Beverly's pov

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A nudge in my shoulder brought me back to my senses, I glanced to the woman who gave me a shy smile

"It's gonna be okay" Crystal whispered

"I.. I don't know that... She could be anywhere, I don't know if she's even breathing" I barley muttered out feeling the tears weld up behind my eyes

"Aww come here" the woman said as she pulled me towards her chest

It was my tears that kept my soul alive in the furnace of this pain. They could not extinguish what happened yet only carried me forward until a time comes when that searing pain is distant enough to forget more than remember, and maybe one day erase itself from my brain.

Sure it wasn't the hug that I needed, it wasn't the touch of the girl I love but it was close enough. It was a hug from a mother, Aqua's mother. It was the closest to the girl that I could get

So perhaps it may be an oddity to thank my tears and be proud to cry, yet if that's what saves me from becoming a monster, a person indifferent to suffering and sorrow, then crying was the smartest thing I could do.

"It's okay to cry it out" the woman whispered as her fingers stroked through my hair

"I just miss her so much" I mumbled into her chest

"I know you do sweetheart, I know" the woman said, I could feel her hands grip my back tighter

Then it hit me. Here I was crying over her daughter that she hasn't seen in years.

"I'm sorry" I mumbled and pulled away

"For what?" she asked

"I don't know. Maybe at the fact that you haven't seen Aqua in so long and here I am crying over her because I haven't seen her in a weak. We're both feeling that emptiness, that loss. But I'm being extra and making it harder for you. I'm sorry. I don't know. I'm just, a mess right now. My mind is all over the place-"

"Beverly, you're rambling" Crystal chuckled and held my shoulders

"I-I I'm sorry" I whispered

"Hey, don't be. I miss her. I truly do. But nothing's ever going to come close to the love you two have for each other. You both have something special, I can see it. It's powerful, it's strong. And you're always going to come back to each other no matter what. No one can come close to true love, so it's okay for you to feel. It's okay for you to pour your heart out because it's in pain, but being in pain is okay. You shouldn't apologize for what you're feeling. I love Aqua, I do. And I'm going to have that moment with her, it'll be a moment I'll never forget so don't worry about me" the woman chuckled

"I hope that she doesn't faint when she sees you" I chuckled softly

"You and I both know-"

"She will" We both said in unison before erupting in laughter

A comfortable silence then fell over us. We were currently on the beach, the afternoon sun was dying down it's bright yellow and turning into a shirt that had been washed everyday and the colour started to fade.

The sand was the most gentle hue of gold, almost earthen and muted, the humble star of the scene. I loved this beach because it was where I met Aquamarine. This exact spot that I stood on is were I met the love of my life

Then there is the seaweed, that flora of those salty waves, as deeply green as any high summer foliage. My favourite though, of everything that is here upon the softly rolling dunes, is the tall, tall grass that whispers so sweetly into the gusting breeze. The girls and Adam stood behind us, not too far away but enough to give us a moment.

Crystal was ready to head back to Atlantis. She wanted to set things right, she needed to bring back Aqua.

"I miss her" Crystal whispered, my eyes glanced to her side profile

"Seven years is a long time" I said

"She was so young, just a child when I was gone. She liked to play in the garden and pretend to be pirates. I missed it. I missed her transition to being a teenager, I missed every important step in her life" Crystal said

My hand reached out to intertwine with hers, placing another on top of hers comfortably

"She's a woman now" Crystal mumbled

"She will always be your little girl" I whispered causing his to look at me

"You think so?" she asked

"I know so" I chuckled softly

"We'll see how little she is when I whoop her ass for driving like a maniac on the road" Crystal laughed

"She said its the way lesbians drive, they only care about one strap and it isn't a seatbelt" I chuckled

"Oh... OHHHHH" Crystal gasped when she understood what I was talking about

"I'll deal with her ass" she laughed

"Please do" I smiled

Suddenly, soft patters of water touched my shoulder blade. I furrowed my brows and tilted my chin up, only to see dark grey clouds standing strong in the sky.

"I should get going, it seems like its going to rain" Crystal mumbled as she let go of my hand, dipping her toes into the water

"Are you sure it's safe? It seems like a storm is coming" I said when I notice the clouds were almost matching the shade of black

"I'll be underwater, not above" she chuckled and headed further into the water

The cool water lapped at my feet, fizzing and bubbling like brine, pushing and pulling with the currant. I couldn't help but furrow my brows as the wind caressed my face. The weather surely didn't seem like a simple passing rain.

It confused me how it came so suddenly, just a second ago the sun was beaming hot onto our skins and now there was a strong grey cloud that took over the sky. The waves of the water slammed each other angrily and made it way on shore, reaching dangerously close to the top of the beach.

Waves ahead roared and rolled down, crashing onto the shore with a soft hiss, peeling away at the deep bronze sand beneath my feet.

"Goodbye Crystal!" Adam shouted from behind of me

"Be safe" Allie said

"Kill your husband while you're at it!' Josie yelled, all eyes snapped towards the girl

"What? Did I say something wrong?" she asked

"Just... Bring her back" I mumbled to myself as I watched Crystal's legs slowly fade into a tail

From a distance what had appeared to be a mane of golden hair was actually shimmering golden scales from an inch above her golf ball sized beady fish eyes, up over her head and down past her shoulder.

Her skin was a steely grey, not shiny like the scales and had a rubbery look a bit like a dolphin. Her nose was small and flattened with small nostrils and her mouth was so wide they stretched right around to where her jaw bone appeared to join her skull beneath.

Behind the pinkish-grey lips lay two rows of sharp teeth, they were predators, undoubtedly used to ripping her prey apart raw. Yet she looked so beautiful, she wasn't as gentle and majestic as Aqua in her form but the woman was still beautiful.

Her head popped out from under the water, her raven black hair was completely soaked and her green eyes shimmered slightly before flickering red.

She raised her hand to the air and waved us goodbye, for she had a journey to go on.

Then she vanished, not like avatar but she vanished under the water. Speeding through the waves that seemed so dangerous above.

The silver hues were as molten silver, swirling in steady and radiating ripples.

I love the sky before a storm, I love the greys of every shade and depth. I could swim in the atmosphere so subtly electric, alive with an excitement for what is to come but this wasn't the kind of rain you'd play in

I felt a hand reached down and hold my shoulder from behind.

"Hey, we should head back inside" Adam said

The rest of the girl's then joined me, standing at the edge of the shore and staring onto the horizon. Hoping, wishing for the best in a situation like this.

"I'm not leaving here" I mumbled

"What?" Josie asked

"I said. I'm not leaving here until she gets back" I gritted

"Beverly, you can't stand in the rain-"

"Watch me" I said in a low voice

"I-"

"It's okay" I whispered, my eyes never moved to glance at them. It only held a strong focus on the moving waves in front of me

The storm left everything strong standing, the upward branches and the roofs that kept us dry. It came to wash everything anew and show us what was rotten, where repairs and nurturing work were needed. It was the boldest storm anyone can recall, the rain determined in a wind that moved as a well run locomotive.

We can all pray for the fine weather, but it takes the best of us to welcome the storm and show others how to thrive once it passes.

There were many instances where these storms had appeared and with every one of them, a mermaid came to land. There was only one explanation for this and I felt it deep down in my gut

For I knew something was wrong in Atlantis.