Pike Creek, Delaware

"You said to talk loudly to the dad, right?" Colby asked, knocking on the partially broken front door of my human best friend's house.

"Yes, he's pretty much deaf," I answered quietly. "He and his wife were in some kind of freak accident. She died and he can't hear for shit now."

Colby narrowed his eyes as the door ripped open. A bright blonde teenage boy opened the door, looking at us with wide dark blue eyes. Familiarity struck me; this was a fellow childhood friend apart from Alice. He seemed to recognize me in return. "What the crap? Lynn? You're really here?"

"Timmy?" I realized. I knew it was him based on his facial reaction.

"You know I moved on from that after we turned like ten, right?"

"I'm a one-nickname type of person," I shrugged. "Is Alice here?"

Timmy nodded. "She's bathing the mama dog they just brought home last night," he answered, finally letting us in. "Jack went to the store to pick up some new supplies, they're expecting a cat or two tomorrow."

"They got some animals now?" I said, looking around the house. In the living room was a gated off area, maybe for their mama dog. A mama dog usually meant puppies were around, or arriving soon right?

"They started fostering animals last summer," Timmy admitted. "Right before Alice and I started dating."

"I was wondering why you were here, but now you answered that." I faced Colby to make the introduction. "Colby, this is Timmy Steiner. Timmy, this is Colby."

"Tim, please." Tim nodded at Colby.

"Sure, Tim." Colby said.

I went upstairs to find the bathroom, looking in. Alice was at the tub, washing the mama dog. Her dyed black hair was longer than last time, and she was wearing white shorts and a red t-shirt. "Alice?" I said casually.

She darted her brown eyes upon me, immediately squealing. "Lynn?! This whole 'once a year' shit isn't going to cut it!" She put her hands in the tub water to rinse the soap off, before she got up and stepped over to hug me with wet dog hands.

"I can explain," I told her, hugging her back regardless of the smell.

"You or your super hot boyfriend who can share thoughts?" Alice smirked at me, promptly frowning when she saw Colby appear. "That doesn't look like him."

"Ouch," Colby joked. "Calling me ugly, Adelina?" He winked at her. I rolled my eyes.

"I mean..." My best friend checks out my demon boyfriend from head to toe after she pulls away from our hug. Alice has always been open and flirtatious, so I was used to it. "By the way, it's Alice, got it?"

"Sure, Adelina."

"Dude!"

Mama dog barked, reminding us all she was still in the tub. "Shit, sorry Jina!" Alice returned to the tub, kneeling back down to resume her bath. Mama dog, or Jina, looked to be a light brown Pitbull breed, and she also appeared to be very happy in the bath water.

"Do you want us to come back later?" I offered.

"No way! So you can disappear for another year? Don't think so." Alice scowled. "Just go downstairs and wait for me. Dad should be back soon and he's picking up pizza. You know he'll be so happy to see you!"

"You're right. We'll wait downstairs." I agreed, taking Colby back down. Timmy was cleaning up mama dog's little area, re-fluffing the blankets and what not. "Is the AC working okay?" I asked, pointing at the window unit on the wall across from the stairs.

"Sure is, thanks to your magic powers Jack said," Timmy acknowledged. "By the way... is all of that true?"

I glanced at Colby for a short while. I have known Timmy over ten years, and if he's dating Alice then... maybe it would be okay, especially if they told him about me already. I nodded at both Colby and Timmy.

"I see." Timmy wiped his forehead. A few minutes later, a half-dried Jina emerged downstairs from the bathroom. "All clean, Jina?" He opened the gate for her to tumble her pregnant self through, nestling on her blankets. "She should be due to have her puppies any day now, they said."

"Where was she rescued from?" I asked, watching Alice come out of the bathroom and joining us downstairs.

"She was chained up outside all the time and neglected," Alice answered. "She got to a shelter and they called us. She was so dirty and look at her, way too skinny for how far along she is."

"I'm glad you're helping her." I said sincerely. There was the sound of the door getting yanked open from how stuck it got, and Jack came in with a handful.

"Dad, is that a kitten?" Alice noticed. In Jack's left hand was two or three grocery bags. His right hand was holding a small blanket with an even smaller orange kitten sticking its head out.

It meowed loudly, and I felt something strange for a half-second.

"Holy hell, Lynn?" Jack said to me. "First I seen this little fella right down the street on my way home, stuck near one of those sewer holes. I snatched him up and just took him with me, he's dirty and won't stop howling. Now I see you, the magical angel. This is destiny."

"Need any help, Dad?" Alice asked.

"Huh?"

"NEED ANY HELP?"

"Well, duh! Take these bags." Jack shoved the grocery bags onto Alice and Timmy, and then handing me the little bundled up kitten. "I think you're supposed to help this one."

"He really is fried." Colby made sure to mutter. Timmy nodded at him with a half-smile.

Meanwhile, I look down at the kitten. It meowed again and again, so I moved away some of the blanket to see more of it. Jack called it a he, so I will too. He meowed again and this time he looked up at me. He was so tiny, but he widened his little golden brown eyes at me before he continued meowing. "It's okay buddy, you're warm and safe." I spoke to him quietly, reaching my hand over to pet his head with just one finger. So soft and small.

"Help me get the pizza?" Jack asked Colby, going back out the door.

"Sure," Colby said, following him.

"What'd you say?" Jack grumbled.

Colby sighed. "SURE!"

Jack stopped to look at me from outside. "Boyfriend?" He was asking me this time.

"YES!" I exclaimed, frightening the kitten. "I'm sorry, kitty." I apologized, holding the blanket close. He wouldn't stop meowing - maybe he's hungry or doesn't feel good. I place my finger back on his head, letting some of my celestial power flow.

He finally stopped meowing and closed his eyes slowly.

"That was cool!" Timmy gawked as he helped Alice carry the supplies into the kitchen. "We're friends with someone who's got magic!"

"I'll help you check on the kitten in a second," Alice said. "I've got some milk you can feed him."

I stayed still, petting the little orange baby. "What do you mean feed him milk? Can't he just drink it?"

Alice rolled her eyes. "Go up to the bathroom and wait for me."

Call me uneducated, but I had no idea baby kittens could be bottle-fed if they didn't have their mothers. After Alice joined me in the bathroom, she took over for the most part. She took the kitten and gently bathed him in the sink. He woke up when she put him in the water and he went berserk with meowing.

"Lynn?" Alice said to me pleadingly. I had a feeling I knew what she wanted to ask. I come over to the sink and pet the kitten with my finger, using more of my power to calm him down. His meowing subsided, and Alice had me stroke his head the whole time she washed him. "He can't be more than two or three weeks old." Alice noticed. "He looks like an orange tabby."

After the bath, I was the one who dried him and got him back in a blanket. "What happens now?" I wondered.

"First we get him some milk, and then I'll call the vet after we eat to bring him in to be checked out," Alice started. "He's just a newborn, so I doubt he has a chip. If he's unclaimed, we'll probably foster him until he's old enough to be re-homed."

"I understand," I whispered. Why did a part of me hope he was unclaimed? I don't think I've ever been this close to a kitten before, interacting with one I mean. We go back downstairs, where Jack was hooting from the kitchen.

"Beer?" He offered to Colby, opening the fridge.

Colby put his hand up to decline, but Timmy shook his head quickly. "Say yes." He mumbled.

Colby sighed. "SURE!"

Jack gives Colby a beer bottle, and then makes everyone their plates. Pizza is always good, and it's a shame we didn't bring Megan - pizza is her favorite. We all ate and chatted. After phoning the vet's office, Alice eventually prepared a small bottle for the orange kitten, who seemed content being held in the blanket. Alice showed me how to hold the bottle properly before I began, feeding the kitten much like a human baby.

"I can't imagine you ever being a mom," Alice sighed. "You are so hopeless."

As Jack was cleaning the pizza boxes up, Timmy said, "Lynn, you really like that kitten huh?"

"What do you mean?" I asked.

Colby leaned over and set his hand on my leg under the kitchen table. "You haven't stopped holding him ever since Jack came back."

Wait... really? I suppose he's right. Well, why not? "He's a cute little bug." I decided, hugging the blanket after the bottle was empty.

"Why don't you be the one to adopt him?" Alice suggested. "When he's ready, I mean. I'll make sure he's house trained and everything first! We're getting some cats tomorrow, maybe they can show the kitten the ropes."

"Me adopt him?" I gushed. "I've never cared for an animal before. Colby, what do you think?"

My darling smiled at me. "Whatever you want, babe. I doubt Megan would say no, since she's already been putting up with your brother."

That stirred confusion within Alice. "Brother?"

Colby widened his blue eyes. "Crap, sorry."

"It's fine," I said. "Yes Alice, I found out I have an older brother. And remember that one year in school we did pen pals and had that field trip to meet them?"

"I remember." Alice nodded as well as Timmy. I think he was on that trip with us.

"Well, Megan was my pen pal. Turns out she's like me... you know? Also we've been staying at her place for the last week and half." I explained. "Prior to that, after you saw me last year, I went to Hell to hide from Teivel."

"Hide from him? Why? Did he try to send you up a tree too?" Alice asked sarcastically.

I shook my head. "It was him."

"What was him?" Alice asked cluelessly, watching me droop my eyes down onto my lap, or should I say onto the kitten I refused to let go.

"Her family," Colby spoke for me, caressing my leg. "Her sister survived."

Alice gasped. "Nattie's alive? And Teivel-" She covered her mouth with her hand. "Oh my God!"

Timmy frowned. "I'm sorry for your loss, Lynn."

"Thanks Timmy." I perked my head back up.

Alice clenched her fists. "That guy-!" She growled. "I let him into my house! I let him sit with my dad and watch TV! And he fooled us all?"

"He sure did." Colby uttered. Jack, who couldn't hear any of us, obliviously grabbed another beer before strolling out into the living room.

"Does Jina need out in the yard?" He yelled out.

"PROBABLY!" Alice screeched back. We could hear Jack open the gate, and then Jina beat him to the back door.

"I like that dog," Colby admitted. "Babe, you want to head out soon?"

"Sounds good," I agreed, getting up from the kitchen table. "Thanks for everything Alice, and good to see you again Timmy." I handed the blanket to Alice. "Bye little bug. Will you let me know what happens at the vet?"

"Of course," Alice said with a grin. "That means you have to come back very soon, and not another year. Do you have a phone? I could call or text you."

"Megan got us some cell phones," Colby remembered, pulling his out of his pocket. I couldn't tell you where mine went to be honest. Alice took his phone with her free hand and saved her phone number into it.

I leaned in to pet the orange kitten goodbye, and then received a hug from Alice. Timmy and Colby shook hands as I went out to the living room. "Bye Uncle Jack!" I waved at him.

Already half-drunk, Jack Walter burped his goodbye to me.

Roanoke, Virginia

"You're acting nervous, you know." Colby pointed out, knocking on the door. "And I'm the one who hasn't met them yet."

I sighed forcefully to relax when the door opened, and Carrie Baker greeted us. "Oh my! Lynn! You're early!" She happily stepped out to hug me. Unlike Alice, we phoned Carrie ahead of time to let her know I was back from Hell and very eager to see my cousins again. They've got to be almost thirteen now since it's been a year.

"And you must be Colby!" Carrie acknowledged. "Look at those curls! Don't they drive you crazy?"

"The ladies maybe, not me." Colby teased. I hit him in his side, causing Carrie to giggle.

"Let me just-" Carrie kicked away the salt line at the door. "In you two go, come on." She hurried us in so she could refill the line.

I went first down the very short hallway that opened into the living room, where my fraternal twin cousins screamed upon seeing me. "Cousin Lynn!"

"You have no idea how much I missed you," I admitted, nearly running towards them to give them all my love. I wrap my arms around Mindy first, who tightly hugged back.

"Did you bring your new boyfriend like you said?" Danny asked childishly when I hugged him next, but I had a feeling I knew where this was going.

"He's over there. That's Colby." I pointed out.

"Yo!" Colby waved with one finger. The moment he stepped into the living room from the hallway, a bucket magically appeared above him. I erupted into laughter as familiar goo spilled out of the bucket onto Colby's head. My cousins were rolling, high fiving each other on another successful prank.

Carrie emerged last, already having a rag ready on her. She wiped up Colby's face very motherly like, and it just reminded me of Mel for some reason. Before Colby went for the bathroom, he looked at Danny and Mindy. "Please teach me your ways."

Danny's blue eyes gleamed. "You want to be an apprentice?"

"Oh, no." Carrie and I groaned in unison. Carrie pat my shoulder. "Want to help me in the kitchen? I was gonna start on some cookies since you called."

I could tell Mindy and Danny were no longer interested in me thanks to Colby, so I nodded and followed Carrie left of us into the kitchen. "I'll let you decide since you're our guests. What kind of cookies shall we make?" Carrie asked.

I had an answer quickly. "Colby said he likes peanut butter cookies."

Carrie nodded. "Peanut butter it is! So, is this one a keeper or what?" She began to pull out all the baking tools we would need. "You met him while you were in Hell?"

"Yes," I confirmed. "He can be a little childish sometimes but he's wonderful to me, and very understanding."

"That's so nice. I'm happy for you," Carrie said with a contagious smile. She went to pull her long blonde hair into a ponytail asking next, "Is Teivel still asleep?"

"As far as I know," I let out quietly, waiting for Carrie to tell me how to start helping her.

Carrie asked me to get a carton of eggs from the fridge, and then she said, "I've got to ask you something I don't want you to get mad at me for."

"I could never be mad at you, Aunt Carrie," I admitted, hoping she accepted my name. She smiled again, which was the acceptance I needed.

"Alright. Be honest sweetie, do you miss Teivel?"

I was immediately baffled, but I now understood why she told me not to get mad. "What do you mean, exactly?"

"Crack two or three eggs into this bowl," Carrie started, pointing at a large red mixing bowl. "And what I mean is..." She sighed. "You're imprinted, right?" She asked in a very low voice. I know she didn't want the twins to even hear the word 'imprint' on the risk of them finding out.

I nodded sadly, drawing sadness into Carrie's own eyes. "Gabe told me a few things about the imprints."

"Like what?" I began to crack the eggshells.

"Okay, these weren't his words but they're mine," Carrie admitted. "I know the imprint made Teivel pretty much crazy over you, and it's very likely you could feel a little bit of the same towards him. The one who imprints isn't the only one affected."

"You're joking," I deadpanned.

Carrie shook her head. "You do miss him, don't you? Maybe just a little bit."

I couldn't bring myself to admit anything, so I said, "Please don't tell them."

"Sweetie, you're not blood but you're still my children's family. Therefore you're my family too. Your secret is safe with me." Carrie reassured. "I can't imagine what you're going through with that, but you can come to me anytime about anything."

"Thank you," I so wanted to change the subject. I asked her what they've been up to for the last year, and that was the end of that conversation.

Later, when we pulled the cookies out of the oven, Colby and the twins scooted their way into the kitchen, nearly drooling. "They smell so good." Colby went to touch a cookie but Carrie swat his hand sharply. "Ouch!" He yelped, making the twins giggle.

"I know none of you washed your hands!" Carrie scolded.

"Did too, look!" Danny, Mindy and even Colby all held up their palms. Carrie narrowed her eyes before she let them dig in. Colby practically inhaled the first cookie. "My mom makes the best cookies, don't you agree my apprentice?" Danny asked.

With a mouthful, Colby nodded. "The best cookies ever, Prank Master."