• • •

                   The air was stale and the room quiet while I kneeled before my dog. His small body as still as I've ever seen, my shaking hands have still yet to touch Simon. I wasn't crying anymore, now my mouth was dry and my breath wheezed through parted lips in quick breaths. My body hot and my mind jumbled as I stared at my dog.

Before me, the kitchen was splattered with dried blood, and the creature hung limply from the sink, it's clawed hands forever frozen in a talon grip. Its eyes weren't ablaze with anger and murderous ideas anymore but lifeless and dull. My body was in shock, I knew it was, and when I felt strong arms wrap around my waist and pull me up from the floor, I let them. I didn't protest when I was taken upstairs, stripped and put in the shower. Nor did I complain when he dressed me and laid me in my bed.

I just gazed at him, no emotion behind my look but I could see he was worried, I could see his lips move, but no voice or words registered in my mind. I ignored his warm hand on my shoulder I turned away and shut my eyes.

• • •

My eyes snapped open, and my body felt heavy. I looked about my room, the sun was streaming in from behind my blinds and on my desk was a glass of water and a bowl of food. Sitting up and making my way over to the glass of water seemed to be a troubling task because my body ached with every movement. Wincing as I arched my body for a stretch, I saw the bowl was filled with noodles.

Downstairs I could hear movement and made my way down. The entire house was quiet and loud at the same time. Every move I made was extremely loud against the peace. Peering around into the kitchen to find it clean and untouched rendered me confused. There was a dead underwater creature stuck in my garbage disposal before I went to sleep.

The sound of metal on dirt caused me to turn my attention towards my ajar back door. Arthur was digging a small grave near the staircase by the flowers.

"He always liked this corner of the yard." My voice was hoarse and heavy as I spoke, startling Arthur who spun around to look at me.

"I didn't know that."

"Why would you?" I deadpanned.

His heavy eyebrows furrowed and his lip twitched as his grip on the shovel tightened. His lips parted, but I spoke first.

"Where's Deadwater?" My eyes scanned the remaining yard.

"Taken care of." Arthur set the shovel down, wiping his hands on his dark jeans before turning to a small bundled body I hadn't noticed, "Would you like to help me? Say a few words?"

Arthur held my gaze for a long time while his large hands held the dead body of my dog and I just stared blankly at him before turning on my heel, "No."

Inside I watched from the window as he finished. Once I knew he was to be inside, I sat at the table my fingers drumming idly and steadily. Arthur noticed me with a small smile and sat down next to me pulling his chair out to face me.

"I'm sorry about Simon. I wish I had gotten here sooner."

When I didn't say a thing he continued, "I was surprised to see Dead Water stuck in your garbage disposal. That was quick thinking."

He was trying to lighten the mood, his voice slightly unhinged as he spoke.

I still just sat there listening to him speak, my eyes trained on the angular part of his tattoo right at the front of his neck. I could see sweat and grime smeared on his skin and a cut along his collarbone must be new.

"Ingrid?"

My name brought me back, and I looked up to see his pale blue eyes staring back at me.

"Did you not hear me? I found Atlantis, and it's a funny story. They held me in the military barracks for-."

"Hear you? I don't care that you found Atlantis, Arthur. Dead Water was at my house. It's trying to kill me because of you. I'm not going to end up dead like my mother or my dog."

My words were quick but deadly, and the light grasp he had on my hand disappeared when I stood up, moving away from him. He didn't have anything to do with the death of my mother, but I never mourned her properly because I've been helping him. At least that's what I've been telling myself lately.

"You know, I thought figuring out you were a superhero would be amazing and something that I could get used too, but I never knew everybody I'd ever cared about would be dead three months into knowing you, Arthur."

Arthur looked angry now, "You're the one who came after me, you're the one who made it your life's mission to figure out my secret." He shot back, "I know you're angry, you just lost Simon-."

"I didn't just lose Simon. I listened to his cries as he died. That thing killed him because of you, Arthur. Because of you!"

He stood up reaching for me, "I should have been here sooner-I."

"No, you shouldn't have been here at all. I'm not going to die because these things want to kill the heir to the throne, I'm not dying for you. Get out, Arthur."

Tears were streaming down my face, and my voice was barely there as I sobbed through my words.

He had stood up when I had, and I could see the hurt in his pale eyes as he spoke to me explaining that he'll give me a few days and that he'll let me be as I led him to the door.

Arthur stepped outside into the fresh morning air turning to me, hair swaying and his skin bright he wasn't smiling, but staring intently, his lip twitching slightly as he breathed in.

"Ingrid, I'll see you in a few days, right?"

"No. Don't come back at all. I told you, I'm not dying for you."

The door slammed shut; his shocked face stared back before it disappeared.

• • •

Leslie had finally arrived back from her visit with her brother, and I wished to tell her everything that's happened in the last month, but I never could. She could sense there was something wrong with me, but she just chopped it up to Simon dying. I told her he was hit by a car.

Lying to my best friend is the only way to keep her from being involved and as I swept the floor of the store I could feel her hovering. Glancing over my shoulder, I caught her looking at me before shifting her gaze across the room towards the front. I followed her eyes, and I sucked in a breath at the sight of her.

Yvette was standing in the fishing section, her sharp dress suit, heels, and high ponytail were in stark contrast to the old man next to her. I watched her hold her arms close to her as she watched him with disgust. Sighing, I made my way over to her shoving my hands into my overalls.

"Burt, take those up to Leslie, she'll ring you up." I clapped a hand on his back, and he nodded, leaving, "What can I help you with, Ms. Wilson?"

With purses lips she gave me a look over, "I need netting,"

"Ok, what do you plan on catching?"

"That's none of your business,"

"On the contrary, ma'am, it is." I plucked two different netting's from the display, "Not all netting will sufficiently capture your pray. There are different consistencies with the product used. Do you want plastic netting? Ropes?"

Her eyebrow raised high and snatched the most massive netting from my hand, "This'll do."
She snapped stalking past me to the checkout.

Laughing to my self, I followed and assisted Leslie in the transaction and once Ms. Wilson was taken care of she turned to me.

"What's going on with you?"

"Uh, what?"

"You're moody and irritable. I'm half tempted to make you take a pregnancy test so we could rule out the insane mood swings, but you'd have to have sex for that." She rambled, a pointed look on her face.

I just looked at her.

"You do not deny it! Oh my god! You slept with Arthur!"

Groaning, I threw up my hands and hurried to the back her voice only followed as she scurried after me.

"Tell me everything! I need to know every detail." She gushed spinning me around.

"Let go of me!" I screamed. Suddenly my chest was heaving, and my eyesight blurred as tears streamed from my eyes, "I just want to be left alone!"

Leslie grimaced at my out lash, "Ingrid, I understand-."

"You can't possibly understand any of what I'm going through, Leslie." I stalked out of the break room, grabbed my keys and with parting words I walked away, "I've  gone through way too much to have a break down in my store, I'm going home."

So instead I had one at home.

• • •

Three weeks have past and Arthur, and I haven't spoken since that day. I won't lie and say that I haven't walked past the Lighthouse in hopes of catching a glimpse of him. Leslie and I haven't spoken either, I don't answer her calls, and after the second week, she stopped calling.

At work, she and I float around each other and avoid eye contact. It doesn't bother me because I need to steel myself and keep her away from anything regarding Arthur and Atlantis because I know deep down I can't stay away from him.

When I'm not at work, I'm at home. I only go to two places, work, and home. My life has become a repeating cycle of sweeping floors, stocking shelves, smiling fakely at customers and living in an empty house.

Since he's been gone Dead Water hasn't been around and neither have the fish. The fishermen of Amnesty Bay are beginning to get angry at the realization that the fishing season has been cut short, weeks short. It's made me realize that he was helping, just as the folk tales said.

As angry as I am with him; I know I brought this on myself. I'm the one who pursued him. I walked along the pier; my hands shoved into my pockets. The weather was warming slightly, but the ocean was angry and the clouds dark across the waters. A lone fisherman boat was hooked to the pier. I had seen it earlier today when I went to work. Now, I could see a familiar face as they walked the deck.

"Yvette?" I whispered, confused. What was she doing on a boat that's about to sail into the storm?

She sure looked ready for whatever was coming because gone was her signature suit, ponytail, and heels, in their place were black jeans, flannel, a braid, and boots. She turned to survey her surroundings, and I froze as her eyes landed on me, her crimson painted lips pulling into a smirk. Quickly, I ducked my head and walked away.

I was done with anything regarding Atlantis and no matter how badly I wanted to know what she was doing. I was not getting on that boat.