~
It was six o'clock. I was still a wolf, but not as worried about it any more, I think. Tommy and Lori stared at me from across the room. I sat curled up on Tommy's bed trying to return to human. It still wasn't working.
"Cass you gotta come back!" Said Lori.
'she doesn't know how hard I'm trying' I thought. I kept concentrating on my human form. Occasionally I'd feel something trying to happen, but then it would stop. I peered at my calendar. It wasn't a full moon.
'none of this should be happening.' I desperately tried again. This time there was more growing. I kept at it and slowly I came out of the wolf's body. When it was finished I just sat on the floor taking in deep gulps of air in shock.
"That..." I gasped.
"Calm down." Coaxed Tommy. "Relax. It might happen again if you don't."
I instantly calmed. I certainly didn't want that happening again. Slowly I stretched out on Tommy's bed. As my head it the pillow I realized I had a throbbing headache.
"It's gonna happen again." I shuddered. "I can tell."
Lori came over, and put her hand on my forehead. "Maybe you should rest, you're pretty warm, but I don't what it was from. Do you think you can make it home?"
"Yeah." I said.
"Maybe you should skip school tomorrow." Tommy suggested.
"Maybe." I said rubbing my eyes. "But right now I just want to concentrate on that not happening again. I think it was emotional stress."
"Could've been." Mussed Lori. "You were thinking about Merton right?"
"Yeah..." I stopped and stared at Tommy wide-eyed. Now he was the one shrinking.
"Defiantly not emotional stress." Tommy managed to get out before he lost his human mouth. Within a few second he'd turned into a wolf. He collapsed on the floor in what I could tell was total frustration.
"C'mon Tommy." Urged Lori.
"It's not that easy." I said. "It'll take a while."
Tommy made a low growl at the word awhile.
"Well Tommy," said Lori. "You can't get too upset. The werewolf that bit you was in wolf form, so you had to assume that one day it would happen to you."
'yeah, but not now.' Tommy's expression seemed to say. He leaped up to the bed where Lori and I were sitting contemplating our situation. I started to stroke him unconsciously; forgetting for a few minutes that I was supposed to be mad at him. He pulled in closer to me and it was then that I remembered that I wanted to be mad at him. when I jerked my hand away from him his eyes glowed a dark yellow.
"Oh stop." I muttered.
"Huh?" asked Lori.
"Nothing." I replied.
"I wish Merton was here." She said solemnly.
"When I got your e-mail in Greece I looked for ways to revive people from Medusa's powers, but I couldn't anything." I said.
Lori sighed, "maybe we should go down to his Lair."
"His Lair?" I said meekly. I really didn't want to go down there, with the stone figure of Merton. I hadn't seen it yet, and I wasn't sure if I really wanted to..
"Well we need Info." Said Lori. "And Merton has all of it."
"What do you think Tommy?" I asked.
He nodded his head and started for the door. Lori and I jumped up and followed.
~
As we entered Merton's lair I veered to the right to avoid having to look straight at Merton.
"You should just look at him." Advised Lori. "you'll have to at some point."
"But..." Lori didn't let me finish. She turned me around to face Merton. He was stoned into a diving motion. I looked him over a few times then turned back to the bookshelves.
"I wish you hadn't stoned that gorgan." I grumbled. "I have a few words I'd like to ram down her throat."
Lori grinned at me sadly before taking a book off the shelf.
"Make sure you put that back!" said a voice.
Lori dropped the book and spun around. I back up next to her looking for the intruder. Tommy had raised his hackles and was growling at the air.
"Guys it's me," said the voice. "Merton."
"What?" I called out.
"Me Merton, y'know, your friend."
I screamed a little, as the voice spoke.
"C'mon you've gotta help me!" he begged.
Lori went over to the statue and touched it to see what would happen. There was nothing except for Merton's voice again.
"I can't feel anything. I'm not exactly in a body right now." He said.
"You're dead!" Lori yelled.
"No, almost though, I think." He sounded very uncertain. "I'm in Limbo. The place between Heaven and Hell."
Tommy's ears seemed to perk up. He walked over to a large set of encyclopedias, and pulled down the L volume. I took it out of his mouth and started flipping through it.
"Is that Tommy?" asked Merton.
"Yeah." Said Lori. "Can you see us?"
"Sorta but it's kinda blurry." He admitted.
"So your fate hasn't been decided yet?" I asked reading from the book.
"The, erm, 'fates' said that I have three very reliable friends who might be able to get me out of this." Said his voice. "What's been happening?"
"We've been changing into wolves." I said in a fakly cheerful voice.
"Of all the times to be changed into to stone!" he moaned. "Oh by the way, if I want to live we've gotta do this in ten days or less."
"What do we have to do?" Lori asked keenly.
"I only know one thing." He said. "to unstone me you need Medusa."
Lori smacked her head. "We stoned her after she stoned you!"
Tommy put a paw over his face, and sat down on the floor.
"You need to unstone her!" said Merton.
"No duh!" I cried. "But how?"
"You'd need some water that came from Greece, but you'd have to go to..."
"No, wait." I interrupted. "I filled my water bottle at a public fountain by the Parthenon. Where'd you guys put the statue of Medusa?"
"It's in Merton's closet." Lori said walking over to it. I picked up my back pack and took my water bottle out of it. I tossed it to Lori who pulled open the closet. Tommy came over and circled my legs.
"What is it?" I asked. He sat down again and shook a bit. He was growing. Once he started to stand I grabbed him to make sure he didn't fall. His weight was to much for me and when he was fully human I stumbled backwards with him in my arms. We landed on Merton's bed. Tommy was on top of me smiling gently. It looked as if Lori was having a hard time keeping control of her gag reflex. I meanwhile, was on the bottom and kinda needed to get up.
"We can continue this later Tommy." I said slyly. "But right now, could you maybe get up?"
Tommy rolled off of me allowing me to get up and join Lori me the stoned Medusa.
"Wait." Said Tommy as Lori was about to open the bottle. "You can do this. I have to. If she she's you two, you guys'll be dead as doornails. Remember that uncontrollable jealousy she had?"
"He's right." Merton joined us again. "You two stand back. Let Tommy trick her into thinking he likes her. She had to give permission for anyone to be unstoned, namely me. You're gonna need a bargaining chip, namely Tommy."
"OK." Tommy uncapped the bottle and poured it on top of Medusa's stone head. Lori and I backed behind a couch, and Merton shut up. The statue started to shake a little, and parts of the stone began falling off her body. Her arm moved up towards Tommy's shoulder and soon her other followed.
"Tommy." Her voiced hissed.
All the stone fell off her body and there stood a pretty normal looking girl, besides the snakes coming out of her head.
"You freed me." Her voice sounded regular now.
"Yeah." Said Tommy.
She felt his face lightly and smiled. "So you've realized we were meant to be together?"
When she touched him he wolfed out. upon seeing this I swear I saw red. I'm not usually a jealous person, but he wolfed out at her touch. And it wasn't a 'OK I'm going to fight you now' wolf out. It was a an 'OK I just got hard from your touch' wolf out.
"Calm down!" Lori whispered almost silently.
"He just wolfed out when she touched him!" I hissed.
"You're in no condition to fight." Lori said holding me back. "Your powers are on the fritz and you don't know what's gonna happen next."
As I struggled in Lori's grip something was surging inside of me. It was some new sort of power, and I could feel it. Suddenly it burst out. I'd shot out of Lori's grasp, faster than anything. It was another new power. I slid across the floor and hit my head on the wall. Tommy and Medusa both looked at me. Tommy seemed to be snapped out of whatever trance Medusa had put on him. I stood up completely wolfed out, and with my new power at hand.
"Cass are you all right?" asked Tommy.
"Who's this?" Medusa's eyes turned green
"His girl friend!" I bared my fangs threateningly. Then I ran across the room to stand next to Tommy. I knew I'd been a blur because there were papers flying all over the place, and Medusa was still looking at the place I'd ran from.
"How the hell did you do that?" Tommy asked looking at me wide eyed.
"I'll explain later." I said. "For now, kick her on three. One, Two three."
Tommy and I both kicked her in the back, and she fell to the floor unconscious. Seconds later Lori came out of hiding.
"How're you supposed to get her permission if she's unconscious?" Lori asked dryly.
"I don't know." I said. "But we should lock her up somewhere."
"I've got a burlap sack in the second drawer to the left on my desk." Offered Merton. Tommy went over and got it. He fitted it over Medusa's body, and tied her up.
~
Nine o' clock the same night. Tommy and I were in my room 'continuing' what we'd never even started back in Merton's Lair. It was perfect. Our pants were off. His shirt was off and I was on top of him, not to mention the fact that his tongue was in my mouth and we were both wolfed out. My parents and his parents were gone and my brother and sister were asleep. Plus I was soooo not mad at him anymore. He was defiantly making everything up. Not that I wasn't helping of course.
"Mad at me anymore?" asked Tommy.
"What do you think?" I asked kissing him on the neck.
"I'll take that as a no." he grinned.
"You help patch up relationships pretty well."
"Thanks." He kissed me. "You know, you're really hot as a werewolf."
"Glad you think so." I rolled off of him to his side.
"Where're you going?" He asked me.
"I'm staying right here, don't worry." I ran my fingers through his hair, and down his face. He shivered a little. I grinned. "this wolf instinct is very hard to control."
"How so?" He smiled, probably knowing what was coming next.
"Keeps telling me to mate." I raised an eyebrow.
"Are you gonna try and control it?" he asked.
"Probably not. Do you want me to?"
"Nah, not really."
I moved my tongue over my fangs. They seemed sharper than they had before, but that really didn't matter. I slightly bit Tommy on the neck and then we started to well...mate.
~
I was tired when got to school the next morning. I walked in like a zombie. That's not to say that I wasn't in a good mood though. Heck I was in a great mood. I was in such a great mood that one of my friends thought that I was sending signals out to people that I'd had sex with someone.
"It's so obvious." Said Lynn shaking her head.
"How is it obvious?" I asked, watching the soccer ban she was bouncing on her knee.
"You're like glowing. I don't exactly know how explain it." She said.
"Well maybe I did, it's nobodies business." I frowned.
"Oh so you did?" she stopped the soccer ball. "Who'd you do it with?"
I knew I could trust her. she'd never told one of my secrets since first grade..
"Fine." I pulled her over into the bathroom. When the door had swung shut I told her.
"Oh my god! Tommy Dawkins?" she looked amazed. "The quarterback?"
"Uh huh." I said blandly. "Tell no one."
~
"You guys did that?" Lori gave us blank looks.
"Keep it down will you?" said Tommy.
"Sorry, but I never thought that you two would go that far!" she said,
"In a wolves mind that really isn't hat far." I said. "And we were wolfed out at the time."
"Oh so you mean that's not a hickey." Lori pointed to the bite I'd given Tommy on the neck.
"Neither is this." I showed her the larger bite on my shoulder that Tommy had given me.
"And all of this happened because you was jealous of me and Medusa." Lori shook her head. "I'd hate to se what would happen if Tommy ever went this far with Medusa."
"Don't go there." My eyes glowed yellow.
We fell silent as we turned onto Merton's street.
As soon as were inside the lair I went over to check the burlap sack that we'd tied Medusa in. I found it, and it was obvious she was still inside the question was, was she still alive. The bag had been turned to stone.
"She did that at about one o' clock this afternoon." Merton's voice floated across the lair.
"Is she still alive?" asked Tommy.
"Couldn't tell ya." He said.
I walked up to the stone blanket and kicked it. A slight hissing sound came from inside.
"I think she's on the brink of life." I reported.
"How're we gonna get her out of that?" asked Lori.
"Like this." I transformed and punched through the rock. As soon as the rock cracked I backed away. Slowly Medusa stood up, gasping for air. I was the first thing she saw.
"You!" she cried, and moved towards me. I braced for the punch, but none ever came. I un-squinted me eyes and looked at her. she was standing in front of me, looking at me with a mix of anger and sadness on her face.
"I won't hurt you." She growled and backed away. "I can't hurt someone who carries a life within them."
"What?!" Tommy came out so he could be seen.
"It's yours isn't it?" Her eyes flashed green. "I told you last time if I couldn't have you nobody could."
"What's mine?" Tommy backed away from her glance. It looked like he was concentrating on something.
"The child is yours, is it not?" she was closing in on him. He kept backing up. Finally he reached a corner; he started the transformation to full wolf. It was faster this time, and Medusa had no time to stone him. He ran from the corner over to Lori. Medusa followed.
I followed Medusa, and placed myself between her and Tommy and Lori.
"We have to talk." I said, trying to be brave.
She glared at me.
"You said you can't hurt me, so until we talk I'm going to stand right here in between." I stood up straight to look like I was confident.
"You have five minutes." She said.
"No I have forever." I said. "Now listen. I have two questions for you."
"Like what?"
"What child are you talking about?"
"You're pregnant." She said smugly. "It's either a regular child, a werewolf, or a wolf pup."
"How would you know?" I asked.
"I was a mother, but Jason and the Argonauts killed them. I will spare you that fate." A shadow crept over her eyes.
"Fine." I said shakily. "Now for my next question. Will you give permission for Merton to be unstoned?"
"Will you give me Tommy?" she asked 'matter-o-factly'.
"This isn't about Tommy." I growled. "This is about Merton, now answer the question."
"I'll unstone Merton if you give me Tommy." She repeated.
"Cass, don't listen to her." muttered Lori from behind me.
"You can't have Tommy." I said. "He'll stay a wolf the rest of his life if it means not having to be with you." Ok, I wasn't sure about all that, but it sure sounded good.
"Fine then. Merton shall remain a stone creature." She said.
I balled my hand up in a fist angrily. "Listen, can't you just..."
"No."
With that I punched her in the jaw and she fell to the ground.
"What she wants, she usually gets." Lori warned, as she stepped out from behind me.
"Not this time." I kicked her body.
"What're you going to do about, um, being pregnant." Lori asked nervously
"Pray that Medusa was lying." I said. "But I've got a certain feeling that she wasn't. There's something in there."
"Actually I was talking more about you're parents." Said Lori.
"She's only pregnant when she's wolfed out. In human form the kid will be there, it just won't show." Said Merton. "She'll be safe from the parents. And it probably won't be a normal kid. It'll most likely be a werewolf. This is why everybody says, safe sex is no sex."
"Merton give it a break." Tommy returned to human form. "You know that if any girl came up to you and asked you to get down and dirty you wouldn't refuse."
"True, true." He admitted. "But I'm not a werewolf who decided to have mating season a little early."
"Merton just shut up.' I said. "Do you know of any other ways to get you out of there? 'Cause I don't think Medusa's gonna be very cooperative."
"One second." His voice seemed farther. "The fates would like a word with me."
"Now he's getting chummy with the fates?" asked Lori. "While we're down here dealing with a very green-eyed gorgon."
"I am not getting chummy with the fates!" Merton's voice sounded closer to us. Very close.
"Merton?" Tommy looked around.
"The one and only. I'm back in my body!" He said giddily.
Lori, Tommy and I stood glued to the spot as we watched something amazing. It was so cliché kinda like a disney movie, but there was a shower of sparks, and a mist. This mist slowly started to take shape. It took the shape of Merton. He stood there for a minute after the mst had fully formed looking at himself making sure every thing was right. Every thing was right, except for the fact that he was transparent. But I guess that was to be expected, 'cause he was a spirit or something like that.
"It worked!" he said grinning.
"You...you..." I stuttered.
"I'm back! The fates are miricle workers. I might only be a spirit but I'm here!" Merton tried to hug Tommy but he went right through him. "Let's try that again."
Merton hugged Tommy again and this time he seemed to be solid.
"How long do you have?" asked Lori, who like me was a bit of a stuttering mess.
"There are nine days left to free me." He pointed sadly at the statue of himself. "And I really would like to be freed because we graduate in two months."
"Don't worry we'll get outa this." Tommy shrugged, grinning. "We always do. If we I could get you from 657 lbs down to 123 in two weeks, then I think we can free you from a statue."
"657 lbs, when was this?" I asked raising an eye brow.
"Long story." Said Merton waving his arms. "Right now I need to hit the books."
"Need help?" offered Lori.
"Company would be appreciated." He said. "By the way, congrats Cass."
"Let's not talk about it" I said.
"It's not that bad." Merton grabbed a few books of his shelf then walked back through his desk to the couch.
"I hope it's a either a werewolf or a wolf pup." I said firmly.
"What?' Tommy turned to me in amazement.
"They'd be easier to hide from our parents than a normal kid." I said reasonably.
"I told you it'll probably be a werewolf." Said Merton from the couch. "Genetically it makes the most sense."
Tommy just cast a sideward glance at Merton and then looked back at me. I caught the look in his eye that said 'we need to talk, now'.
"I'm leaving." I said. "I've got homework. I'll you guys later at the Factory if you come tonight."
I picked up my stuff and left out the back door. When I was outside I waited on the end of Merton's driveway for Tommy, who I knew would be coming out next. He did about a minute later.
"How did this happen?" he asked when he reached me.
"Didn't your parents ever give you the birds and the bees talk?" I asked grinning.
"Cass, this is serious." Tommy rolled his eyes, sighing. "According to Merton you've got three weeks until some baby comes popping out of you."
"Three weeks!" I almost screamed.
"Don't ask me to explain because I didn't understand half of what he said, but the point is we've got a kid coming, unless...was Medusa lying?"
I shook my head. "No it's there, and it's a werewolf."
"It is?" asked Tommy.
"Well what'd you expect?"
Tommy avoided this question, and we just stared at each other for a few seconds.
"Well, I'll see you at the Factory tonight." He said breaking the silence. "Cass, you do know I love you."
"I know." I smiled. "Trust me, I know."
~
A thunderstorm was moving in on the outskirts of Pleasantville. Lightning and thunder were striking all around the barren fields, the tallest trees in the forest, and on a certain gray stone castle that sat plop in the middle of it all.
The castle belonging to the Evil Werewolf Syndicate was very active tonight. The whole syndicate had just come from a meeting and now two werewolves were going out on a particually easy mission. There mission? Capture Cassandra Black and bring her back to the castle with her and the baby unharmed. The two members took with them two cloth pads and a bottle of chlorophyll. If they snuck into her bed room they knew the task could be completed in less than three minutes. There would be no maiming, beating, scratching, biting, or killing. Just chlorophyll.
~
The Factory was almost filled to the brim that night. Lori, and Tommy weren't there when I arrived, so I hung out with Lynn and some of the other girls on the soccer team for awhile. That got kind of boring though because most of it was a 'he said the she said that he said the she said that she said' conversation. I tuned as much of it out as I could, and waited for Tommy or Lori to arrive. Tommy arrived first. I bid the team goodbye and walked over to the bar here he was sitting.
"'Sup?" I asked from behind him.
"Oh, hey Cass." He grinned. "You want something?"
"No thanks." I noticed we were both very tense.
"You wanna, um...go somewhere a bit more secluded?" Tommy seemed to read my mind. "The park?"
"Sure." I jumped down from the stool and pulled him through the crowds of people dancing.
When we got outside we headed towards the park.
"So?" I asked, sitting on the edge of the gazebo.
"Nothing really." He sat next me. "It's just nicer out here."
"True." I looked at his eyes to see if there was anything else he wanted to talk about. There truly wasn't. "So what do you think Merton and Lori are doing?"
He laughed. "Probably nothing, Merton's a spirt right now, remember? He's probably pissed as ever about it too."
"Oh, god, he's in a room, alone with Lori and he can't eactly do anything with her...you're right, he is pissed." I rolled one eyeball, (a talent I'd been practicing for a while).
"Should we go back?"
"Nah." I looked up into the sky. "Hmm, there's the Medusa star."
Tommy looked up and scowled at it. "If it can't help get Merton back, I'm not interested."
"Might." I muttered to myself, then louder. "And there's Pegasus, her first son."
"Who was her other?" Tommy asked.
"I'm not sure." I admitted. "All I know is that Pegasus burst from her body or something like that. That might help. How? I don't know, but it could."
"Planning on cutting her down the middle?" He grinned a little.
"Nope. I'm not planning anything," I glanced down at my watch. "Except to stop by Merton's lair before I go home. Coming?"
~
Tommy accompanied me back to Merton's Lair where we were informed that Merton had been granted 4 weeks of being a spirit on earth; so that he could... ahem, assist in childbirth. After chatting with them a bit I walked home alone. The only person up was my brother Chris. He was sitting on the couch watching the late night movie. I sat down on the couch next to him, and it was a good thirty seconds before he noticed me.
"'Sup, Cass?" he asked still staring at the television.
"Nada." I answered.
"Where were you? It's like 11:00 at night. We were supposed to be home a ten thirty."
I looked at my twin brother and grinned. "You know you won't tell."
"You're right." He yawned. "Coming up to bed?"
"I guess I'd better." We walked up the stairs to the third floor together, and into our respective rooms. I changed into a long NY Liberty nightshirt and pulled back the sheets on my bed. Upon climbing in I fell instantly asleep.
~
The first thing I saw when I woke up was fur running up and down my arms and legs. I had paw and fangs. Usually the only reason I would wolf out at night would be because of a bad dream, but I couldn't remember having any. Next I saw my stomach had grown significantly larger. But the biggest difference of all was the dirt floor, the rock walls, and silver bars. This was certainly not my bedroom.
"She's awake." Some hissed as I managed to pull my self up in a sitting position. A blacked hooded figure approached my cell.
"How are you feeling?" the figures voice was cold and uncaring. Obviously he was only asking the question because he'd been ordered to.
"Well considering I've been abducted from my house," I growled sarcastically. "Not to well."
The figure snickered, and pulled down his hood to reveal his face. "Well please, try to make yourself feel at home. You and your child will be spending much time here." His brown eyes glowed yellow maliciously, well that gave away that this was the evil syndicate. "The child is due sometime in the next two days, and please have no thoughts of being rescued. Your little friends have tried about four times. Each time they've retreated."
"How long was I out?" I asked in a neutral voice.
"Four weeks." I glared at him as he answered. He turned on his heel and walked down the dark hall way. Another man came closer and lowered his hood too. He had a cheerier face, and voice, but the news was still not good.
"Well," he started. "We're going to have to tie you up until you go into labor so you won't give us any trouble. When you go into labor let us know so we can take the kid as soon as you give birth."
I growled at him as he stepped into the cell.
"Hey c'mon be cooperative, it's for your own good." He shrugged.
"Y'know something?" I stood up. I was a good head taller than him and he sorta shrank back. "Kiss my fuckin' ass you freakin' shit-head!"
"Now there was no need for that sort of profanity..." I made sure he never got to finish. With his pharynx securely popped out of place I dragged him into a corner, and sorta hoped he would die. I remembered Merton and Tommy had told me that they'd taken disguises to sneak around the castle; I didn't bother. I just wanted to get out. The halls were almost black except for the torches that hung along the walls. I heard voices and stopped.
"She's secure Leader."
"good, I'll go see to her now." The 'leader' was heading this way. My eyes darted around looking for escape routes.
"Damn." I muttered. "Gotta go wolf."
As the 'leader came around the corner all I was, was a small gray wolf who was blending in with the shadows on the walls. After he passed I stayed wolf and continued down the passages, using my wolf nose to sense out fresh air, instead of the musty air of the dungeons. Soon I came to a staircase which I climbed with only minimal problems. Unfortunately my problems were waiting at the top of the stairs.
There were five werewolves standing casually waiting just for me. I blinked a few times, and looked at them. They all stared back at me waiting for the battle to begin. I didn't really want to fight, because I wasn't really feeling up it. My wolf's stomach was doing cartwheels and summersaults, not to mention an occasional kick from the baby. One of the werewolves nodded his head and they all started in after me.
~
(A/n- It now changes to Tommy's POV)
Lori, Merton and I sat solemnly in his Lair. A lot had happened since Cass had disappeared. First and foremost we'd gotten Merton unstoned. Cass's constellation info had given me an idea. We told Medusa if she unfroze Merton and stayed away from Pleasantville we'd give her, her child back. She shook on it, and when a Gorgon, makes a deal it can't go back. She unfroze Merton, and Lori and I showed her the Pegasus constellation. She was enraged that she'd been tricked, and left Pleasantville almost immediately. Then we'd turned our attention back to Cass. We hadn't been able to rescue her yet, but we were working on it.
"We should try to get in there again." said Lori fiercely.
"We've tried that." Merton was exasperated. "We need to look at this logically."
"Logic ain't gonna get her outa there any faster." Lori countered.
"It's better than busting into that big, humongous castle!" I think Merton had forgotten all affectionate feelings he had for Lori.
"You dope, that's exactly what's going to work." Obviously Lori had too.
As they argued a feeling suddenly sprouted in the back of my head. "Wait!" I said. "I know where she is."
"How?" Lori turned from Merton.
"It's just a feeling." I said. "She's in the forest."
"What Tommy is your Spidey- sense tingling?" Merton teased.
"Shut up." I said looking towards the door. "C'mon we're going, now!"
~
(A/n- Cass's POV)
It was six o'clock. I was still a wolf, but not as worried about it any more, I think. Tommy and Lori stared at me from across the room. I sat curled up on Tommy's bed trying to return to human. It still wasn't working.
"Cass you gotta come back!" Said Lori.
'she doesn't know how hard I'm trying' I thought. I kept concentrating on my human form. Occasionally I'd feel something trying to happen, but then it would stop. I peered at my calendar. It wasn't a full moon.
'none of this should be happening.' I desperately tried again. This time there was more growing. I kept at it and slowly I came out of the wolf's body. When it was finished I just sat on the floor taking in deep gulps of air in shock.
"That..." I gasped.
"Calm down." Coaxed Tommy. "Relax. It might happen again if you don't."
I instantly calmed. I certainly didn't want that happening again. Slowly I stretched out on Tommy's bed. As my head it the pillow I realized I had a throbbing headache.
"It's gonna happen again." I shuddered. "I can tell."
Lori came over, and put her hand on my forehead. "Maybe you should rest, you're pretty warm, but I don't what it was from. Do you think you can make it home?"
"Yeah." I said.
"Maybe you should skip school tomorrow." Tommy suggested.
"Maybe." I said rubbing my eyes. "But right now I just want to concentrate on that not happening again. I think it was emotional stress."
"Could've been." Mussed Lori. "You were thinking about Merton right?"
"Yeah..." I stopped and stared at Tommy wide-eyed. Now he was the one shrinking.
"Defiantly not emotional stress." Tommy managed to get out before he lost his human mouth. Within a few second he'd turned into a wolf. He collapsed on the floor in what I could tell was total frustration.
"C'mon Tommy." Urged Lori.
"It's not that easy." I said. "It'll take a while."
Tommy made a low growl at the word awhile.
"Well Tommy," said Lori. "You can't get too upset. The werewolf that bit you was in wolf form, so you had to assume that one day it would happen to you."
'yeah, but not now.' Tommy's expression seemed to say. He leaped up to the bed where Lori and I were sitting contemplating our situation. I started to stroke him unconsciously; forgetting for a few minutes that I was supposed to be mad at him. He pulled in closer to me and it was then that I remembered that I wanted to be mad at him. when I jerked my hand away from him his eyes glowed a dark yellow.
"Oh stop." I muttered.
"Huh?" asked Lori.
"Nothing." I replied.
"I wish Merton was here." She said solemnly.
"When I got your e-mail in Greece I looked for ways to revive people from Medusa's powers, but I couldn't anything." I said.
Lori sighed, "maybe we should go down to his Lair."
"His Lair?" I said meekly. I really didn't want to go down there, with the stone figure of Merton. I hadn't seen it yet, and I wasn't sure if I really wanted to..
"Well we need Info." Said Lori. "And Merton has all of it."
"What do you think Tommy?" I asked.
He nodded his head and started for the door. Lori and I jumped up and followed.
~
As we entered Merton's lair I veered to the right to avoid having to look straight at Merton.
"You should just look at him." Advised Lori. "you'll have to at some point."
"But..." Lori didn't let me finish. She turned me around to face Merton. He was stoned into a diving motion. I looked him over a few times then turned back to the bookshelves.
"I wish you hadn't stoned that gorgan." I grumbled. "I have a few words I'd like to ram down her throat."
Lori grinned at me sadly before taking a book off the shelf.
"Make sure you put that back!" said a voice.
Lori dropped the book and spun around. I back up next to her looking for the intruder. Tommy had raised his hackles and was growling at the air.
"Guys it's me," said the voice. "Merton."
"What?" I called out.
"Me Merton, y'know, your friend."
I screamed a little, as the voice spoke.
"C'mon you've gotta help me!" he begged.
Lori went over to the statue and touched it to see what would happen. There was nothing except for Merton's voice again.
"I can't feel anything. I'm not exactly in a body right now." He said.
"You're dead!" Lori yelled.
"No, almost though, I think." He sounded very uncertain. "I'm in Limbo. The place between Heaven and Hell."
Tommy's ears seemed to perk up. He walked over to a large set of encyclopedias, and pulled down the L volume. I took it out of his mouth and started flipping through it.
"Is that Tommy?" asked Merton.
"Yeah." Said Lori. "Can you see us?"
"Sorta but it's kinda blurry." He admitted.
"So your fate hasn't been decided yet?" I asked reading from the book.
"The, erm, 'fates' said that I have three very reliable friends who might be able to get me out of this." Said his voice. "What's been happening?"
"We've been changing into wolves." I said in a fakly cheerful voice.
"Of all the times to be changed into to stone!" he moaned. "Oh by the way, if I want to live we've gotta do this in ten days or less."
"What do we have to do?" Lori asked keenly.
"I only know one thing." He said. "to unstone me you need Medusa."
Lori smacked her head. "We stoned her after she stoned you!"
Tommy put a paw over his face, and sat down on the floor.
"You need to unstone her!" said Merton.
"No duh!" I cried. "But how?"
"You'd need some water that came from Greece, but you'd have to go to..."
"No, wait." I interrupted. "I filled my water bottle at a public fountain by the Parthenon. Where'd you guys put the statue of Medusa?"
"It's in Merton's closet." Lori said walking over to it. I picked up my back pack and took my water bottle out of it. I tossed it to Lori who pulled open the closet. Tommy came over and circled my legs.
"What is it?" I asked. He sat down again and shook a bit. He was growing. Once he started to stand I grabbed him to make sure he didn't fall. His weight was to much for me and when he was fully human I stumbled backwards with him in my arms. We landed on Merton's bed. Tommy was on top of me smiling gently. It looked as if Lori was having a hard time keeping control of her gag reflex. I meanwhile, was on the bottom and kinda needed to get up.
"We can continue this later Tommy." I said slyly. "But right now, could you maybe get up?"
Tommy rolled off of me allowing me to get up and join Lori me the stoned Medusa.
"Wait." Said Tommy as Lori was about to open the bottle. "You can do this. I have to. If she she's you two, you guys'll be dead as doornails. Remember that uncontrollable jealousy she had?"
"He's right." Merton joined us again. "You two stand back. Let Tommy trick her into thinking he likes her. She had to give permission for anyone to be unstoned, namely me. You're gonna need a bargaining chip, namely Tommy."
"OK." Tommy uncapped the bottle and poured it on top of Medusa's stone head. Lori and I backed behind a couch, and Merton shut up. The statue started to shake a little, and parts of the stone began falling off her body. Her arm moved up towards Tommy's shoulder and soon her other followed.
"Tommy." Her voiced hissed.
All the stone fell off her body and there stood a pretty normal looking girl, besides the snakes coming out of her head.
"You freed me." Her voice sounded regular now.
"Yeah." Said Tommy.
She felt his face lightly and smiled. "So you've realized we were meant to be together?"
When she touched him he wolfed out. upon seeing this I swear I saw red. I'm not usually a jealous person, but he wolfed out at her touch. And it wasn't a 'OK I'm going to fight you now' wolf out. It was a an 'OK I just got hard from your touch' wolf out.
"Calm down!" Lori whispered almost silently.
"He just wolfed out when she touched him!" I hissed.
"You're in no condition to fight." Lori said holding me back. "Your powers are on the fritz and you don't know what's gonna happen next."
As I struggled in Lori's grip something was surging inside of me. It was some new sort of power, and I could feel it. Suddenly it burst out. I'd shot out of Lori's grasp, faster than anything. It was another new power. I slid across the floor and hit my head on the wall. Tommy and Medusa both looked at me. Tommy seemed to be snapped out of whatever trance Medusa had put on him. I stood up completely wolfed out, and with my new power at hand.
"Cass are you all right?" asked Tommy.
"Who's this?" Medusa's eyes turned green
"His girl friend!" I bared my fangs threateningly. Then I ran across the room to stand next to Tommy. I knew I'd been a blur because there were papers flying all over the place, and Medusa was still looking at the place I'd ran from.
"How the hell did you do that?" Tommy asked looking at me wide eyed.
"I'll explain later." I said. "For now, kick her on three. One, Two three."
Tommy and I both kicked her in the back, and she fell to the floor unconscious. Seconds later Lori came out of hiding.
"How're you supposed to get her permission if she's unconscious?" Lori asked dryly.
"I don't know." I said. "But we should lock her up somewhere."
"I've got a burlap sack in the second drawer to the left on my desk." Offered Merton. Tommy went over and got it. He fitted it over Medusa's body, and tied her up.
~
Nine o' clock the same night. Tommy and I were in my room 'continuing' what we'd never even started back in Merton's Lair. It was perfect. Our pants were off. His shirt was off and I was on top of him, not to mention the fact that his tongue was in my mouth and we were both wolfed out. My parents and his parents were gone and my brother and sister were asleep. Plus I was soooo not mad at him anymore. He was defiantly making everything up. Not that I wasn't helping of course.
"Mad at me anymore?" asked Tommy.
"What do you think?" I asked kissing him on the neck.
"I'll take that as a no." he grinned.
"You help patch up relationships pretty well."
"Thanks." He kissed me. "You know, you're really hot as a werewolf."
"Glad you think so." I rolled off of him to his side.
"Where're you going?" He asked me.
"I'm staying right here, don't worry." I ran my fingers through his hair, and down his face. He shivered a little. I grinned. "this wolf instinct is very hard to control."
"How so?" He smiled, probably knowing what was coming next.
"Keeps telling me to mate." I raised an eyebrow.
"Are you gonna try and control it?" he asked.
"Probably not. Do you want me to?"
"Nah, not really."
I moved my tongue over my fangs. They seemed sharper than they had before, but that really didn't matter. I slightly bit Tommy on the neck and then we started to well...mate.
~
I was tired when got to school the next morning. I walked in like a zombie. That's not to say that I wasn't in a good mood though. Heck I was in a great mood. I was in such a great mood that one of my friends thought that I was sending signals out to people that I'd had sex with someone.
"It's so obvious." Said Lynn shaking her head.
"How is it obvious?" I asked, watching the soccer ban she was bouncing on her knee.
"You're like glowing. I don't exactly know how explain it." She said.
"Well maybe I did, it's nobodies business." I frowned.
"Oh so you did?" she stopped the soccer ball. "Who'd you do it with?"
I knew I could trust her. she'd never told one of my secrets since first grade..
"Fine." I pulled her over into the bathroom. When the door had swung shut I told her.
"Oh my god! Tommy Dawkins?" she looked amazed. "The quarterback?"
"Uh huh." I said blandly. "Tell no one."
~
"You guys did that?" Lori gave us blank looks.
"Keep it down will you?" said Tommy.
"Sorry, but I never thought that you two would go that far!" she said,
"In a wolves mind that really isn't hat far." I said. "And we were wolfed out at the time."
"Oh so you mean that's not a hickey." Lori pointed to the bite I'd given Tommy on the neck.
"Neither is this." I showed her the larger bite on my shoulder that Tommy had given me.
"And all of this happened because you was jealous of me and Medusa." Lori shook her head. "I'd hate to se what would happen if Tommy ever went this far with Medusa."
"Don't go there." My eyes glowed yellow.
We fell silent as we turned onto Merton's street.
As soon as were inside the lair I went over to check the burlap sack that we'd tied Medusa in. I found it, and it was obvious she was still inside the question was, was she still alive. The bag had been turned to stone.
"She did that at about one o' clock this afternoon." Merton's voice floated across the lair.
"Is she still alive?" asked Tommy.
"Couldn't tell ya." He said.
I walked up to the stone blanket and kicked it. A slight hissing sound came from inside.
"I think she's on the brink of life." I reported.
"How're we gonna get her out of that?" asked Lori.
"Like this." I transformed and punched through the rock. As soon as the rock cracked I backed away. Slowly Medusa stood up, gasping for air. I was the first thing she saw.
"You!" she cried, and moved towards me. I braced for the punch, but none ever came. I un-squinted me eyes and looked at her. she was standing in front of me, looking at me with a mix of anger and sadness on her face.
"I won't hurt you." She growled and backed away. "I can't hurt someone who carries a life within them."
"What?!" Tommy came out so he could be seen.
"It's yours isn't it?" Her eyes flashed green. "I told you last time if I couldn't have you nobody could."
"What's mine?" Tommy backed away from her glance. It looked like he was concentrating on something.
"The child is yours, is it not?" she was closing in on him. He kept backing up. Finally he reached a corner; he started the transformation to full wolf. It was faster this time, and Medusa had no time to stone him. He ran from the corner over to Lori. Medusa followed.
I followed Medusa, and placed myself between her and Tommy and Lori.
"We have to talk." I said, trying to be brave.
She glared at me.
"You said you can't hurt me, so until we talk I'm going to stand right here in between." I stood up straight to look like I was confident.
"You have five minutes." She said.
"No I have forever." I said. "Now listen. I have two questions for you."
"Like what?"
"What child are you talking about?"
"You're pregnant." She said smugly. "It's either a regular child, a werewolf, or a wolf pup."
"How would you know?" I asked.
"I was a mother, but Jason and the Argonauts killed them. I will spare you that fate." A shadow crept over her eyes.
"Fine." I said shakily. "Now for my next question. Will you give permission for Merton to be unstoned?"
"Will you give me Tommy?" she asked 'matter-o-factly'.
"This isn't about Tommy." I growled. "This is about Merton, now answer the question."
"I'll unstone Merton if you give me Tommy." She repeated.
"Cass, don't listen to her." muttered Lori from behind me.
"You can't have Tommy." I said. "He'll stay a wolf the rest of his life if it means not having to be with you." Ok, I wasn't sure about all that, but it sure sounded good.
"Fine then. Merton shall remain a stone creature." She said.
I balled my hand up in a fist angrily. "Listen, can't you just..."
"No."
With that I punched her in the jaw and she fell to the ground.
"What she wants, she usually gets." Lori warned, as she stepped out from behind me.
"Not this time." I kicked her body.
"What're you going to do about, um, being pregnant." Lori asked nervously
"Pray that Medusa was lying." I said. "But I've got a certain feeling that she wasn't. There's something in there."
"Actually I was talking more about you're parents." Said Lori.
"She's only pregnant when she's wolfed out. In human form the kid will be there, it just won't show." Said Merton. "She'll be safe from the parents. And it probably won't be a normal kid. It'll most likely be a werewolf. This is why everybody says, safe sex is no sex."
"Merton give it a break." Tommy returned to human form. "You know that if any girl came up to you and asked you to get down and dirty you wouldn't refuse."
"True, true." He admitted. "But I'm not a werewolf who decided to have mating season a little early."
"Merton just shut up.' I said. "Do you know of any other ways to get you out of there? 'Cause I don't think Medusa's gonna be very cooperative."
"One second." His voice seemed farther. "The fates would like a word with me."
"Now he's getting chummy with the fates?" asked Lori. "While we're down here dealing with a very green-eyed gorgon."
"I am not getting chummy with the fates!" Merton's voice sounded closer to us. Very close.
"Merton?" Tommy looked around.
"The one and only. I'm back in my body!" He said giddily.
Lori, Tommy and I stood glued to the spot as we watched something amazing. It was so cliché kinda like a disney movie, but there was a shower of sparks, and a mist. This mist slowly started to take shape. It took the shape of Merton. He stood there for a minute after the mst had fully formed looking at himself making sure every thing was right. Every thing was right, except for the fact that he was transparent. But I guess that was to be expected, 'cause he was a spirit or something like that.
"It worked!" he said grinning.
"You...you..." I stuttered.
"I'm back! The fates are miricle workers. I might only be a spirit but I'm here!" Merton tried to hug Tommy but he went right through him. "Let's try that again."
Merton hugged Tommy again and this time he seemed to be solid.
"How long do you have?" asked Lori, who like me was a bit of a stuttering mess.
"There are nine days left to free me." He pointed sadly at the statue of himself. "And I really would like to be freed because we graduate in two months."
"Don't worry we'll get outa this." Tommy shrugged, grinning. "We always do. If we I could get you from 657 lbs down to 123 in two weeks, then I think we can free you from a statue."
"657 lbs, when was this?" I asked raising an eye brow.
"Long story." Said Merton waving his arms. "Right now I need to hit the books."
"Need help?" offered Lori.
"Company would be appreciated." He said. "By the way, congrats Cass."
"Let's not talk about it" I said.
"It's not that bad." Merton grabbed a few books of his shelf then walked back through his desk to the couch.
"I hope it's a either a werewolf or a wolf pup." I said firmly.
"What?' Tommy turned to me in amazement.
"They'd be easier to hide from our parents than a normal kid." I said reasonably.
"I told you it'll probably be a werewolf." Said Merton from the couch. "Genetically it makes the most sense."
Tommy just cast a sideward glance at Merton and then looked back at me. I caught the look in his eye that said 'we need to talk, now'.
"I'm leaving." I said. "I've got homework. I'll you guys later at the Factory if you come tonight."
I picked up my stuff and left out the back door. When I was outside I waited on the end of Merton's driveway for Tommy, who I knew would be coming out next. He did about a minute later.
"How did this happen?" he asked when he reached me.
"Didn't your parents ever give you the birds and the bees talk?" I asked grinning.
"Cass, this is serious." Tommy rolled his eyes, sighing. "According to Merton you've got three weeks until some baby comes popping out of you."
"Three weeks!" I almost screamed.
"Don't ask me to explain because I didn't understand half of what he said, but the point is we've got a kid coming, unless...was Medusa lying?"
I shook my head. "No it's there, and it's a werewolf."
"It is?" asked Tommy.
"Well what'd you expect?"
Tommy avoided this question, and we just stared at each other for a few seconds.
"Well, I'll see you at the Factory tonight." He said breaking the silence. "Cass, you do know I love you."
"I know." I smiled. "Trust me, I know."
~
A thunderstorm was moving in on the outskirts of Pleasantville. Lightning and thunder were striking all around the barren fields, the tallest trees in the forest, and on a certain gray stone castle that sat plop in the middle of it all.
The castle belonging to the Evil Werewolf Syndicate was very active tonight. The whole syndicate had just come from a meeting and now two werewolves were going out on a particually easy mission. There mission? Capture Cassandra Black and bring her back to the castle with her and the baby unharmed. The two members took with them two cloth pads and a bottle of chlorophyll. If they snuck into her bed room they knew the task could be completed in less than three minutes. There would be no maiming, beating, scratching, biting, or killing. Just chlorophyll.
~
The Factory was almost filled to the brim that night. Lori, and Tommy weren't there when I arrived, so I hung out with Lynn and some of the other girls on the soccer team for awhile. That got kind of boring though because most of it was a 'he said the she said that he said the she said that she said' conversation. I tuned as much of it out as I could, and waited for Tommy or Lori to arrive. Tommy arrived first. I bid the team goodbye and walked over to the bar here he was sitting.
"'Sup?" I asked from behind him.
"Oh, hey Cass." He grinned. "You want something?"
"No thanks." I noticed we were both very tense.
"You wanna, um...go somewhere a bit more secluded?" Tommy seemed to read my mind. "The park?"
"Sure." I jumped down from the stool and pulled him through the crowds of people dancing.
When we got outside we headed towards the park.
"So?" I asked, sitting on the edge of the gazebo.
"Nothing really." He sat next me. "It's just nicer out here."
"True." I looked at his eyes to see if there was anything else he wanted to talk about. There truly wasn't. "So what do you think Merton and Lori are doing?"
He laughed. "Probably nothing, Merton's a spirt right now, remember? He's probably pissed as ever about it too."
"Oh, god, he's in a room, alone with Lori and he can't eactly do anything with her...you're right, he is pissed." I rolled one eyeball, (a talent I'd been practicing for a while).
"Should we go back?"
"Nah." I looked up into the sky. "Hmm, there's the Medusa star."
Tommy looked up and scowled at it. "If it can't help get Merton back, I'm not interested."
"Might." I muttered to myself, then louder. "And there's Pegasus, her first son."
"Who was her other?" Tommy asked.
"I'm not sure." I admitted. "All I know is that Pegasus burst from her body or something like that. That might help. How? I don't know, but it could."
"Planning on cutting her down the middle?" He grinned a little.
"Nope. I'm not planning anything," I glanced down at my watch. "Except to stop by Merton's lair before I go home. Coming?"
~
Tommy accompanied me back to Merton's Lair where we were informed that Merton had been granted 4 weeks of being a spirit on earth; so that he could... ahem, assist in childbirth. After chatting with them a bit I walked home alone. The only person up was my brother Chris. He was sitting on the couch watching the late night movie. I sat down on the couch next to him, and it was a good thirty seconds before he noticed me.
"'Sup, Cass?" he asked still staring at the television.
"Nada." I answered.
"Where were you? It's like 11:00 at night. We were supposed to be home a ten thirty."
I looked at my twin brother and grinned. "You know you won't tell."
"You're right." He yawned. "Coming up to bed?"
"I guess I'd better." We walked up the stairs to the third floor together, and into our respective rooms. I changed into a long NY Liberty nightshirt and pulled back the sheets on my bed. Upon climbing in I fell instantly asleep.
~
The first thing I saw when I woke up was fur running up and down my arms and legs. I had paw and fangs. Usually the only reason I would wolf out at night would be because of a bad dream, but I couldn't remember having any. Next I saw my stomach had grown significantly larger. But the biggest difference of all was the dirt floor, the rock walls, and silver bars. This was certainly not my bedroom.
"She's awake." Some hissed as I managed to pull my self up in a sitting position. A blacked hooded figure approached my cell.
"How are you feeling?" the figures voice was cold and uncaring. Obviously he was only asking the question because he'd been ordered to.
"Well considering I've been abducted from my house," I growled sarcastically. "Not to well."
The figure snickered, and pulled down his hood to reveal his face. "Well please, try to make yourself feel at home. You and your child will be spending much time here." His brown eyes glowed yellow maliciously, well that gave away that this was the evil syndicate. "The child is due sometime in the next two days, and please have no thoughts of being rescued. Your little friends have tried about four times. Each time they've retreated."
"How long was I out?" I asked in a neutral voice.
"Four weeks." I glared at him as he answered. He turned on his heel and walked down the dark hall way. Another man came closer and lowered his hood too. He had a cheerier face, and voice, but the news was still not good.
"Well," he started. "We're going to have to tie you up until you go into labor so you won't give us any trouble. When you go into labor let us know so we can take the kid as soon as you give birth."
I growled at him as he stepped into the cell.
"Hey c'mon be cooperative, it's for your own good." He shrugged.
"Y'know something?" I stood up. I was a good head taller than him and he sorta shrank back. "Kiss my fuckin' ass you freakin' shit-head!"
"Now there was no need for that sort of profanity..." I made sure he never got to finish. With his pharynx securely popped out of place I dragged him into a corner, and sorta hoped he would die. I remembered Merton and Tommy had told me that they'd taken disguises to sneak around the castle; I didn't bother. I just wanted to get out. The halls were almost black except for the torches that hung along the walls. I heard voices and stopped.
"She's secure Leader."
"good, I'll go see to her now." The 'leader' was heading this way. My eyes darted around looking for escape routes.
"Damn." I muttered. "Gotta go wolf."
As the 'leader came around the corner all I was, was a small gray wolf who was blending in with the shadows on the walls. After he passed I stayed wolf and continued down the passages, using my wolf nose to sense out fresh air, instead of the musty air of the dungeons. Soon I came to a staircase which I climbed with only minimal problems. Unfortunately my problems were waiting at the top of the stairs.
There were five werewolves standing casually waiting just for me. I blinked a few times, and looked at them. They all stared back at me waiting for the battle to begin. I didn't really want to fight, because I wasn't really feeling up it. My wolf's stomach was doing cartwheels and summersaults, not to mention an occasional kick from the baby. One of the werewolves nodded his head and they all started in after me.
~
(A/n- It now changes to Tommy's POV)
Lori, Merton and I sat solemnly in his Lair. A lot had happened since Cass had disappeared. First and foremost we'd gotten Merton unstoned. Cass's constellation info had given me an idea. We told Medusa if she unfroze Merton and stayed away from Pleasantville we'd give her, her child back. She shook on it, and when a Gorgon, makes a deal it can't go back. She unfroze Merton, and Lori and I showed her the Pegasus constellation. She was enraged that she'd been tricked, and left Pleasantville almost immediately. Then we'd turned our attention back to Cass. We hadn't been able to rescue her yet, but we were working on it.
"We should try to get in there again." said Lori fiercely.
"We've tried that." Merton was exasperated. "We need to look at this logically."
"Logic ain't gonna get her outa there any faster." Lori countered.
"It's better than busting into that big, humongous castle!" I think Merton had forgotten all affectionate feelings he had for Lori.
"You dope, that's exactly what's going to work." Obviously Lori had too.
As they argued a feeling suddenly sprouted in the back of my head. "Wait!" I said. "I know where she is."
"How?" Lori turned from Merton.
"It's just a feeling." I said. "She's in the forest."
"What Tommy is your Spidey- sense tingling?" Merton teased.
"Shut up." I said looking towards the door. "C'mon we're going, now!"
~
(A/n- Cass's POV)