John and Rebecca stumbled down to the water practically dragging Ronan between them. His movements had become sluggish with the approach of his transformation. Already his fingers had become webbed and scales had started to emerge on what was visible of his arms. They quickened the pace when Ronan's breathing became labored and ended up running straight into the ocean with him when they finally reached it. John and Rebecca let go of their son and watched as he sunk down in the shallow water, submerging himself with a sigh of relief. He felt much better in the water. And John felt much better now that he wasn't juggling his twenty-two year old son and the little fish bowl that Rebecca had insisted he bring.

Ronan quickly shucked off his shirt and forced himself to stand up out of the water and face his parents. They were looking at him with a mix of complete love and a disbelieving awe.

He really was a beautiful boy. All that pale skin was highlighted by shimmering lapis-lazuli scales that morphed into a pearly white before they merged into his skin. Unlike when he was forced to change, the transition from skin to scales was flawless. And his eyes danced with a vibrancy that had been missing since he first started to become a mer.

He looked young, vibrant and happy and they knew that he would be leaving them forever. Most parents expected their children to move when they were around Ronan's age. But… he wasn't moving. They wouldn't get any visits from him. They wouldn't be able to visit him. Or call him on the phone. Or text. Nothing. They would go from living with their son to absolutely no contact. And it absolutely broke their hearts.

Ronan saw his mother trying to choke back the sob that was threatening to escape and quickly enveloped her into a hug. He tried to think of something to say to the woman who had raised him. Who loved him and kept him safe for most of his life, but everything he thought to say just didn't do his feelings justice.

He ended out sputtering out a barely audible, "I love you mom," before backing away from the woman. He looked to his dad and they shared a meaningful look. A look that said more than any words that would have been spoken. And last he looked to Fisk. He hadn't know the little guy long but he'd miss him. The fish gave him a watery smile and flipped in his bowl.

"Rasha."

Ronan backed into the water until he was waist deep in the wonderfully salty liquid. He felt a hand on his shoulder and looked to see Tiburon smiling at him. "It's time," is all the mer said to him before moving his hands to Ronan's waist, more specifically, to the hem of Ronan's pants. The innocent act felt unbelievably sensual to Ronan and he found himself wishing that Tiburon would continue the delicate touches to his side.

"May I?" the mer asked breathily into Ronan's ear. When Ronan nodded his consent Tiburon slowly began to slip the man's pants and underwear off so he would be able to complete his transformation.

It felt weird. That was the only way Ronan could think to describe it. His legs were tingling all over, the same way they did when they fell asleep. And the next thing he knew, he had a tail. A beautiful blue tail with a long graceful caudal fin. He naturally began to tread water to keep himself afloat and marveled at how quickly he seemed to adapt to having a tail.

It just felt so right. So natural to be like this in the water with Tiburon close to him, offering little touches of support and coos of encouragement. Ronan leaned back into the strong body behind him, content. At least he wouldn't be alone down there.

"Ooh, Ronan's got a boyfriend!" Fisk taunted causing Ronan to turn a beat red and Tiburon to laugh.

The lighthearted atmosphere was absolutely shattered by a gruff voice yelling, "You're not getting away from me mer!"

Everyone looked up startled by the familiar voice. And, sure enough, the fisherman was hobbling down the beach, face almost unrecognizable because of the bruises and swelling. He was carrying what looked to be a harpoon gun.

"How the fuck is he still alive?" John hissed. While he was relieved to know he hadn't become a murderer for the scumball, he still couldn't figure how it was remotely possible that the guy survived the harsh shovel beating that John had so nicely bestowed upon him

Following the fisherman were some very some guys in suits. Rebecca would bet money that they were members of the government. They screamed secret operation. Her heart skipped a beat. What if they took Ronan away?

What if they took him and locked him up and ran all kinds of horrible tests on him?

And then the fisherman took his harpoon gun and pointed directly at Ronan.

She ran a few paces towards her son to protect him from this evil man and screeched, "You dick! Stay away from my son."

"Couldn't have said it better myself," a powerful voice boomed causing everyone to turn and look at the speaker.

Ronan stared, eyes wide, at the new mer. It was clear, without any doubt, that this man was his father. He looked just like Ronan… or actually, Ronan looked just like him, only about twenty years younger.

The man had the same scales and hair, although his was long and decorated with shells and bits of coral, pulled back out of his face by a strand of seaweed. And stretched out defensively in the man's hands was, Ronan rolled his eyes, how typical, a trident. It was a magnificent deadly weapon that honestly looked to be made out of a mixture of platinum and glass.

Without any hesitation the man pointed the weapon at the slack jawed fisherman and sent a blast of electricity toward the fisherman. He fell to the ground. There was no doubt in anyone's mind that the fisherman was dead.

But that didn't change the suits. They were still there and continued to the edge of the water and stood near Rebecca and John. The trident was now fixed upon the men in suits. "I thought we agreed many years ago that it would be best if we left each other alone," the mer growled dangerously low.

"Yes, your majesty!" one of the suited men fumbled over his words, "We were coming to put a stop to the man but the situation escalated out of our control." He looked very much like a scolded child.

"So, he was not with you?" the powerful mer asked.

"No, he was working alone," the suit confirmed.

"Good. Leave us be," he said in a clear dismissal. The suits bowed in respect to Ronan's father, and then Ronan, and quickly left the beach.

"Did I miss something?" Ronan was the first to break the silence. "Why did I just get bowed to?"

"Somebody just had a harpoon gun pointed at you, and you choose to question the bowing?" John asked incredulously.

"Yeah?"

John snorted. That was so like Ronan.

"Would you like to explain, your majesty?" Ronan's mother asked of his biological father.

"There's not much to tell," the mer began with a shrug. "I'm your father and the mer king."

"So… I'm a prince?" Ronan asked slowly.

"Yes."

"No fucking way!" Ronan exclaimed. He looked behind him to see Tiburon smirking. "You knew about this!" he accused hitting the mer in the shoulder.

"Yes," the mer admitted.

"I did too!" Fisk chimed in happily.

Ronan shot him a quick glare before turning his attention to Tiburon. He was just about to lay into the man when the mer king defended Tiburon. "I'm sure Tiburon would have told you in a heartbeat if I didn't ask him not to. I didn't think you were ready to know so much."

The three mers looked to the shore when the soft voice of Rebecca stated. "You're his real family," while looking at the mer with awe and perhaps a little bit of jealousy in her eyes.

And to Ronan's surprise the man shook his head. "I'm his father by blood, yes, but I didn't raise him. You are his family, forever and always. I have yet to earn that title."

Rebecca's eyes teared up at the mer's straightforward words, and soon tears were slowly making their way down her face. John wrapped his free arm comfortingly around his wife's shoulder and turned to the king. "Take care of him."

He looked to Ronan who was still in Tiburon's arms. The king answered with a mischievous glint in his eyes, "I think that job might already be taken by another mer," both Ronan's and Tiburon's faces heated up and Rebecca and John laughed, "But I'll keep him out of trouble," the king promised.

The mers started to pull back and Ronan knew it was time to join them in his new home under the sea. "Bye, mom, dad, I'll miss you," he managed to choke out around the emotional lump in his throat.

"Ronan Séwell, you better visit me!" his mother yelled to him.

John added, "Bring your fish friend with you. This better not be the last time I see you, sea monkey." They all knew that it was probably indeed the last time they would see each other. Mers weren't meant to have legs. But still, Ronan nodded.

Rebecca ran into the water after her son. John caught up to her a few seconds later and enveloped her into an awkward one armed hug, holding her as she cried and pinched his chest in grief.

Ronan shook out of Tiburon's grasp, "I'll be right back," he said quickly before swimming up to the two people that raised him. Water bubbled around him and he found himself being lifted by the water (probably the mer king's doing) until he was the same height as his parents. And he quickly embraced them.

He pulled back from the hug. "I'll see you soon," he promised the three of them.

They watched as he swam out to Tiburon and the mer king. Tiburon took his hand, said something that made their son blush a dark crimson, and kissed Ronan passionately.

Ronan heard Fisk make some kind of smart comment and then John muttered, "I don't think that one was to heal him."

Rebecca choked out a laugh and watched as the three mers disappeared together off into the sea.

Fin