Riley flicked her fins as she watched the scientist shuffle around. He was pressing several buttons on the various machines Katie was hooked up to. Riley narrowed her eyes at him. While she knew he probably did not intend to hinder Katie’s recovery, she did not trust him and wanted him to know that she was watching him.

“Is there any particular reason for the prolonged leering?” he inquired in an unimpressed tone. His back was to her, and she growled at how unconcerned he seemed. She was not the type of predator to underestimate.

“Just a reminder,” she growled.

“Oh?” He finally turned to gaze at her with a cocked eyebrow. “A reminder for what?”

Riley’s fins flicked in irritation and she curled her lips to bare her fangs. “A reminder that you breathe only so long as she does,” she hissed as she nodded towards Katie.

The man began to chuckle and he took a step forward. “I can appreciate your loyalty, little mermaid.” Riley sunk low on the table and growled again as he got closer. He leaned down and shoved his face into hers. He had more impressive speed than she’d anticipated, and her growl turned to a surprised hiss as his hands lodged in her hair and yanked her head back. “But I don’t care for threats. You had best reconsider where your loyalties lie, because regardless of whether Katherine lives or dies, you have a new home waiting for you. One where you will either learn obedience or have it beaten into you. I don’t personally care which you choose, but I have a colleague who was very familiar with a member of your family. I’m sure he would be delighted to break you too.”

Riley glowered at him in response. Her spines flexed on her forearms and she was nearly consumed with a lustful desire to slit his throat and spill his lifeblood across the floor. It was almost overwhelming enough to haze her vision. How dare he idly comment about Luna’s trauma over the cycles as though it were a casual conversation topic rather than the unforgivable atrocity it really was.

Losing herself for a moment, Riley lurched forward despite the prickles of pain as her hair pulled. She dug the tips of her spines into his chest through the thick, rough material of his gray jacket, and leaned in close with a snarl warping her lips. She hissed at him and didn’t move, even when he grabbed her by the throat. If it was meant to be a warning, she did not care. She could end him long before he could choke the air from her lungs.

“There is no pain, no death I could inflict upon you that would rectify what you have done to my kin,” she growled. “But give me an excuse to try, I beg of you. You do not know our people, and your experiences have led you to lack a fear of us, but I will teach it to you.” She flared her spines and watched with satisfaction as the man winced and some of his composure slipped. His grip on her throat tightened, but it was not enough to fully impede her ability to breathe.

Before the man could say anything more, the door opened and Riley saw Sophie enter from the corner of her eye. The woman was carrying a metal bucket, but it slipped from her fingers as she seemed to register the situation, and the metal clanged noisily against the floor.

The bucket turned over and spilled water everywhere, also sending some oyster shells skidding across the tiles. “What is going on?” Sophie demanded as she hurried over.

In a single smooth motion, Riley arched her spine and wrenched her neck free of the scientist’s grasp in order to offer a smile to Sophie. She did not wish to worry her anymore than she already was. “Nothing more than a friendly heart to heart,” she lied.

“Oh yes,” the man agreed. He tried to sound smug, but Riley did not miss the incredibly satisfying wince in his tone. “We understand each other much better now.” There was a warning in his voice as he spoke, and Riley growled softly in response.

Reluctantly, she forced herself to let it go, and ripped her spines free of his flesh before coiling her tail to settle back on the medical cot they’d set up for her two days prior.

Sophie rose from gathering up the spilled shellfish and set the pail down next to her. “Hungry?” she offered. Then she regarded the scientist with a cold look that made Riley practically preen with satisfaction. There was little love or tolerance for the man from either of them. “There should be bandages in the second drawer,” she suggested. She jerked her chin towards the darkening bloodstains in his clothing. Riley flicked her fins to clear the spines of the worst of the ruby fluid coating their tips.

Her attention was drawn away from the man by her ravenous hunger. He had been keeping her on that purple fluid the last few days – even after removing the tube completely from her spine – and in that time, her belly had shrunk to a coiled knot. While she remembered the fluid previously tasting wonderful and igniting a more powerful craving than she had ever experienced before, the last time they tried to give it to her, it had been like trying to drink sand, and she had refused it.

The scientist had said it was a good sign, but now she was ravenous, and shellfish were among her favorite treats, so they held her undivided attention as she dug into the bucket and began snapping the shells apart to extract her meal. She hummed in content as the pleasing taste and texture.

“She really should be eating something more substantial,” the scientist commented off-hand. “Especially after an extraction like that, sardines or mackerel would be much better than shellfish. Fish is a leaner, nutrient packed meal, while those are just fatty treats.”

Riley paused in cracking another oyster open in order to stick her tongue out at him. Then she downed another fleshy tongue and grinned as Sophie began to laugh. “I’m not worried about Riley’s eating habits,” the woman scoffed. “She’s always been good about taking care of herself in that regard. Besides, with how active she normally is, she burns a lot of calories, a little extra fat reserves are good for her. What I don’t appreciate is a passive-aggressive temper tantrum from a grown man. Don’t be petty and petulant, and focus on what’s important please.”

Riley paused in her meal to glance between the two. There was a thick tension beginning to saturate the air and it made her scales prickle.

The scientist had frowned, and there was a muscle tightening in his jaw. “Miss Brooks, I understand that you feel you have a homefield advantage here, and that – for the moment – our interests are aligned. However, please do not forget yourself or your place, for it’s an incredibly precarious one. I do not work for you and I will not stand for taking orders from you in any capacity. I wonder if you truly understand the severity of the situation you have gotten yourself tangled up in.”

Sophie’s back straightened and her eyes narrowed, and even Riley felt the need to lean away from the waves of fury rolling off the woman. She knew Sophie was stubborn and firm, and a little intimidating, but now she seemed outright dangerous. “Yes,” she agreed in a low hiss.

“Then I would advise you to tread carefully. As of this moment on, your behavior and your…complacency will dictate your outcome from all of this. Whether you’ll find yourself in a position to see your daughter and your pet,” the scientist gestured at Riley and she snarled at the comparison, “again, or if you’ll be deemed a liability. You will not be given the chance to attempt a repeat of this little game. You have lost, Miss Brooks. Now you need only decide if you intend to survive the ordeal or not.”

Riley snarled and her back arched as the words left the scientist’s lips. It was one thing to threaten her, and even to mock her with Luna’s past, but to openly threaten Sophie – who had offered them all nothing but love and acceptance, who was breaking herself trying to protect them – was unacceptable.

“It’s okay, Riley,” Sophie soothed. She held up a hand and when Riley gazed into her bright green eyes, she saw a silent, pleading sorrow, and she realized Sophie already knew the game that was being played. Riley’s jaw clenched, but she reluctantly dropped her aggressive posture. “There’s no need to get upset, it’s okay. Dr. Auldon, is there a point to all of this or can we just focus on Katie for a moment? How is she?”

The silence that stretched was deafening, but finally the man turned back to the computer monitors. “It’s still too early to tell whether or not she’ll pull through or if there will be any consequences, but her body seems to be accepting the omega fluid at the very least. Her heart rate appears to be stabilizing. I don’t want to take her off the life support just yet, but Katherine’s body is beginning to breathe for itself. The machine will kick back in if her lungs falter again, but there is improvement.”

At his words, Sophie sagged with relief. “Thank goodness,” she breathed. Riley hummed her agreement, though she was still concerned about what was just said previously. It was not part of her plan to get Sophie killed. But that was something she was going to have to worry about a little later. She needed the scientist out of the room to discuss everything with Sophie properly. “And do you have any idea yet what might have caused all of this?” Sophie inquired. “Why she suddenly started shutting down?”

The scientist shook his head. “No. It doesn’t make much sense. Perhaps if I had been able to get an accurate study or evaluation at the time her levels started to decline, I would have an idea, but after the fact like this, I’m only able to witness the effects of the deficiency, not its source.”

Sophie sighed and walked over to where Katie was still lying prone. Riley looked too, and her heart sunk to once again see her friend in such a sorry state, with wires running all over her body.

“Hang in there, sweetheart,” Sophie murmured as she stroked Katie’s forehead to push some stray hairs off her face. “She looks a little less pale, at least.”

“Her scent is better too,” Riley added. She parted her jaws and leaned closer to Katie once more. She hated the thick smell of chemicals and machine bits, but beneath it was Katie’s. There was far less of the decaying scent of death lingering on her now. It was still faint, but Riley decided that would not be the best thing to report to Sophie. “Is she still shedding scales?” she asked after a moment. Mer did shed them, but not at this velocity or quantity, and it would be a good sign if Katie’s were beginning to grow back.

“I haven’t picked any up,” Sophie replied. She glanced over at the scientist who merely shrugged and shook his head.

Riley grinned. They had a lot to worry about, but it was relieving to know that – at the very least – Katie seemed like she was going to be okay, and the risks that had been taken were not in vain. Now she just had to focus on keeping Sophie safe as well.

“That’s good,” Sophie agreed as she nodded in Riley’s direction. “It’s really good.” As she spoke, Riley picked up on the deep exhaustion rooted in Sophie’s tone. It also showed in the dark circles surrounding her eyes – which appeared unhealthily sunken in – and in how her hands shook as she moved, and her posture was slouched.

“Sophie…” Riley trailed off as she dragged herself upright and curled her tail around her body to make more room. She gently patted the large space beside her on the cot. “We are okay. You should rest,” she pressed. She had not seen the woman do much more than doze upright in her chair for incredibly small intervals of time since she had arrived, and she suspected the lack of sleep had been ongoing longer still than that.

Sophie smiled softly, but her expression was also pressed and she shook her head. “I’m alright, Riley. You don’t have to worry about me, hon.”

Riley frowned at the slightly haunted look in Sophie’s eyes. The woman was suddenly twitchy as though she were a small fish cornered against a rock ledge and facing down a predator. It was then that she understood. Sophie was concerned about appearing weak in front of the scientist, whom she saw as a threat.

Riley could understand the worry perfectly, but she also knew Sophie could not continue to function for long without rest, and if something were to happen, the woman would need as much energy as could be afforded to her. Riley chewed her lip and decided to switch tactics. “Will you at least sit with me, then?” she requested.

Sophie’s head tilted and her brows furrowed with confusion, as if Riley had asked something incredibly bizarre. She supposed she had, since she rarely actively sought out or requested comforts or showed weakness or need of her own. Still, she certainly enjoyed proximity to Sophie, and the woman desperately needed to relax.

In hopes of swaying her, Riley smiled at her and stared unyieldingly. She had never truly understood the concept of begging with her eyes, but she hoped that perhaps it might work.

Sophie chewed her lip before seeming to cave – though Riley was not sure if it was because her silent pleading was successful or if it was simply Sophie’s maternal instinct driving her to respond – but Riley brightened as Sophie made her way over and sat on the cot. Riley snuck a glance at the scientist, but he wasn’t even watching them, so she leaned against Sophie and was immediately enveloped in a hug.

“You don’t have to try to take care of me,” Sophie whispered into her hair. Her voice was incredibly soft, and she was quite obviously trying to keep their unwelcome guest from overhearing. “I’ll be alright.”

Riley did not bother with a verbal response. Instead, she hugged Sophie back, and tightly. In part, it was because she genuinely enjoyed the woman’s presence – and also because the scientist’s comments earlier had scared her – but it was mostly to keep Sophie from pulling away.

The woman seemed fine with the hug until Riley began to purr. “Riley, no,” Sophie whispered. “I’m alright, I promise.”

Riley knew Sophie might get cross with her for this, but it was her turn to make sure the other was healthy and resting when she needed to, so she merely shook her head, tightened her hold, and deepened the rumble reverberating in her chest.

Instead of having the effect she wanted, Sophie tensed in her hold and her heartbeat began to accelerate. “Riley!” she hissed quietly. “Honey, I love you and it’s sweet that you care, but stop,” she ordered. “I know I tell you all the time that you need to take care of yourself and rest while your body is healing, but this is different. We’re not at home, we’re not safe, and I need to be alert.”

“I agree,” Riley murmured back. “But you are not alert. You are swaying on your feet and on the verge of passing out and it is scaring me. Please try to rest. I will watch over Katie while you do. I am not afraid of this man. He will underestimate me because it is all he has done, and you would be right here anyways. A scuffle would rouse you. Just for a little while…please,” Riley begged. She was surprised to find tears stinging in her eyes. “I need you to be okay,” she admitted finally.

Sophie sighed. “Dr. Auldon, would you mind terribly giving us a moment?” she inquired in a dry tone that clearly outlined how much she would accept a refusal.

“Of course not,” he replied. “I’ve been meaning to make a call anyways; check in and all that. Have your little moment.” Riley heard his retreating footsteps and the door banging closed, but she did not bother to look back.

“I really hate him,” Sophie growled. “Riley, talk to me, what’s all this about?”

“I do not want to lose you,” Riley whispered. “You do not know how much these last several moons have meant to me. How much you and Lewis mean to me, the gift you have given me…” she trailed off and pulled away long enough to wipe at her eyes. “I realized something when I was with my pod.”

“Realized what?” Sophie inquired. The woman pulled her legs up onto the cot and tucked her feet up close to her body with her knees jutting out, and then Riley had her full attention.

“I had a…interaction with Iliene,” she admitted.

“Iliene? Is that your mother?” Sophie inquired.

“Yes,” Riley whispered. “Technically. She has never really been a mother. But I realized something then. All my life, I always thought that what I needed – in order to truly live my life as myself and be happy – was to escape. Was to get away from my mother and find myself. But I realized on that trip that I did not need to get away from a mother…I needed to find her. And I am fully prepared for what my choice in coming here is going to cost me, I am. But I am not prepared to lose what it took me so long to find. I cannot lose you, Sophie. I need you, and I need you to be okay.”

There was a watery sparkle to Sophie’s eyes by the time Riley finished, and the woman merely pulled her into a hug. She heard Sophie sniffle, but the woman did not say anything, so Riley merely continued as emotion swelled in her heart.

“I…I need you to know what you are to me, Sophie,” she whimpered. “I’m sorry that I do not call you mo- you are. I just…there is so many bad memories associated with that label that I do not know how to call someone else…I cannot, but you need to know-”

“I do,” Sophie cut her off. She began to stroke Riley’s hair and Riley hummed with content. “Honey, you don’t have to call me mom. I’ve never expected that of you, and it doesn’t make you any less a part of this family. Or any less my daughter.”

Riley’s heart clenched and she was too stunned to help or resist when Sophie dragged her into her lab and held her closer.

“This sacrifice you’re trying to make…it isn’t going to stick, I promise. We’ll bring you both home, Riley. And no matter where you are or what happens, you will always have a home and a family, and you will always be mine, always be loved and wanted, do you understand?”

“Yes.” She spoke quietly, unable to keep the strangle out of her tone. A sob built up in her throat and she squeezed Sophie tightly. “I promise I will never argue with you again when it comes to resting and healing. I will not give you a hard time about it, but please – just this once – let it be your turn. I can brave captivity and endure whatever plans they may have, but only because I have a family waiting for me. I know you will not leave us to protect yourself, but you need to be okay. Please.”

Sophie was silent for a long time, and Riley became concerned that she was going to refuse. “Alright,” she sighed finally. “You win. You’re relentless, but you’re right. I’m not exactly much help when I can barely see straight, am I?”

Riley’s laugh was warped with tears as she shook her head.

“I don’t know if I’m actually going to be able to sleep though,” Sophie admitted. “I’ll try, I promise, but there’s so much going on and it’s not in my nature to relax when those I love are at risk.” Even as she spoke, Sophie had released her hold on Riley and shifted into a reclined position.

Riley wiped her tears and dragged herself close until she was half sprawled over Sophie’s side. “Perhaps, but you have a Mer in your family,” she reminded. She wrapped her arms around Sophie once more and her purr returned. It started off soft and weak, and gradually grew to a deep rumbling once more.

“I suppose I do,” Sophie murmured in agreement. “Thank you. And I’m sorry; for worrying you.”

Riley merely hummed louder in response, and it wasn’t long before she heard Sophie’s heartbeat slow and her breathing even out. She could still sense the worries roiling beneath the surface, and she knew they would have to deal with whatever calls the scientist was making. She also knew she had to convince Sophie to let them go, and to disappear before the worst could come to pass. But for now, she continued to lay there, intent on keeping the closest thing to a proper mother she had sleeping so that she could recover.