x- exploring the lake -x- open -x

[catherine dtardis]

spring was a wonderful time. most people thought it was wonderful because the trees budded leaves or flowers were blooming or they could stop wearing their hats and coats. but for catherine it meant something much more wonderful than any of those things - the lakes and rivers were no longer frozen.

killian, her and the doctor's wonderful boy, was only a month away from being a proud two years old. he was quickly becoming a very good swimmer - there was enough strength in his tailed lower half that he could propel himself easily through water that had no strong current, like pools and lakes. his stamina was growing too, enough that he could swim steadily for a good long while before he started getting tired and clinging his little hands on catherine's thigh fins to ride on her. but he was still only two, too young to swim in rivers or to swim through breaking waves of the ocean without help. and certainly too young for her to take him into any body of water that she hadn't gotten to know first.

the lake that was a short distance from the inn, neither she nor the baby had really explored it. she had kept him close to the bank on their first visit, and focused him on playing with his fish toys. even though it had been a mild day for february, the lake was still cold then, and much of it frozen. that was no time to go exploring. now was a far better time, on a wonderful sunny morning. as time and space were thankfully quiet, the doctor, their kitsune lumie and killian were spending some boy time together, which probably meant she'd have a mess to clean up when she got home. but it also meant she got some time to herself.

especially since no one seemed to be around this side of the lake, at least not yet. catherine shed her beach bag on the grassy bank, slipping her sneakers and socks off, and then her shorts. plopping down the ground, she dipped her legs into the water. while the temperature of the air was mild and warmed by the sun, the temperature of the water still carried a chill this early in the year. it didn't bother catherine, though. her body was made to enjoy water of all temperatures. as she swished her feet around, her sienna eyes were looking down into the water. how far down could she see? certainly deeper than most people could. she wiggled her toes at a school of rather small fish she saw about a foot deeper than her toes, and grinned as she watched them scamper off. they wouldn't be scampering off in a minute, when they realized.

catherine pulled off her hoodie and her shirt, adding it to the pile of her clothes. she wore a simple navy blue athletic two piece bathingsuit, though it was about to be one piece in a minute. but first, she pulled the band out of her long thick red hair, so that it could be freed from the ponytail. her hair reached all the way down to her backside, and there were small glistening gems that she fixed through the strands here and there. catherine took a long time on her hair each day, something the doctor always teased her for. she couldn't help it though. the modest, skittish girl had streaks of vanity in her simply because it was passed on through her kind.

finally, after casting a sheepish glance around to make sure no one was watching her, she quickly slipped out of her bathing suit bottoms and tossed them on top of the beach bag, hopping straight into the water. pushing off the side of the bank so she wasn't cramped up against the natural wall of the lake, she twisted her body gracefully and beat her fishtailed lower half with a few strong motions to dart forward through the water. because she was swimming just underneath the surface and still not far from the bank, if one was looking it was easy to spot her. especially thanks to that shocking mane of long red hair flowing around her.

she popped up to the surface about twenty feet away from the shore. the light of the sun picked up the changed tone of her skin - a light sea foam green, which was very smooth and slick like the top layer of scales. this part of her wasn't scaled, however. that was her tail, which was dark green in coloring and went from the tops of her thighs all the way down to her two large tail fins. on her backside and front up to her belly button, there she had small patches of scales, and patches of normal skin. so yes, when catherine was in mermaid form it was entirely possible that anyone with her would see her bare behind! but for now, her lower half was under the water as she 'stood' upright. just under her ears and a bit back were three slits in the skin - gills. and between her fingers there was webbing up to the top knuckle. it was a smooth seamless transformation into this form whenever catherine was in water, unless she willed her body to keep its landlegs.

after her hands smoothed some of her hair out of her face, she dipped them back into the water to swish lightly back and forth as she looked around. the lake looked a bit different now that spring was here, and she nibbled on her lower lip as she wondered which direction she should explore first.

[Brayden Alexander]

So there was a lake, that Kyle had just found on his trek to explore everywhere and find somekind of trouble it seemed like to get into. And he had now found this lake, great just great what could he do here, well just about anything, especially since he thought he was alone and had no clue that he wasn't . Anyways those brown eyes of his were scanning around the area. His normal was being worn, those oversized white jeans, along with that long sleved black shirt that was covered with a short sleved white shirt. Hey at least he didn't have his hoodie or headphones on this time!

If there was any one thing that was going to give him away, it was that hair of his, really who else would it be with that black and bright green spotted hair, yea he had a different fashion sense then most people. Anyways, he made his way to that lake well making it to the furthest edge of the grassy area, his eyes scanning the lake. He thought he had heard some noise from there, but then again he also knew he heard a lot of things!

Well in his mind he thought he was alone, his scan of the lake completely missed her there and missed who was making the noise. And what was it that came into his mind to do, with all his cloths on, and everything...he got the bright idea to take a running start and see how far into the lake he could jump into! So there he was backing up as far as he could go.

And then came the running start, he was running full speed until he reached just passed halfway and seen her there, he recongized her. So quickly the brakes were put on, well the best the could be, as now it was his turn to make all the noise, in the process of trying to stop, he fell backwards, hitting the ground and litterally sliding down to a stop just before the waters edge.

"No no no don't let me go in the water, no please please please please no no no n...."

His eyes opened up when he realized that he hadn't been moving for a good 10-15 seconds now. Eyes glancing around when he realized and remembered that there was someone else here. So he quickly tried to jump up to his feet.

"CATHERINE!!!!!!!"

And back down onto his backside he landed once more having tripped backwards, so once more he jumpped up, wondering if she had seen that whole thing.

[catherine dtardis]

if catherine had been the first to spot him, she may have ducked underwater out of embarrassment and her silly fright about certain things. but luckily for kyle her head was turned far enough to the side that at most she saw something moving out of the corner of her eye. by the time she turned to look, he had already fallen. well...the first time.

at first, catherine's sienna eyes were peering toward shore. was that...? suddenly catherine's eyes popped open wide, and a pronounced pinky-peach blush colored her cheeks. she could still duck, she told herself, it's not like he recogniz -

but he did! sure enough, just as she had started to not so slyly sink down under the water there he was calling her name. it was so loud and clear there was no way she could tell herself she misheard. her cheeks flushed more, if that was even possible. sheepishly she dipped her hands below the water, as if he'd be able to see the webbing between her fingers from this far away. that was a little farfetched, but then again this was catherine, such a worrier.

she winced when kyle slipped and fell again. it welled up the mother hen nature in her, and there she was swimming smoothly through the water towards the bank. her lower half propelled her through the water just fine with strong undulating motions, so she didn't have to use her arms. she slowed to a stop about eight feet away from the shore. her tail was touching bottom there, which meant if she swam any closer...well, her lower half would be hard to hide in the shallow end.

now that she was close enough, catherine craned her head back a little to ask the now standing again kyle worriedly, "kyle, are you alright? did you slip?" and then, because catherine was one of the most polite people that ever was she added, "this is a surprise, it's very nice to see you..." -x

[Brayden Alexander]

His attention was taken off her for a moment, not because he seen anything in the water, but down to his own pants, a small laugh leaving him now as he shook his head for a moment, his gaze remaining on those pants of his.

"Had to wear white today Kyle, you just had to go and wear white."

Quickly though his eyes went back to her and he waved once more. Before shrugging his shoulders and taking a seat there on the ground now those eyes of his going back to her.

"Yea, but I'm alright, I mean it could have been worse, I could have ended up in the lake, that wouldn't have been good seeing as I have nothing else to change into right now."

Wait...but yet he was running to jump into the lake...yep Kyle still hadn't changed, he was completely oblivious to the fact that he had just went to do that. Anyways he offered her another one of his little boyish smiles.

"It's nice to see you too Catherine, long time no see. How have you been? I've been good, me and the twins, just doing our own thing you know...ohhh I'm sorry I started rambling again, I still do that, you know one of my annoying habits. So how have you been?"

[catherine dtardis]

"oh it would have been alright kyle i could have dried them for you..." catherine said that with sweet earnest before she grimaced. realizing what she just implied. she sank a little bit under the water, up to her nose. maybe she was trying to hide her flush, or maybe she was trying to cool it off. with the rest of her as cool as the water she was in, she could really feel the hot of her cheeks.

then she peeped her head back up, giving him a shy sheepish smile. "it has been a while, it's been a year nearly hasn't it? the doctor and i are very well, and so is the baby. he's nearly two now, one month away, and he's very very smart, just like his father." and a merfolk, just like her. but she left that part out. "killian," she added. "that's the baby's name. the doctor's trying to convince him to potty train, though that's not going so well..."

potty training? what was she doing talking about potty training when this was the first time she'd seen him in nearly a year? she gave him an apologetic little smile. he wasn't the only one who could become a rambler. especially when catherine was nervous. which she was a little nervous, now. she would switch to talking about him. "i'm glad to hear the twins are doing well, how old are they now?"

she remained in the water while she spoke to him. her long red hair floating on the surface around her, catherine was only above the water from the shoulders up. all that was different was that faint smooth sea foam green hue to her skin. and the gills, if he caught sight of them. otherwise, catherine was just catherine. smiling at him sheepishly. -x

[Brayden Alexander]

A small chuckle left him as he listened to her talk, nodding his head as well to what she was saying, once she finished speaking he went into thinking for a moment something she had said, caught his attention, like really caught his attention. So much to the fact that he was really really really thinking about it as he watched her there in the water.

"How could you have dried my clothes off?"

Hey it was something he was seriously trying to figure out at that moment how she could have done that, but finally he pushed it out of his mind, when he realized that she asked about the twins.

"Ohh they are eighteen months now, gonna be two in september, that's going to be fun trying to take care of both of them in their what is it people call it, terrible twos? I dunno if this place is ready to handle me and my boys come then."

He chuckled softly as he leaned back now, placing his hands behind him so that he could brace himself with his hands.

"But, you know me I'm up for anything and I can take care of the two of them, its safe to say though, it's gonna be a circus here in a few months!"

[catherine dtardis]

"oh...." catherine's sentence ended as soon as it began, trailing off with a foolish little look. how could she explain? well, there was only one way to explain, really, because of all things catherine certainly wasn't a liar. and she could hear the doctor's words right now, telling her for the thousandth time that she should be proud of what she was and that there was nothing to hide.

"well..." she couldn't help that pause. making a little face at herself as she had to try again. "i can pull water out of things, that's all..." yes, that's all! as normal as flowers in spring! though when you thought about it, it could be a gruesome ability to have. people were largely made of water after all. what would happen to a person that had all the water pulled out of them? it was a thought catherine made a point not to think about.

move on to the twins, catherine. she did. quickly. "oh that's wonderful. they're not that much younger than killian. maybe they could all play together one day? killian would like that very much, he loves people...where do you live now? there's an inn that isn't very far from here, that's where we have the tardis parked lately. we didn't like the last place we were at very much at all, and even though tick says there's no need to i like to...well, stay somewhere, somewhere that's not floating in space in some galaxy in the future..." now catherine was really rambling. because the idea of having no home address made her extremely nervous.

a teeny clear of her throat. "the tel'ranaemyn inn, that's what it's called. where we're staying." as she spoke, under the water she was swishing her hands slowly back and forth. she didn't need to tread water, her body shifted its buoyancy automatically to suit the depth of water. and besides, she could touch the bottom here. her tailfins brushing the rocky bottom of the lake lightly.

[Brayden Alexander]

He remained sitting there like he was, watching her, and listening to her, nodding his head as well. And hearing that whole thing about pulling water out of stuff his face lit up and he actually was beaming!

"Teach me how to do that! Pulling water out of stuff!"

Yea his face was still beaming as he thought about being able to pull water out of stuff, would that have been a good thing for him to learn? Who knows, that would probably be a different story for a different day.

"So that's how you say the name of the place we are living at now huh, I never knew that. Oh yea we are living at the inn also, on the third floor. Just the three of us, you guys should come visit sometime. Let our boys play and stuff, I would say I'd cook dinner, but I'd burn the inn down so no cooking for me!"

He laughed once more his eyes going to the water now, there was a bit of a sigh now as his mood changed a bit.

[catherine dtardis]

catherine's eyes widened a little. "teach you?" she echoed meekly, biting on her lower lip afterwards. she remembered how adrian was teaching her how to do protection spells with rune magic, using her song as a way of releasing the power. a mermaid's song was a very powerful potent thing. just ask all the sailors who drowned trying to follow it! well, not her voice in particular, just generally speaking.

a little gulp. and then she answered him softly. "i don't know if i can, kyle. it's...well i don't know how i do it exactly. i just know that i can, it's just something that...that my one side of my family can do...." yes. that wa a simple way to put it. another nibble to her bottom lip before she added. "i suppose i could ask the doctor to help me find out how i do it, and then i can try to teach it to you, if you still wanted to learn?" she was willing to try, at least, since he seemed interested in it. Inwardly she also thought that the doctor could use the resequencer on kyle, he'd certainly be able to pull water from things during the few short hours the device would make him a merman, but...catherine definitely didn't suggest that.

she noticed his change in demeanor. a small frown touched catherine's face, and without thinking twice about it she swam forward, as far up to the bank as the rocks would allow. her hand settling upon a rock that stuck out just above the surface, she was only perhaps three feet away from him now. "kyle," she said his name with gentle earnest, "are you alright? i would love very much to bring killian to visit. and i'd be happy to cook dinner for you and your family, cooking is something i love doing very much..." a soft smile. she would even cook something that wasn't seafood.

the water was just over three feet deep where she was. not deep enough for her to stand, or even 'kneel' comfortably. so bracing herself inwardly catherine relaxed and let herself float to the surface. well, nearly so. she kind of kept a couple inches down in the water, so kyle didn't get an eyeful of her bare bottom. but there was a telltale splash as the tip of her fishtail curled upward, her tailfins breaking the surface of the water with a little curl and then back down hitting the surface of the water with a little smack. at least this clear sight of her might explain why she could pull water out of things?

[Brayden Alexander]

Yea his mood had changed mostly because there was something that had hit him, as he was talking about the twins and turning two soon. His gaze, remained down on the water, watching her swim towards him. Yep he even caught a glimpse of her tailfin, and he knew exactly right then and there.

"Sorry, talking about the twins turning two and all. Still haven't found someone who wants to take the job of mom for them."

It wasn't even about him when it came to that stuff it was about the boys. Yep that maybe in a sense showed the type of father he was. But that also was for a different time and place. He finally offered her a smile.

"It would be an honor to have you guys over for dinner sometime, just let me know when you want to. I just finished unpacking everything."

He finally pointed to the water, letting her know he seen it.

"You shouldn't hide it. It's part of what makes you, you. Everyone has something like that. Even me, everyone does."

He offered another smile.

[catherine dtardis]

"oh," a soft sound of recognition. catherine listened to him, quiet and attentive. all the way up through his comment. yes, he would see her make a little face at that. a nose wrinkle, stick her tongue out a bit sort of face. she would say something to that in a moment. his sadness was more important to her than her skittishness about her lineage.

"that's a very important job, kyle. it's a labor of love, especially with two lovely baby boys instead of just one...i think...i think finding a mom for them is about finding a woman who is right for you, if you don't mind me saying so." oh catherine. always so polite and worried about being a busybody. "it's just that...well...the happier that woman makes you, the happier your boys will feel, because they'll feel all the love that surrounding you and her, and them. does that make sense?" she was a little worried that in wanting to find a mother for them he was going to forget about himself, when his happiness was just as important for the boys.

and then she gave him a soft, shy smile. "if the boys are surrounded by people who love them, that's all they need. killian and i will come and make you dinner very soon, and then you can come for dinner at the tardis, and they can play whenever you like. soon the boys will be surrounded by people who adore them!" it wasn't giving kyle someone he could be happy with and a mother for the boys, but she was trying to help as best as she could.

and then...finally...catherine swished the tip of her lower half back and forth in the water near the surface, tailfins poking out and dipping back under in the process. "the doctor tells me that all the time. about not hiding. and i...don't hide i...just don't mention it..." there it went. her cheeks flushing up again. "there was...and it didn't go so well," she sort of skipped over that story sheepishly. "but even though we didn't like the place we were before here, i would take killian out to the pool and he couldn't keep himself from shifting he was too young and he wouldn't understand why not to anyway but the point is everyone was so nice to him, they loved playing with him in the water," there was that proud mother smile creeping out. then a sigh. "so i know better. i do. i just get...nervous."

she wouldn't mention that epiphany's story about sailors cutting mermaid's hair off certainly didn't help any! instead she would echo him. "even you?" a cautious look, as she hoped she wasn't prying.

[Brayden Alexander]

He listened to her and everything that she was talking about. Himself nodding lightly as he continued to listen to her, everything that she was saying. Finally, after he was quiet for a few moments after she finished. He gave her one last nod.

"I know, it just, i don't know if you can call it frustrating. I really don't know if that's the word. I mean don't get me wrong, I know there is someone out there that wants that job, that will love those boys as their own, love me also you know. I guess sometimes i wish it would happen sooner rather then later. Those boys deserve to have somene they can call mommy."

He nodded his head once more, he did know in due time that would take care of itself, in due time.

"They would like that, there isn't really many people around here for them to play with you know, especially around their age. And one day, I'll cook you guys dinner, all three of you, I will, I will!"

A small laugh left him now. As for if she really wanted him to cook, well that was up to her, that would have been brave on her part if she allowed him to cook for them sometime! But there was another nod of his head, as he looked back to her.

"Even me...you want to see?"

[catherine dtardis]

"i know, kyle. but putting pressure on yourself isn't going to make it happen any faster." she said that gently with one of her soft little smiles. when she was a mermaid, even when she wasn't singing her voice was a little different. more lyrical, like each syllable had soft chimes underneath it. it tickled sweetly at the ear. the luring powers of mermaids, especially on men! but this was catherine. she really didn't mean to, she just couldn't help it. but since she was trying to be soothing right now, maybe that added chime in her voice would help soothe him.

"killian doesn't have many his age to play with either...he has a boy he's friends with that's about his age, and a girl two years older. they're a brother and sister that live in boston, but boston is very far away..." seth and carrigan's kids. charlotte ran into the doctor when she was wandering off in the park one day, and the kids got the reward of having each other as playmates. sometimes chance things happened for a reason.

a cheeky little smile as she stretched her hand out of the water. smooth wet fingers tapping at the top of one of his shoes. "and you don't have to cook for us, don't worry. i really enjoy cooking for people very much, i used to help my gran with her bakery and her catering ever since i was a little girl. and i haven't had many people too cook for lately. beside the baby, and lumie...he's our guardian, did i mention him? a kitsune, that's a long story how he joined our family. anyway, the doctor really doesn't eat very much at all...." and she trailed off. and left the rest unsaid. she was a little lonely.

then he offered. catherine bit her bottom lip. she shifted suddenly after a moment of thought, hopping up to sit on a rock that was only inches below the surface of the water. closer to him, so that he could reach out and touch her. sitting on the rock, he'd be able to see the full of her dark green scaled tail stretched out in front of her now. catherine folding her hands on her lap, she moved her tail slowly back and forth in the water, a movement she was doing to try and keep herself nice and calm. as she told herself to stop being nervous when he seemed to be quite okay with what she was.

she replied, "if you don't mind showing me, i wouldn't want you to if you would mind..."

[Brayden Alexander]

He watched her moved closer, he offered her a smile, he was glad to see that she was coming closer, and not hiding so much if that was the word. Finally he nodded his head as he kicked his shoes and socks off, pulling up the pant legs of those pants up, he went ahead and let his feet and legs dangle into the water now.

"Before I show you this, it's the one thing me and my brother have in common, the only thing we have left in common. Please don't be scared of it when I show you it. Because there is something that I can do on top of it."

With that he offered her a smile, he had to let her know not to get scared. It did scare some people, mostly because they didn't understand how he was able to do it, and honestly he didn't understand how he could do it, he just knew he could. Anyways he held both hands out to her, one hand over top the other, palms touching. His attention going to his hands now, watching, finally he removed his top hand, and there on his bottom hand, was a decent sized ball of fire. Just dancing there on his hand.

"My brother can do this too, I suppose something we picked up from our father."

His eyes looked to her and then to the flames before he smiled once more, yes he had just gotten a bright idea...uh oh!

"You want to hold it?"

He motioned to the fire in his hands. Yea he could let other people experience what he experienced with fire too. And not get hurt at all by it.

[catherine dtardis]

a little grin from catherine as she watched him stick his legs into the water. it was only the beginning of april, so the water was chilly! but she liked that he did that. it made her wonder if she could...maybe ask him on a swimming adventure sometime. perhaps she could teach him how to scuba, if he didn't already know. or maybe the doctor would let kyle borrow the rebreather...

his warning interrupted her train of thought. a little blink from catherine, who looked a little surprised to hear such a thing. "it's okay kyle," she tried to reassure him. "i won't be scared." nervous, maybe. but what was catherine, if not a bit skittish? it was just who she was ever since her brother died. when she lost parker catherine the spunky rocket became a bit more cautious, and had started to think a lot more about how she acted.

what was she expecting to see? she was certainly looking at his appearance. thinking to herself that maybe he changed into a something. what something that was, she had no idea. so she was looking in the wrong place at first, at his face. until he touched his palms together. then with a little sheepish grimace her eyes dropped and watched there.

"oh," she said with soft surprise as she watched the fire burning on his palm. and then, a silly little smile. "i do things with water, and you do things with fire..." opposites. which is why she was surprised to hear him ask if she wanted to hold it. yes, catherine looked a little uncertain. she picked her hands up from her lap, opening them palms up as she looked down at them. slick seafoam skin with a light sheen, with the webbing between each finger up to her top knuckle. her hands wet, of course, from being in the water. as she stared at her hands, she was considering it. saying finally,

"well...if you think it's a good idea..."

[Brayden Alexander]

That gaze of his had been on the fire that was dancing around in his hand. It was almost like a different kind of fire, as though his will was keeping that fire there and not spreading it up his arm or to the ground or anything along those lines. It took a few minutes though, literally as his gaze had gotten lost watching that fire dance on his hand.

He finally looked to her and smiled. Yes he knew what he was doing with what he said.

"It will be alright, I promise Catherine."

That smile remained upon his face as he stood up now, and walked into the water, letting some of his pants get wet, he had to be next to her so that he could do this right. So after a few movements, he did find himself next to her.

"Alright Catherine, this is what I need you to do. Hold your hand out flat like mine is."

Looking to her now, he now seen she already had her hand out flat, and he shook his head slightly at the fact he completely missed that. His eyes noticing her hands, and the webbing and all that, and he just looked to her and smiled. It didn't bother him one bit.

"Alright, what I am going to do, is slide my hand slowly under yours. I don't want to do it fast. What I need you to do, is make sure that your hand is always in contact with my own. And don't worry about the water, that is on your hands. Trust me on that one."

He now finally began the process, looking to her eyes once more, more to show her it would be alright. Now that gaze would go to their hands, watching as he moved his hand slowly beginning to slide it under her hand. Making sure that his palm was always touching her hand, he continued to slowly guide his hand under hers until finally his hand was completely under her own hand. Pressed up lightly against the back of her hand. That ball of flames, it was now dancing upon her own hand.

What she would feel, was the exact same thing that Kyle himself felt when he was in contact with fire. Where you would have expected her hand to be burning. All she felt was a very light heat. Nothing anywhere near burning. As for the water that was on her hand. It hadn't warmed up a single bit. Himself, he now looked back to her and smiled.

"Now you can say that you have held a ball of fire in your hand. It's beautiful though, the way it just dances in your hand, without a care in the word you know."

Those eyes of his went back to that ball of flames as he spoke all of that. But only for a few moments before he looked back to her, wanting to see her reaction to all of this.

[catherine dtardis]

catherine had seen a lot of things, especially with the doctor. who tried so hard to get her to take more than just vacations with him, taking her on adventures too. and there were those times when she faced those dangerous adventures fearlessly, when they used the resequencer on her to make her one of his race for a little while. so she knew there were things that were a lot more dangerous than a ball of fire in a friend's hand, which is why she nodded and gave him a small reassuring smile when he gave her his promise. she believed him, he didn't have to worry.

and she listened carefully to his instructions. boy did she listen, because the last thing she wanted was to get burned. especially when she was in this form! she'd never been injured when she was in her mermaid form, and she really didn't know what would happen if she was. she was actually quite happy not knowing that. so her palm stayed right where it was. and once his hand slid under hers, her palm pressed down into his. making sure the back of her hand was always touching the palm of his hand. her hand was cool, like the water. and she blushed a little bit, having another hand so close to hers with its webbing.

when the ball of fire was flickering on her hand, catherine's eyes widened a little bit. she'd obviously never held fire before, and truthfully...well she'd always seen fire as a bit destructive. especially since some people called her that when she got angry - a stubborn ball of fire. maybe it was the red hair. her tail swished in the water a bit faster. a few light splashes from her tailfins skimming and then dipping back under the surface of the water. her nervousness showing. she was a maid of the water, could you blame her? it wasn't kyle, it was the fire itself.

she gave him a sheepish little smile. "is that a good thing, do you think? that it doesn't have a care in the world? fire's a really...well it's very dominating, isn't it? there's a bit of...well it was sort of a poem, i suppose, that i read once. it talked about how the best thing we can be as people is like water. because water adjusts itself to its environment, like whatever container its in, and it doesn't mind where it falls, in mud or sewers or a lovely lake...bendable and adjustable..." was she trying to sell the virtues of water over fire? maybe. that whole maid of the water thing again, she grew up around and in it!

[Brayden Alexander]

He watched her holding that ball of flames, listening to everything she was talking about when it came to water. Nodding his head with everything that she was saying. Yes he was listening intently to what she was saying. When she was finished heturned his attention back to her and smiled, maybe just maybe she was about to be surprised by what he was about to say.

"Be like water making its way through cracks. Do not be assertive, but adjust to the object, and you shall find a way round or through it. If nothing within you stays rigid, outward things will disclose themselves."

He smiled to her as he continued to watch her. Seeing how she took that.

"There is also a quote that has to do with water that I try to live my life around the best I can. Empty your mind, be formless. Shapeless, like water. If you put water into a cup, it becomes the cup. You put water into a bottle and it becomes the bottle. You put it in a teapot it becomes the teapot. Now, water can flow or it can crash. Be water my friend."

Eyes went back to her, to watch her once more. For a moment before turning his attention back to the fire.

"You want to have the fire be put out in your hand, by your own hand?"

His gaze went back to her and he smiled, looking to see her reaction to what he had just asked her.

[catherine dtardis]

why would catherine be surprised. what he said, these were all things she believed about water herself. and while their conversation was a little deep, talking about the qualities of an element, she was actually enjoying it very much. it reminded her of the essays she used to have to write for the knights. which always used to make her think in detail about attributes she'd never thought in depth about before. she was the wife of probably the most well-traveled man of time and the universe, after all - she couldn't be that without liking deep discussion!

"yes. the poems we had to read for my Earth history class, they said things about water like that. we learned so much during that year i barely remember any of it, but i always remembered those poems. i thought they were beautiful, and they were very deep really, all about how to approach your life in a very calm way." what catherine was thinking of, they weren't actually poems so much as the tao te ching. her hand was staying very still while she talked, her eyes never leaving the ball of fire in her hand. her tail still doing its nervous swish.

when he suggested putting out the fire with her own hand, catherine's eyes widened a little. "i...." she trailed off with a faint flush before she tried again with a foolish little smile. "i think it would be best if you put it out, it's your fire after all..." a little encouraging nod. even if she wasn't going to get burned, she wasn't exactly sure how she felt about squashing a fire with her own two hands.

a little clear of her throat and a slight squirm there sitting on that rock, and she added. "but those things we said about water, they don't really apply to fire very much at all do they? fire's very different..." yes, continue on with the deep discussion, to get kyle off the notion of her putting a fire out with her hands...

[Brayden Alexander]

He listened to everything that she was saying. Sensing the nervousness was that the correct word? He offered a nod of his head, not one to force anyone into doing anything that they didn't want to do. He moved his free hand to where their hands were at, at the moment.

"Alright, don't move your hand at all so that I can get that fire from you without hurting you."

Another nod, letting her know, it was safe. Once that was said, his free hand moved. Actually coming down through that ball of flames until it was settling upon her hand. And then moving his hand from under her own, leaving from under hers. He finally lifted his other hand from her hand taking the ball of flames with him.

"Fire and water, they are very different. So very different. Water, can mend itself, shape itself to whatever form it wants to be to get through it's obsticles. Fire, when left uncontrolled is distructive yes I know that, but fire that is under control, under the right situations can also be one of the most beautiful things on this planet. Along with one of the calmest. But the same can also be said about water as well. As different as fire and water seem, they are also as similar as well once one looks past the exterior of each."

He offered her another smile before looking to the ball of flames once more. And then back to her.

"One thing water will always be able to do to fire, that fire can't to water. Extinguish it is a peaceful, beautiful way."

That said, he lowered his hand that held that ball of flames to the surface of the water and then under just enough to see those flames disappear into a gentle wisp of smoke

[catherine dtardis]

oh she wouldn't move her hand. kyle didn't have to worry at all. as he went through the process of removing the fire from her she even tried her best not to squirm, upper half or lower half. and she was mostly successful, just her tailfins lightly smacking the surface of the water. when the ball of fire was out of her hands and back in his, a delightfully relieved smile crossed her features and a nice big breath of 'whew' was released. she would have to tell the doctor about that later, about how she held a ball of fire. he was constantly telling her these days that she was too cautious. the doctor was the only man she'd ever let get away with pushing her button on that issue.

"calming, really?" a thoughtful question. she was thinking back to her interactions with fire. besides when she used it for cooking, of course. but even then, where she was from they used electricity to eat stoves and burners. "i think...everything has its extremes. extreme calm and...extreme destructiveness water can flood, after all, burst through damns or make tidal waves and things like that when its feeling extreme and none of that's very nice...but they are very different in their middle moods, i think."

then he extinguished the ball of fire in her lake. well, not her lake but....okay so whenever she was in water she considered it hers, it was that mermaid vanity getting the better of her. and was her big smile slightly triumphant when the water put the fire out? catherine and her competitive nature. she'd had it ever since she was a little girl. she was a competitive swimmer, after all, with medals to show for it. just because she wasn't racing anymore didn't mean that she wasn't still competitive! and that water could do that to fire, well that was a bit like winning a race!

her smile was coy as she looked at him playfully. "yes. water extinguishes fire." one fast flick of her tip of her tail upwards, when it broke to the surface it flicked towards the bank, getting kyle with a nice big splash of water all over him. like she was trying to extinguish him! and then catherine slipped off the rock, rolling forward in the water and disappearing underneath the surface where he'd see her skitter a way a bit deeper into the lake. she'd just committed a splash and run! or...a splash and swim.

[Brayden Alexander]

Oh his rain of thought, what he was going to say, everything was completely forgotten when she committed that splash and run. And Kyle he sat there for a moment trying to figure out what had just happened. Watching her swim away now. That was when it hit him, what had just taken place.

That childish grin forming upon his face now, he shook his head. He was soaked now! So what was a guy to do? But try to get back the one who had soaked him! Movements quick in the taking off of his shirt. And jumping, well he couldn't dive, he actually didn't know how to dive so Kyle and his ungraceful self....Cannon balled into the water now.

Coming up for air now, he started looking around for where she had gone to.

"Hey! Where..where'd you go!"

That's what he got for cannon balling into the lake now wasn't it. And of course in typically Kyle fashion, he didn't wait for a answer from her, under the water he went swimming in what he thought was the direction that she had taken off in. Coming up for air once more he looked around again. Before realizing...she had got him in the water now. Eyes blinked and now he was determined....He was going to splash her!

[catherine dtardis]

when he popped up for air after his cannon ball, catherine was obviously nowhere in sight. not when it came to the surface of the water, anyway! so there really wasn't an answer that he needed to wait for, and it was probably best that he chose to give chase instead.

but that was the tricky part. when she was still swimming competitively, her teammates had given her the nickname 'rocket' - and there was sure reason for that! not to mention the fact that unlike kyle who had to pop up to the surface again, catherine had no need to come up for air. the one disadvantage that came from being catherine in such stealthy situations, however, was her very long, very bright, very obvious red hair. if she wasn't too deep or too far away, or if kyle was really observant, the easiest way he'd find her was to look for a flash of red.

he would get his chance, very soon. because there kyle went up to the surface again looking for her while he got air, which mean that he wasn't looking for her underneath the surface around him. it gave catherine the opportunity to come bolting out of her hiding place, gliding smoothly through the water with admirable speed. she was perhaps four feet below the surface when she came sneaking up behind him. slowly curling around until...

twap! he'd feel the smack of her tailfins on the backs of his legs, and if he turned fast enough there was catherine and her red hair skittering off farther into the lake, where the water was deeper. and then, as she made her getaway she even had the cheeky gall to swim close enough to the surface that she could kick the tip of her tail up, giving the surface of the water a smack with her tailfins before diving down a bit deeper. if that wasn't a 'dare you to come get me' challenge, who knows what is!

the most important thing was that catherine, even if he couldn't see it since she was underwater, was positively beaming. someone was actually horsing around with her in the water! besides the doctor, she didn't get this chance very often. and there were no words for how happy it made her.

[Brayden Alexander]

Like it would cross Kyle's mind to look for her red hair! And up for air he was again, looking around, scanning the surface of the water. He had no clue she was on her way up. The first clue he got that she was on her way up there? Was when she got him with her tailfin! His head quickly looking every which direction, lucky enough to get a quick glimpse of her. That childish grin forming up upon his face now.

"There you are! I see you!"

And he actually thought he was going to get her that first time! Diving underwater, he stopped looking around under there. not seeing her anymore he surfaced once more. Getting some more air looking around once again. Then he seen the tailfin splash and he was quickly swimming his way over to where it was.

"I got you now Red. I got you!"

Diving back down under that water he was searching for her. This time, straight down, as deep as he could go. He took a good sized breath and now it was lets get down as deep as possible! Brown eyes scanning, looking for her. Until finally he had to come back up for air. Back to the surface he reached, getting air now.

"Umm umm ummm, I know how to get you Red!!!"

Yea he said that outloud. Why didn't he just say here I am. here's my plan why he was at it! So what did he do. Well he got onto his back to float, at least try to. So safe to say he wasn't subtile about getting onto his back. Finally floating now, he laid there. Yep he was gonna let her come to him, hey in his mind it worked! Would it actually...most likely not!

[catherine dtardis]

did catherine hear all of his lovely exclamations under the glassy surface of the late? not really. very distant muffled sounds, but she certainly couldn't make out the words. but that was okay, she didn't need to know what he said to know what his goal was. catching her and paying her back for that splash, obviously!

when kyle ducked under the water the first time, he would indeed find her out of reach. she was as quick as a bullet from a gun when it came to swimming in this form! if anything, depending on how well he saw underwater he might have caught a glimpse of something moving a distance away. by his second dive...little did he know she was watching him! and counting, of all things. watching how deep he tried to dive (he probably almost reached the bottom of this part of the lake because they weren't that far from the bank) and watching how long he was able to hold his breath. she was impressed! she would have to ask him later if he had swimming training.

but for now, the chase! from her hidden spot, catherine watched as kyle popped up to the surface, shifted his position, and then ended up floating on his back. she grinned. slowly she crept out of her hiding place. making sure she swished her tail nice and lightly so it would stir the water up too much and alert him of her coming.

then, she did something quite impressive. something only the merfolk can do, really, since their bodies naturally and continually adjust buoyancy to any depth of water. when kyle was just above her, with short little flips of her tail she shifted her position so that she was laying just like he was under the surface of the water. there was a foot of water between her and him floating above. it was time to make her move.

catherine's arms shot up out of the water, wrapping around kyle's middle. her webbed hands clasping together just over his belly button. soon as she had hold of him, she yanked him down into the water as she beat her lower half with nice strong motions, dragging both of them deeper and deeper like she was some evil octopus and he was her lunch! so long as he didn't panic, kyle would find catherine had a solution for him not being able to hold his breath for that long.

poor kyle, hopefully she didn't scare the life out of him!

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