Thanks for clicking! Jaywalk is my first W.I.T.C.H. fanfiction. I have not seen every episode, so there may be some discrepancies. If you find any, please point them out so I can fix them.

This will be a multi-chapter story. At this point, I have no idea how long it will end up being. I will try to make each chapter fairly long. I don't have an updating schedule set at this point, but I do know that updates will be few and far between.

Remember that the story is rated T for a reason. I have no plans to change the rating, but if it becomes necessary I will change it to M.

Thanks, and enjoy the story!

Disclaimer: I don't claim ownership of the characters or story of W.I.T.C.H. If I did, they wouldn't have cancelled the show.

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Chapter One

It seemed things had settled down at last. Nerissa was trapped in Elyon's necklace, Phobos and Cedric were under lock and key once again, and the Guardians had more support than ever. Unlike after Phobos's first fall, the five girls felt secure in their power – a bit of what might be called arrogance – and were sure that they would be called to do nothing more than visit Meridian once in a while.

For a week, an entire blissful week, the five girls were left to do as they pleased, namely spending time with or pursuing their respective love interests.

Tuesday, eight days after Cedric's fall. The girls had endured a particularly exhausting day of midterm review in all their classes.

Hay Lin, of all of them, was most surprised when Yan Lin approached the girls as they were exiting Sheffield Institute.

"Hey Grandma, you need help cleaning the kitchen or something?" Her voice was cheerful as usual, but Will thought it was a bit strained. She hoped Yan Lin's harried look was only the result of a stressful day serving noodles.

But, as per what they had come to expect as the usual, she came bearing news none of them wanted to hear.

"Girls!" She paused to cough; apparently the frosty weather didn't agree with her. "I need you to come with me to the Silver Dragon. I have something for you, Will." Yan Lin smiled mysteriously and herded them into the back of her van.

"Does this stuff ever end?" Cornelia groaned. Taranee gave Will a confused glance. She shrugged, as puzzled as everyone else.

"Is it bad, Grandma?" Hay Lin voiced Will's thoughts for her as they sped down the road.

But, unlike the "You'll see when we get there" she thought they would get, her grandmother began her explanation right away.

"First of all, I'm sorry that this hasn't happened sooner, Will. We've been looking for one to give you since I first gave you the Heart, but didn't find one until now. One of my contacts in Spain found one just a few days ago and offered him to you."

That didn't clear anything up for Will. Even more confused, she opened her mouth, but Yan Lin cut her off.

"Sorry, sorry. I know I'm explaining things wrong." She coughed again, and when she caught her breath began again.

"The Guardians traditionally keep companions. Familiars, if you will. Will, because you are the keeper of the Heart of Kandrakar, this first familiar will go to you." As she settled herself into teaching mode, the girls exchanged semi-excited glances. Will looked wary at the mention of her title. Mr. Snuggles hadn't worked out, and this "companion" sounded like trouble.

"A familiar like Napoleon?" Cornelia asked, clutching her hair as the van went over a bump.

"Lillian is a unique case, this is entirely different. Will's companion's job is to protect her and the Heart." She paused. "A shapeshifter has always filled the role."

Now Will was alarmed. The only shapeshifters they knew of – Cedric and Miranda – were not people she wanted hanging around her house. From the expressions of the other girls, they remembered the conniving pair as well.

"Whoa, hang on a second." Will spoke up for the first time. "This shapeshifter isn't, uh, evil, right?" The words sounded faintly ridiculous spoken aloud.

Yan Lin gave a little laugh. "Of course not. Your familiar is no more evil than you or me."

"Oh, well, I guess that's good." Will said sheepishly.

They had arrived at the restaurant. The little shop was bustling with customers, though Will couldn't see how. Yan Lin had been in the school cafeteria all day – how could she have cooked for all these people? But the question was answered for her when Mira Lin waved at them from around the kitchen door.

The girls followed Yan Lin down to the dank basement.

"Is Caleb here too?" Cornelia was the first to step off the stairs. When Yan Lin didn't answer, she peered around the room. Will couldn't see anyone there. Cornelia visibly wilted.

"So, where is this shapeshifter?" Will said nervously as Cornelia sat herself on the cot with a "hmph" and started to finger-comb her hair.

Right here, a voice said.

Will gasped and whirled around. Nobody was there.

"What's up?" Irma asked, but then she, Cornelia, and Hay Lin gave little screams themselves. Taranee was the only one who didn't start at the voice.

"My telepathy let me hear him in your head," she said in explanation. All five girls were now scanning the ground.

"He can't speak when not in human form. Instead, he communicates telepathically." Yan Lin explained.

"Where is he?" Will was a little angry at this shapeshifter now. Was he taunting them?

Yan Lin reached into the sleeve of her robe and drew out a dirty ball of fur. The thing looked sick – its eyes were cloudy, its fur was filthy and matted. Will, horrified, drew closer. The thing twitched its ears, and she saw that it was a tiny rabbit.

"A cute little bunny!" Hay Lin said behind her. Will was faintly shocked. This thing was going to be her familiar?

"This species of shapeshifter draws its power from the nearest Heart. Once bound to you, he will be able to shift without doing any harm to himself." The rabbit looked up and met Will's eyes and her heart melted.

"What's his name?" she asked, hesitantly reaching out a hand to stroke its fur.

"He doesn't have one yet. You have to name him, Will." She froze, caught off-guard.

"Oh, name him Whiskers!" Hay Lin said. Instantly the other girls started throwing her suggestions.

"Alexander," Taranee said immediately, then added, "for Alexander the Great."

"Carrot," from, of course, Irma.

"Jeffrey," Cornelia said. They all stared at her. "What, you don't like the name?" She said reproachfully.

"I thought you would have her name him after Caleb," Irma said, her voice only mildly teasing.

"I don't suppose you'd like Fluffy, huh?" Will said to the rabbit in an attempt at a joke.

Whatever you wish, Mistress, the voice said, sounding distinctly masculine now.

"Don't call me Mistress," she said sharply. The word was a potent reminder of when Nerissa forced Matt to call her that very name. By the strange look Cornelia was giving her, they hadn't heard the voice.

"Um, how old is he?" She asked, mind frantically searching for a name that fit the voice's purring bass. Jack? Adrian? Kevin? Bruce?

"In human years, just a few years older than you. About seventeen." Yan Lin handed her the rabbit.

He was small enough to hold in one hand. She ran a finger through his fur thoughtfully. The rabbit shivered in what she hoped was pleasure.

Seth.

The name popped into her head unexpectedly. She turned it over, and it seemed to fit.

Seth? Do you like Seth? She thought loudly, hoping he would hear. But no purr answered her, so she repeated her question aloud.

"Oh, that's a great name!" Hay Lin exclaimed. The others nodded agreement.

"Then I'll call you Seth," Will smiled and held the little ball of fur close. Taranee gasped. Panicked, Will looked down at the rabbit.

Seth's coat was no longer matted, but sleek and shiny. She could see the true color of the fur now, a silvery grey. His nose was cheerfully pink, eyes bright and clear.

"Oh!" Will leaned down and gave his nose a little peck.

"Looks like Matt's got some competition!" Irma said in a stage whisper. Will blushed and shook off the comment.

"Once you bind him to yourself, Will, he will have to obey your every command. Know that even as he protects you, you will be responsible for his safety," Yan Lin warned.

But Will's heart was already made up.

"What do I have to do?" She said firmly, snuggling the rabbit close.

"Let him touch the Heart and he's yours," Yan Lin said as Will drew out the chain from under her shirt. The rabbit's eyes fixed on the glowing pink sphere. He looked up questioningly.

"Go ahead," she whispered. The rabbit reached out a tiny paw and gently placed it on the Heart.

Will gasped. It was as if a door had been unlocked inside her. Will felt a feeling of warmth and closeness. She reached toward it and realized it was Seth's presence.

Thank you, Seth said, his voice embracing.

"No need to thank me," she whispered.

"He will need to live with you," Yan Lin interrupted the private conversation. Will's head jerked up.

"Your boy will love that," Irma said. Cornelia smiled wickedly.

"Why?" Will asked without thinking.

"How else could he do his job?" Yan Lin said, sounding amused.

"Oh, well, I guess that's okay," Will said hesitantly. It had just occurred to her that a little rabbit wouldn't be much protection.

Taranee voiced the thought for her. "Is the rabbit Seth's only other form?"

I should be able to shift into any animal, now that I am bonded to the Heart, Seth answered, hopping from Will's hand to the cot. He closed his eyes, and in a second an enormous tiger sprawled across the sheets.

Hay Lin screamed, though in fear or excitement Will couldn't tell. Yan Lin took a step back, but her face didn't show any fear. Cornelia, Taranee, and Irma backed away as Seth yawned, baring huge fangs.

A feeling of amusement trickled through the new space in Will's mind. She found herself grinning. The smile vanished with the reproachful look Cornelia gave her.

"Will!" Cornelia said, her voice a whine. "Make it go back!"

"Seth, could you turn back?" She asked hesitantly, half expecting the huge cat to roll over and ignore her. But in an eyeblink the tiny bunny was back, seemingly jumping up and down. The mattress was bouncing from the sudden disappearance of four hundred pounds.

Did I scare your friends? Seth asked with a touch of malice. Will glanced at Cornelia, and she was still complaining about being taken by surprise, so Will assumed she hadn't heard him.

"Did you mean to scare them?" She asked instead of answering.

Yes.

Will blinked. He admitted it that easily? She had expected an elusive "maybe."

She felt more than heard his sigh.

I can't lie to you. He explained, in a tone that said she should already know.

"Another one of those 'familiar' things?" She asked, letting her breath out in an exasperated wheeze. Hay Lin gave her a curious look.

"Just... getting used to Seth being in my head," Will said quickly.

Hay Lin cocked her head to the side, confused, but didn't say anything.

"Can we leave now? I've got a mountain of homework to finish before tomorrow." Cornelia said loudly.

"Cornelia's right. You girls should go now." Yan Lin said, motioning them toward the door.

"Wait, hold on." Will said, scooping up the rabbit. "Seth can't live with me as a rabbit! My mom hates them!" She gestured wildly. A squeak from Seth reminded her that she still held him and she stopped to stroke the trembling ball of fur.

Does she hate coyotes? Seth asked, and suddenly she was holding a large mangy dog. She dropped him from the surprise and sudden weight. He landed on his feet with grace and ignored her stammered apology.

"I don't think it's legal to keep coyotes as pets in Heatherfield," Taranee said, with an expression that clearly said she would look it up as soon as she got home.

"Yeah, sorry Seth." Will willed her heart to beat at a more normal pace. "But dogs are good." She remembered her mom telling her about the Scottie she'd loved as a kid.

I can't protect you as a dog, Seth said, settling himself on his haunches and giving her an irritated glare.

"I think that's the best we can do," Will said. She crossed her arms and leveled her eyes with his in an even stare.

"Even Guardians can't break Earth laws," Irma added.

Seth snorted, and in a second was a sleek dog not much smaller than the coyote. Will didn't know what breed he was, but the reddish fur was gorgeous. Even in the dim light it fairly glowed. Will let out a soft "oh!" of admiration.

"Hey, you two match!" Hay Lin squealed, rushing forward to stroke Seth's coat. Will opened her mouth to disagree, then closed it slowly.

She leaned forward and let her hair fall against Seth's fur. She saw at once: the color wasn't a shade off.

"You did that on purpose." She said, her tone something between irritation and delight.

Yes. He gave her an adorable puppy-dog-eyes look. The chocolate brown color was all too innocent. But we do look the perfect pair.

Will knew what Matt would say to such a statement, but she did agree: Seth looked like he was bred to walk beside her.

"Yeah, I guess that's okay," Will tried to sound offhand and failed. She was still trying to work out what she was going to say to her mother.

"So we're finished?" Cornelia asked. Will paused while pulling her scarf tighter around her neck and nodded. "Good! I said I would meet Caleb at the rink twenty minutes ago!" She stomped up the stairs before anyone could answer.

"So that's why she was so impatient," Irma smirked, straightening her hat.

"You ready to go?" Will looked down at Seth expectantly. He stood up and nuzzled her leg. She noticed something missing.

"We're going to have to stop at Mr. Olson's to get you a collar and leash." She paused. "And food." Groaning, she dug in her pocket for some cash. How much did she need? She pulled her hand out and sighed with relief at the sight of the crumpled twenty. She could take the rest out of her next paycheck.

Frowning, she looked up. Everyone had already left, but Yan Lin was waiting for her by the door.

"Come on, Seth." Will crossed the room in three strides, her companion beside her, then paused, remembering her manners.

"Thank you so much!" She said as warmly as she could, giving Yan Lin a smile.

"You're more than welcome, Will." Yan Lin leaned down to give Seth a quick pat. "I'm only sorry it took so long."

"No no, that's fine. I've managed all right without a familiar so far." She nodded once more and took the steps two at a time.

Your friends have already left, Seth said, responding to her sweeping looks at the restaurant. He tugged on her pant leg.

"All right, I'm going." She said, and walked out of the shop.

A thought struck her. Would Jeek have stolen the Heart so many months ago if Seth had been there to guard it? Then Matt would have never found out about the Guardians. Was that a good thing or a bad thing?

A mixture of fear and anger burned inside Will. She recognized it as Seth's emotions after a second.

She became aware of growls beside her. Seth was baring his teeth at a passing gaggle of shoppers, scaring them into dropping their bags.

"Shh, calm down." She hesitantly ran a hand down his back to smooth his rising hackles. "They don't mean any harm. Relax." Seth allowed himself to be soothed, but still gave a little growl whenever someone glanced her way. But that might have just been in her head.

"You're just not used to the city." She said confidently, hoping that was the only problem.

I need to protect you, Will. Any one of these people could try to kidnap you at any time! He said with a vigilant growl.

"I doubt it." Will tried to laugh, but the sound came out choked. Seth was right – the leader of the Guardians was probably in more danger than any of the others. And she had the Heart! She could list ten people who would kill to have the Heart in their hands.

She found herself looking fearfully into every stranger's eyes, half-expecting to see Phobos's feral gleam or Nerissa's deranged stare. She jumped when a middle-aged man complemented her dog.

Now who's paranoid? Seth said, sticking his nose in the air.

"Nobody." Will replied firmly, raising her gaze from the concrete just in time to see the small pet store.

Will walked into the warm musty-smelling room with a smile, Seth pressing so close to her knee that she nearly tripped over him. He stepped away with a look from her.

"Ah, Will, come to help?" A old apron-wearing man called from next to a cage of rabbits. They started shrieking once they noticed Seth's presence. The rest of the animals took up the cue, barking and mewing and squawking.

Shush! Seth said loudly. Will felt his irritation and glanced down at him, about to ask him why he was shushing her, but then she realized the shop was silent.

"Thanks," She murmured out of the corner of her mouth. Seth gave a quick nod.

"Sorry, not today, Mr. Olson. I need to buy a few things." She gestured to the dog beside her.

Mr. Olson's eyes lit up. "What a gorgeous dog! Wherever did you get him?" He asked, scurrying over to inspect Seth more closely.

"Uh," She paused, frantically searching for a suitable story. "The neighbor's dog had puppies!" She said wildly.

"He's pretty big for a puppy, I'd say," He said, and Will stiffened. But when she met his eyes they held a kind gleam. "Your neighbor's been holding him for you, I presume?" He asked.

She nodded gratefully.

"So, you need a collar for this beautiful dog. I have just the thing!" He walked over to a display and came back with a strip of shiny black leather.

Seth snorted softly beside her.

"Uh, I don't think so." She glanced down at him questioningly.

It needs to be something I can take off on my own. Loose. He said quickly.

"D'you have something looser? His neck's very sensitive." She invented, nodding like she knew all about it.

"Mhmm, right here." He gestured to a rack of gleaming silver chains. Will picked the longest one and knelt down to shove it over Seth's head.

"Is this okay?" She muttered in his ear once it was on. It hung down past his throat and she could tell he could paw it off if he tried.

I hate wearing these things. Uncomfortable and heavy, Seth grumbled. Will raised an eyebrow. It's fine, he sighed.

"Would you like the matching leash?" Mr. Olson all but shoved it in Will's face when she straightened up.

"Sure." A soft cough from Seth had her adding, "Is it long?"

"The longest I have." He answered almost proudly.

"I'll take it."

Five minutes later Seth was loaded down with leash and collar and Will was struggling to carry a twenty-five pound sack of kibble.

"Thanks, Mr. Olson." Will said warmly. "I'll see you Monday?"

"Sure." He waved as they walked out of the store.

A shout from behind her had Seth whirling around, hackles rising. Will turned to see Matt running down the alley toward her, calling "Will, wait up!"

"Hey Matt." She said as he came up to her. He grinned and swooped down to land a kiss on her cheek.

Seth gave a loud bark, punctuated by a rolling growl. Waves of hostility went through Will's mind.

"Shh. It's okay, Matt isn't trying to kill me," She said quickly. Seth stopped immediately, but he did press himself closer to her.

"Whoa. You've got him trained pretty well." Matt raised his eyebrows. "When did you get a dog?" He asked, leaning down to scratch behind Seth's ears. Seth relaxed visibly under Matt's gentle fingers.

Who is this boy? Seth asked, his voice almost lazy.

"He's my boyfriend." She told him. "So you should always trust him." She added, flashing a smile up at Matt.

But his returning grin was puzzled. "Will, why're you telling your dog about me?"

"Oh, long story. Turns out since I have the Heart I need some kind of familiar, who has to be a shapeshifter, and Yan Lin-" Will started, then sighed. "Can you walk with me? I'll tell you on the way." Matt nodded, and they started back up the sidewalk toward Will's apartment.

Seth chose to place himself between Will and her boyfriend, so she couldn't half-lean against him like she normally would. He couldn't wrap an arm around her waist, and sent more than one dirty look down at the dog. But Seth just strolled along complacently. As long as he was doing his duty to Will, nobody else mattered.

It didn't take long for Will to wrap up the story, and Matt was reeling by the end.

"So let me get this straight." Matt stopped, and Will turned to look at him.

"Hay Lin's grandma's friend in Spain found a shapeshifter and sent him over here so she could give him to you and you named him Seth then let him touch the Heart and you can feel him in your head." He paused to take a deep breath. "He turned into a tiger and scared Irma, Cornelia, and Taranee, but Hay Lin was happy, and he has to obey you then Taranee said he couldn't be a coyote so he turned into a dog instead and then Cornelia-" He looked at Will. "What happened with Cornelia?"

"Nothing, it's not important." She was grinning despite Matt's run-on version of events. His humorous outlook on this was proving that he was the perfect boyfriend she thought he was. She had to struggle not to just stare dumbly into his dark eyes.

"And then you went to my grandpa's store and bought a collar for him and then I came." Matt finished. He raised a hand to ruffle the back of his hair and gave her a proud grin. It was all Will could do not to throw herself on him and give him a long kiss. But that would probably give her bodyguard a heart attack, so she refrained.

"Uh huh." She managed.

Seth whined beside her. She turned reluctantly away from Matt to ask, "Feeling neglected, pup?" He raised a mental eyebrow but gave a small nod. She ran a hand through Seth's silky fur. He shivered beneath her and sent waves of pleasure through her mind.

"Better now?" She asked, glancing up at Matt, who was watching the exchange.

It's your job to keep me happy, Seth said almost haughtily.

Will raised an eyebrow. "Really? That wasn't in the job description."

I can't do a very good job of protecting you when you don't bother to give me love, His tail drooped and he looked up at her with his impossibly rich brown eyes.

She sighed. "Come on, my mom's probably worrying about me." She looked at Matt, but he was glancing back the way they came.

"Sorry, Will. I have to get back to the shop. Grandpa gave me five minutes and it's already been more." He gave her a half-grin and a peck on the lips, then ran down the sidewalk.

Will's grin fell into a small frown. It lifted when Seth nudged her hand with his wet nose. She gave a small laugh and started back on the trek to her apartment.

That boy will be around a lot? Seth asked, as if trying to categorize him.

Will nodded firmly. Seth didn't reply.

They walked in silence until they reached Will's building.

"Here we go." She muttered to herself. Seth gave her a quizzical look.

"Oh, right." She looked down at him and scratched behind his ears. "I live here with my mom."

It's just you and her? Seth said, trying to clarify. They walked into the elevator. Seth, to Will's surprise, didn't yelp when it began to rise.

"Well, Dad drops by sometimes, but you shouldn't see too much of him." They walked out of the elevator. Will was gripping the leash so hard her knuckles were turning white.

It took Will twice the normal time to unlock her door. She stopped, her hand just an inch away from the handle. "Okay, here goes," Will took a deep breath and swung it open.

The apartment was empty.

"That was anticlimactic." Will muttered, before calling "Mom?"

"Hey Will!" The oven said. The toaster admonished her for being late and the refrigerator asked if she wanted a snack. Will ignored them to look down at Seth.

Nobody's here, he said, sitting down and scratching at his collar.

"How do you know?" Will asked, shutting the door and dropping the sack of food on the floor.

I'd smell them, he answered.

"Oh, right." Will left Seth where he was and dragged the dog food into the kitchen. She crossed to dump her backpack on the couch. She figured it would put her mom in a good mood to see her doing homework, so she pulled out her history text.

She settled herself on the floor next to the coffee table before looking up to see that Seth hadn't moved from next to the door.

"Are you hungry, pup?" She asked, pulling out a pencil.

He shook his head. The room smells... odd. He wrinkled his nose and got up, shaking himself as if to get the odor off him.

An alarm went off in Will's head. "What do you mean?" she asked quickly.

Seth walked over to her and pointed with a paw at the leash trailing behind him. Will clipped it off and put it aside.

"Is it something bad?" She asked, running her fingers through his fur unconsciously.

He lay down with a soft thump, then shook his head. It's gone now. Probably just something… passing by… Will felt a something like a mental frown in his space in her head.

"Um, let me know if you smell it again." Will said finally, going back to her homework.

Seth nodded and let his head drop down to his paws and his eyes close. "You tired already, puppy?" she asked playfully, stroking his ear with her thumb.

Uh uh- mmm, came his mumbled response as he relaxed into her fingers. Will smiled and rubbed harder.

A sound somewhere between a purr and a growl came from Seth's throat. She paused, then moved her hands to scratch at his belly. He willingly flopped to his side to give her more access.

Will was so absorbed in massaging his fur that she didn't hear the front door open. But Seth did, and went stiff under her fingers.

Someone- Seth started, but Will's mom cut him off.

"Will?" she called before her eyes settled on her daughter. "Will! What is that dog doing in here?" She dropped her briefcase and planted her hands on her hips.

"Uh, about that-" Will jumped up. Her hands were covered in little red hairs. She shot a glare down at Seth, who gave a sheepish grin.

"Whose dog is that?" Her mom demanded. Her finger was pointed accusingly at Seth, who was just standing up.

"Mine," she said a little too quickly. Her mom's eyes were shooting daggers.

"Mr. Olson didn't have room for him and when I stopped by there on my way home from school he just ran into my arms and Mr. Olson said that I could have him for free because he loved me so much and-" Will invented wildly before her mom interrupted.

"And you thought that would be okay with me." She said sarcastically.

"Mom, look at him!" She glanced down. Seth had taken the cue – he had made his eyes big and brown and unbelievably cute. "His fur matches my hair perfectly, and he's already trained! Look!" She told him to roll over. She hoped that would be enough for her mom.

Immediately Seth dropped to his belly and executed the trick perfectly, then stood up and let his tongue loll out - cute and cheerful.

It didn't work.

"I don't care if it can sing opera." She dropped her hands and took a different tone. "Will! Do you think we have room in this apartment for a dog?" She gestured around the room.

"Mom, we can make it work! I promise I'll do everything myself-" Will pleaded.

"You couldn't handle that mouse you dragged in a couple months ago, how can you possibly take care of a huge dog? This is exactly the sort of irresponsible thing-"

"Trust me mom. I can do this." Will interrupted, all but getting down on her knees.

Her mom took a deep breath and pressed a hand to her forehead. After a moment she looked up, face composed and serious.

"Will, if you get your grades up you can keep the dog. He will have to stay at the pet shop until you can do that."

"No, mom, you don't understand-" Will's voice choked in her throat. Anger rose inside her. "You're so unfair! You can't even give me a chance?" She screamed, running out of the house and slamming the door behind her.

She kept running until she reached the street, then stopped to lean against the building and catch her breath.

Her eyes burned and tears threatened to overflow. I will not cry, I will not cry, she thought furiously. She took a long breath and waited until the red haze had faded away.

I will live with you. Will jumped and looked down – he was calmly sitting next to her.

"You followed me down here?" Will said before she could think.

Did you honestly expect me to just let you go? He asked, then stood up.

An idea struck Will. She straightened up and started to walk, then willed herself to stop. She hadn't thought through what she was going to say to her mother, and that turned out badly. Slowly, she turned the idea over in her head, and saw nothing wrong.

Besides, of course, the guilt that would come of it.

Will pulled her cell out of her pocket and speed dialed Irma's number. It rang twice, then someone picked up and said "Hello?"

"Irma?" Will said. Irma started talking, but Will interrupted her. "Listen, I need you to come to my place asap!" She ignored Irma's stuttering reply and slapped the phone shut.

How is Irma going to help? Seth said.

"She does this mind-control thing that I think – hope – will make my mom let me keep you." Will said.

Doesn't matter what she says. I will stay with you, he repeated, nudging her hand until she gave in and resumed the interrupted massage.

"Will you always be this high-maintenance?" Will asked, feeling exasperated.

Yes, He lifted his head and gave her another look from his oh so lovable eyes.

Will only had time to sigh and work out another knot in Seth's coat before Irma ran up. Her breathing was ragged and she clutched a stitch in her side.

"What is it? Has Nerissa escaped? Did Blunk-?" Will stood up and held up her hands to halt Irma's frantic questions.

"No, nothing like that!" Will said sheepishly, "I just need your help, um, persuading my mom to let me keep Seth."

"Then why did you make it sound so urgent?" Irma said, putting her hands on her knees and shaking hair out of her face. Will shrugged and mumbled an apology.

"Fine. Let's go," Irma said finally.

Five minutes later, the three of them walked out of Will's apartment. Irma was polishing an imaginary apple on her shirt and looked smug.

"Thanks," Will said, and gave her friend a hug. "Man, I owe you big. My mom wasn't going to let Seth stay for, I dunno, months!"

Thank you, Irma. The name sounded strange in Seth's voice.

Irma started and gave a little squeal. "I'm never going to get used to him in my head," she muttered.

"I just feel so guilty about controlling my mom like that," Will frowned and wound her fingers in the thick fur of the ruff around Seth's throat.

"Relax, I do it all the time." Irma said with a wave of her hand.

"That doesn't help. I did it just to get something I want – how selfish is that?" She ran her free hand through her hair.

If you had been able to explain why I need to stay with you, she would have agreed. But you weren't able to, so we had to do this instead. Seth's voice was even and calm. Will's guilt melted away.

She took a deep breath and smiled down at him. "You're right. I'm overreacting."

Irma was giving her an odd look. "Are you sure he belongs to you and not the other way around?"

"You have to agree he has a point. And yeah, I own him." She gave Irma a sharp look.

"Sorry, sorry. Just observing the, um, interaction between you guys. It's weird."

"I guess it's just a familiar thing." Will wrinkled her nose.

A phone rang. Seth broke into territorial growls at the sound. Will shushed him as Irma patted her pockets till she found the little pink phone.

"Hello? Oh, yeah, I know. Mom, relax! I'll be home in a few. Bye." The conversation was short and she started saying goodbye even as she flipped the phone shut.

"Will, I have to go. I promised I'd watch Chris while Mom goes shopping." She made a face.

"Makes me glad I'm an only child." Will said. Irma waved and jogged away.