The Little Angel (Completed one-shot's in "Love Me". On hiatus. possibly 4ever)

Chapter 7

Christine's eleventh birthday was spent at sea—the happiest place on earth for her. She knew the sea was where she belonged. Where she would always belong. No one, and nothing could take her away from her sea. Not even her playmate Raoul.The sea was her soul, her mother, her sister. She loved it above most things.

She enjoyed her time at sea, looking out at the waters, swimming, and searching for fish, and the green eyed apparition she had seen before.

Sitting on the deck, Christine eyed the water, before returning to look at the book and fine artists' brush in her hand. She was trying to sketch the face of the pale boy she'd seen, and was striving to make it perfect.

"What are you drawing?" Charlotte asked, kneeling by her daughter. "I dreamed of some face, a Mer face for sure, and I want to draw it." Christine explained. And, in truth, that was not wholly a lie—she had dreamed of the boy. "Ah, those dream creatures we see....Well, I won't disturb you, my dear. Come and get me when you're finished." Charlotte walked towards the lower deck, humming absently. Christine returned her attention to the picture.

It was almost finished, her picture, and she was struggling to capture his eyes—both fishlike, and elven at the same time. He was submerged in water, so his eyes were overly glassy. She was not sure how to create such an effect. "What if I soften my pressure on the paper, and make his eye outline fuzzy?" She mused. "I can always rip the page out and begin again if it doesn't work..." She reasoned.

Twenty minutes later, she was looking at the finished black-and-white picture. "All it needs is color." Charlotte's voice from behind mused. Christine turned to see her mother, "Do you like it?" Christine asked, looking from her picture to her mother. "Yes, I do. It's very good, Christine." Charlotte patted Christine's head lovingly. Christine got her paints out, "How do I make it look watery?" She mumbled, thinking hard. "Water the paints' down and and make the face look soft." Charlotte advised. Christine looked up at her, "Really? Will that work?" "It should." Charlotte said, "I took art a while back, love." Christine beamed at her mother, before trying what she said.

When the picture was finished, Christine placed it where it would not be ruined, so it could dry a bit. She then changed into her swimsuit, and resurfaced on the sunny deck. "Papa, I'm going swimming for a bit." Christine said, kissing her father on the cheek quickly. He smiled at her, while Charlotte faked annoyance, "What about me, miss?" Christine blushed, and went over to kiss her mother, too. "Love you guys." She said, before climbing down the steps leading to the water.

Through the fall and winter, Christine heard the singing more and more. It was nearly every night that she heard it. Often, she would climb up on the deck, and listen to it until she fell asleep with it playing in her head. She was not sure if the voice was male or female, yet it was haunting all the same, and she felt it was for her alone. A few times, Christine went to the water's edge so she could hear it better. She was close to the singer, or that was how it seemed. The water, calm and smooth as glass, was dark. She leaned forward, as the water called to her to come to it, let it wash her into its folds; called to her to become one with it. She sang along with the voice, and the songs of the sea. Voices joined in with the voice that was hers, all calling for her, telling her to come to them. They would welcome her into their fray, their arms. She leaned forward even more, about to topple over. A pair of strong arms grabbed her as she was about to fall, and the harmony of voices stopped. "Christine, m'love, are you all right?" Christine blinked her eyes, waking up from the trance of the water. "What happened?" She asked, looking around, and seeing her father holding her. "You were about to fall in the water." "How did I get here?" She asked, a little dazed. "You don't know?" "Not really, I felt awake only after you called my name." "You must have been sleepwalking, then.....Come on, Fish, let's get ye back to bed." Christine nodded, feeling sleepier than normal. It was not long before she was asleep in her father's arms, and sleeping soundly in her bed.