Tracy thought about her situation for a moment, then looked at her friends. “Sage, can I talk to you and Rachel for a moment.”

“Sure, what's up?” Rachel asked.

“Alone? Please?” Tracy asked as she stood up.”

The other two girls followed her to her chair, then they wheeled her to the hall. “What's up?”

“You really think that they won’t mind about me?” Tracy's voice dropped to a whisper.

“Tracy, they won’t care. You should tell them, just because it'll help you relax.” Sage replied, just as quietly.

“You think so?”

“Yes. And if you want, we'll be right there with you.” Rachel said, smiling at her.

“Okay. Let's do it.” Tracy said, then she let them push her back into the living room.

A big thank you to Djkauf for the Editing.

Nothing too Earth shattering this time, just fun with the girls.

December 17th 1982
Livermore CA

Tracy was loving life. She was inside Rachel's house for a second time to have a sleepover with the girls. The week had already been planned in advance for her. Three bigger sleepovers were planned. One at Rachel’s, one at Brooke's and one at Sage's. Then there were two nights that she would spend with Stacey and her sister Casey, then a night with Brooke and one with Sage.

The living room of Rachel's house was littered with sleeping bags, pillows, soda cans, six girls and two wheelchairs. Rachel's sister Jamie was off on a ski trip with friends, so it left the house all to the six girls. Each of the girls had already put on their pajamas and were sitting at a card table playing Monopoly, while MTV played in the background. It had only been a short while since they had left the restaurant, but the girls changed quickly, so they could get to the fun part of the night.

Tracy had yet to tell the girls her secret, and she was still a bit worried about letting them in on it. A part of her felt bad for not telling them. In a sense she was lying to them. She knew it could be a lot worse if they found out on their own. But she was afraid to lose her friends so soon after getting more of them.

“So...” She started, wanting to test the waters. She knew that they were all aware of Sage, so she wanted to know how they treated her when they first met her. “How did you all meet?”

Sage chuckled. “Well, you know how Rachel and I met. Casey and Stacey are my cousins and I've known them all my life. I introduced them to Rachel when I was in the first grade.”

“I knew Sage from kindergarten, but I was mean back then. I was a total spoiled brat.” Brooke said. “One day I found out she was dressed as a boy and I teased her about it. I made fun of her for two years.”

“Really? Then how did you become friends?” Tracy asked, now more worried about Brooke hating her if she came out to them.

“I got into the accident that put me here.” Brooke replied. “I was miserable when I first was in this damn chair. The more I was in it, the more I hated it. I lost all of my friends that I had, just because I wasn't whole anymore. Both my leg and my spine are toast.” She pulled back a blanket and let Tracy see her left leg missing from just below the knee. She did her best not to cry, but a hand wiped at the tears that were about to form. She put the blanket back over her leg and continued her story. “I got worse. I hated everyone. Then Sage came back into my life.”

“Oh, that's when she became your friend?” Tracy asked.

“No. I was even worse to her. I started calling her an 'it', just because she couldn't make up her mind if she was a boy or a girl. I never bothered to see the Sage underneath.” Brooke sniffled and backed her chair up. “I'll be right back.” She said as she began wheeling out of the living-room. Stacey got up to follow her.

“Give her a minute.” Sage said to her cousin. Then she looked to Tracy. “I saw her being all miserable and feeling sorry for herself, so I went to talk to her. For a month straight I'd try to talk to her and she'd insult me. I'd go home and cry to my mom and she'd tell me to follow my heart. She said that if I felt I had to talk to Brooke, if I felt she really needed my friendship, that I would find a way. But every time I got near her, Brooke had started yelling and swearing at me when I approached her and then she started to tell everyone I was a boy in a dress.” Sage began to sniffle and tears formed in her eye.

Rachel handed her a box of Kleenex and looked to Tracy. “I wasn't in their school at the time. I moved near Sage a while later. But I heard her on the phone, or when we'd hang out, talking about Brooke. I told her to just let it drop, that she wasn't worth the trouble.”

“And she didn't.” Tracy answered.

“No, she kept pushing.” Rachel replied.

“About six months or so after her accident, I came up to her again and she started yelling and screaming and insults, so I lost it” More tears raced down her cheek and Sage stood up an walked out of the room, going the opposite way from Brooke.

It was quiet for several minutes, just the sounds of sniffling could be heard from either room, then Tracy looked at each of the doorways that both girls had gone through, then at Rachel. “Should we go talk to them?” She asked.

“Let them be.” Rachel replied. “They get this way when they talk about it. I think the insults hurt Sage more then she wants to admit and Brooke hates who she used to be.”

“That's true. I was pretty stuck up at the time.” Brooke's voice answered from the doorway. “I was a bitch. I took that one big thing about her and used it against her. And I was wrong.” She rolled herself into the doorway and stopped at the card-table. She took a deep breath before she continued the story. “One day in October I was at a mostly empty park. When I saw Sage coming, I started to throw the usual insults towards her and Sage just snapped. She said...what was that.....” Brooke lost in thought for a moment, then Sage's voice cut in.

“You no good little bitch. I may have extra parts, but I can get them removed.” Sage stepped into the room and kept her gaze on the floor. “But at least I'm not a friendless freak in a wheelchair who'll never walk again.” She sniffled again.

“I was there for that one.” Rachel stated. “We had just moved to this house a month earlier and I had just started school with them. Hell I tried with Sage to befriend Brooke, but she attacked my weight as well. I remember watching Sage lose her cool and scream, then she looked at Brooke and said. 'At least I am trying to be a friend. I know how it is when people attack you for no reason at all.'”

Sage nodded and Brooke did too. Rachel continued. “Sage stormed off and I walked over to Brooke. I was ready to pull her from that chair and beat the tar out of her. I remember grabbing her shirt and lifting her forward and screaming in her face. 'Look, you no good jerk, she's just trying to be a friend when you needed one. We've been nothing but nice to you because we want to and you treat us like crap. She's just trying to be a friend you no good, legless freak. Maybe you should just die and make the world a better place.'” As she said it, Rachel dipped her head in shame.

“The two of them were so pissed, but they hit on something that had gone through my mind. When I first got told I'd never walk again, I felt crushed. My mother and grandparents had me in classes for tap and ballet. Preforming was going to be my life.” Brooke's tears returned, but she continued. “I went home and crawled up the stairs to my room and sat at the window thinking how sucky my life was. Then I looked out to see my old friends, playing in the street and laughing. They saw me, but none of them ever talked to me anymore.”

“At school the next week, Sage and I were just sitting outside, having lunch when Brooke rolled up and apologized.” Rachel stated. “We were stunned at first, and she rolled off, but before she could get too far, we stopped her. It took a few months, but we became great friends. That was over three years ago.”

Brooke looked right at Tracy. When she spoke her tone was almost hallow and lifeless. “It's a good thing they caught up to me. I was going to go home and kill myself that day. But they offered to let me hang out with them. So I said yes.”

“No you didn't.” Sage said, hugging Brooke. “You said no and we made you come over.”

“Wow.” Tracy said.

A new video broke the tension in the room and Rachel turned to see the Go-Go's on the screen. “I love this song!”

“I saw this twice when I was in the hospital last week.” Tracy said.

“What did those ass-holes do to you?” Brooke asked her. “I know you got hurt and something about stitches, but what did they do?”

“They....um.” Tracy wasn't sure what they knew, or what she could tell them. “they beat me up.”

“Ah. Must have been bad.” Brooke said.

Tracy thought about her situation for a moment, then looked at her friends. “Sage, can I talk to you and Rachel for a moment.”

“Sure, what's up?” Rachel asked.

“Alone? Please?” Tracy asked as she stood up.”

The other two girls followed her to her chair, then they wheeled her to the hall. “What's up?”

“You really think that they won’t mind about me?” Tracy's voice dropped to a whisper.

“Tracy, they won’t care. You should tell them, just because it'll help you relax.” Sage replied, just as quietly.

“You think so?”

“Yes. And if you want, we'll be right there with you.” Rachel said, smiling at her.

“Okay. Let's do it.” Tracy said, then she let them push her back into the living room.

She noticed that Stacey and Casey were busying signing to each other and Brooke looked at Sage and smiled. “She's catching her sister up on what we talked about.”

“Cool.” Sage replied, then squeezed Tracy's shoulders, bent down and whispered. “Go for it, we're right here with you.”

Tracy's stomach began to fill with butterflies and the feeling that she was going to puke came on strong. Brooke noticed and leaned over. “Hey. You okay?”

Tracy didn't answer, but Rachel leaned down and whispered. “You want us to tell them?”

“Please.” She whispered back. They needed to know, at least she thought they did, but she didn't have it in her to tell them.

“Hey, Tracy has something she wants to share with you guys, but she's scared.” Rachel stated, catching Stacey's attention. Sage began to translate for her cousin.

“What is it?” Brooke asked. “We're all friends here, right?”

Rachel looked to Tracy and put a hand on her shoulder. “You sure?” She didn't verbally reply, but she gave a slight nod. Her gaze fell to her lap. “Can I tell them everything? Including the attack?” Tracy nodded again, and tears fell into her lap

Before she continued, Rachel bent down and kissed Tracy's cheek. As she stood up, she noticed all eyes were on her. “Tracy isn't what she seems. I've known her since she was about six. But I didn't know her as Tracy. Back then she was Troy. She was born male.” Tracy didn't look up, but the room had gone quiet. Rachel continued. “She felt you needed to know, because you're spending the night with her.”

“So she's like Sage?” Brooke asked."I would have never guessed."

“No. She's different.” Rachel replied. “Sage has both sets of parts. Tracy has a boy's body, but the mind of a girl. You've all seen her so far tonight, she's not a boy in a skirt. She's a girl, her body just isn't right. And that's why she's afraid.”

Brooke rolled closer and put a hand on Tracy's knee. “Hey. I'm cool with Sage, so don't worry about me making fun of you. You say you’re a girl, that's all I need.”

Stacey got up and moved to the front of the wheelchair and dropped to her knees. “We're okay with Sage, we'll be just fine with you.”

Casey got up and was still signing with Sage. She stopped by the wheelchair and smiled at Tracy, before putting a hand on her good hand. Sage tapped Tracy's shoulder. “Casey said that she doesn't care. If I trust you, that's all she needs.”

“There is more.” Rachel said. This caused all the girls but Casey to look up. Sage got her attention and began translating as Rachel spoke.

“She came here after Thanksgiving. She got suspended from school for fighting. It wasn't a fight, but you know school rules. She found a kid stealing in a class and him and a friend tried to beat her up on school grounds. I had heard about Tracy though my Aunt and knew that she finally made a choice. See I had talked to her years ago when she said she was a girl and I messed it up there. After hanging out with us, she went home. I sent a lot of my older clothes with her. One day she was walking around in a skirt that I had sent down, on her parent's property and she was found by the kid that she caught stealing. From what I've heard, he was going to beat her up for telling on him. But when he saw the skirt, he tried something different.” She looked at each girl for a moment. “He tried to rape her.” There was a gasp from Stacey and Brooke.

Tracy began to cry as she recalled that day. Rachel put a hand on her shoulder and squeezed. “She managed to get loose, but they chased her and attacked her. They destroyed her...her testicle” Rachel's cheeks turned a bright red, but she continued. “broke a couple of ribs and sprained her wrist. The doctors had to remove the damaged...um...boy part. Last week, some asshole tripped her and she tore the stitches out.”

Tracy had begun to sob and Sage stopped her translation and pulled Tracy out of the room, leaving Stacey to continue translating the story. Sage stopped at a bathroom and she had Tracy get out of her chair. “Come on, let's clean you up.”

~o~O~o~

December 18th 1982

It was just around three AM when the scream shattered the peaceful slumber party. Tracy woke up, thrashing about in her sleeping bag. Sage and Rachel had started the evening near her, just in case this had happened. Rachel, being the bigger of the two, lay over her legs, to keep her from pulling out more stitches, then Sage lay against her and began talking to her. “Wake up, Tracy.”

When she noticed that Tracy had awakened, she opened the side of the sleeping bag slightly and slid in, wrapping her arms around her friend. Rachel slowly got up as Stacey and Brooke began looking at them. There was running down the hall and a hand slapped the light, temporally blinding all six girls. Rachel put a hand over her eyes and waited for them to get used to the light. She saw her Dad standing over them, concern on his face. “What happened?”

“She had her nightmare.” Rachel replied. Maggie had taken the time to explain to all the parents about her nightmares, so he nodded and went over to the girl.

“You okay, little lady?” He asked.

Tracy kept her back to Sage and just nodded. “Yeah. Sorry I woke you.”

“Don't be sorry, sweetheart.” He stood up and Brooke tugged at his ankle.

“Hey, while you’re here, could I get a lift to the bathroom?”

“Sure thing.” He smiled and lifted her up and into his arms.

As they left, Stacey moved over to them. “What's her nightmare about?”

Rachel didn't speak aloud, she just mouthed the words, “Bruce. Rape.”

Stacey nodded and sat down Indian style. “Anything we can do?”

“I'm doing it.” Sage replied. “Holding her till she feels better and falls asleep.” Inside the sleeping bag, Tracy had buried her head and was weeping.

“I got an idea.” Rachel said and she began to open up the sleeping bag all the way. She uncovered Sage and Tracy, then she moved to Sage's sleeping bag and opened that up and placed it over both girls.

Stacey watched Rachel work and let out a shriek when a hand touched her shoulder. She turned to see her sister looking at her, then she pointed to the other girls and began signing. Stacey moved to where she could reply to her sister.

“Tracy?” Stacey put a hand on her shoulder. “Casey says she’s sorry you have bad dreams.”

Between the tears, Tracy whispered out. “Thank you.”

Rachel held up one corner of the sleeping bag on Tracy's other side. “Space for one more.” She said gesturing to the open space. The two sisters looked at each other, Stacey quickly signing to her sister. Then Casey went over and slid under the covers. Sage moved Tracy over to get her backside under the sleeping bag.

“Come on, Tracy. You're with friends now. Nothing will hurt you tonight.” Sage said softly to her friend as she brushed some of the hair back from her eyes. “No one is going to get you here.”

~o~O~o~

The morning came and Tracy found herself still being held on both sides. She opened her eyes to see the white stripe in Casey's hair. She turned her head just enough to see Stacey behind her now.

Casey gave a groan and her eyes opened. She smiled at Tracy, then sat up and slid out from under the sleeping bag. Tracy rolled over and seen that Stacey was looking at her.

“Hey, you feeling better?” Stacey asked.

“A little.” Tracy replied.

“Good. Rachel's mom is making breakfast. Brooke and Rachel got up with Sage a little bit ago.” Stacey said as she slid out from under the covers. “Come on, I think the downstairs bathroom is open if you need it.” She offered a hand to Tracy.

As Tracy stood up, she looked to her wheelchair, then decided to just walk to the bathroom. She was halfway out of the living room when she heard Sage's voice call out to her. “This better count as one of your walks for the day.”

“Yes, mother.” Tracy grumbled.

Sage walked out of the kitchen and went over to her. “Tracy, I am not your mother, but I don't want to see you in the hospital. We have you for a week and I promised that we'd watch you, or we don't get to see you at all during the summer.”

“Who...who made you promise that?”

“Your mother and father.” Sage replied.

“Oh.” Tracy answered. Her parents had used that argument already, so she decided to be a good little girl at that point. They would have two months of fun if they could plan it right.

“We've been thinking of some plans that include you for the summer. Hell, we're thinking of stuff for Easter vacation, too. Don't make us lose you for that.” Sage replied, sadness in her eyes.

Tracy didn't know about the plans, not yet at least. But she did know that she wanted in on them. “Okay, I'll be good.”

“Go on. Breakfast will be ready soon, then you can hit the showers.” Sage said as she went back to the kitchen.

~o~O~o~

An hour later, Tracy found herself at the kitchen table with Sage, Rachel, Brooke and Stacey. Casey was in the shower. Tracy sat back in her seat, glad it wasn't the wheelchair. “So, what are we doing today?”

“Well tonight you're at my place.” Sage replied. “Everyone has something going on either tomorrow or tonight.”

“I've got church tomorrow and we're seeing my Dad's grandparent's tonight. But you get me Sunday night.” Rachel said.

“Casey and I are going to my Dad's family's house. But we'll see you tomorrow night too.” Stacey stated before taking a drink of orange juice.

“I've got a game tonight.” Brooke replied.

“A game? What do you play?” Tracy asked. She hadn't figured that Brooke didn't do much more then sit in the chair and hang with friends.

“Basketball.”

“You can....” Tracy blinked a couple of times. “You can play basketball? I thought you couldn't walk?”

“I can't, but there is a youth wheelchair basketball league. I'm a part of that.” Brooke smiled. “I also fence and I'm a good shot with a rifle. I want to get into archery too.”

“You can do all that?” Tracy was stunned.

Brooke nodded. “Remember what I said on the phone the first time we talked? Don't make the wheelchair your identity?” Tracy thought about it and nodded. “Well, when I couldn't walk I thought that all I'd be was this pitiful girl in the chair, then someone took me to a wheelchair basketball game.”

“Your mother?” Tracy guessed.

“Nope, Sage.” Brooke replied and Sage smiled. “She found a lot of sports that people in wheelchairs could do. I can't dance anymore, but I have other skills. I'm pretty wicked at fencing and I'm center for my basketball team.”

“Cool.” Tracy said.

Casey walked into the kitchen, her hair wrapped into a towel. She pointed to Sage, then pointed up. Sage got up and went to the living room and grabbed a bag. Stacey looked to Tracy shrugged. “Trust me, I'd love for you to hang out with us tonight, but the parents said no.”

“What do you do?” Stacey asked Tracy.

“I like to cook. I also do Tai Chi. I want to learn Wing Chun too. Other than that I read.” Tracy said with a shrug. “I'm not a big athlete.”

“That's a lie.” Brooke replied. “Kung Fu is like a sport, too. Don't think you're not an athlete.”

“But I'm nothing like you.” Tracy stated.

“True, but if we were all alike, this could be a boring friendship.” Brooke smiled at her.

A moment later there was the sound of the shower from upstairs. Rachel leaned across the table an dropped her voice. “Okay, I know they know, but Monday, we're planning a birthday party for Sage. Just thought you'd want to know. Her real birthday is
Tuesday, but she's going to be with family. I have something going on, so you'll be with Brooke on Tuesday.”

“Oh. Cool.” Tracy replied, and she looked to the table and began thinking.

“What's wrong?” Rachel asked.

“I didn't know. I didn't get her anything.” Tracy stated.

“Oh. Well, we're hitting the mall on Sunday. We can get something then.” Rachel sat back in her seat.

“Good.” Tracy replied. She didn't have a lot of money, but Sage had been there for her so far. “I may need help in picking something out.”

“We can do that.” Rachel said with a nod. From upstairs they heard the shower stop. “But don't say a word to her. We want to make her think we forgot.”

“I'll try.” Tracy replied.

~o~O~o~

That afternoon Sage pushed Tracy down the sidewalk to her house. The rest of the girls had taken off with their families. “Well, what do you think of them?”

“They're all cool.” Tracy replied.

“I thought you'd think so.” Sage was quiet for a moment as she headed into the trailer park she lived in. It was a cooler day and both girls had on windbreakers as they made their way to Sage's house. They reached the house and Tracy got out of the chair and made her way up the steps. “Go ahead and go in.”

Tracy stepped in and watched as Sage folded up the wheelchair and pulled it up the steps. She went in and was greeted by Persephone. “Hello, young lady.”

“Hello.” Tracy smiled at her.

“You feeling better yet?” Persephone led her to the kitchen as Sage came into the house.

“A little. I'm still a bit sore down there.” Tracy replied.

“Yeah, that's to be expected. Have a seat.” Persephone went to the fridge as Tracy took a seat. “You thirsty? Hungry maybe?”

“Could I have a soda?” Tracy asked.

“Only a clear soda.” Persephone replied. “Your mother already let us know about your diet restrictions.”

“Awwww.” Tracy grumbled. “I just want a grape soda.”

“Next week.” Persephone stated. “Then you can have what you want.”

Sage pushed the wheelchair into the kitchen and opened it up. “Hey Mom.”

“Baby. You got a plan for tonight?” Her mother asked.

“Just hanging out. Maybe a board game? Something that Romy can play with too?” Sage shrugged as she pulled out a chair and sat down.

“That sounds good. Your brother is out of town with your father for the night. So it's just us girls.”

“Groovy.” Sage smiled brightly. “This is gonna be fun.”

~o~O~o~

It was growing late when Sage carried her younger sister to bed. All three had changed into pajamas early in the evening. Tracy slowly walked behind them. She sat on Sage's bed as her friend tucked the young girl into bed.

Sage placed a stuffed bear into her sisters arms, then went and sat down next to Tracy. “Well, she's out fast.” Tracy said as the little girl began to snore.

“Yeah.” Sage said. “So, you want a sleeping bag? Or you just wanna share my bed?”

Tracy felt a little odd about sharing someone's bed. But the past few times that she had bad dreams, she had felt better when someone held her. So she took a wild leap of faith. She was hoping that having someone hold her would keep the bad dreams away.

“Could I share with you?” She asked, blushing as she said it. “Please?”

Sage pulled her into a hug. “Of course you can.”

“Thank you Sage.” Tracy said as she leaned into the hug.

There's more to come with Tracy's visit to the Bay area, stay turned next time for fun at the mall.