After David is caught at the wrong place at the wrong time, his entire life changes in ways he never could have expected. This is a fan fiction taking place in the Whateley Universe.

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I stared out the car window, feeling incredibly bored. Sure, Jackie was great company and she had some exciting stories about various jobs she’d pulled, but the fact was that being cooped up in a car for days on end was enough to drive me insane. Of course, I knew that part of my moodiness was due to my period and the cramps I was feeling, but that didn’t make me any less bored.

It had been two days since the fight with the Liberty League and MCO, and in that time we’d changed course and had gone completely off our planned route. Because of that, none of our preplanned rendezvous points would be useful if we got separated again. Fortunately, we’d been able to avoid any more trouble since then, or at least any kind involving the MCO or super heroes.

Yesterday evening, Jackie had decided to ditch her stolen truck and get a new car. This time, she carefully explained what she was doing and actually gave me a lesson in how to hotwire a car. And though I had no ambitions of following in her footsteps as a criminal, I’d learned that sometimes you didn’t get much choice and that this kind of thing could be a useful survival skill.

Jackie still hadn’t told me where we were going or why we were taking this detour, which annoyed me a little. I finally decided to deal with that annoyance and my boredom at the same time.

“A million bottles of beer on the wall,” I began singing cheerfully, “a million bottles of beer…”

I went through several rounds of this while Jackie merely chuckled. I had hoped to annoy her a little more than that, but I figured that after a few dozen rounds she’d be at her limit and would finally crack.

However, what I didn’t expect was that Jackie began singing, “I am Henry the Eighth I am, Henry the Eighth I am I am…”

Jackie and I continued with our individual singing for the next half hour, each of us pretending that we didn’t notice the other. Finally, we both gave in and called a truce, then burst out laughing. I couldn’t help but grinning as I watched her, thinking that she really was like my big sister, almost as much as if we’d been born siblings.

It was a little strange to realize that I looked up to a super villain and was beginning to use her as a role model. Mom would of course be horrified, saying that this was just proof that being a mutant made me unstable and dangerous. Fortunately, Dad had proven to be a bit more open minded than I’d previously thought, much to my immense relief. And then there was Becky, who I was sure would get along great with Jackie.

I frowned as I thought of my family and my chances of ever seeing them again. Dad seemed pretty willing, but I seriously doubted that Mom would ever let me see Becky again. Of course, she’d keep me away from Becky for my sister’s own good, so she couldn’t accidentally get hurt from the ‘dangerous’ mutant. I wondered if Mom would even consider the fact that since I was a mutant, there was a decent chance that Becky might be one as well.

“Are you okay?” Jackie asked me with a concerned look.

I hesitated a moment, then admitted, “Just feeling a little overwhelmed.”

Jackie gave me a knowing look and nodded at that. “How about we stop for some of that overpriced coffee you like so much? That might help.”

“Well, it couldn’t hurt,” I responded with a faint smile. Then, just on general principal, I asked, “Are we there yet?”

“Not yet,” she told me.

I just smiled, waiting another minute before repeating, “Are we there yet?”

“Yep,” she answered cheerfully.

“Really?” I asked in surprise.

Jackie just grinned and responded, “Nope.” Then she stuck her tongue out at me and we both burst into giggles. I guess I really was starting to get pretty girly lately, but I blamed it on the hormones.

A few minutes later, we pulled off the freeway and got some go juice. But instead of getting right back on the freeway like I’d expected, Jackie instead drove through the town, going into a cul-de-sac and then parking in the driveway of a nice looking house. I gave Jackie a curious look, but she just sat there with a strange look on her face before she finally got out of the car.

“We’re here,” she finally said as she started for the front door.

“But I thought you said we weren’t there yet,” I reminded her, feeling a little confused about what she was up to.

Jackie just gave me a nervous grin and told me, “I lied.”

After Jackie rang the doorbell, we had to wait half a minute before the door opened and revealed a short and stocky woman who appeared to be in her fifties. She had shoulder length hair that that was orange and curly, as well as being liberally streaked with gray. For a moment, she just stood there with a look of surprise on her face.

“Hello, Mom,” Jackie greeted her nervously.

I just stared at Jackie in surprise while her Mom grabbed her in a firm hug. Jackie just hugged her back, looking more than a little misty eyed. A few seconds later, her Mom exclaimed, “Jaqueline Elizabeth Martin, you get your butt in the house right this instant.”

Then Jackie’s Mom paused, seeming to notice me for the first time. Her eyes went wide again in obvious recognition, then she gave Jackie a curious look, obviously wanting an answer.

“This is Dana,” Jackie introduced me with a grin. “She’s my sister.”

Her Mom stared at me for a moment before wryly responding, “I think I’d know if I had another daughter…”

“I sort of adopted her,” Jackie explained. “You know I’ve always wanted a little sister, and since you and Dad weren’t cooperating…”

Jackie’s Mom nodded at that and continued to stare at me, obviously having a lot of questions about my appearance. However, she gestured for both Jackie and me to come inside.

“Thom,” Jackie’s Mom yelled out as we went inside. “Gary. Get in here, we have company.”

A minute later, two men came into the room. The first and older one was tall, slender, and almost completely bald, having only a small bit of hair around the side and back. From the way he immediately grabbed Jackie in a hug, I knew that this had to be her Dad. The other guy was about eighteen or nineteen with curly orange hair and a lot of freckles on his face. This had to be Jackie’s brother.

“I haven’t seen you in…,” her Dad started. “Well, it’s been far too long…”

“I’m sorry I didn’t come back sooner,” Jackie apologized, looking a little self-conscious. “I didn’t think it was safe, especially not after what happened last time…”

“I really did like that car,” her Dad mused with a sigh and a shake of his head. “Too bad my insurance company had an act of mutant clause in my policy.”

“Sorry,” Jackie said with a wince.

“Don’t worry about it,” he told her with a chuckle. “It was that other girl who trashed it, not you.”

“I can’t stay long,” Jackie said apologetically. “I’m afraid that if I do, someone will track me down here and cause you more trouble.”

After this and several more hugs, Jackie’s Dad and brother both turned to stare at me, making feel self-conscious with the attention. They both had looks of recognition on their faces, as well as of surprise.

“What’s the story with Mini Me?” her brother finally asked, gesturing to me.

“Who are you calling mini?” I asked him. “I’m taller than you are.” Admittedly, it was only by an inch or two, but I was happy to use that. Then I turned to Jackie and said, “You never told me you were a Weasley. Is this Ron?”

Jackie burst out laughing like that while her Dad tried to cover a grin. Her Mom rolled her eyes while her brother looked annoyed and protested, “My name is Gary. And no, I haven’t heard that a thousand times already.”

“This is my daughter Dana,” Jackie told Gary with a mischievious grin. “Her mutation makes her age a lot faster than normal.”

“I’m this many,” I said in my best childish voice, holding up four fingers.

Gary stared at me in shock, his Dad was barely containing his laughter, while Jackie’s Mom just rolled her eyes. She really was starting to remind me of Molly Weasley.

“Actually,” Jackie said, her expression going serious. “I’ve sort of adopted Dana as my little sister. I’m sure you can see the resemblance.”

“It is rather…surprising,” Jackie’s Mom said carefully.

Jackie nodded at that, then explained, “Honestly, she’s a large part of the reason I came here. After what she’s been through lately, it reminded me how lucky I was to have a family who accepted me…in spite of…everything.” She gave a slightly pained smile and was obviously tearing up. “And I wanted you to meet her.”

I got even more curious looks from Jackie’s family, which made me feel a little uncomfortable. “Why don’t we sit down in the living room to talk,” Jackie’s Mom said pleasantly. “I’m sure we all have questions.” Again, her eyes darting to me. “I’ll go get some coffee. Would you like some hot cocoa, Dana?”

“If you don’t mind, I’ll have some of the coffee,” I said, ignoring the fact that I still had a half-finished mocha sitting in the car.

“You might as well bring her the whole pot,” Jackie added wryly.

Once everyone was settled down with a cup of coffee and some cookies to snack on, Jackie told her family a little bit about what she’d been up to for the last few years, though she glossed over most details relating to her career. It was obvious from the scowls and comments that her family disapproved of her career choice, but just as clear that they still loved and accepted her anyway. I couldn’t help but feeling a little jealous of Jackie.

“And what about Mini Me?” Gary asked.

“Zip it, Ron,” I commented, earning a snicker from Jackie and a mock glare from Gary.

“If you can believe it,” Jackie commented in an almost casual tone. “I met her during a bank robbery…” That suddenly had everyone’s full attention.

Jackie began telling them about me, about how we’d met in the bank and how she’d gotten me out of there before the MCO showed up and decided to come after me as well. So far, she’d neglected to make any mention of my previous gender. Then when she told them about how my Mom had turned me over to the MCO, every one of them stared at me with looks of horror and sympathy.

“You poor thing,” Jackie’s Mom exclaimed, giving me a reassuring hug. “How could any mother do such a thing to her own child?”

“I kind of asked the same thing,” I admitted with a forced smile to hide how much it still hurt. That just got me another hug.

“After I rescued her from the MCO and got her to safety,” Jackie continued, “her injuries healed on their own and she started to show some of my other powers. She even started changing until she looked like this…like…me.”

Gary stared at me for a moment and asked, “How in the world is that even possible?”

“I’m a power mimic,” I answered self-consciously. “The first time we met, I was in the middle of manifesting and accidentally imprinted on her. Because of that, I’ve permanently got all her powers and even her BIT. Hence…this.” I gestured down at myself.

After this, the conversation continued but I took a greater role in telling about how Jackie had taken me in, had brought me and my Dad back together, and how she’d protected me time and again from both the MCO and the Liberty League. Jackie’s family listened in fascination, even giving Jackie looks of pride. I didn’t tell them that I used to be a boy, but I did tell them nearly everything else.

When I was finished, I admitted, “After everything she’s done for me, I guess I really have started to think of her as the big sister I never had.”

“Big sisters are overrated,” Gary told me with a grin.

Jackie stuck her tongue out at him and joked, “Shut up, Ron.”

“Then does that make you George or Fred?” Gary asked her with a look of mock innocence. Jackie stuck her tongue out at him again while he grinned and then looked at me. “Well, any sister of Jackie’s is a sister of mine.” Then before I could say anything else, he added, “And I guess that would make you Ginny.”

“Dana,” Jackie’s Mom said, giving me a pleasant smile. “You’ve given my daughter a reason to come home again and I greatly appreciate that.”

“I didn’t have any idea we were coming here,” I admitted awkwardly.

“Jackie never did like sharing her plans,” her Dad commented with some amusement. He looked to Jackie’s Mom and added, “Maureen here is the same way.”

Jackie’s Mom gave her husband a mock glare, then turned back to me with another smile. “Since Jackie seems to have adopted you, I guess that makes you part of the family too.”

“Um…thank you,” I said politely, still not sure what to make of all this or how quickly they were accepting me.

“You know,” Gary told me, “When I was younger, I always wished that Jackie was younger than me so I could pick on her for a change.” He gave me a mischievious look and added, “Thanks for helping me fulfill that lifelong fantasy.”

Jackie snickered at that, then pointed out, “Just remember, Dana can bench press over half a ton, and just the other day, she went head to head with the Liberty League. You might want to think twice about picking on her.”

“Then what’s the point of having a new little sister if I can’t pick on her?” Gary asked in mock exasperation that made me laugh.

“Well, I always did want a big brother,” I responded wryly.

“Speaking of plans,” Jackie’s Mom said, looking at Jackie. “What are your plans?”

“We can’t stay here long,” Jackie admitted thoughtfully. “Maybe only a day or two at most, and that’s probably pushing it. After that, we have to get going again so I can get Dana to Whateley, which is probably the best place for her right now.”

“That makes sense,” Jackie’s Dad agreed. “From what you said, it sounds like she needs a safe environment where she can finish her education and learn to control her powers.”

Jackie nodded at that. “From here, the best course is to just catch the train to Berlin and then over to Dunwich.”

“And what are your plans while you are here?” Jackie’s Mom asked her curiously.

“Rest, relax, and catch up,” Jackie answered with an amused look. Then she gestured to me and added, “And get Dana some replacement clothes and supplies she’ll need for Whateley.”

Her Mom nodded approvingly at that. Then she looked at me with a thoughtful expression before adding, “We can probably help with some of that. In fact, I believe we still have some of your old clothes packed away in the basement. Considering that Dana is almost your spitting image, I’m imagining that they’d fit her perfectly.”

“I thought you would have thrown all that out by now,” Jackie said, looking just a little self-conscious. “After what happened the last time I was here…”

“What?” Gary asked with a smirk. “You thought we’d disown you because you’re an evil super villain?” He snorted at that, then leaned forward, and in an almost conspiratorial voice added, “As far as I’m concerned, you’ve always been a villain.”

“Gee, thanks,” Jackie responded with a chuckle.

With that, Jackie’s Mom let out a sigh and announced, “I suppose I’ll need to go shopping for food.” She gave Jackie a knowing look and said, “I remember the way you eat, and we don’t have nearly enough food in the house for dinner.”

“And it’s worse than you realize,” Jackie pointed out with a smirk. She gestured to me and added, “Dana has my appetite too.”

Her parents both stared at me for a moment and their eyes went wide, probably in dread as they considered the grocery bill. It was Gary who gasped in mock horror and exclaimed, “Another bottomless pit. Oh the humanity.”

When Jackie’s parents got up to go grocery shopping, I looked at Gary and then Jackie. “So,” I started, feeling a little curious. “I thought you said your brother was a baseline.”

“I am,” Gary responded, sounding proud of it though he gave Jackie a somewhat envious glance.

I just stared back at him, fully aware of the now familiar pressure as I shook my head and responded, “No you aren’t.” Jackie and Gary both just stared at me in surprise.