Strickler and I have been communicating regularly after that dinner, both to plan for the future and to help me with becoming a changeling. After a lot of practise and hard work, I am now able to transform at will.

I had asked him about Enrique and whether he had already been switched, and to my disappointment they had. But this led to the opportunity I found myself in tonight.

I have gotten to know Claire a lot better this time around by not missing that many rehearsals and having studied together at each other's house.

I had met her parents a few times under much better circumstances this time too. I used my knowledge from the other timeline to win them over. So even if this went to hell it wouldn't be as bad as last time.

I wave to Claire as she leaves with Steve. She told me earlier the same excuse she had given me last time.

As she drives away, I turn to face Not-Enrique. Smiling, I approach him. "Why hello their little fella, are you going to be a good boy tonight, for I brought you some treats." With that I reached into my bag to bring out some argyle socks and a container of the troll dish I had made and now was able to taste to check that it was the right mix of flavours.

The baby stares at them with a glint of hope, momentarily distracted by the smell coming of them before regathering himself and beginning to act like a baby again, reaching and grabbing for the food.

Still smiling, I say, "Enrique, we can either do this the easy way," I point to the food, "or the hard way." I reached into my pocket and pull out a fake horseshoe. I did have a real one in one of my pockets in my bag, but I didn't want to bring it out if it wasn't necessary. "I know you are a changeling and that you have a lot on the line if you don't do what they want but I can get you safely into troll market if you do what I say. I don't want any information from you, I just want to make a better world for everyone to live in, for trolls, humans, wizards and changelings where no one has to hide in fear of being discovered by the others and persecuted for something they can't change." I hadn't planned on saying all of that, I hadn't even realised that's what I had wanted until I said it. But that is my aim in the end, after defeating all the threats to this world. I want to help be the bridge between the magical and non-magical. The bridge between the outcasts and those who do not understand.

He sat there in his bouncer uncertain, with deep contemplation on his face. "Oh, stuff it." He said, changing into his troll form and, pushing himself out of the bouncer, rushed over to the food I offered him.

He stuffed multiple socks in his face he spoke, "I haven't tasted anything like this ever. This is so good. If you can keep this up, bringing me food and all, you can say you have a deal."

I stared at him. Was it really this easy, was all I had to do was offer a better life and some food and they could change? It probably wouldn't be this easy with the rest of them, but it was nice for an uncomplicated mission.

He looks up at me, having finished the sock, "If you keep up your end of the deal mister, you have a new changeling to your cause."

I sit down on one of the couches, saying to the little changeling, "If you don't destroy or eat anything you shouldn't and be back here in an hour, you can do what you like. I'm just going to have a little nap here." I haven't been getting much sleep recently, between helping Tobes, training with Draal and Strickler separately, planning with Strickler, the play, caring for mum and regular schoolwork.

"Ok mate, I won't go far and be back before sis and the parents get back."

And with that, I slept until I heard my phone ring. It's Claire saying she is on her way home and that her parents are on their way home early.

Oh dear, I'm wide awake, suddenly realising I had completely forgotten about that. I go on a search for Not-Enrique, hoping that he did what he said and didn't go that far.

I look all around the house, not able to find him anywhere. I start panicking. I look out the window and here a sound on the roof. I climb out the window onto the roof to investigate. There I see him sitting staring at the sky. He hears me coming, "You know there are no stars in the Darklands, no sky for them to be in. Just a really, really big cave. Can make you a little claustrophobic after you realise how trapped you were." I shiver, not from the cold but from remembering the endless days I had spent in there and processing properly for the first time that many changelings had spent endless years in that place. I sat next to him and he continues to speak. "That was the place I lived for years before coming here. It's a horrible place, with a constant fear of being eaten by Gunmar. I have no love for him, I just felt like I had no other choice. I'm the newbie, so they don't really trust me even though I am as old as most of them. Many don't realise how bad it has gotten in the Darklands for the remaining changelings the past couple of decades. I hope you succeed in your mission, and I hope that what Ive just said helps you to sway the others."

I think upon what he said. I had never heard him say anything deep like this in the old timeline, but maybe I had never given the little changeling a chance to. I hear a car approaching the house. "The rest of your family are on their way back, we should get back inside."

"They're not really my family, they would never accept me like this," he says, pointing to himself, "but I'm going," he climbs nimbly back in.

"Never say never," I say, following him in. He hops into the crib, changing back into human form, "I will talk to you soon."

Running downstairs, I quickly grab out my homework as well as Claire's (which she had left in her bag in the lounge room) and set it up. Her parents walk in as I finish setting up. I see Claire arrive outside. She spots me with her parents and me pointing up. She climbs to the second story and through the window I had left open in Not-Enrique's room.

"Where's Claire?", Ophelia asks. She is not as hostile as she would have been if she hadn't already met me before.

"Just checking on Enrique, she has been helping me with maths," I smile as innocently as possible.

Before I had to do anymore talking, Claire comes down the stairs. "What Jim said is true, mama."

I start packing up the work I had just laid out, "I think this is where I will take my leave. A pleasure as always, Mr and Mrs Nuñez. See you at school Claire!" I wave, intending to leave them alone, but Claire races after me, grabbing my hand before I could close the door on her.

I look longingly into her eyes, wishing with all my might that she was my Claire, but alas, she wasn't and probably never would be.

"Thanks for today, you're a lifesaver!" I smile at her, my grin growing as she kisses me on the cheek.

"Anytime," I say. However, what I wanted to say was "anything for you", but that would probably be too soon to say that. I left, thinking that went well, compared to how it could have gone.

Unknown POV:

In the shadows of the Nuñez's house, a light blue changeling hides. She had seen and heard all. Both betrayals of the Janus order, leaving all they had tried to achieve behind. Only she had witnessed the private conversations.

She wondered what should she do with all she had heard and seen? If they were right for changing? Should they all change sides?

The only reason they had sided with Gunmar in the first place was because they felt they had no choice. Not really belonging in the human world and rejected by the trolls, but what this boy was suggesting was acceptance. Acceptance without having to do anything except have a change of heart.

He had told their leader that it had happened, that those that had changed sides after Gunmar escaped had been accepted and those who had not were killed by the very creature they had followed loyally for all these years.