Hello again my little chickadees; lovely to see all of you again. First item of business: my account seems to be frakked up. If you have been sending me Private Messages and I haven't responded, that means I haven't gotten them. I always answer every review and every PM; that has not changed, but something in the very complicated programming has. The lovely folks at tech-support have assured me this problem has now been fixed, but I'm suspicious by nature. I promise I have not been ignoring you, my fellow Pitters. I will be able to test and see if this problem truly has been fixed on Monday. Until then, if you need to contact me, feel free to shoot me an E-Mail (please make your subject line something to do with the story so my spam box doesn't delete it).

I thank you darlings once again for your reviews: Prince Vince again with the first review (here's a cookie); Pita Girl (this chapter was posted so quickly just for you milady); Blaze (I believe the word you are looking for is "guilt;" and no…you haven't quite got it); Irma 1 (not the puppy dog eyes!); Azhure (someday I think she may write a review that will take the entire page…LOL); Visigoth (mudpack and fur…LOL); Nisa (can I use uber-bitch? That's a great line…LOL); KiiroK (If I take my time I think some folks may have a coronary…wink).

A special Thank You goes to Blaze and Visigoth for freeing me from my penance so quickly. One can only take so much of Tiny Tim before they implode.

Okay…donut club. Visigoth for his in-depth analysis of the dilemma; Pita Girl because what she needs is more sugar (wink); Blaze for throwing a theory out there…you're thinking my friend; Azhure for writing the world's longest review and picking up on some subtle things I haven't written yet.

Finally, I have decided to introduce a Forum so you all can fling theories and comments back and forth. If you should feel inclined, you may visit the Whale Pit Forum. This is of course, not required, but if you want it, here it is. Please mind your manners, and make it a fun place for all. Now, on with the story!

Chapter 19

Hay Lin walked quickly down the hall leading to the Elemental Chamber of Fire. Her thoughts drifted to her best friend, floating morosely in her own Elemental Chamber. She hadn't seen Irma in weeks and she had been so excited to make this visit to Candracar. She had expected Irma to still be recovering from her injuries; but to Hay Lin's delight, Irma was already up and getting back into fighting form. Hay Lin had not expected Irma to be fully "normal," but she certainly hadn't expected her best friend of more than ten years to try to kill her. And not only that, she had tried to kill Hay Lin's grandmother as well. Hay Lin had never seen that kind of pure, unadulterated hatred from anyone, much less her adopted sister. No, not hatred………rage.

Irma can't possibly hate me in so short a time, no matter what that hag did to her, Hay Lin thought. We've shared so many experiences, been through so much together...that has to count for something. And what about that time we shared while she was still a prisoner? She said she loved me, for crying out loud; and I love her too. She can't hate me……she just can't.

Hay Lin approached the glass wall of the Fire Chamber. Instead of it being darkened this time, Hay Lin could see the mountains of flames filling the room. She stopped to stare at the beautiful display before her; orange, red, and yellow danced around the room in a perfect waltz of fury. Somewhere in the middle of it all, three Guardians waited for a fourth to arrive. Hay Lin reluctantly pulled her gaze from the incredible dance and continued down the hall.

She pulled open the large double doors and entered the Chamber. The heat was uncomfortable, but not stifling or dangerous…at least not to a Guardian. Hay Lin approached her three friends, all looking as somber as she felt. She made herself comfortable in one of the suddenly-appearing "recliners" and looked to Will to kick things off.

Will smiled at the slender Air Guardian; she received a half-grin in return before Hay Lin dropped her eyes to the ground. Will shot Taranee a quick glance and the Fire Guardian nodded. Taking a deep breath, Will started to speak.

"Glad you could make it Hay Lin; how's……"

Taranee's eyes suddenly grew wide and she locked her gaze with Will. The Fire Guardian made a slashing motion across her throat with her hand and shook her head slightly.

"…your grandma?" Will continued, without missing a beat. She was glad Hay Lin was still looking at the floor and had thus missed Taranee's desperate pantomimes.

Hay Lin looked up at Will and tried to smile. "Oh, she's fine, Will; thanks for asking."

Will nodded. "Good, that's…that's…good."

Cornelia, I have to talk to Will. Can you keep Hay Lin busy for a while?

Cornelia glanced suspiciously at Taranee, but nodded slightly.

Thanks Cornelia. I'll tell you everything in a bit.

"Aren't these chair-thingies just the bomb?" Cornelia enthused. "I am so going to ask daddy to get me some for my room."

While Cornelia engaged Hay Lin in conversation, Will and Taranee held a private one of their own.

What's the what Taranee?

I don't know if it's such a good idea to ask Hay Lin about Irma right now.

Why? What's happened?

Irma attacked her and Mrs. Lin. She tried to kill them.

Will's jaw dropped; Taranee reached out quickly and closed it to keep Hay Lin from getting suspicious. Will was starting to feel dizzy, but it wasn't from the uncomfortable temperature of the Chamber. She couldn't fathom a situation where Irma would turn on any of them, but most especially Hay Lin. As if that wasn't bad enough, now she had tried to off Mrs. Lin as well. Irma had never said so to Will, but the redheaded Guardian suspected Irma loved Mrs. Lin like her own grandmother. Will knew Irma would never do anything to hurt her or Hay Lin.

Holy son of a…this is bad T; worse than I even dared fear.

I know. It has Hay Lin pretty upset.

I think we can all understand why; I would be angry too.

No, she's not angry, Will. She's hurt…and she's frightened.

Physically hurt?

There's some bruising around her throat, but she's alright. She wasn't expecting that kind of reaction…

None of us were. Of course it has to be fifty times harder on Hay Lin; those two are practically sisters.

She's taking it really hard Will. She doesn't really know what to think.

Will stole a sympathetic glance at Hay Lin, chatting politely with Cornelia. She was trying to keep up her end of the conversation, but Cornelia was definitely doing most of the talking. Not that that was necessarily abnormal…

Irma is supposed to be the major topic of discussion here, T. Will Hay Lin completely freak if we bring her up?

Probably not, but it won't be a warm and fuzzy conversation.

But it has to be done Taranee; we need to figure things out. I really don't think we can wait.

I agree, Will; just don't expect a lot of input from Hay Lin…at least not right off.

I understand. Will you please fill in Cornelia? And see if you can get her to cut Irma a break for a while; the last thing we need is for Hay Lin to take one of her comments the wrong way.

I'm on it Will.

Will nodded her thanks and listened to the conversation between Cornelia and Hay Lin. She needed to insert herself into the chatter at the right moment.

"Are you kidding? That boy is so homely I would almost call him fugly. Now Caleb on the other hand…"

"Oh not more about Caleb! Caleb this, and Caleb that…can you think of nothing else at all Cornelia?" Hay Lin replied in exasperation.

"Yeah, why don't we hear more about Eric instead of Caleb? Have you managed to talk to him yet Hay Lin?" Will asked.

Will saw Cornelia give her a nasty look out of the corner of her eye, but seconds later, the Earth Guardian turned her head slightly towards Taranee.

Cornelia, can you hear me?

Of course I can hear you, I'm not deaf.

Easy Cornelia; just because Will interrupted your favorite topic…

Careful Firestarter; you are treading on dangerous ground.

Whatever; listen I need to fill you in on something.

While Taranee explained the situation to Cornelia, Will and Hay Lin made small talk. It didn't take long for Taranee to bring Cornelia up to speed; which was fortunate because…

"Taranee, how are you feeling?" Hay Lin asked suddenly.

Taranee immediately cut the link to Cornelia and grinned at Hay Lin. "I'm fine Hay Lin; just a little headache."

"What happened?" Hay Lin asked.

Taranee slid her eyes to Will and raised an eyebrow. The Guardian leader sighed and took command of the floor. "That's sort of what we need to talk about." Will closed her eyes and tried to summon calm. "This situation is difficult for all of us, but it's important we all understand what's going on. Taranee?"

Taranee nodded. "Irma is suffering from PTSD; Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. It's likely we'll see all kinds of weird behaviors from her. Until she figures out how to deal, we have to remember that she's going to seem different."

"Different how?" Hay Lin asked slowly, as if she was afraid of the answer.

"Well she may become depressed, or start lashing out at everyone. She'll probably be quick to anger and say some things she doesn't mean. Or she could just as likely become withdrawn and antisocial."

Hay Lin stared at the ground and gripped the sides of her chair. "Depressed? Lash out? Angry? Antisocial? How can anyone be all of those things at the same time?"

Taranee grinned gently. "They can't; not all at once anyway. But it's possible we'll see Irma experience all of these to some degree at one point or another."

Hay Lin grew very quiet and closed her eyes. Cornelia watched her skin grow paler and her shoulders begin to sag. Cornelia shot a glance at Will and saw immediately that the redheaded Leader had seen it too. Cornelia moved unobtrusively closer to Hay Lin as Will spoke up.

"I know this is hard, but we need to know what to expect so we can act appropriately. The last thing Irma needs is for us to wig out or push her away because we don't understand what's happening. No matter what, Irma is still our friend; it's our responsibility to help her get through this."

"But how can we do that if she insists on pushing us away?" Cornelia asked. "You said yourself that she's afraid of us; how can we help if she doesn't even want us around?"

"I think she may be afraid of everyone right now Cornelia," Taranee answered. "That's something else typical of PTSD; she probably doesn't know who to trust, so she just keeps everyone out."

"Well it seems she has a point…" Hay Lin whispered.

Cornelia was the only one close enough to hear it. "What was that Hay Lin?" she asked gently.

Hay Lin jumped; she had not realized Cornelia was so close to her. "Nothing…I didn't say anything."

"Yes you did," Cornelia pressed. "You said "she has a point." What do you mean by that?"

Hay Lin squirmed uncomfortably in her chair. "It's just that…no, forget it. I shouldn't have said anything."

"Hay Lin, it's okay," Will soothed, "we're all in this together. Don't be afraid to speak up."

Hay Lin shook her head and unconsciously began rubbing her neck. "I just think maybe we've forgotten that Irma is our friend…that's all."

"How so?" Will asked.

"Well……maybe we should have trusted Irma when she freaked out about the Mage," Hay Lin explained uncomfortably. "I mean, I know Irma's a little weird right now, but since when do we take the word of a seven-foot bald woman with too many facial tattoos over that of our friend?"

"Hay Lin, the Mage was just trying to help," Cornelia replied. "She had to do the countercurse; otherwise Irma would've continued to get worse."

"Okay, but why now?" Hay Lin asked. "Why did it have to be done right then and there? Why couldn't it have waited for another week or something?"

"You heard what Miss Jaundice Eyes said. Irma's mind was deteriorating; she had to perform the countercurse immediately." Cornelia said.

"But how do we know that?" Hay Lin asked. "What if that curse had absolutely nothing to do with Irma's state of mind? What if the Mage lied to us?"

"What reason do we have to distrust the Mage?" Cornelia insisted.

"What reason do we have to distrust Irma?" Hay Lin countered.

"Are you serious?" Cornelia gasped. "Hello; Irma's about three ants short of a picnic right now…"

"Whoa, guys, guys, guys; time out!" Will interfered just in time. Both Hay Lin and Cornelia had stood up and looked ready to rumble. Will inserted herself between the two angry Guardians and placed a placating hand on each young woman's shoulder. "Let's just all sit down and try to talk about this like civilized people."

Hay Lin continued to glare at Cornelia, but returned to her chair. Cornelia did the same, and Will sat down facing them both. She took one of Hay Lin's and Cornelia's hands in hers and captured both sets of eyes. "You both have legitimate arguments, but try discussing instead of fighting. We've all had a tough day, but fighting amongst ourselves is not going to help anything. Now let's start over. Hay Lin, you said it was possible the Mage lied to us. Why would you think that?"

"I don't know what to think Will," Hay Lin replied desperately. "I just think it's a possibility we should entertain."

"Okay," Will nodded. "Cornelia, you said the Mage is more trustworthy than Irma. Why would you think that?"

"The Mage has never shown us any ill-will," Cornelia explained. "In fact, she's helped us in the past. Besides, this is Candracar; what Big Bad could possibly infiltrate this fortress? Irma right now is…...struggling with some things. If she's freaked out by us, then she's definitely going to be freaked out by the Mage. I just think maybe Irma's reaction was based more on this PTSD business than on any actual concrete threat."

Hay Lin spoke quietly, her eyes never leaving the floor. "We don't have any proof that the Mage is on the up-and-up, Cornelia."

"We don't have any proof that she isn't either," Cornelia countered.

"Yes we do…"

All eyes snapped to Taranee, who up until now had remained silent.

"T?" Will prodded.

"We do have proof the Mage isn't on the up-and-up." Taranee answered slowly, her eyes unfocused and staring past her friends.

When several silent seconds slipped past, Cornelia got impatient. "Spit it out already!"

Taranee shook herself and focused on her friends. "Sorry, I was just thinking…"

"Yeah we know; you do it way too much," Cornelia quipped. "You were saying…?"

Taranee nodded. "Right; I was saying we do have proof that the Mage isn't quite who she says she is." Taranee turned her eyes to focus solely on Will. "She lied to us, Will; she handed you a line and you swallowed it."

Will's brows furrowed in confusion. "I don't follow you T."

"Think about it for a second; why did you finally decide to go with the Mage instead of listening to Irma?"

Will answered immediately. "Because she said the curse was further damaging Irma's mind."

"Exactly!" Taranee exclaimed. "That curse was only supposed to prevent magical healing; since when did it start involving Irma's mind?"

Cornelia's eyes narrowed. "Maybe they just didn't mention that part of the curse."

Taranee sighed. "Will, who was it that explained the curse to you in the first place?"

"The Mage." Will answered.

Taranee nodded. "Uh-huh. See where I'm going with this?"

Cornelia thought for a second, then her blue eyes widened in horror. She looked at Hay Lin; the Air Guardian had buried her face in her hands and was shaking her head back and forth. The blonde Guardian stood and moved quickly to her friend's side. Kneeling in front of her, she pulled the shaking girl into a hug. Hay Lin clung to Cornelia as if letting go would mean her death. The arguments of minutes ago forgotten, the two Guardians held one another tightly, united by a common knowledge of what they had done……and what it would mean.

Will's jaw dropped open as the realization hit her hard; the Mage had lied to them; had lied to her. Her head swam and she began to feel woozy. She closed her eyes; haunting images flooded her mind. The Mage reaching towards Irma; Irma's screams of terror as she was wrestled to the floor by her friends; Taranee collapsing in pain. The room began to spin and Will fell from her chair onto the floor of the Fire Chamber. Holding her head in her hands, she moaned, "What have I done?"

Taranee leaped from her Spherule and dropped to Will's side. She pulled her leader into a hug and tried to broadcast her support telepathically. She tried to reassure Will that they all had been duped; that it wasn't Will's fault. But somehow she knew Will couldn't hear her. So Taranee contented herself to simply hold the redhead to let her know she wasn't alone.

Several minutes passed before the four friends could control their emotions enough to talk. Will spoke first, her fists clenched and her eyes afire.

"I can't believe her! She totally played us! She totally played me…"

"Easy Will; she duped us all," Cornelia said. "Notice none of us even hesitated when you gave the order."

"I swear, if I find that bitch, I'll kill her!" Will growled. "If I have to rip them from her with my bare hands, I swear I will make that bitch eat her intestines!"

Hay Lin flinched and she began rubbing her neck again. It wasn't too long ago she had heard a similar oath of vengeance from Irma.

Cornelia saw Hay Lin rubbing her neck and looked closer. "Oh my gosh, Hay Lin! What happened to your neck?"

Hay Lin stopped rubbing and tried to hide the bruises on her neck. Unfortunately, her Guardian outfit made that all but impossible. By now, Will and Taranee had noticed the bruises as well. The two Guardians shot each other a look and then looked back at Hay Lin. The Air Guardian looked uncomfortable.

"Who did this to you Hay Lin?" Will asked, even though she already knew the bruises must have occurred during Irma's attack. Nevertheless, it was important for Hay Lin to talk about it.

"I…...uh……that is…" Hay Lin hung her head and sighed. "Oh what's the use? You're gonna find out anyway. Irma attacked me a few minutes before I came in here. She tried to strangle me to death. These are the marks from her fingers."

The three Guardians did an excellent job of feigning shock. "Irma?!" Cornelia gasped. "Irma attacked you?!"

Hay Lin nodded, her eyes still closed. "She also tried to drown my grandmother a few hours ago. I understand she attacked Luba as well."

"Son of a bitch," Cornelia whispered.

Hay Lin's eyes suddenly snapped open and she looked pleadingly at Will. "I know she didn't do it on purpose, Will. Please, we can't give up; we can't abandon her."

"Easy Hay Lin; no one's giving up," Will replied. "But if Irma's become dangerous, we may need to re-think some things."

"But she was so sorry afterwards; she didn't even seem to know what she'd done," Hay Lin pleaded. "Please, let me talk to her; I know I can get through to her."

Will shook her head. "No way, out of the question; it's too dangerous."

"Irma is not dangerous; she's just confused," Hay Lin said.

"Oh, is that what you call it when someone tries to throttle you to death?" Cornelia quipped.

"Maybe Hay Lin's right," Taranee said quickly before another argument could ensue. "If Hay Lin goes back in there, maybe it would show Irma that we're not giving up on her."

"No one is going in there alone," Will stated.

"I don't think it's a good idea for all of us to descend on her right now," Taranee countered. "She's already nervous and angry enough."

"She just tried to kill Hay Lin; I don't want an encore performance."

"None of us do, but I think Hay Lin is the only one who has any chance of reaching Irma. You know she has to feel pretty betrayed right now…"

"Well I feel pretty worried right now," said Will. "What if Irma tries something like this again, only this time she succeeds? How do you think she's gonna feel then?"

"Excuse me!" Hay Lin yelled. Taranee and Will looked at the Air Guardian. "I can take care of myself; after all, I stopped Irma last time. I'll be careful, but I feel strongly about this. Irma needs me, okay? I can't be any more blunt than that. She needs me…and I need her. Please……let me go."

Will and Taranee looked at each other. Taranee nodded, and Will turned to Cornelia.

"She's right Will," Cornelia said. "If Irma's going to get through this, she's going to need our help. But Hay Lin's going to carry the brunt of it I think. I think Irma will eventually learn to trust us again, but it has to start with Hay Lin."

Will sighed; she had been completely outvoted. Part of her wanted to pull rank and forbid Hay Lin to do this. But the better part knew Hay Lin was right; Irma did need Hay Lin…and Hay Lin did need Irma. Will stepped forward and hugged Hay Lin.

"You be careful Hay Lin; I know she's your sister and all, but she's also suffering from some pretty frightening traumas. She may not know what she's doing, but that won't make you any less dead. Understand?"

"I understand Will," Hay Lin replied. "I won't let you down."

"You never have Hay Lin; you never have." Will answered, releasing her friend from the hug.

Hay Lin hugged Taranee and Cornelia and strode out of the Chamber. The three Guardians watched her go, then turned to each other.

"So what's the game plan coach?" Cornelia asked.

Will's eyes began to smolder anew. "We let Hay Lin handle the Irma-front. The three of us……we find the Mage and teach that bitch the meaning of pain!"

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Irma allowed the Water to drag her where it would. She knew it would never do anything to cause her harm; it was about the only living being she fully trusted right now. Irma was confused and hurting. She still couldn't come to terms with the fact that her so-called best friends had betrayed her; and to Nerissa of all people. As if five days of her hospitality wasn't already enough. Oh she would expect this kind of thing from Cornelia; but the other three? She thought they would be okay. But she had seen Will give the order herself; and not one of them had hesitated to follow it. She could feel the anger growing inside of her, as if it had become a living being in and of itself. She fought to control the demon inside of her; she knew what would happen if it managed to take control.

She closed her eyes and asked the Water to stop playing. She rested at the bottom of the pool and willed the anger to release her. She placed her hands over her heart and tried to slow it by sheer force of will. Gradually, she felt calmer as she asserted control once more. Irma surfaced and let out a long breath. She desperately wanted, needed someone to talk to, but who could possibly understand?

"Irma," Yan Lin called from the side of the pool. "Irma, please……let me talk to you."

The Water Guardian considered Yan Lin for a moment. Her eyes narrowed with distrust as she recalled how the old woman had stood by and let the Guardians hurt her. Irma shook her head; no, the Guardians didn't hurt me……Nerissa did.

But Yan Lin told you everything would be fine, didn't she?

Yes, but how could she have known the Mage was Nerissa?

How do you know she didn't? What if she's in on it?

That's ridiculous! Mrs. Lin would never do something like that.

Yan Lin was once a Guardian herself; who was it that held the Heart when Yan Lin was the Guardian of Air?

Nerissa, but she went all evil. Mrs. Lin would never help her do something like this.

If Hay Lin were in Nerissa's place, would you abandon her if she asked for your help?

Hay Lin is not Nerissa; she could never be that cruel.

But you would do anything for her, wouldn't you?

I would, yes.

Then what makes you think Yan Lin doesn't have the same type of relationship with Nerissa?

She……she wouldn't, she'd never……no.

Can you really trust her completely?

But……she's………

She's Nerissa's friend. She was Nerissa's friend long before she was yours. That kind of connection cannot be broken……and you know it.

Irma grabbed her head and tried to shut it out. She squeezed her eyes closed and gritted her teeth. Mrs. Lin couldn't be in on it…it was simply impossible to accept. Hay Lin was her best friend; she had learned many of her values from her grandmother. Someone as pure and special as Hay Lin couldn't have learned such beautiful qualities from someone evil. Gradually, her mind quieted and Irma opened her eyes. She had made her decision.

She swam towards Yan Lin and rested her arms against the side of the pool. The old woman looked down on her with concern.

"Irma, are you alright?"

"I'm fine Mrs. Lin," Irma answered quietly. "Just a headache."

Yan Lin looked skeptical, but decided not to push the issue. She patted the ground beside her. "Come, sit with me a while."

"Um……if it's all the same to you, I'd rather not."

"Are you afraid of me?"

"No," Irma answered, a little too quickly. "I'm……I'm afraid for you."

Yan Lin nodded in understanding. "I do not fear you Irma; I do not believe you will hurt me."

"Yeah, well I thought that too before today. I tried to drown you, Mrs. Lin. I slapped your face. If Luba hadn't stopped me…"

"Then I would have, Irma." Yan Lin answered firmly. "I am not as frail as I appear. Everything will be alright; come, sit with me."

Irma closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She really wanted to stay in the water where it was safe, but she knew Mrs. Lin wasn't going to give up. Opening her eyes and exhaling slowly, Irma pulled herself out of the pool. She tried to hide a wince as she seated herself next to Yan Lin. But the old woman had seen it and wasted no time.

"What is it Irma? Are you in pain?"

Irma shook her head. "I'm fine Mrs. Lin; it's nothing."

Yan Lin's gaze grew stern. "Do not lie to me Water Guardian," she intoned, using Irma's formal title to get her attention. "What is wrong?"

Irma was surprised by Yan Lin's tone; she had never heard the old woman this stern before…nor had she ever referred to her as "Water Guardian." She knew Yan Lin meant business, and she wasn't going to let it go until she knew what was happening.

"It's my back, Mrs. Lin," Irma finally answered. "It feels a bit stiff." Yan Lin raised an eyebrow and Irma sighed. "Alright, it hurts like hell! Happy now?"

"That you are in pain? No. That you finally told me? Yes. Turn around and let me see it."

"No way!" Irma panicked. "No offense Mrs. Lin, but I'm not turning my back to anybody."

"I will not hurt you Irma; you have my word."

"Yeah well the word of Nerissa's friend doesn't mean jack crap to me." Irma realized she had made a mistake the second the words left her lips. "Oh, Mrs. Lin……I didn't mean……I would never…"

But Yan Lin only smiled gently. "Calm yourself; you have every right to question my loyalties Irma."

"No, I have no right to question you; you're…"

"A former Guardian when Nerissa held the Heart. Considering your recent history with her, I completely understand your misgivings. What can I say or do to help you trust me?"

Irma pinched the bridge of her nose between her fingers. "I don't know Mrs. Lin. Everything is so messed up; I don't want to feel this way. I don't want to distrust you and the Guardians. I want everything to be normal again; like it was before all of this happened. I'm trying to understand, but everything is just so……"

Yan Lin reached out and grabbed the unsuspecting Irma by the shoulders. The Guardian barely had time to gasp before she was crushed into Yan Lin's embrace. Irma's first reaction was to push the old woman away, but she fought the impulse. More than anything, Irma felt like a little child who had just discovered all her greatest fears were about to become reality. More than anything, Irma just wanted someone to hold her and chase the demons away. She felt so small and so vulnerable. She needed her friends, but she didn't trust them. She had nowhere to turn and she had never felt more alone.

Yan Lin held the trembling Water Guardian tightly. She did not speak, she did not move, she just held her, as a mother holds her child. Gradually, Yan Lin felt Irma relax in her arms and even cling to her. Yan Lin took the opportunity to spy Irma's back and was appalled at what she saw. All over Irma's lower back, where her shirt did not block Yan Lin's view, were angry red patches and welts, as if she had been beaten and burned. On a whim, Yan Lin placed her hand on the middle of Irma's back. Irma gasped and tensed up; a pained grunt escaped her lungs.

She tried to pull away from Yan Lin but the old woman held her fast. Irma was surprised at Yan Lin's strength. Irma could have freed herself by using more of her Guardian strength, but she didn't want to hurt the old woman. Yan Lin was bound to find out what was going on anyway, so Irma stopped struggling. She had to start trusting someone, and thus far, Yan Lin hadn't hurt her. Throwing caution to the wind, the Water Guardian held still while Yan Lin conducted her examination.

Yan Lin moved her hand gently around Irma's back, noting the Guardian's pained reactions. She suspected Irma was holding back and she needed to see the injuries. She released Irma and looked into her eyes. She saw the pain in those deep turquoise pools, though Irma did her best to hide it. Yan Lin reached out and laid her hand against Irma's cheek. Irma closed her eyes and snuggled into that hand. Yan Lin smiled.

"Irma, I need to see your injuries."

Irma nodded and grinned nervously. "I thought you might say that."

Irma lay down on the floor on her stomach and let Yan Lin pull up her shirt in the back. Yan Lin gasped at the burns and the welts that covered the Guardian's back.

"Irma! Who is doing this to you?"

"No one…they just showed up."

"Injuries like this do not just "show up." Tell me what has happened."

"I don't know, I swear."

Yan Lin lowered Irma's shirt and the young Guardian sat up. Yan Lin walked around to face Irma and knelt in front of her. She took Irma's chin in her hands. "I will not hurt you, child. Please, Irma, you must tell me what is happening."

Irma closed her eyes and lowered her head. "Look, Mrs. Lin; I already think I'm crazy. I don't want you thinking the same thing."

"You are not crazy Irma; I already know that."

"But you'll think I am if I tell you…"

"I won't. There are sinister forces at work here, child. Let me help you."

Irma knew she had no choice; she needed help. "I had a nightmare last night. I was back with Nerissa; and Frost was……" Irma couldn't continue. She began to tremble and her hands clenched.

Yan Lin hugged the Guardian again and whispered words of comfort.

"I'm trying Mrs. Lin; but I don't know how to fight them. I see them when I'm asleep; I see them when I'm awake. I want to be strong and just tell them to leave me alone, but……" Irma clung to Yan Lin tightly.

"Shhhhhh, it will be okay, child. I know you are trying. We all know you are trying. You have every right to be afraid, but they cannot hurt you anymore. You must understand this…it is over now. You are safe, your friends are here, they love you and want to help you."

"But I can't let them get close to me Mrs. Lin. I'm too dangerous; what if I try to kill them, like I tried to kill you and Hay Lin?"

"The Guardians can take care of themselves; do not worry about being a threat to them. Irma, do not push them away; you need them and they need you."

"Yeah, they need the Water Guardian…"

"They need Irma Lair! They need their friend. Do you believe they would think any differently if you were not Guardians? If something like this had happened to Irma Lair, the teenage girl, do you think they would want to be here for you any less? Irma, it is you they want; it is you they need."

Irma couldn't help the tears anymore, and she broke down. "I want to believe you Mrs. Lin; I want to believe you so bad…"

"Then believe me, my child," Yan Lin replied, tightening her grip on the sobbing Guardian. "You will get through this; it will not always be like this. Soon you will learn to live again without fear and without anger. These emotions have their place, but not in a Guardian's heart. You have always been loyal and true to those you protect. Let them now be loyal to you; let them now protect you."

"I want to, I just……I'm afraid. Why, Mrs. Lin? Why did they let her hurt me?"

Yan Lin closed her eyes; she wondered when this would come up. She chose her words carefully. "Oh child, they did not mean for you to be hurt. They were misled by deceitful lies. They did not know the danger. They thought they were doing what was best for you."

"But it was Nerissa, I know it was. They let her……she hurt me so much!"

Yan Lin fought to keep her own emotions under control. "They did not know, child; they did not know. When they discover the truth, they will be angry."

Yan Lin heard the doors open and turned her head to see the visitor. She was delighted to see her granddaughter. Hay Lin stopped upon seeing the tender moment. She was about to excuse herself, but Yan Lin motioned her over. Cautiously, Hay Lin approached them.

"Irma, someone wishes to see you," Yan Lin said, releasing the Water Guardian from the hug.

Irma wiped her eyes with the back of her hand and looked up. Her heart jumped when she saw Hay Lin. The Air Guardian grinned nervously; Irma's expression remained neutral.

"I will give you two some privacy. I shall return with something to ease the pain in your back," said Yan Lin. She walked towards the doors and soon disappeared through them.

Hay Lin and Irma watched her go. Hay Lin turned to her friend only to find that Irma had already re-entered the pool.

"Irma, please……let me talk to you." Hay Lin begged.

"Go away Hay Lin; I don't need you." Irma said coldly.

Hay Lin was expecting something like this. "Yes you do Irma; I want to help. Please, let me."

"Like you helped that hag earlier? Is that the kind of help you want to give? Save it Hay Lin! I don't need your help!"

"I didn't know Irma; none of us did. We were trying to help…"

"And a fine job you all did too. First you let that evil hag capture me. Then you took a week to find me, and it would have been longer if I hadn't done your job for you. Then you lock me away in Candracar and subject me to all kinds of psychological torture. But that still wasn't enough for you; oh no, you had to take it a step further. You just had to twist the knife a little more. You held me down and you let that hag hurt me; you let her rape my mind! So you'll forgive me if I don't want any more of your help! Get out! You're dead to me Hay Lin; and I don't ever want to see you again! GET OUT!"

Hay Lin was paralyzed with shock. She had not been expecting that kind of an outburst. Tears welled up in her eyes as she gazed upon the young woman in the pool. She barely recognized the face, normally so full of laughter and mischief; now filled with rage and hatred. She barely recognized the eyes, normally so full of joy and life; now filled with agony and despair. She barely recognized the voice, normally so full of confidence and compassion; now filled with terror and loathing. Hay Lin buried her face in her hands, and fled the Chamber.

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