I don't own anything that you recognize. Any characters you DO recognize are property of NBC and I am only using them to play around with. Any characters (Wesen or otherwise) that you do NOT recognize are mine. This is the first story I've written in a long time, so please be somewhat kind in your reviews!

(I found the horizontal line! My editing skills are coming back! So to show the passage of time or a change in character perspective you'll see the lovely horizontal line!)

Thanks to Shane for the constructive criticism. Much appreciated!

"Talk to strangers politely – every friend you have now was once a stranger, although not every stranger becomes a friend."

"Winnie! Time for school!"

Welcome to my life. 12 years old, stereotypical straight A student, with the world's greatest BFF. However, I can't stand when my Mom calls me Winnie. I wasn't named after a chubby little tubby all stuffed with fluff. Then again...

"I'm coming!"

I throw my hair up into a ponytail, run downstairs grabbing the glass of milk on the table.

"You're going to be late, Winnie."

I roll my eyes at her since my mouth is kinda busy drinking my breakfast. I gulp it down and wipe my mouth on my sleeve.

"Winifred Elizabeth! Use a towel!"

"Sorry, mom. Gotta go!"

I grab my backpack and run out the door headed for my school.

I like having time off during the day. Ever since Winnie has been able to care for herself for an hour or two when she gets home after school is a big help. I'm sitting at the kitchen table having a delicious cup of tea while making my grocery shopping list, and the telephone startles me out of my focus.

"Hello?"

"Yes, is this Mrs. O'Connor?"

"Yes."

"This is Joanne Davidson, Winifred's Vice Principal."

"Oh hello. What can I do for you?"

"Well, we have your daughter in the Nurse's office. She's complaining of feeling 'not herself'. It is flu season, so we had her sit in the office. She has a fever, so we think it's best if she head home, just to be on the safe side."

"Absolutely, I'll come right over and get her. Thank you."

I hang up the phone, then immediately dial my husband's work.

"Jason, Winnie's sick. I have to head over to the school and pick her up."

"Okay. Do you need me to bring anything home?"

"I don't think so. I just hope she's not going through what I went through at that age."

"It must have been terrifying for you."

"It was. Anyway, we'll talk about this later. I'll call you if Ii need you to pick up anything."

"Okay. Give her a hug for me."

"Bye."

I hang up the phone, pick up the car keys and start the short drive to pick up my daughter. The school is only a few blocks away, but if she really IS sick, the last thing I want to do is to make her walk when she might truly be sick to her stomach. I hope it is the flu. I hope it's not what I am dreading. I pull into the school parking lot, and head in to the Nurse's office. I knock on the door.

"Mom?"

She sounds terrible. I open the door and see her laying down on the couch.

"Oh, sweetie. Are you okay?"

"I'm okay, Mom. I just feel crappy."

"Come on. We'll get you home."

I collect her backpack, complete with homework for the next few days, and we head home.

"Head upstairs, change into your jammies and get into bed. I'll come up and bring you something to drink in a few minutes, okay?"

"Okay. Mom."

I really do feel terrible. I didn't eat my lunch today, which might be the reason that I feel so crummy, but I've never felt this sick. Quickly changing into my PJ's, grab one of my favorite books, and climb under the covers. I hear Mom coming up the stairs.

"I'm in bed, Mom."

My bedroom door opens and in walks my Mom, a tray in her hands full of all kinds of things. It's what she does when I don't feel well.

"I brought you some ginger ale, water and soda crackers. I should take your temperature first tho. Open wide."

I do as she asks, and open my mouth wide, holding up my tongue so she can put the thermometer in. It slides under my tongue, and I close my mouth around the thin cylinder.

"Would you like to listen to the radio?"

I nod my head.

"The usual station when you feel sick?"

Again, I nod my head. Mom always knows what I like when I'm not feeling well. She turns on the classical music station, then returns over to my bed. She puts the back of her hand on my forehead.

"You do feel warm, but another few seconds and we'll know what the situation is for sure. Okay. Open up."

I do, and she take out the thermometer, reading the mercury.

"101.3. That's quite high, Missy. I'll go get a cool cloth. Be right back."

She returns a moment later with a cool cloth, and places it behind my neck. My Mom is a Nurse, which is lucky for me. I get better much faster than anyone else I know of. The coolness of the cloth on my skin feels so nice. Mom hands me a pill, which I take with a sip of ginger ale.

"Rest for a little bit, Winnie. I'll wake you when your Dad gets home, okay?"

I nod my head as I cuddle into the blankets.

"Okay, Mom. Thanks."

She kisses my forehead.

"Sleep, sweetie."

My eyes flutter and I realize that I never knew how heavy your eyelids can actually feel. It's really weird. What feels like 30 seconds later I open my eyes and look at the clock. 6:30. Wow, I really slept. I sit up in bed and now I feel dizzy. Oh great. I'm going to miss a whole lot of school, and I'll fall behind. I'll never get into a good school with bad grades! I pull the sheets off me, and head to the bathroom. Some cool water on my face will help. I turn on the tap and start to splash some cool water on my face. It feels quite nice and almost makes me think I feel better. I grab a towel from the rack and dry my face. Wait a second. Something's not right...

Several hours later and my husband has come home from work. It's been a long day, I called in sick as I needed to stay at home with my daughter. I hand him a cold glass of water as we talk in the kitchen.

"She should be awake soon, dear."

"How high was her fever, Marie?"

"101.3 when she got home. She's been sleeping so soundly I didn't want to wake her."

I head to the kitchen to help get our meal on the table. I'm about to open the oven door when we both hear a blood curdling scream coming from the upstairs bathroom...

TBC - reviews make me very happy! Please send one my way!