Lance trembled as the thunder rumbled overhead and the rain began to pick up. It would only get worse, it was now or never. 

He stripped himself of his plastic yellow jacket and took a deep breath before diving into the water. The water was cold, but not frigid as he plunged towards the general direction of the net. 

He floated aimlessly for minutes before spotting the net. Wrapped around a rock. But the net was squirming. Something was in it. 

Lance beamed despite feeling cold and weightless. He loved the feeling of being in the water and here he was- with what was most likely a huge catch of trout. Dayak would be even prouder. A bonus seemed like a promising future. 

If he could just get the net off of the rock...Lance doggy paddled over to the rock and lifted a hand to move a thicket of the net only to not see fish but-

He didn't know what. It looked like a mermaid from the fairy tales or creepy shows on SyFy. He quickly kicked backwards, eyes wide. The creature was still squirming, eyes just as wide. Despite it moving so recklessly, the creature seemed almost paralyzed in fear. 

It stared at Lance while flailing back and forth. Lance watched it carefully. The creature was beautiful. Breathtakingly beautiful. The blood red tail with intricate dark purple and pitch black fins and the specks of gold sprinkled across the pale boyish torso of the creature made it seem like it was glowing in the murky water. The creatures quick, scanning eyes were a deep violet, glowing brighter than the gold on its back. Jet black hair floated around its head. 

Lance couldn't keep his eyes off this..thing. How graceful it was despite being so jolting and violent in its wicked movements to escape the net...

The net! Lance had forgotten about getting the net. He also was clearly blind to seeing how the creature needed help. 

He sprung forwards, kicking up water and twitching his nose. It wouldn't be long before he needed air again. He was too far from the surface, but with the heavy rain it would be hard to get a good breath. And as he was soon finding out, the creature would be hard to free. 

The net was wrapped twice around the creature, and the rock all together like a little bundle. The creatures fight had only made the situation worse. Lance knew he couldn't free the creature on his own. He needed air soon anyway. 

He caught the creatures eye and reached towards it- a cautious, slow gesture. His hand only a few centimeters away from the creature, it jolted backwards hitting the rock and began to flail again. 

Lance sighed. He couldn't communicate with the creature that he was safe and wanted to help. He would just have to come back. But he couldn't tell anyone of his discovery. For sure, this thing wasn't supposed to be up here in the first place. Why was it up here? 

Lance tried to push his thoughts away as he swam up to the surface and to his boat. The rain was a lot harder, and the chill drops pounded his back, the white and blue sleeved t shirt Hunk had gotten fresh out of the dryer for him just that morning, totally soaked and plastered to his back. 

He used one hand to cover his eyes as he rode back to the harbor. The deep yellow light of the lanterns hung, swaying in the heavy wind. Lances hair tossed in it, the sea breeze and water flowing through it with ease. 

He docked the boat and hurried into the shed. He searched for something simple, that wouldn't raise suspicions if caught missing. 

A knife with a sharp blade and a  handle held together with dirty brown duct tape. Cheap, and delicate, but he could make it work 

He quickly threw on his yellow jacket again and threw himself back into the storm, the trees swayed viciously in the strong winds, leaning towards the boat that he boarded. He pulled the jacket closer around him and set out again. 

Luckily, he found the spot quickly enough, thanks to his good locational skills and his good eye. He liked to claim that's what made him such a good "sharpshooter" only to have his friends laugh at him. 

Other than that, the rock jutted out of the churning black water. That was a good sign too,he guessed. 

He slipped the knife into his pocket and carefully dove back into the water. It was colder and harder to push through with the winds picking up, but he used his powerful legs to get back to the net. 

It was there, still bundled up and tight, but torn and the creature was gone. Lance groaned. He hadn't expected much. Like any other wild creature, it was meant to be free wherever it belonged. 

He sighed, grabbing the ruined net as he went back up to the surface. He made it back to shore and sat to dry in the main house. 

He realized how many things he had messed up that day in a few hours. 

1. That idea of Dayak giving him a raise

2. Getting any sea trout that morning

3. His only net

4. Probably one of the most life changing things ever

He sighed, laying his head back against the wood. He didn't have a net now. He would have to snatch Matt's extra one. He wouldn't mind. 

For the rest of the day, he ended up with no fish at all. Not because he wasn't a good fisher but because he had other things on his mind. 

This thing...

Dayak put him back on Northern along with the others. 

~~~~~~~~

He drove home silently, only the sounds of the humid breeze and the tires rolling through the water that had collected on the sides of the narrow road. When he got home, Hunk still wasn't there, despite it being near 9 p.m. Lance took a long hot shower before slipping into a baggy gray sweater over his boxers. 

He wanted to see Hunk. Hunk was his best friend, best bro. Best man. Hunk was the sweetest person in Lance's life, or well second to his mother of course, and he felt he could talk to him about anything. 

Just..not the creature. Lance feared he had somehow messed up some balance act, some fragile system under the ocean, by spotting the scared creature. He couldn't have another person to know. It was too dangerous. 

But he needed someone to talk to about everything else. How crappy the day had been. Just work. Only work. 

He shot Hunk a quick text that he was home, Hunk replying that he was at a party catering and would be home in a few hours. 

Lance scrolled through his contacts before settling on Katie. 

Really it was Pidge. That was her contact name for him, and her main nickname, actually her main name. Everyone called her that except teachers and her parents. 

It had started when she was little. Her and Matt had gone to the park and seen some birds. She was obsessed with pidgeons at the time and after taking Matt along with her everyday after school to feed them stale bread crumbs, he shortened the name to Pidge. And it stuck. 

"Hello?" She answered tiredly on the second ring. 

"Pidge! Hey." Lance said as he walked around his place. He needed to keep moving. For some reason, he had so much pent up energy despite how exhausting the day had been. 

"Hey man, what's up?" She sounded occupied, like she was doing something else. But she was known for multi tasking all day long. 

"Nothing much. Hard day at work. You?" 

"Eh. Same old same old. Had to reteach a theory to my teacher and almost punched a guy in the face for trying to finesse me of my money when I fixed his computers today. Other than that perfectly fine." She yawned. 

Lance laughed. That was what he needed. A good friend to lighten the mood. For her to simply be her...the out of this world, extremely smart, incredible girl he called Pidge? Just fine. 

"Romelle is getting on my nerves. Keeps asking for this British guys number. I fixed his computer and she was over at my place and honestly? She should stop asking, I can tell he is gay." Lance chuckled. 

"Why doesn't she asked Allura? She knows everyone and anyone. She could set her up in a heartbeat." 

"Not sure. I think that the two of them are having a silent competition of who can get the best guy. Of course..Allura is like that girl. She's too perfect ya know?" 

Lance agreed. Romelle was gourgeous yes, but Allura was downright outstanding. I mean how could one person have the face of an angel, hair as soft as goose down, smile as bright as the-

"Are you listening?" Pidge interrupted his thoughts. "Stop daydreaming, she's out of your league man." She chuckled. 

"Psh you only wish you were on my level." He said with confidence, grinning. 

She chuckled again. "Says the single one." She muttered. 

"Hey you're single too!" 

"But I'm single and I'm okay with it, we all know your in love with the idea of love despite the fact that your single. Me? I simply don't care that much." 

Lance was silent at that. She was right. Like always. 

"Is that Lance??" It was an extremely high pitched tone of the usual calm lower voice but they both knew who it was. 

"Uh.." Pidge started before Lance assumed the phone was snatched because Matt's voice was hoarse and loud. 

"Did you take my net Lance??" 

"Well that depends. Did it seem like I took your net or-"

"You know good and well you did!"

"I mean you asked a question you knew the answer to so..." Lance was grinning again. 

"Omigod Lance. Just- just don't do it again. Dayak is on my ass, she trusted me with the extra net and when I finishied my shift and it wasn't there? Not good for me buddy." Lance could practically hear him gritting his teeth.

Lance sighed. That was all true, he probably should've thought it through beforehand. "Yeah. I'm sorry man. I'll pay you back promise. What do you want?" 

Seconds passed as Matt thought on it. "I want you to buy me headphones." 

Lance laughed. "Easy. When you want em by?" 

Matt was the one smiling now. "But you don't understand. It's not easy. Because Dayak took the net away from me and put me on lower pay you're gonna have to do a lot for this." 

"All that? I'm really sorry man. Anything. You want me to talk to her?" Lance sounded genuinely sorry but Matt wasn't really mad. 

"Nah not after what you did today. She'd never listen to you. But the thing is there like these cool 3-d effect headphones with speakers and this waterproof system and..." Matt's voice trailed off in Lances head as he tried to pay attention to what his friend was saying. 

"Can I just get a link?" He asked patiently. 

Matt coughed. "Oh yeah of course I'll send it to you later thanks again man." 

"No problem." Lance replied before Pidge was back. 

"That was interesting." She said. The crunch of chips came from her end. "So what happened at work that made Dayak so pissed at you?" Crunch. 

"Oh." Lance laughed. "Long story..."

"Short." Crunch. "Hurry up I have a paper to write" 

Lance explained the day- starting well and Dayak's approval of him, his idea of a raise but it all going downhill when he had a little accident during the storm and ruined his net. He left out anything about the creature but she got the point. 

"So you failed." She stated blankly.

"What?" Lance spat. "What no! I just messed up.."

"Again." Pidge sighed. "We gotta fix you up, can't have you like this forever." 

Lance groaned. "Don't you have a paper to get to?" 

"Right on kiddo. Peace out loser." She said before hanging up. 

Lance laughed before checking his messages. One from Matt. He clicked the link and...

"$600?!? Oh he's insane!" 

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellooo~

First time I have actually said anything personally on this fanfic but I am really loving this. The story is really fun to write and I hope it's just as fun to read and that you guys are enjoying it. Thanks again for getting this far! Love you all!! 

SNS out