"What would be just like Christine?" Ariel came down, hearing Donna and NT. She came down as soon as she could after fixing lunch.

NT told her all about it, and Ariel paled.

Pippi had also become concerned, she was down in her room, going over some files. Ameh was up and about, and she had also heard first NT, then Donna crying out. At first, she'd thought maybe NT and one of her friends had had a spat.

Pippi had talked to Ameh about Donna before this, and Ameh was already starting to regret reacting as she had at first. So she and Pippi stood in the doorway of the basement as Ariel went down and tried to comfort both Donna and NT.

"Damn, damn, damn, damn, damn!" Ameh hissed.

Pippi looked just as outraged, but only said darkly, "Why does that not come as a shock to me? If I only knew Christine had been on the loose..."

"How could you? She's as slippery as Tompkins is." Ameh whispered back.

At that point, Nathan's, Christine's, and Tracy's letters came through the email, and Ameh, seeing the computer flash in her room from out of the corner of her eye, went in to check it. "Dammit. Well, they're not getting away with anything!"

"I'm gonna help her right now." Ameh said, returning to where Pippi was standing.

"I knew you'd come through once you could see things more clearly." Pippi gave Ameh a pat on the back.

"Oh, nevermind," Ameh shrugged it off. "I wouldn't let so much as a kitten live in Christine's custody, let alone another human being."

Ariel didn't know how to reassure the girls, but when she noticed Pippi and Ameh at the top of the stairs, she waved them over, and said that lunch was on, so whenever they were ready.

Ameh came over to Donna, and Pippi took NT aside.

"Donna, is it?" Ameh asked.

Donna nodded, frightened.

"Listen, before you say anything, the reason I reacted the way I did was because I detected some magic presence about you that was from Christine. But Pippi's filled me in on your situation far as she knew, and we just heard the story from NT, so, I'm not upset with you any more, ok?"

"Thanks." Donna replied, sadly. "But what can we do--legally I'm still his ward. And if there *is* any magic--boobytrap, or whatever...?"

"The hell you are." Ameh spat, taking her place on the bed beside Donna, "I'll be making a few...changes to the legal end of things. Besides, Christine doesn't exactly have a clean record, so whoever awarded her custody must've been a crooked judge or conned all to heck, or else just damned stupid. Now, I'm going to begin taking these spells off and it'll take a little while, so you can just stay laid back so I can concentrate."

Donna nodded. "All right," and lay back on the bed, closing her eyes.

Ameh put a hand on Donna's head, touch was always helpful. And shhe sat quietly as she started working on the reversals. There was no outward appearances of tracing strannge signs and no chanting, just strange sensations every once in a while.

After it was over, Ameh went back to her room to rest, and told Donna to take it easy. Donna settled in for a nap.

* * * * *

Later that day

Ariel had sent NT to the store for some milk before school was out, but now Susan had come home a while ago, and she, Rebekah, and Ariel were out back, and Pippi and Ameh were in the front room with Donna.

Ariel had not seen any activity in the kitchen so, worrying NT hadn't come home yet, she went inside and straight to the front room. "Have you seen NT? She should've come home by now, unless she ran into somebody at the mall."

Donna shrugged and shook her head. "No I thought she was with you."

Ariel rolled her eyes. "I sent her to the store for some milk but that was a while ago."

"Yeah, she left, but she hasn't come back." put in Ameh.

"Well," Donna glanced to Ameh and gave a slight smile, then turned back to Ariel, "I could try to find her."

"That would be a good idea, Donna, thanks."

"I should go with ya though." Ameh offered.

Donna nodded and closed her eyes to focus on searching for NT.

* * * * *

In the meantime NT had tried to search for a missing friend on the way to the store, and instead, she got the biggest shock/scare when the warning link kicked in as the explosion at the high school went off.

The surprise of it made her forget everything else, including where she was. Nothing looked familiar to her any more. She was lost, trying to search for her friends--two of them, now, but not getting anywhere. The blank she was drawing showed that both of them might very well be dead.

NT shook and cried, and tried to make her way back home, but where was home? It was all just a maze of streets and houses now, and she couldn't tell any of them apart any more.

* * * * *

Donna opened her eyes. "I *see* her. But she's nowhere near here--I think something's happened, but I'm not sure what."

"She isn't at the mall?" Ariel asked, concerned.

Donna shook her head. "I don't think so. I'm seeing a street...houses, not stores. And," turning to Ameh, "I can get us there--thanks again for fixing that, I didn't think I'd need it so soon though."

"Well, you know NT, she's probably off helping someone else and forgot all about it." Pippi put in, to reassure Ariel.

"I don't think that's it," Ameh said, after searching too, "she's all by herself. But we'll find out." Ameh said and nodded to Donna, who shifted them both to where NT was.

"Hey NT, you were supposed to be shopping, what's up with that?" Ameh asked when they arrived a moment later.

NT just looked blankly at them, as if she didn't recognize them, she was still in shock and didn't realize who they were or that they meant to help.

Donna saw how distraught NT looked, and put an arm around her, or rather, she tried to, but NT pulled away.

"NT, it's me!" Donna cried, "and Ameh's here, too." She looked to Ameh, at a loss as to what else to do.

Ameh looked about as worried. "I think we better just take her home."

Donna nodded, but before she could take NT's hand again, NT burst out.

"Something h-happened at the school! I can't find him now!"

"Find who?" Donna asked, puzzled.

"Huh?" Ameh was equally puzzled, though for different reasons.

"Something's wrong." NT wailed. And she whispered a name.

Donna tried to comfort NT, but glanced to Ameh and silently mouthed, `who'?

"That's one of her best friends," Ameh said quietly to Donna, who nodded.

"Something happened to him at the school an' now I can't locate him!" NT cried.

"That better not be one of Christine's or Nate's efforts if this is true." Ameh snapped.

"I'll help you find him, but I'll have to know what he looks like." Donna said softly, trying to calm her down.

"He looks like..." NT started to reply, but she couldn't even put that together right now.

"Damn it you're right there. I don't remember Tompkins ever mentioning anyone connected to you other than Ariel or Capri." Donna said.

"Well, I just wouldn't put it past him to pull something like that, even if he didn't mention him to us."

"I wouldn't be surprised either. Especially if he's a friend of yours. Nathan hates anyone who's that as much as he hates all of you." Donna sighed.

"Yeah, that's pretty obvious." Ameh sneered.

"If he killed either or both of them, he'll be sorry!" NT stormed.

Donna looked blank again. "Now we're talking about two friends of yours?"

Ameh nodded, then turned to NT. "Well, we don't know that he did. Maybe this is one of Christine's delayed magic tricks to upset everybody." Ameh said, then whispered to Donna, "Let's get her home."

Donna nodded to Ameh, and a moment later, they were all back at Ariel's.

Ariel greeted them anxiously, and gave NT a hug.

"She says another friend of hers is gone. I don't know what kind of sick trick Christine's got into effect now, but geez." sighed Ameh.

Ariel took NT aside and tried to get her to talk about what happened.

Meanwhile, Pippi did the same with Donna, steering her to a couple of chairs in the opposite corner of the room. Ameh joined them there.

"NT'll be all right, at least I hope so," said Pippi, seeing Donna's worried look in that direction. "But I've been meaning to talk to you about something for a while."

"What?" Donna asked.

"Well, it's about the trip. Ameh and I will be doing some serious delving, and it might not be the best time for you to go along."

Donna's mouth opened. "But...!"

Pippi held up a hand, cutting her off. "We'll make sure your mom gets our number and address, so she can contact you here after we've seen her, how's that?"

"She's right, I have a feeling we'll have a mound of papers to go through and maybe some spells to get undone if Christine or Nate've been working around there." put in Ameh.

"And Ariel probably is going to need help with NT, she just doesn't look too good right now." Pippi added.

"We need to make sure Nate hasn't put some kind of curse on your mom for just in case." Ameh said. "I can just see him doing that so if you were to visit her, something might happen."

"I...I want to see her, though. I have to know why...I have to know for sure she didn't know." Donna sighed. "But you're right that's just the sort of thing he'd do."

"I'm sure she didn't know." Pippi reassured her. "And yes, knowing Tompkins, he would try setting things in motion so that you or your mother might suffer if you saw each other. It'll be up to me to prevent it on this end of things while Capri and Megan have their hands full with what they're doing."

Donna nodded, sadly. "I saw him do so much to other people and not just that other night. He...he even made me do some of it. So nothing he does surprises me any more."

"That's just like him and Christine." Ameh snorted.

"We'll sort this all out, I promise. And the sooner we get started, the better. Ameh, if you're up to going now...?"

Ameh nodded and with that the two women left, leaving Donna to stay with NT while Ariel went back to stay with Rebekah and Susan.

* * * * *

Meanwhile, Donna couldn't get the questions about her father off her mind, and NT couldn't get her friends off hers. But Donna needed to talk, and maybe if she got NT started they both might feel better.

"You're not the only one who doesn't have a father," Donna said quietly.

"Yes I do, he's just not answered my calls." NT corrected. "Valyn Corey is my father. Did your father disappear like Valyn did? I keep holding out for him to come back, but I'm really worried."

"I've no idea about mine. I never knew him. I couldn't even tell you his name. Mom would never tell me anything about him. Whenever I asked, she'd just start crying and refuse to talk about it. So after a while I just stopped asking. I've always wondered though." Donna said.

"Well, your last name is Shelley, right, so if that isn't your mom's maiden name then your dad's a Shelley anyway."

"After what I saw Tompkins doing to other people, what he did to me..." Donna could barely get the words out, she was trembling so hard.

NT put her arms around Donna. "Shhhhhhhhhh," she whispered, trying not to cry herself.

"Damn it NT am I another you?"

"No!"

"That's it, that's got to be it.." Donna burst into sobs. "He wanted me so badly..."

"Knowing Tompkins maybe he had tabs on your mom from work or something. I don't know. Well, maybe not though, because he doesn't want me, which is ok, 'cause I hate him!"

"But...but there's something about your magic that...that was canceling out his. He t-told me...even b-before you took it away for good."

"I see, well, that's true. Ariel said I was trying to take his life force from before I was even born."

"And Mom won't talk about who--who my f-father was..I..I th-thought we'd just met T-Tompkins when, when she was b-being ch-charged...but what if she...she already knew him???"

"Donna..."

"I'm another you, I'm another you," Donna sobbed helplessly.

"No! You're not! He's not my father! He'll never be! Never!" cried NT, trying without success to reassure her.

Ameh came in just then, with a pile of papers and "Well, that's taken care of--" She broke off as she saw Donna crying. Before she could say anything, though, Pippi had entered.

"What's wrong? Any more news about your friends?"

"No (sniff) But Donna thinks maybe Nathan...did to her mother what he did to Ariel!" NT replied, then to Donna again, "He's *not* my dad!" she hissed.

"I d-don't want him...to be mine....either..." Donna cried.

"He isn't!" NT cried, and ran from the room.

"NT!" Ameh called and started after her. It wasn't a moment more and Ameh had her arms around NT and gently led her back into the room.

"Is that--oh, no, Donna, your father was a perfectly decent man, although he was also a powerful mage." Pippi began. "His name was Alexander Shelley."

"H-he was...? So that's where...I mean, that's why...I'm the, the way I am?"

Ameh nodded. "That's where you got your magic from, yes."

"Your mother told us. He died under mysterious circumstances." Pippi said.

Ameh rolled her eyes. "Yeah, guess who."

Ameh went and put an arm around Donna as Pippi took NT aside.

"How come...Mom never told me. If he wasn't someone who--who'd hurt her..." Donna was still trying to make sense of all this.

Pippi, still holding NT, but directing her statement at Donna: "The death of your father was so painful for your mother, that's why she never could bring herself to talk about it. I know how hard that is for people sometimes. Ameh's another one who's not always been able to talk about people she's lost either."

Ameh looked at Pippi and put a finger to her mouth.

Pippi and Ameh filled Donna in as best they could, without upsetting her any more than necessary. "We think...well, we think he might have had something to do with your father's death." Pippi finished, trying to say this as gently as she could. "It's just like Nathan Tompkins to make a murder look like a disease or accident."

Afterwards, Pippi and Ameh went to Ameh's room to discuss plans, while Donna and NT went back to their rooms to rest./p>

* * * * *

Later that afternoon, Donna came down to the basement and found NT there. "Umm..." she said, uncertainly. "I hope you don't mind, maybe it wouldn't be a good idea after what happened the other day, but I was wondering... would it be okay if I held Mia again? If she'll let me, that is. I know it must've scared her when I dropped her and started crying--but you know how much that damn pain spell hurt...you know that and I know that, but Mia doesn't. all she'd know is she nearly fell to the floor when I was holding her."

NT shook her head and smiled, trying to reassure Donna. "Mia's heard me cry lots of times, and I nearly dropped her too when I first got her, because when she was new here, she growled/squealed, and that frightened me. And she's not easy to drop anyway since she tends to hold on with her little paws. So, don't worry, she's not afraid of you and it's perfectly alright for you to hold and touch her." She reached up and slipped off the carrying pouch, then placed it carefully around Donna's neck.

Donna looked down at the softly chittering Mia, then slowly, still uncertain of what reaction she'd get, raised her hand and placed it lightly against Mia's fur.

Mia squealed and wriggled till her head was against Donna's palm, then began covering her bare hand in tiny wet kisses.

Donna's eyes went wide when the little possum started licking her hand.

"You see, I told you she likes you," NT said."

"Awwwwww," Donna said with a little giggle. "She's so cute."

"Yes," NT responded lovingly.

They were down in the basement since Susan had moved into NT's room upstairs. Ariel came down to see them after talking to Rebekah.

"Well, it shouldn't be long until everybody's back here, and then we can celebrate."

"No," NT said, "we can't celebrate yet, not until the trial's over, and it only starts tomorrow."

"I wasn't talking about the trial, I was talking about," And Ariel showed a gift that she had been hiding behind her back, "this. Happy birthday, NT." It was true, February 9 and NT had just turned two.

"No," NT said, looking down. "You didn't have to do that."

"I wanted to." Ariel replied, smiling broadly as she approached NT and offered the box that was wrapped in such pretty shiny patterned paper.

NT's eyes filled with tears, and she fought hard to keep them back, but it was no use. "You really didn't have to. there's so much more important stuff--going on," her voice shook and was sounding quite forced.<\/p>

"No one's more important than my own daughter," Ariel said.

NT's chin quivered, and tears started spilling down her face, It was no use now.

Donna thought it was tears of joy at first until she heard Ariel's concerned voice, "NT,"

Then Donna looked at NT's face. It was not an expression of joy but desolation.

This only made NT break down completely despite her efforts to hold back. The more she tried to put a brave face on it, the harder it was, and now she knew Ariel was getting concerned again. her body shook with the wracking sobs, and Ariel took her in her arms and held her.

"I knew something was wrong when you didn't come up for breakfast with Donna this morning. What is it?"

NT couldn't answer right away, so Ariel just held her and let her cry it out.

Donna looked on, helpless. Mia kept licking her fingers, even more rapidly now, probably thinking Donna was the one upset.

When NT's sobbing finally subsided enough for her to talk, she said, "Another birthday and they're all missing, just like last time."