*~* Chapter Thirteen: The Plot Thickens *~*

"We join our heroes, who of course have always been like everybody else, as they ride the Hogwarts Express back to their school. And what a beautiful day it is! The snow is coming down violently outside, the wind is making the train rock, and ice on the tracks has made us almost derail five times thus far! Oh, hold that number, I feel six coming on!"

The train pitched to the side, making trunks slide from overhead racks and also making everyone fall to one side of the compartment.

"Oh, and KayKay almost takes an owl cage to the head! But one moment, where is the little puppy Casey?"

Shoving the owl cage away as the train magicked back onto the tracks again, KayKay stood up.

"Don't worry, KayKay. I've got her." Ron said, shoving a trunk away from his knees and producing Casey from where she'd been sheltered against his chest.

"Oh, thank you!" KayKay gushed, her panic melting away. "I don't know what I'd do . . ."

"Hey, I owe you." He said, shoving the trunks towards the back of the compartment so they wouldn't fall again. "You did—"

"And the valiant Ron has rescued the puppy! Well done, Lad! And now for a word from our sponsors: Do you enjoy experimental eating?"

"Megan, please, you've been doing this all day." KayKay groaned, massaging her temples as if to banish a headache.

Megan continued, oblivious. "Then Mr. Norm's Community Cafeteria is the place for you! This week's features include Peanut Butter and Jelly cookies and Mashed potatoes with gravy-honey-orange juice-barbecue sauce! Free Pepto Bismal included!"

"Megan . . ." KayKay growled, partly from annoyance and partly from a stab of pain that shot through her tattooed arm.

"Now let's go to our eye-in-the-sky, Miss Melody Broomstick, for a traffic report. Expect delays as you approach Hogsmeade, where a congregation of—yikes!"

Megan jumped away as KayKay lunged at her, set to kill. This would normally be greeted by shock from the rest of the gang, but not this time. Megan had been rambling in a radio voice for nearly two hours by now, and KayKay finally decided it was time to tear out a few vocal chords. Or to get a large roll of duct tape.

"A now for a song, while I get some air. Remember, KTRT is the station of choice. To Merlin, and beyond!" Megan said as fast as she could, wiggling out of KayKay's grasp and bolting for the door while waving her wand to make the song "Let it Snow" fill the air.

KayKay flopped back into her chair.

"That girl is so] hyper today . . . what did you give her for breakfast Hermione, jet fuel?"

"Beats me why she's mad as a March Hare today. We only had muffins." Hermione said.

"I hope she quits it soon," Harry said. "It's driving me up the wall."

"I wonder how long she'll leave us alone for." Ron said.

"I don't care, so long as she doesn't come in and say 'We're back folks, and that was "Let it Snow". Indeed it is snowing and, speaking of which, I think we're about to derail again . . .' Ugh."

"Marvelous radio voice you have, KayKay." Hermione said.

"Wow, thanks." She replied sarcastically. "My life ambition."

"Guys!" Megan popped her head in the door. KayKay looked at her wearily, prepared for another radio-host announcement. Imagine her shock then, at Megan's serious countenance and frightened eyes.

"What? What is it?" KayKay asked, immediately getting to her feet.

"Another attack . . ." the words were barely out of Megan's mouth before KayKay was brushing past her and everyone else was jumping up.

KayKay stumbled as she ran down the corridor of the rocking train. No doubt about it, the blizzard was getting worse. The train pitched wildly and she slammed into the wall, right against her burned arm, but she didn't hesitate to push herself back up and continue down the corridor.

"Oh God . . ." she muttered when she and the others reached the victim.

"Oh no . . ." Harry said quietly, looking at the girl.

"Dawn . . ." Ron whispered. "This is bad . . ."

Dawn Megowin was sprawled on the floor, an arm thrown across he face as if she'd been trying to protect herself from something. KayKay knelt down and nudged it aside.

KayKay clenched her teeth and grabbed her arm in pain upon sight of the word "DARK" tattooed on her housemate's temple.

"Oh God . . ." she said again, squeezing her eyes shut and trying to push herself away from the body. The next thing that happened was even more frightening . . . she actually saw it. She saw Dawn's eyes widening with fear and trying to ward something away with her hands. But . . . she couldn't see what! It was right at the edge of her vision, like if she could turn her head to see it she'd be able to glimpse the attacker.

"No . . . no!" KayKay shouted with a sob, much to the surprise of everyone else.

"KayKay! KayKay, what is it? KayKay, open your eyes!" Megan pleased, shaking her gently by the shoulders.

"No!" KayKay shook her head violently, "No, no, no! I can't see him! I need to see him!"

"KayKay . . . who?"

"Him! I can see . . . but I can't see him, and I need to, I could . . . I need to . . ." she thrashed, trying to get Megan to take her hands off of her shoulders.

"Let go," Harry advised Megan quietly. KayKay could hear him crouch next to her, but she still had to look! She still had to see! If only . . . if only she could see it from a different perspective . . .

"KayKay? What is it? Who are trying to see?" he asked gently.

"Him!" she insisted, so lost that she couldn't understand why Harry wouldn't know. "Him! But . . . But I can't . . ." she choked back another sob, and she could feel Harry wiping away tears from her face.

"Tell us, KayKay. Tell us who it is." He said again, softer.

"I . . . I don't know! I don't know . . ." she dropped her head to where she knew Harry's shoulder was, and she could feel him help her up, one arm around her waist to support her, one brushing along the wall so they wouldn't stumble. KayKay wasn't sure if she walked the way back to the compartment or if Harry carried her, but when they got there, Harry helped her into a chair and sat next to her, holding her and speaking soothingly until she calmed down enough to open her eyes.

"I saw . . . her." KayKay said as she blinked to get used to her surroundings. "Dawn. But . . . I couldn't see him." She breathed deeply, but a few silent tears still escaped her. "If only I could have, we'd know . . ." she kept hitting her leg with her fist in frustration. "If only . . ."

She sighed and leaned back against Harry, crying again but without any noise. He did what he was so wonderful at doing . . . he didn't speak, just held her the perfect way, that way that said they were in this together and that they'd find a way to handle it.

Yet still . . . if only.

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

"Take this Portkey and get with a group of at least five. It will activate within five minutes, Mr. Potter, so I suggest you hurry." Professor McGonagall said, handing Harry a quill and not commenting on KayKay, who had fallen asleep against him. She seemed too frazzled to bother disciplining her students.

She left, already pulling out another Portkey to give to the students in the next compartment. Harry waited a moment, then said, "You guys, I know you've been lurking outside that door for the past fifteen minutes. You can come in, you know.

There was a pause, filled with silence, then Megan, Hermione, and Ron shuffled in sheepishly.

"Are you going to wake her up?" Megan asked, nodding at KayKay.

"Nah," Harry said. "As long as the Portkey touches her, it doesn't matter if she's sleeping or not. Besides, I think it's better for her this way . . . after what happened . . ."

"We'll need a new Beater," Megan said, unnecessarily. Ron looked at her glumly and nodded.

"It'll be bad, having to have them try out in the snow, but . . . what choice do we have? There'd be no time to train someone within three weeks."

Harry could tell they'd been discussing this a bit already. He looked at his watch and changed the subject.

"Guys, you'd better touch the quill. It's almost time to go."

"Wonder why we're just taking a Portkey the rest of the way . . ."

"Isn't it obvious, Ron?" Hermione said. "This is faster and safer, considering that the Heir is on the train."

"So, we know that whoever did it was home for Holiday!" Ron said.

"Yeah, only one problem Ron." Megan said sarcastically. "Nearly everyone went home for Christmas."

It was true. The train was just as full as it had been on September First, and with them using a Portkey to get back to Hogwarts, they wouldn't be able to tell who the few were that felt safe with what could very well be a psycho-maniac killer on the loose.

"Yeah, that does make it a bit—" Ron stopped abruptly as the Portkey did what it was assigned to do and pulled them away to Hogwarts.

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~* ~ * ~ * ~ *

"Relax. Try it again. I'll attack on three. One . . . two . . . three!"

Dumbledore shot a curse towards Harry and KayKay. Prepared, KayKay concentrated on raising her half of the shield. Harry would be the one to buy them time by making the curse slow down. The only question was, could he slow it soon enough to raise his half of the shield?

KayKay took a sharp breath as the curse hit her. Apparently not.

"Sorry," Harry said a few moments later, one Dumbledore had done the counter curse. "I'm . . . getting better, at least."

"Yeah," KayKay said, pushing her hair out of her eyes. "Better." She looked at Dumbledore and said, "Maybe we should try to get the shield up before you even shoot it?"

"Perhaps," Dumbledore said. "After all, this is all for your benefit, I'm just a mentor here. Please, take over anytime you wish."

"All right, Harry?"

"Hey, whatever works." He said, shrugging. "Let's do this."

KayKay nodded and let Harry take her hands.

"Okay, on the count of three. One . . . two . . ." she took a deep breath, "three!"

It was harder without a curse being shot to motivate them, but KayKay focused all her thoughts onto giving someone who wanted to hurt them what they deserved. She wondered, in passing, if Harry had his part up . . .

Okay, can't think, must concentrate, need to protect, no protection is him, must retaliate, do I ever retaliate in real life when I shouldn't? What happens if I have this up and a person tries to help me, won't it just rebound on them? What then? Or, what if they have a different shield up and if that, what then? Would it bounce back and forth? And if that, what then? Where would it end? Would someone eventually step between us and get hit? Oh, oh, getting off track again . . . okay, okay, I got it, retaliate. Attack. You are the Alpha Wolf. Alpha Wolf? Sounds like a snowmobile . . . hey, that would be fun right now . . . No! Need to concentrate. Attack. Attack. But really, Alpha Wolf? Where did that come from? Oh! He got it!

KayKay felt a tingle in her hands that meant that her power was connecting with Harry's. Awesome, they finally got the shield!

"Oh, so that's how it feels to raise it . . ." Harry commented in a perfect idiot tone. KayKay tried to keep her composure . . . really, she tried! It didn't work, of course.

She burst out laughing. "Oh Harry, that was great. Like the way you just . . . " she tried to breathe. "No, really, it was . . . okay it wasn't that funny, but you know those times when you . . ." She took another deep breath but burst out laughing again. "When you have nothing to laugh at but can't . . . can't . . . Oy!"

She gave up on even trying and flopped into a chair, laughing hysterically for no reason at all.

"No really," she said, "I shouldn't . . . it wasn't funny, but I just . . . you know, when you can't stop laughing?" she said a few moments later when she appeared to be under control. "You know . . .?"

Harry stared at her blankly and she began to laugh again. Harry, probably sick of it, took one of her hands and said, "Calm down, KayKay."

And it was the strangest thing! She did calm down . . . she probably wouldn't have been able to refuse.

Okay, that was definitely at the top of my "Weird Things" list . . . she thought numbly, standing up.

"Let's try it again without a curse, and then with." She said, getting back to business immediately. Both she and Harry looked confused.

Very strange . . .

* * * * *

"Good morning, Hogwarts, and Happy Eight O'clock! We're with the KTRT Morning Show, and this is your wake up call. Yes NEWT Potions students, this means you! Don't forget your early morning exam! Remember, last class of the month means a nice, big, juicy, test, and how better to prepare than with a hearty breakfast from Mr. Norm's Community Cafeteria? Mr. Norm says that experimental eating should be a way of life, not just a dare, which explains why I don't eat at the place, I just advertise it. On the weather today—"

"Shut up" KayKay groaned, throwing her pillow at Megan.

" . . . Expect large, fluffy projectiles!" Megan finished, catching it with ease. "And I don't mean the cold stuff, folks! Also watch for ominous clouds gathering in—"

"I said, shut up!" KayKay yelled, covering her head with her blankets.

"Oh, and we have some grouches this morning! Tick, tock, time's ticking!" Megan continued in her annoying radio voice.

"You worry too much," KayKay mumbled.

"And horoscopes for the day! You don't worry at all! Which explains why I care more than you do that you'll be . . . late for Potions, for example?"

"I'm what?" KayKay flew out of bed, grabbing clothes as fast as she could, "See, if you woke me normally, I'd take you more seriously!"

"And in sports today! Determan takes the challenge course . . . ooh, nice vault over the bed there, and to her trunk in record time! Boy, that's gonna' make a mess. Definitely setting the standard for speed, but who knows what she might stumble across today?"

"No time for your—OUCH! Stupid burn." KayKay muttered as pain shot through her left arm.

"But I thought the burn was on your—"

"No time, no time! Bye Megan! Feed Casey for me!" KayKay yelled over her shoulder as she ran down the stairs.

"And she's off! Well, let's check out the traffic this morning! Expect traffic approaching the Great Hall, where . . ."

Megan's voice faded out as KayKay reached the foot of the stairs and raced across the Common Room. If she was late, she was toast!

She decided she'd have to skip breakfast. Hanging a sharp left, KayKay continued running, not aware that she was about to crash headlong into someone else.

"Watch where you're going, Determan! Come on, classes were cancelled, you gotta' go to the Great Hall."

KayKay stood up, taking the hand Madison offered her.

"Why?"

"Like I know. We were only told—"

"Attention students! Please go to the Great Hall immediately. Anyone not in the Great Hall within ten minutes shall receive detention." Professor McGonagall said with an amplified voice. "I repeat . . ."

"Like I said." Madison continued. "If it means no Potions Class, I don't ask questions. Who wants to sit through that? Besides, it was probably another stupid attack . . . Now, excuse you." Madison brushed past and KayKay looked after her for a minute.

"There you are! Come on, let's get to the Great Hall so we can find out what this is all about." Harry said, surprising KayKay.

"Oh . . . yeah. Probably another attack . . ." KayKay said, allowing Harry to take her hand and pull her along with the crowd. "I can't believe . . . why haven't they caught the Heir yet? You'd think . . ."

"Yeah, you would. Voldemort must have contacts inside the ministry if they haven't come to our aid yet. Then again, I doubt they'd have much time for us anyhow, since they have the rest of the Wizarding world to handle . . ."

"Harry, KayKay, you need to come with me," Dumbledore said, coming seemingly out of nowhere.

The pair looked at each other nervously, then nodded, turning and following Dumbledore through the crowd of people and up to his office.

"Now, I am certain that the both of you . . . as well as Ron, Hermione, and Megan . . . have been doing your own detective work since the attacks first started. So, why don't you both have a seat? I'm sure," he continued, after they both found their chairs, "that you are aware that the attacker is, or is at least posing as, the Heir of Voldemort." They nodded. "By the markings on their faces, I'm sure. Now, I must ask you two to do something . . . somewhat unorthodox, something experimental. I need the both of you to work on your own with harnessing your powers, seeing what you can do besides casting a shield of protection. Perhaps, KayKay, you can get your Caranax to work with you . . . from what I recall, you said she was helpful in instruction while you were facing Voldemort last year."

"Okay, Professor Dumbledore." KayKay said, nodding with Harry.

"Also," the headmaster continued, "I would like you two to stick together as much as possible . . . safety in numbers, you know, especially where you're concerned. This means at mealtimes, between classes, even at detentions. I shall speak to any teachers this may concern. Furthermore . . . KayKay, I would like you to try out for Gryffindor's Quidditch team."

KayKay, who had still been nodding, thinking Hey, no problem, this isn't a big deal, we're normally together anyhow, froze.

"Quidditch?" she repeated. "As in, on broomsticks?"

Her voice went considerably higher, and she cleared her throat, repeating it normally.

"I mean, like on broomsticks?" She could tell she was still blushing a bit.

"Yes, Quidditch is generally played on broomstick." Dumbledore chuckled. "I'm certain you are in fine athletic shape for Quidditch, and there is a spot open."

"You don't get it, Professor Dumbledore. I'm . . . I mean, I don't like . . ."

"Flying? If fear is the only thing standing in your way, then a Confidence Charm should handle it."

KayKay still hesitated. Dumbledore leaned across his desk.

"I have complete confidence in you, KayKay. I wouldn't request you to take on this challenge if I didn't."

Do it. A voice urged in her head. Come on, Alpha Wolf! Who cares what Alpha Wolf means, being a Beater for Gryffindor would be a prime opportunity to get Malfoy all bloodied up. Besides, you're tough. You can handle this. What's a little fear, anyhow? Some on . . . do it . . . say it . . .

She looked at Dumbledore and sighed. "All right. I'll do it."

"Excellent. Harry, would you begin to instruct her?" Dumbledore asked.

"Yes, of course! Right away!"

Look at him . . . so excited . . .

"You may use the West Wing on the Third Floor. I'll get some ghosts up there to patrol, but I'm sure you'll be fine for the time being. Please though, don't spend more than an hour. You may get your broomstick, I'll see to it that any equipment you'll need is up there." Dumbledore said, dismissing them.

"Come on, KayKay, I think Megan will let you borrow her broomstick." Harry said, standing up.

"One sec," she told him. "Professor, what about this student? Who was it? What did the tattoo say?"

Dumbledore looked at her gravely and sighed, leaning back in his chair.

"The tattoo said 'THE'," he answered.

"And . . . who was it?"

There was a long silence before Dumbledore answered.

"A First-Year Gryffindor . . . Jaymi Krysallis."

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

"Okay, so now we have . . . six victims, right?" KayKay asked, looking around the table at her friends.

"Yes, six," Hermione said, consulting a paper. "Four girls, two boys. Two of the victims were from Slytherin, one from Ravenclaw, one from Hufflepuff, and two from Gryffindor. Plus KayKay's threat. All of them were first years, aside from Dawn, who was a Second Year."

Harry picked up here. "In order, the messages were, 'ONE'S', 'I'M', 'HEIR', 'COME', 'DARK', and 'THE', not to mention KayKay's full one, which was 'CATCH ME IF YOU CAN',"

They were, once again, sitting at a table in the Three Broomsticks, sipping drinks and puzzling over the evidence they had so far.

"The messages make the most sense saying something like, 'I'm the Dark One's Heir. Come.' " Ron said slowly. "But that last part throws me. 'Come'? Come where? Do what? Whoever is the Heir has done things really strangely."

"Not to mention that all the spells are totally original!" KayKay said, brandishing her straw to emphasize her point and thus splattering some of her tropical drink on the table. "Oops."

"But who are our primary suspects?" Ron asked.

"Well, Madison for sure." KayKay said immediately. "Remember how—"

"You know, I'm really not certain it's her," Harry interrupted quickly. KayKay looked at him incredulously.

"You don't? Well why not?! You were the first one to offer her name last time!"

"Think about it. Ever since these attacks have begun, she's been far less threatening towards you . . . and that letter you got was definitely a threat."

"She's been acting nicer gradually." KayKay countered. "I think she's trying to do exactly what she's doing to you, Harry . . . throw us off her tracks. Lighten suspicion. See? It's working on you."

"Well, sometimes you need to have more faith in people. Give them the benefit of a doubt." Harry said.

"Harry, she's a Slytherin. Pureblood." KayKay said, as if that was all the evidence needed.

"What does blood have anything to do with it?" Harry asked quickly.

"Harry, I don't mean—"

"Ron and I are full wizard blood. Does that put us on the suspect list?" He accused.

"No Harry, listen to me—"

"Then what are you trying to say?" he demanded, starting to get to his feet.

"The same thing I've been trying to say this whole time." She said in exasperation, grabbing Harry's robe sleeve and pulling him gently back down into his chair. "Voldemort wouldn't choose someone to be his heir unless they were pureblooded. That's the way his head works."

"Oh," Harry said, finally seeing the obvious. "But still, that doesn't mean Madison is certainly the Heir."

"And that's why right now we're going over suspects" KayKay said, rolling her eyes. "Honestly."

"Well, should we put Malfoy on that list?" Ron asked, leaning over and watching Hermione write.

"Let's give it up, you guys, there's way too many people." Megan sighed, leaning back in her chair. "We all said that whoever it is might be controlled. That'd put nearly everyone on the list, even the victims. One of them could've feigned their own attack. They'd be able to sneak out and attack other people then."

Everyone stared at her for a minute.

"Well then," Hermione said, "what about a pattern in the attacks? There must be some sort of—"

"Synthesized. Scrutinized. Analyzed. Rejected." KayKay said, slapping her own copy down on the table. "There's absolutely no pattern. As far as we know, these attacks were totally random. Maybe the idiot just saw a kid alone and had at it. It's logical for First Years to wander around alone, assuming they still get lost sometimes. Not surprising, since this castle is always changing. And Dawn . . . she was probably going to visit a friend from another compartment."

"Yes, but . . . why is it that, out of all these kids, only two were found by teachers, as opposed to . . . well . . . one of us? We've been the first people to discover nearly all of them . . . " Harry asked slowly. "That can't be just a coincidence."

"Well, logically it could be, but it's highly unlikely." Hermione said, stowing her things away carefully.

"You guys, am I the only who this strikes as wrong?" Megan asked.

"Megan, I don't think any of us think that what the Heir is doing is right" Hermione pointed out.

"I don't mean what the Heir is doing, I mean what we're doing! We're just kids, for God's sake! What is the Ministry doing? The Ministry, with it's Unspeakables, and it's Aurors, and all the other departments that are supposed to be doing things like this! We're kids! Not even old enough to do magic outside of school! But we've seen what Harry has been through! We've seen what KayKay has been through! We've seen what we've all been through, dark times, things most adults haven't even thought of!"

Megan was ranting at an amazing speed, like she'd been thinking on this for quite a while.

"Kids! We're just kids! But we're the ones always doing what the adults are supposed to, because they're so blind, so daft that they barely even see it! Why should we be the ones to have to do all of this? My God, we're just kids!"

Everyone was silent as Megan breathed deeply, calming herself after her tirade. They knew she was right. They shouldn't have had to worry about something like this. This wasn't the kind of thing that should be left in kids' hands.

But if they didn't do it . . . who would?

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

"Who hates Valentine's Day? KayKay hates Valentine's day!" KayKay groaned, rubbing her eyes so they could adjust to the light filtering in through the window.

"Greetings! It is a beautiful Sunday morning, and Saint Valentine's Day besides! Racing around for a last minute gift for your sweetheart? Let this be of some comfort to you—comfort, my friends, comfort for the traumatized—sorry, wrong advertisement there, folks! But swoop down to Mr. Norm's community kitchen for free waxy chocolate candies! Yes, love is in the air, and what better day could there be to take that special someone by surprise? You won't believe their faces when they see what was done to—sorry folks, that's for—them. Now, to Melody Broomstick for a traffic report this morning . . ."

KayKay let Megan babble on as she got out of bed and searched for her clothes.

" . . . And what with all the distractions this morning, a near-accident is imminent! Doesn't sound good folks, watch that you're not alone in your travels, it may mean you're on the wrong side of the road!"

"That's nice, Megan." KayKay said without interest as she put on a black shirt. "Ouch! That's weird . . ." She looked at her arm, still tarnished with the tattoo. She was probably just imagining things, though . . .

"Well, we can see the spirit of love everywhere! I'll be right back, folks, after I put on a holiday-appropriate song! Remember . . . keep that knob on KTRT, the station of choice. Our broadcasting area now includes Camelot!"

Megan waved her wand and left the Dormitory. KayKay could hear her gallop happily down the stairs.

L is for the way you look at me . . . O is for the only one I see . . . V is very, very—

"Oh, shut up," KayKay muttered at the music, opening the door to go get some breakfast from the Great Hall.

She wasn't particularly sure why she hated Valentine's Day so much . . . it wasn't like she was still single. Still, she wasn't fond of a day when people were morally obligated to be extra-sweet to their significant other. It made them feel they didn't have to try as hard on all other 364 days of the year, and that meant that they weren't treating their loved ones the way they normally would, and that meant those loved ones didn't feel as special . . .

Valentine's Day was just the way lazy people showed their affection: once a year.

She was so preoccupied with her thoughts that she didn't see Sabrina Dawson until the girl ran straight into her and clung to her robes, trembling in fright.

"Sabrina?" KayKay asked her in bewilderment. "Sabrina, what on Earth is the matter?"

"Tried to get me." She said, voice shaking, "He . . . she . . . it tried to get me."

"Who tried to get you, Sabrina? Oh . . ." she said, rolling her eyes, "Has Peeves been—"

"Not Peeves, the one who attacked all the others. They tried to get me."

KayKay blanched.

"Sabrina," she asked seriously, "are you sure? Are you absolutely positive it was the person who attacked the others?"

"It was!" she said, "They came out of the shadows, sent some sort of green smoky thingy at me . . ."

"How did you get away?" KayKay asked.

"Dunno," Sabrina said, starting to shake again. "The smoky thing began to turn back, but then came at me again. I ran then . . ."

"Come on, let's find Professor Dumbledore. He'll know what to do. But Sabrina, you shouldn't travel alone."

"I didn't plan to . . . did you think I wanted to . . . to . . ."

"Of course not," KayKay said soothingly, bending a bit to give Sabrina a hug. "And I'm very glad you're okay."

Because, annoying as she could get, Sabrina had really grown on KayKay.