Link: The Wisher's Paradox Title Page and Description

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"Wait a minute." David interjected with a puzzled look. "You propose we have this girl's DNA tested to see if she's our daughter to prove that she's actually Walt turned into a girl by an angel?"

"Exactly." George shrugged. "Think about it. If by some miracle your son was transformed into your daughter, she should still have your DNA, right? Alright, not the same DNA that Walt had, but even angels have to obey the rules of biochemistry! She had to give Christina someone's DNA! Why not her own parents?"

"You have nothing to lose and everything to gain by it!" Linda pointed out.

"Mother? Daddy?" Christina pleaded. "Please? If it doesn't work, I'll turn myself in to the FBI. I really won't have anywhere else to go if this doesn't work." Seeing their look of surprise at knowing they were talking to the FBI, she sighed sadly. "I... I was outside in the bushes last night when they left. I know they're looking for me because they think I know how to lead them to... um... well... me."

Ruth turned to look at David, hope in her eyes for the first time since her child disappeared. "What do you think, David?"

Pursing his lips, David tried to figure out if there was some way this could be a trick, but came up blank. "OK. It seems to be a fair test, if she's willing." Looking at the girl claiming to be his daughter, he sighed. "It's better than doing nothing."

"There's a downside." George pointed out. Seeing them turn with looks of concern, he laid it out plainly. "If it proves she's your daughter, you'll have some explaining to do to the authorities. Christina said you told them she wasn't. I don't know what can be done about that. Claim temporary insanity over Walt's disappearance? The DNA evidence will be irrefutable, though."

Suddenly, an idea sprang into Kathy's mind. "Hey! I know what they can do! Say that Christina is Walt's twin and that she's been away... um... with her grandparents, maybe? The ones that live in Boston?"

Thinking it over, David sighed. "That's no good. Even if the test proves she's our daughter, there's no explanation why she doesn't have a birth record. Or a school record... or why nobody has ever heard of her before."

Ruth looked at the defeated expression on Christina's face and recognized it. That's Walt's disappointed face! Stepping up to the girl, she sank down to her knees and turned Christina to face her, the woman's eyes wide and searching. "Walt? Is that really you? Is this what you really wanted?"

Smiling weakly, Christina nodded. "For as long as I can remember, Mother! I... I wish I could take it back, though! I never wanted to hurt anyone, and I ended up hurting everyone! Even myself! I'm sorry! I wish you could have the boy you want back!" Tears were spilling down her cheeks as she finished.

Embracing the girl, Ruth felt the weight of the last day evaporate in a flash. "Oh, Walter! It really is you, isn't it?" Tears once more shed from her eyes, this time in joy. "Oh, baby! I just want you back! I don't care what you look like! Boy or girl, I just couldn't stand not having you!"

Coming up behind Ruth, David took a knee and looked at the child holding his wife. Seeing the way the girl cried into her shoulder sent his memory back several years to a day Christina had come home from school. Some of the boys had been picking on her for not being tough because she wouldn't fight, even though she was already bigger than all the other second graders and many of the older boys. It was the next day that he'd started teaching her self-defense. For the first time, he saw 'Walt' in the girl, but he needed more than just his gut feeling. The tests will prove it, one way or another.

Going to his phone, David did a few searches while Ruth and Christina just held each other. Seeing what he was looking for, he grimaced. "Problem."

Letting go of her child, Ruth looked up at him. "What is it, David?"

"It says here that for a DNA test to be legally recognized, you have to give proof of the child's identity at time of testing... a photo ID, birth certificate, or Social Security card. Otherwise the results can be disputed."

Scoffing, Ruth looked at Christina happily. "I don't need the test, David! She's my baby! I know it!"

"Actually, you do need the tests." George pointed out. "The whole idea is to use the test results to get her a birth record. See, in order for Christina to get a birth certificate, which you need for things like school, you'll need to apply to the Office of Vital Records for one... and be rejected."

"Rejected?" Ruth puzzled. "Why apply to get rejected?"

"Because then you can file with the courts to have Vital Records issue her a delayed birth certificate." George explained. "Until they reject the request, the court won't accept a petition to do so. Once they reject the request, you can file for a court order, using the DNA evidence to prove that she's your daughter, and then Vital Records has to issue one."

"Isn't that a little... crazy?" Ruth asked.

"Crazier than Christina changing into a girl overnight?" he retorted.

"Good point." she admitted.

"Anyway, what Dave found throws a wrinkle in it. No DNA test, no proof, no birth certificate, no school, no jobs later, and so on. The downside is that if you do get the test done, you might get hit with not putting her in school or not having an affidavit of intent to home-school on file. This isn't going to be easy."

Looking worried, Ruth sat in the chair next to her daughter. "It's starting to sound like it would be easier to get her a fake ID."

George shrugged. "Not my call. All I can tell you is what I know. I'm not a lawyer. I just work for Vital Records as a Database Administrator." Seeing the look in the woman's eyes, George shook his head. "No. Linda already asked me to fake a birth certificate for Christina. I could go to prison if I got caught. I won't do that to my family. It wouldn't matter if I were willing to, though. Christina already said no to it."

Looking to his daughter, David nodded. "That sounds like Walt."

"Christina." Kathy corrected him, looking at the faint smile on the girl's face for backing up her change of name.

"Sounds like you're starting to believe." George smiled at him. "Don't feel too bad. It took me a while too, and I had these two working on me!" he quipped, pointing a thumb at his wife and daughter.

Shaking his head, David looked down at Christina who just looked up at him plaintively. "Let's just say I'm willing to be objective about the idea." he smiled down at her. "We'll see." Looking back at his phone, he noticed an option he hadn't considered. "Huh. Well, it won't help with the legal issues, but it'll sure settle the question as far as I'm concerned."

"What's that, David?" Ruth asked curiously.

"This place has a home DNA test kit. You swab the cheek of each person you want to test for parentage, send it in, and get an answer in five days." Tapping a few times, David sighed. "Well, it's an option, at least."

Looking to her mother, Christina asked, "What do I do until then?"

"You stay with us." Ruth smiled. "I don't need the test. I can feel it's you!"

"It may be the better way to start." George pointed out. "You can say that Christina came back and agreed to a DNA test to prove she's your daughter, then claim that you found out she is your daughter, as impossible as that seems." Pausing, he looked over at Ruth. "Who delivered Christina?"

"Doctor Young." she shrugged. "Ironic, since he was sixty-five at the time!"

"Is he still alive, do you know?" George continued his line of questioning.

"I heard he had a heart attack shortly after Walt... I mean... Christina... was born." Ruth answered, looking at her daughter with a pained expression.

"Well, you could always claim that Christina was Walt's fraternal twin that you were told was stillborn. Then it's all on a dead doctor. Could still get sticky with no Fetal Death Certificate, though. You'd have to blame that on him, too. Say that he told you he'd take care of it." Turning to Christina, he gave her a serious look. "This would mean you'd have to lie, sweetie. The authorities would be sure to ask you where you've been all this time... who raised you... where you went to school... and you'd have to say that you can't remember and stick to that story."

"What about the fact that she's been claiming to be Walt?" David wondered as he sat at the table. "I mean, that's bound to raise some eyebrows."

Considering the question, they all sat silently a moment until Christina spoke. "I was always called Walt, even though I'm a girl. The people that raised me were nice, but treated me like a boy. I found out my parents were Ruth and David Cocoran and was brought here. I don't know where I was before waking up in Walt's bed. I've never been to school. I don't know anything else." Christina stated to the surprise of everyone.

Seeing them all staring at her in shock, she shrugged. "Well? It's not a lie! I was called Walt, I am a girl, you two were always nice, I was treated like a boy, I must've figured out you were my parents at some point in time, Lisbeth brought my new body here, and I have no idea where it was before that. I don't know anything before waking up in my old bed and I've never been to school before because I'm Christina now and Christina didn't exist before yesterday... not this body, anyway. It's just like when you used to ask me if I was a girl and I could truthfully say no... because technically I wasn't. See? Not a lie!"

Her parents stared at their daughter in amazement while she made it sound like she was raised by people who'd abducted her, using nothing but the truth.

"You're gonna be a lawyer when you grow up!" David stated with a smile. "Just promise me you'll use your insidious powers for good and not evil!"

Making the five others seated around the table laugh, Christina blushed and looked away shyly. "Is... is it wrong to say that?"

His laughter diminishing, George shook his head. "There is no real wrong here in dealing with this situation the best and only honest way you can. If anything, you saying all that, and sticking to it, means you might be able to pull this off while being totally honest about it... all without getting locked up in the nearest psychiatric ward!"

Stepping outside a moment, needing a break from the heady conversation, David looked up at the sky. Is all this possible? he wondered. I mean, if my son was always a girl inside, and an angel of God turned his body into a girl, then that means God wanted him to be a girl... so why not just give us a girl? Why put us through all this? Dismissing the thought, he resolved to wait until they could get proof before tackling the bigger questions. With a deep breath, he turned and headed back inside.

"George!" Ruth shouted. "We can't do it until we get the test results back! They'll take her away! I just got her back!"

"Ruth!" he snapped. "You have to! If you don't, it'll look suspicious!"

"I don't care!" she retorted. "I won't lose her again!"

"Woah!" David interceded. "What's all this about?" Looking around quickly, he noticed the children weren't anywhere in sight. "Where are the kids?"

"In Christina's room." Linda explained. "George was just explaining that you two are going to have to call the FBI soon, today in fact, and tell them that Christina's here or else it'll look suspicious. Ruth doesn't want to."

"I won't do it, David!" she growled. "I won't lose her again! Not this soon!"

Trying to calm her down, David put his hands on her shoulders, only for her to shrug them off. Backing away, he sighed. "They're right, honey. You know they are. We need to call Agent Stewart right away or else we might get in even more trouble than we probably already will!"

"No, David!" Linda insisted. "They'll take her away!"

"Not forever!" he pointed out. "At least you'll know where she is and that she's safe! Can't that be enough for now, honey?"

Fuming, Ruth crossed her arms. "But why? Why do we have to tell them now? Why can't we wait until next week when we get the test results that proves she's my daughter?"

"What do we tell them when we do call them?" David queried. "If we tell them next week that she came here today and we did the test, what do we tell them when they ask why we didn't call as soon as she got here?"

"We can tell them we were waiting for the test results!" she insisted.

"That doesn't explain why we didn't contact them about their lead witness in Walt's disappearance!" her husband stated.

"Walt's not missing!" Ruth countered. "She's in her room!"

"You're forgetting that to the rest of the world, Christina isn't Walt, Ruth." Linda reminded her. "She needs to be Walt's fraternal twin as far as anyone else is concerned. That still leaves Walt missing. They'd want to know why you didn't report seeing Christina."

Shaking her head, trying to clear it, Ruth couldn't think straight. "I... I know that we have to pretend all this, but..." Turning to face Linda, she approached her. "If Kathy had been missing for over a day, and you got her back, could you let her go again so soon?"

Thinking about it, Linda shook her head. "No, I guess I couldn't." Searching for a solution, she brightened after a moment. "I have an idea!"

Agent Lyle Stewart climbed out of the car and groaned. He'd spent the last several hours trying to make something out of the samples the hospital had taken when Christina had been in custody. The photos and video had failed to match with any reported missing juvenile in the NCIC.

On a hunch, he'd had the evidence reviewed and had finally turned something useful. While Agent Richard Kent, his partner, was interviewing witnesses from the hospital, he got the call from David Cocoran and left for their home. Knocking on the door, he didn't have to wait long.

David opened the door and waved the FBI agent in. "Come in! We have some information about Christina!"

Looking around the room, nothing much seemed different, though when he saw Ruth Cocoran, he noticed she was not nearly as distraught as before. "Good. So do I."

Handing the FBI agent a letter, the agent began reading it but didn't get far before Ruth came up to him.

"Christina might actually be our daughter, Agent Stewart." she admitted.

Pursing his lips, he nodded. "I know."

Her face turning quizzical, she was at a loss. "What? How did you know?"

Sitting on their couch, he waited for the two parents to likewise sit down. "I was hitting a dead end on the evidence we got from the hospital, so I had it compared to everyone involved. One of our sketch artists noticed that she shared a remarkable resemblance to both you and your husband. So I had her do an age advancement on Christina. It turns out she'll probably look a lot like you do now in about thirty years, Mrs. Cocoran."

David breathed out heavily. "So then... what the note says may be true."

Skimming the childish handwriting quickly, Lyle nodded. "It would fit the facts, and explain a lot of things... her insistence that she was both your daughter... and named Walt, to start with. Did you do what the letter said?"

Shaking her head, Ruth looked at David. "We were thinking about getting one of those home DNA kits, but it takes days to get the results."

"We could pay extra to get a rush job." David noted. "We should know by Friday if we do it today."

"You'd be wasting your money, Mr. Cocoran." Lyle half-smiled. "Good thing you called me right away! Once I suspected that Christina was related to you, I had her DNA sample that the hospital took compared to the ones that you two supplied to me yesterday." Pausing, he looked at the two. "She is your daughter. No doubt."

Breathing a sigh of relief, Ruth turned to her husband who looked stunned. "I... I knew. I didn't need the proof, I just knew."

"Are you certain?" David asked. "I mean, how is that possible?"

"I have a theory." the agent opined. "It's a little out there, but it's the only thing that fits all the facts." Holding up the letter, he took a plastic bag out of his pocket and slid it inside. "It goes along with what the letter says, too. Walt had a fraternal twin sister. The only problem with that is that you've never mentioned it, and there's no record of her anywhere in any system."

"I... I had a daughter when Walt was born, Agent Stewart." Ruth answered honestly as Christina had asked her to do. "She didn't get a chance to live. At least, that's what we were told."

"Really?" he asked skeptically. "There's no record of that either. I looked. I also looked up your doctor. He died shortly after Walt and Christina were born, but there was something unusual about his estate. Probate court records show that ten thousand dollars in small bills was found in a safe in his home after his death. Could be he just kept it as emergency cash, some people do, but there were no large withdrawals to match it. It was never explained."

Seeing their shock, he nodded and smiled. "I suspect that your daughter was abducted by your doctor and then sold on the black market. Then he goes and dies before he gets them their faked birth certificate. Because the people who bought your daughter didn't have any documentation, they likely either got her a fake ID or they just never enrolled her in school. Doctor Young didn't file her death record because there was no body and the fact was quietly lost. It happens."

"So now what?" David inquired carefully. "What does this have to do with... um... Walt's disappearance?"

"I further suspect that your son was abducted by the same people, and that Christina was left behind as some sort of sick 'exchange' because they wanted a boy and not a girl, which explains why this Christina says she was called Walt. When we find her, we might be able to get enough information from her to track them down and get your son back!"

Clearing her throat, Ruth nervously asked, "What happens with Christina, though? I mean, we do get her, don't we? She's my baby, Agent Stewart! I can't lose her again!"

Furrowing his brow, he shook his head. "Well, she'll be in FBI custody while we question her. After that, well... the issue is that you have no legal proof she's your daughter... other than our DNA test. You'd need to go to court to obtain custody. She'll be remanded to Arizona DCS in the mean time."

"But why?" Ruth cried. "She's my daughter! You said so yourself!"

Thinking a moment, Lyle smiled again. "You could petition DCS to place her in your custody while waiting for your court date. The DNA evidence we'll give them and your stable home life should work to your advantage, but in the end it's their call... not mine." he explained. "Now, about this letter. I'll have it analyzed to see if we can get a clue as to where she is. The sooner we find her, the sooner we find Walt!"

"Thank you, Agent Stewart." David sighed. "What do we do now?"

"Do you have some vacation time saved up?" he asked. "Now might be a good time to take it. You'll need to stay available."

"I think I'll start looking for a good lawyer." David mused out loud. "It seems once Christina's found, we're going to want to get the wheels rolling right away. I don't want my daughter trapped in some foster home for a few years the way I've heard some kids end up. She's already spent enough time living a lie." At that he glanced over at Ruth who looked away ashamedly.

Getting up, Lyle shook David's hand. "I think things are starting to gel here, Mr. Cocoran! Call immediately if you have any contact with Christina! Walt's life may depend on it!"

Heading back to his field office, Lyle showed the letter to his partner before he turned it over to the Questioned Documents division.

"What do you think, Rich?" he asked. "It fits."

Nodding, his partner sighed. "Obviously a child's handwriting, either that or an uneducated adult. Let's see... 'Dear Mom and Dad, This is Christina, the girl that woke up in your son's bed. I was raised by two people who called me Walt growing up and treated me like a boy. They were never mean. I learned that you are my parents. I was brought to your house and Walt was taken away. I know you can use DNA to prove that I am your daughter. I got a Q-tip and put it in my cheek and taped it to the bottom of the paper.' Hmm! Smart kid!" he offered, noticing the swab at the bottom.

Reading the paper through the plastic was difficult, but he pressed forward. "Where was I? Oh! 'I have never been to school and don't know where I was before I was brought to you. No one ever told me. I knew I was really a girl, so I called myself Christina. I hope you will too. I am sorry Walt was taken away from you, but I want to be your daughter. I only ran away because I was scared. Signed, Christina Joy Cocoran' Wow! That's pretty heavy, Lyle! Poor kid!"

"Yeah." Lyle agreed. "Seem a little convenient? I mean, here we have this bizarre child abduction where another kid gets left in their place, with apparently no motive, and now this letter ties it all up nice and neat. DNA proves she's their daughter, then the deal with their doctor. Doesn't it all just seem a little... I don't know... easy? I don't like it, Rich! I think the parents are in this up to their eyeballs!"

"So prove it!" Richard answered back. "How? Why? Where'd their kid go? Where'd this girl come from? Why doesn't she have any paper trail? How is it no one's ever even heard of this Christina before yesterday? You wanna hear what I dug up while you were getting the smoking gun here? I got to listen to some nurse tell me a story about an angel that grants wishes! She had a totally different idea of where Walt went and where Christina came from! Get this! According to her, they're the same person! Claims Christina told her that an angel turned him into a girl, and she believes it! Wanna go with that theory or stick with the rational?" He held up the letter for emphasis.

Sighing, Lyle shook his head. "Fine! We'll go with this until we have some reason not to! I'm telling you though, Rich! My gut is telling me that these people know something about where their kid went that they aren't telling us! I don't know! Maybe they sold their daughter to Doctor Young and the ten grand was his cut. I'll dig into the family's financials. In the mean time, get that letter down to Q.D.! We need to know everything about it!"