A full two seconds later, Nick flinched. Then the world seemed to snap back into real time. Sounds suddenly roared. The radio seemed to blast. Nick jumped out of the car, not even taking time to turn off the engine. The car rolled forward and bumped into the curb before it stopped. As Nick raced towards Vic, he fumbled out his mobile phone and punched in 9-1-1.

The Wrong Side of the Bed

Nick touched the ivory keys of the grand piano then lifted his fingers. The final note lingered in the air for a moment and was over powered by the sound of the shoppers rushing by. A baby was complaining two floors up, its echo drifting down the escalator shaft connecting the three floors of the department store. Nick sighed. The piano was beautiful. One of the most beautiful that he had ever played on, yet no one seemed to notice. Everyone was too busy getting from one place to another. Nick gathered up the bit of music that he used only to refer to and closed the lid of the keyboard before heading to the employee's locker room. As soon as he was through the door, he pulled off his tie. Nick hated ties. He spent half of his time at the piano trying not to rip off the constricting accessory.
"How did it go?" Vic asked as Nick entered the locker room.
"The usual." Nick shrugged. "Half of the people stare at me being so young, torn as to whether or not they should alert the staff. The other half don't know good music when they hear it." he opened his locker and stripped out of his black and white get up, switching it for his jeans and sweatshirt.
"Would it do any better if you were allowed to play your sax?" Vic asked.
"It might, but mostly it would make a difference with more modern music. People today don't know what good music is."
Vic nodded agreement. "Nothing like Led Zeppelin."
Nick snorted. "I was referring to Rachmaninoff or Chopin."
"Oh." Vic looked abashed. "You working tomorrow?"
Nick nodded. "I get to play one of the best pianos in town and get paid for it."
"See you later." Vic exited the locker room.
Nick slipped on his Chucks, shouldered his backpack and left a few moments later.
"Hi Nick." Darlene greeted.
"Hi Dar." Nick smiled. "Cute earrings, are those new?"
"Yes, thank you." the young woman smiled.
Darlene had graduated from high school last year and was doing her time at community college. Working at the store was money for her books.
"You sounded great out there."
"You actually listened?" Nick was surprised.
"Whenever I can." She smiled.
"Thank you, I guess." Nick didn't know what else to say.
"You are here tomorrow, right?"
"Yep." Nick nodded.
"I haven't seen Nikki around much lately." Darlene observed.
Nick shrugged, "Neither have I."
Darlene giggled. "I kind of miss seeing her."
He didn't really know what else to say. There was an awkward silence.
Darlene smiled. "Have a good night, Nick."
"Thanks, Dar. You too." Nick logged out of the computer that acted as his time clock and headed out into the night sky.
The air was still crisp, but the increasing sunlight was a sign that spring would be in full bloom. It was senior year and he would be graduating in June. He had already received a music scholarship to the University. This summer was going to be a last hurrah before he had to hit the books.
Nick climbed into his blue VW Bug and began pulling out of the parking lot. Chopin was playing on the radio. He spotted Vic talking to someone by his car and nearly ran into another car when he saw three small flashes and heard three popping noises. Nick slammed on his brakes to avoid the other car. His racing heart nearly stopped when he saw Vic fall to the pavement and three figures race away from Vic and hop into an old Cadillac.
"Oh shit! What do I do?" Nick screamed. "What do I do?"
Everything seemed to slow down. Everything seemed to go quiet. Even the radio sounded muted as the Cadillac came racing right towards him. Nick couldn't scream, or even blink as the car rolled by. Lil' Foot, the local drug dealer glared at him from the passenger seat as the car sped by. The drug dealer pointed a finger at him as if it was a gun and snapped it up as if he had fired.
A full two seconds later, Nick flinched. Then the world seemed to snap back into real time. Sounds suddenly roared. The radio seemed to blast. Nick jumped out of the car, not even taking time to turn off the engine. The car rolled forward and bumped into the curb before it stopped. As Nick raced towards Vic, he fumbled out his mobile phone and punched in 9-1-1.

Nick opened his eyes and rolled over in bed. Something didn't feel right. Somehow alien, but something he had felt before. He looked down and cursed.
"Mom!" a panicky, alto voice called across the house. "Mom! I woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning."
Nick whipped back the navy blue covers and sat on the edge of the bed and sighed. His mother padded down the hallway and poked her head in the door. "Again?" She questioned.
Nick nodded.
"You are as bad as your father." She shook her head. "You had a rough night. Are you alright?"
Nick nodded. "I'm just very hungry and thirsty."
"I'll bet you are. It's from the stress last night, isn't it?"
Nick thought about it for a moment. The whole night seemed like a nightmare. Vic was in surgery the last he had heard. The police questioned what he saw, but there was no way he was about to tell them that he saw who had done it. Lil' Foot saw him and could find him. Nick's parents were called to the hospital where they picked him up. The Doctor had given him a shot of something and that was about all he remembered. . . wait, he remembered taking a long hot shower, but that was definitely the last thing he remembered.
"Do you want to stay home?" His mother asked.
Nick shook his head, "I've missed too much school as it is."
"Okay, but if you need to come home, give me a call. I'll give Mrs. Greer my permission." His mother turned and disappeared back down the hall. "I'll start breakfast in a moment." her voice carried to him.
Nick stood and sighed. It was a morning for sighing. He grabbed his mobile, then went to his second closet and pulled out a bathrobe and stumbled to the bathroom.
"Whoa. Hi, Nikki." Alicia greeted. "Woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning, huh?"
"Can I just get in the shower already, please?" Nick begged.
"Yea, sorry." Alicia squeezed by and giggled. "Dad woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning too."
"Crap!" Nick swore as he closed the door. Dad hardly ever woke up on the wrong side of the bed. This was all his fault. Guilt swept over him. As he stood at the sink, dreading to look in the mirror.
Sighing yet again, he looked up to see a young woman looking back at him. Thick short blonde hair stood up at weird angles in some spots and lay plastered to her head in others from a night of tossing and turning. Large blue eyes scanned the soft skin and the cute, pink bow which frowned back at him.
"How long this time, Nikki?" Nick asked the young woman in the mirror. She wouldn't be able to even try to reverse the process until tonight.
Nikki filled a small glass with cold water from the tap and soaked her parched throat.
Nature called. Nikki sat on the toilet and took care of business while texting on her phone.

Woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning. Nikki will be attending school today.

"Don't use all of my shampoo." Alicia called from the door. "Or my razor."
Nikki finished her business and climbed into a hot shower. Hot showers always helped when waking up on the wrong side of the bed. Unfortunately she had to spend a little extra time seeing to hygiene issues so she wouldn't be able to enjoy the hot water this morning.
As she washed, she began to wake up and started feeling better. She was singing in her alto voice by the time she turned off the water and slipped into her pink fluffy robe.
Nikki finished up in the bathroom and padded back down to her room. She wrinkled her nose at the smell and opened the window to air it out.
The room had two personalities. Each side of the room had a single sized bed; one bed had a blue coverlet the other a dark lavender comforter with white lace edging. The blue side had hockey posters and pictures of beautiful cars, the other wall, painted a softer lavender. At the foot of the bed was a dressing table backed by a mirror and extra lighting as well as electrical outlets. Pictures of friends and cute guys decorated the perimeter of the mirror.
Nikki fished in one of the drawers and pulled out a bottle of perfume and misted the blue side of the room before digging in her closet. Nikki pulled on some tight jeans, a soft blue angora sweater and slipped into some silver flats.
"Can you take me to school this morning?" Alicia poked her head in.
"I'm going to be late." Nikki warned.
"I don't mind."
"You had better ask mom."
Nikki pulled a blow drier out of a drawer of the dressing table, put a dab of product in her hair and took the two minutes it took to dry her short hair. She added a bit of molding wax to key parts of her style and quickly added a bit of eye shadow and mascara. She slipped some silver hoops into her ears and pocketed some lip gloss.
Nikki switched her books from her red back pack to her pink one, checked to see that she had her wallet and headed down stairs.
"Feeling better, sweet heart?" her mother greeted.
"Yes, thank you."
"I called the hospital this morning. Your friend Vic is doing well. He is listed in Critical but should be moved later on today or tomorrow. It sounds like you saved his life." She beamed.
Nikki shrugged. "I'm glad he's doing okay."
"Mom said that you could take me." Alicia finished off a bagel and hurried up stairs.
"Did you plan on working tonight?" Nikki's mother inquired.
"Yes."
"You had better remember to call them and remind them who is showing up tonight."
"I'll do that at lunch."
Her mother nodded and set a large stack of pancakes before her. "Call me or your father when you are done. I think one of us should drive you home especially after what happened last night."
"Mom." Nikki groaned.
"After your friend got shot? It was a good thing that you found him, so that he didn't just lay there and bleed to death."
Nikki just nodded. She wasn't about to tell her mother that she or Nick had actually witnessed the crime. If she kept her head down, Lil' Foot wouldn't have a reason to come looking for her.
"Do you have the appropriate work clothes?"
"Yes, I have two lockers there, mom." She thought for a moment. "At least I don't have to wear a tie." She smiled. "I'll trade a tie for a skirt any day." She looked at the large pile of pancakes and moaned. She was starving, but eating so much made her look like such a pig. Sometimes she dreaded waking up on the wrong side of the bed just because of all the food she had to eat.
"You aren't wearing my shoes, are you?" her mother looked down at Nikki's feet.
"No." she protested. "You got the gold ones, I have the silver ones."
Her mother nodded. "Just making sure. You need to ask before you start borrowing my clothes.
"Alicia said that Dad, woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning too."
Her mother nodded, setting a mug of coffee before her.
"I'm sorry." Nikki apologized around a bite of pancake.
"He worries about you." Her mother stated. "It's a parent's job. Your father just happens to be a Gendermorph. When you two stress too much, it triggers your morph. It isn't bad, it just is."
"Did dad transition a lot when he was younger?" Nikki asked.
"You two have had this talk." Nikki's mother stated.
"I know his version. I'd like to know your version." Nikki smiled and sipped at her coffee.
"Our first few dates, I didn't know who would show up to take me out, Mike or Mary." her mother sighed.
"And you still married him?"
"I love him. . . and her." she stated. "I get the best of both worlds. A man to be my companion and a girlfriend to shop and gossip with." She smiled.
"Dad say's that most Morphs have a hard time finding a spouse."
Her mother nodded. "Not everyone can see past the fluidity of the Morph's life."
Nikki looked down at her half eaten plate. "Ugh, the food alone is going to make me balloon up." Nikki complained. "Especially if I'm transitioning every other day."
"You're mind is still a bit slow in transitioning, but it is getting faster." her mother noticed. "Perhaps once you've gotten your body and mind a little more in sync, you'll transition less often."
"I hope so. It's hard enough being a teenager. Imagine being a teenager with a real identity crisis." she smiled.
Her mother kissed her forehead. "That sweater is darling on you."
"Thank you." Nikki smiled. She took a bite with one hand and looked at her phone with the other.
Two of Nick's friends groaned about the change. But Nikki's friends wanted to throw a party.
She texted them and explained that she had to work tonight and that she didn't know how long Nikki would be around.
"I'm ready when you are." Alicia showed back up in the kitchen with her book bag.
Nikki nodded. The two went out to Nikki's blue VW Bug.
"Good morning, Mr. Flynn." Alicia greeted.
The older man looked up and scowled when he saw Nikki. "Freak!" he growled.
Nikki ducked into the car and tried not to growl herself.

"Who's the cute guy over there?" Nikki asked.
T. J. and Sarah's heads swiveled abruptly to follow Nikki's line of sight to a good looking guy with a golden tan and long blonde hair loosely tied back. He had a sexy surfer kind of vibe going for him.
"A little less obvious next time?" Nikki rolled her eyes.
"New kid, just transferred in." T.J. answered. "He's in my Biology class. Dreamy isn't he?"
Nikki smiled as the new guy's eyes fell across her and her friends. "He's gorgeous." Nikki agreed. "He have a name?"

Episode 2

Nikki pulled up to the nearly full parking lot at school. "Mom gave you a note, right?" She asked Alicia.

"Yeah." Alicia adjusted the strap of her book bag.

Nikki stopped outside of the school building and took a deep breath.

"Come, on Nikki. It's not like they don't know already." Alicia stated.

"I know. It's just ... never mind." Nikki opened the door. "Remember, I won't be able to take you home tonight."

"Have a good day, sis." Alicia waved.

Nikki stood at the front office desk.

"How may I help . . . oh, Nikki. How are you?" Mrs. Greer greeted.

"I woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning." Nikki forced a smile.

"I can see that." She smiled. "Well, you look very pretty today."

"Thanks." Nikki forced sweetness into her voice. Part of her hated that she looked 'pretty' or 'cute'. It was the male part of her brain screaming. "I'm just checking in." She stated. "Sorry I'm late, but it was difficult getting up this morning. I had a tough night."

Mrs. Greer smiled and nodded. "Your mother called and told me about your coworker getting shot. I hope he is okay."

Nikki nodded. Here's your hall pass. Let me know if you have any troubles."

Nikki smiled and waved as she ducked out of the office. If only Mrs. Greer knew the kinds of troubles that she was having.

Mrs. Burns did a double take as Nikki entered the class. She handed the History instructor her hall pass and looked to find her seat. As usual a few girls gasped and a few guys snickered. Nikki took a deep breath to try to keep from blushing. She found her desk and sat down. Nikki found her seat and looked around for help.

"Hey, Nikki." a familiar voice whispered. "Page two seventy-one."

Nikki opened her book to look upon the chapter dealing with the Black Plague. She began to wonder what she had walked into.

"Just imagine." Mrs. Burns stated. "Within one week half of everyone in your neighborhood is dead. Whole families wiped out. If you were lucky, only half of your own family killed. In most places only one of a family of four would live through the epidemic."

Only half of the class was listening, the straight A students were all grossed out, their faces turning white and in once case, green.

Nikki found the page in her book and quickly assessed why they were feeling ill. The illustrations of the plague were quite gross.

Class was over soon enough now she just had to get through the halls without too many comments and looks.

"Nikki!" a voice rang out over the cafeteria. "We saved a seat for you." Sarah, sitting next to T.J. waved.

Nikki smiled and tried to wave with one hand as she approached.

"Did you hear about the shooting at the mall last night?" Sarah asked as Nikki sat down.

"I was there." Nikki stated.

"Oh my God! were you working?" T.J. asked.

Nikki leaned her head in, the others followed her example, their foreheads just inches apart. "You can't repeat what I'm about to say." She looked from friend to friend. The two girls nodded eagerly. anything to get the latest gossip. "I mean it." She stated. "No one."

"What?" Sarah urged.

"I saw it." Nikki told them. "I was the one who called 911 and tried to keep Vic from bleeding out."

"No way." T.J.'s eyes were as large as tea saucers.

Nikki nodded. "You can't tell a single person. You two are the only ones who know, so if it gets out, I'll know that one of you blabbed."

"Did you see who shot him?" Sarah whispered.

Nikki nodded.

"Who?" both girls urged.

Nikki shook her head. "I can't. He saw me, well, he saw Nick."

"Crap." T.J. swore.

"Is that what triggered your transition?" Sarah asked.

Nikki nodded. Sarah grew up a few houses down from her. The two hadn't been close because Nick was all boy. but once He had transitioned a few times, Sarah and Nikki became friends.

"Does this shooter know that you are a gendermorph?" T.J. inquired.

Nikki shook her head. "I don't believe so."

"So as long as you are in 'girl mode' you'll be safe." Sarah finished.

Nikki shrugged. "I guess. so long as he doesn't find out."

"So how do you keep from transitioning?" T.J. inquired.

Nikki swallowed. "Stress is my trigger." She stated.

"And sex." Sarah stated the obvious.

Nikki could feel her face redden at the obvious. Gendermorphs were thought of as freaks because they transitioned after having an orgasm. Other triggers also set off the sex changing process. Although Stress was one of the more common triggers. She had heard of gendermorphs who had triggers such as being tickled, being frightened, and she had even heard of one who transitioned after having allergy attacks.

"So we just have to keep you from stressing out for the next couple of weeks." Sarah smiled.

"How much stress are we talking about?" T.J. inquired. "I mean is it as simple as cramming for a Chemistry test? or more along the lines of getting into a car accident?"

"It varies." Nikki shrugged. "Stress is relative. I've been triggered by something as simple as getting asked to read a paragraph in English class. Once I was in a fender bender with my dad in the passenger's seat and didn't transition. It just depends."

"No warning, just wake up as a different person." T. J. shook her head with disbelief.

"Are you working tomorrow?" Sarah inquired.

"No. I have the night off."

"Good. then we can have a girl's night at my place."

"If I don't transition again." Nikki reminded.

"Yes. You cannot transition tonight."

"I'll bring the movies." T. J. volunteered.

"No more horror movies, T. J. " Sarah warned.

"Who's the cute guy over there?" Nikki asked.

T. J. and Sarah's heads swiveled abruptly to follow Nikki's line of sight to a good looking guy with a golden tan and long blonde hair loosely tied back. He had a sexy surfer kind of vibe going for him.

"A little less obvious next time?" Nikki rolled her eyes.

"New kid, just transferred in." T.J. answered. "He's in my Biology class. Dreamy isn't he?"

Nikki smiled as the new guy's eyes fell across her and her friends. "He's gorgeous." Nikki agreed. "He have a name?"

"I think it's Landon." T.J. wasn't sure.

"You think?" Sarah asked.

"I was a little to buys admiring his eyes and his arms." T.J. sighed heavily.

"He's too good looking." Nikki sighed. "He's probably an asshole or extremely stuck on himself."

T.J. shrugged. "Today's his first day. I don't know."

The new guy's eyes locked with Nikki's and he quickly became absorbed in his food.

"He looks kind of shy." Sarah smiled.

Nikki watched in horror as Ashley the queen of the mean girls of the school approached Landon and began flirting with him.

"Well, that settles that." Sarah sighed. "Ashley is pissing all over him, which means that he is off the market, for now."

"That Bitch can have any guy at this school just by waving a finger at them. Why does she have to zero in on him?" T.J. growled.

"You don't have phys ed today, right?" Sarah realized.

"Nope." Nikki smiled. "I report to study hall with you."

"Well, that's one good thing about you being a gendermorph."

"It comes in handy."

Nikki closed her locker and made her way to Study hall. Gendermorphs were excused from phys ed when they were not in their birth gender. Some paranoid parents encouraged the Congressmen and Senators of the state to pass the law. Supposedly it was for their own protection, but more importantly it was because some law maker's daughter felt 'wierded' out by a gendermorph seeing her naked in the showes or something after they transitioned. The law makers were just too stupid to understand that most gendermorphs were hetero-sexual regardless of what gender they were at the time. Nick loved petite redheads with freckles while Nikki loved strong athletic blondes with brains. It was just one of the reasons why gendermorphs usually stayed single until college.

Nikki set her books down on a desk near Sarah and sat down. She had Geometry homework to try and finish so that she didn't have to take it home after work.

The usual noise in study hall suddenly died out. Curious, Nikki raised her head to see Landon enter the room. His beautiful eyes scanned the room and those all staring at him. He confidently made his way to the instructor's desk and handed him his class schedule.

Nikki's heat quickened as he was pointed to an open desk one row over and one desk behind her. Those blue eyes would be able to watch her without her knowing. The idea both thrilled her and made her self-conscious. She put her head back down and tried to concentrate on her home work.

A note landed on her desk. Nikki unfolded it and scanned its contents. It was from Sarah.

You have good taste. he is even cuter up close. BTW he's been watching you.

Nikki suppressed a shudder and tried to put the thought out of her mind. she was having a hard enough time concentrating on her school work without having to think about Landon.

finally a few minutes before class was to let out, she finished the last problem and closed her book. she darted a look behind her and blushed as Landon flashed her a smile.

"Hi." he mouthed.

"Hi." She mouthed back.

The bell rang and the class erupted into commotion as everyone scrambled to get to their last class of the day.

Nikki gathered her books and looked up to see that Landon was already exiting the room.

"He has the hots for you." Sarah giggled.

"Only until he finds out about me." Nikki shrugged. "The first person he asks will tell him I'm a gendermorph and he'll find the farthest seat in the room from me."

The two walked to their locker where Nikki put away her book. "What did I miss in Jazz this morning?" Nikki inquired.

"Not much. Just getting ready for the competition."

"Was Mr. Hill upset that I wasn't there?"

"I'm sure he'll understand, if he was."

Sarah and Nikki walked into the band room. Students were already warming up.

"I've got to warm up." Sarah smiled.

Nikki found Mr. Hill staring at a piece of music on his stand. "Mr. Hill?"

The band instructor looked up and blinked.

"Nikki?" he asked.

Nikki nodded with a smile.

"Well that explains why you weren't here this morning." Mr. Hill scratched at his already wild hair. "How do you feel?"

Nikki shrugged. "Okay."

"Do you feel like playing the sax today?"

"Sure." Nikki shrugged. She usually played piano in this band, but she was comfortable on sax as well. "Which one?"
"Tenor. We have a new student who plays the sax."
Nikki's heart skipped a beat. Could it be? could this Landon kid be a band geek too? How could he. he was beautiful. beautiful people didn't normally associate with the band geeks especially band geeks in Show Band.

Nikki quickly scanned the room and found the blonde transfer student sitting in the sax section talking quietly with the alto sax player and a couple of clarinet players who he'd caught the attention of.

"You have your sax?" Mr. Hill asked.

"In my car." Nikki stated with a nod.

"I would like you to play with Landon and get him comfortable with the music and cues.

"Me?"

Mr. Hill nodded.

Nikki's heart skipped a beat then began to pound. She was to spend the next few days with one of the cutest guys she had laid eyes upon in a long time. Suddenly she wished she had worn a skirt today, or at least tighter jeans. She gulped and nodded to her band instructor.

Nikki quickly retrieved her instrument and immediately stuck a reed in her mouth to moisten it. The Show Band was already starting their scales as Nikki pieced her sax together. Nikki tucked her lower lip as she put the mouthpiece to her lips and blew a long 'C'. She then ran up and down a chromatic scale before finding her way to the empty seat beside Landon.

"Hi, I'm Nikki." She smiled.

"I'm Landon." the blonde grinned back. His hair was a natural blonde that had seen lots of sunshine. lighter almost white pieces blended with the honey colored tresses.

"Mr. Hill asked me to show you the ropes and get you comfortable with the cues." She explained.

"Thanks." Landon smiled. "I've never been in a Show band before. Do you really perform in the local musicals?"

Nikki nodded before starting the next scale in the cycle.

"Most of us here can play multiple instruments. That way we can be more versatile with our sound. I play mostly piano in this band, but I also play sax, clarinet when needed and a little bass clarinet." She almost felt like she was bragging. "What about you? what others do you play?"

They started through some more warm-ups before Landon had a chance to answer. "Tenor is my primary instrument, but I play clarinet, and drums. and I can get by on the guitar." he shrugged.

"Are you in any other bands?" Nikki inquired.

"I started Jazz this morning." he nodded. "You?"

"I'm in Jazz too. I over slept this morning so I didn't make it in." Nikki blushed a little. "What are you playing in Jazz?"

"Right now, I'm switching out with your bass and I guess I'll be filling in with the sax from time to time. You?"

"Lead Tenor." Nikki smiled.

"So you're my competition, huh?" Landon smirked.

"No. Just a friend." She smiled back. "You'll never be able to unseat me."

Landon smiled even brighter. He had such a bright, engaging smile, she found it hard not smiling back.

He was a good sax player too; as she found out during the class. He sight read well and was able to anticipate the cues and quickly adjusted to changes made in the music.

"Thanks for your help, Nikki."

"No problem. It was nice meeting you."

"You doing anything after school?" he asked.

"Sorry. I've got to work."

"Oh." his face was crest fallen.

"New school, new town. It must be hard." Nikki tried to empathize.

Landon nodded. "That is only part of it."

Nikki thought for a moment. "I'm not busy tomorrow after school." she left it open ended.

"Perhaps we can hang out?" Landon asked hopeful.

Nikki's heart raced. "We'll see." She nodded.

In her head she was screaming. What are you doing? What if you wake up on the wrong side of the bed tomorrow? If you transition tonight he'll never speak to you again. He'll look at you like most of the other boys do. as a freak.

She could just tell him. but then he'd freak out in front of her. Maybe, just maybe, She'll be Nikki again tomorrow so that he would be able to get to know her better before finding out.

"Nikki, can I get a ride to the mall?" Sarah asked as she was putting her sax away.

"Sure."

Sarah lowered her voice. "Lucky bitch." She stated. "You spent all class period talking to him. he was flirting big time."

"He was not." Nikki defended.

"Oh yes he was. He is really in to you."

"Until I wake up on the wrong side of the bed."

"You never know. Some guys are open minded. Especially surfers from California."

"I didn't ask him where he was from." Nikki realized. "He does look like a surfer though."

Nikki signed in to the computer at work and made her way to the women's locker room.

"Hey Nikki." Darlene greeted. "It's funny how I was just talking to Nick last night about not seeing you, and here you are. How are you doing?"

"Everyone keeps asking me that." Nikki sighed. Darlene was one member of the population who insisted on treating gendermorphs as two separate people. Some religions did that to feel better about the possibility. "I got a bit stressed out last night and was triggered into waking up on the wrong side of the bed."

"I heard you were the one who saved Vic's life." Darlene ventured.

"I was just the first person to arrive." Nikki shrugged it off.

"Did you see him get shot?"

Nikki shook her head. That way she wouldn't have to lie.

"Was there a lot of blood?"

Nikki nodded. Two shots to the chest, one to the abdomen. Of course there was a lot of blood.

"You sure are brave." Darlene stated. "I don't know what I would do."

"Probably the same thing I did." Nikki stated. "Call 911, apply direct pressure and try to keep him conscious."

"You sure you don't want to take today off?" Darlene asked.

"I didn't know it was an option."

"I'm sure if you go to H.R. and told them that you weren't feeling well, they'd let you go home with pay." She instructed. "It's the least they could do for you saving a co-worker's life."

"I was hoping to just get lost in the music." Nikki pulled off her blouse and pulled on a button down blouse. It took her a moment to adjust to the buttons being on the opposite side.

She slid off her jeans and wormed her way into her nylons before stepping into her knee length black pencil skirt.

"Which clothes do you prefer?" Darlene asked.

"What?" Nikki's mind was elsewhere.

"Do you like wearing skirts or pants better?"

"I prefer skirts over ties." Nikki stated. "Pants, skirts. it all depends upon my mood."

"What about heels?"

"Sometimes I like them." Nikki shrugged. "There are a lot of guys dress shoes that hurt just as bad if not worse than pumps."

"Really?"

"Try wearing a tux and ill fitting tux shoes. I think I'd rather wear pumps than those shoes ever again. besides, there are a lot of very cute shoes for women. Guys don't have as much of a selection."

Nikki slipped into her three inch pumps and checked herself in the mirror. "Do you have any mascara I can touch up with?" She asked.

"Sure." Darlene pulled some out of her locker and tossed it to her.

"Thanks."

After touching up, Nikki picked up a folder of music and made her way to the center of the store where the piano was quietly awaiting her arrival.

Opening the lid, she sat down on the bench, making sure to tuck her hands along the back of her skirt. She looked around and took a deep breath. she closed her eyes and took a second deep breath as she placed her fingers on the keys. Lightly she began playing an easy piece as a warm up. She kept her eyes closed as she played, listening to each note, checking its pitch and feeling the keyboard's response time.

When she finished, she opened her eyes and spotted Lil' Foot across the store, watching her.

To Be Continued...

A chill ran down her spine. If she could only see two, where was the third? Could he be behind her?

Savage, bloody scenarios began playing through her head. Should she call security? She had a direct line to their office. A small button under the piano alerted the security department of trouble. During Christmas she was even fitted with a small ear piece and mic. So that she could help them catch shoplifters. At this time of the year shoplifting wasn't as prevalent so she didn't have use of the ear piece.

Episode 3

Nikki's heart stopped. Not just skipped beat, but stopped. She almost pounded on her chest to get is started again. Adrenaline raced through her body. A cold sweat broke out on her forehead, neck and between her breasts. Oh God, She thought. Oh God, he is going to kill me.

Nikki forced herself to swallow and take in a deep slow breath. Should she flee? Should she act as if nothing had happened? Oh God, what should she do? She took another slow deep breath and touched the ivory keys.

A few bars into is she dared to look up. Lil' Foot wasn't there. She quickly scanned the area and found him in a different part of the women's section. A trampy looking woman in a too tight skirt with too much cleavage showing was modeling for him. It had to be his druggy girlfriend. Why would his druggy girlfriend be shopping here? Shouldn't she be shopping at Victoria Secrets or Fredrick's of Hollywood? This store was a few class levels above where she should be shopping.

Nikki swallowed another lump as Lil' Foot glanced back in her direction. Nikki dropped her eyes to her sheet music. She didn't need to see the notes. She had this piece memorized so well, she could play it in her sleep. With her head down, she looked with just her eyes. Two of Lil' Foot's body guards could be seen in different parts of the store.

A chill ran down her spine. If she could only see two, where was the third? Could he be behind her?

Savage, bloody scenarios began playing through her head. Should she call security? She had a direct line to their office. A small button under the piano alerted the security department of trouble. During Christmas she was even fitted with a small ear piece and mic. So that she could help them catch shoplifters. At this time of the year shoplifting wasn't as prevalent so she didn't have use of the ear piece.

If she pushed the security button, a security guard would come to her. Would Lil' Foot take that as a threat? Would he then come for her? Perhaps wait for her outside of the store when she was done like he did for Vic?

In most situations like this, she wanted to be male. Nick was stronger and more confident when it came to confrontation. As Nikki, not so much.

"Are you all right?" a voice sounded from behind her.

Nikki nearly jumped out of her nylons. Her hands came off the keys abruptly ending the piece she was playing.

She looked up to find Darlene looking at her with concern. "Fine. You scared me. Why do you ask?"

"You're skipping around from song to song. You don't sound like you." Darlene told her.

Nikki looked at her questioning.

"You started out playing something Russian and not even half way through, switched to Mozart or something, then to another piece. At first we thought you were not sure what you wanted to play. But after we recognized four or five different pieces I peeked down the escalator and saw you looking funny."

"I - I - I was just thinking." Nikki's gaze darted from Darlene to the area where Lil' Foot had been shopping and back, not seeing him.

Darlene looked in the direction that she had looked. "Someone over there causing trouble?" She asked.

"No." Nikki stated a little too quickly. "No." more calmly. At least she hoped it sounded calmer.

"Why don't you go home, Nikki?" Darlene asked. "You've obviously been through a lot and you are hiding something from us. Go home and relax."

Nikki just stared up at her friend for a long moment not knowing what to say. "I'll be fine. I just drifted a bit."

Darlene looked at her skeptically. She nodded. "If you start 'drifting' again, I'll have security escort you out of the store."

Nikki looked abashed.

"You and I are going to have a long talk." Darlene stated. She leaned closer. "You know I don't have the authority to have you escorted out, but you are too.... too..... Well I don't know. Too something to realize common sense."

The truth of it suddenly crashed over Nikki's mind. She could feel her face turning red.

"I'll be back in a few minutes to check on you." Darlene warned. She spun and walked over to the escalator and took it back up all the while keeping her eyes on Nikki.

Nikki took a deep breath and scanned the store. No sign of Lil' Foot. She closed her eyes and rested her fingers on the keys for a moment to picture as well as hear the music in her head before striking the keys.

A few bars into the music. She forced herself to open her eyes and smile as an old woman assisted an even older woman, perhaps her mother, past. Nikki looked up the escalator and saw Darlene watching her with a firm smile.

When she looked back down, her heart skipped a beat as Lil' Foot, with his hooker girlfriend stood watching her. She nearly lost track of her place in the piece that she was playing and looked down at her fingers to gather her concentration before she did something strange again.

"Isn't there a dude that usually plays the piano?" a voice asked.

Nikki looked up into the smiling face of Lil' Foot. "I'm sorry?" She asked trying to cover her startled nerves. Her heart pounded so loud, she could hear it in her own ears.

"Isn't there a dude that usually plays here?" Lil' Foot repeated.

"Yeah, I guess so." Nikki's palms began to sweat. Should she push the security button? "He couldn't make it in today, so they asked me too." Oh God, he knew that Nick played the piano here.

"He call in sick?" Lil' Foot inquired licking his lips.

"I guess so." Nikki hoped her voice wasn't quivering as much as her stomach.

Lil' Foot stood staring at her for a moment. His eyes scanned her up and down lingering on her cleavage.

Her fingers struck the final chord. She relaxed her left hand while her right hand slid a little closer to the security button.

"You know him?" Nikki managed to get out of her dry mouth.

Lil' Foot shrugged. "Someone told me that he was good." He looked her up and down again. "You play for parties?" he asked.

"What?" Nikki didn't understand the question.

"I'm looking for a piano player to play at my Gran's birthday." Lil' Foot clarified. "Do you play parties?"

"Not really." Nikki was confused by this line of questions.

"Come on, sweetie, I wanna get to Victoria's Secret before we go." his hooker girlfriend whined.

Nikki took the distraction to scan for his body guards. One was by the mall entrance, the other just a little ways away.

"The party is at her folk's home." Lil' Foot explained. "They already have a piano. I'll give you two hundred to play for four hours Sunday after next. She likes that old dead guy music."

"I'll have to see about my schedule." Nikki blurted out. Two hundred dollars for four hours? That was way more than she was making here.

"It's quick, easy, cash money." Lil' Foot stated. "Tell you what. I'll give your fifty now. The rest at the party." The drug dealer peeled off a fifty from a wad and held it out.

"Sweetie?" the girlfriend wearing too much make-up whined again.

"It's at the Azalea Garden Home." he stated as he pressed the money into Nikki's hand. "One o'clock."

"Okay." Nikki was hesitant but didn't know what else to say.

Lil' Foot nodded a smile, wrapped his arm around hooker-girl and turned away.

Nikki relaxed her hand and let out a long slow breath.

Lil' Foot turned back towards her. "Oh, if you see that guy who usually play's here, let him know that I'm looking for him."

If she had been standing, her knees would have buckled. Thankfully he didn't watch long enough to see her face turn white with terror.

"Psst!" a voice from above her sounded.

Slowly, Nikki raised her eyes to see Darlene glaring down at her. Nikki just stared at her blankly.

"Is there something wrong, Nikki?" a voice sounded from behind her. If it had been a man's voice, she probably would have screamed and jumped atop the piano.
She turned to see the store manager looking concerned at her. "Darlene said that you aren't feeling well." She stated. "And I tend to agree. Come with me, hon."

Before she had realized, Nikki was following Mrs. York into the back room of the store. "You have had quite a shock last night." She said looking Nikki up and down. I'm sorry to hear what had happened last night. I really am. We are having security walking employees out to their cars now. Poor Vic. But you saved his life." She rambled on. "I want you to go home, Nikki." She ordered. "Go home, take a bath and relax. I don't want to see you for a couple of days."

"But Mrs. York?" Nikki protested.

"No buts, Nick - I mean Nikki." Mrs. York slipped with her gender. "If I have to, I'll call your parents."

"No." Nikki sighed.

"Good. Go home and relax." She repeated.

Nikki nodded.

Nikki was standing in front of her car before she realized that she hadn't changed out of her work outfit. Not wanting to hassle with going back in and facing Mrs. York or worse, Darlene, she slipped behind the wheel of her bug.

Before she could even start the vehicle up, an unmarked police car pulled up behind her, blocking her in.

"Keep calm, Nik." She told herself. "Keep calm or you'll wake up on the wrong side of the bed tomorrow and Landon will see you for the freak that you are." She took some deep breaths and tried to still her heart.

A man in a suit stepped out of the car pulled out a badge and showed her it through her window. "I'm Officer Estrada, Miss. with the local drug enforcement. I'd like to ask you a few questions."

Nikki rolled down her window. "Yes, Officer? I just got into my car. What could I have done wrong?"

"Please, Miss." The officer gentled his tone. "You aren't in trouble. I just have a few questions for you."

Nikki nodded.

"Do you know a drug dealer that goes by the name of Lil' Foot?"

Nikki swallowed a large lump and nodded.

Officer Estrada smiled. "How well do you know Lil' Foot."

Nikki shrugged. "He's a dealer in the area. Most everyone knows him. I don't do drugs officer." she defended.

"I didn't think you did." he assured. "My interest is in why he gave you money?"

"He wants me to play for his grandmother's birthday party next week." Nikki tried to keep her heart from sounding like a rabbit's.

"Miss......." he paused.

"I'm Nikki."

"Nikki, I really need your help." Officer Estrada pleaded. "Could you please come down to the station with me? I'll bring you right back."

"Um, officer." Nikki felt a shiver race down her spine. "Could we go up stairs to the break room? I don't feel comfortable with going someplace else."

Officer Estrada thought for a moment then nodded. "Let me park my car." He stated. "Do you know where the security office in the store is?"

Nikki nodded. She had only been there after she had reported watching shop lifters to fill out statements.

"I'll meet you there in a few minutes."

Nikki nodded. She waited until the officer had gotten back into his car before unlocking her door and getting out. She locked her door and hurried back into the back door of the store.

The store security team were surprised to see her at their door. Nikki started to relax a little when the security officer warmly greeted Officer Estrada on sight before ushering them into a private room.

"I'm sorry if I alarmed you, Nikki." Officer Estrada apologized. "But you did right in not just climbing into a strange man's car. Even if he did have a police badge."

"What is this all about?" Nikki asked cutting to the chase.

"You haven't had any other contact with Lil' Foot other than this afternoon?" he asked.

Nikki shook her head.

"And he just came up to you and asked you to play the piano at his grandmother's party?"

"That is what he said."

Officer Estrada studied Nikki for a moment. "I'd like you to help me out." he stated finally.

"Doing what?" Nikki asked.

"I'd like you to pay attention at the party. See who he talks to, who is there, what he does. That kind of stuff."

"You want me to spy." Nikki affirmed.

"Think of it as an informant." Officer Estrada nodded his head.

"I don't know." Nikki was tentative. "What if he starts asking questions?"

"You are just the entertainment." Officer Estrada shrugged. "Just there to play music."

"I'll have to think about it." She stated.

"That's fair." Officer Estrada stated. "I'm just trying to get a drug dealer off the street." He stood up. "I hope you'll give me a call." He handed Nikki his card. "I just want to know a little information. That is all."

Nikki nodded and slipped the card into the wallet of her purse.

"How can I help you officer?" Mrs. York inquired as they left the room.

"Just wanted to ask Nikki some questions." The officer smiled. He turned to Nikki. "Thank you. I hope you'll help me out." With that he walked out of the room and disappeared down the hall with several sets of eyes watching his back.

"What was that all about?" Mrs. York asked.

"He wants me to help him out with a case." Nikki shrugged.

"Does this have to do with poor Vic?" Mrs. York inquired.

"No." Nikki shook her head.

"James, could you walk Nikki to her car?" Mrs. York asked.

"Not a problem, Mrs. York."

"I'm fine." Nikki protested.

"I want to make sure you leave this time." Mrs. York stated.

James was a large black man who had played college football before too many concussions forced him from playing professional. He was a great security guard. His size alone intimidated people. Few people realized that he was just a big teddy bear.

"James, how well do you know Officer Estrada?" Nikki asked as they left the store.

"We see him now and again. He's not a patrol officer anymore, so we don't see him as often."

"Is he a good guy?" Nikki asked.

"I'd say so." James nodded.

Nikki unlocked her door and looked up at the security guard. "Thanks, James."

"Not a problem, Nikki. When am I going to hear you play your sax again?"

"Soon." Nikki promised. She slid into her car and waved to James before realizing that she had again left the store without changing out of her skirt and heels. Mrs. York would have a fit if she went in again. She started up the car and drove out of the parking lot.

Before she had realized where she was, she was pulling into the hospital parking structure. Nikki shook the fog from her mind and parked. She must need to be here if she unconsciously drove here.

She knew the hospital fairly well, having spent a lot of time here when she first found out that she was a gendermorph.

The clicking of her heels echoed down the hallways even though it was fairly busy. She stopped at information and got directions to Vic's room and made her way up. Various memories of her visits here flashed through her mind. The endless blood draws, the CAT scans, MRI and the grand piano.

The hospital was probably one of the only ones in these parts that had a piano in their cavernous lobby area. It was there for patients and Doctors alike. She was surprised when she had ventured out once to use it and found a surgeon sitting at the bench playing. When she had questioned him, he explained that many doctors, who play, use it as a way to relax.

Nikki knocked on the room door and was greeted by a frazzled looking woman in her sixties. "May I help you?"

"Hi, I'm Nikki. I work with Vic." She greeted.

"Hi Nikki." The woman's smile barely raised the corners of her mouth.

"Who is it, Mom?" Vic's voice called.

"He was resting. You may as well come in. Just don't stay long." VIc's mother pleaded. She turned into the room leaving the door open just wide enough for Nikki to squeeze through. "It's Nikki. She works with you?"

The room smelled like it had been closed off for a week. The odor of sweat, un-brushed teeth and antiseptic filled her nostrils.

"Nikki?" VIc slowly turned his head to look at her. His confused face changed to one of delight. "Nikki!" he greeted with a big smile.

"He's on pain meds." His mother warned.

"Mom, this is Nikki." He introduced. "She is the one who saved me last night."

"I thought you said it was Nick, the guy who played the piano?" She questioned.

"I'm a gendermorph." Nikki explained. She hated having to tell people, because their reactions were usually not good.

"Oh." His mother surprised face suddenly became plastered with a fake smile.

Reactions like that.

"Looking very nice. You dressed up for me?" Vic's eyes scanned her.

"I left work without changing." She confessed.

"Well we haven't seen Nikki around for quite a while." he observed. "Are you going to stay for a bit?"

"You need your rest, Victor." his mother was over the top fake sweet.

"I meant is you going to stay Nikki for a while?" Vic lightly shook his head.

"I don't know." Nikki was honest. "Stress is my trigger, and I've been under a lot of it today."

"Mom?"

"Yes, Victor?" his mother almost jumped to the bed.

"Could you see when dinner is?" Vic asked. "If it isn't for a while, could I get some pudding or ice cream?"

"Of course, dear."

"Smooth." Nikki smiled.

"She's a bit much at times." Vic rolled his eyes.

"How are you feeling?" Nikki asked.

"I've got pain meds." Vic held up a button that administered medication. "Oh, and a chest tube." he grimaced. He pulled back the blankets to reveal a tube of reddish colored fluid disappearing under a bandage in his side. "The Doctors all said that if it wasn't for you and your quick thinking, that I would have bled out." Vic met her eyes. "Thanks."

"Sure." Nikki shrugged. "Listen Vic, I saw who shot you."

Vic's complexion turned even paler.

"I haven't gone to the police, because he saw me as he drove off. I mean he saw Nick."

Vic looked frightened. "Don't say anything around my mom." he pleaded.

"I don't plan to." She assured. "I don't know what I should do."

"I told everyone that I didn't remember what happened." he hissed. "You can't tell, Nikki. Please."

"What happened?" Nikki asked.

Vic turned away. He grimaced as it pulled at his stitches. "I don't remember." he stated.

"Vic?" She pleaded.

"Here you are, Sweetie." His mother re-entered the room. "Oh, you're still here." She tried to make it sound like a gentle, sweet surprise, but Nikki knew better.

"He needs his rest. I'll visit another day." Nikki smiled back at his mother.

"Get to feeling better soon, Vic." She said and exited the room. Nikki made it down around the corner of the hall and leaned against the wall and took several deep breaths.

What was Vic doing with Lil' Foot? Why wouldn't he say anything to the cops or even the medical staff?

Nikki grunted with frustration and stalked back down through the hospital.

The alarm went off about the time that Nikki felt the morning light brushing across her eyelids. She slapped the alarm absently and stretched. A deep groan escaped her lips. Nikki stopped mid stretch and looked at her arms.

Episode 4

Nikki's phone went off as she climbed back into her bug.

"Hello?"

"Where are you? You were supposed to wait at the store for me to pick you up."

It was Aunt Mary.

"I'm sorry." Nikki rolled her eyes. "I wasn't feeling well, so I left early and went by the hospital to see how Vic was doing."

"I started to panic when I couldn't find you at the store." Aunt Mary growled. "Get home now."

"Okay, you don't have to bite my head off." Nikki growled back.

Aunt Mary was her father when he woke up on the wrong side of the bed. It was too hard trying to explain to people that the woman was actually Nick/Nikki's father.

"Just come home."

"On my way." Nikki hung up. She grabbed a handful of nuts and popped them into her mouth. She kept nuts in the car to help curb her constant hunger after transitioning. She was smart enough to have grabbed an apple and some sugar peas before going to work at the store.

Nikki and her father had grown closer in the past few years. When Nick first started transitioning a few years ago, he was very upset with his father. How could his father pass on such a horrible gene to his son?

One summer day a few months after Nikki had transitioned a few times, Nikki's father woke up on the wrong side of the bed and Aunt Mary took Nikki shopping. The two spent the day talking, shopping and enjoying each other's company. Nikki's Aunt took her to a department store and had the makeup women show Nikki how to apply the various hues of powders and creams. Aunt Mary also spoke to her at length about the joys of being a woman and how Gendermorphs had the best of both worlds.

Not only did Nikki get a new wardrobe out of it, she got the stuff to section her room off into a boy's side and girl's side as well as some history on her father and some embarrassing as well as funny stories that had happened to him during his early years of transitioning. The gendermorph gene had skipped his parent's generation. So when he woke up as a teenage girl, one morning, it was quite a lot to deal with it for him and his parents.

Sometimes the two, father/son Aunt/niece were in sync, waking up on the wrong side of the bed together, other times they were at odds, but over the rest of the summer, the two transformed Nick's bedroom into one that he and Nikki could both feel comfortable in.

Nikki pulled out of the parking lot and headed home. Aunt Mary sounded like she was in a foul mood, but hopefully she would calm down by the time Nikki got home.

"I'm home." Nikki announced as her heels clicked in the foyer of the house.

"You were supposed to let your father - er - Aunt Mary pick you up." Nikki's mom greeted harshly.

"I forgot." Nikki crossed her arms under her breasts defensively. "I was having a rough day, so Mrs. York told me that I could go home. I stopped by the hospital to see Vic."

Nikki's mother's voice changed, losing some of its coldness. "How is he doing?"

"Fine. He has a chest tube." Nikki grimaced.

Her mother nodded, "That is pretty standard for a chest wound. "Mary came home upset not being able to locate you."

"I'm sorry." Nikki stated.

"You might want to go apologize to her."

Nikki nodded.

"Dinner will be ready in a bit." Nikki heard her mother announce as she carried her backpack up stairs to her room.

Once in her room, she slipped off her heels and tossed them into the closet. Aunt Mary was probably out back gardening. She liked to get her hands in the dirt more than her male counterpart.

Nikki slipped out of her skirt and white button down blouse. She had worn them a few times at work and they could use a good washing. She sniffed at the blouse; it had the faint scent of the store's locker room. She peeled off the nylons and set them aside. Nikki slipped into a purple tank-top and white yoga pants before collapsing on her pink bed. She looked over at the blue side. It was a nice color of blue, but Nikki felt more comfortable with pink.

It wasn't as if Nikki was a different person, it was just that Nikki had different tastes than Nick. Sometimes a recessive trait became more dominant when a Gendermorph transitioned. Nick was partial to the color blue, usually a bold royal blue. Nikki on the other hand liked blue, usually a baby blue or turquoise however, Nikki really preferred pink to blue.

Nikki padded down stairs, slipped on her pink flip-flops and exited the sliding glass door to the patio. Sure enough, Mary was kneeling down at the edge of a flower bed, pulling weeds from around her tulips and daffodils.

Nikki pulled out a chair from the patio table and sat down. "I'm sorry I gave you a scare." She stated.

Mary didn't look up but just continued pulling weeds.

"I truly forgot what mom had told me this morning." She continued. "I just have a lot on my mind."

"Least of all your safety." Aunt Mary huffed. "Nikki, you really don't understand how much more vulnerable we are as women. When we transition, we lose some of our muscle mass. We aren't as strong as we are as men. "

"I know." Nikki had heard the lecture before.

"Did you read that article about that Gendermorph up North who was raped?"

"Yes." Nikki nodded. Her father had emailed it to her a few weeks ago. A Gendermorph in female form was raped and beaten. If a Gendermorph gets pregnant as a woman, she stays that way until the baby is born. No amount of stress or orgasms could transition her into a man. Most even were unable to transition until they were done breast feeding. Something in the body just wouldn't allow the transition during that time. "Aunt Mary, you sent me to self defense classes last year."

"It doesn't help if there are too many and they are stronger than you." She stated. "Your friend was shot in the parking lot last night for heaven's sake."

"I know, I was there."

"Do they know why he was singled out?"

Nikki shook her head. "He said that he didn't know either." it was a partial lie, but she needed to put Aunt Mary at ease.

"Are you working tomorrow?"

"No." Nikki stated. "Sarah would like me to join her for a girls' night. It has been a while since we've been able to hang out and do girl things."

"If it is okay with your mother."

"Thanks." Nikki smiled. "Aunt Mary?" she asked.

"Yes?"

"Usually I can't wait to get back to being Nick, but I think I want to stay Nikki for a little while."

"That would be nice."

"The problem is that I've been stressing out a lot lately." She sighed. "How can I keep from waking up on the wrong side of the bed tomorrow?"

Aunt Mary stopped pulling weeds and shrugged. "We really don't have much control over our triggers."

"I know. I was just hoping there was a way to counter act the trigger so that I can stay Nikki for a little while."

"Well.... In woman form, I find long soaks in a bubble bath and a good book relaxing." She explained. "In male form, I either work out, go to the shooting range or play some Mario kart."

Nikki smiled. Her father wasn't much good at the wii game, but he enjoyed it anyway.

Aunt Mary got to her feet put her gloves off to the side and started for the house. "I'm going to get washed up. Dinner should be about ready and I am still eating like a horse."

"So, did you meet that new, cute surfer guy at school?" Alicia asked at the dinner table.

Nikki could feel her face heating up. Alicia snickered.

"A new boy at school?" their mother asked absently.

"He's very cute." Alicia exaggerated. "Half of the girls were drooling as he walked by."
"He's in Jazz and Show band." Nikki stated.

"Ooooh." Alicia teased. "Could you concentrate on the music?"

"He plays Tenor. I was asked to play with him so that he can learn the music."

Alicia sighed. "I should have learned to play the sax."

Alicia had never been musically inclined. After three years of piano lessons, she could barely play basic pieces.

Nikki lost track of her sister's nattering about her day and about Landon. She was lost in her own world thinking of the blonde surfer. Just because he was tan and had long sun bleached hair didn't mean that he was a surfer.

Nikki blinked back to what was going on.

"You are going to Sarah's tomorrow?" her mother was asking.

"Yes. T.J. and I are joining her for a girls' night."

"Be home by midnight."

"Yes mother." She nodded. "Oh, before I forget. I picked up a gig."

"Oh?" Aunt Mary raised an eyebrow.

"Someone at the mall asked me to play for their grandmother's birthday."

"When?" her mother asked.

"Sunday after next at the Azalea old folk's home."

"Piano?" Aunt Mary asked.

Nikki nodded.

All four girls made quick work of the dishes and clean up. Mary and her mother retired to the sofa to watch chick flicks. Alicia disappeared to her room.

Nikki found herself sitting on her bed staring in her closet, wondering what she should wear to catch Landon's attention. She stood up and started going through her closet. A lot of the clothes hadn't been worn in a while. She wasn't Nikki very often and when she was, she didn't stay that way for long so her wardrobe was a little dated. She needed something that looked nice; feminine but not too revealing or anything that looked like she was trying.

She ended up pulling an ankle length flowing white skirt which she paired with a Barbie pink blouse. Her bolo denim jacket would help make it more casual. She pulled out some white strappy sandals which had a slight wedge to them. She set the outfit off to the side and pulled her satin nightgown out of her drawer and began drawing a bubble bath.

While the tub was filling, Nikki pulled some of Alicia's headbands out of her drawer and began playing with her hair, her hair was short, so she never really played with head bands before, but this pink one would look good with her outfit.

Nikki slipped into the fragrant bubble bath and could almost feel the muscles in her body relax.

She was just starting to close her eyes when the bathroom opened. "Hey, that's my headband." Alicia stated.

"I want to borrow it tomorrow." Nikki asked.

"A pink headband?" Alicia questioned.

"It'll look good with my outfit."

"Surfer guy?" Alicia asked.

"If you must know, his name is Landon."

Alicia snickered. "Just make sure I get it back."

"Do you have any pink nail polish?" Nikki could feel her face getting very hot and it wasn't from the bath.

"What shade?"

"Something similar to the head band?"

Alicia smirked as she nodded. "Yeah, I'll give it to you after you get out of here. Don't be in here all night. I want to take a shower tonight." She left the bathroom.

Nikki closed her eyes and relaxed in the water and tried to think happy thoughts. It was unnerving how they all seemed to involve a tall tan blonde guy.

The water began to get cool. Nikki pulled the plug and waited as the water drained away. She then stood up and rinsed off in a quick shower before drying and slipping into her silky smooth nightgown. The softness of the clothes were definitely a perk of being a women she decided.

"Tell you what." Alicia proposed as Nikki exited the bathroom. "I'll paint your toes if you'll paint mine."

"I guess." Nikki nodded. "I can't promise to be any good."

"I'll show you."

Nikki found it kind of nice spending time with her sister. This was something that they had never done before. Spending sister time talking about school, guys, and clothes. It was kind of nice.

Nikki wiggled her toes and smiled at the pink color. It was so girly. Would Landon even notice? Would she like it if he did?

Nikki felt relaxed as she wormed her way under her pink comforter.

The alarm went off about the time that Nikki felt the morning light brushing across her eyelids. She slapped the alarm absently and stretched. A deep groan escaped her lips. Nikki stopped mid stretch and looked at her arms.

"Shit!" Nick's deep voice sounded. "Shit, shit, shit!" Nick threw the comforter off of him. "Mom!" he bellowed. "I woke up on the wrong side of the bed again."

The Wrong side of the Bed 5

by Anistasia Allread

Nikki slipped behind the wheel and heard a car slowly coming down the street.

Someone lost? she thought. She closed the door and looked behind her. She watched as an old Cadillac slowly approached her house. Her heart nearly jumped out of her chest as she saw four men riding in the car. Nikki quickly slipped down in the seat of her blue bug and held her breath as the car slowly rolled by.

Episode 5

"Arrrg!" Nick cursed. As he looked down to see the satin nightgown clinging unflattering to his male physic. He grabbed some boxers out of a dresser drawer and stepped into them before yanking off the nightgown. He wadded it up and threw it on the bed.

"Again?" his mother stuck her head in the door. "I thought you wanted to stay girl for a while?"

"I did." he growled. "I can't go to school like this." he waved his pink fingernails at his mother.

"Remover will take it right off." She scoffed.

"Mom. I can't go to school today." he tried to keep the anger out of his voice.

"Why not?"

"Because Landon will know." it escaped his lips before he could catch it.

"Landon?"

Nick could feel his neck get hot. He was sure his face was beet read.

"The cute surfer." Alicia supplied with a snicker.

"Shut up." Nick growled.

"Get out of here, Alicia." His mother shooed. She turned and redirected her attention to her son. "What about Jazz band?"

"They can get along without me." Nick tried to calm himself down. "Mom, I really don't want to go to school today."

His mother thought about it for a moment. "Okay, but this better not affect your grades, young man."

Nick nodded. "It won't."

"He always gets to stay home." Alicia complained. "Who's going to take me to school?"

"You can ride the bus." he heard his mother tell her. "Nick? French toast okay?"

"And eggs." he said. "Do we have any sausage or ham? I'm starving."

He hadn't transitioned two days in a row since the summer after his first time. He was going to be eating all day and most of the night.

"Damn!" he swore. "There goes girls' night."

Part of him wanted nothing more than to crawl back into bed, but his stomach has the stronger will. He slipped into some sweats and a T-shirt, hit the bathroom and pounded down the stairs.

"Morning Nick." his father greeted poking his head in the fridge.

He had transitioned last night too. Mom was going to have to buy groceries today.

"I tried to de-stress last night, Dad." Nick huffed. "I still transitioned."

"So what is this I hear about this Landon kid?" His father asked.

"He's a new guy at school." Nick explained. "I don't want him to know about my being a Gendermorph until we can get to know each other better."

"Do you like him?"

Nick nodded. "At least, Nikki does."

His father nodded his head. "Well, as long as you are staying home today. I want you to clean and organize the tool shed."

"Today?" Nick whined.

"If you are staying home from school when you aren't sick, then you may as well get something useful done."

Nick sighed. "I was going to try and transition back today."

"After the tool shed is taken care of." His father turned his attention to his mother. "Steak tonight, please."

"Yes please." Nick agreed.

"That is a lot of transitioning in a short time." His father stated. "Don't get yourself sick."

Nick nodded. "I'm going to go shower." he told them as he started towards the stairs.

"Why does he always get to stay home just because he is a Gendermorph?" Alicia was asking her parents. "It's not fair."

Nick froze on the stairs and listened out of sight of his family.

"We've been through this before, Alicia." Nick's father stated

"I know." Alicia stated. "It just seems that sometimes Nick gets special treatment."

"Sometimes he does." his dad admitted. "At least it might seem that way to you. but I'll bet he would trade his privileges to be able to stay one gender and never have to transition again."

Nick founded himself nodding although he was trying to figure out what privileges he had other than being able to stay home every once in a while. Alicia may have meant his two closets of clothes. but it was not necessarily a privilege.

Nick continued up the stairs. there was a lot to do. He'd have to clean out the shed, leaving enough time for a six hour nap before going over to Sarah's house for the girls' night.

Nick picked up his phone and texted:

Woke up on the wrong side of the bed again. won't be at school today.

He then texted Sarah:

Planning on being Nikki for girls night. don't cancel. Tell Landon that I wasn't feeling myself.

When Nick got out of the shower his father and sister had already left. Nick pulled on an old pair of jeans and a sweat shirt before heading back down stairs.

"Breakfast is in the oven." His mother told him.

Nick pulled a warm plate piled high with French toast and a second plate of scrambled eggs and a rasher of bacon out of the oven and dug into it. He finished it off with a cup of coffee and two large glasses of juice.

"Wash your dishes and put them in the dishwasher." Nick's mother called from the front door. "I'm off to get food."

"Lots of steak, please. I'm going to be hungry."

Nick took care of his dishes and went out to the work shed. The tool shed was part storage shed, part tool shed and a work area for small carpentry projects.

He opened the door and sighed loudly. This was going to take the better part of the day. He began by pulling all of the miscellaneous junk out and sorting them into piles on the lawn.

Once the shed was cleaned, organized and swept out, Nick went back into the house. His mother had just finished putting groceries away and was fixing a lunch.

Nick washed his hands and changed into some sweats and a clean shirt.

"Hungry?" she asked as he joined her in the kitchen.

"Starving." he nodded as he sat down.

His mother placed a plate with a whole rotisserie chicken in front of him. "That should get you started."

Nick tore into the flesh and began stuffing his mouth. He knew he was hungry, but didn't realize just how much until the first bite hit his stomach.

"Slow down or you'll make yourself sick." his mother warned.

Nick nodded and stayed the hand he was moving towards his mouth. He looked down and found that half of the chicken had already been demolished.

"I got you some potato salad too." his mother placed a plastic tub in front of him.

"Thanks." he said around his mouth full. He wasn't a fan of store bought potato salad, but when he was this hungry, it didn't matter.

His mother placed a large glass of milk in front of him as well as the milk jug.

Nick finished eating everything in front of him and cleared the mess while his mother sat down with her laptop.

Nick went up stairs. His fingers and face felt greasy from the chicken while his arms felt icky from dust and sweat from working. He decided to take a quick shower.

Clean, he toweled off and tossed the towel on the floor next to his blue bed. He closed his bedroom door and sat down on his bed.

Why was it so important for him to transition? he posed to himself. Nikki liked Landon but did he? He liked the surfer guy well enough he guessed. He wondered how much of his attraction to the tall blonde was Nikki's hormones and how much was real. He tossed his head and threw himself back into his pillows.

He closed his eyes and began fantasizing. Porn magazines worked for some but for him they just made him feel weird, like he was prying into someone else's privacy.

--o0o--

Nikki rolled over and felt her breasts press into the soft mattress. "Good." She sighed. masturbating to force a transition worked most of the time, but there were times when it just made a gendermorph sleep.

Nikki sat up and pulled the blankets up to cover her chest. It was funny how self conscious she was in her female form even when she was alone in her room. As Nick, she always slept nude. as Nikki, never.

Nikki checked the clock and sighed. She had about an hour till dinner. She crossed the room to her pink side and slipped into her under garments. The outfit she had picked out the night before was still prepped but that was for Landon. She was with the girls tonight. she needed something cute yet comfortable. She slipped into some black stretchy capris pulled on a leopard print top and slipped into some black ballet flats.

Nikki pulled out her phone and quickly texted her friends.

Nikki is back. what time is girl's night?

Nikki's stomach began growling when she sat down at her vanity and looked at her face in the mirror.

She knew better than to have taken a transitioning nap with damp hair. She ran her fingers through the unruly hair and watched as it sprang back up sticking out at strange angles. She grabbed some hair wax and rubbed it into the roots of her hair. while her curling iron heated up. Once it was hot, she quickly began curling the ends of her hair then with some teasing and some hairspray, her hair was retro eighties with a modern flair. big sassy and fun.

"Are you wake?" a knock came at the door.

"Yes." she called.

Nikki's mother poked her head in. "Dinner is almost ready. Your father will be home in about fifteen minutes."

"Thanks."

"Cute hair." her mother smiled.

"It's about the only thing it will do without having to shower, and blow dry it." Nikki explained.

"When you are finished, please come down and set the table. I'm going to start the steaks in a few moments.

"Yes, mom." Nikki smiled. "What besides steak, are we having?"

"Baked potatoes, corn, rutabaga, and a chocolate mousse pie for dessert."

Nikki's stomach gurgled in response. Her mother smiled before ducking out.

Nikki quickly applied some eye shadow, mascara and some lip gloss before heading down stairs to help her mom.

She quickly checked her phone.

Come over as soon as you're done w/ dinner

"You're back?" Alicia questioned looking up from her homework at one end of the table.

"Did you miss me?" Nikki's eyes sparkled.

Alicia huffed.

"Did Landon ask where I was?" Nikki inquired.

"He doesn't even know that we are sisters." Alicia shook her head. "You have it bad for this one."

"I do not. I was just curious." Nikki countered.

The four sat down to a large dinner. Nikki and her father each devoured two large steaks. Nikki also put away two baked potatoes as well as the corn and a slice of pie.

"I'm heading over to Sarah's." She announced as she cleared her dishes.

"What time are you coming home?" her father asked.

"I don't know." Nikki stated.

"No later than midnight." her father ordered.

"Yes, Daddy." Nikki placed a kiss upon his forehead before grabbing her purse and heading out to her car.

Nikki slipped behind the wheel and heard a car slowly coming down the street.

Someone lost? she thought. She closed the door and looked behind her. She watched as an old Cadillac slowly approached her house. Her heart nearly jumped out of her chest as she saw four men riding in the car. Nikki quickly slipped down in the seat of her blue bug and held her breath as the car slowly rolled by.

She kept flinching, expecting automatic weapons fire, and flinched even more when she didn't hear any.

Slowly raised her head just enough to peek into her rear view mirror. The old Cadillac wasn't there. She turned her head and glanced out the driver's side window and cringed as the tail lights slowly drifted away.

"Holy shit!" she breathed "Holy shit, Lil Foot knows where I 'F'ing live."

Part of her wanted to run into the house and be swallowed up by her daddy's arms, another part wanted to be gone from the house in case they drove by again.

Did they make the connection with her car and the house? she hoped not. Should she call the cops? but then she would be questioned as to why a known drug dealer was driving by her home.

Heart pounding in her chest, she tried to slow her breathing as well as her manic, scattered thoughts. maybe she should call officer Estrada. but again, what could she tell him? could he put protection around her house? but then wouldn't that tip off Lil' Foot even more? she wanted to cry, she just didn't know what to do.

She took a long slow deep breath and replayed what had just happened in her head. She saw a Cadillac driving slowly down the street with four passengers. She tried to make out the faces of the people in the car but couldn't. They were just dark shapes. She couldn't even make out what color the old car was. Could it have been her imagination? For all she knew, it wasn't even Lil' Foot. It could have been someone who was lost.

"You're being paranoid, Nikki." She said aloud. She started her bug and backed out of the drive

---

 
Sarah's house was only about a block away, but in girl form, Nikki felt safer driving than walking. She parked the car on the street and grabbed her stuff.

She locked her door and heard another car driving up the street. She quickly ran up the driveway and ducked down behind Sarah's dad's SUV. She peered over the top and sighed with relief as she saw a police car drive by. Nikki straightened and went to Sarah's front door.

"Finally!" Sarah answered the door. "Come on up. Did you bring any snacks?"

Nikki held out a bag full of chips and other goodies. "T.J. here?"

"Yes, come on." Sarah pulled Nikki up the stairs to her room.

"What did I miss at school?" Nikki demanded as soon as Sarah's bedroom door was closed. "Did Landon ask about me?"

T.J. snickered. "Wow, you've got it bad."

"I do not." Nikki felt her face heat up. She looked to Sarah. "Did he notice I was gone?"

Sarah joined T.J.'s laughter. "Yes, he was just curious as to why you didn't show up for band. Mr. Hill was upset. Apparently you had better show up next week or you may lose your solos and perhaps your chair."

"Aaaah! This whole morphing thing is going to kill me." Nikki swore. "Landon doesn't know yet does he?"

"That you are a gendermorph? No." Sarah shook her head. "At least I don't think he does. If someone has told him, he hasn't let on."

Nikki let out a deep breath and felt her shoulders relax slightly. "I'm starving. What do we have to eat?"

The three girls put on some movies and talked about school as they munched and helped each other with their facials. Nikki's nails had already been done by her sister so she spent most of the time munching on food soothed by the other two girls chattering.

Her mind was still a whirl. That car driving slowly by earlier was weighing heavily. She couldn't see who was in the car. I could have been Lil' Foot or it could have just been someone lost. She didn't know, but it was scary. Did Lil' Foot have the resources to track her down by her car? Then there was the fact that Officer Estrada wanted her to spy on Lil' Foot's party. School was stressful enough; add being a gendermorph to that and it was doubly so. Pile on witnessing a known drug dealer shooting a co-worker then threatening your life, and she was surprised that she wasn't morphing every few hours.

"Hello, Earth to Nikki." Sarah was waving a hand in front of her face. "Oh welcome back." She added as Nikki blinked her unfocused eyes.

"What?" Nikki asked.

"Are you okay?" T.J. asked. "You are starting to freak us out. You aren't having a seizure or something are you?"

"No." Nikki forced a smile.

"Good, cuz I've heard about people flopping around and trying to swallow their tongues and stuff. Although it would be interesting to see, I don't want to have to deal with my friend doing it. I mean how do you do mouth to mouth on a person who is thrashing around and shaking and stuff?"

"You don't do mouth to mouth on a person seizing, dummy." Sarah snickered. Her voice turned serious. "Nikki, are you sure you are okay? You've been staring off into space and chowing down like never before."

"Morphing makes you extremely hungry." Nikki defended.

"You're still freaking over the shooting, aren't you." T.J. stated. "I know I would be. I'd be freaked out for days, especially if the shooter saw who I was--"

Sarah slapped T.J. on the shoulder. "Stop it you moron. Tonight was to get her mind off of what happened, not dwell on it."

T.J. rubbed her shoulder and looked at Sarah hurt. "I was just saying that it's alright to be freaking out still."

Nikki looked at her phone. "You know, I should start heading home." She stated. "My mom wants me home by midnight, and I don't want to be the one to suck the life out of your guys night."

"Don't be stupid." Sarah admonished. "You aren't the downer. If anyone here is a downer, it's T.J. Sarah quickly swung a pillow and hit T.J. in the face.

"You bitch!" T.J. shrieked. She threw her body to the side to avoid another blow and grabbed her own pillow.

Sarah's next swing caught Nikki across the back of the head.

"Now you are asking for it!" Nikki leapt up with the nearest pillow at hand.

* * *

Nikki waved to T.J. as she started up her car and waved back.

"You want me to go with you?" Sarah asked coming out of the front door?"

"No. I think I can make it down the block by myself." Nikki smiled even though her heart was hammering in her chest. One down side to being a girl was being scared a lot.

Her father told her that girls tend to be more cautious because they are scared more often than boys. He had said it was partially the hormones and partially because of some kind of wiring of the brain thing. She usually started to zone out once his lectures got too technical.

Nikki got into her car and started it up. Sarah waved to her as she pulled away. Nikki let out a long breath and took two deep ones and tried to settle her heart as she drove the very short distance to her driveway.

Once she turned off the car, she looked down both ways of the street before quickly getting out, locking it and running to the front door.

"You have a good night?" Her dad greeted from the kitchen.

"Yes." She forced a smile. Her hands felt clammy and she prayed that her forehead wasn't beaded with perspiration or that her face wasn't too white.

"I should be going to bed. I have to work tomorrow." She excused herself quickly and went to her room.

"Relax." She told herself. "Relax."

She set her purse down on her vanity, slipping out her cell and plugging it in to charge. She then grabbed a brush and began to brush the hair spray out of her hair, relaxing the curl as she did so.

A knock sounded at her door scaring her.

"Yes?" She asked turning to the door.

"I thought these might help you to relax." Her father held out some candles. "You still look pretty wound up. If you morph many more times in the next few days, you'll go into a morpher's coma.

"Thanks daddy." Nikki retrieved the candles. "I am tired, but I think I'll be okay."

"If you morph tonight, I'll keep you home." He warned. "If you morph again after that this week, I'll take you in."

Nikki swallowed. He meant taking her to the hospital. She had heard of gendermorphs who were put on sedatives and kept for observation so that their body didn't go into a morpher's coma. She didn't want to miss any more school or chances with Landon. She couldn't. She needed to get this stress under control.

"You understand?" her father asked.

"Yes Daddy. Thank you for the candles." she dismissed him.

She set the candles around the room and decided to take a shower before going to bed.

The hot water quickly melted away the surface stress. Her mind began to wander a bit. Could Lil' Foot have been in that car? If it was him, was he just casing her place looking for Nick, or was he up to something even more sinister. Then there was that police car. The police car was only a few minutes behind the large slow car. Could a cop be trying to tail the bigger car? If a cop was tailing Lil' Foot, wouldn't they do it in an undercover car instead of a marked car? What if it was Officer Estrada? Wait, why would Officer Estrada be in a marked car and why would he be tailing the other car? Was he checking up on her? Making sure she was safe? He had her cell number, why didn't he just call?

"You going to take all night in there?" Alicia called waking Nikki from her thoughts.

"I'll be right out." Nikki called. She hoped her sister didn't need to take a shower. Almost all of the hot water was gone. She quickly dried off. Nikki had been in her feminine form for most of the evening, but it still felt strange having the weight of breasts on her chest. She slipped into her robe and freed the bathroom for her sister.

The warm glow of candles filled the room. Nikki pulled on a night gown and lay down on her bed.

"I can't morph tonight." She instructed her body, as if that would do any good. I don't want to be treated for Morpher's coma.

The ailment that Gendermorphs suffered was very infrequent, but there were a number of Gender morphs who it happened to every year. Weeks and even months could be lost if a Gender morph slipped into the affliction.

The sweet smell of vanilla and lavender perfumed the air. Nikki blew out the candles and went back to bed.

"Please wake up on the right side of the bed." She thought.

* * *

Nikki heard the faint sound of a car start to grow louder as it approached. She turned behind her to see the lights of an older large car slowly making its way her direction. The shape of the lights seemed familiar. Her chest tightened as she realized that they were Lil' Foot's car. He and his body guards had found her.

Nikki looked for a place to hide, but the street she was on was flat, featureless; the cars all in their garages, the trees too young to hide behind. Would he recognize Nick? Or would he just assume that she was a young woman walking home?

Her fluttering heart spurred her feet to start into a quicker pace. She tried to slow down to act casual, but the threat of Lil' Foot recognizing her, was too much. It was irrational she knew, but she couldn't help it. The reflections of the street lights were clearer as the car approached. Nikki quickly glanced back and could make out at least two and possibly three dark shapes in the car.

She closed her eyes and tried to breathe deeply through her nose and slowly out her mouth to calm herself down.

The car pulled closer and someone in the passenger side stuck his head out the window.

"Hey sweetheart, do you know a Nick that lives in this neighborhood?"

"Um, No." Nikki heard Nick's deep voice come out of her mouth.

The guy in the car looked confused.

Nikki tried again. "Sorry, I don't." but again her voice betrayed her. Her mind raced. Could a gendermorph transition while still awake, let alone conscious?
The car slowly passed by.

"I think that was a dude." she heard.

"She kind of looks like the guy." another voice sounded.

The car stopped two driveways ahead and allowed two large guys out.

Nikki didn't know if it was her being scared or what, but she felt very different. She looked down to see that she no longer had her feminine form. She was Nick wearing a dress.

"Holy Shit!" he bellowed.

"There's his car. It's him." Nick heard the voice call. He looked to where the guy was pointing and saw his blue bug parked right next to him with the door open. It hadn't been there a second ago had it?

"Crap!" Nick jumped into his car and tried to shut the door but one of the no-neck muscles, wrenched it from his grasp and grabbed him.

"Dude's been dressing like a girl to avoid us." The muscle head snickered.

Lil' Foot stepped out of the car and came approached. "You tricky little bastard." Lil' Foot swore. "He's a gendermorph." he explained to the body guard. He turned to Nick, "You knew I was looking for you the whole time."

Nick gulped hard. Two things kept flashing though his mind. How was it possible to morph while being awake, let alone so quickly and two, was Lil' Foot going to kill him?

Lil' Foot looked to the large guy that held Nick by the back of his blouse and nodded before turning away. Nick was lifted off of his feet and thrown to the ground. He barely had enough time to get his arm out to cushion his landing. His head still struck the cement causing a shock of pain. Next he felt what must have been a size thirteen shoe colliding with his kidneys.

"This is for hiding from us." two more kicks were landed then a large hand grabbed a hand full of his blouse and picked him up. "This is for dressing like a freaking girl." The other hand in the form of a fist slammed against the side of his face causing his teeth to rattle.

Stars swam before his eyes. Nick didn't know which was up and which was down. The pain in his head gave way to feel cold pavement against his hands and face. He dared to open his eyes and looked up, expecting to see another boot or fist coming at him. Instead he looked up to see Lil' Foot.

"You need to be careful walking alone at night." The drug dealer commented. "shadows play tricks on you and you think you see things that aren't really there or you might trip over a twig and stumble into a tree trunk." Lil' Foot held his gaze for a long moment.

All Nick could do was to nod.

Lil' Foot nodded back and returned to the car followed by his muscle.

Nick took a deep breath and let it out.

Nikki waved good bye to her father and carefully stepped down off of the porch. It had been a while since she had worn such high heels.

She looked up as the sound of a car slowly cruising through the neighbor hood came towards her house. Something was familiar about the shape of the head lights and silhouette of the car. Bright flashes of light erupted from the passenger side windows, loud cracks quickly followed suit.
Nikki found herself flying backwards as three sharp pains ripped through her chest and arm. She struck her head against the house as she landed on the cold cement of the porch.

Breathing was like inhaling fire. It seemed that she couldn't get enough air to fill her lungs. Her mind swam trying to grasp what had just happened. Was she just shot? She gasped for air. She tried to inhale, why couldn't she breathe. Colors swirled before her eyes, colors that faded to black.

At the sound of her alarm, Nikki sat straight up in bed and gasped. Afraid of what she might see, she slowly looked down and breathed a deep sigh of relief. Not only had she awaken up on the right side of the bed, she had no bullet holes or blood on her chest.

Rubbing sleep from her eyes, Nikki pulled her robe on and slipped down to the bathroom for a quick rinse. She had to get the smell of nightmare sweat off of her. Her heart quickened as she thought over the horrible dreams. She had to do something. She had to get past this whole Lil' Foot thing and get on with her life.

Nikki nearly jumped out of her skin when she heard her mother's voice, "Your blouse and skirt are clean."

"Thanks mom."

Nikki slipped out of her robe, blotted herself dry and pulled on some panties and wiggled into her bra before slipping her smooth legs into some nylons. She always loved the way they felt as they slid over her skin. A few hours from now however, she would be cursing their discomfort.

Nikki stepped into her black pencil skirt and pulled it up over her hips and pulled the zipper close before sitting down at her vanity and starting on her makeup. It took her several tries to apply some eyeliner due to her finger's shaking. A little eye shadow, a little mascara, a touch of lip gloss and she dried her hair with the dryer. She slipped the silky white blouse over her shoulders and fumbled only a little with the backwards buttons. She tucked her blouse into her skirt, slid a narrow belt around her waist and looked at herself in the mirror.

"Wow." She commented to herself.

"You know I hate you, right?" Alicia's voice came from her door.

Nikki's heart jumped. She spun around and looked at her little sister in confusion.

Alicia rolled her eyes. "That makes me hate you even more." she sighed.

"What did I do?" Nikki asked.

"You make it look so easy."

Nikki continued looking blankly at her little sister.

"You look great." Alicia finally attempted to explain. "Sometimes you are such a natural at being a girl, and look so good that bio-girls like me get jealous and hate you for it."

Finally understanding, Nikki smiled and charged her sister, wrapping her up in a big hug. "Thank you." She whispered. Flashes of warmth spread through her body.

Nikki released her little sister and the two smiled at one another.

"I've got something for you." Alicia suddenly ran to her room.

Nikki shrugged and went to her closet where she slipped into her three inch pumps. She turned to leave when Alicia came running back in. "These will look good with that." She held out some earrings.

"Those are perfect." Nikki nodded. She went to her vanity and quickly put them on and turned and smiled at her sister.

Alicia smiled back. "Yep. I hate you." She turned and walked down stairs.

Nikki stood and stared in the mirror at herself. It was still hard believing that the pretty young woman in the mirror was herself.

"Don't you look nice." her father greeted as she entered the kitchen.

"Thank you daddy." Nikki placed a kiss upon his cheek.

"Eggs?" he asked.

Nikki nodded. "Any bacon or leftovers from last night?"

Her father smiled. "Get your coffee, I'll see what I can whip up.

* * *

Nikki's heart jumped in her throat as she saw the blue and red flashing lights behind her car. She quickly glanced down at her speedometer and saw that she was under the speed limit. Did she not come to a complete stop at the last intersection?

She pulled over and parked in the next available parking lot. Confused, she quickly ran through her mind all that she might have done wrong while driving to work.

"Hello, Nikki."

Nikki looked up to see Officer Estrada smiling down at her. "Officer Estrada?" She questioned. "What did I do wrong?"

"Nothing. This was just a way to talk to you without bringing too much attention to us."

Nikki looked past the officer at all of the cars slowing down to look at them. Officer Estrada looked over his shoulder following her gaze. "All they will see is someone getting pulled over."

"What do you want to talk to me about?" She asked.

"Have you given any thought to our conversation the other day?"

Nikki nodded. "I'm scared, Sir." She admitted. I think Lil' Foot was casing my house the other night. A car looking a lot like his slowed down as came down my street last night."

"Why would Lil' Foot be trying to case your house?" Officer Estrada took off his sunglasses and looked at Nikki. "He only hired you to play the piano at his party, right?"

Nikki gulped. She had slipped up and told the Officer more than she had wanted. In her mind she was screaming at herself. "Shut up!" she yelled inside her head. She had to do something so that her nerves weren't so frazzled. She was constantly looking over her shoulder and having nightmares.

Nikki realized that there had been a long pause in their conversation as Officer Estrada was waiting for her to answer.

"Well, he is a known drug dealer who would be naturally be suspicious of everything, right?" She licked her lips and tried not to blink or look away as she spoke to Officer Estrada. "If I was a drug dealer, I'd want to know about who I was hiring, even if it was a pianist for a party."

Officer Estrada thought about that for a moment. "Okay, I'll go along with that." he nodded.

"I was just hoping that if I do this for you that you could maybe have police watching over my house?"

"I could definitely do that if you were to work with me." Officer Estrada nodded.

"If I feel like I'm in a dangerous situation, I get to quit, right?"

"Yes." the officer replied. "You may not need to, we'll have surveillance on you at all times."

"How can you do that and not tip him off?" She asked. "Everyone watches cop shows, even drug dealers."

"We have our ways, Nikki." he replied. "You are going to work now, I take it."

Nikki nodded. "I'm going to be late if I sit here too much longer."

"I'd like you to please come down to the police station Monday to fill out some paper work and get fitted for a wire."

"No wires." Nikki demanded.

"We've got to get something to record him."

"I'm not wearing a wire." Nikki avowed. "I've seen cop shows too."

Estrada finally nodded. "Okay, but you still need to come down to the station to talk. Just call me when you get there, I'll escort you in."

"Anything else?" Nikki asked.

"We'll talk Monday."

"Can I go?"

Officer Estrada nodded and went back to his car.

Nikki took a deep breath. Police surveillance for her family's house. At least she could breathe a little easier. Maybe even sleep without a nightmare.

"How are you feeling today?" Mrs. York inquired.

"I had nightmares last night, but I'm doing and feeling better." Nikki smiled.

"We are looking to have a busy day." The manager smiled. "I hope you are well enough to help soothe some frantic shoppers."

Nikki smiled. "Shouldn't be a problem."

Mrs. York smiled a dismissal.

Erika's pumps clicked on the tile floor as she made her way to the female locker room.

She went to the large vanity and began freshening her lip gloss and checking her hair.

"I thought I saw you come out of York's office." Darlene greeted. "You feeling better?"

Nikki finished rubbing her lips together and popped them open. "Yes. Other than a few nightmares, I got some much needed sleep."

"Did you hear about Vic?" Darlene practically gushed with gossip.

"No." Nikki tossed her short hair.

"A girlfriend of a guy I once dated said that Witness Protection came to the hospital and whisked him out of there. They basically made him disappear."

"Forever?" Nikki asked.

"Who knows." Darlene shrugged. She gave Nikki a body check. "You look nice today. very well put together, did you do that?" She asked.

Nikki nodded.

"Wow, good job."

"Thanks." Nikki didn't know what else to say. "I should be getting out there before York comes in here looking for me."

"Have a good day." Darlene called after her.

Nikki took a seat at the piano and began her shift by playing some Bach. Before she knew it, her eyes were closed as she became engrossed with the music.

When she came to the end of the song, she waited for the last note to fade away before starting the next song. Instead, she heard clapping. She opened her eyes to see several people around the store smiling at her as they applauded.

Nikki turned a darker shade of pink, but smiled at her fans.

"Wow. No wonder you are Mr. Hill's favorite student."

Nikki turned around to see Landon smiling down at her. Her heart jumped in her throat and then beat like mad as she took in the site of the transplant. Golden blonde curly hair touched the shoulders of a royal blue shirt that matched his eyes. His tanned skin contrasted nicely with his white smile.

"Hi." She managed not to stutter. "Landon. What are you doing here?"

Landon looked around "This is a mall isn't it?"

Nikki could feel her cheeks warm. "Yes."

"I was just doing some shopping and heard your playing." He smiled. "Being a bit of a music nerd, I thought I'd come see who it was who was creating such beautiful sounds. I arrived to see my nemesis from band class."

"I'm not your nemesis." Nikki couldn't decide whether to be shocked or flattered.

"I'll never be able to play the sax anywhere as good as you just played the piano, and that is just one of the instruments you play."

Nikki saw Mrs. York looking her direction. "This is my job, I need to get back to it before my boss gets pissed."

"Mind if I listen?" Landon pleaded.

"You are in a mall. Everyone is free to listen."

Landon moved around towards the piano as Nikki centered herself and began playing another song. "Do you play?" She asked once she was a few bars into the music, settling the notes into her mind.

"Nothing better than Chop Sticks."

Nikki couldn't help but giggle.

"Missed you in school yesterday." Landon stated.

"I wasn't feeling well." Nikki lied. "I'm sure Mr. Hill was a bit miffed.

"I spent all of band class, lost." Landon sighed.

"I'll make it up to you." Nikki said.

"How about tonight?" Landon asked.

What about tonight?" Nikki was losing the music in her head. She was starting to fumble with the notes. Fortunately none but a musician would be able to tell the difference.

"I hear this town has a hockey team."

Nikki nodded. "The Ice Knights."

"I love hockey and wanted to check them out. Will you come to the game with me?"

Nikki's fingers stopped. the abrupt stop in the music got her many looks from shoppers, but all she saw was Landon, nervously biting his lower lip and looking at her with his gorgeous eyes. The most beautiful, most popular, newest guy who could have just about any girl in school was asking her to the hockey game. She had better say something before he thought she was a complete moron.

"I'd like that.... I think it would be fun." She managed to get out. She couldn't believe what she had just heard come out of her mouth. She loved hockey. She was a big fan of the Ice knights and went to as many games as she could, and what she tells this wonderful surfer from out of town was 'I'd like that... that would be fun'?

"Great!" Landon flashed his white teeth. Should I pick you up? or would you rather meet at the game?"

"Would you mind if we met at the game?" She asked.

Landon shook his golden hair. "Not at all. I'll meet you out in front of Will Call."

"That would be great." Nikki beamed up at the gorgeous guy. "I need to get back to work before I get fired." She started to play again.

"See you." Landon walked off.

She had a date with the most sought after guy in school and he didn't know that she was a gendermorph. Her mind began to whirl. What was she to wear? What if someone tells him what she really is?

"Landon asked me." She muttered to herself as she played on.

Episode 7

"You wanna go to lunch?" Darlene asked as Nikki finished a song.

Nikki looked at her phone for the time. "Sure." She tucked the cell into her small purse and hid some of her sheet music inside the piano before joining Darlene.

"So who was the hunk?" She asked.

"Who?"

"Who? the surfer beau." Darlene rolled her eyes.

"Landon." Nikki gushed. "He just moved here and goes to my school."

"He's hot." Darlene prodded.

"He asked me to go to the Ice Knights game tonight." Nikki tried not to squeal.

Darlene gave Nikki a long hard appraising look.

"What?" Nikki asked.

"You are really sounding like a girl now. It's just. . . Well I like it." Darlene smiled. "It suits you."

Nikki didn't know whether to take this as a compliment or not, but she had to agree with her co-worker, she was sounding very girly.

"So what are you going to wear?"

Nikki thought about it for a moment. "I hadn't thought about it. Is there a special outfit for first date hockey games?"

"I'd say comfy but sexy."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Nikki asked. "I've never been on a date as a girl before."

"It's to a hockey game, right?"

Nikki nodded.

The two girls grabbed a chicken Caesar wrap and made their way to a table.

"Skinny jeans or capris with flats and a sporty top that can also be kind of sexy." Darlene smiled.

"Not heels?" Nikki inquired. "Guys like girls in heels."

"Not to a hockey game and especially not if you aren't used to wearing them. Think about walking up and down the steps." Darlene pointed out.

"Flats it is." Nikki agreed around a mouthful. "What about the blouse?"

"Well, what does Nick find sexy at hockey games?"

Nikki thought about that for a moment. "Tight team shirts."

"There you go."

"Nick?" a voice asked.

Nikki's heart skipped a beat. She turned to see Luke looking curiously at her. "Luke, Hi." She greeted a little self conscious.

"Sorry, Nikki." Luke apologized, stressing her feminine name. "It's just that.. . . Um.. . .Well, You've been Nikki for quite some time. We - the guys and I haven't seen Nick in a while now."

"I'll see you back at the store." Darlene excused herself feeling uncomfortable.

Nikki's heart tightened. She hated this part of being a gendermorph even more than the endless hunger after morphing or the raging hormones. Luke and some of Nick's friends didn't feel comfortable around Nikki. She suspected that one or two of them might have been aroused around her. It would be extremely embarrassing and uncomfortable for them. It had to be hard on them too; feeling like you were losing a friend every time they morphed.

"I'm sorry Luke." Nikki apologized. "I miss hanging with you guys too. Its just that I've got something going on. I've been morphing almost every night this week. I need to stay female for a week or two so that I don't go into a morphing coma."

Luke sighed. "Right." he mumbled. "You know we were all going to have a LAN party this next weekend. We were kind of counting on you."

Nikki felt horrible. Nick had helped to set up the party. They had seven other guys all lined up for the party; Nick would have been eight. It was to have been an epic night. "I... uh...Nikki has something going on during the day." She hated referring to herself in third person, but a lot of people had a hard time differentiating or feeling comfortable if she didn't. "If I get done in time would I be able to fill in for Nick?" She hoped that didn't sound as confusing to Luke as it sometimes did to her.

"I'll talk with the guys." Luke smirked.

Nikki stood up from the table. She'd have to take her wrap back to the store to finish it. "Thank you, Luke. She suddenly felt the urge to hug him.

She stepped forward with her arms out, but Luke hesitated.

"Oh. ooops, I'm sorry." Nikki put her arms down and held back.

"No. it's okay." Luke forced a smile. He put his arms out, but the awkwardness made the moment pass.

"I've got to get back to work." She excused herself. Part of her was frustrated by the inability of having normal friends and normal relationships, and all of her just wanted to cry.

Nikki made a hasty retreat back towards the store. She scarffed the rest of her wrap down without tasting it. It was one thing after another. Sometimes she cursed her dad's family for passing this morphing gene on to her. When was all of this mess going to stop?

Back at her piano, She began playing again. This time it was mostly songs in a minor chord.

"Nikki." Mrs. York stood beside her.

"Yes?" Nikki looked up blinking her eyes to keep the tears at bay.

"Do you think you could try playing something a bit happier? This music is driving customers out of the store."

"Yes, Mrs. York." Nikki finished off the musical thought and switched to some happier music.

"Thank you, Nikki." Mrs. York nodded before turning and walking away.

Along with changing the music style, Nikki banished thoughts of Luke and Nick's other friends from her mind. Nikki had a new friend, possibly a boyfriend, and he was taking her to an Ice Knight game. She was going to have to rush from work to the team store and get an appropriate shirt, all Nick had at home were sweaters, definitely not sporty sexy, at least in Nick's eyes.

"Nikki, Right?" a voice greeted.

Nikki looked up and almost froze her playing. She had to concentrate to not lose the song at all as she looked up into Lil' Foot's smiling face.

Nikki nodded.

"Did you ever run into that guy who also plays the piano here?" he asked.

"No." Nikki forced a smile as she tried to swallow a large lump. Pieces of her nightmares flashed through her mind.

"Hmmm." Lil' Foot thought for a moment.

Nikki looked around using only her peripheral vision and spotted the dealers muscle.

"Well. If you do run into him, please tell him that I wanted to speak to him." He smiled.

He had a nice smile. She couldn't believe she had just thought that. How could she think that Lil' Foot had a nice smile. These hormones were definitely out of control if she could think such a thing. This guy wanted her dead. He just didn't know it.

"No problem." She forced the smile.

"You're still on for my grandma's party, right?" he asked.

"You gave me money. I have to honor the contract." she suppressed the shiver that wanted to trickle down her spine. She glanced around again.

Lil' Foot followed her gaze. "What?" he asked. "Who are you looking for?"

"I don't see your girlfriend." Nikki stated.

"She's probably at Victoria's Secret spending all of my money." Lil' Foot shrugged. "See you this weekend."

Nikki nodded. She watched as his body guards followed him towards the mall entrance then let out a long breath and felt her muscles loosen.

Nikki heard a short whistle from above her. She looked up to see Darlene looking down at her. Once spotted, she shrugged her shoulders.

Nikki shrugged back and began playing again. She could barely keep the music flowing through her mind as it whizzed around thinking first of Landon and his beautiful hair and broad shoulders then of Lil'Foot with his nice smile and his threat for Nick.

It wasn't long before Nikki was able to head up to the break area. She would get fifteen minutes to stretch out and relax her fingers and drink some water. Popcorn sounded good too.

She was just sitting down with her microwave popcorn and slipping off her heels when Darlene strode across the room and took up a seat across from her. Without asking, Darlene grabbed a large handful of the popcorn. "So, what happened at lunch? and who was the guy talking to you?"

"Nick and his friend Luke had set up a big gaming party this next weekend." Nikki began. "Nick was all excited, but then he morphed. Luke feels uncomfortable around me like this, but was wondering if Nick would be back in time for the party."

"Oh." Darlene was bored. "What about the other guy?" she took another handful of Nikki's popcorn

"You don't know who that was?" Nikki asked.

"I really don't get too good of a look at them when all I can see is the tops of their heads." She pointed out. "Should I know him?"

Nikki wanted to scream. He was only one of the largest drug dealers in the area and the guy who shot Vic and has been stalking the store looking for Nick. Instead, Nikki took a deep breath. "Just a guy who wants me to play piano for his grandmother's party in a few days."

Nikki's mind wandered back to Landon. "Oh, Excuse me Darlene, I need to call a friend." She nudged the popcorn across the table towards her friend and took the back door outside.

"Hey Sarah, I need a favor." She quickly explained the last minute date with Landon.

* * *

Mrs. York had James walk Nikki out to her car again. With Vic's shooting, everyone was being escorted to their vehicles.

"Thanks James." Nikki sat in her car, took off her shoes and tossed them into the seat beside her. She didn't mind wearing heels too much, but only for short periods of time. Her mother and father both told her that the more she wore them the more she would be able to wear them.

Once home, Nikki grabbed her purse and shoes and quickly walked to the front door in her stocking feet.

"How was your day?" her mother chimed from the living room.

"Strange, but good. I have to hurry; I have to meet a friend." She explained as she went up stairs to her bedroom.

Once her door was closed, Nikki Stripped off all of her clothes except her bra and panties. She quickly re applied her deodorant and pulled her skinny jeans out of her closet and pried herself into them. She pulled the Ice Knight shirt out of her purse and slipped it over her curves and looked at herself in the mirror.

Nikki had to mentally remind herself that the curves that she was seeing in the mirror were natural and what was desired; especially if she wanted Landon to like her, but did Sarah have to get a pink shirt?

Nikki studied herself in the mirror a moment longer before digging through her closet. She pulled out a cropped denim jacket and pulled it on over her shoulders. It softens the amount of pink and went well with her jeans so she kept it on.

A knock sounded at her door.

"Yes?" She answered absently still looking in the mirror at her feminine form.

"You're meeting a friend?" her mother asked.

Nikki could feel her cheeks burning. "Landon, the guy I kind of like..."

Her mother raised an eyebrow, "Yes?"

"He stopped by work today and asked if I would like to go to the Ice Knight's game tonight."

"Oh?" Her mother still looked quizzical. "When is he picking you up? I'm sure your father would like to speak with him."

"What?" Nikki turned from the mirror to look at her mother with shock.

"No young lady in this house hold is allowed to go out on a date without your father or myself meeting her date."

"Mom, I'm a guy." Nikki stated without thinking.

"Not presently, you aren't." her mother pointed out. "If Alicia has to go through the dating hoops, so do you."

"It's not a date though." She protested. "We are meeting at the game and hanging out. It turns out that Landon likes hockey too."

"Call him up and ask him to pick you up." She suggested strongly.

"I don't have his number." Nikki was starting to panic.

"I have an idea." her father joined the conversation. "Go ahead and meet him at the game, have fun, but you are to have him meet up with us after wards."

"Really?" She whined. "You want him to follow me home to meet you?"

"It is that, or I go with you to the game." her father stated. "I haven't been to a Knight's game this season."

"No." Nikki reacted. "I'll have him come here."

"Great." her dad smiled.

Nikki closed her eyes with frustration as her parents looked at her for a moment longer before leaving.

"Close the door, please." She asked.

Nikki looked at the time and decided that she didn't have time so sulk before she had to leave. She sat down at her vanity and began playing with her hair. A little product a bit of playing and the conservative style she had been wearing at work was now a bit more wild. She sprayed it in place and went to work freshening her makeup.

Nikki liked the earrings that Alicia loaned her, but they didn't quite go with the more casual look. She replaced them with some modest hoops, added a bit of lip gloss and pulled out some casual flats from the back of her closet.

* * *

Nikki's heart began to race as she approached the will call. She had never been on a date as a girl and only a few casual ones as a guy. She told herself that this was just as friends. Landon saw a familiar face at the mall and wanted to see a game without going alone. But if this was just as friends, then why was she so anxious?

Nikki stopped in the middle of the sidewalk, closed her eyes and took in a deep breath, then let it out very slowly trying to calm her heart.

Her heart caught in her throat as she saw Landon standing by the Will Call. He looked amazing in a L.A. Kings sweater. She kept her gaze upon the handsome young man until his sweeping gaze caught hers. A slight smirk on his face widened to a great smile just for her.

"I'm so glad you were able to come." Landon greeted.

"Like I said, I'm an Ice Knights fan." Nikki smiled.

"Well, you look very cute." he said sweeping his eyes down and then back up her body.

"Thanks, Landon." Nikki felt a jolt of warmth spread throughout her body. For some reason she cared how this guy felt about her.

"I got the tickets, shall we go in?"

"How much do I owe you?" Nikki asked.

"This game is on me." he escorted her slowly through the crowd to get in. "Next game, you can pay."

"Are you sure?"

Landon gave her another of his now famous smiles. Nikki wanted that smile to stay directed at her forever.

The two walked into the arena and began walking along the concourse. Hawkers selling everything from cotton candy to raffle tickets barked at them.

So many aromas filtered through the air: Garlic fries, pizza by the slice, hot dogs, and popcorn.

"You hungry?" Landon asked.

Nikki shook her head, "I'll get something later, but we can stop to get something if you are hungry." She looked down at her ticket to see where they were heading. She had to read the ticket twice to make sure of what she was seeing. "These tickets are a fortune." She gasped.

"I like to sit in good seats when I go." Landon shrugged.

"I've never seen a game from these seats." Nikki couldn't believe her eyes.

Landon guided her through the crowd, around the barkers and to the center of the concourse.

"Your tickets?" a concierge asked.

Landon and Nikki showed her their tickets.

"Just down there. Enjoy the game."

Nikki stepped to the edge of the steps leading down and looked around the arena. The cool, slightly metallic smell from the ice tickled her nose. Landon smiled down at her, watching her as she took in the arena. Nikki blushed when she realized that he was watching her.

Landon took her hand in his strong one and gently guided her down the steps. Nikki's mind raced. She had never been even this intimate as a girl. The rush of dopamine felt wonderful. She felt so safe with Landon, just his holding her hand.

Landon turned at one of the rows and began counting off the seats. Nikki looked from the seats to the ice and gasped. They were so close to the ice.

"Here we are." he announced breaking through her silent stupor. Nikki sat down and looked around. They were about eight rows from the boards. With this vantage they were looking just over the glass to the ice. Their view would be unobstructed by the line that the top of the glass created.

A skater came out of a tunnel just below and to the left of them. He was quickly followed by several more. A slight cheer rose as fans recognized their team.

"We are right behind the bench." Nikki couldn't control her excitement. "Landon, these seats are amazing." She watched as Landon looked around.

"Yes. They are pretty good." he agreed.

Nikki was further in awe when she realized that the seats in this section were padded and each had a small piece of paper taped to the seat in front of it. Nikki grabbed the paper and glanced over it. "You can order your food from your seats? How cool."

Landon was obviously enjoying her making a fool of herself.

"Sorry." She apologized. "It's just that when I come to the games, I'm usually sitting up there." She pointed across the arena towards the second and third levels. "I bring tissue for the nose bleeds."

"Stop apologizing." he smiled. "Your enthusiasm is refreshing." Landon's gaze drifted from her to glide over the arena and then back to her. "I'm used to a bigger arena, but this is nice and kind of cozy."

"Do you often sit in this section?" She asked. "I mean not here. You've never been to this arena. I mean where you are from." Oh God she was rambling.

"My family had season tickets to the local sports teams where I'm from." Landon explained. "I like hockey the best, so I made sure to make it to as many games as I could.

The two got lost in conversation for quite a while. They would have missed the beginning of the game if the lights hadn't gone out to announce the team members and then sing the national anthem.

"You ever sing the National Anthem at a game?" Landon asked.

"No." Nikki was incredulous. "I can't sing."

"I did when I was a kid." Landon stated. "It was kind of cool."

"I bet I could do it pretty well on my sax." She stated absently. Nikki turned to the ice as the puck was being dropped to start the game.

Her eyes traveled watching either the puck or where the players were skating to. Her mind wandering between the game and whether or not she had been too talkative with Landon. Some guys didn't like it when girls rambled on.

The seats were incredible. Not only could she see most of the ice unobstructed, but she could see and even hear the plays as they came and went from the bench just a few rows in front of her.

"Put it out front!" she heard herself call out as she watched the players fighting over the puck behind the net. "Out front!"

The puck was kicked free and was hit down to the other end of the ice. Some of the players skated into the bench ending their rotation, while one chased down a player from the other team and slammed him into the boards hard causing the glass to rattle.

"Ouch." Landon commented.

Without looking at Landon. "Are you kidding? That was a soft hit. Wait a minute or two."

Sure enough a minute later one player checked the other into the boards with a large booming noise. If the glass had rattled any harder, it would have come out of its frames. Nikki's heart beat quicker as she watched the checked player try to trip the other player when the ref wasn't looking.

"There's a fight a brewing." She commented.

"Oh?" Landon asked.

"Those two will be going at it soon." She pointed to the two players who were poking at each other.

"They let them fight in this league?" Landon asked.

"Well, yeah." Nikki said. "What's the point of the intimidation factor if you can't carry out on your threats?"

"Back home, they would break them up." Landon explained.

The puck went back and forth down the ice a few times.

"There they go!" Nikki jumped to her feet. The two players had thrown off their gloves and began circling one another. "Stop dancing and hit him!" she screamed. She could barely contain her excitement. She had only been to hockey games as a guy and guys had to keep their emotions in check, but as a girl, she felt the freedom to scream. Especially as her blood seemed to boil at the possibility of two guys fighting like gladiators.

The crowd erupted as the players began throwing punches, then grabbed one another's sweater with one hand and continued punching with the other.

"Get him!" She heard Landon bellow.

"Oooh, hit 'm again!" she screamed. Her heart was pounding hard from so much excitement.

As the two players fell to the ice, the refs skated in and started pulling them apart.

Nikki turned to Landon and saw his eyes sparkling as he smiled at her. "You really do like hockey."

"Yes! I told you."

"Most people just say that they do."

"I'm not embarrassing you, am I?" she suddenly felt her face heat up.

"Not at all. I think you are incredible."

Nikki didn't know if her face could get any hotter. The two settled back into their seats, but Landon found space to put his arm around her shoulder.

Hot tingles danced across her skin where his arm and hand touched hers. This was a good feeling. She had never experienced anything like this as a guy. Nikki looked over to Landon, and found him again watching her.

Her heart began to flutter. She didn't know what to do. Should she smile back? Remove his arm? Lean into him? . . . . Kiss him? She stayed froze right where she was, not wanting to him to remove his arm.

The bliss of his embrace was short lived as the Knights scored a goal. The two jumped up as the horn began blaring. Everyone around them cheered and began high fiving one another. Nikki turned to Landon and before she knew it was swept up off of her feet into his arms in a big hug.

Nikki could feel the hardness of the muscles in his arms and chest as he held her close. Loving the feel, she wrapped her arms around his neck and held on tight. Taking a deep breath, she inhaled his scent and almost lost all thought. He smelled so wonderful.

Landon set her back down and looked down at her with a little uncertainty. Nikki stared back up at him with the biggest smile that she could manage.

"Did you see that goal?" he asked searching for something to say.

"It was fantastic." She lied. She had been so busy concentrating on Landon and wondering what she should do that she had missed it.

The two settled back into their seats as the game resumed. Nikki was only too happy to have Landon wrap his arm around her again. A moment later, she nestled deeper into his grasp and laid her head against his chest.

She wouldn't be able to watch as much of the game like this, but she could care less. Landon was all that she could concentrate on right now anyway.

The horn announcing the end of the first period went off.

"I've got to use the lavatory." She sighed.

"I'll get us some drinks." Landon offered. What would you like?"

"Anything."

Nikki climbed the steps towards the concourse. "Bathroom?" She asked the concierge.

"Right here." she pointed to a door behind her.

Slightly confused, Nikki went through the door and into a semi-private bathroom.

"You've got to be kidding me." She said to herself. The bathroom only had three stalls, two of which were being used.

Nikki took care of her business in awe. The better, cushioned seats came with their own private bathroom. She almost shrieked with joy when she found that they had soft toilet paper instead of the scratchy cheap stuff that the rest of the bathrooms had.

One of the down falls to being a girl was having to sit to take care of business. This bathroom made it so much easier.

Nikki primped in the mirror, touched up her gloss and popped a mint into her mouth. Being so close to Landon, she didn't want to offend him with bad breath. She quickly made her way back to her seat and was soon joined by Landon carrying their drinks.

"Thank you." She took her drink from him and nestled it into the drink holder.

"So what's going on?" Landon asked.

"Hmm?"

Landon pointed to the scoreboard screen. The camera was picking out couples in the crowd. It was then that Nikki realized that they were playing "kiss the girl" from Little Mermaid over the sound system.

"Oh, crap." She sighed. She was about to explain when the couple the camera pointed to turned to one another and kissed. Several people in the crowd oohed and ahed.

"That's um....." Landon didn't finish.

"Kiss." a voice above them ordered.

"What?" Nikki asked.

"Go for it, Kiss." they repeated.

Nikki looked up at the screen and saw her and Landon centered there. She turned to look at Landon but was met by his lips pressing against hers. Nikki's eyes closed and her world exploded. She had heard about people seeing fireworks when they kissed. This was all of her New Years and Fourth of July's rolled into twenty seconds.

She and the other girls around school all wondered what his lips would feel like. Now she knew and she didn't want his to leave hers.

"Whoa." She heard from the guy above her as she slowly came back to her senses. She realized that her tongue was exploring Landon's and somehow her arms were wrapped around his neck holding him tight. She knew she should quit, but he tasted and smelled so wonderful that she didn't want to. Slowly the two separated and looked into one another's eyes.

God, his eyes were incredible, but nowhere near as incredible as his kisses. Nikki now knew what her friends meant when they said that their bodies ached for their boyfriends. Nikki's was aching for Landon's just then, and she wanted to full fill its ache more than anything else in the world.

I want to warn the readers that I used some strong language in this story. I don't normally like to use such words when I write, but they were needed to express a strong emotion. I apologize ahead of time if this offends anyone. Believe me; I don't like to use it unless it is absolutely needed.
A.A.

Episode 8

The funny thing was that Nikki didn't remember much of the hockey game after that. Every time the Ice Knights scored, or got into a fight, she found her arms wrapped around Landon's neck their lips seeking the other's out.

After the game, the two sat in their seats just gazing into one another's eyes as fans filtered out of the arena.

"I'm glad you like hockey." Nikki fumbled breaking the silence between them. And a good kisser she thought.

"I'm glad you are such a great musician."

Nikki barely heard his words as she gazed into his eyes.

"Shall we go get some ice cream?" Landon took her hand and guided her to the steps.

"Sure." Nikki practically floated up the steps. "We shouldn't be too late, though, my dad needs to talk with you."

Landon stopped mid stride. "What?"

Reality came crashing down around her. "My Dad." She was having trouble finding words; all she could do was stare at Landon's lips remembering how fantastic they tasted. "He has to meet with you tonight. He would have done it before, if you had picked me up, but I had to promise him that you would be by to meet him after the game in order to come."

Landon began chewing on his bottom lip in thought. All Nikki could think was that she wanted to chew on his perfect lips. Well, perhaps not chew, but at least suck on them.

"What does he want to meet me for?" Landon looked worried.

"Just to put a face with a name and make sure you have honorable intentions and stuff." Nikki shrugged. She didn't know, this was her first date as a girl, who knew what her father wanted.

Landon held her hand as they walked out to the parking garage. "Whose car shall we take?" He asked.

"I just drive a blue bug, Shall we go in yours?" She asked.

"Only if you want too."

"Why wouldn't I? Do you drive a gremlin?"

Landon laughed.

He led her up the ramp and pressed a button on his key chain disarming his car.

"No way." Nikki swore, "This is yours?"

"It will be some day. It's my dad's. He lets me take it from time to time."

"It's beautiful." She gasped as her eyes ran over the smooth lines of the blue and cream 56 corvette.

Landon held the door open for her. Nikki sat down and began stroking the leather seats and smooth dash. She was oblivious as Landon close the door and settled in behind the wheel.

"I've never been in such a beautiful car." She sighed.

Landon beamed as he started up the car and drove out of the garage.

* * *

Nikki pulled into her driveway as Landon parked on the street. Getting out of her car, she leaned up against it and beamed as she watched the surfer get out of his beautiful car and stride towards her with a grace that must have come from riding the waves.

Nikki's heart beat in her chest like a rabbits. Part of it was from the way that Landon made her feel; the other part was that she needed to tell him the truth about her. That she was a genetic freak. He'd probably yell at her and storm off in his beautiful car with his gorgeous surfer hair, only to ignore and despise her for the rest of her life. But she had to get this over with. One of the reasons she waited until now was because she was home. It was only a few steps to safety if it came to more than yelling. Besides, her dad was probably checking out the window every few moments to see if she was safe.

Landon beamed down at her and leaned in for a kiss. Before she knew it, she realized that her arms were again around his neck keeping his lips against hers. God his lips tasted fantastic. His strong shoulders under her arms were those of a swimmer's, broad and strong, as a guy, Nick would be jealous of his shoulders, but as Nikki, she relished in the fact that she could feel the restrained strength in them. God, he was amazing..... too bad it all had to end.

Landon pulled away. "I think your parents want us to go in." he stated.

"What?" Nikki asked, "Why do you say that?"

"Someone has flashed the porch light on and off a few times."

"Ohh." She released her hold on Landon. She had to tell him. She had to do it now.

"Um, Landon?" she pulled his hand as he tried to head to the house. "I've got to tell you something."

Landon turned his smile became a mask of concentration. "Hmm?"

"I ... I wanted to tell you earlier, but I was afraid." she bit her lower lip. Her heart was pounding so loud she was sure he could hear it.

"What?" Landon asked.

"There's no other way to tell you except to just come out with it." She looked away ashamed of what she was about to say, scared of how he would react. She looked up at him again to see that he was watching her with interest. She then looked past those pretty eyes, to see her father looking out the window at her. She kept her eyes on her dad. "You were going to find out anyway." She prefaced. "Landon, I'm a gendermorph." There, it was out there was no taking it back. She half expected him to slap her, punch her or start yelling. What happened next took was so unexpected that she didn't know what to do. Landon began to chuckle. Did he think this was a joke? She couldn't do that to him, she hoped no one would do that to anyone else.

"Seriously, Landon, I'm a gendermorph." She explained. "I was born a guy, but well, you know about gendermorphs, I'm sure."

Landon just smiled at her and laughed.

"This is not a prank, or some sick 'new kid' joke. I'm serious." She began looking around unsure of what was happening.

Landon pulled her into a big hug and kissed her lightly on the forehead. "I know." he stated simply.

"You know?" Nikki was confused. "How long have you known?" She pushed him away and looked locked his gaze.

"Since my first day of school." Landon was still smiling. "The awkward way that everyone was treating you, from the teachers and the students. It was pretty obvious. That and I overheard people gossiping."

Nikki tried to shake the fogginess from her head. "You've known and you still asked me out?"

"Sure, why not?"

"You could have asked just about any girl in the school and they would have gone out with you, why did you pick me, knowing that I was a gendermorph?"

"Because you are amazing." Landon's face was serious. "Your musical ability alone would make me interested, but your love of hockey was a huge plus. Then there is you." He paused. He gently lifted her chin with his finger so that she could look him in the eye. You were in the middle of a crisis my first day and yet you were kind to me. That kind of soul is one of a kind."

Nikki swallowed a lump in her throat. Was this guy for real?

"Where I'm from, Gendermorphs are a little better accepted. I have a couple friends who are morphers." he explained. "Hell, one of them saved my live while out in the water."

Tears clouded her vision as she tried to digest Landon's words. He wasn't screaming, hitting, or freaking out. This she didn't quite know how to handle.

Landon released her chin and pulled her in for another hug. "Now, let's get this meeting with your father over with. I think I'm more nervous about meeting him than you are of telling me about your genetic background."

Nikki wiped her eyes on her sleeve and realize that she smeared her eye makeup. She must look like a bloody raccoon.

"Here." Landon handed her a kerchief. "Blot, don't wipe."

* * *

Nikki woke up and the first thing she did was make sure that she was still in girl mode. She almost squealed with delight. Last night had gone so wonderfully. The date was fantastic, the hockey game the kissing, especially the kissing. She could almost feel his lips against hers now. A shiver of joy ran down her spine. She could even feel it in her toes. She looked out the window and saw that it was a sunny day; another plus. The sort of down side was that this was the Sunday that she had to go to church.

They weren't a very religious family. Her mother was, her father not so much, but it was custom that they all went to church the last Sunday of the month. Her mom had reminded her last night.

Landon knew about her being a gendermorph and he still asked her out and still kissed her and lavished attention on her. She felt so wonderful that at this moment she wanted to stay a girl just for Landon.

A knock sounded at her door.

"Good morning." She answered cheerfully.

"Whoa." her father entered. "Someone's in a good mood. Wonder if it had anything to do with her playing tonsil tag last night."

"Daddy." She mocked a pout. "He was wonderful, wasn't he?"

Her father rolled his eyes. "Dreamy. Get a move on it; we have to leave in about an hour."

"Yes Daddy."

After a quick shower Nikki, a towel still wrapped around her, perused her closet. Half of her girl clothes were barely feminine, the other good portion wasn't really meant for church.

Pulling on her robe, she knocked on her sister's door.

"What?"

"Can I borrow your pink flowing skirt?"

"Seriously?" Alicia asked.

"I don't really have anything for church." Nikki admitted.

"Fine." Alicia handed it through a crack in the door.

"Do you still have that beige belt?" Nikki added.

The door opened and the belt whizzed by Nikki's head.

"Someone is in a bad mood." She stated the obvious before returning to her room.

Nikki pulled a white short sleeved blouse on and tucked it into her skirt before fastening the belt on. She then sat down and smiled at herself in her vanity mirror. She almost felt giddy. She realized that this was the first time that she truly loved seeing her female reflection in the mirror.

Her phone went off. She looked at the text it was Sarah.

"So?" it said, "How did it go?"

"He was fantastic." She typed back.

Even though she had short hair, she spent some time on it. Blow drying it, adding some rough paste and fingering it into place.

"How fantastic?" Sarah texted.

"Let's just say that his lips aren't just for show."

Nikki ignored her phone as she worked on getting her makeup on just right. A touch of gloss on the lips to finish it off and she smiled at herself in the mirror.

"Did you tell him?" Sarah asked.

"He knew."

"He did?"

"He said he knew since his first day."

"OMG U need to scoop me."

"Later, going to church."

Nikki looked down and spotted her sister's earrings. She placed them in her ears and twirled in front of the mirror.

"You look amazing." her mother smiled.

"I need some shoes though." She grimaced looking down at her feet.

"Your Aunt has a pair of wedge sandals that would look fantastic with that."

"Will it be okay?" Nikki asked.

"I'm sure it will. I'll go ask your father." her mother left.

Nikki was drawn down stairs by the wonderful aroma of mom's homemade cinnamon rolls. Church days were often accompanied by such treats. It was mom's way of bribing her and her sister.

Nikki grabbed two of the sticky, sweet rolls and poured herself a mug of coffee before sitting down to munch.

"Your Dad said that you can borrow these." Nikki's mom dropped a pair of wedge sandals at her feet. She looked at Nikki's plate, "That is all. You'll need to save some for your sister."

Nikki sighed,

"Alicia is having a rough day. She's started her period and she's envious of you. Try to be nice to her today." her mother reinforced her words with a hard look.

"Why would she be envious of me?" Nikki wondered.

"Because," her father entered the room. "You make being a girl seem so easy sometimes. You had a great date last night and she still hasn't found a boyfriend."

Nikki didn't know how to respond. How could everyone think that she was having an easy time at this whole sex changing genetic mess? The hormone fluctuations were a nightmare, she had to eat four times as much as anyone else after each morph, people were usually scared of her or weirded out by her, and she didn't know who she was going to be each morning, try planning a date with that in mind.

"Is it time, yet?" Alicia asked flopping down in a chair. She was wearing head to toe black and wore dark sunglasses.

"Aren't you being a little over dramatic?" her mother asked.

Alicia refused to answer and picked at her breakfast. "Can I have my earrings back after church today?"She mumbled to Nikki.

"Sure." Nikki shrugged. "I only wore them today because they are so cute and work well with almost all of my clothes.

* * *

Nikki was led into church by her mother and followed by her sister and father. Church, she had noticed in the past was where women liked to dress up and show off their cute outfits.

"Luke." She waved. She quickly strode across the room and approached him for a hug.

Luke stepped back. "Whoa, Nick." he put his hands up.

Nikki couldn't help but feel hurt. "Sorry, it's just that as Nikki, I get a little more emotional." She apologized.

"Sure, what ever." he tried to play it off. He avoided looking at her, instead looking everywhere else.

"Did I do something wrong, Luke?" She confronted.

"No." he still avoided her.

"Then why are you acting all weird?" She asked.

"Weird?" his voice raised a bit. "You tried hugging me, Nick."

"So?"

"You are my friend, but when you are . . . well, you know. . . Nikki, it is just weird."

"I'm the same person." Nikki protested.

"No." he stated, "No you aren't. That is part of the issue."

Nikki blinked in surprise.

"You've got boobs now, and you are wearing a skirt and makeup and stuff." he explained. "And I think you like it."

Nikki stood gaping at Luke not knowing what to say. How could she? She didn't know how she felt.

"Nikki." her father called. "Let's go in."

"I'll be right there, Dad." her voice cracked.

"Fuck you, Luke." She turned and stormed off.

"I'll be there shortly." She told her father as she passed and made a bee line for the bathroom.

"Like it?"She snarled to herself. "Why the hell does everyone think I like this shit?" She snagged a tissue and blotted at the tears welling in her eyes. She worked too hard to look pretty today to go into church looking like a raccoon. She took a deep breath and settled herself down. She checked her image in the mirror. Part of her did like this. She was an attractive young lady. As Nick, she was just kind of ho-hum, slightly smaller than other guys, not quite as muscular. As Nikki, she was fit, with shoulders that were a little broad for most women, but she carried herself well. Sure her hair was shorter than most girls wore theirs, but it made for a very cute pixie. So what if she liked what she saw in the mirror. Landon liked what he saw last night. An image of him looking at her during the hockey game flashed through her mind followed by the memory of his lips pressed against hers made her weak in the knees.

"You're at church, you need to stop thinking of that kind of stuff." she told her reflection. Her emotions seemed to be all over the map. One moment she was crying because of how stupid Luke was acting, the next she was practically swooning over a guy.

Her heart was lifted slightly as she entered the sanctuary as they were playing one of her favorite hymns. Nikki raised her voice to join in with the others. She was slightly startled at how high she was able to sing, but delighted in how pretty her voice sounded.

Nikki scooted down the aisle and stood next to 'Emo' Alicia and rejoiced in the hymn and her voice.

Alicia gave her the dirtiest look and took a step away from her.

Oh my God, what did I do now? She wondered to herself.

At the end of the hymn, they were bid to sit.

"What did I do now?" She asked her sister.

"Nothing." Alicia snapped as she slouched in the pew with her arms crossed.

Nikki's mom looked over at her girls and frowned.

"What is going on?" She mouthed.

Nikki shrugged, "I don't know?" she mouthed back shaking her head.

Her mother tapped Alicia on the leg to bid her to sit up straight.

Alicia glowered and inched up a bit but refused to look anywhere but straight ahead. Even her mother's hard stare didn't budge Alicia anymore.

Nikki and her mother exchanged confused looks again. Alicia bolted up and excused herself and quickly made her way out of the church. Nikki sat stunned. She looked to her mother whose lips were pressed firm angrily.

She shifted to follow. Nikki caught her eye, "I'll go, Mom."

Nikki awkwardly excused herself and quickly exited the church. She looked around and caught a bit of black behind a bush.

Nikki approached. "Mom's pissed." She said softly. Alicia was sitting on the ground, leaning up against a tree trunk. Her sister turned away as she approached. "So." Alicia was sobbing.

"She warned me that you were having a bad day, what's up?"

"Of course she did." Alicia snarled. "Just leave me alone."

Nikki looked around and found a bench a few steps away. She sat down and shot back up. "Shit! Cold bench!" She had forgotten to fold her skirt under her. She did so and sat down softening the exposure to the shock.

Alicia kept her face turned away from her and the two sat not talking. Other than cars passing by, the only other sounds were from a few birds and the wind rustling through the leaves.

"Why?" Alicia finally broke the silence.

"Why what?"

"Why are you so perfect?" Alicia growled.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Nikki questioned.

"I heard you in there." Alicia still wasn't making much sense.

Nikki kept quiet; she didn't know where this was going.

"You sound like a fucking angel." Alicia swore.

Nikki's heart jumped. Alicia was jealous of her voice? She knew it was good, but really? That good?

"You've got everything." She continued. "You get all of the attention from mom and dad, you're the golden child. You get to stay home from school whenever you want; you get to change your fucking gender. And worse yet is that you are a gorgeous girl; so you get the looks, you get the attention, you get the talent with your piano playing and sax, you even get kissed before I do, and then you get the fucking voice of an angel to boot?" She wailed. "It's just not fair?"

Nikki's heart sank. What should she do? What should she say? Her little sister was hurting and jealous of her. Of her?

"This isn't all it's cracked up to be, Alicia." Nikki started. "Luke, basically just told me that he didn't want to be my friend anymore because I made him uncomfortable. Hell, I make everyone uncomfortable. Do you see how people who know me, look at me? They look at me like I'm a freak." She took a deep breath. "I guess I am kind of a freak. Do you know what it is like not knowing who you'll be every time you wake up in the morning? People, who like me as a guy, don't want to associate with me as a girl and vice versa. Teachers as well as friends get mixed up on what to call me or how to refer to me. One day I like masculine things and getting sweaty, the next I despise the idea of it and would rather get a manicure or watch 'chick' flicks." She paused. "Landon and I had a great time and yes, he kissed me, but how will he treat me if I show up to school tomorrow as a guy? I'm pretty sure he wouldn't want hang out with me let alone kiss me." Nikki stood up. "I have to be careful of my stress levels, so that I don't morph. If I have an orgasm, I morph. After I morph, I have to eat like a pig and then I have to be careful not to morph too often so that I don't go into morpher's coma."

Nikki stepped closer to her sister knelt down and softened her voice. "Alicia. . . . everything I know about being a girl I learned from you."

Alicia's posture changed.

"It's true. Sure Mom and Aunt Mary have shown me a few things, but you are the one who I tend to copy. Hell, half of what I'm wearing today is yours. I don't go to mom or Aunt Mary to get my toes polished, I come to you." Nikki paused. "Alicia, you are beautiful. One of the most beautiful girls I know. I'm sorry if you feel like I get too much attention. It must suck."

Alicia nodded her head. "Even at school." She turned slightly towards Nikki.

Nikki paused.

"All anyone could talk about last week was how Nick morphed and how pretty Nikki was. Nikki this, Nikki that. Oh and how gorgeous Landon is." She faced Nikki. "Then you had to go and get kissed by him. He knows, right? about your being a gendermorph?"

"Yes." Nikki stated.

"And he probably doesn't care." Alicia sighed heavily.

"That is what he said, but that will probably change when he sees me as Nick."

There was a long pause between the sisters, each lost in her own thoughts.

"I kind of hope he does." Alicia admitted. "I know it's wrong," She pushed on, "But it would make your charmed life less charming. Sometimes I get so. . . . so angry and jealous of you."

Nikki reached out and touched her sister's arm finally getting Alicia to face her. "I am sorry, Alicia." tears welled in her eyes.

Alicia's makeup was all over her face. She was hurting so bad, it made Nikki's eyes burn even more. "I get jealous of you too."

"Why?" Alicia snuffed.

"You are the most thoughtless, wonderful sister I could ever have hoped for." She stated. "Even though you were mad at me, you let me borrow your clothes; you took time the other day to polish my toes. You are so strong and so amazing. You don't have to worry about who you will be every morning, because you will always be the beautiful Alicia."

"You're just saying that." Alicia wiped her eyes.

"No, I'm not. It is one of the reasons I copy you. You are a wonderful young woman and I would love to me more like you."

Nikki took Alicia's hand and helped her to her feet and embraced her little sister. "I love you." She whispered in her sister's ear.

Alicia gave her a long hard squeeze.

"Now, Let's get you cleaned up and back into church before mom makes us stay for the next service to make up for this.

Episode 9

"Um Nikki, Landon just pulled into the drive." Alicia announced entering the kitchen.

"He's giving me a ride to school." Nikki beamed. She took a sip of her drink and hurried to the front door.

Nikki opened the door just as the sun soaked blonde reached the door. "Good morning."

"Wow, don't you look nice." Landon smiled.

"Thanks." Nikki was getting used to the pleasure that she felt when getting complimented on her looks. She stepped back and gave a twirl allowing the long white skirt to flare out and then swing to settle down to caress her calves.

"Could I get a ride in?" Alicia asked around bites of a bagel.

Landon Shrugged. "Sure."

"I'll be down in a minute." She ran up the stairs.

Nikki looked around her, seeing no one, she stepped forward, wrapped her arms around Landon's neck and pressed her lips to his.

"Who needs coffee?" Landon smiled as she parted.

"I'll grab my things so that we can go. I'm already in enough hot water with Mr. Hill, I don't want to piss him off anymore by being late."

Landon stepped forward and took her in his arms and held her tight as he kissed her.

"Okay, I'm ready." Alicia announced as she came down the stairs.

Nikki pulled a denim bolo over her barbie pink blouse, before grabbing her book bag and following Landon out to the drive.

"You drive a pink jeep?" Alicia sounded excited.

"It's white." Landon defended.

"With pink accents." Alicia pointed out.

"I bought it off a girl back home." Landon explained. "I needed something to get my boards to the beach."

* * *

School was strange. Landon wasn't shy about holding her hand and giving her pecks on the cheek in public. Some people snickered wondering if Landon knew that Nikki was a morpher. Others made faces. Nikki couldn't tell if they were grossed out or just super jealous that she was with the schools hottest guy.

"Freaks." a girl walking in a group of girls sneered as they walked by.

"Leave it."Landon cautioned. "It's not worth it."

"How can you be so calm?" Nikki pinned him with a hard gaze. "They are calling us both freaks."

"They are a bunch of small minded, insecure little girls."

"Are you sure it doesn't bother you?" Nikki asked. "We can just be friends. I will totally understand."

Landon kissed her on the forehead. "That right there is why it doesn't bother me, and why I'd rather be with you than those twits."

Nikki beamed at him. How could he be so wonderful?

"Come, we need to get you to your chemistry class." Landon stood up and helped her to her feet. He grabbed her pile of books before she could stoop to get them.

"You don't have to do that." She protested.

"It's what boyfriends do." Landon reminded her with a smile.

Boyfriend. it was a strange, yet exhilarating sound in her mouth.

Landon handed her books back once they were standing outside her next class. With everyone watching, he bend down and kissed her squarely on the lips. Whatever noises she heard around her, they were quickly blocked out as she was encompassed by his lips, his strong muscles, and his incredible smell.

Landon broke away and smiled at her. "Let that make them talk." he smiled before turning on his heels and walking away smiling as he passed people who stared at him and her.

"Are you two going out?" a voice brought her back to reality.

"Uh, yes." She managed to get out.

"Does he know?"

"Know about what?" Nikki was still in a daze. she could still feel his lips against hers.

"About you being a Gendermorph."

"Yep." She sighed. She turned to see one of the super smart girls asking her. "Why is everyone so interested?" She demanded, storming into the class room.

"Cuz he is so beautiful." the girl called after her.

* * *

"Landon!" Alicia yelled as she ran towards Nikki holding hands with Landon. "Landon!"

"What is it?" he asked alarmed.

"Oh, Landon, I'm so sorry." She wailed.

"What is it?" Nikki repeated.

"Your Jeep." Alicia got out and took a deep breath. Someone ruined it."

"Ruined it, How?" Landon asked.

Alicia took his hand and pulled him towards the front of the school.

Nikki followed behind, terrified at what they would find.

A large crowd of students mingled on the school lawn or around their own cars watching and waiting to see what might happen.

Alicia stopped at the edge of the lawn, her shoulders slumped.

Landon picked up his pace and then slowed down and slowly approached his jeep. Nikki stopped by her sister but then pressed forward. She was part of this, she had to see what was going on.

Landon walked slowly around his jeep then looked out at all of the looky loos. "You are a bunch of closed minded pussys!" he called out. "If you have a problem with me, then come and face me like a man. Don't cower behind your ignorant insecurities!"

Nikki looked at the jeep. all of the tires had been slashed and someone had spray painted 'Gender Queer' and 'Morph Lover' all over the vehicle.

Tears sprang to her eyes. She was the cause of this. Why would anyone do something so horribly mean to such a nice guy. two days ago, people were trying to be his best friend and now they are vandalizing his jeep. She was the cause of this.

Her eyes burned as she ran away from the whole spectacle. She threw herself through the gender neutral bathroom door and curled up in a ball on the floor. Tears ran freely from her eyes.

She knew better. She should have just stayed male and forced the warm fuzzy feelings that Landon gave her to the side. She knew how narrow minded the ass holes at this school were. Why? why couldn't people just leave her alone and let her figure out who she was without the social stigma?

"Nikki?" Alicia's voice sounded from the doorway. "Nikki?"

"What?" Nikki sobbed. "Just leave me alone."

"Everyone's gone." Alicia explained. "The cops are here, they are speaking to Landon right now. The Principle is out there too. Most everyone else took off."

"So." Nikki snuffed.

"So, I called mom. She just pulled up. She is going to drive us home once Landon is done."

"God! I can't stand all of this crying." Nikki wailed.

Alicia brought her some paper towels.

Nikki blew her nose and excepted Alicia's help to get to her feet.

The two walked back out to a nearly empty parking lot. Landon, the Principle and two cops were talking. Landon's jeep was being loaded onto a flatbed tow truck and her mother was approaching them.

"Are you alright?" her mother asked.

Nikki nodded. "Just upset."

"I'll bet you are." her mother wrapped her in a hug. "I'll bet you are."

"I knew there were ass holes at this school, but really?" Alicia stated.

"Watch your language." Her mother admonished.

"Mom, leave it." Nikki defended her little sister. "They are ass holes."

Her mother looked at one then to the other. "I know they are." she nodded. "As soon as Landon is done, I'll take you all home."

"Are you sure that he wants to be seen with me?" Nikki swallowed hard.

"I guess we will find out." her mother shrugged.

As Landon spotted the three women walking towards him, he excused himself from the officers and ran the fifteen steps to get to them. He wrapped Nikki up in a hug. "I'm so sorry." he stated. "I hope you are alright."

Nikki nodded against his shoulder.

"I'm sorry." he told her mother. "I had to take care of things here."

"It's alright, Landon." her mother smiled. "Are you about done here?"

"Just a moment more." he stated. He pulled back from Nikki. "I am so sorry." he said.

"It's my fault." her voice caught in her throat.

"Stop it." he stated. "It is not your fault. Let me finish up here and then we can talk. Okay?"

Nikki nodded. He didn't seem to be mad at her.

"Come on girls." her mother called them over to the car. Nikki and Alicia got into the back leaving the front seat open for Landon and his long legs.

"God, I hope this doesn't trigger another morph." Nikki suddenly realized.

"Calm down. Maybe it won't." Alicia tried to assure.

"Are you sure you can give me a ride home?" Landon asked as he opened the door. "I can call for a ride."

"Nonsense." her mother stated.

Landon pulled his seatbelt on and turned to Nikki. "Are you sure you are alright?" he asked.

"It is your car that was vandalized." Nikki tried to keep the heat out of her voice.

"Easily repaired." Landon shrugged. "I'm sorry I didn't come for you."

Nikki shook her head. "It's okay. I looked a mess. Damn hormones." the latter was whispered,

Alicia put her hand on her sister's leg and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

Landon gave directions and tried to make polite conversation.

"Will your insurance cover the damage to the jeep?" her mother asked.

"They should. If they don't, I'll just have to take care of it." Landon sighed.

"Do you have any idea who would do such a thing?"

"Football players." Alicia and Landon stated at the same time.

"You think so?" Her mother asked.

"They were the ones snickering and looking away every time I looked their direction." Landon explained. "Turn here." he directed.

"Does the school have security cameras?"

"The security guard says he's not sure if they were covering that part of the parking lot." Landon paused, "Up this drive." he pointed.

"Up here?" her mother questioned.

"Yes." Landon assured.

Nikki looked out the windows to see where they were. A three railed white painted fence lined both sides of the road. Rich grazing lands lay on both sides. The road passed under some oak trees and turned up towards the top of a hill. A large house two story house took up most of the hillside. Large windows looked out on views that she could only imagine.

"This is your place?" Alicia looked around in wonderment.

"Yes." Landon nodded. "My dad is a shrewd business man who was able to get a lot for our house in California.

Nikki could hardly believe that only one family lived in such a large house.

"Thank you for the ride." he unbuckled and hopped out of the car. He ducked his head back in. "Nikki." he said getting her full attention. "I don't want you blaming yourself for this. You were not at fault. Okay?"

Nikki nodded, but she didn't really believe that.

"I'll pick you up for school tomorrow." Landon smiled. "I'll drive our truck. Thank you again for the ride." he closed the door and strode up three stairs to the front door of the house.

"Damn! look at this place." Alicia was flabbergasted.

"Watch your language."

Alicia ignored her mother. "Of all the girls he picked to date, it had to be you." She said wistfully. "You better hang on to this one. His family must be loaded."

"We'll see if he even wants to talk to me tomorrow." Nikki laid her head against the window and stared at nothing as they drove home.

* * *

A text came over her phone as her mom pulled into the driveway of their rather small looking home.
It was Officer Estrada

We had a meeting. Where are you?

"Shit." Nikki swore

"Language!" her mother snapped.

"I forgot about my meeting." Nikki explained. "I need to go, Mom."

"What meeting?"

Nikki's heart skipped a beat. She didn't want to bring her mother in on this. especially now. "Mandatory work meeting, Mom."

"Take your sister with you."

"MOM." she and her sister protested at the same time.

"With all that has happened lately with shootings and cars being vandalized, I would feel safer if you weren't out alone, Nikki."

"Mom, its just to the mall." Nikki lied

"I don't care."

"I have homework." Alicia continued the protest.

"Which you can do while waiting for your sister."

Nikki and her sister weren't going to win this argument. Alicia rolled her eyes and sighed heavily as she got out of the car. Nikki just sighed.

"I'm going to drop you off at the South entrance." Nikki explained to her sister.

"Just park at your work. I can walk the mall." Alicia countered.

Nikki pulled over into an empty lot. "You can't tell mom, but I'm not going to the mall. I don't have a work meeting."

"Then where are you going?" Alicia inquired. "We just left Landon's house."

"I have a different meeting."

"With who?"

"I can't tell you." Nikki growled with frustration.

"Then I'm telling mom."

"Alicia, please." she begged.

Alicia crossed her arms defiantly. "I'm going with you."

"You can't."

"Too bad."

"Alicia, please."

"No way. Are you meeting Landon at a hotel? or are you cheating on him already?"

Nikki rolled her eyes. She pulled out her phone.

"Who are you texting?"

"None of your business."

Alicia tried to grab the phone, but Nikki was to quick. Nikki pressed send and pulled back out into traffic.

"Where are we going, now?"

"To the mall." Nikki growled.

"What about your meeting?"

Nikki remained silent.

"Who is it?" Alicia badgered.

Nikki stayed quiet all the way to the mall.

Just as they were pulling into the parking lot she received an answering text message.

Alicia was faster and pulled the phone out of Nikki's reach before she could grab it.

"Give it back!" Nikki concentrated on steering the car so that she wouldn't have an accident on top of all the other shit that had happened this week. "You bitch, give it back. it's not for you." She waved her free arm trying to grab the phone while trying to steer the car into the nearest empty spot.

Alicia plastered herself against the opposite side of the car and opened the phone.

"Just Landon thanking us again for the ride home." Alicia sounded disappointed as she handed the phone back to Nikki.

Nikki checked the phone to make sure. just then another text message came in.

Officer Estrada: Have to do it at the station. See you soon.

"Crap!" Nikki cursed.

"What now?" Alicia sighed.

"I've got to drop you off here. I'll pick you up in an hour." Nikki started up the car and headed for the nearest mall entrance.

"No way!"

"Please, Alicia, you just have to trust me."

"I'm going to tell mom if you don't tell me what is going on."

"Fine!" Nikki stopped the car in front of the mall doors. "I witnessed a murder and now the cops want me to go undercover for a sting operation to catch the killer!" she knew the murder was a bit of an exaggeration.

"Fine!" Alicia screamed back. She threw open the door and jumped out. "Since you won't tell me, I'm telling mom that you are sneaking off." She slammed the door and stormed into the mall.

"Fuck!" Nikki swore. "Fuck, fuck, fuck!"

Nikki made it to her car before she could no longer control the frustrated tears. She grabbed some napkins from the center console and blew her nose and wiped at the free-flowing tears that continued to blur her vision.

Officer Estrada would not see to reason. He and his female superior officer insisted that she wear a wire while performing at Lil foot’s party. As if it wasn’t as dangerous enough. She a Morpher who Lil foot was unknowingly searching for was already going to have to perform for him, his gang and his grandmother. Now she was to wear a wire to record. They were also asking her to describe who was there and what they were doing. How in the hell was she going to do that and not get caught She had seen enough cop shows to know that wearing a wire was a bad idea. She wanted to bow out and say “screw it”, but this drug dealer shot her friend. If she didn’t do something about it, she wouldn’t be able to live with herself.

She finally cried herself out, but felt drained and emotionally raw. She looked into her visor mirror and almost screamed in horror. Her face was a mess. Raccoons had no claim on a mask compared to her face. Nikki grabbed another few napkins wet them from her water bottle and began cleaning up her face. She didn’t have enough time to do a great job, she needed to pick up her little sister before she got into too much more trouble.

Nikki pulled out of the police station and headed for the mall; taking advantage of the red lights to continue cleaning up her face.

Are you ready to go? Nikki text her sister.

Are you still in Bitch mode?

No. Sorry.

I found the cutest shoes. You’ve got to come in.

Not really in the mood for shopping.

Please.

Nikki parked the car.

Coming. Where are you?

I’m in the boutique next to the bed store,

Nikki dug her sunglasses out of the glove box and covered her bloodshot, burning eyes and hurried into the mall avoiding everyone’s gaze. She found the boutique and scanned it for her sister.

“Check these out.” Alicia bounced around clothes racks.

Nikki slid her sunglasses off and looked at her sister’s feet. “Cute.” She stated. Now can we go?”

“Hold on Sis.” Alicia took Nikki’s arm. “I’ve got something for you to try on.”

“I’m really not in the mood.”

“You will be once you see this.” Alicia flung her arms out in a horrible imitation of a model on the ‘Price is Right’.

“That is cute.” Nikki agreed, “but not my style. Sorry, I’m just not in a great mood.” She turned around and spotted something that had her jaw drop open. She rushed forward to the white dress and began looking frantically for her size.

“What did you find?” Alicia came up behind her.

“I’m not sure, but I think it might be perfect. Aha!” Nikki grabbed the dress and almost sprinted to the dressing room.

She slipped out of her clothes and tried it on. Her heart fluttered with excitement. It looked perfect, it fit perfect, it was perfect.

“Let’s have a look.” Alicia demanded from outside.

Nikki opened the door and took two steps towards her sister before spinning three-sixty.

“Holy Shit.” Alisha swore under her breath. “Dad would never let you out of the house wearing that.”

“He doesn’t have to know.” Nikki gave her sister a hard look.

“For Landon?” She raised an eyebrow.

He’d probably like this, she thought. “We could call it my ‘lucky’ dress.” She grinned. She strolled back into the dressing room and slid it off. “I won’t say anything to mom or dad, but I’ll want a favor.”

“Are you blackmailing me?” Nikki looked at the price tag and bit her lip.

“No. I just would like to call in a favor at a later date.” Alicia said from outside the dressing room.

“Fine.”

Nikki walked out the dressing room with the dress over her arm and took it to the cashier.

“Are you serious?” Alicia questioned her sister when she saw the price come up.

“It’s important for me to have this dress.” Nikki told her sternly.

“Whatever, its your money.” Alicia shrugged. “After you get lucky, though, I may need to borrow it.”

Nikki looked at her sister. “Are you serious? Dad wouldn’t let you wear this.”

“That might me my future favor.” Alicia wound her finger through her hair.

“We’ll see.”

--o0o—

Nikki tossed and turned through the night. Anxiety was not the same as stress, thankfully. If she were to morph again, she’d swear she’d wake up in the hospital. She turned her alarm off and staggered into a shower.

“Hurry up.” Alicia demanded from outside.

“Sorry, I’ll be out in a few minutes. She pulled a razor up her leg. As a guy, she’d never thought that she’d like the feeling of silky smooth skin against bed sheets or skirts. She decided that this was one of the benefits of being a woman, a gendermorph.

Nikki, wrapped in a towel, exited the bathroom just as her sister stormed in.

“You better not have taken all of the hot water!” she growled.

Once in her room, Nikki padded her skin dry and relished the feeling of the terrycloth against her denuded legs. She smiled as she slid skinny jeans on over her calves. Her legs tingled as she slid the jeans up over her hips. She pulled a red, loose blouse over her head to sway around her waist.
At her vanity, she took brush and blow dryer to her hair, combing the sides up and the top back creating a mohawk type look. Light bronze eye shadow, mascara and shimmery lip gloss to finish the look.
Nikki grabbed some earrings and slid into some nude heels before grabbing her pack and heading down stairs.

“Breakfast?” her mother asked.

“Quickly. Landon should be here any moment.”

Nikki’s mom handed her a bowl of steaming oatmeal. Nikki didn’t even taste it as she shoveled it in before chasing it down with a small bit of milk. She grabbed a disposable cup of coffee just as there was a knock on the door.

Her heels clicked as she walked across the tile entryway floor and opened the door. Landon, smiling down at her, made her heart flutter. She wondered how this guy could affect her so.

“You look cute.” He gave her a once over.

“Thanks. How are you doing?” She asked. “What did your dad say about the Jeep?”

“I’m fine.” He smiled. “Not much dad could say about the Jeep. I should get it back in a couple of days. I brought the truck.” His smile widened.

“Oh?” Nikki tried to look around him, but he blocked her view.

“You’re forgetting something.” His eyes sparkled.

Nikki’s mind raced as she tried to remember what she had forgotten.

Landon chuckled and tapped his lips with his finger.

Nikki flushed and went up on her toes to feather her lips across his.

“Much better. We need to get going.” He took her hand and turned towards the driveway.

Nikki was astonished to see a large beat up, rusty old farm truck with high sides on its bed. “That’s your truck?” She asked stunned.

Landon laughed. “Yep. He came with the house and barn.”

“He?”

“Yes, Clyde.” He shot her a bemused look. “Don’t you name your cars?”

Nikki shook her head. “Clyde?”

“Short for Clydesdale. He’s a work horse of a truck. Oh, don’t mind the smell, I didn’t have time to empty his bed before leaving this morning.” Landon opened the passenger side door and helped her up into the tall seat.

Nikki bounced on the faded seat cover and looked over her shoulder through the small window into the back of the bed but it was obscured by a dark substance mixed with straw. Nikki pulled her seatbelt on as Landon hopped up on the driver’s side.

The large truck rumbled to life. Nikki half expected to be enveloped in a cloud of black smoke. Landon smiled at her and turned the antiquated radio on to a country western station.

Nikki grimaced. “Really?”

“It’s a farm truck, gotta go with it.”

Nikki felt like hiding as Landon pulled the large truck into the school parking lot. Everyone was staring and pointing. Some started laughing as Landon parked the truck taking up three spaces.

“Three spaces?” Nikki looked appalled.

“I don’t want anyone dinging or scratching Clyde.” Landon laughed.

Nikki rolled her eyes, opened the door and slid to the ground. More people started laughing as they saw who had exited the beast of a truck.

“Hey.” Landon joined her and hugged her to him as they walked towards the school. “Don’t be embarrassed by Clyde. He serves a purpose and any who laugh, well, they just aren’t worth out time.”

Nikki knew that he was right, it was just that she was already struggling in school being a gendermorph and all, she really didn’t need to add to the pressure of not being bullied. A warmth washed over her body as she realized that Landon really did seem to be above all of the pettiness and yet he still seemed to like her of all of the people at school.

“Nice truck, Surfer boy.” A jock threw at them.

Landon smiled. “Thanks, He’s a real work horse.”

The others around the jock began laughing.

“You know, he was being sarcastic, right?” Nikki asked.

“Yep.” Landon smiled at her and then smiled at the others around them. “You go on to class, I’ve got to meet with the school security. I’ll meet you in band.”

“I hope they have footage.”

“I do too.” Landon kissed her on the forehead and gave her hand a squeeze before heading off.

Nikki put her things in her locker and headed to her first class.

“Nikki.” T.J. greeted. “Someone said that you and Landon drove a dump truck to school?”

“Not a dump truck but a large farm truck,” Nikki flushed slightly. “It came with the house that his dad bought.”

“That’s weird.”

“Landon seems to like Clyde.” Did she really just call the truck by a name?

“Clyde?” T.J. was puzzled.

“He names his cars.” Nikki shrugged. “The farm truck is Clyde.”

T.J. just shook her head.

--o0o—

Nikki was sitting in band, wetting her reed as Landon strolled in and started setting up his sax next to her.

“Did the cameras show who vandalized your Jeep?”

Landon sighed and shook his head.

“I’m sorry, Landon.” Nikki put her hand on his knee.

Landon shrugged. He was quiet as he put together his instrument and began running through some scales before Mr. Hill started class.

After they were through warming up the show band, Landon put his hand up.

“Landon?” Mr. Hill asked.

“Bathroom pass?” he asked.

Mr. Hill ripped off a pass from his pad and held it out. Landon gently put his sax down and scurried past the director grabbing the pass as he went.

Fifteen minutes later, Landon returned with a skip in his step.

“You really must have had to go.” Nikki muttered as Landon sat beside her and picked up his sax.

“It was a big load of crap.” Landon chuckled.

Nikki couldn’t help but giggle as he smiled at her.

They were walking hand in hand out of band when people started running towards the parking lot.

“What’s going on?” Nikki asked aloud.

“Probably nothing you know how dramatic High schoolers can be.” He gave her hand a long squeeze.

Students and teachers returning from the parking lot were laughing. The teachers were trying to hide their mirth, but unsuccessfully.

“What is happening?” Nikki started walking faster, her heels clicking on the smooth concrete.

“Nice, Landon.” A guy high fived Landon as he walked by.

“What did you do?” Nikki demanded.

“I did find out who vandalized my Jeep.” Landon admitted.

“You didn’t.” Nikki’s heart started pounding as she quickened her step.

A large group of students gathered around something in the parking lot.

“I’m going to kill you, Landon.” A jock screamed red faced.

A hand fell heavily on Landon’s shoulder. “We need to talk, now.” The principal demanded.

“Yes, sir.” Landon winked at Nikki before leaving with the principal.

Nikki pushed through the throng of people and saw the star running back’s car sticking out of a pile of horse shit and straw.

Nikki was pleased to find that even with the all of the stresses over the past day that she woke up on the right side of the bed. She took a deep breath and tried to still her heart as she thought about what was to take place today.

It’s a day like any other. She told herself. It’s a concert like any other, it’s just for one of the most dangerous criminals in the city is all. But that didn’t seem to help her heart one bit. Detective Estrada was expecting her in just a couple of hours to go over last minute details and to wire her up before she went into the Lion’s den so to speak.

Nikki slipped her robe on over her pajamas and padded down to the kitchen.

“Good Morning.” Aunt Mary greeted.

Erika rolled her eyes when she saw her aunt in place of her father.

Aunt Mary smiled at her with a twinkle in her eye. “Parents have needs too, honey.” She chuckled.

“You’re going to ruin my appetite.” Nikki made a face.

“Don’t you have a performance today?” Aunt Mary inquired.

“Yes. I was going to eat before getting ready.”

“Well, eat up, I’ve made waffles.”

Nikki tucked into the warm, sweet goodness and was surprised at just how hungry she was even though she hadn’t morphed in days. Alicia padded down stairs rubbing sleep from her eyes as Nikki finished.

“Morning sis. Oh, Aunt Mary?” she seemed surprised as well.

Nikki excused herself and stepped into the shower. Legs and arm pits needed to be shaved. Scented lotion to be massaged into skin and an errant eyebrow hair to be yanked out.

Nikki put her new dress into a large purse and dressed in a nice skirt and blouse. She slid into a nice new pair of nylons and sat at her vanity and fixed her hair before applying a liberal amount of makeup.

“Wow.” Aunt Mary said from the door. “You look very nice.”

“Thank you, Aunt Mary.” Nikki smiled at her Aunt through the mirror.

Nikki stuffed a folder of music into her purse next to ‘the dress’ and trod downstairs. “I need to get going. See you later.” She announced. She hoped she would see them later. It all depended upon Detective Estrada and Lil’ Foot.

She slipped on her heels and clicked out of the front door.

Nikki walked into the locker room of the store. It was the only place she could think of to change before showing up at the police station for her meeting.

“I didn’t know you were working today.” Darlene greeted.

“I’m not. I just need to get out of the house and found myself here.” She lied. “I needed to bring my work clothes back after washing them anyway.”

Darlene nodded. “Well, the store will seem empty with you not playing.” She put her purse in her locker and locked it back up. “When do you work next?”

“Tomorrow.” Nikki smiled.

“Fantastic. See you tomorrow.” Darlene left.

Nikki pulled her new dress out of her purse and shook it out before hanging it up. She looked at the daring outfit and smiled. Her dad would definitely have had a cow if he had seen it. Even her mother would have disapproved. It wasn’t as if it was inappropriate, it was just daring.

Nikki slipped out of her skirt and blouse and hung them in the locker. She pulled out her latest purchase, an adhesive, backless, strapless bra. Having never used one, she pulled out her phone and watched a video on how to apply it to her chest. It was definitely weird feeling, but with this dress, she’d have no other choice except to go braless and there was too much of an opportunity for slippage to go without.

Nikki slipped on the dress and pulled and tucked everything into place. The corseted front left little to the imagination, the sweetheart bodice was deeply cut and would have to be taped to her adhesive bra to keep from falling out. The white beautiful fabric left her shoulders and back bare, but puffy, romantic sleeves were like cuffs of clouds around her biceps. The waist was corseted and was snug around her abdomen and then fell in an almost see through full pleated skirt that brushed against her thighs, just above her knees. Four inch pink pumps were the only color to this outfit.

Nikki inspected herself in the mirror. She turned around and felt the light skirt caress her thighs. She pulled out some simple, but sparkly earrings and put them in to finish the demure, but sexy look. She smiled at image in the mirror. Let those cops try to hide a wire with this dress.

Picking up her purse she clicked out of the store to her car well aware of the looks and stares she received from both men and women. She drove towards the police station and parked on the side of the road two blocks away.

Her phone buzzed an incoming text.

Det. Estrada: Where are you? You were supposed to be here fifteen minutes ago.

Nikki put the phone down and took a deep breath. Her heart picked up speed as she checked and rechecked her reflection in her rearview mirror.

Det. Estrada: Damn it Nikki, get your ass here. We are running out of time.

Nikki typed and sent. ‘Almost there. Don’t want a speeding ticket.’ She put the phone back down and watched as a mother pushed a stroller by while walking a boxer.

Det. Estrada: What’s your ETA?

Nikki sighed, checked the time and started up the car. She drove the three blocks to the station and checked herself once more before getting out.

Detective Estrada marched towards her out of the station. “Where the hell have you been?” he demanded.

“Getting ready.” Erika snapped back.

Detective Estrada looked her over really quick. “What the hell are you wearing? How are we going to hide a wire in that?”

“It’s called a dress.” Nikki stated.

“Well you need to change.” He growled.

“I don’t have time.” Nikki defended. “I have to be there in ten minutes.”

“Damn you.” Detective Estrada swore.

A woman jumped out of a nearby van. “Estrada.” She called. “Here.” She ran up to Nikki. “This won’t be as effective, but it’ll be better than nothing.” She opened her hand and allowed a locket on a chain to fall from her fingers. She looked at Nikki. “Turn around.”

Nikki did as was instructed and felt the silver locket’s weight against her chest just above her cleavage. The woman pressed something and looked to the van. “Test 1, 2, 3,.”

Nikki saw the driver give a thumbs up. Nikki’s mind screamed in frustration and terror.

The woman looked to Estrada. “Next time plan out the outfit so that she can wear a wire.”

“There isn’t going to be a next time.” Nikki told her.

The woman nodded and climbed back into the back of the van.

Estrada looked at Nikki. “Well, get going. Remember, we need names and information on times of shipments and or deals going down.”

Nikki just turned towards her car. If she hadn’t been wearing heels, she would have stomped back to her car.

“Remember this is for Vic.” Estrada called after her.

“Fuck you.” Nikki muttered as she climbed into her bug. “You weren’t even thinking about Vic, you prick.”

Nikki began ranting as she pulled out the police station and then realized that someone was probably hearing and taping everything she was saying.

“Fuck, you’re listening, aren’t you?” she swore. “Well, I just hope you can hear while I’m in this place, cuz if something goes wrong, I want you there quick, I don’t want to be one of the victims on a cop show.”

Nikki pulled up to the address that she had been given. She checked the time and took a deep breath before exiting her bug and grabbing her purse full of music. Having sheet music was mostly a security blanket, she had most of the music memorized.

Her heels clicked on the walkway up to the front door of the mid-century house. “You better be close.” She looked over her shoulder. She saw a van parked down the block flash its lights twice. “Can’t you park closer?” she grumbled. She adjusted her skirt, and the bodice of her dress before knocking on the door.

“What’s up?” a member of Lil’ Foots gang answered the door.

“I’m here to play music for Lil’ Foots grandmother.” Nikki swallowed.

The large guy waved her in. “No offense, girl, but I gotta pat you down.”

Nikki stepped back. “Not by you, I’m not.”

“Just precaution, baby.” He held his hands up.

Nikki looked past him. “Have her do it.” She told him.

The large guy looked over his shoulder and saw who she was referring. “Fine.“ He waved the young woman wearing too much eyeliner over. “Pat her.”

The woman smelled of cigarettes and cheep perfume. “Sweet dress. You going to a ball?”

“Just here to play piano.” Nikki flinched slightly as the girl pulled the fabric away from her bra, detaching the tape from the bra. “Really? You couldn’t be a little more gentle?”

“Sorry, Princess.” The girl shoved a hand between Nikki’s thighs causing her to squeak.

The large guy chuckled. “I’d have treated you right, Princess.”

Nikki was trying to settle her nerves. If she didn’t get her stress under control quickly, she’d be waking up on the wrong side of the bed for sure tomorrow. All she wanted to do was to race out the door screaming for her car. Screw the cops, screw Lil’ Foot. Screw everyone. Why couldn’t they be the ones in here dealing with this shit?

“She’s clean.” The makeup mishap stated.

“Just show me to the fucking piano.” Nikki growled.

“Whoa, the piano princess has a mouth.” The goon grinned.

“The purse stays here.” Makeup mishap ordered.

“It’s got my music.” Nikki protested, holding her bag to her chest.

The Goon stepped up. “It stays here. He pointed to a table with a few more purses, wallets and coats lay. “Nobody’s going to get into it.” He looked her in the eye. “We aint thieves.”

Nikki grabbed her sheet music and thrust the purse at him. “It all better be there when I leave.”

“I’ll keep my eye on it, Princess.”

“My name is Nikki.”

“I know. I seen you in the mall.” He stated. “Look, Princess….”

“Nikki.” Nikki asserted.

“Look Nikki.” The goon smiled. “I kinda like you. Nobody steals from nobody here. Lil’ Foot would shoot their hand off with a shotgun if they did.”

“Hey, Ogre, didn’t he do that to that one guy?” Makeup mishap asked.

The Goon didn’t look at her. “Don’t know, that was before my time.”

“Your name is Ogre?” Nikki asked. She could believe it. He was a big ogre like guy.

Ogre grinned. “Lil’ Foot names everyone.” He nodded over his shoulder. “She’s Fly.”

“Fly?” Nikki wanted to laugh, but kept it together.

Ogre leaned closer. “She thinks its because she looks ‘fly’, but really it’s because she is annoying like one.”

Trying to hold in her laugh, Nikki snorted.

“Watch it bitch, I’ll cut off your fingers.” Fly snarled.

“Fly.” Another person entered the room. “I thought I asked you to get ice.”

Nikki looked to see Lil’ Foot stroll into the room.

“I was on my way when Ogre tole me to pat this Princess down.”

“Well, go on, the party is starting soon and the lemonade and sun tea will need ice.”

“Okay, Foot.” Fly went scurrying off.

“I hope these two haven’t bothered you.” Lil’ Foot smiled as he approached.

“They want me to leave my purse.” Nikki looked from Lil’ Foot to Ogre and back.

Lil’ Foot exchanged looks with Ogre and smiled. “I’m sorry, but it is kinda a rule around here. It for our safety and privacy. I assure you no one will get into it.”

Nikki huffed. “Fine.” She handed the purse to Ogre.

Lil’ Foot offered his hand, but Nikki ignored it. He acted like nothing happened. “You look very pretty, Nikki. My Grandmother is going to absolutely love you.” He led her through the house.

Clean lines and large window that seemed to float between the floor and ceiling opened up beautiful views of a dated, but pretty garden. Two sliding doors led out to a large brick patio set with several tables with umbrellas and little tables of refreshments. Just inside and off to one side of the doors was a baby grand piano.

“I hope this will work.” Lil’ Foot led her to the piano. “I had it brought in yesterday and tuned.”

“She’s beautiful.” Nikki admired the instrument. “You said your Grandmother liked Classical music?”

Lil’ Foot nodded. “Classical, Jazz, blues. Can you play Jazz and blues?” he asked startled by his own question. “I didn’t think to ask when I hired you.”

“I play a little of both.” Nikki assured.

“Great. Great.” Lil Foot smiled.

Damn why did he have to have such a warm smile? Nikki wondered. I hate him. He shot Vic. How can I be admiring the smile of a drug dealing, killer?

“. . . Just ask.” Lil’ Foot was saying.

“I’m sorry, I missed that last part? I was admiring the house.” Nikki lied.

“I said, if you need a refreshment or a snack, just ask one of the servers.”

“Thank you.” Nikki set her music on the piano and touched one of the keys.

Lil’ Foot stepped away seeing something that needed his attention.

Nikki sat down and adjusted the bench, before playing a few scales to warm up but also to check out the piano, and make sure that it was indeed tuned properly. She had a tuning key in her purse just in case, but it didn’t seem to need that kind of attention. Her fingers feathered over the keys and began picking out a tune. Before she knew it, she was engrossed in her music.

The first guests arriving snapped her out of her trance. She smiled as they walked by.
“Looks like a few family members.” She muttered, hoping that the mic in the locket would pick up her words. “I hope you heard my conversation with Ogre and Fly.” She shook her head at saying the names of the two she had met. Who would accept let alone seem proud of being given nick names like Ogre and Fly?

A few older ladies arrived in their pretty garden dresses. Some even wore hats and gloves. Nikki didn’t report their arrival. She figured the cops could care less about a few old ladies.

Fly glowered at her as she arrived carrying two large bags of ice. Nikki wondered if the woman’s attitude would change if someone showed her how to apply makeup properly.

“Three men and their girlfriends just came in.” Nikki described them in as much detail as she could. The girlfriends wore dresses that were too tight and too short for the occasion. Their lips looked like they had injected too much fat or silicon in them and their hair was too straight and too long. Definitely extensions. Nikki judged.
Lil’ Foot came into the room with an older woman’s arm through his. He seemed to be partially holding her up as she shuffled more than walked beside him. Her very pink dress matched her shoes and purse. Nikki could only think of Pepto-Bismol.

“Nanna, this is Nikki the Pianist I was telling you about.” He introduced as they approached. “Nikki this is my Nanna, Eugenia.”

Nikki kept playing and smiled. “Happy Birthday Nanna Eugenia.”

“My, she is as beautiful as she plays.” Nanna grinned at her grandson.

“You’re too kind, Nanna.” Nikki wondered if Nanna knew that her grandson was a drug dealer and murderer. She hoped that the seemingly sweet old woman was in ignorant bliss.

“Why aren’t you bringing pretty girls like that home instead of those, those, those Tramps.” Nanna questioned.

“Its hard to find pretty girls like her.” Lil’ Foot’s smiling face lifted from his Grandmother to Nikki and winked.

Nikki didn’t know which was worse, him winking or her liking that he winked. Stop this silliness, Nikki. She ordered herself.

Nikki couldn’t help but smile to herself as she watched Nanna embracing old friends and cackling as old women do. She wondered if that would be her someday or if she’d be a grouchy old man drinking beer and shooting the shit with his buddies.

Two more young men entered the party and joined the others out in the garden, each holding a drink and talking. Nikki described them as best she could without drawing attention to the fact that she was talking to herself.

A few of Lil’ Foot’s posse dressed in black and white suits brought serving trays out of the kitchen and served the older women. Sandwiches, small quiches’ and other finger foods were taken from trays as they passed.

Fly emerged from the kitchen wearing black and white as well and with a little grace poured tea and fetched refreshments.

She was so consumed with watching what was going on outside, she didn’t see anyone approach. She almost squeeled when a person sat beside her on the bench. She looked up and was captured by the warm smile of Lil’ Foot.

“Didn’t mean to startle you.” He apologized. “Nanna begged me to come in here and play a duet with you.”

“You play?” Nikki almost stopped playing at the revelation.

“Only took lessons for a bit when I was a boy.” He confessed.

Nikki stopped playing and gestured for him to start.

“Here you go, Nanna.” He called out to her. He began playing and not too gracefully.

Nikki immediately figured out what he was trying to play and began to accompany him. A few bars later, his playing began to improve. It was like he was remembering long memories from a long time ago and was allowing his muscle memory to remember as well.

Nikki looked over at him and smiled as she watched his tongue poke between his lips in concentration. She could just imagine him as a little boy doing the same thing perhaps wearing a hat backwards on his head, his legs swinging below the bench, not long enough to reach the ground or pedals.

Stop it! Her brain screamed he is a monster, not a cute, harmless little boy!

The song came to a conclusion and the patio erupted in applause and cheers.

Lil’ Foot smiled out at his Nanna then he leaned closer to Nikki. “Thanks for making me look good.” He got up and bowed in jest to his audience before rejoining the party.

After a bite of cucumber sandwich and a sip of sweet tea, Nikki started tickling the ivory again. She started playing a bit of old jazz, a bit of Count Basie and even some Irving Berlin.

Movement coming from the front of the house caught her attention. She looked up and her fingers stumbled, missing a few notes badly.

Landon? What the hell was Landon doing here?

Chapter 12

He looked over at Nikki. Her breath caught in her throat. It wasn’t Landon, but he could easily pass as his brother. Landon never mentioned having a brother.
This guy had short hair. His nose was larger, and his eyes set closers together. He was nowhere as beautiful as her Landon. Since when was he “her Landon”?
When the doppelganger gave her a quizzical look she realized that she had stopped playing. She quickly started again and averted her eyes.
“Kevin.” Lil Foot greeted Landon look alike.
Nikki made a mental note to inquire with Landon about a possible relative named Kevin.
Lil Foot led Kevin out to the party, but not before Kevin glanced at her again.
Nikki looked around the room to make sure no one was near. She looked down at her dancing fingers and spoke softly. “Lil foot has his posse along with his grandmother’s friends out on the patio. He just greeted a guy named Kevin.”

Now what? Was she just supposed to sit here playing and wait? Were they going to bust in and arrest the gang member and his posse? Her anxiety was building. She recognized it and began taking a few deep breaths to calm herself down.

A few minutes later she realized that the police were not going to charge in, that she would have to finish the private concert and hope that she lived to leave this predicament.

Nikki spotted the goon enter the kitchen and pile a plate with a mountain of food. He looked over and winked at Nikki. “You play good.” He smiled. “Maybe we should have you over to play with some other instruments.” He showed a large toothy grin. He licked his upper lip and sauntered back into the front room.
Nikki made a face and tried to erase the image from her mind. “I hope you heard that.” She spoke down at her chest.

It wasn’t long before some of the elderly women grew tired and began departing.
Fantastic! Nikki thought, I should be done here in half an hour.
A bit later, Nanna, with the help of Lil’ Foot came back in. She smiled at Nikki. “You played beautifully, Dear. My friends enjoyed the music you played. We don’t get to listen to that type much anymore. Its refreshing that you younger people haven’t forgotten it.” She looked to Lil’ Foot. “Its much better than that loud rap music you listen to today.” She shook her head.
“Thank you, Nanna.” Nikki began putting some of her sheet music away.
“It’s time for my nap.” She told her. “I hope he brings you around again sometime.”
“Stay put.” Lil’ Foot instructed her. “I’ll be right back.” He then took Nanna’s arm. “Come on, Nanna, lets get you to bed.”
Nikki watched in wonderment as the gang leader, drug dealer and killer gently and lovingly guided is grandmother towards her bedroom.

She may have just spent two hours playing the piano, but that was for someone else. She started with just a few strokes of the keys and soon she was losing herself in a favorite piano concerto. Her eyes closed as she just played, the music swelling and waning as her fingers flickered over the ivories.

“Beautiful.” She heard Lil’ Foots voice. Her fingers never faltered although her heart did she nearly came out of her skin.

The drug dealing murderer stepped closer and beamed down at her. The scent of his cologne along with his own musk filed her nostrils. She was mad at herself for enjoying his smell.

Lil’ Foot pulled an envelope from a back pocket and dropped it on top of her sheet music. “Thank you for coming and playing today.” He smiled. “It meant a lot to my Nanna.”

“I like your Nanna.” She smiled up at him, her fingers slowing to a stop. ‘you not so much’ she thought.

“Nikki.” His smile slid away then was immediately replaced with a different one.

Nikki was just about to scream for help when unexpected words came from his mouth.

“I like you, Nikki.” He said. “I was wondering if you’d like to go out do dinner sometime.”

Nikki’s heart stopped. Her chest tightened. Did he really just ask her out on a date? This murderous drug dealer?

“I um, I have a boyfriend.” Nikki managed. Mentally she told herself to breathe.

The smile slid just a touch. “Of course, you do.” He replaced it with a different smile. “It was just a thought. If it doesn’t work out with him, let me know.”

The silence between them drew out. Each avoiding one another’s eye contact.

“Well, I really should be going.” Nikki stood up. The skirt of the dress brushed lightly across her thighs as it fell in place making her conscious of just how revealing it was. She gathered up her sheet music along with the envelope and shifted.

Lil’ Foot moved aside, and she very consciously made herself calmly walk to the front room.

The goon put down his sandwich and smiled at her. “You did good, Princess. It sounded real pretty.”

“Thank you. Can I have my purse back?” Nikki put a sickly-sweet lilt into her voice.

“It’s right there, Princess.” The goon pointed to the end of the table near the door. “No one touched it.”

Nikki opened it and quickly scanned its contents. It all seemed to be in order. She stuffed the envelope into it and swung it over her shoulder and tried not to seem in too much of a rush as she exited the quite common looking house.

She was shaking by the time she climbed into her car. She just spent a couple of hours in the presence of Lil’ Foot and survived. Not only that, but he had asked her out. What the hell kind of life was she living?

Finally, she started up her car and began driving it. She nearly forgot that she had to return to the police station. Remembering that she was wearing the bugged locket, she nearly tore it from her neck and tossed it onto the seat next to her.

Nikki took a deep breath as she got out of her car. She stiffened her back and stalked into the police station. Estrada was busy talking to several other officers when she walked in. He waved her over and guided her into a private room.

“You didn’t give us much to go on.” He grimaced.

“I did what you asked for.” Nikki growled. “I reported what I saw, who I saw and what I heard. I couldn’t help it if the piano was inside the house and all of the guests were outside.”

“Well we didn’t get any information that we could arrest him on. Did you see any drugs there?”

Nikki shook her head. “It was a fucking party for his Nanna.” She growled. “You think the little old biddies were out there snorting coke? Here’s your locket back.” She dropped it on the table.

The woman officer that had given it to her entered the room. “She may not have gotten anything for us today, but we can still use her.”

Nikki looked at the woman in shock. What the hell was she talking about, using her?

Estrada looked confused as well.

“He asked her out on a date.” The woman stated. She looked at Nikki. “I wonder if we could put you undercover as his girlfriend.”

“This isn’t no fucking twenty-one Jump Street.” Nikki swore. “I didn’t even want to do this today. I only did it so that you could arrest him so that I don’t have to look over my fucking shoulder all day every day. That is a big, fat, hairy-ass No.”

Estrada looked at the woman and shrugged as if saying ‘there you have it’.

“If you are done with me, I’m going home to take a very long shower.” Nikki got up and started for the door.

“Nikki.” The woman softened her voice. “I know what we are asking is a lot but think of how much safer the streets will be once we can get Lil’ Foot off from them.”

“No!” Nikki snapped and stormed out to her car.

She wanted to cry. Just cry and get all of the built-up emotion out of her system. She dialed Landon.

“Hey Nikki, what’s up? I was just thinking about you.”

“Landon.” Nikki nearly sobbed. She hated this part about being a girl. It was like all they did was cry.

Landon’s voice took on a different tone. “What is it? Are you alright?”

“Yes.” It didn’t sound confident. “I really just need someone to hold me.” It was nearly a whine.

“Calm down. Take a few deep breaths.” Landon instructed.

Nikki did so.

“Do you remember how to get to my house?” Landon asked.

“Yes.”

“Come on over and I’ll try to fix whatever is bothering you.”

Nikki nearly sniffled. “Okay.” Why did she sound like this? It was awful. She sounded like a simpering little girl who need attention.

Nikki hung up and pulled out of the police station. She looked down at what she was wearing and nearly started crying all over again. She couldn’t let Landon see her in this get up. At the red light she text him saying that she’d need to go home first.

Nikki parked her car in the drive and walked in the house.

“Wait a minute, young lady.” Aunt Mary’s voice called from the living room. “What the hell are you wearing?”

Nikki groaned. She really didn’t want to go over this now. “Not now, Aunt Mary.” She practically kicked off her shoes and ran upstairs.

Nikki let the dress slide to the floor and kicked it into the closet. She grabbed her robe and darted into the bathroom, locking the door behind her. She sat on the toilet and peed and grunted as she pulled the adhesive bra off of her breasts. Nikki tossed them into the trash and climbed into a hot steaming shower.

A knock came at the door. “We need to have a talk, young lady.” Aunt Mary’s voice carried through the door and the steam.

Nikki chose to ignore it and decided she just needed to get the nervous sweat washed off and relax her muscles. Hopefully the memories of Lil’ Foot being close to her, his wonderful smell and his asking her out would also wash down the drain.

She only turned the shower off when it ran out of hot water and dried herself off. She slipped into her robe and padded into her bedroom to find Aunt Mary hanging up the dress that she had discarded.

“Have a seat, Nikki.”

“Fine.” Nikki grumbled. She plopped down on her bed and let out a deep breath. She hoped this wasn’t going to take too long, she really just wanted to be in Landon’s arms.

Aunt Mary’s eyes slid from the sexy dress to Nikki. “Care to explain how you came home wearing that when you left wearing your work outfit?”

How much should she tell her Aunt Mary? The job with Lil’ Foot was finished. The job with the police was also finished. She may not feel comfortable being Nick for a while with Lil’ Foot still looking for him.

“I think you had better have a seat.” Nikki told her.

Aunt Mary sat on the bed opposite and met Nikki’s eyes.

“I wasn’t at work at the mall today.” She began. Aunt Mary nodded knowingly. “I was asked to do a private concert at a private party.”

“Wearing a dress like that? What kind of party?

“It ended up being for a little old lady. Her grandson hired me to play background music.” Nikki continued. “I found out that the grandson was being investigated by the police and they asked that I wear a wire during my concert.” Aunt Mary looked to interrupt again, her face growing hot. Nikki put up her hand to forestall it. “I didn’t want to do it, but the police were pretty adamant. When I saw that dress, I thought that there would be no place to hide a wire.” Nikki explained. “Anyway, the police found a way to hide it and I did the concert. Nothing happened and all I wanted was to take a shower and go see Landon.”

Aunt Mary’s face was red. Her arms were crossed over her breasts and she waited a second or two longer to make sure that there wasn’t any more to the story before she burst. “You, Nikki. Are a high school student. The police had no right to coerce you that way and if you had come to me and told me, I would have said ‘No’. What were you thinking?”

“I just wanted to help catch this guy.” Nikki tried to justify.

“Who is this ‘guy’?”

“The guy who shot Vic.” Nikki dreaded telling her Aunt Mary that.

“Oh my God! And the police talked you into going under cover to play a concert for this guy?”

“I was already hired to play the party. I didn’t want him to suspect that I was a gendermorph and that I, as Nick, saw the whole thing.” Nikki began to really cry. “Why do you think I’ve been morphing so much? I’ve been stressing out!”

Aunt Mary stood up, crossed the room and sat down and held Nikki as she sobbed. “I’ve been so stressed out.”

“And I thought it was over this new, very cute guy, Landon.”

“He’s mine, Aunt Mary.” Nikki nearly growled.

“I’m so sorry, honey.” Aunt Mary tried to soothe. “I’m sure it has been very stressful. Why don’t you lay down for a bit? I think I’m going to have a serious talk with these police officers. What were their names?”

“Detective Estrada.” Nikki murmured. A nap did sound pretty good. It sounded better if she could be taking curled up to Landon’s chest. “I told Landon I would be over in a bit.”

“You aren’t going anywhere.” Aunt Mary ordered. “He can come over here, but you are not to leave this house for the rest of the day.”

“But?” Nikki whined.

“No.” Aunt Mary demanded. “He can come here.”

Aunt Mary stroked her damp hair and stood up. Nikki nearly collapsed into bed as Aunt Mary made her way down stairs.

“Landon?” She spoke into the phone. “I’m kinda grounded. I have to stay home today, but you can come over here.”

“I’ll be right over.” Landon assured her.

“Landon? Do you have a brother?”