Sioned and Owen's story continues.

Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction. None of the characters, places, or anything else is meant to be represented by anything in reality. Duh! Fiction, get it? I the author reserve the rights, so please don't go posting this anyplace else without my permission. A very special thanks goes out to Cathy and all the others out there in BCTS land who have encouraged and inspired me to write and keep writing. Another round of thanks goes out to djkauf who is the fastest proofer I've ever encountered. Any remaining mistakes are all mine.

I showed up at the girls’ place. “So what's up?”

This was Saturday and I had the morning and early evening off. However, I was still blurry eyed from working late Friday night, and tonight was going to be busy too. Pizza delivery at a college campus during the weekend? You bet! However the tips were good.

Kimmie ushered me in with her usual smile. “Oh, you'll see!”

I suppose I should be concerned, but I did trust them. Since they lived off-campus because of their relationship, I was a little less worried about being seen no matter what they did. Besides, they only had a couple of hours to do their stuff. I'd made it very clear I had to work tonight.

One of the reasons I had even this much time available to me is that I'd finished a commissioned piece I gotten though my Deviant Art account early. That was going to be gas for the next week. I might even be able to afford food that wasn't left over pizza from work or ramen noodles.

It was all part of the burden of school. My Dad claims it builds character, but I'd observed that both of my brothers got a free ride. The difference was they were on athletic scholarships while mine was in art. For that matter my scholarship covered more than theirs did, but that didn't cut any mustard with him.

Any career that didn't involve sports or busted knuckles were beneath a real man according to him. My own paint stained, clay roughened fingers wasn't enough. Trust me, real art was tough on the hands.

Although recently, I'd made much more of an effort to take care of them. Sigh, Owen.

“She's here,” Kimmie yelled out the soul of discretion.

Following her in, I wondered if I'd wandered into a beauty parlor. “She's here,” I asked repeating her words.

Bouncing on her toes in excitement, Kimmie grinned. “Yah! All of today you're a girl. We're going to give you the works!”

“You've never experienced what being an Earth girl is all about,” Angel said coming into the room. “If you're really a girl under the skin then you'll feel it no matter where you are.”

Okay, now I'm nervous!

“Changing your major again?” I inclined my head at all the beauty parlor stuff.

“That's my girlfriend,” Kimmie giggled. "The Beauty School dropout!”

That earned her a thrown towel from her lover.

“Here take this and follow the instructions.” Angel handed me a basket filled with bottles. “This is a hair remover, but watch out for the sensitive places. It is an acid, so be careful. Don't bother doing your hair, but do shave very, very close.”

At my I-can't-do-that expression, Angel gave a trying one in return as she rolled her eyes. “Oh please, it's just body hair. It'll grow back.”

Just under an hour later I was back shivering under the robe they left me. It surprised me how much being smooth reminded me of being Sioned. Weird that being without that body hair made that much of a difference.

They were waiting for me and I think my apprehension went through the roof. I wanted to run away, but I also wanted even more of this all at the same time. It didn't make any sense, but what about any of this did.

Sitting down, they got to work. I know they talked, I talked, but I can't remember a word of it. It did feel good as they did my hair. Normally, I wore it on the long side which was something that drove my Dad nuts. That was part of the reason why I did it, along with being too cheap to get haircuts. The ironic thing is that I'd seen pictures of him at my age and his hair was even longer than mine. Parents and double-standards, go figure.

“Don't worry,” Kimmie tried to calm me. “This stuff washes out and you can hide the style with your normal ponytail.”

Style? Gulp!

I guess my efforts at taking care of my hands must not had been very successful, because when Kimmie started work on them she just glared at me.

Personally, I was more concerned about whatever she put on my nails. Maybe, LBGT's weren't persecuted on campus, but that was a hell of a long ways from acceptance. On the other hand, I kind of liked my hands looking nice.

“Sorry,” I apologized. “Artists are tough on their hands. I've tried to take care of them, but I guess I didn't do such a good job.”

Intent on trimming cuticles, Kimmie just sniffed.

“Perhaps you could give me some tips?” I asked, trying to make nice.

Looking up, her face beamed in delight.

I learned more about nail and hand care than I ever knew existed. Moisturize, moisturize, and moisturize again were her advice.

While that was happening, Angel started on my eyebrows. “You know you should have two and not one, right?”

Finally they were done, and got me dressed. The outfit wasn't too very girly, but it did have a denim skirt, blouse, and sandals.

With the Gate, one step I was John and on the next I was Sioned. This was so different that by the time I was standing in front of the mirror, I was a nervous wreck. It was like looking into a shattered glass at all the distortions. Every imperfection glared out at me. My Addams apple, the overly strong jaw, and that brow of mine said male, but at the same time it felt so much more natural to be dressed this way. I felt pulled in two directions at once.

Kimmie was on one side while Angel was on the other. They were staring at the girl in the mirror too.

“Wow, you're pretty, Sioned.” Kimmie played with my new bangs.

Angel was more subdued. “That blouse isn't quite right for you.” Leaving she came back with another that had a higher lace collar. She had the old one half off me before I realized what she was doing revealing my stuffed bra.

What hit me was how embarrassed I was over that fact. Still trying to digest how much I felt I should have breasts, Kimmie helped keep the new blouse makeup free as Angel dressed me like an oversize doll.

Fluffing up the collar, she stepped back satisfied. “Now, that's better.”

Trying to make my wits work, I saw my Adams Apple no longer peeked out.

I still painfully saw all of those flaws, but I also saw someone else, a girl, me, Sioned.

The first tear fell before I knew I was even crying.

“See I told you, the waterproof mascara was worth it.” Kimmie triumphantly announced as she passed me a tissue.

“Happy tears?” Angel whispered as she held me.

I couldn't answer. There was too much trying to get out again. All I could do was feel.

Many tissues later, I finally found my voice. “So what do we do now?”

“I'm afraid in the long term that's up to you.” Angel replied. “However, for today we'd planned just to take it easy the rest of the afternoon and have some girl time.”

“Yeah!” Kimmie exclaimed. “We'll watch some movies and just hang.”

“That sounds like pretty much what guys do.” I said, back finding my humor.

“Ah, grasshopper, that's because you haven't seen the movies she's picked out!” Angel smiled. “However, it's time to fix your makeup. Here, we'll show you how.”

“Yep! All part of being a girl.” Kimmie enthusiastically guided me back to the mirror.

Maybe because of my artist’s eye, it didn't take me long to get the idea. It was far from expert, but I didn't look like a clown either. When we got back to their living room and tidied up from my makeover, Angel just kept looking at me.

Smoothing my skirt before I sit, I finally asked, “Okay Angel what's up? Am I doing something wrong?”

“Wrong?” She laughed. “Oh no, you're doing it right! That's why I'm staring. Hell, I think you're doing it better than I ever did.”

Kimmie giggled flopping down next to me. “We're lipstick lesbians and enjoy looking feminine for each other. Besides I like being a little girly and silly. It helps me from going crazy dealing with economics professors, and business forecasts.”

She wrapped an arm around me. “Angel being who she is let's me express a side of me I might not be able to otherwise.”

“And her being silly and ditzy sometimes helps remind me not to be so serious,” Angel smiled at her partner. “However that doesn't mean I get into all that being a Lady crap my Mom used to push at me. I picked and chose which ones I could live with and the ones that went into the no thanks, no way basket.”

You could see the love and care they had for each other.

“But you do the whole graceful thing without even thinking about!” She almost sounded jealous. “And like just now when you smoothed your skirt before sitting down unlike my so elegant partner who just fell into the sofa like a sack of potatoes.”

“That's a really cute, sexy bag of potatoes!” Kimmie stuck out her tongue.

“Well, I did spend two weeks as Sioned with Owen during spring break.” I defended myself. “I arrived dressed really femmie, and honestly had no real desire to wear anything else.” Blushing very red I added, “He didn't complain.”

“I bet he didn't!” Angel smiled, I think as much at my blushing as at my statement.

Kimmie poked me in a ticklish spot. “What she's trying to say is that you pass very well.”

“Yes you do.” Angel said. I guess it was her turn to blush. “I've seen other gurls and many of them try too hard to get it right.”

“Forced,” Kimmie added her two cents.

“You're so natural with everything it's as if you grew up a girl.” Angel said still blushing. “If you were still available I would seriously considered that threesome we used to joke about.”

“But I'm not, but thanks for the compliment.” I felt my face grow even warmer if that was possible. While I might have been tempted before Spring Break, but not now. I'd confronted my feelings about Owen. For better or for worse, I was in love with him.

“What she said,” Kimmie gave me a wistful smile. “It's kind of a shock to find yourself attracted to someone you weren't the day before. However you'll always be our friend, but now it's even better than before!

“How's that?” I asked still feeling euphoric and yet angsty about all of this.

“You're our best guy friend we can talk to about clothes and stuff!” She excitedly bounced up and down on their sofa.

“And stuff?” I asked with a grin.

“And stuff.” Angel solidly confirmed.

Then after a moment of the three of us smiling silly at each other Kimmie, never one to be distracted for long exclaimed, “Movies!”

While I like action flicks, the so called chick-flicks aren't bad either. All that really matters is if they have a good story or not. Kimmie might act brainless, but I knew her grade point average said otherwise. Her viewing picks proved that. All in all I enjoyed her selections.

Of course, I kept looking at the clock. I knew that my temporary testosterone reprieve had an expiration date. It wasn't something I was forward to. The last time was when I'd kissed Owen goodbye and stepped though the Gate.

It had not been pretty. Finding I was back as John had been … difficult. Andrea helped me name it, depression. While she hadn't insisted I see a doctor, she was really hinting, if you know what I mean.

Wanting to be functional to work tonight, my reaction to what happens when Sioned goes back into the closet concerned me.

The girls had been checking the clock too, but I really just put it down to keeping track of 'Pumpkin' time.

Then the doorbell rang.

The girls jumped up which made me really suspicious that they were expecting someone. Now, that made me nervous. I might be comfortable dressed this way, but the fear of being revealed, outed, was very strong. You want to try terrifying?

“Oh, I wonder who that is?” Kimmie sing-songed making me certain I'd been set up.

Who could it be? Chuck or maybe Andrea, both of which would be okay if not cool since they knew my secret already.

“Why don’t you get it, Sioned?” Angel suggested. Now I knew I'd been set up.

Dreading and yet forever hopeful, I walked to the door. It couldn't be him, I argued. The three of them would have to planned this and I couldn't see how they could've managed it. I mean just because I have him on my mind all the time.

No, no, no it can't be him!

Opening the door, my breath stopped as reality failed to agree with my reasoning.

“Sioned,” Owen said with a small pottery of live flowers in his hands.

I vaguely recall the giggling of my so evil friends, but I had eyes only for the man in front of me. I didn't care what I was, I knew what I wanted. Wrapping myself around him, I saw his blue eyes just as full of passion as mine.

As he inclined his head to kiss me, my inner voice was silent. My lipstick covered lips seemed to burn as more words failed both of us. My only regret was not being a full woman on this side of the Gate because I wanted him so bad.

“Yr wyf i yn dy garu di” He whispered in my ear translating. “I love you.”

I had all I wanted.

Happily nuzzling my Dyn, I hugged him tight.

Notes: According to my research, "Yr wyf i yn dy garu di," is the very old fashioned and stilted Welsh translation of 'I love you.' That works very well for High Elvish in my opinion.