Hilda missed the wilderness. The many trails she had traversed were still ingrained in her mind, never having been forgotten. Every rock she passed, every tree she brushed aside the branches of, it was all so… familiar. This washerforest, and it was exactly what she needed.

Out here, she was able to forget about her conversation with Wendy. That woman was wrong. Hilda had known what she was doing, and understood the consequences. She didn't want Wendy to go to jail, which is why she stretched the truth a little in her confession to her mother.

Hilda inwardly chuckled at the power she realized she possessed. If she wanted to, she could be absolutely selfish and tell on her molester. Yes, she understood that Wendy had technically molested her, despite her consent. Though it was the law, she thought that particular law was odd. She enjoyed herself, so what could possibly be the issue? She certainly enjoyed the part where Wendy molested her face with her—

Hilda shook her head of those thoughts. She was supposed to be forgetting her red haired seductress. She adjusted the strap of her backpack which had a sleeping bag strapped to the top and turned to see her mother, slowly following behind her. Hilda had briefly forgotten that her mum wasn't quite as used to the wilderness as she was. Twig, on the other hand, had no trouble leaping from rock to rock or branch to branch as Hilda marched on.

"Am I going too fast for you?" Hilda teased.

"You wish," Johanna retorted, though she was trying to hide the way she was breathing heavily, her own pack weighing her down. She had run from trolls before, but her physique then was aided by her adrenaline. This was for leisure, which made it all the more difficult to weave her way through the dense brush. "We could probably find a place to rest… if you need it that is."

"Heh, sure Mum." Hilda couldn't be more grateful to her mother for this trip. To show her gratitude, she intended to do everything she could to make sure that Johanna had all the fun possible in a place she didn't enjoy. She studied the path they walked and, noticing a few colorful flowers, pointed in the direction opposite them. "I think we're close to a clearing."

"Oh thank the merciful Lord in Heaven," Johanna muttered under her breath as Hilda disappeared passed some trees. She allowed herself a few deep, controlled breaths, then continued after her ever energetic daughter. She needed to go on more walks around the city.

"Woah! Mum, you have to see this!"

Hilda's excited voice reached Johanna, muffled through the thicket. She couldn't mistake the utter excitement in the girl's voice for anything else and, though she knew she would likely not enjoy what Hilda discovered as much as she did, Johanna followed with renewed vigor. If Hilda was happy, she was happy. Today was all about the blue haired adventurer.

Of course, all of her selflessness and motherly instincts were forgotten when she actually laid eyes on what Hilda was so excited about. Johanna came out of the other side of the brush to see a bouncing, stripping Hilda alongside a massive, steaming hot spring.

The spring itself looked as if it could hold upwards of ten people comfortably, and then some. Rocks of different shapes and sizes loitering the outer rim of the pool, leaving a few small gaps of flat ground. Snow covered the larger rocks at the further end of the spring, and though the lower portions melted and dripped into the pond, the white peaks were not disturbed. Hilda had just removed her skirt and was rolling her leggings down her body when Johanna was brought back from her reverie.

"Maybe we shouldn't." Johanna said, quickly stepping forward and placing a hand on Hilda's shoulder. "We didn't bring any towels, first of all."

"We'll drip dry by the spring," Hilda said as she promptly ignored her mother's hand and kicked off her leggings. Now in just her underwear, Hilda stepped forward with an intent to test this spring.

"And you're sure this is safe?" Johanna pressed further. Judging by Hilda's initial reaction, this obviously wasn't here the last time she went exploring.

"Twig seems to think so." Sure enough, the deer-fox had already submerged himself on the spring, only his horns and snout visible above the surface. Hilda dipped a tentative toe in the steaming water herself, and the goofy grin that spread across her face told Johanna that she had already lost to this mystery of nature. Hilda slowly lowered herself into the water, sighing in great relief.

Hilda closed her eyes. The heat did wonders for the tension she harbored since being rejected. Maybe Wendy would change her mind if she was lead to such an amazing find. Hilda shook her head again. Wendy was the last person she needed on her mind while she tried to relax.

"I suppose if Twig isn't worried, I shouldn't be either."

Hilda felt the water around her shift and opened her eyes to see her mother sinking in the water beside her. The woman had shed her clothing as well, save for her underwear, and let out a deep sigh as half her body was submerged.

Hilda was lucky that her mother's eyes were closed, as her own were glued to the woman's ample chest. Wendy's had been sizable, but her mother's were at least a few sizes larger. She looked down at her own barely budding breasts, pulling at her wet training bra to study the miniscule cleavage she could offer.

"Hey Mum?"

"Hmm?" Johanna opened one eye to see Hilda examining her chest.

"Are my boobs gonna be as big as yours when I grow up?"

"Maybe," Johanna said, closing her eye and leaning further back in the spring. If she didn't have the relaxing steam to soothe her body, she didn't think she could have this conversation. "You're my daughter. You're bound to develop at least a few of my… assets."

Hilda giggled. "Hehe, that's a funny word. Assets. Ass…sets."

"Hilda!" Johanna had meant for her tone to be scolding, yet she couldn't help but allow joy to leak into her words. She felt herself smile, and even had the urge to chuckle at the wordplay. "You know you shouldn't swear!"

"It's not a swear, Mum!" Hilda argued, her smile just as wide. "It's perfectly legitimate. Asssssssets."

"Young lady, you be careful with those little loopholes." Johanna warned her daughter, forcing a stern tone to her voice. Even then, it was difficult to be the motherly figure her daughter needed.

The spring water that seemed to seep into her skin made her body feel light, light enough to not be a burden. With her eyes closed, she could imagine floating in nothing, rather than a pool of steaming water. Her thoughts strayed to just that as well. Even as Hilda talked, even as Hilda screamed, Johanna felt nothing as the soothing water pulled her body further into its depths.

"Bless me Father, for I have sinned. My last confession was… well, I don't believe I've ever confessed before."

Mr. Corduroy had always said to look for the Lord in times of need. Wendy had thought about drowning her sorrows in a cool draft, but that didn't do her a lot of favors the first time. So she was pleasantly surprised to find a small chapel in the city of Trolberg, the surprise being from the fact that this was such an out-of-the-way place. That just goes to show that people will stop at nothing to spread the word of God.

"What troubles you, my child?" Came a voice from the other side of the shaded window. Wendy bit her tongue for just a split second before speaking. She had to remember that these confessionals were meant as a conversation with the Lord through a conduit, and nothing was to be leaked. When her first word left her lips, she knew there would be no turning back.

"I… it's hard to talk about, even in the confidentiality of the Lord's house. The sin I bear, it's… I don't take it lightly."

"No sin is too great for forgiveness," said the priest. "The Lord loves all of His children despite the paths they have chosen. As long as you submit yourself therefore to God, in the end, He will always welcome you home. Please, confess your sin."

Solace was something Wendy thought she couldn't feel again. There was something about unconditional love from a divine being that calmed her. There was always the chance that it was complete bullshit, but truthfully, she needed this.

"I… I raped someone. Someone much younger than me." Wendy waited for a reaction from the priest, but when she received none, she continued. "It's something I've always struggled with. I'm… I'm a pedophile. I've known this for so long now and I've fought so hard against my attraction for so many years. Last night, under the influence of alcohol, I…"

Wendy's breath caught in her throat as her chest seized. She looked down at her knees in her knelt position, the familiar heat in her eyes telling her that she had begun to cry.

"I'm sorry Father, I… I need a moment."

"Take your time." Wendy nodded, then remembered that she couldn't be seen. Instead, she remained silent.

Wendy breathed deeply in an attempt to control her emotions. She succeeded, but not without struggle. This was difficult, infinitely more difficult than she would have ever thought. Voicing what she had done, acknowledging it, was the quickest way toward redemption. At least, she hoped it was.

"Thank you." Wendy said after a few minutes, wiping her eyes with her thumbs. She closed her hands together again and continued her confession."Under the influence of alcohol, I seduced a young girl. She couldn't be older than thirteen, maybe younger. She consented to everything, so it was statutory, but that's no excuse. I corrupted a young mind with sins of the body, and for that, I beg forgiveness."

The priest didn't say anything at first. The pause was so great that Wendy began to suspect that he had dipped from the booth to call the police. She was about to stand and leave her little room when the man on the other side took in a breath.

"That is a heavy sin indeed," he said. "I hope you'll forgive my silence until now. I was lost in thought."

"I don't blame you. What I did was a little beyond messed up."

The priest coughed loudly, but Wendy had the distinct feeling that it was more of a poorly disguised guffaw. She could forgive that. Even a speaker for the Lord was still human.

"You seem very adamant about your fight against your demons," said the priest. "I've known many who have come to me decades after such an act, yet you come to the Lord the very next day. That's admirable."

"Please don't compliment me." Wendy said. "I'm here to repent, not to be admired."

"I understand. For what it's worth, you're doing the right thing."

"I know." Wendy breathed deeply again and waited. She had said her peace, and now it was time to receive judgement.

"It is… difficult to think of a proper repentance for such an act," said the priest. "This begs the question: what is sin?"

"I'm sorry?" Was she about to be told that what she had done was… okay?

"Not to say that what you did was right in any way," the priest quickly corrected the misunderstanding he anticipated. "Sexual relation before matrimony is technically a sin on its own, but I know of several men under my cloth who have lain before marriage. Yet, they are still men of God who have found peace with themselves in their later lives. No matter how long it takes, as long as you find peace within yourself and your soul, you will find salvation. Your young… partner, for lack of a better word, will have the same struggle. You may have placed that burden upon her shoulders, but it is now hers to bear."

"I never wanted—"

"Do we ever want to hurt others with our actions?" Wendy bit her lip, and the priest continued with her pause. "You are a good person. All of God's children are good. What you have done was take a step backwards. All you need to do is move forward, focus on yourself and your healing, and let your partner deal with herself. There is nothing more you can do for her, at least not now. But, with time, maybe you can help her find her own way to salvation. What you've done is evil, but that does not make you an evil person, nor does it mean you should live your life as one."

Finished speaking, the priest waited for Wendy's response. It felt like quite some time before he heard a quiet sniff, followed by two small words, barely audible over the silence in the booth.

"Thank you…"

He smiled and began the prayer to forgive the her of her sin.

Johanna was dreaming once more, but this time, she was given the gift of consciousness. She looked around the empty void in an attempt to find something, anything aside from herself and the infinite darkness.

She spent probably three minutes in her futile efforts before she was suddenly enveloped in a white nothingness instead of black. She half expected the sudden change in brightness to hurt her eyes, and squinted due to habit. However, the white light wasn't bright as this was merely a dream. That thought brought Johanna back to the realization that she was dreaming, but she had been in a place where she shouldn't have fallen asleep.

"Wake up, Johanna," Johanna told herself as she pinched her skin. She wasn't desperate, as she was sure Hilda would be waking her up soon. On the off chance the small girl couldn't carry her though, she had to try and bring herself from the slumber.

"You are awake."

Johanna couldn't quite place the voice that she heard. It was weak, seemingly old, yet had a tone of authority. If she had anything in her memory to compare this voice to, it would be a character from one of her favorite television shows.

As soon as the thought crossed her mind, she heard a familiar whirring. Johanna turned in her space to see a tall, blue box with the word "Police" above its door materializing in the emptiness. When the whirring had stopped, and the box remained solid, the door opened. From inside, which looked quite a bit bigger than it should be, stepped a man in a maroon colored coat with a three piece, blue suit underneath. His hair was short and grey, but the man himself seemed more energetic than his appearance let on. Johanna believed that even though The Doctor said she was awake, that was a bold faced lie.

"No, I'm pretty sure I'm asleep." Johanna said with another pinch of her skin. She felt nothing, thus proving her point to herself.

"Well, yes and no." The Doctor said, placing his hands in his suit pocket. "By the by, I've chosen this form because it was someone you would listen to. I don't think I've chosen poorly, but your reaction is unexpected."

"Oh, well I don't know! Maybe it's because he's a fictional character. I'd never be able to have a conversation with The Doctor, no matter how much I want to."

"But here's your chance!" The Doctor offered, holding his arms wide. "You can't deny I've got the look and mannerism down to a T. I got this guy from your head, after all."

"What are you?" The Doctor frowned and lowered his hands.

"You're no fun." As he spoke, the void began to shift again. This time, instead of one void being replaced with another, the white emptiness shifted into a rather plain apartment. Johanna had lived in a similar home before, when Hilda was not yet a part of her life. The only differences were a few changes in structure, such as a missing doorway; or in décor, such as an extra bed in the living room. Johanna would have continued studying her surroundings if she hadn't recognized a red haired woman staring into a mirror.

"That's the woman from this morning. Wendy, I think. Returned Hilda's knapsack, nice girl."

"Watch."

Johanna looked to The Doctor, who she was disturbed to see was no longer wearing his face. No, the face this being now wore was of her daughter, Hilda. The figure began to shrink in size to accommodate the new face, clothes shifting along with it. What Johanna expected was to see her little girl wearing her usual sweater, skirt, and hat. What she got was an uncomfortable, sudden pit of panic in her stomach. Why was she in just her underwear?

"You know what we're gonna do, right?" Wendy asked as she turned to sit on her bed. Her own clothing dissipated as she moved, leaving the red head in just a bra and panties a size similar to what Johanna used to wear way back when.

Hilda nodded as she crawled on the bed and into Wendy's lap. "Yes."

Johanna's uncomfortable pit turned into an abyss of terror. She watched helplessly, finding herself suddenly unable to speak or move as Wendy placed a hand on the back of her daughter's head.

"Say it for me." Hilda's face glowed a light pink, but she spoke when commanded.

"We're going to have sex."

The scream that Johanna let out was heard by no one. The only sound she could hear, that she was forced to hear, was the light smack of lips as the older woman kissed her eleven year old girl.

"Wake up!"

Johanna's eyes shot open, her chest convulsing as her lungs emptied of water. She sat up in the grass and got to her hands and knees in an attempt to better control her coughing fit.

"Mum!"

Johanna felt a small pair of arms wrapped around her midriff and heard their owner's words, understood them, but she pushed them to the side. The woman forced herself to at least attempt to remember the past few seconds. There was nothing, utter blackness, then The Doctor in the white void. Passed this, everything grew fuzzy. There was something else though, something she absolutely needed to remember. What was it? Just what the fuck was it?!

"MUM!"

Johanna gasped and finally looked up at her daughter. The concern absolutely plastered on the young girl's face put Johanna's priorities in place. She wrapped her arms around Hilda, their bodies still warm from the spring.

"Oh Hilda, I'm so sorry. The spring was so peaceful, I… I can't believe I fell asleep."

Hilda held her mother just as tightly. Johanna couldn't help but notice that Hilda had begun to shake. The poor thing must have been terrified.

"I thought… Mum, I thought you were—"

"Shush now." Johanna couldn't feel it due to the warmth her body already felt, but her daughter's shaking and uneasy voice lead her to believe that Hilda was crying. "I'm alright, Hilda. You were very brave."

Hilda didn't say anything and merely nodded. Johanna sighed into the embrace with her daughter. So much for a relaxing day in the forest.