Oh yeah, I do not own W.I.T.C.H. or any of the characters, the plot is totally a work of my twisted little mind...

Busted #12: It Needs To Be Said

Caleb's POV, Tuesday Morning

Okay, so the girl's plan is supposed to start today.

Susan Vandom only thought she had a bad trip last Friday. Burt, the car, gave an Emmy winning performance dying as she tried to bring Will to school this morning. Even though I can't communicate with electronics, I could almost see a smile on his front bumper as Tom was driving past taking me and Irma to school. It was no surprise when he stopped and offered them a ride.

Will couldn't help but smirk at Irma and me as she climbed happily into the back seat with us as her mother took the front passenger seat.

Seeing the first part of the plan take shape, I could sense Irma become just a little less tense. Honestly, if something didn't happen soon, I think Irma would have taken matters into her own hands.

And the last thing any of us wants is a pissed water elemental.

The ride started out very quiet...eerily quiet, no talking just breathing and looking out the window. But then Susan's cell phone began to ring and ring and ring – changing ring tones each time. No matter how she tried to answer it it just kept ringing.

From the back seat, we all struggled to keep innocent looks of curiosity on our faces, as the second soldier in Will's almost endless electronic army began his attack. I saw Tom flash me a quick questioning look in the rear view mirror – he doesn't miss much. But now was not the time for transparency, so I continued to focus on Susan as she fumbled with her delinquent phone.

Peace was restored once again as she pulled out the battery with dramatic flourish – its last sound, a trumpet blast, faded away never finishing its army wake up call.

As she dropped the phone separate from its battery into her purse, shaking her head, Tom calmly asked, "So have you rethought allowing Will to be in the wedding on Saturday? It sure would mean a lot to all of us."

So casually, my father-in-law became a part of our plan without any cues or explanations. But in truth for him it was easy, all he had to do was be himself: a dedicated dad that truly loves his family and wants his daughter happy.

I really respect Tom Lair. I hope I can be half as good a dad to our kid...Wow, that's right, I'm going to have a kid in a few months. Sometimes I forget just how deep that is. I'm going to have to have a talk with Tom later to get pointers and advice.

My thoughts were interrupted by Susan's voice edged with ice, "There's nothing to reconsider. I said she can't go. Case closed."

I looked past Irma to see Will set her jaw. Through clenched teeth, she ground out equally icily to her mother, "That's so unf-"

"Watch your tone with your mother," Tom corrected Will before she could finish. Then he continued as before, without a hint of ire or anger.

"Susan, the girls are best friends. Because of what they are, don't you think they've had to grow up a little quicker that planned? We can't change it, so I think we need to accept it and deal with it effectively. I just want to ask you: what do you really want achieve by breaking up their friendship?"

It was subtle, it was smooth, but most of all it was logical and true.

"Tom, you just don't understand..." Susan almost whined.

"The heck I don't," Tom Lair responded with conviction. "I love my daughter as much as you love yours, that's my married and pregnant sixteen year old daughter. Anna and I had to come to terms with this exact same issue when we saw Caleb come into her life. We knew right away we had a choice, and our choice had to be about her happiness, not ours."

I studied Tom's face in the rear-view mirror. Had I caused him to worry, as much as Will' s mom worried now? I never meant to cause him or his family grief, but somehow Irma became more important to me than the air I breathe.

"Tom..."

"No Susan, you need to listen to someone that's been in the exact same spot as you're in now. Let. Her. Go. And I don't mean to the wedding so much as you need to let go of treating her like a child. She's been their leader for three years and seen them through life or death situations. Honestly I think your reaction is more a way to indulge your fears and pull her back to where you think you can keep her a safe. But she can't go back to being a child just because you want her to. Like it or not she's a young woman now."

Susan Vandom stared at her lap and let a sigh escape her lips.

"Trust her Susan and trust her friends, they'll help each other. They'll be alright. Because the truth is she can fly out of this car right now and never come back. Is that what you really want?"

Tom looked back at me, a quick nod. That small move told me that he accepted me as a part of Irma's life. More than that he was totally fighting for our friend...for her happiness and acceptance.

To her credit, Will stayed quiet, watching things play out. We all knew that at this moment Tom Lair could change the scales of fate.

I heard Susan sniffle and saw her lift a hand to her check.

"Tom All I've ever wanted for Will is..."

I saw Irma suddenly turn very green and watch her throat begin to tremble.

"Tom! Pull over now!"

Years of police work had trained his reflexes to respond without thinking, Tom pulled over quickly. Irma threw herself across Will's lap, opening the car door as an upward flow erupted, bursting free to land in the gutter.

For long seconds, Irma, hung her head out the car door, half laying on Wills lap. All I could do was rub Irma's back and try to comfort her as I felt her muscles repeatedly tense and ripple. For her part, Will pressed herself into the back of the seat trying to escape the close proximity to the noxious smell of vomit that drifted back into the car.

By the time Irma was able to stop and sit back up, I think we were all green around the gills from the smell. Will closed the door with one hand and covered her mouth with the other and pleaded from behind her hand, "Ugh please drive so we can get away from the smell before it makes me sick too."

"Sorry," Irma mumbled weakly.

I had to agree with Will, it was pretty bad to be locked in the car with, but more important was the way Irma limply leaned back against the seat. Her eyes were red and she looked suddenly very tired. Her dad must have seen the same thing as he directed the car back onto the road, cause he made a U-turn and said, "Yeah, I think we need to take you back home young lady."

"God! No wonder it smells so bad still, there's some on the carpet." Will said as she checked her clothes for backspray.

"Sorry Will," Irma almost pleaded.

Somehow Will managed to look up and see how green Irma still was. Will adding jokingly, "It's okay, but don't take it personally if the smell makes me puke too okay?"

And just like that the moment was gone. We never got to hear just what it is that Susan Vandom truly wanted for Will. Instead the five of us headed back to our house, the car quiet again.

Irma's POV

Why did it seem to take forever to get home? My stomach was so queasy and my head ached. And I'll never understand how as I stepped out of the car I felt ten times worse than I had during the ride. I took one step and felt the world around me reel. Caleb's arm had been around my waist but he quickly moved to scoop me up into his arms, saving me from taking another shaky step.

I gratefully relaxed into the arms I knew and loved and let him carry me from the car into the house. Over his shoulder I saw Susan and Will get out of the car as my father gestured for them to come inside with us.

Caleb set me gently on the couch, putting my feet up and pulling off my shoes.

"You okay?" He asked eying me like I'm some sort of porcelain doll.

I really wanted to be able to truthfully say, I was just peachy, but the way my stomach rocked and rolled I knew it would not be long before I had to spew again. I didn't trust my mouth to talk without hastening the return of pukage, so I just shook my head no.

Caleb gave me a quick nod and left the room.

Will waked in and set her book bag down and asked, "How are you feeling?"

I managed to get my voice to function long enough to say, "Blah!"

Will cracked a smile and jokingly teased, "Well thanks for puking on me and getting me out of school today."

That's right we had been headed to school – today was the last full day. Tomorrow would only be a half a day, then we'd be free for the summer.

But I sort of did screw up, the plan for today huh?

Hmm, I wondered where were my dad and Susan. I turned my head to look into the kitchen, but they hadn't gone in there while I wasn't looking. That meant that they had to still be on the porch.

Oh no, not more of the dreaded parent confabs.

Caleb came back with a small trash can, a towel an a blanket. He set the trash can down and began covering me up with the blanket like I had a cold.

"Uh! Caleb! I'm not sick!" I groused, as I actually felt less sick as every moment passed. Plus, I really hate being babied.

"Yeah, right. Just stay still for a while and take it easy, okay?" He said it as a question, but that was not his questioning tone.

"But Caleb!"

"Hey, I hate to interrupt, but can I borrow some clothes? The smell of puke is killing me." Will interjected into our lover's spat.

"Yeah sure, help yourself. You know where everything is," Caleb answered before I had a chance to speak up.

Will headed up the stairs as my dad and a solemn-faced Susan Vandom came in from the porch.

"Where is Will?" Susan asked as she stepped into the room looking around.

"I got puke on her. She went to get some of my clothes to change into."

Susan looked back over her shoulder at my dad. "Is it alright if I go upstairs and talk with her?"

"Sure be my guest. Take as long as you need." My dad was very gracious and calm.

Boy, I wanted to know what they talked about outside. It had only been a few minutes but Susan wasn't shooting daggers at me or using a snide tone. Actually she hadn't even looked my way. She just seemed sort of distant, like she was lost in her thoughts.

Did my dad threaten to us his gun or something?

Cheers!