Jackie turned around half her way across the street when she was almost to the Bellows. It wasn't necessary to go see Alyssa, not at all. She knew she wouldn't be given the time of day anyway. But…there was the honest thing to contend with. Jackie rose to the balls of her feet and swiftly turned around in the middle of the street and started back for the Bellows. She went through the back gate, the way she'd been getting to one of her best friend's houses for years. Alyssa was where she always was, working hard, sitting at the patio table; her golden blonde hair framed her usually attractive face. She furrowed her face in concentration.

"Studying?" Jackie broke the silence. Annoyed, Alyssa dropped her pencil and rubbed her temple.

"I-was."

"I was wondering a-actually if you could help me with my math." Alyssa's head snapped up and she raised an eyebrow.

After years of such a turbulent relationship, she didn't know what to think of Jackie suddenly sincerely asking her a favor in such an adult way. Could one day in high school really have resulted in such a higher investment in maturity? On the part of Jackie? No!

Amanda rubbed her hands on a dishtowel and watched from the kitchen. She wondered where this was going and couldn't imagine that it could be good. She and Jeannie had been so disappointed that their daughters clashed so much. But historically, they had.

"Did you ask Josh?"

"He's too busy, you know with football and all."

"Yes." Alyssa wondered two if her working so hard to get into Harvard met that she wasn't busy. "If I have time, I'll help you a little. Come back on Friday."

Jackie was equally perplexed but pleased.

Observing this Amanda wondered if she should phone the National Guard. She had no idea what was going on and called Jeannie instead of overreacting.

"Okay. Thanks." She turned around.

"Hey-"

"Um?"

"Did you have a good first day?"

"Yeah."

"Good I'm glad." She smiled slightly and went back to her work.

Jackie giggled and started the short walk home. Sometimes she wondered if Alyssa cared for her or something. It would be hard to imagine that she didn't to some degree- she'd never gone more than a day or two in her life without seeing Alyssa.

"Hi Jack." Isabel was waiting for her when she got back to her room. Isabel had her own bed and her own stuff in Jackie's room. She stayed with them when her father was in space and so forth and had practically been raised by Jeannie. "How was your day?"

"I just went to Alyssa for help."

"With the math?" Isabel was puzzled. She pulled her dark brown, almost black hair into a bun and opened her own math book.

"Yeah-"

"You know…I'm not a genie, but I know how this stuff works- maybe you should try using your magic, don't you think?"

"It's so dishonest Izzy."

"Well, hey- if it's how you can get through.. Why don't you just study with me and Abby? Where is Abby anyway? She was supposed to be here…"

"Look, Alyssa is smart. If she's willing to help, I'm willing to listen. No matter how much I don't necessarily like her."

"Okay-" Isabel took a suit yourself type of tone. "But what if you didn't just, say blink up the answer…"

"Go on."

"What if you did something a bit, trickier and instead gave yourself the knowledge you needed in order to answer the question correctly and used your own brain to work for it. I still say that that's using your natural ability."

"Well,,,,,"

"Well what! You should do it."

"I do think you're right." She giggled. "But what about seeing Alyssa on Friday?"

"Why don't you spend the time to turn her into this."

Isabel showed Jackie something else in the book. Laughing, Jackie through another book at her head.

Jeannie was in the kitchen blinking up dinner when she felt someone wrap their arms around her waist.

"Ah!" She squealed. She giggled when she knew it was just Anthony and turned around in his arms, wrapping hers tightly around his neck as they kissed. "I've been hoping you would come home all day husband- and before the children got here."

"Oh I'm sorry Jeannie, I couldn't manage it. But when I get back, I promise I'll come home in the middle of the day everyday."

In all these years their relationship had remained just as vibrant and passion-filled as ever. It was also as hectic as ever; which Jeannie surmised kept the fun in it. He kissed her neck softly.

"Do you really have to go to space?"

"Yes darling. I know you're making dinner- but would you like, to just leave this for the kids- and go out somewhere special tonight?"

"Oh master! That sounds so wonderful! Yes I would love to…is there something you must tell me?"

"No!" He laughed, "I just want to go out with my wife, that's all." He held both her hands in his.

She looked at him skeptically. She knew that laugh, it was his nervous laugh that met he was hiding something from her.

"Very well, let's spend the evening in Paris!"

He laughed and hugged her tightly as she blinked and they disappeared, in their place, a note for the kids gently fluttered to the floor.

"Mommy?" Allie asked as her mother as she was making dinner. It was beginning to rain outside and Alyssa gathered her books and quickly ran through the back door.

"Yes sweetie."

"Where's Abby?"

"I'm not sure, she'll be home soon."

"She was going to help me with my project, that's all."

"I can help for a few minutes Allie. Let me just change, I'm soaked now."

"Do you know where Abby is?"

"Frosh cheer I think…Mom, she'll be home soon." Alyssa skipped up the stairs.

"Mom can I have something to eat? Please?" Allie tugged at her skirt.

"Go get one cookie, but be sure it's eaten before your father comes home, okay?" Even though she and her husband weren't exactly getting any younger Amanda was happy to have someone little in the house still. Allie was the youngest by several years and had been by her mother's own omission, a complete accident.

Suddenly the back door opened.

"Abby there you are. You're late I was getting worried."

"Hi." She closed the door behind her.

"Someone's lucky she's home before Daddy." Allie reminded her.

"Yes, yes you are." Amanda agreed. "How was school? And cheer?"

"Fine." She yawned. "I'm going to go change."

"Mommy she's acting weird."

"Shu! Allegra, I know." Amanda knew something was not right.

Jeannie and Tony sat at a small table sipping wine. A large harvest moon hung low in the sky, eclipsing the Eiffel Tower in the horizon. It was all-close enough to touch. She wore a beautiful sparkly gold low cut evening dress. Tony thought that it blended in with her hair and made her big blue eyes pop out at him. They had dined hours ago and had spent their evening walking through the city, talking and of course playing footsie.

"I wish we could spend more time in Paris master, or anywhere together for that matter."

"Oh so do I Jeannie. Hey, I'll tell you what, when I do retire, why don't we spend all of our time here? In fact we could travel through Europe."

"Oh Anthony, that would be wonderful!"

"It's settled then." Jeannie giggled.

"Oh I am glad! She clapped.

They kissed from across the table.

"I guess we better be getting back then."

"I suppose we must." Jeannie was disappointed but blinked. Nothing happened, just that sound that a broken blink makes. She tried several more times. And looked up at her husband alarmed.

"Jeannie? What's wrong?"

"I- I do not know. Maybe it's all this wine I drank." She picked up the glass and looked inside as she twirled it around.

"Sometimes if we've had to much to drink, the blink stops- it's safer that way. Don't drink and blink."

He nodded, that would make sense but what if he weren't home in time for lift off- that would get him kicked out of the space program for sure!

"Well then, if that's the case let's spend the night." He put her wrap around her shoulders and put his arm around her. "And we'll call the kids in the morning and Jackie can come and get us."

"That sounds like it could be fun, I get to keep you for a little longer!" She kissed him softly. Although Anthony was nervous, spending the night in Paris would not be a bad thing.

The next morning they enjoyed a beautiful breakfast and went shopping before they called the kids, around 5:30 am Florida time. Jackie yawned into the phone as she answered it.

"Dad! Where are you?"

"We're in Paris and we need you to come and get us, your Mom's blink isn't what it should be it seems."

"Alright, I'll be there in just a minute." She yawned.

"Hey where are Mom and Dad?" Josh was about to go out for his morning run and stuck his head in their door.

"Paris." Isabel answered. He nodded, finding this normal and waved as he made his way down the stairs.

Hours later they were just finishing their first week of high school, or they were a period away from it on a Friday afternoon. Jackie was exhausted. Early that morning she'd gone to Paris to pick up her parents and said goodbye to her Dad who was going off to space. Then class all day. Now finally a bathroom break and she could breathe! And then the weekend! She couldn't wait, she'd promised to take Isabel and Abby to New York and if Allie were patient she could tag along too. But she felt something was wrong when she entered the locker room. She heard crying faintly around the corner, quite near her locker. She walked away from the bathroom entrance and toward the terrible sound.

"A-Abby?" She questioned, she was totally shocked. She blinked a couple of times trying to make sure she was seeing things correctly. "What are you doing?"

"No nothing." She covered her wrists with her sleeves. "I'm not doing anything."

"Abby you're holding a knife."

"I'll see you in New York tomorrow." She quickly got up and rushed out of the room.

Jackie did the only thing she knew to do, she blinked and rang the Bellows door