Change Of Life (Romance, little explicit sex) [3/5]
Change of Life, pt 3

{You haven't noticed, but Joe waits till the last second to summon me to
his side, so that I can be here to protect you and the rest of his family
as long as possible.}

"But why are you talking to me now?  You never have before."

{To convince you to tell him how you feel.  Surely you must know how he
feels every time he leaves you.}

"But people need him."

{Not as much as you and his children do.  Look, the fact of the matter is
the other Masters don't need him as much as they say.  He just keeps them
from putting their own butts on the line.  All you have to do is say the
word, and he resigns and becomes yours alone.}

"But what about his duties?"

{He hates them.  He has never wanted power, he told you that.}

"But what about the monsters he says no one else but you two can fight?"

{In our entire time together there's been maybe, MAYBE one of those.  He
hates his life, at least the part without you.  Do him a favor, Bronwyn,
and give him the reason he needs to leave it behind.}

Bronwyn thought about it and smiled.  "Thanks,...  What is your name?"

{You know, you're only the second person to ask me that in all my years as
the Soul Blade.  Joe was the first.  My name is Richard.}

"Thank you, Richard."

{Any time.  Time to go.}  And just like Joe before, the Soul Blade was gone.

Bronwyn grinned widely as she heard the doorbell ring.  She went downstairs
and opened it to see Laurie standing there, Jacqui and Jeremy by the car by
the curb.  Laurie said, "Hey, hun, ready to go?"

"Yes, I am."

"You seem happy.  Where's Joe?"

"He had to go out.  Akashic Master stuff.  But a friend of his told me
about how I can bring both his and my problems to an end."

Jeremy said, "Look, if you ladies want this to be a girls' night out, I can
bow out."

Laurie was about to say something, but Bronwyn (knowing Jacqui's plans to
try to get the two of them together) cut her off, saying, "Nonsense.  We'd
love to have you along."

Bronwyn strode up to the car and Jeremy opened the door for her.  Laurie
stepped up slowly and Jeremy opened the door for her.  Laurie said, "I
don't need you to open my doors."

Bronwyn sighed.  Jeremy said, "Well what-" but suddenly jerked his head to
face the other direction.

Bronwyn asked, "What is it?"

"Wait here," he replied, and started walking down the street.  Laurie was
about to protest, but without slowing down, he turned back, yelled, "WAIT
HERE!" and took off at a run down the street.  They felt him summon the
Dark One's power, and knew something was up.  Then the women felt it.  A
wave of pure malicious intent.  The feel of evil.  And despite Jeremy's
order, they took off down the street after him.

They saw Jeremy run into an alley, and followed him.  When they got there,
they saw Jeremy in battle with another man.  At least it looked like a man.
When they looked closer, they saw it had claws, and half of its face seemed
melted.

The two battled briefly, but Jeremy was no Akashic Brother, and eventually
the... thing landed a clawed attack, stunning Jeremy.

Bronwyn was the first to leap forward and throw up a shield.  The thing
shrieked and lashed out at her.  Bronwyn expected the shield to hold, but
was surprised when the thing's claws ripped right through her shield and
into her.  Laurie and Jacqui, with their healer's abilities, knew that it
was a mortal blow.  Laurie lashed out at the thing with a stun blast, while
Jacqui used her magics to try to save Bronwyn.

But the choice of who did what turned out to be the wrong one.  Jacqui's
powers, although greater than Laurie's, flew right in the face of reality.
And maybe it was the sudden shock of seeing Bronwyn struck down, or maybe
it was the presence of the thing, or maybe it was the severity of Bronwyn's
injuries, but whatever it was, this time, when Jacqui bucked reality,
reality bucked back.  HARD.  Laurie felt a huge backwash of magical energy
and Jacqui was struck down.

Laurie felt and knew her daughter was physically okay, but quickly shielded
and linked to Bronwyn.  But it was too late.  Bronwyn... was dead.

Laurie looked up at the thing, and grew angry, preparing to violate her
oath never to take a life, when she heard Joe's voice yell, "BRONWYN!!" and
suddenly he was there, lashing out with pure lightning at the thing.

He turned to Laurie, his expression asking a silent question as to
Bronwyn's condition.  Laurie looked up at him, and, with tears in her eyes,
shook her head, signifying there was nothing she could do.

Joe screamed, "NO!" and shoved Laurie out of the way, taking Bronwyn in his
arms, using his magics to repair her body.  But it was useless.  Although
Bronwyn's body was restored to pristine condition, her soul was gone, and
the body remained lifeless.

As Joe sat there rocking back and forth with Bronwyn's body, begging her to
return to him, Laurie saw the thing stagger to its feet.  She saw Joe's
eyes open and his face contort into a visage of utter rage.  He threw his
hand back and the thing froze.  Joe clenched his hand into a fist, and
Laurie felt every cell in the thing's body explode.  She was forced to
throw up every shield she had to prevent from psychically going through the
same thing it did as it died a horrible, painful death at Joe's hand.

After the thing died, Laurie was going to say something to Joe, who was
stroking Bronwyn's hair, still begging her to return to him, but she heard
Jacqui say, "Mom, what happened?"  There was something strange about
Jacqui's voice, and Laurie went to her child.  When she lifted Jacqui's
face, she gasped in surprise.  "Mom, what is it?"

"You're...  You're Jack again."  Jacqui looked at her hand.  Despite the
fact that she (for her soul was still Jacqui) still had all the outward
accouterments of Jacqui (dress, heels, even nail polish and make-up), her
body had indeed returned to its larger, more masculine form.

"No, I don't want to be Jack anymore," she cried, before clapping her hands
over her eyes and started bawling.

Laurie didn't know what to do.  There was more pain here then she had ever
had to deal with in her life.  She heard Jeremy moan and went to him.  She
may not have been able to do much, but Jeremy's physical injuries were
easily dealt with.

Jeremy was unusually silent as she shielded and linked, drawing out and
neutralizing the wound and the toxins she discovered were in it.

Laurie then went over and took her daughter (son?) by the shoulders and
helped her to her feet.  As she walked past Joe, who was holding Bronwyn to
his chest, she said, "Joe, we've got to go.  We can't do anything more
here."

Joe slowly seemed to recover.  Without saying a thing, he lifted Bronwyn
into his arms and teleported them back to his home and into his bedroom.
He carefully set Bronwyn on the bed, crossing her hands over her chest.

Laurie didn't know what to say, but right now, Jacqui/Jack needed her more
then Joe did.  She took Jacqui/Jack to the guest room and proceeded to tuck
her into bed.  After she kissed Jacqui/Jack good night, she/he asked, "Mom,
can you change me back?  I'm not sure I can do it right now, and I don't
really want to be Jack anymore."

"I'll see what I can do."

Laurie went back to Joe.  He was just sitting on the chair staring at
Bronwyn's lifeless body.  "Are you going to be okay?" she asked.  He didn't
say anything, but nodded his head slightly.  She put her hand on his
shoulder.  "Joe, she's gone."  He said nothing, but clenched his eyes shut,
as if he could shut out that awful truth.  Laurie, knowing he needed time
to himself, said, "I've got to go prepare to cast the transformation ritual
to turn Jack back into Jacqui."

"You can't do that," he said to her.

"But-"

Without taking his eyes off of Bronwyn, he said, "Laurie, at our level, our
power is based on pure Will.  We basically MAKE the universe obey us.  A
very large part of that is confidence.  Right now, Jacqui has been shaken
by her first large failure.  It'll take a couple of days for the Paradox to
work its way out of her system, but after that, SHE has to reverse the
transformation on her own.  It's the same principle as a man getting back
on a horse immediately after he's been thrown.  If you change her back,
then she will never have the confidence to properly manage her magics ever
again."

"But she's suffering so much."

"Laurie, I've never been through a Paradox backlash myself, but I have seen
others deal with them.  If you do this for her, she will suffer far more in
the long term."

Laurie just nodded.  She left the room, and was going to return to Jacqui
when she heard the phone ring.  She heard Jeremy pick it up downstairs, and
then call out to her.  Laurie came downstairs and took the receiver from
him.  "Hello?"

On the other end of the connection, Julie said, "Please, Laurie, tell me it
isn't true.  Is Bronwyn..."

Laurie choked back a sob.  "She's dead, Julie.  Killed by some monster in
an alley only a few blocks from home."

"Oh, Goddess, why?  Norma suddenly looked up and screamed, 'Momma!' then
broke down in tears.  Then the rest of us felt her passing.  Norma's still
crying.  Even the babies know something's wrong."

"Julie, I know you've got a lot there, but when do you think you can come
over here?"

"Why?"

"Joe... is in bad shape.  I don't think I can do anything for him.  He
needs his mother."

Julie was silent for a second before saying, "I'll be over as soon as I get
the girls to sleep."

Laurie hung up the phone, and was about to return upstairs when she heard a
knock on the door.  "Oh, what now?!"

She stormed over to the door, and almost threw it open.  But she took a few
seconds to compose herself before opening the door.  She was surprised when
the Hermetic Master stormed inside.  Without waiting for her to say
anything, he demanded, "Where is the Akashic Master?!  He just suddenly
disappeared from his fight with the Marauder, and now we've lost the
Marauder's trail!"

"Look-"

"Look nothing!  Where is he?!"

Laurie was about to tear into this man, when Jeremy, who had been standing
by silent, said, "He's upstairs.  First door on the left."

Laurie was shocked.  After the Hermetic Master stormed upstairs, she turned
on Jeremy.  "How dare you?!  The last thing Joe needs right now is that
arrogant son of a bitch making demands on him, ignorant of what's happened!"

She expected Jeremy to bite back with a scathing reply, but instead he just
stepped over to the door and opened it again.  Laurie was going to ask him
what he was doing, when she heard what sounded like thunder upstairs.  The
Hermetic Master then flew down the stairs and out the door.  Jeremy closed
the door behind him and said, "Sometimes, to a man who won't cry, violence
is as effective a release as tears."

Laurie just nodded, not sure of the actual wisdom of Jeremy's words.  Then
she noticed Jeremy's subdued state.  "Are you okay?"

Without actually answering her words, he said, "Your child needs you."

Laurie started upstairs when the phone rang again.  She almost shrieked.
But she pulled herself together and answered the phone.  "Hello?"

"Mom?" Marcus asked.  "What's wrong with Jacqui?  She seems to be in such
despair, but she's shutting me out."

"Marcus, Bronwyn's dead."

"Oh, lord."

"But that's not it.  When Jacqui tried to save her, she suffered one of
those... Paradox backlashes I believe you call them.  Her body has reverted
to Jack again.  She's pretty upset about that."

"I'll be home on the next flight."

"Sure you won't get into trouble?"

"Probably, but my wife needs me.  Be back as soon as possible."  Laurie
heard Marcus hang up, and set the receiver down.

She finally managed to get back upstairs to her child.  As soon as she
stepped into the room, Jacqui asked, "So when are you going to change me
back to Jacqui?"

"I'm... not."

Desperate, Jacqui asked, "Why?!"

"I asked Joe about it, and he says that you have to change yourself back.
In order to deal with the after effects of the backlash you suffered, you
have to do the repairs.  He said that it'll take a couple of days for the
Paradox to get out of your system, but then you can do this on your own."

"You mean I'll have to be like this for two days?  Oh, Goddess, please
don't let Marcus come home early."

"Actually, he just called.  He'll be on the next flight home."

"Oh, no!  No!  Mom, you can't let him see me like this!  You can change me
back temporarily, and I'll make it permanent after the Paradox goes away."

"I can't, Jacqui."

Tears started to well up in Jacqui's eyes, and Laurie had to fight not to
run and cast the spell Jacqui wanted.

"Please, mom."

"I'm sorry, Jacqui."

Jacqui's face grew angry.  "You inflict this on me, and now that I need you
and want you to make me a girl again, you won't do it?!  I hate you!  Get
out!"

"Jacqui-"

Jacqui threw a pillow at Laurie and screamed, "GET OUT!"  Laurie walked
from the room, hearing her daughter in her son's body dissolve into tears.

As soon as she was outside the room with the door closed behind her, Laurie
dissolved into tears of her own.  She heard Jeremy say, "I'm sure she's
just upset.  As soon as she gets a chance to settle down, she'll realize
what she said was wrong."

Laurie pulled herself together and wiped the tears from her eyes.  "I know,
but that doesn't make the sting of her words any less."

Jeremy nodded.  "What about you?  Are you going to be okay?"

"I think so, but right now I can't worry about me.  Are you going to be okay?"

Jeremy didn't answer and remained silent until they heard a knock on the
door.  "That'll probably be Julie," he said before returning down the steps.

"Great," she thought, "something's wrong with Jeremy, too."  She went
downstairs and opened the door to see Julie standing there.  They quickly
hugged.

"Where is Joe?"

"Upstairs in his room."  Julie started upstairs, but Laurie said, "Julie.
Joe tried to restore her after she died, but only managed to repair the
physical damage.  There's now a perfect, but still dead Bronwyn laying in
their bed.  It's... creepy.  I just thought you should know."

Julie nodded.  She went upstairs and into the Master Bedroom.  She saw
Bronwyn lying atop the bed, and Joe in the chair, staring at her, unmoved
from where Laurie had left him earlier.  Julie stepped up to him and put
her hand on his shoulder.  Even in the dim light of the room, she could see
his eyes were red with grief.  She said only, "Joe," and he collapsed
against her, breaking down into tears.

"Oh, mom, I failed her.  I failed both of them.  First, I couldn't save
Tarina, and now I've lost Bronwyn."

Julie just held her son as he cried his eyes out.

************

Marcus came home early the next day and was greeted by a hug from Laurie.
"Where's Jacqui?"

"She's upstairs.  She locked herself in the guest room last night and won't
come out."

"I'll go talk to her."  Marcus charged up the stairs and knocked on the
guest room door.  "Jacqui, it's me.  Could you open the door for me, love?"

"Marcus, no!  I can't stand for you to see me like this!"

"Jacqui, I don't care what you look like.  I love you.  Please open the door."

"No!  You'll hate me if you see me now."

"Jacqui, I could never hate you.  Now stop being silly and let me in."

"No!"

Marcus shook his head.  He concentrated and changed his locale in space.
He may not have had the Correspondence skills to teleport cross country,
but a ten foot teleport was no big deal.  Marcus teleported into the room,
and saw Jacqui (as Jack) crouched by the door, listening.  He softly said,
"Jacqui."

Jacqui turned, saw him, and shrieked.  She tried to cover her now male face
with her hands, saying, "Don't look at me!"

She heard in her mind, {Jacqui, stop being silly.  We forged this
connection so that we would always be together.  So what if you've reverted
to your male form?  I still love you, and always will.}

{But I'm a guy now.  How can you love me?}

{You're not a guy, Jacqui.  You're a girl in a guy's body.}

{But-}  Jacqui was surprised when Marcus suddenly pushed her hands out of
the way, took her face in his hands, and kissed her.  {You...  You...
kissed me?  Even though I look like I do?}

{Because I love you, Jacqui.}

{But-}

{Jacqui, what do you want me to do to prove it to you?  Do you want me to
take you to bed and make love to you all night long?  Because if that's
what you want I'll do it.  Jacqui, I love YOU.  The package YOU are wrapped
in is irrelevant.}

Jacqui just looked at him for a bit and leaned against him.  {Just hold me
until I can change myself back.}

{Done.}

After a few minutes, Jacqui suddenly straightened up.  "Oh, Goddess, I've
got to go apologize to mom.  I'll be right back."  She kissed Marcus on his
cheek and ran to find her mother.  She found her downstairs in a chair in
the den.  She threw her arms around her mom and said, "Mom, I am so sorry
for what I said to you last night."

"It's okay, Jacqui.  I understand.  You were just upset."

The two hugged.  As Jacqui got up to go back to Marcus, Laurie said,
"Jacqui, I borrowed some of Joe's clothes.  You don't exactly fit that
dress anymore."

Jacqui looked at her now male body still in the dress she had been wearing
for last night's festivities, and giggled.  "I suppose not."

"You know, Jacqui, despite the old body being back, you still sound and act
like a girl."

As Jacqui pulled off the dress, she said, "Thanks, mom, I needed that."
She pulled off the slip, then looked through the pile of clothes.  "No
underwear?"

"I figured that was too personal a thing to borrow.  Besides, I thought
that wearing a pair of panties under your pants would serve as a reminder
of what you want for yourself.  You could always conjure up some underwear
if you want."

"Actually I can't.  That's not a skill I have, yet.  But I don't want to
take these off anyways.  If I have to parade around as a boy for another
day or so, I'll do it in clothes I want."  Jacqui pulled on the simple
sweats her mom had borrowed.  Although Joe was a couple inches shorter than
Jack, he was physically wider and tended to clothes that fit loosely on
him, so his range of movement in his martial arts wouldn't be restricted,
so the sweats hung on Jacqui's body like a loose sack, but that was more
than adequate to cover up the bra and panties she was still wearing.

After she was dressed, Jacqui asked, "How is Joe?"

"He hasn't moved from Bronwyn's side.  He still isn't talking much, and he
refuses to let anyone else touch Bronwyn."

"And what about the Sisterhood?"

"I've contacted our top people.  They're flying in from around the globe.
We'll have to make a decision as to who the next High Priestess will be."

"Need any help?"

"No.  This may be hard for us to do, but we have to face it."

Jacqui hugged her mom, then giggled.  "You know, with my bra and panties
on, on this body, under these clothes, I feel like a closet crossdresser."

Laurie smiled.  "Go on, Marcus is waiting for you."

"Thanks, mom.  And I really am sorry for what I said the other night."

"Already forgotten."

"You know, you'd think that one of these days I'd figure out that mother
really does know best."

Laurie laughed.  "Thanks for the compliment.  Now go."

Jacqui went out to find Marcus waiting in the entryway for her.  "Ready to
go home to your daughter?"

"I think so."

Marcus unashamedly kissed "Jack" and escorted her to the car.  They drove
over to Julie's to pick up Cheryl, and drove home.  When they got there,
Cheryl started whining for food.  Although Cheryl was almost weaned from
her breast, Jacqui still unconsciously moved to remove her blouse and
expose her breast before remembering what had happened.  "Sorry, hun, I
guess that it'll have to be the bottle this time."

Marcus said, "That may not be necessary."

"What do you mean?  I can't even think about transforming back until
tomorrow morning."

"But you could transform me into a lactating woman."

Jacqui was stunned.  "Are you sure?"

"I'm sure that you need to overcome your fear of the Paradox, and that this
serves both purposes."

"I'm... I'm not sure I can do this."

"Which is exactly why you must."

Jacqui gulped and nodded.  She cleared her mind of all other things then
thought of Marcus and how his pattern would look as a woman.  Then she
modified that pattern to what it would look like with lactating breasts.
Then she reached out and MADE it real.  She felt the Paradox fighting back,
but refused to let it interfere.

The world shimmered, and Marcus was suddenly different.  "Well,... Mara?
Take a look."

Marcus looked down at his smaller, but now more developed body.  He ran his
hands over his new female frame.  "Wow."

Jacqui smiled.  "Now take off your shirt, you've got a child to feed."

Marcus a.k.a. Mara stripped off his shirt, and after a quick lesson, had
Cheryl suckling happily at his breast.  After her meal, they laid Cheryl to
sleep.  "Do you want to change back now?"

"Actually, there's something I want to try."

"What's that?"  Marcus stepped up and rubbed Jacqui's crotch through her
pants.  Jacqui felt the semi-familiar feeling of an erection and said, "So
you want to give sex as a woman a try?  I can do that."

Jacqui took Marcus into her arms and kissed him deeply.  Then she picked
him up and carried him over to the bed.  Jacqui, knowing what a woman
liked, treated him far more gently then he expected, but gave him far more
pleasure then he expected.  An hour later, she asked, "Do you want to
change back now?"

Marcus said, "Part of me says yes, but part of me, the part you just got
finished indulging, says no."  Suddenly Cheryl started crying.  "I guess
that's the deciding vote."

As she got out of bed, Jacqui said, "Actually, that's her 'My diaper is
full' cry.  If you're going to be a mother, you've got to learn these
things."

As Jacqui changed the baby, Marcus said, "Regardless.  I think at least
until you can change back, I should stay Mara."

Jacqui grinned.  "If you insist, but I've got to warn you, being a girl can
be addictive."

"Lucky for me, it's only for one day."

************

Bronwyn drifted down the hallway that led into the Goddess's realm.  She
had spent a good deal of time trying to return to her body after the
connection to it was severed, but she had been unable to overcome her death
pain and return to life.  Now she flew to the Goddess in order to let the
Great Lady judge her life and send her to her final reward.

She was almost to Her grand chamber when a hooded woman, her face shrouded
in darkness, suddenly leapt into her path.  Bronwyn asked, "Who are you,
and why do you block my path?"

The woman almost growled, "Why do you abandon your family?  Has your death
caused you to cease to care for them?"

"How dare you?"  Bronwyn felt despair wrack her body.  "Don't you know I
tried to return?!  Oh, Goddess, how I tried!  But I couldn't face my death."

The woman just stared at Bronwyn before saying, "Perhaps you need more
incentive.  Come with me."

Bronwyn sent a request to the Goddess for guidance, but the Goddess's
voice, usually a perpetual part of her life, was strangely silent.

The woman said, "For a worshiper of the Goddess to feel her presence after
their death is to be consigned forever to the realm of the dead.  If you
are to have any hope of returning to your family you must do so without the
Goddess's help.  But the fact that she does not speak to you, should show
you that she wants this to be your decision."

Bronwyn, somehow, knew the woman was telling the truth.  She looked into
the Goddess's chamber and, although the temptation to go on was great,
decided to go with the woman to wherever she would lead.

************

The next day, Shawna walked into Joe and Bronwyn's house.  Then she choked
back a sob.  With her mother dead, the house was Joe's alone.  Laurie
greeted her with a hug.  "Hello, Shawna.  Glad you're finally here.  But
where have you been?  I expected you yesterday with Ariel."

"I've been... busy."  Before Laurie could press the issue, Shawna asked,
"Where's Joe?"

"He's still upstairs by Bronwyn's side.  He hasn't moved since he brought
her home.  Even bringing his children home the other day didn't help."

"I'll talk to him."

As Shawna went upstairs, Laurie said, "Shawna, go easy on him."

Shawna nodded.  She went up and knocked on the door, when she didn't hear
anything, she opened the door and looked in.  "Joe?"

Without looking back, he said, "Hello, Shawna."

"Can I come in?"

Joe shrugged.  When Shawna stepped in, he said, "Come to accuse me of
failing to protect your mom?"

"No.  Somehow I think you're doing enough of that for both of us."  She sat
beside him on the chair, him edging over just enough for her to have space.

He then asked, "So how are your studies going?"

"Fine.  And thanks for not telling mom."

"I just figured you should be the one to tell her you Awakened."

"And now it's too late."  Shawna sighed.  "Joe, there's nothing you can do
for her now.  Her soul has departed the consensual reality."

Joe straightened up a bit.  "You're right."

"What are you thinking about?"

"Nothing in particular.  Do me a favor?"

"What?"

"Clear everybody out of the house.  Take the kids and Laurie over to mom's
house.  I want to say good-bye to Bronwyn in my own way."

Shawna gave him a suspicious look, but said, "Okay."

She left the room giving him a look over her shoulder as she passed through
the door  After explaining the situation to Laurie, she got the kids
together and they took off to Julie's (after calling her) on their bikes.
The girls were still subdued and the entire ride was in silence.  When they
got to Julie's, and were walking their bikes up the front walk, Norma
suddenly froze.  Laurie asked, "Norma, what's wrong?"

Norma looked back the way she came, and tilted her head as if listening to
a far away sound.  Laurie walked towards her when suddenly Norma screamed,
{DADDY, NO!} and jumped on her bike and took off towards home.

Julie yelled, "Tasha, Inya, go after her!"

The two teenagers jumped on their bikes and took off after their little
sister.  It was only five minutes before they realized that there was no
way they were going to catch her.  Inya pulled off to one side and Tasha
followed.  "What are you going to do?" Tasha asked.

Inya rubbed the bracelet and her clothes unraveled and flowed into the
bracelet.  "What I have to."  Inya shifted to her panther form and took off
down the street after Norma.

She caught up to her little sister as Norma dashed into the house.  Inya
ran inside and shifted back to human form.  "Norma!"

Norma ran down the steps.  {Inya, have you mastered going into the Umbra,
the spirit world?}

"No, I can barely manage it with grandpa's guidance."

Without waiting even a second longer, Norma ran out of the house,
screaming, {Jacqui!  I've got to get to Jacqui!}

Inya almost went after her, but figured dad could do a better job chasing
her down than she could.  She ran upstairs to find dad.  When she went into
his room, she saw Bronwyn's body surrounded by a golden glow, but dad was
nowhere to be seen.

Then she thought about what Norma had said and figured out what her father
had planned.  She shifted back to panther form and took off after Norma, as
scared for her dad as her little sister was.

************

Marcus ("Mara") helped the recently retransformed Jacqui to the couch.
"You okay?" he asked.

"Yeah, just a little more tiring than I thought.  I'll be ready to change
you back in a few minutes."

"Take your time.  I don't want to hurt you getting back."

Jacqui sat back and took a few deep breaths when they suddenly heard a
persistent banging on the door.  They looked at each other, silently
wondering if either expected company.  As the banging persisted, Marcus
went and opened the door.  A frantic Norma slipped in, yelling, {Jacqui!
Where are you?!}

Jacqui said, "Norma, settle down, I'm right here."  Marcus started to close
the door when Inya, in panther form, slid through the closing door.

With panting breath, Norma thought, {It's dad!  He's gone after Bronwyn!
He's gone into the spirit world to get her soul and try to bring her back!}

Jacqui looked to her husband and asked, "You're the one who's more familiar
with death.  Can he do it?"

Marcus shook his head in that way people have when they have to say
something that they don't want to say.  "At his level ANY thing is
'possible'.  The problem is he's staking his life on bringing her back.  If
she hasn't gone beyond the Veil and he finds her, I'd say his chances are
pretty good.  If she's gone beyond the Veil, but not through the Wheel of
Life, his entire life becomes predicated on getting her back.  He gets her
to come back, he lives.  But if he can't get her back, either because she
can't face life again or because she's passed through to her final
reward...  He'll be as dead as she is."

"Goddess."

Norma said, {We've got to go after him, Jacqui.  I want Bronwyn back, too,
but not at the risk of dad!}

"I don't have the skills to do that."

Marcus said, "But you could go to the base and try to convince the Masters
to go after him.  You have a closer relationship with your Master than I
do.  You're the only one who can do it, Jacqui."

Jacqui sat there, stunned.  "I... I guess I have to try."  She turned to
Marcus, gave him a weak smile, and said, "I guess it's lucky I didn't
transform you back."

Marcus gave her a supportive smile and a kiss.  "Go, love.  I'll be waiting
for you here when you get back."

Jacqui said, "Come on."  Then she escorted the girls out to the car.  She
drove them to the small house that hid the space gate that would take them
to the base.  They went inside, Jacqui activated the space gate, and they
stepped through into the base.

The receptionist on duty looked at them and said, "Mrs. Donovan, what's
going on?  You haven't got clearance to bring visitors into the base."

"I've got an emergency situation.  Where's the Virtual Adept Master?"

"He's in the computer lab working with a new class."

Jacqui told the girls, "Wait here," and took off into the base, ignoring
the protests of the receptionist.

She ran to the computer lab, and barged right in.  The Master looked up and
said, "Jacqui, what's wrong?  Why are you interrupting class?"