Aquaman 2 : A tale of Deception and Love

Chapter 7 - Foundations

Throughout the night I kept having flashes of what Mera did come back to me. Each time I thought of her I grew even more furious. Eventually the sun finally rose and Lana stirred in her sleep. She reached out for me, but I wasn't next to her. I was sitting on the edge of the bed trying to grasp control over the rage I was feeling. She sat up in the bed. "Arthur?" She wiped the sleep from her eyes and looked at me. "Is everything okay?" I turned around and looked at her. She gasped. "Arthur! Your eyes!" I frowned. "What's wrong? What's wrong with my eyes?" She moved slowly towards me and placed a hand on my cheek. "Arthur, your eyes are....they're almost white." 

I stood up and walked into the bathroom to look at my eyes. She was right. They usually only turned this color when my powers were at their strongest. Lana walked in and wrapped her small hands around my waist. "What's wrong Arthur?" I turned and looked at her. "I don't know how this happened." She looked up at me and looked concerned. "What happened last night? Did you have bad dreams?" 

I sighed. "I kept thinking about Mera. And it seemed as the night progressed, so did my hatred for her. I felt myself almost burning with hate at one point." Her eyes searched mine. "Arthur, you can't let her get to you like this. It's going to consume you." I nodded. "I'll try my love, I promise." She nodded. "I know you will." 

Suddenly her stomach started to glow. I smiled harder than I have in a long time and placed my hand on her stomach. She looked down at her stomach and then up at me. Then I leaned in and kissed her. I pulled back and held her in my arms. "I love you so much Lana." She smiled. "I love you too. But I'm worried about you Arthur. I feel like you haven't truly tapped into all of your powers yet. And, I'm afraid that your powers reach different levels depending on how you feel. So you have to figure out a way to control it." I nodded. "I know. I was beginning to feel the same way. I was just, I guess scared to admit it." 

Lana kissed me on my cheek. "Let's finish here and then we can go deal with Mera. Together." I nodded and looked at her adoringly. "You are truly my soul mate Lana. Thank you." We walked back into the bedroom and I helped Lana pack more of her things to take with us to the lighthouse.

Once we finished packing I loaded everything she was taking right now into the car. She locked up her house and we got into the car. I started up the car and Lana placed her hand on my arm before I could back out of the driveway. "Everything is going to be okay Arthur." I nodded and took a deep breath. "I know. As long as you by my side I know we can get through anything." 

We drove to the lighthouse and parked the car. "Ready?" Lana asked me. I took a deep breath and nodded. We both exited the car and walked up to the lighthouse hand in hand. I unlocked the front door and we both walked inside.

"Mera?"

I called out but I didn't get a response. "Mera?" I walked around the house but she wasn't there. I checked the closet and her clothes were gone. Lana walked into the bedroom shortly after me. I just sat on the bed and looked up with a confused look on my face. "She's gone. All of her stuff is gone." Lana sat next to me on the bed. "Where could she have gone?"

"Back to Atlantis."

"Do you think she knows that we know?"

I nodded. "She has to. That would be the only reason she would leave." 

Lana smiled. "Good! That's good right!?"

I looked at Lana and shook my head. "I wish it was." I know when it comes to Mera, this is only the beginning.

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