed and rose to her feet. “Yes,” she responded as she turned to face the newcomer. “They both are. But Katie is also my daughter. Her tail is the result of an illegal and brutal genetic experiment, and now she’s very sick, so I would appreciate it if we could make that the priority.”

Carlos was silent for a moment before he nodded. “Yes. I’m sorry; I didn’t mean to come off as insensitive. I’m just concerned about what’s going on here and if it’s going to get any of us into trouble.”

“Not so long as we don’t get caught.”

The way everyone’s attention instantly shifted to Lukshia might have been humorous if Luna was not still so tense.

She was leaned against the wall opposite the doorway in the hall, watching them all. “We’re trying to save two innocent lives, Dr. Seaton. The risk is irrelevant. The only reason we’ve involved you is because none of us have enough of a medical background to have a hope of helping Katie. I think it’s become clear that letting her fight this on her own is no longer a safe option. So the only important question now is: can you help her?”

“I can try,” Carlos agreed. “But there’s virtually nothing we know about their species or their diseases; and if she’s a genetic soup like you say, it just further complicates things. I can’t offer a guarantee.”

“I know.” The words were whispered in a raspy wheeze, and it pulled Luna’s attention back to Katie. She had forgotten her sister was awake; that she had woken her when she hissed.

Sophie leaned over Katie first, tenderly pushing some of her matted hair aside and taking her hand. “Hey, how are you doing Kate?” she inquired. Luna felt the question was pointless, given Katie’s appearance and clear sickness, but she said nothing.

Katie – in response to the question – force a weak, shaky smile. Her lips split, showing her teeth in a lopsided half-grin for a few seconds before her eyes rolled back and she began to sputter.

Sophie reacted instantly, lurching forward to help drag Katie into a sitting position. She rubbed the girl’s back while Katie pressed her hands over her mouth and her body heaved. Her hazel eyes were bulging, and a lump snagged in Luna’s throat as she saw crimson droplets beginning to bleed through Katie’s fingers to drip down onto the blankets. The more Katie coughed, the faster it flowed, and the room burst into chaos.

Luna found herself lurching out of the way as Lewis nearly trampled her tail in his haste to get to Katie, who’s gills were flaring and drooling again. Luna did not blame him for barely noticing her, however, for she was fixated on her sister too.

Carlos came around the other side and knelt down as Katie began to gasp. Her hand fell away, spilling the blood that had pooled in her palm while more drooled from her lips.

“Alright, alright,” Carlos muttered. “Lewis, hold her please, don’t let her tip. Tilt her head back.”

As Lewis was holding her, Katie continued to cough and shake. She shook her head and fussed as Lewis gently craned her head back. “No,” she gasped. “Can’t breathe.”

“Easy,” Carlos soothed. “Just for a minute, open your mouth.” He had been rifling through his bag previously and now pulled out what looked like a long, small spoon, which he pushed back past Katie’s teeth until she began to gag.

Luna whimpered.

“Get her out of here,” came Carlos’s next order.

Luna whined again and shook her head as Sophie’s arms curled around her and she was hauled off the floor. “No,” she begged. “Please let me stay. I need to stay.”

Sophie shook her head. “I’m sorry, Luna,” she refused. “Right now, they need us out of the way so they can help Katie. Come on, now.”

“Chopstick, follow. Out,” Carlos ordered. There was a low barking sound and the dog rose from its reclined position to scramble out of the room after Sophie.

Luna glanced away from it, still feeling a bit nervous around the land animal. She still wanted to protest, her heart drumming in her chest as she replayed the image of Katie in her mind. She could still hear her friend’s gagging cries from the other room and it tore at her very being. She remained limp and allowed Sophie to carry her, however. By the way Sophie was clutching at her, Luna could tell she was having just as hard a time.

Sophie made her way out into the main room of the tiny house. It was open, with a small couch shoved against one wall and a long table in the center of the room, surrounded by chairs. There was a small kitchen area to the side with a small fridge and a stove that smelled sharply whenever someone used it. Luna had watched them use a long handheld object with a flame on the end to start it up before.

Sophie collapsed onto the couch, but she did not loosen her grip, instead continuing to cling tightly to Luna. Feeling the need for comfort too, Luna wrapped her arms around Sophie’s neck and squeezed back. She could feel Sophie trembling against her and when she heard her sniffle, Luna knew it was really bad this time. Sophie always tried to cover her emotions around them.

Luna felt tears burn her eyes and though she tried to blink them away, they only continued to flow. Sophie’s sob was muffled, but her grasp around Luna tightened until Luna felt her bones creak, but she did not complain. They both needed the proximity right now.

After a while, Luna carefully pulled away. Sophie’s hug was comforting, but her grip was tight enough that Luna was beginning to have trouble breathing. She pressed the stuffed tiger she was still holding against Sophie’s torso to offer it to the woman. A broken laugh that ended in a sob was Sophie’s response. She pulled Luna close again and rested her chin on her head. “You’re sweet,” she whispered. “I’m sorry.”

“It is okay,” Luna sniffled back. “Sophie…I am scared for her.”

Sophie squeezed her a little tighter and rubbed her arm. “Me too, sweetheart, me too. But they’re going to do everything they can for her. Katie’s a tough kid, you know that. We’ll get it figured out.”

Luna chewed her lip and did not reply. She knew Katie was determined and probably did not want to die, but hope did not always come easily to Luna, and despite how she hated her heart for it, it was beginning to prepare for the worst, to brace for more pain. She hugged the plush tiger again and leaned deeper into Sophie’s embrace. From down the hall, more of Katie’s muffled sobs could be heard.

Luna whimpered, bowing her head and covering her ears. It was not that she wanted to ignore her sister’s ailments, but she could not stand hearing her pain when there was nothing she could do to help. While Katie had been sick, Luna had never hated their powerful hearing more. It felt like a curse, bombarding her with echoes of agony everywhere she went, still rendered helpless. Luna hated feeling helpless.

Sophie clucked her tongue and began to tangle her fingers in Luna’s hair. They pulled easily through her long tresses, but as Sophie’s nails gently traced over her scalp, Luna relaxed a little, though she kept her hands clapped firmly over her ears. “Would you like to go outside for a bit?” Sophie suggested.

Luna shook her head. She wanted to stay where she was, she wanted to help; if not Katie, then Sophie. She wanted to remain sitting with her. She should not have to endure alone either.

Beside the couch, the dog barked again, startling Luna. She jerked in Sophie’s arms and nearly toppled backwards off the woman’s lap. Sophie chuckled softly – though the sound was still strangled – and moved to pat the animal on the head. “It’s okay, Luna. He’s friendly, you can pet him if you like. Chopstick is a therapy dog. He’s probably over here because he can sense that we’re upset. That’s probably why he tried to go right to you earlier; because you have so much anxiety.”

Luna chewed her lip some more, rolling the flesh until her fangs broke skin and she winced. After taking a breath, she hesitantly reached out a shaky hand and placed it on the dog’s head where Sophie’s had been. The animal’s tongue lolled and his tail began to wag back and forth again.

A shy smile pushed its way onto her features as she carefully stroked him. He was soft, and he did not seem to mind the attention, so she felt a little more comfortable. Though initially the dog had been frightening, it was also that he was a pet that was off-putting. It made Luna uneasy, given her own experiences in life. But Chopstick seemed loved and well cared for and content, so Luna continued to pat him and enjoy the soft fluff along his head and ears.

He tilted his head up and his tongue flicked, wrapping halfway around her bony wrist and covering her in warm slobber.

“Yuck,” she exclaimed, though she was giggling a little as she pulled her hand away. Sophie laughed too, and for a moment, Luna tried to pretend that everything was okay.

That illusion was shattered a few moments later when Lukshia came wandering back down the hall, joined shortly by Lewis. “How is she?” Sophie asked as soon as he appeared.

He sighed and did not reply as he moved into the kitchen area and turned on the water. His hands had been slimed with Katie’s blood and Luna held her breath as she watched him clean his fingers. When he turned the water off, he then twisted to lean against the counter. He raised a hand to wipe some of his dark curls out of his face. “Carlos is in with her now. He’s getting her on oxygen. She’s not going to be able to be off it right now. He’s going to take a little bloodwork and upgrade her IV supplements. She needs to eat though; she can’t live off that.”

“She can’t keep anything down,” Sophie murmured. “We’ve already tried. Even just having a few spoons of soup broth was too rich for her. The only thing she hasn’t thrown back up is water.”

Luna glanced between the three in the room, unsure of what to say or how to contribute. She sat quietly and thought hard if she knew anything that would help. “You could try kelp,” she murmured before she realized that she had even spoken. But it worked, as several gazes quickly trained on her. She hunched low and grabbed a handful of her hair, stroking her fingers through it. “That was what they gave me when…” Luna broke off as her throat closed and she had to force down the lump that was rising. “When I could not eat or keep food down either. Blended up kelp or raw fish mush. Fish is probably too much, that already did not help, but the kelp never bothered me as long as there was not too much. I was never sick like that though.”

Sophie rubbed her back and nodded. “Thank you,” she said, leaning in until her nose was pressing into Luna’s cheek. “I know it isn’t easy for you to talk about the past; we’ll give it a try.”

Luna nodded. “I could get some. I saw some when I went swimming.”

“It’s only a potential short term solution,” Lukshia sighed. “Hopefully the oxygen will help her rest, and Katie does need food, but we still haven’t even isolated the infection. Did you find anything, Lewis? A single thing out of the ordinary that would indicate what is causing this.”

Lewis shook his head. “I looked. I’m not a doctor, but even I should have been able to find something. Her levels of basically everything are low, and continuing to drop, and I’ve given her supplement shots, but they haven’t helped. It’s like she has a parasite that’s taking everything from her body, but there’s no signs or traces of one. I just don’t know enough about Mer biology to do this. No one does really; I just hope Carlos is in a better position to treat her.”

Lukshia hummed in the back of her throat and shifted her weight. She folded her arms over her torso and pursed her lips. “I don’t want to be the one to say it, but there is one option we haven’t considered. There is someone who would probably know enough about her body to help her. It’s a double edged blade to go to the man who did this to her, but we might not have another choice because I can’t think of anyone else who would qualify as a Mer expert, or know a damned thing about genetic transmutation and how it might affect the host body.”

“That’s not an option,” Sophie hissed. “You know damned well what happens if we let him get anywhere near her. I won’t condemn them back to that life. I won’t do it.”

Lukshia paused for a moment and sighed. “At this point, the alternative, Sophie, is she dies.” Her voice was softer, but firm and it was a cruel statement that stabbed at Luna’s heart, and she felt Sophie flinch.

“How do we protect them if we invite him here? How do we know he can help her and prevent him from hauling them both back to America? I don’t want to lose her – I can’t – but there are some fates that are worse and I won’t do it, I won’t risk that,” Sophie’s tone was stern, but Luna could hear how it wavered. Sophie did not want her daughter to die. “Could you guarantee their safety?”

Lukshia shook her head. “No, I couldn’t,” she admitted. “Not then. But I would help you get them back out again if it came down to it. And we wouldn’t let him get both. Katie needs a doctor and he’s the only one that might know something. But Luna doesn’t need to be there. Luna, we can send out into the water. They need a pair, don’t they?”

There was a long pause, and Luna bowed her head, wringing her fingers as it lapsed. She was terrified of the notion of seeing the people of her nightmares, but the idea of Katie dying was so much worse.

She was jostled from her thoughts – quite literally – as Sophie bounced her knee. When she looked up, she found Sophie’s deep green gaze fixed on her. “What do you think?” she asked.

Luna just stared at her, not quite comprehending what she was asking. What did she think? She thought she was terrified.

“This affects you too. What do you think?”

For a moment, Luna could only sit in stunned silence. She had never been asked to contribute to a decision before, especially not a serious one. She did not know what to say. Her eyes closed and she felt hot tears slip from the corners to slide down her cheeks. “My life has been so different since I met Katie. She would probably deny it, but she saved me from so much and I owe her everything,” Luna whispered. “These past couple of moons – since we left that awful place – I have felt like we were simple racing time, that sooner or later fate would catch up with us. I do not wish to die in that place that has stolen so many seasons, so many memories already, and has caused me so much pain. But Katie is worth that risk, and if my freedom is the price I have to pay for her life, I would do so in a heartbeat. I just hate that it means costing her freedom as well. I am no longer enough for them. I would say yes,” Luna decided. “I would take that risk; but you should ask Katie because she deserves to make that choice too. Freedom is a hard thing to lose, especially for eternity.”

The moment she finished speaking, Luna found herself squeezed into a ferocious hug that stole a squeak from her. Sophie only embraced her more tightly. “You deserve your freedom, Luna. Lukshia’s right, if we do this, we’re sending you out into the water first, deep and away from where they can reach you or find you. They can’t do much without a pair and we’d get Katie back if necessary; but I won’t risk you both.”