Love can rise from the darkest abysses of the ocean, as fierce as the storm and as warm as a mermaid’s song

by baroquedreamss

Summary:

Ben Linus grew up knowing the tale of elusive mermaids - sirens - dwelling in the depths of the oceans that surrounded the Island. He knew them to be deadly with their enchanting song, but he never paid the stories any mind…until he unwittingly came across one of the creatures walking on land.
For the first time in centuries, the usually reclusive mermaids were starting to go head to head with the humans they hated. A political game was afoot and, as Ben scrambled to learn more about a powerful but captivating supernatural rival, he slowly discovered that maybe not all mermaids were monsters.
And what kind of love can rise from the darkest depths of the ocean itself?

Chapter 1: The dire tales warned them, the lore was foretold in the books

“Beware the wave-soaked maidens to whom the depths belong

If you sail upon their waters, then you won’t sail for long” – Ginny D

 

Benjamin Linus was well acquainted with the lore of the mermaids of the Island.

Every person initiated into the group that protected the location – Jacob’s people – was taught the same lessons that Ben had ingrained in his brain: Jacob knows all so we obey him, our priority is to keep this Island safe no matter the cost, and never wander into the ocean on the East side of the Island lest you be driven mad and drowned by monsters.

The tales were a dire warning of predatory creatures lurking in the depths, ready to snatch any person who dared cross their path and drag them to the bottom of the sea with their hypnotizing song. Man-eaters whose only desires were sinking ships and feasting on the flesh of the fallen.

There was, however, one silver lining, and the humans’ only chance of survival. Almost four centuries prior, mermaids and humans drafted a treaty to allow them to live in peace. Boundaries and borders were drawn: the humans agreed to never set sail through the Eastern Sea, and the sirens agreed to leave them alone as long as they kept their distance from the east territory. The truce was said to be uneasy at first, but grew comfortable overtime, with very few incidents just as long as everyone respected the rules.

Growing up, Ben thought it a fantastical story, but no more unrealistic than the other wonders of the Island such as the ghosts, the wandering pillar of black smoke, the man who didn’t grow old, and the deity-like Jacob himself. If they were real, why couldn’t the mermaids be so as well? The scientists of Dharma, unaware of the true metaphysical power of the Island, decried it as fable, but little Benjamin knew better. He avoided the beach on the east side of the Island as diligently as he avoided his father when the man was drunk-- which, unfortunately, was very often.

Then the purge of the Dharma Initiative happened, and he moved in with Jacob’s people full time: they had always been Ben’s people too, and his only hope of escape from childhood abuse.

Many of them had stories of glimpsing one of the mysterious sirens – an iridescent tail slipping under the surface of the waves or the faraway glimmer of glowing eyes that suddenly vanished-- or hearing distant whispers of their beautiful luring melody. Some disappearances were blamed on such creatures, regardless of any concrete evidence. Ben found the legends unsettling, but aside from making sure he didn’t violate the treaty, he didn’t give the sirens much thought at all.

Until he spotted them himself: a surreally terrifying sight that he would never forget.

Ben came face to face with them for the first time in his early twenties. He was only 23, sleep deprived and dealing with a new baby he had just adopted to save her life; she wasn’t biologically his, but the moment she became his daughter, he had instantly loved her as such. Being a new, single father was exhausting. Baby Alex was often fussy, screaming all night, and he had discovered entirely by accident that the sound of rolling waves calmed her. That evening, Ben walked the shore for hours, cradling his child close to his chest and gently rocking her, trying to soothe her in the dark. He lost track of how far he’d walked, only realizing his grave error when the haunting melody reached his ears. His mind went immediately fuzzy. It was the most gorgeous sound he’d ever heard, so entrancing that he became consumed by one single thought: finding the source of the song. He was ready to walk all the way into the ocean, entirely unaware that he was bringing little Alex with him.

One step became ten and he was ankle-deep. Then another ten. He was waist-deep in the pitch black sea when the singing suddenly stopped and his mind cleared; as he came out of the trance, the first thing he felt were the waves gently lapping at him. Why were his pants wet? And then he remembered walking there. Ben was gripped by a petrifying panic upon realizing he was halfway into the ocean--- and he instantly understood what happened. He was trespassing on that beach. They lured him as punishment. His breath shook and he froze, wide eyed, gaze darting about frantically. That’s when he saw them: seven pairs of golden eyes peering just above the surface, as bright as the moonlight, with long hairs floating softly in the water behind them. The ocean obscured them from the nose down.

It was one of the creepiest sights he had ever witnessed! Ben’s stomach dropped like a stone; he was doomed. He would be torn to shreds and eaten alive.

“Please don’t hurt the child,” he shouted so they could hear him. Ben had only been her father for a few weeks, but he genuinely loved her as if she was his own. He didn’t know what else to do other than beg for Alex’s life. Running would be useless, and he couldn’t drop the baby to cover his own ears. Well--- he could, but he’d never do such a thing, and admonished himself for even having the passing thought of it.

The sirens, however, didn’t attack, and they didn’t sing anymore. In sync, they lifted their heads out of the water and rose up to their collarbones, taking his breath away even from quite a distance away – they were the most exquisite seven women Ben had ever laid eyes on, possessing of an otherworldly beauty – and they told him to go.

Just that single, ominous word cutting through the dense silence and echoing in the night sky. Go.

He didn’t have to be told twice; he darted out of there at full speed, clumsily kicking up water as he treaded, his heart pounding furiously with fear and keeping his daughter snug safely in his arms. He didn’t stop running until he was miles inland, his legs aching and his face slick with sweat.

Panting, he finally sat against a tree and gently shushed the crying baby, who didn’t enjoy the overly bouncy midnight run. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. It’s okay, sweetheart. Daddy’s got you.” He continued to shush, rocking her in his arms until she was finally lulled into sleep. Ben breathed out heavily, feeling the tension in his shoulders finally easing up a little. But there was one question swirling in his mind, deeply bothering him because he was unable to work out an answer with any degree of certainty: why did the sirens spare his life? Ben theorized that the presence of a baby might have had something to do with it, which would mean the creatures felt a degree of empathy. Maybe--- just maybe, they weren’t the single-minded flesh eaters the stories painted them as. Would such predators even be willing or capable of drafting a treaty? That part of the lore had always struck him as suspiciously incongruent. He was well-versed in how bias worked in books and writings, and perhaps that was what it was: dangerous creatures, but clever and fascinating, and frightened humans who painted them as one-dimensional monsters.

He wished he knew more about them, but neither he nor his people would dare approach to try to find out more. Despite his many sound theories, in the years to come he would never be sure why the mermaids spared him and his daughter.

***

Three years passed until he had another incident with a siren.

Ben had decided to oust the current leader of his people. His reasons for doing so were dubious; on one hand, Charles Widmore was a terrible leader. Cruel, elitist, constantly breaking Jacob’s rules to the point of having a daughter off-Island. Ben knew that his people would genuinely be better off with him in charge, and that he could help them thrive while keeping the Island safe. On the other hand, he wanted the leadership position because he craved power. He always had. When one grew up in an abusive household with all of their power stripped away and no control over their own life and safety, that helplessness created a lasting trauma. Ben didn’t know how to feel safe and secure unless he had complete control over everything and everyone around him, and power would grant him that.

So he plotted to exile Widmore and become a better replacement, more deserving of his people than his inept predecessor. His plan was nearly complete; he only needed one final piece for the puzzle to fall into place. Proof of Penelope, the baby that Charles was raising on the mainland. Once Ben presented their people with it, they would have no choice but to see it his way and recognize that Charles had to go--- after all, maintaining a relationship off-Island was a complete breach of Jacob’s rules.

He needed to be extremely discreet in his pursuit of the coup. At Richard’s signal, he left three year old Alex asleep, with his advisor babysitting in the middle of the night, and crossed the Barracks all the way to the docks. Ben borrowed a rowing boat that would silently and discreetly take him to the communications center, where he could establish a video connection with an off-Island associate.

Once there, it wasn’t hard to complete what he’d set out to do. Of course not; Ben was an excellent planner, always making sure everything went off without a hitch. His mainland associate was transmitting a live video of Widmore and Penny – who hadn’t been a baby in years – while Ben used a VCR tape to record the footage. For good measure and as per his orders, the associate sent him a picture of father and daughter as well, and Ben quickly printed it on an old set of computers and wheezy printer. He picked it up, looking at it with a slight curl of the lips and a stoic sneer. “You should have obeyed the rules, Charles. This is your own fault,” he muttered as he placed the picture safely inside his wallet and gathered the tape.

He was very pleased with himself as he walked back to the boat. Some tenderer part of him felt guilty, but he instantly buried it; after all, Widmore brought his own misfortunes upon himself. Another part of Ben felt increasingly giddy as his plan came closer and closer to fruition. He could almost taste the leadership--- it was right in front of him; all he had to do now was take it, and be a good leader. A powerful man.

Digging the heels of his feet into the sand, he pushed the small boat back in the water and got inside. Ben grabbed the oar and began steering. The cool evening breeze felt so nice, and he allowed himself a self-satisfied smirk of victory.

He rowed along the route, keeping close to the shoreline. Everything was fine until he had the spine-tingling sensation that he was being watched. Ben’s head snapped around, his gaze piercing the dark in search of … he didn’t know what, exactly. One of them, most likely. A chill crept up his spine. He knew he was moving right at the edge of the border, nearly crossing into the East side. But he wasn’t there, which should mean he was safe… it was a treaty as old as time, guaranteeing that the two species didn’t clash just as long as the boundaries were respected. Still, the idea that he may have been secretly observed by a monster had the hairs on the back of his neck standing up.

Mercifully, the secret didn’t stay secret for very long. A head rose out from the bobbing waves, breaking the surface of the water and nearly giving him a heart attack. Ben wasted no time before dropping the oars and covering his ears with his fingers. Just because he should be safe didn’t necessarily mean that he would be. He stood very still, observing as intensely as he was being observed, his gaze guarded and calculating. The night was moonless, far too dark for him to see anything other than light blonde hair and some sort of adornment on her head.

Hurry, I’m so close, he urged his boat to go faster on its own despite knowing it was utterly irrational. The woman – the siren -- in the water wasn’t attacking, but he wouldn’t feel at ease until he was on dry land again.

Suddenly, she elegantly raised her hands with a flourish, moving her mouth as if she was singing. Bad sign. His eyes grew with concern, and then practically popped out of their sockets when he realized the waves were following her command. With a simple gesture that mystical creature was bending nature to her will, conjuring up a tall, violent wave. He let out a shocked gasp just as she flicked her wrists outwards and sent the massive water tower to crush his little boat.

It crashed at the hull with great force. Ben was knocked around and stumbled backwards, letting out a small cry as he grabbed hold of the nearest piece of bench. Both oars were completely lost to the depths. More waves assaulted his vessel, soaking him and stinging his skin like a lash. The revolt sea threw the boat around like a ragdoll, shaking Ben and leaving him clinging for dear life. He cowered where he knelt, gripping the bench and pressing his eyes tightly shut to keep the salt from getting in.

But what could one small man do against the fury of the sea? The next wave was tall enough to tip the boat completely over, sending him under with a splash. He swam back up, disoriented by the tides tossing him about.

“Ah,” he half spoke, half gasped, wiping the water from his eyes. He located the shore, which by the grace of Jacob wasn’t too far out. He just had to swim to the hut…oh no. His stomach did a nauseating flip when he saw the marker of the border on dry land. Now he was on the east side; now it was fair game for her to drown him, as per the accords. She cheated. Why? Was she too hungry? Ben judged her harshly for her treachery, but then again...perhaps it was the same type of loophole that he would take advantage of when given the chance.

The man broke into the fastest swim of his life, aiming for the shore. His heart nearly stopped when he felt a hand clamping around his ankle and dragging him under the waves; he barely had time to hold his breath! Ben felt himself descending further and further, and he couldn’t free himself from her grasp no matter how much he wriggled. His heart pounded madly; being underwater in the company of a siren was horrifying, and she was shifting closer. The night was pitch black, blinding him to all but the glowing golden eyes standing inches from his face---now he understood them; they were light sources, for the mermaids lived in inky-black waters. His gaze trailed down and, for the first time, he glimpsed the tail on the lower half of her body, scaly and long, perhaps blue or green; even though he knew she had to have a tail, it was still a wildly surreal thing to see in person; he could hardly believe his own eyes!

But it was no time to admire her mythical features, because he was running out of air. Ben whimpered and desperately kicked his feet, trying to swim away from her. When that wasn’t enough, he aimed a kick right under her eyes; it hit her, and it must’ve caused enough damage, because she recoiled and released him. He swam up with sweeping strokes, taking deep breaths as his head broke the surface of the water; he could feel his hands shaking with pure fear, his breath coming out in heavy little pants and the salt dense on his tongue.

He swam a little further, mind racing with the question of where the hell was she?! He couldn’t see underwater, she might have been right there…right under him, slowly rising up…

The creature leapt out with a hiss, angered at being hit. Icy hands gripped his throat and he let out a strangled yelp of fear. “P-please,” he tried, frightened tears pooling in his eyes as he caught a flash of very sharp teeth. “I-I didn’t mean to trespass— I didn’t trespass! I-- ah!” Ben cried out, out of sheer panic, when she forced him closer to her. He closed his eyes, jerking his head and turning it away from her. She was angry; she could’ve easily sung him into full compliance, but was choosing to forcefully drown him instead. The exhausted, frazzled 26 year old man was openly weeping now, pathetically trying to reason with the mermaid. “Please don’t eat me! We can-- make a deal--I’ll get my people to--”

She sneered, uninterested in his offers and pleadings. He attempted to pry her fingers off of his neck, which only served to make her spitefully dunk him underwater. Ben struggled against her, absolutely terrified.

She easily held him there despite his struggling, dragging him down further and further by the neck. His hopelessness grew the deeper they went, as the surface was becoming a nearly unreachable, faraway goal. The air was running out quickly, his vision was getting spots and his strength was diminishing. Maybe drowning was better than being eaten alive, but he didn’t want to die! There was so much left for him to accomplish, his daughter was a mere child, he liked his life despite its complications! The Island needed him! His mind raced with wildly frantic survival instincts. His vision went blurrier still, but he could still focus on the half-woman in front of him: the golden eyes were wicked, framed by a smile of sharp fangs. Those teeth made his heart jump with abject terror; Ben prayed that Jacob would spare him. “I’m sorry,” he told the aquatic creature, though it came out garbled underwater. The golden eyes blinked a couple of times and the smile vanished. She came so close to him that he could almost make out her face--- but the water was too murky to see clearly. Just when he thought he was taking his last breath, the siren hurled him up, allowing him to breach the surface and fill his lungs much faster than if he had to swim up on his own. He gasped, hungrily taking in huge gulps of air to slowly replenish the oxygen in his body. Ben could hear his blood rushing in his ears. Panicked, he spun around to locate the siren, but he only saw the fins at the bottom of her tail flicking up as she dove, disappearing into the inky black waves. Was she toying with him, or did she really let him go?

Ben was trembling, using whatever last bit of energy he could muster to get himself to shore, where he crawled on hands and knees into the jungle. He flopped on the dirt, panting and coughing, taking a moment for his heartbeat to steady. He felt so small, so vulnerable--- the thing he hated and feared the most. He ran a hand through his soaked hair, still shaking like a leaf. That was the most terrifying experience he’d ever had, and it bewildered him that he managed to survive it somehow. Had his apology swayed her, or was it a fluke? How odd to be spared by a mermaid not once, but twice. How lucky.

His boat had crashed far from the docks. A drenched Ben hiked back to the Barracks, alone in the dark of the night, scared out of his wits that he may encounter another danger lurking amongst the trees. Luckily, he had always been good at staying calm and keeping his cool under intense stress and fear, so he managed to persevere on his trek without losing it. When he finally made it back to the safety of his house, he collapsed onto the dining chair, breathing heavily.

He looked an absolute mess: disheveled, soaking wet, streaked with dirt and exhausted, with a patch of angry red skin around his neck.

Richard’s eyes grew with worry, checking him over. “What happened?” he asked simply, concerned.

The younger man panted a few times, his chest rising and falling rapidly as he gathered his breath and recomposed himself. He picked up the wallet from his pants pocket and opened it, relieved that he had the foresight to place the photograph inside the plastic sleeve: it had stayed dry. The tape, of course, was lost to the depths of the ocean. No matter; he’d just have to do a better job of selling the story with less concrete evidence. “I got the proof we need,” he finally declared flatly, and then his eyes met Richard’s, as shadowy as the waters had been. “But we have a problem. The mermaids are getting too bold.”

“What do you mean?” the immortal man frowned.

“I saw one tonight. She sent a wave to knock over my boat so that I would unintentionally cross the Eastern barrier,” Ben explained grimly, his eyes dark.

Richard pondered the news, face creasing with worry. “They’ve never done that in centuries.”

“That’s my point,” Ben droned pointedly, his face eerily expressionless. “Something changed. We need to figure out what, and how to stop them.” He knew that, as the soon-to-be leader, it would fall on him to keep his people safe from the predatory aquatic creatures.

Richard nodded, agreeing. “I’m glad you’re alright.” Ben gave a brief tight-lipped smile of thanks. Richard was still confused about one little detail, though: “Ben, how did you survive?”

“I apologized,” he admitted in an acerbic deadpan. “It swayed her, somehow.”

It was a good sign. If those creatures had empathy, like he’d suspected three years prior, then they could be manipulated. And if anyone could figure out a way to exploit a mermaid’s weakness, it was the brilliant mind of Ben Linus.

***

Nearly a decade passed since that terrible night—eight years, to be precise. Ben had been successful in exiling and replacing Widmore, and although he didn’t see a mermaid again, he never forgot the look of those lit up golden siren eyes.

Things were going well for him. His eleven year old daughter was curious and bright, his people appreciated his leadership and the Island was thriving under his command. Ben was rather satisfied. There were a few issues, however, where Jacob was concerned. The deity-like figure refused to speak to Ben, which was starting to bother him. Ben was patient, dutiful in fulfilling Jacob’s orders, but he was beginning to wonder why the refusal to meet with him. He couldn’t help but take it personally.

Another issue was that any pregnancies on the Island resulted in the death of both mother and unborn child. That concerned him greatly; Ben’s own mother had died during his birth, leaving him to be raised by his drunk and abusive father who blamed him for her death. It was personal, and he wanted to fix that condition more than anything. He would have to look into bringing some type of fertility doctor to the Island soon enough.

The mermaids hadn’t caused any problems in eight years. Since that incident, Ben had instated a new rule mandating that they keep a wide breach from the eastern sea, so that no storm would be fierce enough to drag them past the border. They always carried earplugs with them on boats, too. His rules had worked splendidly and kept them all safe.

He was making his way from the garden at the Orchid Station back to the Barracks, by himself. An unexpected noise caused Ben to halt and narrow his eyes with caution. There was a loud rustling accompanied by clumsy footsteps, too heavy to be an animal. Just as his hand curled around the baton he carried for protection, a barefoot woman darted out of the jungle. She stopped dead on her tracks when she spotted Ben, visibly startled--- and then she tensed, hazel brown eyes narrowing at him. When the sunlight hit them head on there were flecks of gold shining through.

Ben’s blue eyes widened in response, jaw slacking. He was in complete shock, because he had no idea who she was. How was it possible that there was a person on his Island without his knowledge?! How did she get there?! That was a glaring security breach, and how many more people were with her? Was she brought by Jacob – and if so, why? Where were his lists? -- or did one of Ben’s enemies finally manage to locate him? He prided himself on knowing everything that was happening on his Island; nobody took a step without Benjamin hearing about it. So naturally, being faced with a mysterious stranger shook him to his core, leaving him scared and seething. Luckily he knew how to keep it together, and he snapped his mouth shut. He had to tread carefully, hiding all of his emotions behind the calm mask of a leader that he often donned with ease.

“Hello,” he offered her a calculated smile. Friendly, but tight around the eyes. “Are you alright? How did you get here?” He let go of the weapon but his hand hovered near it.

She opened her mouth and nothing came out. The woman pouted and exhaled sharply through her nose, visibly frustrated. Ben quirked a curious brow. She tried again, hoarse words pouring out of her: “Greetings, good sir!” She smiled in equally calculated manner and his lips curled with suspicion; that was a very unexpected turn of phrase from her, and a rather odd expression too. She continued: “I am unhurt. I cameth from the ocean.” A clever way to speak the truth.

Her way of speaking was unusual, although some would say the same of him. Ben had a particular speech, very eloquent and almost melodic in his precise word choice; it drew people to him and informed them of his high intelligence. The woman sounded like a person from another century entirely. Why was she talking in such a way? And what did she mean? His brows were still quirked, eyeing her skeptically. “From the ocean, how?” he pressed.

“Aye, the ocean. I shipwrecked,” she lied. “One day ago.” She let her gaze wander freely over him, taking in the sight of the man. He was a rather attractive specimen, intense and focused, and so far civilized enough to not attack her--- but she didn’t think much of him. The mermaid didn’t think much of any human, and always expected the worst from them.

“My name is Henry Gale,” Ben lied and politely held out his hand, masking his suspicions. She recoiled, startled as if he’d made a move to hurt her, and her posture changed to a defensive stance, ready to attack right back. His eyes squinted quizzically at her, hand frozen in mid-air.

Realizing her mistake, she straightened up again. “Oh, mine apologies.” She had completely forgotten that shaking hands was a human custom. “I am fairly out of sorts. Mine nameth is--.” She paused midway, taking notice of Ben’s reactions to her choice of words. The woman could tell from the slight tilt of the head and the quirk of the brow that he found her speech pattern unusual. And come to think of it, he didn’t talk like she remembered humans talking, either. The blonde was a fast learner, switching gears to mimic his speech with relative ease. “I meant, my name. My name is Pearl.” Her hand delicately took his, giving it a shake with a noticeably cold touch, and she smiled a charming but empty smile. ‘Pearl’ was the name she always used on land; her real name was unpronounceable in any human language.

Ben smiled back, out of a sense of wishing to appease her; she was awfully skittish, and he needed to gain her trust to interrogate her. But he didn’t feel like smiling at all. Something was wrong. He couldn’t put his finger on it, but the girl unsettled him. She was beautiful, strikingly so, with light blonde waves of hair that cascaded down to her waist, and brown eyes with specs of gold, and a dazzling smile--- but her demeanor was off-putting. Something in the way she talked, or moved, or smiled, or the expression behind her eyes, was unnatural, and it left Ben on edge. He detected cunning in her; maybe as much as he had in himself. It wouldn’t do to go toe to toe with such an enemy, should she reveal herself to be one, without having more information about her.

There was a familiarity there that he couldn’t explain, too, like he had caught a glimpse of her somewhere before…although that was impossible, because where would she have been? To make matters even stranger, she was dressed in what looked like the sail of a ship, which was just plain bizarre. She was barefoot, with pieces of wet grass and dirt sticking to the formerly wet skin, lending credibility to her story of swimming. Her necklace caught his attention too: a dainty silver string with a moonstone pendant. It was a rare gem to see on the Island, and he made a mental note to research more about it, as it might lead to clues about who she was.

In retrospect, it should have been obvious, but nowhere in the lore did it even hint at mermaids being able to walk on legs.

“It’s nice to meet you, Pearl. I can take you somewhere safe, where you may eat and rest, if you’d like. Will you please accompany me?” It wasn’t a suggestion, though he put it forth as one, under the guise of being concerned for her. Despite his best efforts to make himself appear harmless and warm, his smile still held some tension and his eyes were guarded. Many would miss the signs, but a perceptive person such as Pearl picked up on the subtleties of his expression. She knew she made him uncomfortable, and that he absolutely did not trust her at all. Likewise, she thought.

She weighed Ben’s offer. It might be dangerous to put herself in the hands of humans; she would be quite outnumbered should they find out the truth about her. But Pearl was more powerful than any of them, and intrigued enough by the man with the big blue eyes, the lovely cheekbones, the soft spiky hair and the tight-lipped smile that she decided to give it a chance. After all, was she not on land to gather intel? To watch from a distance, sure, but … infiltrating and studying them from the inside was an unparalleled opportunity! Pearl boldly decided she would try. If those humans were as awful and cruel as she expected them to be, she would simply eat them for dinner.

“That wouldst--would be lovely, Henry, I thank thee. You. I—I thank you.” She curtsied elegantly, drawing another quizzical look from the man.

He excused himself for a moment, hurriedly radioing Tom Friendly and instructing him to take a group to the decoy village. “I’ll explain later,” he said sourly before hanging up and rejoining his unexpected guest.

Man and mermaid walked for a bit, which she struggled with. Ben mused on how it was antithetical to the grace and elegance that her other movements held; every hand flourish, every hair toss, every bat of the eyelashes and turn of the head was like a carefully crafted, beautiful dance. But walking? She had no grace there, and was, in fact, almost comically clumsy. The rougher the terrain, the more her legs shook and wobbled, leaving her grabbing at trees for balance. Pearl blew a puff of air, rolling her eyes with impatience at herself. She was, of course, entirely unused to having legs; the last time she walked was a good hundred years prior.

“Is everything alright?” Ben finally asked, carefully.

“I had to swim quite the distance to get here,” she spun a half-truth, gaze careful and astute. “My legs are rather sore as a result. May I, please?” The blonde held out her arm, asking if he would let her hang on to him.

His sense of politeness and need for being proper would never allow him to deny her. He may not trust her whatsoever, but Ben was still a gentleman. “Of course,” he promptly took her offered arm. She tightened her grip by snaking hers around his, a strange little smile playing on her lips. She was close enough now that Ben picked up on her scent: she smelled just like the sea breeze on an early morning, which was rather pleasant.

Many different emotions were surging through the aquatic creature. Most strongly, hatred. She despised that she needed the help of a wretched human, and she fought the urge to simply bite him. But there was also a sense of smug satisfaction in knowing he had bent to her whims so easily, with no need for her to sing him into compliance. There was curiosity, too; humans were a mystery, and that particular man had a secretive aura all of his own--- it intrigued her, drawing her in and making her want to solve his mystery. There was even a hint of a kindred spirit: she recognized the same sagacity, power and self-assurance in him that she also possessed. And, perhaps, as loathe as she was to admit it…she felt a twinge of gratitude. He was helping her, and he was respectful; he didn’t gawk nor did he try to touch her. In fact, he barely paid her any mind; it was refreshing for a being such as a mermaid. To her, humans were hateful creatures that destroyed the mermaids’ kingdom with greed and pollution, who tried to fish them out and make pets or experiments out of them, who wanted to touch them and take them without permission--- but occasionally, every century or so, there was something intriguing about one of them. Maybe, just maybe, that Henry could be more than food.

Ben, of course, simply appeared to pay her no mind. He kept his eyes focused on the path, never letting them dart her way, but he was thinking about her the entire time. Where the hell had she come from, and why was she so…ethereal? It disquieted him.

Despite every alarm bell ringing in his head telling him to be careful around her, Ben could never guess as to her true nature; her eyes were not glowing with pure golden light, and her teeth weren’t sharp fangs at the moment. And most importantly, there was no fish tail; he had no idea that the sirens could grow legs and walk amongst them on land. Nobody knew that.

They walked together a while longer, in uncomfortable silence as each discreetly sized the other one up. Her gaze was inquisitive and distant, though occasionally amusement would flicker past. His was intense and careful, only softening when he purposely tried to appear friendlier. Pearl held on tightly to his arm, hanging some of her weight on it so it was easier to stay on balance with every footstep.

He minded it less than he should have.

There was no way in hell he’d take this possible spy into the Barracks where his people actually lived. No, she belonged at their beach village, a rustic decoy setup intended to trick anyone who might come across it. Ben was sour to have to spend a few days there – he much preferred the comfort of the suburban yellow houses – but he didn’t trust her in the hands of anyone but himself just yet. It was a small sacrifice. He took the longer route, adding extra twists and turns to give his people time to arrive and make it look like they’d been living there all along. Once enough time passed, he finally took Pearl to the decoy village.

His people weren’t expecting to see their leader pop up with a gorgeous blonde on his arm. A stranger. All of them were alarmed, though none quite as much as Ben, who was prone to slight paranoia in his over-carefulness.

Pearl’s eyes were alert, taking everything in carefully--- and curiously. The decoy village stood atop some rocks, directly above the sea. It was not the side of the ocean where she resided, but she’d swam there before, and she had observed the people going about their day at the village once; every other time, the place was empty. The small yurts made of salvaged material were familiar to her. In fact, any part of the Island that faced the ocean was familiar to Pearl and her sisters; they’d had centuries to swim around and explore, observing and studying the humans from a safe distance. If Ben even suspected how much they knew about his society, his head might explode.

“Do you lot liveth-- live here?” She asked, her voice a little less hoarse than before. Her throat needed time to adjust to speaking above water. The mermaid paid close attention to Ben’s words and diction, improving her modern vernacular by the second.

“Yes,” he lied easily. “We’re a fishing village.”

She twisted her nose at that, scowling. He noticed, but kept it to himself, unsure of what had bothered her so much. Snobbery, or something deeper? She seemed personally offended at the notion of a fishing village. After staring harshly at him for an uncomfortably long moment, she asked sharply: “Do you fish with rods?”

“Yes, of course…” his retort was careful and even.

Her stunning features hardened further. “That is very cruel.” Humans -- she cursed them in her head --always barging into environments where they didn’t belong, and hurting the wildlife. Oh how she hated them!

Ben blinked, not entirely equipped to answer to that. “We don’t have much of a choice,” he eventually pointed out flatly.

“Hm. Quite right,” she nodded gently, pretending to agree and be appeased. He didn’t buy it, easily reading the tightness around her mouth as distaste for the village, and for him. Not having anything advantageous to say, he stayed quiet, choosing to simply observe her instead. Eventually she grew tired of it, and asked: “What is inside of those?”, vaguely gesturing at the small huts.

“Allow me to show you.” He walked her to a yurt he knew would be empty, held the door open for her and motioned inside. “After you.”

Pearl hesitated, warily eyeing the opening up and down, before letting go of his arm and taking steps forward. The yurt was very simple: it had a small cot, a couple of wooden chairs around a rickety table, and a bucket that they pretended to use as a bathroom. She immediately gravitated to the chair, hoping to rest her legs; the muscles, unaccustomed to walking, were starting to lightly tremble. “Oh, how wonderful to have a moment of respite! I am indeed immensely tired.”

He acknowledged her with a non-committal nod, watching closely as she squared off against the chair. It was the strangest display of sitting down Ben had ever witnessed. She stared the chair down like it had personally offended her, then attempted to squat, only to give up halfway and grab the back of the chair for support before dropping herself onto its seat. She beamed with pride, satisfied with what she considered to be a perfect landing. Ben fought the urge to shake his head with pure disbelief.

“Would you like something to eat, or drink? It seems you’ve had a troubling journey,” he asked once she’d settled. No matter the circumstances, Benjamin had excellent manners.

Pearl realized that she was, indeed, hungry, but she had no idea what humans ate--- other than fish, and she refused to consume them when they were so cruelly harvested. Luckily, she was well-versed in getting her way around things. She smiled kindly at him, giving a slow nod forward. “That would be lovely. I will share in what you’re having, if it will please you.” Ben nodded, and the mermaid was proud of herself for remembering to use ‘would’ instead of ‘wouldst’, and ‘you’ instead of ‘thee’.

He wasn’t actually hungry, but a refreshing juice would be nice after the trek to the decoy village. He poured two glasses of mango juice and offered her one, landing his eyes squarely on hers as he did it. She didn’t flinch or look away at all, holding his piercing gaze instead. Pearl carefully picked up the glass, then stuck her index finger into the liquid. Ben’s eyes widened and his face contorted into shock and a little bit of judgment. What the hell was up with that girl?! He took a seat across from her, taking a sip out of his own juice. Her gaze followed his every movement, studying him, and then she mirrored him: it was a perfect imitation of the way he raised the glass to his lips, sipped it, and put it back down again. He found it extremely odd that she only drank after he did, but perhaps it was her way of being polite.

Pearl had never tried mango juice before, and she discovered that she quite liked it. It was sweet and smooth, and she gulped the rest of it very quickly.

“You say you shipwrecked,” Ben started as soon as she finished her glass. Something in his clipped way of phrasing it let both of them know he wasn’t convinced by her story. “Where was your ship traveling from?”

“Great Britain,” she smiled with ease, holding herself with poise and grace.

His lips turned down and his brows rose up, like he was impressed. Yet, there was something sarcastic in the expression. “Is that where you’re from?”

“I live near the area, yes.” She knew he was testing her, but why? He must’ve been an exceptionally clever human, Pearl suspected, and she was right about that.

“That’s very interesting,” he stated casually, intense eyes fixed squarely on her, taking in her every expression as he tried to read her. “Especially considering you don’t have a British accent.” A mirthless chuckle, and his next words held a biting edge to them. “I would have never guessed you’re British.”

To her credit, Pearl didn’t crumble in any way at being caught in a lie. “Yes, I know that is quite peculiar,” she laughed in a way that was charming, but not warm. “I grew up in a small, isolated community. It is fair to say we did not mingle much with the rest of the country.”

“Hm,” Ben hummed with subtle sarcasm. “Of course.”

She decided not to test him, settling for requesting a second glass of juice and watching him intently as he retrieved it and sat back down on the chair across from her. That human was more intriguing with each passing moment, and incredibly handsome. As loathsome as the rest of them, she was sure, but at least he was a gentleman and easy on the eyes. Pearl had a vague memory of sparing his life once, maybe twice, when she could’ve drowned him. How fascinating that he was the one she’d run into first on her foray onto dry land.

Ben had been told once or twice – usually by his own father – that his stare was rather creepy. He knew that his eyes could look empty and cold if he wanted them to, or intense and piercing with burning fire, and he learned how to use that to intimidate others, watching them squirm under the weight of his gaze. Now, looking into Pearl’s gold-flecked irises, he wondered if this was what others felt like when they looked into his eyes. Pearl’s stare thoroughly unsettled him; she was smiling, but the eyes were icy and almost…hungry? He fought back a shudder, but for some reason he found himself incapable of looking away from her. As uncomfortable as he was, her eyes were absolutely mesmerizing and his gaze was glued to them.

That wasn’t part of her powers. She only became actually hypnotizing when she sang. Her eyes were beautiful, but they were not supernaturally so--- Ben’s fixation on them came from him alone.

Pearl didn’t find it that odd that he was staring; it had taken long enough. She supposed she had a mystifying aura that drew humans in, not in a supernatural way but simply in the way of making them curious, fascinated or attracted. Her kind was built to charm them. As long as they didn’t leer, she didn’t mind drawing looks. And ‘Henry’ certainly wasn’t leering; it was more like he was trying to stare into her soul to decipher her. Pearl began combing her hair with her fingers, humming under her breath. Ben felt lightheaded for a moment, but it passed quickly. He didn’t realize she’d stopped humming when it did.

A knock on the door broke the intense eye-contact between the two mysterious, carefully guarded individuals. Ben glanced behind him just in time to see Richard, his immortal advisor, peeking his head in. “Hey. We wanted to check that everything’s okay.” A few more of his people – Bea, Pickett and Amelia – were right behind Richard, eagerly trying to steal a glimpse at the newcomer.

Ben nodded, smiling tersely at the man. “Everything’s fine. This is Pearl. She---shipwrecked here.” Skepticism tinged the word.

Pearl wanted to hiss at them, to glower with the intensity of a thousand suns. She felt threatened in being alone with so many humans; all they ever wanted was to exploit her kind, in every possible way. She didn’t let herself lose control, however, reminding herself that they may have the numbers, but she had the power. Those people didn’t matter; all she had to do was sing and they would be lining up to throw themselves on their own swords just to please her. The only problem was that her song lost most of its potency while on dry land. At sea, the spell was instantaneous. On land, she had to sing for some time before it was effective. The mermaid knew she had to be careful and never tip her hand as to her true nature; it was the only way to remain in charge, and safe.

Another charming yet slightly eerie smile from her, like there was some hidden knowledge she was holding back from them. “I did indeed. Henry has been wonderful in getting me here safely and keeping me comfortable. I thank you all for the gracious hospitality of welcoming me into your village.” A bow of the head.

Perhaps as a result of her kind’s predatory charm, they seemed to warm to her almost instantly, and a flurry of questions began, which were much the same as Ben’s: where did she hail from? Where did she shipwreck? Was she hurt? She humored them, answering with poise and friendliness. That light smile that played on her lips was disarming to all but Ben. He sensed something deeper – twisted, dangerous – shifting beneath the surface, and it made his skin crawl. He wasn’t so easily charmed by her superficial friendliness and grace.

Ben recognized the power in Pearl. She carried herself like a powerful person--- much like he did. He didn’t like that; it could mean trouble. She recognized the power in him, too, which only intrigued her further.

He was just about to kick everyone else out of the yurt when a loud thunder ripped the skies. Richard, who was closest to the door, stuck his head out before announcing that storm clouds were rolling in. He retired to his own yurt, along with Bea, Pickett and Amelia, leaving Ben alone with Pearl again.

Heavy droplets of rain were beginning to pour; it wasn’t long until it was an all-out tropical storm. It raged fiercely, thundering down on the roofs of the small yurts, the wind whistling violently by. Ben knew their accommodations were built to withstand the Island weather, he just wished they weren’t so old; it had been almost a decade since they last refurbished the village. He looked up at the ceiling, making sure it was staying intact.

Wordlessly, Pearl got up and walked right into the chorus of thunder, rain patters and lightning with her head held high and a smile – the first truly happy and genuine smile Ben had seen from her – wide on her face.

Notes:

Hiii I'm back with a new Ben fic, but I'd like to let everyone know this is going to be on hiatus for a few months. I just wanted to get the first chapter out! Don't worry though, I have about half of this fic already written so it'll definitely get posted, I just want to concentrate on another one first.
In the meantime, if you like Ben/OC fics, you should read my recently completed 'A Ray of Hope', if you haven't yet! I consider that to be my best work, definitely better than this one askakskas and that pairing is just....so perfect for Ben.

I hope this one will be entertaining too. I always had this idea of mermaids existing on the Island and I figured it might be fun to explore how a clever council of sirens might affect the Lost story we're familiar with. Our boy Ben will definitely get the happiness he deserves! I'll be back with actual constant, timely updates in a few months! Thanks for reading! <3
ps- there's an aesthetic moodboard for this and the Mel fic on weheartit, my username is the same as here!

Chapter 2: And the maiden vanished from view as fast as she had come, leaving no trace behind save for the memory in his mind

The storm raged fiercely, thundering down on the roofs of the small yurts. Wordlessly, Pearl got up and walked right into the chorus of thunder, rain patters and lightning with her head held high and a smile – the first truly happy and genuine smile Ben had seen from her – wide on her face.

She beamed up at the sky, letting the rain soak her from the tip of her nose, spreading out her face, then overtaking her entire form. She was soaked completely through, her long blonde hair flying high behind her as she held her arms outstretched. Oh, how she loved the power of the storm! A stunned Ben peered out from the door, watching as she walked all the way to the edge of the rocks. That was so dangerous, what in the world was she doing?! He huffed, shaking his head to himself.

Pearl watched with joyful gaze as lighting tore through the sky, each brighter and more dangerous than the previous. The wind blew past her at high speeds, and the raindrops stung the skin, but she didn’t care; there was a sense of freedom and exhilaration in losing oneself with nature. Communing with it strengthened her, not physically but emotionally. The indomitable force of the storm fired her up. She was at home in any wetness, and even the rain was a great comfort when she felt like a near-literal fish out of water.

As much as she loved the storm, she wasn’t certain those small human houses could survive its fierceness, and she didn’t want her excursion to be cut short over it. So she raised her head to the sky and sang: beautiful notes lifted from her mouth and were carried far by the wind, soaring as if nature and mermaids were allies. It was a soothing song, a lullaby used to calm the skies and temper any storm; sirens were very capable of influencing the weather and controlling water—and sinking ships with that. Within only five minutes the clouds were rolling by and the sun began to shine through the grey again.

Ben witnessed it all: the way her mouth was moving as if she was speaking to the sky…no, not speaking. Singing. He could tell by the way her lips danced that there was a melodious lilt to it. She risked her safety to stand on slippery rocks and sing in a storm? How absolutely baffling. He scoffed, feeling rather frustrated; Ben was excellent at reading people, he always knew exactly what they would do or say and why. It was partly what made him such a master manipulator. But Pearl was an absolute mystery! Nothing that she did made any sense to him, and he couldn’t even begin to predict a pattern of behavior from her yet. That bothered him immensely, because it made him feel like he was not in control. He had to be in control, a need born from the trauma of an abusive childhood: having control and power, the things he lacked growing up, was the only way for Ben to feel safe. He floundered without that, and right now he begrudged the blonde stranger for making him feel adrift and in no control whatsoever.

Well…he had some control, actually. She was in his village, in the hands of his people. That made him feel better.

He watched Pearl stand on shaky legs, arms outstretched for extra balance, and glance around the cliff side like she was looking for something. He wondered what she might be thinking, frowning sulkily at her faraway figure.

She took a few careful steps toward the nearest person she could find: Bea, coming back out to check on her.

Pearl smiled at her, friendly but somehow detached. “Tell me, doth thou have a leader? Hm,” the mermaid grumbled a complaint as she caught herself slipping and using outdated language again. She held out both hands, asking for a pause to carefully pick her words. “…Do you…have…a leader?”

“We do,” the woman confirmed, wondering with a passing moment of suspicion why Pearl would ask such a thing.

“May I speak with her?”

“Him--- and yeah. Wait here, please.” Bea knew the protocol: never tell anyone who the real leader is unless Ben gives permission. She walked back to the yurt where he and Richard were now huddled together, discussing their next step in hushed tones. “Excuse me, Ben?” She waited for his nod of confirmation that she may speak. “Pearl is asking to talk to our leader.”

“What?” he all but hissed, exaggerating the sound of the ‘h’. Ben found that request to be highly suspicious. A stranded woman wouldn’t think in terms of leadership, because why should they have a leader? No, only someone who lived under a hierarchy themselves would think to ask such a question. “Go, Richard, see what it is that she wants,” he instructed with clipped urgency.

It was Ben’s own rule that he never introduced himself as the leader to people he couldn’t control. Identifying his high position served no purpose other than stroke his ego and put him in unnecessary danger; best to not let anyone know who was really in charge, not until it was necessary to do so.

Richard did as told, making his way to where Pearl had been dutifully waiting. He smiled at her. “I heard you were looking for me.”

Pearl’s charming-but-cold smile widened. “Ah! How lovely to have already met thy leader. Wouldst thou kindly be willing to spare a bed for me tonight?” she asked. He seemed amused by it, and she realized with horror that she had slipped in her vocabulary again. Habits were so hard to break! She admonished herself and tried to save face. “Apologies. I hail from a very small community…our customs can be unique. I meant to ask, would you kindly be willing to spare a bed for me tonight?” No other mermaid would dare sleep near humans they didn’t yet trust, but Pearl was as bold as they came; one wasn’t worthy of her current station without cunning and bravery. Staying the night frightened her, but it was a good opportunity to study those creatures she considered enemies up close. What better way to gather information than from within? They’d never suspect her of infiltrating.

“We would be glad to welcome you,” Richard smiled warmly. The more he was in her presence, the more he felt that Pearl was harmless; just an eccentric, lovely woman stranded on an Island. He knew Ben was prone to over-worrying. It was an asset in a lot of ways, allowing him to formulate backup plans for his backup plans, but he occasionally went overboard…and Richard was sure that was one of those cases. Ben had no reason to be so prickly about Pearl.

“Thank you, good sir!” She thanked him with a soft hiss and a small curtsy, which seemed to amuse him yet again, because it reminded him of his life prior to the Island, many centuries ago. Pearl frowned, thinking back to ‘Henry’s’ similarly odd reaction to her curtsying. Was she misremembering how to do it?! Although, come to think of it, none of them had bowed to her, or to each other. Perhaps that was no longer a human custom; she decided to stop doing it unless she witnessed someone else doing it first.

“Our pleasure,” Richard nodded. “Follow me. Henry will set you up with a yurt for the night.” The ever-dutiful advisor followed his instructions with swift precision: pretend to be the leader, then pass Pearl off to Ben with a sound excuse as fast as he could, to allow Ben to observe and analyse her from up close. He walked the woman to where Ben was: outside the yurt where they shared juice, nervously waiting for updates--- though his face was impassive, with no sign of the underlying anxiety.

“Everything okay?” he asked with a pleasant smile and a sideways shake of the head that Richard knew was a front.

“She’d like a place to stay the night. I think you’re the man to set her up with it, Henry,” Richard informed him, then walked away to leave the two be.

“Certainly. We can spare you this accommodation tonight,” he gestured to the small hut, his attention back on Pearl after giving Richard a subtle nod of thanks. “I trust you’ll find it acceptable.”

He took in the sight of her again. She was wet now, her pale skin slick with droplets from the rain, and her long blonde waves soaked and matted to her body. Pearl looked more vibrant than ever, like the storm had recharged her very soul. And in an abstract way, it had; she was so fond of nature, so deeply connected to the waters, that simply being in it made her happy and exhilarated. Her beauty would have made a lesser man tremble, but Ben merely noted on it and felt his mouth go uncharacteristically dry.

“It is more than acceptable--- it’s a lovely bedchamber. Thank you, Henry Gale, sir.” She tilted her head gracefully, an easy smile slipping over her lips as she stepped back inside the man-made structure.

Ben nodded in a silent ‘you’re welcome’. He followed her in, not ready to let her wander off alone just yet. “I was wondering,” he started seemingly out of nowhere, almost softly in its calculated nature, “where are the rest of the people who shipwrecked with you?”

An expression of sorrow swept through the mermaid’s striking features. “I’m the sole survivor. It was a small boat, you see, and I was a mere passenger who did not know any of them--- which I’m thankful for. I’d be mad with grief if I had lost true friends.” Pearl was as good at spinning a story as Ben, already filling in the gaps even before he could pry as to why she wasn’t more devastated by the loss.

“I’m very sorry to hear that,” he offered, gaze dropping to the floor. It came out sincere, but it wasn’t, because he didn’t believe her. Ben was too distrustful to take her words at face value, especially when she was exhibiting such odd behavior and when there were holes in the story. Plus, the technology of his people should have picked up any boat crashing on the Island. “Maybe you could show us where the remains of your boat are? I don’t mean to be insensitive, but there may be things that could be salvaged.” It was a win-win situation for him: he would either catch her in a lie and prove it, or he would find useful things in the wreckage. And if it did indeed turn out that her tale was true, then he’d feel sorry for her losing all of her travel companions. But not until he was certain.

Her smile twitched as she was finally knocked off course despite her best acting and a plausible story. Why did that man refuse to believe her?! She shouldn’t have to prove herself! Pearl did her best to keep the edge of anger and worry out of her tone. “It would be my pleasure! Shall we go after mealtime in the morning tomorrow? I believe I can find my way in the jungle, but I do so desperately need a full night’s rest.” All of it was a lie. Better to postpone the inevitable as much as she could, and deal with it later.

Ben found that to be amenable. He’d keep an eye on her until then, to ensure she was behaving, and then – whether it turned out to be true or false -- he could put her story to rest once and for all. He ducked his head, a polite little smile on his lips. “Tomorrow morning it is.” Something in him was reluctant to walk away from her, but he could no longer justify interrogating the woman. “Is there anything else you need for the evening? A towel, or something to warm up? I’m sorry that we don’t have a spare pair of shoes to offer.”

She shook her head. “I’m quite content, thank you. I don’t easily get the chills.” Mermaids were built to withstand the freezing temperatures of the deepest abysses in the ocean; a tropical storm couldn’t even begin to get her cold. As for the towel and shoes…she recognized that she might appear odd without them, but she didn’t know what they were. “Shoes? Towel?” the mermaid questioned with a quizzical look.

He had no idea what she was asking. “Um. Yeah, for your feet…” he awkwardly gestured to them. “And a towel to dry yourself off…” Ben’s unease with her only grew. That undefinable quality she possessed was rather unsettling, and the fact that he couldn’t put his finger on what, exactly, was so off about the blonde only served to rattle him somewhat.

“Oh, how silly of me, of course!” Pearl didn’t know how to talk herself out of that one, so she settled for a pleasant smile. Nerves bubbled inside of her though, knowing she must have come off weird. She could not afford to act suspiciously, to let them doubt her character; it could spell out doom for the siren on land. “I’ll make do without shoes. And I do not need a towel, thank you.” Truthfully, Pearl didn’t want to dry herself. She was more comfortable letting her body air-dry on its own time.

He gave a pointed nod, concealing how weird he thought her answer was. He noticed that, yet again, her smile was beautiful but distant, never warm. “Then I should leave you to your rest.”

“Wait,” she reached for him, hand hovering just above his wrist as he made for the door. Ben stopped and turned toward her, eyes dipping to where she almost touched him and then back to her face. “It is still early, the sun has only just set. What do thy—your – people do at nightfall? I would be delighted to join in your activities!” Pearl needed to spend as much time as possible around as many humans as possible, otherwise her entire expedition would be futile.

His smile tensed, and shrunk a little. They had no activities because they didn’t live at the decoy village! At the Barracks, sure, there were plenty of things…but not there! His brain sped up to come up with a plausible answer, and a strategy soon formed: “It varies. Sometimes we have a bonfire. I suppose we could arrange one for tonight, in your honor.” She seemed like the sort to fall for flattery, he thought. Vain, and cocky.

Pearl immediately lit up, her golden-flecked brown eyes sparkling with pure excitement. It was so rare that she got to see fire, much less be physically near the flames…oh, she was genuinely thrilled at the prospect! She grinned at Ben, and this one struck him as a genuine smile; not cocky or detached, but happy and enthused. “That is a most wonderful idea! Oh, I cannot wait to dance around thy bonfire! Thank you, Henry, that is most lovely of you to offer to do for me!” She clapped her hands, giggling to herself.

Her enthusiasm was almost endearing, if a little unusual; he’d never seen someone so excited about a plain bonfire. “I’m happy that you like it,” he offered simply, not knowing what else to say.

“Will you keep me company throughout the festivities?” Pearl asked, looking up at him with sweetness and pleading in her eyes, and a coy smile. Anyone would have a hard time denying her request.

Ben felt something twist in his stomach and his mouth run dry. “Of course. If you’d like.”

The smile widened. “I would. Thank you.” Naturally, the coyness was all an act. The mermaid wanted a human she could bounce questions off of to stay near her all night, and so far Henry Gale was her favorite of them. She knew the damsel act would convince him to take her to the bonfire.

“I should--- head out and get things in order for tonight. I’ll--- see you later,” he told her in a stilted manner. Ben lowered his head in a bit of a bow, then headed out in a hurry, unsure as to why his heart was suddenly racing.

***

It took a couple of hours to properly set up a party for the suspicious newcomer. Ben gave hushed instructions to his people, who hurried to gather the necessary materials: dry wood, matches, some snacks and a guitar.

“Why are you indulging her with this?” Richard asked just as they were finishing placing the pieces of wood in a piled formation.

“I need to stay on her good side until morning,” Ben sardonically explained. “She agreed to take me to the site of the shipwreck--- though it has now changed to a ‘small boat’.” The raised eyebrows, emphasis given to the last words and the pointed look told Richard that Ben didn’t buy the woman’s story.

“That’s good. It’s better to be on good terms with her if it turns out that Jacob wants her to stay with us,” Richard reminded.

Ben soured a little at that. “If that was the case he would’ve sent us a list with her name by now.” Despite his immense loyalty to Jacob, it was sometimes off-putting to Ben that the deity-like man refused to deal directly with him; it felt personal, because he had no idea that it was simply one of Jacob’s standard rules. That bitterness bubbled up when he sharply and sarcastically asked: “Or did you forget to give me his papers?”

“No,” Richard sighed, sensing Ben’s irritation. “No lists. But she must be here for a reason…”

That Ben agreed with, and it was a big part of why he was keeping Pearl close to him for the time being. “I’ll find out the reason.” His gaze trailed off and landed on the yurt where the woman was staying. She hadn’t come out of it yet, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that he was being observed…

And he was. The mermaid-on-legs was using the bonfire preparation as part of her study of humans. Discreetly peering from a hole between yurt and wooden pole, she watched the people come and go, seemingly directed by ‘Henry’--- which was odd, since Richard was supposed to be their leader. All of them built the foundations of the bonfire together, and were preparing to light it up. At one point, Pearl spotted a beautiful sparkly thing that caught her eye: a gold bracelet, on the arm of a brunette. Mermaids were incredibly drawn to anything that shined or sparkled, as those tended to look even more magical underwater. It didn’t matter that it belonged to somebody else; Pearl didn’t care, and felt entitled to have it. She focused solely on that woman and began vocalizing a haunting melody directed only at her.

Since Pearl was on land, the effect of the siren song was diluted. It took a while to take hold, but sooner or later her victim was hypnotized, her mind becoming hazy and her thoughts obsessive. The brunette followed the magical sound, desperate to find the source, until she was inches from throwing the hut door open. The mermaid stopped her, then issued a melodic command: “Please, be so kind as to hand me the sparkles on your arm. And then walk away, to forget this ever happened.” The woman obeyed eagerly, sticking her hand inside the yurt to let Pearl remove her bracelet. The siren did so with a smug smile on her face, humming the siren song to keep the woman placid. All the brunette wanted was to please the owner of that enchanting song!

It was over as abruptly as it started. The woman walked away, suddenly becoming confused as to why her mind was fuzzy. When she realized her bracelet was gone, she searched every inch of the decoy village trying to find it – but it would never be seen above surface again, as it was already safely hidden in a fold of Pearl’s sail dress. When the mermaid glanced outside again, she gasped in utter delight because the bonfire was finally being lit. She hurried out with clumsy footsteps, heading straight for it like a child to a toy.

Ben found her sitting on one of the many logs that they’d set up in a circle around the bonfire. Instead of approaching, he decided to watch from afar for a little, to see if he might catch her off-guard.

The sun had set, and the bonfire was roaring to life. As Pearl watched the tall flames lighting up the pitch black night sky, a soft gasp tumbled from her lips. “Oh, what a wondrous, whimsical sight,” she exclaimed softly, more so to herself. She sat as close as possible, completely enraptured by the fire, staring into the flames as if she were the one currently hypnotized. The mermaid smiled joyously, watching as the embers sparked and the flames danced like mythical sprites.

Ben exchanged a glance with Richard. The advisor had to admit the behavior was a little bizarre, but he still believed she was just quirky.

She held out both hands, bringing her palms close to the flames and reveling in the warmth that spread through them. Pearl was aware of fire’s dangerous and destructive properties--- she knew to be cautious. But fire was such a novelty in her life that she was willing to push the boundaries as much as she could, only pulling back when the skin of her palms began to painfully burn. And still she stared, leaning in near enough that the red and orange hues reflected off of her eyes.

“You must really like fire,” Ben idly pointed out as he approached, wanting to see how she would react to that. He took a seat next to her, on the same log, propping his elbows on his upturned knees and resting his chin on his hands.

Unwilling to tear her gaze away from the fierce magic in front of her, Pearl settled for responding without looking at him. “I do indeed! I have always been drawn to it. It’s so enchanting, do you not think so? And so…powerful.” Her voice was tinged with a near reverential level of respect.

Although his head was facing straight ahead at the bonfire, his eyes darted sideways to look at her while she talked. He was hoping to gauge her level of honesty, and decided that she was truly that drawn to fire. It wasn’t a ruse, or a joke of any kind. “It is,” he finally agreed after a beat, diverting his gaze back to the flames and speaking introspectively: “I suppose it’s a nice reminder that even beautiful things can be deadly.”

That got her attention. Her head turned his way sharply, the hint of a smirk tugging on her lips. For a second, she panicked thinking he was referring to her--- like he knew something about her true nature. Then, she figured maybe he was talking about himself--- he was beautiful, and she was convinced he could be deadly. But…no. Neither of those were quite right. Maybe he didn’t mean anything by it, but even though she had only known ‘Henry’ a few hours, he didn’t strike Pearl as someone who said anything unless he had a reason to utter the words. He was more of a strategist than that, and she recognized that in him because Pearl was the same way. She settled for letting a knowing giggle bubble up, which sounded as endearing as it did eerie. “Quite right.”

What he meant by that, although undecipherable to Pearl, was that he was suspicious. It was more of an existential observation with an ulterior motive: he was subtly letting her know that just because she charmed everyone else, that didn’t mean he was so easily fooled. He knew there was the possibility of danger lurking within her, even if he didn’t have anything in the way of concrete proof. He said it to throw her off balance a little, so that he would keep the upper hand.

“Would you like a caramelized banana?” Ben asked after a long silence where both of them stared at the fire. He was getting one for himself, and offered one to his guest simply because he had good manners. “We grow the fruits and make the sugar right here on this Island.” Well, that part was a lie; the sugar was industrialized and delivered to them during the weekly Dharma drop-offs, but telling her that would shatter the illusion that they were a simple people stranded on an Island with no outside contact.

“Yes, please. Is that a typical bonfire meal?” There was a very inquisitive quality to her golden-flecked eyes. They were piercing with intelligence…and something else, which was rather mesmerizing. Ben found it hard to look away from them. Not that she lingered her attentions on him for very long; instead, she was leaning into the fire, keeping her face pretty close to its flames.

“It’s more of a snack,” he explained a bit flatly, wondering how she could be so out of touch with reality, especially considering how clever she was. That woman picked up on details very quickly, and she was calculated and curious…so he couldn’t yet explain the odd behaviors. She must be from a different place, or time, or playing a part. The not knowing was driving Ben insane, but he was a very patient man; he was confident that he’d figure her out in time. Quietly, he picked out a banana and a stick, and attempted to hand them over to Pearl.

She inhaled sharply and flinched into an upright position, eyes widening at the stick while she hissed. That felt like a threat to her, and it was only thanks to Ben remaining very still and blank-faced that she didn’t try to bite him. Pearl’s nose scrunched up as she let out a tiny, soft hiss that was strangely adorable. It was a noise of curiosity and uncertainty more than anything else. Hesitant fingers reached out, curled around the stick, and she quickly yanked it back and tucked in her arm.

He couldn’t help but let out a soft chuckle of disbelief, because she was acting almost like a jumpy wild animal. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you, I just didn’t think you would want me to touch your food.”

“It’s okay,” she dismissed, staring warily at the piece of wood. Ben quickly realized she hadn’t a clue what to do with it, so he decided to make his own snack as an example. He unpeeled a banana and skewered a stick through it, then poured some sugar all over it. Pearl watched attentively, proceeding to mimic his actions exactly--- just like she had done with the mango juice. He let a barely perceptible frown crease his forehead for a split second, before quietly bringing his stick into the fire and rotating it around to let the sugar melt evenly. Again she imitated him, toasting her own banana in the bonfire.

When Ben’s attention was elsewhere – in ensuring his banana didn’t burn to a crisp – Pearl discreetly leaned in and sniffed him. She had been rather curious about what humans smelled like; a century ago they didn’t have a very pleasant scent. It seemed that hygiene standards had improved, because ‘Henry’s’ scent was rather appealing, and pretty nice. Pearl liked it. She would have to smell someone else later to see if all of them shared that scent or if it was unique to that one human.

Despite carrying on with his attempt at melting sugar, Ben noticed what Pearl did. He tensed, caught by surprise, and then was left bewildered when she moved on like nothing had happened. Why on earth did she sniff me?! he wondered, his mind spinning. It was a bit creepy, but he didn’t blame her too much, because one of the first things he noticed about her was her pleasant sea-breeze scent. He didn’t lean in to purposely smell her of course, he just happened to catch it when she was standing very close and holding on to him, but maybe Pearl’s olfactory sense was less developed than his. He frowned with confusion, then gave a relenting shake of the head as he let the matter go. After all, it was only mildly stranger than her startled reaction to a simple stick.

Sitting across from them, Bea had begun playing the guitar to liven up the festivities. Some of Ben’s people were singing, others were clapping, and a few were getting up to dance. He stuck to eating his now caramelized banana and observing the enigma that was Pearl.

She, on the other hand, immediately perked up at the sound. Sirens adored music – perhaps because so much of their own magic was expressed through the power of song – and she felt the urge to move her body to it. But first, she needed to try the sugary delicacy she had just prepared. Pearl blew on it (only because she watched Ben do it too!), and then took a bite. Oh! How delightful! She smiled approvingly at ‘Henry’, and ate the rest of it with a strangely smug smile on her face. The truth was that the mermaid was feeling damn proud of herself for having already learned how to make something entirely human.

“That is a very lively song,” she praised as she stood up, albeit with some difficulty. Her knees trembled and she staggered forward before regaining her balance and moving to where others were already dancing. She joined them freely and unabashedly, spinning, prancing and doing a beautiful routine...for the most part.

Her upper body moved to the music with fluidity and grace, not always accompanied by the tentativeness of her legs. She spun around with gleeful joviality, her waist-length blonde tresses flaring out behind her as her body elegantly followed the rhythm when not hindered by her own feet. Ben was a bit mesmerized, unable to tear his gaze from Pearl. He was careful not to gawk, but his piercing blue eyes tailed her every move.

Then his shoulders tightened when her eyes met his and stayed there.

Pearl was no longer spinning, choosing to approach him instead. He watched carefully, his face guarded because he didn’t know what to expect from her. Had he been caught staring? Or was she coming nearer for some nefarious purpose? His heart beat a little faster with every step that she took, but, just as she stopped right in front of him, he lifted his gaze to hers in a way that seemed almost bored in its deadpan. He was not showing any signs of his discomfort.

“Wouldst thou--- apologies,” she smiled airily, “would you grant me the honor of a dance?”

Benjamin blinked. He studied her warily, trying to suss out why she was asking. Was it a trick of some sort, to make him drop his guard so she could get past his defenses? He still wondered if she had been sent to the Island by one of his enemies—likely Charles Widmore. Hm; dancing with her could be a good opportunity to question her more without making it obvious. Yes, he decided, it was a shot worth taking. Besides, it would be very impolite to say no, and Ben was a gentleman of impeccable manners! It never hurt to dance with a pretty girl either, even if he didn’t usually concern himself too much with such matters.

“Of course,” he gave a brief smile and rose to his feet. Pearl held out a hand and, after eyeing it for a short pause, Ben took it in his. The secret mermaid led him closer to the bonfire, and he once again noticed just how cold her skin was—and yet she wasn’t bothered by it, or giving any signs that she actually felt chilly. Another unusual thing about her.

Upon reaching her chosen location, Pearl turned toward Ben and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder, while the other was still clasped within his. She was nervous to put herself so close to a human – quite literally within his clutches – but it was not the time to play it safe. The intrepid mermaid, eager to prove herself to her kind, knew she must take advantage of such a unique situation to gain the humans’ trust and get inside knowledge.

He didn’t blink once as he tentatively put a hand on her waist, stepping closer but leaving a fair amount of space between them. Pearl smiled at him, and yet again it was so dazzling that Ben felt warm, but there was something eerie about that smile that put him on edge at the same time.

Ben wasn’t a dancer by any stretch of the imagination; he only knew the bare minimum to not embarrass himself in such a situation, so he took the lead and began moving his feet in what he hoped was an adequate manner. Pearl followed with surprising grace for someone so unused to walking; it was actually easier for her to follow a musical beat than normal footsteps. Her honey-colored eyes bore into his-- those mesmerizing blue eyes that scared her as much as they lured her in. Were they hiding the cruelty and sadism she attributed to all humans? She certainly wasn’t seeing any evidence of that, but Pearl assumed it was only a matter of time. Which made it all the weirder that she felt such a pull toward that man, finding that her heart was quickening and that she didn’t want to look away from him. So she didn’t, and Ben didn’t either; their gazes remained locked, piercing through the other person and rarely blinking. It was both a challenge – whoever looked away first was weaker and not in control – and a sign of the strange gravitational pull that drew them to one another. They couldn’t deny the antagonistic but magnetic chemistry flowing between them.

The more they danced, touched, and traded lingering charged glances, the more he noticed how sensual she was. It was an inherent quality she possessed, but he could also tell she was trying to be seductive on purpose…which served as a red flag to make him even more vigilant of her—exactly what she didn’t want, and what she was trying to avoid by charming him. It only failed because Ben was an extremely cautious and observant man. Oppositely, Pearl noticed that ‘Henry’ was trying to keep her away, keep his distance by building a wall between them so as to not let her in at all. He was rather sensual in his beauty and intensity too -- enough to captivate her, and seduce her more than he realized -- but he certainly wasn’t trying to charm her.

The song being played was of an upbeat nature. Ben and Pearl were swaying together, occasionally doing a few spins, always at a respectable distance from one another. Ben was too proper to get closer, and Pearl was too mistrustful of humans. But strangely, they fit together, and they felt the maddening electricity surging through, pulsating in their veins and clouding their minds just enough to delay their respective missions.

Ben had the passing thought of how it might feel delightful to kiss her, while simultaneously wondering if he would ever have to arrange to have her killed. Similarly, Pearl’s mind kept switching from fantasizing about kissing him to tearing his neck with her sharp fangs until he died. Whatever attraction they felt, albeit strong and intoxicating, was not enough to stop either of them from being incredibly distrustful of the other one.

“How long have you been on the Island?” Pearl subtly prodded as they moved together, having realized she was wasting too much precious time.

“My whole life,” he said plainly, and it was true in all ways that mattered. He was so young when he moved to the Island, barely 10 years old, that he didn’t even remember much of life before that. Ben might not have been born there, but, unlike most of his people, he was raised and grew up on the Island for every formative year of his life--- so he might as well have been there all along. He certainly felt like his whole life had been spent there.

She frowned with some manner of concern, though it was hard to gauge if it was sincere or strategic. “You were never able to leave?”

“I’ve never wanted to leave,” he corrected, squinting slightly as veiled distrust crept into his eyes. What did she know about people not being allowed to leave the Island? “Why do you ask?” he inquired coolly, but there was an implicit underpinning of him measuring her and her answer.

“I am shipwrecked--- I would like to know how long it will take to be rescued,” Pearl replied without missing a beat, and it was plausible enough for him to merely nod at her.

“Not long.” A lie, most likely; the Island didn’t usually let people go. “Have you been here before?” it was his turn to prod. He knew damn well that nobody was coming and going from that Island without his knowledge and permission, so it was a test to see how she might respond—not with her words, but with her expression and body language.

“I have not,” she did a half pout, half grimace.

“I only ask because you didn’t seem lost…” he said casually, with just a hint of pointedness. “When I found you in the jungle, that is. You were walking with a purpose, like you knew where you were headed…”

Pearl’s entire face steeled. Again that human was trying to catch her in a lie? Ben noticed the change, and one side of his mouth quirked up into a faint smirk; his little mind game had worked well enough to get her to drop the façade. Her head tilted slightly to the side, hair following suit. “I saw mountains in the distance and decided to climb one, to see if I might spot help from up on a vantage point. So yes, Henry, I had a purpose and a direction.”

Ben regarded her with shrewd blue eyes, and the tiniest hint of being bemused. She was a great actress, he’d give her that, and very quick-witted to improvise on a moment’s notice. But she let the mask slip whenever he showed her he didn’t blindly believe her – which he did on purpose -- and that annoyance was enough to let him know there was something off with her story. She was hiding something, Benjamin was completely convinced of it now. By morning, when she led him to the supposed shipwreck, he’d have to keep her on a very short metaphorical rope; Pearl was wily, tricky, and he knew not to ever drop his guard around her. “That was a good idea,” he said only to appease her, feeling a little smug about having the upper hand, yet also more concerned about how and why that woman arrived on his Island by surprise.

“Yes,” she agreed with her best smile, once again working to charm him-- just in case that might distract him enough to drop any suspicions about her. There was something kind of…thrilling about their rivalry, too. The human was an intellectual match for her, and just as great an actor. Pearl found that she was enjoying the challenge on a more primal level. He was forcing her to step up her game. She was nervous, and a little afraid, but also excited to finally be challenged by someone—and absolutely eager to beat him and wipe that smug little smile off his exquisite face.

Part of Ben was enjoying their mental sparring too; it was unusual to find someone on his level, who could hold their own against Benjamin Linus himself. There was a certain thrill to it, and a satisfaction to winning. But he was not enjoying it quite so much as Pearl, because he knew he was missing a piece of the puzzle, and that bothered him deeply. Pearl had the whole truth on her side, while Ben was playing the game blindly. Still…there was something exhilarating in the game itself, and especially in playing against such a fascinating opponent like Pearl.

He was still looking at her with that unreadable expression—one that intrigued her, made her want to know what he was thinking. On an impulse that was hard to explain and even harder to contain, Pearl made a move. She found herself reaching for him, hesitantly placing her palm upon his cheek to feel his face. His skin was soft, and warm under her icy hand. Her head tilted as her eyes darted around his face, closely observing him, almost like a curious animal might approach a person.

Ben barely reacted to the sudden intrusion of his personal space; it surprised him entirely, but outwardly he merely squinted a little as if questioning her behavior. Pearl didn’t know how to answer him; she knew it was unwise to engage so much with humans, but that ‘Henry’ had her curious. She deemed humans to be shallow creatures, simple-minded, easy to read and understand…but from the moment she first laid eyes on Ben, she sensed he was different. There was a mysterious depth to him, secrecy, great intelligence and a strong magnetism that pulled her into his orbit with undeniable force. She wanted to know more about him – like he was the fascinating subject of a study. Which, in some ways, he was. The mermaid gave his cheek a gentle squeeze before dropping her hand.

He thought it best to say nothing; maybe his silence would unnerve her. A different song was playing and still they danced, holding hands, with him holding on to her waist and her to his shoulder. As they turned, she took a false step and Pearl lost her footing, tumbling forward. Her damp hair hit Ben’s face and he could feel how silky it was. Ben instinctively gripped the woman tighter to keep her from falling, then felt himself forcefully shoved back with a vicious hiss.

His eyes widened as he stumbled away from the woman who was still hissing at him, shoulders squared back and eyes angry and wide. Her lips curled up to bare her teeth. “I’m sorry, I was only trying to help,” he offered with certain confusion, taken aback by the almost feral reaction. Ben certainly didn’t expect to be hissed at. “I didn’t mean to startle you…”

Pearl stared at him for a long and uncomfortable moment – studying him while he stood there stiffly -- then she inhaled sharply and urged her body to relax. When confronted with humans, the instinct of mermaids was to attack; her reaction to Ben’s touch had been entirely instinctive, the suddenness of it sounding alarm bells in her system that told her to prepare for a fight. It was a miracle that she hadn’t sprouted any fangs! But, after giving it a moment’s thought, she realized that he was only catching her fall. “No, I--- I’m the one who must apologize, Henry. My stumble frightened me. Thank you for catching me.” She was embarrassed to have done something that would surely be judged as bizarre by the human, and fearful that she may have ruined her disguise. Humans didn’t hiss like that; only sirens did, and he might know that. “Oh, I am terribly ashamed. My nerves really are frazzled from the shipwreck,” she attempted to save the situation with a lie, though looking shaky.

His lips turned downward with the appearance of understanding. “Of course. Don’t give it another thought,” he offered a polite smile, but remained unconvinced. If only Ben had any inkling that mermaids could switch out their tails for legs, then he would’ve figured her out right then and there.

“I--- best sit down for a spell. Thank you for being my dance partner,” the mermaid bowed her head and hurried away from him with awkward steps. The dancing took a toll on her legs, but most of all she needed to recollect herself, maybe rethink her plan.

He was squinting with suspicion as he watched her stumble away from him. The more time he spent with her, the more she fascinated him, but he was equally more certain that the ethereal woman was secretly dangerous. His mind returned to her request to meet the leader, and he once again questioned if she came from a hierarchy, and if there was a more sinister purpose to her visit.

Seeing him alone for the moment, Richard approached his leader with a frown. “You were right, Ben. Something is off about her; I see it now.”

“What do you see, exactly?” Ben asked drolly, throwing his advisor a sideways glance.

“It’s…an eerie feeling. She’s beautiful, and charming, but her eyes are cold. She moves strangely. The more I watched her, the more something about her seemed out of place.”

“Mmhm,” Ben hummed his agreement. It was easier for him to see through Pearl’s superficial charm; he was naturally distrustful and very perceptive. His powers of observation alone let him know she was more than she seemed. Richard had the advantage of living for hundreds of years; that experience allowed him to also recognize something dangerous in Pearl that everybody else but the two seemed to be missing—it just took him a little longer. Benjamin’s gaze returned to Pearl, then snapped over to Richard and he spoke with stern sarcasm: “I’m so glad that you came around on this topic.” That was Ben’s indirect – and yet quite direct – way of reprimanding Richard for disagreeing with him earlier.

“Sorry,” the advisor shrugged apologetically. “We need to find out where she came from.”

“I’m working on it,” Ben droned.

“Be careful, Ben. I think she’s trouble.”

“I have every confidence that we can outfox a newcomer, Richard,” his gaze was firm. Then, after a silent beat, he gave the man a sideways glance. “She hissed at me.”

“She what?” Richard let out a surprised laugh. Ben’s statement had been almost comical with his dry delivery.

He nodded, chin raising and head tilting toward his shoulder as the sideways glance remained on his advisor. “She’s easily spooked. She flinched when I offered a handshake, and now hissed at me when she got startled.” She’d been quite scared when she first spotted him in the jungle too, he’d noticed, like she was certain that he would hurt her.

“She could be traumatized from the shipwreck,” Richard theorized. “Not everyone takes to this Island as fast as you.”

Ben shook his head, finding Pearl in the crowd. As the last embers died, he watched her change focus. She had her legs outstretched and was staring intently at them, wiggling her toes and rotating her ankles. The look in her eyes was similar to a person experiencing a new culture for the first time: curious, intrigued, excited and a little wary. How odd, he squinted in her direction. “That’s unlikely. She’s charming and full of social graces. It’s only when caught unaware that she jumps.” He was starting to wonder if she was a victim of something, or simply hiding something. Her skittish behavior displayed all the signs of a secretive person with something to conceal, and that was what worried Ben the most. He had to find out what Pearl was hiding, and if it threatened his people in any way she would be swiftly dealt with.

“I don’t know, but something about her unsettles me,” Richard muttered, to which Ben nodded in agreement.

Pearl was heading back his way, so Ben quickly dismissed his advisor and flashed her a polite close-lipped smile. “Enjoying the party?”

“Very much so,” she bowed her head, a rare warm look in her eyes. “I’m getting quite tired, however. I think that I shall retire to my bedchambers for the evening. It’s been a pleasure to spend time with you.” Pearl had no intention of still being there in the morning; not after her previous blunder. Those people knew mermaids inhabited the seas of the Island, and if they were to ever suspect her of being one…oh, she shivered just thinking about it. Pearl was certain that they would kill her at best, lock her up and do torturous experiments on her at worst. Hissing at ‘Henry’ came too close to revealing her true nature; and even before that, she could tell he wasn’t buying her story. He had unanswered questions about her and he wasn’t letting up, and she never had any intentions of leading him to a fake shipwreck anyway. But she had planned on sleeping at the village…until she instinctively hissed at a human. Now she had to go, while she was still free to do so.

“Have a good night,” Ben gave another polite smile, then exchanged a charged glance with Richard.

As she pretended to return to the yurt, Pearl tried to do a bit of extra sleuthing on her own. She was especially on the lookout for something made of metal, but there didn’t seem to be any items lying around. She hid behind a tree and observed the humans walking about, minding their business and entirely unaware of her. A small hiss of distaste blew past her lips. She really couldn’t stand them. Part of her foray onto land was to decide whether those beings were worthy of a closer investigation…and, after spending hours with them, she assessed that they were. Humans were awful, and hateful, but they were intriguing. Pearl decided that someday she would return to take another look, when it was safe, because they had piqued her curiosity. And of course, she still needed to find a sure-fire way to defeat them, to bring them down if they ever became a threat. She was sure that someday they would, because now she’d experienced their cleverness and ingenuity firsthand. It was only a matter of time until the two species clashed again, and no treaty would be able to stop them. Especially when Pearl was already plotting, desiring a bigger piece of the ocean than what she currently had…

The soft skin of her legs started to itch all of a sudden, distracting her from the snooping. Pearl hissed with discomfort, knowing exactly what it meant: she’d overstayed her welcome. A mermaid was only able to stay on land for a day, then they started to dry out from the inside. If she didn’t submerge herself into a body of water in the next few hours, her legs would become painfully dry and she’d eventually stop breathing. She couldn’t justify spending time around the humans any longer.

A quick glance at her surroundings informed her she was alone and able to slip away unnoticed, to where the cliff became treacherous. Before heading below, she felt compelled to spare Ben one final look. Pearl didn’t know why she wanted a last glimpse at that handsome, mysterious human…she supposed a part of her would like to remember him, should they never cross paths again. Satisfied after a moment of watching him, she carefully teetered down the edge of the cliff, climbing down a few jagged rocks. It was already becoming harder to get air into her lungs, and the flaky red patches on her skin burned her.

No human would be able to dive where Pearl was headed without drowning. The tide was too strong and would throw them straight into very sharp rocks. Even mermaids were unable to fight the pull of the waves, but what they could do was charm them. Crouching on the edge and letting her fingers dip into the thrashing sea, the siren sang a peaceful, wistful melody to the water, her face pleasantly sprayed with foam. Soon the waves calmed, bowing to the mermaid’s whim and song. With a smile on her lips, Pearl removed her moonstone necklace and elegantly jumped into the ocean.

Nobody noticed she was gone until the morning. Ben waited for her at breakfast, becoming instantly suspicious when she didn’t show up. He marched to her yurt and hit his knuckles on the wooden pole. “Pearl? It’s Henry. Good morning. Is everything okay? We’re late to go find the shipwreck…”

He was met by dead silence. Blue eyes narrowed and he immediately sent Bea to check in on their guest. When she reported back that the yurt was empty and the bed unslept in, Ben’s stomach churned unpleasantly.

He gathered everyone around. “We have a situation: Pearl is gone. Richard, you need to come with me, now. The rest of you spread out and find her--- bring her back,” Ben told them, tone brimming with urgency and lips curling up for emphasis as he talked. He couldn’t afford to lose sight of a potential threat.

But of course, it didn’t matter; the siren was long gone, back in the fathoms below. Ben and Richard hiked back to where Ben first met Pearl in the jungle, and farther back still, but there were no traces of her. Everybody else searched every inch of the areas surrounding the decoy village and came back empty-handed too. Pearl had vanished as inexplicably as she had arrived.

***

Ben was not handling her disappearance well. If not knowing how and why she was on the Island already left him with a bad feeling of helplessness, having her vanish without a trace only made matters worse. If she ran, it meant she was a threat, and could come back to hurt them at any time. And if she didn’t, what the hell happened? He had to find her, or that uneasy feeling would refuse to go away, and the sense of powerlessness would dredge up all of his childhood trauma.

Besides, Ben always knew everything that was happening on his Island. He refused to be unaware of an entire person traipsing about behind his back! He was persistent, usually patient, and this time fairly obsessed with finding the blonde. For two months he looked everywhere for her, sending endless search parties across the whole Island, going through every location with a fine-tooth comb. And still there was no sign of Pearl anywhere. It wasn’t even like she vanished, it was like she’d never existed at all.

Richard found the other man standing stiffly behind a chair in the surveillance room. “We’ve covered every bit of land, Ben,” he brought in the bad news. The advisor knew how to state it delicately, not wishing to make Ben angry. “She’s nowhere to be found. It’s been two months…maybe it’s time to give up.”

Ben gripped the back of the chair tightly, staring harshly at the surveillance monitors he’d made a habit of checking every day. He allowed himself a moment to feel the frustration, closing his eyes and letting out a slow exhale. And then his alert blue gaze was back on Richard. “I have a theory about her. Time-travel.” When confronted with the likelihood that they would never find her, Ben was forced to come up with an explanation for her disappearance—and he had.

Surprise flickered across Richard’s face. “You think she’s time-jumping?”

A pointed nod as his lips flattened. “Yes. She appeared out of nowhere, speaking old English and having no understanding of basic customs, and then she vanished without a trace,” he droned. “And she claimed to have shipwrecked. You and I both know no one gets to this Island without our knowledge--- there was no shipwreck.” A spark of something dangerous shone in his eyes. “Not recently. Maybe she was on the Island all along, in a different time.”

Actually, that was a brilliant theory. “If someone turned the wheel in her time, it could have sent her jumping. It would explain why she’s gone…” Richard mused. “But there was nobody with her.”

“That we know of,” Ben reminded with a quirk of the brow. “I ran into her entirely by accident, it’s possible there were more out there, but they time-jumped to a different year before we had the opportunity to find them…”

The advisor nodded, deep in thought. “You’re probably right.”

“You could have met her in the past,” the leader pointed out, since his advisor had been on the Island for hundreds of years. “Or her people.”

Richard recalled every Jacob-induced shipwreck. “I never met Pearl, but if she wasn’t on a list she may have slipped by me. I remember a man, one of ours, who lost track of his wife after they shipwrecked here.”

Ben’s interest piqued; that sounded promising. “It could be her. Or, it’s possible that she shipwrecked,” he mused, “but the ship and her companions were outside of the perimeter of this Island. If she was the only one dragged in by the tide, she would have time-jumped alone.”

“True,” Richard agreed. It made sense. “It explains why she seemed so out of place.”

Ben nodded. “Precisely. I would be jumpy too if I’d been unwittingly thrown into the future.” He was thinking that being from the past explained some of Pearl’s unusual habits. The language, most notably, and her tendency to curtsy, but also her over-the-top reaction to being caught when she fell; men touching her might have had a different connotation for her. And perhaps waiting for the man to drink first was an outdated custom from her time, which would explain the strangeness with the mango juice. She was clearly hiding something--- which made sense, as nobody would openly admit to being a time traveler, especially when they were still figuring it out themselves. All of it added up.

“And if she jumped again, it explains why she disappeared like that,” Richard finished the thought.

Another nod from Ben. “Our people know this Island like the back of their hands; if Pearl were still here, we would have found her by now. The fact that we can’t locate her must mean she’s no longer present on the Island…” But how could she have left? Very few things would explain that. Time-jumping was just about the only theory that fit. Unless she literally flew or swam away, but those hypotheses seemed too far-fetched, impossible even.

“That takes care of that,” Richard smiled politely. If Ben was right – and the advisor believed he likely was – then the visitor was no threat to them, and long gone.

“Yeah…” Ben trailed off, staring at the screens again. Time-travel was the explanation that made the most logical sense. It should be right. All of them knew about the dangers of accidentally time-jumping. There was a wheel on the Island that, when pushed, moved the entire Island to a different location. Sometimes it got bumped off its hinges, which could send the people from that timeline hurtling through the space-time continuum, appearing and disappearing in different years without being able to control it. If Pearl was still on the Island and in Ben’s present timeline, she would’ve already been located. He had to accept the fact that he would never see the mysterious blonde woman again. Actually, unless people from her time fixed the wheel, she would eventually die of time sickness. The fact that Richard never met her in the past was a strong indicator that she didn’t survive for very long. Pearl was gone, by all rational and logical accounts. Ben was satisfied enough to have an answer. But his gut was telling him something different… “Thank you, Richard, that’ll be all.”

***

He wished that it had been all, but it wasn’t; not for Benjamin. His mind kept being invaded by flashes of Pearl’s face at the most inopportune times. Ben knew that the reason for that was that she was unfinished business; one of the few mysteries he hadn’t been able to solve with certainty. He was so perceptive and such a talented strategist and manipulator that Ben was used to always understanding people and knowing every little detail about them, whether they had willingly shared or not. But in the end Pearl vanished without a trace, leaving him with no real closure except for his theory. It bothered him deeply, threatened his sense of self even, so despite his sound theory on time travel he still found his mind constantly wandering back to Pearl, and wishing for confirmation of an explanation.

And perhaps there was another reason as to why Pearl was occupying so much space in his brain: he was taken with her. He didn’t want to admit it, but the beautiful stranger was incredibly magnetic and captivating, and she had managed to draw in some of his interest. Despite sensing danger in her, and being taken aback by her many oddities, Ben was still somewhat endeared and entranced by her, secretly wishing he could meet with her again—if only to defeat her.

Fed up, he finally decided that maybe sketching her would help. He kept a pad and some sharp pencils on his office desk, and, late at night with a cup of orange tea, began sketching the delicate features of her face.

Ben taught himself how to draw and paint when he was about sixteen. There wasn’t much for a teenager to do for fun on the Island when everybody his own age had been evacuated years prior. He always read a lot, learned languages, helped the adults with tasks, avoided his father and, eventually, learned how to draw and paint. It was only as an adult that he did things such as train in jiu jitsu on the mainland and teach himself to play piano--- his father would have been mad at the noise.

He let the vision imprinted in his brain come to him, expressing it with pencil-on-paper. Careful, wide eyes watching every new line he made. After three nights, it was completed: a black and white sketch of Pearl, with her strange dress made of a sail, and her long flowing hair. He admired his work, then tossed it deep in a drawer full of other sketches, hoping it’d be enough to put her out of his mind.

But it wasn’t. Pearl’s knowing little smile kept coming back to him, her ethereal aura haunting him relentlessly. He eventually found himself in front of a blank canvas, surrounded by paints, ready to commit her to a bigger work of art.

Ben had sketched a lot of people from memory. None of them were particularly significant to him, they just had interesting faces and he had a very strong recall. So sketching Pearl was one thing; it meant nothing. But painting her…that was a big deal. His usual works were stills and scenery.

The only three people he had ever painted were his mother (from a photograph), his daughter, and Annie, his childhood friend, first love and first girlfriend. It was actually a point of contention between him and the only other girlfriend he’d ever had, when he was around 20, because he never wanted to paint her. He knew why; she was pretty and pleasant and he enjoyed her company and genuinely cared for her, but he didn’t love her. Definitely not in the way he loved his precious Annie, and, if he were truthful, not in any real way that truly mattered.

He didn’t love Pearl, of course. He barely knew her, and wasn’t even sure if he liked or detested her. But his constant thoughts drifting her way were verging on unhealthy, and if he couldn’t solve the mystery of who she was and how she landed on his Island, then maybe painting her would get her out of his system – out of his head -- once and for all.

He started with her hair. Ben kept his wrist light, giving the canvas the softest strokes in order to make the luminous yellow as soft as her own hair had been. Then a mix of brown and gold, to give her eyes the depth and soul they possessed.

Ben was a man of many responsibilities on and off the Island, who didn’t have a lot of free time--- so the process was slow going. It took him nearly two months, working on the painting almost every night, to finally complete it. He didn’t think himself a grand artist, but his works were decent enough, and he was pleased with this one too. Precise brushstrokes, vivid colors and a lot of emotion converged to form the delicate face of a beautiful, hazel-eyed woman and her long blond waves. He felt that he hadn’t properly captured how great her beauty was, but he did like that he captured the detached smile and the sly glint of her eyes.

He kept the painting in a small basement-like room at the back of his house, where most useless things were stored. Mercifully, he stopped thinking of Pearl so constantly after that, until he eventually pushed her out of his mind almost entirely. Almost. Because for the next year, there were always those days, when he was lying awake in bed, fretting about some leadership decision or another, and then he would think of her. He’d remember her mysterious words, unsettling demeanor, stunning face, charming but chilling giggle, detached yet entrancing manner, he’d chastise himself for letting her occupy space in his brain, he’d get mad and frustrated that he still didn’t have an answer as to who she was and how she got to the Island and where did she vanish to, he’d feel disappointed that she was likely dead, and then he’d feel a strange sense of longing…as if deep down, in his heart, he still hoped to see her again someday.

And then he’d laugh bitterly at his utter foolishness of even thinking such things.

Notes:

I'm officially back with this fic! I know I posted one single chapter and then immediately put it on hiatus, but it was only because I didn't want to be publishing two fics at the same time. Now that I'm done with the other, my full attention is back here! And I've been working on it this entire time, so there's already a lot pre-written.
Ben will find out his mysterious guest is an aquatic visitor pretty soon... ;)

I hope you all enjoy it, thanks for the kudos and comments so far! <3
(and yes I'm bringing up Ben knowing jiu jitsu again because I'm obsessed with the fact that he canonically has jiu jitsu awards in his bedroom, I'll always hype this up!)

Chapter 3: What the sea takes away, the tide returns when the time is right

The beach wasn’t his favorite part of the Island, but sometimes Ben enjoyed a day trip to it. He used to go more often when Alex was a little girl who loved splashing around, and he was more than happy to take her. He would always pack a basket with her favorite snacks, remind her to put on sunscreen, and make sure she was safe and in the shallows while she played in the water. Sometimes he’d join her, or they would build sandcastles together, or collect shells; he had a lot of precious memories of his daughter at the beach. She was almost thirteen now and in the early stages of developing the moody attitude of a teenager, so he didn’t get to spend as much time with her anymore. Ben hated that they were starting to drift apart, but he supposed it was normal.

He’d had the occasional romantic stroll with his girlfriends along the shore too, but that hadn’t happened in a long time. Ben hadn’t had too many girlfriends in his life--- just two, and nobody since he adopted Alex. The life of a leader left him far too busy, with other priorities rather than dating and no girl who truly measured up to his high standards and memories of Annie… but if he thought about it deeply, he’d realize he kind of missed walking hand-in-hand with a woman as the waves lapped up at their ankles and the sun set on the horizon.

On that particular afternoon, it was neither fatherhood nor romance that brought him to the shores. His birthday was coming up, and that was an especially difficult day for him. His mother died giving birth to him, and his alcoholic father spent his entire life blaming Ben for it. Ultimately, when Widmore decided to purge the Dharma Initiative to ensure his people survived, Ben got the job of killing Roger Linus – his own father – and the date just so happened to land on his birthday. So really, he’d lost both parents on December 19^th, and although he didn’t regret his choice regarding his father, the death still haunted him a little. The day reminded him of his first love, too: Annie, who carved wooden dolls of him and her so they’d never be apart; Annie, the only person who had cared about his birthday; Annie, who was so cruelly taken from the Island and became just another loss in his life. She was a much more pleasant memory, but it hurt to dwell on it all the same.

So, unless he had enough work to bury himself in, he preferred solitude on his birthday. None of the cordial but lackluster birthday wishes from his people, nor the knowing glances from those like Richard who had been around during the purge. That’s how Ben found himself sitting at the beach, knees pointing to the sky and hands absently kneading the sand. He didn’t love getting grains on his pants, but it was nothing to be too fussy about; he could just clean them later. Although Ben preferred comfort and neatness, he was perfectly capable of handling harsher conditions--- his people used to live in a jungle, after all, before he moved them into the empty former Dharma village. So he sat there on the soft sand, staring out at the sea, enjoying the gentle breeze and the sun that warmed him. The waves rolling in lulled his thoughts, allowing his mind to drift to a more soothing place than his past birthdays.

An unusual noise pulled his focus back to earth. He heard splashing coming from nearby, and--- was that a giggle?! Ben rose to his feet, alert, orienting himself toward the direction of the sounds. They were coming from a tide pool nestled inside a hollow cave to his left. That unsettled him, because his people knew better than to bathe there; those rocks were only accessible during low tide, the pool being created as the tide retreated. But once it rushed back in, the high tide completely covered the area, and the rocks ended up underwater. The shifting tides could come in very quickly and with little warning, making that whole cave a drowning hazard. So who the hell would be stupid enough to be on that intertidal shore?! There were plenty of safer tidal pools around the Island!

He had no choice but to investigate, needing to know what was going on. If only he had all the facts, the answer would’ve been obvious: the person who would be at the pool was someone that needed privacy. Someone who knew that the area wasn’t visited by humans, and who relished its isolation. Most importantly, someone who would not drown if the tide came back in too fast, because she was an expert swimmer…and could breathe underwater.

Ben walked around the rocky cave, then stealthily stepped over the wet stones to reach the entrance, holding his arms slightly out for balance. He knew how to stay out of sight and move silently, which allowed him to approach the tide pool unseen. There was a graceful woman there, sitting comfortably in the shallow water and luxuriating as she combed through her silky tresses, one hand lazily playing with a few tiny fish that swam up to her. Just as soon as he laid eyes on her, Ben’s heart skipped a beat and his stomach flipped: he knew exactly who that was. Despite having met her only once, a year prior, he’d recognize her anywhere. It was Pearl. Disappeared and likely to be dead Pearl. That waist-length, flowy blonde hair framing a delicate face with striking hazel eyes, that icy, hypnotic demeanor and the charming little smirk upon her lips, all added up to form the exact same woman on the painting he’d hidden in a basement. The wind was completely knocked out of him, and all he could do was gape with wide eyes and a slack jaw.

He watched her for a secretive moment, staring from the shadows in awe and confusion. Her reappearance didn’t fit with the time jumping theory, so…what had happened to her?! Relief washed over him from seeing her again and getting a second chance at solving that mystery, but he was also disconcerted to stumble upon her in such unprepared manner again. His face was tilted sideways and a hand loosely clasped around a protuberance of the rock he was half-crouched behind, eyes widened as his mind swiftly worked out the best course of action. It’s you, he wanted to say, but didn’t. “Hello…” Ben awkwardly breathed out instead, in a half-whisper of disbelief and wonder, deciding that he couldn’t simply observe from a distance. He had to talk to her, had to know how she got to the Island and where she had been for the last year. If she was indeed a threat, he could take her. So Benjamin stepped out from behind the sharp rock, making himself visible to her.

Pearl became instantly startled, on edge to find herself accosted by an unknown assailant. When she whirled herself toward him with a threatening fanged hiss, Ben caught a glimpse of her entire body. His eyes trailed down, and he was not prepared for what awaited him. Down from her hips, where legs should’ve been, there was something else... Colorful fish scales instead of skin, forming a long and elegant mermaid tail. It was a foreign and yet somehow familiar shape that he’d encountered before, but never had the opportunity to have a proper look at. Pearl…was one of the sirens?! His mysterious, suspected time-traveler who walked the land on human legs and was about the same height as him, an incredibly smart woman, with human eyes and teeth, the face that he sometimes saw in his dreams over the course of an entire year…was a siren? Not just a possible threat, but a deadly predator? A siren?!?

What?!

He instantly covered his ears, fearful of the powerful siren song. There was no time to process the momentous revelation about the elusive blonde, because Pearl was reaching for something that she’d carefully stored in the pool, then hurtling it at him with startling speed. Ben jumped out of the way just in time to see a wet spear made of stone and coated in damp sand fly by his head. He was lucky he had quick reflexes and reacted well under pressure, or he would’ve likely been stabbed. She tried to kill me, he thought with a gasped scoff, torn between vexation and apprehension as he shrank behind a large rock. He was safe there, covered from any more flying weapons.

He shifted so that his arm blocked an ear, and used the free hand to get a small mirror from his satchel, that he usually carried for strategic reasons more than vanity. He turned it toward the pool, the reflection revealing what was happening with Pearl. She was crouched by the edge, hands flat on the stony floor and tail up in the air as she hissed menacingly at him. There was something feral about it, enough that it made Ben feel like the stories of sirens being mindless flesh-eating monsters might be right, but then again…another side of him reminded him that he had met Pearl before, and she wasn’t like that. She was incredibly intelligent, cunning and charming, with a human-like mind…and even the sirens had demonstrated a level of empathy before. So he waited, watching her via reflection.

Sunlight caught the mirror and she saw the glare. The mermaid immediately grabbed another spear from the shallow bottom of the pool and threw it toward the sparkle with a light splash. It knocked the mirror right out of Ben’s hand; he flinched with a vexed gasp, and that was enough to escalate things. He drew his gun – which he always carried if he ventured out alone, in case he encountered a wild animal or some other threat – and fired in Pearl’s general direction, making sure not to hit her.

The mermaid let out a shriek and retreated, petrified; guns actually terrified her in a very visceral way. He only wanted to scare her off, of course…but not completely. He didn’t want Pearl to vanish again, leaving him without any answers. So Ben placed the gun on the ground where she could see it, and projected his voice from behind his sheltering place. “I don’t want to hurt you.” His tongue darted out to wet his upper lip. “I put my weapon down…can you do the same?” His heart raced with anticipation at the heavy silence that followed the question; depending on her response, he’d become better able to judge if she was purely a predator or more like a human person. When they met on land, she was certainly captivating and witty enough, not at all like a creature whose only purpose was to drown hapless humans; that Pearl was someone who would be easily capable of and willing to make a deal with him. But like it or not, she was one of those underwater horrors, and he didn’t know how far she might go if she had the upper hand—so Ben had to proceed with extreme caution. Pearl must’ve been pondering his request, because a few seconds later he heard a clatter and saw two spears sliding past his foot: the siren had surrendered her weapons too. Ben exhaled with happy triumph. “Alright, I’m coming out now. Don’t attack,” he warned in a neutral tone, then carefully stepped out from behind the rock.

The mermaid wasn’t hiding anymore. She was by the edge of the pool, nestled safely inside its waters, and watching him with burning intensity. It was the first time he was able to take a good look at her real form.

She wasn’t sprouting fangs anymore, but, according to the lore, mermaids’ teeth were just like humans’, unless they chose to extend them out into sharper fangs. Her eyes were the golden-flecked hazel he was used to, not the glowing headlights he saw out in the ocean. But those were small details compared to her bottom half. Ben stared in shock at Pearl’s tail, heart thundering with that and an odd sense of excitement and dangerous thrill. She had legs when he last saw her, walking around on land like any ordinary human. Since when was it possible to have both?! Her scales shimmered under the sun that beamed through the cave’s entrance, an iridescent color that gave off shades of purple, green, blue and golden depending on how the light caught it. A bustier made of shells, pearls, seaweed and some netting covered her chest, and a beautiful tiara that was made of tiny delicate pearly shells, varied-sized conches and colorful pieces of coral sat gracefully atop her head. At its center, the moonstone that used to be on her silver necklace.

Ben’s eyes were so wide they might’ve jumped out of their sockets. She truly was a mythical creature of legend. He had been walking around the Island with a deadly siren all along, and none the wiser. He took a siren to their decoy village! Sure, she had been weird, fascinating, charming and extremely unsettling, but a siren?! He hardly knew how – or had time – to process that. She was a vision so terrible yet so lovely, it sent Ben reeling. Her mere presence made the hairs on the back of his neck stand with unpleasant apprehension, while also taking his breath away with her beauty and magnetism. A maddening contradiction.

He still had a finger stuck in each ear to block out sounds, in case the siren was tricking him and intended to drive him mad with her luring song. She didn’t make a move, except to hiss viciously in clear warning for him to keep his distance, face scrunched up and regular teeth bared. The retreating of the fangs was a good omen.

His quick mind pieced together how many odd details about her made sense now that her true nature was exposed. It explained his nearly obsessive thoughts about her, too, or so he assumed. Sirens were hypnotic, they could charm and enchant with their beauty and voice, so it was no wonder he had been drawn to her, with her face refusing to leave his memory. But actually--- he wasn’t entirely right. Her siren attributes certainly helped make Pearl more appealing, but she had never entranced him; his thoughts were his own, though now knowing her real identity offered him a convenient excuse.

But, God, he’d found her! By happenstance, in the strangest coincidence--- unless it wasn’t a coincidence at all, and the Island was pulling on the strings of fate again. He couldn’t be sure. All Ben knew was that he had accidentally stumbled upon her after so long! After relentlessly searching for months and waiting a year, painting her and assuming she was dead, Pearl was in his presence again! The mystery that had eluded and taunted him was finally solved. Benjamin should be elated – would be, if he wasn’t being confronted with a deadly aquatic creature that made a fool out of him once before. Well, truthfully, part of him was still pretty exhilarated to have found Pearl again, but the thought at the forefront of his brain was that he was in a dangerous situation that required delicate handling; his life was probably not endangered, as he had a weapon on him, but he could not jeopardize the treaty between their kinds…

Pearl, on the other hand, seemed less enthused to be in his presence. She had both hands flat on a rock, facing it with elbows bent behind her until she pushed herself up to gain a bit of height, lifting her upper body above the rock. It was the stance of someone ready to lunge forward. Her gaze roamed over Ben for the first time, and recognition slipped into place. That handsome face, the spiked up brown hair, the intense and beautiful eyes, and his mysterious yet endearing aura were familiar to the siren. So was that voice, with its carefully phrased cadence and pleasant tone. It was the same man that had found her in the jungle and taken her to his village; what an odd coincidence on an Island where such things were rare. Unless it wasn’t a coincidence at all, she also mused like he had.

She considered fleeing, knowing her speed could carry her out of there before the human was able to catch her. Or perhaps she should extend her teeth into fangs and scare him into fleeing instead. She might even attack, toss a ball of water at him or rip his throat out if he came close. But…she remembered that particular human as being someone intriguing and mostly pleasant. He helped her walk, gave her something yellow and sweet to drink, danced with her, offered her a place to stay. Not exactly the soulless monster she expected all humans to be. Maybe she ought to grant him the honor of a word. Still, she didn’t trust him; it could have all been but a trick to trap her. Her head spun around in a series of jarring little movements, each accompanied by a short hiss as she measured their surroundings and him with her gaze. Ben stood very still, muscles rigid, not wanting to startle the skittish and deadly creature.

“You must leave,” she commanded sharply, assuming that he was capable of reading lips. Which he was.

“Why should I go? You’re free to go yourself,” Ben countered in a clipped tone, unwilling to be so easily intimidated.

The siren didn’t like the insolence. She hissed again, and he sneered a little at her; she was certainly more unpleasant in this form, wasn’t she?

“This is my domain,” she sternly insisted, raising a proud chin in the air. Mermaids were rather territorial.

Ben squinted at her, with persuasiveness and a light pout that bordered on taunting. “Are you sure about that? Technically, we’re on land.” He made a ‘look around’ movement with his head.

He had a point; the mermaid knew she had to crawl over some rocks if she wanted to reach the open ocean. She let out a sharp sigh of frustration, gaze momentarily swiping to the side before returning to the man in front of her. Once again, she looked him over thoroughly, and he felt somewhat exposed.

“Thy name—your name is Henry,” she finally told him.

Ben had been wondering if she remembered him at all. He had sure as hell never been able to get her face out of his mind. Finding out that she not only recognized him but recalled the name he gave her was…strange. He didn’t know whether to be flattered or threatened, or both. So he simply gave a curt nod, choosing to leave her with his false identity. “And yours is Pearl. I--- didn’t realize that you were…” a vague chin gesture toward her tail, “from the ocean,” he attempted to put it tactfully, though curtly.

She bunched up her shoulders in an apologetic shrug, though her eyes were alight with anything but contrition. “You were not meant to know. You saw what I wanted you to see.” A lazy flip of her fins. The mermaid primly motioned to his fingers in his ears. “There’s no such need. I will not sing, if you keep your distance.”

Could he trust her? It would be easy for her to lie in order to get him to drop his defenses. He wouldn’t take such a risk—but perhaps there was compromise to be had. Ben remembered the lore very well, and how it stated that the siren song was only at full potency when the creatures sang from the water. If she sang to him then and there, she would enrapture and hypnotize him in a single second. That changed if she was on land; if a siren sang from land, the song lost some of its power, meaning that she would need to sing for a few minutes before the mind control took effect. He could shoot her in those minutes, if need be. “I’ll keep my distance, but I’m sorry, that’s too risky a bargain to take,” he informed her. “Come out of the water and I’ll drop my hands.”

Pearl should’ve said no, but she was full of herself, believing she had everything under control. Eager to prove her mettle by learning more about humankind. And she was intrigued by that man, who she never thought she’d see again. When she left him the first time, it was with curiosity still in her heart, and only because she didn’t have a choice. She thought of him sometimes over the last year, wondering what he might be doing. She didn’t want to leave him just yet, not ready to say goodbye so fast this time around. So, in a sitting position, the siren splayed her palms on the rocky edge of the tide pool and pushed herself backward, to scoot up. The bottom of her tail helped too, the fins pushing her back enough until she’d scooted all the way to a taller rock. A totally dry taller rock, where her fearsome siren song was much more limited. With a push-up of the tail, she propelled herself to the top of it and sat, her strong scales perfectly tailored for what would be a rough and uncomfortable sitting place for a human.

She was off a little to the side, so Ben moved to face her head-on again. He took very measured steps around her, sharp eyes observing her every move. The creature might decide to attack on a whim, so he had to be ready at all times. His hand hovered over the handle of the gun, which he had discreetly retrieved while she was scooting away from the water.

She was a graceful vision on top of that rock: sitting with poise, great posture and an arched back, and looking at him with distrust. “I’ve not encountered another human in this tide pool before,” Pearl complained with some entitlement. He had inadvertently breached her sanctuary and her privacy.

“We don’t come here,” he explained with a small shrug, lips pulling downward for emphasis. “I only entered because I heard your giggles.”

“Ah. And you came to take a look. How very inquisitive.” It was tough to know if it was a compliment or an insult, or a mere observation.

The two were staring warily at each other, both standing very still, with squared shoulders and stiff limbs. Ben didn’t blink at all. Mistrust permeated the air between them, as did a sense of peril--- each of them found the other and their kind to be extremely dangerous…and neither were wrong about that. There was some awkwardness, too, exacerbated by how intensely they were gazing at each other, neither wishing to be the first to look away. Neither man nor mermaid knew exactly how to act in the presence of a different species now that her true identity had been revealed, and both tried to assert some sort of subtle dominance. And of course, there was mutual fascination from both sides; the chance to look at, analyze, and speak to a member of the other species was a thrilling and unique thing.

Yet both of them knew it couldn’t last long. There was a foreboding sense that they were dangling off the edge of a cliff, and just the slightest wind would tip them over and send them tumbling to death. That momentary truce between them was hanging by a thread; any sudden movement, any wrong word and it would be over. That’s why their nerves were on high alert and the air between them was so charged…yet both of them kept a cool and collected demeanor in front of their rival, silently sizing each other up.

“How often do you come so close to human territory?” he asked with an underpinning of distrust.

“As often as I like to,” she replied with vagueness and condescension, in a purposeful challenge. He didn’t like that, and showed it by the very minimal way in which his eyes narrowed.

A brush of the hand parted her silky blonde hair, then dropped to her side. Ben followed the movement with his gaze, and couldn’t help but let his eyes land on her tail again. God. He had known about the Island mermaids his whole life, had even encountered them in the water before…but getting to look at one up-close and see every detail was surreal. Her fish-half of purple-y shimmery scales turned into soft, supple skin at her hips; her stomach and midriff were exposed, chest adorned with that seashell bra. He could identify them as calico scallop shells, large and of a pearly and pinkish hue. Each half of the bivalve’s shell was on one breast, with a string of pearls and a few scotch bonnet shells connecting the two sides. There was some netting and seaweed making up intricate details, too. Her tiara – or crown? – sparkled imposingly on her head. Some smaller kitten’s paw shells made up the tiara legs that were nestled behind the mermaid’s ears. The front comprised of small conches placed vertically, to create an increasing height that was symmetrical on either side with their sweeping spirals and waves, and jagged pieces of colorful corals interlacing with them. He noticed yet again that the moonstone had the place of honor, highest at the very center. Pearl looked ethereal, poised and glistening with seawater and sunshine. How was he supposed to act? She was both wild animal and elegant woman, a full antithesis all wrapped up in one. Ben could hardly believe that Pearl had been a secret siren all along. And yet…once he had time to process everything, it was rather obvious that all of Pearl’s eccentricities were explained by her true nature: appearing on the Island out of nowhere, wearing a sail and no shoes, speaking like she was from a different era, the unsteady walking, the singing to the rain, not knowing what to do with mango juice, hissing at him, being frightened of a stick, being fascinated by fire, the way he felt dazed when she hummed, her unnatural aura, even her scent…all of it pointed to an aquatic creature of myth. Didn’t she quite literally say she was ‘from the water’? He should have known, should have figured it out when they first met!

He admonished himself for missing all of those clues, because usually nothing got past him. How did he manage to miss so many clear signs?! Then again, how was he to know those monsters were able to grow legs and walk amongst them? No mermaid tale ever warned about that…and that was the most dangerous part of the whole thing. Why had she been there on land, and why didn’t she hurt anybody then? He needed answers.

“How about a trade? A truthful answer for a truthful answer,” Ben shrewdly offered, unblinking eyes piercing right through her. He could see that she was skittish and distrustful, but open juuuust enough to give him an inch. He had to make do with that inch, win her over enough to glean at least some knowledge from her! The opportunity to talk face to face with a mermaid was priceless! He was surely not wasting it, especially when the specimen had such a human-like mind. She seemed to be curious about him too, so he deemed that a quid pro quo could be successful.

“…” She eyed him warily, but didn’t take any more convincing. After all, the mermaid wanted answers too. “Accepted. I will grant you three. Wouldst—would you like to ask first?”

Ben nodded. “Why did you come with me to the village? You stayed for a party--- that’s very unusual behavior for your kind. Why were you on land at all?” His head was ducked down but his eyes were looking up at her, which gave him a more intense demeanor. It unsettled her a little.

“I grew curious about land resources and about your kind, and merely wanted to take a look. I did not expect to be discovered lurking about. When you found me…it frightened me, but gave me the unique opportunity to have an inside look at humans.” An aloof shrug. “Therefore I took it.”

“Was it just curiosity?” he pointedly followed up, making it clear that he didn’t believe that.

“Mostly. Your kind is as foreign to mine as we are to you, Henry. And--- it never hurts to understand your enemy better.”

“You think of us as enemies?” blue eyes steeled.

Hazel ones matched them. “Yes. The treaty keeps us from warring, but, I do not trust your kind. Should anything happen, I wanted to know more.”

That was sensible. He always made sure to learn the weaknesses of his rivals, too. “We have no intention of breaking the treaty,” he assured her, a bit disgruntled as distrust appeared on his face. ‘Should anything happen’ raised some red flags for him; was she up to something? And what resources was she looking into? Was it innocent research, or did she seek to appropriate land resources for her kind? Her answers were truthful but vague, and left him with many more questions. But his time was up, and he’d stick to the deal made.

“My turn,” she demanded. “You owe me three questions. Firstly, we have estimated that there are approximately 100 of you living on the Island—is that correct? It is not always easy to make that count from the ocean.” Merfolk kept watch on humans, but it was impossible to account for all of their comings and goings, especially from such a distance where they couldn’t always differentiate one human from another.

Ben bristled, unnerved by the notion that those creatures were keeping track. He didn’t want to confirm or deny anything, but a deal was a deal. “Yes,” he deadpanned, “that’s correct.” At least it was only an estimation and not the exact number; he left that vague on purpose, and Pearl didn’t protest.

“How about metal? How much of it is there on the Island? Especially steel, silver, and iron.” She asked that one with an air of innocence that didn’t convince him. Ben blinked. That was a very telling question. What use could she possibly have for metal if the mermaids weren’t planning anything?! Surely that was the ‘land resource’ in question.

“We don’t produce any on the Island, and there are few natural sources of metal here…” he drawled, squinting suspiciously at her. “We are on volcanic land; what little reserves may have existed are depleted by now, unless you can extract it directly from the soils or rocks.” And even then, there was by no means an abundance of iron ore to be mined.

“But you do have items made of these metals, do you not?” she insisted as a follow-up, refusing to be discouraged.

“We do, yeah…” a slow nod, suspicion still etched on his features.

“Lovely to know,” she smiled, but it was devoid of any real feeling. “Thirdly…why have you changed the way in which you dress? Humans used to present much differently centuries ago.” There was an endearing look of sincere curiosity shining on her face.

It was a lighthearted question, which Ben was grateful for. More importantly, the answer wouldn’t actually give away anything of importance like the previous two had. “Things evolve,” he said plainly. “Nothing is the same as it was centuries ago.”

“I’ve noticed,” she frowned with certain agitation. Pearl didn’t like the confusion and vulnerability that came with no longer understanding human customs--- especially when she wasn’t overly familiar with the old ones to begin with. She thought she was prepared for a trip to dry land when she first met ‘Henry’, only to be quickly made uncomfortable by how much she just didn’t get. “But why? Why change things so much?”

His lips rolled into a tight line, then pursed together as he gave an easy shrug. “It’s human nature, I suppose. We like to think we’re better than the previous generations; our machinery more efficient, our knowledge more accurate,” he’d been making small outwards gestures with his hands as he explained, then waved them over his torso, “our clothes better to wear.” She pulled a face, and he let out a wry chuckle. “You don’t like them?”

“It is not that. I do like them, they look good on you,” her eyes swept over him appraisingly. Against his own will, he caught himself briefly wondering if she meant the plural ‘you’ as in humans, or the singular as in…Ben. The appraising eyes certainly didn’t escape his notice at all.

“Mermaid clothing has never evolved?” he pried.

“Hm, somewhat. Historically, we did not use to cover up our breasts. We simply swam freely.” A prim shrug. “Actually, I do believe that the practice of wearing our seashells started as a consequence of our first meeting with humans,” she pointed to the adorned bustier on her chest with a flourish. “But of course, I was not alive so long ago; this is merely what I have been taught.”

Ben couldn’t help the slight warmth on the back of his neck, and he willed himself not to wonder if she looked entirely human under those shells. “That seems accurate,” he said stiffly, eyes straight ahead at nothingness. “Nudity would not have been well received by the people of the time. Even now, it would be…inappropriate. And unsafe outside of this Island.”

“You are a peculiar bunch…” Pearl mused. Human modesty didn’t make sense to merfolk. “So your kind is ever-changing. And your land resources allow you to evolve quicker,” she pointed out flatly, something dark slipping into her features.

“Yeah,” Ben nodded with an indecipherable expression. He could, of course, easily pick up on her slight aggravation. It must indeed be maddening to leave for some time and return to find everything changed! He liked that it served to make her hesitate, though. It was obviously making her more unsure, so he decided to hammer on the point that she was in unknown territory, to really drive it home and shake her confidence. Hopefully it could stop whatever plans she may have been working on. “There’s much more to us than what you can see from the water, Pearl. You can’t even begin to understand us.” It was intentionally ominous.

An offended hiss and her entire demeanor turned to ice. “I would advise you to watch how you speak to me, human. I am not just anybody,” she told him with a hint of pride and disdain.

Ben wasn’t too rattled, merely giving her a lift of both eyebrows and vacant eyes. Rather, he was more interested in understanding why she thought herself so important. Just because she was a siren, or…was there more to it? But she was angry now, and he knew when to hold back from pushing too far. Ben was an expert at waiting for the precise moment to strike. “I can’t help but notice your eyes aren’t glowing,” he pointed out curtly and with a slight shake of the head. His way of asking another question without actually asking: a loophole.

“There is sun here--- glowing isn’t needed,” she calmly explained.

“It’s your source of light underwater…” Ben tried to confirm what he had hypothesized years prior.

She gave a delicate nod. Then, just to show off, Pearl blinked. When she reopened her eyes they were lit up like some kind of lighthouse, or two very round full moons. “We only do this when there is a need,” she blinked again to turn it off, a smug smile blooming on her face when she noticed the quiet interest in Ben’s features. He felt a muted kind of excitement in getting to witness that.

“It’s true that you can sharpen your teeth into fangs any time that you want to, isn’t it?” he asked with soft caution. The lore said it, and he had seen their fangs not only on Pearl but also nearly four years earlier, when his boat was tipped over by the spell of a siren. Come to think of it, that one also had very light blonde hair and some type of adornment on her head…and Pearl did seem awfully familiar when he first met her in the jungle…hm. Interesting. Could they be one and the same? Ben filed off that suspicion for another time, as it wasn’t particularly relevant in that moment.

“Fangs? What fangs?” she asked with playful innocence. “These?” Pearl smirked at him and let her human teeth extend, the edges morphing into very sharp fangs.

Ben stirred uncomfortably. The glowing eyes were a bit eerie, but in a more harmless and even engrossing way. They looked like pretty moons. The fangs…oh, those were creepy as hell. Truly a sight out of a nightmare. He couldn’t help but wonder if she was biding her time until she tried to eat him for dinner. “Sorry I asked,” he said sarcastically, with a faint sneer.

She giggled that airy but empty giggle; it was very obvious that Pearl enjoyed toying with humans and rubbing her power in their faces. It made her feel good, more in charge, and safer from any possible attack. Ben wasn’t scared, though, because he was the one holding a gun. The mermaid retracted most of her fangs, leaving only the upper canine teeth sharpened. “We can also keep only these two.”

The sight of her with those two vampiric-looking fangs was surprisingly cute. Ben squinted. He wanted to ask about the supposed mermaid habit of eating human flesh, but decided that might be a tad too confrontational. “Do you eat fish?” he asked instead, as a bit of a work-around the question he really wanted an answer to.

“You vex me, human,” Pearl merely told him like she was stating a plain fact. “You attempt to take advantage of my willingness to share.”

“I’m returning the favor, aren’t I?” he countered with a twinge of annoyed sarcasm. “Ask me more, if there are things you want to know.”

She hissed lightly at his attitude, a petulant pout on her lips. “Very well. What is that thing that some of you carry hanging on the lower half of your clothes, and sometimes speak into? It is black, and, shaped like this,” she traced a rectangle on wet sand with the tip of her fin. Ben closely tracked the movement with his gaze.

“That’s a walkie-talkie, or radio. Sound travels from one to the other—it can transmit what I’m saying to somebody else who is carrying one too,” he explained in a level tone, finding the entire conversation fairly surreal. How odd to just be standing by a tide pool and getting answers from a real live mermaid.

A gasp of awe blew past her lips. “So that you may communicate even when you are far apart! Brilliant!” Then the amazement passed and a look of envious contempt swept over her face. “Another evolution.”

“Yeah,” he nodded. Clever of her to so quickly understand the implications of a kind of technology that was entirely foreign to her. “You didn’t answer my previous question but I answered yours,” Ben pointed out with a bit of a bite. He was keeping score. “So you owe me one more.” A pause to let her respond, though his eyes on hers were quite demanding. Pearl swirled her wrist to tell him to go ahead. “When we met, you spoke in old English, and you knew how to dance. How much time have you spent on land?” He was rephrasing his initial question in a way that was more harmless, more likely for her to reply honestly. The memory of dancing with her around the bonfire, their gazes locked in an intense connection, suddenly burned brightly inside his mind.

A sly smile. “Moderately little time. I’ve ventured onto land a few times, a century ago. Never for more than a day. I would climb aboard ships on occasion too, but, again…not often. Maybe twice or thrice.”

How curious that a species supposedly so separate from his own found the time to mingle, albeit rarely. “The stories claim that your kind hates mine. But you mix with us, and you didn’t hurt any of us at the village. How come?” he pried with a squint.

“The stories are true,” she coolly informed him like it was no big deal, the disdain she felt for all of humanity flashing in her eyes. “But sometimes I merely wish to enjoy myself with unsuspecting sailors on port. We are naturally musical creatures; our siren song imbues us with a proclivity for any song and dance. You were a talented partner,” she offered, and Ben didn’t really believe her. He rarely danced and certainly had no natural affinity for it; he was decent at best. But he appreciated her attempt at flattery, and more importantly, the way that she was openly sharing tidbits about her kind. After pondering the second part of his question, she gracefully shrugged with one shoulder. “I had more than one reason. Firstly, keeping my true nature hidden was my priority. I could have sung in secret, but, I was not on land to decimate your people. I did indeed only mean to be there as a neutral observer of your kind. And most importantly--- we are not cruel like humans. We don’t hurt just to hurt, and we don’t attack the defenseless.” She stared him down with harsh conviction.

Ben wasn’t entirely swayed by her moral plea. Mermaids were known to drown innocents, so how could she claim to never attack a defenseless person? He held back a scoff, for the sake of keeping the peace, but couldn’t hold back the accusing words that slipped out: “You lure ships into rocks and you drown the passengers after they crash...”

“We only strike down threats and trespassers. Oncoming ships are always one of those, if not both,” she explained entirely without remorse.

“How convenient…” he muttered with icy sarcasm, and she gave a small hiss of distaste in response.

Suddenly, she turned her nose up in the air and went very still. Pearl sniffed, then focused to hear a sound that was imperceptible to Ben, hazel eyes hyper-focused and staring into the distance. “The tide is about to come back in. You should leave, Henry, lest you drown with me.”

Huh. He didn’t expect her to care to warn him off from any danger, having assumed she would leave him to fend for himself. That unsteadied him for a split second. Ben checked his watch: five minutes until the high tide, his alarm would be ringing in four. “You’re the expert,” he said with flat sarcasm. He’d listen to her warning about the tide, but, before taking his leave, Benjamin had a warning of his own: “You should really stay away from dry land, Pearl. Please stick to your oceans, for the sake of our treaty,” he cautioned her. Despite the smooth tone and the polite way in which he said it, it was a threat. He meant it as one, and she took it as one. Pearl let out a sharp laugh, in defiance of him, and he left without another word, leaving the beguiling creature behind. She stayed there, eagerly waiting for the tide to rise.

At home, he could hardly believe he’d found Pearl again! There was a sense of giddy excitement in the air, but also of foreboding. She was an elusive and tricky creature, and he was sure she was hiding much more than he knew. What were the mermaids up to?! That question would haunt him for quite some time still; Ben needed more answers, and he would get them, no matter how long it took or what he had to do.

He dreamt of her again that night, perceiving her as a siren for the first time. The most beautiful song was being sung, like it was meant just for him. It soothed every nerve or insecurity he ever had, plunging him into a state of bliss. Every step felt like he was floating, approaching the source of the sound he wanted to hear for the rest of his life.

Suddenly he was lying on sand, and her delicate fingers brushed the edge of his face. “You can be at peace, Benjamin,” she whispered with the voice of an angel, using his real name. Pearl brushed his hair back, tenderly running a hand through it. She smiled at him with such calm and poise that he felt completely at ease too, longing to be close to her forever.

“Pearl…” he muttered softly, smiling up at the mermaid. She leaned in, bringing her lips close to his. Bliss washed over him as they touched—

— and he woke up with a start. Echoes of that song – the same one she hummed a year prior -- were still on his mind, giving Ben shivers. How unnerving to not be free from her grasp even within his own dreams…

That entire month, in fact, he dreamt of her more obsessively than ever before. But the intensity of the dreams unsettled him more than their frequency. Sometimes she would bare her fangs at him as a threat, and he’d wake up startled. Sometimes they would kiss for longer, passionately embracing each other by the seaside—and those dreams left him waking up panting, shuddering and sweating every time.

***

Over the course of the next month, Ben’s dreams were consumed by visions of the blonde siren, swimming up to him with an alluring smile that hid a thousand dangers. They weren’t always so romantic or nightmarish, though. Sometimes they took on a more surreal edge, and sometimes…well, they felt strangely prophetic.

The Island had the power to do that: grant certain people very telling dreams. Not always, but it could happen. Ben had his fair share of those psychic dreams growing up, though less so lately. What made them stand out was how vivid they were, and to the point.

What he’d been seeing with increasing frequency while asleep was a gathering by the shoreline. In the ocean, many mermaids were rising up, swimming side by side in a linear formation. Farther back on the sand, the humans were doing the same. The two lines faced one another with a stare, holding their ground. In the center, right where the waves were breaking, there was Pearl, with Ben. He had his bare feet in the water, and Pearl was standing by his side on the sand. Sometimes the dream felt antagonistic; even asleep Ben could feel the tension between the two factions, staring each other down and holding their positions. But sometimes, it felt…peaceful. Like they were showing mutual respect to each other. Whatever the context, Ben and Pearl were at the core of it—he as the only human to dare step on water, and she as the only mermaid with legs, and both standing right between his people and hers. Upon waking up, he always pondered if these dreams had a prophetic nature to them; they certainly felt that way. He could tell as much. The Island wanted him to see that. But what could such dreams mean? There were two likely interpretations: war was coming, spearheaded by himself and the blonde mermaid, or peace was at their fingertips if only they stood side by side to better mermaid-human relations. Ben didn’t know which was accurate, and it was quite a thing to contemplate the possibilities. He wondered – hoped, even – that Jacob might be able to shed some light. After all, Jacob was interconnected with the power of the Island, so he had a hand in sending those dreams, did he not?

Ben briefly wondered if the romantic dreams might be Island-sent too, then quickly shook his head with a small exhale. That was a foolish notion, and untrue. His dreams about kissing Pearl were vivid, but had less of a lifelike quality to them; he could still tell they were dreams. The visions about their people side-by-side…well, he’d bet anything those were sent by the Island.

But worse than having near-obsessive dreams about the siren every couple of nights: his waking thoughts were consumed by the mermaid too. Ben could not get Pearl out of his head, no matter how hard he tried. He shoved the thoughts down but they bubbled up again, not unlike how she’d bubble up from the pitch black depths of the ocean. He wondered whether he was entranced, under her magical spell, and assumed that he was. But--- no. Although not entirely known and understood by him yet, his obsession with Pearl was his own, born of a mix of fascination, attraction, fear and a desire to learn more about her kind to protect himself and his people.

But none of that mattered that morning. They had a new arrival scheduled on the submarine, and it was an important one. Ben had finally managed to find a fertility specialist to work on the Island! Her name was on Jacob’s list, and Ben was very hopeful that the doctor might be able to find a cure for the issues pregnant women experienced there. She also happened to remind him of someone who had been very important to him once, so Benjamin decided he might have romantic designs about her. Not because he knew her at all, but simply because that resemblance brought back good memories for him.

He went to meet her on the docks at the time of arrival. Juliet was a bit dazed as she climbed out of the submarine, holding on to Ben’s hand for better balance. He introduced himself, giving his best friendly smile, and she politely returned it.

As they talked, there was a barely noticeable disturbance on the surface of the water. A mere ripple. Ben was keenly perceptive, so it was enough for him to notice. He flicked his gaze that way, right on time to catch three heads emerging – one with a tiara delicately poised over it –and peering out just enough to show their golden eyes. His own blue ones widened with shock and he immediately covered his ears, agitated; the sirens had never dared get so close to his home, not in centuries! Now they were right by the docks, which weren’t that far from the houses! Their boldness was still growing, filling Benjamin with more questions and schemes to get answers, and a bigger worry too. “Cover your ears and go,” he hastily told Juliet. “Follow the path, some of my people will be waiting to greet you. Go!”

“Oh…okay…” She answered with an uncertain smile. What a strange greeting! Juliet guessed that Ben must’ve seen something she wasn’t privy to, because his demeanor had completely changed in a matter of seconds. She thought it was safest to comply – he was the expert, after all – so she quickly put her hands over her ears and rushed away, following the direction he indicated.

Ben stayed where he was, fixated on the three mermaids, afraid that if he looked away they’d swim too close and attempt to pull him under. He recognized one pair of eyes: calculating, icy, but always with a hint of amusement and charm. Pearl. Having her in his sights ensured that his heart got all jumbled up in his throat. She was the first to move, lazily flipping her tail to propel herself closer, with no hint of feeling intimidated by being so deep within human territory.

He backtracked, moving further down the bridge, away from the submarine and from the treacherous waters. Pearl reached the edge and rose up, resting both arms on the sun-warmed wood of the docks that instantly soaked. Her face tilted curiously toward him. Ben’s throat was completely dry and his breath hitched--- out of nerves from not having his gun and being outnumbered, but the way that she looked absolutely stunning didn’t help matters either. “You need to leave,” he told her emphatically and with a curl of the upper lip, his stony voice not betraying that he was a little scared. “You’re too close to our home, Pearl!”

She tilted her head the other way and the sun caught her blonde hair beautifully. Pearl laughed, which was a lovely sight but did nothing to ease Ben’s nerves. “I merely wanted to take a look. Enchanting to see you again.” She was clearly unbothered by his scolding, and she was teasing him; but there was no lie there. More and more, it felt that every time she ventured near land she encountered ‘Henry’--- and she was starting to grow fond of the human in a weird, somewhat detached way. Pearl gave him a cheeky little wave of the hand, like she was having fun at his expense, and motioned for the other two to follow her down. The three mermaids dove, plunging their heads under the sea, then their arched backs, and finally their tails. Pearl’s iridescent purple one looked pinker under that light, and it extended all the way up before sliding down under the salty water. The fins were the last to disappear.

Ben raced to the edge to make sure it wasn’t a trick--- and it wasn’t. He saw her gliding, arms extended in front of her and hips undulating as she slanted toward the bottom. Seconds later, she and the others were gone. He let out a deep breath of relief and hurried down the bridge, eager to get out of there. A small part of him, however, was disappointed that he didn’t get to talk to her more. Who knew if he’d ever see her again, and he missed her in a strange way. Then again, mermaid appearances were becoming much more common – far too common! – so he had an inkling that he and Pearl would eventually cross paths again, in one way or another.

He grimly wondered if the situation would ever escalate to the point where one would need to kill the other. Hopefully not.

In truth, the three were only up there because of the submarine. The contraption fascinated and outraged the sirens, making them feel that the humans were invading their kingdom. They encountered it under the sea from time to time, and usually followed it from a safe distance…but this time, Pearl wanted to see exactly what was up there waiting when the thing returned to the surface. She was also in search of metal, and wondering if it would be possible to steal that aquatic monstrosity to take it apart for scraps. It would be. But that was a pretty big endeavor, which would take more merpower than she had with her at the moment. And, technically, Pearl didn’t have permission to do so--- but that would change, someday. So, for now, her excursion was simply an intel gathering mission to see the exact location where the submarine docked. She didn’t expect to find Ben right there—though he seemed to have a hand in everything that happened on that Island, didn’t he? It made sense that he was behind the marine monstrosity. The siren noted that she wasn’t displeased to run into him again. In fact, that ‘Henry’ human was still compelling to her, capturing her curiosity and interest in a way that few humans ever could. She had even been dreaming about him, unaware that dreams might be a sign.

She thought back to their conversation about how much the human world had evolved; Ben had successfully gotten under her skin. It was disconcerting to know so little about them, like for instance, how could that submarine even work?! Maybe it was safer to retreat from humankind altogether, and stop the trips onto land until she was better prepared.

After the mermaid encounter, Ben headed straight to his advisor. Richard frowned with concern when he spotted their leader power-walking his way, clearly in a hurry but trying to maintain the appearance of calm. “Is something wrong with the new arrival?”

A short negative shake of the head. “There were three sirens in the water. Right by our docks, Richard.” The silent and rather urgent implication of they’re getting too bold rang silently in the air, emphasized by Ben’s exasperated sigh.

The advisor frowned, deep in thought. “So your dreams are a warning.” He only knew of the prophetic ones, of course. Ben kept any romantic dreams to himself.

“Did you have any luck with Jacob?” he asked in an acerbic manner, barely moving his lips. There was a twinge of hope somewhere in there too, that maybe their leader would finally step up to help.

Richard shook his head. “Not really. He said he trusts us to figure out the best way to handle the mermaids.”

Ben let out a tired sigh, eyes heavy with frustration. They were going through something unprecedented and in desperate need of guidance, facing a possible war even… he simply could not understand why Jacob was refusing to help them. Their own deity-like leader, who hand-picked them to protect the Island, wouldn’t deign himself to talk to Ben and give him real advice? Wouldn’t even give Richard -- the only man he talked to -- any instructions on how to better navigate their troubles? Why the hell not?! Ben was starting to resent him, especially because Jacob’s silence put him in a tough position with his people; they were supposed to be a democracy – Ben even wanted them to be one! – but it was hard when any truthful word from him would cause mass panic. He had no choice but to keep his own people in the dark with lies and manipulations. “And you stressed that I would really appreciate an audience with him?” he pressed, fixing Richard with piercing eyes.

“I did. I’m sorry, Ben.” Richard hoped for the best, but he knew that Jacob could be…difficult.

His lips pressed into a tight line. There was a seething kind of nastiness bubbling under the surface, and a sense of inadequacy brewing within Ben; why did Jacob refuse to see him? Was he doing something wrong? Did the man even care about his own people, who were dedicating their lives to his service and to keep the Island safe? Benjamin gave his advisor one pointed nod and left, wordlessly.

Chapter 4: The blood tinging the water disappears with each new roll of the waves

After her decision to retreat, Pearl did indeed take a long break from sneaking around on human land, putting any machinations on hold. Ben didn’t search for her either, having decided it was a fruitless endeavor since she was likely to stick to her side of the ocean, the Eastern Sea as stated on the treaty-- though for safety he kept cameras pointed at shorelines that landed within the boundaries of the Barracks. If any siren walked out of the sea, he or one of his people would spot them.

Time flew by, and soon two and a half years had passed--- thankfully without a mermaid uprising, or even any sightings. He had mostly gotten them out of his mind, although not entirely; it would be too reckless to assume they completely gave up on their bold land excursions, and Ben was nothing if not careful. He still carried earplugs on his person at all times, and had a contingency plan to use sound waves with harmful frequencies if the aquatic predators tried to invade his land—similar to the Sonic Fences protecting the perimeter of the Barracks. Aside from that (and the occasional disappointment and festering resentment with Jacob’s lack of response), life was going very well for the leader of Jacob’s people; things were stable, his daughter was 15, he was content with his job, leadership position and personal life. All in all, Ben was happy.

When it came to Pearl, things were more complicated. Despite his decision to not seek her out, he hadn’t exactly moved on. Not completely. He was able to put her out of his mind for the most part; his dreams lessened considerably, leading him to assume that the effect of her song was passing. But sometimes he still found himself dreaming of her--- or worse, daydreaming, catching himself wondering where she might be and if they would ever get to speak again, or hearing memory echoes of her silky voice in his head. He sometimes wondered about the Island-sent dreams, but no answer ever came from them. Still, Ben held on to some misguided hope of running into Pearl. They were previously apart for a year when they found each other again, so two and a half years was not that much time. Yet part of him felt that it was probably for the best that he didn’t know where she was. Mermaids and humans were better kept separate; they were meant to be from different worlds.

That afternoon, Ben was hitching a ride on a fishing boat, something that he did on occasion if it was convenient and he wanted to cross the Island in a more leisurely manner. The boat was a small trawler, and he was reading alone in the enclosed cabin that protruded up, while the rest of the people were on the deck to actively fish and tend to the trawl net.

It was a pleasant ride that allowed him precious time to sit and relax. A casual glance out the window showed him the crew below him, coming together to retrieve the trawl that had been dragging behind the boat and collecting fish within it.

“Pull,” Ben saw the captain informing the men, all of whom moved in sync to hoist the large net up from the fathoms, filled to the brim with all sorts of colorful fish. It was important work, but the kind that didn’t interest Ben much. Until the men started exchanging confused words as they placed the net inside the trawler. Then his interest piqued. He stood up to take a better look.

“What’s that in there? It looks big,” one of them said. Ben read his lips, because sound didn’t reach him inside the closed space he was occupying.

“It’s moving, watch out,” the captain warned. They assumed a defense position, with one man forging ahead to check what was caught inside their net.

But he didn’t get to do it. Because suddenly the whole crew started to smile goofily and approach the net too eagerly, completely ignoring the instruction to be careful. Ben watched the scene unfold, his narrowed gaze dropping to where all the men were staring, uneasy suspicion already gnawing at him—because only one thing could explain the odd behavior from his crew.

There was a shape tangled up in the net, obscured by fish at first, then slowly slithering her way out of the jumbled mess. First a fin, then a hand, and hair. Ben’s heart jumped when he saw all of her, sitting up within the net’s confines: the upper body of a woman, and the long tail of a fish--- a siren. They had fished out a siren. And she must have been singing for a while.

Before he could strategize, her head shifted and he caught a glimpse of her face: recognition instantly dawned on him. The elegant features, the light blonde hair all the way to her waist, the unnervingly mesmerizing aura… tangled up in their net amongst the day’s catch, was Pearl. The mermaid was very calm. Her long fingers curled around the strands of rope that made up the net, and she pushed her face right into it. A slender nose poked out of the mesh. Ben could confirm from the movement of her lips that she was singing, and he knew that it was to put them in a trance; the entire crew was about to be doomed.

Springing into immediate action, Ben pressed the button to blow the trawler’s horn. It was a system devised to warn of emergencies, and loud enough to be heard clearly over the roar of a storm. More importantly, the noise was sufficiently loud to drown out the siren song and bring the men back to their senses. Ben kept a firm hand on the button, standing on his feet and cautiously watching Pearl from the window.

His improvised plan worked. The men were being shaken from their haziness and realizing they were facing a dangerous siren. They knew the protocol: when confronted with one, plug your ears right away. Thanks to Ben’s rule instated after his first encounter with the mermaids, every person on a ship on the Island carried earplugs in their pockets--- so the crew swiftly put them inside their ears. Upstairs, Ben let go of the horn button and did the same.

Pearl had indeed expected to entrance all of them with the beautiful notes of the spellbinding siren song that should’ve turned their brains to mush. When the men suddenly stopped fumbling all over themselves to please her, she took a closer look and noticed their blocked ears. Her siren song was being wasted, heard by nobody but the mermaid herself. A frightening thought, which put her more on edge and on the offense. She hissed at them, with fury and disdain behind golden eyes.

The men charged at the net, roughly tugging on its edges to force the mermaid down to the floor. Pearl’s tail swung violently and she squirmed against the pull, shrieking, so more men joined the fight. They pushed the mesh netting into the floor of the trawler, which in turn pressed into the thrashing mermaid and flattened her down too. She was snarling and crying out as they subdued her, the net digging uncomfortably into her skin and scales, and the white floor hard under her back.

Once she was pinned down by net and fish, the crew stopped and waited. The men didn’t know what to do. They were relying on Ben’s orders on how to better proceed, as he was their trusted leader. Ben continued to watch from the window above, unmoving. Gathering information from where it was safe.

Pearl flopped and wriggled helplessly on the deck floor, offense and humiliation stinging bitterly inside of her. How dare they entrap and try to subdue her?! How dare they even touch her?! She best calm down and strategize. So singing wasn’t an option; disappointing, but the siren was undeterred. She knew exactly how to escape.

With a smirk, Pearl’s teeth extended, transforming into fangs that she used to slash at the nearest finger that held the net down. The victimized man cried out and retreated, cradling the wounded digit. As soon as the others saw the blood dripping down his hand they stepped back too, and the mermaid’s fanged smirk widened with triumph; the sight sent ice through Ben’s veins. He knew sirens had that ability of growing fangs, had even seen Pearl show hers off before, but he’d never witnessed any of them using those predator teeth! The deadliness of the fangs seemed antithetical to Pearl’s ethereal and delicate features. They were sharper than knives: she gnawed at the ropes that held her captive, and quickly cut through the whole mesh of the net by sheer biting, untangling herself. A mountain of fish spilled out onto the boat, and the mermaid crawled forward, then sat up with dangerous poise.

That was enough for Ben, who hurried down the stairs toward the action.

The siren’s new powerful pose scared most of the crew. Aside from Ben upstairs and a reserve shotgun at the rear of the trawler, the captain was the only one carrying a gun on his person, which he pointed right at Pearl; it startled her into recoiling with a gasped hiss. She withdrew the fangs and froze in place, but her eyes still glared fiercely. The siren was familiar enough with guns even before Ben fired that shot at the tide pool -- she had met pirates and navy men who wielded them – and they frightened her more than anything else in the world.

“Stand down!” Ben shouted, exasperated, waving his hands so they would notice him as he appeared on deck, having descended from his enclosure. The mermaid’s eyes went wide with instant recognition—and mixed feelings; she had the sense that ‘Henry’ was dangerous, and wondered if he would prove it once and for all. Ben’s gaze locked with hers – unreadable and guarded -- and for a moment neither spoke nor moved; they just watched each other, both equally tense. Once the full crew had eyes on him too, he enunciated very slowly, to allow them to read his lips. “The last thing that we want is a confrontation with her kind!” And…aside from that, he’d personally rather not have Pearl dead. There was value in keeping a captured mermaid for himself, of course; the scientific advancements would be numerous! He was somewhat tempted to take her with them, only temporarily. But doing research wasn’t worth breaking the treaty and starting a war with the rest of the sirens.

The captain lowered the gun, trusting Ben’s judgment. Some of the men reached for their fishing knives, just in case the siren decided to attack them. Pearl let out a frantic little hiss, nose scrunching up at them. “You dare steal me from my ocean?” she demanded. But despite her posturing, she was terrified of being helpless amongst humans. Her heart drummed and her blood ran cold.

Despite his own fear of being in a vulnerable and potentially violent situation, Benjamin had always been good under pressure. He faced the mermaid, to tell her in no uncertain terms: “If you don’t harm us in any way, we’ll toss you back in the water and let you go. I give you my word, Pearl.” Ben might’ve been a liar in times of need, but if he ever gave his word, he kept it.

Pearl’s gaze locked with his; she was examining him, measuring the truth behind his promises. Both of them were equally wary of the other, but just as determined to stand their ground. She knew who he was, of course, and that helped deescalate things. That human was less unpleasant than most; he had been kind to her, though distant, and they had had a decent conversation before. He even stuck to their deal at the tide pool, behaving fairly. All of that might’ve meant that his word was worth something—though she was unsure if humans were ever trustworthy at all. Maybe their promises were always completely worthless…but she chose to give it a try, despite all she’d been taught. It was better than facing a gun. The mermaid smiled dryly, nodding her agreement with a soft hiss. It was an empty expression, yet truthful of her intentions. Ben let out an exhale of relief.

Ben then gestured toward the ocean, telling her she was free to go. But she wouldn’t leave without a vague parting threat: “Do yourselves a favor and stay away from my waters,” she cautioned.

The edges of his eyes tightened. He offered a terse close-lipped smile, displeased by her remark; they were not in siren territory. It had been terribly bold of her to walk alone on land, and now she wanted to claim territory that didn’t belong to her? That didn’t bode well for their peace treaty. If she pushed too far, he would eventually be forced to push back. But it wasn’t the time or place to deal with it, so he simply nodded instead, albeit curtly. The faster they had her back in the water and swimming far away from their fishing boat, the better.

The V-shaped bow of the trawler was narrow, and Pearl’s shimmering tail was very long. When she turned around to dive out, the fins accidentally smacked one of Ben’s men, Pickett, on the knees. He, who was known to be impulsive and vengeful, got startled and reacted without thinking. One moment of angry panic and everything went to hell in a handbasket. He shoved a fishing knife into her shoulder, piercing the siren’s flesh badly enough for blood to gush from it. She let out a shattering high pitched scream of pain-- one Ben feared might double as a call as it echoed in the distance. During that scream, her fangs protruded out again, and she instantly sank them into the arm of her assailant just as he removed the knife embedded in her. Like an animal instinctively lashing out when hurt.

Ben watched with horror as Pickett yelled in pain, his flesh being torn by the predator’s strikingly sharp teeth. Warm blood spilled on Pearl’s lips and chin, then dripped down her neck and chest—and she stared them down fiercely, daring them to come closer. A terrifyingly powerful sight of a deadly monster, one they were responsible for angering. Ben didn’t want to find out if she had swallowed a loose piece of flesh or not.

The captain tossed his pistol at his endangered friend. In the mayhem, Pearl was able to shove her fingers into Pickett’s ears to yank out the protections. All of it happened in seconds, much too fast for the rest of the crew to react. The creature smirked, letting her song soar through the air while she securely held a struggling Pickett down. Ben stood helplessly as he watched one of his own men go from frantic and terrified to a compliant puppy, staring adoringly at the siren even as she took the gun right out of his grasp and pushed him off the boat, knife in hand and all. Benjamin didn’t dare make a move to help him. Nobody else did either.

Pearl quickly examined her wound and let out a distressed hiss. It hurt an awful lot! She wiped the blood off and winced, but decided the cut wasn’t too worrying for the time being. Still, she kept one hand pressed firmly over it, to staunch the bleeding. Then she turned the gun over in her other hand, inspecting it with coldness and a deep disdain. Ben’s men were looking frantically at him, waiting for directions on what to do next. Ben grimaced; as the only other person there with a gun, he didn’t want to shoot her…but if it was a matter of him versus her, he would. She calmly licked her bloody lips, like she was doing it just to freak out the humans. The mermaid raised her chin with defiance, and a conviction as unbending as the cliffs of the Island. “I’d sooner die than ever make use of these monstrous things,” she declared and promptly threw the weapon in the water, where a hypnotized Pickett awaited her.

It surprised Ben, but perhaps it made sense that an otherworldly creature had an aversion to guns. Small mercies, he supposed. Unfortunately, Pickett’s attack made the siren believe Ben’s offer of a truce had been a trick, an empty ruse. She snarled, feeling that all of her preconceived notions about humans were being confirmed: liars, cruel, who built horrific contraptions to kill one another.

“Pearl, I meant what I said—” Ben started in a pointed rush, uneasy and with an underpinning of damage control.

“You dishonorable, lying scoundrel,” she accused, blaming him for the supposed betrayal. Pearl crawled up the boat, pulling herself forward with her arms and pushing with her tail. Blood droplets dripped from her wound and left a smeared trail on the floor. Ben could feel the implicit threat in the atmosphere; she was coming for him next, her golden gaze locked in on him.

Before he could get his gun, the siren leapt through the air, propelled by her strong tail. She traveled farther than any of them could’ve guessed, launching herself right at Ben. He inhaled sharply, eyes widening as he caught both of her wrists to stop her from grabbing him, and stumbling backwards from the force of her knocking into him. Sharp fangs and a blood-stained mouth were inches from his contorted face as he struggled to push her away. Pearl swung her tail at his legs and knocked him off balance, then she swung again and hit his back like a painful lash that made him let out a groan through gritted teeth. But he was strong. Recovering quickly, a scrambling Ben kneed her in the stomach to stop her momentum; she doubled over, the air knocked out of her. It was his chance to make a move. He grabbed her by the stomach and swiftly flipped her as she shrieked, ensuring she was face-down on the boat. Ben pulled her arms taut behind her back and kept her pinned to the floor by pressing a knee to her back. She couldn’t turn toward him enough to bite him. He discovered that, without her voice and teeth, she was rather weak.

She was wriggling around like a literal fish out of water, and speaking furiously; but it was in vain, as he could not hear the words. And no matter how much she struggled and thrashed, his grip didn’t loosen. Not even when he received another painful smack from her tail to the back of his legs; he swayed from the push and grunted lightly, but kept her firmly trapped. His other knee came to rest over the tail, to stop her from continuing to weaponize it against him. The mermaid squirmed, but went nowhere. Ben breathed in deeply, then exhaled, mouth half-open with relief: he’d successfully subdued the captive siren. The rest of the crew watched in quiet awe.

She whimpered, and he noticed that the injury on her shoulder was touching the dirty trawler floor. Ben was quick to fix that, by lightly pulling on one arm and lifting that side of her body off the ground. Pearl wriggled again. He didn’t see the relieved sigh she exhaled when the pain eased up, nor the surprise that flashed across her face; she hadn’t expected any kindness from humans, much less ones engaged in battle with her.

“If I return you to the sea, will you still leave us be?” Ben asked with stern urgency, his fingers wrapped tightly around her wrists. After another violent squirm and loud hiss, her body finally stilled under his, ceasing to struggle while she contemplated his offer. Her fangs retracted. The mermaid closed her eyes, frustrated, and nodded; she was in Ben’s hands, pinned down by his legs and surrounded by enemies--- she knew she was beaten. So simply surviving became the best strategy.

Ben let out a tiny breath of relief and allowed himself a brief smile. He moved to carefully pull her nearer the edge of the boat, farther from where his people stood, in an awkward hunched-over walk. Pearl didn’t seem to mind, and let him drag her toward the water. A few of the men were shaking their heads and wagging their fingers in a ‘no’ gesture, telling him not to do such a thing. Ben couldn’t hear them but he knew exactly what they meant: ‘don’t trust her. You can’t make a deal with her kind.’ Well. He disagreed. And Ben was the boss, so the decision was his.

As they reached the edge of the hull, he stopped dragging her and returned to a pinning stance. “I need one thing from you first. Undo what you did to me,” he stipulated, lowering his voice so that only Pearl could hear him; he didn’t want his people finding out he’d been in a vulnerable emotional position for years. That was why he dragged her away from them, so they could talk in secret.

The mermaid was confused and insulted, and she made it plain by the glare she threw him when she looked over her shoulder. “I did nothing to you.” She forcefully moved her arms, trying to pry them out of his clutches, but he kept them tightly captive within his grasp.

He read her bloodied lips – a sight that continued to disturb him, especially as a bleeding Pickett was being tended to by the men that rescued him from the water -- and asked with dripping skepticism: “You didn’t hypnotize me with your siren song? Made me--- think about you, all this time?” She must have, because why else would he have been so stuck on her, seeing her face in his dreams and wondering about her so often?

She hissed, uppity, resuming squirming under his body. His hold on her wrists tightened. “That is not how the siren song works!” She refused to give the human details that may be later used against her, so she offered a simple crumb of an explanation: “If you were under my spell, you would not be acting of your own free will--- I wouldn’t be trapped under you! If you’ve been thinking about me, Henry, that is the doing of your own head. Leave me out of such matters,” she demanded harshly, helplessly thumping her fins against the boat.

That stunned him. Could it be true? She seemed incredibly sincere. He supposed he had to go back to his previous theory – the one from before he knew Pearl’s true identity – that his vague obsession with her was born out of the failure of solving the mystery of where she came from. Well; the mystery was solved now, so she would be out of his mind for good… Except that, as he looked into her demanding and cold eyes, Ben had the strongest intuitive feeling that Pearl wouldn’t be purged from his brain any time soon. Maybe she was lying about not entrancing him. “I don’t know if I can believe that,” he told her with an indecipherable expression.

She stuck her nose in the air. “My kind is honorable. I give you my word: you are not under any spell. And if you let me go now, I will do you no harm.”

Ben had no choice but to take a chance in trusting her word about the song. “I told you that I would,” he reminded, a bit snippy, then moved the pressure from his knees off of her back and tail. There was no need to roll her, because as soon as she felt his grip ease up, she jumped out herself, as eager to leave the boat as the men were to watch her go.

She landed delicately in the water, steepled hands first, then her head and torso. The final swish of her tail splashed Ben’s face with salt water. But she didn’t continue a smooth descent into the depths; instead Pearl floated up right next to Pickett, who looked overjoyed to be near her again and reached toward her with an adoring hand. Her fingers made fists around the fabric of the shoulders of his shirt, to hold him with her. He beamed. “No harm to all of you except for the monster who stabbed me,” she disdainfully clarified, baring two canine fangs at the hypnotized man. Then she pulled him headfirst into the water.

Ben’s breath was shaky as he grappled with the realization that he would never see Pickett again. Pearl threw the crew one last deathly glare before diving down, humming into her victim’s ear and dragging an entranced Pickett with her as she disappeared in the ocean. The poor man never stood a chance.

The last thing they heard was another loud, high pitched call coming from the depths. Ben had a sinking suspicion that it was Pearl’s summoning call.

“Get us out of here, now!” he commanded, eyes wide and determined. The captain was already maneuvering the boat as fast as humanly possible, swerving it toward the faraway shore. They needed to get out of those mermaid-infested waters before Pearl’s reinforcements appeared. Ben was sure they would have heard her calling. He was now suspiciously aware Pearl only promised that she wouldn’t hurt anyone.

But it was too little, too late. The mermaids heard Pearl’s wounded cry, and they came to her aid.

It only took about five more minutes for them to arrive. Everywhere he looked, Ben saw the shadow of a body undulating just below the surface, with glimpses of fins breaking the water. He estimated that there were about ten of them, swimming by so fast that they created a whooshing sound. All the men were agitated, watching intently and readying their weapons, which were mostly an assortment of fishing tools. Ben chose the reserve shotgun and lent his personal pistol to the captain. He cocked and uncocked the long weapon, when a sudden thud made the crew flinch and Ben swivel his head around in different directions with sharp movements. The mermaids were pounding on the trawler from below, scaring his people with the reverberating sound; Ben stayed calm despite the threat, but not all others possessed as much fortitude as he did. The sirens shook the boat, launching a coordinated assault on it.

“What do we do, boss?” the youngest of the crew asked, wide-eyed.

“We wait,” Ben ordered firmly. “Don’t fight unless they become a direct threat!” They didn’t need to start a war over some shaking. Maybe it was still possible to maneuver out of the way.

It didn’t take long for the school of mermaids to escalate. They approached the surface, then the trawler, circling it from all sides. Then they began to slowly rise out of the pristine blue, exposing only their glowing gold eyes and their hairs of different colors, silky and matted to their heads by wetness. A shiver ran up Ben’s spine: he and his men were completely surrounded by the sirens. They were prey, and they were doomed.

Pearl – who was among them, her face now washed of any trace of Pickett’s blood -- made no move to stop her kind from approaching. Ben threw her a bewildered, nearly offended look, to which she simply shrugged coolly. “I said that I would not harm you—and I will not. I can’t speak for my sisters, for they have free will.”

Of course, he thought with vexed bitterness. Wordplay. Her technique was eerily similar to Ben’s own ways of finding loopholes and manipulating; he saw it coming clear as day, but hated having it confirmed.

“We are not in your territory,” he shouted loudly enough that his voice would carry to the open waters, reaching all of them over the gentle murmuring of the waves and breeze, “and we released the one that we caught by accident.” That should have been enough to stop the creatures, as the humans had not broken the treaty. But the mermaids were undeterred, swimming close enough that they could touch the boat. They were communicating through high-pitched calls, reminiscent of a dolphin but softer, and clicks of the tongue. Many of them were baring their teeth and hissing.

And then they began to further emerge, upright and all the way to their waists, leaving only their tails underwater. One of them tried to board the trawler from the stern. When he saw the sirens rise up from the depths, Ben knew some of his men would be unavoidably lost. Damned to a watery grave. He just had to make sure he wasn’t included in that. “I need three people covering each side of this trawler,” he quickly instructed. “Captain, take the back. I have the front.” Ben didn’t want to, yet he issued the only order he could, his gaze and demeanor full of somber intensity: “Avoid killing them if you can, but … stop them. Do not let them board! No matter the cost.” Treaty be damned. Mermaids outside of the Eastern Sea, invading their boat with the intent to kill was already an act of war.

The men nodded and quickly assumed their positions, brandishing knives, hooks and mallets. Not terribly encouraging, Ben winced inwardly, then decided: from now on every boat needs to be stacked with extra guns for every passenger.

There were icy hands grasping the trawler as the mermaids pulled themselves aboard, swarming from all sides. Ben did what he could to knock them back out, shoving them into the water with the backside of the shotgun. Some fought and tried to yank it from him, but he was stronger. With a scrunched up face and lips pressed together, he hit at them with enough strength to hurt their heads and force them to jump ship, escaping to below the surface.

But not every human was as skilled as Ben, especially when they were fairly weaponless. One let out a shout as he was dragged underwater; Ben didn’t even see him be taken. Another of his men was grabbed by two sirens that dangled off the hull, immediately sinking beneath the waves with them. Ben tried to reach for him, but it was too late, and he was unwilling to stick his hand in the treacherous waters.

Pearl was keeping her word, in a strict sense. She stayed farthest from the boat, simply floating on the waves that rolled by her and watching the attack unfold with an aloof, emotionless look on her face. The surface of the sea glittered with sunlight as much as her hair and seashell bustier did. While Ben was looking at her, a hand closed around his ankle and tugged on him, stealing the ground away. He fell on his knees, wincing, and instantly turned with his gun to pull the trigger on a silver-haired creature whose arms had dared reach inside the boat. The sudden noise of the shot made all the mermaids shriek and flinch hard.

There was little more than a thinning red hue tinging the sparkling blue water as the body sank back into the ocean, to its grave, leaving a determined Ben to watch it vanish. Her dead, glassy-eyed look staring up at the sky while descending further and further to the depths unsettled him a little. He didn’t hear the gut-wrenching cry that Pearl let out as she launched herself at him, and he only realized her proximity when she grabbed at the gun to wrestle it away from him. He’d shot one of her kind. She was heartbroken, tears spilling down her face. If there was one thing that would throw her off her pose of detached coldness, it was watching her people be hurt.

It was unfair for Pearl to break her promise when Ben was merely defending himself, he thought. If he didn’t kill that mermaid, he would be dead instead! What did Pearl expect to happen when her kind launched an attack on his boat? Unless…unless she was only fighting for control of the weapon, and not to hurt him. He didn’t have time to ponder which was more likely, though, because the blonde mermaid was yanking roughly at the shotgun. His grip on it tightened.

“You killed her! You vile monster!” the siren shouted accusingly, baring all of her fangs.

Wide-eyed, Ben had no choice but to fire again, barrel pointed at the sky as both of them were struggling against each other to gain possession of the gun. When the shot rang out Pearl shrieked in fear, hissing loudly as she recoiled away from him. “Get back,” he warned, aiming the weapon at her as she crouched on the floor of the trawler like she was trying to flatten herself into it. “Get off my boat,” Ben sneered commandingly, gun unflinching. It scared her.

“Retreat!” Pearl’s delicate but commanding voice rose above the rest, in a shout loud enough to pierce through the men’s yells and the waves. She had truly believed the only gun on board was the one she got rid of; had she known there were more she would’ve never risked letting her sisters get inside the boat! “They have another killing contraption! We are outmatched from up close! Our leader would not want us to lay down our lives in such a manner!”

Ben noted that it was weird for her to issue the order in English and not in clicks and hisses. Did she want him to understand it? Why? Only so he knew she was complying, or, was there another reason? Because he could see that she was complying; words weren’t needed. How interesting that she was trying to direct his focus toward the idea of a mermaid leader…

The school of mermaids obeyed instantly. They abandoned their fighting stances, tossed the men that were in their grasps off to the side, and jumped from whatever edge of the boat they were perched on, to dive back into the safety of the sea. Many had scrapes and cuts on their hands and arms.

But the sirens weren’t completely defeated. They retreated far, though they were still plotting, wishing for victory and revenge. Ben could see them circling just under the surface, too far to be shot but still within view. The dorsal of a tail, or the fins, would peek out from under the waves on occasion, and the rippling circles on the surface of the water let him know where they were. He kept his gun trained on them.

Suddenly, and eerily, seven of them rose back up, soaked as they breached the surface and gathered in a wide circle. It looked like a deliberate ritual formation.

His blood turned to ice when the group of mermaids tilted their faces up to the sky and began waving their raised hands in delicate circular motions, mouths open to let a new melody soar; Ben knew what they were about to do, and warned his men to take cover and be prepared. Storm clouds obeyed the siren song, rolling in to obscure the sky above Ben’s head. Soon the sun was hidden and thick droplets fell on him.

The mermaids sang with reckless abandon, commanding the weather to bend to their whims. The rain evolved to a torrential downpour in seconds, wind howled loudly, and lightning cut through the skies. Ben could barely make out the path ahead; the heavy curtain of rain obscured everything and he couldn’t see through it. That was the trick—they could make him sail straight into a rock and not even realize what he was doing until it was too late.

Waves were growing bolder and more violent, the roaring wind forcing the boat to drift further from shore. The floor was slippery enough that Ben had a hard time walking. They kept sailing to shore, but the storm continued to worsen to worrying levels.

Within minutes the revolt waves were as high as hills, battering the boat like a rag doll. Ben and his men stood firmly, squinting and grabbing any structural part of the trawler to keep themselves from being thrown overboard. Ben was holding on to the mast, arms wrapped tightly around it, and blinking the raindrops away. The rain seeped into his bones, wind nearly sweeping him up, and he was only grateful that the water was warm. The sky was getting to be pitch black, the waves constantly testing his balance; Ben was winning though, standing his ground with determination and his mouth pressed into a thin line.

As hard as the waves were on the boat, they were the opposite for the mermaids. Ben could sometimes peek the creatures swimming through them, riding the bobbing motions like it was nothing, going up and down with ease. Some cut through them instead, rising up from the depths and lunging through the middle of a wave, only to disappear on the other side seconds later. The tempestuous sea was nothing more than a playground for the sirens.

It was by some miracle – and the talent of the crew plus Ben’s great knowledge of the Island – that they managed to safely navigate the trawler back to shore. Well, mostly; one man fell overboard after a particularly violent wave tossed them about. In total, four men were dead after their skirmish with the mermaids: Pickett, the two dragged under by other sirens, and the last one lost to the summoned storm. The trawler was bloodstained and smelling of dead fish, as some of the catch from the net was still spilled all over the deck, though most had been claimed by the rain. On the opposing side of the fight, one siren was dead, and several were injured.

Ben and the rest of the crew walked somberly from the beach to the Barracks. They were soaked, tired, some bloody, and all grieving the losses of the day. But more than that, Benjamin was working out a way to ensure that such an attack never happened again. He felt heavy, like the weight of the world was on him, and momentarily crestfallen.

At home and freshly showered, he sipped a glass of whiskey, letting out a weary sigh as he pushed any grief so far down to where he could barely feel it. What he felt the most was a sense of responsibility; not for what happened, but for what was to come. As the leader, it fell on him to ensure the safety of his people, and a plan was already forming in his highly strategic mind.

***

He knew that woman was trouble from the moment he saw her. Others were easily charmed– and even Ben had to admit she had quite a pull to her – but he sensed something more. Something hidden under the surface, and dark, and unexplainably off-putting. Finding out she was really a siren put all that into perspective; what he’d sensed was that he was in the presence of a predator species.

He tried not to spook her at the tide pool, curious to know more and somewhat drawn to her ethereal coldness. The conversation they shared gave him some hope that perhaps mermaids weren’t the fearsome monsters from legends, but after the incident on the boat, any hope was dead and buried—along with the men lost to the fathoms of the sea. He’d been a fool to feel drawn to Pearl; she was nothing more than a wily predator, icy and dangerous, and far too inhuman to be around him.

Well…no, he didn’t really believe that. Ben still believed that Pearl, herself, was fairly reasonable and not entirely unfeeling. But even she was still, ultimately, a predator. Her kind caused a lot of damage that day, and he needed to handle it swiftly and efficiently. His people egged him on to demonstrate that they wouldn’t stand down after such an attack; they wanted a show of force.

But it wasn’t about retaliation for him. Ben recognized the part that his own people played in the marine incident, and he understood why the mermaids reacted as they did: Pickett attacked one, they attacked back. But the whys and guilty verdicts didn’t matter; what mattered was that the death of that siren and of his men cracked the peace accords wide open. There was no way of knowing if the mermaids were plotting any further revenge; Ben could only guess that they might want to drown more humans. So really, it was about prevention and safety. He had to stop them from getting anywhere near his people, by putting up a barrier that would keep the creatures far away. It didn’t matter that it intruded on the Eastern Sea, an area designated for the sirens; the treaty said it belonged to them, but they had been venturing farther from their own territory and causing harm for years now. Ben had to stop that, with or without a peace treaty. If the mermaids didn’t respect the terms of it, he wouldn’t be bound by them either.

In the time it took for him to procure the necessary materials, the situation escalated even further: one of his people was out on a canoe and ran into a mermaid; she hissed, and the human reacted by shooting and killing her.

After a tricky negotiation with a supplier and a quick trip to the mainland to meet with them, Ben acquired some sonic cannons to be set up underwater. His second choice of weapon was explosives, but he’d rather not kill any more mermaids if it could be avoided. They were also inhabitants of the Island, after all, and linked to its metaphysical powers in some way. He wanted to let them be, in peace, as long as they were far, far from land and his people, so the sonic cannons were the better choice. They worked by emitting a sound frequency that could incapacitate others, and it was only thanks to Ben’s vast riches and resources – and the loyalty of his allies to the Island – that he was able to acquire such devices. His plan was to have a line of them going around the whole Island, in relatively shallow waters, connected to motion sensors to cut off any passages to land. The sensors detected motion of bodies over a certain specific size, and would activate the sonic weapons if any sirens tried to swim under, around or over them.

Ben sent out a team of divers – equipped with flare guns and wearing earplugs – to go install the devices.

It was a simple job, headed by four people who had plenty of experience underwater. In formation, they spread out to stretch chains across sections of the ocean. Devices were installed, attached to the new chain barrier: a movement sensor and the accompanying sonic cannon, one per every few miles. Ben had calibrated the sensors to only respond to movement of large bodies, to avoid having them go off whenever a fish swam by. The only things of that size were sharks and dolphins – who never swam in that depth, as it was too shallow for them – and the mermaids. If they dared approach, the sensors would trigger the release of a sonic boom to disorient, hurt, and potentially even kill the intruders if they came too close repeatedly.

The first three sections of the ocean were done smoothly, with all the necessary cannons and sensors installed—until they entered the Eastern Sea. The merfolk saw the approaching divers as invaders, trespassing into their homes with hostile intention. They reacted as such, seething at the disrespect and gearing up to protect their territory. There was no hesitation on the sirens’ part. Pearl snarled a command and they attacked as one, fangs bared and swarming the men and women that desperately tried to flee.

The diver closest to the mermaids set out a flare gun. The zooming, bright, burning red light frightened them—the aquatic creatures had never seen one of those before, didn’t know if it was deadly or not. With agitated shrieks, they swam out in all directions, forced to scatter and seek shelter.

The flare bought enough time for that diver and two others to get a head start. The fourth wasn’t so lucky; not wanting to disappoint Ben, he stayed to connect the last remaining sonic weapons. Pearl, who was lodged inside a kelp forest, watched him like a hawk. Her narrowed glowing eyes illuminated through the shifting algae, casting a trippy, ever-moving glow. She knew it was risky to go after that man—what if he had another of those red lights? But she couldn’t stand for that level of disrespect. He came into her home, to install some human contraption that was sure to hurt her. Her upper lip curled with a noiseless hiss. The risk was worthwhile, at least according to the bold mermaid. She moved slowly through the greenish brown kelps, staying so low her stomach brushed against the sand at the bottom of the ocean. Pearl batted her tail with careful laziness, until she came to the end of the forest. That’s when she flapped her fins with full force and speed, using that and her hydrodynamic shape to launch a fast swim toward the man that was already trying to get away.

But he was in siren territory. They had the agility there, and the advantage. Pearl reached him in seconds. Her unyielding icy grasp curled around the ankle and she yanked, hard, pulling the helpless human toward her. His attempt to set out a flare was foiled by her tail smacking into his hands and making him drop it. The diver flailed and swung to hit her, but the mermaid’s reflexes were faster than his. With a hissed snarl, she sank her teeth into his neck, tearing through wetsuit, skin, and flesh. His scream was drowned out by the ocean itself.

On shore, Ben waited patiently for updates. The divers should be getting back any time now. His keen eyes spotted some splashing, followed by a frantic woman swimming up from the depths then running like mad toward the safety of the shore. Ben’s eyes widened and he felt the sickening presentiment that something had gone horribly wrong. Trailing behind her, a second woman and a man dashed to dry land too, kicking up a lot of water and sand along the way.

“They caught him!” the first diver shouted, horrified. Skidding to a halt in front of Ben, she doubled over, hands on her knees as she panted. “I couldn’t save him. I’m sorry, Ben. I don’t know if he made it.”

His sense of triumph faltered, face tensing up. He already knew the last diver wasn’t coming back up.

Pearl rose up instead, to challenge them from far away, and she was a chilling sight to all: bathed in sunlight and bobbing up and down with the waves, her eyes were two circles of light and half of her face was smeared with blood. The red dripped down her chin. The wound on her shoulder from Pickett’s knife was practically healed, making Ben wonder if mermaids benefited from the same healing properties humans received on the Island. The aquatic woman stared at them, sending a chill up their spines and making many of them tremble with the sheer commanding iciness she possessed. Ben simply stared vacantly back at her, holding her gaze despite the sinking disappointment in his gut. And then…triumph. The small device he was holding came to life with a beep, informing him that the network of cannons and motion sensors had been properly activated. He held back a smirk. Pearl snarled at him from a distance, in clear warning, and dove down…wondering why he didn’t react to her at all. She was finding him very hard to intimidate.

It wasn’t in his nature to show his cards. His anger was quiet and careful, his fear deceptive, and he was more than able to face off against the bloody siren. That had been quite the unfortunate turn of events, but, well…it wasn’t all a failure, Ben gauged. In fact, he considered it more of a win: the sonic cannons were properly set up, and that should keep the mermaids well away from his beaches and his home.

Notes:

I hope the title gave a little clue that this chapter would be a little more, um...combative. And the next one is maybe one of my favorites!
Also, you may have noticed, two and a half years have passed since Juliet's arrival on the Island, which means we're about six months away from the Oceanic crash! There's plenty to happen before that, but it IS coming!
And if I get any boat terms wrong-- no I didn't askkash. I know nothing about boats and research only goes so far, so please disregard possible mistakes!

Thanks to everyone who has been reading and complimenting this fic! As always, it means a lot! <3

Chapter 5: The gentle binds hold them together, and the cunning charms them both

The Northern Sea was the most important for Ben and his people; crucial, even: it was where they needed to sail through to get from the main Island to Hydra Island. Historically, it belonged to them. Although the mermaids were allowed to come and go freely underwater, the treaty demanded that they keep their distance from humans entirely; they were only allowed to kill if a human trespassed on the Eastern Sea. If a siren swimming in the Northern Sea spotted a boat, or a diver, she had to swim away from them. The same was true of the Southern and Western sides, but Ben’s people found themselves much more often in the Northern Sea, traversing to and from Hydra Island.

A few days after the installation of the motion sensors and sonic cannons, Ben was on his way to his office, located on the smaller Island. He knew he couldn’t trust the mermaids to uphold the accords any longer, so he made sure to only travel on the inside of the sonic cannon barrier, where no mermaid could reach. They had the outside – the open sea -- all to themselves, but the relatively shallow side belonged only to the humans now.

However, on the journey through the Northern Sea, his outrigger canoe was suddenly tapped by something. Nothing big, just a quick bump that made a pattering sound. Before he had time to wonder, he heard and felt it again, and recognized what caused it: rocks. Something was throwing small rocks at the hull. He grimly wondered if they were trying to call his attention, or if they wanted to knock him out and simply had poor aim.

He got down from the seat and squatted inside the canoe, immediately drawing his gun, then turned in the direction the flying rocks were coming from. Pearl waited there, on the outside of the chain barrier, watching him with a quiet outrage and a pebble in hand.

“You put up those…harmful sounds in our home?” she shrieked in disbelief.

“You didn’t leave me with much of a choice…” he narrowed his eyes, pointing the pistol at her. She faltered a little, but this time she didn’t flee. The chain of cannons and sensors floated ominously between them. “I hope you’re not here for a repeat of last time. I’d hate to see another one of your friends get shot,” he warned in a monotone that finished pointedly. Blue eyes were cold and dark, and sent shivers up Pearl’s spine; she instantly shrank back and sank in the water, leaving only her eyes peering up at him. She hated feeling intimidated by a human, but that one knew exactly how to make himself intimidating and how to appear more chilling when he wanted to be perceived as such. Despite his seemingly well-wishing words, the dangerous undertone was practically leaping out at her, brimming in his smooth cadence and the iciness of his blue eyes.

Neither of them moved for a long, charged moment. Eventually, Pearl rose up enough that her mouth was above water. “I am not here for a confrontation, but to warn you: you’ve gone too far. Remove those monstrosities,” she demanded.

He let out a wry scoff that was almost a chuckle. “I can’t. Sorry. They’re there to protect us.”

She had a different read of the situation than he did. While for Ben it was all about keeping himself and his people safe, to the sirens it felt like having their territory invaded by selfish creatures. The blonde mermaid let out an angry hiss. “But it has hurt some of my people! One of us even died due to it!”

“I’m sorry that it came to that,” he offered, a bit hollowly, with a quick shake of the head. “I’m sure you’ve learned by now that if you steer clear of it, the barrier won’t hurt any of you.” His mouth pulled downwards as his shoulders bunched up.

The mermaids had figured out as much, of course. None dared try to breach the perimeter anymore. The problem was that their territory was now too small, at least according to the merfolk, because the barrier infringed on relatively deep waters. But Pearl wasn’t there to try to reason with a human; if he wasn’t swayed by a mermaid dying, then she deemed it pointless to give him other arguments. He wouldn’t care that her kind was too restricted and without enough space. Humans never cared about anything that hurt others, as long as it benefitted themselves--- that was why merfolk hated them so much. “Your kind never learns!” she clamored at him, face full of pissed off distress. “You take, and you take, and you don’t care that you destroy everything in your path!”

“And who was it that tried to sink our boat, hm?” he fired back with no hesitation, lips pressing together and nose scrunching up with vexed petulance. In Ben’s mind, the sirens were equally as guilty of the conflict as the humans were.

She didn’t have an answer to that. Only a threat: “Mark my words, Henry Gale…this affront shall not go unanswered. You may have cut us off, but we control these waters now,” she declared with venomous disdain, gesturing to her surroundings.

It was clear that, if she could, she would strike then and there. Ben eyed the chain with a smug little smile; there was nothing Pearl could do to harm or even threaten him. She couldn’t sing because his ears were blocked, couldn’t touch him because of the physical barrier between them, couldn’t even throw a spear because he had a gun. Even if she summoned a storm, he was close enough to the shore that he could get back without any issue. Pearl – and all of her siren friends – were utterly powerless against Ben and his people. It filled him with satisfaction, and filled her with rage.

With a lack of response from him, the upset Pearl slinked under the waves and disappeared back into the depths.

After she was gone, Ben gave her ominous notice some serious thought; should he remove the chains, to appease her? No. If anything, it was better to add more, to really confine the aquatic creatures to a small section of their Eastern Sea. They would be no threat if they were corralled, too far out to be able to sing for anybody, and prevented from swimming anywhere near ships and boats. If they threatened him again, he might just do exactly that.

For a couple of weeks, the network of motion sensors paired with sonic cannons worked. No siren managed to breach the borders. But Pearl was far from being defeated; she spent the time plotting, and planning, and searching an alternate route to allow her to reach dry land without having to swim to shore. The answer came in the form of an ancient underwater tunnel. She could swim in it, crawl through a cave and reach a river that led directly inside the perimeter of the Barracks. There were secrets the mermaids managed to keep from humans for hundreds of years, like their ability to walk on legs. One of those hidden traits – specifically the fact that they could inhabit freshwater too – would be key in finding a new path onto dry land.

***

Ben was out on a very mundane walk through the jungle, well within the boundaries of The Barracks, which meant protected by the Sonic Fences: neither Black Smoke nor sirens on foot (should they somehow get past the sonic cannons in the water) could cross the fences. It protected them from outsiders, too. Not that there were any other people on the Island aside from Ben’s own, at the moment. He paid Mikhail a visit to discuss some business, and was returning to the main hub of the village for lunch.

There was no forewarning of noise, leaving Ben to be caught completely by surprise when someone sprung out from the bushes and leapt behind him, grabbing him. He was immediately subdued by something sharp and cold pressing his throat, and a soft hand clamped over his mouth.

His heart thundered, startled at the sudden grab and fearing for his safety. It was an obvious ambush! His quick mind was already working overtime on a plan of escape. Ben didn’t know what was happening, but he had a very good guess; a terrifying, infuriating guess: Pearl. The person standing behind him had her scent, like a delightful ocean breeze on a sunny morning, and the cold softness of her touch. Pearl, back on land, which was worrying enough on its own, but what did she want?! She vowed that his ‘affront wouldn’t go unanswered’, but she was led to believe that Richard was their leader, so putting up the sound barriers underwater was his responsibility as far as she knew. If she singled Ben out, he theorized, then it must be revenge for him shooting and killing another mermaid. But how the hell did Pearl get past the sonic cannons in the water and the old Dharma Sonic Fence?!

He raised his hands in a surrendering gesture. There was no point in risking it when she had a blade to his neck, not until he was free to talk and negotiate his way out. He heard a soft little hiss right in his ear.

“Don’t be foolish,” she cautioned, confirming his suspicions: it was Pearl, with her silky and angelic voice. She reached for his gun, taking it from the pocket and throwing it away, on the bushes across from them. “Come along with me, nice and easy, human. Henry. I did not expect it to be you.” There was a hint of cold humor there, like she found that coincidence funny. Ben narrowed his eyes; he didn’t think there were too many coincidences on that Island. And-- did she really not target him on purpose? If it wasn’t revenge, what the hell was she up to? The first thing he did was press his hands over his ears, to block out any possible singing. He was worried that she might not let him do that, but Pearl made no move to stop him. The blade stayed flush on his neck, but she didn’t put any pressure on it so he remained unhurt. She simply gave him a small push forward, reminding him that he was meant to go with her.

He nodded his compliance, because what other choice did he have? If he struggled she could bite him with her fang-like teeth, slash his throat with that blade, or worse, sing and hypnotize him into full submission. His breathing was strained by nerves, but other than that he didn’t squirm at all. He was very alert, ready to grab his concealed baton and hit her if she gave him even a millisecond of a chance. Ben wasn’t sure if he was impressed or disappointed in her for kidnapping him on land in broad daylight: it took guts, it was bold, but it was also incredibly reckless. He wondered how well thought-out her plan really was, and figured he’d find out soon enough. One thing was certain, though: he had failed to predict that move from her, and that irked and worried him in equal measure.

They took their first steps in tandem, and she stayed glued to her hostage to keep control of him. Ben noticed she was leaning on him for support -- her arm draped around his shoulder and an occasional elbow on his back --, still not sure-footed enough to move on uneven ground.

After a few tense minutes of walking through the jungle with a siren right behind him holding a blade to his throat, he decided to start talking; if she wanted to sing, she would have easily done so by then, so he tentatively uncovered his ears. Ben’s best chance of survival was to convince her to lower her guard, and he was confident that if anyone was capable of such a feat, it was him. He said something to her, but it came out muffled by the hand she had pressed over his mouth. Pearl shushed him and clamped it more tightly, yet the man bravely persisted, talking up a storm even if every single word was an unintelligible mumble.

Eventually, he got under her skin. Pearl let out an impatient sigh and threatened, right in his ear: “If you make one attempt at calling out to your friends, you will regret it.” He could feel her breath on his neck, and it sent a shiver up his spine---a more pleasant shiver than it had any right to be. He was satisfied with the turn of events, too; his incessant attempts at talking had been enough to get her to drop her hand. As a warning, she pressed the blade a little tighter into his skin, eliciting a sharp inhale from him.

“Killing me will only make things worse,” Ben went straight to the point, not wasting any second that he was able to use in his favor. “My people will retaliate,” he added with a bite.

“You will not die, as long as you behave.” Her tone was very unfeeling.

He allowed himself one moment of vulnerability, where he closed his eyes and let out a deep sigh of relief. His situation was dire, but at least it wasn’t one of imminent death. “Then what do you want?” he finally asked, with an indecipherable edge to his tone. Whatever she was seeking, he could dissuade her from it, or negotiate a better deal.

“You shall see soon enough.” A cutting dismissal.

“I---mphh!” Apparently that was all the leeway she was willing to give him, because she covered his mouth with her hand again and stole away his voice. Pearl was notoriously suspicious, so as unlikely as it was that he’d try anything, the mermaid didn’t want to give him any chance to alert one of his people of their whereabouts.

Ben hated that. Being powerless and out of control never sat well with him; it made him feel uneasy, unsafe, and desperate to claw his way out of that position. His insides twisted with acid distaste for the mermaids; he would have to find a way to wipe them out. Even Pearl, who was…less unpleasant, and who had very soft, silky hair that he could feel on his shoulders and the nape of his neck.

Their path started to trace the edge of a river. Ben knew it would end at the beach, which was bad news for him. Facing the mermaid on land was one thing, but where she had the advantage? He needed to avoid that at all costs. He dug in his heels, stopping abruptly enough that she bumped into him.

“Ow. Move, Henry,” she uncovered his mouth and used that free hand to jab at his shoulder, pushing him forward.

“We don’t need to keep going,” he tried, with calculated persuasion. “If you tell me what it is that you want, I can ensure my leader gets it done for you.”

“Move,” she repeated, harsher now, shoving him with enough force that he stumbled forward a bit. It was lucky that she was nimble enough to follow suit without accidentally cutting his neck.

Ben hissed with impatience and frustration. She was holding on to his upper arm now, making sure he was unable to run anywhere. Her other arm was still draped around his shoulder, holding the blade to his throat. “We can make a deal,” he urged, eyes widening. “It’s simpler than all of this,” a vague sweeping gesture that encompassed both of them.

“And you think that I would trust you to keep an informal deal?” She was smiling; he could hear it in her voice. He was somewhat offended by that – he always kept his deals! -- but he knew why she didn’t trust him: she thought Pickett’s attack meant Ben lied about his intentions of letting her go. “Watch your step, dearest Henry, or the currents will sweep you away,” Pearl smoothly warned as they neared the edge of the river, like it was a mere game to her.

So the deal was a no go, but he’d accomplished his secondary goal: to get her engaged enough in the conversation that she loosened the grip of the blade on his neck, giving him just enough room to act. With one swift movement, Ben hooked his arm under hers and pulled hard, forcing her hand and blade away, then kicked back at her knee. Unused to having legs, she immediately lost her balance and scrambled around, flailing.

Before she could recover, Ben’s baton was ready and in hand. He swung it at her with expertise and precision, hitting the mermaid on the stomach. It knocked the wind right out of her and she let out a pained cry, doubling over. But she was tough too, and she bounced back quickly, lunging at him with a hiss. Ben swung the weapon again, his face scrunched up and lips pressed tightly together, slamming the baton against her legs and knocking her to the ground.

She let out a yelped gasp as she hit the grass, then reached up and grabbed him by the wrist. If she was down, she was taking him along. Ben couldn’t have that. He didn’t want to hurt her, but it was a life and death situation, so he elbowed the aquatic predator in the face. Pearl cried out and recoiled, releasing him, so Ben turned right on his heel and dashed away.

Glancing around while he ran, he ensured there were no other sirens around—and spotted none up in the trees or behind rocks. He was free! Mermaids weren’t good walkers, there was no way she could catch up to him in a race! Relief flooded him and ---

--- the leafy ground disappeared from under him when something caught his foot. His stomach dropped. He fell down with a grunt, using his palms to stop himself from hitting the grass face-first. How did she reach him?! Wide eyed, he glanced behind him and his heart all but stopped.

It wasn’t Pearl. There was another mermaid, in the river, holding his ankle with both hands. Her mouth was full of fangs and she hissed fiercely, her body framed by long greenish curls. Before he could even breathe, another one crawled up the riverside, grabbing his arm and pinning him down. She, too, hissed menacingly, exposing her fangs, with silver hair reminiscent of the one siren Ben had shot. He could see their tails curling behind them; one shimmered with yellow and brown hues, while the other was a dark mix of red and black, depending on where the light caught it. He faintly wondered what caused the difference in colors, but he had much more pressing matters at the forefront of his brain; there were not one but three mermaids taking him hostage!

Of course there were. Pearl wasn’t alone; she was too strategic to not have backup when setting out to take a human captive. He should have seen that coming; he did see it coming, rather, but failed to spot the mermaids lurking by the riverbank. That was why he and Pearl were walking near the river, he finally understood; they were being followed all along! But--- he didn’t know sirens were able to swim in freshwater! The lore said nothing about it, and he mistakenly assumed they were like fish, only able to survive in one environment. Learning that the sirens could swim in rivers and lakes added a whole new layer of complication to keeping them away; there was a network of underground tunnels filled with water that started in a sea cove and dumped straight into the many rivers of the Island, meaning the sirens could use those to get around undetected. Blocking the passages off was impossible, as that would disrupt the natural water flow of the Island, affecting the wildlife and vegetation. God, he should’ve realized the mermaids’ affinity for freshwater sooner! His miscalculation might mean his death. Ben struggled against the new sirens, and he was stronger, but with sharp teeth so close to his face and his baton pinned down, he felt horrifically helpless.

They held him down long enough for Pearl to catch up, approaching a panting and wary Ben. Her nose was bloody and her split lip a little swollen. She limped his way, seemingly unbothered by the iron taste on her tongue, a cruel smile twisting her features. “Did I not warn you not to do a foolish deed? That was foolish.” A delicate hand wiped the blood from her nose and she spat a mouthful of red on the ground. He supposed he should be glad she didn’t spit on him.

“Pearl, listen to me” he tried, the words coming out frantic and in-between erratic breaths. “You don’t want to do this!” His eyes widened even further when she ignored him entirely and knelt next to him, wiping her bloody hand on his green shirt, then grabbing his hands and forcing his wrists together. He didn’t resist much, letting her handle him how she wanted to; he was more focused on picking the right words. “We’ll give you the Eastern side back,” he bargained, as much as it stung to lose. His heart was a mile a minute, fear building up inside of him. She chuckled icily, dexterously using a rope that had been tied around her like a belt to bind his wrists together. It loosened the sail dress she was wearing, giving it less shape. Ben faltered, mouth hanging open as he sullenly watched the rope encircle his arms and then tighten around them. He followed Pearl’s fingers as she tied a knot, securing Ben’s wrists in a firm hold. He felt a bit adrift, but recouped enough to continue his speech; he’d never give up. “I’m sorry that I hit you! I-I was fighting for my life! Please, you must listen—”

She grabbed his shirt and pulled on it, lifting him into a sitting position. Ben awkwardly complied, frowning at the sudden pull that jerked him around. How unnerving to be so utterly in the hands of that blonde mermaid!

Finding herself at eye level with him, Pearl stared him straight in the eyes. “You talk faster when you are nervous.” It was a flippant observation that had the desired effect of shutting him up. Ben snapped his mouth shut, then inhaled sharply when Pearl grabbed his face and tilted his chin up, his eyes widening. She put enough pressure that her nails stung just a little. “Do not hurt me again,” she commanded, gave one sharp hiss, then let go after he quickly nodded his understanding; he felt like his heart was about to jump out of his throat. He watched her stand up and collect his baton, then winced when the other two mermaids pushed him away. Pearl yanked on the rope, forcing him to his feet. “Come along. We are almost at our destination.” She was determined to show him she was in charge of his fate.

He rolled his head back and let out a puff of air, then winced inwardly when he heard how pathetic it sounded: like he was in despair. Which maybe he should be, but he was stronger than that. Pearl headed the way, leading him by the rope but never dragging him or tugging at it in a way that was uncomfortable. She walked more by his side now, rather than directly behind him. “Where are we going?” he finally asked, his voice becoming a bitter, resigned mutter.

“To a cave,” she shared, which surprised him somewhat. “As for your kind offer of returning the Eastern Sea to us, I’m afraid it is much too late. You put harmful things in our home, so now we want more. So much more.”

There was a strange mix of foreboding and sarcasm there, and it sent a shiver up his spine. Splashes pulled his gaze to the river; he saw that the other two mermaids were following them, their fins bobbing up and down from the surface as they swam. It disturbed him terribly. “Just don’t sing,” he told Pearl. It was more of a blurt than he intended; Ben didn’t calculate or even choose to say that--- it just spilled out of him.

She mused on it for a moment. “You seem quite adamantly opposed to our song. Why is that?” He didn’t answer; that was a weakness he didn’t want her to be aware of. “Hmm?” Pearl prodded, gently and insistently pushing on his shoulder. Ben held to his stubborn silence. Apparently that was a mistake, because the next thing he knew, he was being whirled around and pushed backward into a tree with somewhat painful force, and Pearl was hissing at him, a forearm across his chest to keep him pinned and a blade to his neck. “I said, why?” she repeated, scowling. She wouldn’t stand for being ignored!

He let out a soft noise somewhere between a gasp and a scoff, eyes widening. They quickly darted down to the siren’s hands, and he realized the sharp object he’d assumed was a blade was actually a shell shard. It didn’t matter; it was as sharp as any knife, and could do just as much damage. “Because,” he began through gritted teeth and insulted eyes, the words tasting of bitter defeat, “the idea of having my will stolen from me is…” Horrifying. Disturbing. An absolute nightmare. With her song, Pearl could charm the sun and the moon right out of the sky. It terrified Ben more than anything else about those sirens. But he’d pick a more neutral adjective: “…unsettling.”

Gold-flecked eyes squinted as Pearl attempted to read him. She tilted her head, causing a cascade of blonde waves to fall forward. ““Doth—do,” she corrected herself; she was somewhat out of practice talking to humans – having not seen any for a few years before the net incident – and sometimes accidentally reverted to the kind of speech she was more accustomed to, but her modern vocabulary was still highly superior to when she and Ben first met. “—Do you think that I should concern myself with your feelings?”

“…No,” he grudgingly admitted, eyes narrowing. “But I’m asking you to, all the same.”

She gave a pondering hum. “You realize that, should I sing to you, you would happily take my hand and follow me to the ends of the Earth. And once I freed you, you would forget that you were ever with us if I told you to forget. If I don’t sing, you remain as you are: an unwilling hostage, who won’t enjoy what is about to happen.”

The full weight of his blue eyes was put on her; Ben was acerbic, refusing to back down despite the fear swirling inside him. “I understand that. It would be easier on me to be hypnotized.” The impassiveness was replaced by a bit of sharp petulance. “But I would rather die on my terms than be your puppet, if that’s alright with you.”

She let out a soft chuckle, a tad impressed by his fortitude to throw biting words at her in his situation. Pearl gave a bow of the head and withdrew her arm that pinned him to the tree. “As you wish. It makes not a difference to me, so I will grant you your request.” Surprise flashed behind his eyes, and for a split second he felt woozy from relief. But then the reality of his predicament crashed down on him again, almost instantly.

Pearl dug her fingers into his shoulder and spun him around, then continued pushing a dejected Ben down the winding path of the river. The tip of the rope binding his wrists was in her hands.

All was not well. He was still held captive by enemies and taken to a mystery location, for unknown reasons. But he was at least somewhat consoled by her accepting his request, and relieved that she didn’t decide to kill him for beating her with a baton. And yet, anxiety still crept uncomfortably up his throat, his stomach churning as every possibility of what they wanted to do to him passed his mind. What if they wanted to torture him into giving up Island secrets? The mere thought made him nauseous, but Ben was determined to not break; he was tough and his pain threshold high--- his loyalty to Jacob even higher. He could handle being a hostage, being in bad spots, being tortured even; Ben knew how to survive and weasel his way out of such things--- it was the idea of losing his faculties and free will that absolutely terrified him. If Pearl kept her promise – which he believed she would, because so far she had always stuck to agreements and deals – then he was in much better shape. It was a great advantage, and Ben appreciated her willingness to keep the song to herself. He wondered why she did it; maybe someday he’d get the chance to ask her. For the time being he simply muttered a thank you, and she muttered a you’re welcome.

They finally reached the cave that stood only a few minutes away from the shoreline, narrow, shadowy and deep. There was one lone chair inside, and it gave Ben pause; how the hell did the sirens get their hands on furniture?! It was a bit puzzling. Pearl led him there and pushed on his shoulders, forcing him to sit. She kept one hand on him and the other holding the shell shard to his neck, though he didn’t offer much resistance at all; he found it best to go along with her for now, to keep her appeased and find out more about her plan. Information was everything.

Pearl held him down until the other two mermaids joined them inside the cave, no longer having tails. They struggled to walk to the chair, with bowed-legs, crooked postures and bent knees, which drew an almost imperceptible smirk from Ben; it was clear to him that they were even more inexperienced than Pearl. It might even be their first time on land.

But that didn’t stop them from roughly grabbing his limbs, tying his legs to the chair’s legs, and his arms to the chair’s arms, tightly, with the same piece of rope that kept his wrists tied for half the trek. He endured the process with lips pressed tautly together and an offended scowl on his face, letting out the occasional nervous breath if the sirens got too close to his face. Pearl only dropped the shard when he was secured, with enough binds that it was impossible for him to break out of.

He did still give a few good wriggles, just in case, testing if it was possible to squirm his way to freedom. The blonde mermaid deadpanned at him, unimpressed.

“Now what?” he challenged with a raised chin and sharp eyes, growing tired of being a hostage in some damp pile of rocks.

“We require a meeting with your leader, on neutral ground. If our demands are agreed to, we let you go unharmed,” she explained plainly.

Okay…that wasn’t so bad. He could work with that and twist it to his advantage. Being leverage was much better than being interrogated. But first, an important question, that came out in a flat monotone: “And if they don’t agree?”

“Then you die.” She said it with the same kind of careless lack of emotion that Ben was known for. And, much like him, that wasn’t how she truly felt deep down. She didn’t want to have to kill anyone, but she would if it meant keeping her territory safe. Just like he would do for his Island. Any sadness or guilt would be dealt with later on, buried deep and chalked up to collateral damage from the position they occupied in their societies, no matter how much it actually harmed their psyches.

Ben’s expression remained exactly the same, chillingly neutral. He barely ever blinked, carefully watching her every move the entire time he was sitting there. “Let me speak to my people. I can get them to agree to a meeting.”

Pearl was looking at him strangely, like she was battling with something. “Wait one moment,” she told him in off-handed manner, and signaled for the two mermaids to follow her outside. Ben watched them go through suspicious, narrowed blue eyes; the blonde siren was behaving more and more like a leader--- she was probably high up in the hierarchy.

She took a while to return, which suited him fine. He took the opportunity to have another go at the ropes, but all he managed was to make his skin rawer against them. Attempts at kicking out his legs or pulling his arms were unsuccessful. He hissed under his breath, frustrated. He should’ve been better than this, being so easily captured by an enemy. A mythical, extremely powerful predator enemy, which perhaps should be enough to assuage his annoyance with himself, but Ben was still upset. He should have the upper hand. He needed it.

Pearl came back alone, silently walking up to him and sliding a hand up his thigh. His stomach did a flip and his eyes widened just in time to realize that she was retrieving the walkie-talkie from his pocket. He released a slow breath that had been caught in his throat. “What do I tell them?” he asked under the guise of being a helpful, compliant prisoner.

“There has been a change of plans,” she told him, lips pursing into a frown. She exhaled in a way that seemed like a dejected hiss.

Ben’s heart raced to frantic levels again. He had only just started to feel more comfortable because he knew where he stood, and now that mermaid was changing the game?! “Changed, how?” he asked more forcefully than he intended, over-enunciating, eyes bulging at her and jaw clenching.

“We would like another to use as leverage. A different hostage.”

“What?!” he spat out, dragging the sound of the ‘h’. “Why?!” The question came out as a kind of fearful demand, which probably wasn’t the best idea, but he wasn’t thinking straight. He was almost sure that her change of mind had to do with him shooting a mermaid. Why would she spare him after that? He took a deep breath, straightened up in steely defiance, and brought his eyes to hers. She didn’t look away, despite his staring intensely as he asked with biting hostility: “Because you want to kill me?”

“The opposite. I want to let you go.” There was no trace of trickery in her. She was sincere. Ben’s jaw dropped and he gaped for a good few seconds. Then he looked at the other two women, now huddled near the cave entrance and glaring at him with obvious discontentment; clearly they weren’t happy with Pearl’s decision.

He measured his words, speaking with extreme caution so as to not ruin his chances: “Not to sound ungrateful, but I don’t entirely understand.”

“We are noble creatures,” she explained, standing in front of him with confident poise. “You captured me in a net, and you let me go. My sisters would like for you to pay for the blood you spilled, but I believe that I owe you. I cannot kill you today--- so you are useless as a hostage.”

“You need someone you can kill, should my people refuse your demands,” he drawled, completing the thought for her. It seemed that Pearl had enough honor to spare him out of gratitude. Okay, so maybe wiping out the mermaids was too extreme a measure, Ben mused. They were reasonable enough for him to leave them alone, again, if they could reach an agreement. He was stunned and nearly giddy by such a stroke of luck, of having his good deed come back to save him. But he showed no emotion whatsoever, staring at her with empty eyes.

“Indeed.” A cold, calculated smile. “Therefore I need you to find me a new hostage. I will trade you for them.”

His relief lessened and his features hardened; she wanted him to pick one of his own people to possibly sacrifice. Ben swallowed thickly, but held her gaze, matching her strength.

“And if I refuse?” he challenged, tone tinged with defiance.

“Then I keep you here until we grab one ourselves,” she threatened, head cocking to the side. He didn’t respond to that, merely staring darkly at her instead. Pearl looked him over, a fresh idea brewing in her head: Ben might not be the leader (as far as she knew), but he was absolutely important in his society, she was sure of it. He was extremely intelligent, and she wanted to take the opportunity to pick his brain. “Since I’ve had the great luck of claiming you as my hostage, Henry, I believe I should make use of that.”

He had always pegged her as unpredictable, but it was really starting to grate on his nerves; he could never predict what she was about to do with any degree of certainty! Ben deadpanned at her, the question coming out in a dragged, low hiss: “What do you want?”

“Explain to me what those things are, that you put up as a barrier.” A wrinkle of distaste showed up on her face.

“Sonic cannons,” he smiled sardonically, then shut his mouth. It was a truthful answer, yet still absolutely useless because he was well aware that the mermaids wouldn’t have a clue what that meant. He wasn’t stalling for time; there was nothing to wait for. Ben just couldn’t help himself; he was giving useless answers to get under Pearl’s skin, to reassert his power during a powerless situation. He could read her well enough to know she would get frustrated by his flippant vagueness and cheeky answer.

And she was, which was demonstrated by the annoyed grimace on her face. “Elaborate,” she sourly insisted.

One corner of his lips turned up into a momentary smirk; he was pleased by her reaction. As someone who craved power as a direct result of trauma – and who felt unsafe without it – he would always find a way to tip the power scales in his direction, even if he was in the direst of situations. He might not have been able to be the one in full control, but he could sure as hell play mind games and regain some level of power over his opponents. “It’s what you think it is: a harmful sound thing, as you put it,” he explained in a patronizing way.

“Elaborate further,” she demanded by making a fist around the green fabric of his shirt and pulling him forward, clearly flustered by losing some of the upper hand. Ben didn’t even blink, much less flinch.

Time for step 2 of his improvised yet masterfully crafted plan: give her another useless inch, to rile her up enough that she’d voluntarily reveal her plan in order to make herself regain the power. Poke at her insecurities enough that she’d trip up. Give her the illusion of control, when he was actually manipulating the conversation and leading the outcome. “A sonic cannon emits a harmful sound frequency, Pearl. That is what it is; I can’t explain it any better. If you still don’t understand it, I’m sorry.” The earnestness was false; of course he could explain it better, if he wanted to.

His plan worked: Pearl became so uncomfortable with the idea that she couldn’t grasp a simple human concept, so flustered by Ben having any power over her whatsoever, that she decided to show him how smart and dangerous she was by telling him more of her plan. “We’ve laid siege to the Northern Seas, behind the line of your sonic cannons. If we see a boat or ship, we will sink it,” she informed with defiant confidence. “Now none of you can traverse from one Island to the other—and we will not retreat unless our conditions are met!”

There was a small narrowing of his eyes, voice taking on an acidic edge. “And these conditions are?” He was sure she would ask for the removal of the sonic cannons, but didn’t want to prompt her answer in any way, so he asked the question instead.

“Most importantly, that the barriers are removed everywhere,” she confirmed what he already knew. The mermaid took a charged pause, eyes twinkling with something shrewd and sly. She tossed her hair, and Ben could tell she was feeling very confident in her plan. “And we wish for a new version of the peace accords.”

That didn’t surprise him either, as she had told him earlier that she wanted more than just the Eastern territory. “You want to renegotiate,” he mused. “Alright. I don’t see that being a problem for my leader,” Ben said, meaning that it wasn’t a problem for him. “As long as you don’t ask for too much, of course.”

“Our demands will be fair,” she assured. A little smile of superiority landed on her lips; she felt that she was the one with power again, because now he knew how great her plan was. And it was pretty great. Ben was reluctantly charmed by her cunning, yet pleased he was able to play her so easily despite her great intelligence and insight. When it came to mind games and manipulation – and exploiting people’s emotions and insecurities -- none were better at it than Benjamin Linus. Of course she fell for his trap!

“Then I’m sure we can set up a council meeting with my leader, yours, and some advisors, to discuss the new terms of the treaty,” he subtly introduced the idea of adding more people to the decision, so that he could be present without giving away his identity. Pearl nodded, agreeing with it.

“I am glad that we see eye to eye on this matter,” she told him. Truthfully, neither of them were sure that they were in actual agreement, because both of them expected the other to spring last minute conditions on them. But for the moment, they would pretend to get along. During a pause, Pearl looked him up and down with pensive curiosity. “Do you not think it is interesting that we keep running into each other?” she blurted out. “Unless it is by your design, but I’m quite sure it is not. You did not expect to run into me today, or when we met, or at the tide pool, nor did you expect to fish me out. Correct?” Pearl asked, and Ben confirmed it. She studied him closely, searching for a hidden meaning she couldn’t quite grasp. “With so many humans on the Island, I can’t explain why it is always you that I find, Henry. Whenever I am up here on land, there you are.”

Ben gave a faint nod. “It has struck me as odd.” Their serendipitous meetings were starting to defy the laws of probability. He thought back to his dreams – in particular those that felt like Island-sent signs – and once again had the strong presentiment that he and Pearl were meant to meet, somehow. Why would the Island want that of them? He wasn’t sure yet, and that played a good part in why he didn’t want Pearl to know anything about it. It was advantageous that he keep the information only for himself, at least until revealing it became useful to him in some way. “It’s probably an innocent coincidence,” he lied with a small shrug. “You must come on land more than the other mermaids, and I’m in the right place at the right time.”

“Perhaps…” she half-conceded, eyeing him strangely. Pearl knew the Island didn’t have many coincidences, and that fate played a role there. But she didn’t want to share that with ‘Henry’ either, in case he wasn’t aware. The one big thing that the siren didn’t realize was that her dreams of the human could be a sign sent by the Island itself. “Hm. Let us speed things along, shall we,” she got back on track, suddenly all business-like. “What button do I press to use this walkie-talkie?”

He raised both eyebrows in an impressed manner; Ben had been the one to teach her that word, years earlier. Considering that she would’ve had no reason to think of a walkie-talkie in all that time, it was impressive that she still recalled the name and its function. “Seems like my lesson stuck,” he vaguely bragged, just to get in her head. She threw him a deadpan look and he smiled. “The red one. Hold it while I’m talking, and let go to get a response.”

“Whoever you speak to, tell them to go alone to that boulder by the river’s edge—and do not warn them of the reason why,” Pearl bossed. Ben didn’t like being told what to do, but he wasn’t in much of a position to refuse her, so he went along with it.

He knew who to call. Someone disposable, who wouldn’t leave too much of a hole behind if they were to be killed. Someone whose recklessness grated on Ben’s nerves sometimes, and left him wondering why Jacob chose them in the first place. Pearl pressed the button, held the device up to Ben’s face, and he spoke: “Does anybody copy? It’s Henry. Come in.”

Tom answered on the other side when Pearl’s finger lifted from the button. “Yeah?”

“Tom? I need you to put Matthew on,” Ben requested.

“Sure thing, boss,” Tom amiably agreed. It was lucky that Pearl didn’t know what that word meant; Ben noticed that it went over her head because she had no reaction whatsoever. She understands ‘leader’, but not ‘boss’, he contemplated. It says something about the structure of her hierarchy model…

The wait was somewhat nerve-racking to both man and mermaid; their current truce was fragile, and the two were worried about a possible double-cross. Pearl stood anxiously next to the chair, squeezing the walkie-talkie, and Ben sat very still, his hands draped over the edge of the chair’s arms. Occasionally he shifted a little in place, and felt the ropes brushing against his skin. Finally the walkie-talkie crackled, then a different voice rang out: “Hi? It’s Matthew.”

“Hello, Matthew, it’s Henry. I need you to do me a favor. Meet me out where I am. Follow the river’s edge until you pass the Orchid, and keep ahead until you reach a large boulder. It’s surrounded by mango trees,” he instructed.

“Okay, yeah,” the man agreed after a brief pause of hesitation. It was odd to have an impromptu request from Ben, calling himself Henry, but everybody knew not to doubt his ingenious plans or deny his assignments. “When should I leave?”

“Right now, please. And Matthew? Be sure to come alone, and keep this between us,” Ben insisted, a tad ominously. The men said goodbye and ended the call. It was done. Ben really didn’t like setting up one of his own people, leading them somewhere to be unwittingly kidnapped. He assuaged his own guilt by telling himself that the mermaids’ demands could be negotiated; the hostage would likely survive. And if not…it was Matthew’s life for the good of the Island. A trade worth making.

“You are a talented pretender,” Pearl commented, but it sounded more like judgment than a compliment. Ben stared at her for a moment, then looked away without responding.

The Barracks were located a fair thirty to forty minutes away from the boulder, depending on the pace of the trekker. It would be a bit of a wait, so Ben decided he’d use the time wisely, to try to pry into whatever the mermaid was willing to talk about. He wanted to take advantage of Pearl’s presence to gather more useful information. He’d start with a question that was gnawing at him since her minions leapt out of the river. “Do you swim in freshwater often?” The lore said that mermaids were sea creatures, and nothing else. Now he figured that if they could walk on legs, they could also change bodies of water whenever they liked, which was a problem for him. He and his people had never been cautious around lakes and rivers, assuming they were safe from mermaids there. If there was a possibility of them lurking in freshwater too, and surviving there long-term, the logistics of moving around the Island would become infinitely more complicated, as freshwater often came inland. And worse, some of the underground tunnels led up to rivers already inside the perimeter of the Barracks, making the Sonic Fence useless against sirens.

What was even more suspicious was that no siren was sighted in freshwater for centuries; not once, not ever. And now they were suddenly there?! It reeked of escalation, just like them walking on land did. The creatures continued to grow bolder and push boundaries, which irked and worried Benjamin.

She smiled, but her eyes remained cold. “I am not a naïve damsel that can be sweet-talked into revealing secrets, Henry Gale. Please do not ask me about where we live, our legs, our powers, or anything of the sort.”

His face tightened and he nodded, with something dark flickering in his eyes. He was bothered by her demeanor and her winning streak. She didn’t want to share? Fine. He would have to choose the cautious option and assume sirens in freshwater were going to become a new common occurrence, then.

Pearl knew it would be a long wait too, and her inexperienced feet were sore. She boosted herself up into a crevice on the cave wall and nestled there, leaning on the rocks and dexterously twirling the piece of shell between her fingers. Occasionally her eyes would lazily trail up to Ben, to make sure he wasn’t trying anything. That was one cute human, she’d always notice with certain irritability.

He kept looking at her, too, like he was staring into her soul. Studying, analyzing, calculating. Not just his eyes, but he, too, was a calculating human; Pearl could tell as much. Even though she had the complete upper hand at the moment, his observant gaze was intimidating. She could never gauge how much he really knew about any given situation, or how many secrets he was hiding. His face gave nothing away. He could easily have a secret plan to best her – like hitting her with the baton – that she was unaware of. That mysterious kind of intelligence appealed to her, that potentially treacherous aura around a congenial man did too, and Pearl couldn’t help but be drawn to him.

“Who are those two?” he asked after a while, motioning with his head to indicate the mermaids by the cave entrance, who sat with their feet in the water. If Pearl was unwilling to talk about the important things, maybe she’d share a personal detail or two; any piece of information was useful in the hands of a skilled manipulator such as Ben.

“Sisters of mine,” she said plainly.

“They don’t like me much,” he pointed out with dry sarcasm.

A short laugh. “Don’t take it personally; they dislike all humans.”

“And you don’t?” Ben raised a skeptical brow.

Pearl gave a low hum. “I do. Can you blame me? All that your kind does is hurt and destroy. But … I am more open to giving chances. You were kind to me when we first met, which led me to try to look at you as something other than a dreadful, wretched threat to my kind.”

“How’s that going?” The other eyebrow raised to match the first, his alert eyes on her.

“I’m not sure. Well enough that I’m sparing you today, but you seem…treacherous. I don’t know how far your kindness goes.”

“I’m a good person,” he told her with fervent vehemence and widening eyes, because Ben truly believed that he was. And he was indeed, despite all of the bad things he would do in his lifetime. He never enjoyed them, and always strove to do right.

She stared at him so intensely that it once again reminded Ben of the chilling way he could stare at others too. Pearl’s unrelenting honey eyes made him squirm uncomfortably, feeling like she was accessing some secret part of his soul. She finally spoke after a long, charged moment. “I believe that you believe that.”

He frowned slightly. It was important to him that she knew he was genuinely a good person. Strangely important. “I let you go, did I not?” he reminded, suddenly all intense. After holding his gaze a moment, she finally gave a conceding tilt of the head, punctuated with a resigned hiss. Sensing an opening, Ben continued: “You don’t seem too upset by the death of your ‘sister’…”

“It was a battle. She would have ripped your throat out, you defended yourself. Such are the risks when we fight with creatures as cruel as humans,” Pearl told him with an air of uppity impassiveness, but Ben saw a furtive look of pain passing over her features before she covered it up. She was definitely hurt by the death, and grieving, but she didn’t want him to know how much it really affected her.

Hiding her emotions, much like I do at times, Ben thought. “How understanding of you,” he told her in the flattest sarcasm. It was probably a bad idea to antagonize her, but sometimes he simply couldn’t help himself from needling at others to try and get under their skin.

A small hiss and a threat: “Careful that I don’t suddenly find myself being … less forgiving.”

He gave a vague nod with a bit of a pout, not too fazed. Ben was quite confident she wouldn’t hurt him at all, not then and there. The other two…would if they could. Pearl clearly held some power over them, because those two sirens helping her were pretty displeased with her decision to spare him, yet did nothing about it. “When you say sisters, do you mean you share a parent?” he resumed the conversation about the other mermaids, “or is that a catch-all term?”

“You are very interested in them,” she smirked, raising her chin.

“Just curious,” he shrugged and gave a short shake of the head, lips pursing downward. “I don’t know how siren families work.”

“Similarly to yours.” She wasn’t giving him much, but she’d throw him a bone or two. Pearl wanted to know about humans, too, and it struck her as a fair give-and-take similar to their deal at the tide pool. “They are indeed born from the same mermaid as I. We are seven—it’s a common number, to honor the seven seas. The one that you killed was not a direct sister of mine.” The mermaid looked at the ground, and Ben felt a bit bad for her, but glad that he didn’t kill her relative. She didn’t linger in her grief for very long, instead asking him: “Do you have sisters?”

Another shake of the head. “Only child.” A pause, and he squinted, tilting his head slightly. “What are their names?”

Pearl laughed. “I doubt they would want you to know. They are not as friendly and lovely as myself.”

It was a joke, and he chuckled wryly in response, momentarily glancing away from her. How strange to find such a pleasant kidnapper, with wit and poise, and enough care to not hurt or humiliate him. Not learning the names of the others didn’t matter; Pearl didn’t even know his real name herself! She still believed he was called Henry Gale, and that suited him just fine. Better to keep that manufactured distance between them. He decided to press one last time into more relevant matters, head canting to the side: “Why did you go with me to our village, years ago?”

“I have told you this before,” she frowned.

“Not exactly,” Ben casually shrugged. “You told me why you were on land, and why you stayed for the party…but not why you followed me to the village. So—given your distaste toward humans, why did you go with me?” He squinted and leaned toward her, insisting.

“… Why do you think?” she decided to get his take instead.

He sat up a little straighter, ignoring how the ropes dug into his skin. It was his turn to impress and intimidate by showing her he could easily get inside her head and read her. Ben lifted his head, looked Pearl directly in the eyes, and spoke with smooth confidence in a tone lower than his usual; it was a tone he reserved for serious, impactful conversations. “You were startled by me when I found you. Judging by the way you spoke, you had not been around a human in centuries—which you later confirmed to me to be true. You went along with me to buy yourself some time until you could flee.” A subtle smirk slipped over his lips. “You could have killed me, of course, or hypnotized me; you’re capable of that, I think, so I suppose that your curiosity regarding humans got the best of you.” He finished with an edge of victory, chest slightly puffed and the smirk wider and smugger.

Pearl was surprised that he got it exactly right. Had she been so obvious?! It threw her off her game somewhat, and she darted her gaze away from him, shaken. His smirk widened even more at that, taking that display to mean he’d won, then vanished after a split second as he strove to maintain a neutral expression. “You’re clever,” she finally admitted, having quickly gathered herself again, “and either incredibly perceptive or lucky with guesses.”

“Perceptive,” he clarified. He was quite pleased with himself.

“I thought that you might be, when we met. I could tell that, despite my best efforts to charm and fit in, you sensed something off with me,” she recalled.

“It was a valiant effort,” he complimented with some emphasis, then shrugged, “but not enough to fool me.”

A muttered complaint under her breath, then a question: “So…you knew I had not been with a human for about a century, even before I told you so?” How disconcerting that he could read her so easily. She was right to have never underestimated him.

Ben nodded, and it was true; it was obvious from how she spoke back then that she hadn’t been near a human in a very long time. “Your outdated speech gave it away.”

“And you knew that I was curious about your kind?”

Another nod, and lips pulling downward in a bit of a shrug. “I suspected as much. You have an inquisitive glint in your eyes; I remembered the way you would look at the fire, or the huts, or mimic me when drinking juice. And, in the tide pool, you chose to stay, to talk to me. That led me to believe you had questions about me, too,” he laid it out for her plainly and directly.

Wow. That certainly shook her confidence; that man knew a lot more about her than she realized. What else could he have figured out?! She stirred, uncomfortable. When she spoke again, it was entirely devoid of any emotion: “Impressive. Are you thirsty?” It was an odd segue, which probably meant she wanted to change the subject before he gained too much of an upper-hand.

“A bit,” Ben admitted.

“Do you drink directly from the river?” the mermaid inquired, jumping down from her rock and approaching him.

“No. That’s unhealthy,” he explained, very patient with her queries. He wanted to see how much leeway she was willing to give him, so he nonchalantly added: “I have a canteen clipped to my belt…”

The mermaid didn’t know what a canteen was, but a quick glance at the thing hanging from his belt informed her that it was probably that: a container in a shape that could easily hold water inside. She confidently reached over, but was soon foiled by the clipper. Pearl fumbled with it, trying to unhook it by pushing on it. When her frustration became palpable, Ben’s jaw clenched; he worried she might try to bite through it and get a chunk of his leg instead. He sat very rigidly and didn’t move an inch, but didn’t offer any tips on how to get the canteen either. Better to let her make a fool of herself.

She eventually understood what had to be done, pressed on the right side, and took the canteen from his belt. It was actually accomplished rather quickly--- which told Ben she had a low threshold for frustration and failure, and was the type to want to get things done immediately; she had high expectations placed on herself. That was a good weakness for him to exploit later on.

Pearl shook the canteen and heard water sloshing inside. Hazel eyes narrowed, zeroing in on the screwed cap. The siren sniffed it, then bit the top to see if it would bend. Ben had a faint smile on his face; her clueless antics amused him. He was also fascinated by her wit and how quickly she improvised solutions to challenges. “Oh! Like a sailor’s bottle,” she soon muttered to herself, recognizing the similar shape. With a tentative movement, she unscrewed the top and finally opened the canteen, then proceeded to pour some water into a pearly conch she had with her. Ben had no idea why she didn’t use the canteen itself, but the conch had a shape similar to a wide ladle, so it didn’t matter to him either way.

What mattered was that she wasn’t untying him. He figured she wouldn’t be so careless, but hoped hubris might talk louder than her good sense. But no; Pearl was instead approaching him and kneeling right in front of his chair. She knew that the other mermaids would judge her for connecting on that level with a human while they were at war, but she didn’t care. She wouldn’t let her hostage dehydrate. The siren brought the conch to his lips and let it hover there, a carefully neutral expression on her face. Her mouth was still a little swollen from being elbowed.

Ben kept his own face just as neutral as he leaned forward and parted his lips around the conch. Pearl gave it a light tilt his way, and the water flowed freely into his mouth, with a little bit dribbling out the sides of the conch’s wide opening. He drank, allowing the freshness to cool and hydrate him, feeling more comfortable with each new gulp. Throughout it all, he kept his eyes right on Pearl, staring unblinkingly at her over the conch. She found that to be a bit chilling, and disconcerting. His gaze was so piercing that she felt exposed, even though she was the one in control of the situation, and his presence was imposing even though he was tied to a chair and harmless. Her eyes drifted away, wanting to escape the demanding pressure of his.

When his thirst was quenched, Ben pulled back. “Thank you,” he offered with a cordial nod.

“Do you require more?” she checked.

“No, I’m fine,” he shook his head. Pearl looked at the trickle of water that had dribbled down, and felt that it was her responsibility to fix it. She reached forward, and Ben watched with analytical attention, sitting still. The pads of her index and middle fingers brushed softly across his skin, from his chin up to his cheeks, and suddenly Ben felt disconcerted, and a little warm. His breath came out in very carefully controlled little bursts. The gentle fingers continued their travels, grazing the edge of his bottom lip as the siren carefully gathered the water and dried his face. Her touch was surprisingly tender, refreshingly cool, and the gesture held a level of care and attentiveness that he had failed to predict from her. It left him completely disarmed, with a fair amount of jitters brewing inside of him.

But he wasn’t the only one unexpectedly affected by her drying his face. Pearl, who was watching him closely, felt warmth spreading inside, and fluttering. As her fingers slid across his skin, she admired every inch of his face, every detail and every line, feeling unusually mesmerized by him. His face was smooth, his bottom lip soft, and she realized she wanted to touch the upper one, too. But she didn’t, being sufficiently aware of human customs to understand she couldn’t just do that. She knew what a kiss was, and what lips could mean. And still, looking into his stunning eyes had her momentarily dazed…

“I just had the most peculiar feeling--- oh, but it matters not,” Pearl blurted out then instantly regretted it, because she didn’t know what that feeling was. Not exactly. It was unlike anything she’d ever felt before, especially toward a human!

“Oh?” Ben noticed the dreamy little look on her face, but chose to remain strategically impassive. He had a better grasp of his own feelings, but even he couldn’t eloquently describe them. Given Pearl’s dangerous inhuman nature, everything he thought he felt was too conflicting and antithetical to be explained.

It wasn’t exactly yearning they were feeling, certainly not love or adoration. It was just--- a strange emotional attachment, a raw attraction and electric curiosity, with a healthy dose of animosity too. A desire to get to know one another, and to best and defeat one another. All of it added up to the kind of chemistry they were better off ignoring.

The walkie-talkie finally crackled and beeped. Ben was grateful for its timing. The voice of the newly-chosen hostage spoke: “B—Henry? I’m in position.”

Ben wanted to roll his eyes and scold the man for nearly giving away his real name—but not in front of the mermaid, of course. She pressed the necessary button and held the contraption in front of Ben’s face so he could answer the call. “Alright. I’m on my way. I’ll be there in—” he raised questioning eyes at Pearl, who had stood up with great difficulty. She mouthed ‘twenty minutes’ and Ben gave her a single nod. “—twenty minutes.”

“I’ll be here! Over and out,” the other man said, and hung up.

“Time for our hike,” Pearl announced with a cheery demeanor that rang hollow. “Henry, do not try anything,” she warned.

“I wouldn’t dream of it,” he said cynically.

Pearl let out a soft laugh, skeptical. She untied his ankles, then his arms, and stepped back. The shard was firmly in her hands. Ben got up, lightly massaged his wrists where the ropes had been brushing against his skin, and glanced around in search of the other two sirens.

“They will trail us from the river,” Pearl informed although he hadn’t asked out loud. He didn’t have to; she noticed his searching gaze and deduced what he wanted.

“Where did you get this chair?” he made a crisp gesture toward it, though the question was phrased in a very conversational tone. She gestured at his free wrists and, with a grudging sigh, he held them out for her. Pearl quickly tied them together again, just as a precaution.

“We made it ourselves. Did you not know that the maidens of the ocean are excellent wood carvers?” she grinned with obvious jest. Ben couldn’t help a scoffed chuckle. She had more of a sense of humor than he previously realized. Then again, even back at the decoy village, Pearl always possessed a mischievous twinkle in her eyes and a sly little knowing smile, when she wasn’t staring coldly at anything. Apparently that translated to lighthearted jokes, sometimes, though perhaps at the expense of humans.

“About as excellent as humans are in summoning storms, I’d suspect,” he drawled, firing back at her as the two walked past the entrance of the cave together. Pearl laughed. It was a beautiful sound.

***

The hike back was easier, because Ben was no longer being constantly threatened with a large sharp shard to the neck. It allowed him to move more freely and take more natural, less awkward stunted steps. More importantly, it indicated that Pearl felt he wouldn’t – or couldn’t – do anything against her. It wasn’t trust, but it was a thaw.

He was somewhat grateful that he hadn’t been hurt at all in the ordeal. Pearl was extremely gentle with him, even when leading him captive through the jungle. He was never in pain; she never pushed the shard deep enough to cut him, didn’t tug on the ropes too much or even hit him when he hit her. There was a brief reminder of how she looked with fresh blood on her lips and nose, which gave him a pang of guilt that he pushed down as fast as it had come up. A shudder in the back of his mind warned him that his captivity could have been much, much worse, and his gratitude grew. It was somewhat tainted by the resentment of being bested, however. He felt a sickly, cold bitterness crawling up his throat whenever he thought of it, but it was tempered by the gratitude; he had to admit she’d been kind. He was especially thankful for Pearl agreeing not to sing; that was unexpected, and it really meant a lot to Ben.

“Thanks for not eating me,” he quipped with certain bitterness, just as they climbed a steep incline full of roots and fallen leaves. She had to use her hands to crawl up.

Pearl looked crossed, yet somewhat amused. “You thought that I might?”

His lips pulled down. “Maybe. You have all those fangs, and the lore refers to your kind as ‘feasting upon human flesh’. I wasn’t sure,” a flippant shrug.

She let out an outraged hiss. “Leave it to humans to spread hateful misinformation. We are not monsters! Our fangs are for defense, and for eating fish!”

He held her with frosty regard, acerbic voice coming out more from one side of his mouth. “You did bite a chunk off one of my men…”

Pearl returned the same coldness: “He hurt me for no reason. And I didn’t feed on him. There are very few cases of mermaids eating humans throughout history.” She was vehement about it.

His eyebrow quirked and there was a semblance of a conceited smile on his face: “But there are cases-- so it has happened.”

She glared at him. “Fine. Yes. Some sailors were eaten after being drowned. In rare cases, some mermaids may even hunt. I was born after the peace accords were drafted, so I have always been prevented from attacking any humans. None of my kind that live on the seas of this Island hunt your kind. But…yes, merfolk can indeed feed on humans.” A thoughtful pause, and a flash of accusing eyes. “Some humans have consumed human flesh too. They are the exception, not the norm. It is like that for us too.”

Ben had to concede she had a point, and a disturbingly valid one at that. “Alright,” he accepted it. “So you don’t hunt. Hunting and eating are not the same,” the man mused, analysing every word she uttered. “I take it your offense to my question must mean you have never consumed human flesh?”

The absolute nonchalance with which he asked almost made her laugh. “That is correct. I have never done it, and I never could. None of my sisters have either. It is a line we would never cross.” After a pause where they walked side by side in silence, Pearl looked over at him. “Do you believe me?” For some inexplicable reason, it was important to her that the humans – and especially that human—knew she wasn’t a monster.

Ben regarded her for a moment, his eyes on hers, reading her sincerity. Then he nodded, the edges of his lips turning downward. “I do.” She thanked him with a small but genuine smile.

They walked side by side for another mile, with the other sirens always in the periphery of Ben’s vision. The hike to the swapping spot was easy for him, but tiring to someone who hadn’t walked in years. Pearl was panting softly, pushing through with shaky legs. She gave her hostage a curious look, head tilted to the side. Reaching out, the siren placed her open palm on his chest. Ben tensed and pulled back slightly. “What are you doing?” His voice came out measured, but a little strained.

“I’m sorry— I should have warned you first. I didn’t mean to threaten; my heart is racing from effort, and it got me thinking--- I simply wanted to check for a heartbeat,” she explained, hand retreating. “Do you have one?”

Ben blinked at her. What an odd thing for her to randomly do, though not totally unusual for a siren. They weren’t at all versed in human rules of social conduct, and it wasn’t the first time Pearl had done something like that. He blinked again, face blank. “Yes.”

“May I?” Her hand hovered inches away from his shirt. Ben wasn’t sure at first; as a general rule, letting a siren touch you was reckless. But she had all that time alone with him in a cave, and she didn’t hurt him. Deciding, he gave exactly one sharp nod. The mermaid bowed her head and once again placed her open palm on his chest. He stayed completely still. She closed her eyes, feeling the rhythmic beat of his heart under his shirt and ribcage. Pearl smiled, and Ben couldn’t take his eyes off of her. Her hand was cold enough to feel through his shirt, but soft and nice and gentle, and he got a tad embarrassed that she could feel that his heart was racing faster by the second.

“I take it that you have a heartbeat too,” he said blankly, to fill the silence. “Since you know exactly where to touch.”

Golden-flecked eyes reopened and fixated on him. “Indeed. Yours feels much like mine.”

Pearl grasped Ben’s bound wrists – and he kept his surprise well concealed -- and guided them to her chest, delicately placing one of his hands over her heart. It was her misguided attempt at sharing. His gaze flicked from there to her face, then back down, and up again. The mermaid laid her own hand on top of his. He inhaled sharply, then let out a shaky exhale.

Ben didn’t speak, or move, too concerned with accidentally being improper as his hand was right above her cleavage. He could feel the top edge of her seashell bra brushing against his hand, the soft curve of her breast beginning just under his pinky finger. It was all he could focus on, and all that he was trying not to think about.

“Do you feel it?” Pearl asked after a prolonged silence in which Ben stared blankly into nothingness.

For a split second he thought she meant her cleavage and he nearly protested, then he regained his wits and remembered what the conversation was about. He took in a slow breath and paid attention to the drumming beat under his open palm: the heart of a mermaid. It felt shockingly similar to that of a human. “I do,” he smiled awkwardly, then swallowed dryly. Her skin was very smooth and he longed to caress it, to feel more of her…

But even just sharing heartbeats was disconcertingly intimate. Like a peek into the other person’s innermost self, their vulnerable and intuitive sides exposed. Stranger still was the fact that her heartbeats were synced with his, beating to the same exact rhythm, racing at the same pace. He felt uncomfortably connected to her, in a good but scary way.

Pearl, who had initially been merely curious about human anatomy, was feeling equally connected by the disconcerting intimacy. “I like the feel of your shirt,” she commented, slowly dragging a hand down his arm to feel the fabric. “Much smoother than the sail of a ship.”

“It’s cotton,” Ben murmured and immediately felt stupid because what did it matter that it was cotton?! She might not even know what cotton was! What a silly thing for him to say, he thought. He swallowed hard again.

She dropped that hand, and pulled back the one that was still atop his. Ben drew his back too, his mind spinning that he had basically been feeling the body of a mermaid.

After another five minutes of walking, the boulder came into view. Matthew was already there, waiting for his leader. Pearl pulled Ben back, so the both of them were hidden behind shrubs. “Do not let him see you, please. You are free to go now, Henry. Leave us to grab your friend,” the mermaid instructed after removing the rope from around his wrists, but Ben didn’t move. She sensed a modicum of hesitation in the human; it was guilt, as buried as it was, making him not want to abandon one of his people to be kidnapped. But he had to, and he would.

“Don’t hurt him,” he told her more like a bitter order than a request.

She should’ve taken offense, but, given the gravity of the situation, Pearl let it slide. “I promise that we will not hurt him needlessly. Do you know the house with the image of a fire on the entrance?”

It was a former Dharma Station, not a house, and the entrance was the door, Ben assumed. It had the logo of a flame. The Flame Station. He nodded. “That’s a good place for a council meeting,” he seized the opportunity to subtly plant that seed. That Station was pretty far inland: great for Ben, because it gave him more control, but it was not a neutral location. If Pearl accepted the suggestion, it meant she was extremely confident in her plan.

“Yes,” she agreed. “That is my thinking as well. And it is where we got the chair from,” she flashed a cheeky smile, and Ben’s eyebrows rose up. “Shall our leaders meet there, tomorrow, when the sun is at its highest peak?”

So, noon. That worked. “Alright. It’s set.” His face was shadowy. The whole situation felt very clandestine.

“Farewell, Henry Gale,” the mermaid curtsied and ushered him away.

He started heading away from her, but stopped short of actually leaving. He wanted to observe the kidnapping. From behind a tree, he saw the mermaids sing to hypnotize Matthew, and then peacefully lead him away toward the beach.

Ben squeezed his eyes shut for a brief moment, lips becoming a tight thin line. That didn’t sit well with him. How frustrating to lose, and to be forced to make concessions for his enemies! He almost wanted to intervene on Matthew’s behalf, but … he made a deal with Pearl, so there was nothing he could do for the other man now. The awful feeling of powerlessness stung and unsettled him, but still the predominant thought in Ben’s head was better him than me. And…spending an afternoon with Pearl turned out to be fairly pleasant, for a kidnapping. He couldn’t complain about the time they shared. Still; the day ahead would be a turning point, one way or another. Ben knew that for all of their sakes – humans and mermaids alike – they better hope an agreement was reached between both parties.

He hiked back to the Barracks in a bit of a slump – retrieving his pistol that Pearl tossed in the bushes along the way – and spent the rest of the day coming up with a plan to approach the upcoming council meeting.

Notes:

I don’t know about you, but I love the banter between Ben and Pearl here. I had the best time writing this chapter and I was so excited while proofreading it! So I hope all of you are enjoying it as much as I am! <3

Chapter 6: Peace could only come when a push and a pull synced up in rhythm, like the dance of the tides

The entryway of the Flame Station was transformed into a meeting place, purposely staged to look as sterile and empty as possible. That was done by Ben, with Richard and Isobel—those were the people he chose to help him navigate the council meeting. Richard for his advising abilities and connection to Jacob, and Isobel for her policing expertise. They placed a table right by the entrance, so that the mermaids wouldn’t have to wander far into the Station—though, if they had previously stolen a chair from there, it was safe to say they had already explored every inch of the place. The thought bothered Ben. It irked him to think of enemies wandering loose and snooping around in his world. After they rearranged the entrance, they ended up with three chairs on their side of the table, facing the door, and three more on the opposite side, for their guests. They didn’t know how many sirens would show up, and decided to insist that only three come in – hence the chairs – to keep an equal number of humans and mermaids. It was only fair.

Ben didn’t tell anyone the whole story of how that council meeting was arranged; he said he wanted to meet with Matthew to assign him a new job, but didn’t find him at the agreed-upon spot. Ben looked for him and found a mermaid instead, who told him of the kidnapping and demanded a meeting. It was a lie of course, but Benjamin didn’t want anybody to know that the mermaids had temporarily held him hostage, nor about him selling out Matthew for his own freedom. The first part was because, as leader, he strove to always portray a strong image of himself, and being bested by aquatic creatures didn’t fit that; it made him appear weaker than he wanted to be. The second part, well…it might make some people doubt his loyalty to them. There was no need to inform them of any details, and they were satisfied with the cover story he provided.

As noon neared, the trio found themselves returning to the makeshift meeting room. Ben was a little on edge as he headed into the meeting with the mermaid representatives, the tension knotting his shoulders. He knew he didn’t have the complete upper hand, which he required to feel at ease. Thankfully, he was a master strategist, able to conjure up leverage out of practically thin air--- which he’d already done when he planted underwater sonic cannons. The sirens may have a supernatural advantage on his people, but they needed him, badly enough that they kidnapped someone to force a meeting. Ben was well aware of all that, and it was enough to keep him calm; he felt an odd, antithetical mixture of nerves and cool confidence. He was confident that he would win, but still nervous to be in a room with multiple deadly mythical beings. Besides that, he had one more ace up his sleeve, one that surely the sirens weren’t counting on.

“Please keep your communications with them to a minimum,” Ben warned Richard and Isobel. “I’ll do the talking.” He’d have much better control of the situation if nobody else was interjecting. The others agreed easily.

He made his way to the table, walking a bit stiffly, and sat on a chair. His back was rigid and upright, hands palming his knees as he waited with laser-like focus. Richard sat to his right, and Isobel, the sheriff, to his left. He was eager to get a look at the siren envoys, wondering if Pearl would be one of the chosen…

It was a bit startling to realize he longed to see her again.

Three sirens arrived a moment later, walking side by side with bare feet and large spears in hand, which they deposited by the door as a sign of respect. Everybody in the room grew tense, humans sizing the mermaids up and vice-versa. At least the numbers matched.

One of the aquatic creatures had long, bright red hair, reminding him of the cartoon about The Little Mermaid that he used to watch with Alex when she was a little girl, on repeat because his daughter loved it so much. The other had a short brown bob and a sour look, like she was terribly annoyed at being there. And the third, the only one with a moonstone-less tiara on her head and a freshly picked lilac flower wedged behind her ear…Ben’s stomach did a flip. There she was, with the blonde waves and ringlets coming down to her waist, a currently split lip, the hazel golden-flecked eyes and the perpetually mysterious little smile of someone who knew more than she was letting on…

Pearl picked those two to accompany her because they were more partial to humans. She couldn’t have a mermaid that would cause a scene or be tempted to bite them; no, she needed more diplomatic ones on this journey. The redhead was friendlier and warmer, and the brown-haired siren was very fair, despite her less-than-sunny attitude. A warrior, too, in case things got out of hand.

They were using the sails as clothes again, but not as a dress that covered them up and hid their true nature. The material was tied around their waists like a ruffled skirt, leaving their midriffs bare and their seashell ‘bras’ fully on display: one of the classical marks of a mermaid. The three wanted to flaunt who and what they were, to intimidate and make it clear they were not to be trifled with. It was a show of confidence and dominance as they walked straight into enemy territory. Ben had to admit he admired the mind game. He also noticed that all three had moonstone necklaces, and sussed out a pattern: whenever Pearl was on land, the gem was hanging from her neck; if she was in the water, it crowned her tiara. Ben knew there was meaning to that: it was either just cultural symbolism, or the stone itself had something to do with the tails-to-legs transformation. Sometimes he really wished he could study those mythical creatures…the unknown drove him crazy.

There was, of course, the implicit expectation of peace during a council meeting; it was a given that the sirens wouldn’t sing, and that the humans wouldn’t attempt to trap them. Both parties were unarmed, agreeing to talk without violence or threats.

“Greetings,” Pearl curtsied in an old-fashioned show of respect, before taking a seat in front of Ben. She only landed it marginally better than the other two, who struggled more on the descent with their shaky legs (and Ben took it as a sign that they were more inexperienced than Pearl. That seemed like an ever-present trend, he noticed.) Unfazed and not at all embarrassed by the blunder, the blonde continued. “Our leader thought it best to send me to negotiate, as I am more familiar with humankind. Richard. Female Human. Henry.” Her gaze lingered on Ben a little longer than on the others. “My name is Pearl,” she told Isobel, then motioned to the other sirens.

“I…am…Medusa,” the red haired mermaid told them with a hesitant smile. She spoke haltingly and in a hoarse voice, letting Ben know she wasn’t used to speaking at all.

The brown haired creature hissed. “I am—” She paused to give Pearl a questioning glance. That particular siren had never picked a land name.

“It matters not,” Pearl quickly dismissed, to keep the meeting moving.

Ben had a few suspicions that Pearl was lying about the leadership hierarchy of her kind – maybe she was even the one in power -- but that was beside the point at the moment. He decided to keep that under wraps until it was more beneficial to bring it up. “Nice to meet the both of you. This is Isobel,” Ben introduced the woman. “Welcome to the Flame Station. It’s a pleasure to see you again, Pearl” he offered, out of politeness.

“Is it?” she challenged with a sly smile, knowing full well that it wasn’t a pleasure for anyone involved.

His face tightened and he flashed a brief, terse smile her way. “You called this--- meeting,” he made sure to emphasize the word because it was really a hostage negotiation. To maintain the ruse that Richard was their leader, Ben flicked his eyes to him. “May we let them speak first?”

Richard knew that his job was to agree to every question Ben asked, as if he was giving Ben permission. He nodded. “Sure.”

Ben gave a slight bow of the head, then gestured to the mermaids. “Please. Go ahead. What is it that you want?”

“The current situation is unsustainable, sirs and madam,” Pearl began politely, addressing all three. She sat very elegantly, prim and poised, and projected confidence when she talked. It was obvious why she was chosen as spokesperson. “We are on the verge of war, and we would like to find a way to stop it from reaching the point of no return.”

“As would we,” Ben agreed cautiously.

She smiled with all the charm in the world. “It pleases us to hear you say that. Now, historically, the Eastern Sea has always been ours. The sonic cannons your kind put down there are cutting us off from what is rightfully ours.”

“We’re happy to give the east back to you,” Ben was almost nonchalant, but then his face steeled, “as long as you stay within the confines of the treaty’s boundaries from now on.” He couldn’t have them swimming freely, not anymore. Not when they – or at least one of them – had become so daring.

A soft, dangerous chuckle bubbled up from the blonde siren. “That won’t be enough. Firstly, we are not prisoners to be confined anywhere. That is not part of the original accords—we have always retained the freedom to come and go as long as we do not kill outside of our territory or interfere with humankind. Secondly, it is time for more. We would like two extra territories.” A pretty but deceitful smile. She sought to expand the merfolk kingdom.

Her wanting more than the east didn’t surprise him, as Pearl had already told him so when they were in the cave together. But he didn’t expect her to have the audacity of making such a big request! She was scheming for full control of those waters! A brief sarcastic smile crossed his features, then vanished as fast as it’d come, and he exhaled a kind of scoffed chuckle. “So in addition to swimming freely, you want three out of the four territories.” That would mean his people weren’t allowed to fish or sail there, under penalty of death. A quick shake of the head and his eyes grew steelier. “No.”

Pearl’s charming but icy demeanor was beginning to slip, revealing a current of anger underneath. She placed both palms on the table and leaned forward, glaring fiercely at Ben. He didn’t flinch or even blink at all. “Your sound weapons deprived us from a portion of our former territory. It was arrogant foolishness to believe we would not retaliate against such an outrage!”

“And was it not foolish arrogance to think that you could start attacking our people outside the bounds of the accord? You broke the treaty. Why should we pay the price?” he fired back immediately, holding her glare with one of his own.

“We did no such thing,” she spat. “I was fished out in a net!”

"That doesn’t give you the right to kill us! Not when you were fished out because you were swimming outside of your territory,” he reminded with a few rapid shakes of the head, a muted kind of aggravation flashing within him. “—and it’s not the first time.” His gaze darted to the other two mermaids, pointed and firm, then returned to the blonde; he stared acidly at her. “We turned a blind eye to your wandering on land, Pearl, because the treaty doesn’t forbid that.” A bitter chuckle. “Of course, the only reason that the topic isn’t even addressed in the accords is because we were conveniently not informed that you could grow legs.” He leaned in closer, hands clasped together on the desk between them and eyes sparkling with dangerous intensity. “But that’s not all. You swam right up to our docks. And many years before that, one of you flipped my boat when I was not trespassing. So you see, your list of crimes is long.” He was dredging up the past because that incident never sat right with him, and it was finally bubbling back up with some bite.

“You sailed too close to the boundary and that storm overtook you.” The mermaid let out a hiss of protest.

“Your storm,” Ben pointed out icily, then challenged: “Are you really going to claim you didn’t do that on purpose?”

The mermaid fought against the urge to let her teeth transform into fangs. Not because she was offended, but because ‘Henry’ was right. She had no way to defend her actions. But threatening them wasn’t an option, either, as it would be rightfully taken as too confrontational. The siren (currently?) in charge sucked in a deep breath. “No. It was indeed on purpose--- because you were too close. But that took place years ago! We’ve done nothing against you since. We have the freedom to swim where we wish to, as long as we leave you in peace. You fished me out and got my friend killed.”

“We fished you out by accident,” he explained with a hint of exasperation. “You were too close to our boat! That in and of itself is a breach. Why were you so close, hm? What were you doing up there?” An accusing squint. Surely she must’ve been spying or intending to drown them.

“I was merely curious,” she lied. Truth was, she saw that it was a fishing trawler, and she wanted to chew through the nets to free the fish, partly for their sake and partly to see if she could get away with it. But technically that was another, more serious breach of the treaty (it fell under the category of ‘interfering with human affairs’), so Pearl knew she couldn’t admit to that or she’d lose all leverage.

But he figured her out anyway, after silently staring for a long moment, squinting and trying to read her intentions. “No,” he finally said with a knowing shake of the head. “You were testing how far you can push until we push back.” Something had changed with the mermaids; the writing had been on the wall for quite some time now. They were noticeably bolder, appearing on land and swimming nearer their boats. Apparently the two and a half year hiatus was only temporary, and they were back at it with no shame. And kidnapping a human?! That was entirely unheard of until now! Sirens used to be notoriously reclusive, a rare sight in the faraway distance-- which was why Ben’s people were so unprepared to deal with the suddenly constant appearances. His gaze bore fiercely into hers, weighing her down and trying to wear out her resolve.

“That is immaterial,” she dismissed, somewhat disconcerted, but already pulling herself together and trying to regain control of the conversation. “The past is past. We need a solution in the here and now. Or do you want things to go back to how they were before we signed the accords? Do your history books teach you how bad it got, Henry?” she asked with a proud nose up in the air and a slight scowl.

He stared straight at her, unblinking. “It was an all-out war before the accords. With my people taking ships out to the open sea in an attempt to fish yours to eliminate them, and yours singing from every beach to drown mine,” Ben droned, impassive.

She gave a somber nod. “There were heavy losses on both sides. Nobody could relax, danger lurked everywhere—and the past will be repeated if we start warring again.”

“I agree that we need to keep the peace,” Ben gave a small shrug. “But not at the expense of my people.”

She smiled at him; dazzling, but empty. “Here is our proposal. You need the Northern Sea for passage between this Island and the other. We will surrender it to you entirely if you give us back our Eastern side plus the Western and Southern.”

“You’ve been happy with the Eastern Sea for years,” Ben dryly pointed out, staring at her through narrowed eyes. “What makes you want to change it? Why now?” He tilted his head slightly, over-enunciating the ‘h’ in ‘why’, words lilting up.

“There has been a change in our leadership,” Pearl informed, thinking it might help. It was vague, but more than enough for Ben to connect the dots: the new leader was more ambitious, seeking to assert their power by pushing the boundaries. He’d admire that if it wasn’t creating an incredible headache for his people. Once again he wondered if said leader might be Pearl…it seemed to fit her personality profile. She could be faking her position exactly like Ben was. Or maybe she was just a scout, more naturally inclined to want to approach humans.

Even with her reasons, he wasn’t giving in so easily. “The treaty lasted so long because it benefits both parties. I don’t see that we should change it,” he deadpanned.

“We are unhappy with the current arrangement, Henry, sir. If it is not fixed, discontentment will fester inside, until it finally spews forth with destructive violence.” It was a clear threat, underlined by the cold strength of her gaze. “We are giving you a chance to try for peace--- but sirens are not known for second chances.”

Ben shuddered, feeling ice pool in his stomach. Pearl was chilling and intimidating when she wanted to be, and she exuded power. But he was Benjamin Linus, a worthy opponent, and he wouldn’t let them see that they rattled him. He exuded power, too. His gaze met hers, piercing and guarded. “We want peace as much as you, but, as I said, it can’t be on your terms alone. You want to leave us with too little. Are you willing to compromise?”

She didn’t shy away from his gaze, nor did he break eye contact with her. The two representatives stared fiercely at each other, their faces devoid of any emotion except for the unyielding fire burning behind their eyes. Neither was willing to budge, nor bend, and they had to be careful not to break. The tension was palpable enough to make the other humans swallow dryly, and the mermaids exchange a cautious glance.

Finally, Pearl gave a delicate sideways nod. “We would not be here if unwilling to compromise. Remove your sonic cannons from the four territories, give us full control of the Eastern and Western Seas, and we will retreat from the North.”

It sounded good on a superficial level, but Ben knew it was a losing bargain. Two for the sirens, one for the humans, one free for all. “And then what? You roam freely on all four seas, spying on whomever you like? Or you avoid the North, but the South remains a point of contention between us? No.” A determined shake of the head, and a glance Richard’s way to pretend to confirm that those were his wishes.

A bossy hiss. “We have the leverage here. Your man that we kidnapped—”

“That man is prepared to die for this Island,” Ben cut her off sharply, a shadowy edge of danger creeping into his expressive blue eyes. That was his ace: the loyalty of Jacob’s people when it came to protecting the Island. Kidnapping one of them and threatening their life would not force Ben’s hand. “We are not letting you swim on three territories.”

The animosity and distrust between them was as thick as ever, like smoke in the air. They glared pure daggers at each other, gritting their teeth more with each passing second.

“You’d sacrifice one of your own for territory?” Pearl’s gold-dusted eyes narrowed with judgment, but also resignation. That man wasn’t bluffing. She knew Ben had played the winning hand; she was outmatched, with no choice but accept a 50/50 compromise. “Very well. You may have free access to the Northern and Southern Seas: that allows you to traverse the Island and fish.” Contempt tinged the last word. “We shall not touch you there.”

“And you won’t go there,” Ben emphasized with a widening of the eyes. That was the key update to the treaty, for him.

“Quite right. If we swim through, it will be in the deepest fathoms. We shall not approach the surface, so that you and we will never cross paths on the Northern and Southern Seas.”

“And in return, you get the West in addition to the Eastern territory that is already yours,” Ben completed it for her, because he already knew what she was going to say. “We stay out of those, and you stay out of ours, for good.” If the mermaids were caught swimming too close to the surface on the Northern and Southern Seas, then it would now be acceptable for the humans to kill them, too.

“Indeed.” A graceful nod.

It boiled down to a redrawing of the boundaries: it was the same old treaty, but with extra benefits for both: now the mermaids held a bigger piece of the pie, and the humans had the assurance that the oceans they used were completely mermaid-free. Safer for all.

“And if we have an emergency that requires us to sail through the east or west?” Ben asked in a flat monotone, quirking a brow at Pearl. Best to iron out all details and play out all possible scenarios ahead of time. “You’ll let us pass?”

Dissatisfaction crossed her features. It was a clever question, and one she’d hoped ‘Henry’ would be too obtuse to ask. But he was clearly smart, and of a strategic mind himself. She would be impressed if he wasn’t so vexing. “Very well,” she grudgingly agreed. “Fly a white flag on your boat if there is ever such a need. We will not attack. But do not abuse this privilege.” A tiny hiss of warning.

He gave one pointed nod, lips flattened into a thin line. Then he canted his head to the side and back up. “In the spirit of fairness, you may do the same. I know there are currents that are important to you—you can swim through them, if there’s an emergency. Have a piece of shell on hand to let us know.” He wanted to show that he was the bigger person, the better negotiator.

She was almost taken aback by the perceived selflessness—though she wondered if he wasn’t doing it simply to play with her feelings and her trust. Which he was. “We appreciate that very much,” she bowed her head. “But there is one more thing. In addition, we demand that you shut down that large…home…or whatever it is, that has been in our waters for decades. The one that people inhabit.”

Ben’s nerves hiked at that. She was surely talking about The Looking Glass, the underwater Dharma Station that served as a beacon to help the submarine reapproach the Island whenever it left for the mainland. His people weren’t supposed to know the Station was still operating! “I’m sorry? We decommissioned that years ago,” he lied expertly, hoping that she wouldn’t have been swimming close to the Station recently, otherwise she’d know it was still active.

The lie would’ve been effective on anyone who didn’t happen to live under the sea and regularly witnessed the workings of the Station. Pearl was about to chide him for taking her for a fool, when she noticed the sudden tightness around his eyes. He was uncomfortable and apprehensive. Most people would miss that detail, but she was exceedingly perceptive-- almost as much as Ben. She quickly understood he wasn’t lying to her, but to the others. How shameful to lie to one’s own people, she thought, as if she was above such things. That man wielded a lot of influence, though; it would be smart to cultivate goodwill with him, so she backed up his lie with one of her own. “Oh, but of course. Our mistake. We stay away from it so we did not know.” A pause, and she looked him straight in the eyes, injecting a whole secret language into it: “It would be imperative to shut down all underwater locations for this treaty to hold, but since they are currently shut down, we are good, and can move on.”

He was shocked that she went for it without any prompting; Ben had hoped he might be able to lie to her, but certainly didn’t expect her to back him up on it! He understood her secret language, of course: she was telling him he must shut it down anyway, but not snitching in front of the others. Why? He’d have to get her alone and find out. “If there were any underwater locations currently operating, there would be a reason for that,” he told her casually, like he was merely making conversation. It was a secret language of his own, though, to inform her that he was refusing to shut down the Station. He needed it working. “They would be important to us,” he reiterated. “Good thing that they’re all decommissioned, huh?” A pointed smile.

The siren stirred, her smile tightening and her gaze steeling. He was refusing her?! She didn’t have any real leverage left to play him with, unless she decided to abort the entire treaty—which of course, would negatively impact her own merpeople, so she couldn’t do that. Pearl found herself without means to fight back, so she directed the forced smile at him and accepted that The Looking Glass would continue to operate: “I understand. Of course that would be the case, yes.”

He gave her a pointed nod of agreeance. “Now we need to add something about land boundaries…” Ben drawled, fixing her with another vacant glance.

“I assumed that you would, now that you know we can walk. We will not accept being completely cut off from land,” she sternly warned, right out of the gate.

“Not completely. Here,” he produced a rolled up map and stood up, to walk around the table and join Pearl on her side. The other mermaids immediately hissed at him, baring their teeth. He remained unflappable, bored eyed darting toward them. Pearl hissed too, but not at the humans; it was a calming hiss that told her sisters to stand down. They did, and communicated with a series of short clicks. “What did you tell them?” Ben asked, wary.

“I said that you are welcome to approach.”

Ben gave a curt nod. He was already approaching anyway. Standing beside Pearl’s chair, he leaned forward, smoothed the map out on the table, red marker in hand. “Now, these protect our home from outsiders,” he tapped at where the Sonic Fence was located. “If anyone crosses these without permission, they die. But sirens,” he dragged the capped marker across the paper and indicated a river that flowed from the outside into the village, “you can circumvent that by swimming down this river.” He looked sideways, fixing her gaze with his own. His was dark, and dangerous. “Don’t. Don’t come into our village or we’ll be forced to place traps along the riverside.” He uncapped the marker and drew an emphatic red X where the river went past the Sonic Fence.

Pearl was looking back at him, noticing the details on his irises. He really had the most exquisite eyes, even when they darkened with danger. But admiring that didn’t distract from the task at hand. “We will stay away from your home. You can add it to the treaty: mermaids shall never swim past the metal beams.” That was the name they’d given to the Sonic Fence, year prior. “May I?” she held out a delicate hand, indicating the marker with her head. Ben handed it to her and waited, still bent over the table. The siren leaned in – her shoulder brushing against his – and she circled a clearing with a lagoon not too far from the Eastern Sea. “This location is important to us. Can your people avoid it?” It was a sacred gathering spot for the mermaids.

There was absolutely nothing of importance in that clearing for the humans, and it was so far from the Barracks that people rarely went there. “Sure,” Ben shrugged, unbothered. “As for the rest of the Island…it should be to us what the ocean is for you. If we see one of you swimming out there, we change course and stay away. If you’re walking on land and you find a human…you change course and go away.” He was very emphatic at the end, harsh eyes adding to the sense of importance.

“That is fine,” Pearl accepted. She absently handed the marker back to him, eyes glued to the map. “I am attempting to memorize where, exactly, the metal beams are located. I can’t take this with me.”

“Actually, you can.” A shrug. “I came prepared,” Ben told her as he straightened up and crossed back over to his side of the table. He pulled a glass bottle from under it, rolled the map up and stuck it inside. A snug cork on the top sealed it in, just like the classic ‘message in a bottle’. He smiled as he passed it to her, friendly, but it didn’t entirely reach his eyes. The mood was better between them, but both were still wary.

She looked impressed, daintily turning the bottle over in her slender fingers to admire its green hue and glassy shine. “Very nice. Thank you,” Pearl smiled back, though it didn’t feel completely sincere either. The blonde handed the airtight map to the redhead, who put it inside a sac made of sail material that was slung across her body.

Ben regarded Pearl with caution. “To summarize: the Eastern and Western Seas belong to you. We’ll stay away, under penalty of death, unless it’s an emergency and we fly a white flag. The Northern and Southern Seas are free for us to use; you stay far from the surface, under equal penalty of death-- unless you need to traverse one of those special currents, and then you will be carrying a shell as a warning. And on land, you stay out of our home; we stay away from the clearing. If we happen to run into each other anywhere else--- we go away if it’s in the ocean, and you go away if it’s on land,” he recapped.

“Yes,” she nodded, mostly pleased by the results even though they didn’t turn out exactly as she envisioned them, after Ben neutralized her biggest leverage. “Those are the terms. They are fair.”

He thought so too. “That will be all, then,” Ben took the lead to end the council meeting.

“Shall we make it official?” A gesture was needed to seal the deal. A symbolical signing.

He gave a nod, then held out his hand for a handshake. Meanwhile, Pearl was coming uncomfortably close to touch his forehead with her own. Doing both at the same time -- speedily and not knowing what the other was up to -- only resulted in his hand poking her ribs, and her forehead pushing on his nose instead. Both human and mermaid retreated, frowning at each other.

“Sorry…I’m not familiar with--- whatever you were doing,” Ben droned, in manner a tad stilted. The flower stuck behind her ear caught his curiosity one more time, after being in such proximity to her head.

“Your hand…” her eyes followed it as he dropped it, “you did that when we first met.” Pearl lifted her gaze back toward him. “What does it mean?”

“I remember.” He recalled how skittish she’d been when he offered a handshake, back before he knew she was a mermaid; she acted like he set out to attack her, then recovered quickly upon realizing it wasn’t a dangerous gesture. “A handshake can mean a greeting, a goodbye, or a mutual oath.”

Her curious face brightened. “A mutual oath is what we need.” She tentatively held out her own hand, mimicking Ben’s previous motion, and waited for him to respond. Ben gave a brief, polite close-lipped smile as he clasped her hand in his and shook it.

“What was your gesture?” he asked after they released hands. “With the forehead?”

“It’s a touch of the foreheads; it symbolizes peace and good intentions,” Pearl explained, and started to lean toward Ben. For the sake of keeping things equal, they should seal the deal with gestures meaningful to both merfolk and humankind. Prompted by her, Ben leaned over slightly, allowing Pearl to gently touch her forehead to his. From his perspective, it was a very odd custom, and a bit awkward to be so close to somebody. He watched her carefully, admiring her features and noticing how long her eyelashes were. Pearl was, once again, taken by the beautiful blue of his eyes. Both of them held their breaths, instinctively, until they straightened up and pulled apart again.

“That’s a nice flower,” he commented, mostly for the purpose of figuring out whether it held some deeper meaning to the sirens or not. “Is it symbolic?”

“Not at all,” the blonde mermaid smiled, gently touching the lilac flower she adorned her hair with in a near reverential manner. “I simply adore flowers! They are so delicate and beautiful, and it is not often that I can adorn myself with one.” He gave her an empty smile of acknowledgment and said nothing else.

Pearl turned to Richard and Isobel, and held out a hand toward them. While they took turns shaking, Ben cautiously offered his to the other mermaids. Medusa took it easily, giving it a congenial shake. She’s more okay with humans, Ben filed the information for later. The brunette was warier; at first she hesitated, and when she finally shook Ben’s hand, it was with visible reluctance.

The two mermaids then looked to Pearl, to take their cue from her--- something that Ben noticed. They watched the blonde in charge touch foreheads with a cautious Richard and a stand-offish Isobel, then turned to Ben to do the same. He stood with his arms limply to the sides of his body and bent forward just a bit; Medusa responded first, approaching and giving his forehead a light touch with her own, then the nameless brunette did the same. Ben didn’t mind it; it was an alright experience, though different than with Pearl. With the other two, he was more on autopilot, at ease, and the gesture meant nothing to him. With Pearl…he had felt more awkward, more hyper-aware of himself, his breathing catching in his throat. Her proximity could be a tad intoxicating to him, as was his for her.

When everybody finished shaking everybody’s hands and touching foreheads, the group said goodbye, the promise of the new treaty sealed and oath-bound. The three aquatic visitors walked out of the Flame Station, retrieved the spears they left by the door, and headed into the thicker jungle.

Ben waited ten seconds and trailed after them, walking with a purpose. Richard and Isobel traded a bewildered look. For any casual onlooker, following the sirens on their way out of the meeting was reckless. But he knew what he was doing; it was at best a calculated risk, that would allow him to test the waters and figure out how much the ice between him and Pearl had thawed. Plus, he had an important question for her.

“Pearl,” he called to the blonde mermaid, who turned around to face him with a raised chin and vaguely defiant stance. The other two seemed worried that he’d approached them. He didn’t even blink before drawling out a request: “Can I have my baton back?”

“Why?” she questioned, a bit uppity. She felt somewhat cornered by his sudden appearance.

“Because I asked,” he said simply and keeping a neutral face, testing her. Her response would be very telling: if she flat out refused, Ben would know the treaty was on shaky legs despite its renewal. If she hesitated but seemed willing to consider it, the treaty was likely stable as more than a mere bandaid for their animosity.

Instead, she pulled the weapon from the sail-sac the other mermaid was carrying, and extended it out in front of her. “Is this a baton?” Ben nodded, inquisitive eyes glued to her. Pearl gave a half bow of the head and smiled as she placed the weapon on the grass between them, giving him a chance to safely retrieve it.

Huh. Full willingness to comply. Apparently the treaty would hold up well.

He reached for the baton and scooped it up. His gaze switched between the weapon safely in his hand and the split lip on Pearl’s face. He felt another pang of guilt, and, now that the situation had calmed, he could finally address it. “I’m sorry for hitting you with this,” he uttered and gave the baton a half-hearted wave in her direction. “And for…elbowing you,” his eyes fell to the ground. He didn’t exactly regret fighting to escape a kidnapping, but Ben genuinely regretted that it had come to hurting Pearl like that.

The blonde gingerly touched the swollen side of her lip, but she was smiling at him like she found his apology endearing. “Don’t be. It barely hurts anymore. More importantly, I was taking you hostage, threatening to slit your throat. You could have easily used that…baton, was it, to crush my skull and kill me. And yet you did not. You merely defended yourself, Henry, I don’t begrudge you that. Would you begrudge me for doing the same?”

Blue eyes flicked up toward her again, with something furtive behind them. “No. Defending oneself is fair play—but I’m sorry that it came to that. It wasn’t very…gentlemanly behavior, I suppose,” he frowned. It was the sight of her bloody nose and split lip that haunted him. Then again, he remembered when Pickett’s blood dripped down Pearl’s mouth and chin, and he felt a little more justified in doing whatever it took to get away from her. Mermaids could be pretty violent when it suited them, and moralistic when it didn’t.

“If you mean because I am a woman…do not forget that I am also a siren. I could have ripped you to shreds, and you merely hit me to evade capture,” she smiled with certain condescension, echoing his sentiments in a different way. Ben just stared at her, which spurred her to keep talking to fill the silence. “Are you wondering why I did not retaliate by hurting you back?” There was an undertone of teasing there.

Ben shook his head. “I know why you didn’t,” he commented matter-of-factly, partly to mess with her, but mostly because it was true.

“Is that so?” She let out a lilting laugh. “Please, enlighten me.” The last time he tried to get inside her head and read her behavior he got it exactly right; Pearl was interested in seeing if he’d manage a repeat performance of the same stellar quality.

He didn’t hesitate for even a second before rattling off the reasons for Pearl’s behavior. “You think that humans are violent and you judge us for it, and you see your kind as noble by comparison— so you make sure to act in a way befitting of that. You have no qualms hurting or even killing when it’s necessary, but I was already subdued. Hurting me would be vengeance, not justice.” He had her moral code fairly worked out, and was confident in his answer.

An impressed but annoyed scoff escaped the blonde. Wow. Once again, he got it dead right. Pearl had to maintain the image that mermaids were morally superior to humans; she deeply believed in that, whether it was true or not, and she wouldn’t allow herself to stoop to their level. “Correct again,” she admitted. “It would be needlessly cruel to hurt you then. As you said—it would serve no purpose other than vengeance, and we are better than that,” she claimed with vehemence.

As usual, Ben didn’t entirely agree with her about merfolk being quite so noble, but Pearl did strike him as a good person despite her predatory nature. “Was it difficult? To hold back from revenge?” he asked despite already knowing the answer.

Pearl shook her head and the sun danced on her very light, very long hair. The tiara glittered. “It was very easy. I didn’t want to hurt you; I do not enjoy hurting anyone.”

“Neither do I,” he grimly pointed out with a raise of the eyebrows. She believed him because the evidence backed it up: he had never been quick to strike at mermaids, and made sure his men on the boat didn’t hurt her. Perhaps they were more alike than either of them wanted to admit, she thought, and Ben was thinking the same thing. For both of them the ends justified the means sometimes, but they never wanted to do any harm—unless anger overcame them and got them to lash out, which they usually regretted afterwards. “And, I suppose you weren’t angry either, because as you said, you understand that I was simply trying to escape captivity,” he added as an afterthought.

“Yes, of course! I expected you – or any human – to fight back if given the chance. I tried not to give you that chance, but you bested me.” She didn’t seem mad at him for that, but rather amused about their skirmish.

“Not for long,” he grumbled, but it was lighthearted; almost like a joke. He appreciated Pearl’s ability to look at the fairness and nuance of things, rather than blaming him for defending himself like others might. She was logical, and he liked that. “You’re pretty insightful for someone who doesn’t spend time with humans,” he lightly complimented.

She bowed her head, smiling at him. For whatever reason, she was pleased to have him praise her. “Indeed I am.”

The other mermaids, watching from further back, were scowling at Pearl’s gracious manner. They were finding her too overly friendly with a human. “Those two don’t like me much either,” Ben commented, as a throwback to their conversation in the cave.

“They have qualms about you killing one of our kind, especially as it was brought about due to you fishing me out in a net. That is the worst sin one could commit against a mermaid,” she explained, keeping her face as light as possible.

“I lost people that day too,” he bitterly reminded her, words biting. “I can thank your friends and your storm for that.”

“It was retaliation for hurting me, and the storm was for the murder of our friend. You must know this,” she said plainly, like it wasn’t such a big deal. He stared her down, unimpressed.

“Yesterday you told me that you understand she died ‘in battle’, and that I was defending myself. I take it the others are not so rational?” Ben asked with certain venom, glaring at the redhead and brown-haired sirens. “Or did you change your mind?” he huffed and the glare came toward Pearl.

The blonde let out a warning hiss. “I did not. All of us understand why you did it, yet some cannot accept it. Some are as rational as me, some are not.” It was a complicated situation. “But--- while we are on the subject of catching me in a fishing net, Henry… I would like to clear something up.” Her easygoing face switched to something somber and Ben stirred. He waited for her to continue, apprehensive as to where she was going with all that. The siren sighed. “I want you to know that I was not going to bite you. I made a promise not to harm you, and I was keeping it—I only wanted to steal the killing machine away from you.”

“That’s called a gun,” he informed her. Ben stood motionless, a shadowy look on his face. “I wondered if that might have been the case,” he admitted, tone dark.

“It was! Sirens always keep their word,” she assured him.

Medusa chimed in with her agreement, pulling Ben’s eyes toward her: “We … always … do,” she struggled to say in a hoarse voice.

Pearl nodded at her, then continued to address Ben: “And I did not tell my sisters to attack your boat!”

“No?” He insisted, somewhat skeptical. He might believe her, but only if she offered a more complete explanation.

“No. They heard my cry and swarmed the boat, angry for my being hurt. I—must confess to being angry myself, and frightened, so I did not stop them,” Pearl averted her eyes. “When that man stabbed me, I thought that all of you agreed with his actions.”

“We didn’t,” Ben was quick to add, albeit stoically.

“Perhaps I judged you too hastily; it may have been a misjudgment,” she admitted to her mistake, a subtle grimace on her face. Maybe it was foolish to trust a human, but Pearl could see – could feel -- the truth behind Ben’s words; she knew that he wasn’t tricking her.

“I meant it when I said I would let you go, Pearl, and I’m sorry that Pickett reacted in a way that got you hurt. He got scared too, when your tail accidentally hit him.” A pointed apology with a reminder that the situation wasn’t black and white, and all sides had done wrong. Her shoulders slumped, while Ben’s remained upright. “But thank you for—the explanation,” he added for good measure, out of politeness, and because he did indeed appreciate her taking the time to let him know she never tried to kill him.

“You are welcome. Too many lives were lost on both sides…it’s unfortunate, and there would have surely been more. It is part of the reason why we wanted a new treaty.”

That Ben agreed with. “I’m glad we were able to come up with a satisfactory update to the accords,” he gave a few nods while he talked. “It should be enough to avoid any future bloodshed.”

Hopefully. It was telling that she didn’t apologize for anybody she killed, and Ben didn’t apologize for shooting a mermaid either. Both felt that they did it to save their own lives, and that justified it enough for them. If either found themselves in a new situation where that justification returned, there was no telling if the treaty would hold.

“We will … follow this new … treaty,” the brunette mermaid said, addressing him for the first time. She and the redhead were warming up to him a little, as they became more familiar with being around him.

Ben gave her a brief close-lipped smile. “As will we.” There was something else he wanted to know, and a big reason why he followed the mermaids out of the Station. He turned to the blonde again. “Pearl, can I ask you a question? When we discussed the--- underwater Station…you backed up what I said. You must know the truth, but you went along with my…” a quick shake of the head, mouth opening and closing a couple times, “--misdirection. Why?”

A small smirk settled on her lips. She was glad to be asked that; the answer helped her cultivate a better bond with that important human. “Because I noticed that it mattered to you. I do not wish to incite discord between you and your people. I can be discreet; I’ve no need to give away your secrets--- though I question why you would lie to them.” Pearl fixed him with a hypnotizing glance. “Care to tell me the reason?”

Ben chuckled softly. “No. I appreciate the assistance, Pearl, but I can’t share with you why I didn’t tell them the truth.” It was none of her business, and not the type of information that he wanted falling on anybody else’s hands. Good to know she’d keep it to herself, though. Maybe they could be unusual allies in the future…if he could ever trust her.

The blonde pouted with dissatisfaction, then gave an elegant shrug. “That is fair. You keep your secrets, I keep mine.”

He simply smiled at her, giving exactly one nod. “And your hostage?”

“He will be returned safely before sundown today.” Pearl paused, and for a while she simply stared at Ben, and he stared back at her, like they were stalling for…well, neither of them knew what for. “Goodbye, human,” she finally spoke.

“Goodbye, mermaid,” he mimicked, a tad amused by that line. Pearl, flanked by the other two, walked deeper into the jungle and he stayed behind.

As soon as the mermaids vanished from view, Ben picked up his radio. “Tom? Call in the divers. Tell them to take the sonic cannons down. … Yes, Tom, all of them.”

Notes:

So nothing actually happened in this chapter aside from them discussing their terms, but I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did! I loved writing this drawn-out negotiation between Pearl and Ben, and I had so much fun playing out this sort of antagonistic political scenario between them!

Chapter 7: Mermaids rarely hitch rides with humans, and the opposite is unheard of. But everything can change when the timing is right

The hostage the mermaids took to force a meeting with the humans had been safely returned before the next dawn. Ben was pleased to note that Matthew was unharmed, as per Pearl’s promise. The underwater motion sensors and sonic cannons were gone too, of course; both mermaids and humans were putting their trust in the newly-updated peace accords, hoping that the other side would honor its terms. Ben wanted it to hold up for at least another few hundred years, like the first version had.

A week passed since the meeting, and there were no signs that either side intended to breach the treaty; everyone was sticking to their territories, avoiding each other and not meddling with the other species.

Sometimes Ben had secretive business to conduct, which had him venturing to far-off corners of the Island on his own. He knew every inch of it and every danger that might lurk, which usually kept him safe. On a calm afternoon, a mere short week after he last encountered the mermaid, he was on a small propeller boat, crossing from Hydra to the main Island.

Despite the waters being safe now (at least in theory!), Ben couldn’t shake the feeling that there were creatures lurking in those inky blue depths, waiting for their time to strike. He was more vigilant than usual, because for somebody who grew up on that Island and around oceans, the amount of incidents he’d experienced on boats had increased exponentially in the last few years.

He didn’t realize anything was amiss – or even happening -- when he became dizzy and veered the boat off-course, sending it nose-first toward some sharp rocks as he chased the most beautiful melody he’d ever heard; a song that made him feel warm, and floaty, and right. Nothing else mattered in the world aside from the bliss he felt being engulfed by those vocals. Nothing could hurt him. He was in everlasting peace, as long as he stayed with the melody. It was only when the fog in his mind cleared that he scrambled to pump the metaphorical breaks, realizing he had been caught in a siren’s song.

He maneuvered the boat away from the rocks just in time, narrowly avoiding a crash. Exhaling sharply, he looked around to find the creature that had sung to him.

There she was, lying on her stomach atop a wet rock with waves crashing behind her, tail pointing up in the air and blonde hair spread all over her. Pale cheeks were tear-streaked. Whatever the reason for her sadness, it was interrupted by his arrival. Pearl’s eyes were sharp and full of fear as she began slowly inching away from him, crawling down the rock. He looked right at her and she hissed, canine teeth sharpened. Ben instantly realized that she didn’t mean to enrapture him with her song--- she was singing to herself and he happened to sail by, startling the creature into a defensive stance. He gave her a nod of gratitude for her choice to stop singing. She blinked at him a few times, then pushed herself up and jumped off the rock, to flee into the waters. In an instant, she was gone.

Ben’s mind spun a little. It felt weird to see her again after they set up such a clear-cut, iron-clad agreement. That rock she’d been perching on was right on the border between the Northern and Western Seas, so technically neither of them were in breach of the accords. But they were close.

And the song…it was an accident, it seemed. A haunting one. Ben had only heard a siren song once before. A chorus, actually, that creepy night on the beach when Alex was a baby, sung by at least five sirens at the same time. This time, the effects were even stronger, probably because they were focused on one single siren rather than divided between five. He had to admit that he understood why some people went mad upon hearing that melody, becoming addicted to the song and desperately seeking it out, doing anything to hear it again: the siren song did create an euphoric feeling, a bliss hard to find in life. It was like the rush of a drug, but more comfortable and warm and melting all thoughts into a pleasant haze. But if the sensations were pleasant, mentally the idea horrified him. Losing free will would be just about the worst thing for Benjamin, and Pearl knew that. He appreciated that she stopped the song, because if his boat crashed on the rocks she might’ve gotten away with it; nobody would be able to prove he was under her spell when he died.

Though he was relieved she fled, it was also…a bit of a pity that he was only able to see her with such a passing glance. He wondered if that was the last of it, and for the next thirty minutes it was. Until he heard a splash and felt something weighing down one side of the boat, tilting it off-center. He turned sharply and was met with gold-flecked eyes and a moonstone atop blonde hair, arms casually draped across the edge of the boat. Pearl had crawled up, hoisting herself so that she was hanging off the hull. Sure enough, she had come to him…but with what intentions? The sight of the mermaid resting her arms on the edge and smirking at him sent a chill up his spine. She was a sight that was equally terrible and thrilling to behold. Sinister and stunning, as lethal as she was lovely. His mind was racing. He was in the presence of a magical predator who had followed him up from the fathoms. He may need to beg for his life this time. “Pearl,” he said her name tersely, to acknowledge her sudden appearance.

“Hello, Henry Gale. Here you are again, in our waters,” she commented casually, the airy smile on her face giving her an air of contradicting menace. Her eyes twinkled with cold amusement, and no trace left of the fear that made her flee. Like Ben, the mermaid simply didn’t like to be caught by surprise; when she was prepared, she felt in control and confident.

Ben’s muscles tensed and he felt a lump in his throat. Still, his words came out with sharp curtness and his eyes were pure ice, as he was growing tired of that never-ending debate. “I’m not in your territory, as you well know. I was only there briefly because your song made me veer off course.”

“Fair,” she conceded, gaze glued to him in a way that made him worry he was the prey being stalked by the predator. “You are dangerously close, however, so I must warn you to leave our waves in haste.” She hissed, nose scrunching up.

He would. No sense in lingering when he was being vaguely threatened. But it seemed that Pearl wasn’t inclined to attack unless he started it, so he stared at her through an alert squint for a moment. Then averted his gaze.

“It must be scary,” Ben broke the silence with the off-handed comment, staring off into the distance.

“What must be?” She asked, already becoming mildly defensive.

“Knowing that we can wipe out your kind at any moment, if we choose to, and there’s nothing you can do to stop us,” he looked at her, his blue eyes full of intensity and pointed manipulation. He picked each precise word for maximum results. “It’s no wonder you don’t want me here,” a soft chuckle marked the last word. “Your song is powerful, Pearl,” Ben added with a nod and an impressed tone, “but it’s not a match for all the weapons that we have in our possession,” he completed with a shrug, and his mouth pulled downwards as an accompanying motion. If she wanted to threaten him, he could threaten right back, in a much more skilled way: by making an off-handed remark intended to destabilize her. He knew she was concerned about how much humans had evolved, and he twisted that against her.

His manipulation had the desired effect: it got under her skin and riled up her insecurities. Pearl let out a barely audible little hiss, flustered. What bothered her was knowing the human wasn’t wrong in his comment. “And here you renew my low estimation of humankind,” she sneered.

“You have nothing to worry about, now,” he assuaged the fear he had only just put in her. “We’ll stick to the new treaty, if you do.”

“We have been, and will continue to do so.” she confirmed, looking cross with him.

As the conversation reached a natural conclusion, Ben expected her to either dive down or send him away again. When she did neither, instead staring at him with inquisitive and interested eyes, he asked: “Are you…alright?” He didn’t want to be indelicate by pointing out that he saw her crying, but he was wondering what was up. She didn’t seem injured, so it must be emotional.

“Oh. You saw my tears,” she deduced, a bit sheepishly. “Yes, I’m fine. I was— thinking.” He didn’t expect much candor from her, but even the unsaid words were enough of an answer; Ben recognized the grief in her. Grief came and went in waves, and on that day Pearl had been thinking about the people she lost. She quickly wiped her cheeks, even though any tears had been washed away during her swim toward him. “I’m okay, truly,” she gave a lighthearted little hiss of reassurance.

“You hiss very often,” he stared with vacant eyes, commenting on that to draw her attention away from the grief that was – in one case, at least – caused by him.

“Yes,” she agreed, a flicker of confusion flashing across her face. “We communicate through high pitched calls and hisses. They can convey different emotions,” she explained. He could hear the water rustle and deduced she was swaying her tail back and forth.

“I’ve noticed,” Ben said in a voice thick with meaning; he remembered the difference between her scared and angry hisses, or the cute ones of agreement or annoyance. How surreal that he had observed that mermaid long enough – and well enough! -- to be able to read her personal tells and her moods just by way of a mere hiss. “I probably wouldn’t have, if you didn’t spend so much time on land.” Ben fixed her with narrowed blue eyes and a semblance of cautious curiosity, and distrust. “How do you do that? I didn’t know mermaids could swap a tail for a pair of legs until I met you. You never explained how that’s possible.” There was something droll in his tone.

“We have our ways.” An elusive smile and abrupt change of topic: “May I have permission to come aboard?” A fingertip elegantly traced the hull.

He blinked in surprise, forehead creasing. “Aboard my boat?” Ben asked with some skepticism, and mild defensiveness.

“Yes. I would like to talk. I know that it is technically against the treaty, but I would like a concession, if you will grant me one.” She politely ducked her head, then fixed her eyes on him. “We do not need to go through the trouble of arranging a second council meeting, do we?” Pearl tipped her nose up in the air, gaze suddenly stern.

Her vague threat of a second kidnapping forced his hand, but it was unnecessary; Ben was already inclined to let her in, anyway. He always had his guard up -- and more so with her -- but he couldn’t bring himself to completely shut her out. Something in her mysterious smile beckoned him to get to know her. “Fine,” he accepted curtly, staring at her with a serious look. Pearl bowed her head in thanks and pushed down on the edge of the boat, trying to hoist herself up. It made the vessel tip violently, sending a wide-eyed Ben staggering a few feet. “Stop, you’re gonna topple it,” he gasped with exasperation, stretching out his arms to regain his balance.

She huffed with mild annoyance. “Then, I---” Pearl tutted with her tongue, eyes darting about. She was upset at being unable to get in more easily. It was very undignified! “—if—oh, for Poseidon’s sake, if I cannot pull myself up then you must help me in!” The mermaid reached out with a demanding hand, a bit like a spoiled child. He stared blankly at her for a beat.

“…Alright…” Ben warily accepted, taking a couple of measured steps toward the edge of the boat. He knew that he was taking a great risk, but it was obvious that she would have already attacked if she had any intention of it. And besides, they were at peace, weren’t they? “Um, excuse me,” he said awkwardly as he carefully leaned over and took her hand in his. His other arm dipped lower, fingers brushing the surface of the water as he wrapped it around her waist. The siren stayed placid, grabbing hold of his shoulder with her free hand. He couldn’t help but be reminded of how soft her skin was, and how cold. She couldn’t help but notice his strength, and dexterity.

Ben pulled her up with ease, fishing out the mermaid from the sea and gently landing her at the bottom of his boat. It was the first time that physical contact between them hadn’t startled one of them or been a little rough or transactional, and he felt strange about it. So did she; it was unnatural for her kind to be so close without ulterior motive--- though, technically, she did have her reasons for wanting to come up. “I thank thee,” she bowed again, then looked up to meet his eyes. Usually she would hate to have a human looming over her like that, but she was becoming comfortable enough with ‘Henry’ that she didn’t mind him standing there.

Saying that it was strange to have a mermaid casually sitting on his boat was an understatement. The sun sparkled on the purple scales of her tail and the pearls that adorned her clamshell bra, her skin glistened with droplets of water and her waist-length blonde tresses clung to her shape. Her famed radiance was as alluring as ever. Ben made sure not to stare at her body, drawing his gaze back to hers.

“This… visit is certainly unexpected…” he droned to resume the conversation, determined to at least try to get some answers. It was rare – almost impossible – for any human to get the chance to interview a mermaid, and he certainly wasn’t wasting his. Especially when Pearl had been relatively chatty the last time they were together, and again seemed willing to spend a little time with him. There seemed to be a fraught bond forming between them, a mutual curiosity and fascination with the other as the Island kept pushing them together again and again. Ben was sure the siren would reveal a few interesting truths if he managed to say all the right things. “I would think mermaids would know to stay away from the surface. Don’t they teach you that?” A squint. “Yet here you are again…” He almost sounded like he was making a dry joke.

“We do. We are taught that from birth--- that humans are monsters, and the land is dangerous.” Her chin rose with defiance. “There is much that is wrong up here. But when I saw you in the distance, I knew I could not miss the opportunity to speak to you. So please, forgive my boldness,” she smiled so mischievously that it was obvious she wasn’t sorry. Interesting that she wanted to talk, however, and that she seemed to be in high spirits all of a sudden.

He kept a neutral gaze on her, standing over the mermaid who was idly flipping her fins and making them emit a slapping noise against the floor of the boat. “So why are you here? In all the years that my people have lived on this Island, we have never come across your kind up here. None of us even knew that it was possible for you to walk.” His tone was subtly prodding, then he squinted at her and dragged the letter ‘h’: “Why now?”

Pearl felt herself being analyzed by him. Studied. She didn’t begrudge his curiosity, though. “No humans knew. My ancestors used to hold that knowledge as their most sacred of secrets, avoiding the shores at all cost…but the tides and the moon are changing. I thought, why should we be the ones to hide? Your kind shows no shyness when invading our kingdom.” Her aloof eyes sharpened into something harsh.

So they were evolving, Ben confirmed what he’d suspected for a while now. And she seemed to be spearheading it. Ironic that Pearl had once been envious of humans having enough resources that allowed them to evolve quickly, and now her kind was doing the same. Keep asking questions, he thought, for as long as she’s willing to answer them. The more he knew, the better prepared he would be to deal with a threat. Her usage of the word ‘invading’ unnerved him, especially in the context of possible payback. “Humans never knew that you could walk?” he tried, head canting to the side. It was only a matter of time until he broached a subject that she deemed too secretive or private; Ben had enough experience with the aquatic beauty to know that she was only forthcoming up to a point. Just like him, speaking with full openness only when it benefitted him--- or at least when it didn’t hinder his plans in any way.

“Indeed they did not,” her grin widened and he noticed her canines were extended, and sharp as knives. A subtle threat, he feared, and a shudder ran up his spine. He reminded himself that his baton was within easy reach. “A rare few mingled with us on land, but we were careful to never let it make the lore books.”

“Is that what this is, today? You, mingling with my kind?” His unblinking stare never wavered.

An empty laugh. “It is not a social visit. Call it an update, if you will. I wanted to tell you that the new borders are working rather well for us--- and I hope for you too.”

He gave her a pointed nod and a half-smile that disappeared quickly, relieved to hear that the sirens were fine with the current conditions. “We’re satisfied, I can assure you. These people that you used to meet,” he pivoted, “why did you choose to take such a risk?”

He was a dog with a bone, wasn’t he? Fine…she’d indulge him. “There are always rebellious sisters willing to take a risk for a bit of excitement. They met up with pirates and sailors for a fun time, then disappeared under the waves again. Who would believe the rambled stories of drinking men stuck on months-long voyages?” She smirked. The fangs were gone.

Ben quietly wondered if by ‘fun’ she meant that the mermaids would at times be intimate with humans, then quickly shook it out of his mind. “And now we know the truth,” he reiterated the most important part, still unsure of what caused the change. It seemed clear to him that the sirens had a new leader who was bolder, no longer willing to keep them hidden, and perhaps getting ready for war. Part of him already suspected Pearl of being much more in charge than she was letting on.

She perked up, smiling a dazzling smile up at him. “You should feel special, Henry Gale, as one of the very first humans to peer into our secrets.” She was glib about it.

“That’s not my name,” he blurted out in a deadpan, unsure of why. Perhaps to regain the upper hand, even if minimally, because her sarcastic retort had irked him. Or maybe because they’d interacted enough times that he finally considered her worthy of learning his real name.

An abrupt turn of the head, sending clumped strands of soft wet hair flying around. “You lied?”

A tired sigh. “Yes. My name is Benjamin Linus.” The siren giggled and he couldn’t grasp what was so funny. “What?” Ben asked in a way that sounded equally as confused as it did vexed.

“Mine is not Pearl either. Well --- it is, and it is not.”

“What is that supposed to mean? It’s a name, it either is yours or it isn’t,” Ben snapped, his aggravation with her lingering on his boat -- with her threats and her fangs -- finally bubbling up to the surface.

The glare she threw him was harsh. It would make a weaker man tremble. “No, you arrogant human, that is not how it works. Pearl is my land name. My real, birth name is unpronounceable in your tongue.”

His head drew back just slightly, out of surprise, and he blinked a few times. “Tell me all the same,” he softly demanded. He didn’t know why learning her true name meant something to him, but he knew that he wanted to. Her cutting glare let him know right away that he shouldn’t make demands. “Please,” Ben hurried to add.

“Very well,” she obliged. “Since you shared yours with me. My name is---” What came out of her mouth sounded like the wind whistling through a narrow opening, and waves crashing on a rock, and a blast of thunder capping it off. Ben’s jaw slacked as he heard it; it was gorgeous, a force of nature, and absolutely unspeakable to humans. The sound was so magical that it took his breath away.

“That’s…” he searched for the right word, stammering slightly, and settled for simplicity. “…lovely.”

“Thank you.” A charming smile.

“But we’ll stick with ‘Pearl’ if that’s alright with you,” he added dryly, with a hint of humor that he was unsure she would pick up on.

She did, and she let out a light laugh. “Indeed.” Since Benjamin was being so congenial, she felt encouraged to keep the conversation going by sharing more with him. “The first time I walked on land, I knew nothing of what human names sounded like. I knew very few words from the land indeed,” she began to tell him a tale from her past, which absolutely enraptured him. To think that such a dangerous, mythical creature was conversing with him like it was nothing! Sometimes he wasn’t too sure how to react. While she talked, she made elegant, dainty gestures with her hands. “But I knew that a pearl was called a pearl, and I learned of its significance to your kind. As such, I decided to adopt it as my land name. I thought it fitting; a pearl is beautiful, tough, elusive, precious…”

“Like you,” Ben let slip in a low tone, his gaze fixated on her. He regretted it almost immediately; best not let her know he found her to be so exquisite…

She flashed a wide smile and flicked her fins, hands coming to rest flat on the boat floor. “Quite right.” Pearl stared at him a moment, as if deciding how to proceed. “Do me a favor, and get to dry land as fast as the winds will carry you. Some of my kind haven’t forgiven the murder done by your kind.”

“If your friends didn’t forgive me-- why did you?” Ben asked more pointedly than he should have. He was annoyed with the mermaids holding him responsible for saving himself, and wondering how much of Pearl’s friendliness was an act. She’d told him before that she knew he had merely defended himself in war, and that she owed him for letting her go—but that wasn’t enough of a reason to forget a murder, especially when she was still grieving. It was enough to spare him, maybe for the sake of the treaty, it was enough to accept what happened…but had she truly forgiven him? There was a big difference between not actively seeking revenge and true forgiveness. His forehead creased lightly. “Assuming that you did, as you’re being…friendly.”

Her face hardened; the memory obviously weighed heavily on her. “I know that fishing me out was an accident--- and you were decent enough to free me. My sisters swam up and launched an attack; she would have killed you. I’ve told you: I cannot begrudge you defending yourself.”

“I didn’t want to shoot her,” he confessed with a shake of the head, but impassively. “I simply reacted to keep myself safe. I…appreciate that you can understand that.” Not everybody would react so logically to death. Still, he felt he owed her some contrition, if only just for show. They had discussed those events before, but he never said sorry for the shooting. Softening his gaze, he faced her one more time. “I do apologize for what happened.”

She stared deeply into his eyes for a long, awkward moment, with a muted kind of glare on her face, his apology playing over and over in her head. Finally, a relenting sigh escaped her. “I grieved her deeply, but in the ocean we can only move forward. We do not stay stuck in the past for long. So indeed, Benjamin Linus,” she tried out his real name, and he realized he liked how it sounded coming from her mouth; it had a lovely lilt to it, and an angelic tone that sent a jolt of electricity through him. He was pleased to have shared the name with her, if only to hear it back sounding like that. She didn’t notice his reaction – because he had no outward one -- as she gave her final verdict: “I forgive you. I do not wish you any harm, and I am sorry for those you lost that day too.”

Despite Pearl giving her best attempt, her apology rang a little hollow; she did sincerely wish that violence could’ve been avoided, but she didn’t regret killing Pickett or the sonic cannon diver, at the very least.

Ben was unconvinced. But, as his own contrition wasn’t entirely truthful either, he decided to take hers regardless. “Apology accepted,” he gave her a flat smile.

“I am glad to have talked about this with you, Benjamin. It is lovely to get a real fresh start with you. But please take your leave, as not all of my sisters have moved past the deaths yet. They will in time, but some are notorious for holding grudges,” she urged, more gently than smugly this time. “They will not dare hurt you and break the accords, but—they will be tempted.”

It seemed as though her word of caution was Pearl’s way of helping him, even though she didn’t owe it to him anymore. It was nice, it made him feel appreciated in some small way. Equally nice was the fact that both of them were capable of putting the past behind them, not begrudging each other for acts committed while in danger; Ben didn’t think a mermaid and a man could be friends, but at least they weren’t enemies. Like she said, they could get a fresh start from now on, untainted by past crimes. He nodded at her warning with a genuine but slightly tense smile. Best be diplomatic. “I’ll be quick.”

She smiled, then swiftly and delicately jumped off the boat and dove underwater, only to resurface a mere second later. The water droplets dripping down her face and neck were a bit mesmerizing to watch, and Ben found that his eyes were glued to her. “I like Benjamin better than Henry,” she told him with a perfectly charming smile on her lips, then slipped down and disappeared under the water as fast as she’d emerged, the top of her head breaking the surface being the last thing that was visible. He couldn’t hold back a surprised smile. I like Pearl, too, he thought.

But they weren’t as alone as they thought they were. Deep underwater, there were four other mermaids coming and going; they saw Pearl with Ben, and they didn’t like it, reacting as soon as they spotted the pair together. The red flag was Pearl being on the boat: they assumed she was an unwilling passenger. With all they were taught about the cruelty of humans, no merperson would ever willingly board a ship to join one…right? So when they saw Pearl up there, seemingly in the clutches of a human, they didn’t hesitate to try and rescue her, assuming that she was in danger and needed it.

Pearl was leisurely diving down while a couple of those mermaids were rapidly swimming up, closing in on the other side of the boat. Ben saw a tail slithering just under the surface, and he immediately tensed because it wasn’t the familiar iridescent purple, blueish pinkish of Pearl’s scales, but rather a striking orange. He stayed very still and hyper-alert, with a knot in his chest. There should be no conflict, because the mermaids wouldn’t dare breach the accords…right? Wrong, as they assumed he had breached it first by capturing Pearl.

From the treacherous waters, a spear materialized, thrown by one of the elusive creatures. It missed him by a hair, and only because Ben was agile enough to duck out of the way. A second spear flew in from the other side, cornering the grimacing man that had flattened himself on the ground. Blue eyes burned with determination, moving around wildly as a third spear hit the bench right next to him. He flinched.

“Stop!!” Pearl bellowed over the crashing waves, having swam back up as soon as she noticed her friends and sisters swarming Ben’s boat. At the sound of her voice, every mermaid within radius paused at attention, looking at her. Ben risked a quick glance over the hull’s edge. “We are to spare that human,” she commanded. There were murmurs of discontentment and disagreement, but one icy glare from her was enough to shut them down.

Ben was reeling; was Pearl really their number one, main leader? Her behavior mirrored his own very closely: self-assured, in control of a group, intimidating enough to not be questioned by her peers, charming and gracious when she wanted to be, but chilling when needed, and very cunning. Now that he had seen several mermaids on enough occasions to be able to discern a pattern, he realized with a bit of a start that no other wore a tiara quite like hers. Was that a symbol of her position within their ranks?! What a disconcerting thought that he may have been unwittingly dealing with their superior all along! That made Pearl even more dangerous, and devious. He’d suspected it before, of course, more than once, ever since she told the sirens to disperse because of their guns. But it was only a theory; she could just as easily have been high in the hierarchy, but not the highest. Like Richard: others obeyed him, but he wasn’t the one in charge. Ben was. It seemed clearer now, though, as Pearl gave such a direct command that only a true leader would dare utter. She didn’t use any subterfuge or refer to ‘the leader’ in the 3^rd person, either. Perhaps even more telling was the mermaids’ reluctance to heed the order; to obey so begrudgingly was a tell-tale sign that they were doing so because it was an order from their leader. Ben was becoming more and more convinced that his instincts about Pearl were unerring.

“He was not … fishing you?” Another siren attempted English. Ben recognized her as Medusa, the redhead from the council meeting.

“I wasn’t!” he said with petulant reprehension. The redhead blinked at him, skeptical.

“He was not!” Pearl backed him up. They listened.

All should have ended there, but man and mermaids were blindsided by circumstance. When Ben’s gaze shifted from Medusa to Pearl, he noticed something less than ideal. One of the spears was sticking out of the boat’s propeller, having hit it when it was thrown. So the engine was dead; fine. He could paddle. Then he saw something that drained all color from him, eyes completely widening at the dripping liquid. The sharp tip of the spear was fully embedded in the propeller. The engine was punctured. Leaking gas. An explosion was imminent.

“Pearl, get back,” he shouted as he jumped off the boat, hoping there was enough time to escape. With knees tucked in and eyes shut tightly, he landed in the ocean with a splash, his spiked hair becoming a flattened mess. Ben kicked his feet and swam away from the boat, then rose back up just in time to watch the propeller blow up: a fireball grew to a boom, blowing the boat to smithereens and stunning the man that covered his face with his forearm. The force of the explosion sent shock-waves through the ocean--- they hit Ben and sent him backwards, coughing as he swallowed water from the pushback. The sirens seemed to have scattered, unless they’d been blown up too.

There were boat debris floating and sinking all over the place, with flaming pieces lit on fire right in the middle of the ocean. Ben clung to a burnt metal piece of propeller, panting as he fiddled with his soaked radio to make it work again. A wooden beam snapped loose and slid down the fiery remains of the boat. There was a bit of rope tied around it and, as it sank right past Ben, it got caught on his ankle, wrapping around it and snagging it. He gasped when he felt the tug, his body dragged from the surface despite his struggle to break free.

He took in a gulp of air and held his breath just as he was plunged into the tropical waters, pulled deeper by the beam. He frantically waved his arms, twisting his body so that he could untie himself with his hands, but before he made any headway with it he found himself touching the sandy bottom of the ocean, the beam landing awkwardly on top of his leg.

Ben realized with certain dread that he was pinned. How harrowing.

He tugged on his leg, using the free one to try and kick the large beam away from him. His soaked clothes were weighing him down, eyes stinging from the sea salt, and the beam wasn’t budging. He was trapped and beginning to panic as the air in his lungs was running out. Ben hunched over, trying to pry the piece off of him.

Pearl was a couple feet away, gathering a collection of metal debris and sticking them under her arm. She slowed down when she spotted the man, peering curiously at him. When he noticed her slinking swim nearby, blonde hair floating all around her, he felt some relief that she wasn’t killed by the explosion. But would she help him, or would she take a hands-off approach? She owed him nothing, anymore. Ben struggled uselessly against the beam, his panic growing when she didn’t make a move to assist him. She watched Ben struggle for a second, evaluating how to proceed after sticking the metal pieces inside a sack she had slung around a shoulder. He looked into her eyes, urging her to do something, and finally the mermaid came. She swam right up to him and placed both palms on his cheeks. Ben immediately stiffened, and before he could do anything else, she pressed her lips to his.

His mind was an absolute whirlwind, because he thought it was a kiss. His throat was aching from lack of oxygen, but the mermaid’s presence was comforting and calming--- it wouldn’t be such a bad way to die, with her lips on his, soft and pleasant and sending sparks up his whole body. He had no reaction other than stand there, submerged, his eyes slowly fluttering to a close. But then the pressure on his lungs eased up, and he realized that Pearl wasn’t kissing him; she was blowing air into his mouth, to keep him alive.

Ben felt completely foolish that, even for a second, he’d thought the siren might have kissed him. He reprehended himself for getting carried away and letting himself be distracted by such a notion, and just as he went back to the beam trapping his leg, he noticed her backing away from him – tail curved in front of her, giving her the shape of a C -- and extending a hand out. She said something, or perhaps it was a melody, and a tiny whirlpool began to spin right in front of her open palm. He watched, in awe, as she controlled the body of water with flourishes of her fingers, shaping it as it grew and gained strength. Then Pearl shoved her hand forward, in the direction of the beam, launching the whirlpool directly at it with such force that it dislodged it. Her fangs extended out and she bit through the ropes with ease. Ben was free.

He began frantically kicking and waving his arms, swimming upwards. One brief glance was enough to fill him with dread: he was pretty deep down. Not far enough to cause pressure problems – as long as he equalized the slight pressure change with his breathing as he swam up -- but too far from the surface to reach it fast enough. He’d never make it unless she gave him more air. She knew that, and her solution was to tilt herself to an upright position and swim closer. Pearl wrapped her arms around his body, holding him tightly and clasping her hands behind him. His heart skipped a beat – he wasn’t sure if solely out of fear, or something more – and she suddenly flipped her fins with enough intensity to propel them upward at high speed. Ben instinctively held on to her upper arms, concerned that he might slip out of her grasp. He closed his eyes to protect them, feeling butterflies as they swam vertically at a velocity he would’ve thought impossible.

It took less than a minute to reach the surface. He gasped for air, taking in greedy and relieved gulps, and Pearl let go of him. He wiped his eyes and began moving his arms in small little circles to keep himself afloat, his feet treading water. She saved his life. The siren saved his life…and that was hard to wrap his head around. It was sweet of her, lovely even, but also unsettling. Being so at her mercy disquieted him, and had him wondering what her motives were. Ben gaped at the mermaid for a moment, stunned and suspicious, before finding the words he needed to tell her: “Thank you. You--- saved me.” He was pointing out the obvious, and he almost winced at the awkwardness of it.

Pearl gave a poised half shrug. “My sisters were not supposed to attack you. I apologize on their behalf. They thought I was in distress because you captured me against my will. I think they understand it better now, but I will explain the truth to them when I get home.” But that wasn’t the whole story; yes, Pearl’s sense of honor dictated that she should save him because of what her sisters did, but perhaps more importantly…she wanted to save him. When she saw him underwater, helpless and drowning, she felt a tug in her heart that compelled her to act. It seemed she thought the world was a more exciting place with that human in it. Not that she’d tell him that.

He swallowed and nodded, staying quiet. At least that served as an explanation of her motives. Looking around, Ben felt another pang of anxiety; he had lost his bearings, and there was no sign of land anywhere. “We’re far in the open sea, aren’t we?” he confirmed even though he was certain of it.

“Yes.” A beat, and a look of realization dawned on her. “Oh. You cannot swim back, can you?”

He loathed being this vulnerable, but what choice did he have but admit it? He pressed his lips into a thin line, giving a reluctant nod. His tongue tasted salty. “I would hate to overstep, but will you do me one more favor?” He would be willing to owe her one, if needed, but best not raise that possibility unless she thought of it herself.

Pearl considered it, hazel brown eyes squinting very slightly as she pondered. That human was trouble, and her debt was paid. Best to let him drown on his own; nobody would blame her for simply not meddling in human affairs. But he wasn’t the cruel monster she imagined them all to be; there was something kind within him, and the siren couldn’t bring herself to let him perish. “Very well. Get on my back.”

“I’m sorry?” He was genuinely baffled.

“It is the easiest way to keep your face above water. Have you ever swum with dolphins? That is how you do it.” When she blinked, the hazel in her eyes was replaced by the glowing golden light. He had no outward reaction to it.

“Um…alright…” To say that Benjamin was outside of his comfort zone was a huge understatement. He swam closer to her, starting to get a bit winded from treading water. “Are you sure about this?” he couldn’t help but ask, forehead creasing with concern.

“Fear not. I shall keep you safely under my fin,” Pearl reassured. He realized it wasn’t literal, but rather an expression like taking someone under one’s wing. She floated forward so she was diagonal, and motioned for him to climb on her back.

He felt rather nervous at this, rationalizing it to himself that it was only because he was very close to a deadly predator who might change her mind on a whim, and not at all because he was very close to a gorgeous, fascinating, clever woman who had captured his attention. Moving in a way that was almost robotic, he swung a leg over her back, gingerly reaching out to hang on to her shoulders. It looked like she might give him a piggy-back ride, if they were walking.

“Lock your legs,” Pearl gave him about one second of warning before flipping her fins and speeding off into the distance. She launched her swim with such force that he was almost immediately knocked off of her just from whiplash itself. He hurriedly crossed his ankles under her and locked his knees, essentially sitting on the small of her back and straddling her. His teeth were gritted. The siren swam so fast that holding on to her shoulders wasn’t enough; he ended up having to lie on top of her to wrap his arms around those shoulders, letting his hands meet in front of her neck. He had studied dolphins before; mermaids at full throttle were much, much faster.

Pearl seemed unfazed by her passenger, swimming as she always had: horizontally, arms extended in front of her, hands together to increase her efficiency, and body undulating in a fluid rhythm that ended with a flick of the fin. She was submerged just under the surface, so that Ben was able to crane his neck up and keep his head above water. The sea made it so that he was very light on her, barely weighting anything at all.

Once a rhythm was established, he was able to hang on pretty well, staying on her with ease. Salty mist blew on his face on occasion, but other than that the ride was fairly comfortable. His face, that had begun the journey scrunched up with worry and discomfort, had relaxed into the semblance of a smile. His adrenaline was high from the speed, but more in the way of a rollercoaster than anything frightening. He felt special, too; Ben doubted many – if any – people had ever had such a privileged view of the completely open ocean right from water level, on a mermaid’s back.

“I can’t imagine that this is something you do often. You don’t give many rides to humans, do you?” he asked lightly, to break up the absurdity of the situation a bit.

Pearl let out an airy laugh and tilted her head so her mouth was above water. “Not at all. I have once before, maybe seventy years ago when I saved a young woman from drowning. I was but a child myself,” she told him with a hint of pride. Interesting that she saw honor in saving humans, he thought.

“So I should feel special again?” Ben asked with a bemused twinkle in his eyes.

Pearl’s head whipped his way and the mermaid laughed one more time, melodious and light. “Indeed you should.” The way she said it was on the verge of sounding almost flirtatious.

It was amazing how much better their rapport was getting.

They swam smoothly together for some time – or rather, she swam and he hitched a ride -- until he decided he needed to speak to her when they reached a mountainous area. “Pearl,” he called. It went unheard because her head was underwater. “Pearl!” Ben tried again, a bit louder and with a gentle tap to her arm. The mermaid’s tail swerved down, to tilt her upright. As soon as Ben felt himself upright too, he let go of her and started treading water.

“You summoned?” she asked with an expectant smile after spinning around to face him.

“The waters here get pretty choppy,” he squinted, looking at a stretch of ocean up ahead where the waves were much more unruly and revolt. “Do you have an alternate trajectory to get to the beach?”

“Yes,” she agreed with no resistance. “It is possible for me to take the other side of those rocks. I must warn you, we may spot a shark or two…but do not worry. Do not panic if you see one, and do not let go of me.”

“You can keep sharks at bay?” he asked with raised brows, more so out of idle curiosity.

“Usually, yes. If not, I can outswim them.” A confident shrug, to which Ben deadpanned.

“Thanks, I feel much better now. Very at ease,” sarcasm coated the words.

An unbothered giggle. “Which is it? A possible shark sighting, or choppy waters and sharp rocks?”

“Sharks,” he said plainly, though with a sarcastic deadpan. The siren nodded and assumed a horizontal position again, and Ben hoisted himself onto her back. “I’m ready,” he informed once he’d settled in, arms and legs locked tight around her frame.

As soon as he gave her the go-ahead, Pearl resumed her movement. The large fin at the end of her tail flicked up and down repeatedly, propelling her – and Ben – forward with full-body wave motions.

The open waters on the other side of the rock formation were much more tranquil. Pleasant, even. But, as Pearl had warned, they were slightly shark-infested. Ben soon caught a glimpse of the dorsal fin of a nearby shark breaking the water; it was one of those that had a Dharma logo on them, meaning it had been studied by the Initiative many years ago. Just another example of their exploitation of the Island, and why Widmore decided they had to go. The shark was not oblivious to them; it quickly picked up on Pearl and Ben’s presence. Pearl stared back at it with her glowing eyes, but otherwise didn’t engage, continuing on her swim away from the creature. Ben, too, stayed very still, simply observing the interaction between the two aquatic predators, and wondering in passing if mermaids were as misunderstood as sharks were.

The encounter was only tense for a minute. With both shark and mermaid establishing that they weren’t afraid of one another, they respected each other’s spaces and the shark veered away from them, continuing on its path. Pearl kept going toward the beach, merrily carrying Ben with her as the momentum of her flipping fins pushed them forward together. His hair ruffled in the wind and the little smile was perpetual on his face.

Eventually, the pristine faraway shore came into view, and Ben felt a mix of excitement and, unexpectedly, disappointment. He’d assumed this unusual swim-ride with a mermaid would be extremely awkward, but it actually turned out to be pretty relaxed, and even fun! He wasn’t exactly wishing for it to end, but on the other hand he was happy to be almost home free.

They rode the rolling waves, approaching the beach further and further. When the water was shallow enough, Pearl stopped abruptly and pushed him off her. Ben stumbled a couple of splashed steps and then caught himself, turning around to see if she was already gone. She wasn’t. Mystifyingly, she was actually farther ahead than him. Pearl sat on the sand, hugging her tail as one might do their knees, fins flapping in the shallow white foam. In the sunlight, there were more prominent shades of pink on her scales. Her eyes were back to normal, no longer emitting that eerie light. The water came up to about her waist, making her feel cradled and comforted like a human with a warm fluffy blanket. Ben watched her, with something rattling in his brain like an itch he couldn’t get rid of: there was still something peculiarly familiar about Pearl, more so now that he had been with her underwater. He had to have met her before, somehow!

Maybe it was time to ask a question he had been harboring ever since he ran into her at the tide pool.

“Have we met before that time on land?” he squinted, kicking up water as he walked over to her. “Did you--- spare my life underwater, once, years ago?” He picked and uttered the next words with extreme precision, to avoid coming off as accusing: “After my boat flipped.”

A smile as her gaze stayed locked on the horizon. “Indeed I did. I’ve wondered if you knew.”

The confirmation made something swell up within him, quieting the whisperings of doubt he’d felt for years. He wasn’t surprised at all, and yet part of him was shocked to know his history with Pearl went back even further than what he previously knew for sure. A stunned chuckle blew past his lips. “I never saw your face. It was so dark underwater that night, I…couldn’t be positive that it was you.”

“What made you think that it could be me?” she looked up at him curiously.

A vague shrug and shake of the head. “The light blonde of your hair--- and you’re the only siren I have seen with a tiara.” A pause, in which he mulled over whether he should leave it at that or not. He decided not to. Ben also decided to sit beside Pearl, on the sandy shore, where the waves went gently past them to crash a little further ahead. She watched in silence, her gaze following him as he moved. He lowered himself next to her after scanning the area for any floating algae that needed to be removed. The water came up to his waist after he settled down, fingers digging slightly into the wet sand underneath him. She smiled. Ben smiled back, though it was a careful one. “But it was more than that—it…was a feeling, I suppose. There was something familiar about you.” His gaze became more piercing, more zeroed in on her.

“Lovely to have made a long-lasting impression,” her smile widened, becoming a tad cheeky.

“How do you know it was me?” he turned the question back at her in a drawl. “It’s been over a decade, I wouldn’t expect you to remember which human you spared.” There was something pointedly grim in how he said it.

“I remember because you made a long-lasting impression too,” she candidly explained. “Your face is striking, I would not easily forget such handsome features. And you’ve always had an…aura, or an air around you, of…” She thought of how best to describe his innate qualities, “—of mystery, and power, and magnetism, and I would recognize that anywhere.”

He was suddenly a little tongue-tied, not having expected such glowing words from his former enemy. Handsome, powerful and magnetic…those descriptive terms would give him a little rush for many days to come. “Thank you,” he offered with a sharp nod and a smile, but it quickly vanished; as nice as it was to receive some sort of compliment from her, Ben was thinking back to that night, and he was mad. “You conjured up a wave to force me to cross the border,” he bristled, narrowing accusing eyes at her. “That was cheating, you, you made me break the treaty against my will!”

He half expected her to fight back, but the siren sighed instead. “My apologies. I was going through things that left me on edge at that time; you were very close to the border, I assumed your intentions were nefarious--- so I told myself that I was justified in pulling you in. But I wasn’t. I broke the treaty, not you.”

Her honesty was refreshing, as was the fact that she was taking accountability for a miscalculation. Despite the deadpan look on his face, Ben shrugged softly. “Decision-making can be compromised by unbalanced emotional states. You made a mistake, but that’s alright.”

She was surprised that he would be so understanding of her mistake. Pearl swished her tail, smiling softly at the human. “I appreciate that. And I did let you go, unharmed.”

“Why did you let me live? … It was the apology, wasn’t it.” his eyes twinkled, knowing and mischievous. His hands came to rest clasped together in front of him, underwater on his lap.

She shot him a look of pleasant surprise. “Yes, indeed it was. That is incredibly rare behavior for a human; it gave me sympathy and respect for you.” She smiled, and he returned it. That had always been Ben’s theory: that his apology swayed her, somehow. It hadn’t been exactly sincere – he had nothing to apologize for at the time! – but it got the job done; she didn’t need to know he wasn’t actually sorry. Though knowing wouldn’t have changed anything for her; he was still humble enough to say sorry whether he meant it or not, and the siren respected that. Pearl’s eyes lifted up to the skies, a knowing grin on her face. “I spared you twice, actually; about three years before that, you asked us to let your guppy live.”

A shiver crept up his spine. Ben remembered that night vividly, when he was out on a walk with baby Alex and he was caught by the siren song. “You were one of the seven?” he asked, disconcerted.

“Mmhm,” a confirming hum and graceful tilt of the chin. “We do not harm small humans. We had not noticed the bundle in your arms; had we seen the guppy, we would have retreated without singing.”

“You never told me that,” he complained with a frown. Somewhere in his mind he registered the use of ‘guppy’ instead of ‘baby’ with some amusement.

She laughed. “Was I supposed to volunteer information to my enemy?”

He let out a tiny huff. “Telling me we’d previously met would hardly put your plans in jeopardy.”

“Does it matter?”

“It directly involves me, so it would’ve been nice to know!” he told her with sharp exasperation, a wide-eyed glare on his face.

She quirked her head, face shifting from amusement to softer confusion. “There was much I did not tell you then, and there was much you did not tell me. I did not--- realize that this fact mattered. I am not hiding anything else about you, Benjamin, you have my word on that. Any secrets that I may still keep concern only my kind and I.”

Ben blinked, not having expected a semi-apology from the proud mermaid. He was only venting when he snapped at her, yet now…now he felt validated, in a way that was nice and warm. His exasperation deflated. Not knowing what to say, he simply gave a pointed nod. “Alright.”

She smiled at him, then her eyes darted out to the horizon and she sighed. “Benjamin…I was only out on those rocks today because I followed a dolphin,” Pearl suddenly grew solemn. “But my kind and I have avoided swimming near the borders. We want the accords to work.”

“I know you do,” he nodded, an enigmatic little smile on his face. Let her talk, Ben thought, see where she’s going with this.

“That means … you and I are not likely to meet each other again. I will be staying in my oceans.” The words felt heavy for Pearl, like they were tumbling from her lips with reluctance and unwillingness. Why did it feel … not great…to think that she would never encounter Benjamin again?

His smile shrank just a smidge. “Of course,” he nodded, making sure to still smile politely at her. “I never expected any differently. So…” his tongue wet his bottom lip, eyes darting away from Pearl then back to her. “…this is goodbye then.”

Golden-flecked eyes looked over at him, filled with something indescribable. “Yes. Goodbye.” A bow of the head, and the flash of a melancholy smile.

Neither of them seemed thrilled by that prospect, yet both knew it was how it had to be. They belonged to different worlds, and were not meant to interact.

Ben courteously held out a dripping hand, and this time she didn’t jump or get confused. It had happened enough times that Pearl knew what to do: she grasped his hand within hers and gave a gentle shake. But she wanted to say goodbye her way, too, so she leaned closer. Ben had already learned to expect that, as well. He watched her slow approach, knowing that it was a mermaid custom, so it didn’t startle him, nor did it surprise him. But he couldn’t help glancing down at her lips, rosy and shiny, coming closer and closer to him. Pearl touched her forehead to his with a soft smile. He stayed still while their foreheads touched, an indecipherable look on his face.

He couldn’t help but notice that the mermaid seemed a bit…melancholy? Forlorn? She was smiling as she pulled away and straightened up, but it was tinged with sadness, or perhaps a bittersweetness. He wondered if it was delusional to think that maybe, just maybe, she didn’t want to say goodbye either. It seemed that way, because Pearl wasn’t moving anywhere yet. He blinked, flicked at the water just to have something to do with his hands, then immediately clasped them together again. “Well…alright. Best of luck in your future endeavors, Pearl,” he flashed his best cordial smile her way, and got up. No use in delaying unpleasant endings; he was more practical than that.

“And to you as well, Benjamin Linus,” she smiled back, and it was the same type of dazzling, charming political smile that he had: full of societal graces but lacking in genuine happiness at that current moment. Pearl slung the sack full of pieces of metal debris over her shoulder and pushed herself to slide down the sand, until she was far out enough that she could easily slip under the water and swim.

Ben walked away slowly, keeping her in the periphery of his vision until she was completely gone. Then he narrowed his eyes, lips going taut. Why was she still gathering pieces of metal?! That made him a little suspicious, and less sure about the solidity of the peace treaty. The mermaids could be meddling in human affairs, or doing something sketchy. He’d give Pearl the benefit of the doubt, but the suspicion would nag at him.

When he reached dry sand, he removed his shoes and dumped the water out, wrung out his socks, patted the back of his pants to get rid of clinging grains of sand, and ran a hand through his hair to try and make the spikes come back to life. His skin was already drying from being out in the sun, and he’d take care of the wet clothes at home.

***

With the sack safely in her grasp and the human safely back on land, Pearl sped away toward her home deep within the Eastern Sea. She crossed through coral reefs and kelp forests, avoided jellyfish and The Looking Glass Station, her glowing eyes illuminating the path ahead that was too deep for the sun to penetrate.

In the depths, her tail looked like a dark, rich purple, the moonstone on her hair having a more muted shine. The mermaid swam until she recognized a large rock formation. She smiled and swished her tail, body shimmying as she twisted around to swim through a narrow opening.

On the other side there was something no human had ever laid eyes on: Pearl’s home, where the mermaids of the Island lived and thrived. It looked more manmade than one might expect of the wild aquatic creatures: they lived in enclosures fashioned from carved marble and natural rocks, arranged in an aesthetically pleasing formation that made it all look like underwater ruins from some powerful but lost civilization. A palace, but a tad dilapidated by water, adorned with seaweed and full of colorful fish swimming through.

As soon as she arrived, she was surrounded by preoccupied mermaids. Medusa got home first, and had filled them in on what happened. A siren with beautiful, straight, inky black hair threw her arms around Pearl – who had swerved her tail to put herself in a vertical position – and hugged her tightly, sighing with relief.

‘Are you okay?’ the dark-haired siren, who was Pearl’s closest sister and best friend, asked, though not in any human language but through a dolphin-like call. Her tail had a similar purple shade to Pearl’s, but it was lighter and skewed more green than blueish pink when the light hit it.

‘Yes, Aqua, I am quite fine,’ Pearl hugged back and repressed a fond eye roll. ‘The warm welcome is unnecessary.’ She appreciated the concern, but the overprotection was starting to cause problems. Prying herself off her sister, she frowned sternly at the group. ‘You almost killed an important human today! I am sure he’s some kind of noble in their society,’ she scolded them through a series of clicks and hisses.

‘We thought you needed us,’ Medusa reminded, fiery red hair floating all around her and scarlet tail to match.

Pearl sighed. ‘I understand and appreciate that. But we cannot afford to be so reckless. I did not send out a distress signal, so please do not assume I am in distress! Especially when you can see me in plain view!’

‘You climbed aboard his boat because you wanted to?’ the brunette questioned, uncertain.

‘Yes,’ Pearl bowed her head. ‘I needed to speak to him, to check that the peace accord is as satisfactory for them as it is for us.’

Medusa and Aqua exchanged a sheepish look. They didn’t mean to cause problems, and they trusted Pearl’s judgment. ‘I apologize. I will be more careful from now on,’ the redhead promised, and Aqua agreed.

And then a fourth mermaid spoke up, lazily swimming toward them from the spot where she’d been watching from; in the shadows, away from view. ‘Forgive me for speaking out of turn, but it is more reckless to cavort with a human,’ she clicked. Her horizontal swim turned upright when she reached the group. She was a siren with beautiful brown hair as long as Pearl’s, wavy and rich, and a yellow and silver tail.

The others hadn’t expected any pushback. Pearl, especially, was a little thrown. She frowned. ‘It may look that way, but I know what I am doing. I was safe with that human.’

A wry laugh from the brown-haired mermaid, who had never bothered to pick a land name. ‘Safe? We are never safe with them. You know better, Pearl. Why are you letting this one human fool you?’ she pressed.

A warning hiss, telling the other not to be disrespectful. ‘I’ve made deals with him before. I know him to be noble enough to keep them. He wants peace as much as we do.’ Aside from that…Pearl had become oddly fond of the man. That played a part in why she stuck around to chat with him. But she knew better than to let the others find out about her fondness; it would be too contentious an issue, and it would cause problems for her. She couldn’t risk damaging their support of her by being seen as ‘soft on the enemy’.

The other hissed angrily in response, and Pearl’s eyes widened. Having that level of rebellion against her was a bit unprecedented. She knew her methods were…unorthodox and a tad controversial, but she expected to be backed by all the other sirens. ‘You must be mad to set tail inside his boat,’ the brown-haired siren hissed again, scowling.

‘Watch your tone with Pearl,’ another mermaid censored, glaring at the rebellious one. She was older, with the appearance of a human of about 85 years of life. Traditions meant a lot to her, and she had watched Pearl and her sisters, as well as the rebellious siren and her family, grow up from birth. Her stern manner was almost maternal.

The mood was becoming tenser by the second. The siren with the greenish curls and the one with wavy silver hair – the two who helped Pearl kidnap Ben and Matthew – were gripping their spears and flanking Pearl. Just in case things got out of hand. The elder and rebellious sirens were staring each other down. Medusa and Aqua were trying to be diplomatic, but ultimately floundering in the middle of the arguing parties.

‘Everyone, calm down,’ Pearl asked with a loud click, swimming to put herself between them. She didn’t like the tense atmosphere, and wanted it to deescalate. She clicked the true name of the brown haired mermaid to call her attention. ‘I need you to believe that I know what I’m doing. We must leave the humans be.’ She then addressed the entire group, with the poise and confidence of a leader. ‘You are not to touch them again— especially Benjamin.’

‘What if this Benjamin took off with her? Hurt her? And what of the guppy?’ The brown-haired mermaid communicated to the others, still disagreeing with Pearl’s stance. Then she turned to the blonde with bewildered anger. ‘Do not tell us that you trust him! We cannot ever trust one of them!’

Pearl raised her chin, icy and commanding. She wouldn’t let someone swim all over her and disregard what she knew to be true. After all, she was the one who had spent time alone with Benjamin multiple times over the years. ‘I trust him enough. He seeks peace and the harmony of the Island as much as we do. He does not exploit nature and he leaves us be. I was not in any danger and the guppy wasn’t either. Benjamin wants to keep the status quo, you can trust that. Trust my judgment, trust me.’ It was an impassioned speech.

The other let out a resigned hiss and curtsied. It was hard to tell if she truly agreed to trust Pearl’s judgment, or if she knew it was a losing fight when all the others were backing up the blonde.

‘We do trust you,’ Aqua smiled, and Pearl grinned back at her. Medusa and the elder mermaid chimed in agreement too, as did the two with the shell spears.

***

While Pearl was swimming home and having an argument with her kind, Ben made his way back to the Barracks. Arriving drenched prompted some questions from his people. He told them a partial truth: the propeller boat exploded and a mermaid saved him. He kept to himself the part about how she joined him on the boat before any of that happened, or the conversations they had. Those were private, meant only for him.

When he laid his head on the pillow that night, all that he could think of was her. Pearl, and the way her lips felt on his, warm, and soft, and lovely. He felt pathetic to be so caught up in that, because she was only helping him breathe, quite literally blowing air into his lungs--- but still, try as he might, the memory of her gentle arms holding him close and carrying him to safety were seared into his brain. He couldn’t shake off the feeling of having his arms around her shoulders and lying on her back, either, and Ben was unable to keep the siren from wandering into his thoughts all night. He had a sneaking suspicion – no, a certainty -- that her luring powers were not to blame this time around.

Notes:

She caught a ride on his boat, then he caught a ride on her back. It makes sense in my head.

This is another chapter that was so much fun to write, I loved getting them to have some real alone time now that things are settled, and I thought it would be really fun to have Ben experience swimming with a mermaid!
Hope you all liked exploring a little bit of Pearl’s underwater society too, I thought it was time to take a look at them!

Chapter 8: Two can keep a treaty if one of them is dead

In the dreamscape, she was often with him.

“Ben,” Pearl gasped as she cupped his face between her hands, nestled on his lap while they sat together on the beachy sand. The siren brought her lips to his and kissed him with so much passion.

Ben instantly wrapped his arms around her, hand tangling in her long golden hair, and he kissed back hungrily.

And then he woke up again, breathless, heart aflutter. That kiss felt so real… Benjamin frowned, letting out a sigh as he readjusted himself on his pillow. Those dreams were getting to be an inconvenience; why weren’t they stopping?! He hadn’t seen Pearl in months! Wouldn’t he ever be rid of her thrall?! He forced himself to close his eyes again, to regain a bit of sleep.

Those occurrences happened at least once a week, and always left him feeling cranky in the morning.

Approximately four months had passed since the unfortunate event of accidentally fishing Pearl out of the ocean. In that time, with the sonic cannon, kidnappings, council meeting, and mutual rides with each other, humans and sirens had been in more contact than ever before; and luckily, the past couple months went by without any incidents involving the mermaids. Ben, now 38, had become much more careful near the shorelines. The new treaty with updated borders was holding up, but it felt like a shaky peace that could be disturbed at any time, by the smallest mistake. A fraught peace, only sustainable if everybody played their parts to a T.

He hadn’t had occasion to see Pearl since that ride, which was for the best. Still, a stubborn part of him he tried very hard to quieten kept reminding him that he might like to run into her again.

When it finally happened, it was startling and wonderful all in one. She was far-off in the distance, perched on a rock with six other mermaids – the seven sisters, he guessed -- all brushing their long, luscious hairs and luxuriating as they sunbathed. The picture-perfect image of the alluring mermaids of legends and novels. They were a little too close to the beach for his liking, which put him on edge. Every time it seemed like things were quiet, a new event threatened to shake it all up. It was becoming a weird and stressful inverted tug of war: the mermaids pushed a little, the humans pushed back a little more, the mermaids retaliated a little bit further, the humans did too; a never-ending cycle that, if unbroken, would undoubtedly escalate to violence.

But the moment did provide Ben with a unique opportunity: he was high on a cliff, and found himself slowing to a halt in order to watch them. No, not them. Her. He was only looking at her.

Pearl still mystified him, partly due to her otherworldly nature, and partly because she was always guarded around him. Unseen atop that cliff, Ben could observe her while her defenses were down. It was a rare window into the real Pearl, with a sunny, relaxed smile on her face, tail lazily flicking up. Ben, enraptured by her unguarded self, was in no hurry to leave.

He was so far away, high up on the cliff, that it took Pearl a while to catch him watching her. She laughed at something Aqua said, and then she felt weirdly exposed. Feeling his insistent gaze on the back of her head and in her bones. She sensed that she was being observed, and turned around in search of the mysterious observer.

She scanned the seas first, then the rocks, finally landing her gaze at the top of the cliff, where a familiar figure skulked. His spiky hair was blowing in the breeze, as was his light brown shirt, tucked neatly into khaki pants. Benjamin Linus, once again in her vicinity, secretly watching her…but not exactly hiding out of sight, either. Pearl was surprised to find him there. Her insides stirred nervously; was he admiring her, or was he plotting against her? The first choice was flattering and she didn’t mind – she was used to that kind of human attention – but if he had any dangerous intentions toward her…her gaze steeled.

When she looked straight at him, Ben knew he’d been spotted. He winced inwardly, suddenly a little self-conscious, but he didn’t move an inch and his face remained an expressionless mask. The two stared at each other for a beat, as if baiting the other to make a move – any move – first. Not knowing what to expect, neither wanted to be the first to show their cards.

Finally, Ben raised a hand and gave her a stilted wave, face blank. He thought it was better to take control of the situation before she did, by demonstrating that he wasn’t fazed at being caught.

Pearl’s head tilted slightly to the side, squinting up at him. What does he want?, she thought, just as her sisters chirped the same question. One wanted to retrieve their spears.

‘Allow me to investigate first,’ she clicked at them, then motioned for Ben to come down to a nearby pool. He narrowed his eyes at her, unsure if he could trust her when he was so vastly outnumbered. Pearl raised both hands in a sign of surrender and flashed him a grin—the type of grin that was hard to deny. With a resigned sigh, he gestured toward the pool to indicate he was on his way.

Pearl dove underwater and swam to the meeting spot, rising up before he managed to climb all the way down there. The mermaid waited for him, arms draped on a rock and submerged tail swishing gently. She played with a loose piece of seaweed, twirling it around her fingers, and tossed it aside when she spotted him coming.

Ben arrived with quick footsteps, and he approached the mermaid with certain wariness, but also a secret touch of excitement. He was staring so intently at her that once again his meticulous gaze intimidated her a little.

“My, Benjamin Linus, what an honor,” she cooed, full of hollow societal graces. “But do tell-- how did you track me down?”

“I didn’t,” he said plainly, with a small shrug. “I was on that cliff for unrelated reasons, and just so happened to spot you down here.”

“And you stayed to watch me.” The words were charged with meaning, the smile on her face hinging on flirty.

“I found seven mermaids very close to dry land. I wanted to make sure you were keeping to the treaty,” he easily droned out a lie, to convince her that this was the only reason for him watching her. Though he couldn’t help but notice that smile; it made him think of how she’d kiss him in his dreams.

She gauged his sincerity, and determined that he was telling the truth. “How fascinating that we still keep running into each other, unplanned. Perhaps we are meant to,” Pearl suggested slyly, batting her eyelashes up at him.

He felt a bit defensive, inexplicably so. “Meant to what?”

“To work together and unite our people,” she shrugged daintily.

A soft chuckle. Those were beautiful words, but he knew when he was being buttered up. Ben smiled with certain mischief. “Or we’re meant to destroy one another.”

“Either way, our paths feel intertwined, do they not? It could be fate,” she measured him up and down, studying him with calculated eyes and that aloof smile.

“Fate is fickle, Pearl,” he reminded, shadowy. Ben was a tad uncomfortable with that line of conversation, because he wasn’t sure what she was getting at—and he hated not being in the know. Was the mermaid setting him up in some way? Or did she genuinely want to unite their kinds? Was she flirting out of a sincere desire to do so, or was she manipulating him by throwing charm his way? Ben, who was the best at reading people and always deciphering what they were up to, was once again faced with Pearl’s unpredictable nature. Even if the Island was pushing them together, that could be for a million different reasons, and not all of them good. He wouldn’t get ahead of himself.

“True,” she conceded, deflating ever so slightly. His response disappointed her a little, and she couldn’t understand why. Maybe, she guessed, part of her wanted him to fawn over her. He wasn’t stumbling all over himself for the chance to work side by side with her. But there had been a real spark between them at one point, right? She could’ve sworn there was… oh, Pearl, stop thinking such nonsensical things. He is a human, if there is a spark you must ignore it. He is treacherous, she preached to herself. “Fate brings us together now, but it may turn us against one another later,” she finally understood that this is what he meant by the ‘fickle’ remark.

Ben nodded in agreement. “We don’t know what it is that fate wants,” he astutely reminded, shrewd eyes on her.

“No, we don’t,” she concurred.

His eyebrows shot up with surprise and a touch of amusement. “I don’t think I’ve heard you use contractions before.” When she seemed confused, he let out a soft chuckle and explained it further: “Saying ‘don’t’ instead of ‘do not’.”

“Oh!” her face lit up with pride and excitement. “Indeed! How sweet of you to notice! I have been practicing them! I’m, we’ve, can’t…I have learned these mostly from speaking with you! That is how modern humans speak, is it not?”

“Yeah, it is,” Ben couldn’t help but smile back at her; her enthusiasm felt contagious. “I’m honored to have been the catalyst for your learning,” he lightly teased, giving her a faintly smug grin. And he meant it; he felt special to have influenced her in such a way. It was a significant step in her evolution, and all thanks to him. That made him feel important, powerful even, and he basked in that knowledge.

She noticed him glowing and was endeared by it. “Don’t get too conceited,” Pearl jabbed playfully.

“I wouldn’t dream of it,” he fired back, with playful earnestness and a hand splayed over his heart. And then his face sobered up, because despite how much he enjoyed knowing that he taught her how to improve her human speech, it also raised some pretty big questions. “But can I ask why you’re practicing modern human language? If you intend to stay in your territory, far away from us as agreed, what use do you have for learning our conversational skills?” He quirked his brows, chin tucked in.

Pearl hesitated, concern flashing across her face. He wasn’t supposed to pick up on that. How stupid was she to let that slip?! She was getting far too comfortable around that human, and now it had cost her: she let her guard down and made a mistake. Pearl swallowed thickly, nervous that he would be too suspicious of her. “I like to keep up with the times. You never know when a human might wash ashore,” she gave the best explanation that she could think of.

“Hm. So you’re not—trying to,” he waved a hand and squinted, “blend in, to maybe…catch somebody by surprise? Or to be able to mingle with humans undetected?” It was almost an accusation, despite the neutral demeanor.

“No, I am surely not!” she defended, frowning at him. “I only wish to be prepared for all things, Benjamin, such as consistently running into you! And I enjoy learning new things, so I applied myself. My practicing speech means nothing nefarious.”

“Alright,” he smiled politely, but it didn’t reach his eyes. He wasn’t sure if he believed her.

On that awkwardly charged note, the pair decided it was best to split up. They said goodbye and went their separate ways, heads buzzing with the new developments and what they might possibly mean.

***

Three days after that impromptu meeting, Richard caught Ben on his way back home and approached him with hasty steps. The leader instantly picked up that there were bad news, by the subtle frown on the advisor’s face. “Ben, we have a situation.”

“What is it, Richard?” Ben frowned back with growing concern.

“Colleen is missing. She didn’t come home. Nobody’s seen her since yesterday,” the advisor gravely explained.

Benjamin’s blue eyes widened in slow motion, the crease on his forehead deepening. “What?! How is that possible?” His mind raced, orderly speeding through all the possibilities and likely scenarios. “H—who’s the last person to have seen her?” He’d want a word with them himself. His people didn’t just disappear without a trace. It likely meant that she was dead, or injured, but how? And where? Was it an accident, or foul play? If one of his people murdered another of their own, they would have to be swiftly punished, as that threatened the very stability of the Island itself.

“Juliet, but all she had to say was that Colleen left her house yesterday to go for a walk. By herself,” Richard grimaced at the implication of the last bit.

Ben nodded somberly, accepting that it wouldn’t do much good to ask questions, then. There were no witnesses. He was also noticing that his advisor didn’t seem anywhere near as baffled as him. “I take it you have a theory?” he droned, eyes flicking up with interest.

“The sirens. I think they must’ve taken her.” The unsaid implication was ‘to the depths’. Richard thought the sirens drowned Colleen.

Well. It wasn’t as though Ben hadn’t considered that when he sped through all scenarios; the mermaids served as an explanation, he was well aware. He didn’t think they were the main suspects, though, so he gave a curt shake of the head. “No. They worked hard to set up a new treaty. I don’t believe that they would jeopardize it so soon after that.”

“But, Ben…you see seven of them out on the rocks, and three days later one of our women goes missing. It can’t be a coincidence,” Richard pointed out, a deep frown creasing his forehead.

Ben nodded slowly, his piercing gaze faraway as it would often be when he was thinking. The timing was indeed suspicious, and yet something felt off. “It does seem unlikely,” he flatly agreed, somewhat under his breath. “But I can’t figure out their motive.”

“They don’t like us,” the advisor offered. It was enough of a motive for him.

“Hm,” Ben’s lips pulled into a doubtful pout. “That’s reckless--- and she’s not. They’re not. They’re bold, overconfident sometimes …but they’re not reckless.” Pearl and the leader of the mermaids were happy with the new agreement, which was already a tenuous peace. A peace Pearl worked hard to achieve. Why would they risk restarting a war just to mess with humans? Mermaids had always disliked them, for centuries; what would have triggered them now, after diligently setting up that treaty? He wasn’t convinced. …Unless Colleen did something that threatened the sirens, but Ben had given strict orders for them to leave the mermaids alone, and surely one of his own people wouldn’t have been disloyal—even if Pearl was responsible for the death of Colleen’s husband, Pickett. But Colleen always followed the rules, and she nursed a small crush on Ben…he was sure she wouldn’t disobey. It just made no sense!

“They’re not human,” Richard mused. “Maybe their actions won’t make sense to us.”

Ben decided not to answer that; some things were best kept to himself, like how he’d come to learn that Pearl’s emotions, thought processes and motivations were extremely human-like. He didn’t have a satisfactory answer, anyway, and he disagreed with his advisor. So far, everything Pearl had done made perfect sense, especially when analysed through the lens of an aquatic mythical creature. Ben was sure they were missing some important piece of the puzzle, some other reason as to why Colleen was gone. It didn’t make sense to jeopardize the truce like that. And if the master strategist and excellent people reader Benjamin Linus couldn’t figure out someone’s motivations, it was a big sign that something was amiss.

“Don’t do anything until I’ve had a chance to look into it,” he instructed, wishing to buy his investigation some time. Richard instantly agreed.

***

As he hiked between a nearby Station and his home, his mind was working overtime to unravel the mystery. After giving more thought to Richard’s words, Ben decided not to implicate the mermaids in the disappearance, at least not just yet. He just couldn’t justify why they’d do such a thing! Although…Pearl practicing modern English did signal to him that she was up to something; that and gathering metal…but it was a bit of a leap to assume any of that added up to the sudden killing of humans. He’d have to send out a search party as soon as he got back to the Barracks; maybe the woman had simply tripped and rolled down a cliff or something. His people knew how to get around the Island without getting eaten by wild animals or attacked by the Black Smoke, but accidents happened. It would be hasty to blame the sirens without proof, especially when that behavior made no sense from them. And, if they were innocent, blaming them would be at best an embarrassing faux pas, at worst an offense worthy of retaliation.

The jungle pulled Ben right out of his strategic musings. Just the subtlest noise of a cracked branch and Ben was whirling around with his baton in hand, ready to defend himself. His heart jumped when he found himself facing Pearl again--- this time deeper into his territory. That was the last person he expected to see there! She went from being doubled over, picking a handful of colorful flowers from a patch on the grass, to facing him with shocked eyes. Ben didn’t let the surprise show on his face, but his displeasure was plainly etched there. The siren was being too intrusive again, and venturing much too far into human territory for his liking. Her secretive and defying behavior was not exactly inspiring much confidence in the treaty. He noticed a small sack slumped over her shoulder, and it seemed to be filled with a few items. Again with the metals, he thought with gnawing suspicion.

Finding her traipsing through the jungle alone unnerved him; clearly she was up to something with those metals, like…building something. Maybe even declaring war by taking another victim. He had given her the benefit of the doubt due to her actions not making sense, but, oh, how quickly did that change, because now he was rethinking her innocence. A siren on land was never a good sign, and although she could have another reason for being there, there was no excuse for breaking the treaty within a mere few months of setting it up! If she was breaking it to walk within the forbidden perimeter, what was stopping her from breaking it to hurt his people? His tentative trust might’ve been premature and misplaced. Cold, mildly disdainful blue eyes fell on her weapon.

Pearl was in a defensive stance too, bare feet planted firmly to the ground and grasping a long stick with a sharp shell shard tied to the tip. A makeshift spear, Ben noticed. Her hazel eyes were just as frosty, and she stared him down defiantly. What made her change her attitude from the last time they spotted each other, when she was spewing platitudes about working together? The English and the missing person, surely. She must know Ben would suspect her kind of drowning Colleen.

Neither man nor mermaid spoke yet, choosing to size each other up first. A few feet separated them, and both kept their weapons at the ready, but were unwilling to initiate an attack. Ben decided that breaking the silence first would be best to destabilize her. “Here to drag another one of my people into the ocean?” he accused acidly, fingers gripping the baton tighter.

Her face remained entirely unchanged. “Another?”

So she was going to deny it? Understandable; Ben would deny it too, if their positions reversed. He briefly wondered if it could be true, but knowing how manipulative the siren was, he wasn’t willing to bet on it. He was about to retort with sarcasm when his ears picked up another threatening sound: the growl of a nearby polar bear. Blue eyes – that had remained steely so far – widened fearfully. “You need to drop your weapon,” he urged her in a whispered hiss.

Pearl scoffed with dry amusement. “You cannot sincerely expect me to fall for such a cheap trick. I expected more from you, Benjamin,” she disdained.

His nostrils flared and cheeks puffed in vexation, glaring daggers at her. “Listen to me,” he hissed with controlled franticness, “if you don’t do what I’m asking, both of us will die. Drop it, Pearl!”

The mermaid hesitated upon seeing a hint of the nerves that were bubbling under his surface. Perhaps…he was telling the truth. But she was no fool. She gave a warning hiss. “You first. If you mean what you are telling me, I give you my word that I will drop mine too.”

He really didn’t have time to argue. Ben didn’t entirely trust a wily mermaid, of all people, to keep her word right after breaking a vow, but the best strategy was to take that gamble--- especially because he had just seen a glimpse of white fur deeper in the jungle. If he didn’t put down his weapon then they would indeed be attacked by one of the tropical bears. He gave a sharp nod and lowered his arm, then slipped the shortened baton into his back pocket.

His demanding gaze landed on her face, challenging her to break her promise. But Pearl had no intention of betraying him; much like Ben himself, she may lie and trick people, but if she gave her word she kept it. She pulled the shard off the spear, placed it into a pouch on her skirt made of sail, and flippantly tossed the stick to the side.

Ben let out a slow breath of relief. Before leaving, he decided to impart a word of advice on her: she might need it, since she knew little of the land. He suspected she might not realize how vicious the Dharma polar bears could be. And…as upset as he was, he still didn’t want to see her badly hurt. “You don’t want to let those animals near you. Run before it spots you,” he told her, and then did exactly that. Without a second glance toward her, Ben dashed into the jungle, going the opposite way. He shoved the branches away by keeping an arm covering his face, expert footsteps avoiding the perils of rocks or exposed roots.

But Pearl wanted to talk to him. She needed to ask why her people were accused of murdering one of his. “Benjamin, please wait,” she shouted after him…which was a mistake anybody accustomed to living on the Island would know to avoid. Ben winced when he heard her loud voice carrying, immediately predicting the consequences: it would attract the polar bear.

With an irritated sigh, he changed course, quickly running down a small hill to a safe place. There were tall bushes with flowers there that emitted a strong scent, the kind that masked humans’ and confused any predators. They were his only hope, because by that point he could hear the ground rumbling like a large four-pawed creature was running—and he’d really rather not have to shoot an endangered species.

When Pearl first saw a polar bear charge in her direction, her heart jumped and she tasted a bitter fear. The animal seemed much too large to fight with just a sharp shell. She knew nothing of its habits or weaknesses and she was nowhere near a body of water, so she did the only thing that made sense: followed the man who did know what to do. She dropped the flowers and ran.

Pearl had never needed to rely on legs so badly, praying that they’d take her to Benjamin fast enough. Her run was clumsy and awkward, but luckily she was sprightly enough that she managed to skid down a different hill – one Ben had opted not to go down on when he still meant to be returning home – and catch up to him via that shortcut. The polar bear was gaining on them. “Benjamin,” she called, too proud to ask for help directly.

Ben was halfway hidden between the leaves when the mermaid came barrelling his way like a baby gazelle. He gaped with disgruntled disbelief: her talking would ruin them! What did it matter if the bear couldn’t smell them, if it could hear her from a mile away?! On impulse, he stepped out of his hiding spot, grabbed Pearl and clamped a hand over her mouth, then dragged her into the bushes with him.

The mermaid struggled and let out a high-pitched muffled scream, trying to pry his hand off of her. But then she realized that Ben had gone very still, barely even breathing, and she understood the situation. She quieted too, and the two watched nervously as the polar bear came into view. It was searching for them, growling and pawing at other plants, until it located the right one. Man and mermaid froze and held their breaths as the fuzzy animal sniffed near them. The fragrant flowers did their job—they masked all traces of people, and eventually the polar bear simply gave up, losing interest in the futile hunt. They waited until it disappeared completely, and then Ben exhaled with relief, head rolling back slightly.

That’s when both of them realized they hadn’t moved an inch: he still had one hand holding her by the shoulder and the other pressed over her mouth, and she still had her fingers wrapped around his wrist. Both were panting lightly from the run, which didn’t help matters. Ben immediately let go of her and stepped back, feeling uncomfortable all of a sudden. “Sorry,” he offered plainly.

“You’ve nothing to apologize for,” she informed as she plucked a leaf that had ended up in her hair. “You saved me--- I thank thee, Benjamin.”

He gave one slow nod, as if saying ‘you’re welcome’. “I suppose we’re even now,” he mused, to which she agreed with her own succession of little nods.

Then Ben realized he had a tough choice to make. His stomach clenched uncomfortably; when he took the job of leader of his people, he didn’t realize that eventually he’d have to make so many tough choices. He was always capable of making them, of putting the Island above everybody else, but it didn’t mean that he didn’t struggle with it. Deep down he felt guilty, every single time. This time, the choice was simple: let the mermaid go, or not. They tried for peace, but the aquatic creatures were pushing boundaries further and further, daring to invade their land and hurt Ben’s people. There was too much to ignore, too many pieces of evidence stacked up. The latest breach of the accords was a declaration of war, literally. Her kind was a threat, and it seemed that she was at the center of it. He strongly suspected that she was more in charge than she let on--- was she giving the orders to kill humans?! It was also incredibly dangerous to have an enemy roaming the Island freely like that; she could be planting all sorts of traps. They had to contain and neutralize the danger, and they had to know how to defend themselves against the power of the mermaids. They were virtually in the dark about how their society and magical abilities worked--- and having Pearl would help them understand. Help them learn her weaknesses and exploit that, teach them how to protect themselves from siren attacks. His mistrust and paranoia fueled him, leading Ben to quickly decide that it wasn’t a choice, after all; he had to lock her up. He knew without a shadow of a doubt that if he did such a thing, it would shatter the precarious and odd bond of fascination between them. It stung, yet Ben felt that he had no choice but to sacrifice their connection.

What he was about to do disturbed him. One more in a long list of disturbing things, he bitterly thought, reminding himself that he could simply bury the guilt deep down and never think of it again, like he’d done many times before. Except that ‘never’ didn’t really work, but it was the price he paid to keep the Island safe. The price Jacob demanded of him, and of those special enough to be chosen like he was. His gaze fell to the ground and he muttered, perhaps more for the sake of assuaging his own guilt than for hers: “I really am sorry now.”

Just like that, with no warning, he swung the baton against her.

Pearl reeled from the blinding pain to the back of her head. She didn’t even have time to consider the betrayal or any emotional implications of what he’d done to her, immediately switching into instinctive defense mode instead. But the bump disoriented her; she couldn’t find him to bite him, so she opened her mouth to sing.

Wide-eyed but determined, Ben swiftly pushed her against a tree and covered her mouth, the baton across her collarbone pinning her in place; his strength overtook her. She jerked away from his touch but his hand followed the movement, clamped tight over her lips. There was some desperation to his actions, because he knew he could not allow her to sing! Pearl squirmed, her head buzzing, and tried to blink through the haze. Summoning all of her strength, she pushed him off of her—but Ben didn’t let go. He kept his hold on her, and nearly dragged her down with him when he stumbled backwards and slipped. As the siren with shaky legs scrambled for balance, he found another opening; an opportunity to strike again. Grimacing, Ben hit the baton against the back of her head. This time it was enough to make her crumble into an unconscious heap, blood matting her soft blonde hair.

Ben shuddered, breathing heavily with his mouth half open. He hated what he’d done, hated the sight of her injured because of him! Blue eyes darted around aimlessly. He sniffed. For a moment, he didn’t move at all. But there was no time to waste, so he recollected himself and snapped his mouth shut. Approaching the mermaid with care, he gently scooped her up from the grass, mouth pressing into a tight line. He wished that he didn’t need to take such drastic measures, but they were at the brink of war, and Pearl was his only sure path to success.

He liked her. He didn’t want to hurt her. But she was deadly, and Benjamin refused to trust her. A siren would never change her scales, after all.

***

Ben didn’t want to let anyone know of the mermaid’s presence; it would cause unnecessary panic. He didn’t even tell his entire inner circle, keeping it on a strictly need-to-know basis. Richard, the sheriff Isabel, and surgeon Ethan were the only ones he asked to meet him. They helped transport the unconscious mermaid to a room on Hydra Island, where they could strap her to a metal table that doubled as a rudimentary hospital bed.

Leather cuffs wrapped around her wrists and ankles, keeping the limbs tightly pinned to the table’s edges. A thick leather gag covered her mouth: the most important piece of that kit. They had to make sure she couldn’t talk at all, because if she sang, they’d be doomed. Ben let his subordinates do the job of strapping her in, but he checked on the muzzle himself, to make sure it was tightly secured to her head. He also cleaned and bandaged the wound at the back of it, to make her as comfortable as possible under the circumstances. After Isabel patted her down, Ben placed the shell shard and sack with sparse metal pieces in a drawer for safekeeping.

“If she’s our guest for too long, her sirens will come looking,” Ben ominously warned. “We need answers fast.”

The wait for her to wake up was more nerve-racking than he cared to admit. They were taking a risk in trying to hold a deadly predator captive. A calculated risk, of course, and Ben was confident that they would prevail, but there was still a smidge of doubt creeping up his spine.

He reminded himself that that creature could change shapes, have her tail split and then reattach back together; what if her skin or scale cells could be grafted onto others, healing them? And was it possible to block out the siren song if he understood how it worked, maybe even direct it so that Ben could control who it targeted? Not that he had much trouble getting exactly what he wanted, anyway. The point was that the mermaid held the key to infinite scientific advancements. But more than that, she would tell him what their vulnerabilities were, and then he could harness that against the others of her kind. Experimenting was a must.

Maybe this was what his Island-sent prophetic dreams meant: he was destined to meet Pearl because he needed to use her to win the war. In the dream, the two of them were standing between their people; it was clear they were instrumental to something. Peace, or victory in war. Ben rationalized that maybe Pearl was at the center with him because he was meant to get closer to her to then be able to study her. It was twisted, but exactly the type of irony the Island seemed to enjoy. If peace had been unattainable, he was left with only this as an alternative. He ignored the tug in his stomach that told him it was morally wrong, and repeated in his head that he was doing his job; he was keeping his people safe and doing what Jacob expected of him; what he was hand-picked to do, from childhood, because he was special enough to protect the Island. So he swallowed the guilt and pretended it didn’t exist, his face an eerie blank.

When he saw her eyelids flutter like she was about to awaken, his stomach clenched. Ben ignored it again.

Waking up in a completely new environment, surrounded by strange objects was extremely disorienting. It took her a second to get her bearings: she was lying down, couldn’t move her arms or legs, couldn’t talk…and there were silhouettes of humans surrounding her. Oh no. Dread enveloped her wholly. She was trapped on land, Pearl assessed, in the clutches of her mortal enemies. Panic swirled within her and she hissed, thrashing against the restraints, over and over again.

“Please stop. You will only hurt yourself,” Ben cautioned, face expressionless as he stepped forward.

Recognizing him was like a kick to her stomach. She froze and stared with wide, confused eyes. Benjamin? The Benjamin she trusted to keep the peace? Whom she had vouched for to her merpeople? He betrayed her—yes, she remembered now. In the jungle. He hit her, and carried her to that horrific place where she was now tied down and helpless. Goodness…she should have known that he would. He was human, after all.

But it hurt. It hurt to put any measure of trust in someone she knew was dangerous, only to be made a fool of and betrayed so cruelly. Would he kill her? She looked up at him, hazel eyes full of angry pain, the kind of hurt that was personal. Ben noticed. She looked so deeply wounded, so disappointed in him, that for a split second he felt nauseous. His insides ached and he couldn’t find breath. But he reminded himself that the mermaids were murdering his people, and that Pearl was key to ending that. He needed that victory for the Island. So he looked away from her face and swallowed all of his feelings.

Her eyes drifted to the medical instruments neatly arranged on a tray, and her whole body tightened with sheer panic, ice pooling in her stomach and veins. That was Pearl’s worst nightmare. Being held captive by humans intent on experimenting was every mermaid’s worst nightmare; it was the very thing they were warned about since birth, told to stay away from the cruelties of the land so that humans could never harm them. Their number one code was to never let a human lay hands on them, because the intention would always be to tear them apart. Humans could not help their monstrous nature. Pearl began letting out frantic breaths, desperate to escape, her stomach and every muscle in knots, her mind racing wildly with strategies and worst-case scenarios. When she eyed the bands that tied her to the table, her heart plunged with fear. The mermaid tugged at them, trying to wriggle herself free, but they didn’t give an inch. Her eyes were frantic and she was letting out rhythmic panted hisses, turning her head in every direction with sharp jarring movements as she attempted to orient herself further. Since Isabel was the sheriff, she was working security; the woman stepped forward and pointed a rifle at Pearl. “If you make a sound, I’ll assume you’re starting to sing and I’ll shoot you. Got it?” The mermaid’s hazel eyes widened with pure fear, and then steeled; she hated guns so much! She gave a resigned nod of understanding and Isabel retreated a couple steps. Although Pearl stayed completely silent after that, she still glared at them, eyes burning with insulted anger, hurt, and fear. She was defiant, unwilling to submit.

“We need samples of blood and DNA, and a reading of her bio stats to establish her base level,” Ben instructed Ethan. “I’ll do most of it, but please get started on the blood.” He avoided looking directly at Pearl, so that it was easier to keep his guilt from stirring. Ethan nodded and got to work. He produced a syringe to draw some blood and approached the captive. Pearl tried to squirm away from him, terrified of the pointy thing coming her way, but she was completely powerless. The needle pricked her arm and she let out a shocked little hiss. Ethan filled the syringe with enough red liquid, then placed it inside a sterile bag while she continued to hiss behind the muzzle. Ben looked away the entire time, an uneasy frown on his face--- he really hated needles! That’s why he left Ethan in charge of that one.

Pearl was as offended as she was mad and scared to be treated so poorly; but what else could she expect from brutal beings such as humans? She looked at the prick on her arm and frowned. Sure, it didn’t hurt much, but they jabbed her with something sharp and extracted blood from her! The mermaid wanted to destroy them for the insolence…but perhaps she was even angrier at herself for getting caught. To walk alone, distracted, picking flowers and trusting solely on the entrancing power of her voice… what hubris made her think that she could get away with such a plot? Her grandmother always told her she was overconfident—a trait unbecoming of someone of her stature. Pearl had disagreed; she thought herself very calculating, and in many ways she was. Her schemes and political savvy could rival even Ben’s. But the mermaid let her over-confidence and curiosity get the best of her sometimes. Now she was paying the consequence, terrified on that cold hard table and wanting nothing more than to flee. If she was lucky, she’d only be killed. If she was not…there was no telling what kinds of torture the humans would inflict upon her. Despite her best attempts at staying stone-faced, a few tears trickled from her eyes and rolled down the sides of her face.

Ben pretended not to see that. He didn’t enjoy causing pain by any means, and her distress unsettled him. But he didn’t let it show, instead keeping a carefully vacant expression on his face that came off as eerily callous.

“It will be over soon, Pearl, you have my word,” he told her so flatly that it was almost eerie, completely devoid of emotions. He was the only one who would address her directly. Richard was uneasy with her, and comfortable taking a backseat, while Ethan and Isabel were having trouble seeing Pearl as human-like; they only saw the wild animal, and didn’t bother talking to her. Ben, of course, was different; he knew her, was even somewhat fond of her, so his lackluster attempts at comforting her were sincere despite the stoic way in which he said them.

She responded by glaring up at him, clearly insulted. Yet his reassurance didn’t fall on deaf ears. You have my word, he’d said, and that made her believe him. It will be over soon, she repeated in her head, in an attempt to calm herself down. But what exactly did that mean? She’d be left alone soon, or…she’d be dead soon? She swallowed thickly, her throat dry and tasting bitter.

Ben was dissatisfied by how things were unfolding. All of his interactions with her were clinical and sterile, but he wished he could ask questions instead of treating her only like a lab rat…so he engineered how to have a moment alone with Pearl. “We’re gonna need the machines in the med bay,” he told his team. “Please set them up while I run the other tests,” he instructed, ushering them away. Isabel was reluctant to leave him alone, but he insisted. He wanted the room for himself; he didn’t want the others to see that he’d developed some sort of a connection with the mermaid—something he believed was one-sided by that point. Surely she must hate him now. What a pity that it had to end that way.

“I know this is frightening, but we don’t want to hurt you, Pearl,” he reassured after they were alone, offering a calming smile. She snarled behind the muzzle, and averted her eyes. His smile shrunk ever so slightly, but he persisted, taking a step closer. “This thing on your mouth must be uncomfortable. I can remove it, if you promise not to sing.” It was an offer to extend an olive branch. He wanted to make her as comfortable as possible; he needed to study her, but there was no need to treat her poorly during said studies.

Her gaze returned to him, softer and uncertain. Pearl glanced between him and the leather cuffs around her limbs, and she gave a hesitant nod, agreeing to the promise.

Ben’s muscles relaxed. He was taking a bit of a risk – one that Isabel would strongly advise against if she knew – but Pearl’s promises had always been trustworthy. And she was still subdued. She followed him with keen eyes as he approached, with an expression shrouded in mystery. Ben sat on a stool by her side, and she stayed very still, just watching him…

He placed his hands on the muzzle. “I’m sure you realize that the guns aren’t in here at the moment.” He made a vague gesture toward the door. “I know you dislike them—I don’t want to have to threaten you with them. I’m trusting that you’ll stay quiet even without that danger hanging over your head, Pearl. Can I trust you?” He threw her a steely look, one eyebrow lifting questioningly. She held his gaze and nodded, so he proceeded to undo the muzzle.

“Thank you,” she gasped, but it sounded less thankful and more like she was spitting the words at him.

Despite that, Ben smiled, congenial. “You’re welcome.”

She had always liked his smile. It reminded her of the sun, of warmth, of something dazzling. Maybe she could appeal to his better nature—though she was now unsure whether he even had one. “I save your life, and this is the very first thing that you do to repay me?” She looked up at him, eyes flaring with emotion.

“You know why you’re here, Pearl,” he flatly informed her, though he couldn’t keep a little softness from entering his eyes. He wanted to keep talking, to reassure her she was in safe hands. “What I need to do now is—” he reached for the tray of tools, head still turned her way. “—perform a few harmless experiments. You have my word that you’ll be alrig—”

He took his eyes off of her for a split second and a sharp pain tore through his upper arm. A pained grunt was strangled in his throat. Wide-eyed, he turned to see Pearl’s fangs embedded in him, piercing his skin. If either of them moved an inch she’d tear a piece of him right off.

His blood stained her lips and coated her tongue. Ben’s pulse quickened with fear and pain, but he didn’t move, didn’t react except to glare at her with wide-eyed exasperation. She glared back. They were at a standoff.

“Don’t be reckless, Pearl,” he threatened, voice vaguely shaky from pain. “My team will walk back in here any minute—and what do you think they’ll do if you tear a piece of my arm off?” She didn’t move. His eyes narrowed and he let out a few little pants. “Let go of me,” Ben demanded, voice dangerously low and full of steel.

But she didn’t. She didn’t rip his flesh, either. She just bit through his upper arm and glared, swallowing the blood that was trickling into her mouth.

Ethan opened the door and his eyes widened when he saw the hold that the siren had on their leader. “Ben!” Isabel pushed past him, bursting in with the rifle aimed at Pearl. Richard followed suit, worried for Ben’s safety. Pearl latched off him instantly, fangs retreating and frightened resignation appearing on her face. His hand flew to press over the injury, but Ben held his ground and stayed right where he was.

“Don’t shoot,” he commanded, eyes narrowed at the cowering captive while he staunched the bleeding. “Leave her in here until she calms down,” he ordered icily, glaring down at her. “And cover her mouth again.”

He marched off without a second glance, leaving his team to follow through with his orders. Alone, Ben stalked away to the med bay, to care for his wound. His arm throbbed, full of tiny puncture marks from the sharp fangs, and blood soaked his sleeve. His mood was even worse than the arm, and he sighed sourly as he began washing off the injury.

It was stupid to trust her, he mused, angry with himself. Circumstances changed; I should have accounted for that. She’s a hostage now; whatever trust we had built before is gone. But he recognized that she kept her promise - even despite her situation - and he loathed that he admired her for that. She didn’t sing. Thank God that she didn’t. But next time, she might. I can’t be careless around her again.

After disinfecting the wound and applying an anti-inflammatory cream, he began wrapping gauze around his upper arm. The whole time, his forehead was creased and his mouth pursed tight. Biting me served no purpose. It was the opposite; it put her in danger. She’s too strategic for that, so why did she do it? He worked through the situation, and sighed. The answer was obvious. She did that out of anger. Spite. It was an emotional response, not a tactical one. She’s so upset with me that she wanted to lash out and hurt me, no matter the cost. That was a bit sad, wasn’t it? He swallowed his feelings and shook his head. At least she didn’t tear off a piece of my arm…I might’ve needed surgery if she had, he thought sourly. As he finished tying the bandage, he briefly wondered if Pearl couldn’t bring herself to hurt him that badly, or if she was just scared of payback. He clung to the idea that it was the first option, but deep down he suspected it was the latter.

He left Pearl alone for an hour, periodically checking on her through the window. While she was still visibly frantic, or squirming, or fuming, he avoided her. Ben only returned to her side when it looked like she had cooled off, ready to perform a battery of routine tests on the not-at-all-routine patient. Even after being bitten, he remained determined to do every test himself—as long as no more needles were involved.

So, where to start? Any normal physical assessment would include listening to heartbeats. Ben was acutely aware that he already knew what the heart of a mermaid sounded like. The memory of that unexpectedly intimate moment shared between them was bittersweet now; he had felt so deeply connected to her back then, only a few short months in the past, and now…that nice connection had completely crumbled. She was a prisoner, and he was studying her. Studying the woman he was infatuated with. Guilt and nausea threatened to erupt again, so Ben quickly cleared his throat and forced himself to address his team. He didn’t want them to know about him sharing a vulnerable moment with the enemy, so he had to pretend that it never happened, by including that step in the assessment.

“We need to listen to her heart. I’ll do it myself,” Ben informed the doctor, holding out an expectant hand. Ethan passed him the stethoscope and Ben thanked him with a curt nod. What led him to take charge was a mixture of scientific curiosity – he was indeed very curious to check other parameters of Pearl’s health and anatomy after he was done with the heartbeats – and the impression that Pearl would be better off in his own hands. Ben couldn’t really explain that one to himself; Ethan was a very capable doctor, and yet Ben found that he was more comfortable if he was the one to handle the mermaid directly. Benjamin trusted only himself to do it safely, correctly, and gently. Although those tests were simple, they could feel a little invasive if performed on an unwilling subject; Ben felt more at ease doing them himself, not wanting to let anybody else get that close to the mermaid. He met her first, he got to know her, he found her, he captured her; that was Ben’s mermaid, was it not? He realized he would prefer if others kept their distance from now on.

His hold on the stethoscope tightened.

The mermaid, of course, had no idea what that thing in his hand was, or what it did. As Ben approached her with the unknown object, Pearl thrashed against the restraints that kept her bound. She hissed at him through the muzzle, eyes wide and terrified, and angry all over again. “There is really no reason to keep struggling,” he flatly reminded her, sparing her one quick glance and addressing Pearl directly for the first time since she bit him. Once again, the emotions etched plainly on her face made him feel a bit guilty--- but not guilty enough to consider stopping or letting her go. He continuously rationalized it to himself that he didn’t have another choice, not when the safety of his people was at stake.

When he made a move to get near Pearl, she flinched and tried to jerk away, hunching her shoulders like she didn’t want him to have access to that part of her body. Ben noticed, but didn’t react just yet, carrying on with the job instead. He touched the diaphragm of the stethoscope to her chest, ear pieces stuck inside his ears. The mermaid froze, breathing hard as she watched the thing on her skin. When it didn’t hurt, she let out a relieved hiss, but her hands were curled into fists of fury.

“Heartbeats are normal for human parameters,” Ben announced after listening for a moment. Ethan jotted that down on his clipboard. After setting the stethoscope to the side, the leader attempted to confirm his recently developed hypothesis by casually waving a hand over Pearl’s collarbone. She inched away from him again, hazel eyes full of defensiveness. “You don’t want us anywhere near your necklace,” he astutely pointed out, speaking directly to her. She shook her head in denial, but he simply tilted his head and reached for her, squinting slightly. Pearl jerked around, yanking roughly against the cuffs that bound her, but there was nothing she could do. Despite her warning hiss, Ben slipped his hands behind her neck and carefully unclasped the delicate silver chain, taking the moonstone necklace from her. He had linked it to her transformation before, and was eager to test that theory.

The mermaid involuntarily arched her back and gasped, closing her eyes. A bright light enveloped her legs and Ben watched with horrified awe as they seemed to attach together with fleshy fibers and morph from smooth white skin to fish-like purple scales. Interestingly enough, the dress made of sail material stayed in place. The transformation tore through the leg cuffs, freeing her bottom half, and Pearl took immediate advantage of it; she swung her strong tail at Ethan, who was hovering close with pressure cuffs. The man flew right into the nearest wall, hitting his head with enough force to be knocked out. Medical instruments rained down on the floor with loud clatters.

“Hold her down!” Ben commanded with urgency. Richard and Isabel grabbed at the tail, and only then did he join them to help; when it was safer to do so. The three wrestled against Pearl, who managed to slap Isabel across the face with her fins. Ben was panting from the effort, practically crawling over the table to pin the mermaid’s tail down with his body. She hissed madly behind the gag, eyes filled with outrage. But there were three against one, and her arms were still strapped to the table, so it was only a matter of time until they managed to subdue her. Richard and Isabel laid across the tail while Ben grabbed some rope and wrapped it all around the length of Pearl’s scaly bottom, tying it down with a strong knot. He exhaled sharply and wiped the sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand, satisfied to see Pearl wriggling the tail against the ropes but remaining secure.

He decided to put the necklace on her again, to test the theory that that would bring back the legs, and indeed it did. The corners of his lips turned up in a victorious smile that only lasted for a split second, a sign that he was very pleased to finally have discovered how mermaids were able to walk on land. The ropes weren’t as tight on her legs, but with Richard holding down on them, Pearl’s squirming wasn’t enough to get her anywhere.

Despite her whine of protest and the pleading look in her eyes, Ben removed the necklace a second time. He’d rather keep her in her natural state; it was easier to think of her as a dangerous predator when she had a tail, and he wanted to poke at that moonstone later. He pocketed the necklace, much to her horror. Pearl drew in a shaky breath, holding back tears. She had never, ever, felt so horribly lost and helpless in her entire life. It was the worst feeling she could possibly imagine.

With the medical personnel down for the count and Isabel standing guard with the rifle, it was between him and Richard to carry out the experiments, so Ben continued to take the lead, as he preferred being the one to deal directly with the mermaid anyway.

Approaching the metal table, Ben looked down at her. She braced for the worst. He tried to appear non-threatening as he loomed, but it didn’t work when his face was so vacant and he was holding an instrument. He leaned over, and found himself having to supress a tiny wince. Lately Ben’s back had begun bothering him a bit, with a dull ache on his spine that he wasn’t sure what to make of. He’d scheduled a couple of exams with Juliet, just to make sure everything was okay. For now, he ignored it.

He used tweezers to pluck out a strand of blonde hair from Pearl’s head, and carefully placed it in a second sterile plastic bag; a backup DNA sample. Then he wrapped a blood pressure cuff around her upper arm. When he began squeezing the inflation bulb, she yelped through the muzzle and squirmed in fear of the pressure growing and tightening around her arm.

“It’s only a squeeze,” he blankly reassured, eyes glued to the numerical gauge and staying far away from her. It didn’t do much to ease her nerves, but she did stop squirming.

After taking her pressure – which turned out to be much higher than a human’s, thanks to her pressurized habitat – he used a thermometer under her arm to check her temperature. He was methodical about every step of the procedures, going through them as clinically and efficiently as possible. He wanted to be done, too. Checking the results, he wrote down that her natural baseline core temperature was significantly colder than humans’, which made sense with how cold the ocean depths got.

Through it all – every test, every unwanted touch, every discomfort – the mermaid was willing herself to stay as calm as possible; she didn’t want to tremble or sob in front of her enemies. Calling the situation – and the man – unsettling was an understatement. Pearl felt disturbingly vulnerable, her privacy invaded, while Ben stood there with an eerily blank look on his face. How stupid she’d been to spare that human not once, but several times! She convinced herself that he was different; better than the rest, even if only marginally. She dropped her defenses around him, like an idiot, and he proved to be just as vicious and monstrous as every single one of his kind! She would never forgive herself her own foolish recklessness, and she would never forgive him.

He stared coolly at her tail, lips pursing thoughtfully as he moved around her. What was it made of, he wondered? Did it have the same composition as the scales of a fish? He had to find out, so he retrieved larger tweezers from the toolbox. Carefully, he jammed the instrument under one scale and tried to pry it loose, but it didn’t budge. He squinted at it, re-evaluating, then reached over to pull out a small scalpel from the medical kit. He moved with cold precision, slicing the blade right at the base of the scale.

Pearl squirmed and whimpered loudly, a noise which prompted Isabel to cock her rifle.

“Stand down,” Ben ordered with some annoyance, holding up a hand to stop her.

“But Ben, she talked—”

“She’s not singing,” he scolded with a mild glare. “I think she whimpered, because it hurt.” Pearl quickly nodded, confirming his impression. Her eyes were wet with tears, much to her horror and embarrassment. It wasn’t because of the pain, but rather due to the harrowing situation she found herself in. The siren was desperate to escape; she felt so alone, so small, so stupid to have extended Benjamin any measure of trust! ‘Ben’, she noticed, was how the other woman called him. The mermaid averted her eyes, trying to blink away the stubborn tears. Ben felt a lump in his throat when he saw the wetness in her hazel eyes; he took no pleasure in hurting anyone. Least of all her. His eyes flitted from her face to the tail, then back to her face until they finally settled on the scale he was holding between his fingers. It seemed to shimmer under the light, looking less purple and more blue, pink or even greenish depending on how he turned it. “I--- do apologize, Pearl. I didn’t know you would feel that,” he told his own hand. “I thought it would be like cutting a nail.”

Ben grimly wondered whether knowing would have stopped him from cutting out her scale. It’s possible that he would have justified it to himself as a quick moment of minor pain for her that was worth it for the greater good of his people--- because the more they knew about sirens, the more they could protect themselves against the deadly creatures. But he quickly shrugged off that line of thinking; it was pointless to get caught up in moral what-ifs.

She didn’t seem to accept his apology, instead looking at him with the most heartbreaking look of dejection that Ben had ever witnessed. Maybe it was a ploy to gain sympathy, and if it was it worked well enough to make his heart clench. I have to do this. I’ll let her go soon enough, he reminded himself for what felt like the millionth time, almost as a mantra.

***

The metal table had wheels that could be engaged, allowing Ben and his people to transport their prisoner into the medical bay for a battery of tests that would be performed as soon as Ethan regained his bearings. Ben wanted to check if Pearl’s internal organs were located in the same position as humans’. Especially her lungs—and did they change when she swapped legs for a tail? How did she breathe, underwater and above? That was one of his biggest questions. They put Pearl into an x-ray machine, with legs and then with her tail, and then fired up an old Dharma MRI machine. Ben was exceedingly curious to test her brain, stimulating it in different ways and noting which area would light up in the imaging, just to make sure it worked the same as a human one. He took meticulous notes of each result.

Despite putting on a brave face as she was wheeled around, Pearl was pretty terrified. She had no idea what any of those machines were, and she kept waiting for the one that would kill, maim or horribly injure her. The loud noise of the MRI combined with its confining size nearly sent her into a breakdown—she only calmed when Ben told her that the less she moved, the faster they would bring her out of there.

When they finally wheeled her back to the room where they began, her nerves were completely frazzled, but she was also mad beyond belief. If any of them gave her an inch of freedom again, she’d bite their hands clean off!

After finishing examining her, the four humans stepped outside for a moment, to discuss their next steps. “We need to interrogate her,” Ben commented in a matter-of-fact manner. Pearl was a treasure trove of untapped information; there was no way he would miss his chance to take advantage of that.

“How do we talk to her if she can’t answer us?” Ethan asked the obvious question on everyone’s minds.

“There’s a delay for the song to work when she’s on land,” Richard explained.

“But she can grab us, bite us and force us to listen to the full song,” Isabel said roughly. “We shouldn’t risk it.”

Ben, of course, already had a plan. “We put her in a soundproof room, alone with one person, while the rest of us have guns trained on her from the outside. The empty aquarium will do.” The assured but casual demeanor gave way to a steely warning: “If she sings, shoot her on the shoulder.”

“Do you want me to go inside and talk to her?” Richard suggested. As the advisor, he figured he was the best candidate.

Ben immediately shook his head. “I’ll do it myself.”

“Hold up, that’s dangerous,” Isabel warned, not wanting to see her leader at risk.

“Is it? I can’t imagine why,” Ben quipped dryly, deadpanning at her. The sarcasm betrayed a hint of annoyance at being contradicted.

“She’s right, Ben,” Richard interjected, frowning. “Why put yourself in unnecessary risk? I can do it.”

“Because,” he said sternly, staring them down, “it’s my decision. I’d rather talk to her myself.” It wasn’t much of an explanation, and he wasn’t going to elaborate. The truth was, Ben was an extremely cautious man, but he was also very brave. He never shied away from putting himself in dangerous situations if it served a purpose that benefited him, even if it meant letting himself be captured by enemies or staring down the barrel of a gun. Dealing with the siren would be no different: a calculated risk because the benefits outweighed the apprehension.

The primary benefit was controlling the flow of information. Ben was by far the best talker out of all his people, known for his silver tongue and penchant for manipulation. He didn’t trust the others to ask Pearl the right questions and coax the right answers out of her. And perhaps more importantly, he would be the only one to hear her answers first-hand. He could sift through the information before updating the other three, in case there was something too sensitive that he judged it wise to keep to himself.

“Okay,” Richard relented. All of them knew better than to argue with Ben whenever he made up his mind. And they trusted his strategy, as he was rarely ever wrong.

“Remember, keep the intercom turned off, but have keen eyes on her. If her lips move in rhythm and I start to act strangely, shoot,” Ben ordered, speaking intensely and more from one side of his mouth.

Before attempting to move the mermaid, they shot her with a sedative dart. Pearl shrieked and jerked when she felt it pierce her neck, but was soon overtaken by a peaceful sleep.

They wheeled Pearl out of the room, down a network of grey hallways and into the former dolphin enclosure, which was emptied out after the Dharma purge. Ben’s people had no interest in exploiting and experimenting on animals of the Island. The now dried-out aquarium made a fitting but ironic place for the new aquatic creature. Ben, of course, had a specific purpose for putting her in there that went beyond it being a soundproof room. The aquarium was still hooked up to be filled up, and eventually he would do that, in order to observe Pearl’s behaviors underwater. But only after she gave him the answers he required.

The four picked up the mermaid from the table and carried her inside. Ben cradled her head, making sure her neck wasn’t bent or hurt. They carefully set Pearl’s sleeping form on the cement ground, and shackled manacles to both of her wrists. Those chains connected to a ring attached to the floor. Then Richard, Isabel and Ethan left the room and took the wheeling table with them, leaving their intrepid leader alone with the captive mermaid. They shut the door and took their places behind the large glass panel, rifle at the ready. The button that would allow them to listen to what was said inside the aquarium remained un-pressed.

Ben waited inside for Pearl to wake up, standing by the door. The process of regaining consciousness wasn’t seamless for the mermaid; she started out with a flutter of the eyes and a peaceful stretch, a yawn, and then her brain recalled the harrowing situation she was in. She shot up into a sitting position and felt the manacles clasped tightly to her wrists, the gag over her mouth. The siren pulled fiercely against the chains, ignoring that it made the metal dig into her skin. Her purple tail swatted around violently, thumping repeatedly into the ground as she hissed into the gag. Her usually soft blonde hair was wild and messy, her eyes full of renewed fear and fury.

“At the risk of sounding repetitive-- you’ll hurt yourself if you keep that up,” Ben flatly warned. “You’re pretty secured in here.” She had enough room to move her arms, but not to move away from the wall. That was to prevent her from using the tail to launch herself across the room. If she were free to do that, she could grab and bite anybody that entered the enclosure within seconds.

For Pearl, the nightmare kept unfolding; she was still living through the one thing every mermaid was taught to avoid, from the day they were born: being captured by humans. She trembled at Ben’s stoic demeanor, tears brimming in gold-flecked eyes. But Pearl was a fighter; she would bow to no human, and she would not let her own weakness win. The siren drew in a shaky breath, glaring daggers at Ben and sitting up on her tail as high as the manacles would allow her. If her life was to end then and there, Pearl would strive to go out with dignity, with class befitting of her station. “Mmfhs—” she mumbled behind the gag that stopped her speech.

Ben approached her with slow steps, impassively looking down at his captive. “I need you to answer a few questions for me. But you should know, Pearl, that they are watching you from behind that panel there,” he made a crisp gesture toward the window. “And it’s soundproof. If you attempt to enchant me with your siren song, I’m afraid they’ll have no choice but to shoot you.” His gaze hardened, quiet voice underlaid with steel. “Can I trust you to behave if I remove the muzzle from your mouth?”

The siren glanced over to see the three people pointing a weapon at her, and she felt a shudder run up her spine. How awful to be trapped, alone, vulnerable. She nodded, so Ben reached forward and pulled the leather gag down, letting it dangle from her neck. Pearl coughed, then looked up at him with pure defiance. “You and your friends wasted your time concocting all of this to get me to talk safely. I shall not sing, but I shall not answer your questions either.”

Ben stared, unfazed and never blinking. He had a feeling she’d be difficult, and he was prepared. “I see. You’ve been here a few hours, Pearl. Aren’t you getting hungry? We can bring you food, if you cooperate.”

“Bring your hand closer to my mouth and find out whether I am hungry,” she smiled calmly, letting her teeth sharpen into fangs. There was still a faint red tint on her lips, courtesy of Ben’s blood.

A wry chuckle and a distant expression. “Oh, I’ve experienced your fangs enough for one day.”

“Aw, but I did not even rip off a chunk. Let us see how you do without a few fingers,” she cooed, though he could pick up on how much she was seething underneath the sarcastically sweet façade. The teary eyes definitely didn’t escape his notice, either. The hopeless creature was doing her best to put on a brave, defiant act. She wanted to appear in control, but Ben knew that she didn’t really feel that way.

Regardless-- having his fingers bit off by fangs sharper than knives was a horrifying thought, but Ben remained unflappable, and entirely expressionless when he addressed her again. “I think you’ll change your mind about that, in time.” Then he chuckled, a calculated action to get her curious. “You know what I noticed about you?”

She narrowed her eyes with suspicion and hissed, jerking her head forward. “What?”

“You’re very clever, and very inquisitive. It bothers you when you don’t have all of the information, doesn’t it?” He fixed her a knowing look, head tilted just slightly to the side.

“As much as it bothers you, I suspect,” she fired back. Despite her fear, she was holding her own.

A brief smile and a soft chuckle passed through his lips. “Then, not knowing what we did to you with those machines back there must be really driving you crazy…” The remark hit home for her, and it stung.

He was obviously offering some kind of information exchange. They’d traded intel before in ways that were mutually beneficial, but this time around Pearl wasn’t willing to budge. She wouldn’t reward him for what he did to her. “I shall not negotiate with a person that is treating me like a wild animal,” she sneered at him. Inside, her heart still raced with adrenaline.

“I can remove those restraints if you’ll promise not to touch me,” Ben offered to sweeten the deal, gesturing toward the manacles and chains keeping her bound. His eyes met hers, and hardened. “Then again, I’m not sure that I can trust your word lately. Your kind agreed to the treaty and then disappeared one of my people,” he finished with narrowed eyes and a dangerous curl of the lips.

Pearl felt a shudder creeping up her spine and wished that she could recoil. “We didn’t hurt anybody,” she exclaimed, frowning at him. “I swear!”

Very convincing. Did nothing to make Ben believe her, though.

“I admire your obstinacy, but it won’t help you in here,” he pointed out as he leaned with a hand on the wall, hovering over her. A subtle intimidation tactic. She shrank back a little, though her glare still burned fiercely. He made sure to ignore both of those things. “Should I free your wrists, or not?”

Oh how she wanted to tear his throat out! But the guards outside stopped her. She considered staying in discomfort just to spite Benjamin, but those manacles were digging into her delicate skin if she moved her limbs. “Yes. I shall not touch you,” she spat out the reluctant promise.

Ben stiffly leaned over her, fiddled with the restraints and undid them, freeing the captive mermaid from being physically bound. He stepped back quickly, just in case she no longer meant to keep her promises; Pearl had always been honorable, but he didn’t know for sure if that would hold up under the current circumstances.

She didn’t make any move to attack, yet noticed with a measure of satisfaction that he had backed away from her rather hastily. Good. Fear me, human. You would be foolish not to. If she had to be afraid, it was good that he was, too. The siren rubbed her free wrists while many disturbing thoughts swirled around her brain, stoking the fire of her anger. She finally found herself unable to keep quiet: “Will you kill me, or keep me here forever?” Pearl asked with such a level of hatred that it disconcerted Ben.

“Neither. All I want from you are answers about your kind, Pearl. Provide me with those, and I’ll let you go when the time is right,” Ben promised, and he meant it. He would let her go when he knew enough. If he then turned around and used that knowledge to have all the mermaids killed off, that was a different thing altogether. The mermaids started the war by breaking the treaty, he couldn’t be blamed for eliminating them before they eliminated the humans. At the very least he needed to kill some of them, as a show of force to make them never dare to attack his people ever again.

Pearl was contemplating his promise. So – assuming he was telling the truth -- she could save herself, if she sold out her own merpeople. Her self-preservation instincts tempted her to do it, but her loyalty to her kind was much too great. She wouldn’t betray their secrets, especially not to humans. The blonde stuck her nose up in the air, prim and uppity, and shook her head. “Our secrets are not meant for you,” she declared vehemently.

He was entirely unfazed by the rebuffing. He expected initial resistance, and he knew how to rattle her. “Pearl, you’re outnumbered here. My people are on the other side. Now, I won’t let their weapons hurt you, but the sooner you talk to me, the sooner I can let you go home,” he said earnestly. “We’ve talked before, haven’t we? Shared information with one another? This is no different.” That logical argument might sway her. To add to his friendliness, he gave her a small but genuine smile.

Her eyes darted nervously to the glass, where the gun awaited on the other side. Pearl stirred uncomfortably and looked down at her tail. “Very well,” she conceded in a quiet sigh. “I will tell you what you need to know.”

“Go on…” Ben prompted. He chose not to give away any trace of emotion, but inside he was hopeful. She was always chatty, and self-preserving; she’d talk.

Pearl sighed shakily. “Benjamin Linus, you need to know that I …” her downcast eyes flicked up and met his, full of hatred and malice. “--I should have ripped your throat out when I had you in that cave, and thrown your body deep in the ocean,” her eyes flashed their glowing light and it felt like a pure threat.

A discreet semblance of anger, disappointment and disquietment passed through his face. So she wanted to stay defiant? Alright. Ben gave a small, sharp nod, and walked out wordlessly. If she needed to stew in there a while longer, he would provide that. She’d talk sooner or later.

As soon as she was left alone in the drained aquarium, she began channelling her strength to try and break down the door, or the glass. Pearl dragged herself over to the walls. It was a crawl to get there with a tail, but the room was thankfully not too large. She violently rattled the doorknob. She banged on the glass window, hitting it with closed fists and screaming at it; all of her rage, fear and helplessness that she tried to conceal were being let out all at once, resulting in aching hands and a hoarse throat. She hit the panel with her tail, too, but the glass didn’t even crack. Dejection and hopelessness threatened to engulf the poor mermaid, but she still had a lot of fight left in her.

Placing both palms flat on the glass, she let out a shattering high pitched shriek— a call to her sisters, but they couldn’t hear her. No matter how much Pearl screamed, the aquarium was soundproof.

Singing for the weather was another technique she attempted, only to be once again foiled by the soundproof underwater enclosure. Her song couldn’t touch the winds, couldn’t be carried far enough so that the waters would hear and bend to her will. It left her entirely distraught.

It was only when she ran out of ideas that the terror and despair overtook her. She was trapped—well and truly trapped, a weak mermaid defenseless against the humans. She couldn’t hold it in any longer. Pearl sobbed quietly, then louder, until she was curled up on the floor and wailing with her face buried between her hands. She thought she was totally alone by then; if she realized someone was watching, she wouldn’t have allowed herself to appear so vulnerable, so…broken.

But Ben was watching through a camera. He wanted to see what she would do when she was alone and seemingly unobserved. He inhaled a sharp, shaky breath when she began to sob. For a moment, he stood frozen in place, his mind swirling with too many thoughts that weighed heavily on him. Then he abruptly shut off the feed and left the room, not wishing to watch one more second of her crying.

Notes:

There is often a point in my fics where everything is going well for the will-be couple, they’re starting to get along, and then something goes suuuper wrong and sets them back a lot. This is that. Poor Pearl. Poor Ben. What a mess, huh?
And DID a mermaid do anything to any humans? Place your bets, friends!

So I started this fic making my chapter titles be reminiscent of old fairytale books, to fit the mermaid vibe…but I’m so bad at coming up with them that now we’re left with a twist on the Pretty Little Liars opening song instead BYEaksakkas

Chapter 9: Her eyes contained the fury of a revolt sea, and his the quiet danger of a scorching sun

Ben was drinking his morning coffee when his daughter beelined from her bedroom to the fridge, without as much as acknowledging him. Their relationship had gotten so fraught since she started dating that Karl boy… Ben became quite overprotective, doing whatever he could to ensure she didn’t get pregnant— because pregnancy on the island was an immediate death sentence! He still hadn’t been able to fix that, not even after hiring Juliet as a fertility specialist. Ben couldn’t help being so fiercely protective of Alex; she was born under threat of death and he kept her safe all those years; it made him sick to even think about losing her now!

“Good morning to you too,” he jabbed with a tired sigh. He loved her so much, but teenagers were difficult. “You should know I’ll be spending most of the day on Hydra Island,” he informed her.

“Whatever,” the recently-turned-sixteen year old grumbled. “Your spies will still keep tabs on me,” she spat, retrieving an apple and slamming the fridge shut.

Ben simply stared at her, holding his emotions inside. “There would be no need for them to report back to me if you did as you’re told! I’m trying to keep you safe, Alex!”

“I’m not a child!” she complained in a way that was actually rather childish.

The irony did not go unnoticed by Ben, but he chose not to remark on it. He simply shook his head and let his gaze fall to the bottom of his mug.

Despite her anger, Alex noticed something else on his face; something heavy—unusually heavy, that she never saw on him unless he was dealing with pretty stressful situations. She decided to ask, not because she cared, but just because…well, whatever. She didn’t really know why. “What’s eating ya, Ben?”

God, he hated that she’d started calling him by his name. What happened to ‘dad’?! It hurt, and he knew that she was doing it to hurt him, to get back at him for keeping her away from her boyfriend. Ben threw her a crossed look, then pondered her words. What was eating at him?

Well. Keeping a mermaid as prisoner was. He sold it to the others as capturing a wild animal for studying-- and they felt that way, but Ben didn’t. Pearl was by no means an animal. So keeping her was more akin to kidnapping, really. Not that he was above an occasional kidnapping when it was absolutely necessary, but it still unsettled him every time. Especially with Pearl. Once again he rattled off his mantra of rationalization: it was only temporary; he found her within the boundaries of the Sonic Fence, the only place forbidden to them; in human territory, skulking around undetected, hurting his people; he was justified, right?!

But he couldn’t very well say any of that to his teenage daughter, could he? That was another thing driving a wedge between them; being the leader of Jacob’s people was an honor and he craved that power, but it came with a lot of responsibilities, secrets and questionable choices he had to keep hidden. How could he explain certain things to her? He couldn’t, for her own well-being and the Island’s. The worst part was that he wouldn’t even have so many secrets if Jacob was more forthcoming! But Jacob wasn’t, and Ben had them, and Alex didn’t like that; she grew to mistrust him for all of his secrets. Another personal sacrifice he made for the Island.

“I just hate how fraught our relationship has become, Alex,” he told her with a sigh. It was a half-truth; the state of their father-daughter bond was eating at him, too, as much as keeping Pearl in captivity was.

She rolled her eyes. “Yeah, well, it’s your own fault. See you later, Ben.” The teenager headed for the exit.

A sigh. “See you tonight. And Alex?” he called as she opened the front door, eyeing her sternly over the coffee cup. “Please don’t go see Karl today.”

Despite the ‘please’, it was not a request. It was a parental order. Alex even thought it might be a vague threat towards Karl. She threw her dad an acidic look. “Whatever.”

With a slam of the door she was gone, and soon Ben was off to Hydra Island to check on his mermaid.

It was her third day there. Day two went by with no updates; she refused to eat when he brought her food, and refused to speak with him, simply sitting in the corner of the room and sulking. She tossed the sail dress aside, too, preferring to wear only the bra-like seashell top. By day three, Ben’s people still didn’t know what he was up to on Hydra Island. He used a cover story for all the hours spent sat in front of a camera feed, and pretended he cut his arm on the thorns of a bush.

Inside the empty aquarium, homesickness and despair washed over the captive mermaid. They were not a species made to be alone—they were pack creatures, used to swimming together. Being on her own in there was very difficult on Pearl, with loneliness hitting her hard.

The more hours passed, the worse she felt. That insidious prison felt like it was shrinking around her, suffocating her. She was on the verge of trying to break the glass again when she heard footsteps. Pearl stiffened and glared at the swinging door.

“Hello,” Ben offered with a small smile as he entered. She turned her head away in disdain. His smile clenched. Wordlessly, he tossed her a red thing in the shape of a large pebble, smooth and nice-smelling. She caught it and hissed at it, eyeing it with distrust.

“It’s food,” he explained, producing an apple of his own. He thought that placing one right in her hands – by throwing it at her so she was forced to catch it – would make eating it harder to resist than if he simply offered the fruit to her. He didn’t want Pearl getting too weak, so hopefully the trick would work to bypass her hunger strike. “We don’t have any more raw fish or seaweed on hand, I’m sorry.”

“I am to eat this?” she wrinkled her nose and sniffed the fruit, unsure. Her stomach rumbled in response. It looked like other things she’d seen dangling from trees. “Is it a fruit?”

“Yeah, it’s an apple. You liked mango juice, so I thought you might enjoy this too.” A half-smile. He picked it from his own fridge, thinking it was neutral and sweet enough for the mermaid. “I hope it’s adequate enough,” he added thoughtfully, then raised the other apple to his mouth and bit it. Observing her throughout the years, Ben learned that Pearl had a habit of watching him and copying his behavior whenever she was unsure of the human thing to do; he brought an apple for himself too, so that she could watch him and mimic the way he ate it. He played it up a little, sighing with contentment like that was the best thing he’d ever tasted. All to trick her into taking a bite.

Although she wanted to continue the hunger strike for the sake of spite, she didn’t want to become frail. The apple had an appealing scent, and watching Ben savor his gave her hunger pangs. Pearl took a very tentative bite, eyes widening at the crunch. She expected it to be much softer. The mermaid chewed carefully, curiously even, and swallowed that first bite. “It’s not bad,” came the final verdict. Honest, but grumpy.

“We have more, if you’re still hungry. Let me know,” he told her, then turned around so she might eat in peace. It wouldn’t do to badger her for answers at all times; he had to be soft with her, kind, so that maybe she’d warm up to him a little more. Like she had once upon a time, before things got so messed up.

***

He left her alone until he had more to bring her, a little past one in the afternoon. Ben wanted to make a point of consistently visiting Pearl, by himself, to work on the interrogation. He brought an entire raw trout on a plate, hoping it would thaw the mermaid a little.

“I asked one of my people to fish you a fresh trout,” he told her, stopping short as soon as he caught sight of her. Something was wrong. Ben saw on her face that she was more distressed than before…and weaker, too, breathing laboriously. Her lips were chapped and she was huddled in the corner.

“I need water,” she said with as much pride as she could muster under the circumstances, but it still came off shaky.

He was somewhat horrified to see the damage on her skin. There were red patches all over her, dry and bubbling up. It looked like she’d been burned. Her scales lost their shine, looking dull and flaky instead. “You can’t withstand being out of the sea for very long,” he softly stated his deduction. She was drying up from the inside out.

Ben was right. Inexperienced merfolk could only last about 12 hours on land before needing to submerge themselves again. Tolerance could be gradually built up over time, with enough exposure, and Pearl’s semi-frequent strolls on foot had built hers up to three days. She was at her limit.

Although she hated to admit it, Pearl had no choice. “Yes. I must return to the water. I don’t believe that you want me dead, or you would have killed me. I…I will die if I do not return,” she warned in a wheeze, fixing him with defiant eyes that betrayed the pain she was feeling. “I—did not hurt one of your people. And the metals I gather…I…like shiny things, Benjamin. T-they’re rare underwater.” A wince. “I swear.”

He ignored her confession in favor of a more practical question: “How much water do you need?”

The mermaid’s eyes widened. “You are not setting me free? Have I not told you all that you wish to know?!”

“…No. Not yet.” He didn’t believe that she was being truthful. Ben knew he could leverage the water she required in order to get actual answers, or to get her to agree to further testing. He was going to do it, mouth already opening to utter the words, when the sight of her wheezing stopped him. It was obvious that her condition was deteriorating, right in front of his very eyes; she winced every time she moved, and she was having a hard time breathing. Ben faltered, unable to offer such a cruel bargain. No…he could find another way to get her to talk. “I’ll make sure you have enough water,” Ben evaded, giving one pointed nod before leaving the captive mermaid behind.

It was not by serendipity that she was already inside an aquarium meant for a large marine mammal. Benjamin always intended to fill it up after he got some answers out of her, so that he could observe her behavior in a more natural habitat. He figured he could keep her in the aquarium for a week, maybe two, before the other sirens came calling on his doorstep. All Ben had to do was reconnect the valve that attached the enclosure to the tank, and the contraption would start pumping water from the ocean outside. The enclosure would be completely filled up with seawater within two hours.

Of course, his original plan was to fill it up only after Pearl had a more forthcoming chat with him. He didn’t know that she would dry out without being submerged! It was easy enough to adapt to the new circumstances, though; put her in water now, let her heal, and then pull her out when she was ready to talk--- which she would be, sooner or later. Ben would make sure of that.

He knew her people would be looking for her, ready to strike down any human in the way. Security was being beefed up at that very moment, and all of Ben’s people had strict orders to stay behind the Sonic Fence at all times—a puzzling order considering they didn’t know the situation, but Colleen’s disappearance provided a convenient cover story. Sailing back and forth to the main Island was a debate between the team; they might be ambushed during the crossing, but Ben decided on a double-bluff: they would continue using their boats as usual, to keep up the normalcy and give the impression that nothing changed. If the mermaids noticed that they were suddenly avoiding the seas, they’d instantly know Pearl’s disappearance was their fault.

All the hardships were worth it to get to study a mermaid up close and find out how to win the war. But, eventually, he needed to get her to talk. The current situation wasn’t sustainable in the long term.

Ben reached the room that housed all of the aquarium maintenance tools and equipment, and carefully connected the tank valve to a tube that led into the enclosure. With a firm grip, he turned the wheel that opened another, more inner valve connected to the outside. A hum let him know it worked, then soon a faint noise of rushing water. A series of pipes pulled in water straight from the ocean outside – as the aquarium facilities were actually underground – to fill in the tank, and then the water would flow through the aquarium tube. A filtration system kept it circling, so that the water never stagnated.

***

Pearl was startled when she heard the same noise, eyes darting about in frantic search of the source. She quickly located an opening at the top of her enclosure – which had been sealed shut before – and, seconds later, saw a trickle of water begin to pour from up there. She let out a gasp of relief and pushed herself on her tail, wheezing and groaning as she crawled toward it. Every move burned. The siren finally laid under the stream of falling water, letting it pour all over her. Over her head, down her sensitive skin and dry tail. The contact drew many tiny sighs of relief from her, and little shudders as her condition slowly improved.

At first it was just like a salve; it soothed her skin as long as it was touching her, but the burns were not going anywhere. She knew it would take some time. She noticed a figure watching her from the large window. Benjamin, with questioning eyes as though he wanted to know if she was okay now. Pearl almost laughed bitterly, but chose to just nod at him instead.

Now that her health was taken care of, she had another pressing matter in mind. The moonstone. She was absolutely desperate to get the gem back! She traced index fingers around her neck, making the shape of a necklace, and mouthed the word ‘please’ at Ben. He understood her, but instantly shook his head ‘no’, a grave expression on his face. She let out the tiniest hiss and closed her eyes, weak, and hopeless. Knowing she was healing, Ben walked away—to continue watching through the camera feed rather than in person.

It took about half an hour to fill up the aquarium enough that Pearl could be fully underwater, though only if she was sitting down. While she was still recovering, Ben had live fish of different sizes and colors released in the aquarium, as well as several species of algae. He wanted to see what Pearl would go for. Finally, her breathing began to get easier, and her skin soothed, the angry red blisters vanishing entirely. Her tail regained its glossy sheen. The salt water had hydrated and completed her healing. From then on it was just a matter of waiting until the rest of the aquarium was completely filled with seawater.

There was a marginal improvement to Pearl’s mood by then. She was still imprisoned, but at least she was free to swim. The mermaid twirled around, twisting tail over head, going from one side to the other. She did a barrel roll, a front flip, swam all the way to the bottom then back up, then did a series of wide spins and more twists, all very elegant and light. She was way more comfortable underwater, stretching her muscles, feeling…not at home, but at least in her element.

In the surveillance room, the rest of the team gathered to watch their very own private mermaid in her natural habitat. She was quite the graceful creature, and the feeding was going to be a spectacle, they guessed.

Pearl, who was already hungry, sprang into action as soon as she got bored of doing aquatic pirouettes. She swam with physics-defying speed, her hydrodynamic shape allowing her to break through the water with ease, fins flapping faster than human eyes could see. She went straight for the fish. Then why was she so sour when he mentioned they were a fishing community, back when they met at the decoy village, Ben wondered.

The creature caught up to the school of fish and expertly snatched one with delicate but firm fingers. With a quick flick of the wrist, the fish’s neck was broken—an act of mercy, Ben realized. Pearl’s teeth extended out into the trademark sharp fangs and Ben, along with Richard, Ethan and Isabel, inched closer to the screen in anticipation. They watched her take a bite out of the small dead fish, which was as unnerving as it was fascinating.

Everyone seemed mesmerized by their new captive. All eyes were on Pearl, following as she glided back and forth, unable to glance away from her undulating body and dainty outstretched arms. It was only natural that a beautiful never-before seen mermaid elicited that kind of fascinated response. Ben acknowledged as much, but that didn’t mean he liked it. He felt a certain measure of sourness rising up in him when he noticed how intently the others were watching Pearl.

“Enough gawking at her,” he finally snapped, cranky. “She’s not a zoo animal. Please, go back to your daily duties, I’ll keep an eye on her.” By myself, he added only in his head. He felt a bit of possessiveness over the mermaid, and didn’t want anybody getting attached to her in any way. Besides, she really didn’t deserve to be stared at like a circus performer; Ben was willing to give Pearl her privacy, observing her only as much as he needed to study her habits.

And that was the true pricelessness of having Pearl locked up in an aquarium: he would be the first human being to ever understand those creatures, by getting to see one behave naturally from up close. It was exciting, it thrilled him, and yet he still felt some measure of guilt that he was burying deep down.

***

Pearl may not know much about the human world, but she was a quick study. Within one day she discovered that the strange black object with the blinking red light allowed her to be seen by people who were not in the room with her--- it was the surveillance camera. The way she figured it out was simple enough: she cut her hand when trying to force open the tube, and seconds later Ben showed up to ask if she needed the wound taken care of. She didn’t; it was minor and the saltwater would heal it soon enough. But the situation made her suspicious; how did he know she was hurt? She swam to the top to investigate and, from that new vantage point, spotted the unusual blinking light for the first time. It had to be that.

The siren was beyond mad to be held captive, and she wanted to make it known. Floating right in front of the camera, she swung her tail and hit the glass with enough force for the sound to reverberate, and then she did it again and again, until she was sure sufficient time passed for someone to come spy on her. Guessing that somebody would be watching, she waved and beckoned them forward.

And right she was; Ben – who had briefly stepped away to deal with other matters – was called to the surveillance room by a frantic Ethan, who warned him that their captive mermaid was up to something rebellious. Ben’s wary glance fell to the screen and it dawned on him.

“She knows,” he drawled in a monotone, more to himself than to Ethan. Clever mermaid, he praised, though it irked him that he could no longer secretly observe her. He pressed the communication button, turning on speakers inside the aquarium. “Yes, Pearl?”

A simple statement, in a somewhat tired and snippy voice. He waited for her next move.

A smug little smile crept over her lips when she heard his voice. Acknowledging her. Proving she was right. She swam all the way up, where there was a tiny bit of space between the surface of the water and the concrete roof of the aquarium. Her tilted face peered out and she stared the camera dead-on, alerting Ben to the fact that she knew exactly where she could be seen, too. Pearl began enunciating, her hazel eyes icy and cruel; she was scathing. “I will speak slowly so that you can read my lips, Benjamin,” she warned, sending a chill up his spine. She had guessed, of course, that they couldn’t hear her. A rather obvious conclusion that Ben expected her to make. But now she was singling him out, calling on him by name. He practically held his breath, observing the way her lips moved so he’d understand her. “I find your hubris delightful. Would you like to know why? Because you think I’m trapped here with all of you … but actually, you’re trapped here with me. This treachery will not be forgotten or forgiven,” she hissed, her canines extended into sharp fangs and eyes glowing bright. “And sooner or later you will hear me sing, Ben Linus, and you will swim to your doom.” She winked with a wicked smile before diving back down and turning her back to the camera, effectively ignoring it after that.

Her ominous threat sent a chill up his spine. And the use of his nickname felt like deliberate mockery. Maybe it was safer to kill her--- no. He couldn’t do that to her. And releasing her back into the wild so soon was the stupidest idea in the world; his only choice was to keep her in captivity with extra security. He drew in a breath and let go of the comms button. “The room is impenetrable and my people are highly trained,” he answered her, despite knowing she couldn’t hear him anymore. “You will not be able to sing to me, siren, not now, or ever.” Ben scowled, feeling more or less secure in that assumption.

***

People were really starting to wonder why Ben was spending so much time on Hydra Island. He’d waste hours every day in the surveillance room, patiently sitting with his glasses on, barely moving except for the alert shifting of his eyes. He watched her daily, even though there wasn’t much to see. All Pearl would do was swim around, occasionally hunting fish, glaring at the camera if she happened to pass right under it. She seemed lonely, and Ben could only assume that she was, as every time he saw a mermaid in the wild they were accompanied by others. Not solitary creatures, he deduced. There were obvious signs of distress in her, too, which often made him wonder if it was feasible to keep her there longer than a week. If only Jacob answered his queries and offered some advice on how best to handle the situation.

Ben had honestly expected Pearl to make more of a fuss, be a constant problem. Instead, the blonde mermaid seemed resigned to her fate, complying just enough to make sure she wouldn’t be hurt. But Ben was no fool, and neither was Pearl. Her compliance was a misdirect, no doubt. He knew that she might’ve been biding her time, observing, learning, and crafting a plan of her own. They could never get complacent around a creature as clever and deadly as she.

At the same time, now that she was not being confronted with guns or medical equipment, her fighting spirit was coming back. She made it clear that she was offended by the captivity, always uppity in her swims. Every day he asked her questions through the speaker system, and every day she refused to answer. Most times she didn’t even entertain the possibility of acknowledging him, choosing to simply turn her back to the camera, nose turned up in an obvious display of superiority. I’m above this situation, she was telling them, and Ben got the message. The more time passed with no results, the more he worried.

He desperately wanted to get back to their good rapport. But there was a line - no, a chasm between them now, dug by circumstances, misunderstandings and self-preservation instincts. Ben didn’t know if it could ever be bridged. If he were honest with himself…probably not. He would never trust her, and she would never forgive him.

That fifth day was no different than the rest. Ben sat in front of the monitor displaying the camera feed from the former dolphin enclosure. His chin rested on the palm of his hand, elbows on the table. There was a crease of worry on his forehead, and his blue eyes – currently behind round glasses -- were intensely focused on the creature swimming underwater. He didn’t anticipate that she would take so many days to break. He was a very patient man, but they were on a clock.

“What do we do with her?” the voice of a subordinate named Paul asked him, and he barely registered it.

He didn’t know what to do yet. Ben would prefer not to kill the siren; he and his people were not murderers! But he had certainly never been above letting people die or engineering circumstances that led to death, if it protected the Island and kept him and his position safe. And, if things were dire enough, Ben was perfectly capable of getting his own hands dirty—especially if he deemed somebody not morally worthy of the Island. The siren was a question mark to him, though. Her kind inhabited the Island for as long as Jacob’s people, so perhaps they belonged there too. But they were an undeniable threat to humans. Pearl, especially, was difficult to read, in a way that gnawed at Ben’s insides and gave him a certain measure of anxiety.

His subordinate asked for his orders again, and Ben dismissed with a vexed hiss: “I’m thinking!”

He watched Pearl for a long moment, calmly gliding around the aquarium like she was above it all. Her body undulated and fins flapped to propel her forward, and her soft blonde tresses floated elegantly behind her. She was beautiful, but Ben was no fool; he could see the icy glint in her eyes, the malice and hunger in the quirk of her lips. And now she had a grudge against him. Pearl was a big threat, one he might be wise to get rid of.

But there was another aspect to consider, too: the political ramifications of murdering a mermaid. Her kind might take up arms against him and his. His lips pressed into a thin line, the crease on his forehead deepening. He felt that his back was against the wall; killing Pearl was dangerous and could bring about serious consequences. And he didn’t want to, anyway—maybe he wasn’t completely over his infatuation yet. He would be soon, though, he was sure of it. But keeping her locked up was just as bad – having her forever was more trouble than it was worth, and a little too cruel for Ben to be comfortable with -- and freeing her without answers was out of the question. He had tried to work things out with her, but she kept poking her nose in the surface and into his business, threatening his people and his very life.

Well…if being kind and building rapport wasn’t working, perhaps there was a way to make the aquatic creature a little more docile. A taming, so to speak. To get her to finally answer the questions he demanded from her. If Pearl wanted to behave as she was, denying the truth, making threats and refusing any agreements, he’d kick things up a notch on his side too. He was confident he had finally figured out her primary weakness, and he was ready to use it against her. Ben took off his glasses as he stood up and walked away.

He had a plan.

After a few hours and a couple radio calls to his people on the main Island, everything was in place to set it in motion. With a laptop in hand, he made his way to the aquarium and rapped his knuckles on the glass twice, to catch her attention. Pearl was next to him in an instant, leaving a swirling of bubbles behind her from the speed. She placed both hands on the other side of the glass and snarled with all her fangs on display, tail pointed up and high above her head, hair floating.

Ben knew she’d like nothing more than to rip his head off, but he didn’t let it concern him. Instead, he tilted the computer screen toward the mermaid. “This is a camera feed— it shows us what is currently happening in another location,” he carefully explained, unblinking. She questioningly pointed up and he nodded. “Yeah, that’s a camera too, that’s how I could see you. But look here.” He rigidly pointed at the laptop screen. “Do you see my men approaching the shore?”

Pearl nodded in confirmation, glaring harshly at him. Ben gave one nod back and continued: “They’re carrying explosives. Last time, we only planted sound weapons around the border perimeter. This time…we’re willing to drop bombs straight into the ocean.” His chin lifted and his eyes found hers, intense, ominous, and shining darkly with danger.

Pearl slammed a hand into the glass, face twisting with distress and tail flicking up and down fast. “My sisters!” she mouthed, which Ben understood.

“They will die,” he coldly confirmed, sending a horrifying chill up the mermaid’s spine. It was eerie how stoic he remained throughout his threats. “But you can save them. If you answer my questions truthfully, and you allow me to put a tracker in you, I give you my word that we’ll bring back the explosives. Your sisters will be left unharmed.”

The pure hatred in Pearl’s gaze would’ve made any other person tremble, yet Ben stayed unflappable, his will unbending. She was disgusted that a human would threaten something so violent, so vile — perhaps forgetting that her own kind had blackmailed and kidnapped, too. She hissed at him, but nodded, mouthing an ‘okay’. There was no question in her mind, no hesitation, no choice; she wouldn’t let her loved ones die.

Ben bowed his head toward her, then walked off to meet where they could talk. One side of his mouth turned up into a smirk; he was pleased that his plan – his bluff -- worked out well. He never really meant to blow up any sirens; maybe just one or two if Pearl had absolutely refused to comply. But she didn’t, thanks to him knowing exactly which weakness to exploit: her love and sense of responsibility toward the other mermaids. He exhaled happily, the smirk growing into a smile of relief.

There was a hatch at the top of the aquarium, leading down a short ramp that ended in the water. It was built for maintenance and feeding the dolphins. Pearl sometimes perched up there when she didn’t want to swim, using the ramp like a rock. She had the same idea as Ben, so she swam up there and hauled herself up onto it. When he opened the hatch door, she was huddled on the end of the ramp right before where it submerged, hugging her tail like one might do their knees. As soon as Ben entered she shifted, extending the scaly appendage out in front of her and sitting up straight. A more powerful stance.

He approached quietly, giving her a nod of respect. Polite, while his face remained distant. She flapped her tail and hit the fins on the ground; it sounded like a slap. He deadpanned, unfazed, and she looked away in a huff.

“We’ll start with the tracker. You’ll feel a pinch, but that’s it,” Ben assured, stoically going straight to the point.

“What is a tracker?” she couldn’t help but ask. Having never heard of that type of technology, the siren could only guess based on the name. “Some way to…track me?”

He gave a faint nod. “It allows us to see your location at any given time.” He didn’t want to give a detailed explanation, but he didn’t mind her knowing the basics. “And I should warn you—it looks like a gun, but that’s not what it is, so please stay calm.”

She didn’t like that at all. “Then what is it?!”

A quick sideways bob of the head. “It’s something called an implant gun. It—gently perforates the skin, to embed the tracker in your body. May I?” Ben held out a hand, expectant eyes on her.

All of that sounded horrible! It scared her, but her sisters needed her, and she didn’t want Ben to see her falter. Pearl let out a bitter mix of a laugh and a scoff. “It’s not as though I have a choice, now, is it?” she spat at him, rhetorically, and he looked down at the ground. She extended her arm and glanced away from him with certain brattiness, and he took a firm but still gentle hold of it. While Ben pressed the implant gun to her upper arm, his hand clutching her lower one, she thought of how that was a positive sign; if he wanted to be able to track her movements and locations, it meant he’d probably make good on his promise to let her go ‘when the time was right’, didn’t it? She felt just a little twinge of hope, and that helped ease her melancholy.

And that was Ben’s intention. He knew she’d cheer up if she believed that he would let her go—and then she’d be more likely to answer his questions honestly. And he needed that tracker inside her anyway. After he released her back into the wild, he wanted to keep tabs on her so that he wouldn’t be caught unaware and unprepared if she decided to come back to land. A location tracker that the Dharma scientists used on sharks worked wonders for that.

He wanted to leverage her song, too; to record it and have it analysed, possibly replicated for his own use, but at the very least so they could understand how it worked and why it enchanted humans. But he needed the song at full potency, and for that Pearl needed to be underwater. It was too risky at the moment; maybe once she was more settled in her aquarium, he might be able to convince her to willingly sing into a microphone.

For now, the interrogation would do. “All done,” he told her as he let go of her arm and put the microchipping gun away.

“Lovely,” she said in a complete deadpan. “Now—I will give you answers.”

“I’ll start you off easy, with a couple of simple questions,” he smiled briefly, a tight close-lipped smile that didn’t reach his eyes. “When we met—before I knew what you were—you got mad that we were a fishing village. But you eat fish, so, what bothered you?”

“Humans fish by cruelly piercing their mouths, and they take more than they need. We are compassionate when we feed,” she spat at him, nose turned up in the air.

“We actually use nets, but I see your point. You don’t like those, either.” He gave a half sideways nod, crouching on the ramp so their heights were similar. His back ached again. “You speak better English than the other mermaids I’ve met. Why do you spend more time on land than they do?” Purposefully neutral eyes were on her.

She scoffed with irritation. Why was he asking such silly questions, anyway? Why did it matter to him? Well; Ben knew the value of information. Even small, seemingly meaningless details were useful to a skilled manipulator such as himself. “We are not meant to venture onto land—but I always dared to go farther. I was more curious about humans, and I observed more than my sisters…so my language skills developed faster, especially after meeting you.”

That added up. Now for the harder questions. “Why did I confiscate a sack with small pieces of metal from you?” He squinted, blue eyes piercing right through her. “You were gathering them when my boat blew up, too. What do you need them for?”

She looked at him with pure venom, and he knew that being forced to tell the truth was killing her. “To build things. Before you ask me what, I do not know what, yet. I can only find very small scraps of metal, I don’t have enough for anything yet.”

The piercing gaze was still on her. “You saw that we have objects made of metal, and decided to try for yourself.”

“Yes,” she grudgingly conceded, sneering at the man. But then she softened and let out a broken sigh. “Benjamin, I am cooperating. I need my moonstone. Please. I’ll—trade you an answer for it,” she practically begged, willing to put aside her own pride to get the necklace back.

“I need to hold on to that for a little while longer, Pearl,” he denied with a downward turn of the lips. “Sorry.”

“But—” she started to debate, but deflated when she saw how resolute he was. Her shoulders slumped and she lost some of the angry snootiness.

Good, he thought; she was finally being put in her place, which meant it was the perfect time to ask the most important question of all. Ben’s chin lifted up, his eyes hard and darkened as he stared her down, intimidating the mermaid. “Was any human hurt by a member of your kind recently?”

Pearl let out a sad, frantic sigh. “No! Benjamin, I told you, I do not know what you are referring to! We did not hurt or see any humans, not since I last saw you.” Her eyes found his, searching and pleading with him. “Why would I do such a thing?” Her voice quivered. “You must believe me. Please.”

She was so convincing, it gave him pause. His hands clasped together as he regarded her carefully, reading her. That siren was pleading with him to believe her, swearing that they weren’t responsible for the disappearance, speaking with such urgency and feeling that he almost wanted to believe it was true. But Ben knew how easily, how well some people could lie, especially when it meant saving themselves from harm—he was a perfect example of that, able to convincingly bend the truth in order to stay safe. Pearl had always been calculated and performative. Besides, if not the sirens, what else could explain the disappearance?

So, despite her pleas, her attempts to change his mind made little impression.

“Do you give me your word?” he baited liltingly, knowing that her moral code wouldn’t allow her to keep lying if she promised that.

“I—” Pearl hesitated, voice strangling in her throat.

His suspicions hiked up to a thousand. “Pearl, do I need to remind you what’s at stake?” he narrowed his eyes, glowering somberly and rising to his feet. “We will drop explosives into the ocean if I find out you lied to me…” The tone of his voice had become a smooth, menacing hiss. It chilled her to her core.

Right then and there, something shifted in Pearl. She raised her chin, straightened her shoulders and brought her gaze directly to his, face shadowy and eyes full of a cold, unfeeling danger. The pleading demeanor vanished entirely, replaced by something much more sinister. “Very well. The honest truth? We attacked her--- and it was her own fault,” she told Ben in a completely unapologetic manner, almost as if taunting him. The mermaid hissed, glaring at him with so much quiet rage. She didn’t dare hurt him now, but he knew that if he ever made a mistake around her, she’d strike to kill.

Ben was torn between anger for their attack on one of his people, and smug pride that he managed to pry a confession from the stubborn mermaid. He took a small step toward her, to show that he wasn’t intimidated, and fixed her with steely eyes and an air of superiority. “What did she do to make it ‘her fault’?” he asked acidly, a small scowl on his face.

Pearl inhaled slowly, glaring daggers at the human. She didn’t want to give him the satisfaction of an answer, but the mermaid wasn’t stupid; she knew when she was defeated, and when it was best to fold. “She came upon my sister on the north side of the Island, bathing in our lagoon—she broke the treaty first. My sister told the human woman to run, but the monster reached for a gun instead,” a hiss of disgust. “She failed to notice there was another of us in the water. She jumped out and bit the woman’s throat.” The demeanor of the captive siren was almost sanctimonious, like an unfeeling ice queen determined to prove she was morally right.

Ben’s head fell slowly to the side, blue eyes squinting at her—not so much in a threatening way, but in a curious, almost searching manner. “Forgive me if I don’t take you at your word right away,” he challenged.

“I am not lying now! I did it before to protect myself,” Pearl insisted, and this time it was indeed the truth. “You must know I would never breach the treaty! I went to all that trouble to set it up--- this doesn’t benefit me, Benjamin. And I don’t do anything that does not benefit me.”

The shadow of a smile passed on his lips. She had as much of a silver tongue as he did, and he was mildly impressed by that. Ben was sensible and intelligent enough to know that her argument was right. Colleen must’ve been startled by running into a mermaid out in the wild. Except that…it made no sense for one of Ben’s people to wander anywhere near that lagoon. Colleen wouldn’t disobey his orders or be so stupid; she knew better. Something still didn’t add up! “Were you there?” he asked plainly, tone and expression indecipherable.

“Nearby. I saw it happen…and I did not stop it,” she admitted, hazel eyes burning and challenging him to react.

“And yet you spared me when I actually shot one of your kind. You told all the other mermaids to stand down,” he pointed out with a vague gesture of the hand, speaking fairly casually. “Colleen only pulled out a gun, and you let her die?” His gaze intensified. “Why?”

“You had fished me out and promised to let me go, and you’d been kind when we first met. I have told you this before.”

“Hmm, yeah,” he slowly walked a half-circle around her, with measured steps and an air of light sarcasm. All designed to get under her skin. “But that doesn’t add up. From what you told me, Colleen didn’t even have time to offer to let your sister go.”

Pearl turned where she sat, pushing herself with her tail to face Ben. Sometimes she hated that he was so perceptive. “It was the looks on your faces.” That wasn’t enough of an answer. When Ben squinted quizzically at her, she continued: “You held a gun to me, but the look on your face was one of concern for yourself. Preoccupation with your own life, rather than a desire to hurt me. This woman…she was unhinged. She was going to kill my sister, and she was proud of it. She deserved what she got,” Pearl spat, tail flicking for emphasis. “You--- I thought you were possibly less of a monster.” With an elegant flourish, she gestured to the enclosure they found themselves in, and let out a bitter chuckle. “Clearly I was mistaken.”

He let the insult roll off his back as best as he could, but it did sting a little. Ben was deep in thought, playing out the story that Pearl told him in his head. Colleen wasn’t the type to be unhinged; her husband, maybe, but she was more level-headed. Only someone unstable would be prideful at that… “Pearl, would you mind describing this woman to me?” he asked, on a hunch.

An aggravated hiss. “Curly dark hair, older than you, very light eyes, and…she spoke differently. There was a different enunciation to the words.”

Understanding slowly appeared on Ben’s face, and he let his eyes close with frustration. “That’s not one of my people,” he acidly told the mermaid. Pearl was describing Danielle Rousseau, Ben was sure of it. The French accent, the appearance, the unhinged pride probably meant in a nervous and defensive way rather than malicious…

“What?” she cried out, taken aback. “Your people are the only inhabitants of this Island!”

He stiffly shook his head. “No. The French woman isn’t one of ours. She lives alone, on the other side of the Island, and she’s mentally unstable…” he tapered off, voice tinged with a bitter annoyance.

“Does…that mean she is unaware of our agreement?” A wide-eyed mermaid asked, doubt creeping into her heart. Was Benjamin playing her to save face? He nodded at her question, and she sighed, stunned. “I…really believed that your people had broken the treaty and trespassed in the lagoon, Benjamin. When you found me, I was on land to gather supplies for the fight.” It was true. After the incident with Danielle, Pearl was seeking more metal pieces to turn into weapons, to defend their homes against any invading humans. But what she told him earlier was true, too: she didn’t know what weapons to make, and she didn’t have enough metal for any yet.

“And I only brought you here to study you to prepare for the fight I thought you were starting,” he chided petulantly. What a mess of a situation. When the French woman found herself facing a mermaid, she likely anxiously – maybe aggressively, as she’d always been prone to impulsivity and anger -- pulled a gun on one. The mermaids understandably assumed that Danielle was with Ben, and prepared accordingly to retaliate. He took their preparation as an attack, also understandably. An honest mistake from both sides, that unfortunately snowballed into an attacked human and a kidnapped mermaid.

Pearl understood it as well as he did. She considered the accuracy of his claim of innocence regarding the French woman, and decided it was a reach to absolve him of all of it. He may have had real, fair reasons to suspect her of starting a war, but he stole her from the ocean and kept her prisoner—and was making no current move to let her go. Pearl could forgive him grabbing her, but not him keeping her after finding out the truth. “Will you set me free now?”

Ben averted his eyes. He didn’t want to see the disappointment on her features when he answered her. “Not yet. But very soon, Pearl, I promise.” She scoffed, dejected, and a heavy silence hung between them. “Is she dead?” he asked abruptly, for Alex’s sake. After all, Danielle was her biological mother, that Widmore ordered Ben to kill when Alex was just a baby. Ben spared the woman and took in the child so that she had a chance of survival, and although he never wanted Alex to meet Danielle, he didn’t want her dead either. He needed to know if the woman was gone.

A cold shrug. “I do not know. She ran after she got bit, clutching her neck. She may have bled out, or she may have reached shelter in time.”

So there was some hope of survival. That was better than nothing, at least.

“Did you hurt anyone else? Or do you know the whereabouts of a shorter haired, dark-blonde woman?” Colleen’s fate was still a mystery.

“No, we did not, and I do not,” she said dryly, not bothering with the theatrics anymore. “I know that I lied before, but I swear on the full moon that I am being truthful now.”

He pondered the veracity of her claims. She couldn’t have faked the description of the French woman, and she had been prepared to take the blame for that. Pearl was telling the truth, Ben was sure of it. Which then begged the question: where the hell was Colleen? Ben would have to launch that search party after all.

“Okay. Thank you for your honesty, Pearl,” he said, as if he didn’t blackmail her into answering questions. “Would you like to know what those machines did to you?” Ben asked softly, offering her a semblance of a smile. When she seemed surprised by the initiative, the man shrugged. “A deal is a deal.”

“I—never took that deal.” He suggested it a couple days ago, and she refused him.

A soft smile passed over his lips. “But I offered. You told me the truth now, so I might as well reciprocate.” If he could cultivate any good will with her again, he’d do it. He wanted her to know he was a good person!

Relying on his explanation unsettled her, but she wasn’t throwing away the chance of learning more. After she nodded, Ben told her in detail what each test did: taking her pressure, x-raying her organs, all of it. She listened quietly, alternating between wide, curious eyes, and offended, mad glares.

After the conversation wrapped up, he climbed out through the hatch door and Pearl dove off the ramp, returning to the confinement of those waters. Ben briefly considered letting her go since he asked everything he wanted to—but not yet. Now that he had her, he was determined to get all the answers before releasing her. There were still a couple of things he wanted to understand about her behavior and physiology. Then, by the end of that week, he would free her…and hope that she might forgive him, might understand that he had to do it!

Ten days in total, he decided. After ten days, he’d return her to the wild ocean and set her free. That was only five days away—not enough to really distress Pearl, but enough to enable him to record a sample of her song, plus check if there were any changes to Pearl’s behavior during the full moon; some of the lore claimed there were. After the full moon waned, he’d let her go home.

He decided it might benefit him to tell her that. Through the speaker system, his voice carried underwater: “Five more days, Pearl. After that, I promise that you’ll be sent home.”

She eyed the glass window strangely, like she was deep in thought. And she was; she was trying to remember the length of a human day, to calculate what five meant. After a few calculations, she realized it coincided with the end of the full moon, and correctly assumed Ben wanted to watch her during it. With an annoyed huff, she swam in an upside down circle and then away from the glass. She was so sick of being constantly watched! But no matter where she swam in that large rectangle, she couldn’t hide from prying eyes. It was very emotionally and mentally taxing. The siren felt drained.

***

It took another 24 hours, but Colleen’s body was finally located: deep within the Black Smoke’s territory and broken, like she’d been splattered against a tree after being thrown at it by an extremely strong inhuman force. All telltale signs that the Black Smoke was the culprit, not a siren. Ben was in disbelief that one of his own could make such an amateur mistake, but then again, he wasn’t one to underestimate that Smoke, ever. It was odd, though; Colleen’s body was so far out into dangerous territory…did she really wander that far, without noticing where she was headed? That pondering would stay in the very back of Ben’s mind for a long while. He chalked it up to Colleen being consumed by grief over her husband’s passing, which might account for her being distracted enough to allow herself to be caught in an attack. The body was wedged in a hole on the ground, too, so far down that they only found her thanks to some talented trackers on the team that followed soil indentations leading away from a bloody tree. Ben knew that the Smoke was a rather vicious creature…maybe that explained the shove, although it looked like the body was concealed on purpose… unusual circumstances indeed, he mused. Colleen had been a good soldier, somewhat of a friend; he’d miss his fallen comrade. She deserved better than that tragic end. And--shame that he threw his relationship with Pearl in the trash over this. Oh, well—Ben allowed himself a single minute to feel the ache of both losses, then took a deep breath and pushed past the feelings.

It was Pearl’s sixth day in the hands of the humans, and that morning she hunted the last fish remaining in the aquarium. The man that came to bring more was basically unknown to her, some new guy with black hair and dark eyes she’d only seen once, when he used a key to open the water valve. This time, he was carrying a container full of live fish and a long, thin contraption. He opened the hatch and took a couple steps down the ramp, and Pearl went at him like lightning strike. It was her chance! She could grab him, crawl through that hole and--

He stabbed the contraption forward before she touched him, having been prepared for a possible attack. Unbeknownst to her, it was a cattle prod—and when it touched the water, Pearl’s world exploded. She let out a high pitched cry of terrified pain, eyes squeezed shut and mouth wide open. Electricity jolted every inch of her, from her tail to her hair, as she twisted around and bent backward, fins and hair floating in the same direction.

While she was struggling with herself, he dumped the live fish in the water and closed the hatch.

The furious mermaid sank to the bottom, where she sulked, nursing her body and her bruised ego. And then…her eyebrows slowly rose up, and she held back a smirk. It didn’t matter that she only had four days left, according to Ben. Every day in the aquarium was a nightmare that, despite her uppity façade, left her nerves in shambles; she fought anxiety and hopelessness every day. Never having a moment of privacy was its own kind of torture. And-- she’d rather escape on her own terms than to ever rely on Benjamin. That new torturous device gave her an idea; perhaps it was a blessing in disguise, because now the mermaid had the one thing she needed most: hope.

She hunted the new batch of fish faster than strictly necessary, eating as much as she could stomach every meal. In two days – her eighth in captivity – that guy was back to replenish the aquarium. And again, like she hadn’t learned her lesson, she swam to attack him.

Again he stuck the cattle prod in the water to stop her.

It hurt like hell, but this time she was prepared to take it; the mermaid powered through, baring her fangs at him with a strangled groan. He shocked the water a second time, and she recoiled with a yelp and a tight grimace, feeling her muscles twitching. By then, Ben was glued to the screen, wide eyed. What is she up to?!

Pearl closed her eyes and took a deep breath, steadying herself, then forced herself to keep swimming toward the man. For a third time, he stuck the cattle prod in the water and shocked the mermaid.

The first two hits were okay, but thrice was the limit for her body. It left Pearl in excruciating pain, a wail escaping her sharp-teethed mouth as her muscles involuntarily spasmed. It was exactly what she needed, though; her body went limp and she flopped around, appearing to be unconscious. The mermaid floated in eerie silence, bent in the shape of a C and sinking face first to the bottom.

Ben’s eyes went wider as he watched that unfold on the monitor’s screen, yet he didn’t move. Paul the fish feeder, on the other hand, panicked. If he had seriously injured the mermaid, Ben would be so mad at him! He dropped the cattle prod and knelt on the edge of the ramp, bringing his face closer to the water to check on her.

“No!” Ben ordered hastily, a bit of panic shining through his voice as he frantically pressed the button on the walkie-talkie. “She’s tricking you! Don’t—”

But it was too late. The mermaid, who had been playing possum just like he suspected, charged at Paul like a bullet and yanked the cattle prod from him, dropping it to sink to the bottom of the enclosure. The stunned man scrambled back, but he was too slow to evade her grabbing his shoulders. He screamed in fright, just as he was pulled headfirst below the surface by the mermaid’s icy fingers. Ben knew right then and there that Paul was as good as dead. “Go get him!” he barked an urgent order at Ethan via radio, despite knowing it was useless; Ethan was right outside the surveillance room, but he would never make it to the hatch door in time.

Ethan ran down the bare hallways, footsteps reverberating. He found the hatch door closed—something Pearl did before she dove back under the surface, to effectively stop the cavalry. Paul was the only one with a set of keys, except for Ben. Ethan rushed back to the surveillance room, panting along the way.

Underwater, Paul was trying to wrestle the siren, but she seemed to have him in a tight grip. The next thing Ben saw was Pearl’s head jerking around and a spray of blood painting the water. Ben’s stomach churned when he realized she had just bitten a chunk out of Paul. His eyes widened even more and he still watched, frozen in half revulsion and half fascination, as the other man tried to staunch the large bite on his neck. He caught a glimpse of Pearl’s mouth and chin, all stained with Paul’s blood, and an unpleasant familiar chill crept up Ben’s spine. He was getting too used to that sight.

The man was thrashing around in the water, desperate to survive as his oxygen was depleting and blood spreading out in waves, but kept under by Pearl’s hands around his ankle. He deserved that misery for keeping her locked up and shocking her, she thought, but when she looked into his eyes…Pearl took pity on the pathetic creature. She began to sing a harmonious melody, and within seconds he stopped fighting. He swam closer to her, holding out his arms toward the siren. She let him come to her and she placed a gentle kiss upon his forehead, which made him smile goofily like he’d never been happier. She slipped a hand into his pocket and stole a set of keys. Ben was gaping at the camera, exasperated and horrified with her. He could read her lips, telling Paul ‘you may stay with me, or, get the right key, swim up, save yourself and never return. The choice is yours.’ Despite Ben’s mental urging, the underwater man didn’t move; the siren song had burrowed too deeply into his brain for him to think of self-preservation.

At least she gave him a choice, Ben thought bitterly. He wouldn’t have blamed her much if she hadn’t. Ethan burst back into the room, panting, and a blank-faced Ben handed him the spare keys to the hatch. He didn’t need to be asked; Ethan’s return was enough to tell him that Pearl must have closed it. Ethan muttered a thank you and darted down the hallway again.

Pearl knew what she had to do now; the valve that dumped water into the aquarium and filtered it through the tank was just wide enough for her to crawl through—and she guessed it had to lead to freedom! Where else would all that water be coming from? Paul stayed close to her, looking right into her eyes, enamoured until his very last breath was stolen; she watched unflinchingly as he died with a peaceful smile on his face.

Ben watched it too, through the cameras. What a horrifying way to go, he grimly thought, with shudders running up his spine and the hair at the back of his neck standing up. That was one of the most chilling things he’d ever witnessed--- but was that kindness that she had shown? Choosing to give the man a calm, happy death, with the possibility of escape? More and more, she kept reaffirming Ben’s belief that the mermaids were perfectly capable of compassion…even when the humans were maybe in the wrong. In fact, he no longer had any doubts about mermaids being compassionate creatures. They were.

Pearl swam up to the top, her head rising out of the water as the wet hair clung to the sides of her face. The siren stared dead at the camera, her eyes glowing a bright pure gold light. When she spoke, it was with the intensity of a thousand suns and the poise of a vengeful queen: “Heed my words, Benjamin Linus. If you ever set foot on the shores again, I will find you. I do not care if it is not within my territory,” she scowled, her teeth slowly sharpening and extending into fangs. Her voice shook with controlled rage. “I will not jeopardize my people’s peace for the sake of destroying all of you— but you, Benjamin Linus…watch your back. The ocean is mine. If I find you, I will drag you to your watery grave, and I will eat you alive.”

On the other side of the screen, Ben stood frozen, transfixed. It was a horrible sight, but he was unable to tear his gaze away, because there was something exquisite to it too, a twisted beauty in the sheer power she exuded. The creature hissed at him before diving, twisting her body with a spin of her shimmery tail and swimming out of the aquarium. She knew exactly how to use the key, having carefully studied the behavior of her feeder the time before. The mermaid still had a little difficulty turning it, having to give a jiggle, but soon she unlocked the valve that connected the suction filtration tube to the tank and then the outside ocean. With a triumphant hiss and a smile, she swam through it, escaping fast into the open sea and leaving only roiling bubbles behind. Ben was left standing there, his heart pounding as her threat echoed in his head.

Just then, Ethan finally managed to get the aquarium feeding hatch to open. Ben let out a frustrated sigh and pressed his eyes tightly shut. The moonstone weighed in his pocket.

Chapter 10: Vengefulness can create a monster, but kindness can transform one

Pearl was filled with unbelievable relief as she reached the fathoms, where she knew she would be safe from human reach. She slowed her pace when she was about halfway home, stopping to float in place. Her fangs sprouted and, after a moment spared to take a deep breath and steady herself, she bit into her own arm with a strangled cry.

Sharp fangs pierced her skin as she dug for the tracker. Pearl would not allow any humans to follow her home and put her merpeople in jeopardy. Luckily, the thing wasn’t embedded too deeply in her upper arm. With another determined cry, she ripped out a piece of flesh and spat it out. The tiny device started to sink, so Pearl grabbed it and smashed it on a rock until it was nothing but crumbles, face pinched in angry distress. Then she examined the self-inflicted wound; it bled a fair amount, prompting her to tie a thick piece of seaweed around it.

Okay. She was okay. It was safe to keep swimming now. Her tail flipped and fins batted as fast as possible to carry her deeper down, to her home where her family was.

When she reached the dilapidated underwater palace ruins, she was immediately surrounded by merfolk who swam circles around her, shrieking with concern.

‘Where were you? We thought you may be off exploring, but you were gone so long! What happened?’ Medusa pressed, clicking frantically.

‘We searched for you, but we didn’t know what to do,’ Aqua all but apologized.

Pearl was visibly shaking, from exhaustion, blood loss, relief, and from the rage of being deprived of her moonstone. There were no more of those gems on the Island, and without it she could never walk on land again! The mermaid seethed as she told her people what had happened, fins swaying gently under her to keep her upright, and her hair floating upwards.

The mermaids were thoroughly insulted by what was done to their Pearl, and shared in her anger and heartbreak.

‘We must avenge you,’ the silver-haired bodyguard communicated with a series of angry hisses. ‘We shall attack the humans at nightfall!’

Pearl paled. ‘You mustn’t,’ she cried out in a high pitched call. ‘They have guns—you will be killed.’

‘We will take them by surprise,’ her sister insisted with a loud cry, making a stabbing motion with her hand.

‘We shall retrieve your moonstone,’ another mermaid clamored.

‘No!’ Pearl shut them down with an emphatic hiss, tail whipping back and forth. ‘You do not know the landscape where they dwell--- some of you can barely walk on foot! If I can’t lead you into battle myself, I am not sending you to die on my behalf!’ The memory of being locked up, helpless and terrified, with bizarre and at times mildly painful experiments being done to her haunted the blonde mermaid; she longed for revenge, but she was unwilling to risk her loved ones. Pearl could never forgive herself if any of them got taken and studied, too.

Aqua, Pearl’s closest sister, swam nearer to her. ‘We can use our song. All of us, combined.’

That was a more promising idea…and it even tempted Pearl. But every day she spent in the aquarium was spent thinking about revenge, so she had already analyzed that same idea from a tactical angle and discarded it. She shook her head. ‘We are vastly outnumbered. With the time that it takes for our song to take effect on land, even as a group chorus…they will cover their ears--- leaving us vulnerable and in danger.’

The mermaids protested, but acquiesced when Pearl snarled commandingly at them. They were quite a sight, floating vertically in poised stances, with all different colors of hairs and tails, their eyes glowing beacons of light.

Though the situation may have seemed hopeless, it wasn’t. Pearl had a plan. It was reckless – more than she wanted to admit – but she was bolder than most of her ever careful sisters. ‘I overheard something important from the man that brought me fish. There is a waterfall on the way between their home and their food drop,’ she told them in a high pitched call. ‘One of them is bound to walk that way. I will hide in that lake and sing when they go past; being in water will make my song take instant effect.’

‘And you’ll demand they bring Benjamin to you?’ Aqua deduced, knowing her sister well.

Pearl nodded gracefully. ‘Indeed. He will give me back my moonstone. And if he destroyed it, or lost it…’ her features darkened and two canine fangs sprung out. ‘I will sing to him and make him search every corner of the world until he finds a replacement. He will never know peace until he brings me a moonstone; the desire to please me will consume his every thought, and if it takes him decades of wandering the earth, he will do so obsessively…until I have a new stone,’ she hissed.

‘Can we kill him then? After you retrieve the moonstone?’ the other bodyguard, with the green curls, hissed.

Pearl gave it a moment’s thought. Then she tilted her head to the side, eyes filled with darkness. ‘…Perhaps.’ It was too soon to give a definitive answer.

Placing herself back within reach of her enemies was certainly audacious. Pearl put on a confident façade, but there were nerves hiking up inside her. At least that plan wouldn’t put anyone else but her in danger. After some bickering, it was settled that Pearl would take a couple days to rest up and regain her strength, and then she would put the plan into action and hopefully recover her moonstone.

The rebellious silver-tailed, brown-haired mermaid that picked a fight with Pearl over trusting Ben watched in silence, from further back, with a somber but validated look in her eyes.

***

In the meantime, Ben tried to trace Pearl’s swimming trajectory with the tracker, displayed on an old Dharma computer. A tiny green light blinked on a geographical map that occupied the screen, moving with startling speed. He followed it with his eyes, jotting down the coordinates—until the light went off. Ben blinked in surprise, frowned, and quickly pressed a few buttons to relaunch the tracker signal.

Nothing happened. The light had completely disappeared from the screen, which could only signify one thing: Pearl had removed the tracker from her arm. Ben’s lips rolled tightly into a thin line, eyes burning a hole into the computer screen from behind his round glasses. His body stayed completely rigid. His mouth twitched.

That was a disappointing blow, to put it mildly. Pearl left before he could finish his studies, and now she was completely gone, vanished in the cold unreachable depths of the ocean. He didn’t move for a long moment, awash in frustration, anger, and a touch of worry.

Finally, he got up abruptly, and marched to a different room where his previous research was. Ben thumbed through the files, reading his and Ethan’s notes on the mermaid. Aside from the first day of experiments and exams, the days she spent housed in the aquarium allowed Ben to understand other things about sirens: feeding patterns – how often they ate, how much, etc, excretion patterns – how her body filtrated and got rid of toxins, and sleeping patterns—she always slept for six hours at night, lying at the bottom of the aquarium. Or at least she tried; more often than not, he noticed that anxiety kept her awake.

He tested the blood sample in the med bay lab; it came back with the same biochemical composition as human blood: red and white blood cells, platelets and all. Pearl was even of the same blood type as Ben, curiously enough. He tested a tear, too, and again it was just like a human’s, even the saltiness. After better analyzing the x-rays, he was pretty sure her lungs were made of sturdier muscles, probably to withstand the very high pressure of the ocean. A human lung would pop. He only saw her take breaths while out of the water, though. Ben still wasn’t sure how she breathed underwater, and now he may never know.

The knowledge he’d already gathered would have to be enough for him. He consoled himself with the reminder that he was the only human being in the entire planet who knew so much about mermaids, had so much tangible proof about them, and that was a special thing to have. And, apparently, mermaids and humans were not at war, after all. It was all a misunderstanding, and Pearl only swore revenge on him; not on anybody else. That was a plus. Sorta.

Night fell, and the dreamscape surrounded Ben yet again. He was lying upon the sand, the waves lapping at his feet. She appeared out of nowhere, faintly tracing her fingertips across his cheek; it took his breath away. As Pearl leaned forward, her blonde hair framed her face, and he could see the golden flecks in the brown of her eyes. Her lips brushed past his, but this time there was no lingering kiss. She moved to his neck and he felt a sudden sharp pang that made him cry out and recoil. To his horror, she smiled at him, but her mouth was full of those creepy fangs, her lips stained with his blood that dripped down her chin. He tried to scream but no sound came out. The siren laughed cruelly and lurched forward to bite a chunk out of him again.

Ben woke up with a start, covered in a cold sweat. It was his first sleep since Pearl escaped from the aquarium. Every time he tried to close his eyes that night, those golden eyes or fanged smile haunted him, until he gave up on trying and decided he was better off reading a book than sleeping. It seemed that Pearl’s threat hit him a little harder than he cared to admit.

He purposely picked a volume that was a leather-bound compilation of old European folktales. It spoke a lot of mermaids, and that was the start of Benjamin throwing himself into research to a level that bordered on being obsessive.

He spent the next three days consuming every bit of mermaid media he could find. Novels, dissertations, manuscripts, fringe documentaries and articles, ancient scrolls, even movies where their depiction was clearly adapted to fulfil Hollywoodian ideals. The materials came from different cultures, different centuries, with somewhat different depictions of the mythical underwater creatures. One claimed any tears shed by mermaids turned to pearls. Other, that they could weave a type of white cloth that never got wet. Ben knew these didn’t apply to the mermaids of the Island; he’d seen Pearl cry, and her tears were regular. She wore that dress made out of a piece of sail, no magical fabric to speak of. One particularly disturbing tale wrote that, if one were to eat a mermaid, they’d become immortal. Ben balked, and judgingly thought that that was one myth he’d never care to test; he absolutely drew the line at eating a creature of human intelligence and cognizance, even if it meant he’d never die.

There was one piece of lore, hailing from Jamaica, that he found interesting enough to test. It purported that, when in the completely dark depths of the oceans, the tails of mermaids became bioluminescent. That was true of other marine creatures; Jamaica, specifically, had a lagoon full of glowing microorganisms; so why not mermaids? Ben still had that scale he cut from Pearl, and he was having it tested on a lab off-Island, by a person that worked for Jacob too. He would probably have an answer regarding that soon—and then he’d put the scale under a black light to see if it glowed.

There were a few different theories on how mermaids breathed and reproduced. The breathing, Ben had half the answer to. The reproducing…well, he’d wondered, but he didn’t think it was appropriate to take a look at anything so intimate while Pearl was an unwilling test subject. He couldn’t put her through that. Several stories even went beyond the scientific side of reproduction, to paint mermaids as either pure, virginal beings, or vampy seductresses that always slept with their victims before drowning them. Ben had the feeling that neither was totally true, but he didn’t want to ponder that too much; he was already having enough sexy dreams about Pearl without overthinking her possible sex life.

Many stories said that mermaids were mischievous and playful, or regal and icy. Ben knew Pearl was both, it only depended on the circumstances and who she was with. Almost all tales insisted that sirens regularly lured men to their deaths, but the motives varied; some painted them as black widow type villains, others claimed the creatures were protecting themselves and the environment from human greed and malice. With Pearl, Ben knew it to be the latter.

But although the legends and lore varied, there were two things they all agreed on. Every piece of material, from epic poetry to compendium encyclopaedias, from Europe to Asia to Africa to America to even the Island itself, claimed that mermaids had the power to hypnotize with their songs, and an otherworldly beauty to them. That Ben could confirm as being completely true.

***

Her sisters all warned her against her plan, telling Pearl that it was too risky; if nobody walked by, she would be trapped in a lake with no way home.

But the blonde siren was determined to retrieve her moonstone, whatever the cost. She was desperate to have it back, both for practical and sentimental reasons. She rested for three days, to recuperate and make sure her head was on straight. Benjamin heeded her warning, staying away from the shores the whole time--- so she needed to find him in a different way.

Initially she meant to be carried to the waterfall by her sisters, but they were refusing, which frustrated the blonde immensely. She knew that it was only out of concern and love for her, and yet it signified something much more worrying: that the others didn’t have complete faith in her. That made her feel a little insecure, and she decided she’d need to prove her worth more. So, without help, she assessed that a small, disconnected group of humans provided a unique opportunity. She lurked by the shallows of where there were footprints she knew belonged to them, well hidden amongst the sharp rocks and floating seaweed; watching closely, only emerging when a victim came by. Pearl was ready to lure him in. Her song rose from her throat, and he was spellbound by a mere bar; from the water, minds were extremely easy to bend. He followed the sound, hypnotized, until he came upon Pearl, who was peering from behind a rock and smiling easily at him.

“I am Pearl. And who might you be?” She had never seen him before.

“Dogen,” the Asian man with facial hair answered, starry-eyed. “You’re so beautiful…”

Her smile stayed unchanging; they all said that, every time. “Come closer, Dogen. I need a favor. Will you help me?”

The words burrowed into his brain, twisting him to her will. “Of course!” He hurried toward her, grinning and eager to please. “I’ll do anything for you, Pearl, I’ll follow you anywhere!”

It was always fun to see how devoted humans became once they heard her song at full power. Like a mere shell of their former selves. “I need you to carry me to a nearby lake, without letting us be seen. I shall tell you where to go.” Pearl held out her hands, expectant. She knew the way thanks to Ben’s map-in-a-bottle that he’d given to her at the council meeting.

Dogen complied immediately, picking her up and lifting her in his arms. The mermaid smiled, wrapping her arms around his neck to keep herself steady. Her tail glistened in the sun.

The reason why she had never seen that man before was that Dogen lived in the Temple—a sacred location for all of Jacob’s people. Dogen, with a few others, ensured the healing waters were always safe. He communicated with Ben, of course, and was aware of the orders to follow the new treaty, but he hadn’t been a part of any mermaid incidents, and, as such, wasn’t paying as much attention when he crossed the beach. It was too late now, as he was ensnared by the song she kept humming. Because he didn’t live with the rest of his people – and now that she was aware of at least one woman on the Island who didn’t belong to Ben’s group -- Pearl made the mistake of assuming Dogen wasn’t part of their society either, so she didn’t bother telling him to bring her Benjamin.

Instead, Pearl directed him exactly where to go, and Dogen went, not even feeling that his muscles were tired after he had been carrying her for an hour. They finally reached the beautiful landscape: a tranquil, deep, green-tinted lake at the bottom of a tall, sparkly waterfall.

“You may set me down here,” she instructed sweetly, hiding her predatory nature. She could kill him now, but why raise questions amongst the humans? And—he was innocent; as innocent as a human could be, anyway. There was no need to let herself succumb to her anger. “I need one more favor, Dogen, dear. You will return to your home and forget that you ever met me. Can you do that for me?”

He looked heartbroken to have to say goodbye, but willing. “Yes! I’ll do what you ask.”

She waved him off and the man left. By the time he reached the Temple, he had no memory of ever seeing Pearl, and no idea why his arms were sore the next morning.

Pearl had to wait a whole day until someone else walked by that lake. The environment was peaceful and she found ways to amuse herself, but she was restless, eager to get her hands on one of Ben’s people. Perhaps she was lucky, or perhaps it was fate, because when someone finally came around, it was precisely the man she’d been hoping to talk to.

***

Ben had some business to attend to in one of the vacant Dharma stations, around the area where the food drop took place. He walked briskly, at peace yet still heavily tuned in to his environment as he made his way around the lake…so he noticed her first. There was a woman up ahead, bathing under the waterfall and, before he even had the chance to move, he recognized with a flash of shock that it wasn’t one of his people--- it was her. Perched delicately atop a rock, the waterfall cascading over her head. Every nook around her was thoughtfully decorated with the sparkliest rocks and shells she’d found; they reflected sunlight, giving the waterfall a mystical appearance of something glittery right out of a fairytale realm. As the water poured on her, her back stayed arched. She groomed her long soaked hair with both hands, and her tail was stretched out elegantly, the fin lazily swaying in the air.

Ben’s breath got caught in his throat, heart drumming in a maddening mix of terror and attraction. She was so stunning, but so deadly. Ethereal, and dangerous. He feared her threats, he wanted her, and he was mad at her too, for what she’d done to Paul. Ben attempted to step back and disappear in the jungle, but his foot cracked a twig in half. The sound was enough to startle her and she whipped her head around, her golden gaze locking right with his blue one. After a split second of surprise, a wicked grin spread slowly upon her lips. Benjamin himself, wandering right into her clutches? Her heartbeat quickened with excitement and fear--- Pearl would get what she wanted, or die trying.

The threat she issued to him still echoed in his head. Ben knew he had to act fast, before he was under her spell and dead. Pearl opened her mouth to sing. He whipped out a gun and fired a shot straight at the mermaid, with the intent to wound.

She was fast, diving from the rock with a startled gasp as soon as he aimed in her direction. He pulled the trigger again, firing several blind shots into the water; it was too murky for him to see her. Ben knew he might end up killing her like that, but he couldn’t take his chances with stopping. His survival instincts went on overdrive when he saw that she was about to sing. He could handle anything but being hypnotized by that damned song! He had to use bullets to force her to stay under until he could make a clean getaway!

Underwater, Pearl was incredibly offended at being shot at, and rather scared as she hurried to take cover. Being face-to-face with Ben didn’t help, as she was flooded with memories of being strapped to a metal table and subjected to medical tests. Her insides clenched with nausea, fear, and anger. She took cover behind a large rock, where she cowered in horror, watching the bullets pierce the surface of the lake. If she risked swimming out, she’d likely get shot, so the siren was effectively trapped in her hiding place.

But she had an idea. Guns were nasty little things, but the positive was that they didn’t work when soaked. Pearl willed herself to stay calm. She closed her eyes to sing, summoning the strength of nature as she aligned herself with it, and slowly lifted her arms, her hands open wide.

Ben saw the lake start to ripple and rumble. He barely had time to blink before Pearl shoved both hands forward with a higher note, commanding a thick pillar of water to surge ahead. That pillar hit Ben squarely in the chest, with so much force that it knocked him down, drenching him and the gun.

Her mastery of the elements had been honed in for decades. Singing, Pearl created a large wave that propelled her forward, landing her right on the edge of the lake. She reached out and grabbed Ben’s foot, yanking him to drag him to the water.

He grunted as he struggled against her grip, grabbing handfuls of muddy riverbank to try to stop her from dragging him away. The siren opened her mouth again, which terrified him. He quickly shoved his fingers in his ears, plugging them so that at least he’d be immune to the siren song. Ben was a little torn between wanting to use his hands to hang on to a rock, and knowing that if he uncovered his ears he’d be doomed. He used his free foot to kick, catching her unaware with a blow right to her collarbone.

Pearl let out a gasp and recoiled. He didn’t hear it, but he saw her lips parting and the expression of pain contorting her face. Ben tried for another kick, scowling at her, but she blocked it with her arm, anger flashing in her eyes. She was scared, too, and he could tell.

The anger only spurred her; the mermaid pulled his leg with all of her strength, dragging a panting Ben through the mud and all the way to the edge of the lake, despite his desperate efforts at wriggling himself free. She slipped below the surface of the water, taking his legs with her. Ben began thrashing immediately, struggling against her grip. “I listened to you,” he started in a panic, the words coming out in a quick flurry as he attempted to plead his case. “I didn’t go to the shore, I stayed away! You have no reason to—”

She plunged him into the lake, shoved his head under and then pulled him back up. He gasped, blinking wildly. “I came to this waterfall just for you, Benjamin,” she cooed with a menacing kind of sweetness. “How lucky that you walked right by!”

“But—no! You really don’t have a reason to—”

She dunked him again, pushing down on his shoulders to hold him underwater. Pearl had no desire to listen to humans prattling on and begging for their lives.

Instinct kicked in as soon as he felt himself held down where he couldn’t breathe. He grasped at her wrists, trying to push her off of him--- realizing a second too late that his fight-or-flight response to keep from drowning had cost him dearly: his ears were exposed.

Pearl flicked her wrists to allow her hands to grab his, and she pulled him back to the surface. Ben sputtered and coughed, blue eyes completely wide with fear as she pushed him against a rock.

He inhaled sharply, grunting uncomfortably at the way it dug into his back. The mermaid kept him pinned there, using her tail to keep him from moving, and putting pressure on his neck with her arm. She wasn’t choking him, but if he moved, she might. One of her hands held his tightly, preventing him from covering his ears.

Ben was trembling at being at a predator’s mercy, his breath shaky, frantically searching for the right words that might allow him to survive.

“Where is my moonstone?” Pearl asked firmly, only her canines growing into fangs rather than all of her teeth. He let out a little whine and pressed his eyes tightly shut, wondering if she might bite him. He turned his face away from her. “Where is it?” she repeated harshly, pressing a little harder into his neck and glaring at him. Her other hand gripped at his blue shirt, shaking him slightly. Deep down, she was terrified of what answer she might receive; she’d be shattered if he had broken it.

“I-I’ll tell you if you promise to let me go,” he bargained urgently, voice thick with fear but firm enough to be self-assured. His wide eyes rose to meet hers, holding her gaze; there was a determined fire burning in his, too. Even half out of his mind with fright, Benjamin was still a clever negotiator who would do anything for his survival.

She laughed derisively. “If you wanted to make a deal with me, you should have never experimented on me,” Pearl hissed near his face, and Ben flinched, involuntarily gasping. “Fine, don’t tell me out of your free will. I shall sing, and then you shall be begging me to grant me favors.” The siren smiled a cold smile that chilled him to his core.

“It’s in my pocket!” the words slipped out at high speed, almost as a shout. Anything to keep her from singing; the idea of dying as an enamored fool desperately trying to please his very murderer filled him with absolute dread. He’d rather be eaten to death, because then at least he would still be in control of his faculties.

The mermaid was surprised by that, shown by the way she blinked and jerked her head back. She slipped a hand into Ben’s pocket, searching for it with desperation. He watched her do it, staying immobile with never blinking wide eyes. She didn’t relax until her fingers brushed against a smooth rock. Then she let out a gasp of relief as her hand closed around it, and Ben knew from her expression that it was genuine; that rock meant a lot to her.

“You don’t know how lucky you are that you didn’t break it,” she spat, cradling the moonstone in one hand. If he had destroyed her precious gem, oh, Pearl would want to kill him right then and there! Part of her still wanted to do it anyway, because of what he had put her through. She trembled and felt sick every time she thought about the days she spent in captivity, and the siren wanted revenge. She wanted him to pay for hurting her, wanted to make him experience the same pain and helplessness!

Ben sensed that. He could read her anger, and pick up on the subtleties of her expression: Pearl was considering what to do, and it looked like she was leaning toward killing him. “You have your moonstone back,” he quickly started, eyes big and urgent. “If you kill me now, that’s revenge.”

A hiss of contempt. “You deserve any revenge I wreak upon you!”

“Maybe I do,” he closed his eyes and nodded rapidly, to try and appease her. To manipulate her. “But that’s a very—human feeling.” He reopened his eyes and held her gaze, looking at her pointedly. “You’ve complained about it before,” his tone had intensity to it, but also a newfound calm. Ben gave a small shake of the head and shrugged with his face, every word coated in gravity. “I thought you said that you hate us because we’re cruel, and vengeful, and destructive, and your kind is above that. If you kill me now, Pearl, you’ll be the very thing that you hate.”

The argument was strong enough to make her hesitate; Ben knew that it would, because he knew what mattered to Pearl and how to use that to get what he wanted. He would prey on her prejudices against humankind, and use that to make her confront her own violence. The siren blinked, but never averted her eyes from being intensely locked with Ben’s. “You stole me from the sea,” she seethed, yet he could already hear her voice was losing some of its bite and certainty. He was gaining traction.

“Temporarily-- and I am sorry about it,” he quickly added, for good measure. “But I’m no threat to you now, Pearl. Look at where we are,” he let out a bitter scoff, indicating the waterfall with his head. “Your domain. Killing me will be nothing but revenge. Aren’t you supposed to be noble, and better than us cruel humans?” He twisted her beliefs around to manipulate her. Pearl’s face tensed. She was clearly rattled. Ben felt that he’d gotten inside her mind sufficiently, and he was about to close it with the biggest blow of all. He stared her right in the eyes, impassive, and poured just the vaguest hint of patronizing accusation into his tone: “I didn’t think you were so human, Pearl…but I guess, in the end, you’re just like us.”

That cut Pearl right to the core. She didn’t want to be like them. Mermaids should never stoop to the violent, cruel levels of the humans! Her grip on Ben loosened as her face fell. Propelled by a couple flicks of her fin and undulations of her tail, she backed away from him to put the gem back on her headdress. Ben couldn’t be one hundred percent certain if she was intentionally letting him go, but it seemed like it; his manipulative-yet-accurate speech worked. He wasn’t going to stick around and ask, though, in case he was wrong. He scrambled to get out of the water, slipping on the muddy edges as he climbed on hands and knees, then ran into the jungle like a bat out of hell, only stopping to pick up his gun from the ground. She didn’t bother singing or pursuing.

Now that she had her magical gem back, chasing Ben felt like a trifle. Though anger burned her, she didn’t want to be like a petty, vengeful human! Best to let him go. She took a deep breath to try and let the thirst for revenge dissipate into thin air, and chose to focus on the bright side instead. Pearl was so thrilled to be able to return to her sisters, with her moonstone back in its rightful place! She put the necklace on, smiling as her tail transformed into legs and she wiggled her toes. The mud felt sticky and smooth on them. She took unsure steps away from the lake, entered the thick jungle and disappeared, back to her home.

Her arrival was much celebrated! Some of the sirens were satisfied with the results, while some thought the humans should be made to pay for stealing Pearl from the ocean. The blonde insisted that, at least for now, they enjoy their peace and safety while she strategized. So they threw a party, with musical instruments, algae decorations and a feast.

But a mere two days later, their underwater peace was shattered for a completely different reason.

Pearl was gliding at the bottom of the sea; she turned on her belly and faced up, much too far down for any light to reach her. The siren’s own lit up eyes shone brightly enough to illuminate the area, while a couple of her friends swam circles around her. She laughed, and pet a nearby clownfish.

Then something unexpected, large and fiery, fell down from the skies above and hurtled to the bottom of the sea. The shockwave threw the mermaids back and disoriented them. Pearl took cover amongst the corals, wide-eyed as she studied the intruding object: a big metal sheet, with a blue and pink word that she couldn’t read painted on it.

Oceanic.

***

While that took place underwater, Ben was at home, reading a book when the ground began to rattle. He looked around, startled, seeing every book and vase on his shelves, every portrait on his walls, every light fixture and every cabinet door shake. It felt like an earthquake! Or—an electromagnetic event. Concerned, he hurried outside, to the well-kept lawn where all of his people were gathering as the dust settled.

The new ruckus was coming from the sky. Ben shielded his gaze from the sun and looked up just in time to watch a plane split right in half. His eyes widened. What the hell was happening?! Newcomers on the Island?! That meant Jacob would have a new list coming soon, with names they’d have to recruit.

He didn’t love that. Newcomers meant instability, curious but clueless people desperate to leave an Island that would not let them leave. Ben couldn’t let the chaos escalate; he needed to keep things under control, and make sure these people wouldn’t hinder the Island in any way. The best way to do that was to keep tabs on them through spying.

He took charge easily, gathering his people with a natural assertiveness that those born to be leaders possessed. His instructions were firm, clear, and in a bit of a hurry: Ben told them where to go and what to do; they were relying on him to lead them during this moment of upheaval. The next step was to visit Mikhail and have him gather information about any and all survivors of the plane crash.

Because he was so intelligent and quick-witted, Ben handled any unpredictable crises swiftly. But damn it; couldn’t Jacob have given them a heads-up? To save them the stress? No…of course not.

***

That one slab of metal wasn’t the only thing to disturb the underwater peace. Several pieces of plane debris from the Oceanic crash cut through their ocean home like missiles, forcing the merfolk to swim in mad patterns to evade being hit. It was chaos, with roiling bubbles and dead human bodies sinking. The merfolk rushed to take cover between rocks and corals, exhaling with relief once the attack stopped and they found themselves safe.

Except that one of them didn’t.

A red hot metal plate hit a siren straight on, cutting and burning her skin. The injured mermaid was shrieking in agony, burnt and bleeding, suddenly surrounded by all of her frantic friends and relatives that pushed the now-cooled debris off of her. A distraught Pearl hissed helplessly; the last time one of them got caught in an explosion blast, he died. The time before that, too. They couldn’t care for her properly in the ocean, not when they were so far from the healing springs. Her sister would die underwater…unless, maybe, she could seek help on the surface.

Pearl’s stomach sank. The last thing she wanted to do was reach out to them. But what else could she do? The wail of her sister cut through any hesitation.

‘I shall keep you safe,’ she vowed, squeezing her sister’s hand before she looked to the side. ‘Help me carry her to the surface,’ she communicated in a series of clicks and hisses with a black-haired merman floating in an upright swim next to her and holding a long spear.

He hissed in outrage. ‘What if the humans find us? They will take us, hurt us like they hurt you!’

Pearl clicked and hissed back, shaking her head. ‘We need the humans.’

‘Pearl, no!’ the merman protested, shocked.

She shrieked in distress. ‘We have no other choice, and no time to argue! They might help. He might help.’

The merman knew exactly who Pearl was referring to: the only human that seemed to occupy permanent space in her brain, for better or worse. ‘Benjamin? He stole you from us!’ the aquatic male snarled. ‘Tricked you, and hurt you!’

Despite being in the middle of an ongoing argument, a determined Pearl was already swimming toward shore, clumsily pulling her injured sister along. The complaining merman trailed after her. ‘Yes, Benjamin is treacherous,’ Pearl agreed, ‘but he is our best chance! He has the healing machines, and the knowledge!’ She’d experienced the medical facilities firsthand, and she knew Ben was the only one that might grant her access to it. The idea of being with him again, in that building, filled her with ice-cold dread and painfully twisted her stomach. But she didn’t have another option.

‘How do we ensure he will help, and not hurt?’ he glanced at her, swimming by her side.

‘We get him to promise before we tell him where we are,’ she clicked, her face grim. Pearl knew Ben well enough to know he would keep a deal.

The merman was reluctant, but he agreed to help.

***

They knew the currents and tides well enough to carry them straight to Hydra Island, swimming with bullet speed. Arriving on shore, Pearl practically yanked her tiara off, in a hurry to transform. The merman did the same with his moonstone bracelet, neither of them bothering to get clothes to cover themselves up. They clumsily carried the injured mermaid to the nearest building, each holding one side of her. The effort had them winded.

Pearl recognized the location with a drop of the stomach; it was where they did tests on her. She felt the urge to throw up, heart racing so much she could feel it in her temples. It was anxiety and trauma, but she had no idea of that; she’d never felt such overwhelming distress before.

After carefully setting down the injured mermaid, the naked pair began tossing the place, tearing it apart in search of anything that might help. The blonde spotted something she recognized: a phone. While in captivity, she studied the humans closely, and remembered them using that thing to summon Ben whenever they needed him. She was positive she’d watched those people closely enough to figure out how to work it. With a sharp breath, she grabbed it like it was a lifeline, pressed each number according to her memory, placed the phone to her ear and prayed to Poseidon that someone would answer.

Ben was fixing up lunch for himself and his daughter – if she deigned to show up at home – and thinking about the plane crash when the phone rang. It was unusual in that nobody talked when he picked up, so he prompted them: “…Yes?”

His distinctive voice brought shudders and a chill to her spine, but also a measure of hope. And the strangest thrill, too. “Benjamin,” she gasped.

His eyes flew wide and he gripped the phone tighter. The last thing he ever expected was to get a call – a human phone call! -- from her. “Pearl?!” Ben stood up in haste, very rigidly. “What’s going on?” He glanced around the room, half-expecting her to pop up somewhere; it wasn’t entirely rational, but then again, getting a phone call from a siren wasn’t very logical either. Was she playing some sort of horror movie trick, calling him to taunt before she attempted to take his life?

“I--- need your help. Please, will you come meet me?”

The shakiness of her voice made him assess that she was in real trouble, but he wasn’t about to be reckless. For him, the waterfall incident had been deeply uncomfortable. Despite being able to talk his way out of it, he would hate to put himself in such a powerless position again; that vulnerability was the type to make him feel just like a scared little boy again, and he couldn’t stand that! That encounter ended on very dubious terms, too; Pearl still looked pissed at him when she let him go. Their track record was too spotty for him to blindly trust her—and he wasn’t one for blind trust, anyway. A question was asked warily: “What for?”

“I promise that you are safe from us. This is not a trap! Benjamin, please!” she begged him, abandoning all of her pride for the sake of her sister. “If I wanted to kill you I would have done so on the waterfall! You shot at me!”

“You tried to sing to me,” he countered matter-of-factly, like it was a casual chat.

A whine of urgency and borderline desperation. “You—you owe me, for what you did to me! Can you promise not to hurt any of us?”

The emotional manipulation didn’t work on him, but curiosity was a different matter; it was eating at Ben and turning the wheels in his head. What could have her so distressed? She must be in serious trouble. The timing was bad; he had just sent off Ethan and Goodwin to infiltrate the plane crash survivors, and, only two days earlier, learned that he had a fatal tumor on his spine. The peace he worked so hard to instate was being threatened by the newcomers, and maybe his position of power too. Hell, maybe his very life, though apparently there was a spinal surgeon among the survivors. Suffice it to say, Ben was stressed, and tightly wound. But still, he wanted to know more. “I’ll consider meeting you—and yes, I promise-- but only if you tell me why is it that you need me,” he said dryly; he wasn’t budging on that condition.

She let out a nervous whimper. “My sister is injured. I think that she’s dying, and I cannot help her underwater. Please come to the small island where you kept me! Hurry!”

He wasn’t happy with Pearl, at all. Why couldn’t she have stayed put in the aquarium for two more days? He had reassured her it would be okay! And it would’ve kept Paul alive! But no, she had to be rebellious, distrustful, and cause all that trouble for nothing! He shouldn’t help her now. He owed her nothing, Ben thought bitterly, a mild scowl passing over his face. But…diplomatically speaking, shouldn’t he try to stay on decent terms with her? He never thought he’d hear from her again – unless she was trying to murder him – and there she was, baring her soul and begging him for help. He had all the power in that situation; he knew it, and she knew it. Ben blinked a few times, hearing her anxious breathing on the other end of the line. He squeezed his eyes tightly shut. “I’m on my way.”

***

The boat would take him to where he needed to be shortly. Ben was strangely flattered that Pearl called him directly, to ask him for help. Maybe he was a last resort, but it still showed a level of trust – of closeness – that he was sure had shattered after his experiments. He was almost smug about it as he made his way to Hydra Island.

As the boat approached shore, his heart quickened. Ben realized it was beating with apprehension, in case he was walking into a trap…which was a normal reaction, circumstances considered. But it also beat with a certain measure of anticipation—he wanted to see Pearl again. As infuriating as she could be, he couldn’t deny enjoying her presence, and he didn’t want things between them to end on such a sour note. He’d developed a real like-dislike emotion for her; not as intense as a love-hate thing, but equally antithetical and disconcerting, and hard to navigate.

He arrived with Richard for extra protection, and Juliet for any potential medical procedures. She was a bit pissed at him for sending Goodwin away, but his intentions hadn’t been bad; Goodwin was just a talented actor and good at infiltrating, same as Ethan. As much as it annoyed Ben to admit, his initial designs on Juliet had all but fallen from his mind ever since the mermaid invaded his life. Pearl consumed his thoughts and he didn’t much care that Goodwin was having an affair with Juliet—although he did find it morally reprehensible, since the man was married. But the two men certainly weren’t dispensable, especially Ethan as their only surgeon! If he’d known a mermaid would need medical attention, he might have sent someone else in the doctor’s place.

But no matter. Juliet would do her job, mad or not. Both Ben and his advisor had their hands on their guns, in case Pearl was setting them up with a trap.

“Go ready the med bay,” he instructed Juliet. “Richard and I will bring in the mermaid.” She nodded and went ahead, to make things more efficient. In the meantime, Ben and Richard walked through the front of the building, where the aquatic creatures awaited them.

Mercifully, by that point Pearl had found a tablecloth that she split in two, with both her and the merman tying a piece around their waists for modesty.

Upon seeing Ben, Pearl summoned all of her strength to keep herself from crumbling. Being on land with him, where she was less powerful and often confused, vulnerable enough to be taken again, made her feel like she might throw up. Those blue eyes…steely, alert, incredibly piercing…they scared her, more so than ever before. But Benjamin was her best chance at saving her sister, and it was worth facing him again.

And still some part of her stirred in yearning, for those same alert and piercing and beautiful eyes. A like-dislike on her part, too.

Seeing Pearl brought up a flurry of mixed feelings within Ben. Anger flared up, and he wanted to berate her for what she did to Paul. But he also felt guilty for what he did to her; he wanted to show her that he was a good guy, while also seeking to reassert control of the situation by putting her in her place. On top of all that, her beautiful features made his stomach do an involuntary flip, much to his annoyance. But he didn’t focus on her for too long, because she wasn’t alone; there was a muscly, bare-chested, dark haired guy hovering protectively over her, holding a spear. He was square jawed and conventionally handsome.

Benjamin’s eyes widened for a split second. He certainly didn’t expect to find a male – a merman – with Pearl! He’d never seen one of those. Quite frankly, Ben hadn’t even been sure if they existed or not. The lore and the legends only mentioned mermaids. He’d wondered about it, and assumed that there had to be some male counterpart unless all merfolk were spontaneously generated somehow…but it was quite jarring to see one up close. The merman was standing on two feet, of course, but it was easy to tell from his awkward stance and the moonstone tied around his neck that he wasn’t human. The shell-made spear on his hand was an uncomfortable giveaway, too.

“Pearl,” Ben gave her a curt nod of acknowledgment, then briefly flicked his eyes toward the merman. “Pearl’s friend,” he added icily, measuring the creature with his gaze. The merman hissed, and Ben promptly ignored him in favor of returning his attention to Pearl. “Where is she?”

“We placed her inside. Please, hurry,” Pearl urged, indicating the building next to them, where the med bay was located along with a few extra rooms. Ben could sense her discomfort with him, her hesitance to even engage, and he became painfully aware of the fact that she was only talking to him because a mermaid’s life hung in the balance. He gave her one sharp nod and motioned for everyone to follow him.

“…Benjamin…is you?” the merman asked hoarsely, eyeing the man with surreptitious dislike.

“Yes, I’m Benjamin Linus,” Ben droned at him while they walked, eyes straight ahead but watching with his peripheral vision. “And you are?” he added with a bite and a petulant sideways shake of the head. For whatever reason, the merman put him on the defensive.

“I am…” he looked around, trying to pick a land name. His gaze landed on the weapon he had in his grip. “Spear. I am Spear.”

How imaginative, Ben derided in his mind, but opted to keep it to himself. “Nice to meet you,” he lied, but he said it so dryly that it didn’t sound very convincing.

“He is one of our warriors,” Pearl explained just as they reached the fallen siren, who was whining weakly and barely conscious. The blonde hurried to her side and gently pet her hair, to comfort her. She clicked something in underwater language to her sister, then looked back at Ben. “Here to protect us if any of you try to capture us again,” she threatened with a scrunched up nose and a glare.

“I give you my word that we won’t,” Ben reassured. He wasn’t sure if she would believe him now, but her shoulders relaxed considerably upon hearing his promise. He relaxed a little too, knowing that they could manage to be civil for a short time.

Juliet had already examined the injured mermaid when the rest of them arrived, and she was gathering materials to stitch her up and soothe the burns.

It was difficult for Pearl to let an unknown human woman touch her sister’s wounds. Every time Juliet tried, the blonde siren instinctively hissed, and the doctor was startled. “I’m not going to hurt her,” she told Pearl.

“But what is it that you are doing?!” Pearl demanded, and she sounded vaguely like Ben. Spear hovered over them, brandishing his weapon.

“I’m doing what’s best for her,” Juliet explained calmly, but she was nervous. “For starters, I need to stop the bleeding.” She smiled, then threw Ben a discreet glance, asking for his help.

“Pearl,” Ben intervened, “time is of the essence. I’m sorry, but there’s no time to entertain your questions—you need to let Juliet do her job. How about we wait outside?” He was clearly managing her.

Pearl’s eyes widened. “I am not leaving her alone in here, with one of you!” the blonde mermaid cried out.

“Pearl,” he said her name again, with more emphasis, “you called me for a reason. Now you need to trust me. Nobody will hurt your sister, you have my word. Please, step out with me. Richard will stay to assist.” He held out an arm toward the door, firm eyes on Pearl.

She let out a dejected little hiss, but nodded in compliance. She could tell her being there was delaying things; and Ben gave his word. So Pearl let him direct her outside, her stomach clenching with anxiety for her sister. Spear followed her, seemingly more interested in protecting her than the injured mermaid.

Ben led them to the waiting room, where three upholstered chairs stood side by side, by the wall. He took a seat in one, purposely picking the middle chair to keep the others apart. Neither aquatic creature joined him. Pearl paced nervously, and the merman stood watch.

Occasionally they would hear a whimper from the injured mermaid, or Juliet’s footsteps scurrying around.

“What happened to her?” he asked in a levelled tone.

“Big boom,” the merman said plainly, eyes wide.

“She was caught by something explosive,” Pearl translated.

Ben squinted, a bit intrigued. “We never put up our explosives. Where did she come across one?”

“Not yours,” the male hissed. “Sky.”

“It fell in the ocean?” Ben deciphered the meaning behind that: debris from the plane crash.

The merman nodded and Pearl spoke: “Yes. She got hit by a piece of that…falling metal bird,” she choked out pained words. “Such injuries have happened before, and they always lead to death.”

“Juliet is a good doctor. Your sister might pull through,” Ben offered with a sympathetic smile, made a bit hollow by the awkwardness of the situation.

With an anxious, slightly exasperated hiss, Pearl threw herself on one of the empty chairs next to Ben.

Time ticked away awkwardly, as neither Ben nor Pearl knew quite how to address one another. He sat up very straight, hands draped stiffly over his unmoving knees, keeping his eyes on the wall in front of him. Pearl’s hands were clasped into a tight ball, anxious gaze glued to the door of the room her sister was in, foot tapping impatiently. The two sat side by side in that waiting area, both uncomfortable. They were enemies, plain and simple, but convenience and curiosity made them occasional allies. She was grateful for the assist, but Pearl was nowhere near ready to forgive him. Even if she was charmed by him, a big part of her was still intimidated and vengeful, wishing she could drown him. Of course, she wouldn’t ever go through with such a thing – and deep down she didn’t really want him dead – but when she was hit with vivid memories of experiments and aquariums, she liked to fantasize about getting rid of him. It made her feel a little better, and he was only a human after all. Weren’t they supposed to be disposable, with their short life spans and monstrous habits? That’s what she was taught growing up…but sometimes she wasn’t so sure, anymore.

Ben was only a little less inclined to think about murdering her. Ideally, if she didn’t seek revenge, he could leave her alone for good. But eliminating all mermaids was not entirely out of the question yet, either. They were predators who needed very little push to live up to the lore of how deadly they were. And he was mad at Pearl too! She shouldn’t have escaped from the aquarium when he told her she only had two more days to go! Paul died in that escape!

So the two sat in silence, avoiding looking at each other, not even saying anything; all in attempts of being diplomatic, when really they wanted to tell off the other for their behavior.

The longer they waited, the more intense that wait became. Pearl was fidgeting, sharp eyes flitting around; at times it looked like she wanted to shrink away from that room. Ben realized, with a pang of guilt, that she was reliving her captivity. “I really am sorry for what we did to you here,” he softly attempted, choosing to put his own anger with her aside. She looked at him sternly, then glanced away. He tried again: “I thought you were killing my people. In my mind, it was war, and we only wanted to study you…”

“I do not wish to discuss that,” she barked at him, cold as ice. “I understand what you are telling me but please, stop.” If she let herself dwell on it, she feared she might fall apart.

He felt discouraged by the refusal, but didn’t blame her, and nodded in compliance. There was a raw distress in her that went beyond worry for her injured friend, and Ben picked up on that. Best to give her space. There wasn’t much he could say that would fix what happened, anyway.

Ten more minutes of complete silence went by. The merman kept hovering near them, and glaring directly at Ben. “Not a fan of mine, I take it?” he asked idly, partly to pass the time and partly out of provocation.

Pearl’s far-away gaze focused back in, going from the merman to Ben. “None of us like you after what you did. You are infamous underwater.”

“What an honor,” he said with flat sarcasm. Never in his wildest dreams did he imagine he’d ever become a well-known figure for the merfolk! It was as flattering as it was unnerving.

“Hm,” she made a face at him. “But Spear would have disliked you regardless.” Ben fixed her with a questioning look, so she obliged him with a sharp sigh. “He is my former mate. Mermen can be…territorial. He does not like seeing me with any other males. Especially handsome ones like you.”

“Oh,” Ben said in dry surprise, eyes widening for a second. A mate. He didn’t love the sound of that. The compliment, though…he rather liked that part. “Thanks…”

“But I told him—” at that point she raised her voice, shouting in the merman’s direction: “he must get over himself!” The creature hissed in resignation at Pearl.

After a beat, Ben frowned quizzically at her. “But I’m a human male.” If her ex was jealous, did that mean that mermaids sometimes got romantically involved with humans? He was about to ask, and Pearl’s mouth was opening like she was already halfway to answering something, but they were interrupted by Juliet bursting in.

“Good news! She’s fine,” the doctor declared with a smile. “Banged up, but she’ll live.”

Pearl sprung up from the seat so fast that the merman flinched. She ran – a bit like a newborn gazelle – into the medical bay, ignoring a curious Juliet as she brushed past her.

“Give her a moment alone with her friend, please,” Ben instructed, so the other woman walked away with Richard.

That left Benjamin alone with the merman, who was still glaring fiercely at him.

“Can I help you?” Ben snapped, annoyance creeping in.

“I know…what you did…to her,” Spear croaked out. Ben had no doubt that, if he could, the merman would’ve hit him.

“And I know all about you,” he countered icily. Ben didn’t, at all, but saying that he did made him feel better, like he was at less of a disadvantage.

“Because you…make her…tell you,” the merman grumbled.

“She chose to tell me things,” Ben corrected. And meant it: it was how he rationalized it in his head too, to help swallow the guilt. Pearl had the choice of telling him, or not and living with the consequences, and Ben felt better by ignoring that he had sort of forced her hand toward that choice. The merman hissed and decided to go check on Pearl and their injured friend.

Benjamin watched him go with bitterness. From the moment they met, Ben felt an instant, undeniable dislike toward Spear. It wasn’t even rational, because the merman hadn’t done anything to warrant such a first impression. There was a sour tension around Ben’s eyes; he was looking at the other man as a…a rival, he realized. But a rival of what? Not a romantic rival! Surely Ben wasn’t vying for Pearl’s affections! He may have occasionally felt some lingering stirrings for her, a misguided infatuation, but he could never trust her affections, even if she were to ever offer him any. For all of Pearl’s charm, there was a slickness to it—the kind of overly smooth, rehearsed slickness that set off all kinds of alarm bells with Ben.

His mind flashed back to her lips on his, and his resolve faltered. Alright, so maybe he didn’t love the idea of that merman ever being her mate. Touching her. Knowing her better than Ben did. But it wasn’t a competition; they were exes, she was through with Spear. And Ben…well, he was a human, she was a mermaid. There would never be anything there.

Sulking a bit, he joined the three aquatic creatures in the med bay. The injured mermaid was more alert, nervously taking in her surroundings while Pearl reassured her that everything was okay and gently brushed her fringe back to soothe her. When she heard Ben step in, she flashed him the shadow of a grateful smile.

Looking down at her sister, Pearl felt an unusual wetness welling up behind her eyelids. She blinked and that water streamed down her cheeks. But it was not like the other times! Confused, she gingerly touched her face, then looked at the dampness on her fingertip. The mermaid bristled, flashing two canine fangs at Ben. “What have your people done to my eyes in those experiments?! Why are they leaking?”

“Those are tears,” he flatly informed her, hiding the faint amusement he felt in seeing her failing to grasp such a simple human concept.

“Tears?” she repeated. “As in…crying?”

Ben gave a sharp nod. “Yes. You’re crying.”

She seemed to understand that, but there was still uncertainty in her features. “But…don’t humans cry when they feel overcome with sadness, or pain? Emotional pain, physical pain…” Her fangs retracted as she glanced at Ben. “You were crying when I almost drowned you ten years ago, and I believed that you cried because it hurt…and maybe because you were frightened, too.” His gaze hardened a little at the accusation that he was scared, but he said nothing and let the mermaid continue. “I cried when you were doing experiments on me, because I was so frightened and hopeless. And I cried out of grief, when my sister died. But now I am not saddened or pained, or afraid. I’m happy, and I’m angry.” Pearl probably shouldn’t tell Ben all that, but she was willing to open up in her quest for answers.

“Some people cry out of anger, and frustration,” he explained with another nod. “Or joy. Relief. Tears are a release of intense emotions of all kinds.”

“Oh?” She sniffled. “Then that is why. I am intensely angry and frustrated at being back here, but overjoyed and so very relieved that my sister survived!” Though, she had to admit, the novelty of shedding positive tears for the first time was an apt distraction from her distress.

“Are you sure you’re not afraid at all?” Ben pointed out with a knowing quirk of the eyebrows.

Defensiveness flashed through Pearl. Her lips pursed and she ignored the question, averting her gaze--- which was all the ‘yes’ that Ben needed. He held back a smirk, oscillating between feeling guilty and – like now – feeling satisfied that he had power over her.

“I cannot believe I am experiencing crying,” Pearl finally gasped, a little smile touching upon her lips. “This is really very odd, but quite marvelous. I’ve felt the emotions before, but, if I shed happy tears I never noticed them underwater” She touched her wet cheeks again, with a similar sense of wonder as that of a child experimenting with a new toy. Then her eyes returned to Ben. “What do I do about them?”

The whole situation was so bizarre that he couldn’t help but let out a half chuckle. “You dry them. Here,” he fished a neatly folded, light blue handkerchief from his pocket and held it out to her. It had a white monogrammed BL on it. “You can use this.”

The siren eyed the offer warily, gaze flitting between the piece of fabric and Ben’s expressionless face. She observed him, and finally, finding no sign of treachery in his eyes, took the handkerchief from him. “I thank you,” she bowed her head as she delicately dabbed her cheek and under the eyes with it. Once her face was sufficiently dry, she extended the borrowed item back to Ben.

He shook his head, lips pursing minimally as he made no move to accept the handkerchief. “You may keep it if you want.” He knew that she didn’t have much in the human world; might as well let her own that.

Pearl retreated her hand, folded the fabric and slid it between the tablecloth skirt and her hipbone. Not as a memento of him, but as--- well, she didn’t really know why. To have a land object, she guessed. “Thank you, again. For…all of it.” A solemn bow.

Ben shrugged like it was no big deal. Just as he started to walk away, he added a final taunt. It was playfully calculated, meant to catch her off-guard just a little. “It’s good that you have that--- in case you find yourself crying again.”

The mermaid felt a mixture of outrage and amusement at his jab. She shook her head, letting out a disbelieving laugh. “Indeed.”

***

With things settled, it was time for the merfolk to return to the sea. Pearl sneakily approached Ben, and his head trailed her movement until she stopped in front of him. He gave a barely perceptible raise of the eyebrows toward her, as if saying ‘yes?’.

“Benjamin—would you mind not telling the rest of your people that I came to you for help? I—do not like to appear weak.” she confessed, rigidly. “It would be nice if all of you forgot that you helped my sister,” she added as an afterthought, with a weak laugh. She didn’t mean anything by that, but Ben read into it.

“And I assume your song can take care of that? Erasing memories? ” he asked meaningfully, holding her gaze. She nodded, and he chuckled softly. “I’m sorry, Pearl, but I need to know what happened. Richard and Juliet…” his gaze trickled over to his people – his advisor and his doctor – who were having a quiet conversation about the merfolk. Ever since he met Pearl, Ben had been downplaying his bond with her. Nobody knew the two had shared many long conversations, or how many times they ended up helping each other. Richard and Juliet would have a lot of questions about why a mermaid called Ben directly on the phone when her sister was dying. He didn’t want to answer a single one of those queries. When he looked back at Pearl, his eyes were twinkling with slyness. “--they could stand to forget. You can sing to them, if you’d like.”

Pearl was surprised by that. Ben had such a visceral aversion to the siren song, but he was okay if she sang it to his friends? It seemed opportunistic. Her eyes narrowed knowingly. “I know that this must benefit you somehow. You’re not doing me a favor; you want them to forget too.” Then a shrug, and a smirk. She didn’t care to figure out their inner politics. “That is fine by me. Cover your ears.”

Ben did as told, and observed as Pearl sang to the others. Through the song, she told them to forget everything about that afternoon; Juliet had never met her, and the last time Richard saw her was in the aquarium. They never met her sister, or Spear, and they knew nothing of Ben helping. The two listened, enchanted by the melody and her otherworldly voice, and scampered off when Pearl told them to go.

She finally turned back to Ben with a smug grin, and he smiled back at her conspiratorially.

After that was taken care of, all that was left to do was carry the recovering mermaid back to shore.

Ben offered to help, feeling that it was the gentlemanly thing to do. Pearl, used to being catered to, would usually agree to that, but she felt protective over her sister and didn’t want any more humans crowding her. So Ben took a step back and watched as Pearl and Spear teamed up to carry the other one; Pearl lifted her tail and Spear picked her up by the torso.

As soon as they started to walk, they wobbled and nearly dropped the third mermaid, who was half asleep from exhaustion. Their legs were not coordinated enough to walk as a duo, or strong enough to carry the weight now that the adrenaline wore off. So Ben became the unlikely backup, holding his outstretched arms under the injured mermaid just in case she fell.

At one point, Spear stumbled and she almost rolled off, but Ben stopped it with fast reflexes. Later, just as they were reaching the beach, Pearl tripped and again Ben had to hold on to the injured mermaid.

Finally, they made it. Just as Pearl and the merman carefully set her down where the waves broke, assisted by Ben, a tiny little thing barged out from the ocean and attacked his ankles and knees. It hissed, and it bit, but luckily the teeth were dull. Ben’s eyes were wide as plates as he peeled the thing away from him and held it – her – out at a distance: it was a little girl, all wrapped up in seaweed, hissing fiercely at him like she wanted to fight him. It reminded him of a yapping Chihuahua: all the bark and attitude, none of the bite to back it up.

There was something surreally amusing about that, but what Ben was paying the most attention to was the fact that she was obviously not human. The child had glowing eyes and a tiny moonstone necklace. A merchild, with blonde waves of hair suspiciously similar to Pearl’s. Could she be…?

Pearl swept in like a hawk to take the little one away from Ben. She hissed at the child, but not in a menacing way; more like a concerned and stern warning. The girl wrapped her arms around Pearl’s legs and stayed there; the adult mermaid knelt and gently enveloped the child in a hug, while the merman surrounded them in protective manner. It was fascinating to watch them communicate from so up-close: they used hisses and clicking sounds and high pitched calls, likely because the child was too young to have ever learned human speech. Ben didn’t say anything, choosing to observe without interfering. One thing was crystal clear, though: Pearl was a mother, and that both shocked him and endeared her in his eyes. Having lost his own mother when he was a baby, he always had a soft spot for anyone with gentle maternal tendencies.

Finally, Pearl pointed toward the ocean. The merman was reluctant, but after Pearl snarled more insistently at him he bowed his head and took the child back into the water, where both of them disappeared after he turned his necklace back into a bracelet and the girl’s into a miniature tiara.

“How old is she?” Ben finally talked, his question strained and his face ominous.

Pearl looked uncomfortable, head tilting back and forth sharply. She didn’t want any humans to have seen the child. “She is about ten years old in human age. Longer in ours.”

“Have there been any recent births? Within the last twenty years?” There was certain urgency underpinning his tone. Ever since The Incident with Dharma drilling into the electromagnetic energy pockets, babies could not be born on the Island. If a child was conceived there, the body of the mother would ultimately turn against it, killing both of them before the third trimester. Ben had tried diligently and desperately to fix it, even hiring Juliet as a specialist, but there had been no improvements.

The question put her on edge, bringing her pacing to a halt. “Why?” she exhaled sharply, eyes narrowed and accusing, standing very still with her shoulders squared and arms slightly bent back. “Do you wish to study a newborn? Are you that cruel?”

“Because humans can’t have babies on this Island,” he replied harshly, sneering slightly at her. He resented the implication that he’d be capable of rounding up newborns and testing them.

That caught her off guard. She blinked, posture easing up. “Oh. Merfolk can,” she said simply, and Ben could tell it was as much of an answer as she was willing to give.

But why? Why could merfolk give birth while people couldn’t? Sure, they were entirely different species; who knew how they were even born?! Maybe mermaids laid eggs. But it was exactly that difference that was key—it could explain why their bodies were unaffected by the electromagnetic energy of the Island. Perhaps, if Ben knew how mermaid births or hatchings worked, he might even figure out a fix for human infertility too. Given that his own mother died giving birth to him, that problem was something that meant a lot to Benjamin and he’d do just about anything to make the situation better for his people, to allow them to have families and really make the Island their home. To fix the mortality rate of pregnant women and their babies, for good.

Up to that point, all he wanted was to keep the status quo with the sirens. Ben craved stability; it was all he ever tried to give to himself and his people. Although curious about the sirens, he didn’t have much interest in engaging with them until they started picking fights, and then it became a matter of survival. He had only wanted to learn about them to keep his people safe. Now, knowing they were able to reproduce, the mermaids’ value had increased exponentially. He had to learn more about that!

In a moment of darkness, he briefly considered grabbing Pearl again, to study her reproductive system. He had a gun and she was alone now; there would be little she could do if he tried. But his conscience was stopping him; she’d suffered enough last time, to little results, and he made a deal with her. He could not – would not – break it. Especially if she was a mother…he was fond of children, and didn’t want to rip a mother away from her young daughter like his own was ripped from him. Unless it was to save the child’s life, as it was the case with Alex, or Jacob’s lists specifically demanded that a certain child be taken…in which case Ben assumed it was the right thing to do, even if it felt wrong. Jacob knew what he was doing, right?

“Is she yours?” he found himself asking flatly. “Yours and…your mate’s?” the last word gained a venomous edge for apparently no reason. He noticed, and softened his tone on purpose. “She looks like you. The hair, the shape of the eyes and face…”

“She comes from me and him, yes. She does not have a land name yet,” Pearl explained. Despite her distrust, there was an affectionate smile on her face when she spoke of the child; Ben could instantly tell she loved her daughter deeply. “She felt insecure that he and myself were up on land, fearful that we would get taken and she would be left without us.”

“So she came to defend you. I could tell.” His eyebrows arched up. “Brave.” It was hard to tell if he meant it genuinely or sarcastically--- but Ben did mean it. He was a little thrown about Pearl’s warm maternal instincts; they humanized her in Ben’s eyes, even more so than she was already humanized. In his mind and over the course of a few years, sirens went from being mindless nightmarish killers from the stories he heard as a child, to dark and dangerous creatures that potentially felt some degree of empathy, to clever and fascinating beings that shared a lot of human traits and thought processes…to now, when he was starting to see them as actually human, even if they were also part wild animal. Pearl would probably be offended by such a comparison, he thought with some amusement, but he couldn’t deny that her loyalty, her care for her friends, the way she treated Ben himself, and now especially the love she felt for her daughter, were all very human emotions.

Before he had the chance to ask more, the injured mermaid whimpered lightly. She was becoming more cognizant. “I must take her home,” Pearl declared. It was good timing, as she didn’t want to answer any further questions. Ben already knew far too much about her kind, it wasn’t safe to let him learn more. “Thank you for healing her.” She bowed her head in gratitude – eyes locked on his the entire time --and it was as ethereal to him as it was unnerving; he could tell she was holding herself back. He nodded. Best not to press her.

The goodbye between Ben and Pearl was stilted, full of wariness and distrust. There was still a touch of animosity from both sides, but both were trying to be on their best behavior. She waded into the shallow waters. Then, just as she regained her tail after removing the necklace, Ben couldn’t help asking one more question; it was worth a shot, it was important, and he had never been one to back down easily. “How do merfolk have their babies? Do you…lay eggs, like fish do?” he called out after her, a slight crease on his forehead.

From the shallow waters, she threw him a funny look. “Of course not. We grow them inside of our bodies.”

His eyes widened with tentative hope. “In your womb?” She seemed confused. “Your-- stomachs? Like this?” he awkwardly gestured to indicate the shape of a pregnant belly.

“Yes. And Benjamin—much as I am sincerely grateful for your help, my warning stands,” she glared harshly at him. She wasn’t ready to forgive the torture he put her through just yet.

“What, to stay away from ‘your shores’?” he clarified in stark sarcasm.

Pearl nodded at him as she secured her sister next to her, carefully cradling her, then propelled herself further out into the ocean. She didn’t look back as she dove down, piercing through the water.

As they vanished from view, Ben let out a shaky exhale. Mermaids got pregnant like humans did--- but their babies were carried to term and born healthy. That was the most hopeful news he’d had in years regarding fertility! Maybe, just maybe, whatever allowed mermaids to give birth on the Island would be the key to restoring human motherhood too.

Notes:

Nothing like absolutely needing someone’s help to bring two people back together. <3
And now we have a merchild in the picture! Did anyone notice there was a brief mention of her existence a few chapters ago?
Anyway; this chapter took a little longer to come out, but I hope you all enjoy it!

Chapter 11: In the solitude of the grotto, only an arrow separated them

Pearl’s sister, the one injured during the plane crash, was considerably better—but she was not fully healed yet. She was taking shelter in a cave above the surface, where they could make sure to apply a daily disinfectant to her wound.

Except that the tube Ben and Juliet gave Pearl was almost empty. Intrepid, the pale blonde mermaid snuck close to the beach where the Oceanic survivors were setting up camp. From under the water, with only sharp hazel eyes peering out, she observed them, until she located a tube of the same medicine in one of the suitcases. The siren smirked.

Later that day, when half of those humans left to go…explore, she guessed, Pearl took advantage of the situation. She sang the siren song, to instantly entrance the people still left at the beach, and told them to steer clear of her.

And so they obeyed, watching her with adoring eyes but not daring approach. She removed her moonstone tiara and waited until her tail split into two legs. Then she staggered out from the water, hidden behind some rocks. Her bottom side was completely naked, as she didn’t bring the sail dress with her. She hummed to herself, staying out of sight until she found some large leaves that she used to construct a skirt.

Then she traipsed past the humans, warily eyeing them but keeping them spellbound with her angelic voice. Pearl sprinted across the beach with clumsy steps, snatched the antiseptic cream, and instantly dashed back toward the water after instructing the crowd to forget they ever saw her. She would’ve returned to the sea right then, if not for the bright red bird that flew right by her ear. The mermaid gasped, eyes lighting up. “Oh, what a marvelous creature,” she whispered, and she couldn’t help but follow it. It was so rare that she got to see any birds! The feathery friend soared into the jungle, and the mermaid chased happily after it, forgetting for a moment the dangers that the land could bring to someone like her.

***

Trekking around the Island became a bit more complicated after the arrival of the newcomers. Ben had wrapped up a reconnaissance visit to the outside of The Hatch and was making his way back to the Barracks, moving silently through the trees. He donned the disguise of simple, tattered clothing worn by the people of an unsophisticated society, just in case he came across one of the plane crash survivors. And for a moment, he thought he did, just as he walked by the underbrushes: he caught a flash of very light blonde hair through the leaves. Before he could hide, he realized with a start that it wasn’t one of the survivors--- it wasn’t even a human. It was Pearl. She was singing to a bird that she’d coaxed to perch on her index finger, her hair adorned with freshly plucked flowers and a shining smile on her face. More flowers were gathered in her other hand.

Her zest for life was the same as always: contagious, and Ben felt it stirring deep inside him. But he felt unnerved, too, by her presence there. He didn’t reach for his gun, didn’t address her; in fact, he didn’t move at all. The man stayed planted where he was, watching her through unblinking eyes. It wasn’t as much about giving her grace as it was about being diplomatic.

She spotted him shortly after, with enough of a jumpy gasp to make the bird fly away from her. “Benjamin, for Poseidon’s sake, you startled me,” she frowned at him, placing a hand over her heart. Pearl noticed he was dressed differently, in a way that didn’t suit the personality of the man she’d gotten to know, but she made no comment about it.

“Sorry,” he offered flatly. “Enjoying your flowers?” It seemed like an innocent question, friendly even, but it was uttered with a narrowing of the eyes and a hint of vague accusation.

“Very much,” she chose to ignore the implication and answer with sincerity instead. “Flowers are treasures to me. Gifts from nature,” she delicately ran a finger over the petals.

“Mmhm,” a vague murmur of agreement. Sure, flowers were nice and all, but he wasn’t really asking about flowers. His voice became steelier: “Why are you here, Pearl?”

She didn’t feel like sharing anything with him, but it was the only way to keep his suspicions from escalating. The mistrustful mermaid let out a sharp sigh. “My sister had quite the improvement, but she is not fully recovered as of yet. That tube that you gave me has run out; it is empty. Those people by the beach, they have more of the same.”

“So you stole some,” Ben completed the thought, but his tone wasn’t accusatory. It was flat.

“Yes,” she admitted with a defensive hiss, showing him the tube that was in her leaf-made pocket after taking a few steps in his direction. He didn’t move. “Then I saw that little bird, who reminded me of fire, and I followed it—only because it is rare that I see them, Benjamin.”

“Okay,” he accepted, though he was still eyeing her with some suspicion. “The bird’s gone. You have your medicine, and your flowers. You should be going now.” It was pretty clear by his firm tone and steely eyes that he wasn’t giving her a suggestion.

And being bossed by a human – especially one she shared such a fraught history with – was not something Pearl would stand for. She hissed and instantly pulled him in by his orange shirt. Ben’s eyes widened as he was yanked forward, but he made no move to stop her. “Now was that an order you tried to give me, Benjamin Linus?” The siren stared with venomous eyes and an icy smile. “Who do you think you are, to try commanding a mermaid?”

Ben wasn’t fighting her, but he wasn’t cowering either. Though his arms remained limp by his sides, he raised his chin and met her eyes, full of stony defiance. “I think that you being in my territory, unauthorized, gives me some room to tell you to leave.”

She let out a throaty hiss, glaring at him, and for a moment neither of them moved. Ben stood his ground, and Pearl refused to back down. Part of her was tempted to bite his throat out, and part of him was tempted to shoot her. Her canine teeth sharpened, his hand moved discreetly to the concealed weapon. He pressed his lips into a thin scowl, silently daring her—and she finally let go of him with a grudging little hiss.

Ben smoothed down his orange shirt, letting out a small huff of displeasure. How dare she grab him like that?!

It was only when he looked back up at her that he realized how close they were. She had pulled him right into her, their noses only a few inches apart. His heart skipped. It seemed that Pearl was coming to the same realization, because her eyes dropped to his lips, widened, and she hastily took a step back.

And indeed, her stomach fluttered when she noticed their proximity, so she was quick to put some distance between them. The last thing she needed was to think about how his lips felt on hers, that time she blew air into his mouth… “I shall be returning to the ocean now. Farewell.” The siren gave a stiff bow and practically ran off into the jungle.

Ben stood very rigidly, a blank expression as he watched her scurry away from him. What just happened?! He squinted minimally, trying to understand. She looked embarrassed, Ben mused as he began walking back home. I think it was because she noticed that we were standing very close to one another. But—what could that mean, coming from a creature of the seas? He thought back to how Pearl’s ex, the very father of her child, was jealous of him. Was there reason to be? Pearl used to be flirty with Ben, but he always assumed it was just typical mermaid charm—and that flirtatiousness died when he held her hostage in the aquarium. Maybe she was just uncomfortable being so near me today, he decided. It didn’t even matter; she had been seconds away from biting him. Pearl was an enemy, a deadly one, and Ben knew someday she might still strike to kill. He might do it, too; if it came to that, hopefully he’d strike first.

His mind was racing with so many thoughts, body still riddled with adrenaline from the threat and butterflies from the proximity, that he didn’t pay as much keen attention to where he was going. There was a snap and he felt himself being hoisted up, his stomach plummeting as the ground vanished. Ben found himself suspended in the air, enclosed by something tight; damn it. He was caught in a net, and it was not one of his people’s traps.

***

All she wanted was to reach the beach as fast as possible, but shouts stopped her in her tracks. ‘Heeey! Hey!’, she heard in the distance, and, after only a second of hesitation, decided she must investigate. Knowledge could be leverage, Pearl knew as much. The mermaid skulked around, making sure to stay hidden behind large foliage that blended with her skirt. The voices became clearer as she retraced her steps. One of them – the one begging for help – sounded a lot like the Benjamin she just left behind. She stiffened and turned her head up, to listen more attentively. …Yes; Pearl was sure that the captivating voice with precise cadence belonged to him. At first, she felt satisfaction; he had yet to pay for his crimes against her and he probably deserved whatever misery had befallen him. But she felt a nagging concern in the pit of her stomach too, that beckoned her to move faster until she crouched behind a thick tree, to watch the situation unfold.

There were two people on the ground: that dark-haired woman that was bitten—who had apparently survived the wound – and a curly-haired man who was a plane crash survivor. Pearl watched curiously as the two discussed whether or not to let another man down from a net up on the tree. The mermaid lifted her gaze until she located Ben, hanging from said tree, face purposely smooshed between the netting knots as he pleaded with certain exasperation. Golden eyes narrowed angrily--- Pearl despised nets, those inhumane prisons made only to cruelly yank innocent sea creatures from their homes!

The man decided to cut Ben -- whom she heard calling himself ‘Henry Gale’ like when he first met her -- down to freedom. A skittish Ben instantly attempted to run away, and the French woman didn’t hesitate before sending an arrow through his shoulder. Pearl gasped with a flinch, repulsed and horrified as Ben cried out and fell helplessly to the ground. The other two bound his wrists with a rope. Humans would stoop to such monstrous lengths against their own kind…

As a rule, merfolk stayed out of humankind conflicts. Pearl didn’t quite know why she decided to interfere. Was it pity for the victim, or anger toward the net and the violence? Was it for political gain, perhaps? Or a secret fondness for Ben? All of the above? No matter. She knew now that the French woman had been on that Island for many years, and as such had heard the legends. The mermaid remained well hidden as she began humming a harmless song—she wanted to scare them.

Danielle tensed as soon as she heard it. “Run,” she warned Sayid, so skittish that she was already halfway out of the picture. “Leave him and run, or you’ll be doomed!”

Sayid had no idea what she meant, and he hesitated, not comfortable with leaving an injured man behind. So Pearl infused her voice with the magical notes of the siren song. Soon the man started to feel at peace with that lovely melody. “Go, now. Leave us,” Pearl commanded. He wasn’t completely under her spell yet, but hazy enough that he listened to her orders; that Island was weird enough, he better not start following any disembodied humming. Best of luck to Henry Gale.

Once the coast was clear, Pearl tiptoed on unsteady legs to where Ben was. He had passed out from shock and intense pain, the arrow skewering his shoulder all the way through so that the sharp tip came out on the other side. What a sorry sight he was, the mermaid thought, glancing at his bleeding, unconscious shape. She grimaced. “I made a mistake,” she spoke even though there was nobody around to hear. “I should have told that man to help me carry you.” She pouted, pushed her hair out of the way, and began dragging Ben – as carefully as she could -- to a nearby grotto that fed into the ocean if you climbed down far enough or the tide was high.

***

Benjamin woke up in excruciating pain that jolted down his arm and shoulder blades, and somewhat out of sorts. He felt that he was lying on something hard and cold, with his wrists tied together and his shoulder on fire. And why were his clothes a little wet?! He expected to be in the presence of Sayid and Rousseau, or perhaps more hopefully his people had rescued him but not unbound him yet. The last thing he was prepared to see were those hazel brown eyes peering down at him with a detached expression.

The sight of her nearly gave him a figurative heart attack. He inhaled sharply and pushed himself to sit up, only to be hit with a wave of nausea at how intense the pain on his shoulder was. Ben gritted his teeth, trying to stifle his groans. The arrow was still embedded in him, an image that disturbed him enough that he had to look away after a quick inspection of the bloody wound. It looked really bad! That arrow was no joke. He hoped to God he wouldn’t pass out again from the severity of the injury.

Trapped, injured, and weak—what a terrible situation to be in! But he couldn’t despair. Ben wrestled his emotions back under control: he needed a plan. Pearl wasn’t moving; she simply sat there on her folded tail, watching him with unnerving calm. His gaze darted about frantically until it landed on a gun – his gun – laying a few steps away from him. The siren must have taken it. He drew in sharp breaths, bracing himself for the pain, and then he lunged at it, hands tied and all.

She was faster, snatching up the gun when he was halfway to it, which made him clumsily halt his move. He froze on the spot, wide blue eyes flicking up at her. Pearl threw him a censoring glance. “Really?”, the mermaid protested, judgy. She regarded the pistol, twisting it around in her hand. He anxiously wondered if she knew how to use it. Ben remembered a time when she vowed to never use a gun, but that was far in the past…things could have easily changed. He knew very well how anger could twist someone’s convictions. Pearl was looking at him with a displeased sneer. “You were going to shoot me after I stopped those two from taking you away? How dishonorable.”

“What?” he over-pronounced the sound of the letter ‘h’, wide-eyed and completely confused by her statement. He realized he was trembling, more out of pain and blood loss than fear, though he was definitely still a little afraid.

“Think. What is the very last thing that you remember? They put you in that horrible net and pierced through your shoulder, like a fish on the hook. You passed out,” Pearl explained with casual coldness, making note of how much he trembled. “They would have taken you away had I not interfered.”

He stared at her in bewilderment. Why would she let him live and go free only to capture him days later, he wondered, trying to make sense of her behavior in order to come up with the best course of action to allow him to survive. He glanced around, taking in the sight of the grotto they were in; one of those picturesque cave formations that filled up with water on a high tide. It was damp, cold, a slick layer of water covered the ground, it smelled like the ocean, and the siren was just sitting there on her tail, still eyeing the gun. Without warning, Pearl pressed the pistol muzzle into his temple and grinned like she was toying with her prey. Ben drew in a gasped, shaky breath, his eyes going completely wide. “Please, don’t,” he breathed out with certain annoyance and quite a bit of defiance. She shrugged cheekily, Ben huffed, wincing and squeezing his eyes shut as she pushed the gun hard enough to jerk his head a little to the side.

“Unpleasant, isn’t it?” She pushed his head again and he remained as impassive as he could, breath faintly hitching in his throat. The mermaid watched him, mildly impressed by how stoic he was through most of it. “What a courageous man. How do I disarm this? Take those little pieces from inside?” she demanded, all in a single breath. Pearl really hated guns, a little more than she loved scaring helpless humans.

Ben blinked, eyes again open and wide as gems. “You point it away from me,” he was brave enough to spit out harshly. She gave him an icy glare, but complied. “Then pull on that slider, carefully,” he droned, fighting against the fuzziness installing itself in his brain. Pearl followed his instructions and a live round clattered to the ground. She figured out by herself that she needed to repeat it until the chamber was empty, and then she tossed the gun aside. He watched the process closely, hopeful that this was a good sign but completely lost on what to do. The vulnerability was maddening and terrifying.

“These weapons—they’re the vilest invention and show the true depravity of humans,” the mermaid all but spat out in contempt. “I would rather die than to ever make use of such a horrid thing!” Her impassioned vow was something for Ben to make note of; it could be leverage against her someday. It was the second time she mentioned that, confirming to him that she intended to stick to her word of never touching a gun. The siren softened suddenly, tilted her head, her blonde hair silky and shiny as it fell over her shoulders. “Given your dire situation, how about a truce?” Clever eyes observed him, awaiting.

He wanted to say no, shriek at her to get the hell away from him. But he was bound, bleeding half to death and in an incredible amount of pain. He needed all the help he could get. “Yes…” the word dragged out with reluctance. Ben gave one single pointed nod, his suspicious narrowed gaze landing on her face, cautiously watching to see what she’d do next. “My shoulder…” he whined after a moment, seeing as she didn’t move. “Please, untie my hands…it hurts…” He felt so weak he feared he might pass out again at any moment, so he played it up by whining at her in hopes that it might emotionally affect her. He didn’t think she would really free him, though; he was her sworn enemy, after all.

To his surprise, the blonde mermaid moved closer and began fussing with the rope until his wrists were free. Apparently his big, pleading, intentionally helpless eyes worked on her. Ben whispered a barely audible ‘thank you’ and slumped against the grotto wall, exhausted, panting with his mouth half open. He cradled his injury with the opposite hand, placing it under the arrow. Pearl watched him, and it tugged hard on her heartstrings. That human was really worse for wear, wasn’t he. As much as she wanted him to pay for hurting her, nobody deserved to go through so much pain…

Ben had always enjoyed projecting a certain image, of someone put together, neat, and worthy of respect. He was always well groomed and dressed crisply, and that made him feel good. Powerful. But in that damp cavern, he knew he was a mess-- disheveled hair, sweaty, torn clothes, and maybe worst of all, weak-looking: because his breathing was raspy and shallow, he was pale, bleeding, and as hard as he tried he couldn’t keep a completely straight face; certain pained whimpers and grimaces were still coming through. He despised looking like such a powerless target in front of anyone, but especially in front of a formidable rival! He’d still use that to his advantage when necessary of course, like he just had with the exaggerated whining. But now that he was free Ben glowered at her, attempting to regain a semblance of respectability and control. Pearl, on the other hand, was as radiant as ever: relaxed, almost playfully so, beautiful and in charge. She smiled, and Ben was suddenly more personally self-conscious about the current state of his appearance. He wished he could fix his hair or wipe his face, at the very least, but even lifting his good arm felt like a gargantuan effort.

“Some of my sisters have been speared by fishermen. I know what to do with your wound. Stay here, and let me tend to it,” she instructed. Before he had the chance to answer, she was leaping out of the cave and into the ocean below, leaving a stunned man behind.

As soon as he heard the splash signifying she was gone, Ben narrowed his eyes and sprang into action. He didn’t trust Pearl’s odd offer to tend to him, much preferring getting himself away from the mermaid and back to his people, where a proper doctor could stitch him up.

Unfortunately for him, he was in no condition of trekking halfway through the Island. There was an arrow sticking out of a gaping hole on his shoulder, bleeding more profusely each time he made a move, and piercing him more with every movement. The blood loss was draining him, the excruciating pain bringing him to the brink of consciousness. Desperate, he tried to force the issue, pushing himself to his limit to try and get away from that cave.

He made it halfway to the entrance before the dark spots in his vision became too much. He fell to his knees, breathing heavily. To protect him from the pain and exhaustion, his body gave out, and Ben fainted.

Time ticked by without him noticing, his blood mingling with the water that dampened the rocky ground. He was completely unconscious, oblivious to it all.

When Pearl climbed back into the wet grotto, pushed up by waves and bringing a bundle of things wrapped in seaweed, she found Ben passed out on the floor. The mermaid approached carefully, and placed two fingers on his neck to check for a pulse. He had one; good. Observant eyes zoomed in on his face, to make sure he was breathing.

“Benjamin?” she called softly, giving him a careful push. “I have the materials. Wake up.” The man didn’t move, so the siren ran her fingers through his hair; it was a gentle motion, pushing the clumped wet strands away from his forehead. “Benjamin? You must wake up, you’ll bleed out.”

He let out the tiniest little sigh, still unconscious. Pearl’s gaze landed on his lips, and she was brought back to that moment underwater when she blew air into his mouth to save him from drowning. His lips had been so very soft then, so inviting and warm. It wasn’t a kiss; she never thought of it as such, at all. But now, looking at his handsome face so closely, his parted lips and his slowly rising chest, the mermaid was acutely aware of how much she would like to press her mouth against his one more time—and this time, as something more than life-saving maneuvers. Something…with tongues. Yes, she’d like to experience Ben’s tongue, just once.

Didn’t she hate him?! Well—yes. But you could still want to kiss someone you hated! Couldn’t you? She thought so. Would he let her? Should she try, after he was awake? Her heart raced.

And then she came to her senses. No!! Kissing Ben?! What a ridiculous notion! It didn’t matter that he was so handsome, and interesting, and so very smart, and that he made her laugh and feel butterflies sometimes, and that even his dangerous side thrilled her; Benjamin was human, and he was willing to hurt people if he had to…like all humans were. The last time she let herself be taken in by his magnetism, she ended up in an aquarium! Pearl would never allow herself to be so foolish again! She untangled her hand from his hair and drew back a little, resuming giving him a small shake. She made sure the arrow didn’t touch the ground, not wanting it to be pushed any deeper into his flesh.

When Ben woke up again it was courtesy of something lightly shaking him. Half of his face and hair were wet with seawater, and he realized he was lying down inside the cave, with Pearl attempting to rouse him. On instinct, he bolted upright-- and cried out through gritted teeth when a searing pain spread from the shoulder wound and radiated down his arm and back, aggravated by his fast movement. Against his better judgment, he glanced at the arrow sticking out of him again and immediately felt his stomach turn. What a disturbing thing to witness, one’s own flesh pierced by a sharp weapon! Ben shook his head and averted his eyes, squeezing them shut. Then he sensed her body moving near his. “What are you doing?” he asked warily, eyes flying open.

“Do you wish for the arrow to be removed from your shoulder, or not? If you do, be still and allow me to do it,” Pearl ordered.

“Why are you helping me?” he asked with too much sharp edge. Realizing quickly that he shouldn’t antagonize her, Ben added more softly, albeit still warily, “I don’t mean to be ungrateful. But it’s--- unusual.” He’d saved her sister, of course, but Pearl believed that he owed her that; so her helping him now was not payment for his good deed.

“I find myself feeling sympathetic toward my enemies at times,” she explained, her gaze and demeanor detached and distant despite the sweetness of the words. “You were arrowed by your own kind, and that is awful. I do despise you, Benjamin, and your people, but I wouldn’t allow you to be taken and tortured.” She raised her eyes from his wound to his face, her canines extending into two sharp fangs as she flashed a calculated smile. “That is what you did to me. Took me, and hurt me. I cannot claim to be better-hearted than your kind if I allow the same monstrous deeds to take place.” Though she was exaggerating a bit for effect; Pearl was not hurt during her captivity. The scale cutting stung a little, as did the needle for the blood sample, but that was it. She was well aware that Ben would likely have endured much worse from his own captors.

He almost bucked at the intensity of her stare and the weight of her words. All Ben could do was gape, panting through an open mouth, grateful that an aquatic predator had suddenly decided to have higher standards. Maybe his remark about her humanlike desire for revenge stayed with her. Hazy with blood loss, he wasn’t sure if she was a fool or an angel for rising above it and helping a man who did her harm. Just his luck, anyway. He ducked his head after a moment, glancing at the inch-deep layer of water covering the ground of the grotto.

She smiled at him, those fangs where her canine teeth should be still exposed. Ben had the disconcerting thought that they would be rather cute if they weren’t a constant reminder that she might choose to sink them into his flesh. “Can you stop that?” he finally asked with cautious exasperation. “It’s--- unsettling.”

“No, I cannot,” she stated simply. He threw her an offended glare and the corner of her lip turned up into a half-smile. “You’re treacherous, Benjamin. I fear a double-cross. I need my fangs at the ready should I need to tear you apart to defend myself.”

His heart sunk a little at her vivid choice of the words ‘tear you apart’. Ben swallowed dryly, then quipped sarcastically: “Your gracious hosting leaves something to be desired.” He supposed it was somewhat flattering, in a disturbing way, that she was still afraid of him despite his dire predicament. He knew he barely looked like a threat at all in that moment, wounded and weaponless and weak, but it was encouraging that she was still on her guard around him. Truth be told, he didn’t want her anywhere near his shoulder…but Ben was a pragmatist, and not above accepting questionable help when he was in need of it. “Go on, then,” he finally relented, though his eyes were full of distrust. His chest rose and fell rapidly, with shaky breaths. He could feel his body getting even weaker.

Pearl pushed herself up with her arms, lifting her body and tail up in the air so she could shift closer to him. Once she was seated by his side she curled her fingers around the arrow. “Steady yourself. Breathe. Are you ready?”

No. “Yeah,” he gave one curt nod and braced himself, clenching his fists. He’d never been so grateful to have a high tolerance for pain.

First, she tore a piece of his already ripped orange shirt to make room to maneuver. His eyes dipped to it, stayed there for a beat then drifted away, finding a spot on the wall to focus on. Then she snapped the arrow in half. When it broke, it sent a blindingly searing pain all over him. Ben cried out through gritted teeth and lurched forward a little, tears pooling in his eyes. She touched the leftover piece of arrow. His body threatened to involuntarily jerk forward even more and was swiftly stopped by Pearl’s other arm, which she used to keep him still from then on. Ben could feel himself shaking, overtaken by the horrible ache. He closed his eyes and tried to keep quiet, but the pain was overwhelming--- his groans were coming out rhythmically, along with his strained breathing and a few stray tears. She held him through the process, which, he supposed he didn’t mind as much. The mermaid pulled the other half of the arrow out – punctuated by more strangled groans from Ben -- and casually tossed the bloody pieces to the side. As soon as that was done, he could feel blood flowing much more freely out of the wound, dripping down his torso, and he was hit with a horrifying thought: wasn’t blood akin to food for a siren? He panicked, pushing out his legs to scoot away from her, which only caused another gush of blood and another flash of throbbing pain. His face contorted into a grimace and a cry got strangled in his throat.

“Pardon me?” her tone demanded an explanation and her eyes narrowed at the speed with which he’d scrambled backwards, slipping right out of her hold.

“Your kind…eats people sometimes.” He picked the words very carefully, his face and voice rather stoic except for how his breath trembled and a few whimpers slipped out of him on occasion. “I know that you haven’t—but, blood must be nourishment for you. I’d … rather not have you anywhere near mine, thank you.”

“I’m not a shark that will lunge at the first scent of blood,” there was humor lacing her words. “The arrow is out, you shall be in trouble if that wound is not properly closed. I brought the necessary materials.” And yet…she couldn’t help messing with him, just a little. Pearl looked at the coat of Ben’s blood staining her hands, smiled, and stuck her tongue out. She slid it over the pad of her index finger, lapping up some blood.

Shock appeared on his face “Pearl!” Ben complained, letting out an outraged scoff.

“Maybe I am indeed feeling a tad hungry,” she sunnily declared, then slowly licked off the blood from another finger, emitting a happy little hum while she did it.

Suddenly Ben couldn’t breathe so well. It was a mixture of being very annoyed by the mermaid’s provoking antics, the pain on his shoulder, being genuinely worried that she might bite him to eat him, and being…a little entranced by the gentle sucking motion of her lips and the swiping of her tongue. Pearl had no idea that what she was doing could come off as suggestive, but Ben couldn’t keep some heat from rising under his collar; he couldn’t help wondering what her tongue would feel like, kissing him or on his skin. It was mad, he thought, that she could look so sensual while literally consuming human blood! He should be sick at the sight, repulsed, not…intrigued. His heart raced with all sorts of conflicting feelings, and he shuddered. “I thought you weren’t a shark,” he quipped petulantly, hoping it would be enough to get her to stop.

It was. Satisfied with his shudders and annoyance – and having no idea of anything else he may have felt -- Pearl let out a hollow little laugh as she dropped her hand and wiped off the rest of the blood on a piece of seaweed. The fangs retracted.

A frantic – yet somehow still exasperated – exhale. “I’ll bleed to death if I don’t stop the wound from pouring,” Ben grumbled, panting as his eyes shifted in search of something. He could tie his own shirt around the injury, but he’d rather not; he felt exposed enough with the tear alone. His gaze landed on the supplies Pearl brought, all wrapped inside a large piece of dark green seaweed.

Although he hadn’t asked yet – feeling displeased to have to rely on her – she noticed what he was looking at, and deduced that he was wondering if she had anything that might help him. “I brought a piece of sail. There is a sea urchin needle too, and some thread I stole from the beach camp, should that become necessary. I think tying the fabric shall be enough; we can use it to stop the bleeding.”

“We?” His eyes narrowed skeptically, one side of his mouth closed and the other slightly open.

“How are you going to tie it behind your own back? Please, Benjamin, don’t be stubborn. Allow me to do it.” She threw him a stern glance.

He supposed it had to be pure adrenaline keeping him going. He trembled faintly, face and neck covered in beads of perspiration, his breathing still shallow and halting. His shoulder burned horribly, the exposed hole from the arrow kept bleeding, and he had to rely on the siren to patch him up.

A reluctant, weak nod, and a grudging sigh. “Make sure it’s tight. And—disinfect it first. Please. Do you have seawater?”

“No, but that is easily achievable,” she smiled proudly, a touch smug. The siren vocalized a summoning song, and nature catered to her whims once again. Droplets of water rose from the ocean and floated into the grotto, like she had a gravitational pull they had to obey. They gathered above her open palm, joining to become a small twisting ball of water. Her singing was so beautiful that it put a lump in Ben’s throat; he watched the magic with muted fascination. “What must I do with it?” she asked him when she had enough water.

“Pour it on my injury,” he said with the grimmest blank face ever. “Ocean water is rich in mineral salts, so it works as an antiseptic…” And, on the Island, the ocean was clean.

She’d never heard the word ‘antiseptic’ before, but it was easy to deduce that it meant it would heal him in some way. The mermaid gracefully flicked her wrist and, holding a silky, angelic high note, released that water; it cascaded down to him, soaking the open wound on his shoulder. Ben hissed at how it stung, pressing his eyes tightly shut.

She wrapped the sail cloth around his shoulder, going under his arm, and tied a knot at the back. To make it firmer and tighter, she pulled it taut. When that piece of fabric squeezed around him, pain shot out through Ben’s body. He pressed his lips together to smother a loud whimper, which instead sounded like something garbled from his throat. Tears shone in his eyes and his breath quickened, coming out of his nose in rhythmic bursts.

She saw the water brimming in his eyes and tilted her head, a curious expression painting her face. Carefully, Pearl reached out to him and touched the corner of his left eye. Ben drew back abruptly, with a sharp sigh.

“Tear?” she asked softly, looking at the tiny droplet now on the pad of her index finger.

He refused to be embarrassed for being teary-eyed when a literal arrow punctured – no, impaled --his shoulder! “Yes, well, it hurt. Badly,” he snippily told her in a single breath, glaring.

But she didn’t mean to judge him. Despite her demeanor, she felt bad seeing him injured. “I’m sorry that it is not the happy kind of crying. And I am sorry you are hurt,” she offered, partly out of sincerity and partly to keep up polite appearances. “But you are done now; your wound is wrapped,” she gave an empty smile.

Ben returned an equally hollow smile, but there was a hint of grudging gratitude in him. “Thank you,” he muttered, resting the back of his head against the grotto wall. He closed his eyes, taking in and releasing deep, slow breaths. He wanted to get out of that cave, but he needed a second to regain his strength; God only knew how much blood he lost! So Ben waited, until he felt less dizzy, the pain dulled a little, and his legs felt firmer. He turned around sharply, pushing himself up with the good arm. Some blood seeped into the makeshift sail bandage.

The movement was a bit abrupt, catching the waiting mermaid by surprise. Pearl jumped with fear and wide eyes, instinctively hissing at him.

Ben halted, head tilting reflexively as he watched her try to pretend she hadn’t just cowered. “You’re afraid of me,” he pointed out with a soft breath, staying still so that he wouldn’t spook her. He was in such a vulnerable position that he didn’t expect her to be that worried about his being a safety risk.

She averted her eyes, ashamed to be caught in a weak moment. “Yes,” Pearl sheepishly admitted. “You’re very dangerous, and you have taken me before. I would be a fool to underestimate you just because you are wounded.”

That was surprisingly encouraging to hear. The siren was right, too; even a worse-for-wear Ben was more formidable than most, as his intelligence, silver tongue and manipulative ease were more dangerous than even his physical strength and prowess with weapons. “I’m sorry for what I had to do to you on Hydra Island,” he offered plainly. “I did it to keep my people safe.”

“Don’t apologize in one breath and justify yourself in the next,” she sneered. “It does not make you seem very sorry.”

“But I am! I’m sorry that you had to be hurt for my people’s safety.” He let out a frazzled scoff and shook his head, slightly exasperated. “You know why I did that, there is no point in explaining myself again.”

She gave a prissy shrug. “Yes, I know.”

“I’m scared of you too, you know,” he told her, holding her gaze in a way that didn’t seem scared at all. His confession was calculated; meant to soften her by making use of her pride.

It didn’t exactly cut through her iciness, but at least it garnered a polite response: “You would be foolish not to be--- and you don’t strike me as a fool at all, Benjamin Linus.” A pause, and her golden-flecked eyes twinkled inquisitively. “Why do they call you ‘Ben’?”

There was a flash of interest behind his eyes. “You noticed that in the aquarium.” A statement rather than a question.

“Yes. I could hear them talking to you, sometimes. Ben-jamin.”

A vague, blank-faced shrug. He felt lightheaded. “We shorten names sometimes. It’s a more casual or friendly way of speaking to me.”

“May I call you Ben too?” she inquired, canting her head.

He was honestly surprised that she cared to ask for permission, and maybe more so that she even wanted to be on a casual level with him. “You may,” he said simply, expressing no emotion with his face or tone. But he liked it; ‘Benjamin’ always sounded way too formal, borderline antagonistic at times. ‘Ben’ was better, especially coming from her.

“Very well, Ben,” she bowed her head and scooted his way, dragging her tail along the wet cave floor. “Before I leave, I demand one answer from you,” Pearl raised her chin, sitting uncomfortably close to him. She noticed the sail bandage was more soaked in blood than before.

He let out a slow breath of resigned annoyance. “What is it now?”

“Why did you have my moonstone with you?” Her eyes were on his, as unblinking and demanding as his own. He almost faltered.

“I thought I’d use it as leverage, if I ever found myself in danger with your kind…” he drawled slowly, with certain petulance toward the end of the sentence. His chin was down but his eyes were flicking up at her, giving him a displeased and vaguely threatening demeanor despite his paleness and shallow breaths.

That made sense. “And you studied it?” she asked acidly, familiar with how he operated.

Ben gave a weak nod. “I wanted to know why it triggers your transformation.” His voice adopted a low tone that was somewhere on the spectrum of vexed disappointment, nearly a grumble under his breath: “Not that I had much luck with it…”

Being charged with moonlight was what allowed the rock to initiate the transformation--- not that Pearl would share that with him. She simply smiled cockily, pleased that he had gotten nowhere in his moonstone investigation. Ben threw her the curtest smile back, full of uppity sarcasm. God, was his tolerance for the mermaid low in that moment! He was in pain, frustrated, mad, powerless, and all of it added up to make Benjamin a very annoyed and nearly childish man, moments away from lashing out in a tantrum if she kept provoking him.

But he had to focus on his injury, which continued to bleed profusely, draining him of energy. The piece of sail fabric was thoroughly drenched now, all the way through. Ben was getting weaker and weaker, more lightheaded by the second. Bandaging wasn’t enough; he would have to stitch himself up. He grunted as he shifted slightly, reaching for the needle. He was not looking forward to the intense stinging ache he was about to feel…but Ben could handle it. He knew his tolerance for pain was pretty high.

“What are you doing?” she asked with a doubtful frown, but made no move to stop him from touching her things.

“If you haven’t noticed, I’m still bleeding,” he grumbled acidly. “I appreciate the help, but unfortunately staunching isn’t enough. I need to stitch it up.”

“Allow me,” she held out a hand.

Ben looked at her, then her outstretched hand, then his shoulder and back to her face. His lips rolled into a line and he gave a single shake of the head. “No, that’s alright. I’d rather do it.”

“I don’t know why you insist on being so stubborn, but suit yourself,” the mermaid lightly complained, wrapping her arms around her frame.

Truth was, Ben already felt that he was in Pearl’s debt; he didn’t want to owe her more, and he certainly didn’t want to need her help yet again. So he’d do it himself. He worried his brain was less sharp than usual, as it was afflicted with blood loss. But even a not-at-his-best Ben was smarter and more resourceful than most people at their very best, so, as he unrolled the seaweed bundle, he keenly observed all the things Pearl brought him. They were all wet, clearly kept underwater with her. But it was a nice assortment, all things considered. A hand closed around the thick, lustrous black needle. It looked more like a spindle of some sort. It was a bit unnerving – especially for a man that hated needles! -- but Ben knew that sea urchin spikes were indeed just thin enough to work like needles. It was rather resourceful of Pearl to bring him that, he thought, feeling vague admiration as he tied a piece of thread to it.

Urgh, here I go, he took a deep breath to steady himself. His nose wrinkled and mouth pressed tightly shut. Ben felt extremely uneasy, struggling against his dislike for all things needle-related. His stomach churned with some sickness, which he pushed through. It was either that or bleeding out, so he breathed in again and forced himself to stick the pointy side of the spike into his flesh.

His only reaction as the makeshift needle pierced his skin was the faintest wince. As always, he could stay focused and push through pain rather well, a skill he developed early in his childhood. The thread went in, and out as he pulled it, then it was time to do it again. His fingers trembled as he attempted to stick the needle into his skin. Sure, he was handling the pain, but he was exhausted and his body still in shock; it was extremely difficult to keep steady, and even to see straight. He panted, letting out light little grunts, lips still taut in a thin line as he forged ahead with determination. Pearl was casually resting on her stomach, her chin propped up on her hands, and her fins up in the air; she was observing him intently, fascinated by the human’s behavior. She admired the tenacity.

With his vision fuzzy from all the blood he lost, and blood-coated slippery fingers that were shaky from dealing with such an injury, it was becoming increasingly difficult to stick the sea urchin needle in the correct spot. The punctures had to be evenly spaced so that the thread could suture the wound properly. Ben blinked a few times, weary. He barely had the strength to keep his head upright.

As much as he tried to fight it, dizziness, pain and exhaustion caught up to him again, taking the wind from his sails. When he slumped backward, Pearl launched herself up and caught him, holding a steady hand to the back of his head.

“I-I got this,” he mumbled, half out of consciousness. Some part of his brain registered how soft and cool her fingers felt between the strands of his hair.

“Shh. Rest,” she shushed. Ben barely heard her; the exhaustion and pain finally took a toll, overtaking him. He was out. Pearl lightly shook her head and took the needle from his loose grip. “For such a mastermind genius, you can be so silly sometimes,” she told him even though he couldn’t hear her anymore. After gently ruffling his hair, Pearl pushed Ben backwards so that he was supported by the cave wall, sitting up against it and head dangling to the side.

She scooted closer to him, silencing the voice in her head that told her she shouldn’t be helping such a man and that fate should take care of whether he’d live or die. The siren stitched up the rest of the wound easily and efficiently, zipping the needle in and out of Benjamin’s shoulder with dexterity, on the front and then the back. She was glad he wasn’t conscious for any of it; it was much more comfortable for him to be missing out on that. Then she wrapped the wound again, with less pressure now that staunching the bleed wasn’t necessary.

She let go of Ben when she was done and his body flopped sideways, coming to a stop only when it encountered resistance in the form of her shoulder, where it leaned on. The mermaid’s first instinct was to defensively shove him away, and she made a move to do just that…but she caught a glimpse of his face and stopped short; he looked so peaceful, so at ease. Frail, but finally free from the grasps of pain…she dropped her hand. Pearl didn’t have the heart to move him and possibly wake him. So the mermaid sighed with resignation as she sat up with her back against the grotto wall too, by Ben’s side. The man clearly was in desperate need of real, deep rest; she’d allow him to sleep, even if that miffed her. Pearl left Ben there, slumped against her side, his head coming to rest on her shoulder after she settled down. She watched him closely, monitoring his breathing and drinking in the peacefulness of his sleeping form—she saw every detail; every flutter of the eyelids, every inhale, every minimal mouth movement. And all of it would stay with her forever.

He woke up no less than three hours later, disoriented and not sure why he was propped up against something so soft and cool in temperature. The last thing he remembered was being in a damp picturesque grotto, impaled by a damn arrow and struggling to stitch himself up while Pearl watched him. But then…was that breathing? Whatever he was leaning on was breathing. And something tickled his cheek. Ben opened his eyes and craned his neck very slowly, almost afraid to make any sudden movements, until his eyes landed on her—on the mermaid that was absent-mindedly playing with a blue crab while waiting for the man to wake up.

It took his brain a split second to register the full situation: he had been asleep, leaning against Pearl’s side. His head was resting on her collarbone, his hair brushing against her neck. What tickled his cheek was a strand of Pearl’s own blonde tresses. Part of his torso was pressed up against her side. She must’ve moved him – pulled him closer to her so he wouldn’t slump to the ground – otherwise he’d never be in that exact position. When he realized exactly where and how he was, his stomach did a somersault. Ben scooted back in a hurry, blinking rapidly at the mermaid as his heart ran a mile a minute. “I-I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to--- how---” And then his eyes narrowed, suspicious. “Did you sing?” That might explain why he was so out of sorts.

“No. You fainted while trying to stitch up your wound. I finished it, and you were so weak that you toppled onto me. You needed rest to recover; I did not have the heart to wake you,” Pearl explained with complete nonchalance, returning the blue crab that had been crawling on her hand to the rock it belonged on.

“…Oh.” That was all that Ben could muster as he blinked again, disconcerted, his usual eloquence drained of him. Letting him sleep on her?! That was awfully nice of the siren. Uncharacteristically nice. And that was saying nothing of how lovely it felt to lean against her body, soft and comfortable, and fitting together so perfectly that it was like he was made to be by her side--- “I should go,” he announced abruptly, afraid of where his mind might end up if he stayed. Besides, he was sick of that goddamned damp cave, and of bleeding in front of her. He was okay enough to walk, now that his energies were a bit restored and his body was out of shock. “Thank you for--- all of your help.” He flashed a tight smile of awkward gratitude.

“Mmhm. You should go and rest more comfortably. Regain your strength.” An encouraging nod, followed by a strangely empty, distant smile. “But Ben? Stay away from the shores. The rocks are slippery…one never knows when one might lose their balance and crack open their heads in the sharpness.” The same smile became a little sharper, more unsettling. “And the waters, tsk, they’re treacherous. One false step and you’re below the waves forever…” Pearl’s message to him was crystal clear: my previous threat still stands. They may have mended the shattered pieces of the relationship a little, but Pearl still wanted to keep her distance from him. Her eyes flashed pure gold and he swallowed hard, giving her one pointed nod to indicate he understood. As he ducked out of the grotto – after rolling his shoulder to test that the stitches were holding up -- he heard a splash indicating she dove back into the ocean.

Still; even with that threat, he couldn’t shake off the fact that the mermaid saved his life. Again. And asked for nothing in return. She freed him from his would-be captors and torturers, let him sleep in peace when he needed rest, helped him by being a steady hand when his wasn’t. He was thoroughly unsettled by her and her standoffish demeanor, so why was his stomach still fluttering pleasantly when he reached the safety of the Barracks?

 

Notes:

I just wanted to give a heads-up that between now and November I might be slower with updates. It's likely that I'll only be able to get out one more chapter between now and then, but then my schedule should be more regular again!
Thank you for sticking with me and enjoying this story, I can't even tell you all how much I appreciate it! <3

Chapter 12: The pooling of resources can be mutually beneficial, if trust can withstand it

He was standing on the docks, surrounded by several of his people, all wearing tattered disguises. Ben wasn’t too pleased that they made a deal without his permission. They promised to let the little boy Walt go if his father, Michael, brought them Jack. The problem was, Jacob wanted Walt on the Island; Ben was sure that sending him home would have consequences down the line. But they made that agreement to help Ben, so how much could he begrudge them? And a deal was a deal; Michael did his part, so Ben provided him with a boat and the right coordinates to leave the Island with his son.

On their knees and tied up on the same dock were Hugo, Sawyer, Kate and…Jack. The spinal surgeon. The one that mattered. Ben didn’t like that he had to kidnap three of those four individuals; honestly, it was just extra work for them, extra troubles, and a bit unsettling. But it was the best strategy Ben came up with to orchestrate a way for him to get the life-saving surgery he so desperately needed. So he’d do what had to be done, and he’d temporarily keep those people on Hydra Island.

Before much could be said, a blinding light exploded, accompanied by a piercing hum that threatened to shatter eardrums. Ben hunched over, wincing as he covered his ears. Everyone around him did the same, disoriented and in pain. He knew exactly what that was: a huge burst of electromagnetic energy. Some idiot in the Hatch must’ve failed to do a very simple job. Ben gnashed his teeth and steadied himself through it, wide-eyed. As the wave finally passed, he glanced at his daughter to make sure she was alright.

The blast hit the underwater creatures too, though not as strongly. They felt a whoosh, a slightly aggravating high pitched noise, and traded confused looks as the bottom of the sea became more illuminated than ever. But the high pressured depths protected the merfolk from the brunt of the impact.

***

As soon as Ben made it back home, he had every piece of equipment tested to see if any were affected by the blast. And yes; that weird explosion in the Hatch –caused by a failure to input the numbers and press the button on the computer – caused a bit of a problem for Ben’s people. The main damage was to the submarine radar and beacon system, responsible for sending out a homing signal that allowed the vessel to find its way back home. It stopped working entirely. Without that, they were truly stuck on the Island, not even able to travel to the mainland for Island-related business as Ben was often known to do.

The radar itself could be turned back on, but if it couldn’t lock in on the pinging signal, it was useless, and Ben would be unable to run any off-Island missions. The full beacon system was comprised of four pieces of machinery: one in the Barracks, one underwater by the docks, and one planted at the very bottom of an oceanic trench. All of them emitted a pulse of their own. The fourth and strongest beacon was situated in The Looking Glass Station underwater, where finely-tuned equipment triangulated the exact location of the other three signals, and then sent out a stronger pulse that was picked up by the submarine radar. That pulse contained the exact coordinates of where in space-and-time the Island was located at that exact moment, thus allowing the returning submarine to find it. Apparently the electromagnetic burst interfered with these pulse emissions, making the beacons ping out of turn or not at all.

Thankfully, there was a fix for that. Restarting them from the control centre on Hydra Island should re-stabilize them. But—it didn’t. Not totally. The Looking Glass wasn’t able to complete the triangulation, because only two signals were found. The one in the Barracks pinged just fine. Ben wasn’t sure which of the other two stopped working, so he sent a team to run diagnostics.

The divers told him the one under the docks turned on, too. So the glitch was coming from the piece in the trench—but why?! He tasked Mikhail with figuring out exactly what was wrong, and Richard with reporting back.

Half a day passed. Ben thought it was high time the other men delivered an answer. Later that afternoon the advisor came up to him.

“I trust that you found out what I asked?” Ben approached him.

Richard nodded. “Yeah. Mikhail checked the radar and the other beacons twice. The damage is in the deepest underwater piece.”

“What is the damage?” Ben inquired, eyebrows rising.

“The beacon is jammed with something. It looks like a piece of debris from the Hatch explosion,” Richard relayed the information given to him.

That seemed simple enough! “So let’s retrieve it. We have the equipment for that.”

Richard grimaced. “He doesn’t think that it’s possible.”

“Why not?” Ben bristled, then easily deduced the answer: “It’s too deep for a diver to reach, and the trench too narrow for the sub.” The beacons were installed before Benjamin’s time, but it was an easy guess.

Another nod from the immortal man. Ben let out a small sigh of annoyance and grew quiet, contemplating his options. Losing the submarine and the mobility to-and-from the Island would cause a lot of problems. After a short while, determination flashed on his features and his eyes shone. Richard smiled, recognizing the look. “You have a plan?”

“I always have a plan,” Ben reminded. Though, admittedly, this one was…unorthodox. “What we need is a swimmer who can get to such depths and stay there a long time…” he drawled.

“But that’s impossible.”

“For us.” Blue eyes sparkled slyly, the shadow of a smirk on his lips.

“For us?” Dark eyes widened with sudden understanding. “Ben, you’re not suggesting we get a mermaid to do it?!”

A shrewd nod. “I am. They’ve proven amenable to deals before. If we make it worth their while, they’ll comply.”

“That was before you held one captive for experiments,” the advisor pointed out. “They’ll never help us now.”

“No,” Ben agreed. “Not without the right incentive.” Blue eyes flicked up at Richard, wide and insightful, but holding darkness within. “It’s a good thing I know just how to convince them.”

“Ben, are you sure? Pearl vowed revenge—you might get hurt.” Richard couldn’t help but worry; he had known Ben since Ben was a little boy of about ten. “Just because she helped with an injury doesn’t mean she’ll help you twice.” The advisor was the only person who knew the full truth of what happened when Ben got shot with a bow and arrow and rescued by the mermaid.

“I’m sure,” the other man said firmly, though with no irritation this time. He also didn’t elaborate on the plan just yet.

“Is it the right time for you to be focusing on this? You need to concentrate on getting Jack to agree to the surgery, Ben,” Richard reminded. As if Ben could ever forget the deadly tumor currently lodged on his spine.

“That plan is well in hand,” he said sharply, making clear he didn’t wish to discuss it. He didn’t like his people thinking of him as ill, or weak in any way. It made him feel powerless, or worse…replaceable. “Jack will see the light. Give him time. If not, he’ll learn the truth about Kate and Sawyer…” he added ominously, so Richard could see that Ben was still ten steps ahead. “What we currently need lies with the mermaids.”

“Okay…” Richard was dubious about it, but he trusted Ben’s judgment. “Do we take a boat out, look for one?”

“No,” Ben instantly shook his head. “They need to come to us. We let them.”

***

Ben had a great talent for exploiting whatever someone was emotionally invested in, using that to get what he wanted. It came naturally to him. Of course, that was exponentially easier when he was dealing with humans. He understood them. The sirens, on the other hand, used to be a mystery. Practically completely unknown not only to Ben but to every person. Nobody had a clue what sirens were emotionally invested in; some didn’t even use to think the creatures were capable of emotions at all!

But times had changed. Benjamin was aware of not only what mattered to them as a species, but also to Pearl as an individual.

Some things he knew from his own keen observation, and some from being told. She cared about metal, told him that herself; that would be an easy trade, give Pearl some metal in exchange for assistance. But he was unwilling to put any significant amount of steel or iron in her hands, as Ben was pretty convinced that she wanted those for purposes that would turn out to be harmful for his people. She hated guns, that much was plain to see by her reaction to them. She was fascinated by fire, and cared deeply about her sisters and daughter. A protector, and bold. So threatening her with a gun or capturing another mermaid for leverage were possibilities, but Ben was hoping for a gentler touch. After all, they’d only started to repair their relationship. And, if the sirens got angry enough and decided to sing in harmonic chorus, he and his people would be thoroughly screwed.

What he needed was a harmless little scheme, a mere trick to gently manipulate her into helping him. Because he was sure she wouldn’t say yes unless he gave her the right nudge. Just a day of build-up was needed, then he could call on Pearl. And the weakness he’d exploit? The ocean itself.

A message sent down would do the trick to summon her. He’d put something in a small sealed box, then have it dropped in the ocean, right near the Eastern side. A mermaid was bound to stumble upon it, and open it. Inside she’d find a pearl, to indicate he wished to speak to the one named Pearl. And what could he include that would let her know it was coming from him? Easy. A small piece of metal. Small enough that it couldn’t be used for anything. And a flower, to endear her since she liked them so much. Ben smiled to himself. It was a gamble, but he was sure he’d win. Pearl was curious and clever: a perfect combination for exploiting in this way. She’d solve the riddle, and would then be unable to resist finding out what he wanted.

He would wait for her at the tide pool. He believed that she would have the same thought, of returning to the place where they first talked openly, where he found out she was a mermaid. He’d give her a day; if she didn’t show up, then he would leave a more detailed message for her.

***

As soon as the message was sent, early in the morning, Ben headed to the tide pool to wait for her. He sat on the tallest rock, from where he was able to keep an eye out at the sea. Hours rolled by and he alternated between reading and thinking. A less patient man would be getting agitated. But Benjamin was completely fine when, shortly before noon, his peripheral vision caught something out on the ocean. He closed the book and slipped it in the satchel, standing up for a better look: a tail, sliding in and out of the water. The dorsal part would bob up, disappear, then a fin would flick up and then vanish. The tail was shimmery, iridescent and purple, and he recognized it as belonging to Pearl. Her swimming movements repeated until she disappeared near the shore.

It took several minutes for her to reappear, and when she did, she was on human legs. The blonde stumbled toward him with a distant look on her face, wrapped in a bunch of asymmetrical seaweed instead of that sail dress; apparently she’d gotten ready in a hurry, because the outfit seemed improvised. Still striking, though, in a wild goddess sort of way. The thin silver necklace with moonstone pendant glistened on her neck.

It worked, he thought with satisfaction and a pleased smile, though not surprised; most of his gambles worked. There she was, right in front of him again: lovely, fearsome Pearl, the most exquisite vision to behold, and the deadliest. Well. Except for Ben Linus himself, perhaps.

Pearl wasn’t very pleased with Ben, though not all of it was his fault. She was frustrated that he kept drifting into her thoughts, but she did her best to push him out. Dreams, however, were less controllable, and the mermaid often found him starring in hers: nightmares of being trapped by him or dreams of being romantic in his arms. She couldn’t quite conciliate the two, so she avoided him altogether, and threatened him to steer clear of the shores. But when that box was found underwater – an obvious invitation – curiosity got the best of her. She admired his boldness, but at the same time she didn’t appreciate it.

And Ben had no idea that, while he’d been having dreams and nightmares about her, the aquatic beauty was having similar visions of him, too.

“You don’t summon me, human,” she sneered, stopping several feet away from him and safely between two rocks.

He raised both brows with certain cynicism. But I did, and you came, Ben thought smugly, choosing instead to say: “Sorry. I needed a word with you. Thank you for coming”

He didn’t seem even a little bit sorry. Pearl glared at him—but more than that, she studied him. Her icy golden eyes swept over him as she read his intentions, much like he often did to her. “What could you possibly need from me?”

“Your help on certain matters,” he said plainly.

She cocked her head, a momentary semblance of worry shining on her face. “…A mere few days passed since that arrow pierced you. Is that what this is about? Are you well? …You look healed,” she pointed out, sweeping her gaze over him. The color had returned to his cheeks and he was moving without wincing, and breathing normally again.

Ben shook his head and smiled politely. “I’m recovering well, thank you.” Nice of her to ask.

“Then what is it? You simply cannot stand to be away from me for more than a few days?” The words sounded flirtatious, but the stony look in her eyes told him differently. She was messing with him.

His only retort was flashing a brief sarcastic smile her way. “Actually, I need something done underwater.”

Pearl gave him a skeptical look and took unsteady steps closer to him. She was barefoot, legs shakier than the last time he saw her walking. She finally leaned her hips against a rock, with a small exhale. The siren was a tad out of practice, and Pearl needed a break. “Such as?”

“It’s something called a homing beacon—a piece of machinery that sends out a signal,” he explained, knowing she’d require details.

The siren felt a twinge of mistrust. “Is that a fishing endeavor?”

“No,” he said honestly.

“You do not use it to help gather fish?” she insisted, and Ben shook his head. Pearl’s eyes were stormy and unreadable. She had a strong hunch that Ben was up to something, so she didn’t believe him. What else, if not fishing, would underwater equipment be for?

Without warning, she grabbed a handful of his hair and tugged. Ben inhaled sharply, startled, head rolling back from the pull. It didn’t hurt, but he didn’t like how exposed his neck was now, considering that sirens were predators. He could feel his heart racing. Pearl leaned in close and sniffed him; his face, then his shoulder. “What are you doing?” Ben demanded with an indignant frown. It felt like she was trying to decide how trustworthy he was--- or worse, whether to bite him or not.

“I am searching for if you carry the scent of fish, or blood,” she explained coldly, her face mere inches from his. “To check if you have killed any of them recently.” A small hiss that sounded almost cute.

“I haven’t,” he dryly informed, eyes narrowing slightly. Her fingers were firm in his hair, but she wasn’t tugging enough to make it painful. The angle of his head, however, was a bit uncomfortable, and Ben grunted lightly against her grip. But he didn’t try to move.

“I can tell.” There was no blood on him, or any faint signs of consuming marine life. In fact, he smelled just as nicely and appealing as she remembered. And his hair…the mermaid was reminded that it was soft, and thick, and not at all unpleasant to touch. She looked at him closely – his face tense and somewhat exasperated, with lips pressed tautly together and annoyed eyes – and she found herself once again completely taken by how handsome he was. She almost wanted to play with that human. It was impressive that he was staying so calm through it all, too, like he always did. She had never met a human that was so hard to intimidate, which could be a bit maddening for the siren. Yet another sign to stay away from him; he made her lose control too easily.

Okay, so maybe she was wrong about the fishing. But there was something there -- perhaps the lilt of his voice, or the way he held himself, or a spark deep in his eyes -- that was ringing alarm bells in her head. The man was very convincing, yet Pearl could not shake off the feeling that he was up to his tricks.

“So now that you’ve proven you don’t know what you’re talking about, can we get on with it?” he asked sourly in slight provocation, deadpan eyes landing right on hers.

She let her two canine teeth extend out into sharp fangs. “Careful, Benjamin. I may yet choose to doom you.” Pearl traced a finger across his throat, slowly, tauntingly. His heart quickened some more. “All it takes is one bite.”

In another context, the hand buried in his hair and the caress on his neck, with her gorgeous face so close to his, would be much more pleasant. And Ben did feel some tingles when Pearl loosened and retightened the grip on his hair at the same time that the back of her other hand grazed his jawline. But he certainly wasn’t gonna let that daze him. Or faze him. The siren was openly threatening him, and he had to deal with that—by putting her in her place.

He turned his head sideways as best as he could, to stare right at her with an eerily vacant face and unblinking eyes. “I wouldn’t do that if I were you.”

For some reason – hubris, Ben correctly guessed – Pearl failed to restrain his hands, assuming that her grasp on his hair and the threat of fangs would be enough to contain him. But it wasn’t. Before the mermaid could even see it coming, he swiped the baton from his pocket and swung it at her side, then pushed her away with it.

She recoiled with a hiss, forced backwards. It was a light hit, not enough to hurt her, only to destabilize her. The mermaid stumbled back until she grabbed a rock for balance; she doubled-over by it, blonde hair all over her face. In the meantime, Ben switched one weapon for another, casually pointing a gun at her. Pearl’s eyes widened in pure panic and she crouched behind that rock, panting from the hit. “Halt!” she cried out through a whine. “I’ll stop.”

He immediately put the gun away like it was nothing. He only meant to scare her, anyway. “Thank you.”

“What…signal does it send? Your underwater contraption. Where, and to whom?” she asked, cautiously peering out from her hiding place. Any man-made equipment underwater made her very uncomfortable. She wouldn’t even consider helping him unless she knew more details.

“We have a submarine—a vessel that travels underwater,” Ben explained. “It allows us to come and go from this Island. The signal ensures we can find our way back home.”

“You can leave the Island?!” she whispered with abrupt awe, a strange expression pinching her features. Then a bitter look. It vanished as quickly as it appeared, but Ben noticed it. He wondered how much she knew of the Island’s boundaries and rules, and whether they affected the merfolk or not. He knew she was bothered by what he said: Pearl either didn’t like the idea of his people roaming freely, or she resented them for leaving when she couldn’t do the same. The mermaid stepped out in front of him, changing the subject. “Without this signal, your vessel cannot find the path back to the Island?”

“Right. It’s been there for decades, Pearl. It doesn’t do any harm to your kind, I promise you,” he assured, willing to drop his questions for the time being.

She’d come across the thing he was talking about before, and it was true that the piece of equipment didn’t cause any trouble. She knew of the submarine too, having followed it to the docks that one time, three years earlier. “So—why do you need my help to retrieve this…beacon?”

“It’s placed deep in a marine trench. Too deep for any one of us to reach. You, on the other hand…” he trailed off with a meaningful pause, letting her fill in the blanks.

“I can swim there with ease,” she completed the thought. Ben nodded at her, a small smile on his lips. Pearl pursed hers, her analytical mind running through possibilities. She could help him, and have him owe her one. She could help just to be nice—but no, he was still the man who stole her from the ocean and held her captive. So she could deny him help. Then again, denying it out of spite felt wrong, somehow. Pearl searched his eyes. The mermaid still had the strong feeling – intuition perhaps, or she could read him better than anyone else could – that Ben wasn’t being entirely forthcoming with her. There was more at play, and she wouldn’t risk helping him if she didn’t know his true agenda. “But, I am sorry, Benjamin…I cannot help you.”

Her denial was firm, not giving him much chance to dissuade her. “That’s too bad, Pearl. I’m disappointed, but I understand,” Ben nodded solemnly, putting on an act. She nodded back at him, and began to walk back to the ocean. “There’s just—one more thing, before you go,” he stepped in front of her, to interrupt her movement. “I’ve noticed the pollution levels are rising in the ocean,” he frowned with concern. “Did you notice that?” A sharp sideways tilt of the head.

He already knew with absolute certainty that yes, she would have noticed it. More than that; sirens were intrinsically connected with nature; Pearl would have felt it in her bones.

“Over the course of the last couple of days, yes,” Pearl grimaced. “How do you know of this matter?”

“We have underwater sensors measuring that kind of thing. As soon as I saw the influx of pollution, I thought of you and your society,” he lied, voice coated with very convincing faux sincerity. “It’s not getting in your way, is it?” He knew very well that it was.

Because of course, Ben predicted that Pearl would say no to his request. So two days prior, he had his people discreetly dump a bunch of compacted trash in the sea, at a spot where the current would carry all of it straight to the homing signal location. The beacon would be buried under the pile, and removing the trash would surely dislodge it.

The siren let out a disgruntled hiss, tugging on a strand of seaweed. “Of course it is! It is dirtying up our home, and making the water less pleasant!”

“Oh. I’m sorry,” he said softly. “Can’t you clean it up?”

Pearl wasn’t sure if she should confide in him with any of that. And yet the words came out anyway. “The pieces are heavy, and all tangled up. We…can’t seem to move them,” she admitted, shoulders slumping in defeat.

He nodded sympathetically, lips turning downward. “It must be difficult to see your home like that.” Ben knew that the more he got her thinking about the injustice of the situation, the more he’d rile her up.

And riled up she was. The siren hissed again, aggravated and pacing back and forth. “It is awful! Human debris is always polluting our home! I am sick of it!” Less so on the Island, where the oceans were fairly pristine, but still. Some of the outside pollution drifted in.

“I am sorry to hear that,” he reiterated, face full of fake sympathy. Then Ben pretended to get a sudden idea. “Pearl, I—I think I might be able to help you with that. We have a piece of machinery that you can use, to move the trash.”

Hazel eyes grew hopeful, but skittish. “…How does it work?...”

“You attach a net to it, wrap it around the stuff, and turn it on. The machine will reel in the net, dredging everything up with it.” And of course, in the process, dislodge his homing signal. “I…don’t know that I trust a mermaid with human equipment,” he squinted skeptically at her; all an act, of course, and part of his plan. “But I suppose if you really need it…”

“I do!” Pearl couldn’t let this golden opportunity go! Ben could tell she was about to cave, and he supressed the urge to smirk. “Benjamin, it wouldn’t be a favor. It would be a mutually beneficial agreement. Because—if you lend me this human contraption…I will get your homing signal.” She was a little suspicious of where the pollution was coming from. Convenient that it appeared just as Ben needed mermaid help. But, at the same time, it seemed completely inconceivable to a nature creature that anyone might harm the ocean on purpose! Even humans must have some boundaries of what was unacceptable behavior!

“Actually, that’s not necessary,” he told her casually, throwing the mermaid for a complete loop. She gaped at him in confusion, and Ben shrugged. “I would like to help you just because you need my help, Pearl. I’ll—find another way to get my signal back.” He gave her a friendly smile.

It was, of course, just another step in his strategy. Make her think he was being selfless, trick her into getting the beacon without realizing she was doing it. He could have agreed to a deal, sure, but his ego was a little bruised; Ben wanted to remind her of who was in control. And…he liked playing mind games with her. She offered up a good challenge.

“Are—you sure?” she hesitated, and he gave a warm nod. The mermaid hummed thoughtfully. She still had a hunch that something was up! From what she knew about Benjamin, he was someone who never showed his cards and always kept things close to the vest. Pearl figured that out the first time they met! So it was very possible that he had a hidden agenda that the mermaid wasn’t privy to, and she was failing to see through it. Did he have a secret plan? His face showed no signs of it, nor did the tone of his voice. But she knew better; the human was highly clever and mysterious, hard to read, and could easily know much more than he was telling her.

But she really couldn’t figure out what he was hiding, if he was hiding anything at all. She gave him a suspicious glance-over, then canted her head. “Very well. I will accept your lent machinery. Thank you.”

Ben gave a pointed nod, smiling a close-lipped smile at her. Inside, he felt triumphant and powerful, and a little smug. “Meet me on Hydra Island tomorrow. It’s closer to where you need to be.”

Pearl agreed to it, happy that she would be able to clean up her home, at least. She waded out into the ocean on foot, up to her neck, and vanished under its glittering waves.

***

Bright and early, they met at the agreed spot. Pearl wore a sail outfit in another color, that must’ve been made out of the sail of another ship. She tied it around her body in a different way, to make a newly shaped dress. Ben pushed the semi-heavy piece of machinery in a four-wheeled cart. He was the only human there, and Pearl the only siren. Strangely, the moment felt like it belonged to just them. Nobody else.

“I checked our sensors, to see where the trash ended up,” Ben told her, as though he didn’t already know where it was. He had, after all, used maps of marine currents to determine exactly how to get the trash to travel to the precise location he wanted. “The currents swept it out west, so if we cross through this path,” an open-handed indication to their left, “we’ll get there faster.”

He was curious if the mermaid would accept walking alone with him through the jungle. She did, with a terse nod.

On the way, there was a hill that sloped significantly upward. Not a problem for Ben, but it presented a challenge to someone unused to having legs. Pearl slipped and caught herself with hands on the grass. A few minutes later, she lost her balance like she was about to topple backwards, and had to comically wave her arms around to avoid a disaster.

Ben chuckled softly. “You can hang on to me, if that’ll help.” Then a sarcastic squint. “We wouldn’t want you rolling down a hill.”

She eyed him warily, his arm, then his face, then his arm again. Wordlessly, she quickly snatched his elbow and pulled it toward her, holding on to it tightly. They walked together in silence, until she blurted something out. “Why are you helping me, after I threatened to kill you yesterday? I said I’d bite your throat.” Pearl asked with a somber frown. “Maybe you ought to leave me to fend for myself.”

“You were never going to kill me,” he nonchalantly pointed out, eyes shining with certain mischief as he looked ahead of them.

The siren blinked, taken aback. “How…” a soft, frazzled hiss, “how did you know?”

Ben shrugged, a little grin slipping over his lips. “I told you: I’m perceptive.”

“Then…you weren’t going to shoot me, either,” she realized, staring fixedly at the man.

A wry chuckle. “No, I wasn’t.”

She let out an offended huff, feeling a little underestimated. “But I could kill you.”

“And yet here I am. You could, but you didn’t want to,” the grin remained. He knew how to read her, and he could tell when her threats were empty.

Pearl was incredibly bothered that she had to rely on him for walking uphill, for cleaning up the ocean, and that now he no longer believed her threats. After a bratty mutter under her breath, she inhaled and regained her regal posture. Shoulders back, charming smile, elegant stance. “How very clever of you to point that out. Perhaps we ought to stop lying to one another.”

That smile was warm and inviting, her twinkly eyes intoxicating. But Ben knew better than to be pulled in; Pearl was as calculated as they came. She was noble, sure, but he remembered how coolly she’d killed the diver, how easily she threatened someone’s life like it was nothing. She was cold-blooded. Dangerous. “Maybe we should.” He smiled back politely, but kept his guard up. It was an intriguing notion, trusting each other. But was it realistic? Ben wasn’t so sure.

Once they reached the beach, Pearl knew exactly where to go to get to the trash. Ben gave her a crash course on how to use the machine, and the two worked together to push it into the shallow water. Their feet skidded on sand, leaving deep marks behind. The mermaid sat down and removed her necklace, to regain her shimmery tail. When she plunged under the waves, it was with a promise that she’d come back, and dragging the equipment with her.

The mermaid could sense where the pollution was piling up, like a disturbance in the natural order. Pearl swam far, to the edge of a marine trench. She zig-zagged above it, peering down curiously as her fingers curled over the opening. There was no light there, except for her own eyes that were shining like a lighthouse beacon. She clipped her hair back for convenience and ease. With propulsion from her tail, and arms outstretched, she slinked past the narrow opening, disappearing down the trench.

When she reached the bottom, she pulled on the net to make it expand. Pearl swam circles around the compacted pieces of trash, wrapping all of them within that net. At least this time a net is helping the marine life, she thought with a little hiss. Then she pressed the button and Ben’s machine hummed to life. All she had to do was pull on its handle to bring it back to the surface. It was heavy with trash, though; she might need some extra help.

***

Ben sat alone on a rock far in the water, waiting patiently until his mermaid returned from the bottom of the sea. Almost like a storybook, he thought ironically.

A shimmery purple shape with a mass of blonde hair approached the surface, drawing Ben’s eyes right to her. Pearl emerged to drape her arms on the rock he was sitting on, and for a split second he noticed something behind her ears that he’d never seen before. They were usually covered by her long tresses: a slit behind each ear, akin to tiny gills, that opened when she was underwater. They were already closing now that her face was taking in air. Biting back a smile of self-satisfaction, Ben finally understood that that’s how she breathed underwater! With gill-like, crescent-shaped slits behind the ears and sloping down to the neck, that closed when her lungs began to work and vanished entirely when she was on legs! He couldn’t believe he never saw them before, but then again, he never saw her so clearly underwater. It was only by luck that her very long hair didn’t cover the gills at that moment, too!

Wait, no. Not luck. Her hair was pulled back by two butterfly barrettes, neatly arranged at either side of her head. The glittery plastic type, sparkling with hot pink and neon green plastic gems that adorned the butterfly’s wings. Ben’s eyes narrowed minimally, almost imperceptibly so. “Pretty hairdo,” he said a bit bitingly. “Where did you get the butterfly clips?”

“Oh— do you like it?” she beamed, posing with one hand under a barrette and one under her chin. Pearl loved showing off. “My hair was in the way of my eyesight, so I felt the urge to tie it back. I’ve had these lovely clips for a couple of years, and they serve me marvellously for this purpose!”

“Hm, interesting,” he hummed cynically. “And how did you come into possession of them?”

A grin. “One of your girls gave it to me!” He heard water sloshing, like she was moving her tail under her.

“Gave it to you?” he repeated pointedly, tone dripping with skepticism as his face went stony.

Pearl looked sheepishly mischievous before giving an elegant shrug. “Very well, I confess: the sparkle caught my eye. I sang to her, then she gave it to me.”

“So you used coercion to steal it,” he pointed out with a judgmental glance.

“…Don’t you want updates about your machine?” she swiftly changed the subject. Because yes, she used hypnotizing to steal the two matching barrettes, but she wasn’t giving them back! They were so gorgeously sparkly! Pearl was fascinated by sparkling things, and she wanted to keep growing her collection. And, they were shaped like butterflies! How cute was that?!

Ben deadpanned, making clear that he was on to her. He actually remembered that on the day they met, a friend of his complained that her gold bracelet went missing. Now Ben realized Pearl probably took it after enchanting the woman, before any of them realized she was a mermaid. Jesus, Ben hated the idea of her singing the siren song to anyone, but would somebody really miss the cheap, childlike hair clips? Glitter butterflies? He wasn’t going to pick a fight with her over that, especially when important equipment was in her possession.

“I do. How did it go?” he prompted her for news.

“Your machine worked. It cleared things right up,” she bowed her head. “It is on its way back to you. I only needed a rest.” The siren didn’t even notice the homing beacon mixed up in the trash pile.

Ben grinned. “I’m glad to hear that.”

Pearl would never dream that someone might pollute the ocean on purpose, so she remained naïve to Ben’s scheme. “Curious that fate pushed us to work together again…” she mused. “Oh! I found this; it shook loose from the rest of the pile. I am keeping it,” she declared, showing him an ornate but heavily rusted antique handheld mirror, with a crack down the center.

“Be my guest,” he droned. What use did he have for that broken thing from the trash, anyway? Pearl, on the other hand, was admiring her own reflection, tossing her hair to the side and smiling at herself. Ben let out the softest chuckle.

“What amuses you?” she asked, eyes never leaving the surface of the mirror.

“Nothing…” he said with vague innocence. “You’re just—very happy with your appearance, aren’t you.” It wasn’t really a question.

Pearl canted her head his way, batting her lashes at him. “Shouldn’t I be? Do you not think I am pretty, Benjamin Linus?”

He squinted, not as thrown off as she hoped he’d be. “I—think that I don’t know you well enough to answer a question like that,” he articulated with diplomacy.

“Is that so?” she laughed sweetly, if a tad eerily. “Well. I think that I know you enough. I’ve told you before that I think you are quite handsome, haven’t I?”

“…You have, in a way…” Ben drawled in a monotone, though his eyes sparked. The compliment made him feel fuzzy, just like on the first time she said it. He refused to let her think he was thrown, though; she wasn’t winning that little battle. “If you want the truth, of course I think you’re pretty, Pearl. You’re beautiful,” he told her nonchalantly, like it was a mere fact. And it was, in a way, because who’d deny that the sirens were gorgeous creatures? They were made to enchant, after all.

Her grin widened. Sirens despised people kissing up to them, but they loved a genuine compliment. “Why, I thank thee!” she bowed her head, using the same language she spoke when they first met.

He nodded back at her, all proper. Then he squinted at the horizon, being reminded of the business at hand. “Pearl—I don’t mean to rush you, but we don’t wanna lose daylight. Can you please bring me my equipment back, now?”

She looked up at where the sun was in the sky and nodded. “Yes, most certainly. A bargain is a bargain.” With her new mirror in hand, she sank in the water, leaving little ripples behind.

The next time she reappeared, she was flanked by two other mermaids, both of which Ben had met at the council meeting. Redheaded Medusa and the one with the short brown bob, helping Pearl carry the heavy machinery back to the surface by pushing up the net that was filled to the brim with trash. Ben gave them a polite nod, and they acknowledged him with a suspicious little hiss.

“Where?” the brown-haired one asked warily. Not a very warm creature, if Ben remembered correctly.

“On the shore, please,” he directed them. They looked at Pearl for permission, once again making the man think she was their leader. She nodded as if telling them to do what Ben said, so they did and dropped the pile of trash on the wet sand. The machine itself, hooked to it, stayed in the shallows. “Thank you,” another congenial nod, and he gave the net a little tug to test it.

“Heavy, isn’t it?” Pearl commented. “That is why I needed their assistance. I hope you do not take offense to that.” She knew it was delicate to show up with reinforcements; it could be taken as a provocation.

Ben merely shrugged. “Not at all. It’s a lot for you to carry by yourself.” Now that the job was finished, he gave her a subtly cheeky smile. “We’ll have to be more careful with our debris from now on…” It was a purposeful, ominous hint. Maybe he shouldn’t have owned up to his manipulation, but he wanted Pearl to know. Even Ben enjoyed gloating from time to time. The whole point was to remind her that he was smarter, after all.

Upon hearing his words and seeing the mischief on his face, realization trickled over Pearl like a bitter, thick slime: he played her. Scrambling to reach the net, she fussed through trash until she spotted a strange piece of equipment lodged between it all. The beacon signal, no doubt. By cleaning up the pollution, she had inadvertently dug up Ben’s signal—something he obviously predicted. Not just predicted; planned. He planned the whole thing, and played her like a fiddle. Oh, Pearl’s stomach clenched with fury and dread. She let him fool her, again! Goodness; she knew from the start that he was up to something! She sensed it! How did she fail to figure out what? He caused the pollution, just to force her hand. He did it! The mermaid seethed, disappointed and outraged. How could he?! So—prideful, and full of himself, manipulating her so that he could get his way, and disrupting the marine wildlife! Pearl wanted to shriek, and she wanted to bite him. It would surely wipe the smugness from his face!

But that would be an outright act of war. So instead, the siren slowly raised her chin toward him, cold and derisive. “Enjoy your beacon, Benjamin. Should it ever break again, I hope you find a talented human swimmer—because we are never—” she yanked the cord from the machine, “helping you,” picked it up with a sneer, “again!” and threw it at him with an intentional shove.

Ben grunted lightly as he scrambled to catch the wet thing, water splashing on him, but he couldn’t hide the little smile on his face. Pearl was endearing when she was so mad, and everything went according to his plan. He was at ease now, and feeling rather victorious.

With an indignant huff, she turned around and marched off with heavy footsteps.

He crouched on the sand to check the homing beacon, the pleased smile on his face stretching even further when he spotted it there, safe and sound, buried in the debris Ben had leaked into the ocean. He could see the Hatch piece jamming it; it would be easy enough to remove it in the repair shop, and then have the diving team dump it back in the trench. He unhooked the net from the machine, leaving the pile of trash behind; Ben didn’t want to carry all that back home. He’d send one of his people to retrieve and dispose of it instead.

After placing only the machine and the beacon back on the cart, he caught sight of something that made him halt. The three sets of footprints belonging to the mermaids weren’t leading back to the water. They headed down the beach, directly into the jungle. For whatever reason, the trio of aquatic creatures decided to stay on land. Ben let out a deep sigh; just like that, his smugness took a hit.

***

He had no choice but to temporarily ditch the equipment and follow the footprints as fast as possible. Surely he could catch up; no more than five minutes separated them, and the sirens would be much slower than him in jungle terrain. So Ben hurried past leaves and branches, tracking their movement by observing small soil indentations.

He found Pearl alone, which prompted a raised eyebrow. Where had the others gone? His gaze swept through the trees and he decided they must’ve heard him coming and were likely lurking out of sight, ready to attack if he gave them any reason to. Pearl, too, now had a makeshift spear slung across her back.

“Where are you going, Pearl?” he pressed, exasperated.

“You invited me onto this Island today,” she said with cold diplomacy, “therefore I am not in breach of the treaty.” Any hint of familiarity between them was replaced by that political demeanor.

“Sure,” he said flatly, “as long as you tell me where you’re headed now. I invited you here for a reason, so don’t try to twist that, Pearl,” he warned with an aura of vague threat.

The blonde stared him down. “You deceived me. I am owed compensation. I remember your medical facilities are near here, so I am going there to grab a piece of metal.” The explanation came with a completely stony demeanor, no trace of fear or wrongdoing. Just a shameless admission.

“Ah. Those metals you don’t know what to build with,” he lightly derided, though mostly amicably.

Actually, that was no longer true. Pearl knew why she wanted metals now. When Ben spoke to her of a submarine that could come and go from the Island, the siren got the idea of building a similar vessel or directional system for merfolk. Something that would grant them safe passage. Pearl had been wishing for a way out of the Island for decades, and now for the first time she had a glimpse of hope. She hated being trapped within that perimeter like a fish in a bowl! Sure, those oceans were home, but there were things out in the world that she needed to see for herself. If humans could do it, why couldn’t merpeople? But of course, she’d say nothing of it to Benjamin. Let him keep thinking she still didn’t know what to use metal for.

Honestly, Ben didn’t see the point in making a huge deal about it. Pearl was mad at him, of course; he knew she would be when he all but told her that he tricked her. If a tiny iron nail, a fishing hook or a fork would appease her, he’d let her have one. In fact, he already had an item in mind, that he happened to be carrying on his person. Just as he reached for the padlock in his pocket, the other two sirens sprung out from the jungle, aiming raised spears at him and hissing viciously. They surely thought he was reaching for a weapon. Ben merely straightened up and looked at them with a blasé, nearly bored expression; it was obvious that those two deferred to Pearl, and he knew that Pearl wouldn’t jeopardize the treaty she worked so hard to update. Those sharp shell-made points threatening him didn’t faze the man.

Pearl hissed – a sound that came out exasperated – lifting a hand and slowly lowering it to order her sisters to do the same. The redhead and brown-haired sirens exchanged a dubious look that Ben noticed, then complied and lowered their spears. Ben glanced back toward Pearl and gave her a barely perceptible nod of thanks, which she subtly reciprocated.

The precarious peace was shattered with no warning, stunning both man and mermaid. There was only a blurry line coming toward them, a loud shriek from Pearl, and Ben dropping to his knees to avoid getting caught in the crossfire. Startled, he spotted a frantic Ethan holding a harpoon gun that he’d just fired.

“Stop it!”, Ben barked the order, exasperated and wide-eyed. Quickly looking back at Pearl – already protected by the other two covering her -- he turned just in time to see three spears flying towards Ethan. One of them – Pearl’s – skewered the man right through the thigh.

Ethan cried out and staggered backward, the three mermaids hissing aggressively at him. The hisses weren’t the only sounds that caught Ben’s attention, however. He heard a whimper that prompted him to take a closer look at Pearl. The blonde was hunched over and wide-eyed, panting as she pressed her stomach. But what made Ben’s veins run cold was the red coating Pearl’s delicate hand, and the bloom of blood that was soaking through her sail-made clothes. She’d been hit. She might die, and there would be war.

He couldn’t let that happen.

Notes:

This is another one of those chapters that was supposed to have more to it, but it was getting too long so I split it in two, which made the first part feel a bit filler-y. But, Ben seeking out Pearl’s help for the first time (manipulation aside) is a big step.
And…I can say that the next chapter will include a scene that I think most of you will like. ;)

Chapter 13: The bittersweet taste of a delightful beginning that could never begin

All of it happened in an instant. Before Ben could react or even stand back up, the two sirens were scooping up their horrified leader and clumsily running away from the humans and toward the beach.

“Ben, help,” Ethan gasped, sweating. Ben approached icily, not too moved by how the other man was trembling from the pain. Ethan was far too impulsive sometimes; too aggressive too, and prone to violence. It got on Ben’s nerves, and now it might’ve jeopardized everything he had worked for! It was a shame that Ethan was their only surgeon, and therefore indispensable to the group.

“Why did you do that?!” Ben reprimanded him, thoroughly miffed.

“That blonde vowed to destroy you… I thought you were in trouble,” Ethan whined, clasping the wound that gushed blood on his leg.

Ben scoffed with certain resignation; Ethan should’ve been able to read the situation better, but at least his intentions were good. “What are you even doing here? You’re supposed to be with the survivors,” he protested.

“I was getting some supplies for Claire. The pregnant girl,” Ethan panted out an explanation. Once they discovered one of the Oceanic passengers was pregnant, studying her became Ethan’s main mission. Ben wanted to see if they could make the pregnancy viable and ensure the child would be born. “They d-didn’t see me leave. Ben…” the surgeon gestured to his leg, so that Ben might readjust his priorities.

The leader took a quick glimpse at the wound and assessed the situation. “You’ll live,” he drawled with complete impassiveness. He was more upset about Ethan hurting Pearl than he’d like to admit. The carelessness really grated on him, too. “Go to the infirmary, Isabel will help you. And Ethan?” His demeanor changed from cold to downright menacing, staring the injured man down with a dark look. “Do not ever fire at the mermaids without my permission.”

Ethan quickly nodded to show he understood. “Sorry.”

Ben nodded back at him, softening a little as he held out a hand to his wounded subordinate. He helped pull Ethan up and made sure he stayed on his feet, ready to limp back to the med bay. But Ben wasn’t going with him. He was turning the other way and racing toward the beach.

He wasn’t at all conflicted with his decision. Ethan didn’t really need him; he could get himself to the infirmary even if it would hurt. Ben’s priority was damage control with the sirens. Extending an invitation for them to come on land for a peaceful ocean cleanup and then harpooning one was absolutely horrible optics; historical wars were started for less! Ben wanted to build any goodwill with them that he could, to try and salvage the treaty-- again. It was his responsibility, after all, if he invited a mermaid to help him and she got injured in his territory after he tricked her.

He noticed the harpoon dart stuck to a tree a couple feet away from them, with only its tip bloody. That was good. It meant that it wasn’t embedded in Pearl. It likely only grazed her.

Still. His stomach churned when he saw a mental image of the blood on her abdomen. He hadn’t let himself worry about her yet, but what if she was in serious trouble? He pressed his lips into a thin line, hastening his steps toward the edge of the jungle.

There were spatters of blood on the sand leading up to the shoreline, and sets of footprints that suddenly changed into a dragged shallow trench—a sign that the three sirens ditched their legs when they reached water. He found Pearl, now changed to mermaid form, paler than usual and cradled by the other two. She was fidgety, clearly distressed by having been hurt, and a little mad, too. And still wearing the dress made out of sail, with only her fins peering out from under the hemline. The redhead and the brunette looked heartbroken and confused, not knowing how to handle that kind of wound while on land.

Pearl spotted Ben in the distance and a weak hiss escaped her. “You have a lot of nerve…”

The other two bared their fangs at him, but Ben refused to be intimidated. “I’m sorry, Pearl--- I didn’t mean for that to happen,” he said earnestly, and then urged her: “I can help.” She was unsure. Distrusting hazel eyes shifted between Ben and the gash on the side of her stomach, her entire frame shuddering. Ben took one more bold step toward her, hands raised in a peaceful gesture. “You know that I want this treaty to hold up as much as you do. I won’t let you die.”

As usual, he knew exactly what to say to convince those around him to bend to his will. That line worked on Pearl, reassuring her that Ben was not a threat because his desire for peace matched hers. He would ensure her survival. “He can approach,” she softly instructed her protectors, then beckoned him forward. “It does not hurt too terribly.” Either her adrenaline was shielding her from pain, or it was a good sign that she wasn’t badly injured.

Ben waded into the clear waters to reach her, foamy waves lapping at his shoes. “Let me see,” he demanded, silently praying that the wound wasn’t fatal. She breathed shallowly as she moved her hands to the side and exposed the cut on her abdomen.

He crouched by her side, getting his ankles and knees wet. Ben steadied himself, making sure his face was entirely neutral before he looked. Sharp, focused blue eyes inspected the gash: not too big, and, most importantly, not too deep. The man held back a sigh of relief. Like he suspected, the harpoon dart only grazed her.

“You’ll be alright. I can patch you up,” he told her with surprising intensity.

“Patch…up?” Pearl squinted. She had been watching him intently while he inspected the injury.

“Fix your wound. Heal you,” he explained, then somberly added, speaking more through one side of his mouth: “But not here. I can take you to my office; I have supplies there.”

“No,” the brown-haired siren hissed.

“Do not even think about it,” Medusa said at the same time.

Pearl – the one in pain and desperate to ease it – was less decisive. Her face pinched. “How…far is it? This office?”

“Not far. Do you see that stream by the hill?” he pointed with an open hand. “It’s on the other side of it.”

The injured mermaid was in quite the conundrum. She hated to be in the hands of humans, especially when she was weak and nearly helpless. Putting trust in Benjamin was hard, more so after everything he’d pulled. But she was far from the tides she called home, and in her current state she was unable to swim at top speed. It would take a discomforting, possibly dangerous amount of time to get the care she needed underwater. Land treatment was more efficient. For that, she required a human, and only one was volunteering aid. Luckily it was her favorite one, the only human that intrigued her enough to get close. And the only one who never broke a vow. “Okay. If you’ll promise I will be safe. You will need to carry me--- I cannot change shapes again, I’m too weak to withstand the transformation.”

Ben gave a swift, curt nod. His eyes pierced through hers. “I promise.”

She ignored the chill up her spine and nodded back, then hissed something in clicked mermaid language to the others. They looked entirely resigned – and still a little suspicious – as they sank back into the waters.

There was no time to waste. Ben cautiously hooked his arm under Pearl’s tail and the other around her back, and picked the mermaid up. She whimpered weakly, instantly wrapping an arm around his neck and holding on to his shoulder.

As soon as he started walking, Ben noticed that Pearl was shuddering, and pondered whether it was out of pain, fear, or both. He also briefly wondered what the tail felt like – would it be just like touching a fish? That one scale he owned felt like that – but the fabric of his sleeve prevented him from finding out. The mermaid was visibly displeased in his arms, letting out vexed little hisses and sharp breaths.

“What is it?” he asked flatly.

“I do not like feeling helpless. This is beneath my station,” she said with uppity sincerity. The noble mermaid thought that being carried around by a human, like a doll, was undignified and frankly a little embarrassing. She knew there was no other choice, though, so she resigned herself to her fate.

“It won’t take long,” he blankly reassured, but Ben couldn’t help but feel a pang of satisfaction at being the one in complete control of the situation.

***

They were near the entrance to the underwater facility where she was kept prisoner. Ben grimly thought that it was lucky she never saw the outside, or she might not react so well to being carried back to that area. Then again, she handled the med bay well enough when she returned there with her injured sister.

His office was on the other side of that cluster of buildings, a little further away. Upon arrival, he found that unlocking the door was difficult when carrying a mermaid bridal style. Ben fumbled a little, then sighed sharply. He could ask for help, but the last thing he wanted to do was teach a wily siren how to enter a locked room. He fussed, leaning back to throw her weight onto his torso so he could slip a hand in his pocket, retrieve the key, and clumsily unlock the door without dropping the mermaid. She held on to his shoulders the whole time, merely wrinkling her face at the inconvenience.

A winded sigh escaped him when the job was done. Ben walked in with Pearl, heading straight to the only semi-comfortable surface in there. He carefully placed her on the armchair at the corner of the office. Pearl let out a soft grunt, hands curling into the upholstery. Despite her condition, she was as alert as ever, head twisting around in jarring little movements as she warily observed every inch of the room. A desk -- with some books, pencil holder, a couple boxes and a thick folder -- a narrow bookshelf taken up with filing boxes, a wooden closet, lamps. A window let in some light through its shutters from behind the desk, and in front of it another table showed off a taxidermied bird and a butterfly display frame, Erlenmeyer flasks and a few other odd items she didn’t recognize. No immediate threats to her though.

It was her first time visiting one of Ben’s personal spaces. That increased her curiosity, because the mermaid knew it might give her insight into his personality. From that room, she would say he seemed like an organized person, but dealing with a lot at the same time. Studious. Focused, but with diverse interests. The paintings on the wall and the cozy rug at the center told her he appreciated art, and wanted the space to feel warmer and homier than it might otherwise feel.

“Are we alone here?” she asked nervously, to which Ben nodded.

She watched him walking back and forth with hurried yet purposeful steps, first dragging the chair from behind the desk and bringing it over to the armchair, then gathering things that were unusual to her. Ben felt her eyes on him, but he was too focused on the task at hand to stop and acknowledge her. Pearl slumped on the armchair, tired and weak. She had a million questions about that office – like why was a butterfly inside a frame, or what did the button on the hanging thing (a lamp) do? -- but she bit her tongue. Although she was curious about everything around her, Pearl stayed guarded near Benjamin. She feared him; no longer because of his guns or temperament, but because of his uncanny ability to read people. Pearl was scared that he could talk to her once and instantly figure out things in her head that she didn’t want the world to know. That he could take one look at her and read her like an open book. When he stared at her, it felt like he was glimpsing her soul. When he asked a question, as innocent as it may seem, she worried he was secretly unveiling her mysteries. And when she asked questions, he used them to understand her mind, too. Did he know more than he was letting on? Was he tricking her again? Could he see more in her than she knew? The never-ending doubt unnerved her, because Pearl simply couldn’t block him from making the smallest, most mundane observations about her and then using them to figure out her entire psyche.

“Why did you do this?” she finally asked, crestfallen. To figure out his psyche.

“Do what?” Ben retorted, not even looking in her direction as he filled up a glass of water.

“Trick me. Pollute my ocean.”

He turned sharply on his heel, lips rolling thoughtfully. “I asked for your help, Pearl. You said no.” Ben was finally looking in her direction, bringing a first-aid kit on one hand and a glass of water in the other. He held the latter out to her, and sat on the chair.

She wrinkled her nose at the offer. Pearl was a proud mermaid, and clearly accustomed to being treated a certain way. Ben could tell they catered to her, and she became almost offended if not treated up to her high standards. “I do not want that, thank you.”

Ben gave a dubious, slightly judgmental shrug. “Alright. Well—”

“I understand why you polluted the ocean. To force my hand to retrieve the beacon for you,” she interrupted, still too stuck on that to let it go. “But Benjamin, I offered to make a deal! I said I’d get the beacon for you if you loaned me the cleaning machine! Why did you pretend not to want that, instead of…merely saying yes to it?!” The siren winced. A hand was flattened over the gash on her abdomen. She didn’t even let Ben speak, because she already knew the answer. “You wished to flaunt your power, did you not? You lied, only to tell me the truth in the end. You gloated about tricking me.”

“That’s a strong word,” he defended. He’d barely hinted at the deception, albeit smugly on the inside. …Okay, maybe he’d gloated a little bit, but she deserved it. A weakened Pearl hissed at him, nostrils flaring out in irritation. Ben held her gaze, vacant enough to be intimidating. “Don’t act like you’ve never done the same thing to us. Every time you flash your fangs at me, you’re flaunting your power. You’re no better than me, Pearl,” he punctuated the end of his statement with a light sneer.

Her gaze dropped. Ben wasn’t wrong. Every time she let her teeth extent into sharp fangs, she was reminding him that she was a powerful mythical creature, much more dangerous than humans. It was a way to establish herself as the dominant one. He did the same to her, but instead of fangs or weapons, he used his mind. Made her think he was selflessly helping her, only to reveal later on that he was using her. Establishing himself as the dominant one by showing he could manipulate her. “That…is a fair enough assessment,” she conceded, surly. “However, I display my fangs when I feel threatened. You pretended to care about my predicament when you didn’t—when you caused the predicament!” She let out a little mutter of dejection and anger. “It…is a little hurtful, Benjamin.”

During her speech, he’d been sterilizing the equipment needed to patch up her wound. Blue eyes only lifted – to read her disappointed face – when she stopped talking. Hurtful?! Why would she be hurt by that?! “You don’t only show fangs when you feel threatened,” he flatly countered, though annoyance simmered inside. “You do it to intimidate, sometimes, and you grin about it.” A pointed head tilt.

“…” A huff. She was caught. “Okay. I admit. I do. I enjoy exerting power over you. But I do not think that I have ever been hurtful.”

His tongue wet his upper lip and Ben readjusted himself on his chair, looking at her with pure exasperation. “Why are you hurt by what I did?” he asked snippily, dragging the h in the first ‘why’. “Why does it matter that I ‘pretended to care about your predicament’, when you and I are nothing but enemies? Unless…” he narrowed his eyes at her, gripping the first aid kit tightly. “--you’re fonder of me than you’re letting on. Do you care about my opinion of you, Pearl?” he accused. She wouldn’t be disappointed in his behavior unless she expected – or wanted – more from him.

The siren hissed, suddenly self-conscious and frazzled. “No. I cannot stand humans! Least of all you. I hate you,” she doubled down, sneering at him. “I—meant that…tricking someone in that way is hurtful as a general principle. Not that I feel hurt. I don’t. I do not care.” With a flip of the hair, she turned up her nose. It was a lie, of course; she was a little hurt by his trick because, for inexplicable reasons, she liked feeling that he cared about her. And sometimes she was sure he cared…then he’d go and pull a stunt like that, making the mermaid question her own sanity. The last time she trusted him just a little, she ended up in an aquarium; Pearl vowed never to do it again, yet here she was, giving him enough emotional power over her to actually hurt her feelings. She thought it was pathetic!

“I’m glad that’s settled,” he said with sarcasm and a deadpan smile. Ben wasn’t buying it; Pearl cared more than she was admitting to. She expected better from him. It was kind of nice to think that maybe she’d forgiven the past…maybe what he did before didn’t taint her image of him forever…although it made him feel a little guilty about tricking her today. But it was hardly the time to dwell on it. “Now can I please check your injury? We’re wasting time.”

“Yes,” a shaky breath. Pearl was stalling, uncomfortable with the idea of a human having that kind of access to her body. But it was time. She tugged on the rope around her waist to undo the knots, freeing the sail that dressed her. Pearl yanked it from her body and threw it aside with a delicate flick of the wrist, and a light whimper. There were beads of sweat on her forehead.

Ben noticed that her top was the same as before: a bustier made of pearly calico scallop shells, adorned with some pearls, netting and scotch bonnet shells. Pretty, and very flattering for her shape. Blue eyes trailed down to her bare stomach -- pale and stained with blood -- zeroing in on the torn skin.

“I’ll clean around it first,” he informed. It was a roundabout way to ask for permission and ensure she stayed calm. If she didn’t know what he was doing, she might panic.

After a nod from her, Ben proceeded to carefully wash the blood off her skin. He dabbed very gently with a soapy cloth, rubbing where the stain was stubborn; every step was professional and proper. Pearl whined a little, but it wasn’t too bad for her. She watched him: how focused he was, like he was doing something that really mattered. How steady and dexterous his hands and fingers were, skillfully working on her…and how careful he was being. Gentle. She could’ve sworn he was taking actual care of her, doing his best to not inflict any pain.

But that only lasted for so long. After he finished the clean-up, it was time to sterilize the wound.

“I should warn you, this will hurt,” he ominously told her. “I need you to stay still and not hiss at me.” A shadowy look crossed his features as he regarded her.

Pearl nodded. “You have my word. But it does not hurt too badly, I think I will be fine.” It was partly the adrenaline, and partly her desire to appear tough. Ben refrained from disagreeing out loud.

He soaked a piece of gauze in disinfecting spray, and brought it to the gash on Pearl’s skin. She inhaled sharply when it stung her, pressing her eyes tightly shut. Then he applied antiseptic directly to the cut. It burned. A groan escaped from behind gritted teeth as she struggled to stay still.

“Have you been injured like this before?” Ben asked idly, partly to make conversation and get her mind off the pain, partly because he was curious about how peaceful life underwater was.

“When I was little, I was playing amongst the colorful corals, and I slashed my arm open on one. M-my mother once had her tail bitten by a shark. And…we are a peaceful people, but on rare occasions two might fight for dominance, a-and they can get bitten.” She let out a cold, bitter chuckle. “Is it not telling that I’ve been injured more on land than I have in my whole life? Knifed and harpooned by you humans…”

The icy stare she gave Ben would’ve unsettled him if he wasn’t in complete control of the current situation. As it was, he merely shrugged. “They got scared. Today, the man who harpooned you thought that I was in danger.” Taut lips pulled downward in casual manner. “I apologize for his hastiness.” His eyes were on the task he was performing, never once flicking toward Pearl’s face.

She muttered with distaste for his observation, wincing when he touched the cut again. Pearl clasped her hands together, both partially encrusted with her own dried blood. Luckily she didn’t need stitches. Ben just had to finish cleaning the cut, and then dress it properly.

He reached for the gauze, which was a little off to the side. When his arm moved abruptly, right next to Pearl, it startled her. She flinched and her hand was around his throat in a flash, a feral hiss coming out of her mouth. Ben’s eyes widened and he stayed very still. “Easy,” he tried to calm her with a wheeze. “I was just reaching for this. See?” Slowly, he raised a hand and showed her the gauze. The injured mermaid really hadn’t expected the sudden movement, so she was still startled and defensive. She hissed again, though more calmly, head tilting sharply from Ben’s face, to the gauze, and back to him. “I can’t help you if you don’t let go of me, Pearl,” he flatly reminded with the tiniest edge of impatience. The cold hand on his neck didn’t bother him much -- she wasn’t really squeezing anymore, she was only holding him steady so that he couldn’t reach for her – but he was a little annoyed at the inconvenience. It wasn’t worth kicking up a fuss over it, though, as was the case most times that he had any physical conflict with rivals. He usually chose to observe, regardless of what happened to him.

“I’m sorry,” she said in a small voice, dropping the hand. Pearl hissed again, displeased with herself for losing control. “It was instinctive.”

“I noticed,” he deadpanned. Sometimes she really did act like a skittish animal, though she was not an animal at all. Well, no more animal than a human, anyway. Best to carry on with his task. “Pearl, is it alright if your injuries get wet?” he suddenly asked. Usually one would keep bandages dry, to keep the cut dry, but her body might work differently.

“Yes, certainly,” she said softly, still a little embarrassed at her outburst. She preferred being more regal than that.

It was time to cover up the wound. He put fresh gauze over it, gently pushing it down with two fingers. Then four strips of water-resistant tape, one on each side. He smoothed them down with the pad of his index finger, never once touching the bare skin of her stomach.

“Pearl,” he started, looking at her with insightful intensity. “You don’t have to feel weak because you needed my help. You were injured—everyone will understand why you needed me.”

His words may have sounded well-intentioned, but they were far from that. Ben had been thinking about the harpoon; Pearl was understanding, but the other merpeople might not take it so kindly to one of their own being attacked like that. He wanted to keep the incident under wraps—but he couldn’t just come right out and say that. So he was trying to manipulate Pearl into it. By telling her she didn’t have to feel weak, he was reminding her of what she already knew: the optics were bad for her. She looked weak and helpless in the eyes of her people, and he further drove the point home by needling at the fact that she needed him. It would surely make her feel powerless enough that she would hide what happened! Or at least he thought so.

But this time, Pearl wasn’t fooled. “I recognize your veiled manipulation, human,” she venomously warned, cold eyes on him. But one corner of her lips was tilting up with a smirk. “And yet I do not mind; it is charming. Charming but needless, because I agree with you. We need to ensure this stays between us.” A pointed look. “That is what you want, is it not?”

Ben faltered, mouth opening and closing like he was taking in air. He didn’t expect her to pick up on his manipulation so easily, or at all. God, she never ceased to impress and infuriate him, being the most thrilling challenge he had ever encountered! He saw her smirk, and returned it with a proud little grin. “Yeah. It’s better that way, for the sake of peace. I won’t tell anyone.”

“And neither will I,” she assured with a graceful nod, while he was smoothing down the last piece of tape. “I should go,” she tried to sit up straight as soon as he finished, ignoring the wave of wooziness that hit her head.

“Pearl, you’re pretty drained. You should take a moment to rest,” he advised, eyeing her solemnly.

“No, I am well enough, you may carry me back,” she stubbornly insisted. But she wasn’t well enough. She was exhausted, and wincing whenever she moved. It was just that the idea of spending more time in there unnerved her. Her feelings for Ben were still so conflicting; she feared him, disliked him, but was still charmed by him and enjoyed his company on occasion. It made her want to flee.

His face made a flippant grimace, one side of his mouth quirking up. His shoulders bunched. “I don’t think you are.”

Pearl simply stared at him for a beat, as if ready to challenge him. But Benjamin wasn’t challenging back, he was just looking at her with that vaguely concerned grimace. She sighed, defeated, and ran a weak hand through her waist-length hair. “Perhaps a moment of respite will do me good.” The mermaid curled inwards on the armchair, busying herself with cleaning dried blood from her hands. As soon as she was done she gave an impatient, small flick of the tail, and looked at Ben. He surprised her by being rather good at tending to her injury, and being caring. A maddening contradiction, again! “Sometimes I think that it would have been nice to meet you under different circumstances,” Pearl observed with a pensive little smile and a faraway look.

“Meet me how, exactly?” Ben thought it was pointless to even ask that – the past was set in stone -- but he couldn’t help himself.

“Anything but this. This—tense, near war atmosphere, where you and I hate each other.”

“If you hate me so much, how come you can’t help yourself from saving my life?” he asked lightheartedly, giving her a pointed funny look.

A sarcastic hiss and a flourish toward her bandages. “You are saving me, too.”

“Yes but I didn’t declare my hatred for you,” he pointed out in a single breath, with alight eyes and a quirk of the brow. Since she helped him with the arrow, he was getting the impression that she didn’t actually hate him all that much.

A chuckle, as sarcastic as the hiss. “You may not have declared it aloud, but you are not very fond of me, either. I see how you tense around me, and sometimes I catch you when you don’t know I am looking—and I see the dislike in your eyes.”

Okay, true; sometimes he really couldn’t stand her or the sirens in general. But sometimes it was a dislike of the situation, not of Pearl herself. Maybe she was the same as him: clinging to the old idea of hate, when at most they aggravated and annoyed each other. “It’s not hate,” he finally said, a tad detached. “You aggravate me, and you annoy me. That’s all.”

The siren had to laugh at that. “That is fair. You vex me too, human.”

He flashed a brief, sarcastic smile in response.

A few feet away from her, there was a tiny transparent tube that sparkled when the light hit it just right. The mermaid let out an awestruck gasp and quickly swiped it when Ben wasn’t looking.

“Are you stealing my pen?” he called out with faint amusement. He may not have been looking directly at her but he was still aware of everything that happened around him.

She pouted at being caught, out of disappointment rather than any embarrassment. “‘Tis pretty. I like the shine.”

A gold bracelet, glittery children’s barrettes, now a pen that had a glossy sheen. He was picking up on a pattern. “So you like sparkly things. And flowers, fire, and birds. Anything else from my world catches your eye?” It was equal parts making conversation and subtle interrogation to gather intel.

The mermaid mulled it over. “The moon, of course, but that is as much from my world as it is yours, and neither of ours. The critters of the land are interesting. And—I find your communication methods, you called them radio and phone, quite fascinating. Mayhaps some of your delicacies.”

He acknowledged her with a nod and a polite smile, feigning nonchalance. “And what do you like to do?”

“Sing,” she said with a grin. “Dancing—underwater or above. Strategizing--”

“Strategizing?” Ben repeated, lighthearted and pointedly. Then let out a soft chuckle. “I suppose I enjoy that too.” It was clear that both of them liked the push-and-pull of mind games, and the sensation of being in power. The thrill of a well-executed master plan. It was one of the reasons why they were so drawn to each other; nobody else offered a good enough challenge. “But please, continue.”

A lilting laugh. “Spending time with my family. Creating art with seaweed and shells.” Keen eyes drifted his way, intrigued. “And what of yourself? What do you like? Aside from strategizing?” Pearl smirked playfully at him.

Ben pursed his lips in thoughtful silence, then gave a small shrug accompanied by little shakes of the head. “I like reading books. Playing chess. Um, playing the piano, although I’m not the most gifted at it. Painting, sometimes, and being with my daughter. I enjoy my job, too,” he listed earnestly. There was more – like being with his rabbit, theater performances and museums on occasional mainland visits, perhaps even the jiu-jitsu trophy he had in his bedroom – but he had told her enough. He wasn’t even sure if she would understand all of it. “Do you know what I mean?”

“More or less,” she said with a curt smile. Pearl hated floundering in front of Ben, feeling like she didn’t understand his world. But she wasn’t sure what chess or daughter meant, and had only a vague idea of what a job was. At least she was aware of what a piano and books were, but goodness, she really knew so little about the human world! She ought to learn more, to be better prepared if a fight ever broke out between land dwellers and sea creatures. Simply asking Ben would never be sufficient, even though he was gracious enough to explain things. How could she go about learning everything she needed? A thought for later, when she may try to come up with a scheme. The siren looked at the pen, still nestled in her grasp, and sighed wistfully.

He bunched his shoulders. “Keep it.” It felt wrong to rip the pen from her hands when she seemed to enjoy it so much. Ben had plenty of other pens.

Golden-flecked eyes lit up and she flashed him the most dazzling, sincere smile. It was almost dizzying for him. “Oh, I thank you, Ben! I will treasure it. You called it a pen?”

He couldn’t help but smile back at her, though his was much more muted; Ben was still heavily guarded. “A pen, yeah. It has ink inside--- like an octopus, I suppose,” he added that for her benefit, to help her understand, “and we use it to write.”

She gasped in enchantment. “Ink inside this shiny tube? How marvelous.”

Silence followed, with the healing mermaid twisting her new prized possession between elegant fingers. She seemed to be feeling better. Maybe it was time to take her back to the ocean. Then again…maybe not yet. Ben was squinting, head tilted just slightly and the hint of a smile upon his lips. “Oh, where are my manners. Would you like some tea? It’s a warm, sweet beverage.” She refused the water, but Ben felt like a bad host if he didn’t offer something else to his guest. Besides, it might help keep her there a while longer. With him.

The siren had no idea how to answer that. “Do you like to drink tea?”

His lips pulled downwards in what mimicked a shrug. “I like it well enough. It’s not my favorite, but it can be nice when you’re not feeling well. Comforting.”

“Then I shall trust your opinion. Please, I’d like some tea,” she smiled with all the polite charm in the world.

The exchange felt like the start of a turning point between them: Ben trusting her enough to spend needless time with her by offering a beverage, and Pearl trusting his explanation enough to accept it.

He prepared it in the small kitchen at the corner of the office. Well; it wasn’t a kitchen, per se. An old microwave, a mini-fridge and a sink, for the days he spent too many hours working there. He had tea sachets in his desk drawer, and one of his mugs, which he picked up for Pearl. Unsure of her tastes, he chose an apple and cinnamon tea: a safe option, since he knew she liked apples enough. He heat up the water and let the teabag brew, then made an educated guess on how much sugar to add; she enjoyed sweet things, but was surely unused to the overload of actual powdered sugar. Moderation was wise.

One minute she was playing with the pen, entranced by the way it caught the light. The next minute, Ben took a sharper turn toward her, and the mermaid was hissing and baring her fangs at him again. Ben simply threw her a censoring look, standing very still. “There’s no need for all that,” he sternly complained, then told himself that he really ought to stop moving normally around her; he had to take it slow, with measured movements. As human as she was, there was still a part of her that was wild creature: skittish, and instinctive when threatened. It seemed that her injury was making it worse, putting her on edge because she was helpless. That Pearl was a world of contradiction. Full of innocence and wonder, naïve due to lack of experience on land, but equally dark and calculated, highly intelligent, with a lethal danger lurking within. Closed off and guarded, or seductive and charming. One could never know if they would get her sunny smile or the deadly fangs, a playful wink or the ice cold of her stare.

“My apologies,” she let out a much softer, apologetic hiss. Fangs withdrew. “It is instinctive, I mean it.”

He simply frowned at her with certain vexation, and plainly stated a curt ‘here’s your tea’ as he handed over the cup. “Be careful, it’s hot.”

The siren peered inside the mug with curiosity, shaking it to make the tea slosh around. She sniffed it, quirked a brow, and took a cautious sip. “Mm,” her eyes widened. “It is hotter than I thought—but I like it. You’re right—there is something comforting about it. Thank you, Benjamin.” She smiled politely, and blew on the mug before taking another sip.

Pearl took her time enjoying the soothing beverage, while Ben simply waited in silence. To avoid staring too much at her, he busied himself with putting everything back in the first aid kit. After setting the empty cup down, the mermaid tried to sit up, panted, and gave up. Still too winded to swim.

But she was fidgeting, poking at the cushions and swaying her fins. It was obvious that she was restless. Ben couldn’t blame her; being incapacitated drove him crazy, too, even if he didn’t show it.

She had an idea. It was silly perhaps, or reckless, but she wanted to show off a little. Did she want to intimidate or impress him? More of the latter, though she refused to admit it. “Benjamin—Ben. To pass the time, I would like to show you something. Do you have any water here?”

His curiosity spiked. He retrieved that glass she refused to drink, and passed it to her. “Is this enough?”

“Perfect,” she smiled, and he could already tell she was in performance mode: ready to charm and dazzle. “Don’t be frightened; I shall sing, but it is not the siren song. It will not affect you.”

“What song is it?” he asked warily, not entirely trusting.

“A song for the waters,” she airily answered.

Pearl sang a beautiful, sweeping melody that left Ben enchanted--- but not in a literal sense; in that metaphorical, unexplainable way that one’s heart swelled when filled with an angelic tune. He watched in unblinking awe as she spun her index finger around and the water responded, coming alive at the mermaid’s command. She lifted a hand and the entire content of the glass followed suit, drawing a muted gasp from Ben. He had seen her control water before, but this time she was performing for him, allowing him an up-close look. The water rose up in the air, drops swirled when she did a flourish, and floated, sustained by Pearl’s magic song until she closed her mouth. Only then did it behave like inanimate water again, splashing back down into the glass.

She gave Ben a prideful smile and bowed her head. He, despite being impressed, was no fool; there was a twinkle of mischief in the golden of her eyes that alerted him to the real reason for her demonstration. It wasn’t just boredom: it was to subtly remind him of how powerful her kind was, and tell him that he had only scratched the surface of everything sirens were capable of. She wanted to intimidate, or impress him; Ben suspected both. He couldn’t help letting out an amused exhale, knowing he would have used a similar technique to intimidate and impress his own rivals.

“Are you satisfied now that you’ve flaunted your magic?” he asked, tone coated in lighthearted jabbing.

She was impressed that he noticed her real intentions. “Oh but you enjoyed it all the same, did you not?” Pearl cooed at him, smiling in calculated manner.

He refused to play right into her hands, but there was no harm in indulging her a little. Pearl really was quite charming when she chose to be. So Ben merely chuckled and shrugged, in a way that silently communicated ‘I guess I did’. Then he tilted his head. “I fix your harpoon injury, and my reward is seeing magic?” There was lighthearted teasing in his tone and on the rise of his brow.

Pearl threw him a crossed look, mostly playfully. “Is that why you aided me? For a reward?”

“No,” he said amidst a soft chuckle. “I wasn’t seeking payment when I offered to help. I wanted to keep the peace, and--” he trailed off.

Astute hazel eyes with flecks of gold attached to him. “And?”

“…and, to make sure you were okay,” Ben ducked his head, a tad disconcerted. His eyes didn’t leave her, though. Why was he telling her that? Maybe he felt a spark in the air, compelling the man to speak the truth. Pearl’s face shone with something strange, so he quickly added a disclaimer: “It was the least I could do, since you helped me with that arrow, and you were on land as per my invitation.”

“Yes, I understand,” the blonde nodded. She wondered if he noticed that her heart quickened. Because something within her shifted when Ben said he wanted her to be okay. Pearl was almost sure he meant it-- and that flattered her. It challenged her view of humans as purely cruel, and it made that annoying warmth spread around her insides again. Now equally disconcerted as he was, she clasped her hands. “I am ready to leave now.”

Ben nodded and got up, movements stiffer than before. He felt a little awkward. “Back to the same shore?” he asked, hand resting on the back of the armchair she was curled up on.

“Yes, please.” Before he withdrew his hand, Pearl grabbed him by the sleeve. His eyes shifted in that direction but he said nothing. Moved by the moment – by how he scooped her up and carried her around, tended to her injury, gave her a pen, and claimed to care for her -- she inched upwards and planted a grateful kiss on his cheek. “Thank you, Benjamin Linus.”

He stared at her, responding only by giving a sharp nod and a curt smile. His cheek tingled where her lips touched the skin. The fond, flirty smile she was flashing at him made his heart jump. If Pearl was a human woman, Ben would have made a move and tried to hold her hand; if he felt particularly bold, he might even make a cheeky comment about the other side of his face feeling left out without a kiss. Though what he really wanted was to claim her mouth with his own. But Pearl was not human, and he knew better than to fall for the charm of a siren. They were a naturally flirtatious species, he believed, so that kiss meant nothing to her. A show of gratitude, at best.

***

The pair was silent as he carried Pearl back to the same beach where he found her. Ben was wondering if he said too much, showed too much vulnerability by saying he wanted her to be okay, and if that led her to kiss him as a manipulation tactic. Did she really think she’d wrap him around her finger so easily? Or was it real gratitude? It was a bit hard to completely focus on this train of thought when the mermaid was in his arms, like a bride. Pearl, arm draped around his shoulders, was overthinking the kiss. Did she mess up and reveal too much of her feelings by getting so close to him? He was human, after all; it was always better not to engage with them, especially one as dangerous as Ben.

Soon enough they reached the shore, and Benjamin set her down carefully. He gave her a tight smile and a sharp, single nod. “I must be going, if you’re alright. Get some rest, Pearl.”

Why was her heart yelling at her to stop him? It made no logical sense; he betrayed her only hours ago, tricking her with the sensor retrieval! She should still be mad—madder than she was. And yet she could not stop herself from doing something nice for him. “Wait!” Ben stopped and looked at her with vague curiosity. “I do not wish to be indebted to you. You, what did you call it, ‘patched me up’--- so now I would like to give you something in return.”

That piqued his interest by a lot. She didn’t owe him anything; he tended to her wound in great part to make sure the accords didn’t crumble, so he wasn’t exactly being selfless. Though Ben had to admit – to himself, too -- that he was happy she survived and wasn’t badly hurt. Still, there was no need for her to return the favor, but, since she offered…it would be stupid to say no and miss the opportunity. If it was a bluff, he was ready to call it. “Okay…”

She grabbed her new pen and lifted it to her eyes, squinting with enthusiasm. The mermaid was very excited to try out the ink…but how? Pearl turned the pen over in her delicate fingers, carefully observing every inch of it. She hesitantly brought it to her face, sniffed it, then squeezed it between her teeth in a tentative bite, frowning at the brittleness. Ben held back a chuckle, entertained by her antics. She eventually pressed the back of the pen and hissed at the clicking noise, then noticed the tip was now exposed. Amusement continued to dance in Ben’s eyes as he watched, impressed by Pearl’s savvy instincts despite lacking proper land knowledge. She gingerly touched the tip of the pen with an index finger, then examined the blue dot that formed on her skin. An expression of ‘a-ha!’ crossed her face and she took Ben’s wrist. He didn’t react, letting it hang limply in her grasp. Carefully, Pearl drew a rudimentary map on the back of his hand. “This is that line of trees, see?” He nodded. She pointed to another squiggle. “Past the plants that shelter from the Black Smoke.”

Ben’s eyes abruptly widened at that; the sirens were familiar with the ancient, sentient and violent black smoke that roamed the Island and served as a security system for his people?! “You know about that?” he questioned acidly. Defensively.

“Indeed. Mermaids are not the only mythical beings here. The Island overflows with magic,” Pearl explained to an unimpressed Ben. He didn’t like to be addressed as though he was ignorant about his own home.

“I know,” he drawled, staring her down. “My people and I, we keep the magic safe.” He never told her that before, preferring to keep their job a secret. But now felt like the right time to bring it up. As always, Ben had a gift for choosing the best, most useful moment to share a new piece of information.

“Do you now? I’ve never heard of humans keeping any natural resource safe. You use, and you exploit,” she accused with cool disdain—but Pearl knew a little more about Jacob’s people than she was letting on. She, like Ben, was keeping that in her back pocket for when the right moment called for it. “What a nice change it must be, to protect instead of destroy,” she added. Ben simply returned the iciness, staring cynically back at her. Pearl hissed. “Anywho. As I was saying,” she pointed to another inky line drawn on his hand. “There are underwater caves here. At the bottom, there is something meaningless to us, but useful to your greedy kind. Gold coins. Find them and they’re yours.”

He was rather surprised by that. Pearl, willingly giving him underwater treasures? Wow, she must really not want to feel like she owed him a debt. Truthfully, Ben was much too wealthy to need a handful of old gold coins, but he appreciated the gesture nonetheless. “Okay. Thanks,” he said with certain unease and a tight smile. In the back of his mind, he was fretting a bit about the Black Smoke thing: how many more of his people’s secrets were the sirens privy to? Although…he supposed mermaids had been around long enough to have glimpsed the Smoke creature here and there, near the rivers, by themselves. But not recently, since Pearl didn’t realize that area of Hydra Island was protected by its own Sonic Fence, too. Maybe it was nothing more than harmless sightings. His gaze dropped to the back of his hand, adorned with little blue trees and lines. He absently ran a thumb over it. “That’s very nice of you to share, Pearl.” His eyes trailed to her bandages and he frowned. “How are you feeling? If I leave now, will you be alright on your own?”

That simple question hit her with the force of a thousand tidal waves. Pearl gazed into his eyes and saw genuine concern there. Just like she felt real worry, real compassion for him when he was shot with a bow-and-arrow, Ben was sincerely worried about her condition now. “I—yes,” she stammered. “I am well. I can swim home.”

Before Ben could move away from her, Pearl grabbed him by the shirt and pulled him down. It wasn’t as forceful – as angry – as the other times she did that. In fact, it was gentle, and she was gazing into his eyes the whole time. Beckoning him to come closer. Benjamin let her do it, staring back at her quizzically as he slowly crouched to her level.

“This does not mean that I don’t hate you,” she warned him. Before he could understand what she meant, Pearl lifted her face and brushed her lips against Ben’s, in a soft kiss.

She could hardly explain why she’d do such a thing to a man that held her captive not so long ago. Perhaps she was influenced by the incessant dreams of kissing him. Because she had those too, just like Ben. Except that Pearl’s dreams were opposite. In Ben’s, he was always at the beach – human territory – and it was Pearl who came up to him and kissed him. In Pearl’s dreams, she was in her territory, swimming in the sea until she spotted a boat on the surface. Floating up to check on it, she would always find Ben up there; he’d scoop her out of the water and kiss her deeply. Pearl always woke up flustered and with a racing heart.

And Benjamin was so damn attractive! The face, the body, the hair, the voice…everything about him captivated her; she’d never met such a handsome person – human or merfolk – ever before! His personality was magnetic, full of wit, intensity and a peculiar charm, and the mermaid simply couldn’t deny herself anymore. She longed to kiss him, to feel his mouth on hers again, and if this was to be their final goodbye, she didn’t want to waste it. So she made a move, and felt him freeze in response.

He was so surprised by the sudden kiss that, for a moment, his eyes stayed wide open. He didn’t move at all; not an inch. But then…the startle faded, and he found himself leaning toward her, blue eyes fluttering to a close as he sighed into her lips. It was a soft, chaste, lingering kiss, and they really enjoyed the sweetness of it. They had wanted it for a long time, and finally gave in to their mutual affection, succumbing to their need.

When Pearl pulled back, Ben – after taking a stunned second to recompose himself -- couldn’t help but give her a teasing, impish smirk. “Do you kiss everybody you hate, or am I special?” he asked with a hint of playfulness.

Pearl let out that lilting laugh of hers. “Not everybody. Only you.”

A million butterflies exploded inside him when she said that. Only him. She wanted to kiss only him. There was something inviting, seductive in the golden of her eyes, like she still wanted him. Didn’t she? Yes…he could see it; she wanted him. And it was probably the last time he’d ever meet her. Ben couldn’t help but throw caution to the wind, for once in his life, and lean in to kiss her again. His lips joined hers, and this time she greeted him with a parted mouth and her tongue. He instantly reciprocated, deepening the kiss.

Ben’s hands reached for her arms, slowly caressing up until he found her shoulders, where he held on to. Pearl brought her hands to the sides of his neck.

Their mouths moved together sensually, and for a blissful moment they forgot all the reasons why they shouldn’t be together. There was no human versus mermaid, no brink of war, no forbidden romance. There was only Ben and Pearl, delighted by the kisses they were sharing, minds going hazy and hearts racing as affection and desire surged through them. Their heads tilted slightly to kiss at different angles, tongues slowly and thoroughly exploring the other’s. Their bodies tingled.

When they separated, Ben was staring intensely at her, and Pearl smiled as she bit her lower lip. Breathless, the both of them.

Maybe they should’ve clung to one another more fiercely, locking arms around each other then and there. Maybe he should’ve buried his hands in her hair like he longed to, and she should’ve kissed his neck like she wanted to, and they should’ve let passion take complete hold of them. But reality was sinking back in, and neither of them felt like they should give in any longer. That was a goodbye kiss; the result of a long-standing infatuation, an attraction that built up and simmered for years until it finally exploded. It wasn’t more than that, it couldn’t be more than that.

“We—” Ben started to say an awkward goodbye.

“--should go—” Pearl completed the thought for him.

“Yes,” he nodded stiffly. They were on the same page.

Without saying another word about the slow, sensual makeout they’d just shared, Pearl shifted further into the water. “We cannot forget what we are, Ben,” she reminded him, sounding a little bittersweet about it, and as rigid in her movements as he was at the moment.

“Enemies,” he agreed with a sharp nod as he rose to his feet. “Don’t worry, Pearl. I know where we stand.” His head bobbed around a little, voice becoming a tad thicker. Almost like a complained mockery. “You still hate me.”

A faint chuckle. “Perhaps I do not. Perhaps you were right and it is more like aggravation.”

He’d take that. Ben smiled briefly at her, though guarded. The last thing he said to the beautiful mermaid before leaving her alone was: “You aggravate me, too.”

Chapter 14: There is a fine line between an opportunity and a hindrance, a curse and a miracle, an ally and a foe

The next couple of days were a whirlwind of emotions for Ben. He couldn’t get those kisses out of his head! He’d dreamed of kissing Pearl more times than he cared for, but the real thing was so much better, beyond his wildest imagination! It gave him such a rush, filled him with a giddiness he’d not felt since he was 20 years old.

But the lovesickness was reckless. He had to cut it out before it clouded his judgment! It was also severely dampened by the fact that there was still a deadly tumor lodged on his spine! Jack was being stubborn, refusing to trust Ben even when he’d been nothing but nice to the doctor…well, minus the small matter of his kidnapping. It was a shame that Ethan got himself killed by the Oceanic survivors—he, as the only other surgeon on the Island – and the only one part of Ben’s society -- could have helped greatly. Ben honestly didn’t think he would die! A miscalculation on his part. It was Ethan’s own fault for not playing the part well enough, but had Ben known Ethan would mess it up, he’d have sent someone else to infiltrate; he would’ve never risked losing their only surgeon! But Ben still had a plan to convince Jack to perform his surgery.

His overactive mind took him on a walk, alone with his melancholic thoughts, out to the cliffs. He paced slowly for some time then sat near the edge, with his elbows on his knees and his chin in his hands. What upset Ben the most was not understanding why he was sick. The Island should have protected him from that—why didn’t it? Did he disappoint or displease Jacob in any way? He dedicated so much to the deity-like man and to the Island, did his very best for them! Thinking they may have forsaken him made Ben’s chest tighten. Was he being replaced? He was once chosen as a leader, noticed by Richard when he was a mere ten year old who saw the ghost of his mother—a sign that he was picked to lead. That he was special. One of the few chosen ones; Ben took immense pride in that. Then suddenly he didn’t feel so special anymore, not when he had cancer on an Island where nobody got sick.

Then again…a spinal surgeon fell out of the sky exactly three days after Ben was diagnosed with a spinal tumor. That had to be fate. If that wasn’t proof of a god-like being pulling the strings, Ben didn’t know what was. So, perhaps Jacob still had his back. If only he could talk to the man and ask, check if he was doing anything wrong! The doubts plagued and pained him, and he was starting to worry a bit about his chances of survival.

Ben was so deeply inside his head that he didn’t notice the furtive blonde all the way down below, soaked by rolling waves, swimming in the treacherous sea that crashed onto the base of the cliff. Not until his mind went fuzzy and he wanted nothing more than to give her the world.

***

The currents on the North side of the Island were stronger. Pearl liked to swim there for fun sometimes, letting the push-and-pull lull her or fighting against it for the excitement. It was outside of the siren’s main territory, however, so she was on her guard. She caught the briefest glimpse of a person sitting on the edge of a cliff, chin in hand high above her, and she immediately dove underwater to hide. The human presence startled her. But though startled she may be, the mermaid was ever curious. Pearl swam off to the side and hid behind a large rock formation, then carefully ascended so that only her eyes were visible on the surface while the rest of her was underwater. Slowly, delicate fingers came up to curl around the rock’s edges, then slower still the top of her blonde hair peered out from behind it, rising up until cautious eyes were discreetly staring. She hummed enchantingly to soothe the waves, so that they wouldn’t throw her into sharp rocks.

Mixed emotions flared within her when she recognized the human up high: Benjamin, her former captor. She warned him to stay away. Or, Ben, the man she kissed not that long ago. The man she undeniably held some fondness for. Her stomach did a somersault and she couldn’t hide the smitten smile as she reminisced on their kisses. Those lovely, dizzying, indescribable kisses that she couldn’t get out of her head, that spun her mind and gave her butterflies. The kisses that were so much better than she ever dreamed they would be! Goodness…she’d love to kiss him again. Should she? Maybe it was okay to do that. Everything had changed between the two of them when their mouths joined. But…not really. Their shared moment of passion didn’t mean he was to be trusted. Ben was constantly up to his schemes, he was duplicitous, he tricked her, and Pearl wouldn’t allow a goodbye kiss to cloud her judgment. Any feelings of infatuation for Benjamin Linus had to be buried so deep that they’d practically disappear. So although everything changed with the kiss, nothing really did. The mermaid hissed…and then she looked at him more closely. He was staring far off into the distance, head down, brows creased in deep thought; there was something rather forlorn in him, perhaps a brooding melancholy. Pearl’s annoyance subsided and she tilted her head, secretly observing him for a while. He was as stunning as ever, so she found herself admiring him, too. But most of all, she was curious: why was that treacherous, duplicitous, intoxicating man so crestfallen? Only one way to find out.

“Ben!” she shouted, arching her back and elegantly waving a raised arm at him. He couldn’t hear her; the roar of the waves crashing against the cliffside were louder than her voice. “Benjamin!!” a second, equally futile try. Pearl dropped the hand and frowned. She didn’t feel right just swimming away, abandoning him to his lonely melancholy.

There was a way to get his attention, of course. She once promised him she wouldn’t do it—but the promise was never made to be in perpetuity. Ben knew that. With a sheepish grin, Pearl decided to entrance him; the magical song carried much farther than her normal voice.

The blonde mermaid opened her mouth and let the siren song soar, to lure Ben her way. She had never used it on him – knowing his distaste for it -- but she meant no harm; Pearl wasn’t going to make him do anything; she only wanted to bring him to her.

Ben’s head snapped up when the notes entered his ears. He was enraptured in seconds, forgetting all about his tumor and his troubles. Blue eyes glazed over. Was he sad before? He couldn’t remember. There was not a single worry in his head now, brain going pleasantly fuzzy and tingly. Now he was full of delight, so joyously in love that he thought he was floating! His gaze longingly – desperately! -- searched for the source of that beautiful sound. He stood up, in a trance, eagerly walking toward the edge of the cliff—and therein laid the danger of the siren song: in his all-consuming need to locate the source, he would’ve easily stepped off. But Pearl was prepared to keep him safe. Before Ben fell, she swam a little closer and waved at him, indicating for him to come down the other side. Eager to obey, Ben made his way down the slippery rocks, with a goofy smitten grin on his face. His descent was careless, quick, climbing down the cliff to precariously walk over the wet rocks. It was quite dangerous, but he balanced well, consumed with the single thought of reaching the mermaid: to hold her, to love her, to cherish her forever. He’d die for her if need be!

He arrived at the correct rock, smiling as he crouched closer to her level, a look of fervent adoration in his glazed-over eyes. The white foam glittered in the sunlight as waves broke around the rock he was perched on. Pearl’s arms were resting on top of that very rock, the rest of her body still submerged and a smile on her lips even as she continued to sing. Ben, in a daze, stretched out a hand, unsticking a wet strand of light blonde hair from her cheek and gently pushing it behind her ear. His hand lingered there, reverently touching her face. Her smile widened.

He was about ten seconds away from jumping in the ocean to be with her when the mermaid stopped singing. It broke the spell, but his mind was still fuzzy, recovering. She smirked and flicked her tail to splash him with some ocean water, which quickly sobered him up. Blue eyes sharpened into focus.

The very first coherent thought he regained was that his hand was on the mermaid’s face; her smooth, beautiful face. He drew back so fast that one might think she had burned him. Ben kept the memories of everything that happened during the trance--- being waved over and mindlessly climbing down the cliffside to put himself directly in the line of sight of a creature who once threatened to destroy him. “What do you think you’re doing?!” he sniped at her with an outraged mix of petulance and fright, his hand slipping to the baton in his pocket. Just in case. Because he was more offended than he was scared, growing steadily more used to strange encounters with the merfolk kind.

Besides…the last time he saw Pearl, they shared an unexpected goodbye. A tender, sweet parting kiss, and then a fiery, passionate one. Kisses that were wrong, but that felt so, so very right. He was much too cautious to ever try for another, even though he would love one. Deep down Ben wanted to see the mermaid again; he just didn’t want to admit it, not to himself and especially not to her. They left things on clear terms: they were rivals, and the kiss was just a farewell. Pearl could easily be up to something now, especially with her singing to him. That, more than anything else, put him incredibly on edge. So Ben was wary of her, mistrustful, which led to being standoffish even though he was secretly wishing he could kiss her one more time.

“I’m not going to hurt you, I give you my word,” she told him sincerely.

“You sang the siren song. You know how I feel about that! You—were luring me!” Ben hissed acidly. His eyes narrowed in accusation, but he didn’t draw any weapons or make a move to leave.

Neither of the two knew exactly how to act. In their hearts, they felt like things were forever changed between them. But in their heads, everything was the same; they told each other the kisses changed nothing. They said they remained rivals who felt aggravated by the other. And while that might be true, there was a huge difference between rivals, and rivals who kissed. How were they supposed to behave, or think, or talk from now on?! That’s why keeping the status quo was safest. Yes, they both simultaneously decided: they would not be the one to bring up the kiss. They’d pretend it never happened, unless the other said something first.

And so nobody said anything. They brushed past the affectionate incident, going right back to their usual distrusting bickering. Everything changed between them, but nothing changed at all.

“I know— but I didn’t make you a mindless fool, which is what you hate about the song. I merely wanted to lure you down here.” It was a bit of an excuse.

Ben disagreed with her. “You did make me a mindless fool,” he retorted harshly, eyes wide with exasperation and head moving around in fast little movements, “by hypnotizing me into climbing all the way to you! I didn’t have a choice, did I?” A bitter question. He couldn’t stop thinking about how risky the climb down was, how easily he could’ve slipped on a wet rock and fallen to his death. Knowing he lost all control, even for a few seconds, unsettled him terribly.

“Yes, fine,” the mermaid sighed. “I did enchant you. I tried to call out for you but you could not hear me, so I used my siren song.” She looked appropriately contrite.

“…I see,” Ben grumbled, a little less standoffish. If she tried to get his attention but failed, then, that was more acceptable. “But don’t do it again,” he glared at her with a pout, the words a smooth, commanding hiss. “Please,” he added with a tilt of the head, for the sake of politeness.

“I will not,” she said seriously, then giggled at his exasperated expression. “Don’t be such a pufferfish, Benjamin,” Pearl chided, tossing her long blonde tresses to the side.

“What is that supposed to mean?” he gaped at her with a somewhat childish level of offense.

“Your defensive spikes are out and aimed at me, that’s what it means. Retract your spikes.” It was more or less an order, and a mermaid way of referring to someone who was getting too defensive. Like a pufferfish and its protective spikes that puffed out if the creature felt threatened.

Ben let out a sharp sigh. “Why did you call me here, Pearl?”

“I saw you up on that cliff, and I grew curious,” Pearl explained, flicking her fins to splash him again for no other reason than to be a nuisance. Or maybe to break the ice a little. Ben flinched and spluttered as the warm water hit his face, then glared at her with petulance. The siren found it rather adorable.

“Stop that,” he chirped, glowering but not having any intention of leaving. He wiped his wet cheeks with the back of a hand. “Curious about what?” he spat the question out sharply, dragging the letter ‘h’.

Any leftover anger she held toward him seemed to be dissipating with every word of his; after all, he wasn’t just her captor and enemy. He was her sister’s savior, too. A fantastic conversationalist. And-- an excellent kisser. There was some kindness in him, if humans were capable of that. And his cuteness melted her defenses.

“You had a look on your face, that of some tragedy befalling you. Why?” Round, curious, golden-flecked eyes peered up at him. Reading into him, deeply.

Ben felt unsettled and exposed, he supposed in much the same way as most people shrunk under the weight of his stare. He scoffed defensively. “You can’t be serious. You made me climb all the way down here – at great risk to my safety, might I add – because you want to know why I’m sad?” He was incredulous, scowling at the mermaid as he gaped.

“I get very curious about you humans,” she admitted, pushing down with her arms to launch herself up on the rock with the mastery of someone who did that all the time. A splashing noise accompanied her motion. “Especially you. You must know this by now.” He did know that. Ben’s posture grew more rigid as she settled into a seating position right next to him. He kept his gaze fixed ahead, but caught sight of her with his peripheral vision. She had on that seashell and seaweed –adorned bra. He glanced down at her tail, idly wondering once again if it would feel like fish scales. Pearl noticed and a grin slowly blossomed, exposing the two little fangs on her canine teeth. Not as a threat, but rather as a sign of mischief. “I shall make you a deal. Tell me why you are gripped by sadness, and I shall allow you to touch my tail.”

He was horrified, although mostly at being caught staring. “I--- that’s not---” a huff, “—why would I ever want to do such a thing?” He was usually a much smoother liar than that.

“Oh please, I wasn’t born last century,” she flipped her hair, fixing him a knowing deadpan glance. “Your kind is as fascinated by the lore of my kind as we are by yours. You wish to know what it’s like. All humans do.” She paused, face becoming shadowy. “I am surprised you didn’t all line up to do so while I was held captive.” A small bitter hiss escaped her, nose scrunching up.

“I would never let them do that,” Ben defended himself, a tad offended by the implication. He didn’t – would never – treat her like some zoo animal! Even though he put her in an aquarium, but that was only out of convenience! He had still protected her privacy the best he could.

She stared at him in quiet judgment, then shrugged elegantly. “I appreciate that. You have that scale from my tail, but I don’t recall you ever touching it. Am I correct?”

Ben nodded. It never felt right to touch her tail, since humans didn’t have one. And it wasn’t like he was going around touching her for no reason, anyway! He always made sure to keep his hands far away from Pearl. Out of respect, and lest she bite off a finger. On occasion he’d hooked his arm under her tail, to lift and carry the mermaid somewhere, but he never actually placed an open palm on it. “But Pearl, I don’t have to do this—”

“Are you certain?” she extended the scaly appendage out in front of him, swaying it to tempt the man. The light hit it head on and the scales shimmered in hues of purple and pink, maybe a little greenish blue, and even a hint of gold. “You may, if you’d like. I am inviting you to. As long as you tell me why you are sad.” Pearl smiled, this time sans fangs.

Oh; that was a bit tempting, because Ben was curious. Who wouldn’t be?! And the trade was worth it. “Well I wouldn’t want to be rude by refusing your invitation,” he said quietly, with faint sarcasm, intense eyes staring at the fishy appendage. Rationalizing it as a scientific pursuit of discovery – and it was partly that! -- he reached out and gingerly brushed his fingertips on her tail, his eyes wide and shoulders stiff. It was indescribable to be so up-close with a mythical creature…though it had nothing on kissing her. Ben risked a glance at her face and relaxed when he saw that she was entirely nonchalant about the whole thing. He touched the tail with a little more purpose, rubbing his hand on it just slightly. As suspected, it felt much like fish scales, but more polished. He ran the hand down a tad, like a caress, squinting a little at the way the tail was iridescent. He only did it for a few seconds, then cleared his throat and pulled the hand away, unsure if he was supposed to thank her for letting him do that or not. Was that considered an intimate act to mermaids? Better to err on the side of politeness. “That’s--- alright. Thank you.” He had the passing thought of whether she’d like to touch his leg in return, and was disconcerted to realize he wouldn’t mind if she did, even as part of him still half expected her to decide to drown him on a whim.

Pearl enjoyed the sensation of his hand on her tail. The caress felt unexpectedly nice, and his tentativeness was endearing. “You’re welcome,” she said in an almost sing-song voice, that chilling little smile creeping over her beautiful features again. “Time for your side of the bargain.”

“I found out I have a tumor,” he told her flatly and without hesitation, purposely devoid of any trace of emotion. Ben moved from a crouch to sitting down, knees pointed up. Pearl stared at him for a beat, squinting blankly, until it dawned on him: “You don’t know what that means, do you.”

A mild grimace. “I don’t.”

“It’s a disease. I’m sick,” he acidly explained, frowning as he stared at the air.

“But I thought this Island was free of all diseases,” she commented with flippant curiosity.

He was rather surprised – and a bit thrown -- by her knowledge of the inner workings of the Island. Mermaids were creatures of the Island so it made some sense, but he’d been accustomed to thinking of them as faraway beings that were uninterested in and disconnected from such lore. First the Black Smoke, now this. How much did she know?! Blue eyes flew back to her, held her gaze, then he nodded and averted them again.

“It is,” Ben agreed with sardonic bitterness; he was having a hard time accepting that the Island let him get sick, and he couldn’t understand why--- but all the possibilities unsettled him deeply. His eyes flicked briefly to Pearl, who was watching him with sincere interest, and he felt…less alone. He had been dealing with the worry and self-doubt all by himself, not wishing to seem weak in front of his subordinates and friends. There was something oddly freeing in being able to speak to someone who was not one of his people, and therefore uninterested in whether he was fit to lead or not, so he didn’t have to bother engaging in lies to cover up his insecurities around Pearl. He could let the mask slip just a little, showing a glimpse of vulnerability because at the end of the day, what did it matter? She’d slink back to the depths of the sea, not caring about whether he felt scared or not. And most importantly, not caring if the Island was abandoning him or not.

“Then why are you sick?” the siren tilted her head, trying to understand.

“I don’t know,” a grimace and a shrug. He felt pitiful in admitting that, wide-eyed and tone tinged with soft vulnerability. His shoulders slumped ever so slightly, breaking the dignified air he usually maintained.

“And the lack of answers bothers you,” she pointed out, reassuring him that she could read him well and that he was being understood. Ben nodded. Pearl frowned. Part of her relished his misery, but she felt that he had already paid enough for experimenting on her, what with being skewered by an arrow and banished from walking the shores. “In my experience, mysteries tend to solve themselves if one is patient enough to wait for the tides to change. I’m sure your answer will come, Benjamin,” Pearl bowed her head in solidarity.

Ben wasn’t sure if he agreed with her; he’d much rather seek out the answers than wait, but he appreciated the sentiment. He wasn’t going to go into detail about his fears, but just that quick exchange -- that one moment of opening up to her – made him feel a little better. He gave her a brief tight-lipped smile and looked away. “We’ll see.”

Despite the smile, there was something shadowy behind his eyes. It served as a clue for her. Concern nagged at the mermaid. “This sickness—is it serious? Are you…going to die?”

Maybe. “No. I have it under control.” He was very stoic about it.

“How do you get better?” she pressed, inching closer to him.

“I have to convince a man who hates my people to perform life-saving surgery on me,” Ben droned, staring vacantly into the rolling waves.

“You have many enemies,” she pointed out, which made his forehead crease just a little with a frown. He seemed to be making more enemies lately, it was true; he never meant for that, but it was part of what being the leader entailed, he thought. Making difficult decisions that not everybody understood. Pearl pursed her lips. “I remember that word. ‘Surgery’. Is this man a doctor?”

His eyes returned to her once more, this time with a spark of intrigued curiosity. “Yes. How do you know what surgery is?”

“I witnessed sword duels aboard ships, on occasion, which often ended with a man in need of surgery. They…often didn’t make it,” she grimly pointed out, realizing that she might prefer if that human stayed alive.

Ben gave a brief acknowledging shake of the head. “Humanity has come a long way. Surgeries are a lot safer now.”

“Aren’t doctors oath-bound?” the mermaid asked somewhat suddenly, after a moment of charged silence. “He has to heal you, even if he does not wish to do so, correct?”

“In theory…” Ben told her ominously, intense wide eyes staring unblinkingly at her. And then he pivoted, switching the attention away from him. “You’re asking a lot of questions; even more than usual.”

“I told you that your kind intrigues me,” she admitted again, though bristling a little. The mermaid crossed her arms, sitting poised with her back elegantly arched.

“I would’ve thought you might like to see me die, but you seem to…want me to make it through this tumor,” he pointed out with a knowing glint in his eyes. “Why?” Did the kiss factor in her decision at all?

She was put under the spotlight, and felt exposed by that question. She was supposed to want to destroy him in vengeful pursuit of justice; her kind expected that of her. Or, at least, she should be glad that fate might take care of it without the need to get her hands dirty. But Pearl’s personal brand of justice came with more mercy than most merpeople; she could understand why Ben felt he needed to experiment on her. They were past that now, having tended to each other’s wounds. And that sneaky human continued to fascinate her. She liked him enough that she didn’t want him to hurt. It was uncomfortable to discuss it with him, but the siren was willing to be truthful. “I believe that we’re even for what you did to me. Killing you would not be justice anymore—it would be revenge, and as you told me yourself, mermaids are better than that. You and I, we are on okay terms. I have no reason to wish you harm anymore.” And that kiss was fantastic, she thought, but didn’t say.

A strong sense of quid pro quo and a hint of moral superiority? That tracked well with everything he learned about the mermaid over the last few years. Ben simply nodded, lips down-turning in agreement. “I could tell. I wouldn’t be sitting on this rock with you otherwise.”

Pearl smiled. “I’m sure. And-- I am sorry for using my song on you; I saw no other way to pull you near me,” she reiterated, but didn’t sound all that apologetic.

“Do you intend to do it again someday, or can we make this vow last forever?” Ben asked darkly, staring her down.

“I do not. I promised you once that I wouldn’t sing on that day, and I do not mind carrying that promise forevermore,” she curtsied as a sign that she meant it.

An appreciative, albeit serious, nod. “I’ve always wondered why you said yes to that, when we barely knew each other,” he dryly confessed, fixing her with a deadpan look.

Pearl had to think about the answer. “It felt like the right thing to do. You were so disturbed by the siren song that I couldn’t put you through it. And it made no difference to me either way,” she explained, blinking up at him with long lashes and distant eyes.

That disarmed him a little. It was yet another reminder of Pearl’s empathy, and the fact that she was much more human than fish or predator. “Thanks,” he said, a bit more softly.

After a beat, her thoughts returned to the matter at hand. “Your doctor, is he part of the metal bird crew? He must be…there is nobody else on this Island.”

A soft chuckle, if a little bittersweet. “It’s called a plane. And yes.”

“Hm. I assume you must have a plan to ensure this man’s support?” Ben struck Pearl as someone who was never ill-prepared.

He nodded, face shadowy. “Always.”

“May I ask you an unrelated question?” the mermaid pivoted after a brief silence that felt to him like an intentional pause, hazel eyes far off into the distance and a regal hand brushing through her slick wet hair. “Your submarine, how does it work to get off this Island? Explain to me what the signal does.”

He couldn’t hold back a scoff that was as bitter as it was amused. “Forgive me for not arming you with knowledge to defeat us,” he refused to answer.

A crossed look passed through her features, then the siren pretended not to care by giving a casual shrug. “Very well.” In a gesture that Ben deemed to be highly calculated, she pulled out a key from her seashell bra and let it dangle off a delicate finger, right under his nose.

He narrowed his eyes, instantly recognizing it as one of the Barrack keys. “Where did you get that?!” the man bristled.

“I am not at liberty to discuss that with you…unless we are sharing intel,” she smiled with heavy slyness.

Ben simply continued to stare through narrowed eyes, unbending. “Not at liberty according to whom?” brows rose up to emphasize the word, his tone charged with a faint taunting that indicated he knew she was in charge. It was the first time he alluded to that so openly: the advantage of holding information close to his vest until the right time to reveal it presented itself, so he could use it as a weapon.

Pearl’s nerves hiked. A lilting laugh bubbled out of her to cover them up. “Come on, Benjamin: a simple answer for a simple answer. It’s a rather fair trade-off, and one we’ve engaged in before,” she insisted with all the charm in the world, practically purring.

He’d be lying if he said he was entirely immune to it, but Ben was strong enough to stop her advances halfway with a simple cold glance. Her smile shrunk a little at his iciness, her confidence dimming. Pearl’s offer was weird, though; it came out of nowhere, and the push to get him to answer was obviously calculated—she had been keeping that key to use at the right moment. He admired her scheming and was also annoyed by it. Still…he really needed to know how she obtained the damn key, and perhaps part of him didn’t want to leave that rock just yet. A depressing reality of being sick, in a fight with his daughter, and managing hostages awaited him back home, and the siren offered a strange and fantastically surreal escape from it. He’d agree to her deal, if she obliged his request: he needed to keep the power on his side. “Alright…you go first. If you tell me the truth, I give you my word that I’ll reciprocate.”

A pensive hum. “Very well. I took it from that man who drowned in your aquarium. The one with the painful thing,” she made a stabbing motion to mimic the use of a cattle prod.

Ben’s eyes narrowed ever so slightly. “You took it from him as he was dying?” He vividly remembered Pearl swiping the valve keys from Paul’s pocket; it would’ve been easy for her to take the house keys at the same time too.

“Indeed. He was enchanted, therefore he allowed me to. I reached for the keys that would unlock the aquarium; this one came with it. I knew it would be wise to hang on to it for future usefulness,” she explained, stoic. It was an awkward conversation to have: a reminder of what Ben did to her, and what she did to Paul. She stiffly placed the key between them, on the rock.

He recognized the gesture as a peace offering and sighed under his breath as he pocketed the key. “The submarine works by following the right coordinates. It’s really very simple,” he gave a small shrug. “The beacons broadcast the location of the Island.” He went into a little more technical detail, explaining the basics to a curious mermaid.

She listened intently, memorizing every word out of his mouth. When he was done with the explanation, Pearl flashed a sly grin. “There. We shared intel again. We don’t make a terrible team, do we?”

He quirked a skeptical brow at her. “That’s debatable.”

“I think we work very well together, when we put aside our differences and are not at each other’s throats.” Her eyes met his and she smiled sunnily, though still with some slyness. “In fact, since you so kindly explained to me how to use a submarine to leave this Island, I would like to propose a new deal.”

Ben immediately understood that this was her endgame all along; Pearl already intended for this before she asked about the sub. Clearly that was a test, to see if he was willing to deal with her in a fair manner. And it was a demonstration, to show him they could be allies. It explained why it was so sudden and why she was so pushy. He obviously passed said test, which was why she proceeded to bring up the new deal. It piqued his curiosity. “Go on…”

Pearl’s stomach twisted. She was about to propose something very risky, a machination that had been roiling in her brain from the moment Benjamin told her he was sick. She drew in a deep breath, steadying herself. “Your enemy that must save your life by doing surgery--- I can help. I can make him do it; you know that I can.” The mermaid’s face was shadowy as she reminded Ben of the immense power she possessed, and Ben was entirely taken aback and perplexed by her offer. It was unheard of a siren simply offering up their powerful song to help a human!

“What would you gain from entrancing a man to help me survive?” he shrewdly asked, carefully neutral eyes piercing through her. Because there had to be a catch. A payoff for the mermaid.

Pearl had been looking for a way to insert herself into human society; the conversation she had with Ben while he was tending to her harpoon wound taught her there was still too much she didn’t understand about the legged creatures. She needed a better window into them, their lives, their customs, their thoughts—but she didn’t know how to get one, until today, when a chance fell on her lap. Just as soon as Ben told her he needed to convince an enemy to treat him, Pearl sensed a unique opportunity to leverage that to get herself inside. From that moment on, her mind was working out a plan, a way to get Ben to agree to a deal. Who was more convincing than a singing siren? Nobody! She could lend Ben those talents to ensure his surgery, in exchange for what she needed from him. “I would gain a favor from you.”

He expelled a dragged out breath, eyes slowly closing. Of course she wanted a favor. No kindness in his life ever came for free. “Any specifics in mind?” he asked, bitingly and strained.

A bright Cheshire smile landed on her features. “Indeed. You would allow me to spend time living in your village, with your kind.”

Ben’s jaw dropped and his eyes went completely wide. He was stunned.

Did she trust the man? Of course not. Did he scare her? Yes, he still did, sometimes. She couldn’t quite erase the chilling, vacant look he had while taking her blood or her scale, nor the way he had treated her like a caged animal. He owned guns, too, which frightened her most of all. But Ben had enough honor to stick to a deal. And he wasn’t entirely bad like she believed all humans to be. She had a golden opportunity to study humans up-close, learn their weaknesses and how to defeat them; she could then use that to impress her kind, to ensure their loyalty and prove herself to them. So, although the idea of venturing into human territory left her riddled with anxiety, the mermaid wasn’t going to let fear stop her. Besides, being around Benjamin wasn’t that much of a sacrifice. He still intrigued her like no one else, and he was pleasant to be around when he wasn’t intimidating the hell out of her. He would be a good host for her political experiment. She just had to make sure not to kiss him again, under any circumstances!

After the initial shock wore off, he all but laughed in her face. “You must be joking.”

“I am very serious,” she corrected with a frown.

A sarcastic snicker escaped him. “Pearl—you can’t live in my village. That’s…” his mouth opened and closed, he licked his lower lip, shaking his head. “—insane.”

“Why? I could share your abode, to better understand humans,” she insisted, serious. “I promise – give you my word – that I will not hurt anybody while I’m your guest. Not unless I am in danger.” Pearl was sincere in that.

“Why would you ever want to do such a thing?” Ben asked, tone dripping in amused skepticism. “You must know how out of place you’d be—forgive the unsophisticated analogy, but, Pearl, you would be quite the fish out of water,” he wryly reminded her.

“Our people – mine and yours – have been in upheaval for too long. Tensions are always heightened and we all feel the pressure of being on the brink of war, even with the new treaty. You know as well as I that, should our kinds fight, there would be massive losses on both sides. I am trying to avoid that,” she explained, with an air of grace and kindness to her. “I believe that living with your kind will foster trust between us. Understanding. It will bring our people closer, so that we may live in true harmony.” Beautiful words, and they seemed honest, but Ben knew when he was being sweet-talked into something. There was always a note of insincerity seeping through, and someone as perceptive as he always noticed it.

“Mmhm,” he hummed cynically, an unconvinced look on his face.

Because really, what she wanted was to acquire intel. The only way to think like a human was to be fully immersed with them. Ben knew that. Pearl was a political being, a diplomatic strategist, and that ‘peace’ talk didn’t convince him. He was incredibly suspicious of her motives. A mermaid wouldn’t ask to stay on land – risking danger and exposure - if she didn’t have a very good reason, one that was likely going to be a hindrance to Ben. He wasn’t buying her selfless story of making their groups closer, not at all. His theory was that she needed to learn about modern humankind. She was always asking questions, and what better way to learn than being there herself? Hm. Granting her that wish would be enough to guarantee her loyalty to him. Temporarily, anyway. Maybe he would entertain her idea, just for a moment.

“If – if – I were to say yes, what would that entail?” he squinted insightfully at her.

“I would be with you for three months. Fostering connections, observing. I must have daily access to a body of water where I can be submerged,” she listed her main condition. “And we must keep my true form hidden from all. Is that feasible?”

“Does it have to be ocean water?” The only option was the aquarium, and that seemed…complicated. Logistically for him, and emotionally for her.

“No. Fresh water will do just fine.”

“Then yeah,” he nodded, thinking of his bathtub. “As for your second demand--- I couldn’t agree more,” Ben said ominously, giving a slight tilt of the head for emphasis. Nobody could know what she was. “It must be our secret.”

A wry chuckle. “You are more than you claim to be,” Pearl commented off-handedly, gaze roaming over him with piercing attention.

“In what way?” he pretended not to know.

“The way you talk, and think, and make deals. You exude power— I suspect that you are more of a leader than I am aware of.”

“Oh?” He eyed her with a vaguely stern, very pointed knowing look. “Like you?” An impish smile appeared on his face and vanished in a second.

She bristled. Was that his way of telling her something?! “What are you implying, Benjamin?”

“Nothing. I’m no leader,” he innocently dismissed. It wasn’t the time to admit his role, or to confront her about hers. Suggesting it was enough to rattle her, to get under her skin.

And he did. Pearl frowned, wondering how much he knew. It disconcerted her. “I could be wrong; I am not immune to misjudgment,” the mermaid conceded, partially to change topics, but also because Ben was convincing enough to at least give her some doubts about her theory on his leadership. “So? About our deal?” she pressed.

“If you stay with us for months, what about your daughter?” he narrowed his eyes with suspicion. Pearl stared at him blankly, not recognizing that word either. “Your child,” he added. Nothing. Ben blinked. “The small mermaid that is yours and Spear’s?”

“Oh!” The mermaid’s face fell. “I shall miss her terribly—but it is only for three months. That is a very short length of time for our kind. She will be well cared for with her other maker.”

She’d stay with her father, Ben deduced. His stare was still on Pearl, holding her gaze and piercing through her. “You must really want to be closer to us if you’re willing to leave her behind and put yourself in such a vulnerable position,” he quipped with drawled sarcasm, needling at her. Obviously Ben knew that Pearl had her own secret agenda; there was no way a mermaid would put herself in such risk simply out of curiosity or to foster community. If she did indeed want to learn about humans, she must have a bigger reason for that--- and none of Ben’s hypotheses were very comforting. She was looking for their weaknesses, he was sure of it. She’d been doing it all along, from the very first time he met her. Just like he’d done to her.

Her face grew darker, displeased because he was seeing right through her. “I do.” The mermaid took a deep breath, then softened her expression with a hopeful smile. “Then what do you say? Shall we forge such alliance?”

It was tempting, of course. Her kiss was intoxicating, a rare delight he’d be lucky to experience again. Or, just her company would be a thrill. But they left everything on very unambiguous terms: they were enemies. If not that, rivals. And letting a rival waltz into his village was not something that a person as cautious as Ben would easily do. He couldn’t let such a huge threat walk right into his society, his very home! What if he lost control of her?!

The man stared at the mermaid with a completely vacant face.“…No. Sorry, but no.” He had a pretty decent plan to get Jack to do the surgery. Ben still had a little time, he wasn’t at death’s door quite yet. There was no need to compromise everyone’s safety by letting a siren move in.

There was a tiny deflating in Pearl, a sign of her disappointment. But she was far from entirely discouraged as she held up an index finger “Wait here for me.” The blonde leapt in the water, tail flicking toward the sky as she dove in. Ben quirked a brow. It took a few minutes for the mermaid to reappear in the horizon, holding in her hand a large pearly shell that had a beautiful high spiral and a wavey aperture. A conch, that once upon a time housed a sea snail, and if one were to put it up to their ear they would hear a sound that resembled the ocean. Ben stood up to get a better look. She swam to the rock and outstretched an arm toward him, holding up the conch. “Take this. Should you change your mind, come to the Eastern Sea. On a boat, out to where there’s nothing but the ocean. Blow into the shell and wait for one half of the hour. I’ll come to you then.” Pearl had that unbothered smile on her lips, bordering on a smirk. “This isn’t a normal shell. If ever should you want to reach me, do not lose it.”

“I thought we weren’t supposed to summon you,” he brought up with lighthearted dryness, and widened eyes for emphasis.

“Oh, very humorous,” she grinned, and he smiled in spite of himself. But it didn’t last long, because she shook the conch in his direction to insist that he grab it from her. Ben eyed her warily, gaze flitting between the shell and her face. He didn’t trust anything that came from the siren--- but she saved his life once, underwater, and maybe twice with the arrow. Jack was being stubborn; perhaps it would be wise to have a backup plan in the form of siren persuasion.

He took slow steps towards Pearl, steely eyes locked with hers as he rigidly reached out and picked up the conch. As soon as it was safely in his hand, he swiftly retreated. Her smile widened and she flipped her hair, wordlessly diving back into the sea without a second glance. What a mysterious creature, indeed.

***

“At least you won’t have to be disappointed for very long.” Jack’s cruel taunt replayed in Ben’s head. The doctor was flat out denying him help, even though he was dying! Even though Ben offered to return the favor by sending Jack home! Most egregiously, even though Jack took an oath to always give medical help to those in need! He thought Jack would have agreed to remove his tumor by now. Safe to say, Ben was worried. The world weighed on him.

Ben wasn’t entirely hopeless of his ability to convince Jack to do the surgery, though; he still had a plan B, which involved playing on the man’s love for Kate and the romantic triangle that was developing between them and the con man ‘Sawyer’. That should do the trick, Ben figured. But such a delicate plan would still take a few days to finesse – it would take time to get Kate and Sawyer to consummate their attraction -- and ‘time’ was something Ben didn’t have much of left. Unfortunately, his clock was running out faster than he had anticipated. The surgery was needed yesterday. That chilling, grim notion was with him everywhere he went, at all hours of the day, gnawing at him and filling him with both dread and determination.

There was a faster way, of course: Pearl’s deal. He could have life-saving surgery the very next morning if he let the siren use her song to help him. Payment seemed steep, as the idea of hosting an aquatic predator in his home unnerved and annoyed him. It would be such a risk, such an inconvenience, and he’d feel rather powerless to go back to her with his tail between his legs. But there were two sides to everything; saying yes to Pearl actually offered him a unique opportunity as well. Pearl would be observing his kind, and Ben would be observing hers. No human being in the history of the Island had ever spent so much time in close quarters with a mermaid; the types of insights and knowledge he could gain from it were priceless!

And, of course, he would be cancer-free without the need for orchestrating another convoluted plot.

So with the pros outweighing the cons and the danger, Benjamin decided. He clasped the conch in a fist as he walked briskly toward the Eastern side of the Island, telling only his sheriff about the plan.

He waded through the shallows to get to the boat, which he then rowed out to sea. Once he found himself near the correct location – all alone in the wide stretch of blue, waves gently bobbing the boat, and ocean breeze through his hair -- he brought the spiral shell to his lips, wrinkled his nose in slight distaste, and blew on it to summon the one hidden amongst the depths.

Then he sat to wait for her.

It took less time than expected for a ripple to disturb the ocean’s surface. A dolphin came up. Cute, but what really caught Ben’s eyes were the dainty hands holding on to its dorsal fin. As the dolphin leapt in the air, the familiar blonde mermaid appeared, her face rising out of the water with a free-spirited grin. She leapt with the creature that she hitched a ride with, both traveling in a wide arc through the air and splashing back down together. Then she let it go, to stay behind as the dolphin swam away. And there she was, coming to Ben as he called: Pearl, a sight both familiar and unknowable to him. Comforting, and unsettling. The subject of his infatuation, and his trickiest rival.

She was amused to find Ben there, and relieved. “Have a change of heart?” the mermaid called out to him, staying far out in the water. “That was faster than I thought.”

Ben glowered at her, feeling slighted by her gloating. But he swallowed his pride. “I’m inclined to accept your proposal, yes—with a few conditions of my own,” he lifted his eyebrows as he emphasized the end.

She quirked a delicate brow, swimming backwards a short distance. “Tell me.”

“I know you’re accustomed to power—you’re some kind of leader in your community. On land, you must listen to me,” he told her emphatically. “Do as I say. You have to follow the rules of my people, and keep your distance from them. Don’t make waves--”

“Pardon?”

He gave a curt sigh. “It’s an expression. It means, keep to yourself and don’t cause trouble. And most importantly, you cannot ever use your siren song, under any circumstances.”

She’d swam significantly closer while he was talking, and Ben now found himself stared down by a sour mermaid whose hands curled around the edge of his boat. “Those are many rules,” she pointed out in a clipped tone. Pearl didn’t like the idea of being bound by so many of Benjamin’s rules.

He nodded matter-of-factly. “You’re powerful, Pearl, so I need your word that you’ll listen to me. Otherwise, this deal is a risk I can’t take.” He stared back at her with an air of near indifference, making it look like he didn’t care whether she took the deal or not. Ben wasn’t sure if she’d be willing to follow him as a leader--- but he had a way to exploit her insecurities.

“You are asking for too much, Ben,” she upturned her nose from the water, just a touch darkly. “I submit to no human.”

“I’m asking for just enough. You need this partnership as much as I do— maybe more so. I can convince the doctor to save me; it’s just faster if I have your help. But you…you have no other human to observe.” He gave her a charged look. “And I’m not telling you to submit to me; what I need is your word that you will follow my lead.”

A forceful sigh passed her lips. Goodness, that Benjamin still infuriated her with his flawless logic and his powerful mind. She thought it through, recounting his conditions, and decided that the opportunity was too rare and important to pass up. She dipped her head, then met his eyes. “Very well. For as long as I am your guest, I will take my cues from you. And I will never use my song unless my life is threatened. I promise.”

He gave one sharp nod. God, Ben suddenly felt very nervous. He was about to make a very bold choice. Part of him was excited about it, but the feeling was drowned out by how unnerved he was. At the same time, there was real relief coursing through him. His life was saved. “In that case, please lend me your powers of persuasion,” he said with intensity. I need that surgery now, the unspoken words hung thickly in the air.

She gracefully bowed in agreement. When she spoke again, it was with twinkling eyes and an air of mischief. “Benjamin, you’re making a winning bargain. I only get one thing out of this: spending time around humans. But you…you get two things: a life-saving surgery courtesy of my siren song, and the opportunity to observe me. I know you’re as curious about mermaids as we are about humans.”

His face pinched with some exasperation. “I think the benefit of observing you is nullified by having a siren stay at my house, where she can easily sabotage me and my people, or spy on us.”

She let out a bubbly laugh and tossed her hair with charm. “I will do my very best to behave, Ben.” Neither of them were sure she meant that. “Shall we go now? I understand time is of the essence for your health.”

He gave a wary nod. He still didn’t believe her motives. Ben was quite sure they were more politically charged than she was telling him, and that bringing her into his home was a threat, one he might yet come to bitterly regret. But he had to play it close to the vest, like he believed her entirely; showing his skepticism might spook her. He couldn’t allow that to happen, because now his life was entirely in her hands. He needed her, so he pretended to believe that she had nothing but good intentions. “Alright. Thank you. Please, climb aboard.”

The legends and lore warned against inviting a mermaid onto one’s boat. ‘Kill them before they can climb aboard and doom you’, they claimed. The irony didn’t escape Ben.

Pearl pushed down on the boat to hoist herself up, then crawled inside. The mermaid sat on the floor, dripping salt water, tail hanging off the side to let the tip of the fin drag across the surface of the sea. Elegant fingers reached up and expertly snapped the moonstone out of the tiara that always adorned her head. Pearl was so used to it by now that attaching it as a pendant to her silver necklace felt like second nature. She put on the moonstone necklace and Ben watched, mesmerized, as her tail was engulfed in light. It shimmered and split in half with fibers un-attaching, scales becoming smoother and fins shrinking until a pair of long legs and tiny feet replaced them. He’d seen the process before, but it was still surreal to witness such a transformation. Pearl smiled, lifting one leg in the air and wiggling her toes. She admired her new limbs; no matter how many times she walked on land, having legs still felt like a novelty—because she only had them for about 1% of her entire life. The mermaid bent and straightened out her knees, held out an elegant kick, then began rolling her ankles and beaming at herself.

Ben found her self-admiration to be endearing. His gaze innocently followed hers, watching her move her feet for a moment. Then it traveled up her smooth, long, beautiful legs, and---

“Oh dear God,” he muttered in embarrassed horror, immediately turning his back to her when he realized her former fish half – now the half of a woman – was completely bare. He saw more than he meant to, and wow was she stunning, but he didn’t want to cross any improper lines! He couldn’t have a naked woman just sitting on his boat! And he couldn’t dwell on what she looked like, not for another second, because God forbid he lose the battle against his own self-control and have some kind of bodily reaction to Pearl’s nude body. He’d be mortified of acting in such inappropriate way!

“What is the matter?” Pearl questioned, oblivious as she attempted to stand up on shaky legs.

“You—it—I—” Ben spluttered, completely clueless as to how to act, his cheeks warm with embarrassment. “You’re naked! Please cover up!”

“Mm,” the mermaid looked down at her shape, then up, with complete nonchalance. She rather liked her human body, and enjoyed having a vagina and a butt as much as she enjoyed her legs and feet. “I forgot humans are strange about nudity.” She glanced around in quiet thinking. “I did not know I’d be going on land today, so I didn’t bring any of my sail garments. Oh! I know! I will gather some seaweed and wrap it around myself!”

“No,” Ben whined in frustration. “You’re about to join my village pretending to be one of us. What kind of human would walk around wrapped in seaweed, Pearl?!” he sniped at her, eyes tightly shut.

“…Oh. Quite right. That would be unrealistic,” she agreed, then shrugged as she reached a conclusion. “Benjamin, I don’t have anything to wear. You will simply have to deal with my being nude for the time being.”

“Oh for the love of—” He grumbled under his breath and began unbuttoning his own long-sleeved lilac shirt. He wore a white, short-sleeved one underneath, luckily, as he would hate to be half undressed in Pearl’s presence. He removed the outer layer and tossed it in her general direction without looking. “Please, wear this.”

“If you insist.” Pearl gathered the lilac shirt and tied it around her as a makeshift skirt--- she was too tall for it to serve as a dress. “All done,” the siren said in a sing-song voice, smiling much too sweetly to be anything good. Ben turned around cautiously to make sure all was proper, then took in the sight of her: smooth pale skin, honey-colored eyes with golden flecks and wet light blonde hair cascading to her waist, clam shells covering her chest but leaving her cleavage and midriff exposed, as well as her long legs, with only a men’s shirt-as-skirt tied around her hips. Which made for a very short skirt, but it was better than nothing. Ben swallowed thickly; she was a stunning vision to behold. A deceptively dangerous one, he knew, like the lush rose that hid a thousand thorns. And yet she still made his cheeks flush. His eyes lingered on her shape a second too long. The mermaid seemed entirely unbothered and uninterested in his staring, still admiring her own legs and wiggling her toes. Ben blinked and forced himself to glance away, unwilling to dwell on her heart-racing beauty for too long, out of respect for her. He picked up the oars and began to row to get them home, his face a purposeful blank.

When they reached shore, Ben jumped off, dragged the boat in and tied it to a log. He let out a winded sigh, squinting. Pearl simply watched. “Will you please help me walk?” she glanced up at him, flashing the most charming smile.

Ben huffed, mildly exasperated by her flirty behavior. Oh, she was going to be trouble. “Alright.” Supressing an eye roll, he offered his arm. She swiftly linked hers with his, and he helped her step off the boat. “Watch out for those rocks, Pearl.”

***

They made it all the way to the outside limits of the Barracks: the last place where they still had some privacy. A few more meters and they’d be surrounded by Ben’s people, living their daily lives with no knowledge of the mermaid about to move in.

“I’m afraid we’ll have to sneak you in,” Ben flatly informed her. “I don’t want anyone to see you until you’re---” he paused, treading carefully, “appropriately dressed.”

She glanced down at herself. “Is my current attire not appropriate?”

Ben feared he may have been flushing. “Not…entirely.”

“How come?” she frowned with confusion. “It is the same garment you were wearing.”

How could he explain it to her? “If they see you wearing my shirt, and not--much else, and myself in my undershirt, they might…get the wrong idea.” He kept his eyes fixed on the ground in front of him as they walked, his face entirely expressionless.

“What wrong idea?”

“It’s not important,” he brushed her off.

“I’d like to know,” she insisted firmly, but then connected the dots herself when her gaze drifted to her long, nearly bare legs. “Oh! It is a nudity thing. You mean to say that they would think we’re lovers?” His lips were pressed together and he refused to look up from the floor. He simply nodded once in response. The siren continued: “Let them think what they’d like. It should be no concern of ours,” she shrugged, perfectly poised in her dismissal.

There was the minutest widening of his eyes. Did she really not care? Perhaps mermaids didn’t fully grasp what ‘lovers’ were. She might only have an incomplete knowledge of the meaning. “I--- have an image to maintain. I can’t have them thinking I’m off engaging in…inappropriate relationships.” Not with any woman from outside of their own society, at least.

She turned to face him as they walked, scoffing haughtily. “Am I not good enough for your ‘image’, Benjamin Linus? My, I ought to be offended, and you ought to be honored to have me on your arm.”

This time his eyes widened very perceptibly as he turned her way, practically gaping. How could he backpedal from causing offense? The last thing he needed was for her to change her mind about the surgery. “I only meant to say that—” he stopped talking when he saw the amused glint in her eyes. Ben realized the mermaid wasn’t actually offended, but rather having fun at his expense. “You’re not serious.” He blew out a puff of air, giving her a slightly censoring glance.

“No,” she giggled ethereally. “I’ll allow you to sneak me into your village; I wouldn’t dare hurt your precious image.” There was a hint of good-natured sarcasm, but, as long as she was on board with his plan, he wasn’t complaining.

It was off to a better start than he’d imagined. She wasn’t trying to make his life miserable, even though she had some cause to do it. And he trusted her to be a decent covert operator; his people wouldn’t discover her true nature. The only questions left were how well would she adapt to living in his home, and how much trouble could she inadvertently – or purposely -- cause along the way…

Notes:

So, in my mind this story is divided in three main sections. Section 1 is the getting to know each other part, where Ben and Pearl are antagonistic and bickering and harboring the beginning of a crush. It's where Ben slowly discovers things about merfolk, their biology and how they operate. This is officially the end of Section 1.
Section 2 is what I call The Roommates! As the name implies, it's the length of time they will spend living together, getting closer to each other. It's the section for daily antics, and the time for Pearl to discover things about humans and how they really are. It's starting now.
Section 3 will come later, along with a certain freighter and the complications it brings. I hope you all enjoy it, thanks for all the love so far!

Chapter 15: And what would a sea-less mermaid do, if not seek shelter with the noblest of handsome men?

Arm in arm, the leader of Jacob’s chosen people and the noble mermaid walked together through the outskirts of the suburbia-like Barracks, staying out of sight. Ben in beige khaki pants and a white undershirt, hair with immaculate spikes, and Pearl in nothing but her seashell bra and Ben’s borrowed lilac shirt tied like a skirt, her waist-length blonde hair still damp from the ocean. Her footsteps were uneven and she relied on him for steadiness. Ben grew more sullen the closer they got to his house, concerned about bringing a dangerous creature home with him. But a deal was a deal.

And there was more than just brooding in him in that moment. The memory of their kiss refused to leave him. Now that Pearl was living with him, would there be more in his future? No, he couldn’t let that happen. Unbeknownst to Ben, the mermaid was wondering the same thing, as stuck in that affectionate moment as he was.

But when he spoke to her, she seemed aloof. Looking at him with a detached gaze. A defense mechanism of hers, so that she wouldn’t grow more attached to him. And perhaps because she sensed his own sullenness and the distance that he was keeping from her, too.

They soon reached the yellow house where he lived with his daughter. Ben unlocked the door and blankly gestured for Pearl to walk in. “Welcome to your new abode, Pearl,” he droned unenthusiastically and a tad cynically.

The mermaid’s hazel eyes went wide. She hesitated at the threshold, peering inside but not yet taking a step. Because she knew that once she was in there, she would be in Ben’s clutches. Alone in his world, a world that she didn’t entirely understand; away from her people, from the power the ocean granted her, locked in a house with Benjamin Linus. A little more vulnerable than she was comfortable being. It scared her, and it thrilled her. “This is where you live?”

A nod. “Why? Having second thoughts?” he said with a dry lilt, sensing her hesitation.

The siren took a deep breath and pushed the nerves down. It was all for a good cause, and it was sure to be an adventure. “Certainly not!”

Giving a slow nod, he repeated the crisp gesture for her to walk in, more sharply now. With a look of curious apprehension, Pearl tiptoed unsteadily past the threshold, finding herself inside. She surveyed the area. “Wow. This is…certainly something,” she whispered, half in awe and half terrified. For a moment she simply stood by the door, trying to make sense of things.

Silently, Ben watched her taking in the sight of his house, her face pinching with increasing distress. She was overwhelmed by how much of that house was foreign to her. Human accommodations had vastly changed in the last century. And then she began moving, like a skittish, suspicious cat. Pearl let out a continuous stream of hisses, like she was panting, and her head was whipping around in jarring little movements with each hiss. Everything in there was a potential threat! She eyed each inch carefully and warily, alternating between very slow steps and random sprints from one point to another. She stumbled several times when trying to run. Ben stayed behind to give her some freedom, but never took his eyes off of her. One could never be too cautious with a mermaid around.

A painting of a field hanging on the wall captured her attention. Pearl admired it with a soft sigh, then carefully reached to touch it, an awed squint on her face. When the frame didn’t hurt her, she gingerly pushed it side to side, to see how it moved. The painting slipped from the nail and fell with a loud clatter, making her flinch. She muttered an apology and put it back where it belonged, and Ben let out a weary sigh.

Finally, after five minutes of sprinting across his living room or creeping around with trepidation – and only when she was satisfied that she wasn’t in immediate danger -- Pearl turned her attention to him again. “Show me what I need to know,” she demanded, although softly.

“We need to set some ground rules first,” Ben told her in a clipped tone, face stony. “My bedroom is behind that door—that’s where I sleep. It’s my private area, and I need you to stay out of it. Do you understand?” The piercing way with which his eyes bore into hers left her no room to argue. Shivering under the power of his stare, Pearl agreed. “I will stay out of yours too, of course,” Ben added. He gave her a sharp nod and canted his head to the side. “Follow me.”

His tour was very methodical. Ben taught her the basics of daily human survival, in a very detached and formal manner.

Because truthfully, he didn’t want Pearl there. Sure, living with the subject of his infatuation should be exciting, in theory. Getting to observe a mermaid up close should be, too. And it would be, if he wasn’t so worried, so vexed about her secret agenda. He’d have to pry into that, as soon as his surgery was safely completed. For now he’d play host, but he wouldn’t drop his defences.

“This is the living room. It’s for—social gatherings, relaxation, meals, things of the sort. Over there is the kitchen,” he pointed to the open counter. “It’s where we prepare our food.”

In a matter of seconds every cabinet and drawer was pulled open, with the curious mermaid inspecting what was inside. “How peculiar,” she muttered to herself as she held up a spoon to eye level. Pearl traced a finger along its edges, touched the curve to her nose, and put the item back down. Then she moved on to the large rectangle. Hesitant fingers curled around the handle and pulled it slowly, as she peered inside with some nervousness and a warning hiss—just in case someone was hiding in there. The cold air of the refrigerator hit her but she barely noticed, accustomed to living in freezing waters. “Oh! The food is kept in here,” she pointed out brightly. Ben continued to watch in silence, granting her enough space to act as naturally as possible. When she found a red plate in a cupboard, she instantly bit it, and frowned at how hard and tasteless it was. “Ew.”

“That’s not food,” he deadpanned. It was going to be a long day.

Her natural curiosity had her drawn to everything in the house; every item, every nook and cranny sparking her interest. Her analytical eyes took in everything, scrutinizing her surroundings so that she may understand them. Pearl was fascinated to see how a modern human lived, and she wanted to inspect all of it in detail. Ben would find it cute if he wasn’t so frustrated by the situation.

For a man who had such a need for control, having a mermaid live with him could easily feel like a bit of a nightmare. Of course, growing up with an abusive father left one with deep scars and an intense sense of lack of control—which was why now, as an adult, Ben had such a need for it. It was only when he could control everything and everyone around him that he felt safe. It was why he craved power so much, too; power led to control, which led to stability and safety. And Pearl living with him threatened all of that. She was someone Ben knew he didn’t have complete power over, so it left him feeling unsteady and defensive—like he was aimlessly drifting down a river and she was lurking below, ready to bite. At least she agreed to follow his lead, which meant he had some control over the situation—and if she ever went back on her word, he could kick her out. But deep down he was still worried about her secretly scheming, and he was distant, introspective as he led her to the next room: his office. “This is where I work,” he droned robotically. “If the door is shut, please respect my privacy in here too.”

“Okay.” Pearl made a mental note of the importance of that room. If there was anything worth spying on, it was probably kept in there. She reached for a desk drawer.

“Ah-ah, please don’t open those,” he said firmly. He was a very private man, who made sure to store everything he didn’t want Pearl to see in his bedroom or desk before her arrival.

“How secretive,” she purred, using charm to mask her annoyance. Ben simply stared flatly in return. She rifled through a handful of papers that were plainly visible on top of the desk, fingers brushing against his office supplies. The book that had been left closest to the chair was thick and worn out. Pearl flicked through the pages, a smirk creeping over her lips when she came across a certain familiar picture. “How pretty,” she said silkily, turning the book toward Ben to exhibit the mermaid illustration taking up the entire page. A brunette mermaid, with long hair and a blue tail, lounging on a rock during a storm. “It’s a lovely painting,” Pearl traced it with a fingertip. Her smirk widened. “You’ve been reading about us.”

“To learn more about my enemies, yes,” he said without missing a beat, adding a noncommittal shrug. He wasn’t letting her get under his skin, at all.

A wry chuckle. “I wonder how much this book gets wrong. Look here, at where her tail ends, on her waist. It’s too high. Ours are lower, on our hips.”

I’ve noticed, he almost told her, but the words felt wrong to him. So instead he gave a vague wave of the hand, unblinking eyes on her. “It’s compiled mostly from legends passed down through generations, so I doubt there’s much accuracy.” He moved to lightly pull the book from her grasp, and, once he had it, he placed it back on the shelf. It was a bit of a test to see if she’d resist, which she passed by letting him take it.

“What is the most outlandish story you’ve heard or read about my kind?” she asked with a thoughtful grin, playing with her luminous blonde hair. Her eyes still flitted around the office, taking note of every item and detail.

He pursed his lips and raised his brows. “Probably that if one were to consume the flesh of a mermaid, immortality would be granted to them.” Ben said that with complete nonchalance, like it was nothing weird at all.

Pearl couldn’t hold back the snort that flew out of her. “What?! That’s—” the siren laughed, that genuine, delicate sound that made Ben’s stomach flip. “That is preposterous! Goodness, Ben, I do hope you never attempt that! It will end in disappointment, I promise you.”

He flashed a wry smile. “I’d never try such a thing. The concern is you trying to eat my people, not the other way around.”

“Oh very funny,” she playfully complained, making a face at him. “You know that I don’t do that. Maybe it is you who will try to fillet and fry a piece of my tail.”

Ben let out a bit of a scoffed chuckle. What a bizarre mental image! “Like a fish. No, thank you.” That broke the ice a little, much to his chagrin. He was already realizing that staying completely emotionally detached from her was going to be tough. Pearl just had a way about her, a way to completely pull him in with ease. He squinted at his new roommate, a little smile on his face. “And what’s the craziest story you’ve ever heard about humankind? I’m sure you must have your share of rumors about us underwater too.”

An aloof giggle. “Indeed. Hm, let me recall…ah, I once was told that humans have claws for feet, sharp enough to be weaponized.”

“Wha—where did that come from?” he laughed, shaking his head. “Fear of the unknown?”

“That would be my guess too. The rumor came from somebody who never transformed their own shape, and who had only seen humans with foot coverings on. And…everyone fears the unknown.”

“Not you,” he insightfully added, demeanor becoming more intense. “At least not enough to avoid it. You’re living with the unknown.”

She preened and gave a one-sided, elegant shrug. “I am bolder than most. And so are you; most humans run from a siren, yet you were never afraid to engage with me,” she pointed out, the respect she felt for his courage shining through her tone. Ben acknowledged that with a small smile and curt nod, then the mermaid spoke again. “Oh, I have one more outlandish tale about humans! Some merpeople believe that they’re purely agents of destruction, incapable of love.”

Ben’s smile became a little more incisive, as he sensed an opportunity. “That’s an interesting coincidence; some folk tales claim the same thing about mermaids.” He wanted to see her reaction to that. Benjamin knew Pearl was capable of love – for her daughter, her family, her people, even for nature. But did she care whether humans knew that?

Apparently she did, because she let out a protesting hiss and a whine. “That is untrue! We feel love very deeply!”

“And do you think we do?”

“Yes,” she said with no hesitation. “Once upon a time I did not, but—now I do. I have seen it. Many of you love with great intensity.”

Ben nodded slowly, suddenly pensive. Wasn’t love, along with empathy and logical reasoning, one of humanity’s defining characteristics? There really was very little separating merfolk and humankind, huh? What a disconcerting thought. “I’ve seen it with you, too,” he told her a bit flatly, then bluntly added: “We should continue with our tour. And please, don’t move my things or open my personal drawers without asking first,” he warned with certain sternness.

“Very well. I did not bring much with me, but please do not touch my belongings either,” she asked, eyes as firm and stern as his own.

“Wouldn’t dream of it,” he said dryly, but he meant it. Next on the tour was the bathroom. “This is the bathroom—it’s of the utmost importance that you don’t enter this room if anybody else is in here with the door shut,” he warned.

“I am sensing a theme here,” she pointed out wryly, “that I am not permitted to enter any room if a door is closed. But what is so special about the bet-bad, uh, bathroom?”

He widened his eyes to emphasise the seriousness of the warning. “You’re right, you’re not. If any door is closed, you knock first, and wait for a response.” Strategically, he explained that this wasn’t a restriction imposed only on her: “It’s the human way,” Ben added, knowing there was less of a chance of Pearl being stubborn about it if she understood all humans acted like that. “As for the bathroom…it’s, where people shower, and—it’s a more private place, Pearl. But please, explore it now, if you’d like.”

She had a feeling that it was human modesty at play again, and shrugged it off. Walking in, she noticed how different the tiles were from the other walls and floors. What was the reason, Pearl wondered? She smiled charmingly at her reflection when she caught a glimpse of it on the mirror above the sink. “What a large mirror! I love it,” she said sunnily, flipping her hair and posing to herself. Then the mermaid looked over to the side. The shiny thing caught her eye immediately. Pearl hurried there and touched it.

The thing in question was the flush handle on the toilet, made of a shiny silver metal. As she pressed on it, the toilet flushed, the sudden noise scaring the hell out of her. Pearl immediately jumped back to recoil and bared her teeth in a hiss, fangs sprouting and heart speeding with fright. She was ready to attack the flush handle. Ben flinched, then looked at her with wide, vexed eyes. “Please stop touching everything!” he half-asked, half-told her in a disgruntled tone. “That’s only for when you use the toilet!”

She glared at the toilet, hissed at it again but withdrew her fangs.

Her embarrassment at the blunder only lasted until a tube of toothpaste caught her eye. Pearl picked it up and unscrewed the lid—something she learned how to do from Ben’s canteen when she briefly held him hostage in a cave. The squishy texture of the tube made her instinctively squeeze it, and she giggled under her breath when toothpaste came out. The siren sniffed it, then looked over at Ben’s toothbrush. “Do you use these to clean your teeth?” she deduced.

He was somewhat surprised by that deduction, but not entirely. It was obvious that mermaids cleaned their teeth in some way too, because they always smelled fresh and pretty good. Especially Pearl, he thought. “We do. It’s called ‘brushing’. Do you have a similar method?” he turned the question back around on her. It was the con and the pro of having her as a house guest: he had to put up with her learning about him, but he could learn about her too.

“Yes. We use paste as well, made from a tincture of two special kinds of seaweed. But,” she reached out and curiously picked up his toothbrush, despite Ben’s previous warning to stop touching his things. She gingerly ran a finger over the bristles. “—these little objects, they look much more comfortable than the pieces of dead sea sponge we use.”

“I’ll have that back, thank you,” he held out a hand, staring at her in a deadpan. He didn’t want to snatch the toothbrush right out of her hand, but he was firmly letting her know she should drop it. Pearl sighed dramatically, like he was sullying her fun, and dropped the item on his awaiting hand.

As they walked out, she glanced over her shoulder. From the sly little grin on her face, Ben knew that if the Dharma stash of toothbrushes ever was to go missing, Pearl was the culprit. She had that glint in her eyes of someone coming up with a plan, and it wouldn’t surprise him if a bunch of toothbrushes ended up under the sea for merfolk to use with their seaweed toothpaste. An inconvenient but kind of funny thought.

“Now this is where your bedroom will be,” Ben pointed at a shut door. Alex’s room. “I only ask that you wait to see it. I—need to speak to someone about it first.”

How very evasive, she thought, squinting at him. But she decided not to say anything. “So my bedchambers shall be here, and yours are behind that other door. Living room, kit-chen, work…uh, work office, and…bath-room,” she recapitulated what she’d learned.

Benjamin nodded. “Good memorization. Remember, you should avoid conversations with my people until you are better acclimated.” Or forever, he wished, but knew it was too much to hope for. He gave her the briefest smile out of simple politeness. “Feel free to keep exploring for the time being.”

She was excited by that. Now that the house had been established as safe, the siren felt that she could explore more freely. Pearl shook the curtains, poked at the couch and cushions, inspected plates and glasses and cutlery, tried to climb on chairs and tables until Ben told her to stop, curiously looked at the decorations displayed on shelves and tabletops, discovered – with a loud yelp because it sprayed her face – how to turn on the shower, hissed at a vacuum cleaner and admired every single photograph, mask, frame and painting hanging on Ben’s walls.

He was watching her closely the whole time, like an intelligent hawk, and she knew it. Once again his observant and calculating gaze unnerved her, leaving the mermaid a little intimidated. Nothing like the helplessness she felt when he actually studied her against her will, but it did give her some goosebumps. And, well, maybe some of those tingles were pleasant too.

For Ben, it was an interesting show. Pearl approached everything almost like a suspicious cat: with hesitant boldness. Narrowed eyes, a slow reaching careful touch at first, maybe a sniff, and then grabbing it more confidently. He didn’t tell her how the microwave or the stove worked, and most assuredly did not teach her how to operate a computer. Ben was uneasy enough with a mermaid living in his house, he really didn’t want to give her more than the basic tools to navigate the human world. Losing control over her could have dire consequences. He’d teach her those things someday, though, if the first couple weeks of their experiment worked out well; he just needed to establish more trust with her first.

Then again, Pearl was so clever and highly observant that Ben assumed she would figure all those things out by herself, in due time. Like she did in the dolphin tank, she would study his behaviors and mimic them to great success. He was sure she would—and that unnerved him a little, too. He felt under a microscope as much as she felt.

And he’d never tell her about the secret passage that led to a tunnel that summoned the Black Smoke.

The television was innocuous enough, though, and Ben decided he was fine teaching her about that. Better to keep her inside, possibly entertained by the programmes, than have her wandering the village like a loose cannon. “Do you see this button?” He called her attention to the remote control and she instantly looked. “Go ahead, press it.”

A tentative mermaid finger reached out and gave a dainty push. The tv turned on and she whirled around with a vicious hiss, ready to bite any assailant that was ambushing her!

But there was no assailant. Just a square with tiny flat people inside, where the voices were coming from. She blinked, wholly confused. “Uh.” Pearl stepped toward the tv, squinting at it with fascinated apprehension. Who were those people trapped in there?! “Hello?” They didn’t seem to register her presence. Ben chuckled to himself. She poked the screen, knocked on it, smelled it, then frowned with confusion. “What…hello?!” Distressed, she tapped the screen a few times. They ignored her, so she turned to Ben. “These people—they are not…really inside the box, are they? They are too small…” A frustrated hiss. “Benjamin, what is this?”

“They’re not. It’s a television,” he laughed softly. Explaining how a tv worked – to someone who had never seen a camera or knew anything about cables, electricity or technology -- proved a bit tricky, but Ben kept at it until Pearl understood.

“Whoa,” she whispered in pure awe, eyes shining. “A box where you can watch fictitious stories coming to life, like a magic window to another world…how marvelous…”

The mermaid already wanted to sit down and experience a movie for the first time, but Ben would really be more comfortable if she wore more on her bottom half. With only his shirt tied around her hips like a skirt, he thought she’d be too exposed on the couch, likely to accidentally flash him. Just her walking around the house in that attire could’ve made him need a cold shower (if he hadn’t been careful to keep his eyes on her face and not wandering down her body)—he wouldn’t risk it getting worse now. Luckily, he’d prepared certain things to keep her comfortable prior to her arrival.

***

The submarine – fixed thanks to Pearl’s help with the beacon -- wouldn’t leave for its scheduled mainland run for another week, which meant he couldn’t buy Pearl clothes until then. “You’ll have to borrow some clothes for a few days. I hope you don’t mind,” he stoically informed her, not particularly caring whether she minded or not. Why care, when there was no other choice?

Pearl’s gaze was measured. Sharing clothes was beneath her station, but she wasn’t fussy. “That’ll be perfectly acceptable,” she gracefully bowed her head.

Ben gave one slow, pointed nod. “I took the liberty of pre-selecting some things to prepare for your arrival. Please,” he gestured to a row of clothes neatly hanging from a hallway closet and a plastic bag on the floor, all borrowed from the women in the village. It was a mesh of different styles and even sizes, though he tried his best to have them fit her shape relatively well. Although a good estimator, he preferred to err on the side of caution whenever possible, leaning toward things that were bigger rather than smaller. Underwear had been a problem; Ben was far too proper to get involved in that, so he put Isabel in charge and delegated that she choose something appropriate for their new guest to wear, preferably from the stock of unused items. He didn’t check the bag, but he assumed the new bras and panties were included in there. Hopefully.

Pearl picked through each outfit sample with a scrutinizing glance, running her hands down the materials and holding the pieces up to her body to get an idea of shape and size. Ben figured she had it under control and excused himself.

He sat on his living room couch, hands palming his knees. He wasn’t sure what to do just yet. Was he supposed to go about his regular business when there was a siren – a cunning predator – staying in his house, sleeping in the bedroom right next to his? He let out a curt sigh, shoulders slumping in defeat. It was a price worth paying for her help with the cancer surgery, but God, did he begrudge it.

“Benjamin?” Her pleasant voice called from the hallway and he shifted to sit sideways, facing her. “Is this the proper fit?” Pearl had picked out a dress: pastel blue with a V-neckline, and a skirt that flowed delicately to about her knees and bunched up at the bottom. She pranced gracefully in it, giving a spin so that he could inspect it. “It looks rather pretty in my opinion, but I’m not sure of how it’s supposed to fall on me. We wouldn’t want me walking around wearing garments the wrong way,” a smirk replaced the unsureness of her features.

For some unexplainable reason, his heart raced. He watched her spin in a circle just for him and he saw the way the dress clung to her shape, telling himself he was only looking because she asked him to. He heard her concerns and moved a hand side-to-side, sort of gesturing ‘no’. “You don’t need to worry. It fits--- correctly.” He almost said ‘beautifully’, which would have been an embarrassing slip of the tongue; he was grateful to have caught himself in time.

“It does?” Her face cleared up. “Marvelous! I chose this – is it still called a dress?” she waited for Ben to nod confirmation, and continued: “—this dress because it’s reminiscent of waves. The light blue, the flowing, the foam gathering at the bottom…it’s a lovely piece of garment. And---”

Before the mermaid could finish her thought, she seemed to trip on thin air, stumbling forward with a gasp. Ben didn’t even flinch, he just instinctively got up to catch her. His hands clamped around her waist and held her right on time. Their eyes met for a second, then she hurried to straighten up and he dropped his hands and averted his gaze.

The siren sputtered and ran her fingers to smooth her long blonde tresses. There was something sulking about her entire demeanor when she addressed him—but this time she didn’t instinctively hiss at the unexpected grab. That was oddly encouraging, Ben thought. “Thank you. My knees gave out on me. I need a few days for my legs to grow used to walking and supporting me.”

“That’s quite alright,” he held back the urge to smile. “You were saying?”

“I was saying that this dress is a lovely piece, and so much more comfortable than any human clothing I’ve worn before. Corsets are absolutely infernal!”

Oh? That was surprising, and interesting. As long as she was in the mood to share, he’d pry discreetly. “You used to wear corsets?”

“I have, on occasion,” she nodded. “The first time was aboard a royal navy ship. Corseted dresses are beautiful and give me an enchanting shape, I’ll admit, but they hurt horrendously. I could hardly breathe!” she complained with a scoff. “I never understood why only the human women were saddled with them, though I have been told they are much more comfortable if made custom for you,” Pearl pointed out with a thoughtful frown.

Something in the pit of his stomach stung at the idea of Pearl cavorting with sailors, and he swallowed it back. Ben found himself agreeing with the rest of her remark. “History hasn’t been kind to women. But you’ll be happy to know clothing is much more comfortable and practical these days.”

She smiled in a way that silently said ‘good to know’. For a moment, there was respite from the distrustful tension between them, and Ben felt as relaxed as he could possibly feel around a rival in his own home--- which wasn’t much, but it was better than before. Pearl was always very interesting and captivating, her stories intriguing and her personality vibrant. And she seemed to enjoy talking to him, which suited Ben just fine. “I have some, still,” she said.

“What, corseted dresses?” He didn’t expect that.

“Yes. I keep them in a large chest, deep in a grotto that your people do not have access too. From this side there are nothing but rocks. But there is a tunnel underwater that I can swim up through, and climb up a hole on the ground to safely and dryly leave things there.”

He found himself chuckling in slight disbelief. “You have a secret stash hidden in a cave?” How very Ben-like of Pearl.

“I do,” she laughed. “I can retrieve the dresses, but I am not sure if I’d have any use for them here. Your people would find them odd, wouldn’t they?”

“They would,” he agreed with the semblance of an amused smile, but then distrust shrouded his face. “You wouldn’t be hiding any contraband or weapons down there, would you?” Mermaids having a dry place to store human items was…troublesome, to say the least.

A pleasant but sly laugh. “A maiden of the sea is entitled to some secrets. What I can tell you is that there is nothing devastating in my treasure trove.”

“I don’t like secrets, Pearl,” he warned, blue eyes going steely. “We can’t have many between us if this experiment is to go forward smoothly.”

“It is in our nature. The ocean hides many secrets, Ben,” she eyed him with pride, giving an ethereal shrug. “Like yourself. Possessing hidden depths that most will never get to see.”

His eyes narrowed ever so slightly, lighthearted scoff blowing past his lips. “And, what, you think that you can see hidden truth in me?”

“I can easily see that you have hidden depth. Spotted it from our first meeting. I’m not yet sure of all that is contained in there…but I hope I will figure you out someday, Benjamin Linus.” A cheeky little grin crossed her face. It was hard to judge if that was a challenge, a threat, or a game. Either way, it both worried and excited Ben in equal measure. Her prying eyes added pressure and he felt uncomfortably vulnerable, but he liked that she was taking such a vested interest in him; it was flattering that such a fascinating creature wanted to decipher the enigma that he was.

He was still without answers as to what she had in her trove, though. Ben figured he’d have to settle for that--- at least for the time being. “Have you ever worn shoes?” he asked with a squint, pushing a box full of pairs toward her. Isabel had gathered those too.

Pearl rummaged through it before responding, because she didn’t know what ‘shoes’ were. “Oh, these things that go on one’s feet? No, I have not.” She pouted with a frown. “Must I? They look terribly constricting and uncomfortable.”

“I’m afraid you must. People don’t walk around barefoot outdoors.”

“And indoors?” she skeptically eyed some black sandals.

“You don’t have to wear shoes in the house,” he told her with a small shrug. Ben didn’t always wear them either, nor did Alex.

“That’s a fair enough compromise…” she muttered. After settling on a pearly strappy sandal with a very small heel, she sat on the couch and slipped it on her foot. “Like so?”

“Yeah, that’s right,” Ben gave a curt smile out of politeness. “You might want to stay away from the ones that have high heels, like this,” he showed her a pair of stilettos from the box. “Women say that they’re very uncomfortable and hard to walk in, so at least practice first if you choose to wear them,” he cautioned. She had a hard enough time walking as it was.

“Oh, they’re glossy!” she gasped, taking an instant interest that only deflated slightly with his warning. “Very well, I can do that; I can practice.”

“They’re more for formal occasions. Day to day, most women on the Island wear sandals like the ones you picked out first. Or sneakers. They’re better for hiking in the jungle,” he explained, pointing to one.

She grabbed it. The siren struggled a bit to get the left sneaker to properly envelop her foot, and then she eyed the shoelaces with suspicion. “What type of knot should I use?”

Ben couldn’t hold back a soft chuckle. “Here, allow me.” He knelt in front of her and slowly tied her shoelaces, letting the mermaid observe the process. After he was finished, she quickly untied and re-tied them, instantly able to reproduce what he’d done with precision.

Pearl grinned, wiggled her feet in the air – one with the strappy pearly sandal and the other with the light orange sneaker – and then sighed. “It will take some getting used to these, but—I knew living amongst humans would not be so easy. There is much that is different for me.”

He nodded with understanding, back on the couch. “If you stay home, you don’t have to wear them,” he reminded, hoping this would entice her to stick to the house. Ben really didn’t want her roaming around by herself, spying and mingling with his people.

She smiled and bowed her head, making it seem like that’d be fine. But she wanted to explore. She would explore. Ben just didn’t need to know when and where.

Suddenly her face got somber, and something dark flickered in golden-flecked hazel eyes. “Benjamin. I’m getting hungry. I don’t know what I can eat here, but if the hunger grows too strong I will start craving … your friends. You know that I would never actually eat a person, but…”

He grew steely at that. It was a stark reminder of her dangerous nature. “I’ll get you some lunch.”

Ben figured fish was a safe choice, cooked in a very bland way to keep it neutral. Serving something that reminded her of home might ease the transition, and make her less likely to crave…other meats. He found comfort in the reminder that Pearl had never consumed human flesh in her entire life, but best not tempt fate wherever sirens were concerned.

She waited for him at the dining table, where he instructed her to go. He eventually returned from the kitchen carrying a ceramic plate with a prepared fish.

“It’s cod,” Ben set the plate in front of her and the cutlery and napkin next to it. “From our Island’s oceans.” He had pre-stocked the fridge with a large amount of different marine foods for her.

“Thank you.” Pearl ignored the knife and fork, grabbing the fish by hand. The two canine fangs extended out and she growled lightly as she bit into it.

I’m not taking her to a dinner party any time soon, Ben thought to himself with some amusement, staring blankly at the way she ate.

When the cod touched her tongue, Pearl coughed and hissed, instantly spitting it out. Ben huffed, kind of offended, watching with distaste as she dramatically wiped her mouth. “It does not taste like cod! What have you done to it?!”

“I cooked it,” Ben acerbically informed her. “I did it with as few seasonings as I possibly could—salt, only. I know that you’re used to raw fish, Pearl, but I couldn’t bring myself to serve that.” Perhaps it had been a mistake, because the siren was glaring at her plate as if the fish had insulted her entire family.

“What does ‘cooked’ mean?” she inquired suspiciously, gaze flicking Ben’s way.

“That the food is prepared by a heating process. The cod was put in the fire until it changed taste and consistency. Can’t you try it?” the question was a bit snippy. He was hoping she’d make more of an effort to adapt. She deadpanned at him and he sighed in defeat. “I’ll bring you a raw one.”

“No— I will try,” Pearl stopped him, frowning. “I spit it out before chewing it because the difference frightened me.” But, if she was going to be staying on land, undercover, she might as well try to blend in and embrace their customs and cuisine. “Apologies for spitting it out, it was rude of me.”

She picked up the fish between delicate fingers; Ben decided to save the cutlery lesson for later.

It turned out that she enjoyed the flavor of cod cooked with salt. The mermaid ate the entire fillet, her face shifting from neutral to confused, then to content.

“What do you think?” Ben asked. “Could you get used to eating like this every day?”

A determined nod. “Yes. It is not bad, it is merely different. But I kind of like it…”

“Good,” he flashed a very brief smile and a pointed glance. “You would certainly make an impression on everyone if you ate raw fish in public…”

She picked up on the dry humor and the implication of what he was saying, and she laughed. Ben let out the tiniest of chuckles when she did, feeling a twinge of happiness.

***

As soon as anyone caught wind of the blonde being given a grand tour, word would spread like wildfire, Ben predicted. And they would have questions about her.

“Would you mind stepping out on the porch with me?” he asked, but if she said no he’d have to insist. “The people who live here will want to meet you—it’s best not to delay the inevitable,” Benjamin explained, voice dropping to a low, ominous timbre at the last part. As much as he wanted to keep her away from everybody, he knew that was impossible. So the next best thing was to control the circumstances of their meeting, and to ensure Pearl wouldn’t be left alone with anybody but him. Who knew the ways in which she might manipulate them?!

“I’d be delighted to meet them,” Pearl bowed her head. It’s what she was there for, to observe humans!

Ben smiled, but it was an empty one that didn’t reach his eyes. “Great. And please, try to keep the talking to a minimum. We don’t want to raise suspicion.” That was only a half-truth. For the most part, he trusted her ability to think on her feet and improvise as a convincing human. What he didn’t want was for her to charm his people too much; if they were too dazzled by her, they would be much more susceptible to her influence, to being tricked into telling her things she should not be told!

“I will be the perfect human being, Benjamin, do not worry about it,” Pearl flashed her most convincing grin. She followed Ben outside and the two sat on the bench on his porch, alone. Hazel eyes darted around in nervous anticipation.

“Give them a second,” Ben deadpanned, staring straight ahead. He knew as soon as one person spotted Pearl sitting out there, word would spread like wildfire and the whole group would show up.

And he was right. One woman walked by, squinted in surprise, and scurried away. Then two more people, who whispered hurriedly to each other. Eventually all three came back, followed by three more. Ben quietly watched his people flocking to Pearl, clueless about her mermaid identity, and he felt the weight of keeping such a secret from them. Although he was a secretive man by nature, he didn’t like hiding things from his people. Until recently, he actually kept very few secrets from them. It was only after the plane crash – when their society and way of life on the Island became threatened – that things changed. Jacob was suddenly not so fond of sharing information with everyone, anymore. Ben didn’t want to question him, but he wondered for how long it was feasible to live in a state of emergency where things like by-laws, which should be publicly voted on, were now meant to be kept on a need-to-know basis. And bringing a siren to the village only added to this growing list of secrets. He supressed a sigh, wishing yet again that Jacob would communicate better and would allow him to communicate with everyone else too.

Within ten minutes, there was a large gathering forming in his yard, lingering near his front porch, all curious to take a peek at the newcomer. None dared come up to them just yet. It was unheard of Ben ever recruiting anybody to live with them unless their name was on one of Jacob’s lists. That was part of the rules; it wasn’t up to them to choose who was worthy of living on the Island and becoming a protector of it. Jacob chose the worthy, and Ben’s people brought them into the village and kept them there. The only exception to that was Alex, who Ben took in when she was a baby—but that was a baby, which meant she could be raised like one of them and taught to be worthy, and Ben only brought her in to save her life, against the wishes of the leader at the time! He never brought in an adult not from the lists! Pearl’s name was on no such list, so the news of her arrival grabbed a lot of attention. Was she one of the plane survivors? Jack, Kate and Sawyer weren’t on a list either, but Ben had clearly had a plan when he brought them in; so surely he had a plan for the blonde too, right? Of course, the glaring difference was that the other three were prisoners. They were not part of their society. Pearl was being welcomed right in, to Ben’s own house. Ben—secretive, work-focused, courteous, nice and congenial but cunning and dangerous Ben – sharing his house with a stranger. Nobody could understand why. Who was she?!

Slowly, they trickled closer, effectively circling the porch.

Despite her initial eagerness to meet them, Pearl’s unease grew exponentially when she found herself surrounded by humans. They were all threats, from all sides. Her muscles tensed in preparation for an attack, fangs itching to come out. But she knew how to keep her cover. All it took was offering them a polite smile and a graceful tilt of the head, sitting poised in her borrowed seafoam dress and pearly strappy sandals. Her eyes remained icy, though. Detached, like there was insurmountable distance between her and the human people. Ben noticed; not many others did.

“Hi,” one of them smiled, unsure. Everyone looked at Ben first, as if asking for permission before addressing Pearl. Ben gave a single nod as a go-ahead. “What’s your name?” the other man asked her.

“My name is Pearl. How very lovely to meet each and every one of you,” Pearl smiled, and it was dazzling and luminous, but it wasn’t warm. Still, it had a strangely inviting quality to it. And then, right when she should have stopped -- to keep the conversation to a minimum -- she scooted to the edge of the bench and leaned in with a sparkling smile. “I adore that pattern on your garment,” she told an older man wearing a floral t-shirt, and he seemed very pleased with himself. “Oh my, what enchanting hair you have,” Pearl complimented a young woman with long red locks, who blushed. “You know, I own a hairbrush made of pearls that I am very fond of,” the siren let out a lilting giggle. Ben thought that she was laying it on too thick for his personal taste, but he knew the others would fall for it. Compliments and the sharing of meaningful but ultimately useless personal details were all strategies he knew were used to ingratiate oneself to others. And judging by the way his people were inching closer to the siren, they were eating it up, captivated by her inviting charm.

“I’ve never seen a pearl hairbrush! Where did you get one?” the woman asked, curious.

“It’s a family heirloom,” Pearl shrugged gracefully. “There is nothing as lovely as family. I’m quite close with my sisters. How about all of you, do you have siblings?”

They answered her query. When she asked their names, they introduced themselves. Ben was impressed but not surprised by Pearl’s tactic of including them in the conversation, to make them feel special. Then a third person asked, frowning: “Were you on the airplane crash?”

Luckily Ben had already explained what a ‘plane’ was. Pearl’s face fell and she looked grieved. “Yes. It was horrific, I do not wish to think of it, please.” Then she looked over at Ben – who was both impressed and irritated with her great acting – and she smiled softly at him. “Benjamin rescued me, and he was kind enough to grant me shelter.”

He smiled back, playing along with a quick nod. Pearl was toeing the line: she wasn’t talking to the point where he had to cut her off, but she was clearly laying on the charm. Ben appreciated that she shone the spotlight on him, too, but it was almost time to end things. He’d allow Pearl to charm them a little – so that they would be less motivated to question her presence there – but he wouldn’t let her do it so much that she gained influence over his people. They chatted with her for a while longer, then Ben dismissed them. The group said goodbye and left. He noticed how Pearl slumped and breathed a sigh of tired relief, only to snap upright and smile ethereally as soon as new people approached. She could really turn on the performance on a dime. A third group came by shortly after, and everything went well enough with them too.

“Ben, I do not wish to meet any more of them today,” Pearl told him after that group left, wide-eyed. “It’s…tiring.”

He understood what she was trying to say—or rather, what she didn’t say. Meeting large groups of humans was exhausting her because she was on a constant state of alertness, with adrenaline coursing through her veins and heart pounding, all while pouring out all the graceful charm in the world. Pearl was frazzled and burned out, and Ben could see that in the hint of desperation in her eyes.

“Alright. Let’s go back inside, you can meet the rest of them tomorrow,” he smiled, happy to take her out of public view. But before they could make a complete getaway, another woman walked up to them. She had been harboring an unrequited crush on Ben for a while now, so when she heard that he brought in a pretty blonde, she hurried to take a look and size up the perceived ‘competition’. She came up to them, doing her best to seem welcoming. “Hi, Ben!” A bright smile. “Nice to meet you, Pearl! I’m Taylor. Welcome to our village,” she said sweetly, and Pearl reciprocated the smile with all the ease and charm in the world. The woman twitched. She decided to pay a compliment, to ingratiate herself with the newcomer. “What a beautiful necklace!” she gasped and pointed at it.

Unfortunately for her, her hand got too close, and the gesture was received like an immediate threat to the moonstone. Pearl let out a very inhuman-like hiss, lips curling into a snarl and shoulders bunching forward like she was ready to attack. Taylor screamed and jumped back, gaping at Pearl like she was some sort of freak. Ben stepped in instantly, coming to stand right in front of Pearl and holding out a hand between the two women.

“It’s alright,” he told the mermaid, a wide look in his eyes chastising her and silently ordering her to stand down. He had feared something like this might happen, with Pearl’s instincts taking over for a split second. Pearl stiffened, reluctant and embarrassed. She glared at the woman, looked at Ben again, wrinkled her nose and let out an annoyed puff of air—but she backed down, sticking to the deal of listening to him. After giving Pearl an almost imperceptible grateful nod, Ben turned to Taylor with an intentionally sheepish and light smile. “Sorry. Pearl has been under a lot of stress lately, what with the plane crash, and the necklace is very sentimental to her. She just needs some rest now.”

“I-I’m sorry,” the woman stammered, “I wasn’t going to touch it.” She eyed Pearl warily.

“It’s---fine,” Pearl conceded, against her wishes. “I apologize for reacting poorly. It is like Ben said…it’s a sentimental necklace.” The smile she gave was apologetic, but Ben noticed that it didn’t reach her eyes; those still remained cold and distant, and her hand possessively covered the moonstone. He made an excuse to Taylor and quickly ushered Pearl inside, while she muttered an ardent apology for almost letting her instincts take control. “I didn’t show my fangs,” the siren defended herself. “But-- it won’t happen again,” she promised him while kicking off her shoes.

“…Alright…” was the only thing Ben said, dubiously. He really wasn’t sure if she could control her wild side. But, until his surgery, he’d pretend she could. And what were the chances of someone else trying to touch the one thing Pearl was extremely possessive of? Practically nonexistent, he estimated.

***

With Pearl safely inside and nobody missing a finger, Ben knew he had to go and address his people directly; they would have questions. Everyone thought that Ben bringing a stranger to live with him was weird. If she wasn’t on the list, why was she there? A large group decided to ask him when he walked up to them, to see if he’d share his plans.

“She’s my guest,” Ben put it simply.

“But why are you letting an Oceanic survivor stay with you? She’s not even on the list,” a man named Samuel questioned.

“We have some history. This isn’t our first meeting,” Ben explained, finding a way to tell the truth without saying all of it. “She’s —facing a new, unfamiliar world, and needs some assistance.” That new world was being on land, of course, but to anyone not in-the-know it would seem like Ben was just talking about the Island. Nobody would question that, given how the Island itself could indeed be very disorienting and scary for newcomers unused to its secrets and magic. Only those who were at the decoy village years before might remember Pearl as the suspected time traveller from the bonfire. Oh, who was he kidding, of course they would remember her! Who could forget the gorgeous but eccentric, charming but off-putting woman who danced with them and then vanished? Ben needed a better cover story for those people; an outright lie so they wouldn’t panic.

The lie came to him almost instantly: he would tell them that Pearl escaped the Island on a rowboat back then, but was brought back via plane crash because Jacob wanted her there. That’s how it worked: anyone who left the Island when they weren’t meant to leave eventually found themselves back on the Island, whether they wanted to or not. Jacob was insistent on that.

The lie worked. They believed him, although not all were sure she should be allowed into their society.

“Is it wise to bring in a stranger, Ben?” Another man carefully asked. “She’s not one of us.”

“She’s staying,” he told them firmly, blue eyes glistening dangerously as his demeanor steeled. He didn’t take kindly to anyone doubting him. They dropped it immediately.

“Is she staying with us…forever?” A young woman risked another question.

Ben chuckled with just a hint of condescension. “No. She’s not on the list, is she? So, no. It’s only temporary.”

They eased up with that, smiling and nodding at him. If Ben wanted her to stay a while, then they would trust their leader. Most of them were already taken with Pearl anyway, intrigued by her charming personality and not perceptive enough to see that it was a calculated façade. Even if she unnerved them with the underlying iciness she possessed, she had a magnetic quality that made them want to know more about her.

But not the woman who knew the truth. Isabel, the sheriff.

She marched straight to Ben’s house as soon as she got word of who the shoes and underwear were for. Without a word, her pistol trained on Pearl, who hissed and trembled when faced with a gun. Ben instantly raised a hand, gaze shadowy. “Weapons down. There’s no need for all of this. She will behave while she’s here,” he stoically commanded, then his eyes darted toward the mermaid and Ben squinted. “Won’t you, Pearl?” The question came out a little more pointed than the order.

She smiled, sickly sweet, to overcompensate for her anger and fear. “If the humans do.”

“They will,” Ben assured, throwing his sheriff an icy glance. Isabel lowered the gun, though her mistrusting eyes stayed on the new aquatic visitor. “She’s our guest,” Ben explained in a careful monotone for what felt like the hundredth time that afternoon, “so please treat her as such.”

The mermaid curtsied at the sheriff, with that same exaggerated sweetness. An obvious provocation. “Guns are always entirely unnecessary,” the siren disdained with a smile.

Ben held back an eye roll. “Pearl, will you give us a moment, please?”

“Certainly,” she said brightly, keeping up the sugar-coated façade. Before heading out, she wiggled her fingers in a delicate goodbye wave at Isabel, grinning mischievously at her and at Ben. Ben smiled politely back at Pearl, like he wasn’t fazed at all.

As soon as she was out of earshot he darkened, chin tucked down and shadowy eyes flicking up at his sheriff: “It goes without saying that I need your help to keep a close watch on her. We want her to like humankind, but if she does anything out of the norm – anything at all – you report it to me immediately.”

“Of course, Ben, I will,” she nodded solemnly.

Less than ten minutes after Isabel left, Richard knocked on the door. Ben spoke up before the advisor could, a knowing glint in his blue eyes. It was only a matter of time until Richard questioned him about it. “Yes, Richard, a mermaid will be staying with us for a little while. She’s in the bathroom at the moment.” Likely admiring herself in the mirror, Ben guessed.

“That’s unexpected,” Richard admitted, looking a little preoccupied. “But I’m sure you have a reason.”

“I do,” Ben gave one single nod.

“Can you share it with me?”

The hint of a grin. “A deal is a deal.”

Richard correctly understood that to mean that Ben made a deal with the siren. And he knew Ben would never break it. It was also clear that the specifics of the deal were none of Richard’s business, because Ben obviously wasn’t elaborating. “And how are we supposed to treat her?”

“Well, Richard, her thesis statement is ‘humans suck’. We’re attempting to dissuade her from that point of view,” Ben explained wryly, with just the faintest hint of humor.

The advisor chuckled under his breath. “Okay.” He glanced from the bathroom door to his leader. “And you’re sure this is safe? She won’t try to hurt you while you sleep?”

“She won’t,” Ben assured. “But, Richard, keep an eye on her. Be welcoming, but do not let her gather too much information about us,” he cautioned, and the other man nodded.

Meanwhile, Pearl wasn’t actually looking at herself in the mirror. She was behind the door, watching from the tiny crack she left open-- secretly observing the way Ben expertly managed his people and how easily they fell in line. It impressed her; he had a knack for leadership that drew admiration from the mermaid.

But she noticed something else too. Sometimes, while the others were talking, Ben observed them very intently. He was always discreet about it, she was sure the others didn’t even notice it half the time, but she saw him taking in every little detail in every situation. Reading everybody, picking up on the little things, and then piping up when it was most useful. He did it the entire time they were sitting on the porch, too.

When they reunited in the living room, after Richard left, Pearl decided to let him know. “I’ve been observing you observe others. You watch them closely but pretend that you don’t. And then you carefully choose when to weigh in, with very precise language,” she told him.

He felt uncomfortably exposed. “You have your strategies, I have mine.”

A detached grin and a flip of the hair. “It is a good one.”

Ben offered a strained smile, already unnerved by her presence. “Pearl, if you’ll excuse me, I need to speak with someone else before night falls. I’ll be back soon.”

“Take your time,” she said much too innocently, which told him he’d better hurry the hell up.

The hardest conversation would be with Alex. He couldn’t let her stay in the house with Pearl. Ben was pretty sure Pearl didn’t intend to hurt anybody, but he’d witnessed her reacting instinctively – like a wounded animal -- too many times before. As much as he trusted Pearl’s promise to behave, the siren was still a predator. He wouldn’t risk his daughter getting bitten, or worse.

Before he blew on the conch to summon Pearl, he spoke to Amelia: an older lady who was a sort of grandmother figure for Alex growing up. She was delighted to host the teen for three months! Now, he approached his daughter, feeling a little sad that he would see her even less now. Though frankly, Ben didn’t think she’d care. She’d made her feelings about her father quite clear by constantly slamming doors, scowling, stomping around and giving him one-word answers. Ben tried his best to keep things pleasant with his daughter, but it was difficult.

“Alex, could you come here, please?” he started softly, smiling at her. The teenager huffed and made it obvious she’d rather not as she dragged her feet over to him. “I’m gonna need you to spent the next three months at Amelia’s house.”

The girl was taken aback, recoiling slightly as her eyes widened. “What?! You want me out?” Did she really piss him off enough that he was kicking her out? It shocked her. As much as she claimed to hate him, Ben was still her father, and she only lashed out at him so harshly because deep down she knew he would always love her.

“Only temporarily. I’m sure you’ve heard about the—newcomer,” he tactfully explained. “She needs to stay at our house, and I thought you would be more comfortable elsewhere for the time being.”

The girl scoffed, wheels turning in her head. Why would he want to be alone with that new woman? They had to be a thing. “Oh, so you’re kicking me out so you can get time alone with your blonde girlfriend?” Alex asked indignantly. Despite her constant anger at her father, he was still family; her safety net. It hurt to think that he wanted her gone now, second rate to some girlfriend.

“Of course not, Alex!” Ben said emphatically, hands raising mid-air and dropping back down. “She’s nothing more than a temporary guest. You’ll be safer away from her,” he explained as patiently as possible. “And quite frankly, I thought you would enjoy not being around,” he pointed out the last part a bit sharply, though his face remained expressionless. It pained him that his own daughter wanted nothing to do with him anymore, but if it meant keeping her safe and not letting her boyfriend get her pregnant and kill her, he would endure it. Better alive and hating him than dead because of an embryo.

Alex stared at her father, her face curious and incisive. “Safer? You mean like she’s dangerous?” The teenager thought back to when she saw Pearl in the yard earlier, airily admiring a small red flower on a tree. Alex scrunched up her nose. “She doesn’t look it. She looks pretty innocent, to be honest.”

“Don’t underestimate her,” Ben grimly warned. “She’s more troublesome than she looks. Please stay away from her, Alex.”

“They why is she staying with you?” the girl challenged, crossing her arms. “Who’s more dangerous, you or Disney princess blondie?”

“The reason is on a need-to-know basis, I’m sorry,” he sighed. He hated keeping secrets from his daughter most of all, but ever since the plane crash they’d been piling up. Then Ben paused at her dig, his face hardening. “She and I are evenly matched, Alex,” he said ominously, staring firmly at his daughter—to make her understand that Pearl was not someone to mess with. “Now, I took the liberty of having Amelia pack up your things this morning. They’re at her place.”

So she didn’t have a choice in the matter? “Fine. Great,” the teen shrugged with sarcastic anger. “Guess I’ll see you when I see you, Ben,” she spat out the name, knowing how much it bothered him whenever she called him that rather than ‘dad’. Ben sighed, pushing the sting deep down. He really hoped they’d be able to mend their relationship someday. The teen stomped away, and he turned to go home. Better hurry there—who knew what troubles the unattended mermaid might have stirred up already.

Notes:

(Just wanted to point out, in case some people don't know about this, that what I wrote about by-laws being voted on and all the "secrets" stuff comes from the Ben journals that Michael Emerson wrote! Showrunners approved the text to be part of the show, so that makes it canon in my opinion!)

Chapter 16: Miraculous waters can heal, mythical songs can charm, but it is the miracle of an alliance that brings true healing for all

When he returned home after leaving her alone for a few minutes, Ben was pleased to find everything still in place and peaceful. Pearl was perched elegantly on his window sill, one long leg bent in an upside down V and the other outstretched toward the floor. The sun shimmered on her moonstone necklace and the light blue dress clung to her frame. Pearl flicked her eyes toward him, the light shining on her blonde waves of hair. Her lips stretched into a welcoming smile. The eyes held mischief.

The image was so enchanting that his stomach did a flip, which only served to aggravate him. How wholly common of me, he thought to himself, mildly disgruntled. “What do you have against chairs and couches?” he asked sharply, partly to mask his admiration, but also because his mood was sour.

An airy giggle. “They’re too even. I’m accustomed to perching on rocks.” Although, she had to admit, rocks were a good sitting place for a being with a tail of hard scales, not so much for when she was sporting delicate legs of skin.

“Suit yourself,” he gave a slight shake of the head and walked away from her.

“Why are you being so grumpy, Benjamin Linus?” the mermaid called out after him with a hint of humor. She found it funny, endearing even.

Ben turned back around sharply, scoffing. “Maybe because I’m hosting an enemy and predator in my own home,” he told her dryly, blue eyes narrowing. It was also – in great part -- because of the argument he’d just had with his daughter, but Pearl’s treacherous (and gorgeous!) presence really didn’t help improve his mood.

A nonchalant shrug of one shoulder. “That’s quite understandable, although I have promised to not hurt any of your people. I don’t know what else you might want of me,” she pointed out with a delicate raise of one brow. If he was going to be standoffish toward her the entire time, well, she might have a problem with that. The endearing quality of his sulking would be lost.

“Oh, I want you gone,” he admitted more forcefully than he meant to; the siren had a talent for making him uneasy and extra defensive. He knew he should have waited until after the surgery to confront her but, well, it was out there now. Ben took a deep breath, composing himself, while she watched with a curious expression. “But a deal is a deal, so you are welcome to stay.” Pearl gave a nod of thanks, seemingly unbothered by his reluctance to have her as a guest. Ben didn’t want to be taken for a fool, though, not for one second; he wanted the mermaid to be aware that he was on to her, and that he didn’t buy her excuse that she only wanted to ‘observe’ humankind. “Please know, Pearl, that I’m well aware you’re plotting something,” he all but accused in a hiss. “The sudden timing of your interest in us humans doesn’t go unnoticed. We’re pawns to you, and this,” he motioned around him, indicating the space, “is a political move.”

She smiled, with enough shadowy mischief that one could tell something amused her but not what it was. Pearl came down from the sill and took slow steps toward him. There was a biting force behind her hazel eyes. “You’re correct about almost everything. But you’re wrong, Ben, in that you’re not all pawns. You’re the king. The piece that needs to fall for the game to be won.”

His eyes grew slowly, head jerking back slightly. That seemed like enough of a threat to chill him to his core. “You understand chess?” he asked carefully, masking his true concern. But his face tightened.

“I do. A pirate, who learned it from a wayward prince, taught me once upon a time.” The mermaid smiled calmly, taking another step his way. Fluid, calculated. Ben stood very still, eyeing her with caution and a slightly opened mouth. “Actually, you are both the chess king and queen, I believe. You’re the most important to your people, the king, and you can go anywhere you’d like on the board and attack mercilessly like the queen. You’re a powerful player, Ben.”

Blue eyes narrowed further, face stony. That sounded like a compliment, albeit a disturbing one; a flattering phrase that carried a menacing weight to it. His ego quite enjoyed being recognized for his power and influence, and his survival instincts were ruffled immediately. He knew he couldn’t let her think she was winning, and one of the things Ben was highly skilled at was turning the tables on someone who believed they had the upper hand against him. “I could say the same about you,” he started, eyes widening with intensity and his tone low and even. “You’re the leader of your people, aren’t you? And you’re leading the charge against us. You’re the chess king and queen too.” He stared right at her, studying her reaction.

He suspected her of being the leader of the merpeople for quite some time now. He even hinted at it before, but he never said it outright. No, Ben saved that information, filed it away to be used at the moment of most benefit. That was it: using it to destabilize Pearl, to stop her from thinking that her schemes were unnoticed and unchecked.

She frowned, surprise clouding her pretty features. There was a tense pause, where human and mermaid stared at each other with piercing gazes, each standing their ground. And then she yielded, smirking at him. “How long have you known? No--- allow me to guess. Since…” Pearl tried to recall every moment she shared with Ben. “…since I didn’t permit my people drown you?”

He confirmed it with a nod; “I suspected before that, but this was the incident that all but confirmed my suspicions.” Good. Now they were on equal footing again, and she knew not to mess with him.

“I am not merely a leader, though. I am the Queen,” she declared, poised and commanding. As much as she had not intended for Ben to learn that, there was some relief in finally having her identity out in the open.

Ben’s eyes twinkled with interest, head doing a quick tilt of mild surprise. “Merfolk are a monarchy? Hm. And do you have a council, or do you make unilateral decisions?” In other words…how much of a dictator was she?

She always had a knack for leadership, an ease with being in charge, possessing of an innate spark for inspiring others and the brains to back it up, just like Ben. But her rise to the crown wasn’t uncontested, and she was balancing on a tight rope to keep her subjects appeased and on her side. That made her a little too rash in her haste to prove herself as more than a naive mermaid with charisma. It’s what pushed her to move in with humans—something unthinkable to the rest of the merfolk.

“We are indeed. I have advisors, but the final decision is mine.”

So it was semantics, then. Queen or leader, both Pearl and himself held the power in their hands. They listened to the people, but the responsibility of deciding was ultimately on them alone. Nobody defied them. Except that Ben still answered to Jacob, of course, but that was a deity figure. Kings obeyed God, too.

Her queenly status also explained Pearl’s uppity and entitled nature that occasionally shone through; she probably led a life of privilege and had people fawning over her. “How nice to meet royalty,” he smiled with certain sarcasm.

She sensed it, and matched it with a cold smile. “I told you I was not just anybody. I am a powerful queen--- and I can see that you are a powerful king too, although not by official royal decree.”

“I’m glad we’re back to that,” he narrowed his eyes ever so slightly, steeling. “You told me I’m the piece that needs to fall. You expect me to still be okay sharing my house with you, under the new circumstances?” Ben’s head bobbed around slightly, exasperation tinging the words.

She let out a hum. “Benjamin, I swore that I would not touch you or your people while I’m here. I keep my word. You’re safe from me and my kind until our deal expires.”

“And after?” he asked grimly, face shadowy. “Is that why you’re here? To find out how to get rid of us?”

Oh, he was so close! She flashed a loaded smile. “I am not plotting to overthrow you any more than you are planning to get rid of all merfolk. I’m studying your kind. What happens after depends entirely on how this goes.” Pearl took another step and reached up to place a gentle – if condescending -- hand on his cheek. Ben just stared impassively at her, refusing to show any unsteadiness. And--- it felt quite nice, actually, if he ignored the underlying condescension. “So do not worry for your safety while I’m here.” The mermaid gave a sly wink and dropped her hand, walking away. “I’m going for a night swim. Until the morrow, Ben.”

“Please be sure to be back before morning! My surgery is scheduled,” he reminded with some urgency, to which she gave a flippant wave of the hand. He watched her leave, his mind racing with as much suspicion as it did with curiosity and a desire to trust. Pearl stumbled over the porch steps, which relaxed Ben; it was a good reminder that no matter how many abilities the sirens possessed, he had home court advantage. She was in his world, where she knew nothing, a nearly literal fish out of water; Ben smirked to himself, comforted to know he had the upper hand over the queen.

Just as long as she kept her word to never sing.

***

After that first afternoon, the idea of a month with her felt interminable, never mind three.

Ben had a difficult time falling asleep on the first night with Pearl as a roommate. On some level, he trusted that she would keep her word. But doubt still ate away at him, and he was much too careful to fall asleep –a completely vulnerable position --while a deadly mermaid slept in the next room. Especially after he was so snippy with her the day before. And that comment, that he was ‘the piece that needed to fall’…it stayed with him, playing in his head every time he closed his eyes.

He got up very early, almost with the sun. It was pointless to stay in bed when he didn’t feel at ease there. The first thing he checked was the door to Pearl’s room; it was closed. Good, she was still asleep. He tiptoed to the bathroom, needing to alleviate his bladder. But as soon as he walked in, his keen observational skills picked up on a few splatters on the floor, next to the small white bathtub. Water.

Blue eyes narrowed and he reached out carefully, fingers curling around the edge of the shower curtains so he could draw them back. What he encountered was not exactly what he expected, and he blinked away the surprise. The bathtub was filled with water, and Pearl, still in human form and in the same pastel dress, was curled up in there, fast asleep. Her entire body was submerged, head nestled on the arms she used as a pillow. A gill was visible behind her ear, her lips gentle and easy and sending little bubbles to the surface. She looked so peaceful, fragile even…Ben’s stomach did a flip. The second in two days.

That would all be well and good if Ben didn’t need to pee with such urgency. He cleared his throat, loudly, hoping to wake her. Nothing. Saying her name didn’t work either. He sighed with impatience, rolling up the sleeve of his pajamas and resigning himself to what he would have to do. He leaned over the edge of the bathtub and dipped his hand in the water, to lightly shake her by the shoulder. Golden eyes fluttered open, shining like a lighthouse. Ben had to squint from how bright they were. The mermaid pouted from underwater, clearly sleepy, and waved him off while closing her eyes one more time. Ben fought the urge to pinch the bridge of his nose and shook her again. “Pearl. You’re in my bathroom,” he flatly reminded her.

The woman whined and pushed herself up, head emerging out of the water with a soft splashing sound. This time her eyes had reverted back to the more human-like, not-lit-up hazel. “It’s far too early,” she complained. Her voice was groggy with sleep. “I’ll rise later,” Pearl dismissed, peering at him through heavy lidded eyes.

“No,” he hurried to cut her off, speaking firmly and unrelentingly. “Not later. I need to use my bathroom. Please leave.”

“I’m not stopping you,” she pointed out with a certain measure of confusion. Pearl yanked on the curtains and pulled them to a close, separating herself from Ben. “Do whatever you wish with your bathroom, I shall be asleep.”

He heard a splash that indicated she’d slipped underwater again. The ripples spilled over the bathtub, wetting his toes. Ben let out an exasperated scoff, his patience already at its limit; the mere suggestion that he might use the toilet while she was asleep right next to him absolutely horrified him. He swiftly pulled the shower curtains open again, lips curling into a slight sneer. “That’s not how it works. I can’t—” his mouth opened and closed a few times as he searched for what to say, “—do anything while you’re here. I understand that you’re used to sleeping underwater, but you have to get out,” he insisted.

She gave a loud groan as she rose up again. Frankly, this is no way to treat royalty. Pearl pouted at him, still foggy with sleep. “I couldn’t sleep on the bed. I tossed and turned for hours until I gave up and ceased trying. The water is much more comfortable.” The mermaid could tell that the man wasn’t budging on his demand. She let out a whine and held out a hand for him. “Help me up.”

He knew that she wasn’t completely used to legs yet, so Ben took her hand and allowed her to use him to support her own weight. Pearl stood up, splashing more water all over his bathroom floor, and climbed out of the tub while holding on tightly to his hand and shoulder. She let go of him slowly, testing to see if she’d stay upright. Once she was comfortable enough and her legs stopped shaking, she started heading for the door.

“Take this,” Ben tossed her a clean towel, “and please dry yourself off before touching anything.” He didn’t want wet spots all over his house.

The mermaid grabbed the towel and nodded. She was in a visibly sour mood, upset at being roused so early, and she walked out without another word. Ben let out a sigh of relief and shut the bathroom door behind her, locking it so he could finally pee in peace.

When they reunited in the common area, he was attempting to enjoy his daily morning coffee – a moment of relaxation before a very high-stakes surgery -- but even that wasn’t so simple with a mermaid roommate. His meticulous and precise style clashed with her need to explore the unknown world she was now part of.

She tiptoed from the kitchen to the living room table, where a miffed Ben made a point to keep his head straight forward and his gaze inside his cup, not giving Pearl an ounce of attention. He knew that she was approaching, though, and narrowed his eyes at the coffee when she stopped next to him.

Pearl didn’t say a word. She leaned in to take a better look, identified a brown liquid inside the cup, and sniffed it. Then she tapped her nails against the cup and let out a cute little hiss at the tinkling noise.

“It’s coffee,” Ben finally told her, with a reluctant sigh.

“Co-ffee,” she repeated, testing out the word. “Is it like tea? The mug is similar.”

“Your observational powers are impressive, but no,” he told her with flat sarcasm and a barely concealed edge of irritation. The fight with Alex, the looming surgery, Pearl herself, all of it was making him irritable and act extra snappy. Ben took a small sip of the beverage, then decided to test the mermaid. He set the cup down on the table and purposely turned around to pretend to grab a book.

Pearl acted immediately, picking up his cup and taking it to her lips. She gulped a mouthful, grimaced at the temperature and spit it back out. “Ow! That’s painful!” A quick movement set the cup down in front of the man. Not that he’d drink from that one anymore, after she spit in it.

“Oh, be careful, coffee is served hot,” Ben innocently warned, amused eyes flicking up at her and his lips threatening to break into a smile.

She read his demeanor and knew he waited to warn her on purpose. The mermaid hissed and stalked off, marching with uneven footsteps.

Good. He could die during the upcoming surgery; if his daughter wasn’t there, then all Ben wanted was a nice, peaceful morning reading by himself…just in case it was his very last day on Earth.

***

When Ben arrived at the med bay, his jitters were well hidden under a calm façade. He thought he had a pretty good chance of surviving: why would the Island drop a spinal surgeon from the sky right when Ben needed one, if the Island didn’t intend for his survival? But it was still a difficult surgery to remove a fatal tumor, so he was understandably a little nervous.

Tom and Juliet were waiting for him, suited up in scrubs to assist. Pearl’s presence was harder to explain.

“Is she helping us, boss?” Tom asked, looking curiously between Pearl and Ben when they arrived together.

“This is Pearl. She’s here to keep an eye on the surgery and keep it on track,” Ben evaded, though he did tell the truth.

“Are you in the medical field?” Juliet asked the other woman. She didn’t remember they met before, because Pearl’s song made her forget.

Pearl’s smile was friendly and convincing. “I am a consultant. As Ben said, I am here to oversee the situation.” Ben nodded, confirming Pearl’s statement. Tom and Juliet were a little confused as to the need for that, but didn’t argue.

“Name’s Tom,” the man grinned at the newcomer.

“Tom. I quite like that name! Where does it come from?” she smiled, again the picture-perfect example of the personable, likable, warm neighbor.

“I don’t know,” he chuckled. “Where does Pearl come from?”

“My family has always been very fond of the ocean. Natural swimmers and such,” she said with a hint of slyness, which drew a quick scolding glance from Ben.

“Sorry to cut this short, but we need to get going,” Ben interjected before Pearl had a chance to say more. “I’ll go change. Pearl, make yourself comfortable.”

He walked off to a private area. While Ben was changing into his surgical attire (hospital patient pants, no shirt), Pearl had a seat on a chair by the head of the operation table, from where she would sing to the room. She, too, was a little nervous—mostly to be in a den of humans, all by herself. That particular place brought back some unpleasant memories that made her uneasy. She kept whipping her head around sharply, studying every inch of the room. A glance sideways brought Ben into her focus, tucked away in the changing area but reflected on a nearby medical mirror, just as he was removing his shirt—and all of a sudden, the very same mermaid who always laughed at how humans got weird around nudity felt her breath catch in her throat. He was…oh, such a stunning vision! Her eager eyes roamed over his chest, his stomach, his arms, admiring him…and she swallowed dryly, feeling an ache growing inside of her, her blood rushing and her stomach filling with butterflies. Her head swam. Pearl longed to touch his bare skin, to feel him on her…her breath hitched, electric sparks tingling her body.

Ben had no idea his reflection was being broadcast in the other room, and he would’ve never guessed that his body was causing such a commotion with the mermaid. She was jumpy when he got back to the operation room, and her pale cheeks flushed as their eyes met. He frowned, wrapped in a sheet that concealed his form. “You’re not having second thoughts about our deal, are you?”

“No, of course not,” she smiled, her voice squeakier than usual. He quirked a brow and she quickly cleared her throat. My, why am I so turned on? It is only a shirtless man. Although…he is not any man. He is the most handsome man I’ve ever laid eyes on, and now with that body…oh, Pearl, will you focus? You cannot fantasize about a human that kidnapped you! Even if that was a misunderstanding…so perhaps…oh, it is not the time for such thinking! You have a job to do here, and his life is reliant upon you doing it well, she reminded herself. Mercifully, he was covered up now, and the thought of his life being on the line killed the mood. Pearl sat up a little straighter, her voice firmer. “Trust me, Benjamin, I will ensure your surgery goes perfectly.”

He felt sincerity in her promise. “Please, remember that you shouldn’t sing until I’m ready,” he reinstructed.

“Yes, I know,” she held back an eye roll, because it was the third time he was reminding her of that. It was wholly unnecessary, but she understood that he was nervous about it, so she gave him a pass. “Good luck,” she wished, and he gave a tight smile in return.

It was finally time. He called the team back in the room and sat himself on the surgical table.

“Has Alex asked about me?” Ben questioned Juliet.

“No, she hasn’t,” the other woman replied. His gaze dropped with one slow, resigned nod. It hurt to realize that his daughter didn’t even seem to care about his life – did she really want him dead?! – but he couldn’t think about that now.

Pearl noticed the disappointment. It was barely visible on the outside of Ben, but it was there. She made a mental note to find out who this Alex was, and why was it disappointing to Ben that she didn’t ask about him.

“Tom, please go get Jack, and bring him in,” Ben instructed, tilting his head up to look at the man.

Juliet was confused. Sure, Ben was a mastermind who always had a plan, but the last she heard, Jack flat out refused to do the surgery. “Ben…” she said tentatively, “I don’t understand why you had us prep the room for the operation so ahead of time. Jack said no…”

“Jack will do the surgery now, Juliet,” Ben explained, certain sternness in his tone. She backed off. Pearl kept a neutral face, attention turned to a roll of gauze that she was unraveling. “Pearl, can you not do that? It’s a waste of resources,” Ben reprimanded, so she dropped it.

When Tom brought in the doctor, it was at gunpoint. “Sorry, doc, just a precaution,” he said with an easy grin.

Ben felt the mermaid shiver next to him, her widened eyes tailing the gun. It took everything in her to refrain from hissing and hiding from it.

“Heh, what is this?” Jack asked with a spiteful chuckle. “You think if you get ready for surgery and bring me in here, I’ll do it?”

“Yes, Jack, I think you’ll change your mind in a second,” Ben said cryptically, the hint of a proud smile on his face. He couldn’t help but feel a little smug at his win. After exchanging a conspiratorial smile and a meaningful glance with Pearl – who was waiting quietly next to his bed – he started to insert an earplug in his left ear.

An idea was starting to form in Jack’s mind: if they would force him to operate at gunpoint, maybe he could leverage that to save Kate. It went against everything he stood for as a doctor and as a person, but what if he started the surgery, stopped halfway to sabotage it, and refused to fix it unless Kate was let go? And Sawyer, too, as it was the right thing to do. Maybe that could work. It was—awful, and dark, and cruel, but Ben wouldn’t really die. They’d do anything to save their leader, just like he’d do anything to save Kate. Ultimately Ben would get what he wanted – his tumor removed – and Jack would ensure Kate’s freedom.

“Boss, why are you wearing that for a back surgery?” Tom asked, interrupting Jack’s scheming. He wasn’t the only one wondering. Juliet and Jack also found the behavior to be quite strange. Earplugs made no sense.

“I feel more comfortable like this,” Ben evaded with a shrug.

Pearl was surprised by the nerves that were starting to bubble up inside of her. She knew surgeries were dangerous, and despite best efforts sometimes people didn’t survive them. The idea that Ben might die, right then and there, filled her with a level of dread she certainly did not predict! Truthfully, she didn’t think she’d concern herself with the outcome of the operation at all. She’d do her job while emotionally detached, and if he died, he died. But now…now, that the situation was facing her head on, Pearl was worried for Ben’s life.

Unexpectedly, Pearl approached him—something they hadn’t planned. Ben stiffened for a second, warily watching her dip down and plant a kiss on his cheek. A very sweet one, that made his skin tingle where her lips touched. “For good luck,” she said loudly enough that the whole room could hear. But the kiss was a cover-up, at least partially. Sure, she wanted to kiss his cheek as an act of comfort and luck before his big surgery, but it also served to conceal her slipping something into his hand. Ben took a discreet look down and saw a small, polished stone of a green hue. He didn’t know why she gave him that, yet decided to take it in good faith and slip it in his pocket. As soon as he finished plugging his ears he looked up at Pearl, who was waiting for her moment to sing. She nodded at him in understanding. Ben shed the sheet and laid down on the surgical bed, his back exposed. With a sigh, he placed his face in the hole, made more comfortable by the plush face cradle.

Jack was still full of defiance and an angry laugh. “I’m not sure what you’re planning, Ben, but I’m not—” He was cut off by the blonde woman, who started to hum a beautiful calming melody. At first, none of them understood why, wondering why anyone would hum during a surgery. What a weird thing to do! Pearl felt their judgment, but she was unabashed, her melodious hums growing in volume, until she opened her mouth and let the notes fly freely. Her shoulders pushed back and she lifted her chin, smiling as the siren song soared.

Once again it drew strange looks from Jack, Juliet and Tom. What kind of person burst out in song at a completely inappropriate time?! Should they ask her to stop? But—oh, those notes were so intricate, and Pearl’s voice so angelic! There was something…inexplicably warm about that song. They stopped, blinking, feeling like an itch that they couldn’t quite scratch was being born at that very moment. The siren song was starting to burrow its way into their brains, slowly making them feel hazier and hazier.

Jack was about to ask Pearl to refrain from singing when he felt the fogginess in his mind. That song…it was too distracting, but…he wanted to listen to it. Didn’t he? No, he wanted her to stop. He had a plan to hold the surgery and blackmail Ben, but…hm, the plan wasn’t as important as the song. Wait, didn’t he want to save someone?! Who was it again? The singing blonde. It must be her. As he became all consumed with the siren song, she was the only one who mattered.

He wasn’t the only person slipping under Pearl’s spell. Tom and Juliet were enraptured too. Ben was peering up from the surgery table, watching their faces morph from judgmental to confused to completely smitten. Good. She’s doing her part, he thought with satisfaction, and finally relaxed a little.

“All of you must do your very best on this surgery,” Pearl commanded between sweeping, spiraling notes. “You must keep Benjamin alive, safe, and healthy.”

“Is that what you want?” Juliet asked, an eager grin on her face. She took a step closer to the siren.

“Nothing would please me more,” Pearl smiled charmingly at her and continued to sing.

“Then we will do it,” the darker-haired blonde promised. Tom and Jack agreed emphatically.

The mermaid smiled victoriously; they were under her thrall. Now all she had to do was keep singing until the end.

“What’s your name?” Jack asked her.

“My name is Pearl—and I am eternally grateful that you will do this surgery to the best of your abilities,” she bowed her head to them, a perfect vision of coy charm and diplomacy. “Please, begin. I will only be happy when it is done.”

That was their cue to go to work, as they were desperate to make Pearl happy! It was almost comical how the three scurried around to please her. Ben would be laughing if he didn’t find the power of the siren song so disturbing.

But his reservations and worries were dissipating too. Not because of the song, but rather the dose of anesthesia that Jack was currently giving him. The injection to put him under was given, anesthesia coursing through Ben’s veins and sleep beginning to weigh on his eyelids. The last thing he saw was Pearl, who was watching him closely while she sang with the charisma and enthusiasm of a born performer. And he felt—hopeful. Like he just might pull through.

…Aaand there it was. His eyes were shut, his breathing deep; Pearl knew he had fallen asleep. And Jack was dressed, sterilized, scalpel in hand and about to get started.

***

An hour elapsed, with the team working diligently to open up Ben’s back and remove the spinal tumor that threatened his life. Pearl’s throat ached from the nonstop singing, but she couldn’t risk pausing. She realized with certain nervousness that she might have overestimated herself; she didn’t think to ask Ben how long the surgery would take, and he didn’t think to ask her what was the longest she had ever continuously sang for. The song might be magical, but Pearl’s body still had to endure the physicality of it.

Why am I being reckless yet again? she chastised herself in her head. I must make my people see me as worthy of the throne—not an impulsive mermaid! I didn’t think this through, I was so eager to infiltrate them…oh, my voice must keep working!

And for a while, it did. Despite the soreness, Pearl kept pushing herself, vocalizing the powerful siren song. But everything has a limit, and by the second hour her throat was raw and scratchy. She missed a note—it refused to come out. So the mermaid paused, just for a moment, to take a few sips of water and soothe her vocal cords.

Something was trying to resurface from the back of Jack’s mind, drowned out by the haze of the trance. He thought he might have had some half-formed idea to sabotage Ben’s surgery and bargain for Kate and Sawyer’s release. Why hadn’t he done that yet? Oh, because Pearl didn’t want that. And he cared about Pearl’s wishes, why, exactly? Who was Pearl? Why--

She noticed the change on Jack’s face. From highly focused on the surgery to suddenly confused, like he was waking up. Pearl quickly started to sing again before he slipped out of the trance, and Jack’s thoughts dissipated once more. He was solely focused on making her happy, again, and the way to do it was to heal Benjamin Linus.

She decided to stick to humming after that. It was enough to keep everyone hypnotized, and easier on the vocal cords. She walked around for a bit, observing the surgical process with curiosity; it wasn’t as gory as she remembered, but it still twisted her stomach, so she returned to her seat. She would have handled it better if it wasn’t Ben lying there, but there was something extra disturbing about seeing his back split open, his blood and bones and muscles, with people’s hands in his entrails. Pearl shivered.

That was around the time when Ben’s eyelids fluttered. The dose of anesthesia he was given was incorrect; not enough to keep him under, and he woke up in the middle of his own surgery, while his back was split wide open. It was a disorienting and rather startling realization for him. Anyone would be horrified to wake up mid-surgery like that, completely helpless and with their insides exposed! He made sure not to dwell on that thought or he might become too unsettled. What the hell was going on? First, he tried to sharpen his anesthetized mind so he could focus. Why wasn’t anybody talking?! Did they leave him there?! Oh, right, he had earplugs in. Ben blinked away the blurriness from his eyes and looked at the large square mirror placed directly under his face, which allowed him to see some of what went on around him. As far as he could tell, Jack was working diligently to fix him. Pearl was sat where he last saw her, still singing. She rubbed her fingertips against her throat. That concerned him--- she seemed tired of using her voice. He located Tom and Juliet too, working like a well-oiled machine to assist Jack. The two seemed to have fallen deep under the siren spell, because they were much too smiley and giggly towards Pearl. Interesting, Ben thought, that her powers were not based solely on potential romantic and sexual attraction. Tom was a gay man and, as far as Ben knew, Juliet was not interested in women; and yet both of them were completely taken by the siren song. Pearl became more fascinating and terrifying each time he learned more about her. In that unusual set of circumstances, Benjamin was forced to once again recognize that any sexual attraction he felt for her was his own, and not a result of her powers or her being a siren. What a mess…

She sensed him watching, and it puzzled her. Should he not be asleep for all of this? It seemed awfully gruesome and frightening to be awake for such a thing. Pearl searched for Ben’s eyes and found them through the mirror. The mermaid gave a questioning shrug and pointed at Jack. As far as Ben could tell, she was asking if she should warn the doctor that he was awake. Ben shook his head and mouthed the words ‘I’m alright’, because he was; there was still enough anesthesia in his system to keep him from feeling any pain, and he actually found it useful to be awake: he could observe without being noticed, and he was much less vulnerable to any schemes that might be pulled against him. It took some fortitude to choose to stay awake during an extensive and invasive cancer surgery, but Ben had nerves of steel and was extremely strong-willed. Pearl looked concerned, he noticed, and in his fuzzy mind that felt pretty nice. She threw him a quizzical and insistent glance, double-checking his decision, and Ben smiled sleepily at her. ‘Really, I’m alright’, he repeated soundlessly, just by moving his lips. She shrugged again, now nonchalantly as she accepted his response, and continued to sing for her captive audience.

He watched her through the mirror for the rest of the operation. Something about the constancy of her sitting there, poised, and singing for his sake, made Ben feel tranquil. He liked it.

With Pearl influencing the outcome, the surgery went off without a hitch. Nobody tried to sabotage it. Nobody gambled with his life. The hostages in the bear cages were still there, unharmed. And his tumor was removed. By the time Jack finished stitching up Ben’s back, everything was okay.

The doctor stepped off to clean himself, giving the patient time to slowly come out of the anesthesia. The others left with him, directed by the singing siren. Ben was already awake, of course, but woozy as the anesthesia was still wearing off. He glanced around until he located the large mass that constituted the tumor, out of him and discarded to the side. And he was awake and alive, with no surgical complications. A smile stretched on his face. He slowly removed his earplugs and turned on his side with a soft grunt.

Oh, Ben was so filled with relief from the successful surgery that he could’ve started dancing! Except that he wasn’t much of a dancer, and also that he wasn’t supposed to get up just yet. So he just laid on the surgical table. Alone in the room, he basked in the feeling of triumph and safety.

He wasn’t going to die. He was cured. He would live, healthy and safe! Ben beamed to himself, then let out a content sigh of relief. Once again he thought about how Jack landing on the Island three days after Ben found out he had a spinal tumor was a sign of God’s existence. The Island didn’t want him to die. He didn’t understand why Jacob let him get sick – that still bothered him – but at least he was sent a doctor to save him right away. Even if the tumor was some form of punishment, Jacob couldn’t be that mad at him. The only minor concern that still lingered was an odd fuzziness down his legs.

“May I come in?” the angelic voice of the siren asked.

“Sure,” Ben said, his own voice thick with sleep. He couldn’t help but smile at her. In that moment, it wasn’t just her voice; Pearl was all angel, from the way her light blonde waves of hair framed her face, to her kind and concerned eyes looking down at him, to the way the lightbulb behind her was creating the illusion of a halo. Pearl was his angel, his savior, who sang him to safety.

Except that she only did it for personal gain, Ben remembered. She was no angel. She was devilish. The deadly temptress, making deals when it suited her. But still he was grateful, if a little wary of her approaching while he was so helpless. Anesthetized, with a large stitched up cut on his back. Half-lidded eyes followed her every move.

But the kindness and concern he thought he saw in her eyes were sincere. She looked him over; he was lying on his side. His chest was covered with a sheet, but his back was exposed to air out the incision.

“How does it look?” he asked when he noticed her peering curiously at him.

She came around the table to inspect it. “The cut looks okay. There is some reddening around it, though…it might be the start of an infection,” she warned with a frown. Her voice was a little hoarse.

Ben’s lips pursed and tightened. The surgery went perfectly, with no interruptions or mistakes, or extra time spent cut open. Surely any infection couldn’t be too bad? But it was on his spine, which might explain why he was having a hard time moving his legs; he could still feel them, but they were all tingly and not responding well. He drew in a shaky breath, wishing Jack would be brought back soon to talk about his post-op care. Ben grimaced, but it still didn’t dim the relief he felt from being cancer-free. “It’s alright,” he told the siren. “An infection should be treatable.”

Pearl, who walked back around to face him, tucked her hair behind her ear and leaned closer to the man. “I told them to forget that I was in here today. They think I waited outside after we were introduced,” she informed, to which Ben gave an appreciative smile. She continued: “And I have been told the surgery was a success.”

“It was,” Ben agreed with a slow, sleepy nod.

“No more illness?” she insisted, face softly pinched in preoccupation.

“None. I suppose I should thank you for your part in it,” he said, voice a little slurred.

“No need,” she smiled. “You’re thanking me by letting me stay with you.” Looking down at him, all sleepy and adorable, she felt her heart ache. Wow. Pearl really didn’t expect to feel any emotional attachment regarding his surgery. She thought she wouldn’t care whether he made it through or not. But now, seeing him be okay, she was flooded with relief and an intense desire to hug him. It was unnerving to know with absolute certainty that she would’ve been terribly sad if he died. “You’ll be okay now, won’t you?”

“I will be,” his smile widened and he blinked a few times, eyes still heavy and half-lidded.

“And how do you fare? They said recovery isn’t always easy.”

“I feel fine. A little tired. I’ll have to take it easy the next couple of days—there will be some soreness, but that’s completely normal after a surgery this extensive.” And I can’t really move my legs yet. Hopefully that would go away when the anesthesia wore off completely, but he feared it had to do with the infected wound.

He was holding something back from her; Pearl could sense his immense relief, but also a small amount of preoccupation that he didn’t seem to want to share with her. She felt the urge to console him. It went against her self-preservation instincts, but before she could stop herself, Pearl was brushing his hair back and gently caressing his forehead.

Ben flinched. “What are you doing?” he asked suspiciously, narrowing eyes at the siren.

“I—” her hand drew back. “—apologize. I was…attempting to offer you some comfort. Should I stop?”

“Oh.” He stared blankly for a moment, at a loss. “I—suppose that’s alright. But you don’t have to; I’m fine,” he reiterated coolly.

Pearl smiled a sincere smile; not the empty charming one, or the prideful icy one. A real, warm, caring smile, and her hand met his hairline again. Gentle, cold fingers ran through his hair. Ben’s heart fluttered. It was such a simple gesture, and yet it made him feel so cared for. So…safe. Which was ironic, given who and what she was, but in that moment he didn’t care. He just wanted her to continue soothing him. He closed his eyes, which was a risk, but he was too sleepy and too cozy to fight it. Her touch was lulling him.

“This is the truth, Ben, do not think that I am lying when I say this: we may have our differences, but I’m glad you’re healthy now,” Pearl confessed in a whisper, unable to keep it to herself. Conflicted that she was feeling so much for him, but relieved to see him well.

He let out a short little chuckle. “Yeah. I’m glad I am, too.” Ben’s heart was swelling up with emotions and feelings for her. He was getting awfully smitten – which reminded him of the siren song. He’d never been able to fully understand the process behind it. The thought came at a good time, too, because he had to stop letting himself get so enamored with her! “I would really like to understand how your powers work…the song…” he fished, risking a sideways glance her way. The grogginess in his voice added to the softness of the request.

Pearl smiled calmly, pulling her hand away just a tad. “Allow me to sing and I will show you.”

He threw her a sour look and used a warning tone of voice “Pearl…”

“I’m only jesting,” she said cheerily. She decided to answer truthfully. It had something to do with how helpless he looked, lying there sleepy and weak with his back held together by stitches. For once he didn’t seem like the powerful man in complete control, and that melted her. A vulnerable Ben always melted her. Pearl couldn’t let go of that annoying urge to comfort him. And knowing Ben, being given answers would work as a form of comfort. “It’s devotion. Hearing a siren song makes you long to see her happy, so you bend to her every wish. You lay down your life for her. It is not romantic; it is a pure and devoted love where you put your goddess on a pedestal.”

“Why so many tales of men falling in love and drowning, dragged under by a kiss?” Bringing up the lore was a clever cover for his more personal ponderings.

“We are rather beautiful. Many men want us when they merely look at us. If they hear our song, that desire mingles with the devotional love to create a strong infatuation,” she explained.

“So the song doesn’t create romantic love, or lust…just devotion. But the mix of devotion and attraction can create an infatuated obsession of sorts…” he mused. Even when his mind was foggy, it was sharper than most people’s.

“That is correct,” Pearl nodded. “If you find yourself longing to kiss me, that is all you; not my powers,” she pointed out rather aptly, smirking a little at him.

Ben bristled and scoffed, although it was a sleepy little sound. “That’s not why I asked!” But it was, partly, and he felt a little flustered. “I know that it has nothing to do with that,” he sulked. “And I’m not longing to kiss you, Pearl. Why are you thinking about us kissing?”

The mermaid laughed. “You are rather cute when you’re sleepy and defensive, dear Ben,” Pearl smiled, full of softness and warmth. She reached up to run her fingers through his hair again, and again it was rather unexpected.

“Like a pufferfish if I remember correctly,” Ben murmured in lieu of saying thanks, only because he felt a little disconcerted by her compliment.

Pearl giggled and nodded. “You remember that! Yes, like a pufferfish!”

The way she played with his hair felt so nice, he could feel his defenses threatening to crack. Was it only because the anesthesia was wearing off, making his mind more easily tricked and mouldable, vulnerable to her tactics? Hm. It didn’t feel like a tactic. Part of him wanted Pearl to keep playing with his hair forever, because Ben rarely felt so cared for. He smiled a little, sighing in contentment and letting himself bask in it for a while. But—that was a line he couldn’t cross. He had to end it, now. “Um, my people will be coming back soon. Jack will have updates, then they need to move me to the boat…”

Pearl got the hint, and mentally reprehended herself for initiating that physical – and worse, emotional -- connection with him. Not that she regretted it; her heart was warmed by how he smiled with pure contentment while she was touching his hair, and the way his eyes fluttered to a happy close gave her butterflies. But now he was politely telling her to stop. “Oh, of course. I—will meet you at home.”

Before he could ask much about it, she was gone.

***

Pearl wanted to take a walk through Hydra Island, now that she could freely explore it. The few people she came across knew who she was – Ben’s guest from the plane crash – so they didn’t bother her.

What gave her pause was finding that the polar bear cages were occupied by human beings! A blond man with long hair in one cage, and a brunette with freckles in the other. They looked frazzled and unhappy.

“Are you trapped in here?” Pearl gasped, hurrying toward them. She only tripped once. She knew engaging with them was probably a bad idea, but she couldn’t see someone in a cage and leave them there! She hated those as much as she hated nets: two human creations to subjugate and hurt other species! And for once she didn’t feel threatened by those people; what could they do to her from behind bars?

“Yeah, thanks to your people, sweetheart,” the man said, raising an arm above his head and resting it on the bars. Pearl knew ‘sweetheart’ was a term of endearment, but it didn’t sound like that coming from him. It sounded patronizing, or almost like an insult. His voice was different than that of the other humans, too, with a heavy drawl she was unused to. The Southern accent of the United States.

“By that, do you mean the people here? No, these are not my people,” Pearl explained. “Are you…from the plane crash?” she asked slowly, realizing she’d put herself in a bit of a tricky spot. Only good acting would save her.

“We are,” the brunette woman answered from the other cage, arms wrapped around herself. “If you’re not one of them, but you weren’t with us…who are you?” Kate asked cautiously, eyeing the blonde woman with wariness.

“I am one of you! I was on the plane too! But I was further away, you probably missed me,” Pearl explained, rather convincingly. She hoped being ‘further away’ made any sense.

Kate and Sawyer exchanged a suspicious glance.

“I think I’d remember you, Bright Eyes,” Sawyer said with vague flirtation. “Were you a Tailie?”

The mermaid’s heart quickened with fear. What the hell did that mean?! She had a tail, but was she a Tailie? Did they know what she was?! “Uh, no…”

“Then how’d you end up with the Others so fast?” he insisted, pushing her.

She had to deduce he meant Ben’s people. “Ben found me, rescued me and gave me shelter. Because we knew each other from years ago.” The best Pearl could do was keep their cover story straight; if these two plane survivors talked to one of Ben’s people about her, they would be sharing the same story she and Ben told everyone else too. No discrepancies to catch them in a lie. “Do you know Ben?”

“I think so,” Kate frowned, uneasy. “If he’s the guy with the big blue eyes and the spiked up hair, yeah…he had breakfast with me one time.”

“And pretended to do surgery on me just to show me we’re on a separate Island than the main one, the psycho,” Sawyer grumbled. Though, just like Ben predicted, the blond did respect the leader of the Others more after that con. “We think he’s the ringleader.”

Gold-flecked hazel eyes traveled from one cage to the other, looking at the two trapped humans. She wondered why Ben was having breakfast with the pretty brunette, and what did the blond man even mean by that? Pearl didn’t understand him. “I—do not know if he’s the leader,” she lied, “but I think that he could be.”

“My name is Kate,” the brunette gave a small smile. “He’s Sawyer. What’s your name?” She was being friendly, but – if she ever escaped that cage -- Kate meant to check the flight log to see if the blonde was actually on flight 815. They didn’t want another Ethan situation!

Pearl had no way of ever figuring that out; she knew nothing of flight logs and manifests. But those two were not part of Ben’s group. They could be a threat if they got out. She was insightful enough to know that the less she shared, the better. “That’s not important right now! You two are in cages! Why”? she urged, approaching Kate. “Maybe I can help!”

“Cause your boss is crazy and he keeps kidnappin’ people,” Sawyer drawled.

Kate looked Pearl right in the eyes and found something sincere in there. Like the blonde actually wanted to help. “And—Ben is using us as leverage. He wants our friend to do some surgery for him. He had me talk to our friend, I tried to convince him, but…it didn’t work.” She was floored that Jack was refusing, especially after she pleaded with him. “I don’t think Ben will let us out if this surgery doesn’t happen…”

“Oh!” Pearl’s face brightened, any concern vanishing. “Then you’re in luck! Jack, if that’s your friend, finished the surgery a short while ago! Ben is doing great! He’ll let you go soon.” Thank goodness she wouldn’t have to meddle in Ben’s business to argue about a cage.

A bitter laugh from Sawyer. “That’s likely.” He was convinced Pearl was an Other playing mind games.

“He promised he would, but--” Kate shook her head, lips flattening.

“If he promised, he will do it,” Pearl told them emphatically. “That’s the one thing I can vouch for: Ben will keep his word.” She smiled. “You two will be out of here in no time.”

That was enough for Pearl to feel comfortable leaving them behind—and quickly, before they asked her name again. She walked toward the jungle, satisfied in knowing those two humans would be free from their cages soon enough. As she approached the Hydra beach, she left behind a very puzzled Kate and Sawyer clinging to hope that the mysterious blonde was right in vouching for Ben.

***

What Pearl told Kate and Sawyer was true. Ben had no reason to keep the hostages anymore, so he promised Jack he would let the three of them go as soon as his post-op care was concluded. Which shouldn’t take long; without any intentional sabotaging of the surgery, it finished much faster, therefore decreasing the risk of infection. It was still a surgery done under less than ideal conditions, so the cut was infected like Pearl suspected, but much less severely than it could’ve been. A few rounds of antibiotics and cleaning the wound for a few days should take care of it. It seemed that soon there would be a real truce between Others and Oceanics, effectively stalling a potential war for quite some time. All thanks to the song of a siren.

At the beach, lying down on his side on a piece of wood with a hand curled around the edge, Ben was very still. Because his legs weren’t working well post-surgery, he had to be carried around on that thing. A group was gathered around him. Tom stood guard kneeling by his side, holding an umbrella to shield Ben from the sun. Ben said nothing, keeping to himself. His eyes were the only things that moved, scanning the area in search of Pearl—to no avail.

The small boat that would take him back to the main Island arrived.

Ben gave a small sigh of resignation as his people lifted the plank, carried him and carefully placed him inside the boat, with a pillow under his head and a blanket around his legs. For someone who prided being in control as much as Ben – who needed control to feel safe due to past trauma – his current situation was quite disheartening. He was grateful to have loyal people around him, who were concerned for his wellbeing and willing to carry him and to hold an umbrella to protect him from the blinding sun, but he hated the feeling of absolute helplessness that being unable to walk on his own brought him. That complete reliance on others was scary, because, at the end of the day, he didn’t trust anybody to rely on except for himself. At least he knew that it wouldn’t last long; he just needed a few days of rest for his post-op, and then he’d start regaining independence again. According to Jack, anyway. Ben was secretly hoping the Island would take care of it faster.

“Where is she?” he asked idly as Richard got on the boat with Tom and Jack and grabbed an oar.

The advisor frowned. “Who, Pearl? I don’t know, Ben. She was nowhere to be found.”

“Hm. Not for long…” It was a casual observation that Ben was absolutely sure of. Pearl wouldn’t give up on her little research on humans. She’d show up when they least expected.

As the small boat rode the waves and Richard and Tom steered by paddling the oars, all a tired Ben could do was stare at Hydra Island moving farther and farther away from him. His expression was very introspective, somewhere between somber and melancholy as he contemplated just how easily someone could lose their power.

As soon as the boat left the shallows, he noticed a ripple in the water. It grew bigger, unrelenting, following the boat. She’s coming, he instinctively knew. And right he was, because seconds later he could see a dark shape gliding underwater, then closer to the surface, and then her head – tiara and moonstone on top -- broke through the waves. Pearl smiled mischievously, soaked with seawater and stunning as the sun reflected off the water droplets on her skin and drenched hair. She disappeared as fast as she’d come, swimming under the small boat. Like a mystical vision one couldn’t hold on to.

“Whoa!” Tom suddenly shouted. “I think there’s a mermaid here! I just saw a tail flick up and vanish!”

“No,” Ben easily lied. “It was a large fish.”

“A what? Mermaid?” Jack laughed incredulously.

“Island superstition,” Ben dismissed, impassive.

“Are you sure, Ben?” Tom asked warily. “Maybe you’re still hazy, because…I’m pretty sure that tail was too big for a fish. And that flourish up was unnatural. If there are mermaids swimming around us, we should—what should we do?”

“Nothing, because there’s no mermaid,” Ben drawled. “Trust me, Tom, I was looking right at the water, and my mental faculties are back to normal.”

Tom accepted the answer, though he kept throwing a few nervous glances out at the sea. Richard had a hunch it was probably the blonde mermaid they were meant to host as a guest, who was staying close to Ben. Staring out at the water, Ben grimaced with exasperation. What was Pearl doing, swimming so close to people?! She was spotted! If anyone saw her face, Ben would have to do damage control. Pearl really ought to be more careful than that.

He saw two delicate hands curling up, out from under the boat, and then her head peeked out. She rose up just enough that she could speak to him in a whisper, hanging off the underside of the hull. “Apologies. I already miss swimming, so I thought I would take the opportunity.”

Ben gave a surreptitious glance around, making sure nobody else spotted the aquatic creature. Then his blue eyes dipped her way, lazily. He was calmer than usual around Pearl’s mischievous antics. Partly because he was too tired from the surgery, wrapped up in a blanket and helplessly lying on a boat—he had other concerns on his mind. But partly was also because Pearl came through for him during the surgery; she stuck to her word and did what she promised. Ben admired that, and he knew that she wouldn’t mess up their deal until she got her side of it too.

He did narrow his eyes very slightly at her proximity to the boat, though. “Why are you swimming so close to the surface? You were already spotted, Pearl,” Ben calmly complained under his breath, inaudible to the people sitting behind him.

She bit her lip in playful sheepishness. “And you controlled the situation, did you not?”

“Yeah, of course. But you’re being reckless on purpose,” he protested, widening his eyes with exasperation. He was upset with her, but at the same time he felt thrilled by the secrecy of it all. There he was, carrying on a secret conversation with a mermaid; openly, near others, but just the two of them. He felt special.

“Perhaps,” she said in an airy whisper. A pause. “I have my reasons.” Her smile widened, though there was something not quite trustworthy in it. She saw from his face that Ben was about to protest, so she shrugged delicately. “I will remain unseen now, I promise.”

Ben closed the mouth he’d already begun opening. He stared at Pearl for a moment—she swam on her back, swishing her tail and arms to put some distance between herself and the humans. Ben’s gaze was shrouded and icy, but glued to her; it was fascinating to watch her in her natural habitat, and swimming with her stomach up allowed her to keep looking right at him, too. Eyes locked. He felt a bit of a chill.

She dove under, the silent predator lurking beneath their boat. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, a strategic arm emerged. She placed her hand on Ben’s chest, like she wanted to keep him in place. He squinted very minimally.

When Pearl started her swim to the main Island, she had no intention of approaching the boat. But something about seeing Ben lying down so close to the edge made her stomach drop. She knew how treacherous the ocean was: just one unexpected violent wave, and the break of inertia would roll Ben’s helpless body right off the boat!

He could see her forehead and beautiful hazel eyes looking up at him from underwater, face framed by floating hair. Pearl tilted up her chin and mouthed something like ‘I will not let you fall’. And then he understood: she thought he might roll off the boat, which would have been an absolute nightmare! Ocean water on his fresh surgery wound, legs not working well enough to keep himself afloat… just the thought of it sent a chill up his spine! He didn’t think he would fall, but now…now he was sure he wouldn’t, thanks to Pearl’s gentle hand on his chest and that arm that stretched to hold him in place.

He blinked at her, eyes wide, miming a soundless thank you. “Can’t lose your guide to the human world, can you,” he muttered with certain playful bitterness, which drew a chuckle from her. Tiny bubbles rose up from it.

“Quite right,” she mouthed from underwater.

“Don’t rise any further,” Ben warned, serious and silent. “Right now you’re low enough to be outside the perimeter of their vision. If you come up – even one inch – they will notice you’re here.” She nodded in agreement and stayed low for the rest of the trip.

As the boat made its way to the main Island, Pearl glided along from the outside, swimming just below the surface, sunlight dancing through the waves and onto her. One hand rested on the underside of the boat, one kept a steady hold of Ben, who absently watched her blurry underwater shape undulating, thinking of what the future might bring along with his new roommate.

They made it to the main Island after some time. She was gone before they disembarked.

Notes:

Since this is the last chapter that will be posted in 2023, I want to wish everyone a very happy Holiday season! I hope it's filled with warmth and love.
See you soon in 2024 with more Ben and Pearl. Thank you for being a part of my year! Working on this fic has been amazing!

Chapter 17: And all at once she was the shiniest part of his world, like his very own deep-sea jewel

Ben wasn’t sure what path Pearl took to arrive at his place before he did. She probably swam down the river, he guessed – correctly – while he had to be carried off the boat and placed on a wheelchair. The infection from the spine surgery was making it too hard to walk; he could barely move his legs, and they felt on faint pins and needles all the time. It could have been worse, he supposed, but he was still disheartened.

The mermaid was a little confused to see him roll up in such a way. “My legs need some time to heal,” he flatly informed her, face eerily blank, and before she had the chance to ask. The question was coming either way, so he preferred to take charge of the narrative, especially because he was feeling rather trapped and inconvenienced. Ben only hoped the Island would work its healing powers fast.

Pearl had a deep frown on her face. “Sometimes legs do no work?” She was holding a bundle of long, red seaweed to her throat, voice still hoarse from singing non-stop for almost three hours.

“That never happens with tails?” he threw it back to her to avoid elaborating. “I suppose you would be stuck to the ocean floor if it did…”

She nodded somberly. “It can happen if you get badly injured, but indeed, if a merperson cannot swim--they become utterly reliant on their community to care for them.”

Ben maneuvered the wheelchair into the living room – Pearl had ambushed him right by the door – and he sighed. It was overwhelming to think of how much he had to learn, but he was pretty determined. “I’m not. Utterly reliant on my community, that is. It’s different on land.”

Hazel eyes trailed after his every move, curiously observing him. “But what happened? When merfolk lose their tail, it is a shark bite, or an explosive—it’s some type of damage. Your legs look intact.”

He really didn’t feel like dwelling on the subject, so the reply came with a sharp sigh. “Human legs are connected to our spine chord. Damage to the spine can cut off feeling and movement to the legs. As you know, the surgery was on my spine, so.” He finished a tad abruptly, almost sourly, with a sharp ‘there you go’ gesture.

“Oh! I see.” She pursed her lips tightly and squinted, staring at his legs. Ben could see that her brain was going fast, pondering things. With no warning, she jabbed an index finger on his thigh. “Can you feel this?”

His head ducked down slowly, to throw her finger a passing glare. Then he slowly lifted his face and gave Pearl an empty deadpan. “I feel very little of it.”

“Really?” Pearl poked his leg again, frowning. She was equal parts fascinated and disturbed. “And you can’t move them?”

Ben’s lips tightened to a thin line. “Not really,” he spat through gritted teeth. He was not completely paralyzed, like he might have been if the surgery was longer and the infection worse, but he couldn’t really move them either. He wheeled away from her before she could poke him again.

“But they will heal, will they not?” she inquired, and he felt interrogated. Ben appreciated her concern – because it seemed like concern – but the last thing he wanted was to discuss how vulnerable he was. It unsettled him immensely. He just wanted to move on.

“Yeah, soon enough I’m sure,” he gave a flat smile that didn’t reach his eyes. She bowed her head and pressed the algae to her throat again. His head tilted. “Will your voice be okay? I assume that seaweed bundle soothes the vocal cords in some way,” Ben asked, and deduced correctly.

“It will. My voice is tired—I’m sure it will recover overnight, while I sleep.” A nod. “Yes, these red algae, they take away the achiness. Are you in any pain?”

“Not if I sit quietly,” he admitted. If he tried to twist around or force his legs to move, he would feel the sting on his back. But that wouldn’t deter him from learning how to maneuver the chair and himself independently of others. He would much rather deal with the pain than with a loss of control.

“Then be sure to rest until it is better. You must be tired from the surgery,” she bowed gracefully. Ben gave a vague nod; he would love to rest, but there were more pressing things to do. Before he could get to any of them, Pearl stepped in front of him. “By the way, Ben, who is Alex?” she pried, eyes sparkling with curiosity.

“Nobody important,” Ben lied. Alex was one of the most important people in his life! For many years, Alex and Annie were the two most important women in Ben’s life. Recently – despite his best efforts – Pearl seemed to be entering that territory too. But Pearl was still a mermaid plotting against humans, so he didn’t want her to know that he had a daughter. That could be seen as a weakness.

“Then why were you disappointed that she didn’t ask about you?” Pearl insisted, unconvinced.

He inhaled a sharp breath. There it was, the main disadvantage of having Pearl around all the time: she saw things, she overheard things, and she put two and two together. Again his first instinct was to lie, to protect himself and his daughter. Telling the truth could always be dangerous, used against him. But—Pearl had seen him with a baby many years ago. Pearl was a mother, who had her own little girl. She would never threaten a teenager, would she? Pearl had more honor than that, surely. He sighed, mouth pressing into a tight line as he fought his defensive instincts. “Okay—I’ll tell you. Alex is my daughter. You’re staying in her bedroom.”

“You have a daughter?” Pearl gasped. Enthusiasm shone on her face. She learned that word from him. “You never told me! Or—actually, perhaps you did, but at the time I didn’t yet know what ‘daughter’ meant. My goodness, it is that baby from the shore, isn’t it?” He nodded in confirmation, and she beamed. “Oh, I would love to meet her!”

“No. Sorry, but, no,” he said categorically, shaking his head. “Maybe—maybe in a month,” he added a little more softly, realizing his quick denial may have been impolite.

“Why isn’t she here? I can sleep in the bathtub and she can have her room, or—oh.” Understanding dawned on her and she lifted an eyebrow. “You don’t trust us in the same house.”

“Not yet,” he said simply, but intensely.

Pearl didn’t take too much offense to that. She was wondering about something else instead. “And where is the woman who gave life to her?” Did Ben have a mate she never knew about? The idea that he might be with someone bothered her more than it should have. He certainly didn’t mention anybody else while they were kissing! But that would be typical of a human man, wouldn’t it? Or…maybe Ben and his mate were no longer together, like Pearl and Spear, she rationalized. Deep down, in a place she’d deny existed, she hoped that was the case.

“Her mother,” Ben taught her the right term, eyes shrouded in mystery. “She died when Alex was a baby,” he told the same lie that he told his daughter. He didn’t want to lie to either of them, but bringing up the crazy French woman was too complicated, and it could push Alex away from him and from the safety of their village. “It’s always been just us, Alex and myself.”

“Oh, I am so very sorry,” Pearl frowned, sympathetic for what she perceived as a loss of someone he cared about. “Raising your guppy – daughter -- by yourself must not have been easy.”

“It was alright, actually,” he confessed with a fond smile. Ben loved being a father. There were hard times, of course, especially when she was still a sleepless baby crying constantly, but he wouldn’t trade those times for anything. And, as a child, Alex was wonderful; he had amazing memories of pushing her on the swings, reading to her, taking her to the beach or playing kids’ games with her. That’s why it hurt so much more that their current relationship was in shambles—but he couldn’t yet let go of his controlling overprotectiveness.

Pearl smiled too. Being a mother herself, in a way she appreciated Ben more now that she knew he was a father—especially because she could see how much he loved Alex, it was written plainly in his eyes and smile, the fatherly love and affection pouring out of him when he spoke of her. That touched Pearl. “Is she the brunette in all these images around the house?”

“Yeah,” his smile widened with a hint of pride. “That’s her, when she was younger. I have more current ones in my study—they’re called photos, mind you. Or pictures.”

“Photos or pictures,” the mermaid repeated for memorization. Then she smiled. “I hope to meet your guppy soon. You met mine, after all, through no choice of my own.”

He couldn’t help but chuckle at the memory of the tiny soaked blonde trying to bite his ankles. “And you yanked her away from me as fast as you could,” he reminded with playful ominousness, to make a point.

Pearl laughed. “True. I was not ready to introduce you to her, so I understand where you are coming from.” They were still rivals, after all.

“I’m sure you will have some opportunity to meet Alex before you go back to the ocean,” Ben said vaguely, to put the subject to rest. But he wasn’t so sure. It would be nice, perhaps, if the two could meet…but he didn’t know if he would ever trust Pearl to that extent.

***

Half a day in, and the wheelchair was already inconveniencing him. Worse than that, it made him feel a little helpless, like his dignity was somehow on the line. Rationally, he knew he shouldn’t feel that way, but emotionally he couldn’t help it. The chair made him have less control, which he despised. At that point in time he wanted a specific book, a sharp sigh escaping him when he realized it was a book from the top shelf of the living room bookcase.

But he was undeterred. Ben wheeled himself to the kitchen, grabbed a broom, and proceeded to try to pull the book down with it.

“Can I help you with that?” Pearl asked, watching from a quiet corner. “Or—with anything that is difficult to achieve without functioning legs?”

“I got it,” he gave a brief, vaguely terse smile, then went right back to poking the broom handle at the book. “Our agreement stated you had to help me obtain my surgery. That’s done.” He didn’t expect any more help from the mermaid beyond that point.

A pensive pout. “I did not ask ‘do I have to help you with anything’, I asked if there is anything that I can help you with,” she retorted. “You are healing, I do not mind lending a helping hand.”

He paused for a split second, suspicious eyes darting her way. Then he gave a quick nod. “I’ll keep that in mind.” With a decisive motion, he managed to stick the handle of the broom under the book enough to dislodge it, then he pushed it further by nudging it. It fell off the shelf, and Ben snatched it with a little smile. The healing cut on his back ached from stretching his arms up, and he felt the sutures pulling a little, but he didn’t care. He was proud of himself for not requiring any assistance, and more confident that he would soon get the hang of the wheelchair.

Pearl understood why he was being stubborn. It was important to him – to anyone! – to stay as independent as possible. If he could find a way to solve most situations by himself while in the wheelchair, then good for him. She was willing to step in and help if it ever came to that.

Their eyes met in passing, and both pairs were a little cold and detached. Where was all the sweetness and warmth from their post-surgery conversation? Well. Ben decided to chalk it up to the anesthesia making him fuzzy, and he was determined to not find himself enamoured with her again. And now that he wasn’t so helpless, Pearl didn’t feel such a strong urge to protect him—he was back to being the powerful, dangerous guy she was used to, so she, too, decided to protect her own emotions instead. They were working hard at keeping an emotional distance from each other, shielding their feelings, which was made easier by Ben’s sulkiness and irritability over the wheelchair, and Pearl’s general coldness toward humans.

“It is a tad ironic, that the siren is the one with effective legs, and the human can’t make use of them at the moment…” she pointed out.

Ben deadpanned at her. “You might want to work on your sensitivity.” A small shrug, and the shadow of a retaliatory smirk. “And how ironic that the siren’s voice is hoarse when the human can speak just fine.”

“Okay, I deserved that,” a soft laugh. “How long will it take you to heal?”

“Probably not long,” he said with another little shrug and a blank face, wheeling himself closer to Pearl. “Jack is coming tomorrow to change the bandages, and if everything is okay I’ll let him and his friends go, after.”

“Let him go?” An amused scoff left her lips. “You are holding them hostage, aren’t you? I thought so when your friend pointed a gun at the doctor!”

A self-conscious huff. “For a short time, and only so he would agree to save my life!” Ben defended himself. “It needed to be done.” And he really believed that. If there had been a better way, he would’ve found it and happily done that instead.

“Like holding me in an aquarium needed to be done, to protect your people and whatnot,” she walked in slow circles around the wheelchair, a dark yet somewhat amused glint in her eyes. Ben felt a little like the potential prey of a circling shark, but at least she seemed to find humor in the situation. Still, she was giving off a menacing aura; he decided not to tell her that Jack was being held in the same aquarium, just minus the water. She might have stronger feelings about that.

Instead, he raised his chin and met her eyes, defiant and snarky. “This coming from the mermaid who held me hostage in a cave for hours, then threatened the life of another hostage, all to force a meeting with my people.” What right did she have to judge him for things he needed to do, when she was just as willing to cross those same lines?

She hissed, lips curling up. Pearl hated when Ben rightfully called her out. “Are you saying we are alike?”

He simply raised both brows, downturned his lips and shrugged, all of it saying ‘maybe we are’. The siren let out another tiny hiss and walked away.

But she only stayed gone until he started to head outside, to get some air out on the front porch. It was difficult to make the chair roll over the raised step of the doorframe. Pearl saw his face pinched as he tried to force the move, and she came over. Hands wrapped around the chair’s push handles and she pushed it forward.

“Please don’t touch that,” he quickly interjected, bristling. “As long as I’m on it, it’s an extension of me.”

“I touch you all the time,” she retorted.

And you should probably stop doing that, he thought, but the words refused to come out. “I can get out on my own,” he said instead.

Pearl stepped around and stood in front of him, a contrarian look on her face. She bent over slightly and put each hand on one armrest of the wheelchair, effectively boxing Ben in.

His eyes narrowed. He hated feeling cornered, trapped. Then again, if anyone was going to corner him, the beautiful woman peering down at him with hypnotizing eyes was his number one choice. “I cannot believe that you are being so stubborn,” she said, her voice a silky complaint.

Ben let out a half chuckle of incredulity. “Why are you taking this so seriously?”

The air left her frame, paralyzed by the question. She couldn’t tell him the truth! Couldn’t let Ben know that she cared that much about his well-being! “I am not,” she denied, searching for a plausible excuse. “I was only attempting to make myself useful.”

It could’ve been one of her mind games; Ben’s heart was telling him that it wasn’t – that she was sincere! – but he ignored it in favor of his brain telling him she was for sure playing games. “Well? Since I don’t need help, can you please move out of the way, then?” he asked with some impatience. Pearl bowed dramatically – and sarcastically – and walked back inside.

He spent half an hour out on the porch, reading in the warm sunlight, though his mind kept drifting, alternating between wondering why his legs didn’t heal instantly and wondering if Pearl was playing him or not.

After he got back inside, Ben decided to use the time alone to practice transferring himself from the wheelchair to the couch and vice-versa. It wasn’t too difficult for him – he had the necessary upper body strength – but it hurt the healing surgical gash on his back. He winced every time, and hoped the motion wouldn’t rip open the stitches. Despite that, he was successful in his transfer attempts, and it pleased him.

It turned out that his ‘time alone’ lasted less than five minutes until Pearl came stalking back in. She placed a hand on her hip and stared him down, unable to keep her annoyance to herself.

“You look like you have a speech prepared,” he pointed out with mild interest.

“Yes. You—keep going from here to there,” she motioned from wheelchair to couch, “and you are wincing. It’s hurting you. But you did not ask me for help,” she protested.

Ben blinked. “I’m fine, Pearl. I have a high tolerance for pain, I don’t need your help,” he dismissed, although softly.

She glared with exasperation and flared nostrils. “I know you do not need my help, I know you are perfectly capable of handling it by yourself. But it is obviously putting strain on your back and aggravating the cut!” Accusing eyes narrowed at the man. “You’re in needless pain because you are being stubborn!”

He opened his mouth, then faltered. She seemed actually upset by the situation! Ben frowned, then offered a tentative smile. “I appreciate the concern, Pearl, but I need to do this myself.”

“You were practicing, I know, I have eyes,” she snarked. “But you’ve learned it now. You can do it by yourself—there is no need to keep repeating it. You won’t let me help you in the bathroom, you won’t let me get a book from high up for you, you won’t let me enter your bedroom, or push your chair outside—at least let me assist you here, with this! You are supposed to be resting!” she complained in high pitched frustration.

A disbelieving scoff escaped his smiling lips. Was she serious or committed to the act? It was probably a mind game, and in that case…he was ready to play. Ben licked his lower lip, eyes dancing around before finding hers again. A smirk stretched. “Alright. If you’re so determined to help me, help me transfer to the couch one last time.”

He expected her to hesitate a little. But it wasn’t a mind game for her, and if he wasn’t borderline paranoid about sirens he would have seen it: Pearl just didn’t like to see him in pain.

So she immediately sprang into action. She stood right next to him, arm held out. “I think if you hang on to my neck, I can help move you.”

Ben thought it was a terrible plan, but he would go along with it, if only to show her that she didn’t get to control his behavior. “Okay. Just don’t drop me,” he warned with a hint of sourness.

He draped one arm around her neck, and used the other to push himself off the chair. At the same time, Pearl hooked her arm under his legs, at the knees, and lifted them. Ben pulled himself toward the couch and Pearl tried to carry his legs in the same direction. It would have worked perfectly, if not for the fact that Pearl’s own legs were not very stable or strong yet. She couldn’t support her own weight for very long, much less hers and Ben’s. Her knees gave out and, to save them from crumbling straight to the ground, she threw herself on the couch too, free hand grabbing the back of his shirt.

They landed awkwardly, with Ben’s arm around her neck keeping him attached to her-- so he fell sideways on her lap, groaning at the sharp pain that flared down his back. Pearl was still cradling his knees, blinking wildly to reorient herself. “Ben, are you okay?!”

“Is my back bleeding?” he asked worriedly.

Pearl lifted his shirt and checked the bandages. “No, it’s clean.” She lowered the shirt again, but didn’t let go of it.

A tiny sigh of relief. “Then yeah, I’m okay. It was only a temporary flash of pain.” He held back a laugh. “But-- I dare say I was better off transferring myself, without your help...”

“I’m sorry,” she laughed and whined at the same time. “I did not mean to make it worse, or hurt you.” She lifted her eyes and found his face, his neck craning to look at her.

For a split second – and not for the first time -- time froze for them. All she knew was that she was cuddling Benjamin Linus, one arm around him and one cradling his legs. And all he knew was that his arm was around Pearl’s neck and he was sitting on her lap. He didn’t really feel the full sensation of her touch on his legs – he only felt a pale imitation of it, a faint brush – but oh, he was very aware of everything else.

They felt like they stared at each other for ages, both too awkward and too smitten to move. But in reality it took Ben about five seconds before he hurriedly pulled his arm back and shuffled away from her, and Pearl followed suit by jumping to her feet.

He cleared his throat. “You don’t have to worry, you didn’t hurt me,” strained words fell out of his mouth, a tight smile appearing and vanishing almost instantly.

She sighed in relief. “I’m terribly glad for that. I should have listened to you. I’ll—leave you in peace.”

As he watched her disappear into Alex’s room – and his heart regained a normal rhythm after racing like crazy – suspicion started to creep into Ben’s thoughts. What was Pearl playing at now? He was more or less trapped in that chair, and she was getting far too close. She could have really hurt him if she wanted to, and she could have made it look like an accident. What would happen if she got mad at him and he couldn’t run to get a gun? God, he hated that constant feeling of uncertainty, of not knowing where he stood with her, and of the utter helplessness of not being able to use his legs!

He threw the wheelchair a sulking look, feeling more defensive than ever.

***

Later that night, Pearl could sense his piercing eyes on her—not just observing, but judging, with a general sour demeanor to him.

“Is something bothering you?” the siren questioned with a lilt of amusement.

Your presence, he swallowed the nasty words. Instead he flashed a curt smile that didn’t reach his eyes. “This is a bit of an adjustment.”

“The chair, or me?”

He held her gaze, reaffirming his power. “Both. It’s not terribly reassuring to be confined to a wheelchair when I have a siren staying at my house,” he drawled.

“You still don’t trust that I won’t harm you,” she came to the obvious conclusion. Ben simply shrugged in agreement, and she let out a short hum. Pearl wasn’t mad at him; in fact, she thought it would be reckless – and even insulting -- if he wasn’t a little wary of her. She was wary of him too. “Time will show you that I stick to my promises, Benjamin.”

“Oh I believe that you intend to keep your word,” he said with an edge of provocation, just because he felt unsettled. “But your wild instincts may get the best of you.”

“I’ve told you before, I am not a shark running on sheer instinct,” she said coldly, letting out a hiss under her breath. “I am a mermaid queen!”

“You almost bit the woman who tried to touch your moonstone,” he pointed out in a sharp tone.

“That is an over-exaggeration! I didn’t even bare my fangs!” she scoffed defensively.

“You hissed at her, your majesty,” Ben quirked a brow, her royal title coated in absolutely condescending sarcasm.

Pearl sneered. “But I didn’t hurt her, and I would not hurt you.”

“I know you mean that,” he relented a little, wheeling closer to her. “But forgive me for not being entirely trusting of a predator yet.” A hint of sarcasm was there.

“You won’t introduce me to your daughter, won’t allow me in your bedroom, won’t feel comfortable around me in a wheelchair…a lady might take offense, Ben.” she retorted in an uppity huff.

“Would you rather I underestimate you?” he fired back with incredible speed, head jerking side-to-side and eyes widening with pointed exasperation.

“No. I was just thinking that I don’t mind your wariness, for this very reason. But—you believe what I said in the surgical room, don’t you? That I wanted you to be healthy?” He could mistrust her, but it was important to Pearl that Ben knew she cared, too, especially in times of need.

That softened him—because yes, he believed; maybe it was the fault of the anesthesia, but he did believe her. “Yeah,” he shrugged weakly, offering a small smile. “I do.”

“Then please believe that my offers of help are sincere; I…would rather not see you in pain,” she finally found herself confessing, in a strained voice. The mermaid was almost embarrassed to be saying such a thing to Benjamin of all people.

Her vulnerability got through to him a little. Ben furrowed his brows, half-believing her. “I’ll try.” It was the best he could give her. “Speaking of, I wanted to ask you, what is this?” He fished out a stone from the pocket in his pants; the same green gem that Pearl slipped in his hand right before the surgery. “I believe it’s a peridot gem sourced from the ocean, but why did you give it to me?”

“It is indeed for luck, as I said. Merfolk believe that when you charge such green gems with moonlight, they carry that energy for a while, and that can grant luck to whoever is holding it,” she explained, as expressionless as possible. Gifting someone a lucky stone, even temporarily, was a big deal in merfolk culture—and for a mermaid to give it to a human?! To share a piece of magic with one?! It showed that she genuinely, deeply cared about his well-being. But Pearl didn’t want Ben to realize the depth and significance of that, didn’t want him to know how big of a gesture it was.

He stared fixedly at her for a moment, eyes slowly shrinking into a thoughtful squint as his fingertips rubbed at the stone. “You really did want me to pull through the surgery, didn’t you,” he stated in a small voice of acceptance, rather than asking. Maybe the high level of concern and care he thought he felt from her weren’t just a hazy misunderstanding due to anesthesia. Maybe all of it was true. But what was Ben supposed to do with that information, aside from ignoring the butterflies in his stomach?!

“For—our deal, mainly, but, yes, I did indeed. I did not want to see you harmed; you know that,” she looked away for fear of him reading too much in her eyes. “And I’d like my gemstone back, please. I brought it for me—to grant me luck while I live amongst my enemies.”

“And you thought I needed it more than you, during the surgery?” he asked even though he already knew the answer. Ben wanted her to know it too, and to say it.

“Yes. I was okay. You…might not have been. I thought it best you should hold it for the length of the operation.”

He let out the tiniest puff of air – of appreciation – as he handed the peridot gemstone back to her. “Thank you. I guess it worked,” Ben said flatly, then wheeled away from her. He was touched by her gesture, really touched, and that only made everything much more complicated.

Around bedtime, Ben was up to one of his mind games. Now that the surgery was safely over, he needed to test how far Pearl’s willingness to follow his lead would go. If he really pushed her, would she defy him?

“If you want to sleep in the bathtub, that’s alright, but I’m locking the bathroom door,” Ben informed with no trace of emotion.

“What?!” the mermaid balked, squaring her shoulders and pushing her neck out at him like she was preparing for battle. “I am not a prisoner to be kept locked up!”

“You agreed to follow my lead while you’re here,” he reminded, staring intently – and intensely -- at her. Her insistence fell on deaf ears; Ben left her powerless to object.

“Very well,” Pearl sighed with dejected resignation, for the sake of their deal.

Later, alone in the locked bathroom, the mermaid felt just like a prisoner. It made her skin crawl. She was trying to give Ben some grace—the man couldn’t walk, so if she attacked him in the middle of the night he would be easy prey. Hence the locked door, to stop her from getting to him while he was so vulnerable. She sympathized with his uneasiness, she really did, but she hated being restrained in any way. Pearl sighed harshly as she slipped under the bathtub water to try and get some sleep.

***

Despite still feeling uneasy in his own home, Ben slept a little better the second night, probably as a result of his body being overly tired from the surgery and wheelchair use. The only issue that affected his rest was the new, strange dream he had.

In it, Ben thought he was waking up in the morning. He stretched with a yawn, sat up and sleepily got out of bed, only to be jolted alert by sudden wetness on his feet. His chin quickly ducked down and he frowned in mild surprise, watching as sea water covered the entire floor of his bedroom. Tiny waves broke over his feet, gently rocking back and forth, soaking the hem of his pajama pants.

Ben rushed to the window and yanked open the curtains, exhaling with pure shock at what awaited: the bottom of the open sea. His entire house was underwater, like someone dropped it in the ocean and left it to sink. Colorful fish swam past his window, there were swirls of seaweed, and even in the murky blue he could see silhouettes of mermaids swimming in the distance. “How is this happening?” he muttered to himself, franticness growing. Instinctively, he knew Pearl had something to do with his home being submerged.

As if on cue, the blonde mermaid came swimming up to his bedroom window, her body undulating gracefully as she glided toward him, hair floating behind her. Pearl smiled, ethereal and beautiful, and placed her palm on the glass. Delicate fingers touched her lips and she blew him a kiss. Ben felt his heart skip a beat. Then she reversed course and swam backwards, sending all that blonde hair swaying forward. Pearl giggled, beckoned him to follow her, and then Ben heard a knock on his front door.

He was cautious as he left his bedroom, trudging through the shallow water that seemed to have overtaken the entire house. Pearl knocked louder. When his hand touched the doorknob, Ben hesitated; he wanted to let her in, to have her join him, but what about the danger? The house was at the bottom of the sea! If he opened the door, he’d drown. His fingers twitched, mouth pulled in a tight grimace.

“Ben?” she cooed from outside, rattling the door. “Please. I miss you.”

That broke his resolve. Ben opened his front door, and for a split second her grin and her now lit-up glowing eyes were all that he could see. Then the water rushed in. Tons of ocean rushing into his house with full force, knocking him down and stealing his breath away.

He woke up gasping, frantically looking around to make sure everything was okay. And it was. The house was quiet, dry, and his legs were still not working from the surgery. Benjamin sighed, breathing in slowly through an open mouth. He understood the dream. Pearl was living with him, so he felt that she was invading his life; a mermaid, with all of her powers and customs, was invading his house—in the dream that translated into seeing his house invaded by the ocean, submerged, with water spilling inside, taking over his personal space and making it hers. And, when it came to Pearl as a person, the symbolism was crystal clear: if he let Pearl in, he would die.

Unbeknownst to Ben, asleep in the bathtub, Pearl was having a similar dream. It began with her gliding through the ocean, basking in the freedom. She entered a narrow grotto, happily twisting past the entryway, and then a loud noise startled her. Pearl hissed and reversed course toward the entrance, only to find that it was now sealed—by a glass panel like the one that trapped her in the dolphin aquarium. The frightened mermaid swam the other way, traversing the dark grotto, but the other side was blocked off too…this time, by the window of a human house. A strange thing to find underwater.

“Let me out,” she hissed, banging on it as desperation grew. The sensation of being trapped was one of the worst feelings for her. Ben was swimming out there in the deep sea, in scuba gear on the other side of the window, pointing upward like he was telling her to go to the surface. Pearl realized she had a choice: break the aquarium panel with a rock and her fins, or open the window and swim out that way.

Ben was a tempting sight, so she chose the path that would lead her straight to him. The siren unlocked the window with no trouble. The man waited for her, and she could see in his eyes that he was smiling. She flapped her fins to swim through the open window, but it didn’t work; she didn’t move. Confused, Pearl looked behind and discovered that she no longer had a tail: she had legs. Legs, and lungs, and she was at the bottom of the ocean. Panicked, she began to kick her feet, trying to pull herself out the window and up to the surface, but her new lungs burned with lack of oxygen. She reached up, desperate.

She woke up lurching out of the bathtub water, gasping for air and splashing the tiled floor. The door was already unlocked.

Pearl understood the symbolism of her own dream, too. By choosing to live with humans she risked losing a core part of herself, trading in her tail for a pair of legs. It would cut her off from her own world, like she was cut off in that grotto. And, if she blindly followed Ben’s lead, she would only end up dead.

Neither of them mentioned their dream or their anxieties to the other. Instead, Pearl wrapped herself up in a towel and sat in Alex’s empty room, and Ben was getting dressed in his bedroom.

It was his first post-surgery morning, and he was quickly getting the hang of the wheelchair. He couldn’t stand to feel powerless or like he relied on someone else, so he made a point to learn independence right away. Going to the bathroom, showering, brushing his teeth…it wasn’t easy, but it was doable. He was making himself breakfast when he heard a crash, like things were tumbling to the ground, and a loud cry of ‘ow!’ coming from Pearl’s bedroom. The mermaid had only just woken up, traversed from bathroom to bedroom, and closed the door behind her. Ben had been happy to not be forced to interact with her – he appreciated the peace and quiet, especially after the unsettling dream -- but all that cacophony was a tad worrying. “Pearl?” he warily called for her, wheeling himself closer to the bedroom door. “Is everything alright?”

Another loud thud, and a noise that seemed like she was kicking the bedframe. “Yes, everything is perfectly great,” she trilled, and he sensed dishonesty. Ben’s eyes narrowed.

“Did you break anything?”

“No—it’s…perfectly fine!” At least her voice was no longer hoarse, after a night’s rest and the red seaweed bundle.

He threw the door a skeptical glance, waiting by it because he was well aware that it was only a matter of time until she admitted something was wrong. After a minute, he heard his name being called by a small, high pitched voice. It wasn’t one he usually associated with the powerful mermaid, who was always either icy, amused or enthused. Living on land was certainly doing a number on the poor creature, who now often found herself startled or confounded by the most trivial of things—which meant that, unlike Ben, she had no choice but to accept his help. He wheeled up to the bedroom door and placed a flat hand on the wood frame, one eyebrow raising with curiosity. “Yes?”

She let out a frustrated hiss, and relented: “You may come in.”

Well, he had to make sure his house was intact. That was Alex’s bedroom, after all, and his daughter needed to be able to come back home after Pearl left. “Alright, I’m coming in,” he gave her a heads up and opened the door. As he suspected, there were small objects from the dresser scattered around the floor. And, much less expected, there was also a woman on the floor, on her back, struggling to put on a tight pair of jeans. She huffed as she tugged on them, but stopped wiggling when Ben entered the room. He froze on the spot.

“Yesterday I noticed that many of the human women were not wearing dresses,” Pearl immediately explained, with both legs straight up in the air and the pants up to her thighs, pouting at nothing. “They had garments such as these on,” an aggravated wave toward the jeans, “and I thought they looked ever so lovely. I wished to try them myself, but, I did not realize you need strong legs!”

What had happened was, after seeing jeans in women up-close for the first time, Pearl was eager to wear them too. She combed through the clothes Ben had provided her with and found a pair, and proceeded to try it on. At first she tried to stick in one leg at a time, but her mermaid legs were still much too weak to withstand her being on one foot. She hopped around in a pathetic attempt, and landed on the bed. Undeterred, the siren came up with a second method: sitting on the bed, she put in both legs at the same time, and pulled the pants up to her knees. Then she stood up, pulled them higher to around her thighs, but she didn’t realize how much that style of pants restricted movement. She tried to take half a step to readjust herself, couldn’t actually separate her legs properly, and stumbled straight into the dresser, knocking everything down and then falling over when she tried to quickly scoop things up. The mermaid exhaled with frustration, laying on the floor and trying to lift her hips to see if maybe the jeans could be pulled up that way. That’s when Ben called her name, and now he was in the bedroom with her.

Ben blinked a few times, disconcerted but amused. “I’ll go get Isabel to help, if you’d like,” he offered.

“No, thank you; she can’t stand me, and I am not very fond of her either,” Pearl refused with a wry smile, then she sighed. “Can you help me stand up? I cannot bend my legs at all with these where they are now.”

A hesitant nod and a vacant face. Being close to a woman who had her pants down wasn’t the most appropriate thing, but Ben supposed it was alright under the highly unusual circumstances. She was right that Isabel didn’t like her, and Isabel was the only woman who knew the truth about Pearl. Help had to come from Ben, and of course he was going to be very respectful about it. It was more chivalrous to assist her than to leave her on the floor, he thought. At least she had underwear on this time, unlike when she transformed from tailed-mermaid to legged-woman right in front of him. He maneuvered the wheelchair toward her and held out both hands. “How did you end up on the ground?”

She took his hands and felt her weight being lifted by Ben’s easy pull. The healing cut on his back only hurt a little when he did that. “I had this garment around my thighs, but I was too close to the bed. I tried to take a step forward and realized that my legs were restrained together as one. I bumped the dresser, then fell when I tried to gather everything.”

He held back a laugh, but a little bemused grin still came through. “Did you hurt yourself?”

“Not at all, but thank you,” she smiled graciously. The mermaid thought it was a good idea to hang on to his shoulder for balance, while using the other hand to pull up her pants. Ben could instantly tell it was a precarious situation that would soon lead to another fall: nobody could pull up tight jeans with only one hand, especially without practice. He sighed with vague annoyance, then moved to grudgingly hold her in place. With each hand on one side of her ribs, he made sure she wouldn’t teeter. She nodded in thanks again, and used both free hands to finally pull the pair of jeans all the way up.

It was funny to watch her square off with the button and zipper. Pearl analyzed them, fumbled with them, stole a glance at Ben’s own pants. She was quick to figure out the button went through the hole, but the zipper tripped her up a little more. Ben just watched, the semblance of a smile on his lips. She finally pulled it up, realized it worked that way, and beamed full of pride.

He let go of her and looked at her new clothes; he couldn’t help admire how the jeans hugged her shapely long legs and her hips.

“They’re called pants,” Ben absently informed her. “With that particular material, jean pants, or just jeans. As I’m sure you figured out by now-- never try to walk unless they’re in proper place,” he advised, knowing her legs weren’t capable of handling much.

“Thank you. Hmm, they’re—hmm. Odd to move in, aren’t they?” the mermaid shifted around, lifting her knees and turning her feet.

He agreed with a light chuckle. Ben favored lighter fabrics than jeans for his pants, especially on the Island. “You’ll figure out your clothing preferences after you spend a little more time here on land, I’m sure.”

***

Ben woke up first the following morning, and again he had to rouse the underwater sleeping beauty.

The bathroom was a little narrow for the wheelchair, but luckily it fit, and Ben had already learned how to do things by himself in there. He was a fast learner, especially when he was extra motivated by a need to not feel helpless or dependent on anybody. So, maneuvering the chair, using the toilet, showering, and dressing himself? He had the hang of it.

The hardest part of the routine was actually removing the sleeping mermaid from her watery bedchambers.

“This is urine-related, isn’t it?” she grumbled sleepily, but still quick as a whip. Pearl had only just learned about the human way of peeing the day before, and she was already extrapolating that knowledge to other situations.

He let out a vaguely disgruntled sigh. “You can’t ask people about that…”

“I’m not asking people, I am asking Benjamin. You understand why I must ask questions,” she pointed out, looking up at him with blurry eyes.

“Yeah, but--- don’t go around asking people about private habits, okay?” Or do; they will find you more off-putting that way.

“Okay,” she shrugged, and curled up to sleep again.

Ben fought the urge to roll his eyes. “Pearl?” he called her again. “Yes it’s about that,” he said through gritted teeth. “Please leave.”

“Why can’t you do it while I’m here? Is this you humans being squeamish about nudity again?” she protested. All the siren wanted was to rest.

God, how could he explain this to her? “It’s—yeah, somewhat. It’s just-- not an appropriate thing to do in front of others. It’s private.”

“You’ve seen me naked, that is not a problem.” A nonchalant shrug.

“Wha-” he stammered, then huffed at her. “I did no such thing!” Ben would never! He only caught a quick glimpse before he averted his eyes!

“I was naked right in front of you. If you didn’t see me, it is because you chose to look away.”

“Of course I looked away!”

“You didn’t have to. I do not care if you see my nude body or not.” She only cared when it was one of those creepy humans who couldn’t keep their hands to themselves. But Ben? Ben was respectful, so she didn’t mind undressing around him. “But what I’m getting at is: I can look away as well, now. I’m not even looking at you to begin with, I’m sleeping—or attempting to, if you’ll leave me in peace.”

“Pearl, get out of my bathroom!” Ben demanded more forcefully, almost harshly, but more out of a sense of urgency than any real impatience with her. The siren hissed in prim complaint.

“Can we build a bathtub in Alex’ bedroom for me?” she sulked as she grabbed onto his wheelchair for help standing up.

“No. Sorry, I wish we could, but that’s not doable,” he answered in a bit of a rush. As the huffing mermaid got out of the bathtub, he looked into it: it was filled with water, of course, but there was a new addition: it was full of seaweed. There were light green pieces floating gently in the water, and thicker, dark green ones hanging off the tub sides like adornments. “Pearl!” he gasped, exasperated. “You can’t put seaweed in my tub!”

“Oh now I cannot even make my sleeping environment more pleasant?” she muttered under her breath. “Do you want me to leave, or do you wish to discuss my seaweed decorations?” the mermaid asked with uppity sarcasm.

“Please leave. We’ll talk later,” he insisted with a scoff.

She left, but not without grumbling more. “You lock me in here overnight, you wake me up, you forbid me from decorating…”

Ben closed his eyes and sighed deeply after she left, locking the door behind her.

Later in the day he was sitting on the couch after transferring himself from the wheelchair to the cushions, something he was already excelling at. He could see the mermaid’s eyes were curiously on the wheelchair, like it still held some fascination for her. Slowly, like she was trying to sneak in, she tip-toed to it and wordlessly took a seat. She thought Ben would say no if she asked outright.

He decided to watch what she might do. It seemed that, like always, she was merely curious to try out human things. Pearl carefully put her feet up on the footplates, gripped the push ring of the side wheels and tried to imitate the gestures she saw Ben doing to move the chair. The wheels spun, and she let out a gleeful little mutter.

The mermaid rolled the wheelchair around, but not well; the movements were jarring, and she could only go straight. She bumped into an armchair.

Ben held back a smile. Honestly, it took him a couple of tries to make the chair move completely smoothly, so he wasn’t judging her mistakes. There was just something endearing about her love for trying new things. She managed a wide circle, then drove right into the dining table.

“Pearl, it’s not a toy,” he finally spoke up, though with an undertone of amusement. “It’s a serious equipment, you can’t be bumping it into furniture.”

“Apologies. But—grant me one more moment, I am getting used to it!” And she was. Pearl managed to make a clean turnaround, and she wheeled herself back to the couch. With a victorious grin, she leapt to her feet and curtsied. Ben let out a soft snicker.

***

Whenever Jack came to check on Ben, it was under the influence of Pearl’s song. Ben told her it was unnecessary: Jack had agreed to it. But she wanted to be sure the doctor would do it to the best of his abilities. And who was Ben to deny her request for extra care for him? He liked how invested in his health she had become.

So whenever Jack arrived she would sing to the doctor, convincing him to change the bandages on Ben’s surgical wound and treat the infection. Ben, of course, had his ears plugged, and watched the exchange with a focused gaze so that he could read Jack’s lips and understand any necessary instructions.

Right before Jack left, every day, Pearl would tell him to forget that she was there singing to him.

Because Ben’s surgery went off without a hitch or interruptions, the infection wasn’t very severe. Just a couple rounds of antibiotics and he could feel his legs starting to work again.

On the fourth day Ben was actually looking forward to the visit, because things were getting brighter. Since he woke up that morning, he felt his legs changing. They tingled more intensely, and responded with ease. Much of the sensation had returned to them! They were just a little weak from not being used for three days. Although he needed a cane to help him balance, he was elated that he could already walk! Like he predicted, the infection was easy to treat. He was disappointed that it took a few days, though. Why didn’t the Island heal him faster?

Pearl – who woke up soon after him – was the first person to see Ben as he emerged from his bedroom taking tentative steps with a cane. She gasped with delight. “You are walking!”

“I am,” he smiled at her. Pearl could be a nuisance in every other way, but she had his back with anything regarding his health. He believed it now, finally.

She noticed his lack of enthusiasm. “I thought you would be happier.”

A shrug. “I thought I would heal faster. I’m thrilled to be doing better, but I shouldn’t need this at this juncture,” he gestured to the cane, a little sour.

“Oh I think it was miraculously fast,” she disagreed. “I have never seen anyone who gets hurt here on the Island heal faster than that. Usually only those who land here while already sick get better instantly.”

“You might be right,” he conceded, sulking a little. Cuts, bruises, accidents, injuries…none of those healed that much faster on the Island. Maybe he was overreacting. “I am glad to be out of that wheelchair,” his eyes widened, then he smiled earnestly. She beamed back at him, pleased with his progress, and that lifted his mood even more. It was nice to feel how much she cared.

Jack showed up soon after, to look in on Ben one last time. After checking the stitches, giving him another round of antibiotics, and testing the reflexive responses of Ben’s legs, the doctor gave him the all-clear.

“You can go now, Jack. As promised, you and your friends are free to be on your way,” Ben informed him with a genuine smile. Jack stayed in the village for three days following the surgery, four that morning, while Kate and Sawyer remained in the bear cages-- and now it was time to let them go.

After Pearl left the two alone, the confused doctor addressed the leader of the Others. With gaps in his memory from the siren song, he didn’t entirely understand what had been happening.

“I thought you said you would send me home when the time was right.”

Ben chuckled. “That was if you made a deal with me. You chose not to.” Thank goodness, because Ben was really not supposed to let anyone leave the Island.

“You were lying about that, weren’t you?”

“I wasn’t, Jack,” Ben steeled. He didn’t like to be wrongfully accused. “You made your choice, now you have to live with it.”

Jack frowned, starting to think that Ben was actually being truthful—which he was. “What happened with your surgery? I remember doing it, but…not all of it.” The details were very hazy, especially the beginning. Why did he end up performing it?! Was it the threat of a gun? No, he would’ve surely called that bluff…

Ben held back a smirk. “You decided to uphold your Hippocratic Oath after all. Thank you.” With a dismissive little shrug and smile, he picked up the radio and pressed the talk button. “Tom? Yes, hi. I need you to come take Jack back to his people at the beach. And have a boat sent for Kate and Sawyer, to take them to the main Island.”

The doctor was as surprised as he was wary. “If this is a trick…”

“It’s not. You did your part, one way or another. So you’re free to go, Jack,” Ben looked him in the eyes and held out a hand, civil as always. Jack shook it with some distrust.

Later that day Juliet knocked on the door. Like Jack, she had some confusion surrounding the surgery and wanted clarification. Ben answered the knock with a curious Pearl peering behind him. Juliet gave an uneasy smile. “Ben, your tumor…what happened with the surgery?”

“You don’t remember?” he evaded, suppressing a little smile. Pearl’s song wasn’t supposed to have erased the whole thing, just her presence during the surgery. But because she was such a big part of it, erasing herself took chunks out of the entire memory. All three of them – Juliet, Jack, and Tom – remembered different bits and pieces, and sometimes they weren’t sure what was real.

“Not completely,” the woman frowned.

“Oh my, I didn’t realize it was such a stressful occasion for Tom and yourself.” It was a joke, one that only the siren understood. She stifled a giggle. “Gaps in your memory, how unusual…” Ben said, almost entirely off-handed.

“I know I was there, assisting—and…was she? Wishing you luck?” Juliet nodded at Pearl.

“I was present at the beginning, indeed with wishes of luck, then I left before the surgery started,” Pearl lied with a smile. “I waited outside. Remember?” Reinforcing the false memory would help make it stick.

“Oh, right…that’s right.” Juliet agreed dubiously, then turned to the man. “I still don’t understand how you convinced Jack to do it,” she confessed.

Ben and Pearl exchanged a knowing grin, both holding back laughter. “I suppose he decided it was the right thing to do,” Ben said slyly. “Hippocratic Oath and all.”

The siren giggled under her breath. “Indeed.”

It was obvious to Juliet that the pair was hiding something, with their traded glances and conspiratorial smiles. They had a secret she wasn’t privy to—and she wasn’t going to ask. They were clearly in high spirits, and Ben was doing well. “Okay, um…I’ll be going now. Have a speedy recovery, Ben,” she wished half-heartedly.

As soon as she was out of earshot, Pearl burst into laughter and Ben found himself chuckling along with her.

“Our master plan worked perfectly, Benjamin Linus,” the mermaid praised with a smirk and a curtsy.

Ben couldn’t help but beam at her. “Yeah, it did.”

Notes:

Oh my gosh, it's been a while! The holidays and then catching up with work got me really busy for a while there, but things are back on track now! This chapter has been 95% ready for a month, but things got so crazy that I didn't have the chance to finish it and polish it, so it got delayed! I think the next few chapters should come much sooner though, because they're also mostly written and now I should have more free time to proofread them. Honestly, this chapter here and a few of the next ones are kinda...useless in terms of the overall plot lol, but they're domestic and we see their relationship progress emotionally, so /I/ happen to like them!
Anyway, thanks for sticking around for this gap month, and enjoy what's to come!

Chapter 18: One cannot contain a mermaid any more than one can contain the seas

Hostages gone, cancer-free, legs working again with the help of a cane. And so life was back to normal—but of course, for Ben it was now a whole new normal, thanks to Pearl. His very own mermaid roommate.

Some of his daily habits had to change, to adapt to the presence of the siren in his home. He always needed fresh fish in the fridge, he fiddled with the bathroom lock every night, he had to battle for his bathroom privacy every morning that she slept in the bathtub, and Ben constantly double-checked that his belongings were still in the appropriate places and undisturbed. He even developed the habit of counting the kitchen knives every morning and right before bed--- just to make sure she didn’t steal a weapon while his back was turned. And, of course, he was never really alone anymore…which unnerved him. Those hypnotizing hazel eyes could really make him shiver sometimes.

Every day he would cook her fish in the blandest way possible, with barely any salt, and she would happily eat it with her hands. That afternoon (a mere day after he ditched the wheelchair) they were eating lunch together—he hoped that might inspire her to try using cutlery, and maybe expand her palate too. Ben prepared some mahi mahi for himself as well, though his was much more seasoned, with more salt, spices and oil, and accompanied of a few side dishes. Every day he would offer her more than fish, and she always said no. He picked at his food absently, pondering whether it was too soon to teach her how to cook for herself. He didn’t want to be her personal chef, but he also didn’t want her to burn down his house. And…he supposed there was something nice about cooking for her, providing for her. He had conflicting feelings surrounding all of it, much like he did about her presence. Yeah, it felt nice to cook for her, but she wasn’t his girl. She was a queenly siren, and it irked him to be at her beck and call.

While his mind wandered, Pearl was watching him eat carrot slices. She watched him poke one with a fork and pop it in his mouth, then get a forkful of mashed potatoes to go with a piece of fish he cut up with a knife. He was eating in an entirely normal way, and that fascinated the mermaid. She was also incredibly attracted to the way his lips moved while chewing, and to how he’d sometimes stick out his tongue while putting the fork in his mouth. Pearl’s breath hitched, pulse quickening, but she ignored it and forced herself to focus back on the eating in and of itself. He’d told her that his fish was prepared in a different way than hers, and curiosity was scratching at her more strongly than her stubborn refusal to try new foods. Without a word, Pearl reached across the table and snatched a piece of Ben’s fish right off his plate, with her hand. She quickly put it in her mouth.

“Pearl!” Ben complained, but he couldn’t hide a chuckle. “That’s not polite behavior. Maybe for a hunter like you, but not for a human.” The siren, whose face scrunched while she chewed, simply shrugged in vague apologetic manner. Ben shook his head with faint amusement. “What do you think?” He was actually pretty happy to see her try a meal fit for human consumption. The more she adapted – the more she familiarized herself with and liked humans – the less of a chance there was of the merfolk rising up against them.

She gave an approving grin after swallowing. “It tastes better than my expectations! I like it—more than my own, I think.”

Ben beamed. “Then next time I’ll prepare yours like mine, if you’d like.”

The blonde hesitated. Was she turning her back on mermaid culture if she did this? Well, no; some of her merpeople might not like it, but she was on land to blend in, after all. She smiled. “Okay. I would like that, thank you. And…” she trailed off, eyeing his carrots and mashed potatoes.

He let out a puff of air that sounded like a short chuckle. “Would you like to try these too, Pearl?” His tone was thick with playful teasing.

“Thanks!” She grinned as she snatched a small carrot from his plate.

“I think it might be time to teach you about cutlery,” Ben droned with a sly smile, bemused.

“What, those tools in your hand? I have been wondering why you eat with those and I don’t…”

Ben scooped up some mashed potatoes on his fork, and passed it over to the curious siren. “Well, Pearl, you’ve been very resistant when it comes to eating habits. I thought it was best to let you get used to cooked fish and drinking from glasses before I introduced cutlery to the mix. But I think you’re comfortable enough to learn it, now.”

She took his fork and tried some of Ben’s mashed potatoes, nodding slowly while he spoke. The texture freaked her out for a bit, but the taste was pretty enjoyable. Then she bowed her head. “Yes, I think I am ready now. I like these—the carrots, and this paste. What is it called?”

Ben told her, and then he told her of forks and spoons. She was familiar with knives, having some made of shells or fish bones. It was a two minute lesson, because all she had to do was copy the way Ben moved his own cutlery. Her fingers and wrists felt weird at first, like they were moving in strange ways and unnatural directions, but she got the hang of it fast. “If I may confess…” she gave a faint smirk, “I thought you were holding these back from me because you may not have wished to hand me a blade.”

Mischievous blue eyes trailed up to the ceiling, a small smile on his face. Pearl was a clever one. “That was a thought I had. But that’s not the reason. I don’t think you would attack me with a knife during lunch.”

Pearl chuckled. “I wouldn’t.” She was happy to become familiar with the human way of doing things. More importantly, the discovery that she enjoyed man-made foods opened up a whole new world for the mermaid-on-legs. Pearl decided it would be good to explore more. Fun, even!

Ben had things to do that afternoon. He stayed cooped up at home since the surgery, recuperating, so Pearl had not had a moment to herself yet. He didn’t feel comfortable giving her time alone in his home, but Ben knew that he had to try and loosen the reins at some point, because he had his own life to live and job to do. He couldn’t keep babysitting her 24/7. So, after lunch, he left her alone for the first time since the surgery-- despite severe doubts on whether that was a wise choice.

Since there was nothing to snoop on – Ben left his bedroom and office locked up -- she occupied herself by watching tv for the first few hours. The concept of tales being acted out inside that rectangle fascinated her, and she found that it was very easy to lose herself in the magic of it.

But then she reminded herself of her mission, and she took to the window to people-watch in secrecy, obscured by curtains. Astute, cold hazel eyes observed those humans coming and going, and she made mental notes on their behavior: how they moved, how they dressed and talked to each other, what objects they used. Soon Pearl got hungry again, as the sun began to set. The more she people-watched, the more she craved for dinner any passerby that wandered too close, for lack of a better choice since the fridge was out of fish; Ben was bringing more when he came home. Going to the ocean to hunt in the middle of the day was a little risky, she might be spotted. She sighed, frustrated. Pearl had always refused to eat people, but it didn’t change the fact that her biology was meant for that—so her body was telling her to alleviate the hunger pangs with one of Ben’s people.

If she was going to live on land, she had to figure out the meal situation before she became too hungry and humans started to seem appetizing for the first time in her life. She couldn’t always rely on Ben to provide food for her, clearly. It was okay to rely on him initially, while she was still so lost, but it was time to figure things out on her own, to not be dependent on a human.

Inspired by their shared lunch, she walked to his kitchen and began scouring through all of his cabinets and the fridge.

Ben returned – a container of iced fish in hand -- to find Pearl sitting in the middle of the living room, surrounded by open packages of every food item he had at home. Literally every single one of them. His jaw dropped. He glanced around at all the packages, food pieces and crumbs littering the floor, realizing she’d taken one bite out of each item and left the rest behind. He gave her an uppity grimace, nudging a candy bar wrapper with the bottom of his cane.

“I’m experimenting,” she explained with a casual shrug and nonchalant wave of the hand. “Figuring out my on-land palate of foods before your predictions come true and I snap and bite a person. Chocolates are winning as of now, but these worm-like ropes I found in your fridge are delicious too!”

It was pasta. She was comparing pasta to worms. Ben let out a slow hissing sigh, gritting his teeth so as to not lose every shred of patience. Because really, Pearl had a point--- she had to figure things out. But… “Did you have to take a single bite out of all of them at the same time? This is wasteful!” he snapped, unable to hold back. “You could have paced yourself! And not have scattered them all over the floor!”

She sniffed an olive and recoiled with a disgusted look. “I wished to complete my research today. And, I shall keep the pieces I bit for myself for later, I will not waste them.”

“At least put everything back when you’re done, please, your majesty,” the royal title was thick with sarcasm, as usual.

Pearl let out a little hiss of reluctant acceptance; she didn’t like anyone making demands of her, but she was responsible enough to clean up her own mess. “I will, I promise.” The siren looked around herself while Ben put the fresh fish in the fridge, then she sobered, gaze becoming shrouded in something dark as she lifted a box of cereal so that Ben could look at it. “What is the symbol on this box? I see it everywhere on this Island. Or variations of it.”

“It’s the logo for the Dharma Initiative,” Ben explained, a bit suspicious of the question. He could see it was something she’d been thinking about for a long time—and the dislike was plainly etched on her face. His fingers tightened and eased up around the cane that was helping him walk.

“Is that the name of your society?” a carefully phrased question, but the politeness didn’t fool him. Her hazel eyes were as sharp as knives. Pearl slowly rose to her feet, tossing her blonde locks.

“No. They were a group of scientists that used to live on this Island, exploiting it and warring with my people-- but they’re no longer around,” he drawled in a monotone. A delicate way to say they were all dead now. His face was a careful blank; that wasn’t a particularly pleasant memory for him.

“Humans warring with one another,” she judged under her breath. Why were they always fighting, starting needless conflicts, hurting each other? She couldn’t stand it! “So you are not one of them? A … Dharma person?” she cocked her head, squinting at the ominous symbol that was present on all the food packages, cans and boxes.

“I’m not. We kept their resources for ourselves, that’s all,” Ben explained. And truthfully, he never really was truly part of the Dharma Initiative. He lived with them because he was dragged there by his father as a little boy. But Ben always longed to escape them, to go live with the so-called ‘hostiles’—Jacob’s people. They were his freedom from abuse, and for that they had his loyalty. For that, he turned a blind eye to The Purge, allowing Widmore to send in his people to eliminate Dharma entirely. Ben didn’t feel good about that, but it was the only way to completely prove himself to Widmore, and to finally be completely accepted into their society. Even though Richard knew Ben was destined to be their leader from childhood -- from the day he learned that Ben could see the ghost of his mother Emily Linus – and despite his role as a sort of double-agent spy for the ‘hostiles’, it was only after The Purge that he was allowed to go live with them. So no, not really a part of Dharma, after all.

Pearl relaxed and smiled at him. “I am glad. This symbol—I’ve seen it on the bodies of sharks and dolphins, and I’ve despised it since.” She sneered in utter disgust. “I don’t know what kind of monsters would mark an animal like that, but I am happy they’re gone from the Island.”

Gone from this world, he almost told her, but the horror of that tale stopped him. As much as she hated the Dharma Initiative, Ben didn’t think she would appreciate anything about The Purge, either. So he didn’t want her to know—didn’t want her to judge him for the worst thing he’d ever been part of. “Oh, yes, they used to experiment on animals. We stopped the experiments after they were gone, and we released the creatures.” Jesus, was he actively seeking out her praise? Trying to impress her? Ben wanted to roll his eyes at himself for his schoolboy foolishness. Better chalk that conversation up to diplomacy, to making things better for human-mermaid relations as a whole.

“Like you experimented on me,” she impassively pointed out. Ben opened his mouth to defend himself – remind her that he never saw her as an animal, and that he merely conducted medical tests on her, not experiments – but Pearl smirked before he got a word out. “I will consider you redeemed for that, since you freed the other creatures.” Because really, she had finally, truly left that incident in their past, and Ben made up for it by helping the Island’s wildlife. Her face lit up in a way that made Ben feel all warm and fuzzy. “Thank you for freeing them.” Then she paused and looked at him funny. “Have you freed the two people that were in the cages?”

“Yeah, I let them go with Jack,” he said, a tad flatly. He wasn’t sure if Pearl cared about that or not.

“And Dharma…if they’re gone, does that mean you won the war?” A knowing stare.

“We did,” Ben smiled weakly, keeping any trace of darkness well away from his expression or tone.

“Congratulations,” Pearl said with flat sarcasm, wondering if they were kicked out of the Island or worse. Ben didn’t say that the Dharma people were dead, but she could infer it; war always ended in at least some deaths. She stared at Ben, demeanor darkening into something sinister. “But I must say: better you win than them.”

He darkened just as much. More than she even knew. “Yeah. Better us than them.”

***

The novelty of being on land was starting to wear off, because she had already explored every inch of the spaces in Ben’s house that were available to her. So the mermaid was growing restless. When she was alone, she wandered around doing little crafts or singing to herself. She desperately wanted to rummage through Ben’s drawers but refrained because of their deal. Sometimes she was severely tempted—he would probably never know if she took a peek, right? But, if he found out…he could terminate their deal and send her back to the ocean. Plus, she gave her word. So Pearl let the curiosity eat away at her, and tried to sate it by hovering near Ben whenever he opened a drawer.

That afternoon, he was reading a book – a very engrossing fictional classic -- when she sauntered up to him and unceremoniously took his glasses from his face. Ben huffed, exasperated at the inconvenience and her nerve. He should’ve locked the door when he sat down to read, but he liked keeping an eye on her when he wasn’t doing anything secretive.

“What is this?” She inspected his glasses closely, thumbing at the thin round frames. “I have seen others wear it before, but I don’t know what for.”

“These are glasses,” he told her dryly, looking up at her with a steely look. “They help you see better. I need them when I’m reading.”

She required no other reason to put them on her face, so she did, squinting from behind the lenses. Pearl glanced around as Ben rolled his eyes, short on patience; but actually, she looked quite adorable with his glasses on her. They suited her features and her hair, and he noticed it.

“I see worse,” she pointed out as she extended an arm and brought her hand closer to her face, then farther, then closer again. “It’s blurry, like swimming through a whirlpool.” She blinked to light up her eyes with two beams of light, which refracted to the sides because of the lenses.

“They are made specifically for my eyes,” he snatched the glasses back from her, returning them to his own face. “Glasses are personalized.”

“Oh! I understand!” Pearl grinned, excited by the discovery, and stopped the glowing eyes.

“Haven’t I already told you to stop messing with my things?” he sourly reminded, blue gaze slightly narrowed behind the lenses.

“I merely touched it. Other people let me touch their stuff,” she dismissed airily.

His eyes stayed narrowed at her, his stance defensive and his tone a polite hiss. “This is my home, Pearl, and you’d do well to remember that. Don’t think that just because you’re so attractive to people and can charm them or hypnotize--”

“Are you included in ‘people’?” she interrupted with a cocky little grin.

“I--- what?!” he spluttered, mouth pulling into a tight grimace when he realized what she was getting at. “I didn’t mean that. Your kind, it’s--- built to charm humans. You said it yourself.”

The grin widened and she took a step closer, clearly playing a game. “We are indeed. And it seems that we are wildly attractive, are we?”

He glared at the siren, unamused at being the target of her games. Ben knew she wanted to throw him off, and he hoped he wasn’t too flushed. When he spoke, it was cuttingly: “Objectively speaking, yes, but not to someone who knows what you really are.”

“That is fair,” she smiled, face tinged with amusement. The mermaid gently swept her hair back, giving a casual shrug as she did so. “Objectively speaking, you, too, are wildly attractive. But not to someone who knows how you really are.”

That was an equally low blow; he’d insulted the entirety of the merfolk, and she insulted his whole personality. Ben deadpanned at her, unimpressed. “Glad we’re in agreement.” And yet it couldn’t escape his notice that Pearl – a mermaid who despised humans and who possessed exquisite, otherworldly beauty – had deemed him ‘wildly attractive’. It was enough to make his stomach do a little flip. The compliment was soothing to his ego, and a level of flattery that he would’ve never expected from a mermaid, an enemy. He was fairly certain that she was sincere about it, too. How odd that she’d say it out loud. How…nice.

But all she heard was his dismissive comment and cold delivery. She gave a soft scoff. “You really do despise having me here, don’t you.”

“I confess I’m not entirely happy with the situation--- but it’s out of my hands now,” he said with as much civility as he could muster.

“I am not entirely pleased with humankind either,” she said petulantly, then walked away to leave him to his book.

“What a handful…” he muttered under his breath, to himself, then pushed up his glasses as his attention returned to the pages in front of him.

***

Pearl wasn’t allowed to leave the house without Ben, which really put a damper on her goal of observing humans up-close. She didn’t want to break their deal by disobeying direct instructions—so she thought of a loophole: the porch. It was technically part of the house! There was nothing stopping her from sitting out there, sun-tanning on the bench, watching people as they went about their daily routines. She waved at them, asked questions, and more often than not a small group would gather around to chat with her. She was highly charismatic and engaging, but calculated.

When Ben caught her doing that for the third day in a row, he sighed with impatience. He walked up to her, supporting his partial weight on the cane.

“I’m not outside of the house,” she spoke up before he had the chance to complain. “You cannot order me back inside.”

“What a nice loophole,” he said curtly. “You’re spending a lot of time out here, Pearl. What have you been saying to people?”

“Ask your subjects,” she dismissed him with grinning defiance.

He glared daggers at her, yet decided to do exactly that. After asking around, he discovered that most people really liked Pearl—but not everybody. There were rumors that she was a little off-putting to some. She couldn’t keep up the ever-so-charming performance forever: there were times when someone would catch her slipping, sliding back into her icy demeanor or staring at them in distaste, or like she was holding back fangs. And the story of Pearl hissing at a woman who complimented her necklace spread quickly. Good. Ben preferred if they noticed how unnerving Pearl could be, so they’d keep their distance. Now, if she actually started to feel comfortable around them – if she let them see her real charming self, the exciting, warm, curious mermaid Ben had come to know – then that would be trouble. If they were already taken with the empty charm and charisma, they would really fall all over themselves for the genuine thing.

Tensions heightened when she was around Richard and Isabel, of course. Ben enjoyed it, because it was the only time he could speak openly about her with his own people. When they were talking near the children’s playground, the siren saw them from the porch and lit up—it was her chance! She waved enthusiastically. Ben let out a deep sigh and half-heartedly waved back, which was all the excuse she needed: Pearl slinked her way to them, smiling with icy mischief. “Hello, you three.”

“Hello, Pearl,” he droned in a monotone. “You couldn’t wait to chase me out here, could you.”

“I certainly could not waste the opportunity, dearest Ben.” She grinned and faced the others. “You know,” she laid both hands on the playground fence and leaned in conspiratorially, the blonde hair fanning forward and framing her face. “I am only allowed out here because Ben is here too. I mustn’t go out without his company, he said.”

“That’s why you stick to the porch?” Isabel asked, in a mood.

“Why, yes!” Pearl beamed, full of mischief. “He doesn’t want me around his subjects, since he thinks that I am such a dangerous, powerful predator of helpless little humans,” she laughed, and it was an unsettling, icy kind of sound. Ben would have shivered if he wasn’t so annoyed with her antics.

“I see you’re making yourself at home,” the sheriff said dryly.

The mermaid giggled, giving the other woman and the advisor goosebumps. “I get the strong intuition that none of you care much for me,” she commented with amusement.

“We’re just wary,” Richard said diplomatically. “But Ben told us that you’re a guest who deserves the best treatment, so, you’re welcome in our village. If you need anything, let me know.”

She smiled with pure charm as she did a light curtsy. “I have a question, in fact. Did you ever figure out what happened to that woman who disappeared? You thought that merfolk did it, but we were innocent.” A shrewd reminder of how they had messed up and made her pay the unfair price.

“The Black Smoke killed her,” Ben said flatly, surprising the other two by mentioning the creature. He gave a nonchalant shrug. “Pearl is aware of its existence.”

“Oh, my condolences,” the mermaid offered with a gentle frown. “The Black Smoke…well, that is unsurprising. He can be an unruly, violent being.”

“Mmhm,” Ben hummed a vague agreement, but he still had some unanswered questions about Colleen’s death. Why was the body hidden, and why was she near the Black Smoke territory to begin with? It didn’t add up.

He noticed Pearl’s use of the word ‘he’, too, but that didn’t raise many flags with him; he’d heard her refer to the moon as ‘she’, or the trees as ‘them’, the sea as a fearsome entity. As a creature of nature, the mermaid often personified natural forces and flora as if they were truly sentient.

“How do you like living up here, Pearl?” Richard asked after giving Ben a quick glance. The advisor was trying his best to give the siren the welcome that Ben asked for.

“It is…unusual, certainly, and also fascinating. I am getting used to the differences,” she let out a lilting laugh, making light of the situation. Ben was the only one who knew half of how much she was struggling. “Richard, if this experiment does indeed go well, and I learn that I can befriend some humans, I may someday show you some of my magic tricks,” the blonde smiled widely. Then her arms wrapped around one of Ben’s, hugging it. “Our dear Benjamin here is familiar with some of them. Aren’t you, Ben?”

There was a faint note of taunting there, designed so that only Ben would pick up on it. He didn’t react to her touch on his arm, instead deadpanning at her and responding icily: “If you say so.”

Richard and Isabel exchanged a look, and it didn’t escape Ben’s notice. He knew exactly what Pearl was doing: she was trying to charm Richard while also making it seem as though she and Ben were close, to drive a wedge between. He better whisk her away from the others before she did any damage. Giving an excuse that they had matters to attend to at home, he ushered Pearl away.

After they were alone in the winding pathway through lawns and courtyards, one hand holding the cane and the other arm within Pearl’s embrace, Ben threw her a steely glance. “May I have my arm back?”

“Certainly,” the siren let go of him. “Why are you being stand-offish?”

“Because I know what you’re doing, trying to make them think you’re close with me. You’re trying to worry them.” Blue eyes narrowed. “Do you think that you’ll be safer that way?”

“Will I be safer if they believe that I am close with their leader? Yes, I do think so.” An elegant shrug. She’d love for Ben’s inner circle to mistakenly believe that he was too attached to a siren, too, to create some political mistrust and chaos between them, making them question his judgment. “And I did not lie— you have seen several of my tricks, have you not?”

“It’s not a lie, it’s twisting the truth,” he pointed out incisively. “You need to stop it, or you’ll give them the wrong idea.”

“You can’t possibly mean I will give them a romantic idea,” she challenged.

“It sounded like flirtation, Pearl, especially with the touch that accompanied it, and that ‘dearest Benjamin’ nonsense,” Ben said in an exasperated flurry. Why was she being flirty with Richard and then with him all at once, anyway? Clearly a manipulation.

A dismissive sigh. “You said that you can’t be romantically involved with an outsider. Nothing that I said today was romantic! And even if it was—I live here now. Most of them believe me to be human. Doesn’t that solve the problem?”

“No, it doesn’t solve the problem!” Because you’re not on the list. I can’t be involved with any woman who wasn’t chosen by Jacob to join our society, he thought, but kept to himself.

“I was being charming, not flirtatious,” she retorted, nose turning up. And then Pearl smirked at him. “Yet I am not the only one being charming, am I. Why, Benjamin, you told them to treat me well! As an honored guest.”

“I never said ‘honored’,” he protested, a tad exasperated.

“Goodness, you are being so sour to me,” she sighed dramatically. “I saved you by singing for your surgery, I’ve been charming to your people and I’ve respected your privacy at home, and what do you do? Keep me locked in the bathroom at night, throw sniping words at me, ignore me when I am bored.”

Blue eyes narrowed at her and his voice neared a hiss. “You saved me because it benefits you. Pearl, you all but told me that you’re here to learn how to destroy us. Am I supposed to be thrilled? Am I supposed to like you?”

“You seemed to like me very much when your tongue was down my throat,” she retorted sharply, to throw him off because he was making points that were too valid.

It did throw him, enough that he missed a step and stumbled; that was the first time either of them had ever addressed the kiss; they were usually more comfortable pretending it never happened. His lips pressed into a tight line and he breathed out sharply, feathers ruffled. “An obvious mistake that won’t happen again.”

“Thankfully!” she huffed back. “I would not wish to be involved with someone as cold as you!”

“Good, we’re on the same page,” he smiled widely at her for a split second, full of icy sarcasm.

They couldn’t wait to get home and lock their doors to get away from each other.

***

Six days post-surgery and his legs were finally fully back in shape. Ben ditched the cane and walked around completely healed, able to run, and jump, and kick if necessary. He was incredibly relieved to be free of that constraint, and to finally put the tumor behind him for good.

Pearl had settled into a routine too. Ben would wake her up in the bathtub every day, and the two would have breakfast together. Then he would usually go out for some work or meetings with his people and she would spend time out on the porch, observing the humans and talking to any willing passersby. Then the siren would go back inside and exercise her legs, to develop her new muscles faster; she never complained to Ben, but by the end of every day her legs and the bottom of her feet were very sore—the exercise helped. She’d run around the house, climbing up and down the couch, then she’d shower, sing, and watch TV until it was lunchtime, when Ben usually returned. Sometimes he left again right after the meal, sometimes he stayed and watched a bit of TV with her. He was always back home for good at 4pm, barring a special event or emergency, and from then on Pearl would follow him around until bedtime, to watch what he was doing and because she craved company. They would talk, sometimes bicker or argue, sometimes he would show her new things or they would play a game—and sometimes he’d lock himself in his study instead, leaving a pouting mermaid to amuse herself with nature-based crafts like making an algae wreath or a gemstone statue. Late at night, once a week, she would sneak out to return to the ocean and – in mermaid form – swim to her sisters to update them. Ben was aware of her escapades, and they made sure nobody else saw her coming and going under the cover of moonlight. Their cohabitation was going off without a hitch, more or less, although both of them still had some issues; they were wary, and at times less than thrilled with the situation. For Ben it was the lack of privacy, being observed all the time, and his deep trust issues with sirens. For Pearl it was having to follow his orders, being away from everything she was familiar with, and her mistrust of humans. They could get under each other’s skin. He got mad at her provocations, and she got mad that he was bossing her around. A point of contention was that he was still keeping her locked up in the bathroom overnight.

Ben always woke up before the mermaid, and shuffled sleepily to the bathroom where he knocked on the door, fiddled with the lock and entered to wake her up. So, despite her being deeply unnerved by being trapped in there, the locked door was never a tangible problem since she slept through it.

It didn’t matter that it wasn’t an actual problem, though. The principle of it upset her; it was disrespectful to Pearl. For six nights she slept locked in the bathroom—and every day she was resenting Ben a little more for keeping her in there. Especially now that his legs were completely healed! Couldn’t he trust her just enough to not treat her like a prisoner?! She hated it, but she tried her best to be accepting of his rules. It was his house, their deal stated that she’d follow his lead. Pearl tried; with resentment, but she tried…until the time she got hungry, late on the seventh night. Pearl got up from the bathtub with an annoyed hiss, dripping water all over the tiled floor. She quickly dried herself with a towel, thinking of what to do. She could try knocking and yelling for Ben, but the idea of doing such a thing filled her with rage; she was a queen! Pearl was above having to beg a captor to let her eat, she would not put herself in such a lowly situation! The mermaid was willing to put up with a lot, but she would not give Benjamin all of her power. She’d rather starve.

Spurred by spite and prideful anger, she decided to break down the door to go raid the kitchen for a midnight snack. It would serve Ben right for treating a queen in such inhuman manner, like she was an untamed beast! She clasped the door handle, prepared to yank it---

Click. It simply turned open with no resistance. It wasn’t locked at all.

She gaped at it, bewildered. Did he forget to lock it? No, she heard the lock turning when Ben left! Just like every night! And it was locked every night! …Wasn’t it? Thinking back on it, Pearl never actually tried to get out before, she simply took Ben at his word when he told her that he would lock her up. Her brows furrowed, hazel eyes narrowing in pure suspicion. The mermaid realized – with frustration and certain mixed feelings – that Ben lied to her.

Would she leave it alone? No, of course not—because how dare he? Forgetting all about her late-night snack, she marched to Ben’s bedroom with clumsy damp footsteps and repeatedly banged on the door.

Ben woke up startled, mind racing out of its foggy state to become alert. Someone was knocking, and rather angrily: probably Pearl. Probably angry because she found out that the bathroom was unlocked. A sleepy smirk stretched over his face. “Alright, hold on,” he demanded in a grumble. He stumbled out of bed, opened a crack of the door and slipped outside to meet her in the hallway. “Yes?”

“You pretended to lock me up in the bathroom every night!” she accused, nostrils flaring. Wet blonde hair clung to her.

“I did,” he instantly accepted the blame, with complete nonchalance.

An audible gasp of irritation escaped her. She expected a denial, another lie—why the hell was he owning up to it?! “How did you trick me? I heard you locking the door every time!”

An impassive, shameless shrug. “I pretended to, but I was only fiddling with the lock to make noise.”

A throaty hiss of vexed frustration. “So you never locked me up? Why did you lie?!”

His lips turned down like a shrug, he stared her dead in the eyes, and blankly said: “I wanted to see what you would do. If you would break out, or follow the rules.”

It was a trick! A test! A mind game that he was so fond of!

The mermaid deflated a little. “Ah. You were testing me.” Most people would be offended at being toyed with, made a fool of, but Pearl was different. Pearl was flustered, yet equally impressed. She appreciated the finesse, the cleverness, the acting and the wit that it took to pull off such schemes. “Well played,” she grudgingly conceded. “It takes a lot of cleverness to outwit me.”

Ben felt pride swelling up inside; it was plain to see that she respected him for his ploy: her arms were crossed in defensive manner, but her eyes were alight with something sly and humorous. He expected to feel smug once she learned of his trickery, but the pride that he was feeling was…different. Less about flaunting that he had power over her, and more about impressing her. He smiled at Pearl and gave a tilted bow of the head. “I was pleased to see you followed my guidance. Every day—until tonight. What happened?” he asked, not in judgment but with a curious squint. Mind games entertained him regardless of the outcome.

“I got very hungry,” she admitted. “I was headed for the kitchen to get a—what is that word you use for in-between meals? A snack.”

Ah. So it wasn’t ideal that she had disobeyed, but it wasn’t that big of a deal either. Ben’s own blue eyes were alight with humor and a certain level of playfulness. “Heh. I can overlook that, just this once,” he said with a crooked grin, and she grinned back at him. It was a successful mind game, with fairly promising results, and Ben was very pleased with himself.

And Pearl was much happier to have been tested as an intellectual equal than treated like a wild animal. “I’m sorry that I woke you up. But since you are here, would you like to keep me company while I eat my snack?”

“Yeah,” his grin stayed in place. Any sleepiness had completely dissipated. “I’d like that.”

***

It seemed that, as soon as Ben was no longer weakened or ailing, Pearl went back to playing mind games too. Sometimes she was right back to her icy demeanor—defensive, because he was powerful again. In a way, Ben preferred her like that. It helped keep things professional.

One afternoon, he was in the office signing some documents. Suddenly, he could instinctively feel eyes in the back of his head; it was that deep-seated human intuition warning of an unwanted observer. He was being watched. Ben turned his chair over to find Pearl’s unfeeling hazel eyes on him, watching his every move while she leaned her hips against the doorframe.

The hairs on the back of his neck raised, but Ben didn’t let his unease show. Instead, he fixed her with a blank stare of his own. “Staring is rude by human standards,” he told her in unimpressed manner. “You’re coming off creepy.”

She simply tilted her head, a faint smile appearing on her lips. Eyes stayed on him, and Ben knew that she was playing games; a tug-of-war for the upper hand of power. He didn’t break eye contact, refusing to lose.

“How impolite of me,” the mermaid suddenly spoke with clear insincerity, chin lifting. “I merely wished to see what you were doing. I’m curious about your kind, as you know. It’s why I am here.”

“This is not something that will interest you, I’m afraid. Just busywork,” he dismissed, with just the faintest edge to his tone. “Now if you’ll excuse me.” He turned his chair back around -- turning his back on her -- and sank into stubborn silence, refusing to engage.

Undeterred, golden-flecked gaze landed on the red ceramic glass that Ben had on his desk; water, to keep himself hydrated. It pulled a Cheshire cat grin from the siren. She hummed a song under her breath, doing little circles with her index finger. The water in the glass responded to her command, slowly swirling around. An upward motion of the finger, droplets lifted to the top. Then she flicked her fingers, sending those droplets flying at Ben.

He lightly flinched away from them, blinking. Was there a leak? That’s when he heard it: the mischievous little giggle from the blonde outside the door, and he knew she was the culprit. His lips pressed into a tight, exasperated line. So Pearl wanted to bait him? Then he’d have no reaction to it!

She did it again, playfully flicking water at his face, hydrokinetically, from a distance. Despite his annoyance, Ben easily ignored her demands for attention: head kept down, eyes on his papers, expression entirely impassive.

Pearl sulked at Ben’s lack of response. The mermaid was so bored! She considered dropping the full glass on him, but that might damage his papers, and she promised to be careful with his things. She could walk away and leave him alone, but that would mean she lost that battle, and she refused to relinquish the upper-hand so easily. She’d better up the ante and do something she had been dying to do anyway: snoop through the high shelves of his (usually locked) office.

So the mermaid slipped inside the room, smiling slyly as she went around his desk. Ben made a point to continue ignoring her, but he was very aware of her movements. She approached the bookcase and reached up, grabbing hold of a higher shelf. Then she placed a foot on the second shelf, stepped on it, and used her arms to pull herself upward. Another foot on the third shelf, hands grasping an even higher shelf. Then again, until she climbed near the top of the bookcase.

Pearl risked a glance at Ben and found him still engrossed in his work, paying her no mind. She scoffed, redirecting her attention to the contents on the shelf. They disappointed her; there were lots of books and some trinkets, but nothing that she understood, nothing that caught her eye or helped her. She carefully let one hand go – loosening her grip on the shelf – to examine a historic-looking artifact, some kind of wood carving of a serpent-like dragon.

She knew instantly that it was a mistake. Her legs – which were only just getting more used to holding her entire weight upright – didn’t have enough balance yet for her to be precariously perched on a bookcase. The siren yelped and grabbed hold of a shelf with both hands again, feeling her leg muscles strain to hold her.

Ben heard the yelp, of course, and it didn’t surprise him. He’d been waiting for something like that to happen: it was obvious to him that she would get in trouble trying to climb like that! She should have known better, he thought, and he felt a twinge of self-satisfaction that her own hubris took her down. “Do you need any help, Pearl?” he offered with a hint of gloating.

“Um. I—” she tried to move one leg to the shelf below her, to start a descending climb, but she felt that the other leg wouldn’t support it. It was shaking like crazy. “—can’t come down. I think I will fall, because my legs—” she trailed off with a gulp. The bookcase wasn’t even that tall, but it would be an awkward, painful angle to land on. She might crack her head.

“--aren’t ready yet,” he completed the thought for her. Ben glanced up at the mermaid, a triumphant glint in his eyes behind round glasses. “I thought you would have known this. But apparently not, since you climbed all the way up there on unprepared legs…”

A miffed hiss. “Will you help me, or not?”

His face was still neutral as he walked up to the bookcase, except for the hint of smugness in his eyes. Ben stood right under Pearl, arms held up in waiting. “Try to come down. If you slip, I’ll catch you.”

Oh, so now she had to literally put her trust in his hands? Pearl swallowed. He wouldn’t let her fall on purpose, would he? Well—he might, to teach her a lesson. She looked down at him, uneasy. “This best not be a trick,” she mumbled, and took one step down.

The fall was instant. Pearl came tumbling down with a shriek, and Ben’s face pinched. Fast reflexes kicked in: his hands were wrapped tightly around her waist before any harm could come to her. Her back collided with his chest, blonde hair flying everywhere, but his feet were planted firmly enough that he held his ground. In one continuous, fluid motion, he spun to the side and safely deposited her on her feet. It all happened so fast that neither of them really processed it.

When they came face to face again, Ben was giving her a judgmental look. “Will you stop climbing things now?”

“Why would I, when you are so good at catching me when I fall?” she joked, a sheepish smile on her face as she smoothed down her waist-length blonde hair.

First he exhaled in exasperation, but then a small chuckle escaped him. Alright—if she wanted to keep falling, maybe he would keep catching her.

***

Pearl was graceful around everyone she met on the porch, smiling her dazzling smile and enchanting them with ease. With Ben, she was playfully cheeky, as though she had him right where she wanted him.

But everything changed when he caught a glimpse of her alone in the house when she didn’t know he was looking. Pearl sat in a heap on the floor, legs draped over a pillow. Her arms were crossed and she was staring at the ground, crestfallen, like the weight of the world was on her. A small daisy rested in the palm of her hand.

Now that her duty as surgery facilitator was finished, and the novelty of Ben’s house and society began to wear off, Pearl found herself struggling to adapt to the human world. The beautiful siren pouted, fidgety. She felt a primal need to be in the deep, one with the waves. She missed it terribly, especially without the distraction of having a job to do and with fewer new things to explore, and with Ben not being around much of the time. She knew he was avoiding her when he locked his doors.

Under her breath, she whispered a prayer to her deceased mother. “Oh, queen of the ocean, I ask for thy guidance. I came to this above-land to prove my worth— so that I may be as worthy of the crown as thou. But I am lost, and in treacherous company, and I need thy to blow on the breeze and give me strength. Make me as fierce as the storm, as wise as the tides that know when to come and go.”

From faraway, Ben couldn’t really overhear much of anything, he just saw her mumbling. When she stopped talking, he noticed that her eyes were welling up with tears that she dabbed away. She rested her chin on her arms that now wrapped around the legs she was holding against her chest. Ben considered leaving her alone; she was clearly having a private moment, and he wasn’t the best at comforting others. She looked so small, so devastated… something in his heart told him he should extend a helping hand, so he decided against leaving. He wanted Pearl to know that he had seen her, that he was being a good host. Ben cleared his throat. “Sorry to interrupt…” he drawled. “Is everything alright?”

“Why are you asking? You’ve made clear my presence is unwelcome,” she fired at him, because although they’d shared pleasant moments together, Ben could still sulk or get irritated with her presence a lot.

He made a face. “I’m trying here, Pearl. You’re still my guest, and if—if there’s something wrong, I’ll try my best to fix it,” he politely offered.

She ran a hand through her long blonde hair, dejected. “I am unused to being on legs for so many hours in a day. My muscles are sore, and my feet ache. And…” the mermaid let out an unhappy little hiss. “--although I hide it well behind my charm, I feel awkward, especially around people. I do not know what I’m doing half the time, or how things work here. I knew it would be an adjustment, but it has been a tough one.” She didn’t know why she shared something so personal with him; it was probably a mistake, something to be used against her, but she needed to vent. And not just to her dead mother, but to someone who would talk back.

Ben looked deeply at her, insightfully. “Pearl…you fulfilled your side of the bargain. Nothing is keeping you here.” A vague shake of the head. “Staying here is what you wanted my payment to be. You’re free to go, if you no longer find it worthwhile to stay…”

“You would love to see me leave, wouldn’t you,” she muttered, throwing him a cutting glare—made less threatening by the childish pout that accompanied it.

A wry chuckle. “Your being here is awkward for me too, Pearl. A mystical mermaid who doesn’t like me, who is clearly snooping around…” Who kissed me, but might also try to kill us all later, he added in his head. “You can’t blame anyone in my predicament for feeling uneasy about it.”

Pearl tutted, thumbing the daisy. “I know. But I am not leaving. I can cope with my sorrow. I will learn to deal with everything, and you must too.”

Ben sighed lightly. “Alright.” A pause, and a cautious suggestion. “Visiting with your sisters might improve your mood. I assumed that’s what you’ve been doing, when you go out swimming late at night.”

“I have been, to show them that I am unharmed here,” she confirmed with a bittersweet smile.

“Maybe you ought to go more often. Doesn’t it cheer you up?”

“It cheers me up immensely, but then I am back here and I feel utterly lost.” Her voice caught in her throat and her shoulders slumped. “I do not know why I’m telling you all of this, Benjamin,” she confessed, weary.

“You probably needed a friendly ear,” he said plainly. “I appreciate your willingness to share.” He had to admit that she was being pretty vulnerable, letting him know about insecurities she usually held close to the vest.

“I’m sure you do, so that you can use it against me later,” she said petulantly. Because more than just sad, Pearl was also in a bad mood, which became clear when she angrily tossed aside the flower she’d been holding. The grumpy pout on her face was very noticeable.

“I see you’re sad and in a sour mood,” Ben pointed out, eyes drifting between the daisy and the mermaid. The siren let out a defensive hiss, not enjoying the callout. Ben stared at her in a full deadpan and droned: “Who’s being a pufferfish now?”

Her attitude changed in slow motion. First the pout smoothed, she blinked at him with a blank face, a snort escaped her lips, and then Pearl cracked up laughing. His remark was a delightful callback to when she accused him of being too defensive. “Very well,” she said amidst a laugh. “I shall retract my defensive spikes.”

Ben chuckled. “That’s good to hear. Um, Pearl, I was on my way out, to a meeting.”

“Oh! Please, don’t let me keep you,” she gestured for him to leave.

“Are you sure you’ll be alright on your own?” He didn’t mean the question in a ‘will my presence comfort you?’ type of way – though deep down he would like to believe that it might. He meant it in a ‘will my home and my people be safe if I leave a sullen siren all on her own?’

She nodded politely. “Indeed. I would not mind your company, but solitude will give me a good chance to clear my mind.” It was a lie: Pearl wasn’t craving solitude. She’d rather he stay, but she wouldn’t dare tell him that.

“Then I’ll see you for dinner.” Hesitantly, he grabbed the discarded daisy and offered it back to her, as a gesture of peace and to cheer her up. Pearl reached out slowly, as if deliberating, until she finally took the small white flower with the dainty petals from him. She smiled sadly, as if saying thanks. Ben said goodbye with a slow nod and a faint smile.

Left alone in her downcast, bored, emotionally spent state, Pearl searched the house for something to occupy her time with and hopefully cheer herself up.

When Ben returned home, her mood was suspiciously lifted. The mermaid rushed to him at the door and launched into a weird, enthusiastic tirade about how much she enjoyed the bubbles that detergent made. Then she seemed to catch herself. “Goodness, Benjamin, I’m blabbing at you in a manner I find reckless, yet I cannot seem to will myself to stop,” Pearl frowned, then giggled softly.

Ben studied her closely: she was flushed, swaying back and forth a little, and giggling far too much. It was obvious that she was a bit drunk. He held back a smirk. “Pearl, what did you drink?”

“Grape juice from thy pantry! I found a bottle and recalled how thoroughly I enjoy mango juice, so I tried it and it is of such delicious flavor!” the mermaid waved both hands in excitement. “Ohh oh and I found two more bottles, so I drank them as well-too!”

He didn’t even need to see the three empty wine bottles tucked behind the couch to know what had happened.

“You’re drunk,” he plainly informed her.

“You’re drunk!” Pearl fired back, insulted.

Ben let out a bit of a snicker. “That’s not an insult. It means that you drank too much alcohol, and it’s affecting your brain. Temporarily.” Funny how she reverted back to the medieval speech patterns, except now it was mingled with modern vernacular too.

Pearl gasped, covering her mouth with a delicate hand. “Alcohol?! As in the rum of pirates and the vodka of Russian sailors?” Ben nodded, and she was horrified. “No! But--- oh! Grape juice does that? I—noticed that my mind was changing, but I did not know—oh.”

“You didn’t drink grape juice.” He was finding it hard to supress the amused little grin that kept tugging on his lips. “You drank wine, an alcoholic beverage. It’s made with grapes, but it’s not juice,” he explained with a quick shake of the head. The photo of a grape cluster on the bottle label must have tricked her.

“So I’m drunk?” she repeated in disbelief, having trouble letting it sink it. She was too careful to choose to be drunk in front of a human, this was a disaster!

“I’m afraid so,” Ben nodded solemnly, for her sake.

“I’m drunk,” she said again, dejectedly. “And you’re—” Her bleary eyes found Ben’s and she reached out to touch the tip of his nose with her index finger. “You’re cute.”

He deadpanned completely at that, then stared blankly at her, but he couldn’t deny the way his heart skipped a beat. “Thank you.”

She let out a dramatic sigh and threw herself on the couch, hand on her forehead. “I’m dizzy. And I… recall some sailors becoming very difficult and belligerent when they over-indulged in alcohol. Am I like that? I do not notice that I am, but perhaps the sailors didn’t notice either.” Pearl frowned, concerned. She had a royal image to uphold!

Ben chuckled. “You’re not. You’re not that drunk. You should get some food to soak up the alcohol, maybe some sleep, and you’ll be in top shape again.” She stared at him in silence, nodding but not moving. He realized he would have to spring into action in her place. Ben let out a scoff that was mostly amusement-tinged, and offered a hand to help her up. “I’ll prepare you something, if you’d like.”

Pearl stared warily at the outstretched hand; for a moment, all of the memories from being locked up and experimented on flashed in her mind, as did centuries of hatred toward humans. Her eyes suddenly flashed that golden beam of light, illuminating the living room and making Ben flinch slightly. But the mermaid had gotten to know him better, and she liked him well enough most of the time; sometimes she even liked him too much. She finally reached out and curled her fingers around his hand, then let her weight be pulled by him as he pried her to her feet. “Yes, please,” she finally answered about dinner.

He gave one nod of acknowledgment. “Let’s get you lying down first, alright?” Ben kept an arm hovering around her in case she was too drunk to walk, but she made it to the bed with relative ease. He led her there, figuring it was a good opportunity to try to get her used to sleeping on a mattress instead of in a bathtub, if only to make their morning schedules less conflicting. She sat down, the glowing golden eyes still staring at him in a manner that both unnerved and fascinated Ben. “I—” he swallowed, a tad disconcerted by her display of powers and the intensity that she was looking at him with. “—will be right back.”

Pearl nodded, smiling widely at him as she let her body drop onto the pillows. “Thy bedchamber is spinning,” she giggled, half-yelling so Ben would hear her.

He was still by the door, so he heard plenty. He blew out a chuckle; she was rather cute. It wasn’t even his room, it was Alex’s. “It’ll pass. Just rest.”

He decided to make her an effective hangover cure. Ben was not someone who enjoyed getting overly drunk—he was much too careful for that, and he’d hate to lose control in such a way, blabbing too much or making a fool of himself, unable to keep his real emotions behind a mask. And aside from that, he grew up with an alcoholic father, so he was extra mindful of the dangers – and horrors -- of excessive drinking. It was only in his adolescence that he had twice or thrice drank more than he should have, and then never again.

He did enjoy some whisky, a glass of wine or a can of beer here and there as an adult, but always in moderation. As he cracked an egg on a skillet, he remembered being a kid and having to make breakfast for himself because his father was passed out, then learning hangover cures for his father. Not that they helped much. He briefly thought of drunk Roger Linus – angry, bitter, violent – and gave a silent thanks that Pearl was a much more pleasant kind of drunk: giggly, warm, and endearing. Taking care of her didn’t bother him.

A few strips of bacon were thrown in with the eggs, for extra grease and flavor. He poured her a glass of Dharma-branded electrolyte beverage for hydration, then arranged the plate, cutlery and glass on a serving tray with half a banana. Ben brought the tray to Pearl in the bedroom, and by that time her eyes had resumed a human-like appearance, no longer shining like a beacon in the dark.

“It’s eggs and bacon, and a banana. I know it’s not fish, but they will help soak up the alcohol. Trust me, you’ll feel better in the morning if you eat these,” he put the tray on the bed and the plate in her hands, and made sure she was holding steady before he let go.

“Trust you…” she slurred, like the notion was a dangerous one.

“It’s just food, Pearl. I’ve been feeding you for a while now, haven’t I?” he reminded, to coax her.

The mermaid scrunched up her face, nodded, and took a bite out of her dinner.

Ben silently watched her eat for a little bit; she seemed to be enjoying it, thankfully with no nausea yet. While he observed, he was greeted by a dark idea brewing in his mind. Drunken people were known for talking too much, with no discretion or discernment, spilling secrets they wouldn’t otherwise share. There was still a lot about Pearl and the merfolk that Ben needed to learn, for the safety of his people. Strategically speaking, it would be silly to let the opportunity pass. So he decided to take advantage of her intoxicated state to see if he might get her talking. He’d start off easy, just to confirm something.

“Pearl, why are you really here? On land? I know it hasn’t been easy for you.”

“I told—you! To observe and learn if I have the need to stop humans,” she said after a mouthful of eggs.

“Right…” he said faintly. So she had been truthful, if vague, about her motivations. He needed to dig deeper, and for that he changed tactics. “Would you like to play a game? It’s something us humans like to do when we’re drunk.”

An uncertain squint. “What game?”

“Sharing secrets,” he spoke in a very casual way, like it didn’t matter to him if they played or not.

She snorted. “I am not telling thou a secret.” Careful even when inebriated.

“It’s a trade of secrets, rather,” he explained, mischief shining in blue eyes. “I tell you one, you tell me one. We don’t have to play—I just thought you might like to experience a new human custom.” It was kind of on-the-nose for a manipulation, but he was hoping her judgment was too impaired to notice.

It worked. As always, she was eager to test a human custom, and she didn’t realize he was making that one up to manipulate her. “I doth. Tell me thy secret first, Ben-min…”

“Okay. Hmm,” he pretended to give it some thought. “Richard is my advisor,” he whispered to her like it was a big deal, a precious secret. But of course, it was a ridiculous thing to share. Who cared if Richard was the advisor, it wasn’t even a secret, he just never happened to mention it to her before. It would have never fooled a sober Pearl! But again, Ben hoped that a drunk Pearl wouldn’t be able to see the truth so easily. More than that, he hoped planting the seed of an ‘advisor’ in her mind would lead the conversation to where he wanted it: subconsciously directing her to share something political with him. Making her think that the idea came from her.

“Kings have advisors,” she commented airily, falling right into his trap. “Very well. A secret. Ahm…” Pearl frowned and looked a little depressed. “Not all of mine subjects were pleased to see me ascend to the throne.”

Ben held back the triumphant grin. Because oh, that was good! That was a useful secret that she would never tell him otherwise! And it was something that he could exploit—a weakness, a pressure point that she had and he could someday press on to manipulate her. He gave a nod of thanks; Ben wanted to delve deeper into that, ask why her subjects didn’t want her as queen and how she was dealing with it, but he realized that his time was up, because she finished the eggs and was on the verge of falling asleep. So he decided to leave her alone. But, before he left, he had one more question for her: “Pearl, why did you keep drinking wine when you felt it start to affect you?”

“Because I was sad, and lonely, and there was nothing else for me to do here,” she muttered, eyes closed. “Juice made me feel better. Lighter. Boredom…”

His mouth twisted to the side. An unsatisfied mermaid was a mermaid that was harder to control. He thought about the situation, forehead creasing. “I can see you’re restless in here. I—like your adventuring spirit,” he attempted a subtle but sincere compliment. Ben hesitated, pressing his eyes tightly shut before he forced the reluctant words out: “You can go outside by yourself. I think that will cheer you up,” he relented, albeit nervously. “Just promise me you will not approach any of my people.”

Shocked, eager hazel eyes flew open and she propped herself up on her elbows. The wide, grateful, tipsy grin she gave him nearly melted his heart. “I thank thee, Ben-ja-min. And I swear on mine life.” She kissed the tip of her index and middle fingers together, then pressed them to the tip of his nose as if transferring the kiss to him. “I cannot wait for the morrow,” she whispered as she drifted away, into an alcohol-induced slumber.

Ben was very endeared by her, melted by the intention of the kiss, but he didn’t share the enthusiasm for tomorrow. He simply stared into the distance in anxious silence for a few seconds, then briskly walked away to let her sleep.

Notes:

Oh wow, Ben getting called ‘cute’ AND ‘wildly attractive’ (as he deserves) in the span of a few days? Before he knows it he’ll be happier living with Pearl than without, and by the end of the three months he won’t want her to leave ;)

Chapter 19: A family affair of the highest nobility

It was weird for the mermaid to wake up on a mattress. She rolled around awkwardly, poking at it and shuffling to try to get up. Her whole body was a little sore. But the mattress wasn’t the reason for her to be waking up so early – before Ben, even! – for the first time. It was her eagerness to go explore. Pearl was anxious, too, so sleep was impossible. She hurried out of bed, giddy, scrambling to get ready.

By the time a sleepy Ben walked out of his bedroom in pajamas, the mermaid was already showered, dressed, teeth brushed and finished with breakfast. He blinked at her – just slightly taken aback by the early encounter -- gave a half-nod of good morning, and went to the bathroom to get himself ready.

“You look like you’re feeling alright,” he told her a little later, when they met in the kitchen. No hangover for Pearl, thanks to the food he prepared for her the night before.

“I am excellent! I think I remember all of last night, but—to confirm, you said that I could go out today, did you not?” An eager grin.

“Yes…” he admitted, uneasy. “I’ll give you a tour first.” It was probably better to make sure she was familiar with the surroundings before letting her wander off all alone.

“And…whatever else I may have said…I was exaggerating,” Pearl started on damage control for spilling the secret that not all of her subjects were happy to see her on the throne. While sober it was obvious that she should have never told Ben such a thing! It undermined her power immensely! But, drunken the night before, she made a big mistake.

“Were you?” he asked with feigned lightness.

“Indeed,” an assured nod. “I was overthinking in my inebriated state. Insecurities may have seeped out, but they are just that. Not facts, but my own insecurities,” she very cleverly spun the situation.

“That makes sense,” he smiled, pretending to believe her. Truthfully, it was a great explanation. Maybe the queen’s subjects were not against her at all, she was just worried that they might be because she was insecure about being a good queen. If Pearl was someone else, Ben might have bought the excuse. But he had never known her to be insecure; quite the opposite, she was bold and a little full of herself. If Pearl thought that some of her subjects didn’t want her to be queen, Ben was sure that she wasn’t just projecting some random insecurity; she thought they were unsatisfied because they were. But he was happy to pretend otherwise. At least for now.

His breakfast was rushed; it was hard to take one’s time when one was being incessantly watched by anticipation-filled hazel eyes. When he finally finished, he exhaled. “Alright. If you’re ready…”

She leapt to her feet before he got the words out.

Ben was slow to put on his shoes and grab his keys, subconsciously dragging his feet to delay the inevitable as much as possible. But the time soon came anyway. They walked out of his house, stepped down from the porch, and their feet met the paved pathways of the Barracks. Both of them inhaled sharply; Ben with reluctance, Pearl with excitement. Finally, after being cooped up in that house for two weeks – only strolling around when Ben was able to escort her – she would get the freedom she craved!

It was a beautiful day. The sun was shining, birds were singing, the grass was full and green. Pearl’s eyes were wide with enthusiasm. “I know you’re eager to go off on your own, Pearl, but you must be a little nervous, too,” Ben commented while they started heading down one of the pathways through the grass. It sounded like an innocent remark, but it wasn’t; he was trying to freak her out a bit, by subtly reminding her that she had every reason to be nervous.

And she was, very much so. But she hid it, instead questioning: “Why do you think that I must be?”

“I’ve been your security blanket in the human world so far. Now you’re about to go at it alone, surrounded by people you don’t know or trust, in a world you’re still unfamiliar with. I’d be apprehensive if I were you,” a nonchalant shrug and a calculated smile.

She smiled back, but he could see the cracks. Pearl’s stomach was in knots. “I will try not to do anything terribly embarrassing or inhuman-like,” an attempt at a nervous joke.

He chuckled. “First of all, don’t go inside people’s houses uninvited.”

Pearl laughed, a little offended. “I know that much. The yellow houses are their private quarters.”

“Oh good, that’s a start,” he said lightheartedly, despite the anxiety inside of him, too. Letting her roam was a risk, but one he believed would work out well enough.

He took her to the children’s playground, the community center, the sports courts, and an operation center where things like food division and mainland surveillance were handled. At each spot he’d give Pearl a brief explanation of what it was and how it worked, just so she wouldn’t be completely clueless about basic human things if anyone decided to speak to her.

Then, after what felt like two minutes to Ben and two hours to Pearl, she tugged on his sleeve to stop him. “I am enjoying your tour, but I think you have shown me enough.”

He gave a slow, deep nod, lips thinning. “Hint received. I’ll be on my way. Good luck out here, Pearl,” he said ominously, just to scare her a little more for good measure. Ben gave a half-hearted, stiff wave of goodbye and went off on his own way.

Pearl felt an ice-cold flip in her stomach when Ben walked away from her: the tell-tale sign of excited anxiety. Now that she was alone, completely on her own, she was very nervous. Her heart pounded, but she was filled with determination and enthusiasm too. It was time to brave the human world, pretending to be one of them, without Ben as her shadow. The intrepid mermaid-on-legs steadied herself, walking with as much poise as her legs allowed (which was a decent amount by now!), and headed toward the first location that caught her eye: the community center. What was that all about?

It turned out to be a quaint little place where people could gather and do different activities. The best part was that it wasn’t empty, there were plenty of men and women playing some kind of card game. Pearl, technically speaking, was not allowed to approach any of them. But she was allowed to linger nearby, looking wistful and confused, until she baited someone to come talk to her instead.

The conversations were superficial, but she did manage to get invited to hang out with them—they were all curious about her, and eager to pry a little bit. Questions still floated around amongst Ben’s people; not only why was Pearl allowed to live with them, but also, why were she and Ben always whispering together—were they plotting? Dating? Why was she so touchy about the moonstone necklace—did it mean something? Why did Ben need a huge continuous supply of fresh fish-- was it a special diet? And why did they rarely see the blonde newcomer out on her own? This was their first time catching her by herself, so they plied her with discreet questions, careful not to say anything that might upset Ben. Pearl told the truth when she could, and lied expertly when she couldn’t, always keeping up the carefree demeanor as well as possible. The expert hair tosses, thoughtful responses and lilting giggles disarmed everyone. On the inside she was nervous and very guarded, but she didn’t hate the conversation like she feared she might. Those people were interesting, they found her interesting too, and she even shared some genuine laughs with them.

She stayed there a couple of hours, then ventured off on her own to explore the rest of the area. There were intriguing, weird or awe-inspiring little details everywhere—some she might have to ask Ben about later.

The morning went quickly for Pearl. It was well past lunchtime – she snacked in the community center – when she started to get tired, physically and emotionally, from all the walking and all the peacocking for the humans. Her footsteps slowed down and she considered going back home. Then she spotted Ben weaving his way through the narrow stone paths that lined the well-kept grass. Pearl hurried to catch up with him, placing herself at his side and adjusting her walk to match his pace.

He didn’t turn his head, but his eyes briefly flicked her way, then back ahead. It was always a clash of emotions whenever she approached him unexpectedly: he didn’t want to be around her because she was a wily, deadly enemy, but at the same time he did want to, because on some level he found her presence very pleasant and interesting. And on another level he just wanted to hold her in his arms.

“How was your exploration?” a droll tone. He was worried about the answer, but also relieved that she was finally back by his side; there was not much damage she could inflict while he was watching. Good thing she came willingly, too; Ben had been wondering if he would have to chase her down.

“Very interesting! I rather like the playground,” a giggle. She’d had a very nice time there. “The swings make you feel like flying! Do you not think so?”

“In some ways…” he said non-committedly.

Pearl was beaming with enthusiasm. “The community center is fascinating, there are so many different little activities to partake in in there! And…I spent some time with a few of your people,” she started, looking sideways to see his face. “They approached me, not the other way around, I swear.”

“Great,” he said flatly, glaring mildly. “Because God forbid you simply excuse yourself and walk away from them.”

Another giggle. She knew he wouldn’t like that, but it really wasn’t her fault. Except for the fact that she engineered the whole situation, but Ben didn’t need to know such details. “They’re not quite as vicious and horrible as I thought them to be. You’re not the only relatively nice human.” Not that she trusted them in any way, but they had been perfectly polite to her.

“And you haven’t drowned anyone yet like I thought you would--- I suppose we’ve both been surprised,” he pointed out with a knowing tilt of the head, in somewhat wry manner.

She gave a conceding tilt of her own head, and a dry chuckle. “But that begs the question: if, by the time our experiment is over, I choose not to kill any of you…what do I do then?”

“Isn’t this a peace experiment?” he asked in somber sarcasm. “To ensure our treaty holds up?”

“Yes, but-- declaring renewed peace could look like inaction on my part. And my merpeople might not take kindly to inaction,” she mulled it over, allowing Ben to be privy to some of her schemes; Pearl thought it would help keep him on his toes.

He finally turned his head in her direction, with certain acidity in his eyes. “Mine will expect action of some kind, as well. This can end in peace, but it can’t end on a stalemate.”

What a strange thing to peacefully stroll side by side with one’s biggest enemy, casually discussing their possible downfall. Of course, neither of them was being entirely truthful – there were hidden intentions, backup plans and ideas in place – but the preoccupations they were sharing with one another were honest. It was refreshing to speak to someone in the same leadership position, who understood the unfair demands and cruel pressures that came with a crown or with being the ‘chosen one’.

“There is always tailjoining as an option,” Pearl threw it out casually, as if talking to herself. Curiosity crossed Ben’s features and he waited for her to elaborate. “It has been responsible for the strength of many great empires. Oh, but it wouldn’t be called that for you humans, you don’t have tails,” she muttered under her breath, then raised her hazel eyes to meet his blue ones. “Being tailjoined is when you pick a person to spend the rest of your life with, and you’re bound together. I know you have an equivalent ceremony, where I believe your women wear voluminous white gowns?” The mermaid was struggling to remember the word.

“Marriage,” Ben informed her. There was a hint of bewildered amusement behind his gaze. “You’re suggesting a political marriage between us?”

“Yes, that!” She perked up, glad he knew what she meant. “It’s something to consider, is it not? Marrying for power is a tradition as old as time. Your kingdom grows, mine does too,” she grinned charmingly, not entirely serious in her suggestion.

A half scoff, half chuckle tinged with surprise passed his lips. The idea sounded ridiculous to Ben, but he’d indulge her for a while. “And how is a marriage, or, tailjoining between the two of us supposed to work?” There was the faintest trace of bemusement in his question.

It was simple enough that she didn’t need to ponder it much. “We would hold a tailjoining-marriage hybrid ceremony, and be symbolically bound together in both mermaid and human tradition. You continue to live here, whereas I go back to my home under the sea. We meet…say, once a month perhaps, to discuss the affairs of the kingdoms. With our power and status combined, neither of our people are able to make a move against the other.”

“Clever,” he commented after pursing his lips. It made sense from a medieval perspective devoid entirely of romantic love. “But my people won’t make a move if I tell them not to, regardless of my marriage status. Don’t yours obey you unconditionally?” It was a dig, backed by the intensity of his eyes on hers; Ben was trying to swipe at her self-confidence as queen—especially after that drunken revelation that she so badly tried to backpedal from.

Her smile tightened. “They do, but they will require an explanation if I spare you. I fear my real reasons might make me look weak.” If she told the merfolk that humans deserved to live because they were friendly, well, they might wonder if their queen had what it took to lead. Pearl had to prove herself, at the very least by figuring out how to defeat humankind. “And unlike you, Benjamin Linus, I do not lie to my subjects.”

He bristled at that, getting defensive. “I only lie when I have no other choice!”

She let out a dubious hum. He lied about that underwater station and about Pearl’s entire existence, at least. There was probably more. But sure, she’d give him the benefit of the doubt: maybe he didn’t have a choice in either situation. A gust of wind went by and her blonde hair fluttered so beautifully that it disconcerted the man. Pearl pushed some strands behind her ears. “We can explain a truce, if that is what we wish to do. But each of our kind will be weaker that way. We’re the two most powerful groups on this Island…it makes sense to combine that power. We’d be unstoppable.”

Ben was so taken aback that he stopped mid-step, turning his whole body sideways so that he was completely facing her. “Are you actually suggesting marriage? As more than a hypothetical?” The quizzical look he gave her was almost comical; he really didn’t expect Pearl to take her own suggestion seriously!

But the more she thought about it, the more it made sense. She had her own reasons for craving power, and consolidating hers and Ben’s exponentially increased Pearl’s reach and control. “I am,” she nodded emphatically and turned sideways to match him, meeting him face-to-face. “It would not change anything about my daily life or yours, and it would bring strength and stability to my merpeople.” A pause, and she added: “We cannot have heirs, however.”

It was such a bizarre notion to even entertain, but he was curious to hear her thoughts. “Because it’s not biologically possible?”

“Indeed. Merfolk and humans cannot produce offspring together,” she explained. “If we were tailjoined, or married, we could do the act of mating, of course, but we cannot actually mate.”

“…Right…” he said dubiously, eyes darting to the side. What did she mean by that? He still wasn’t sure how mermaids mated in the first place. If it was an act that could be done with humans…well…how different of a method could it be?! One time she seemed to understand what it meant to be sexually or romantically intimate, and she was certainly a great kisser, but Ben never sussed out how much she knew about human intimacy. This act of mating, was it the same for them as it was for people? He couldn’t bring himself to outright ask her – what kind of psycho would tell her ‘hey do you know what sex is?’ – so he simply let the thought trail off.

“Oh--- we would have to consummate the relationship one time, for it to be valid, but after that we’re free to choose if we’d rather live platonically or not,” she added, not quite as casually anymore. Golden-flecked hazel eyes drifted toward him, then away from him, as if trying to imagine what she might prefer.

His mouth went uncomfortably dry and palms uncomfortably sweaty at that—at what she said, and the change in demeanor. He was thinking of the marriage as a purely platonic political alliance; consummating it hadn’t crossed his mind at all! It caught him off-guard to have her bring it up so directly, with the added possibility for them to not be platonic. Once again he wondered if she knew the connotation of ‘consummating the marriage’ for people. “That’s--” he didn’t quite know what to say, eyes darting about and his palms flat on his hips. “--interesting. I—” Ben cleared his throat, stealing one extra moment to gather himself. “You’re selling this tailjoining plan well, I must say,” he quietly chuckled under his breath, disconcerted and subtly joking that the idea of consummating the marriage was a plus. It was as much flirting as he was willing to do with a mermaid. Then he sobered, looking back at her. “Pearl, you’re not wrong that a merging of both groups would make us more powerful. You may well be right that we’d be unstoppable. But,” his tongue darted out to wet his lips, then he held his mouth open for a few seconds while shaking his head before continuing, “--political marriages aren’t done anymore, in modern times. And it’s not-- not something that I would want.”

She gave him a funny look, smiling a little. “Are you one of those romantic, idealistic sorts who only wish to marry for love?”

“Yes. Most people are, these days.” Ben was willing to do just about anything to hold on to his power, but he wasn’t willing to throw away a shot at someday finding true love and marrying a woman who was the one for him. Too many things in his life were boiled down to business deals; marriage shouldn’t be one of them. Especially when his position of power wasn’t actually at risk!

“That’s so very sweet,” her smile became gentler, then twisted into an amiable smirk. “Not terribly becoming of a leader, but sweet.”

He found himself chuckling. “We’re not a monarchy and this isn’t court; I was chosen by my people.” By Richard, technically – it was the advisor’s job to pick the leader – and then accepted by everyone else. “I can marry for love. And…you probably should, too.” It felt strange to give that type of advice; Ben usually stayed out of people’s private affairs unless it benefitted him to meddle with them, but it slipped from his mouth naturally with Pearl.

Pearl giggled; it was hard to know if it was genuine or shallow charm. “Very well, I understand-- you’re refusing my proposal. No offense taken,” she held out the hems of her dress as she curtsied, smiling at him. He chuckled, lightly shaking his head. She beamed brightly. “I will simply have to dazzle my merpeople into agreeing with me should I choose to spare you all.” It was almost chilling to hear her talk so casually of mass murder, with a bright smile on her pretty face. The contradiction was maddening and it drew Ben in with inexplicable power.

“Don’t take this the wrong way…have you been in love? Romantically.” he asked with certain hesitance, not wishing to offend. He knew mermaids were capable of love—he and Pearl had discussed that before, in addition to her love for her family and nature. But Ben never asked about her romantic life. Love was one of the easiest ways to emotionally exploit someone; if he could learn how it worked for Pearl’s kind, he could have one hell of an advantage over the sirens. Or at least that’s how he rationalized the question to himself; some part of him was curious on a much deeper level.

“Of course!” She was emphatic, but not offended. “I was hopelessly in love with a merman once; we had happy years together, but we were guppies, and we grew apart until one day that love ran out. I still think fondly of our time and I wish him well, but he was not meant to be my happily ever after.” An elegant one-shoulder shrug.

Ben nodded slowly, carefully listening to her tale. It was different from his history with Annie, but not terribly so; interesting how separate species could still have so much in common. “I see.”

“And I loved Spear too, for a time. I still do, but only as a dear friend now,” she added. Ben felt a pang of jealousy when he remembered that the handsome merman had a daughter with Pearl – something to keep them connected to each other forever -- but he quickly brushed it off. Better to focus on the other detail of what she said.

“And now, instead of finding this…‘happily ever after’,” he casually waved a hand, “you want to marry for political gain.” It was a clever observation on the change of her emotional state.

I have more to prove now, she thought grimly, but covered it up. Pearl laughed, a bit aloof in manner as she stared off into the distance. “Why, yes. As you well know, leaders have to sacrifice much. Perhaps true love simply isn’t meant for a queen.” There was a resigned smile on her face when she looked at him. “Have you been in love?”

Tension slipped into his muscles and tightened the edges of his mouth; he didn’t want to reveal anything about himself that may be turned against him. “Yes. Once. It’s a similar story to yours, I suppose. She left the Island, and now I think fondly of our time but know we weren’t meant to be.” A vague explanation of Annie, his childhood best friend and first love with whom he’d shared a first kiss, his first girlfriend who was then abruptly taken from the Island when people were evacuated during The Incident. He’d had a couple of other girlfriends in his life, and he cared for them, but they were more like relationships of convenience and mutual comfort; he never loved them. Certainly not in the real, deep way he’d loved Annie! But, like Pearl said, time passed and he knew for sure that Annie wasn’t his happily ever after either—she couldn’t be, because she was an outsider to the Island now, and that was against the rules. Besides, he could never settle down until his mission was complete and the Island was at peace again; he thought he was there, ready for settling down, until the merfolk started up trouble and then that damned plane crashed, threatening to derail everything he worked for! So he delayed his personal life, again, for the sake of the mission.

Deep down, Pearl’s words about herself hit a nerve: Ben, too, sometimes worried he’d never be able to find love on the Island – especially when constrained by all of Jacob’s rules! -- and it saddened him that he might have to sacrifice that side of himself for the good of the world. He’d do it if that’s what it took, but a part of him desperately craved real affection, longed to experience true love again. He wasn’t going to give up entirely like the mermaid had! Maybe the right woman would end up on the Island someday. Or maybe she was already there, right in front of him, but the thought never occurred to Ben.

“That is the way these things go. Love is like the tides,” Pearl agreed with a brief nod and a bittersweet smile. “Lovely, but mercurial. Do humans believe in soulmates?”

“Some do.” He wasn’t quite sure where he stood on that scale. He liked to believe that his fated soulmate was out there, but it felt like wishful thinking sometimes.

“That’s very nice. Some of us do, too.” Pearl was one of the believers, but she kept it to herself for fear of appearing naïve or foolish. She looked up at the sun to get an idea of the time. “If you’ll excuse me, my legs are getting rather tired. I will see you at home.”

Ben nodded with a small smile and the mermaid took off sprinting, straying from the path and onto the grass. He only saw her knees wobble twice: an improvement already.

What a peculiar, exquisite creature, Ben shook his head-- still awash in amusement, shock and awe. He was almost back at the community center when Richard caught up to him.

“The siren is getting comfortable around here,” the advisor pointed out. “How about you, Ben? You seemed … happy in your stroll with her.” He picked measured words, not wanting to upset his leader; but Ben chuckling with Pearl had caught people’s attentions.

“I’m not comfortable, Richard, I’m being a gracious host,” he chirped with certain impatience. Ben never liked being talked down to. He paused, then raised a brow at his advisor: “She proposed to me. A political marriage, or, tailjoining.”

It was Richard’s turn to let out a surprised laugh. “What? Doesn’t she hate us?”

Ben hummed a ‘yes’. “Apparently combining the power of my people and hers trumps her hatred,” he explained in a tone that was mostly flat but had some amusement bubbling up under it. “I had to say no.”

Richard laughed openly now. “That’s good to know. Some men would’ve been tempted to say yes.”

Ben chuckled dryly in return. “I’m sure they would have.”

***

Days passed, and Pearl’s solitary walks were becoming more common, much to Ben’s quiet aggravation.

There was a large netted hammock hanging between two sturdy trees, with two big green pillows strewn about. Pearl saw a woman lying on it earlier in the day, while she was out observing the residents of the Barracks. Finding the hammock empty this time, the mermaid decided to test it out. She approached it hesitantly, making sure there was nobody coming at her from anywhere in the perimeter before she lowered her body onto the hammock. It swayed lightly, drawing a surprised gasp from the siren.

Pearl crawled in until she was settled right in the center. Huh. It was more comfortable than she’d assumed, not scratchy and rough like a fishing net. She sang an airy, hissed melody under her breath to summon the winds--- which was technically not a breach of her agreement with Ben, since weather songs didn’t enchant humans.

She loved the way the strong gusts made the hammock swing, carrying her body back and forth and reminding her of the rolling waves. Pearl smiled, her head on a pillow as she watched the humans going about their day, weaving through the pathways of the Barracks.

Eventually she spotted Ben walking in the distance, talking to one of his subordinates. The buttoned up light purple shirt, cream khaki pants and the spiked up hair were unmistakeable, even from far away. It didn’t take long for him to notice the mermaid too, her blonde hair shimmery and sprawled on the hammock, her long legs peeking out from it. His expression grew wary and he simply gave her one pointed nod of acknowledgment.

Pearl waved him over when he was done talking. She could see him grappling with whether to come or not, so she waved again with more urgency. He looked miffed and resigned as walked toward her. “Yes, Pearl?” The lack of patience dripped from the words.

“What is this swinging netted thing called? It’s terribly fun!” An enthused grin.

“It’s a hammock,” he deadpanned.

“Hammock,” she repeated, testing out the word. “Please get on this hammock with me, we need to share secretive words. And you have been working for hours, come have a moment of respite.”

Ben frowned, his gaze becoming even warier and more suspicious. “I’d rather not.”

The mermaid’s hazel eyes hardened and she tilted her chin up. “It’s important.”

She really wasn’t used to being told ‘no’, and Ben knew as much. That trait varied between endearing and obnoxious depending on the day, and it was also a weakness he may be able to exploit later. He let out the tiniest huff as he carefully sat on the edge of the hammock, balancing himself; his need to know everything, to control all of the information, was greater than his discomfort around the siren. And if he were honest, he could use a short break. “Are you about to propose to me again? I’d suggest getting down on one knee this time; it’s tradition,” he said in a complete deadpan of dry humor.

The unexpected joke caught her by surprise, drawing a genuine laugh from her. “It is not a proposal.”

Despite the cute laugh that made his heart flutter, her eyes were twinkling with far too much mischief for Ben to be comfortable. “What is it?” he asked with sharp impatience.

“Please come closer.” A cold hand wrapped around his arm and tugged on it, pulling him down so he was lying on the hammock with her. Ben didn’t resist, didn’t even protest except for the indignant huff he let out. He might have complained more, but the next thing he knew her lips were very close to his ear, whispering pleasantly to him. His skin tingled. “I need you to stay calm when I share my news. Promise me.”

His eyes widened for a split second, then narrowed. “That doesn’t inspire much confidence,” he droned, glancing over at her and feeling their arms lightly brush together. Gold-flecked eyes were urging him to agree, so Ben conceded with a short exhale of vexation. “But I promise. You have my word.”

She propped up on her elbows to take a look around, making sure nobody would overhear them. Then she dropped down again, close to his face. His scent was intoxicating, and Pearl pretended not to notice. She also pretended not to notice how beautiful he looked with sunlight shining on his face. “A few of my sisters will come here tonight. They wish to do no harm, but they must ensure I’m safe.”

His stomach dropped. What the hell did she mean that his very enemies would stroll into his territory, his home? He was panicking inside. But whenever Ben gave his word, he kept it, so he took a deep breath to stay calm. “Excuse me?” he hissed at Pearl, blue eyes almost comically wide in his outrage.

“They think I am taking too long up here in the human world. They want me back under the sea, and they’re quite concerned that I swam into a trap with you,” Pearl told him honestly. “They’re protective of me, it’s very sweet,” she smiled wistfully, missing them. Visitations were not enough, she was used to being with them every day, all day! “They only want to guarantee that my living conditions are alright. They would have come and gone undetected, likely without your knowledge if I didn’t tell you myself…”

“Why are you telling me?” he squinted suspiciously, tone strained and shadowy.

“I don’t want to be responsible for an accidental war, should you find them here and mistakenly think they mean to launch an attack,” she explained calmly, brushing off a leaf that landed on his shirt. He was keenly aware of the gesture and its casual intimacy, and chose to ignore it. She left her hand there, palming his collarbone, and he became hyper-aware of how her touch felt on him.

Ben knew he probably had no bargaining chips with the siren at the moment, but he tried anyway. “Alright. Keep them to the outskirts, away from the houses and the people.”

Pearl’s eyes flickered with displeased annoyance—further proof she never liked being told what to do. No queen ever did. Ben held her gaze, his eyes intense and piercing. He could almost feel pins and needles from their proximity, and so could she. Understanding that he wasn’t backing down, Pearl nodded with a detached demeanor and pulled her hand back. “Deal.”

He relaxed and let his head fall on the pillow. The swinging hammock was quite calming despite the predator lying next to him. Ben allowed himself a couple moments to breathe, simply letting the swaying lull him into a sense of peace-- as temporary and misguided as it may be. The two laid there, man and mermaid side by side watching the fluffy clouds pepper the blue skies above, in a heavy silence that highlighted their lack of trust in each other. There was a tense divide, an awkward caution, but at least they were civil enough to share such a close space. Sooner or later Ben couldn’t help but think of their kiss, again, and the way his heart fluttered at the memory was his cue to leave. He excused himself and went back to his own business, leaving Pearl to enjoy more of the hammock alone.

***

Ben always had a plan. He was cautious and prepared, and despite Pearl’s assurances of innocence, there was no way he would trust her siren sisters to freely roam his village—because Pearl’s promises were trustworthy, but he had no guarantee that she’d be able to reign in her royal subjects should they choose to hurt someone. So while his aquatic guest was getting ready, he and Richard came up with a contingency plan: a high frequency noise, appropriated from old Dharma research on the electromagnetism of the Island. The mermaids were meeting in an area that Ben suggested himself, with the excuse that it was right by the water and far enough from the houses: a small stretch of beach that would be deserted late at night.

The area was surrounded by speakers that were used to broadcast emergency messages if there was ever a need, or, more leisurely, to play ambient music for beach-goers. Ahead of the sirens’ arrival, Ben and Richard hooked up the sound system with a loud, high pitched noise that incapacitated anyone who was blasted with it. The men made sure that only those particular speakers would be turned on to play the frequency.

The time of the meeting drew nearer, and Ben grappled with a choice: stay safe at home and send Richard in his place, or go by himself. He decided he’d rather watch the meeting in person, to parse through any relevant information on his own before picking what to share with his advisor and sheriff. It was a risk, but Ben had never been afraid of placing himself in a dangerous situation if it was strategically advantageous for him; he’d willingly infiltrate enemies’ camps, if needed, and he would not shy away from spying on the mermaids either. So, late at night, he left his home. Armed with earplugs, a remote control that would start the speakers, and his trusted baton and pistol, Ben occulted himself behind some shrubs, right by the treeline.

The blonde mermaid arrived shortly after, coming from the courtyard and going straight for the shallows. She was barefoot, spinning her left foot around to play with the water and wet sand. She’d smile brightly when the waves splashed her, with an ease and joy and lightness that Ben didn’t see in her very often. She felt safe there, which of course she never did around him---or any human for that matter. Her guard was finally down, making her even more captivating than usually: an ethereal figure dancing with the waves, free in nature, under the moonlight. Ben was enraptured, nearly slack-jawed; he couldn’t keep his eyes away from her, drinking in every delicate twist and turn of her body, every little change in her beautiful facial expressions--- until his peripheral vision caught sight of two figures approaching from the water, their eyes glowing like flashlights in the dim-lit beach. An eerie thing to witness. They swam up to the shallows, fins flicking in and out of the dark sea. He soon recognized one of them as the standoffish siren with the short brown bob from the council meeting from nearly a year ago. She had no land name, if Ben recalled correctly. The other was a strawberry blonde unknown to him.

He suppressed the urge to curl up his upper lip in distaste. Ben never said it openly, but deep down he disliked the mermaids. They were too powerful and too secretive— the two traits that threatened his sense of security the most. It unnerved him how little he knew about the creatures, and how easily their song could entrance anyone. Most people felt insecure in a siren’s vicinity, and that stung Ben in a rather personal way that triggered his trauma. Made him extra defensive and a little paranoid. But…he disliked them in broad terms. Not necessarily each individual mermaid. Certainly not Pearl—not anymore.

Each of the two newcomers carried a stone – moonstone, he deduced – and as they were placed on their necklaces, the scaly tails were traded for pairs of human legs, and they emerged from the water. That forced Ben to be very careful with his gaze, knowing that they likely had nothing covering their bottoms now. He kept his eyes on the sirens’ faces, focusing on their lips so that he could read them and gain insight into their conversation.

The newcomers bowed to Pearl--- and it was the first time he saw her place in the hierarchy being acknowledged since he confirmed she was their ruler. Ben felt a chill creeping up his spine; it was extremely bold and uncommon for a leader to be the one to infiltrate the enemy camp—but he would have. And she did. Once again he acknowledged little similarities linking the two of them, man and mermaid. He wished he had a better grasp on her motives, but one thing was for sure…Pearl was a fearless, brazen one.

Pearl touched her forehead to each of theirs, as was the greeting of merfolk. For a moment, they didn’t speak. They simply sang together, as a way to feel more united, connected to each other. It was not the siren song, but it was enchanting in its own way. Ben listened, awestruck in the cover of night. He was almost uncomfortable to be intruding on something that felt so personal to the mermaids.

The mermaids built complicated, sweeping harmonies with their voices, in a hauntingly beautiful choir that travelled far and wide. It wasn’t the first time he’d heard it, he realized. Sometimes, when walking alone by the shore, one could hear eerie melodies trickling in. Bewitching, angelic voices rolling over the waves and past the hills of the Island, full of heart and emotions. Not meant to ensnare and entrance, no, not these songs. These were soulful, artistic expressions of the inner truths of the mermaids.

The three of them hugged tightly when they finished singing. And then Pearl smiled, taking the lead. “Things are well. They are no threat to me,” she told her sisters. “They know nothing of my identity.”

“The one that held you captive does,” the brown-haired woman seemed to sneer, from what Ben could tell from lip reading. They were a little too far for him to properly hear their voices.

“Yes, but--- we struck a deal. You know this. I need you to trust my judgment, as I trust that this human will keep his word.” She was stern in her insistence. Ben enjoyed knowing that, as low an opinion as Pearl had of him, at least she knew that he was honorable enough to never betray a proper deal.

“You look well, and like you are free to roam. But we thought that you would be back with us by now,” the unknown mermaid said. Ben noticed that she was much more fluent in modern English than the others he’d met before, and the brunette had vastly improved too. Had Pearl been teaching them?

Pearl carried herself differently, in stance and speech and comfort levels; it was obvious that she’d spent more time on land than the others, and it was becoming increasingly noticeable that she was likely the catalyst for the change in all mermaids. Ben knew that Pearl had a fascination with humans and their culture, and she had always been more daring, more willing to come close and actually engage with a human than any of the other sirens. It seemed very plausible, likely even, that the push to explore was coming from her. She had a silver tongue too, he was sure that she could easily convince the others of her point of view, queen or otherwise.

“I am,” Pearl smiled calmly. “You know that I have not been harmed. I have visited you plenty.”

“Our fear is that they might find you out. The longer you are here, the easier it is to be caught. Even Ben might not be able to keep you safe if his people discover you to be a mermaid,” the first one complained with a light hiss. Ben didn’t like that lack of faith in the loyalty of his people, but he enjoyed knowing that the mermaids still knew him by name. He felt important—and maybe, just maybe, like Pearl may have been talking about him to her sisters.

Pearl placed a gentle hand on her shoulder, to appease her. “I trust that he can keep his own subjects in line. And I do not see a way in which they could ever discover my true nature. I am very careful.”

“With all due respect, you cannot control every situation. Something could go wrong,” the second one frowned, clearly concerned.

Ben could see that Pearl was getting a little frustrated; like him, she didn’t enjoy being challenged. It made her feel insecure. “I know it is a bold move with considerable risk, but if I succeed, we gain the ability to strike a decisive blow against the humans,” she said. Ben’s stomach tightened; he hated being reminded that he may be aiding merfolk in finding ways to better equip themselves to destroy humankind.

“And do you think that will be the outcome of your experiment? Will you decide that we must attack?” the mermaid that Ben didn’t know asked, with something furtively dubious crossing her features.

The blonde queen hesitated. “I do not know yet. I have not witnessed any monstrous acts, nor found evidence of any plans to destroy us, but it’s too soon to tell.”

They exchanged more words, but Pearl moved and Ben could no longer see their lips. His mouth flattened as he sulked.

When the three started to walk, he stood even stiller than before, going as far as holding his breath. Blue eyes narrowed, skeptical that she’d keep to their agreement of staying away from the houses—because she was heading exactly in that direction. She would probably argue that what was ‘close’ by his measurement was ‘far enough’ by hers—another loophole. His finger hovered over the speakers’ remote control button.

“I am comfortable, yes! I enjoy the food. The accommodations are lovely,” he heard her say now that she was closer. “I can bring you near enough that you can see what they look like, but we must not walk too close.”

“And Ben?” the strawberry blonde asked. “How does he treat you? You are always evasive about that, but you can tell us.”

His curiosity piqued exponentially. Ben found himself inching forward just slightly, to make sure he wouldn’t miss a single word. Pearl caught herself smiling. “Ben is—an interesting host. Some days he avoids me entirely, like I am a pest that he despises. And we bicker. But some days can be quite fun. He has been gracious and a gentleman, and we share great conversations. I would say I enjoy spending time with him. But I know that he is dangerous and exceedingly intelligent, so I’m careful. Even though he has been nothing but kind—if a little annoyed with me at times,” she laughed.

Wow. What a glowing endorsement! He really hadn’t been sure of what she might say – he had braced for the worst, for some horrible insult calling him a human monster – and he was rather pleased with Pearl’s response. Flattered, even. In the dark, hidden in the shrubs, he smiled to himself.

The other sirens didn’t like the way Pearl’s face lit up when she spoke of the human leader. They traded a look, and the most diplomatic one spoke up: “I did not realize you bonded so much.”

“I wouldn’t go as far as to say we’re bonded,” the queen lied, because she knew she had to measure her words. Then Pearl stopped, a sudden squint of surprise appearing on her face. “If you’ll wait one moment,” she said, and abruptly doubled back toward the water.

Ben waited, staring quietly at branches. His heart nearly leapt out of his chest when delicate fingers drummed on his shoulder. The man jolted as he whirled around, eyes widening and mouth agape. Pearl stood right there, head canted to the side and an amused little grin on her face. “It is very impolite to lurk, Benjamin.” She had gone around the bushes to surprise him from the other side.

“I—” he stammered, open mouth widening and shrinking, taking a second to recompose himself. “—wanted to see how many of you would be up here,” he finally said, stilted. No apology.

“I should have known you would do this…this is so like you!” Her eyes narrowed, but the grin stayed in place. Pearl was mildly annoyed at the trickery but somewhat thrilled by it too.

“How did you find me here?” he asked, standing rigidly with his arms flat by his sides. It really wasn’t the most pressing question, but he wanted to know.

“Your watch glistened when the light touched it,” she pointed to his wrist, her grin twisting into a smug one. Ben scolded himself for not taking that glare into account when he moved to listen more closely. Pearl, however, was entirely amused. She would have been on edge if Ben had surprised her, but, as she was the one to ambush him, she grinned. “Would you like to be introduced to my dear sisters, or is it preferable to you that you stay creeping from behind foliage?” The offer had an air of teasing. Bragging that she caught him.

Ben frowned, jaw clenching. He dreaded being put in a three-versus-one situation, but he had the secret upper hand. And, diplomatically, this was the right choice, better than trying to run off undetected by the two. Steely blue eyes met Pearl’s. “Alright…”

So the pair walked out of the treeline, heading toward the two visitors. The new mermaids exchanged a glance and began to approach with the attitude of wary cats: curious, defensive, ready to bite. In the dark, Ben could feel them closing in on him, like a pack of wild fanged aquatic beasts. He steadied himself, at attention, and his eyes darted from side to side. Mermaids running unchecked. Rampantly. He didn’t like that one bit.

Of course, they weren’t really running rampant; it was only Ben’s own fear drumming in his head, maximized by being alone in the darkness. He felt that he was being ambushed, surrounded in a circle, or a lamb led to slaughter. The other sirens bristled with suspicion, hissing at him. Pearl held up a dainty hand. “Easy, now. He is no threat. This is Benjamin, who is hosting me in his home; I wanted to introduce him to you,” she gestured at the darker-haired blonde, then hissed the name of the brunette, “--you’ve met him before. Do you remember the human custom for greeting?”

They remembered, but the last thing they wanted to do was shake the hand of any human. They hesitated until Pearl gestured with her head to prompt them to go ahead. So the two new mermaids held out a hand. Ben moved slowly, very stiffly, his eyes meeting theirs as he shook each of their hands. He did not wonder much about whether the mermaids were naked on the bottom or not--- if they were, they cared nothing of it and didn’t mind meeting him in such a state. And, if it wasn’t improper in their culture, then he wasn’t too fussed about it--- though he briefly wondered why the same situation had been so startling to him when it was Pearl. Something about it being her had his heart absolutely racing when that happened. Sure, if he happened to see any two beautiful nude random women, he’d appreciate the sight and his body may well react to that, but he wasn’t really all that interested in looking unless it was Pearl. Well…he might try to deny it, but deep down he knew exactly why it was different when it was her. It was different because it was her. Pearl could make his pulse race very easily. With only a glance, sometimes.

“It’s nice to meet you, and to see you again,” he said congenially to each of them, but only to be nice.

They muttered an unconvincing, unenthusiastic ‘and you as well’ back at him.

“I was just about to show them the houses. But from a distance,” Pearl informed Ben. He gave a nod of vaguely exasperated acceptance.

The unusual foursome walked-- well…Pearl and Ben walked. The naked mermaids wobbled around on shaky legs -- past the sandy beach and onto a patch of grass, until they were within view of the yellow houses. “That’s close enough,” Ben said sternly, and Pearl stopped, then the others followed suit.

The strawberry blonde stared curiously at the living quarters of the Barracks. “Is that where you stay?”

“Yes, in one of those,” Pearl smiled. “It’s lovely and comfortable. I sleep in the water. And I am free to walk these grounds,” she gestured widely to all of the surrounding areas.

“And you do not mind these…garments?” She ran an unsure hand over the sleeve of Pearl’s shirt, then caught the hem with her index finger and thumb, absently rubbing it. Then she tugged on the edge of Pearl’s shorts, eyeing the outfit with a mix of interest and caution.

The mermaid queen giggled. “I like them! They’re fun to pick out, and they’re comfortable enough.”

“And you have been visiting us,” the third mermaid pointed out. “Therefore we know when you are well.” It seemed like they were starting to thaw.

“Pearl is not a prisoner,” Ben reminded the others, “she’s a guest. She’s here because she wants to be.”

“Ben would actually prefer if I were to leave,” Pearl told her sisters, then looked at him. “Wouldn’t you, Benjamin?” she asked with an air of playfulness.

He chuckled softly. “Oh, I would. But I treat all of my guests well, regardless of such things.”

Pearl nodded in agreement, grinning. The new sirens exchanged yet another glance. They seemed to be a little more comfortable with the situation now that they could see that Pearl was free and comfortable, but her rapport with Ben was a little worrisome. One of them was about to speak when they heard incoming voices.

“Hide!” Both Ben and Pearl hissed at them in unison. They immediately obeyed, one diving under a bench and one squeezing behind a tree. Pearl threw Ben a censoring look, not pleased that he gave her merpeople an order, but he simply shrugged and made a face at her, as if saying ‘time was of the essence’.

Those voices belonged to two of Ben’s people: a couple holding hands, out on a moonlit stroll. They seemed surprised to run into their leader and the blonde newcomer out there too; were they also on a romantic walk? More fodder for gossip, for sure.

“Hi,” Ben waved at them with a smile, all friendly. “Nice night, isn’t it?”

Pearl plastered on a wide smile too, giving a dainty wave.

“Yeah, it is,” the other woman smiled back at Ben. “What are you guys up to?”

“Oh, just…” Ben started, shrugging with feigned nonchalance and quickly making up a cover story: “…walking. Pearl was feeling a little upset tonight, thinking about the plane crash that landed her here.”

“Yes, a walk to clear my mind,” Pearl nodded.

“Oh, I’m sorry. We’ll let you get back to it,” the man said with a smile of his own. The couple walked away, leaving an awkward Ben and Pearl behind.

As soon as his people were far enough, Ben closed his eyes in relief and pressed his lips together.

“All is clear,” Pearl informed the hiding mermaids.

“You were almost caught!” the standoffish mermaid said forcefully. “Those humans came upon us by surprise!”

“We had it under control,” Pearl said calmly.

The other one frowned with concern. “And what if they surprise you again, when you have your tail? Or if you are not fast enough to hide?”

“It is what we feared,” the first one clamored: “you cannot control everything up here! You could have been caught! They will discover the truth about you sooner or later!”

Icy, disdainful thoughts flashed in Ben’s mind: Actually, it was the two of you who were almost caught—because you insisted on coming here uninvited. Pearl was not doing anything conspicuous; she was not at risk of being outed! But he kept that rant to himself. He was not getting involved in mermaid business that didn’t directly concern him; watching the power struggle unfold in front of his very eyes was much more useful. He held back a smirk at the way Pearl’s authority was being challenged.

It seemed that Pearl’s mind was in sync with Ben’s, as was often the case, because she used the same defense: “Caught doing what? Standing here like a human, dressed as one, accompanied by one? That’s hardly a concern,” she told her sisters (and subjects), more commandingly now.

“Pearl, please…you must listen to reason…” the strawberry blonde pleaded.

“You are not safe here! Come back to the sea with us,” the brunette insisted, tugging on her hand.

“I am staying,” Pearl said, throwing them a steely look. Then she put on a smile, saccharine and a tad uppity. “You will come to understand that I was right in due time.”

Ben chuckled under his breath, on purpose. Pearl gave him a questioning glance.

“I’m surprised you let them question you that way,” he subtly needled at Pearl. “You’re the queen, so, I’m just—”a soft chuckle that came out very naturally but that was actually very intentional. “It’s unexpected, that’s all.” If he could sow any discord between the mermaids, he would. It would mean instability for them, which was advantageous for the humans. And all it took was a tiny nudge like that.

Her smile tensed. The last thing she needed was for Ben to realize that some of her subjects were resistant to not only her crown but to her orders too—but it was too late. He had noticed. All she could do was play it off and minimize it. “We’re family, we grew up together. They are more than just my subjects, we’re sisters. They debate me, but in the end they understand I am their queen.”

“You should not pry into our kingdom matters, human,” the more confrontational mermaid told him with a sneer.

Refusing to be intimidated, Ben slowly turned to look at her, hitting her with the full force of his piercing blue eyes. “Forgive me but this is between Pearl and I,” he said icily. Polite, but very chilling. “If she can walk all over my home, I can make a comment about her…leadership style.” There was a clear note of disdain in the last words.

The brown-haired mermaid took the prying badly, like an act of disrespect, or worse, spying. She hissed loudly, almost like a breathy growl, all of her teeth extending out and sharpening into fangs as she walked toward him.

Ben’s eyes widened and he took a step back. She was dangerously close to him, those menacing teeth ready to rip out a piece of flesh. The man reacted swiftly, eyes narrowing in commanding defiance. He could allow them to walk in his territory, he could shake hands and be diplomatically nice to them, but he would not allow a mermaid to threaten him in his village!

So he stuck the earplugs in his ears and pressed the remote control button. The speakers came to life to play a loud, agonizing noise, a high pitched frequency designed to disorient and hurt. All three mermaids instantly shrieked and put their hands over their ears, squirming in pain and surprise. One fell to the ground, the other to one knee. Pearl was doubled over, but still standing.

“Stop!” the blonde queen screeched, looking up at him through blurry tears. He pressed the button to turn off the speakers, but left his finger right on it: a clear threat that if the sirens stepped out of line, he would press it again.

“It’s time for your friends to go. Tell them to leave,” he told her with a hint of contempt.

She nodded, then addressed the other two, who looked ready to rip Ben apart piece by piece. “Go.”

“He hurt us! You’re not safe here—”

“Do not question me,” Pearl snapped, her patience with her subjects finally wearing thin. Their lack of faith in her might ruin everything! “I am your Queen, I know what I am doing, and you will do as I say!” A scowled hiss as a show of dominance; merfolk were pack creatures, after all. They had to respect her authority, especially in front of Ben! She could not afford for Ben to think she was weak! Her sisters looked taken aback, and instantly bowed apologetically…which made Pearl feel a little guilty. Reigning over everyone else was one thing, but reigning over her own six sisters was a complicated, sometimes fraught dynamic. Realizing she might’ve been too harsh, the blonde mermaid sighed and softened. “I thank you for your concern and love for me, but please, I need you to trust my judgment. Go.”

They nodded and said goodbye, but this time in mermaid tongue—apparently no longer willing to let Ben in on the conversation. Pearl, still dizzy from the high frequency blast, sat down on the sand to watch the other mermaids change back into their tails and swim away. The shimmery fins occasionally splashed out of the water, until they completely disappeared amongst the waves.

Ben slipped the remote in his pocket and removed the earplugs: a show of good faith. “I’m sorry. She was about to attack me.” He didn’t sound all that sorry, justifying himself as being in the right.

“You’re not sorry,” she challenged with a bitter chuckle.

He stared straight at her, impassive. “Not for stopping her. I am sorry that you got caught in the middle.” He may have an aversion to mermaids but he didn’t enjoy seeing any of them in pain, and especially disliked seeing Pearl writhing in pain nearly on the ground! Ben took a hesitant step forward and put out his hand, offering to help her up. It was a risk; she might decide she was done with the experiment and bite off his fingers instead. But if he wanted to avoid a war, he had to show her he didn’t mean to hurt her.

Her gaze was skeptical as she reached up, then cold soft fingers curled around his hand. But she yanked first, hard, dragging him down with her. Ben fell on his knees and hands in the sand, letting out a grunt, and she used that time to leap to her feet--- feet which almost gave out and tripped her up again, but the mermaid caught herself by holding on a branch.

“I had it under control,” she scowled down at him. “My sister was not going to touch you.”

He was already half back up, brushing off grains of sand from his pants. “Forgive me for not blindly trusting you to be fast enough to keep me alive,” he told her bitingly, glaring as he straightened up. “Are we done here?”

“Here, in this discussion, yes. Our deal remains intact. I’m not leaving just yet. Not until it is time for your inevitable and inescapable takedown.” Danger glistened in her eyes, the threat ringing loud and clear.

Ben’s gaze lifted to meet hers, very slowly as he was deliberately taking his time. He tilted his head a little to the side, and let out a puff of air through his nose while his lips quirked into a smirk. “You must think very lowly of me if you believe it’ll be that easy.”

His confidence threw her. She’d expected him to tremble, but he was holding his ground and challenging her head on. Pearl respected that, even if it unnerved her. And…it was kind of hot, too—not that she’d admit to that. “Oh no, I actually think you are quite remarkable,” she said with a casual flip of the hair, hoping her honesty would throw him off in return. Ben looked skeptical. “I wouldn’t have spared you otherwise, that very first time we met. Nor picked you to house me in this experiment.”

“You keep saying this, but we both know that you picked me because I was the only human who was sick. The only one desperate enough to say yes to this ridiculous deal,” he drawled, reminding her that it wasn’t exactly her choice; just an act of fate bringing them together. “You didn’t have an in with anybody else.”

“Yes, ‘tis true, but had I found another sick human, I wouldn’t have offered to save them.”

His eyes narrowed as he tried to read her. How much of that was true, and how much was manipulation? “Hm. Yet here you are talking about my ‘inevitable takedown’,” he threw the words back at her with a degree of slick mockery, eyes alight with annoyance and fast little shakes of the head.

“That does not mean I would feel comfortable sharing living quarters with any other human! But with you, I feel—moderately comfortable,” she said, though grudgingly.

“I’m honored,” Ben retorted with heavy sarcasm, giving her a crossed look. If Pearl and her subjects really thought that the takedown of Ben’s society was inescapable, well, they were severely underestimating human beings. The mermaids were powerful--- he’d be a fool to deny that. But Ben knew what he was doing. He was a master strategist. Those aquatic creatures would not be his downfall.

Neither of them spoke for a while, each stewing in their own anger and preoccupation. The path back home was dark, and a little too far out for any pathways or sidewalks on that side of the beach.

“Why don’t you use your eyes?” Ben drawled a pointed suggestion after Pearl stumbled a third time.

“Oh, now you would like me to use my powers?” Pearl chirped at him. “You always want to hide me away, but now that it’s convenient, the tune changes.”

A deadpan. “My suggestion was for your sake, Pearl. I walk just fine. You keep stumbling around in the dark.”

“I resent that implication!” the siren-on-legs complained, and then took his suggestion anyway. She blinked and when the eyelids opened up her eyes were emitting two powerful bright beams of light. The path forward was clearly illuminated now.

Ben hovered near her, one arm slightly raised and hand in a loose fist like he was holding something.

“What are you—my goodness, are you pretending to hold a lantern?” Pearl laughed.

“A flashlight, and yes. We need plausible deniability if somebody looks in our direction,” he explained in a contrarian grumble. “Or would you rather they notice that your eyes can glow in the dark?”

It made sense. If anybody saw them, they would see Ben’s hand and assume he was holding a flashlight, and that the beam of light was coming from that. But from where Pearl was standing it looked a little silly to watch Ben pretend to have something in his hand when he was really just holding on to nothing. She laughed under her breath. What an ingenious but strange human.

By the time they reached the area with streetlights in lampposts, Pearl blinked to stop the glowing of her eyes. They went back home, and Ben couldn’t shake off the nagging feeling that he might have worsened diplomatic human-merfolk relationships again, by doing what he did to get the sirens under control.

Luckily Pearl seemed to be treating it like a political game. Her earlier threat was simply an attempt at regaining power over the situation. She wasn’t mad at him, just vaguely irritated at how everything turned out. It really didn’t help her reassure her sisters.

“Do you think less of humans now?” Ben finally asked, a fixated look on her. “Because I used that sound against your friends?”

She shook her head, the cascading light blonde locks fluttering. “No. I already know you are treacherous. And she looked like she might bite you. She wasn’t going to -- it was only anger – but you defended yourself.” A pensive pause. “Do you think less of mermaids now that she did that?”

“No, she didn’t change anything for me. I’m always expecting one of you to lose your temper and bite me,” he said, but with a hint of dry humor. Pearl snickered and rolled her eyes, shaking her head with some amusement.

***

The next four days went by in relative peace, except for their usual bickering.

One afternoon Pearl was just getting out of the shower when she saw it: the door to Ben’s bedroom was ajar. She froze on the spot, eyes widening in shock. The mermaid gasped with excitement. From the day she moved in, that door stayed closed. If Ben was inside, he locked himself in. If he left his room, he shut it behind him. She was starting to wonder if he was keeping dead bodies in there, because he was going to great lengths to keep her out.

And she was respecting his wishes. He told her if any doors were closed she couldn’t go in without knocking and getting permission. But, she assumed, if it was ajar…

Pearl sprinted toward it, entering Ben’s room like a bat out of hell, just in case it was her only chance to ever find that open door. She would not waste it!

He was only folding a sheet, sitting on the edge of his bed with a laundry basket. Blue eyes lifted toward her when she barged in. “And what’s so important that compelled you to walk in without knocking?” Ben asked with faint judgment.

“It was open,” she countered, “finally!”

“Just a crack,” he said cynically. “You’re still supposed to knock.” After all, she couldn’t even see inside from how narrow the crack was!

“I will next time,” she said somewhat dismissively, far too busy observing every inch of Benjamin’s mysterious bedroom. The books scattered on his bedside dresser, more paintings on the walls, some trophy-looking things on shelves, light blue sheets and pillowcases on the bed. She let out a puff of air. “Wow, Ben, this is what you were so secretive about? I like it, but there is nothing out of the ordinary here,” Pearl turned on the balls of her feet to get a 360 degree look.

A faint chuckle. “I wasn’t hiding anything, per se. I was keeping my privacy.”

She gave a hum of acknowledgment, doing one last graceful spin on her heels to make sure she looked at everything. Then Pearl unceremoniously plopped down on his bed, on her back, waving her arms up and down like one making a snow angel. And rumpling his sheets.

“Excuse you,” Ben said in a complete deadpan, but unfazed. He was getting used to her antics.

“I am testing your mattress! It is…just as weird as mine,” she pointed out with a grimace.

“That’s how mattresses are, Pearl.”

She elegantly rolled over to lie on her stomach, feet pointed up. “Do you like it?” curious hazel eyes peered up at him. Something about Pearl seeming so casual, relaxed, so at home in his bed made Ben’s heart skip a beat. It wasn’t even just the potential sexual innuendo of it all, but more the sense of intimacy. One would not lounge so comfortably on someone else’s bed if they didn’t feel at ease there.

“Do I like my own bed?” he repeated the question, a bit befuddled. “Yeah, of course-” a sharp exhale and he tisked his tongue. “Pearl, what are you doing in here?”

“I am very bored,” Pearl told him, a pout on her lips. “I am cooped up in here all the time—I’ve explored everything I can in this house! And out there there isn’t much to do if you won’t let me approach your people.”

“I’m sorry, Pearl,” he gave short little shakes of the head, “I’d spend more time taking you out if I could, but I have work to do.”

“You could do something to help entertain me,” she pouted demandingly.

A voice inside Ben’s head told him that the beautiful woman was already lying on his bed, looking eagerly up at him, so he knew exactly what to do to entertain each other for a few hours. He pushed that dirty voice far down, swallowing dryly.

“Maybe tonight,” he placed the neatly folded sheet inside a cabinet drawer. “I’m in the middle of something.” It would’ve been easy to drop the laundry folding in favor of hanging out with her, but Ben was cautious of letting himself enjoy too many fun activities with the mermaid. He had to limit their time together.

Instead of leaving, she stretched out an arm and elegantly wiggled her fingers toward the laundry pile. “May I?”

Ben looked down at the clothes and towels, then at Pearl, then back at the pile. “I don’t see any harm in that,” he decided, and handed over half the towels plus Pearl’s own dresses and shirts to her. If she was gonna stay on his bed, she might as well be helpful.

The siren beamed with excitement, sat up, and stretched a cream-colored towel on the mattress. Ben squinted, a small smile appearing on his face; he’d never seen anyone so invested in folding clothes! Pearl did it so painstakingly, smoothing out every crease, and smiling to herself throughout. While they worked, they made simple plans for the evening, chatted about their day, about philosophy. Their familiarity with one another was sneaking up on them, manifesting in the ease of their conversations when they least expected it – when they were not prepared for it! – such as while folding laundry in his bedroom together. It was only later that Ben was hit with how much domestic intimacy they had just shared, and all he could do was shake his head in disbelief.

Notes:

Sometimes when I mention Ben’s past girlfriends besides Annie someone asks “who would they be?”, so I always like to remind everyone that it was Michael himself who said they exist (and he wishes we could have seen more of/about them), and I also like to remind people that there’s a *lot* from Ben’s life before we met him that we didn’t see on the show, so it’s very believable that he has plenty of relationships of all sorts we’re not privy to. Besides, Michael knows Ben’s life and psyche better than anyone else; if he says it happened then it happened! Also there are *too many* people in this world who are so in love with Ben lol, so obviously he had chances to have a few girlfriends even though he lives on the Island.

On a separate note, you know the tailjoining conversation in this chapter? It’s not gonna be a thing here, but it got me thinking…what if there was another story where Ben’s power *is* at risk, and the only way to keep it is through some kind of fake political marriage? Could that be inspiration for me? …Maybe…maybe. I think I have a scenario in mind where that would actually make some sense. We’ll see, in the future…I’ll probably write it after this, to be honest, yeah. Be forewarned hahaha

Chapter 20: Musical and material yearnings are never as magical as the yearnings of the heart

One of the objects in the house that never confounded Pearl was the piano. She had seen one before, played by a group of sailors on a ship, and she rather liked the sounds it made! Mermaids were musical creatures, after all, who used songs to express themselves and connect with others, or to enchant of course. On an afternoon of particular boredom, she ambushed Ben when he walked past his piano. “My dearest Benjamin,” she cooed with a grin.

“Yes, Pearl?” he said acerbically, eyes narrowing. She was never that sweet unless she wanted something.

“You once told me that you like to play the piano but are not particularly gifted at it.”

“When I patched up your harpoon wound, I remember,” Ben gave a small nod. He wasn’t one to forget details like that, always banking on them in case they were useful later. Interesting that she remembered it too, when it was something he said in passing.

“Would you play for me?” she asked with a saccharine smile. He seemed to hesitate, so the mermaid batted her eyelashes. “Please? Won’t you entertain your guest for a while? I am a queen, after all.”

“I have things to do, Pearl. And I’m not your personal court jester,” he told her, a little irritably. He was a busy man and he resented her implication that he was to be at her beck-and-call.

In the ocean Pearl was catered to and pampered because of her status, but not on land. On land she had to fend for herself, without any of the comforts or high standards of care she was used to. But she was incredibly resourceful, which allowed her to cope well despite all the spoiled whining.

It didn’t stop her from pouting, though. “Very well. Then I shall play for myself.”

He lifted an eyebrow. “Do you know how to play?”

She moved past him and sat on the piano bench in a fluid motion, a mischievous grin illuminating her face. “Not in the strictest sense of the word, no. I have never played, but, mermaids are naturally inclined to be musically gifted! I am sure I can play by instinct!”

Ben looked mildly skeptical yet interested. Pianos were tough to master, but maybe mermaids were indeed magical with anything musical. “Who am I to stand in the way? Go on, then.” He made a crisp motion toward the black and white keys.

Pearl smiled with enthusiasm and took a deep, soothing breath. She flexed her fingers and gently touched the keys, as if sensing them. A melody came to her mind organically, and she let it flow from her hands to the piano.

The result was horrifyingly off-key. Ben snickered softly.

The mermaid kept trying, fingers stroking the ivories with grace and dexterity, but the notes that she was playing sounded awful. She paused with a sheepish grin. “Perhaps our musical talents do not extend to instruments,” she admitted, but she was determined. “I can endeavor to improve!” Pearl tucked her hair behind her ears and sat up straighter, then once again began playing a torturous off-pitch melody.

Ben watched in thorough amusement for about five minutes, then the song started to grate on him. The off-key sounds hurt his ears. “Pearl. Pearl! Please, stop. You—you’re… better suited for other things,” he put it as delicately as he could, but the last few words came out with a chuckle. “And you won’t learn like this.”

She sighed dramatically, turning around on the bench to face him and bringing her knees up to her chest. “I don’t really want to learn. I only wanted to listen to beautiful music.” Her rosy lips pushed out in a pout. “Ben, I tried to entertain you with my piano playing! Won’t you please do the same for me? If you don’t, I may be forced to keep trying by myself…” she threatened lightheartedly.

“God forbid that,” he said quickly and ominously, eyes widened playfully. “I can’t allow myself or anyone else to be subjected to your playing, so…alright. I can play a little.” A nonchalant shrug.

“Oh, how marvelous!” Pearl clapped for him and scooted over to let him share the bench.

“Just remember, I am no great talent either,” he warned.

“Better than me?”

He blinked. “Anyone is better than you.” A sardonic joke, and she laughed.

But, although Ben was no Beethoven, he was a decent player. He was familiar with a small repertoire of simpler classical songs, and he played those with relative ease. It was enough to entertain the siren. More than that, it awed her. She felt the song deep in her core, and it stirred up something inside of her. Her emotions swelled, like they should when one listens to beautiful music. She longed to join him.

So she did; while Ben provided the melody, the mermaid joined in with the vocals. Even though she had never heard the song before, Pearl picked it up fast, vocalizing angelic aahs and oohs that perfectly matched the piano notes. Ben’s fingers flew through the ivories and Pearl’s voice soared, like both melodies were twisting and winding and synching up. The notes from her voice interlaced with those of his playing, somehow building together to create an intrinsic, spell-binding work of art that neither of them could create without the other.

By the time their magnificent song finished, they were gazing into each other’s eyes, lost in the moment and carried by the sweeping melody. It had connected and enchanted them, like a magical cord made of musical notes wrapping around their bodies and souls; they didn’t even realize they were breathless until then! The beauty of his playing and of her singing made everything else in the world fall away, leaving only the two of them and their feelings behind. And, well, if their feelings were in the forefront, with everything else stripped away and their inhibitions gone…the result was a very smitten pair of man and mermaid, feeling the power of their infatuation more strongly than ever.

“Um…that’s it,” Ben said awkwardly, doing his best to ignore how warm and fuzzy and enamored he felt.

“I think I can put lyrics to it,” she said, heart pitter-pattering in an enamored rhythm of her own. “Will you play it again?”

“Sure,” he said, curious to what kind of song she might come up with. Lyrics written by someone were more often than not a very personal window into their inner world, their very soul! He wondered if it might reveal something deep about Pearl. Ben positioned his hands over the piano and started to play the same classical song again, repeating that rich, gorgeous melody.

Pearl was quiet for a few seconds, thinking and waiting for inspiration to strike. She let the melody fill her spirit, and only then did the lyrics start to take form. Her lips parted and the gloomy words soared:

“There are guns and there is fear, there are tears and there is sorrow,

Alone in this world I make little sense of!

If there was ever hope for a better tomorrow

between both our kinds then that’s what we work for.

Ever so soon, I shall return to the world fathoms under,

In the freedom of seas where I cannot be caged!

Will you look for me, lost out there, I wonder?

Be wary that our spell might end all your days,”

Pearl’s voice was so angelic, so bewitching, that the doom-and-gloom of the lyrics almost felt antithetical. But there was something melancholic and powerful in a mermaid’s song that fit perfectly with the message of her poetry. When she wrapped up her singing, Ben played a few final notes and finished on the piano, giving the song a proper conclusion.

“Charming lyrics,” he commented wryly, staring up at her in a deadpan. It was obvious that the lyrics were heavily based on her personal life, more specifically on their situation. He was unnerved by her mention of killing him in the end, but also intrigued by her wondering if he would look for her after her return to the ocean. Did she want him to, or was it a warning to stay away?

She laughed softly, then playfully batted her eyelashes in faux innocence. “You didn’t like it?”

He made a face, not being entirely serious. “I have mixed feelings. Beautiful voice, questionable lyrics.”

Pearl laughed outwardly now. “I was merely honest.”

“Oh, I know,” he said in a thicker tone, somewhat jokingly. “At least you talked about leaving soon.”

“You might miss me when I am gone, Benjamin Linus,” she teased with a grin.

He pursed his lips and shook his head ‘no’. “I doubt it. You might miss me, if you’re singing about my looking for you. Unless you plan to kill me if I do.” It was both a taunt and a real inquiry.

She blew out a puff of air. “Who knows.” Ben grimaced, and she laughed. “I get it, you hate my song.”

Ben couldn’t help but chuckle softly. “I don’t hate it. It’s the first time someone wrote a song about me, so I’m flattered.” There was still a hint of humor there, making it hard for her to know how much of it he actually meant. But he meant every word. The lyrics, threatening or not, made him feel special. Who else could claim that a siren wrote a song about them?

“Oh!” Pearl curtsied charmingly from her sitting position. “Then you are very welcome! Thank you for entertaining me with a song. I thought you played wonderfully.”

Ben said ‘thanks’ amidst a chuckle, and for a moment they just stared at each other again, completely smitten and enamored. And then reality set in and the spell broke, sending both of them scurrying away from the other one.

***

There was a potluck party scheduled at the house of a woman named Vanessa, one of Ben’s people. No special occasion, just a gathering for fun and the sake of being sociable. Ben was carefully placing a dish of lasagna he’d made to bring to the party in a plastic container, while Pearl was watching a Christmas movie on TV, awestruck. It was her first time being exposed to the holiday in any way. The abundance of twinkly Christmas lights, the cozy outfits people wore, the presents wrapped in shiny paper with big bows, pine trees all sparkly and decorated, the caroling, the cheerfulness of the people…all of it warmed her heart and brought a tear to Pearl’s eyes.

“Oh, how lovely is Christmas,” she cooed softly. “Are humans ever as kind in real life as they are in a Christmas movie?”

That was an interesting question. Were they? “Some are,” Ben said as he closed the lid of the tupperware. “We’re really not as bad as you think, Pearl.”

She pouted, skeptical. “Regardless. The occasion of Christmas, with all of its traditions, is…oh, so very quaint, and utterly beautiful. I wish I got to experience it,” she whispered wistfully.

“If you stay here for the entirety of our three month agreement, you will,” he commented a tad grimly. October was nearing its end and Halloween loomed. Ben wasn’t sure how he felt about an aquatic predator staying over for the holidays. Showing Pearl a real human Christmas might be cute, sweet even, or it might be a frantic disaster. He wasn’t sure which option he preferred. “Minus the snow. Our Christmas is more tropical.”

She lit up, and for a dizzying moment Ben thought he wanted her to stay for Christmas. He saw himself sharing a mug of eggnog with Pearl, gifting her a candy cane, placing a Santa hat on her blonde head, and -- dare he even imagine it? – finding himself under the mistletoe with her. Then he told himself to stop being silly.

“Then I am very much looking forward to my first Christmas,” Pearl beamed with shining enthusiasm, and Ben felt butterflies. “Speaking of gatherings…” a calculatedly coy little smile spread across Pearl’s face. “Ben, wouldn’t you know, today I just so happened to dress up for a potluck…” she said with feigned innocence, making a sweeping gesture over her romantic-chic floral dress.

“Oh, I’m so sorry that you wasted your efforts,” he smiled with dry humor and icy sarcasm.

“Perhaps I’ll go in your stead,” she graciously suggested, eyes sparkling with mischief.

“To my commitment?” Ben scoffed softly, vaguely amused by her boldness. “Please don’t take this the wrong way, but you only just mastered walking. You can’t pull this off by yourself.”

“I’m quite confident that I can pass for a human now,” the mermaid insisted. “Don’t you think?”

“At a party? I’m not so sure,” he said dubiously, looking down at the mermaid on his couch who was hugging a red throw pillow.

“Oh, won’t you give me a chance?” she flashed her best puppy eyes. “I am jesting about going alone, of course, but won’t you let me accompany you?”

Ben was about to categorically deny her request when he thought better of it. He’d been keeping his ear to the ground to monitor how Pearl was being perceived by his people; he knew word got out that she hissed when someone reached for her necklace. The reigning theories were that she was suffering from trauma from the plane crash – like Ben claimed when it happened – or that she’d been jealous of the other woman. And there were whispers that her rarely leaving his house and almost never initiating conversation with anybody other than Ben was weird. Some people wondered why: was she secretly a hostage? Were they dating, staying inside to have sex all the time? Was he hiding her for some reason? So, Ben thought, maybe showing her off to the world a bit might calm things down. Ease the rumors.

And there was another potential benefit too: Pearl was very calculated, much like himself. She’d never let him see how much she was trying to manipulate his people. If he gave her the semblance of freedom and trust in group settings, she could lower her defenses and show glimpses of her real plans. He’d let her go – under his or Richard’s close watch of course – and allow her to flourish freely, doing and saying whatever she wanted to; he knew that might give him priceless insights into her motivations, depending on how she chose to behave around his people. He felt the corners of his lips quirking upwards; Ben was very fond of those types of analytical mind games. “Alright,” he accepted, “if you’ll promise to follow my instructions.”

“Naturally. You have my word,” she agreed with a curtsy.

So the pair headed out to Vanessa’s house together. He gave Pearl a bottle of wine to bring, telling her it would be rude to show up empty-handed. He carried the tupperware with the lasagna he prepared to share with the others. When they knocked on Vanessa’s door they were met by many surprised faces that were happy to see Ben but who absolutely did not anticipate that he would bring his blonde roommate along!

People were swarming them to make conversation as the two placed their dish and drink on the table. Pearl lit up with a smile, addressing everyone with such a sweet disposition that they couldn’t help but fall for the act. Not Ben. He knew that her beaming grin was put on, her sweetness calculated. A performance, albeit a captivating one. Pearl was not made of sugar, but of sharp teeth and hard scales and a deadly song. Every hair toss was intentional.

They filled up their plates with different dishes brought by everyone, and Pearl took her cues from Ben, discreetly watching how to eat each specific thing. Some of them weirded her out, but she enjoyed the majority of them. Ben noticed that she gravitated to the chocolatey desserts, which tracked: chocolate bars ranked as her number one pick when she tried every food item he had in his house.

The group chatted and mingled, faint music played in the background; Pearl and Ben stuck together for most of the afternoon, then he gave her some space while Richard was near enough to watch her. While Ben was talking to one group of people, Pearl was talking to another. They all noticed that she sounded a lot like Ben—which made sense. Pearl learned modern English mostly from speaking to Ben, so it was only natural that she picked up on his particular way of speaking and reproduced it in her own speech. They used similar speech patterns, sentence structures and intonations, the main difference being that her speech was still a little old-fashioned sometimes. But she was getting much better at sounding current, which sometimes created her own unique, mixed vocabulary of modern slang and vaguely medieval terms. Ben happened to find it quite adorable.

The afternoon was more pleasant than Ben anticipated. Pearl was portraying herself as a very believable and captivating human, and neither he nor Richard caught her trying to sow discord with any of Ben’s people. It looked like she was actually trying to get to know them and bond—and there was the insight into her plans that Ben had been searching for: Pearl was giving peace with humans a real try. Not all of her sweetness was false today. Wow. He felt more at ease than he had in weeks! He rejoined her, and part of the group eventually gathered in the kitchen, where one woman was telling someone else about how her father used to fish.

“Yeah, he always brought home the biggest catches,” she bragged. “I grew up fishing too, it’s one of my favorite things.”

“Really?” Pearl piped up when she overheard, her tone sickeningly sweet. “Fishing? How do you fish?” she cocked her head to the side, fixing cold eyes on the other woman. “Nets?” An up-and-down glance of disdain, made more chilling by the sweet smile. “Hooks?”

Ben was instantly alert. He knew exactly how much Pearl hated nets and especially fishing hooks. That conversation might not end well.

“Mostly fishing hooks growing up, but here on the Island we use nets more,” the woman answered.

Pearl’s fake smile grew, but so did the outrage in her eyes. “How interesting. And you don’t find that cruel and unnecessary?” she pushed. Ben discreetly placed a hand on the small of her back to steady her, reminding her to cool down. The blonde turned her head to whisper in his ear. “I am not going to lose control; I’m merely debating her, that’s all.”

He hoped that was the case. And truthfully, Pearl didn’t look like she was about to hiss at anyone. She looked like a level-headed pissed off person, not a wild animal lashing out instinctively, so he relaxed a little and dropped his hand.

“Cruel?” the woman laughed in surprise. “What’s cruel about fishing?”

“These methods hurt the fish,” Pearl said more forcefully, dropping the smile. She couldn’t begrudge humans for eating seafood, merfolk hunted fish too – although she could argue that humans already had all the animals on land so they should stay out of the ocean! – but she absolutely drew the line at using hooks. Pearl imagined piercing that woman’s cheek with a pointy hook, to see if the human lady would still question the cruelty of the act if she fell victim to it.

Another laugh. “It’s just fish, who cares?”

Who cares?! Oh, that selfish woman was getting on Pearl’s last nerve. She’d show her who cared! The mermaid focused all of her angry energy, directing it toward the faucet in the kitchen sink, and hummed under her breath. She commanded the water to push forward, up the pipes, building up pressure and gathering all of its strength until it spilled out in a forceful stream that hit the woman squarely on the back of the head.

The lady yelped and was nearly knocked over, then scrambled out of the way, rubbing the back of her head to soothe the pain. Someone else ran to turn off the faucet. Ben’s gaze found Pearl’s and, as soon as he saw the mischievous, smug grin on her face, he knew she was to blame. He glared at her, and she petulantly flipped her hair.

“Oh my goodness,” Pearl said with exaggerated concern, but not bothering to hide her amused smile.

“I-I don’t know what happened,” the soaked woman whined, and Pearl giggled under her breath. She was very pleased with her petty little revenge.

“How insane that the sink did such a thing! Imagine that!” Pearl gasped dramatically.

“Yeah. Imagine that…” Ben repeated sternly, throwing Pearl a warning glare. Was she crazy to use her powers in front of everyone?! That mermaid was undoubtedly brazen, and clever to get revenge without outing her fangs. Her display of unpredictable cunning almost intimidated him a little…except that Ben knew exactly how to counter it, to bring her down a smidge.

“Pearl, I think it’s time that you go home,” he told her, out loud.

The blonde siren paused. “What? No, not yet. Everybody is still here.” She knew that this was Ben’s reaction to her rebellious act against the fisherwoman, but she didn’t want to go. And she didn’t think he’d insist, not in front of everybody else.

“Yes but you have things to finish up at home, remember?” Ben didn’t relent, instead fixing her with a very intense commanding gaze.

She met his eyes, raising her chin in defiance. “I can finish them later.”

The others in the room exchanged uncomfortable or intrigued glances. They were witnessing a power struggle happen in real time. Very few people went toe-to-toe with Ben and came out of it well; even fewer ever won against him. That blonde girl was either crazy to try, or she was closer to Ben than they realized. Alex was somebody who got away with arguing with Ben a lot, because she was his daughter and he loved her. Did Pearl have such a good rapport with Ben that she didn’t fear challenging him? Or was she unaware of how cunning and even dangerous he could be? And why was Ben so set on kicking her out? Nobody was too sure; their best guesses were that he didn’t want her to get hurt if the pipes burst, or he didn’t want a newcomer arguing too passionately about fishing methods. Neither theory made that much sense. They all watched in bated breath, eyes flitting from Pearl to Ben like it was a ping-pong match.

Ben looked off to the side as he gave a momentary smile– a cold, vaguely amused one. Then his chin tucked down and he flicked up his vibrant blue eyes toward the mermaid, glowering at her. “Pearl. I need you to go home. Now.” It wasn’t a threat, but it was intimidating as hell.

Pearl felt shivers with the way he was staring her down. His tone and expression really left her without much room to argue unless she was willing to cause a huge scene by standing up to him. “Fine,” she caved with a light scoff.

A heavy silence hung in the kitchen while everyone watched her stride to the door and leave. Ben had a triumphant little grin on his face; of course he wouldn’t let Pearl stay there after she used her powers against one of his people! How dare she! Even if it was mostly harmless, it was a bad precedent to set. “You might want to have our plumber check the pipes, Vanessa,” he nonchalantly told the owner of the house, to cover for Pearl.

Later, back at home, he and Pearl didn’t really address what happened; there was no need to. He knew why she did it, she knew why he reacted that way. There was a grudging understanding between them.

***

The more times people saw Pearl out and about, the more they got used to her presence. A few days after the potluck she found herself chatting with the other blonde, the darker blonde in comparison to Pearl’s very light golden locks; the one that helped in Ben’s surgery.

“The plane crash must have been horrific. I’m sorry you experienced that,” Juliet said, somber. It was the first time she was having a proper chat with Pearl.

“It was indeed very traumatic,” Pearl’s voice shook with pain, playing the part perfectly. “And now I am stuck here.”

“I know the feeling,” Juliet darkened. “I was only supposed to be here for six months. It’s been three years.”

“And you wish to return home?” The mermaid let out a skeptical and bitter laugh. “Good luck with that.”

The darker-haired blonde frowned, taken aback. Usually people weren’t so overt about that, even if they suspected it. “What do you mean?”

A sly smile. “I know a thing or two about our little Island…you’re not going anywhere. None of us are.”

Juliet steeled, somewhere between shocked and defensive. “Did Ben tell you something?”

“No,” a dramatic but sincere widening of the eyes. “He doesn’t trust me.”

“But you know he’s up to something?” the other woman incorrectly inferred.

“No, not him.” The mermaid paused, tilting her head and letting her mouth slowly open up, in the semblance of a grin. “Oh. You think Ben decides this.”

Juliet’s frown deepened. “Yeah, he’s the one who won’t allow anyone to leave.” Not too many people wanted to leave, but some did, and Ben always said no. Sometimes he said it was because Jacob wanted them there, but it always looked to Juliet like it was Ben’s own decision.

Pearl let out a short laugh. Why would Ben lie about this? To look more powerful than he was? Or was Juliet simply misinformed? “No, he’s not. This isn’t up to Benjamin. It’s not his choice if we leave or not. And if you do leave—I promise you that the Island will find a way to drag you back here. At the end of the day, Ben is as trapped as we all are.” A hair flip and she sauntered away after the ominous revelation, leaving a stunned and disappointed Juliet behind. What the hell was Pearl talking about, and how could a mere visitor know so much? If Ben was sharing secrets with her, she must be more important to him than he was letting on; maybe there was merit to all the dating rumors floating around. And, if not him, who was keeping everyone on the Island?! She never really bought the Jacob story; not that she knew much more about it other than that they must all have faith in Jacob and what Jacob determined to be right. Juliet tended to believe that Ben made Jacob up to justify his own questionable choices – only doubting her theory when Jacob healed her sister’s cancer -- but now she was wondering if the deity-like man was indeed real, or if Pearl was buying into a cult-like mentality. Hell, she sounded just like Ben claiming that the Island – an inanimate piece of land – decided that people weren’t allowed to stay away from it. Almost everyone else in their society drank the cool-aid, maybe Pearl had too.

When Juliet met Ben later, she grilled him about the situation. “She said that none of us are ever leaving, and that it isn’t up to you.”

Ben was completely taken aback, but he stayed as calm as possible. “What?” a soft chuckle. “That’s not true. Of course we can leave, the submarine comes and goes all the time.”

“So she lied?” Juliet didn’t know what to think.

“Pearl must have been confused,” he sighed as if he was aggravated. “Juliet, you know that Jacob chooses certain people to be on this Island. I—enforce that, when I have to. This must be what Pearl meant when she said that it’s not my choice. You trust Jacob’s judgment, don’t you?” he asked pointedly, almost forcing her to say ‘yes’.

Juliet knew that she could never say ‘no’; a ‘no’ sounded too close to disloyalty to the Island, it would raise too many suspicions in Ben. “I…do, yeah.” It was the same kind of question he asked her when her sister’s cancer came back. Do you have faith that Jacob will cure your sister? She had to say yes, and it actually worked—her sister healed. When they kidnapped the little boy, Walt, he gave them a lot of trouble; Juliet said that Ben should let him go, and Ben very exasperatedly told her that Jacob wanted Walt to be there. Honestly, could it be that there was more to Jacob than being a convenient excuse for Ben to do whatever the hell he wanted?

“Then, are we good?” Ben pressed with a rehearsed smile.

“Yeah, of course,” she smiled back, but it wasn’t entirely sincere.

Ben headed home immediately after that, to confront the mermaid for talking too much.

“Why would you tell her that?!” he glared, exasperated at Pearl’s meddling. As far as Pearl knew, Ben was the only leader! … Right?!

“She was blaming you for something that is not your fault—I defended you,” Pearl quipped.

A skeptical glare. “How selfless. Be honest, Pearl!”

“I am! I defended you!” A relenting sigh. “Okay, I am being partially honest. Perhaps I was glad to sow a little discord, sure.” Ben had made Pearl’s sisters question her; now Pearl was happy to return the favor and make one of Ben’s people question him a little too. She didn’t plan for it, but the opportunity landed right on her lap.

“So you lied,” he accused icily, although he was the one lying now. His lips curled into a sneer. “This is why I didn’t want you here. You’re stirring up trouble.”

Pearl deadpanned at Ben, hand on her waist. “I did not lie.” A confident shrug. “Because it’s true. People do not leave the Island. What I do not understand is why some of them think the decision is up to you. Don’t they know better?”

“They—know the Island wants them to stay,” he said vaguely, eyes darting to the side.

The mermaid was thinking. She was missing something. “You have that tube that travels underwater, the—submarine. You told me it can leave to get me garments. But…you only let go the people that you are certain will come back willingly. Those that are truly loyal to this place. Am I correct?”

She was completely correct, but instead of admitting it, he emphatically evaded: “All of my people are loyal to the Island!”

She had a sudden realization, harking back to the council meeting between mermaids and humans, and gasped with delight. “This is why you lied about the underwater Station, isn’t it? You don’t want everyone to know that the submarine is free to come and go!”

“No, they—they see the submarine leaving and returning with cargo. They know.” What they didn’t know – and what Ben kept secret for security reasons -- was that The Looking Glass Station maintained communication with the outside world. That was something that he needed to control, alone.

“Oh.” Pearl frowned. She had all the pieces of the puzzle, but they weren’t completely aligning yet. “Then…” a triumphant gasp. “It must be the opposite! You want them to see that the submarine is available, but you only allow very few of them to board it! You let them think that they can leave, but they can’t!”

Ben narrowed his eyes at her, playing as if he was completely appalled by the mere suggestion of trickery. Though he was a little frazzled that she could tell some of his people were unsatisfied. “What?! No, my people are happy to be here! They stay because they want to stay!” And it was partly true; many of them were happy and fulfilled, but a few were not so loyal to Jacob and the Island; yet it was Ben’s job to keep those people there too, willingly or otherwise.

She wasn’t convinced. Golden-flecked hazel eyes landed on him, full of insistent knowing. “Most are. But not all of them. Am I wrong? I’m not wrong!”

He was fuming and he stammered, caught by surprise by how sure Pearl was. “I---well, see—not everybody is ready to make a full commitment to the Island yet. The submarine gives them the illusion of freedom.”

A triumphant gasp. “Exactly—it’s an illusion! But they do not have that freedom! Neither do you, or I. You’re not going to let Juliet go, right?” She eyed him knowingly. Ben huffed, glaring somewhat, and Pearl took it as a yes and smiled victoriously. “I knew it. Because you cannot let any of them go, even if you would like to.” She popped down on the couch and crossed her legs, smugly grinning up at him.

“The Island would force them to come back, yes,” he grudgingly admitted through gritted teeth, glaring at the siren. “So no, I won’t let any of them go. I can’t.” But it was more than just the pointlessness of letting them go to be brought back by the Island anyway. Allowing people to permanently leave was explicitly against Jacob’s rules; Ben was loyal and took his job very seriously, he would never break those rules. Though he felt the weight of keeping everyone in sometimes, and found his gaze darting away from the siren.

Pearl nodded with complete understanding. Much more understanding than anyone would expect her to possess… “I know you can’t. ‘Never abandon the Island’, that is one of Jacob’s cardinal rules, of course you’re not going to break it.” A small hiss and a shake of the head. “It is so peculiar how so many of you are so loyal to him…”

In one split second his entire world turned upside down and the rug was pulled out from under him. Ben’s head whipped around so quickly and he gaped directly at her, completely thrown by her use of that name. “I’m sorry—who?”

“Jacob,” the mermaid repeated more clearly. “Your superior?”

“I’ve never heard of anyone by that name,” he attempted a futile denial, voice slightly squeakier.

It was Pearl’s turn to be skeptical. “Ben. Please. You’re one of his people.”

She was too sure of it to allow for any lies from him. An icy trickle of panic rose up Ben’s throat and his voice became a tightly controlled hiss. “How do you know about Jacob?”

She gave him an odd look, unsure of why he was so up-in-arms about the topic. “I don’t know about Jacob, I know Jacob.” A casual one-shoulder shrug. “Or I did, once upon a time. I know how he operates—and what his rules are. His ‘chosen people’, if one can call it that, cannot leave this Island.” And by extension neither could the merfolk.

Benjamin was completely dumbfounded by that. It was hard to wrap his mind around the idea that the all-knowing Island deity, who had refused to talk to Ben in person, knew that siren. He felt a certain measure of spite and jealousy. Jacob would be willing to speak to a predator, but not to him? What was so wrong with him to make the deity-man so absent in his life?! Why was Ben’s loyalty so ignored?!

His only comfort was that Pearl was in no way a direct threat to his power; his people would never accept a siren as a leader, nor would she want to lead on land, so it didn’t matter that she had a direct line to Jacob while he didn’t. He wanted to ask a million questions about Jacob, but he refused to tip his hand about not knowing him; Ben thought he must preserve the lie that Jacob talked to him and him alone. “How far in the past?” It was a safe question.

“My kind has been aware of him from the start-- merfolk as a whole predate Jacob. Before he gained the position he holds today, there was a woman holding that role. And a different society of humans; they were exterminated by the same woman. My ancestors saw Jacob come up as a little boy and grow to be what he is now. He’s been bringing people to the Island ever since, from time to time, as I am sure you know. He brought you here.”

It was surreal to think of Jacob as a little boy. Ben squinted, absorbing the information. “And how did you come to meet him?” he asked in the most measured tone he could muster, holding back any bite.

“I was exploring the shores by that four-finger foot statue, wondering if some humans’ feet are like that, and I happened to come across him. I could tell that he was more than a normal human. Not inhuman, but not completely human, or, a human with a metaphysical-ness to him. He knew what I was too. So I talked to him, told him I’d heard of him, asked why he keeps bringing more and more people to disrupt the Island. He shared some things with me. And for a very brief time we were involved.”

Too many revelations were being dropped on Ben all at once, at dizzying speed, but one certainly took the forefront. His jaw dropped and the prickly question slipped out before he could stop it: “Involved how?!”

“We were lovers.” She paused, unsure. “I believe that’s how you humans call it, when two people have sex?”

“…That’s… one way to put it, yes.” His answer came out somewhat stunted, and he cleared his throat. Ben was completely stunned; he supposed he never imagined Jacob to engage in such mundane acts, and the siren, well, sometimes Pearl would hint at a sex life…he’d wondered if she knew of such things, if it was the same for mermaids as it was for humans, but he tried his best not to think about it too much. It was inappropriate, and he ought to be ashamed of it. But Pearl and Jacob?! What the hell?! “Pearl, are you sure you know what the word ‘sex’ means?” He was uncomfortable to ask, but he had to clarify that! The question had been on his mind for too long, and the stakes felt higher now.

She furrowed her brow. “I think I do indeed. Correct me if I misname the body parts, but, when I have legs—he has the penis, and I have the vagina, and human sex is to put his penis inside my-”

“I get the point, thank you!” Ben cut her off in horrified urgency, feeling rather disgusted at the thought of anyone putting anything like that anywhere near Pearl. He grimaced, clearly sulking.

She tilted her head, noticing Ben’s mood change. “It was a long time ago. Three decades ago! It happened once, and it was frankly not that good. If you’re jealous—you don’t have to be.”

He let out a defensive scoff, eyes widening slightly. “Of course I’m not jealous, don’t be ridiculous. I’m—surprised, that’s all.” Despite the emphatic denial, he was glad to hear it happened a long time ago. It was probably too much information for Ben to know that the Island deity had not been very good at sex with Pearl, but he honestly felt better knowing that. He just couldn’t let Pearl see it, so Ben expertly pushed the subject away from his own feelings: “How old were you three decades ago?”

A light chuckle. “The same age that I am now. And him, too. He doesn’t age at all, and merfolk age very slowly compared to humans, as you know.”

“Right…” he said plainly, a tad between gritted teeth.

“You’re scowling,” she pointed out, observing him.

“You’re mistaken,” he defended, but she was right. He made a point to soften his expression. Why had he been scowling, anyway? Well, that was obvious: Ben knew he was feeling another pang of jealousy, but of a different kind this time. First he was a little jealous that Pearl got to speak to Jacob and receive answers when Ben didn’t, and now he was incredibly jealous that Jacob got to be Pearl’s lover! Ben didn’t like the idea of Pearl with anyone. He knew that it was a nonsensical feeling to harbor toward her, but what could he do? He was infatuated with the blonde siren! He felt rather sour just thinking about anybody else touching her in such an intimate way—in a way that he probably would never get to touch her. No, not ‘probably’, ‘surely’. He surely would never get that with Pearl, and he shouldn’t want it anyway! Best to focus on gathering information, before his imagination ran wild. “If I may ask…how did things end between…you two? Did you just—leave?” His tone was neutral and careful.

“I tried to drown him,” she grinned with aloof superiority. Ben’s jealousy vanished entirely and he looked horrified, so Pearl explained herself: “In my defense, he trapped some of my kind outside of this Island and called it ‘collateral damage’. And he’s human, if a human of slight metaphysical difference. I felt that he deserved it.” Something dark flickered across her face. Clearly there was still bad blood there.

Ben blinked a few times, speechless, until he finally managed to utter the only polite thing he could think of: “I’m-- sorry to hear that.” Then he made a mental note of the bewildering fact that there were merfolk out in the real world too?!

“I’m sorry I didn’t finish the job,” a low, menacing mutter, followed by a wistful sigh. “Maybe someday.”

“Oh.” All Ben could do was stare at the mythical creature on his couch, who wished to kill the Island Protector that Ben had been loyal to his entire life. Her revelation had opened up so many queries in his mind, but he didn’t feel comfortable voicing a single one of them.

“Why do you look so stunned?” Her pleasant voice broke him out of his thoughts.

“Oh, I-- I suppose I expected your past to be different. It’s none of my business, I apologize.” He quickly averted his gaze and busied himself with a stack of papers, finding a chair to sit on with his back to her.

“Did you think this was my first exploration on dry land?” She cocked her head slightly.

“No. You’re acclimated enough that I believed you had done it before,” he dismissed, turning slightly to face her again.

“Then, is it that I’ve had sex in human form, or at all?” She appeared just as curious and calm as before, but Ben’s eyes grew wide and he was shaking his head in tiny little jerks to try and deny it, gaze flittering all over the place. Pearl giggled. “It’s okay, humans have been fascinated with the topic for as long as I can remember.” There was a reason for all the nude illustrations and sculptures of mermaids on books and ships.

His nerves calmed with her reassurance. “I… had not been sure if that’s something that happens. For your kind, or, especially between your kind and…mine.” He grimaced inwardly at how stilted he sounded. “I, I know you mentioned ‘mating’, and ‘consummating the marriage’, but I wasn’t sure if you knew the human connotation of that,” he hurried to explain himself in a more proper way, not wanting her to think that his curiosity was due to lewd reasons.

“It happens. Some sirens like to switch to legs and bed sailors before they drown them. That has never been my preference. I only get tangled with humans very rarely, and they survive the encounter. But there are the mermen, of course.”

She was remarkably open about the subject, while Ben sat there, very still, awkwardly grasping the armrests of the chair. As if the idea of a siren bedding a man only to drown him wasn’t terrifying enough – like that nightmare he had where Pearl kissed him and then sprouted fangs and bit out a chunk of his neck -- there was also the implication that Pearl had, on occasion, been with humans. Not just Jacob. His mind was reeling and he blurted out a question, more scientific than anything else. “How do mermaids have children?” All she’d told him before was that they got pregnant too.

“We carry them inside of us, in our– I believe you called it womb, similarly to your women,” she placed a delicate hand over her stomach. “Our tails change and open up when it is time for the birth, to allow our offspring to come out.” She glimpsed Ben’s expression and he looked absolutely fascinated by the sheer science of it, so she continued. “It’s similar during merfolk sex. With human males, their sex organ grows when it’s time to begin, doesn’t it? And human females become more lubricated? For us, our scales shift. The females’ open up, and the males’ extend outward, and theirs are inserted into ours. It’s not that dissimilar of a process.” A pause and a smirk. “It feels remarkably similar too. The same pleasure on both instances, with tails or otherwise.”

His eyes were wide and he was completely engrossed in everything she was saying, from a purely scientific standpoint. Well, except for that last detail, which he promptly ignored despite swallowing hard because of it. Knowledge was power, and she was giving him unprecedented access into the biology of merpeople; it was completely fascinating! “Thank you for telling me that,” he told her honestly, leaning slightly in her direction. “We have almost no knowledge about your kind, and this is--rather helpful.” He smiled, grateful that she trusted him with the information. And then he hesitated. For a long time now – ever since he met Pearl’s young daughter on Hydra Island – Ben had been wondering if the mermaids’ reproductive system could offer some insight into the infertility problem that human women suffered on the Island. Mermaids weren’t affected, and if he found out why, maybe he could cure the issue for his people! He’d never been able to approach the subject with Pearl; there was always too much mistrust between them. But now he had an opening. He simply had to pick his words carefully, as it was a very delicate subject. Use her sense of superiority and so-called ‘nobility’ to get her to agree. “Pearl, do you remember that I told you humans can’t have children on this Island?”

She nodded. “I do. You never told me why. I’ve always wondered.”

Ben shook his head, a bit dejected. “There was an accident with the electromagnetism of the Island years ago, caused by the Dharma Initiative. It made it so that women can’t carry out their pregnancies—their bodies turn against them and the baby, killing both. I’ve tried to fix it, relentlessly, but we don’t really know why it happens.” He paused, then met her eyes, searchingly. “You don’t—have any insight on why that could be, do you?”

“Goodness, that sounds very sad. I’m sorry, Ben,” she offered sincerely. Then pursed her lips. “I do not, my apologies. I do not think we are affected by this electromagnetism at all. Perhaps the ocean shields us from it?”

“That’s one theory,” he answered, unconvinced. There had to be more to it than that! His gaze was intense, the poignant words coming out more from one side of his mouth: “You could help me, Pearl. I—know this is a hard thing to ask, but do you think you might let me study your internal organs, so that I can understand the reproductive process of merfolk from a scientific standpoint?”

She instantly tensed, muscles tightening up and face going stony. “You believe that you might determine the difference between us and humans if you study me?”

“Yes!” he said with hopeful urgency, eyes shining. “Yes, it, it would be invaluable information! If I could just do some research with you, we might be able to save the lives of every mother and baby on this Island!”

“I—” she stammered, shaking her head. What an awkward request to deny. “I apologize, but I will not be taken to that place again for you to prod at me with strange instruments. I wish I could help, truly, but the price is too high.” She felt some guilt for refusing him, but not enough to allow him to treat her like a lab rat again. Pearl would feel way too uncomfortable being studied by any of Ben’s people!

“You wouldn’t be harmed, you have my word,” Ben persisted, tone so emotionally invested and insistent that it bordered on pleading. Pearl almost wavered. “I know you don’t want to let innocent children die, even if they’re humans,” he added a bit of guilt-tripping for good measure. “I don’t need much. A couple of X-rays, and then, when the next mermaid gets pregnant, maybe you could bring her up here for me to-”

“No,” she interrupted, this time with fierce conviction. “This is a human problem. I will not make my mermaids uncomfortable and afraid to help birth more of you.”

Her glare let Ben know it was too soon to broach the subject with her. So he dropped it for the time being, with a sharp nod and lips pressed into a tight line. But he’d return to this someday, one way or another. It was too important of a thing, a top priority. “Can you leave the Island?” he changed subjects, hope giving way to subtle incisiveness. “I couldn’t help but notice an odd, displeased look on your face the first time I told you that our submarine comes and goes,” he reminded her of their talk when the beacons stopped working. “And today you said we’re equally trapped…”

She let out a hiss of distress. “We cannot, anymore. But we did not realize that until we were already trapped. When my ancestors came here long ago, they used to swim in and out whenever they would like to. The Island was their home, but they were free. One day, while that woman was in charge, everything changed; they had the misfortune of finding out that the new barrier keeps us in, too.”

“Pearl…” he squinted, uncertain. Half of his worldview was changing all at once, and he didn’t like how unsure that made him feel. Uneasy. “…we’re all under the impression that mermaids are from this Island, but you said your ancestors came here a long time ago…” The question remained unsaid, as completion wasn’t needed.

She hesitated. Did she really trust that human with the history of merfolk? Well…it’s not like he could use it against them; it was ancient history, quite literally. “We are originally from this Island. Three pairs of merfolk came into being, a male and a female in each, who originated the three families. They mated and grew in population, and one day they swam away to explore the world, thousands of years ago--- until most chose to return home, and Jacob’s rules were suddenly in effect, put in place by his predecessor. Or by him, we’re unsure. What matters is that we can’t leave any more than you can,” she hissed, scrunching up her nose.

His response was to briskly walk away, but gesturing for her to follow. Ben approached one of his many stacks of reading materials and ran a hovering hand over it, looking for something. “You claim there are some of you trapped outside of the Island. Those Jacob called ‘collateral damage’.” He retrieved a mythology book, – a different one this time -- flipped to a chapter and showed her an illustration depicting five mermaids dancing underwater. “It says here that your kind has been around since the dawn of time. I know the book is inaccurate, but is that part true?” He searched her face. “This Island is special; powerful. Miraculous, even. Something about it allows the presence of ghosts, a smoke monster, and the merfolk. You’re telling me you exist in the outside world?”

Pearl peered curiously at the illustration of the dancing mermaids. Very pretty but not wholly realistic. None of them had moonstones, for starters, and all of them were blonde. “Yes, we exist out there. But unlike in here, where merfolk and humans have always been aware of each other, the people from the mainland remain oblivious to the existence of my kind. They think us only the stuff of legends, and it must stay that way. For our safety. They outnumber us by too many out there.” She traced a finger over the image in the book, frowning with interest. “As far as the story goes, the first of my merpeople came to life here, close to the dawn of time indeed. I believe that to be true.”

It didn’t surprise him that mainlanders were oblivious to the many supernatural mysteries of the world. They could be very ignorant and set in their blind ways. But it was impressive that no siren had ever been caught. “How come mermaid drownings or attacks never make the news?”

“The news?”

“They don’t get found out, and the information doesn’t spread or get put on the television. They must hunt sometimes…without a peace accord to keep them away from people…” he mused darkly.

“Oh. Occasional hunts, yes. The mermaids who swam farthest, out of this Island and into the vast oceans beyond, have likely indulged in human flesh. Not all--- not even many, I believe, but some have. The rumor is that overfishing and pollution are killing all the fish in the sea, so merpeople that live in depleted areas are resorting to eating humans so they do not starve.”

“They must be very discreet,” he said with an ominous widening of the eyes. The victims were probably declared missing at sea.

“Indeed,” a nod. “I know of glacier mermaids, with white crystal-like tails and white hair, who live under the frozen sea tundra. I know of South American mermaids with colorful, patterned tails and extra fins on their sides and backs. They have all evolved based on the environment they’re living in. But originally, all of our ancestors trace back to here. To those three families. Our shimmering tails give us away.”

“Fascinating,” Ben said with awe. He took a moment to absorb all the information he had just received: mermaids were from the dawn of time, and once-upon-a-time they were free to come and go from the Island. They proliferated, returned, and most got trapped in—but some were still out there, off-Island somewhere, unable to return. And they knew of Jacob! His mind was buzzing from all of this new knowledge he never dreamed of! “I take it you were born on this Island?” Ben deduced.

“Indeed. It is my home. It is all of our homes! There are very few merfolk outside of the Island; but I fight for the freedom of my people. We deserve to travel as we wish, and to not be held hostage by some invisible force just because Jacob deems it so! And I fight for those outside to be able to return, as most of them would wish to do. We have no stake in Jacob’s control of this Island, so why should we suffer for his schemes?” she passionately declared.

“But you’d come back, if you left?” a curious eyebrow rose.

“Of course! I might like to explore the mainland, but I don’t want to live where I have to hide or I go extinct! What I want is the choice to come and go freely, when I choose to.”

Ben nodded. He could sympathize with that, more deeply than it might seem. He would never want to live anywhere else than the Island, but he liked his mainland visits. “What do you know about the coordinates?” he asked rather vaguely, not wanting to give away any secrets if she was unaware of them.

“To come and go? We used to have them. But they changed, and we lost the correct coordinates before I was born.” She searched his face, hopeful. “Would you ever share them with me?”

Ben hesitated, shadowy. He looked away from her. “I…think that would be against the rules, Pearl. I’m sorry.” It was bad enough that he had to send Walt and Michael home! But his people promised Michael that in exchange for Jack – for Ben’s sake! – so he had to honor their deal. The boy and his father would face consequences for leaving though, Ben was pretty sure of it. It was Jacob’s way.

“Oh. I see…” she gave a faint smile, trying to seem understanding, but he could see her hope shattering.

Ben felt horrible to be the cause of her disheartening. He had a lot of business on the mainland, in several countries; it would be so easy to let her tag along, just once! But—the rules were clear: they dictated that nobody was to be allowed to leave the Island unless Jacob gave them the coordinates. Ben really hoped that Jacob would have given some advice on how to proceed when the conflict with the sirens started, but there was never a peep from the deity-like figure. If Ben could at least check with Jacob, he’d ask if he could make a deal with Pearl: studying her reproductive system in return for taking her on a mainland visit. It would be a good deal! But he couldn’t do it without Jacob’s permission, and Jacob wouldn’t talk to him. Ben’s bitterness coiled up more tightly inside of him. He quickly swallowed it down and looked at Pearl. “Do you know how the first merfolk families came to exist? We know how humans evolved into being.”

She knew more than she was willing to tell him. But Pearl would share some basics. “I believe humans would classify us as fae. The fae title encapsulates many different beings. Most are spirits, unlike the merfolk.”

“I’m aware of what the fae folk are.” Ben stared for a beat, skeptical. “You’re not telling me that fairies are real too. And gnomes and—all of those things.”

A giggle. “I’m not sure, but I believe they are! They do not live on this plane of existence, much like your ghosts don’t either. I’ve never encountered one on this Island, though. Most fae spirits are said to love forests and nature, but, if they are indeed real, I believe something about the Light of the Island keeps them away.”

His face tightened. “…Light?”

This was uncomfortable. Benjamin was accustomed to being the smartest person in every room, the man with the plan who knew all the secrets. Now he was faced with a creature from a world he knew very little about. That had been alright because he assumed she knew just as little about his world--- they were on equal footing. But he was becoming painfully aware that she was privy to many secrets of the Island. It was bad enough that Pearl was familiar with the Black Smoke and knew Jacob rather well, but knowing something about a Light that he was ignorant about? It hurt his ego and unnerved him to his core, as it meant that she had an edge over him! It made her endlessly more dangerous. His jaw set tightly, eyes steely.

A coy shrug, sending waves of blonde hair over her shoulder. “Oh it’s Jacob’s endeavour, don’t worry about it.”

He narrowed his eyes, souring. “Pearl…” Her name sounded almost like a threat on his lips, “please explain to me what you are talking about…”

“I don’t think he would want me to. I have no loyalty to him, but you do, so perhaps you’d best reconsider, Benjamin,” she warned. Part of the role of Ben’s people was to indirectly take care of that Light, keeping it on by keeping the Island safe. But for some reason Jacob never shared that piece of information with them, and Pearl didn’t want to be the one to do so. She was very aware of the Light of Creation, though, and of Jacob’s responsibility towards it; The Light generated life, for the whole world. It was directly responsible for the creation of merfolk, and it still seeped underwater in some places. That was the part of merfolk history that she was keeping from Ben. Maybe one day she would tell him the full story, but not yet. Not if Jacob didn’t want him to know. She wouldn’t be responsible for breaking Ben’s faith in Jacob…especially when he refused to share the travel coordinates with her because of the rules. He couldn’t have it both ways. If he wanted to stick to the rules, he’d better abide by them all.

But there were cracks already forming in his faith, and they had nothing to do with Pearl. The more time passed with Jacob being unresponsive, the more jaded Ben became. He would never betray the deity-like man – not unless some great tragedy befell Ben, like losing his daughter and thinking that Jacob didn’t care about all that he lost – but he had grown to resent the deity figure and to occasionally worry about his own position within Jacob’s society. He felt that the Island Protector had a personal grudge against him, and that unsettled and angered the man. Why wasn’t he enough?! Would he be replaced as leader? His loyalty remained, and his faith on the Island was never-ending, but his relationship with Jacob was strained. Worse now that Ben was jealous of Jacob’s past connection to Pearl, too. He frowned in a harsh way that made him seem almost menacing. “And it doesn’t affect me? This ‘light’?” he fished for harmless information that wasn’t technically against the rules. His own loophole.

“Not really,” she said honestly, and he believed her. “As I said, it is Jacob’s endeavor. If you want to go against his wishes, I will share what I know, if you give me th—”

“No,” he quickly shook his head, standing his ground. “That’s alright, thank you.” Better be safe and continue to abide by Jacob’s rules, especially while in conversation with a rival.

All in all, it was a very informative talk for Ben, and Pearl enjoyed opening up about her past. They felt closer to each other now, just a little more personable. They liked it.

But, although they were having an important, deep conversation, and sharing sincere advice with one another, they were still playing their usual political games. Both were on the lookout for any piece of information that they might use against the other later, if needed. Always searching for a way to manipulate, to keep the upper hand. It was just another example of the constant and strong push-and-pull between the two, always oscillating between caring, fun-having allies and bickering, plotting rivals.

“Are you concerned about your people?” she asked suddenly, seemingly apropos of nothing.

His eyes narrowed and filled with caution. “Why would I be?”

“I sense discontentment in some of them. You know what type of trouble that invites, I’m sure,” a small smirk pulled on her lips. Ben shivered. He knew all too well how little it could take to overthrow someone’s power, sometimes. Just a spark of a misunderstanding or disagreement. But he said nothing, simply staring acidly at her. She continued, the smirk widening. “And with your admission that you keep some of them here under false pretenses…” a calculated, eerie chuckle, “it might be a matter of time until they rebel.”

She wasn’t entirely wrong; most of Ben’s people were very loyal and understood the honor of being chosen by Jacob—but there were some who simply did not adapt to the Island. And, with their usual stability threatened by the crash of the Oceanic flight, Ben knew he was living through a delicate time with his people. Things were a little fraught. Resources were dwindling, some individuals were questioning his priorities. But he’d admit none of that to the mermaid queen. “That is interesting of you to say,” he fired back with smooth amusement, and a little darkly. “Especially when I’ve seen first-hand how you have trouble controlling your people- merpeople. Are your subjects still not falling in line, your majesty? Could they…rebel?” He over-emphasized the word, throwing it right back at her.

Pearl hissed, sulking a little. There was no point in lying to Ben when he had already witnessed the truth with his own eyes. “Some are still hesitant to my being on land, yes, but they fall in line. There is no rebellion.”

“You’re trying to prove yourself to them, aren’t you? Establishing yourself in your role?” one side of his mouth turned upward with a knowing little smile. “You haven’t been queen for long.”

Hazel eyes became very cautious. “What makes you say that?”

A calm shrug. “I’ve always suspected that this new push from the mermaids to explore the land came from a change in leadership. Someone was trying to make a name for themselves.” That had been quite clear to him at the council meeting where they drew up a new version of the treaty. “Now that I know you, I can tell that the push obviously comes from you, and you’re the queen, so the conclusion is clear.”

Pearl couldn’t believe that Ben’s deductions were right. Again! He was too perceptive and too intelligent! She exhaled reluctantly. “When we first met, the day of the bonfire – goodness, was that four years ago?” she mused, “—I had been queen for a year. So, no, not a terribly long time, especially for our long lives.” Maybe someday she’d tell him the whole story of her ascension to the throne, but not yet; it was a painful subject for the mermaid. And Ben could twist it against her.

“And you want to impress your people by proving that you can either establish peace with humankind, or find a way to permanently destroy us,” Ben said coolly, proud of himself but unsurprised that he was right. “It’s a clever plan, but a little reckless. I see why they doubt you,” he widened his eyes for emphasis, underlining her insecurities just a little.

Her gaze hardened. “What you deem ‘reckless’, I deem ‘innovative’ and ‘brave’. My merpeople believe in me; the few that are still concerned will see that I know what I’m doing by spending time up here,” Pearl said decisively. She would establish herself as their rightful queen!

Ben pursed his lips like he was mildly impressed by the attempt yet not terribly convinced it would work. Which was, in a nutshell, how he really felt. “It is a lofty goal. It could do wonders to establish you as queen if you pull it off.” He paused purposefully, to let the uncertain ‘if’ hang over her head a little. Then he continued, his cynical advice not ringing entirely sincere even though it was: “But you should ponder whether this is truly what’s best for you, Pearl. Maybe you’d have better control of your subjects if you were back underwater.” It was another attempt to get her to go home, but those were getting more lackluster by the day, because the part of Ben that wanted her to stay was slowly growing. And growing steadily, albeit very much against his will.

“Mm. Thanks for the ‘advice’.” She gave him a luminous smile, though her eyes lacked any warmth.

“I mean it,” he reiterated with a blank nod. It was manipulative advice, but it was real advice. “And, thank you for sharing so much with me today.” A small smile.

Hers grew in warmth, but just a tad. “You are welcome indeed.”

***

He had just arrived home when he instinctively felt observed. Searching for her, he located Pearl sitting on the floor, off in a corner. Her cold, astute eyes were on him, following his every move. That detached sense of unfeelingness raised the hairs on the back of his neck.

“Is everything alright?” he asked warily. But he knew the answer: something was wrong. Pearl had become much warmer toward him lately; why was she staring so detachedly now?

“Everything is wonderful,” she said, and it sounded like a warning.

Ben noticed that her body was hunched over something, like she was either concealing it or protecting it from him. “What do you have there?” he asked suspiciously, raising an eyebrow.

A defensive hiss and an ice-cold stare. “These are mine. I collected them. Do not try to take them back.”

He would not have a mystery like that in his own home! His face was eerily blank as he stepped toward her to inspect the collection. Ben exhaled when he saw it: a pile of all manners of shiny or sparkly things. A metal tweezer, a sapphire ring, a bonbon wrapper, gift-wrapping paper, a spoon, a plastic necklace, a glittery child’s scrunchie, and other things of similar appearances. It was clear she had been amassing them for a while now.

“Did you steal these?” he cocked his head, squinting with an accusing pout.

“No! I found the ring under the sea, I kept the wrapper from my own candy, and the others were recent gifts!” she frowned at him.

“Gifts from whom? My people?” Ben acerbically pressed. The idea that they were giving her things made him uneasy. They didn’t know how dangerous that could be! For now it was all just shiny things, because Pearl was always drawn to that visual aesthetic, but what would happen when she asked an unsuspecting person for a weapon?!

“Yes,” she admitted in a low hiss. “I have had different conversations where I said I needed something, and they were gracious enough to procure these for me.”

Oh what a surprise that they were fawning over the beautiful long-legged blonde who knew how to bat her eyelashes and laugh enchantingly. “You don’t need any of these things. You’re taking advantage of our hospitality,” Ben told her tersely.

“Their hospitality,” she pointedly corrected. “You despise my being here, Benjamin, and you make no secret of it.”

“And you despise all of humankind, myself included,” he said with a hint of haughtiness, though mostly unfazed.

A slight bow of the head and a light hiss that felt somewhat amiable despite her standoffishness. “Perhaps we both have reasons to share in our mutual dislike.”

Both of them were being dramatic and they knew it! Insecurities, inadequacy or defensiveness brought that petulance out of them. Deep down, they knew there was no ‘despising’ between them. There was some bickering, the occasional annoyance and wariness and mind games, but they had put their days of being outright enemies behind them. They only pretended otherwise when they were being petulant.

He noticed a hammer in her loot pile, and he instantly darkened. “You can keep the shiny things, but I need the hammer back,” Ben gestured toward it with an open palm, lips rolling into a thin line.

“No!” she got up and placed herself in front of her pile, in a protective stance. “It’s mine!” She was willing to do a lot of what Ben asked, but she would not part with her collection! She was too enthralled by it!

He scoffed. “What do you want with a hammer? It’s not even shiny!”

“The head part is!” she abrasively disagreed.

“Pearl, you said you would follow my lead here on land,” he sternly reminded her. “I am telling you to give me the hammer.”

The siren stepped closer to him, sneering in pure defiance. “I repeat, no. I agreed to follow your lead where your society, your privacy and your people are concerned. Our deal is not a free pass to boss me around with everything. My collection does not concern you.”

“Oh but it does,” he retorted coldly, widening his eyes for emphasis. “You tricked my people into thinking you were in need.”

“They gave things to me because they wanted to!” She hissed. “Ben, I am a queen. I am making many concessions for your sake, but I will not bow down to your every command! Give up.”

Although they did not hate each other, their power struggles and rivalry could get out of hand. It seemed like it was about to. It started innocently enough, with a typical provocation from Pearl – flaunting the loot under his nose – and a typical response from Ben –calling her out on it and issuing an order. But now it was serious and on the verge of escalating. Ben could see that Pearl was not going to budge. But there was no way he’d allow her to keep a hammer! It wasn’t even because it was a potential weapon—honestly, if she wanted to bash someone’s head in, she could realistically grab any random rock from right outside. It was because a hammer was a building tool, and God forbid the merfolk started actually building things!

So Ben ducked under her open arm, snatched the hammer from the pile and quickly backed away from Pearl.

She gasped in outrage and chased after him while he was hurriedly shoving the hammer in a box and locking it in there. Ben turned around to face her and block the locked box with his body.

“Do you really believe that such a box can keep me out?” Pearl hissed, grabbing at his arms to try to pull him away. “I may not have the code but I can break through it!”

He let out a mirthless chuckle, holding his ground. “This is a temporary solution to slow you down.”

She tried grabbing him by the shirt instead, but all she managed was to untuck it from his pants. “You’re so insufferably cocky,” she angrily accused, her face very close to his.

“Then leave,” he retorted icily, fending off her attempts to pull him away. “Because three whole months with you here will be interminable,” Ben scowled at her.

“Being here with you is much more intolerable for me!” she fired back, one hand squeezing his waist. Angry blue eyes dipped down to her lips, taking in the sight of how they pulled with exasperation. Pearl noticed, and her eyes twinkled with malice. “Careful, Benjamin; it almost looks as though you would like to kiss me again,” she said with false sweetness.

His face hardened, tone dripping with sarcasm. “It’s interesting that you’re always the one bringing up that kiss. I think it’s you who would like to do it again, Pearl. I said it was a mistake all along.” Ben would normally not make such a bold statement regarding romance, but Pearl was really getting under his skin. “And I told you it won’t happen again,” he smiled at her with infuriating levels of smugness.

She scoffed, beyond mad at him and his stupid denial! “Oh, is that so? It won’t happen, ever again, because it was such a huge mistake?” Pearl asked condescendingly and Ben nodded, that smug smile still on his face. Oh how she wanted to wipe it off of him! And how she wanted to prove him wrong! She knew he was lying to her! Hazel eyes narrowed and she suddenly became very calm. She raised her chin, challenging him. “Are you so sure about that, that you’d stake such a claim to it?”

“I’m sure,” he reiterated flippantly.

“Very well. You’re sure.” Pearl moved even closer, leaning in for a kiss. She stopped for a second – right before their lips touched – to allow him time to move away if he really didn’t want to kiss her. But Ben didn’t move; he stared defiantly at her, calling her bluff, so the siren captured his lips with hers with so much fury that it morphed into pure passion.

Ben froze for a split second. His brain tried to tell him to push her away, but he was already too intoxicated by that same fiery passion that came from fury. Her hands grabbed his face, and his grabbed her hips. Pearl let out a little growl as she slid her tongue inside Ben’s mouth, and he grunted lightly in response, his own tongue meeting hers.

It was an intense, messy kiss, very unlike them. They were two individuals who needed to have control over all things: their emotions, the circumstances and people around them, their own bodies and expressions. But in that moment, attached by their lips, neither of them was in control at all. Quite the opposite, they were ruled completely by instinct and passion, their brains drowned out by the overwhelming chemistry.

The kiss left them in a daze of delight, of delicious connection and lust, their hands gripping at each other with need as hungry mouths mashed together. Ben eventually saw the light first – brain conquering over body and heart – and he hastily pushed Pearl off of him. “Pearl!” he protested, exasperated, mind swimming and heart pounding. “I—”

“I guess you just made another big mistake,” she taunted with an icy smile, wiping her reddened lips and ignoring how much her pulse and heart were racing.

Ben scoffed, appalled. “Me? You kissed me!”

“To prove a point! More importantly, you let me,” she exclaimed at him, a triumphant grin on her face. Now she was the smug one.

“I really don’t like that you’re living here,” he spat through gritted teeth and began to walk away from her. Defensive and spiteful.

“I know! I don’t either!” She shouted defiantly over his shoulder, then walked in the opposite direction. She was so pleased that she proved him wrong and won the argument, but Pearl was nervous because of how much she loved that kiss. Her stomach was full of butterflies. It wasn’t supposed to be like that!

Ben was upset that he fell for her little scheme and let her win. How could he have been so stupid?! But he was also a little giddy about how great the kiss was. Not that he’d ever tell her.

Both of them completely forgot about the hammer in the box.

The next time they saw each other they did not mention what happened. It was less embarrassing that way for both of them. Ben told himself that she was, indeed, only proving a point, and that he was being delusional in thinking it was more than that. Pearl told herself that his reciprocity was just because he was a guy, who’d probably kiss any pretty girl who threw herself at him, and that she would be silly to think he had any deeper feelings for her.

***

But despite both of them refusing to talk about the most recent kiss, it still lingered in the background of their interactions: Pearl had been walking around with an infuriating little smug smirk on her face, all throughout the next day. Ben was sure it was because of the kiss; she got the better of him in that situation, and now she was flaunting it. ‘You let me’, her triumphant words kept ringing in his ears. It had been a wonderful kiss, but God, things would be so much easier if it hadn’t happened! Ben had to figure out a way to regain the upper hand somehow. He had to show her that, even though she tricked him into revealing he’d kiss her again, he was still in control despite that momentary lapse of judgment.

His musings on how exactly to achieve such a feat were interrupted when he heard a crash that barely fazed him; it wasn’t the first – and surely not the last—since Pearl had come to live with him. She had a knack for breaking things whenever she started to fiddle with them in curiosity. Ben simply sighed, repressing the complaint that almost pushed past his lips.

In the kitchen, the mermaid-on-land was eyeing the shattered red plate weirdly. She’d taken upon herself to learn how to make food the human way but some techniques still evaded her. When she tried to wash the plate, it became slipperier than she expected, and it flew right off her hands to break on Ben’s tiled floor.

Pearl sighed with a touch of annoyance; Ben might judge her for this. She quickly bent over to scoop up the pieces, to at least clean up the mess. She gathered one, two, three pieces, then four-

“Ah!” she cried out and dropped the fifth piece back on the floor, withdrawing her bleeding hand in a hasty flinch. Pearl frowned as she observed the small gash on her palm; the sharp edge had cut her.

Ben heard her yelp and that worried him more than the sound of ceramic breaking. “Are you alright?” he called out to her, a quizzical eyebrow lifting.

“Yes! Most certainly!” She was all smiles, which translated to the lilt of her voice.

“Then why are you hiding your hands behind your back?” he asked with a slight tilt of the head and a somewhat sardonic tone, eyeing her with condescension. His presence surprised her, making her jump toward the sound of his voice. Her previously peppy response is what tipped him off that she was lying. Obviously something had happened to make her scream, and if she was keeping it from him – playing it off cheerfully, even – it’s because something was wrong. So Ben made his way to the kitchen to check on her, coming up behind her and surprising her with the question.

“Goodness, you are such a prier,” she complained under her breath. His piercing eyes insisted that she tell him what was up, so Pearl sighed sharply and put out the injured hand. “It is nothing.”

“Oh,” he said casually, because it was a very minor cut. Ben opened one of the kitchen drawers and fished out a bandaid. “May I?” He held out a hand, asking for hers.

An embarrassed little hiss. “I do not need your assistance.” While she’d not minded being helped by Ben as she navigated the human world, she felt differently the day after they kissed. She may have flown too close to the sun, so to speak, by using a kiss to mess with him. It stirred up some of her own feelings, so now the mermaid was on the defense. Defense and occasional smugness.

“Alright,” he didn’t press, simply accepting it with a tiny shrug. “But if you could please refrain from continuing to break my things, I’d thank you,” he added with certain dry cheekiness. “At this rate I’ll be left without a house.”

A stifled laugh. “I will try my very best,” she smiled and curtsied at him with arms dramatically extending to the sides; her words, expression and gesture dripped with bemused sarcasm.

Ben chuckled softly. “Do you want this?” He offered the bandaid again, this time minus his assistance.

Pearl stared at it in a deadpan. “I do not know what such a thing is,” she admitted. “Give it to me and I will figure it out.”

Before doing so, he gave her a curious and vaguely amused look. “Why are you refusing help today? You never have before. Don’t be stubborn, Pearl.” Ben, clever as always, was working it out in his head: the only thing that changed between them was the latest kiss, so…

“Oh very well, you may help me,” she hissed in thorough exasperation, realizing where his mind was going. Pearl did not want Ben to figure out how much the last kiss affected her! She was glad to show off how much he wanted to kiss her, but didn’t want to let him know that she felt the same way. So she held out the cut hand, a childish pout on her face.

Ben unwrapped the bandaid and stepped to her. His eyes briefly met hers – an unreadable expression in his – and then he gently held the back of her hand. With his other fingers, he smoothed down the plain bandaid over the tiny cut. Ben then looked up at Pearl again and felt something stirring inside. Honestly, he shouldn't even be standing so close to her! Not after that last kiss and how much it affected him! “There you go,” he said weakly, a put-on smile appearing for a few seconds and then vanishing.

Pearl idly rubbed a fingernail against the edges of the bandaid, sheepish. “I do thank you for your help.”

“You didn’t need my help, but it was easier with it,” he pointed out with a vaguely smug, playful little expression.

An airy laugh. “Yes.”

“It’s always a mind game with you,” Ben pointed out, his expression sobering. “You’re the first adversary I’ve had who is as focused and calculating as—as me,” he admitted with some intensity behind his eyes.

“And as ruthless,” Pearl added with a gentle raise of her chin.

Ben blinked, then his gaze dropped to the ground. “I suppose…” He didn’t like to think of himself as ‘ruthless’, but he wasn’t under any illusions otherwise either. He truly believed that he and his people were the good guys – and in many ways, they were! Ben was a good person, who did bad things due to terrible circumstances and trauma, and although he realized all of that, it still made him feel somewhat guilty to admit to his ruthlessness.

Pearl, too. She thought of herself as incredibly noble and kind, and in many ways she was, but she could be ruthless and do very bad things to keep the oceans and the merfolk kingdom safe. Sometimes she was ashamed of that.

“This is precisely why I find you so fascinating, Benjamin,” a mysterious smile pulled her lips. “You’re a real challenge, and quite alike me.”

Wariness and flattery filled him in equal amounts, and he simply quirked a brow. “Is that why you chose to help me through a deal when you could have easily drowned or enchanted me instead? In the past?” There was an introspective tone to the question.

“Perhaps,” she said with a mischievous little smile, and then she matched his quietness. “Even back then I could sense something in you. You pulled me in, with your mystery, your beauty and your well-spoken words, with how calculated and focused you are, and I was--intrigued. And your wit can make me laugh. My brazen admiration is sincere,” she confessed, then instantly walked away. It was better to put some distance between them after being so complimentary. Why’d she even say all that, anyway?!

Ben had always sensed her fascination with him, but to hear her say it so openly and emphatically -- a day after kissing him! -- made his head spin. He was speechless for a few seconds, watching her walk away, and then he gave a small shake of the head as if coming back to Earth. “Pearl?” he called after her with a soft sigh. “You know that I don’t—actually despise you or your being here, don’t you?”

In spite of herself, she smiled. “Indeed. I do not despise you or all of humankind either. I hope you know that.”

“I do,” he admitted, mouth twisting to the side and shoulders bunching up. It was a dangerous thing to admit out loud to one another – their emotions were safer if they kept pretending to hate each other! – but they weren’t really fooling anyone, anymore.

Notes:

My apologies to Jacob for telling the world he's bad in bed-- but what can I do, Pearl thought he was!
The conversation that Ben and Pearl had about Jacob, mermaid sex, ancestor mermaid lore and all of that, is actually one of the earliest scenes I ever wrote for this fic! So glad to finally get it out more than a year later omg! The piano scene was written a long time ago too and I just want to let the world know that I adore it for some reason!

Aaaaand all of you finally got another kiss! Hope you liked it! There is another one coming fairly soon, don't you worry. BUT...it's still somewhat early in the story, so, if things are going well, you just know somebody's gonna mess them up. Not too badly this time, but a little. All coming soon! <3

Chapter 21: The dam can only hold the water for so long; sooner or later the flood erupts

The next day, the submarine arrived from the mainland with new clothes for Pearl.

She had been waiting eagerly for that return for nearly a month! Not only to have clothes that fit her perfectly and were completely to her taste – which she described to Tom and Bea as best as she could – but also because that marine vessel mattered. It had been a key point in her plans from the beginning, from the day Ben told her that it could leave the Island.

Although Pearl told Ben that the incident with the speakers and the high pitched frequency didn’t change anything, it had once again highlighted that they were on opposite sides. It didn’t change anything, per se, but if Pearl would have ever considered pivoting her plans, that incident encouraged her to stay the course. So the leggy blonde walked out to the docks on that sunny day, all smiles. She watched Tom, Bea and a couple of others emerge from the submarine, carrying packages of supplies and bags of clothes. She smiled, bubbly, and thanked them for their part in making her stay more comfortable. It was a particularly warm day, so hot out that nobody would question her sitting by the water, in the breeze, cooling off.

When they left to store the supplies, she stayed right there on the docks, locked in on her target. The mermaid-on-legs sat on the wooden-planked ground; she submerged her feet in ocean water and silently observed the submarine. Pensive, introspective, her golden-flecked hazel eyes extremely focused while her mind worked. A gentle dock breeze fluttered her long blonde hair.

Ben was home, receiving the clothing bags and unaware of Pearl’s whereabouts until a phone call alerted him.

“You instructed me to report to you if the mermaid did anything strange,” Isabel said on the phone. “Not sure this qualifies, but she’s been sitting at the docks staring at the submarine for a while…”

Hm. That didn’t sound too sinister, but it was enough to concern him. It was worth investigating. “Thank you, Isabel. I’ll be right there.”

He walked briskly to the docks – hurrying as much as he could while remaining inconspicuous -- where he spotted the blonde sitting on the wooden deck. Ben approached Pearl, whose feet were swinging back and forth in the water, making little ripples, and eyes were glued to the submarine. “I hope you’re not planning to sink that,” Ben said, in a mix of dry humor and actual warning.

Pearl gave a cold laugh. “No, I am merely pondering how it works. But I think I have an idea. It is a vessel such as any other, is it not?”

“More or less, yeah,” he said evasively, tilting his head at her. “Don’t you want to see the clothes they brought for you?” Ben asked, finding her lack of interest unusual. She’d been excited about the garments for days, now all of a sudden all she could inquire about was the submarine? Suspicious.

Pearl perked up. It wouldn’t do to let him know how interested in the sub she really was, anyway, so she might as well go enjoy her new clothes. “Yes! I have been looking forward to that very much,” she grinned at him. “Are they at your home yet?”

“They are,” he smiled, determined to pull her away from the submarine. “Shall we?”

Pearl accepted the invitation, postponing any other plans. And she ended up quite happy with the loot of cute girly dresses, jeans and romantic shirts, and a few easy-to-wear sandals she received. She showed them off to Ben, and he couldn’t help but smile at her enthusiasm and at how pretty she looked in everything.

***

The day of the submarine’s return turned out to be one of the hottest afternoons on the Island since the summer. Ben was used to it, not too fussed when he arrived home later with his advisor in tow.

Pearl, apparently, was not used to the heat – which made sense considering she lived in freezing temperatures and had a lower core body temperature than humans did -- because she greeted them in a pair of red, form-fitting lacy lingerie that made Ben’s heart skip a beat and left very little to the imagination. One of the new acquisitions from the mainland, bought just for her. Ben had no idea about that one. Who even picked it?! Pearl had especially requested it, he was sure of it. And he was right.

“Pearl, what are you doing?!” he chirped, immediately glancing away at the same time that Richard did. Both men stared awkwardly at the ceiling.

“Does she walk around the house like this very often?” Richard asked under his breath, wondering if there was more to Ben and Pearl’s relationship than he knew. Gossip of them taking a moonlit stroll together had already reached the advisor’s ears. It would be hard to resist that kind of temptation, even for a man as strong-willed as Benjamin.

“Of course not!” Ben hissed back in a whisper.

“Hello, Richard,” Pearl said with a smile, then frowned at Ben. “What do you mean? I am not doing anything.”

“You can’t—wear that around people,” he said, a bit stilted.

“But this is exactly the same garment that I see women wearing at the beach, all the time! I see them from the water!” Pearl complained. She understood human rules surrounding nudity, but weren’t underwear and beachwear essentially the same?

Ben could see where her confusion was coming from. “Oh. Well, see-- technically, no, they’re not the same...” He pursed his lips, squinting at the ceiling.

“Why not?! They show the same amount of skin!” she protested. Not because she was that invested in the underwear either way, but the lack of logic bothered her.

“Yeah, but—” Ben sighed, trying to think of an explanation that made sense. He decided it was a bit silly – childish even – to keep looking up at the ceiling. If Pearl was choosing to continue to stand in front of him dressed like that, he might as well look at her and still be appropriate. He locked eyes with her, making sure not to check out her body. “It’s a social convention. Beachwear— that’s made of a different material. One is acceptable in public, one is not.”

“The material is the only difference?!” she huffed in disbelief. “That is so very nonsensical!”

“I know,” Ben conceded. “It doesn’t entirely make sense, but that’s how things are, Pearl.”

Richard chimed in too: “Sometimes human traditions can be a little nonsensical.”

“Fine, I’ll change,” she relented, though visibly annoyed. She marched off to her temporary bedroom and shut the door, leaving the two men alone.

Richard let out an awkward chuckle. “Is she always like this?”

“In some ways. She is inquisitive, and a handful…” Ben trailed off with a frown, a little sour that Richard got to see a nearly naked Pearl too.

“Just as long as you’re not getting your hands full with her,” the advisor reminded.

Ben tutted, exasperated. “Of course not, Richard, you know me better than that!”

“Right. She’s a mermaid, you’re human, you would never cross the line. So you’ve said.”

“I mean it.” A vehement nod followed by a miffed huff. “Come on, we have a meeting to conduct.”

They sat around the dining table to take care of some Island business. It was only after Richard left that Pearl cracked her bedroom door slightly. Intentionally.

It seemed that ‘changing’ meant adding Ben’s shirt on top of her lacy lingerie. That lilac shirt she wore as a makeshift skirt the day she came to be his roommate and then never gave it back to him. Now, she was wearing it while lying in bed on her stomach, legs turned up and lightly swaying. It created a very flattering view of her backside, and Ben quickly walked away from the door after a split second of stunned admiration.

A few minutes later, Pearl waltzed out with all the calm in the world. Only one button of the shirt was done up; the middle button, effectively leaving everything else exposed. Ben could still see half of the elegant lacy bra cupping her breasts in very flattering manner, and a bit of her toned midriff. The button hid her stomach, but then the shirt opened in an upside-down V, leaving the pretty red panties and her long legs in plain view. It was extremely sexy.

Ben wondered if she was doing it on purpose, to prove a point or something. Or maybe she genuinely was just overheated and didn’t care that he could see so much of her. Ultimately he suspected that it was both, and he was right: the initial wearing of the lingerie was an honest mistake of confusing it with beachwear. Prancing around in it and his shirt was some sort of provocation fueled by the kiss from the previous day. Pearl was still flaunting her win, making him confront the fact that he wanted her, that he willingly let her kiss him. It was obvious by the sly little smirk on her face. She was purposely provoking, to see if she might get him to lose control again! Now that he knew she was well aware of what human sex was, it became even more obvious that she was doing it all on purpose.

So she wanted to play another game with him? She’d lose, because he was perfectly capable of simply removing himself from the situation. He hated that she made him lose control so easily, and he was still determined to find a way to turn the tables on her! But— later. Right now he had more pressing things on his mind. It disconcerted him that she looked so good, so comfortable, so at home lounging in his shirt, like it belonged to her. Like she was his girlfriend— except that she was his nothing. She belonged to the ocean, just like Ben belonged to the Island.

The siren served herself a bowl of Dharma ice cream and plopped down on his couch to watch tv. She turned slightly on her side, which accentuated her lovely hips and the sensual curve on her back, and made the shirt dip even lower near the cleavage, exposing her shoulder and one side of the red bra.

Ben hardly knew what to do. He felt his blood racing, his body tingling. That was the woman he had feelings for, looking like some kind of perfect fantasy right in front of him! His usual desires to hold her, kiss her, and touch her, were becoming an ache inside of him, the fire spreading out of control. But she wasn’t making a move on him; she was just– sensually existing. Messing with him, sure, but nothing more than that. He had to leave her alone. Pearl lazily licked the ice cream from her spoon, making Ben’s breath hitch. She looked up at him with a smile that was much too innocent. “Do you want some ice cream?”

“No, thank you. I think I—I’m going to take a shower,” he said with a sharp nod and headed for the bathroom. Yes, removing himself from the situation – and quickly – was the right play.

She was confused. “Didn’t you shower before you left this morning?”

“Yeah…” he said weakly, then shut the bathroom door. He did shower in the morning. But now, he would take a very cold one.

***

Pearl didn’t act on the submarine right away, thinking it would look too suspicious if it disappeared right after she was spotted around it. But she was impatient and time was of the essence, so she only waited two days. That afternoon she walked by the docks again; the mermaid eyed the submarine intensely, coveting it. As cunning and leadership-inclined as she was, she was somewhat inexperienced as a leader; her rise to power was sudden, and the mermaid was still learning how to navigate politics and rise to her full potential. This piece of human technology would help Pearl establish herself as the true queen. But that wasn’t the only reason. Another reason was simple: mermaids despised how invasive the submarine was, as a thing that gave humans the ability to travel through their domain. The other reason was that the vessel might help the mermaids leave the Island, of course.

Much like how Ben had to have Desmond’s boat when he learned of its existence, for the good of his people, the blonde mermaid decided she had to have the submarine. For the good of her merpeople. Yet another parallel between the two. Unfortunately Ben would hate it if she took it, and she realized that she cared a little about that. She didn’t want to upset him too much, having come to enjoy the fragile friendship they were cultivating. But her feelings didn’t change anything, nor did his displeasure with the act. She wasn’t doing this to Ben, she was doing it for her merpeople. Pearl didn’t decide to steal the submarine just to make Ben mad or to strike a blow against humans— those were simply the consequences of her prioritizing her own kind. If she could have done so without upsetting Ben, she would have. But she couldn’t, and the price of her priority was that – if he found out -- she would have shattered the fragile trust they had built with one another.

She snuck away from the village on her own, carefully climbing to the bottom of a cliff where it met the wildest currents of the sea. Pearl drew in a breath and let out a long, placid, high pitched call that would be carried by the waves and winds to her sisters. The order was given.

At night, every adult mermaid and merman swam up to the docks, silent and deadly. They joined together to pull the submarine under, tying massive rocks around it and tugging. The mermaids sang so that the tides would help ease the friction. Pearl wasn’t there, but she trusted them to get it done.

And done it was. Within three hours the submarine had been dragged to the depths, to the kingdom of the merfolk, by order of their audacious Queen.

In the morning, Benjamin received a concerning radio call.

“Ben, the submarine is gone,” Tom warned in a bit of a panic.

Ben froze, blue eyes widening, and he hissed into the mouthpiece. “What do you mean gone?!”

“It’s not there anymore. It vanished!”

“Did you check underwater?” he suggested with certain urgency. “Maybe it took damage on the trip, and sunk…”

“Yeah, we looked in there. There’s no sign of it,” Tom exclaimed, completely bewildered. “How can a sub just vanish, boss?”

Ben’s face grew dangerously shadowy. Unlike Tom, he was pretty sure he had an explanation for the sudden disappearance. He didn’t need to look at Pearl to know she was behind it. “I’ll deal with it, Tom, thank you,” he said curtly but politely, and hung up. He closed his eyes for a moment, mouth hanging slightly open with aggravation and dread. Then he strode up to the mermaid, who was wearing one of her new sundresses. “I’m going to Hydra Island,” he declared abruptly. “Pearl, would you mind accompanying me?”

The mermaid was a little surprised by the invitation, but she wasn’t one to refuse an outing. “I would not mind at all! What are we doing there?” she smiled as she walked up to him, swaying to make her dress twirl a little. Then she paused. “Wait—we are not going to those rooms, are we?”

“Oh, no. I just need to check on something…” Ben trailed off, the look on his face unreadable.

He was quiet on the boat ride to Hydra Island, which would not have been unusual behavior around Pearl if this was the beginning of their time together. She knew that he was often suspicious of her and chose to keep to himself. But things had gotten much better recently, with the two communicating a lot more and building a nice rapport. Yet today it was worse than ever. He was avoiding her again, and coldness emanated from him. Maybe he wasn’t over that argument and that kiss. The mermaid stole a glance in his direction, while Ben kept a steely look out at the ocean. She wondered what was going through that brilliant mind of his; he didn’t look very happy at all. Pearl’s teeth grazed her bottom lip as she began to grow concerned about his mood-- it could very well be related to the submarine. What if he already knew it was gone?! Could he suspect her?! She kept a neutral face, humming at the waves instead of talking to him, and trying to plan how she might sweet-talk him into forgiving her.

On Hydra, he directed her to one of the rooms with many TVs, most hooked up to surveillance cameras. But some had to do with the underwater beacons. Sitting on the chair, he used the radar equipment to try and locate the submarine, but nothing came up. There was not one ping, one sign of where the vessel might be, one tracker turned on. He rolled his lips, displeased. He had not wanted to wrongly accuse the siren, again, but the submarine really was gone—and that was all the confirmation he needed. Ben got up slowly, an air of menace surrounding him. “You’ve been asking a lot of questions about my submarine, Pearl,” he told her with pointed nonchalance.

“I was only curious,” she said airily, though feeling a certain thrill from his mood. A pleasant chill.

“Interesting.” He pursed his lips, then let out a purposeful wry scoff. “Can you believe that it disappeared, only two days after I found you sitting there staring at it?”

She frowned quizzically, putting on a performance. “You don’t think that I—”

“Don’t bother denying it,” Ben said harshly, taking a step toward her. He glowered. “I know you did it, Pearl. Nobody else could have.”

“I-” she stammered, shuddering under the weight of that icy glare. She remembered how dangerous that man was, and she could feel it. But there was no point in lying if Ben already knew the truth. So Pearl turned up her nose, proud and prim, the warm smile replaced by an air of cold defiance. “Very well, I will speak truthfully. Merfolk don’t like that thing—it invades our home. So we got rid of it.” A truth of omission and of carefully-picked words to give a certain impression.

“You destroyed it?!” he gasped in urgent exasperation. She simply shrugged, evasive and uppity. God, Ben could’ve murdered someone. His entire face tightened, lips pressing in pure exasperation before a flurry of harsh words flew out at her: “I knew you sirens would always be tricky! Do you have any idea how much damage you caused?!” They were now effectively trapped on the Island, with no way of getting mainland supplies! Not to mention the panic the loss might cause among his people! Even the illusion of freedom was gone! “This, this completely undermines our agreement! It’s outright sabotage!”

“You can’t break our deal because of this—I didn’t break our terms!” she quickly defended herself. This was her main concern. Pearl wasn’t ready to leave the land yet.

He was beside himself with anger and bewilderment. “Wh—because I didn’t explicitly forbid you from tampering with my submarine?!”

“Yes!” Pearl exclaimed emphatically. “You never said anything about the sub, you didn’t say I could not touch it!”

Blue eyes narrowed dangerously, his voice dropping to an unsettling low hiss. “I told you not to mess with my things. That includes the submarine.”

She met his eyes, not backing down. “I didn’t.”

“Didn’t…didn’t what?” he spat slowly, between gritted teeth.

“Mess with it. I told my sisters of its location, and they got rid of it. I did not touch your submarine, therefore I did not break the terms of our deal.”

A loophole? She was throwing a damn loophole in his face? Of course; Pearl was too clever to defy him without having a cover for herself. He should have seen that coming! Should have planned for it! Her conniving nature sent shivers down his spine; some were of icy dread, and some of fiery…something pleasant. Ben sneered at her, a bitter scoff escaping his lips. Pearl’s shoulders squared and she inched forward, assuming a stance that was dangerously close to her attack mode. He noticed, and his hand hovered near his baton.

He wasn’t going to grab it, but Pearl wasn’t so sure, so she reached for it first. The siren lunged at him and slipped her hand into Ben’s pocket. He was quick to capture her wrist, and when her free hand came to help, he grabbed that too.

The blonde let out an offended hiss and pushed Ben backwards until his hips hit the tv desk. It wasn’t unlike their small argument about the hammer—except that this was worse. The stakes were higher and tempers were flaring. Pearl pushed him until he was sitting on the desk, still attached to him by the wrists. She was squirming against him in an attempt to get the baton from his pocket, practically straddling his lap to do it. The friction sent sparks through their bodies. Ben rolled the pair of them over, pushing her off of him as he clumsily got up from the desk with a sharp sigh.

But his hands were still grasping her wrists, and she was clutching the baton. They were linked. The two scrambled around, fighting for the upper hand. Ben pushed her against the nearest wall, instinctively pinning her wrists above her head to better contain her. The siren yelped and hissed, he looked at her scathingly.

Their hearts were drumming, blood racing, once again face-to-face with one another, bodies pressed flush together.

Ben’s stern gaze drank in Pearl’s face, then dipped to her throat when she gulped. God, how he’d like to put his mouth on that beautiful, smooth neck of hers! He saw her chest rise and fall with heavy breaths, and he was hyper-aware of how he had her wrists tight in his grip.

Pearl, on the other hand, watched as Ben’s tongue darted out to wet his upper lip, and her knees went weak. She looked at his shoulders and desperately wished to tear his shirt off to kiss them. Her mind was completely fuzzy from the way his body was pinning hers to the wall. Even if she squirmed, she couldn’t get out.

“Drop my baton, Pearl,” Ben’s highly controlled voice came out, careful not to sound shaky.

“We should have a sword fight next time,” she hissed with prideful taunting. “I would easily win.”

Ben let out a mirthless chuckle, his eyes turning icy when they met hers again. “Drop it.”

He felt her arms going slack so he guided them down, trusting that she was surrendering. The siren let the baton fall to the ground with a thud.

He stepped back, freeing her. Ignoring the jolt of electricity coursing through his veins.

It should have ended there. As far as Ben was concerned, it would have. But the impulsive siren was mad that he pinned her to the wall, so, as he walked away from her, she hurried by and gave him a little shove, hissing in his ear. Just to freak him out a little.

He whipped his head around to glare at her, finding her glaring right back. Blue and hazel eyes locked in battle, immersing both of them in thick, electric tension. And it wasn’t the first time. In a split second, so many moments thick with tension and sparks between them flashed before Ben’s eyes: every faint touch, every breathless gaze into each other’s eyes; that first meeting where they danced together, swimming with her, the time she dried his face in a cave, or when he was injured by the arrow and fell asleep on her; the time he patched up her harpoon wound and made her tea, playing the piano together, her whispering in his ear while they were lying in the hammock, her lounging in lingerie and his shirt that left very little to the imagination-- and yes, even that time he got a glimpse of her naked body, as much as he tried to pretend it never happened for the sake of being respectful to her. All of those memories added together to make his body burn with incandescent desire. Most of all, he remembered every fantastic kiss they’d ever shared; there hadn’t been many, but they were seared into his brain with incredible detail forever, giving him butterflies whenever he thought about them.

The force of those memories mixed with his anger and spite completely fogged up his brain and made it impossible for Ben to think straight. Before he knew what he was doing, he whisked her closer, by the waist. She came easily—and then his moment of genius came. He was looking for a way to regain the upper hand after she got him to let her kiss him, right? Well, this was it. And, if he rationalized it in such a way, he wouldn’t have to fight against the overwhelming attraction anymore; he could give in, for once! Without a word, his lips came crashing against hers, and Pearl instantly melted into him, opening her mouth. He opened his too, turning that rough kiss into a fiery makeout. Desire overtook them, exploding through their minds and bodies, making them crave everything they’d been denying each other for so long.

They kissed with such a blinding mix of fury and passion that it intoxicated them, made them want to get lost in each other forever. Neither Ben nor Pearl could think straight; their arms snaked around each other, hands roaming possessively over their bodies. When Pearl whimpered into the kiss, Ben responded by holding her impossibly close to him. It was like a fever, swallowing them whole and taking control of them, leaving them burning with delight and desire.

God, he was so mad at her a minute ago! How did he end up so entangled with his enemy, the scheming submarine destroyer?! And—he didn’t want to let go. He ran a hand through her waist-length blonde hair, turning his head to kiss her at a different angle. She followed his lead.

Ben had no idea how long that makeout session – or whatever the hell it was – lasted. He was lost in the bliss of kissing her, just like she was lost in the bliss of kissing him. They were so elated to be giving in to their desire, but that desire was starting to grow, becoming a hunger that might make them go too far. Unthinkingly, Ben’s mouth travelled to Pearl’s neck, and he let out a little groan into her skin just as his tongue darted out to taste it. Pearl tilted her head back, gasping happily, and wrapped a leg around his hip. Fortunately or unfortunately – depending on how one looked at it – that made her lose balance; the siren was much better at walking, but standing on one foot was still difficult. She swayed, breaking contact with Ben to regather herself.

That snapped him out of the haze. He held her up to help her not topple over, and then quickly stepped back. Pearl stepped the other way. Both of them were breathless and a little flushed.

Ben knew it was his time to save face and reveal the plan to her: “See? I can do it too. I kissed you, and you let me,” he said with a condescendingly sweet smile, mimicking what she said to him on their last conversation on this subject. As if today’s kiss was merely a response to her challenge from the other day and not also, in big part, a release of all the pent-up attraction he felt for her.

And then he practically sprinted away from Pearl -- all too aware of how far he let things go -- leaving a panting mermaid to catch her breath against the bare cement wall where she was now leaning, wide-eyed and flustered. Goodness…he got her. He turned the tables on her! Pearl winced inwardly. How could she be so stupid to let the human play her like that?! It was so embarrassing! She was ready to give him everything, and he was just getting revenge?! Throwing her own words back at her?! He won this round. “Ugh,” she exclaimed loudly, running a hand through her hair. But—she couldn’t be too upset, not after such a dizzyingly delicious kiss. Or kisses, rather. Oh, but what a mess…

She heard the boat engine roar and realized Ben was leaving her behind on Hydra Island. The blonde mermaid scoffed, shocked. How rude! But no matter; she could use a swim to cool down. Might as well stop to visit her sisters on the way and check on their new submarine. Because Pearl knew something that Ben didn’t: the mermaids’ order was not to destroy the sub. It was to capture it for themselves.

***

He was still thinking about the kisses when he woke up the following morning—his body a little more excited than it was proper to be. It took a lot of concentration and breathing exercises to take care of that without…well. He couldn’t really be doing that while someone else was in the house! Apparently something kept Pearl awake at night too, because he could already hear her uneven footsteps in the living room. Ben sighed, squeezing his eyes shut. Those kisses had been so mind-blowingly good – he could hardly believe he even licked her neck! -- but they just served to complicate things further. He was giddy about how far Pearl was seemingly willing to go with him, but it didn’t even matter. They couldn’t go there—he didn’t trust her enough. And he was pissed about the submarine. How dare she steal it with a loophole? He seethed every time he thought about it! Ben’s emotions were all over the place, which was a bit maddening to a man so used to being in control of himself.

But at least he’d regained the upper hand with that kiss. She thought she could rub his face in the fact that he let her kiss him a couple days earlier? Well; now she let him, too. He’d effectively turned the tables on her, and wiped the cocky smirk off her face for good.

As he stood in his bedroom, listening to Pearl skitter around outside, Ben felt the thrill he got from winning mind games. But it didn’t last, and he soon felt dismayed. As much as he loved the games, he didn’t want to be permanently trapped in them; he wouldn’t have a moment of true peace or relaxation until that mermaid was gone from his house. Any trust he had started to build in her was broken now. He wished he could walk away from their deal, send her back to the ocean where she belonged, but he wouldn’t go back on his word. Not Ben. Not ever. So he sighed instead, tired and feeling suffocated by her ever-present sharp eyes and even sharper mind. He made a deal with the devil -- the sexiest devil he’d ever seen -- and now his bill had come due. Time to pay the price.

“Ben,” she started when she saw him, her tone hesitant. Pearl knew he’d still be pissed about the submarine theft. She wasn’t going to apologize, but maybe they needed to clear the air.

“I’m having breakfast in my room,” he said curtly, cutting off any possible retort from her. Then he promptly ignored Pearl, except for the derisive glare he threw as he passed her by on the way to the kitchen, then back to his bedroom.

Ben was very, very upset about what she did. The loss of the submarine was huge, and he hated that he was so powerless to fix it! There was nothing he could do to make things better; no recovering the sub or getting a new one any time soon, nor using anything else to replace the resources lost because of it. Not even blackmail or murder could help him. What Pearl did was final: the submarine was gone and his hands were tied. He’d probably kick out someone from his group if they ever betrayed him in such a way— which meant exiling them to fend for themselves on the Island. Obviously that wasn’t an option for Pearl. Again that helplessness burned him up inside.

That anger carried on for days, moving into spiteful territory somewhere around the second. He was giving her the silent treatment. Sometimes he didn’t even want to look at her, and he felt so stupid for not predicting the submarine incident before it happened!

Honestly, he was so mad at Pearl that he almost sent her off to stay at Richard’s house for a while, with Richard being the only one aside from himself that Ben trusted to keep a close eye on the mermaid—but the thought of Pearl deciding to walk around in her underwear in someone else’s living room stopped him. Ben didn’t want that. He still liked her, much to his annoyance. That didn’t mean he felt like talking to her, though. He continued to ice her out for a few more days, only communicating the strictly necessary. It was easier that way too: he didn’t have to face his attraction or his feelings for her when they were all naturally obscured by the anger he felt. Anger was safer, he could hide behind it. He spent a lot of time outside to avoid her. If he was home, he was locked in his bedroom or study. Pearl was initially quite proud of herself for the submarine, as much as she didn’t want him to be upset by it. She didn’t flaunt that victory, letting Ben sulk in peace, but she wasn’t apologetic. Then, the more she realized he was actually avoiding her and completely mistrustful of her, being so spiteful like he was hurt by what she did, the more she started to feel bad. Was this fixable, or did she break their tenuous peace forever?

Pearl was alone in the above-water world now, except for the other humans she’d been trying to befriend—but it was very hard to connect with them when she couldn’t tell the truth about herself. She was always on edge around them, no matter how charismatic her outward performance may be. Being constantly surrounded by humans, plus Ben’s sour disposition toward her, made her want to completely abandon the plan and retreat back to the safety of the deep sea. Things would be so much easier there, at home, with her family and all the beautiful fish! But she couldn’t. She had something to prove, and the mission wasn’t finished yet.

“Are you going to be mad at me forever?” she asked after cornering Ben by his bedroom door after four whole days of being ignored.

“Maybe,” he said petulantly, though perhaps not very maturely.

Pearl let out a soft hiss. “I forgave you much worse things. You forgave me for worse too! A submarine is where you draw the line?”

His nostrils flared and lips pressed into a thin line of pure exasperation. “As it happens, Pearl, that submarine is very important to running my society. And I’m tired of your loopholes and your tricks.”

“What about your tricks?” she accused. “Everything that I do is to help the merfolk thrive, and to keep the natural resources of this Island safe. I will not apologize for getting rid of a vessel that pollutes underwater!” Ben let out a rather pointed scoff at that, which made her bristle. “What?”

He was trying to hold back the venom, but Pearl was really pushing with that narrative. “You have all these idealistic notions of how you’re noble, superior to us, but when your back is against the wall you react like everybody else; with tricks, theft, lies, and violence,” he sniped at her. Ben narrowed his eyes and said with pure ice: “You’re not nobler. What you are is a hypocrite with silly idealism.”

Ben was always very eloquent, excellent with his words. When he was mad enough, he could wield them as a weapon to cut someone down. And that’s what he did, throwing them at Pearl like a sharpened knife that reached down to her core. Pearl was so taken aback that all she could do was gape at him. She wanted to argue, snarl at him and put him in his place, but … he was right, wasn’t he? The mermaid deflated, the words hitting home in a way that hurt and shamed her. He looked awfully smug.

“And you insist that you’re a good person, rationalize the harm you do with ‘it’s for the good of this Island’, but you’ll sacrifice anyone if Jacob demands it, won’t you?” she finally found her voice and fired back at him. Ben balked, feeling like he’d been sucker punched. Because she was right about the demands of the Island and Jacob, and sometimes he hated that about himself. But he was a good person! He was!

Ben didn’t even know how to respond to that—though his face was enough for her to know it worked, because it fell when the words hit him. He grimaced, shaking his head before he addressed her again. She wanted to talk? Alright; he’d talk. Stony eyes met hers, piercing through her. “Pearl…do you understand how bad this is, not just for my people but for yours?!” he chided in a dangerous hiss. “I have to explain to mine why the submarine is missing. I could lie and tell them an excuse, but—” a grim shake of the head, “not everyone will believe it.” Some people --those questioning Ben’s priorities lately, just because he was so focused on fixing the pregnancy issues of the Island! -- would assume he had a hidden agenda and had messed with the submarine himself. “And if I tell the truth, that the mermaids did it,” a sneer and a hand gesture toward the door, “they will expect me to retaliate. To them this is a clear breach of the treaty: sirens invaded our borders and tampered with our belongings. They don’t realize there’s one living within our borders.” A sarcastic scoff, followed by an intense, chillingly sobering stare. “But make no mistake, Pearl, this is an act of war. Maybe not on your part, with your precious loophole, but certainly on the part of your people.”

That made the ground under her feet crumble, numbness and panic spreading all over Pearl. “Ben, please,” she grasped his hand between both of hers, tears in her eyes. “Don’t go to war over this,” she begged. She’d never forgive herself if she was the one to ruin peace, if merpeople died because of her!

He let out a mirthless chuckle, pulling his hand away from her hold. “I won’t, because I know my people will suffer too many losses if there is a war,” Ben said coldly, not very sympathetic to her tears. He wasn’t even sure they were real.

Her nerves eased with his grim reassurance and a shaky smile appeared, then vanished. “I can help you figure out what to say to them. I am very good at political strategy,” she offered as a way of repentance.

He knew she had a gift for politics for sure, but he simply threw her a blank look. “I can fix it myself, thanks,” he drawled with so much icy sarcasm that she nearly winced.

***

He settled on telling his people a half truth about the submarine: Ben claimed that, because of strong currents, it had ventured into mermaid waters, prompting a mermaid to attack it and damage the bottom. By the time the submarine docked, it was too broken, taking up enough water that it sank. The story was a way to still blame the sirens, correctly, but hide their breach of the treaty to protect everyone from war. His people panicked a bit about the loss of the submarine, but Ben promised he’d find a way to get a new one, someday, somehow; or maybe a plane instead, that might be easier to acquire and it was already part of the plan anyway. They’d been building their own liftoff runway and landing strip for a while now, after all. He just knew he had to get something that allowed them to come and go from the Island, or their resources would get dangerously low-- especially without the Dharma food drops that were going to the crash survivors now! The weight of it all hung over Ben’s head, twisting into tension knots in the muscles of his neck and shoulders.

He eased up on Pearl a little after their last conversation. Ben realized he was letting his emotions get out of hand – like when he’d explode in a tantrum – so he endeavored to get them back under control. That meant being diplomatic to Pearl, although his anger and mistrust still ensured he kept his distance from her. She appreciated the small change, because at least he wasn’t giving her the complete silent treatment. He still avoided her for the most part, though, detached and aloof whenever they had to communicate.

But just because they weren’t talking much didn’t mean his life wasn’t affected by the mermaid. Every day he’d catch her admiring herself in the mirror, combing her light blonde waist-length hair and humming to herself. He couldn’t help but think that she was displaying very stereotypical storybook-mermaid behavior. It was a bit amusing, too, to find Pearl smiling at her reflection like she knew she was so very pretty.

“You must really like staring at yourself,” he finally told her one day, in a monotone that kept his overall irritation masked.

Pearl’s eyes traveled from her own face to Ben’s reflection. She looked annoyed but bit back a retort and beckoned him to come to her instead. “Come over here.” When he didn’t instantly move at her bossy command, the siren let out a dramatic sigh. “Benjamin, will you please come over here and grace me with your presence?” she relented to what she knew he wanted, which was a request rather than an order.

“Sure, Pearl, nothing would make me happier,” he snarked at her, words dripping with heavy sarcasm. She made a face at him. Ben walked over to her and stood in front of the mirror, arms dangling rigidly at his sides and chin tilted slightly up. A contrast to the hand on the popped hip Pearl had, though somehow both of them managed to appear quite regal.

The siren canted her head, looking at Ben’s reflection. “I stare at myself because it delights me to admire my beauty,” she casually said, unaware that humans would probably not admit to such a thing for fear of being seen as vain or cocky. “I think it is important for one to acknowledge their own beauty. I hope you acknowledge yours too. Do you?”

He’d been listening to her purely to placate her, a blasé look on his face. But the question threw him. Ben’s eyes shifted from the mirror to Pearl’s face, squinting. “I don’t really stare at myself in the mirror for hours on end, if that’s what you’re asking…” He spent a normal amount of time looking at himself; while shaving, brushing his teeth, getting dressed…like any human being, really.

A sly chuckle. “I don’t stare at myself for that long! And not quite, I’m asking—do you know how handsome you are?”

He didn’t really know what to say. ‘Yes’ felt conceited, ‘no’ felt self-depreciative. “I—don’t give that much thought…” Honestly, what kind of person went around thinking about how hot they were?! Mermaids, apparently. And that compliment felt like she was trying to ingratiate herself to him, to see if it might make him less mad at her. Either that or she’d try for another kiss. He wasn’t having either of those options.

“Hm.” Pearl sidestepped him and came to a stop behind him. Ben tensed a little when her hands crept up his shoulders. He’d been much more uneasy around her since the submarine incident. “You put care into how you dress. You style your hair with the spikes. That is taking pride in your appearance. I think you know you look good.”

“…I suppose…” he somewhat admitted, eyeing her with suspicion. Ben thought his looks were a little unconventional, but truth be told, he did think he looked good. He liked his facial features, especially his smile and eyes, and he didn’t have many complaints about anything else, either, save for the occasional insecurity that everyone felt. So—yeah, he supposed he did know he was handsome. And plenty of other people agreed, whether he was aware of that or not. But that wasn’t something that was often on his mind; he cared about looking presentable and neat, befitting of his leadership position, more than anything else. “What’s your point, Pearl?” he urged her to get to it, with thinly veiled impatience.

“I was going to say that, if you didn’t know, all you had to do was spend more time looking at yourself in the mirror and you’d see it. You’d see how handsome you are.” Her smirking face peered over his shoulder, hands still on him. “But you are already aware of it!” She stepped away from him with a bounce and a suspiciously sweet smile on her lips.

Ben followed her movement with his gaze. “I can tell you’re trying to butter me up, Pearl,” he said cynically, in a deadpan. “Don’t bother.”

“I am merely being nice, and honest…” she defended. Really, it was all of the above.

“There’s no need,” he was swift to cut her off. “I will host you for the remainder of our agreement, I will be civil, but that’s all. We’re not—friends,” he reminded her with a somber glare.

“I know,” Pearl frowned and left it at that.

***

The less Ben made himself available to Pearl, the more she sought out the company of other people: in Ben’s very intentional silence she found herself talking more and more to others. Especially to Richard, as he was the only other person who knew the truth— aside from Isabel, but the woman really wasn’t fond of sirens. As a sheriff, she was tougher. Richard was more diplomatic. Ben noticed the shift and he didn’t exactly love it. He preferred to have Pearl more to himself, he realized, which was absolutely ridiculous. He could’ve talked to her to straighten things out, but he was still too mad about the submarine to mend their bridges.

He knew he couldn’t ignore her forever, though. It was childish to do so, and reckless to not keep an eye on her. Ben just needed some time to lick his wounds and wallow in the loss a little bit. And then, like always, he’d swallow up his own feelings and put on a brave face for the remaining two months. One thing was certain, though: he was much more suspicious of the siren once again. Five days were enough, he supposed; he had to stop giving her even a partial silent treatment. As a matter of fact, he needed to get her to attend a funeral.

“Something has happened,” he told her, rather blankly. “One of my people died today.” For a barely noticeable split second he looked pained; then the emotion was covered up by an expressionless look. “It was an encounter with the plane crash survivors,” a tired sigh. He paused for a moment, staring at nothing, then glanced at her. “I need you to come to the funeral proceedings with me.”

Pearl was surprised by the invitation and noticed that it sounded slightly more like an order. “I’m very sorry to hear that you’ve lost someone,” she offered sincerely, taking a step toward him. She recognized the pain that crossed his features for that split second. But his motives were unclear. “Why do you need me to come?” If he wanted her for moral support, she was willing to stand by his side. But if he had more political reasons for requesting her presence, then she wasn’t in the mood to entertain that.

“It will look suspicious if you’re not there. My people believe you’re one of the crash survivors—they can’t think that you’re siding with them. You need to show support for us,” he explained with just enough cold detachment to make it clear that all he cared about right now was the subterfuge.

The mermaid let out a little hiss of complaint. “I don’t want to go. You’re barely speaking to me, all you’ve done since you lost the submarine is glare at me. I do not have the energy to entertain your people and pretend to be human all night.” She met his eyes, full of conviction. “And I do not think my absence will be enough to make anyone else suspicious. No one is as distrustful of others as you are.”

His eyes were fixed on Pearl, growing even colder as he regarded her. “They might not be so distrustful, but they will question your allegiance. So I’m afraid I’ll have to insist: I need you to come with me. I placed the garment you need to wear on your bed.” His tone was steely and unwavering. Intimidating.

Pearl felt a chill that she kept well hidden. “I said no.”

“And I said I must insist.” The blankness of his expression combined with the steely tone made for an eerie response.

“What will you do? Force me out there against my will by putting one of those horrible guns to my head?” she snapped at him with contempt.

“Of course not,” Ben balked, though certain amusement danced behind his eyes. “Then they would know you’re an unwilling guest; we can’t have that. It defeats the purpose of bringing you.” A casual way to state something dark. “And worse, it would demonstrate to them that you’re a threat; they can’t learn that, now, can they,” he added, just to twist the knife and let her know that, if not for the sake of keeping the truth from his people, he could indeed hold her at gunpoint and there would be little she could do to fight back.

She understood the dark implication perfectly. Pearl hissed at him, indignant and thoroughly stubborn. But nervous tingles spread down her body. “Then I have no incentive to go out and play a part in your charade. It’s not as though things can grow any worse between us than they are right now.”

A small smile appeared on his face. It threw Pearl off, as she expected him to be irritated with her. But Ben wasn’t worried. “Things will be worse if my people start to suspect you. Then I’ll have no choice but to send you back to the ocean. You can stop that by attending this ceremony with me—it will be good insight into a human ritual you’re unfamiliar with.”

That was a double-edged manipulation: threatening her with the end of their deal, and tempting her with something she might want.

“Goodness, you are unrelenting,” the blonde muttered under her breath. When he put it like that, how could she say no? Pearl let out a weary sigh. “Very well, Benjamin, I will get dressed.”

She found a white tunic waiting on her bed. Quite the curious piece of garment, she thought; it looked like nothing else she’d seen humans wearing. Not for centuries, anyway. She slipped it over her head and let the blonde waves cascade down the back. When she met Ben outside the house, she noticed that he – and everyone else – was wearing the exact same white tunic. Clearly he gave her one so she’d blend in. Pearl canted her head to the side, inquisitive eyes glued to the garment. She approached Ben just like that, then tugged lightly on the cloth of his tunic.

His sharp gaze flew to her. “Can I help you?” he asked bitingly.

Head still canted, those hazel eyes full of questions lifted toward him. “Why are all of you wearing such attire?”

A deadpan. “It’s a tradition on our Island. Some human customs follow set rules; this is our way to show respect for the dead.” It dated back to Jacob and his very first followers, and had been replicated by every generation that came later. That’s why the clothes were so old-fashioned.

She nodded, understanding. Merfolk had traditions too. Pearl couldn’t help but notice that the V-neck of the tunic dipped quite far down Ben’s chest, exposing a fair amount of his skin. The mermaid found herself intrigued, admiring it with muted appreciation for his physical features. She would not mind seeing more than just that small peek—the siren still fondly remembered his shirtless form from the surgery. “Quite the vision to behold, Benjamin,” she praised with polite charm, eyes sweeping over his figure appreciatively. “But—sorry, now is not the time.” Someone was dead, after all.

He saw the manner in which her gaze trailed down his chest, and he blinked, a faint crease on his forehead. “We—should get going,” he said simply, gesturing toward the beach. But he was as flattered as he was disconcerted.

The entirety of Ben’s society gathered on one of the beaches within the perimeter of the Barracks. The mood was somber and Pearl stayed quiet, sticking by Ben’s side. He was somber too, doing his best not to let himself feel any grief. The dead body was wrapped in a white cloth, put on a boat and set on fire, then sent on a peaceful journey across the water. It was a beautiful ritual. Pearl squeezed Ben’s arm to offer sympathy as everyone said their final goodbyes to their fallen colleague. Just because Ben wasn’t talking to her lately didn’t mean she’d be unfeeling to his loss. He didn’t say anything but he appreciated the small comforting touch.

The funeral pyre lit up the night sky, the flames and embers reflecting off the glassy surface of the water. Like always, Pearl was in complete awe of fire, leaning toward it and practically holding her breath as she admired the way it danced. She had to purposefully keep her mouth closed or she’d be staring with a slack jaw and shining eyes.

The fire died down but people still lingered by the shore, consoling each other. Pearl overheard many of them speaking to Ben; he was good at putting them at ease and offering polite condolences. She also overheard a smaller but vocal group that was angry with the plane crash survivors for causing this death. They wanted revenge, wanted Ben to send them in to strike a blow. Pearl knew that was a bad idea; escalating a conflict like that always meant more losses on both sides. Clearly Ben felt the same way, because she heard him dissuading the angry people. He spoke eloquently, with quiet conviction and enough logical arguments to placate them. But Pearl had the impression that he was tired—tired of the constant struggle and of all the responsibility that fell on him. She knew that feeling all too well, too.

After the funeral ended, Pearl found herself alone with Ben again as they walked back to his house, through the winding pathways that were lined by dewy grass.

“Do you ever feel they sold you a bill of false goods?” Pearl asked grimly, after watching him have to placate his people all night.

“In what way?” he narrowed his eyes, suspicious.

“Leadership. Others profess it to be grand and fulfilling- and it is at times - but nobody prepared me for the hardships and heartbreaks that come with it.” Maybe she was revealing too big a weakness to him, but Pearl felt a kinship with Ben in that regard; she was sure he would understand and relate to her complicated feelings regarding being queen. “So—did they? Sell you a false bill?”

“In a way, I suppose,” he admitted with an idle shrug, blue eyes looking intensely at her. “I wasn’t naive to think leadership would be without its challenges, but— I admit I wasn’t entirely prepared for how thankless and unfair it can be. Why do you ask?”

“You did a fantastic job calming and managing your people tonight…but you seemed tired, or heavy-hearted. I don’t think they could tell; I could, because it is a familiar feeling to me. And then it struck me—it is unfair. You’re mourning a loss like they are, yet only you have to deal with the added responsibility of handling them and their demands for revenge.”

God…Ben didn’t think he had ever felt so seen before. It almost made him a little choked up! He gave a stiff nod, eyes trailing to the ground. “Leadership is not always easy.” If anybody could understand the pitfalls of being in power, it was Pearl. He didn’t feel comfortable talking about that with anybody else. They’d question why he clung to power so fiercely if it was so stressful to him… but Pearl already understood why. She was the same as him! Both of them clung to power because of the safety and security it provided them, and because they believed in the cause they were serving! It was all for a greater purpose – he was keeping his people, the Island and the world safe, and she was keeping the merfolk and the oceans safe -- and all to allow them to be in total control lest they be hurt.

“I did not have much of a choice with it. The crown was meant for me. And I would never give it up, but sometimes I wonder if I would have chosen it,” she admitted in a whisper as they crossed the threshold to enter the yellow house. Pearl loved being queen, but perhaps life would be easier if she’d not been born in a royal family. “I think that I would, but…I am not sure.”

“Is the mermaid crown hereditary? Passed down to you from your parents?” he asked with interest. Pearl nodded but didn’t elaborate. “Then your position of power was given to you, Pearl,” head bobbed around when he said her name, then his face tightened and his eyes darkened: “Mine was taken.”

“Taken?” she repeated with slight suspicion.

A pause and his expression softened. “Sort of. They told me it would be mine someday—that I was destined for it. So when the time seemed right, I…took it. I suppose some might call it a coup, but I had good reasons.” Widmore’s banishment -- although sanctioned by Richard (who had veto power over who the next leader could be, and who picked Ben for a future leader when he was a mere nine year old boy!) and uncontested by Jacob -- had been engineered by Ben. Charles Widmore was a cruel, violent leader who ignored many of Jacob’s sacred rules and who preferred exploiting the Island than protecting it—so Ben engineered the coup in great part for the genuine good of the Island, but also partly so that Ben himself could take Widmore’s place. He always sincerely believed that he would be a much better leader for his people and for the Island. And he was right.

Pearl was intrigued by the story and pleased that Ben was opening up to her even when he was mad. “Would you tell me more about this…coup?” She grimaced. To a royal, ‘coup’ was one of the ugliest words. Despite that - or partly because of it - she wanted to know how Ben’s came about.

So he told her. He explained that Widmore was breaking many rules, had a violent streak and was quick to kill, and that Ben himself had shown signs in childhood of being destined to be the future leader. He told Pearl how he set up Widmore to be kicked out by getting proof of his rule-breakings.

“Ah. Jacob’s rules again, of course,” Pearl pointed out with an eye roll. “For someone so hands-off, he influences all of your lives far too much,” she hissed out a breath. When would they stop listening to the so-called deity?! “But so, if you were showing signs from childhood, then the Island picked you.”

“Yes, it, it did, but there was no fixed timeline for me to ascend to power. I made it happen,” he explained. “I honestly believed that I would be a better leader—and I have been!” Ben said with burning conviction. “Widmore never sacrificed for this Island. I have! I would never exploit this place!” He shook his head vehemently, lips pressing into a thin line. “Exiling him was the right thing to do. So I suppose the Island did choose me, then I chose when to become the leader...”

He would never share any of this with anyone else, but Ben felt the same kinship with Pearl that she felt with him. He knew he could open up to her about this, as long as he didn’t arm her with tactical information. If he stuck to talking about his feelings and his past, it would be okay. And there was such freedom in it! Freedom and relief to finally voice thoughts that long weighed on him but could never be uttered! And to say them to somebody who validated and understood him? It meant the world!

“If that man was so violent, then I agree that you did the right thing,” Pearl nodded, offering a small smile. They had made it to the couch together, somehow. “The Island needs to be protected, and you do that with painstaking care—I’ve seen it myself.”

He couldn’t help but smile back, though it seemed bittersweet. “Thank you. Now you and I, we… we’re both dealing with the joys and the hardships of leadership…”

The talk bonded them. It was refreshing to be able to open up, to safely share such profound feelings, and to discuss the matter with the only other individual on the Island who could completely relate to the bittersweetness of leadership. Both of them needed that support more than they realized.

“Indeed,” Pearl agreed. “And I suspect neither of us would have it any other way.”

Ben chuckled softly. “No, we wouldn’t.” Neither of them would ever willingly give up their power, no matter how hard things got. His chuckle was a nice thaw, but it sounded aloof. Even though they were bonding, he was still detached from her. She could feel the distance and she knew why it was there: he was still upset by her betrayal.

“Leadership forces us to make difficult decisions sometimes,” Pearl said like she was trying to get at something. Ben agreed grimly, well acquainted with the heaviness of making such decisions. The mermaid continued: “Choosing to target your submarine was a difficult choice. I didn’t make it lightly. I’m sorry that you were hurt by it. I—really didn’t do it to upset you, and I was not trying to make you mad. It was a predicted but unintended consequence,” she admitted in a small voice.

“Consequences are consequences,” he said, not too moved by her contrition. He had to deal with the dire consequences of the missing submarine, after all, so she had to deal with the consequences of betraying him.

“Can I do anything to make it up to you?” Pearl asked, and Ben felt sincerity in her. Despite all of Ben’s grumpiness regarding her living with him, Pearl recognized that he had done a lot to make her feel comfortable over the last month; she didn’t want him to be that upset with her! It was a little sad that the rapport they’d spent years building shattered; she felt sad about it, but Pearl didn’t regret it. Her kingdom came first, and she would steal the submarine again if she had to. But she’d like to make it up to Ben all the same, if she could.

“No,” he told her flatly, because really, nothing could make up for that loss—of resources and of a trust that had only been starting to solidify itself. Now every time he looked at her he wondered if she might be plotting against him! He should’ve predicted the submarine destruction, but he didn’t, so now his over-carefulness was on overdrive. He was second-guessing everything that Pearl did and said, constantly trying to catch her in a scheme. He was even worrying for the safety of his people again—something he’d previously grown to trust her with. Because, what if she found a loophole that allowed her to hurt someone? They were in a terrible mess.

“Are you sure? If you think of something, do let me know,” she asked with a congenial smile, trying her best.

A silent nod and acid words: “I’m sure.”

Pearl visibly deflated, like she was feeling a little dejected and more than a little exhausted by it all. “Very well…”

Ben noticed her changed demeanor, and something milder -- softer -- replaced the cold and fixed stare on his face. “But I’ll tell you if that changes,” he added for her benefit, a tad petulantly. She gave him a small bittersweet smile, appreciating it. Maybe there was hope after all.

Notes:

Ben to Richard: I will never cross that line with Pearl, I mean it.
Ben 2 days later: *making out with Pearl and licking her neck*
But hey he was JUST getting her back for that other kiss! ;)

Pearl will soon find a way to make it up to him for the submarine thing! (no not like THAT)
Also there are some first meetings coming up, like a certain aquatic blonde queen meeting a certain dark-haired rebellious teenager...

Chapter 22: Treachery destroys trust, a force of destruction can eliminate all light, and forgiveness heals

Pearl spent the next day trying to think of a way to make it up to Ben-- but she was coming up empty so she decided to work on her own project for a few hours, to see if inspiration might strike once her mind was occupied by happier thoughts.

Ben was already out of the house by the time Pearl got started, so, when he was approached by Tom, he had no idea what was going on in his own living room.

“Ben,” Tom started with a teasing grin. “Did you give Pearl flowers?”

“What?” Ben questioned sharply, frowning with confusion. “I most certainly did not.”

“You sure, boss?” Tom’s knowing little smirk was getting on Ben’s nerves. Just what was the other man insinuating, anyway?!

“Yes I am quite sure that I didn’t give anybody flowers,” Ben said snippily.

“Oh. Because I saw her walking around carrying a giant bouquet,” Tom shrugged.

“What?!” It came out more frantic than the last one, the ‘h’ sounding like a bit of a hiss. Why did Pearl have a bouquet?! Did she enchant someone? Or did she have an admirer? He didn’t like either of the possibilities.

“She said you might like the final result, whatever that means,” Tom added, clueless and grinning.

Ben’s face pinched and he tightened his lips, breathing deeply, because that sounded exactly like one of Pearl’s provocations. “If you’ll excuse me, Tom, I have some matters to attend to.”

The walk home was brisk, mind racing with more possibilities. He decided she probably just picked the flowers herself, given her penchant for them, but then what else did she do? Could she be scheming again? Dealing yet another damaging blow to the human society? He was even somewhat concerned about the mouthful of fangs she possessed running freely around his village, now that she had shown herself to be so cunning with loopholes. Just like he could be too.

As soon as he walked through the door, his sight and sense of smell were practically assaulted by the overabundance of colors and sweet scents. His house was filled to the brim with wildflowers. Apparently the siren had taken a liking to collecting them. Ben knew she loved them, considered them treasures of nature, and never missed the chance of gathering some whenever she was on land. But Jesus, he didn’t expect her to love flowers enough to fill his entire damn house with them! They were all over the table, on every window sill, on every shelf of every bookcase, even over the kitchen counter!

“I improved our home,” she said with that musical cadence of her voice, cradling a large bundle of white flowers in her arms.

“I think it looked fine before”, he countered, almost offended at the impertinence. Blue eyes narrowed in suspicion. “And it’s my home, Pearl.” He didn’t know what to make of her getting so comfortable in his house. On one hand, it was sweet, but on the other it was worrying and a bit irksome.

Pearl ignored his moody response. “They are like corals! As vibrant and lively as that!” She smiled widely as she spun around in Ben’s living room, throwing handfuls of daisies in the air.

“Would you stop that?!” he complained with certain petulance, scowling as he watched the flowers land scattered all around them. “You’re getting petals all over my floor.”

The mermaid-on-legs sighed dramatically. “Oh, very well; I see you are still in a sulking mood. I will gather my flowers and move them to my bedroom and bathtub. What do you have against flowers, anyway?”

“Nothing,” Ben gave a casual shake of the head. “I like flowers just fine, but I like having enough room on my surfaces too.” Right now he couldn’t even put a cup of coffee on the table, or pull a book from the bookcase without dropping bundles of flowers to the floor. “You can—leave the ones on the window sills, if you’d like, and some at the center of the table,” he added, forcing himself to extend an olive branch in the form of compromise. The flowers did look pretty, anyway, and he had promised to be civil to the blonde.

Pearl lit up at that and got to work.

Ben left the room for a while, to drop his satchel in his bedroom, and returned to find Pearl upside down on the couch. Her slender legs were up in the air, straight, her back on the seat and her head hanging just off the edge of the couch, where the long blonde hair cascaded off of. There were flowers braided around the top of her head, like a crown, and she was attempting to tie some more onto the ends of the hair, woven into the light strands.

Ben stood where he was, staring at her with a prickly look on his face. Pearl had a knack for intruding on his much needed peace. Every day it was something with that mermaid, some wild antic, stroke of madness, intentional scheme or innocent mistake that he had to deal with the fallout of all the same. Now he couldn’t even sit on his own couch without the siren’s legs being up in the air! Legs which he was avoiding looking at, out of respect; and also because when he first caught a glimpse of them, his heart raced a little. He tried not to think about how it felt to have one of those legs wrapped around his hip. “This cannot be the easiest way to get flowers in your hair,” he commented with just a touch of attitude, partly to distract himself from the pleasant memory.

“My sisters do it for me, and I braid theirs sometimes,” she pouted with fondness, missing her family. Especially Aqua. Then a spark flashed across her face and she sat up with surprising agility and elegance for someone still not one hundred percent used to having legs. “Would you be so kind as to help me?”

He blinked. “Pardon me?”

“All you would need to do is tie the stem around a small clump of hair, making sure the flower bud is exposed of course. I think I merely need five or six more flowers! It’s quite challenging to tie something so small and fragile behind one’s back, I will be finished so much faster with your help…please, Benjamin?” She pouted, not ashamed to bat her lashes to help convince him.

A cynical look crossed his face, believing she must have an ulterior motive. “You’re trying to see if you can manipulate me into serving you.”

“I am not!” she protested. “I will admit, the thought crossed my mind that it would be beneficial to find out whether you are still willing to help me…but I promise, Ben, my goal is simply to get pretty flowers in my hair. You should be flattered I’d let you anywhere near it, mermaids do not joke when it comes to our beautiful hair!”

He was conflicted. On one hand, he didn’t want to be a pawn in her game. On the other, keeping her happy had high strategic value. Ben gave a small, resigned shake of the head, huffing lightly. “Alright. Go sit down on a chair, please.”

Pearl followed his lead and left the flowers on the table for him. He approached, and hesitated ever so slightly before touching her. When he did, it was with rigid movements and a hyper-awareness of how incredibly soft her light blonde hair was.

The man squinted at the task ahead. He had a bunch of pink flowers to put on her hair--- wherever he wanted to, as long as there was an ‘aesthetically pleasing distance between them’, according to the mermaid’s instructions. Ben figured any place was a good place to start, so he grabbed a handful of hair at the nape of her neck and wrapped a flower stem around it.

He struggled a bit with the tying of that first one. There was a trick to it, and he needed a moment to figure out the best way to go about it. After that, it wasn’t so challenging anymore. “I’m--- really not sure where to place it,” he admitted after staring at her shiny waves of hair for a long moment.

Pearl chuckled softly. “Let me see.” She reached backward to touch the flower, getting a sense of where it was, then moved her hand to a different place, higher on her head and more in the center. “Here would be nice. The third can be lower, and to the left. And the other two near the bottom, intercalated with these.”

“I can do that,” Ben gave one slow nod. The task was menial but fitting for his meticulous nature, and unexpectedly relaxing. It allowed his brain to shut off, for once; he didn’t have to be guarded or overthink, all that was required of him was to keep tying tiny green stems of flowers around strands of her hair. Hair that he couldn’t help but notice was extremely soft and silky, very pleasant to the touch. It smelled nice, too. It certainly wasn’t his first time touching it, but it was different now; it wasn’t an instinctive touch during a kiss, it was something deliberate and long-lasting. Ben felt odd to be sharing a somewhat intimate moment with his (former and perhaps once again current) enemy; sometimes it was almost like he was running his fingers through her hair, over and over again, which was as unlikely as it was unnerving. He blinked a few times, face cautiously vacant.

Pearl had expected him to accidentally pull her hair at least a few times, but he didn’t. His touch was ever careful and soothing, like a gentle caress, and she was enjoying it more than she thought possible. Her heart raced in embarrassing manner every time Ben’s fingertips brushed her scalp. He was efficient, too, managing to tie in the flowers with relative ease after he got the hang of it. He was incredibly invested, trying to do the best job he could. It was important to Ben that everyone around him think highly of him--- but more so with Pearl. Part of him really wanted to impress her. Maybe because she was a queen and he respected her as a person. Or maybe because he felt a pleasant warmth any time she looked at him with an impressed little grin on her face. And maybe…no; it couldn’t be as trite as a boy wanting to impress a pretty girl--- he refused to believe that! Ben would never admit to being tongue-tied by her beauty. Except that…he was. He knew that he was! And it was not just her beauty. Her cunning and wit left him breathless, her lilting laugh lifted his spirits, her warmth made him feel fuzzy, her support made him feel seen. Even her mind games kept him on his toes in a way that thrilled him. She inspired Ben to be better as a leader and as a person. He was still wary of her, but he knew he was developing real feelings for Pearl, feelings that went beyond strong infatuation. Which is why her betrayal hurt even more: he let himself get in too deep with her, even though he knew he should not have, and now he was paying the price and down a submarine.

He kept all of those thoughts locked tightly in his mind, of course, keeping an entirely empty look on his face. After he tied the last flower, Ben gave a small smile as he appreciated his work, then fluffed out Pearl’s hair. “I think that’s alright,” he assessed.

The final result was a semi-thick braid circling the back of her head, with red and orange flowers stuck into it like jewels on a crown, and loose pink flowers adorning the rest of the hair in a nice asymmetrical pattern. It gave Pearl a magical, whimsical flair, as if the pink flowers floated in the air with the sole purpose of adorning her. Like she was a fairy princess—or a mermaid queen on land. It perfectly fit her ethereal vibe and striking face. She rushed to admire herself in the mirror, twisting around to look at the back of her head from all angles, a pleased smile on her face.

Ben was glad to be done with the task and able to retreat to his office, away from her, where he felt more comfortable and safer…but he couldn’t help noticing how adorable she was admiring herself and smiling at her own reflection. He hated that his heart beat a little faster.

Her gaze met his through the reflection in the mirror. He could have flinched and played it off, but held his ground instead. Pearl’s smile became more mischievous and she turned around to face him. “I thank you for the help, Ben. You have a surprising knack for this.”

“I’ve braided my daughter’s hair a few times when she was a child, or put it in pigtails,” he said without much emotion, shoulders bunching up.

“Oh! How lovely!” Pearl said cheerily. She enjoyed hearing about Ben’s experiences as a father; they always endeared him in her eyes. “The end result of mine is marvelous!” She spun around with a beaming smile, a shining example of ethereal grace and poise, practically showing off-- then walked up to the man and stopped right in front of him.

“What is it now?” Ben asked flatly, suppressing a smile.

She produced one purple flower in her hand, lifted it and gently placed it behind his ear. Her fingertips brushed against his temple as she made sure the flower was tucked in enough to stay in place, and that made his heart flutter. “A gift. To repay you for helping me,” Pearl smiled.

He deadpanned at her, though something warm stirred inside him. “How thoughtful,” Ben droned, an impassive look on his face. The mermaid gave a soft chuckle and headed out, undoubtedly wishing to show off her flowery hairdo to the world. Ben shook his head slightly, narrowing his eyes at nothing. He swiftly pulled the flower off of him, intending to toss it in the trash… but then he admired the tiny thing on the palm of his hand. Small, delicate petals of bright purple, and a vibrant yellow center. Despite being well aware that Pearl was playing with him, using her typical courtly charms to get her way, he found that he was unwilling to get rid of the small token she’d given him. He located a book – one that featured mermaids, for a clever little joke – and pressed the flower inside its pages, for safekeeping.

***

Spending some time with flowers achieved the desired effect of relaxing Pearl. With a bathtub and bedroom now full of colorful blooms, she spent the entire night brainstorming ways to possibly make it up to Ben for stealing the submarine. In the morning she found him by the kitchen counter, making himself a cup of coffee. The siren sauntered up to him and parked right next to his body. He threw her a narrowed sideways glance, as if asking ‘what do you want’.

“You said I cannot make up for the loss of the submarine, but I have been thinking of ways that might work,” she said softly, seemingly contrite. He wasn’t sure if she was or not. “How about a kiss?” the mermaid murmured, batting her lashes and looking up at him with those beautiful hazel eyes full of longing.

Ben looked at her in a deadpan, ignoring the temptation to take her up on her offer. “I think we ought to stop kissing each other, Pearl. Wouldn’t you agree?” he squinted almost accusingly at her, like a small manipulation not allowing her to disagree.

Though she did agree regardless. They had never talked about any of their kisses; but honestly, Ben was starting to think that maybe they should. Agreeing on boundaries might make things easier.

But for now, Pearl was determined. “A last kiss, then?” she asked, leaning a bit closer and gazing deep into his eyes. His hand was on the counter, and hers came to rest on top of it.

She was a shameless little mermaid, wasn’t she? Trying to butter him up with kisses, like he was foolish enough to fall for that calculated flirtation. Her striking beauty was but a weapon, designed to disarm. But…what if he played her game? No harm in a goodbye, right? Everyone needed closure! As long as he kept himself in control, a last kiss should be okay. He squinted at her for a moment, tentative fingers grazing against her cheek in a tender touch. His eyes fell to her lips, and rose back up to meet her gaze. Hers twinkled at him. Then he came closer, enfolding his lips around hers with so much softness. His eyes shut, and so did hers. Pearl sighed in contentment, gently moving her mouth against Ben’s.

It was a very soft kiss, unlike the others they had previously shared; a sweet kiss that was full of quiet longing. He put his hands on her waist and turned her around, so that her back was to the kitchen counter and he was pinning her there. Pearl’s arms wrapped around him, the kiss growing in passion as their mouths opened wider and tongues danced. Passionate but gentle, slow, more careful than their previous kisses. A tender goodbye indeed. And yet it stirred their desire all the same.

He gave her a small smile as they pulled away. Ben didn’t have a single rational explanation for why he agreed to this. Even if he tried to rationalize it as ‘closure’ again, it would sound like an excuse for a moment of poor self-control or too much self-indulgence. He really couldn’t be going around kissing Pearl in his own kitchen like that! He had an image to maintain! But God, it was such a great kiss! All the sweetness of it made his heart swell. And hers too, unbeknownst to him.

“That was very nice, but it doesn’t make up for anything,” he said, then made a strategic getaway. The half-made coffee was abandoned.

But she wasn’t one to give up quickly. The mermaid followed him out of the kitchen and into the bedroom, sneaking in right before he shut the door. “I actually had another idea, aside from the kiss. It is a more serious contender.”

He let out a sharp sigh. It was cute that she was trying so hard, and he appreciated it somewhat, but he didn’t have much faith that she could ever make it up to him for taking his submarine. “What is it?”

Hazel eyes sparkled with ingenuity. “Some time ago you expressed interest in studying my song— recording it, you said?”

Ben stopped short, eyes narrowing. He did indeed want to see if he could replicate the power of a siren song for mind control. “Go on…”

Pearl bit her lip, suddenly looking bothered. “I must be honest: every instinct in me is telling me to manipulate you now.”

He chuckled under his breath. “I understand the impulse.” He often had it too, never really trusting people unless he could manipulate them, to be sure they would do what he deemed right.

“I will sing for you to capture my song— but I do not believe it will be useful to you. I think that a siren song will not work its spell unless a siren is truly singing,” she said candidly. “My instinct to manipulate makes me want to hide that detail: to make you think you have a good chance at replicating my song, so that my offer to make things up to you seems bigger and more meaningful.” She looked at the ground. “But, I broke our fragile trust with the submarine; I wish to mend that, so I must be honest now.”

“Why are you so determined to make it up to me?” he asked, somehow suspiciously and softly at the same time. She was going above and beyond with her attempts, and that made him curious.

“Because I’d rather have peace between our kinds…”

A skeptical eyebrow raise. “I told you I am not going to war over this,” Ben pointed out.

“You didn’t let me finish,” she scolded lightly. “It is that, and…I was enjoying getting to know you, Benjamin Linus. That’s the truth. I do not regret my actions but I regret the strain it put between us. I wanted trust to grow between you and I, because I so enjoy your company. Now every day you stare me down with ice storms in your gaze, and I dislike that I made you so upset. It was never my intention. I know that you feel betrayed by what I did, and I am sad that I broke the trust we were building together.” She breathed in deeply after voicing the candid confession, biting her lip while she hoped for a positive reaction from him.

Ben didn’t expect such kindness. He assessed her sincerity and felt warm inside when he realized she meant every word. It was really nice to hear that she enjoyed his company and wanted there to be trust between them. But did it matter? She didn’t intend to hurt him but she hurt him anyway. He couldn’t simply glue the pieces of their already fragile trust back together, even if he might like to. “I appreciate that, Pearl, but I’m not sure your feelings count for more than the consequences I’ll suffer without the submarine…” His people might not even have enough food now!

“I understand, and I am sorry for such consequences. That is why I want to make it up to you! I took an advantage away from you—let me grant you another in its place,” she fervently requested, gazing deep into his eyes.

“By giving me your song that may or may not be useless,” Ben repeated, still a tad skeptical.

“Yes! I do not know with certainty that duplicating my song will not work. It may very well work— and goodness, that will not endear my merpeople to me,” she mused grimly. “Yet I am willing to give it a try. I will give you ownership of the siren song, to use as you wish,” her insides twisted nervously as she uttered that promise; how could she ever consider granting a human so much power?! Did she really feel that guilty about hurting him and betraying his trust?! Yes, apparently. Pearl lifted her chin and stared him in the eyes, demandingly. “If you’ll forgive me afterwards.”

His mouth tightened, chin tucked down as he looked up at her gravely. “Alright.” What did he have to lose, anyway? He couldn’t carry on being immature and avoiding her, so he might as well take some advantage of her desire to make it up to him.

He didn’t seem all that enthusiastic, so a censoring frown fell upon her face. “I hope you know what an honor this is, Benjamin. It is unheard of to bestow such power upon a human. Even if it doesn’t work, I am granting you access to something mythical."

“No, I, I know,” he agreed with a quick shake of the head. He understood exactly how meaningful the gesture was. “I appreciate that it’s an honor, Pearl, thank you.” That was all he’d say on the matter. If she expected him to bowl over with gratitude, feeling oh so very special that she’d gift him a siren song, well, then she shouldn’t have gotten rid of his submarine!

Then again, if the recording actually worked…oh, he would love to have that kind of power at his disposal. Ben silently prayed that it would work, while Pearl prayed that it wouldn’t.

There were a few options on how to get this done. He could take her to three different places to record her song with a proper microphone: the surveillance room on Hydra Island would stir up bad memories. Mikhail’s shack with its antennae and technology was a possibility, but Mikhail was the one who compiled research on the Oceanic crash; he’d know that Pearl wasn’t on the flight! And that man was terribly anti-social, a little insane even. Better keep Pearl away from him. That left Ben with the Pearl Station – an ironically apt name -- outside of the Barracks’ perimeter by a few hours South. It didn’t cut through the Dark Area, nor the area where polar bears liked to gather at. It was well enough away from the beach that they shouldn’t have trouble running into any Oceanic survivors either. So it was settled; they’d leave later in the afternoon and hike there.

***

A choir of birds created the soundtrack to their walk through the jungle. Pearl adored them! She smiled every time she heard a chirping note soar, and she walked with her head up toward the skies, attempting to glimpse the feathered creatures. She spun around to the rhythm of their song, her dress and hair flaring out all around her. Ben couldn’t help but be enchanted by her energy, her beauty, her sense of wonderment.

Then Pearl opened her mouth, letting angelic notes lift into the air. She was singing with the birds, matching their melody with one of her own. The result was lovely and seemed very natural—like air and sea were a match made in heaven. She kept it up all through the stretch of jungle that followed the riverbank, her face lit up. Ben was holding back a little smile of his own, enamored by her. Sometimes she was like a fairy-tale queen to him. A maddening, infuriating, dangerous and inconvenient fairy-tale queen, but a fairy-tale queen all the same-- with all the whimsy and allure of one. He spotted a macaw to their left and pointed it out to her. Pearl gasped with excitement and gave his arm a gentle squeeze of thank you, and suddenly Ben hoped he’d find another bird soon, just to get another bright smile and affectionate touch like that from her.

He almost wished he was still madder at her. It was better than all that yearning.

“If you stay very still, you can approach them,” Ben suggested, and Pearl beamed at him. Trying to be discreet presented a problem, though. For all of her delicate features, voice and dancing, the mermaid still had heavy footsteps, pounding the earth under her feet. “Your stealth could still use some improvement,” he said with dry humor, deadpanning.

“And yet in the water you would never see me coming,” she winked with mischief. Ben let out a soft chuckle and conceded that she had a point. Every predator had a natural habitat, after all.

Their excursion was suddenly interrupted by a chilling noise: he heard the familiar warning rattle and roar of the Black Smoke, and his face drained of color. “Pearl, this way,” he called her over as he pivoted directions. “We need to take shelter in those roots, please come quietly,” Ben urged in a hiss, eyes wide.

Her head swiveled in the direction of the sound, shoulders squared and eyes alert. “Oh!” she gasped, understanding tinging her features. “You wish to hide from the Black Smoke!” Despite Ben’s urging, the siren didn’t move. There was a mischievous smile on her face when she turned back toward him. “Benjamin, I am entrusting you with my song. Can you reciprocate that trust to me, right now?”

His face scrunched up in confusion and slight vexation. Now?! When he couldn’t even properly consider her request because his life was at risk? “We’ll talk about that from behind the roots,” he insisted through gritted teeth, speaking more through one side of his mouth, and eyes piercing the blonde.

Pearl sighed but obliged him. After they were safely hidden behind the tall, upward exposed roots, she told him under her breath: “There is no need for me to hide.”

That gave him pause. What did she mean by that? Could her song control the Black Smoke too? Well—he didn’t want to risk his own safety, but he sure as hell wanted to watch that interaction. “Can you show me?” he whispered, then quickly added: “If you’re sure it’s safe for you.”

She grinned with just the right amount of smugness to make him think she viewed the situation as a performance. Pearl stepped out from their hiding spot and stood where she was clearly visible. The rattle got louder and louder as the thick speeding cloud of Black Smoke appeared, rushing toward her.

Ben held his breath, eyes as wide as they’d go, and he watched warily—but eagerly, too.

Pearl didn’t bat an eyelash despite that Smoke roaring and hurtling in her direction. In fact she smiled, eyes shining with mischief. “Hello,” she told it.

Ben’s hands curled around the roots, gripping tightly in anticipation. If Pearl’s plan failed, he might have to—wait. There was no need to ponder how to rescue her, because the Black Smoke was slowing down. A stunned Ben watched it stop right in front of Pearl, hovering in the air like it was looking at her.

And then, right in front of his very eyes, the Black Smoke swirled like a mini tornado and, when it dissipated – or, more accurately, absorbed into itself -- a man was left in its place.

Ben’s jaw dropped. That thing was a person?! The Smoke – which he’d known his whole life as a creature that functioned as judge, jury and executioner of the Island, hunting down those unworthy but hating all equally – took the shape of a person? More specifically a man, with tanned skin, dark hair and eyes, and wearing a black shirt.

“Pearl,” it – he – addressed the mermaid with the hint of a cheeky grin. “It’s been a long time.”

“Indeed,” she smiled graciously. Ben didn’t love the familiarity between them. “And aren’t you wandering a little too far from your territory?”

“You know I like to roam sometimes.” The Man in Black had an air of flippancy around him, like he wasn’t taking anything too seriously. “I saw you coming down the trail today. It’s unusual to see you wearing human clothes, Pearl. I miss the sail dress. Are you playing human dress-up now?” he said in a way that sounded almost derisive toward her current attire. Ben’s eyes narrowed.

Pearl gave a polite, friendly laugh. “It is quite a departure in style for me, yes. But these garments are surprisingly comfortable.” An expertly diplomatic answer.

“Hm. But that’s not the most surprising thing about today. I didn’t expect to find you with one of them,” he said with a vague smirk. “Laughing with him! Where did he go?”

He knows I’m here, Ben thought fearfully, breath hitching. He clutched the pouch of ashes he always carried for protection.

“Do you promise you will not attempt to hurt him?” Pearl asked, and although her smile didn’t change, her eyes glistened dangerously. She’d protect Ben if need be. “And don’t touch him.” The touch of the Man in Black tainted people with darkness, turning them emotionless and downright psychotic.

“I thought we were united in our hatred of humankind,” the Man in Black said humorously, then nodded. “But sure. He’s the leader, isn’t he? Of Jacob’s people?”

“I am, yes,” Ben declared, surprising the other two with his sudden appearance. He thought it was better to take control of the narrative rather than hiding like a coward. He wasn’t one to avoid danger when it was strategically suitable, anyway. Pearl smiled, impressed, and the Man in Black looked bemused. “It’s—an honor to meet you,” Ben offered, but it sounded a little dubious. He stayed a couple steps farther than Pearl; he knew not to shake hands with that man, because any brush with the Black Smoke infected you with its darkness.

“Call me the Man in Black,” the creature said, the perpetually amused little grin never leaving his face. “Does he know what you are, Pearl?”

“He does,” she confirmed with a bow of the head, and Ben nodded too. He felt a small amount of satisfaction from that.

The creature didn’t like that. His face hardened just slightly, eyes becoming angrier. Despite that, his tone still seemed amused. “And why are a man and a mermaid spending time together?”

He was very focused on that, wasn’t he? Ben got the sense that he considered mermaids to be on his side, ‘united in hatred of humankind’ like he said, and seeing Pearl with Ben riled him up. Like a betrayal of sorts; the loss of an ally.

The mermaid took a step closer to Ben. “I wished to learn more about humankind, and Benjamin here was gracious enough to allow me access,” she explained, leaving the quid pro quo element out of it. Ben wondered why.

“Hm,” the Man in Black hummed, eyeing Ben. “You always were one of the more interesting people on this godforsaken Island. Clever, too. You never cease to amaze me, Ben.”

Blue eyes squinted a little. So that creature knew him? Well…that wasn’t much of a surprise, really. The Island was interconnected and the Smoke always around. If the MiB could read into people to judge them, looking into their hearts and souls for their sins, it was no wonder he knew a lot about them. It was an unnerving notion, though, and Ben felt uncomfortably exposed. “I’m afraid you’re at an advantage here. You seem to know a lot about me, while I know nothing of you.”

“I’m the Man in Black,” he cheekily repeated, arms open wide. He was clearly saying ‘that is all you need to know’, with a certain dramatic flair.

“Right…” Ben drawled, cautious and a bit suspicious. “And the Black Smoke. And you’re—acquainted with the merfolk.”

The MiB tilted his head as if nodding. “Our fishy friend here and I are aligned in our interests,” he said with a smirk, like he was teasing.

“We are united in our hatred of Jacob,” Pearl explained.

Ben felt unnervingly stunned all over again. He always assumed the Smoke and Jacob worked together, for the good of the Island: Jacob picked worthy people to bring into his society, and the Smoke judged and got rid of whoever was no longer worthy. Now sure, the Smoke embodied darkness; it was why Ben knew he couldn’t touch the creature, why they built the Temple to protect themselves against it—but to hear that the Man in Black outright hated Jacob -- rather than being two sides of the same coin needed for the Island to function -- surprised him. And Ben hated being caught unaware.

Couldn’t Jacob have warned them of this in more explicit terms?! No, of course not. Jacob never says anything in explicit terms, Ben thought bitterly. Was that Man in Black the personification of the very darkness the Island needed to contain, lest the world be destroyed if it escaped? A likely possibility. Oh, he didn’t like that thing hanging around Pearl at all, with its smarmy little grin and creepy evasiveness.

“You want to kill Jacob too?” Ben asked, perhaps a tad more boldly than strictly advised. He couldn’t help it, his feathers were ruffled!

“I can’t kill him,” the Man in Black shrugged casually. Ben nodded and let the subject go, but the lack of outright denial was enough to tell him what he needed to know: yes, the Man in Black wanted Jacob dead, but wasn’t able to kill him. That explained the odd alliance with the mermaid who tried to do the same. MiB glanced between Pearl and Ben, amused curiosity on his features. “You’re not going soft on these humans, are you, Pearl? Don’t forget what they’re capable of.”

Ben recognized that style of needling as pure manipulation—and of the cheap kind. That creature was trying to push Pearl.

Luckily the siren was strong-willed. She let out a lilting laugh, charmingly diplomatic. “I could never forget such a thing. But not all of them are awful. Ben and myself are becoming slow friends.”

A spark of anger flickered through the Man in Black again. “They might be amusing toys, but they’re always destructive.”

“As are you,” she retorted playfully, and the MiB laughed. He sounded genuinely amused, and yet the laugh still rang as very hollow. Almost creepily so.

Ben kept a neutral expression, quietly observing the exchange, but he could see right through the MiB: that smoky thing didn’t want peace between merfolk and humankind, at all! Seeing it – him – laugh with Pearl irked Ben endlessly. Her friendship with such a destructive entity was another sign that her so-called moral superiority could be quite hypocritical; she condemned humans for being too violent, but hung out with that vicious smoke? Can’t you see he’s trying to drive a wedge between us?! Ben shouted at Pearl in his mind, but had to settle for hoping she could see it too.

“Will you be back in the water soon?” the MiB asked another prodding question.

“Yes! My time here on land is very temporary. And—Benjamin and I should probably be on our way. It was lovely seeing you,” she bowed her head and smiled, ever so poised and delicate. Pearl was no fool; she knew the Man in Black was not happy to see her befriend a human, and the best way to deescalate the situation was to get herself and Ben away from him as soon as possible.

“Yes,” Ben agreed, eyes darting between the two. He was cautious to not antagonize the creature but he certainly wasn’t being warm. “We must be off.”

The Man in Black nodded again, the unnerving smarmy smile returning to his face. “Best of luck with whatever this is,” he pointed between the two of them. The good luck wishes rang insincere, like he was making fun of them somehow. “I hope you don’t end up drowned, Ben. You know the reputation of the sirens,” he added, a dark grin widening.

Best to ignore that attempt at baiting and dividing them. Ben and Pearl uttered a ‘thank you’ in unison and quickly walked away, with Ben throwing the creature a few glances over the shoulder just to make sure it was staying put. The Man in Black watched them until they disappeared between trees, then he returned to his smoke shape and flew elsewhere—but that encounter would stay on his mind.

Alone again, the pair walked in silence through the jungle. Ben felt a little sour after their encounter with the Man in Black. The petulance built up inside of him until he was unable to control it.

“Were you involved with him too?” he snippily asked before he could stop himself. He didn’t pick up on any sparks or chemistry between Pearl and the Man in Black, but there was a clear rapport and a friendly familiarity there that bothered Ben.

“Involved—as a lover?” she asked in surprise, and Ben looked down at the ground as he nodded in confirmation. Now he felt a little awkward to have asked, because clearly the answer was ‘no’. It relieved him. Pearl chuckled, head turned up to the sky. “Goodness, no. I was never interested in him like that; and I would have never slept with a pair of brothers, anyway. He and my sister Aqua were lovers for a brief time, though! I know that he cannot touch humans in any way because it infects them with…darkness, I believe, but it’s different for mermaids. We do not get infected.” The reason for that extra protection against the darkness was that mermaids lived very close to the Light Source of the Island; it counter-balanced any exposure to the destructive force of dark. When she looked back to Ben he was staring at her with an open mouth, completely stunned. Pearl made a playful face. “Oh come on, it is not that scandalous that Aqua slept with him!”

“No, not that!” he quickly corrected, exasperated. “You said—brothers. The, the Man in Black and Jacob…are related?” Ben’s eyes were impossibly wide.

She faltered, tucking a strand of flying blonde hair behind her ear. “You did not know.”

“None of us know about this! How do you know? Jacob, did, did he tell you?” he asked with a bit more bite than intended. “Or did your people witness that too?”

If she’d given away the secret, she might as well explain the full situation. “It’s the latter. My ancestors were on this Island when Jacob and the Man in Black were babies. The same thing I told you of Jacob is true of the Man in Black too: merfolk saw them grow up to be little boys, then men, born of the same woman. The stories were passed on to all subsequent generations; it is just something that we all know now. But please, Ben, keep that to yourself.”

He let out a tiny breath through his nose. It was still weird to think of Jacob as a little boy, and even weirder that the Black Smoke was once a child too. How unusual that the vicious smoke creature was related to the Island deity! Though that made sense; as deity-like as he was, at the end of the day Jacob was still a man. An immortal one, but a man. And didn’t all deities need an adversary, a Satan of sorts? Even the Christian God had Lucifer-- and who fought Lucifer? His brother, the Archangel Michael. A barely perceptible frown creased Ben’s forehead. What an interesting discovery he’d made, thanks to Pearl…

“I’ll keep it secret,” he agreed. Then there was a pause where the only sound was the grass under their feet. “I’ve lived here all my life and I had no idea the Black Smoke could shapeshift…” he muttered dejectedly, mostly to himself. Not knowing something so important really made him feel uncomfortably out of control.

“You really dislike the unknown,” Pearl pointed out sympathetically.

Ben gave a grim nod. “I can’t control what I don’t know,” he drawled.

“The unknown thrills me, but it unnerves me at the same time—for that very reason. Any unknown is a wild card, impossible to plan for,” she admitted, and he appreciated that. She gave a dainty shrug. “Then you should be happy that I introduced you to the Man in Black. One less unknown variable in your life.”

Pearl was displaying two of the many reasons why Ben admired her: her incredible brain and highly perceptive nature. He looked at her for a moment, then nodded. “I am glad to know now.” Another pause while he was thinking things through. “Why can’t he kill Jacob? It’s—part of the Island’s rules, isn’t it?” Ben asked somberly, grave eyes on Pearl. It was an educated guess on his part.

“I believe so, yes, but I couldn’t tell you with certainty.” She really didn’t know all the rules.

“They’re light and darkness,” Ben mused. “Maybe balance must be kept.”

A bitter laugh. “Yes, technically. But if Jacob is the light, we are all screwed.”

He gave her a shocked, wide-eyed glance, unable to hold back a snicker. It was the first time he ever heard her use a swear word; it sounded foreign coming from her, antithetical to her ethereal elegance. Her mastery of modern English vernacular was certainly improving. “Where did you learn that word?”

“I think I heard it from Tom,” she giggled.

“That figures,” Ben shook his head, an amused smile on his face. His mind was spinning with several thoughts. One of them was Pearl’s certainty that Jacob as a light figure was a bad thing; that was unthinkable to Ben, but what if there was some truth to it? Was he being blind in his faith? He frowned. The other thought was her lie of omission to the Man in Black.

“I can tell when you are deep in thought, you know,” she pointed out and gently poked his furrowed forehead.

He let out a light scoff mixed with a chuckle, feeling exposed that she knew him so well and also charmed by it. “Well—yes. Pearl…” Ben looked at her with the hint of a pensive smile. “…why did you lie about our circumstances? You never told him that it was a deal between us.”

A tropical breeze blew past them. “Oh, he already thinks very lowly of humans; I’m sure you could tell as much,” she started, and Ben nodded in acknowledgment. “I didn’t want to worsen his impression. And, for your sake, I did not think it was wise to make him dislike you or judge you for making a selfish deal with me,” Pearl said.

Ben quirked a brow, unconvinced, because that didn’t add up. “You were the selfish party in our deal, Pearl,” he smoothly pointed out, staring intensely at her. “You had the power to save my life, but refused unless you gained something in return…”

The blonde mermaid opened her mouth to retort, then let out a strangled whine instead. “I should have known I couldn’t trick you with illogical arguments,” she muttered. She always felt so exposed around Ben, he could really read her like a book. “You’re right—I was selfish when I held your life as a bargaining chip, and I didn’t want him to know that. The Man in Black thinks that we, the merfolk, are above humankind. Nobler. I … I did not want him to think me similar to your kind, capable of the same selfish cruelties.” Hazel eyes dropped to her feet, ashamed. She felt less than.

“You’re not cruel. Ruthless sometimes, yeah, and wily, but not cruel,” Ben told her firmly. Although she’d insulted all of humankind, he found himself needing to console her. Something about her pained whine and her shame bothered him—Pearl didn’t deserve to feel like that. Not when he knew how kind and thoughtful she could be too.

The shadow of a smile touched her lips. It meant a lot that he would say such kind words about her, especially after the submarine incident. “Thank you. I hold your reassurance in high regard. And you are not that selfish, Ben. You’ve sacrificed a lot for this Island.”

That got to Ben, because most people didn’t recognize that about him. They thought he clung to power for power’s sake – and yes, he did crave power, he felt safer when he had it! – but truly, he had always wanted the best for the Island! And he’d been sacrificing his own happiness in favor of that Island for decades. He drew in a shaky breath and smiled softly at the mermaid beside him. “Thank you, Pearl. For that, and for telling me the truth about the Black Smoke.”

“Any time,” she said with a pleasant lilt, smiling back at him.

As they started a careful descent down a lush green hill, Ben started to think about Colleen’s death again. Some details of that had never added up for him! Now he was wondering if the murder had been much more deliberate than they originally realized. He always knew the Black Smoke was sentient, of course, but only to a degree. It was violent and hard to control, killing most on its path. Ben always thought that was instinct, not choice. The Smoke’s purposes were to be a security system for unwelcome individuals on the Island, and a judge of people’s moral standings. But now Ben knew it was more than that: it was a man, a real person, with feelings, thoughts and emotions like anyone else’s. It could have its own agenda. It could have schemed, and dragged Colleen’s body away on purpose to be hidden out of sight—so that they’d never know her true fate.

What would its purpose be, though? Hm…it looked very unhappy to see an alliance forged between a man and a mermaid. Could the Man in Black have predicted that Ben’s people would suspect the sirens of causing Colleen’s disappearance?

“Is it possible that the Man in Black may want to drive a wedge between our species? Want it enough to act on it?” he asked introspectively, then wondered if she’d tell the truth. He had a feeling she would.

Pearl pondered the question for a moment. “Possible, yes.”

“And likely?” he insisted, lifting an eyebrow as he glanced in her direction.

The mermaid pursed her lips. “I have known him to interfere in human affairs before. He manipulates where he can, to cause destruction. So I would assess that…yes, it is likely.” She looked back at Ben, intrigued. “What is your hypothesis?”

“Colleen,” he said quietly. “She was killed by the Black Smoke, but her body was hidden in a hole; we couldn’t locate it. It made us blame the sirens, as I am sure you remember. If his goal is destruction…” he trailed off, leaving her to complete the thought on her own.

“…then he would benefit from a war between our kinds.” She twirled a strand of light blonde hair as she thought it through. “I think it is a distinct possibility that he killed your Colleen on purpose; if not for destruction’s sake, then to weaken Jacob somehow via wiping out his people through war with mine.”

Ben swallowed thickly. That was a horrifying thought. He nearly plunged his people into a war against deadly sirens because of a lie! A trick! “I suppose it was lucky that you and I communicated enough to set the record straight…” The Man in Black surely didn’t count on that! Who knew that locking his favorite mermaid in an aquarium would turn out to be such a saving grace?

“Yes, which I’m sure he did not expect. Our unusual and reluctant partnership may have saved us from war,” she vehemently agreed, a shiver creeping up her spine. This didn’t sit right with her, a deep frown creasing her forehead. Pearl always sided with the Man in Black over the humans, but she had never seen him try to cause an overt rift that implicated her merkind. If war broke out, plenty of merfolk would die too! The Man in Black didn’t care about that, did he? He thought of them as collateral damage, just like Jacob… “You must steer clear of him, Benjamin,” she urged, face going dark and venomous. “Do not give him a chance to manipulate you.”

Ben nodded absently. “Of course. And I’ll be sure to second-guess anything done by the Black Smoke from now on.” A pause, and when he spoke again it was in his most convincing voice: “You do know that he’s willing to throw your kind under the bus, don’t you? You would have suffered too, if his scheme succeeded.” He was sure Pearl realized that, but just in case, it was better to point it out.

“I know,” she said grimly. “He is not someone I can trust.”

Ben nodded. It was nice to have an answer for the Colleen mystery – it had never stopped bothering him. But the answer was more unsettling than he expected it to be. Maybe the Man in Black saw an opportunity with Colleen and took it impulsively, not like some great evil ploy. But, if he had been premeditatedly scheming against Ben’s people…well, in that case Ben was fighting a dangerous enemy he didn’t even know existed until now.

He’d think more on it later, because they had just reached the Pearl Station.

“You know, I think you might enjoy this Station’s name. It’s called The Pearl,” he told her with the faintest hint of humor, eyes darting toward her.

Pearl let out an excited gasp. “Truly? Oh my, I did not know I owned an entire Station,” she joked with a giggle. “Tell me, what else is mine on this land?”

Ben pursed his lips and pretended to think for a second. Then he met her eyes and said in all (pretend) seriousness: “The bathtub, for the next two months.”

The mermaid laughed, and Ben let out an amused little chuckle of his own. He opened the small hatch and gestured downward, where the underground Station was located.

She eyed the ladder warily. “I am to descend those?”

He nodded, then worried that her legs might not be firm enough for that yet. “Let me go first. That way I can—help, if you need.” Meaning he’d try to catch her if she tumbled down.

“My hero,” she playfully gushed, and Ben threw her an equally playful sarcastic look in response.

He carefully climbed down the ladder toward the interior of the Pearl Station, then called out for the mermaid to follow. She was even more cautious, gripping the handles firmly and being very deliberate with every leg movement. Her limbs shook but they didn’t give out. Luckily the mermaid-on-legs managed to climb down without incident, soon joining the man that waited below. He smiled at her, strangely proud to witness her accomplishment. She smiled back, very pleased, then began to feel uneasy about the task ahead.

***

Recording Pearl’s siren song was a very simple matter. Ben gave her a tape recorder, taught her to speak into a microphone, and left her alone in one corner while he waited on the opposite side of the Station so he didn’t risk falling under her spell. He asked her to give a specific order to the listener, too: spin in a circle three times.

She sighed, eyes closed as she wrestled with heavy doubt and guilt while preparing to press the rec button. What a disquieting thing it was to gift a human with the power of the siren song. If it worked…then she was effectively betraying something that was sacred to merfolk, and bestowing that blessing upon a human instead. Any human would misuse it, would they not? Pearl’s stomach twisted nervously and she prayed that the song would be useless when duplicated in a recorder, just so that her subjects wouldn’t hate her for letting a man get his hands on something so rare and mystical. What made her go through with it, aside from seeking Ben’s forgiveness, was the knowledge that he could never use the song against the sirens—because even if it worked, it would only enchant his own fellow humans, and that was not her concern. So Pearl drew in a breath, pressed the ‘record’ button, leaned into the mic and sang.

The siren song lifted through the air, haunting and ensnaring, captured in tape and immortalized forever.

Her face was blank when she handed the recorder back to Ben. He gave a slow nod of thanks. Neither of them spoke; words felt cheap in a moment like this.

Later that day, back in the Barracks, Ben gathered a small group of test subjects to listen to the recorded song. He was hopeful despite Pearl’s warnings, and eager to see if it would yield any results. First he gave it to four individuals, two men and two women with headphones, each one at a time, then he gathered the four together and played it for them again as a group. Ben himself had yet to listen to it.

“All I need you to do is listen to this tape. Then tell me how it makes you feel,” he instructed them each time, and watched the process from an adjacent room.

Much to his disappointment, none of those people fell under Pearl’s spell. They didn’t spin three times, didn’t become glassy-eyed and consumed by the single thought of finding and pleasing Pearl, didn’t even feel their hearts beat faster. They just commented that it was one of the most beautiful songs they’d ever heard and asked what artist sang it.

“Never mind that,” he said curtly, taking the recorder back from them. What a waste of time.

Dismayed, Ben retreated to his home while Pearl was out somewhere. Curious blue eyes narrowed at the recorder he was gripping between tight fingers. If the song was harmless, then he wanted to listen to it too. Why not? Ben’s lips rolled into a tight line and he pressed ‘play’. Pearl’s voice came out of the recorder and he instantly stirred inside.

It was his first time actually processing the siren song, and by God what a haunting, uplifting, viscerally angelical melody! It was more vocalizing than singing, with some sung phrases about the ocean and its maidens here and there, and it was the most beautiful thing he’d ever heard in his entire life. He heard Pearl say the command – ‘nothing would make me happier than if you spin in a circle three times, right now’ – she cooed in the tape, and resumed her singing. And then it came to an end, failing to entrance Ben. Just like the rest of the test subjects.

He sighed in disappointment; so he would never be able to replicate the hypnotic power of the siren song. Pity; he’d really love to have such a mind-controlling weapon to deploy in case of emergencies. Nobody would ever want to leave the Island if he hypnotized them into staying! But it seemed that only a real, living, breathing mermaid could successfully sing the song live, and the magic was lost in a recording. Well, at least now he knew. He was happy that Pearl let him try it. It wasn’t an even trade: he lost a very important submarine plus access to the mainland, and gained only a bit of knowledge and nothing else. But Pearl had warned him of the likelihood of that, so he couldn’t blame her. In fact, he was starting to find it in himself to forgive her – conditionally! – for destroying his submarine. Especially after everything they talked about on their walk through the jungle, meeting the Man in Black and such.

Ben eyed the recorder; he could erase the useless song, yet he decided to keep it. It was so beautiful, he just couldn’t bring himself to get rid of it! And someday, when their three months ended and Pearl returned to the ocean forever, this copy of her voice would be the only piece of her that he could keep. The only memory of what she sounded like. The only trace of her left in his world. Yes, he realized with a pang of bitter sadness: he would definitely treasure that recording someday.

***

Even though they were a month into their roommate arrangement, Ben and Pearl’s morning bathroom schedules still clashed on many days. That morning, Ben yet again had to stick his hand in a bathtub full of water, to gently shake Pearl by the shoulders and wake her up so that he could pee in privacy and peace.

The sleepy mermaid glared grumpily at him as she sat up. She wiped her face of the excess water. “Benjamin, I am begging you, take care of your business and let me sleep in peace.”

He sighed. Did they have to bicker about that every other day?! “Pearl, I told you, that’s not appropriate. Please leave my bathroom.”

She got on her knees in the tub, hands on the edge of it. Pearl was so sleepy that her canine teeth unintentionally extended out into two little fangs. “For the love of Poseidon,” she cried out, “why do you have to be so modest?! I do not care if you urinate while I am here. I will not see it, or hear it; I’m so tired I am barely perceiving that you are here at all right now!” She glared up at him. Ben was actually a little amused by her sleepy fanged outburst; it was rather cute. Spurred by his lack of reaction, she continued her tirade: “As a matter of fact, you have to wake me every morning. Have you considered that, if you didn’t shake me by the shoulder, I wouldn’t even know you’re here?! I would remain asleep while you urinate; you would come and go and I’d be none the wiser!”

Pearl thought she made a very valid argument, but Ben wasn’t swayed. He simply gestured sharply toward the door. She hissed as she got up to wrap herself in a towel and walk away. As she was heading out, she considered starting her own counter-campaign, just out of pettiness: she’d start peeing with the door open every time. But she ultimately decided against it, knowing it would be a bit too weird by human standards.

The next morning, when Ben woke up the slumbering underwater mermaid, he was met by her shoving something in his hands: a bucket. “You can urinate in that,” she irritably suggested, “in your bedroom. Take it there. Good night,” she pulled the shower curtains closed, separating them. Ben, standing there with a bucket in hand, couldn’t help but laugh. What a bizarre suggestion.

“Are we really going to go through this every day?” he said, because unfortunately he was still going to insist that she leave the bathroom. But that clash in schedule was going to have to be fixed somehow.

The next morning, he knew Pearl had had a late night going on a swim to visit her sisters. He wanted to let her sleep in, but the man needed to use his bathroom! He tiptoed in and checked on her by pulling the curtain just a crack: she was fast asleep underwater, as expected. Looking ethereally peaceful, gills peeking out behind her ears. Realistically he really could use the toilet without her knowing; she was even separated by the shower curtains! Ben tried to get used to that idea, he really did. He stood there for a few seconds, hands hovering over the band of his pajama pants. But he couldn’t bring himself to do it; it was too inappropriate, too classless! Waking her up was the only way.

Finally, the next day, he came up with a plan: he gifted her an alarm clock that rang ten minutes after his own, and he started drinking less water right before bed so he could take his time upon waking up. And thus their new morning routine was born: Ben woke up with his alarm, lounged in bed for about fifteen minutes, then headed to the bathroom to relieve his bladder. By then, Pearl’s alarm had already gone off, and she had an extra five minutes where she didn’t have to get up in a hurry. It worked really well! By the time Ben left the bathroom Pearl was usually in the kitchen getting breakfast – sometimes for herself, sometimes for the both of them, depending on their mood or if they were in a fight – or, if she was particularly tired, sometimes he’d find her back asleep on the couch, all curled up.

The rest of their daily and nightly routines remained the same. It was startling for Ben to realize that they had naturally fallen into a rhythm, a routine that worked for both of them and was born purely out of familiarity, unplanned. They had their own set schedule, a shared schedule…who would’ve ever thought?! They were part of each other’s lives now!

The one thing that stuck out like a sore thumb amidst their newfound domesticity was the lingering chemistry between them. They had kissed on two separate occasions to start out, and both times they refused to discuss it. It wasn’t even an outright refusal, just an instinctive decision that both made independently of each other. They were more comfortable with pretending the kisses never happened than with having to examine their own actions, and worse, their feelings.

But then it happened a third time, under pretty intense circumstances that almost went far beyond a kiss. Both Ben and Pearl had pretty good excuses: they were playing each other, trying to assert the upper hand, etc, so again the kisses went undiscussed. Yet he couldn’t help but think they might have to discuss them now that things nearly went too far, especially after the fourth ‘goodbye’ kiss in his kitchen. He groaned inwardly; the last thing he wanted was to have an awkward, weirdly twisted version of ‘defining the relationship’ with a siren who was clearly playing games with him…but they had to talk! They could not go on as it was, worried about when they might slip up and kiss again. They could not be romantically involved, at all, and they needed to be on the same page about that! The submarine loss took precedence over the kisses for the last week, but now that his anger and hurt had dissipated and Pearl did what she could to make things right, he knew he had no choice but to have a conversation with her.

His stomach was in knots when he approached her, yet his face was a mask of perfect calm. “Pearl? I was wondering if you have a moment to talk.”

Curious hazel eyes lifted toward him. “I certainly do. About what?”

His movements were quite stiff. “We need to talk about those…kisses. They-- they can’t keep happening, Pearl.”

“Didn’t we already share a last kiss?” she raised an eyebrow.

“Yes but we said that in passing. I—I would like to make sure we’re on the same page here. We have kissed too many times now,” Ben spoke in a very formal manner, hands clasped together in front of himself. “I know we only did it to prove a point, and that’d be fine, but…” he scrunched his face, “we need to set some boundaries, because— well, Pearl, especially because we almost went beyond a kiss, on Hydra Island.”

“Are you referring to sex?” she asked curiously. She didn’t think the matter warranted such a discussion…but maybe Ben was right. Maybe it’d be easier if they agreed on boundaries. Ben nodded awkwardly to answer her direct question, entirely blank-faced, and Pearl tilted her head. “Do you not want to have sex with me?”

He swallowed dryly, nerves swelling inside. Of course he wanted to, damn it, that wasn’t the point! Oh how could he even answer that without being untoward? He let out a scoffed little whine of complaint. “It…it’s not that I wouldn’t enjoy that…but, don’t you think it would overcomplicate things?”

“Not if it was a purely physical entanglement. What I think is that you’re afraid of developing real romantic feelings for me,” she teased with a sly grin. Pearl wasn’t sure if Ben had feelings for her or not; she thought it was wishful thinking on her part, perhaps, and he just had a small crush, or simply just found her attractive. But it was worth teasing him to see his face!

Ben deadpanned with mild annoyance, hiding any trace of being caught. “You’re the one who won’t stop kissing me. Maybe you’re developing feelings.” He wouldn’t dare dream that to be true, but it was a strong enough argument to use to destabilize her.

Pearl chuckled, a tad nervously. “I jest, but you were right before. Any deeper connection between us, physical or otherwise, would be bad. Our people wouldn’t like it at all, and, yes, it would complicate our roommate agreement.”

Evasion. Interesting. “So…we stay in an alliance, and nothing more?” Ben insisted.

“I think we are sort of friends by now,” Pearl corrected. “But yes— nothing romantic.”

“Sort-of-friends then. Great,” Ben smiled.

“Great,” she echoed, smiling back. Both of them were relieved by this joint decision -- their feelings were protected by this boundary, they wouldn’t slip up and go too far! -- but at the same time the smiles were a little forced. Deep down they were both experiencing a strange sense of loss: the loss of hope for a possible future connection.

Ah, but surely it was for the best, they told themselves. If they said it enough, it would mean it was true.

***

Of course Pearl offering up her siren song to Ben softened him. It didn’t make up for the submarine loss, but he could be more than just diplomatic to her now. He even found himself genuinely smiling at her and enjoying her company again. And, after their agreement on personal boundaries, he felt a little more at ease around her. He just hadn’t fully forgiven her yet, deep in his heart.

He found the blonde siren outside one afternoon, lying on her stomach, elbows in the grass and chin in her hands, staring at a white rabbit with red eyes. She seemed transfixed by it, measuring the little critter with her gaze. “And what might you be, hmm?” she asked the bunny; Ben wondered if she was waiting for a response. “Will you bite me if I reach out? You wouldn’t do such a thing, would you? No, I do not sense that from you…”

“That’s a rabbit,” Ben told her flatly, standing a few paces behind them. Pearl rolled over to look at him, lying on her back for a moment before sitting up. He couldn’t help but admire the mermaid for the hundredth time. Always his beautiful, ethereal Pearl, but lately with a light tan and more flushed cheeks, her pale skin sun-kissed now that she had daily exposure to sunlight instead of living in the dark depths of the ocean. There was a small pile of vibrant red mushrooms next to her, on the green grass.

“Rabbit,” she repeated. It was the first time she heard that word. “It is so very cute! Can I touch?” An eager grin.

“Yes. It won’t bite.” His face carried an indecipherable expression. “Be gentle, they’re fragile creatures.”

“Sometimes animals don’t like me,” she said with a sad pout. “I think they can sense that I am a predator species. Thankfully others bond with me.”

He quirked a brow, eyes narrowing slightly at her. “You wouldn’t eat a rabbit, would you?” Should he be worried for his bunny?!

“No. We don’t eat anything with fur,” she informed with a nonchalant, elegant shrug. Ben nodded, relaxing a little. Pearl smiled and reached out to gently touch the head of the white bunny with the number eight painted in black on its fur. The rabbit sniffed her hand, which made her giggle. “Land animals always do that,” she commented, scooting closer to better pet Eight. She gasped when her fingertips touched the white fur. “Oh, and they’re so very soft! Ben,” she glanced up at him, beaming, “what more can you tell me about these…rabbits?”

Yet again he was to be a mermaid teacher. A few short weeks ago he would’ve been bitter about it, but lately Pearl’s interests and reactions were lovely to him. Still, Ben sighed with playful exasperation. “Yes, rabbits. They’re mammals. They eat grass and leafy greens, use their large ears to detect predators, they…” he thought of what else might be interesting to her, “like to hop around, and…the ones on this Island live longer than the rest.”

She drank in every word of his explanation, interested gaze flitting between man and rabbit. Throughout it, she kept petting the bunny, and the bunny seemed pleased by that. Melted by Eight’s sweetness, Pearl carefully scooped him up in her arms and cuddled him like he was a baby. The rabbit only fussed for a second, then settled on her lap. “Aw, you’re ever so friendly, aren’t you, my love?”

“He’s used to people,” Ben explained with certain vagueness. He’d been cuddling that same bunny ever since he was a little boy. He wasn’t sure how he felt seeing Pearl so affectionate with his childhood pet. Part of him thought that it was very cute, and even nice that she shared such a connection with Ben by befriending a pet that meant a lot to him. Another part of him – the guarded, mistrustful one – didn’t want her encroaching on every aspect of his life. Even his pet wasn’t safe from her influence!

“Oh?” Inquisitive hazel eyes landed on Ben after his remark.

So she wanted to know more? He’d share a little, then. “I’ve had him since I was a little boy. He grew up here,” a small, casual shrug.

The blonde mermaid lit up at the man, full of bubbly enthusiasm. “You had an animal companion growing up! That is lovely! I used to have a dolphin. We’d swim together every day when I was a little guppy!”

“Then you understand how they can be a source of comfort. But a dolphin?” For some reason he had never considered that mermaids might have pets too. A soft chuckle escaped him; the image of a little aquatic Pearl hitching a ride with a dolphin was adorable. “Heh, that must have been fun for you.”

“Yes, she was like my own family! Do you feel the same way about your rabbit?” Eight was still in her arms and she was rubbing at his furry head.

Ben gave it some thought, lightly squinting. “I suppose I do, in a way.” That white rabbit was there for him when nobody else was. When he was away from Annie, alone at home with his alcoholic abusive father, the rabbit had been a great source of joy and a comforting friend. “It--he brought me happiness in life,” Ben said in a charged, meaningful tone, reaching out to give the bunny’s ears a gentle scratch.

Pearl smiled widely at Ben. “Does he have a name? My dolphin did, but it is unpronounceable in any human language.” Just like the true names of merfolk.

“I call him Eight.” He knew there was an emotional detachment in calling the creature by the number given to identify it, but the Dharma scientists always actively discouraged everyone from naming the so-called test subjects—so as a child Ben got used to thinking of the rabbit as ‘Eight’. He wasn’t that much of a sentimental person, anyway. Or so people thought, but he held on to Annie’s doll his entire life, and he had dozens of pictures of his daughter around the house.

Pearl gave a smiling nod, then lovingly kissed the top of Eight’s head. “You know, dear Ben, I think you’ve been dethroned. You are now my second favorite creature in this village.”

“I didn’t realize I ranked so highly,” he said in faint teasing, eyes twinkling with mischief. Then he reminded himself that he was supposed to stay a little mad at her.

“Well, you are practically the only one I interact with, so don’t let it go to your head,” she joked with a grin. Ben laughed in spite of himself, and Pearl giggled before nuzzling the bunny again. Eventually Eight started to squirm, so the siren let out a playfully dramatic sigh. “Oh, I could snuggle you forever, but I shall let you go,” she cooed at the rabbit as she set him back down on the grass.

Ben smiled as Eight hopped away, then his gaze shifted to the pile of vibrant mushrooms that were gathered next to Pearl. “What are you doing with those mushrooms?” he asked, a tad pointedly.

She was unfazed. “I foraged them. I thought I might try to make a dish. These are safe to eat.”

That piqued his curiosity—especially because she was correct in her assessment. He gave her a raised eyebrow. “How can you tell which kinds are safe for human consumption?” Surely she must have very limited experience with land foods.

“I can tell from its scent. Poisonous things have a recognizable smell. And—I think that I can tell it instinctively. If I close my eyes and I touch a plant or something, I can… understand nature,” she shrugged daintily. Pearl recognized that it wasn’t an eloquent response, but it was hard to put it into words.

He understood what she meant: according to the lore, mermaids were intrinsically linked to nature itself. It must give her an affinity for it. “You’re connected to it,” he pointed out. Then drawled: “I didn’t realize it extended to land environments…”

She swelled with pride. “Indeed. And to be perfectly honest, Ben, I did not realize it for quite some time myself. I never spent enough time up here before--- my connection was solely to the waters, the winds, the algae, the sands and rocks. But now…” she shook her head, beaming with a bewildered little smile, “now I can feel that connection with the plants, the fungi and the earth too. Like I am becoming bonded to them.”

That…was a bit unsettling. Because what did that indicate about Pearl’s true nature? It puzzled him. Could she learn to bend the trees and dirt to her will too, like she could the water and weather? Ben was fascinated by her mythical connection to nature, but he didn’t want her getting too comfortable on the surface. It’s not like she’d ever stay up there for good, anyway, so it was best that she didn’t learn to use the land against humans. “Don’t tell me you’re starting to feel as though this is your home…” he spoke with lighthearted teasing, but it was a calculated tactic; he wanted to gauge her response.

She laughed but twisted her nose. “I would never truly call the surface my home. I belong to the depths, always and forever. This newfound bond with flowers, trees and such, it’s…oh, it’s wonderful, but it only means that I am better acclimated. The water is connected to them too, do not forget.”

He hoped that was the case. She seemed very sure of it, and that helped quell his suspicions. “You could make mushroom soup,” Ben suggested a bit out of nowhere, to distract from the unease he felt.

Her face lit up. “What a marvelous idea!” She looked down at the rabbit that was still frolicking around their feet and beamed. “Don’t you love this idea, Eight? I know I do.” Pearl picked up the mushrooms she’d gathered in a pile and carefully wrapped them in the outer layer of her skirt, creating a makeshift basket to safely carry them home. In that dress, with her hair in a luscious, thick braid, Ben thought she looked like the picture perfect version of a fairy. Which, he supposed, wasn’t that far off from a mermaid. They were both magical, enchanting creatures of nature.

He wondered if he’d risk trying her mushroom soup. Maybe after offering a plate to Richard, or something.

***

It turned out that – with Ben’s help in seasoning it – the mushroom soup was quite successful. They had it for dinner that evening, and, the following afternoon, Pearl found herself alone in the house. Until she wasn’t anymore. Someone was walking right outside of her temporary bedroom, and it wasn’t Ben; Pearl recognized the sound of his gait. This was somebody else, smaller and lighter. Wary, the siren poked her head out the bedroom door. She spotted a young brunette whom she recognized instantly from the photos all over Ben’s house: his daughter, Alex.

Technically, Ben did say that he was sure Pearl would get the chance to meet the girl at some point. He didn’t forbid her from it. So, technically, approaching Alex would not break their deal. It was a bit of a loophole again – because Ben clearly didn’t want to introduce the two -- but a loophole that Pearl was comfortable with. Besides, hiding in the bedroom would just be awfully impolite.

“Hello,” Pearl offered her warmest smile, stepping out into the hallway.

“You’re in my room, you know,” the teenager stared the blonde down with a fierce gaze, arms folded across her chest in a defiant stance.

Pearl merely smiled serenely. She wouldn’t fall for any provocations. “Alex, is it? I do appreciate you so generously allowing me to temporarily dwell in your house.”

“I didn’t, really. Ben told me I had to,” she shrugged, defensive for three reasons: one, Ben warned that Pearl was dangerous, and despite Alex’s issues with her father she trusted his judgment—except when it came to Karl. Two, Pearl seemed friendly with Ben, which made the teenager immediately distrust her. Three, the story of Ben allowing Pearl to move in with him simply didn’t add up; the teenager knew they were lying about something. “I just think it’s weird that you’re living here and we never met.”

“I am very pleased to meet you now! I’m Pearl.” The undercover mermaid gave a polite bow of the head, speaking with enthusiasm. “Although you probably should not linger…your father is adamant that I do not speak to you yet.”

“You always do what Ben tells you?” Alex challenged with a bit of biting sarcasm, testing the waters of how far she could push the stranger. There was something incisive in her eyes that reminded Pearl of Ben. Like father like daughter, she supposed.

Pearl let out a melodious laugh. “I most certainly do not! However, I do have reason to be on my best behavior for now.” Avoiding a potential war between mermaids and humans – and keeping her word – were the important reasons for her easy compliance. “I am a guest, after all.”

“So why is he hiding you from me?” The snarky question was another test, to see if Pearl would cop to being dangerous like Ben claimed.

“Good question,” Pearl smiled widely. That small human was pretty clever. Ben probably instilled that inquisitive nature in her, being that he was the exact same way. “Your father is a little paranoid, and I’m only here temporarily. He probably thinks it’s better for you if you don’t get close to me.”

Alex’s eyes narrowed. She found that the blonde woman had a strange vibe; very friendly and charmingly polite, but—sly, maybe? Or too calculated? “What are you doing here, anyway? Shouldn’t you be with the plane crash crew?”

How could Pearl answer that in a semi-truthful way? “Ben and I met before the plane crash, off-Island. The crash was really traumatizing, so he offered to house me while I get back on my feet,” the mermaid repeated the lie she and Ben told everybody, inwardly chuckling at the irony of the expression ‘back on my feet’. “I like his company, and being here is much more comfortable than in the jungle.”

“So he’s being selfless?” Alex was skeptical.

“More or less. I think my presence benefits him in some ways, but, he has been selfless in how he treats me, yes,” the blonde answered honestly this time. “He’s a good man,” Pearl assessed, a fond smile appearing on her lips without her permission.

Alex noticed that look of pure affection in Pearl’s eyes. It was the kind of smitten gaze that was impossible to hide. Before she could say anything, the front door opened and Ben walked in.

He had a bit of a shock when he returned home to find his daughter and the mermaid talking in the hallway. He was happy to see Alex, but not around Pearl! “Alex, what—what are you doing here?” he asked with a terse smile.

“I wanted to get a book from my room,” the teenager responded with attitude.

He inhaled. “You should have asked me to grab it for you. I told you to stay away from the house for the time being…” Why must she insist on disobeying him?!

“Ugh, I thought no one was home. I can’t believe this! You gave my bedroom away to a random blonde! Fine, guess I’ll go live in the hollow of a tree,” Alex exclaimed, clearly sour at finding out that Pearl had taken over her room. She didn’t even know why she cared so much; it’s not like she was dying to spend time with her father. But…it still stung a little to be kicked out like that.

Ben closed his eyes and tightened his lips before speaking again. “Please don’t be dramatic, Alex. You like staying with Amelia. And Pearl will only be here for two more months.”

Pearl stepped closer to them, looking a little sheepish. “Perhaps she could have her bedroom back now and move back in. I can sleep in the—” bathtub, she wanted to say, but realized that didn’t make any sense from Alex’s perspective of her. “—on the couch,” Pearl corrected herself. It would be a hassle, but she felt bad to kick out the guppy. Ben threw Pearl an ice-cold look. The last thing he needed was the siren interfering with his daughter! Although…she seemed well-intentioned this time. She wasn’t manipulating or trying to stir up dissent, she was actually trying to help. Pearl caught the look and tried to lighten the mood. “Or I’ll take Ben’s bedroom and he can have the couch!”

Unlikely, Ben’s deadpan silently told her. If any other woman had to sleep in his house for a few days, he’d gladly give up his bed and take the couch so she could be more comfortable. But he would not cede his bedroom to a mermaid who strong-armed him into a roommate situation!

“No, it’s fine,” Alex said with snide sarcasm, “I wouldn’t wanna be in the way.” Then she turned to Pearl. “Just so you know, Ben told me to stay away from you because you’re dangerous.”

Ben gave a small nod, but honestly, he didn’t think Pearl was a danger to Alex anymore. He felt like he could probably trust the mermaid around the teenager—he just didn’t like the idea of Alex being involved in anything regarding the sirens. He trusted Pearl with her, but not the other dangerous aquatic creatures. Besides, until he could forgive Pearl entirely for the submarine incident, he’d rather keep her away from the girl.

Pearl let out a scoffed chuckle. “I deeply apologize for being such a risk,” she told Ben with mild sarcasm. “Alex, it was lovely to make your acquaintance, and I apologize for the circumstances,” she added with much more sincerity, then walked away. Honestly, she just wanted to meet the guppy; Pearl didn’t want to meddle in Ben’s family matters, so she was giving them space. She retreated to the bathroom and proceeded to peer from the door crack, wanting to listen to the rest of the conversation.

Ben tilted his head at his daughter, squinting knowingly. “Alex, why are you trying to stir up trouble between Pearl and myself?”

“I just thought she should know the truth, since you’re not very big on telling the truth,” the teen challenged.

His lips pressed into a thin line. He was so exhausted of constantly arguing with her. “If I keep the truth from you sometimes, Alex, it is only to protect you.”

She scoffed sharply. “Yeah, that’s what you always say. You keep me away from Karl to protect me, you hurt people to protect the Island. Whatever you say, Ben.”

The teen turned on her heel to leave, giving up on retrieving the book. On her way out she forcefully slammed the door, leaving a dejected Ben standing awkwardly in the living room. He let out a weary sigh and made his way to the couch, where he sat for a moment.

Pearl, sneakily peering from the other side of a door, watched the way he was sitting very still, eyes downcast to the floor and the demeanor of a man who was so tired of carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders. She decided to approach him--- which was equal parts strategy and genuine empathy.

“So that was your daughter,” the mermaid started innocently, leaning against the side of the couch.

“Yes,” Ben droned taciturnly, eyes still on the floor. “She’s going through a-- rebellious teenage phase.”

“We’ve all been there,” she smiled nostalgically, thinking back to her own rebellious antics when she was a 50 year old teenager mermaid. Ben’s mouth turned down almost imperceptibly; his way of saying ‘I suppose so’ without any words. He could feel her observant eyes on him. “But you’re struggling with it,” she pointed out like it was a fact.

Ben bristled, becoming defensive. He quickly rose to his feet and faced her with a sharp bow. “I’m alright, thank you,” he said forcefully before retreating to his bedroom. She didn’t waste time before following right behind him – before he could lock her out! -- which drew an impatient tsk from the man. “Will you refrain from barging into my room, please?” Ben glared petulantly at her.

“I know how you feel,” Pearl continued, undeterred.

“I sincerely doubt it,” he deadpanned with just an underpinning of acidity.

“Allow me to try,” she half asked, half ordered, taking a seat on the edge of his bed and delicately crossing her legs. “You’re exhausted. You try so very hard to do the right thing, to keep your people safe and to protect the world, but everything keeps going wrong for you. And Alex doesn’t understand your good intentions. Not everybody does,” she noted keenly. Ben’s eyes widened a little, taken aback. “And you can’t understand why. Why is it so hard for them to see it? And why, when you’ve given so much to keep the world safe, why do you keep facing so many adversities? The plane crash, the cancer, the Man in Black, the fights with your guppy. You’re questioning if you’re doing something wrong or if you are simply not worthy of your title.”

Hazel golden eyes stared right into his soul and Ben shivered, rendered momentarily speechless. Blue eyes flitted around the room and his lips twitched, gaping slightly. How could she know every little insecurity in his head, when he had effectively hidden them from everyone else—even from the people who knew him since childhood? It was incredibly refreshing, it filled him with warmth and a sense of being understood, and it utterly terrified him. His eyes widened further with every word and in the end he deflected, twisting the attention back her way. “What do you know of my protecting the world?”

“You keep it safe by keeping the Island safe. Isn’t that the purpose of Jacob’s chosen ones?”

His eyes narrowed and his question came out strained with bitterness. “Did you learn all of this from him?”

“The part that regards the safety of the Island, yes. The part about you…I see it in you. You put on a great mask, Benjamin, but I live with you. I’m here when it slips, and I see how much you’re struggling.”

He felt horrifically vulnerable, like he was stripped bare, cut open and his insides spilled on the floor for the siren to see – see and use as ammunition against him, if she wanted to. That notion chilled him to his very core. “I’m fine,” he spat through gritted teeth.

“You’re not doing anything wrong, and you are worthy of your title,” she told him, going back to her initial assessment of him. Her voice was full of stern reassurance. “Adversity comes for us all at times, we simply must weather the storm. They don’t mean that you are at fault for anything. Things will go right for you again.”

Blue eyes narrowed at the mermaid. It sounded like she was cheering him up, and it put Ben on edge. “I’m not doing anything wrong? Because earlier in the week you told me that I’m not a good person and that I’ll sacrifice anyone for the Island,” he acidly reminded.

Pearl’s gaze fell. “I didn’t mean that. I only said it because I was upset by what you told me of my ‘silly idealism’.”

“Why are you telling me all of this now?” he asked in a manner that was almost accusatory. Though really, hearing Pearl openly state that she knew he was a good person lifted a weight off his shoulders. He wouldn’t admit that his heart fluttered at it.

She shifted on his bed, a look of caution crossing her features as her long hair draped over her shoulders. “It is likely foolish of me to share what I’m about to--- but what can I say. I feel a twinge of sympathy for your predicament, Benjamin. The other day we were speaking of how difficult it is to be a leader and how we share in that, but we share more than that: I’ve been exactly where you are.”

That piqued his interest. Ben moved very carefully, as if to not spook her, and sat on the other side of the bed. He watched her intently. Any information the mermaid was willing to part with was important to him, as it could prove invaluable if there was war against her kind. Or just to get to know her better. “Is that why you’re so certain that the hard times will pass? They passed, for you?” he prodded gently.

She hummed a ‘yes’. “Did you know my grandmother originated the first peace treaty with the humans? I come from the queenly lineage, of course. But my crowning as queen was not as effortless as I would have liked. My mother died when I was too young to rule--- not even 200 yet! Losing her was…” her eyes dropped to her knees, full of sorrow. Her voice broke. “…excruciatingly difficult. I was the rightful heiress to the throne, but not everyone accepted me. That’s—that’s why you have sensed some hesitance in some of my subjects, and some uncertainty in me.”

“I’m sorry about your mother,” Ben offered sincerely, all too familiar with that grief. He almost spoke of losing his own mom, but he wasn’t ready to share that with Pearl yet. “I’m sure it was very hard on you.” And how interesting that her grandmother originated the first treaty!

“Thank you,” she smiled sadly. “It was. All of it is hard, especially where my six sisters are concerned. We used to be so very close, born seconds apart—and now, just because of happenstance of me being the firstborn, I rule over them. It strained our relationship. Like your daughter, they don’t always understand that I am doing what I must. But they love me, and I’m certain your daughter loves you.”

Once again Pearl lifted his spirits by relating to him in a manner that nobody else could. Her advice warmed him and made him feel understood, not alone. Ben inhaled a shaky breath, smiling gratefully at her. “And what of your hesitant subjects?” he asked after a moment of silence.

“I nearly had a coup at hand, until I decided to be bold and assert my power by picking a fight with the humans, for more territory and either war or peace. That’s when I first came on land to do research, that time you found me in the jungle and we had a bonfire—when we first met.”

He was fascinated, mouth slightly ajar as he listened to her tale of aquatic monarchy. It was a marvel to behold. “And now your power is stable,” he concluded on his own. “Some might doubt you, but they’re not plotting against you.” He had the impression that she was still proving herself to them, though.

Pearl smiled. “Quite right. I lost a few loved ones and I struggled, but I found my way. You will, too. Your hardships are not personal. They don’t happen to you to punish you…they just happen because life is hard.”

He offered her the briefest flick of a tight-lipped smile. Ben appreciated her encouragement – perhaps more than he should have – but he wasn’t so sure; if the Island wasn’t done with him, why did he get sick? And if it wasn’t personal, why did Jacob refuse to meet him? His insides clenched nervously at those questions, but those were things he didn’t wish to share with Pearl. “Thank you,” he politely bowed his head. “I suppose I’ll find my way, unless you eat me first…” he added in a deadpan, wanting to change topics. It was a bit morbid, but he meant it as his brand of dry humor.

The mermaid blinked in surprise, and then she laughed. “Your sarcasm always amuses me.”

His smile grew a little brighter at that. Maybe he could whole-heartedly forgive her for destroying his submarine after all. And…maybe he owed her an apology too. “Pearl, about what I said the other day—that you act like you’re noble but you’re not -- I’m sorry,” he frowned. “I’ve been a little irritable, with everything that’s been going on.” Any uncontrollable circumstance left Ben on edge. “I didn’t mean to sound so harsh.” He didn’t take the words back, though, because he meant them. He only regretted how he articulated them.

The reminder of that argument stung her. Pearl’s face hardened. “I guess we are even, with what I did to your submarine,” she grumbled. “You were not entirely wrong, anyway. I can be hypocritical in my morals.”

Finally she admitted that! That gave him great satisfaction, but he kept it to himself. “Here, how about this?” he fished out a Dharma-brand chocolate bar from his drawer. Ben knew how much she loved those. “For you, as a token of peace.”

She thawed enough to reach for the chocolate bar, cracking a small smile. “Can I have extras to bring to my sisters? I think they would love chocolate, and it might sweeten them on humans. No pun intended.”

He was mildly impressed that she learned what puns were. And what harm was there in sparing some chocolates, if they might appease some angry mermaids? “Sure,” he said plainly.

Her small smile widened just a little. “Excellent.” Then she sighed. “Ben, I’m sorry too. I shouldn’t presume what you would or wouldn’t do when it comes to sacrificing others if Jacob demands it. And— you sacrifice yourself for the Island too. As we have established. I think that you are a good person, actually. You’re doing what you’ve been taught to do for the Island. Sometimes that involves bad things, but I see the good in you. In how you treat me, how you speak to others, how you love your daughter and in how hard you try to keep everything running smoothly. I only said otherwise because I was upset.”

For the second time in that conversation, a weight lifted off of him. Ben knew he did bad things, and he felt guilty about that, but he was a good person who gave so much to the Island! It often went unrecognized, especially by Jacob, so it meant a lot to have someone acknowledge all of his personal sacrifices. “Thank you,” he nodded earnestly at her, feeling a swirl of emotions. “You’re being very supportive,” he pointed out with a squint.

Pearl seemed a little embarrassed, but she smiled affectionately. “Because you deserve it, Ben. I mean that.”

His smile grew even more, and he gave a little nod. Yeah, he could definitely forgive her completely.

 

Chapter 23: Settling into normalcy can be as extraordinary as magic itself, and verbalized feelings have the power to change everything

On another sunny afternoon, Pearl found herself tiptoeing around the outskirts of the Barracks, headed to a secluded spot of freshwater. She looked over her shoulder, surreptitious, to make sure nobody followed her to the clandestine meeting. Ben was the only one who knew it was happening; Pearl always told him of such meetings, never wanting him to catch her in a secret that might damage their trust even more, or even make him send her away altogether. So she forewarned him of the treaty breach.

The riverbank was muddy and slippery, making the barefoot mermaid-on-legs hold on to tree branches to avoid a fall. When she reached a rock they used as marker, she crouched in the mud, eyes landing on the tranquil green water.

It wasn’t long until the surface rippled and a beautiful mermaid of straight, sleek, inky black hair poked her head out, blinking to turn off the light emitted by her eyes. Aqua beamed at Pearl, who beamed back and waved with poised enthusiasm.

Aqua swam to the riverbank. The two sister sirens hugged gleefully, missing each other so much! The brunette then rested her arms on the muddy ground, her body staying submerged. Occasionally the fins of her lighter purple-green tail would peek out if she went more horizontal. Pearl had a seat on the edge of the water, feet dipping in. She liked the mud on her thighs: it made her feel grounded, connected to nature again.

‘Shall we practice speaking in human tongue?’ Aqua said in a series of clicked noises at Pearl.

“Yes, I think that is a wonderful idea,” the blonde queen answered in English. “How is everything? My guppy?” Gosh, she missed her daughter so much it hurt!

“Your guppy misses you, but she is excellent. Everything else is very good too! Your, uh—how is that word—to acquire…to make an acqui-ring…” Aqua scrunched up her face. Pearl had been teaching them modern English grammar, but vocabulary came more slowly.

“An acquisition? Procuring? … Or, simply, getting?” Pearl suggested a few options.

“Yes!” the brunette exclaimed. “Your procurement – or acquisition – of the submarine has done wonders to morale!”

Pearl sat up straighter, a smug little smirk on her face. “Oh so they are finally convinced that my purpose for being on land is worth it, and that I can help us from up here? It’s about time,” a pointed wink. The news made her feel better about betraying Ben’s trust for the submarine. Delivering the vessel worked to appease her merpeople.

Her sister laughed. “Indeed. I think most are understanding it now. But how are thou, dearest sister? We miss thee--you. Do you have news to share?”

“I miss you too,” Pearl smiled, bittersweet. “All of you! I am good, though. No news for the group, but…oh, sister, I need to tell you a secret of what happened to me the other day,” the blonde whispered like a conspiratorial teen gossiping, taking Aqua’s hands. “Ben and I kissed. Twice in one week.”

Aqua gasped. “Again?! Pearl! You said it was a once—one-time thing!” she scolded her sister. The two were the closest of the whole group, and the purple-tailed brunette was the only one that Pearl told these more personal secrets to.

“I know,” Pearl groaned, hiding her face in her hands. “I could not help it, Aqua, he is so—” she sighed, wistful and starry-eyed. “--so wonderful. I look at him and I am ablaze with desire!”

She looked skeptical and a tad disdainful. “I know he is very handsome man, but… human. How ‘wonderful’ can any human be?” A quick wave of the fins. “Is it safe to be living with a man that wants you? What if he attempts to keep you with him forever?”

“Some can be pretty wonderful, it turns out,” Pearl reluctantly admitted. “And yes, it is perfectly safe! Ben is a good person—he would not hurt me like that,” she assured. “And he is such a good kisser…”

Aqua couldn’t help but giggle at Pearl’s dreaminess whenever she talked about Ben. “Tell me how it happened!”

A giggly Pearl eagerly recounted the tales of her kisses with Ben, and she couldn’t help but gush about him a little. “I cannot stop thinking of his lips on mine,” the blonde confessed in the end, in a pained little voice.

“I am glad you’re having fun,” the brunette teased. Out of all the mermaids – who’d surely be extremely concerned that their leader was involved with the human leader – Aqua was the most open-minded. Even she had limits, though. “But it is reckless to carry on like this. Why don’t you sleep with him, to get it out of your system? Then you can be distant again.”

Pearl let out a wry chuckle. “I wish I could, but—for starters, he does not want to; he doesn’t trust me enough. We agreed that we won’t kiss again, because it…it was complicating things, for the both of us.”

A knowing look came over Aqua. First it was the stars in Pearl’s eyes, the dreamy smile, the longing in her voice, then the gushing about him…now this talk of complicating things for both of them… “Oh my! You have real feelings for the human!” she gasped, wide-eyed and holding back a shocked laugh. “This is not just physical desire for you! And—he has feelings for you too, beyond desire?”

“No! I don’t have feelings for Ben, don’t be silly, Aqua,” Pearl protested, face flushing in embarrassment.

“Yes you do!” The sister poked Pearl’s leg, then gestured toward her face. “I have not seen you light up like that in tens…in decades!”

“Stop it,” Pearl hissed lightheartedly, laughing but defensive. “It-- it is a mere infatuation, that’s all! And I don’t know how he feels about me. I think he carries a torch, too, but he is so stand-offish…” A sigh and she shook her head violently. “Oh, it doesn’t matter how he feels! We agreed to keep it friendly.”

“You cannot be falling in love with one another,” Aqua cautioned. She could understand a harmless infatuation on a gorgeous human, but if love entered the picture it could be very dangerous for the merfolk—because what if the human manipulated and tricked their queen?!

“We’re not! He would never fall for a mermaid, he would not ever trust one,” the blonde emphatically rationalized. “And I’m more careful than that, you know me. It is a silly infatuation,” she insisted. It was more than that, of course, but Pearl wasn’t ready to admit it to herself.

Aqua went suddenly quiet, index finger digging into the mud. “Is that why you came to live up here? Because you have feelings for Ben? I know the first time you kissed was before all of this…and then you kept running into him; Pearl, was it planned?”

“No!” She solemnly shook her head, taking her sister’s hand. “Aqua, I promise, I am here to help our merpeople, that’s all. It’s fate that kept pushing Ben onto my path, we never sought each other out! It is true that I would not have been comfortable living with another human, but, it is only because I have a familiarity with Ben. He is decent and treats me well.” Pearl meant every word.

Aqua nodded, frowning. “Please be careful with your heart, Pearl. That human could break it, if you let him have it.” He’s hurt you before, the brunette thought, but she knew it was useless to bring that up; Pearl would simply defend Ben and claim they were past that.

“Don’t worry. He and I can keep our attraction in check, as well as any…small flicker of affection we might feel for each other,” she declared, hoping with all her might that that was true. Because Pearl was afraid that, if Ben changed his mind about getting involved with her, she wouldn’t have enough willpower to resist him. How ironic for a siren to be so smitten.

Approaching footsteps on the riverbank made the pair of mermaids freeze. Aqua quickly slipped underwater and Pearl pretended to be looking at a flower.

“Is your sister gone?” Ben’s careful cadence rang out, and the blonde relaxed.

“No, she’s hiding in the algae,” Pearl grinned, then let out a low click to call Aqua back up.

The brunette emerged from the water, her straight black hair clinging to her wet body. She tossed a stray piece of green algae off her shoulder. Her eyes locked with Ben’s and she tilted her head, measuring him. He gave a tight wave as if saying a half-hearted hello; Ben always felt a little uncomfortable around any mermaid who wasn’t Pearl. Especially since he hadn’t met this one yet. Aqua flicked her tail to swim a little closer. “So you are the man that is kissing my sister,” she blurted out, staring him down. Now that she saw him up-close, Aqua could understand Pearl’s desire: Ben was an incredibly handsome human man, and he carried himself well.

That question completely threw Ben for a loop! He always assumed that Pearl would keep anything romantic that happened between them a secret, because surely the other merfolk wouldn’t approve of it! “I’m not—” he said unconvincingly, then scoffed, head whipping toward Pearl. “What have you been telling her?!”

“Nothing! Only—” Pearl started, then switched to glaring at Aqua instead of responding to Ben. “Will you keep your mouth shut?” she hissed at the other, playfully jabbing at her head.

“I made observation!” Aqua fired back, splashing some water at Pearl. The two laughed.

Ben couldn’t help but notice that they didn’t act like subject and queen at all—they acted completely like siblings. That must be a tough balancing act, he thought, just like being Alex’s father and the leader of her community was hard to balance sometimes too. He said nothing, simply observing the interactions between the two sisters in silence.

“Ben, Aqua is my closest sister and best friend,” Pearl addressed him, looking up at the man standing on the riverbank. “I trust her with my life. She will never utter my secrets to anyone else, so I share with her everything that is important that happens with me.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” he cordially told Aqua, but his mind was on the queen. He never thought that Pearl might be gossiping to anyone about kissing him, just like a human person might, and he felt equally flattered and embarrassed. Plus a great wave of curiosity: what exactly did Pearl say?! Did she gush about him? Insult him? Say that it was a wonderful kiss, or say that she regretted it? Or did she just relay that it had happened, with no emotion or commentary included? Unlikely; Pearl was expressive and very open with the people she trusted. Aqua would have heard opinions and details about the kisses, and again he felt flattered and embarrassed. But something that Pearl had just said stood out to him, and he couldn’t help but needle the blonde about it. “So kissing me was an important event to you, as per your assessment,” he droned flatly, blue eyes piercing through her.

Aqua instantly laughed, which surprised Ben. It was an earnest, charming laugh. He threw her a look with a small smile, and she smiled back.

Pearl, on the other hand, bristled. “Only in the sense that it was a new development in our agreement,” she said defensively, sulking. “Goodness, why are both of you determined to antagonize me today? My own sister and the king of Jacob’s people teaming up against me!”

It was Ben’s turn to chuckle under his breath, while Aqua answered with a giggle: “We are only speaking truth, Pearl.”

He was chuckling not only because of her comment, but also due to the way that she referred to him. Ben always got a bit of a kick when she called him ‘king’. It was only natural that, being from a monarchy herself, she interpreted his leadership under that lens. He found it cute and kind of flattering. It was only a problem when she called his people ‘subjects’ to their faces. That kind of talk could be dangerous.

“I don’t know about this ‘truth’,” the blonde retorted with a lighthearted eye roll. Then, looking between her sister and her human companion, she was hit by the stark visual representation of her own predicament: Ben, the human, was standing on both feet at the grassy riverbank, looking down at the freshwater. Aqua, the mermaid, was underwater, with her tail and her wildness, looking up at the world above. Pearl was in the middle. Her heart clenched; the more time spent away from home, the more she felt like in some small way she belonged on land too, and now there she was: halfway between one kingdom and the other. Literally, physically right between Ben and Aqua, and neither standing on land nor swimming in the water-- but sitting in the mud (earth mixed with water) with human legs and a mermaid moonstone necklace. Not belonging in the water with those feet, but not belonging on land with all the hidden fangs either. It was just like that dream she often had! Pearl swallowed hard, once again feeling the sting of guilt that she was adapting a little too well to living amongst her enemies. Was it a betrayal of her kingdom underwater and all that she held dear, to be half in and half out? But instead of dwelling on that she plastered on a calculated, gracious smile. “Why are you out here, Ben?”

“You said you wanted me to show you the mango grove when I was done with work. I’m done, so I came looking for you,” he explained, very matter-of-fact.

“Oh!” the blonde siren queen perked up. She was looking forward to that excursion. “Thank you! Shall we go in an hour? I would like to spend more time with Aqua before she swims home.”

Aqua smiled a pointed smile. “I have a better idea. May I come along to the tree grove? I would love! Love—to. I would love to.” She thought it would be fun, and she wanted to get a good look at how her sister behaved around Ben.

“No, sorry,” Pearl said, anticipating that Ben would agree.

But instead, at the same time as her ‘no’, he said: “I don’t see why not.”

“What?!” Pearl gasped in shock, looking at him with wide hazel eyes. Was that really a good idea? She wasn’t sure that she wanted Aqua spending that much time on land. And why would Ben be okay with that?! “But…”

“Wonderful!” Aqua smiled widely at Ben, interrupting Pearl before the blonde could deny her. She was curious about the man who caught her sister’s attention! “I only need a garment. I’ve been told we cannot walk around nude.”

“Are you sure about this?” Pearl said weakly, to no one in particular.

“Yeah, she’s welcome to come with,” Ben reiterated. “You don’t mind, do you, Pearl? Surely you have no secrets from your closest sister…” he drawled with subtle cheekiness, blue eyes sparkling and the hint of a grin.

She threw him a passing glare for putting her on the spot, then hid it behind a charming smile. “Of course I don’t. Aqua, yes, I would love to have you, if Ben thinks that we can keep you safe.”

“We can,” he nodded. “The area is secluded, nobody will stumble upon us there,” he reassured. It’s not that he was coming around on mermaidkind as a whole, or that he wanted to spend time with another one of those aquatic creatures. As a matter of fact, he’d rather stroll through the trees alone with Pearl. But this was a tactical decision. Pearl’s closest sister must hold some sway over the other mermaids and mermen; if Ben could have a diplomatic relationship with her, then he’d have one more siren who was more likely to be on his side if he ever needed them. Having the queen was great, but he’d like to cultivate a backup. Besides that, getting to know Aqua might give him insight on mermaids as a whole or, perhaps more interestingly, on personal facets of Pearl he had yet to see.

“Then…yes, okay!” Pearl smiled, although she felt a little weird. She was very excited to spend more time with her sister, and hopeful that she might bond with Ben. It would be nice if he and Aqua could get along! But, mermaids being territorial beings, she wasn’t completely pleased to be sharing the land territory she worked hard to master with her sister like that, with no previous warning. What if Aqua hated it and became reluctant to accept Pearl being there? Pearl was also well aware that Ben had political reasons for extending such courtesy, and she begrudged that—though that might turn out to benefit her too, and she knew it. It was a delicate balance. And she was initially concerned for Aqua, should any other human find them out there together, but at least Ben had put those worries to rest.

They separated for a while, with Ben going back home to procure some clothes for the visiting mermaid. One of Pearl’s new dresses would fit nicely. Before he returned to the riverbank, Pearl asked her sister to behave and to truly give Ben a real chance. Aqua vowed she would. When the trio reunited, Aqua removed her moonstone from a bracelet and placed it on a necklace similar to Pearl’s. Ben averted his eyes as the familiar light engulfed the siren, transforming her into the legged shape of a human woman. When he looked back at her, she was already dressed.

He led their excursion to the mango trees, with the two mermaids following closely. Aqua didn’t speak to Ben much along the way. She tended to stick by Pearl’s side, wobbling and grabbing her sister’s arm for balance, listening to Pearl and Ben chatting, watching them with intelligent eyes. He didn’t speak to her much, either. But he studied her. He noticed Aqua’s eyes were the same hazel as Pearl’s, but he just so happened to find Pearl’s more beautiful. And she walked like a newborn fawn, just like Pearl used to when Ben first met her. He noticed that Aqua was skittish, too; if he walked too close to her, she would let out a little hiss and cling to Pearl’s arm more tightly. He deadpanned at her in response, and made sure to give her ample space from then on. It was clear that she was more comfortable talking to him from the water, where she had all the power. On land, the siren was defensive and jumpy.

By the time they made it to the grove, the brunette siren was warming up to the land. She wasn’t able to hold herself upright without help, but was smiling as she admired plants and small critters. There was an endearing quality to her admiration too, but she wasn’t quite as outwardly excited by land things as Pearl tended to be.

“Wow!” Pearl gushed, lighting up. “You were right, Ben—this is the perfect time of year to pick mangos.” The trees were heavy with them, the fruits bright and emanating a delicious sweet scent. Pearl planned to make a jar of juice for herself and Ben later.

“Yeah,” he smiled at her like the Island expert he was, then gave a polite nod to the other one. “Feel free to pick some fruits for yourself too if you’d like, Aqua; it’s why Pearl and I are here,” he made sure to help the newcomer feel included.

Together, the trio weaved a path between the thick, sturdy tall trees, which were all close together in a clearing without much underbrush. They provided nice shade, and the contrast between the dark green of leafs and the bright fruits hanging from branches was quite beautiful to see.

They stopped in a rich area where the golden mangos were plenty. Pearl noticed that she was being used as a buffer by both sides. Aqua and Ben only addressed each other indirectly or in passing, talking more to Pearl instead. So the blonde cleverly put some distance between them, pretending to follow a blue bird to a different tree and leaving the other two by themselves.

Aqua and Ben traded an awkward smile, working side by side to fill a wicker basket with freshly-picked fruit.

“You must feel very out of place here,” he was the first to try to break the ice. “Pearl did too, at first. But there’s plenty to enjoy on land, as she soon discovered.”

“Are you inviting me to spend much time in your terr-i-tory?” she asked with a small teasing grin. Bold like her sister.

Ben chuckled amiably. “Not exactly. I’m saying—enjoy it while you’re here now.”

She let out a little hiss, though she seemed amused. Hesitantly, Aqua pulled on her first mango, twisting it until it dropped from the tree. “Good?” she checked, showing Ben the fruit.

He inspected her mango and smiled. “Yeah. Excellent choice.”

“How you know? Sorry, how doth—ugh, no. How do you know?” Aqua stared curiously between the man and the mango.

He pursed his lips, squinting at her. “There are a few signs. If the stem snaps easily, the mango is ripe. Give it a squeeze; if it’s soft, but not too soft, that’s good too. Better if the color has a slight red to the yellow. And if the scent is strong, the taste will probably be extra sweet.”

“Thank you,” she curtsied, never letting go of the branch that was holding her upright. “You know much about fruits.”

“I grew up on the Island,” he shrugged casually. One learned those things very quickly when one lived on a mostly-deserted tropical Island their entire lives.

Though they were quiet at first, Ben and Aqua soon warmed up to each other. They shared pleasant conversations as they picked handfuls of ripe mangos. Ben asked if she had been on land before and she told him of a previous visit, she shared a funny story about Pearl’s childhood with him, he made a clever observation that made her laugh and, when Aqua asked him what Christmas was, he was happy to explain. Apparently Pearl had been talking about the celebration and her eagerness to experience it.

Pearl was sneakily watching them from the other side of the grove, hoping to see a thaw. The blonde mermaid smiled widely when their conversation picked up, glad to see her most easygoing and favorite sister having a nice time with Pearl’s favorite human! When she saw them laugh together she felt very giddy. Like her two worlds were melding. A bond between them was a good thing for her.

So she happily rejoined them, eager to join in conversation and spend time with both Ben and Aqua together. Time flew by for the trio, who chatted casually as they chose the best mangos to take home and snacked on one or two then and there.

By the time they returned to the riverbank to say goodbye, Ben shook Aqua’s hand and she touched her forehead to his. “Pleasure to meet you, Ben-ja-min,” the black-haired siren bowed.

“Likewise, Aqua,” he smiled at her and gave a respectful tilt of the head.

The sisters hugged fiercely, reluctant to part. They traded a few words in mermaid tongue, and finally Aqua reverted back to her tailed-shape and swam away, carrying a bunch of mangos wrapped into a bundle made of the dress she previously wore.

After watching her go, a teary-eyed Pearl turned to the man. “You did a—a very lovely thing today, Ben. Thank you for letting her spend time with us.”

“She’s not so bad,” Ben admitted. Strangely enough, he could see himself being friends with the black-haired siren if their circumstances were different. As it was, she was still a bit of a danger, and one he’d likely never see again. But it was nice to speak to her in circumstances not fraught with tension and threats of war. Maybe she’d be an ally someday.

Pearl tutted playfully, giving him a nudge. “I am sure she will give you the same glowing compliment: ‘Benjamin is not so bad!’”

He had to laugh at that. All in all, they had a lovely afternoon, and Pearl felt silly to have ever worried about Aqua tagging along.

***

Out on a walk that traversed the Barracks – not for a leisurely stroll, simply to get himself from point A to point B – Ben’s footsteps nearly faltered when he spotted Pearl approaching a group of his people. Her gait held an endearing quality, but he was nowhere near charmed. He was rather ticked off instead, because he could see from her demeanor that she was acting suspiciously. Surreptitious, glancing over her shoulder. Spying, no doubt. He quickened his pace, too late to intercept the meeting but still able to run interference.

Her first response to seeing him was a flash of irritation, which told Ben she intended for the conversation to be a secret from him. He gave her a polite nod laced with condescension, and the mermaid instantly pivoted. She adopted a superficial bubbliness, smiling at him with insincerity. “Ben! Hello! I was only just getting acquainted with more of your lovely subjects.”

“They’re not ‘subjects’,” he let out a tense chuckle; that was a dangerous word to be throwing around! He walked until he was next to her, nose turning up in the air and eyes steely. “What a surprise to run into you here. I thought you weren’t going to be out and about with everyone today.” The secret message there, which only Pearl could understand, was a stern I told you not to speak to them so much anymore.

The mermaid gave a shrug of the shoulder, a sheepish smile touching her lips. “Indeed I wasn’t, but I grew restless and changed my mind, thought an adventure might do me good. I was in search of rabbit Eight, actually. And I just so happened to run into such people.” Her secret message, which Ben alone could decipher, was a defiant I can loophole your rules by letting the people approach me.

The two exchanged a charged glance, chock-full of the incisiveness of a silent battle being fought in secrecy. The people around them sensed a bit of a terse vibe between the two, but weren’t aware of the extent of it: Ben and Pearl were good at acting, and, after making their displeasure with each other known, they instantly returned to cordial smiles for the sake of appearances.

“How nice!” he said cheerily. Everyone bought it except for Pearl, who knew how annoyed with her Ben truly was. “What are you talking about?” he casually asked the group, like he simply wanted to be part of the conversation too.

“Childhood. Right before you walked up, we were saying how significant the tales we hear in childhood can be, and how they can inform some of our perceptions growing up,” Pearl said with a dazzling smile. She was absolutely prying into those humans’ pasts and personal lives under the guise of sharing fairytales and folklore. Before Ben could retort or try to drag her away, she beamed with enthusiasm. “Actually, I have a story that I would be enchanted to share,” Pearl offered as she took a seat on a bench that lined the pathway, wishing to rest her legs that were still a little unused to all that time standing. “My mother used to tell it to me at sleep-time.”

Ben knew that -- when so many eyes were on her and shining with curiosity and questions -- denying her offer was impossible. It would tip them off to something being deeply wrong. Yet again he found himself reluctantly charmed by her cunning. With his back to a figurative wall, he gave her another coded message, the true warning slithering under the pointed but nice tone: “Please do. I’m sure that everybody here will be delighted to learn more about you and the things that matter to you.” A veiled warning telling her to not speak too carelessly. He didn’t trust many to understand his machinations and hidden meanings, but he knew the siren was more than smart enough to catch them.

The smile she threw him in response was laced with contempt; she got the threat, and despised it. “It is a tale that many claim to be true, but I believe it is a legend. A tale of underwater maidens: sirens,” her eyes sparkled. Ben had to hold back an eye roll. Grinning dramatically at her audience, she began: “A handsome gentleman of auburn hair and green eyes wandered to shore one windy winter night. He was a fisherman, wishing to bring home extra food for his family. In his haste, the unlucky man stumbled upon the most beautiful woman he had ever laid eyes upon, with beautiful flowing hair and deep eyes. Instantly smitten, he rowed toward her, only to be petrified as he realized she had a tail where her legs should have been. The mermaid’s charming smile became a nightmare as her teeth sharpened into fangs!” Pearl paused for dramatic effect. She traded a glance with Ben, who was staring at her with a glare that could burn a hole through the ground; he was quite exasperated that she was talking so openly about mermaids! What if someone put two and two together and realized what she was? The blonde flipped her hair, redirecting her attention to the others that surrounded her. “The fisherman cried, got on his knees and begged her to have mercy, and the siren took pity on him. Fair creatures, they are. She told him to quickly take flight, and warned him to never intrude on her territory again, under penalty of drowning. Grateful for her kindness, he fled. But you see, there is one special song the sirens possess,” she smiled wickedly. “A song that can drive a man mad if he hears it but once.” Ben squinted minimally at that, startled. So the aquatic creatures possessed that deadly of a weapon in their arsenal?! His stomach churned. Pearl didn’t notice that he paled. “Our red-haired friend was unknowingly caught in the spell, not even registering it when he heard the melody. When he slept that evening, his dreams were invaded by figures of the beautiful siren draped around him. He was desperate to see her again, so, not heeding her warning, he abandoned his family in the middle of the night!” Pearl’s face had turned dark, really matching the mood of the story. “Rowing so frantically that his fingers bled, the fisherman traveled back to where he had found his precious mermaid. Oh, but he should not have been amongst those waves. The ocean maiden returned to him, as promised, to do what she had vowed. In a flash he was entranced by song, consumed only by the thought of joining her. She dragged him under, and to this day his bones rest in the depths of the ocean.”

Pearl told her story in a dramatic and charismatic manner, drawing people in. They clapped when she finished. She was a born storyteller, miming the actions and keeping everyone engaged. Except for Ben, who took the whole thing as a taunt at best, a threat at worst. But, surrounded by an audience, all he could do was stare quietly and discreetly, letting them think he was at ease. Juliet was in that audience, and Pearl’s performance made her want to extend the blonder woman an invitation.

“We have a book club going. We alternate locations, next week’s meeting is at my house. Would you like to come?” Juliet smiled calmly at her. “It’s a great way to share new stories.”

“No, she wouldn’t,” Ben cut in before Pearl could speak, very decisive in his answer.

Everyone else in that village knew better than to contradict Ben whenever he spoke so sharply, but Pearl wasn’t one of them, and she wasn’t afraid of him. At least not anymore, and not in that context.

“Dearest Ben, there is no need to speak on my behalf!” she laughed with calculated charm, as though she was simply being playful, but she threw a quick steely glare his way before turning to the human woman. “Quite the contrary, I would love to attend your reading soiree!” Pearl smiled widely at Juliet, who looked uncomfortable with the shift in Ben’s expression; he’d gone from a fairly easygoing look to something with a clear edge of displeased sourness.

“Great,” Juliet’s smile was tense. “I’ll get you a copy of this week’s novel, if that’s okay…” She glanced at Ben, waiting to take her cue from the leader.

“That’s fine,” he lied to avoid any scandal, the small smile not reaching his eyes.

“Thank you so very much!” The mermaid grinned. “We should be heading home now,” she added, and Ben was happy to pry her away from his people. Pearl kept smiling until everyone else was out of earshot, then she grasped Ben’s wrist with both hands. He startled but didn’t pull away. “Ben, we have a problem,” she confessed with some urgency.

“If your problem is that I’m aware you’re spying—then yes, we do,” he droned with the tiniest hint of exasperation, deadpanning at her.

“How would you know if my conversation was harmless or not?” she turned her nose up, keeping her eyes on him with interest.

“Because I’m very familiar with your expressions, Pearl. I know you were sneaking around,” Ben explained in that same deadpan, eyes fixed on her.

The blonde siren blew out a puff of air. “You don’t know me that well.” He simply kept staring as if saying ‘yes I do’, so she grudgingly relented. “Oh very well, I was spying—but it is not for anything nefarious as you are likely imagining! So do not go running off getting mad at me for nothing.”

“Spying isn’t nothing,” he retorted through narrowed eyes, though very calmly. “Tell me why you did it. If your reasons are, as you said, not nefarious,” he lifted his brows, challenging her.

“I was indeed talking about their childhoods; I merely wished to get to know them, Ben. Learn about their pasts and who they are, to better understand them and build rapport!”

“Know thy enemy,” he said blankly, and Pearl let out a soft mutter of complaint.

“Is my purpose here not to build a bridge between our species? To foster peace? I need to get to know them in order to succeed,” the blonde mermaid said with emphatic passion.

“Sure,” he nodded casually. “And if peace should fail, you conveniently armed yourself with knowledge of how to target them in personal ways,” he flashed a sarcastic smile.

She laughed. There was no use denying it, so she may as well bask in it. “Indeed. But you cannot fault me for that. It’s only cleverness.”

“I can, and I do,” Ben insisted, though there was something more lighthearted about his tone now. He knew Pearl preferred peace over war, and he didn’t think she’d glean anything important from talking to his people about their childhoods. Spending time with them at book club was more troublesome. “Pearl, listen to me,” he started, quickly working on damage control. “You shouldn’t come to book club. It’s not a good idea for you to mingle so closely with anybody.”

“I already said yes, therefore I must attend. But that is not the problem I was referring to,” she circled back. She had not let go of him yet.

The man squinted. “What, are you afraid you might misunderstand the nuances of the book, because you’re not very familiar with human society?” He could see her trying to make that their problem instead of just her own.

“It’s not that,” the mermaid shook her head, then gave his wrist a gentle shake. “Benjamin, please teach me how to read in your language.”

“Teach—” he sputtered, then realization dawned on him. Of course she didn’t know how to read English, or likely any human language! How would she have learned, living underwater with very little contact with humans? She couldn’t even bring paper down there, obviously! “If—if you can’t read English, why are you always looking over my shoulder when I have my papers out?” Ben complained, frowning at her.

“I enjoy seeing what they look like. I never said that I understand them,” she explained, a little sheepish. “And I did not want you to know.” Making him paranoid had been fun in the beginning.

“Can you read at all?” he asked with slight exasperation over her trickery. He had always been preoccupied about her stealing information from his documents or journal, but she couldn’t even read them?! What a waste of his own energy.

“Certainly! In Atlantian!” she beamed with pride.

Naturally, he thought acidly. He should have anticipated that, how did he forget to take her underwater upbringing into account?! He may need to find a time to ask her if she had really implied that Atlantis was real, too. “I’m afraid it’s impossible for anyone to learn how to read within a week, even with your foundational knowledge. I guess you won’t be able to attend, after all.” He didn’t smile, but his tone betrayed the smug satisfaction he was feeling.

Pearl looked disappointed. “Oh. Then…will you read it for me? This book that Juliet suggested?” She gave his hand an insistent little shake, not letting go of his wrist throughout their entire walk home.

“Absolutely not,” he scowled, irked by the sheer nerve of the request. “I have work to do, I’ve no time to spare to read you an entire novel out loud.” He was being petulant out of spite.

The mermaid pouted. “I could have eaten you and I didn’t, can’t you do me this kindness in return? I came here to learn about humans, and being part of book club would give me such a grand opportunity to do so!”

He pressed his lips into a thin line, almost comical in his exasperated glare. “Reminding me that you can eat me if you so choose is not as encouraging as you might think it is.”

“It was a joke! You know that I don’t eat people!” She moved her grip, taking his hand within hers. Ben stirred a little in place, reminded that her touch was always pleasantly soft and cool. Pearl stepped forward, leaning closer to him. She was still pouting, looking at him with pleading eyes. “Please, Ben? I will be indelicate if I refuse their kind invitation.”

He swallowed hard. They were so close that he could see the golden flecks within the hazel of her eyes, the texture of her smooth skin. His gaze darted very briefly to her lips and he felt his heart quicken. “If—you stay next to me the entire time we’re at book club—then fine,” he said through gritted teeth, worn down by her insistence and her proximity. At least, if she stuck by his side, he could do damage control if she tried to manipulate anyone.

The siren squeaked happily. “Thank you kindly, good sir! And,” she flashed her most convincing damsel-like eyes and smile, “after we master this one book, will you please teach me to read your human language? So that I may read the next novel by myself.”

His mouth stretched, lips closed tightly. “Pearl, that’s not such a simple task. It will require a lot of time and dedication from both of us…”

“I am willing to commit!”

“…and many hours spent together,” he continued, a meaningful look of caution on his face.

“I know. I wouldn’t mind that—and I’ll behave. Please, Ben?” the mermaid insisted.

God, why was it so hard to say no to her? Probably because deep down he knew he’d enjoy having that time with her…and because he liked to see her happy. Ben let out a bitterly amused chuckle. “Oh alright, you can stop pleading. I’ll do it.”

“Thank you!” she giggled and bounced happily, only to fall down immediately with a hissed yelp. His eyes widened, startled – and the slightest bit amused -- by the sudden drop.

“…Are you alright?” He reached out a hand, quirking a brow at her.

“Yes. I lost my footing. I’m much more used to feet, but it is not completely natural to me yet,” she grabbed his hand and let him help pull her back up. “I think I got distracted by my excitement, so I missed a step when I bounced. Every time I come back to the land, I have to re-learn how to walk.”

A nod. “I know.” It made sense. It was like any unused muscle; it atrophied and the body forgot how to use it. Ben helped return Pearl to her feet, then immediately let go of her hand like she’d burned him. After a few silent steps, he stole a sideways glance at her, voicing the question that had been rattling in his brain. “How much of that is true?”

“My story?” She smiled, making a game of it. Pearl enjoyed mind games as much as Ben himself. “What do you think? True or false?”

He let out a sharp exhale through his nose; Pearl was so insolent sometimes! But he loved a good mind game, of course, so Ben was in the mood to indulge her—and he figured that was the best way to get to the truth, too. “I think it’s true,” he said with a sideways shake of the head. “All of it. You were—gloating as you told it. Proud of yourself for openly bragging about your true nature to a clueless audience, and making sure I knew and was unable to stop you.” There was something censoring in his tone. “It almost sounded like you were threatening me, Pearl…” his eyes narrowed.

Her bottom lip moved over the top lip in an impressed pout. “Very well done. It is indeed a true tale, although it happened to a sister of mine, not myself. But it was no threat, merely a playful taunt.”

“So you do have a song that can drive a man instantly mad,” he said sardonically, masking how uncomfortable and downright scared that notion made him. “I’m surprised you would admit to that.”

“Yes, we have such a song. I admit it because I’ve no intention of ever singing it, Benjamin, so you may quiet your nerves.” He might not have shown to be nervous, but she remembered their conversation on how he felt about the powerlessness of being hypnotized—so Pearl correctly assumed the idea of a maddening song would be terrifying to him. To anyone, really.

“Why not?” Ben insisted, squinting slightly. He wouldn’t feel any relief or even believe her until he could understand why she would choose to waste such a weapon.

She sighed, searching for the right words. “It feels…wrong to do such a thing. Even in the worst situation, our normal siren song is more than effective enough: we can enchant and hypnotize. There is no need to take someone’s sanity and destroy their mind forever,” she explained. “I never have, and never will use that song, just like I will never fire a human gun under any circumstances.”

Ben’s eyes flicked toward her, a semblance of pleased surprise in them. He’d theorized that the sirens held a degree of empathy from the very beginning, and overtime he learned through Pearl that it was true. It was nice to see it again, especially empathy granted toward the humans she used to despise so much. It reassured him that the small amount of trust he had in her wasn’t misplaced. “And is that your policy, or do your…merpeople…refrain from singing that song too?”

“It is a rule that we all must follow, and most of us are happy to. Singing the maddening song is unthinkable to most of us,” Pearl said with vehemence.

“That’s--- compassionate,” he gave one nod. “But, most of you?” Ben deadpanned at her. The danger was in the few left out of that majority.

“None of us will use it, I promise you.” Pearl smiled at him, and this time it was genuine, if a bit sad. “I told you: we’re not the monsters.”

“Neither are we,” he countered sternly, and a heavy silence followed as they simply held each other’s gazes, serious and unflinching. It was hard to tell if either of them believed that about the other species, but they would defend their own. “Is Atlantis real?” he asked suddenly, maybe at a bit of an awkward timing as it interrupted the charged staring contest. But what she said about her language was still on his mind.

Pearl laughed with cynical disbelief. “It is. The first of my kind to leave this Island to explore the world decided to settle in the Atlantic sea when they tired of constant voyaging. They founded Atlantis-- it held the largest merfolk colony in the world, before our return to this Island of course.” Those who still dwelled there were some of the merfolk she wished were able to swim back to the Island whenever they felt like visiting—but they couldn’t, thanks to Jacob.

“It’s said to have been a human civilization first, which mysteriously sank…” he pointed out with some suspicion. “You don’t think these merfolk had anything to do with that?”

A light laugh. “Honestly, I don’t. Some sailors must have heard of Atlantis from mermaids, and the myth took a life of its own.” The pair was back at home by that point, and Ben gave no indication that he was about to read to her. Pearl waited ten minutes, then huffed impatiently. “Ben! Please, will you just get started on our reading? We have much to cover!”

He made a face but obliged her. “How eager,” he commented cynically while locating that particular novel on his shelf.

“Well yes, I enjoy tales and I’m excited to hear this one!” She quite liked having an excuse to spend more time with Ben, too.

They settled together on the living room couch. He put his round reading glasses on, opened the book and began reading her the first chapter. After a while Ben paused, eyes lifting from the pages to land on her face. “You’ve always had a very good vocabulary and a flair for eloquence,” he astutely pointed out. “Where did that come from?”

“Some of the sailors I met were noblemen. I picked up the floweriness from them. And…” she trailed off and shook her head, the loose blonde ringlets dancing.

“And?” Ben insisted, eyebrows shooting up. “What?”

“I can tell you, but it will creep you out,” she warned with a lighthearted grimace.

“Tell me anyway,” he deadpanned, then braced himself.

She bit her lip, nodding with reluctance. “After you and I met, I noticed my speech had grown obsolete, and I vowed to learn the modern language. I picked up a lot from you that day, but…I kept studying. On some occasions I would hide in rivers to watch humans. I’d stay near the bottom and I could hear all of you talking, and… well, I did it enough times that human speech became more natural to me.” There was equal pride and sheepishness in the explanation. Pearl was proud of her cleverness, but embarrassed to admit she had been spying.

Ben’s head was spinning. Pearl was right, it was creepy! He felt so…exposed, so vulnerable to have been watched and listened to without his knowledge! How many secrets did that mermaid become privy to? He scoffed sharply, throwing her an exasperated glance. But he studied her in an aquarium against her will, so Ben didn’t think he had much room to complain.

Reading the entire book to Pearl was an excruciatingly long task. The book was extensive enough, but he often had to pause and explain certain concepts or modern objects to her. One time she didn’t know what a hospital was – but apparently she had heard of an infirmary. She had never seen a car, and was quite fascinated when he told her how one worked. Maybe he could show her the old, broken down Dharma van someday, he thought, then quickly shook it out of his mind; that felt like an unnecessary risk, especially after what she did to the submarine. At first, reading an entire novel out loud felt like a tiresome chore; they only had a week to finish the book, which meant spending hours a day reading it, plus more hours teaching her the basics of anglicized literacy. Ben’s patience had been running short by day two; he found himself reluctant to read out loud, wishing they could be done with the silly project. He knew, though, that the only reason he was so impatient was that he really liked spending all that time cooped up with her. It aggravated him that he enjoyed it so much, so he wanted to be done-- until they started having conversations about things that were happening in the plot. Pearl offered fascinating and clever insights! That evolved to Pearl telling him tales of her own life, explaining how she knew of certain human things and where she’d seen them. Suddenly he wasn’t so uncomfortable with his own enjoyment anymore, and he began looking forward to reading her several chapters every day.

Sometimes they would be on the couch and she would unceremoniously stretch out her legs on top of his. He nearly dropped the book the first time she did it, his eyes growing completely wide and his stomach doing an uncomfortable flip. He didn’t fault her for it, though; she didn’t have any idea that this wasn’t something humans did to a person they were not very close with. Apparently mermaids often slept with their tails entwined, she’d told him, which explained why this behavior was normal to her. Ben didn’t have the heart to tell her otherwise--- or perhaps he enjoyed the little bit of intimacy more than he was willing to admit to himself. She was soft and cool, practically snuggled up on his lap, listening eagerly as he read more to her. Ben felt a certain type of warm, loving, giddy happiness he’d not felt in a long time, and suddenly he wished the book would never end. Pearl secretly hoped for the same, happy to be curled into the warmth of Ben’s body, listening to his hypnotizing voice all day.

Pearl was a performer. With charm and wit like a political being, dazzling but empty smiles, and the perfect calculated bubbliness to draw people in. It was how she snagged a book club invite in the first place! But…sometimes, when it was just the two of them, Ben swore he sensed sincerity in her. It was happening much more frequently now. He’d sense genuine warmth from Pearl, or an actually amused smile. Not the ice queen masquerading as a sweetheart, or the mysterious creature who smiled like she knew more than she let on, but the real emotions of someone who’d paused her performance. The real sweetheart. They were growing genuinely close, getting to know each other for real, and that terrified and enraptured him in equal measure.

The day of the book club meeting came, and when Ben couldn’t find Pearl anywhere to head over to Juliet’s with him, he had the sneaking suspicion that she was already there. He narrowed his eyes and walked briskly, not pleased that the siren might be talking freely with his people; she could try to manipulate them into giving away information.

When he arrived, Juliet let him in, and sure enough there she was: Pearl, sitting on the couch very poised, surrounded by five other people and chatting animatedly with them. They seemed engaged by her, which drew an icy glare from Ben.

The mermaid felt someone watching her and looked over to find a displeased Ben staring in her direction. She knew he’d react that way, but she also knew he wouldn’t make a scene around others. She smiled cheekily and waved him over with an elegant flourish of the hand. “I saved you a seat, Ben. Will you sit next to me?”

He gave her a very terse smile of acknowledgment that only lasted a split second, and a slight upturn of the head. She was backing him into a corner, and he hated that. But of course Ben wanted to sit near Pearl-- it was easier to control her like that. And he liked being near her. So he walked to the couch and had a seat right beside the mermaid, then leaned in to speak in her ear.

“You snuck out so that you could talk to my people, alone, before I got here,” he told her low enough that nobody else heard him, and steely enough to give her chills.

Pearl looked at him and ran a hand through her hair; it was as if she was fluffing out the blonde strands, but she was actually repositioning them to cover her face from everyone else in the room. “Yes. You never let me have a normal conversation with them, Ben, it is very aggravating! So I found a way around your restrictions.”

A pause, where he stared at her intensely and his mouth tightened with tension. “What have you been telling them?”

She smiled widely, and it would be intoxicatingly beautiful if it wasn’t full of mischief. “A maiden of the ocean can’t reveal all of her secrets!”

For a split second he looked completely exasperated, but then he gave one pointed nod and drew back from her. “So you’ll let me assume the worst.”

Ben knew exactly the right words to say to make her do what he wanted her to do. Pearl couldn’t let him assume the worst! So she sighed dramatically, then innocently batted her lashes. “I was asking about their fishing gear.”

“If it goes missing, I won’t take it well,” he said calmly and smoothly, but it was a warning. Pearl decided she better heed it and leave the humans’ gross fishing gear alone.

The two of them sitting so close together and whispering mysteriously to each other raised some curious brows from Ben’s people; they were always intrigued by the pretty blonde plucked from obscurity to live with Ben, so seeing her spend so much time with their leader fueled speculation. Sometimes they seemed to be making eyes at each other, like there were clear sparks, chemistry and feelings between the two. But sometimes Ben and Pearl appeared to not like each other all that much; they seemed annoyed, trying to one up the other, and sometimes they even seemed openly antagonistic! Their dynamic confused everyone, because they couldn’t tell if the two were enemies, friends, or lovers. And it’s not like any of them had the courage to ask Ben directly; the man was so private! Ben and Pearl’s current conversation was clearly charged and secretive, but in what way?

If Ben’s people were observing the mermaid, she was observing them right back. More than that, Pearl observed the way that Ben behaved around his people when they addressed him. Hands clasped in front of him, measured eyes, cordial smile and a vague tilt of the head. Polite and friendly but illegible, so nobody could read what was going through his mind. So nobody could know him. She thought she may be the one who knew the real him best out of them all, but perhaps that was foolish wishful thinking.

When it came time to share opinions about the book, Ben shined. He always did, as a man who enjoyed reading, had great psychological insights, and was extremely intelligent and perceptive. Humorously witty, too! Listening to him was a pleasure! Pearl was the wild card: could she pull this off? Ben was confident that she could. On her turn, the blonde siren spoke eloquently about the book, engaging in meaningful discourse regarding characters and plot. Pearl wasn’t quite as good at identifying underlying themes – maybe because mermaids and humans had different thought processes sometimes – but Ben had helped her understand the human context behind the novel. He was actually quite proud of how quickly she made connections and noticed underlying causes foreign to her! She had even picked up on a very basic level of reading, thanks to his patient teaching and her Atlantian foundation. Mostly just vowels and her own name so far, but it had only been a week.

It was cute how enthused she still was about the most mundane human things, too, he had to admit. Seeing her light up when Juliet put out a tray of muffins was strangely heartwarming. Pearl was a far cry from the cold-hearted predator when she was so engaged in something she found fun and lighthearted.

Some people couldn’t help but notice the way Ben was staring at her, like he was entirely smitten and about to swoon. They had never seen their leader so utterly heart-eyed.

***

Pearl’s attendance at book club caused a bit of a stir, and gossip spread like wildfire. More people attended the next meeting, curious to watch her and Ben together. Many of the men were excited to speak with the dreamy blonde with the long legs, and many of the women were willing to try and befriend the Island’s latest arrival. The more she attended book club, the more people got to know the real Pearl—or as real as she could be while keeping her secret. Some formed their own relationships with her, some watched from a distance. She reminded them of Ben sometimes, not just in how she talked but with the way she stared intently, observing as if they were all under a microscope. But while Ben did it with a quiet intensity that pierced through them and intimidated, she always had an icy twinkle in her eyes, like it was all a game for her. It was equally unsettling, but in a very different way.

One time, her stare was particularly unnerving. She wasn’t just watching like a game, she was stalking them with her gaze, dark and unrelenting.

“Uh, Ben? Why is she staring at us like that? Is she okay?” Amelia pointed out hesitantly.

Ben recognized the look in her eyes right away, and it left him a bit shaken. He hid it well, deadpanning mysteriously instead: “Don’t worry about it. She’s just hungry.”

And she was. Starving, really, and the siren couldn’t help but wonder how Ben’s friends would taste. Not Ben, though--- she’d rather starve than hurt him. Not that she’d ever actually eat any of the others either, but sometimes she wondered.

Ben slipped her a chocolate bar, and she nodded gratefully.

A lot of people in Ben’s society liked Pearl a lot, she was gracious and inviting. But the more perceptive of them still didn’t know what to make of her. She could be chilling, in the same way that Ben could be, with all of his secrecy and underhanded schemes. Some people didn’t know where they stood with him, and now they felt the same about Pearl, the unusual new addition to their ranks. Who was she, really? There was something in her; something sly and dangerous behind her charm and grace.

She overheard the whispers one day, when they thought she was far enough.

“I don’t know why, but I get nervous around Pearl,” a man said. “Beautiful woman, but isn’t there something off-putting about her?”

“Yeah,” a woman agreed. “She’s very polite and she seems nice, but something is weird with her. Like a gut feeling, I’m always torn between wanting to be her friend or running away.”

“The other day I saw her walking around with a handheld mirror and singing into it,” a second guy snickered. “Weird, huh? She’s charming though.”

“Aw, I like her,” another woman defended. “But she is weird. Remember when Ben first brought her here? She couldn’t figure out how to use a key! She used to walk funny too, and she hissed at my friend. And she’s so smart and charismatic, it just makes me feel like she’s hiding something.”

“Probably is,” the first man agreed. “That’s why she won’t open up to anyone. I hope Ben knows what her secret is.”

Behind the wall, Pearl swallowed hard. She wasn’t fitting in with the humans. They liked her but could tell something was off. They sensed her true nature. That made her fearful and a little despondent. How could she fix it? Maybe she could dazzle them with culinary, just like a proper human would!

So she buried the hurt and hurried home, determined to make the humans a nice dinner. They liked their dinner parties, didn’t they? And she thought she could handle a kitchen now!

Excited, the mermaid got started on a roasted chicken. She grabbed the raw meat, separated spices to flavor it, and did everything to the best of her ability. Then she put it on a pan over the stove. While that was cooking, she began preparing a nice side dish of vegetables.

Ben was in his office when he smelled something burning. He raised his eyebrows with suspicion. “Pearl?” he called out, sure that she was to blame for whatever was happening. Her response was a screech. Ben dropped his pen and hurried out, blue eyes widening in shock when he saw an enormous flame engulfing the chicken. It was almost reaching the cabinets above the stove!

The mermaid was frantic. Pearl loved fire but she knew it was incredibly dangerous—and currently uncontrolled. Gasping, she stepped back, looking over at Ben with some desperation.

He quickly grabbed a fire extinguisher, unlocked it, and pulled the handle. His face was scrunched up in determined concentration as he sprayed foam all over the flame, containing it right before it spread to all of his kitchen cabinets. As the fire died, he let out a relieved sigh, his heart slowing down.

The mermaid stared in shock at her ruined roasted chicken. Burnt, and covered in white foam. It shattered her. The more she looked, the more tears threatened to spill. Pearl felt completely defeated. That dish represented her fitting into the human world. Now it was ruined, just like her chances. She didn’t fit in, no matter how much effort she put into it.

“Ben! Why did you do that to my chicken?!” she lashed out at him, voice quivering with anger and threatening to break. “I could have fixed it! Now it is completely ruined!” Pearl shrieked, tossing the tray of vegetables on the kitchen counter with a bang. She immediately ran away from him, before the crying began.

But he noticed the budding tears. He’d been completely stunned by her reaction and unnecessary yelling at him, until he noticed she was about to cry. Clearly there was more to the story than a failed cooking experiment. Ben pressed his lips into a thin line, wrestling with whether to go after her or not.

The front door slammed. Pearl was out of the house. I should leave her be, he thought…but it didn’t sit right with him. Ben had never been the best at consoling others, and yet he felt compelled to at least try with her. He had to find her, and he was sure she’d be sitting by the edge of the lake.

That’s where he went, and sure enough that’s where he found her, silently weeping. Ben looked at his feet, uncomfortable.

“Pearl—I don’t mean to interrupt, but I wanted to speak with you,” he said softly as he approached her hunched over form, not really giving her much of a chance to send him away. Pearl was hugging her knees and she quickly wiped her tear-streaked face.

“What do you want?” she hissed under her breath.

“What happened today? I know you’re not upset about the chicken. It’s—deeper than that,” he looked right into her eyes, insightful and intense. “Isn’t it?”

A sigh. She didn’t want to let Ben see her vulnerable side, but he was the only one who might help her improve. So she opened up, though avoiding his gaze. “I…really wished to excel at a human activity,” she confessed, embarrassed to be so weak in front of him. “To prove myself to them. I’m not…fitting in.” A painful admission.

“And you want to fit in?” he discreetly pried, taking a seat on the rock next to her.

“While I’m here, yes! I am safer that way, it’s a better strategy, and it feels nicer,” she admitted, finally looking at him. There were fresh tears in her eyes again.

“Everybody seems to like you,” he pointed out, gaze firmly on her, reading every nuance of her expression and body language. “They gravitate to you.”

“They do, but they think I’m ‘weird’ and ‘off-putting’,” she did mocking air quotes, pouting. “I think that’s bad. Liking me is not enough, they can tell something is wrong.”

Ben cocked his head slightly to the side, persuasive words flowing smoothly out of him. “Of course they think you’re weird, Pearl. They’re humans, you’re not. You must think we are weird too. Don’t you?” a squint and his lips curled upwards in a small smile.

She sniffled and smiled a bit in return. “Very much so. I don’t understand why your kind would ever create a weapon of such mass destruction like your guns. Or why you are all so squeamish about nudity, or why would anyone decide to cook a fish before eating! Or why-”

“You don’t have to list them all,” Ben said in light humor, squinting with playful offense.

Pearl chuckled softly. “Apologies.”

“My point is, ‘weird’ is up to the individual perspective. You don’t have to feel bad about that. And if you’re off-putting, it’s because you’re a predator of our species. They must sense it, subconsciously, but that’s not your failing,” Ben told her seriously, words coming out more from one side of his mouth.

The siren drew in a shaky breath to recompose herself. “You’re right. I just thought I would have a better handle on acting human by now.”

A shrug, accompanied by eyes darting quickly to the left and back and a grimace. “You’re doing fine. Nobody suspects you of being anything else. If they did, they would understand that your quirks are not weirdness, they are simply a mermaid’s behavior.”

His logic eased her self-doubt. “True. Do you think I am improving?” there were nerves in the question. She wished she didn’t need Ben’s validation, but Pearl was feeling unusually insecure that afternoon. And he was being quite comforting, so she sought more of that.

“Yeah!” Ben said emphatically, eyes widening for effect. “You’re walking well, you know how to get dressed, you understand how appliances work, and you can even understand how the minds of people work! Those are great accomplishments, Pearl.” A serious nod, then a mischievous pause. “And you almost mastered roasting a chicken today.”

A genuine belly laugh bubbled out of her, and she smiled sheepishly then buried her face in her hands. “Oh, how embarrassing! What did I do wrong?!”

He rolled his lips, eyes twinkling. “For starters, it should have gone in the oven, not the stove. And you probably put too much oil on it.”

The mermaid groaned, embarrassed but finally finding humor in the blunder. “I must confess, Ben: I know that chicken was ruined before you sprayed it.” She only blamed him in the moment because she was too mad at herself.

“Yeah, I know you do,” Ben said knowingly, with a small chuckle.

She met his eyes, her face adopting an expression full of meaning. “Thank you.”

“For not letting you burn down my house? Any time,” he joked.

A soft giggle. “No, for chasing me out here. Listening to my hurt feelings and consoling me. It means a great deal to me, Ben.” Her eyes shone with feelings for him, her voice full of significance. “You’re very comforting, and you helped me feel much better about myself.”

“Oh,” he said awkwardly, suddenly sitting very stiffly. His heart fluttered. “I—you’re welcome.”

***

Acquiring any information about Ben was tricky business that she needed to handle with care. His people could tell her things—but not if she asked directly. She couldn’t be seen prying or pushing. The conversations had to happen naturally, gently manipulated by the strategic mermaid.

She excused her own actions by rationalizing them as gathering intel on a potential rival. But really, she was a woman who wanted to know more about her crush; it was as natural and common as that. So as soon as someone suggested a group day out on the lake, Pearl enthusiastically promised to join them.

Ben wasn’t too thrilled, but he had given up trying to keep the mermaid away from his people, especially when he was around too. Pearl had already learned how to behave around them, and she probably wasn’t a real risk anymore, so he let her tag along without much complaining.

The group settled on the grass, spreading out blankets and packages of Dharma snacks. Some were already stripping to bathing suits and running to jump in the water. Ben was in shorts and a white t-shirt that he usually wore under his button-up shirts. He searched the area for the blonde mermaid and found her in a bright green bikini, getting ready for a swim.

Well, at least she had learned the difference between beachwear and underwear.

Pearl had never been around so many people with bare feet all at once, and the mermaid was curiously noticing how each pair looked different than the next. What weird little appendages feet were.

Ben threw her an odd, vaguely stern look. When she looked back at him, he gave her a head-nod call over. Sensing that he was going to complain about something, she attempted to ignore it. He didn’t let her. “Pearl, may I have a word with you?” he said out loud, calling her off to the side and smiling so the others wouldn’t think anything of it. She grudgingly walked over to him, plastering a fake sweet smile on her face. When they were out of earshot, Ben’s forehead creased. “Aren’t you forgetting something?”

She glanced around them and down at herself, confused. “What? Is this about my looking at their feet? Nobody noticed! I was just observing how odd they look. But yours are kind of cute, actually. I think mine are too.”

“What? No, it’s—” Ben tutted. What the hell was she on about? He shook his head. “Forget the feet. Do you know how to swim without a tail?” he asked with some intensity. The technique was very different, after all.

She let out a dismissive little laugh. “Ben, please. I am a mermaid, a maiden of the seas. The waters bend to my will. I can swim.”

He remained unconvinced, especially due to her evasive boasting. “That’s not a direct answer,” he pointed out. “You know you can’t rely on your gills when others are around.”

“I know. I won’t need them,” she dismissed again, airy.

The man was still skeptical. “Have you ever swum with legs and no gills? It’s very different from using a tail.”

“Stop fussing,” she complained lightly, a prideful smile on her lips. “It is cute that you’re worried, but I know what I am doing.” Honestly, Ben wasn’t convinced, but he raised both hands in a nonchalant gesture of surrender, as if saying ‘alright then’. Pearl’s head cocked to the side, demeanor becoming slier. “Will you join me in the water?”

“Yeah,” Ben nodded. Just in case she started to drown. And he liked the lake, anyway. He let Pearl go back to the group, then took off his shirt when he was alone. He didn’t mind being shirtless in the water, but the act of removing it in front of her made him feel self-conscious.

As he approached the shoreline, Pearl swept her eyes over him appraisingly, enjoying the sight of him in his bathing attire. Goodness, he looked so hot! It was rare that she could see him shirtless like that, and she smiled flirtatiously as he walked past her. Ben was much more discreet, but he secretly enjoyed the sight of Pearl in her bikini, too.

The group was happily chatting as many of them ventured into the lake and swam off to different sides. The water was a little chilly for plenty of people, but Pearl didn’t even register the temperature change.

As always, she and Ben stayed close, naturally gravitating to each other. They made idle talk, enjoying the cool green waters and the sunshine. Ben secretly made sure to keep Pearl where their feet could still reach the muddy bottom of the lake, the water going up to their necks.

An hour or three passed in the water, and they left to take a break and share a picnic-like snack on the grass. After some time lounging, while Ben was distracted having a word with someone else, Pearl decided to go back in the water. Inspired, she ventured further, past where they had previously been. She dove under, undulating her arms and torso to propel herself forward.

As soon as she reached the deep part, she began to sink. Oh no. It seemed Benjamin was right about the difference between legs and tails. Pearl tried to move her feet in the same way she’d move her fins, but that did nothing to keep her afloat. Undulating or kicking her legs didn’t do much either.

She could sing to make the waters carry her, but—not in front of the others, she couldn’t! She swung her legs and arms around frantically, feeling the green lake water swallow her more and more. It splashed her face and got in her mouth. For the first time in her long life, the water was a threat to her.

“Ben!” she shrieked in a panic. While she had legs, her gills were closed and the mermaid was reliant on lungs. She could drown just like a human! And even if she were to make the gills open…one of the others could see them! That would blow her disguise!

He overheard the shriek and turned just in time to see her frantically waving at him, gasping as her head was slipping under. Wide-eyed, Ben rushed to her aid. “Grab my hand,” he urgently instructed, bending over the lake’s edge and stretching out an arm. But she was too far. He stepped halfway in, stretching out as far as his arm would go.

Pearl instantly gripped him, reaching only his fingertips. His hand slipped out of her grasp the first time. She grabbed him again, but she was so panicked, so frazzled, that she yanked too hard in a desperate attempt to climb out of the water. It pulled him forward. He slipped on the muddy lakeside and fell in.

“Ben,” she gasped again and coughed out some liquid, though he couldn’t hear from underwater. Nobody else seemed to notice anything was wrong, assuming instead that Pearl and Ben were being playful with each other.

Ben swam back up and blinked away the droplets from his eyes. With a swift movement, he reached her and attempted to calmly hold her. The desperate mermaid clung to the man, wrapping her arms and legs around him in a vice-like grip to keep herself above water. Her nails dug into him and she squirmed continuously. Ben spluttered, struggling to keep both of them afloat. “Pearl, you need to calm down! You’ll drown us both,” he urged her, treading water at a frantic pace.

He wrapped his arms firmly around her waist, holding her up, but they were sinking. It didn’t matter, though: it was only when she felt that firmness that she calmed down. She knew she was secure in his grip, hoisted up to safety, in a hold strong enough that it wouldn’t let her slip through. The siren sighed and loosened her hug on Ben, taking deep breaths and letting her head rest on his shoulder. When she calmed and stopped squirming, he was able to easily keep them both afloat.

As much as he’d warned her that this could happen, Ben didn’t feel like gloating. He only cared that she was safe. And, once that safety was secured, it became hard to ignore that her nearly naked body was curled up against his bare chest, her legs tight around his hips, his hands holding her up. Ben swallowed a lump in his throat, tingling, and trying to keep his mind from wandering. Pearl, feeling safe now, started to get pulled in by the chemistry between them, too. She noticed that she was snuggled up on his naked chest, one of her hands on his neck and the other splayed on his back. His skin was smooth and soft, and she longed to kiss it, caress it, and taste it. The poor mermaid could barely breathe, intoxicated by the wonderful human who saved her life.

Despite his racing heart, he calmly carried the siren through the water, dragging her back lakeside, where they pushed themselves up and sat down on the grass, a little winded from the effort of not drowning—and a little breathless out of secret desire.

“I guess you were right about my legged swimming,” she laughed sheepishly, flushed. “I apologize.”

Ben shrugged, a sly twinkle in his eyes. “You saved me from drowning once. I’m returning the favor.” An impish grin spread over his lips. “The irony of a man saving a mermaid from drowning does not escape me.”

She groaned lightly, chuckling. “How embarrassing for me. But thank you.”

“Are you alright? Can you stand up?” He offered a hand.

“Yes, it was nothing,” she chuckled and grabbed his hand. Ben pulled her to her feet, his other hand gently supporting the small of her back. His touch sent an electric spark up her arm and spine. If she could, she would’ve kissed him again, right then and there in front of everyone. And he would’ve kissed her too.

But they didn’t. All that the others saw was Ben and Pearl sharing a very close, very tight, very intimate embrace in the water. And that was enough for more rumors to spread.

Shortly after the mermaid-on-legs nearly drowned, the two of them decided to head back home. They’d been at the lake for a few hours, anyway. The way back was filled with chuckles as they talked, their clothes damp, hair soaked and cheeks sun-kissed. They felt blissful.

That night Pearl decided to attempt sleeping on an actual bed. She wanted to conquer one more human habit, to be able to say she had the full experience. At least for one night.

***

The sun was already shining when a weird sensation woke Pearl up in the morning. There was something wet, sticky, on her bed, lower stomach and on her legs. The siren sat up sharply, suddenly alert, and gasped in horror when she saw the blood soaking the sheets and her pajama shorts. For one horrifying second she wondered if Ben shot or stabbed her in the stomach while she was asleep. But—he wouldn’t do that. She knew he wouldn’t; it was just an instinctive panicky reaction. Thankfully she wasn’t in any pain, but Pearl knew that didn’t necessarily mean she was okay. With shaky hands, she promptly checked herself for injuries, and exhaled in relief when she realized the blood was coming from between her legs. It was just her period.

Pearl was well acquainted with it. Mermaids weren’t the only aquatic creatures that menstruated: dolphins and whales did too. All three species got pregnant, therefore the process was a biological necessity. But, unlike dolphins and whales – and humans --, mermaids weren’t actually mammals, of course; they could breathe underwater with gills. They were a mystical mixture of mammal and fish, whose reproductive system happened to be like the mammals’. That meant they got their period too, only at a different frequency: once a year.

There was one big difference, though. Underwater, periods were much more diluted; and, thanks to the immense deep sea pressure, the blood came out much more slowly. Menstruation under the sea really wasn’t all that noticeable for mermaids. On land—well. Those protections didn’t exist.

“Oh, no…this is quite a lot of blood,” she gasped under her breath, jumping up and yanking the sheets off the bed in a hurry. Luckily the bleeding had just started and not seeped through to the mattress yet. It was dripping down her legs, though, and Pearl grimaced as she shifted in place.

She decided to run to the door and open it just a crack, poking her head out but hiding her body. Ben, always the earlier riser, was drinking a cup of coffee in the kitchen. His eyebrow rose when he saw her sheepishly staring at him. “Morning…” he offered suspiciously.

“Morning!” she said with extra cheer, to make up for the awkwardness. “Uh, would you mind telling me—do human females also go through a process of periodic bleeding from their reproductive organs?”

“Yeah, they—oh.” His eyes widened when it dawned on him. “Hm. Are you…?” he gestured vaguely toward her, lips pressing into a line.

“I am. It happens underwater too, but, erm, the…volume is much more intense on land.”

“Less pressure holding it back, and no water to dilute it,” he said robotically, instantly connecting the dots of why it was different on land.

A nod of agreement. “I figured, but I am relieved this is normal. Uh…” Pearl shifted uncomfortably.

“I have what you need. One moment,” he hurried to the bathroom. There were some boxes of Alex’s pads under the sink. As the single father of a teenage girl, Ben had dealt with his fair share of period accidents, so he wasn’t completely out of his depth. He had taught Alex what a period was and what it meant before she got one, although he had a woman from their village explain to her how to put a pad on. He’d washed a few bloody sheets from overnight accidents too, and had to rush to get her pads when her period dropped unexpectedly several times.

Of course, he was much more comfortable doing that for his daughter than for the beautiful woman he had feelings for, but still, as Ben grabbed the Dharma-branded box, he didn’t feel too fussed.

He returned to Pearl – still hidden behind the door – with one pad in hand. “This is one of the things that women use,” he showed her, unsticking the package and letting her see the product inside. “I left the box in the bathroom. It has a diagram of how to put it on, on your, um, undergarment. It sticks to it,” Ben explained as clinically as possible. “You can go get ready there. Feel free to take some extra with you, for your purse.” He smiled awkwardly for one single second, then gave a quick nod and walked away to give her privacy.

“I thank you so much, Ben,” Pearl told him as she scurried from the bedroom to the bathroom, carrying a pile of fresh clothes and the bloody sheets. “And apologies for the trouble.”

“You’re welcome,” he said flatly, not really looking in her direction. “I’ve gone through this with my daughter, it’s alright…”

She was gone for a while in the bathroom. Ben heard the water turn on and figured she was taking a shower to clean the blood off of her.

After Pearl finished showering, she eyed the diagram on the box of pads with determination. “This is simple enough,” she muttered under her breath, sitting on the toilet with underwear around her ankles. “I place it flatly, and then wrap these little wings around it.” It took her all but three seconds to get it done correctly, and she beamed with pride. One more human task accomplished! Fully dressed, she opened the bathroom door and called out: “Ben, what is the best place for me to wash these sheets and pajamas? Or do I put them in that rumbly vibrating box machine?”

“They will probably stain if you put them straight in the washing machine,” he answered over his shoulder, thoughtfully. “Might need to scrub them under warm water…um, there’s a bucket by the machine that you can use. Do— do you need help?” He was hoping she’d say no, but, he’d help if necessary. He did have experience with it.

“No thank you,” she said emphatically, then ran off to get it done. After scrubbing off the blood, she put the sheets and clothes in the washing machine – which Ben taught her how to use after he got tired of doing her laundry for two weeks straight when she moved in – and joined him in the living room. “That was not a dull start to the day,” she laughed sheepishly. “I think I shall stick to sleeping in the bathtub for a while longer.”

Ben chuckled softly, then looked at her with some concern. “How do you feel?” Sometimes Alex got pretty bad cramps, and he’d get her medicine and a warm compress to put on her stomach. “If you’re in pain, I can get you something for it.”

Something about the sincere concern in his eyes and the tender offer to make her feel better filled the mermaid with warmth and affection. “I’m not in pain, but thank you. The bleeding will pass in a few days,” she assured, looking dreamily up at him.

He gave a quick nod and a smile, and she responded with a sweet grin. Ben sensed how affectionate she was feeling toward him, and he thought he might melt.

***

A day later, on another hot afternoon, Pearl was feeling incredibly warm. Mermaids ran cold, so the heat was harsh on her. The blonde paced the living room; human emergencies still left her flustered sometimes. It wouldn’t actually be an emergency at all, if not for the fact that she wasn’t from the land, so some things still eluded her complete understanding. But she was observant enough to have an idea: there was something in the basement that could help her. She didn’t remember the name, but its blades spun around to create a breeze.

So she went searching for it in an area of the house she rarely ventured into, because it was a rather boring place of storage. Humming to herself, she shuffled a few things around, trying to locate what she needed. She moved a curtain, hoping the fan was behind it.

A stunned gasp blew past her lips when she found her own face staring back at her. Not on a mirror, but in a beautiful painting. A very detailed painting, with thoughtful brushstrokes depicting her soft blonde hair and her striking hazel eyes, an ethereal sly smile on her pretty face. The real Pearl blinked, frozen on the spot. Ben had…painted her? How long had he kept that a secret? Her mind swam and she felt overwhelming warmth washing over her. Pearl carefully picked up the canvas and studied it, wide-eyed. “Goodness…this is excellent work,” she whispered to herself, unable to hold back a fond smile. Her fingers tenderly traced her own face on the canvas as she admired every brushstroke and color choice. What did it mean for him to have a painting of her? How devoted must he have been to take the time to do that? Nobody had ever done such a thing for Pearl, unless they were under her spell—and Ben was not. Her heart beat a little faster and butterflies flipped her stomach. The gesture really made her melt. Oh, but it also presented a great opportunity to mess with him a little! Smirking, the mermaid took the canvas with her.

She tiptoed into the living room, grinning slyly at the man. When he gave her a questioning glance, she let out a playful gasp. “Why, Benjamin Linus, I was unaware that I was your artistic muse!” Pearl revealed the painting hidden behind her back, cheekily waving it in front of Ben.

The color drained from his face and his eyes widened. He had never meant for her to find that! What would she think?! “I-” His mouth alternated between opening and closing in search of what to say, eyes darting about nervously. “That’s—not what happened. You’re not…a muse,” he protested, flustered.

“Did you not paint this?” Pearl questioned with a hand on her hip, quirking a brow.

He was nervous. “I did…”

“And is it not me that is depicted on this painting?” Her smile never wavered.

“Y-yes, but-”

“Then I believe that is enough to qualify me as your muse,” she said cheerfully. “Shall we hang it up above your bed?”

He threw her a deadpan look, tone dryly sarcastic: “How amusing.” Ben didn’t appreciate her teasing-- though he might have, if he didn’t feel like such a deer-in-headlights. At least she didn’t appear to be creeped out, and he was grateful for that.

“That’s a no on a bedroom display? Hm.” Pearl chuckled softly. He was adorable when flustered! “My question is when did you paint this. I would have seen you, so it must have been prior to my moving in.”

He winced inwardly. There was no way to talk himself out of it, Pearl already had the timeline figured out! “It—yes, it was some time ago. The precise ‘when’ doesn’t matter,” Ben said hastily, avoiding details. He was too embarrassed to tell her that he painted it right after their very first meeting, many years ago and only because he became obsessed with finding her again after she vanished! It was embarrassing enough for the beautiful woman to find out he had painted her at all, he couldn’t share any more details with her!

But Pearl wasn’t stupid; she didn’t know the exact date, but she could tell by the red on his cheeks that he painted it a long time ago. “Mmm, either way, it is a stunning work of art. I am very flattered by it,” she gracefully curtsied, smiling at him. It was earnest, but there was still a hint of amusement. Flustering Ben was always fun, and who knew he was secretly so sentimental? Pearl was smug, and she was also…still melting. She couldn’t explain it but her brain felt fuzzy looking at that image of herself, painted so diligently and with such care and admiration. She must have been on his mind a lot, if that work of art was the result of it. Knowing that made Pearl’s heart race madly.

“You’re welcome,” he said a tad snippily, averting his narrowed eyes. Grumpy out of defensiveness.

“I am a decent painter myself,” she commented to ease the tension. “We use seaweed dyes. Perhaps I should attempt the same with human materials. It might be fun!”

Ben was glad to have an out from that conversation, so he quickly retrieved a bunch of paints, brushes and sketching pencils and handed them to the mermaid. As soon as she let go of the canvas that depicted her likeness, he snatched it back and put it away, in his bedroom closet this time.

Pearl spent the rest of the afternoon absent-mindedly sketching and coloring an owl perched on a branch, while cheerily humming under her breath. There was a giddy smile on her face the entire time, because she couldn’t stop thinking about Ben’s painting of her.

He watched her in enthralled silence, admiring the way her hair fell forward, the elegant slope of her neck and back, the curve of her lips and the intensity in her sparkling eyes. No wonder he felt inspired to capture her in a work of art: Pearl’s beauty was otherworldly!

When she noticed that she was being watched – possibly admired! – she showed off a little by tossing her hair and sitting up straighter, her eyes twinkling with amused pride like she was on a rock in the ocean and he sailed by on a ship. He fought the urge to chuckle, roll his eyes, or kiss her. He picked up a book to read, but continued to discreetly watch her over the pages. She continued to show off. Neither admitted to any of it.

***

For the hundredth time since she moved in with him, Pearl was admiring Ben’s leadership. He’d gathered his people and was telling them something about the plane crash survivors. The mermaid didn’t much care for the details of the plot—but she couldn’t tear her eyes away from Ben. He spoke with such confidence, determination, his intelligence and charisma shining through to everybody in that crowd. They were eating it up; their loyalty to him was unconditional, and the true power of a leader shone brightly in him. It was…intoxicating. She found that her breath was getting heavier the more she watched, her eyes focusing on every little detail of the scene: his stance, the intensity in his blue eyes, the way his mouth moved with inspiring conviction, the tongue that once darted out to wet his lip, the occasional crisp hand gesture, even the way the breeze blew through his spiked up hair or his neat shirt. All of it took Pearl’s breath away, igniting a wave of desire deep inside her core. There was just something unbelievably hot about watching Benjamin act in his leadership position, and Pearl had to be careful not to let her jaw drop.

For a moment, all she could think of was Ben wrapping those arms around her and pushing her up against the wall, with those lips on her neck and mouth, or whispering in her ear with that magnetic voice. Oh, what would it be like to allow herself to have sex with him? Wonderful, undoubtedly. Probably mind-blowing too. Pearl wanted him, with all of his handsomeness, wit, sweetness, cunning and power, and she felt that ache of lust deep inside. She inhaled sharply, holding back a tiny whimper.

Then he looked her way – surely having sensed that he was being closely observed – and it startled her. Pearl’s face went blank, nonchalant, hiding any trace of her growing desire. It pulled her out of that haze and reminded her of the stakes: Ben was supposed to be her enemy. It didn’t matter that he was the most attractive person – human or merfolk – she’d ever laid eyes on; she could not put herself in a vulnerable, intimate situation with him! The siren quickly shook her head and turned away, deciding it was wiser to stop watching him command his subordinates. On Ben, that type of power was too hypnotizing, and way too alluring.

“I must say, I adore how your mind works. So intelligent, so wily…you’re something special, Benjamin. Magnetic,” Pearl grinned at him when they were alone again, unable to keep it all to herself.

“What brought that on?” he asked with lighthearted suspicion. Sometimes, if she was too complimentary, it meant she was buttering him up.

“I was watching you earlier, and…I don’t know. I felt compelled to tell you,” a small shrug. She had always been more open with her praise than Ben was with his.

He gave a sarcastic smile of thanks. Truthfully, Ben assumed that mermaids were like that with everybody: always turning on the charm and being almost flirty, with everyone. He wanted to bask in the compliments – and he very much enjoyed hearing them! – but he thought she was probably saying similar things to everyone else too.

What happened the following afternoon made him start to wonder if he was wrong.

That day, the sweet sound of music caught Pearl’s attention. She danced to the living room and found Ben playing the piano again. He had been doing it more often lately—which pleased Pearl. Oh, how she loved watching and listening to him play! He secretly loved it too, feeling high on pride and giddiness every time he noticed her smitten eyes on him. That’s why he was playing more regularly: to impress her! Songs seemed to enrapture mermaids easily, and though he knew it wasn’t anything more than that, he still basked in the attention.

Except that it was more than that. She was taken by the music, yes, and by him too, adoring both equally. Her eyes were glued to him, engrossed by the performance and his laser-focus throughout, watching his fingers move across the ivories until Ben played the last few notes of the classical piece.

The blonde siren clapped with poise, eyes only barely flicking his way when she spoke: “Benjamin, you are by far the most exceptional human I have ever observed— and I’ve observed plenty.”

If she said that with a charming smile or a lilting tone, he would’ve assumed it to be mere empty flattery. But Pearl said it with such nonchalance that if felt almost like a defense— a way to mask her vulnerability, her true feelings hidden behind that quick flick of the gaze. Ben squinted just slightly, sizing her up…and then he granted her a passing smile. “I can’t say I’ve observed many mermaids, but you’re rather exceptional yourself,” he returned the compliment under the guise of being a polite gentleman, but he meant it. And she meant hers too.

“Thank you,” Pearl practically purred. She was getting caught up in the moment, feeling so close to Ben! Maybe it was the music, or her period hormones, or simply her affection for him growing out of control. He had created an entire painting of her! What kind of devotion did he secretly hold for her, if he was willing to do that?! That thought emboldened the siren. “This melody…it is inspiring me to sing. I have lyrics,” her lashes fluttered.

“Will they be as gloomy as last time?” Ben asked dryly, as a joke.

A sweet laugh and a light toss of her blonde hair. “No. But they will still be about you. You painted me; this is my response. Will you play once more, please?”

He felt a lump in his throat. “About me? Alright…”

Why was that so nerve-racking? Surely she wouldn’t insult him in song! Would she? Call him cold, a scheming human, a monster? No…she would never attack him like that anymore. After all, Pearl had only insulted the human world last time. But she may tease him this time around, make fun of him for the schoolboy crush that led him to paint her likeness on canvas. As he began playing the accompaniment, he dared hope for the best, but braced for the worst.

She waited for the melody to kick in, closed her eyes, and let her angelic voice lift once more:

“Once upon a jungle I met a man,

He intrigued me instantly, even then.

With a smile more dazzling than the moon,

And a face that could make even a mermaid swoon.

 

A mind the likes of which I have never known,

With brilliance beyond control!

Mesmerizing power behind bluest eyes, the demeanor of a king,

He showed me humans can have a heart within.

 

Sirens can steal breath by dragging a man to the fathoms deep,

But he can steal my breath by simply gazing upon me.

If there is one human worthy of respect from the sea,

Then, Benjamin Linus, that human is thee.”

It was much easier for Pearl to express such deep feelings in song rather than in conversation. In spoken words, all of that admiration for Ben remained a secret. Perhaps a poorly-kept one, but a secret nonetheless. Even when she complimented him, there was a defensive veneer that made everything ring a little insincere, like maybe the flattery was simply designed to butter him up. In song, Pearl felt comfortable putting all of her honest thoughts out into the world; thoughts that were too scary to be spoken, or too vulnerable, but that were entirely sincere. Thoughts that, for the very first time, she wanted him to know. Thoughts too big to keep to herself any longer! Thoughts that were perhaps reciprocated by the man who painted her likeness with such care!

Ben felt her sincerity. It was the last thing he expected, and his mind was in a whirlwind! His face shifted from a neutral blank to stunned and awestruck as the lyrics started to take form. Such an evolution from the last time she sang about their dynamic! He became so caught up in her words, so wonderstruck by everything she was saying about him, that his fingers hit the wrong key several times. He barely even noticed, mouth hanging open as he stared at her in shock and warmth, his heart and stomach all aflutter. He always took her flattery as meaningless flirtation from a mermaid, but now it sounded like so much more. More than the physical desire that he knew she felt for him, even. Pearl actually respected him, admired him, and might even care deeply for him!

When she finished, she took a sheepish little bow, while Ben stared at her with a slack jaw. How could he even respond to such glowing lyrics?! The man blinked. “I—I’m very flattered,” he said with an awkward little nod, tone intense. “Thank you, Pearl. It’s a—lovely song.” He was almost emotional about it, and definitely overwhelmed.

The blonde mermaid beamed at him, very happy with his reaction. It meant a lot to have him really hear her, and understand her unspoken feelings. She had been nervous about how he would take her declaration. “My pleasure. Do not let it get to your head,” a playful shrug.

Ben laughed, and it sounded joyous. “I won’t.”

But he’d replay those words in his mind over and over again, he’d write them down in his journal, dissecting them in search of all possible meanings. Because she may compliment everyone, or so he thought—but surely she wasn’t singing about and to them…right? Was she serenading anyone else? Ben hardly knew what to think. Maybe it was meaningless reciprocity for the painting, for the sake of social graces. It felt bigger than that, but he was hesitant to believe it. He couldn’t let himself hope that she was falling in love with him. He couldn’t let himself keep falling for her either. But goodness, that song…that song would stay with him forever, and he would smile with happiness every time he thought of it.

Notes:

Firstly I'd like to dedicate the scene of Pearl's period to the lovely reader who once asked me if mermaids get periods! Thank you for inspiring me to write more about it!

Secondly I'd like to say that the scene where Ben paints Pearl, way back in chapter 1 or 2, is still one of my favorites. I'm very happy that it's paying off now, and that it's a small catalyst to change their relationship for the better.

Thirdly...they can barely contain their desire anymore! They may not sleep together yet, but surely when the night of Halloween comes around, it will be harder to keep their kisses to themselves, won't it? Hehehe...

Chapter 24: All Hallows is a day to experience the hidden side of life, a day where its magic brings the dark into light

Pearl was confounded when she saw a bunch of people placing vegetables on their porches. Something was going on, and she didn’t understand it. Ben found her staring warily at the large pumpkin by the door of his home. “Why are there vegetables strewn about?” she asked suspiciously.

“Tomorrow is Halloween,” he commented without much enthusiasm. As a leader, he always made sure to throw an outdoor party for the village. It was important to keep morale up, and he did enjoy making an appearance and mingling with his people, but the magic of the holiday had been lost long ago. He used to love trick-or-treating around Dharmaville with Annie when they were kids, or sneaking kisses in a dark room while watching a horror movie when they were in their early teens, shortly before she was taken from the Island. As an adult, he became a father, and he loved dressing up with Alex and taking her trick-or-treating. Now she was too old to want to hang out with her dad, and Ben didn’t feel much like dressing up anymore. He still joined in with something simple, like a red shirt and vampire fangs, or a black tux and a Phantom of the Opera mask, but he never went all out. And even as a child, his choices were always discreet.

“Oh! All Hallows Eve, of course! Goodness, I can’t believe the date nearly escaped me. But—what do pumpkins have to do with it?” the mermaid asked.

He briefly explained the connection between the festivities and the symbolic jack-o’-lantern. “What is Halloween to you?” Ben eyed her curiously. Surely it wasn’t a party that originated from pagan harvest festivals—that would make no sense under the sea.

“’Tis the day the veil is thinnest, and the other side is closest to us.” As a somewhat supernatural being herself, she was sensitive to such changes.

“So I’ve heard…” he said non-committedly. If there was anywhere in the world that proved the veil thinned on October 31^st, it was the Island.

She threw him a knowing glance. “You must know the ghosts of the Island are within reach on this night. Do not pretend you don’t…”

A non-committal shrug. “I know there are ghosts on the Island—I’ve seen them, once or twice.” He saw his mom, something that was as hopeful as it was devastating at the time. It was a special case, too, as she didn’t die on the Island and therefore was not trapped there! It was also the sign that alerted Richard to the fact that little boy Ben was destined to be their leader someday. “We—do try to avoid certain areas on Halloween night, where spirits might abound.” The ghosts didn’t seem dangerous, but they definitely creeped people out. So they always stuck within the barrier of the Sonic Fence, celebrating the party aspect of the date and keeping any ghosts well outside the perimeter. “How do you know about this, Pearl? Don’t tell me there are mermaid ghosts…” a vaguely playful raise of the eyebrow.

She chuckled airily. “Mermaids are connected to nature. We feel the shift. The energy changes on All Hallows’ Eve, we know there are ghosts in our midst,” she explained with a smile. “But no, there are no mermaid ghosts. When we pass, our spirits go freely to the great beyond. I do not know why some of yours get stuck here.”

“Unfinished business, most likely,” he ventured a guess. “Then—I suppose this Island keeps them trapped here. I’m not sure why.”

“Like Jacob traps us all,” she commented with sarcastic bitterness and a fake smile on her face.

Ben stiffened at that. “Pearl…” he warned, dragging out her name in a low tone.

The siren held back an eye roll. The blind faith the humans of that village had in Jacob vexed her. “Forget I said anything,” the sardonic smiled widened, accompanied by an equally sarcastic curtsy. “Tell me more about the modern day festivities,” she requested, dropping the Jacob subject before it became contentious.

He let out a sharp sigh. Ben knew, without a doubt, that she’d want to attend as soon as he told her. But if he kept it a mystery she would be even more motivated to make an appearance and find out for herself! “It’s a costume party. There is some music playing, special snacks, and some activities around the Barracks,” he started, dryly giving her a little more background on current day Halloween – explaining the costumes and activities -- and hoping his stern tone would dissuade her from inviting herself. But he knew it wouldn’t.

As expected, Pearl’s striking face was shining with enthusiasm. “Will you allow me to attend without making a fuss?”

“I don’t know if that’s such a good idea,” he told her. Ben was torn: his cautious side would prefer if she didn’t attend at all, while his emotional side wanted to spend time with her. And regardless, he didn’t think he could forbid her from going to the party.

“What is the harm? It’s no riskier than book club,” she smiled charmingly, expertly picking words to try to sway him into doing what she wanted him to do. “I would greatly appreciate the privilege of enjoying a full human Halloween experience! We may dress up together!” she suggested, beaming and hoping that might sweeten the deal.

He gave an uppity little shrug, throwing both hands up. “It’s not like I can stop you from attending.” Then the offer gave Ben pause. “We don’t have to do that.”

“Oh, please, Benjamin, don’t make me dress up on my own!” she batted her lashes at him and pouted.

A soft chuckle. “Sorry, Pearl, I don’t even have a costume this year. I was going to make do with a hat.” Although he liked the date well enough, he wasn’t one to go all-out with his costume. Something subtle always did the trick, like a literary reference. And, without the submarine to make a mainland trip, it wasn’t like people would have many options for dressing up as anyway.

Her face perked up with mischief. “What if I get you a costume? I have an idea. Mine matches.”

“Um.” Ben squinted. “Pearl, if we do that, everyone will assume we’re attending together. They will expect us to spend most of the evening with each other,” he warned, to dissuade the mermaid from such a silly idea. A silly idea that was awfully tempting. “You’re free to dress up if you’d like, of course, but not with me,” he droned the last part.

“I do not mind sticking by you the whole evening. Your presence improves any occasion,” she said smoothly, a perfectly gracious and almost flirty smile on her face.

Ben believed that she was saying anything she thought he wanted to hear, just to make him agree with her. He deadpanned. “Isn’t that convenient.”

“No, I mean it,” the blonde insisted, meeting his gaze. “You’re my closest human companion, and I think that you and I have a lot of fun together. You will improve my evening,” she said with so much conviction that Ben had no choice but to believe her. And it was true. “If I go and fetch our costumes, do you promise you’ll wear yours with me?”

Ben faltered. She looked so excited, he didn’t want to crush that. And the compliment disarmed him—especially coming so soon after that song. Pearl really wanted to go with him. Could Ben really deny that he wanted to go with her too? He definitely felt that they had shared plenty of wonderful conversations, mind games, and even great laughs and vulnerabilities. As much as he hated to admit it, it was no secret that the two enjoyed each other’s company now. They could go as friends…right? After mulling it over for a few seconds, he gave a small, grudging pouting of the lips to one side. “I promise that I’ll take a look at it, maybe try it on, and I’ll give it fair consideration. How’s that?”

The mermaid let out a happy little shriek. “That is an acceptable compromise! I shall be back in a couple of hours!”

She ran off, glee etched all over her face. Ben chuckled, curiously wondering what kind of costume a mermaid could even own that would serve him too.

***

The outfits in question were safely kept in her treasure chest, inside a dry cave that could only be accessed from the open ocean. Returning to her natural mermaid form, Pearl glided underwater with the biggest smile on her face, the light blonde hair fanning out behind her and the shimmery tail arching and swaying. Her lit-up eyes led the way until she was back on the surface, in the cave.

Luckily the outfits were wrapped in plastic, but bringing them back without drenching them was a tad complicated. It required Pearl to get Aqua’s assistance. Her sister was happy to help, but not without teasing her about going to a party with the human she had feelings for. Pearl hushed her, uppity.

When she came back home, Ben instantly knew she had been swimming; her hair was soaked and her skin extra dewy, and she had that blissful smile of someone who’d reconnected with a core part of herself. For a brief, comical moment, he wondered if her idea of a costume was to wear seaweed.

“Remember that I told you I have a treasure chest filled with human garments from the last centuries?” Pearl excitedly asked, sauntering over to where he stood and holding two large plastic bags.

“I do,” he nodded. Ben usually remembered everything he was told. Information was power. “You were speaking of corsets.” He tilted his head, curiously squinting at the bag. “Is that your intended costume? A vintage gown from centuries past?”

The siren lit up, fingers tenderly caressing the bag. “Indeed. Oh, it is a marvelous gown, you shall see!”

“And what about me? I’m certain I couldn’t pull off a Renaissance dress,” he said in a full deadpan, obviously joking.

Pearl giggled that lilting giggle of hers, ever so charming, yet sincere now. “Perhaps you could pull that off—but no, yours is not a gown. I just so happen to have a pirate outfit in here.”

Ben grimaced lightly. In his head he conjured up the cheapest, tackiest pirate costume one might see at a frat party. But a promise was a promise. “Alright, let’s see it.”

“Please try it on too,” Pearl asked of him as she handed him the clothes. “You said you might!”

“I know what I said,” he teased with playful exasperation. Then he sighed, wordlessly turned around and went on to try the pirate outfit. Pearl could be tiring if she didn’t get her way; sometimes, when it cost him nothing, it was better to appease her. And the outfit was not so bad; he had to admit it looked better than he anticipated. There were a few pieces to it – a shirt, pants, a vest, a long coat, and boots -- but soon he had it on, and Ben didn’t think he looked bad. The costume was quite distinguished, actually, with a hint of danger, and it would only require some small alterations to fit him properly. Soon he was back in the living room, getting used to the feel of the costume.

Pearl gasped in admiration, giving him a beaming smile as soon as she saw him; the kind of smile that nearly made his knees buckle. She came up to him in a fluid motion, holding the final piece of the ensemble. “Your hat, kind sir,” she gave an exaggerated curtsy, then promptly plopped the tricorn pirate hat on his head. Pearl fiddled with it until it was properly aligned, then grinned at him. “Perfect.”

“It’s historically accurate,” Ben praised, impressed by the craftsmanship and well-kept condition of the clothes. He lifted his eyes to hers. “Because it’s real, isn’t it? You got it from a real pirate?”

A sly grin. “Indeed.”

He didn’t love the idea of wearing something that belonged to a long-dead person, but he liked the accuracy of it. And it wasn’t too flashy by any means, especially if he ditched the coat. Piercing blue eyes landed on Pearl, a glint of knowing in them. “And how did you come to acquire the clothes of a pirate?”

“If you must know, you nosy man,” she widened her eyes and poked him on the cheek, “it belonged to a former lover. I stole them as a memento as his ship was about to sail away.”

Great, Ben thought bitterly. He was in the clothes of a man who slept with Pearl. Could someone be jealous of a man that died decades ago? Apparently the answer was yes. “I see,” he said curtly, being careful not to narrow his eyes.

“Well?” she cooed, brushing his shoulders as if she was dusting them off. “Shall you wear it? You do look absolutely wonderful, it suits you very well. The size is a tad off, but we can fix that with the right seaweed strands and a sea urchin needle…or your sewing kit, perhaps.” Pearl even thought that, despite his careful mastermind nature, there was something akin to a pirate to Ben’s nature. Perhaps it was the ‘spy for the tropical Island’ side, or the ‘leader of his beachy people’ thing, but he held the same type of mesmerizing and alluring danger that pirates did.

He wasn’t sure what to answer. Maybe if he thought of the outfit as a simple vintage piece, then it wouldn’t feel so creepy. “What exactly will you be wearing?” Ben wished to know the details of her costume before he made a decision on his.

“I picked my most lavish dress, from the very same time period as your garment. They are a true match,” she bowed gracefully, a smile on her lips.

Well, that settled it. She told him he looked wonderful in the pirate uniform, and her costume would be completely matching his. Ben couldn’t say no to that! He should, but the temptation of looking wonderful in front of Pearl and being a pair with her was too great, especially after his jealousy had reared its head. He wasn’t jealous anymore, though; the dead pirate be damned, Benjamin Linus was the one escorting Pearl to a party now!

***

When Halloween night came, Pearl was exceedingly excited! She was in her bedroom getting ready, humming cheerily under her breath. Until she found herself stuck. “Benjamin? I need assistance, if you’ll please,” she called for him.

“What is it?” he asked in a neutral tone, from the living room.

“My corset. I cannot tie it myself,” she explained with a little huff.

Ben was taken aback. “Uhm…” he glanced around swiftly, to see if there was somebody else – a woman – walking by his house at that moment. She’d be better suited to help Pearl get dressed. But it seemed that everyone was getting ready for the party, because the square was entirely empty. He swallowed thickly. “I’m the only one out here. Are you—sure you want my help?”

“I am most sure, yes!” she replied with no hesitation. “Otherwise we shall be here all night!”

“Alright…” He blinked a few times, prepared himself, and walked into her bedroom.

Despite his preparation, his heart leapt when he saw her standing there in bloomers and an unlaced corset—the equivalent to Victorian underwear. Ben’s pulse quickened and he did his best to ignore the heat rising within him.

“Thank you kindly,” she smiled at him, seeming completely at ease. Mermaids were not squeamish about nudity, he reminded himself, and she was far from nude anyway. Realistically speaking, she was more exposed when she wore her mermaid seashell bra, and he was fairly used to seeing her in that. There was just something about a corset that made his blood race.

“Of course,” he gave her a brief, somewhat tense smile, and marched straight toward her. “Tell me how much to pull.”

He reached for her with unsteady fingers and a racing heart. Will you keep it together? he mentally scolded himself, and took a deep breath to control his nerves. It worked. With much firmer hands, he grasped the fine beige laces on the back, and began weaving them through the grommets. Ben moved a bit robotically, being extremely careful not to brush his knuckles against the bare skin of Pearl’s back. Once he had the laces in place, he pulled on them, extending them outward. It forced the corset to shrink and tighten around Pearl’s shape.

“A little tighter, please,” she asked, holding on to the chair in front of her to steady herself.

Ben pulled more forcefully, lips pressed into a tight line, and Pearl let out a tiny gasp. “How’s that?” he asked, trying not to look at how she was bending over.

She checked her waistline and cleavage, and beamed with satisfaction at the cinching. “That’s perfect. I thank thee, Ben,” she said in an amusing mix of modern contraction and old-fashioned pronoun.

“You’re welcome,” his eyes were planted firmly on his own feet. “If you don’t need anything else, I’ll be outside.”

He rushed out of there before he saw what that corset made her look like, because he was sure that, if he saw it, his heart would race so fast that she might hear it pounding.

The siren continued to get ready, giggling to herself at his ever-proper reaction to her undergarments. He put on the now-adjusted-to-his-measurements pirate uniform in the meantime. Ben finished getting ready first because it was a much less complicated garment, with no need for makeup or styling of the hair.

He then waited for her in the living room, reading to pass the time. When Pearl finally came in, butterflies exploded in Ben’s stomach and his breath caught in his throat. His jaw nearly dropped. She was wearing a corseted Victorian gown with a large baby blue, white and lilac fluffy skirt made bigger by the petticoat under it, poofy sleeves of matching colors on her arms that narrowed as they went down, her light blonde hair done up with delicate falling ringlets that framed her lightly painted face.

It was clear that the corset he tightened for her was doing a marvelous job. Her waist was pulled in and tiny, her breasts propped up in a tasteful way, the gown clinging to the inner corset. Ben’s eyes travelled from her hips – hidden under the huge skirt – to her waist, her cleavage, her elegant neck and exquisite face, framed by that soft blonde hair that fell to her waistline when it wasn’t done up. He didn’t let his gaze linger anywhere, but he did look in passing, if only for a second. She was truly a vision, an enchanting, extremely alluring vision, and he felt his mouth going completely dry.

If only he could pull her in for a kiss. Or…more. But—he could never. Not Pearl, not again. Not the mermaid queen. And she looked exactly like the queen of his dreams.

“Shall we?” he said blankly, throat dry. He held out his arm, which she accepted with a curtsy and wrapped her own around his. Together, they ventured out into the crowd.

As soon as they hit the gazebo, a group of costumed people gathered around them. Pearl navigated it easily, showing off by spinning around and letting her dress flare out with dreamy elegance. When she stopped, it was in a dainty pose, and then she pointed at Ben with a flourish: “This is Captain Linus, fearsome pirate, and I am his maiden of the seas.”

That made it crystal clear that their costumes were a matching set. Ben couldn’t help but look a little smug as everyone fawned over Pearl’s gown and his pirate uniform. He liked that they knew he and Pearl were there as a team, together—almost like an item.

I am his maiden, she’d said. Ben knew it was part of her performance, but it made his heart jump all the same. He held out a hand to her, tipping his pirate hat in her direction. “Would you like a drink, milady?”

“Why yes indeed, I thank thee,” she beamed and took his hand, so he led her away from the curious crowd. He knew he had to be careful, though; the night was primed for them to slip up and get too close to each other again. It already felt like a date; he had to make sure it didn’t become one.

At the outdoor snack table, he served her a glass of punch and took one for himself.

“You two look great,” Richard praised with a knowing look, approaching the duo over drinks. “Let me guess: these are original articles of clothing?”

Ben nodded with a happy little smile. “Good eye. Pearl kept some from the last century—as I’m sure you recognize.” A harmless joke about Richard’s immortality.

The advisor chuckled. “Yeah, I can tell they aren’t costumes.”

Pearl wondered if Ben had ever told Richard and Isabel that she was the queen of the mermaids. If she had to guess based on how well she knew him, she’d guess no—Ben would rather keep that key piece of information to himself until it was convenient to reveal it.

Of course, Pearl knew him very well by now, so she was right in her assessment. Ben considered telling Richard the truth, once, but quickly decided against it. Neither his advisor nor his sheriff were convinced that it was wise of Ben to keep Pearl around; if they learned how important she truly was, how much power she really wielded, they would think it even more reckless! Ben always preferred controlling the flow of information. Besides, it was none of their business! Pearl told him that in confidence, and he was honoring that.

Music was playing on the speakers; some upbeat melody that Pearl liked. She wanted to dance. Hazel eyes snuck a glance at Ben, hopeful, but he wasn’t paying her any mind. Or at least it looked that way—but actually, he was thinking about her. Thinking of how much he liked matching costumes with her and how dangerous that feeling was. He wanted to ask her to dance, but refrained from it to avoid getting even more mixed up with the siren. He had to set boundaries, or she’d slip right past his defenses again.

So he avoided her gaze, no matter how many hints she tried to throw at him. Fed up with being ignored, Pearl concocted a spiteful plan. She turned to Richard, a glowing smile on her face, and curtsied with a dainty lift of her wide skirt. “Richard, please escort a maiden onto the dancefloor,” she basically told him, and pulled him by the hand before Richard could protest.

Ben was left behind, alone, his lips pressing into a thin line as bitterness crept over his face. Chin ducked down, blue eyes flicked up to watch the pair dancing, and Ben’s gaze was so intense that it almost looked dark. It wasn’t jealousy, exactly. Well, it was, but not like he thought Richard was stealing his woman. It was jealousy that Richard could dance with Pearl, while Ben could not-- even though he very much wanted to. More envy than jealousy, really. His stomach clenched when he saw Pearl laughing at something that his advisor said. She placed a hand on Richard’s shoulder, and Ben rolled his eyes with exasperation. Was she doing that to get at him? He noticed her previous glances, and he assumed she wouldn’t take kindly to being ignored. He didn’t expect—this, though! Did Pearl know he was envious?

Because if she knew…oh, that was bad. It was a dangerous bit of information for her to be armed with. Ben could not let her manipulate him through jealousy! He had to play it off like he didn’t care at all!

“Aren’t you goin’ to cut in, boss?” Tom’s voice startled him.

“Christ, Tom,” he frowned at the other man. “Don’t sneak up on me like that. And I’m not sure I know what you’re referring to,” Ben played dumb.

Tom gave him an amused, skeptical look. “Cut in to dance. With Pearl. Isn’t she your date?”

“No,” he said blankly. “We came together, but as friends.”

“But you wanna cut in. You’ve been staring daggers at her.”

Ben scoffed, defensive. “I have not!” God, he ought to be more discreet. “It’s not like that between Pearl and I,” he sulked.

“You sure? She keeps looking over here like she’s trying to get your attention,” Tom pointed out with a mischievous grin.

Ben let out a tired sigh. “Yeah. She’s—it’s nothing. It’s a game to her.”

“If I can give you some unwanted advice, Ben,” Tom patted him on the shoulder, “maybe it’s a game you should be playing.” Tom cackled as he walked away, and Ben simply muttered with vexation under his breath.

Soon Pearl moved on to dancing with a group of women dressed as cats and mice, which honestly wasn’t any better. Ben was still jealous. Again, not because he thought any of the women would make a move on Pearl, but because they were able to share a public moment of joy with her. He’d give anything to have a lighthearted, fun dance with Pearl out in the open, sharing laughter and happiness—and that was the problem. The fact that it meant so much to him, that’s why he couldn’t give in.

He reminisced of when he first met her. Many years ago now, before he knew she was a siren. They’d danced around a bonfire back then, and even then he felt something stirring inside of him, for her. A spark, an affection, things that might have been alright to feel if she was human, but certainly not for a siren. And yet the memory was so clear: her unusual dress made of the sail of a ship, her strange speech patterns, her calculated charm, dazzling smiles but off-putting iciness lurking underneath. He remembered her hand on his, her arm wrapped around him, their faces close as they swayed in place. He wished that, for once, he could just get what he wanted easily. Without plotting, without sacrificing for the Island, without grappling with guilt. He wished he could have her; he wished he didn’t have to sacrifice romance with Pearl for the sake of keeping his people safe from the sirens or for the sake of following the rules. His heart ached, then he shoved it down by sipping on a beer.

Eventually her feet tired, and she missed Ben’s company, so she left the dance floor.

“I’m so glad you’re having fun,” he told her in the driest sarcasm when she walked back over to him. The mermaid was beaming, hair messy, and she let out a puff of air when she sat next to him.

“You didn’t ask me to dance, so I had to make other arrangements,” she needled, not bothering with false pretenses. Pearl crossed her legs, which were aching from dancing. “Why didn’t you?”

A shrug, accompanied by a downward turn of the mouth and a slight headshake. “I just didn’t want to dance.”

She leaned in, a goading little smirk on her face. Pearl saw – from the way he watched her dance – that he was envious of her partners. So there was only one logical reason for him to have rejected her. “Were you perhaps worried that if you danced with me— something would happen? To your feelings?”

“No, I really just didn’t feel like dancing,” he lied again, very persuasively. “I’m not much of a dancer.”

A squint. “I know that you do not dance often, but I remember you being a very decent dancer. Under the moonlight, around the fire…”

He gave a vaguely pointed smile, staring away from her. “I remember that night too.”

“And how do you feel now? Still ‘not feeling like it’? Because I have one more dance in me tonight. Care to escort me, Benjamin?” Pearl leaned into him, her face intense, and alight with something beckoning and adoring.

He looked at her, and dear God he almost caved! Who could say no to her?! How could Ben say no, when she was looking at him like he was the whole world?! And like she was inviting him into her world! She was so enchanting, so angelic under the light of the torches and jack-o’-lanterns! That adoring look of hers just might melt him into nothing. “I—” he gaped, mouth widening and shrinking, until he found his voice and his willpower again. “—mean no offense, Pearl, but no thank you.”

He was out of there before she could say another word. Pearl frowned, disappointed. Then again, maybe it was for the best. Maybe she was being reckless while Ben stayed strong. Maybe she ought to take her cue from him and keep her distance—but her heart was insisting otherwise.

All Pearl could do was distract herself from her aching heart. So she approached a group that was telling scary stories by a makeshift stage and waltzed right in with all the poised confidence of a queen. “If you like spooky entertainment-- allow me to regale you all with a tale,” Pearl took center stage and spun delicately to face them, holding out elegant hands to indicate her audience. Her full dress swayed gracefully. Ben was across the lawn, and quickly made his way there when he noticed her taking the stage. “A tale of monarchy, power, and betrayal!” Pearl’s hands waved dramatically and she flashed Ben a brief smile full of mischief, reminding him that the story she was about to tell was more real than she was letting on. Not that he’d ever forget such a thing. He eyed her very cautiously, but with interest glinting in his bright blue eyes. While he didn’t love that she was attracting so much attention to herself from people who were already curious about his reasons for keeping her around, he certainly knew the value of gaining more information about her and her underwater world. Last time she shared a story, he learned about the song that drove people mad! What would this new tale bring? He squinted almost imperceptibly, gaze locked on her with full attention.

“Go on,” he mouthed, almost challenging her to bring it on.

“Once upon a time, there was a beautiful mermaid queen who ruled the seven seas. She was strong, kind and fair, and a mother. For the queen had a lovely golden-haired child, full of mischief and ambition. The child was curious about humans, but the mother was ever careful, wary of them. She thought them to be heartless monsters, and so she kept the young princess away from the surface. One day, they were playing on a shipwreck…” From then, the story took a more fantastical turn that Ben was sure was fiction. The beginning was real, and although he initially assumed it to be about Pearl and her daughter, he soon realized it wasn’t. There was fondness and respect when Pearl spoke of the Queen Mother, so he understood that to be her mother. In this story, Pearl was the young mermaid child. After a cute little side plot about a shipwreck quest that had Ben’s people chuckling, Pearl’s tone gained an edge of real emotion. The upcoming part was real too, Ben could tell. “The young princess grew up happy, training to one day become the leader of the merfolk. But tragedy befell the kingdom. The Queen died unexpectedly, and the princess was thrust upon the throne much sooner than she should have been. An adult, yes, but unprepared for all the political games she now needed to play.” Ben frowned; he understood those pressures all too well. “Although the throne was her birthright, not all were ready to accept the princess as queen. So the bold mermaid set out on a quest to prove her mettle—by sheer ambition, in wanting to give her people all that they deserved: more sea territory, more peace. And the only way to accomplish that was by daring to try what her mother never allowed her to: approaching the humans on the surface. Her work never seemed to end.”

Ben already knew that was the reason for Pearl’s insistence in messing with humans. But now he realized there was yet another personal layer to it: the new queen was trying to assert herself as leader while also setting herself apart from her careful mother. Recently they had talked about how she found stability with her subjects, but Ben had the impression that she was still proving herself to them. Now he knew that was true. Although she didn’t say it outright, he could still pick up on the implied meaning: and the most meaningful part was the knowledge that Pearl chose to prove herself by being the opposite of the mother she adored so much. It explained a lot about why she insisted on being so bold! Ben pursed his lips, struck by something else, too: Pearl was finally willing to candidly share her whole history with him. By telling the others the truth in the guise of a fictional story, she was effectively choosing to let Ben know the real one. He knew she was a mermaid and knew enough about her life to put the pieces together—and Pearl was aware of that. Just like he was aware that her ‘fictional’ tale was a choice, and one that meant a lot to him. He was touched that she’d share so much with him.

Pearl’s story then veered into another thrilling, spookier tale of the new queen fighting a sea monster and meeting pirates, and he was sure that was just a story too. It ended with the aquatic heroine bestowing a kiss to the pirate king.

Well. It was an engaging story, told very well. Now his people would certainly clamor for her continued presence at book club, much to Ben’s chagrin. He held back the urge to tiredly sigh. But despite that, he was impressed; he thought it exceedingly bold – and rather cheeky! -- of her to tell a story about her real identity when none of those people could know the truth. It was amusing even, and something that Ben himself would do. In another life, had Pearl not rescued him from Sayid and Rousseau, he might’ve found himself telling his enemy captors that if he were one of their enemies, he’d do this and that, with the same amount of drama and cheekiness that Pearl injected into her story. It was a fun little way to mess with their enemies and secretly reassert their own power.

And he couldn’t help but think of the ending of her story. Was it an allusion to past events, or a sly Easter egg meant just for him? The blonde mermaid queen kissing the pirate king, when Ben was dressed as a pirate and she always called him the king of Jacob’s people. Taunt or not, he felt a spark glowing within him.

When Pearl walked away from the small stage, Ben approached her.

“Your mother, the queen, wanted you to stay away from us. But now that you’re on the throne you want to change things. Is that why you waited until she was gone to approach the land? he pointed out, wanting her to know he had gotten the message.

Pearl smiled, unsurprised that he got it. “Indeed. After my grandmother instated the first treaty, merfolk stayed away from humans altogether. My mother was especially wary of them. I didn’t like that we were forced into hiding underwater, especially contained in such a limited area, but she said that that was our world, and the land was yours. After she passed and people doubted me, I knew that the only way to prove myself was to do something drastic. I had to set myself apart from her, to achieve success by ruling the opposite way: engaging with humans, whether for war or peace,” Pearl said candidly.

Going opposite of the previous regime was a tried and true technique of rulers. Ben thought it made perfect sense for Pearl to choose that path. “And you were always more curious about us than she was, weren’t you?” he insightfully asked.

Goodness, he could really read her! Pearl laughed lightly, a hand sprawled over her stomach. “Yes. I always held a small fascination with the humans I thought were monsters. I wouldn’t dare disobey her orders when she was alive, but after she was gone...I forged my own path.”

“I’m glad you did,” he said sincerely. “I think all of our people are better off if we can strike up a stronger alliance.”

Her smile was warm and genuine. “I agree. When I became queen I knew I had to approach your kind, at the very least to secure larger sea territories for my kind. I plotted how to do that, as you know. Our new treaty helped a lot, and after that…well, fate kept pushing you and me together.”

“I suppose it did…” he said in a charged tone, and sparks flew when their eyes met. Ben cleared his throat. “The end adventure of your tale is fictional, isn’t it? Please don’t tell me that sea monsters exist,” he droned with some humor, changing the subject before their chemistry became too much.

The mermaid chuckled. “They do not exist. I added that for excitement for my tale, and to make it befitting of All Hallows’ Eve. But the mermaid queen kissing the pirate king…we are yet to discover if that is fictional or not,” Pearl said with a flirty smile, and Ben couldn’t help but smile back as he shook his head at her to playfully scold her.

***

Later in the night, Ben found himself sitting in lawn chairs under a tree with Pearl and his advisor, with whom she was making small talk. The mermaid enjoyed talking to Richard because she didn’t have to pretend with him, he knew what she was. She’d even enjoy speaking to Isabel if the sheriff was ever pleasant to her.

“Don’t get too comfortable talking with her, Richard,” Ben said under his breath, in a monotone. “She will get inside your mind.” It was hard to tell if he was joking or warning.

“But not yours?” the advisor smiled.

A deadpan flashed in blue eyes, almost instantly replaced by faint smugness. “No. I never let myself get comfortable around her.”

“What are you two whispering about?” Pearl butted into their conversation.

“Nothing,” Ben and his advisor said at the same time, brushing her off. The skeptical mermaid made a face, then was distracted by an approaching pair. A man and woman that Pearl had chatted with before scurried past them, giggling and holding hands. They kissed right before they disappeared behind a wall. Richard seemed vaguely surprised. Ben seemed indifferent, though he made a mental note of the developing relationship; it was something he should be aware of.

The mermaid, however, was delighted. “Oh! Are they a couple now?”

“I don’t think so,” Richard said.

“Doubtful,” Ben droned with faint judgment at the exact same time.

Pearl blinked in confusion. “But—how come? I saw them kiss on the lips. Kisses between two humans are romantic.” Wasn’t that one of the reasons why Ben said that she and him shouldn’t be seen kissing, because they weren’t a couple? And because they shouldn’t be getting closer?

“Yeah, but that doesn’t mean they’re together as a couple,” Richard explained. Pearl wasn’t satisfied, so she looked to Ben for further details.

The blue-eyed man searched for the right words. “Not every romantic kiss means that the people are in a steady relationship. Sometimes—some humans like to kiss without…making a commitment.” I kissed you, didn’t I? he thought but refrained from saying it.

“Especially at parties,” Richard added, to which Ben nodded.

“Yes, parties have a tendency to bring out the casual kissing side of people,” he agreed.

Pearl was beginning to understand. “Like the one night stand from that book in book club,” she said, chipper at making the connection. “They slept together just one time, for fun. Is it the same with kissing at parties for humans?” Both Benjamin and Richard said yes to her. She thought about her relationship with Ben again; he said that having casual sex complicated things too much, and that they should even avoid kissing! But apparently things worked differently at parties. The siren let out a little sigh. “Fascinating…”

“Don’t mermaids do that?” the advisor asked.

“Not with each other. We do it with humans, sometimes, but when merfolk get together, they commit.” A poised shrug, then her gaze darted over to Ben and lingered on him. Admiring his handsome face, his tempting mouth. Discreetly, Pearl looked him up and down, a small grin touching on her lips. “I must say—humans might be on to something with this saucy custom of yours.”

Both men noticed that she was inching towards Ben. Pearl knew she shouldn’t get involved with him—but this party was a loophole, wasn’t it? One that allowed the mermaid to have everything she wanted: Ben, and to remain in control, emotionally detached. She wouldn’t get involved with him; she’d simply kiss him, hopefully several times, just for fun. There was a difference. Then the next day everything would go back to the way it was, with a healthy emotional and physical distance between them.

Before either men could do anything, she was moving to be half-perched on Ben’s lap, batting her lashes at him—but Ben scooted away from her before she was really sitting on him, and he cleared his throat a tad awkwardly. He glanced straight ahead, intense eyes avoiding the blonde.

Of course. Of course he was keeping her at arms’ length. The mermaid sighed dramatically, got up, and walked away.

“I think she wanted to kiss you,” Richard pointed out.

“I know, Richard, I noticed,” Ben snapped with flustered exasperation. “But I’m not going to kiss a siren at a party, am I? Especially not out here.”

The advisor chuckled softly. “Getting involved with her would be dangerous. But, Ben, half our people already think you’re secretly dating; it wouldn’t surprise them to see you kissing. Just be careful.”

“Oh will you tell them to stop with the inane gossip?!” Benjamin complained, sour. Then he sighed, still exasperated. “I should probably go after her, to—mend fences.”

Because really, he said no to dancing with her, then he rejected her kiss. If Pearl got offended, she might—well, he didn’t know what an offended siren might do, but it probably wouldn’t be good for him. So he sought her out in the costumed dancing crowds, with nothing but the fire of the torches to illuminate his way.

He eventually found Pearl with a candy apple in hand. She was grimacing as she tried to bite through the red sugar coating, rather unsuccessfully.

“Goodness, why is this apple so hard?!” she complained. Apparently she didn’t care about not being kissed—or she wasn’t acknowledging it.

“It’s encased in melted sugar,” Ben shrugged.

“Is anyone watching us?” she asked conspiratorially.

Ben checked all sides of the perimeter and shook his head. “No.”

“Wonderful,” she smiled in thanks, then let all of her teeth extend outward until they became sharp siren fangs. The blonde then chomped down on the apple, finally taking a successful bite.

Ben merely blinked a few times, caught by surprise. The sight should’ve disturbed him, but there was something comical about it. “That’s a—unique way to use your fangs,” he pointed out with a hint of dry humor. The mermaid giggled.

A man walked by them. Pearl instantly closed her mouth to hide the fangs, flashing him a close-lipped smile and a sheepish nod. Ben smiled at him too, giving a rigid little wave. There was obviously something off about the scene; the two stood awkwardly, smiling like they were overcompensating. The man waved back and scurried away, convinced he’d interrupted the boss’ romantic rendezvous.

“We should do a better job of hiding you,” Ben pointed out and started to walk, one arm held up to the side to coax her to come along. Pearl followed him to a completely deserted corner, far enough from the hub of the party that nobody would stumble upon them. There she was free to use her fangs on the candy apple, all the while watching Ben very closely. Her eyes never left him, and his stayed averted from her. Ben knew he should’ve walked away as soon as he ascertained that Pearl wasn’t mad at him for the rejection—but something kept him there, standing guard even though he knew it was unnecessary.

When she finished her treat and withdrew her fangs, the ethereal blonde mermaid took a step toward him, hazel eyes meeting blue ones. She smiled. He had followed her out there, and then stayed, had he not? Surely that meant something.

He was still thinking of that beckoning look on her face from when she asked him to dance. It gave him butterflies. Ben had enough willpower to say no to that, and to refuse a public kiss in front of his advisor. But now, alone in the dark and under bright stars with Pearl, was he still strong enough to walk away? Because she was gazing at him with alluring eyes, looking so very enchanting in her gown. And she was still pursuing him.

When the siren queen wanted something, she went for it. Not so openly anymore, but she could make a game of it. A game that Ben may choose to play, or not. But she held all the cards this time regardless of his choice. Halloween was a night to be reckless; nothing that happened tonight would matter, and Benjamin Linus looked oh, so very tempting in his pirate costume. Pearl placed a hand on his chest and looked deeply into his eyes, using her other hand to fiddle with the brim of the pirate hat. Two very calculated moves.

Ben didn’t reciprocate, but he didn’t move away. “Can I help you?” he said with a hint of amusement, one corner of his mouth turning up into a faint smile.

“Hm, no. I was only thinking about the human custom of casual kissing at parties…” she sighed wistfully. Pearl wasn’t going to put herself out there thrice in one night. She tried to sit on his lap and he scooted away from her—he had every right to do that, but it hurt her feelings a little bit. Now she wouldn’t give him the chance to hurt her again; she would simply tempt him to make a move, and then she’d leave. “I will go carve a pumpkin now,” she said as she lightly tugged down on his hat, then turned on her heel and turned her back to Ben.

His hand shot out and he took her upper arm to stop her from walking away. It was pure instinct, not an action he thought through. He even surprised himself with how fast his reaction was. Pearl glanced back at him with a seductive smile and he felt his throat go dry. “Pearl, wait. Please. I—” he faltered.

“Yes, Benjamin?” the woman waited, an intense look in her eyes.

He felt like a deer in headlights. Ben never did anything without thinking—unless his emotions got the best of him. And that’s exactly what happened. But instead of the usual tantrum or secretiveness, he was overcome by his attraction to Pearl. And now there he was, holding on to her arm, every coherent word fleeing from him. “I, uh,” he licked his bottom lip, eyes darting around. What am I doing?! He couldn’t kiss her! Did he even want to? Ben was not a man who usually enjoyed casual entanglements; he liked commitment and much preferred a real relationship over a fling. But every rule had an exception, because yes, he very much wanted to kiss Pearl again, even if it was just that night. His brain was shouting at him, reminding him of all the reasons why it was a bad idea to do so: he might get too emotionally attached, she was dangerous, they were from different worlds, all the tired warnings he’d been thinking for weeks now, if not years. They had only recently set a boundary to never kiss again! Ben paused, taking a breath. Now wasn’t the time to jump in without thinking. He had to be rational. So the rational part of his brain, as logical as the rest, reminded him of something: this party, it was a loophole, wasn’t it? Both of them liked to explore the advantages of loopholes, and this one was special. There was no danger, no harm in kissing Pearl, not when it was just for the night. The expectations were clear: they would get together just for fun; it meant nothing, it wasn’t serious, so it couldn’t mess anything up.

All of that overthinking happened in the span of three seconds. Finally, instead of talking, Ben pulled Pearl forward. His other hand found the small of her back and he guided her closer to him. She came easily, pliantly, enjoying how his hold kept her in place.

Ben brought his face an inch away from hers. Serious, he gazed into her eyes, his own blue irises containing a burning intensity. Pearl could hardly breathe, heart pounding in anticipation. Had her baiting worked? Was Ben going to take a chance on the loophole of All Hallows’ Eve? She smiled at him, a bit flirty and a bit nervous. He simply stared back at her, not saying a thing.

And then he kissed her, and it was like everything exploded into fireworks for the two of them.

Her lips felt like heaven on his, moving at a gentle but needy pace. Pearl’s hand came to tenderly brush against Ben’s cheek, and they were breathing in deeply like they were intoxicated by each other’s scents. Soon their mouths opened and tongues slid in, meeting in a frenzy of longing and passion. He grasped the small of her back more tightly, lost in the sensation of their tongues together.

“Ben,” Pearl gasped softly into the kiss, sticking her hands under the pirate hat and raking them through his spiky hair. Fire coursed through his body at the way she said his name, and Ben opened his eyes to admire her for a second before closing them again and moving in for another kiss.

They stumbled backward together, too hazy to even know where they were going, instinctively moving until Pearl’s back hit something that stopped them. They were propped up against a tree, as entangled together as her massive skirt and petticoat would allow. She hastily pulled the fabrics into a bunch to move them out of the way and allow Ben’s body to come even closer to hers. He embraced her, feeling her flush against his chest, her arms wrapping possessively around him. Man and mermaid tingled and shivered, tongues sliding against the other in delicious sync, legs entwined as hers nestled between his, and hearts beating madly.

Their kisses were steamy from the start, becoming steamier with each passing moment. They let out soft moans or needy whimpers into each other’s mouths, and responded to such noises by gently squeezing any flesh they could grab. Well—almost any. None of them had crossed a line to a truly intimate touch yet. They just kissed and caressed and squeezed each other, slowly and tenderly, hypnotized by the pure delight of their shared connection—physical and emotional. Breathing into each other, touching each other, practically melting into one another.

Ben pulled away for a moment, smiling breathlessly and simply admiring Pearl again, appreciating her beautiful face and the starry-eyed way she looked up at him. That expression on her face made him happier than he ever thought possible. Then he took her chin, tilted it up and captured Pearl’s lips with his own in another deep, slow kiss that made them hazy. His hand rested on the side of her head, fingers lightly playing with her silky blonde locks.

For the first time, neither of them stopped the kisses. It’s not that they were being irrational—no, this time they made a clear-headed decision to take advantage of the party loophole. Out of all the loopholes they had utilized before, this was clearly the best one! The most delicious…and perhaps the most dangerous, although they didn’t seem to think so yet.

So, firm in their decision, they stayed in each other’s arms a long time, trading kisses that verged from slow and sensual to needy and fiery. Gentle caresses and faint touches, or grabbing and pulling and heavy petting. A tender nose nuzzle and a smile, or a harder bite and a gasp. Nobody found them in their nook, and they didn’t even notice that more than an hour had already passed.

Soon after that, Pearl’s lips slid over Ben’s, and she began trailing kisses across his jawline, then down his neck. Oh, it drove Ben wild! He shivered with pleasure, panting lightly as his hand made a loose fist in her blonde hair. She was passionate when she sucked on his neck, licking it down, and Ben gave her appreciative pets in return.

“Tell me when you painted that canvas of me,” Pearl moaned into his neck, then gently nibbled at the skin.

Ben let out a breathless chuckle. “Don’t think that you can seduce me into oversharing, Pearl.” He may be melting, and wild with desire, but his intelligence was very much intact. Instead of letting her insist, he covered her lips with his own again. Another kiss, then Pearl canted her head to press her face to the side of his.

“We could…go further than kissing,” she gasped in his ear, needy and arching her body into him. “It does not have to mean anything. A party loophole,” her nose rubbed against the side of his face, all lovingly and affectionately. Pearl had made a decision. She wanted Ben all the way—and it wasn’t just for lust. She was falling for that man.

Oh God, Ben wanted to say yes so badly! “Maybe,” he muttered weakly, swallowing hard and closing his eyes more tightly. His hand grabbed a fistful of her dress, in the back. He needed his brain to come up with a rational reason to stop what was about to happen, but all he could come up with were reasons to go ahead with it. It was impossible to say no to the woman he was falling in love with! He felt Pearl tilt her head back, so he opened his eyes to look at her—and he couldn’t resist kissing that elegant exposed neck of hers. His mouth met her skin and he kissed it, feeling feverish. Ben peppered slow, lingering kisses all over her neck, and the siren whimpered and squirmed in delight. When he tasted her with his tongue, both of them nearly started taking off clothes right then and there.

Ben gently nibbled at her shoulder, and she slipped her hands under his shirt, passionately caressing his skin. Feeling him, his stomach, his chest, and Ben thought he was in heaven. He squeezed her thigh under her giant Victorian skirt and petticoat, his other hand messing up her hairdo. Pearl sighed happily, feeling so good she thought she might float away.

Her hips had been pressed to his for quite some time now, sending pleasant jolts up both their bodies. The mermaid only shifted a little to try and undo his belt. Ben let her. In the meantime, he undid the back of her gown and slipped his hands in to feel the corset underneath, and the curves of her body.

“I can’t believe I finally seduced the great human king Benjamin Linus,” Pearl sort of whispered to herself, in a dreamy state of love and lust, giving his face heavy kisses just as she finished undoing his belt.

But that comment gave Ben pause. It sounded—calculated. Like she had been planning this seduction all along. He pulled his hands from her and stepped back, squinting as though he was deep in thought. Was Pearl playing a game with him? He used to be sure she was, flirting just because that was her nature. Then her lyrics changed things—made him think that her feelings might be real. But that comment…oh, it brought back his mistrust of her intentions! Surely she was playing with him! Mermaids had a reputation for luring, seducing, and then drowning humans: using their wiles for their benefit. Ben believed Pearl’s attraction to him was real – that was obvious! -- but now he was convinced that her choice to act on that attraction was some tactic to ensnare him, make him fall for her so he was easier to manipulate.

And Ben didn’t sign up to be a siren’s plaything. Even though it would feel…so, so deliciously good to be Pearl’s plaything, Ben wasn’t that person. He didn’t trust her, so he wouldn’t let himself be used by her—no matter how badly he desired her, too. The kisses and heavy petting had gone far enough. She was a siren; any seduction coming from her was a mere trick, and he refused to fall for it more than he already had. Benjamin Linus was nobody’s toy, and he would not give up control over his emotions. Not to her, not to anyone.

“I should go,” he said briskly, face suddenly stern.

She looked utterly confused. “What? Why? Did I do something wrong?”

“No,” he said vacantly, with a small shrug as he redid the belt. “I refuse to be manipulated, Pearl. You might think that going further with me will wrap me around your finger, but that will not work on me. I’m in control, so I’ll bid you goodnight.”

That was all he said before he left her there, still leaning against a tree under the stars, flushed and utterly stunned. He didn’t look back, because that would only make him feel things: sadness, a little bit of anger over her attempt at manipulating him, a bit of heartbreak, and emotional and sexual frustration. Ben knew he had to stay strong and bury all those feelings under the cold and unemotional façade he was a master at projecting and forcing himself to feel.

Pearl felt unsteady as she watched Ben walk away from her. She didn’t expect what was supposed to be a fun make-out and possible sex to turn so…emotionally heavy. Her heart clenched when she realized she’d lost him. But she was a little bothered with Ben too, for assuming that she was manipulating him; her intentions had been nothing but pure! Dirty pure, but still. And yet she couldn’t blame him too much, knowing the reputation of the sirens and the difficulty that Ben had with trust in general. But he could’ve at least let her explain things to him! He didn’t need to kiss her for hours and then flip out on her like that! Pearl wasn’t just pouting out of frustration with his suspicions of her, though; the kisses ignited a fire within her that was difficult to ignore. She knew she was done with that Halloween party for good. With a sharp sigh, the blonde swiped a spare bottle of wine and went off to the shore, where she transformed back to mermaid shape and swam to her favorite underwater grotto.

She found her way back home in the morning, a little hungover. Ben – who was still being distant, treating her a little coldly – gave her a pair of sunglasses, advil, and made sure she was hydrated before he went off to some meeting at Hydra.

It was Richard who found her later, arms resting on a low cement wall and one of her long legs bending back at the knee. Wearing a large T-shirt and short jean shorts. Her hair was less meticulously brushed than usual, the large sunglasses obscuring her eyes. The siren whined wistfully, watching Ben walk by without noticing her.

“Are you okay?” the advisor asked dubiously. In her current state she almost reminded him of one of those messy Hollywood It Girls.

“Hm? Oh. Yes. Hungover,” she pushed her new sunglasses up to her head to look at him and winced. “Benjamin gave me a pill for it.” Then her gaze instantly drifted back to Ben. Pearl could not get him out of her mind! She desperately wanted to kiss him again, and she craved so much more than that.

Richard noticed the longing intensity with which she was looking at Ben, taking in his every move and not tearing her eyes away from him for anything. “Do you need him for something? I can get him for you,” the advisor offered.

“No, thank you, I’m only looking. I can’t seem to stop thinking about him…” she half-mindedly confessed.

That unsettled the advisor. Pearl seemed to be well adapted to their society, but she was still a predator. “You’re not thinking about hurting him, are you?”

“No, of course not!” she clamored earnestly, finally looking back at Richard. “I wouldn’t do that.” A pause, and a mischievous smirk appeared on her face. “Unless we are talking about a couple of scratches on his back, if he likes that. He could bite me, if he wanted to…” the siren somewhat muttered under her breath, her passion that ignited the night before still not contained.

“Oh, you…” Richard tensed, “…you’re saying you want to be with Ben.” From a personal standpoint, maybe that’d be fine. But tactically? Ben being involved with a mermaid was a tactical nightmare.

“Yes,” she sighed longingly, grabbing the low wall and dangling backwards off it. “But worry not, advisor. I will not sleep with a human. That—could get too messy.” She missed the window now that the party loophole was over. And it was all moot because Ben didn’t want her, anyway.

“It could,” Richard was quick to agree. “It would.”

“I think I will go for a swim,” she said abruptly, pushing the sunglasses back down. “The ocean will help clear my head. And I’m sure once the hangover passes, these cravings shall go away too.”

Off she went, and Richard hurried toward Ben. Pearl was a gorgeous, clever, charming woman; any single man would have a hard time saying no to her. Many married men too. And she seemed to get along very well with Ben; the two were always whispering together, bickering with each other in a way that betrayed sexual tension. Or laughing and staring at one another with stars in their eyes. The chemistry was always palpable. When they showed up in matching costumes at the party, Richard thought it was just a ruse so everyone else didn’t question Pearl’s presence; an ‘if they think she’s dating Ben, they won’t suspect she’s a mermaid’ type of ploy. But now the advisor was growing worried. If Pearl made a move, would Ben really deny her affections, when it was obvious that there was so much chemistry between them? “I was just talking to Pearl. She told me what she’s going through.”

Ben’s eyes remained on the map he was studying. “Nothing to worry about. I helped her take care of things.” He was, of course, referring to the hangover.

The immortal man chuckled. “Ben, you will probably want to phrase that differently when I tell you what she had to say.”

Blue eyes instantly snapped up at the advisor, apprehensive and a little confused. “I’m sorry? What did she say?”

“She made it very clear how much she wants to sleep with you,” Richard informed him. He felt it was his duty as advisor to help guide Ben through what could become a problem for all of them.

The leader froze, eyes widening in slow motion. “Oh. Um.” He cleared his throat. “Why would she tell you such a private thing? It’s probably a ploy of some sort, Richard,” he dismissed, shaking his head. What else could he say? But really, he thought it was probably a combination of real desire and a manipulation ploy. His throat felt a little dry all of a sudden, pulse racing a little faster.

“It didn’t seem like it. She was watching you, longingly, and when I asked her about it the answer slipped out. Then she ran off to swim, to clear her head. I think she meant it.” Richard grew serious. “Ben, you know that you can’t—”

“Oh Richard, please, don’t lecture me,” Ben interrupted, snippy and exasperated. “Of course I know that I can’t. I would never—go there with Pearl,” he frowned petulantly. In his head he added, huffing: if you must know, I could have, last night. I didn’t. But he didn’t say that, not wishing to add to Richard’s preoccupation. Even though he knew he did the right thing with Pearl, Ben wondered if he’d regret saying no for the rest of his life.

The advisor finally relaxed a little, because Ben sounded resolute. “Good. I know you wouldn’t. Sorry, Ben. I was just making sure you’re thinking with your head.” The implication of ‘and not with another body part’ rang loud and clear.

Ben let out a small scoff, glowering at the other man. “Don’t be inappropriate. Pearl is my political rival, whom I am trying to cultivate into an ally. She’s a siren. I would never jeopardize things to, to…” his mouth opened and closed a few times, head giving a few fast shakes, “be with her.” Never mind that they kissed the night before, and not for the first time; the advisor didn’t need to know that.

“I believe you,” Richard nodded. “I know it might be tempting to give in to her, but I know you always put the mission first,” he smiled at Ben.

Ben smiled back and nodded. But, despite all the conviction he displayed to Richard, he secretly decided that he would avoid going home that afternoon—to stay away from any temptation. If Pearl tried to kiss him again, alone in their house, Ben wasn’t completely sure he’d have enough willpower to say no to her again. Not when he wanted her so badly, and not after spending the entire rest of the night replaying their kisses. Best steer clear until she wasn’t hungover, at least. Both of them needed to be completely clear-headed to pull this off.

Chapter 25: Finding a true confidant is like the stars aligning and the oceans lighting up in neon colors

The evening after the Halloween party – after her hangover settled -- Pearl decided she wanted to have a word with Ben. Things needed to be cleared up. “Benjamin, I was too stunned and then too hungover to discuss serious matters, but I need to say something to you,” the mermaid marched up to him, speaking sternly with a hand on her hip.

He quirked an eyebrow. “Yes?” She almost looked like an angry girlfriend, and he was a bit curious as to what tactic she might try now.

“You accused me of trying to manipulate you by kissing you and using sex—but I was not. It was not a trick of any sort,” she said firmly, glowering at him.

Ben remained entirely unfazed. “Forgive me if I’m not quick to believe that from a siren,” he droned.

She sighed sharply. “I would admit to it now, Benjamin. You know I like to gloat about my games. But I promise you, I was not manipulating you. I simply wished to sleep with you, but that’s done now. I understand it will never work between us, even in the most casual of senses.” Her speech came out forceful and with speed, making Ben’s head spin.

“I—” he started, unsure. He didn’t want to offend her, but he didn’t want to believe her either. Believing her meant that he threw away a chance to be with her for nothing, or it meant that he was being played again at this very moment. But she promised it—and Pearl never lied when she made a promise. He frowned. “—apologize if I misjudged you,” Ben said politely, “but—yes, it will never work. We got carried away on Halloween night.”

“Indeed. It is as we said: humans can kiss at parties and have it mean nothing. That is all it was; a passing fancy and meaningless party kiss,” the siren lied, her smile not reaching her icy eyes.

He smiled back, and it didn’t reach his eyes either. “Of course, yeah, it, it happened because it was a party. These things happen. It—doesn’t have to mean anything. As we agreed beforehand.”

“Yes, as agreed.” Her smile widened but somehow looked even more cynical. “I only wanted to clear the air regarding manipulation, because I really did not intend it that way.”

“I believe you,” he quietly conceded, face suddenly somber. “Sorry.”

“Apology accepted. We are friendly still,” Pearl reassured, ignoring how her heart ached that she had to use the word ‘friend’ at all.

Ben nodded, forcing out a small little smile. “We are, of course.” A pause, then he added with his trademark dry humor: “As much as a man and a mermaid can be.” Pearl chuckled.

***

A couple days passed and – despite their claims of mere friendship -- neither Ben’s nor Pearl’s desire for the other went away. At every hour of the day they wished they could reach out and touch each other—but both of them were masters at ignoring their own feelings and needs. They pretended the kiss was just a party thing – like it was supposed to have been! – and carried on like it was business as usual. Like their budding romantic feelings didn’t even exist.

That afternoon, Pearl was home alone, smiling as she listened to a music box she brought from her grotto treasure trove. It was something her mother left her, and she’d retrieved it on the same day she got their Halloween costumes. The familiar melody helped her feel at ease and even more at home in Ben’s yellow Island house. He didn’t mind her bringing it, especially when she shared with him the real significance of that music box. In fact, he was touched that she’d tell him how much the item meant to her. The melody was very soft, very pleasant.

The blonde mermaid was smiling at the tiny spinning ballerina when Ben walked in with a hand on his nose. There was blood pouring from it, and that startled Pearl.

“Benjamin, you’re injured!” she gasped, and the note of sincere concern made his stomach flip.

“I’ll live,” Ben droned in a monotone. He felt a little powerless about what happened, so he acted emotionless to compensate. And it really wasn’t anything worth getting worked up about, he thought.

“What happened?” Pearl rushed toward him and tried to move his hand to take a better look.

Ben grimaced and drew back from her. “Nothing, it’s—it’s alright.

So he was being evasive? Okay…she could respect his privacy, at least for now. “I can tend to it, if you’ll allow me?” she inquired.

It was the second time she’d made a similar offer. The first time was back when he was hit by Rousseau’s arrow. Barely conscious, in terrible pain and bleeding out, he had no choice but to let Pearl stitch him up in a damp oceanside cave. But that first offer was met with contempt and reluctance, as Ben didn’t want to be anywhere near her. Now…he wasn’t as sure. He didn’t like the idea of relying on her and appearing weak, and he was certainly more than capable of fixing up the bleed by himself…but there was something appealing in allowing her to take care of him. A certain foreign, comforting notion that was tempting him despite reason telling him to say no.

“Alright,” he finally said, a bit robotically. “But there’s not much to be done. Maybe some ice after the bleeding stops…”

Pearl was already on it, grabbing a few ice cubes from the fridge and wrapping them in a clean cloth. Ben had a seat around the living room table, one hand still pressed to his nose and the other under it to catch any stray blood droplets.

She joined him there, placed a hand on his cheek to guide his head back, and held some tissues to his nostrils. “One time I swam straight into a wooden plank from a ship,” she shared a sympathetic story, “and my nose bled too. The water pressure stopped it faster.”

“The deep sea would do that,” he agreed in a monotone, pinching the bridge of his nose to help slow down the dripping of blood.

It worked after a minute or two, so Pearl gently pressed the wrapped ice cubes to his nose. Ben winced at first touch, grimaced a little, and then stilled.

“Is that better?” she asked after a while, smiling softly at him and removing the ice. “Or does it still hurt?”

Ben scrunched up his face and wriggled his nose to test it. “It’s not too bad. Thanks,” he said a bit blankly.

“My pleasure,” she smiled and got up to throw the bloody tissues away. “You really will not tell me what happened?” the mermaid tried one more time as she prepared to leave the room.

“It’s not important,” he dismissed again.

“You’re a locked chest of secrets,” she pointed out with a faint smirk, glancing at him over her shoulder. But then she frowned. “I was upset to see you hurt. I wish you could tell me the truth. I will not judge you, I promise.”

That gave him pause, and he stared at her with his mouth slightly open. Pearl could have tried to manipulate or sweet talk him into telling the truth, or even bargain for it. Instead she just asked and earnestly told him that she wanted to know. Ben thought about how much she had been sharing with him lately: her rise to power, her mother, her struggles with the throne. He felt that he knew her well by now, and maybe it was time to try to let himself be vulnerable with someone else.

“If you must know,” he said snippily, “I…” a huff, “I got hit,” he widened his eyes with exasperation, shaking his head. It was a bit embarrassing to be telling her about this! But she took such good care of him that he found himself wanting to let her in more.

“By a person?!” she cried out in shock. Ben gave a half-hearted and still exasperated nod. “Oh my goodness! Who did that to you?!” Pearl couldn’t believe any of Ben’s subjects would ever dare!

“One of the plane crash survivors,” he said in annoyed bitterness, through a set jaw.

Pearl’s eyes narrowed. She liked Ben so much that even the idea of someone hurting him was filling her with dread and making her burn with anger. In a dark moment, she secretly vowed to bite the person responsible with her siren fangs. “Why would they do such a thing?! What happened?!” The blonde reached to take his hand, then hesitated. Better not touch him. She pulled the hand back when it was halfway there, a bit awkwardly.

He noticed, and ignored it. Except that her almost-gesture made him want to keep talking. “We were watching them,” Ben sulked bitterly, “to figure out the best way to test if any of their women are pregnant.” The Australian blonde had already given birth and Ben needed to be sure there were no other pregnancies on the Island. If there were, baby and mother were likely to die even if conceived on the mainland. “One of them saw me—the one that stayed in our bear cages.” Ben’s eyes were narrowed, an air of sulky petulance in how he recounted the story. “I tried to talk to him, but,” he widened his eyes at Pearl for emphasis, face expressionless, “he’s not much of a communicator.”

Pearl gritted her teeth. She despised people who were quick to physical violence instead of trying to talk first. Why were some humans so comfortable assaulting someone else?! Gross. “I’m sorry, Ben.”

“I’m not telling you that to garner sympathy,” Ben clarified, impassive, “but to illustrate a larger point: you know how complicated, how—” he searched for the most efficient word to communicate the exact meaning, “—fraught power relations can be. I’m the leader, so the responsibility – and the blame, falls on me.” He was unblinking as he told her all that.

“Forgive me for not enjoying seeing you bleed,” she said with biting sarcasm.

He realized he may have been a tad unnecessarily harsh. It was in his nature to downplay any hardships, to always project that he was in charge, but he didn’t need to do that with Pearl anymore. Especially not when they were hanging out at home. Ben’s forehead creased. “Sorry. I’m—I’m aggravated. I appreciate your concern.”

She smiled. “And I understand how fraught power relations are, of course. The leader often gets saddled with more blame than deserved.” It was a sad reality they both had to contend with. Then Pearl’s eyes met Ben’s. “Your search for pregnant women—that’s because of the Island’s infertility problem, is it not?” She remembered how much that meant to him when he asked if he could study a mermaid’s reproductive system.

He grew quiet, a somber look on his face, simply nodding a response. “They’re still trying to leave this Island,” he suddenly said in a droned complaint, “and are mad at us for keeping them here!” An exasperated huff. It was unusual for Ben to vent so openly to someone. His emotions were rarely meant for public display. They were private, his and his alone. But sure enough, Ben found himself opening up to Pearl. He was tired, and disheartened, and in a bit of a mood too. She was an interesting sounding board for his current woes. And, in a twisted way, it made more sense to confide in a mermaid than in one of his own people; she’d take his secrets to the fathoms deep when she left.

“They don’t know it is Jacob that keeps them trapped, do they?” Pearl deduced.

“Of course not. They’re not meant to know that,” Ben looked at her. “So they blame us instead.”

“Are you playing a part in keeping them here?” the insightful siren asked.

Ben made a face, then gave an exasperated little shake of the head. “Not at the moment. But we will, if it comes to that. We cannot let them leave.” There was an ominous tinge at the end. Ben didn’t enjoy keeping anyone hostage on the Island, but Jacob’s rules were Jacob’s rules. He didn’t feel that it was up to him to change them, and that would be disloyal.

As much as Pearl didn’t agree with the blind loyalty to Jacob and his cruel rules, she knew Ben’s faith in the Island and its deity-like man meant a lot to him. So she kept the nastier complaints to herself, and instead said: “Leaving would help the pregnant women, would it not?”

He felt like he’d been kicked in the stomach. Not by Pearl, but by the harsh knowledge that Jacob’s own rules were in the way of figuring out how to solve the Island’s fertility issues. “It would…” the word dragged out from him in a slow hiss.

“So you are telling me that you got punched because you are trying to prioritize the rules whilst still taking the best possible care of the people you’re leader of,” she summed it up succinctly.

“That’s fair to say,” he agreed, still a bit bitter. Ben would always prioritize his mission, even if it meant sacrificing or getting hurt. At least until he learned that he shouldn’t.

The blonde sighed. “And Jacob did not offer any advice on how to deal with this?”

“No…” came the word with a downward lilt, heavy and dragging. His resentment toward the Island deity was festering, made worse in helpless days like today. But he was quick to add the lie that would protect his power: “He talks to me, of course. He just—didn’t have much to say on this topic…”

“…Right…” she pretended to agree, but Pearl was not convinced. Because, as far as she was aware of, Jacob did not speak to anyone but an advisor. Maybe he’d changed and she was out of the loop, or maybe Ben was lying to her. She decided not to press. “So what will you do?”

He hesitated, eyes narrowing suspiciously. It was one thing to vent his personal feelings to Pearl; she was very understanding, supportive, and a clever sounding board that helped him think more clearly. But to share tactical decisions with her? A rival? “I’m handling it,” he dodged.

Pearl let out a soft mutter. “You do not have to tell me, but please know that I would never interfere with matters of pregnancy and babies. And I can’t interfere in matters of leaving the Island, as I am trapped too.”

Ben’s lips rolled into a thin line. When he came home with a bloody nose, he just wanted to clean up in the bathroom and retreat to his room to think and strategize. Never did he imagine that Pearl would insist on helping him, and that he would then feel comfortable venting to her. But here they were.

Speaking to her of these matters made him feel understood and heard; it helped him feel better. And, when she promised to never interfere, he found himself begrudgingly trusting her. Quite a feat for a man like him. He exhaled sharply. “I’m going to send Juliet to infiltrate their beach camp. She can test the women.” Worst case scenario he’d be forced to temporarily kidnap them all, test them for pregnancy, and release them. But Pearl absolutely did not need to know the darker side of that plan!

And there were those adoring hazel eyes on him again. Pearl marveled at Ben—at his striking beauty, his work ethic, his strong faith, his eloquence and wit. The blonde siren had always held some admiration for Ben, from the day they met, but now she respected and admired him for all that he was. “I wish you the best of luck with that,” she said with a sincere smile.

Ben swallowed thickly, disconcerted and flattered by her adoring gaze. “Thank you,” he said stiffly.

It was crazy how much things had changed! Somewhere that neither of them could quite pinpoint, there was a real turning point in their relationship. The more she spent time with him, the more at ease Pearl became, comfortable with his presence after three or four weeks with him. It was only around that time that she started to let loose too, allowing the more carefree side of her personality to shine through. Lighthearted quips, sincere smiles and warm laughs, jokes and games with him rather than against him.

Her relaxed demeanor around him had the effect of helping Ben relax too. He was able to be less guarded, becoming gradually more at ease with her. Eventually, before the first month was up, they started enjoying their time together a lot more, looking forward to talking at the end of the day or sharing meals or tackling some new task together. A genuine friendship had blossomed then, and it felt firm now. Slowly but surely, against all odds, Pearl was becoming his confidant, and Ben hers.

And then the knowledge that he would soon lose her started to plague him. But what could he do to stop it? Nothing. He felt that trying to hold on to the siren was the same as attempting to keep a handful of water: futile. The water would always seep between your fingers, and the siren would always slip away. And then he’d lose his closest friend.

But of course, it was more than friendship, and not just for him. Pearl, too, realized they were now halfway through their roommate experiment. She missed home, but the idea of leaving her favorite human was starting to haunt her a little. She was so taken with him, and yet Ben had no idea of the intensity of the effect he could have on her.

For someone who didn’t care about nudity of any kind, Pearl felt her head spinning if she ever caught a rare glimpse of a half-dressed Ben. One time she was lounging on the couch, laying on her stomach when it happened: he hurried from the bathroom to his bedroom, shirtless, because he forgot something for his shower. Pearl saw him over the armrest first and immediately perked her head up. He moved swiftly, so the siren sat up to peer over the backrest, following him with her awed gaze. The butterflies in her stomach intensified, and so did her desire. Pearl felt a need spreading through her, the air around her getting thicker as her eyes discreetly roamed over his shape. Those broad shoulders, firm arms, that sexy chest and back… oh, and he was wearing shorts! It was a rare sight of his bare legs, which she lustfully admired until he disappeared into his room. Pearl sighed longingly. She knew she’d love nothing more than to spend a night with him, but that would compromise her experiment far too much. Not to mention it carried the danger of making her even more deeply infatuated, more emotionally attached to him. And he’d say no, anyway.

She also didn’t realize the full effect she had on him. Pearl believed that Ben merely thought her to be very beautiful and very fascinating, like most humans did. She didn’t understand how deep his attraction to her went, how his fascination was so much more than that, and how hard it was for him to reject her. She had no idea that Ben desperately wanted her, had real feelings for her and felt he desperately needed to stay away from her.

Their feelings stayed hidden, except for lingering gazes or brushed touches, conspiratorial laughs shared in the dark of night, or in the eagerness to see each other every day. But the feelings were there, and the two were starting to fear that they might never go away.

***

Pearl wasn’t home when Ben woke up the next day. Her bed was unslept in, which was the norm. What was telling was the bathtub being completely dry, like she didn’t fill it up overnight. Did she not spend the night at home?!

This is not her home, he bitterly reminded himself. He could hardly believe he felt like it was! He recalled when the mermaid first arrived, and how inconvenienced and annoyed he felt by her presence. He hated sharing space with her! Yet now her presence was the most natural thing to him, and what he looked forward to the most. Pearl was such a big part of his life that it felt like she belonged there with him!

Ben shuddered. That was a dangerous thought. This is not her home, he repeated in his head, emphasizing that she’d be back underwater soon enough. He couldn’t let himself miss her!

But he would. He knew he would, when the time came. And right now he did too, because where the hell was she? At her home, probably, came the bitter theory. Maybe she went to be with her family for a night; her daughter might have needed her, or she was homesick. Ben would ask, later.

She still wasn’t back when he finished breakfast and left to go to the Community Center.

When he came home in the afternoon, Ben found a large bouquet of fresh wildflowers on the porch, tied with rope. Squinting curiously, he took it inside. There was a note hanging from the stem, addressed to Pearl. He stopped, standing immovable for a moment while he decided what to do. Walk away, or commit a minor invasion of privacy? His lips pressed into a line. Then, swiftly, he grabbed the paper and unfolded it to read the note.

Thank you for the most wonderful and magical night, Pearl. No signature.

What the hell?! Ben’s mind was spinning, his stomach clenching with ache while acrid jealousy rose up his throat. The timing was too weird, too synchronized to be unrelated: Pearl didn’t sleep at home for the first time ever, and the next day she received flowers thanking her for the night?!

It had to be something platonic, Ben tried to tell himself, but he wasn’t so sure. Pearl got kind of fired up sometimes, craving kisses and hugs and being all passionate with him. She could be doing the same with someone else, easily, especially because Ben shut her down the last time. Oh God, he winced, growing more and more horrified. Did he push her right into another man’s arms?

Who could it be?! Ben didn’t think she would get involved with someone that didn’t know her true nature. Meaning, Richard was the only possibility. Or Isabel, if Pearl happened to be interested in women. Could she have confessed the truth to a third party? No…she was too secretive for that. Richard was the most likely candidate, because Ben noticed the two getting closer lately. Talking alone, laughing politely. He didn’t care too much at the time because, well, Richard was still in love with his deceased wife. But she died centuries ago; a man was bound to move on sometime. That painful, acidic jealousy tightened its grip around Ben’s insides again, his eyes full of a freezing, wounded darkness.

He considered getting rid of the flowers. She never had to know. If she didn’t know about the romantic gesture then her interest in the other man might taper off. For a brief moment, Ben considered it very seriously, the insecurities in his head yelling at him to act impulsively and selfishly, fast! Throw these awful plants away!

But he controlled himself. He took a deep breath, grimaced, and dropped the note where he found it. It was one of the most difficult things he’d ever done in his life, it went against his controlling instincts, but—it was the right thing to do. More importantly, Pearl deserved that respect and consideration. He didn’t want to lash out at her just because he was hurt. He couldn’t let jealousy control his actions like he may have before.

That didn’t mean he was dropping the subject altogether, though.

“Oh, hello,” he greeted with a cordial smile when she finally got home. “How have you been? I noticed you were out last night,” Ben kept his tone congenial and disinterested.

“I am well,” she smiled, and then she seemed skittish. “Yes, I was—mingling.”

“Mingling,” he repeated, eyes widening ominously. Then he said cuttingly: “How appropriately vague.”

Pearl sensed he was on to her, so she changed the subject. “How was your morning? Did you visit Alex today?”

“Briefly, yeah,” he nodded, still keeping that aloof demeanor. Visiting his daughter was nice, but the teen never wanted to spend a lot of time with him anymore. “Oh,” he tapped his forehead, “I almost forgot, you have a delivery,” he gestured at the bouquet, pretending to only remember it now – but he didn’t pretend well. It was almost like he was acting badly on purpose, because the words came out with a bite.

“My goodness, what pretty flowers,” she lit up and skipped toward them. The siren unfolded the note and giggled when she read it. Her reading lessons with Ben were going well, and she’d learned enough of the basics.

“I’m wondering—was the bouquet sent by the person you were mingling with, out all last night?” he asked incisively, unable to hold back. His face remained eerily impassive.

He was trying to act unbothered but she saw past the act. Pearl looked at him and saw the way his jaw was subtly set, the edges of his mouth taut, his eyes a blank that hid the smallest hint of anger and pain. “You’re jealous,” she said slowly, as the realization hit. “You think I slept with someone last night.”

“No,” he lied, a calm smile on his face. “I’m only curious. If you’re spending too much time with one of my people, I think I ought to know.”

A teasing look crossed the mermaid’s face. “So you would like me to tell you who sent the flowers, and why.”

He gave a casual shrug. “I think that’s for the best, don’t you?”

She held back a laugh. Every time Pearl convinced herself that Ben couldn’t possibly have feelings for her – someone he deemed an ‘aquatic predator’, and not incorrectly so – he surprised her with a smitten look, or a kiss, or jealousy. He’d reject her but then he’d behave like that. She was starting to understand that his rejection was nothing more than a matter of protecting himself and his own feelings. He was conflicted so he was sending mixed signals. “You will not like the answer,” the siren forewarned, a sly grin on her face.

“Try me,” he said dryly. And then Ben prepared for the worst; for the dread that would consume him if she told him that she was with someone else.

Her grin was so wide it made her look like a Cheshire cat. Pearl held the note between her fingers, lightly tapping it against an open palm. “As you know, I have been teaching modern English speaking to my merfolk,” she began, slowly circling Ben. Swaying as she walked. Putting on a performance. It irked him, but he couldn’t tear his eyes away. “Recently we have moved on to writing. I pass your lessons along to them. They find it quite wonderful and magical.” She stopped right in front of Ben, whose blue eyes narrowed suspiciously at her. “One of them thought they should thank me with a nice gesture whilst showing off their new writing skills. Ben…” her smirk was very smug. “…the merman who sent me those flowers is related to me,” she tapped the paper on his cheek, stifling a laugh.

Oh my God. So the bouquet was entirely innocent! Ben felt that he might dissolve into relief, and he did all he could to keep a neutral expression. He really shouldn’t have jumped to conclusions, but he was proud that he didn’t simply throw away the flowers and live with that guilt and that dread of not-knowing forever. And then it hit him: “A merman walked into my territory to leave that bouquet on my doorstep?!” he exclaimed, mildly horrified. Those fanged creatures should not be so close! “That’s—that’s a complete breach of the treaty!” he glared at her.

“I know, I offer you my deepest apologies,” she grimaced. “I met with them late at night to be discreet, on dry land since we needed paper. I did not think one of them would follow me here later. I will have a talk with them. But…as far as a breach, may we consider that my living here counts as extenuating circumstances? What he wanted was to reach his queen, not intrude on your territory,” she explained, perfectly diplomatic, ever-so-respectful when she asked for a reprieve.

Ben was glaring at her, petulant and suspicious. “I can see how your current address complicates matters. But make sure this never happens again,” he commanded in a low, dangerous voice. The situation was not black-and-white anymore, so he could forgive her trespass. This once. Yet further proof of how much their relationship had progressed: not only were they each other’s confidants and closest companions, they also had enough trust to not make a huge deal out of a simple mistake.

She bowed her head. “I will, you have my word.” Her merfolk would never show up without her knowledge ever again.

He was still glaring a bit. “So you’re taking advantage of my lessons of reading and writing to you, and passing them on to my enemies,” Ben stated acidly.

“Yes. That is why I was skittish when you first asked me of my whereabouts—I knew you would not like this. But you know that any information you give me may be passed along…”

“I’m well aware,” he said icily. “I didn’t think you’d steal my lesson plan, but here we are.” A pause, then he abruptly asked: “Why did you tell me the truth?” It could’ve caused serious problems between them if he wasn’t willing to trust her!

The hint of a smirk returned to her features. “I assessed that you would be happier with the reality than with what you imagined to have happened.” Meaning, she thought that Ben would be more at ease with her teaching English to his enemies than with her sleeping with someone else.

“I didn’t imagine, I asked,” he bent the truth.

“Mmhm,” Pearl hummed lightly, looking at him. “I find it ever so interesting that you will not sleep with me, you assume that my flirting is a trick, and yet you do not wish for me to sleep with anyone else either,” she commented airily, partly to tease him and partly to actually call him out.

“That’s not—” he spluttered, then let out a small huff. “I was not jealous,” he lied again.

“You were jealous of this imaginary lover! You were jealous of Jacob, and, now that I think back on it, you may have even been jealous of Spear!” she trilled with cheery accusation. “Oh, dearest Ben, who are you fooling? You desire me for your own.”

The smug grin on Pearl’s face vexed him. He glared with comical exasperation, then seemed mildly distressed. “Pearl, of course I—feel a level of…desire for you,” he stumbled with how to say that appropriately. “We’ve kissed enough times that you should know it by now. But that’s—all…”

She was starting to be pretty sure that he had real feelings for her. But it was hard to have certainty when Ben was so guarded. “Well, worry not. I wouldn’t really sleep with a human ever again…unless, perhaps, said human is you,” Pearl’s words were smooth as butter, and slick. She winked at him.

For a second there, Ben almost caved and whisked her away to his bedroom. But no, he had to keep his wits around the mermaid. Temptress or not, he could not get more involved with her. God, he was really tired of having to make sacrifices for the Island!

But at least she wasn’t seeing anyone else. That would’ve really hurt.

***

Every time Ben walked into a room she was in, it did something to Pearl; usually it took her breath away. The mere sight of him left her weak. It was hard to think straight—to remember why she could never be seriously romantically involved with a human. And since when did she want anything serious with him, anyway? Her mind was spinning.

But sometimes she couldn’t keep her mouth shut and a flirtatious comment would come out of her, usually accompanied by a charming smile. Even after she vowed to never let herself be taken with him again, these things would slip.

Ben had always assumed that Pearl was flirty by nature. Sirens were built to charm and enchant, so whenever she batted her lashes and cooed at him, he didn’t take it seriously. It wasn’t personal, she was just being a siren.

But—now that he’d spent more time with her and observed more of her behaviors, he began noticing that Pearl was never flirtatious with anyone else. Not even Richard, who knew her true nature and was a good looking single guy. She only ever did that with Ben.

And he met other sirens; they didn’t flirt with him, or with anybody else they met. Did that signify that maybe sirens were not at all the perpetual seductresses the legends painted them to be? ‘Flirty’ was not their usual default mode! So…the logical conclusion could be that…Pearl flirted with him, and only him, because she was actually interested in him? Ben felt sparks between them often. There was chemistry in their conversations, a gravitational pull between their bodies, but for a long time he thought it was one-sided. Then he realized that she wanted him physically, but he still thought that her sweet compliments and affection were nothing more than meaningless siren flirtation. Now he suspected he may have been wrong. Because lately, with each passing day, he was becoming more and more convinced that maybe she reciprocated all of his feelings. Especially after the song lyrics and the adoring look on Halloween.

And Ben didn’t quite know what to do with that. She was a mermaid. He couldn’t date a mermaid, could he? No, that was ridiculous! A mermaid girlfriend? What a laughable idea. Then again, he never thought they would become friends either, and he now considered her a possible real ally and even a close confidant, whom he had great fun with. What a maddening puzzle he let himself walk right into by not nipping his own feelings for her in the bud!

“Ben, come here please,” the mermaid-on-legs sauntered into his study, distracting him from overthinking about their relationship while he was meant to be working.

He gazed up at her, eyes alert with inquisitive curiosity behind his reading glasses. “What for?”

“I do believe I’ve mastered how to make a kitchen treat,” she announced with an eager grin, then began pulling on his upper arm. “Come see!”

“You--- cooked something?” He faltered with slight disbelief, and she confirmed it by nodding, her face lit up with enthusiasm. Ben had a lot of work to do, but Pearl was relentlessly tugging on his arm, and he didn’t want to see her smile vanish. With a small smile of his own, he put down the file he was reading, then removed his glasses and placed them in a drawer. “Fine. I better make sure you’re not about to burn down my house,” he deadpanned, letting her push him forward with gentle enthusiasm.

“Have some faith in me. This is not a repeat of the chicken,” Pearl protested, her palms on his shoulders as she guided him. He would never get used to how touchy-feely the siren was, but he wasn’t exactly complaining. They made it to the kitchen and she pushed him down on a stool, making him sit. Ben let out a small hiss of helpless impatience mixed with petulance.

She began going through his cabinets. He watched warily, not entirely convinced that he should’ve ditched work for the mermaid’s antics. “The kitchen smells like chocolate,” he told her something she was sure to already know. “Did you bake?”

“Not quite,” she zoomed through his kitchen with elegant speed, very sure-footed and confident. Pearl placed two red mugs in front of him, then fished out a pan from the stove and poured out its contents – a very thick liquid chocolate – in them. “I made what I’m calling Siren’s Chocolate Kiss. Go on, try it!”

Ben eyed it dubiously. It smelled great, and he liked hot chocolate, but he doubted it would be anything too special. He picked up his mug and offered her a tight-lipped smile before taking a sip. As the rich, creamy sweetness invaded his mouth, his eyes widened with pleasant surprise. He saw her swell with pride at his reaction; Pearl held up her mug as if saying ‘cheers’ before taking her own sip.

“Mm,” Ben swallowed a couple of sips before setting the mug down. “That’s delicious! How did you make it?” There was something different in the drink, an unidentifiable quality that made it better than any hot chocolate he had ever tried before.

“Why thank you,” she curtsied before finally having a seat next to him. “Firstly, I melted the Dharma chocolate bars in a pan on the stove. Then, I melted those tiny marshmallows and I stirred them all together, adding a dash of milk too. And then,” her accomplished smile took on a mischievous turn, “I put in a little powdered seaweed.”

Ben blinked, deadpanning entirely. “Come again?”

“Seaweed,” she repeated with a shrug, tossing her long blonde hair back. “A species that we mermaids adore. It enhances sweetness by lightly counteracting it. It works wonders, doesn’t it?”

He stared at her for a beat, fascinated by how unique she was compared to humans. “I must admit that it does,” the corners of his lips quirked into a lopsided smile. And then it hit him: it had been awfully sweet of her to want to show off her kitchen prowess to him. He ducked his head in a quick bow. “Thank you for making enough to share with me. It’s very good.” A pointed nod and a light joke: “You might have a future in this, maybe opening up a little cabin to sell hot chocolate on the beach.”

She laughed and beamed, clearly delighted by the compliment. “Thank you kindly! I’m happy to share.” The mermaid raised her mug again, and Ben raised his in response. They clinked the two containers in a gentle cheer, then eagerly sipped more of her delicious concoction. A concoction that symbolized Pearl and Ben’s unique capability of uniting the land and the sea into one cohesive thing. Half and half, like their partnership.

***

When Pearl went out for a walk that day, she had her waist-length blonde hair put up in a bun, a look that she’d never sported before. Ben noticed it for two reasons: one, he was keen to notice everything out of the ordinary because all of it meant something, and true knowledge – and therefore the power that came with it – was in the details. There was a reason for Pearl’s new hairdo, even if it was mundane and simple, but there was one. So he noticed. The second reason was that it exposed a very elegant, slender neck, and accentuated her lovely collarbone. Ben couldn’t help but admire them as she walked past him, his eyes silently tracing the curve of her neck. He tried not to think about how wonderful it had been to kiss it and put his tongue on it.

All that recalling was thanks to the blonde bun. But that hairdo would become much more important that evening.

When Ben found Pearl again, she was on the couch-- but in mermaid form. It was the first time she’d ever done that in the house, as she usually reserved her tail for swims in the ocean or lakes. She even kept her legs while sleeping underwater in the bathtub! But not today. Today a full mermaid lounged on the couch. The long iridescent purple greenish tail was curled into her chest, her hair was still up in a bun, and she was wearing her usual seashell top. At least she remembered to close the curtains so nobody could see her from outside the windows.

“I hope you’re not getting water on the cushions,” Ben said lightly.

A short laugh. “I am not. I was not in the water.”

“Why do you have your tail, if I may ask?” he eyed her with curiosity as he walked into the kitchen for a glass of juice.

“I did quite a fair amount of walking today. My feet were tired and sore. I missed my tail and I thought it would be comforting to have it,” she explained with a quiet shrug, tenderly sliding her fingers up the scales. Even as acclimated as she was, sometimes living on land was still an adjustment. Ben understood that, nodding as he sipped his juice.

Coming out from the kitchen, Pearl had her back to him. And that’s when Ben saw them again: the gills. Two curved slits starting behind her ear and toward her neck, which allowed her to breathe underwater. They were skin-tone and very hard to spot, usually completely covered by her siren hair. Ben had only seen them once before, when she helped him with the broken homing beacon. And ever since then he wanted to examine them closely. But could he ask for that? It could be a little weird, invasive even, especially with his history of doing medical experiments on her that one time.

Ben pursed his lips and walked toward her with an air of casual innocence. “That’s a new hairdo. What inspired you to put it up?”

“Warmth. It was unusually hot today, much more so than underwater.” The bottom of the ocean got very icy. “But—I don’t like it,” she made a face. “I was only just thinking that I’ll put it down again.”

So it was his last chance. He had to take it! Squinting and canting his head to the side, he congenially addressed her: “I hope you don’t mind my asking, Pearl, but would it be okay if I took a closer look at your gills before you do that?”

She stayed blank-faced. “My what?”

“Gills. It’s what we call the openings that allow fish to breathe underwater. You have them when you’re in mermaid form, the slits behind your ears.”

“Oh.” The mermaid hesitated. Was she okay with him inspecting her body like that? Using her to learn more about merpeople? She gingerly touched the left gill, then looked at Ben’s awaiting face. Well…compared to how much they had helped each other, and to how much they had kissed on Halloween, taking a peek at her gills didn’t feel so invasive. She sighed. “What harm could it do? Please, be my guest.” She scooted to leave a free cushion next to her, and Pearl turned sideways on the couch so her back was to Ben’s seat. Her fins came to hang off the couch armrest.

Her answer perked him right up. Ben hurried to her side, blue eyes shining with scientific interest. He sat beside her and twisted his body a little, with Pearl facing the other direction to give him the perfect view of the back of her head. “Thank you,” Ben said politely. He appreciated her going along with him. She smiled as if saying ‘sure’, flapped her fins once, then curled her tail in again as if it was bent at the knees.

He leaned into her, getting close to the small slits on the back of her ears. Ben let out the tiniest breath of awe. They looked just like a fish’s, except made of human skin and flesh rather than fish scales. The man leaned in further, his face almost in the crook of her neck, all to inspect her anatomy more closely. Because Pearl wasn’t underwater, the gills weren’t moving, but Ben could see they had range of swaying back and forth to let ocean water filter through them. It was such a fascinating evolutionary adaptation. He studied them intently, wishing he could trace his thumb over one.

Then the front door burst open and a sulking Alex stormed in.

Pearl and Ben reacted swiftly and with immediate efficiency. The mermaid threw a blanket over her lower body to hide her tail -- in the haste of it she covered Ben’s legs too -- and Ben placed a flat hand over Pearl’s left gill to hide it.

“Alex! What—are you doing home?” he managed to ask while clearing his throat, then flashed his daughter a tight smile. The back of the couch covered most of them, and he thought they hid Pearl’s mermaid features fast enough…didn’t they?

They did. What the teenager actually saw was a different story. She caught her dad on the couch with a bare-shouldered woman, his face practically on her neck like he was about to nuzzle or kiss it. They jumped when Alex came in, startled, and then the woman hid their lower bodies under a blanket before Alex could see them properly. Her dad’s hand was on Pearl’s neck: little finger behind her ear, thumb on her neck and palm catching a bit of her jawline. Even now they looked skittish and sheepish, and like they were caught red-handed, with Ben smiling awkwardly and Pearl looking wide-eyed.

It confirmed what Alex already suspected. She gave them a crossed look. “Nothing. Just wanted to grab my rain coat.” She ripped it from the hanger behind the door and stormed back out.

“Alex, wait--” she slammed the door on Ben’s protests, and he winced.

“D-do you think she saw my tail?” Pearl asked shakily. It would be a nightmare if they found out what she was!

“No,” Ben said weakly. He was glad that Alex didn’t catch a glimpse of the mermaid, but he hated how she left abruptly and clearly upset with him! He closed his eyes and shook his head. “She would have said something if she did. I know her.”

Pearl relaxed a little, exhaling with relief. “You were a quick thinker to hide my—what did you call them? Gills. Thank you. But you can move your hand now…”

Ben was so caught up with daughter drama that he didn’t realize he was still cupping Pearl’s jawline and neck. It was only now that he felt, once again, how smooth and soft her skin was. What a wonderful neck. He could feel the line of the left side gill too, which was rather interesting. Benjamin quickly dropped the hand. “Sorry.” He clasped his hands together and looked down at his lap, then sighed sharply as he raised his eyes to Pearl. “This was too much of a close call. You shouldn’t be in the living room with a tail, Pearl! Please stick to the bathroom or your bedroom when you don’t have legs,” he said a bit sternly, frustrated but not really with her.

“I know. Please accept my apologies, I did not think anybody would come in without knocking. It was reckless of me,” she muttered as she yanked the moonstone tiara from the bun of hair. In a flash of light, her tail separated into two legs, fins shifting into feet, and she wrapped herself in the blanket before marching away to the bedroom.

After that day, rumors spread like wildfire. Alex told her boyfriend Karl what she walked in on, and Karl told his father, who told Tom, and so on and so forth. The most innocent version that spread around stated that Ben and Pearl were cuddling on his couch, with Pearl on his lap. A saucier version of the story claimed Ben was kissing her neck as they cuddled. An even more salacious rumor made the rounds, saying that their legs were intertwined and naked under the blanket, and they must’ve been having sex. Inexplicably, there was even one version floating around claiming that one of Ben’s hands was under the blanket, intimately touching Pearl. What everybody seemed to agree on was that there was some form of hooking up happening on that couch, and very possibly nudity under the blanket.

It surprised none of them. They’d picked up on the sexually charged bickering and the sparks between Ben and Pearl, then they watched them become closer and begin spending all their time together. A romance between the two was just about the only thing that explained her living in Ben’s house.

It was lucky that they were all careful not to say anything around Ben. He would’ve been mortified if he knew of the couch rumors! Pearl would have laughed, amused by the misunderstanding.

***

Letting Pearl tag along to book club created some unexpected situations sometimes. Once, when it was held at the house of the older woman named Amelia, they walked in to find the hostess wearing a classic pearl necklace. Pearl’s eyes widened. Without word or warning, the mermaid inched closer to the woman and sniffed the necklace, then let out a curt, sharp exhale that was very hiss-like. Amelia was mildly startled and thoroughly confused, and Ben had to make up an excuse on the fly. When he later asked Pearl about it, she simply said pearls belonged to the ocean so she wanted to test if they were real, because it bothered her to see humans wearing them—it felt exploitative to her.

This week, another awkward situation arose. Book club was being held at one of the men’s house. As the host, he chose the book, and his pick contained a steamy scene where a woman got on her knees to perform oral sex on her lover. It wasn’t by any means explicit, leaving well enough for the imagination--- which was perhaps where the confusion stemmed from.

As the group was gathered in the living room, Ben felt Pearl’s delicate fingers gently prodding his arm. “What is she doing when she kneels?” she asked in a hushed tone, like she’d usually do if any human concept eluded her.

Ben’s eyes widened ever so slightly, with disconcertment and faint amusement. “Shh, I’m trying to listen to the discussion,” he dismissed and glued his gaze on the host, suddenly seeming very interested in his literary analysis of the protagonist.

Pearl got the hint, but she wouldn’t give up. She waited until book club finished and the two were back at Ben’s house, alone, to bring it up again. Ben was on his way to get himself some water from the kitchen when he passed the siren that had been leaning against the living room wall in wait. “I would still like to understand that kneeling scene,” she started airily. “I would’ve asked the host, but I think that perhaps it is something very simple for a human to understand--- making it suspicious that I don’t know what it is.”

His footsteps slowed as he gave an instinctive sharper inhale. Ben wasn’t exactly comfortable talking about such things, but he supposed it was better to answer than to leave her wondering. “That scene was about a-- a type of sex,” he explained briefly then hastily made his way to the kitchen.

There was a flash of surprise across her features as she followed him. “There are different types of sex?”

He nodded once, avoiding her eyes. “Yeah.”

“Well—please elaborate!” the mermaid cheerily demanded, curiosity getting the best of her. “I must know what this is all about! I’m shocked I’ve never learned of this before!” So was he, and he was oddly glad about her innocence in those matters. He pondered if he could ignore her questions, but he knew how determined the siren was! She’d never let it go until she figured it out. Even now she was insisting: “Will you tell me?”

He reached the fridge, fingers curling around the door handle and pulling. Ben’s gaze flicked to the ceiling, then to Pearl where it hovered for a split second before returning to the appliance in front of him. “The … type … in the book is called ‘oral sex’,” he said robotically. He couldn’t even look at her while he spoke, eyes glued to the contents inside his fridge; Ben was so out of his comfort zone that he became aware of a flush on his cheeks.

The mermaid was incredibly clever; the name and kneeling position alone were enough to make her connect the dots. “Oh!” she exclaimed, “She had her mouth on his penis?”

“Pearl!” Ben scolded, accidentally letting the fridge door slip from his fingers and slam with a loud bang. “Yes, but that, that’s not an appropriate conversation!” He walked away from her to place the water jug on the counter and then retrieve a glass from the cupboard.

She was undeterred by his complaining. “Can it be done to women too?”

He let out a whiny sigh, looking up at the ceiling again. “Yeah.” A plain and direct answer. After such a charged question, he was trying not to think of her in that situation, squirming and grabbing his shoulders as she softly moaned his name; he was really trying not to wonder what she might taste like… Ben quickly shook his head to clear it, concentrating on pouring water into his glass instead. “Now please drop it,” he half asked, half ordered, in a weird mixture of impatience and embarrassment.

A long silence followed that, allowing Ben to relax. His tense shoulders eased and he brought the glass to his lips. He had only just started drinking when Pearl, who had followed him all the way to the kitchen and was currently leaning against the fridge door, pensively said: “I would like to experience that before I go back to the sea. I admit that it’s a strange notion, but it must be very good if your people like to do it. Maybe I shall try it.”

His eyes went completely wide and the water went down the wrong pipe. Ben did a spit-take and coughed, completely frazzled by her off-handed comment. He wiped his mouth, put the cup down and whirled around to face her, feeling a gnawing dread in the pit of his stomach; he hated the idea of Pearl out there trying to get that experience with someone. “You can’t do that!” the harsh words flew from his mouth before he could think better of them. Ben stepped closer to her, lips downturned into a scowl and his eyes full of defensiveness. "That’s not how it works. You can’t try to find a person for-- for that!” When he noticed that his voice was slightly raised in a petulant manner, he pressed his lips into a tight line and looked away from her in mild embarrassment. To make matters worse, Ben knew that he was lying; of course she could, theoretically, seek out a lover if she wanted to.

Pearl was strangely quiet, her gaze dancing on his face like she was analyzing him. Ben’s frown deepened as he felt uncomfortably exposed. Then the siren let out an amused puff of air. “I was not going to search for a random partner for that. I was merely thinking to ask you to do it with me.”

Ben thought that his brain had glitched for a moment. He blinked, his eyes extremely wide. His brows shot up. “I’m sorry?!” That was the only thing he could coherently say, because he needed to make sure that he understood her correctly.

“You make the most sense. I live with you, you know the truth of who I really am, I would be comfortable with you…and you are by far the cutest and most attractive human,” she rattled off her reasons as if they were obvious. “We have the most chemistry, that’s undeniable. And you are an excellent kisser. Maybe that means your mouth is excellent elsewhere too.” To Pearl, this was nothing more than a casual conversation of possible future plans. But poor Ben was spiraling.

He was trying very hard to keep his imagination from running wild, and he was failing. Flashes invaded his mind, of Pearl on her knees, his hands curled in her soft hair and her mouth on his- stop it, he mentally scolded himself, giving a sharp shake of the head. This cannot happen between the two of us! Ben drew in a breath as he prepared to face Pearl again. He let the shock subside a little first, making sure his expression was as neutral as possible before his eyes met hers and he sardonically said: “I thought you were over trying to be with me.” His eyes widened dramatically and his tone took a thicker, almost mocking quality to it: “Even in a casual sense.”

“Can one not have oral sex with someone that they are not officially dating?” she asked with a curious tilt of the head.

Well he walked right into that trap, didn’t he? Ben tutted impatiently, giving small bobs of the head. “It’s—still a kind of sexual activity, Pearl. Ideally you should be in love, or at least like the person that you’re with…” He knew that he had an old-fashioned view of sex, but his answer was sincere to what he felt.

The mermaid let out a thoughtful hum, a little smile playing on her lips. “I’m in agreement that that is the ideal situation.” She had her own romantic notions involving intimacy too, though not quite as much as Ben. He gave her a nod, face blank but feeling content that she agreed with him. “My apologies for bringing any of it up, I forgot you humans can be squeamish about sex,” she added humorously a second later.

Ben bristled, opening and closing his mouth a few times before finally speaking with defensive annoyance: “I’m not squeamish about it! It’s-- just not an appropriate subject to go around discussing! It’s a private matter, meant only for the two people engaging in the act,” a light scoff.

“Forget I mentioned it,” she smiled charmingly as she walked past him. “It was only an idea born of curiosity; of course you don’t have to teach me the proper human way of oral pleasure unless you’d like to.” Ben couldn’t breathe for a moment, his stomach doing a nervous flip as that possibility was brought up by Pearl again. “You’re very handsome, charmingly witty, and very intense--- a winning combination.” The mermaid pressed her palm to his cheek, smiling sweetly. “Shame that it was a one-time only offer, much like sex on All Hallows Eve. Maybe someday the opportunity will come back around…” She winked as she slinked past, leaving him entirely breathless and weak in the knees. The man swallowed hard, his gaze tailing her as she continued to move further away. Pearl disappeared into her bedroom, but before she closed the door she poked her head out, smiling impishly at him. “For the record, Benjamin, you ought to know I like you by now.” The implication hung in the air that that would make them a good pair for sex that wasn’t so casual.

“I do,” he said in a light but strained tone. She liked him… he was fishing for that when he brought that up, and she bit and gave him the answer he’d been looking for! Of course Ben had sensed a change in how she treated him, of course he noticed that they’d grown close! The lyrics she added to his piano melody all but told him everything! But he still needed to hear it directly from her—or maybe he just wanted to make her admit it to herself. One corner of his lips turned up into a soft smile at the news.

“Good,” she said before finally leaving. His heart was beating wildly as she shut the door, his mind reeling from all of that. Ben let out a helpless groan, hoping to God that he wasn’t throwing away a great opportunity to be involved with someone he’d grown so infatuated with and was maybe even falling in love with. Someone who liked him back—not a casual lover but someone who cared for him…

Considering how he felt about her, and her own feelings regarding him, maybe they could…no. No, they couldn’t. Ben was an extra cautious and guarded man, always wary of trusting the wrong person; and Pearl – queen of a rival kingdom with unfathomable powers -- was undoubtedly the wrong person to trust. Being close to her in any way was not only reckless and foolish, but dangerous too. Who knew if she was even telling the truth, or simply attempting to get him to drop his defenses? And even if it was true, what was the point of getting involved with her? Pearl would be leaving in a month and a half! Getting more emotionally wrapped up in her now would only break his heart later.

So, no romance, or dating, or casual sex, or even kissing. No friendship where he could be too vulnerable with her either. Just more of the same dance they had been doing for a while now, challenging each other and sharing with each other – and enjoying each other in surreal moments -- but never quite giving in or truly trusting unconditionally. Ben sighed; that had been his life since he was a mere teenager. The last person he trusted was Annie. And now Pearl for the most part, though not unconditionally. He couldn’t let himself go there. Another self-sacrifice for the sake of the Island.

He suddenly realized with a pang of irritation that Pearl had seen him quite flustered, and she had the last word. His ego didn’t like that it ended that way, so he marched over to her door and knocked only once. “Pearl? Tomorrow morning I have to hike to the other side of the Island, to visit one of the Stations. I was thinking that you might join me, if you’d like to see how that Station works.”

The silence that followed was heavy with power play; would she deny him, or would she bend?

“I would enjoy that,” her cheerful voice responded after a while.

Ben smiled smugly to himself, giving a pointed nod to nobody in particular before walking away from her door.

***

The entire village was all aflutter with excitement over the upcoming meteor shower. There was a party to be had, with well decorated picnic tables set up outside, snacks, and plenty of binoculars to go around. The clear skies of the Island should make for a prime viewing spot.

“Must we do this every time there’s an event being held?” Ben acidly asked Pearl after she cornered him with a million questions about the evening. He was wary of going to another party with her, not wanting to risk a repeat of how much they slipped on Halloween night. And yet, at the same time, going with her felt like the most natural thing in the world.

“Amelia said that it is as though the stars are travelling through the sky! I adore when that happens, I wish to see it again,” she insisted, tone vaguely demanding and bratty like that of a royal who always got her way.

Ben looked her in the eyes, unblinking. “You really want to go?” Pearl nodded eagerly, and, for the first time, he didn’t try to talk her out of it. “Alright,” he said plainly instead. She was such a big part of his life now that Ben would almost feel weird if she didn’t show up at the party. How drastically times had changed.

The siren’s face lit up with enthusiasm. “Perchance we may head there together?”

“I suppose it’ll be alright if you come along with me,” he started nonchalantly, looking away from her. Then his head turned her way, keen eyes finding hers. “If you refrain from trying to act on any party loopholes this time.”

The mermaid let out a heavy sigh. “I was not planning on such a thing. I told you, you missed your opportunity,” she reminded with an uppity toss of her long blonde hair, and Ben responded with the briefest flash of a sarcastic smile.

The afternoon went by peacefully, with Ben catching up on some work of running the Island, specifically resource management. Pearl followed him into his office a few hours ahead of the party. “Benjamin! I was hoping to practice with the shiny tall shoes, and perhaps wear them tonight. Is it an appropriate occasion? I have been waiting for one ever since my legs became firmer.”

He lifted his gaze from the papers on his desk, lips pursing. “It’s not that formal of a party, but I suppose it’s fine. There will be some people in attendance who like to dress up more.” It was probably one of her only chances for stilettos, anyway, because there were rarely any events requiring formal attire on the Island. Even weddings tended to be beachy! So those that liked to be extra dressy had to take advantage of any opportunity they got.

“Marvelous!” she beamed and sat on the edge of his desk, drawing a small sigh from Ben, partly of protest and partly of fondness. So bold of her to interrupt his work and take up his time like that, but he didn’t mind anymore; her distractions were now a welcome part of his day. Pearl crossed a leg and carefully slipped the black shoe onto her delicate foot, then did the same with the other. She extended both legs out, admiring them, and stood up. The smile immediately vanished. “Oh, whoa, these are—not very firm, are they,” she let out a nervous laugh.

“I warned you,” Ben said flatly, biting back a hint of amusement. “Be careful with your steps, Pearl.”

Instead of listening, the mermaid decided to be prideful. She stood tall, poised, took two steps forward and immediately lost her balance, tumbling down with a shriek. “I’m okay!” she declared from the floor before Ben could ask, then forcefully blew a strand of hair away from her face.

But he got up from his chair and walked to her anyway, holding back a judgmental eye roll. “Maybe you ought to listen to me,” he told her in a light jab. “Do you need a hand?”

“No!” she glared petulantly, lashing out because she was a little embarrassed. The siren grabbed hold of his desk and used it to pull herself back up. “I am a Queen of the Seas, I can figure out a pair of human shoes,” she derided, hazel eyes burning with determination.

Ben held up both hands in a surrendering gesture, bemused. “Be my guest,” he stepped back to give her space and watch the attempt.

Pearl tried again, arms to the side for balance, legs bent at the knee and wobbling with every step. It looked very awkward, not at all elegant. “O-oh, my, I feel like I am about to fall,” she gasped with wide eyes. “Who invented these?!” Ben chuckled, and she huffed worriedly. “But—how am I looking?”

The man grimaced. “Honestly? Not great. Your steps are…odd.”

She sighed, deflating. “I cannot even stand up in these shoes. They will be able to tell I’ve never worn them.” Pearl looked over at him, a reluctant idea forming. “Ben…may I have that hand now?” she pouted, reaching out for him.

Oh, what an adorable pout, he thought as he walked to stand in front of her. Ben held out both hands, and Pearl took them. He gave her a faint smirk. “I can help you keep your balance. Stand up straight.”

She did. With his help, Pearl was able to take a few steps, and then do a more confident walk in heels around the entire office. She clung to him fiercely, fingers gripping his hands like her life depended on it. Ben couldn’t deny enjoying the contact, finding that her hands fit perfectly inside his. He held on to her firmly, making sure she stayed steady.

They repeated that dance until her feet started to hurt—which only took a couple minutes. First the ball of her feet ached, then her toes, and finally even her ankles burned. The siren hissed in annoyance. “I am in pain! Is that normal?”

“Unfortunately yes, I have always heard complaints about these types of shoes,” Ben made a face at her. “But Pearl, you don’t have to wear these. You’ll be uncomfortable in them.”

She returned to the desk and sat on the edge again, sighing. “I cannot believe I have been defeated by shoes…” Crestfallen, she kicked them off of her.

A few weeks ago Ben would’ve liked to see her feeling so defeated; it would put her in her place and remind her that she wasn’t all powerful. But now…it wasn’t as satisfying anymore. Especially when her fight wasn’t against him, it was against a shiny pair of black stilettos.

With a mischievous glint in his eyes, he squinted at her. “Remind me again, how long has it been since you started walking on a regular basis?”

“Regularly? About two months.”

A little grin appeared on his face. “That’s right. You’ve mastered walking in less than a month. You’re doing much better at it, but it’s still unnatural to you. Your balance is not good enough to perch yourself on high heels, something even humans can struggle with.”

There was something almost comical in how she was giving him puppy-dog eyes. “They must struggle less than me…”

He turned his head back and forth, accompanied by a quick grimace. “A little less, yeah, but they’ve had feet their whole lives. You just got yours.” There was a hint of humor there, and it drew a chuckle from the siren. Ben smiled convincingly. “Don’t be so hard on yourself.”

Pearl looked up into his eyes, smirking with some surprise. “You are being awfully nice to me, Benjamin Linus. Very supportive. Almost...like a close friend.” And not for the first time.

He chuckled. “I wouldn’t go that far.”

She giggled, not sure if she believed his denial. They weren’t supposed to be friends, but Pearl felt that they had become so. She admitted to liking him. He didn’t say it back, but she felt it anyway. “Either way, you helped me. You are right; my balance on foot is not yet good enough for such shoes. I will wear the pretty pink ballet flats. And-- I vow to master high heels one day; that is when I will be truly integrated into human society.”

She made that oath in very dramatic fashion, chin tilted to the sky and ominous demeanor, a hand over her heart. Ben was amused. “If anyone can, it’s you.” he said with a lighthearted smile. “Now may I please get back to work?” he gently hinted for her to leave him alone.

“If you must,” she grinned at him and left.

The sun set and the time of the meteor shower approached. On the way out to the party, Pearl twirled for Ben, wearing a pink bouffant dress that matched the ballet flats, and a lilac flower on her hair. Then she curtsied, holding up the side of her skirt, and extended an elegant leg out. “How do I look?”

“Wonderful,” he said emphatically, then faltered. “I mean—the shoes are wonderful with this dress. You, you didn’t need the high heels,” he cleared his throat.

“I agree, these shoes are better and much more comfortable. But…” she brushed a hand across his back as she walked past him, a teasing look in her eyes. She wasn’t going to let him get away with it. “…you meant me. You think I look wonderful tonight.”

Ben deadpanned. “I was only saying that—”

“It’s quite alright,” she giggled. “Thank you. You look wonderful, too. The red shirt suits you.” Pearl planted a little kiss on his shoulder on her way out.

That stopped him right on his tracks. Ben stayed behind, jaw falling open as he watched her walk out the door. It took him a few seconds until he wasn’t too stunned to walk anymore. She was growing rather shameless, was she not? Not even pretending to keep her flirty remarks and physical touch to a minimum. He tutted like he was bothered, but deep down it made him feel giddy.

On the porch, he caught up to her with an amiable smile. “Shall we, Pearl?”

He said her name in that distinctive, appealing cadence, and it was like the world stopped. Just the way he spoke sent pleasant shivers up her spine, like his lips were meant to repeat her name over and over again forever. Ben was becoming so important to Pearl, she could barely hide it anymore! He was like a lifeline, reeling her in and enchanting her-- although a small, suspicious part of her still wondered if he would ever strike to kill, should their situation change. She didn’t think so, but one could never be one hundred percent certain where humans were concerned.

The chattering crowds were gathered outside, waiting for the time of the meteor shower. Pearl and Ben made small talk with some of the others, until tragedy of the most lighthearted kind struck: clouds rolled in, and the meteors began falling on the other side of the Island. With that combination, there was zero visibility from anywhere on the Island except the Dark Territory—and nobody would dare go there without a life or death reason for it.

Pearl watched the people grow disappointed, clamoring about how much it sucked. She agreed with the sentiment. She searched Ben’s face, noting that he seemed fine with it. Not pleased, but not upset either. “You don’t mind that we cannot see any of it?” she pried.

Ben gave a small shrug. “It’s a bit of a shame—I was looking forward to it. But it’s not such a loss, there’s bound to be a new meteor shower within a few decades…” The pointed way he looked at her added to the joke. Pearl laughed.

“You look very neutral about it. It is because you don’t like to display many emotions in front of your people, isn’t it?” she astutely asked.

Another shrug, but the look on his face was more crossed now. “It serves no purpose other than make them doubt my capabilities.” Put on the brave face of a leader always, it was what life had taught him. He learned very quickly not to let his father see his emotions, and that carried into adulthood.

“I understand the value in it,” she nodded sympathetically. As she paused, Pearl glanced around the failed party, then back to Ben’s neutral demeanor, sensing he was hiding just a little bit of disappointment too. She had an idea – initially not meant to be shared with him – yet now her heart was telling her to bring it up. Perhaps he needed a chance to unwind as much as she did. “I have a location where I can show you something even more splendid than a meteor shower. But only us two—we cannot bring anyone else.”

That was strange. Ben quirked a brow, forehead creasing in slight suspicion. “Why not?”

“It is very hard to reach, for human standards. You need a mermaid to take you.” A hopeful pause. “Would you be amenable to that?”

It sounded more compelling and also riskier by the second. He should say no. But he assessed the situation and found himself agreeing to go along with Pearl’s weird plan. He was curious, and it was a chance to spend entirely un-orchestrated time alone with her! “Alright…but tell me where we’re headed first.” He needed all the information ahead of time.

She threw him a mild glare for not going along with it easily. “It is an aquatic underpass that leads to a cave only we can reach. You will have to swim, and I will have to give you more air along the way.” His face became preoccupied, and Pearl put a hand over her heart. “I promise that you can trust me. It will be the best meteor shower replacement you have ever watched!”

Gaining her trust was important. Showing that he trusted her was, too. But what had his heart racing was the idea of sharing air. Was she offering to press her lips to his again? Not as a kiss, of course not, but it did feel somewhat like one, that time she saved him from drowning…

“Lead the way,” Ben said plainly, gesturing outward with his right hand. Pearl smiled and bowed her head.

It was a bit of a hike, made safer by Pearl’s lit-up mermaid eyes illuminating the ground ahead, but it went by fast because they were engaged in interesting conversation as they walked. Soon enough they came upon a beautiful moonlit lake nestled at the center of a grove of thick trees, with calm waters and ancient rocks. It was a spot Ben had only been to a few times in his life, and at night it looked more beautiful and magical than ever.

“Do not look if you would rather not see me nude,” Pearl warned with a lighthearted smile as she took off her dress, folded it and neatly tucked it between two dry rocks.

‘If you would rather not see me’, Ben took notice of her word choice. Like him, Pearl was very precise with her speech—she wouldn’t mistakenly say what she didn’t mean, and she would always pick the best words to communicate. What she said was not that she didn’t want him to look; she was simply taking his comfort into account. In fact, she was practically giving him permission to look if he wanted to! So, after swallowing hard, Ben kept his eyes on her for a moment longer than he usually would have, admiring the beautiful body that was starting to become familiar to him. Her neck, her shoulders, her arms, her chest, her waist, her hips, her stomach, her legs…Ben admired all of it. He didn’t want to gawk, though, so his eyes drifted sideways after that momentary glance. Just in time to miss her actually taking off her underwear, and then her moonstone necklace.

That supernatural bright light enveloped her body, pulling her legs together and transforming skin to scale, feet becoming long fins. The usual adorned seashell bra appeared on her chest, and the tiara decorated her light blonde hair. Sitting lakeside in mermaid form, Pearl advised: “You may want to leave shoes and some clothes back here. It is easier to swim without them.” Her fins swung gracefully in the water, back and forth.

Ben pressed his lips into a line and gave a brief nod, removing his shoes and socks. A tad awkwardly, he took off his red shirt and white undershirt. He was somewhat embarrassed to be without them, even though he looked good. Ben prized modesty, especially in front of someone like Pearl, so it felt more awkward than simply going to the beach with some of his people. Then again, mermaids cared nothing about nudity, so she was probably barely registering his shirtlessness. And she had seen him shirtless at his surgery, then at the lake, probably home once or twice— she had even stuck her hands under his shirt to caress his skin on Halloween! Surely she wouldn’t even register this.

Oh, but she registered it. As soon as Ben crossed her view in just pants, Pearl’s breath caught in her throat and the mermaid felt her heart race. She swept her eyes over his shape appraisingly, wishing to touch his bare skin; the sight and thought sent jolts of electricity sparking up her body. But the mermaid said nothing, and simply moved on to the task at hand.

He came up next to her, crouching beside the sitting mermaid. “So…how far are we traveling?” Ben asked, more curious than nervous.

“You can breathe up to that rock that resembles a bird. That is where we go under, into a long tunnel, and I take over. Squeeze my hand when you need air.” Pearl smiled at him, then hesitated. “Ben, are you sure you’re comfortable with this? You will be trapped underwater for quite some time, with me.”

“I’m sure,” came the simple reply. He was not blinking at all while he looked at her, intense because that moment showed a lot of trust. Ben couldn’t help but appreciate the irony of the change; not that long ago he would’ve dreaded being so vulnerable, trapped with an aquatic predator in her territory, where he was entirely helpless and she had all the power and could bite or drown or hypnotize him. But now it was hard to think of Pearl as an aquatic predator anymore. She was simply…Pearl. His Pearl, mermaid queen and roommate woman, the subject of his reluctant infatuation, the person whom he was falling for. And he wouldn’t be falling for her if he hadn’t developed a level of real trust with her. So, against all odds, Benjamin Linus was going to willingly put his life in a mermaid’s hand—for no reason other than to check out what she promised to be a fun surprise.

She beamed at his response. It meant so much to Pearl to know that Ben was finally comfortable enough with her true self, trusting the mermaid enough to join her underwater! He didn’t see her as a deadly monster anymore, and she was so happy about that. Pearl slid her body into the lake, turned toward him and swam backwards and horizontally, lazily moving her fins to push herself toward the rock. Her smile was inviting and warm. Almost in a luring manner, he thought, but ignored it; that was just paranoia talking. Ben carefully lowered himself into the lake, letting out a tiny gasp as the cold water enveloped his body. With his head up, he swam to where she was.

And then it was time to dive. He instinctively drew in a big breath before holding it, and the two of them slipped underwater.

The duct that she warned him about was located below the bird-shaped rock, serving as an aquatic underpass that led elsewhere. It was a hole on the lake floor, narrow and somewhat scary-looking for a human, stretching out into invisible depths. Pearl swam in first, her slender body elegantly sashaying past the opening. She blinked to light up the lantern-like quality of her eyes, and Ben followed the light.

He couldn’t help but feel his heart race a little as he entered the confining space. Too late to turn back now, he grimly thought, still holding his breath. The tunnel was made of rocks on all sides; it was tight – only wide enough for them to swim over each other, not side by side – and it would be completely dark if not for Pearl’s lit-up glowing eyes. The mermaid was lying flat at the bottom, her back almost touching sand, and facing up to look at Ben. Ben was above her, looking down at her with bleary eyes, his back nearly brushing the top of the tunnel. She held on to Ben’s hand, to lead him down the path.

She swam elegantly and with ease, body undulating and hair floating around her. Ben was squinting and holding his breath, kicking his feet and holding on tightly to the mermaid’s hand.

Soon he felt that familiar anguish from lack of air, the early stages of a burning lung. He quickly squeezed her hand, and Pearl craned her neck up to touch her lips to his. Ben didn’t move at all. Softly, she blew air into his mouth.

Just like that, his lungs eased and he felt like he’d taken a satisfying breath. He smiled at her as she pulled away, and she grinned happily at him.

Next time he needed air, his lips met hers a little more eagerly. He opened his mouth to let the air in, and Pearl’s mouth stayed on his a while longer.

Not a kiss, but it felt a little like one.

And so the pair of man and mermaid continued their swim through the narrow tunnel. It meant a lot to Pearl to be able to have a moment like that with Ben underwater. Her world was usually pretty inaccessible to him – and he was generally not very fond of the idea of mermaids. It was fun to have him share her space, see life and the world from her perspective, swim in an adventure with her! She was giddy, touched that he came along, looking up adoringly at him while he swam above her. If he could see properly in that watery darkness it would’ve made his heart jump.

By the midway point of their journey, their lips barely separated anymore. It was easier that way, and nicer too. Pearl swam with one arm wrapped around Ben, hand palming between his shoulder blades, tail brushing against his knees as they swam together. Holding hands and lip-locked inside that tight rock duct. She breathed continuously into his mouth, making his swim more pleasant; Ben didn’t have to hold his breath or ask for air at all—she was already sharing everything she had with him, making him comfortable and safe. And he could keep his eyes closed, protecting them from stinging.

He never thought the experience would be so heartwarming, but it was! Pearl had brought him into her world, and she was treating him like the most precious part of it, taking such good care of him! That swim in an embrace, sharing air, it was all unusually emotional, intimate, and it filled him with indescribable affection for her. If his eyes were open, they would be full of adoration too.

Finally, Ben felt their bodies tilting into an upright position. Apparently they were out of the underpass tunnel, which dumped into another body of water that felt a little denser and saltier. Pearl led them from the bottom of a tide pool to its surface. When Ben felt his head break the surface of the water, crisp night air cooling his skin, he opened his eyes and breathed in through his nose again. For a second, Pearl was still lip-locked with him. She smiled into his mouth, blinked to turn off her illuminated eyes, then swam backwards to put a bit of space between them.

Ben studied their surroundings; they were inside a medium-sized tide pool, carved by nature at the center of an imposing cave. There was an opening on the cave ceiling that let moonlight shine through, and tonight the moon was directly above it, its beams casting the entire area with a hauntingly beautiful white glow. The moon was full, its reflection dancing on the still seawater surface of the tide pool.

A stunning location, Ben thought. And a rarity: somewhere on his Island he’d never been to before! He was pleased to visit it now. The only thing to disturb the peace of that isolated secret hideaway was the arrival of the mermaid queen and the human leader.

“That was not too bad, was it?” the blonde mermaid asked, floating gracefully on her back and letting her tail rise to the surface.

“No,” he said with an awkwardly sweet little smile, trying to play it cool. “It was—it was fine. Thank you for…sharing air with me.”

“You are most welcome,” her smile was luminous.

Ben couldn’t help but be awestruck by the view: a beautiful, ethereal mermaid lounging effortlessly in her natural habitat, delicate fingers lightly moving in the water. Moonlight sparkled on her seashell bra and tiara, her waist-length blonde hair suited her so well, her wet skin glistened, and she looked magical in that pool of darkened seawaters. The shimmery purplish greenish tail floating only added to the stunning surreal feeling of the moment.

But it also reminded him that this is where Pearl belonged: in the salty water. Not on land. Not with him. He quickly shoved that thought down and asked instead: “Have we reached our final destination?”

“Indeed we have. But we must look outside, to a level below us. Come,” she beckoned, then swam across the pool, getting out on the other side. Pearl sat poised on the ground, tail in the water. A small crevice opened up between the rocks on the wall, creating a sort of window in the cave. It allowed them a very good view of the open ocean below. Ben followed her. He sat on the edge of the tide pool, legs in the water, curiously eyeing the window to see what Pearl’s surprise might be. Her hazel eyes were staring out at the ocean, shining with excitement. “It is almost time,” she whispered enthusiastically.

Practically on cue, the crashing waves were overtaken by a neon blue color that glowed in the dark. Millions of them appearing all at once, lighting up the ocean like the water was filled with the brightest stars. Ben gasped; it was bioluminescence, something incredibly rare on the Island! “I haven’t seen these in years! We never see the phenomenon anywhere near us anymore,” he told her with an eager smile. There was a level of awe on his face, and an unreadable emotion.

“Splendid, isn’t it? I can’t explain why, but these jellyfish only swim around these parts. They used to appear on that beach near the Barracks, many years ago—but you are right. Now they only gather here,” the mermaid queen shared with him. “The tide pool is the perfect spot to enjoy their lights: we get the bird’s eye view, and we are protected from touching jellyfish. They always come out on the full moon.” The two traded a glance, smiling at each other, then looked out the natural window again to enjoy the spectacle of lights and colors below.

The bioluminescent jellyfish floated by, sparking up the water like a private show meant just for Ben and Pearl. She was mesmerized, always one to be in tune with nature. He noticed how the twinkle in her eyes mirrored the shine of the night sky. And Ben, he was deeply appreciating the bioluminescence too, feeling the unusual warmth from the few good childhood memories he possessed. He breathed in deeply, feeling peace.

When he shifted a little to get a different view, his hand landed on something hard. He idly picked it up and played with it, absently rolling the shiny round pebble between his fingers. It caught Pearl’s eye. “That is a lovely ocean rock,” she commented.

He looked down at it, then at her, then back out at the bioluminescent jellyfish creating neon sparkles in the sea. With a cheeky smile, Ben held out a hand for Pearl, displaying the pebble. “You want it? You can have it. Since you like shiny things and whatnot.”

“I thank thee,” she said brightly and picked up her gift from him. But it wasn’t for her collection like he thought it was. The truth was that the pebble wasn’t as shiny as the things Pearl collected—but it was a keepsake from a special moment she shared with Ben. That’s why she wanted it: to remind her of her time with him.

He chuckled softly, endeared by her slip into old-timey speech. “You’re welcome.”

The bioluminescent show lasted for an hour, and the pair continued to sit side-by-side as they enjoyed it; their bodies were almost touching, but not quite. As the last few jellyfish sank back under and the moon began to leave its peak, the mermaid saw the serene smile on the human’s face. Ben looked very comfortable, at ease. She smiled too, happy to see him like that. “Was it worth the swim to get in here?”

“Yeah,” he said softly. “Thank you, Pearl, for sharing this with me,” a few quick nods. Ben felt truly happy in that moment, in an introspective and peaceful sort of way.

She bowed her head, smiling at him. “My pleasure. I hope it was an adequate replacement for the meteor shower,” she said with sincerity.

Ben let out a soft chuckle. “I dare say it was better. This-- it meant more than you know,” he gave a nod charged with significance.

“I am glad to see you happy. But why did it mean so much?” her boundless curiosity made her ask. She nudged his feet with her fins, underwater. “I didn’t realize that it would.”

Instead of bristling or dismissing, Ben found himself in another rare moment of vulnerability. Although those were becoming more common with Pearl; he felt comfortable enough confiding in her, so he did: “When I was a child, I once saw the ghost of a relative right next to a bioluminescent pool. I stayed to watch the lights, and she kept me company. From then on, I used to pretend that all instances of bioluminescence were a sign from her...” He let out a wistful sigh, deeply missing the mother he never met. “I know it’s ridiculous, but I missed seeing them and…I missed feeling my relative’s presence,” a small shrug, a bit nonchalant.

While he spoke, Pearl’s eyes were glued to him like she was mesmerized, every word hitting her hard. Pearl was taken aback by the depth of his sensitivity, and touched that he was willing to share that with her. She could hardly believe she once thought he was so cold-hearted. Being his enemy felt like a distant memory now. “Goodness, that’s a lovely tale. You might get me emotional, Ben,” she told him with a sheepish laugh.

Ben’s gaze swept her way, curious and amused. “Sorry. I didn’t realize you were sensitive about human matters.”

“I’m touched that bringing you here stirred up such powerful memories. And it is not ridiculous! I think it’s beautiful to assign meaning to things. You crave that connection with your departed relative, and these bioluminescent creatures make you feel closer to that person, connected to her again,” she validated his feelings. “If bioluminescence makes you feel your relative’s love, then that is wonderful.” Pearl smiled with sweetness and warmth, and Ben’s stomach did a somersault.

He briefly remembered the times when she thought of him as a bad guy, and he recalled how much he hated that. Ben never would’ve dreamed that they’d grow so close, that she would someday see the real him behind the mask of a cold leader. Honestly, he wouldn’t have expected he’d ever want to show her his sensitive side! Somehow, against the odds, Pearl had gotten to know him entirely. Or almost. It meant a lot to have her react in such a sweet way to his sharing of something so personal. Ben smiled.

“Thank you. It was a wonderful evening.” A pause. “Not to take away from it, but why did you decide to bring me here?” he squinted at her, but the smile on his face was genuine.

She laughed. “I wanted to cheer us up after the meteor shower didn’t happen. I was disappointed, so I thought perhaps you were too.”

“How thoughtful of you to want to see me happy,” he teased, blue eyes glinting with a little mischief. “But this is—this is deep within mermaid territory. You didn’t care?”

“I didn’t,” she admitted. She was not supposed to lead a human there, but she trusted Ben enough. “I thought it would be a fun adventure for us! You’ve been taking me to all these human gatherings like All Hallows Eve and book club, I felt that it was my turn to bring you somewhere that is of my world.”

“That’s only fair,” he joked with certain smugness. “You’ve seen so much of my society, and I’ve seen practically nothing of yours.”

A lilting laugh. “Indeed. And – it is more than a sense of fairness. I…wanted to show it to you. I wanted to share a piece of my world with you,” Pearl’s tone was charged. It was a dangerous confession, very emotionally vulnerable and very honest.

“I’d like to see more of your world,” Ben admitted with a nod, feeling goosebumps. “Pity that it requires breathing underwater,” he added with faint amusement.

Pearl laughed. “Perhaps we shall find a way, someday.” She thought of the hijacked submarine…but he couldn’t know the merfolk had it. That might actually start a war. “In the meantime, waterfalls and bioluminescence pools can be the best of both of our words.”

“Yeah,” Ben softly agreed. They smiled at each other in that moonlit tide pool, and it was like the rest of the world disappeared.

The journey back was the same as the way there; they swam the opposite way through the tunnel, embracing and lip-locked for air, and emerged at the lake with the bird-shaped rock. Ben retrieved his shirts and put them back on, while Pearl removed her tiara with the moonstone and turned it back to a necklace. Her tail split in half, the mermaid vanishing and leaving a nude woman in her place. She quickly got dressed, they put their shoes back on, and the pair hiked back to the Barracks.

“Do you think your people shall notice that we were away for an extended period of time?” Pearl asked with playful curiosity.

“Without any shadow of a doubt,” Ben drawled. There would be questions, and he didn’t care to answer any of them. But nothing, not even the most invasive of rumors, would rob Ben of the giddy thrill he felt after going on such a journey with Pearl, or of the peace he felt after being reminded of the sensation of his mother’s presence. He was on an unstoppable high. And so was Pearl, feeling more connected and more into him than ever before.

As expected, people wanted answers. Tom and Richard approached him as soon as they reached the house. Pearl had wet hair and a dry dress, and Ben wet hair and pants, but a dry shirt. The combination was raising some eyebrows.

“I’ll head inside,” Pearl said with a knowing little grin. Ben would require privacy to speak with his subjects. He smiled at her, and she went in the home.

“Ben, where did you disappear to? We were worried,” Richard said, throwing Pearl a wary glance just as she vanished past the living room.

“Did you sneak off somewhere with Pearl?” Tom added in a conspiratorial tone, clueless to any danger since he didn’t know Pearl’s true nature.

Ben sighed tiredly. “It’s not what you’re implying, Tom. But yes, I was with Pearl. She wanted to show me something to make up for the lack of a meteor shower.” He stepped from the porch to inside, sending a clear signal that he wasn’t sticking around for such a conversation.

“Boss, that’s only making it sound more like what I’m implying,” Tom teased with a grin. Running off with a pretty girl and returning disheveled was highly suspicious – messy wet hair and untucked shirt -- even if Ben wasn’t usually the type to be careless with romance.

Ben threw him a vexed glare. “Tom, please. You’re acting like a child. Goodnight to the both of you.” With that, he closed the door on their faces, as a symbolic gesture.

Richard threw the other a serious look. “Pearl is not someone that can be trusted, Tom. Ben would never get close to her.”

“Shame,” Tom shrugged. “They’re a lot alike, have you noticed? I think they’d make a good item.” Richard fought the urge to shake his head. Benjamin Linus and a mermaid—what a ludicrous idea. Then again…their personalities were indeed very similar. It was clear they connected well. He was an attractive man, she was an attractive woman. And where did they go, all alone in the middle of the night? Surely not somewhere romantic, or sexy…right? “But you know more than you’re telling me, Richard,” Tom pointed out. “What are they hiding?”

“It’s on a need-to-know basis,” the advisor stated. “It’s enough to know that she can’t be trusted.” Tom grumbled something in response to that.

Inside, the pair of man and mermaid were stealing glances at each other, both trying to downplay how light and good they felt. Even though the evening was not explicitly romantic in any way, they felt giddier and more in love than ever.

Notes:

I have 4 or 5 more chapters (depending on how long I make them) for the roommates portion of the story, and then we're finally on to section 3, which encompasses seasons 4, 5 and 6 of the show and anything after that.
I know this section took forever and it's mostly a collection of somewhat disconnected individual scenes, I kept thinking of cute new mermaid-on-land moments to add hahaha, but I think all of those little moments were important to build trust between Ben and Pearl. It didn't come easy for them of course but they're finally there...or almost. They needed the domesticity, the little day to day adventures to really get to know each other and understand each other's very different worlds. So yeah, I hope you enjoyed the journey so far, and I'm aiming to have us on section 3 before the year ends omg!

Chapter 26: The deepening of a shared connection can be found in blood, in secrets, in presents and in trust, bringing delicious vulnerability into one’s life

Down in her underwater home, Pearl had a very nice space for herself. It was beautiful, comfortable, and it even allowed her the privacy of hiding some treasures: behind a thick wall of kelp there was a hole on a rock. Pearl used it to store things that Ben gave her. First it was just the map-in-a-bottle, which she obviously only kept for tactical purposes and future use! Then the monogrammed handkerchief, that she justified as a memento of the first time she cried happy tears. The pen soon joined them, and she claimed she only liked it because the clear outer casing reflected light! But she couldn’t really explain the pebble that she was bringing down now. It wasn’t a souvenir or a reminder of any significant development for Pearl. It was a memory of him. Of a special moment shared with Ben. Pearl was unnerved that the simple sight of the round pebble brought a smile to her lips and giddiness to her whole being. She wished her will was strong enough to get rid of the item, but oh, the mermaid couldn’t bear to part with it! As much as she hated it, she had to admit that she cared about Ben enough to treasure a small memory of him. She had fallen for him enough that she wanted to keep him with her, even if only in a small token of shared time. Of a wonderful shared time.

Ben had fallen equally hard for the mermaid. His dreams about her persisted. Some were obviously born of his subconscious: the anxiety-riddled nightmares about being bitten were lessening in frequency to practically zero, and the romantic dreams where Pearl kissed him were increasing. Sometimes she’d just appear in his normal dreams like any other person, too— a terrifying reminder that she was becoming a normal and familiar part of his life, no longer an outlier but rather someone he expected to be there.

And there was also that one weirdly hyper-realistic dream where they met on shore, surrounded by humans and merfolk. That one still felt like it was being sent to Ben. It wasn’t from his subconscious; it was a message from the Island. He still wasn’t sure what it meant, and he didn’t know that Pearl often had the same dream too. Neither of them shared it with the other.

But there were other important matters on Ben’s mind aside from his feelings for Pearl. With Juliet now on her way to infiltrate the beach camp of the Oceanic crash survivors, he was once again very focused on the fertility problems of the Island.

He still wanted to study a mermaid’s reproductive system, to see if he might understand why they could carry pregnancies to term while female humans couldn’t. But Pearl had been categorical about saying no to that. So, recently, he was thinking about blood instead. It played a crucial component in pregnancy, therefore maybe there was something in a mermaid’s blood that protected her fetus from electromagnetic interference. He didn’t have any concrete reason to believe that, but it was a worthy hypothesis—and the best lead he had in a long time.

The problem was that he couldn’t just ask Pearl for blood. Back when he experimented on her and held her in an aquarium, he took a vial from her without her permission. Asking for more now would remind her of the traumatic experience and make her more likely to say no, especially since they would have to return to the same med bay on Hydra Island. Naturally, Ben had a plan. He knew Pearl very well now; she was empathetic, and she seemed to want to help the plight of infertility. She also cared about Ben’s happiness enough that, as long as he let her think it was her own idea and he didn’t push her, she’d probably want to help.

So he laid the manipulative but well-intentioned trap: he made sure that she found him poring over a stack of papers, glasses on, looking very dejected. An acting performance, of course, but it held enough truth to make her believe it.

“What seems to be the matter?” Pearl asked when she saw the look on his face.

He closed his eyes for a moment, shook his head, then told her: “I’m looking into fertility issues again, and how the electromagnetism of the Island turns women’s bodies against their own babies. I—I’m at a loss on how to help them.” The pain in his voice was genuine-- but it was expertly deployed, too. Real emotions could be useful at the right time.

She felt a pang of guilt for denying help. “I am very sorry.”

“It’s not your fault,” he graciously told her. “I—I understand, Pearl, that you would not trust me enough to let me study your reproductive system.”

The seed of discord was planted, to make her think that she was driving a wedge between them and jeopardizing their tenuous trust; the perception planted was that if Ben sensed that she didn’t trust him, why should he trust her in return? Pearl stirred uncomfortably. “It’s…it’s not that I don’t trust you now, Ben,” she tried to explain in a soft voice, “but it is a complicated system to study. I—I don’t want to be subjected to more experiments or have my internal organs looked at…”

“You don’t have to explain,” he gave her a cordial smile. “Now if you’ll excuse me,” Ben turned his attention back to his papers. After pretending to read for a few seconds, he muttered as if to himself: “…and then the blood, right…”

As he intended, Pearl’s interest piqued. “What did you say about blood?”

“Hm?” he lifted his eyes to her. “Oh. Blood. It brings nutrients to the fetus—that’s what the baby is called before birth. I’m reading about the importance of blood in pregnancies.”

Her eyes locked in on him and she approached. “Do you think that blood might be causing infertility?”

“It’s possible. Something in the electromagnetic energy makes the mother’s body attack her and the fetus. I wonder if it’s the blood that gets tainted by it,” he suggested, careful to not even imply anything about a mermaid.

A question struck her: “Do you think that Jacob would know the answer to this?”

“I’m not sure. I can ask him,” Ben said with a congenial smile.

Pearl glanced around to make sure they were alone, wishing to be discreet. “You can ask him?” she checked, skepticism tinging her tone. Ben had implied that he had access to Jacob before, but she wasn’t so sure. She decided not to pry last time, but today Pearl wanted to inquire more.

Ben tensed. The edges of his eyes hardened only minimally, but the smile stayed in place. “Of course! I’m the only one who can. I’m, I’m the leader of his society, I’ve been here my whole life, he—he speaks only to me.” Why was Pearl asking him that?! Was she suspicious?! How could she possibly know otherwise?! The nerves were hiking up inside of him; he’d hate for anyone to unmask his charade. If anyone knew that Jacob didn’t communicate with him, they might doubt his role on the Island! Not to mention it would be terribly embarrassing. He felt inadequate enough about it as it was! Only because he didn’t know the whole truth, of course, but he had to operate based on what he believed was true.

“Really?” she pressed, sounding surprised.

“Yes, Pearl, really,” Ben acted like she was being ridiculous for questioning it. “Of course I talk to Jacob!”

He was very convincing, but there were two reasons for her disbelief: one, she knew Ben and his expressions well enough to notice that minimal hardening of the eyes, which told her the question stressed him out. There had to be a reason for that. Two, she knew Jacob had a rule against talking to his people or his candidates, because he didn’t want to influence them; he only communicated with an advisor, whom she assumed was Richard. She almost wanted to call Ben out on the lie, but compassion stopped her—it was clearly a touchy subject for him. He didn’t want anyone to know the truth, so she’d let him keep up his charade. No use in embarrassing the man. Maybe he’d decide to tell her someday. And maybe she could help. For now, Pearl simply smiled like she believed him. “Oh, my apologies! I know he is reclusive, but I should have known he’d speak to the leader.”

Ben nodded with a smile, still feeling a little on edge. But it seemed like Pearl believed him, so he let the subject go and hoped she would too. “I don’t think he has answers about the pregnancies and blood, though…” he said in slightly off-handed manner, wanting to bring Pearl’s attention back to the topic of blood—and still not mentioning sirens outright.

It worked. Pearl’s wheels were turning. Ben could see that, though he pretended not to. The blonde mermaid queen pursed her lips, conflicted; she wanted to help, but she didn’t want to give him any more of her. She looked deep in his eyes – which were behind round glasses and again focused on reading materials – and her heart clenched. “A siren’s blood is likely different, is it not? I assume so, since you tested mine once…” there was a slight bite to the last phrase.

Ben’s eyes whipped up toward her. “Yes, it’s—it’s different. It accounts for the extra pressure of the deep sea, the freezing temperatures…” he trailed off. “But, Pearl…what are you implying?” he squinted piercingly, putting the ball on her court. He needed her to say it first.

She sighed. “I’m implying exactly what you think I am implying: that maybe, if you analyze my blood and compare it to that of a human woman, the differences will give you a clue as to what causes human fetus mortality on this Island. Do you still have that sample of mine?”

“I do,” he admitted, a hopeful giddiness starting to brew within him. He kept it under wraps. “But unfortunately it’s not enough for this kind of testing. Since we don’t know what we’re looking for, I need to have a wide range of tests done. We would have to go back to Hydra Island for more of your blood…”

Pearl swallowed thickly, making fists. “Um…”

Now that she had broached the subject, it was time for Ben to be the closer. He was at his most persuasive, removing his glasses and looking into her eyes with earnest ones. “Pearl, I would be eternally grateful. You had a great idea. Your blood, it—it could be invaluable! Maybe I can detect a unique property that it contains, and extrapolate that to understand what the human body needs to be able to give birth. Your blood could have a protein that protects against electromagnetism, or—any number of unique defenses! It could change everything,” he said meaningfully, then paused to let the weight and importance of it hang over her head. Still with earnest eyes, he finally asked: “Is there any chance you might be willing to assist me by giving me a small sample of your blood?”

Pearl closed her eyes and nodded. The decision felt heavy, but it felt right. She wouldn’t deny him something so small if it could help so much. “Very well, Benjamin. I shall go to Hydra with you.” She reopened her eyes and met his with anxious sincerity. “I hope it will help.”

“It will,” he softly guaranteed, a neutral look in his eyes. It was all very calculated of course; Ben manipulated Pearl right into doing what he wanted. He was holding back a smirk at succeeding in making her think it was her own idea, when he had been the one walking her toward it all along. But he was sincerely thankful, too, for Pearl’s desire and willingness to help him. When he smiled, it was honest and soft, full of gratitude. “Thank you,” he nodded meaningfully. That smile made Pearl melt and her legs go weak. She smiled back, a little nervous but happy to help.

And so they set off to Hydra in the afternoon, taking a boat to the smaller island and then going on a short hike. Pearl was quieter than usual, visibly a little unnerved, so Ben kept to himself too. The siren was in her head, distracted because she was thinking about the task to come. Ben kept stealing glances in her direction, constantly reading her expressions. None of them paid close attention to where they were stepping, so, while Ben was looking at how Pearl’s mouth was pulled tight, the ground disappeared from under his feet and he felt himself being abruptly lifted, then squished into a tight space with the mermaid pressed right up to him, legs tangled between his as they were sort of kneeling on air. A net. They were caught in a damn net, all because they were distracted. How inconvenient.

If Ben was annoyed, Pearl’s wilder instincts flared up at being scared so suddenly. Like any predator, she attacked back— or tried. She jerked around violently, hissing at nothing and at everything with her fangs out, but the attack came off clumsy when she was so constricted inside a tight net. She couldn’t even turn to the ropes!

And it wasn’t just the sudden jerk up into the air that made her act like that. The siren recognized where she was, and her deep hatred of nets made her snarl viciously. The net pressed down on her back and sides, keeping her pinned to Ben-- but all she could register was the danger, so she kept trying to twist and turn, hissing like a wild animal.

“Pearl, calm down! We’re okay but you’re making it worse,” Ben half soothed and half chided, frowning at her. She was squishing him and only making the net swing more, and her sharp fangs were dangerously close to his face and neck. He was also becoming acutely aware of how close they were, bodies pressed entirely into each other and her face shoved into his neck. He tentatively placed a hand on her shoulder in an attempt to steady her, though it was positioned a bit awkwardly because he couldn’t move his elbow any further.

His voice and touch grounded her, making her stop her squirming and hissing. The mermaid forced herself to take a deep breath and retracted her fangs. She shifted her head a little, cheek against the ropes and nose rubbing against Ben’s neck on the way to look out. He held his breath. “I really despise nets,” she spat out, voice shaking with rage. “How dare someone catch us in one?!” Oh how she wanted to destroy the person responsible! Being trapped in a net was a mermaid’s worst nightmare! Her fingers curled around one of the ropes.

“I know, but this is easily solvable,” Ben reminded in a level tone, staying very still, his muscles rigid. He was almost afraid to move, not because she might bite but because of how close they were. He feared accidentally brushing up against something inappropriate. “Your fangs can cut through this net, or we can get the knife from my pocket.” He decided not to tell her that any nets on Hydra belonged to his people. That would only piss her off.

Even staying so still, he couldn’t stop thinking about how Pearl was tightly pinned to him. She was so soft! Her hair was so soft, the curves of her body fit so perfectly with him, so snugly. Ben couldn’t scoot back if he tried, and that was making his pulse race. It felt similar to being pressed up to her while making out against a tree on Halloween night, except they were even more squeezed together now-- and that steamy memory didn’t help anything. He tried to move one of his legs, but it was caught between Pearl’s and the side of the net, making it impossible to even un-bend his knee.

“You’re right, yes—my fangs shall get us out,” she breathed in slowly, craning her neck to look at Ben—shifting her head from his jaw to his face, her cheek pressing against his nose and mouth. He tried to look away, but the net on the other side of his face prevented him from moving. Pearl felt his lips on her cheek, his torso on hers, her legs in between his; she was only now realizing their proximity, having been too anxious before. “Oh. Hello there,” Pearl blinked, then smiled with certain mischief. “You are very close to me.”

Ben bristled. “It’s not like I can back away, now, can I? I’m trapped here too,” he protested, giving her a petulant frown and speaking into her skin.

“It is not a complaint, Benjamin, only an observation. We’ve never been quite so close before.” Not even the times they kissed. “We almost were, on All Hallows Eve, but even then there was a tad more breathing room.” A cheeky grin. Her hands were grabbing the net to steady herself.

He thought he might’ve been flushing, but he committed to glowering petulantly at her. “And your point is…?”

Pearl’s chest was pressed to Ben’s and she was unable to move back because the tight net had her pinned, so she felt the rhythmic drumming of his heart on her own collarbone. “Goodness, your heartbeat is very fast. Are you scared? You don’t seem scared…” she asked with some concern, worried that perhaps her instinctive hissing had frightened him. He used to be very wary of moments like that.

“I’m not,” he said through gritted teeth. “I’m—hoping we can get down soon.” An evasive denial, of course. He couldn’t tell her that his heart was racing because she was basically grinding on him!

“I promise that I won’t bite you,” she reassured, in case he was afraid of her. Pearl didn’t want Ben to think of her as a monster anymore.

An exasperated scoff. “I’m not worried about that! You can snarl at the net all you want, as long as you stop making it move!”

A genuine smile blossomed on her face, and it was soft and relieved, wholly ignoring his sour mood. She tried to look at him but only succeeded at accidentally brushing her lips against his ear. “That’s very sweet. Back in the day you would have fretted that I might bite you. Thanks for trusting me now, I appreciate it very much.”

He smiled back, though his was curt and sarcastic. “I know you better now; your wild instincts are not so out of control. Now please, Pearl, get on with it, we’re wasting time up here,” he tried to coax her to be faster without outright telling her the reason. He had to keep his wits about him or his body might react to her being so close! It wouldn’t be the first time—it happened on Halloween too, of course, but the situation they were in was very different then. Neither of them minded it then; it was to be expected that that would happen during a heavy, long-lasting makeout session that nearly ended in sex. He’d mind it now, though, and assumed she would too.

Pearl, however, was less focused on escaping and more on figuring Ben out. “But if you’re not scared--- why can I feel your heart through your chest?” she asked pensively, sliding an open hand between them to better feel his heartbeats. They thumped at a frantic pace.

“I got startled when the net lifted up,” he lied, his voice just the tiniest bit squeaky.

It was a decent answer, but she knew him well enough not to buy it. And to figure out the real one. “I think, if that was true, the pounding would have calmed by now. Mine did.” A pause, and a cheeky glint entered her hazel eyes. “Ah, then it must be the proximity. Your heart is pounding because of how close we are.” The blonde mermaid gave him a sly smile.

“You think much too highly of yourself,” he deadpanned, meeting her eyes but only via a sideways glance. “Why are you delaying chewing through the net, Pearl? You hate nets—but maybe you can stand them if it means stealing a few minutes to be close to me.” Ben turned the tables on her.

She let out an impertinent little hiss, but then grinned. Every time either of them moved their faces just the tiniest bit, some part of it rubbed against the other’s face. “Perhaps I do enjoy being all up in you in such scandalous manner. Don’t pretend that you don’t enjoy it too.”

God, she was so stubbornly infuriating! Ben squirmed to get a better look at her face, nose rubbing against her forehead: “I think the issue is not that we enjoy it. It’s how much we might enjoy it. Do you want us to slip and make the same mistake from Halloween again, Pearl?” he said with exasperation, this time being very honest and direct with her. He was dying to kiss her in that net!

That was enough to shut her up. “You—you’re right. We are meant to keep our distance. This is not helping.” She was dying to kiss him too, and that was a problem. “I shall free us.”

Pearl awkwardly shifted, knee jabbing at Ben’s thigh as she moved to put her face on the ropes that made up the net holding them captive, before she let her knife-like fangs extend outward again. Then the siren started to chew those ropes, the sharp teeth doing quick work of biting through the fibers. Once she made enough of a hole to allow her to poke her head out, she extended her body, pulled herself up and diligently chewed through the top rope that tied the net to the tree.

When it became thin enough, it snapped, sending the pair of them tumbling to the ground. Pearl gasped out a hiss during the fall, Ben let out a tiny grunt upon landing. Both of them hurried to untangle themselves from the remains of the net, then a grumpy Ben addressed the siren after dusting himself off. “That was…an unfortunate holdup. Are you still up for the task ahead?”

“We’ve come this far, might as well reach our goal,” she shrugged, and he nodded at her.

The rest of the trek was still quiet, but both of them were incredibly alert to their surroundings to avoid another incident. When they finally reached the buildings on Hydra, Ben saw Pearl tense up even more. Any desire for each other that had been brought on by the net evaporated then and there. He directed her to the right building with a silent gesture and averted gaze – though she seemed to recall exactly where to go anyway – and, once inside, he took charge.

“I thought that we might take two samples,” Ben suggested, keeping a very professional and almost detached demeanor. “One while you are in human form, and one in siren form—preferably underwater. Would you be willing to step inside the aquarium again?” Blue eyes drifted to her face for the first time since their arrival.

That was a big ask. Pearl’s heart pounded and, for a minute, she felt like she couldn’t get any air. The mermaid felt trapped in a flashback where she was an unwilling captive of humans, until she closed her eyes and forced herself to calm down. She wanted to appear strong, like she could overcome anything. “Yes. I will do it.”

Ben swallowed with relief, giving her a grateful nod. He retrieved the syringe and needle and winced to himself, murmuring under his breath that he hated needles. He didn’t even like to watch someone get an injection! But he’d draw her blood for the sake of helping his people.

“Let me teach you how to do it yourself—so that you may do it underwater,” he suggested. She might be more comfortable that way. “First I need your arm outstretched.”

Very grudgingly, the siren-on-legs extended an arm in his direction. “Will it hurt?”

He maintained an entirely blank face and flat tone. “It might sting a little, but it’s not too bad. I really appreciate your willingness to do this, Pearl.”

“Just get on with it, Benjamin,” she said through gritted teeth. Right now his gratitude wasn’t landing, she just wanted to get it over with! Ben nodded, feeling a little awkward. He gently held her arm in place, then carefully inserted the needle into a vein. She winced lightly when the tip broke the skin. Ben’s face was steady with concentration. He pulled back the syringe plunger, all while explaining the process to her. The siren watched with curious interest as her own blood slowly filled up the transparent barrel. “Fascinating…” she muttered under her breath.

“All done,” he softly praised with a small, somewhat detached smile as he withdrew the needle and held gauze to the small prick on her arm. She made a face at him.

After acquiring that vial of her blood in human form and storing it safely in the med freezer to be tested later, Ben turned on the water pump that would re-fill the empty dolphin enclosure. Ocean water rushed in with a loud noise. Pearl fidgeted while the aquarium was filling up, her face pinched.

Ben felt a pang of guilt. He wanted to ask if this was too much for her – too much of a reminder of her time in captivity – but what if she said yes? He’d miss out on his only chance to study a siren’s unique blood. The good, caring side of him was fighting his self-preservation selfishness as he stood there stiffly. He hated to see her so uncomfortable, and he wished to rescue her so badly! Or at least comfort her in some way! But Ben wouldn’t dare touch her for fear that she might recoil, since he was the one responsible for her troubles. Ultimately he couldn’t utter the words either, but he stared at her with a concerned frown long enough that she deciphered them anyway.

“I will be fine,” she told him a bit curtly.

“I didn’t say anything,” Ben retorted.

“You did not need to. I can see the worry in your eyes. You’re wondering if I can handle being back here…are you not?” she asked. He pressed his lips into a tight line and nodded. Pearl grimaced. “I thought so. And yes—I can.” He simply nodded in acknowledgment, his face tight.

They waited in silence while more water entered the aquarium. Finally, looking at the now filled up former dolphin enclosure, Ben thought back to a time when he couldn’t get Pearl exactly where he wanted her. And now she was there; it gave him an idea. “Pearl…” he started, squinting. “I don’t mean to overstep—but I’m realizing that we made a terrible miscalculation.” Sort of.

“With my blood?” her eyes widened with concern.

“No, no,” a quick shake of the head. “When I recorded your siren song. You were on dry land then. But the siren song is much more powerful when you are underwater,” he reminded her.

Pearl looked pensive. “Are you thinking that if you record my siren song whilst underwater, it will retain some potency in the tape too?”

He nodded. “It might! The delay in how long it takes for the song to take effect on land, compared to when you’re in the water, is fairly significant.” Ben had always wondered about that.

“I can all but guarantee that this would not alter the outcome,” the siren forewarned. “The only difference between singing in the water or out is that, in water, the enchantment takes effect instantly. Out of the water, there is that delay, as you said. If a recorded song worked to hypnotize, that tape you made would have hypnotized. It would have taken longer to take effect, in the same way that a live song does, but it would have worked!”

“That’s what I thought too, but how do we know for sure? The siren song has never been recorded before,” he energetically pointed out. “Maybe the rules are different!”

She raised an eyebrow. “Did this occur to you back then, or only now?”

“I—wondered about this at the time of our first recording, but I knew I could never convince you to come with me to the aquarium back then. So I accepted what I could have: a siren song sung from dry land.” He gave a small shrug, lips turning downward to match. “In theory it should work with the same delay as the live songs, but—we don’t know that. Maybe the recording needs a song’s full potency to work at all.”

She let out a slow sigh of dramatic complaint. “You are going to ask me to sing again today, aren’t you?”

He grimaced sheepishly but nodded. Ben hated to overstep and he felt a bit bad about it – it was not planned in advance! – but not bad enough to change course. He couldn’t pass up a chance to study and maybe even acquire the powerfully hypnotic siren song! “If you don’t mind, please.”

A sharp sigh. “Very well. I still do not think it will work in a recording, but I shall oblige you,” she said, uppity—and a little nervous that it might work. She would be granting a human a sacred siren power…and that was a questionable decision.

It’s worth a shot, Ben thought. Instead of saying that, he gestured with an open hand to the hatch at the top of the aquarium. “You may go in now.”

The siren gave him a reluctant bow of the head and walked slowly over to the aquarium. Then she stopped, thought of something that would make the experience easier for her, and glanced at him over her shoulder. “Come see,” Pearl told him before heading up the ladder.

Ben blinked, lightly shaking his head. “See...what? Your transformation?”

“Indeed. And my swimming. You have seen both before, but you can observe them now. If you’d like,” she gave a graceful shrug. The offer was an unprecedented show of vulnerability -- of intimacy -- from the mermaid queen. To invite a human to watch her transformation—or rather, to transform for him, was something she had never done before. Not once, in centuries. But now Pearl felt comfortable enough with Ben to let him in, to truly strip down her barriers with him. She wanted to share an important part of her life with him! Wanted him to know what it was like! And not as though she was a zoo animal he was watching, but in the way one would share any crucial parts of themselves with a loved one they trusted.

He recognized how monumental that was. Ben felt honored, and valued, and more connected to the mermaid than he had ever been before. But he didn’t say any of that. All he could do was follow behind her in quiet anticipation, his face carefully expressionless-- though his blue eyes twinkled with emotion.

Pearl climbed up then down the hatch at the top of the aquarium, and carefully walked down the feeding ramp until the sea water lapped her feet. She sat down, took off her shirt and shorts, unclasped the back of her moonstone necklace to remove it, and snapped it back onto the shape of the tiara that she then placed atop her light blonde hair.

Her legs were instantly enveloped by a shimmering bright light. Long fibers of muscles and skin formed between the two, conjoining them into one single appendage. Iridescent purple scales sprouted from her skin, covering the newly formed tail, and her feet extended into a thin, long, flowy double fin. Adorned seashells appeared on her chest as a bra-like top, decorated with pearls and smaller spiraling shells. With a smile, she extended her tail up in the air and daintily flapped her fins, showing off for Ben. The light made shades of pink, gold, blue, and green shine on her tail too. Pearl winked at Benjamin, then elegantly dove into the aquarium with her hands in a steeple.

He, of course, eagerly watched every second of the transformation, intense eyes glued to the mermaid, his breath caught in his throat. It wasn’t the first time he’d seen her transform, of course, but it was the first time she was doing it for him. And that--- that hit differently. In practical terms, it meant that he could really watch every detail of the transformation without the staring being creepy. And in emotional terms…well. He knew that she was being vulnerable, that she cared enough about him to want to share that moment—and he felt the deep connection and intimacy between them. She wasn’t a subject to be kept and studied anymore, but rather a loved one to be admired and cherished.

With Pearl submerged and happily swimming around, Ben made his way out of the aquarium entrance and back down toward the front of it, where he could watch her through the large glass panel. There was an aquatic microphone and speaker installed at the bottom of the enclosure, originally used to pick up dolphin sounds and give them commands, which would do just fine.

The siren was waiting for him. Ben blocked his ears with a pair of plugs left over in a drawer from the time of Pearl’s captivity, and pressed the intercom button. “When I give you the sign, start your song, please. And sing it all the way through. Alright?” She nodded with a smile. Ben made sure the earplugs were absolutely airtight, then turned on the recording device. After the red light came on, he raised a thumbs up above his head, signaling to Pearl that it was time to sing.

And sing she did. The blonde mermaid vocalized the most beautiful, haunting song in the world, the siren song that lured in anyone who heard it, that could drown sailors and drive people to obsession. It lifted from her soft lips and carried through the water, into the recorder, and all around. She was feeling it, floating right at the center of the aquarium and swaying her arms in gentle, feminine movements that accompanied the melody. Her chest rose and fell softly to the rhythm. All of her emotions poured into the powerful echoes of the infamous siren song.

Ben watched it all with no sound, protected from the hypnotic quality of Pearl’s magic voice. But he was still transfixed by the sheer beauty and power of that siren, and his stomach tugged pleasantly at the way she emoted, and moved, and looked at him.

She added the same command to the song from the first time they did this: spin around three times. Finally, with sweeping notes and an angelic end, the siren song was done. Pearl waved at him to let him know, but he could already tell that her mouth wasn’t moving rhythmically. Ben stopped the recording, breathing in with a deeply content sigh as he removed his earplugs. He could hardly believe he managed to acquire a siren song on tape! Twice! And it didn’t take a trick or a scheme—he simply asked her for it and she obliged! If only everything in life came so easily. He smiled, talking to Pearl through the intercom. “That’s great, thank you. The syringe is at the foot of the ramp.”

With a nod, the mermaid swam up vertically to retrieve it, then let herself slowly sink back down again by not moving her fins. She bit her lip and eyed the needle warily, nervous to do the process herself—but it looked easy enough when Ben did it. Pursing her lips, she carefully stuck the needle in her own arm, made a face at the sting, pulled back the plunger and filled up the syringe barrel with blood. Precious mermaid blood, taken underwater.

With the endeavor finished, she deposited the syringe back on the ramp that led to the hatch ladder. Pearl then searched for Ben, making a questioning motion at him once she located him outside. She wasn’t sure what to do now, but she didn’t want to leave yet.

Ben grinned at her, excited by the prospect of studying siren blood. “I can’t thank you enough, Pearl. Please, take as long as you want in the water.” He knew she’d probably like to swim more, and he was happy to indulge her. He felt genuinely grateful for her help.

She grinned back and instantly swam into a wide vertical circle, going belly-up then upside down as she looped at the top, fins gracefully dragging behind her. The circle ended with her coming toward the glass, waving at Ben with a smile as her entire body went horizontal. She swam around like that for a while. Pearl then did a front flip, a barrel roll, and a few aquatic pirouettes followed by a simple forward-swim with her undulating body and flapping fins, tilting vertically to go up, then bending at the waist to pivot to come back down at certain points. It was just like when she was a hostage—except that, this time, she was happily showing off. She kept facing the window, making sure her body was on full display for Ben. And he was transfixed by her, eyes glued to her every movement. Whenever she would turn upright and swim up, or float in place, her hair would cascade behind her back. But if she pivoted, or pirouetted, the blonde tresses would fan out behind her, or above her head, or to the front and past her face, then delicately float back down whenever she was vertical again. He’d get occasional glimpses of her gills filtering water, behind her ears. Her arms helped her turn directions, or stayed together and outstretched in front of her face to diminish water resistance. Her purple tail shimmered, catching the aquarium lights to give off pink or golden or blue or green sparkles; sometimes the tail bent gracefully where the knees would be, or coiled below her, or undulated to propel her forward. All of it filled Ben with awe, but what took his breath away was her face. The joy, the freedom, the gleeful eyes and wide smile on her gorgeously striking face. She was showing off for him, and Ben wanted her to be his forever. His heart raced and swelled, and he felt like he was enchanted with bliss.

Almost instinctively, like drawn by some gravitational pull between them, he stepped closer to the glass. Close enough to touch. Pearl swam down to his level, body slanted toward him. She flipped her fins until her face was at the same height as his, except that her tail was turned up, like a crescent moon reaching toward the top, so her fins were high above her head. She smiled and placed a hand on the glass, palm facing Ben. The long blonde hair floated all around her.

As Pearl stayed there, floating halfway upside down, Ben felt that it was the right moment to move. He couldn’t explain it, but he placed his own hand where hers was, on the other side of the glass. Like he was touching her but the glass separated them. The mermaid quickly withdrew her hand and blinked in startled surprise.

Ben’s smile tightened. That—had apparently been the wrong move on his part. Did he misread the situation? His eyes flitted to the side as he dropped his own hand, embarrassed.

But Pearl was just caught by surprise. When she fully processed what he’d done, it filled her with enough warmth to melt her heart and make it flutter. She touched the glass again, and made a motion with her head telling him to do the same. Ben squinted, slowly raising his arm to lay his palm across the glass, over hers. Like their hands were pressed together. The mermaid in the water smiled affectionately at him.

It was the first time they were able to look at each other so clearly while she was underwater.

They stayed like that for several minutes, inexplicably. Pearl floating and Ben standing, together. Linked. Gazing into each other’s eyes, smiling at each other, touching hands over the glass. The chemistry was so strong that it was like the panel of glass didn’t even exist: they could feel each other’s feelings through it. With each passing second their hearts grew louder and faster, aching for one another, for a hug, for a kiss, for something loving and real. They felt so utterly connected to each other, sharing an understanding that didn’t even require words, sharing a type of intimacy they didn’t have with anybody else. Pearl felt indescribable bliss as she looked into his pretty blue eyes, and Ben’s breath hitched with the depth of the emotion he felt for her, his own heart fluttering too.

But—that emotion turned sour as soon as Ben let a rational thought enter his emotional space. The cruel irony of the situation hit him in a way that nearly made him let out a bitter laugh or a heartbroken tear. Because look at them! Look at the silly pair: connecting through the window of an aquarium, but from opposite sides. Man and mermaid, standing and floating, on dry land and underwater. Two un-mergeable worlds. Face to face, palm to palm, but a sheet of glass separating them so they could not touch. It was the most apt depiction of their relationship that Ben had ever seen! It cruelly reminded him of why they could never be together. He was falling in love with her, but Pearl was a mermaid. She could never be his, and he could never be hers. She’d never belong in his world and he’d never belong in hers. There would always be a metaphorical glass panel keeping them apart; they could fool themselves and touch the glass all they wanted, pining and pretending to touch hands, but they were still separated, never able to truly join as one.

He inhaled sharply and quickly withdrew his hand, blinking away the tears that threatened to wet his eyes. “We should go,” he abruptly said after pressing the intercom button.

Pearl deflated and her heart sank. Her swim back up was dejected, her transformation back into human form unseen. Ben was hurt, and she thought she knew why: he had feelings for her, and that window reminded him of how far apart they actually were. The mermaid realized the same thing when he pulled back so abruptly: she wanted to reach for him and touch his arm to stop him, but the glass made it impossible. That’s when it hit her too: in that moment, they were each in their respective worlds. Separate worlds, worlds that didn’t go together at all. She and Benjamin would never fit together, no matter how much they wanted and longed to. There would always be a metaphorical glass window separating them—and that hurt. Deeply. Pearl secretly wiped her own tears, putting on a brave face and a stiff lip as she walked out to meet him. “Did…you get all you needed from my blood and song?”

“I did, thank you,” he smiled politely, a close-mouthed smile that didn’t reach his eyes. He had already repressed the worst of the heartbreak. And although both of them were longing, and aching, and disappointed, neither said a word. It was like the palm-to-palm moment never even happened, and they were right back to business, not saying much to each other as they trekked back to the boat, then to the Barracks. But both of them suspected that the other felt the same, and that knowledge stayed as an unspoken agreement of heartbreak shared between them.

The analysis of Pearl’s mermaid blood would take a few days to be completed. The siren song could be tested immediately, by a metaphorical guinea pig, and Ben wasted no time. He made a few people listen to the tape—and, just like the first time, nothing happened. Nobody spun three times or fell into obsession with Pearl. Disappointment hit him, but much less strongly than the first time. As much as he’d love to weaponize the powerfully hypnotic siren song, he didn’t expect it to work this time around. It was just a shot in the dark. And the whole experience with Pearl ended up being much more significant and valuable than any weapon would ever be, anyway! Ben would never forget the connection they shared in that aquarium. Or the heartbreak. And neither would Pearl.

***

As an adult, Ben didn’t cry very often at all. It was different as a child, when he often found himself in tears while suffering physical abuse at the hands of his father, or mourning his mother and chasing her ghost through the jungle, or even while desperately praying that the “Hostiles” finally came to take him with them for good. But even as a kid, he never cried in front of others; his alcoholic father didn’t receive crying well, so Ben quickly learned to only do it alone, hiding his tears from the world. Over the years he learned to control his emotions better, masking them in order to not be perceived as weak; he would never again let anybody think of him that way, or let them use his own pain against him. And intense emotions made people act irrationally, slipping out of control; losing control was the one thing Ben wouldn’t allow himself to do. Being in control meant being safe. Giving in to emotions was unsafe. So any emotional pain that Ben felt only passed through his features, a quick semblance of a grimace or hurt eyes here and there, vanishing as fast as he buried his feelings.

Those feelings didn’t go away though, and on rare occasions – when the world weighed on him too much and he felt hopeless, broken or alone -- Ben could still find himself tearing up, maybe even weeping. Or, at the very least, he let himself feel his buried emotions.

That was one of those nights. After disheartening updates from Juliet regarding pregnancies on the Island made him once again contemplate Jacob’s lack of communication with him, Ben ended up in another argument with his daughter because of her boyfriend. He just couldn’t lose her to a pregnancy! The two events taking place on the same day were enough to make him feel very small. What was so wrong with him that his own daughter hated him, and that made Jacob refuse to speak to him?! Didn’t they see him trying his best?! Couldn’t they tell how much he cared?! It hurt to be abandoned by the Island deity and by Alex! The heartbreak over Pearl was still lingering too, so, suffice it to say that Ben was having a bad night. Sitting on his bed, he clutched his mother’s photograph, neatly preserved in a frame. It was one of the only things he had left of her, and it brought him some comfort. Closing his eyes and letting out a sigh, Ben allowed his mind to drift to what life might’ve been like if Emily Linus didn’t die giving birth to him, transforming him into a guilty murderer in the eyes of his own father before he’d even had his first birthday. What would it have been like to grow up loved unconditionally by a mother, with maternal care and support? Surely he would’ve had a much happier childhood—but would he have still ended up on the Island? Would the Island even matter so much to him if he was raised differently? And how different of a man would he have grown up to be?

He tried so hard to be a good father, a good leader, a good man--- was he failing at all of it? A shaky sigh tore from his throat as he gripped the photo tighter, and tears began to form in his blue eyes. Ben didn’t fight them; he never did, if he was alone and in a safe location. He let them slowly spill over his waterline, silently trickling down his cheeks.

“The rabbit is hungry,” Pearl’s vibrant, angelic voice shattered his safe bubble, startling Ben into a sharp flinch as the woman burst into his bedroom. He quickly wiped his face and flashed a censoring look that hid his embarrassment. It was only recently that he started leaving his door ajar when the mermaid was home – signifying she was welcome to come in -- but he didn’t expect her to rush in like that!

“Haven’t you learned how to knock yet?” Benjamin spat the words, glaring at her. He knew she was probably so concerned with Eight that she forgot, which was forgivable, but it didn’t make him feel any less sour or exposed.

“I’m sorry, the door was open and I’m in a hurry to feed Eight,” she offered, but something had changed in her demeanor. Her shoulders bunched up and her excited urgency softened. Ben winced inwardly as he became sure that she noticed him crying.

“I’ll go get the carrots,” he said plainly, but Pearl moved to stop him. Ben threw her an impatient look.

“Who is she?” the ever-observant mermaid pointed to the blonde in the photograph, her tone purposely soft and placating. She was unnerved to have caught tears in Ben’s eyes, as he’d never been that vulnerable around her before. So she was unsure how to act. “She resembles you.”

“My mother,” he told her as if challenging her to say anything else.

Pearl frowned. She recognized that pain of absence, of loss in Ben’s eyes. It was how Pearl grieved her own mother too. “You have never talked about her to me. Is she…gone?”

“She died giving birth to me,” he said flatly, almost callously, to hide the hurt.

“Oh, Benjamin, I’m so sorry,” Pearl offered with sincerity. She was already connecting the dots: she had walked in on a private moment of grief and remembrance, where Ben was allowing himself to feel the loss of the mother he’d never met. Pearl’s abrupt entrance startled and embarrassed him, as evidenced by how quick he was to try and erase the tears. The mermaid felt bad for him; losing one’s mother was heartbreaking, and it seemed like he only ever dealt with those emotions if he was by himself. He never let anybody in, not to help him process or heal, or even simply to offer him comforting words. Pearl thought she was the wrong person for it; the best thing to do was to excuse herself and walk out, then never mention the incident ever again. That would make him feel better.

Unless…unless she was the right person. She cared about him so much, so why should it be wrong for her to help? Pearl decided she could at least try. “She’s the one whose ghost you saw next to a bioluminescent pool, isn’t she?” the mermaid asked softly, a sympathetic look in her eyes.

“Yeah,” he nodded plainly, face intentionally vacant. Now Pearl understood why that moment meant so much to him. It wasn’t just any lost relative—it was his mother.

Ben waited for her to leave, hoping it would happen soon. He made sure to keep his gaze on her, not backing down or allowing himself to look even weaker. But Pearl couldn’t bring herself to walk away and leave him alone. Not like that, not while he was grieving. Before her own brain talked her out of it, she hurried toward him and had a seat by his side, on his bed.

“She was beautiful,” the mermaid praised with a sincere smile, admiring the departed woman in the photograph. “She didn’t die on the Island, did she?” Ben stiffly nodded ‘no’, and Pearl’s earnest eyes met his. “Then she must love you very much to show up here as a ghost. I think she would be proud of the man you are now, Ben.”

Suddenly Ben found himself a little choked up again. All he could do was nod, agreeing. Emily Linus was beautiful, and she would’ve been a wonderful loving mother if she had lived. He felt loved by her all his life, even if only as a ghost. Although he wasn’t so sure how proud she might be of some of his…more ruthless decisions. Still, it was a heartwarming thought to think that his mother would love him unconditionally through it all, to this day. His father could never give him unconditional love, couldn’t protect him even though that was a father’s only job—so at least his dead mother could.

But that bittersweet thought wasn’t the only reason for the fresh batch of tears plaguing him; Pearl’s actions added to it. It was so kind of her to come sit with him, to talk about his mother in soothing tones, like she cared about his well-being. Did she? She did, Ben thought, and it wasn’t the first time that she demonstrated it. He felt a shiver coming on and let out a shaky breath as fresh tears threatened to spill. It was lovely to feel so cared for. “I’m sorry, I—”

“Don’t be,” she said sweetly. Pearl noticed that his eyes were welling up, and reflexively leaned closer to him, pressing herself to his side. One arm snaked around his back, and the other hugged him from the front. She felt him tense up, but he didn’t cast her away, so her head came to rest on his shoulder. The mermaid said nothing, feeling that words weren’t needed.

And they weren’t. Her protective embrace was more than enough for Ben. He sat there frozen, with a mermaid wrapped around him, suddenly hyper aware of his breathing and his hands. His teary eyes were wide, mouth pressed into a tight line. He could feel her soft hair brushing against the side of his jawline, her intoxicating scent traveling up his nose. It was the first time they shared a chaste hug.

Despite her gesture of support, she was a little tense too. Being so close to a human didn’t come naturally for her. It was different than a moment of romance or sex; she didn’t mind being all wrapped up in Ben for that, embracing him tightly while they made out. But a hug where the human wasn’t getting anything from her? It was dangerous. It took her a minute or two to relax and breathe in, and then the hug felt delightful to her. Ben felt her body nestling beside his as she got more comfortable, her sideways hug tightening, a hand making reassuring circles on his back. He could tell that she was relaxed now, at ease comforting him—and God, he didn’t even know how badly he needed that! He decided it was okay to give in to the affection and comfort, and he dipped his head to the side so that it touched hers, his cheek on her hair. He wriggled one arm free from her grip and wrapped it around her, returning the sideways hug and keeping her so very close to him, right there on his bed. Pearl’s fingers found his spiky hair and she tenderly kneaded his scalp. He felt a small smile blooming on his lips, his own fingers lightly caressing her arm.

They stayed like that, in complicit silence and soaking up the gentle affection, for several minutes. Unmoving, not talking, simply melting into one another. Ben’s sadness dissipated and he felt the warmth of having true support, felt the wonder of having his emotions validated and embraced. He didn’t feel so alone anymore, or so small and unappreciated. Quite the opposite, really: he felt truly cared for…and even loved. His heart swelled, warm and fuzzy. More than just his friend and confidant, Pearl was truly becoming his favorite person in the whole entire world. And he was becoming hers.

When they finally moved, they headed outside to feed Eight together.

***

“Hey Ben!” one of Benjamin’s people called him while he was walking past the gazebo, approaching him with an easygoing smile. He returned it and stayed silent, waiting to see what she wanted. “I ran into Pearl, she asked me to give you a message.”

“Oh?” How unusual. “Go on…”

“She said that, uh, to give you a heads up that there are not just one but three fish out of water.” The messenger shrugged. “I dunno what it means, she said you’d get it.”

Ben got it. He got it exactly, much to his chagrin. That secret code could only mean that there were more sirens on land than just the queen. Well—Pearl did promise to never let him be caught by surprise by sirens anymore. He quickly nodded, flashing a brief empty smile. “Thank you.”

Walking briskly through the lawns, he wondered where Pearl might be hiding the two new mermaids or mermen. And more importantly, why were they here, in his territory?! Trying to reach their queen again, no doubt. Ben shook his head. Pearl’s presence on land really complicated the borders established by the treaty! He reached his home, mind racing fast.

As soon as he walked in, two unfamiliar pairs of hazel eyes landed on him. The sail-clad women they belonged to hissed viciously at Ben, their shoulders pulled back and squared. He stared in a deadpan, unfazed.

“This is Ben, he’s a friend,” Pearl interjected emphatically to calm them down. “And this is his home. We must show him respect.” They looked at her, then at Ben, let out another, tinier hiss, and deflated.

Well; there was no longer a need to wonder where the ‘fish out of water’ were. They were right there, inside his house, awkwardly sitting on his couch! Ben’s nostrils flared and his eyes widened with comical outrage. “Pearl, may I have a word?” he asked pointedly, lips pressing into a tight grimace.

“Certainly.” By the sheepish look she gave him, Ben knew she understood exactly how upset he was. “I’m sorry,” she offered before he even said anything else. “There were complaints that I have not granted them updates for the entire week—and that made them suspicious of you. They thought I might be hurt! Oh, they miss me, Benjamin, and I too miss them terribly! They are not my sisters, but I do love them. And the only way to make them trust you was to show them how we are okay here.”

He understood the rationale, but that didn’t mean he liked it. “Why did you bring them inside?!” he said snippily. Ben was uncomfortable with the two aquatic predators in his home.

“I thought it would be safer and more discreet than wandering with them in public, and more useful to convince them. I’ve kept them in check, I promise you,” the siren queen said sincerely. “And—I made sure you were not caught by surprise.”

“Thanks for the courtesy call,” he droned sarcastically, but Ben did indeed appreciate her not letting him walk in unaware of what awaited him on the couch.

“Wasn’t I nice to give you forewarning?” she flashed a charmingly playful smile.

“You’re always a delight,” blank sarcasm as he stared her down. She giggled.

“We are pack creatures. The isolation is…” Pearl gave a hand flourish, eyes heavy. “…difficult. So thank you for not trying to prevent me from seeing them,” she said sincerely, and planted a kiss on his cheek. His stomach filled with butterflies. “As a thank you,” she added as an explanation when she saw the odd look Ben threw her.

Not that he disliked the kiss. He loved it! And it was less dangerous than other kisses they had shared before. But he knew the siren was being playful and sly, so he was careful not to let himself feel too much affection for the gesture. “How long do they need to stay here until they understand I’m not a threat to you?” he asked with a bit of a bite.

“Not much longer. They’ve seen that I am healthy and happy. I think we are all but done here, unless…” Her features lit up when she had an idea: “Would you care to meet them?” When he squinted in thought, the mermaid shook his arm with enthusiasm. “Oh, please, Ben? You will like them, I am certain of it! They are not so different from me, and we’ve grown to get along, haven’t we? You liked Aqua, too, as I recall! Will you please give them a chance?”

How could he say no when her hands were around his wrist and her golden-flecked eyes were pleading with him? And honestly, tactically speaking, it wasn’t such a bad idea. His mouth opened and closed as he gave a resigned nod. “Alright. They’re already here. I might as well say hello, be a good host.” It would be useful if he could cultivate more allies in the sirens, especially outside of Pearl’s immediate family. Gaining their trust was always a plus.

So the pair returned to the living room where the skittish mermaids were sitting and swinging their legs, intrigued by their new limbs. Their eyes snapped up to Pearl when she re-entered the room. “As I have said, this is Benjamin Linus—Ben, the kind human who has been hosting me on land,” Pearl told the others with a smile. They traded a wary glance, clearly unsure on whether or not to approach the man. The blonde queen smiled reassuringly. “As I am sure Aqua told you, Ben has been very helpful to me here. He keeps me safe, and we have a lot of fun together.” She was very excited for more of her mermaids to see Ben in a better light.

With Pearl’s assurance that Ben was helpful and not a danger to merpeople, the other two clumsily pushed themselves off the couch and stepped closer to him, looking in with curiosity and certain fascination. One reached out and gingerly touched the sleeve of his shirt, while the other nudged his shoe with her bare toes. It was awkward, yet made him want to laugh at the same time. He exchanged an amused glance with Pearl, who had been on land long enough to see the humor in it too. But for the other two, it was their first time being within reach of a shirt or a shoe.

“Hello, Ben,” one of them attempted in a hoarse voice. Her hair was brownish red, as long as Pearl’s but very straight.

“Hello,” he said back with a small nod. “Have you picked a land name yet?”

The one who said ‘hi’ first shook her head to say ‘no’. The other one squinted, looked around like she was in mild distress, then her eyes landed on the couch by the living room wall. “Couch,” she said, picking a name then and there. She didn’t like being nameless in the human world.

Ben’s eyebrows rose with amusement. “That’s a—very unique name.”

Pearl giggled. “Maybe we shall revisit picking land names later,” she suggested. She couldn’t let the poor mermaid go around calling herself Couch! Although the eccentric name matched her lush curly green hair, that she dyed with seaweed pigments.

There was a moment of lingering silence where everyone just stared at each other. Then Ben decided to be diplomatic, aiming to win their trust. “Would you like a brief tour?” he offered politely, though a bit flatly. The smile on his face was friendly, but his eyes remained a little distant—almost a little cold.

“Tour?” Couch questioned.

“To see the house,” Ben explained, vaguely gesturing around them.

Pearl chimed in with an enthusiastic bounce. “I think that is a most excellent idea!”

The other two shrugged and went along with it, curiously peering at the unfamiliar world around them. The tour that Ben gave them was less detailed and more contained than what he gave Pearl when she first moved in—there was no need to explain all the workings of a human home to mermaids who were just visiting. But he told them a bit about the living room, the kitchen – where they tried to bang pots and pans to make music until Pearl stopped them, then Ben gave them mango juice and they loved it -- and the bathroom – where the faucet startled them a bit. They looked warily fascinated the whole way through, and stuck close to their queen. They also noticed how comfortable and smiley Pearl was in the home, how confidently she strode around, and how knowledgeable she had become about everything in there. It was something to report to the rest of their underwater society later.

When they circled back to the living room, a light breeze from outside blew the curtains a little. The nameless mermaid glared at the movement and jabbed the curtain violently to defend herself. Ben held back an amused smirk.

“Hey, no,” Pearl rushed to correct her. “That is to protect from the sun,” she explained as she gently pushed her friend’s hand down and away before the curtain rod ended up ripped from the wall.

She barely finished putting out that small fire when Couch started another one. She had curiously picked up one of Ben’s decorative tribal masks from the wall and tried to wear it as a hat. Pearl maneuvered to her and gently pried the mask from her hand. “Why?” Couch complained.

“It’s art, to decorate the room. It belongs on the wall, and it’s fragile. We must be careful not to break things here,” Pearl patiently explained with a little chuckle. She was speaking from experience, too, having broken a couple of Ben’s things when she first arrived.

Ben was observing the new mermaids as much as they were observing his home. They still had that wild animal-like quality of sniffing things, hissing at the unfamiliar, taking unsure steps and always being on guard to attack, heads swiveling around in jarring little sharp movements. But they were clever too, paying attention to every detail and treating him with enough diplomacy to keep things at ease. They were not as warm and open as Aqua, nor as proficient in speaking a human language, but at least they were interested enough in interacting with him without prejudice. He gave them a polite smile when they glanced his way, and they returned it more earnestly by the end of the visit.

Pearl was keeping the other sirens in check, but she was also observing Ben the whole time. Although he wasn’t 100% comfortable with the idea of new mermaids in his home, Pearl could see that he was much more at ease around them than he used to be. He didn’t flinch when they hissed, or keep his hand hovering over his baton just in case. Their peace experiment seemed to be working rather well, making the human leader more at ease with the merfolk, and the merfolk more at ease with him. The blonde queen beamed proudly, knowing that part of the reason why Ben was more comfortable with sirens roaming his home was that he trusted Pearl to keep them from hurting him, and he trusted that her subjects would listen to her. She beamed at him, and he smiled back at her fondly.

“That’s most of the home,” Ben told the group with some finality, to wrap up the tour and encourage Pearl to take the sirens back to the water. Knowing the blonde, he figured she’d want a private moment to say bye to her friends anyway. “I must say goodbye for now, but it was a pleasure to meet you both,” he said with easy diplomacy, a natural at it.

“I will take them back to the sea, then I will return for dinner,” Pearl informed him. The two of them smiled at each other, and the other mermaids noticed. They would report back about the pleasant familiarity between the man and their queen that permeated the entire tour.

“Goodbye, Ben,” Couch told him with a wobbly curtsy, green curls bouncing.

“Thank thee for tour,” the brunette added. He gave them an affable smile in return.

The blonde queen left with the other sirens in tow, stealthily traveling by the outskirts of the Barracks so they could reach the nearest beach unseen. Once there, the three mermaids hugged tightly. ‘It is important that you go back and tell the others what a kind host Benjamin is. He treats me well, just as he treated the two of you well today too,’ Pearl clicked in mermaid language with a smile, exercising diplomacy as well. ‘Will you do that?’ She was excited the visit had gone well.

The other mermaids clicked a ‘yes’. When they returned to the bottom of the sea, they confidently reported that Pearl’s experiment was successful enough, that she was living comfortably, and that Ben was a good human who had a very nice relationship with their queen. Many of the merfolk liked that. Unfortunately, there were a few who secretly did not like the update at all; they hated that their queen was cavorting with humans, no matter how well the relationship was going! The fact that Pearl was becoming so comfortable on land and so close to a human only exacerbated their worries-- and their suspicions that she may not be fit to be the underwater queen. They kept their grievances to themselves for now, but it was the kind of discontentment bound to cause trouble down the line.

***

Pearl was slowly becoming more proficient with reading in the human English language. Ben was still giving her some lessons, but now she wanted to practice reading by herself too. The mermaid was going through Ben’s living room shelves, searching for a book that was simple enough for her to understand. She pulled on them one by one, humming absently, and put them back in place if they weren’t her pick. Maybe there was something from Alex’s childhood that could work?

Something that she did – pressing, pulling, or pushing something – resulted in a clicking sound. The entire shelf dislodged and swung out. The siren jumped back, lips curling for her to hiss at it…but then she noticed it made a door. The bookshelf was hiding a secret entrance, and she had unwittingly revealed it.

Benjamin, what are you hiding? she wondered, a sly smirk pulling on her lips. He probably wouldn’t want her in there, but she couldn’t resist. With no hesitation, Pearl walked right into Ben’s secret room.

It was full of clothes. She could tell they belonged to Ben; they were his size and smelled nice just like him. But they were unexpectedly different in style. Not the light-colored button-up shirts and khaki pants he often favored, although there were some similar blue shirts in there too. But for the most part these outfits were darker, more formal; it was a closet full of suit jackets, stylish winter jackets for colder climates, black pants and shirts, and a bunch of fancy ties. The siren was confused; she had never, ever, seen Ben wear anything like that! So why did he own them? And why keep them hidden?!

They were, of course, his off-Island clothes for whenever a trip to the mainland was required. But Pearl had no idea about that. Her curiosity was certainly piqued, though! Going through the secret room drawers, she found Ben’s stash of fake passports – all from different nationalities and under the alias of ‘Dean Moriarty’ – and the bundles of money, but they meant nothing to the mermaid.

She liked the clothes, though. The fabrics felt nice and rich. She was inspecting them, gently running fingers over them when she noticed a lightly receding section of the wall, conveniently hidden behind some shirts. Pearl moved them aside to take a better look; that section was clearly a separate panel that connected to the wall but wasn’t part of it. Curious, she fiddled with that panel until it slid to the side. The mermaid gasped, stunned by what appeared in its place: a thick arched door of carved rock, with little figures all over it. A secret entrance inside an already secret room. Now she was utterly determined to investigate! Pearl tried to push the door open, but it didn’t budge. It was heavy. She took a deep breath, firmed her feet on the floor, and gathered all her strength to push it again. It finally dislodged, revealing what was inside. “Now, what have we here?” she murmured to herself, calculating eyes peering into the darkness. It looked like a cave.

Pearl was suspicious. She had begun to trust Ben, really trust him…but could that be a mistake? Was he hiding something horrible in there? It wasn’t normal to have a double layer of secretiveness! Then again, the first secret room wasn’t very shocking at all, it just housed clothes. After giving it some thought the siren decided there was probably nothing too bad in that tunnel—just something very important to Ben that may seem inexplicable to her. Feeling a need to prove herself by conquering that mystery, she blinked to light up her siren eyes. The beams of light that came from them illuminated the path ahead, and Pearl ducked right in to follow it to the end.

It looked like someone carved a tunnel through rocks, or maybe it was a naturally-made narrow cave. Pearl glanced around curiously but, strangely, there was nothing noteworthy in there. Just rocks. So she kept traveling down the path that felt like it got tighter the farther she ventured into it.

Things got progressively weirder because, at the end of all that, there was only a small puddle of muddy water. All that secrecy for a puddle?! There had to be a reason for it, right? The siren crouched beside it, looking into the dirty shallow water with interest. Well—water was her domain. If it was hiding something, Pearl could command it to reveal the truth. Carefully, the siren slipped in one finger, and sang a melody that would bend the element to her will. The water responded, sloshing around and then gathering over Pearl’s hand, emptying out the edges of the hole. With a smile – and still singing the song to control the waters – Pearl gracefully lifted her hand up in the air, fingers twisting in an elegant flourish. The water obeyed and followed her move, lifting off the ground and floating in the air—held by mermaid magic.

Lifting the water revealed something like a small plug underneath it. Usually one would have to stick their wrist in the puddle to reach it. Intrigued, Pearl pulled it. Nothing happened until she let the water fall back down into place—then there was a weird suction noise, and all the water went down a tiny hole, like a drain of sorts, emptying the puddle. The siren made a face.

That was awfully anticlimactic, she thought on her way out of the hidden cave. I must be missing something still; he would not keep that cave a secret unless it housed something important…

Returning to the closet, Pearl grabbed a black jacket from Ben’s rack and put it on. She admired herself in the mirror, smiling at the stylishly oversized way it fell on her. The color complimented her skin and hair tone. She looked good! And the jacket felt nice, too. She twirled with it, hugged herself, then left the secret compartment and pushed the bookshelf to seal it up again. She still felt that she needed answers, so Pearl kept the jacket on her body: her way of showing Ben that she was on to him.

Ben was speaking frantically on the radio when he got home a short moment later. “It’s circling the perimeter of the Sonic Fence, looking for a way in! No, I didn’t call on it! I don’t know how to send it away,” he said in urgent exasperation, clutching the radio tightly. Pearl could see that he was in crisis mode. He looked her way, just to give a brief nod of acknowledgment of her presence—and froze when he saw his mainland jacket on her. “Where did you—” For a split second, his forehead creased in confusion, mind working to understand what the hell was going on. Then his face fell. “I’m gonna have to call you back,” he told the person on the other side of the radio and shut it off. His exasperated urgency now turned toward the mermaid. Ben took a few hasty steps toward her, eyes completely wide and bulging. “Pearl, you need to tell me the truth: did you stick your hand in a puddle and pull the plug?!” It was obvious, too much to be a coincidence. If she found his clothes stash, she probably found the tunnel too.

Whoa. She knew he’d be snippy about her discovering his secret room, but she didn’t expect it to be such a huge deal! She let out a soft scoff. “Yes. I found it by accident, and—”

Ben pressed his eyes tightly shut, holding back a groan. He wasn’t even listening to her explanation. Not now; they could talk about it later, when things weren’t so dire. “You summoned the Black Smoke,” he said hurriedly and with a hint of scolding, eyes widening at her again. “It’s trapped outside the Sonic Fence, but it’s trying to find a way to break its defenses! It wants a rampage. If it gets in—” his eyes widened even more, tone ominous and startled, “it will kill a lot of people.”

Pearl’s own eyes widened slowly, jaw opening with shock. “I summoned it by touching the plug?! I’m sorry, I had no idea, it—” she quickly shook her head, feeling awfully guilty. Now it made sense to her why he had a double layer of security hiding that puddle! But apologies and explanations weren’t important now; she knew only one thing mattered at the moment: “How do we stop the rampage?”

“Can you talk to it—to, to him?” If there was one advantage in knowing the Smoke was a person, it was that Ben could factor that into his decisions. That thing seemed to like Pearl enough; maybe she had a chance of dialoguing with it. Ben thought that was a better plan than waiting for the Smoke to calm down and give up on its own. Certainly better than him having to approach it.

She nodded fiercely. “Yes, yes, of course! It’s…better that I go alone, though…” Pearl added with some uncertainty, not sure if Ben would trust her with that. Would he put the safety and the lives of his people in the hands of a maiden of the seas?

“I know. Go,” he said, commanding but not icy. Not bossy, just taking charge during a crisis. Ben knew the creature disliked humans and had a decent rapport with the sirens. Pearl was better off on her own for this one—and he trusted that she’d fix it to the best of her ability.

She nodded, giving him a charged look that promised to do her best, and thankful for his trust. Ben’s own blue eyes gave her a meaningful look back, silently telling her that he was counting on her to fix what she broke. Pearl took off Ben’s jacket, hurried out of the house and sprinted toward the border of the Barracks, glad that her long legs carried her so well now without shaking or wobbling. Her waist-length hair flew wildly behind her.

She ran down the cement pathways and lawns, then out onto long stretches of wild green grass. Panting, the siren slowed down when she reached the end of the perimeter. The Black Smoke roared madly outside, zigging and zagging right in front of the Sonic Fence designed to keep it out.

“Man in Black!” Pearl shouted over its roar, getting close to the barrier. “Please, stop this! Talk to me!” she waved at it to call its attention.

It recognized her and decided she was worth speaking to. The Smoke curled in on itself, becoming more compact and solid until there was a man in its place. Dressed in black, and angry. “Somebody called me here. I want to know who, and why—and I want to take some of them out along the way.”

She grimaced apologetically. “It was me! I summoned you by accident. I’m terribly sorry, I didn’t know that’s what I was doing.”

Interest flickered in his eyes. The Man in Black smirked, looking straight at her. “You’re still living with them? Careful, Pearl, you don’t want to be a blood traitor to your merfolk.”

The blonde steeled. “I am not a traitor! I’m studying humans to help us! I told you as much.”

“But running out here to defend them? I think you’re developing a soft spot for them,” he mocked, bemused. “How unbecoming of a mermaid queen.”

“It is not a soft spot. I simply choose to favor peace over war, so I am giving that a chance” she said firmly, then narrowed her eyes. “Unlike you, who always seeks out violence. Please, Man in Black, there is no need for destruction today.”

He let out a hollow laugh. “I can’t believe you’re protecting them now.” The MiB sensed a strategic opportunity; he couldn’t get past the Sonic Fence anyway, so he might as well leverage Pearl’s desire for peace and her current physical proximity to the human population. “I’ll stay out, but you should do me a small favor.”

Usually Pearl would’ve been fine with that; she used to like the Man in Black. But lately she liked him a lot less since she realized he was willing to set up her merfolk for his own petty nefarious goals! He could’ve seriously hurt them if he started a war by framing them for Colleen’s death! So her hazel eyes were steely when she asked: “What is it that you might want of me?”

A dark smirk. “You know that I am always trying to manipulate someone into killing Jacob for me.”

“Yeah, I know,” Pearl nodded, curious where he was going with that.

“You’re in a great position to do the same,” he suggested with a malicious grin. “I’m sure someone in this little society of yours has access to my brother. Someone he’s used to, who won’t spook him. Convince them to kill him.”

She scrunched her face, shaking her head. Pearl was not opposed to taking out Jacob, but there were not many people who could pull that off. “I think Richard is the only one with access. And Ben,” she added for the sake of keeping up Ben’s ruse—even though the MiB likely knew the truth anyway. “If anyone else tries to approach, Jacob will be on his guard.”

The dark creature scowled. “I tried to get Richard centuries ago. It almost worked, but he turned. Ben is too loyal to Jacob, he would need…something to make him question his faith.” He smiled again, at Pearl. Calmly, almost friendly, but his dark eyes were icy cold. “But you are much more persuasive than I am. Sing to Richard, Pearl. Or to Ben, if you think he can get close to Jacob.”

She shuffled uncomfortably. “I can’t.”

He narrowed his eyes, but more with curiosity than anger. “And why not?”

Pearl hesitated before deciding that lying to a creature that saw into people’s true intentions would make things worse, so she answered truthfully. “I promised Ben that I would not use my siren song on anybody while I’m his guest.” She swallowed, pretty sure the MiB wouldn’t like that one bit.

He laughed wryly. “You would put more value on a promise to a human, than on the good of your whole merfolk nation?”

“I don’t break my promises,” she said warningly, as if telling him to back off. They stared each other down from opposite sides of the Sonic Fence.

The Man in Black stepped as close to the barrier as he could go. “Don’t forget, Pearl, that until Jacob is dead, we can’t leave this godforsaken Island. I can’t leave, and you can’t leave with your sisters. So think about it: one little song, for one little Richard, and all our problems are solved. Your precious Ben doesn’t even have to know.” The smile he gave bordered on predatory.

The siren met his eyes, considering his words. “I’ll think about it,” she said flatly, “if you leave now.”

“I’ll go,” he agreed, that annoying little smirk on his face again. “But seriously, Pearl, if you prioritize a promise to a human over the freedom of your merpeople…then I really think you are a blood traitor to your kind,” the Man in Black laughed before turning back into a pillar of smoke and flying away into the jungle with a rattling noise.

That accusation felt like a kick to the gut. Pearl’s jaw set and her gaze steeled, and she stood there watching until the Black Smoke disappeared. Then she let out a shaky breath and started the trek back to the house. The taunts of the MiB replayed on her mind all the way home. It was true that gaining the freedom of her merpeople was as easy as hypnotizing Richard. One song and all her problems would be solved. Being Ben’s roommate was probably the only chance she had to get close enough to the advisor to sing to him! But she couldn’t bring herself to do that to Ben! Could she? Should she? Her stomach churned with unease as she approached the yellow house.

She found Ben standing rigidly in one spot, clutching the radio and pressing it to his tightened lips. He’d been tensely waiting for her return, hoping and praying that she could avert a disaster. Blue eyes landed on her, demanding an answer as she approached.

“It worked!” Pearl smiled triumphantly. “He left. Without destroying anything.”

Ben let out a sigh of immense relief, head rolling back and mouth half-open. Then he turned on the walkie-talkie. “Isabel? I’ve been monitoring it, and it just left. It must have gotten tired of trying to break in. … Yeah, everyone can stand down now.” He turned off the device and returned his attention to Pearl. “Now you need to tell me exactly what happened,” Ben said with eerie seriousness, piercing eyes straight on her.

“I was looking for a book to try and read for myself, so I was going through the bookcase, and it—opened. Accidentally! I still don’t even know exactly what I did to dislodge it. I saw the secret entrance and I couldn’t resist, I went in to take a look around,” she explained, hands clasped together.

He looked as exasperated as he looked tired. “And you found the tunnel to the puddle,” Ben added cynically, in a logical deduction.

“Indeed. I am terribly sorry, Ben. I didn’t mean for any of it to happen. I had no idea there was something so dangerous in there!” she bit her bottom lip, apologetic.

“Nothing would have happened if you didn’t decide to snoop,” he pointed out, a bit miffed.

“That’s true,” she conceded, looking down then back up at him. “I considered asking you about it, but I didn’t think you would tell me the truth. Would you have?”

“…No,” he admitted in a monotone. Ben would’ve been willing to tell her about summoning the smoke, but not about his mainland closet.

“See? So I had to snoop!” she said with a grin to make things lighter. “The door was already open! You would have snooped too!”

He couldn’t help a wry chuckle. “I would have. So I suppose I can overlook this,” his chin lifted and head tilted a bit, and there was an unreadable expression on his face.

Pearl beamed. “Thanks.” She took a beat and approached Ben a little more, eyes alight with clever curiosity. “Can we talk about why you have a secret room now? I understand the cave with the puddle—it’s safer to hide a place that summons the Black Smoke.” She eyed the jacket she left on the couch. “But—why the room with all the dark clothes? I don’t understand.”

He glanced at his jacket too, then back at Pearl. Now that the crisis was over, he could appreciate how stunning she had looked wearing it; it almost made his heart jump—but her question made him frown. Ben’s lips pressed into a thin line. He was faced with yet another choice of how much to share with the mermaid queen. How much did he trust her now? Enough to answer, he realized. “Those are— the clothes I wear when I visit the mainland. Off-Island,” he said ominously, not blinking. “They’re hidden because I…I don’t want my people to be reminded of how often we have business on the mainland.” They knew Ben had to go sometimes, of course; it was impossible to hide his absence and the submarine docking upon return. But if they heard that he was coming and going fairly frequently, they’d start asking to go too—and Ben wasn’t allowed to let them leave unless he was 100% sure they would come back. He didn’t need them all knowing his Dean Moriarty alias, either.

“You do not want those less committed to ask to tag along with you,” she easily deduced after some of their prior conversations about the submarine.

Ben looked a bit guilty. Then, to compensate for his complicated feelings on the topic, he looked very determined. “It’s simpler this way. They know I leave sometimes, and we pick up new members out there like Juliet sometimes as well, but I don’t need to have those clothes dangling in front of them, reminding them of it. The less they think about it, the better. Although it is moot now that I can’t leave either,” he threw her a passing glare, since it was her fault for taking the submarine away. Then he continued, droning more of an explanation: “And—the closet works as a cover for the mechanism of summoning the Black Smoke. If someone finds my hiding spot, they assume it’s only for the clothes and they stop looking for more.” A clever trick of doubling up secrets to keep the puddle safe.

“Extra security so nobody else can reach the summoning spot,” the mermaid commented under her breath, and Ben nodded. Wow. Pearl knew he had to have great trust in her in order to share the truth about all of this—and that made her think about the Man in Black’s plan again. She could sing the siren song to Richard behind Ben’s back; no one ever had to know. Ben wouldn’t be upset if he never found out! It was tempting, but…no. No, she would not betray Ben like that! She would not destroy the trust they took so long to rebuild! So the blonde mermaid let out a dejected sigh. “Thank you for trusting me with the real information. Ben…in the spirit of sharing and cooperation…the Man in Black said something that I think I should tell you about.”

Apprehension crossed his features, although he was glad their trust was a two-way street. “Go on…”

“He…” the siren fidgeted, upset with herself for not securing the freedom of the merfolk. “…he wanted me to sing to enchant someone to kill Jacob.” Every word felt heavy, like she was throwing away the chance to help her kingdom and choosing Ben over them. But Pearl knew it wasn’t so black-and-white. It was about keeping her promise to the man she had feelings for. “Someone who’s able to get close to him. Likely you, the only one who speaks to him…” She omitted Richard being an option too, not wanting to tip Ben off to the fact that she knew he didn’t really talk to Jacob but that the advisor did.

Ben’s jaw dropped and he paled. He was silent for a moment, thinking through the implications of the news. God, he hated that that creepy violent smoke was so determined to kill Jacob! And knowing that it was trying to rope in Pearl and Ben himself into its murderous plan made him feel extremely uneasy. But there was a silver lining. “If you’re telling me about it, then I assume you made the choice not to take him up on his…suggestion?” he asked grimly.

“Indeed,” Pearl nodded. “I—could not break my promise to you. Even at the expense of our freedom.”

He could see the sadness in her eyes, and it told him how much she was giving up for his sake: to do what was right for him. Ben felt a swell of emotion. “Pearl, I…” his tongue wet his upper lip and his eyes darted around, “I thank you for this. But—even if you sang, none of us would be able to successfully kill Jacob; he would see it coming! He…he sees things, Pearl,” Ben explained, tone emphatic and intense. “So please, don’t be sad. You didn’t give up your freedom. The plan would have failed.” Ben wanted to cheer her up, but he really believed that. Trying to kill the Island deity was futile, he thought.

His utter certainty about that made the siren feel a little better. Having him try to cheer her up endeared her, so, without thinking, Pearl squeezed his hand and planted an affectionate little kiss on Ben’s shoulder, then lovingly nuzzled it. Mindlessly and unintentionally, a purely instinctive act; the act felt so natural that Pearl didn’t even realize what she did, because she felt that close to him, that at ease with him. But Ben noticed, of course. Something crept across his face, but he didn’t react otherwise.

That’s when she realized what she did. Pearl’s eyes widened. “Oh, I apologize. I, uh—I wasn’t thinking.”

“It’s alright,” Ben said with a little smile. “I don’t mind. It caught me by surprise, that’s all.” That was an understatement. That instinctive, casual, tender, affectionate little kiss of familiarity completely shocked him—in the best way. He felt all warm and fuzzy that Pearl was so fond of him, so comfortable with him physically and emotionally that she’d just plant a little kiss on his shoulder like that. Like it was normal for them to be like that. It made him kind of giddy.

“Oh! Great!” She beamed, happy that he welcomed the gesture. “Maybe I will do it again,” she grinned playfully. “And Ben? I promise I won’t pull the plug and accidentally summon the security weapon of destruction again,” Pearl said with a mischievous giggle, and Ben let out a chuckle too.

***

Ben entered the office Tom worked out of, located in the back room of the man’s house. “Tom, I need you to check if we have an item left from the last mainland shopping trip,” Ben informed him flatly.

“Sure boss, what do you need?” Tom asked good-naturedly, a pen at the ready.

“A box of assorted fine chocolates. Swiss, preferably. And please make sure it comes in one of the pretty boxes, with a bow, if there are any of those left.”

Tom’s head snapped Ben’s way and he dared to give his superior a cheeky smile. He knew that Ben liked fine chocolates, but if the box was for him he wouldn’t care about the prettiness or the bow. “Is this a present for Pearl?”

Ben felt oddly defensive, and he huffed. “She’s been pestering me about it for days. She’s obsessed with chocolates! I fear the only way to quiet her is to acquiesce. I’m hoping we have one or two boxes left from the last mainland trip.” Before the sirens took our submarine, he sourly added in his head.

“Naturally,” Tom chuckled knowingly, adding Ben’s request – or, demand – to his list of tasks. “I’m sure she’ll be really grateful to you.”

Ben’s eyes sharpened. “I don’t appreciate your implication,” he chided harshly.

“Sorry, boss. I didn’t mean anything by it,” Tom hurried to backtrack, but there was still a little smirk on his face.

It took Tom a few hours to look through the last of the mainland groceries that weren’t Dharma-brand, and finally he located a precious box of fine Swiss chocolates. Ben handed it to Pearl in the most casual way he could muster, almost as if it was a chore to be doing so. “Maybe you’ll stop complaining now,” he droned, but something in his heart fluttered when he saw the way her face lit up. He obviously didn’t get the box just to stop her from constantly asking: he did it because he liked her and wanted to see her happy.

“Chocolates!” she squealed. She had been craving them for days! “Oh, thank you kindly, Ben! I love them!” Pearl gushed as she admired the fancy box with the pretty red bow, then each of the delicate bonbons. “They are so tiny, and so cute!”

“They’re different kinds,” he explained, moving closer to her so he could point at the small card that came inside. “This tells you which is which. I can read it for you.”

“May I have a pen? I’d like to draw next to the names, so that I don’t need to rely on you every time I wish to indulge in a chocolate.” She was much better at reading now, but still lacked the confidence to think she might be able to understand the more complicated and rarely used words.

Ben knew that; he thought that she was probably capable of reading most of it herself by now, but the more unique flavors might throw her off. “Yes, here,” he produced one for her, impressed with the simple ingenuity of her plan-- and yet, strangely disappointed that she was taking steps towards independence. He gave her a clipped smile. “Alright. The first one is strawberry flavored.”

She drew a small strawberry next to that one. Then a coconut on the next, and a bottle of alcohol for the tequila-filled bonbon. On the next one, her hand hovered and she frowned. “I don’t know how to draw a hazelnut. What is that?”

“Allow me,” Ben held out a hand and she promptly passed him the pen and card. He sketched a very good liking of a hazelnut as he explained: “It’s a kind of nut. It comes from hazel trees and is reminiscent of an almond, which you enjoy.”

It didn’t escape her notice that Ben knew what she liked; but then again, he seemed to know everything about everyone, and when to use the information he had for maximum benefit. It could be just that. But she knew what he liked too, so maybe…maybe there was a deeper reason for him to know that about her. And there was: they listened to each other and paid attention, and cared enough to remember, so they knew these things. “I think I shall try the hazelnut first,” she decided with an eager grin, her curiosity getting the best of her.

The next bonbon had Ben stumped. He blinked, then let his gaze dart her way. “I’m afraid I have no idea how to draw ganache,” he informed with an exhale that was almost a chuckle. “It’s a whipped paste of cream and chocolate…how does one illustrate that?”

Pearl laughed, and he felt his smile growing wider, until he heard himself chuckling earnestly.

“You may have a few, if you’d like. I’m happy to share,” Pearl tilted the box toward him.

Ben rolled his lips, eyes sparkling with mischief. “I think I will, thank you. I rather like fine chocolates myself, but thanks to someone destroying my submarine, these are the last ones I can have until further notice,” he lifted an eyebrow, staring at her in a playful deadpan as he picked a coconut bonbon.

The blonde looked sheepish. “Apologies.”

It was the first time that he mentioned the submarine without doing so acidly. The fact that he could finally joke about it was a good sign! And to gift Pearl the last box of chocolates – when she was responsible for it being the last! – was a very significant gesture. It gave her butterflies. She couldn’t wipe a smitten smile off her face while she bit into the delicious hazelnut truffle bonbon.

She traded half of it for half of Ben’s coconut one, just so both of them could try every flavor. They laughed at the silliness of it, and yet it had both of them swooning a little. The rest of the box was shared between them while they sat side by side on the couch, talking and giggling and enjoying each other’s company, trying not to think too much about how their mouths wrapped around the bonbons and their tongues lapped up little chocolate crumbs from their lips. The last one they ate was the strawberry bonbon, as delicious as the rest.

Later that day, Pearl was still touched by the sweetness of Ben’s gesture. She was grateful for the comfort he provided her and for the care he’d shown by getting her those exquisite chocolates, and Pearl wanted to show her appreciation. As a woman raised with courtly values, she knew the importance of reciprocity--- and perhaps seeing Ben’s eyes flicker with muted surprise and the corners of his lips quirking with a barely visible smile were bonuses she didn’t want to admit to.

But what could she gift him? It had to be special— as special as Ben himself. And it had to be something only she could give him.

She waited hours before approaching him, so that her question would seem more inconspicuous. He was in his office, reading something when she entered and leaned her hips against his desk. He abandoned the paper and curiously lifted his eyes to her.

“Ben, do you enjoy olden things?” She asked, seemingly apropos of nothing.

He raised his eyebrows. “Such as?”

“Things people dive and search the deepest oceans to acquire.” The mermaid didn’t know how to correctly explain what she meant.

“Like historical artifacts lost in shipwrecks?” he asked, and she nodded. Ben’s lips turned thoughtfully. “I do appreciate them, yes.”

“Interesting. Thank you. I was merely wondering why some humans go to such lengths to acquire useless things,” she lied.

He deadpanned, staring her squarely in the face. “Did you interrupt my work just for that, or is there something else?” He only meant it as dry humor, quipping at her for interrupting him to ask a very odd question out of nowhere.

She knew he didn’t mean it, so she played along with the bickering. Pearl let her canines extend into fangs, then grinned widely to expose them--- as if to unsettle him. He stirred slightly at the sight. Served him right for dismissing her. But Ben knew it was nothing more than a siren being playful, so he simply made a face at her, and she giggled. “That’s all, Benjamin.”

When he finished work, he couldn’t find her anywhere. Not in the house and nowhere nearby either. She’d probably gone swimming—but without telling him? He started to worry his quip might have offended her. Was it not just playful faux bickering, a joke to reminisce on the start of their relationship? Was she actually upset when she flashed her fangs? It didn’t seem like it, but he pondered how to smooth it over with her, just in case.

But actually, Pearl had removed her necklace to regain mermaid form, and she swam out to the deep ocean. She took her time, flipping her fins at a leisurely pace rather than swimming like a bullet, and she enjoyed the journey through the familiar sights of her home: colorful fish surrounding her, corals and swaying seaweed at the bottom, the occasional dolphin or shark going by...

And then she ventured into the darkest depths, where she knew there were treasures untold. Long ago, a ship wrecked on the Island. Not the Black Rock, no; this one actually sank. And while most of its remains were eventually recovered by the Island’s inhabitants, some of its treasures were swept away to a place too far, too treacherous for those who couldn’t sing to soothe the ocean currents.

The mermaid weaved through said currents with ease, body undulating delicately to propel her forward, and her hair spreading out above her. Her eyes flashed a bright golden light, illuminating the area ahead as the sunbeams began to no longer penetrate the waves. When she reached her target location she smiled at herself, pleased. It was a dark, narrow trench: one of the deepest parts of the whole ocean, probably scary to a human but inviting to a confident mermaid.

Pearl dove, tilting her body into a vertical upside-down position that allowed her to swim in head-first, all the way down to the sand at the very bottom. It was littered with all manners of things, creating a strange mishmash. She reached out and picked up the first artefact with elegant fingers, eyeing it curiously as her fins stilled: a broken clock. Pretty, but Ben would have no use for it. She glanced around, turning herself to an upright position with a forceful flick of the shimmery tail. In that darkness her scales looked a deep purple. She soon found a music box and deemed it too dilapidated for her needs. Pearl frowned, swimming further down the length of the long trench and using her tail to dredge up sand. Once her vision cleared, she spotted something promising. The mermaid grinned and moved fluidly toward it, twisting horizontally to retrieve it from the bottom of the sea.

Yes, that would make for a cool gift, but something was still missing. Pearl searched the area a little more thoroughly, until her lit-up eyes refracted an unusual glint in the darkness. She let out an awed gasp: it was the perfect thing! She grabbed it, then happily started her swim back to the Barracks.

When she walked back into the house, Ben could see by the enthusiastic and self-satisfied smile that she wasn’t mad. She was glistening, hair soaked, and it confirmed his earlier suspicions: she’d gone swimming. There was something lodged under her arm that caught his attention.

Before he could ask, she held up the ornate chest, hand-welded of a silvery metal and adorned with thin details of golden paint. It was very well preserved, and very wet. “I picked this up for you. I think some of your books can fit in here.”

His eyes widened, flickering between her and the chest. “You---retrieved this underwater?”

“Yes!” she beamed proudly. “At the bottom of a trench near a shipwreck. It’s been there for a very long time. I’m surprised it’s so well preserved. Some of the paint is chipping, but we can easily restore that.”

“And you—swam all the way down there to pick it up—specifically for me?” he tilted his head, an unreadable little smile on his face. If that was the case, it made the gift quite special.

“Indeed,” Pearl’s smile widened, though suddenly a tad shyly. Unusually so. “I was so happy with the chocolates; I wanted to do something nice for you, too.”

“You really didn’t have to,” he told her, and she dismissed it with a little flourish of the hand. Ben approached her, admiring the gift. It was quite aesthetically pleasing, and it had immense historical value. “It must be from the nineteenth century,” he commented more or less to himself, voice full of awe. “You’re right, it is remarkably well preserved!” He looked up at her, meeting her eyes. “Thank you, Pearl. It’ll fit nicely on the nightstand next to my bed,” he smiled earnestly. There were all manners of things he could keep in that chest, from books to pens to medicine…and, more importantly, it was a lovely gesture on her part. Hard to believe that someone he used to think of as an aquatic predator could be so sweet and make him feel so special.

“Open it,” she instructed as she handed the chest over to him. He arched his brows curiously, knowing from the spark in her eyes that she had another surprise planned.

Ben undid the latch, squinting, the shadow of a smile tugging on his lips as Pearl watched expectantly. He was absolutely shocked to find a large sapphire waiting for him, sparkling blue hues within the metal chest. His eyes went completely wide and darted between the mermaid and the precious stone. “Pearl, this…this is too valuable. Are you sure you want to give it away?” he asked carefully, gaze measured. “You should keep it for yourself…”

“Money does my kind no good,” she raised one shoulder in a prim half-shrug. “But it is very useful to yours. Keep it. I retrieved it as a present for you. You can sell it, if you’d like; I won’t take any offense,” Pearl reassured, smiling encouragingly at him.

He was quick to vehemently shake his head. “No. I’ll keep it. I want to.” He could never part with a gift so thoughtfully obtained, not for any amount of money in the world.

The mermaid softened at that. She reached into the chest and picked up the sapphire, holding it up next to his face in a nonchalant inspection. “The moment I saw the gem, buried under layers of sand, I instantly knew it was meant for you. Its color is the same shade of blue such as your eyes, is it not? They match beautifully.”

His mouth opened and closed, then again, and he swallowed hard, at a loss for words. She had a knack for making him feel wholly inadequate, in the best possible way. He couldn’t find a proper response for her observation on the color of his eyes matching a sapphire – except for a pleasant clenching of his insides – so Ben settled for thanking her instead. “This is very thoughtful, Pearl. Thank you, very much,” he said sincerely. He was truly touched by her generosity and kindness.

“My pleasure,” the mermaid bowed her head and smiled, returning the stone to the chest. “I believe the ocean kept it safe for you all these centuries. The sapphire found its home now, and I’m happy to have reunited you.”

It was a beautiful way of looking at it. A little eccentric for Ben’s logical mind, but still sensitive and lovely poetic. For a moment he was almost emotional. Pearl’s gesture really melted him. “I appreciate that, Pearl. It means a lot,” he muttered awkwardly, unsure of why he felt so vulnerable all of a sudden.

‘Vulnerable’ was usually bad, and frightening…except that, in that moment, it wasn’t. With Pearl, lately and more and more often, ‘vulnerable’ was comforting and intimate. With Pearl, ‘vulnerable’ made Ben happy—perhaps for the first time in his life.

***

Everything was great in their lives, until Ben lost track of Pearl for an entire afternoon. Where the hell was she? He assumed she was out on a swim, as was habitual for the mermaid, but time was ticking away with no sign of her return. She should’ve been back by now, and Ben was starting to grow worried. He trusted her, but a small part of him was never completely free of suspicion, and he wondered if the mermaid was plotting something. His feelings for her didn’t blind him to her scheming, did they? No; there had to be another reason. Could it be as simple as another English lesson for her merfolk? No, it was taking far too long—long enough to make Ben fret a little. Was she okay? God, he hoped she was okay! Maybe there was an emergency with her merpeople that kept her out at sea longer. He furrowed his brows, deep in pondering, until an insistent rapping on his door got his attention.

He opened it and his eyes were immediately drawn downward to meet the cute child on his doorstep. With her pale little face scrunched up in distress and her wavy blonde hair all wet, Pearl’s daughter stared up at him with wide golden-flecked hazel eyes. “Ben?” she pointed, indicating him. Her voice was hoarse, a sign that it was rarely ever used to speak above water.

His own eyes widened with pure shock and certain apprehension. What the hell?! That mermaid child being at his door was a bad omen. How did she get there, and what did she want?!

Notes:

Will there always be a net scene in all of my multichapter Ben fics? Honestly...probably, yeah. The purpose this time was to show the evolution of their relationship in how he doesn't fear her fangs anymore. But next time I write a Ben fic, maybe he'll actually get to kiss his girl while they're trapped in a net.

Also...some scenes in this chapter have been some of my favorites to write! Her aquarium swim and the exchanging of gifts, mostly. I wrote these so long ago!
And a little cliffhanger at the end, just to switch things up a little! Hope you all enjoyed it! <3

Chapter 27: The golden-haired wild child and the dangers of a coup

Everything was great in their lives, until Ben lost track of Pearl for an entire afternoon. Where the hell was she? He assumed she was out on a swim, as was habitual for the mermaid, but time was ticking away with no sign of her return. She should’ve been back by now, and Ben was starting to grow worried. He trusted her, but a small part of him was never completely free of suspicion, and he wondered if the mermaid was plotting something. His feelings for her didn’t blind him to her scheming, did they? No; there had to be another reason. Could it be as simple as another English lesson for her merfolk? No, it was taking far too long—long enough to make Ben fret a little. Was she okay? God, he hoped she was okay! Maybe there was an emergency with her merpeople that kept her out at sea longer. He furrowed his brows, deep in pondering, until an insistent rapping on his door got his attention.

He opened it and his eyes were immediately drawn downward to meet the cute child on his doorstep. With her pale little face scrunched up in distress and her wavy blonde hair all wet, Pearl’s daughter stared up at him with wide golden-flecked hazel eyes. “Ben?” she pointed, indicating him. Her voice was hoarse, a sign that it was rarely ever used to speak above water.

His own eyes widened with pure shock and certain apprehension. What the hell?! That mermaid child being at his door was a bad omen. How did she get there, and what did she want?!

He almost dragged her inside the house so she wouldn’t be spotted, but that would’ve been a bad idea too and she was certain to bite him. So Ben quickly scanned their environment to check if any of his people were watching-- and they were not; luckily, as there would be too many questions surrounding the appearance of an unknown child in their village. He’d be forced to make up a story to explain where she came from, and he was tired of having to lie to them. It was draining and he didn’t relish it.

Ben looked back down at the little one. Goodness; Pearl’s own daughter, looking for him. That felt important somehow. Like something shifted.

“Yeah, that’s me,” he softly acknowledged the question and offered the child a tight-lipped smile, trying to soothe her distress. “If you’re looking for Pearl, I’m sorry but she’s not here right now…” Ben drawled, kind but cautious. The last time he met the mini-mermaid she bit his ankles! Luckily her fangs were not developed yet, so it did nothing more than look funny. But her current presence on his doorstep made him feel uneasy. Ben could just tell, intuitively and intellectually, that there was a bad reason for it. He had to learn what happened! And he wouldn’t let a child be harmed, so he couldn’t let this one go off into the world until he figured out if she was in trouble or not. “Is everything okay?”

“Mother. Hurt. Help,” the little one clamored, reaching up to tug at his shirt. Wary but determined. She hissed wildly at him, glaring like she wanted to intimidate the man into helping. It was obvious that she had only learned a few words in the English language. Her choice of attire was unusual too, though perfectly fitting for a mermaid: large tufts of algae wrapped around her. It was clearly fashioned in a hurry, but it looked enough like a little girl’s dress that it worked.

Though she didn’t say much, her choice of words was enough to make Ben feel like the ground beneath him vanished and both his heart and stomach plummeted to the depths. The situation must be extremely dire if Pearl’s skittish daughter – the equivalent of a somewhat feral ten year old human -- had to come get him herself! Between a child asking for his help, and his concern for Pearl’s well-being, he didn’t hesitate for a second. “Where is she?” he asked hurriedly, only to be met with confused eyes. He rephrased: “Your mother—where? Place.”

That was enough to communicate with the young mermaid. “I take,” she got on her tippy toes to pull on his hand before turning on her heel and darting away in a run, leaving him behind. Ben understood that to mean ‘I’ll take you to her,’ so he promptly followed the blonde child with the bouncy defined waves of hair. She cut straight through the volleyball courts and entrenched herself in the jungle. Her run was awkward but much faster than that of the adult sirens, so Ben had to race to keep up; just like human children, she was much more adaptable and more resilient, not hesitating despite inexperienced legs--- she didn’t even blink when she tripped on a rock and fell. Ben rushed to help, but before he could get to her she was already rolling on her back and leaping back up.

“What happened to your mother?” he breathlessly asked, a bit winded. The little girl hissed in obvious confusion. “How is she hurt?” Ben didn’t like being blindly led anywhere, especially toward hostile territory. It was bad enough that he was alone and without a gun, he didn’t need to be clueless in addition to that! He needed to squeeze every bit of information that he could out of that child.

“Fight.” The little girl made a biting motion.

Pearl had been in a fight?! With whom?! Did a shark bite her? Or, -- he felt dread washing over him – it could’ve been another mermaid. But she was their queen…why would they antagonize her? More importantly, who would dare defy her? He worried that there might have been an attempted coup--- a worry he sometimes felt about his own people, too. “Is she alone?”

“Yes,” she nodded, and he felt some relief. At least he wouldn’t have to contend with other merfolk who were bound to like him much less than Pearl did. After a few long moments of running between trees and around rocks, the mini-mermaid pointed ahead. “There!”

She was showing him a cavern that led up from the ocean after a treacherous climb and with a second entrance on the opposite side, very similar to the one where Pearl helped him get Rousseau’s arrow out of his shoulder. The child raced right in with reckless determination. A panting Benjamin followed quickly but carefully, scanning every inch of his surroundings for a possible threat.

There was none to be found. The only thing inside the cave was the noise of waves hitting the outside, and a bloodied blonde mermaid curled up on the wet rocks. Pearl was wheezing, eyes struggling to stay open. Her fins were bloody though didn’t appear to be injured. There were scratches across her cheek and tail, but the worrying injury was the large hole on the side of her stomach. Ben’s heart plummeted at the sight and he thought he might be sick, his blood running cold. He exhaled shakily, rushing toward her. “Pearl--- don’t move. It’s alright,” he reassured in a bit of a monotone to help repress his emotions.

In contrast, the child began to weep as soon as she was reunited with her mother. Like she had pushed fear and sorrow back down until she was able to secure Ben’s help, steadied by sheer strength of will and adrenaline; and now that she felt safer, all of her emotions were erupting to the surface.

Their arrival returned some alertness to Pearl’s eyes. Pearl kissed her daughter’s head, said something soothing to her – a series of clicks and hisses that calmed the girl down and made her go have a seat by the cave wall – and then looked up at Ben. “I-I’m okay. Please don’t fuss,” she told him with a hint of pride, then winced. “But I am in need of your help.”

“Tell me what you need,” he said plainly, squatting right by her side. There would be time to ask questions about what happened later. He eyed the wound on the side of her stomach, and from up close he could see that the flesh had been torn. Ripped out by fangs, if the child’s previous explanation was correct. He shuddered to imagine how much that hurt. The saving grace was that it didn’t look too deep, though it was gaping and bleeding profusely, enough to soak the rocks beneath her and drip down to her purple tail.

“There is ano…another cave, not far from here. It leads to an underground tunnel. I…” she whimpered and pressed her eyes tightly shut, placing a hand over the wound. “I need to go there, but I can’t get legs in this condition. I wouldn’t withstand the transformation.”

“I’ll take you,” Ben said instantly, already moving to pick her up. It was nothing he hadn’t done before, back when they were little more than bitter enemies. “I know exactly where it is.”

He carefully hooked an arm under her tail, another on her back. She wrapped her arms around his neck for better leverage. Making sure he had her firmly in his grasp, Ben lifted himself with his knees, bringing the blonde queen up in his arms. Pearl cried out in pain, then hissed with aggravation. Tears spilled from her eyes as a reflex. Some of the blood got on her seashell bra. “Thank you,” she gasped despite it.

Ben simply nodded, his eyes on hers. He was very careful and tender with Pearl, but even his footsteps sent pangs to her torn stomach. Her fingers curled around the collar of Ben’s shirt like her life depended on it, and she gritted her teeth. The child trailed behind them, following closely.

He maneuvered with Pearl through the jungle, the thick canopies blocking the sun. His focused eyes were trailed on the path ahead, but stealing constant looks down at Pearl’s face to check on her. She was resting her head on his shoulder, her breathing shallow and her eyes threatening to close.

Now that they were on the move, Ben could ask a couple of logistical questions. “Are you sure the cave is the best place for you? I could take you to the med bay, disinfect and stitch up the wound properly.” His tone was matter-of-fact, doing the best to hide his worries.

“I’m sure. It—trust me,” she gasped weakly, and Ben nodded just once. Trusting her. He could tell that Pearl wasn’t being prideful or stubborn now; she really believed the cavern was better.

She kept letting out little whimpers and groans as they walked, and Ben frowned every time; always a soft, preoccupied frown, though he said nothing.

After a ten minute walk, his arms ached a little from carrying her bridal-style, but Ben didn’t slow down. He let out a puff of air, sweat on his brows, determined to reach the cave as fast as possible. Pearl’s thin frame trembled in his arms. The blood dripping down -- staining her pale skin and shimmery scales – was making Ben a little disgruntled. He let out a tiny sharp exhale, frowning harder.

“It is not that bad,” Pearl insisted, endeared by his reaction. “I was capable of taking care of it myself. I intended to, mm,” a wince, “crawl to the other cave--- but my daughter re…remembered you, from helping my sister. And she knew t-that I had been living with you in harmony.”

Ben quirked a brow, a bit astonished. He thought that Pearl sent her! “It was her idea to come get me?!”

“Indeed. She swam down to that beach that is within your territory, w-where people picnic and do funerals. From there, I told her it was an easy path toward,” a light groan, “your house.” Pearl was beaming with pride for her intrepid little girl, though her shine was dimmed by pain and blood loss.

“Impressive,” Ben complimented. “I’m glad that she did. You’re in no shape to crawl around the jungle floor,” he softly scolded her for the reckless idea.

She scoffed lightly. “I could have done it. Would have if she didn’t return with you soon.” Pearl was a warrior; all mermaids were. She was clammy and paler, in great pain, but she wasn’t exaggerating when she said that she would’ve done it by herself if she had to. Although, she recognized, maybe she would’ve died on the way. And being carried by Ben was much more comfortable than crawling through dirt and grass. “…Okay, perhaps I am being prideful,” she admitted after a raspy inhale. “I may not have been able to make it without your help. Thank you.”

He just nodded, thinking that words were too hollow now. It was awful to see Pearl so injured, but Ben was glad to be her knight-in-shining-armor. He liked how she was clinging to him like she needed him, and he would be there for her no matter what. It meant a lot that, despite her weakened state, she was so relaxed with him. Trusting him. It also meant a lot that it was the little feral merchild who decided to get him, and Ben was so relieved to have made it to Pearl in time! Now he just had to make sure she would heal properly—and then figure out exactly what happened to her and how to prevent it from happening again.

Pearl was having similar thoughts. What happened was traumatic, but she wanted to tell Ben about it later. For now she was just thankful to have someone she trusted so much that she was willing to put her life in his hands. Despite the pain and fear of dying, she felt so comfortable and cared for in Ben’s arms, and it meant a lot to her that he dropped everything to rescue her.

They finally made it to the cave. Ben picked up the pace, panting lightly. “It’s here, isn’t it?”

“Yes,” Pearl confirmed with a relieved smile. “Inside, in the water, please.” The child was still quietly trailing after them, occasionally hissing at birds with a distrustful scowl.

Ben ducked his head to pass through the rock opening, locating a shallow stream of water that snaked through the cave. To the right, it became a small river in the jungle. To the left, it went down a hole and disappeared underground.

“What’s in this cave?” he skeptically asked as he gently set her down on the stream. His shirt was all bloody from contact with her but he barely registered it, only concerned about Pearl’s safety. “You’re sure this is enough to patch you up?” He’d rather have a doctor see her, but it wasn’t his choice.

She let out a slow breath as the water touched the scratches on her tail. Pearl was now sitting in the stream with Ben crouched beside her as she replied in a wheeze: “Supplies. And, it is a sacred place for my kind—yes, it will make me better. It’s underwater, so you m-must not follow me there. My daughter will accompany me. Go home, dearest Ben, and I shall see you ton…tonight.”

Ben hesitated, not thrilled to leave her by herself in that state. “I can wait here.”

“There is no need. Please, trust me. Thank you for the ride.” She touched his face, hand wet with freshwater and blood, and smiled at him. Ben reluctantly conceded, albeit frowning to make his displeasure clear. He couldn’t argue, though; he had to let her go, there was no time to waste bickering back and forth.

Ben placed his hand over hers and pulled it from his cheek. “Good luck,” he told her in a heavy tone, squeezing her hand before he got up and took a step back. Despite keeping his cool, there was clear turmoil in the blue of his eyes.

Before pushing herself to slip under, Pearl let out a soft hiss as she tilted her head in a ‘come’ motion toward her daughter. The child hissed back and nodded. The adult mermaid pushed herself with her arms and fins, whimpering lightly and gritting her teeth to help withstand the pain as she went headfirst under the stream. On the way to following her mother, the little girl stopped next to Ben.

“Thank…you,” she told him, staring with unblinking hazel eyes that held a curious combo of defiance and tenderness. The illusion of the fearsome little warrior was broken by how her voice shook and the way that her cheeks were still tear-streaked. The merchild was doing her best to put up a brave front but, like any child at all, she was terrified of seeing her mother hurt, and gravitating toward the adult that had made her feel safe—even if she was still wary of humans.

Ben, who lost his own mother when he was a baby, could absolutely sympathize with the fears of the little one. He knelt on the rocks to be on her level, pursing his lips into a sympathetic grimace. “Thank you, for trusting me enough to come get me. Your mother is tough; she’ll be alright,” he attempted to comfort the girl. She hesitated, shoulders bunching up like she was shy, or skittish…and then she launched herself at Ben, wrapping her tiny arms around him in a hug that was full of gratitude. He tensed, surprised, but soon melted at the unexpected gesture. He could feel how thankful the child was for his help, and that thawed him. He gave her a quick hug in return and a couple gentle pats on the back. “It’s alright. You go on, now. Your mother is waiting,” he awkwardly ushered her toward the stream.

The little girl nodded and took off her moonstone bracelet, then wrapped it around a lock of hair. A bright flash of light enveloped her legs as the two divided limbs merged into one single appendage, skin hardening into scales. Ben observed as the merchild expertly dove in the stream, gracefully flipping up her tail to take herself deeper into the water hole. She looked like a miniature version of the adults, except that her tail wasn’t shimmery or colorful yet; it was of a solid matte black, to attract less attention toward the more helpless youngling. What fascinating evolutionary trick, he thought.

The mini-mermaid disappeared down the underground tunnel and, alone, Ben had no choice but trudge back home. His legs felt full of cement, every step reluctant as he fought the dread that he was feeling. He didn’t like leaving Pearl behind, he hated that he couldn’t control the situation to ensure her safety-- and that lack of control frightened him. He reminded himself that he had to trust her judgment, so he continued the walk home, albeit stiffly and moodily. Once there, he changed out of the bloody shirt, and then all he could do was helplessly wait.

While some would be pacing, Ben’s method to deal with the anxious impatience was to sit very still, back straight and hands over his knees, staring directly at his front door.

His mind raced all over the place. Pearl could have been killed by one of her own! The idea of losing her painfully twisted his stomach. He wondered if she had a plan to retaliate, and, knowing how strategic she was – even conniving at times – he figured she’d come up with something very soon. Then his thoughts drifted to the child, who, against all odds, decided to trust him with one of the most important things in the world: her mother’s life. It was hard to wrap his brain around that, but Ben felt pleased by it, both for political and personal reasons. Some petty part of him pointed out with a great deal of satisfaction that the merchild didn’t run to her father to save Pearl; she ran to Ben. He wondered what Pearl’s relationship with the merman was like. She called him a ‘former mate’, but did they ever fall back into old patterns? Did she have feelings for Spear? His throat tightened with jealousy. They were a family, and he wasn’t part of it. The little girl coming to him for help was a start, but she lived in the ocean and he doubted he would ever see her again. Someday soon Pearl’s land experiment would end and she would be back in the water, with her daughter and the father, leaving Benjamin behind. He used to count down the days until she left, but now…now the thought bothered him deeply. Then he wondered yet again what might have caused her fight with another merperson, anxiety twisting inside him. Ben hated being in the dark, adrift because he didn’t know things-- and not knowing if Pearl was okay was the worst feeling of them all. She seemed confident that she’d be fine, but what if…

His heart leapt when the key turned in the door. Ben raced to his feet, hopeful eyes widening. Pearl walked in, and she was surprisingly fine. Looking a little drained and paler, but nothing serious. No scratches or serious wounds—and, although that piqued his interest, he was mostly just awash with relief. His heart finally steadied and his muscles relaxed; he felt like he’d been holding his breath ever since the merchild knocked on his door, and now…now he could finally breathe easy again.

The mermaid made her way inside, and she looked as relieved as he was. Holding her hand was her daughter, whom Ben didn’t expect to see back on the surface again. Pearl caught the quizzical look on his face and smiled. “I thought it might be time for the two of you to properly meet.”

“Oh! Hello again,” Ben smiled at the little girl. He enjoyed the presence of children, especially after raising one of his own. “Do you have a land name yet?”

“Summer,” she told him with a hesitant smile.

“She picked it last month,” the mother beamed. “She loves the sunshine and was born in the summer.”

“It’s lovely,” Ben offered them a lighthearted smile. “But please, Pearl, sit! You need rest.”

There was some type of net and seaweed bandage on the side of her stomach where the flesh was torn, but it looked very clean—like the wound was significantly better. The scratches on her cheek had miraculously disappeared. The healing powers of the Island work for merfolk too, Ben deduced, and wondered if she bathed in the same waters they used at The Temple. She did say the cave was sacred to merfolk, like The Temple was to Jacob’s followers... there had to be a reason for that holy status. Ben thought it was likely that the healing waters were reachable from that cave too. He was eager to talk to her alone, as certain dark subjects shouldn’t be discussed in front of a child…but he knew how to be patient, and a good host.

“Do not fuss, Ben, I am alright,” Pearl insisted. Despite that, she took a seat on the couch all the same. She patted the space next to her and her daughter hurried to occupy it, wrapping her arms around one of Pearl’s. Summer wanted to be very close to her mother, still a little frightened by seeing her so hurt.

“Then how about I make some hot chocolate for us to drink?” he offered. He was sure Pearl needed to regain her strength – the healing waters had limitations of how much they could do – but he didn’t want to allude to her being frail in front of Summer, so he got creative. And he was sure the little one needed some cheering up after witnessing something so traumatic, too.

“Choc-late?” the girl looked up with interest. “Mom likes.”

Pearl laughed. “I do!” She kissed her daughter’s head, then looked up at Ben. “I’ve gushed to them about all manners of chocolates, many times. I think a hot chocolate drink would be lovely right now, thank you.” She felt good but definitely drained.

Ben smiled, gave a gracious nod, and left for the kitchen. After he finished preparing three mugs – using Pearl’s rather unique recipe of adding a bit of seaweed – he fondly shook his head at the irony. Pearl had become such a fixture in his life that there was even a little bit of her in his cooking! Then, after looking at the three mugs and his only two hands, he had an idea. “Summer, would you please help me carry the chocolates?”

He heard the two mermaids clicking something in their language to each other, then the pitter-patter of a child’s feet running toward him. “What do?” she asked for instructions as best as she could.

“You can take this to your mother,” he kindly passed her one mug, making sure it wasn’t too hot for her. “Slowly, you don’t want to spill.” Summer nodded emphatically, determined to do a good job even though she mostly only understood ‘take to mother’ and ‘slowly’. She was pretty adorable when she wasn’t hissing at him like a feral animal, Ben thought. And of course, he engineered the situation so that he could have a quick moment alone with the child. Children were notoriously loose-lipped. “So, Summer, I was wondering where your father is?” Ben subtly pried.

“Ocean,” a plain answer as she sniffed the mug.

“He’s in the ocean, I know. Why didn’t you ask him for help today?” He really wanted to suss that out.

“You…closer. And…can heal people,” she explained as best as she could. It was enough for Ben to understand: he was geographically closer, and he possessed the facilities and resources to help during a medical crisis, which Spear obviously did not. Summer was aware of that because he’d previously helped one of Pearl’s sisters, the day he first met the merchild.

So the reasons were purely practical. Of course they were; he didn’t know what else he’d been hoping for. For Pearl to have blurted out ‘I love Ben’ to her daughter? What a ridiculous idea! Although, of course, Summer had to have known he was trustworthy enough to seek out—and that was a nice thought. He nodded at the kid. They returned to the couch together, and she carefully handed the mug to Pearl. Ben waited for Summer to sit down, passed her her own mug, and had a seat across from them. It would be interesting, he thought, to observe the dynamic between mermaid mother and daughter. They looked a lot alike; Pearl’s soft, smooth tresses of waist-length loose waves were shorter and more defined in the girl, closer to curls rather than wavy, but both of them had very light blonde hair that was currently damp. Their hazel eyes and pale skin matched, as did the shape of many of their facial features. Summer had the same elegance and grace of all mermaids in her gestures and how she carried herself, in addition to the energy and excitement of any child.

He could tell that the girl was as fearless, clever and bold as Pearl. It was courageous to walk into human territory on her own, and very smart to look for Ben to help. Now she was downing the hot chocolate with no hesitation, clearly loving it.

“Slow down a bit, sweetie,” Pearl chuckled. Summer listened and slowed enough not to spill from her mouth, but still drank it remarkably fast.

“I like,” she finally declared, grinning at her mom.

Ben chuckled. “I’m very glad! Like mother like daughter, I suppose. Summer,” he addressed the child with a polite smile, interested in making small talk with her. “I see you’ve been learning our language!”

“Yes. I adapt. Know water and land,” the little girl said stiffly, like she wasn’t sure if she should answer that.

Ben looked over at Pearl, a knowing smirk on his lips. “I take it that was your idea?”

The adult mermaid gave a graceful nod. “She needs to know how to survive in all environments. I want her to blend in easily and be resourceful. My sisters and I grew up limited—not allowed to set foot on land. I want her to be different,” she said. Ben nodded. It made sense, though it didn’t bode very well for the borders of their treaty. He threw her a funny look that signified just that, and Pearl deciphered it instantly. “Do not worry, she knows to stick to the confines of the borders,” she explained in a slightly over-dramatic tone. “I am not unleashing unsupervised merchildren onto your territory.”

He couldn’t help but laugh at that. And it struck him how Pearl could understand him with a single glance now, like she knew his every mood and expression. It was a wonderful form of intimacy. Scary, but very nice. He sipped more of his chocolate, then addressed the child again. “And how do you like the land, Summer?”

“It weird,” she twisted her nose, making the two adults laugh.

“I thought it was very weird in the beginning too,” Pearl said. “But it grew on me. I rather like it now,” she admitted, her eyes meeting Ben’s as if saying he was a big part of the reason why.

His stomach fluttered. “Yes, I, uh,” he cleared his throat. “I can tell. It’s thanks to my excellent hosting,” he joked, and Pearl’s lilting laugh nearly melted him.

“You have been a most excellent host,” the blonde mermaid queen agreed with a grin. She finished her mug of Siren’s Chocolate Kiss hot chocolate and, as soon as she put the mug down, Summer curled up on her lap. Pearl lovingly ran her fingers through her daughter’s hair, reassuring her that everything was okay. “So honey, you may well learn to like the land too, if you spend more time up here.”

“Oh yes,” Ben was quick to agree, nodding rapidly. It was in his best interests to convince the child to like it; because if Summer enjoyed spending time on land, maybe Pearl would visit more often too? “Your mother has become very good at navigating the human world.”

“Yeah?” the little one looked up at him with interest. “Then I learn, and I will like! Mom also great at tell…tell-ing stories,” Summer beamed at him. “Told of Ben!”

“Really?” he over-enunciated a drawl for drama, a smug grin appearing on his face. “Pearl told a story about me? How does it go?” He threw the woman a playfully pointed look, and she smiled brightly at him.

“You two uh, watched bioluminescence. Said you are best human who helps her.” Summer tentatively poked him in the stomach.

“That’s how she knew that she could trust you today,” Pearl explained, a little embarrassed that Summer was sharing just how much she had gushed about Ben to everyone underwater.

Ben nodded. He figured Summer had to have known that Pearl trusted him. It was nice to feel appreciated, and even nicer to know his reputation preceded him amongst the underwater creatures—but in a positive way now, not as the infamous man who held their queen in an aquarium. And more than that: knowing that Pearl made it clear to her own daughter that Ben was a safe home for her, a true trusted ally and someone she was close with…wow. It meant a lot to him. He couldn’t even let himself dwell on the implications or he’d fall even harder for Pearl. “Well, I’m flattered to have tales told about my person,” he smiled easily before lightly poking the child back, on the arm, making her giggle.

More comfortable with him now as their familiarity grew, Summer climbed up on his lap. “Can Ben tell stories?” Her hazel eyes were curious and cautious.

“I can!” he playfully boasted, wrapping an arm around the little one so she wouldn’t fall off. He was very good with children. Some people were surprised to find that out, as he could be cold with adults, but Ben had always been a great father for Alex. Kind of a natural at it, too. One of his favorite memories was pushing her on the swings, in the park across from their house. She’d giggle and ask him to make her go higher, and he’d chuckle and oblige her for as long as it was safe. The two were so close, until she grew into a rebellious teenager with a boyfriend that might kill her if he got her pregnant. The thought terrified Ben so much that he became too overbearing without communicating why, pushing the two apart. It pained him to be so distant from his daughter! He missed the days when she was a child…and now here was another kid, smiling up at him, giving him trust and affection. It warmed Ben’s heart. And he trusted children – they wouldn’t scheme or pose a threat to him -- so he didn’t need to keep his guard up around them as much. He could relax and not remain so detached. His warmer side came out, and it was part of why he had a soft spot for them. “I know quite a few stories, actually,” he told her with a playfully conspiratorial tone.

“Tell one!” she demanded, arms waving in the air.

“Sweetie, don’t be demanding,” Pearl cautioned with a smile. “Ask nicely, please.” She repeated the same thing in mermaid tongue too, just to make sure Summer got the message.

The merchild – who, Ben noted, was the mermaid princess and heiress to the throne – dramatically blew out a puff of air, but obliged. “Ben, can please tell one?”

He nodded with a laugh, and Pearl interrupted. “Are you sure you don’t mind?”

“It’s no trouble,” Ben shrugged. He still had several fables he used to read to Alex before bed saved in his mental arsenal. Pearl smiled at him, grateful that he’d indulge her daughter. “How about…” Ben squinted in thought, “Snow White and the Seven Dwarves? Do you know that one?” Surely she didn’t, growing up in the ocean.

Summer shook her head no, and Pearl looked interested too. “I don’t know it either,” she admitted with a laugh. “Please, Ben, regale us with the tale of Snow White.”

He smiled and gave a slow bow of the head, as if saying ‘as you wish’. After Summer sat up straighter to listen more closely, he began telling the Disney version of Snow White’s story, exactly like he used to tell Alex when she was little. Pearl’s hand came to rest on Ben’s arm, and he instinctively leaned closer to her.

The mermaid queen was listening with genuine interest, enjoying the story and becoming invested in it, occasionally translating some of it into mermaid language for Summer’s sake. But she was also closely watching her daughter interact with Ben. The skittish little one had certainly warmed up to him fast, perched on his lap and staring up at him, making little comments during the story. And Ben was so good with her! He knew when to play with her, when to be firmer, how to speak to her, he was patient, thoughtful and affectionate with her…and he was really making Pearl melt. There was something so heartwarming, so sweet, and even so sexy in watching Ben be so good at being fatherly!

He could already feel that he was bonding with the little mermaid. He missed children, and she was so warm and open, and a clever little thing! Despite having only just met her properly, he already felt a bit paternal toward her. It helped that she was Pearl’s daughter, too, as on some subconscious level he wished to be a family with Pearl—and that included her daughter.

As the tale finished, Summer clumsily and fearlessly climbed down from the couch and ran to get something from the lawn outside. Ben and Pearl were quick to chase and ask her to come back in, and she was already holding something in her tiny pale hand. She went up to Ben and shyly offered him a smooth pebble, not realizing that humans weren’t really interested in that.

Ben smiled graciously at the child, kneeling so that he was at her level when he received the gift. “For me? Oh my, that’s the nicest pebble I’ve ever seen, thank you!” The little girl beamed at the compliment, and Pearl smiled warmly at him, grateful for his indulging the child so sweetly.

The trio returned to the couch to talk more, but it didn’t take long for exhaustion from the perils of the day to hit the child. Summer was getting sleepy. Ben stroked her blonde curls behind her ear in a fatherly way, smiling softly at the child. Pearl noticed, and she couldn’t ignore how her heart and stomach fluttered at the sight. It was so lovely to see Ben being so tender, so gentle toward her daughter, smiling at her with sincere fondness! It melted Pearl entirely, and she supressed the urge to smile dreamily at him. And to kiss him.

He instantly picked up on the way that Pearl watched him interact with her baby girl. People were easy to manipulate when it came to their children, warming up to anyone that captured the hearts of the little ones— but the thing was, Ben wasn’t trying to manipulate her. Buttering up Pearl had its uses of course, but he wasn’t doing it intentionally. He was doing it because he liked children, because the fatherly instincts he cultivated while raising Alex were coming back to him with ease and very naturally, and because Summer endeared him; she was an adorable merchild. “I think she’s getting sleepy,” he pointed out the obvious, humorously wryly.

“You don’t mind that she sleeps here, do you?” Pearl asked with a hopeful glance. “I want to stay close to her for the night; she was very scared when I was hurt.” Thankfully merchildren were resilient; as soon as Pearl was okay, Summer calmed down—but she still didn’t want to leave her mother, and that was obvious to both adults.

“Not at all. She should be with you tonight, of course,” Ben nodded firmly and reassuringly. “In the water, I presume?”

“Yes,” the blonde queen said with a light giggle. He went ahead to the bathroom to fill up the bathtub, and Pearl gently scooped the half-asleep little mermaid into her arms and carried her there. She kissed her daughter’s forehead, whispered ‘goodnight’ in mermaid language, and carefully lowered her into the bathtub.

“Good night,” Ben said as well, smiling at Summer.

The little girl gave them a sleepy smile as she slip underwater. Once she was submerged, she curled up on her side and let herself fall asleep. Both man and mermaid smiled down at her, finding her rather cute—though part of him wanted to rescue her from drowning, as if that was possible.

“I was surprised you trusted me enough to let your daughter come to me, given everything that has happened between us,” Ben told Pearl as soon as they returned to the living room, his tone neutral and eyes flitting away from her. Truthfully, he wasn’t that surprised; he suspected Pearl had feelings for him, and she had proved she trusted him many times. But things were more delicate when a daughter was involved. So he was fishing a bit, wanting to bring that up to see how she might react to it.

There was a smile on her face that was as affectionate as it was mischievous. “You’ve been great with her today. Thank you,” the mermaid leaned in and pressed a warm kiss to his cheek. Ben blinked with some degree of surprise, one corner of his lips turning up into a small smile. Aside from that, he didn’t react at all.

“She’s a lovely child. Believe it or not, Summer reminds me of Alex when she was that age. Determined, fierce, but just as sweet and loving. You raised her well,” he gave a barely noticeable shrug, mind a bit fuzzy with the lingering feeling of Pearl’s lips on his skin. But his compliments toward her daughter were sincere. It was funny how a child raised under the sea could be similar to one raised on land.

“She really is. And thank you very much!” Pearl’s smile widened. “But back to your remark of surprise: you didn’t flinch when I abruptly got close to you and kissed your cheek. In the past, you would have flinched, or stiffened; you were always very preoccupied around me, as if waiting for the moment I would attack. But things have changed between us, and that is why I trusted you with my guppy. In the same way you trusted me to kiss you. Yes, there is … quite a bit of awfulness in our past, but we have moved forward. Wouldn’t you agree?” she smiled with pure charm and a hint of slyness, head tilted.

Ben found that he couldn’t keep his smile from growing. “I would; I do. In the ocean you move forward,” he commented on something she told him a long time ago. “And on land we try to, too. So-- I’m glad we can put the past behind us.” If he dug deep into his repressed emotions, he would find a great amount of guilt for having experimented on her. But he avoided such matters so that he could sleep at night, and so Ben still rationalized to himself that he did the only thing he could have done at the time.

“Indeed.” She matched his smile. Pearl also regretted some of her bouts of anger, especially the time she bit him. The siren was very glad they were on good terms for a solid amount of time now.

“I can’t help but notice that your wounds have miraculously healed…” Ben drawled meaningfully, to see how she would respond.

“Oh, yes,” Pearl seemed to hesitate. Her eyes met his, then she gave in. “That underground stream is sacred because it heals us from injuries,” she candidly explained. “I probably should not tell such secrets to a human, but…I owe you my life. And you have eyes,” she laughed, “so it is not as though I can explain away why my injuries disappeared.”

He chuckled. “I promise I will never try to invade your stream.”

“You don’t appear to be very surprised by our sacred healing waters,” she perceptively pointed out. Pearl had expected his jaw to drop at the revelation.

He shrugged lightly, a little smile on his face. “We have our own place like that. A pool of healing waters.”

That floored the mermaid. She always assumed that only those who lived in water, whose domain was the aquatic realm, could benefit from the magical property of the Island’s waters! She never imagined humans would heal too! “I—my goodness, I did not expect humans to have such a thing,” she confessed, stunned.

Ben couldn’t help but feel a little smug. Pearl had sprung news about the Island on him one too many times, it felt nice to turn the tables on her now. “We do,” he reiterated with a few nods.

“Where is it?” she asked in slight awe. “I promise I will not invade it either,” she added to put him at ease.

As secretive as Ben was, he didn’t see any harm in telling her. Not when she promised what she did. “In the Temple. It’s a, a sacred building we have in the jungle.”

She thought she might have come across it once, but Pearl had no idea how to even find it again. Running a hand through her hair, the mermaid looked pensive. “I wonder if it is the same source of water that heals us both…”

“I would guess so,” he answered, having already given it some thought. “Our pool is filled up with water from a spring. We don’t know exactly where it comes from; it wouldn’t surprise me if it comes from your underground stream.”

“Isn’t it fascinating to think that merfolk and humankind can benefit from the same magic?” Pearl pointed out, the semblance of a smile on her lips.

“Yeah,” he softly agreed. Ben’s mouth turned thoughtfully as he considered the implications of that. “Maybe we were always more connected than we assumed we were…”

“I’m starting to believe so too,” Pearl nodded meaningfully. There were fewer differences between their kinds than they originally thought, and more of the Island binding them together.

There was a moment of silence where they traded a knowing little grin, then his face became neutral. “For the record, Pearl, I wouldn’t mind you spending time with Alex anymore,” Ben said quietly. He used to never want his daughter around the aquatic predator, but lately everything had changed. He knew Pearl would never hurt anyone—not while she lived with him. Ben frowned. “Not that she will want to be anywhere near me, so you have a better chance catching her alone,” he droned bitterly.

Her eyes shone with a mix of surprise, hope, gratitude and delight. “Ben! I am so very glad that you would let me around your guppy now!” Pearl squealed with genuine emotion. Then she frowned too. “Oh, but would you like to tell me what happened between you two to make her avoid you so?” He shook his head to say ‘no’, not wishing to get into it at the moment. So Pearl nodded. “Then I should be heading to sleep soon. It was a tiring day.”

“Could I have a word with you about something else first, if that’s alright?” Ben requested, gaze suddenly alert and intense. “About what happened today.”

Pearl had been expecting that. With a graceful flick of the wrist, she indicated he could go ahead. “Certainly. I knew you would not be able to refrain from inquiring. And I would like to tell you.”

“Was it a coup?” he asked, darkly and very directly. There was no need to mince words, and he had been waiting all day to discuss that with her. Ben’s gaze pierced through her.

How did he always know everything?! Pearl sighed. “Yes, but a peerless one. She was alone when she attempted to take my life.”

“And where is she now?” His voice took on a lower register; his intense eyes wouldn’t leave Pearl’s face, ominous and worried.

The siren looked down in shame and sorrow. “Dead.”

He nodded sympathetically. “She tried to kill you, Pearl. You did what you had to.” Ben waited a beat, but she didn’t look up, so he put a comforting hand on her shoulder. “Can you tell me exactly what happened?”

“Why?” she hissed defensively, though clearly upset with herself— not with him. She had been avoiding thinking about the death all day, and now it was finally sinking in.

“Because I would like to know,” he said sincerely, then added in a tender tone: “And you might feel better if you share.”

She finally looked up—and found safety and solace in Ben’s gaze. So the siren nodded in acceptance. “Very well. This is what happened today.”

 

FLASHBACK: earlier that day, underwater.

Pearl was in the ocean mostly to visit her daughter. The two were playing hide-and-seek near the coral reef, not too deep underwater, giggling together as they took turns hiding or searching. It was Pearl’s turn to seek, so she was facing a rock and counting down. A cheerful Summer hid in a bed of seaweed. It was such an effective hiding spot that it kept the merchild from seeing her mother—and it kept the incoming threat from noticing that the daughter was around.

The threat came in the form of a rebellious mermaid who never liked Pearl as queen. With very long, rich, wavy brown hair, tail of a yellow and silver shimmer-- the one who spoke up against Pearl after the blonde willingly climbed aboard Ben’s boat when he accidentally came across her in the ocean, years ago. The rebellious mermaid was very vocal in her distaste for the queen’s decision, though she backed down when Pearl deescalated the conflict at the time. But now the brunette was even more dissatisfied with the running of the Kingdom, and she had years to think about it. To plot. So this time she came in with a deadly plan: a spear made of sharp shells in hand, and lurking out of sight until she caught the queen by herself, alone and vulnerable.

Pearl heard someone swimming closer and turned to her with a kind smile. The other siren didn’t slow down, though. In fact she accelerated, swung her tail and used the sharp edges of her fins to cut into Pearl’s purple tail, wordlessly and right away, while the queen was still turning around.

The blonde queen’s eyes widened in shock and she bit back a cry of pain. Her insides ran cold when she realized what was happening: it was an ambush. Her own subject was trying to kill her.

‘Lover of humans,’ the brunette told her in a series of clicks, sneering with disdain. ‘You are not fit to rule us!’

‘How dare you draw blood from your queen?!’ Pearl hissed harshly, doing what she could to assert herself. She instantly let her teeth extend into fangs as a show of dominance, eyes trained on the spear.

‘You shall not be queen for long,’ the other threatened, her own fangs sprouting too. ‘A lover of humans can never rule the underwater kingdom!’

‘You do not have the support of our folk,’ Pearl communicated back, fiercely holding her ground. ‘They will not accept you as a rightful ruler! Surrender now, bow to your queen, and you will be forgiven.’ Her hazel eyes were icy and commanding as she floated upright, poised in place, above the colorful coral reef. A merciful but powerful queen.

‘I may be alone in my cause, but it is a noble one,’ the brown-haired mermaid hissed. ‘I will never bow to a human lover! They will see reason when I bring back your lifeless corpse,’ she whipped her tail in place, as the sign of a vicious challenge.

‘They will see you for the traitor that you are!’ Pearl hissed back, gearing up for battle and praying that Summer would remain hidden. The princesses were always killed too in successful uprisings, after all, to end the line of succession. Pearl stayed in one place, upright, shoulders squared, and fins keeping her still. All of her sharp fangs were at the ready to be weapons.

‘You’re the traitor! Cavorting with the same humans that hurt us, kill us! You made your choice when you chose them,’ a snarl. ‘Them and your precious Benjamin.’

‘I am studying them for our benefit. Peace is good for us all, but if it does not come we must know how to fight them! Trust your queen,’ Pearl clicked passionately, trying to appeal to common sense. She would hate to have to fight one of her own.

But it was useless. The other siren had made up her mind. If a siren challenged the ruler to a duel, she knew it was either kill or be killed. That one didn’t even pose a proper challenge: she attacked while Pearl’s back was turned, in a cowardly and honorless ambush! So now the queen was starting with the disadvantage of a bleeding tail.

The two had been floating in place, staring menacingly at each other yet not daring to make a move. The brown-haired mermaid broke that pattern first. She swam at Pearl while brandishing the spear, and Pearl then swam straight back at her with no hesitation.

The two sirens crashed into each other, Pearl’s hands attempting to subdue her opponent. She hit the brunette’s side with her purple tail, sending the rebellious siren reeling backwards.

Not for long, though. She came back in with the spear, which Pearl was able to evade by swimming in an upside down circle. The brunette stabbed viciously, but Pearl was a fluid and fast swimmer, evading every attempt. Blonde hair floated everywhere. Fear was on her face though, and every move stung because her tail was badly cut. She was in survival mode, and so thankful that her daughter was well hidden. The panic of Summer getting hurt was even greater than the fear of dying.

Pearl barrel rolled to the side, taking the opportunity to slam her tail onto her opponent’s head to disorient her. While the other was recovering, Pearl tried to yank the spear from her. Both of them gripped it tightly, snarling at one another and trying to gain control of the weapon. Pearl decided to bite her rival’s fingers to make her drop the spear—and it worked; the hand recoiled as soon as Pearl’s fangs pierced the skin.

Now more in control, Pearl brandished the weapon to protect herself, face twisted into a defensive scowl. The other siren quickly swam under her and attacked from behind, sinking her sharp fangs into the side of Pearl’s body and ripping out a piece of flesh.

A wail tore from Pearl’s throat as the fangs pierced through her stomach, forcing her to recoil in pain. Blood stained the water, slowly spreading all around them. The spear slipped from her shaky fingers and sank into the coral reef.

Pearl knew she was in serious trouble now. Badly injured, bleeding, and only not in too much pain because her adrenaline was pumping hard. She shrieked angrily and grabbed at the brunette’s shoulders, shoving her backwards. She hissed and Pearl hissed back, both scratching at each other and trying to sink their sharp teeth into their opponent; face to face, horizontally, their tails flipping in the water behind each of them.

The two mermaids were locked in combat, spinning around together as they kept attacking. They swam up vertically, then sideways, creating little whirlpools in their wake until one pirouetted above the other’s head. Tails repeatedly clashed and fangs stayed bared, the sounds of wild animal-like hissing muted underwater. A mass of blonde and brown hair floated around them in every direction.

But Pearl was too damaged to keep that up for long. She knew she needed to win, now, or she would be killed. So—if she wasn’t the strongest, she had to be the cleverest. Strategy would save her. She assessed her enemy, a smirk blooming on her face when she had an idea: hitting her where she would never see it coming.

In one fluid movement Pearl yanked her opponent’s moonstone away from her and forced it onto her necklace. The brown-haired mermaid shrieked, eyes widening with pure shock as her transformation into human began.

And that was it: the opening that the queen needed. She whipped her tail up and toward her enemy with precision. Pearl felt sick to her stomach as the sharp edges of her fins slashed the other mermaid’s throat. Blood sprayed out and the brunette siren twitched, clawing at her own neck for a split second before she lost consciousness. Pearl hissed, disheartened. But there was no other choice; in a primal fight, she had to survive. She thanked the moon and Poseidon that her daughter wasn’t watching that gruesome scene.

The rebellious mermaid slowly sank to the bottom of the ocean, dead. In a sad twist of irony, her body would forever have legs; she died because she hated humans, but would look like one forever. The queen closed her eyes, too upset to watch the scene. She swam away – far enough that Summer wouldn’t see the body – and let out a placid cry to call her daughter back to her side.

The little mermaid was all excited when she swam back to her mom, assuming she won hide-and-seek because she was never found! But she froze in utter shock when she saw the nail scratches on Pearl’s cheeks, the gash on her tail, the bleeding bite on her stomach. Pearl did her best to keep the child calm, smiling and staying calm herself. ‘Sweetheart, we need to go now,’ she hissed in a kind tone.

Pearl had two choices: swim home, where her family would help her, or head to the cave that would lead her to the land, from where she could go to the healing waters. The coral reef was much closer to the surface. That meant she was closer to the cave than she was to where merfolk lived, so she chose that as the better option.

It hurt to swim. Badly. But she had to, and she would. Bracing herself and gritting her teeth, she swallowed the cry that threatened to come out and let her body undulate. She had Summer swim in front of her so that her daughter wouldn’t have to watch her bleeding mother struggle. The merchild wanted to cry but she persevered with the task ahead, instinctively understanding her mother needed help. Pearl pushed herself, flipping her fins with unbelievable speed for someone who was so injured. Delicate trails of blood floated in the water behind her, the salt stung her torn flesh, every move hurt; but the mermaid didn’t slow down, didn’t yell, didn’t crumble. She kept at it, with a locked jaw and a fierce frown, swimming until she reached the seaside of a cave.

Pulling herself up took all of her strength. Summer tried to help, but she was too small to do much. Pearl hissed, whimpered and snarled with every move she made, forcing herself to keep going as she grabbed onto rocks and dragged her body and tail up, tears streaming down her face. When she finally entered the cave, she collapsed on the ground, exhausted. Hair clung to her face, blood was everywhere on her, she was panting heavily and trembling all over. The idea of crawling around the jungle without legs was daunting, yet Pearl judged it doable. Her daughter, however, had a better idea in mind: getting Ben.

‘You’re too hurt, mother,’ the child cried in mermaid language. ‘You can’t go to the healing waters alone! Can’t Ben help? You said he’s your friend! Stay here, I will get him.’

Before Pearl could protest, the little merchild was already transforming into the shape of a human girl and gathering algae for a makeshift dress. And actually—it wasn’t a bad idea. Summer was being very clever; Pearl had complete trust that Ben would rush to her aid.

‘Stay hidden,’ Pearl said in a combination of clicks and hisses. ‘Don’t trust anybody other than Ben.’

Summer promised to do just that. So Pearl allowed her daughter to go get Ben, feeling anxious to let her wander off into human territory all by herself. She was still so young! But every move Pearl tried to make sent a nauseating wave of pain through her whole body, so all she could do was lay bleeding on wet rocks, try to stay awake, and wait for rescue.

 

PRESENT TIME: in Ben’s living room.

That was a harrowing tale. Thinking of Pearl ambushed, attacked so mercilessly and left in so much pain bothered him terribly. But more than that, Ben worried that they might try to kill her again! He’d be quite upset if they succeeded, and it could mean the end of the peace treaty altogether.

But…should Pearl survive another attack, perhaps a mermaid coup wasn’t so bad for Ben. If all of Pearl’s merfolk turned against her, she might have no choice but to stay on land and live life as a human. Starting over, making a new life to avoid being killed. He…wouldn’t hate that. If she was exiled from her aquatic home, then he could keep her with him forever. It was a dark and selfish thought, but it crossed his mind before he could help it. Ben said nothing, staying very impassive. “And you’re okay now? The healing spring has limitations.”

“Yes. I bandaged myself up in our sacred waters. Most of my bite wound is already completely healed. I will be good as new in a mere few days,” she assured with a proud smile.

“I don’t mean only ‘okay’ physically, Pearl. Uprisings are a tricky thing,” Ben cautioned with wide eyes and an ominous expression. “They start small, but all it takes is one misstep for them to grow. Are you sure she was alone in it?”

Pearl’s features became shadowy. “I will have my most trusted sisters investigate…but yes, I am very certain the traitor has no allies. She told me so, and she was full of hubris. I believed her.”

She wasn’t wrong in her assertion; the brown-haired mermaid acted alone—but there were others that felt like the rebel did. Her defeat would deter them from taking action against their queen, but the situation was far from resolved. If they ever felt like they had an opening, they would attempt another coup.

Ben looked eerily dark, because he understood the gravity of the situation. “You need to be careful from now on.”

She sighed. “Yes. I must reassure them that I am always on their side, even if I am living with humans.”

He squinted, his stomach churning. “Before you told me what happened, I—I was afraid that was the reason for the coup.” He hated that they were using Pearl’s closeness with him as a reason to target her! It made him burn with rage, though he kept it under a layer of ice. The situation worried him, too. Could it be safer for Pearl to end their experiment earlier? He felt sick just thinking about it.

“She felt that I betrayed my kind by choosing yours,” Pearl’s gaze dropped to the floor. “Like I said, I told her that I am doing it for us all, for peace, but she refused to listen!”

Ben was silent for a beat, eyes narrowed, until he finally spoke in a low tone. “It’s an excuse. She craved power, and she saw your stay with us as a convenient way to justify taking it for herself.” It’s what he would have done: using the truth and something that he considered to be a real problem, and fixing that problem to justify amassing more power.

Golden-flecked eyes flicked up at him with renewed interest. “She hates humans, but it was odd that she refused to understand why I’m doing this…goodness, Benjamin, I think you’re right. She was always reluctant to bow to me, thinking that I don’t measure up to my mother...”

He shrugged and did a bit of a grimace. “There you have it. If it wasn’t this excuse, it would be another: sooner or later she would have tried for a coup no matter what.” That made him feel better, because now he didn’t have to suggest that Pearl might be safer leaving him sooner.

“These are promising news! She’s unlikely to have poisoned any others with such a weak argument,” Pearl brightened up a little. Ben smiled at her and nodded in agreement. The siren breathed in deeply. “Thank you, Ben. As always, I value your counsel and-- your care for me.”

Your care for me, the words echoed in his head. Obviously she knew he cared; there was no hiding it. But did she know just how much he cared? Ben wondered.

“Can I ask you something about Spear?” he phrased it in a way that didn’t leave her much choice, spurred by her bringing up his feelings and by getting to know Summer.

“What about him?” There was enough fondness in her tone to make jealousy sting Ben.

His mouth opened and closed again, then reopened once he decided which precise words would give him a better result. “You called him a former mate. Is he ever…more than that?” Oof, he felt like a stupid teenager asking that, but he couldn’t help it!

“He is not,” she eyed him strangely.

Good. That eased some of the jealousy. “Do you ever fall back into old patterns, or something?”

A confused tilt of the head. “What do you mean?”

Ben’s fingers fidgeted slightly before going completely still. “I mean— you once told me that you used to love him. And you have a family with him,” he finished dryly. Ben attempted to smile at her, but it came out jaded and tight. “So…”

“I loved him many decades ago, as you know. Like you loved your Annie years ago. I really don’t know what you are trying to ask me,” Pearl laughed lightly.

“Wh-- it’s just that,” he grimaced with a scoff. Why were the words getting all jumbled up? “I’ve seen how fiercely you love your daughter, and your sisters, and mother. And you’ve talked about marrying, or, ‘tailjoining’ for love, and about—recreational sex.” His throat was a bit dry, so he nervously wet his upper lip. “But I don’t know what rekindling a romance is like for mermaids and mermen, so I was…just wondering if you ever…rekindle it, out of a…sense of familiarity, I suppose.” he finished as casually as he could, hoping not to offend her.

“Ah, I see,” she softened. A little giggle escaped her. With a hand on her hip, she sauntered over to Ben. “You’re asking if I still have sex with him on occasion. I don’t, and I have no desire to. We are merely friends now.” Pearl came to a stop right in front of Ben, smirking as she looked him up and down. “Why, were you jealous?”

An exaggerated scoff and an untrue denial: “Of course not! Just curious.” It would be fairly embarrassing if she were to realize the depth of his feelings for her, or even for how long he had been infatuated with her. Unless she felt the same, but he…he really couldn’t be 100% certain that she reciprocated. She was hard to read. She seemed amused, but not necessarily for the right reasons.

“Okay, then I hope your curiosity is sated now.” Pearl wasn’t sure if she believed him but found it better not to press. If he was jealous…oh, that was dangerous, wasn’t it? It was one thing for her to have unrequited feelings for a human; doomed love and all that. But reciprocated feelings?! That would make it so much harder to stay away from him! She didn’t need forbidden love to be dangled under her nose. Of course, she was pretty sure he had feelings for her…but this was confirmation, wasn’t it?

Maybe she shouldn’t have kissed his cheek after all. Especially with how much she wanted to kiss him on the mouth now.

“It is, thanks,” he said wryly, but then paused and looked at her with a lot of meaning behind his eyes. “I’m really glad you’re okay. I—hated seeing you hurt like that,” Ben confessed, gingerly taking her hand in his. “And I’m very sorry for what happened to you.”

“Thank you…” Pearl all but whispered, instinctively moving to envelop Ben in a hug. A hug that he instantly reciprocated, wrapping his arms tightly around her waist. They closed their eyes and squeezed, breathing slowly, comforting each other after all the anxiety of the day.

The pair didn’t even know how long the hug lasted—they only knew it felt like bliss, and like home. When they split up, a slightly cheeky Ben reminded her that she needed to get some rest for a full recovery, so they said goodnight.

Notes:

I love giving Ben more of the smiley, warmer moments that we only got in a few flashbacks and then in a few moments near the end of the show and the epilogue! If his life wasn't so hard on Lost we would've seen more of it!

Poor Pearl getting flack for being a ‘human lover’ even though she didn't even become the lover of a human yet. Soon, though!

Hope you liked this chapter! In the next one Ben will be a temporary stepfather, our vaguely feral tiny mermaid will meet an important girlie… and who knows, maybe they’ll be family someday. As long as the older girl survives…

Chapter 28: The stirrings of family life taking root in their hearts

Pearl had a hard time sleeping in the bathtub because it was tight with her daughter in there, and what happened with the attempted coup kept her even more awake, while Ben had a fitful sleep where the image of the bloody mermaid with the stomach bitten and the tail torn up kept popping up in his head. Every time he woke up he reminded himself that she was safe in his home now, with him, and then his heart raced because of their seemingly mutual feelings.

In the morning both of them had slight bags under their eyes. Pearl had a determined look, too, and she pulled him aside. “I need to go underwater and speak with my sisters and my security team.”

“And you’re sure it’s safe?” Ben double-checked. He’d rather she stayed safely above water—but he knew she would go regardless. Just like him, willing to walk right into danger if it meant securing their position of power.

“I am. But I don’t want Summer to come along,” she admitted, a nervous look flitting across her face.

“You don’t want her to pick up on the tension or overhear anything,” he deduced. Children were very quick to intuit things.

“Indeed,” Pearl nodded somberly. “I wish for her to be as far away as possible from this mess. So…I have a request.” She seemed hesitantly hopeful. “I don’t want to overstep, but could you please watch her today while I am in the ocean?”

His eyes widened and his mouth made an ‘o’. Silence lingered. “I—yes, of course,” he finally said, nodding stiffly. Ben wasn’t completely comfortable with the request. Summer wasn’t a human child; what if he wasn’t equipped for taking care of her all day? It was one thing to make her hot chocolate or tell her a story while she was in the care of her mother, but for him to watch her all day by himself? It felt a little daunting. But—Pearl needed him. It was a big favor and it must’ve taken a lot for her to ask it. She was entrusting him with her daughter! There was no way he’d deny her request, for strategic and personal reasons.

Besides, he had a genuine fondness for children, and he was bonding well with Summer so far. He might enjoy taking care of her, even if she was a bit of a feral aquatic creature.

Pearl seemed to melt with his response, awash in relief. “Thank you so much,” she hugged him tightly, overcome with emotion. He didn’t even hesitate before returning the hug, closing his eyes and squeezing her tight. Giving in to the familiarity of their touches now.

“What do I feed her? Is she old enough for fish?” he asked when they separated.

“Yes. But her fangs are not developed, so she can only eat very small, thin fish. Nothing that she needs to rip through,” Pearl explained.

“Can I cook it?” he deadpanned with dry humor. “Or will she get fussy if it’s not raw?”

A sly smile. “She will get fussy. But you raised your own child, I’m sure you can handle a picky eater.”

He sighed lightheartedly. “Alright.” A pause, and he cocked his head with a squint as he asked a delicate question: “Is she…a danger to humans, by any chance?”

“She’s much too young to know the siren song, so do not worry about that,” Pearl understood exactly what he was getting at. Ben nodded with relief, and she smiled. “The most important thing you must do is get her in the bathtub, completely underwater, before 4pm,” she instructed. “Or her skin will start to blister. It happens faster in guppies.”

“Noted,” he nodded, and set an alarm just in case time got away from him.

After flashing a smile, she retrieved her daughter. Pearl knelt in front of the little girl and talked to her in mermaid language. ‘Sweetie, I need you to stay here with Ben today, okay? While I talk to our family. I’ll be back tonight.’ She placed both hands on Summer’s shoulders as the child listened intently. ‘And I need you to behave. Promise me that you won’t talk to anyone else, you’ll listen to what Ben tells you because he’s in charge until I get back, and you won’t bite anything or anyone, or get your tail.’

‘I promise, mother,’ the little girl clicked back with a resolute nod. ‘But I don’t want you to go!’

‘I know, sweetie, I’m so sorry that I have to.’ She rubbed her arm reassuringly and kissed her forehead. “Everything will be okay, I promise. I’ll be back before you know it! I love you.’

The merchild decided to be strong, so she accepted it with a shaky pout. ‘I love you too.’

The two hugged fiercely, then Pearl stood up and faced Ben. “I told her you’re in charge. She’ll behave. Thank you again, Ben.” A tight smile, as she wasn’t looking forward to the conversation she needed to have with the merfolk back under the sea.

But Pearl was relatively calm when she left, and that reassured Ben that she believed everything would be okay. It helped him feel less uneasy about her excursion—yet not so much about the babysitting job, because he could feel tiny but big round eyes on him.

The blonde little girl stared up at Ben expectantly.

Wow. Babysitting the princess merchild. That’s a new one for my résumé, he drolly thought, eyes widening a little. He glanced down at her with a tentative smile. “Um…” How should he proceed? He obviously had to keep very close watch, just in case she decided to use her mermaid powers in front of anyone else. But he had work to do, too; the Island relied on him. “Come with me, please,” he gestured to his office and started heading that way. Summer trotted behind him. Ben was thinking that, as a child of the sea, she probably never experienced many of the things any human child enjoyed—and that could be the key to keeping her engaged and out of trouble, as long as she was willing to try new things. Summer grew up in an entirely different world, maybe she’d like to experience a human childhood for a day! “I was thinking that you might like a coloring book,” he suggested with a cautious smile.

“I like colors!” She seemed enthused, though not entirely sure of what he meant by that.

“Great!” He matched her enthusiasm. As long as she was easy-going they shouldn’t run into any trouble.

In the back of the closet was a box of crayons, pencils, and Alex’s old coloring book that still had some unpainted spare pages. Ben retrieved her high chair, too, and set it up on his desk, across from him. He carefully picked Summer up and settled her on the chair, with the book and tools in front of her. “All of these produce color if you rub them on the paper,” he explained, coloring a bit of sky with a light blue crayon. “See? You can use as many colors as you’d like.”

Keen little eyes followed his hand, and she immediately reached for her own crayon: a bright shade of orange. Ben smiled at her – as though saying ‘good job!’ -- and took a seat on the other side of the desk, where he could do his work while she played—hopefully quietly. He put on his round reading glasses and retrieved some documented requests that he was supposed to authorize or deny.

Summer sniffed the crayon and the pages, letting out a little hiss. She probably would’ve bitten the paper, just to try it out, if Pearl hadn’t specifically told her not to bite anything. The first page she flipped to depicted, ironically enough, the outline of two mermaids swimming together surrounded by many cartoonish fish. Summer gasped. “Us!” she pointed. “Family!”

Ben chuckled, briefly lifting his eyes from his documents. “Yeah, those are mermaids too, like you and your family!”

“Where Ben family is?” Those ever-curious big hazel eyes found him.

He hesitated. So she was one of those very perceptive children who loved to ask questions, huh? He appreciated that instinct, and he usually enjoyed answering them. This question, however, was a bit delicate. “…My…parents are no longer here. I never had any siblings, or…aunts and uncles, or cousins. I have a daughter, but she’s not home.” He felt a little awkward to be listing how alone he was. But it didn’t matter. He had the Island, and he had his people. And he had Pearl…at least for now.

“Sibling?” she squinted.

“If my mother and father had more kids than just me, they would be my siblings. Like—if Pearl had another, uhm, guppy, that guppy would be your sibling,” he tried to explain it in a language that was more accessible to the little aquatic princess.

“Oh! I don’t have sibling!” she grinned like she was proud of that.

Ben couldn’t help but chuckle. Kids were so endearing. “Is that the page you’re coloring first? The mermaids?” He subtly directed her attention back to the task at hand.

She nodded happily. Time passed them by as they worked in tandem, one coloring and one managing the Island. And for a good two hours, his plan for quiet worked. Summer colored peacefully and with focus, in a mismatched pattern of all bright colors. Until she got tired of the silence. “Ben? Color too?” she offered him a purple crayon as a clear invitation for him to join her.

“Oh. Thank you but I, I have work to do, Summer, I’m sorry,” he explained. She looked disappointed, and Ben held back a fond smile. “Tell you what. Why don’t you color one more page, to gift your mother when she gets home, while I finish up here? Then I’ll join you.”

That was an acceptable deal. Summer worked on a new page for Pearl, while Ben hurried to get through all the daily documents on file. Then, as promised, he helped color the image of a whimsical meadow with her.

“What’s Ben – uh, your … favorite color?” the little girl asked.

She was clearly one of those curious and highly engaged children. Not as talkative in English, but she tried her best. It was nice that she wanted to have a conversation with him, he thought, because it showed that she was open to the human world and to bonding with him. And he was glad to speak to her too. It made him feel like the father of a little girl again, which was something he missed, and it helped him get to know Summer. “My favorite color…” he pondered it, squinting. “Probably certain shades of green or blue. How about you?” He smiled at her.

“Purple!” she cried out happily. He wondered if it was because of her mom’s tail.

Playing along, he let out a playful gasp. “You handed me the crayon of your favorite color? Thank you! I’m honored!” Summer beamed at him and it warmed his heart.

They had just finished up coloring the meadow together when he peeked at his watch. “It’s almost lunchtime. Aren’t you getting hungry? I know I am,” Ben set his reading glasses down and gently directed her toward the kitchen, but she didn’t move.

“Yes! Hungry.” She kept waiting for him to move first, so Ben headed to the kitchen and the merchild followed. He was glad that she was an easy kid; she listened, she behaved. She was playful and energetic, but she wasn’t throwing tantrums or being a menace. He liked that.

He didn’t have any small fish to cook, so instead Ben cut a pre-prepared tilapia into tiny squares for Summer, and reheated it. They sat together on the table, and she instantly scrunched up her nose at the sight on her plate, unused to the look and smell of fish that wasn’t raw. But Ben had a plan to act before she got too fussy.

“It’s one of your mother’s favorite dishes,” he told her innocently, knowing how much Summer wanted to be like her mom. He was sure she’d want to copy Pearl enough to be willing to try cooked tilapia. Ben casually stuck a fork in a piece and brought it to his mouth, in a discreet tutorial so that Summer would know how to eat. Just like Pearl once had, she watched him closely. But, unlike Pearl, she didn’t mimic his use of the fork; she grabbed the fish with her bare hands and popped a square in her mouth.

…Well. At least she’s eating, he thought.

He ate with her, albeit in much more civilized manner than the little mermaid, and with an added salad on his plate. Then he gave her a cup of mango juice, and for some reason the color weirded her out.

“Nooo,” she whined. The child was reluctant to drink, hissing at the juice.

But Ben was undeterred. Alex had a picky eater phase when she was about 5, and he could always talk her into trying something she initially refused. His talents for persuasion (or, depending on how one looked at it, manipulation for a good cause) easily extended to raising children too. “Oh, I just thought that you would enjoy it. It’s sweet like the hot chocolate, and your mom really likes it,” he told her with an air of innocence. “In fact, a couple other mermaids visited here and rather enjoyed it too! And Aqua liked the fruit that this is made of.” There was a hint of mischief on his face.

Summer’s big eyes flicked up at him with curiosity. “Like liquid chocolate? And they like?”

“Yes, just as sweet! And they really like it,” he reiterated with intentional enthusiasm. “I’m having a glass too,” Ben added, lifting his glass and sipping the juice, then purposely humming with delight.

She watched him for a moment, as if fighting between being stubborn or giving in to curiosity. After Ben finished his drink, Summer gave in and had a few sips of the mango juice in her plastic cup. Those sips were accompanied by a cute little gasp and a really excited grin. “I love it,” she declared, and he flashed a knowing smile, proud of himself for still having a knack for raising kids.

They had a nice lunch, but soon after the meal he looked over at her and found her staring at her own hands. She looked very sad, and very lost. Ben frowned, feeling his heart clench. He was really starting to care about that little girl. “Is everything alright, Summer?”

The merchild hesitated, grappling with feelings much too big for someone so young to have to deal with. She looked up at Ben, unsure. Summer had always been told that humans were dangerous—but lately the story had changed. Pearl trusted Ben. And the little girl really wanted to feel better; she needed an adult to reassure her, and Ben had made her feel safe before. Looking into his eyes, she felt that she could trust him. The blonde merchild pouted: “Scared. What if mother is hurt again?”

He grimaced sympathetically. “Oh…it’s okay that you’re worried, Summer, but your mother is alright.” He knelt next to her and offered a kind smile. “She’s with the rest of your family. They’ll keep her safe; she’ll be back tonight.”

“Not hurt?” she insisted, voice shaky. “Ben sure?”

“I’m sure she’s safe,” he reassured softly. Well…he was almost sure, but he hid any doubts from the girl. The same question nagged at him too; what if the conversation turned into a confrontation with the other mermaids? Ben was pretty positive that that wasn’t the case, but he would only completely relax when Pearl came back.

Summer’s hazel eyes were on him, the sad pout still on her face. She grabbed his index finger like a lifeline. “Promise?”

Oh, that just about broke his heart! Having lost his own mother, he knew exactly the weight of the fear that child was feeling. He placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. “I promise, Summer. The mermaid that hurt her can’t hurt her anymore.”

She took a deep breath and relaxed a little, believing him. But Ben knew that, even though he helped Summer feel safer, she was still not okay. If he was worried about Pearl – he, an adult who knew she was most likely okay, and who believed in the promise he just made to her daughter – then her young daughter must be dying of anxiety! He really shouldn’t take Summer outside, where people might see her and ask questions. But…it was such a nice day! About mid-December, yet it was always sunny and warm on the Island. It felt like summer, which the girl named Summer loved. The sun might comfort her. And…she needed the distraction. She was afraid of losing her mother; nothing mattered more than that! Making an impulsive decision – one compromised by heightened emotions -- he got up again and smiled. “I have something fun to show you, that human kids love to play with. It’s out there, in the fresh air. Do you want to see it?”

That perked her up enough. “Yes…”

“Alright, but you have to make me a promise,” Ben told her. He made sure her full attention was on him before telling her: “You need to stay right next to me, and you can’t talk to anyone else. They don’t know you’re a mermaid, and we can’t let them see you.” After instructing her, he smiled encouragingly: “Can I count on you?”

“I promise,” the blonde kid nodded solemnly.

So, after making sure the area was clear, he held her little hand and walked her to the set of white swings in the public playground. Once there, he encouraged her to sit on one of the swings. She did, then stared at him blankly, not knowing what to do.

Ben chuckled softly. “Here, let me show you,” he sat on the other swing and pushed the ground with his feet to start some movement. “You use your legs. Kick them out, bend them, repeat,” he demonstrated by making his own swing take him on a high arch. “And hold on to the sides!”

She tried to mimic his movements and successfully got herself swinging a little. A surprised gasp flew out of her mouth and the child giggled. “Is it right?”

“Yeah!” he encouraged with a grin, still swinging himself. “You’re doing it perfectly! If your legs get tired I can push you if you’d like.” He used to do that a lot with Alex, and he missed it.

What was a kind offer soon became a necessity. She was still a little too weak-legged to be able to get much traction, so Ben stood behind Summer’s swing and pushed her; lightly at first, then slowly he increased the force, sending her swinging higher little by little.

The higher she went, the louder she giggled, her blonde curls flying in the wind. Ben really missed the sound of a child laughing, and he found himself chuckling along with a big smile, dutifully pushing her swing so she could keep going. His heart swelled with paternal affection as he watched her beaming face, her worries all but forgotten even if just for a little while.

They had a great time for about forty minutes, until she got tired and asked to get down. After Ben safely got her back on her feet, Summer gave him the biggest smile. “Want to see more please,” she demanded. “Human land is fun!”

She was so disarmingly adorable that he found himself laughing. “I’m glad you think so! And, hmm…I suppose we can stay out for another half an hour…” In fact, Ben knew exactly where to take her.

She was fascinated by every sight along the way; soaking up the sunshine, sniffing everything she could get close to, staring with hazel eyes full of childlike wonder. When Ben introduced her to the white rabbit with the painted 8 – the goal he had in mind -- Summer squeaked with surprise, hissed menacingly at it, then squealed with joy.

“He’s friendly,” the man reassured. “Go on, you can pet him. When I was a child, I felt better when I hugged him,” Ben reminisced about the times when he, as a little boy, would cuddle with Bunny Eight on his bed for comfort and company, while his drunken father was passed out in the living room.

With all the boldness of a child, she instantly crawled on the grass and wrapped her tiny arms around the rabbit. “Fluffy!” she happily declared. “And cute!” Summer nuzzled Eight and it lifted her mood as much as the swings. “I feel … better … too. Thank you, Ben.”

He smiled at her. “You’re very welcome, Summer.”

Ben let her play with the rabbit as much as she wanted, watching over both of them to make sure everything was going well.

During that time Richard happened to walk by, and he did a double take when he spotted Ben and a random blonde kid. A kid who hid behind Ben’s legs and hissed as soon as she was spotted. Richard frowned. That unknown child acted in suspicious manner, and she was suspiciously familiar; the spitting image of a certain aquatic blonde. “Is that a…?”

“Yes…” Ben drawled, deadpanning.

The advisor glanced between Ben and Summer. “Is she Pearl’s?”

“Yes.” Ben repeated, blasé.

“And she’s really a…?”

“Yes, Richard, she’s a merchild.” Impatience crept into his tone. “I’m babysitting her today.”

The advisor looked bewildered. “You’re close enough with Pearl that she let her child in your care?!”

Ben sighed with vague annoyance. “It was an emergency.”

Richard hardly knew what to say. This was a truly unexpected twist. “And she’s…behaving?”

Another deadpan look. “Yeah. As a matter of fact, she’s lovely. And my taking care of her for the day strengthens diplomatic relations between humans and merfolk,” Ben strategically pointed out.

The advisor had to concede to that point. It was a solid strategy. But the whole thing was still highly unusual. “It just surprised me, Ben. But you know what you’re doing…”

“I do,” Ben said firmly. Then he checked his watch. “We should be heading home, actually.” After that quick dismissal of the advisor, Ben smiled at the merchild. “Come on, Summer, time to go.”

She sulked and dragged her feet a little, not ready to leave Bunny Eight, but listened after Ben called a second time. It was almost 4PM, so he took Summer back to the house and filled up the bathtub for her. She happily climbed in, fully dressed in her algae ensemble, and submerged herself completely.

His paternal instincts yelled at him to save her before she drowned, but of course he ignored them; Summer was a young mermaid, perfectly capable of breathing underwater. She was even singing softly under there! He left her there until she felt like coming out, trailing water all over his living room.

“I got you a dry dress to wear, if you’d like. You can keep the wet one if you prefer, but please make sure to sit on a towel,” he instructed.

“New dress!” she demanded, then remembered to be polite and added: “Please. Thank you.”

Ben chuckled. “Very good. Here you go,” he handed her a fluffy pink dress from when Alex was ten. It never got much use, because it really wasn’t Alex’s style even back then. “I’ll let you figure out how to put that on.” He trusted that Summer was clever and inventive enough to pull it off. And sure enough, after about five minutes, she came after him fully dressed, barefoot, looking absolutely adorable in a human dress. Like the little princess that she was.

Ben’s heart clenched with affection and, for a delusional split second, he loved that merchild like she was his own daughter. Then he pushed that emotion down, feeling a tad foolish.

He had to step away for a moment shortly after that to answer a call on the walkie-talkie, so he left her on the couch with a toy while he went in the bedroom. It was right then that the front door opened and a brunette teenager in long sleeves walked in.

The last thing Alex would have ever expected was to find an adorable little girl with wavy blonde hair sitting inside her house when she came in to grab an extra backpack. Her sudden entrance startled Summer, who hissed fiercely – to try to intimidate - and ran to hide behind the couch.

“Whoa, whoa, it’s okay little one!” Alex appeased, taking a surprised step back. “I didn’t mean to scare you, sorry. I, uh, I live here,” the teenager smiled uncertainly at the pair of big hazel eyes peering back at her.

“Ben’s house!” Summer argued, those round eyes narrowed into slits.

“Yeah. I’m Ben’s daughter.” Alex observed the kid closely, and something shifted in her expression. Her eyes widened like she was startled, then angry, and then simply curious. She stepped closer, crouching to the child’s level. “You can come out of there, you know.”

Summer blinked, hesitating. “Daugh-ter? Like—family? Mother and father?” She stayed behind the couch though; it gave her some sense of security.

A nod and a smile. The teen was very curious about the little girl, interested in getting to know her…and finding out some things about her. Because something wasn’t adding up; random children didn’t just appear out of nowhere! “Right, Ben is my father. I’m Alex. It’s okay, I won’t hurt you.”

Ben, who had just rejoined the living room, smiled at the child. “It’s alright, Summer, she really won’t hurt you. Like she said, I’m her father,” he flashed Alex a brief smile and she rolled her eyes. He was a little wary to have his own daughter meet Pearl’s – a secret little mermaid – but it was too late, and he wouldn’t fret in front of the child. “Alex, this is Summer.”

Still somewhat suspicious, Summer darted from her hiding place to Ben and hid behind his legs again. He chuckled and patted her head. It was nice that she felt so safe with him.

“Uh…Ben, do you need help with her?” Alex offered. She was testing a theory.

That shocked him. Alex, volunteering to spend extra time at home?! He squinted with a surprised smile. “That’d be great, Alex! You’re willing to stay?”

“Yeah, sure. I know a fun game,” Alex grinned at Summer. “Wanna play?”

The child nodded enthusiastically. “Yes! Ben?” she held out a hand, asking him to come with. The teenager held back a scoff; she’d rather not deal with her father, but whatever, he could tag along since Summer asked. She had to talk to him anyway.

Ben’s eyes darted to his daughter. He caught her less-than-pleased look and it stung, but, since she didn’t protest his presence, he smiled at Summer. “Sure, I’ll come along.” The smile stayed in place when his gaze moved to Alex. “What did you have in mind?”

Alex didn’t really smile back, just shrugged nonchalantly. “Slingshot.” The teen started to head outside, to the back of the house where there was a patch of grass and a few trees. It was fairly out of public view, so Ben followed along with Summer, who looked completely confused about what a slingshot was.

“It’s a game of aim. Alex is very good at it,” Ben explained to her. Once outside, he took a step back and let the two girls get to know each other. He kept careful watch, to make sure everything was okay, but chose not to interfere.

Alex pulled out her slingshot and picked a small rock from the ground. “So this is the toy, and this is what you do,” she told Summer, who was listening intently. “Let me show you.” Placing the rock on the elastic, she pulled it back, aimed, and let it go. The rock went straight at the target, a red circle painted on the bark of her favorite tree. Ben had painted it for her when she was about 12 and started wanting to play with a slingshot. After the demonstration, the teen handed the slingshot to the child. “It’s easy! Just pull back here, until you feel tension, then let the rock fly! And try to hit that red there, see?”

An excited Summer, armed with a handful of small rocks, started trying to hit the target. It took her a few tries to be able to predict the strength and direction needed for the slingshot to work, and then her attempts got really close.

Ben was grinning at her, encouraging her to keep going or giving advices of ‘turn more to the left’, ‘a little lower now’ if he felt he should. Alex watched in silence, noticing how good he was with the blonde girl. He was cheery and warm, patient and helpful, just like he used to be with his own daughter. The teen pursed her lips. For a brief moment she missed the times when she was a little girl and her father would play with her. They had such great times back then, she felt so safe and loved with her dad! Why did he have to be so hateful about Karl now?! The teenager would never admit it aloud, but sometimes she still missed her father, and it hurt. She wanted him back, like he used to be: not the seemingly evil leader controlling her life, but just the dad that loved her. Clearly he still had it in him, because he was doing that with Summer right now! Ugh, whatever; she had other reasons for being in that yard.

Ben was having a pleasant time supervising the kid playing, until Alex came up to him with a weird look on her face. She glanced back at Summer to make sure the little girl was too distracted to eavesdrop. “Can I talk to you?”

He smiled, but it was a bit strained. Hopeful but guarded. He expected she’d have some questions about Summer’s sudden appearance. How could she not? “Of course. What is it, Alex?”

“That’s Pearl’s daughter, right? They look so much alike.”

“Yeah,” Ben nodded. It was impossible to deny their similarities.

“Where has she been all this time? Pearl came to live here and she left her daughter at the beach camp with the other crash survivors?” The story didn’t add up, and it roused suspicions in the teenager.

Ben hated that he had to lie to her again. So, technically, he didn’t; he told the truth, but with false implications behind it. A truth that would allow Alex to reach her own conclusions and believe a lie she made up herself. “Summer was in the safest place for her,” he said. At the beach camp, the teen would assume. But really, under the sea.

“If you say so,” Alex shrugged. She shuffled her feet, scrunching her face. Something had been on her mind from the moment she laid eyes on the little girl, and she just had to know the truth! “…So…this is awkward to ask, but…she—Summer, we’re not related, are we?”

Ben let out a mix of a scoff and a chuckle, bemused. “I’m sorry? How would she be related to you?”

“Well…” the teenager grimaced, “…she’s not my half-sister, is she? She’s Pearl’s daughter—is she yours too?” A nonchalant shrug while she stared him down, silently demanding an answer.

“What?! Alex, of course not!” Ben was so stunned he hardly knew what to say. He never expected such a wild question! He looked utterly bewildered, squinting at Alex with a half-open mouth. “Is that why you volunteered to spend time with her?! Because you think she’s your sister?!”

“It’s not a stupid question! Why else would you be taking care of her today? I don’t know how long you and Pearl have been banging! Were you secretly seeing Pearl all these years, like, when you go to the mainland, and you got her pregnant with Summer? Her eyes are really round and big, like yours! Did you bring both of them here to the Island to be with you?” the teenager blurted out in a single breath, eyeing him accusingly. “I have a right to know if she’s my half-sister! She’s wearing my dress, Ben!”

“Wh—Alex! None of that is true! Pearl had an emergency, so I, I’m babysitting for her! Summer needed a dress and yours was the only spare I had—but nothing else is true!” Ben’s eyes went wide with exasperation and a bit of embarrassment, his words coming out in a fast flurry of urgency; he couldn’t believe Alex was so convinced that he and Pearl were being intimate. His daughter shouldn’t be thinking about his sex life at all! Shaking his head, he said emphatically: “Pearl and I are not—involved, at all!”

She was skeptical. “Then why did you kick me out of the house if not to let your girlfriend move in?!” she exclaimed, a bit upset.

“I-” Before Ben got the words out, Summer whooped loudly because she finally hit the target. Instantly, Ben and Alex cheered and clapped for her, before turning back to each other while the little mermaid went back to trying more shots. Ben sighed sharply and a bit tiredly. “Alex, I told you; I needed Pearl to stay at the house for three months for strategic reasons. I thought you’d appreciate the break.”

“I do! It’s just weird, Ben. Everyone thinks it’s weird!”

“It’s not for them to understand it!” he vehemently exclaimed. He still needed Alex to stay out of the house; he wanted Pearl to get to know her now, but not in the same house or the teen would figure out that the blonde woman was a mermaid! And he didn’t want to put that secret on her, as it would be an unnecessary burden for Alex to carry. “And will you stop calling me ‘Ben’?!” he added snippily, face pinching into an exasperated grimace.

She scoffed petulantly. “Ugh, fine, whatever you say. You swear she’s not your daughter?”

Ben was so bewildered by those claims that a weak laugh came out of him. “I give you my word, Alex. She’s not; and I’m not…intimately involved with Pearl.” He wanted to claim that he wasn’t romantically involved with Pearl either—but that felt strangely like a lie. They had kissed, many times, and if Alex ever found out she’d get mad at him for denying it. It was better to just say that he had never slept with Pearl, because that was the truth. They came close to it of course, but stopped before things went too far.

The teenager shrugged and decided to believe him about Summer. Since he gave his word and all. She was more skeptical of his claims surrounding Pearl, but decided she didn’t care enough to pursue that. “Okay. I guess. It would’ve been weird if she was my half-sister…but kind of nice too. She’s really sweet.”

“Yeah,” Ben agreed with a thoughtful nod. Although the girls would technically not be biological half-sisters even if Summer was his daughter—which, of course, she wasn’t. Could he ever be her stepfather, though? That would make the girls stepsisters. Sisters in every way that mattered, anyway. “She is. Very clever too. And you’re very good with her,” he smiled at Alex, calming down some.

She didn’t smile back, but her attitude was considerably softer when she replied: “Apparently so are you, she seems pretty attached to you. You were good with me when I was that age too.”

“I remember,” Ben said in a wistful way, but a little pointed as well.

A hint of bitterness hung in the air, coming from both of them. They missed those days, but neither of them believed they were ever coming back.

“I guess, if you’ve got it covered with Summer, I’ll head out now,” Alex abruptly declared, and Ben couldn’t do much more than say a terse goodbye. The teen said a warmer bye to the child, then left.

He sighed. At least he had one moment of relative peace with his daughter. Now Pearl’s daughter was staring at him with those big hazel eyes again, like she expected something.

“Let me introduce you to a window into a whole new world,” he raised both brows for playful drama, took her back inside and turned on the tv. That ought to keep Summer entertained for the rest of the afternoon.

Summer hissed when the actors talked, her tiny and still useless fangs sprouting instinctively. “Bad!”

“Oh, no, no, it’s alright,” Ben hurried to place himself between her and the tv. “They’re not really here! I’m sorry, I, I should have explained it first. It’s just like telling stories! If you sit on the couch, this box,” he patted the television, “will tell you stories, and these people will act them out! But it’s all make-believe!”

The merchild looked a little wary, but trusting enough to clumsily get on the couch. “Ben watch with me,” she asked in a tiny voice.

How could he ever say no? He put on a cartoon appropriate for a ten year old, then sat on the couch with her. Summer felt a lot better, a lot safer, with him keeping her company.

An hour went by and the sun began to set. She yawned and started moving closer to him until she had crawled on his lap. The little girl fell asleep with her head on his chest, and Ben was acutely reminded of when Alex used to do the same thing -- from the time she was two until she turned eleven -- and how he’d then carry her to bed and tuck her in. Those memories were so heartwarming, she was such a cute child! And so was Summer. He sighed softly and patted Summer’s hair in a fatherly way. How silly to get attached to a merchild he’d likely never see again, but Ben couldn’t help it; after a single day, he adored that precious little hissing blonde child.

Another hour passed before he heard a key turning outside and his heart skipped. When Pearl walked in, a weight lifted from Ben’s shoulders. He trusted her assessment that she would be safe, but of course part of him had been worried about her all day! He smiled at her and she smiled back, letting out a muted ‘aww’ at the sight that awaited her. Pearl’s heart melted when she saw her daughter sleeping on Ben’s chest, like the little mermaid already trusted and loved him implicitly. She knew her daughter had to feel safe with Ben to do that, and Pearl was so happy they got along so well!

“How did it go?” Ben whispered as Pearl carefully scooped Summer up into her arms.

“Excellently,” a smug smile. “I will fill you in in a moment. Just let me put her in the bathtub—and thank you so much for watching tv with her and letting her nap on you,” she looked at him with starry eyes.

He was equally starry-eyed when he looked back at her, giving her a little shrug. “Oh, it was no trouble. She’s a lovely child, Pearl, and you—you’re a wonderful mother.”

The sparks between them were as noticeable as ever, and they had to really fight the urge to kiss. Pearl hurriedly left to the bathroom and safely slipped her mermaid child under the water. Summer barely registered it, fast asleep.

When she returned to the living room, Ben was looking expectantly at her. Wondering if she would really fill him in on the political happenings of the underwater kingdom. It was the kind of thing she always kept private, because the two of them were from rival territories. But this time she would share. Pearl brushed her long blonde hair to the side and smiled at him. “I spoke to the warrior sirens tasked with protecting royalty, and they will investigate if there is any more discontentment brewing. I spoke to the entire group, too, to reassure them that things are well and that going against me is a costly mistake. I had to admit to the…death, but I think it served to send a message to anyone who might have underestimated me as queen,” her smile dimmed, the reality of what happened weighing on her. She inhaled before continuing. “And, secretly, I spoke to my six sisters and Spear; they will keep an eye out, in case my warriors miss something.”

“Or betray you,” Ben grimly pointed out. One could never be too careful, or too sure exactly where an attempted coup might come from.

Pearl frowned. “Or that. I do mostly trust my warriors…but perhaps you never know. I have complete trust in my sisters, however, which is why they are secretly investigating separately.” She inhaled deeply and let it out as if trying to expel all the tension from her body. “I think my conversation today went about as well as it could have possibly gone.”

“How did they react to the news of the death?” Ben asked, mouth turning thoughtfully. He wanted to help Pearl navigate the situation, and his perspective was valuable because he was not emotionally attached to any of the merfolk except for Pearl herself.

Her face darkened. “They took my side. Any attempted murder of the queen is expected to be met by death. I would have died if I didn’t fight back.”

He nodded sympathetically. “You had no other choice.” Using that death to send a message to keep her subjects in line might seem ruthless, but Ben understood it completely. Being royalty was no easy feat.

“Thank you,” she looked into his eyes. “I believe I was sufficiently stern when I spoke to the kingdom, but also personable and kind enough to keep them on my side. Everything should be okay now,” the blonde mermaid nodded.

Ben gave one more, slow, pointed nod. “Thank you for telling me. I wasn’t sure if you would share details.”

“Oh, I am well aware that you could use this information against me,” she arched an elegant brow, “but you know I appreciate your perspective on courtly matters. You have great insight. And—I feel lighter after sharing my day with you.”

He couldn’t stop a smile from appearing. He liked being that person for Pearl, her advisor of underwater royalty matters. The comment about ‘feeling lighter’ gave him some inconvenient butterflies, too. “My great insight this time is that you can’t downplay what happened, Pearl. If you’re right and everything is now under control—great. But if you’re wrong, you need to be paying close attention. Don’t rely only on your trusted six.” Ben always believed he could rely on no one but himself. “And make sure they understand that our alliance is beneficial to them.”

She listened closely, taking his advice on board. “I think I was successful in making them understand. Like you said before, I think criticizing our alliance was but a mere excuse to target me. But…” the siren met his eyes and nodded, “you are right. I need to stay on top of things too. Perhaps more visits; I have been slacking for the past couple of weeks.”

“I would do that if I were you, yeah,” he agreed. A queen should be seen by her subjects.

“Then it’s settled,” she said, and Ben was happy that she took his advice on board. There was nothing left that she could do to improve the situation; all of her bases were covered now.

“By the by, Pearl, I wanted to tell you something about Summer. She met my daughter today. It was an unintentional meeting, but— I don’t think it went poorly,” Ben shared with her, hoping she wouldn’t mind that her little one met another human.

“Oh?! Alex stopped by?” Pearl was quite intrigued by that. “How exactly did their meeting go?”

“Fine, fine. Alex taught her a game of slingshots, Summer seemed to like her.” A pause, and his lips thinned into a line. “Alex, she… briefly wondered if Summer was yours and…mine.” Now that the words were out, Ben felt that they sounded stilted. God, why was he even telling her that?! He wished he kept his mouth shut! He was becoming too reckless around the siren!

Her eyes widened with amused surprise. “Goodness! You and I, siring an offspring together?” Pearl’s grin was open mouthed. “That is quite the notion, isn’t it? Can you even imagine?”

Vividly, and I try not to, he thought, but instead he said something much safer: “I apologize for Alex, she--” a shake of the head and a pursing of the lips, then he droned the rest: “--let her imagination get the better of her.” Because she saw the obviously palpable chemistry between her father and the ethereal blonde.

They both knew it was biologically impossible for a human to have a baby with a mermaid— but it was fun to fantasize about starting a family and staying together forever…at least until reality hit them squarely in the face again.

But hell, it didn’t need to be biological! He’d be so happy to be Summer’s stepfather, and to have Pearl as Alex’s stepmother! They could raise their daughters together, be a real loving family regardless of genetics! …Except that no, obviously they could not, since two of them lived underwater and the other two were land dwellers. Any attempt would just lead to more disappointment.

Pearl giggled. “No apology necessary. If we are being truthful, I don’t think she imagined all of it.”

“You don’t?” he arched a brow, tilting his head to see what she might say.

“No. Your daughter may have noticed there were some…sparks between us, at one point or another. Perhaps on All Hallows’ Eve, or the evening of the failed meteor shower,” Pearl gave a dainty, almost innocent shrug.

Ben’s face was blank after that. “I—I suppose she didn’t imagine the sparks, yeah…” he admitted, the words dragging in his throat. A throat that felt awfully dry all of a sudden. Since when were he and Pearl openly admitting to the sparks between them?! Although it was no surprise, given what happened on that Halloween night, but saying it out loud was reckless!

Pearl giggled. Now that she had sufficiently flustered the human, she asked: “What else happened with Summer today?”

“Oh, we, we had a lot of fun, I think,” Ben smiled excitedly as he told her everything; the coloring, the swings, the rabbit, etc. Pearl looked more starry-eyed by the second. When he finished recounting the day, he gave a small shrug. “It was a nice day.”

“I’m so very glad to hear that,” she said softly, her tone and eyes full of meaning. But it was getting late, and she might kiss him soon if she didn’t get out now. “I should get some rest. Truth be told, Ben—last night wasn’t comfortable,” she snickered lightly. “The bathtub is snug for me to sleep in there with Summer. I’ll take my bedroom tonight.”

Ben raised both eyebrows, vaguely teasing her. “Really? The great mermaid queen will finally deign to try a mattress again? On a bed?”

She laughed. “Just once more! I might as well see what all the fuss is about. Last time was not a fair assessment. It didn’t end well, as you might recall.”

He did, in fact, recall her waking up to her first land period, with blood all over the sheets. “Oh, I recall,” he said a bit ominously, but one side of his mouth quirked up with amusement.

Pearl laughed softly. “I should have a more peaceful sleep this time, if the accursed mattress doesn’t keep me up.”

Ben chuckled. “Here’s hoping. Do you need anything for your bedroom, or are you settled?”

“I’m settled, thank you,” she smiled at him, and he smiled back.

He really liked the idea of Pearl sleeping in a bedroom. Truthfully, he liked any instance of Pearl becoming acclimated to the human world—because it gave him hope. Ben knew that it was misguided and foolish hope, but hope nonetheless; hope that she might choose to stay there. On land. With him. If she got used to it enough, if she enjoyed cooked fish, and beds, and electricity, and books and tv enough, maybe she could leave her kingdom behind. Okay…he knew the likelihood of that was practically zero. Maybe negative one, actually. He was probably being delusional, he knew that. But hope was hope, and it was better than having none. The only other option was pure heartbreak and dreading the end of the month. So the two said goodnight and he secretly prayed that she’d have a restful and comfortable sleep.

Pearl was a bit weirded out by the firmness of the mattress at first, and by the overall lack of wetness. She poked the bed with her elbows a few times, frowning. But she gave it a good effort and soon found out that she was too tired to be kept awake by anything.

In the morning, when she told Ben that she actually slept really well and enjoyed the bed, he couldn’t wipe the little grin from his face for a good whole minute.

And then it was time to separate what felt like a warm family unit—although realistically he knew he was not Summer’s family and her real father awaited her. But it had been nice to pretend for a couple of days. He’d miss the little mermaid, and he was a tad sour that he had to let her go.

“Goodbye, Summer,” he squatted to give her a proper farewell, smiling amiably. “I hope you had a nice time here.”

As if to prove him right, she boldly handed him the mermaid page from the coloring book – now carefully colored by her in a rainbow of crayons – and grinned. “Gift. Ben was very nice to me.”

He pretended that it was the most beautiful work of art in the world, gasping softly as he admired it. “Why, thank you! I love it!” The irony that Pearl had the meadow page and Ben – not Spear – had the other page didn’t escape him; in fact, it consoled him a little, and gave him a bit of petty satisfaction.

Pearl was beaming at them. “I see she’s become very fond of you. You’re good with children, Ben.”

He gave a little nod. “I wasn’t sure how that might translate to merchildren, but I’m glad that Summer and I got along.” It never would have happened if Pearl hadn’t trusted him first, and he was thankful for that.

“Gift is to remember me,” the aquatic child told him. She was so appreciative of Ben showing her the human world and especially of saving her mother, that it helped her bond with him quickly.

“Oh,” he chuckled softly. “How thoughtful! But I could never forget you, Summer!”

The wild merchild didn’t respond with words. Instead, she threw her little arms around him and gave him a big, tight hug. Ben smiled widely and hugged back, planting a fatherly kiss on her forehead.

Pearl’s stomach flooded with butterflies; she was enchanted watching the interaction between the man she was falling for and her daughter. Ben had fit so seamlessly into the lives of her family! Aqua, the other mermaids, now Summer! It made her feel like, in some crazy way, there was a chance for them to make some kind of a life together. A future for them to build! But no—that was so silly! A man and a mermaid could never really be in love, or act on it.

For Ben, the whole thing was bittersweet because, after getting to know her, he wished he could be Summer’s stepfather someday. For a fleeting moment he could almost see it: him and Pearl, together, raising a little girl and a teenager, as a happy loving family. But Pearl and that little girl lived underwater. That romance with Pearl and that family life was a fantasy he could never have, so he pushed it out of his mind and plastered a small smile instead.

After a final goodbye to Summer, whom he assumed he’d probably never see again, a crestfallen Ben went to his study while Pearl took her to the beach, from where they would transform into mermaids and swim back home. Summer would stay there, with the rest of her family, and Pearl would return to Ben’s yellow house soon after.

But the idea of building a life together had now been firmly planted in both of their minds, and, no matter how much they pushed the feelings away, it would be very hard to let that go.

Notes:

I said we’re in mid-December (totally coincidental to the real date by the way) so you know what important date is coming up? The birthday of a certain cutie! It will be a very unique one, I can promise that.

And another thing; writing this chapter made me realize that I don't know if Ben ever told Alex she was adopted in the Lost canon. Maybe I'm forgetting a detail, but I think the show never clearly stated it either way. Most people assume she didn't know (and I went with that here too) but, when he tells her that Rousseau is her mother, she doesn't ask anything about Ben's relationship with Rousseau or anything else that she'd probably ask if she believed she was biologically Ben's AND Rousseau's...so maybe he DID tell her when she was younger that he adopted her, and she just thought/was told that her mother was dead? Idk. Food for thought.

Chapter 29: And she pulled back the curtain to let in the light that revealed the whole truth

It really only took Pearl two days to completely heal from the bite injury, thanks to the magical healing properties of the waters on the Island. Her sorrow for having to kill one of her own eased after talking to her sisters and the other advisors, and with Ben. Everyone agreed: Pearl had no choice. It was kill or be killed.

So the only thing that saddened the mermaid now was time itself. A few weeks; that was all she had left on land. And although she started out determined to spend that time emotionally detached from Ben, with walls around her heart, Pearl was sad. It was torture to be with him without engaging with him. Maybe her defensive strategy was wrong, the mermaid mused. Maybe she ought to embrace happiness, fleeting as it may be, and live those last weeks to the fullest. Okay, perhaps not completely to the fullest. She wouldn’t sleep with him. But she would stay by Ben’s side, enjoying his company every day as much as he wanted her around. The goodbye would be painful enough already; there was no need to make the last weeks painful too. Yes, she decided, she’d let Ben in. To an extent. If her heart broke by the end of December, so be it; at least she’d be happy now.

The whole point of this prolonged land exposure was to gather intel on her enemies and craft a plan to beat them should their peace treaty fail, with the bonus of learning more about Ben as a person; that Benjamin human had been a riddle that intrigued her from the start, and figuring him out thrilled her. But that’s all it was meant to be! Pearl never once dreamed that the experience would be so transformative, on such a deep level. She was flourishing among humans. She’d bonded with several of them, without pretense or ploys. She realized that many of her prejudices against humankind were wrong; humans were not as evil as the merfolk might have thought. And Benjamin…wow. He took her breath away completely now. His beauty and charm always did, but now… now his heart, mind and soul did too. Goodness, how could she ever say goodbye?!

It was while she mused on that heartbreaking topic that she happened to find a small wood-carved figurine of a girl. Who was that, and why did Ben have it in his things? It didn’t look like one of Alex’s childhood toys. It was enough to intrigue the mermaid. She carefully picked the doll up and frowned at it, intuition making something bitter bubble up inside her.

He was coming into the room with a blank face -- though close observation would reveal a twinge of disappointment in his eyes -- and a piece of paper in hand. That expression morphed into one of subtle curiosity when he came upon Pearl holding the doll that Annie gifted him on his birthday when they were children. “Hello…” Ben droned vaguely, observing the blonde. The timing was coincidental; almost like fate, because his birthday was a day away and he had yet to tell Pearl of that. It was also an anniversary of sorts: the day he first came upon Pearl in the tide pool – when he found out she was a mermaid and not an ethereal human woman who had inexplicably vanished from the Island after a bonfire – was right before his birthday too. He could hardly believe he’d known Pearl for so many years now, even if only in passing during some of them.

She flinched lightly like she was caught in the act, and responded by plastering on a grin. “Ben, hi! You’ve returned home! I was, uh…searching for the box of paints, and I found this lovely doll instead. Is she…one of Alex’s?”

“No…” He trailed off, assessing Pearl’s emotions.

“So she is yours!” Pearl said with exaggerated enthusiasm, an overly sweet smile on her face. The mermaid couldn’t explain it, but she had a feeling that the carved figurine belonged to a woman who meant a lot to Ben.

“It is. It was a gift. From, uhm, Annie,” he said plainly, sure that the mermaid would put all the pieces together.

“Ah. Annie.” Pearl remembered the name well. The only woman – or girl, at the time – that Ben had ever been truly in love with. The siren twisted the doll between her fingers, frowning. Pearl wasn’t presumptuous to think she had a hold on Ben’s heart – they had feelings for each other, but it couldn’t quite be love between them -- but she didn’t like anyone else having it either! For a man to keep a doll like that for so many years, he had to carry a torch or have a huge soft spot for the person that gifted it to him. The mermaid plastered a fake smile on her face despite the sour anger that was choking up her throat. “It’s a cute carving,” she said politely as she carefully set it down.

“Pearl, am I, by any chance, detecting a hint of jealousy?” Ben asked with the faintest of smirks upon his lips. Oh, it was refreshing to not be the one grappling with jealousy for once! Pearl having a family with Spear and an old dalliance with Jacob had always made Ben bristle with jealous feelings. But now the tables had turned. He could see the bitter jealousy in Pearl’s golden-flecked hazel eyes, the overcompensation in that fake smile…and he kind of loved it.

He loved the doll too. It meant a lot to him, just like Annie did. That’s why he held on to it, and as a last reminder of his first love. He smiled softly at the doll, and the smile gained an edge of smugness when he lifted his eyes to Pearl’s, waiting for an answer.

“I am most certainly not jealous! Simply curious,” she haughtily tossed her light blonde hair. Wasn’t that what he said about Spear too? Two could play at that game of blaming curiosity.

Ben couldn’t hold back the impish grin on his face. Her exaggerated defense was classic denial. It was fun to catch her in the act for once, too, instead of having all of his secrets discovered by the mermaid. “Curious why I kept it?” he teased a bit. It was so satisfying to see Pearl being jealous of him with another woman, he wanted to milk the moment a bit longer. His ego enjoyed it a lot.

“No, I…I understand why. It’s sentimental. Annie meant a lot to you.” She paused, pursing her lips and letting her eyes drop. “Are you sure you don’t still love her?” Pearl asked, trying to sound casual even though if he said he loved Annie it would feel like a stab wound straight to her chest.

Ben smiled fondly. “I’m sure. She will always mean a lot to me, but it’s not love. I haven’t been in love with her for many years now.” Ever since I met you, he held back the most meaningful part of that answer. It was hard to pine for his first love when he was utterly infatuated with the elusive mermaid. He almost told her that the doll was a birthday present and explained the significance of that, but he didn’t want to bring the mood down by talking about his mother’s death and his father blaming him.

Satisfied with that candid answer, Pearl relaxed. The burning dread of jealousy inside her eased up and dissipated with the knowledge that Ben’s heart was unattached. “What is that sheet of paper in your hand?” the mermaid asked, head tilting and observant eyes falling on it.

“Oh.” Ben’s lips pressed into a thin line, gaze landing on the paper and staying there. “The results from your blood sample tests.”

Pearl felt her own hope diminishing, because she could tell that Ben’s already had. “It didn’t help?” she asked in a low voice. She gave that blood to see if Ben could use it to help combat the pregnancy deaths of human women on the Island; fixing that was so important to Ben that it made Pearl want to help too! For his sake as well as the mothers’ and babies’.

“Not really,” he admitted with a small shrug, eyes still on the paper. “I was able to identify a few unique proteins that mermaid blood possesses that aren’t found in human blood—but we weren’t able to establish any links between those and your fertility.” Ben was pretty disappointed. His eyes flitted toward her. He really wanted to try to ask Pearl, one more time, if he could study her reproductive system. But she’d say no again, and it didn’t feel like the right moment for such an invasive request.

Pearl wanted to help so badly that she almost offered it without his asking. But the fear of feeling like a test subject again stopped her, and she swallowed back the offer. “I’m very sorry, Ben.” She squeezed his shoulder in comforting manner, then ran a hand up and down his arm a few times.

“Me too.” Ben gave her a bittersweet smile in response, his hand resting on the small of her back, thumb caressing her. They were trading casual touches that felt good – and, perhaps more significantly, that felt normal. Almost expected.

The physical chemistry between them was overwhelming, and it took them both by complete surprise when they first noticed it had grown into something so natural. From two skittish and distrusting people who avoided each other, to regularly trading little touches and caresses that came so naturally to them. It wasn’t unusual for Ben to stand with his hand on Pearl’s lower back, or for her to brush his arm while they talked. If they sat together on the couch she often placed her legs across his - like mermaids did with their tails - and, if she rested her head on his shoulder, he always tentatively put his arm around her. Those little touches conveyed closeness and emotional intimacy more than anything else. As much as they carnally desired each other, these day-to-day touches weren’t that; they were an expression of affection that the two did so naturally they often only noticed it after they were already touching! It was a normal part of their routine. And now there was no denying the growing feelings between them. They were falling in love, they knew it, and they knew the other was aware of it and reciprocating too. Or…they were almost sure of reciprocation. But neither dared make a real move, knowing their love was doomed before it even started. It didn’t get more star-crossed than a man and a mermaid!

With their roommate experiment well into December, the end was looming. Pearl would be back underwater before New Year’s Eve. They were trying not to think about it, except when Ben subtly tried to broach the subject of visitation. He didn’t even think that was wise, but he let his emotions cloud his better judgment. “Do you think you’ll miss anything about the land?” he asked casually after dropping his hand, apropos of nothing.

She looked him straight in the eyes, squeezing his arm one more time before dropping hers. “I will miss many things.”

“Such as?” he drawled, obviously fishing. Ben wanted to bribe her to come back with chocolates, but if the Oceanic survivors kept receiving the new Dharma drops, Ben’s people would soon be out of packaged foods. Would she come visit just for his sake?

Pearl wanted to say she’d miss him and promise that she would gladly visit him if he wanted her to, but she was nervous of how he might take that. Perhaps it was too presumptuous of her, or would make him worry about a mermaid incursion. So instead she said: “The grass, the animals, the television, some delicacies, your home…and the company.”

“The company?” he pressed. The invitational words were right on his lips, but he was holding them back.

“Well…indeed,” she delicately bowed her head. “I’m sure you can understand what I mean by that.”

“Hmm,” he murmured softly. “It’s nice that you learned to enjoy the land. You—want to stay here for the duration of the experiment, don’t you? I mean—you’re not here out of obligation anymore…”

“I want to be here,” she said with conviction. Then she cocked her head and added in joking manner: “Why, do you want me to leave earlier?”

Ben chuckled. “No.” Once upon a time he did, but certainly not anymore!

The siren smiled at him. “I’m glad you want me to stay. Like I said—I would miss the company.” The repetition of that was a clear sign being sent.

He couldn’t help but smile back. “I can’t give up my one underwater source. And I might miss you if you left ahead of time,” he decided to be more direct now, after she took the bait. Despite that, he phrased it like a joke, and it drew a little giggle from her.

“You cannot bear to part with the muse of your paintings?” a cheeky retort, testing the waters.

Ben squinted at her, lighthearted. “As much as you can’t part with the muse of your lyrics.” Then the weight of what he said hit him, the visitation that he was fishing for seeming more possible than ever. He swallowed, suddenly a little nervous. Yet again Ben thought back to those lyrics that Pearl wrote about him, he thought of her reaction to the Annie doll just then, thought of many more tender moments of intimacy shared between them. They strengthened his resolve. Blank-faced and staring straight into her eyes, he said: “After our experiment is over, you could…visit, from time to time. Come see if I was able to find you a chocolate bar.” His heart pounded in anticipation of her answer.

Pearl lit up entirely, and not because of the chocolate. “I would love to visit, Benjamin. You’re— certain you would want me to?”

“I am,” he said thickly, eyes now full of meaning.

The mermaid beamed, blood drumming in her ears from nerves and excitement. “Then I promise to visit! And you can, too. Come to the shores and blow on that shell I gave you, if you’d like to see me. Would you do that?” her voice was close to shaking with hope, gaze full of yearning.

“I will,” he said instantly, blue eyes wide and twinkling. “I promise to visit you too, Pearl.” A pause, during which he never blinked or averted his eyes from hers. Ben didn’t want to overstep, but he knew he’d miss the merchild as well. “When you visit me, you—you can bring Summer sometimes, too, if—if she wants to see more of the land.”

Pearl’s smile was impossibly big. “I think she would love that. I shall bring her on some visits. I—I really will come see you, Ben, I give you my word.”

“And I give you my word that I’ll blow on that conch to call you,” he vowed, smiling back at her.

Ben could almost levitate from relief, and so could Pearl. Their goodbye didn’t have to be the end! With this new promise, they forged ahead with renewed hope. It made the goodbye feel a little less daunting— although not entirely. Both of them assumed the other would probably visit two or three times in the first six months, then get too caught up in their own lives and vanish for years. It would never be like spending every day together again. The thought of that made them ache. But still, some occasional visits were better than saying goodbye forever.

***

She found him on his porch, sitting stiffly on the bench with hands flat on each knee and staring off into the distance. He looked gorgeous in a green shirt and impeccably spiky hair, but there was something crestfallen simmering in his eyes.

“Is something the matter?” Pearl asked, moving gracefully to take a seat beside him.

“It’s my birthday,” Ben said plainly, not bothering to look at her.

“Birthday…as in, the day you were born?” The date seemed to make him gloomy. She was sure it had something to do with the loss of his mother, so she tried to speak of more casual things. “Is there a special human significance to the day?”

Of course, mermaids had different customs. He turned his head to look at her with an inquisitive pout. “You don’t celebrate the day you were born every year?” Ben noticed that Pearl’s hairdo today gave her an even more ethereal look: the front and crown pieces of her very long, very light blonde hair were pulled into a loose mid-level pony in the back of her head, tied with a glitter lavender ribbon. The rest of the hair was loose and flowy. Paired with the dress that reminded her of waves, she became the picture-perfect whimsical creature she really was. He silently admired her, taken by the siren’s ethereal beauty.

She blew out an amused puff of air at his question. “Poseidons, no! Every year? That is too much! We celebrate every 10 years for children, then every 50 years; we call it our half-century day, century day, century and a half-day, and so on. How old are you turning?”

“39,” Ben told her flatly.

The siren held back a laugh. “Do you realize that Summer is older than you in number of actual lived years? She is 40! But of course that is the equivalent of a ten year old human girl, so she is not older than you in any real way.”

Despite his gloominess, he let out a bewildered chuckle under his breath. “Wow. 40.” Crazy to think that the kid had technically been alive longer than he had been, as a merbaby and mertoddler for most of that time. He pursed his lips as he nodded. “Mermaid development is rather interesting. When do you stop being a child?”

“At 50,” Pearl explained. “That is when we become what a human teenager is, of about 13; and adulthood is when we reach about 80. Then there is not much of a difference between a siren that is 100 or 500 years old. For a siren to look like an elderly human she’d have to live for millennia!”

Ben’s lips upturned into the flicker of a smile, but it didn’t really reach his eyes. The conversation was fascinating, but birthdays were a melancholic topic for him. “I suppose when you live to be thousands of years old, celebrating every year might be overkill…” he pointed out with an odd mix of sarcastic monotone.

“Indeed,” she agreed with a smile, although noticing that his was muted.

“Do you know why mermaids develop so slowly and live for so long?” he asked after a pensive moment.

“I think it has to do with our lived environment,” Pearl explained, but vaguely.

“How so?” An inquisitive tilt of the head.

“I’m not familiar with the specifics,” she lied. Merfolk were near-immortal because they lived close to the source of the Light. Jacob was anointed by drinking that same water that touched the Light, and he didn’t age at all as a result. Merfolk lived a little farther from those special waters, but still close enough to be affected. Pearl wanted to tell Ben the truth, but she knew that he wasn’t supposed to know anything about the Light, as per Jacob’s rules. Since Ben cared about those damn rules so much, she held the truth from him. She shrugged, then frowned when she looked at his vacant eyes. “For a day of celebration you certainly look somber, Benjamin.”

“It’s nothing,” he dismissed with a shake of the head, wondering if she remembered any details of their conversation about his mother. Sharing that with her had been a big deal for Ben. “Birthdays aren’t my thing.”

The mermaid queen wouldn’t relent so easily. “I do not mean to overstep, but is that—because of your mother? You can share your burdens with me. I haven’t betrayed your trust yet, have I?” She smiled encouragingly. Ben gave a conceding tilt of the head, and her smile grew warmer. “That is because I never will. Tell me, why is your birthday hurting you?”

Once again he found it easier to open up to a mermaid than to any of his people; he didn’t need to maintain the infallible leader demeanor at all times with her, and soon enough she’d be gone, taking his secrets to the ocean depths. The mesmerizing way her golden-flecked eyes sparkled had him spilling the truth before he could talk himself out of it. “It is that, yes, and-- I don’t have very good memories from my birthdays. My father never cared. A few people did, over the years, but they didn’t stay in my life long enough. I suppose Richard cares, somewhat, and some of my people do too, but it’s a day I prefer to avoid.” He paused, staring grimly at her. “It’s the day I killed my mother, after all.”

The way he said it sounded almost callous, which was his way of masking how much it hurt. Of course, he didn’t think he was actually responsible for killing her, but that was the accusation his father always hurled at him on every birthday while drunk and belligerent. Ben didn’t let himself dwell on the tragedy, but he often wondered how much better his childhood and teenage years would’ve been if Emily Linus had survived. He missed her, though he’d never met her. Just her ghost.

The mermaid was genuinely touched by his willingness to share such a personal story, but she chided him for the remark: “Ben! Do not say such a thing! You were a baby being born, you are faultless in this tragedy! Please don’t ever blame yourself,” she scolded and pleaded at the same time, squeezing his hand that was on his knee. Pearl couldn’t bear to think of him hating himself for simply being born! It was so deeply unfair, and it hurt her.

She was looking at him with such sincere concern that it drew a semi-apologetic, semi-bitter smile from the man. “I know, I know I didn’t really kill her. I was just—” a quick shake of the head and a shrug. “Never mind. Thank you, Pearl.”

“Your father should have cared,” she said suddenly, all somber. “Why didn’t he?”

“Oh, he—he had his issues, I suppose,” Ben said bitterly. He wanted to confide in Pearl about the reality of Roger Linus, but he felt too embarrassed to admit that the man could get violent with him when he was little. So Ben looked away, lips flattening.

Pearl was upset on his behalf. “I am very sorry that your mother is not here to celebrate with you today. It is not the same because I was an adult, but you know I have lost mine too; I am well acquainted with the hole that the loss leaves behind. I’ve not had a century-and-a-half day without her yet, and I know it will hurt terribly when the day comes.” She placed a gentle hand on his arm—no longer out of queenly diplomacy and calculated sweetness, but rather true concern and care for him. “Are you okay today?”

“I am, yes,” a quick nod and honest words. “I don’t hate my birthday; I get a little introspective, that’s all. I’m sorry about your loss too, you know that.”

“I do, thank you,” she lightly bowed her head, wishing there was something she could do to cheer him up, to make his birthday as happy as he deserved for it to be! “Forgive me if this is not my place, but I do believe your mother would want you to celebrate and be happy. What do humans do for birthdays?” Pearl kindly pried, her loose mid-level ponytail bouncing when she shifted to better look at him.

Another little shrug from Ben, and lips turning down to accompany it. “We give gifts and have get-togethers or parties, but I don’t want to host anyone.” It was too exhausting to have to be socially gracious on a day where all he wanted was to forget. Although, of course, if the right person threw the party then it was a different story; he could be cheerful for his own birthday under the right circumstances! Like how he loved spending his birthday with Annie! And he used to have a lot of fun celebrating when Alex was little, only feeling melancholy right as he woke up and again right before bed. Ben had a sneaking feeling that Pearl would have a similar effect on him, transforming his birthday from a reminder of grief into the celebration it was supposed to be—the celebration it would have been if he had a better and more well-adjusted father.

“A party would be emotionally draining on a day such as this,” she perceptively pointed out. Her smile became impish, like it was full of secret agendas. “But-- are you against receiving a present?”

There was a sparkle, a glint of mischief in her eyes that got him curious. “No, certainly not…why?” A tilt of the head and a quirk of the brow, one side of his mouth turning up into a crooked grin. Did she have a present in mind for him? How ironic that the mermaid queen would do so, considering that before he became the leader of Jacob’s people, Annie was the only one who cared enough to give him anything. Annie and Pearl, his first kiss and his latest kiss; his first love, and his current lov—stop it, he quickly cut himself off from that line of thinking. Just because Pearl had a birthday gift for him didn’t mean that she loved him like Annie had! Ben couldn’t let himself gain that type of hope, even if the mermaid was clearly working on a birthday surprise for him.

It was an idea that had only just taken root in her brain, because she was trying to come up with a last minute gift for him. Something that Ben really wanted and would enjoy—something that had true significance. Something to impress him, maybe even good enough to brighten up his entire birthday! Only one thing came to mind. “I don’t have much in terms of possessions-- especially not ones that are useful or meaningful to humans. But if you’ll come with me, I have something I believe you’ll be delighted to receive!”

He was suspicious, eyeing her warily with his brow still raised. “Go with you where?” He over-enunciated the ‘h’.

“It’s a surprise!” She fluidly leapt from the bench, beaming at him in a way that made it hard to say no. “Please, follow me! I wish to brighten up your birthday and give you a happy day!”

“Alright…” he accepted, equal parts hesitant and curious as to what this impromptu gift could possibly be. The giant sunny smile on the mermaid’s face hinted at something truly great. It relaxed Ben, so he gave her a questioning smile in return.

The pair headed out together, Pearl’s hair ribbon sparkling under the sunlight as much as Ben’s big blue eyes did. They walked for hours, far outside of the Barrack limits, barely feeling any strain because they were so engrossed in talking to each other. But Ben was still keeping track of their progress. She was leading him deep into the jungle, and he was baffled as to what could constitute as a birthday gift all the way out there.

“If you’ve brought me out here to kill me you have seriously misjudged my wants,” Ben quipped in dry humor.

A lilting laugh. “Don’t you trust me by now? Patience, Benjamin,” she bossed with a grin.

“Do I?” he retorted sarcastically, but there was no edge of malice to it, just a level of friendship and genuine camaraderie that had been steadily building between them.

They walked farther than he’d expected. Pearl was eager and more sure-footed with her steps than Ben had ever seen her before, weaving her way through the jungle with ease. He was starting to grow a bit impatient – not with the delay to get there, but with the not knowing. Ben asked for hints a few times, but the mermaid brushed him off and refused to answer.

Finally, Pearl prompted him to stop as they reached the treeline to the edge of the beach. Earth became sand, the thick green canopy stayed behind them and the shimmery sea stretched out ahead. The large statue of the four-toed foot loomed a few paces away from them. Pearl whirled around to face Ben, chin raised in a slightly smug knowing manner. “I know you were lying when you said you speak to Jacob.”

Ben’s eyes widened. What the hell?! What kind of birthday present was that accusation?! He let out a scoffed laugh, eyeing her warily. “Of course I speak to Jacob. I’m the only one he talks to, because I’ve been here most of my life!”

“Are you going to deny what I know to be the truth?” she challenged with an air of superiority.

“Yeah, because you’re wrong,” he huffed another denial, desperate to convince her of his lie. He couldn’t let it get out that Jacob had never wanted to talk to him; it would undermine his leadership, his people would no longer trust him to guide them! His heart was beating frantically and anxiety rose up his throat, but Ben kept up the offended demeanor. “I talk to him!”

“What does he look like?” Pearl asked abruptly, arching a brow and placing a hand on her hip. She was pushing him.

Ben swallowed thickly, feeling a bit cornered and on the verge of defeat. Pearl knew Jacob, so if he got the description wrong, she’d know right away that he had never met the deity-like man. That would be terribly embarrassing, diminishing, and even dangerous! He let out another sharp scoff. “I don’t have to prove myself to you, and I don’t understand why you claim to have a birthday present for me, only to accuse me of lying about Jacob.” He glared icily at her. Did he misread Pearl’s good intentions? Surely not, but then what the hell was going on?!

“Why are you so defensive?! I do not care whether you speak to the man or not, and I am not going to tell your people about it,” Pearl made a face. “I know Jacob, Ben, and I know the truth of the matter.”

“What truth?” he spat with a sneer, all in a carefully-constructed effort to dissuade her from questioning him. Was this really going to be another awful birthday?! It was shaping up to that!

“That he doesn’t speak to you!” That wasn’t the whole entire truth that she was referring to; there was a reason why she was so sure that Ben was lying – she knew how Jacob operated! -- but if Pearl told Ben now it would ruin part of the birthday surprise.

The sting of defeat was hard to take. “So what, your birthday present to me is to embarrass me about it?” He glared defensively, flustered with the whole situation. He was so annoyed that she pretended to believe him about Jacob all along! And how the hell was any of this supposed to brighten up his day?!

A surprised blink. “You’re embarrassed?” She wondered if she was mixing up two English words, because she didn’t feel that there was anything for him to be embarrassed about! “Is that not when you feel discomfort and shame, and you wish people were not looking at you in that moment?” she questioned, squinting. Ben gave a sharp and fairly disgruntled nod, so she shook her head. “I do not mean to embarrass you; you have nothing to be ashamed of,” she reassured, but it only softened him a smidge. Pearl sighed, shaking her head harder. Things weren’t going as well as she hoped. Maybe she should’ve told him she knew he was lying in a gentler manner.

“Then I don’t understand what you’re doing,” he snapped, sulking.

“Your present is Jacob. He lives in there,” she explained with a dainty gesture toward the statue. “Come, I’ll introduce you.” Pearl flashed an easy smile with no fangs in sight.

Ben heard her but he didn’t think he was comprehending it right. She…wanted to introduce him to Jacob? No--- that wasn’t possible. Was it? His stomach churned uncomfortably and his eyes grew completely wide. “I’m sorry?!”

“You have been wishing to speak to him for a while, haven’t you? Now is your chance!” she smiled encouragingly.

Ben barely knew what to say, or even what to think; his mind was racing and he was reeling. The lack of control over the situation unnerved him. “We can’t just go to him! We need to be summoned.”

“Then you shall be waiting forever, because he won’t summon you. He doesn’t talk to anyone, it is part of his odd code,” she blurted out in response to his stubbornness.

His jaw dropped a little, matching the wide eyes that were bewildered and exasperated. What the hell was she talking about?! “What code?!” he hissed with urgency.

Pearl was hoping he would hear that directly from Jacob, but it seemed that her plan needed a small tweak. Since Ben was being so stubborn, the siren decided to tell him all that she knew upfront: “Decades—no, probably centuries ago, maybe millennia, he decided that he would never speak to any of you, aside from the advisor on rare occasions, because he doesn’t want to influence your behavior. He is testing you humans. He wants his people to make good choices out of their own free will, without any input from him.” The dislike she held for the deity-like man rang clear in her peeved tone. People weren’t toys for Jacob to play with!

Ben’s mind was swimming, his eyes as wide as marbles. Jacob…had a rule against communicating with everyone?! He had never talked to any of the previous leaders?! So it wasn’t personal with Ben?! If that was true, it changed absolutely everything! He squinted at the mermaid, expression full of skepticism yet desperately hopeful. “Are you sure about that?” He didn’t think Pearl was lying, but what if her information was outdated and Jacob had been talking to some of the more recent prior leaders and purposely excluding Ben? What if Jacob was displeased with him or found him to be an inadequate leader?!

An elegant one-shouldered shrug. “It is what he told me himself.” Ben didn’t react, processing the news and thinking about his options instead. So Pearl decided to take action. She turned around and left him behind, striding toward the Foot Statue with purpose. Once she was sufficiently far ahead in the warm sand, she glanced over her shoulder at the stunned Ben who was still staring at his feet with a bewildered look on his face. “Are you coming?” she trilled.

“You…you said you tried to kill him,” Ben sputtered, raising his eyes to her. “He won’t be happy to see you. And by extent, me!” The last thing he wanted was to offend the man in charge.

“I also tried to kill you, and here we are today, together, happy as clams,” she smiled slyly at the human. “Thick as barnacles. Or—how do you say that expression in a human way, again?”

“Thick as thieves…” he drawled in a suspicious tone, clearly displeased with the idea of barging in on Jacob uninvited.

She tutted. “Oh, take a chance, Benjamin! This is unprecedented, and you’re a trailblazer--- I find it very fitting that you’re the first to seek out Jacob. You deserve a chance to speak to him face to face.” A flick of the head and the sunlight reflected off her golden waves.

He was a bit frantic; this was truly the last thing he expected. It was so thoughtful of her to bring him out there to meet Jacob, and flattering that she wanted him to be the first, but was it wise to go in? Technically it was against the rules, though he had broken rules before when it benefited him enough. Never Jacob’s rules, but perhaps…just once wouldn’t hurt. The temptation to clear things up and free himself from that belittling sense of inadequacy and that resentment that had been building was strong.

“Oh, alright…” he grumbled with uncertainty. Ben hated any situation that made him not sure of himself; it made him feel out of control, powerless, and fearful. And he had no control at all here, and no way to predict how Jacob might react to the intrusion! Yet something about Pearl’s encouraging smile eased his anxiety somewhat. And Ben was a very bold man, especially when it suited his strategies. “How exactly did you try to kill him, anyway?” he sulked. He didn’t want to walk into Jacob’s place aligned with Pearl if the deity-like man despised her; it could end poorly for both him and the mermaid.

She airily tossed her whimsical hairdo, her expression much too innocent. “I…may have tried to bite his throat out with my fangs…”

“Pearl!” Ben gasped scoldingly, shocked at the utter nerve of that attempt!

“Oh what?! The siren song does not work on him. What else was I meant to do for my freedom?!” she fussed dismissively, frowning at him. “It did not work, though. It was like I bounced off of him. I’m not entirely sure why, but it felt like an energy clash.”

The Man in Black wasn’t allowed to kill Jacob—hence why he was always looking for someone to do the job for him. The reason why, in his case, was that he was the opposite of Jacob: Jacob was in charge of the Light of Creation, while the Man in Black was the smoke of darkness and destruction, therefore Jacob was naturally protected from him. The MiB could not touch him. But it functioned differently with the mermaids; they were born of the same Light that anointed Jacob, and they lived underwater near its source. The Light affected them in subtle ways -- such as staying young or controlling the weather --, it was part of their nature. So any merfolk attempt to hurt Jacob was Light versus Light—resulting in a clash of energy that sent the mermaid flying away from him. The same would happen if Jacob himself ever tried to hurt a merperson.

Ben squinted thoughtfully as he listened to Pearl’s explanation. It was quite interesting, but he was no better equipped than she was to fully understand that energy clash. “I wonder why,” he muttered quietly, then brought his eyes to her. “You have to behave in there, Pearl! We’re—we’re already breaking the rules by barging in on him, and you have a complicated past with the man. So—don’t do anything crazy to make it worse,” Ben said emphatically, the last few words coming out bitterly from between gritted teeth. “And don’t forget that he’s like my boss,” he sourly added.

Pearl solemnly placed a hand over her heart, then beamed at him. “I vow to behave. I only want you to meet him, and I do not think he holds a grudge against me.”

He wasn’t so sure about the grudge – he had heard countless stories of how the man in charge was ruthless -- but Ben decided to take the risk. It was hard not to when Pearl was so endearingly encouraging. And he wanted to go in for himself too, of course; talking to Jacob was important to him. So he inhaled sharply, bottled up any doubts, and gave her a firm nod. He didn’t want to intrude or disrespect Jacob, but he didn’t want to miss the chance to meet the man either.

Deep down, Ben resented Jacob-- and he had been slowly becoming more jaded to all of the rules that he used to blindly follow. But if he could talk to the man in charge, just this once, maybe they could clear things up. Especially if what Pearl said about the ‘not talking’ rule was still true to this day! Ben swallowed thickly, feeling like his legs were heavier and full of lead. His heart, though, was full of hope; hope that this meeting could lead to something good. Hope that he wouldn’t feel so abandoned or belittled by the deity-like figure anymore.

They crossed the beach together and, just like that, it was time. They were standing right at the base of the Four-Fingered Foot Statue formerly of Tawaret. If Ben wanted to give up, now was the time. But—no. He was committed now, ready to accept Pearl’s insane idea of what constituted a birthday present. “You go in first,” he droned at her, “since you’re already so familiar with him.”

“Very well,” she smiled and squeezed his hand for reassurance. Pearl knocked on the right stone at the base of the statue, then boldly pushed past it to make her way inside. A wary Ben trailed after her, heart beating loudly.

It was a surreal moment for him. Walking into the dwelling of a deity-like figure he had dedicated his entire life to felt like too much of a monumental event to be handled so casually by Pearl. But Ben didn’t know what else to do except for helplessly following behind her, hoping for the best and fearing the worst. His blue eyes carefully scanned the area surrounding them, alert and incisive.

The space inside the statue was wide and bare, with little more than a fire pit in the center and a large tapestry on the wall. Ben almost wondered if the place was empty—but no. Someone was standing right there, next to the tapestry. A man in a white shirt, with blond hair and serene blue eyes. Is that him?! He looks like an ordinary man, Ben thought with some urgency; that had to be Jacob, right? Benjamin tensed, his mouth flattening and heart thumping. He didn’t speak, letting the mermaid take the lead and choosing to observe closely, to ascertain whether he was in danger or not.

“Pearl. It’s been a long time,” Jacob spoke up first, a fond smile slipping onto his lips.

“Jacob,” she gave him the flattest smile, clearly biting her tongue and holding back her dislike.

Ben should have been awed in the presence of the man…deity…whatever Jacob was. The being that blessed him and his people with an invite to live on the Island and protect it, the being with the lists and the orders that Ben never questioned, the being who deemed them special enough to be part of his society, the wise being that they were all willing to sacrifice their happiness to… yeah, Ben should be in awe of him. But all that he could feel was faint resentment, defensiveness, and now bitterness. The bitterness was different; it had nothing to do with Jacob excluding Ben or making him feel inadequate. It was that smile--- the one directed at Pearl.

Jealousy was an ugly thing. Looking at Jacob, all Ben could think of was that the deity-like man had his hands on her once upon a time; his lips must’ve touched her neck, his tongue must’ve tasted hers…Ben could all but picture Jacob’s hands sliding down Pearl’s back and pulling her closer by the hips, knowing her with a level of intimacy Ben could only dream of. A type of intimacy he could have had with her on Halloween but chose not to for fear of being tricked by a wily siren; and now it was too late. That bitter envy rose up his throat, threatening to choke him, but aside from the slightest downturn of the corner of his lips and the intensity in blue eyes, the emotion was unreadable on his face.

The saving grace was what Jacob said next, his tranquil gaze still locked on the mermaid: “Did you and my brother finally find a loophole to kill me?”

Good, Ben thought acidly, that Jacob was well aware that the mermaid despised him. Pearl wasn’t there for Jacob, she was there for Ben’s birthday, and that was a comfort.

“Not yet. I’m here to bring you one of your most loyal followers. He wishes to meet you, and you owe that to him.” There was thinly veiled contempt in her features and tone, but she forced a polite smile anyway.

Jacob sighed like a disappointed teacher. “You know I can’t meet with my people.” An unspoken ‘you shouldn’t have brought him here’ hung in the air and made Ben duck his head in apprehension and slight shame. Did I overstep too far by breaking a cardinal rule of his?

Pearl didn’t like that response. Fangs flared at Jacob with a hiss, her eyes glowing aggressively. Ben practically jolted, startled by the sudden threat of her knife-like teeth. The light from the siren’s eyes filled the stone room. “Don’t be a selfish jerk, Jacob. You never take responsibility for the people whom you hurt!” she snarled.

“It’s against the rules for a reason,” Jacob calmly reminded her. Ben found it somewhat ironic, because those were Jacob’s rules! Surely he could bend his own rules whenever he wanted to, or change them altogether! But no, he’d rather let his people flounder without his guidance even during challenging times. Disgruntled anger shone in Ben’s eyes, while Pearl held steady in her position, refusing to leave. Jacob sighed again, recalculating what to do. Despite his protests, he turned to Ben and offered a smile. “Since you came all this way, hello, Benjamin.”

Being directly spoken to made Ben feel a bit like a deer in headlights. He swallowed dryly. Jacob knows my name. Of course he knows my name. That didn’t surprise him, as Jacob was said to know everyone on his Island--- he picked them, after all. I’m only on this Island because he chose me to be here. He’s my boss. But having the deity-like man’s attention solely on him was intense and somewhat unsettling, especially given the issues that Ben had with Jacob’s behavior. What was he supposed to say? How did one address such a figure? A near-mythical figure who commanded respect and reverence but who was still a man at the end of the day—and a man that Ben was starting to disagree with and resent? Ben’s eyes lifted toward Jacob’s, polite but defiant. “Hello…”

The sudden brush of Pearl’s hand on his cheek caught him by surprise. Ben blinked a few times, forehead creasing. He appreciated the touch, though. She smiled encouragingly at him as she walked past, with no more angry fangs in sight and no light emanating from her hazel eyes. “I’ll leave you two to talk.” The mermaid reached the entrance to the statue and gave a cheeky goodbye wave. A few seconds later they heard a splash.

Ben swallowed dryly. He was glad to have a moment alone with Jacob, but part of him wanted Pearl’s support in there. He drew in a breath and stood up straighter, staring with calculating eyes and quiet defiance. Measuring the so-called deity-like figure.

“I must say,” Jacob commented, “in all of my many years on this Island, none of my people have dared seek me out like this. They wouldn’t even know where to start.” He had such an oddly calm vibe about him that it was hard to judge if he was upset, impressed by, or indifferent to the intrusion.

“It was Pearl’s idea,” Ben informed flatly, wanting to clear his name somewhat. “But I would like to ask, if I may, whether it’s true or not that you never speak to any of the leaders.” It was a bold question, especially right out of the gate, but one he felt he needed to ask. Ben had always been a bold person when necessary.

“Strange to see her befriend a regular human,” Jacob absently pointed out, looking at the door Pearl had walked out of-- though he seemed more pleased than surprised. Ben was about to get mad at the indifference shown to him when Jacob finally turned to face him. Taking a step toward Ben, Jacob nodded. “You weren’t supposed to know this, but I can see that Pearl already told you. It’s true; I’ve only ever spoken to Richard.”

The words reached Ben in a strange kind of slow motion, filling him with a wave of emotion that drummed in his ears and warmed his veins. In that split second Ben felt his entire world shifting. That was an incredible change for him, a reframing of everything! He had always assumed that Jacob had a personal problem with him, refusing to talk to him and only him, excluding him from things! It had made him feel inadequate and small about himself, insecure and guilty about his own leadership, and even angry at the deity. To be told that it wasn’t personal, that Jacob never spoke to any of the leaders…it was such a weight lifted off of his shoulders! Ben let out a tiny gasp of relief, staring with a slack jaw.

That revelation raised additional questions, however, regarding other things he’d been resenting the deity for. “We’ve been struggling,” he started sharply and straight to the point, eyes gaining a biting edge. “Your people have been struggling. Ever since that plane crashed, our resources are dwindling. We’re running out of food. I’ve been,” his gaze flitted about, mouth opening and closing a few times, “trying to find the best way to help us. Why didn’t you tell Richard what to do? You left us to fend for ourselves!” The last phrase came out more accusatory than he intended. Whenever Ben’s buried, pent-up emotions found a way to bubble up to the surface, they came out with fiery intensity.

Jacob was unfazed. “If I tell you what to do, then your actions will not be a measure of your own moral fibre. You – all of you – need to figure out how to move forward on your own.”

That was vague, but Ben believed he understood what Jacob was getting at. It was the same explanation Pearl had given. “You want us to be good people on our own. Without your influence,” he droned, fixing Jacob with a piercing stare. As a child, he’d been taught – during clandestine lessons with the ‘hostiles’, as Dharma called them – that Jacob only picked the best people to live on the Island; the names on Jacob’s lists were the elite. Ben had always known they were meant to be the good guys, and he believed that they were; they did everything to keep the Island and the world safe!

“Yes,” Jacob stated plainly.

Ben gave a curt nod. Okay, so Jacob was not punishing them in any way. They were still his chosen people, the special ones keeping everything safe. But…Ben knew he had done some dark things too, to protect the Island or himself. He rationalized them as being for the greater good, but deep down he felt guilty and feared backlash from the Island. His stomach churned uncomfortably as a question formed on his mouth: “Why did I get cancer? Is it because you--- were unhappy with my leadership?” With the things I’ve done? he thought, choosing to keep that part to himself. Ben braced for the answer.

“No,” Jacob calmly clarified, and Ben felt his breath leaving him entirely. “You healed, didn’t you? The Island knows how to bring together the people who are fated to meet. That’s why you got sick.” The deity-like man stepped closer and held out a hand, smiling at Ben. “I’m sorry that I can’t tell you any more, Benjamin, but it’s been nice to meet you.”

That was a lot for Ben to take in, in the most wonderful way possible. Getting cancer wasn’t a punishment or the Island abandoning him! There was no personal vendetta against him, nor was his leadership position in danger! Learning all of that left him absolutely elated and he gaped at Jacob, eyes wide and mouth half-open. He rushed to shake the offered hand, breathless and finally smiling at the blond man for the first time. He didn’t even care that he was being unceremoniously kicked out. “That’s alright. Thank you for answering some of my questions. I-- apologize for the intrusion.”

Jacob dropped the handshake and ducked his head. “Goodbye, Ben. Go in peace. And happy birthday.”

Ah; of course Jacob was aware of the date’s significance. Ben gave a smiley nod of acknowledgment, feeling weirdly giddy as he left the hollow inside of the statue. He was dying to talk to Pearl! There was no immediate sign of the mermaid outside; judging by the splash he heard earlier, Ben assumed she was in the water. He took a moment before searching for her, his head still swimming with the news. Breathing in deeply, he let himself feel all of it: the relief, the confidence, the peace that came from knowing Jacob wasn’t excluding him for personal reasons. All of his most deep-seated and painful worries had been put to rest! Happy tears prickled his eyes and he let out a shaky exhale, a wide open-mouthed grin on his face. Ben looked at the ground, then at the sky, that grin never shrinking.

He did wonder who, exactly, he had been fated to meet through cancer. Jack? Perhaps the doctor still had a large part to play to keep the Island safe. The only other person his tumor brought him closer to was…Pearl. He never would have sought her out, made a deal and lived with her if not for her hypnotic help in securing the spinal surgery. And had they not lived together, they wouldn’t have grown so fond and trusting of each other. Maybe the Island needed to unite the land and the sea, to stop any future bloodshed between the species. Maybe that’s why he kept having that prophetic dream featuring all of their people and merfolk! Yeah, he was probably fated to get closer to Pearl to foster better trust between their kinds. Ben didn’t dare hope he and the mermaid were fated in any other – more personal – ways; it felt too arrogant and entitled to assume that an ethereal, gorgeous, delightful and witty aquatic predator might be his romantic destiny. Like a soulmate! Still, she had feelings for him, and merely thinking of that possibility left him swooning and giddy.

Ben finally felt ready to make his way to shore, searching for her in the ocean. His footsteps felt light now. It didn’t take long for him to spot some iridescent fins flipping out of the salty water. He called out her name, and she swam back in as soon as she heard him. Pearl settled on the sand, sitting up on her purple tail, waist-length blonde hair wet and undone and cascading around her seashell bra.

“How did it go?” she asked with a smile as luminous as the sun that made the foamy waves glitter. As luminous as her own glowing eyes. He let his gaze fall on Pearl’s tail, with its pointy end peeking through the shallow waves.

“It went very well,” he nodded quickly, a bit breathless. “Thank you, Pearl. I-- that was a lovely birthday present. It…” he nodded with conviction, “it helped. More than I can say.” He offered an earnest smile that lit up his eyes, his tone on the verge of choking up.

“Oh how wonderful!” she squealed and clasped her hands, beaming. Seeing Ben so happy made her heart flutter. “I so hoped it would go well! I had a strong inkling that talking to him would do you good.”

“How did you know? I thought I was doing a good job pretending...” the smile shifted into a curious deadpan.

“You were! You have your people properly fooled,” Pearl still beamed as she slipped her dress over her mermaid shape, blinked to turn off the light in her eyes, and switched the moonstone from tiara to necklace to regain her legs.

“It’s because you knew his Code, isn’t it,” Ben droned like a statement more than a question after her transformation was done.

“Indeed,” Pearl gracefully nodded, taking the hand that Ben offered to help her stand up. “He refuses to speak to any humans, therefore there was no way you could have done so. When you lied about it, I realized that his absence was making you insecure, and it was important that you learned it was not personal on his part.”

“I do feel better…” he admitted in a small voice, almost more to himself.

“Excellent!” She looked like she was on cloud 9, and it was all because she was happy for his happiness. “I could have told you the secret myself, but I thought it would be more meaningful if you heard it directly from him.”

Ben nodded. “I believed you when you told me earlier today, but,” a small shrug, “I wondered if your intel was outdated,” he admitted. Pearl hadn’t seen Jacob in decades or maybe even centuries, so she could’ve been wrong. Ben had to hear it straight from the horse’s mouth to be completely sure of it. “Hearing from him helped.”

“I’m so glad,” she said earnestly, still smiling at him. “Are you ready for us to go home?”

His heart beat a little faster when she called it ‘home’. Not ‘his’ home; their home. “Yeah,” Ben smiled widely at her, swooning a little. “Let’s go.”

After they walked a bit farther down the beach, a still barefoot Pearl commented: “It was a quick conversation. I thought you might stay in there longer.”

Ben gave a little shrug, head bobbing around. “He insisted that there are many things he can’t tell me. But it doesn’t matter; I learned the only thing I really wanted to learn: that there’s nothing wrong with me, and he doesn’t avoid me on purpose.” He lifted his eyebrows for effect, tone casual.

The siren smiled. “I’m glad you know the truth now. Why is it so important to you that people think you speak to Jacob, if you don’t mind my asking?”

Ben looked at the horizon for a moment, scrunching one side of his face, then looked back at her. “I thought they would question my leadership if they knew the truth. If I’m so special, if Jacob handpicked me, why is he refusing to speak to me?” he told her the truth, a bit of the old resentment bubbling up. “I—didn’t want them to have grounds to oust me,” the man sourly admitted.

“It must’ve been hard to live with that hanging over your head,” Pearl mused quietly. They reached the treeline, so she quickly slipped on her sandals before they started the jungle trek home.

“It wasn’t great,” Ben sardonically agreed. “And…I lied to them because I wanted to keep feeling like I was special,” he added bitterly, almost spitting out the word.

“You are special.” Pearl said it so abruptly that his eyes widened a bit. “Special and worthy to be chosen as the leader! You were chosen indeed, and you still are very much a chosen one of the Island!” she passionately insisted.

The grin on his face was light and so full of happiness. “Yeah, I—I believe that now. I…feel that way.” Crisis of faith averted. Mostly.

“Good! And more importantly than that,” she added, “you caught the eye of the mermaid queen. That is special.” A cheeky grin spread across her face.

He couldn’t help but smirk at that as he flatly told her: “You think highly of yourself.”

“I do, and I am right. You are very special, Benjamin Linus!”

He stared softly at her for a moment. “Thank you. I’m glad to know that Jacob never had a…personal issue with me. My job is not at risk.” I am special; Jacob didn’t reject me. That really changed everything with how inadequate and insecure about his job he felt ever since he got cancer and the plane crashed. But now he knew the truth; he was still special, the Island was not done with him, and no one was coming to replace him. There was nothing to worry about anymore.

“I wonder…why did you hide the truth from me? Was it mistrust?” Pearl asked curiously. “Did you think I might use that information to incite a coup of your people against you?”

“It was that at first, yeah, and then—” Ben tutted lightly like he was in mild agony, “—I felt embarrassed, like there was something wrong with me to make him avoid me. I was trying to impress you, as a leader, and I really thought I was the only leader he refused to speak to!” He let out an annoyed little sigh. “I wish he had just been honest about this rule, or, or this code.” It would have saved Ben so much mental anguish and trouble! He was still a little jaded that Jacob chose to keep that a secret, but he felt so much better and lighter knowing it wasn’t personal.

“But there wasn’t anything wrong with you! Jacob is simply set in his odd ways, and he refuses to communicate. He should have been honest about the rule!” she said harshly, her dislike for the deity-like man ringing clearly.

“I know that now!” Ben reassured, eyes widening for emphasis. “Thanks to you,” he poignantly added.

“Good,” she smiled kindly. Pearl could feel the weight was off of Ben’s shoulders. “But I do hate the manner in which he runs things. I think he only speaks to merfolk because we’re not part of his silly morality experiment,” she hissed angrily, then pivoted subjects before she aggravated Ben: “You did not need to feel embarrassed or try to prove yourself to me, Ben. I already admired you from the day we met. Today…” she cut off, suddenly a little flustered.

“What?” he asked with a curious, soft smile. “You have to tell me; it’s my birthday,” Ben added with light humor.

A giggle. “Very well, Benjamin; I admit: today I sought to give you a happy day of birth, and-- I was attempting to impress you with a perfect gift,” Pearl told him, cheeks faintly flushed. Despite the sheepishness, she stood very gracefully, nose turned up with poise.

Ben blinked, unable to hold back the little grin that bloomed on his lips. It was wonderful to have such a remarkable woman think so highly of him that she sought to impress him. “I appreciate that,” he admitted with certain softness. “But— you should know, Pearl, that you don’t need to try. You impress me every day.” He wondered if it was unwise to give her that kind of ammunition, but Ben had assessed her admiration to be truthful. If he didn’t need to prove himself to be admired by her, she certainly didn’t have to try to impress him either!

The mermaid’s smile widened and she was sincerely touched. Her heart raced at the compliment, butterflies in her stomach born from the excitement of having someone as special and wonderful as Ben admire her too. “Likewise. I am impressed by you daily, as well,” she told him with rare emotional openness, and Ben’s knees felt weak.

Not knowing what else to say, he nodded quietly. After a moment of silence and the tweet of a bird, he softly blurted out: “I think today was life-changing for me. I don’t know how to repay you.”

She cocked her head, wet blonde hair shimmering in the sunlight. “Is it customary to repay birthday gifts?” That seemed like a nonsensical custom.

The man gave a little shrug. “Well, no, but—”

“Then there is no need!” Pearl giggled. “Don’t be silly, you do not need to repay me! I was glad to do it.”

Ben chuckled softly. Gingerly but with very little hesitation, he gave her a kiss on the cheek. Didn’t she do that to thank him for his help with Summer? So he could do it to thank her for her help with Jacob. He very much wanted to kiss her on the mouth, but the cheek would do. “Thanks anyway,” he said, still chuckling a bit under his breath.

What an intense day for him! He was unused to selflessness; people always wanted something from him—and if they didn’t, he was quick to assume they did. He had to make deals all the time, and growing up with an abusive father left him not knowing how to get what he wanted without having to manipulate it out of people. So a gesture of genuine kindness – done simply because Pearl wanted to see him happy -- made his heart swell up with emotion and gratitude.

That little kiss made her heart jump a thousand feet. Pearl’s breath got caught in her throat and she felt like a lovesick teenager, staring dreamily at him after he pulled back. “Happy birthday, Ben,” she congratulated with all the affection in the world, tugging on his wrist to make him stop walking. Pearl leaned in and wrapped her arms around him, enveloping him in a tight hug.

Ben hugged back warmly, closing his eyes and letting a wide smile stretch across his face. “Thanks.” After they let go and resumed their walk through the jungle, he got a cheeky glint in his eyes. “I think we still have time to bake a birthday cake when we get home. I’m—feeling more like celebrating it this year,” he confessed with a bright smile.

The mermaid didn’t even have words to express how happy hearing that made her! She had set out on a mission to help Ben have a meaningful, cheerier birthday, and she succeeded even past her own expectations. She nodded with so much enthusiasm, her face absolutely lit up. “I’m so glad,” she gasped, and he understood exactly how she was feeling.

The pair spent the afternoon baking a chocolate cake, eating it with a glass of wine, lighting birthday candles and playing a game of chess together. A highlight was when Alex stopped by to abruptly wish her father a sarcastic happy birthday, and Pearl convinced her to stay for a slice of cake. The teen stayed for a total of ten minutes—but it was enough to mean the world to Ben, who was smiling widely all afternoon.

Richard found him when he stepped outside to take out the trash, after it was already dark. “Happy birthday, Ben,” the man offered with a smile. “I heard there was cake?”

“Thanks,” Ben smiled back, though his was a little snippy. “Yes. It was a nice day. Surprisingly, I met with someone today,” he canted his head, sounding almost sarcastic: “Jacob. Pearl introduced me to him.”

The advisor’s eyes went wide. Someone – anyone -- meeting Jacob like that was unheard of! “And he agreed to it?” Ben nodded dryly, so the stunned Richard asked: “How…was it?”

A calculatedly nonchalant shrug. “Great. It’s interesting, though; he informed me of a peculiar tidbit…that he never, ever speaks to anyone outside of the advisor.” He fixed Richard with a harsh, piercing stare. “He doesn’t speak to any of the leaders; it’s not just me. Which is something that you, Richard, must have known, as you have advised all the leaders over the years,” Ben’s eyes narrowed accusingly, his tone sharp. Couldn’t Richard have told him that Jacob wasn’t excluding and rejecting him on purpose?! It would’ve made things so much easier for Ben!

Richard let out an apologetic sigh. “I’m sorry, Ben. I wanted to tell you, but it was against his rules. He wouldn’t let me.”

I’m starting to think that his rules might not be as benevolent or well thought out as we think, Ben thought, but decided not to say. He flashed a superficial smile instead, one that didn’t reach his eyes. “I understand.” As annoyed as he was, he couldn’t really blame Richard for following Jacob’s wishes.

“Pearl, how does she know Jacob? Are they associates?” the advisor asked curiously. He never would’ve guessed that their sort-of-deity was connected to the deadly sirens.

Former lovers and now she wants to kill him for trapping her here. “Something like that,” he said evasively, a secretive look crossing his face.

The men wrapped up their quick conversation and Ben returned to the mermaid in the house. That was one of the strangest yet best birthdays he’d ever had. A happy day! And all thanks to his precious Pearl.

***

By the next morning, Benjamin couldn’t get Pearl’s gesture out of his head. Introducing him to Jacob was a huge thing! Pearl disliked the deity-like man; Ben knew she must not have been thrilled to see him again. But she willingly sought him out, putting aside her own dislike and comfort simply because she knew how important it was for Ben to meet him! Ben had never told her that; she just…cared enough to figure it out on her own and then do something about it. He was still very touched by her kindness, and he wanted to return the gesture somehow. Sure, it was unorthodox to reciprocate a birthday gift, but he didn’t care. Pearl deserved to be shown appreciation.

But what could he give her? She loved things that sparkled, but she had a habit of collecting those on her own. Most other human objects and trinkets would be useless once she returned home to the sea. Books would be destroyed. Foods and treats felt too small given the magnitude of what she gave him. She loved flowers, too, perhaps more than anything else. Ben still remembered what she told him once: that she liked them so much because of their beauty and rarity; Pearl only got to admire flowers on the rare occasions she was walking the land, and that made them precious to her. Flowers didn’t survive underwater.

One corner of his lips turned up with triumph, blue eyes sparkling. He knew what to do.

He spent a chunk of that afternoon out by the waterfall, where the Island’s prettiest flowers bloomed. Ben plucked out about thirty, of different species and shapes, and organized them into a bouquet of aesthetically-pleasing colors and sizes tied together with a red ribbon. Then he skulked away to the Barracks in secret, to the building where the old Dharma school was housed. There were still arts and crafts supplies there, used by his people as a pastime. He located a jar of waterproof resin and got to work.

When he finished up, he walked home with a spring in his steps and lightness to his whole demeanor; anyone who saw him could tell that he was happy. Ben hid the bouquet behind his back and entered the living room, where he found Pearl humming a catchy melody while she looked for a book.

“I have a gift for you. As a thank you,” he told her, suddenly feeling a little self-conscious. Did he go too overboard with it? Was it too…romantic? No. No more than what she did for him, he reassured himself.

Pearl’s head tilted curiously. “I thought you said that this isn’t customary.”

He chuckled softly. “I must admit that it’s not. But—your gift was special, Pearl. I—wanted to do something nice in return. To…show you that I appreciate you.” The more he talked, the more he felt cheesy about everything, so he tutted with slight defensiveness. “Can you just let me do that?!”

With a delicate hand over her heart, the siren playfully twisted her shoulder forward. “Oh my, then who am I to say no to being cherished?” Her eyes held an excited sparkle. Ben produced the wildflower bouquet from behind his back. Pearl lit up, instantly enchanted by the colorful beauty. “My goodness, Ben, these are gorgeous!” She noticed a transparent sheen coating the ribbon, stems and petals, and curiously reached out to touch one. It felt smooth, different from a natural flower.

“It’s resin,” Ben explained, a mischievous twinkle in his eyes. “I covered them with it to preserve them. That means you can take them underwater.” His head did a few rapid sideway shakes while he talked, and he looked utterly pleased with himself.

The mermaid gasped, eyes going wide with excitement and awe. “They won’t wilt? For how long?!”

“Forever,” Ben grinned, his heart racing at the enthusiasm she was displaying. For a moment he wished he could always be the person to make her so happy. “You can keep them forever.”

A gasp of stunned delight, and she looked at him with adoring eyes that nearly melted him. Pearl received the bouquet with the gentlest fingers, looking at it like it was a sacred thing. Then she returned her gaze to Ben. “I—truly have no words to thank you, Benjamin. This is…like magic to me,” she breathed out, awed. “You gifted me human magic.” It was undeniable that the siren was swooning. Butterflies were in her stomach, and she was so touched that Ben would do such a thing for her!

He gave a casually dismissive shrug but the happy little grin stayed on his face. “It’s nothing, really. I’m glad that you like your flowers, Pearl.” A nod.

“I love them! It means a lot to me that you took the time and care to pick them, arrange them into a bouquet and coat them with the waterproof substance. You know how much I adore flowers, and—you made them a reality for my world. You gave me something I could never have before, not in centuries. Flowers underwater.” The more she talked – putting his gesture into words – the more the significance of it swelled inside her. Pearl’s heart felt like it might burst with a giddy kind of glee, and for a moment she wished she’d never leave Ben’s side again. What a kind, thoughtful, insightful and wonderful man he was. She beamed, desperately wanting to kiss him.

He couldn’t help but beam back at her, smitten and so giddy to see her so happy. “It’s like what you did for me, with Jacob. You made that a reality for me, Pearl, and I hope you know how special that was.” It used to be unusual for him to be so open without feeling wary, but it had become the norm with Pearl. He was sharing some deep truths with her, without hesitation or doubt. Ben knew he could trust her with his words, thoughts and feelings; she wouldn’t use them against him, not anymore. Being vulnerable with anyone went against his nature; he truly never thought he would be capable of doing it without feeling an ounce of wariness during the exchange! That openness, that glee, that swell in his heart, could only mean one thing: he was completely in love with that mermaid.

But before he could contemplate the magnitude of that for too long, Pearl hurriedly planted a kiss on his cheek. Low on his cheek, dangerously close to the corner of his lips. “I do know, and I am very happy for you,” she beamed at the wide-eyed man whose mouth had just dropped open. He quickly closed it and cleared his throat, and smiled politely back at her. Pearl continued: “I am very happy with my waterproof flowers too,” she giggled, clasping them to her chest as she gave a twirl. All he could do was watch, heart fluttering.

Pearl took her resin-covered bouquet of wildflowers with her the next time she visited her kingdom underwater. She carefully and lovingly placed it in a makeshift vase at the center of the hidden nook where she kept all of her memories of Ben. Looking at everything with a smile, floating in the sea, the mermaid knew she was completely in love with that man.

Notes:

This chapter has some of my earliest writing for this fic; the whole Pearl-introduces-Ben-to-Jacob was one of my earliest ideas and I wrote it sooo long ago, probably more than a year at this point. The scene wasn’t totally finished, though, and I actually ended up writing the rest of it two weeks ago ON BEN’S BIRTHDAY. It was completely unplanned and accidental, but it was fun to spend his birthday writing about his birthday! I’m pretty sure he canonically turns 39, by the way, but if I forgot his exact age then oops; it’s like 38 or 40, anyway, so I’m close regardless.

By the way, whenever I write Ben being so happy, think of his whole demeanor and vibe in the epilogue! Just light and smiley. Michael himself said that Ben post-finale would be walking around with a bounce in his step and stuff. This is what my Ben is like currently!

Finally, I hope everyone has a nice holiday and a happy New Year! I desperately want to finish this fic in 2025 but I’m haunted by the knowledge that I probably won’t be able to. I’ll try my best though, for my own sake lol. Thanks again to everyone who is following this story, it means a lot to me! <3

Chapter 30: Darkness may fall and shroud everything, but a true bond will always shine brighter

The realization that they weren’t just falling in love – but rather that they were already deeply in love – scared Ben and Pearl. They didn’t talk about it and weren’t sure if the other one felt the same way. All the birthday excitement dwindled back to normal within a day or two; Ben tried to resume a more professional relationship with the mermaid, doing his best to keep any unrealistic romantic notions buried deep. Pearl, too, had gotten frightened by the intensity of her own feelings, so she was being extra cautious to stay on task.

But neither of them could – or would -- ever forget what the other did for them. They had come such a long way from holding a grudge for what the other did to them…

Pretending not to be in love, the pair went on a hike back to the waterfall. Pearl wanted to see more of the wildflowers, and Ben accompanied her because—well, just to spend time in her presence. He didn’t even bother rationalizing it to himself as something else anymore.

The hike was beautiful, through a thick lush jungle interwoven with glittering streams. Engrossed in conversation, they didn’t hear the footsteps. There was no rattling to be heard yet—because the Man in Black approached them on foot, as a man. Then he transformed. When Ben and Pearl became aware of the Black Smoke, it was already surrounding them on all sides, roaring menacingly.

Ben froze, his adrenaline spiking upon seeing that they were trapped. Alert blue eyes narrowed and scanned the environment. But what made him the most worried was that he saw how Pearl tensed next to him. He threw the mermaid a nervous glance. “I thought you two were on friendly terms…”

“We are! I do not know why he’s doing this,” she whispered so only Ben would hear. “He may only be trying to scare us. …Yes, it is probably that. Trust me, I don’t think he shall attack us.”

One could only hope. At least the destructive creature of darkness had not made a move to harm them yet. “And if it attacks? Can you stop it? I only have a small pouch of ashes,” Ben whispered back to her, speaking more through one side of his mouth.

Pearl swallowed hard, and Ben paled when he saw that. She shook her head, speaking to him but keeping her eyes on the Smoke. “My song does not work on him. And I cannot bite him unless he’s in a solid form.”

“Your eyes?” Ben suggested, then immediately shook his head, realizing it was a silly idea. A bright flashlight or lighthouse couldn’t really cut through a thick pillar of smoke, so why would a siren’s glowing eyes help against the Black Smoke? “Why don’t you try talking to him?” he suggested instead, with some urgency. Yeah, that was a better plan. If anyone could talk down the entity of destruction, it was the charming mermaid queen.

She gave a resolute nod, then raised her voice to its normal volume. “Man in Black, what are you doing? Please stop surrounding us and talk to me,” she calmly asked, taking a step forward to project confidence and trustworthiness.

It seemed to listen. The Smoke gathered up in one spot, in a tall swirling pillar that somehow compressed into a familiar man wearing the same black shirt as always. He had that habitual amused grin on his face, but his eyes were burning with fury.

“I thought we were on the same page, Pearl. Wanting to kill Jacob and all that,” the Man in Black took a step toward them. It took all of Ben’s willpower to not step back in a hurry.

“We are on the same page,” Pearl responded confidently. She had not wavered from that intention, even if it might be harder to kill Jacob now that Ben was a factor too.

“Really?” A hollow chuckle. “Then why are you visiting him, introducing him to Ben?”

She stiffened. How the hell did the Man in Black find out about that?! “That is Ben’s business. He is part of Jacob’s people—they are all loyal to him, you know this. I was doing something nice for Ben. It does not mean that I no longer wish to kill Jacob.”

Ben felt a shiver. It was uncomfortable to hear them talk so openly about murdering someone who meant so much to Ben and his people. “It’s true,” he piped up, nodding fast and addressing the creature. “She hasn’t been shy about letting me know her true intentions towards Jacob. Pearl can’t stand him.”

“Maybe,” the MiB casually conceded. “But I used to think the two of you would be useful to me in the future. Now I’m not so sure.” Because of the mermaids’ hatred of humankind, he always thought they would side with him when it came time to destroy everyone else on the Island. And, because of Ben’s building resentment toward Jacob and the callous way Jacob treated people, the MiB always suspected he’d someday be able to manipulate Ben’s pain to get him to murder Jacob. But now the queen of merfolk was chatting with Jacob, and the leader of his people was on good terms with him. That ruined things.

“You are being dramatic,” Pearl challenged with cautious diplomacy. “I will still kill him, to get myself out of this Island. You know I seek my freedom.”

“And I can help you with anything else you might need,” Ben added, seemingly with wide-eyed conviction, although it was a lie. He wanted nothing to do with that smoky menace.

The entity of destruction laughed. “Pearl, you know you’re not capable of killing him on your own. And I need more than that.” He wouldn’t be able to leave the Island if there were any candidates left, even with Jacob dead. Mermaids and humans had to be at odds with each other! “And Ben, all I need is for you to kill Jacob for me. Now that he told you the truth of why he’s sidelining you, you’ll never do it.”

Ben gaped in horrified shock; that’s what that creature thought he would do in the future?! Kill Jacob?! What a depressing, terrifying notion. The MiB was right; now that Ben knew that Jacob did not turn his back on him, didn’t use him -- now that he knew Jacob didn’t see him as less than -- Ben could never kill the deity-like man. Not that the thought would ever even enter his mind without the Man in Black whispering it to him in the first place, anyway.

“You cannot hurt Ben simply because he’s not useful to you,” Pearl hissed, her canine fangs sprouting. It wasn’t a threat, yet: it was a warning. Ben felt a rush of emotion seeing her defend him in such a way.

The Man in Black laughed again, always that hollow sound devoid of any compassion. “I won’t hurt him because of that. My problem, mermaid, is with the two of you. This wholesome alliance of yours? I hate it.” Cold, empty eyes stared them down.

“It’s just a temporary agreement,” Ben hurried to explain, attempting to deescalate. “You must remember, we told you the terms! She, she’s leaving very soon!”

“Yeah, she’s spying on humans to destroy you, blah blah blah,” the MiB waved a hand. “That was true once, but not anymore. She took you to meet Jacob. She wouldn’t do that unless this alliance,” he disdainfully gestured between the two of them, “was serious. And you, Ben, you let the mermaids who took your submarine go unpunished. That’s a show of commitment too.”

“That was a purely strategic decision,” Ben lied to save face.

“You two care about each other,” the MiB let out a bitter scoff. “I see the googly eyes you’re making at one another, traipsing alone in the jungle, giggling like children.” A sarcastic grin spread across his face. “Are you sleeping together yet?”

Whoa. Ben was taken aback, eyes slowly widening. He would have never, ever in his entire life expected the Black Smoke of darkness and destruction to accuse him of falling in love with Pearl, much less to accuse Pearl of reciprocating some of those feelings. Were they really that obvious and making heart-eyes at each other? Could everyone tell, or just the creature because it spied on them? He hoped Pearl wasn’t embarrassed at being called out like that, but, knowing her, she wouldn’t be.

And she wasn’t. Very little fazed the icy queen of the ocean. “We are not sleeping together,” she said with calm sincerity, a serene smile on her face. “Sure, perhaps I care about Ben,” Pearl tried to be as diplomatic as possible, to keep the situation under control. And yet she all but admitted to her feelings. Despite the danger surrounding him, Ben’s heart skipped a beat. “Just Ben. I do not care about humankind as a whole! I despise them!” That wasn’t even true anymore; she liked some humans just fine, and didn’t think they deserved to be exterminated as a whole.

“You had the perfect opportunity to enchant Richard with the siren song to make him kill Jacob. You told me you’d think about it, but did I hear back from you? No. You’re unwilling to do that because of a promise you made to Ben.” The Man in Black stopped pacing, put his hands together and shook his head. “When the time comes for me to leave this Island, I need merfolk and humankind at odds with each other. I need a war,” he said darkly, and Ben instantly remembered Colleen: killed by the Black Smoke, who hid the body to make it look like she disappeared at a time when human-merfolk relations were at an all-time low! It very nearly did start a war between them! He and Pearl had long suspected the MiB was guilty of intentionally stirring the pot, and his current admission of wanting a war was the final piece that confirmed it. Finally all of Ben’s questions about Colleen’s death were answered, in a terrifying but clarity-giving flash of epiphany. The Man in Black continued his tirade, glaring at Pearl with empty eyes: “I need your sirens to kill as many people as possible,” then he glared at Ben, “and I need one of your people to resent Jacob enough to kill him for me. But I will never get my war if the queen of the ocean and the leader of Jacob’s society are all wrapped up in each other.”

Nothing else needed to be said. With that as his final explanation, his body began to vibrate, the extremities of his limbs dissolving into dark smoke. Ben and Pearl stood in a panic, because they knew what was coming: they were a direct threat to the Man in Black’s plan; the only threat. The MiB didn’t like the queen and leader consorting, so he was going to eliminate them both. Likely frame one of them for killing the other, to ensure war would break out.

In a last ditch effort, Pearl launched herself at the MiB, all fangs sprouting as she went to bite his neck. But it was too late. It took him seconds to fully transform into his smoke shape, and Pearl’s fangs went right through it. The Black Smoke coiled around her, – able to touch her because sirens were less in communion with the Light than Jacob – grabbed her and threw her at Ben.

The flying body of the yelping mermaid hit Ben hard, knocking him backwards and sending them rolling into a painful heap. They hit the ground with grunts of pain, and although they scrambled to get up as fast as possible, the Black Smoke was wrapping itself around the both of them faster. It was surprisingly solid and Ben’s eyes widened frantically as he felt it tightening around his legs, trapping him in a horrifying predicament. Before he had time to think, the Smoke took off, instantly dragging him and Pearl along in its wake. Ben’s breathing momentarily ceased at that first tug, when he felt the ground disappearing from below him; and then everything went mad.

With the Black Smoke’s vice-like grip on his ankles, Ben was helplessly hurtling through the jungle. The Smoke moved with such speed that the man’s back was floating above the ground – which at least prevented him from getting bruised, but did nothing to keep his stomach from plummeting to his feet like he was on some adrenaline theme park ride, only deadly. His teeth were gritted and face contorted as he struggled to reach a small pouch in his satchel while flying through the air pulled like a ragdoll. Next to him, the mermaid in the same predicament was snarling and trying to bite her former friend. Only out of instinct, because there was nothing solid enough for the fangs to pierce; the Smoke was only solid enough to grab them.

Further ahead, by the grass’ edge, there was a hole at the bottom of a rocky formation. They glimpsed it through squints, wind hitting their faces, and their hearts jumped at the realization that the hole was meant to be their grave. The Smoke was dragging them into that tight tunnel with every intention to kill them in there. Frantic but determined, Ben managed to double over and stick his hand in the satchel to grab the pouch that contained a small amount of ashes. He instantly dumped them over the Black Smoke, aware of the creature’s weakness. The Smoke rattled and growled, releasing its grip from their ankles—but not without throwing them into the tunnel in a fit of anger first.

Ben and Pearl fell down the tight space, dropping into nothingness. The free-falling butterflies lasted for a second in their stomachs, then they clumsily hit the ground with grunts and flailing limbs. Their clothes and skin were dirt-streaked, hair a wind-swept mess. The Black Smoke, injured by the ash, was on a rampage; it spiraled, violently thrashed, and hit every tree on its path as it fled the scene.

Lying on the ground at the bottom of the hole, Ben panted lightly, squeezing his eyes shut as he recovered and reoriented himself. The fall hurt. “Is it following us in?” he breathed out urgently.

“No,” Pearl gasped with relief, withdrawing her fangs. Her eyes were wide open but she was trembling and achy, pushing herself to sit up. “He’s going wild up there, hitting everything he can.”

Ben was breathing heavily as he got up to his feet, the back of his hand resting on his forehead while he studied their surroundings. “We’re in some kind of natural underground chamber,” he commented, tense. “We need to climb out as soon as he leaves.”

“He’s leaving, but I think he’s going on a rampage,” the mermaid said with a wince. The fall hurt her too.

Said rampage included hitting the rocky formation that surrounded the hole on the grass. It was so violent that it affected the geology of the place, starting a landslide or some sort of rock collapse.

The grumble of ground giving way made Ben’s blood run cold. “No,” he gasped and attempted to run to the exit, desperate to climb out of the tunnel.

Pearl – a bit more in tune with nature due to being part of it – knew it was already too late to make it out. She frantically grabbed Ben by the collar of the shirt and pulled him back, just in time for a shower of rocks and debris to descend upon them. Man and mermaid instantly dropped to their knees, huddled at the opposite end of the underground chamber, crouching low on the ground and protecting their heads under their arms. The noise alone was terrifying, and there was nothing they could do but wait and hope. All light seemed to extinguish around them. They coughed from the excess dirt in the air.

When the dust settled, they were unharmed except for a few scratches and bruises from being thrown down there. But, the opening of the tunnel was obstructed by large rocks and a mountain of debris. They were buried in there.

“Thanks for the save. Are you alright?” he asked as soon as the rocks settled. The silence around them was ominous and incredibly disquieting, the darkness blinding. Carefully, he got on his knees, then stood up. The thick dirt clung to the sweat on his skin. Ben coughed, feeling lucky to be alive but very unlucky to be entombed.

“I am,” she said shakily, slowly getting back on her feet. The siren ran a hand through her long blonde tresses, smoothing them down and shaking out a few loose pebbles and leafs that were caught in the strands. Her pale cheeks were streaked with dust and dirt. “You?”

It was pitch black down there, so she blinked to light up her eyes. The glow that emanated from them served as two big beacons illuminating their surroundings. Ben gave her a nod of thanks.

“I’m not hurt. But we need to get out of here.” He instantly whipped out his baton and forced it between two rocks. He pushed on it like a lever, to try and dislodge the rock to create a space they could crawl through. “Help me with this,” he panted at Pearl, who was already on her way before he had to ask. She lent him her strength and the two pulled together, with gritted teeth and groans as their feet slid on the ground.

“It’s not budging,” Pearl complained. They tried to dig out other, smaller stones, but those were pressed together very compactly. Pulling the wrong one could cause another landslide that might end up crushing them. They tried the lever again until their arms were sore, accomplishing nothing; even working in tandem the two weren’t strong enough to get anywhere.

Ben glanced up with a creased forehead, catching his breath through an open mouth, the back of his hand resting on his hip. “We’re over-exerting ourselves. If there’s a way out, it’s not through the debris. It’s through the untouched soil at the top.” The rocks were impossible to move, and they shouldn’t spend extra oxygen trying hard. He tried his radio, but it was out of range. The grassy knoll above them was the best bet to crawl through; it was just off to the side of the entrance, and should be reachable from the very corner of the opening that was now blocked off with debris.

Pearl, panting hard and slumping against the stony wall, noticed the quiet worry nestled in Ben’s expression. It was enough to make her veins go cold. “Ben…as a being of the seas, I don’t entirely understand lungs. I must ask…are we at risk of running out of air?”

His gaze whipped toward her, his face grim and reluctant. Ben didn’t want to scare her, but he wasn’t about to lie. Pressing his lips into a line, he nodded only once, looking eerily shadowy. “The rockslide sealed us tight. I don’t think any air is flowing through here.”

The mermaid swallowed thickly, but she stayed collected. She was not the panicking type. “Then lift me and I shall try to go through the top soil, like you suggested. I am more in tune with nature, I have a better chance.”

Ben nodded and got down on one knee. “Get on my shoulders. I won’t let you fall,” he said, soft but assertive. There was no time to waste with any discussions.

She trusted him, so Pearl instantly moved to do as asked. She lifted one leg over Ben’s shoulder, held on to his head for balance, then lifted the other leg over his other shoulder. He instantly locked his arms around her thighs, creating a loop to keep her secure. Then he slowly stood up, inching forward a little from the extra weight on his back.

“Whoa, whoa,” Pearl squeaked, wrapping an arm around his forehead to stop herself from toppling over. When he got to his feet, it was like a man lifting his girlfriend at a festival so she could have a better view of the stage.

“You can let go of my head now,” he instructed, panting lightly. With Pearl sitting on his shoulders, he was very aware of her thighs being right next to his cheeks, and of her crotch pressing against the nape of his neck—but he couldn’t let himself get distracted, no matter how hot that might be.

Hesitantly, the mermaid reached her arms up toward the ceiling of their tomb. Once she felt firm enough, not swaying on Ben’s shoulders, she straightened up a little more and tried to stick her hands through the soil at the top of that one grassy corner right at the exit. “Ugh, it’s not—doing much,” she complained, sticking her nails in the dirt and fighting to push through.

But the soil up there was too compact to dig through, and they couldn’t afford to exert themselves to the point of needing to breathe even harder. There was not enough air for that. Disappointed, Ben helped her get down from his shoulders. He was far from desperate, though; there were other things to attempt. He retrieved a flashlight from his satchel to have his own source of illumination, thinking. Maybe they could make a hole somewhere, a small one to let in some air, at least.

With that in mind, they were able to locate and pull out a root, hoping to make an air vent of sorts. They only succeeded in causing a small crash of dust and dirt that fell all over them. Pearl frowned, starting to get concerned.

“Can anyone hear me? Over,” Ben tried the radio again. “It’s Ben,” exasperation seeped through. “I need an extraction!” Nothing. With a sharp sigh, he hung up. “It’s alright. Our sensors will pick up the rumble, and my people will come searching for the cause,” he reassured when he saw the disturbed expression on Pearl’s face. And maybe he was talking to himself, too.

“No offense, but I would prefer to put my faith in mine.” The siren closed her eyes and let out a loud, long, high pitched call. The Siren Call, meant to be heard by any merfolk within a wide radius. It would draw them to the vicinity! Unfortunately, the caving in of the underground chamber sealed up the sound pretty tightly. The winds couldn’t carry Pearl’s call back to the sea, so it would remain unheard by the aquatic creatures. Unaware of that, she smiled at Ben. “We shall see if mine or yours arrive first.”

Hopeful of their people, exhausted, and in need of conserving air, Ben and Pearl sat down on the dusty ground, resting their backs against a stretch of smoother rock. Their bodies hurt, so it was nice to take a break and allow their hearts to go back to a more relaxed rhythm. They didn’t even talk, all to keep their consumption of oxygen to a minimum.

An hour trickled by. Then a second, and a third. Boredom hit first, then nerves, followed by silent despair, and now they were entering the stage of petulant anger.

“I do not think your people are coming, Ben,” Pearl said with an uppity up-tilt of the nose.

“Yours aren’t either,” he drawled with an ominous widening of the eyes.

“Why didn’t you lie and tell the Man in Black you’re willing to kill Jacob?!” the mermaid asked, holding back some venom.

He let out a light scoff. “He didn’t give me a chance—and he wouldn’t have believed me. His mind was set, Pearl.” He shook his head. “Maybe don’t ask me to trust your judgment about him again,” Ben added snippily, giving her a passing glare. “Hmph. ‘Trust me, I don’t think he shall attack us’, right…” he sulkily threw her words back at her.

“Don’t you dare blame me!” she hissed. “He hates your kind, not mine! He likes us!”

Ben deadpanned at her for exactly three seconds, then made the sardonic remark: “And how useful to have him like you if he’s just as willing to kill you as he’s willing to kill me.”

Pearl grumbled something annoyed, and then shook her head. “We’re frustrated. We’re mad. But we shouldn’t blame each other.”

That softened him. He knew he shouldn’t let the bickering go too far. “You’re right. It’s neither of our faults.” He took a deep breath and slowly rose to his feet, deciding to take a renewed look at their environment. Sitting idly wasn’t doing their mental state any favors. Ben paced around with the flashlight for a while, inspecting every hidden crevice of that hole, hoping for any small opening they could at least breathe out of!

Pearl did the same, and for a while they searched in silence. “Ben?” she called for him with a concerned frown after finding a beetle that she delicately scooped up. It was now skittering across her open palm.

“Yeah?” he said half-heartedly, looking at another small root. He noticed that her voice was shaky, though.

“Can any of these little creatures help us?” She lifted the beetle in his direction. Ben looked at it with an expressionless face, so she reminded him of an activity he saw her do once: “I hitch rides with dolphins. Are there any soil animals that we may ride with?”

“I’m afraid not,” he offered a weak smile for her sake before going back to work.

“It was a long shot, I suppose,” she said, sounding just like Ben. She solemnly set the beetle back where she found it, and resumed her own search. That kept them occupied for another hour.

The air was thinning in there. Ben and Pearl found themselves getting a little lightheaded, struggling a little to breathe. They slumped against the wall again, both eerily quiet. He calculated they probably only had a few hours left. “We need a new plan…” he muttered, coming up empty. She didn’t have any ideas either.

She shut off the light from her eyes, using only the flashlight placed between them as a source of illumination. “How ironic that I shall die from lack of air after I have drowned others,” Pearl mused somberly. “That is the use of ‘ironic’, correct?”

Ben chuckled mirthlessly. “Yeah. And it’s ironic that I’ll die trapped somewhere against my will...” A dry reference to the people he had kept on the Island against their own will—but only because Jacob told him to, for the good of the Island! Now that he might die, he briefly wondered if he was going about it the wrong way, but what could he do against the rules?! After a pause, he added with widened eyes and a bit of a pout: “This Island has a twisted sense of humor sometimes.”

“Indeed,” she grimly agreed. “I’m not ready to leave my daughter, my family, my whole life behind,” Pearl said under her breath, an incredible sadness falling over her.

He nodded. “Neither am I. It shouldn’t end like--” an exasperated, sharp gesture with his hands, “--like this.” It was almost insulting to go that way, entombed by some mad creature of darkness. Despite their joined commiseration, his blue eyes were intense when they landed on Pearl. Maybe it was the lack of oxygen in his brain, or maybe contemplating his mortality shook him, because Ben found candid words spilling from his lips: “I’m really glad I got to know you.”

Her heart jumped at that. “So am I, dearest Benjamin. My life is made better for having met you.”

“Mine too…” Ben’s gaze locked in on hers, his body almost instinctively inching toward her like a magnet, head tilting to the side. Pearl’s words had melted him beyond belief, and he didn’t want to hold back anymore.

Pearl leaned toward him too, her own head tilting the opposite way. Gearing up for a kiss. If they were about to die, they might as well do what they had been wanting to do for so long, right? Ben’s eyes fluttered to a close, lips practically on hers. Pearl was about to close her eyes too—but wasn’t that surrendering to death? She refused. She would not die easy, and she would not let Ben’s life end either! No matter what, she would fight for them until her last breath. “We won’t die!” she abruptly clamored, pulling away from Ben and springing to her feet with newly lit-up eyes. “We cannot give up!”

He recoiled, wide-eyed and a little embarrassed that she didn’t kiss back. “I—wasn’t giving up,” he awkwardly said, frowning. Ben only meant to kiss her once, then he would’ve resumed his search for a way out!

The determined mermaid ran from one side of the underground chamber to the other, using the momentum to jump in the air and try to grab the top. Every time she failed she let out an angry hiss. Oxygen conservation be damned.

Ben was paying her no mind; he sat on the ground, knees upturned and hands clasping them, his hyper-focused gaze far away from her.

“Are you sure you haven’t given up? You’ll sit there and wait for death?” she challenged.

“I’m thinking,” he replied acidly.

He wasn’t a scientist, but he had enough knowledge of chemistry, physics and biology to understand the Island very well. He knew the composition of the soil, and how those tunnels were set up. Astute eyes swept from one side to the other, studying the ground, the debris, the walls, and the overhead. With a pensive look on his face, Ben approached the rocks and placed a hand there. Then he looked at Pearl, an idea taking shape: if the regular approach to get out wasn’t working, maybe science wasn’t the answer. Maybe—maybe they needed magic. His eyes slowly widened as triumph flashed across his face. Wordlessly, he ran to the wall of debris that blocked the hole and started fidgeting with two very small stones.

“What are you doing? We can’t move those, we’ve tried!” Pearl hissed. That’s where they had started from! Was he hallucinating from lack of air?

“We can’t move them to make a space large enough for one of us to crawl through,” he explained with an edge of excitement. “We can make a very small hole, being careful to avoid another cave-in.”

She raised an eyebrow. “You believe we can let in air through there? Extend our chances until we’re rescued?”

Ben was almost giddy in his triumphant feelings. “That’s a bonus. We’re making a tiny hole-- from where you can sing out of.” Blue eyes twinkled, his smile going from ear to ear.

She didn’t know where he was headed with that plan, but Pearl trusted him. She rushed to his side, very interested. “What song am I singing?”

“The song that summons a storm,” Ben proudly declared. “If we soak the soil above us, it will soften the ground enough that we can dig ourselves up through it.”

“Oh my goodness,” she gasped with awe, cupping his cheeks between her hands. “Ben, you’re brilliant!” A proud grin that matched his stretched across her face too. “And I can improve on your amazing plan. You know that I can attune myself to nature and sort of—instinctively feel it, yes? I know there is water all around us, even down here.”

He nodded in agreeance. “There are water molecules in the composition of these dirt walls, in the earth and such.” Then he realized where she was going with that, and his face shifted to something mischievous. “You can…command those molecules, can’t you?”

“If by ‘molecules’ you mean the water itself, yes, I very much can,” she smirked knowingly. “So instead of moving the small rocks and risking another cave-in…I can use water to dig a little ditch through soil, up to surface.”

His eyes widened with excitement. “Yeah!” Ben placed his hands on her elbows, sort of enveloping her with encouragement. “You’ll make a path for your voice to soar out of!”

Pearl’s features shone with enthusiasm. “Indeed!” With a happy twirl, she opened her mouth and began to sing a beautiful enchanted song: the one she used to make the elements bend to her will, especially water. The elegant and poised hand gestures helped instruct the water where to go. The molecules in the soil gathered and bound together when Pearl brought her hands into a ball. Then, in a steeple, she pushed her hands forward, as if making a snake with her arms. The water snaked around too, slowly crawling up the dirt and digging a small ditch in its wake.

Ben watched eagerly, hands clasped together and pushed up against his lips. Not much seemed to be happening, but he knew better. By bonding all the molecules, Pearl created a tiny trickle of water, commanded it to dig upwards, and the water obeyed, entrenching itself in the soil right by the sealed-up entrance. It went on its way up until it reached the top. Although that water made a trench that was only wide enough for an earthworm to crawl through, it was plenty for them. It didn’t matter that they didn’t even feel any air coming in. There was an opening, so Pearl’s voice could soar into the sky!

Putting the two ingenious minds of the man and mermaid together, they finally came up with the perfect plan that combined their individual abilities. And just in the nick of time.

Lifting her chin to the sky and standing in a poised stance with an elegantly arched back, arms held delicately to her sides, she began singing a new song: the song to call up a storm from the heavens. It was powerful, bombastic, and it felt like a battle cry. Ben got chills. He watched her, completely taken by how Pearl was delicate and strong, poised and commanding, sweet and deadly. A true siren.

Soon they heard a very faint, faraway thunder. Now it was only a matter of time: waiting to let the rain come down and soak the soil enough to soften it. Their window of action was tricky; if it got too muddy, it might slide down into the tunnel and create more problems. If it was still too dry, it was impossible for them to dig through it. Tightly holding hands, they waited together, smiling in eager anticipation. Pearl’s fingers squeezed Ben’s palm.

After the storm raged for 10 minutes, Ben gave a determined nod. “It has probably seeped enough. I’m going up.”

Firstly, he had to carefully climb the treacherous wall of rocks that was keeping them trapped.

Pearl placed herself directly behind him, alert. “Do not worry. If you slip, I’ll catch you.”

He gave her a thankful nod. It felt better to know he had backup. Hand grabbed at a higher rock and legs pushed his body up there. He climbed at a steady pace, repeating the move to keep going up. When he reached the top – the very corner of the hole, where the rocks of the ceiling gave way to grass – that’s where the real work started. He had to crawl through the earth, digging himself out of the wet soil. Ben threw Pearl a meaningful glance, appreciated her nod of encouragement, took a deep breath then held it, and stuck his hands in.

It wasn’t unpleasant—at least not until it was time for his head to go. Sticking his head into a mound of wet soil and dirt sounded horrible! He didn’t let that get to him though, staying determined through it all. It was like being buried alive, he grimly thought, making sure to keep his mouth and eyes shut tightly. Ben pushed himself up through the soaked dirt, feeling it cling to him as he blindly navigated his way up. Crawling through it, digging with his hands and pushing with his feet, exhausted. It wasn’t easy or pleasant, but the layer of dirt that rested above the underground chamber was thankfully thin. Before he ran out of air, he stuck his arm up and felt his fingers breaching the earth—and reaching fresh air and rain. Flooded with relief, Ben hurried, kicking his feet, wiggling, pulling and pushing himself all the way out. His head broke the barrier, sticking out from the dirt and emerging outside.

He was completely coated in mud and dirt, from his hair to his shoes, and even in his ears. He could feel the fresh air but didn’t yet dare open his eyes or mouth. Ben crawled away on hands and knees, inhaling and exhaling rapidly through his nose. Then, he tilted his head to the sky; the rain washed off the mud from his eyes and mouth, with some help from the sleeve of his shirt. Cleaner now, he finally gasped for more air. His entire body sang with relief when his lungs received the extra burst of oxygen they so desperately needed! Ben coughed, sniffed, and immediately turned around to the pile of dirt he had just unburied himself from.

With his hands, he quickly scooped out large chunks of wet earth, looking for Pearl and trying to make her way out easier. Below, she was doing the same thing he had done: pushing and pulling herself through wet soil, wiggling and crawling through darkness to unbury herself from their underground grave. Soon he spotted her pale hand breaking through, and he grabbed it to give her a sign that she was on the right path. Very light blonde hair – caked with mud from scalp to tips – emerged first, and then Pearl’s distressed, scrunched up face came up next. Benjamin helped her get all the way out by digging up handfuls or pulling her, and they crawled together to a grassy patch where the pair collapsed, exhausted. Their feet were still touching the mound of tossed up dirt. Their heavy breaths filled the air, complemented by the sounds of a tropical storm. They traded a look and, barely understanding why, the two of them burst into laughter.

They rested there for a while, sweaty, breathless, muddy and laying out in the rain, cackling out loud with sheer relief and exhilaration! They felt a little crazy, very victorious, with adrenaline running wild through their veins—and they felt closer to one another than ever.

“We survived,” Pearl happily exclaimed after the rain washed off her face. She was so full of that exhilarated relief! Ben smiled widely back at her, equally relieved and exhilarated! In a burst of joy, she rolled to her side and wrapped her arms around the man, tightly hugging him and kissing his cheek.

His smiling face tensed immediately--- because he didn’t expect that after she refused to kiss him. But it only took a second for him to relax. He reached over to wrap his own arm around her back, returning the hug. It didn’t even matter that they were completely dirty, lying on grass and soaked from the rain—that hug still felt really nice and warm, for both of them. “… Are you alright?” Ben lightheartedly asked after a moment, seeing that she wasn’t untangling herself from him. He softly petted her caked hair.

“Indeed,” the mermaid declared, enjoying his touch. “Thanks to our brilliant plan and our joint talents!” She flashed him the most dazzling, radiant smile, and his stomach flipped. “We might not make for such horrid allies, after all,” she joked, finally pulling away and sitting up.

Ben chuckled as he rose to his feet. “We worked well today, I’ll concede to that.” His talents and abilities had complemented hers perfectly, ensuring they were able to craft a perfect plan that could only work if they were together. Ben offered Pearl a hand. He told himself he was only being a gentleman, helping a lady stand up after such an ordeal. And that was true-- but it wasn’t the whole truth. Deep down he simply longed to hold her hand again, a thought that blossomed after the hug she gave him.

Pearl instantly accepted it, gently clasping her fingers around Ben’s hand and letting him pull her to her feet. She wanted to reach out and brush the mud from his cheeks, but held back. “Our abilities are very complementary of one another. Maybe we ought to fight less.” There was humor in the lilt of her words.

He found himself laughing again. “We’ve been doing much better lately.”

“True. Resin flowers and all,” she agreed, grinning.

“And seaweed hot chocolate,” Ben added humorously. Then he fixed her with bemused, demanding eyes. “Does that mean your experiment of living with humans is a success?”

She giggled, feeling butterflies in her stomach. They beamed at each other. “You know what, Benjamin? Yes, I think that it might be time to officially consider it a success.”

Just as long as they stayed far away from the Black Smoke, but that was a problem for another day. For now, they just had to trek home through the rain, tired and achy, but very much in high spirits. Hosing off in the yard awaited them at home, then a lovely warm bath inside. For one at a time, of course.

***

Pearl never slept on the night of a full moon. It was a sacred day for her kind, because the moon controlled the tides that the mermaids relied on and it allowed them to transform shapes. So while Ben was asleep in his bed, she returned to the sea. Pearl and her sisters swam together near the surface, sang and danced in stunningly coordinated efforts, and celebrated the sanctity of the bright, beautiful full moon. It was a spiritual party that Pearl absolutely adored. They always swam up before the end of the night, letting their heads break the waves, floating, and leaping out of the water. Moonlight reflected on the surface of the inky sea, its rays creating little sparkles on Pearl’s tiara. All of the sirens recharged their moonstones with moonlight, singing their hearts out to the moon.

When Pearl returned home, wet, exhilarated and happily flushed, she silently tiptoed toward the bathtub so that she wouldn’t wake Ben—but a sound made her stop in her tracks. She overheard him in bed, softly calling her name. “Pearl. Pearl,” he said twice, clear as day. He murmured something undecipherable following that, and then all she could hear was peaceful breathing. He must’ve been talking in his sleep, Pearl assumed with a giggle.

Ben knew nothing of that when he woke up a few hours later. He was still getting dressed when Pearl knocked on his bedroom door. That was unusual so early in the morning, but not unwelcomed. “Come in,” he prompted after buttoning his shirt.

The mermaid slinked her way inside, throwing him a sly grin as she took a seat on the edge of his bed. “Good morning,” she cooed.

“…Morning…” Ben replied with lighthearted wariness, squinting. Something was up with her.

“Did you, perchance, dream about me last night?” she asked straightaway, dangling her legs off his bed and lightly swinging them.

“I’m sure I didn’t,” he shrugged, but it was a lie. He absolutely did. And they kissed a lot in that particular dream.

“Are you certain? I overheard you say my name in your sleep,” the mermaid smiled triumphantly and a little smugly. She still liked playing those games with Ben. He was the best opponent.

What?! He didn’t know whether to be mortified or nonchalant. “Are you sure you heard it right?” he tried to cast doubt, squinting convincingly.

“I am positive. You said it twice,” her cheeky smile widened further.

“Oh. I, uh—then I may have, I suppose. I don’t remember all of my dreams,” he tried to be casual, but he was sure his eyes had widened for a split second. “Sorry…”

She giggled charmingly, endeared by how he played it cool. “It’s more than alright, Ben. I’ve-- dreamt about you at times, too,” she confessed in a whisper, gaze falling to her hands. The smile softened.

Ben blinked, throat suddenly dry. “You have?”

“Indeed.”

“And were they…good dreams?” he stole a glance at her face.

Her head stayed downturned, but golden-flecked hazel eyes flicked up at him with piercing strength. “They were excellent.”

His heart jumped. Could her dreams possibly be as excellent as his own?! “Would you tell me what they were?” Ben asked with hopeful intensity.

She considered it, but ultimately decided that describing romantic dreams filled with passion wasn’t ideal. “Oh…perhaps I shouldn’t. Will you please tell me yours?”

He shook his head. “I probably shouldn’t either.” The implication was there, though, clear as day for both of them: these dreams were too private, too passionate to be told out loud.

What started as innocent teasing had grown into thick tension, swirling with energy as their eyes locked. Ben longed to reach for her hand, but he didn’t dare do it yet. Pearl longed for the same, but she, as cautious as him, also hesitated. This was a reckless and stupid thing to do! They promised each other they wouldn’t. But still they inched toward the other, pulled forth by a force as strong as gravity, barely registering how much their closeness was growing as sparkles flew. The chemistry between them was as electric as ever, charging them with such exquisite longing to touch, to hug, to kiss. His gaze swept over her lips, which were parted in anticipation. Pearl was breathing heavily, heart thundering as she let Ben move even closer to her. They were inches apart now, noses practically touching, their breathing in sync. She closed her eyes, head tilting as her lips approached his…

“Ben? Come in!” a static voice came out of his walkie-talkie, startling both man and mermaid.

He quickly hurried away from her, answering the radio to talk about something that turned out to be very mundane and unimportant. What terrible timing! Or maybe that interruption was a blessing in disguise. The last thing he needed was to get even more attached to the mermaid. She’d leave soon enough. Unless… maybe it was time to do the opposite, and to make the most of her last two weeks. If it was impossible to fight their chemistry, then it was time to consider giving in.

***

That same evening, Ben found himself willingly toying with danger. How? By practically going on a date. He invited Pearl on a night stroll with him, with the promise of showing her a unique bird’s eye view that merfolk didn’t usually get to enjoy. Wordlessly, he led her up a dirt path that winded up a tall, lush green hill. He wore a light brown shirt and cream pants, and she had one of her floral summer dresses on.

At the very top of that hill, there was a small clearing overlooking the sprawling ocean, illuminated by the stars in the clear sky. Two Adirondack chairs faced out, the wood painted orange on one and blue on the other. Ben didn’t have that set up just for Pearl; the spot had always been there. He simply knew it would provide a good excuse of an invitation, and as soon as they arrived he gestured toward the chairs. Pearl had a seat on the orange one, quite taken by the majestic landscape of the Island. He sat on the blue chair, right next to her. Ben was eager to be alone with her up there, hoping that a stolen moment could bring him some much needed clarity.

They were bathed by moonlight and gently brushed with ocean breeze, sitting side by side in the silence of the night. The only noises were the lull of the sea, a few cicadas and nocturnal birds. Pearl’s heart quickened when she stole a glance at Ben; he looked so handsome, so perfect with his striking face and spiky hair, that he left the siren uncomfortably smitten and breathless. Unbeknownst to her, he was admiring her just the same, completely taken in by her gorgeous features and flowy hair.

“Thank you for bringing me to such a spot,” Pearl started with a bow of the head. “Wow. The stars are so big up here!” she smiled, awed.

He nodded with a grin. “It’s a great spot for stargazing. That’s a constellation, see?” he proudly pointed out a specific cluster of stars.

Her eyes followed Ben’s hand until she located it. “Oh! Yes, I see it! How stunning!” The mermaid smiled at the sky and moon, and then her gaze drifted to the waves below. With the hills overlooking the ocean, they could see a huge stretch of it, all the way to the beach! The sea looked mysterious and enticing, intimidatingly vast, holding dark secrets that humanity would never grasp. Pearl’s smile grew when she glanced over at Ben. They stared at each other in meaningful silence, until she said: “The view here is indeed quite breathtaking.” Part of her meant him, too. Not even the stars and the ocean took her breath away as much as Ben did, or shone as brightly as him.

“It is, yeah…” Part of him meant her, as well, because nothing in the world compared to the appeal of his Pearl. Ben canted his head. “Thank you for accompanying me. I thought we might…talk.”

A curious raise of the chin. Stargazing in the dark, just the two of them? She thought it was more like a date, not a talk. “About?”

Anything, he thought, but instead said: “We should discuss the progression of our social experiment.” A perfectly suitable excuse to spend time with her, especially after their joint work to climb through dirt. “Now that you’ve declared it an official success and, since we’re towards the end of it,” that word made him feel like he was choking, but he continued, “I thought we should review our time as roommates.”

“We walked a long way to a beautiful secluded spot to talk business,” she shrewdly pointed out with a grin, “but certainly.” The mermaid gave a gracious nod then fell silent for a long pause. Ben was about to prompt her again, nervous that she noticed his slight deception of an excuse, when Pearl looked at him with an unreadable expression. “Actually, I have been reviewing our time in my head. I’ve been thinking about one thing in particular."

“Which one?” Ben asked cautiously. There was something heavy on her mind, and it worried him that he couldn’t predict what it was.

Her eyes met his. “I would like to help you solve the pregnancy issue of human women. I…I will allow you to study me for that.”

His jaw dropped and the wind was almost entirely knocked out of Ben, eyes widening to be as big as marbles. He instinctively leaned forward on his chair, inching toward Pearl with some desperation. The words came out a hissed, urgent gasp: “Are you sure? I’ll have to bring you back to where I…” he grimaced and avoided the words experimented on you, reluctantly settling for “-- where you were tested before.” That had to be much worse than the aquarium, which she handled just fine. And the experiments were more invasive than just recording her song! Ben couldn’t let himself be hopeful unless she was certain.

Pearl inhaled, offering a weak smile. “I know. I’ve thought about it deeply: I’ll go.” Fixing Island infertility meant the world to Ben, and Ben meant the world to her. It was easy math. Of course she would help the man she was in love with.

He became emotional at her words – at her selfless gesture -- and even more so when he looked at her resolute expression. His upper lip trembled. “Pearl, I…I can’t thank you enough.”

She met his gaze with an encouraging smile. “If I can help bring human babies back to the Island, I want to do it.” The smile shrank and became somber. “Just tell me one thing, with honesty: will it hurt?”

“…A little, depending on how far we go,” he admitted with an apologetic grimace. “But we’ll start with the most comfortable tests, like an X-ray or ultrasound. Maybe that’ll be enough,” he gave a hopeful smile. She would only experience a bit of pain if they ended up needing an egg sample. “What you’re doing could be invaluable for my people,” Ben told her with a charged nod, unblinking eyes looking into hers. “Really, thank you.”

“I’m pleased to help, Ben, truly. I know it’s important to you,” she gracefully bowed her head.

Because it’s important to me. “Is that why you’re doing it?” he couldn’t help himself before the words flew out of his mouth. As he finished, his lips snapped shut and pressed into a thin line.

Pearl merely nodded. Ben didn’t know what else to say – a rare phenomenon for such an eloquent man – so he simply smiled at her, face shining with gratitude and relief. He never expected her to willingly grant him this gift, and he was so hopeful that it might help the human women on the Island! It meant the world that Pearl cared about him enough to do such a thing just for his sake. Oh God, he was so in love with her.

After a charged pause full of meaning, Pearl’s golden-flecked eyes were still glued to his blue ones. “As for reviewing our experiment, is there anything specific you’d like to discuss? What matters most to me is that it’s going rather well on my end,” she shrugged with poise, bare feet dragging against the dewy grass.

“On mine too,” Ben nodded in agreement, still at a bit of a loss on how to proceed after what just happened. “But I guess I’ve been wondering: if, by the end of this, we decide peace is sustainable—and I think we’re there now,” he sussed her out, and she nodded in agreeance that peace was the way to go, so he continued: “…then what will you do next?” His gaze measured her, piercing and searching. He’d been wondering that ever since they shared a hand-on-glass moment in the aquarium. Foolish hope, Ben thought, but he had to ask. “Aside from our occasional visits,” he added to remind her.

“I will go back to my life with a light heart and a clear mind, knowing my Kingdom is safe,” she offered a bittersweet smile. “And resume my efforts to find a way off this Island.” The mood was somber and dampened by that conversation, and Pearl didn’t want that. It was too beautiful a night with too beautiful of a man to let any shadows overtake them. So she flashed him a cheeky smile and one-shouldered shrug. “In between our visits, of course.”

Feeling her change in mood, Ben followed suit and smiled impishly back at her. “I’m looking forward to them. You’ve become very well acclimated to the human world,” he wryly pointed out.

She giggled, and it was airy and enchanting. “You’re a good teacher. I never dreamed, much less expected, that I might learn to cook, or read, or any such things.”

“I know,” Ben’s eyes widened with playful ominousness. “Who knew a fierce siren, predator of the depths, would become so adept at making flower crowns, hot chocolate, paintings and playing chess,” his lips stretched into a lighthearted smirk. Pearl couldn’t help but giggle again, and Ben felt warm and fuzzy. Rather proud of himself, too, for often getting that lovely sound out of her.

“You love my algae hot chocolate,” she teased, and Ben chuckled as if confirming it. The mermaid beamed. “For what it’s worth, I do not believe I will have any desire to wage war against your kind ever again. I’ve grown to understand all of you better, and I’m…moderately fond of some of you,” Pearl declared with that lilting little laugh of hers, tossing her hair.

He drawled with dry humor: “Such praise.”

Pearl leaned in ever so slightly, charming and commanding. “Aren’t you ready to admit you’re fond of me too?”

“My people like you, yes,” he flippantly replied with a little grin, but it was an obvious joke. Of course he knew she was asking only about him! He was simply matching her own hidden half-compliment. “Moderately,” he added, the grin widening.

“Tsk,” she laughed, making a face at him. “You don’t have to admit it. I know you’re fond of me.”

“Actually, I believe I have admitted it before,” Ben said amidst a chuckle, looking away from her. He was referring to the many hints that had been given, from painting her likeness to asking her to visit after she left. But he had never said the words ‘I really like you’, and neither had she.

“I can never be sure if you mean it,” Pearl remarked, searching his eyes. “You obviously desire me, and I know that you care about me, but…how much?”

“I’m never sure of how you feel either!” Ben retorted with a lighthearted scoff, smiling at her. “All I know is that you desire and care about me too. But I don’t know how much.”

It was the closest they had ever come to admitting they were falling in love and unsure if the other reciprocated. Lust and like were two things they more or less admitted to, but love?! That one felt dangerous. Was true romance ever on the table between them?

She batted her eyelashes, flashing him those deep, entrancing hazel eyes. The moon accentuated the golden flecks, and his heart skipped a beat when he caught the utterly adoring look on her face. Like she wanted to be so close to him, right then and there, on that enchanting night; the night that felt like a date but technically wasn’t one. And she was looking at him like-- well, like she loved him.

And oh, he loved her too! Ben wanted that night to be a date, he wanted to make a move to bring them closer! But he found himself hesitating slightly, averting his own adoring eyes from her. He was excellent at reading others and one of the most perceptive people to ever live--- but he was a bit lacking in the romance department. Sometimes he would miss subtle flirtations simply because he wasn’t expecting them, while other times he would convince himself that a woman was sending him signs when she wasn’t, just because he wanted her to be. How the hell was he supposed to read the advances of a mermaid, for God’s sake? Her social conventions were entirely unique! Passionately kissing her at a party was different than making a deliberate move during a pseudo-date! Pearl was pretty obvious when she just wanted sex, but love and romance was a whole other thing!

But…she was sitting right next to him, her delicate hand idly resting on the wooden arm of the orange chair, and well within his reach. His hand was mere inches away, loosely clasped over the edge of his chair’s arm. The moonlight and stars enhanced the mood in the clearing, the chirping was a quaint soundtrack, the sea a stunning view below them. It was the perfect moment, and a chance he could not waste. Emboldened by the morning’s near-kiss and the memory of every kiss before that, Ben looked straight ahead, out into the horizon, his face as expressionless and unblinking as possible…and, without word or warning, he swiftly moved his hand. He placed it over hers, in a cutely clumsy attempt at gauging her possible affections. He was fairly hopeful – and pretty sure that she was interested in him – but part of him was bracing for rejection. It was a trauma response from his childhood, for being rejected by the father that was supposed to protect him. Plus, Pearl was a mermaid queen; was it delusional of him to think that she might want a human, especially in less of a solely lustful way and more like a proper romance? Was it delusional to think a mermaid might date him? No…she had been very smitten with him, hadn’t she?! Surely he didn’t misinterpret that?!

Time slowed to a crawl as his heart raced and he stayed completely immobile, refusing to glance in her direction. It would be okay if she slowly and politely removed her hand; he could live with that, it was only mildly embarrassing. But if she yanked it from his grasp like it was on fire, oh, he’d be mortified.

Pearl, of course, did neither. She wasn’t expecting a gesture of affection from Ben – not from the ever-guarded, perpetually mistrustful Ben – and her head quickly whipped his way. The mermaid searched his face, finding that it was hard to read his current expression. So she let her gaze fall to Ben’s hand: it cradled hers in a perfect fit. She smiled and turned her hand around so their palms could meet. For real this time, with no glass between them keeping them apart. A real touch instead of a symbolic one. Her fingers lovingly wrapped around Ben’s hand. He instantly reciprocated, clasping her cold, soft hand within his own, and letting out the tiniest sigh of glad relief. Their fingers intertwined.

Neither of them found any words to say; the moment seemed to transcend them. They just sat there, holding hands and smiling at the sky and ocean, basking in each other’s presence. It was easy and comfortable in a way that really shouldn’t make sense between a man and a mermaid. But it did. Even in silence, there was no awkwardness, no act to be put on or games to be played. The hand-holding felt sweet, and nice, and right. They were still, content, at peace even with the giddy butterflies in their stomachs. Overcome with a tranquil love. And, apparently, kind of on a date.

Despite the intense desire to do so, neither of them moved in for a kiss. They were supposed to know better than that, to recognize that a kiss crossed a line—but really, they were just scared to give in. Because now a kiss would be more than a kiss: it would be a show of love.

***

That same evening, Alex found herself feeling very bored. The teen was lonely since her boyfriend was conveniently relocated to live with the Oceanic Survivors. Lying in bed at Amelia’s house, she mindlessly flipped through the Island guidebook of Jacob’s society, a book they were all expected to read and memorize.

The teen wasn’t paying much attention when she got to the chapter about the sirens of the Island—until she skimmed a paragraph describing them: ethereally beautiful, soft hair, could not always speak English, deadly, typically spotted with a moonstone gem on their body. There was a picture of a moonstone included on one page, for reference. Alex sat up, struck by a sense of familiarity. Where had she seen that gem recently? Oh, right, on Pearl’s necklace.

On Pearl’s necklace. Pearl, an ethereally beautiful woman with very pretty hair, who Ben first described as “dangerous”, and whose daughter spoke very little English for her age. Could she be a--?!

“No way,” Alex muttered to herself, re-reading the paragraph. Ben wouldn’t be roomies with a mermaid! Right? Unless he didn’t know. Nah, he always knew everything. … But the sneaking suspicion that had taken root was hard to ignore. Alex never totally understood why Pearl was living with Ben if he insisted they weren’t together. It never made sense, and maybe this was why.

Impulsive and brave, she decided to investigate. Alex ran home, finding it empty because Ben and Pearl were out watching the stars. Scrappy, she quickly hid in the closet of her own bedroom, and waited.

The pair entered together shortly after -- after having spent most of the evening holding hands up on the scenic hill -- with big smiles on their faces. They had no idea the closet was occupied.

“Where are you sleeping tonight?” Ben asked lightheartedly, and Alex heard it clearly. “The bed or the bathtub?”

“I have not been to the ocean at all since last night, so I shall take the bathtub,” Pearl answered, “to ensure my skin doesn’t dry out.”

“You showered this morning,” Ben pointed out. “Isn’t that enough?”

Pearl hesitated for a beat, a curious look crossing her face. Alex could only half-see it through the shutters. “You know, that never occurred to me,” the blonde said with a lilting laugh. “But you are right—a shower should be enough!” Pearl paused like she was thinking, then continued: “Nevertheless, I think I would prefer the bathtub tonight.”

“You miss the water?” Ben insightfully guessed. They exited the room still in conversation, so Alex missed Pearl’s response.

“Indeed,” she said, “and I think I shall sleep with a tail tonight.”

“Really?” he seemed surprised. “You’ve never done that before.”

“I know, but it feels more comfortable when I am a little—frazzled.” Both of them knew she meant that she was stressed because their time together was ending soon.

In the closet, Alex was processing what she heard. ‘Sleeping in the bathtub’. ‘Visiting the ocean’. Those were suspiciously mermaidy things to be said! And Ben knew all about them?! Her thinking was interrupted by Pearl calling out for Ben with a playful tone. Straining to hear, the teenager could make out some of what they said now that they were louder, separated by the bathroom door.

“Yes, Pearl?” Ben said with a hint of teasing.

“I forgot my seaweed pillow in the bedroom. Would you mind fetching it for me?” Pearl asked.

“I can get it, but I have no idea where you put it,” he drawled.

“It’s in—oh, it will be tricky to describe. Could you perhaps take me there, please? I’ve already taken off my necklace, I don’t want to transform again.”

Alex was trying to understand what that meant when the pair re-entered the bedroom: Ben, carrying the woman in his arms bridal-style; the woman…no longer with legs and feet. Instead, she had a purple tail and fins, a seashell bra on her chest, and her arms wrapped around the man’s neck. The teenager in the closet gasped and covered her own mouth, wide-eyed, her nose almost pressed against the door to get a better look. Oh my God. I was right! She’s a fucking mermaid! And he knows all about it!

“You’re getting to be quite demanding these days,” Ben joked, smiling down at her. He’d never say no to picking up Pearl and carrying her around though, not when it felt like a lovely hug between them.

“Me?” She laughed cheerily. “You are the one who said I must ‘follow your cue and your rules’ in order to live with you!”

“For a reason!” Ben chuckled, eyes on her. “And it has worked out well, hasn’t it?”

“It has indeed,” Pearl beamed up at him.

He was smiling at her like she was the most precious person in the entire universe. Alex could see that—and it worried her. Could Ben be under the spell of the siren song? He wouldn’t be that smitten with a known mermaid, would he? Unfortunately, she could only see his face. Pearl was smiling up at Ben like he was her whole world, so smitten with him too! But Alex didn’t see that, so she had no idea that there were real feelings between them. She was only aware of sirens hypnotizing men.

The adults left the room so the teenager hurried to sneak back out. She made it all the way to the end of the lawn when she doubled back, restless. What if that thing ate her father?! Alex knew there was a treaty between people and merfolk, but she’d only heard of mermaids as cold, calculated drowners of people! As much as she claimed to hate her father, Alex didn’t want him to die! If someone pointed a gun at him, she’d protest too! Maybe she should do something to keep him safe from Pearl!

When she reached the porch, she hesitated. Pearl had been living there for almost three months and had never hurt Ben. Maybe he wasn’t even under her spell; Ben was a manipulator, that lovey smile could’ve been an act to fool the creature.

Yeah, Ben always had everything under control. Alex decided to leave it alone and turned around to walk away. She made it to the pathway this time before having yet another change of heart and running back in.

“Ben?” she called for her dad as she abruptly entered the living room.

“Alex?” his face softened with fondness when he saw her. “Hi! What—what brings you here? Come in! Would you like some dinner?”

“No, I, uh—I think you should sleep over at Amelia’s with me tonight,” she blurted nervously.

That surprised Ben. More than that, it worried him. A request like that must have a very good reason behind it. “Why? What’s wrong, Alex?” he asked softly.

She groaned impatiently. “Nothing, it—it doesn’t matter, okay?! Just—can you come?”

“Why don’t you sleep over here tonight?” he offered instead. “In your own bedroom. Pearl can take my room and I’ll take the couch.” Whatever was happening, he felt he’d have better control of it if he stayed home. He’d keep Alex safe there.

“No!” she nearly shrieked. “Not here! Come on, grab the least you can and let’s go!”

The man was thoroughly confused, but if his daughter was seriously asking him for something, he would do it. Especially when she was so frantic! “I’ll be right there. Let me give Pearl a heads up, grab a few things and I’ll get going, alright?” he smiled, trying to soothe her.

Alex exhaled with relief. “I’ll wait on the porch,” she hurried to distance herself from the deadly siren in the bathtub. But she kept the door open, closely watching the inside of the house.

That made it so that Ben had to pretend the bathroom was empty. He walked in without knocking, striding casually, and once inside he quickly shut the door and whispered. “I’m so sorry to barge in, Pearl—are you still awake?”

“I am, yes,” the blonde emerged from underwater and sat up in the bathtub, her purple fins hanging elegantly off the side. She peered up at him curiously. “What happened?”

“Alex just showed up insisting that I sleep at Amelia’s house tonight. I don’t know why; something is going on,” he explained, his face pensive and a little suspicious.

“Goodness, then you should go! If I can be of any assistance, please come back and retrieve me,” Pearl offered sincerely, placing an elbow on the edge of the bathtub and leaning closer.

“Thank you,” he smiled softly, comforted by her offer. “I just came in here to let you know that I’ll be leaving, and to grab a, uh—” the words vanished from his lips because he only just noticed that Pearl was not wearing her seashell bra. Her hair covered everything—but it was wet, so it clung to the shape of her bare breasts. The nipples were almost poking through. Ben’s breath hitched and his heart skipped a beat. He swallowed dryly, imagining something a little dirty. “Uh…”

“To grab a what?” she asked after a few seconds of silence.

He stared at her shape for three seconds too long, Ben realized, so he quickly turned around and went to fuss with the cabinet. “Sorry, my—my mind drifted a bit there. To, uh, to grab my toothbrush. Here it is,” he fetched it and awkwardly flashed it at her whilst looking elsewhere. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Good luck, Ben,” she wished him, and he briefly (and carefully!) met her eyes to smile in thanks. It was only when he left that Pearl realized his sudden pause happened because she was topless. The mermaid chuckled as she sank back under the water.

Alex was watching like a hawk when he exited the bathroom, so he smiled innocently at her and flashed the toothbrush. “Getting this! I need some pajamas too,” he hurried to his own bedroom to grab them, “and let me say goodbye to Pearl now.” To pretend to do that, he went into Alex’s empty bedroom. It was more subterfuge than an outright lie, only meant to hide the fact that Pearl slept in the bathroom.

Father and daughter finally left. When they reached Amelia’s, Ben apologized for the imposition and explained that Alex insisted. Alex backed him up. Amelia didn’t have a problem with it and amiably made up the couch for Ben to sleep on.

He tried to talk to Alex again, gently asking her why the outburst and the sudden need for parental presence at the house.

“I swear I’m okay, I’m like—not hurt or anything. I…I just had a bad feeling, okay?” Alex exclaimed. “Like a premonition that you needed to be here tonight!”

“Alright,” he accepted it, although still wishing for more answers. But she was clearly resistant to giving any, and still pretty frazzled, so Ben let her go to sleep.

The teenager was nowhere to be found when he woke up. Unusual, as Ben was the earlier riser. He questioned Amelia, who said Alex left with her slingshot to a spot in the jungle where she usually went to think. Think about what?, Ben wondered with a frown.

Alone in the jungle, shooting little rocks at the trees to calm her mind, Alex was trying to decide what to do about the revelation of Pearl’s true nature. Should she stay out of it and trust that Ben wasn’t hypnotized? Or should she warn someone that a deadly mermaid was living in their village?

And the mermaid in question had no idea that her secret had been found out.

Notes:

They’re having many near-kisses lately, huh? If you want them to kiss, I promise you’ll really like the next chapter! And the next chapter is also the last one of the second part of this fic! Then we’ll finally be onto part three, the final part that deals with seasons 4 and beyond. I’m really excited to get to it, there are a lot of different, new things that will be happening, and I hope you all will enjoy it! <3

Chapter 31: The blissful magic of consummating one’s love

After leaving Amelia’s in the morning, Ben was on his way home when he spotted the familiar blonde beauty outside.

“Ben!” she cheerily called from a green hammock, where she was curled up with a book. The simple netted contraption tied between two trees had become one of her favorite spots; Pearl felt at ease and free in the swinging hammock. Not exactly like the ocean, but vaguely reminiscent of the comfort of rolling waves. And far enough from any prying eyes. “Is everything okay with Alex?”

“Yes, although I’m still not clear on what happened there,” Ben shrugged with a pensive squint, then offered a small smile as he approached the mermaid. “Are you reading that on your own?” he gestured toward her novel. There was a hint of pleased pride in the tone of his voice.

“Indeed!” the mermaid beamed at him. “I would love to show you, if you’ll care to join me.” She patted the empty spot next to herself, inviting him in.

“Of course!” he answered instantly and perhaps a tad too enthusiastically. Ben sat on the green hammock and neatly swung his legs over it to get inside. He lied down next to Pearl so that he could see the pages, but made sure to leave a respectful distance between them. His head hit the green pillow and Pearl promptly invaded the space he left for her, scooting closer until their bodies were touching. His breath got caught in his throat, mind briefly flashing back to the hand-holding and almost-kisses they recently shared.

“I’ve said it before: you, Benjamin, are an excellent teacher,” she praised with a wide grin, turning sideways to rest one arm – and the book --on his chest. It was a simple, short young adult novel, but for someone who had only been learning to read for a couple months, it was a huge accomplishment.

“Thank you,” he let out a puff of air that sounded like a chuckle. He didn’t move when she touched him.

“May I?” she flipped a page, intending to show off her newly acquired knowledge.

“Go ahead,” Ben had a fond smile on his face. Pearl started to read aloud to him, inverting the dynamic of what he’d been doing for her for book club. She was excited, narrating the story in the most endearing, cheerful way. Ben was so taken with her that he boldly wrapped an arm around her back-- which wasn’t much, considering she was already half on him. Soon her left knee was casually draped over his legs. It gave both of them a little thrill.

“The end,” she proudly declared when she finished reading her favorite section so far. Pearl dropped the book, but kept her hand on his chest. She was practically cuddling him.

“That was wonderful,” he told her sincerely. “You’re an impressively fast learner, Pearl.”

“Why, thank you kindly,” she giggled that ethereal giggle of hers and Ben felt more smitten by the second.

“I suppose you don’t need my help anymore…” He meant for it to sound like praise, but disappointment crept in. As happy as he was with her progress, Ben was crestfallen to realize that their moments of stolen intimacy reading together were over.

She picked up on the hidden sadness in his tone, and she shared in it. The times she spent reading with Ben were some of her most treasured memories on land! “We may continue to read together anyway. I cherish that time. And…I shall always need your help with one thing or another, Ben…”

That was so sweet and so encouraging that all he could do was look at her and smile. He thought about how to proceed for a moment, mulling it over, then decided to wrap his other arm around her front, catching Pearl in a hug. They were all alone out there, anyway. And didn’t they kind of go on an unofficial date the night before? But, despite feeling emboldened by recent developments, he was still a bit stiff, bracing for possible rejection. The situation between them was complicated, after all.

The mermaid melted into his touch immediately, shifting so her head came to rest on his chest, and sliding her hand so she was properly hugging him across his torso. Ben’s heart raced so wildly that he was sure she would feel it beating through his red shirt.

They relaxed together in a languid cuddle for a while, watching the passing clouds and pointing out which ones looked like an animal or a person. Ben felt an immense sense of peace and intimacy. He wondered if she felt it too. And she did.

“You really do not think that one looks like a bunny?” Pearl asked after he rebutted her notions about a particularly fluffy cloud.

“No. It’s clearly a cat,” Ben disagreed with playful flatness. Giggling, the siren looked up at him—and when their eyes met it was like the whole world stopped. They were mesmerized by each other’s gazes, sparks flying between them and charging their stares.

It reminded him of the stakes. “We…have a week left. Are you all settled to go home?” he asked with measured caution, eyeing her with hopeful – but anxious – bittersweetness.

Pearl reached out to thread her fingers between the hair spikes on top of his head, then ran those fingers down to behind his ears, gently petting his hair. Ben felt a pleasant shiver run up his spine and his insides got warm and mushy. The mermaid placed a delicate palm flat on his cheek and looked at him with an indecipherable expression, like she was searching for something within his gaze. She smiled cryptically. “No. I haven’t packed a thing. I shall not pack until the last day of our three months.”

There was an explosion of relief inside his heart. Pearl was delaying their goodbye as much as he was! Ben smiled back, nodding, all but lost in her beautiful golden-flecked eyes. She didn’t move her hand away from his face – which he was quite grateful for – so Ben reached out and gingerly grasped her upper arm. Her smile widened and grew warmer at that, and that reaction made his heart swell up. Ben moved his thumb to languidly caress her arm, and Pearl, too, felt gooey and warm inside.

Another quiet moment of closeness and intimacy passed between them. They were highly aware of all the feelings of love brewing within their hearts, but neither was quite willing to vocalize how they truly felt about the other.

Ben always found peculiar that he felt more at ease and found more kinship in someone from a whole other world than with his own people. They were very alike, he and Pearl, and she knew how to make him comfortable enough to open up, how to make him laugh, how to make him happy. He felt lucky to have met her—and terribly unlucky to be losing her soon. Ben knew that their final week would go by in the blink of an eye, and then she’d be gone. At first, he couldn’t wait for the countdown to end and to finally see himself rid of that pestering siren with the fangs and the cockiness. But now…now his stomach clenched painfully whenever he thought about it. And there was no hope of keeping her; he didn’t think even someone as brilliant as himself could sway a mermaid into staying on land. She didn’t belong there. She was wild, and free, and from the ocean. The notion pained him so he quickly shoved it down, focusing on plans for the week ahead instead. There was Christmas, which should be lovely with the mermaid, and then he wanted to make her a special dinner on her last night. Maybe even give her a goodbye kiss after dessert. There were still things to look forward to! But Ben was distracted from all of them, his focus pulled by the way her thumb grazed down his jawline.

Caught in the moment, he gently ran the back of his hand up and down her cheek, admiring every inch of her face. She let out a tiny little whine when he touched her. It was so unexpected that it nearly startled Ben.

“I used to hate humans touching me,” Pearl began to explain herself, placing her hand atop his to keep him from removing it. “They always try to, be it curiosity, a sense of entitlement, or a consequence of the enchantment of the Siren Song. They don’t always mean harm, but it is tiring.”

Ben frowned, feeling a degree of sympathy he’d never expected to feel for her. “I’m sorry. That must be a difficult thing to go through.” He paused, very aware that she was keeping his hand on her cheek. “But you did--- want me…to do that. Didn’t you?” God, he felt so silly for sounding so stilted!

She didn’t seem to notice, because her face lit up with an affectionate grin. “Yes. Very much so.” Pearl liked Ben’s touch very much.

His stomach did a somersault. He hugged her tighter, rubbing his thumb against the soft skin of her face in a loving caress. Pearl’s smile widened. Looking into her eyes, snug in that hammock, Ben saw her tongue dart out and slowly wet her lips. He could swear she was being seductive—and not in a superficial charming way. Actually seductive, like she wanted…well, him. And now, while they were entangled and away from prying eyes. It was Halloween all over again.

And he wanted her, oh, desperately so! All of his many reasons to avoid her were being overshadowed by his feelings for her! Ben leaned forward, sliding his hand in her hair. The strands were so soft, he always loved touching them. He kept his gaze on her lips, being obvious with his intentions. “Pearl…” he said in his mesmerizing lower register. He half-wanted her to talk him out of this madness.

“Ben,” she purred, curling into him more. Her knee dragged up his thigh. “This…is a bad idea, isn’t it?” Pearl whispered, hand on his neck and jawline.

“Very bad, yeah,” Ben nodded stiffly, heart thumping. “We promised we wouldn’t do this for a reason.”

But he didn’t pull away, and she didn’t drop her hand.

“You’re human, I’m a mermaid. We’re on opposite sides and different worlds,” she reiterated the main reasons why there should never be anything between them.

“And we’re their leaders!” Ben added with vehemence, mostly to convince himself of it. “You and I, as a…pair…would overcomplicate things…” He couldn’t take his eyes off of her, though. They were tied together by magnetism too strong to ignore. And it was becoming harder and harder for them to breathe.

“Indeed, yes!” Pearl leaned in even closer to him, impossibly close, being drawn in rather than breaking apart. “It is reckless to indulge in any passing fancy for each other…”

“Reckless and unwise,” Ben added, eyes ominously wide as he canted his head in her direction, inching closer still. “So we shouldn’t…”

“No, we shouldn’t…” she agreed, eyes fluttering until they closed, her mouth a hair’s breadth away from his.

They knew they shouldn’t give in. At all. But, this time, neither of them were strong enough to hold back. The usually ever-cautious, ever-guarded, ever-calculated pair found themselves unable to resist the sparks between them, and they didn’t overthink or over-strategize things. Their promise to stay away from each other was tossed in the trash as chemistry overtook them. Caution was thrown to the wind when their lips touched, ever so slowly, in a moment full of longing anticipation.

Oh, it felt like forever since they had last kissed each other! Giving in felt delicious; it felt right, like it completed them. It was a tender kiss, soft and lingering, and they were quick to pull back again. They knew they were playing with fire. Ben blinked a few times, Pearl squinted, and both seemed to smile with pensive hesitation. But, now that there were genuine feelings between them, that one kiss opened the floodgates. Wordlessly, they moved toward each other at exactly the same time, as if pulled by a magnet. Their lips touched again and this time their mouths parted instantly, giving way for tongues to slip in and taste one another. It was beautiful, and magical, and made them feel giddily blissful.

Ben pulled Pearl a little closer, tightening the hug. She laid flat on his torso, legs entwined with his, her hand buried in his hair. He slowly caressed her mid-back and ribcage, and his knee grazed against her thigh. The pair continued to trade loving kisses for some time, lips shifting and tongues sliding with relaxed passion. Their arms were locked around each other as they cuddled on that green hammock.

Despite being in a pretty deserted area of the Barracks, Ben and Pearl were still out in the open. It was reckless to be so unaware of their surroundings. They normally wouldn’t make such a mistake, but their brains were so fuzzy with love and desire that they didn’t even think that, although the chances were small, someone could potentially walk by and catch them making out on a swinging net.

And Tom Friendly just so happened to be that person. He took a detour on his way home, leading him straight through the path with the old hammock, where he spotted the passionate and oblivious duo. He let out a chuckle, pleased to see that Ben was having a good time with his icy, leggy blonde visitor. I knew they had a thing! Who did Ben think he was fooling?

Tom didn’t dwell on that, continuing on his way and giving the couple their privacy. When he approached the main hub of the Barracks he came across Alex, who was pacing nervously outside the volleyball court. Juliet, from a nearby window, noticed that the teenager was struggling with something. She was visiting from the camp of the plane crash survivors, bringing updates on the lack of any other pregnancies but Claire, who had already had the baby.

“Alex, is everything okay?” the woman came outside to ask, and Tom slowed down to catch up with them. If the boss’ daughter had a problem, they had to help her.

“Yeah,” the teenager flashed a fake smile, but it instantly gave way to a grimace. She was still grappling with what to do about Pearl’s secret.

“Is this because your dad is making out with Pearl?” Tom incorrectly guessed. “Let him live, Alex. It’s good for him!”

“He’s kissing her?!” Alex’s eyes shot wide open. “Oh, shit,” the teen muttered under her breath. Ben wouldn’t willingly kiss a siren, would he?

“You didn’t know?” Tom grimaced sheepishly, realizing he spoiled Ben’s secret. “Don’t tell him I told you.”

Juliet frowned, eyeing the brunette girl. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

“Yeah. I mean—not really.” Alex glanced around surreptitiously. “Can I talk to you two inside?”

“Sure, come in,” a cautious Juliet gestured to the open door. Tom followed them in.

After shutting the door, the teenager took a deep breath and shoved her hands in her pockets. That kiss unnerved her immensely. It changed things. She decided she had to tell someone the truth before it was too late. “So, uh, I went home last night, and…I saw Pearl. She didn’t see me. She has a tail.”

“A tail?” Juliet repeated, confused.

“Yeah, like—a mermaid tail. I’m telling you, guys, she’s not human,” Alex bit her lip, nervous.

Juliet’s eyes widened. “She’s one of them?!”

“You sure?” Tom double-checked.

“Yeah! I wouldn’t mistake a tail!” Alex insisted with an attitude.

The three traded wary looks. Everything made sense now! How Pearl appeared out of nowhere, how Ben kept her sequestered out of sight for a month, presumably while she learned how to act human. The moonstone necklace, her ethereal charm but off-putting iciness, the very shiny, very smooth waist-length blonde hair of fine strands and full quantity and soft to the touch, the elegance in her movements, the hisses when she was upset…all tell-tale signs of a mermaid. They were surprised it took them so long to notice, and they frankly felt a bit stupid to have missed it.

But more than that: the reputation of the sirens worried them tremendously.

“Ah, damn it,” Tom frowned and hung his head low, shaking it. “She’s making out with Ben right now! I was happy for him—it took him so long to get over Annie! Even when he dated that other woman, he wanted Annie. I was thrilled that he moved on…but what if he didn’t? What if he’s under a siren spell?”

“Maybe he really likes her, and he doesn’t know what she is,” Juliet suggested.

“Oh he knows it alright,” Alex said glumly. “He was totally carrying her last night while she had a tail! They talked about how she sleeps in the bathtub! I wasn’t sure if he was enchanted by her song or not, but now I’m pretty sure. No way would dad kiss a mermaid, in public!” Alex exclaimed. “She’s like an aquatic creature and an enemy, so he wouldn’t! Right?”

“That’s what I was thinking,” Juliet chimed in after a moment of consideration. “Are we in agreement that Ben is too responsible to knowingly kiss a siren out of his own free will?”

“Yeah,” Alex agreed at the same time that Tom nodded.

“And he’s too cautious to get involved with one of the mermaids,” the man added. “He has to be under her spell.”

“He…could be in danger, right? Pearl could eat him, or drown him?” the girl hesitantly asked with a frown. Despite her claims that she hated Ben and wouldn’t care if he died, she cared; of course she cared! Ben was her father, and she still loved him!

Juliet gave a solemn nod. “And if he’s hypnotized, this is wrong.” Ben couldn’t consent to making out if he wasn’t of sound mind!

Tom looked from the woman to the teen, grimly determined. “So it’s settled: we have to do something about this. Let’s save our boss.”

***

Tom and Juliet were nervous to confront a powerful mermaid. The manual didn’t offer much advice on how to take one down. They figured Tom’s gun ought to do the job if things went too far.

“No killing,” he reminded the woman. “We got a treaty with these sirens. We just want to run Pearl off, send her home.”

“I know,” Juliet said. Alex was lurking nearby, but they insisted that the girl stay out of a direct confrontation. They didn’t want to put her in danger.

The duo followed Pearl to the bottom of a cliff a few feet from the hammock, where the oblivious siren was humming to herself while happily making a new flower crown to adorn her long blonde hair with. Ben had left her for a moment, gone to grab some snacks for the two of them.

“Pearl,” Tom called out with a patronizing edge, lifting the gun toward her. “We know what you are, siren. You don’t belong here.”

Pearl’s eyes widened and her blood ran cold with instant fear when she saw the gun. Nothing frightened her more than those awful things! She hissed like a cornered predator, letting her teeth sharpen into deadly fangs. It was intimidating enough to make her opponents retreat a few steps. Good. “Back off!” she snarled.

Maybe she should have deescalated, raised her hands and calmly explained to them that she was holding up the peace treaty and working alongside Benjamin. But the sight of the gun made her feel so threatened that she fought back instantly, reacting on wild instinct. She was part animal, after all.

“Go back to the ocean,” Juliet said in a leveled tone. “Leave Ben and all of us alone.”

“We won’t hurt ya if you leave,” Tom added. They only wanted to scare her.

She swallowed fearfully. But, when she eyed the barrel of that gun, something else burned inside her with even more strength: anger. “You dare accost me in such manner?! With a gun?!” Her eyes glowed a bright golden and she glared harshly. The siren queen was so mad, so insulted! She wanted to bite their throats out or drag them underwater! She wouldn’t resort to violence, though. “I have done nothing to you! You humans will never change. You are always cruel, always quick to kill,” she hissed accusingly, speaking through fangs and staring at them with scathing disdain.

Tom cocked the gun, ignoring her speech. “I’ll shoot if you don’t go. I mean it, siren. You’re a monster of the seas: you can’t be here!”

The word ‘monster’ made her flinch. “I’ll go,” she said with disgust. Pearl would never live somewhere where her secret was out in the open, with people who owned guns and wanted her dead. How did they even find out, anyway?! It didn’t matter. She had to leave. Her heart sank when she realized she didn’t even have time to say goodbye to Ben! And worse still—she didn’t trust those two humans. Pearl feared that if she turned her back on them, they’d shoot her dead. So she needed to disarm them first.

It would be so easy to pretend to go while singing the Siren Song under her breath, secretly ensnaring them to her will! But she promised Ben not to hypnotize any of his people ever again! And she wouldn’t betray him; not even now. So, as she walked backwards toward the cliff, the siren inhaled deeply, opening her hands and humming a different song. It was the same rally cry that summoned the storm while she and Ben were buried underground. The sky went grey almost immediately.

Tom and Juliet were dumbfounded, trying to wrap their heads around the terrifying idea of a mermaid controlling weather. Was that what happened, or was it an ill-timed coincidence? A heavy downpour began, soaking them as their standoff continued to the soundtrack of loud thunders. The lightning bolts parting the sky were as angry as Pearl.

The storm reinvigorated her. Pearl felt like the energy of the elements entered her body, making her one with nature. She continued to walk backwards, cold eyes locked on her enemies, until her feet reached the first rock of the cliff. Lifting her arms above her head, she summoned some rain to her hands. The droplets conjoined together to form a thick pillar of water that swirled above her open palms. It took mere seconds for the mermaid to assemble all that. Holding a long note of the song, a soaked Pearl wielded that rain pillar like a weapon that she hurled at the humans with one sharp thrust of the hands. Tom was hit squarely on the shoulder and knocked back, falling over a bush and dropping the gun, while Juliet was tripped by Tom’s fall and slipped on the wet grass.

That was Pearl’s chance! She ran up the cliff at full speed, ripping off her necklace just as she jumped off of it to land directly in the ocean. Tom and Juliet saw her legs join together to grow iridescent purple fins and scales while she was in the air, and then the mermaid disappeared down the cliff’s edge.

Her steepled hands broke through the waves and her body shot down, quickly sinking into the sea. She flipped her fins to take her deeper. Pearl breathed more easily now that she was in the safety of her natural habitat. It was time to go home. Now that those humans knew her true identity, it would do Pearl no good to stay in the Barracks. The experiment was over, and maybe it was for the best; she’d been getting too attached to a human. Oh, but it broke her heart to leave Ben, especially so suddenly!

Ben was coming back with their snacks, dry under an umbrella, when he saw part of what happened. His heart jumped at the sight of Tom pointing a gun at Pearl during a storm. In the blink of an eye Pearl was disarming him and Juliet by harnessing the power of rainwater.

Oh, no! Her secret had been found out, Ben was sure of it!

“Pearl, wait!” he shouted urgently while she ran up the cliff. But she couldn’t hear him over the thunder and rain. He instantly tossed the umbrella and snacks on the ground and ran after her, throwing a scathing look at Tom and Juliet while he passed them. Ben was furious with them. He ran to the edge of the cliff, fighting the storm and desperate to catch Pearl, but it was too late. She had already disappeared beneath the waves. A drenched Ben inhaled shakily, shoving the heartbreak down and letting the anger come out in its place. He whirled around and glared at Juliet and Tom with eyes so wide and lips so pressed together that it was almost a little comical in its own terrifying way. The two felt chills; it could be dangerous to go against Ben’s wishes, and he was more than a little pissed.

“We were trying to help,” Juliet attempted to appease, remaining calm.

“Do me a favor and don’t help me unless I ask you to,” Ben icily retorted, his eyes pure steel.

“We were concerned, Ben,” Tom started. “She’s a monster, and--”

The leader harshly interrupted, tone acidic: “Next time bring your concerns to me before acting of your own accord. Or better yet, stay out of things you know nothing about!” His hardened glare traveled from Tom to Juliet, letting them feel the weight of it. They visibly shrank. “I don’t have time for this,” Ben snapped under his breath. He had to go after Pearl! He scoffed and began to walk away before deciding that he had one more thing to say: “She’s so much better thank you think. Pearl is no monster.” He threw them one last scathing look before stalking away.

The last thing he saw of them was Alex running toward the two, worried and wide-eyed. It felt like a kick to Ben’s stomach when he realized that his daughter was part of this! Suddenly, her dragging him out of the house the night before made sense: she must have heard that Pearl was a mermaid somehow. And she was involved with running Pearl off their village. His heart tightened.

God, what would he do now?! He didn’t even get to say goodbye! He needed to find her! Talk to her, apologize, explain that he had nothing to do with that confrontation! Convince her to come back! Frantic, he began to run to the beach, then thought better of it. Pearl would be long gone by now, he would never find her if he tried to swim after her. But—the conch! It could be his saving grace! That magical conch would call her back to shore! So Ben pivoted in the rain, footsteps splashing on the puddles as he ran back home.

Shaky hands fumbled through his bedside drawer until he found the spiraling shell. Ben exhaled with relief, giving it a little squeeze of gratitude. He wouldn’t know what to do or how to find her fast without the magical object. “Oh, her music box,” he gasped to himself and ran to the bathroom. Ben knew how much that music box meant to Pearl; she would’ve never left it behind willingly! So he would bring it back to her, as an offering of apology and to entice her to come talk to him. Like a gift.

A gift, like on Christmas. Oh God, Christmas! Ben’s heart tightened even more painfully when he remembered that they were only five days away from the holiday— and Pearl had been so looking forward to experiencing a human Christmas! He couldn’t deny that he had been looking forward to spending the day with her too, sharing all the special traditions with the mermaid. He imagined her face shining with excitement when she saw the twinkling lights and ornaments on the tree, her flirtatiousness under the mistletoe, their banter at Christmas dinner…oh, it would have been so lovely, but now…now it was nothing but a missed opportunity. An eternal what-if. He knew she must be so disappointed, and it was almost devastating to think of that loss on top of all the others.

Still. Missing out on Christmas hurt them both. But losing each other? That made them feel like they might just shatter if they didn’t cover it all up with cold detachment.

On the way out, Ben glimpsed the two pages of the coloring book that Summer colored: the meadow that she gifted her mother, and the two mermaids underwater that she gifted Ben. The pair had decided to display them on Ben’s fridge door, just like two proud parents. His heart and stomach squeezed painfully at the sight; that shared life with Pearl was over now. For good. She might not even visit him anymore after being run out like that! The siren-summoned violent storm in the sky told him exactly how angry and scared Pearl must’ve been. Hell, he’d be lucky if he was able to say goodbye! If he wasn’t so desperate to find her, tears might even be wetting his eyes. But he was too focused on the mission to let himself feel all the loss.

With the two items in hand, Ben hurried out of his home and ventured back into the storm, heart pounding in his throat. He swore his fingertips were a little numb. There were people watching him from the windows – most noticeably, the trio that chased Pearl away – so he slowed down a bit. He didn’t want to tip them off to where he was going.

The farther he got from his people, the faster Ben power-walked toward the shore, squinting and blinking to keep the raindrops from his eyes that he protected with a raised hand. The strong winds tried to blow him back but he pushed forward. His heart was beating wildly, not due to the physical exercise; it was the pure and unadulterated fear that he might never see Pearl again. He was prepared for the pain of saying goodbye to her, but to lose her so unexpectedly? With no parting kiss, hug, or even words?! Yes, she was a sneaky little creature who could kill them all, but she was a ray of light in his life. And to leave on such bad terms…oh, he hated it! Fast footsteps became an outright sprint toward the beach.

He reached the edge of the shore and frowned with slight discontent; he didn’t want to get salt water on his shoes and pants, but there was no time to even stop and get barefoot. Any second delayed was a second longer for her to slink into the depths of the sea and disappear forever. Ben waded straight into the shallows, the heavy storm making him struggle to hear even himself as he called out her name. He couldn’t see much more than a thick curtain of falling rain despite the hand he raised to shield his eyes. He lifted the supernatural conch to his lips and blew on it. “Pearl? Pearl, please, I-- I need to speak to you. Can you hear me?” he yelled at the stormy sea.

For a while, there was nothing. He blew the conch again and again, in vain, desperately trying to summon the mermaid queen. Frantic blue eyes scanned the horizon over and over in search of a glimpse of her, heart beating with mad hope and growing anguish. Please come, Pearl. Please talk to me. What if she doesn’t want to risk it? What if she blames me? Pearl, please, he mentally urged her to show up, his face twisted into a pained grimace. He even dared to go deeper in the revolt waters, all the way to chest-depth in search of her. The waves continuously knocked him back, yet he kept forging ahead.

He was starting to despair when he saw something rising out of the ocean, far off in the distance. Ben gasped softly, and although he couldn’t make out the face or tiara yet, he recognized those long blonde tresses anywhere. His breath hitched with nerves; what if she actually blamed him? Pearl wasn’t exactly the most rational when it came to guns. She held grudges.

Well, if that was the case, then it was even more imperative that he set things right with her! He ran back to shore to make himself more visible to her, waving a hand in the air.

The mermaid floated upright in place, not moving. She stared at him for an uncomfortably long moment, her striking features tainted with a heartbreaking look of deep pain mixed with longing, relief and affection. Her heart had raced with hopeful glee when she heard the conch from underwater, and she was glad to return to the man who was calling out for her. But she was also somber, and guarded. Ben couldn’t quite make out any of that through the heavy curtain of rain and the distance between them, and all he could do was speculate how she felt.

“Pearl, please! Come closer, I,” Ben shouted over thunder and sea, squinting. “I would really like to talk! I have your music box,” he flashed it to her as if that might entice her to meet him.

But of course the siren wanted nothing more than to come to him, embrace him, give him a goodbye kiss! He didn’t need any box to entice her! She was hesitating though, floating amongst the waves with ease because she feared that her heart might shatter if she touched him now. The physical distance between them seemed like an ominous representation of why they couldn’t be together: the mermaid in the sea, the man on the shore.

And yet she couldn’t refuse him. She’d give anything for another moment with Ben, even if it hurt worse in the end. With a deep breath to steady her nerves, she signaled to the nearest rock formation before diving underwater with a splash of her tail. It was on the other side of the stretch of sand Ben was at.

Ben was breathing hard through a half-open mouth as he rushed to the meeting spot, relieved to get the chance to talk to her. He carefully stepped over flat wet rocks, and by the time he got there she was already sitting atop a taller rock in the sea, completely at peace with the rain that kept hitting them. Pearl was a bewitching vision: an elegantly sat mermaid queen, being one with the powerful storm, blonde hair blowing in the wind and purple tail soaked with rain. Waves were breaking behind her, hitting the rock and splashing them.

“Here is your music box,” he hurried to tell her with a light pant, holding it up in her direction. He ran a free hand through his hair, trying to make the wet spikes un-cling from his head.

Her features softened. “Thank you kindly, Benjamin. I am so grateful that you’ve returned this to me.” She bowed and gracefully picked up the box, then carefully set it on the rocks. Ben stared at her, practically holding his breath to see what she might say next. He wanted her to speak more first so he’d get a read on where her head was at. She tilted her face to the side, locking eyes with him. “I thought you might come after me. I was rather hoping you would.”

Oh, Ben’s heart nearly burst at that! He was so relieved that she wanted him to chase her! His breath trembled as he stood in front of the rock, arms hanging limply by his sides; he was suddenly very hyper-aware of his own body. “You were hoping that I would come-- to apologize, or to ask that you stay?” he shrewdly inquired.

A small smile tugged on her lips, but there was sadness in her eyes. “To say whatever it is you wish to say to me.” She wouldn’t tell him what to do. It had to come from him.

“I-- do want to apologize, Pearl,” Ben’s head moved around a little. His tone was a tad urgent, but somehow still calm. “They were out of line pointing that gun at you. I hope you don’t think I had anything to do with that.”

“I know that wasn’t your doing,” she reassured with a smile that didn’t reach her eyes. “I trust that you would not have set me up like that. Not after—” a flourish of the hand, “--everything.”

He let out a soft puff of air of relief. “I’m glad that you know. And I’m sorry they called you…those insulting things. You’re not a monster.” His words were genuine, but they were also coming out like they were calculated, because he needed to get them right.

“Am I not a monster?” Pearl questioned, flashing her golden eyes at him and letting all of her teeth sharpen into fangs. Ben took a startled step back, eyes widening, but then he caught himself. He wouldn’t let her frighten him, especially because he knew that she was coming from a place of hurt feelings and upset, not from a place of threatening him.

“No,” he vehemently shook his head. “Your species is a predator to humans, but you are not a monster. No more than me…” The last part came out in such a small voice that Pearl was sure he was ashamed to be saying it. Ben didn’t even understand why he had said so much. It was always easier to tell the truth when it would be soon buried at the bottom of the ocean. She seemed to ponder his words, eyes returning back to their hazel shade and the fangs retracting.

“Do you mean that? Don’t lie to me, Ben,” she asked more than told. Because, as much as she knew that Ben cared for her, she always wondered if deep down he still thought of mermaids as threats to be avoided. She was a predator of humans; that was undeniable. And now that she was in love with a human, that fact made her a little insecure. She didn’t want the man she loved to ever think of her as some kind of beast! Having the word ‘monster’ thrown at her by those other two upset her. She needed Ben to reassure her!

“I do,” he reiterated firmly. “You’re kind, Pearl, and you’re caring. You never wanted to hurt anyone. Not even a human,” Ben attempted to throw a playful smile her way, but it looked a little strained. He felt bad that she was insecure because of something his people said to her.

Regardless, she smiled back, comforted by his faith in her. Something warm and fuzzy sparked within her. “Then neither are you. You’re a good person, Benjamin Linus. I’ve seen your care and your empathy too. And you never took joy in hurting anyone.”

Her words did him good, melting him and making his smile grow a little more. The wet shirt clung to his body. “So you accept my apology?”

“You have nothing to apologize for,” Pearl shook her head, droplets of water flying off her hair. “You did not call me a monster or try to run me off the village with a gun.”

A quiet nod. “Does that mean you’ll come back with me?” he tried, hopeful. A week was not a lot, but he wanted to have that with her. Since she didn’t blame him, maybe she would accept his invitation.

Her eyes fell to her tail. “My time on land has been cut short,” Pearl somberly informed him.

“No,” he fired back flatly. “We have a deal. You have a week left with us; you should stay. I want to make sure I fulfill my side of the bargain, Pearl.” Despite talking business, his eyes were on hers, fixed with unblinking intensity even in the pouring rain.

She gave him the semblance of a smile, meeting his gaze. “Our ruse has been found out; I’m not safe in your land with others knowing the truth about me.”

His mouth opened and closed a few times as he shook his head, letting out a soft noise of strangled frustration. “You know that they obey me. I won’t let them hurt you. I still owe you time—”

“You kept your side of the deal, Benjamin. Do not worry; you owe me nothing.” The mermaid gracefully bowed her head, resolute but trying to keep her voice from shaking. “It’s been an honor to learn more about humans from someone as astounding as you. But it’s time for me to go home. I’ve learned enough.” Some humans will never change. That was the sad truth.

He felt like a knife had pierced his heart – and he swore her voice was a little choked up -- but he wasn’t defeated yet. “I’ve ordered them to leave you alone. They know better than to disobey. You don’t need to worry, Pearl, your secret will stay safe,” he said with persuasive intensity.

The mermaid shook her head, so he snapped his mouth shut. “That’s awfully sweet of you. I thank you for taking the time to protect my identity—and I know your people are loyal to you and they listen to you. But…it’s uncomfortable for me to be amongst so many that misunderstand me. I don’t want to live with people who want to shoot me and only refrain from doing so because you ordered them not to!”

Unfortunately, he could understand where she was coming from. The only thing he could still try was to remind her of all the good yet to come. The question came out softly: “And Christmas?” A tentative, hopeful smile. “A week is not that long…”

She swallowed hard, visibly crestfallen. “I’m afraid I must miss it. Tom and Juliet reminded me that I don’t belong up here, dear Ben. I’ve stayed long enough. This…odd partnership of ours isn’t sustainable anymore.” Part of her wanted Ben to convince her to stay. To pull an ace from his sleeve and show her that she didn’t have to say goodbye just yet! So she looked beseechingly into his eyes, the aloof mask slipping. “Do you disagree?”

He could see her pleading for a miracle, but Ben didn’t have one to offer. His eyes dropped to the ground. “…No. You’re right.” Having a siren as a visitor could never be more than a temporary experiment; he agreed that she didn’t belong among his people. He always knew this day would come, but that didn’t make it hurt any less. Ben drew in a quivering breath and held out his hand—not for a handshake, but to invite something a little more intimate. Still formal – still guarded – but closer. “It was a pleasure hosting you, Pearl. I’d say our experiment was successful, if we can strike today’s incident from the records. Are you still in agreement?”

“Sort of,” Pearl laughed softly, endeared by his warm formality, and taking the hand he offered. “I can’t completely strike it. We are on shaky ground, but I do not wish to wage war against you. So I shall tell my merfolk that most humans are not a threat to us, and I’ll stress that all of you deserve to live in peace—as long as you stay out of our oceans. And I shall stay away from mankind too, to avoid another incident like today.”

“Will you still visit me on occasion?” he asked in what he attempted as a nonchalant tone with a casual smile, but his intensity betrayed how much the answer actually meant to him. “If we keep away from the others? Because we, we can do that. There are private places where we could talk…”

“Of course.” She squeezed Ben’s hand with a bittersweet smile. He squeezed back, relieved, and took a little too long to let go of it. And even as they dropped it, she didn’t swim away, and he didn’t start walking home. The two stared longingly at each other, full of yearning, hoping to steal just one more minute together! They weren’t ready to say goodbye! The rain beat down on them, heavy droplets soaking Ben to the bone. Pearl reached out to palm his cheek, running her hand across his wet face in a gentle caress. Ben stayed still, studying her expression. The winds howled, blowing through their hair and making Ben’s shirt swell up. “I should ease this storm,” Pearl commented, looking up at the darkened clouds. “Worry not,” she reassured, “the song to calm the skies does not affect humans.”

He had to take that on faith-- and he did. “I know,” he said quietly. Ben had grown familiar with her repertoire of songs. Besides, if Pearl wanted to sing the Siren Song, she could just sing; no need to take time to lie to him, therefore he knew she was being truthful.

Like she always did whenever she needed to sing to nature, the mermaid lifted her head to the sky, the rain drenching her skin and silky blonde hair. Pearl opened her mouth and the hauntingly angelic voice soared. The storm bowed down to her whims and commands, soothed by her.

Ben was mesmerized every time he heard Pearl sing; not in a supernatural way, but simply enthralled by the beauty of her voice and face. He couldn’t tear his gaze away from her, mouth hanging slightly open as he stood very still. The water streaming down her smooth skin made her look even more sensual and enticing.

It didn’t take long for the sun to shine through the clouds, forming a rainbow above them. Then the rain was gone. Pearl’s hand was still palming Ben’s face, and he didn’t move an inch. It was time to say goodbye. Unless…unless she didn’t, yet. The chemistry between them stopped her, overpowered her. The mermaid scooted closer on the rock, fins dipping in the ocean, and she placed her other hand flat on Ben’s chest. She looked at him with a flirty glint in her eyes. “Is this okay?”

He quickly nodded ‘yes’. He wanted to hold her one more time, but hesitated out of preoccupation that it wouldn’t be appropriate to hug under current circumstances. Pearl didn’t seem to share in his hesitation, though. When the mermaid kneeled on her tail, perched on the tall rock and raising herself to match Ben’s standing height, her face came inches away from his. His heart beat so wildly that he thought she might feel it through his shirt, and there were a million butterflies in his stomach. He was emboldened by her proximity and her charming grin, so he finally placed his hand over hers, the one that was on his chest. She didn’t recoil, so Ben gave her hand the most gentle and reverent of caresses. Delaying the goodbye as much as he could.

Pearl stroked his jawline with her thumb before leaning in and pressing her lips to his. Ben lost the ability to breathe for a second, eyes growing wide. He stayed frozen, his hand still on hers, mind racing to frantic places of planning the next step. He didn’t even know why this kiss felt different – bigger – than the others. Probably because he didn’t expect it, and because it was to be their final kiss. It meant something much, much deeper. The mermaid tilted her head just a little, softly brushing her lips over his some more…and Ben relaxed. He closed his eyes and kissed back, giving her hand a gentle squeeze.

Pearl’s other hand slid to the back of his neck to pull him closer. His heart skipped a beat as he obliged, unsure what to do with his free hand. He tentatively placed it on her arm, and, seeing that she didn’t protest, he dragged it over to her shoulder blades, shivering pleasantly at the sensation of her wet, bare skin.

The mermaid’s tongue was asking for entrance; Ben was delighted to oblige, opening his mouth to greet her with his own tongue. The kiss was very sweet, yet so intense that it sent both of them reeling. Her hand tangled in his wet hair and Ben let out the tiniest groan into her mouth. He flushed in embarrassment, but she seemed to like it enough that she moaned back.

That noise got to him. He lost his ability to hold on to a rational thought, becoming completely consumed by the feel of their mouths together, her touch on him, his hands tracing her body. Waves crashing around the rocks splashed them relentlessly, but that was no longer uncomfortable; if anything, it added to the magic and sensuality of the moment. God, he hoped she was enjoying it as much as he was! Pearl seemed to instinctively let him know that she was, indeed, as into it as him, by grazing the back of his neck with gentle nails. It sent shivers down his spine.

Pearl was lost in Ben, with affection and desire surging through every nerve of her body. There were so many butterflies in her stomach and the mermaid could hardly breathe, much less think straight. She was completely enamored. She was breathing heavily when they separated, blinking away the water droplets as she beamed at him with the sunniest smile. Ben smiled back, breathless and smitten.

This was it. Well aware that he’d likely not see her again for years, he decided it was not the time to be careful. He’d been careful his entire life, but Ben always knew the right moments to swing big, too. One didn’t become the leader of Jacob’s society without being daring when the time was right. He snaked one arm around Pearl’s waist, pulling her closer as his lips captured hers again, mouth opening to envelop hers. He tangled his free hand in her hair, threading his fingers through it as he poured all of his passion into the kiss. Her touch, her taste, her scent, all of it made Ben’s head spin. Pearl kissed back with just as much intensity and need, wrapping her arms around his torso and whimpering into the kiss. He was sending chills up her spine and all over her body, making her feel feverish.

She soon tightened her grip around him, holding Ben close in a passionate hug, her tongue never separating from his. Their hearts beat as fast as the fire that spread through their veins, completely intoxicating them.

Pearl pulled slightly back after some time, placing one hand flat on his chest and the other caressing his cheek and ear. “Carry me to that patch of sand obscured by those rocks,” she told him in a breathless gasp, tone a soft request rather than a command. Her face was luminous and needy.

Those unexpected words made his heart jump with nervous excitement. “What for?” Ben hesitated mildly. He knew what she was implying and the answer he was hoping for, but confirmation was a must; he had to be aware of all things, at all times, or he began to feel uncomfortable. His fingers, buried in her wet blonde locks, closed a little more around the strands. He leaned in to nuzzle her cheek, then lovingly kissed it. His way of encouraging her to speak.

“So that you may give me a goodbye I won’t soon forget. If you’d like.” The mermaid smiled with perfectly alluring charm. Her chest was raising and falling rapidly, her pulse quick with desire. The flush on her cheeks and the look in her eyes were unmistakeable, and they sent Ben’s blood racing.

He knew what she wanted, but it would be more fun to hear her say it. He searched her face, blue eyes sparkling with interest despite widening somewhat with passing surprise. “What kind of goodbye are we talking about?” One corner of his lips turned up into a faint smirk, mischievous yet full of hope.

“Hmm, how shall I explain?” she giggled. “Allow me one inquiry, Ben,” Pearl purred, her hand sliding slowly to the nape of his neck and back. She looked a little nervous— after all, he had rejected her advances once before. But now they had one last chance, and she wasn’t about to waste it; not when she wanted him so desperately. “How do you feel about sex with a mermaid?”

Ben was completely starry-eyed as he gazed upon her. The smirk widened ever so slightly, his stomach flipping with giddy butterflies. Such a direct question deserved a direct answer, so he tilted his head and said: “If the mermaid in question is you, Pearl, then I must say I feel very good about that.”

His smirk made her legs tremble. And then she heard the answer. Her heart skipped a beat, smile widening with eagerness. “How wonderful! Because I’m tired of us denying ourselves, dearest Benjamin,” Pearl said with honeyed tones, yearning for him in a way that was palpably strong. “I want us to give in to everything we’ve desired for so long.”

His mind spun, breath coming out shaky for a moment. Of course he was practically shouting ‘I want that too’. Ben was crazy about Pearl, and he yearned for her so much, so deeply, in every way! Physically, he desired her very much; her beauty, her charm, her body, her voice, everything about her made his pulse race and his body burn with lust. Emotionally, he had fallen for her and her personality, and he wanted nothing more than to be by her side, cherishing each other forever. Consummating both that physical desire for sex and the emotional desire for closeness and intimacy at the same time sounded like a dream come true!

A reckless dream, though. Ben had this chance with Pearl once before, at the Halloween party— and he stopped things, concerned that she was only seducing him as a way to manipulate him. A very small part of him still had those suspicions; after all, the mermaid – the siren – didn’t like humans, especially after being run out of their home, and she only stuck around for so long for political capital. She could quite literally be Ben’s downfall. But-- they had undoubtedly bonded. She never flirted with anyone else. Ben had developed very deep feelings of affection for Pearl, even if he tried his best to deny them or keep them buried. He might even be ready to admit he loved her. Plus, she’d had a million different chances to hurt him by now: she could’ve sung, drowned him, torn his throat out with her teeth…yet all she did was save him and befriend him, even when he had been horrible to her. He was in no danger, Ben decided, and she wasn’t lying about her intentions. The siren was not using her sexuality to manipulate him. She was a better person than that. If she really wanted him…then of course he desperately wanted her too! He missed his chance on Halloween because he couldn’t allow himself to trust Pearl, and he was not about to make the same mistake twice.

“I want that too,” he quickly said, voice practically shaking with emotions and need. “But are you sure?” he double-checked, waiting anxiously for her retort.

“Surer than I have ever been in my whole life,” she said smoothly, flashing him undeniable bedroom eyes. Ben’s knees weakened and he felt the most delicious shiver running up his spine. The heat between them was palpable.

The mermaid smiled widely at him and gestured toward the secluded spot under the rocks. Ben glanced at it again and lifted a finger, asking her to wait a moment. He hurried further away from the shoreline to where he knew there were some small canoes, and snatched a blanket from one of them. His lips turned down thoughtfully as he contemplated the fact that said blanket didn’t belong to him and he was borrowing it for rather inappropriate endeavors. Ah, well, he’d wash it before putting it back.

The man practically sprinted down the shore, heart thumping and mind racing with anticipation, excitement and nerves. He carefully laid the blanket down over the sand in the area that Pearl picked, smoothing it down to make sure it was as comfortable as possible. He was already feeling quite giddy.

Pearl watched with fond amusement; she always found his tendency to be so prim and proper quite adorable. “What a gentleman,” she praised as he came back to her, wrapping her arms around his neck while Ben slid his arms under her to support her weight.

“I do what I can,” he commented with certain humor, grinning at her while he picked her up like a bride and carried her to the spot. She settled into him nicely, arms draped around his neck and tail swishing in the air. Enamored, she kissed his cheek. He smiled and gave her lips a peck in response.

What a surreal thing, Ben thought, to be carrying a beautiful mermaid in his arms to take as his lover. It hardly seemed real to him. Like an actual storybook fairytale! Some might say he ought to be scared of sleeping with a deadly man-eating siren, but he was not frightened by her true nature at all anymore.

Pearl felt like she was in a beautiful dream, so smitten with him and filled with anticipation for what was to come. Her heart was full and the mermaid was just as giddy and excited as the man. She couldn’t remember a time when she swooned so much for anybody before Ben.

He set her down on the blanket very carefully, and then got down with her. The two were sitting side by side on the beach, gazing at each other with adoring eyes and expectant smiles. Ben caressed her cheek with near reverent levels of attention, trying to ignore the nervous flips his stomach was doing. It had been a long time since he’d last had sex, and he loved Pearl so much! He wanted everything to be perfect with her. And, of course, the first time with a new person was always a bit nerve-racking.

Pearl was nervous too, for many of the same reasons. She hadn’t been intimate with anyone – man or merman – in a very long time as well, and being with someone new gave her some nerves. But it wasn’t just that. What was about to happen was more than mere sex; she was giving her heart away to a human. One that she trusted, and she hoped he could return that trust. The siren’s heart was drumming madly as she ran a hand up his neck and to the back of his head, gently pulling him forward to press a soft kiss to his lips. Her eyes fluttered until closing, fingers threading through his spiky hair.

Kissing back, Ben’s hand slowly traveled up her arm, then clasped around her shoulder. His other hand moved languidly up and down her damp back, and his knees lightly touched the side of her iridescent purple tail. Their lips moved in sync, heads shifting here and there for better angles, tongues moving with slow passion. Enjoying each other, taking their time.

“Benjamin, wait a moment,” Pearl pulled away just slightly after a while, then pressed her forehead to his. Ben opened his eyes and waited, nerves bubbling up inside as he wondered if something was wrong. She rested both hands on his shoulders. “It needs to be made clear that this – if we do this – it does not change things between us. I want you, Ben, badly, but my loyalty remains with my kind. Sex with you will not make me favor humans more.” Just in case there were still any political machinations on the table, she wanted to clear the air.

He stared at her for a beat, chest rising and falling with rapid breaths. Ben was actually quite impressed with her honesty: she didn’t want to trick or mislead him, she wanted him to know exactly where they stood. That thoughtful kindness touched him. The man smiled at the siren, giving her one sharp nod. “I understand. Thank you for being candid. You should know that the same is true for me; my loyalty is to this Island and my people.”

“Indeed. Our union is purely one of chemistry and physical attraction,” Pearl reiterated, ignoring the genuine feelings she had for him.

No, I care about you, he thought. “Yes,” Ben lied to agree with her. But although he was accustomed to lying when needed, that particular lie tasted extremely bitter. He frowned, realizing he couldn’t go through with it. “Actually, Pearl—it’s not just physical. I—I have grown to care deeply for you, as you must know by now…” he told her, looking off to the side then gazing into her eyes. If they were going to do this, she had to know the truth. “I never lied about that.”

Once the words were out, Ben’s nerves intensified. What if Pearl’s infatuation was much more casual than his own? Would his admission be too much for her and send her running back to sea? He swallowed dryly, staring unblinkingly at the siren.

His unexpectedly vulnerable confession melted her. Pearl let out a soft whimper, shook her head, and smiled lovingly at him. “You’re right. It is more than just physical desire. I care deeply for you, as well. But—you know that I can’t stay on land. I won’t stay, even after we do this. Is that okay with you?” Asking that question pained her. Having sex with Ben now would only make the goodbye hurt much more afterwards, but she was sure of what she wanted. Pearl would rather make the most of a moment of love, and deal with the fallout later.

Being reminded that she would leave right after sex hit him like a physical pain—yet it was not new information. Perhaps he was letting emotions and lust cloud his better judgment, but Ben was on the same page. He wanted to be with her, even if he couldn’t make Pearl his. “I know,” he nodded somberly. He was the one to kiss her next, placing his lips right on her ear. “It’s okay with me,” he whispered his answer, then slowly kissed his way down her jawline, from her cheek to her lips. Pearl closed her eyes and smiled, breathing deeply with contentment. He gave her mouth a few more surface kisses, the heat increasing with each one of them, then his analytical mind got the best of him and Ben pulled back to give her a quizzical look. “Pearl, I don’t mean to be indelicate…but you’re not human. Does-- everything work the same for you? I, I mean…from what you’ve told me, yeah, everything is the same. But you never—gave me details.” He felt self-conscious to ask such an awkward question, but figured it was better to be safe. There could be anatomical differences between a human woman and a mermaid in human shape!

The siren giggled earnestly, a sweet sound that he loved. “Yes, everything is quite the same. Worry not, my darling.”

That was enough reassurance for him! Ben cupped her face between his hands and kissed her again, his heart soaring as he felt the adoring way with which she kissed back. She went back to running her fingers through his hair. They instinctively moved to take hold of their lover’s arms and gently push themselves down onto the blanket so that they were lying down together.

The human-and-mermaid pair were lying on their sides and facing each other, kissing passionately as their hands slowly roamed over each other’s bodies. Soon Ben was cradling her, one arm snugly around her back and the other hand palming the back of her head. Both of Pearl’s arms were wrapped tightly around his chest, her tail swishing against his legs.

She moaned lightly into his mouth, then let her teeth graze his upper lip. Ben just about melted, kissing her even harder when his lips recaptured hers. Being with her was like the most surreal dream coming true! The air was thick with the sparks between them, their overwhelming chemistry making them feel feverish and hazy.

Pearl undid every button of his wet red shirt, pressing hot kisses down his chest along the way, and even darting out her tongue to lick at his skin. It left him weak. When he was done tossing the garment, he rewarded her by lavishing her neck, ears, collarbone and jawline with attention, peppering them with kisses and licks that made her squirm and whimper in delight. Electricity surged through them, leaving them absolutely elated.

Neither of them made a move to remove Pearl’s moonstone tiara just yet. They knew that as soon as they were done they’d have to say goodbye, so, despite their desire growing to maddening levels, none of them were in any rush to finish. The sensual kissing and caressing that built anticipation was almost as delicious as what was to come.

But it got to a point where they couldn’t stand it anymore, as too many sensations surged through their bodies. Ben’s hand slid down to her tail and he gave it a little rub. He pulled back from kissing, to breathlessly stare into her eyes with a very charged and meaningful look that silently asked ‘may I?’. Pearl, who was flushed and panting, nodded at him as she read through his question with ease. They smiled at each other in nervous excitement. With his heart pounding, Ben reached up, tenderly brushed her blonde hair behind her ears, and grasped the tiara that adorned the top of her head. He handed it to Pearl, who expertly snapped it into its necklace shape and put it around her neck. Their eyes remained locked throughout the whole process.

The cold, scaly tail under Ben’s hand became soft and warmer as it was enveloped by light and transformed into a pair of long human legs. He gave a gentle, almost tentative squeeze at her thigh. There were no clothes concealing Pearl’s form, but this time around Ben didn’t avert his eyes. Instead, he drew in a sharp breath, observing every inch of her beautiful body and feeling his own rush with nearly painful levels of desire. Pearl truly was a vision, so hot, and he couldn’t stop admiring her.

Anxious to have more, Pearl tried to unbuckle Ben’s belt while she left passionate kisses on his neck and bare collarbone. She never wore belts, though, and so she didn’t really know how to remove one. Ben chuckled lightly and helped her out, keeping one arm around her waist and using the other to take off his pants and underwear.

Seeing him like that completely took her breath away. Pearl’s knees went weak and she ached with desire, admiring Ben’s wonderful, hot body for a few long seconds. The mermaid swiftly removed her seashell bra, smiling slyly at him. They were completely naked, out on the beach and under the sun.

Time froze for a moment. All they could do was admire the other, seeing nothing but utter perfection in their partner. The anticipation was so delicious. And then his hungry hands were on her stomach, sliding to her waist and pulling her into him. Pearl swung a leg over Ben, caressing up his stomach and catching his lips with hers. One of his hands massaged her thigh. They were laying on their sides, face-to-face, lip-locked in intense passion as they finally joined as one.

It was like an explosion of long-simmering desire, finally enveloping them and giving them the exhilarating release they’d craved for so long. Ben was in pure bliss. Pearl had been an unattainable dream – a fantasy, really – for so long! To finally have her be his, it was even better than he’d imagined. Pearl was a queen, as free and wild as the ocean itself. Not someone who could ever be tamed--- and yet there she was, softly sighing his name as she writhed in his arms. His Pearl, if only for today. And he was hers.

And Pearl, oh, she was lost in pure bliss too. She had fantasized about Ben for so long, giving in felt like a fever dream of the best kind! Ben had been a challenge, a guarded man with trust issues and walls around his heart, but now he was shedding all of that with her, and letting himself get lost in what he wanted, clinging to her and calling her name. Her Ben, if only for today. And she was his.

They easily found their rhythm, bodies moving together in a slow, sensual manner that allowed them to feel every sensation to the maximum. Every touch lingered, every kiss took its time, everything was done languidly and full of simmering passion, each roll of the hips was relaxed, each stroke slow and deep. Gazing into each other’s eyes throughout it all, admiring every expression on their lover’s face and every noise they made, cherishing every inch of each other, in no rush. Moving deliciously slowly, sighing, taking their time…until that steady passion exploded into a climax that brought them all the way to heaven.

Once wasn’t enough. They had barely just finished when Ben flipped around to get on top of Pearl. He nipped at her shoulders with his teeth, hands cupping her breasts before he kissed her again, deeply and passionately. Any embarrassment or hesitation he may have felt before had completely vanished and he was taking charge. A delighted Pearl wrapped her legs around his waist and locked her arms around him. And there they went again, moving in a frenzied rhythm that was wilder than the first time, needier and messier, at greater speed. It turned out that the blanket wasn’t that effective when one was wriggling around so much. The wet sand clinging to every inch of his skin was far messier than Ben would’ve liked, but it became an all-but-forgotten trifle when he felt Pearl’s body pressing up to his. They grabbed more roughly at each other this time, with louder gasps and sharper movements, never slowing down until both of them were overcome with pleasure and gasping for air.

Satisfied, they fell back on the blanket, and both of them instinctively made a move to hold hands at the same time. They giggled at the coincidence. The couple lied down with intertwined fingers, resting and staring at the sky. They were completely flushed and breathless, muscles still twitching a bit. And with the biggest smiles on their faces.

Ben brought her hand to his lips and kissed it. Pearl rolled over to be closer to him, her body half-pressed to his side and half on top of him. He wrapped an arm around her waist. They laid on each other in an affectionate cuddle, the occasional wave rising up from the sea just enough to lap at their feet and ankles. Ben had never had sex on a beach before. It made sense that his time with a mermaid would turn out like that; it was a beautiful representation of their worlds -- the land and the ocean – joining into one as they physically joined together too.

The mermaid was nestled comfortably in Ben’s arms, pressing idle kisses to his chest while he ran his fingers through her hair, brushing sand off of it and occasionally kissing the top of her head. That moment was theirs and theirs alone; there were no other worries, schemes or troubles on their mind-- it was pure bliss. They watched the sun come back down the horizon, tinging the beach in the most stunning orange and pink hues. Neither of them talked much, because what was there to say? The only word left was ‘goodbye’, and even thinking about it was heart-wrenching, so instead of thinking they simply existed there in each other’s arms, stealing little kisses and caresses, prolonging those final moments as much as they could.

As night fell, they were soon lip-locked again, snug in each other’s arms and with their legs entwined, ankles and knees and feet rubbing together, her chest pressed to his side. The lazy caresses up and down their bodies and the soft naked grinding soon sparked a new wave of hungry desire. Without words, Pearl straddled Ben and sucked on his neck. He welcomed her by wrapping his arms around her and grabbing her hips to guide them, feeling his heart flutter with happiness. He pulled her down onto him and they joined as one once again.

Now more familiar with each other’s bodies, the sex was a mix of the slow simmering passion of the first time and the frantic needy speed of the second. Ben and Pearl moved together in perfect rhythm and sync, intensity steadily increasing, kissing and groaning until they reached the height of pleasure together for a third time. And they couldn’t possibly be more in love.

By the time the stars illuminated the sky, there was no more delaying the inevitable. As ecstatic and elated as they were by the consummation of their physical attraction and love, both of them looked somber as they put their clothes back on. Holding her hand, a quiet Ben walked Pearl to shore.

“I—really hope you won’t take too long to visit,” he told her, lovingly running fingers through her hair and kissing her cheek. “Don’t let Tom and Juliet’s actions stop you from…from swimming up from time to time.”

The siren smiled sadly. “I promise I will come sooner than later. Don’t take too long to call on me either.” They agreed to that, but neither specified what ‘soon’ might mean, for fear of coming on too strong. Pearl closed her eyes, pressing her forehead to Ben’s. “Goodbye, Ben. Being with you today was—oh, it was wonderful,” she whispered, making his heart jolt. “I will never forget how much I loved every second of it.”

“Me neither,” Ben admitted, placing both hands on her waist. “It couldn’t have been any better.”

She sighed as she planted a warm kiss on his cheek. “I shall miss you dearly.”

“I’ll miss you too,” he said a bit blankly, fighting off the real emotions that threatened to erupt. “Please stay safe, Pearl. Until I see you again.”

“You too. Until I see you again,” her voice sounded choked up. Neither of them was able to utter the word ‘goodbye’.

Ben pulled her into a tight hug, arms squeezing around her ribcage. Pearl buried her face in his neck, fighting back tears. He let out a shaky breath, keeping his emotions under control too. When she pulled away, blue eyes met hazel ones for the last time. They stared at each other, full of intensity, love and sadness, and they moved in to kiss one final time.

His lips slid over hers, his hands fervently cupping her face. Pearl’s lips moved with Ben’s mouth, her tongue joining his and her hand adoringly squeezing the nape of his neck.

When the goodbye kiss finally ended, a reluctant Pearl waded out into the ocean, past the waves and into the deep. The sea went up to her hips, then her waist, then her chest. There, she removed her necklace and snapped it back into a tiara, placing the moonstone on her messy post-sex hair. Ben watched the light envelop her, then her head lowered and purple fins flicked out of the water. The mermaid gave him one last smile and a wave of goodbye, and he reciprocated both things.

Ben stood breathless, flushed and heartbroken as she swam away. His body was still content and pleasantly shaky from the encounter, but tears threatened to fall.

The storm had long passed and night had fallen. Ben forced himself to walk home, and with every step his anger grew. How dare people run Pearl off like that, robbing him of the week they had left?! By the time he got back to The Barracks, he was fuming. And there was nothing he could really do about it.

***

After waving goodbye to Ben, the mermaid queen swam like a bullet back to where merfolk dwelled. Only the comfort of the waves and a hug from her daughter could soothe her broken heart. She was swarmed by the other mermen and mermaids as soon as she arrived in the familiar palace of water-worn marble and rocks. Pearl gave them a brief, abridged explanation of her early return, spent a little time with Summer, and then retired into solitude. Although it was early she was emotionally drained, wanting to sleep.

But sleep wouldn’t come. Pearl could not stop thinking of Ben. She longed for him, and ached without him. She was the siren, but it was his mesmerizing voice that echoed inside her mind at night, nonstop, enthralling her and leaving her feeling spellbound over the man with those hauntingly beautiful eyes and that unforgettable gorgeous face. She replayed the day in her mind, thinking of how stunning he looked nude out on that beach, and thinking of the way he looked at her like she was the whole world. The images of him overcome with pleasure – pleasure that she gladly gave him -- were seared into her memory and driving her crazy. Losing him hurt like a shell-made spear to the heart.

Pearl spent most of the night awake and most of the next morning avoiding everyone. Forlorn, lying with her back on a curved rock and her tail high up, she stared at the pen Ben gave her long ago. She initially liked it for the sparkle; now, it was because it came from him. The treasure chest in that grotto was full of little mementos from her time above water. With arms outstretched in front of her – above her – she eyed the pen with a terrible sense of longing and deep yearning for her connection with Ben.

She admired the resin-covered flowers next, her heart simultaneously soaring and tightening at the sight. Pearl reverently brushed her fingers over the bouquet, hugged it close to her chest, and let out a sad sigh. That trove felt like her last bond with Ben—the only thing keeping him in her life. It was biologically impossible for merfolk to cry underwater, but Pearl knew that she would be in tears if she was on land right now.

Someone clicked her name – her birth, underwater name, unpronounceable in any human language – and the queen mermaid swiftly hid the bouquet behind her. Aqua and Medusa were swimming down the narrow opening at the top of the grotto, with worried looks on their faces.

‘Are you alright?’ Aqua clicked, gliding closer to her sister, who had sat up straight and poised on the rock. ‘You have been distant since you returned from land.’

Medusa caught that Pearl was hiding something, face hardening with well-meaning suspicion. ‘Is it that human man? Benjamin? Did he hurt you?’ she asked in mermaid language.

‘He must not have,’ Aqua defended him, her black hair fluttering as she shook her head. ‘I met Ben and he was rather pleasant to me.’

‘Maybe he turned. Humans are dangerous and fickle,’ Medusa countered. ‘Is that why you returned sooner than intended, Pearl? Did Benjamin harm you?’ Pearl had told them that she came back because more humans found out her true identify, but could that have been a lie?

Pearl chuckled dismissively. ‘No, Ben was a perfectly lovely host. I told you the truth of what happened.’

Medusa seemed even more suspicious than before. She could read through her sister. ‘Then you must miss him.’ She exchanged a meaningful glance with Aqua, who nodded in agreement.

Pearl faltered. She didn’t want anyone to know that her heart had been stolen by – no, freely given to – a human. But she trusted those two sirens more than any others. The blonde swished her tail and let out a tiny hiss. ‘I do. I miss him more than I can express. Benjamin and I…grew close.’

‘How close?’ Aqua clicked. ‘More than…before?’ She was well aware of Pearl’s infatuation, and of the fact that she had kissed Ben in the past.

The queen pouted. Her feelings were complicated, but she trusted those two to help her parse them. ‘I don’t know. Sometimes I think I am in love with him. Sometimes I think it’s an infatuation, or an attraction to someone that I hate. But the truth is I have not hated him in a long time…and I think I could fall for him, if I haven’t yet. Ben is…he is very special, and wonderful.’ As much as she tried to supress it, a starry-eyed smile bloomed on her face when she talked about him.

‘How does he feel?’ Medusa pressed with a swish of her scarlet tail. None of this sounded very encouraging to be hearing from their queen.

‘The same, I suspect. He cares for me deeply, but I do not know if he could possibly love me. We…oh, we joined as lovers before I left,’ she confessed in a gasp, unable to wipe the dreamy little grin from her face.

The other two let out surprised shrieks. ‘Pearl! That is so reckless!’ Medusa scolded her as a close sister, not as her courtly subject.

‘Oh, leave her be,’ Aqua hissed lightheartedly. ‘Ben is a good man, I could feel it.’ She turned her hazel eyes to her blonde sister. ‘You have not been with a human in so very long,’ the black-haired siren pointed out.

The red-haired Medusa nodded. ‘Indeed! The two of you must be right that he is something special if he is the one Pearl chose for that,’ she accepted. She had always been more partial to humans, and a warm soul.

‘I haven’t been with anyone since I split from my mate shortly after our guppy was born,’ Pearl reminded them of the specifics, excited sparks running through her as she reminisced on her time with Ben. Talking about him helped the pain of missing him.

‘And how was it?’ Aqua nudged her with a little smirk.

Pearl clasped her hands together and swam up in upright little spirals, beaming. ‘Oh, it was marvelous! It was the best sex I’ve ever had, with human men or mermen!’ She swam in an excited circle, the waist-length blonde hair fanning out all around her.

Seeing their sister’s happiness softened the other two. They giggled and traded looks while Pearl swam back down to meet them again.

‘The best? Goodness, that is the highest praise,’ Aqua clicked happily, flipping her inky hair.

Curious creatures by nature, with different boundaries than humans, they kept asking questions, wanting details. ‘Why is Benjamin so good? Is it his talented performance, or does he have a particularly…long spear down there?’ Medusa teased with a grin, swimming a half circle around the others.

‘Medusa!’ Pearl squealed, gently knocking the redhead with her tail. The blonde giggled. ‘What a question! It is both, actually. He is quite gifted in the downstairs department,’ she smiled slyly, ‘but it is not just his anatomy he should be proud of. The performance was amazing. He is…so very intense, so present, so affectionate! Ben knows exactly when to take charge or take a step back, and that quiet intensity of his transforms into pure passion when you get him started. And he is so focused, like nothing else exists in that moment but our bodies, until he gets lost in it,’ Pearl swooned as she swam in an upside down circle, then floated down on her back. ‘He is so, so very hot, and he took me to heights I’ve never known. And he is marvellously caring and romantic, too, very attentive. Our encounter started when he followed me to the beach after--’ she continued the story.

The other two had widened eyes, staring with impressed longing while Pearl described her entire experience with Ben in more explicit details.

‘Wow,’ Aqua cooed with a grin when Pearl wrapped up the story. ‘That was hot. He sounds wonderful! I am glad you could fall in love with such a man.’ Then she made a playfully disgusted face, to tease her sister. ‘Even if he is human.’

‘I, for one,’ Medusa declared with a grin, ‘am not surprised that he’s gifted in anatomy. I always could tell. I have a gift for such things.’

The trio of mermaids burst out laughing at that, swimming around each other and chattering.

When the excitement subsided, Pearl sighed wistfully. ‘But alas, he is from the land, and I am from the ocean. So all that is left for me is to miss him, and treasure our memories.’

Medusa grimaced. ‘I am sorry, sister. But that is wise and for the best.’ She was the more practical of Pearl’s two siblings, so although she was glad to see Pearl so smitten, she knew that the queen being involved with a human would bring trouble for their colony.

Aqua, however, was the more idealistic of the two, with a flair for the romantic. She grasped Pearl’s hand to comfort her and smiled kindly. ‘You will see him again. Someday, somehow, you will. You believe in fate, don’t you? If you are fated to be together, you will end up in your Benjamin’s arms again.’

Pearl gave her hand a gentle shake of thanks. ‘Yes. Perhaps.’ She did believe in fate, to an extent, but she wasn’t sure if Ben was hers. Didn’t he say fate was fickle, once? And would she dare risk instability between their species just to be with the man she may be in love with? Pearl didn’t have the answer to that, but she hoped with her whole heart that Aqua was right.

***

The first thing that a fuming Ben did when he returned to the Barracks was locating Tom, Juliet, and his daughter. The three had been waiting for his return anyway, nervous to see what he might do and hoping he was free from the siren’s spell now that she was gone.

“Do you have any idea what you’ve done?!” Ben reprehended the trio. The exasperation of the question gave way to an icy order: “Don’t ever meddle with things you have no understanding of. Ever again.” His eyes burned with a quiet fury. Well-contained, civilized, but the hint of underlying danger was clear as day.

The teen was the one to scoff defiantly. “It’s not our fault!”

“We were trying to help, boss,” Tom said with an apologetic shrug. “For your own good!”

“You’re under her spell, Ben,” Juliet explained with calm and a hint of condescension.

“Oh, am I?” Ben drawled scathingly, words heavy with angry sarcasm.

“Yes,” Juliet insisted. “You’ll see things clearer now that she’s gone. The fog will lift.”

An exasperated scoff flew past Ben’s lips. He glared harshly, making sure to look at the three one by one so that they all felt the weight of his stare. They were being so ignorant about the sirens, and Pearl paid the price! “Follow me,” he said acidly. His lower register made it absolutely clear that it was not a suggestion. Everyone but Alex knew better than to disagree, and the teen wanted to know more anyway.

They followed him to the community center but didn’t step inside the TV room with him, instead lingering outside with a few others that were enjoying the space.

Ben had no patience for delays anymore. “You three. In the multimedia room. Now,” he told them with pure ice. Tom, Juliet and Alex traded a look and followed Ben inside.

Wordlessly – but with simmering, cold anger emanating from him – Ben located the surveillance tape from his spinal surgery. He shoved it into the VCR player and fast-forwarded until about halfway through the procedure. “Do you see this? I have earplugs on. Pearl is singing the Siren Song,” he hissed at them with pure aggravation. “Everyone else in that room is under her spell, Jack included.”

Tom and Juliet exchanged a startled look. They had no idea they’d been hypnotized by a maiden of the seas! It was kind of a terrifying revelation.

“Is that why Jack accepted to do the surgery?” Juliet suddenly asked, putting two and two together. “Because Pearl made him do it?!” Jack had been vehemently against performing the operation on Ben until he suddenly changed his tune for no apparent reason. Jack’s memories of the event were hazy and choppy, and so were Juliet’s—surely that had to be a consequence of the Siren Song!

Ben sharply swiped at the air with an open palm, looking at her with a face that said a snippy ‘you’re finally getting it’. “Pearl saved my life by hypnotizing Jack into performing my surgery,” he said intensely, though with annoyance. “But that’s not my point. Allow me to fast-forward. See here?” He pressed play on the moment that Pearl stopped singing for a while, when her throat was too sore. “Can you tell me what’s happening?” It would be more effective to make them talk through it until they saw it for themselves.

Juliet and Tom watched themselves on tape, in the operating room, coming out of a haze as soon as Pearl shut her mouth. Alex inched closer to the screen, watching Jack. “He’s stopping the surgery,” she muttered, “and he’s losing that blank, goofy smile.”

“Precisely,” Ben said sourly, but more softly since it was directed to his daughter. “The Siren Song only works while the siren is singing,” he enunciated more through one side of his mouth, visibly displeased. “If she stops, the enchantment lifts.” His blue eyes narrowed into dangerous slits. “Do you understand the implications of this?” Ben asked with deep exasperation, wanting them to reach their own conclusions. He had to walk them into this realization instead of just outright telling them.

The gulp Tom swallowed made it clear he understood it. “That…you were never under her spell?” he awkwardly tried.

“And that it’s impossible for that to happen,” Juliet added flatly, looking down. Alex stayed quiet.

Ben nodded once, sharply. “Sirens can’t keep someone under permanent spell. They need to continuously sing to keep their victims enchanted,” he scolded, glaring scathingly at them.

“I’m sorry, Ben,” Tom offered. “I saw you kissing, and we got worried!”

Ben’s icy gaze snapped toward him. “It’s not your business how I choose to pursue this alliance!” That was a bit of an excuse – there were rules about romantic associations in their society -- but he didn’t care. He was defensive. He knew it was his own fault that he and Pearl were spotted kissing, but Tom should have talked to him about it instead of acting alone!

“You’re always so careful, Ben,” Juliet tried. “We didn’t think you would ever want to be with a known siren…”

“Shows how much you know,” he snapped petulantly, letting his fiery anger break through the layer of ice. “We were making progress on the peace talks— but now you ran her off under threat of violence. If war breaks out, it’s on you,” he said with cold ominousness, staring them down.

“We’re really sorry boss,” Tom apologized again. “We really thought she was tricking you. We couldn’t understand why you might want to live with a deadly threat like a siren, so we thought it must be her doing. We thought she was taking advantage of you for some nefarious purpose, using her song to seduce you into compliance.”

The leader laughed mirthlessly, shaking his head in disbelief. “I wanted to live with her to foster better relationships between our species!”

“But why would you let her stay here when you knew how dangerous she was?” Juliet questioned.

Ben’s look was steely and incredibly displeased. “She’s of an entirely different, supernatural species that we know nothing about. Having her here allowed me to study her day-to-day and learn invaluable information on her kind. We had a firm deal in place. Pearl was no threat to any of us.”

“Why didn’t you tell us about any of this?” Tom wondered.

Ben threw him a sour look. “If everyone learned that a siren was living with us, there could be mass panic, and it would be less safe for our aquatic guest. So it was on a need-to-know basis.” He lifted his chin, petulant. “Richard and Isabel were made aware.”

Juliet nodded. “We only meant to help. We apologize if we disrupted the peace talks…”

“We didn’t know she saved you with the surgery, Ben,” Tom added.

“That’s why you shouldn’t have acted without talking to me first,” he hissed. “Because you don’t know! You have no idea what went on!” Alex was still quiet, sulking with her arms crossed. Ben looked briefly at her, then at the other two. “How did you find out that Pearl’s a mermaid?” he suddenly asked, eyes narrowing suspiciously.

The teenager finally spoke up, defiant: “I was reading about them in the manual and I recognized Pearl’s moonstone necklace. So I hid in my closet and I saw you walk in carrying her when she had a tail.”

His jaw dropped. His own daughter was really the one responsible for this?! “Alex!” he helplessly cried out. Why would she do such a thing? Was it to protect him, or to hurt him? Unfortunately his mind went to the worst case scenario, so he fixed the teenager a firm look. “Did you do this because I won’t let you date Karl? Was it revenge, Alex?”

“What—no! I was actually worried about y—” Alex scoffed and gave an exaggerated shrug. “Forget it. I should’ve let her drown you.”

The insult hurt Ben. But at least his daughter had tried to protect him! That was an improvement in the disintegration of their relationship, so there was a small silver lining.

“Ben, Alex really was trying to help you,” Juliet told him. “We all were.”

“Yeah, boss! And what do we do now, about the treaty?” Tom asked.

Ben scoffed bitterly. “What’s done is done. I’ll intervene with Pearl when I can. Don’t do something like this without consulting me ever again,” he ordered, and it sounded like a venomous threat. “You two should go. Alex, I need a word with you.”

Tom and Juliet nodded and quickly exited the TV room. Ben paused the tape, closing his eyes for a second.

“What?” Alex asked with an edge of attitude.

Ben’s demeanor was softer and kinder toward her. He shook his head at his daughter. “Alex, I appreciate your concern for my well-being. I do. But you should’ve come to me first, the moment you found out Pearl is a mermaid,” he told her.

“Talking to you wasn’t gonna help if you were under her spell,” she argued. “And you don’t listen to me anyway!” Alex looked away, frowning. She felt that he wouldn’t keep Karl away from her if he was actually listening to her or cared about what she wanted.

“That’s not true!” Ben protested with offended urgency. “You can always talk to me, Alex! I only want what’s best for you! When you don’t communicate with me…” he shrugged, raising both hands with helpless petulance, “that’s when things go wrong.”

Ironically, that lack of communication went both ways. Ben needed to explain to Alex why he was so adamant in keeping Karl away—but he never did, so their relationship fell apart.

The teenager pouted harshly. “Fine. Whatever. Sorry I ruined your mermaid girlfriend situation. Can I go now?”

“Alex…” Ben said sadly, searching for any word that might reach her, but coming up empty.

“Seriously, Ben, can I go?” she insisted, crossing her arms.

“Fine,” he shrugged helplessly, giving up. Watching the girl walk away, he felt his heart clench. His daughter was still so mad at him! And his Pearl was gone! What a horrible day.

The bright spot in all that infuriating madness was learning that his daughter was concerned for him. That warmed Ben’s heart and gave him a little hope for their future. Maybe he should apologize for being harsh later, although he had every reason to be upset. Their meddling drove Pearl away!

Pearl. Actually, Alex was not the only bright spot of that horrible day. In fact, could a day where something so amazing happened even be horrible?! Pearl had been the most wonderful part of his day! There were no words to describe what being with his beloved mermaid was like. It was pure magic, pure bliss. Everything he hoped for and more, and the consummation of long-standing desire.

How bittersweet to have the best and worst day of his life be the same day. It was like fate’s cruel joke on him.

How long until he could see her again?! The wait would be torture. It could be years until she had reason to come on land! Unless, after what happened, the other merpeople convinced her that visitation was too dangerous— then he’d never see her again. The thought of Pearl never returning tormented him. Ben finally went home, eager for the solitude of going straight to bed.

But he couldn’t sleep. Ben found himself lying on his bed and staring up at the ceiling, thinking of her. A dreamy, smitten smile bloomed on his face. Carefully clasped between his hands was the deep-sea jewel Pearl had gifted him, which he held as reverently as if he was touching her face. His mind replayed the events from the beach: her gorgeous wet naked body glistening in the sunset, her head thrown back and mouth wide open as she got lost in pleasure that he gave her, the adoring way she looked at him with such need, such love… Ben replayed every blissful moment of the day, every detail committed to memory, and his heart threatened to burst with emotion.

And not just that; the memories made his blood rush, lust coiling around him again.

He wasn’t one to spend too much time thinking about sex, much less imagining himself sleeping with somebody outside of a relationship, and he felt improper whenever untoward thoughts came in anyway. But he was human, and sometimes he slipped. Ever since he met Pearl, untoward thoughts had definitely entered his mind much more frequently. As much as it embarrassed him, he caught himself several times imagining what it would be like to sleep with her. But, oh, the real life event was unlike anything he’d ever dreamt up—it was so much better. Unexpected, dizzying, terrifyingly intense, exhilarating, and so much more wonderful than even he could have predicted! He was so giddy about it!

The more Ben thought about her, the more the magic became tainted by reality. The blissful smile on his face tensed, then slowly shrank until it was replaced by a tight grimace. His heart, which a second ago was swelling with love, ached and threatened to shatter on the spot. Why do I always have to lose everyone that I love? Ben asked himself in silence, blue eyes starting to tear up. My mother, Annie, Alex, and now Pearl… he squeezed his eyes tightly shut, quiet tears streaming down the sides of his temples. It was so difficult for him to let people in, as much as he sometimes wanted to, because it always ended in loss and pain. Losing Alex may be his fault, at least partially, but not the others! Not his mother, not his dear Annie! And Pearl…well, he always knew it would turn out this way. She was always supposed to leave in the end-- that’s why he was supposed to make sure that he kept his distance and kept his heart closed to her! But lo and behold, neither of them kept their hearts closed to one another, and not their legs either. And in the end, like he predicted, just like water by the handful, the mermaid slipped away back to the ocean depths.

There was another devastating blow that came with that: without Pearl, he lost his chance to study the reproductive system of mermaids. That was his biggest lead to help fix the fertility problem of the Island! It gutted him to know that such a golden opportunity slipped through the cracks.

And to make things even worse, he was robbed of his final week with his Pearl. No Christmas. No last book club meeting. No playing piano together, or playing with the rabbit, or cuddling on the couch. No goodbye dinner. No more kisses, or sex, or love— no more anything. Just a void in his chest.

He let out a shaky breath, grasping the jewel like it was a lifeline that kept him connected to Pearl. God, how he yearned for her company! He’d do anything to have at least those few more days with her, like they were supposed to have! Ben allowed a few more quiet tears to come out, then hastily wiped them, dried his eyes, and decided to get some sleep if he could.

Notes:

Yay! Here we are! ;)
Their first sex scene is one of the earliest scenes I wrote for this fic lol, and I'm so happy that it's finally time to post it! I hope you all liked it too! And now we've officially finished part 2 of their story. On to part 3, the final part-- but the path to the end is still very long, and I'm thankful to everyone who's sticking around and enjoying reading about Ben and Pearl! <3

A spoilery teaser: up ahead we have the freighter arriving of course, some time travel situations, a mermaid in Los Angeles, and the MiB is still out there with his own machinations...Ben and Pearl will have to save the Island at some point, won't they? Can they really merge their two worlds in the end?

Chapter 32: The joining of forces for the greater good

Without Pearl, Ben’s life went back to normal for a day. But a normal that was once fulfilling and good now felt dull, empty, a bit too mundane for him. He missed her and all the excitement and unity they had together, so much! He was still content enough with the life he had, but it wasn’t the same anymore; now he knew he was lacking something. Her. Ben’s heart ached and he felt lonelier than ever. And she had only been gone for 24 hours!

He didn’t have much time to dwell on heartbreak, though. By the next morning a slew of unexpected things shook up Ben’s life, ensuring that the dullness did not last and forcing him to deal with pressing matters instead of feeling his own loneliness.

First, he decided he had put his own projects on hold for too long— it was time to get hyper-focused on his job again, and he’d do so by sending a team to grab all the women from the Oceanic survivors so they could test if any happened to be pregnant. If any were, Ben would try to save the baby. Without Pearl’s help, it was all up to Ben to fix the Island’s fertility problems, and he was determined to figure that out.

Unfortunately, on the same day he sent out his best people to the survivors’ beach camp, he received word from a spy that he had working for him from the mainland: Michael Dawson, telling him that a freighter ship sent by Charles Widmore was headed to the Island to get him. Ben received the news in silence, lips thinning into a terse line. So his nemesis had finally located the Island and gathered enough pawns to send for him, huh? He swallowed dryly, feeling a heavy wave of tension descending upon his shoulders; people were coming to his Island to capture and exile him. He needed a contingency plan to keep himself safe, and he instantly got to work on it.

He was worried for himself, of course. Knowing that a group of highly trained former-army-turned-mercenary men were coming to capture oneself was never a pleasant thought! But he was concerned for the Island too. Widmore had always wanted to exploit it for himself. The crew he sent wasn’t going to respect the Island whatsoever, and if they somehow succeeded in getting Ben away, he feared what might happen to the Island’s resources. He had to win this fight, no matter the cost.

By the next morning, occupants of the freighter started to arrive. The first one landed on a parachute, then a couple others came in on a raft. The soldiers weren’t on land yet, thankfully. As Ben drank his morning coffee, alone, he longed for Pearl’s company. If she were there she’d be leaning against the kitchen counter, looking at him with those enchanting hazel eyes. She would listen to his plan, talk it through with him, comfort him with words and touch. He thought of the expression ‘when it rains, it pours’, and found it to be very apt: he had an excellent month and suddenly it ended in one hardship after another. Sighing, he awaited news from his team.

But the news that came in was terrible! The skirmish with the plane crash survivors didn’t go well. They were prepared for the arrival of Ben’s people, somehow, and he soon learned from Tom that it was Juliet’s doing. The blonde woman defected once she learned about the freighter, hoping to board it with the Oceanic people so they could all escape the Island together. That floored Ben!

He felt his heart pound with stress and worry. How could Juliet do this?! Did she really not care that she was one of Jacob’s chosen people?! Why couldn’t she understand that it was an honor to work on the Island?! How could she betray them?! He sighed sharply, upset. But it was too late. He couldn’t have a disloyal person living with them, because that could threaten the whole Island! If she wanted to leave so badly, it was out of his hands--- so she was officially kicked out of their society. The Island would take care of it if Juliet was meant to stay. And it would serve her right, Ben coldly thought.

The worst of her betrayal was that it had heavy consequences. Juliet’s choice to warn the Oceanic survivors about the upcoming invasion got several of Ben’s people killed! His best people, blown to bits by explosives that the plane survivors planted inside their tents! And all because Ben wanted women to be able to have babies on the Island. The loss hit him hard. He wasn’t doing anything bad! His people didn’t deserve to die for it! Not only did he grieve them, he was also concerned about the heavy loss in numbers they had just received. Benjamin was quick to bury any grief, shoving it far down under a layer of detachedness. At least the people that survived were able to capture the three Oceanic men responsible for the attack. Ben thought he might have some strategic use for them soon.

He was exhausted of bad news, but unfortunately there was more to come. He found out that his own daughter passed information to the Oceanic survivors— all because her so-called boyfriend was out there with them. Ben’s stomach dropped and he felt completely adrift, cold, disillusioned. Alex betrayed them. That meant he couldn’t keep her as part of their society. She was a risk to the Island itself, but what was he supposed to do?! He loved his daughter so much! Could he really send her away just because it was part of the rules? And, if he didn’t, was she at risk from the Island itself? Would the Island kill her for it if he didn’t exile her?! He felt a wave of nausea and frowned.

The final problem, the rotten cherry on top of that awful sundae, was that those ignorant, extremely naive Oceanic survivors were apparently helping the Kahana crew, convinced that the freighter was coming to rescue them! Ben could’ve laughed bitterly at the irony of their delusions. He knew how Widmore operated and the kind of ruthless people he employed; that freighter crew was going to kill anyone on the Island on their way to Ben. And probably everyone else after they got him too, to clear the way for Widmore to exploit the Island’s resources.

Michael contacted him directly later that afternoon and told him that the group of trained soldiers coming to grab Ben should be arriving on the Island shortly, provided that a satellite phone was fixed. The Oceanic survivors were trying to get that done, foolishly believing they could use that phone to contact the outside world and go home.

Ben thanked his spy, then grew eerily quiet. If the armed mercenary militia managed to get to the Island, everything would be at risk: the Island itself, Ben’s position of power and his physical well-being, and the lives of everyone else. He even had the chilling suspicion that Alex would be used against him if Widmore’s men realized she was his daughter. He couldn’t have that. He couldn’t have any of that!

So he made a bold tactical decision: he would go and meet the survivors from the Oceanic crash to try and salvage the situation somehow. He had to convince them not to reach the radio tower that could fix the satellite phone! Those deadly men could not set foot on his Island!

Ben thought it was a decent plan. Richard was against it.

“What do you think will happen if you show up by yourself?” the advisor asked harshly, looking at the map that Ben was drawing. If Ben went to those survivors he would surely get badly hurt, maybe killed! They had lost enough people already, Richard really didn’t want to see his leader harmed too.

Ben drew a red line representing the survivors’ path to the tower, another representing his own hike in that direction, and circled where the two lines intersected. That’s where he was headed. Unblinking eyes behind glasses lifted up toward Richard, chin tilting up. “I’ll convince them,” Ben answered with ominous intensity. And he believed that. He had to convince them not to help the freighter crew! Who better to achieve that than the ever persuasive, manipulative, silver-tongued Benjamin Linus? He knew it was a risky plan, of course, and Ben was good at those. His calculated risks usually paid off. So he was fairly confident that yes, he’d find a way to make those people understand the danger they were in! He’d talk them into realizing the Kahana crew was the real enemy, and he’d somehow make them see that they had to stay on the Island and away from those dangerous newcomers.

Alex asked to go with him, and he snippily said yes. She’d become a liability, betraying them in favor of her boyfriend and the survivors. As a society that kept the Island and the world safe – as Jacob’s chosen people – they couldn’t afford to have traitors in their midst. If Alex couldn’t grasp the importance of the Island, then she wasn’t a fit for them— which probably meant the Island would get rid of her sooner or later. So sending her away was to protect her, too. It hurt Ben terribly, but he didn’t think he had a choice. She might even be happier there. Or at least he told himself as much, even though the thought stung.

After a short, emotionally draining trek with his daughter, where she asked why he couldn’t just let the survivors go and he emphatically reminded her that he can’t, they reached a clearing that intersected with the path of the Oceanic crew. He finally found himself face to face with all the plane crash survivors. Ben stepped forward, his crisp cream-colored shirt, bright blue eyes and neat spiky hair making him look extra handsome. He stood bravely in front of them, unarmed and holding his arms out to signify he wasn’t a threat. His demeanor was calm and somber.

He told the truth: that the people on the freighter were not coming to help, they were coming to kill everyone. Ben was sincere and convincing, even letting his real worries and frantic emotions shine through, but, prejudiced against those they called ‘The Others’, the survivors refused to listen. Even when Ben bluffed about killing three of them – those captured the night before – unless Jack did what he wanted and destroyed the satellite phone, they refused. So Ben pretended to give the order anyway, hoping to force their hand. Next thing he knew, Jack was viciously beating him – taking it much too far and continuing to punch him when he was already down and bloody – then dragging him away, throwing him to the ground in front of everyone including Karl and Rousseau, disturbing poor Alex with the sight of her injured father bleeding on the grass, and then he was tied up by the wrists and taken with the group. Ben didn’t even try to fight back; it was better to take the assault if it meant he’d be more likely to convince them later. He would have a better chance to talk to them if they thought of him as utterly harmless and defeated. He was lucky he had a high pain tolerance, but Ben was in bad shape, face swelling up and bruised, blood pouring from his nose, mouth, and even his ear. Those people were terrified of his sharp mind and tongue, they deemed him extremely dangerous, and they were much too violent and unkind toward him, Ben assessed. Too emotional and vengeful, too, failing to think logically.

When they reached the tower, the bloodied man was tied up against a tree. He spat up a mouthful of blood on the grass, exhaustion creeping in. Despite that, he threw a few barbs at people, eyes still shining with piercing wit, an occasional smirk on his face as he managed to get under their skin. It satisfied him. It ensured that, despite current appearances, he still held some of the power. Benjamin Linus always held power. His bravery and his sharp mind were more powerful than anything else.

He was better off staying with the group, anyway. Even as a hostage, he could observe and control the situation better from the inside. His people would rescue him when the time was right, but for now Ben wanted to stay put and pretend they abandoned him. The thought of being beaten again frightened him, the humiliation stung, but he could withstand physical torture if it was for a good cause. He had to. And he was going to. He watched everyone with half-lidded but intensely focused blue eyes, doing his best to ignore his aching body and tired limbs.

When the survivors all walked toward the radio tower to try and fix the satellite phone despite his incessant and frantic protests, he found himself alone and finally gave in to the exhaustion. Ben slumped forward, breathing shallowly, kept upright only by the ropes wrapped around his body. They dug uncomfortably into his stomach and he closed his eyes. A different man would have crumbled and cried from all the pain and misery. But Ben stayed stoic.

***

The arrival of the freighter on the Island didn’t just affect Ben and his people. It affected the underwater world too. In the kingdom of the seas, Pearl was in no better mood than her favorite human. Although she insisted to the others that she and Ben were no more than friends, his name was constantly on her lips. He was in most of her thoughts, and those thoughts spilled out into words that she couldn’t hold back. Her face lit up whenever she spoke of him, a beaming smile upon her lips and her glowing underwater eyes twinkling with undeniable love.

She missed him terribly, though. The excitement of life was dimmed without him, and the mermaid felt a void inside of her that could only be filled by his presence. Pearl found herself spending more time above water, lamenting. She was a lonely sight, perched on a mid-sea rock and surrounded by breaking waves, with nothing but the ocean below and the sky above for company, singing a sad song. Whenever she returned to the bottom of the ocean, her sisters crowded around her. Aqua and Medusa tried to cheer her up, but Pearl’s heart felt shattered.

They had to put those romantic woes aside when some sentinel mermen came swimming in a hurry, clamoring that they had news for the colony: the bottom of a large ship cut through the surface of the ocean and garnered the sentinel’s attention.

‘We had to warn you about it,’ one of the mermen said in their dolphin-like language. ‘It is moving toward our territory.’

Chattering and curious, the merfolk swam together in a large group to check it out from a safe distance from underneath the vessel, unseen, looking up and watching warily as the freighter slowly moved closer to their territory. Sliding in the water, closer to breaching the treaty.

‘This is a new vessel,’ Aqua clicked, frowning. ‘I have never encountered it before.’

‘It is coming from outside the Island,’ the older, white-haired mermaid pointed out in awe. ‘It only crossed the border now.’

‘Jacob must be pulling in new people,’ the green-haired one assessed in a curious hiss.

Their faces tightened sourly when the freighter crossed into the seas that belonged to merfolk. ‘If they are newcomers, they are unaware of the treaty,’ Pearl pointed out, eyes narrowing at the ship. The intrusion disquieted her, but those new humans may not know they were in the wrong.

‘We must investigate them,’ Spear -- the merman and her former mate – suggested. The others glanced at Pearl for permission.

The blonde queen nodded. ‘Yes. They are in our territory.’ She briefly wondered if it was the doing of Ben’s people, maybe as a response to losing their submarine or simply finding out that Pearl was a mermaid. It seemed unlikely though, with or without Ben’s approval. She whipped her purple tail around to send herself into a loop, then turned upright and waved her fins to propel herself upward. With a delicate hand-wave and a determined hiss, she commanded her subjects to follow.

Discreetly and fluidly, a group of skilled merfolk swam up to surround the Kahana freighter from all sides. They kept a safe distance, observing from underwater at first. At Pearl’s signal, they rose up slowly, heads breaking the surface until their eyes peered out of the vibrant blue sea. The merfolk colony watched a helicopter taking off from the ship. Most humans stayed behind, and the aquatic creatures noticed that everyone aboard that vessel was armed to the teeth, as were the men in the sky.

It immediately put them on edge. Humans that owned so many guns were extremely bad news. Pearl felt a horrible shiver all over her body. She quickly signaled for her merpeople to dive for cover, to make sure they wouldn’t be spotted and shot at. A select group stayed close, surrounding the bottom of the Kahana and biding their time. Their line of sight wasn’t great from underwater, but it was enough to see the comings-and-goings happening on the deck above them.

When the deck emptied, Pearl made the on-the-spot, somewhat impulsive and somewhat well thought out decision to come aboard. She needed to investigate more closely since those newcomers appeared to be a threat. The siren queen hauled herself up the side of the ship, grabbing at ropes and metal crevices to pull her dripping body up with her arms, then rolling in with a push of her tail.

“Oof,” she hissed lightly, lying on her back. It wasn’t the most graceful entrance, but she made it. On board, she sat up on her tail, head swiveling around in many sharp little jerked movements. A soft hiss of discomfort escaped her lips. Her alert golden-flecked eyes hurriedly scanned the deck for any clues or relevant materials. She saw a couple of fishing nets and a harpoon hanging against the wall, and that turned her stomach. The mermaid glared and hissed at the items until she noticed a small notebook off to the side, head turning sharply in its direction. She crawled toward it, tail scraping the freighter floor, and, having the benefit of being a mermaid who could read one human language, Pearl flipped through the notebook.

A picture of Ben made her heart flutter, then the accompanying words made her stomach plummet.

‘This is our target. Capture Benjamin Linus alive.

Kill all the others.’

She gasped and dropped the book like it burned her, shoved the photo inside a plastic bag for protection, then hastily backtracked to the ship’s edge and jumped in the water, her body making an elegant arch and steeple hands. A frantic Pearl dove under and, once she was deep enough and the photo was hidden in her stash, she let out a high pitched call to gather all of her merpeople again. They formed a circle around her, in a multitude of all tail colors, anxiously awaiting news of her discovery. ‘They are here to kill,’ she hissed angrily, dread filling her up.

‘Kill whom?!’ Aqua asked in immediate concern.

Pearl’s features darkened. ‘Everyone.’

They chirped with shock and revulsion. How could anyone be so evil?!

‘Everyone as in, all the other humans on the Island?’ Medusa asked, concerned. Pearl nodded.

‘I am unsurprised,’ a mermaid with short black hair derided. ‘Humans have a constant bloodlust. They kill each other all of the time.’

‘Not all humans are like that,’ Pearl hissed a defense. ‘My time with them proved as much.’

‘I do not think we should risk ourselves for any humans,’ a brunette merman spoke up, ‘but these newcomers are invading our waves. They are a threat.’

Spear’s eyes narrowed. ‘What should we do?’

The blonde queen took a deep breath. She didn’t hate humankind as a general rule anymore, but those ship people personified everything that she despised about humans. ‘We stop them,’ she icily commanded after a thoughtful pause. ‘It is only a matter of time until they discover our existence and try to kill us, too.’ All the others were in agreement.

Pearl meant what she said: those people were dangerous and would surely have no qualms about murdering every merfolk on the Island! If they were willing to kill their fellow humans with such ease, what would stop them from harming a species that they would perceive as too powerful, as monsters? They needed to be stopped. But of course, she had a secret ulterior motive as well. Those armed men were aiming to capture Ben-- her Ben! Pearl wouldn’t stand for that. Her move kept the merfolk safe, but it kept him safe too. She just couldn’t let the others know, or they would be mad at her for mobilizing their troops to help a human. Some might even question her leadership again. She was taking a risk for Ben, but it wasn’t even a choice; she would not let him be harmed!

There was no point in delaying the inevitable, and every merperson knew what role they ought to play. The mermaids were swift to organize their beautifully haunting coordinated attack. The mermen had their shell-made spears in hand, but there was no need for such violence. Unsuspecting humans in marine vessels never stood much of a chance against the deadly maidens of the ocean.

The sirens swam up all at once, lurking just beneath the surface. Some circled the freighter, some were directly below it. Their hair floated around their heads like halos. Pearl opened her mouth first, singing out a beautiful hum that came from her very soul. The others joined in, and the hums grew to a song. All of the mermaids sang in a stunning chorus, their sweeping notes and melodies winding together and enriching one another, luring anyone in a nearby radius to come to them.

The beauty of the song was that, unless one was looking directly at the siren, they wouldn’t realize they were being hypnotized until it was too late. They would start out hearing a hum but not fully registering it; it would make them start to feel just a little dazed, but practically imperceptibly so— just like when Pearl hummed near Ben in the hut of the decoy village. Then the song would start to seep in, down to their bones, until it was so intrinsically coiled around their cores that they found themselves helplessly under the control of the siren. By then, it was too late.

And, in the water, that all happened within a second. The Siren Song took effect instantly.

People started to come out of the door, looking dazed and smitten. Some were rushing and frantic, pulled forward by magic, and some moved slowly like walking through fog in a trance. Everyone in the Kahana stepped out to the deck, drawn to the enchanting song and searching for its source. They could only see the shadow of something floating very still under the waves, and pairs of glowing globes of light that they couldn’t explain.

The sirens held mysteries of the seas in those golden eyes that lit up the stretch of blue sea ahead. They continued the deadly serenade, ensnaring their prey with the melody, luring them closer. Together, like one coordinated unit, they turned off the glowing eyes and rose up to emerge, lifting half their bodies out of the water to reveal themselves. The human half, pretty and sensual. They waved the crew members over with welcoming, delicate hand-gestures and mysterious smiles that hid a thousand dangers. Every movement was charming, innocent-looking but with a hint of sensuality, fluid and enticing. Every head tilt, hair flip, shoulder shrug, little grin and hand wave, all intentional and ethereal.

The Kahana people gasped in awe as they saw the mermaids waiting in the water, with their seductive eyes and soaked hair and concealed fangs. Like moths to a flame, the humans were practically stumbling all over themselves to get to the freighter’s edge and take a better look at what they perceived as aquatic goddesses.

The sirens’ smiles widened, gaining an edge of evil darkness that no mesmerized human was capable of picking up on. They sang in unison, beckoning those sailors to come closer, and closer, and closer…

They jumped. Off the freighter, straight into the deep sea. Right to their doom.

Then all that the mermaids had to do was swim away! They didn’t touch the humans, didn’t even acknowledge them. They just kept singing that beautiful, haunting, luring, mind-bending melody, casually slinking away to the bottom of the sea with devious little smiles and coy giggles. All of the humans happily followed them, swimming eagerly and so glad to join the sirens in the fathoms, not even noticing when their lungs ran out of air and their bodies stilled forever.

But the ones that were already safely in the helicopter – Keamy’s team -- were approaching the Island. The satellite phone was on.

The sirens held a moment of silence for the lured, fallen crewmembers. But Pearl knew that she didn’t eliminate all of them, and that worried her. So, despite the protests of at least a third of the merfolk, she easily decided what she had to do next.

***

Alone for now, Ben took the moment of respite to breathe, awkwardly trying to sit on the grass and letting his head hang back against the tree trunk. He knew that going to meet the Oceanic survivors on his own was going to be dangerous, but it was a risk he had to take--- he really thought he’d be able to talk them into not contacting the freighter! Things looked hopeless, but Ben knew they weren’t; not yet. He still had plans, a couple of aces up his sleeve, and staying with the survivors as their hostage was his best bet. He only wished they weren’t so brutal and didn’t hate him so much just because they never understood where he was coming from. Why couldn’t they understand that he was just trying to keep the Island and the world safe?! And himself, of course. His jaw and muscles ached from the beatdown, the cuts and scrapes stung, the ropes digging into his arms and stomach were terribly uncomfortable, and the crust of dried blood on his ears, nose and mouth disheartened him. He knew he looked pathetically powerless--- though there was some satisfaction in knowing that he actually wasn’t. He still had some power, even if those survivors couldn’t tell. He made sure to toy with them with mind games just enough to reassert himself, blue eyes twinkling with an undefeatable power of his own, and the semblance of a smile of superiority on his lips. It must’ve driven them crazy, and Ben felt a little thrill of satisfaction about that. He was reminiscing on it while he rested by himself, waiting for them to hopefully fail at fixing the satellite phone.

A rustling in the grass behind him startled him. Footsteps. Ben pushed past the exhaustion and forced himself to stand up straight, not so slumped against the ropes. He tried to crane his head but those same ropes restrained him from reaching far enough to see who was approaching. His eyes widened and he became highly alert to his surroundings. Who was that?! All of the Oceanic survivors were inside the radio tower. Could Widmore’s men have arrived so fast, moving through the temporal anomaly of the Island? Did they find him?! He heard another clear footstep and froze, wide-eyed and pressed stiffly against the tree, heart beating fast with cautious nerves.

Someone was right behind him, on the other side of the tree. Ben held his breath, face in a tight, suspicious grimace. Expecting the worst and ready to stand his ground. But the face that eventually came out from behind the tree was that of an angel: waist-length wavy light blonde hair flying in the wind, golden-flecked hazel eyes peering at him, kissable rosy lips, and the pale skin of someone who lived underwater but had been out in the sun lately. Oh, the most beautiful face Ben had ever seen in his entire life, and one he already missed terribly! He let out a tiny gasp of surprise, eyes widening even further. He’d feared he’d never see his lovely Pearl again— and certainly not so soon after saying goodbye! But there she was, and it made his heart skip a beat and swell with joy.

“Pearl…you’re back,” he softly stated the obvious, a bit thrown by her sudden visit. He didn’t usually have one night stands so he was unsure of the protocol. How, exactly, was he supposed to treat a one-time lover? Especially one that was a mermaid, queen of a species he may still go to war with, one that showed up when he was a hostage and all bloody…and one that he was in love with. His mind buzzed. All he could do was stare at her in awe and offer a fond smile, longing to pull her into a hug and kiss her lips. He even regained some energy, his ragged breathing easing as the happy adrenaline from the encounter pumped through his veins.

Pearl’s heart skipped a beat upon seeing her beloved Benjamin, and the siren’s first instinct was to go kiss him on the mouth. Without thinking, she inched forward to do it, but stopped herself before she got too close. They had agreed that having sex was a one-time thing, so surely she couldn’t go around kissing him! She sheepishly backtracked, straightened her shoulders and placed an elegant hand on her hip. Pearl was so relieved to find Ben safe! Well…relatively safe. Although it warmed her heart to see the fondness in his smile, concern etched on her features as Pearl looked him up and down, taking in the sight of all that blood caking his face and clothes, soaking his hair and cream shirt. “Oh, Benjamin, what happened to you?” she worriedly gasped in shock and sadness. The mermaid reached out and tentatively touched his cheek. Ben winced slightly at the pain and she dropped the hand. “I’m so sorry!” Dread pooled in her stomach. She hated seeing him like that!

“I’m alright,” he said a tad awkwardly. “Very surprised to see you back on land so soon. I admit I didn’t expect it.” A nonchalant shrug, like he was completely okay.

Pearl could see that he was exhausted, though, and obviously in pain. “As unexpected as my presence is, I do hope it is not entirely unpleasant,” she responded with her usual charm and diplomacy, curtsying to him. Trying to lighten the mood and make sure he was comfortable.

“Not in the least,” Ben admitted with uncharacteristic softness; being in the mermaid’s presence was extremely pleasant to him. He noticed that her dress was completely dry, as was her skin, and her hair was only a little damp-- like she had been walking on land for a long time. And indeed, the siren had spent hours searching for him through the jungle, until her feet ached and she feared she may never find him. Ben noticed with a pang of wistfulness that she was wearing the same dress she left with when she disappeared under the waves after their night of passion. It was the only piece of modern human clothing she had with her underwater. Ben’s eyes trailed her face. “I’m very glad to meet you again…despite the circumstances.” The last part was a biting mumble and he looked down at himself, wrinkling his nose at all the blood soaking his clothes and face. He tisked his tongue with obvious distaste, wishing that he looked more presentable for her. But still; meeting Pearl did him good. Seeing her beautiful face and hearing her silky, angelic cadence made his heart glow.

“Who did this to you? I’ll tear a limb off,” she said with forceful danger, her teeth extending outward into piercing fangs.

Ben inhaled sharply, feeling a lump in his throat. He certainly trusted the mermaid now, but it was still unnerving to be that close to her face, and tied up, while she was displaying those cutting teeth. “Please don’t use me as an excuse to attack my kind,” he sternly told her. If Pearl thought he would be more lenient on mermaids murdering humans because he had been hurt, she was sorely mistaken.

Hazel eyes threw him a censoring glance while she withdrew the fangs. “It is not an excuse! They hurt you, so I would like to hurt them back. That is all,” she coldly informed him. Ben’s eyes shrank into a curious squint of various emotions: surprised to see her be so protective of him, relieved to have help, and very, very glad to see that she still cared so much. He simply stared at the blonde in heavy silence, exhausted, aching, and now flustered and hopeful. The mermaid’s delicate fingers wrapped around the binds that kept him tied to the tree. “I’ll set you free. I can chew through these ropes with ease.”

“Don’t,” he quickly warned her, then drew in a tired breath. “Believe it or not, even though my current predicament is--- far from ideal, I’m exactly where I want to be,” he droned, staring vacantly.

She moved to stand in front of him, stunned. “But how come?! Why would you choose to stay with captors who are hurting you? And why did you let them hurt you? You’re a skilled fighter.” Pearl placed gentle hands on his shoulders, wishing she could comfort him somehow. The touch helped.

“There are others coming to this Island with the goal of capturing me,” he began to explain, referring to the freighter crew. “I’m safer right here, embedded with this group of people. I need to convince them that they must stay on the Island and far away from the ship’s crew, and I have a better shot to do so if I’ve infiltrated them.” He spoke with a sense of calm, but still impressing the importance of it all in the tone of his voice. “Sometimes it’s best to just—take the hits, as it were, if it’s going to be of strategic help,” he droned that part, moving his head around a little. “Trust me, Pearl, it is all going according to my plan.” He nodded as if to punctuate and emphasize the statement. Seeing that she still looked unconvinced – and worried – he added with a soft sigh: “My people are awaiting my signal. They’ll rescue me when the time is right.” It was true; all he had to do was contact them and they would come to help. For now, he’d rather stay with the Oceanic crash survivors. He was safest from Widmore’s ploy that way.

“It is a daring plan,” she reluctantly admitted. If it was anyone else, she’d be impressed. Because it was Ben, she was just upset that he had to endure such cruel, violent treatment. It churned her stomach. “But— if you are staying here to be safe from these Island newcomers that arrived on a large sea vessel…then I believe I have news for you. You do not need to worry about that crew any longer.” Her voice carried hopeful excitement that she may be able to convince Ben to come with her.

Ben’s swollen, blackened eyes slowly narrowed. “Pearl…what did you do?” he asked with a suspicious lilt.

A dismissive one-shouldered shrug and a toss of her long hair. “They invaded our territory. We were swift to defend ourselves,” Pearl informed him with the iciness of a ruthless leader. She didn’t expect Ben to like it, though.

His eyes went wide with exasperation. “You killed them? There were innocents on that boat!” he complained in a huff. And damn it, did he lose his spy too? Poor Michael became collateral damage.

The mermaid twisted her nose at him. “‘Innocents’ they were not. We investigated their vessel: they were going to kill everyone.” Her lips curled into a disdainful sneer when she said that last word. “Everyone, Ben, right amongst our waves!”

He wasn’t surprised by that. He told Jack that those people were coming to kill everybody on the Island! The plane survivors should really listen to him, he was the only one who knew what the hell he was talking about! “I expected as much from them,” he said bitterly, eyes dark.

“Then you understand why we had to stop them?” she insisted. “If they are here to kill their own kind, imagine what they would do if they found out mermaids exist! As the queen I cannot allow such threats to be thrusted upon my kind.” Pearl was unwavering in her conviction, effortlessly defending her point of view with poise.

His point was that not everybody in the freighter was aware of the murderous plan. Some didn’t deserve this fate. “Some of them were not part of it, Pearl,” he complained, throwing her a mild look of exasperation. He wiggled lightly against his restraints. But despite the reaction brought about by the sheer chilliness of her confession, Ben knew he had no right to judge her. He prided himself on never killing innocent people, but, if the circumstances were different and he was threatened or vengeful enough, he too would be willing to let everyone on that freighter die. It was not a good decision, but sometimes his tactical decisions were compromised by bad emotional responses, and he assumed it to be the same for the mermaids.

“How was I supposed to know which ones are innocent and which are not?” she defended herself, but now she felt a bit guilty. Ben noticed it by the sad tightening around her eyes. The mermaid looked down, deflating. “Worry not--- they did not suffer needlessly. They happily swam to their doom.”

She drowned them with the Siren Song. He gave one pointed nod, his throat going dry; that conversation was an unnerving and even chilling reminder of how powerful and deadly the sirens were, able to enchant the entire crew of a ship into voluntarily waltzing to their own demise. At least it was a merciful death for the innocents. “I suppose that’s a small comfort…” he acerbically told her. Frankly, as much as he hated the idea of sirens using their song against humans, they had bigger issues right now. His eyes met hers, wide and urgent. “Pearl, listen to me; this is important. Is everyone dead?” Ben asked. If not, he still needed to worry about Keamy’s militia of mercenaries; those men were the real danger aboard the Kahana.

“No. A few of them climbed aboard a flying metal contraption before we got to them, with these spinning wings at the top,” she gloomily informed him, mimicking the motion of a helicopter’s blades with her index finger. “It flew straight toward the Island.”

Ben’s lips pressed into a tight line, feeling a trickle of dread rising up his throat. That must mean the satellite phone was finally working, giving those people a clear path to the Island. The most logical deduction was that it was Keamy’s well-trained group that boarded the helicopter first. He shifted uncomfortably against the ropes keeping him trapped, eyes going distant as he became lost in thought. “The people in that helicopter – your ‘flying metal contraption’ – are the most dangerous of all,” he ominously warned.

“More dangerous than you and I?” Pearl asked with light humor, only for a shudder to creep up her body when Ben grimly nodded ‘yes’. She swallowed thickly. “Oh.”

It made sense, she thought. Ben and Pearl had empathy, boundaries, no real desire to be cruel or hurt anyone. Apparently the mercenaries were the opposite way, and that made them so much worse.

Oh how Ben wished she could’ve spared the innocents and taken out Keamy’s team instead! But luck had not been on their side and it was too late now, and he understood her need to defend the merpeople. So how come she wasn’t with them? “And why are you up here? Don’t your people need you now? The threats are still out there…” There was only light curiosity in him now, none of the grim exasperation from before.

For a split second, she seemed sheepish. “I…came to find you. I decided to return after I searched their vessel. You seem to already know this, but you’re their target, Ben. I deduced that those who fled on the iron bird, uhm, helicopter before we drowned the rest— they must be here to get you.” As soon as Pearl read that notebook she immediately knew she was headed back to land right away. It felt unthinkable to sit idly by while Ben was in danger. “I wished to offer you my assistance.” Hazel eyes bore into blue ones, and took his breath away.

“You’re--- here to keep me safe,” he reiterated through the use of different words, to make sure he was getting it right. Pearl came back to protect him even when threats to her own kind were still out there? That made his heart beat faster than he wanted to admit, and it made a warm and fuzzy feeling spread all through his body. He really wanted to kiss her again, even though his lips were split and bloody.

“Indeed,” she gave a graceful nod and her loose waves of hair shifted. The merfolk would be fine, they were well hidden in the fathoms. Ben was clearly the number one target for those newcomers, so she easily chose to protect him first. “I do not wish to see you harmed, darling Benjamin, and I am sorry I was too late to stop you from bruising and bleeding.” She was still seething about that.

Only days back at sea and her speech pattern had become a little more formal and less modern again. Ben found that very endearing, enticing even, but he also enjoyed the familiarity she displayed whenever she was able to slip into more casual conversation. “I appreciate that very much,” he told her earnestly, though some damaged part of his psyche felt suspicious of her offer. He knew that she was as slippery and sneaky as he was; it would be so easy for Pearl to have an ulterior motive behind her actions… but no. Surely not after their intimate, loving moment by the shore. He couldn’t listen to the paranoia, he had to trust her! Maybe Pearl even felt for him all that he felt for her, though he wouldn’t dare hope for so much love.

Ben thought it was like a miracle that the queen of the ocean had risen to help him and only him; he would much, much rather travel with her – being free to move, enjoying her company and knowing she wouldn’t hurt him – than dragged around by a rope with those uncivilized plane crash survivors that loved throwing punches and assaulting people far too often. With new information on hand, he reassessed his predicament and the new course of action became clear. “I changed my mind.” Ben stood even straighter, assuming his confident stance again now that he’d had some time to rest. And, of course, seeing Pearl again reenergized him more than any amount of rest. He barely felt the aching bruises all over him, and his blue eyes sparkled with a sly sense of purpose. “What we need to do is stop the militia of well-trained, armed soldiers led by a very bad man named Martin Keamy.” He knew all that thanks to his informant on the freighter. The rest he put together by being familiar with Charles Widmore’s playbook: “I’m sure I know where they’re headed. It’s imperative that we get there first and stop them. Please, if you don’t mind, cut me down,” he directed with self-assurance.

She happily obliged, so relieved to free him from a horrible hostage situation! Pearl’s teeth morphed into those sharper-than-knives siren fangs again and she dipped her head to bite the ropes, quickly chewing and tearing through them until they severed. Ben wiggled free and tossed the bunched up rope pieces to the ground. His bruised body hurt when those restraints no longer helped hold up his weight, but at the same time he felt much better to have full range of movements back. He gave Pearl a nod of thanks and a warm smile. Smiling hurt his wounded cheeks a little too, but he didn’t even care, he was just so happy to be with her again!

Her reaction to his smile was candid and instinctive: Pearl couldn’t help but give him a hug, an overwhelming surge of affection running through her! Seeing him so beat up hurt her heart; she wanted to comfort him very much, and she missed him so much that she needed to seal the distance between them! It was a delicate hug, careful not to squeeze his sore body much. Ben melted into the embrace, allowing himself just a second of respite in which he closed his eyes and breathed her in, arms tight around her frame. Already life seemed much improved. Then they pulled away, too fast, too soon. There was no time to truly savor their reunion, there were things to get done.

“Before we head out, I need to ask one more favor of you,” Ben told her, gingerly taking her hands and guiding her behind a shrub where nobody would see them. The plane survivors were starting to trickle out of the radio tower.

“Anything,” Pearl said with intensity, and Ben nearly melted.

“It’s Alex. I’m worried about her being out here. If the mercenaries find out that she’s my daughter, they’ll use her against me,” he explained with a shadowy edge. “I need her to go directly back to the Barracks; the Sonic Fence will ensure her safety. I would take her myself, but I’ll be too slow.” He was pretty sure Alex would insist to take Karl too, which wasn’t ideal but Ben wasn’t going to oppose it, not under the current circumstances.

“Would you like me to take her?” the siren offered. She didn’t feel comfortable leaving an injured and bruised Ben behind, but she’d help the guppy first if he wanted her to.

He shook his head. “I wish you could, but she will not trust a siren. Not yet. Her…biological mother is here. They’ve met,” he said with bitter acidity in his tone. He hoped this day would never come, out of fear of losing Alex to Danielle Rousseau. But maybe there was an advantage to them meeting. And hell, maybe Alex deserved to talk to her mother. He sighed, a tad upset.

“Her mother?!” Pearl squeaked. “You told me that she was dead!”

“I did. Sorry,” Ben droned, blasé.

The mermaid let out an indignant huff. “Why did you lie to me?” Was that woman an ex of his? Or…why did he say ‘biological’ like that? She pouted at him.

“Pearl!” he complained with some urgency. “I’ll explain later, we don’t have time,” Ben shook his head and grimaced, and she grudgingly relented. He really wasn’t looking forward to explaining everything to Pearl though. Although he saved Alex’s life and gave her a life, he sometimes felt a bit guilty about taking her away from Rousseau. Even though there was no other choice; her mother wasn’t in any condition to raise her even if Widmore wasn’t going to kill them both! He hoped that Pearl would understand and not blame him. However, that was a concern for later. His eyes met Pearl’s again. “I trust that her mother will do anything to keep her safe. I can’t set foot close to that tower— they’ll see that I’ve escaped, and we’re outnumbered. I need you to speak to her for me. Will you do that?”

“Of course,” Pearl nodded. “What should I say?”

After carefully listening to Ben’s reply and instructions, Pearl walked away from him, who stayed hidden behind shrubs and foliage. No Oceanic would find him there, even if they noticed he was gone from the tree. The blonde siren tiptoed around the tower and reached the dark-haired French woman outside.

“You’re one of them,” Danielle instantly said, wide-eyed and nervously shifting in place. She could recognize something off about Pearl, something…not quite human. “The wave-soaked maidens!”

“Yes, but please don’t run! I mean you no harm.” She curtsied to put the woman at ease, but it only seemed to weird Danielle out. Pearl straightened up, projecting kind confidence and some urgency when she spoke: “I am here with an important message for you. From Benjamin: it is not safe here for Alex. She could get hurt. You need to take her with you to the Barracks, and hide there,” Pearl got right to the point, wasting no time and hoping she wouldn’t need to use the Siren Song. That could get messy on land with so many people around.

“I can’t go near that place,” the French woman shook her head, eyes narrowing suspiciously. They always said they’d kill her if she approached.

“I know you could not, but now you can. Ben said so. He said to tell his people exactly this. Please pay attention. Tell them: ‘it’s where Alex will be safest for now, and you can help keep her safe’. Understood? We will join you shortly, but you will move faster without us.”

It seemed bewildering that Benjamin would let her walk away with Alex or walk inside the perimeter of the Barracks, but Danielle saw truth in Pearl. A siren would not lie to help a human being. So…Ben was making a concession that he really didn’t want to make, a sacrifice, for Alex’s sake. In that moment, Danielle started to see how much Ben really loved Alex. He had indeed raised her as his own daughter, giving her the best life he could. He would do anything to keep her safe. Danielle wanted to hate him for taking her little girl away, and she did, but there was grudging respect brewing in there too. Alex may be dead now if not for Ben intervening when she was a baby. He raised her well even though he didn’t have to. Ben made the choice to love and care for her, and Danielle was grateful that he gave her baby a good life. For all intents and purposes, Ben was the only father that Alex had ever known, and a decent one at that. Honestly, it didn’t seem like the right time to argue, not with how much was at stake. Protecting her – their? – daughter was the priority, so she’d reluctantly trust the leader of The Others.

“I’ll keep her safe,” the French woman nodded, eyes intense and just a little unhinged.

“Thank you. We deeply appreciate it,” Pearl gave a graceful smile, bowed her head and sprinted back to Ben. Her legs were a little shaky again, at least for a run, after not being used at all during the three days she spent with a tail.

“What did she say?” Ben asked eagerly, a tad nervous for news as the mermaid gracefully leapt over a shrub and poorly landed beside him.

Pearl smiled, unbothered by the slip. “She promised to keep Alex safe and do as you asked.”

A relieved exhale came out of him, eyes closing and a smile stretching as he nodded in acknowledgment. “Thank you, Pearl. For— everything.” Then his features steeled. “Now it’s our turn to seek safety. Martin Keamy will try to release a toxic, lethal gas to kill everyone on this Island. We need to get to the Tempest Station before he can, and we must disable it.”

The pair hurried away from the clearing, staying low in the shrubs then seeking to conceal themselves in the thick jungle. By the time all the Oceanic survivors came out of the radio tower, their hostage was long gone and Alex and Rousseau were headed to the Barracks with Karl in tow.

***

The hike wasn’t easy for Ben. He was exhausted and his entire body ached from the violent blows. He was pushing himself as far as he could, trying not to lag behind Pearl who, unless she tried to run, was still fairly sure-footed even after a couple legless days back in the ocean. He was taking in steadying breaths, forcing himself to keep moving despite the soreness, and hardly showing any outward signs of pain on his features.

The mermaid could see how tired he was, though. He could barely keep his eyes open, and he kept lightly swaying back and forth like he might fall at any second. Her hand on his shoulder startled him; Ben looked at her with alert eyes. “Why don’t we take a moment to rest? You need to regain your energies,” Pearl kindly suggested.

“Time is of the essence,” he reminded, “I can keep pushing.” Every step took a lot of energy, his eyes were half-lidded and he could feel the uncomfortable tightness of a swollen lip and eyelid. His shirt was caked in blood, and he just felt tired, gross, and in pain overall. But he wasn’t stopping.

“I think this is a bad plan,” Pearl suddenly said in a petulant huff, apropos of nothing.

“I beg your pardon?” Ben quirked an eyebrow, a little defensive.

“Keamy’s men are here to capture you. You’re wounded, and you’re headed straight for them. That’s a tactical mistake,” the queen explained with an air of superiority. “You ought to be sending one of your subjects to turn off the gas instead.”

His face tightened. “I can’t get a signal to them in time. I’m the only option.”

“I could sing and send one of the, what do you call them, plane crash survivors? Yes. We should do that,” she stopped by a creek.

Ben’s annoyance flared. “The instructions are complicated, Pearl. It would be a waste of time to relay it to one of them in Siren Song. Trust me, my plan is good.”

His argument was sounder, but hers hinged on emotion: she just didn’t want Ben at risk. “I disagree. I’m an excellent strategist too. And a queen. Please listen to me.”

“We’re not underwater, are we?” he made the stern quip, eyeing her with petulantly widened eyes. Ben was taking her remarks a tad too personally, like she – the one he was in love with – was looking down on his plan. “If you’re scared to walk into danger head on, you’re free to go back to sea,” he cynically added, mostly out of immature spite. And maybe to test her, too, to make sure she still wanted to help him even though things had gotten significantly more dangerous.

Pearl let out a little hiss. “Do not forget who you’re speaking with, Benjamin,” she reminded harshly, throwing him an icy glare. “Mind how you address royalty.”

Offense and a touch of grudgingness flared up inside of Ben. He gave her the flicker of a sarcastic smile. “My apologies, your majesty.” His tone dripped with it, too.

It was clear that, despite having sex, their relationship could still get a bit fraught. They cared about each other, but they were powerful leaders who liked to get their way too. In love, but neither of them trusted that the other reciprocated.

But God, even arguing made them want each other so badly! If only they could resolve that tension with a kiss. Pearl let out another cute little hiss, nose crinkling in distaste. “Do you think me a coward?! ‘Scared to walk into danger head on’? I shall go into the gas Station myself, you can wait outside!” She turned up her nose, uppity.

Ben scoffed. How the hell did that argument even start?! “Absolutely not, Pearl! What if you can’t figure out the controls in time, hm?”

“Then I’ll eat the mercenary men,” she gave an intentionally wicked smile, eyes sparkling.

He felt a shiver, and deadpanned. “Cute, but I’m aware you don’t eat people.”

She sneered at him, exclaiming with anger and frustration: “You are infuriatingly stubborn! You won’t sit and rest, you won’t let me take charge, won’t stay out of harm’s way—”

An unreadable expression crossed his features and he tilted his head to the side. “Is that the issue here? You’re afraid I’ll get hurt?” Any annoyance deflated immensely when he heard the last of what she had to say.

“Yes!” she hissed, then looked sheepish and bunched up her shoulders. “Clearly. I swam all the way up here to protect you…I do not think you, already injured, should place yourself directly in your enemies’ path.”

Ben, eerily calm, stepped closer to her. “Why do you think I don’t want you going alone? I’m scared to see you hurt, too,” he softly admitted. Partly because it was true, partly to win the argument.

That confession softened the mermaid. Goodness, she loved him a lot. “Then…how do we compromise?”

“Let’s head there together as we are already doing,” he suggested. “We’ll sweep the perimeter from the outside to make sure we’re alone. But if the men are already there…” he gestured with his head, accepting the fact that the compromise was to go in as a pair. “I suppose we can tackle it together too. But I’m sorry, I don’t have time to rest.”

It was new for him to have to argue and negotiate with someone who seemed to want his wellbeing above anything else. Ben felt so cared for, so warm, and even more in love with the mermaid.

“Very well,” she accepted. “We shall go together and reassess there.” Ben gave her a pointed nod. She watched him as they started to walk, looking at his half-lidded eyes and the way his movements were slower, the way he winced if he moved too much. “Would you at least like to lean on me?” Pearl offered. “I cannot guarantee that we both won’t fall down, but I’ll try my best to hold you up,” a playful grin.

He gave a faint lopsided smile. “You really know how to make someone feel secure,” Ben joked.

She giggled. “Apologies. We shall only tumble if my feet fail me. But I think it will be fine, as I have become quite the expert walker!”

“You have,” he agreed with a soft chuckle. Oh, it was so refreshing to have her around again, with her wit, her humor, her kindness, her good conversations! Life was much improved.

Although he was bruised, slow-moving and exhausted, Ben was well enough to walk on his own-- but he decided to take her up on her offer anyway. He was dying to hold her, so simply linking his arm with hers and lightly leaning against her body felt pretty good. Ben stole a sideways glance in her direction and smiled softly to himself; being so close to the mermaid didn’t feel surreal anymore. In fact, it felt normal, like that’s where he belonged.

Pearl felt the same way and was happy to prop him up as they walked to the Dharma Station. He was doing okay, thankfully, and she really didn’t need to do much carrying— but she felt safer hanging on to him, just in case he was underestimating his injuries and about to fall flat on his face if she didn’t hold him up.

They walked as fast as Ben’s bruises allowed them, knowing they were on the clock. His breathing was a little strained, and both of them were deep in thought. Pearl really wanted to talk to Ben about their relationship, or lack thereof, and discuss the status of where they were now that they slept together. He was having very similar thoughts, wishing he could tell her that he didn’t want only one-time sex with her— he wanted her! But it would be stupid to slow down and jeopardize his goals to have a conversation about a doomed relationship with a mermaid. He had to stay professional. Besides, he thought sulkily, if she was interested in any kind of real relationship, she would have said something. Pearl had never been shy about chasing what she desired.

Unfortunately, his silence had the same effect on her; it made Pearl think that he wasn’t interested in anything more serious between them, or in a repeat performance of the beach. That made her sad. It wasn’t the time to discuss that, though. They had to stop some bad humans from murdering other humans.

The pair felt relieved when they finally came upon the Tempest Station, tucked away on the side of a rocky mountain on the western coast. The outside perimeter was clear. The Station was used to produce, store, and, if needed, deploy the toxic gas. They entered side by side, cautiously, eyes scanning the area. Luckily the place was empty so far, but Ben knew it was only a matter of time until someone came in to turn on the deadly air system. …Well, actually, he didn’t know for sure, but he could deduce as much. The mercenaries were sent by Widmore, who knew about the Tempest Station. Ben was certain that his enemy would have taught the men the protocol to kill everyone on the Island.

It wouldn’t be the first time that Widmore gave the order to use deadly gas for mass murder on the Island. It completely fit his M.O., Ben thought, with something shadowy creeping across his features. And he was right— someone was coming to the Station to deploy the gas, but it was the science team rather than the mercenaries. Luckily, they were still far on their way.

Man and mermaid made quick work of disabling the Station. Ben worked on the computer at first, establishing the gas levels as ‘null’ to neutralize anything that was already produced and stored there. Then he fidgeted with some bolts and spinning valves, to slowly let out the healthy air supply. Meanwhile Pearl took the destructive approach, using her fangs to rip through cords and even thin pieces of hard materials. If she could bite straight through a human arm, she could do some damage on the machinery that distributed the toxic gas to the Island.

Finally, to really ensure that the Tempest couldn’t be used for harm, Ben set fire to any leftover manufacturing materials. They let them burn, then Pearl sang to summon enough water to put down the flames.

“We have succeeded, haven’t we?” she asked with a hopeful smile, already trying to whisk Ben away from that place where his enemies might arrive at.

He smiled back at her, letting her pull him away. “We have. The toxic gas production and release mechanisms have been completely disabled.” He hoped he wouldn’t live to regret wasting that resource, but it seemed like the best course of action at the moment. The two walked back into the lush jungle as he was considering his next step. “I need to go back to the Barracks,” Ben said, throwing Pearl a surreptitious sideways glance. “I’ll be safest there. Would— you perhaps be amenable to coming with me?” he asked in a bit of a stiff manner, trying not to let hope shine through his voice. “I could use your help,” Ben added in a way that was perhaps a tad manipulative in his desire to keep her close, weaponizing her own desire to keep him safe.

Pearl pursed her lips and grimaced. “I don’t want to. I am not entirely comfortable with your people now that they know what I am. But…if it’s the best place to keep you away from the men with guns…then yes, I shall stay by your side until we eliminate them.” Ben looked quite chipper to hear that, grinning with his swollen split lip, happiness shining through his black eye. Pearl decided to try again, stubbornly: “Please, Ben, we’re not in such a hurry now. Take fifteen minutes to rest,” she gestured to a clear patch of grass well hidden behind bushes, a gentle touch on his back maneuvering him toward it.

“Alright,” he accepted, allowing her to direct him to sit. He barely concealed how overjoyed he felt by her willingness to come home with him! Maybe having Keamy on the Island was a good thing if it meant that Pearl would go back to Ben’s place for a while longer! He happily sat down on the soft grass, a little grin on his face. It was such a relief to give his legs and the rest of his battered body the break that his muscles and bones had been begging for!

He didn’t want to walk in front of his people while in such a state, though: disheveled, covered in blood, with a swollen lip and eye. At the very least he needed to smooth down his clothes and hair, and wash off the thick coat of blood from his skin! He started by trying to muss up the spikes of hair that were flattened, caked with dried blood and sweaty to make them look neater. With a small sigh of complaint, he moved on to washing.

Pearl noticed what he was doing and reached for the water bottle at the same time that he did. “Allow me, please. I’ll make you look presentable.”

“I can do it myself,” he argued half-heartedly, keeping his grip on the bottle.

“I’m well aware,” the mermaid smiled, “but if you’ll indulge me, please rest while I work.”

The only explanation for that was – yet again – that Pearl cared about his well-being. Ben’s heart fluttered uncomfortably and he nodded, a tentative smile on his bloody lips. “Okay…thank you.”

“Mmhm,” she hummed, moving to sit behind him. That surprised Ben, who expected her to sit in front to look him in the face. “Let your body relax,” she smoothly instructed. Before he knew what was happening, her legs were on either side of him and she was pulling him to lie against her body like she was a beach chair.

His heart skipped a beat. Ben didn’t resist the pull at all, allowing his head to rest on Pearl’s collarbone, his back flush against her chest. His legs were out straight in front of him, flat on the ground, with Pearl’s more apart to land on either side of his. He tried not to think about the fact that he was kind of sitting between her legs, leaning back into her crotch, leaving little to no space between them. It made him feel warm. But then again, that was nothing compared to what they did on the beach…

“Uhm,” he said, just to fill the silence. Ben was usually very comfortable with silence, and he even knew how to use it as a tool or a weapon, but right now he felt disconcerted by it. He looked up at Pearl, dazed by her beauty. “You can use this,” he stiffly handed her a handkerchief from his pocket.

“Oh, how perfect,” she answered cheerily. The last monogrammed handkerchief he let her borrow was now kept in her underwater treasure trove. “I must say, although I deeply hate that you’re hurt— you still look unbelievably handsome even with a black eye and a split lip,” Pearl praised, pouring some water on the piece of cloth and gently dabbing it on his cheek. She smiled down at Ben and let her long blonde locks fall toward him.

He couldn’t help a surprised soft chuckle. “An unusual compliment, but thank you.” A pause, and he searched her face. “You’ve only been gone for a couple of days, but…how are you, Pearl? Was everything alright when you got back?” He was thinking about that attempted mermaid coup.

“I am quite well. Everything underwater is fine,” she smiled, then crinkled her nose. “Unlike up here! I’m gone for a mere three days and disaster strikes?!” Pearl frowned, lightly rubbing off the blood on his cheek with the wet cloth.

He looked a little vexed, but had an affectionate smile on his face. “Yeah. My few days without you were unlucky, to say the least.”

“It seems I must stay up here and keep you out of trouble,” she giggled. It was a joke, but a charged one that gave her butterflies when she said it out loud.

Ben’s gaze turned sharply toward her and he felt hopeful. Perhaps foolishly so. They made eye contact with each other, and it was almost impossible to deny their feelings any second longer.

“Maybe you should,” he said quietly. “I— already missed you,” Ben risked, like it was his way of returning her care and affection.

“Likewise,” the siren beamed at him. His heart fluttered and his grin widened. Ben closed his eyes and relaxed, giving his aching muscles some relief. Pearl’s body was cool in temperature and soft, and he loved being nestled in it. He breathed in with ease, a content smile on his lips.

Pearl worked with tenderness and care, carefully wiping the blood off his skin without applying pressure. She admired his face for the millionth time, so taken with every stunning detail of it. Every eyelash, every bit of skin, every line or feature, eyelids, nose, lips…they were all majestic, taking Pearl’s breath away. She gently dabbed the wet handkerchief under his mouth, then swiped it around his ear, lightly rubbing until the red stains came off. In the places where the blood was stubborn and wouldn’t come out, she rubbed a bit more vigorously.

Ben winced lightly when she touched the more bruised parts of his face, near his eye and nose, or when she had to rub harder. She grimaced in sympathy and muttered an apology. “It’s okay,” he reassured. “You can keep going.” Despite the occasional sting of pain, he basked in her attention, heart exploding with feelings.

Pearl continued until she felt that his face was clean, with no trace of blood except for the cuts and scrapes. She set the handkerchief down on his stomach and said, voice soft like a caress: “There. All done.”

“Thanks.” He opened his eyes and looked up at her, who appeared like an angel floating above him. He really wanted to kiss her. Pearl traced the edges of his face with her fingertips, sweetly, almost reverently, looking at Ben like he was everything to her. Ben shivered pleasantly. Her delicate fingers trailed his cheekbones and went into his hair, to brush it and comfort him.

Neither of them made to get up for at least another five minutes. “Are you well enough to walk?” she reluctantly asked when she thought she had no other choice, still soothingly kneading at his scalp. The urge to kiss him – on the head, on the lips, on the neck… -- was overwhelming.

Ben could have stayed on her lap forever, letting her play with his hair until the end of times. Unfortunately, that wasn’t realistic. They were in danger out there in the open. “Yes,” he said with conviction. It still hurt to move, of course, but the Barracks were not that far, and he sort of felt like he was floating on air now.

Pearl walked him to the Sonic Fence, the point from where she knew he’d be safe. Nobody could break through that perimeter and reach him inside there! She stopped at a distance, wringing her hands. “Ben,” she suddenly called, looking nervous.

He sensed something was up, his smile vanishing when he looked at her. And then he immediately understood: “You need to go, don’t you?”

“Only for an hour or two,” she promised. “It occurs to me that I need to warn my kingdom that I’m staying up here, and I must fill them in on the danger of Keamy’s mercenaries. I shall be back very soon, Ben, you have my word.”

He didn’t like it, but he didn’t argue either. “Be careful, Pearl,” he warily told her, taking her hand and squeezing it. “Stay safe out there.”

“I shall. You stay safe in here,” she squeezed back.

“I will,” Ben nodded. As he punched in the password – a more recent one that Widmore didn’t have – and slipped into the safety of the Barracks alone, he wished he had kissed Pearl goodbye. Just in case something went wrong. Then he pushed the grim thoughts away and rushed to find Alex, to make sure his daughter was back safely too.

Notes:

So I know that, canonically, this is when Ben tells Alex why he's been so adamant about keeping Karl away from her, but let's just pretend he didn't say it yet here, I want them to have a slightly longer conversation than they did in canon!
And thanks again for reading, this is kind of a weird transitional period in the story but I'm very excited for stuff that's coming within a few more chapters hehehe!

Chapter 33: Plans are set in stone as feelings take root around hearts

A quick dip in the ocean took care of Pearl’s need to talk to her merpeople. She hugged Summer and Aqua goodbye, explained the situation to her closest sister, picked a weapon and swam back up like a bullet. The mermaid queen didn’t want to be away from Ben while Keamy’s mercenaries were on the hunt. Theoretically, Ben should be safe in the Barracks. But the longer she was away from him the more worried she got, with an annoyingly irrational fear gnawing at her stomach and saying ‘what if’. What if something went wrong? She had to be by his side, just in case.

The mermaid was careful while walking the jungle, glancing around in case she came upon the sinister crew from the freighter. Sure enough, she soon found herself no longer alone. She could hear someone coming, and not a very light-footed someone. Crap. Should she hide? Probably, but the warrior in her took over. The siren raised her spear and lunged out of the bushes, snarling at them.

“Ahh!” the man cried out, jumping and raising both hands in fright. “Dude, don’t do it, I’m unarmed!” There stood a heavy-set man with dark curls and a T-shirt, who seemed as kind as he was shocked. He really didn’t expect a beautiful barefoot blonde holding a seashell spear and dripping seawater to jump out and snarl at him!

“How did you get on this Island?” Pearl demanded, pointing the spear at him. “By way of ship, or of plane?” If he belonged to the Kahana she may have to kill him. Probably would have to, actually.

“I-I was on the plane crash,” Hugo hurriedly answered, hands still lifted in surrender. From her question he could tell that she wasn’t from the freighter either. “Are you an Other?” he asked softly, nervously.

“Another what?” she hissed.

“No, an Other, like— one of Ben’s people that live here,” he explained.

She inhaled sharply at the mention of Ben, gripping the spear tighter. “What is your business with Ben? Are you here to harm or help him?” If the answer was ‘harm’, that spear was going through his heart.

“Neither, dude!” Hurley quickly clarified. “I, uh, just know that he’s the leader, and he was trying to warn us about the people coming in on the ship...”

Pearl calmed down a little, though not enough to relax her stance. “Then no, I am not one of his people, but I am looking for Ben. He’s a friend.”

Hugo was confused; how was she on the Island, and friends with Ben, but not an Other? He’d ask if not for the pointy weapon. “I’m looking for my friends too! We got separated, and now those military men are trying to kill everybody! Ben was right about them!” He said with despondent urgency. “I’m supposed to meet my friends at the chopper, but I keep getting turned around and I end up back at this cabin, over and over again…” A shuddered whine.

Three things got Pearl’s attention in that conversation: one, that man was an over-sharer and very trusting, which likely meant he wasn’t a threat. Two, she had no idea what a chopper was, but at least he was aware that the boat people were murderers. Three, the cabin was showing itself to him. That meant something; the curly-haired man was important to the Island, but not necessarily in a good way. Pearl knew that Jacob no longer lived in the cabin, and it was often occupied by the Man in Black instead. She used to like the smoky creature prior to the cave-in, but when it came to humans on the Island the MiB was always bad news. The mermaid decided she ought to keep this human close for now, until she could tell Ben about the cabin’s sudden appearance.

She finally lowered her weapon, quickly improvising a new plan to benefit herself and Benjamin. “You’re right—they are trying to kill everyone. It isn’t safe out here for either of us. Being alone is worse. Ben must have news of your chopper—he knows everything about this Island. Come with me to him, and I promise that I shall get you to where you wish to be,” she looked him in the eyes, projecting earnestness and charm. The mermaid knew she could keep that guy from getting turned around again; being connected with nature, she knew exactly how to avoid the cabin’s magnetism.

Hurley wasn’t sure if he should trust what was probably an Other in disguise, but Ben’s reputation for keeping his promises was something he’d heard of. A liar, unless he gave his word. Maybe they could be temporary allies against the freighter crew? Besides, if Hugo walked another circle and found the cabin again, he’d scream. “Okay, I guess…you won’t try to kidnap me, right?” He eyed Pearl warily.

A surprised laugh. “I will not. I promise. I am keeping us both safe.”

He nodded, dark curls bouncing. Honestly, he was really scared out there in the jungle. The soaked blonde made him a little nervous, but there was something warm about her too. He’d rather stick by her and her weird shell spear than face the wilderness alone while the men with big guns were lurking around.

The siren was not so trusting. As soon as the pair began walking, she started to innocently hum a song, like it was just a distraction to pass the time. It was, of course, the Siren Song, slowly taking effect.

“Nice tune,” Hugo complimented with a friendly smile. “I’ve never heard it before!”

“It’s a family tradition,” she smiled sweetly, and continued. After a while it began to entrance, fogging up Hurley’s brain and making it so that pleasing Pearl was his only thought.

“Whoa, dude…” he smiled a goofy grin. “Can I, like…do anything for you?”

“Indeed,” a cunning smile. “Tell me the truth; nothing would make me happier than if you grant me complete honesty,” she sang. “Are you part of the ship’s crew?” she repeated the question. Now he would be forced to tell the truth.

“I’m not! I was on the plane crash,” the hypnotized Hugo gave the same answer as before.

“Are you here to hurt Benjamin Linus in any way, shape or form?” her eyes narrowed.

“No! I’m scared of that guy but I hope he can help me…I’m kinda hopeless out here alone,” he lamented.

She sang a little more, keeping him firmly under her spell. “Do you intend to harm or kill anybody?”

“Of course not!” Hugo balked. He never wanted to hurt a fly! “I just wanna find my friends and go home, dude, I can’t kill anyone! …But, I’d kill for you, if you asked…”

He was clearly completely entranced, and not a threat. “There’s no such need.” Pearl smiled her first genuine smile of the interaction. The Siren Song had the benefit of serving as a truth serum, and now she knew that she wasn’t putting Ben in jeopardy by bringing in that man. She relaxed.

Hugo’s brain-fog cleared up when the siren stopped singing. He still remembered the questions, though, and his features wrinkled in confusion. “Whoa, I just got really lightheaded. I, uh, didn’t mean that thing about killing for you. That was weird. I don’t know why I said that…”

She laughed mischievously. “Then let us pretend it was never said.”

“By the way, what’s your name?” he smiled at her, with hesitance but warmth too. “I’m Hugo. Or Hurley, that’s what everyone calls me.”

“Hello, Hurley. You may call me Pearl,” she bowed her head, smiling back.

***

Her original plan was to swim into the limits of the Barracks through the river. Now, with a human in tow, the best bet was to make herself visible to the cameras by the Sonic Fence. Someone would come out sooner or later once they spotted the mermaid-on-legs waving madly on their screen.

That person was Ben, who hurried toward her with a relieved smile. He threw Hugo a surprised and wary look, though. Why did Pearl bring along someone from the plane crash? He put in the password to temporarily shut down the Fence and let the two walk into the Barracks, and a funny thought hit Ben: just three months ago he would’ve never allowed Pearl to walk in until she explained why she brought a plus one. In fact, he’d be convinced that she was trying to sabotage him somehow! Now, despite not being too pleased by the unexpected addition and being curious for an answer, Ben trusted that Pearl had a good reason. He didn’t mind waiting until she was able to tell him what that reason was. After the newcomers stepped inside the perimeter, he put up the defensive Fence again.

“I’m glad you’re back safely,” he told Pearl with a fond smile, but careful not to show the stranger how close the two of them really were. If anyone knew about Ben’s emotional ties they could be used to hurt him. Information like that was akin to a weapon in the wrong hands.

“Glad to be here,” she smiled in return, much more at ease now that she knew Ben was safe. “Did Alex make it without trouble?” Ben nodded, and Pearl’s smile widened. She clasped her hands behind her back to hold back from hugging him. “This is Hugo,” she gestured with her head toward the newcomer. “He told me the people from the marine vessel are attempting to kill everyone,” the mermaid traded a significant look with Benjamin.

Ah, so they finally accepted what he had been telling them all along, but only when it was too late to stop those mercenaries from landing on the Island? Figures, he sulked acidly. Ben turned to the other man. The smile stayed on for a second, then was replaced by an analytical look. “Hello…” he said in an impassive droned tone, expectantly holding out a hand.

“Uh…hi, dude.” Hurley awkwardly shook Ben’s hand. He felt so weird being inside The Others’ territory! Especially with Ben Linus looking at him like he was under a microscope. What an intimidating man! To make matters worse, Hugo’s own friends had just tried to take Ben hostage, and they hurt him pretty badly. There were scrapes and bruises all over his face. Hugo was nervous that he may have walked into a trap. “She…said she’s your friend and you can help…”

“Did she?” Ben threw Pearl a blank look.

“But if you can’t, that’s fine! I, I can get going. I’ll go,” Hugo nervously suggested. “Sorry about, you know…what Jack did and all that.” Ben’s swollen black eye and split lip were very noticeable. Hugo felt a little bit bad for him, especially since his warnings turned out to be right.

Ben stared at him in silence, with a steely look, asserting his power just long enough to make the new guest uncomfortable. Then he finally let out a dismissive chuckle. “That’s not important anymore. I’m glad you’ve come to believe me— I warned you that the freighter crew was not well-intentioned.” He fixed his piercing eyes on Hugo’s, dry sarcasm dripping from the words that came next: “Shame that it’s too late to stop them from invading the Island.” Ben couldn’t help the smug ‘I told you so’. “I’m afraid you’re visiting us at a bad time, but I’ll do what I can to help a friend of Pearl. Have you met Richard? He can get you settled in, and we’ll get you the help you need as soon as we can. If we can,” he politely told Hugo, smiling amiably at him. Hugo shifted, feeling a little more at ease but still unnerved.

“We’re in a hurry to defend ourselves against the freighter mercenaries,” Pearl added to Ben’s explanation, “so we shall circle back to you soon, Hurley,” she politely bowed her blonde head, a calculatedly appeasing smile on her face.

“So you are an Other,” Hurley pointed out.

“No,” Ben and Pearl said at the same time, both in a robotic drone. Ben had already heard about the nickname the Oceanic Survivors had given to his people. ‘Others’. A stupid moniker, Ben thought, because he and his people were the original inhabitants of the Island! If anybody was an other there, it was the plane survivors.

“…Oookay. Thanks for the help,” Hugo shrugged, a bit confused by their answer and a little freaked out by the situation.

The leader was quick to radio Richard and instruct the advisor to take Hugo with him and keep the newcomer under watch. As much as Ben trusted Pearl’s assessment, he wasn’t going to allow an Oceanic survivor to walk freely through the Barracks, gathering intel and potentially interfering. Hugo would need to stay under constant surveillance – lock and key if necessary – until Ben had the chance to speak with him. He also contacted the rest of his inner circle and set up a meeting at the community center in half an hour.

Finally alone with the mermaid queen, he turned to her with an expectant look. She owed him an explanation.

“Do not worry about that man. I sang the Siren Song and made him tell me his truest intentions: he is no threat to you or anyone else,” Pearl began with the most crucial part of the story, to put Ben at ease. He gave her a tight nod of thanks. Unexpectedly, she threw her arms around him to give a very squeezing hug. “I’ve been waiting for Hurley to leave so that I could do this,” she confessed, melting into him. Like Ben, she knew the value of discretion. “Yet I thought I’d ease your mind first.”

Ben hugged back with a small wince. His body hurt, but he would never refuse a hug from his favorite mermaid. “I appreciate that,” he said a bit comically, with a soft chuckle.

Pearl continued: “I ran into Hugo on my way back to the river. He got separated from his friends, but they’ve come to realize the mercenary men are quite dangerous, so I thought that he may make for a useful ally. But, what made me sure you’d want to speak to him is…he said that whilst searching for his friends he kept accidentally walking in circles and ending up at the same cabin, again and again…” she gave Ben the second meaningful look of the afternoon.

Ben’s eyes widened at the mention of the cabin. His head whipped in the direction Hugo walked away to, then flitted back toward Pearl. “He saw the cabin? Repeatedly?”

“Indeed. I figured you would wish to talk to him about that.”

“I do. Thank you, Pearl.” He gave her a brief but sincere smile. It was so nice to have help from someone who was genuinely on his side, and who knew him so well that she could predict something like this. Well…on his side for now. If it was between her merfolk and Ben, she would pick them. Ben squinted in thought, then spoke out loud to parse through ideas with her. “He’s significant to the Island. He would not have encountered Jacob’s cabin otherwise.”

“But Jacob isn’t in there anymore. He’s in the Statue,” she reminded him. “I worry that this is some trickery from the Man in Black. I believe he’s been known to hang in the cabin on occasion.”

Ben frowned, tone gaining a hint of acid. “Ah, yes, your smoke friend. If there’s a chance he’s involved, then I must ask Hugo if he spoke to anyone in the cabin. That will give us a clue to the Smoke’s intentions.” They both knew that, if the MiB played a part, there was nothing good coming from it. A pause. “But I still think that Hugo is special to the Island, or the cabin would hide itself.”

“You may be right,” Pearl agreed. “I don’t know how much control the MiB has over its location. Maybe he controls it completely now, or maybe he just goes where it goes.”

“Thank you for bringing Hugo here,” Ben smiled at her in passing. “It was good thinking.”

“My pleasure,” she grinned, then playfully narrowed her eyes when Ben made to leave. “Ah! Don’t you owe me an explanation too?”

He turned toward her. “About? …Oh. Alex’s mother.” Ben sighed. “Do we have to?” he added in a bit of a thick, sarcastic tone, making a light joke to try to get out of it.

Pearl frowned. “You don’t have to, but…I would like to know.” She gazed into his eyes, intentionally locking in. “Do you know how difficult it was for me to open up to you? To let myself be vulnerable with you? To tell you things of my past, my family, to trust you with my life, with my body? It was the right decision. I’m glad I opened up. I am just hoping you would like to do the same.” Her method of getting him to share was slightly manipulative, even though she didn’t mean any harm. She didn’t want to pressure him, she was just desperate for an explanation and hoping he would trust her. After everything they’d been through together, it would hurt if he kept this a secret.

Ben easily recognized how she was tugging on his heartstrings with light manipulation, yet he melted all the same. “I’ve— I’ve yet to regret opening up to you, too,” he said with an intense glint in his eyes. Every time he shared a burden with Pearl she was immense help. And she never seemed to judge him for it. Ben sighed, making a face. “Alright, alright! I trust you. That woman is Alex’s biological mother. I’m…her adoptive father,” he finally told Pearl, with a flat tone and expressionless face. “A…situation took place when Alex was a baby. Our leader at the time, Charles Widmore, ordered me and another one of our people to kill everyone inside a tent. He was a ruthless leader, not keen on allowing anyone from outside our society to live,” Ben’s mouth twisted with disapproval. “I went in to follow orders, and I found a young woman with her newborn baby.” A shrug. “I couldn’t go through with it.”

“You spared them,” Pearl whispered with admiration.

He wasn’t sure if he deserved the praise. “I did, and I took the baby with me. The mother, she…she was unhinged, Pearl! She had murdered Alex’s biological father, and she lived with no resources. No medicine, no soap or showers, no books, very little food, not even a roof over her head. She was not capable of raising a newborn all alone out there! Alex would have died even if she wasn’t murdered!” A vehement shake of the head, lips tightening together.

Newborn guppies required a lot of care. Pearl was certain a human baby was the same. “So you took her in, raised her as your own.”

A bittersweet smile. Raising Alex was one of the greatest joys of his life, and he had indeed saved her life in two ways, but he still felt a tad guilty about taking Rousseau’s baby away from her. “It was the only way to give her the life she deserves,” he added softly, chin down but eyes meeting Pearl’s and shining with urgency. Ben knew that Child Protective Services would have taken the baby away from the unfit, unstable mother too. He had no choice.

The mermaid nodded, though questions still danced on her features. “You never told her that her biological mother is alive?”

“I couldn’t say anything while Widmore was still on the Island…it would’ve put both of them in danger. By the time I exiled him, Alex was already about six years old— and by then she was my daughter! I loved her, and she was too young to understand!” There was a note of franticness to the explanation, like he was trying to convince Pearl that he did the right thing in keeping Alex and Rousseau apart. “I thought about telling her when she turned 13, but I--- I was afraid that, if she knew the truth, she would run off and try to be with her mother,” Ben bitterly admitted, looking down. “I couldn’t bear to lose her.”

Pearl was very quiet, and for a second Ben worried that she was going to blame him. But then she gave a small nod. “It is a complicated situation. Her mother deserved to see her baby grow up, but I don’t see how you could have done things any differently. You’re right: Alex would have died out in the jungle if you did not intervene. You saved her life. And at least they get to meet now.” As a mother herself, Pearl understood how heartbreaking that must’ve been for Danielle, but Ben did the right thing under the initial circumstances, and then he let his love for his daughter take over his decisions. How could she fault him for that? She placed a soothing hand on his cheek, drawing his gaze toward hers.

He relaxed, nodding. Ben was still worried that Rousseau might end up taking Alex away from him, but, at least for now, things were stable. “Now you know everything,” he droned and made a flat grimace.

“Thank you for telling me the truth. I was imagining that you and the mother had some torrid affair and you kept it from me because you thought I’d be jealous,” Pearl explained, lighthearted.

“No,” Ben said with a chuckle. Then he cocked his head slightly to the left, one side of his mouth quirking up into a smirk. “Would you have been?”

Yes. “As jealous as you were of Spear,” she admitted while playfully jabbing Ben a little.

“I was not jealous of Sp—” a light scoff. “Come on, we should get going. My people are waiting for orders,” he changed the subject and Pearl giggled.

In the community center, Ben met up with Richard, Bea and Isabel. They were surprised to see Pearl back on land, so he shrugged with nonchalance. “The men in that freighter want to exploit our Island and destroy everyone here. That’s bad for the mermaids too,” he explained with objectivity.

“Indeed,” Pearl confirmed. “So I have returned to lend Ben some aid in defeating these villains.”

“That could come in handy,” the advisor nodded.

“Yeah, we need all the help we can get,” Bea said.

Even Isabel, who had been against Pearl and the sirens all this time, was glad that they had aquatic backup. “Well. She hasn’t bitten us yet. It makes sense to work together,” the sheriff said. “What’s the plan, Ben?”

“We don’t have much of one for now, because we lack intel. I need Mikhail’s satellite and all the surveillance cameras fired up so that we can locate Martin Keamy and his men, wherever they may be hiding,” he instructed in a dark voice, his face shadowy. “Then we will track their progress to see where they’re headed…it’s only a matter of time until they try to take the Barracks. We’re protected in here for the time being, but we need to shore up our defenses. Isabel, please take care of that. Richard, I need you to go to Mikhail’s shack, but make sure you leave someone watching Hugo while you’re gone.” Unfortunately Mikhail had recently died, so the advisor would have to man those satellite feeds. “Bea, you can keep tabs on the other members of the crew: the scientist, the medium, and so on.”

“If it comes to a breach of perimeter, I can use my siren powers on them,” Pearl said, “as long as they cannot point their guns at me.” The four humans nodded, grateful for her offer.

Ben finalized the details with his inner circle and, once again, watching him step into the full-blown role of leader took Pearl’s breath away. Ben’s displays of power always left her dizzy and slack-jawed, giddy like a teenager, her mind spinning and body tingling. All she could think of was their time together on the beach, and the siren desperately wanted to sleep with him again. She waited with an air of innocence until Isabel, Bea and Richard left to do their duties.

“They will be armed when they come,” Ben continued to strategize, turning to her. “We can’t rely on your powers. I – we – must come up with a different plan.” Wow! He wasn’t used to having a partner in his plans like that. Of course he had the entire village as his team, but typically all they did was simply put his plans into motion while the strategizing landed solely on Ben. Now, with Pearl, he had actual help to come up with plans! Granted, Ben didn’t need much assistance in that department, being a natural mastermind who was always five steps ahead of everyone. But damn it, it was nice to be able to rely on her to talk things through!

He wanted to get Pearl’s take on the plan and possibly strategize a step further, and oh, that was even hotter to her than him speaking to his team. Something about the high intelligence, the mastermind energy, the way he strategized, the power emanating from him, the manner in which he spoke, and how he was so utterly focused on the task at hand had Pearl’s stomach fluttering madly. “Tell me more,” she purred, turning flirty eyes up at him.

“Uh—” It hardly seemed the time for Pearl to react like that. Ben chuckled softly, feeling perhaps a little flustered. “You don’t have any suggestions, do you?” He could see she was distracted.

“I believe my mind has drifted from the plan…” she said airily. By Poseidon, Ben was truly irresistible!

Ben was pretty sure that Pearl wanted him. He could see it in her eyes: the longing, the attraction, the lust—and by God, he felt it too! A tentative hand reached for her, gingerly coming to rest on her waist.

“Pearl…” he started with a little smile, growing in confidence.

“Yes, Benjamin?” she batted her lashes, but not in that overly slick, rehearsed way; in a genuine, sincerely flirty way that made his heart jump.

“I—” Before he could consider taking her to bed, or kissing her, or even telling her anything, a knock on the door made them pull away from each other abruptly. There was an unspoken agreement hanging in the air: this needs to be a secret. Neither humans nor merfolk would take kindly to their leaders being…well, anything. And a forbidden romance could be incredibly hot… “Come in,” Ben said after quickly clearing his throat. Good timing, too; it really hurt to say goodbye to Pearl last time. Maybe he was better off avoiding getting more attached to her.

Bea and Isabel had returned. “We contacted someone to be on Hugo. Richard is turning up the reach on the surveillance cameras,” the sheriff updated him. “I’m about to get the dynamite.”

“Thank you,” a hasty nod. “Pearl and I were just discussing what to do in case of a breach. We’ll update you,” he dismissed the other two, hoping they didn’t see anything incriminating.

There was a pensive pout on the mermaid’s lips. “I’m sorry. We should not be getting distracted. We need a plan first.” Ben agreed with that, and he gave a small nod. “Ben, I can stop them. Even though they have guns,” Pearl declared confidently. “Get them close enough to the water – any body of water -- by being bait. I’ll emerge, and sing.”

There was merit to the idea. If the siren was in the water, the song would take immediate effect. The men wouldn’t even have time to try to shoot her. There was a problem though, and Ben vigorously shook his head. “I can’t be near you when you sing. They’ll probably tie my hands so I’ll be unable to cover my ears.”

“I will not give you any commands other than to stand there and wait,” she clarified. Ben would be completely safe, even under her spell.

His gaze dropped to his shoes. “I know. I trust that, Pearl. But I don’t want to become a mindless zombie.” He knew it would only be for a short time, and that he’d be safe, but the idea of losing control over his own mental faculties terrified him. Maybe it wasn’t a rational decision, but he just couldn’t. “I’m sorry, we’re not doing that.”

She seemed a bit cross. Queens didn’t like to be told off--- and it was the best plan! But Pearl understood that Ben had issues letting go of control, so she didn’t insist. “That makes it harder. I can bite them, but only one at a time, which pits me against several of them. They have guns. It’s risky.”

“I know. But I have a plan. I always have a plan,” he warned ominously, his gaze heavy on hers. “You come with me when I’m bait, so that you can start singing while I’m free. Before they grab me.”

“So you can plug your ears,” she understood why he wanted it that way. But… “That would mean that I’m out in the open, where they can shoot me.”

“You can stand directly behind me until you jump in the water. They won’t risk shooting me, they want me alive,” he said bleakly, well aware that they wanted to drag him out of his Island, his home, forever. Revenge for Widmore’s exile. Ben’s face pinched. He knew this wasn’t Pearl’s fight. Widmore was his enemy; this was his Island and his war. He couldn’t ask so much from her! Why should she risk her life when she had no devotion to the Island or Jacob? “Are you willing to do that? I understand if you’re not. I have a plan B.”

“Is your plan B to be bait without me, while your people hide in the trees for a trap?” she quirked an eyebrow, shooting him a knowing look.

“If it comes to that.” A blank nod.

“No. I am willing to come with you,” she nodded, resolute. “I returned to the surface to keep you safe. I’ll take the risk.” Even though she feared guns more than anything else.

Ben felt a shiver. It was an odd, warm kind of comfort to know that she was willing to put herself in danger for his sake, wanting nothing in return. No deals, no favors…simply a person who cared so much about him that she wanted to protect him. Ben felt a swirl of overwhelming emotions inside of him. “Thank you,” was all he could say, with a pointed nod.

“And when I sing…I can drown them,” she said, face darkening. Ben got chills; it was a classic siren tale.

“Yes. But it might not come to that. We’re protected in here. They’ll certainly try to breach the perimeter, but they shouldn’t be able to get past the Sonic Fence,” he reminded. “We might be able to eliminate them without much trouble.”

“So…are you saying that we should wait and see?” An impatient hiss.

Ben gave a sharp nod. “We haven’t located them yet. I can’t be bait if I don’t know where they are. They’re probably laying low.” His chin tucked down, and fierce blue eyes flicked up at her. “We’ll have them as soon as they come up for air.” It was an ominous promise. One of his spies or cameras would surely locate them soon. Pearl nodded in agreement, feeling shivers. It was a good plan.

At the very least, it allowed them to keep a sense of normalcy, living their day-to-day life safely in the Barracks until the war came to their doorstep. At best, they’d have a great Christmas while his soldiers took care of the mercenaries. At worst, they were safest in there for the fight anyway.

“I think we shall be alright,” Pearl said with an encouraging smile, partly to tranquilize her own fears. “We’ve dealt with worse than men with guns.”

“I agree,” Ben smiled back. He was a bit preoccupied, of course, but so far he seemed to have the upper hand. “I’m glad I have you to make these plans with,” he gave her a charged look, and her smile widened.

As they walked out of the community center together, Pearl noticed the familiar way with which people were staring at her, like those men stared when she was in the aquarium: with fear, anger, a superiority complex, awe and fascination. Like she was an exotic wild animal. A surge of disdain flared inside her. They were just like the presumptuous humans who chased her away with a gun, too! She remembered them vividly: Tom, older with white hair, and his partner in crime, the Juliet woman with blonde hair shorter and darker than Pearl’s. Where were they, anyway? The two standing out there currently staring at her were a guy named Troy, and Amelia, who had apparently expressed some anti-mermaid sentiment that got back around to Pearl via Ben.

Everyone already knew about what happened with Tom, Juliet, and the aquatic guest. That had spread like wildfire. Troy gave Amelia a wary glance. They were nervous around the mermaid, but with Ben hovering near her, their hands were tied.

Still bothered by what happened before, the siren decided to take a stance. Pearl stepped to them with confidence, her hips swaying and long hair bouncing as she walked briskly. She let a perfectly pleasant smile stretch her lips as she curtsied. “Wouldn’t you know, I found my way back to your land. You see, my dears, I strived to keep the peace last time— but humans shall not disrespect me again.” Her gaze hardened and her teeth slowly sharpened into fangs. Amelia gasped with fear and Troy let out a cry of ‘Jesus Christ’. “Watch how you treat me from now on,” Pearl hissed, the sarcastic smile framed by all of those sharp fangs. The two Others nearly recoiled.

“Is there a problem here?” Ben’s voice rang from behind her. Even from a distance, he could spot the tension in the group.

“I don’t know,” Pearl withdrew her fangs before she beamed at him, then narrowed her eyes at the other two. “Is there?” she pointedly asked.

“Of course not,” Troy told Ben at the same time as Amelia answered with a ‘not at all’. The mermaid beamed triumphantly, happy to have restored order to the hierarchy. Nobody walked over a queen.

As they stepped out of earshot, Ben gave her a scolding look. “Pearl, what was that?”

“I was merely asserting myself,” she said with a flip of her long blonde tresses, nose up in the air.

Although Pearl had missed Ben dearly and was happy to be with him again, she felt uncomfortable in that environment now that her secret was out to everyone. It was very clear that all of them knew that she was a mermaid: because their attitude toward her changed, as did their whole demeanor. They were all scurrying around, staring with shifty eyes, whispering about her.

Ben sensed her unease, noticing the lines on her face and the way that she had her arms wrapped tightly around herself in a protective manner. “You’re not comfortable here,” he stated as a fact, though his forehead creased.

“They are all staring me down. I should not be where I am hated by all,” she decried, pacing.

“Not by all,” he disagreed instantly, frowning at the mermaid with slight offense. “Not everybody here hates you,” he reiterated, staring firmly into her eyes.

She deflated, though the shadow of a smile crept on her features. “I didn’t mean to include you in that. I know that you don’t— thank you. But you did before you got to know me, and they don’t know me as a mermaid. They see me as a monster.” An indignant huff punctuated by a sad pout. “It is unfair! They liked me before they learned what I am, and I am still the same merperson!”

“That’s easily fixable,” Ben waved off the concerns. Truth was, if he ordered them to leave Pearl in peace, they would obey, and most would do so unquestioningly. “Why don’t you go home where there’s privacy? I’ll have a word with them,” he gave a reassuring nod, taking charge.

She relented, a little annoyed. Ben quickly gathered a fairly large group of his people around the gazebo and addressed them with conviction and vehemence, his mesmerizing voice ringing out over the crowd. “As I’m sure many of you have heard by now, the mermaid Pearl is back in our village.” There were murmurs of shock and disagreement, and he held up a hand to ask them to stop. “I understand this puts you ill-at-ease. I was very wary of her for a long time, too. But Pearl has proven herself. She helped save my life, more than once.” The crowd exchanged glances, but none were more astonished than Ben himself; how wild to even dream that she was sticking around solely to help him! He continued: “And, in this fight between us and our enemies, she is on our side. We need Pearl’s help to keep this Island safe. I give you my word that she is not a danger to any of us. Please, remember how much you liked her before you discovered her true nature, and help me make her comfortable while she is with us. She is our cherished guest,” he finished sternly and piercing them with his gaze, making it clear that this was more of an order than a suggestion. He was expressly forbidding them from antagonizing Pearl. Ben was confident that he spoke eloquently enough to convince them to give Pearl a real chance though, regardless of the order.

And he did. Hearing their leader – a man who didn’t trust easily -- explain that he was sure the siren was on their side put them all more at ease. Since she saved Ben’s life, they were ready to try to embrace her. All they needed was reassurance, and to be told the truth.

In the meantime, Pearl walked back to the familiar yellow house: Ben’s home, which felt unusually like her own home now too. Since she didn’t have the key on her person anymore, she had to wait for him to come unlock the door, and she was passing the time by grooming her soft mermaid hair.

Alex peered down from up in a tree. That woman – that mermaid – was on the porch, sitting on the bench and combing through her waist-length blonde locks with a hairbrush made of shells. The teenager was very curious; and who wouldn’t be, being in the presence of a mythical creature? She climbed down and took a few steps Pearl’s way, and the siren’s golden-flecked gaze soon zeroed in on her.

“Uh…hi,” Alex offered tentatively. She had a question to ask, clever and to the point. “You’re not gonna bite me if I come closer, are you?”

Pearl smiled with a hint of dark amusement. “No. I promised your father I wouldn’t hurt any of his people. Approach, please,” an elegant wave of the hand beckoned the teen closer.

Quick steps took Alex to the porch, but she didn’t step up. The skittish teen leaned against the white column, hand on the slingshot in her pocket. “Sorry for snitching and making them run you out before. I thought you had Ben under a spell,” she shrugged a tad sheepishly.

Alex was Ben’s daughter, and still young. Pearl couldn’t hold a grudge, especially since the girl had been looking out for Ben. She bowed her head. “I forgive you; your concern for him is touching--- but rest assured, he wasn’t entranced. That’s not how it works; I would have to continuously sing, nonstop, to keep anyone under my spell,” the mermaid explained with the ease of a queen.

Alex nodded. “I know that now. He told us.” Another shrug, hands stuck in her pocket.

The mermaid’s smile widened. It was always nice to be reminded that Ben came to her defense. “I truly mean you and your father no harm, Alex.”

The teen wasn’t sure if she believed that, but it seemed true. “You’re Summer’s mother, right? So does that mean she’s, like…” she trailed off.

“A mermaid? You can say the word,” Pearl smiled.

“Yeah. A mermaid. Is she?” Alex was rather curious about that.

Pearl giggled. “She is indeed. I heard that you were very good with her. I thank you for that,” she offered sincerely. Alex gave a half-smile, and Pearl decided to ask her something: “Those two that chased me out of here…did they have the same change of heart you’ve had?”

“Dunno,” Alex shrugged with a light frown. “Juliet doesn’t live here anymore. She’s with the plane people, trying to get out of the Island. Tom, uh…he died.”

“What?! What happened to him?” Pearl’s eyes widened.

The teen looked down. “There was some big fight between our people and the plane crash survivors. We lost a few.” She sighed with frustration. “It’s because Ben won’t let them leave! I don’t understand why! He told me he can’t, I guess it’s part of the rules, but…”

“He really cannot,” Pearl nodded, backing Ben up. “It is part of the rules. Jacob doesn’t want anyone to leave, so none of us are allowed to. Not even the merfolk,” she let out a discontent little hiss. “This is not Ben’s choice; it’s Jacob’s. Please don’t blame your father for it. And allow me to extend my condolences for Tom.”

Alex made a face. “So you’re really friends with him?” The mermaid nodded ‘yes’, and the teenager looked at her. “It’s just weird. Ben doesn’t trust anyone, so we couldn’t understand why he was sharing the house with a total stranger. I honestly thought you two were banging,” she shrugged again, nonchalant.

Pearl blinked, tilting her head a bit. “What does ‘banging’ mean? I’m still unfamiliar with some modern vocabulary.”

“You know, like…doing it,” the teen emphasized it with a widening of the eyes and a bob of the head.

The mermaid still remained impassive. “Doing what? I’m sorry, I don’t understand.”

“Like, uh…fucking.”

“Fuc- oh! You mean sex!” Pearl laughed sheepishly, then shook her head. “No, we most certainly weren’t! And aren’t.” Except for that one time.

“Yeah, he told me you weren’t. Then I thought you were a hostage that he wanted to interrogate.” Her eyes became shadowy and her demeanor darkened. “He does stuff like that.”

Pearl merely nodded in agreement. She was, unfortunately, well acquainted with Ben’s interrogations. “Not at that time, no.”

“I still don’t get it,” Alex admitted. She was a little bothered by her dad acting strangely. “You’re one of his enemies, and you’re like…so dangerous that he didn’t let me stay in the same house with you. But he let you be his roommate even though in the beginning you were not allies or friends or a couple, and then Tom saw you kissing?” It just didn’t make sense for Ben, ever so careful, to drop his guard so much.

Pearl wanted to explain the situation, but she wasn’t sure if Ben minded Alex learning about the details of his surgery. Even though the girl saw the tape, there was nuance to the situation. She decided to err on the side of caution and keep it vague. “We had a deal. He needed my help with something, and in return he let me stay here for a couple of months.”

“I know, the tumor surgery, but why would he let you get so close? He could’ve put you in a different house or something.”

“Staying in his house was one of my conditions for the deal. I needed Ben with me to help me navigate and understand the human world. We became friends in time and grew to trust each other. But that is really all it was at the start, Alex, a deal between us.”

“Oh. Right,” she said bitterly. She should’ve seen that coming; Ben always had deals and schemes going, bending other people to his will so he would always get what he wanted. “I guess it worked out well for him. It doesn’t explain the kissing, though.”

“That—” The mermaid hesitated. She decided to lie a little. It should be Ben’s choice how much he wanted to share with his daughter. “— that was entirely my fault. I did not realize that kisses mean so much to humans. We got carried away, but we—we are friends.”

The girl watched the mermaid for a moment, her green eyes incisive and alert but also full of curiosity and wonderment. “What did you get out of the deal? I mean, why did you want to stay up here?”

A mischievous grin stretched Pearl’s lips. “To study your kind from within. I wanted to learn more about humanity, and then decide whether to use that knowledge to bond with you, or to destroy you all.”

Alex’s eyes widened and she took a step back. “I really hope you picked bonding.”

Pearl laughed. “I came back to help your father,” the siren explained, “so indeed. We bonded, very much so. And I saw a different side to humankind as a whole.”

The teen felt mildly more comfortable with the aquatic predator, but she still couldn’t wrap her head around a mythical being just casually hanging around with them. “Guess he cares about you more than he cares about me,” she said with an edge of cynicism.

Surprise crossed Pearl’s features. “Benjamin? No, certainly not! He loves you very much!”

“Yeah, right,” she rolled her eyes. “He lied about my mom this whole time.”

The mermaid let out a sad sigh. “Oh, Alex, you must know you’ve always been very loved and wanted by your father; not every kid has that luxury! He chose to raise you! He could’ve followed orders and left you to die, but he wanted to protect you. He’s overprotective even now because he can’t stand the thought of losing you,” Pearl explained, firmly yet softly. “He was afraid you’d leave if you knew that your mother was alive! Everything he does, he does because he loves you!” She hated the thought of Ben’s daughter not understanding how much she meant to her father, so Pearl spoke with a strained pleading tone, and very emphatically.

Alex’s expression shifted, first to shock, then skepticism, then muted understanding. “Whatever,” she shrugged, and it was hard to tell if she was internalizing all that information or dismissing it. “Anyway. I should go,” she walked away with Pearl’s words rattling in her mind.

Pearl hoped that leaving the teen with that would have some effect on her. Sometimes it was easier to receive the truth from a stranger than from family. She blew out a puff of air, then saw her favorite human crossing toward her. Ben smiled, unlocked the door, and they stepped over the threshold together.

“Was that my daughter I saw you speaking with?” he asked coolly, though he already knew the answer was yes.

“Why yes, Alex approached me. She was a little curious about me,” Pearl explained as she set her hairbrush on the shelf.

Ben was pouring himself a glass of water. His focus seemed solely on the task in front of him, but it was a tactic; he was actually entirely focused on Pearl, but he wanted her to think that his questions were casual and unimportant. “What did you two talk about?” he asked with feigned nonchalance.

“She wanted to know why I came to the surface: why I want to be here, and why you let me be here.”

That was alright. Harmless enough. Ben relaxed. “Did you tell her?” He took a few sips of water.

“Yes, but not in details. I said we had a deal and you needed some help from me, and in return I wanted access to study humans up close. And I tried to reassure her that everything you do for her is because of how much you love her,” Pearl began gathering up her things that had been left at Ben’s after she fled.

“Oh? Thank you, I suppose…” he gave a vague bob of the head, forehead lightly creasing.

Pearl unzipped her bag made of sail material and turned to Ben with a mischievous smile. “She said she thought we were banging.”

The shock was enough to make the water go down the wrong pipe. Ben spluttered, eyes completely wide. He hurried to wipe the bit of spit-up water from his face, then gaped at the woman. “She what?! I told her that there was nothing between us--”

Pearl giggled, a sound that made butterflies flap their wings in Ben’s stomach. “She said that too. And she taught me that word. ‘Banging’. I didn’t know what it meant.”

Ben was mortified. Why was his daughter going around saying such inappropriate things? Teenagers… “I apologize, she shouldn’t have done that.”

“No harm done,” Pearl reassured with a grin. Ben was very endearing whenever he got all prim and proper. “And she was not entirely incorrect in her reading of our relationship, as we did indeed eventually…‘bang’, to use her word.” A faint smirk.

He swallowed thickly. Ben had been searching for the right time to bring that up. Maybe this was his chance. “About that. I wondered if--- we should talk about…what happened.” He was stumbling over his words, his usual smooth eloquence suffering from nerves. “Because—”

What he wanted to say was that their decision regarding their hook up being a one-time thing was based on the fact that Pearl was going home, back to the bottom of the ocean, and they would never see each other again save for the occasional visit. It couldn’t be more than a one-time thing, even if they wanted it to be! But now she was back, perhaps for a short time, but she was. And if she was back…Ben couldn’t help but wonder if she wanted something more from him. A relationship, even if a temporary one, or maybe just a second time…hell, she seemed ready to bang him in the community center!

“Because…?” she prompted after he was silent for a while, his open mouth widening and shrinking again and again, in a manner that reminded her a little of a cute fish.

Ben quickly shook his head, dismissing it. “Never mind. I need to prep for my Christmas cooking, time is of the essence.”

Time wasn’t really of the essence, but he wouldn’t be reckless to try and discuss the relationship with a mermaid. A mermaid who, as far as he knew, would someday soon still choose to abandon him for her kingdom. He wanted more from her! A real relationship was outside of the realm of possibility, but he’d gladly accept any affection from Pearl--- but then again, no. That was dangerous. He wouldn’t make such a stupid choice, and he wouldn’t give her the chance to reject him either. He had to keep his feelings bottled up, no matter how irresistible Pearl was.

She stared at him for a moment, and he felt himself squirm under the intensity of it. Pearl was rather curious as to what he had wanted to discuss…although deep down she already knew what it was. Oh, she knew it. But she didn't dare bring it up either. That little slipup earlier, while making plans, was bad enough. They had to keep their attraction in check.

Love could be a powerful weapon, or a gift. Neither knew where they stood with the other yet, both hoping for a gift but fearing the weapon. Not intentional betrayal, not anymore—but abandonment, hurt, or rejection. They were of rival species, still, and the peace treaty seemed to always be strained, albeit holding up. There was love and desire, but they shouldn’t act on it. ‘Discussing it’ would only bring risky truths to light, making it that much harder to resist temptation.

***

The teenager returned home a few hours after dusk, having been with Danielle and Karl all day. She wasn’t living with Amelia anymore, but where should she sleep now that Pearl was unexpectedly back on land? Her eyes flitted between the mermaid and the empty bedroom.

“Ugh, am I getting kicked out again?” Alex grumbled, though it was mostly in jest.

“I do not see the need for such a thing, now that you know I’m a mermaid,” Pearl answered, then glanced at Ben for his perspective.

The man nodded. His primary reason for getting Alex out of the house the last time that Pearl stayed over was to protect the girl. Pearl was a dangerous siren, and he didn’t trust her back then. Now Ben was absolutely sure that Pearl would never hurt Alex. And the truth about her was out in the open, so he wouldn’t burden his daughter with keeping a secret. “I don’t see the harm in Pearl staying with the both of us, now,” he said lightly.

“What about my room? Didn’t she sleep there last time?” Alex double-checked. “Or was that a cover-up and she stayed in the tub?”

“Sometimes, but, yes, as a matter of fact,” Ben chuckled under his breath, “she preferred the bathtub.” He turned to the blonde. “Will you be comfortable there this time around?”

“Indeed!” Pearl smiled brightly.

“What if I need to pee in the middle of the night?” Alex asked with a bit of attitude.

The mermaid almost told her to just come in and pee anyway, but then she remembered how Ben always absolutely refused to do that. She faltered, having an idea that made her feel a tad sheepish. “I have grown somewhat used to beds. I suppose, perhaps, I might share yours, Ben? As— friends.”

He was in front of his daughter, so he couldn’t let anything show on his face. Ben hoped he wasn’t flushing. “Y-yes, of course, that’ll be fine,” he said stoically, with a rigid nod.

Alex held back a smirk and an eye roll. ‘As friends’. Sure, like she was blind to the chemistry between them. “Whatever you say,” she said with sarcasm, but more lighthearted instead of the blunt, harsh kind. Ben felt a little disconcerted, and at the same time excited for the night to come.

Long gone were the days of Ben longing for his privacy and locking Pearl out of his room. Now he welcomed her in and wanted to be with her as much as possible; he liked having her around, because the mermaid made his life better. She made him happy. And she wanted to be around him as much as possible too, because he improved her life and he made her just as happy as she made him.

After dinner, the teenager retired to her bedroom, leaving the adults by themselves. When bedtime came, Ben’s heart was racing more than he wanted it to be. He sat on the edge of his bed, stiff and slightly uncomfortable. As a rule, Benjamin Linus didn’t enjoy sharing his bed with anyone. He was a highly private man, who valued quiet and solitude after a long day of working on behalf of the Island. The few exceptions to the rule were his romantic entanglements, of course; he liked sharing a bed with the few girlfriends from his past. There were some platonic exceptions too: his mother if she was still alive, and his daughter, especially when she was little and would run in crying after a nightmare, asking to stay with him, so he’d read to her until she fell asleep peacefully. And now there was Pearl. He would gladly sacrifice his privacy to have Pearl by his side, and give up solitude for her companionship.

But sleeping next to Pearl brought a different set of problems. Not inconveniences, like with other people, but awkwardness. She was obviously neither family like his mother and Alex, nor a platonic friend. But she was not his girlfriend either, or his wife. She sat on a weird spot between platonic and romantic. Pearl was someone he’d kissed a few times, had been intimate with once, but should absolutely not be intimate with again. How the hell was he supposed to act when sleeping by her side? He liked her, so much, but they were fated not to be. Man and mermaid. ‘As-- friends,’ she had said in regards to sharing a bed. Ben clasped his hands together on his lap. On the outside he was stoic, but inside he was fretting.

As if that wasn’t enough, the freighter crew was coming for him. His mind was working overtime to ensure the plan was airtight. A crease on his forehead appeared. He absently toyed with the sleeve of his pajamas, the crease deepening.

“Are you thinking about our plan?” Pearl’s voice broke him out of his thoughts. She had emerged from the bathroom in a cream camisole, and she immediately noticed the tension on his posture and face.

“Among other things,” he said blankly.

“I am, too,” she nodded, making her way to bed. His heart quickened. “I’ve been over it many times, and I think it is a solid plan. Do not worry too much, dearest Benjamin.”

He gave her a weak smile. “Yeah. I think we’ll be successful.”

Pearl sat on the other side of the bed, her heart leaping when she looked at Ben. The butterflies in her stomach went crazy. All she wanted was to reach for him, to touch his face and run her fingers through his hair, and gently kiss him all over. She pined for him, she wanted him, in any and all ways! The mermaid would love to have a steamy night of passion with him, or simply fall asleep curled up in his arms, listening to his heartbeat. She craved affection and intimacy with Ben, of any kind. But, like him, she believed they were fated not to be, no matter how much she liked him.

So she said goodnight, voice catching in her throat. Ben swallowed a lump when he said it back.

He winced lightly when he turned to lie down, his body sore from Jack’s physical assault on him. Sleep would be good to give his muscles some time to heal and his brain some time to rest. He tried not to look at Pearl anymore, but Ben was intensely aware of her presence anyway.

Feeling the coolness radiating off her body and hearing her gentle breathing was a special kind of torture. She was so very close to him, and yet universes apart. He so desperately yearned to reach out and touch her! It didn’t even have to be sex, as much as he would love if it was. He would be perfectly content just holding her close, cuddling her, or just grasping her hand even, sleeping with their fingers entwined! Ben wanted to be with her in any way possible, showering her with affection while basking in her praise and tenderness.

But, no. He had to keep those thoughts to himself, and most certainly keep his hands to himself too. There was nothing between them anymore. Even though she had given him that passionate, spine-tingling look earlier in the day.

He tried his hardest to fall asleep quickly, but Pearl was not making it easy. He could feel her tossing and turning every other minute, then he heard her hurl the pillow to the floor. The mermaid was restless, trying to find a comfortable position. Irritated, she sat up with a sharp sigh.

“Are you trying to keep me awake?” Ben asked in a complete deadpan, rolling over to stare at her with mild vexation.

“Apologies,” she pouted. “Beds are—unusual, still. So odd, solid but sinking in. Don’t judge me, Benjamin, imagine if you learned to breathe underwater today, and had to fall asleep at the bottom of the sea. You would have difficulties getting used to it too!”

“I would,” he admitted with a light chuckle and an understanding nod. “Is there anything I can do to help?” It was an earnest question, for her sake and also because he valued his sleep.

“Uh, no,” Pearl said, but her face looked weird. Shifty, evasive. Even in the darkened room, he could tell.

“Yes there is.” he countered. “What is it?”

“No, nothing.” She looked embarrassed.

He sat up, squinting at her. “Pearl, what is it? You can tell me.”

“You might not want to do it…” she tried to trail off.

“Then let me make that choice. What are you thinking?” Ben insisted.

The mermaid sighed and relented. “It would help if you…held me. In your arms. I would feel steadier and more comfortable, like I’m in a cozy hole on the rocks, but soft, warm, and dry.”

Ben’s mouth made the shape of an ‘o’ and he let out a soft exclamation. “Oh.” He blinked, feeling a strange fogginess coming over his mind. “No, that’s—that’s alright. We can do that, if it’ll help. I—don’t mind,” he said with as much neutrality as possible.

He didn’t really know where to begin, though. Maybe by lying down, on his back, and letting her take the lead. The last thing he wanted was to accidentally cross the line and go further than she expected. After he lied down, face a careful blank followed by a tentative little smile, the siren crawled over and looked down at him, smiling back. She laid on top of him, her chest pressed to his, her face resting on his collarbone.

“Is this okay?” she asked, nervous and a little breathless. Bodily contact with him felt heavenly.

“Yes, fine,” Ben said, still a little stiff. She relaxed into him, her cold body cooling him and feeling wonderfully soft. Pearl’s legs entwined with his and her arms came to rest at his sides. Ben wrapped his arms around her frame, enveloping Pearl in a tight hug. He could hardly believe that he was living through the exact scenario he had been fantasizing about a few minutes earlier! His heart beat fast with giddiness, and he wondered if she could feel it beating through her own chest.

She could, and she absolutely loved it. It made her feel very connected to him.

Being close like that, they pined a little less for each other, as some of their yearning was fulfilled.

He ran a tentative hand through her hair, lovingly caressing her head. Ben watched her carefully to see if she would make a face – or worse, tell him to stop. The smile that bloomed on her lips in response to his touch melted him: a smile so full of affection that, for a second, he had no doubt that she had strong romantic feelings for him too.

Pearl was in pure bliss, head-over-heels and floating on air like she wanted nothing more than to be in Ben’s arms forever. He was giving her exactly the loving affection and intimacy she craved from him! The mermaid soon drifted into sleep, and Ben felt like the luckiest man in the world. Getting to hold Pearl like that, so intimately, so lovingly, was a dream come true, and more than he’d dared hope for. He looked down at her, admiring her striking features and how peaceful she looked, like his own aquatic angel. He could feel her breathing, could see her eyelids fluttering, her mouth relaxing as she got deeper into her sleep cycle, and Ben felt like his heart might genuinely fly out of his chest. He had never had such strong romantic feelings for anyone, ever.

He had a very peaceful sleep himself, and was pleased to wake up to find Pearl still in his arms, entangled with him. It filled him with bliss.

Yeah, Ben realized with stunning, terrifying clarity, it will be impossible to keep myself from falling in love with her.

Notes:

This is a bit of a transitional chapter, things needed to be set up. I absolutely love them sharing a bed, though, it was so sweet to write that!

I really needed Hugo to meet Ben and spend some time with him, because that's obviously important in the future! Isn't it crazy how having Pearl attend Ben's surgery changed EVERYTHING? One change but it affected everything! Because she sang, the surgery went off without a hitch, so Jack didn't need to stay in the Barracks at all (and Sawyer and Kate were let go and she didn't need to come back to rescue Jack), which means The Others never had to move away! So now, when the freighter arrives, they're all still living at home instead of camping in the jungle. The plane survivors that want to stay can't move in there, they don't even really know where it is! It's crazy but I kind of love it.

I hope you guys are enjoying this, the next chapter is really cute, at least in my opinion. It's finally Christmas!

Chapter 34: ‘Twas the jolliest eve and morn on the Island

The mood started out heavy in the Barracks for the next day. Everyone knew that sooner or later the mercenaries would try to kill them and take Ben. But, although they were preparing for a war, the society of Jacob’s people found moments of light to break up the darkness. They decided to still celebrate Christmas Eve, even though people could be marching off at any given moment.

Pearl was beyond delighted! She longed to experience a human Christmas celebration, and had been waiting for it for months, ever since Ben explained what it was like. She was filled with anticipation. It was one of the human customs she was most excited to experience!

And Ben wanted to spend it with her, so badly! Aside from Alex, Pearl had become the most important person in his life. Christmas would be much happier, much more meaningful, with her by his side.

When she had to flee, a mere few days before the holiday, it broke both of their hearts to miss out on Christmas together. In a twisted way it was lucky that the freighter showed up, or they wouldn’t be putting the finishing touches on the Christmas tree together now. Ben let Pearl place the star on top of the plastic tree, admiring the way her face lit up with joy. Alex wasn’t home and didn’t want to participate anyway, so he might as well let the mermaid experiencing her first Christmas have the honor of putting up the star. Ben was particularly giddy watching her strew tinsel everywhere: because seeing Pearl like that -- like such a happy participant of his life -- gave him hope. As much as he tried to bury it, a little bit of hope always shone through, telling him that maybe if she loved Christmas enough, if she loved the human life enough, she’d choose to stay on land. Then he’d remember how foolish that was, and he’d squash that hope as quickly as it had come up. He was content enjoying the joyous nature of the day, but he shouldn’t let himself get carried away dreaming of the future.

Before the celebrations could really get going, Ben had to talk to their new guest, currently kept in an isolated room at the old Dharma hall under the illusion of freedom, but really, just enough of a prisoner that he wasn’t allowed to go very far by himself. Ben headed his way, knocked on the door and entered with an amiable smile.

“Hello, Hugo. How has your stay with us been so far?” The question wasn’t entirely insincere, but it was more to be a good host than because Ben cared that much about it.

A cautiously awkward shrug. “It’s been fine. I’m not really sure if I can leave the room or not, but other than that, yeah…”

Ben chuckled softly, like that was a silly notion to have. “Of course you’re free to leave the room.” But not to roam around by yourself. The leader pulled up a chair and sat facing Hugo, head tilting slightly. “I was hoping to ask you a couple of questions.”

That made Hugo nervous. There was no way to say no. “Yeah, sure. Ask away. Oh, and, uhm…sorry that I arrived late when my friends were, you know…dragging you as a hostage. I would’ve, like, given you some of my water,” he shrugged earnestly.

There was an almost miniscule change to Ben’s expression, a faint creasing around the eyes as he processed the hypothetical offer of kindness. He didn’t respond to it. “Did you talk to anyone in the cabin?” Ben asked right out of the gate, intense blue eyes locked on Hugo. Every reaction was important to watch and read, to ensure the other man was telling the truth.

“No, are you crazy? I didn’t go in there, dude, it’s super creepy,” Hugo exclaimed.

Ben’s tone remained flat. “So you didn’t walk inside the cabin, at all, at any point in time?”

“No way! I always turned right around,” Hugo was adamant about it.

A relieved exhale escaped the Other. “That’s good news. The cabin might be inhabited by a--- less than well-intentioned creature,” Ben explained with enough information to make sure Hugo was aware of the danger, but vaguely enough that he wasn’t arming a potential rival with actual intel. Hopefully it creeped out the plane survivor enough to scare him away from the cabin for good.

“Dude,” Hurley’s eyes grew. “What do you mean by a creature? Is it like that freaky Smoke Monster?”

Eerily calm blue eyes met Hugo’s widened dark ones. “Something like that,” Ben droned. He wasn’t about to explain to someone who wasn’t part of his society that the Man in Black was both man and smoke creature. “It’s wiser to stay away,” he reiterated.

“No chance of me doing anything else,” Hugo shuddered. He wasn’t setting foot inside that cabin, no matter how many times it appeared on his path.

With the most pressing matters out of the way, a congenial smile reappeared on Ben’s face. “And what did Pearl say I could do to help you?”

“She said you can find the chopper that those freighter guys flew in on. I’m supposed to meet my friends there, but I don’t know where they are…” dark eyes shined with dubious hope.

Ben hesitated. Nobody was supposed to leave the Island! But Pearl had made some informal deal with this man, and Benjamin didn’t want to be the one to break it. Besides, if they really couldn’t leave, the Island would make sure to keep them in. Or drag them back. Surely Jacob wouldn’t mind him simply sharing the location of a helicopter. After meeting the semi-deity, Ben had the feeling he didn’t mind many things. “I’ll have my people take a look and see if we can’t locate it,” he said, and meant it.

Hugo wasn’t totally convinced that he could trust the infamous Benjamin Linus, but he gave a tentative smile anyway. “Thanks, dude.”

The leader gave a polite nod, then stood up and turned to leave. “Merry Christmas Eve,” he added as he was headed out. “I’m sorry you’re spending it under such circumstances.”

Hugo’s eyes widened again. “It’s already Christmas Eve? Whoa. I lost track.” Surprise gave way to sadness. He very much wished he could be at home for the holidays, in Los Angeles, or at least with his Island friends instead of (probably) locked up with the Others.

“I’ll bring you a plate of food after dinner,” Ben offered flatly. It was always awkward to do something nice to make up for the bad thing you were doing. He gave a little shrug. “A small comfort.”

It was small but it did cheer Hurley up. “Thanks,” he smiled. “Merry Christmas Eve.”

Ben felt a little bit bad. Out of all the plane crash survivors, Hugo Reyes was one of the kindest and most considerate, and he was pretty harmless. He was responsible for running over Tom with the van and killing him, but Ben didn’t know that. And that was an anomaly for Hugo, anyway. So really, what harm could he do in a dining room, unarmed and surrounded by Ben’s people, totally outnumbered? Ben’s mouth twisted as he fought between being kind and being cautious. Finally, with an alert and insightful squint, he said: “Unless you’d rather have dinner with all of us?”

The prisoner’s expression showed pure surprise. “Really? I can?” Ben gave exactly one sharp nod, lips tightened into a line. Hugo’s face lit up. “Yeah, dude, thanks! That would be much better than staying here alone. It’s kind of depressing in here.”

“Then it’s settled,” Ben reiterated with another polite nod and a half-hearted smile.

***

Ben’s dish for the communal Christmas Eve dinner still had to be prepared. He was chipper as he waited for the glazed meat to come out of the oven.

Pearl, looking equally excited, watched over him as he selected some vegetables to roast. “I should prepare my own dish to bring,” she said.

He gave her a playful little smirk, squinting dubiously. “For the entire community? I don’t know about that. I’m happy to be your guinea pig if you’d like to cook, but I seem to remember a time when I told you a dish required three eggs and you stuck three whole eggs in--- with the shell. Not to mention when you almost burned down my kitchen. Maybe we shouldn’t subject my people to that.”

She huffed with lighthearted indignation. “I’ve improved since then! I wouldn’t suggest that I bring the meat or another complicated dish, but I can handle some simple cooking! I’ve made things that worked out,” she folded her arms around herself, pouting at him.

Ben let out an endeared chuckle. “Do you think you can handle a potato salad? It’s mostly cutting, then mixing things up.”

“Yes!” she exclaimed, grinning. So he quickly wrote down instructions for her to follow, and kept an eye throughout the process to make sure she didn’t misunderstand anything in the recipe. While Pearl cut up her potatoes, Ben was taking out the oven dish and inspecting it. She worked on mixing up the mayonnaise, salt and other ingredients while he put the finishing touches on the meat, lightly roasting and arranging vegetables around it.

They finished their dishes at around the same time, with an hour to spare before the party. It was just enough time for them to shower and get dressed, and head out to dinner together.

Christmas was one of the few occasions where people went all out with more formal attire on the Island. For the dinner party, Ben wore a light cream suit with a white shirt, and red tie as a nod to Christmas. Pearl wore a V-neck simple gown of a deep shade of green with white accents, fitting in with the colors of the holiday.

Benjamin was a man of great self-control and restraint— most of the time. Sometimes emotions completely clouded his judgment and he blew up. Lately he’d been dealing with a different kind of willpower: the power to stay away from Pearl. It was tough when every passing touch felt supercharged, every glance looked flirty, even her lilting little laugh made him want to kiss her.

And he couldn’t take his eyes off of her, finding himself entirely smitten by her beauty. It happened all the time, every day, and especially tonight, as the dress accentuated her radiant glow and her wonderful body, hugging her perfectly.

“Are you admiring my prettiness, Benjamin?” Pearl flirtatiously called him out, shrugging one shoulder and letting her long waist-length hair fall over it.

This time he didn’t shy away from the truth. Ben reached out and lovingly tucked a strand of blonde hair behind her ear. “I must admit that I was. You’re—very beautiful, Pearl,” he told her. Then, perhaps unexpectedly, he squinted with a playful air. “It’s an evolutionary trait of your species, isn’t it? The beauty of sirens is something biological to facilitate how they’re predators of humans.”

The mermaid queen didn’t even bat an eye, instead swelling up with prideful mischief. “Indeed! How clever of you to notice. Our gorgeous appearances are designed to be deadly; to disarm humankind and aid in drowning or eating them.”

Ben deadpanned, but humor twinkled in his eyes. Long gone were the days of him fearing her predatory nature. “No wonder you stare at yourself in the mirror all the time.”

Pearl laughed that melodic laugh of hers. “Being part of a near-supernaturally-beautiful species is not all that easy! I cannot venture amongst humans without most of you falling all over yourselves and trying to touch me. You never did, though; you were always wary of me.”

“It’s not like I didn’t notice that you were gorgeous,” Ben shrugged. “But I was too wary of you to let that cloud my judgment.” Pearl had always been able to make his breath hitch and pulse race with ease, but he was a man with a strong will, who wouldn’t simply fold for a pretty girl. Especially one with a deadly song. “Then I got to know you, and…I must say I rather enjoy all aspects of you, Pearl. You’re—quite magnificent in many ways. Not just your beauty.” He wanted her to be sure of that.

“I appreciate that,” she said pensively. It meant a lot to the mermaid. The compliment was deeper than just her physical attributes--- as was their connection. “You were drawn to more than just my beauty. As was I to you; you’re exquisitely handsome, dearest Benjamin, and I noticed it from the start, but you are more than that too. You are quite magnificent indeed,” she returned the same words, finding that they described Ben very aptly.

He swelled with pride, head rapidly bobbing around in every direction for a second, a wide grin on his face. Pearl smoothed down his red tie, rubbing his chest as she did it, and for a moment she was lost in the blue of his eyes. It was like a trance. Then she caught herself and cleared her throat, taking a step back. “Shall we get going? I wouldn’t want to be indelicate and arrive late.”

Ben nodded, tentatively offering her an arm. She gladly linked hers to his, and the pair walked off together to meet everyone in the dining room of the community center, where the former Dharma cafeteria was located.

Jacob’s society was made up of special people handpicked to take care of the Island. As such, they lived in isolation from the mainland world, and most of them didn’t have much family around at all. Some partnered up, but there weren’t even too many couples. No children, for obvious reasons. Ben was lucky to be a father, as he at least had some family on the Island. In the absence of any other relatives, everyone tried to come together as one big family every year for the holidays. They held dinner at the community center dining room, with everyone bringing in a dish. The leader, in this case Ben, was always responsible for the turkey. Dharma-branded, naturally. Unfortunately they were currently out of it due to the crash survivors intercepting the food drop, so glazed ham would have to do.

This year, there was an excitedly curious hustle and bustle rippling around the room because they had not one, not two, but three newcomers! A plane crash survivor, the mad French woman, and a siren of the seas. An eclectic guest list for sure.

Rousseau seemed twitchy and kept to herself, talking mostly exclusively with Alex, Karl and Richard. Hugo tried to be friendly to everyone, although he was clearly a little out of place and disconcerted. And Pearl turned on the charm, dazzling the crowd as she tried to improve diplomatic relations between humans and merfolk. In a way, it was easier now that they knew the truth. Everyone wanted to hear about life under the sea! She just made sure not to let Hugo overhear it; if there was even a small chance of him leaving the Island, he could not learn that merfolk were real! Pearl smiled enchantingly at the dinner guests. Her new green gown matched her radiance, and her charisma was undeniable.

Ben was enamored by that. He was also happy overall, as it was one of his favorite nights of the year! He beamed as he shook hands and traded wishes of ‘Merry Christmas Eve’, making excellent small talk with his people.

Pearl watched him from a distance, swooning in silence. Watching Ben be happy made her stomach somersault, and warm loving feelings glowed in the mermaid’s heart. He deserved his moment of appreciation! His smile – especially when it was genuine, and big, and shining – lit up the entire room. Hell, the entire Island, the entire world! It made the mermaid smile along, the look in her eyes showing everyone how much she absolutely adored their leader.

Everyone sat down for dinner. Ben’s place was at the head of the table, and Pearl had the seat to his right. She watched everyone serve themselves a scoop of her potato salad and turned to Ben with an excited grin. He gave her a smile that said ‘well done’. And, when he finally tasted the salad, he found that it was actually pretty good! Tasty and prepared well, as was his ham. Shame about the turkey, but, on the Island, they made do. At least it didn’t have to be a glazed Christmas boar.

Pearl’s refined manner at the dinner table put the humans more at ease, making her seem more like one of them. Despite her distaste for humankind, she put up a highly gracious, diplomatic act to metaphorically enchant them. She was willing to blend in to societal norms and uphold human social constructs, such as using cutlery and napkins, because she had become used to them while living with Ben and pretending to be human. He taught her many things, and others she picked up on from watching the rest of his people. Now that she didn’t need to pretend, she still abided by those conventions, as a strategic move to ingratiate herself. She knew to put the napkin on her lap, how to use the knife and fork, how to sip elegantly from her drink, how to cross her legs in poised manner. And she had that mermaid beguiling radiance, which disarmed people even when they were wary. Ben shot her a look, amused and impressed, and even swooning a little at her effortless charm.

Alex, who was – with some grudging reluctance – sitting on Ben’s left side, noticed her father’s smile watching Pearl. The teen let out a sly gasp and whispered to him: “Oh my God, how did I not see it before? You’re totally in love with her!”

His eyes widened, caught by surprise. “With whom? Pearl? No, I— why would you say that?” he frowned, feeling awfully exposed.

“Oh come on, it’s the way you look at her! You totally light up!” Alex insisted.

Troy, who was sitting next to Alex to purposely stop Karl from taking that seat, overheard and joined in the whispering. “Sir, it’s written all over your face! Your smile, we can tell.”

Ben huffed lightly. “You’re misreading the situation. I am simply admiring her progress in blending in with human society.” He was swift to change subjects and keep his gaze away from Pearl, but he was a bit alarmed. Was it that obvious that he had feelings for her?! He meant to keep it a secret! And, he wasn’t in love, was he? Maybe falling in love, but…oh, what the hell did he know. Ben recognized that he was in denial of his own emotions because he didn’t trust that Pearl reciprocated those feelings.

The rest of the dinner was pleasant and lively, with many different conversations taking place. To avoid dampening the mood, everyone tried not to think about the mercenaries. They stuck to more lighthearted subjects, laughing and cheering together.

As the group broke out in chorus of a carol, Ben and Pearl made eye contact over the glazed ham, smiled at each other, and felt so giddy with a joy they hoped the others wouldn’t pick up on. It was really starting to feel like much more than an infatuation and attraction, or even an intense like. It felt like love. And then they burst into laughter when someone attempted a high note and sang really off-key.

***

The pair walked back home as the night began to wind down, with the sulking teenager in tow. Despite her reluctance, Ben was happy. When Alex was little, he cherished that night with her even more than the communal dinner. They made cookies or little crafts while she tried to stay awake to wait for Santa and invariably fell asleep on the couch instead. Her dad would chuckle, carry her to bed and lovingly tuck her in, then put a shiny present under the tree from ‘Santa’ for her to unwrap in the morning.

As she grew older, she refused to do anything with him, so he stayed out later with the rest of the community. He always thought of Annie, too, wondering what she was doing and wishing he could talk to her. This was the first year where his thoughts didn’t drift to his first love. Because Pearl was there with him.

He did take a moment to remember his mother, wishing she could be present. Pearl was thinking of her parents too, missing them. But neither of them let it become a dark, sad thing; it was a somber moment of honoring late loved ones, but the party was still on.

“Do you want to hang out with us for a while, Alex?” Ben asked, hopeful and nostalgic.

Pearl had an inkling that the teenager was only sticking around because she was curious about mermaids. She also knew how much it would mean for Ben to spend some time with his daughter. So Pearl decided to help. “I have something you may wish to try, Alex,” she suggested with cryptic excitement before the girl had the chance to say no to Ben.

The ‘no’ that was coming halted on Alex’s lips. She hesitated, curious but annoyed. “Try like what?”

“I shall make you my special hot chocolate!” Pearl exclaimed enthusiastically and immediately scurried off to the kitchen.

The teen glanced skeptically at her father. “Special?”

He smiled a crooked smile. “She adds seaweed. Surprisingly, it’s really good. I recommend it.” Ben knew exactly what Pearl was doing to keep his daughter around, and he was immensely grateful for the help.

“Ew!” Alex made a face. “No way that’s good!”

“I didn’t believe it either, but I promise that it is,” Ben chuckled.

Soon the sweet scent of melted chocolate permeated the house, making Christmas Eve feel even cozier and nicer. Pearl brought back two red mugs, handed them off, and rushed to get one more. “My secret ingredient brings out the sweetness of the chocolate. Chocolate is my favorite human concoction!”

The two adults clinked their mugs while Alex watched dubiously “Cheers,” Ben said with a hint of amusement.

Pearl happily gulped the hot chocolate. The teenager sipped slowly, hesitantly, and then surprise crossed her features. “Whoa, it is actually pretty good. Seaweed hot chocolate, huh? Who knew…”

“I told you,” Ben’s eyebrows went up and down with the words, drawing a little eye roll from his daughter. He wasn’t fazed, though. He smiled while a beaming Pearl thanked Alex for the compliment, and he drank a little more of the special chocolate, enjoying its unique yet familiar flavor. The clock chimed midnight. “Merry Christmas,” his smile widened, directed at both girls and at no one in particular. He was very pleased with the evening, even if Alex was sulking a little. Christmas was always good, but this was one of the better ones!

As they all finished their chocolate, Pearl walked away to put the mugs in the sink. Ben followed to ask about her preferred sleeping attire for the night and the two of them walked back together, through the living room, talking amongst themselves until they came to a stop next to the bookcase.

That’s when Alex noticed something. Right then and there, she decided to intervene. “Look up,” the teen pointed up, smirking.

Ben’s stomach did a flip when he realized that he and Pearl were standing directly under some mistletoe. Alex must have put it up on purpose, just to make him squirm; Ben was never someone who hung that tricky plant. It only served to disconcert people! “Oh,” he said stiffly. “Mistletoe.”

Pearl stared up at the innocent-looking little plant hanging above their heads. “What is the significance of that?” She knew there had to be one, or Ben wouldn’t be acting so awkward and Alex so mischievous.

“It’s tradition,” the girl explained. “People have to kiss when they’re under it.” Her plan was less altruism and more strategy. She thought that if she could get her father to start dating Pearl for real, maybe he’d ease up on Karl and let Alex see the boy more often. Clearly Ben and Pearl were crazy for each other, so she thought they could use the nudge, and hopefully that would make her father be chiller so she could finally have some peace with her boyfriend too!

“We don’t have to,” Ben quickly corrected, shaking his head as he gave Pearl an apologetic look. “It’s—just a silly custom, that’s all.”

Pearl’s rosy lips pulled into a smile. “You know me, Ben; I am always keen to participate in human culture. If it’s tradition, it’s tradition,” she emphasized, gazing into his eyes with a flirty look that told him to go ahead.

Ben couldn’t hide the little smile that bloomed on his face. He leaned in, a bit rigid in movement and with his arms hanging flat, and placed a kiss on Pearl’s cheek. He was in front of his daughter, after all, he wasn’t going to kiss Pearl on the mouth!

The blonde mermaid grinned and kissed his cheek in return. “Why, Benjamin, my heart is all aflutter!” she joked with a beguiling curtsy. It made his heart race.

“Ugh,” the teenager muttered under her breath, rolling her eyes. Why couldn’t they just kiss?! Maybe if she left them alone. Yeah, it was worth a shot. “Okay guys, I’m going to bed. Night,” she shrugged and walked off to give them privacy.

Ben and Pearl traded a grin and a soft snicker, amused to be caught under mistletoe. “Yes, it’s past midnight. We should get some sleep too,” he was quick to say. The temptation to kiss Pearl on the lips was strong, but he bravely resisted it.

Now that it was time for bed, Ben was hoping to be able to hold Pearl through the night again. He didn’t dare hope too hard, but the hope was there, in the fluttering of his heart and in the gentle eager smile on his face.

He changed into his pajamas and watched Pearl intently as she made her way to bed, wearing that cute camisole dress again. But she didn’t go to bed. She crossed toward him, who was standing next to the dresser. The mermaid sauntered over and, after a brief second of consideration of her next step, took his hands in hers. “I had a lovely evening. I am sorry that I didn’t have a gift for Alex and for you. I did not realize I’d be spending a human Christmas,” she laughed.

Ben laughed along. “It’s alright. We didn’t have one for you either. Sorry you missed out on that tradition.”

“Letting me share this Christmas with your family was the best gift you could have given me,” she retorted, voice brimming with heartfelt sincerity. She squeezed his hands, and he stroked hers with his thumbs. Ben’s head cocked slightly to the side, a smitten smile on his face. Pearl’s own smile widened as she continued. “But…I have one gift that I’d like to give you now, if you’ll accept it.” She leaned in slowly, gazing intensely at his mouth, letting the moment linger as the anticipation between them built to unbearable levels.

For a second he feared his heart might explode, knees going weak. God, she was so sexy, he wanted to take her right there --- but he shouldn’t, and he shouldn’t even be thinking such inappropriate things. Whatever happened between them before didn’t matter, as it had been made clear that it was a one-time thing. Unless…she changed her mind. It certainly looked like it, but he couldn’t assume something so forward. It was pretty clear that she was going to kiss him, though. Maybe the mistletoe worked her up. Ben blinked a few times, gathering his wits and clearing his throat. “I’ll accept it,” he told her, to make his own intentions clear. He waited eagerly for her to make a move and set the tone of what she wanted out of the encounter.

And then she kissed him, gently and sweetly, and he was instantly returning the gesture. It was a close-mouthed kiss, needy and soft and delightful. Oh, how he’d waited for another kiss from her! Okay, sure, the wait was less than a week, but it felt endless! “Merry Christmas,” she soon whispered into his lips.

He chuckled into her mouth. That wasn’t exactly the point of the Christmas spirit, but he was not complaining. “Merry Christmas, Pearl.”

She should have stopped there, but she felt too connected to Ben to pull away. She lovingly rubbed her nose against his, then focused on the black bruise under his eye. “Aw,” she tutted sadly, tracing a gentle finger over the cuts on his face. “You are still injured. Does it hurt?”

“Not anymore, not really,” he gave a little shrug. His body was still sore, but it wasn’t anything too bad.

“Good,” she muttered into his skin, placing a tender kiss on every single cut or bruise on his face. Ben shuddered pleasantly, melting into the gesture and closing his eyes. Pearl was so sweet to him! He held her close and caressed her upper back in appreciation, a content sigh flowing past his lips. She continued to kiss his injuries to comfort him, kissing under his eye as the penultimate spot, then finishing by kissing the split lip.

A kiss that Ben tentatively deepened by opening his mouth. Pearl reciprocated, and his hands roamed up and down her sides, slowly, tenderly, possessively. Lifting up her camisole a bit.

Technically--- they never said they shouldn’t kiss anymore after the beach sex. They just agreed that sex was a one-time thing because Pearl was leaving, and then she called them ‘friends’. They independently assumed that romance and physical intimacy were not on the table, but they never actually made that decision together. Now, inflamed by a wonderful night and delicious kisses, neither of them were really questioning whether they should or shouldn’t anymore. They were living in the moment, slowly giving in to their cravings.

“God, I missed you,” Ben muttered hotly into her mouth, swiping his tongue against her lips. He didn’t even mean to say anything, but, in the heat of the moment, it slipped out.

“Did you miss me, or did you miss this?” Pearl joked, tilting her head to suck on his neck.

Ben chuckled, eyes closing again as fire spread through him. “Both,” he confessed, weak.

“I missed both too,” she said, gasping lightly when his hands squeezed her hips.

They spoke in loving whispers, careful not to draw attention to themselves if Alex was awake. Nobody could know about this. It was a forbidden romance, and there was something inexplicably hot about that. Pearl placed one hand on Ben’s cheek and kissed him again, her other hand travelling up and down his back. The camisole strap slipped, and Ben hooked a hand under it to caress her skin. Mouths and tongues continued to move together to the sounds of soft gasps and heavy breaths, growing needier and needier.

They hardly knew how much time had passed; all they knew was that they could not let go of each other. The couple was locked in a handsy tender embrace, sharing never-ending slow, deep, sensual kisses and gliding, roaming, squeezing touches, with desire building inside of them until they could barely breathe, never mind think straight. The tension and friction were intensifying, their temptation rising with the temperature.

Ben decided to take a chance: a chance that made him extremely nervous, yet at the same time he was confident in it. He took a small step backward, closer to the bed, possessive hands pulling Pearl along with him. He found that she was very willing to go, so he took a second step and stopped. It was her turn to feel like her cheeks were flushed, her heart nearly leaping out of her chest with nervous anticipation. He leisurely kissed her bare shoulder, again and again, using one finger to slowly slide down the other camisole strap. The next move was initiated by Pearl, who slid her hands under his pajama shirt and lightly pushed Ben backwards when she walked forward, continuing their progress toward the bed. Their hearts were exploding with feelings.

They fell in, arms slinking around each other’s bodies, pulling so there was no space between them. Holding each other tightly as their hands roamed, caressing every inch of each other. Clothes came off painfully slowly, but they didn’t mind; they cherished every gesture, every second of exquisite yearning and longing, every unhurried kiss or slow sucking of skin. Ben and Pearl continued to kiss on the bed for quite some time, hungrily, alternating between Pearl lying on top of him, or Ben being on top of her, feverishly rolling around and grinding hips until they finally settled side by side. Facing each other, underwear came off and their legs intertwined. Ben kissed her neck as his hand traveled down her arm, up her thigh, then tangled in her long blonde hair. Pearl whimpered, kneading her fingers in Ben’s spiky brown hair, the other hand massaging his back or grabbing his chest. When his mouth let go of her skin, he nuzzled up her jawline and her cheek, giving her ear a little nibble. They gazed into each other’s eyes with pure, enchanted love and burning desire, gasping lightly as their hips rolled into position and they finally united as one. It was steamy, and hot, and their bodies felt better than ever.

They kept that firm embrace of wandering caresses the entire time, the slow kisses becoming needier and more frantic the more their pleasure built, until they were gasping and moaning into each other’s mouths and collarbones, teeth and tongues grazing on skin, hands desperately squeezing flesh, hips bucking and grinding for more. It was euphoric, sensational! By the end of it all, they were awash in the purest afterglow, floating in bliss, and they never wanted to leave that bed ever again.

***

Saying that Pearl and Ben woke up walking on air was an understatement. They kissed good morning, both of them looking completely, foolishly smitten, recklessly head-over-heels, staring at each other in awe and bliss.

It was because of the pleasure from sex, yes, but not just that; it was also because they spent the whole night together! They felt so connected to one another, so physically satisfied and emotionally complete! Pure bliss was the only way they could think to describe it.

“I wouldn’t mind spending the entire day here,” Pearl said with an enamored smile, eyes fluttering up at him as she shifted in the sheets.

Ben dipped down to kiss her again, snuggling her. “Neither would I,” he murmured into her lips, smiling. “Sadly, they’re waiting for us out there.” They lounged around a while longer, snuggled up, then got up to start their day.

The couple continued to trade little kisses and caresses while they got dressed after a quick shower; a kiss on his shoulder before Ben put his shirt on, a kiss on Pearl’s collarbone before she put on hers, a caress on her thigh before she found her shorts, a caress up his stomach before he tucked in his shirt. Pearl nuzzled the back of his neck while he was putting on shoes, then later he kissed her cheek. Every touch, every kiss was so affectionate and sweet, accompanied by a dreamy smile, and those loving gestures already felt like a natural part of their routine—like they should have been doing that all along!

Ben lifted her chin with his thumb and index finger, gazing into her dazzling eyes before he kissed her lips one more time. Pearl sighed happily as she kissed back.

Then they took a step away from each other and walked out of the bedroom. Once they were outside, they automatically went back to pretending nothing happened. In public they were simply allies and friends. Whatever was between them had to be a secret, and both of them instinctively understood that.

While Pearl had Christmas pudding for breakfast in front of the television, Ben walked outside to feed his rabbit, his mind replaying the sensual events of the night before. He was so happy, but so unsure too. Pearl clearly desired him a lot, which was wonderful, but did she have real feelings for him? He didn’t dare think a mermaid could ever love a human, and a relationship between them was still out of the question. That put a damper in his euphoria. She obviously cared about him – he saw that in the way she protected him, laughed with him, kissed him – but only as a passing fling. His heart tightened. Then again, he was better off living in the present and enjoying the moment than trying to control the future. That wasn’t easy for a planner like him, but, despite it all, he was happy. He had not planned for Christmas Eve sex, either, and it still worked out perfectly. It was tough for Ben to believe that everything would fall into place without his interference and scheming, but so far fate had surprised him with Pearl plenty of times. He smiled to himself as more scenes from the night before played out in his brain while he absently tossed some vegetables into the rabbit pen.

His musings were interrupted by an instinctive gut feeling that made his eyes narrow. He could sense that he was being watched. Not by Widmore’s army; no, those were about as subtle as a bull in a china shop. Whoever had Ben in their sights was cautious, sticking to the shadows.

“Are you gonna tell me what you want, or do I have to guess?” he said with flat sarcasm, to catch them off guard and challenge them. “I’m afraid you’ve wandered too far from your ocean.”

A sheepish pair came out from around the house. Aqua, Pearl’s closest sister with the straight jet black hair, and the blond merman Spear, who was Pearl’s former mate. Both of them wore cloths made of sail material and algae, and they were barefoot and wet. Ben held his ground, regarding them with a stone-faced look. Being cautious, but also warning the merfolk to tread carefully. It was creepy that they were prowling around his home like a pair of predators!

“…We wanted to make sure that Pearl is safe. And here,” Aqua explained with hesitancy. Spear looked warier.

“She didn’t tell you that she was coming up here?” Ben asked with a lilt and an indecipherable glint in his eyes.

Spear grunted. “Said she wanted to come help you, but we did not know if she made it.”

“She made it,” Ben curtly informed. “You, however, aren’t allowed to be here, especially lurking behind my back. You’re breaching the treaty,” he acidly reminded them, eyes narrowing slightly.

Since Ben remained calm, the mermaid and merman didn’t escalate things either. “We know, and apologize,” Aqua said. “We had to come. We were too worried for Pearl.”

With a sharp sigh of exasperation, Ben decided to take the high road, if only to be courteous. “She’s inside, if you would like to talk to her. Watching tv.”

They traded a look like they’d love to experience a television too, but the merman shook his head. “Our Queen knows where to find us if needs— if she needs us. We shall let her be. Take care of her, human Benjamin.” He held out a hand and leaned forward, offering the option of the human and the merfolk greeting.

Ben blinked. He couldn’t help but feel like this was Pearl’s ex passing him the torch. At the very least it was a show of respect, of acceptance, and he appreciated that. He shook the merman’s hand and gave him a slight forehead touch to show respect for his culture too, offering him a brief smile in the process.

But as Spear walked away, Aqua lingered next to Ben. “Did you know that merfolk like to tell tales?” she asked, seemingly out of nowhere.

He nodded. “Pearl shared a few stories with me, yeah. She’s a talented storyteller. Are all of you?”

She nodded back. “Yes. We sit in circles and trade stories. Pearl’s recent favorite…is the tale of a mermaid princess who fell desperately in love with a human prince that hailed from a magical land. She saved him from drowning, and he saved her from injuries. But the princess’ society did not like that. They tried to kill the princess, and banish the human. The two united together to prove their love, and in the end, the merfolk accepted them.”

Ben listened intently, a crease on his brow appearing and deepening by the second. The story was obviously very familiar, and it looked like Aqua knew that. Was she implying that it was inspired by Ben? His heart jumped. “I suppose we all look for inspiration in the things we live through, even if they are meaningless,” he tried to evade.

“You should hear how Pearl describes this noble prince.” Aqua cleared her throat to imitate Pearl: “She says, ‘He waltzed right into her dreams, then into her very life, with self-assured footsteps and hypnotizing eyes, and he swept her into his whirlwind of intensity. The princess danced with him, her heart feeling like it was taking flight. And she knew, in that moment, that the handsome human prince had her heart forever.’” The brunette mermaid sighed. “And—I do not think she would want me telling you this, Benjamin, but you should know…”

“What is it?” he urged, eyes widening slightly. He instantly remembered the song that Pearl wrote for him, with similarly flattering and meaningful lyrics.

“The first time she told this story was right after you two kissed for the very first time. Changing “queen” and “leader” to princess and prince did not hide her tracks well enough. I see how her eyes sparkle when she tells of the princess’ devotion to her beloved prince.”

He swallowed dryly. Did Pearl…feel more about him than liking him? Could she -- that wonderful, otherworldly creature of beauty and power – be in love with him? In the same way that he was secretly falling in love with her too? “Why are you telling me this?” he squinted thoughtfully at Aqua.

Hazel eyes landed heavily on blue ones. “She is joining in your fight against the pirates from that ship, or whatever they are. Risking her life for you. Please, do your very best to keep her safe, since we cannot.”

Ben understood where Aqua was coming from. Their queen, who they loved and admired, was putting herself right in the middle of a war that had nothing to do with her kind. And apparently she was doing so out of devotion for Ben. Merfolk couldn’t protect her; her bodyguards weren’t there. She was alone in a world where she didn’t belong, for his sake.

He was so flattered that he felt his heart clench and his stomach flutter. “I promise that I’ll do whatever I can to make sure Pearl stays unharmed,” he solemnly vowed.

“I thank thee, Ben,” Aqua curtsied. Spear was doubling back to check what was taking her so long, so she quickly changed subjects like she didn’t want Pearl’s ex to know of Pearl’s feelings for Ben. “By the way-- we have been diligently practicing our English. Are we better?” she asked, batting her lashes with congenial playfulness.

Ben chuckled softly, highly aware of the subject change. “Yes, you’re both very good.” And then he had an idea. Possibly a troublesome one, and yet a very thoughtful gesture too. “If you can, you should bring Summer here today. I’m sure it would mean a lot to Pearl to spend the day with her daughter. Today is a special human holiday,” he explained.

Aqua smiled knowingly. “You really care deeply about her too. I see your devotion,” she whispered meaningfully. “I shall see what can be done about the guppy.”

Just like that, the aquatic pair retreated to the shadows, leaving Ben behind with a frown that soon morphed into a smile. He was a little stunned by that conversation, and giddy with hope too. It revealed a lot about Pearl, from her closest sister! He walked back through the door, footsteps lighter than before. His favorite mermaid was waiting for him, a pondering look appearing on her face.

With the festivities of the holidays and the war brewing outside, Ben and Pearl hardly had a moment to process their evolving relationship. “Before we get the day going, if you have a spare minute for me…we need to talk,” Pearl abandoned the television and chased after him, cornering him behind the living room couch.

He playfully widened his eyes, face ominous. “That’s never good for a man to hear coming from a woman,” Ben joked, although deep down he wondered if a breakup was coming. He didn’t tell Pearl about the visit from the other merfolk yet—it would only put her on the spot about her possible feelings, and spoil the possible surprise. Ben was good at keeping secrets.

“It is nothing bad,” she smiled, though the usually poised queen looked sheepish. “I would like…cla, uh, clarification on something.”

It was unusual for her to stumble over her words. It piqued his curiosity. “On what?”

“You went outside to feed Eight. When you came back in, I—I wished to kiss you ‘hello’. But I did not know if I should.” She seemed to slump in uncertainty.

“Oh.” His face went a bit vacant, though there was a surprised flicker in his eyes. Ben decided he needed to hear more about her feelings before he revealed any of his own. “Why do you think you should, or shouldn’t?”

The blonde mermaid sighed. “I did not know if you would feel okay with it. We are not…together. Our sex has been casual. The other day, when we were talking about the word ‘bang’ and you almost said something but held back, I thought you wanted to discuss our relationship, what we are to each other…” Pearl’s eyes searched his. “Isn’t that what you were going to tell me?”

“Yes,” the word came out with soft intensity. “I-- I was going to ask you if, now that you’re back, we were still a ‘one-time thing’. We slept together again last night, which answers that question, I suppose,” his head cocked to the side and back, his tone almost business-like for such a personal conversation. Ben’s eyes drifted away and he was deep in thought, then they flitted back to meet Pearl’s. This was his one chance with correct timing: he had to tell her everything that was on his mind. “I suppose I’m still wondering how casual our relationship is. I know we can’t be in a real relationship, that wouldn’t make sense for a man and a mermaid…” he stopped to let her agree, though his mind was screaming ‘please disagree! Say a relationship makes sense!’

Pearl didn’t think she could disagree. “Indeed. A real relationship, in our circumstances, cannot happen. To be honest, Benjamin, I’ve been grappling with the same question: how casual are we? I know we have to hide our entanglement, but, if we are alone, can I kiss you hello? That’s not such casual behavior…” She swallowed dryly, almost afraid of the answer being a rejection. Navigating an ongoing fling with a human was so complicated!

A little smile bloomed on Ben’s face, and there was something fond and amused about it. He wasn’t used to the formidable mermaid queen being so tentative, so…unsure. It was reassuring to see that she was as confused by their relationship as he was, lost in the same mess of feelings and politics. Better still, she wanted more from him! Pearl didn’t want just casual sex here and there; she wanted enough closeness and connection to allow her to kiss him hello, every day! Oh, Ben was so happy he could’ve giggled.

Instead, he placed a gentle hand on her face, palming her cheek and letting his fingertips slide into her hair right above her ear. “You can kiss me hello,” Ben smoothly told her, gazing piercingly into her eyes.

Pearl’s knees nearly gave out, her heart racing a mile a minute. She was so happy that Ben was on the same page and wanting more than just casual with her! Even if a real relationship was impossible, they could have a temporary something. She blew out a sigh of relief, then adopted a mischievous, flirty look as she turned her head to nuzzle and kiss the hand he had on her cheek. “Then hello, dearest Ben.”

“Hello.” He was chuckling lightly to himself as he leaned in to touch her lips with his own, happily accepting her roundabout invitation. Pearl kissed back, and their mouths moved in a relaxed, slow rhythm, taking a few moments before adding their tongues to the mix. Even when tongues were introduced, it was a sweet, tranquil kiss, a show of love and appreciation more than lust at the moment.

They broke away from the kiss with light, dreamy smiles on their faces. Pearl mulled over something, then tenderly took his hand. “Ben, I’ve been thinking. As soon as things are settled here and we eliminate the mercenaries, we shall go back to Hydra Island so that you can examine my reproductive system,” she stated with full conviction. “I promised you as much, before I was run out at gun point, and I intend to stick to my word,” she added.

A wave of emotion shot through his chest. Losing that opportunity had been one of the biggest blows of losing her—aside from losing her as a whole. “Thank you. I was hoping that you would still be up for that…” his gratitude sounded a bit stilted, because he was controlling his tone so it wouldn’t shake.

A wry little chuckle. “Indeed I am. I will help you cure the mortality rate for pregnant human women of this Island, Ben, no matter what it takes” she vowed, and he could have exploded with love for her right then and there. There was no bigger show of trust and care that he could ever require from her.

“I don’t know how to thank you,” he reiterated, shiny blue eyes locked on hazel ones. “It would make life on the Island so much better…”

The mermaid queen gave an ethereal one-shouldered shrug. “There is no need to thank me. I want to help. Oh, and I was thinking…I know that you’ve been arguing with your daughter. She is angry that you keep her away from her boyfriend--- and that is because you’re terrified that she’ll die if she gets pregnant. Is that correct?”

A shadowy look crept across Ben’s face. “Yes,” he said bitterly, the weight of that danger sinking like a stone in his stomach. He really appreciated how intuitive Pearl was, figuring that out by herself. It was still startling to have someone that knew him so well, but there was comfort in it too.

“You should tell her of your worries,” Pearl softly suggested. “I am going to guess that you never told her, because you don’t open up and share often.”

Ben winced. “It’s an awkward subject. I never saw the need to fill her in on the details…”

“The need is making her understand you’re doing it for love, Ben! If you do not explain yourself, Alex is left thinking that you’re keeping her away from her boyfriend just to control her and keep her under your thumb. She has no idea that it’s to keep her safe because you’re afraid of losing her or letting harm befall her!” the siren insisted. “I do not mean to overstep here, but please heed my advice.”

He was actually listening, taking her words under consideration. A frown creased his forehead. “Do you really think that, if she knew, she would be less angry with me?” Ben asked in a small voice, squinting in thought. He hated the idea of Alex believing that he was keeping her away from Karl just to control her! He wouldn’t do that to her! But talking to his sixteen year old daughter about her sex life seemed a bit mortifying.

“I do,” Pearl gave a heavy nod. “If she understands you’re looking out for her safety, rather than simply being on a power trip, I’m certain she will mellow somewhat. She is like any daughter, Ben, she wants to be reassured that she is loved by her father.”

His frown deepened. “I—I’ll talk to her,” he decided after a moment’s thought. Pearl was probably right. He could mend his relationship with his daughter if he was willing to be honest. She wasn’t such a little girl anymore—he had to stop treating her as such, or he would lose her for good. “After Christmas,” a decisive nod. He didn’t want to dampen the festivities with such awkward talk.

Pearl was proving to be a good buffer between Ben and his sulky teenage daughter. Not only was she giving him advice on how to better handle their relationship, she was also able to wrangle Alex better than Ben could. Probably because the teenager was very intrigued by mermaids.

Somehow Pearl managed to talk Alex into spending a bit more time at home after the girl woke up, watching a taped movie with them instead of running off to be with her mother or that boyfriend of hers. Ben’s stomach clenched with worry when he once again thought of the possibility of his teenage daughter getting pregnant and dying. All of their lives would be so much easier if he fixed that, and now that finally seemed within reach! He didn’t want to get his hopes up; there had been many attempts at fixing the deadly infertility problems of the Island that failed miserably. But at least he had a renewed lead, and that meant the world.

They were still trying to pick a movie that pleased all three of them when there was a knock on the door. Surprised, Pearl squinted as a mischievous-looking Ben went over to open it. Spear and Aqua stood there, this time with little Summer in tow.

“Pearl, it’s for you,” he said slyly, over his shoulder.

But before she could come to the door, the merchild was sprinting at Ben and hugging his legs. “Ben!” she exclaimed, smiling widely at him.

His heart swelled with affection and he let out a gentle chuckle. “Hello, Summer,” he patted her on the head. “It’s so nice to see you again!”

The adult blonde was utterly surprised to find her family there on land. Her jaw dropped and she beamed, running over to the door. “Summer!” she exclaimed, whisking her daughter into her arms. The child giggled when Pearl kissed her cheek and snuggled her. “Ohh, sweetie! Mommy missed you!” Still beaming, she looked at the aquatic adults. “How are you here?!”

“We had a brief talk with Ben. He said you were watching tee-vee,” Aqua explained. “He extended the guppy an invitation. We wanted to watch too.”

“And Summer wanted more of all,” Spear added. “…Most. Of all.”

Pearl laughed, shaking her head with confusion. “When did you talk to Ben?!”

“Earlier today, but that’s not important,” Ben was quick to dismiss. There was no need to bring up that princess tale. He threw the other adult merpeople a blank look. “When I said that Summer should come over, it was not exactly an invitation for all of you…” he said as politely as possible. As much as he appreciated the chat, he wasn’t keen on all those merfolk invading his home, especially on Christmas morning! “As I said, today is an important day for us…”

“Dad, let them stay,” Alex chimed in. She was watching with intense curiosity from the couch, fascinated by the presence of new aquatic creatures.

Ben froze, eyes slowly widening. ‘Dad’. She said ‘dad’. Not ‘Ben’. The word made his heart soar! Alex hadn’t called him ‘dad’ in ages! It was the first sign that they were mending their relationship, and he was so happy he nearly shed a tear! Could he really deny her one request? “I, uh…” he looked at Pearl, whose smile asked him to say yes too. Little Summer and her wild blonde hair reached over from her mom’s arms to tug insistently at his sleeve.

Well. He might be able to say ‘no’ to one of them, but those three girls altogether? He was powerless to refuse them.

“We will not cause trouble,” Aqua promised.

“Oh, alright,” Ben finally said, giving a shrug and a few little shakes of the head. His demeanor relaxed and seemed much more nonchalant, lighter.

Summer was the first to run and perch herself on the couch. She grinned at Alex. “Hi Alex!”

The teenager grinned back. “Hey, Sum! What have you been up to?”

“Playing. Learning. Swimming with dolphins,” the merchild proudly informed her.

Pearl stayed behind, next to Ben, looking at him like he was her entire world. “You invited Summer over?” she whispered.

“I did,” Ben smiled at her with a hint of pride. “Thought you’d like to see her.”

She lit up, face melting into a hopelessly loving smile. “That means the world to me,” Pearl’s voice shook and she planted a secretive kiss on his cheek, squeezing his hand at the same time. They walked together to the couch, where everyone else had settled.

“It’s a black square,” A disappointed Spear pointed at the tv.

“It’s not on,” Ben explained with a patronizing edge. He was still not all that fond of Pearl’s ex.

“We had yet to decide on what to watch,” Pearl added.

“How about The Little Mermaid? I used to watch it all the time growing up,” Alex suggested. Having the equivalent of a 10 year old child present limited their choices, and the teen thought the irony of watching that movie with real mermaids would make it fun. “Dad, do we still have that tape?”

“We do,” he confirmed with a smile. He actually kept everything that was important to his daughter growing up. Toys, clothes, the works. “It’s a cartoon for children,” he told Pearl.

“Is it actually about mermaids?” she asked with an amused lilt.

“It is,” Ben chuckled. “Is that okay? We wouldn’t want to offend,” he lightheartedly emphasized the last word.

“Oh, I think we would love to see how mermaids are portrayed in a children’s cartoon made by humankind. It will be most illuminating,” Pearl smirked playfully, and Spear and Aqua vocally agreed.

Ben smiled. “I’ll get it from the storage boxes.” As he was leaving the room, he saw from the corner of his eyes that Pearl and Spear were walking into the kitchen, and he instantly soured. He didn’t want to leave the woman of his dreams alone with her handsome ex and father of her child! What if her feelings for the merman returned?! That ugly jealousy reared its head and his face was stony as he searched for the Disney VHS tape, stomach twisting unpleasantly. His jealousy was one of the more curious side-effects of the childhood trauma he suffered from his abusive alcoholic father; being rejected and unloved by a parent – the person supposed to love you the most and unconditionally! – could lead someone to never trust anyone else’s affections, feeling that anyone’s attachment to him was very fragile and always conditional. It was not an easy thing to get past. But Ben was starting to realize he had to try; he had to give Pearl the freedom to do whatever she wanted to, even if it meant she would leave him. And she probably wouldn’t, right? She’d gone underwater for a few days, she could’ve been alone with Spear that entire time if she wanted to be! But where was she last night? In Ben’s bed, having sex with him. He felt a flash of a smug type of pride in thinking she chose him.

He finally found the tape and returned to the living room to slide it into the VCR player. Two pairs of merfolk eyes watched intently, dying of curiosity. Pearl, already used to televisions, was watching them for their reaction. Aqua gasped with awe when the screen came to life, Spear’s eyes went wide, and little Summer – who had watched tv before -- giggled happily, drawing a big smile from her mother.

On one couch sat Alex, Ben, Pearl and Summer. Aqua and Spear were each on an armchair. Pearl and Ben were leaning into each other, shoulders pressed and fingers lightly brushing together. When everyone focused on the movie they even dared to hold hands in secret.

At one point little Summer crawled on her mother’s lap, and then on Ben’s, and he couldn’t help but feel very touched that the somewhat rabid merchild trusted him so much. God, it was such a nice Christmas! Firstly, he felt like he was regaining a stepchild. Even if that was misguided, he could pretend just for today! Secondly, his daughter was happy; Alex was hanging out with him and smiling, for once! For once willingly in his presence without stomping away, spending time with her father like she used to as a child. It did his heart good. And Pearl…she sat with her legs crossed, face lit up with joy, enraptured by the children’s cartoon that depicted her kind in a colorful, whimsical, musical manner. Her hand still in Ben’s. Watching them, Ben had what he considered a moment of pure idiocy: when he looked at the girls on the couch, his brain decided to see it as one family. Father, daughter, stepmother and stepdaughter having a movie day together. Ben’s heart swelled and he couldn’t wipe off his grin…until reality set in and he silently reprehended himself for being so airheaded. As if a siren could ever be his family; he had to be delusional to even think such a thing!

But still; by the time the movie ended he was lost in the fantasy again, pretending that he was in this perfect little world--- even if only for a day. “So?” he spoke up first, asking with playful curiosity. “What do you think of this depiction of mermaids?”

“Wildly inaccurate,” Pearl said instantly and dramatically, making everyone laugh. “But fun! It’s very sweet, I really enjoyed it.”

“I love it,” Summer declared by throwing her arms up in the air, delighting everyone else in the room.

“I’ve always related to Ariel,” Alex pointed out, and Ben had to bite his tongue before he made some acid remark about her foolishly following a boy around even when it wasn’t good for her.

“I enjoyed Eric. A noble warrior,” Spear clamored. Ben held back the urge to roll his eyes.

“I liked Ursula,” Aqua said in a deadpan, and everyone laughed again. Ben and Pearl traded an amused look; honestly, they kind of liked Ursula too: she was ambitious and came up with smart schemes.

“At least I’ve never mistakenly used a fork in place of a hairbrush,” Pearl commented with a sly sparkle in her hazel eyes, making everyone in the room laugh along again.

“Who’s hungry? I can get us some snacks,” Ben suggested as the chatter wound down. His house may be overrun by aquatic predators, but he was still going to be a good host! Aqua and Spear were excited to try specialty human food, and Pearl said that Summer could have some too.

Ben thought he’d be alone in the kitchen, but Spear followed him. “Pearl says you read.”

The human man raised an eyebrow, eyes going a bit steely. “I do. Do you?”

“Pearl has been teaching us how to read. You teach—taught her?”

A nod. “I did. Glad to see she’s paying it forward,” he said dryly. He knew that she would, of course, but the idea of all merfolk becoming more adept at human customs unnerved him.

“I like reading. We keep our books on a dry cave on shore. Did you read ‘Macbeth’? I’m on that.”

“I did. I rather enjoy it,” Ben said, a little wary. Did the merman really follow him to talk about books? For a moment he also questioned why they would start with Shakespeare, an author notorious for fancy language and being hard to read—and then it hit him: merfolk were way more accustomed to the English from Shakespearean times! It was probably a lot easier for them than modern books. “How’s that going?” he finally asked, mostly to be cordial.

“Good!” the merman smiled amiably. Whatever rivalry they used to have, he seemed over it. “But I like reading more than most merfolk, so I have nobody to talk about ‘Macbeth’ with. I have been thinking about the idea of a, um, how do they say…a self-fulfilling prophecy…”

“Oh…I see,” Ben squinted. That was certainly not what he expected! He decided to be the bigger man and indulge the ex of his – whatever Pearl was – by sharing his own thoughts on ‘Macbeth’.

It turned out that Spear was a rather clever merman, with an interesting sense of humor. Ben found himself chuckling and genuinely interested in Spear’s takes on the Shakespearean play. Spear was very interested in Ben’s opinions too, and liked his humor a lot. It was unexpected, but Ben felt that the two of them bonded a little. He was glad to have given Spear a chance; maybe he’d feel less jealous now that the merman was a friendly acquaintance rather than a competitor.

Things were still lively in the living room. With her father busy in the kitchen, the teen seized her opportunity. “Hey, Pearl,” Alex whispered. “I wanna teach you another word.”

“Which one?” Pearl asked with an interested quirk of the brow.

“Bitch,” Alex smirked. “It’s a compliment. Ben will love it if you say it.”

The mermaid queen wasn’t born yesterday; she recognized the sly glint in the teenager’s eyes, alerting her to the game afoot. “You’re tricking me, are you not? But I’ll swim along with it.” She was not one to shy away from a bit of playful trickery. Pearl sauntered off to the kitchen, where the man was finishing up with a tray of chocolates, potato chips, and sliced mangos. “Ben? Hey, bitch,” a grin. “Do you think I’m a bitch?”

“What—” he was entirely bewildered for approximately two seconds, and then it dawned on him. He deadpanned at the mermaid. “Alex put you up to this.”

Pearl giggled. “She said that ‘bitch’ is a compliment, but I had a strong feeling it is not. I wanted to test it out.”

He couldn’t help a lighthearted scoff and a shake of the head. “I’m sorry about her. She’s still in a rebellious phase...” Ben looked out into the living room and called to his daughter: “Alex, cut it out, please!” She laughed in response, and it was the most earnest – probably the only earnest – laugh he’d heard from her in a while. It softened him. Apparently having Pearl around was mellowing the teenage angst; he was very grateful for that, and for Pearl playing along with his daughter’s immature antics.

Alex was still pretty pissed at her dad, but she missed their closeness. It was easier to spend time with him when there was a buffer, especially if that buffer came in the form of a fascinating mermaid with a thousand tales to tell, plus her adorable merchild daughter.

The wholesome festivities were interrupted when the doorbell rang, surprising Ben shortly after the group finished snacking. Richard and Bea were standing out there, radios in hand, concern etched all over their faces.

“What’s wrong?” Ben said instantly, ushering them in.

The two were surprised to find a new mermaid, a merman, and a merchild all in Ben’s living room in addition to Pearl and Alex. “Uhm, we should speak privately,” Richard suggested.

“It’s okay,” Ben reassured with conviction. “Remember, they’re here to help us.”

“We finally located the soldiers. They were staying in a cave. And now…Ben, they’re headed straight here,” Bea said grimly.

Pearl was the first to react: “Shouldn’t the Sonic Fences lock them out?!”

“In theory,” Richard answered, “but they’re coming with heavy artillery.”

“We anticipated that,” Ben pointed out.

“Yes,” the advisor continued, “but it’s worse than we thought. We’re pretty sure they’ll try to climb the Fence pylons, or…blow them up.” A grimace. “We confirmed that they have explosives.”

Ben’s stomach dropped. After all those years, Charles Widmore finally had a chance to enact revenge. He was silent for a moment, processing and strategizing, and then he sprang into action with a fast spin toward his daughter. “Alex, it’s not safe for you here. If they find out you’re my daughter, they’ll use you against me. You need to head to the Temple: you’ll be safe there,” he told her in a hurry, then turned to Richard. “Please retrieve Danielle Rousseau and give her a map; she can take Alex.”

“What?!” Alex protested, feeling a little scared. Ben was always so calm that whenever he was visibly unsettled, everyone else feared what was to come too. “You want me to go with—my mom?”

He swallowed dryly, insides tightening as he nodded. “She’ll keep you safe. And she knows the area well; she’ll be able to dodge the soldiers. If there’s any chance of the mercenaries breaching the barrier, you can’t be here. Please, Alex, it’s what’s best for you.”

“Okay…but I’m taking Karl,” the teen was firm. She trusted Ben’s assessment so she was not abandoning her boyfriend!

Ben wanted to complain, but there really wasn’t time. “Fine. Just be careful, Alex. I couldn’t bear to lose you,” he confessed, voice thick with emotion.

The teen looked extremely nervous as she nodded. “You stay safe too. And everyone else.”

His heart ached as he watched her head out the door with Richard. All he wanted was to hug his daughter and not let go, so he reminded himself that she was safer in the Temple. He looked to Bea instead, eyes wide and urgent. “How long until they reach us?”

“An hour from where they are now. Probably another until they manage to get past the Fence, if they do,” she told him.

Ben gave a sharp nod of acknowledgment. Two hours was short, but not that bad. They might take even longer to set up all the explosives and find a way to breach the Sonic Fence. “Summer shouldn’t be here either,” he told Pearl through a worried grimace.

“I know,” the mermaid looked tense. “Two hours is plenty for me to take her to the water and return, then I can enchant them.” She breathed in, and then pleaded: “Ben, until I’m back, please hide. Those men cannot harm you if they cannot find you.”

“I’ll stay out of sight,” he agreed. That was his plan anyway.

“I know we had a plan for you to be bait, but I think we need to tweak it,” Pearl addressed him and Bea, her shaky voice betraying her fear. “They’re coming with a lot of weapons. We did not anticipate explosives!”

He thought that her own fear of guns was speaking, and he gave a sympathetic nod. “I understand. You don’t want to be exposed where they can see you.”

“No, it—well, yes,” she shuddered, “but I am alright to hide behind you. What I am worried about is you. You’re their target.”

A dismissive shake of the head. “They won’t kill me. They want to take me alive, I told you.”

“But they might hurt you! ‘Alive’ doesn’t mean ‘in one piece’! They might take you without a leg, or an eye,” she shrieked. It horrified Pearl to think of anything of the sort befalling Ben!

For a nightmarish moment he feared she might be right, and an icy panic gripped him. He didn’t want to lose a leg or an eye! Ben took a deep breath to steady himself. He was a master at staying calm during very challenging times. “Do you have a plan B? I’m working on one myself.” He thought he might be able to funnel the men into the community center, but not if they were blowing things up! The explosives really changed everything. And facing them head-on at the Fence would be a bloodbath! He and his people just might have to fight fire with fire, using tactical army measures.

“Not really, unless you stay where it’s safer and we abandon the ‘bait’ plan completely,” she hissed.

It was tempting, but a tactical mistake; Keamy’s men would find him sooner or later. “I wish that could work, but our safest bet is still to use the Siren Song on them,” Ben explained. “I can have my people with earplugs in trees, and you—” he thought about his promise to Aqua, “--in the water hypnotizing the mercenaries. You’ll have more protection than standing behind me, and the song will take hold faster. For myself, I’ll— have to stay far enough from them that I can cover my ears before they reach me.” The idea made him very uncomfortable, but it was doable. It was the same plan as before, really, with a minor tweak to shield Pearl more.

Pearl nodded, although she’d rather keep Ben out of sight. “Very well. That shall work.”

“I shall go with you,” Aqua said, and Spear nodded. “Two voices entrance faster than one.” Perhaps more since there was time for a quick dip in the ocean.

Ben’s face darkened. “Pearl, be careful. You’re not one of us. If they spot you, they’ll shoot to kill…”

“It’s okay. We will leave swimming through the river and circle back after Summer is safe. They will not see us. They do not even know we exist,” she reassured.

“She’ll be safe,” Spear promised Ben.

Ben drew in a sharp breath, then nodded. “Okay. Thank you.” He was grateful to all three of them for being so willing to help keep him safe.

Spear, Aqua, Summer and Bea headed for the door first, giving the mermaid queen and the human leader one final moment together to say goodbye. Almost automatically, as if pulled by a magnet, they wrapped their arms around each other in a tight hug. Pearl buried her head in Ben’s neck, fighting the urge to kiss him on the lips. The others would see it if she did. “We shall get through this,” she promised. “You will stay safe. You must!”

He nodded, heart tightening at the raw fear he could hear in Pearl’s voice. Fear for his safety. Ben was worried for himself too, and equally worried about her. “You too,” he whispered into her hair, closing his eyes and squeezing his cheek against her head.

“Do not leave the house until I’ve returned, please! We shall head to the river together. Do you promise?” Pearl practically begged, tilting her head to look into his eyes.

“I promise,” Ben vowed, touching his forehead to hers. It was a moment of stolen intimacy disguised as participating in mermaid customs. He longed to kiss her goodbye, but, like Pearl, he knew he couldn’t do it in plain view of the others. The lovers breathed each other in, fearing what might come. If either of them got hurt, they’d be so devastated! Not letting himself dwell on that, Ben cracked a small smile and looked at her. “Everything is alright. You’ll be back in less than two hours,” he tried to reassure. She returned the smile, but the distress was plain on her face.

“Are you ready to go?” Aqua asked her sister when Pearl and Ben’s goodbye started to take a while.

“Indeed,” Pearl nodded fiercely, untangling herself from her favorite human.

Ben swallowed thickly as the merfolk walked out with Bea. He was alone now, gripping his radio like a lifeline, and getting ready for the battle of his life.

Chapter 35: To hold life in one’s hands is a challenge one can never outrun

Alone at home now, Ben took a deep breath and focused. There were things to be done. …However, not many that directly involved him just yet. Having to wait for someone’s return before he could act was an unusual feeling --- but a nice, warm feeling too, because he was waiting for her. He promised Pearl to stay put until she got back because she wanted to protect him. The thought made him smile.

His people were preparing themselves in case the mercenaries broke through. Half-barricading doors, grabbing weapons, positioning themselves in strategic locations. Ben had already picked where the siren ambush should take place, and camera footage kept him apprised of the progress of Keamy’s team. Watching their steady approach was grim, but Ben was hopeful and fairly confident. His team had the upper hand; everything should turn out fine.

Not one to break his promises, Ben checked with the surveillance team for updates on the chopper, then asked one of his men to bring Hugo over. When the visitor/prisoner arrived and gave Ben an unsure smile, the leader of the Others responded with a somber nod. “We’ve located the chopper. It’s a couple of hours straight north, near the waterfall,” he informed Hugo.

The curly-haired man cheered up with a hesitant smile. “So I’m…I’m free to return to my people?”

“Yes, although I’d advise you to wait until we survive the incoming attack,” Ben said ominously, looking directly at Hurley without blinking. “If you try to leave now, the mercenaries will shoot you before you make it ten paces.”

“Will they really kill all of us?” Hugo asked in a frightened tone. He was worried about his friends out there, unprotected by the Sonic Fence.

Ben gave a slight shake of the head and a dubious grimace. “They will not outright shoot my people. There are rules that the man who sent them abides by.” Jacob’s society was not allowed to kill one another. Widmore may be exiled but he was aware of the importance of the rules, and Ben believed that his nemesis would still be loyal enough to Jacob to follow them. Anything else was unthinkable, and he was certain that Widmore would’ve instructed those terrible mercenaries not to shoot his people down. He feared certain loopholes though, such as blowing things up and leaving any possible deaths in the hands of fate. The deadly gas would’ve served a similar purpose too. Untargeted acts of violence. “We will not be targeted. Unfortunately you, Hugo, are not one of us. If they spot you or any of your friends, they will shoot to kill,” Ben cautioned with a serious look on his face. He was convinced that the mercenaries would gun down any plane crash survivors on the spot. And he was right about that.

Hugo gulped. “Yeeeah, I’m fine staying here until they’re stopped…” There was no way he was leaving the Barracks alone. His friends should be fine, since the army was headed straight for the Sonic Fence.

Ben was about to send Hugo back to his own temporary dwellings when the phone rang. Upon answering it, Ben’s blood ran icy cold. It was an automatic warning: one of his people had typed in two codes at the Sonic Fence-- the one to shut it off, and the one to send out the discreet alarm through the phone line. That could only mean one thing: someone was captured, forced to lead the soldiers in. But the hostage was clever, and they gave Ben enough forewarning with that automated alarm phone call; he probably owed them his freedom.

The fact that the mercenaries had a hostage threw the entire plan in disarray. The two hour timeline was wrong, as they would not waste an hour trying to breach the Sonic Fence. They were already past it, by forcing the hostage to type in the password! They were inside the perimeter of the Barracks! Pearl wasn’t back yet, so there was no Siren Song to save Ben. Hunkering down seemed like the only choice. No point going to the river if there was no aquatic maiden lurking in its depths.

He swallowed hard, tense. The arrival of the mercenaries was always going to be a problem, but Ben had been confident enough on the plan to feel like he had the upper hand. Now…now he didn’t. Those awful, cruel war criminals had the advantage instead, and Ben and his people were stuck playing catch up. It was terrifying, and, although he kept a certain level of calm and poise, anyone could see the worry etched on his face.

“Hugo, I’m afraid I’m going to need your help to ensure the safety of this home,” Ben said, quick and in control.

The other man nodded, and the two hurried to barricade the house. They shut the curtains, dragged heavy bookcases and desks to block the door, turned off all the lights. And then they waited in anxious silence, with a pit in their stomachs.

Explosions started to go off not three minutes later, making the ground of Ben’s home shake. The mercenaries were attacking any and every location in their search for Benjamin. Just like he predicted: untargeted violence; not outright murder, but if people died, they died.

Jacob’s people were resourceful and they responded in kind, gunning down as many mercenaries as they could. They had the advantage of being allowed to kill the intruders--- the mercenaries were not part of the chosen people, after all. There were no rules forbidding Jacob’s society from killing them.

“Dude, what are they doing?!” Hugo cried out after another bomb went off.

“I believe the term is shock-and-awe,” Ben droned blankly, staring at nothing. All that destruction and mayhem…it was a lot of effort just to get to him. He was holding a shotgun for self-defense, cradling it in his arms and resting his chin against its butt.

After what felt like an eternity of tension, Ben’s radio chimed in.

“Benjamin Linus? This is Martin Keamy speaking,” the enemy said in a smarmy tone.

“I’m aware,” Ben replied through his own radio, tone scathing.

“I’m gonna need you to come out here, now.”

“I’m afraid that won’t be possible,” Ben retorted with pure ice in his voice. He had no respect for people like Keamy: a war criminal and mercenary who took advantage of suffering victims in Africa, murdering in cold blood for pure financial gain. In fact, ‘no respect’ was putting it mildly; Ben absolutely despised cruel, remorseless, opportunistic criminals like Keamy.

The other man laughed. “You sure? I got a hostage with me.”

“Every single one of my people is prepared to die for this Island,” Ben said with vehemence.

“Yeah? Even her?” Keamy taunted. And then he held the radio out to his hostage.

“Dad? Dad, please, help!” Alex cried out, terrified and in tears.

That voice made Ben’s entire body go cold, the air being knocked right out of his lungs. He rushed to the window and peered through the curtains, wide-eyed, his heart beating through his chest. He could see Keamy standing right there…with Ben’s daughter kneeling at his feet, gun pointed right at her. He heard Hugo’s shocked gasp next to him.

Ben’s entire world crumbled when he confirmed that the hostage was indeed Alex. He was a man who was hard to rattle, but that revelation sent him spinning. Seeing his daughter like that nearly tore him apart; the tears on her face made his heart tighten with horrible pain. Oh, he wanted to kill Keamy, wanted to whisk his daughter to safety, wanted to comfort her and tell her he loved her…but he couldn’t do any of that. He had to keep his cool, to keep the situation under control. It was the only way to ensure Alex’s safety.

So he buried any trace of fear and pain, keeping a hardened, steely expression on his face as he responded. “She’s not really my daughter.”

Ben examined the yard through that sliver between the curtains. Four other armed men flanked Keamy and the hostage. They were closer to the trees, with Keamy at the center, right in front of Ben’s window. Widmore must have told him the exact location of my house, Ben deduced. Some of his people were scattered nearby, from their own windows or up in trees, but all of them lowered their weapons when they saw that Alex was the hostage. They wouldn’t risk getting her hurt by accident.

“I’m gonna count from ten,” Keamy warned with disdainful amusement. “If you’re not out here by the end, I’m shooting her in the head. Ten…nine…eight…”

Ben gave the mercenary a withering stare. “I don’t care about her,” he bluffed. “She’s not my daughter, just a baby I took from a crazy woman.” It hurt him to see Alex sobbing out there, begging him to help her. But he was confident that he knew how to save her. “She means nothing to me.” The measured tone hid how frantic he was on the inside.

“Dude, what are you doing?!” a fearful Hugo exclaimed. “That guy will kill her!”

Ben shook his head, taking his finger off the radio to give Hugo a quick and private response: “He won’t. There are rules. I know what I’m doing.”

Hurley nodded, deciding to trust Ben’s expertise. He moved away from the living room and closer to the bathroom, where he’d be safer if a gunfight broke out. Ben didn’t mind. He actually preferred not to have anyone distracting him right now.

“Five…four…” Keamy continued the gruesome countdown. Ben kept his cool, staring through the curtains with an intentionally stony expression. As much as he believed that a man like Keamy was capable of shooting a teenager in cold blood, Ben was confident that Widmore gave him different instructions. There was that rule prohibiting Jacob’s people from killing one another – punishable by execution if broken – and Ben thought that Widmore would stick to it. He was sure of it. Downplaying his love for his daughter was a tactic to get her away from the mercenaries while keeping himself safe too, but he really didn’t think that she was in any real danger of being killed…

…Until Keamy’s finger moved with murderous intent, and Ben watched his world fall apart in slow motion. That finger began to squeeze the trigger, to fire at Alex’s head in cold-blood. A teenager, gunned down for nothing?! Ben was paralyzed, gripped by the most sickening panic, anger, and desperation. He couldn’t get out there fast enough to save her anymore! But— but why?! Keamy wasn’t supposed to shoot! Widmore was supposed to follow the rules! He changed the rules?! Ben couldn’t believe that he miscalculated so badly, or that he was milliseconds away from losing his daughter because he trusted Charles to follow their code of conduct! Even wars had rules! Despite the animosity between the two of them, he never thought that Widmore would stoop so low! His mind was spinning dizzyingly fast and he thought he’d throw up. His daughter was about to die. He had the chance to save her and he didn’t take it! He would lose her forever, and there was nothing he could do. It was his fault for miscalculating the situation. Alex was gone. The grief was unbearable, shattering his heart into a million pieces. All of those thoughts flashed in Ben’s head within a millisecond, all while Keamy was squeezing the trigger.

He never finished the squeeze, though. A violent gust of wind – as fast and fierce as a hurricane – knocked the mercenary to the ground, moving his aim at the last second. The gun fired and Ben flinched at the sound, blue eyes going maddeningly wide as he desperately searched for his daughter to check if she was hurt.

Alex was pushed down by the wind too, but she was okay and trying to crawl away from Keamy. The bullet went in an errant direction and hit a tree. Ben let out a shaky breath and felt like his legs might give out from under him, tears of relief wetting his big blue eyes. He really thought he lost Alex for a second there! It was a miracle that she survived! …How did she survive? That wind…it was too strong, too targeted.

It had to be a mermaid’s doing! Ben’s heart fluttered and he felt incredibly grateful, although he couldn’t see who did it yet. Was it Pearl?! He noticed that the mercenaries closer to the trees were looking around in confusion, aiming their guns at the treeline like they knew someone was hiding out there.

Keamy got back up and retrieved his gun, and aimed it at Alex again. The teen crawling on grass froze and raised both hands. The man seemed angry as he reached for the radio. “What are you playing at, Linus?” he barked. “Turn this fucking music off!”

Ben had no idea what Keamy was talking about, but he could easily figure it out: there was music playing outside of his home. Music! That had to be the Siren Song! Pearl made it back in time and she was secretly helping him, Ben was sure of it! He was ecstatic about that stroke of luck, but now his daughter was on the line of fire again, making his blood run cold. Luckily he knew how to stay calm and collected under extreme pressure.

And this time Ben was better prepared. Now he knew that Keamy would shoot Alex down; Widmore, that monster, had no respect for the rules! Ben’s bluffing wouldn’t help things against a man willing to murder a teenager in cold blood. So he pivoted his strategy. “I’m not responsible for any music,” he said honestly. And then he lied: “It’s the automatic sound system, it’s coming from those speakers. Put the gun down. I’ll consider stepping outside if you do.”

Keamy laughed derisively. “Come out, now, and surrender. Three seconds or I shoot her, and I won’t miss this time.”

“Daddy, please,” a frightened Alex called for him again, whining and in tears.

Ben inhaled sharply. Pearl was on land, he needed to buy time for her song to take root within Keamy’s mind! But how to stall without putting Alex in danger?

He knew how. He was about to make a dangerous choice, but it was time to take a risk. Self-preservation be damned. He couldn’t leave Alex out there all alone; not anymore, not after being so sure he had lost her forever. Now he knew the stakes, and he couldn’t bear to go through that pain again…or to put her through it again. That look she had on her face while he was bluffing haunted him; she looked so small, so disappointed and scared. But she had to know that it was a bluff, right?! Surely Alex must know that her father never believed that she was in real danger or he would’ve protected her better! Like he would protect her now. “Alright, wait,” he lifted both hands above his head in surrender, visible through the window. “I’m coming out. I need to un-barricade the door.”

“Do it fast,” Keamy ordered, but he was starting to appear less focused than before. The men by the treeline were getting a dazed, kind of trippy look in their eyes. Even Alex looked more relaxed. It seemed like they were all falling prey to the enchantment of the Siren Song.

That’s when Ben saw them: stealthily coming out of the bushes, standing side by side, were three wet mermaids and one wet merman: his Pearl, of course, with sister Aqua and warriors Medusa and Spear. Their quick ocean dip allowed them to take Summer to safety, plus retrieve Medusa and a few pointy shells tied to sticks to make their spears. And then they hurried back to help Ben. The sirens were singing as promised, and the snarling merman was holding his namesake weapon of choice.

Oh, the confirmation filled Ben with so much relief! It was one thing to theorize that Pearl was back, but to actually see her out there, helping him?! He was buzzing. His heart beat fast with fear for Alex and excitement to have back up. He stood a much better chance against the armed mercenaries now! He scrambled to unblock the door so he could walk outside and retrieve the hostage. Hopefully he would be safe too.

The mermaids clearly had a plan of attack. They didn’t expect to run into so many men with terrifying guns on their way back to the Barracks, but, when they spotted Keamy pushing Alex to her knees and pressing a gun to her head, Pearl knew she had to act with haste. So she threw the gust of wind for an immediate disarming, and started working on hypnotizing her enemies.

The power of the Siren Song, although delayed on land, worked faster with more sirens singing in a choir. Pearl joined with Aqua and Medusa, the trio of voices becoming much more powerful than one alone. They quickly entrapped the four men closer to them, and Keamy was starting to fall too.

Ben saw the love-struck, goofy grins on the faces of everyone standing outside his home. Their minds were invaded by the pitch of an ethereal song that took all of their problems away and melted them into puppets. A small vindictive smile bloomed on Ben’s face as the others looked around in eager search for the source of that song. Guns were lowering, jaws were dropping, and people were hazy.

He ran out the door, making sure to keep his ears plugged with his fingers. He would get Alex – and Pearl – safely inside, no matter what!

Pearl made a commanding gesture with her hand, signaling to her troop that it was time: they had a cascading attack planned. Aqua was first up. She stopped singing long enough to grab the man closest to her, extend her teeth into sharp fangs, and use them to pierce his jugular. He barely registered that he was dying, overjoyed to be with one of the sirens.

Ben, who was quietly moving toward his daughter, was a bit horrified by the bloody sight. But oh, he wasn’t complaining at all. The sirens had those men enthralled— and that meant victory for him.

Aqua resumed her singing, and Medusa was the next to move. She was carrying her own spear made of shells, which she expertly maneuvered to stab it through the second man’s heart. It perforated him and he fell to the ground, wide-eyed, smiling, and dead. The merman Spear, ironically, speared the third soldier through the chest from behind.

“Alex!” Ben called out for her, frantically trying to get her inside and gesturing with his head for her to come over. But the teenager was hypnotized too, and the only thought in her brain was to move closer to the source of that beautiful song! He let out a sharp breath through an open mouth, glancing at Pearl and thinking through his options.

The mermaid queen stopped singing for a moment, approaching the last of the four soldiers like a cat approaching a mouse. It was her turn to attack. She looked him in the eyes, blonde hair cascading forward as she tilted her head. Her two canine teeth were sharpened into fangs. She grabbed him by the shoulders and, with a hiss, she bit the man’s neck. Siren fangs tore through flesh, but he barely reacted as his blood sprayed and he fell to the ground, happily dead. Pearl exhaled hard, tongue lapping up the blood on her lips.

Ben shivered, watching quietly from a distance, his gaze fastened on the blonde mermaid. What a powerful, intimidating sight. And now only Keamy was left. Ben could see Aqua and Pearl taking elegant fighting stances, their hazel eyes ferocious, faces and mouths stained with blood from the dead soldiers’ necks. Spear and Medusa were wielding bloody spears, the other soldiers dead at their feet. It was a gory sight. Pearl was strategically moving off to the side, toward Keamy, calmly singing the Siren Song again.

“Alex, come on, please,” Ben tried again, crouching right beside her on the grass. She ignored him and he let out a frustrated sigh. Despite his revulsion at the idea of being hypnotized by sirens, he went as far as unplugging his ears so that he could use his hands and arms. He wrapped them around his daughter to try and pull her back to safety.

“Stop,” she airily complained. “I need to get to them,” she vaguely gestured toward the singing sirens.

Ben’s face twisted into a grimace. If Alex wouldn’t budge, maybe he should get Keamy’s gun instead. The mercenary leader had that same goofy smile on his face now, letting Ben know that he was completely enthralled by the Siren Song.

A song that Ben himself could hear now, and it was making his brain itch. He hurried toward Keamy, afraid that if he took a second too long he would get sidetracked by the spell too. Upon reaching the man, Ben’s face was utterly steely. He hated Keamy, and he could’ve easily shot the mercenary dead right there. But no, not in front of Alex. Ben took the gun from his hand and Keamy offered no resistance, much too interested in grinning at Pearl instead.

Pearl gestured for Ben to run back into the house. He nodded at her. His mind was fuzzy and warm, he was eager to please, but…not everything was drowned out yet. He was still aware of his daughter and the danger, and he knew that he was under effect of the Siren Song. I must not have been exposed long enough to be completely mesmerized, he deduced as he plugged his ears again.

“Go inside with your father, Alex, and wait for me there,” Pearl told her as part of the enchantment. That meant Alex was eager to obey, so a relieved Ben easily maneuvered the girl back to the house.

Before he locked the door, he threw Pearl a look to assess if she was in any danger. Not really; four men were dead, and the last one standing was now unarmed and enamored with her. So Ben felt okay leaving her outside; she could handle herself.

They were cut off from the Song when he shut the door, so the spell began to dissipate from Alex. At first she was confused, blinking, and then a haunted look appeared. A worried Ben placed his hands on her shoulders. “Alex, are you alright? Did he hurt you?!” He badly wanted to hug his daughter, but she had been moody about that lately. Teenagers.

She nodded, a bit numb. “I’m not hurt.”

“Hugo, will you please stay with Alex in her room? She’ll be safer there,” Ben directed as the other man peered from the bathroom, and Hugo quickly moved to make it happen. Letting out a breath of relief – but still feeling a bit disturbed – Ben rushed to the window to see what else would happen.

The blonde mermaid approached Martin Keamy, a chillingly calm smile on her face as she let the Siren Song soar from her lips. Oh how she despised that army of horrific, cruel mercenaries. They represented the worst of humankind and everything she was against. Pearl wanted to sic the entire merfolk army on them, but she didn’t deem it fair to endanger her subjects in a fight that had nothing to do with them. She’d endanger herself, alone, if it meant keeping Ben and his daughter safe.

But Pearl wasn’t alone. Aqua, Medusa and Spear were with her; not because she ordered them to, but because they wanted to be. They cared deeply about Pearl – they even liked Ben! – and they were willing to fight for the pair. Their chances of survival improved by them sticking together.

“You should know better than to be so cruel,” she scolded Keamy while she sang.

“I’m sorry,” Keamy lamented, ready to swear his loyalty to Pearl for all eternity. “Do you forgive me?”

She let out a cold, empty laugh. Hazel eyes were unfeeling. All of Pearl’s fangs were out now, and she moved to pierce Keamy’s neck with them.

An explosion in the trees right behind them stopped her. It knocked all merfolk and the mercenary to the ground. Ben’s eyes went wide from behind the window glass. It seemed that Keamy set a trap before walking in, with timed dynamite that should’ve gone off after they were gone from the area.

The mermaids winced on the grass, their ears ringing as they reoriented themselves after the blast. They were lucky to be far enough from the explosion, but the unfortunate timing made them stop singing while they scrambled to get back up. Now there was a fire breaking out, blazing through the bushes of the treeline. The heat and the flames fascinated and scared the merfolk in equal measure.

Keamy cut his leg on a rock when he fell. The pain and the silence brought him back from the song. He came out of the fog, and – because Pearl didn’t tell him to forget anything – he was aware of everything that just happened: his men were murdered by those…those demonic fanged things! Vampires? Witches? Satan’s demons?! He looked up at the beautiful blonde, her pale skin stained with blood, all her teeth turned into sharp fangs…and he ran like a bat out of hell. An unarmed Keamy was not ready to deal with whatever the hell those wet mind-controlling things were!

Ben wanted to chase him, to gun him down right then and there— but Alex was the priority. He’d deal with that scum later.

Pearl wanted to chase too, out of reckless anger. She made to run after the man, but Aqua placed a hand on her arm. ‘Sister, don’t!’ the black-haired siren clicked. ‘We may be outnumbered out there.’ The queen sighed but relented, retracting her fangs. They needed a plan, not impulsivity.

Ben was hurrying outside with a fire extinguisher to put out the flames before they spread through the Barracks and destroyed their homes. After spraying the fire with foam, he panted, gathering himself with the back of his hand pressed to his forehead. And then he turned to Pearl, finally able to address her since her return. He looked at her with wet eyes and an emotional smile. “You saved my daughter’s life and kept me from being taken. I— I don’t know how to thank you.”

She smiled fondly, lighting up at him. They desperately wanted to embrace and kiss, but there were too many prying eyes around. “It is nothing to thank me for. I promised to keep you safe; she is an extension of that. And I am rather fond of your guppy.”

Ben lit up at Pearl too. He was so touched, so happy that he could count on her like that! “You promised and you delivered. Your timing is impeccable,” he laughed weakly. “Another second, and Alex might have—” he shuddered and shook his head, unwilling to finish the thought.

“We were lucky,” Pearl somberly agreed. “I’m sorry that I broke my promise and used the Siren Song outside of our designated plan, whilst you were not expecting it…” The mermaid didn’t think she had much of a choice, but she knew that Ben could be very touchy about the melody.

“Pearl,” Ben whispered in profound awe, “you’re a force of nature,” he said fervently, and her knees went weak. “I know it was an emergency.” Ben certainly didn’t begrudge her use of the song – even as a more powerful trio-- considering the circumstances.

She looked sheepish. “And…you do not mind that we killed some humans?” Pearl worried that Ben might complain of a coordinated siren attack on land. “They were horrible, vile people,” she added as if to justify herself, anger clouding her hazel gaze.

His eyes shot up at hers, steely and resolute. “If you didn’t kill them, I would’ve done it myself,” Ben said in eerily flat manner.

Despite the darkness of the moment, the blonde mermaid couldn’t help but laugh. “Then everything worked out for the best.” She looked up at Benjamin, the fury in her eyes giving way to sweet affection.

God, she was so beautiful, looking up at him like that! Well…except for one troubling detail. “Pearl…I don’t mean to offend, but perhaps you should wash that blood off your face now,” he grimaced, though phrasing it like a smooth suggestion rather than an order. He loved that Pearl helped him – and he loved her, fangs and all -- but he didn’t want the constant reminder that she could so easily tear someone’s throat out. It was a little bit disturbing.

She made a face at him, but obliged. As he watched her go take care of that, Ben was struck by how unpredictable life could be. When Pearl became his roommate, one of his biggest fears was that she would kill or enchant one of his people. He didn’t trust her at all, and he was determined to kick her out – or worse – if she hurt someone. Over time, as they got to know each other and grew much closer, he tried to trust her more. There were times when he did, but complete trust never came easily for a man who was betrayed by his own father when he was so young. As much as he had grown to adore Pearl and have real feelings for her, as much as he trusted in her as a confidante of sorts, he had never fully trusted her until very recently. And today, when he had every reason to give in to doubt and paranoia, he didn’t. He stepped outside while she was singing and tearing out throats. He chose to trust her, and in the end he was right to. Today, Benjamin Linus felt that there was one person in the world in whom he could put his full trust in. It was a scary but exhilarating feeling!

The irony that it took his biggest fears coming true to prove that trust didn’t escape him. Pearl proved herself by doing the worst thing she possibly could have: enchanting and killing humans. He chuckled under his breath, shaking his head to himself. Irony could be quite delightful sometimes.

When Pearl finished washing up, she flashed a sarcastic, fang-free smile. “Happy now?”

“Certainly happier,” he smiled, tone vaguely teasing. “Now, I need to go see if Alex is okay,” Ben said as soon as possible. He had to make sure his daughter knew that he was bluffing when he said those horrible things about her to Keamy. He was worried that he might have hurt her feelings.

“I’ll give you a moment to speak to her alone,” Pearl nodded, understanding.

Ben headed inside, his face blank but his eyes shining with intensity. The teenager was sitting on the couch in silence, pale and teary-eyed. Hugo stepped out of the house to give them privacy.

“Alex,” he said softly, approaching her with tentative steps. “Are you alright?” She just shrugged like a ‘whatever’ gesture, but there was a haunted look on her face. So Ben continued: “Please, I need you to know something. When I said those awful things about you, I—I was bluffing, Alex. You must know that! I wanted him to think that I don’t care about you so he would let you go! And I didn’t think that he would shoot!” Ben explained, the calm words becoming more frantic the more he talked, his eyes widening with urgency and the latter words coming out in a flurry. “There are rules, Alex, and, and he broke them! I…” he let out a heartbroken sigh, looking down in shame. “I thought you’d be okay. I’m so sorry. If I had known he would shoot, I would’ve gone out there…”

“Would you?” she asked dryly, staring at nothing with a narrowed gaze. Alex wanted to believe him, so badly, but she wasn’t sure.

He let out a pained gasp, sad that his daughter didn’t trust his love for her. It was probably his own fault, he thought. “Oh, Alex, of course I would have! Everything I said was out of strategy! I thought that my bluff would work on him. I’m sorry that I took that gamble, but— but I only took it because I trusted the rules!” Ben winced, feeling terribly guilty for his mistake. “I hope you know that I would never let you die…” he pleaded with her. “You’re my daughter and I love you.”

She gave a slow nod. “Yeah. Okay.” The girl believed her father; he did go outside for her after all, even though he was Keamy’s primary target. “You saved me in the end.”

Ben let out a small exhale of relief, thankful that she understood why he bluffed. But she still looked very weird. Traumatized, he assumed. “Alex…” he started, hesitant.

Her tearful eyes flicked up at him. “He killed them! My mother, my boyfriend— they’re both dead,” she said forcefully, the tears streaming down her face.

Ben looked utterly shocked, slack-jawed and wide eyed. In all the chaos that just occurred, he didn’t even think about Danielle and Karl! He grimaced sympathetically. “Oh, Alex, I’m so sorry…”

“No you’re not!” she shouted, getting up in a fury and stomping toward the door. “You lied about my mom my whole life and you told me she was dead! Why would you care that she’s really dead now?!” Alex venomously accused. “And you wanted to keep me away from Karl! You’re probably relieved that he’s gone!”

Ben practically flinched, eyes widening even further. “Alex, I’m not! I—” Okay, maybe deep down he was a little relieved, but he wasn’t happy about the deaths! Seeing Alex so devastated hurt him, too. “I didn’t want you to go through this!”

“But you hated them,” she accused, sobbing.

Ben sighed, crestfallen. He felt like a horrible father, making his daughter think that he didn’t care about her pain. “I didn’t hate them. I only wanted to keep you safe, Alex. Everything I’ve done, from the moment you were a baby and I found you, was to keep you safe.”

“Ugh, what does that even mean?!” she yelled between tears, averting her gaze. “Are you just saying that to manipulate me?”

“No! I promise I’m not,” Ben answered with a soft breath. He had always avoided the topic, but…it was time to tell her the whole truth. “Alex, please listen to me. Your mother wasn’t in any condition to raise you. She—” his head shook around while he tisked his tongue, “—she murdered your biological father. I don’t know why, or if she had to, but she did and the effects were lasting. She was unstable, and all alone in the jungle, with no resources to care for a newborn.” His urgent, intense tone gave way to something robotic: “The leader at the time, Charles Widmore, ordered me to kill both of you,” Ben looked down. He never wanted to burden Alex with the knowledge of that.

Her eyes widened. “Kill us?”

Ben nodded grimly. “I couldn’t bring myself to do that. So I took you, to keep you safe. It kept your mother safe, too, because I warned her to keep her distance,” he explained. “Charles didn’t like it.”

The teenager was still not looking at him, now frowning at the floor. “You raised me to save me?”

“Yes, Alex, and I loved you like my own daughter from the moment I brought you home,” he said, emotional and intense. There was a pause where he simply looked at her, and then he added in a flurry of quick words: “I couldn’t tell you any of this when you were little. Maybe I should’ve told you sooner than now, but I was afraid you’d leave to be with your mother…” Bitterness tinged the last words.

Alex paled, like she was processing the weight of the world. She blinked, then hardened. “And my boyfriend?!”

Ben sighed, looking away and rolling his lips. “Karl…I was afraid he’d get you pregnant. I suppose I overreacted,” he droned, glancing back at her. It was uncomfortable to admit that to his teenage daughter, but it was true.

That gave her pause. Her eyes widened once again and she finally looked up at her father, sniffling. “Because I’d die?”

He nodded. Ben had always skirted around telling her the truth, but he couldn’t delay it any longer. He had to tell her everything, or she might never forgive him. “I couldn’t risk losing you, Alex. I would rather push you away and have you hate me than watch you get pregnant and die, or, or have you run off to live in the jungle with your mother and die out there,” he confessed, tears brimming in his own blue eyes now. That level of vulnerability unsettled him, but it was needed. He slowly reached for her, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder and hoping that she wouldn’t push him away. “I’m sorry that I never told you.”

In that moment, she saw her father in a different light; not a controlling dictator, but a man who loved her so much that he’d do anything to keep her safe. The father he used to be when she was little, when they were close and when Alex knew she was loved and knew she was his whole world.

She still thought that brainwashing Karl was going too far, and she felt that she deserved to know the truth about her mother sooner…but she understood where Ben was coming from with his decisions. He wasn’t trying to control her life with no regard for her feelings: he was overbearing because he was overprotective. Out of love. And, despite his bad choices, she appreciated him for that. Plus…he was her only family now.

Suddenly Alex threw herself into a hug, clinging to her father and sobbing on his chest. It was like all the rage gave way to devastating pain. “They’re dead! I just met my mom and she’s dead! And Karl, I loved him,” she sobbed harder while Ben hugged her tightly and petted her hair, trying to soothe her.

“I know. I’m so sorry, sweetheart,” he said softly, choosing not to point out that she was only sixteen and surely not really in love yet. Then again, he met Annie even younger and he knew he had been completely in love with her…so maybe he had been dismissive of the intensity of Alex’s feelings towards Karl. Maybe if he wasn’t so afraid of a deadly pregnancy he would’ve seen it sooner. Ben looked down, relieved that she was willing to hug him again, but heartbroken to see her so sad. “We’ll find the man responsible, Alex, I promise. I will make sure you’re safe. He’ll never threaten you again, and he will pay for his crimes,” he said, voice tinged with darkness.

Alex pulled away with a sniffle, nodding at him. For the first time in her life, lost in the pain of grief and revenge, she wanted her dad to kill someone. She wanted Keamy to die for what he took from her. “Make sure he does.”

Ben had never seen such darkness in his daughter’s eyes. He didn’t begrudge her for it; grief could do that to anyone. “Leave it to me. Why don’t you go lie down, hm? You’ve been through a lot. You should get some rest,” he kindly suggested, looking at her with compassion after kissing her forehead.

“Okay,” she accepted, wiping a few more tears.

As Alex walked away from him and toward her bedroom, Ben’s lips pursed thoughtfully before he asked: “Alex, are we okay?”

Things were far from perfect between them. But they were better. She took a moment before mumbling an answer: “Yeah. I love you too, Ben.”

There were happy tears in his eyes and a tender smile on his face when she shut her bedroom door.

***

After Alex went to bed, Ben immediately headed back outside to reunite with Pearl and the other merfolk. His people were gathering too, rushing out of their homes and looking around at the bloody grass or the scorched bushes. They whispered among each other and stared at the merfolk and the dead bodies, in need of directions. It was up to Ben to tell them what to do next.

“Our priority is locating Martin Keamy,” his steely tone informed his people. “He needs to be stopped. I’ll take the best trackers with me, but we’ll need different teams scoping out separate locations.” Ben wasn’t going to stop until he found the runaway mercenary leader. He was spurred by a deep desire to protect his daughter, and by a vengeful need for retribution.

“I have a stronger sense of scent than humans,” Pearl reminded them. “I can try my best.”

“Then you’re on my team,” he told her. It was a convenient excuse to keep her close without arising suspicions. “Bea, Richard, you too. And any other sirens willing to lend a hand.”

“And lend a fin,” Aqua joked. Ben simply deadpanned at her, so she muttered something and shrugged. “Apologies, not the time. Yes, I will come along.”

Pearl stepped forward. “Spear, please head back underwater and check on our daughter. Medusa, are you willing to accompany us?”

The redheaded mermaid nodded, and so Ben’s team was complete: three humans and three sirens.

Before heading for the Sonic Fence, Ben signaled for Hugo to come closer. The Oceanic passenger had been hovering by Ben’s porch. “If you want to reach the helicopter, you’d better go now. Your friends could be taking off soon.”

Hurley gave him a gentle, anxious look. “Are you really letting us have the chopper?”

“Yes,” Ben said flatly.

The Oceanic man smiled brightly. “Thanks, dude!”

Everyone but the sirens scattered to quickly pack a bag of supplies, then they all met at the Sonic Fence. It was already turned off, by Alex when she was forced to let the mercenaries in. Ben left his shaken daughter at home, in the care of Amelia, promising the teenager that he would fix the situation and ensure her safety.

Standing on the grassy patch outside the Sonic Fence, Pearl tilted her chin up and sniffed the air to see if she might at least get a general direction of where Keamy went. She closed her eyes and repeated the process a few times. Next to her, Aqua and Medusa were doing the same. After a few tries, the blonde mermaid had a verdict. “There is the faintest trace of blood from his wound. This is tricky, but my best estimate is that he went toward the waterfall.”

“That is what I think too,” Medusa confirmed, and Aqua also nodded.

“Then my team is headed to the waterfall,” Ben declared. He also briefed the other teams on where to go, sending them to alternate locations where the leader of the mercenaries might be hiding. Decommissioned Dharma Stations, caves, things of the sort. Before any of them left, Ben instructed: “Keep in constant communication with me. If anyone lays eyes on any sign of Keamy’s presence, I want to be informed of it right away.”

And so the small armies headed out to search for Martin Keamy. Pearl was front and center, nose up in the air to try and pick up on the soldier’s bloody scent. Ben walked next to her, rigid and grasping the strap of his satchel. His eyes were somber and focused until Hugo’s unsure voice called his attention.

“Uh…do you mind if I tag along with you guys for now? You said the chopper is close to the waterfall too, so…” he asked.

“That’s fine, Hugo,” Ben told him.

“May Keamy be interested in this…chopper, then, perhaps?” Aqua suggested. “What is a chopper?”

“The metal bird,” Pearl whispered to her.

Hurley seemed surprised. “You’ve never heard of a chopper?”

Ben interjected with a lie to preserve the identity of the sirens. “She’s been on the Island her whole life. We tend to call them ‘helicopters’ here.”

“Oh. I’m Hugo, by the way,” he introduced himself to the women he’d never met before.

“Aqua,” the raven-haired mermaid smiled. “And this is Medusa.” The redhead, ever the cautious warrior, gave him a wary nod.

“Pearl, Aqua and Medusa. Pretty unusual names,” Hurley noticed. “Very watery. Were your moms hippies or something?”

“Our mothers held a deep connection with the ocean,” Pearl explained, even though that wasn’t the exact reason for their unique land names. It was the best she could give him, though.

That’s when Bea, an excellent tracker, piped up: “I see boot tracks on the left,” she knelt for a better look. “Deep, like he was running. We’re headed in the right direction.”

“Then come on, we must pick up the pace,” Ben hurried forward, pushing through some vines with determination.

They made their way across a stream, carefully stepping over slippery stones, and then weaved through an area thick with trees.

“I saw a ghost here once,” Hurley mentioned out of nowhere, to try and make conversation.

“Is that a typical occurrence for you?” a curious Pearl inquired.

“Yeah, kind of,” he lamented. “It seems worse on the Island, though.”

Ben nodded. “We have a high incidence of supernatural occurrences here. Ghosts are not unheard of.” I myself saw the ghost of my mother…

“And what about that freaky Smoke Monster? You guys have seen it, right?” Hugo added.

Pearl exhaled a noise of complaint. “We have indeed. Unpleasant little thing.” There was no love lost between the siren and her former friend.

“This is a mysterious, sacred place,” Ben spoke in a reverent tone. “It is said that even the seas are magical, inhabited by enchanting sirens…”

The surreptitious glance of complicity he threw Pearl let her know that this was his way of joking. She stifled a giggle. “Ah yes, indeed. I have heard these mermaids are the most beautiful women to ever exist,” she added, giving Ben a playful wink.

“I would not doubt that for a second,” he agreed, smiling at her. “Although I’ve heard their ego can be out of control,” he joked, flashing Pearl a subtle teasing smile. She laughed.

Aqua discreetly clicked something in mermaid language. ‘Did you see that, Medusa? How shameless. Flirting in plain sight. Aren’t you, Pearl?’

Medusa laughed, and Pearl clicked back: ‘Simply having a little fun.’

Ben gave her a questioning look and she whispered that she’d tell him later. Bea and Richard traded a look too, not sure if they should be worried that their leader was so close to that mermaid. Probably not at the moment; they owed the sirens a lot for their help against the soldiers.

Hugo was still stuck on the magical seas. “But the mermaids are just a myth, right? They aren’t, like, real, are they?”

“That would be mind-blowing,” Ben gave a carefully worded answer, implying that the mermaids were not real without outright lying about it. He was always clever with his choice of speech. Since Hugo was leaving the Island, it was better that he didn’t learn about the existence of sirens. They were just having a little harmless fun behind his back.

“Yes, it is a mere myth,” Medusa added. The most responsible of the mermaids, she wanted to nip the topic in the bud.

Suddenly all three mermaids halted and straightened up, shoulders squaring and noses high up in the air. “Fresh blood,” Pearl declared.

Ben studied their surroundings until he found it: smeared on a large leaf, like Keamy brushed past it while running. “We are still on his track,” he said with a hint of victory.

It wasn’t long until they came across the clearing where the helicopter landed. “Weapons at the ready,” Richard instructed. “He’s probably here.”

Ben had his pistol and Keamy’s, the sirens had spears, Hugo had nothing and Bea had a shotgun. “I suggest we stay low,” she said.

Benjamin nodded. He motioned for them to crouch behind a rock from where they could observe the location. He recognized Kate and Jack, and a man who was a pilot that came in the freighter, but no sign of the mercenary army leader. All the other soldiers were likely dead. He frowned, disappointed.

The others looked confused too. The whole group assumed that Keamy went for the chopper, and yet he was nowhere to be found. There was no sign of him ever being there. Hugo’s friends were present though, frantically preparing to try to escape the Island.

“This is where our paths diverge, Hugo,” Ben told him with a polite smile.

Hugo’s returning smile was bigger. “Dude, seriously…thank you.”

“Best of luck to you,” Ben offered a handshake. He still thought the Island would drag all those people back if they made it out, but that was no longer his problem.

Hurley didn’t hesitate before shaking Ben’s hand this time. The leader of the Others was still very intimidating to him, but he didn’t seem evil. In fact, Hugo was willing to bet that Ben was a pretty decent guy; after all, Ben let him attend Christmas, kept his promise, and led him to the chopper. And he loved his daughter very much. He may be a ruthless man sometimes, but he was not a bad one.

Pearl smiled too, charming as ever. “It was a pleasure meeting you, Hugo,” she delicately bowed her head. “Safe travels home.”

“You too, Pearl. Thanks.” He left the group, who was now at a loss on where to go.

They investigated their surroundings until Richard found some broken branches showing a possible path for them to continue on. Together, they resumed tailing Keamy.

“This is most unusual…” Pearl complained after some time.

“What is?” Ben’s eyebrow quirked.

“The smell of blood should be stronger the closer we get to him, but it seems to be dissipating instead. Like he passed through here and left,” she explained.

Ben frowned. What could that mean? They were going in the right direction and there was nowhere to leave to, so what did the other man do?! That unknown bugged him.

The question remained unanswered for another hour, as the group entrenched itself even deeper in the jungle and the sun began to set.

“It’s getting dark,” Richard pointed out. “We should stop and set up camp soon.”

“Not until we find him,” Ben said dryly, eyes firmly ahead.

Pearl had a suggestion. “We can light up our eyes to stave off the darkness.”

“There are still predators out here,” Bea countered. “Light isn’t enough. And we need to eat, Ben.”

The leader ignored her, face emotionless. He was uncomfortable stopping until they ensured that Keamy was no longer a threat to him or his daughter. Keamy had to die.

“Can’t fire frighten them off?” Aqua asked.

“Maybe, but we’ve been hiking for hours,” Bea complained.

Medusa nodded. “I must say, my legs are terribly sore, and trembling. I am unused to so much walking, and am not sure how much longer I can keep going. I would appreciate some rest.”

“I am a tad hungry…” Aqua conceded.

“Ben, please,” Richard insisted. “Let’s have some dinner and grab a few hours of sleep.”

Ben let out a harsh sigh, tone sharp and exasperated: “And be slaughtered while we sleep? No, thank you. I’ll keep going.”

Pearl could see that stopping was better for the group, and yet she completely understood why Ben didn’t want to. So she devised a clever compromise that would hopefully help. “Ben,” she gently touched his shoulder, “you need your strength for when you encounter him. What if we stop for no more than four hours for a quick dinner and a nap? Two of us will keep watch while the others sleep.”

“We can’t track him in the dark, Ben,” Richard said. “Even with the eyes of the sirens, they can’t illuminate every inch of the ground.”

“And,” Pearl continued, “Keamy isn’t going anywhere. There is nowhere for him to go. We will find him. It is okay to stop for a while.”

They all had a point. Somewhat against his will, Ben conceded. “Fine,” he sulked, “four hours and not a minute longer.” Pearl’s words and touch worked to soothe him, but he was not happy about it even though he knew stopping was the right decision. They walked a bit further until Ben located a nice patch of smooth, dry grass, where they dropped their backpacks and had a seat to rest.

The group divvied up the tasks that needed to get done: Richard and Bea gathered some wood to make a fire, Benjamin and Pearl prepared dinner, and Aqua and Medusa kept their eyes alight and guarded the area as night fell. The menu consisted of a simple Dharma item: canned beans heated up in the small campfire. Everyone had a seat around it on the grass, with Pearl and Ben sitting a little too close to each other, and the mermaids a little too close to the fire that fascinated them so much. Every person only had one spoon, and they ate the beans straight from the cans. Medusa absolutely hated them.

Aqua located a bundle of mangos and brought them for the group to have dessert. Ben couldn’t help but appreciate that he was the one who introduced mangos to all the mermaids. He stole a look at Pearl: under the starry sky, with the fire glowing in her hazel eyes, she was as radiant as ever.

She was looking at him too, admiring how the night breeze swayed his spiky hair, how the shadows danced across his wonderful face and how the embers glowed in the blue of his eyes. Oh, he was breathtaking!

The dinner conversation was polite and lively enough, but there was an underlying tension that couldn’t be denied; everyone was a little on edge after the events of the day.

“I know a mermaid joke,” Bea said after a bite of mango, to lighten the mood.

Pearl smirked. “Is that so? Please, do share.”

“Why did the mermaid swim across the ocean?” the other woman grinned. Ben let out the tiniest groan, already anticipating the silliness of the answer.

Aqua, Pearl and Medusa exchanged a few whispers, then shook their heads. “We do not know,” they declared in unison.

Bea’s grin widened. “To get to the other tide.”

The three aquatic creatures met Benjamin’s eyes and shared in his deadpan. Then they looked back at Bea and couldn’t help but crack up, laughing at how utterly stupid but amusing the wordplay was.

“That’s cute,” Pearl said, long blonde hair fluttering as she cocked her head.

“If you like it, I’m positive she has many more where that came from,” Ben pointed out, giving Bea and Pearl the semblance of a teasing smile.

Pearl grinned. “I’d like to hear another one—”

Their camping dinner was interrupted by a humming noise and a sudden flash of white light that enveloped the entire Island. They shielded their eyes, grimacing as everything became brighter and brighter, the noise more and more unnerving, and then— everything stopped. And everything changed.

The mermaids had their fangs out and spears at the ready, and Richard and Bea had sprung to their feet. They traded confused looks, wondering what that strange noise and light were. More importantly: that flash hit when it was night out. Now it was daytime. In seconds, the stars and a crescent moon were replaced by the shining sun.

Ben’s face slowly turned to stone. He knew exactly what happened.

When Martin Keamy ran off, it wasn’t just to regroup or get another gun. No, he ran straight to the Orchid Station, to get himself out of that godforsaken Island! Charles Widmore never warned him what to expect of the freaky place. Keamy had been in wars, mercilessly killed millions of innocent civilians too; he didn’t fear much, but he drew the line at monsters with sharp teeth and mind-control powers! Screw the mission, screw the payment Widmore promised him, and screw Benjamin Linus and his demonesses from hell; Keamy was out of there!

“We lost him. Keamy turned the Wheel that moves the Island. He was able to leave. Charles must have instructed him on how to do it,” Ben grimly informed the group. Ominous blue eyes faced the others around the campfire, his demeanor all shadowy. “Something went wrong when he did it. The Island is untethered from time and space. We’re time-hopping…and if we don’t fix it fast enough, all of us will die.”

Notes:

I think this is the longest it has taken me to update, but I'm happy that we're entering the time-hopping phase! I thought it would be really interesting and hopefully fun to explore what it would be like if Ben was part of all that dangerous time traveling. And with the mermaids scaring off Keamy I had the perfect way to make that happen!

I hope you all enjoy this chapter and what's to come, thank you for sticking with me through slower updates. <3

Chapter 36: Facing the past can be haunting, or it can free one from the shackles of mistakes

Damn it, damn it, a frazzled Ben cursed in his mind. He let Martin Keamy slip right through his fingers! The mercenary was gone, out of the Island! He grimaced, lips outstretching and pulling downward while he gritted his teeth. We never should have stopped to rest, he thought with sour aggravation.

But dwelling on that mistake wouldn’t help things now. “We should gather everyone and head to the caves,” Ben sprang into action almost immediately. “It’s the safest place during time jumps: an immutable locale where it’s improbable that we will run into anybody else.”

Pearl’s eyes shifted from the sun to Ben, and she voiced what was on every siren’s mind: “I don’t mean to bring up the shark in the reef, but you said that we are all going to die…”

Any other time, Ben would’ve appreciated the merfolk colloquialism equivalent to ‘the elephant in the room’. Under current circumstances, he focused on the matter at hand and gave a curt nod. “We have to fix this fast. The longer we are subjected to time-displacement, the more our bodies will break down,” he grimly explained, something shadowy creeping across his face. And then he added: “Come to think of it, I don’t know if your kind will be affected,” he gestured toward the mermaids, “but humans certainly will be.”

Her face seemed paler than ever, voice carefully controlled. “And how do we stop the Island from…time-displacing?” the worried aquatic blonde asked.

“The Wheel probably dislodged when Keamy used it,” Ben said in a stony, matter-of-fact hybrid. “I need to spin it again to snap it in place. That means I need to go to the Orchid Station.”

“No, let me,” Bea argued. “You know what happens when you spin it, Ben. It shouldn’t be you.”

The sirens exchanged a concerned glance. The advisor and Bea seemed nervous.

And Benjamin Linus was determined. “It has to be me,” the leader stated, resolute. “I’ll fix the Wheel,” he declared, something heavy in his eyes.

Richard disagreed. “Ben, please, let Bea take care of it.” They couldn’t afford to be without a leader, not now.

But Benjamin was adamant, somberly shaking his head. “I wish I could, but this is my responsibility. Martin Keamy tried to kill my daughter, and Charles Widmore has the coordinates to this Island now. They must be stopped,” his lips curled with quiet anger and disdain.

“So this is about revenge?” an exasperated Richard asked.

Ben’s blue eyes drifted to the side and he gave a partial nod. “If you’re asking whether I want them dead, Richard, the answer is yes. They made it personal. But I’m the leader; it’s my job to keep the Island safe. They started this war. Now I must go and ensure that it ends.” His face shone with conviction.

As the leader, Ben knew that he could easily delegate. Keeping the Island safe was all of their responsibilities, not just his. Truth be told, if Alex hadn’t been threatened and almost killed, he would’ve happily let someone go in his stead. But his daughter’s safety was at stake, and he wasn’t about to make the same mistake of holding back twice. Ben was personally going after Keamy no matter what.

Pearl didn’t know anything about any Wheel, but everyone’s resistance toward letting Ben go gave her pause. “Is it dangerous?” she asked, looking him over with concern.

“No,” Ben reassured with a calm smile as he slung the satchel over his shoulder. “But I’ll have to leave the Island for some time.” Richard and Bea made to protest again, so Ben raised a hand and shot them a meaningful glance. “I will come back.”

He didn’t know that for sure, of course, but he had a good feeling about it. It’s not like Jacob had ordered him to leave, or like the Island wanted him gone. Ben was choosing to go, partly to protect the Island, so he had faith that the Island would help him in return. He’d find his way back. It would be a tricky journey, not one he was looking forward to…but Keamy almost killed Alex. Ben had to make sure the man died. He promised his daughter that he would.

Richard and Bea grudgingly conceded. After what the mercenary did to Alex, of course they understood Ben’s desire to be the one to put a stop to Keamy! “We’ll gather everyone else,” Richard said.

Ben nodded his approval. “Try the walkie-talkie; depending on when we are, they might still be in range. If that fails, send up a flare. They’ll know to come meet you. Hide with them in the Southern caves.” His eyes flitted from Bea’s to Richard’s. “You never know who will be nearby after a jump in time; the caves are safest.”

Pearl took Aqua and Medusa’s hands in hers, forming a circle with the other mermaids. “Please, you must return home. Very little changes underwater in a millennium, so you shall be safe in the ocean when the Island travels through time.”

The queen didn’t outright state her intentions, but the other two knew her well enough to guess: Pearl was going with Ben. They hugged fiercely and tightly, clicking advice and well-wishes for Pearl in mermaid language.

Ben could clearly see that was a goodbye between the mermaids, and Pearl’s use of the word ‘you’ in ‘you must return home’, rather than ‘we’, immediately caught his attention. Was Pearl willing to accompany him?! Oh, he truly hoped so! If he took the journey alone, he would spend the entire time stewing on his failure and dwelling on his impending time spent away from the Island. Pearl would make everything so much more pleasant! He cleared his throat, gearing up to ask her about that.

And then Pearl looked at him with an encouraging smile. “Where shall one go to find this magical time wheel? Orchid, you said?”

He lit up, but then it faded into a slight frown. “I won’t lie to you,” Ben said somberly. “It’s a long journey from here to the Wheel. I can’t predict who we’ll encounter, and when. You’d be safer underwater.”

“Then I do hope my repertoire and company are worth the long journey,” she said graciously, with a prim nod. Her way of letting him know that she wasn’t going anywhere. Pearl simply couldn’t part with Ben when he was embarking on a time sensitive quest! She wanted to assist him!

Ben couldn’t help but let himself smile. He nodded gratefully at her. “To get to the Orchid Station we must double back toward the Barracks, and then veer past it. We should get going; time is, unsurprisingly, of the essence.”

Their paths diverged from the others’. Bea and Richard headed to the Southern cave, and the other mermaids headed for the nearest beach instead. Alone now, Ben and Pearl began their hike back to where they had just come from.

Ben had a question: how far was Pearl planning to accompany him? To the Wheel…or to the mainland? He decided not to ask until they were closer to the Orchid Station where the Wheel laid beneath, deep underground.

“I hope Hugo made it back to the chopper in time,” Pearl commented. “He is a pleasant human.”

He found himself agreeing. “I hope so too.” Hugo was easy to root for. Ben still believed that the Island would drag Hugo and his friends back someday, but, with the time-hopping going on, they were all safer in the helicopter if they made it out. “But what I’d really like to know is when we are.” He frowned. There were no indicators of what year it was. The jungle was lush and uninhabited, and they were too far from any landmarks that might offer a clue. “I suppose we’ll find out when we reach the Barracks.” A shrug. “There might not be anything built there.”

Not knowing when in time they were was a strange kind of mystery; they were entering uncharted territory that made them feel untethered from reality. It was quite surreal to think that they time-traveled…but it actually wasn’t that bad; at least they had each other, and they should arrive at the Wheel within a day and a half, two at most. The worst part at the moment was actually the weather; the sun was beating down on them mercilessly, scorching the grass and earth under their feet.

Pearl snuck a pinched glance Ben’s way. “Exactly how long do we have?” She was frightened by the prospect of losing him. “Until human bodies break down…”

“A few days,” he said casually, gaze passing over her. “About three to start, I’d say.”

She frowned. There was something suspicious in how he looked right through her. “Ben. What aren’t you telling me?”

He sighed. “Deterioration happens at a faster rate the longer you’ve been on this Island. And I, Pearl— I’ve been here my entire life,” he informed her in foreboding manner.

Well, technically he’d been on the Island most of his life. He wasn’t born there, but he arrived when he was a child and spent all of his formative years there. He barely even remembered anything from before, because he was too little back then! It was practically the same as being on the Island his whole life, anyway. Ben was there longest than all of his people, so he was in the most danger. Unless an immortal like Richard was affected too, then the poor guy would be dead within hours. Ben hoped that wouldn’t be the case.

Her eyes widened and she gasped. “My goodness, Ben! Three days to start, and then how long?!” she pressed him.

His lips twisted to the side and he casually shrugged. “It would probably take me five, six days to…” head cocked to the left, “die.”

The blonde looked petrified. “Then we must run to the Station!” They should be okay to make it in less than the three day deadline, but the tight schedule was daunting.

He gave a half grimace, somewhat nonchalant. “We’ll burn out if we try to run all the way there, Pearl. We must keep an efficient but steady pace.” Looking over, he saw the worried frown on her face, so he let out a soft breath. “We’ll be alright.”

She nodded dubiously, lips tensely tightened. They didn’t talk much to avoid over-exerting themselves, but their hands wordlessly joined and their fingers intertwined. The small gesture of intimacy and tenderness made them feel calmer and happier during a challenging time.

The pair kept a brisk but non-exhaustive pace, walking for hours until they were back at the Sonic Fences. The structures were there, but disabled. Probably by Ben’s time-displaced people as they made their way to the caves. Pearl’s legs were getting sore.

“It’s safest to go around the perimeter,” Ben mused, “but faster if we cut through the Barracks.” He was still weighing the pros and cons of each choice when Pearl’s impulsivity decided for them.

“I pick ‘faster’,” the words flew out. She pulled him forward by the hand, too worried about Ben to waste time with being cautious. He went along with it, deciding that it was indeed the better option.

They slipped past the Sonic Fence and officially entered the perimeter of the Barracks, entrenched behind the treeline so they could remain unseen by the residents of the past. Once they got closer to the residential area, they were welcomed by the same yellow houses they were accustomed to.

“The farthest back we can be in is the 70s,” Ben estimated. “That’s when these homes were built.” He turned to look into Pearl’s eyes, to emphasize the urgency of what he was about to say: “We must be careful here.”

Ben didn’t know the rules of time travel. Maybe whatever happened, happened regardless of their presence. Or maybe he could influence outcomes. He didn’t want to risk stepping on a metaphorical butterfly and changing the future— changing his present reality. Despite the dark things that had come to pass in his lifetime and all the hardships he endured, Ben was fairly satisfied with his life. He’d been happy at times, some in the past, and especially lately. He wouldn’t risk rewriting history and accidentally undoing any of that and losing his daughter, his leadership position, his allies, his…Pearl.

“I assume we must avoid everyone that isn’t of our time,” Pearl quickly deduced. “We do not want to change anything or give ourselves away. Future information must be priceless here.”

Ben was quick to nod. “We can’t be seen, and we absolutely cannot tell them anything about the future. It’s too risky.”

Of course, the reality of time-travel was that whatever happened, happened. If they did anything in the past, their present had already accounted for it. But there was no way for Ben and Pearl to know that for sure, so they had to exercise extreme caution.

Sticking to the treeline, they observed the residential area from a safe distance. There were plenty of people coming and going, and Ben recognized some of them. Former Dharma workers. It wasn’t the 70s, though; it was much later. Late enough that he would’ve been alive and grown by then. It disconcerted him.

There was a particular curve of the treeline that veered a little too close to the stony pathways. Ben was very alert, hyper-aware of his surroundings and ensuring that he and Pearl remained hidden. His stomach dropped like a stone when he spotted the young man coming out of one of the yellow houses. Pearl didn’t notice him. She was about to say something to Ben--- whatever it was, the nearby man would undoubtedly hear. So Ben acted on instinct, clamping a hand over her mouth and dragging her further behind a few well-trimmed bushes with him.

The mermaid yelped in surprise, but the sound was muffled by his hand. She struggled against his grip as he crouched, forcing both of them down to a level where the foliage completely obscured them. Pearl’s eyes flashed a dangerous golden and she hissed, startling Ben into backing away from her. When his hand dropped, he saw that her mouth was filled with sharp fangs; her wild instinct had her ready to bite him. She wasn’t really going to, but a chill ran up his spine at the reminder of how deadly a predator the siren was.

She was glaring questioningly at him, a bit insulted by his insolence of grabbing and dragging her. Before she could speak, a wide-eyed Ben whispered with aggravated urgency: “Please be quiet!” He motioned to the man, who had now walked from the house to a Dharma van parked nearby.

Despite her somewhat uppity annoyance, the mermaid gave him the benefit of the doubt and stayed silent. Her fangs retracted and her eyes resumed a more human-like color as they traveled in the direction that Ben indicated. A soft gasp escaped her when she saw the man: Ben. Another Ben, just like the one next to her. This other Benjamin wore greyish cream-colored overalls and his hair wasn’t spiked up; he had his thin round glasses on and seemed drained, serious, but just as mesmerizing, powerful and handsome as present-day Ben. “Oh my goodness…he is you from the past!” the mermaid whispered in awe, craning her neck to take a better peek.

Ben confirmed it with one sharp, pointed nod. He couldn’t allow his past self to see him time-traveling; that was sure to cause some space-time continuum trouble. “Stay down,” he whispered back.

“I know. Nice hair,” Pearl commented under her breath, watching the other version of Ben with a smile. “It is so very soft, with a lovely swirl at the front. But I adore these spikes you have now. I prefer them.”

There wasn’t even time to be flattered. “Pearl, please,” he scolded in a whisper, “I need you to take this seriously!” She let out a tiny hiss at him, but refrained from talking again.

Ben’s gaze was glued to…well, Ben. It was surreal to watch himself like that, a spectator to one’s own life. Seeing how he walked, his mannerisms, how his mouth moved when he talked, things that nobody could ever see of themselves. And now Ben could. They had clearly traveled to some time prior to the Dharma Purge, but how prior? His past self certainly looked about the right age. Early to mid-twenties. He leaned in, trying to get his bearings.

Ben watched his younger self walk toward the white and blue van, where he talked to another man that was already inside. Ben’s stomach churned unpleasantly when he recognized his own father. He rustled closer, attempting to listen in on their conversations. And then the key word was overheard. ‘Birthday’.

Oh no. It was Ben’s birthday! But from which year?! He glanced around, spotting Horace sitting on a bench. Panic rose up his throat and his stomach plummeted; that was the day of the Purge! His past self was about twenty minutes away from killing his abusive father, while past Richard and the rest of Jacob’s people would decimate the entire Dharma organization with a deadly gas--- as per Widmore’s orders. “We need to get out of here, now!” he practically hissed at Pearl, scrambling to his feet.

She could see by the tension in his posture and the frantic glint in his eyes that the situation was serious. Pearl grabbed his arm and used it to pull herself to her unsteadily tired feet, asking him only one question: “Where shall we go?”

“Anywhere outside of a three miles radio,” he told her with grim urgency, blue eyes wide and shadowy. Ben did some quick mental math: they wouldn’t make it from the place they were at to the outside of the perimeter by foot. Not even if they ran as fast as humanly possible, and especially not with a tired siren not used to hiking for hours on end. There was only one choice to get away from the gas; a terribly risky one, but there was no point dwelling on the risks when he didn’t have another mean of escape. “Actually,” Ben corrected, staring at her ominously, “we’re getting in the van.”

Pearl seemed hesitant, letting him take the lead. She didn’t even know what a van was. Ben signaled with his head for her to follow, and touched his index fingertip to his lips to remind her of the importance of staying quiet. Taking advantage of past Ben and Roger’s conversation about forgetting his son’s birthday again, Ben and Pearl tiptoed around the bushes until they reached the white and blue Dharma van.

He made a split-second tactical decision; Ben had always been excellent at quick-thinking under pressure. The decision was that opening the trunk would call too much attention. He was certain his highly perceptive younger self would notice that. So he gently nudged Pearl toward the backdoor, which had been left ajar after the backseat was loaded with boxes and crates, and signaled for her to get in. She did, and he snuck in right behind her.

Pearl understood the importance of staying unseen. She crawled under the back row of seats and laid on her back, flattening herself on the floor as much as she could to give Ben enough room to join her. He hesitated, but there was really no better way around the situation. He laid on top of her, trying to keep his weight on his elbows and knees instead of on her body.

Both of them held their breaths in a moment of paralyzing tension when the younger Benjamin came around to shut the van door. By some miracle, he didn’t notice two people hiding under the seats. Probably because he was too consumed with thoughts of the crime he was on his way to commit. Annie had been on his mind that day too. She used to be on his mind often. He circled back to the front, put his seatbelt on, and Roger began the drive to the hills.

It was an uncomfortable ride for the Ben under the backseat. Every bump on the jungle dirt road bruised his knees, but he absolutely refused to pin the mermaid with his body. Just the thought of that made him warm, and he thought it would be unwise to completely press himself to her; who knew in what indiscreet and vulgar ways his body might react to the contact? Especially with how much the van vibrated.

Even with all of his care, he could still tell how close they were. His eyes trailed to her beautiful face, inches away from his, and he felt his breath getting caught in his throat. Ben forced himself to look away, concentrating on an exit strategy instead. He was quite concerned that his younger self might find them stowing away in the backseat, and he really didn’t want to find out the consequences of such a space-and-time continuum breach.

The trip wasn’t much better for Pearl either. The floor of the van was hard and dirty, and it dug into her back uncomfortably. She appreciated Ben’s gentlemanly ways, and once, while his gaze was distant and his thoughts otherwise engaged, the mermaid found herself admiring his features and wishing to kiss him. He really was a stunning man. She hoped, for his sake, that the injuries inflicted by Jack’s assault healed up soon, because she could still see little cuts and faint purple on his skin.

The left rear tire fell in a hole while Roger was driving, shaking the hidden pair and knocking Pearl’s head into a metal bar that was part of the seat. She instinctively let out a tiny cry, and then widened her eyes in horror at what she’d done.

The twentysomething Ben Linus thought he heard something. It was the second time that things seemed amiss in the backseat, because earlier in the ride he thought he saw a shadow back there. He was just as suspicious and careful as his present-day counterpart, so he undid his seatbelt and twisted his body on his seat to take a look at the back. To his absolute bewilderment, he saw a beautiful blonde stranger lying on the floor with a man on top of her. The man looked up at him, and the younger Ben’s mind swam with confusion and a desire to act quickly. “Stop the van,” he sharply told his father, his eyes as wide as the other Ben’s because he recognized himself under the backseat.

There was only one thing to be done, Pearl realized. She wouldn’t be breaking her promise if she wasn’t able to shield Ben from it. Without warning, she stuck her fingers in his ears. He understood why immediately, and pressed his own hands over hers to make sure his hearing was completely plugged.

Without hands, his torso was now on her. He tried not to think about how soft and nice she felt, and how she always fit so perfectly with him. Her scent was so captivating, too… his heart was drumming wildly and he hoped she couldn’t feel it speeding through his ribcage, because it really wasn’t the time to be thinking about her like that!

The siren started to sing a light, summery melody that soon became sweeping and rich. Ben hoped that it would work fast enough--- but at least he was confident that his past self would never shoot them before asking important questions. He knew that for certain, because the man in the past was him too. They would’ve made the same choices, always. The younger Ben and Roger were already out of the van, throwing the door open and pointing guns at the stowaways. They were confused to find the girl singing, and she continued despite flinching and despite that Ben’s attempts to ask her questions. The gun trained on them frightened her, so she closed her eyes and persisted, putting all of her effort into her song.

“How are you here?” the younger Ben demanded of his older self, eyes cold and calculating. He didn’t have to guess as to who the other Ben was; they were identical, and he was aware of the time-traveling properties of the Island. “You’re me— from the future. Who is she?” His head indicated Pearl. “Did someone leave the Island?!” He knew about the Wheel, and that seemed like the most logical conclusion.

Without unplugging his ears, Ben smiled placatingly. “She’s from my time. Please excuse her, she sings when she’s nervous and guns frighten her. And yes, I suspect that someone did. Don’t shoot— we won’t be long,” he stalled. He read his past self’s lips to understand the questions.

“I wouldn’t shoot my own self unless he gave me a reason to,” the Ben from the past calmly drawled the threat, eyes sparking dangerously. But then there was a flash of tense concern. “Are you here to…stop what happens today?” Did I make a mistake in killing my father and facilitating the extermination of the Dharma Initiative?

Roger stared between the two Bens, utterly bewildered that there was a double of his son just lying there! He was even more confused by the lack of confusion in either of the Bens; the sons clearly knew much more than Roger did.

Ben squinted. What an awkward question, but he didn’t expect anything less from a man as perceptive and intelligent as…well, as himself. His gaze darted to Pearl, who continued to hum her enchanting melody without paying much attention to their conversation. He decided he didn’t want to lie to the other Ben. “No. Whatever you have planned for today--- go through with it,” he told him darkly, firm eyes meeting his past self again. Ben felt a lot of guilt for his part on what happened that day, but he didn’t regret it. And even if he did, the past had to be preserved.

The twentysomething Ben seemed to relax some, relieved that he wasn’t about to make a colossal mistake. “Then why are you here?” he acerbically insisted, eyes piercing through his future self, the gun still held steady.

“The Island hopped. I didn’t get to choose my destination,” he answered wryly, matching younger Ben’s intense stare.

The Siren Song soared in the background of their conversation, diluted by being on land, until it finally started to have an effect.

Ben watched his past self’s eyes go out of focus and a smitten grin slip across his face. Roger wore a very similar expression. Thank God, he thought, relieved that Pearl managed to get them under control. What a twist of fate that he’d ever be grateful for her hypnotic powers, and twice in two days! He looked at her, reading her lips as she spoke to the men under her spell: “Go back in the van and keep going to where you were headed. Pay us no mind,” she told them with a sweet smile, and then continued to sing. They complied immediately and happily, giddily rushing back.

The two visitors from the future pushed a few crates around and sat on the backseat, traveling in much more civilized manner this time. Once Roger started driving again, Pearl spoke up once more: “You will forget that you saw us. This never happened. You will surrender your memories completely, and go about your day normally. Even now, you do not perceive us here.”

Ben didn’t hear or read their reply, but he assumed it worked. The mermaid continued to hum along the way, to keep the men under her trance. She was also fascinated by the strange moving contraption they were in, eyes sparkling with interested awe as she looked out the window and enjoyed the scenery.

Soon enough the van stopped at the hill’s crest, and Ben’s stomach took a horrible dip. He knew what was coming. His past self was about to murder his –their- father. The day of the Dharma Purge was maybe the lowest point of his life; killing his father took a toll on Ben, and it was certainly a sickening, horrifying experience…but he didn’t exactly regret it. It was a cold decision, but the correct decision. The man who was supposed to love him unconditionally, supposed to protect him, had been physically, emotionally and verbally abusive his entire life, blaming him for being born. Ben didn’t regret freeing himself of that man. Besides… Roger was Dharma. He would’ve died anyway; Widmore wouldn’t leave survivors, not even if Ben begged. So Ben took the chance to prove himself, while simultaneously freeing himself. He didn’t want everyone in Dharma to die too, but he really didn’t have much of a choice.

Pearl was listening to the two men from the past conversing, using it to piece together things about Ben’s life. She was able to easily figure out that they were father and son, and young Ben’s bitter question of whether his father truly blamed him for the death of his mother broke her heart. She searched her Ben’s face and found him impassive, although there were very small signs of tension on his features that she could see.

Roger promised to try to remember his birthday next year. Ben read that on his lips and he knew that was it; he and Pearl had to get out of the van immediately-- the deadly canister of gas was about to be released! If they stayed inside they’d die too. “Go,” he told the mermaid, eyes wide and resolute, ears still covered. She was still singing under her breath, to reinforce the previous spell. Roger and past-Ben were completely oblivious to the two people scooting down on the seat, opening the door, getting out and slamming it shut again. Outside, Ben grabbed Pearl’s hand and pulled her along with him in a hurry, so that she’d understand the urgency of their getaway. The pair sprinted to the nearest tree and hid behind it, a few feet away from the van. He didn’t let go of her hand until they were far enough.

Far enough from danger, yes. But still close enough to watch the murder take place.

Ben paled, feeling sick to his stomach. His younger self was unable to look at the dying Roger, a haunted, almost broken look settling in his eyes, in the same way that present-day Ben couldn’t bear to look at the van at all.

Pearl stood next to him, horrified by the grim scene unfolding: a father, bleeding from his nose and mouth, convulsing to death after breathing something toxic. A son, wearing a gas mask while committing patricide, with a devastated and terrified look in his eyes as he tried to remain detached and cold. There was no joy in the crime, no sense of victory or vengeful satisfaction, Pearl could easily tell. There was guilt, even if he was burying it. The younger Ben in the van wasn’t okay. And the man tensing up next to her, seemingly paralyzed and staring at the ground with a creepy, vacant look in his own eyes…he wasn’t okay either.

The Ben from the past stepped out of the van and began walking back to the Barracks. He looked like he was in a trance, and it had nothing to do with Pearl’s Siren Song. He was numb. It was obvious that the murder weighed heavily on him--- so much so that he was unable to touch the body, abandoning it with the van and hiking back on foot (but still angry enough at decades of mistreatment, and trying to make himself look detached, so he told Richard to leave the body there too). Pearl and present-day Ben waited until past-Ben was out of reach before they stepped away from the tree.

Ben couldn’t bring himself to look at Pearl or at the van with the corpse. He was ashamed, but also defensive, feeling guilty but not exactly regretful. The mermaid was quite serious, clearly torn between displeasure and sympathy. “Benjamin…what exactly happened here?” she asked. Pearl was on Ben’s side, willing to hear him out for an explanation.

He probably should have answered with more tact, but, in order to keep his true feelings buried, he coolly said: “What does it look like? I murdered my own father.”

The apparent coldness had her taken aback. Pearl hardened a little. “It astounds me how easily humans can turn on their own kind.”

He winced, but her words stoked an angry fire in him. He lifted his gaze to her and glared, mouth pursing with tension. “You don’t know the situation!”

Ben hated that Pearl had to witness the murderous act. That was the worst moment she could have ever stumbled upon! At least she didn’t see his people annihilating the entirety of the Dharma organization.

“Is that part of it?” she gloomily pointed to the Barracks below. Although they were far, from their advantageous bird’s eye view they could see all the dead bodies littering the grass, and people with gas masks skulking about.

Ben’s stomach clenched, realizing his mistake in assuming she missed that. The sight of the massacre made him a little sad. Some of those people deserved better than the fate they received. And he felt bad for the part he played in facilitating it. The anger at the siren still burned inside him, but he closed his eyes for a moment, trying to get all of the spiraling emotions under control. He never wanted to be back at the Dharma Purge ever again, especially not with her! What would she think of him now?!

He took a slow, deep breath before talking again. “That’s the Dharma Institute,” he said wearily. He knew she’d understand. “Come on. Time is ticking,” he rushed the mermaid, partially in the hopes that she’d stop asking questions. He began a terse descent down the green hill, shoulders slightly slumped.

Pearl’s eyes widened with recognition at that name. “The war! You told me that Dharma exploited the Island, and that your side won against them. I— I knew some of them must have died, but I didn’t know they were exterminated! I thought surely some must have been exiled from the Island…” She followed him on the hill, careful not to trip and roll down it.

Blue eyes blinked twice, completely vacant as he tried to bury his complicated emotions. “They were trying to exterminate us too.” The scolding in Pearl’s tone upset the man again. Ben glared at the siren, in desperate exasperation. Why should he have to explain himself to her?! She wasn’t morally superior, she once wanted to kill all humans on the Island! “And so were you, as you might recall,” he acidly reminded her.

“I thought it was either my kind or yours,” she explained with a touch of coldness, light blonde hair cascading down the one shrugging shoulder. “I assumed humans would destroy the underwater kingdom if given the chance.”

“You assumed wrong,” he sulked, “but Dharma would have killed us. It was us or them, Pearl.” Ever since they arrived on the Island for their science expedition, Dharma treated the so-called ‘hostiles’ as a threat. The situation would’ve blown up sooner or later; Widmore was the first to act, thus ensuring victory for his side. If he didn’t orchestrate the Purge, it would’ve been him and his ‘hostiles’ that died instead. And Ben, of course, was the double agent desperately trying to prove himself to the Island’s inhabitants. He was part of them but not yet allowed to live with them, so he facilitated their murderous plans. If he hadn’t done so, he’d be in the mass grave with all the other Dharma members.

“Your people killed all of them,” Pearl astutely pointed out, frowning at the fresh corpses down below the hills. “I mean, you— past you, he was up here with your father. He couldn’t have killed any of the others. You couldn’t have.” She was working out a timeline for herself.

“Yes. And?” Ben said sharply, feeling very defensive. They were halfway down the hill by now, calves burning.

“You were not present for the slaughter. You did not do it. But how big was your role in this? You’re their leader, you must have organized it and launched the plan.” The question felt more curious than accusing, but they both knew the mermaid was trying to determine how much blame Ben had in the mass murder. Merfolk could be a little self-righteous sometimes.

The desperate exasperation remained in him as his blue eyes threatened to burn a hole through the siren. It was absurd that he was explaining himself to an aquatic predator! And yet he continued, secretly praying that she wouldn’t grow to hate him now. “Like you almost organized the slaughter of my people?” Ben spat, stomach in knots. “I’ll have you know, Pearl, that I didn’t do this! I didn’t come up with this plan, or give the order, I—”

Before he could finish, there was a flash of bright light that hurt their heads. The two flinched and grimaced, and once it passed they found themselves standing under a starry night sky. The van was nowhere to be found, the dead bodies all gone. “We jumped in time again, didn’t we?” Pearl rhetorically asked with a frown.

He drew in a sharp breath, frustrated. “We need to keep heading back the way we came. Orchid Station is past the Barracks, that way.”

“Wait. What were you saying? You didn’t give the order…?” she held him by the upper arm to stop him from walking away.

Ben exhaled sharply. He was hoping the time-jump would have put an end to the unpleasant conversation. “Charles Widmore was in charge at the time,” he bitterly explained. “The same man who sent Keamy to the Island. He orchestrated the Purge. I— went along with it to survive, and to prove my loyalty so that I could finally join Jacob’s society for good,” the last few words came out robotically and more through one side of his mouth. “I wanted to join them because I knew they were doing something special here. I always knew the Island had to be protected, and that I could be part of that! Dharma was exploiting it!” He began to get fired up, but deflated just as fast. “I was meant to join them. They picked me when I was a child.”

Pearl nodded. “I am aware. That is how they pick future leaders.”

He lifted a hand and gave a one-sided shrug. “Yeah. I had to prove myself.” What he didn’t tell her was that he grew up dreaming of going to live with the ‘hostiles’ so that he could get away from his father. That emotional need was a factor in his decision too. “I didn’t set off that gas, Pearl. I simply walked away and allowed Richard and some other men to do it,” Ben explained, seemingly with as few emotions as possible even though the topic actually messed with him. Then his gaze darkened. “You’ve done bad things too. Just because you don’t kill mermaids doesn’t mean you’re better than me.”

“Benjamin, calm down,” she chided, throwing him a mild glare. “I know what I’ve done, stop accusing me of things! You do not need to get so defensive; you could have just told me all of this.”

He felt frazzled and sickeningly out of control. But she wasn’t staring at him with judgment, and that allowed him to take a breath. “It’s— not a memory I enjoy revisiting,” he said curtly, looking away.

A slow nod as she appraised him through narrowed eyes. “Yes, understandably so.”

Silence hung over them for a while as they continued their descent down the hill. Only the cicadas were making noise. Pearl was quiet, and Ben was still stewing. He couldn’t believe he had to explain the Purge to the woman he was in love with! He felt like she would think less of him, even though he didn’t see judgment in her eyes.

“Are you upset?” he finally asked with a suspicious squint, almost making it sound more like an accusation.

“Not at the destruction of Dharma. Your job is to protect the Island, and Dharma was a threat to it, a threat to us all. You didn’t do it—you simply did not stop it. I don’t begrudge you for facilitating what you had to in a war, and to keep the Island safe. You helped keep it safe,” she looked him in the eyes, being very straight-forward about those matters. The queen could be just as calculated as the leader; she would’ve made the same choice if she had been in his position.

Ben looked down, nodding slowly. “I’d be in a mass grave if I didn’t side with Jacob’s people, Pearl.”

“I understand that,” she smiled, but there was something distant there. More guarded. “However— if I may speak frankly, I cannot understand why you had to kill your father. Anyone else could have done that instead of you.”

“Pearl, we don’t have time for this! We need to get to the Orchid,” he backpedaled the question, exasperated and anguished. His past with his father was too fraught for him to get into, especially now!

“I’ll be the light,” she said plainly, frustrated but dropping the subject. Pearl blinked and let her eyes change to their lit-up golden beam. Another thing that used to disturb Ben but, under the circumstances, he was glad to be able to use it to his advantage. Her gaze worked like a spotlight, shining on their path so the trek was easy.

Neither of them spoke for almost two hours. Ben was angry, and ashamed, and worried that he had reinforced Pearl’s bad perception and dislike of humans. Or worse, that she now saw him differently, that she admired and liked him less. Maybe she regretted coming with him. Maybe she even regretted ever sleeping with a man like him. That idea haunted Ben, and kept him terse and a little overly defensive throughout the trek. Pearl was disappointed, a little disturbed, and very much confused, but not enough to pick a fight; she did witness how difficult the murder was for past Ben, after all. There was more to the story. She’d dig into it later.

They were almost back to the main road – far from the residential area but close to a few utility buildings -- when a kid ran past them. Ben’s eyes grew as wide as gems and he stopped dead on his tracks. Pearl followed his cue and blinked to return her eyes to its human-like golden-flecked hazel.

The boy noticed the change in light. He turned their way and squinted, but the darkness shrouded them. He hesitated, contemplating whether to investigate or not. He should take a look, because it could be one of the Hostiles! …But no, probably not in there, not past the Sonic Fence. The Hostiles never made it in. Curiosity still tempted the boy to take a closer look, but it was late, he was skittish and he didn’t want to get in trouble, so he turned around and ran away.

Pearl noticed that the boy had round glasses over his very blue eyes, and dark brown hair a shade similar to Ben’s. But mostly, he had that same intense, focused demeanor. She glanced at the man, finding that he was sporting an odd expression…like fondness mixed with sadness. “Aw, Benjamin, is that guppy you?” the mermaid cooed with a sweet smile.

“Yes.” He gave her a tight-lipped smile that didn’t reach his eyes at all. Looking at his young self was unnerving--- especially with Pearl by his side. There was fondness and nostalgia there, sure, yet there were plenty of dark memories too. And there were things about his past that he’d loathe for Pearl to find out about…though none worse than the murder of Roger, and that ship had sailed. “It seems the Island has an ironic fondness for landing a time-hop during my lifetime,” he dryly complained. Couldn’t they end up in ancient times or something? He didn’t want to run into himself anymore!

“How many years in the past are we?” her voice got his attention.

“26, 27 years ago. I had been on the Island for a number of years…” he told her with a distant lilt to his tone. His past self was still a boy, probably 12 or 13, but he wasn’t a newcomer anymore. He was entering his teens and had likely already had his first kiss with Annie at that point.

The mermaid let out an airy giggle. “Your kind ages so quickly, it’s so precious!”

Ben threw her a dry glance, tone sarcastic: “What a lovely reminder of human mortality, thank you.”

They watched the boy run into a building, and, slowly, Pearl got a sly grin unfurling on her face. “I should see what he is doing,” she said. She would love to learn more about Ben’s past, and it seemed like the perfect opportunity landed right on her lap.

“No,” the adult Ben gave a categorical answer, eyes widening with mild exasperation. “We can’t engage with people from the past, Pearl!”

She deadpanned, placing a hand on her hip. “If we can sneakily make our way into your father’s moving car-van-thing and I can sing to past adult you, then surely I can spy on little you.” She slinked away from him, the grin returning. “Trust me, Benjamin, I shall remain unseen!”

The mermaid-on-legs ran off, following teen Ben into the building. Adult Ben’s lips pursed in utter exasperation and he chased after her.

Pearl wasn’t sure what the guppy was doing at first. The boy was rummaging through a crate of old spare parts, brows furrowed with a focused expression on his face. In contrast, a blank-faced adult Benjamin knew exactly what his younger self was doing— because he remembered that day. It was a couple of years after he saw the ghost of his mother, but the grieving boy was still stuck on that. He was trying to build something that might allow him to see her or at least talk to her again. Of course, the plan never gave him the desired results. As clever as Ben was, he was only a child, and engineering something paranormal was out of his capabilities…if it was even possible at all.

The expression on the adult Ben darkened, his lips tightening like he was feeling sour. And he was, because he also remembered what was about to happen.

Roger Linus stumbled in, drunk and angry. “What‘re you doing?! Do you know how late it is?” he slurred at his young teenage boy.

Young Ben flinched and quickly dropped one of the parts he’d been fiddling with. The other, he discreetly pocketed. “I’m sorry! I was on my way home!” He had snuck out his bedroom window to go to the storage building; his father must’ve been drunkenly walking around when he was spotted. What terrible luck!

“Why do I even bother with you?” Roger grumbled, grabbing little Ben by the arm. It looked a little too rough. Pearl frowned, adult Ben’s face was shadowy. The boy winced.

“I’m coming, I’m sorry,” the thirteen year old Ben cried out, apologizing again. “Ow! It hurts, let go,” he pleaded, but his father didn’t even seem to register it. Roger kept dragging him away from the crates.

The mermaid jerked forward like she was about to interfere, instinctively wanting to help a child in trouble. But adult Ben stretched out his arm in front of her to stop her. He wasn’t looking at her; he was staring fixedly at his younger self. Pearl cast a glance between the teenager and the adult version of him, looking at grown up Ben for a reaction that never came. His face was calm and utterly unreadable for anyone but the mermaid, who could see a hint of stormy turmoil hidden in his eyes.

“You’re nothing but a burden,” Roger angrily muttered, fingers digging into the thirteen year old Ben’s arm. His son scrambled to keep up, tears wetting his eyes, and soon the slurring father had dragged the boy out the door, leaving the time-travelers by themselves.

Pearl’s breath was shaky. She felt like she had walked in on something that she shouldn’t have seen, and something that viscerally affected her. She swallowed a lump in her throat.

Ben stood very still, his shoulders slightly slumped. There was shame burning in his eyes and he was desperately trying to hide that. He knew that it was irrational to feel embarrassed – he’d been a victim, a young boy hurt by his own father – but the powerlessness he faced as a child made the proud adult Benjamin feel ashamed. He wanted so badly to hide that side of his life from Pearl! She was not supposed to know how hard his childhood had been! The mermaid was so strong, so powerful, that he only wanted her to ever see him as equally powerful, not as that scared, helpless boy.

But she didn’t see him as less powerful at all. Instead, she thought him incredibly strong to have survived all of that. Not knowing what else to do, Pearl draped an arm around his shoulders and pulled him toward her. Ben inhaled sharply, his eyes flitting to her with surprise and uncertainty.

“I am deeply sorry, Ben,” she whispered to him. Her heart broke when the boy winced in pain. And when she saw the turmoil in the adult’s eyes too. “I’m not sure if it’s customary for human fathers to treat their offspring like that, but … it struck me as cruel and horrifying. You deserved none of that, and you are so very strong for how you handled it,” she reassured him, hazel eyes heavy and downcast. “Perhaps I shouldn’t have intruded. I apologize for that.”

He blinked at her, his big blue eyes full of sadness, but also tinged by a kind of softness that was unusual for him. Her kind words gave him hope. “You watched me kill that man. You don’t…hate me for what I’ve done? Hurting my own kind? My own family?”

Pearl didn’t, because the situation was clearly complicated. Ben had suffered a lot; she hated that, and hated that he had to witness it again now. No child deserved to live through that trauma, and no adult deserved to time-travel back to relive it. “I know you never act without motive. I trust you had your reasons for the murder--- and judging from what I heard in the large car, and saw in here, this is it. You freed yourself from the man who hurt you, and you put an end to a cycle of mistreatment. I do not begrudge you that.” Sure, he could’ve let someone else kill Roger, but Pearl understood the closure that he probably received by doing it himself.

Her arm was still around him, his side pressed to hers, and that provided Ben with some comfort. Her words soothed, too. It meant a lot not to be judged by the worst thing he ever did or by the trauma he endured. It felt…validating that the siren understood how the crime was a response to the trauma. “Thank you,” he muttered, the semblance of a broken smile appearing.

He searched her gaze and found Pearl looking at him with the same adoration as before. Ben relaxed, feeling secure that the events witnessed by the mermaid didn’t change her feelings for him. The broken smile brightened a little.

She nodded to acknowledge his thanks. “But you…you carry guilt over what happened, do you not?”

Ben made a face, looking down. “Yes. I try not to think about it…and to tell you the truth, Pearl, I don’t regret it…” intense eyes flicked up at her, and then flitted away again, “but I feel guilty,” he admitted.

The reason why he didn’t regret the murder was that he couldn’t imagine spending one more day with an abusive father. The murder freed him, and sure, maybe he was a bit vengeful after decades of abuse. The crime also kept him safe from being killed along in the Purge. But that didn’t mean that it was easy or that he enjoyed it, and it certainly didn’t make him feel guiltless. He felt guilty…he just wouldn’t take the murder back if he could. He’d rather deal with the guilt instead of undoing the act.

“You are a very good person, Benjamin. You simply must forgive yourself, and you will see it too.” She gave him a gentle squeeze and smiled, hand rubbing circles on his back. And then added a cheeky but meaningful joke: “Trust me— my judgement of humans is usually quite harsh.”

Ben chuckled, his heart fluttering with feelings for her. Her kindness and genuine sympathy meant something huge: an acceptance he rarely got from others. It was like her glow-up siren eyes somehow saw through his façade and glimpsed the inner truth of him, in a way that nobody else did. His shame lessened and he felt warmth spreading inside of him. The corners of his lips turned into the semblance of a smile. “Thank you. And for the record, no— it is not customary for human fathers to act like that. I was just…unlucky.”

“It makes me mad that he treated you so poorly,” she confessed, frowning angrily. “I know you did not want me to see this, Ben, but I must admit that I am glad I did. I want to know all about you,” Pearl told him, fond yearning eyes connecting with his. “If you’d like to tell me more, I want to hear everything. And if you would not like to do it now, that’s okay. Maybe someday.”

Ben’s face tightened, but his eyes were soft. Almost like a lost boy. “My mother died giving birth to me, as you know. My father…never recovered. He blamed me, and he drank heavily. So he took out all of that pain and anger on me. He was…” he shrugged helplessly, grimacing, “verbally and emotionally abusive. Sometimes even physically, as we have seen here today.”

He had never opened up about that to anyone other than Annie. It felt liberating and even comforting to speak of it as an adult, especially with someone who was going above and beyond to make him comfortable. With someone who cared deeply about his well-being, someone he actually trusted. Someone who might even love him. A weight lifted off his shoulders; the guilt was still there, but he didn’t feel so ashamed anymore. He felt supported, seen, and freer. Maybe, with enough time, he wouldn’t feel shame at all. Maybe Pearl walking in on Roger hurting his past self was a blessing in disguise.

“Ben, I am so sorry…” Pearl spoke softly, face tinged with sadness.

He gave another little shrug. “I think he loved me, in his way. But he was terrible to me.” It could’ve been worse; Roger never outright hit Ben, never punched or kicked him…but he did physically hurt him, especially by grabbing at him and dragging him around, on top of all the verbal abuse. And he was an unreliable father, often in a drunken stupor. “I had to fend for myself. I made my own food, kept the house clean…I suppose it made me grow up fast.”

His eyes fell to the ground for a moment; he always knew Roger would have loved him more if Emily Linus survived giving birth to him. He could have had a wonderful life with two loving parents…but at least his tragic tale got him to where he was now: living a life that he was happy with. His gaze returned to Pearl, the sad smile tentatively returning and widening a little.

“You grew up to be amazing, but you deserved so much better than what you were given. I am so terribly sorry that he hurt you, and that his grief robbed you of having a father. I do hope you forgive yourself,” she reiterated, giving Ben a protective little squeeze. And then her arms wrapped around his ribcage in a tight hug, and she pressed a gentle kiss on his lips.

Ben hugged back, enveloping her mouth with his own. They probably shouldn’t be kissing, but the need for comfort overtook them. The look in their eyes was soft and somber when they separated. “Thank you, Pearl,” he gave a deep nod. “I suppose I’ll forgive myself someday. But I wouldn’t worry about it; I hardly think of my father anymore.” It was true. He had buried all emotions regarding his father deep, deep down.

“Good,” Pearl smiled with kindness and sweetness. And then she added, nonchalantly: “If a mermaid saw him hurt you when you were little, we likely would have drowned him.”

All a stunned Ben could do was chuckle. After a quiet moment where he looked at his feet and marveled at the fact that Pearl witnessing his past got him a kiss, he gazed up at her again. “You’ve never spoken about your father.” Ben had heard much about Pearl’s mother, but never about the merman dad.

“Oh,” the mermaid looked wistful, “he passed away when I was a guppy, caught by falling cliff rocks. It was a tragic loss. Sadly I do not remember much, but I know that he was a wonderful, loving merman. I miss him dearly,” she smiled with bittersweetness.

“So neither of us have our parents anymore,” Ben somberly pointed out, a soft look in his eyes.

She let out a sad chuckle. “That is true. Not a similarity that I wish for us to share, but I am glad to talk to someone who understands how it feels.” Pearl reached to push her fingers up Ben’s forehead and into his hair, massaging his scalp. “It is good that we have each other now.”

His heart skipped a beat and all he could do was smile and nod in agreeance.

It was getting late and Pearl’s legs threatened to give out, so they decided to bunk in another empty storage building until the first morning light. It was kind of a creepy place at night, dark, dusty, and filled with old boxes and spare machine parts. The mermaid turned on a flashlight to brighten it up. Ben was setting up the picnic blanket that he brought in his satchel, one thick and soft enough to serve as a makeshift mattress. He unrolled it on the ground, wondering if Pearl would share it with him. It was certainly big enough for two.

He was startled to find her eyes wet with tears. Should he do something?! Part of him thought it was more polite to pretend that he didn’t see it. But…she looked so sad! It couldn’t be his fault, could it? His stomach twisted at that thought. But no, they talked through the Purge and his past with his father, Pearl was okay with all of it! So why was she crying?! He wanted to comfort her, like she’d done for him mere minutes earlier. “Pearl?” he softly called her name. “Is everything alright?” The words felt awkward and out of place to him.

“Indeed,” Pearl sniffled and wiped her eyes. “It takes a toll, doesn’t it?”

“Time-hopping?” He slowly sat on the blanket, gaze glued to her.

“Leadership. Keamy would not have targeted you if you were not the one in power. I would not be stuck jumping in time had I not ventured out to protect my kingdom. We’re putting ourselves through all of this turmoil to keep our people safe, clawing to grasp any power that we can…” she frowned, meeting Ben’s gaze. “Do you ever regret it?”

“No,” he answered earnestly. “But that doesn’t mean that I don’t resent it sometimes.”

“How so?” she asked, taking a seat next to him.

Ben breathed in. “Being the leader keeps me safe. I— enjoy it. You know that I do. Having power is important to me; it lets me know that I have a purpose, that I’m special. But sometimes I wish I didn’t have to be the leader to stay safe,” he quietly confessed, eyes locked with hers. No one else in the entire world knew that about him.

She smiled sympathetically. “I relate. I enjoy being queen, but it is hard. Sometimes the sacrifices feel like too high a price,” Pearl told him. “I think that, if we’re not careful, our power will destroy us like it did so many monarchs.”

He tilted his head, analyzing her with a meaningful squint. “Do you want to…I don’t know, find a replacement royal, and retire?” They had talked about power dynamics and their desire to keep it before, but maybe something changed for her.

The mermaid mulled over the question, then shook her head. “No, I do not. I still don’t. Do you want to name a successor?”

“I don’t,” he said ominously. Once a person had grown used to a certain level of power, it was difficult to imagine life without it— even if they knew it might be better for them.

“I hope I am being a good queen,” Pearl muttered, letting her insecurities come out. She felt safe with Ben, enough to trust him with truths that nobody else was privy to.

“You are. I’ve seen your dedication and your choices,” Ben reassured, longing to take her hand. “I hope I’ve been a good leader. I am proud of what I’ve done.” He paused, averting his eyes. “Or, of most of it…”

She picked up on some regret in his somber tone, and quickly linked her arm around his. “You have been a great leader. We all must make these difficult choices. I am not proud of everything I’ve done either, but I am of most of it. It is as it should be.”

“We’ll never be free of tough choices,” he absently mused. “The responsibility of making them always falls on the leader...” He tentatively wrapped his fingers around Pearl’s cold hand. She returned it, intertwining their digits. He gave her a half-smile. “I’m a better leader than I am a father…”

“No, don’t say that! You are a great father, Benjamin,” Pearl argued, frowning at him.

“Alex would disagree,” Ben replied with bitter cynicism. He still felt guilty about what happened with Keamy, even though it thankfully didn’t end in disaster.

“She is a teenager, it is natural that she’s difficult— and you could stand to lighten up a little! I understand the fear of losing her, but you’re overprotecting her,” the blonde pointed out.

“Thanks for the input,” Ben cut her off sharply, deadpanning. He didn’t need to hear what he was doing wrong. Not when he already felt bad enough.

A light chuckle. “Allow me to put it in a different way: if I could not raise my Summer, and she could not be with her father or aunt Aqua either…then I would want you to take care of her.” A pause, and she added with a comedic hint: “If you could live underwater of course.”

Ben’s head whipped Pearl’s way. “What?!” The ‘h’ made a hissing sound. He blinked at her, surprise settling on his face. “You would trust me to raise her like my daughter?!”

“Most certainly!” The siren smiled. “I have heard how close you and Alex were while she was growing up, and I can see how you protect and love her dearly. You are a good father, Benjamin. Truly, you’re the opposite of your own father; you care about your guppy more than anything.”

He couldn’t hold back a cute smile. After such horrible days of Alex being held hostage, losing Keamy, then being thrust back into the presence of his own abusive father and watching him die again, hearing Pearl say such complimentary things was incredibly heartwarming. “At the risk of repeating myself, thank you.”

“Did you have a good talk with Alex before you left?” she cozied up to him, nestling against his side.

“I think so,” Ben nodded, absently wrapping an arm around her. They may not be officially together, but these little touches and stolen kisses had become a natural part of their relationship. “I…” a head bob, “I explained why I lied about her mother, and why I tried so hard to keep her away from Karl. She said we’re okay, and that she loves me,” a tender smile appeared on his lips. “I think things can improve between us from here on out.” If it didn’t take him three decades to return to the Island, anyway.

“Oh!” Pearl perked up, thrilled for him. “How fantastic! I am so glad you were able to share honestly with her!”

“So am I,” he said with dramatic emphasis, giving her a slow nod. The consequences of omission would’ve probably been harsh. “I’m hopeful for our relationship going forward.” Then he gave a lighthearted shrug. “Speaking of ‘guppies’, I think Summer likes me quite a bit. Did she have a nice human Christmas?”

The mermaid giggled. “She does indeed. You have been wonderful with her. And yes, she had the most marvelous time! She wouldn’t stop talking about the Christmas tree.” The two stared at each other, chuckling and on the verge of sharing another kiss when a sudden yawn escaped her, which she delicately covered with a hand. “Oh my, my apologies! I am quite tired from all that we did today.”

“We should rest,” he quickly nodded. “We don’t have many hours to waste, so sleep should be a priority.” They had decided to bunk down for only four hours, and, ideally, they should be asleep for all of them.

“Good night, dear Ben,” Pearl said casually as she curled into herself to settle for the night. Right there on Ben’s blanket, simply assuming it was meant to be shared by them.

He smiled with a hint of amusement, happy and just the tiniest bit smug. Ben settled in besides Pearl, lying next to her and not hesitating to wrap an arm around her frame. She cuddled up to him with a smile of her own. They had not shared a bed very often at all – only twice before – but they were starting to get very comfortable with it. There was no more tip-toeing around wondering what was appropriate, or hesitating and second guessing before a tender touch. They were cuddling on that blanket, and they were very calm and peaceful. It felt like the perfect comforting end to such a hectic and emotionally heavy day. Thank god they had each other, because that presence made every burden much lighter to carry.

They shared a lot of deep, personal things with each other that day, making them feel more connected than ever. It all started even before they were roommates, slowly opening up to each other and sharing progressively more vulnerable things, emboldened by the kindness and advice they received from the other. But a few secrets had been kept back then, on both sides, for being too personal or because they were on opposite sides of a possible war. Now, after falling in love and sleeping together, nothing felt too personal anymore, and they trusted each other to work things out if war threatened to break out between their species. There were no more secrets.

Ben had finally shared every facet of himself with Pearl; she saw him at his worst and at his best, and he was giddy to find the same love and affection in her eyes every time. For such a secretive man, it was unnerving to bare his secrets, but he was glad and relieved that he did, because now he could be sure of her affections. Time-hopping really was a blessing in disguise. Being vulnerable with Pearl didn’t disconcert him anymore, and for the first time he had someone who knew, accepted and loved all of him. He truly could share anything with her and things would still be okay, there would be no catastrophic consequences! His feelings were safe with her, he was emotionally safe with her! He adored the intimacy and connection that that brought them, and he was hopeful about his future with Pearl. Ben was smiling broadly as he drifted into sleep, feeling surprisingly light since there were no more secrets.

Except that…there was one. Pearl’s stomach twisted with guilt when she remembered that Ben still believed that the mermaids destroyed his submarine, under her orders. He forgave her for it, but had no idea that the sub was actually safely kept underwater by the mermaids, to hopefully be used to leave the Island someday. She wanted to tell him, to share the last secret that she was still keeping from him— but she couldn’t, because if he knew, he would surely send his people to try and retrieve the submarine! Ben wasn’t about to let such a crucial piece of equipment stay outside of his ownership. Pearl wouldn’t even begrudge him that: she thought that he was well within his rights to try and retrieve the property that she stole from him. But that would create such tension with the merfolk! Even worse if she let him take it back without trying to stop him! So, to save herself an argument with him and unnecessary conflict between their species, she didn’t tell him the truth.

And, well…perhaps there was one more secret, one that both sides were equally guilty of harboring: none of them had dared say ‘I love you’ yet.