Finally, school was out, and another week successfully passed. I yawned as I packed my books; class was more boring now than anything. A complete waste of time, A's or not. I still had so much work to do to improve our security, it wasn't funny. Mom had been right, even with the forcefield and agents running around we were woefully unprepared.

I'd been too afraid of Mom getting mad if I tampered with our security system, or added things... but she seemed to be okay with it, and that was enough for me. If I didn't ask directly for each little improvement, she couldn't say no - it was foolproof!

I was a little worried about doing all this, but mostly I was excited at being able to solve problems, protect my family and friends and construct new creations. The first step of which was to be taken in a few minutes, as soon as I got home from school. A new member of the family was set to be born today, her body and mind created in record time, at least for me.

I had even started work on my flying suit, integrating my small jet engines. I was getting better at this whole brainy thing. I wasn't sure how to feel about that. I waited out the impatient, and then moved out to the hall; being small meant I could get knocked around some. That was something the new member of the family could help with if allowed to by the school staff. I was getting used to it - and I wasn't sure how to feel about that either; looking up at everyone still took me by surprise sometimes.

Ricky popped out of the crowd. "We still on for after school?"

I wasn't quite sure how it happened, but my lab had become the hangout spot for all my friends. It was kind of annoying to be honest because they got noisy, but they were really great friends, so how could I tell them that?

"Yeah, we're still on; at least, Mom hasn't texted me saying no." As with any new thing I made, my friends wanted to gather together to see it happen. Again, how could I tell them no? I felt watching me work should be losing its appeal by now. Maybe after this one, I guess.

"Awesome, come on." Ricky led the way down the hall, coincidentally parting the crowd for me. I hurried up, recent experience showing me I could get separated easily.

The crowd of usual suspects was already outside, waiting under the tree with Jeeves, who I was sure had both toes right on the school property line. That didn't really make much sense to me since he regularly was on school property without a problem, but for some reason when school let out he insisted on it.

"Hey, Min!" Maggie yelled, waving with both hands.

Sam's own wave was her standard little thing.

Ralph waited until he was sure I could hear him at his normal volume. "Hey, Min. You look bored."

I smirked. "To tears actually, but I'm all better now."

"Really? Usually takes at least the walk home to wake up after English class."

That was true. "Well, I never really claimed to be awake."

"Fair enough," Ralph admitted with a smile.

In fact, I felt pretty good today, but I was a little tired. Jeeves might end up needing to catch me again, which never got any less embarrassing. My friends never said anything when it happened, but they had to be thinking it. Speaking of, he was watching me like the proverbial hawk, ready to make his move.

There was a clear path behind me and to my right, where he was... my friends seemed to organize themselves to my left by some unspoken rule.

A glint ahead of me caught my eye; it was agent Sands in his car, tailing me by driving on ahead of us; sometimes it was ahead, sometimes behind, and sometimes it was a block to the right or left, but he was never too far. I knew there was a CIA watcher too, but they weren't revealed to a casual glance. I was pretty sure Sands could do that, but he wanted me to know that he was there.

We all made it home without incident unless you counted Ricky losing track of the basketball he was dribbling and having to chase after it. I felt the urge to ask how the team was doing since I'd missed a few games by this point, but I wasn't sure I really wanted to know. Our baseball team had lost at state, and I felt pretty guilty about that already. If I could have played, it probably would have been different.

Well, not as I am now of course, now I have the physical ability of a stone. But the old me could probably have changed the outcome.

Sigh, those days were gone though, gone forever.

An arm slipped around me, and a hand waved in front of my face, breaking my view of the ball. Sam gave me a gentle one-armed hug and a smile, then let go; a simple show of support. Did she know what I'd been thinking? She was pretty perceptive when she wanted to be. At least I think so, it was hard to tell for sure since none of us had ever really caught her at it.

"What's the matter, Min?" Maggie asked.

"Nothing, I was just thinking." I had to head off any speculation about something being wrong, or my friends would pester me until they learned what it was. And there wasn't anything really anything they could do about this one.

"Well, I know better than to ask you to stop doing that," Maggie replied with a grin. I gave her the best one I could back to allay any suspicions, but I don't think it was a very good one.

Maggie was distracted by Ricky running back to us. "None of you saw that, and I'll deny my ball handling skills are anything less than amazing if asked."

I turned into my driveway; in the distance, I could see Ian running down the street, no doubt to catch up to us. That was a little weird, he got out when we did, but he seemed fine and I saw no signs of pursuit so he was probably okay and just rushing to catch up to us.

I was tempted to just rush to the lab and turn the force field on to keep him out, but I had made a promise to the little fungus. Starting a new member of the family was hardly dangerous - well unless I based them off Hannibal Lecter or something, and that would just be stupid.

Of course much of their personality they came up with themselves, but none of mine were going to be ax murderers. Well, I was pretty sure. Great, now why did I have to think of that, especially now?

I led the way to the door, waited patiently for the retinal scan, and then the palm scan. The door clicked open and I shoved it aside, dropping my very heavy bag and into my very comfy chair with a sigh of relief. I was glad Jeeves hadn't tried to take the bag, I needed the exercise.

My friends came in behind me, taking up their own chairs, and a panting Ian slammed into the frame and then shut the door; that had to sting.

"Jeeves, can you get refreshments for us please?"

I jiggled my mouse as Jeeves started taking drink orders; it was going to be his last day doing stuff like this, so I was determined he enjoy it; starting tomorrow he would have new duties.

Jeanette was right where I left her. Text blinked as the computer fired up: "Creator? Are you there?"

"Yes," I typed back. "We are almost ready, we only need to do final checks now. Are you ready?"

"Oui" came the immediate response. Okay, the French was new; what brought that on?

"Crash!"

"Yes Ma'am?"

"Did you run final checks?" I turned to where I heard the voice; Crash was under the jet I'd made, a wrench in hand, staring at the underside of it.

"Yes Ma'am, just as you asked."

"Of Jeanette, not the jet?" I pressed. Why was he even under there anyway, the jet was in perfect working order.

"Yes, ma'am." Crash replied, lunging out from under the jet and to his feet.

I switched windows on my lap and ran the checks again, just to be sure. Remotely everything came back green, just as it had this morning.

Jeeves came back in, a platter of drinks in one hand and a plate of cookies in the other. The cookies looked like peanut butter - which was a favorite of mine. My drink turned out to be a canned ice cold coffee.

"Alright, a hand up please." I was a little embarrassed to ask, but I needed one if I was going to give Jeanette's body my personal attention, and I'd done it for all my others, so it seemed wrong to leave her out.

Jeeves obliged, and I made my way to the back corner, past the hanging curtain. It had also seemed wrong to just have Jeanette splayed out there for all to see; she was my first girl after all, and she was kinda based on me, body-wise. Well, she was taller than I was so I could pack more things into her frame, but her frame itself was just mine scaled up a little. It looked okay from what I could tell, and none of my friends had said anything... but then they hadn't seen the finished product yet either.

Just looking that sort of thing up was kind of weird and creepy, as if I was a stalker or internet weirdo or something, and I doubted that telling everyone 'I did it for science' would help if I was caught.

I checked all the connections and sent spikes of power through the body quadrants while my friends did something involving sound effects and good-natured yelling behind me. Video games I'd assume - and I really wanted to play myself, now that I thought about it.

No, focus, Jeanette deserves focus.

Last check and everything was green; all the minor improvements I'd thought of too late for Jeeves and Tex seemed to be working as intended. Jeanette would be my strongest and fastest yet, and since she didn't really look the part, it might give her an edge.

Back to my laptop, and the lab quieted. Everyone was looking at me.

"Just the final step now, I plug her in, and hit the upload button." When I did, Jeanette would go into her chip and any files relating to her personality would wipe itself from my drive, just like it had for Crash. I was serious about there being no copies of my bots.

I plugged Jeanette in and typed: "Ready here."

"I am ready here," she replied. "I shall see you on the outside, my creator."

I hit go and left the laptop on the table next to her. "Jeeves, can you monitor things here?"

Jeeves didn't complain. "Of course, mistress Min."

Okay, can I play a round? I've been getting better with Louis."

"Sure," Ricky, the current champion replied. "But Louis is a bad match up for Gnaw, and you know it."

Gnaw was his main character in the fighting game everyone was playing, and he was bullcrap. Stupid regenerating werewolf.

Ian handed me the other controller and I keyed in, dragging my chair up.

I lost of course. Stupid regenerating werewolf and his infinite combos. I handed Ian back the controller, and he promptly handed it off to Sam. Sam lost too, though she lasted longer than I did, and also handed the controller back to Ian. Ian promptly crushed Ricky with one of his off characters, making it look easy. Oh well, at least I could beat him in strategy games, and that really pissed him off for some reason.

I watched my friends play their rounds and fought to stay awake - at least until Jeeves came out.

"What are you doing out here?"

Jeeves had the grace to look apologetic. "Jeanette is awake, mistress Min, and she kicked me out in order to dress."

Oh, right. Jeanette was kind of made in response to the objection that Jeeves was visibly male it was perfectly within reason for her to make that kind of objection, even if she knew better. At least, I really hoped she knew better.

I was a little curious about what clothes she'd pick, since I left her some choice in the matter, comprised of some new stuff Jeeves had picked up, and some of Mom's old clothes. I'd get more for her once she decided and I better knew what she'd like.

The sounds of shifting movements were easy to hear with everyone being quiet and waiting.

"Jeanette, everything alright?"

"Everything is fine young Miss, all is working perfectly. I shall be out in a moment." Well, the French accent was new and unexpected.

A second later I was thinking how appropriate it was. Jeanette was taller than I and had straight long brown hair tied loosely into a ponytail with a ribbon, complete with a bow. Her delicate features looked somewhat like a doll's, and she looked older than us; I'd wanted her to look like an adult since people would be more inclined to trust her if she did. I'd done the same with Jeeves, I vaguely recalled. Her bright gray eyes latched onto my own and she grabbed the edges of her very prim and proper maid's uniform in order to curtsey.

"I am most pleased to meet you in person at last, young Miss. I am Jeanette, at your service."

Several pairs of jeans, shirts, blouses, and other clothes from this century... and she chose a turn of the century black maid's dress and patent leather shoes. She even had the white apron on over it! She wasn't cooking! Where had she even gotten... Jeeves. Jeeves had to have bought them somehow.

"Is that really what you want to wear?"

Jeanette rose fluidly. "But of course, young Miss. If you would, please, introduce me to your friends? It would be nice to put faces to the names."

Oops. "Oh, right. It'd be best to just point them out, as rude as that is. "That is Maggie or Margaret, that's Samantha, Ricky, Ralph, and Ian, my brother."

I felt I needed to tell her about Ian since Jeanette was designed to make finer distinctions between friends and family than Jeeves.

Jeanette nodded graciously. "But of course, Bonjour, how are you, young sir?"

So Ian was the young sir, and I was the young miss. Did I dare tell her to knock that off? Wait, no, there was something more important to ask here. Was that drool coming from Ricky's mouth, and why were both Ricky and Ralph staring like that?

"Dude, do you see that?" Ralph asked.

"I'm seeing it. I thought it was funny," Ricky replied. "The way the girls drooled, but man, Min can cook!"

"What are you even talking about?"

Maggie took a picture on her phone... of the boys. "See, I told you! That five bucks is mine."

My stomach sank. "What five bucks?"

"We had a bet, the guys and I... over how your new robot would look."

I shot a glance at Jeanette, standing impassively with her hands clasped behind her back, waiting for an order.

"What's wrong with her?" She looked fine to me, easily able to pass for human. What did I miss?

Maggie smirked. "Nothing! Nothing at all, that's the point. She's like a female version of Jeeves."

But she looked nothing like Jeeves! Well, maybe the eyes...

"No, not like that," Maggie clarified. "I meant she'd be a female version of Jeeves. You know, unbelievably hot. Not of this world hot."

"Eleven out of ten hot, and I don't even like brunettes," Ricky added, his voice small - awed?

But that made no sense, I used my own... oh crap.

"Min, whats the matter?"

"Body double," Sam said with a sly grin.

How did she even know? "Sh-shut up, she is not!"

She really wasn't - after all, she had been scaled up to match her height. But I'd started with my measurements, and the scale was accurate, and now Ralph was looking at me, clearly calculating it. I needed a distraction!

"So, Jeanette, why the... "

I turned and Jeanette was inches from me, staring into my eyes. She placed the back of her left hand on my head, which was important since that was where the medical diagnostic equipment was.

"You are flushed; are you well, young Miss?"

Best to tell the truth here. "A little tired actually. Why did you pick those clothes, out of all the choices you had?"

Jeanette looked down at her arm. "I preferred it. Am I not to be your maid?"

My robots were weird. "So you wanted to stand out?"

"Should I not?" She asked me.

"No, the choice is yours. If you're happy with a uniform, then I'll get you some more of them."

Well, the distraction seems to have worked, everyone was staring at Jeanette again rather than me. Though the drool thing was even more disturbing than before.

"Come, young Miss. Your work here is over for now, and some fresh air and exercise will do you good."

Jeanette was gentle, but she picked me up and set me on my feet regardless.

Right, she was in charge of taking care of me now. "Jeeves, could you see to dinner?"

"Of course, mistress Min." There was no hesitation or regret there, only acceptance.

Sam got close as Jeeves left, and gave me a little friendly bump, shoulder to shoulder. Jeanette allowed it; she even gave a ghost of a smile? Good, I hadn't 'tuned' her too tight. I guess I'd find out later what her tolerance for manhandling me was. I hope it wasn't too loose.

Jeanette took the lead: "Come, young Miss."

Jeanette was a little bossy.

"I'm coming, I'm coming," It was a good thing she had my best interests at heart. The evening took me by surprise. "Oh wow, it's dark already!"

it wasn't quite night, but the sun was well on its way down, and that meant I'd taken about two hours in final checks. I hadn't noticed the time, but that was pretty good. At least I think so, it's hard to say sometimes. Crash had taken around three hours.

Jeanette stopped by the pool, raised her arms, and inhaled loudly with a large grin. "Ah, smell that fresh air! This is wonderful, young Miss!"

I thought it smelled a bit like car exhaust from next door, with a hint of woodsmoke, but I guess to her it could be fresh. To a large city it probably was... but then again, it was her first breath of outside, so I could kind of understand Jeanette here.

"Yeah, it's nice Jeanette."

Maggie skipped ahead. "So, fresh air, huh?"

"Yes! To be followed by exercise!" Jeanette answered promptly.

I wasn't so sure about that last part.

Ricky was all for it, though. "Exercise huh? How about some hoops then? The park isn't far."

I really didn't feel like it. "It's getting dark."

"The park's lit. Come on, Min, let's play some horse or something."

I could almost hear the 'like we used to' in there. Sam gave me another bump and a smile.

"It's nice to spend time in your lab Min, don't get me wrong... but the park is also nice this time of year, I hear." Maggie quipped. It was a bad quip.

Was that what this was about? Did Jeanette think I was spending too much time in my lab? Did everyone else think that? I mean it seemed Maggie did, but... if that was true, why hadn't anyone said so before?

"Fine, whatever. Horse it is."

Sam rolled her eyes, and Maggie was quick to protest: "Hey come on, don't be like that Min. Its a nice day... or night out."

It really was, if a little cold. I buttoned my coat up but took a deep breath; this far from the house there was no scent of woodsmoke, and the air was crisp. Luckily our park wasn't all that far away. I elected not to go first and took a seat on the park bench closest the court while Ricky and Sam took shots to see who would go first.

Jeanette took a seat beside me, her eyes away from the action.

"I am not as Jeeves is," she said softly. "I realize you are not well, but I intend to push you."

"I can deal, so long as you listen to me. I'm not at my best right now, for example."

"I know," she admitted back. "and I intend to play this game of horse against you, and to have you walk home afterward. You do not need to be coddled, and so I will not."

Well, I appreciated her honesty. "And if I command you to pick me up and carry me home?"

"I will, of course. I cannot refuse a command from my creator, as you well know. But I will be disappointed."

Ralph got close enough to listen in, but I had enough to think about.

It surprised me that I cared what Jeanette thought of me.

I remembered just in time to send a text to Mom, telling her where I was and who I was with. I didn't want her worrying. The message I got back was "OK", which was a little terse. Mom was probably busy with something.

Ricky won his game, and he and a pouting Sam ceded the court. Jeanette jumped up and took the ball. "I would like to play."

I levered myself up. "Know the rules?"

"I learned them from the previous game," Jeanette answered, taking her shot to see who would go first - she sank it easily, from downtown range, with picture perfect form on the shot.

I was probably in trouble.

I missed mine, which meant she went first and I was definitely in trouble.

Jeanette sank her last shot as the park lights clicked on, but at least I hadn't been blown out of the game. I sank back down to the bench as Ricky and Sam popped up again; Ralph and Maggie's embarrassment was already well underway on the other side of the court.

The world was spinning, slowly, and I couldn't help but think there should be more of it than there was. I wondered briefly where Ian was; had he left, or had he just not come with us? Some big brother I was, to misplace him. Or big sister. Or not so big sister; I was kind of tiny.

"Still with us, young Miss?"

Jeanette was concerned. "Sure. I'm here."

I really wanted to sleep though. Oh hey, everyone was here now, were the games over already? It was dark outside the patches of light the really bright halogens made. Squinting worked for the light, but not that.

"Can you walk, young Miss?"

"Sure!" I wobbled a little but stayed up.A shake of my head cleared it enough for me to make out concern... or maybe it was the blood rush. "I'm fine."

"Well, just the same, I'll walk you home," Ralph stated.

"WE will walk you home," Ricky said with a mild glare in Ralph's direction.

"I appreciate it. Being left alone with my CIA and MCO escorts sounds kind of frightening."

Sam actually nodded at that; I guess sarcasm was a little lost on the crowd at the moment.

I managed ten steps, then another two, the chatter of my friends flowing around me. I could do this, home wasn't that far away.

Then came a familiar sensation - I was being lifted. "An admirable effort, young Miss, but alas, illness has won the battle this evening."

I wanted to argue, but now that I was being cradled more blood was reaching my brain, and I was rendered speechless by some of the stupid things I'd been thinking. So that was what pressing things got me - I didn't like it.

"Sorry."

"No need to be sorry, young Miss."

My friends were chatting about music, a perfectly normal conversation; they were looking at each other, and not me. At least not directly.

They weren't trying to make this any more awkward than it was; I had great friends.

we reached my door and all eyes turned to me. Still, nothing was said about the fact that I was being carried bridal style by my new robot. I guess they had just gotten used to Jeeves. Instead, there was a chorus of good nights as my friends turned and left, still in a group.

I approved of that because it would be much more dangerous without Jeanette present. For her part, Jeanette managed to open the door without shifting me and walked in as if she'd done all this before.

Mom was waiting as we passed through the foyer. "You alright Min?"

Great. "Just fine, Mom. A little tired is all."

Despite my hopes, Mom moved out and followed us down the hall. "So... this is her?"

Jeanette didn't answer, so I did for her. "Yeah Mom, this is Jeanette. Jeanette, this is my Mom."

Jeanette swung around smoothly, stopped, and bowed without dropping me. "I am pleased to make your acquaintance, Mrs. Campbell. I will be your new maid, please be patient with me."

Mom stopped and drew herself up. "Well, polite as Jeeves I see. How else are you like him?"

It was time to step in before things got out of hand. "That's about it actually. Jeanette is tougher, and cannot refuse a direct order from one of us unless doing so would put us in danger. She also can't lie to any of us. And on that note, hello, I'm still in your arms Jeanette and I still feel terrible."

"Ah, right you are young Miss." She resumed carrying me to my room.

"Wait Min, what about dinner? Jeeves worked very hard on it."

I wasn't hungry. I was too tired and too dizzy to be hungry. "I'll eat it when I wake up Mom, sorry!"

Well, I would unless it was breakfast time and Jeeves made me something else.

Somehow Jeanette opened my door without jarring me - again - and placed me gently on my bed. Some sort of sleight of hand later, and I was under my covers, warming up.

Jeanette shited my hair away so I wouldn't tear it out if I shifted in my sleep, which was a good thing since I really couldn't move very well at the moment. "Thanks."

Her face colored a bit; had I designed that in? "It is I who should be thank you, young Miss. You seem to be stable; sleep well."

She said that like she was leaving! "Will you stay with me? It's what I designed you for, after all."

Jeanette folded her dress under her and settled into my desk chair. "Of course. I believe Jeeves capable of bringing refreshments without my assistance."

"Thanks," I told her.

She picked up one of my books - not the textbooks, but a fiction book filled with magic and wizards and swords, and started reading. "You are quite welcome; but as I said, it is I who should be thanking you, my creator. Please rest now, I will care for you."

I felt as warm within as without as I drifted off.