Early the next morning...

Donna got up--careful to make no noises that might awaken her mother--and transported herself to the back patio. When she arrived, Shawn was already there.

They waited quietly until Ameh, NT, and Melanie arrived.

Melanie had been about to lead everyone to the courtroom, but Shawn held up a hand. "Wait a sec." he said. "Before we do that, I've got a little something for everybody. If we're going to be..." he grinned, "breaking and entering, we might as well look the parts."

He paused and looked Melanie up and down. "Let's see if I can do this..." He waved a hand in front of her.

A moment later, Melanie's clothing had changed to a plain black sweatshirt and black trousers, and she was wearing black gloves and sneakers, along with a black ski mask.

"Donna, you're next," he said with a grin.

Donna's eyes widened, but she nodded, and a moment later she, too, was all in black. Then Shawn changed his own clothing.

Ameh followed suit, and she too, was dressed in black from head to toe.

Melanie stifled a laugh, and said, "I know we'd be in too much trouble if we tried this, but can you imagine the looks on Christine's or Nathan's faces if we busted in on them and started making demands?"

"Oh, but it would be worth it." Ameh said.

NT looked nervously at the rest of them, but nodded. "I'll go with it," she said, and changed her own clothing. "What the heck." she growled.

"Let's go." Shawn whispered, and the little masked group made their way back into the main building toward the center where the court room was.

Down one of the halls though they got what could have been a nasty surprise. Not all of the others were asleep.

The lone girl was walking down the hall with a flashlight of her own, and when she saw five people walking towards her, all masked and in black, she paled, shrank back, and let out a scream.

NT, recognizing her, ran forward, trying to catch up with the girl. "Shhhh!" She called, "It's me, NT!"

Breathless, the other girl stopped and stared. "What in heck are you guys doing?"

NT explained, and then added. "Please, don't freak out and tell anybody just yet."

The girl smiled and came forward, "Tell? You kidding? I want in on it since the bastard did a lot of stuff to me and Jesse that I don't exactly know how to prove anyway."

NT explained to the others that this was just Titania Ross, they had nothing to fear from her being in on this thing.

Shawn nodded and quickly fixed Titania's clothing to resemble theirs.

"Way cool!" Titania grinned. "Let the adventure begin!"

"OK," Ameh said, "Let's just lay low and try not to run into anybody else now."

And they all made it the rest of the way to the court room. It was locked.

"Well, no problem," Ameh said, and she took something from her pocket and picked the lock. Opening the door quietly, she peered in. "All clear." She whispered, and one by one, they all filed in.

Behind the desk were several large file cases, stuffed with papers and folders. Each of the group moved to one and began searching through it... There were exclamations of amazement and of disgust as they all poured through the material.

"Just look at this stuff." Shawn sneered. "You'd have to be a total clueless idiot to think he wouldn't exploit any chance at getting off again."

Donna nodded. "I wonder what that *lawyer* would say if he saw even half of this." she whispered to Shawn.

"I can imagine." Shawn rolled his eyes.

"Well, we can't let that happen," Ameh said firmly, "We'll either have to put on the rest of this thing ourselves or else just broadcast this stuff all over the place and then terminate Tompkins and Benson quietly ourselves."

More talking quietly, and shuffling through files continued for several more moments, and then suddenly there was the sound of very rapid footsteps coming down the hall.

"Oh no! Get behind here, everybody!" Titania bolted and scrunched behind the desk. Shawn ducked into an adjoining room, behind a door. Ameh made herself invisible. But Melanie froze as did NT and Donna.

Before Melanie could make for the desk and hide there alongside Titania, the door of the main room opened and the light was turned on. "Hey! What the heck's 'appenin in 'ere?" It was Capri, and she didn't recognize Melanie, Donna, or NT right away since they were masked, even their heads were concealed. Before any of them could react, the tall imposing woman had strode across the room and caught NT around the shoulder with one arm, and worked quickly to get her mask off.

NT didn't resist the way a thief normally would, and although Capri had wondered about this, she soon got her answer when the mask was removed and flung off to the side.

"NT!!" Now Capri looked positively shocked. "Jus' what the heck's this about!?"

"C-Capri!" NT stammered. "We--we thought you were giving up!"

"Is that any reason ta sneak 'round an' break in 'ere ta mess with these files? Files what don't belong t'you I might add!"

"Uh..." NT spluttered.

"An' where did ya get these kooky outfits?" Capri really had to fight hard not to laugh but couldn't quite manage to keep it out of her voice.

"Well..." NT was at a loss for words.

As NT stood there, looking for all the world like she was about to be killed, Capri went and took off Melanie's mask, and then Donna's. "Well I'll be." Then she noticed Titania scrunched down behind the desk. "An' you, come out from under there an' remove yer mask. Who else's in on this thing?"

Donna looked down at the floor, shaking like a leaf and trying not to cry, though her lips were trembling. She and NT were holding on to each other as if for dear life.

That's when a fourth black clad figure stepped out from the adjoining room....and though the face was still hidden, it was clear from the body shape that this one was a man..."Damn it Capri it's us." came a familiar voice, reaching up to remove his mask. "lay off the girls, okay?"

"Young man, don't you dare talk ta me like that again!" Capri's attention shifted from NT to Shawn. "Now that I know you ain't thieves, would ya mind explainin jus' what you were tryin ta do?"

Ameh had reappeared, in her regular clothes, and she touched Capri's elbow. "We didn't mean to upset you, we thought we could get in here and look at the files, and copy them and send the copies out so that those morons who were giving you all this hell over Tompkins might get the picture and quit this f***ing prattle about hearsay, due process, and how they think that shithead and his lover slutface Benson should have all the rights and that we're just a bunch of lynchmob liars!"

NT chimed in. "We did it to try and help you, because they were making you give up. We couldn't let that happen, and MC of all people, I can't believe she would stick up for that..." And NT burst into tears, running out of the room before Capri could say anything.

Donna turned and ran after her, knowing only that she had to get out of there before she lost it, she wouldn't break down in front of Capri yet again, she just couldn't.

Donna raced out of the room just in time to see NT turn the corner ahead of her. She followed, eventually catching up to the sobbing NT...

NT ran all the way to the back deck without stopping. She didn't even notice that anyone was trying to catch her, she just knew she needed to get away somewhere she wouldn't disturb anybody.

Finally she reached the back deck and paused to open the sliding door to go out. But it was then she realized she was not alone. She was already crying too hard to hold back now, so she just gave up and sagged against the deck door.

Donna put an arm around her, and although she didn't know just what NT was thinking, she picked up on the intense feelings of pain and anger.

That's when Donna's emotions gave way and she burst into tears right along with NT for the third time that night. She couldn't think or do anything but hug NT even as NT hugged her back.

The two girls couldn't even speak for what seemed a long time, and the wind was getting up outside,moaning eerily.

Finally NT was able to compose herself enough to manage a "Thanks,"

Donna hugged her tighter in response.

They hadn't noticed that a third person was standing before them until they relaxed, and Donna lifted her head.

Oh damn it no. Not Capri...she couldn't face her again, she didn't have the strength. She knew she shouldn't be afraid of her and yet...

She closed her eyes for a moment--and vanished from Ashray, to the one place she always felt safe. Her private spot in that remote corner of an Illinois state park.

Donna didn't even notice the chill, she was crying too hard. She flung herself onto the grass and sat there, holding herself and sobbing. She only dimly noticed the new arrivals until they knelt down beside her and both put their arms around her. "N-NT...?" she stammered. "And who-C-Capri...?"

"There, there," Capri murmured, and Donna was too spent to do anything but let them hold her. But eventually the sobs subsided, and she looked from one to the other, not sure what to say.

"It's not safe being out here alone at night," NT said.

Donna sighed. "As if anyone could lay a hand on me--I'd just zap myself away." she managed a weak smile.

"Yeah," Capri nodded, "an' there ain't no reason fer ya ta run from me like I was Benson er somethin. I already feel like enough of a heel anyway without ya choosen ta hide out alone in some park in the middle o' the night jus' ta get away from me. I'm concerned 'about you two."

"That's right, she is." NT said. "and can we get back now, it's getting cold and it isn't much fun here at night."

Donna sighed. "All....all right..."

And a moment later, she was back in the hallway of the hotel in Ashray, NT and Capri beside her.

"Ahhhh, whew, that's better." NT sighed. Then, turning to Capri, "Please, don't tell Ariel what I did."

"Or my mom.." Donna murmured.

"Well, that really isn't up to me, but if either o'them comes right out and asks, I'll hafta." Capri replied.

Donna, NT, and Capri walked back down the hall, heading for their respective rooms. That's when they ran into Ariel.

"NT, where were you?" she asked.

NT paled. "Well, um...We thought we'd give Capri a hand because she was quitting, so Melanie Benson and Shawn and Donna and Ameh, and, Titania and I all went to try getting the files. we figured getting our hands on them and making copies to sort of broadcast out was less wrong than just quitting everything."

"I 'ad no idea they were doin this 'til the warnin went off," Capri put in, "an' they shoulda asked, but look, NT's real upset 'bout MC or she probly might not'a done this. I'll leave you two ta talk, an' I wanna talk t'ya myself 'bout that later."

"Thank you, Capri." Ariel said, and she led NT back to their room. Donna could hear Ariel and NT talking as they walked off.

"B'fore ya run away, please 'ear me out." Capri put a hand on Donna's shoulder as she was about to start off to her own room.

Donna began to shake.

"You said that ya could jus' zap yerself away from whoever if they tried ta come after ya in the park. That may be true, but what if that person also 'ad magic, er knew of somebody who did? An' there's somethin else. Can ya make yerself magically immune to anybody ya don't want tryin ta muck with yer magic like Benson did?"

Donna's eyes went wide. "I...I don't know. I mean, if I could, I'd've stopped it months ago--but I didn't even know she'd done that."

Capri nodded and continued. "NT's born that way, an' I can choose who I want ta be immune to er not an' 'ow much. But we gotta figure out where yer immunity level is. Ameh told me what Benson an' Tompkins did t'ya and that she undid it but tha's all. An' I don't wanna see ya get exploited by anybody else. It makes me sick y gone through what ya already 'ave."

"It can't be as sick as I am about it." Donna replied bitterly. "And like I said I didn't know it was magic until NT told me. Until then I...I thought it was just like they said, I was too young to do some things yet." she rolled her eyes. "Damn it *why* did I ever believe a word they said?" She sighed and looked up at Capri. "I don't want to be used like that again. But I don't know how to stop it, except just zapping myself away if I can. That's why--that's why I thought if I didn't have magic they wouldn't want me. Plus I don't want to end up hurting Mom or anybody else."

"The only way ya can really 'urt yer momma er anybody is ta not be all ya can be. An' believe me, people like Benson don't jus' want magic, they wanna feel powerful, so they'd take people like Ameh as a kid, an' Miss Catlin who doesn't have any magic, an use 'em up. Yer only 'urtin yerself an' everybody else that counts if ya get yer magic taken away, really. I'd much rather give ya the kind of protection I 'ave so ya can resist the likes o' Benson in the future."

Donna nodded. "What do I need to do?"

Before Capri could answer, Kendra Shelley, wearing only a bathrobe and slippers, appeared. "There you are...do you know it's 2 am?" she started to say, then saw Capri. She looked from one to the other, worry and confusion on her face. "What's going on? Donna are you okay?" now seeing how tear stained the girl's face was.

"I...I'm okay. Mom. Really." Though her voice still trembled.

"'s alright, Kendra. Donna an' NT an' some others jus' 'ad a little meetin, an' I found 'em an' told 'em they don't need ta worry 'cause I ain't quittin after all. NT an' Ariel jus' went back ta their room an' I'm 'eadin ta bed m'self now."

Kendra relaxed a little. "Which is where you're going right now," she said firmly to Donna.

"It's okay I'll be right there." Donna managed a weak smile and started to follow Kendra, but paused for a minute to turn back to Capri. "Can we...can we talk about this after court tomorrow?"

"Certainly." Capri said, smiling back. "Let's meet in the court room after supper when we've all had a bit of a break an' a good meal. Uh, 7 O'clock alright?"

"Sounds good." Donna replied, "And I...I'm sorry to be so much trouble. You get some sleep okay?"

"No apology necessary, you were only tryin ta help. See ya in the mornin." Capri said, and she continued on to her own room.