A/N: And the last chapter. Or more like an epilogue kind of thingy.

Enjoy!

6. Ariel's Choice

Ariel rushed to the current, diving into it and deftly navigating in the strong pull of the water swam along the current trying to see Erik's unconscious form. The way from Ursula's Lair to Erik's home if one used the current, it was but a moment and you were nearly at the slower bend of the current which marked the exit for Erik's home. Ariel was sure that Flounder and Sebastian had used this current to their advantage when they had gotten her to the surface and to Erik's Castle.

Ariel finally caught sight of Erik at the bend of the current and hurried towards him. She worried for him so. She knew that he could breathe underwater for now, since Apollo had given him a pearl, but that didn't mean he was alright. Apollo's unconcerned attitude infuriated her to no end. Just because Erik was human did not mean that he could be written off like an abandoned shell!

Ariel stopped by Erik and took a hold of his arm as Apollo's words about him being jealous ran through her mind. She hated her situation. She loved Apollo. And she loved Erik. It hurt to think she had caused pain to the people she loved, her father and sisters as well as Apollo, but she knew, she just knew, that she would be forever yearning for the Land if she stayed in the Sea. The Land fascinated her and Erik, Ariel glanced fondly at the human man she was towing towards the shore, Erik had something in him that allured her to him.

Ariel reached the shore and with some difficulty pulled Erik up, away from the waves. She stayed there for a moment, staring at her human's beautiful face, before slowly retreating to the water and swimming to a nearby rock. She pulled herself up and sat there gazing at the shore and the Prince. Her legs were gone. She wanted those legs back, so that she could walk along the beach and feel the sand between her toes. So that she could dance through the night with Erik, so that she could wander the kingdom and explore the human world.

Ariel sighed longingly and didn't notice the golden haired head that surfaced short distance from her rock behind her. She had been staring at the beach for awhile now and the Prince was still out. The head in the distance disappeared under the waves and Apollo swam slowly closer to Ariel. He paused beneath the surface next to the rock to look at Ariel. She was so beautiful, Apollo sighed within his mind. He didn't understand Ariel's longing to live on Land. He understood her curiosity, he didn't think there was anything wrong with being curious, but to want to live away from the Sea? No, that Apollo just couldn't understand. Neither could he understand this strange obsession she had towards the human Prince. It had to be an obsession. Surely no one fell in love with someone after seeing them from a distance for a few times? To consider the person attractive, that was understandable, but even then you'd need to get to know them, right?

Apollo surfaced and Ariel turned startled to look at him. "Apollo!"

The merman looked back forlornly. "Ariel."

Ariel opened her mouth as if to say something, but nothing came out. She didn't know what to say. She looked at Apollo feeling miserable. Apollo was watching her intently and Ariel wondered what he saw in her now. Apollo sprang up from the water, leaning against the rock and cupping her face with his hand. He stroked her cheek softly with his thumb.

"You aren't going to let him go, are you?" Apollo asked, sure of the answer. Ariel shook her head demurely, hating herself for hurting Apollo like this, but she had already started to think how she could get herself legs again. The merman in question sighed and trailed his hand along Ariel's jaw. Then moved his hand behind Ariel's neck, he pulled himself up a little more and drew the mermaid into a kiss. Ariel wished he hadn't done that. This didn't feel anything like their kisses before. This felt like… like goodbye.

Apollo withdrew and lowered himself back to the water. He looked like he was about to leave when Ariel stopped him. "Apollo?"

The merman looked at Ariel questioningly.

"Do… do you hate me?" Ariel asked. She didn't know what she'd do if he did. He had all the right to do that, after everything Ariel had done, but she still hoped that he didn't. A small something eased in her heart when Apollo shook his head.

"No, I don't' hate you, Ariel. I love you too much for that", the look on Apollo's face implied that he should know better in his own opinion. "I am really angry at you, though. Probably will be for a long time."

Ariel twitched her hand nearly reaching out to Apollo. "I'm sorry."

Apollo smiled wryly at the sincere apology. "I can see that. It just doesn't help much", he sighed and swam further from the rock. "I'm going to go now. I'll… I'll see you. Maybe."

Before Ariel could get another word out, Apollo had dived under the water and Ariel was left staring at the rippling water where the merman had been just seconds before. Ariel bit her lip and shook her head sharply. For a short moment she had almost went after Apollo, but she stopped herself and glanced back at Erik. It wouldn't be fair to Apollo, would it? To go with him, and then keep thinking about Erik and being on Land.

She went back to staring at Erik and waiting for him to wake not noticing another figure surfacing further behind her. The Sea King looked at his wayward daughter with a look of tenderness and a hint of sadness. Sebastian appeared next to him seeming quite melancholic as well.

"She really does love him, doesn't she, Sebastian?" the King sighed.

"It would seem so, Your Majesty", the crab said.

Triton looked at Ariel for a moment longer before laying his trident along the surface and with a heavy heart gave his daughter her legs. Sebastian stared at the King taken completely off guard as Ariel surprised and delighted gasp was heard by the rock. Triton and Sebastian watched side by side as Ariel dashed from the rock and reached the beach just as the human Prince woke up. They really did look happy, Sebastian thought. But he really couldn't but wonder what on earth did Ariel see in Erik, when Apollo was right there?

xXx

The wedding of Ariel and Erik was held a week later. Only thing that was same with it as with the earlier wedding was the location. They kept it at sea, so that Ariel's family and the merpeople could join as well. The rest of the details were changed however. No one wanted much to remind them about the Prince nearly marrying the Sea Witch.

Ariel's sisters were a little confused at the speed of the proceedings and, as any other merman or mermaid in the kingdom, of the fact that Ariel wasn't marrying Apollo as everyone thought she was being courted by him. Most of the merpeople were happy of Ariel's happiness, though, and didn't worry about it too much. Her sisters however didn't buy it so easily and had been trying to get a hold of Apollo the entire week who in turn had done his best to avoid them as well as he could. He really didn't want to get into it with Ariel's sisters.

Apollo himself didn't intend to go to the wedding when he first heard the date. He didn't feel like going to see the woman she loved marrying someone else. But in the end he couldn't stay away completely. The temptation to see Ariel once more before she'd disappear to the human world proved too great. He did stay out of sight, though, observing the human guests from just below the surface. He saw the slightly wary looks of the two legged guests when they thought the royals weren't looking. He was a bit worried about that and wondered how Ariel would manage with them. Or how would they manage, now that the human kingdom near Atlantica knew of the merfolk.

Apollo backed up a bit further below the surface when he saw Ariel looking carefully around in searching manner as she embraced her father. He didn't know why, but while he had this urge to see Ariel one last time, he really didn't want her to see him. Perhaps he was afraid, Apollo thought absently, that Ariel would do something that unknowingly would cause him even more of a heartache.

"Well, at least she's happy."

Apollo started at the voice and turned to look at Sebastian who had appeared next to him. The crab was looking at Ariel with a mixture happiness and sadness. Apollo wasn't quite sure if the crab's happiness originated from Ariel's happily ever after or from the fact that he no longer had to teach her. Apollo turned back to look at Ariel as well.

"I suppose so", Apollo sighed.

Sebastian glanced at Apollo. "Are you alright?"

The merman shrugged looking puzzled. "No, not really. I thought that we were in love. I am in love with her. And she says she's in love with me, yet she still marries the human."

Sebastian laid his pincer on Apollo's shoulder in a gentle manner. "The best thing for you to do is move on, young man."

"I don't think it'll last", Apollo muttered too quietly for Sebastian to hear.

"What?"

"I said, I don't think it'll last", Apollo repeated. "She loves human things and is fascinated by everything on Land, but I know she loves the Sea. More than Land even though she says otherwise. She's stubborn, so it's probably going to take time for her to admit it. But she's going to have to, eventually."

Sebastian tilted his head. "And you think she's going to come back?"

"Probably. She might stay if that human Prince really does have her heart and if he loves her. But somehow I doubt it", Apollo answered.

"You don't think they love each other?" Sebastian asked uncertainly.

Apollo shrugged. "I'm sure they believe that. And maybe they do love each other. But really, Sebastian, the Prince has known Ariel for ten days. And Ariel the same, plus that time you said she spent stalking him. Maybe I'm just biased because I'm the one not chosen, but I'm really not so sure that they can last."

"Hmm. Maybe you're right", Sebastian said, "but people, especially young people, have got to be free to lead their own lives, mistakes and all. Ariel's choices lead her wherever they lead. You need to make some choices too, Apollo. Or will you be forever wallowing after her once she's gone?"

"I don't know. I hope not. But I don't think I can stop loving her, Sebastian", Apollo said.

"Hmh. Well, we'll see what the time brings with it."

Apollo gave a fleeting smiled to the crab while thinking that Sebastian wasn't all that bad in the end. When you got past the annoying parts. The merman and the crab returned to watch the last of the ceremonies before the happy couple waved goodbye to the merfolk and the ship sailed to the sunset. Apollo watched the ship as long as he could until it disappeared into the horizon, no doubt returning to land at some point to drop off the human guests, his hands curling into fists.

His love had chosen another man and he could do nothing about it and he hated it. However, he was fairly sure that Ariel would eventually come back. And he would be waiting for that day, hoping that Ariel would still love him and hoping that they hadn't grown too much apart by then.

A/N: I'm awful! I'm a terrible person to torture poor Apollo like this! I'm even more terrible since I'll be torturing him with unrequited love for the next twelve… fourteen… no, fifteen years. Yep, that sounds about right. I'm awful, I know.

Yes, there's going to be a sequel :)