Chapter 9: New Allies and Friends

Friday was here, and I had my CT scan, everything showed normal and off to school I went. The doctors did talk to my mom without me for several minutes, mom wouldn’t tell me what they said which was strange. But soon I was at school, right as the bell rang for lunch and so I met Danny in line for lunch.

<I don’t know what to do about Jake. I mean he bolted when I invited him into the bathroom.> Thinking to Danny as we ate lunch.

<Maybe surprise him in his room? Go in in just a towel and the drop it for him to look at you.> We both laughed at that.

<Yeah and scare him away from women for a while. Maybe Mindy and Cindy could though, he lusts after them as they do of him. Maybe another sleep over soon.>

As we were ‘talking’ the new Beth came up. “Hi Paula, Danny. May I sit here?” She asked, I felt a major shift in her emotions and looked to Danny to confirm as he nodded to me very subtlety.

“Why?” I asked, “You don’t like us, why sit with us?”

“Well,” Beth sat down anyway and leaned in and whispered, “there is no way to ease into this, so I’ll be blunt. I know you two were Luke and Kristen, also Freya thinks you need an extra guard of sorts.” Danny and I went stiff, we haven’t told anyone who we were, let alone Beth and the Freya bit was what really put it over for us.

“Alright Beth, say we believe you, so spill on what you know so far.”

“well I know I’m on what Freya calls Earth-2, I’m from Earth-5, you Paula are from earth-1 and Danny is from Earth-3. I’m here to help you two, and Freya has a side project she wanted me on since I’m here now.”

“Did this Earth’s Beth die?” Danny asked

“No, the Gods had a mock court set up, should have seen my other self, she was on her knees begging not to be executed by Odin ... who was really Loki in disguise. They wouldn’t have killed her in any event, but she and I swapped places, I have all her memories so I can start repairing her friendships if they can be salvaged.”

Danny and I were kind of stunned to say the least. Wasn’t sure what to say or do about this turn of events.

“So, uhm ... Where were we in your world?” I asked trying to get a starting spot to get to know this new Beth.

“Well, you two are my best friends, as well as Mindy, I hope to keep that going. We were still doing cheerleading, it’s a shame how Beth was so selfish about that here. Sounds about enough from there.”

“What about Cindy?” Danny asked

“Who’s Cindy?”

“Mindy’s twin?”

“Mindy didn’t have a twin where I came from.”

“Well then you might want to search those memories for Cindy because they are a pair.”

“I guess I will do that then.”

Danny and I questioned this new Beth, she seemed genuine, Freya wouldn’t lead us astray deliberately. I’m wondering how far we can trust new Beth, but time will tell. Soon lunch was over, and we returned to class discussing this new Beth swapper. Things might be getting grim if Freya is intervening directly and swapping people. For now, we will just have to take Beth at her word. When I got home after school mom had just hung the phone up with Officer Hanson about the investigation to my stalker.

“Hey Paula, I just got off the phone with Officer Hanson. Seems the investigation into your attacker has dug up quite the charges on him. I don’t think we’ll be seeing or hearing of him for quite a while.”

“That’s good mom. I hope I just don’t have to testify in court about my attack.”

“I don’t think you will have to, Officer Hanson said they have plenty of other charges. Even without your testimony. So, I guess that is over.”

“That’s good, no need to worry about that guy.”

“By the way Paula, we’re having Danny’s father and his date Officer Hanson over tonight. So go wash up for dinner and put something nice on.”

I went up downstairs to my room and looked about my closet as I was talking to Danny.

<So, I take it you’ll be coming for dinner as well?> I inquired with Danny.

<Yeah, dad having a dinner date with ... what should I call her? Officer Hanson? Miss Hanson? Sara?>

<I don’t know I guess Officer Hanson until she tells me otherwise. So what are you wearing tonight?>

<I’m not sure. Thinking a dark blue polo and dark blue kha- Oh Shit!>

<Danny?!> I reached out to him. Thinking something bad had happened.

<Shit shit shit shit shit! She caught me ... Sara. I was using telekinesis to shift around my clothes to decide what to wear and she walked in and saw it all. What are we going to do? What am I going to do?> Danny panicking some.

<It’s okay Danny, who is she going to tell? Your father? Hardly anyone is going to believe her. I mean really, we’re living it and even I’m still skeptical at times. Just take a deep breath.>

Danny was quiet for a bit but did get back to me before they left. Sara just knows he has telekinesis nothing more yet but promised to keep it a secret. I may have to see if she can be trusted with more while she is here at dinner.

Around 5 Danny and company arrived, and we all said our hellos and sat down to chat. Mom, Danny’s dad and Sara were all talking as Danny, Jake and I were off to the side in our own little group. While we talked, I probed Sara’s mind, I didn’t like doing this without permission, but I needed to know before telling her. It was a little difficult to read her but I broke thru what I felt like was a mental shield and as I did Sara started to look around and I quickly broke the link before she could figure out it was me.

<She has some telepathic abilities Danny ... and noticed when I probed her>

<That could be bad, could she be listening in on us?> Danny answered a bit worried.

<I don’t think so. I think we are safe, she had some kind of shield on her mind but I easily went thru it. So, she could be self-trained. Might be helpful for us to do that as well. I think we can trust her with our little secret since we know hers.>

<Try communicating with her. Worse thing is she’ll say no.> Danny suggested, and I nodded in agreement slightly.

<Sara? Can you hear me?> I thought towards Sara. <It’s Paula, I felt your telepathic nature. I also know about you catching Danny using his abilities.>

I waited a few moments before I could hear her answer. <So that was you who tried to probe me. That wasn’t very nice.> Sara sounded a little annoyed. <I’m sorry Sara. But I was just trying to figure out if you could be trusted with our secrets after you found out about Danny’s telekinesis.> I apologized to Sara.

<Apology accepted. I’ve not needed it, but always kept up a mental shield, just in case, more of an early detection than protection. I’m relieved there are others like me, I feel like a weight has been lifted.>

<So far, it’s just me and Danny that we know of. There is much, much more to tell if we can trust you with it.>

<Believe me, I am trustworthy, besides you know my secret now, and I won’t tell yours unless you do first.>

We were interrupted by mom to announce that dinner was done. She had stayed home today to fix lasagna for tonight. A three-meat, four-cheese colossus lasagna, along with some veggies rounded out the meal. Once more the adults on one side of the table and us kids on the other side. We all ate and talked about my streams, Danny’s help with my lighting, and Jake’s programming work and latest basic game. Mom, Danny’s dad, Jerod, and Sara were talking about their different works. Jerod was a mechanic with his own auto shop and business was good. Sara was talking about her position in the police department as mostly a traffic and beat cop, but my assault was one of her biggest investigations she was glad to be working on, to put away a real sicko as she put it.

After dinner we all retired back to the living room for a bit more talk. Danny and I managed to talk with Sara telepathically together. Explaining our abilities to her, but not telling her we are of different earths just yet. After a while Danny, his father and Sara had to go as it was getting late.

<What do you think Danny? Think we can trust her with more?>

<I think it’s too soon to tell. Should wait a bit let her get used to there being more telepaths> Danny replied.

<Agreed.>

The next few weeks went by without any problems. Everyone started to notice Beth’s attitude change towards, well ... everyone. She was remaking friends the old Beth lost this year. It didn’t hurt that she was seen with me and Danny to help reinforce she has changed for the better. We also got to know Sara a bit more personally, rather than as officer Hanson, but not about who we really are, maybe never.