Barbara, having found an umbrella, ushered Jim inside under its shade. By the time they made it over the threshold, Stricklander was descending the stairs, Claire in tow.

"What's going on?" Toby muttered sleepily, rubbing his eyes and sliding off Arrrgh's back. "Did I hear screaming, or-," he yawned, "-or was that a dream?" He blinked his eyes slowly and, noticing Stricklander positioning Claire's limp form on the couch, jumped.

"What's happened? Is Claire alright? Jim?"

But Jim did not answer. He rushed up to the couch, nearly upending the coffee table in his hurry. Kneeling on the floor next to Clair, he took her head in his hands. Claire's forehead was dotted with beads of sweat. A few strands of hair clung to her damp cheek. He brushed them away gently, sweeping them behind her ear.

"Claire?"

Claire stared blankly out of half-lidded eyes. Her lips were moving slightly, forming silent words. He tilted his head and focused. He could hear the steady pulse of her heart. It sounded slow, perhaps too slow? He was no doctor.

No sooner did he think this than the pace of her heart picked up, beating faster and faster. Claire's eyelids flew open, the irises clouding over once more with that strange opal glow. Her muttering picked up pace, the whispers becoming harsh and sporadic. It made the hair on the back of Jim's neck stand on end.

Click-click-clack-click-clack-clack-click

Jim's could feel his ears tug backwards, urging him to turn his head and assess the threat.

He stole a glance.

A teacup left on the coffee table from the night before danced in its saucer. Nick-nacks and photos on the end table began to vibrate.

"Claire?" Jim redirected his attention back to her and grabbed her shoulders. "Claire, are you doing that?" He tried to turn her to face him, but her head lolled limply on her neck. Jim swallowed hard. "Claire please…" He gave her a shake, "Claire look at me!"

"Jim!" Toby shuffled his feet nervously, his eyes on the bookcase where some volumes began to teeter terribly close to the ledge. He backed away, positioning himself in the center of the room. "Dude! You've got to let me know what's going on!"

Frustration rushed through Jim. How was he supposed to know what was going on! He turned his head towards Toby, about to tell just that. Instead, he bared his teeth, a growl rippling his throat. Toby fell silent, looking hurt and perhaps a little alarmed. No time to think about it! Jim brushed away the guilt. He didn't have time to answer questions right now! Claire was what was important. Bending back over her he tried looking into her eyes, but those milky orbs seemed to be staring past him, far away. A flood of a frightening syllables continued to stream from her lips. Jim had no idea what was going on. Claire could be dying for all he knew, and he was sitting here useless! His breath quickened. It felt as if a heavy fog was descending on him, making it hard to think.

The clattering continued on all sides. (Too much! Too loud!) The thud of two heartbeats, beating as if to outrace one another. The smell of sweat and heavier less identifiable smells that filled him with dread. (Fight! Hide!) The walls were closing in. He couldn't breath. There wasn't enough room to breath!

A photo in the hall slipped off its hook lwith a crash.

"Honey?"

Jim twisted slightly towards the voice, his lip twisting upward in a snarl. He hunched protectively over Claire.

The voice was soft, but firm. "Honey, please, I need you to move. Let the doctor in."

Jim blinked. Then again. It took a few seconds for the words to sink in. His mother needed him to move. She was going to take care of Claire. She could help. Slowly, painfully, he took one step back, then another. His arms wrapped around himself as if to keep from crumbling into pieces, fingernails digging into his arms hard enough to draw blood had he still been human. He stayed close, watching as his mother re-positioned Claire, sliding her down so that her back was flat against the couch and placing multiple cushions under her legs. Barbara took Claire's wrist and held it, her eyes locating a clock on the wall.

A voice floated in from upstairs.

"You know, I wasn't sure at first what to think of this century, but this thing you call indoor plooming really is quite remarkable." Merlin was making his way down the stairs barefoot, clothed in nothing but a pink bathrobe and a fluffy white towel which was perched at a jaunty angle on his head. When he arrived at the landing he fell silent, his eyes taking in the various items still shaking and falling from their stands, then locating Claire.

Annoyance crossed his face. "Can't get two seconds of peace." He mumbled, making his way over to where his staff had been left leaning beside the door. He grabbed it and leisurely made his way over to Barabara and Claire.

"Ah. Now if you could just," He made a shooing gesture with his hand towards Mrs. Lake. Her face twisted in distaste.

"Are you behind this? I swear I'll— Is that my bathrobe?"

Merlin pretended as if he hadn't heard the second question. "I can assure you that I did not contribute to Miss Claire's current state, but I may be able to assist in the solution. As I am sure you have been able to deduce from the glowing eyes and magically moving items our dear Claire is not suffering from your standard illness."

Barbara glared daggers at Merlin, but took a step back, arms crossed.

Merlin leaned forward. He tapped a finger against the stone of his staff a few times, humming thoughtfully. Nothing happened. He gave it a whack with the base of his hand. Low and steady buzzing emmanted from it. "Ah! There now."

Merlin held the staff over Claire's head. Thin tendrils of pale pink light started to seep out of her eyes, reaching towards staff as if pulled magnetically. As the first threads came into contact with the stone it began to glow fluorescent green. The flow became stronger and Claire's head seemed to be drawn upward with the force of the current.

There was a buzz of electricity as a light bulb overhead flared and popped. The last of the strange energy vanished into the staff and Claire's head fell back onto the couch as if cut from a string. Everything stopped moving all at once and the room was thrown into a deep silence.

Merlin straightened up. Smoothing out a few wrinkles in the bathrobe, he began walking away. Barbara blocked his path.

"What did you just do?"

Merlin furrowed his brows. "She's fine." He waved his hand dismissively as he sidestepped Barbara and entered the kitchen. A few seconds later, there was the sound of cabinets and shelves being riffled through.

Claire groaned. Jim ran to her and took her hands in his.

"Claire?"

"Jim" She croaked. Her eyes looked tired, but they found his and focused.

"How are you feeling?"

"I-" her arms moved as if to push herself into a sitting position, but were shaking from the effort. Jim helped her up and took the seat beside her. She placed a palm on her head.

"Whoa. Easy there. Don't rush anything." Barbara said. "Walter could you-" Stricklander was already behind her, glass of water in hand. "Ah, thanks." She handed it to Claire, taking a seat in the adjacent chair. "Take slow sips."

Claire obeyed. Her breathing seemed to steady and the shaking began to subside.

"Well then," Toby bounced on the balls of his feet and clasped his hands together. "Now that no one is screaming, or glowing, or making everything shake with their super freaky powers...would someone mind telling me...WHAT THE HECK IS GOING ON HERE!

Arrrgh gave a nervous laugh and placed a finger over Toby mouth. He pushed it away.

"I mean I wake up, and everything is pure chaos!" he said, gesturing his hands wildly in the air. "And does anyone bother to fill in old Toby. Noooooooo!"

Stricklander reentered the room carrying two cups of tea. He handed one to Barbara and pulled up a chair from the table, turning it to face the others.

"I think young Toby has a point, perhaps it would be best if we were to all get on the same page."

Everyone was silent for a moment. Then heavy footsteps could be heard coming up the basement stairs.

"I'm back!" Blinky shouted, flinging the basement door open. "You wouldn't believe the trouble I was having getting everyone settled down before dawn. Don't get me wrong, I am as excited about our victory the next troll, but I'm not sure what triumph there is in our victory if everyone is to be roasted alive the very next day. I mean, really, enough is-" He stopped, unnerved by the stares of the others "Did I...uh...miss something?"

"Ah, Blinkous, This is actually perfect timing. We were about to discuss just that." Stricklander said.

Blinky took a few more steps into the room, searching the faces of the others apprehensively. Arrrrgh sat down. Toby leaned against him. Merlin entered from the kitchen carrying a pack of cookies and took a seat at the table.

"I'll begin," Claire said. She leaned against the armrest of the couch and kneaded her forehead with her fingers "I woke up and was about to go downstairs when I noticed Jim wasn't in his sleeping bag." She furrowed her brows. "Then I thought I heard him shout from outside, so I went to the window and he was there under the tree." Her eyes gave Jim a sidelong glance.

"What were you doing out in the yard Master Jim." Two of Blinky's arms reached out imploring, the other pair resting on his hips.

"I don't know." Jim rubbed the back of his neck, ruffling and unruffling the hair there. "I just sort of woke up in the tree and...fell. That is when I shouted." He stared down at his hands, feeling the eyes of the others bore into him. He wished he could sink into the couch and disappear.

"Jim fall out of tree." Arrrgh rumbled. "Then what?"

"I saw Jim about to walk into the sunlight."

Blinky's hands flew to his mouth, "Jim you know you can't do that! Why-"

"I know!" Jim felt his ears droop, "Old habits die hard, okay? Plus, I wasn't actually going to. I tripped." He could feel the blood rush to his face and hoped that his blush would no longer be visible beneath his new skin.

Claire continued. "Yes, I saw him tripped and I–It's hard to explain–I felt this energy, like the shadow staff, but within myself." She held a hand over her chest. "I, ummmm, redirected it and that allowed me to lengthen the shadow of the tree" Her brows furrowed, " I'm not sure exactly how I did it. I just–reacted. Things are a bit hazy after that." Her eyes grew distant, "I felt like here, but not here, like I was being pulled in several directions at once."

"You shook the WHOLE HOUSE!" Toby shouted.

"What! I don't remember that!"

"No, no. Toby is exaggerating!" Jim glanced nervously between Toby and Claire, "What Tobes meant is that you...well, you sort of kind of...made-most-of-the-things-in-the-house-shake." He finished in a rush.

Claire took a deep breath, running a hand through her hair. "This makes no sense."

"Sure it does." Merlin interrupted from his seat at the table. He took a cookie out of the package giving it a curious sniff. "Magical outbursts like the one you had are quite common in young witches and wizards.

Claire frowned at him, "But I'm not-"

"But you are. Some wizards are born, others made." He bit into the cookie and twisted his mouth thoughtfully, "I would place you firmly in the latter category. You can't expect to pour as much of yourself as you did into and artifact like the Skathe-Hrün and remain unchanged."

"Changed how?" Claire sounded apprehensive.

"Wizards are living abnormalities. The bend and flow of dimensions is weak around us. We are able to pull energy from outside dimensions, take the Shadow Dimension for instance, and bend it to our will." He gave a half-shrug, "Well, more or less. It is what some call magic."

Claire looked thoughtful ."So, If I am able to control magic, why did I go all fuzzy afterward"

Merlin gave a sharp laugh, "My dear girl, control is a strong word for what you did." Claire's lips tightened into a thin line. "Not that the feat you described wasn't impressive, but you drew too much energy, more than was needed for the task at hand. Without a staff or wand to siphon of the excess you were left to the whims of the leftovers. It's a common mistake for young magicians make. You'll learn in time."

Claire stared at her hands as if seeing them for the first time, turning them over. "It's strange, I've felt different since opening that large portal in trollmarket, but so much was going on with Morganna afterwards that it was hard to tell where her influence ended and I began." She took a breath, "Even with her gone though, I still find words lurking in my head that I don't understand, or sometimes it feels as if there are flames burning just beneath the surface of my skin." She shrugged, "I feel the same, yet different."

"Yes, speaking of different," Sticklander turned his attention towards Jim, who shifted uncomfortably. "Young Atlas, I still don't fully understand how you ended up in that tree."

"I told you! I just woke up there." Jim tried to hide the defensive edge in his voice.

(Night air whipping through his hair. The smell of grass and dew)

"And you have no idea how you got there?"

"I-well, no."

(He must to get out of here, into the fresh air. He leaps, his hands and feet fall on soft ground.)

"Jim."

"Okay, okay! I sort of have these vague memories, but I don't even know if they are real!"

(Dark bark beneath his hands and feet. He must get higher. Higher)

Jim bends over, holding his head.

(Dawn will come soon. Must stay here under the leaves. Here safe.)

He looks up at Strickler. "I- I think I remember jumping out of the window and climbing the tree, but I don't know why. I wasn't really thinking as it was going on." He shrugged, "I assumed it was a dream. You don't question dreams."

Blinky hummed thoughtfully. "Perhaps you are being pushed by instinct Master Jim. It can be quite difficult to be suddenly thrown into a different body. Why, I remember doing the strangest things without fully knowing why when I was human...like bathing."

"But why would Jim's instincts tell him to climb a tree," Claire asked "I've never seen trolls in trees"

"Ah- Well, Yes. It is true that most of the trolls that inhabitant Arcadia and the surrounding area are of the subterranean variety, but there are others. You've already met the Quagawumps, which mainly reside in the swamps of Florida. Then, there are also the sprightly Otziquartz of the high Alps." He gave Jim an appraising look. "I'm afraid though that Jim's unique appearance makes it is hard for me to tell what troll or trolls he may be emulating.

"Ooooooh, ooooh! But trolls are just rocks, right! I know rocks!" Toby ran up excitedly to where Jim was sitting, oblivious to the slightly offended look on Blinky's face. Jim sat dumbfounded as his friend picked up his hand, spreading the fingers apart and squinting closely. " Hmmmmm. You know, this actually looks like part of the triclinic crystal system to me, though the gentle sloping in the striations suggest feldspar. Hmmmm, and I think I sense-" He licked Jim's hand.

"UUUUAAAGH! Toby!" Jim grabbed his hand back, furiously wiping it on his pants.

Toby clicked his tongue thoughtful, "potassium. Quite a bit actually." Toby finished. "Which would suggest that your skin may be amazonite, or something similar."

"There are the Baumicrocline trolls that live in the rainforests of South America. Supposedly, they have whole villages located in the treetops. Perhaps, Jim now shares some characteristics with them. Hmmmmm, Maybe-"

There was a rustling behind Blinky. Merlin had reached for another cookie. He split it, licked out the cream center and carefully placed the chocolate wafers on top of a tall tower he had balanced on the table. He looked up. "What?"

"You!" Blinky said, "You should have the answer. What kind of troll did you turn master Jim into! I demand to know!" He pointed an accusatory blue finger.

"Hmmph!" Merlin carefully added two more wafers to his tower and rose slowly. "First off, Jim is half-troll. Second," He stalked over towards the group, "Second, how should I know what type of troll he takes after."

"You made the potion! You made Jim this way!"

I didn't just make Jim into anything. Do you think, that potion would've worked on anyone? That I could just put together some ingredients and poof," He flexed his fingers in a mock explosion, "transform anyone into a troll hybrid."

"Yyyyyyyyyyyyyeeeeesssssssssss," Toby said.

Merlin's nose was sudden inches from Toby's face. "No, young knight!" He sighed. "Ah the laymen will never understand. Magic can't make the impossible possible. It merely makes the improbable probable."

"But a potion turned Blinky into a human!" Toby argued, "He had skin and everything for a couple weeks!"

"Hmmmph! Sounds like a cheap parlor trick to me, I'm surprised it didn't kill him." He looked Blinky up and down scathingly. "Most transformation spells are fickle and unpredictable, never truly stable on their own. However, when combined with a binding spell they can be quite advantageous. Jim's unique hereditary made him the perfect candidate for this type of transformation. If you really want to know what type of troll he is taking after, you really should ask his father."

Crash!

Barbara had dropped her mug. Its contents spilling out on the floor. She ignored it, fixing Merlin with a steely gaze. Jim felt as if he had been dipped into cold water

"Jim's father?" Barbara stood to face Merlin. "What does this have to do with James." She was glaring at the wizard, but he didn't seem to notice the venom in her stare. He spoke as one does to particularly slow child.

"Well, it has everything to do with Jim's father, what with his being a changeling and all, Jim was the perfect candidate."

Barb looked as if she'd been struck. She slid back into her chair, eyes wide. Jim sat still. Numb.

"Wait! So Jim was always half-troll!" Toby blurted out, disbelieving.

"Yes and no. Biologically speaking, Jim would have appeared human. The magic used to create Impures, however, is quite strong and somewhat residual. A piece of that magic has always lived within Jim, the potion merely served as a way to enhanced the effects of that magic and build from it With the original spell being a binding spell, the magic sought out troll and human traits within the host, that would be our trollhunter," he waved a hand towards Jim, "and essentially bound him to himself. That's what makes Jim here so different from the changelings. His two halves are both part of him, fully dependent on the existence of each other."

Barbara had removed her glasses and was pinching the bridge of her nose.

"Look. This must be some kind of mistake. James was many things," her voice soured, "and not all of them good. But a changeling?" She put her glasses back on and readjusted them, "No. I–I would have known."

Sticklander had previously left for the kitchen and now returned with some towels and a dustbin. He began cleaning the the fragmented remains of Barbara's cup from the floor.

"Oh...Thanks Walter." She said, distracted.

Toby elbowed Aaaaargh, "Someone has a tyyyyyyyyype," He whispered.

One of Jim's ear perked at the remark. He broke from his trance, glaring at Toby, who did his best to look bashful, and turned to face his mother.

"Mom are you sure? Are you positive he couldn't have been a–" he shrugged a shoulder, "a you know?"

She sighed. "I feel like I don't know anything anymore. Your father, he did some work for the military. He wasn't in the field or anything. He just worked on computer systems." Her eyes became distant, "Then he started leaving home for longer and longer periods of time. He said it was for work, but..." she twisted her hands in her lap "well, let's just say I had my suspicions." Her cheeks and ears glowed scarlet. "When, he stopped coming back, I just assumed that he must have ran off with whoever he was spending so much time with."

There was a clinking of glass as Stricklander emptied the shards into the garbage. "Barbara, if I may, when was it that Jim's father left?

Barbara figited. "Around ten years ago,"

A drawn look crossed Stricklander's face.

"Walter?"

"Yes?" He said it politely, his face recomposing itself.

"Walter, whatever you have to say, you better spit it out."

Stricklander looked conflicted, like he was trying to find the right words. "I knew another changeling, a member of the Janus order whose human and troll forms could be said to bear some resemblance with Jim. He went by a different name, but many of us use multiple human aliases." he smiled nervously, "But, then again, it could just be a coincidence."

Barbara rose quickly from her chair. She began searching the shelves with a purpose, throwing some books to the side. She grabbed an old photo album and rushed over to Stricklander.

"His human form. Did it look like this?" She pressed her finger to the picture, her face searching Stricklander's beseechingly."

Stricklander's eyes widened and looked up to meet hers.

The color drained from Barbara's face. "What happened to him? Where did he go? What did he do?"

"He- he was retrieving an item for the Janus order. There was a problem and-" Stricklander looked away, "He died."

Barbara closed the book. She placed it carefully back on the shelf. Her face was blank, her eyes unblinking. She left the room and slowly climbed the stairs. A door slammed, hard, and everyone downstairs flinched.

Meanwhile, Jim sat there wondering why he didn't go after her, why he didn't punch Stricklander for opening his big mouth, or slap Merlin over the head for being so inconsiderate. Wondering why he didn't grab his father's photo and tear it into tiny pieces.

Wondering why he felt nothing at all…

How will Barbara and Jim react to recent revelations about his father? Will Claire master her magic or will it master her? Will Merlin's tower of cookies ever fall? Tune in next time!

Whew! This one was a tough one. So, much dialog! So much explaining! Why yes I will take magic and turn it into science! I actually have many more ideas for how magic can and can't work in this universe, but you'll have to learn along with Claire, because Merlin was becoming awfully long winded in the original draft. Yes, I am aware this chapter can be interpreted as having plenty of Jlair, perhaps I am more of a softy than I originally thought…