The sun was only just rising. Luna lay on her belly with her chin resting on her folded arms as she watched the sky slowly shift from dark to gray and now slowly began to saturate with colour. Around her, the others all lay slumbering around her.

She had anticipated Karina and Nero would remain out in the bay when Sophie had urged them inside last night, but to her surprise, they had followed everyone in. When she had inquired, Nero had explained there was a storm on the way and that the shallow waters would not offer them enough protection from the wind and waves.

She supposed it made sense and the wind had howled and raged all through the night, accompanied by a heavy downpour, but Luna had no idea how her brother had anticipated the impending bad weather. She hoped it was a skill he or their parents would teach her because it seemed like a very useful skill to possess.

Despite the ferocity of the storm, Luna did not mind the rain, and had lain awake listening to it pound against the roof a while before she had finally fallen asleep. If anything, the noise helped drown out the haunting sounds of her own thoughts and bad memories. She always slept a little better when it rained. Though a particularly loud clap of thunder still spooked her pretty hard. Katie was prone to laughing at her for that.

Luna sighed and glanced around. Her brother and Karina had opted to sleep in the water, and Luna had joined them for a little while, but when the rain had started, she had pulled herself out to listen better.

Katie and Riley had opted to remain out of the water, and were curled up on the tiled floor with pillows and thin blankets that Sophie had pulled out for them. Luna shifted her gaze so she could observe them. They were lying close, but not quite close enough to touch, which Luna found odd. Since learning they intended to pursue a mated relationship with one another, she had assumed they would behave much the way her brother and Karina did, and that proximity would be important to them.

She worried at her lip as she watched them sleep. Riley had tucked one hand up under her face and her blonde hair was strewn haphazardly across her face and over her shoulder, while her tail was loosely curled beside her. Her gliders had fallen open in her slumber and were drooped against the floor. It was rare for her to see Riley sleeping this deeply and it filled Luna with the urge to pounce on her cousin.

She shook the urge off with a shudder. It would be unkind to disturb everyone else who was sleeping simply so she could gain the element of surprise for a heartbeat or two.

Another tussle with Riley would have to wait until another time, so Luna glanced at her sister instead. Katie was tucked up into a ball with only the tips of her fin poking out beneath her blanket, sleeping just as deeply.

Luna’s heart squeezed in her chest at the sight of her sister. She still did not know what the future would hold, but she was terrified of losing her. Seeing Katie with her friends from her human life had been nice because the girl had finally smiled. Whenever she and Katie had discussed her old friends, it had been a sorrowful conversation. Katie had always responded with uncertainty and pain when they speculated seeing their respective friends and family again. Back at the aquarium, those were mutual emotions, but Luna was surprised that Katie’s reactions had persisted once she was reunited with her family. The topic of her friends was a touchy one.

But yesterday, Katie had smiled and laughed, and the scent of worry that usually wreathed her had finally dissipated. Luna was happy for her. It was nice to get to laugh and play with others who had not looked at her like she was a freak and who made her sister so happy. And watching Riley freak them out had been hilarious. But deep down inside, it had been like having her heart gouged out. Katie was the first family she had known in a long time and the idea of being without her was unbearable. But last night had been the proof Luna had required. Katie had chosen land, even if she had not admitted it yet. She could swim whenever she liked and Riley was here, and her friends were too important to leave behind. Katie was not going to leave her family and it was not fair of Luna to ask her to.

She spooked from her thoughts as Katie shifted in her sleep. Her nose wrinkled and she lifted one hand to rub at it before falling still once more.

Luna held her breath the entire time and then shook her head as Katie settled down again. Her thoughts were becoming toxic again and if she was not careful, she would wake her sister and the others with them. She took a few deep breaths to settle herself and then slowly pushed herself up into a seated position and carefully angled away from Katie and her cousin. She needed something to distract herself and did not want to rouse them.

It took a while to pull herself as silently as possible across the room, but thankfully the click of the door did not seem to disturb anyone as Luna pulled the door open and dragged herself through it. In the hall, there were a few of the rolling boards, but Luna found the physical exertion of pulling herself to be a better distraction from her thoughts, so she decided to forgo the easier means of travel.

Though she did not know exactly where she intended to go, Luna was surprised to find that she was not the only one awake, and she pulled up short when she found Lewis sitting at the dining room table. He was hunched over a sharp smelling, steaming mug, and fiddling with a small, dark box. He had not heard Luna come in if his lack of reaction was any indication. “Lewis?” she called softly, then winced as she watched him flinch in his seat. She had not intended to startle him.

He spun around in his seat with a hand pressed to his chest. “Luna. You startled me.”

“I am sorry.”

Lewis shook his head. “Don’t be, it’s alright. I just didn’t know you were up. Is anyone else awake?”

“No, it is just me.”

“Well, is everything alright?”

Luna shrugged and began pulling herself closer. “I just could not sleep,” she admitted.

As she drew nearer, Lewis set the box he was still holding down on the table and stood up. She paused as he came around to her side and scooped her up off the floor to deposit her in the free chair beside the one he had been sitting in. She dipped her head appreciatively. She could pull herself up into a chair if she needed to – she had been growing a little stronger lately – but chairs had a tendency to tip if she pulled too hard while trying to climb up, so it was nice not to have to fight with it.

“Would you like a hot chocolate?” Lewis offered. “I just finished heating the kettle for a coffee, so the water’s still warm.”

“You do not have to go through the trouble,” Luna refused with a shake of her head.

Lewis merely chuckled in response. His hand plopped down on her head and he ruffled her hair. “I don’t mind,” he assured her. He disappeared towards the kitchen before Luna could protest, and it only took him a minute or two to return with another mug. This one still had a spoon in it as he set it down in front of her.

“Thank you.” Luna eagerly grabbed the spoon and pulled it out of the drink to shove in her mouth. It was still hot and on the verge of scalding her tongue, but she loved the way the metal radiated warmth in her cheeks, so she hummed with delight.

“So, bad dream?” Lewis checked as he settled back into his spot. He lifted his mug to his lips and took a sip from the beverage within. Luna had never tried coffee, but by smell alone she could tell she did not wish to.

“Just a lot to think about is all,” she sighed after tugging the spoon from her mouth and setting it aside. She chewed on her lip, rolling the flesh between her teeth while staring at the steam wafting from her mug. “I do not know how to feel about it all.”

“You need someone to lend an ear?” Lewis offered.

Luna shook her head. “No, I have two,” she refused.

When Lewis opened his mouth to protest, Luna stuck her tongue out at him and giggled.

“I meant do you want someone to talk to about it?” he elaborated, which only made Luna giggle harder.

“I know,” she agreed. “I knew what you meant. Katie taught me that one.”

“You get cheekier with every passing day,” Lewis chided with a grin.

Luna shrugged and matched his smile. “It feels nice to be able to laugh and play.”

“I know,” Lewis agreed. “Luna, do you want to talk about what’s bothering you?

Luna sighed and picked up her mug. The heat of the drink warmed her nose as she took a careful sip of the burning fluid in order to avoid answering right away. The mug returned to the table with a dull thump before Luna shivered. “Katie is going to stay. She is not coming to the ocean.”

“Katie hasn’t said that,” Lewis protested, but there was a strangle in his tone that suggested he already knew otherwise.

“It is alright, I already know. I have accepted it,” Luna admitted. She tapped on the table with one fingernail, but found herself beginning to gnaw on the nail of her opposite thumb. “Her life is here. She never asked for any of this to happen. Neither did I, but it did and now we have to find our lives all over again. Katie’s is here, with her family and her friends and Riley, and that is okay. I am happy for her and I would not want her to be miserable. But my life is supposed to be out in the ocean with a pod I do not know. I just…I do not know if that is what I want.”

There were tears watering in Luna’s gaze and she gulped at the lump hardening in her throat. It hurt to say, to finally admit that she was still not certain she belonged with her family. She wanted to belong with them, desperately. But she had split loyalties now and could not fathom how to get around that. And she was not confident she would fit in with a pod.

Lewis draped an arm around her shoulders. “You would rather stay here, you mean?”

Luna shrugged. “I do not know. I know you and Sophie would not turn me away, but I do not know if I want to stay here either. I just wish it was not so hard or final,” she whimpered. “I want to go, I do. But I do not want to go without Katie. And what if…” she broke off with a hiss of frustration. “Last night…Katie has friends and a family and a life to come back to. It is different and broken now, but it is there. I just…I do not remember who I was, Lewis. There is nothing for me to go back to no matter what I choose. Nothing is familiar. Did I have friends? Did the rest of our pod like me, will they now? I am scared, Lewis.”

Lewis’ grip tightened as he pulled her into an embrace. “Luna, your family is going to love you. They’re going to love you because there is nothing to hate. But if you don’t want to go, you need to tell your parents that.”

“I want to,” Luna refused. “And I do not. I was to meet my family, try to remember, and learn my culture. I want to be a Mer properly. But I do not want to leave Katie or you and Sophie. I like being here too. And my parents, my brother…they came so far and went through so much. How can I even consider sending them back as if none of it happened?” Luna bowed her head and bit her lip hard enough that the taste of blood washed over her tongue. “I cannot do that to them. It is not far. I do not want to go and I do not want to stay. I want both, but I cannot have both and I do not want to choose just one.”

Lewis pursed his lips and nodded. “You know, that’s the second time I’ve heard that in the last few days.”

“What?”

“Listen kiddo, I know it’s scary. Your entire life has been dumped on you and you’ve been left to make some really tough choices, and you haven’t been alone in those choices. And I know that putting those decisions off is probably in part what’s been eating at you, but I’m going to recommend you wait just a little longer. Your parents should be home very soon. Wait until they get back and hear what they have to say. Then you can stress about everything else.”

Luna pulled her mug close and took a longer drink now that the hot chocolate was beginning to cool. It was still warm, and that sensation travelled down her throat and coiled in her belly. “Okay,” she whispered. “I will wait.”

“Good.”

Luna returned her mug to the table empty and licked her lips. Then her gaze refocused on the small black box Lewis had been fiddling with earlier. It now sat discarded on the table, so she pointed at it. “What is that?”

Lewis’ face darkened and he grinned while rubbing the back of his neck. “That is the engagement ring I am going to use to propose to Sophie,” he stammered with a chuckle.

Luna frowned as she mulled the statement over. “What is an engagement ring? What are you proposing to Sophie?” she pressed.

“Well, proposing to someone is asking them to marry you, which is kind of like asking someone to be your mate…The ring is just a symbol of that.”

Luna trilled with delight and then clapped a hand over her mouth and blushed sheepishly. She had forgotten that she needed to be quieter to avoid waking anyone else up. “That sounds wonderful.”

Lewis’ grin broadened and he nodded. “Well, technically I did already ask her, but we were in a life-or-death situation and I promised her that I would do it again – properly – when things were less threatening. She deserves better than the rushed inquiry she got. I just don’t know how best to go about it now that I have the chance.”

Luna nodded and leaned a little closer. “May I see it?” She knew the box was merely a vessel to hold whatever the ‘engagement ring’ was and she could not help wondering over it. Lewis nodded and slid the box over to her. Luna plucked it up and pulled the lid open to find a shiny twist of metal studded with sparkling white gems. “Shiny,” she murmured. She tilted the box and hummed at the way the light reflected off the gemstones. She was not sure what kind they were, but they were very pretty. The metal supporting them were three braided strips coloured like silver, gold, and bronze. “It is very pretty. But what do you do with it?”

“You wear a ring, Luna. It goes on your finger.”

“That does not sound like a good idea in the water,” Luna giggled. She closed the box and handed it back to him. “Maybe that is why Mer do not do that.”

“I suppose so,” Lewis agreed. “But Luna, you can’t say anything about this ring to the others okay? Especially not Sophie. It’s a surprise.”

Luna nodded solemnly. “I can keep a secret,” she vowed.

Lewis then waved a finger up and down in the air and shook his head with a grin. “Speaking of surprises, I completely forgot that I have something for you,” he announced.

“For me?” Luna clarified. “What is it?”

“Wait right here, kid, I’ll be right back.”

As Lewis hurried off further down the hall, Luna rested on hand on the table and began to tap her fingers against the wood. She did not really care for silence and if she knocked the digits quickly enough, it almost sounded like the splattering of raindrops.

“I meant to give this to you yesterday, but then things got really hectic and I forgot,” Lewis admitted as he came back down the hall with one arm behind his back. “Actually, you would have had it a few days ago now because it was actually Lukshia who gave it to us, but after everything that happened, I wanted to have it swept for bugs first. But here.” He pulled his arm out from behind his back and extended the small, gray fluffy tiger toy that Luna had grown incredibly attached to.

“Stripes!” she exclaimed eagerly as she reached out and accepted him from Lewis’ grasp. She was already purring by the time she squished the toy to her chest. “I thought he got left behind for good.”

Her purr deepened to a rumble as she cuddled the toy. She knew it was silly that the small bit of fluff was so incredibly comforting, but she could not help feeling instantly more relaxed when she had him in her arms. Perhaps it was simply the dependency on the bit of comfort while Katie was so sick that drew her to it now, but she adored the plush tiger either way.

Lewis dropped a hand onto her head and mussed up her hair. “I suppose it’s good timing at least,” he hummed. “I’m glad you’re feeling a little better now. You’re too young and have too much to live for to be stressing about acceptance. The rest of your family is going to adore you, and we already do.”

“Thank you, Lewis,” Luna murmured around the thrum in her throat. She squeezed Stripes tighter. Then her heart sunk as she pulled him away from her chest and stared at the toy’s dark, glossy eyes. “Oh. But I suppose he cannot go in the water. I will have to leave him behind.”

“Nah,” Lewis refused. “Don’t worry about that right now. We’ll find a solution if it comes to that, okay? I’m sure there’s a few methods we could consider to waterproof him if we need to, okay? No more stressing. Go back and try to relax; your parents should be home anytime now. I heard from Devin last night that they spent the night there when Az and them returned. They were leaving to come back this morning and it shouldn’t take them long at all.”

“Okay.”

Luna smoothed out Stripes’ fur and kissed his fuzzy head before gently wrapping her teeth around the toy’s tail so she could dive forward and catch her weight on her palms as she slithered from the chair back onto the floor. Once she was there, she cradled him in the crook of her arm again.

“Here, wait a moment,” Lewis urged. “Can I see him for a minute?”

Though she was reluctant to hand over her fluffy friend so soon after getting him back, but she knew Lewis was not planning to take him away from her, so she reached out and surrendered the toy into his waiting hand. Still, despite her trust in Lewis, it took all her willpower not to whine as he disappeared into the kitchen with the stuffed toy in tow.

She could hear him rummaging around in the cupboards and when he returned, he was carrying Stripes by a loop of string. When he offered him back, Luna could see that he had wrapped the twine around Stripes’ front legs and chest in a makeshift harness that had a long loop in the back.

“Should make it a little easier to carry if you need both your hands,” Lewis explained.

Luna hummed. “Thank you.” This would make him easier to carry as she returned to the other room, so she offered Lewis a grin before lodging the string between her teeth and proceeding to haul herself back to the pool room.

When she got there, Riley was rolled over facing the door and she opened one lazy eye to blink blearily at Luna, then closed it again once Luna offered her a smile. Katie was still sound asleep, but she had rolled onto her back with her tail bent at a bit of an angle. It did not look comfortable, but that only made the mischievous spark ignite in Luna’s chest. Someone ought to wake her up so she did not get a painful crick in the limb.

She pulled herself up beside her sister and then flopped down on Katie’s torso with no warning. The girl’s breath left her chest in a startled whoosh and her hazel eyes shot open. She groaned as she blinked a few times and then her gaze focused on Luna and a sleepy half-smile twitched at her lips. “Hey,” she greeted before breaking off in a wide yawn. “Oh, hey, you got him back.” Katie’s chin jerked towards Stripes and Luna hummed in response.

She released the string and shifted to get more comfortable draped across Katie’s torso. Then she tucked Stripes under her arm and propped her chin on his head.

“Are you comfortable?” Katie mocked.

Luna smirked and nodded.

She expected Katie to throw her off, but instead her sister merely flopped her head back down with a heavy sigh. “It is too early to deal with you,” she clarified.

Luna stuck her tongue out in response.

“I cannot believe you woke her up!” Riley complained. “I was enjoying the last little while! She had the funniest little wrinkle to her nose and she kept murmuring like a seal pup!”

Katie pushed herself up onto one elbow and quirked a brow at Riley. “You were watching me sleep? That’s a little creepy, you know.”

Riley stuck her tongue out and shrugged. “I could not help myself. You are cute when you sleep…at least, when your slumber is peaceful, that is.”

Katie blushed, but then stretched her arms above her head while her jaws split into a massive yawn. Then she shook herself and Luna lifted her head to avoid being jostled any further. “It was nice while it lasted,” Katie announced. She flopped one arm over her torso – likely to block Luna from flopping back down on top of her – and Luna stuck her tongue out at her sister.

“You needed to wake up,” Luna argued.

“Did I now?”

“Yes. The sun is up now. Sleeping any longer is just being lazy,” she taunted.

Katie’s low growl made Luna’s grin widen. At least until her sister lunged and snatched Stripes away from where he was sitting beside Luna’s tail. Her sister sat up and held the plush toy high above her head.

“Hey, give him back!” Luna protested as she reached for the tiger. But Katie’s arms were longer and the amethyst Mer was laughing openly at her. Luna huffed and pushed her sister over while still straining for the toy.

Katie’s laughter grew more boisterous and she craned her arm. “Here, catch!” she called as she flicked her wrist and tossed Stripes towards Riley, who reached up and caught him with little effort.

“No!” Luna protested. “She will never give him back!” Suddenly the teasing had shifted and Luna was far less thrilled about being on the tail end of it, but her smile grew as she launched herself towards Riley.

Riley was already cackling by the time Luna tumbled into her and reached for Stripes. “Now this is fun,” she teased as she threw Stripes back to Katie.

“Not fair!” Luna complained.

They kept the game up for a while, tossing the tiger back and forth while their laughter grew. Though she did feel bullied, Luna’s frustrations were growing from the desire to win the game despite being ganged up on.

Finally, her moment came when Katie tried to throw Stripes prematurely. Luna crouched and launched herself into the air to catch the plushie and pull him close to her chest. It all happened in a heartbeat before the momentum brought her crashing down on top of Katie in a tangle of limbs and scales. They both yelped from the surprise impact.

“Are you alright?” Luna checked as she recovered.

Katie groaned and rubbed at her forehead. “This is officially cranial abuse,” she complained. “Get off.” She twisted and dumped Luna onto the floor while continuing to massage the red mark across her forehead. “Alright, no more monkey in the middle or I am going to end up with a concussion.”

“I am sorry.”

“It is not your fault, Luna. It was just a game, but I think we should pick a different one next time.”

“You really ought to avoid a collision, Luna,” Riley advised. “I am convinced Katie’s skull is formed of stone. It is not a pleasant experience.”

“Hey!” Katie protested loudly. “I am the victim here, she tackled me!”

Luna opened her mouth to protest that it would not have happened if Katie had not stolen Stripes, but before she could say anything, their conversation was pulled to a halt by her brother loudly clearing his throat.

Luna flipped onto her back to stare at him. His hair was drenched and stuck messily to his neck, save a few pieces that were jutting out at odd angles. His dark eyes were still weary and he was leaning against the side of the pool. “Will you three quiet down?” he grouched.

Beside him, Karina broke the surface of the water and slumped against him. The fin around her head was drooped and her eyes were barely open as she yawned. “Sorry,” she murmured. “The storm upset Kierin…it has been a long night.”

Luna ducked her head and wrung her fingers. “We are sorry.”

“We did not mean to disturb you,” Katie agreed.

Karina waved a hand and yawned. “You girls are fine, you did nothing wrong. I am glad that you-” another yawn interrupted her. “Are all getting a chance to enjoy yourselves.”

Nero wrapped his arm around Karina and pulled her closer, before kissing her brow. “Rest,” he urged.

Karina merely hummed in response.

“Good morning, everyone.”

Luna turned as Sophie came through the door. The woman was cradling a cup of coffee and had Lewis walking in right behind her. Her hair was frizzier than usual and she had lingering bags under her eyes.

“I’m glad to see you all awake, is anyone hungry? Oh…Karina, are you alright?”

Karina nodded. “Just a very long night.”

“The storm?”

“Uh-huh. Kierin does not like them.”

“Most babies don’t,” Sophie agreed. “You should lie back down and try to get a bit more sleep.”

Karina clucked her tongue. “I would like to, but Ixion and Rebecca’s scent is in the water. They will return very soon and I would not get very much rest then.”

“You could use the bedroom if you like,” Lewis offered.

Sophie nodded. “Yeah, of course. Karina, would you feel comfortable enough to lie down above the water? We don’t have many bedrooms set up yet, but you’re more than welcome to borrow mine and Lewis’ for a bit. The bed is soft and warm, and the room will be darker and quiet; no one will disturb you.”

There was a twinkle in Karina’s eyes that surprised Luna. Her brother’s mate was improving, but her wariness of land still lingered after everything that had happened. “A little more rest does sound nice…are you certain you would not mind? I do not want to inconvenience you.”

“It wouldn’t be an inconvenience at all,” Sophie assured her. “Being a new mother is hard enough without being kept up all night by a fussy infant. We’re not using the bed, you’re more than welcome to it.”

Karina inclined her head and placed her hands on the deck. “Then thank you, I would appreciate it a lot.”

Nero’s hands came up to Karina’s sides as he boosted her from the water so she would not have to do it herself.

“Here, I can take you, if you like,” Lewis offered.

Karina reached up to him and wrapped her arms around his neck. “Thank you, Lewis.”

Just as fluidly as he had lifted Karina from the water, Nero pulled himself up. “I will follow behind,” he announced.

Karina twisted and shook her head. She placed a hand against his chest. “No,” she refused. “Stay, please. I will be fine and you should be here when your parents get home. You can fill me in later.”

As she began to pull it away, Nero caught Karina’s hand and held it to his lips. “Get some rest, then,” he urged.

Karina nodded and then Lewis lifted her up and cradled her. As he turned to walk out of the room, Luna watched Karina carefully adjust her own grip so that she was holding onto Lewis with one arm, while the other cupped the exterior of her nursing fins. Though Kierin was quiet now, Luna could tell that he had fussed through the night by how exhausted Karina looked. She only wondered why she had not heard his fussing.

Once they were gone, Nero sighed. “Thank you.” He nodded at Sophie as he spoke. “Karina went out last night when Kierin could not be soothed so that no one else would be disrupted. It was a long, rough night. I took turns with her, but she got pretty battered in the shallows. She needs to sleep.”

“She took the baby out into the storm?” Sophie clarified with alarm in her tone.

Nero shook his head. “We remained under the dock. None of us were ever in any danger. Mostly we hoped that the water would be a little quieter and that the rocking would soothe him. It was not very successful.”

“If there’s a next time, bring him inside,” Sophie urged. “This room echoes badly because of the skylight and how empty it is because of the pool. If you need to come deeper into the house, please do it. Babies can be particularly sensitive to bad weather. If he cries, he cries. Don’t put yourself in a tougher predicament just because you don’t want to disturb anyone else. We’re happy to help.”

“Yeah,” Katie agreed. “I have got enough babysitting under my belt that I could help out a little…post a brief lesson on the needs of baby Mer.”

“You sit on human babies?” Luna checked. “Like birds?”

Katie tilted her head and quirked a brow. “No, Luna, of course not. It is just the term we use for watching children.”

Luna nodded. She nibbled on her lip and then twisted and held Stripes up towards Sophie. “Will you hold him for me please?” she requested.

Sophie’s smile split across her face as she dipped her chin and took the tiger from Luna’s hand. “Of course,” she agreed as she tucked Stripes up in the crook of her arm.

Luna hummed her appreciation and then turned and dove into the water. She surfaced beside her brother and wrapped her arms around him.

He lifted his arm and draped it over her shoulders. As he squeezed her close. His hand rubbed up and down over her spine and he rested his chin on her head.

“I can help too,” she offered. “That is part of my job, right? As…as an aunt?”

“The only job you have, Luna, is to be you,” her brother insisted. “But you will have plenty of opportunity to spend time with Kierin, I promise.” He gave her another squeeze and she felt his lips press to the crown of her head before he smoothed the wet locks down once more with a gentle patting motion. “And I appreciate your willingness to be involved,” he added after a moment. “It is just good to have you back in our lives.”

Luna hummed and nuzzled against her brother. It still amazed her that it was only a little over a cycle ago that she had been alone and terrified with no hope for anything better. Now she had parents, siblings, a cousin, and even a nephew. And Sophie and Lewis held a dear place in her heart as well. She still had nightmares and her thoughts turned dark when she was alone, and she still spooked very easily, but when she was with them, she felt lighter and happier. It was easier to push aside all the shadows for a while.

Her hum grew to a purr as Nero began to run his fingers through her hair. She loved having her head rubbed and the long locks teased.

Perhaps it was her state of relaxation or just that her senses were not well-tuned yet, but Luna did not realize anyone else was in the water until her fin brushed against someone. She pulled away from Nero with the intent to look, but before she could, hands grabbed her tail on either side and boosted her up out of the water.

Luna yelped in response and she instinctively clutched at her father’s inky dark locks as he settled her on his shoulder with his hand on her hip to keep her upright. “Sorry,” she apologized as she released her tight grip on his hair. She had likely pulled it pretty badly. She left her hands planted against his head for balance though. “You startled me.”

Her father began to chuckle and he patted her side. “Do not apologize,” he reassured her. “I used to hold you like this a lot when you were younger. I thought you might just like to remember the experience now. Though, you were just a little bit smaller at the time.”

Luna hummed.

When her mother surfaced next to her father, Luna beamed down at her with a full, toothy grin. Her mother began to laugh, and she shook her head and placed a hand on her mate’s arm. “Ixion, put her down,” she chuckled.

Instead of responding to her, Ixion tilted his head to meet Luna’s gaze and he jostled her slightly on his shoulder. “What do you think? Do you want down?”

Luna clucked her tongue and shrugged, before giggling. “I suppose,” she agreed. “But only if I get a hug instead.”

Her father stuck his tongue out at her and shifted his grip on her. In a single fluid motion, he pulled her into open air and flipped her around. Luna squeaked in surprise as he allowed her weight to drop from his grasp before catching her under her arms. She squirmed for a moment as he pulled her close enough that their foreheads touched.

“That is something I can happily oblige,” he agreed. He lowered her the rest of the way into the water and then wrapped his arms around her once more and pulled her tight to his torso.

Luna turned her head with her cheek squished up against his chest, and she relaxed with a purr. His heartbeat echoed in her ear and she wrapped her tail around her fathers and her arms around his waist and squeezed back as best that she could. Her strength must have paled in comparison, but it only prompted her father to resume kneading at her skull.

“What? No proper ‘hello’?” her mother teased.

Luna glanced at her from her father’s embrace and smiled, though her cheeks flushed and she nodded. “I am sorry,” she apologized. “I am glad you are back.”

“And you should join us,” her father added.

Luna barely suppressed a giggle as he reached one arm out and dragged her mother into the embrace as well. The woman’s eyes had widened with surprise, but she recovered quickly and then Luna was being squeezed by both her parents. It made it slightly more difficult to breathe, but that did nothing to dampen the loud rumble of content that began to reverberate from her chest. This was nice and though she had questions weighing on her chest about where they had gone and what was going to happen next, for now, she just wanted to enjoy the affection.

“I am glad we are back too,” her mother agreed. She ruffled Luna’s hair and kissed her cheek. “We missed you. But we should all have a talk now. I think everyone has waited and been tense long enough now.”

Luna sighed and took a breath. She was not sure she was ready to hear the looming conversation. She still was not sure what she was going to do. “Okay,” she agreed.

Her mother broke the embrace first and pulled herself up out of the water. Nero had already done the same, while Katie and Riley had made their way over to settle in near the edge of the pool. It was going to be a group conversation.

Despite how everyone else was waiting, Luna could not bring herself to leave her father’s embrace. It felt too comforting, too safe, and she was afraid of the looming talk enough that she wanted to cling to that security.

She also did not have to say anything, because her father rubbed her back and hummed. “Wrap your arms around my neck,” he encouraged.

When Luna complied, he hauled them both out of the water so that she was perched in his lap. Luna wasted no time in shifting so that she could see her mother still while remaining leaned against her father. Her purr returned when he began to rub her back.

Her mother smiled and nodded at them both before her smile slipped and her brows furrowed as she glanced around. “Where is Karina?”

“Sleeping,” Sophie answered. “Lewis just took her back to the bedroom to rest. He should be back in a minute or two. She didn’t get much sleep last night.”

“The storm upset Kierin,” Nero added.

Rebecca nodded. “The first couple of moons with a new baby are especially tough. Thank you, Sophie, for offering her a space to rest. She is going to require as much of it as she can get. We will just have to inform her of the fruits of this conversation later.”

“It was our pleasure, Rebecca. You’re all welcome to make yourselves at home here,” Sophie insisted. Her footsteps echoed softly against the tile of the floor as she made her way closer and sat down with her legs crossed between Katie and Riley. She placed an arm around each of them, but had her smile directed at Luna, who smiled back.

A moment later, Lewis returned. “Alright, that’s one mommy and baby duo down for a well-needed nap,” he announced. “Oh, Rebecca, Ixion, welcome back.” He crossed the room and took a spot on the floor on Riley’s other side. “So what did I miss?”

“We are leaving tonight,” Rebecca responded.

Luna’s head shot up from her father’s chest and she frowned. “What?” she panicked. Her mother sounded so calm about it, so decisive. How could they leave so soon? She was not ready.

Clearly, her mother had anticipated her protest because she already had a hand up for silence. “Let me finish, Luna,” she urged. “Az took your father and I to scout some of the nearby area last night. We have found a reef to settle on that is not very far away from this cove. The sun would barely move in the sky in the time it would take us to go between the two. It is also a short trip to open waters for hunting and we have been assured that the area is prohibited to human fishers and the coast is virtually uninhabited with plenty of fruit palms. There are many ideal hunting and foraging places nearby and it is spacious enough to accommodate a pod far larger than ours.”

“So, we are not leaving?” Luna checked.

“No,” her father responded. “Katie does not wish to leave her family and it would not be fair to expect her to after everything that has happened. You do not wish to be separated from your sister and we will not leave you behind. Staying at a nearby reef is the best solution to suit the needs of everyone.”

“So, your father and I will be travelling back to our pod to bring them here. There has been talk of finding new territory anyway. Our current home is safe, but there are disadvantages to it that would make a move an ideal option.”

“That is a long trip to make alone. Do you need me to come with you?” Nero checked. There was a dark concern in his tone that caused a shiver to race up Luna’s spine and she tensed. It was not unsafe for her parents, was it?

“I will come too,” she decided.

“You will need more than one extra hunter,” Riley agreed.

“No,” Ixion refused. “You will all stay here.”

“Yes,” Rebecca agreed. “Riley, I will not ask you to brave the journey back with all of us. Not after what happened. And Nero, Karina and your son both need you and I would feel better knowing you are here to look after your sister too.”

Luna wanted to protest, but her mother leaned forward and cupped her face in her hands. Her thumb stroked over Luna’s cheek. “Luna…the last thing I wish to do is part from you again so soon, especially for the moon or so it will take your father and I to go and come back. But it is going to be a very hectic moon of travel and that is going to be stressful. It will involve a lot more swimming than you are used to, but it also will offer you little chance to relax or meet any of our family properly. I would much rather know that you are safe and content here. That way, when we get our pod settled, you can return to a stable home and receive all the attention you deserve to learn and heal and just adjust to living the way you should be.”

Luna chewed her lip and nodded. It made sense. She knew she was not up to heavy travel and her nightmares and lack of survival skills would only make her a hinderance to her parents and the rest of a pod that she did not know. The last thing she wanted was to burden them when she knew that Sophie and Lewis would be happy to allow her to stay. She would miss her parents, but it would not be too bad. But she was still worried about them and their safety. “But what about you?”

Her mother shook her head and stroked her thumb over Luna’s cheek once more. “Do not fret. We will be well-escorted. Last night, we went back with Az and spoke with the pod there. They are preparing to leave and resume their migration. But they lack a properly trained healer. They have agreed to alter their route to escort us home in exchange for me sharing my knowledge with them.”

“And we will return as quickly as possible,” Luna’s father affirmed. His grip had tightened around Luna once more until it was a little difficult to breathe. It made her ribs creak, but she was content.

“Thank you.” Luna turned at the sound of Katie’s voice. Her sister had tears in her eyes and was chewing on her lip. “I know you are going through all this effort because I could not make a choice. I am sorry…I…It means a lot.”

For a heartbeat or two, there was silence, and then Luna’s father reached out with one arm and beckoned. “Come over here,” he instructed.

The hesitation on Katie’s face made Luna’s chest squeeze, but her sister was only stationary for a moment before she ducked out of Sophie’s embrace and shuffled forward with her head bowed.

As soon as she was within reach, Luna’s father curled his arm around her waist and hauled Katie close. Katie’s eyes widened and her lips parted with surprise as she was dragged close enough that she and Luna were practically pressed together.

Luna stuck her tongue out at her sister and giggled.

Luna’s father placed his hand on Katie’s head. “We are not doing this just for you. This is best for everyone and it was a good idea on your part. But regardless of why we are making this choice…you kept her safe.” her father nodded at Luna and she hummed in agreement. “We are reunited with our daughter because you loved and protected her, and showed her nothing but kindness. There are no words to express my gratitude to you for being there for her. Even if it was not already a good choice to make, changing our dwelling place so the two of you do not have to separate is a small ask. Do not feel guilty or saddened. Neither of you deserve to be anything but happy now.”

“Our pod used to migrate every cycle, Katie. One more trip will be of little hassle,” Luna’s mother agreed.

Luna leaned her head to the side so that it was resting on Katie’s shoulder while her hand fumbled for Katie’s and squeezed the digits. “Now we do not have to choose.” As she said it, it dawned on Luna just how much that truly meant. Neither of them needed to make a tough choice to separate from anyone that they loved. As it hit her, Luna sagged with relief and finally felt serious tension begin to leak from her posture. There really was a chance for a proper future. They could heal, get better, and just live, and Luna craved that more desperately now than anything else.

She felt Katie fall slack and when she glanced up, Katie’s eyes were closed and there was a tear shining on her cheek as she leaned against Ixion.

“We will be gone a while, but when we return, I will help you with any questions you have and anything you want to learn,” he promised. “Though I imagine there is plenty for you to be taught in our absence. Riley has never been the most patient Mer I have ever known and Nero and Karina will not be inclined to leave you without answers for long either. Luna,” her father paused as he focused on her. His hand cupped her face and she leaned into the touch. “I know you are just as eager to learn. I wish I could remain and focus solely on that.”

Luna hummed and lifted a hand of her own to fold over his. “I will wait,” she decided. “I want to learn, and a few moons ago, I would have given anything to convince Riley to teach me all that she could. Now…I would rather wait. I want to know what it would have been like back then. To learn from my parents.”

She had barely finished speaking when her father swept her up into an embrace that forced the air from Luna’s lungs. It also knocked Katie backwards, but her father did not seem to notice. “I would like nothing more than to teach you,” he murmured in her ear. “I have wished for that for cycles. For the chance to find and raise my daughter. My head always told me you were too young and too much time had passed, but my heart never wanted to accept that you were truly gone.”

“But we are together now,” her mother added. “And that is what is most important. Riley? I have to ask how you feel about all of this.”

Luna glanced over at her cousin. Riley had a smile on her face and a lax posture, and she shrugged. “It does not really affect me unless you require an additional hunter on the journey,” she pointed out. “But I wish you safe travels.”

There was something of a strangle in Riley’s tone as she spoke, one that did not go unnoticed. Sophie frowned and reached out to brush Riley’s arm, but her cousin merely broadened her smile and tilted her head as though she were confused by Sophie’s concern.

Rebecca clucked her tongue and shook her head. “Of course this affects you, do not start pretending now that it does not. I know how far you felt the need to flee in the past. A past that is going to be that much nearer when we get back.”

As her mother spoke, a dark feeling began to twist in Luna’s gut. She licked her lips and watched Riley deflate. Her shoulders sagged and she rubbed one arm while finding a spot on the floor to fixate on. “It does not matter.”

“Of course it matters!” Rebecca retorted. “Riley, I know you believe that I am not on your side because I still hold Iliene in my favor. She is my sister and I love her and I could never truly cast that bond entirely aside no matter what she has done. But that does not mean that she has done no wrong and I will not forget how she treated you a few moons ago. It was disgusting and you did not deserve to be hurt like that when you only came to us trying to help. I will not make this decision without consulting you or if it is going to drive you from your home. We can find an alternate solution.”

Riley shook her head. Tears were watering in her gaze and her grip on her arm had tightened until the flesh turned white. “There is no other solution,” she hissed. Her fangs bared and she slapped her fins to the floor. “This is what is best for everyone. I understand that. I will adapt, I always do.”

“But you should not have to,” Sophie protested. “Is there no way to resolve this? Riley, I don’t know what happened back then and I’m not saying that you ever have to let it go or forgive your mother for it-”

“She is not my mother,” Riley growled.

“Iliene then. Is there truly no alternative to distance?”

“I will live with it,” Riley whimpered. “I do not have to go to their reef, I will be okay as long as I do not have to see her. I cannot…I cannot handle that. It only ever ends in pain.”

“Riley,” Ixion called. Luna felt his arms shift to hold her tightly with one while the other gestured towards his niece. “Rebecca and I had a long talk about your situation in particular. I want you to remember something.”

“What is that?”

“That this is your home. Your family. Most importantly, your territory. You cannot be driven from it, I will not allow it. Iliene has no sway over this den or your cove, nor any reason to lurk nearby and you would be will within your rights to have her driven off if she dared. All of which will be made perfectly clear to her. I will ensure that myself. You are welcome among our pod and if I have to supervise Iliene myself, you will not be harassed. But to visit is a choice you make. To live within your own territory unbothered is a right. Never forget that you are no longer a child. You have made a home here and you will not be judged for defending it if you feel it is necessary.”

There was finally a glimmer in Riley’s eyes as she wiped at her tears and nodded. “Thank you, uncle,” she murmured. “I…I do not like knowing that she will be so near, but I would rather it than a larger separation. Luna needs you both, Katie needs Luna, and I need Katie, so we are all stuck together,” she admitted with a forced grin and a chuckle. She rubbed the back of her neck. “I had forgotten how much I missed all of you. I would like to continue seeing you all. Besides, I have to make sure that Kierin is not misled with stories about me. I am alright with this, it is just going to be hard at first. But it is what I want. She is not welcome here, though. I will not change my mind on that. I refuse to feel unsafe here.”

As she announced it, Riley glanced up at Sophie, who merely shrugged and then pulled Riley into an embrace. “I’ll remind you of the same thing I told Katie. This is your home too and you have every right to refuse entry to anyone who makes you uncomfortable. Lewis and I are always going to have your back.”

“Me too,” Katie added.

Riley smiled and hummed.

“I can live with that,” Luna’s mother agreed. “I would like to be in your life more too. And if we ever need to rediscuss anything, we will.”

“Thank you.”

Then Luna became the focus of her mother’s attention once more. “Are you going to be alright here, Luna? We will be gone longer than a night this time.”

Luna took a breath and nodded. “You promise to come back soon?”

“As swiftly as we are able.”

Luna forced a shaky smile. She would miss her parents, but she felt more reassured. She was safe here, there were people she loved and who loved her, and with fewer uncertainties looking over her like a tidal wave, she felt less desperate to cling. “I will be alright,” she agreed. “But I will miss you.”

“We will miss you too,” her father confirmed. “Very, very much. But we will be a proper family when we get back.”

Luna hummed and wrapped her arms around her father once more.

“But we do not have to leave until this evening,” her mother reminded. “I would like to go check on Karina, a rough night is hard on any parent of a young infant and she a very new mother still. But after that, I would like to spend the rest of the daylight with both of my children.”

Her mother was not looking at her as she spoke, but she found herself eager for the concept. It would be nice to do something as a family. All of them. Luna’s heart fluttered at the thought. The thought of her family still baffled her, still felt like a foreign dream she could never quite reach, she was living it now and she wanted to cherish it.

“That sounds nice,” Nero agreed.

The smile that flowed across their mother’s face made Luna want to preen. There was joy around her, rather than sorrow or fear or suppressed turmoil. “Luna, the day is yours, my love,” her mother purred. “What would you like to do?”

Luna blinked back and chewed on her lip. She had not been expecting to be the one making a choice. Regardless, her father’s embrace was warm and she was not quite ready to leave it yet unless he urged her to, so she merely snuggled against him and hummed. Both her parents began to laugh and her father began to rub her skull. Luna’s hum quickly deepened to a rumble.

“Found what you want to do?” her mother teased as she reached out and enveloped Luna’s hand within both of her own.

Luna did not bother with a verbal response as she closed her eyes and remained as she was, but her smile was wide and she poked her tongue out between her teeth. She squeezed her mother’s hand back. This was nice.

“As much as I would be delighted to hold you all day, I think perhaps we should select a more inclusive activity, yes?” her father suggested as he ran his fingers through her hair.

“Can we do something together? All of us?” Luna checked. She loved her brother and her parents, but it did not feel right to leave everyone else out. Except for Karina, she supposed, since she knew Karina needed to sleep and that they could spend time later when she was rested and feeling better.

“Yes,” her mother confirmed.

“Could we go outside?” Luna suddenly yearned for the open air and bright sunlight.

“It’s supposed to be a beautiful day today,” Lewis offered. “I think we could all do with a day in the sun.”

Luna pursed her lips as she mulled over the possibilities. There was so much she wanted to do and experience that it was hard to pick just one thing. But she also desired an activity that everyone could partake in, and Sophie and Lewis could not so easily go out to see with them, so they needed to stay by the house and the shore.

Slowly, a grin pulled onto Luna’s lips and she finally sat up off of her father’s lap as she gazed at everyone in the room. “I know what we should do,” she decided.