Chapter 2

There was an old World Book Encyclopedia with lots of pictures, so the teens spent the morning flipping through it with Ai. The creature was fascinated by not just the objects and places, but the people. Humans were so different! One page had a photo of an African man with skin almost pure black. Ai held up her arm next to the book, looking back and forth and comparing the colors. Was she human? There didn't seem to be a color humans didn't come in!

After about an hour, Bill stood.

"I have to take a piss."

"Ugh. Enjoy!" Julie smiled up at him, then her eyes darted in surprise to Ai. The girl was also rising on her smooth, shapely legs, to follow him. "Uh ... why is she going with you?"

Bill looked back, and shook his head.

"Oh, we haven't mentioned that part yet. Her entire known life she's been watching me, and she freaks out if I'm out of her sight for a moment."

"But!" Julie protested. The idea of a girl in there watching ... while he pissed! God, that was so ... naughty! Bill laughed.

"It's not like I'm not use to her being there, even if usually she was able to just walk through the bathtub."

"Well..." Julie's mind raced. "Can I watch too?" Bill's eyes shot up, then she chickened out before he could answer. "Kidding! Go! Go!" She shooed them away, turning back to the books before he saw her face turn completely red.

Well. This was a new complication.

Julie stretched both arms out behind her and leaned back. This was happening so fast. There was so much she had to deal with! Life as an 8th Grader had been complicated enough before, but now!

And what would they do about school?

Ai couldn't follow them there. That much was certain. No way, no how. This wasn't a sitcom, or a wacky anime ... although, a strange girl popping into a teen boy's bedroom and getting between him and the female friend who had a crush on him WAS standard anime fare. What would the opening title sequence be like? Would it be all fan service and innuendo, or end up as hot porn?

An image flashed before Julie's mind, of Ai with her head down between Julie's legs, while a nude Bill brought his hard dick close to her waiting mouth...

"Gah!" She shook her head. This was not the time for this! It was Sunday, for God's sake! More importantly, who knows when his parents would be home! They might not stay for the coffee hour or adult classes! Think, girl, think!

They had to find a way for Ai to, happily, stay at home. Keep her busy. After that, they could think about long term.

So! How could Ai deal with being away from Bill?

Bill flushed, and zipped up his pants. Turning towards the sink, he noticed Ai watching with frank curiosity. Turning the water on, he cocked an eye at his companion.

"I'm guessing that while you always watched, you never really SAW much, huh?" Her eyes traveled from his soapy hands up to his face, and Ai slowly nodded.

"Was often ... often..." Her head cocked, as she struggled to find the right word to fit what she was trying to say. He saw frustration in her eyes. Drying his hands, he smiled at her.

"Don't worry. The words will come. The more we talk, the more you'll learn, then the more you can tell us." She nodded, still unhappy. Grinning, he squeezed past her and opened the bathroom door, taking her hand and leading her back down into the basement.

Julie was lost in thought. She looked so cute like that, Bill thought, face all serious and eyes focused on nothing. The dress helped, too, a light blue ensemble with white ruffles that came to her knees. If her hair had been blond, she'd have looked like Alice in Wonderland. He considered trying to startle her, but that was probably a bad idea. She might fling an encyclopedia at his head. Making sure his footsteps made some noise coming down, he walked up next to her.

"Any ideas, oh smartest one in the room?" Looking up at him she smiled, and moved over on the beanbag chair making room. Bill only paused a moment before accepting the invitation. He had to put his right arm around her to fit into the space provided, but that was fine with both of them. She settled her small frame against him, and Bill just marveled at the contrast between her warmth and Ai's coldness. Both were exhilarating, in their own magical way.

Looking around, Ai grabbed another beanbag and pulled it over next to Bill. Sitting down to his left, she also leaned into him, copying Julie. He put his other arm around her, and now the comparison was direct. Julie leaned out and smiled at her new friend, as did Bill. That was the first time he had seen her actually take the initiative over something, and he liked it.

Getting back to the business at hand, Julie spoke.

"I HAVE been thinking, while you two had fun in the bathroom." Bill had to laugh at that, and squeezed both girls' shoulders. "The goal, Ai, is to get you so it's OK for Bill to go off to school while you stay home alone."

Ai looked shocked, and scared.

"A ... alone!?"

"It'll be OK, Ai. We don't like it any more than you do, but we have no choice. Now that you're visible, you can't follow me everywhere. And, I HAVE to go to school. Once summer vacation hits that won't be as much of an issue, but that's still months away."

Julie reached across Bill and touched her bare leg.

"We're all alone sometimes, Ai, but those who love us are never far away."

Ai's hands were clenched together, and for a moment the two teens thought she was going to cry. She looked up, those black eyes heavy with emotion.

"Promise? Promise ... you will come back? For me?"

"Always," Bill said, and he leaned over for a kiss to seal the promise. Julie blushed again, watching them. She wondered when her first kiss with Bill would be ... and her first kiss with Ai...

"So!" She said, getting both herself and them on track. "Like I said, I've been thinking about this. Ai, while you may UNDERSTAND that we're leaving and will be back, your mind or body may not. Thus, we have to find a way to keep Bill here after he leaves."

Bill looked at her.

"I'm not sure I can afford to hire a bum to impersonate me at school for the WHOLE year."

"Nothing that elaborate! Where's your computer?"

"Up stairs ... but that would involve moving..." He squeezed both shoulders again, and the two girls rubbed their sides against him in response. Julie let out a disappointed sigh.

"Can't be helped. Show us!"

The three struggled to their feet, beanbag chairs being notorious for holding onto their prey. Once upright, Bill led them upstairs and into the former playroom, now home to his mom's sewing machine and the family iMac. Julie had Bill sit down and woke it up from its sleep. She moved the mouse over to the dock and found the program she wanted.

"OK, Bill, don't move..."

There was a click, and a photo of Bill filled most of the screen. He suddenly understood, and looked over at Julie with an approving grin. Pleased, she motioned him to get up.

"OK, now, Ai, sit down where Bill was, and look at the screen."

Ai did, and her eyes shot open. It was Bill! He was right in front of her! She reached out, and her fingers met the smooth glass. She traced it over his features, marveling at the color of his eyes, the texture of his skin...

"Now, Ai ... you feel OK, right?" The blue grey girl nodded, happy. She tilted her head a bit, and laughed as Bill now looked sideways. Bringing her head back up to normal, she sighed happily as her Bill was now back as he should be as well. Maybe she could tip her head the other way!

"Now, Ai ... where is Bill?"

Now, that was a silly question. He was right there! No ... wait ... Ai turned to look behind her.

Bill was gone.

Her heart rate shot up, and she whipped back around in her chair, getting ready to leap up in distress.

But there was Bill! Right on that screen! She relaxed, and reached out to touch the image again.

"Are you all right, Ai? You know Bill's not in this room anymore, right?"

"Yes, but..." Her hand caressed his cheek. "I can see him."

Shirley was not sure what would be waiting for them when the family got home from church. There were three possibilities, so far as she could see:

1. It was all a dream, and they'll walk in on Bill and Julie just watching TV or something.

2. The creature Ai will have realized that it did in fact have to eat, and they'd walk in on it feasting on the dismembered bodies of the two teens.

3. The creature will turn out to have been a succubus, and under its influence the two kids will have gone wild and Shirley would walk in to see the three of them in a sweaty nude heap on the living room floor.

Oddly enough, that last one would cause more long term problems than number two.

Thus, it was with a slightly shaking hand that Shirley opened the door leading from the garage into the den...

" ... you probably know just what I'm thinking, you probably don't feel like I do, you probably think I'm crazy. It's probably true..."

The Lisa Loeb song filled the air, and the three were greeted to the sight of Julie dancing in the middle of the room. She was twirling, and obviously showing off dance moves learned in her weekly classes.

"I think this is possibility number 12," Shirley thought, walking farther into the den and looking around. Bill and the creature were sitting on the couch, watching the display. Bill's expression was one of ... well, Shirley had seen it often enough on her husband's face, and it was obvious Bill was in fact fully heterosexual despite Tom's occasional questions on that subject. They had been kind, understanding questions, but still...

It was Ai, though, that drew Shirley's eyes. The creature's expression was that of open amazement and delight. She was leaning forward, hands on her knees, taking both the music and Julie's rhythmic movements. Noticing the newcomers, Ai looked at them and excitedly pointed at Julie.

"Music!"

"Yes, Ai ... music." Shirley sighed, looking past the creature at her son. This was like dealing with a two year old, albeit one where you didn't know how soon they'd develop into something dangerous. With a two year old, you had a year or two's warning.

"Everything OK, Bill?"

Her son stood up and stepped around Ai to come to his mom. Julie stopped her dance, and went over to the stereo to turn the music down but not off. The chorus was all about "I probably love you", and she wanted Bill to have that through floating through his head. Shirley's eyes flicked to the girl. Another thing she suddenly had to take into consideration. Her and Gretchen had joked about this since the week both kids were born, but if it was happening ... well, that would be dealt with in time.

"Everything's good," Bill told her. He gave a slight smirk to his sister, as she'd obviously been hoping there'd be a fight, but only for a moment. He liked the brat and rarely did much to piss Betty off. He turned his attention back to mom. "We took Ai on a tour through that Encyclopedia we have, seeing what she knows, and Julie figured out how she'll be able to safely stay home while we're at school."

"Really?" Shirley looked over at Julie, who blushed. She was impressed! It might not work, whatever it was, but she liked the effort. That was all she asked from others, especially her kids, that they think and try. "Well, if Julie wants to stay for lunch, we can talk it over."

Julie went home after lunch, although it was obvious she wanted to stay and spend more time with Bill. Shirley pulled her aside briefly before she left, and told her to go slow. With all the new things going on, best to ease into romance. Julie nodded ... and wisely refrained from mentioning everything already said and implied between the three. She left happy, though, knowing that while the parents might be ignorant of that reality, they would be understanding whatever the outcome. Julie wondered who'd be her maid of honor...

The rest of the day was spent quietly. Betty, trying to understand all this, pulled out some board games and talked Bill into playing them with her and Ai. The creature was quick to pick up the rules, showing her stilted speech in no way reflected her mind. Once Ai actually beat Betty at SORRY, the battle was on, and the twelve year old began to forget Ai wasn't just another kid. After awhile, you began to get used to her appearance...

After dinner the family sat down to watch a Sabres game on TV, and Tom did his part getting to know Ai by telling her the rules of Hockey. He was not a touchy feely type of person, but he was open and honest, and willing to give anyone a chance. With Bill helping translate some things into Ai-speak, Tom soon found Ai responding by asking intelligent questions on this or that point, and getting into the spirit of the game. The earlier board games might have done the hard part of introducing the idea of competition, but whatever the case by the second period he found himself totally at ease with the girl (even if the revelation that she wasn't wearing anything under that sun dress was a bit of a shock: he'd have to talk to his wife about that). When she raised one of her blue grey hands up for a high five after a Gerbe hat trick, he officially considered her one of the family.

Shirley watched this with ... interest.

That evening, Ai and Bill once again went to bed together, her on and he in. For a moment, Bill thought it strange that despite being excited at various times during that day, especially when Julie was there, he felt no urge to do anything sexual once there was opportunity to do so. His face was inches from a beautiful creature whose body was probably his if he asked. And, yet...