Katie was beginning to believe that sedatives were the bane of her existence as she fought to claw her way up from the dark void of forced sleep. Her body felt heavy and achy, and when she peeked one eye open, she squeezed it shut against the natural light flooding into the room.

She was so tired that she contemplated simply leaving her eyes closed and drifting back off, but then her thoughts drifted to the reason she had been sedated. Where she was and everything Dr. Auldon had said and done came flooding back and Katie jerked up with a gasp.

Her heart pounded in her chest as she glanced around the unfamiliar room. The walls were a soft, grayed green shade, and the floors were panelled with sandalwood, and there was a large window spilling sunlight into the room. She was lying on a foam mat that almost looked like a wide yoga mat. It was surprisingly comfortable.

Then her gaze settled on her mother and her eyes widened. Sophie still looked rather ragged, with her curly hair unkempt and dark bags beneath her eyes, but she seemed otherwise unharmed and Katie was elated to see her. She opened her mouth to call out, only to falter as her mother noticed her and pressed a finger to her lips.

Katie tilted her head and furrowed her brows, but kept silent as Sophie walked over and crouched beside her. Her mother jerked her chin in a gesture and Katie glanced behind her.

Her heart stalled briefly in her chest as she found Riley beside her. The other girl was fast asleep, with her lips parted slightly to show the faintest hint of her fangs. Her deep breathing left her lungs in puffs that tickled against Katie’s scales. Her gliders were tucked in against her sides, but her blonde hair was strewn across the mat with her bangs crossing over the bridge of her nose. Her fins were limp and her arm was draped loosely over the curve of Katie’s tail.

Katie was not sure what was going on or why Riley was tucked up close against her, but she did not want to wake the other girl up. She did not appear to be sedated, but it was strange that she had not already awoken. Katie glanced back at her mother, hoping for a few answers as to what was going on. Everything felt off and Katie’s head felt full of sand. It was muddling her thoughts.

Sophie winced and then leaned forward and took Riley’s limp hand by the wrist. She slowly lifted the girl’s arm and then beckoned, and Katie took that as a cue to crawl forward away from Riley’s haphazard embrace.

Once Katie was able to sit up properly, she watched her mother gently lay Riley’s arm down. The other Mer stirred. Her lips smacked and she murmured something in her sleep that Katie could not understand. Riley’s hand fumbled around on the mat briefly, as though she were searching for something, and then she simply tucked her arm up close to her chest and fell still once more.

Katie had come to know Riley as an incredibly light sleeper who woke at the faintest noise or movement. For her to have slept through that, she must either feel immensely secure here – which Katie doubted – or she was too worn out to rouse.

She watched Riley’s chest rise and fall steadily for a moment. What was going on?

Her mother squeezed her shoulder and then opened her arms and Katie eagerly accepted the hug. Her mother squeezed her tight and then hefted her up off the ground. Katie shifted in her mother’s embrace. “You are okay,” she whispered as her mother carried her out of the room. “I was so worried.”

“You’re not the only one who’s been worried,” her mother whispered back. Sophie slid down the wall to the floor of the hallway and held her close. “Sorry about that back there; Riley’s exhausted and we only just recently got her to fall asleep at all, I didn’t want her to wake up.”

“That is okay,” Katie murmured as she finally pulled away from the hug. As good as it felt, she wanted answers. “What is going on? Where are we? The last thing I remember was…Dr. Auldon, he…” she sighed and shook her head. “I honestly do not know if he was trying to help me or hurt me.”

Her mother nodded and brushed some of Katie’s hair out of her face. “From what I understand, he was trying to help. It was the last thing I was expecting. I nearly punched him when we came after you. Whatever he did, it sounds like it worked. You shouldn’t be at risk of getting sick the way you did before. There’s a lot to fill you in on, but I’m just glad you’re alright.”

Katie frowned. There was a strange scent rolling off her mother in waves. Without pausing to consider what she was doing, Katie parted her jaws slightly and inhaled. She was slammed immediately with something thick and bitter that made her want to gag. Her mother’s worry and grief were heavy enough that Katie was not sure how she was bearing it. Beneath that, there was a sweeter taste of joy and relief, but Katie was more concerned with why her mother was still so stressed. “What is wrong?”

Her mother shook her head. “It’s been a long few days is all. We got some outside help – a group of people dedicated to keeping Mer out of captivity – and they helped Lewis and I too. When we were there and so were Riley and Luna and the others, but you weren’t…Katie, I can’t describe to you how terrifying that was. I was so thankful, so relieved, when we got you back safely and that you weren’t hurt. But while it does seem like Dr. Auldon was able to cure your malabsorption, you had a rather extreme reaction to the treatment,” she explained.

Katie tensed and chewed her lip. “What sort of reaction?” she asked hesitantly.

Sophie rubbed the back of her neck and then pushed some of her curls back. “At first, you were just unconscious. Dr. Auldon sedated you pretty heavily, so we weren’t surprised, but then you just kept sleeping long after the sedatives should have worn off. Rebecca suggested that perhaps it was just a state of hibernation. She said it doesn’t happen often, but that sometimes particularly sickly or injured Mer will fall into a coma of sorts to heal. That would have been okay…but you started seizing.”

“I had a seizure?” Katie repeated with a frown.

Her mother nodded. “More than once, and they were really severe. We had to put you back on a heart monitor and medication just to keep you as stable as possible.”

Katie shuffled her fin and sighed. “I am sorry,” she whispered.

Sophie shook her head and cupped the side of Katie’s face. “Don’t apologize; none of this has been your fault. We were all worried about you, but it was Riley that figured out the tells to your seizures. She said your heart rate increased – which was weird because the monitor didn’t pick it up – and your scent changed. I don’t know much about how you all can tell things like that, but I believe her because she was always right when she called it. She helped hold you down so you wouldn’t hurt yourself and honestly, Katie…I think if she hadn’t figured it out to be able to warn us, you might have died one of those times. But she didn’t really eat or sleep much the entire time, you’ve been unconscious for days, so she’s finally just exhausted herself so much that I didn’t want to risk waking her up back there.”

Katie nodded. “That would explain why she did not wake up already,” she agreed. Riley was a light sleeper, but she had overtaxed herself. That made sense. It did make her wonder, though. Riley seemed incredibly loyal and protective despite her mischievous behaviours and independent nature, but pushing herself that far seemed extreme. It was the third time now that Katie knew that Riley had gone to great lengths to help her, even at her own detriment. She was going to have to make it up to Riley somehow. She had been a really good friend and Katie wanted to make sure Riley knew she appreciated it.

“Are you alright?” Her mom’s inquiry jarred Katie from her thoughts and she looked back up and pressed her lips into a forced smile. She dipped her head once. “Yes. It is just a lot to take in is all.”

“I know,” Sophie acknowledged. She scooted a bit closer and pulled Katie against her. They were both still sprawled on the floor with Katie’s tail draped over one of her mother’s legs, but the embrace was warm and she had been craving it so desperately that she clung tightly to her mother and just enjoyed being wreathed in her presence. “It’s been hard, but I think the worst is behind us now.”

“Where are we?”

“Home,” Sophie murmured. “We can’t go back to the house we bought; Lemuria knows where it is and even with the blackmail file we’ve been compiling, I wouldn’t feel comfortable bringing you all there again. But Devin and Carson – I know you haven’t met them yet, but you will – helped us find a new place. It’s secure and secluded, and it’s in New Zealand, where Lemuria apparently doesn’t have any connections. I think it’s the safest we can be, and the house is beautiful. I think everyone can be really happy here.”

Katie’s breath hitched in her chest. It felt strange to know they were going to be living in a different country, but she could not contain the surge of hope that swelled like a tidal wave in her chest. “Does that mean it is really over now?” she checked. “No more running. Things can just be normal now?”

Sophie shrugged. “I don’t know if things are ever going to feel normal anymore, Katie. And we’re probably going to carry that wariness for a while yet, but for now, we can all breathe a little easier and just have some time to rest.”

Katie hugged her mother more tightly. “That sounds wonderful,” she admitted. She felt the stinging burn of tears beginning to water behind her lids. There had been so much stress previously, so to hear that she didn’t have to fret as much felt like someone had poked a pin into the balloon swelling painfully in her chest. It all came gushing out in a breathless woosh and brought a few tears with it. She shivered.

Sophie reacted immediately and began rubbing Katie’s back. “Hey, it’s okay. Are you alright?”

Katie nodded. “Yes,” she wheezed. “It just…I want a little peace so badly.”

Her mother clucked her tongue. “I know, kiddo. Believe me, I know. I want it too. For now, I’m just glad you’re awake and okay, and this time it’s not at a time that you’re also in imminent danger.”

“That does feel nice for a change,” Katie admitted with a choking laugh.

Her mom began to chuckle with her. “Everyone else is out in the main room. Luna, her parents, Karina and Nero, a few people for you to meet…you feel up to coming out to say ‘hello’?”

Katie tensed at the question. It was nice to take a breather and she was eager to see everyone again and make sure that they were okay, but she was not sure she was ready to face a crowd yet. Part of her wanted to take that moment to have some time alone with her thoughts. It had been a hard few weeks and she had not had a chance to unwrap all of her feelings or compartmentalize, and she needed it. She did not want to face more commotion just yet. “I…actually, I think I just want to lie down a little more,” she replied. “I do not feel great still. Do you think they will mind?”

Her mother shook her head. “Not at all, hon. We weren’t even sure when you were going to get up. No one is expecting anything from you. Do you want me to get you set up in another room so you can just lie down and relax?”

Katie shook her head. “That is okay. That mat was actually quite comfortable and I think I will just go back. I will not wake Riley, do not worry.”

Her mother nodded. “I didn’t think you would. I just wasn’t sure if you needed some time alone. Go lie down and you can come and join us when you’re ready, okay? I’ll check in on you in a few hours.”

Katie ducked as her mother ruffled her hair and stood up. “If you need anything, we’re all just down the hall, okay? I love you, Katie.”

“I love you too, mom,” Katie replied. She watched her mother head down the hall and then sighed. As soon as she was gone, Katie sighed again and her shoulders slumped. She wasn’t ready to deal with a crowd, but now that her mom was gone, she felt quite lonely.

She sighed again and twisted around to pull herself back through the door. She closed it behind her with the softest ‘click’ she could manage, and then leaned her head against it. She closed her eyes and let twin tears slide down her cheeks. She was glad everyone was alright, but now that she had a second to breathe, all the other problems came flooding back. They were minor compared to the threat to their lives, but she still had some really tough choices to make that she was not prepared to deal with.

Luna’s family had made it incredibly clear that they intended to take her home, and Katie did not want to be left behind. She knew it would mean seeing her sister far less – if she ever did again – but she wanted to stay with her own family. As immature as it felt, she wanted to scream and cry that it was not fair that she had to choose between members of her family.

She bowed her head as her tears began to fall faster. She knew stalling in a room was not going to make the problem go away, it was probably just going to eat into Rebecca and Ixion’s patience, but she could not face the decision yet. She needed just a little more time to breathe.

She sniffled and wiped her eyes on the bridge of her hand. Her gaze was drawn to Riley, who was still sprawled out in the middle of the room. The other Mer was still asleep, but Katie found herself wishing she was not. Riley always seemed to have so much confidence and spunk, but her presence was comforting. She could not help feeling like Riley would have a creative solution to her struggle. She had initially thought that going back and forth might be an option, but with how long it had taken Riley to make the journey there and back, and how many obstacles it sounded like there were, Katie was no longer certain she would be able to make such a journey for quite a while.

Katie took a few shaky breaths to settle herself down before her distress attracted anyone. She shook her head. She knew she needed to just lie down and relax. She dragged herself across the floor, then froze when Riley stirred.

Riley murmured something in her sleep and shifted from her side onto her back. Her tail stretched out and her fins flicked once before she fell still again. Katie took a breath. She had been so close that Riley had nearly rolled into her, and her heart was pounding in her chest. She did not want to disturb the other girl after how much Riley had done for her.

She smiled softly. She was lucky to have Riley as a friend. It amazed her to hear everything Riley had been willing to do and risk for her, and she was not even sure why the Mer had done any of it. They were friends, but they had not known each other long. But she had no complaints about any of her time spent in Riley’s company. She was funny and energetic and playful, but also incredibly strong and caring, and Katie had to admit herself that it had felt nice not to have to hide her feelings for once; not that she could from the more perceptive Mer anyway.

Riley groaned in her sleep and Katie glanced down at her. Her nose had wrinkled and her eyes were scrunched shut. Her lips had parted and she seemed to be muttering something, but Katie could not understand what it was. What was clear was that Riley was having a nightmare. She was tense and her nails dragged noisily on the mat as she curled her fingers into tight fists. Her head twisted from one side to the other, tossing her bangs about as her mutterings were replaced with a soft whimper.

It made Katie’s heart squeeze to see. Riley always seemed so strong, but she knew the Mer dealt with a lot, and they had all been through terrible things the last while. It pained her to see Riley suffering from bad dreams now too. She and Luna were clearly not victims enough.

She sighed. She did not want to wake Riley when she was obviously exhausted, but she knew from experience that being trapped in a nightmare was one of the worst things. She braced a hand on the opposite side of Riley and leaned over her. “Riley,” she whispered softly. The girl stirred but did not react beyond that, so Katie called her name a little louder and gently shook her shoulder. “Riley, wake up.”

Finally, Riley’s nose wrinkled and her pale irises fluttered open. She blinked blearily and her eyes rolled in her skull as she woke up a bit more. “Katie?” she whispered as her brows knitted together. “You are awake?”

Katie nodded. “I am sorry I woke you. I did not want to, but you looked like you were having a bad dream. Are you okay?”

Riley’s frown lines deepened and she smacked her lips. She did not seem fully awake yet. “I was,” Riley agreed. “Thank you…where are we?”

“Still at the house,” Katie replied. “Everything is okay. You should go back to sleep.” Riley looked so exhausted that Katie felt bad for waking her. She just did not want Riley to suffer a nightmare unnecessarily. She blushed as Riley’s gaze settled on her and the other girl seemed to finally wake up properly because her gaze became more focused and she no longer had a look of pure confusion on her features.

“I am glad you are awake and alright. I do not care for how much worrying I have had to do over you lately.”

Katie’s blush deepened. “I know. I am sorry. I owe you for all of this.”

“Yes you do,” Riley agreed. Her tongue poked lazily out between her teeth. “I expect you to bring me clams and laugh at all of my jokes for a full moon.”

Katie smiled. “I am not much of a forager,” she admitted. “How about I just steal cookies for you instead?”

Riley’s brows dipped together once more and she pursed her lips. “That would be acceptable,” she agreed. For a moment, silence stretched between them, and then Riley frowned. “Are you alright? You look like you have been crying.”

Katie nodded. “I was. Do not worry about it, it does not matter right now. I just…thank you, for everything. Teasing aside, I really do appreciate it.”

Riley nodded. “I know. And I was only playing; you owe me nothing. I may not know much about how a proper family is meant to function, but I do know that you protect the ones you care about without expecting a reward in return.”

Katie felt the tingling in her cheeks return and she ducked her head shyly. She was not certain how to address some of the almost painful emotions surging in her chest and clogging up her throat. She took a breath and tried to shove them down, but they refused to be smothered. She was going to have to address them eventually.

Her conflict must have shown on her face because Riley frowned again. “Are you sure you are alright? Why were you crying earlier?”

“It is nothing,” Katie replied with a wave of her hand. “Do not worry about it now. I was just feeling a little overwhelmed is all. There is nothing to worry about.”

Riley quirked a brow. It was clear she did not believe Katie’s redirect, but when her jaws parted, Katie panicked and she pressed two fingers to Riley’s mouth.

“Please, Riley, do not do that. Just…just give me a moment, okay?”

Katie pulled her hand away when Riley nodded. The other girl remained silent as Katie struggled with herself. There were so many things that she needed to sort out in her mind. She had not had any time to stop and breathe in the last few weeks, and now everything was slamming her at once. She knew there were more serious things to address, but for once, Katie wanted to be selfish and just make a choice for herself. But it was a risky choice and she was scared. “Riley…we are friends, right?”

“Of course,” Riley’s voice was sharp as she grabbed Katie’s hand. “There is no question of that.”

Katie swallowed the lump in her throat and nodded. “And…if one of your friends made a mistake or made you angry on accident…would you forgive them?”

“Katie, what is this about?” Riley pressed.

“Please,” Katie begged.

Riley rolled her eyes and nodded. “Katie, I am not unreasonable. I do not know what it is that you think you have done, but I know by now that you do not intend any harm, and I trust you. Now get off,” Riley’s tone turned playful as she spoke and she gave Katie’s collarbone a gentle poke.

No. If you want up, get up. Riley’s voice echoed in Katie’s head and she bit her lip to suppress the desire to say the same thing now. But she knew that Riley would probably take the challenge and Katie needed a moment longer to gather her courage. Her hands were shaking and she felt her stomach flip. She was suddenly not so sure she wanted to be making choices.

Riley must have taken her hesitation for something more because she frowned again. “Katie, you are worrying me. What is wrong?” she pressed.

Katie shook her head and urged herself to be braver than she was behaving. This was a new and scary feeling, but she had more courage than this and she was making a fool of herself.

She took a breath and then leaned down and ignored Riley’s startled squeak as she pressed her lips against her friends’. She was shaking badly and hoped that this would not be the end of a friendship – that would shatter her heart – but she also did not want to ignore the strange new feeling. Not when it felt really, really good and everything else lately had felt so scary and bad. She needed this. She just hoped that Riley would not be upset about it.

For a moment, nothing happened, and then Riley’s lips pressed back against hers and the other Mer began to hum. It instantly dragged a purr from deep in Katie’s chest and her heart skipped a beat as Riley’s hands came up to cup her face.

For a few wonderful heartbeats, everything else faded away and Katie’s fears and stress and concerns just melted into the background. Nothing else mattered but this exact moment.

It ended gently when Riley carefully, but firmly pushed up on Katie’s collarbone just enough to force their lips apart. The blonde’s chest expanded deeply as she sucked in a breath and then she smiled. “Was that what your problem was? You could have just said, you know. Why did you think I would be angry?”

Katie blushed and looked away, then she shrugged. “I just…I did not want to ruin our friendship if you did not…you know…feel the same. You do, right? Because I do not know how Mer are supposed to do this kind of thing.”

Riley sighed dramatically. “So much for getting some sleep,” she grumbled. She sat up, which forced Katie to sit back on her tail so they would not knock heads. “I would not have been angry or ended our friendship, Katie. But yes, the desire is mutual,” she confirmed.

Katie felt a fresh wave of tears begin to water in her gaze and she smiled brightly.

Riley chuckled and shook her head. “Do not cry, Katie, it is alright. Listen to me though, we do need to talk about something serious.”

Katie took a breath and bit her lip. She was not sure if she was ready for a serious conversation. Riley’s tone did not sound good. “O-okay,” she stammered nervously.

Riley reached out and laid a hand over Katie’s. “I have every desire to forge and deepen a bond, Katie. Mer courting rituals are not so complicated, but being bond mates is. I have never had the desire to seek out a mate in the past, but I would explore that with you in a heartbeat. But I want you to wait.”

“Wait?” Katie repeated. “I do not understand…why?”

Riley took a breath and wrung her fingers together in a painful-looking motion. “Because, you said so yourself, you do not know how Mer are meant to court and bond. You do not understand exactly what that means because you do not yet know what it is to be a Mer at all. That is not your fault and I promise that I am not going anywhere and I will not instruct you on this choice. I am here and I am saying ‘yes’, and nothing will change my feelings, but I want you to be sure and ready, because there is no going back from a bond once it is forged.”

Katie bowed her head. Somehow, despite hearing the word ‘yes’, Riley’s words felt like a rejection. “Wait…but…what does that mean for this feeling?”

Riley shook her head and leaned forward to wrap her arms around Katie’s neck. Katie leaned eagerly into the embrace and hummed as Riley petted her hair. “It means we are the very best of friends,” Riley whispered. “It means I love you and I care for you, and I want to spend my life with you and making you smile, but for the moment, we are not courting, we are just existing until you are ready for more.”

Katie’s heart fluttered in her chest and she nodded. “Okay,” she agreed. She did not want to wait, but she understood why they needed to. She had to respect the culture she knew nothing about and if Riley felt her lack of knowledge was serious, she would wait and respect that. “Is it cheating to ask you to hug me?” she asked after a moment.

“Katie, I am hugging you,” Riley laughed.

Katie shook her head. “No, not like this. Hug me better.”

“Better?” Riley’s tone took on a playful element and suddenly Katie felt like her bones were going to pop as Riley squeezed her. “Like this, you mean?”

Katie coughed and tapped Riley’s shoulder blade until the other girl loosened her grip. “No,” she protested. She reached down and ran her fingers along one of Riley’s closed gliders. “I mean properly, like you did the last time.”

Riley began to laugh so heartily that it shook Katie too. Riley clucked her tongue against the roof of her mouth. “Well, why did you not say that then?” she teased. Her colourful wings opened and then their warmth folded over Katie’s lower back as Riley pulled her closer and held her in her arms and fins. Katie could not suppress a deep purr in response.

“You are making this ‘wait’ thing very difficult, you know,” Riley protested as her voice cracked with a purr of her own.

“I am sorry,” Katie murmured.

Riley shook her head. “Do not be.”

It felt so good in Riley’s embrace that Katie decided she was making no move to leave unless Riley pulled away.

And Riley never did. Instead, she gradually fell slack against Katie and her breathing deepened. Katie did not blame her for falling back asleep. Riley had to be so worn out after everything, and Katie had not made that any easier. She hummed and rubbed Riley’s back as she supported the sleeping Mer. “Thank you,” she whispered. “Thank you for everything. I-I think I love you too.”

Now that the words were out, it felt like a weight had been lifted off Katie’s chest. She did not feel quite so alone now. Every other problem suddenly felt far more faceable. She could endure it all because she did not have to do any of it alone.

She closed her eyes and finally allowed herself to relax properly.