Chapter 40

Strategy

"Kel, care to come with us?" Gwen offered. "We can discuss a plan of action, before you and Rick need to leave for work."

"Sure, Gwen. I took your suggestion and packed a bag so I wouldn't need to go home and change for work." The vixen grinned.

"I agree, we _need_to remedy the situation. But there's two things we need to consider." Gwen said, handing Kel and I glasses of iced tea. "Removing the bullet, and repairing the damage to her vertebrae." She sat down at the dining table, sipping her own tea. "I would have hoped that we would have had more time to work out a procedure--but with her confirmation, time is of the essence."

"I think it's great news though," Kel nodded. "She's _so_happy. I kinda pity Mike, though...she's going to make up for a _lot_of lost time. Wouldn't be surprised if that ferret's walking funny tomorrow--or tonight, for that matter." I nodded as she chuckled.

"Well, as far as _regeneration_goes, I'm _fairly_good at tapping genetic memory. So it would be a simple matter of reminding her bones what they _should_be--whole and undamaged. _But_getting that foreign invader out may be the tricky part."

Everyone at the table nodded solemnly--this _wasn't_going to be easy. _But_if Cassy was to avoid spending the rest of her life in a wheelchair, then _this_was her only hope, and we all knew it.

"Besides, this is going to require tapping massive amounts of energy. We _may_need to take this _between_the worlds..." I finished, seeing Gwen nod--a pensive look on her face.

"Good point. Since the bullet doesn't belong there..." Gwen closed her eyes, as if listening to a distant voice. She nodded after a few minutes. Her eyes held a hint of that otherworldly glow. "There is a way to accomplish this. And you are right love; we will_need to take this between the worlds. There is a risk here, the bullet isn't the _only_foreign invader--so to speak." Gwen paused. "Her pregnancy is a result of another '_foreign invader,' so we must be _very s_pecific in healing her, since they both _arrived_around the same time."

I nodded. "I see what you mean. Genetic memory can also remember a time before_she_was pregnant."

"B--but what about Mike?" Kel asked. "We will need him as well, right? With the strong bond they have formed the power of their love could help with the focus, couldn't it?"

"Probably, but we have _one_problem." I looked at Kel, who in turn glanced at Gwen, then back to me. "Kel, Mike has _no_idea who and what we are." The vixen's eyes widened remembering that most furs instinctively _feared_what they didn't understand...

"B--but his Granny, was ah, what did he call it, a Straga?"

"True, and if she were still around then perhaps she would be able to convince her grandson there's nothing to fear. But she passed over two years ago." I said, and Kel's ears drooped. "Oh yeah, damn. Forgot about that, Sorry." Kel sighed heavily. Gwen looked from the drooping vixen to me. "Perhaps you could kind of broach the subject tonight at work?"

I nodded. "I've known him for eight years, I think I know a way to do this."

"Well, at least he knows my '_faith healing'_has proved effective, so that may help with his acceptance."

"Good point Kel--but remember, he's Sicilian, passionate and somewhat set in his ways. Although Cassy has loosened him up quite a bit." I chuckled, recalling just how cynical he was.

"There's also Mike and Cassandra's "freak-out" factor to consider." Gwen said. "Kel, you know this from first-hand knowledge, how would you describe your first experience with being taken between the worlds?"

"Oh, I didn't consider that. I'll admit, it was quite freaky, not only to see the world disappear, but that slightly displaced feeling took me by surprise, and the way the energy crackled over my fur like static when we shifted. Oh, and seeing the Guardian--I wanted to turn tail and Run!_And _I_was _prepared_for _it!_I have _no_idea how Mike or Cassy would react to something like_this." Kel shrugged, looking from Gwen, to me. The Girl had a point. We all were silent for a while, contemplating the situation. After a quick dinner of grilled salmon and salad, Kel and I needed to get ready for work. The phone rang...

"Coona residence, Gwen speaking."

"Gwen? It's Me, Cassy...I just wanted to thank you and Kel for _everything_you guys did for me. And--I'm just _so grateful_that I'm outta that place! And on top of it all, I found out I'm_preggers!"_Cassy practically crowed over the phone, sounding truly happy to be home.

"That's such good news hon," Gwen smiled, thinking Cassandra may not be alone in that. "Yeah, um... Is there anything we can bring over tomorrow?" Cassy asked. Gwen thought about that momentarily. "No, no hon, just yourselves. We can have a _nice_little get together, celebrate the good news, and Bar-B-Que something."

"Cassy? Now that I have you on the phone..." Gwen went over some of the ideas they had come up with. Ten minutes later...

"Cassandra? You there?" Gwen asked,

"=sniff= I don't know what to say--I'd hoped_you'd come up with _something, to help...but, but I didn't know _how_to--to ask; thanks Gwen. Mike's about to leave for work, it's nice to be home again, ya know? " Cassy giggled a bit.

"Oh yeah, know whatcha mean.." Gwen grinned into the phone.

"Um, can I call you back after Mike's gone?" Cassy asked hesitantly.

"Anytime, Cassandra. _you_know that." Gwen admonished gently.

"Thanks, C-YA!" Just then Gwen heard Kel and I were deciding _who_would drive us to work.

"No problem, really...I can drive us Rick."

"I know, Kel. It's just a guy thing."

Gwen held up her paws. "Hold it, you two. Why not just flip a coin?" She smiled, holding up a fifty-cent piece. Kel and I looked at each other.

"Call it!" Gwen sent the coin rapidly spinning towards the ceiling.

"Heads." I grinned.

"Tails!" Kel called, swishing her tail seductively as Gwen snatched the coin out of the air slapping it to the back of her paw...and showing it off "Tails, Kel's driving."

"Best two out of three?" I asked hopefully.

"Males!" Gwen snorted then chuckled at my exaggerated crestfallen look.

"Okay, okay. _She_can drive." I relented, tossing her the keys to my Prowler.

"Coolness!" Kel exclaimed, snatching the keys from the air.

"That was Cassandra on the phone, I briefed her on what we were planning and she said Mike should be okay with it." Gwen announced. "Just a heads up, when you speak with him tonight, love." Then she took me in a very passionate embrace. Breaking the kiss a few moments later, I just stood and blinked a moment "Glad you're driving tonight Kel, whew."

Gwen then took the vixen in her arms, gazing into her eyes.

"You've done a _grea_t job with Cassandra. I want you to know, I'm _proud_of you, Amanda." she said, hugging her apprentice, who sighed in the embrace.

"Have a good evening at work, you two."

As we walked to the garage, Kel said, "I've got my car here, ya know?"

"Yeah, I just thought you'd like to take the Prowler for a spin, it is fun to drive, ya know." I said with a knowing wink as I held the door for her.

Gwen went into the den to research Matter Transition, similar to the way she manifested Kel's spell book. The key seemed to be removing the_essence_of the projectile from her subtle bodies, allowing it to be exorcised from her physical one. _Simple_in theory, but further research and consultation would determine how feasible it would be in practice. For _anything_was possible through the use of magic. However, the _practicality_of the application depended upon the practitioner, and the need at hand.

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