"Aleah!" Kelly said her face lighting up when she saw the doctor in the doorway to her room. "You're back!"
"I told you I would be," Aleah told her gently smiling. "I was just talking to Ducky and your father."
"About what?" Kelly asked pure curiosity in her tone.
"Well, I kind of have a secret and if I tell you you have to swear you'll never say anything to anyone, except your father, me or Ducky," Aleah said. "You're not to tell your friends, you're not to discuss it in public or anywhere outside this house. I know you're trustworthy young lady that knows how to keep a secret. I am very serious about this Kelly and I believe you'll understand why once I reveal my secret, as you're an intelligent girl."
Kelly looked at her father who was standing in the doorway listening and he nodded her but didn't say anything.
"OK I swear," Kelly said.
"You see, Kelly," Aleah began sitting beside her on the bed. "I have this ability that is called magic."
Aleah then went on to explain about her healing ability and Kelly listened raptly. Aleah demonstrated a magic by forming the same globe of light that she had shown Kelly's father.
"So you think you can heal my legs," Kelly asked and Aleah nodded soberly.
"I know I can, but you'll still be stuck in a wheelchair for awhile and you won't be able to stand for long periods for at least a few months," Aleah explained.
"You could do so much good if people knew what you could do," Kelly said naïvely.
"While that might be true Kelly, I can easily burn myself out where I won't be able to heal anybody. Also, I know you're only 11 right now and also innocent of the way the world works, but there are a lot of evil, greedy, selfish people in the world sweetie that would want to use my ability for their own ends. They could kidnap someone I care about to get me to cooperate you or Ducky or even one of my siblings or my parents. Magic users basically went underground a very long time ago Kelly in order to survive and we never use our abilities when normal people can see them, at least mostly. You however, are a special case, as I've grown quite fond of you over the last year. I told your father that I could help you walk again, but I asked him not to say anything to anybody, to promise me, that he'd keep my secret and you must do the same sweetie," Aleah said.
"If you can get me walking again I won't say anything," Kelly promised. "I know I'll have to pretend for at least a few weeks that I can't, but it'll be worth it to be like I used to be, before the car was forced off the road."
"All right then," Aleah said. "First, I want you to get on the bed."
"Here, I'll place her the bed," Jethro said finally speaking for the first time since he Aleah and Ducky had entered Kelly's room.
"I need her laying, down stretched out, on her back, pants off," Aleah told Jethro who nodded and complied.
Once Kelly was in the correct position he stood back and watched as a Aleah placed her hands on Kelly's now bare legs, as Jethro had removed the pants she was wearing, so she was only in a shirt and underwear.
Aleah touch was gentle, as she let the magic flow through her and then to her hands, which begin to glow with a soft blue light.
Jethro watched Aleah's hands begin to glow in amazement and then begin to truly believe that Aleah could accomplish what she claimed.
Aleah ran her hands gently up and down Kelly's leg several times, barely touching the skin, even as they continued to glow, but finally she moved her hands away and the glow faded from her hands.
"Can you feel your legs," Aleah ask Kelly as soon as she was done.
"Yeah, kind of all tingly," Kelly said. "Kind of like pins and needles."
"That's actually a really good sign Kelly sweetie," Aleah said. "It means you have the feeling in your legs back. That feeling will fade in a few minutes and then we'll try to take a few steps with Ducky on one side and your father on the other to make sure you don't fall and hurt yourself. Tell me when that sensation has faded."
It took a good few minutes for the sensation of pins and needles to fade from Kelly's legs, but no more than 15 minutes later Ducky and Jethro were helping Kelly to stand for the first time in three years.
"OK, now carefully take a step," Aleah instructed Kelly who obeyed eagerly. Kelly took a tentative step forward with the two men on either side of her making sure she didn't fall. When her legs actually obeyed her command Kelly took another step and stumbled a little only to be caught by her father before she could fall.
"Careful Kelly," Aleah gently chastised her. "You have to remember that you haven't been able to walk ever since the accident, so you can't just walk as fast as you used to until your leg muscle strengthen. I know you're eager to use your legs again, I would be too, if I had lost my ability to walk like a normal person but still you need to be very careful and not try to get up on your own without at least your father here in order to help you go to the bathroom just for example."
"I've been having to carry her to the toilet," Jethro said looking beyond grateful for what Aleah had done for his daughter. He would be grateful forever that Kelly could walk again, so wouldn't breath a word to anyone.
He understand Aleah's point of view and knew that she was right about being worried about other people finding out about her ability or magic about in general. Jethro well knew that people would come out of the woodwork wanting her to use her ability to heal them or their children.
Someone who knew about Aleah's ability could kidnap her, or someone she cared for in order to get her to cooperate, so Jethro understood exactly why she had extracted that promise from him and Kelly both. He was well aware that Aleah could've asked for far more then she had in order to help Kelly walk again, but she hadn't wanted money, just for him and Kelly to keep mum about her ability to heal and it was a promise he'd gladly fulfill after everything she'd done for his family.
He appreciated that Aleah wasn't the greedy type, as he didn't have much money at all, especially after Kelly's treatments to help put her cancer into remission. Even before that though, it's not like he'd been rich, something Aleah would have known.
"That won't be necessary for much longer," Aleah said smiling, the expression lighting up her face, making her even more beautiful.
The three of them helped Kelly take a few more steps before Kelly declared that her legs felt like wet noodles. "All right, it's time for you to sit down again then, as you don't want to overdo this first time, even if I know you're very eager to walk anyway you care to.
"I'll try to contain my impatience," Kelly promised smiling hugely, as she was so happy that she was going to be able to walk again.
"I can't blame you for being eager," Aleah said smiling, even as she gave Kelly a little hug of affection. "For one thing you are only 11, so your emotions are stronger than mine or those of your father or Ducky because you're still young.
"That's very true, Miss Kelly," Ducky who had been silent said, even as he kissed her cheek. "A child's emotions are stronger than those of an adult like me or Jethro. I know it's gonna be hard to be patient, but still, I would listen to Aleah and not try to move around on your own until your legs get stronger. This is coming from your doctor who has looked after you ever since you were born. Aleah knows what she's talking about. Any doctor would recommend the same thing if you had just had surgery on your legs in order to get them operating normally."
"I'll make sure she obeys," Jethro said giving his daughter a look. Jethro picked Kelly up and put her back on her bed. "You stay put Kelly," Jethro ordered her gently, even as he kissed her on the forehead.
"When will you be back?" Jethro asked Aleah once they have left Kelly's room leaving her with the book she had been working on, propped up on several pillows.
"About this time tomorrow," Aleah said. "We need to exercise her legs every day, so that they'll get stronger. Also, I can impart some of my energy into them every time I visit, which will make them strengthen more quickly."
"I can't help but be grateful to you for all you've done for Kelly," Jethro said as he shook Aleah's hand. "I swear I won't be a word about what you did and we'll just tell people that she had surgery.
"That's all I ask," Aleah said smiling. "I now can tell my family that you and Kelly took the news well and you promised never to say a word. They were worried, as Ducky indicated, as all that protects us is secrecy."
"I understand and I'll make sure Kelly does to," Jethro promised. "I can understand why you don't usually tell people about your ability and why you have to be subtle about it at least mostly."
"She does good work at the hospital once a week," Ducky put in. "She imparts a little of her strength to children who have cancer much like Kelly did. Doing so helps them fight the disease more efficiently, so that they get better."
"As I've already said, with diseases like cancer there's only so much I can do without putting myself into a coma or burning out," Aleah said.
"So that's one reason you were over here so often, so you could impart some of your strength to Kelly to help her fight her cancer," Jethro guessed shrewdly suddenly realizing all Aleah had done under cover to help his daughter.
"Yes," Aleah admitted sheepishly. "You never would have known about my ability if I hadn't really wanted to help heal Kelly's legs, so I took the risk of telling you and her about my ability. Some people don't react well when they find out magic exist, even if that happens totally on accident."
"I can imagine that very easily," Jethro said. "Some would probably consider magic evil and want to eradicate you just for having it."
"It has been known to happen," Aleah admitted. "It's one reason that magicals went into hiding back in the dark ages after Merlin's time."
"You're telling me that Merlin actually existed and that he's not just a story?" Jethro said looking astonished.
"Yes, he did," Aleah said smiling at Jethro's astonishment. "Magic was considered evil at one point in time, no matter how it was used and some people still think that way if they find out magic isn't just fantasy. It's why magicals are always careful whenever they use whatever abilities they've been given."
"I understand that," Jethro said. "I know the way the world works."
"I really must be going now, but I will be back tomorrow to see Kelly," Aleah said.
"Oh, Jethro, before I forget I want you to be my best man when Aleah and I wed," Ducky said.
"I'm honored," Jethro said Ducky. "I'll be happy to be your best man whenever you and Aleah get married."
"You'll get an invitation," Aleah promised. "It's going to be a few months at least, as I haven't had much time to start planning, as I've simply been too busy."
"Busy changing mine and Kelly's lives," Jethro told her.
"Yes, with that, but I've also been busy with my practice and a few other things," Aleah said, as she and Ducky took their leave.
~~~Aleah and Ducky~~~
"That was a marvelous thing you did for Kelly and her father," Ducky said, as he got into the driver seat. "I'm beyond grateful for what you did for Kelly."
"It was my pleasure I promise," Aleah said, as Ducky took off into the air. There wasn't much traffic at the moment, as they were on a neighborhood street, which wasn't that busy, so he didn't have to pay as close attention to where he was going. "I really like Kelly and I can see why you're so fond of her. I can also now tell my family that Jethro has sworn he won't say a word about my ability and he'll make sure Kelly doesn't either."
"And you didn't even have to tell them about you immortality," Ducky said.
"True, I didn't and I'm glad," Aleah said. "That is one secret that they don't need to know unless a situation pops up that they need that information. I'm very relieved I did not actually have to do that, as I am well aware that immortality, well, at least as close to it, as anybody has ever come, is even harder to believe then those that have the ability we call magic. Really, my immortality and my magic are two separate things, so there was no need for me to mention both of them, just what was necessary to get Jethro to understand I could help Kelly."
"And you did. Kelly will soon be walking again and I'm grateful," Ducky told Aleah. "Today was simply the first step to her regaining strength in her limbs."
"Yes, as I told Jethro back at his house, I'll impart a little of my own strength into her limbs every time I visit so that the bones will get stronger and support her weight much more easily."
"I bet being immortal helps with that," Ducky said who had been thinking quite often about how being immortal coupled with Aleah's ability to heal probably intertwined with each other.
"In a way," Aleah said not surprised that Ducky had thought about that, as he was not only brilliant, but a doctor. "In extreme cases, I would need to give some of my life force to help a patient get better but luckily, that's not often necessary. For a mortal healer, if they had magic like I do, if they had to do contribute some of their lifeforce it would take some time off their life. Luckily, that's not a problem for me, since I am immortal, but with Kelly I don't need to take such extreme measures. Kelly isn't dying, isn't even close to dying, which is when I would most need to use some of my lifeforce to help heal a patient and in fact, Kelly is a very much alive young lady who has a long life ahead of her, hopefully, with a husband and children in the future."
"I certainly hope so, she'll likely be much happier with a family," Ducky said. "In your case, I understand why you haven't settled down before now, why no immortal does, until they have met the one, but you're still human enough to be lonely without a family a husband and eventually children."
"We are basically human, Ducky," Aleah said not taking offence at what Ducky said. "We have all the same emotions, all the same feelings, all the same insecurities and everything that makes up a human. We feel everything that a mortal can and does. Sure we live a lot longer and we also heal incredibly fast. We don't ever get sick with any diseases major or minor, but other than that we're basically human."
"I didn't mean it like it sounded," Ducky admitted.
"I know," Aleah said smiling at Ducky from the passenger seat. "Sometimes it's hard to explain the concept that you understand in your head, but it's hard to express in words, even for brilliant people like us."
"Precisely," Ducky agreed, as he smiled, even as he drove through traffic.
~~~Aleah and Ducky~~~
Epilogue
A year later
"Thanks Aleah," Kelly said as she walked quickly to give her friend a hug. Kelly stride was sure and quick. Kelly's legs had gotten better fast with Aleah imparting some of her energy into the bones whenever she saw the 11 year old.
Within a few weeks Kelly was clumsily walking around the house, having to rest often and soon after that she was going out to get the mail and sitting on the deck that had been built on the house some years ago to soak up some sun.
Jethro had been amazed at her progress as it wasn't long after Kelly's first tentative steps that she was walking normally, at first with a cane and then on her own.
When people asked about how Kelly was walking Jethro and Kelly both told them that she had had surgery on her legs so that she would be mobile again. They refused to say anything else about it once the person's basic curiosity was assuaged.
Most people weren't curious after they had an answer, because there was surgery that could help somebody walk again after a bad accident. Some people wondered why she hadn't the surgery right after the accident and Jethro said he'd been saving up for it as his insurance didn't cover a lot of it, which was basically the truth, so people accepted the explanation.
"You're welcome sweetie," Aleah smiling, as she hugged Kelly back.
What Aleah had given Kelly was a box from Avril's bakery with her favorite treats at least at the moment. They were chocolate fudge and peanut butter brownies with chocolate chips. They were a chocoholics dream come true and Kelly gobbled them up within a few days.
"You spoil me," Kelly said.
"Considering everything you went through you deserve a little spoiling," Aleah said smiling ruffling Kelly's brown hair.
"So where is Ducky? I thought you two were attached at the hip ever since you got married," Kelly asked.
"While we are close and usually come together, Ducky had some patients to see, while I was free to come see you," Aleah said smiling. "He'll be by later, once he's done with his last appointment."
"So are you and Ducky going to have a baby anytime soon?" Kelly asked and Aleah simply laughed.
"You are definitely a bold teenager," Aleah told her with a laugh. "But then teenagers aren't known for their tact."
"Hey, I'm only 13, what do you expect," Kelly told her with a mischievous expression.
Kelly had just turned 13 a few weeks ago and Jethro had had a party for her with Aleah and Ducky and several of the children that Kelly had made friends with from school present.
Aleah simply chuckled, even as Kelly enjoyed the brownies she had brought.
"Don't ruin your dinner," Aleah told Kelly as the teenager ate her second brownie.
"But they're so good," Kelly playfully whined.
"And your father will be mad at me if you don't eat your dinner because you're full from the brownies," Aleah told Kelly with sparkling gray eyes. "He might forbid me from seeing you at least for a week or two, so let's not bring about those consequences, shall we?"
"I doubt that very much," Kelly shot back cheekily. "You can do no wrong in his eyes ever since you gave me back the use of my legs not to mention helped put my cancer into remission."
Kelly's cancer had not shown any sign of returning and hopefully, it wouldn't. All the ones in the know about Kelly cancer and remission breathed a little easier when a year had passed with no sign of the return of the disease. Kelly wasn't completely out of the woods yet and wouldn't be until she was around 16, but by the time she was starting college at 18 she would be able to do so with hardly any fear at all of her cancer coming back stronger than before. Kelly had regular doctor's appointments for bloodwork to make sure there were no signs of a previous cancer returning.
"Still, finish off that brownie and put the rest up, as too many sweets isn't good for you," Aleah told Kelly. "For me."
"All right, fine," Kelly pouted, but closed the box of brownies while Aleah watched.
"That's good. No more tonight OK? If you promise to be good I'll tell you my news," Aleah said.
"Fine! I promise I won't eat another one tonight," Kelly said.
Aleah studied Kelly and saw she was serious so nodded in satisfaction. "I've been wanting to tell you for awhile, but me and Ducky just found out that I'm expecting a baby sometime in the next seven months."
"Wow! That's great!" Kelly said clapping her hands together excitedly giving Aleah a long hug.
"So do you know if it's a girl or a boy?" Kelly asked.
"It's much too soon to know that Kelly," Aleah said with a laugh, "and we won't be able to tell for a few months I'm afraid."
"I want to girl I can play with," Kelly said decisively nearly causing Aleah to laugh again.
"The baby will be too small for you to play with, for at least a couple of years, Kelly," Aleah told her seriously. "Whenever I bring them by you'll have to be very careful with them as babies are delicate and they are not that hard to kill even on accident."
"I'll be careful, I promise," Kelly promised soberly now.
"I'll teach you how to feed them and change them if you want me to," Aleah said.
"That doesn't sound fun at all," Kelly wrinkled her nose for effect. "Who wants to change a stinky diaper?"
"It'll give you experience for when you have your own children someday," Aleah told her nearly laughing at Kelly's dramatics.
Teenagers! Aleah knew that Kelly would change her mind when she was older and met the right guy. Really, Kelly was barely a teenager because she had turned 13, just a few weeks ago.
"I don't know that I want kids," Kelly said. "I mean their messy and stinky and they spit up all over you."
"Yes, they do, but that stage doesn't last long," Aleah told her smiling. "One day you'll change your mind about wanting kids, but I understand right now you're only 13 and a lot of teenagers think that they don't want children of their own someday and then they end up getting married and having at least one."
"If you say so," Kelly said.
"I do say so," Aleah told Kelly smiling patting her gently on the back. "You'll fall in love one day and you'll want a child with the man you love."
Kelly didn't respond, but Aleah really didn't expect a response as she knew it was incomprehensible to the 13 year old that her mind would change when she met the right guy.
Kelly still had a lot of growing up to do, but she would get there, now that she was healthy.
"Why don't we go see your father and tell him my news. Ducky should be here soon to share dinner with me, you and Jethro," Aleah said.
"OK," Kelly said, as she and Aleah headed into the house from the deck where they had been talking.
Life was very good at the moment and her and Ducky's wedding a year or so ago had been perfect. Now she was pregnant with her Ducky's first child and she couldn't be happier about that and Ducky was over the moon.
Her family was also ecstatic to learn that she was pregnant and were really looking forward to the baby that would be here in just seven months.
Life was very good indeed, ever since she had met Dr. Donald Mallard.
Author's note: There's three more stories so far to go, though 13 is not finished yet. I hope you enjoy them and I would appreciate plenty of positive reviews. Read and enjoy!