KnightofFaerun – Hey, guys. This is my largest project to date and it's taken me over three weeks to write one single chapter. Not sure whether or not it will be well-received, but I just had to write this story because the idea wouldn't get out of my head. Now as you read the summary you may be saying, "This already happened in the comic books." Sure, but you see I never read the comics and as such only have the television series to fall back on. Changes will happen gradually as the story progresses so I'll try to keep you updated.

Chapters – 26 planned. As for length, each chapter will be as long as it takes. And yes, they will follow the alphabet formula used in season two.

Pairings – This story may be a Will/Caleb pairing, but I'm not too sure yet.

Rating – Teen.

Disclaimer – I do not own WITCH, but any original characters, places, and names are mine and mine alone. None in this chapter, though.

A is for Awareness

Will had had quite a day and it didn't help when she came through the front door of her house to find her mother, Susan, locking lips with her former history teacher. "Eww!" Her reaction could be compared to lighting a fire between them as the two adults immediately parted. Flustered, her mother fixed her hair as best she could; Dean really gave it a working over, and smoothed out the wrinkles in her clothing. Seeing her only child standing in the front door with the look of a girl who just tasted something extremely sour, she tried to regain her composure while her heart continued to beat from all the close contact with her lover. "W-Will. Welcome home."

"Not the welcome I was hoping for." She said, her face finally returning to normal though there was still a curve of disgust on her lips.

Now it was Dean who spoke and the man stood up, feeling it best to put as much distance between he as Susan as possible. "Hey, Will. We didn't think you'd be home early."

"So you decided to go tongue wrestling with my mom?"

"Will!" Susan got up now, a hint of red appearing on her tanned face. "What Dean meant is that we thought you were going to the pool today once school had finished."

"Closed for renovations." Will announced, closing the front door. "Apparently some fool--who shall remain nameless." She suddenly had the urge to cough. "Cough…Uriah…cough!" Her throat cleared, "Created a very unsanitary situation which forced the proprietors to close it down until they could fix it. Now you might ask yourself how one boy could create a condition so heinous as to shut down an entire facility, but I felt the details were best left a mystery." Will placed her school bag and her duffel bag, which contained her swimsuit and a change of clothes, by the television set before proceeding into the kitchen.

Dean and Susan exchanged embarrassed glances. Miss Vandom followed her daughter into the kitchen, catching her raiding the refrigerator…and talking to it as well. "What do you mean it's not here?" After a few moments, Will sighed and turned around to face her mother. "Mom, did something happen to my sandwich? You know, the one I left behind the orange juice with my name clearly written on a piece of paper on the front?"

"Now that you mention it." Susan had to cover for Dean fast. "I was hungry when I got home and when I saw the sandwich I just couldn't help myself. I figured you'd have gone to eat something with your friends so I didn't think you'd mind."

In reality, it was Dean who had eaten the sandwich after Susan had left it out on the counter to do some cleaning in the fridge. When he arrived, he found the sandwich waiting on the counter in the kitchen and Susan did tell him she'd take care of lunch so he reasoned it must have been for him. The paper with Will's name had fallen on the floor so he never saw it and he just fed his hunger. When Susan appeared at the doorway, she dropped all her cleaning tools and cried out. Dean felt so sorry for what he'd done. He'd offer to get a new one at the nearby deli but Susan explained that Will preferred her sandwiches a certain way and no manner of skill could fool her taste buds.

Will's eyes narrowed at her mother. "Well thanks, mom. Guess I'll starve to death." She grudgingly shut the door to the fridge.

Her hands on her hips, Susan's face turned stern. "Will. Just get a new sandwich at the deli. I'll give you money."

"It's not the same."

Dean's head popped in. "I make a pretty good sandwich myself." He felt really guilty over what he did.

"It's the Vandom way or no way." Will brushed between them and grabbed her stuff from the floor. "I'll call Hay Lin and have her make a delivery drop. Next time, I'll chain my food to the fridge under lock and key so no one, not even my ravenous mother, can eat what's not meant to be hers." She headed for her room. "See ya, Mister Collins. Don't forget," she stopped in the hall and turned to face them, a sinister look appearing on her face. "I'm right next door." With that, Will disappeared.

They heard her door open and close and both lovers appeared at a lost.

"Susan, I'm really sorry for what I did. You didn't have to go take the blame for me. Let met go and apologize to Will so…"

"Believe me, Dean," she said, cutting him off. "You don't know that girl when she's angry. She'd tear you apart in seconds."

Dean cringed at the thought.

Susan smiled at him. "Look, why don't we pick this up tomorrow? Will's probably going to go hang out with her friends the whole day so that means we'll have the place to ourselves."

Dean smirked. "Ooh. I can't wait." He moved in to kiss her when…

"Oh and by the way," Will stopped mid-sentence when she saw Dean's arms around her mother and leaning her back for a romantic kiss. The adults, their lips still puckered, stared at her gawk-eyed, which Will returned in kind. "Never mind." She quickly retreated to her room once again.

Susan and Dean separated, the mood killed and trampled by the red-headed girl. "I think I should uh,"

"Yeah." Susan finished. She picked up his jacket from the couch and gave it to him. Dean let himself out but stopped to tell Susan, "See you tomorrow."

"Bye, Dean." She closed the door behind him.

Alone now with her "sweet" daughter, Susan proceeded down the hall and knocked on the door with sign "Keep Out" on the front. Honestly, she thought Will would have taken that thing down by now. This was not how a fourteen-year old girl was supposed to act. (1) "Will." She said when her knocks went unanswered.

"The door's open." She heard Will say.

Susan entered. Will was on her knees removing the clothes she brought to change at the pool from her duffel bag and just tossing them on her bed. "You know I folded those."

"What?" Will paused to look at her. "They're on the bed."

Susan sighed as Will continued to empty out her bag. The woman walked over and sat on the edge of the bed, her eyes falling on Will. "Sweety, we need to talk."

Suddenly, Will understood why boys reviled that statement. Whenever her mom said, "We need to talk", it was always had something to do with her and that usually meant either she was doing something wrong or not doing something right or both. Susan pushed aside the strewn clothes that Will threw on the bed and patted the mattress, signaling that she wanted Will to sit beside her. With no method of retreat save leaping out the window, Will was forced to comply. She slumped on the bed, shaking it, as she knew there was a lecture coming on.

"What do I need to, or not to, do now, mother?"

"You can start by being sensitive to my feelings."

Will looked at her. "What? I gave you and Mister Collins some privacy, didn't I? I went to my room and only came out to ask if you two lovebirds wanted me to order anything for you from the Silver Dragon." Will crossed her arms and began to pout. "I always have your feelings in mind."

"Will…" Susan smirked for what she was about to say. "Dean ate your sandwich."

"What?!" The girl shot up. "That crook!"

"Sit down, Will." Susan said and something in her voice made the redhead do just that. Susan's face was soft, but serious. Best not to push her. "I covered for Dean because I knew how you'd react."

"Well how would you feel if some stranger walks into your house and eats your food?"

"Dean is not a stranger. You and I have known him for over a year."

"Well he's still strange." Will commented. "Besides, this is still my house. Who does he think he is just,"

"Your house?" Susan asked. She crossed her arms. "Since when do you pay rent?"

Will's eyes narrowed. "Low blow, mom."

Susan shook her head. "Will, you've had many chances to get to know Dean better and you never take advantage of them."

"I don't force you to get to know any of my friends."

"I wish you would." Susan said and Will looked at her funny. "What I mean is, I'd love to get to know your friends better. You should invite them over more often. The most I've ever spoken to is Taranee and that's only because she comes over to tutor you every now and then. Your friends are a part of your life and that makes them part of my life. It wouldn't hurt if we all did a little activity together."

Will smirked. "I don't know if you've noticed, mom, but your schedule's been pretty booked ever since you started dating Mister Collins."

"Dean." Susan said. "He wants you to start calling him Dean."

"Yeah well, Dean. You see him every weekend and you're too busy at work for us to do anything besides have dinner together and maybe watch a movie or two."

"Is that what's bothering you? That I'm hanging out with Dean so much?"

"No." Will said. "Why would it?"

"Because you're my only daughter and you want some time with me."

Will raised her hands in a denying gesture. "Mom, I'm not five. I can take of myself and I don't need you there to be watching over me."

"Maybe not. But you do need me." Susan touched Will's face ever so gently and the girl stiffened. "You're my only child, Will. No matter how old you get you will always be my business. Neither Dean, nor anyone else could ever replace you. A lot of things have happened to us and we've survived because we've always stuck together. We're a team and nothing could drive us apart. I don't want you to forget that."

Will felt slightly ashamed. Normally she'd attest that to her mother playing the guilt trip and making her feel bad, but not this time. It's just that Will wasn't accustomed to sharing her emotions. Not unusual for a girl who moved around a lot and had so few friends. When she spoke again her words had a less critical tone and a softer delivery.

"I haven't forgotten."

"Then why all the hostility towards Dean?"

"I don't hate him. He's really a pretty nice guy. Kind of nerdy but,"

"Will." Susan's hands fell on her hips again.

"But," she pressed. "He makes you happy. That's good enough for me. I guess we've been together for so long that having somebody just make himself feel at home kind of makes me feel violated."

"How so?"

"Well…what if Matt starts coming to our house on a daily basis and puts his feet up on the living room table?"

"Oh! How is Matt? When's he coming over again?" Susan exclaimed.

Will began to growl. "The point is—I just don't feel all that comfortable coming home and find you giving mouth-to-mouth resuscitation to my old history teacher. I know you have your own life and all but seriously, get a hotel room."

Susan chuckled.

"What?"

"Okay. From now on no lovey-dovey in the house. Dean and I will keep our relationship formal whenever he comes here."

"And the R-rated stuff?"

Susan blushed. "Will!"

"Mom. I'm fourteen. We have satellite."

Making a promise to herself to pay more attention to the shows her child watched, Susan composed herself. "Well for your information, we haven't gone that far yet. But if and when the time comes…" she leaned in toward Will. "I promise it won't be here."

"That's a relief."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"No kid wants to find her folks fooling around in the bathtub."

Susan scoffed. "That's how you were born, sweetie. Daddy and I did a lot more than change your diapers."

"Okay. Can we change the topic?"

Susan smiled evilly. "Oh yeah. We used to get ten kinds of nasty up at our crib, yo."

"Mom!!!" Will didn't know what was worse, her mother admitting all the pornographic activities that went on between her and her father or the fact that she had to use street slang to do it. "Gross!!!"

Susan was laughing out loud now, and continued to do so for about five minutes. Once the hysteria was over, Susan wiped a tear from her eye. "You are just too easy, Will."

Will stuck out her tongue at her.

"You know." Susan said thinking. "I believe I will have some takeout."

Will had just come out of the shower when the bell rang. Drying off her short red hair took more time than people would think—having such thick strands and all, so she temporarily bundled it up in a small towel while pulling a larger one around her body. She was already halfway down the hallway when Susan stepped out of her bedroom. The older Vandom woman had showered prior to Will and her long, dark hair took considerably longer to dry off. Being only two women in the house, both were accustomed to just lounging around in their skimmies…though never fully nude. Still, wearing nothing but towels, they both showed a considerable amount of skin. Susan was in the process of braiding her hair when she heard the doorbell.

"I'll get it, Will." Susan said but Will was almost at the door. "Will. You're not going to answer the door like that, are you?"

"S'kay, mom." She said casually. "It's just Hay Lin." She spared her mother a quick glance. "Besides, you're not exactly decent yourself and I think the sight of you in a wet towel would be too much for anyone to take."

Susan didn't know whether to take that as a compliment or not. For a woman pushing forty, she had an amazing body. Susan did keep herself in shape by exercising regularly and doing her best to remain on a steady diet. Fact is, when you are a single mother working several jobs to pay your daughter's education, you do so much running around that one does not have the luxury of becoming fat. While her lot in life had improved, Susan was still trim but full in all the right places. It didn't hurt that she had developed a nice tan to boot. Dean called it one of her more exotic features. With shapely legs, long, flowing hair, wide hips and a pair of well-formed breasts, she was a goddess among women and most men would kill just to gaze upon her.

Yet despite all her physical assets, to Will, she was just mom. The word "sexy" just didn't come to mind. While she did admit her mother was beautiful, Will didn't want to so much as entertain the thought of men mentally loving her. If that was the case, the one word that did come to mind was "eww." Not surprisingly enough, the latter appeared more times than the former in regards to her mother's sexual prowess.

"She got here fast." Will said. Must have flown over, she thought. She chuckled at the inside joke.

Pulling open the door, Will greeted her female friend. "What's going on, Hay…" Her voice trailed off when she saw her friend. Of course it was someone she knew very well…only it wasn't Hay Lin…and it certainly wasn't female.

Had he been a mirror, Will's face would have mimicked his own, for they were both gawking. Now Caleb was a disciplined man, one accustomed to keeping his feelings in check. But he never saw Will so exposed as he did right now. While in no way as matured as Susan, Will's body was indeed coming along nicely. Her legs, toned from years of swimming, developed muscle while her hips had expanded just a little to warrant attention. Her frame was sleek and thin, save for her blossoming bosoms which also drew the youth's wandering gaze. Then his eyes fell upon her face. That beautiful face of hers with her sparkling brown eyes. Truly, Will was becoming more stunning everyday.

"C…Caleb?!" Will stuttered, unbelieving at her predicament.

"Um…" Caleb seemed at a lost for words so he simply hoisted the bag he had been carrying at his side to waist level. "You order Chinese?"

"Is that you, Hay Lin?" Susan's voice asked nearby. She hadn't seen the Chinese girl in quite a while and wanted to say hello to her. Susan appeared by Will's side, the top of her towel just low enough to provide a splendid view of her cleavage. "You sound different. I thought," Now it was Susan's turn to gawk. "You're not Hay Lin."

If Caleb's hormones were raging before, they had now reached the point of full-blown hysteria. Were he an anime character, blood would have been shooting out of his nose and his eyes would have enlarged to the size of saucers. While there was no eye enlargement, however, something was indeed growing and Caleb thanked his gods he was wearing baggy pants.

"Mom! Would you get inside?!" Will barked.

"But who's this?"

"It doesn't matter who he is! This isn't a peep show!"

Susan pointed at her. "So what about you?"

"I…I…I thought it was Hay Lin, okay?!"

Susan looked at Caleb. "Excuse me, but who are you?"

"I'm, uh…" Caleb still couldn't think straight. That's what happened when all the blood in your body was going somewhere other than your brain. Instead, he did the next best thing. He raised the other bag he was holding. "You order Chinese?"

"Agh!" Will shoved her mother out of the doorway and closed it behind her. Alone with Caleb, Will tried to shake off the embarrassment showing on her face. Her cheeks were almost as red as her hair and it was times like this she wished she had inherited her mother's dark complexion to serve as camouflage. But this was Caleb, afterall, and she knew how to handle him. So why did she find her knees growing weak when she saw the way he looked at her?

Feeling all hot beneath his clothes, Caleb wished there was a pool nearby. Will told him the address of the one she most frequented but just thinking about it brought up images of her in one of those tight bathing suits and suddenly the temperature just shot up a few more degrees.

The awkward silence was becoming too much for Will so she decided to break it. "So I'm guessing Hay Lin couldn't make it?" She raised her right foot to scratch the back part of her left leg where an itch began to arise. Caleb noticed the movement and his eyes ascended to the affected area. Seeing him look at her that way made her stop immediately and she made a mental note not to do that again. Hopefully, that itch had learned its lesson. "Caleb?"

His eyes quickly searched for something else of interest to focus on. Unfortunately, there was nothing in this entire hallway or building for that matter that was as attention-grabbing as Will was at the moment. The ceiling! Ceilings were nice. Caleb looked at the ceiling. "She was busy with some report of hers and Yan Lin didn't want to bother her so she bothered me and well, here I am." He offered her the bags. "That'll be fifteen ninety-nine."

"The money. Right." Will began to pat herself for change without realizing that she had no pockets to speak of. "Just…wait right here." Will moved to open the door but it was closed shut. In all the excitement she locked herself outside her own apartment. "I can't believe this." She fiddled with the knob. If only she had the ability to talk to doors, she thought. "Mom." She knocked. "Open up."

The door opened momentarily and Susan Vandom appeared with a twenty dollar bill in her hand. "Need something?"

"Change." Will said.

Will handed her the bill and looked up at Caleb. "Why is he looking at the ceiling?"

"Crick in his neck. Trying to pop it out." Will answered her. "Now if you'll excuse us." Will gently pushed her mother back and pulled the door in just enough to not lock her out again. Will turned to pay. "Caleb, she's gone."

"Hm?"

"My mom. You know, the woman you've been eye-humping for the last two minutes?"

"Eye humping?" Caleb asked skeptically.

"It means…never mind." Will decided it best to not go into explanation. She handed him the bill and awaited her change. When the exchange finished, Will found that Caleb finally got that "crick" out of his neck and was looking at her in the eyes. That itch returned all of a sudden. "So…thanks." She told him, fighting back the blood rushing to her cheeks.

"My pleasure. You know I'd do anything for you." Moments later, he gulped. "As a friend!" He spat out. "You know I'd do anything for you, as a friend. Because you and I are friends. So why wouldn't I do anything not to help a friend? Because doing things for one another…is what friends do. Right?"

"Right. Friends help each other. Just like you did when you brought me my food. Because my mother and I are hungry and you, being a friend, helped us by bringing this food. What a good friend you are."

"Glad I could help…as a friend."

"A good friend."

"A close friend."

"But certainly not a boyfri…" she caught herself before she finished. Coughing back her words, Will gathered the courage to look at Caleb again. They had their differences before but she could not recall when she and he had such difficulty speaking to one another. It was just hormones, she told herself. Afterall, Caleb had just seen her half naked at her own apartment, what boy wouldn't be a little vernacularly stuck? But again, she wasn't too smooth either. Caleb was fully clothed but just being around him the way she was now sent her speech patterns packing.

Packing?

Note to self: do not think about "packing" when in the presence of boys.

"Cornelia and I have got that covered." Caleb said. "Just like you and Matt."

"Matt." Will's face twinged for a brief second, but the rebel warrior's sharp eyes picked it up.

"Something wrong?"

"No. I'm okay." She was lying, but this wasn't a discussion she wanted to bring up with him or anyone else for that matter. "Everything's going great."

"You sure?" Caleb wasn't convinced. He knew something was bothering Will. Spend enough time fighting with someone and you get to understand a lot about their body language.

"Yeah." She wanted to change the subject if just to avoid being interrogated by the painfully observant rebel leader. "Mom's kind of hungry so I'm going to go back inside. Will bumped the door open with her backside and stepped in. "Thanks for the delivery, Caleb. I hope you like your tip."

"Hm? Oh yeah. Thanks…and you're welcome." In truth, Caleb did not fully understand the Earth custom of tipping. People already got paid for doing their jobs and yet they still wanted more currency? That kind of greed had gone out in Meridian a long time ago and the people were happier for it. For all its technological advancements, Earth had yet to reach the enlightened state Meridian was in. Hell, he'd been fighting a tyrannical ruler all his life and nobody ever paid him. "Hey, Will."

"Hm?" She had placed the bags beside the door and looked up when he called to her.

"You know we haven't hung out much lately. The gang, I mean." Caleb would have to get used to calling them that. On Meridian, gangs were lawless bands of ruffians who made life miserable for innocent people. He spent a good part of his youth fighting them as well as Phobos. On Earth it was a term used to describe one's friends and close companions. Cultural differences aside, he did miss everyone from his gang. "Ever since the battle with my mo…" Now it was his turn to pause. Like Will, Caleb has some issues he needed to work out as well and this one hit just as close to home. "With Nerissa." He corrected. "We haven't seen much of each other. Most of the time I'm helping Queen Elyon back at the palace, visiting Cornelia, or working at the Silver Dragon. This is the first time you and I've talked in weeks."

Will knew he was right. Come to think of it, Caleb looked so much different from when she last saw him. He looked taller, more dashing and his hair was a bit longer too. He still had that rugged, boyish face, though, one of the traits she found so endearing about him. It didn't make him any less handsome in her eyes. Cornelia was so lucky to have a guy like him. "Yeah. Things have been crazy since that fight. Everyone's been so busy and all."

"Almost makes you wish a new enemy would show up." Caleb raised his fist. "What better way to bring the crew back together than an old-fashioned fight against a foe bent on hostile takeover?"

"None that I can think of." She admitted.

"Will." Susan's voice sounded. "I'm hungry. Are you still talking to that boy?"

Will peered back. "Yes, mom. Give me a minute and I'll be right in." She turned back. "Sorry. Gotta feed her else she'll be up all night. Parents can be such babies."

"I wouldn't know." Caleb said.

"Oh." Will felt very sheepish all of a sudden. Both of them grew up with only a single parent. Julian, Caleb's father, was leading the rebellion while he was still growing up. She can't imagine they spent much time together between the rebellion and struggling to survive. How many years of bonding had they missed out on thanks to that damned Phobos?

"But that's why you have to make the best of the time you got, right?" His mood brightened. Now that he had his father and at least knew the fate of his mother, Caleb was going to catch up on all those long years and despite all the hardship he'd become stronger because of it. Very few had reached the point from boyhood to manhood as quickly and honorably as he did. "My father and I are planning to go fishing on that lake we visited a long time ago. Be a nice way to catch up."

"Funny that. Mom thinks we should start spending more time together too."

"So she's taking you fishing?"

"No. I'd drown her if she ever did."

"You're joking right?"

"No, Caleb. I really mean to kill my own mother. It's called sarcasm, you dolt. Think you'd be used to it by now."

"I'm also used to seeing you in clothes." He shot back. "But this world is just full of surprises, isn't it?"

Again with the blushing. Again with the itching. Again with the knees. Seems Caleb knew the location of all her buttons as easily as she knew his. "I was in the shower, okay?!"

Caleb smirked. Not because he'd got a rise out of the girl but because of how cute she looked whenever she did. Her slim face pouted until her cheeks rose and her eyes, those luscious brown orbs sparkled with an inner light. Had she not been the Keeper of the Heart, he'd no doubt that Will would have been the guardian of fire. "Just messing with you, Will. Think you'd be used to it by now."

Jerk.

"Will!" Susan's voice said. "Flirt later. Right now I'm hungry!"

"I'm not flirting, mom!" She cried back.

"Wilhelmina Vandom, either you get in here and eat or so help me…" Miss Vandom let the threat hang in the air but Will knew when it was time to call it quits.

"Guess I'd better go." Caleb said.

Will nodded. "Yeah. God, she can be such a pain sometimes."

He smiled at her, turning to leave as he did so. "Hope to see more of you soon, Will."

"Caleb?" Will's eyebrow went up.

"You know what I mean." He told her. Geez, these Earth girls can take things the wrong way. "See ya."

"Bye." She watched him disappear down the hall before closing the door. Her mother was standing right there with her arms crossed; a look on her face that told Will she wanted some explanation. "What? I can't have guy friends?"

Susan's eyebrow curled. "Are they all that good looking?"

"No soup for you." Will said and brought the bags into the kitchen.

"Just call him." Will gathered the courage and punched in the number to her cell phone; the subsequent rings chipping away at her strong pretense. She took in deep breaths, fighting back the uncertainty that crept up into the back of her cerebrum, telling her negative things that served only to make her more nervous. One would think she was calling in to report a murder or a missing person—when actually she was only trying to reach her boyfriend.

"Come on, Matt. Pick up the phone." She said. "Pick up. Pick up. Pick up." She chanted. Still no answer. The ringing went on for a few more seconds before going into his answering machine. "Hey, this is Matt."

"Damn."

"Can't come to the phone right now so leave a message and I'll get back to you. See ya."

"Figures."

Beep…

She sighed. "Matt? It's Will. Listen, I really think we need to have a talk after…what happened." Images of that moment haunted her, dancing around the back of her eyelids so that even shutting them would not offer sanctuary. "I know that things got out of hand and…that we haven't spoken since." She then took a deep breath before continuing. "I know I may have—overreacted a little bit…okay, a lot of bit but you really did piss me off. I was angry, Matt, and though I'm still not over the whole thing, I think we should try to talk about it like adults instead of ignoring each other like kids."

Without realizing it, she had begun to pace around her room, her bare feet tapping heavily as if to signify the stress building up in her upper extremities. "Now don't think I'm taking full responsibility for everything that happened. I'm not just going to keel over and let you walk all over me…" Will stopped herself, suddenly noticing the rising ire in her voice. Settling down, she went on. "What I mean is, we both had a part to play in our falling out. Things were said and people saw and…I just can't believe…"

Will paused when a jolt of electricity ran through her fingers. Not an uncommon occurrence considering she was the guardian of quintessence, an element that resembled lighting. The shocking thing was, and yes it is a pun, is that she was always prepared for it. This spark had been sudden incident, one born more of instinct rather than conscience thought.

The phone was still recording.

"Sorry—what I meant to say is that I can't believe how you acted. That was a side to you I never knew existed. You hurt me, Matt. I don't want to sound like a baby but you really hurt me. And now I…" Whoa! Her entire hand was glowing now. The energy ran from her knuckles all the way down to her wrist. Will could feel intense cosmic energy within her veins, slowly building to the point where if she clenched her hand, the power would explode.

"I…need…to…go…now—go now!" She chirped all of a sudden. "We'll talk later, okay? Call me back. Bye."

As if she'd cut herself, Will dashed out of her room while holding her hand and made way for the bathroom, slamming the door shut as she did. Stationing herself in front of the mirror, Will checked her hand again. The glow was subsiding but was still very much apparent even in the bright light of the mirror. Will studied her appendage like she'd never seen it before. Quintessence was a mysterious element; one that Will had yet to fully understand. What she did understand, however, was that she wasn't going to be walking around with a light bulb attached to her arm so she concentrated on making the glowing stop. It did…with surprisingly little effort. But that didn't put her at ease just yet.

"Okay. What is going on?" she asked her reflection. The girl in the mirror mimicked every one of her moves; speaking only when she did. "I must be going out of my mind." Turning on the faucet, Will splashed herself with cold water hoping it would return her to her senses. All it did was cause her to shiver as the bathroom had in taken all of the cold air from the hallway, making her lips tremble. "Okay." She rubbed her shoulders and stared at her image. "That was weird."

She turned off the faucet. "Good things that's over. Any longer and mom may have called an exorcist."

Will walked to the door but just as her hand reached around the knob, she stopped. Her body was frozen still but not due to lack of activity. Energy pulsed around her form, a strange power that she never knew she had. It began from the toes, working their way up to her hair. Her pajamas ruffled in an invisible wind, the strands of her hair kicked up and stood on end, the eyes began to glow a dark shade of pink. Then came the electricity. Like a powerline cut loose, Will turned into a living conductor of the most destructive force in nature, emitting blue rays of death through gritted teeth and a burning soul. Glass shattered, walls tiles cracked, the lamp burst into sparks and anything not nailed down rose into the air, twisting in hurricane-style winds.

True to her namesake, Will fought the treasonous spell that was her power and regained control. At once, all stopped and went silent. All that was in the air crashed down the floor. Her hand released the doorknob. Her head throbbed with pain. Her foot crunched down on the broken glass behind her. Her wail was loud.

"Will?" Susan, overhearing the ruckus, left her room to find what all the commotion was about. "Is everything alright?"

Fighting back the tears from the glass cut, Will quickly came to the conclusion that she'd have a hell of a time explaining this mess to her mother. Luckily for her, she was a Guardian of the Veil, which means, "Quintessence." Using her powers again, only this time with her approval, Will reverted the room back into its un-messed-up state and everything returned to normal. "Whew."

"Will." Susan banged on the door. "What's going on in there?"

"Nothing, mom." She lied.

"I heard some glass break. And it sounded like a bomb went off."

"Must be hearing things." She was about to open the door when she winced and looked down. The blood from her cut was on the floor and despite all her magical abilities, fixing human flesh was not one of them. "Damn."

"What happened?"

"Uh…spilled some water on my shirt."

"I don't hear any water."

Will turned the handles on the sink to their highest levels. "Are you sure? It's real loud."

"Open this door, Will."

"Just a minute." She searched through the nearby pantry for a towel.

"Now." Susan ordered.

No towels were presently available. Mentally cursing, Will did the first thing that came to her mind.

"Young lady if you don't open this door in the next two seconds,"

"Okay! Okay!" Will let her in. "Happy?"

"What were you doing," Susan stopped when she noticed her daughter wasn't wearing any pants. Instead, her pajama bottoms were draped over the sink, colored with a red substance. "Will?" She turned to her. Will's shirt was just long enough to cover her shame. "Are you hurt?"

"I'm fourteen, mother." She began scrubbing her pants with soap and water. "It's my time of the month."

A blush formed on Susan's dark face and she turned away. "W-Will, I'm so sorry."

"What are mothers for?" She said in an irritated tone.

Covering her face. "This is so embarrassing. Will, can you ever forgive me?"

"I will if you closed the door." Will looked at her. "It's a bit drafty in here, if you know what I mean."

"R-right. Sorry." She began to close the door. "Please forgive me, sweetheart."

Once she was gone, Will let out a sigh of relief. That was quick thinking on her part to fake a period. Her mother was so embarrassed that it would take time to remember that hers wasn't for another two months. At least she bought herself the time she needed for the distraction. Now Will must contend with another problem. Staring at her image in the mirror again, the young woman stared at herself. "What the hell was that?" she asked aloud. The mirror Will just gazed back as if just as confused by it all.

Caleb returned to the Silver Dragon upon making his final delivery of the evening. He didn't know why he still bothered doing this. When he first arrived on Earth and was offered a place to stay by Hay Lin, they figured it'd be best if he tried to blend in, so he was given a job at the Dragon, waiting tables, cleaning after the patrons, and occasionally making deliveries. The money he earned allowed him to buy things he thought would be useful in assisting the rebellion back on Meridian. Plus, it gave him a chance to explore another culture different than his own, on a world that wasn't being ravaged by an evil tyrant, and where he didn't have to look over his shoulder every waking minute.

Now that the war was over, Caleb no longer had any reason to pretend to be a servant. But old habits die hard and he knew that by doing this he was helping the Lins and what better way to repay their hospitality than to help them run their restaurant. It also kept Caleb busy. For all its wonders, there really wasn't much for him to do in this world. While he respected the humans of Earth, Caleb found them too pampered and spoiled. They depended on technology for every facet of their lives. They weren't hardy and adventurous like the people back home. And the girls were…

"Strange." He said aloud. His voice carried in the back alley of the Dragon but there was no one around to hear. As he pulled the bike over to the back door, his mind began to wander towards Cornelia. Caleb had seen many beautiful women, courted them too; but Cornelia, and all Earth women it seemed, were very different than the ones he was used too. She was very outspoken and radiated supreme self confidence. While fragile when compared to the female warriors of Meridian, she was not one to be trifled with. Caleb had seen what she could do when wielding those awesome powers of hers. The Guardian of Earth was the most powerful member of the group, with the possible exception of Taranee and probably Will, but hers was the most destructive which immediately drew Caleb toward her.

He always liked powerful women. Case in point, the time when he wooed the sultry daughter of the Trebian Lord all those years ago. It caused quite a ruckus throughout the land and became the talk of much gossip within the rebellion, but no one could blame Caleb for setting his goals high. He courted female soldiers, noblewomen, even a lady wizard, but none could come close to matching his bizarre relationship with Cornelia.

She was strong, beautiful, smart, deadly and unpredictable. But then when he thought about it, there was one girl who shared those same qualities. When he first met Will, she was thrown into his pit inside the palace dungeon. Small and scrawny, he'd never thought she'd be the one chosen as the Keeper of the Heart. His opinion of her gradually changed as they fought together and suddenly he saw her in a different light. As a guardian, she was gorgeous—all of them were!—but Will carried herself differently. Maybe it was because she was the leader. Or perhaps she was more self reliant being alone most of her life. These were two traits that she and Caleb shared in common.

Thinking about it now brought a smile to his handsome face. Two people from opposite sides of the Veil having similar fates. Neither of them asked for their lot in life, but they took what they got and ran with it. That's why people looked up to them and respected them. Will led the guardians and Caleb the rebels. Between these two, Meridian had been liberated and Phobos defeated, who could have asked for a better pair?

But a pair they were not. At least not in romantic terms. Caleb was in love with Cornelia, Will's friend. She in turn took up with a young man named Matt, who eventually became Caleb's friend. It was a scenario they were both content with. Still, however, he couldn't help but wonder now and then if maybe…in another life.

He tied the bike down before opening the door. There wasn't much need for security in Heatherfield so the door had been left unlocked. Not that Caleb was afraid of anything. There were no vagabonds on Earth that were nearly as frightening as anything he'd faced back home. He was a skilled fighter in both armed and unarmed combat and had a sixth sense to know when there was trouble nearby. Then there was the fact that there was a guardian living upstairs: one who could suck the very air out of your lungs. There was a former guardian too and her mind was as sharp as any blade. Between them and Caleb, the Silver Dragon was the safest place in the entire city.

Kicking off his shoes and removing that ridiculous red jacket with the name "Silver Dragon" written in both English and Chinese, Caleb tossed it on the nearest chair and plopped down on his bed. Blunk would be by to take him back to Meridian in the morning so all that was left to do was have a good rest before retuning to the tedious trials of being the Queen's man-at-arms. With peace returned to the land, there wasn't much for the war hero to do at home save looking pretty in his new military garbs and advise Elyon on military matters. Traveling between Meridian and Earth was taking its toll. Maybe he should take a vacation. Or at least a day-off. It seemed that no matter where he went he was working.

Cornelia and I could go to that city she's always telling me about. Paris, is it? She always wanted me to taste caviar. But she hasn't been to Meridian in a long time. I'll bet she's never seen anything like the Fire Fields of Talos. I hear they're beautiful this time of year. Maybe we could do that. Hell, with the Veil down, we could travel to any other planet in the universe. Zamballa-- perhaps, she loves talking to the trees. Or someplace we've never been.

As he mused, a lone figure walked down the stairs and into his "room." Her thin form barely registered on the stairs and she hardly made any noise. Had Hay Lin been born on Meridian during the rebellion, she'd have made an excellent scout.

But Caleb did have that sixth sense…and it kicked in the moment before she opened her mouth. "Hey."

She stopped halfway. "Oh. I didn't know if you were awake or not."

Caleb hoisted his tired body off the bed and into a sitting position. "My door's always open to you, Hay Lin."

"Aw. That's sweet." She said walking down the rest of the way. He noticed she carried with her a pad and paper which she cradled in her chest.

"Is that your report?"

"Yes. And it's not a report; it's a poetic entry for a competition I'm trying to win." Caleb moved over to give her room to sit down. She took the silent invitation. "I'm still not sure what to do it on. You'd think with all the stuff I've seen I'd have a hundred things to write about. But my mind's a complete blank."

Caleb shrugged. "Well, anything in particular stood out for you?"

She put the pad on her lap and thought about it. "Hm. How about, finding out I'm some mystical warrior destined to protect the universe from the forces of evil? Ooh, or how about fighting a wicked prince who was searching for his sister in order to steal her powers and become a god? I can also write about all the times I've faced endless waves of bad guy armies and helping a resistance movement liberate their people. Traveling between planets, meeting the "God" of the universe, battling an evil sorceress and knights and eliminators and dreams and evil clones and former guardians and sand monsters and spiders and giant green reptiles who eat their masters…"

The youth listened up until that point. "All right, I see your dilemma."

Hay Lin ceased. "Why did I have to see so much in my young life? Now everything after that is going to seem boring."

"You can always help on Meridian. I hear there's a heat wave in one of our southern provinces. A nice daily breeze would ease the suffering of the farmers there."

"Thanks, but I think Irma would be better suited to that than me."

"You can always guide the rain clouds down from the north."

Hay Lin smiled. "Always thinking of others, aren't you?"

"I learned from the best." He said. Hay Lin had to be the most selfless person he had ever met in his life. She always put others first, as demonstrated when she offered him a place to stay when he became stranded on Earth and did everything possible to make his basement room comfortable. Cornelia once joked that Hay Lin secretly had a crush on him but he knew that was not the case. She loved him, but only as a sister would a brother. Caleb was an only child, and having a sibling looking out for his well-being was truly touching.

She blushed slightly. "Well I had a great teacher. Grandma always made sure I put others first. Though sometimes it does backfire. People think they can walk all over you when you're nice."

"If anyone does that to you just let me know. I can teach them the error of their ways." He punched a fist into his open palm.

"Thanks but I fight my own battles. Besides, being around you and the girls has made me tougher."

"Yeah? How so?"

She leaned in closer. "I use a medium tooth brush now."

"Ooh." They said in unison and had a good laugh.

"So how was Will?" she asked when the laughter died down.

"She was fine."

"In what sense?"

Caleb looked at her. "As in the opposite of not fine. What do you mean, in what sense?"

"It's just I haven't seen her that much. With school and homework and Eric, I haven't hung out with her or anything."

Caleb recalled having a similar conversation with Will. He remembered how saddened she looked admitting she had not spent time with her friends. Now here was a second girl he had to cheer up.

"Irma, Taranee, Cornelia, you; everyone's doing their own thing. I miss the times we used to spend upstairs trying to figure out Phobos or Nerissa's latest plot. You remember all the hair-brained schemes we used to come up with?"

"As I recall," Caleb smirked. "Most of those hair-brained schemes were thought up by you."

"There's nothing wrong with a little imagination." She defended.

"Imagination doesn't even begin to describe you, Hay Lin."

"Hm? Do I take that as a compliment or criticism?"

"Whichever makes you feel better." Caleb yawned. "I'm tired. Your grandmother has me doing deliveries all over town. This is the first break I've had all day." He laid back on his bed, arms crossed behind his head with one foot over the other. "Did you just come down here to wish me goodnight or to peek while I was undressing?"

"Gross." Hay Lin said and got off the bed.

Caleb laughed. They indeed were like brother and sister. "Just messing with you." Didn't I say that to Will not too long ago?

"No." Hay Lin turned her nose up at him after his indemnified remark. "I came here because I needed to ask you something."

"Fire away." Caleb spoke through a dreary voice but he was willing to fight back the tantalizing call of Sleep if it meant he could help his surrogate sister.

Her face smiled again, baring those trademark braces of hers which Caleb found both cute…and rather disturbing. "Well, you know so many great stories from Meridian. I was wondering if you could tell me one that would inspire me in my writing of the poem."

"You want me to tell you a bedtime story?" He asked incredulously. "How old are you again?"

"Come on." She sat down next to him. "I love Meridian fairy tales."

Caleb sniffed loudly. "Fairy tales? You do know most of those stories really happened?"

"Ooh right. Meridian is all about fairy tales."

"I'm kind of tired now."

"But you're leaving tomorrow." Her voice turned whiny, like a child about to go to sleep without—well, a bedtime story.

"Your grandma knows a lot of Meridian stories. Why not ask her?"

"It's not the same. She doesn't have the same connection with those stories that you do. Whenever you tell them, it's like you're there on those quests or fighting those monsters. You tell the story like she never could."

"And the fact that I re-enact the stories using live objects doesn't hurt either."

"Visual aid always helps."

A smile curved his lips. "Tell you what. I'm doing a review of the soldiers tomorrow. I can have Blunk bring you to Meridian when my shift is over and we can have dinner with the queen by the veranda overlooking the royal nature preserve. Afterward, I'll treat you to a story like none you've ever heard. How's that sound?"

Her little face beamed with glee. "That's great! Oh, I love you, Caleb!" She embraced him, tiny arms wrapped around his thick neck.

"You're welcome. Now," He removed her from him. "If you don't mind, I'd love to get some sleep before I spend hours drilling new recruits on the proper way of shining their boots." He watched Hay Lin get up and head for the stairs. She stopped on the last step to the door and turned around to say, "Remember; you promised me a great story."

"And you'll have one." He said. "Goodnight, now."

"Night, Caleb."

With Hay Lin gone, Caleb was free to return to thinking how many ways he could woo Cornelia. Then it hit him…the nature preserve. It was secluded enough for two people to be alone and private enough so as to not be disturbed. Queen Elyon had done wonders with the place and now it was one of the most scenic spots in the entire kingdom. To think it only existed today because she had Phobos protect it from any further deforestation. Now that decision preserved its beauties for generations to come.

"Yeah…" Caleb muttered, as sleep gradually overcame his body and soul. One by one, his muscles relaxed until prone and his breathing turned heavy. His eyelids snapped shut and not more than two minutes since Hay Lin's departure, the youth was fast asleep.

Raw power surged through Will's body. Or to be more accurate, outside of it. Her body had turned into a living, walking, breathing Christmas tree. She'd turned the lights out moments ago, but you'd think she had her own disco ball lighting up the room with her body shifting to every conceivable color in the spectrum. Nothing she did, no amount of will power, seemed able to quell the pulsations.

Sitting at the foot of her bed, Will stared at her glowing hands. Raw energy danced between her delicate fingers. They converged at the center in the space between her hands, forming a ball of changing colors. It was absolutely beautiful. The power of Quintessence was hers to command—the power of life, the fifth element, the missing link that was the cataclysm for all life on this planet. The song, "He's Got the Whole World in His Hands" began to play in the back of her head and while this "he" was a "her" it dawned on Will whether or not the creators of that song realized the implications of uttering such a mantra were to one who truly did have the world in her hands?

"What's happening to me?" Will asked. Ever since that incident in the bathroom she thought of every sane explanation her logical mind could come up with, short of her powers reacting to an existential breakout of Candracar zits, but no solution came to her and it was only when that previous notion – Candracar, not the zits – hit her did she seek that celestial jewel from within her drawer.

Will retrieved the Heart of Candracar.

The object pulsated with irregular intervals of shifting light and color. For one so accustomed to it, Will knew something was wrong. It's as if the Heart sensed something was amiss and tried to convey that point to its current holder. Was it Nerissa? The thought came to Will abruptly and she pushed it aside. That woman was trapped within the Heart of Meridian, never to bother anyone again. Phobos? Unlikely. He was even less of a threat than Nerissa trapped within the confines of the royal dungeon. Both were guarded round the clock by fierce Meridian warriors and Queen Elyon was more than a match should either of them attempt escape.

A new enemy, perhaps? One the girls had yet to see?

It troubled Will to think that someone was behind all this. If that person had the ability to affect her so, what could he do to the other girls? Irma, Taranee, Cornelia, Hay Lin, all were in terrible danger. As the leader it fell to her to figure this out. But she couldn't do it alone. Not when she didn't even know where to begin. But someone else might.

"Time to get to the bottom of this."

The Oracle's eyes flashed open.

Without looking he saw Luba approach. Her catlike stealth was unable to hide the urgency of her step, or the quickening pace of her heart. Very few things rattled the protector of the aurameres whose reputation marked her as the bravest in all of Candracar. The feline woman practically slid across the marble floor—that's how fast she moved—until she had just reached the meditating Lord of the Universe. "Oracle," she began but was stopped by an upraised hand.

"I know, Luba." The Oracle stated. Very little perspired without his knowledge. "She'll be arriving very soon."

The guardian stared at the Oracle's back, a look of surprise that faded when she remembered who she was talking to. "It is the Keeper of the Heart. Her auramere is acting strangely."

Sighing, the Oracle turned, his body still hovering above the floor, until he was facing Luba. "I fear it is the result of a mistake."

"Oracle?"

"The Keeper has a great heart. But there are times that deeds done with the kindest of intent can do the most harm. We must make the necessary preparations."

Luba stepped back. "I-I will do as you command, Oracle. But first I must know what it is that,"

"It is her altermere." A female voice said and Luba turned around to find Halinor. The former guardian of fire had aged well since her fighting years. She still possessed a mane of long blonde hair and carried herself with strength befitting a woman half her age. Her eyes, though, were filled with great concern. "I'm sorry, Oracle." She apologized.

"I know." The bald man said.

Luba looked between the two, not liking being out of the loop. "Would someone please explain?"

The Oracle looked to Luba. His eyes as serious as the feline had ever seen. "She…has achieved awareness."

Growing up in Meridian, Caleb learned to be a very light sleeper. One never knew when an enemy could be lurking in the dark just waiting for the chance to slit your neck. His senses were honed to a razor's sharpness, keen to everything around him at all times. As Earth people would say, he slept with one eye open, but that was not the case for both his eyes were very much closed the moment Will appeared from out of thin air.

She believed him to be fast asleep and as such did not want to surprise him; but it was she who was surprised. The moment one foot touched the ground, emitting the slightest ruffle of fabric against stone, Caleb leaped out of bed with the predatory grace of a hunting cat. (2) His movements were so fast that he'd disappeared from Will's sight. She found him again, when a powerful arm wrapped itself around her neck and pulled her into the shadows.

She tired to scream but he had cut off all air from traveling through her lungs and Will Vandom, a demi-goddess in her own right, was at the mercy of one very cunning and very capable human warrior.

"Will!" Caleb cried, shocked to realize that the person he had in his death grip was his close friend. He immediately released her and began to apologize. "I'm sorry. You just came out of nowhere and I...damn! Are you okay?" He reached out to examine her neck to check for bruises but Will brushed it away…rather roughly at that. "Please, Will. Let me,"

"It's okay." Will faced him at last. There was no rage or hatred in her face. She was just shocked from the whole ordeal. It's not often you almost get your neck snapped. Will rubbed her sore throat and managed a weak smile. "My fault for just dropping in unannounced."

But Caleb still felt guilty over it. "I'm still sorry. All that training doesn't go away even when the war's over. I didn't hurt anything, did I?"

"Just my pride. It's easy to forget that with all my powers I'm still human. (3) Speaking of which." The fold went away—but the light did not.

"What the…?"

"You see my dilemma."

"Why are you glowing?"

The girl shrugged. "Hell if I know. One moment I'm trying to reach Matt and the next I've become Hurricane Katrina. Nearly destroyed my bathroom and got a pre-tty nasty cut for it." Lifting her injured foot, she revealed the wound which she had bandaged earlier.

Caleb circled Will as if that would give him a better insight as two what was going on. It didn't.

"Could it be you have new powers?"

She shrugged, putting her foot back down.

"Did you try anything?"

"Caleb. Hello. I just told you what I did to my bathroom."

"Well what possessed you to do anything in the bathroom?"

"I didn't." she revealed. "I just went in there to figure out what was going on and suddenly my powers go all Peter Petrelli on me." (4) She folded her arms across her chest. "If I try anything else it could take out half of Heatherfield. Not looking forward to moving again."

Caleb had never seen Will's powers react like this. While not an expert on magical artifacts in any respect, he was still curious. "Let me see the Heart."

Will removed the Heart from around her neck and was about to give it to him when she stopped. "Wait a minute." She pulled it close to her chest and Caleb was looking at her to ask what was the matter. She eyed him suspiciously. "You're not Nerissa by any chance?"

"What?"

"The Heart can only be taken with the consent of the Keeper. If you were Nerissa, you'd need me to give it to you willingly."

"I don't believe this." Caleb grew cross with her. "After all we've been though, you choose now to become paranoid?"

"How do I know it's you?"

"Because my mother, and I use the term loosely, is locked away in a prison of her own doing. You can fold to Meridian and have a look for yourself." He twitched once he noticed Will wasn't buying it. "Just use the Heart." He conceded.

Will raised the Heart of Candracar, knowing its magical properties would be able to discern truth from lies. In a moment it revealed what Will knew to be true in her own heart. This was the real Caleb. "Sorry. Old habits die hard." She said before handing the Heart to him. Caleb looked it over; studying it as one would a chemical in one of those little lab tubes. "Hm."

"What?" She thought maybe he had found something.

"You know what I think?"

"Yes?" She stepped in closer.

"I think…" Caleb smiled at her. "We should speak to Yan Lin."

Had she been a less patient woman she'd have smacked him. "Thanks, dummy." Grabbing the Heart. "Should have done that in the first place."

"Might have given the old woman a heart attack."

"Who you callin' old?" Yan Lin appeared at the top of the stairs in her elegant Chinese nightgown. "Like a rare wine, I get better with age." The elderly woman began her descent towards them though Will was already waiting for her at the final step. "I'm so glad to see you, Miss Lin."

"Call me grandma." She told Will. "You are all my grandkids now."

"Did we wake you?" Caleb asked her.

Shaking her head, "Nah. I was coming down to fetch some milk for my sister. Poor girl's having trouble sleeping. If you ask me, I think it has to do with Eric's grandpa. Those two have really been hitting it off."

Of course both Caleb and Will knew that Yan Lin had no real sister. Nerissa had created an altermere of Yan Lin in her attempt to get the woman to capitulate and become one of her thralls. When the battle ended, the altermere was still around, so Yan Lin decided to have her come live with her family. She told her son and his wife that she was her long-lost sister, Mira, who'd gone off to live in Europe years ago. With no reason to suspect his mother of lying, Mr. Lin eagerly accepted her as his aunt and Mira's been living with them ever since.

"Great…and kind of gross…" Will said.

Yan Lin looked at her. "I always knew you had a glowing personality, Will, but geez!"

"It's not my fault."

"Tell her about the hurricane." Caleb said.

"What about the hurricane?"

Will relayed all the information she imparted to Caleb just moments ago. When she had finished, Yan Lin, the ever wise and profoundly deep woman, settled into her thinking pose which the youths knew not to disturb. "Hm."

"Is that a good 'hm' or a bad 'hm'?" Will asked.

"It's a we'd better go to Candracar 'hm'." Yan Lin said. "Sorry, kiddo, but I don't have the foggiest idea what's wrong with you."

"But the Heart." Will held it up.

"It's properties are limitless but that doesn't mean that things can't go wrong now and then." She turned to regard both of them. "Back when I was a guardian, the Heart used to do all sorts of crazy things. I remember one time Nerissa tried to transform us behind a rose hedge and it wound up taking the hedge and our clothes, along with it. We were as nude as the day we were born."

Will smirked at the image but Caleb kind of felt disgusted. No boy wanted to picture his mother stark naked anytime at anyplace.

"Anyway. We should head over to see the Oracle. He'll know what to do." She began to go back upstairs. "Let me just get my robe and we'll be on our way."

"Are you going to wake Hay Lin?" Will asked watching her go up.

"My granddaughter is lost to the waking world. I do not want to disturb her. I'll just tell Mira what's up and she'll cover for us."

"Good idea."

When Yan Lin left, Caleb and Will were alone once again. She considered the rebel leader, now general, with concern. "You don't think this is anything bad right?"

"We'll figure it out." He eyed her. "Just make sure to give me a heads up whenever you feel like blowing up, okay?"

Will chuckled. "Okay."

Will, Caleb and Yan Lin were always welcomed visitors to the Fortress of Candracar so they were not surprised when they found a host to greet them upon their arrival. What they weren't expecting were the stern glares or the harsh murmurs that started as soon as the fold to Earth closed shut behind them. The trio took in their surroundings, not sure of what to make of the hostile demeanor of the citadel's residents. The only one among them who seemed ready for this was Yan Lin, who spoke on their behalf. "We're here to see the Oracle."

A lone figure stepped forth from the encircling crowd, her golden hair standing out among the throng of whites, blues and greens. Yan Lin beamed when she saw her old friend and former guardian appear from the ensemble and walked over to greet her in a way only close friends could. She pulled back from her embrace only to find Halinor did not seem pleased to see her. "What is it, old friend?"

Halinor turned away briefly to gather her strength for the coming ordeal. With a deep breath, she finally returned to Yan Lin, her eyes filled with sadness. "I'm afraid your visit will not be a happy one, Yan Lin. A line has been crossed and…" Her eyes darted quickly to Will who was standing a few feet behind the old woman. The exchange was less than a second but it was enough to send shivers down her spine. "Suffice it to say there must be reciprocations."

Yan Lin removed herself from Halinor altogether, folding her hands beneath the sleeves of her nightgown. "I'm afraid I do not understand. What is wrong? Why is everyone acting so funny?"

"These questions are best answered in private." Halinor said.

Caleb took a look around before regarding Halinor. "Seems to me like every body else here already knows."

"Except us." Will added. She could feel the stares of the crowd on her; almost like two dozen laser sights targeting her body and the next move would be her last. She kept her hands at her sides and balled them up into fists. Caleb saw the gesture and could feel Will's anxiety. He'd back her up all the way no matter what the situation was, but that didn't mean he wouldn't mind having his sword right about now.

"This way." Halinor turned around and the crowd parted before her. Yan Lin looked over at the teenagers, shrugged, and proceeded after the former guardian. Will and Caleb followed suit, walking side by side, each very aware of the people around them. Several of them spoke in weird and exotic tongues but they got their meaning well enough. One need not be a linguist to understand the meaning of a drawn blade. (5) It was an old Meridian idiom and one that fit the situation perfectly.

Halinor led them to a place all three were quite familiar with, the two women in particular. Within this holy chamber, the aurameres, source of the guardians' powers and essence of the five elements, spun in a circle at the very center of the room. Awaiting them were two very recognizable faces; Luba, the guardian of the aurameres; and the Oracle, Lord of the Universe.

Neither was smiling.

The great marble doors to the chamber slide quietly shut. Away from prying ears the occupants gathered into two separate lines: Yan Lin, Will and Caleb on one side; the Oracle, Luba and Halinor on the other. The steady hum of the aurameres was pleasing to listen too, but one of them stood out from its companions. This one belonged to Will and it glowed even brighter than the remaining four. Will looked down at her own glowing hands and wondered if this was the reason behind it. Her powers were connected, nay; dependant on her auramere since without it there would be no Heart of Candracar. She like her friends relied on their constant transfer of energy which allowed her to control her gifts. Should anything happen to it, Will would be nothing but an ordinary girl.

And something was definitely happening to it.

"Oracle, I believe an explanation is in order. We've been kept in the dark long enough." Yan Lin spoke to the most powerful man in all of existence. Despite his peaceful exterior and kind eyes, it was not wise to cross the Oracle of Candracar. But Yan Lin stood her ground. She'd defied powerful men all her life; both as a woman and as a Guardian of the Veil. Besides, as far as she knew they had done nothing wrong so their welcome by the residents of Candracar was uncalled for.

Luba was the first to speak out for the opposition and fixed two slit, feline eyes at Will. "Why don't we let Will shine some light on that situation?"

"Was that a joke?" Will asked in all honesty. The pun was obvious since she could light up a blackboard if she so chose to right about now.

Luba's face indicated that she was not joking. Her whiskers twitched with frustration and she turned to Halinor and asked, "Care to do the honors?"

"I take no honor in this, Luba." She said. "But I will tell them." Halinor faced Will. Not one of them blinked as Halinor began speaking. "Weeks ago, as measured by Earth time, Yan Lin, myself, Queen Elyon and the other guardians were all imprisoned along with Nerissa when Prince Phobos betrayed you in order to claim the scepter. In order to escape, I used my telepathic powers to get in contact with the current Guardian of Fire, Taranee. During our link, our minds became one and as such we saw many of each other's past memories. It's a telepathic skill known as a mind meld in which two psychics eventually become one through the link. One of Taranee's memories included an incident at a school dance in which a battle took place between two Wills." Her eyes softened. "I saw how your altermere sacrificed herself for your sake, Will. Truly she had developed a soul of her own to attempt such a selfless act. In order to save her life, you absorbed her back into your body rather than the Heart. The two of you became one being, one mind, one soul."

Will recalled the events of that day. Her mother forced her to do laundry when she promised to help her friends prepare for Mrs. Rudolph's going away party. She decided to create an altermere to do the dirty work while she went to the gymnasium, figuring the astral drop could handle something as simple as washing dirty clothes. Nerissa had her own plan for the look-alike and made her self-conscious; which meant that she now had her own free will. Planting the seeds of dissent within the altermere, she battled against Will for fear that she wanted to destroy her. By being absorbed, the astral drop would cease to exist as a person and she did not want that, reveling in her newfound existence as a free person. Will and the guardians battled the copy, eventually defeating her, but she could not bring herself to hurting a real human being which is what the astral drop had become. Seeing them make amends, Nerissa attacked Will, only to have her double jump in the way, saving her but dooming herself. Not wanting to lose her "sister", Will absorbed the altermere into her own body.

"I was there." Caleb spoke all of a sudden and brought Will out of her flashback. "Nerissa's attack was cowardly. Had it not been for the altermere Will may not be here right now. By absorbing the astral drop into herself she saved the life of an innocent who's only crime was being born. Will saved her. I don't see what the big deal is."

"The bid deal," Luba began. "General Caleb, is that an astral drop is meant to serve as a temporary servant who performs menial tasks. They are not meant to become living, thinking, sentient beings with a will of their own."

She continued before Will had a chance to say anything. "What's more they aren't supposed to inhabit the same world as their creator let alone the same body. By doing this, Will Vandom has broken one of the oldest codes in the cosmos. Two beings of the same clothe cannot exist side by side. Doing so will throw the fabric of space and time into flux and create catastrophe such as one cannot comprehend." She raised her voice to emphasize the dire straits they were in. The look on Will's face seemed to suggest that her comments had hit home; but then Yan Lin stepped up to shield her.

"My friends. As you know Nerissa created an altermere of myself who like Will's possesses a soul. She's lived with my family for quite a while and the universe has not collapsed in on itself. If this is such a serious offense, why am I not be harassed as well?"

"Let me answer that." Halinor told Luba who was about to open her mouth for all the wrong reasons. "You are no longer a guardian and as such no longer possess the many powers that you once wielded. While Mira is your altermere, she is nothing more than an ordinary human being. Will's case, however, was a full-fledged guardian when she had been absorbed. As Will's power grew, so did hers, and now the two have come into conflict with one another."

Will was shocked. "Wait. You mean to tell me that she's still alive?" She pointed to her body. "In here?"

Halinor nodded. "That's right, Will. There are two of you now. Identical in every sense of the word. The other you has experienced everything you have since the merge and has been fighting with you ever since."

"B-but how come I didn't know? Why is this happening now of all times?"

"My guess would be when you and the other guardians achieved the zenith of your powers, your lapse allowed your alter ego to surface. She may have lied dormant for a while but as time progressed she, and who wouldn't, started to feel constricted in your body. Imagine being in a cage where you can see the world but nobody can see you. People rattle the cage, you get angry but can't do anything about it. While you can't directly interact with the outside world, you can make your presence felt by say, shaking your cage, hence bringing forth the attention of the guard. In this case, Will, you are the cage and while the altermere can't make her voice heard, she can shake you by emitting bursts of energy. This is why you are glowing."

Will could not believe what she'd just heard. Her double was still alive…inside…of her! That meant that all this time she thought they'd become one person, they were in fact still two. The double had been trapped inside of her with no way of getting out. Here she thought she was saving her when all she did was just imprison the girl inside a fleshy cell. It disturbed her in indescribable ways.

Her body flared up momentarily, forcing everyone, except the Oracle, to take a step backward. "I believe you've just been rattled." Halinor said.

Caleb spoke up this time. "But the altermere was near death after Nerissa's attack. How could she be this strong all of a sudden?"

"Merging with Will must have healed her." Luba explained. "Instead of giving her a second chance at life you've brought her back to full strength. I don't know about you, but if I were in that girl's shoes I'd do everything in my power to get out."

Will pulsed again.

"Try to keep your emotions in check." Halinor said. "Any strong outbursts affect the altermere far more than it affects you. Remember she's in a cage. She hears each clang of the bars."

"My emotions?" Will thought back to when she was in her bedroom trying to reach Matt. She'd been upset back then, trying to put into words what was in her heart, a heart that was disgruntled at the very thought of the boy. She was angry--and her altermere must have felt that anger, culminating in the magical outburst that nearly destroyed Will's bathroom. Her astral drop experienced everything Will had seen and done and until now was not able to interact on a physical level. Until now…

The Oracle had been silent, only listening in and observing while his two subordinates explained the situation to the Earth girl. He'd watched Will's reactions, studied her face, hand movements, the slightest shift in her legs and feet. With the most silent of approaches, the Oracle walked up to Will and placed a hand on each shoulder. Will, and everyone else for that matter, looked at the handsome, timeless man and none spoke. He was the Oracle and when he had something to say all ears turned and all voice went mute. But his eyes spoke volumes before he ever opened his mouth. Will saw in them a kindred spirit who seemed to know more about her ordeal than he gave on. Of course he was the Oracle and it was his job to know everything----but even he had secrets. Everyone did.

"Will, the reason you are here is so that we may remove the altermere from your body. The process itself is not dangerous and should only cause you some mild discomfort. You need not worry about your well-being as I promise that no harm will come to you during the procedure." He paused momentarily to let those comforting words sink in. The tension in Will's body relaxed thanks to his consoling—but he wasn't finished yet. "The true ordeal will come when the altermere is set free. She has achieved awareness and as such is no longer bound to you or the Heart of Candracar. However, she will still possess many of your own powers and that still makes her dangerous."

"How can she be dangerous? She saved my life, Oracle. She's my…" it didn't take her long to find the right words. "She's my sister. I know what a good person she is. I can vouch for her. Caleb," she turned to him and with a simple nod he pledged his support. "Can vouch for her too. Please give her a chance."

"I'm afraid this falls out of my jurisdiction." He immediately said. "However, I promise to do everything in my power to help the altermere."

Will sensed hesitation. Was there something he was not telling her? Why was the Oracle holding back? Was her astral drop in some sort of danger? Why is Luba looking at her like that? Why is Halinor? Why is the auramere glowing brighter?

Will cringed as if being punched in the stomach. Caleb and Yan Lin rushed to her side but the Oracle stayed them in their tracks with a hand. Her bodily aura had become stronger, rippling all around her like a wave caught in the sunlight. The Oracle knew Will's inner turmoil had caused this outburst of emotional energy to take place. He could feel her power fluctuating as two souls tried to bring it under control. With neither being able to reach consensus, one struggling to contain the power while the other sought to release it, she was on the verge of spilling over into complete oblivion. Had anyone laid a hand on her now they would most likely be seriously harmed.

"I must take her to my meditation chamber to begin the process of removing the altermere. There isn't much time left. Luba, inform the Congregation that I've already taken steps to ensure the issue is resolved. Halinor, please make our guests comfortable while they wait."

Caleb protested. "Let me go too."

But the Oracle would not have it. "I'm afraid not."

"But,"

"Caleb please." This came from Yan Lin. "Let the Oracle take care of Will. We will see her soon enough." She turned to the Oracle. "And well?" She stated more than asked. While she did not distrust the powerful man, she wasn't comfortable with all the words left unspoken. Perceptive Yan Lin knew there was more to the story than the Candracarians were letting on and Will was her responsibility since she had been the one who brought her into this world. She also saw her as one of her own children so Yan Lin had a personal stake in this as well. They'd have to walk over her dead body before she allowed any harm…any harm, to befall her Will.

"On my word and on the Heart of Candracar," The Oracle uttered the ancient oath. "No harm will befall Will Vandom. On that I swear to you."

That was all the elderly Lin needed to hear.

"Oracle!" Halinor cried forward as Will fell to one knee.

"This way, young guardian." The Oracle escorted Will out of the room. She took one last look at Caleb and Yan Lin before they disappeared beyond the reopened doorway. Caleb almost followed but was stopped by Yan Lin.

"She'll be fine. Just let the Oracle do his thing. We'll see Will again."

Fighting his instinct to protect his friend, Caleb went no further.

"I must speak with the Congregation." Luba crossed her arms. The aurameres fell under her protection and that meant she would not leave until everyone else did. "Halinor, take them away."

While not appreciating being ordered around like a dog—and what dog would like taking orders from a cat?—the former guardian escorted the two humans out of the chamber.

"How long has it been?" Caleb asked for the fortieth time.

Yan Lin didn't bother to look at him when she answered. "Time does not pass here on Candracar. A hundred years, a split second, it's all the same."

The youth had been pacing along the floor almost since upon their arrival. The guest quarters resembled something found only in the palace of Meridian, or the loftiest abodes back on Earth. So richly designed were its walls and ceiling that they'd give the Sistine Chapel in Rome or the Shrine of the Clouds in Threbe a run for their money. But Caleb cared not for the splendor around him. All he wanted to know was how was Will doing. True time did not pass on Candracar like it did on other worlds, but it felt like hours since he'd last seen Will. Even Halinor could not give them reports on how the procedure was going. The woman would come now and again to see if there was anything she could do to make their stay more comfortable. Yan Lin asked for some spirit tea, a beverage bearing a close resemblance to Chinese mint tea with a more silvery tint, and some treats in the hopes that eating would give the impatient Caleb something to do.

"Caleb, please." Yan Lin said from her cushion by the veranda overlooking the endless expanse of clouds at the center of the universe. "Eat something. It will make you feel better."

He stopped. "I'm not hungry."

"Then it will make me feel better."

Caleb turned to her. "Doesn't any of this bother you? Who knows what effect separating them will have on Will."

"We must trust in the Oracle."

"The same man who doomed my mother into an eternity in prison?" he countered. "The same man who knew what Nerissa was going to do to Cassidy and did nothing? The same man who did nothing while Phobos ravaged my country when he had the power to stop it?"

"Enough!" The elderly woman said in a voice more powerful than one of her size would admit. "Sit down." She ordered.

Caleb twisted away, his frustration seething through grit teeth. After a moment of fuming, he obediently walked over to the cushion opposite of Yan Lin to sit…with a slump. "I'm sorry. I was…out of line."

Yan Lin softened up as well. "Take it easy, kid. You've had a rough life. I don't blame you for being so uptight. When others have the power to help and they just sit by and do nothing while innocent people are hurt…well, I don't blame you for being mad."

"They're hiding something. The Council."

"Indeed." She said and Caleb looked up at her. She smiled. "You don't survive being a guardian without learning how to read potential dangers. I heard the same conversation you did. They are holding something back though for what reason I haven't figured out yet."

"I thought the Council told you everything."

"Nope. I may have connections, but I'm afraid I'm still just an honorary member, not a full time, of the club. Now Halinor on the other hand…"

"You think she'll tell us."

"No." Yan Lin stood up. "But she will tell me."

"How can you be so sure?"

"BFFs." Yan Lin said and walked over to the veranda.

Caleb thought back to when he heard that acronym before. Being with five Earth girls for so long, he'd learn to pick up on a lot of the language. "BFF. Best Friend Forever."

"You got it. Hali and I go way back. It may take a while but eventually she will open up to me. She won't keep secrets from me like the Oracle does."

Caleb joined her on the veranda. "Why do you trust him so much if you know he keeps secrets from you?" He asked taking a place by her side. While he watched her, she watched the clouds. In that moment, she looked so serene and so wise—like someone who'd experienced all that life had to offer. Caleb had never known a woman, a person, like Yan Lin before.

She chuckled suddenly. "Maybe it's my upbringing. In Chinese culture we are taught to obey our elders without question. Their word is law and we should respect the chain of command. I've gone through most of my life following orders without so much as considering the implications of my actions. Because I was a good little soldier, I've lost friends, people I cared about, and at one point even my self respect." She paused long enough to sigh. "So many mistakes. So much lost time. How I wish certain things had gone differently."

"How so?"

Yan Lin smiled at Caleb. "We all have our secrets, Caleb. Even the Oracle. Even you. If everyone just blurted them out then there would be no point in keeping them."

"Your granddaughter always told me it was better to talk about things rather than keep them inside."

"She also thinks the tooth fairy really exists and that gnomes steal her socks in the middle of the night." She said. "But she has a point. But one must take care which secrets are unveiled for they have a way of giving someone power over you."

Caleb thought of something. "I read something once about a man named Buddha. He said, 'Three things cannot long stay hidden: the sun, the moon, and the truth.' If that's accurate, why bother trying to hide in the first place?"

"Because all three, despite their crystal clarity, have their own secrets, Caleb. The sun and the moon have intrigued human beings with their mysteries. The truth, an even more elusive entity, is a greater enigma. Whenever one truth is revealed, another secret emerges, but if the search for truth is everlasting, than that must mean that secrets are eternal as well. In that case, what's the use of not keeping secrets it that in turn will inspire others to always seek out the truth?"

Such a profound question stunted Caleb's next words. He remembered why so many people respected and honored Yan Lin outside of her friends and family. His mind would grapple with that concept for days to come and Yan Lin; sweet, kind Yan Lin, had imparted wisdom upon him that was centuries old.

"Secrets are an invaluable part of this world." She continued. "Do not be so quick to dismiss them when you feel someone is hiding them from you."

Humbled, Caleb lowered his head.

She outstretched a thin arm to his muscular one. "All things are revealed in time. Rest assured we will know when the time is right. For now, all we have to worry about is Will and seeing her home safe and sound." Her heart lifted when she saw him smile. Caleb was such handsome young man. He was pure, honest and noble. Truly a rarity among the male species back on her world. There was so much that she loved about him. Cornelia better not mess things up with this prized catch. "Come." She said. "Let's eat something. We can talk more about Buddha if you like."

They ate, drank, and talked for a while. It wasn't long before Halinor interrupted. "It is done." She told them. "She will see you now."

Halinor escorted Yan Lin and Caleb to the private chamber of the Oracle. There, in the center of the room, stood Will in her pajamas.

She wasn't glowing.

"Will!" Caleb rushed toward her but stopped when he heard her voice----to his right.

"Caleb!" Will was standing next to the Oracle. They were having a discussion when the entourage arrived. Caleb was no more than three steps from "Will" when the other "Will" called out to him. "I'm over here." She said.

Caleb looked back at the girl he was running too. She looked at him with those same dark orbs he'd associate with the leader of the guardians. He stood up straight; almost not believing what he was seeing. "Uh—hello."

The girl smiled at him. "Hi." (6)

1 - I'm guessing Will is pushing fifteen. In the series, her birthday is in the Fall which has already passed.

2 - I decided to give Caleb more of a "warrior's edge". Something I felt was missing in the television series.

3 - I figured it's about time that at least one of the girls finally admits that.

4 - For those who don't know, Peter Petrelli is a character on the NBC hit series, Heroes. Will's comment is based on the premise of the first season, in which the heroes attempt to prevent Peter, who's absorbed a fellow hero's power to harness nuclear energy, from destroying New York City when he explodes.

5 - I made that up.

6 - That's the first word Will's altermere said in "H is for Hunted." A little déjà vu.

KnightofFaerun – This is my first time trying out the notes at the end of the chapter thing. I may keep it, I may not.