After delivering the trident to Sean, Mark looked for Nathan. When he didn't see him, he ducked back under the water. At the sight of golden light slithering through the water, he followed it as pieces of it split away across the ocean. The ones that slowly moved to things nearby, he followed. One of the glowing streaks slithered up to Triton's polyp. Circling around him and swirling into a whirlpool that grew as Triton did. Returning to his natural form, Triton gasped but looked relieved. Looking up at the surface, Triton chuckled to himself. Triton's smile soon faded as he called out in sudden remembrance. "Lorelei!" Dashing through the water, Triton went to her side and gently embraced her. At his touch, Lorelei jerked awake and smacked him with her tail. Triton winced, chuckling when Lorelei gasped out. "Triton?! Oh, I'm sorry! I thought you were..." She didn't finish her thought, before she wrapped her arms around him. Triton kissed her neck and ran his hands through her short hair, telling her lovingly. "I'm so sorry... I never should have stopped looking for you... Forgive me?"

Lorelei kissed him, then pulled from him to ask with deep motherly concern. "Where is Nathan?" Triton stiffened, giving her a shrug. Mark stopped at the base of the reef, gesturing to them as he said shakily. "Over here, your majesties!" Swimming slowly up to him, Mark put a hand on Nathan's arm. Nathan didn't move. Kneeling on his tail, Mark put his hands on Nathan's face. Carefully, moving his hands through his hair, he hoped that he wouldn't find any severe wounds. When didn't feel any fractures, he moved his hands down along his arms and sides of his torso. The golden light swirled around them, before seeking out Nathan. Mark paused in his work to see the light slip between Nathan's lips. Nathan's throat started to glow, then it dimmed back to normal. Sliding his knuckles up along Nathan's cheeks, he whispered to him. "Nathan? Are you with me?" When Nathan didn't move, Mark cleared his throat. He refused to give up. Putting a finger under his nose, he realized Nathan wasn't breathing.

Swallowing, Mark shook his head. Patting Nathan's face, he told him seriously. "Nate? NATE! You don't get to do this to me!" Nathan's parents approached, but Mark didn't care. Shaking Nathan's shoulders, he yelled at him sternly. "After everything you've put me through... You are NOT doing this to me! Damn it, Nathan!" Lorelei reached out for Nathan, but Mark draped himself over him and hissed out at her. "Don't touch him!" Triton stiffened, but Lorelei slowly sank down and told Mark gently. "Easy. It's ok. We care about him too. Let us help." Mark curled his tail around Nathan, shaking his head as he told them. "No... He's not dead. I can save him!" Triton started to reach out for Mark and Mark lost it. Swatting Triton's hand away, he hissed in distress. Triton grabbed his arm, yanking him off Nathan. Mark thrashed wildly, yelling out. "Let me go! He needs me!" Mark's tail lashed out so wildly that it struck Nathan in the chest harder than he would have ever hit him.

Triton got a better grip on Mark, letting Lorelei approach Nathan. Just before Lorelei's hands even touched him, Nathan's chest rose, and he started coughing. Everyone stilled as Nathan opened his eyes and reached up to rub his chest. Mark then tugged against Triton's hold, his voice cracking as he uttered out. "Nathan?" A small groggy smile pulled at Nathan's lips. Looking around at everyone, Nate mumbled out gruffly. "What happened...?" Releasing Mark, Triton rushed over to take his son's hand in his strong ones. Taking in his father's worried look, Nathan sniffled as a rush of emotions hit him all at once. He felt terrible that he'd run away. He had been so scared and had never let himself feel it until now. He understood now why his father had tried to keep him from the surface. He felt like a terrible son. He'd almost gotten everyone he loved killed. Sitting up, he wrapped his arms around his dad's neck. His whole body trembled as he sniffled out against his dad's throat like a frightened child. "I'm so sorry, Daddy... I should have listened... I didn't mean for-" Triton's arms wrapped around him tightly, shushing him to calm him down.

Triton rubbed his back, while rubbing his cheek against Nate's with affection. When Nathan calmed down a little, he told him in a strong fatherly voice. "It's alright, my son. Everything is alright. I'm just so glad you're safe." Triton pulled from Nathan, touching his cheek as he told him lovingly. "Let's go home." Triton extended out his other arm to let Lorelei snuggle into his embrace, before telling him with a smile. "We have a lot to catch up on. And I'm sure your sisters are trashing the place." Nathan chuckled, but it faded as he looked to Mark. Swimming over to Mark, Nathan bowed his head and told him in a broken voice. "I don't even know how to begin apologizing to you. Mark... I'm-" Mark cut him off by hugging him so tightly that Nathan winced. Hugging him back though, Nathan heard Mark whisper into his ear. "You don't have to say anything. I already know. Just... don't scare me like that again." Nathan chuckled, hugging Mark tight as he whispered to him. "Now were even."

Mark scoffed, leaning back to blurt out playfully. "Not even close. I took a hook in the shoulder for you. I'll make you a list. You'll be indebted to this friendship for the rest of your long life." Smiling brightly, Nathan hugged Mark again and told him. "Oh, Mark... I'd be lost without you." Nathan started to back up to rejoin his parents, until Mark grabbed his arm. Nathan looked at him with concerned eyes, when Mark leaned in to whisper. "It wasn't just me. You should find Sean." Nathan inhaled sharply. "He'd thought seeing Sean was a dream. There had been so much going on." Whirling around, Nathan blurted out. "Where is he?" Mark pointed up and they both swam toward the surface. Nathan swam the fastest up to the surface, scanning around for him. At the sight of Hook's ship anchored just off from the reef, Nathan's heart began to race. Had he been taken? Taking one quick look around, he saw someone on the beach of Mermaid Island with Sean. Swimming faster than he'd ever swam in his life; he reached the rock that he'd hidden behind when they had first met.

He didn't recognize the man standing next to Sean, but he did resemble his father a bit. For a moment, he thought it was Ursel in a new form. He was wearing the Nautilus shell and holding the trident. He watched the man with a fearful heart as he kneeled to place a hand on Sean's forehead. Upon hearing Sean's strained breaths over the crashing waves against the beach, he started to climb up onto the rock and shouted out. "What are you doing to him?!" The man looked up at him and the second their eyes met; Nathan gasped. He recognized him now. He'd seen pictures of him carved into the walls of the throne room. The gentle breeze rustled Poseidon's long dark hair, when he told him coolly. "I'm trying to calm him. He's struggling to breathe." The air left Nathan's lungs as he recalled Sean struggling to breathe before. Diving off the rock, Nathan rushed to the beach. The waves crashed over his back, but he pleaded out. "Can you help him? Please?!" Realizing he had raised his voice to a god, he quickly bowed his head.

Poseidon stared at Nathan with unreadable eyes. When Triton and Lorelei breached the surface with Mark, Poseidon finally told him. "I have no power over Mortal lives. I cannot heal him." Nathan sniffled, until Poseidon's eyes drifted to Lorelei, and he added softly. "The boy is caught between two worlds. If he wishes to find peace. He'll need to pick a side. One I can do nothing for. The other... I can. But it must be his choice... and he's fading." Nathan crawled across the beach to reach Sean, placing a hand on Sean's chest. Sean's breathing was so strained that it seemed to be taking all his energy. At the sight of him though, a smile spread over Sean's lips. Lifting his hand, he touched Nathan's cheek, straining out. "You're... ok." Leaning into his hand, he nodded and for the first time inhaled to tell him lovingly. "I love you, Sean." Sean's eyes widened a little in shock and Nathan whispered to him. "The person you met that night... was me." Tears ran down his cheeks as he started to sing to him the same song that he'd sung when they met.

When he finished, Sean's thumb brushed a tear off Nathan's cheek, before straining out. "Thank you... I..." Sean's body tensed as he gasped harder. Nathan could feel his fear and it broke Nathan's heart. So, he did the only thing he could think of. He leaned over him and kissed him. If he couldn't save him, then he wanted his last moments to be memorable. Tears spilled from his eyes as he kissed him. He just didn't have enough time. Sean's body relaxed and Nathan broke the kiss to bury his head against his neck and cried. He couldn't bare to look at him. His heart felt heavy enough to sink to the deepest fathoms. His body felt numb. Behind him, Mark gently called out. "Nathan? Nathan, look." Nathan shook his head, sniffling quietly. He needed a minute to recover. When a hand moved up his back in such a way that it gave Nathan goosebumps. Jerking his head up, he turned to hiss out behind him. "Stop it!" However, there was no one near him. Everyone was farther out in the water. Even Poseidon was standing shin deep in the waves with his trident prongs touching the water.

The surface of the water was glowing as a wave of golden color lapped over the end of a tail that didn't belong to him. Nathan lifted his purple tail to check it, then looked at the shimmering emerald green tail that was beneath him. Nathan started to turn his head, when a familiar voice whispered into his fin ear. "I already made my decision. I wanna be with you." Nathan slowly turned his head to look at Sean and grinned so brightly that it hurt his cheeks. Sean's blue eyes stood out against the green webbed fins that had replaced his ears. His webbed hand moved to brush the long bangs from Nathan's eyes, asking him hopefully. "Now you can laugh at me as I try to learn to swim in your world." Nathan laughed but asked curiously. "What about your kingdom?" Sean gestured to someone, answering. "He took care of that for me." Nathan followed Sean's hand to Poseidon, who answered openly. "Ursel and James will be spending their time there for the foreseeable future. Keeps them close to family and... this way... I can keep an eye on everyone."

Nathan was still confused, until Sean told him sweetly. "I'm disinheriting myself. Flotsam will get everything. Even Princess Verlaine. Poseidon says it is a fresh start for them... and I get to go home." Nathan blinked in shock, leaving Lorelei to fill in softly for everyone. "I can explain that. See... When I found out that I couldn't bare Triton a son, I sought out Ursel for help. He gave me a potion that would give me what I wanted... but while taking it above the surface, I saw a woman crying on the beach. She had the same problem as me. She needed an heir... So, I drank half of the potion and gave her the rest." Lorelei inhaled deeply, continuing a bit grimly. "It worked. I was able to give my husband a male heir that would carry Poseidon's trident... but the Queen... she gave birth to a hybrid. Part human and part Merfolk."

Poseidon cut in then to say stoically. "A hybrid that is unable to transform suffers breathing problems. Their lungs fighting against each other for control in stressful or cold environments. It's becoming more common as merfolk breed with humans. It is unnatural for the offspring. Which is why I didn't want Ursel adding to the growing problem with his love for James. A love that I believed he had hexed James into feeling for him. I was wrong." Mark blurted out curiously then without thinking. "I thought you didn't want Ursel to control the throne because he was..." Mark didn't finish, his cheeks turning red as Triton and Lorelei looked at him. Poseidon rolled his eyes, correcting honestly. "No. That was a rumor that went out of control." Poseidon locked eyes with Triton, who hid his face against Lorelei's shoulder with embarrassment. Taking a deep breath, Poseidon cleared up firmly. "I felt Ursel wasn't strong enough to wield my trident because he lacked focus. He was always dreaming about the surface and about James. Atlantica needs a king that puts the safety of Merfolk first. The trident cannot protect the people, if it is not WITH the people."

Nathan nodded to himself. He could understand that. Poseidon then lifted the shell from around his neck, telling them with a deep sorrow. "The Nautilus Shell has always been passed to the eldest daughter. For while the wielder of the trident is the King of one half of the sea. The wielder of the shell is the Queen of the other half. That is how I chose to divide the burden. For if one was to try to rule it all... the sheer power it would take would destroy anyone less than a god. I thought by dividing it like this it would be balanced... but until I can calm things down again. I'm thinking I'll hold onto them for a while." Triton jerked his head up, looking a little upset at having his trident taken away. Poseidon merely grinned at him, walking into the water as he uttered out. "Don't look at me like that. It was mine before it was yours, kid. And look at this. You scratched it." Triton whirled around, rushing after Poseidon as he said loudly. "I didn't scratch it! Dad! Don't walk away when I'm talking to you! Hey! Wait up!" Mark snickered as Lorelei rolled her eyes and said under her breath. "Boys..."

Lorelei reached out to ruffle Mark's hair, telling him in a motherly tone. "I better go calm Triton down. Make sure you bring them home before dinner." Mark scoffed, watching her leave before beckoning Sean and Nathan to get off the beach. Nathan ignored Mark with a chuckle, bringing his lips to Sean's to kiss him passionately. After their long kiss, Nathan made his way back into the ocean and Mark helped Sean in with them. Mark took Sean below the surface, trying to teach him how to use his tail. While Nathan lingered to look out at the ship. The ship was moving now, heading back to the castle. Even from a distance, he could hear the music playing on deck from Smee's flute as he sat on the railing of the ship. He could see figures dancing on the deck that looked like Hook and Vanessa, and Flotsam and Verlaine. It made Nathan smile to think they'd be alright. Then from the back of the ship, he saw Jetsam move to the railing with a young male pirate. When Jetsam saw him, he waved with a smile and Nathan waved back before sinking into the water.

Slipping under the surface, Nathan rushed over to join Mark and Sean. For a few hours, they taught Sean what they could about swimming and eventually he got it. Darting to and frow like an excited child. Nathan slid his arms around Mark's neck as he sat on a rock. Mark rubbed one of his arms, looking at him as he told him happily. "I'm glad that you're staying. It would get so boring here without you." Nathan kissed his temple, whispering to him affectionately. "I could never leave the ocean, Mark. The surface world is nice... but I'd miss the sea. It's my home." Sean rushed by cheering loudly, before crashing into a cluster of seaweed. Nathan chuckled, watching Sean try to untangle himself as he called out. "I'm ok!" Leaning back into him, Mark asked Nathan lightly. "What are we going to do about him?" Nathan hugged Mark close, saying softly. "I was thinking... maybe we can clean out my grotto and... you both move in?" Mark straightened up more, replying a little surprised. "Both of us?"

Nathan sat down beside him, nodding as he told him. "Sure. It will make it easier for you to keep me out of trouble. And as you say... I'll just be a bad influence on him." Mark flashed him a grin, then leaned in to kiss his lips briefly. Nathan returned the kiss, until Sean swam over and told him excitedly. "I think I'm getting the hang of this." Nathan pulled a piece of seaweed off his head, chuckling out. "Good. We wanna show you something." To Be Continued...