Danny and Sammy sat on his bed, just like they had hours earlier.

"So," Sammy asked, "how do you feel?"

Danny smiled. "I feel good. It wasn't actually all that bad."

"I apologize for Kyle's terrible jokes," Sammy said.

Danny laughed. "I guess... the hardest part was just kind of the awkwardness."

"Well," Sammy smiled, "that's a thing to do with it being the first date. It wasn't just your situation."

"Yeah, you're right," Danny said. "But it did get better as things went on."

He curled a lock of his hair around his index finger.

"I'm sorry that I've been so... anti-social," he said. "I want to get out and date more from now on."

"That's good to hear," Sammy said. "And don't beat yourself up about it - it's understandable with what you've been dealing with."

They were both quiet for a bit. They both knew what question was on their minds.

"I'm trying to decide whether I want to go out with Matt again," Danny said, responding to the question in a roundabout way. "I like him, but... I dunno, I felt like some things just didn't really click between us."

"You're afraid he'll want you to eat fish," Sammy teased.

"Maybe," he laughed.

Danny gripped the edge of his bedframe, and leaned forward, then back.

"I'm trying to decide how I feel about dating a guy though," he said more directly. "I wish I'd gone on some dates with girls before this so I could get an idea of how I'm feeling."

"You'll figure it out," Sammy said. "Wait till he's back from his trip and see how you're feeling then."

Danny smiled. "I'm... I'm glad that you were there with me. And I'm glad that you talked with me before we left. It... it means a lot to me."

Sammy just smiled and laced her fingers into Danny's, and they held each other's hand.

"And... and thanks for convincing me to wear the skirt and panties," he said.

"You liked them?" Sammy smiled.

"Yeah," he admitted. "I just... I like the way I look and feel right now. I like how feminine it is."

"Well you make a cute girl Danny."

Danny smiled. He didn't say anything for a while. He listened to the hum of the AC in the background.

"Sammy?" he eventually asked.

"Yeah?"

"Can I... can I ask you something...?"

"You can ask or talk to me about anything," she said.

Danny summoned his mental strength. This... was hard. He felt comfortable talking to Sammy about how he felt, that wasn't the problem exactly. It was just... this was something he shouldn't take lightly.

He took a deep breath.

"Sammy?" he asked, "do you... think I... I might be transgender?"

Sammy retained her smile. She sqeezed Danny's hand. "Do you think you are?"

Danny noticed that his body was quivering somewhat. He wasn't afraid or anything... he was just in a very intense emotional state.

Looking back, a lot had changed in him recently, but he recognized that much of it had been caused by deeper feelings going back. He felt like he'd always liked mermaids, and always wanted to be one. His mind kind of hid it away out of embarrassment, but he also felt like the idea of being a girl fascinated him.

Danny looked deeply into his sister's eyes, his own pooling with tears. "Yes. I... I feel like I want to be a girl."

Sammy wrapped her arms tightly around him, and Danny gladly accepted the embrace.

"You be who you want to be Danny," she said "I'll be right here with you, whatever you decide."

"Sammy?"

"Yeah?"

"I... I'm not ready to talk about this with Mom and Dad... but, in private, do you... do you think you could call me Cindy?"

Sammy grinned. "Of course Cindy," she said. "And I think that's a cute name for you. I think it fits just right. Do you want me to refer to you as a girl too?"

Cindy nodded, as the tears began falling in quicker succession.

It was a really weird, challenging mental shift, but for the first time, in her mind, she thought of herself as Cindy, and as a girl.

She was Cindy Kessler, a sixteen year old girl. The thought exhilarated her.

"I haven't said much about it Cindy," Sammy said, "because I didn't want to hurt your feelings, but I feel like you've looked like a girl for a while now."

Cindy smiled. "Thanks Sammy. I... I feel so different. I've felt self conscious about my breasts for so long... but now... I like them. I don't want them to go away."

It felt strange confessing that, but as she accepted the thought, her feelings began to feel more in harmony with her body. She did like her breasts. She liked how Sammy had done her hair, and she liked having her nails painted.

Cindy choked up with tears, imagining this new mental image of herself. Everytime she'd mentally imagined herself in the past year, she'd tried to imagine herself without breasts. As un-feminine as possible.

It had been in conflict for so long, that now, what she was feeling felt almost new, and unfamiliar. Not only had she been shutting out what she looked like in real life, she realized she'd been conveniently compartmentalizing the girly parts of herself and not including them in her mental image.

For the first time in at least a year, Cindy felt like she could look in a mirror and smile. Even though she was afraid, she knew who she was. A fit of tears gushed at the amazing realization.

I know who I am.

"I'm... I'm going to need to tell Mom and Dad about this, aren't I?" Cindy said timidly, "before they get anything arranged with the surgery to remove my breasts."

"Don't rush things," Sammy said. "Take your time, and go at the pace you feel comfortable with. That goes with everything, not just telling Mom and Dad. Perhaps you are transgender. Perhaps you're gender fluid. You'll need to take the time to think about it."

"Alright," Cindy smiled, sputtering from her crying. "I can do that."

Even if Sammy's other suggestion was right, and she was gender fluid, it still felt like the positive shift in her self image remained. Even, should she decide to go back to being Danny, she promised herself she didn't want to let her life be so gripped by fear.

"And Cindy," Sammy said, "I feel like Mom and Dad... they already know that something is going on with you, and your identity. Mom and I saw how much you liked your new swimsuit."

Cindy smiled.

"But they're still going to be surprised," Sammy said.

"Were... were you surprised?" Cindy asked.

"I wasn't surprised in a negative way," Sammy said, "it that's what you're asking."

Sammy paused, collecting her thoughts.

I've... I've kind of been thinking about it for a while. A long time actually. At least since you started developing your breasts. I've thought about how you seem like you're more girl than boy at times. I think it was the intuition we twin sisters have, but it seems like I was right."

"Twin sisters," Cindy repeated with a grin.

"Exactly," Sammy smiled back.

Cindy just... she just felt so good. The feeling she'd had when swimming at Lucy's house, where could just be herself... she felt it right now. She felt like she knew what it was now. It was a feeling that she was happy with who she was.

"I feel... I feel like just after this conversation," Cindy said, "I'm already feeling a lot better about this."

"That's awesome," Sammy said. "I'll help you out any way I can. I'll let you wear some of my dresses when Mom and Dad aren't around. I'll let you wear some of my panties too."

Cindy giggled. "Can I wear the butterfly ones?"

Sammy giggled along with her. "Of course. And I'll help you with your hair, and makeup, and anything else you want to do."

Cindy smiled. "Can we paint my toenails?"

"Heck yeah we can."

Cindy laughed. "I think I changed my mind. I do want to learn how to paint my nails."

"Oh don't worry Cindy," Sammy grinned. "I'm going to teach you a lot of things."