Shoreline

8

Ava and Arthur stood on the beach and he helped her strap everything on. "You can swim fast right?" he asked.

"Well yes, but if I'm too deep I will have to decompress first." she said.

"Okay," he said and gently took her by the hand and walked into the water with her, when the water hit her knees it was only then did she realise how cold it was and she began to shiver, before they went under she put her respirator in and then swam towards Atlantis. Seeing all the wildlife and the colours of the coral reefs were amazing to her eyes as it was all new to her, she wished she dived there more often, she kept checking her pressure gage, and it was beginning to tip to the red.

She pulled against Arthur's hand, he paused and looked back at her. "We're nearly there you can see the lights." He said. Ava couldn't talk so she tapped the watch face and he looked. "Just a little lower." He said. She nodded and they went a little deeper but the plastic on her goggles began to crack and she could feel her chest being squeezed by the building pressure.

She pulled his hand again, this time he stopped immediately and looked back at her. Ava shook her head, he sadly nodded and let go of her hand and she began to slowly swim back up to the surface, once she emerged from the water she took out her respirator and swam to shore. Ava walked to the beach and sat down on the sound and pulled off her diving suit and lay on the beach with her bikini on allowing the sun to dry her off, but she was also waiting for Arthur to return.

Ava found herself becoming drowsy from the sun and soon fell asleep on the beach. Arthur emerged from the sea, he flicked his hair back from his face and he walked towards the beach and saw Ava passed out on the sand, he knelt down next to her quietly and gently placed his hand on her stomach and she woke up with a jolt. Ava's eyes opened immediately and she sat up. "You're lucky I didn't strike you," she said and leant up on her elbows.

"You wouldn't strike me!" he exclaimed leaning down , placing a hand around her waist and kissed her gently, her breath suddenly disappeared and she looked at him in surprise, she was lost for words and blinked a few times and was surprised by his confidence.

"D. . . did you sort everything out and get the shard back?" she asked.

"Yes," he nodded now laying next to her and patted his pocket. "My brother agreed to call his men off if you give him the shard and you stop researching any further into the matter."

"No," Ava said shaking her head and reached into his pocket taking the shard from him. "I'm not going to give it to him it will only cause trouble."

"Ava, I can handle the rest but I don't want you getting hurt in the process." he said, resting a hand on her cheek.

"I won't," she said throwing his hand away and standing up, taking her suit with her.