"This is fan fiction for the Whateley Academy series. It may or may not match the timeline, characters, and continuity, but since it's fan fiction, who cares? To see the canon Whateley Stories, check out Whateley Academy at (http://whateleyacademy.net)"

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the Author, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

Chapter 24

Ed and Sabella had sat to watch the evening news before going off to bed so they could get back to their daughter Helen, who was still in intensive care at the hospital. The doctors had told them that they should amputate the leg, but Sabella refused to listen. This was her daughter, her own flesh and blood they wanted to do that to. Her husband had been more practical telling the doctors to do what they must to save her life before dragging his wife out of the room.

To say Ed was angry was an understatement, he was furious about what happened and he wanted whoever it was that attacked his daughter and her husband to pay. The only leads the police had were the tire tracks and shell casings. The car used in the attack was found not a mile away, gave no clues as it had been set on fire leaving only a burnt metal husk which left the police nothing to go on.

Ed considered himself a good church going man, but in his years he had met many men that were not, many of which held considerable power back in Chicago and a few of those men owed Ed favors. Ed hated himself for what he knew he would do, but one way or another the men that hurt his baby girl would be held accountable. Tomorrow while Sabella is in with Helen, I know exactly who to call, Ed thought to himself. Those monsters won’t get away with it.

Ed was snapped out of his thoughts as the news began showing a video of what appeared to be a protest in front of a hospital. Many of the protesters waving banners that read, “MUTANTS ARE NOT HUMAN!”,“HUMANITY FIRST!”, “CHILD OF SATAN,” and many more colorful and derogatory sayings.

A nice looking blond woman with shoulder length hair held a microphone in front of the camera with the crowd of protesters behind her began speaking with a distinct southern accent, “We’re here at the Grady Burn Center in Atlanta, where just a little while ago a large group of people began forming outside in protest to what we have been told is a mutant that was admitted to the hospital after the mutant caught its own home on fire, killing all the occupants in the house and severely injuring itself. Hospital security has been keeping everyone, including reporters from entering and has refused to make a statement at this time.” The camera swung across the large crowd to show the six large security guards standing in front of the glass entry doors before the camera swung back to the lady reporter.

“While the hospital has refused to release any information, sources have informed us that the mutant has the appearance of a young girl.” She turns her head toward something going on behind her, “Gary, pan the camera, see if we can find out what’s going on?”

The camera panned to the right, it was difficult to see though the crowd but a large black car was making its way through the crowd to the entrance, “It looks like some type of limo is pulling up in front of the hospital doors,” The reporter gave a running commentary, “Is that diplomatic flags on the front? Gary can you zoom in on the flag so we can tell what country it’s from?” The camera zoomed in on a flag, while the whole flag not clearly seen, blue and white horizontal stripes were easily distinguished.

No sooner than the car stopped in front of the doors a large man stepped out of the front passenger door and opened the rear door. At the same time several more large men and a small girl rushed out of the hospital doors, the men shielding her with their own bodies until they had her safely in the back of the car along with the men escorting her. While difficult to get a clear view of the girl, the strange orange red of her eyes stood out to everyone. The first man got back into the front of the car and it sped away.

“That was a Greek flag on that car!” Ed looked over at his wife who was sitting slack jawed at what she had seen on TV, “Isn’t Marie related to some Politician back there?”

Sabella nodded her eyes going wide as she realized exactly what had happened, “That, that girl, it was Kelly, he’s the mutant!”

“Grown men do NOT turn into little girls!” Ed stated.

“I’m going to call Marie!”

“You’ll do no such thing woman!” Ed commanded. “You have your mother’s temper, I’ll not have my wife yelling at one of our friends over the phone. Tomorrow after we have spent some time with Helen at the hospital I will go visit them and put your fears to rest.”

Chapter 25

Kelly had been a lot more tired than she realized and was sound asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow.

Kelly found herself once again on her sailboat, the spinnaker fully into the wind. Kelly found she had to stand in front of the wheel to even come close to reaching the capstan to make adjustments to the sails. “I see you are coming to terms with our new form,” Kelly spun to see her double sitting leisurely along the bench in the cockpit.

“I’m busy here!” Kelly snapped in reply then motioned her head aft of the boat where a much larger sloop was chasing them down.

“They have a faster ship,” Kelly’s double stated, “They will catch us eventually.”

“Not if we get to those islands first!” Kelly pointed to what appeared to be a line of small islands ahead of them.

Kelly’s double contemplated the speed at which the larger ship was over taking them and the distance to the islands, “We won’t make it unless we work together.”

“I don’t want you here and I don’t want your help!”

“Then quit trying to postpone the inevitable and drop the sails!” The double laughed, “With my help we can fight them off!”

Kelly glared at the girl who looked like her, “I told you I don’t want your help!”

“Dear sister, what you want and what you need are two different things!”

“NO!” Kelly screamed.

The double got up and walked up so they stood eye to eye, “Do you know what those men on that ship will do to a young girl like us?” The double screamed into Kelly’s face, “Search our memories, we can feel the darkness of their souls from here! Do you really want to live through what they will do to us?”

Memories flooded into Kelly’s mind, memories that were not from her past, but from a different past, a much longer past. Memories of battles with creatures that made the sickest horror movies seemed tame by comparison and the unspeakable things those monsters did. “Take the wheel!” Kelly shouted as she dove forward and began adjusting the lines, “But I’m the one in charge!”

Her double darted behind the wheel taking control of the steering, “I’m taking us starboard a bit, that line will let us lead them past the sand shoals, where once they see how fast the bottom comes up they will have to drop sails to keep from running aground!”

Kelly nodded, “Exactly what I was thinking!” Noticing that her double seemed to be able to read the wind and the sea as well as she could.

Ten minutes later Kelly’s boat slipped harmlessly over the jagged coral reef that joined the two islands together as the men on board the larger sloop fought to change the course of the larger and deeper riding vessel they had pursued them on. The two girls watched at the larger boat came to a sudden halt as its keel dug into the sandy bottom.

“You see, we do work well together!” The double smiled at Kelly.

“I know who you are,” Kelly stated, “And I know you wanted to kill them.”

“Sister, I have never taken pleasure in ending life, but I do relish the fact that the darkness I remove can never return to lend its evil to the world.”

“It’s still killing.” Kelly argued.

“Are we both not warriors? Have we both not ended life for the greater good?

Chapter 26

Kelly woke to bright light in her eyes. Blinking several times while she brought up a hand to shade her sensitive eyes, she saw Marie standing at the window opening the curtains allowing the sun to enter the room. “You planning on sleeping all day?” Marie joked when she saw Kelly begin to stir.

“What time is it?” Kelly yawned.

“Almost eight A.M.” Marie sat down on the edge of Kelly’s bed, “We made pancakes this morning, Kay is frying the last ones now.”

“I’ll get dressed,” Kelly threw back the covers revealing she had used one of her old tee shirts with a Tampa Bay Buccaneers logo printed on the front, draped her now small body like an oversized dress as she slipped out of bed to her feet, the lower hem of the shirt reaching her knees.

“No need just yet honey,” Marie stated, “it's only family and you are covered far better than your older sisters are at times. We have plenty of time after you eat to get ready.”

“Yes ma’am,” Kelly blushed.

“Mom,” Marie smiled, “something you need to get used to honey.”

“Yes mom,” Kelly grinned.

“I’ll see you downstairs,” Marie smiled as she got up and began to leave the room.

After relieving herself in the bathroom Kelly followed the smell of Marie’s pancakes into the kitchen. Grabbing a mug Kelly poured herself a cup of coffee then piled about half a dozen of the small three to four inch pancakes onto a plate and carried both into the dining room, where Anne and Sarah both sat devouring the plates of pancakes in front of them. Anne was still in a pair of pink and white pajamas that bore the picture of a unicorn on the front while Sarah was wearing a light green sleeveless shift dress.

Placing her mug and plate on the table Kelly sat down then reached for the bottle of honey that sat on the table between her sisters. Covering her pancakes with honey, Kelly picked up the small bowl of crushed walnuts and sprinkled a good helping onto the pancakes before she dug in.

“That’s all you’re going to eat?” Sarah looked at the normal helping on Kelly’s plate.

Looking up from her plate at Sarah, “Yea why?”

“After last night I kinda figured you to eat more is all.”

Marie and Kay walked in at that time, each carrying their own plates of pancakes, “We had a lecture about that in class,” Kay explained, “When a mutant goes through their manifestation, it takes a lot of energy so for some time after they eat a lot more than normal.”

“I’m glad that’s over then!” Kelly looked across the table at Kay as she sat down, “If I had to eat like that all the time we may as well get a sign to hang around my neck that reads mutant in big bold letters.”

“It’s not that bad,” Marie sat down beside Kelly at the table, “and with your looks people around here will easily accept you.”

“Because I’m a little girl now,” Kelly groaned.

“No honey,” Marie corrected, “Because you look like one of us. I think after some time people will forget you were not born my daughter.”

“Yea you definitely look like one of the family,” Kay winked at Kelly, “little sister.”

“Sister?” Anne’s eyes lit up and a huge smile crossed her face, “You’re going to be my sister now?”

Marie nodded, “Yes honey, Kelly is your sister now.”

“Awesome!” Anne bubbled with glee.

Kelly having finished her pancakes lifted the plate to her mouth with one hand and began raking the stray pieces of walnuts into her mouth with her fork. Anne began giggling at the sight.

“Young women do not eat like that,” Marie smiled at Kelly, “You need to start acting like the young lady you appear to be, not like some barbarian.”

“Yes Mom,” Kelly remembered just in time not to call her Marie.

“Okay girls, Anne you and Kelly need to get upstairs and get dressed so we can get moving.” Marie looked at both girls, “Don’t get your hair wet, we don’t have time this morning. That means use shower caps girls! I’ll lay out an outfit on your beds for you to put on.” Marie shouted as both girls were going up the stairs, “Kelly don’t forget your contacts!”

Chapter 27

Kelly came out of the shower to find Marie had laid out the clothes on her bed. Allowing the towel to drop to the floor, Kelly picked up the white cotton panties that lay on top and slipped them on. Picking up the training bra Kelly noticed it was like the one Marie had helped her put on the day before and thought, At least it doesn’t fasten in the back like real ones do! Slipping it over her head Kelly managed to get it in place, covering her small and very sensitive breasts. After taking the time to adjust it where the strange piece of clothing felt the most comfortable Kelly looked down at her chest sighing heavily at the sight of her breasts, “God!” She mumbled under her breath, “This makes them look twice as big.”

Looking over at the last piece of clothing Marie had laid out for her a shiver ran up Kelly’s spine, another dress, of course it had to be a dress. I know Marie’s intentions are for the best, but why can’t she let me get used to this gradually? Having known Marie for too many years, Kelly knew whatever Marie’s reasons if nothing else Marie was practical and if asked she would have a logical explanation that Kelly would eventually have to agree with.

Picking the dress up from the bed, *At least I like the colors,* Kelly thought The red and orange colored roses while only managing to take up less than half of the floral pattern sharply contrasted to the material’s white background and the small amount of green from the short stems of the roses giving the illusion that the dress was predominately red and orange. The large scooping neckline and the even larger scooping back would make the dress easy to get on and off, At least that’s a plus. Kelly thought as she inspected what she would be wearing, I don’t know what I would do if Marie had given me one with one of those damn zippered backs.

Slipping the dress over her head, Kelly put it on then turned to look at herself in the mirror, her eyes going wide at the sight of her reflection. Kelly’s hands quickly grabbed the hem of the dress and tried pulling the mid-thigh length hem further down. Dammit, the tee shirt I wore to bed covered more than this thing does. Marie can’t expect me to wear this out in public!

Turning to leave her room so she could go speak with Marie, Kelly stopped. Knowing that the only way to convince Marie she would need to be fully dressed. Sitting down in the bed, Kelly put on the low one inch heeled sandals that Marie had left out for her, then stood and fastened the belt that was made into the dress.

Kelly was halfway to the door when there was a light knock on the door before it opened just enough for Sarah to poke her head in, “You decent?” Noticing that Kelly was dressed Sarah opened the door and entered, “Mom asked me to help you with your hair.”

“What’s wrong with my hair now?”

“You haven’t even taken the braid out yet, or brushed it!” Sarah snickered, “Sit down on the bench and I’ll help you get ready.”

Kelly was about to argue about the length of her dress but noticed that the hem of Sarah’s dress fell almost exactly the same as the one Kelly was wearing, “Aren’t these a bit too short for us?” Pointing out the length of both their dresses.

Sarah looked down at her own dress cocking her head to the side as she looked back to Kelly, “You have a lot to learn about style! This is what all the girls are wearing. If we wore knee or calf length other girls would think we are some kind of freaks.”

“I feel naked!” Kelly whined.

“You’ll appreciate how much cooler it is once we are outside, and since Mom is taking us shopping, it’s a lot easier to get on and off in a changing room than pants and a top.”

“I figured Marie had to have a reason, other than embarrassing me.”

“Mom,” Sarah corrected.

“Yea Mom,” Kelly giggled, “That is going to as much to get used to as wearing this stuff!”

“Don’t worry little sister,” Sarah giggled, as she removed the elastic that held Kelly’s hair in a braid and began removing the braid while pushing Kelly toward the bench, “I’ll make sure you don’t become an outcast at school. But you have to do your part, which means watching what I’m doing so you can learn to do it yourself.”

“I was never popular in school the first time around,” Kelly stated.

“Yes I’ve heard the stories.” Sarah giggled, “This time you won’t get away with beating up all the bullies and making them scared of you.”

“I never started any of those fight!” Kelly countered.

“Hey we got bullies at our school too,” Sarah put in, “I know how they are!” Sarah thought to herself, Girl do I ever know how they are! But I cannot let Kelly know about how they treat me or she would go ape-shit on them! No she can never find out, even as small as she is now, Kelly still knows all that kung fu stuff and would end up in trouble. And if anyone ever found out about Kelly… Thank god most of those jerks are going to high school this year. Quickly changing the subject, “I’m hoping Poppa and Daddy get your birthday so that we can be in the same class. I’m only starting the eighth grade this year because my birthday is so late. If yours is close enough we could be in the same grade.”

“Oh so I see your logic,” Kelly grinned at the reflection of Sarah in the mirror, “You want me to help you with your homework!”

Sarah put on her best look of shock as she looked at Kelly’s reflection, then quickly stuck her tongue out at Kelly, “I made the honor roll last year! If anyone is going to need help it will be you!” Kelly watched in silence, trying to learn what Sarah was showing her with her hair as she quickly braided what Sarah called a fishtail braid into one side of Kelly’s hair, then moved on to the other side.

“I’d have you do this side,” Sarah commented, “But I know Mom wants to get going soon, maybe later I can sit with you and help you practice.”

Kelly was holding the long braid in front of her so that she could inspect it better, while still watching what Sarah was doing with the other side, “I didn’t know you could braid anything with only two strands?”

Sarah’s fingers were flying along in Kelly’s hair as she braided it, “Since you're always pulling a small bit of hair from one of the strands, you’re still using three to make the braid, it’s just a different way that I like the looks of better.”

“It does look pretty neat this way,” Kelly said softly.

“Okay done!” Sarah chimed as she put the elastic in the pig tail, “Now stand up and let me even them out.” Kelly stood facing Sarah while Sarah eyed both pigtails pulling on each in different spots to make them look the same. “Okay now look,” Turning Kelly by the shoulder so she could see her reflection in the mirror.

“Uh wow, that’s me?” Kelly stood looking at her reflection. “Oh crap, I need to put in my contacts!”

Sarah began giggling, “Probably a good idea miss demon eyes.”

Sitting back down, Kelly pulled the white case over from the edge of the vanity, opened it and pushed the start button.

“Neat!” Sarah said from behind her, “What’s all the dials for?”

“I’m not sure what they all do, but there are directions there,” Kelly pointed to the inside of the lid. “I know it can make different colors and shades but I have left it where Larry set everything so it always makes the same ones for me.”

“That is so cool,” Sarah looked dreamily at the gadget, “Do you think we could make me some green ones?”

“I’m sure it can, but it can only make about a dozen before it has to be refilled. And once I take them out I am supposed to throw them away and not reuse them.”

“We should write down what you need for refilling it so Mom can pick it up while we are out today.” Sarah advised, “There are some pads of paper and pencils in the top right drawer you can write everything down with.”

Kelly reached into the drawer pulling out a steno pad and a pen and did just that.

Chapter 28

Kelly stopped abruptly coming down the stairs, causing Sarah to run into her, as she recognized Helen’s father Ed, sitting on the sofa talking the Marie. Both Ed and Marie looked up at the sudden noise spotting the two girls on the stairs. Too late to turn and hide Kelly continued down the steps into the living room.

“Hi Mr. Poulos!” Sarah walked out from behind Kelly smiling.

“Hello Sarah,” Ed’s face was as cold as stone as he looked over to where Kelly had stopped at the foot of the stairs, “Hello Kelly.”

OH SHIT HE KNOWS! Kelly was frozen with fear, her mind racing trying to decided what she should do, on the verge of, of… NO! Kelly screamed in her mind, I will not jump, I will not jump! She repeated over and over in her mind, trying to stop herself as she felt the world around her begin to turn slightly red as a three dimensional construct of the house slowly began to form in her mind, slowly growing outward encompassing more of the house, the garage, and outside. As Kelly fought to control the urge to flee the image in her mind began shrinking down until finally the colors returned to everything and the inner image was gone.

Marie saw how Kelly’s image began to ever so slightly blur and take on a red tint, “Kelly don’t you dare!” Marie hoped that the girl would pay attention, “Ed is here as a friend.” Looking at Sarah then patting the cushion on the loveseat Marie was sitting on, “Sarah, please bring your sister over here before she falls down honey.”

Sarah led Kelly by the arm over to her mother. Marie put her arm around Kelly once she had sat down, “Are you okay honey?” Kelly nodded, refusing to look up at Ed who sat across from her on the sofa.

“I didn’t come to judge you Kelly,” Ed began. “If anything I should be thanking you for saving Helen. The police told me that you carried her out of there while being burned by the flames yourself. I saw the pictures of what it did to you, I cannot image how much pain you suffered to get Helen out of there.”

Kelly looked up and began to say something. Ed quickly raised his hand stopping her, “We saw you leave the hospital on the news last night. Honestly if it had not been for the diplomatic car you left in neither Sabella or I would have made the connection.” Kelly’s eyes went wide at that revelation.

“Now, don’t worry,” Ed stated, “Only a very few know who Marie’s father is, and I’m sure they are all people she trusts. And your eyes look nothing like they did on the news.”

“Contacts,” Marie smiled down at the girl she held.

“Good thinking, having the double wear them.” Ed agreed.

“Um no,” Kelly said softly, “I’m wearing them now.”

“Oh, I see.” Ed stated, “Okay well, the big reason I came by was to find out the truth, honestly I thought you might be in Greece by now for what I saw on the news. That and to let you know how Helen’s doing.”

“How is she?” Kelly leaned almost out of the seat toward Ed, “Can I see her?”

“She is still in intensive care,” Ed looked sadly down, “They are only allowing immediate family in, and sorry to say this, but you don’t look like immediate family anymore.” Ed sighed, “Sabella is afraid that if Helen finds out what has happened to you, she could lose hope, I’m sorry to say that I agree with her on this. Helen is not in good shape, the doctors say the bullet is in a very bad location near her spine.”

Ed could see tears streaming down Kelly’s cheeks before she lowered her head. “Sabella is not as accepting of mutants as I am. So I am not going to tell her you are here, she can continue thinking you left for Greece. But I will promise to keep you updated on how Helen’s doing.”

“Thank you,” Kelly sniffed back the tears, “I, I wouldn’t want me, what I am now…” Kelly’s sobs grew louder, “To hurt, Helen.” Marie pulled Kelly close letting her cry into her shoulder.

Ed stood up, his own eyes becoming moist at the thought of how much his words had hurt the small girl, “I, I should get going.” As he walked toward the door, “I’ll call if there is any change.” Yes it may be his son in law in the body of the little girl, but none the less the small child was crying and it was his fault. If it wasn’t for the shock that it could put Helen, Ed though, I would march that girl straight into Helen’s room right now, and to hell with the hospital policies! It’s apparent whatever happened that changed Kelly, he or she still loves Helen deeply. Shaking his head as he pulled out of the driveway, Why did he have to turn into a pretty little girl? It would have been so much easier had his mutation turned him into some hideous monster, anything but what he is now.

Chapter 29

Once Marie had calmed Kelly down, she led the girl by the hand upstairs where Marie could change her blouse, it having absorbed most of Kelly’s tears, and so that Kelly could make another set of contacts to replace the one that she had lost while crying into Marie’s shoulder.

Piling all the girls into the minivan Marie began their mission to shop. After leaving the third store Kelly asked from where she sat in the rear most seat in the van, “Mom why are we stopping at all these little stores when we could grab everything at G-Mart?”

“G-mart?” Marie sounded offended, “Why I wouldn’t give those Goodkind’s a single red cent of my money for any reason! Buying from them is the same as funding terrorist like Humanity First and those hate monger power suit drivers that call themselves Knights of whatever they are. They are no more Knights than I am the Pope! And even if it wasn’t for that, that big name one stop shopping warehouse of theirs has destroyed more small businesses than you can imagine.”

“I heard that they have some sort of scanner they want to put at the entrances of their stores that will detect mutants as they walk in!” Kay added.

“Yet another reason to avoid that store!” Marie commented, “I have no idea if that’s true or not, and we are not going to find out.”

“Yea, staying away from that place sounds like a good plan if they do have some kind of scanners like that,” Kelly agreed.

“Okay we are going to stop by a friend’s home, she is a seamstress and quite possibly the best there is. She only going to need Kelly’s measurements so if you girls want, Kay can drive you down for some ice cream or something.”

“Are we going to Miss Cristina’s Mom?” Anne asked.

“Yes honey that’s where we are going.” Marie answered.

Anne was all but bouncing out of her seat, “Mom, can she make me some more nighties?” Turning around so she could face Kelly in the back, “She makes the bestest, softest nighties in the world.”

“What about you Sarah?” Marie asked.

“Um, well the ones I have are getting a bit tight.” Sara shyly looked down at her blossoming breasts.

“Okay we all go in then,” Marie grinned into the rear view mirror at the girls in back. Both Anne and Sarah were smiling.

Eventually Marie pulled into a long private drive that had a gate across the entrance. Just before the gate was a speaker with a call button that Marie pulled up to and pushed.

“Hello Marie!” A woman’s voice came over the speaker, “I’ll open the gate, Christina is expecting you.”

“Hi Sharon,” Marie spoke at the speaker, “How have things been?”

As the gate began sliding open, “Oh things are normal around here, as usual it’s all I can do to make Cristina stop and rest! Thank god she loves playing that Violin of hers almost as much as she loves making clothes or I would never get her to stop working.”

Seeing that the gate had finished opening, “We are on our way up, see you in a few.” Marie put the minivan into drive and went up the paved drive. The trees were large with limbs covered in Spanish moss that grew over the road making it seem like they were driving in a tunnel. Close to a half a mile in the trees thinned out to expose a large beautifully landscaped lawn that surrounded a very large two story home with four large columns equally spaced along the front. The drive circled up to a wide stone staircase that led up to very large double doors in the center of the house.

Before Marie could get everyone out of the van Sharon came out of the house and was most of the way down the steps to greet them. “Hi Marie, Kay, Anne, Sarah!” Looking at Kelly as she exited the Van, “And you must be Kelly! Marie said she had a new daughter that would need Christina’s special touch with some clothing. She didn’t tell me how pretty you were.”

Kelly felt her face getting warm, looking down she tried to hide the fact that she was blushing. Seeing Kelly blush Sharon walked straight over to Kelly, “Oh and shy too! Christina is just going to adore you! Let’s get you all inside so Christina can greet you.” Sharon gently pulled Kelly along with her as she went back up the steps and inside the large house.

Beautiful music filled the air as Sharon ushered them through the foyer into the living room. “Is that Miss Christine playing?” Kelly asked.

Sharon nodded, “She loves playing.”

Kelly found herself standing there, letting the music flow over and through her. It was the most relaxing thing she had felt since the attack. Closing her eyes Kelly imagined the music that surrounded her was Helen’s arms, loving arms that Kelly would do anything for. It isn’t fair! her mind screamed, We love each other, I love her more than anything and I can’t even see her! I can’t tell her I’m still here, that I still love her. Kelly did not recognize the song but she did recognize the one that followed it. A single tear ran down her cheek as she silently mouthed the words;

Tears began rolling down Kelly’s cheeks, unable to even think about anything but the song and what it meant, how true the words of that song were to her now. Helen and I have no future now, no matter how much it hurts, I have to do just like the song and let her go. It’ll be better if Helen doesn’t know, if she thinks I’m dead.

“It’s okay honey, it’s okay,” Kelly could hear Marie’s soothing words over and over. Kelly had no idea how she got there, but found herself on the couch nestled between Marie and Kay, both holding her. Sarah and Anne were kneeling on the floor, worried. Sharon and another woman stood behind them. “I know it hurts honey, just let it out, we are here for you. We’ll always be here for you.”

“I’m so sorry,” The woman that Kelly had not met yet apologized, “I didn’t know my playing would bring you to tears child.”

“It, it was beautiful,” Kelly looked up at the very tall black woman while sniffing back the tears, “It reminded me of someone.”

“Helen?” The woman said, “You kept saying her name while you were crying.”

“I, I’m sorry,” Kelly apologized.

“No need child, I can only imagine how hard it can be on a changeling.” The woman stated.

Kelly’s eyes went wide as she looked up to the very tall black woman, “You know? How?”

“I’m a mutant too, if you haven’t noticed yet?” The woman laughed, “Although I’m a bit more obvious than you are,” Waving her hand down her body.

Kelly followed her hand gesture and froze when she realized the reason the woman was so tall was that her body stopped at the waist and from there down and back was a giant hairy brown spider. Exactly how you would imagine a centaur but instead of a horse body her body was that of a spider.

“It’s alright honey, Christine is a very good friend of your father and I,” Marie stated.

“So you are adopting her?” Christine asked.

“Jake should be home today with all the legal paperwork completed.” Marie warmly smiled at Kelly.

“Well with a name like Kelly Kontos I do hope your middle name doesn’t begin with a K?” Christine chuckled at her own joke. Kelly shook her head. “Good!” Christine laughed, “Because there is no way me or any other black woman would ever monogram those initials into anything!”

Kelly cringed, finally getting the joke, “I’ I don’t think I would want those initials either.” A giggled escaped her.

“Ahh good, I finally saw you smile!” Christine grinned, “Although it wasn’t much of one. We’re going to have to see about a better one.” Reaching a hand down for Kelly to take, “Come with me, I know how to bring that smile out!”

Kelly looked over to see Marie nod her approval before reaching up and taking Christine’s hand. Christine led Kelly out of the room.

Chapter 30

“I still think is funny that she never once asked me what I liked or didn’t.” Kelly argued from where she sat now in the van.

“Honey don’t fret Christine knows what you’ll like,” Marie confided.

“But how?” Kelly fretted, “She never said anything after she took my measurements. She just stood there watching me look though those clothing books.”

“I think she has some psychic ability to know what you like when you see it or something like that,” Kay tried to explain. “I don’t think she has ever made something for someone that they did not love.”

“Kay is correct honey,” Marie added, “It has something to do with Christine’s powers. You will love everything she makes for you. Now what’s everyone want for lunch?”

From the very back where Anne was now sitting, she yelled, “Pizza!”

Kay turned around to look at her youngest sister, “That’s all you ever want Anne!”

“But it’s good!” Anne argued, “And everyone likes pizza!”

“She’s got you there,” Marie chuckled.

Kelly had thought the shopping was over when they piled back into the minivan after leaving the pizza place, but found out how wrong she was when Marie pulled into the parking lot of University Mall. The next several hours she spent being drug from one store to another as Sarah, Anne and Kelly were told to try on different dresses, tops and pants while Marie and Kay waited outside the changing rooms to inspect the outfits they tried on. Kelly quickly came to appreciate how easy the dress she had worn was to get on and off, had she dressed in jeans and a tee shirt like she had first planned, she would have been forced to spend a lot more time in the changing rooms.

Walking through the mall Anne suddenly stated, “I need to go to the bathroom.”

“Kelly would you go with your sister to the bathroom please,” Marie asked. Kelly looked up at Marie questioningly. Before Kelly could speak Marie explained, “There are way too many low-life’s around to take chances honey, a young lady should never be out somewhere by herself.”

Anne quickly took Kelly’s hand and pulled her toward a hallway between two storefronts that had a sign above it stating, ‘restrooms.’ Once in the long deserted hallway Anne’s pace slowed and her grip on Kelly’s hand tightened. The hallway made a quick left then another right, Kelly assumed this was probably too obscure any mall workers from being seen using the hallway although she immediately realized how some undesirable could easily hide and wait for an unsuspecting victim in the deserted hallway.

Anne held tightly to Kelly’s hand until they were both in the women’s restroom and had determined no one else was there before she let go and darted into a stall. Deciding to go now, rather than make the long trip back to the restroom, Kelly stepped into another stall.

Leaving the restroom Anne suddenly stepped behind Kelly, grabbing onto Kelly by the back of her dress nearly stopping Kelly in her tracks, when the two spotted three boys around Kelly’s age or slightly older standing in the hall near the restrooms.

One of the boys was facing in their direction waved shyly, “Hi.”

Kelly looked over at him as she was attempting to extract Anne out from behind her so they could get back to the rest of their family, “Um, hi.” Finally getting Anne to release her hold and take her hand, Anne began pulling Kelly away from the boys.

As they walked away Kelly heard another of the boys say, “You see a pretty girl and all you can do it say, ‘Hi,’ and turn all red faced?”

“Knock it off Danny,” Kelly heard another speak, “You know how Tommy gets around pretty girls.”

Kelly felt her own face become very warm, when she heard the one say she was pretty. Kelly felt butterflies in her stomach, What is wrong with me? I, I don’t want to be pretty! I don’t want to be a girl! Kelly allowed Anne to lead her by the hand, not paying attention to where they were going as her own situation bore the forefront of her mind, Get used to it, you are girl now! Kelly thought, Whether I like it or not, guys see a pretty girl when they look at me! Kelly sighed heavily as the two exited the narrow hallway back into the main part of the mall.

Kay stood up from the bench she had sat down on to wait for them. Marie and Sarah were nowhere to be seen. Kay led them into a department store where they found Marie who immediately handed Kelly several outfits and then pointed at the changing rooms. In the changing room Kelly noticed the outfits she was given appeared to be school uniforms, quickly changing into the first one she hoped that this meant their shopping was almost done. Six outfits later she came out in her original dress, “Are we going to go home sometime today?” She asked Marie.

“Just one more stop honey,” Marie grinned. “You need shoes. You can’t keep borrowing your sister’s.”

Kelly sighed knowing Marie was right, “Then can we go home?”

“Yes honey, then we can go home.”

The shoe store was only a couple stores down, once in Marie picked out and handed Kelly a box containing classic patent leather flats with the buckled strap. “You’ve got to be kidding?” Kelly commented while holding up one of the shoes.

Sarah turned to see what Kelly was talking about, saw the shoe in her hand and giggled. “We have to have them for school silly, it’s part of our uniform!”

A sales lady walked up to them right at that moment, “Can I help you find anything?”

“Do you have these in steel toe?” Kelly grinned. Kelly ignored the glare Marie gave her.

“Steel toe?” The sales woman asked, “Why would you want steel toed shoes?”

“For those times when saying ‘NO’ the first time doesn’t work.” Kelly’s grin widened. Anne and Sarah began giggling, even Kay found herself snickering as she remembered all the dirty fighting tricks Kelly had shown her over the years. The sales woman even chuckled at Kelly’s joke.

“Kelly!” Marie warned.

“Hey they’re practical,” Kelly giggled.

Reaching into a shopping bag that she was carrying, Marie pulled out a pack of ankle shocks, opened it and handed Kelly one pair from the package, “Put these on so you can try on the shoes.”

Kelly did as she was told, then before she could put her sandals back on Sarah handed her a pair of gym shoes, after the gym shoes came another pair, then another and another. Kelly’s hopes of quickly grabbing a couple pairs of shoes and leaving soon turned into yet another bout of endlessly trying on different shoes, some Marie put back on the shelf while many were carried to the counter as she tried on something else. Looking at the ever increasing size of the stack that Marie was making by the cash register Kelly finally turned to Marie, “How many pairs of shoes do you think I need?”

It was after five P.M. when the minivan finally pulled into the garage, the space behind the rear most seat stuffed high with shopping bags, along with the rear most seat and floor between it and the center seat, where the three younger girls had been forced to sit together to make room for the shopping bags.

Kelly waited while Marie and her sisters grabbed what they could carry before approaching the open rear hatch of the van to grab the bags containing her things. Threading her hands through all her bags, Kelly glanced at the closed garage door, then over at the door that led into the house. Watching Kay disappear through the door, Kelly grinned as she closed her eyes, releasing her power.

Kelly could see Anne walking up the stairs inside the house, followed closely by Sarah, then Marie and finally Kay. Beyond that she could see inside all the bedrooms even though the doors were closed. It was as if she were could see everywhere in the house at the same time from every possible angle. Focusing on her own bedroom, Kelly willed herself there with all the shopping bags she was holding onto.

Opening her eyes, a large smile washed across Kelly’s face as she realized she was able to teleport all the shopping bags with her without a single problem. Sitting the shopping bags down on her bed Kelly thought,Now that is a handy power.

Kelly was working on removing tags when Sarah walked in through the bathroom they shared, “Want some help sis?” Sarah asked before noticing that all Kelly’s bags were already in her room. “How’d you get everything up here in one trip?”

Kelly grinned as she reached over threading her hand through several of the full bags before teleporting to the other side of the room with the bags.

“That is so cool!” Sarah giggled.

“Yea now if I only knew where am I going to put all this stuff so I can find it?” Kelly whined, “I swear this is more clothes than I have ever owned at one time! And ten pairs of shoes? Who needs that many?”

“Ten? That’s just a start.” Sarah giggled, “Most girls would feel underprivileged with so few!”

“It was a lot easier when all I needed was cargo pants, polo shirts and three pairs of shoes.”

Sarah sat down beside Kelly on the bed and gave her sister a hug, “Being a girl has its benefits too, you just haven’t seen that side yet. And you have the greatest big sister any girl could dream of!”

Kelly, realizing Sarah was talking about herself looked up at Sarah grinning, “You’re right, Kay is a pretty cool sister.”

Sarah playfully slapped Kelly on the leg as both began giggling, “Oh that’s mean!”

Kelly looked into Sarah’s eyes, “You know I love you too.”

“I love you to little sister.” Sarah grinned mischievously at Kelly before standing up, “How about we get all this stuff put away.”

Sarah seemed to take great joy in explaining the how and why of arranging Kelly’s new clothes in what she thought of as a logical order in the dresser and in Kelly’s closet. How one top could be used with several bottoms or how several tops could be used with one skirt to make a variety of outfits that all looked different and how Sarah put them in the closet to make it easier to pick out an outfit easier.

Kelly dreaded the thought of having to learn these things but with the situation she was now in, listened with care since learning how to dress and act like the girl she was now would be an important part of her life. Sarah could and probably would have spent all evening teaching Kelly about the do’s and dont’s of dressing as a girl but Kelly was saved when Marie called everyone down to dinner.

At dinner Anne and Sarah were their normal talkative selves, although Kelly thought that Michael was unusually quiet during dinner. Kelly figured that was probably due to the conversation being dominated by topics that most guys would have done their best to stay out of anyway. If she had not been the center of the conversation she would have loved to sit on the quietly on the sidelines herself. The way Michael quickly left the table when he was finished without a word, told Kelly there was something else bothering the boy.

Kelly knew that something was her, she was no longer the man that Michael has idolized in his childhood, the man that Michael had done his best to emulate as he grew into the young man he was now. Kelly needed to talk to him, get him to stop holding back whatever feelings he had bottled up inside himself. Pushing her chair back Kelly began to get up from the table.

“Where are you going?” Marie interrupted her thoughts of Michael.

“I…” Kelly glanced at the door Michael had walked out while searching for a response.

“Have you been listening?” Marie asked.

“Sorry,” Kelly sat back down, “my mind was elsewhere.”

“That is exactly what I was talking about.” Marie continued, “If we are going to pull this off, you must start acting and talking your age.”

“But I’m —”

Marie held up her hand silencing Kelly’s rebuttal, “You are now an eleven year old girl and people will expect you to act like one.” Kelly nodded lowering her gaze to the table, knowing Marie was right. “I can only imagine what you are going through, but remember we are here for you, you are and have always been part of this family. We all love you very much.” Kelly looked up to see everyone at the table nodding and smiling at her.

“What may be even harder,” Marie explained, “you need to get used to people treating you like a young girl. Your father and I could get arrested just for leaving you home alone now. So everyone in this family needs, no must, treat you like an eleven year old girl.”

Marie reached across to Kelly, gently cradling her chin with her hand, pulling Kelly’s face so they were looking into each other’s eyes. “As much as it hurts me to say this, Kelly Michael Lekka is gone.” Marie hold became more solid on Kelly’s chin as Kelly tried to avert her eyes. Marie could see Kelly’s eyes watering up, “But everything he was,” Marie reached over with her free hand tapping a finger on Kelly’s temple, “Is right here, inside my beautiful daughter.”

A tear ran down Marie’s cheek. “When you were hurt I prayed, I begged, god not to take you away from us. God found a way, it may not have been what any of us expected, but you are still here with us and for that I thank the good lord with all my heart.”

Chapter 31

Kelly woke feeling something long and hairy across her face, Damn cat! she thought as she reached up to move the cat’s tail off her face. Kelly sat bolt upright in bed when she realized it wasn’t a cat, they didn’t even have a cat. Looking down Kelly spotted the long braided pony tail draping over her right shoulder and down across the pink silky nightgown Marie had insisted she wear to bed instead of one of her old tee shirts like she had the night before.

Swinging her legs over the edge of the bed while tossing the covers back out of the way, Kelly sat on the edge of the bed, her toes just barely touch touching the floor. Looking over at the digital clock on the bedside table it read “5:53am.” Kelly though, At least something is starting to go back to normal!

Kelly had never been one to sleep in late, too many years in the military had put her in the habit of becoming an early riser. Walking over to the bathroom that she shared with Sarah, the bathroom having a door on two sides, one opening into Sarah’s room while the other into Kelly’s room. Kelly wasn’t worried about walking in on Sarah as Sarah had always slept until her mother came in to wake her.

Back in her room, Kelly figured since she had woken up at what she thought of as a normal time, she would work on getting back into what used to be her normal morning routine. Locating a pair of tights in her dresser one of the very few items Marie allowed her to get that were actually colored in a camo pattern of white gray and black.

Kelly would have preferred a pair of sweatpants, but Marie had vetoed the purchase of any of those for now, explaining to Kelly that she needed to get used to dressing in feminine clothing and becoming comfortable in them and the only way that would happen is by doing it. Slipping on the tights, then a black tank top that she was told was a perfect fit even though she thought it was too tight. Kelly sat on the bench at her vanity and put on a pair of ankle socks and then the pastel purple tennis shoes with pink soles that Sarah insisted were the style and color all girls wanted.

Looking down at herself Kelly felt like a clown with all the colors. Looking up into the mirror behind her vanity as she began taking the braid out of her hair, she saw anything but a clown. Staring back at her was a very pretty young girl, the girl was dressed like many girls her age Kelly had seen, including Anne and Sarah. The only thing she found unusual was the strange orange-red color of her irises.

Glancing over at the white plastic case on the vanity, I’ll take care of that once I get my hair brushed out, A small smile spread across Kelly’s face, only to turn into a frown when she realized she was thinking of herself looking like a normal girl. Normal yes, but why did I have to change into a girl?

After brushing her hair out Kelly looked carefully at herself in the mirror and decided she would need it up but did not want to take the time to try anything as complicated as braiding it. Walking into her closet Kelly found she was too short to reach one of the ball caps on the top shelf above the hanging clothes. Looking around there was nothing to stand on inside the closet. Standing on her toes, Kelly stretched trying to reach the cap, she was close, but still unable to grab the cap off the shelf. It’s so close! Maybe if I jump? She thought.

Looking around as if someone could have been watching her in her own bedroom Kelly realized how stupid that idea was. All she had to do what hit her arm on the way down, or twist an ankle or even fall wrong and she would wake up the whole house. I’ll ask Marie, I mean mom, to buy a step stool for the closet. Kelly thought to herself as she walked back out into her room and sat down to put her hair up into a ponytail with one of the many elastics Marie had picked up for her. Taking care of her hair, Kelly made a pair of contacts, put them in then went downstairs.

In the kitchen Kelly found someone had already made a pot of coffee, but Marie was nowhere in sight. Looking out through the window to the backyard while pouring herself a cup, she saw Michael dressed in a pair of gray sweatpants and tee shirt going through his Tai Chi forms. Taking a sip of the hot beverage, Kelly walked outside sitting the cup down on the patio table where Michael had sat his own cup of coffee. Walking out in the grass Kelly took position about five feet to Michael’s left and began mimicking his moves.

“What are you doing?” Michael sounded annoyed at the interruption.

“Same thing you’re doing,” Kelly grinned, “Morning exercises.”

“Why?”

“This is one of the few things I have left,” Kelly stopped then faced Michael, “I, I want something, anything I can get to return to normal. You know this was, is normal for me.”

Michael stopped facing Kelly, staring down at her, You are not my uncle Kelly! Kelly was a man I looked up to. A real man!, “You’re a little girl!”

Kelly shook her head, “Do you think I like looking like this? I wish I was still the same person, I wake up every morning hoping it was all a bad dream! But God, fate or whatever force is to blame for this, did not ask my opinion. I am stuck like this whether I like it or not!”

“How can you be sure!” Michael was all but screaming, “You haven’t tried anything!”

“What the hell do you want me to try?” Kelly could see that Michael was boiling over with anger and needed to relieve some of the pressure before he blew up at the wrong person. “Want me to walk through a burning building again? That didn’t work out so well for me the last time!”

Michael stepped closer, his fists balled up in rage, “Don’t you ever talk about what happened to Kelly like that again! If you weren’t a girl…”

“What you’ll hit me?” Kelly goaded, “What? You think just because I’m a girl you can actually land a punch on me now? Come on give it a try!”

Michael took a half step back lowering his head but not his anger, “Dad, dad would kill me if I hit a girl.”

He has to let this anger go, Kelly thought to herself as she worked on Michael, I know it’s about me, he needs to take his anger out now before it starts driving a wedge between himself and everyone! Kelly took a step toward Michael, “Go ahead say it! Say I let you down! Tell me I’m a disappointment! Tell me you want me to leave!”

Kelly watched as tears began to fall from Michael’s face, raising his fists he screamed, “NO!” Dropping his hands to his sides Michael’s whole body began to shiver as he dropped to his knees on the grass, “You, you’re going to hate me,” he sobbed.

Kelly dropped to her knees in front of Michael putting one of her small hands on his shoulder, “I could never hate you Michael.”

“It’s my fault,” He sniffed between sobs.

“What’s your fault?”

“I, I told dad about that devise they had at the burn center in Georgia,” Michael sniffed back tears, “I was so worried you were going to die. I found out about it on the net and, and I thought maybe it could save you.”

“Michael look at me.” Kelly moved her hand from his shoulder to his chin pulling his face up so he had to look at her. Once she was looking into his eyes, “Michael, that man that ran that machine saved my life.”

“But, look at what it did to you!”

“I think we can agree that it beats the alternative,” Kelly grinned, not sure how she felt about being a kid again, little less a girl but knowing without a doubt that anything was better than dead.

Michael let out a nervous chuckle, “I, I guess so. But I still feel that it’s my fault.”

“Michael if you hadn’t found out about that, and get them to send me there I would be dead.” Kelly explained, “So if you did anything, you helped to save me.” Kelly leaned forward wrapping her small arms around Michael into a hug, whispering into his ear, “Thank you.”

“But you’re a girl now.”

“That I blame on fate,” Kelly pulled back to look into his eyes, “and you know what I say about fate.”

“Michael began to grin, “She’s a royal bitch that loves screwing with people.”

“Exactly!” Kelly smiled, “Now you want to finish our forms or grab some coffee first?”

“I think I could use a cup of coffee,” Michael smiled helping Kelly to her feet as he rose up on his own.

The two grabbed the coffee cups they had left on the patio table before entering the house into the kitchen. “You two get your issues worked out?” Marie was standing at the kitchen counter sipping on a cup of coffee as they walked in.

Reaching out Marie took Michael’s cup from him and poured the cold coffee into the sink before refilling his cup and handing it back. Reaching out once more she took Kelly’s cup poured its contents into the sink, “You do realize that you are too young for coffee now,” Marie’s face showed no expression.

“You’ve got to be kidding?” Kelly quipped, “Marie you know I need my morning coffee!”

“That’s Mom remember?” Marie’s stoic expression failing as she began to grin at the young girl.

“But—”

“Hey like you said,” Michael grinned sheepishly, “It’s better than the alternative.”

“I don’t know,” Kelly frowned, “Turning into a girl is one thing, but no coffee?”

“I’m kidding honey,” Marie finally refilling the cup and handing it back to Kelly, “although you really do need to cut back on the amount you used to drink. People would wonder about a young girl that walks around with a cup of coffee at all hours of the day.”

Kelly nodded, “Yea that would look pretty strange.”

Walking over to the refrigerator, “Kelly I’m going to start breakfast, Will you please go wake up your sisters.”

“Uh sure… Mom,” emphasizing the last word, Kelly walked over beside Marie and pulled a bottle of water from out of the refrigerator before turning to walk out of the kitchen grinning.

“Leave the bottle of ice cold water here please,” Marie ordered.

Kelly sat the bottle on the table, “You take all fun out of it!” She said as she walked out the doorway.

“If I hear any blood curdling screams you will be doing dishes for a week young lady!” Marie shouted after her.