Adapting

The search for Tristan continues, Everyone in England was aware of Mr. Charlie's lost son. The queen herself has invited the man to her home to assure him the boy would be found.

James was home playing video games when he heard a knock on the door, he groaned and switched off the video game.

"Why won't they give up already...he is dead... Obviously! It's been over 24 hours you dummy" he said and went out of his room, the young man heard Isabella's voice as he passed in front of her room. He stopped and put his ears at her door.

"Please Lord, let Tristan return back home safely... please Lord don't let him die... Please Lord" she cried softly.

James scoffed and walked away from her door, "I am sorry but your prayers can't be answered little girl, your pathetic brother is far gone" he whispered and walked towards the front door.

He opened the door and saw Lily standing in front of him, "Lily! Oh hey?"

"Is it true? Tristan didn't return?" she said as she walked in, Lily watched him nod his head sadly, "what happened? Did you think he got drowned?" she asked.

James sighed and pulled her hand to sit on the cushion, he looked at her and shook his head "i don't think so... he was not in the cruise and has not been found till now, what do you think? Let us be honest with ourselves Lily, he can't survive in the water up until now... only if he is a fish which he is not" he said and sniffled.

Tears rolled down Lily's eyes, she buried her face in her hands and cried softly.

He sighed and sat next to her, "hey.. come here" he said and hugged her, "I am as pained as you are... even more" he said and patted her back slightly, "he is my brother" he added.

"You think he is dead?"

They turned and saw Isabella standing few feet from them.

The girl was on another verge of tears, she walked towards them as her eyes remained teary and she was about to blow up.

James knew he should not have said that out loud, he looked at Isabella and held her hand "I didn't say that.. They would find him" he said.

Isabella removed her hands from him and cried out, "STOP LYING!!!! I heard you... You said he wouldn't have made it.. Means he could have died in the water" she exclaimed and ran into her room.

"Isabella" They both chorused.

Lily looked down as hot tears rushed down her eyes, "Tristan" she muttered and cried softly.

James was not so sorry for Tristan's death but he knew he would be suspected if he didn't feel remorseful.

He sniffed and looked at Lily, "I miss him already" he said and cried softly.

The girl stood up and wiped her tears, "Isabella needs someone right now... I would go see her" Lily said and walked towards the girl's room.

James stopped crying and wiped his tears, "I hate fake crying... I hate crying in general... Y'all should move on and dad should stop mourning so he can notice me and I can start working as the heir" he whispered and rested his back.

His phone beeped, "meet me outside right now".

James rolled his eyes and walked out of the house, he saw the black car parking in front of the house.

He looked around before getting in.

"Hey how is my son doing? You know we would both make two great team... " the man said smiling at his son.

James scoffed and a smile appeared at the corner of his lips, "we won't make no team... What do you want?" he asked.

The man laughed softly and replied, "what do you mean? I hope you are not planning to betray me..." he said as his laughter turned into a frown.

The young man smiled and looked at him, "you have no business with me or my mom... You lost us the day you freaking allowed her to marry someone else so you can have it all... You cheated on her and hit my mom..." he said and clenched his fist, "I would let that slide, just don't ever show up here anymore" he added and immediately the man grabbed his shoulder.

"Don't you fucking dare play games with me... I am not a kid... I did everything to execute the heir so you can be the heir and I can take charge of everything after we kill Mr. Charlie and your mother marry me again... Don't you two dare back out of my plan so you can have it by yourself?" the man said angrily.

James removed his hand angrily and stepped out of his car, "get out of here before they see you or I would call people attention to you" he said and turned to leave. "Oh and..." he stopped and looked back at the man "I don't consider you my father... It was nice working with you" he added and walked away.

The man watched his son walk away, he laughed out "Am I a joke to you two?" he said and smiled, "let us see who get it all" he added and drove away.

Lily who has been watching through Isabella's mirror sighed and looked away, she sat next to the girl and held her hand.

"I know Tristan, he is the strongest human I have ever seen... He would not want to leave you... I am sure wherever he is. He is trying to come back to you" said Lily.

Isabella sniffled and looked up at her, "do you like Tristan?" she asked.

Lily's eyes brightened at the question, she cleared her throat and looked away, "he doesn't like me".

Isabella looked down sadly, "I want him back home.. I can't live without him... I don't want any other brother," she said as more tears rushed down her face, "where are you, Tristan".

-----------------------------

He laughed out as Phillip kept telling them a story of his past.

"Really? so you all have one grandfather?" Tristan asked curiously.

The night cricket sound was all over the cottage, the stick burning lighted up the room. Phillip returned to the seat and nodded "you are right pretty boy... We all did, we are all brother and sisters" he replied.

Adriana sighed and looked at Phillip, "I am sorry the beast did that to your brother and sister, Phillip" she said calmly.

The blue creature smiled up at her, "you are so kind Adriana.. Thank you" he said and turned to Tristan, "where are you from big man? You seemed to always think about something and I can't tell what it was" he asked.

Adriana looked at Tristan who looked out the window.

"I failed my mom... She would be so mad at me right now..." he said and sighed softly, "She asked me to keep an eye on Isabella and make sure she is always fine... I am far away from home and I do not even know what is going on right now at home, dad and Isabella are in danger... I should have known" he added.

Phillip and Adriana looked at each other, the creature smiled at her and stood up, "I would go look for more woods... The one burning is dying" he said.

She turned to him, "It is not your fault Tristan"

"It is... I was friends with James... I should have known his bad reason for becoming so close to me... He knows almost everything about me... My secret friends, everything... He and his father planned on taking everything my dad has to themselves.." he said and looked at Adriana whose eyes had gotten teary, "you saved me... Thank you again Adriana" he said.

She sniffled and controlled her emotions, "why are people so desperate about worldly stuffs.. Money is nothing to us, where I come from we have everything and no one uses it" she said and saw his pretty eyes fixed at her.

"Where are you from?" Tristan asked.

Adriana laughed nervously, "very far away... You wouldn't know the place" she replied while scratching her head.

He knew there was something strange about her but decided to ignore the curious feeling, Tristan looked away and decided to ask "I have wanted to ask you... Why you were naked on the beach when you saved me... How were you naked? You saved me while swimming naked at the ocean?" he looked at her confused.

Adriana gave him no response, she looked up and pretended to be thinking hard, "I can not remember that.. I guess rescuing you was hard and I had passed out also" she said smiling.

Tristan was not confused enough, "you... Were you a life guard in your city?" he asked curiously, trying not to welcome the mermaid thought in his mind.

She nodded and grinned at him, "you are right... I used to save so many people in my city... Swimming makes me happy" she replied.

"So do you believe in mermaids?"