DISCLAIMER – Hmm…I've run out of creative ways of saying it, so I'll just say I don't own the turtles or any facsimile of them other than my own OC's.
This chapter dedicated to all who prefer a little more action than what I've been giving ya. Hope it does the trick.
Also, my undying appreciation to Pacphys for supplying me with facts on Alaska.
As for the potbelly stove, I decided on that rather than have Gabby's fuel run out. Alaskans evidentially 'fuel' their heat, for the most part, but it's safe to say that they may use potbelly stoves, too. Those suckers can heat a room to almost 100 degrees! I know this for a fact because my in-laws did that each night during the winter before they went to bed. Then they would closed the door to their bedroom. (?) Yeah, boggles the mind, doesn't it? On one of our visits to Salem where they lived, the bed my hubby and I slept on was hard as a rock, so I went out to the living room to sleep on the couch. This is winter. Very cold. I was nearly melting! Potbellies rock, so long as you're a room away with the door closed. LOL
Chapter 9 – Slipping 'n a Sliding.
As Mike drove along the Mitchell Highway towards the airport, Don and the others watched the screen on the miniature on-board television. He remained impassive as the scene from inside the small, nondescript house played out. The camera that Thomas had installed on one of the pictures along the wall, showed a perfect view of the sleeping Inuit woman lying on the couch.
It also had a perfect view of a very crestfallen Gabriella. She was currently sitting on the floor next to the sofa with her shoulders slumped, quite dazed by her turn of events.
Earlier and with the camera having audio capability, her family had heard her anguished cries. She had been in the children's bedroom when she had screamed out for them. As a result, her sustained weeping had caused Seth to burrow into the chill of the car's passenger window. He tightly shut his eyes against the heart-rending sound of Gabby's weeping and swallowed deeply, allowing the frigidity of the glass against his skin to keep him focused on the facts.
He knew he was going to see Mindy again. He was also going to see his son for the very first time. Word had come only moments before that the children were already at the airport, tucked in, and sleeping soundly. Devon then relayed how Seth was the father of a very beautiful, if not unusual, boy.
"He has blue and white hair on his head, a small shell on his back, and a tail that I swear will be as long as ours when he's full grown!" The enthusiasm in Devon's voice matched the gleam of excitement in Seth's eyes as he listened to his brother talk over the speakerphone.
Yet, Seth knew that once the children awoke, introducing himself and his family to his son would be a slow and systematic process. Mindy might remember them, but the boy had never seen anyone from the family before. Consequently, they all expected a bit of a reaction from the child and they fervently hoped that Mindy would recall at least her stepfather.
Her reaction, good or bad, would then tell her brother how to respond.
Just the same, hearing Gabby wail over her missing children cut Seth to the heart. In as much as he loved his wife, though, she had brought all of this on herself and she had no one to blame but herself. Seth knew this and he had accepted it.
Nevertheless, it was still painful to hear her anguished cries of despair.
Cassie, too, shrunk away from the sound of her daughter's weeping. She sighed deeply, shuddering once as she burrowed into the back of her seat. Listening to Gabriella's agony was just too hard for her. Don then reached his arm around her shoulders and hugged her, saying, "She's only feeling what Seth felt when she took the kids, Cassie. She needs to experience this. All that she put us through; everything? Gabby needs to know what that was like."
"I know that, Don, but…I've never heard her cry like that before, except for when Professor Perry died," she replied softly.
"I know, but this can't be helped. It's imperative that Gabby suffers." Don said simply and went back to watching the view screen.
Initially, when she had first arrived and when she discovered her children missing, Gabriella returned to the living room. She had paused for a moment in front of the television – and, unbeknown to her, the micro camera. It seemed as if she were somewhat distracted from her current situation.
Suddenly, she quickly walked to the left in front of the screen and out of visual range, as if in a hurry. As he listened, Don thought it sounded like she was walking through the house on the other side, working away from the living area as her footsteps became softer and more distant. Then, they all heard the sound of a door falling into its frame, the muffled 'bang' it created quite noticeable through the monitor speaker.
She was gone for the longest time. What she was doing, no one could say.
After a few minutes, though, he and the others in the car could hear someone coming back into the living room. However, due to the angle of the camera, they couldn't see anything other than the woman sleeping on the couch.
Consequently, those in the car could only listen instead.
The noises that followed had one or two occupants in the car quite perplexed.
"What's she doing?" Raph asked in impatient irritation.
"Dunno." Mike replied, chancing a look at the television screen as he drove the suburban. "Sounds like something's getting thrown into – something?"
As they all sat there and listened, Don worked the inside of his cheek as he thought. Then, he declared, "Wood, and maybe a potbelly stove, too. She might be stoking the stove for warmth."
"But, why would she do that now, though?" Cassie asked.
"I'm not sure," Don replied, "unless her heating unit went out. In which case, that Inuit woman could freeze."
Not too long after Don's statement, Gabby came back into view on the screen. As she sat down next to the Inuit woman, she dusted her hands off along her coat, sighing deeply. She stared at her feet and then over at the woman. She then began to look around her general proximity, as if trying to find something.
It was then that she discovered Don's note.
Where the camera's placement was just above the television on the wall, it angled downwards a bit. It captured Gabby's image quite well as she leaned in to retrieve the card. Don could now easily see her tear-stained face as she reached over and peeled the card from off the face of the television screen. He and the others observed her as she resettled on the floor once again, slipping the note out from inside the envelope to read Don's message. As she read it, they saw Gabby scrunch her face as her grief triggered once again. They watched her cry for a second time when she realized she had lost her five-year battle to keep Mindy in the States.
As she looked towards the television and mouthed an expletive on his behalf, Don smiled. Yes, it was apparent she had figured out that he had a camera set up.
"Smart girl, indeed," he whispered, quite amused.
Yet, the moment she realized she had no other choice but to comply, Gabby's hand, which was still clutching the note, fell into her lap in despair. She looked over at the woman on the couch again and then, suddenly, clambered up off the floor. The girl raced out of view from the camera, returning a moment later laden down with an armload of bedding. Considering the character print on the linen, it was certain that they were from the children's own beds.
While Mike drove the car, the rest of the family watched with rapt interest as Gabby layered the woman with the sheets, blankets, and comforters. She made sure that she had every inch of Marie covered, leaving only her head exposed.
Then, Don's expression softened as he watched Gabby kiss her caretaker on the check, stroking the woman's head affectionately. She then mumbled something about 'coming back later'. However, Gabby had spoken her words so softly, that no one in the car could understand all of what she said.
As she pulled her hood back on over her head and as she slipped out beyond the view of the camera again, they all heard the sound of a door opening, and then closing. Finally and with the metallic working of a lock sounding out through the speakers, silence filled the living room once again.
In that moment, Don knew that his niece had taken the bait.
She was coming home.
Gabby drove as fast as she could under the current weather conditions. With the roads snowed over from the latest remnant of winter, she had to take care as she hurtled down Steese Highway. As it was, even with her cautious approach and with snow tires on her car, every so often she would slide a bit, giving her more thrill than she wanted for the present moment.
Fairbanks was not that large of a city, not compared to some. However, with the streets as treacherous as they were, it still required a decent amount of time to cross the town's modest expanse. Nevertheless, as Gabby looked over at the clock in her car and saw that only five minutes remained before Don's time restriction ran out, she pushed on the gas pedal a little harder.
She had at least another ten minutes of travel time and, one way or the other, she was going to make it.
Gabby knew that Don was a stickler for details and punctuality. She was also certain that, given her crime, he would offer her very little grace.
The snow under her car's tires flew in every direction as she worked it southwards along the nearly deserted highway. She knew she was going faster than she should, though. Yet, Gabby's feverish desire to be with her children, no matter if it meant returning to her irate family, was currently greater than her common sense.
Along the way, she passed only one other car that was heading in the same direction as she was.
She paid it no mind.
Coming up to where the Steese Highway transitioned and then head west along the Robert Mitchell Expressway, Gabby tried to slow down. However, the moment she applied the brake, she found herself sliding. To her horror, she realized then that her car had run across a patch of black ice.
Now, instead of slowing down, she found the SUV careening towards the curve of the ramp at full speed with no way to stop. Just as suddenly, though, and before the road sharpened its turn westward towards the conjunction of the two highways, the patch of black ice ended and the tires suddenly grabbed the road.
As Gabby attempted to take advantage of the change and make the turn, she found that she had been going far too fast for it. Now, with the snow beneath the wheels causing the car to slide further and then add to the sudden shift in direction of her turn, the weight and height of the car's slip gained momentum and attitude. Consequently, the 'yaw' factor of her loss of control increased by each passing second.
Desperately, Gabby tried to turn into the slide, trying to force the car out of its trajectory. Unfortunately, it was a done deal the moment the car began to lose traction. In one reflective moment, Gabby saw the railing and knew beyond a doubt that she was not going to make Don's deadline.
Just seconds before her car hit the guardrail, her children's names came to her lips, and tears filled her eyes. Yet, what took place next happened so quickly, that Gabby didn't have time to utter a single word.
In an instant, her world suddenly and completely spun out of control. With her car hitting and now rolling over the barrier like a boulder and the sound of squealing metal and exploding glass reverberating in her ears, Gabby was thankful she was wearing her seatbelt.
Just the same, she was equally certain of one thing.
It was not going to matter because she was going to die and never see her children, or her husband, again. In that moment, she found repentance and regret for her actions of the previous five years.
In that same moment, though, she also knew that it was too little, too late.
Seth was already aboard the jet, making his way towards the sleeping compartments in the back. He desperately wanted to see his daughter and son. He had waited five long years and no one would get in his way or stop him. In fact, he was first out of the suburban and racing up the onramp to the awaiting plane to see his kids.
Knowing how hard the past five years had been on Seth, as soon as Devon saw him enter the plane, he stepped away from the bedroom door. Beyond there were his niece and nephew, who were sleeping peacefully in the small bed. He smiled, then, just as relieved as any of them were to have the kids back. He watched as Seth slowed down before stopping at the entrance to the room. Seth then turned and locked eyes with his oldest brother. They both nodded and smiled. Finally, Seth stepped over the threshold and into the small bedroom of the 737.
The room, one of three, was a modification that their uncle had made to allow for a more comfortable flight on long trips. In fact, Don had outfitted nearly all of his larger jets that way over the past four years. Where they were spending more and more time in the air as they searched for their runaway clan member, he knew that any measure of comfort would make such ventures a little less stressful.
Yet, now, there in the bed, lay Mindy, with her auburn hair tussled and matted from where her head lay on the pillow. Her almost angelic-like face glowed with a subtle pink under her light green skin from where the frigid temperatures had kissed it only moments earlier. However, she was completely unaware of her surroundings. Warm under the embrace of the blankets and comforter, she slept soundly, a drug induced sleep that would see her to California before she awoke.
Anesthetizing her was a necessary thing to do to minimize any resistance and possible fright. Just the same, Seth found it terribly ironic that his daughter was returning to him in the same way that Gabby had taken her five years earlier.
He hated doing it, tooDid that make him as manipulative as his wife, he asked himself? He hoped not, at least, as far as his children were concerned.
As he stepped up to the side of the bed where his daughter lay, Seth carefully sat down along the edge of the mattress. He supported his weight on the bed with his right hand as he leaned over to study Mindy's almost nine-year old face.
"She's - grown so much, Dev," he whispered in awe, "I've missed so much of her life." He swallowed back his rising emotions, tears welling thickly in his eyes. She was definitely more human than Gabby was, yet her pale greenish skin and slightly pronounced snout indicated her reptilian heritage without pause.
Gently, he reached out with his left hand to finger a bit of stray hair away from her face, sighing deeply.
"Hey, bro, you're gonna make up for it, 'kay? Don't worry about it," Devon encouraged solemnly, his voice also soft with emotion.
Seth then looked over and saw his son - HIS son! He smiled again. Yes, Devon was correct in that the boy was quite unusual, yet his hair – blue and white like his – was nothing compared to the shell on his back. The boy was sleeping on his side, curled up and almost forehead to forehead with his big sister. His appearance definitely defined Seth as his father, his snout more pronounced than Mindy's was. His arms, slightly reptilian in texture and greener in hue, lay on top of the comforter, revealing a little of his carapace. His breathing was also rhythmic and soft, the deepness enhanced by the inducement of the drug.
Seth knew that Thomas used a powder, which he then probably blew into the children's faces as they slept. It was the gentlest approach that would neutralize any resistance they might have made otherwise.
Unfortunately, it was a 'necessary evil' that they were forced to employ.
"Well, I hope they sleep the entire way until we get back." Seth sighed.
Then, as he stood back up and turned around, he noticed Don standing at the doorway.
"Any word on Gabby?" he asked his uncle, hoping that if there were, it was good news.
Shaking his head, Don replied, shrugging, "No. But, then I gave her less time to work with than what I had actually planned on, so don't you start worrying until it's time to." He smiled a bit at his nephew and then looked down at the two sleeping children. "She's grown." Don noticed the boy, next, and chuckled, "With that shell, he'll probably prefer to sleep on his stomach. But, for now, his side will do."
Cassie poked her head over Don's shoulder, her eyes tearing when she saw her grandchildren. She gushed, "Oh my, Mindy's so…so…"
Don finished for her as he looked back at his wife, "Grown up? Yes, Cass, she sure is." He reached up and cupped his wife's face with his right hand, leaning in to plant a gentle kiss on her cheek. Glancing back over at his grandniece again, he remarked quietly, "She's quite beautiful, isn't she?" He smiled warmly and noted that both kids seemed well fed. Although he was thoroughly disgruntled with his niece, Gabby did take care of her children well, that much he would admit.
Seth then stood up and declared, "Well, best let them sleep. I don't want to wake…" and in the next moment, he gasped and lost his balance, as if someone had shoved him hard away from the bed.
"What's wrong, Seth?" Don asked in worry as he walked more into the room, slipping around the end of the bed towards his nephew. "What's wrong?" he asked again in rising concern as he tried to reach out to help steady him.
Seth grabbed along the wall of the room, his talon-tipped finger clawing at the round portholes of the plane. Quickly finding purchase to stop his fall, he righted himself and glanced over to Don.
The look he gave his uncle was one of pure horror.
"Gabby's hurt!" he choked out desperately, "I can sense her, and she's mentally calling out for help. She can't move and she's in pain." Seth looked up at his uncle and then to Devon, "We need to find her." Then, his face contorted, "She's very cold, too cold. Oh my God…"
Gabby did not know if she was dead or alive, or somewhere in between. For the moment, she didn't have any recollection of where she was or why.
All she knew was that she was very, very cold. Her head hurt, too, and she felt trapped in something, something that was pressing down along her legs and her right side. She didn't feel any pain there, but try as she did to move, she could not. She tried to see, but her vision was foggy and her head hurt too much to attempt to clear her eyes. She closed them again and swallowed, tasting something coppery in her mouth.
Blood?
She panicked, her memory now resurfacing and all too fast, it seemed.
Gabby now remembered losing control of her car and feeling helpless as it slid towards the guardrail. She then clearly recalled how the darkened night sky became the ground and the ground became the sky, as the car repeatedly rolled southward and away from the transition ramp. Worse still, she remembered the sounds, the awful sounds of metal collapsing on its self and the almost musical tone of breaking glass.
As she lay there dazed and trying to make further sense of things, she realized now that her car had crashed completely through the railing of the transition road and rolled. Considering the amount of snow that she saw in her general vicinity, more than likely she was now in a snow bank.
Yet, if she was not mistaken, she could also smell smoke.
Was the car on fire?
Then, as if rising from the depths of her traumatized memory, she mentally screamed out for her husband, "SETH!"
Seth raced down the flight of steps leading to the tarmac, with Devon, Don, Raph, and Leo close behind. Although it took a brief but gentle rebuke from Don to convince Cassie, she finally complied and, with Thomas, stayed behind with the kids.
"Are you sure?" Don asked as they now ran to the waiting suburban.
"Yes, I'm positive. It was loud, as if she were standing right next to me. There's been an accident." Seth declared, nearly ripping the door open to the back seat of the car and jumping inside.
With the remaining members of his family piling into the suburban, all four doors slammed shut at the same time. Don then slipped the vehicle into gear and applied gentle pressure on the gas pedal. After a moment of uncertainty, when the snow tires were trying to decide whether to grab the pavement or not, they finally did, causing the car to accelerate. He then did a careful one-eighty turn and headed towards the private pilot entrance, going as fast as he dared to.
"Do you have any idea where she's at?" Don asked as he drove through the opened gate.
Raph was in the co-pilot seat, just belting in. He then turned to face his nephew, his face full of concern. Gone, was his anger for his daughter, replaced, now, with concern for Gabby's well-being than for the few choice words he had planned to share with her.
"I get the feeling that the car slid off the road, maybe while making a turn." Seth answered.
"Maybe on that transition road we passed a while back, where the Mitchell Highway merges with the Steese," Raph suggested, "It's the most direct route from Gabby's house, based on the map Thomas showed us when we arrived earlier."
"Well, the best course of action is to backtrack to her home from here, take whatever roads would get her to the airport the fastest." Don theorized.
"Just make it quick," Seth exclaimed, "I'm getting the feeling that she's badly hurt."
Gabby's shivering was becoming critical. With most of the glass blown out when the car hit the railing and rolled, there were no more barriers against the arctic air. Now, it swarmed all over the inside of the SUV, causing wisps of rising fog as the chilled atmosphere hit the warmer areas of the interior, which included Gabby. With her hood now thrown back and off her head, there wasn't any protection for her face from the frigid temperatures.
She looked around and hardly recognized her car. She had definitely rolled it, the passenger side crushed, crumpled, and pushed closer to her than it should have been. Mangled beyond description, had anyone been sitting there, they would have most certainly been killed. Yet, Gabby realized that the driver's side of the car wasn't in any better shape, either.
She also saw that her left hand hurt very much. Not until she looked closer, though, did she realize that her glove was missing, with her hand now covered in blood. When she tried to move it, however, she screamed out in pain. It was obvious the hand was now broken. She knew, then, that it must have suffered blunt force trauma against the side of the car when she rolled.
Yet, what seemed incredibly strange to her was the eerie glow from behind the car. It seemed horrifically out of place, given her situation.
Suddenly, she remembered smelling smoke. With a rising fear, she turned her head as far as she could, worrying that the car was on fire. As she noticed the ever-increasing light brightening behind her, however, she was now certain of that worry. Where the fire seemed to be coming from the rear of the car and where the gasoline tank was located, understandably, Gabby began to panic.
Fed by the slow sputtering leak of her gas tank when it rolled off the highway, the fuel had ignited during the crash from the chafing of metal against metal. Gabby knew that it was only a matter of seconds before the entire car blew up.
"I – I have – to get out…I can't stay here…too woozy, though," she moaned as her head lolled around. She wondered if she had a concussion, where she seemed to be having problems keeping her focus. Yet, as she tried to move, she found that her legs were indeed stuck, trapping her where she was.
A sudden desperation began to seep into her very being.
Taking in a deep chilled breath to clear her mind, Gabby slipped her left arm beneath her torso. With concentrated effort, she pushed up, almost immediately crying out in agony. Her hand was definitely broken, but at least the rest of the arm seemed to be intact. Yet, the way her legs twisted under the dash, moving any part of her upper body shot pain through her like an ice pick.
It was obvious to her that at least one of her legs, if not both, was broken.
Still, she had to get out; she could not stay where she was or she would never see her children again – or Seth! Mindy and Jordan would grow up without a mother and if it were the last thing she did, Gabby would not let that happen.
Consequently, she took another deep breath and, using her good hand to gasp the top of the dislodged and crumpled car door she attempted to hoist her body free through its broken window.
In the next instant, she felt horrible, nearly suffocating pain rip through her like burning fire. She screamed out in agony and almost lost consciousness. However, her determination to live became paramount.
Gabby sucked in her breath once more and tried again, groaning loudly in misery with each lift of her body she made.
This time, her legs moved, but only a little. Yet that small bit of victory made her suffering more bearable and gave her the edge to keep trying. She pulled harder, crying through her pain, feeling her useless legs slip more and more from beneath the nearly crushed front end of her car. Gabby looked back and she could see the fire growing, getting closer and hotter as it trailed the line of gasoline down to where she was.
She then worked harder, trying not to pass out from her horrific agony. Gabriella finally pulled and pushed herself up out of her seat, though the window, and down out of the car. Falling onto the ground and with her desire to live beginning to grow to a determined passion, she grabbed through the snow with her good hand.
Slowly, she dragged herself away from the wreck that was once her car.
In the distance, she could hear sirens blaring. Yet what she heard that no one else could was the soothing voice of her husband as he sent her a mental message of hope that help was on its way.
As she found purchase against a large rock and soon after hearing her husband's encouragement, Gabby lost consciousness and passed out.
Seth wanted Don to drive faster, but even as careful as his uncle was, he could still feel the car slip now and then along the road. Yet, he knew that it was better to get there in one piece than to risk driving too fast and then end up worse off than Gabby was. At least he had made contact with her, to let her know that help was coming. For that, Seth was grateful.
However, less than a third of a mile from where Seth assumed Gabby was, a sudden explosive sound gently rocked the car upon its approach. Instantly, a bright ball of fire erupted against the dark of night. It lit the road ahead with an orange, eerie glow, like the explosion from a bomb.
In that moment, the occupants inside the vehicle screamed out in unison and with the same frantic word that nearly stilled their heart, "NO!"
A/N – Okay, that's really mean of me, isn't it! I did say that no character death would happen, though.. Then, again, that usually means the TMNT's and excludes any OC's. Hmm…
Well, guess that just means y'all have to come back now and read some more! Bwahaha.
COMMENTS –
RAMICA – Well, you said in your review of chapter eight how you were waiting for 'what comes up in the next chapter'. Was this what you were expecting? Bwahaha Yes in deed, Don does know how to play hardball. He is, after all, a master of not only ninjitsu, but the bargaining table as well. Gabby loves her children dearly, more than the family realizes. However, Don's bargaining might very well bite him in the tail. After chapter nine's ending, Cassie may do more than fly home commercial. She may roast her husband alive in his own shell. Talk about one bad decision heaped upon another. First Leo's plans to take Mindy to Japan and now Don not giving Gabby enough time to get to the airport. Too many fics have the guys always right, always making the best decision, when I'd much rather have them be a bit more real and capable of making mistakes. Thanks for the info on what to call a herd of turtles. For some reason, when I see the word fleet, I think of airplanes, ergo, turtles with wings. LOL Anyway, thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed.
BETH HART – Well, I'm glad you find this story interesting. It seems to be that way to only a few people and I dearly appreciate their patronage. Just the same, I'm writing this as a 'What If' exercise. Every story we write brings us one step closer to that original novel; yet – for me – it may take a few more steps before that will happen. Either way, I think with this chapter, Gabby may have found retribution in the worse way. I'm not certain what kind of punishment you expect the guys to do to her, but keep in mind that they are not cruel. Certainly, if worse comes to worse in chapter ten, they may wish they had not been as harsh with her. Maybe if they had been at the house when she returned home, surprising her that way, and then appeal to her common sense. I mean, reptiles in Alaska? She has to be yearning for a warmer climate, right? Then again, I wouldn't have had the ending to chapter eight. Anyway, thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed.
PACPHYS – Well, there are some secrets worth keeping, and the ninja aspect of Gabby's family is one. Tails to the rescue, what else can ya do with them anyway. Considering what you know about chapter 8, yep, Don's toast. It didn't take much IQ to figure out tears and freezing weather is not a good combo, no siree. Ah, five years ago, Gabby panicked. I haven't started chapter ten, yet, so maybe we'll see a little in depth 'if only I had known then what I know now' from our wayward girl, eh? Or not. Gabby's as stubborn as her old man. Don is the consummate one-upper when it concerns rebuttals; wouldn't want to cross him, either:0) Regardless, it still remains to be seen if Gabby will even make it back home! Bwahaha! Thanks for reading and reviewing – oh, and for helping me out with some snowy weather facts. Be blessed.
LUNAR-NINJA – Hmm…and the race is on! Poor Tricia, though. Anyway, thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed.
GEMDRIVE – Yes, I'm on a roll; the muses have been more than generous. In fact, sometimes their ideas come so fast that I feel like I'm drowning. I just hope that when I pick up the reins on my other unfinished projects, I don't run out of things to write. Well, I've already established with Gabby her cleverness, but Don's always prevails no matter what. Seth is definitely overdue to seeing his kids and I hope this chapter conveyed his feeling of being overwhelmed with getting them back again. Not sure, though, about Gabby's fate – yet. I've been toying with the idea of a character death, but – quite honestly – I don't know if I have it in me to do that yet. Wendy P's 'Seth' was a difficult story to understand in parts, but I love the fact that he accepted Christ as Savior and then went after his father, Leo, to share the Good News. Totally blew me away that Wendy did that. It's what encouraged me to write my own stories. :0) Well, as far as writing true to canon with their personalities (within Wendy's fandom), I'm always afraid of not. Sometimes the muses nudge me in such a way where I stop and ask myself, "Is this the way Wendy would have written it?" But then I have to realize that to keep them within that box stagnates their character and my goal is to always write 'outside the box' when I can:0) Thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed.