Author's Note: So welcome to another chapter! This one is a more complex chapther with more plot and happens at the same as the latest chapter does ( happens in a different place at the same time ) Since I promised myself not to write a HUGE fanfic, the chapter is longer but...with a lot of stuff with your beloved ( my mine UwU ) Noremma sad fluff by the end! 

Also, this chapter was inspired on the song " Darling" from Between the trees, so I recommend you listening to the song as you read the chapter! 

Enjoy! 

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The lab, back at the city was quiet. The guards in the facility were actually less, since the government convoked them into the operation of finding the missing mermaid, the only mermaid known to exist and to be captured. Even if the lab did it's best not to leak any information about this top secret case, it eventually got the attention of the media

Multiple journals and TV shows reporting the famous case of " the prince who rescued the mermaid" and how fantasy could actually become true. The government's politic as a failure and basically, the population smiled reading the history of the man who gave up everything for this mysterious mermaid

" We yet have no news about the location of the mermaid, nor the man and the organization behind this historical break out of a high secured facility. Many people claim that the man behind this act, is Norman Rockwell, a late scientist of the secret lab investigation who was in charge of testing the mermaid's abilities " 

" It is also said that the organization who helped him and the mermaid escape is a independent special police force which does not fall under the control of the government since is financed by privet identities" 

" I'm so tired of this news...I just want some rest" - Don rose up as he turned off the only TV the coffee shop had and Gilda slighted bringing the mug of coffee into her face.

" I wonder if Norman is ok...I never tough he would do that. Wasn't that actually quite brave of him? Honestly I've always wanted Emma to be free..." 

" Omg have you gone crazy too Gilda!? What about our job? We signed for this, so why are you saying that now? Didn't you know that we would be doing some dirty work on the lab?" 

" Yes...I knew - Gilda rose her voice as she adjusted her glasses. She gave a look at the shop's clock: their break was almost over - " not I din't sign to comit crimes of submit a living being to torture. She may be a mermaid but that doesn't mean she should be discarded because of it" 

" Yeah...ok I agree with you but...it is not ok for me to want to keep my job? Unlike you guys, I need the money and I can't afford to lose this opportunity! " - Don argued as Gilda payed the bill, giving him a hard look with a disgusted face 

" Than...if you want to keep your job...turn into some merciless doctor who tortures living creatures for the sake of the system who used you and can discard you anytime, if they want" 

" Gilda! No...wait, Gilda I'm sorry ok?" 

Gilda was in the edge of her patience. When Norman took Emma has his test subject and she assisted the way he interacted with her, and the way she interacted with him, something in her changed and everything about the lab felt...wrong 

Ok, maybe mermaids caught the curiosity of the human eyes but...was there any need for the human curiosity to mistreat the source of wonder? One thing was testing on animals, who couldn't speak or display their feelings ( and that felt also wrong to her ) but testing on a creature that interacted and had the same abilities of a human being? 

Gilda smiled...she was proud and ashamed. Proud of Norman for having or, finding the courage to step out of the system and risk everything for that was right in his moral. Ashamed of herself for not being able to do the same. She failed as a human being and so, she failed as a investigator 

Now...they had another mermaid on the lab and Gilda didn't know that to you. It has like god was testing her...but she didn't believed in god or anything...

" So...what are you going to do about the mermaid now Gilda? You are not going to run away with her just like Norman did, right? We need to do your job, right?" 

" Yeah...we are not going to run away with the mermaid...but we are going to apply Norman's method, right Don? We will interact with him closely, teach him human speech, gain his trust and refuse to report something that can lead to the government interest in using him, ok?"

At the sight of a smiling Gilda, Don slapped himself on the face. He was surrounded by idiots and well...how much he loved those idiots. He really missed Norman and he can't deny that Norman's approach always amazed him...in a really interesting way 

" So, ok...we are probably going to be arrested for this, right Gilda?" 

" Well...- Gilda smirked at Don and wet back into the lab's room where the mermaid was - if we can do things silently just like Norman, maybe we can get away with this!" 

" Jesus, Gilda you better marry be, after this! I'm doing this for you!" 

" How romantic Don! - Gilda smiled as she placed her hand in Don's forehead - Now...the first step to Norman's method is...giving a name to him! What should we name him?  

" Call me crazy but I have this name under my tonge for some reason I don't know" - Don confessed 

" All right! Let's hear it! "- Gilda was now curious. What could possibly be the name Don was thinking?

" Ray...I think Ray suits him, don't you Gilda?"

Back at the headquarters of the facility, everything was quite quiet. Vincent had return to his office and was collaborating with the government's agents close, so he knew everything that was going on with the case. Everyday he cursed himself for letting Norman get the best of him...

He never tough he would be this quick...he always took him for a cautious person, the type who thinks and rethinks a plan ten times over to make sure everything goes well. He was ashamed of his incompetence and looking forward to place his hands on Norman's neck for sure...

He destroyed the people's confidence in the lab and in the government, many manifestations broke in the streets about human rights and the secrecy policy of the state. Basically the country was a mess because of him 

" Vincent sir...I came here to report you the latest news and check on the lab's functionaries, if that is ok..." 

" Sure Isabella...please come in!" - Vincent said as Isabella came into his office. 

Isabella...a fierce woman which steps caused shivers in Vincent's spine. Her purple unusual eyes were so intense he wondered if she could make people give up of resisting just by looking strait at them with those eyes. He didn't expected less for a government agent but...she was really scary 

" So...the searching is going on but we can't find the location of their hideout. They used a devise that gives us false coordinates of their helicopter, probably Norman's work sir? " 

" Yeah...he sure as the brains for that move...that bastard, he never lets anything slip out of this reach, he doesn't make a single mistake when it comes to his plan. This seemed rushed but for how many time did he plan his escape?" 

" Just as I tough sir...more than that...we have a big problem here" - Isabella widen her intense eyes, placing a picture of Gilda and Don, from their ID cards from the lab 

" What about these two? - Vincent touched the pictures - they are not like Norman...they are loyal scientists who understand the need of this experiments and they would never do something against the system!" 

Isabella raised her hand and took of her pocket a little audio recorder that she had been hiding for a long time. Vincent widen his eyes at the sight of it and his mouth fell when he heard what the audio recorder played 

" Don't you know sir...? This is the essence of revolution...it spreads into people's hearts faster than a pest. It gives people's hope to do something they would never would do in normal circumstances" 

" What should we do now? Should we act right now, since..." - Vincent hesitated, after all the matter was even more complicated than that he tought to be. It seemed like the world was against him really. Damn it! 

" I suggest that you fire them, sir. We don't want more social agitation as it is now, so make it a simple dismissal, for incompetence for example. This way we can get rid of them and maintain social order" 

" I understand...still, I fear they will leak information to the outside if we dismiss them like that... we need to think of a way to keep their mouths shut, right?" 

Isabella glimpsed at Vincent with vicious eyes. He could even hear and feel her blood lust, and now he recorder himself why he decided to become a puppet for the government. It was out of survival, to grantee that that blood lust wouldn't be directed towards himself     

" So...we make their deaths sound like a accident, agent Isabella? " 

" Exactly...I'm glad you do understand me, sir Vincent. Now, with that beeing said, I have to leave to the headquarters so please... report to me how did investigator Gilda and investigator Don unfortunately died...tomorrow" 

" Of course, miss. Please take care in your drive back to headquarters" 

As Vincent sat back on his chair he felt his hands trembling. What was wrong with him? He had to carry out his duty and he would have to figure out a way to "kill" Don and Gilda. After at, he also wanted to place his hands on Norman's neck and take his life as a "thank you" for runing his hole life. 

And yet he was scared...and yet he had to puke at the tough of doing so  

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" Norman...can you hear me? We did as you told us! How are things in your end?" - Gilda smiled with Don by her side. They had gone home after another day of work and now they were talking to Norman. Wait...talking to Norman? 

How? 

" Norman, man you sacred the hell out of me! Leaving a message and a communicator! What are you? James Bond? That the heck with that " please contact me only when I call you"? We were dying here!" - Don gesticulated as if talking with his hands and Gilda was having a good time

" Ahhh sorry - Norman laugh nervously - anyway you guys did great! Now don't put your feet on the lab tomorrow or they will kill you! Are you positive that Ray is Emma's brother?" 

" Yes! We conducted ADN experiment and it had the same code of genres! He is still sacred and he just knows a few words that we told him in secret, but he seemed to understand the message when we said that Emma is alive and well!" 

" Ah...how great! By the way...were you able to set off the security alarms just like I told you guys? I'm sorry for putting all this responsibility on your shoulders and make you do all this..." 

" What are you talking about, man? It is so cool! Doing illegal stuff and all...we are actually living in a crime movie! And don't worry, the alarms are all off so basically you just have to storm the lab by the front door! " 

Norman smiled fondly. Don and Gilda were such a huge help and he was able to predict Vincent's moves perfectly until now, thanks to his huge brain cells. He had only knew them for a few months but...they were real friends that he could count on

As soon as Norman contact them, since Emma told him that she tough her brother had been captured, he was determined to save both Ray, Don and Gilda from the oppression of the government. After all he did all this mess and he had to take responsibility for it, right? 

" So...just to check the plan...Lucas already arrived with everyone so...we are going to "storm" the lab at 5 in the morning, since Vincent will work late until 4 in the morning that day. We enter using the helicopter and remove the sealing of the room where Ray is. Did you install the devise to lift the thank that Lucas delivered to you guys?" 

" Yeah...everything is all set! We will be here waiting for you! I can't wait to see you! How is Emma? Last time you said she wasn't feeling that great, Norman..." 

" Don't worry, Gilda! She feels better now! I can't wait to see you guys soon! Please be save and see you!" 

" See you, James Bond!" - Don shouted at the communication devise as Gilda schooled him for doing so. Hearing that, Norman couldn't help but to smile tenderly at the phone. 

Emma, who had been hearing the whole conversation on the bath tug, right behind Norman smiled at him. He didn't lie, she was indeed feeling better, and Lucas even brought  some medicine to minimize the effect of her flower illness. Still, she was glad Norman was relaxed due to the fact that Gilda and Don were fine 

He head towards her as soon as he ended the call, and hugged her, feeling the wetness of her beautiful colorful scales. Even if his intentions weren't pure, and behind there was the lust of wanting Emma for himself, he tough 

* It's ok...I want to save Emma's brother. If he is her family, I wan to protect him as well, and I have too...does this mean that I actually have to let her go?*   

" What are you thinking so hard about, Norman?" - Emma tugged his hair as she asked him, Norman laying by her side on the floor of the lovely bathroom 

" Nothing especial...just that I have to leave you here very soon...here by yourself" - Norman curled his hands on his legs, a clear sadness on his voice. What if by saving Ray he would lose Emma? That could never happen... 

" If your going to save my brother...even if it is because of the reasons you claim to be selfish, I will be always grateful to you. I know you are afraid and that you are being brave for my sake so...I hope my love is enough to give you all the strength you need" 

As Emma whispered her words in his ear Norman smiled at her, until he realized that something wet was clouding his eyes. He was crying silently, with a smile on this face: 

May would say that Emma was giving him the weight of the world, that she was being selfish to give him such a hard task. But Norman was crying, out of sadness because he wouldn't be able to hold her hand like this 

Out of happiness because now the weigh she carried belonged to him as well. If he wanted to take part in her happiness, Norman reflected, he was blessed to shoulder her sorrow and save her from some of the pain...

" Emma - " - Norman's voice died when she kissed him softly, parting away, making an empty space between them once again 

" You might want to save from some of the pain...but you might as well take care of yourself, Norman. You are my treasure, my person, my most precious song... and I want you do know that you don't have the chooise of trowing your life away..." 

" Emma I- Norman's voice was muffed by the sound of his tears and Emma's pale face - I just wanted to make sure you would live, that you would be save, so please-" 

"NO!" - Emma shouted as she raised herself from the tug and spilled most of the water Norman got from the ocean, Norman shocked by the sudden movement 

" NO! You don't get to make that chooise for me! It's my turn to be selfish! Why are you deciding what the best for me is to be away from you? Is it because you fear the government will attack me while you are away?" 

" YES! I'm afraid to lose you...I'm a wanted criminal and was long as you are with me you - "  

By the dazzling light that reflected on the window, Norman looked at Emma as their tears mixed with the water which was spilled. How much she learned from him, how much vocabulary she mastered in such little time, and so he wondered: 

If they were now just like before, back at the lab...

Separated and unable to communicate with each other

She wanted to be close to him, even if that meant sacrificing herself 

He wanted to push her away, even if that meant sacrificing his love 

In the silent of the lovely bath tub, with the background noises of the other life under the first floor of the beach abandoned house, with a promise off soon departure, for the first time Emma forced herself out of the tub. She fell soundly on the wet floor and her hands could hold the entire world, could hold Norman and his entire being. When she touched him, Norman felt a shiver down his spine.   

She sang a song for him, and in the middle of her melody that created tears in his eyes she whispered in his hear, as he let her lips meet his: 

" You know what Norman?... the best for me...it's always you" 

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Art credits go to: RA_yu___194 on Twitter!

Thank you so much for reading this chapter! All the credits for the art , cape and AU ideia and comics of this fanfic are to @stray_tori on Tumblr, Twitter and Instagram! Please go check her fantastic art!

Note: Mika-hime changed her name so please search her art by the new name of her account!

Thank you so much and see you soon!