Disclaimer: W.I.T.C.H. is owned by Disney and this is a work of non-profit fiction. D.J.I.N.N., Dee, Spider Ho (working title) and other original characters in this work are my own creations and should not be used without my permission.

Author's Note: I'm trying to keep the chapters shorter than the ones in Dark Gossamer Wings for two reasons. One, it allows me to update faster. Two, not everyone was thrilled with the admittedly drawn-out length of the chapters in that story. To that end, I'm trying to mimic the style of the show, basically two or three chapters equaling an episode. It felt a little rushed at first, but I think it works fairly well. Average chapter length is going to be nine thousand words, I'd guess.

Much love to my reviewers, by the way. I know everyone wants to see the new Guardians soon; next chapter, I promise. In fact, a lot of "old" characters will be making their DJINN premiere in Three, if that'll help you get through this one!

Big thanks to Drag0nf1y for pointing out this chapter had been saved over by Chapter Three, you wouldn't even be reading this if Drag0nf1y hadn't PM'ed me about it.

Chapter Two: First Impressions Hurt

"Will, meeting you is the best thing that has ever happened to me!" Dee said as they flew downtown, Will hanging trapeze-style from the Guardian's grip. "And I mean that; I don't get mushy very often!"

"That's great, Dee, just keep your eyeeeeeyahs!" Will's reply transformed into a yelp as she drew her knees up to avoid a flagpole. Dee was handling flying very well, but even prodigies have to take baby steps before breaking into a run. Will knew first-hand how difficult it was to carry a person while flying; every tiny movement they made threw you around. Still, that last one was a little close...

"Sorry! Thought we were gonna clear it!" Dee apologized. "No offense, Miss V., but you're heavier than you look."

Will glared up at the girl who had a fifteen-inch waist and a butt half-again as small as hers. "None taken, Dee. I admire your honesty. I'll remember it when you come around looking for more lasagna."

"Oooh, someone's cranky," Dee chortled as she rose ten feet to clear a cathedral. Will still had to pull her legs up to avoid being dragged over the ornate rain gutter and run along the roof before Dee rose. It seemed familiar to her, but Dee's next comment broke her reverie. "Are you going through the Change or something?"

Will nearly joined a trio of mismatched gargoyles before she remembered to throw her weight to one side. "What!? How old do you think I am?!"

Dee's face changed into a thoughtful look. "Do you really want to know?"

Will ignored her and said, "I'll be thirty-one this month."

"Really? I thought you were twenty-five!"

"Smartass." Dee laughed. Will couldn't help but grin along with her as she noticed a familiar sight. "There's the restaurant. Try to land in the back alley."

"Roger!" Dee dove toward the alley. Quickly.

Something flickered in Will's memory. "Oh, and try to avoid the dumpster. Landings can be trick... oh, crud..."

Crash!

/-\D/-\

"I am so sorry, Will!"

"It's alright," Will reassured the new Guardian as she picked brown rice out of her hair. "You'll get the hang of it eventually... er, you have some chopsticks stuck to your leg."

"Oh. Thanks." Dee removed the soy sauce-soaked chopsticks and tossed them into the dumpster without so much as a grimace. "This restaurant must have really good food; there was hardly any of it left in the trash. Not a place I'd come to for leftovers."

"Leftovers? Oh." Visions of ham sandwiches danced before Will's eyes. "I am so sorry, Dee. No one should have to live like that."

Dee waved her long fingers in a dismissive gesture. "Ah, don't worry about it. It's not that bad if you get to it fast enough. You'd be surprised what people don't eat on their plates."

"Maybe, but..." Will looked at the girl and tried to picture the poor thing she had been before she transformed. "I really don't know that much about you, do I?"

Dee rubbed the bare parts of her arms, not because she was cold, Will knew, but from uneasiness. "What's to know?"

"Well, your family, for starters. I know I'm intruding, but the Guardian situation means that I need to know more about you. It could be important."

Dee stared at her, then nodded. "You're right. I owe you that, anyway. Well, let's see... family, right? Heck if I know. I lived in an orphanage most of life and then foster homes until I took off."

"You're a runaway? Why did you leave?"

Dee turned until she was facing away from Will. "My last home was pretty rough, not that anyone believed me; I just up and left when I thought I could get away with it. That was about a year ago. I've been making my way west since then. I got to... what's this town's name?"

"Heatherfield."

Dee turned back and smirked at Will. "You're kidding, right? Anyway, I got here a week ago. Nice enough place; lots of restaurants, real restaurants and not that fast food stuff. Heh, not that I'm picky." To Dee's surprise, Will suddenly embraced her. "Wha? Where's that coming from?"

"Sorry." Will pulled back but took Dee's hands in her own. "Whatever happens, you won't have to go back to that life ever again."

Dee stared at her before chuckling nervously. "Look, if you're going to send me back into the system I'll just give you the Heart back and be on my way. I've been burned enough as it is by the 'law'..."

"No, that's not what I meant." Will fidgeted as she realized what she was about to ask. "I guess... do you want to live with me?"

Dee stared at her. "Uh, did the Spider Ho hit you on the head? 'Cuz you're sounding real concussed right now." She began to feel Will's scalp for bumps, adding, "I love your hair, by the way."

"Thanks." Will knew it was insane to be offering her home to this girl after only knowing her an hour, but something inside was telling her that this was what she had been waiting for all these years. Hadn't she wanted her friends to take care of Dee as the Beast threatened her? The only reason she had hoped for that was because she had expected to die tonight. If not, there was no doubt in her mind she wanted Dee in her life. "No, really, I'm fine. Look, we can talk in the morning. Let's just..."

The back door to the restaurant swung open. Will jumped in front of Dee in order to block her Guardian form from view, only to find her stature was not quite up to the job as Dee's eyes peeked over her hair at the newcomer.

Dee's first impression of the Asian woman was that she had a good-sized rack under her bright red and blue polka-dotted sweater. Her face was partially obscured by the wispy ebony hair that hung over her eyes, the rest of her waist-length mane tied into a long ponytail with several colorful handmade scrunchies; the five symbols on the scrunchies looked very familiar to Dee for some reason. She was hefting a large garbage bag that was giving her obvious trouble, so much so that she totally ignored Will and Dee until she was done tossing the bag into the recently-vacated dumpster.

The woman blew her bangs out of her eyes and popped her back noisily as she said, "Somedays, I really miss Caleb working here. Or his muscles, actually. Man, how heavy can a bunch of old nasty napkins be..." Her eyes widened in a delayed reaction and, with her hands still on the small of her back and partially bent backward, she turned to look at the other two occupants of the alley. "Will? What are... oh my gosh! What happened?!"

Will realized that she was covered in mud over seventy-percent of her body and her hands and face were scratched up. She also felt the massive bruise on her side from Spider Ho's leg and reckoned that it would be a beauty of broken blood vessels. Add that to her soreness from hitting the brick wall and she was damaged goods. "I'm okay, I just... it's Guardian stuff."

"Guardian Stuff? But..." The woman noticed Dee hiding behind Will. "Oh my. Who's this?"

Will stepped away from Dee so that the woman could see her. "This is Dee, the new Keeper of the Heart. Dee, this one of my oldest and best friends, Hay Lin."

Some part of Dee's personality remembered to be polite to new acquaintances. "Uhm, hi." She threw in a weak wave just in case.

The woman named Hay Lin was much less restrained. She gave Dee her second hug of the night and nearly squeezed the life out of her with surprising strength. "Oh, it's so nice to meet you, Dee! You look great in your uniform, it kinda reminds of Will's old one... well, it shows a little more, but nothing too bad! Whew! Did you guys land in the dumpster? Flying is a little tricky at first, I know. I loved the flying, that's the only thing I really miss about being a Guardian. Did you know that Will was awful at it? I didn't think she'd ever get the hang of..."

"Hay Lin?" Will interceded. "Can we stay here tonight? I'm not sure my apartment is safe right now and we really need to shower... I mean, I have your special of the day on my butt." Dee giggled at Will's situation before she realized there were dumplings jammed up her mini-skirt.

Hay Lin crooked her neck and inspected Will's soaked bum. "Oh, of course! I was just taking out the last of the trash. Honestly, I could be President and Grandma would still make me do my chores around here! Uh, maybe Dee should change back before we go inside."

"Oh, right." Dee held the Heart out and willed the power it had given her to return. A soft purplish-white light engulfed her form and began to shrink until she was her original size again. When the light vanished, Dee was just as Will remembered her.

Hay Lin took in her appearance. "Wow, you look just like a boy."

Will was aghast at Hay Lin's observation, but Dee simply smiled graciously. "Thanks, that's what I was shooting for."

/-\D/-\

Every time the call in for a possible disturbance, Officer Irma Tubbs was afraid.

Not for herself, of course. What made her heartbeat increase and her skin tighten was the possibility that someone's life had been destroyed while she and her partner were eating lunch or discussing their families' latest outings at the park. The old saying, "No news is good news," was just as much a part of Irma's professional life as "serve and protect".

But what really terrified her was being called to an address she knew. When the call came in to investigate a possible break-in at Will's apartment building, Irma was glad her father's old partner Andrew Taylor was the one doing the driving tonight; if she had been behind the wheel, the speed limit and several other things would have been broken in her rush to her friend's home.

They met the manager at the doors to the small lobby where Will collected her mail every day at six. Mr. Whitaker was a nice enough man who could have been either a tired forty or a spry sixty. He recognized Irma and swallowed in reflex; this made Irma's stomach drop. "It's Will's, isn't it?" she asked, already knowing the answer.

Whitaker nodded and led them to the elevator. "The neighbors called me about a loud racket in 4C about an hour ago. Ms. Vandom usually gets in about this time, so I figured she dropped something or some such. When I knocked on the door and called out there was no answer; the tenants in the other apartments pointed out that the balcony doors were open I called 911 in case it was burglars, but I don't see how they could have gotten up the fire-escape without anyone noticing." They entered the elevator.

"There's a trick to it," Taylor said, "But it can be done with the right tools. Do you have a way to get into the apartment?" Irma was glad that the older man was taking charge; right now her only thought was to get to Will. And hurt someone, if need be.

"I do." The elevator doors opened and they walked along the hall to Will's apartment. Several of Will's neighbors were standing at their doors, worry and macabre fascination evident on their faces. Irma resisted the urge to order them back into their rooms.

"No point telling them not to look," Taylor muttered. "It's human nature."

Irma grimaced. "Stay out of my head, old guy." Taylor grinned at her expression as Whittaker slashed the keycard in Will's reader. Both officers had their hands on their holstered sidearms as Irma slowly opened the door, though the former Water Guardian would have gladly traded her Kevlar vest and gun for green-and-violet tights and a blast of water coming out of her hands. "Will?" she called out. No sense in trying to be impersonal at this point. "Will, babe? It's Irma."

No answer. Irma stepped fully into the apartment, noting the drips of water and the lights being on as she surveiled her surroundings quickly and accurately, a skill she developed years before she had graduated from the police academy, or even high school for that matter. She also noticed the blowing of cool air from the small kitchen next to the apartment's balcony as it wound through the living room at the edge of the building, ruffling papers and the leaves of Will's nearly dead plants. Irma's nose wrinkled as it caught the scent of rotten fruit, a familiar smell that seemed alien for reasons she couldn't identify.

Figuring that calling out Will's name any more was a waste of time, she nodded at Taylor and they split up, Irma heading towards the two bedrooms to the left and Taylor to the kitchen and living area. As she gestured for Whittaker to stay where he was, her mind betrayed her as it ran all kind of scenarios to explain the strange situation; Will met a guy and was making whoopie in her bedroom, the French doors blew open on their own, she was kidnaped by a serial killer or was lying dead and arranged in a ritualistic pose on her bathroom floor...

Irma bit the inside of her mouth and mentally slapped herself back on track. As her hand closed around the doorknob to the first bedroom she unbuttoned the clasp on her holster and prepared herself for the worst. After a second she turned and slowly opened the door to find...

Nothing. Just a bare room where Will stored a few boxes. The closet was wide open and mostly empty. Sighing with relief, Irma felt herself grow a little braver as she approached the second door. The dread returned as she twisted the knob again, only to find an equally empty bedroom behind Door No. 2. A quick search revealed the closets and bathroom to be vacant as well. Irma felt relief, then anxiety as experience told her that this might not mean anything.

She left the bedroom and found Taylor inspecting the balcony doors, though it was pretty obvious that they had been forced open from the outside. When Irma pointed this out, Taylor added, "Yeah, but look at the point of impact. Whatever the perps used hit like a sledge-hammer, but I've never seen this kind of indention before. It could have been a shovel, but it's too wide."

Irma should have realized that Taylor, who had worked in Los Angles for twenty years, would have seen far more break-ins than she herself. When he had told Irma that he'd moved to Heatherfield for the peace and quiet the small city offered, Irma had unintentionally laughed in his face. She had apologized and asked him if he wouldn't be happier in "Mayberry;" Andy Taylor hadn't gotten the joke. "Perps? Have you checked the fire-escape?"

Andy ran a hand over his short black hair (not dyed, despite his age) and rolled his eyes. "I'll let that slide this time, kid, but yeah, I did. Thing is, it hasn't been used and even if they had the ability to put the retractable ladder back they wouldn't have the time, according to Whittaker. Could it have been someone in this building, someone with a thing against Vandom?"

Whittaker spoke up from the door. "I doubt it, Officers. Most of our tenants are retirees and I've never had a complaint against her."

"Who has the apartments below this one that could have used the fire escape?" Irma asked.

Whittaker searched his memory and named off the tenants one by one. All of them belonged to the retirees he had mentioned and were staying in their apartments alone. "Was there a break-in?"

Taylor stood up with a groan as he answered. "Well, it certainly looks like the doors were forced; the latch was broke by whatever hit them. Nothing seems to be missing..." He looked at Irma for confirmation and she nodded. "Does Vandom have a SAT we can call?"

Irma was about to answer when she sighted Will's purse on the counter top. She quickly dug into it and pulled out a battered cell phone that was at least eighteen years old. Irma groaned as she realized that Will had been here and left her things behind.

Taylor squinted at the cell-phone. "Geez, that thing's older than my kid. She still use it?"

Irma shrugged. "It's... sentimental. She upgraded it with a SAT chip years ago." Taylor didn't look convinced. "Let's just say it's a chick thing, alright? Look, she was here, someone broke in without using the fire escape and now she's gone. We have to put an APB out on her now."

"Okay, okay, forgive an old guy his curiosity." Taylor reached for his radio as Irma studied the apartment again. Next to the purse was a mostly eaten plate of Will's god-awful lasagna that she had convinced herself she was getting better at every time she made it. Though Irma knew she was a patrol(wo)man and not a detective, she still had solved enough mystery novels before the last page to somewhat qualify. As she studied the layout it all began to fit together.

Will came home, put her umbrella up and lay her purse on the bar. She put up her groceries and reheated some lasagna and finished most of it before... something happened. Maybe while she was sitting on the stool...

Wait a minute. Will never sat on the stool when she ate. When Will ate she always lay on the sofa in the living room watching TV. It didn't matter how tired she was, she always made the trip to the couch to channel surf. In all the years that Irma had known her Will Vandom could never just eat; she had to be doing something else. Though Irma didn't know whether it stemmed from that ever-present self-conscious image of herself or from some of her mother's work ethic, Will would never be able to consume food without talking or engaging in some sort of activity. As Irma re-checked the counter she found no reading material of any kind, not even an unpaid bill.

She checked the stool and found it to be slightly warm. Her mind flashed back to the distinctly dripped drops of water in the hallway in front of the door.

Irma returned to the spot and knelt next to the water, noting the slightly wet umbrella tucked into the rack next to the door. Taylor and Whittaker were talking in the next room, out of sight. When she was sure she wouldn't be seen, Irma placed her hand in the biggest puddle of water and concentrated.

When a Guardian is a Guardian no longer, they lose their link to the Auramere in Candracar that supplies them with the raw magical power required to perform their duty. The shape of their power, however, remains within them as an Eternal Gift, both as a sign of appreciation and a way to better aid in their instruction of their successors. Later in Irma's Guardian career she manifested the ability to read the movements of water and was able to the trace the path of rivers hundreds of miles to their sources. It had seemed like a rather lame power to her teenage mind set at the time, but now that Will's life depended on it... not so much.

As Irma connected to the distinct molecular makeup that was still her patron element after all these years, she saw how the water saw. Like rewinding an old video too fast, she found herself floating in clouds as dirt and water vapor mated to form ice crystals. The crystal began to plummet to earth like falling angels where the temperature warmed them into rain. She, Irma, the rain, fell upon the streets and buildings and what few people there were out and about in the storm.

As the drops ran together Irma began to lose her focus as millions of journeys poured into her mind. She fought to keep control before she remembered something the Oracle had told her years ago: "All are in one, one is in all." Irma had made a smart remark about that, something about the Three Musketeers or the like, but now she understood what he had been trying to teach her.

Instead of trying to grab onto the history of one drop as it combined with countless other, she used that single drop as a starting off point to latch onto every molecule of water she could. A 3-D picture painted by rain began to form of the whole city of Heatherfield. Irma groaned but didn't hear herself as the strain began to sap her life-force; her focus was unwavering as she located the exact moment when the rain hit the coat of an individual that ran into Will.

From there she traced their hurried flight back to the apartment, fearfully noting the spider-like creature that trailed them. They disappeared once they were in the apartment and the rain stopped, the creature poised across the street. Irma knew what had likely happened next, though.

"Lair?"

Irma let out a gasp as she lost contact, the drain of the act causing her to gasp for breath as he body accommodated for the lost energy. She looked up into Taylor's worried face. "I'm... fine. I think Will brought someone home with her."

Taylor didn't look convinced about Irma's reassurance or her theory. "I've heard you have some sort of sixth sense, kid, but this is too close to home for anyone. Maybe..." Irma's glare shut him up good.

"I know this woman better than I'll ever know myself; the plate of food and the drips are practically screaming 'second person!' at me."

"Okay, okay, damn, you're worse than your father. I don't suppose that sense of yours can tell us the description..."

"A kid with baggy clothes."

Taylor stared at her. "...okay. I've already got the APB reported and they're sending someone to look over the doors."

"Good. Wait, isn't Gerry on duty this time of night?"

"Uh, yeah."

"Did you tell them that Will is a friend of mine and that if Gerry pulls any of that freaky stuff he doesn't supposedly do I'll beat his ass?"

"I passed that along, yeah."

Irma smiled at her partner. "Good." She leaned into the room where Will's landlord was staring at the French doors. "Mr. Whittaker, I know it's late, but could you keep an... assist our crime lab guy with the doors?"

Whittaker smiled, having heard the conversation through the wall. "Oh, I'll do whatever I can to help Miss Vandom's privacy. I'm a night owl, anyway."

"Thank you." Will had always liked the man and Irma could see why. "Here's my card, SAT number on the back. If anything's wrong you should call 911 again, of course, but this is just in case."

"Got it." Whittaker paused. "I'm sure Miss Vandom is okay. I bet she's a lot tougher than I know."

Irma actually smiled. "Brother, you don't know the half of it."

Irma and Taylor left the building a few minutes later and got into their squad car. Irma's mind was still racing as Taylor started the engine and began to sweep the neighborhood, looking for any clues that could tell them where Will and the mysterious person had gone. Irma was looking as well, but also trying to touch upon the link the two women had shared as Guardians. She knew it probably wouldn't work, as even at the height of their abilities they hadn't been able to contact each other without Taranee's telepathic help.

Irma had always thought that with their Guardianship at an end, they would only have to deal with the evils of this world. That, along with family tradition, was why Irma had become a police officer in the first place: to protect her friends.

Dammit! Irma bumped her forehead against the window, attracting Taylor's attention. "Lair?"

Irma swore not to even tear up as she looked at partner. "First day I met that girl I promised myself I'd protect her... I've come to find out I really suck at promises."

Taylor sighed. "Don't do it, Lair. You start that and you'll eat yourself up. Besides, a lot of things don't add up about this. Even if there an intruder, how would he have gotten her down the fire escape or past Whittaker? My sense tells me that she went somewhere else after this happened, maybe to another friend's house or her parents'."

"And left her purse and phone?"

"Doesn't mean anything. People get scared, they don't think about stuff like that."

"Will doesn't scare easy," Irma stated. But she was pragmatic; she wouldn't grab anything to weight her down if she was running from someone. And if the intruder was... other-worldly, who would she call? Besides Irma?

If Will had left in a hurry, where would she go? Not to her mother, not at the risk of putting her family in danger. No, she'd go to the one person in this world that could help. Well, besides Irma. "Taylor, could you drop me off on your way back to the station? I can get back on my own"

"Sure, kid. Where at?"

"The Silver Dragon." Every officer at the station knew about the restaurant, it being famous for its good food and pretty hostess on the weekends, though you were always polite to Ms. Lin because Lair the Younger would "beat your ass" if you weren't.

"You hungry?"

"No, but Will might be."

/-\D/-\

Dee had never met a person as cheerful as Hay Lin. She'd seen cartoon characters as maniacally happy as this woman, but never any flesh-and-blood counterparts to her almost scary good nature. Of course, before tonight she'd never met giant spider monsters, either. Or transformed into a fairy with abs you could bounce a quarter off of. Okay, so it was a beyond bizarre night. Dee felt that nothing could freak her out again after this.

That said, it was a little unnerving to see her new adult friend being stripped by another woman so soon after making her acquaintance. Hay Lin's "gosh-oh-golly" attitude concealed a will of steel.

"Gah! Hay Lin!" Will shrieked as her friend yanked her soiled blue jeans down to her ankles; Dee was amused to see Will wore blue panties with a guitar-playing frog on the front. Come to think of it, Will's apartment had loads of frog-related merchandise in it; dolls, the wall clock in the kitchen, and even her sofa had green upholstery on it. Will had a frog fetish of sorts, apparently.

"Shhh! Grandma's asleep!" Hay Lin scolded Will, oblivious to her discomfort. "I can't believe you got attacked after all these years."

Will glared as she backed away from Hay Lin, who was now trying to remove her undershirt. "I can handle it, thank you." Will pulled the shirt over her head and revealed a matching blue top with strategically positioned lily pads; though not as "gifted" as Hay Lin, Will was nothing to laugh at. Dee wondered how her boobs would develop, now that she might not be living on the street anymore and wouldn't have to pass herself off as a boy. She still couldn't believe Will was thinking of taking her in; she resolved to say thank you when they were alone.

Still, there was something she had to do first. "Nice 'pads, Will."

Will rolled her eyes. "I have a problem, I admit it; if it's got a frog, and it's in my size, I have to have it. You're just going to have to live with that."

Hay Lin smiled at Dee. "Aren't they cute? I got them at a novelty shop for her. Cornelia didn't like them, but that's Cornelia for you."

"Cornelia?"

"One of our friends and another Guardian," Will explained. "She's very fashion-minded, even for a model."

"Super-model," Hay Lin corrected. "She's modeled for just about everyone, uh, except for Playboy and those kind of magazines. Maybe you've seen her, Dee? She's a figure-skater, too; well, uh, not at the moment."

Dee smiled and shook her head. "I haven't watched TV in over a year and I don't really care about fashion. I mean," she gestured at her discarded clothes, "look at that. Not exactly Gucci, is it?" It was Salvation Army, actually.

"Oh..." Hay Lin blushed. Will had given her a condensed version of Dee's story and the incredibly "Sorry. It's just that she's so famous nowadays. Why, the only other person as famous as her from our town is..." Hay Lin paused and looked over at Will, who gave no sign that she was listening; in fact, she seemed to be tuning her friend out. "Er, why don't you shower first, Will? Dee still looks hungry to me."

"I'm not hungry," Dee claimed. It was a bold-faced lie. During the time she had been chased by the FBS she hadn't been able to eat; when Will saw her tear into that lasagna she must have thought Dee lived in a perpetual state of starvation. The truth was that Dee usually ate pretty well, her skills at obtaining and hoarding food more than adequate to keep her fed.

She was a little skinnier than she should be, true, but she must have looked malnourished to the women when she stripped down to her worn boxer briefs and ratty tank top that was too small for her growing frame. The Heart of Candracar hung around her neck and cast it's subtle light around her, probably making her look even drabber in comparison.

Whatever the case, Hay Lin wasn't fooled at all. "Riiiiiggghhhtt. The Lins have seen bajillions of hungry people over the years; you can't fool me, missy!" Dee wondered just how many adults used the word "bajillions" and decided that there wasn't very many.

"Well, I didn't finish the lasagna..." Dee admitted.

"Oh, thank the Oracle!" Hay Lin exclaimed in relief. "I was scared when Will mentioned you ate some. Do you have a stomachache? Are you dizzy? How many fingers am I holding up? If you see a light, don't go toward it!" Dee giggled at Hay Lin's genuine worry.

Will yanked lightly on Hay Lin's long ponytail, just enough to get the point across. "Not all of us can grow up in a restaurant, Emriel. I'm getting better, I think. Anyway, go get some food, Dee, even I can tell you're still hungry."

Dee realized that they wouldn't leave her alone until she complied. "Okay, okay. I'll eat. Never thought I'd be ordered to."

"Just go down the stairs to the right," Hay Lin directed, "And then through the swinging doors. The leftovers are in the blue refrigerator, just some stuff that didn't get sold. Drinks are in the cabinet next to it."

"Thanks." Dee got up and went to the door of Hay Lin's room, taking care not to step on the papers and toys(?) scattered on the floor. She stepped into the hallway and stopped to look back at the two women. "Uh..."

"What is it?" Will asked.

"Nothing..." Dee left, not entirely sure what she wanted to say. Everything was going so fast tonight, she didn't know where to begin. Maybe Will was right in her insistence they get cleaned up and go to bed; there really wasn't anything they could do at this point. Except eat. Eat good, clean food without having to swipe it.

Dee's stomach, long used to not being listened to, rumbled for the first time in months. She'd always liked Chinese food and even the trash in the dumpster had smelled pretty tempting. She picked up the pace as she skirted the stairs in her bare feet, the Heart bouncing almost jubilantly around her neck as she practically smelled the dumplings and noodles already.

Creeping silently into the enormous kitchen, Dee reminded herself that she had permission to be there. Opening the blue refrigerator door, her brown eyes widened in wonder at the sheer amount of food encased within. Her lip quivered as saliva pooled in her mouth; she almost started to cry.

Dee selected a few dishes she recognized and spread them out on the counter. She found some plates with the drinks in the cupboard and began to prepare her late dinner, delighting somewhat perversely in the placement of the different selections on the dish; it had been far too long since she had fixed her own plate instead of eating off someone else's.

She had put the plate into a microwave and was trying to puzzle out the controls when a click made her start and whirl toward the back door at the end of the kitchen; Hay Lin had been careful to lock it after them just in case. Instinctively Dee ducked underneath the stainless steel table in the middle of the room, only able to see the bottom of the door from her hiding spot.

The door opened slowly until black shoes and dark pants eased into view. The legs stood still a moment, as if surveying the kitchen, then closed the back door behind them and slowly began to walk toward the doors that led into the dining area. Dee's heart pounded in her chest fiercely as the legs stopped at the counter where the food containers were left out. She fought to keep from squirming when she noticed the gun and the baton resting on the hips of this person with a key.

Cop. It was all she could do to keep from running right then. It made sense that just when everything was going good that they would come for her. They always came for her, just when she was comfortable and safe, to stick her in some new nightmare and then call her ungrateful and evil. No, No, No...

Mercifully, the legs kept walking toward the doors, rounding the table as they did. Dee knew better than to breathe a sigh of relief but still thanked whoever was in charge that she hadn't been seen.

When the legs spun and were joined by a pair of thin but strong arms that yanked her from underneath her table, she quickly recanted her thanks. Before shock could set in she was lifted off of the floor and brought face to face with a woman too pretty to be a cop.

"Who are..." the pretty cop began to ask, but was interrupted by Dee's forehead slamming into the bridge of her nose. She swore and released her grip on Dee, who made for the swinging doors but was tackled by the cop and nearly crushed under her weight.

Dee struggled fiercely even as she was pinned on the floor. "Let go! I ain't doing nothing!"

"The hell you are! Where's Will?! And what are you doing with the Heart?!" Dee was surprised at this line of questioning but chose to respond with a kick to the knee-cap and a bite to the hand that made her attacker yelp and swear again, but still she held Dee down. Dee was deciding what to bite next when the doors to restaurant swung open, causing the combatants to look up, Dee's mouth still latched onto the cop's hand.

Irma had taken down drunk-and-disorderlies twice her size and shoved them into her patrol car without breaking a sweat. For a skinny juvenile delinquent smaller than Irma had been at her age to fight her hard enough to make her turn red in the face was a serious blow to her pride. To have Hay Lin and Will run into the kitchen just as the punk bit her hand made it worse. If she hadn't been so happy to see Will alive and well, Irma would probably have killed the girl.

"Irma!" Will cried in horror. Irma was touched by the concern until she followed up with, "Get off of her!"

The hell?... The thief released her bite as soon as she saw Will and scrambled out from under Irma. She grasped the Heart in her hand and before anyone could stop her yelled, "Guardians Unite!"

"No!" Will said as the kitchen was swamped in light. Irma watched in stunned silence as the girl transformed into a Guardian. Fully changed, the kid put her hands up into a street-fighting stance and smirked at Irma. "Come on, old lady, let's go!"

If Irma had not just been called that horrible "O" word that triggered something deep in a woman's psychology and overrode all reason, she would have wondered why a juvenile burglar could use the Heart of Candracar. Because of the "O" word, however, Irma's only conclusion was that the thief had stole the Heart from Will and was an evil creature from hell. That called her "old."

Irma lunged at the ersatz Guardian despite the cries of her friends. She got within two feet of her when Dee pushed off from the floor and used her wings to spin kick at Irma's head. Irma brought her arms up in time to cushion the blow but was still knocked over a table and rolled off the other side. Dee felt very glad that she had snuck into that movie theater. At least until Irma rose from behind the table, wielding a large butcher knife with a murderous expression.

Will and Hay Lin were about to start yelling when an imperious voice from behind them called for the combatants to "Stop!"

Irma and Dee froze and looked past Will. Will and Hay Lin turned and saw an elderly Asian woman dressed for bed in an elaborate robe. Her long gray hair ran down to her waist both in front and behind her ears, creating a ceremonial look to her frail form. Eyes opened to slits and her head held high, she commanded obedience. "Irma," she said in a raspy voice, "put that knife down."

Irma slowly placed the knife on the table. "Mrs. Lin, I..."

"You." Mrs. Lin was addressing Dee now. "The Heart is not to be used in such a manner. Change back now."

"Hey, I don't..." Dee began to protest before being stopped by a look from Will. In a small flash of light, the Guardian vanished and was replaced by the young girl. "She started it..."

Yan Lin held her hand up for silence. It was a gesture that could have parted a sea and dug a mile-long trench through the opposite shore. "You two will clean up the mess you have made, and then we will talk of important matters. Will, Hay Lin, you will tell me what has happened." She turned to leave and paused. "Well? Get to work."

Irma and Dee looked at her in surprise, then each other with scowls. As the former Guardians left the kitchen the two began to pick up the utensils and pans they had scattered across the floor, careful to not make eye contact.

"I don't know what your deal is," Irma said as she gripped a spatula and stared pointedly at the girl's backside, "But if you're endangering Will..."

Dee glared at the pretty but nasty cop. "Hey, I saved Will tonight, so back off! And who are you anyway?"

"Irma Lair. I've saved Will's life before you were even born."

"Oh, yeah? You one of the Guardians?"

Irma blinked in surprise. "Yeah, I was. Guardian of Water, which is how I figured out what happened at the apartment thanks to the puddles you left behind. And you?"

"Dee. Just Dee."

"Runaway, right? Yeah, don't look so surprised. I've seen hundreds of you over the years; Heatherfield is a garden spot for your kind."

Dee's grip tightened around the rubber handle of a pair of tongs until they squeaked. "My kind, huh? Well, your kind are nothing more than bullies paid by taxes, throwing your weight around and not actually doing a damn thing."

Irma almost winced at the vehemence in that voice. It felt... genuine, justified. "Pretty nasty mouth for a Guardian. The Oracle must be going crazy to pick you."

Dee had no idea who the Oracle was, but didn't volunteer her ignorance. "I guess since I don't meet your approval I'm no good, huh? Typical cop, all high and mighty, but they never catch the real bad guys."

Irma frowned as she considered the accusation. "And are you a bad guy?" Dee didn't answer, busying herself with washing some utensils. "I'm sorry, I must not have heard you, being o-o-old and all. Are you a bad guy, Dee?"

"No, I'm not."

"Then what are you?"

"...just Dee."

/-\D/-\

"Grandma, you shouldn't be up! The doctor said you need your rest after the operation..."

Yan Lin snorted. "How can I be expected to rest with World War Three going on in my kitchen? That new girl's a fighter though, hoo wee! Did you see Irma's nose? Ouch. Are you feeling alright, dear?" she asked Will. "That bruise looks pretty nasty itself..."

"Oh." Will looked down at herself and realized to her embarrassment that she was still in her froggy-style underwear. She and Hay Lin had been removing gunk from her hair when they heard the brawl going on in the kitchen. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't be running around your home like this. I just heard the crash and was worried about Dee..."

"Ah, is that her name?" Yan Lin asked as she inspected Will's bruise, leathery fingers tracing the edges of the injury. "Hmm, you seem to have formed an attachment to her already."

Will fidgeted, not from the inspection but from the observation. "Well, she did save my life from the Spider Ho that attacked us. Man, she was great! She didn't freak out or anything. She was also pretty good with her powers, even flying."

Yan Lin laughed. "You sound like a proud mother." Will blushed. "When Irma is done repairing my kitchen she will repair you as well. I seem to recall that she was quite good with healing back in the day." Both young women knew there was nothing wrong with Yan Lin's memory, which was often far sharper than their own. "But let's get you into your shower; you smell like the special we had earlier."

"Uh..."

/-\D/-\

After a quick shower and dressing in some pajama bottoms and an old shirt that may or may not have been hers at one point, Will rejoined the Lin women and they returned to the kitchen.

They first noticed that everything looked as it did before, with the exceptions of two agitated females on stools on either side of the table as Irma and Dee sat across from each other and stared unblinkingly into each other's eyes. Arms crossed and legs splayed slightly, their postures made a shared statement about their feelings for each other: I Don't Like You. Dee's slight smirk of defiance added "You'll Never Take Me Alive, Copper" while Irma's blank face threw back a "I Got Your Number, Punk." It was a lovely scene with the potential to break out into World War IV.

"Uh, nice work, you two," Hay Lin offered somewhat nervously.

"Thanks," both of them said flatly, still maintaining eye contact. Irma cracked her knuckles and gazed pointedly at Dee. "You know me, I always like to put things where they belong."

Dee smiled sweetly and suggested, "Then maybe you should be a maid instead of a cop. The uniform would look less butch, at any rate." Irma growled softly.

Will placed her hands on the table and gave both of them a warning look. "Hey, knock it off, you two. I know you got off to a bad start, but that's all behind us. You're both Guardians, you're sisters now, and I care about you both."

Irma leapt off of her stool. "Whoa, whoa, whoa! Hold it! You just met this girl and you're ranking her with us? You don't know anything about her!"

"I know she chased after that monster when it took me, the same monster that was chasing her before we met. I know she's brave and smart and she needs... me." Will looked at Dee and smiled softly. "She needs me, and I need her."

Everyone but Yan Lin stared at Will in shock. It was Dee that spoke first. "You need me? Why?"

Will smirked. "Kid, I live alone in a two-bedroom apartment, I'm not even dating let alone married, and I spend my nights fixing lasagna for one. And I'm over thirty."

Hay Lin nodded sagely. "Ah, the big three-oh. It's all down hill from there."

Yan Lin snorted again. "Ha! Speak for yourself! Grandma Lin's still kicking it old-school past the big eight-oh!"

Dee giggled at Mrs. Lin statement even as Will's words sunk in. "But... but you have friends..."

"Yeah, the best friends ever, but they have families and husbands. Take Irma, for example." Will moved behind Irma and placed her hands on her shoulders. "Irma not only has a two-year-old son and a hubbie, she's a full-time cop and weekend radio DJ on KIIP radio. And Hay Lin here is an art and crafts teacher at our old school, Sheffield Institute. She's getting married in a few months to her high-school sweetheart, Eric."

Dee grinned at Hay Lin. "Really? Congratulations! Is he cute?"

Hay Lin sighed dreamily. "He's perfect."

Dee looked at Will for more factual confirmation. "Eric's a great guy and they're already planning on having kids of their own."

Hay Lin blushed as if embarrassed by the prospect. "I still can't believe he wants to make me Mrs. Hay Lyndon! It's unbelievable... oh, Dee, do you want to be a flower girl? I have these great dresses designed that would look fantastic on you."

"Uh, sure. If it'll help."

Irma gave a snort of disgust. "I hate to be the spoilsport here, but I'm not entirely comfortable with this arrangement. How do we know this whole thing wasn't staged to get at the Heart?"

Yan Lin placed a calming hand on the woman's shoulder. "Your own heart is getting in the way of your head, Officer. Will, did the Heart began to act up earlier today?"

"Er, I didn't notice since I was at work most of the day, but when I brought Dee home the Heart went crazy, rocking my dresser like..."

"Like a polar bear with a flashlight?" Hay Lin offered. Will nodded, amused at the metaphor.

Yan lin smiled at Dee, who was inspecting the Heart closely. "Ah, it sensed its mistress was near and couldn't stand to be apart from her. Can you not feel, Irma? The peace that surrounds young Dee, it's like a child with its mother."

Dee looked up in shock. "Whoa... mother? Am I gonna get pregnant or something? Please say no!" Will laughed so loudly that Irma and Hay Lin looked visibly startled; it had been years since Will had sounded like that.

Yan Lin chuckled herself. "I was speaking metaphorically, dear, no need to worry. One pregnant woman is enough to deal with at any time. My point is, the Heart would not be so calm in the wrong hands; Dee is the new Keeper and will require all our support." She looked at Irma. "All of us."

Irma's mouth opened in protest, then closed as she threw up her hands. "Fine. Once Mrs. Lin puts her foot down that's it." She looked at Will. "But if you really want to adopt her, we need to know about her situation; parents, last place of residence..."

"Dee says she's an orphan," Will said, "and she left a foster home since it was too... 'rough'. That was a year ago, right Dee?" Dee nodded slowly. "This shouldn't be a problem, right?"

Irma shrugged. "Adoption's not really my thing, but I do know it can take a while to sort out. You have a clean record and a steady job, that will help. 'You' I'm not worried about, it's 'her' that could be the problem."

"What do you mean?"

Irma turned to Dee instead. "Look, I"m not thrilled with this at all, but you did save Will's life so I'm giving you serious leeway here. If you really want to stay with Will, you're going to have to answer honestly to this question, okay?" Dee nodded suspiciously. "Right. Have you ever committed a crime?"

Will looked shocked. "Irma, that's..."

"Kid's living on her own for a year and is still able to fight me like that must be getting good food somewhere." She turned back to Dee. "Well?"

Dee gripped the Heart tightly, as if she wanted to transform again. "I... yeah. I guess. But only food!" she said to Will." Just food! Most of the time I could get what I needed from 'leftovers' but sometimes... sometimes..."

Irma didn't look triumphant but pained. "If all you stole was food that shouldn't be too big a problem. What about drugs?" Dee's expression told her all she needed to know. "Guess that's a no. Lots of runaways get into that for the money or to handle the pain."

Dee snorted. "I've seen where that leads, Lair. I'd rather be dead than end up like that." Irma didn't doubt that for a second.

"Did you steal anything in Heatherfield?" Dee just stared at her. "Kid, we have enough of you tied up in the system as it is; I'm not trying to bust you, but I can't help you if I don't know what to help with. I became a cop to protect my family, not to get fat on taxes like you said. Right now the only things we have in common is that we're Guardians and we both like Will and that's going to have to be enough."

Dee swallowed. "...a supermarket on the edge of town. A Ma and Pa place really. Er, I don't remember the name. I lucked out when I tried the back door and it was unlocked; it must have shorted out, because it was an electronic lock... what?" The former Guardians were all looking at each other knowingly.

"Nothing," Will said. "Just what did you take, Dee?" The way she said it made Dee's heart ache; Will was ashamed of her and it was more horrible than she ever imagined.

"Nothing I didn't need! Some deviled ham, a loaf of bread, some protein drinks, a bottle of milk, a salad, some band-aid and Neosporin, uh... 'supplies' if you know what I mean." Hay Lin mouthed a "whoa" at that. " Some fruits, apples, oranges, that sort of thing. That was a few days ago; I still had a little left when the spider started chasing me, but I dropped the bag when I was running."

Irma appraised the list she had been given. "Pretty healthy selection you took."

"If I learned one thing from those nuns at the orphanage, it was nutrition. Healthier I am, the less chance I'll get sick and... have to go to a free clinic." She didn't want to say "die" in front of Will or even Hay Lin, who looked upset enough as it was. The way Hay's arms were bobbing in front of her she seemed to want to hug Dee again.

"Weird thing is, this wasn't even reported," Irma mused.

Will sighed and put an arm around Dee's shoulders. "Look, I'll pay the supermarket for what she took; it's not like she broke into a register."

Dee felt a drop of lead splash in her stomach; she realized it was guilt. She felt guilty because Will was paying for her transgressions. Others had done it before, so why was it so unsettling now? Maybe because she liked Will and the feeling was mutual?

Irma held up her hands. "Hey, if it wasn't reported, it doesn't have to be. I know the place she's talking about and they wouldn't even notice that many things being taken. If you want to square the kid's sins away, just shop there from now on. I take it this wasn't the first?" Dee nodded. "Were you ever caught?" Dee shook her head. "Huh. This foster home you ran from, why'd you leave it?"

For a split-second something changed in Dee's eyes and she seemed to be looking right through Irma and Will like they had vanished completely. For several long seconds she fell into memories before coming back to the present. "I... I'd rather not talk about it. Do I have to talk about it?"

Irma was thrown by the shift in demeanor but quickly reasserted herself. "It depends on whether your foster parents would want you back. Would they?"

"No... no, they know I won't do what they... say. If they did try to get me back, I'd just run away again." Dee stated this without any bravado, just firm resolution.

Irma felt a tiny spark of admiration paired with a sinking feeling in her gut. Christ, kid, what happened to you? Do I even want to know? "Okay, that helps if no one's going to contest Will's right to custody. I'm glad you do that charity work, babe, because that's really going to help your case."

"Charity work?" Dee asked the woman crazy enough to want her.

Will smiled sheepishly. "That's right, you don't know much about me, do you? Well... I'm a veterinarian and I work at the animal clinic here in Heatherfield. The charity work Irma's talking about is a program where dogs and cats are used to help encourage seniors and veterans with disabilities. I've been part of it for a few years now. Let's see... I'm also a trained paramedic for people, too, and I'm taking advanced biology classes online, mainly because Taranee encouraged me to. She thinks I'm going to become some sort of researcher one day that can cure what cancers haven't already been cured. What's with the look, Dee?"

"Uh, nothing." In her head Dee was in a state of disbelief at her luck; she hadn't dared hope for a decent home and now Mother Teresa was wanting to adopt her. "Geez, I guess I could only be taken in by someone who does charity cases."

Will frowned. "Hey, no talking like that! If tonight's proven anything-besides that I need to get a sturdy lock for my balcony doors-is that you're a good person who's a had a bad time." She knelt in front of Dee and hugged her. "And only a good person would be picked to be a Guardian, let alone the Keeper of the Heart."

Dee slowly, hesitantly, returned the embrace until she was sure Will was real. Tears flooded her eyes as she realized this was the first time a woman had held her with love in her entire life. A sob escaped as she buried her face into Will's collarbone, both ashamed and relieved at her moment of weakness. Will stroked her back as the girl released her pain into her, knowing how hard it was to hold such sorrow inside.

The other women watched the scene with different reactions. Hay Lin was crying herself, drying her eyes with her sleeve; Yan Lin smiled benevolently as she patted her grandaughter's shoulder. Irma was more ambivalent; while admittingly touched by the scene, she also knew that this girl's arrival would bring more trouble into their lives than they'd known in years.

Still, if she could make Will smile like that, maybe the girl would be worth it. Irma sincerely hoped so as she reached for her radio to call the dispatcher to cancel the All Points Bulletin on Will. When she was done she saw that Will was drying the kid's eyes with her shirt, just like Irma did when her own son inevitably hurt himself. Irma's heart softened at the sight and she thought to herself that if anyone deserved to be a mother, it was Will Vandom.

And if "Dee" broke her heart, an ass-beating would only be the start of what Irma would do to her.

/-\D/-\

Showers were gifts from God. At least that's what Dee thought.

When Dee had calmed down Hay Lin had took over comforting her while Will's massive bruise and minor scratches were tended to by Irma. The former Water Guardian's hands had glowed a brilliant cerulean as she traced her fingers around Will's injuries; Yan Lin had explained that Irma was manipulating the water in her body to repair the ruptured tissue. They had laughed when Will commented that Irma had cold hands. Dee noted that the healing seemed to weaken the cop slightly and she had to sit down again; Dee wisely held back another "old" comment before it rose to her lips.

After Lair had caught a ride with another patrol car Dee had been urged, nay, forced to finish her plate and second/third helpings until she couldn't hold any more. Will and the Lins had started to tell her about just what being a Guardian meant, but Dee was more interested in her moo goo gai pan than any of that.

Will realized this and suggested "tomorrow" would be better for the full course load; Yan Lin had agreed with this and smiled in a way that made Dee wary, as if the old woman knew something she wasn't sharing. Will had shot her a look that said, "I see it, too," and a head shake that added, "Don't worry about it, she's always like that."

It was funny how quickly they clicked together, Dee mused as the hot water and soap removed the sweat and dirt from her like molting skin. The number of people the young street urchin had been close to over the years could be counted on the fingers of one hand while that hand was doing a peace sign; Dee was not "socially capable" at all. And yet Will wanted her, liked her even.

Dee had immediately began formulating possible reasons for this, immediately hitting the most jaded and cynical possibilities first. As she checked them off one by one none of them seemed to match up, until she was left with the conclusion that it was all for real. But there had to be a catch, surely; no way this could just happen without there being a price to pay.

Maybe it was the Guardian thing, maybe that was the catch. Risking her life against monstrous creatures still seemed too small a price to pay to have Will, though.

She spent nearly an hour in the shower before she realizing how long she was taking. She dried herself quickly, wryly noticing that her boyishly short hair blow-dried much faster than it would have had it been longer; glorious things, blow-dryers. Dee threw the pajamas Hay Lin had left for her on and exited the bathroom.

Hay Lin had placed a large sleeping bag on the floor of her room big enough for two, yet gave Will and Dee her slightly larger bed on the grounds that they had been through "H-E-Double-Hockey-Sticks" tonight and needed it more than she did. Dee had tried to protest but was stopped by Will, who pointed out that with Hay Lin's fists planted on her narrow waist there was no changing her mind.

Hay Lin didn't seem any worse for the change in sleeping arrangement, snoring her head off as Dee stepped back into the woman's room. Will was laying in Hay Lin's bed with her eyes closed; after placing the Heart on the night-stand next to the bed, Dee lifted the covers to slip in beside her.

"Took you long enough," Will murmured softly, startling Dee as badly as if she jumped out of the bed screaming.

"Geez, I thought you were asleep!" A pause. "Why aren't you, anyway? You must be beat."

Will's shoulders twitched in a slumber-deprived shrug; she was barely awake as it was. "I was waiting for you. I wanted to see you before I fell asleep, make sure you're here with me. Safe."

"Oh. Sorry, I just... really dirty here."

"No prob'em. Here..." Will moved to the far side of the bed so Dee had more room. The young girl lay hesitantly next to her until they were shoulder to shoulder. As soon as Dee was under the covers her body seemed to drop into a state of profound exhaustion, her eyes drooping and her head lolling over until it was resting on Will's slight shoulder.

"Sawry..." she apologized in a slurred voice but couldn't lift her head back on the pillow.

"S'alright. G'night, kid."

"G'night, Wuh-illll..." She fell asleep before she finished the word and was transported to a dream world covered by red grass and brown stones. Dee was lying on of the stones as she stared up at the pink sky; it was so peaceful it had to be a dream, but she didn't care. Didn't care at all...

Author's Note: In a hurry for Chapter Three? Well, aren't you lucky? Three is done and being beta'd as we, uh, speak.

The polar bear with a flashlight reference was what Hay Lin called the Heart's behavior in "It Begins."