Joseph growled.  “Wait!  I have something to say to Siri.”

 

                I paused.  “Okay, dad.  She can hear you.”

 

                “Siri, I don’t care if you’re an angel or not, if my child suffers because of this change you forced upon him, I will climb the great tree Yggdrasil all the way to Asgard and slap the living shit out of you.  You forced this on my son.  You took his life away so that you could live.  You’re responsible for him now.  Take care of him, or else I’ll come for you.”

 

                *Yes sir.*  Siri replied humbly.  *Please tell him.  I am sorry.*

 

                I’m not sure ‘sorry’ matters anymore, Siri.  I’ll tell him.  “She accepts, and for what it’s worth, she’s sorry.”

 

                “Sorry doesn’t mean a damn thing.  And she should be apologizing to you, not to me, son.”

 

                “I guess so.” 

 

                *I can only say I’m sorry so many ways, Jason.*

 

                I know, Siri.  I replied mentally.  This is something for you and me to sort out – later.

 

                *All right Jason.  Are you ready?*

 

                Yes.  No.  Does it matter?  I need to do this to save my dad.  Just do it already!

 

                *Reach into your source, and draw it into you – not just a little, but all of it – as much as you can handle!  That will begin the final bonding.*

 

                “How long will it take?”

 

                *Not long.*

 

                I sighed.  “Let’s do this.”  I turned to my dad, and smiled sadly.  “No matter what happens, dad, I love you.”

 

                “I love you too, son.”  Dad replied, tears glistening in his eyes.

 

                I turned away – I didn’t want him to see it happen – and I reached for the source within.  The golden light was still there, cool and warm at the same time.  I thrust my mental arms into it, and beckoned.  I surrendered myself to it, and it flowed up and over my mental self – once again engulfing every part of me, seeping into my skin and bones – the very fabric of my being.  I didn’t see what was happening in dad’s hospice room – all I could see was light, and far above a shining city of golden palaces surrounded by golden fields of grain.  It looked glorious and magical, radiating golden light.

 

                Is that Asgard?  I asked in awe.  I didn’t notice, but my mental voice had started to change in pitch and timbre as well, becoming softer and more feminine.

 

                *Yes, Jace.  That’s home.*

 

                It’s beautiful!  I replied, awestruck.

 

                *It is.*

 

                I stared at the glory of the shining city of Asgard for a few moments more, still feeling myself changing – my skeleton, already altered somewhat, began to shift painlessly to a new configuration, as did the muscles, ligaments and other bits of my form.  My hips expanded, even as my shoulders narrowed somewhat, and my bones and tissues became denser and stronger.  Other parts were changing too, and I began to feel an unfamiliar emptiness between my legs, and an equally unfamiliar          weight on my chest.  Moments more passed, and images passed through my head – images of Einherjar and Valkyries – of the Lords and Ladies of Asgard – and of innumerable battles over the course of centuries – or maybe millennia.  I saw the whole of Siri’s life – for just one moment – and then the flashes of insight were gone.  The light was gone.  All I felt was fatigue...  I felt drained, and slumped into a chair next to my dad’s bed, and sat with my head hung low, and eye’s closed – as if I was unwilling to admit what just happened.

 

                I looked around the room... either it had grown bigger, or I was smaller... Oh, it wasn’t by much, but it was noticeable.  Just another of the changes I would need to get used to.

               

                Things were quiet for a moment, when I heard my dad’s voice.  “Is that still you in there, son?”

 

                “Yeah, I think so...” I began.  “My voice!”  My voice sounded like a sexy alto-soprano, and definitely wasn’t the voice I was used to.  “I’m okay dad.  Just a bit surprised.”  I looked up to see my dad staring at me in awe.  “What?  Is there a bug on my face?”

 

                “No, Jason.  You just look totally different.  You’re beautiful – even if you don’t want to hear it right now.”

 

                “Well,” I laughed a little ironically.  “Siri did say that Valkyries are always striking.  Damn it.”

 

                “You going to be okay, son?”  Dad asked.

 

                “Yeah, I guess.  In time.  Maybe.”  I said, honestly.  “I’ll be okay... And now, so will you.”

 

                “I hope it’s worth it, son.”

 

                “Having you here for my graduation is worth it.  Seeing you grow old - that’s worth it.  Spending another day or week or year with you is worth it.  It’s worth it.  It’s time.”  I reached within to find my source – but oddly, instead of being in a ball in my center, it seemed to be throughout me – all of me – and I could draw upon it with ease.  It thundered through my veins like a raging river.

 

                “Siri, there’s so much power!”

 

                *I know, Jason.  I’ll teach you to use it.  I promise.*

 

                I reached for the power, and called upon it, touching my father’s hand.  Once again, I could feel the energy pass from myself to him – but where before the illness drained the power away, like a sieve, this time the golden light fought the disease, fought it and conquered it – and I could see the illness being purged from him as I watched.  In seconds, dad was cancer free – and a host of lesser maladies he had were cured as well.  He was in perfect health – better than he had been in twenty years.  Even the pain meds had been purged from his system.

 

                “Ahhh!”  Dad cried out.  “What the fu...  WOW!  That felt really weird!  Is that it?  Am I cured?”

 

                “As far as I know, yes.” I replied.  Siri?

 

                *You did great, Jason.  He’s better.  He could literally go home right now.*

 

                “Do you want to go home, dad?”

 

                “Hell, yes! I definitely want to go home!”

 

                Siri?  Can you tell me how to do that illusion disguise?  I asked.

 

                *Sure thing.*  She replied, and I felt more images pass through my mind.  A few seconds later, it was done.

 

                I concentrated, and channelled my source – and imagined myself looking like I did an hour ago.  A few seconds later dad gasped.  Heh.  It must have worked.  How long will this last, Siri?  I asked.

 

                *A few hours.  It’ll fool sight and hearing, but it won’t fool anyone’s sense of touch.*

 

                “Good enough.”  I replied – and smiled, hearing my not-quite as masculine voice that I had this morning.  At least there was some respite if I needed it from feminine pulchritude.

 

                *Drama Queen much?*

 

                Shush, you!  I replied.

 

                “How do I look?” I asked aloud.

 

                “You look like Jason.”  Dad replied.  “How?”

 

                “An illusion.  Let’s start the process of getting you out of here.  It’ll wear off soon enough and we’ll want to be out of here by then.”

 

 

*              *              *

 

 

                The doctors and nurses hemmed and hawed, they advised me what I’d be dealing with – and they even arranged for a home care nurse if we needed one, but by the end of the day, the facts were dad was committed to going home, and they needed the bed freed up for someone else.  They discharged him into my care, and we packed up what little of his stuff was left.  We were halfway home in my car when the illusion spell ended.

 

                “Jason... The spell wore off.”  Dad said.

 

                “Yeah, I guess it did.  Oh well.”   It’s not like freaking out about it was going to do any good, right?  “Once we get you home and get you settled, do you might if I have some time alone?  I need to see what’s happened to me.”

 

                “Take whatever time you need, Jason.”

 

                “Thanks dad.”

 

                We drove in silence – I tried to concentrate on the road, and not my condition – and dad?  I have no idea what he was thinking about.  We got home in about thirty more minutes, and I parked outside the garage door.  About ten minutes later, we were inside with all of dad’s stuff – not that there was much of it.

 

                “I don’t know how I can ever thank you for what you did for me, son!”  Dad said, still tearing up.  “Are you going to be okay?”

 

                “I dunno, dad.  Yeah, probably.  I just need to see what’s happened to me.  I’ll be downstairs in a while.”

 

                “Alright, son.  I’ll see you soon.”

 

                “Okay.  Hey – There’s a basketball game on today.  Why don’t you relax in front of the TV with a beer or something?  I’ll come down and join you when I’m done upstairs.”

 

                “Good idea.  If you need anything, holler, okay?”

 

                “Will do.  Love you dad.”

 

                “Love you too, Jason.  Now stop stalling, and go look at yourself.”

 

                “Yes dad.”  I said.  “Was it that obvious?”

 

                “I’m your dad, you idiot.  Yes.  Go do what you have to, and then let’s spend some time together.”

 

                I couldn’t help but smile.  I had my dad back.  He was going to be okay.  Mission accomplished. 

 

                “Will do.  I’ll see you soon.”  With that, I turned and headed upstairs.