Unknown Depths.

Chapter 36

"So the goal is to find the orb, turn me back into a human, and try to not get caught by your friend?" Delia said staring off in the distance, letting all sink in. 

"Essentially yes..." Gabriel said nodding. 

"Oh yeah... No biggie... I mean, I just figured out that merfolk exist, get turned into one and now start a mythical quest in order to return to normal... " Delia said sarcastically, "Real peachy..." 

Gabriel chuckled, "Mythical quest? Really? I'm quite surprised that you don't want to remain a mermaid, I thought that was every human girls' dream." 

Delia smiled and looked at him, "That's a little different  then being an adult and becoming one." 

"Fair enough." Gabriel said nodding as he sighed, "But like I said before, I never meant for you, or anyone for that matter to get involved. I have to do this, you don't."

"Perhaps I don't, but I'm already involved, so where I can help I would like to do so." She replied, pausing for a moment, "But what is your next move?"

Gabriel thought for a moment, "Right now it's a little unsure... I was sure you had the orb, but now I need to figure out where it actually is... "

"Do you think your friend has it?"

Gabriel sighed, "I don't know, Thomas might have it, but I doubt it." He paused, "Perhaps finding him is my next move... For now though we need to get back to the beach, before Damian gets there." He said as he moved towards the light, "Are you ready?"

Delia nodded, moving further into the water, "Yeah." 

"Here grab my hand I'll lead you back." He said holding out his hand for her to take. The second she grabbed it he turned the light off and pulled her down into the water with him. Before she knew it she was back in the same tunnel as before, tightly pressed against Gabriel as he lead them through the darkness. 

But as quickly as they had entered the tunnel, they had left it again. As the light touched Delia's eyes she moved to let go of Gabriel's hand, which he held for just a split second longer before letting go. 

Turning back to face Gabriel she motioned upwards, a way of asking, 'Do we go up now?'

Gabriel shook his head and pointed to the right, closer to the shore. Delia frowned, looked at him somewhat confused. He chuckled as he grabbed her hand and pulled her along with him once more. A little confused Delia simply followed, I mean he would probably know the way right?

As the water got shallower and shallower Delia was sure they were reaching a beach. When the water was shallow enough Gabriel let go of her hand and moved to the surface. The strange thing was however, as he moved up, the tail disappeared and in its place stood two legs. Now even more confused Delia moved up to the surface, just to see him standing there, wearing underwear. 

"What the hell?" Delia stated, "How?"

Gabriel chuckled, "I always make sure to leave a pair of boxers here, or even a full set of clothes, makes things easier and then they're not wet." 

"That still doesn't explain how you're still damp and have legs." 

"Ah," Gabriel said staring down at her, "That's... Just how it works for me, guess I just have more practice." He said with a chuckle, "Now let me help you." 

Before Delia could even think of a reply, he had simply swooped her up and out of the water, causing her to let out a yelp, "What the... What are you doing?"

"Turning you back into a human." He replied as he started walking. 

Still startled Delia moved to hold on tightly to him, scared to fall, "Wait, but my clothes are up there." 

"I know, that's why I'm taking you there." He said chuckling, "I'll take you to your clothes, and then I'll see if I can turn you back quickly, else I just need to get a towel." 

Delia nodded looking at the ground, they weren't too far away from her clothes, but they were heading up a cliff, and something about being carried up a cliff just scared the bejeezus out of her. When she looked back at Gabriel however, she noticed two things, one how close their faces were, and two how tightly she was holding onto his neck. At that she loosened her grip on him and immediately looked away again. 

Gabriel chuckled again, "Don't worry we're almost there." 

Once they reached the location where they had jumped from Gabriel carefully placed Delia upon a rock. "And now what?" Delia said, still confused by the whole situation. I mean here they were standing near a cliff, a man in his boxers and a mermaid, casually sitting on a rock.

"Well..." He said stepping back for a moment, "I can try this." He moved back towards her, his right hand stretched out, gently placing it on her forehead. At first Delia thought it was doing nothing, but then she felt a warmth spreading all over her. She closed her eyes for a moment, as she realised she now had two legs again. Her eyes sprung open as she realised something else, she was naked... 

As she nearly jumped up from the rock she saw that not only was Gabriel turned away from her, getting dressed, her clothes lay before her. She moved quickly and got dressed.

"Well... that was an experience." She said as they finished getting dressed and she had retrieved her car keys.

Gabriel chuckled, "I guess you could call it that." 

As they walked back to the car a silence fell over them. But now it was a comfortable silence, like they were old friends. Once they reached the car Delia's mind was trying to process everything, "So what are we going to do next?" 

"I'm sorry?" Gabriel said, seemingly snapping out of a trance. 

"What are we gonna do?"

"For now we're gonna have drinks with Damian, we'll discuss the rest later."