A/N:As usual, it's been a while since the last chapter. It's the end of the semester for my college classes, so I've been busy. As you can see, however, I'm still giving this my all! Enjoy, my readers!

Chapter 2: Points of Divergence

January 10, 2028

Woods Residence, Juniper's room

7:00 a.m.

When Juniper didn't come into the kitchen for breakfast, at first Virginia Woods thought her granddaughter had accidently slept in. So Virginia put breakfast on a tray and walked into her granddaughter's room.

Walking into the room, Virginia saw that Juniper was still in bed, sleeping peacefully. Virginia set down the tray and gently shook Juniper to wake her up. Juniper didn't respond.

Virginia's eyes widened and she shook Juniper harder, to no avail. "No…. Juniper actually found the Mirror Pond?" Virginia said, horrified.

Immediately Virginia dug into her granddaughter's desk, pulling out her cell phone. Normally Virginia wouldn't dare to use her granddaughter's possessions, but this was an emergency. The old woman dialed the first number she saw on the contact list.

January 11, 2028

Mirror Pond

5:30 a.m.

A small part of Juniper hoped the previous day had been nothing but a dream, but it wasn't. So when she woke up the next morning still in the alternate world, Juniper snuck out of her house and went into the forest.

It took a while to retread the path she'd taken before, but eventually Juniper did find her way towards the Mirror Pond. It's location was well hidden, which made all the more notable that Juniper had found it by complete accident. Much like before, the pond looked a lot like a regular pond, except for the fact that the surface didn't reflect anything.

Cautiously approaching the pond, Juniper looked down at the pond's surface. Now that she was here, Juniper wasn't sure just what she wanted to say. Just what exactly did one say to a magic pond?

"Ummm…. What am I doing here? *cough cough*" Juniper said.

Suddenly a voice echoed inside her head. The voice sounded like it was being spoken from beneath a lot of water, which made it impossible to make out any details about it.

You're here because you asked to be here, The voice said.

"I didn't *cough cough* ask to be here. At least, I'm sure I didn't, Mr….um, Ms….*cough cough*" The words were getting harder to speak- the situation was clearly beyond her comprehension.

I am the Spirit of the Mirror Pond. You may refer to me as simply the Mirror Pond, if you wish, The voice said. And your heart did wish to visit here. I heard that wish, and granted it.

Juniper was about to protest again when suddenly her reflection showed up on the surface of the pond. The Juniper in the pond had a concerned expression on her face, which didn't change when Juniper reared back.

The Juniper in the pond started talking. "If Robin had been born a boy like they wanted… would that have really made them happy?" She said. Then the Juniper in the pond faded away, leaving the surface blank again.

In fact, Juniper did think that while looking into the pond the other day. Even so…. "That's really all it took?! That's why I'm here?"

"I do not err in my duties. This is the world you wished to see, so I am showing it to you," The Mirror Pond said impatiently.

Well, okay. So a causal thought was all it took for Juniper to end up in such a distressing, confusing place. Thinking over everything she'd seen so far, a question occurred to Juniper.

"So why is this world different *cough cough* from mine?" Juniper asked. "Why is Professor Courte still alive?"

"That I cannot tell you. I only show people their heart's desire. If you wish to see how this world is different from yours, The Mirror Pond said. "Then you only need to explore this one."

It was as if the Mirror Pond had seen right through Juniper. Indeed, in her heart Juniper wanted to stay in this world so she could be near her late mentor. It wouldn't hurt to be here in this world a little longer, right?

"I think… I want to stay here some more." Juniper said after great thought.

"As you wish," The Mirror Pond said.

Before she could lose her nerve, Juniper went back home to prepare for school.

January 28, 2028

Alternate Themis Legal Academy, Constance Courte's Office

12:00 p.m.

Just going to classes as normal wasn't enough- for lunch break instead of meeting with Hugh and Myriam, Juniper went to Professor Courte's office. Knocking on the door, Juniper prepared herself to see her mentor so she wouldn't break down.

So the judge course student was greatly surprised when the door opened the reveal Robin, who looked just as surprised to see Juniper.

"What are you doing here, Miss Woods?" The (male) prosecutor student asked.

"I'm sorry! I'm here to see Professor Courte," Juniper said nervously. "Wh-why are you here, Robin?"

"That's President Newman to you," Robin said quickly. "As a matter of fact, I'm here on school business."

"Robin, how many times have I told you to be polite to guests?" Professor Courte said, approaching the two students.

"Sorry, Professor Courte!" Robin said, flustered. For the first time, Juniper could recognize a little bit of her close friend in this alternate version. "I won't do it again."

"Then apologize to Miss Woods, and see that it doesn't." Professor Courte's expression softened. "No one will think less of you if you relax every so often, you know."

Robin turned to Juniper and bowed to her. "I apologize for my totally rude behavior!"

Before Juniper could say anything or even react, Robin straightened himself and fled Professor Courte's office at top speed. Courte shook her head in exasperation.

"It is admirable of you to keep reaching out to Robin, Juniper," Professor Courte said with her usual gentleness. "But he insists on putting up walls to everyone."

Juniper, who had come here solely to see her mentor, started at these statements. The judge student had never given much thought of what kind of person her… alternate self would be like. Just from what Courte said, it seemed the Juniper in this world had a reason to believe in the alternate Robin.

"Well, I know what he's been through, so I want to help...um, him," Juniper said softly. It was not a lie, but not quite the truth either. But if the prosecutor student was anything like the one she knew…

Professor Courte nodded. "You've seen it too, then. Robin feels the need to live up to the name of being Prosecutor Newman's son, so he insists in shouldering so much alone. But his sense of justice is certainly in the right place."

So in the end, it did come back to Robin's parents. Juniper knew that her...his father was a well known prosecutor. These facts did shine a new light on this alternate version's attitude. However, it did not answer the question Juniper had originally come here to answer: how was any of this related to Professor Courte's survival? This called for another attempt to fish for information.

"So why have you decided to visit me, Miss Woods?" Professor Courte asked curiously.

"I want to talk more about what happened last October," Juniper said. Whatever happened to make this world so different, it would also have roots in that fateful month.

"Is this about Mr. O'Conner again?" Professor Courte said, pity in her voice. "I suppose it isn't easy for him to accept the truth of his mentor. I know I had some trouble as well."

What? What does Hugh have to do with this? Juniper wondered to herself. There was also the reveal that Professor Aristotle Means was related to this murky mystery. The man that murdered Constance Courte in Juniper's home world.

Having to think in terms of "home world" and "alternate world" was already starting to wear Juniper down- she found herself having to repress an intense coughing fit at the memories of what had actually happened back then.

"I just...don't know what to say to Hugh*cough cough*" Juniper said, the situation still overwhelming her a bit.

Constance Courte lowered herself so she was face to face with her distressed student, a kind smile on her face. "You did the right thing, Juniper. I know that Mr. O'Conner felt you went behind his back when you told Robin about your suspicions of him. But it was because of you that Robin's father was able to collect enough evidence to expose my former colleague."

The words that were coming out of her mentor's mouth were making even less sense than anything else Juniper had heard so far. The Judge student tried to parse the statements out in her head, trying to find the chain of causation that connected them.

The common point was that in this world, Juniper also felt dark suspicions towards Hugh because of a conversation she'd overheard. Clearly she hadn't talked about this with the Hugh and Myriam of this world. So then why on earth had she talked about this with the alternate Robin?

Setting aside that question for now, what happened next? By the sounds of it, Robin went to her...his father. In Juniper's home world, the prosecutor student had a poor relationship with her parents. In this alternate world, according to Professor Courte, Robin was instead actively emulating "his" dad. So by that logic, Robin had taken Juniper's words and relayed them to the older prosecutor.

Connecting the final points of the scenario together, Prosecutor Newman opened an investigation against Aristotle Means, and evidently built a successful case against him. Finally, Juniper's question was answered- Professor Courte was still alive because Professor Means had been arrested before he could kill her.

"Miss Woods, you've been awfully quiet. Is everything okay?" Professor Courte asked, concerned.

This wasn't even news that Juniper could be happy about. Because if she understood what happened correctly, her actions could be responsible for the current rift between Hugh and Robin.

"I'm fine. I'm fine. I'm Juniper Woods and I'm fine!" Juniper declared. "I'd like to stay in here a little longer, if you don't mind."

Professor Courte, thankfully, let her stay. Professor Courte painted a bouquet of flowers while talking casually with Juniper. Juniper happily talked with her mentor about nothing. Even if in the back of her mind, the judge student was doing her hardest to find a way to fix the fractured bonds between all her friends.

A/N: Little by little, the pieces are falling into place. What's happening in the background, however? You'll just have to keep reading to find out. Next chapter, Juniper tries to bridge some gaps. See you next time! Please review.