Disclaimer: H20: Just Add Water does not belong to me and is the property of its creators, Channel 10, Nickelodeon, and other companies.

CHAPTER ONE: MORNING SWIMS

It was Sunday morning, and perfect weather for a day to be spent outdoors. While most teenagers in the area were flocking around the public beach that day, Cleo, Emma, and Rikki were headed for a more secluded spot, far from the prying eye.

Under any other circumstances, these three girls would have been ordinary teenagers. However, a higher power had intervened and, following a life-altering trip to the uninhabited Mako Island, the girls had realized they were no longer ordinary teenage girls. For, as they quickly found out, if even a droplet of water touched their bodies, they would turn into mermaids, tail and all.

Aside from a few unpleasant experiences and some trouble with the new girl in town, the girls had rather enjoyed their first year as mermaids and, when the time came, did not want to give up their new powers. Fortunately, three are stronger than one, and the three girls were able to keep their own powers while robbing the newcomer, Charlotte, of hers. It was that recent struggle which was the topic of conversation as the girls headed out for the secluded spot where they knew they would not be seen. Experience had taught them to keep their secret very carefully, lest they lose not only their powers, but also their freedom.

"Well, I knew from the beginning she was bad news," Rikki intoned, crossing her arms and jutting out her chin. "Remember, I told you."

"Yeah, of course you did, but let's not forget who got her involved with us in the first place," Emma added, turning to look at Cleo, who rolled her eyes.

"Don't bring Lewis into this," she pleaded. "The last thing we need right now is for the two of you to turn against us."

"Oh, we're not turning against you, Cleo," Rikki replied sweetly. "Just your boyfriend."

"Look, I don't know what came over him, and neither does he, so let's leave it at that, ok?"

Rikki and Emma exchanged looks and decided not to pursue the conversation, at the risk of upsetting Cleo further.

"So, do you think that Charlotte might say something?" Cleo asked as they walked along, her brow furrowed.

"Not if she knows what's good for her," Rikki answered, a martial glint in her eye. Rikki, like the other two, had control over water, but her power was perhaps the most dangerous: heat.

"Still, I don't know if I trust her, especially now that she'd be out of any danger if we got discovered. She never was careful with her powers when she had them."

"Cleo's right," Emma agreed. "We can't ever really trust her."

"So what are we supposed to do? Run her out of town? Although…"

"Don't even think about it, Rikki," Emma scolded. She knew too well the kind of thoughts running through Rikki's head and wanted to avoid any more problems than they could handle.

"Maybe we can just talk to her? She isn't that horrible, I suppose…" Cleo trailed off, knowing very well that she was, in fact, rather unpleasant and uncooperative.

"I think that, for right now, we can just ignore her and hope she doesn't let anything slip," Emma finally concluded, ever the voice of reason.

"I'd just as soon not let her spoil this beautiful day," Rikki agreed, and the girls ran the few inches left down to the water's edge, diving in and emerging seconds later in the forms of mermaids. Their bright golden tails glinted in the morning sunshine.

With a simultaneous flick of all three fins, the girls were underwater and racing towards the reef, far from shore, where another girl was sitting on that same beach, watching them depart with jealousy and longing churning inside of her.

"Charlotte?"

The redhead looked up at the source of the voice, a very confused Lewis.

"What are you doing here?" he asked her suspiciously.

"I just missed you," she lied deftly. "I came to see if you would be here."

"Oh. So this has nothing to do with the girls?"

"Of course not!"

"Fine," Lewis said, beginning to set up his fishing equipment. "But, please, leave them alone."

"Of course…"

Charlotte burned with rage and unhappiness. "Of course I won't," her vengeful thoughts finished for her.