Chapter Three

As soon as Ian had finally left me in the kitchen to do some work, all the girls in the room, Trudy, Lilly, and Candy all turned to look at me with smiles and raised eyebrows. "What?" I asked looking around.

"Oh nothing dear," Trudy said giggling to herself as she went back to kneading the dough.

"Oh please nothing!" Lilly exclaimed. "Ian had this poor girl locked in his room for three days! Nothing my ass."

I could feel my face burst into flames. What could they possibly think was going on? That Ian and I were- I couldn't even finish the thought, this blushing thing was getting out of hand.

"Alright ladies back off," Melanie said sauntering into the room to save me.

It was still odd to see her walk and talk from the outside instead of the inside. To hear her words come out of her own mouth. "Thank you," I muttered as she hoped up on the counter next to me. I continued to work as she played with stray fork.

"So," she said placing her hands on either side of her body and leaned toward me. "What did happen?"

I rolled my head and sighed. I couldn't blame her if she was curious. "Nothing. Nothing like what you think."

"Oh, well that's boring." She picked up the fork again and started picking the dirt out from under her nails. "Are you just not ready?"

I was thankful for Melanie for these talks that we would have. She would never make eye contact during them and if so it was short, she knew it was easier for me to talk when no one was looking at me. I wouldn't get embarrassed then. She was also the only one I could talk to freely. "No it's not that. I don't know how to explain it."

Melanie looked at the make-shift sink full of dishes from breakfast that was on the opposite side of her then me. "Try describing it."

"Okay," I paused giving the bread the majority of my concentration. "He treats me like I'm going to break all the time." Melanie looked down and smirked. "What?"

She looked to the ceiling now deciding carefully what to say, she turned her gaze directly at me. "I wish you could have seen him that night. And the nights after that. It was a week and a half, you know. Must have seemed like an eternity to him." She shrugged. "Maybe you should ask him about that."

I nodded looking away after she lost eye contact. I turned the dough over gently in my hands. I couldn't wrap my brain around the thought of Ian crushed. I thought about how I would react if he had done the same to me. I couldn't see my strong, brave Ian crumble. It hurt too much. The next thing I knew Melanie had punched me in the arm softly.

"Earth to Wanda," Smiling at her own pun. "How are the new digs?" I could feel my face scrunch up in confusion. "The new body Wanda. How is it?"

"Oh, fine I guess, I'm just so tiny now. And I'm not strong, and it's way too hot in here." I rambled, glad to be with Melanie and not have to second guess what I say. "And it giggles and blushes too frequently."

Melanie laughed. "Yeah, I thought that was funny. You just look how you are now. You're too sweet to be big and strong."

"Well I'm glad you like it." I mutter kneading the bread harder.

Melanie jumped down from the counter and started washing the dishes. "You'll get stronger, and you'll get used to the heat. You just need some time to-"

"Adjust?" I finished for her.

"Hearing that too often are you?" She asked rhetorically giving me a sideways glance. "Well it's true."

The day went on uneventfully. Kitchen work was easy, light work that this body could handle. I was wiping down the counters after the dinner rush when Freedom tugged on the hem of my shirt. "Wanda, are you gonna tell us more stories?"

"Freedom! Leave Wanda alone." Lucina said lightly jogging to get Freedom. "I'm sorry sweetie. I know you must be real tired by now."

"Oh, no it's okay." I smiled. Lucina would still rarely speak to me unless her children were near me. She was visible more comfortable in my presence but still distant. "He wasn't bothering me. Although I don't think I will be doing stories tonight. Sorry Freedom."

Freedom pouted but Lucina just smiled. "It's quite alright you probably just still need time to adjust." With that she pinched my cheeks, picked up Freedom and walked out of the mess hall.

"Hello Wanda!" Sunny called from behind me.

I knew Kyle wasn't far, and neither was Ian. My stomach started to flutter with thoughts of seeing him. "Hello Sunny, how are you?"

"I'm doing well, a little tired. I was helping turn the soil today."

"Oh you were?" I didn't know why but I was suddenly jealous of Sunny. She wasn't much bigger than me, if she can handle it I can too. Couldn't I? I tried not to think like that, Jeb probably just placed her with Kyle so that she wouldn't have a panic attack, like she was prone to do when Kyle wasn't in her sights for long. And Jeb did need all his strongest workers in the field.

"I was surprised that you weren't there. Ian was working with us." Sunny stated, helping me clean off the counter top of left over noodles.

"Jeb thought I'd have an easier time helping in the kitchen."

She nodded. "Yes, I understand, you must need more time to adjust. I remember when I was placed into this body, it took me almost a month to get used to it, and this is your second body. I can't even imagine."

"It's really not that bad." I tried to reassure her. I couldn't help but wonder why everyone thought I needed more time.

"Well I must say that this body suits you very well." She looked at the door and then back to me. "Kyle's back, I'll talk to you later okay."

I nodded and followed to where she walked. Kyle stood in the doorway holding out his hand for Sunny. When her hand met his he pulled her into a hug and walked her out of the room. I watched as Ian shoved his brothers' shoulder in passing. His eyes met mine. My cheeks burned and the fluttering in my stomach felt more like ancient dinosaurs flapping their wings inside me. He smiled so wide I was afraid his cheeks would rip, he stopped next to me leaning on the counter. "Miss me?"

I looked up from the counter, smiling back, nodding at him so exaggerated that my long bangs fell in from of my eyes.

Ian brushed them away from my face and securely behind my ear. "Good. I missed you too." He took my face in his hand and gave me a quick soft kiss, knowing that I wouldn't be comfortable with anything more ostentatious then that. "Did you eat yet?" He asked releasing me.

"No," I answered. "I was waiting for you." If it was possible I think he smiled a little wider. "Wait here." I said walking around the counter to where I had left mine and Ian's dinner. I grabbed the tray with the noodles and bread and headed out to where I left Ian. "I saved you some." I held out the tray for him to see.

Ian wrapped his arm around my shoulder and guided me to a table nearby. "God, I love you."

We sat down across from each other and began eating, Ian almost immediately. He must have been hungry; I hadn't seen him come in for lunch that day, although Lilly did go down to the fields periodically through the day to bring them water. She must have also brought them food when I wasn't looking.

I was almost finished with my pasta when Jamie came and sat down with us to eat his dinner. "Hey guys," he greeted us, shoving a piece of bread in his mouth. "How are you feeling Wanda?"

"I feel just fine." I answered eating my own dinner slowly.

"Really? Good, 'cause Ian keeps telling people to take it easy on you, 'cause you're still adjustin' and all." Jamie finished still shoving food in his mouth as he spoke.

Ian choked on his pasta. "Now wait a minute, that's not exactly what I said." Ian corrected Jamie.

"Then what did you say?" I asked politely. I was not going to fight with him in front of Jamie.

"I just – Well what I said was…" Ian tried to explain, but Jared cut him off.

"Hey Wanda, how's the adjusting going?" He asked settling down next to me.

I didn't answer, I just stared at Ian. It wasn't exactly anger that I felt, I was just irritated. Yes, extremely irritated. "She's doing fine, Jared." Ian said his gaze dropping down to his food.

Jared looked at Jamie, "Did I say something?"

"You didn't say anything, but Ian did." Jamie clarified.

Jared laughed out loud. "Oh dude!"

"Shut up Jared." Ian said threw his teeth.

"Alright, alright," Jared still laughing, "Let's give these two some privacy." Jamie stood up taking his bowl of noodles with him, following Jared out of the room.

Ian finally looked back up at me, his eyes just pleading to forgive him. I was too irritated. I shook my head leaning against the cave wall behind me. "You can have the rest," I shoved my half eaten bowl of noodles toward him. "I'm not hungry anymore."

Ian put down his fork, "Fine, then I'm not eating, and you know Kyle stole half of my lunch." He was trying to guilt me into eating. I wasn't going to do it.

"I had a full lunch. I'm really not hungry anymore. Please finish your dinner." My voice was completely void of any emotion. I didn't want him to be able to tell that I was upset. He stared into my eyes for a good minute until he was satisfied I wasn't lying. He still didn't pick up his fork. "I made that especially for you. You better eat it before it gets cold."

"Are you still gonna sit here with me?" His voice was so quiet; I barely made out what he said. I nodded playing with my fork.

I didn't want to speak. I didn't trust myself. I knew that if I didn't think this through I would say something I would regret. I knew I was upset because he was telling everyone to 'take it easy on me', I didn't need people to be watching out for me or let me skate by. I just wanted to be normal. But on the other hand I understood why he was doing it. He didn't want to rush me, he knew that this body acquired some adjustment, because of its size, and not only that, but I was in a teenagers body, the hormones alone were difficult enough to decipher, let alone having everyone give me an easy out because of it. And of course there were all the expectations that I had of the human experience that were just not the same in Pet's body as in Melanie's. All the emotions I was having all at once were alarming and difficult to categorize. Maybe I did just need time to adjust. But I didn't need everyone telling me so. And I especially didn't need Ian telling everyone so.

When Ian had finished his dinner and mine, after he made me take a couple more bites, to satisfy him I did without arguing, he picked up our plates and brought them over to Doc, who was on dishes tonight.

"Do you want to go with me to wash up before bed?" He whispered in my ear. Again I just nodded, still not trusting myself to speak.

I allowed him to take my hand as we walked back to our room to get clean clothes and soap. We didn't speak as we gathered our things, or as we walked to the dark bathing room. No one was there; wordlessly we both got undressed in the dark and waded into the water. For the past week we had been bathing together, but the room was so large and so dark that, other than the splashing of water, I would never have known he was there. Except tonight.

"Wanderer?" His voice was soft, concerned… scared. He rarely ever called me by my full name.

"Ian?" I responded.

I felt a hand in mine. I entwined my fingers with his. He brought our mass of hands to his lips and left wet kisses on each of my finger tips. "I'm sorry baby. Please don't be mad at me, I promise I won't do that again. I'll tell everyone you're fine and to stop treating you like a kid. I'm so sorry. Please forgive me." He rambled so fast, it was hard to keep up with all his promises.

I ran a wet hand through his hair pulling him closer by the back of his head. We had never touched each other without some sort of barrier. Now there was only water stopping us. "It's okay," I whispered to him. "I understand why you did it. You just worry is all." I said echoing his statement from earlier. "And you don't have to tell anyone anything, I'd actually prefer it if you didn't. Just stop telling them to take it easy on me. They'll eventually treat me normal again."

"I'm still really sorry." He mumbled against my wet shoulder.

"As you should be." I teased whispering it in his ear.

His arm circled around me pulling me to his chest. Our bare chest touching took the air right out of me. "However will I make it up to you?" He teased right back. I wasn't quite sure what I was supposed to say back to that so I just shrugged, letting him be in control. I trusted him. "I could massage your feet till you fall asleep tonight?" Again I shrugged. "I could massage your shoulders?" For the third time I shrugged. If it were possible he pulled me even closer, "I could give you a full body massage?" He must have felt my body tense up, "Or not." He loosed his grip on me so that water could flow between our bodies. "I'm sorry," He apologized, "I think I crossed a line."

"No, no line was crossed. I've just never done anything like that." I mumbled feeling my cheeks burn in the cool water. I was thankful for the darkness so he couldn't see my obvious embarrassment.

"I know, and I'm not going to pressure you into anything." He said kissing each of my cheeks, "I promise." I nodded, accepting his promise. "Alright, let's get clean." He said letting me drift away from him.

I couldn't help but feel like I hurt his feelings. I didn't mean to, I just wasn't accustomed to human hormones. I mean I wanted him to touch me like that but I just didn't know how. I needed Melanie for this.

We walked back to the room silently holding hands. Ian pulled the door open and waved his hand allowing me to enter first. I stopped. "Would you be upset if I went to go talk to Melanie for a few minutes?"

"No of course not," He took my dirty clothes out of my hands, "Do you want me to wait up for you?"

I smiled, of course he wouldn't be upset. This was Ian, my wonderful, understanding Ian. "Yes, please." I reached up on my tiptoes to give him a quick kiss, only he didn't have the same idea. He wrapped one arm around me picking me up so that we were at eye level. My arms locked around his neck and kissed him back. His kiss was desperate and so was mine. "I love you." I whispered when our lips parted.

"I love you too." He planted multiple kisses on my cheek and neck before finally setting me on my feet. "I'll see you soon baby." I gave him another quick kiss, holding my body farther away from him so he couldn't keep me any longer. I raced down the hall to Melanie and Jared's room, hoping I wouldn't be interrupting anything. I needed her help more than ever now.