DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT own any of the chars from TLM. They belong to Disney. I do however own Melody Noelle Coralsen, along with anyone else you don't' recognize.
Enjoy!
God loves you

A/N: This idea came to me as I was finishing up "I Remember Music!" I hope everyone likes it!

"Lost And Found"

Chapter 1

It was a warm night in mid July.

Melody was in the music room of the palace, playing the piano. She was supposed to be practicing a song Sebastian had assigned her for an upcoming gala in Atlantica.

Instead of the melodic sounds of "The Greatest Treasures of the Sea" floating throughout the rooms of the palace, it was replaced by the sound of "He's Never Failed Me yet."

"Melody, child!" Sebastian scolded when he heard what she was doing. "How do you expect to learn de song in time for de gala if you don't practice it?"

"I am practicing." Melody insisted.

"Dat doesn't sound like de song I gave you." He said.

Melody shrugged.

"That's because it's not." She said with a frown as a sigh escaped her lips. "Okay, Sebastian. I'll practice for a little bit." With that, she started playing the song Sebastian had assigned her originally.

"Dat's more like it." He said with an approving smile.

After he was sure Melody wasn't going to stray from her assignment, he went in search of Ariel.

The crab found his long time friend in the bedroom she shared with her husband, Eric.

As he entered, he saw a suitcase on the bed.

"What's going on?" Sebastian asked.

Ariel glanced up from what she was doing and grinned.

"Oh, hey Sebastian! I'm packing for our trip." She explained.

"What trip is dis?" He asked.

Ariel's grin grew.

"Eric's taking me and Melody on a cruise to a place called Hawaii! I can't wait!"

"AM I invited?" He asked. "I've been to Hawaii before. It's a jammin' place."

"Sure!" Ariel replied. "I'm sure Eric won't mind."

It was then that Sebastian realized there wasn't a sound coming from the music room.

"I don't hear any practicing!" He called in the general direction of where Melody was.

The piano started up again, but this time Melody was playing "Part of Your World."
Sebastian sighed.

"Dat girl is working on mi last nerve! You tell her to practice a certain song for a certain reason and what does she do?"

Ariel giggled.

"What?"

"Melody's just being Melody." She said. "She really loves music."

"I wish she would show it more often." The crab grumbled.

"Don't' worry." Ariel assured him. "Melody will be ready for the gala next month."

"I hope you're right." Sebastian said as he hopped onto her dresser.

Later that night, Ariel told Melody about their vacation plans as she tucked her in for bed.

The little girl became excited immediately. She loved going new places with her mother.

"Awesome!" Melody exclaimed. "This is going to be so cool!"

Ariel giggled.

"I think so too. Now, you need your rest."

Melody nodded and laid down.

Ariel sung her a few songs and then kissed her good night.

Once she was sure the ten-year-old was going to be okay, she left the room.

"So did you tell Melody about the cruise?" Eric asked as he snuggled up next to his wife.

Ariel nodded.

"She was really excited. I think she was as excited as I am!"

Eric chuckled.

"I'm glad. I just hope she can handle being on water and not being able to go in it as much."

"I'm sure she'll be fine." Ariel said. "She's pretty good about listening to us."

"You mean she's pretty good about listening to you." Eric said with a small smile.

Ariel swatted him playfully in the arm before letting him comb a hand through her hair.

Ariel fell asleep soon after in the safest place she knew.

The day of the cruise dawned bright and warm.

Ariel awoke an hour before Melody in order to get things ready and make sure her suitcase was packed properly.

Eric had been up two hours before her. This was because he had some last minute things to take care of in his study before he finished packing.

When Ariel woke Melody up, her daughter was tired at first.

But once Ariel reminded her what they were doing, she became more alert.

After Ariel helped Melody pack her own suitcase and get a fun bag together, they went downstairs to meet Eric.

Both mother and daughter were raring to go. They were ready for a new adventure.

When they arrived on the ship a few hours later, Melody gazed around at the sights and took everything in with ten-year-old curiosity.

She grinned when she saw the size of the deck. Her grin grew even wider when she saw the railing that surrounded the boat.

Ariel caught on immediately and shook her head.

"No way." She said firmly. "Absolutely not."

"What?" Melody asked innocently.

"You are not to jump off the side of this boat, even when it's docked. Am I understood?"

"But Mom, we're gonna be on water." Melody protested. "I can just use my…"

"No but Mom me anything, Melody. I mean it. You are not to use the side of the boat as a diving board. Am I understood?"

Melody sighed.

"Yes." She said resignedly.

"Good." Ariel said, softening a little. "Okay. Let's go look around a little bit before we unpack." With that, she led Melody onto the boat and they both followed Eric down a flight of stairs that led to the dining area.

As much as Melody tried, she couldn't stop thinking about how much fun it would be to jump off the side of the boat and turn into a mermaid once she reached the water.

Even though she had promised her mother she wouldn't do it, a big part of her wanted to try it at least once.

"All right, Mel. Here you go. " Ariel said as she placed some lunch in front of her. "After you're done eating, we'll unpack and then you can go explore the boat a little."

"Awesome!" Melody exclaimed. "Mom, can I explore on my own, please? I promise I'll be careful."

Ariel thought about this for a few minutes before nodding.

"Sebastian has to go with you though."

"I do?" Sebastian asked.

"Mom, I don't need a baby-sitter!" Melody protested.

Ariel sighed.

"Sweetheart, I know you're really independent, but this is a new place. I don't want you wandering around alone."

"Okay." Melody complied as she dug into her lunch.

After the family was done eating, they went to their rooms to unpack.

Melody's room was right next to her parents'.

She put her fun bag on the floor before half unpacking her suitcase. She knew her mother wouldn't mind.

"Great!" She said after she had put the last thing away. "Let's go!" With that, she ran from the room and up on deck.

She called to her parents and let them know where she was going.

"Be careful, Mel!" Ariel called after her. "I love you!"

"I love you too!" Melody called back as she turned a corner and headed up the stairs.

Once on deck, she ducked behind some cartons before making her move.

Yanking on a chain that was half hidden beneath her clothes, she pulled out the necklace her mother had given her for her tenth birthday.

Sebastian shook his head when eh saw what she was planning to do.

"No, no, no, no!" He said sharply. "Dere is no way I'm going to let you…Your mudder will kill me!"

Melody giggled.

"No she won't. Besides, I gotta try it just once. I Promise after that, I won't do it again. Besides, Mom's not even here. She'll never know." With that, she concentrated with all her might and let he necklace's power surround her.

As she felt the transformation reaching an end, she made a mad dash for the side of the boat.

"Melody, don't you even tink about…aaah!" His voice trailed off as he felt himself momentarily flying through the air. "AAAARIELL!!!!"

Melody pushed off with all her might just as the transformation was complete.

She let out a scream, but it was one of delight. She had never felt so free in her life!

"This is awesome! Isn't it, Sebastian!" She called as she hit the water with a slap of her purple tail.

Surfacing once again, she took a minute to relax before she realized she had lost someone.

"Sebastian? Sebastian?"

The crab surfaced moment's later, sputtering water.

"Melody, I can't believe you did dat! I saw my whole life flash before my eyes!"

"Wasn't it great?" She said with a giggle.

"Dat isn't exactly de word I would use. Now, we better get back on dat boat before your mudder finds out."

"Sebastian, relax. Mom and Dad are below deck. They're not gonna know. We'll be back before you know it." Hang on!" With that, she took off with a burst of speed towards the boat that was now floating away.

"Aah! De boat is leaving!" Sebastian cried as he clung to Melody's fin.

"You stress out too much." Melody commented.

"With you as a friend, I wonder why." Sebastian quipped.

Melody ignored him as she aw the boat slow down for a minute.

Taking her chance, she made a swim for it.

She managed to get a hold of a rope that held a few barrels in place and started climbing it.

"Your tail, girl! Your tail!"

"Oops!" She said with a giggle. "I almost forgot." With that ,she pulled the necklace out and let it do its job.

Once her feet hit the deck, she sighed with relief.

"That was incredible!" She exclaimed.

"Incredibly dangerous!" Sebastian commented. "If you ever do anyting like dat again…"

"I told you I wasn't only doing it once." Melody said with a shrug. "Chill out."

"Dat's a good idea." He said. "I'm gonna get a tan."

"Suit yourself." Melody said. "I'm gonna read for a while."

"On second tought," Sebastian said as he got a wiff of the galley. "I'm gonna see what your mudder's doing for dinner." With that, he was gone.

"Finally." Melody said with a sigh of relief. "I'll prove to Mom that I don't need a baby-sitter." With that, she got a book out and made herself comfortable on the side of the deck.

But as much as she tried to concentrate on the story, her mind kept floating back to what she had just done.

And even though she promised Sebastian she wouldn't do it again, her heart was telling her otherwise.

Finally, after ten minutes of trying to read, Melody put the book away and ventured to the side of the boat once more.

Glancing around to make sure nobody was watching, she prepared to descend for a second time.

It was only when she saw a pod of dolphins, did she get another idea.

Pulling a pair of binoculars out of her bag, she started dolphin watching.

This interested her for approximately five minutes.

Putting the binoculars away, Melody stood at the railing and found her gaze wandering to the water below.

As she continued to gaze down at the sparkling blue water below, the ten-year-old got an idea.

But before she could put it into action, she heard a sharp Jamaican accent address her from behind.

"Melody, child! Don't you even tink about it."

Melody whirled around, her chestnut brown hair flowing behind her like a wave.

"Sebastian!" She exclaimed in surprise. "What are you doing here? I thought you went with Mom to get something to eat."

The crab ignored her question.

"Don't try and change de subject! I saw what you were going to do. If you even try it again, your mudder will beach you until next week and crack me!"

Melody giggled.

"Oh, silly Sebastian! You worry too much. I'll be careful. Besides, Mom's…"
"Right behind you." Ariel finished for her.

Melody turned to face her and tried to look innocent.

"Hey Mom! Did you and Daddy have fun?"

"We had a nice time." Ariel told her. "Mel, I know you're bored, sweetheart. And I know how hard it is for you to be on water and not be able to go in it. But jumping off the boat, even when it's docked is dangerous."

Melody sighed.

Without thinking, she replied, "No it's not."

Ariel raised her eyebrow.

"And how would you know?"

Melody gasped as she realized what she had just said.

"Melody, look at me right now. " Ariel commanded.

Melody did so. She knew her mother wasn't messing about.

"Did you or did you not jump off the side of this boat after I specifically told you not to?"

Sebastian started shivering. The reason was, he had been with her at the time.

Ariel gave Sebastian a confused look mixed with a little concern.

"Sebastian, what's wrong?" She asked. "You're not in trouble."

"I will be if Melody tells you de truth." He said meekly.

"No you won't." Ariel assured him. She turned her attention back to her daughter. She gave her an expectant look. "Melody?"

Melody sighed. She knew she couldn't lie to her mother.

"I only tried it once." She admitted.

"Melody Noelle Coralsen!" Ariel scolded sternly. "I warned you not to do that before we even got on the ship."

"I know. " Melody said.

"So if I warned you before hand, why did you do it anyway when you knew it was wrong?"

Melody didn't have an answer for her mother on that one.

"I don't know." She said softly.

"Well, you're going to have plenty of time to come up with an answer." Ariel told her. "You're beached for the rest of the night and tomorrow."

"But Mom!" Melody protested. "That's not fair!"

"You should have thought of that before you decided to disobey me." Ariel replied. With that, she led Melody back to her room and left her alone once inside.