Chapter 1

A/N: Thanks for the reviews on my other stories to everyone who reviewed! This is just a little first chapter of a fanfiction I'm working on. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: Obviously I don't own any characters or previous plot lines... so yeah. Disclaimer will be the same for every chapter.

The waves crashed against Gold Coast. The sun was high in the sky and the sand was soft beneath Rikki Chadwick's feet. Her shoes swung in her hand and she felt a strange sense of relief. It was a world with no threats and that made her comfortable.

"Rikki!"

Rikki didn't need to turn around to know that voice. The same voice that could be rude or arrogant, or gentle and reassuring. She smiled and slowed whilst he caught up. "Hey, Zane," she said.

"Hey." Zane grinned as Rikki intertwined her fingers with his nearest hand.

"I guess you don't want to head out to Mako?" Zane asked. "I mean, after what happened."

"Oh, Charlotte? She's gone. She moved away," said Rikki, adding, "and I'm glad."

Zane hesitated, their interlocked hands swinging between them. "So…"

"I'll go if you come with me," Rikki offered.

Zane's face burst into a grin. "Sure. I expect you'll swim so meet me by the docks and I'll be there in the Zodiac."

"Alright," Rikki agreed. She turned to run down to the sea but Zane caught her.

"And, Rikki?" he asked.

"What?" Rikki replied.

"You forgot this," said Zane before kissing her.

Rikki flashed a quick smile before running down to the sea and diving in. Zane smiled after her.

Emma Gilbert flicked her blonde ponytail over her shoulder as she came to a table in the JuiceNet Café. "Hello, welcome to the JuiceNet Café. How can we refresh you?"

"Em, you don't have to say all that," said Cleo Setori, one of her best friends. "We're your friends."

"It's kind of the procedure," said Emma. "Anyway, what do you want?" She pulled out her notepad and pen and got ready to write.

"Um, why don't you surprise us," said Lewis McCartney, Cleo's boyfriend, trying to be difficult, giving a small smirk.

"Sure," said Emma with a roll of her eyes. "Boy do I hate customers like that," she added under her breath.

"Um, Ash?" Emma came round the corner into the store room looking for her boyfriend Ash Dove. She opened the door the same time as him and walked straight into him.

"Sorry," said Ash. He looked at her and smiled.

"What is it?" Emma asked.

"Nothing," said Ash. "Hey, want to hang out at the stables later? My shift ends same time as yours I think."

"Yeah, okay. Not that I'm great at riding or anything," said Emma.

"Hey, you saved Rebel," Ash protested. "Maybe you want to ride him this time?"

"No thanks, I'll ride Maple," said Emma, referring to the gentle grey mare.

"If you like," said Ash.

"Well I've got difficult orders to serve," said Emma.

"Lewis and Cleo?" Ash asked.

"Yep," Emma replied and they both laughed.

"I love winding her up like that," said Lewis, walking out of the JuiceNet hand in hand with Cleo. "What shall we do now?"

"We could go for a swim?" Cleo suggested.

"Sure, I'll get my scuba gear on our way there," said Lewis.

"Lewis," said Cleo suddenly. "You know about Charlotte?"

"Cleo, we've been through this already," Lewis interrupted. "I like you, not her."

"I know," said Cleo, "but I was just wondering what it would be like to have no powers, no best friends, and no Lewis."

Lewis thought about that. "That's probably why she moved away. But you don't have to worry about that because you're not going to lose your powers, Emma and Rikki would never ditch you, and you've definitely always got me." He suddenly stopped and kissed her.

"Okay," said Cleo, a warm smile spreading over her face. "Now, about that swim?"