Late that night, Sarah sat in her room reading about sailing. She wondered about the captain Karen had found and hoped that he knew what he was doing. Karen was not the witch Sarah had wanted her to be, she was imperfect, annoying, and sometimes unintentionally cruel, but she wasn't a bad person. Still, she didn't quite believe in her yet. How did she find this guy anyway? Hopefully not through one of her country club friends, those women were forever going on about their fantastic pool boys - or gardeners - or whatever else they pretended their pretty boys were. Hopefully Karen would not become one of those women.

Next year she'd be off at college and her father would still have Karen and Toby. Hopefully there would still be a place for her in their family. This cruise idea was a good start to building a real relationship with her Dad and Karen. It could be fun.

She wondered if the captain was handsome than laughed at the rain outside her window. Seventeen years old and trying so hard not to think about relationships that she was always wondering what relationships were like. She saw an owl race past her window and shuddered, knowing she was being silly. She would not think about him. He was a liar and a cheat and - she felt an odd squeeze in her stomach when she thought about him, like she wanted to call him to her even as she never wanted to see him again.

She sighed, staring out into the rainy night, wondering if he ever thought about her. She wanted him to miss her even though she knew better. She missed him even though she knew better. Sometimes being mature wasn't fair. She wondered what he'd think of that, then shook her head. She really needed to get some sleep, she was almost convincing herself that she felt something for someone who despised her. The owl was outside her window, perched on a branch that swayed in the wind. Sarah felt like that sometimes, like she was hanging on for dear life while the storms passed around her. She rolled her eyes, she was much too young to be this maudlin. She had to snap out of it before Karen started believing Sarah was just as self absorbed as her mother had been. And if there was one person Sarah was not, it was her mother. The Labyrinth had taught her that - you couldn't just wish your problems away like Linda Williams had always done. There were consequences. And like it or not, that was fair.

A knock on her door startled her out of her thoughts, and she grinned as her father opened the door.

"You ok, kiddo? I noticed your light was still on," he said, coming into the room. She nodded, holding up the book.

"Fine, Dad - just studying on how to be a good sailor." Robert nodded approvingly.

"I'm proud to have you on my crew, sailor," he joked, ruffling her hair. So like her mother, throwing herself into each new role life gave her.

"I'm proud to be on your crew, sir," she saluted. "But I'm sure this captain will have us all in line right away. Where did Karen find him anyway?"

"It's the strangest thing, we'd just bought the boat and we were standing there looking at her - boats are female you know, and Karen said 'I wish we knew a good captain to take us on our first trip' and there he was - like magic. Strange how life grants wishes out of the blue like that, hmm?" He didn't notice Sarah's face pale slightly.

"Well, good night, Sarah - try not to stay up too late, you do still have school tomorrow. And try to be home on time, Karen will be needing your help to get dinner ready."

"Um - sure Dad," she smiled as she put the book down to hug him goodnight. "I'll be home as soon as school's out, I really cannot wait to meet our captain."

Robert left and Sarah sat down on the bed. After a long moment of staring out of her window she shook herself out of her crazy thoughts.

"Wishes are just ways to prevent you from living your real life," she reminded herself. She opened her window and called out to the owl. "No good comes from wishes."

The owl regarded her for a moment, then silently flew away.