Apologies, apologies, apologies times a million for such a late update. Please please please find it in your heart to forgive me, and please read and review!

Chapter 11

Janet was, evidently, in an a lot worse situation than any of them had first thought. This they realised when she crumpled halfway across the gardens.

"Janet!" Cat exclaimed as her arm slipped from around his neck.

This caused the others to look around, and Chrestomanci was instantly by her side. He bent over her for a few moments, Cat retreating a little, then picked her up.

"She'll be alright." He said to the children's worried faces as he carried her through the doors.

------

Chrestomanci gently placed Janet on one of the sofas in the smaller lounge. The Goddess, Tonino and Cat all sat down on the nearest one, shooting her nervous glances once every few seconds.

It wasn't long before Julia, Rodger, Conrad and Millie all came into the room, evidently having been summoned.

"Oh you found them!" Millie said breathlessly. "Have you told the others?"

"No, not yet." Chrestomanci replied. "Could one of you…"

"I'll go, Daddy." Julia volunteered.

"I'll go with her." Conrad added, then spotted Janet on the couch. "By the gods, what happened to her?" he couldn't help asking.

Rodger looked in the same direction as his godfather. "Janet!" he exclaimed and hurried over. "Janet, are you alright?"

Janet moaned and opened her eyes. Cat and the others stood up, immediately walking over.

"Rodger…need you shout so?" she muttered weakly.

"Same old Janet then." The Goddess said, just as relieved as everyone.

"Can you deal with her, Millie, while Conrad and Julia look for the others?" Chrestomanci asked as Conrad and Julia left.

"Can't you deal with her?" The Goddess asked sharply.

Chrestomanci surveyed her vaguely. "I'm afraid I have to be away in Series Ten. Apparently they've lost their Goddess."

"And why would they call on you?" the Goddess asked in a slightly-less-bold tone of voice. "What's it to do with Series Twelve?"

"We have a reputation." Chrestomanci replied after a pause. "Not such a good one. Now, I really must be off."

"'s alright Kitty." Janet said weakly as the Goddess looked ready to argue again. "Chrestomanci doesn't strike me as the bedside type anyway."

Millie and Rodger both laughed.

----

"Well, that was tiresome…" Chrestomanci said later that day as he re-entered the lounge which was now noticeably more crowded – Tonino, Paolo, Angelica, Renata and Elizabeth with Susana were all there, along with Conrad and Julia who had returned (obviously). Janet was looking considerably better, but still was lying down.

"What was, my love?" Millie asked from her chair beside where Janet was lying.

"Oh, just that Mother Proudfoot the second want me to help them find the Goddess because she's worried abut her, and quite a few of them are on her side."

"So what's the problem? You're paid to help people." Conrad pointed out.

"The other Priestesses have incredibly hostile feelings towards this suggestion – after all, the girl is too old to be the Living One anymore anyway, so I was there for about three hours trying to stop the Priestesses arguing before we got down to business. Even so, I really must return, and it is a lot easier to do so from the Castle. So, unfortunately, our little trip really must be ending.

The children all started protesting.

"But we just got here!"

"Janet can't go anywhere, she's ill!"

"We don't want to leave yet!"

"You are kidding!"

The Goddess, uncharacteristically, didn't say anything at all. Instead, she glanced at Millie, who gave her a reassuring smile.

The Goddess was not convinced.

"We leave in the morning." Chrestomanci's voice raised slightly over the protests – for Conrad had taken it upon himself to complain older than any of the children.

-----

Chrestomanci was leading the way out of the Casa. Then, blinking in the morning sun, he turned to the others. "Where is Kitty?" he demanded.

"Still saying her goodbyes I think." Rodger replied.

Janet, who was being supported by Conrad, said "She mentioned unfinished farewells."

Just then, the mystery of where the Goddess was was solved as she came out of the Casa with a baby in her arms. "Susana didn't get to say by bye to Uncle Chris." she explained and without waiting shoved the baby into Chrestomanci's arms.

"Eh…bye?" Chrestomanci said cautiously to the infant…

…Who was promptly sick on him.

Chrestomanci groaned. Another suit ruined.

----------------

And as they walked up the lawn towards the Castle, back in Britain, Chrestomanci said "And I never want to see another baby ever again."

"Well, that could be a bit of a problem." The Goddess said. "Right, Janet?"

"If our source is correct." Janet replied, glancing up at the man she was leaning against.

Chrestomanci looked at them sharply. "What do you mean?"

Conrad said, "Well, if my source is correct, then there'll be a pitter-patter of tiny feet around the Castle once more very very soon.

"What are you talking about?" Chrestomanci asked, exasperated.

"Millie's pregnant again." The Goddess replied, brutally frank and to the point as always.

"With a baby" Janet clarified.

"Just like little Susana." Conrad finished cheerfully.

The reaction was fantastic. Julia and Rodger both glanced at each other then at the three in front of them, shouting "WHAT?" simultaneously.

Cat looked almost as surprised. "For real?"

And poor Chrestomanci, he looked ready to faint.

Conrad laughed, almost dislodging Janet.

"Who told you?" Millie demanded.

"Lizzie." Conrad replied promptly. "Lizzie told me and made me swear not to tell you she did. She also made me swear not to tell Christopher. Ah well…"

"Conrad told me." The Goddess added. "But me and Janet sorta guessed anyway."

"And Kitty told me to cheer me up." Janet finished.

There was silence for a minute, then…

"So, if it's a girl, can we call it Gwendolen?" Rodger asked jokingly, calming to the idea much quicker than his father or sister did.

For this he received maximum glares from Janet, Julia and Cat.

"Christopher?" Millie asked cautiously. "Are you there?"

Chrestomanci blinked. "Yes. Well, let's get inside."

The children and Conrad were killing themselves laughing behind them.

There ya have chapter 11. Reviews?