=:= Nicole =:=

"Wish me luck," Nikki said, giving Sam another hug and kiss.

Samantha kissed her back, holding her close. "You're sure you don't want me to come with you?"

She shook her head, "If things go well, then next time we'll go together. Right now, I have to do this on my own."

They held the embrace for a few more seconds, then Nikki let go and stepped back. "See you in a little while, hon."

Sam nodded, "Good luck, love."

Nikki smiled, then worked the teleport spell. A moment later she was standing on the front step, outside her parents' house. She knocked, then waited.

It was Saturday morning, around eleven o'clock. With the threat gone and things slowly returning to normal, Nikki decided it was time to try and patch things up with her parents. Her mom's birthday had been one month ago today. It felt like a year, with everything that had happened since then.

She'd already exchanged emails with her folks, so they knew she was coming. When she was last here, her parents had been angry, upset. From their emails it seemed like they were ready to listen to her now.

Finally the door opened. Her mother was there, and just like a month ago, she looked Nikki up and down before saying anything. Finally she just nodded, "Come in."

Nikki followed her inside, and they went through to the living-room. Like last time, she sat in one of the drum-chairs while her mom sat on the sofa, and her dad was already in his arm-chair.

They both looked at her expectantly. Nikki recalled they'd told her not to call them 'mom' and 'dad', so she started by asking "What would you like me to call you both? Mr. and Mrs. Elliot? Simon and Faye? Sir and ma'am?"

Her folks glanced at each other, and her dad replied "For now, just get on with it. Tell us how our son Nick became this." He gestured at her.

"Ok," Nikki nodded. "One word answer is magic." Before either could respond, she cast a couple light spells, leaving the glowing balls of light floating in the air in front of the two of them. "Those are harmless light spells. You can poke them and they'll disappear. Simple, safe magic. Magic is real, and it can do a lot more beyond floating lights."

She kept her tone calm and professional as she continued, "When I was Nick, I was a misogynistic entitled asshole. I was taking advantage of you two, and I was abusing Brooke and taking her for granted. That night four years ago, Brooke was meeting a friend of hers, Samantha Carlisle, because I'd stood her up yet again. I thought she was cheating on me with a guy named Sam. I went after her looking for a fight, and instead found out Samantha was a witch. She used magic to defend herself and Brooke, but the spell she thought she was casting turned out to be something completely different."

Nikki paused for breath, then explained "Sam summoned a real live Goddess into me. The Goddess changed my body to this, then rewrote my whole life so that I'd always been Nicole. Because she needed her human vessel to be a woman. The ritual wasn't complete though until I welcomed her in. It took Sam and me a full day to figure that out. You're right that your son Nick didn't choose this. I didn't ask to be turned into a woman. But after it happened, I had a full day to try it out."

She continued "And when the time came, I had the chance to turn it down. Everything would have gone back to normal and I'd have become Nick again. During that first day though, I realized what my life had really been like up to then. I realized what kind of a person I'd been. And I didn't want to be that person anymore. I wanted to be better, I wanted to make up for what I'd done to people, how I'd treated people. And I'd already started to fall for Samantha. Sam changed me by mistake, but she'd done it to protect Brooke and herself. And then she tried everything in her power to fix it. When it came to make the choice, I chose to stay this way. I didn't choose to become Nikki, but I absolutely chose to stay Nikki. And I've never once regretted it."

After a pause she added, "The only thing I do regret, is it's taken four years to come clean and tell you both the truth."

Her parents were both still staring at the orbs of light, but she knew they'd both been listening. Her dad finally asked, "So this 'goddess' person, where's she come into play?"

Nikki replied, "She and I are bound together for life. I'm sort of her anchor, her representative on Earth. If you'd like to meet her, I can arrange that."

"Is she..." her mom hesitated. "Is she 'good'? Or is she 'evil'? Or what is she?"

"She's been good for us," Nikki replied. "I mean, I just turned twenty-five and I own my own winery. My wife and I have a large beautiful home on a vineyard. Sam owns a spiritual retreat. We founded a non-profit org to support queer youths. She's been just as good for our friends."

Her parents were silent again for now, her dad staring at the light spells again and her mom was just staring at her.

After a minute or so, Nikki said "If I understand correctly, you remember me as Nick up until that day in November, four years ago. So you know what kind of person I was when I was him. Since then, I've been me and I know you remember that too. You both know how much better my life's been, how much happier I am. I have a beautiful loving wife, a future, caring friends. The material stuff, the house and winery is icing on the cake. But even without that stuff, my life is still better. I'm better."

When she stopped talking, her parents stayed quiet for a while longer.

Finally her dad spoke up, "I remember how happy you looked, when I walked you down the aisle that day... How proud your mom and I were."

Nikki smiled, her eyes dipping down to look at her wedding ring.

Her mom said, "I remember nagging you and Sam for a full year, before you two finally announced your engagement." There was a faint smile on her mother's lips now.

"And since they tied the knot, you've been after them about grandkids," her dad commented. There was a little glint in his eyes now. He wasn't smiling with his lips yet, but Nikki could see it in his eyes.

Nikki felt a surge of hope. It seemed like her folks were starting to accept her.

Mom nodded slowly, then looked at Nikki and asked "How's that coming, anyways? Do I have any hope of being a grandmother before I'm too old to enjoy it?"

Nikki bit her lip, suppressing a grin. She hesitated, then finally smiled as she said "Sam will kill me for not waiting till she was here but... Yes. You'll be a grandmother some time next May or June."

Both her parents' eyes went wide as they stared at her. Then mom jumped up out of her seat and wrapped her arms around Nikki, pulling her into a hug. "Oh Nikki that's wonderful news!"

She smiled as they hugged, "Thanks mom."

After a few moments her mom sat back down again. Mom was still smiling as she wiped a few happy tears from her eyes.

Dad had a smile on his face now too, though he also looked curious. "So, forgive me if this is inappropriate but... How's that work? Are you and Samantha adopting? Or some sort of surrogate thing?"

She hesitated, looking at them both. Then she smiled as she decided to just dive in. "Well since you asked dad, I'll tell you the truth. Sam and I have access to magic, remember? That includes transformation spells, fertility rites... Samantha is carrying my child."

Her parents blushed, and she could tell they had a dozen more questions that they both looked too embarrassed to ask. Nikki had to struggle to keep from giggling at the awkward looks on their faces.

Finally dad coughed and cleared his throat. Still blushing, he said "So uh. If you were still Nick, I'd be offering to shake your hand."

"I'll take a hug instead, if that's ok?" Nikki asked hopefully.

"It's a deal," dad said with a smile.

Nikki got up and moved to him as he stood up too. As they hugged, mom got up and joined in as well.

Nikki sighed happily, "I'm sorry you two were kept in the dark about all this stuff for so long, and I'm sorry you had to find out the way you did. Thanks for letting me explain."

Mom said "Sorry we didn't listen to you before. We were still in shock."

Dad nodded slightly and said "We probably have a hundred more questions Nikki. It's still going to take us some time to adjust. But I'm glad we're over the hard part."

"Me too," she smiled.

=:= Samantha =:=

"So, that's the story. We wanted to help Jessica, to save her life, to give her a better life. We had to get her off the streets and give her a better start, instead of that abusive home she came from." Sam sighed. "We couldn't just put her with some random family though. It came down to either the Elliots, or us."

She looked across the kitchen table at her folks. It was Saturday afternoon, and after Nikki returned home from her folk's place Sam teleported herself to her family home in Innisfil to try and reconcile with her own parents.

They'd been listening quietly for the past fifteen or twenty minutes as Sam told them about the Goddess, about magic, about how that fateful night four years ago changed her life and Nicole's. And how Sam's desire to help people led her to meet Jessica.

Her parents remained silent, their expressions impassive.

Sam sighed, adding "I know it was wrong to involve you both without telling you, without asking you. But I couldn't think of any way to explain the situation that wouldn't have you thinking I needed to see a psychologist or something."

Finally her mother broke the silence. "I know you like to help people Samantha. But adopting some homeless drug-addicted boy off the streets..."

Sam interrupted with a frown, "Jessica is a girl. She's always been a girl. And she wasn't an addict. She used drugs once, in a suicide attempt."

"You just said she was transgendered," her mother said. "Doesn't that mean...?"

Sam sighed "I have reams of literature I can send you both if you want to educate yourselves. But the short answer is, it means she was always a girl, regardless of what her body may have looked like on the outside." She pushed ahead, "And I had some misgivings at first too. You're right, I barely knew her at that time. But then after it was done, I'd known her all my life. We grew up together, she's my sister."

"But that's all lies," dad frowned. "I mean, you know it's all lies. You don't really know her, you don't really love her."

Sam sighed again. "Whether or not the memories were 'real', that was more than three years ago dad. All the memories we've made together since then are real. And my emotions are real."

Her folks were both still frowning as they looked at each other.

Sam let her eyes wander around the kitchen. When she'd arrived at her parents' house a half hour ago, she spotted the differences immediately. All the pictures of Jessica had been taken down. Even gifts Jess had given them over the years were missing. Any evidence or reminders of Sam's little sister had disappeared. Sam didn't know if they were hidden away in a box somewhere, or if her parents had thrown everything out. She was afraid to ask.

Finally mom asked, "So what is it you want Sam? Why did you come visit today?"

Samantha looked at her and replied "I came to tell you both the truth. I'm hoping we can make up. That I can make amends or something."

Dad frowned, "What kind of amends, Samantha? What can you do to make up for messing with your mother's and my minds, our memories? For tricking us into thinking that...stranger was our child?"

Sam sighed deeply, "I'm apologizing. I know it was wrong. I've told you both the truth. What more do you want, dad?"

He stared at her and asked, "Are you still letting her live with you?"

"Yes." Sam stated firmly. "I'm not going to turn my back on her."

"You'd choose a stranger off the streets over your own parents?" dad asked, his tone hard.

Samantha insisted, "Jessica is not a stranger. She's my sister. Whether you accept that I've known her since I was five, or insist that I've only known her for three years. Either way she's my sister. She was maid of honour at my wedding!"

After a moment Sam shook her head sadly and added, "And if you're seriously asking me to make that choice? Then I'm going to choose her. Because if you force me to pick one or the other, then you're not the sort of man I thought I had for a father."

Her dad glared at her, but he stayed quiet.

Then mom spoke up. She kept her tone level as she said, "Ok Sam. I can see this is something you feel very strongly about. I'm proud that you're sticking to your principles and that you're so dedicated to helping people. But I have to agree with your father. Manipulating the two of us, brainwashing us, tricking us into believing that stranger was our child... I don't know that we can forgive that." She shook her head.

Samantha took a deep breath then nodded, "Ok. I understand. Thanks for hearing me out." She got to her feet and said "I'm sorry. I hope you both stay well. I'll keep in touch, unless you don't want to hear from me."

Neither of them said anything, her dad wasn't even looking at her. Mom watched, as Sam stood there next to the kitchen table.

"Goodbye mom, dad." Sam worked the teleport spell, vanishing right infront of them both as she returned to her wife and chosen family at the vineyard.

=:= Cindy =:=

She knocked, then waited nervously to see if they'd answer. It was kind of silly, she thought to herself. She'd faced murderers, wizards, even Gods without flinching. But it was the prospect of talking with her friend's parents that had her stressed.

She was also anxious because for the first time in a week she was alone again.

Zoe offered to accompany her, but this was something she felt she needed to do by herself. Becky's parents had never met the catgirl before, but they knew Cindy. She'd met them several times back when she and Becky went to school together.

Finally the door opened. The middle-aged woman stared at Cindy for a moment. Her expression said it all. Surprise, uncertainty, anxiety, curiosity.

Finally she said, "Hello Cindy. What can I do for you?"

"Hi Mrs. Eckhart," Cindy replied softly. "May I come in? I'd like to speak with you and Mr. Eckhart, if that's ok?"

Becky's mother hesitated for a couple seconds, then nodded. "Of course. Come in."

They went through to the living-room. Mr. Eckhart was there sitting on the sofa with the newspaper.

"Greg," Mrs. Eckhart said, "We have a guest. You remember Cindy."

He looked up and stared for a moment then nodded. "Of course. We haven't seen you since..." His voice trailed off suddenly.

"Hello sir," Cindy greeted him. She knew what he'd been about to say. Last time she was here was back in May, for Becky's nineteenth birthday.

"Have a seat Cindy," Mrs. Eckhart said. "What brings you here?"

Cindy sat on one of the armchairs, while Becky's mom sat down on the sofa next to her husband.

She took a deep breath then started, "I'm here because you deserve to know the truth. I think Becky would have wanted you to know. She'd have wanted to tell you herself if she could, but..."

The two parents exchanged a look. Both of them were clearly struggling with some difficult emotions.

"Thank you." Mrs. Eckhart said. "We have no idea what's happened. It's been nearly a month and..."

Mr. Eckhart asked "Do you know what happened to our child? We remember a son. Did he become Becky? How? And what happened to her? None of this makes any sense. All we know is we've lost our child... Maybe we've lost two children." The pain and confusion was clear in his voice, and his expression.

Cindy sighed but nodded, "Your son became Becky. That was my fault. It wasn't supposed to happen like that, and I'm sorry for how much it disrupted your lives and hers. But that was almost three years ago. I know it was hard for her at first but by the time we finished grade eleven, she was happy. I know you saw how she was enjoying life. She had plans, ambitions. She was doing really well..."

The parents were both listening, but both frowned.

Becky's dad shook his head, "How though? That's not possible."

"It was magic." Cindy replied. "I'm a sorceress. Back then I guess I was like a sorceress-in-training."

Before either of them could protest or claim that magic wasn't real, she gestured and a half dozen balls of light appeared in the room, floating in the air around them.

"Those are just harmless light spells. A little magic, to show you it's real."

The two of them stared speechless for a few moments. Finally Mrs. Eckhart asked, "Why? Why would you turn our boy into a girl?"

Cindy sighed again. "I'm sure you remember what Becky was like, before she became Becky. She'd been bullying me on a daily basis since I started school, because of my size."

Mrs. Eckhart nodded, "Becky told us you have a genetic condition?"

"Something like that." Cindy continued, "I was just going to scare her a little. It was supposed to be temporary. A day or so. But it didn't go as planned, and I couldn't turn her back." She shook her head, feeling guilty about it again.

"So instead, things were changed so everyone just remembered her as Becky. Then a week or so later, she became friends with me and Tanya, and we were friends ever since. Becky even joined our coven, she learned magic with Tanya and me."

There was another long pause while Becky's parents digested this. Mrs. Eckhart was still staring at the light spells, Mr. Eckhart stared down at the floor.

Finally he looked up and asked, "Why a girl though?"

Cindy bit her lip. She wasn't going to mention Sean at all since he had nothing to do with the coven, and as best she could tell the Eckhart's recovered memories didn't include anything about Becky's former girlfriend. Instead, she had another explanation that wasn't far from the truth.

"Because that's what happened to me. I don't have a 'genetic condition', I was cursed. I wasn't just turned into a girl, I was made tiny and weak too. I didn't do all that other stuff to Becky though. I just made her a normal girl. Like I said, I just wanted to give her a little scare, so she'd leave me alone. It wasn't meant to become permanent." She sighed again, shaking her head.

Becky's folks were both stunned at this, staring at her in shock.

After a few moments Mrs. Eckhart asked, "How did Becky die? What happened to her? At first they tried to tell us she was using drugs, but we knew that was wrong. Then they said it was her heart, but she was always healthy..."

Cindy gulped, but told them the truth. "Becky was murdered. She was killed with magic, by a man, an organization. They wanted to kill all of us, in the coven."

Both the parents went pale at this. Becky's mom whispered "Oh my god..."

"She didn't suffer, if that's any consolation." Cindy said quietly. She didn't actually know if that was true, but she wanted to try and make things easier for her friend's folks. "It would have been quick, painless."

There were tears running down Mrs. Eckhart's cheeks now, and her husband put an arm around her. He looked at Cindy and asked "These people who killed our child... Will they get away with it? What's going to happen to them?"

Cindy shook her head and took another deep breath before she confessed, "They didn't get away with it. I killed them. You remember that 'terrorist attack' last month? Those same people attacked that high-school, they were going after some girls there. Daughters of another friend of mine. We were able to save those girls, and I killed the men who were responsible. That crater that closed the highway? That was the man who killed Becky."

They were both staring at her now. She could see the emotions in their expressions. Sadness, shock, and a little bit of fear.

"I'm sorry," Cindy sighed. "I'm sorry I couldn't save Becky. I'm sorry for changing her life three years ago. And I'm sorry you were dragged into that, and I'm sorry it took so long for you to learn the truth. That it didn't come until after she was gone."

Cindy could feel her own eyes pooling with tears now too. Becky's mom was still crying quietly, and her dad looked like he was struggling with his emotions as well.

Finally he said, "Thank you for telling us, Cindy. It's unbelievable, but it fits what we remember. It fits what's happened better than anything the police have told us."

She nodded, and dismissed the light spells. She stood up and said, "If you want to talk again, send me an email or a message. I might not be able to respond right away, but I will respond. I have to go now. Bye Mrs. Eckhart, bye Mr. Eckhart."

Before either of them could stand up to see her out, she teleported herself back home to Zoe.

=:= Tanya =:=

"So... Witches..." Dad didn't sound entirely convinced.

On the other hand, she'd teleported into the kitchen right in front of her folks, so Tanya knew her dad couldn't exactly discount the possibility.

"Yeah," Tanya nodded. "Cindy first, before I met her. Then I joined the coven that January, when I was sixteen. Becky joined towards the end of the year, when we were in grade twelve. Brandi just joined in October. Right before the shit all hit the fan."

Mom sighed, shaking her head. "Poor Becky. I heard it was something to do with her heart?"

Tanya shook her head, "No mom. She was murdered." Both her parents looked at her in shock as she continued, "Remember I said I was in danger? That was the danger. The guys who sent that letter, who tried to drive us all apart? They killed Becky. They wanted to kill all of us."

Her parents were staring at her wide-eyed. Mom asked, "Are you still in danger, Tanya?"

"Nah," she shook her head again. "The guys who were after us are all gone now. Dead. That's why it's safe for me to come back and talk with you."

Dad frowned, "Did you... Were you involved in that?"

"No," Tanya sighed. "It was mostly Cindy, I think. She ran them out of Canada, then last week she got some help and took the fight to them. Got rid of the rest of them where they came from."

"You're joking. Cindy?" dad asked in disbelief.

Tanya smiled slightly, "Yeah. I know she's tiny and looks harmless, but I think she's probably the most powerful witch in the coven."

They both looked a little stunned at this news. Then mom asked, "So what do we do next?"

"I was hoping we could just put it all behind us?" Tanya said, watching their expressions. "Just go back to how things were, if we could?"

Dad hesitated, then said "We went to the cemetery a couple days after your last visit. Your brother's... Tom's... The grave is still there. I guess it's empty though? I mean, he didn't really die, he's you..."

"I'm sorry," Tanya sighed. "I know it's complicated and it's wrong that your memories and emotions and everything were all messed with like that. But you're right. It's probably empty."

Her parents were quiet again for a bit. Finally dad asked, "And you're happy now, like this? If there was some way to fix it so you could go back -"

Tanya cut him off, "I'm happy, and I never want to go back. I'm happy, I've got a new life I've been working on for three years now. Brandi and I are a couple. College is going good, I'm doing well with soccer and hockey even if I probably won't be able to make a career out of either. I'm doing things I love, I'm enjoying my life, and I'm in a relationship with someone I love, and she loves me."

Her folks glanced at each other, then mom smiled "Then we're happy too, Tanya. We're still adjusting to this... What happened, the things we suddenly remember. But we'll support you. You're still our child and we love you."

Dad nodded in agreement, "What your mom said. We're glad you're safe, sweetheart. And if you're happy, then we're happy."

Tanya bit her lip as she felt some happy tears welling up. She smiled, "Thanks mom. Thanks dad."