"Alex!  Get your butt down here!"  yelled his little sister Leena.  The Mclean family was going on a nice vacation that day and Alex was making them late.  If your lost now, here's the scoop.  A.j. and Amanda were wed and a few years later had children.  Alex jr. who is 15 and Leena who is 10.  Needless to say, Alex inherited some of his fathers attitude.

"Why do I have to go?  I'm old enough to say home by myself."  he said as he walked dow the steps.

"Because Mommy said so!"  she smiled.  He just glared at her.

"Get the heck away from me."  he said sternly.  Leenas eyes widened as if she was going to cry.

"Alexander!  What have I told you about being mean to your sister?"  Alex turned to face his father.

"I didn't do anything."  he grumbled.  "Why do we have to go on this stupid vacation anyway?"

"It's not stupid.  Shape up your attitude mister and get to the car."  ordered A.j..  This time Alex didn't fight it.  He just put on his sunglasses and headed out.  A car had just pulled up and a young woman climbed out of it.

"Auntie Kari!"  yelled Leena as she ran to her.  Kari scooped her up into a hug.

"Hey girl, how you doin?"  Kari said with a smiled.  She then put the girl down and approached A.j. and Amanda.

"Hello Kari.  Thanks so much for doing this."  said Amanda as she handed her a set of house keys.

"No problem.  David's home with the kids anyway."  she answered.  A.j. smiled.

"It's hard even now to imagine you all grown up and on your own."  he said as he held her hand.  Suddenly, there was a blast from the car horn.  They all turned and laughed.

"We'd better get going.  Somebody's getting a little impatient."  said Amanda.  They climbed into the car and A.j. started it up.

"Have a good time."  Kari called A.j. waved out the window and backed out of the driveway.  They were on their way.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

About four hours later they were still on the road when the car gave a sudden jolt.

"What was that?"  asked Alex.  Leena shrugged.

"Oh no!  Looks like the oils going out or something.  We'll have to stop in that town."  said A.j., pointed at the town just ahead.  Fifteen minutes later they were at a shop and a mechanic was checking it out.  Alex just sat there as if it were his fathers fault.

"Looks like it'll be a wait.  There's a nice hotel across the street."  the mechanic finally said to A.j..  A.j. sighed and turned to Amanda.

"Round up the kids and i'll get the stuff.  Looks like we're stuck here for the night."  he said.  She nodded and called the kids Over.  A.j. grabbed the bags.  They walked across the street and opened the doors to the hotel lobby.  A.j. left Amanda while he went to check in.

"Mommy, is the car broken?"  asked Leena.

"Yep, but it will be fixed tomorrow."  she explained.  Leena opened her mouth to say something else when her dad returned with two room keys in his hand.

"Top floor."  he said.  They guided the kids to the elevator and headed to the top floor.  The elevator binged and they climbed off.  They walked down the hall and stopped in front of one of the doors.  A.j. opened it up.  It was Alex and Leena's room.  Amanda told Alex to keep an eye on his sister and closed the door.  They proceeded into their own room and the door snapped shut behind them.

"We know this town."  whispered Amanda.  A.j. nodded.

"After all these years, I never thought i'd be back here.  Where that somewhat nightmare happened."  he said.

"Hopefully that little shop downtown isn't there anymore.  I mean, it's been almost twenty years.  That little lady was really old."  his wife said.

"You know, your right.  What happened to me and you probably will never happen again.  Probably never has either."  he said quickly.  Amanda got up and gave him a kiss.

"Don't tell the kids.  They wouldn't understand and it's just plain weird."  she said looking into his eyes.

"I promise.  Leena and Alex will never know of what I became the last time we stopped here."  he answered.  Suddenly, there was a knock on the door.  A.j. walked over and opened it, only to see his children.

"Can we go around town and look at the shops?"  asked Leena.  A.j.'s eyebrows lowered.

"She begged me for a long time to ask and I cracked."  said Alex with no emotion.  A.j. looked over at Amanda.  All she did was smile.  A.j. let out a sigh.

"Alright, but no talking to strange people Leena, Alex don't ditch your sister and...."

"Don't spend it all in one place.  We know Dad."  said Alex.

"Thanks Daddy.  See you later!"  said Leena.  She grabbed her brother and they went running down the hallway to the elevator.  A.j. shut the door.

"They'll be o.k..  They aren't as dumb as you were."  she giggled.  A.j. smiled.

"I hope your right honey, I hope your right."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Come on Alex!  I wanna go in here!"  whined Leena as she pulled on her brothers sleeve.  He pulled back and she let go.

"I didn't even want to come here in the first place.  You go off by yourself you little worm."  he snapped.  He turned his back to her.

"You know, Daddy was right.  You do have a bad attitude!"  she yelled.  Alex slowly turned around.

"Oh yeah?  Where do you think I get it from.  I've seen all of the tapes from when Dad was younger and in that band with the guys.  He acted the same way so there's nothing he can do to stop me from doing the same thing."  he said lividly.  Leena just stared him down.

"Listen, your my big brother and you have to watch over me.  I want to go into this store or i'll go back and tell."  she said.  Alex just gave her a mean look and then sighed.

"Fine.  You don't tell and i'll take you to what ever store you want to go."  he said.  Leena smiled.

"I want to go in that one!"  she laughed.  Alex turned to look.

"The Blue Tiger?  Why would you want to go in there?"  he said with one eyebrow lifted.

"Because it sounds cool.  Now come on!"  she shouted, grabbing his sleeve again.  The bell about the doorway jingled as they entered the little shop.  The stopped right where they were.

"Wow."  said Leena as she gazed upon the many strange objects.  Alex walked over and picked one up.

"Cool, hey Leena!  Come here, I want to pick out your brain!"  he laughed.  Leena's giggled at her now sweeter brother.

"Can I help you children?"  a voice said from behind.   Alex dropped the object and quickly turned around to see a little old lady.

"Oh, hello.  We're just looking."  said Leena.  The old woman approached the small girl.

"You are out of towners.  Welcome."  she said.  "I hope you like my shop."

"Oh yes.  We don't have places like this where we live."  she said to the nice lady.  Alex just scoffed.  The lady turned to him.

"Is there something wrong?"  she asked.  Alex pulled off his sunglasses.

"Nope, everything's just peachy keen."  he said with sarcasm.

"Oh, just ignore him."  said Leena.  The old woman smiled.

"Would you like to come back and have your palm read?"  she asked.  Leena thought for a moment.

"Alright.  How much?"  she asked.

"For a nice girl like you, only two dollars."  she said.  she then lowered her voice, "Your brother I would probably want twenty."  Leena giggled.

"Great.  Come on Alex, this will be fun!"  she said as she walked with the old woman into the back.  Alex just follow with a mean look on his face.  The woman told Leena to have a seat and she sat across from her.

"Now, I need your name."  she asked.

"My names Leena."  she answered.

"Well Leena, my names Agatha.  Nice to meet you.  Shall we begin?"  she asked.  Leena nodded and Agatha picked up her hand.  She examined the lines and how they went.

"And she's wasting her money on this?"  Alex thought to himself as he watched.  Agatha finally put her hand down.

"I see you have a long life line.  That is very good.  I also see you have a nice love line.  You will meet the one you will spend the rest of your days with in a short time."  she said.  Leena giggled in excitement.

"Did you hear that Alex?  I'm going to meet the one I love!"  she squealed.

"Yeah right.  Leena, palm readers can't even tell you what you will have for breakfast, why would they know you stupid love life?"  he snapped.  Agatha's eyebrows turned down.

"I'll not have you speak badly about what I do."  she said.  Alex just laughed.

"Oh yeah?  What are going to do?"  he said.

"Sit down, and I will tell you a story of the last person who was awful to me."  she said coldly.  Leena pushed her brother into a seat.  Agatha cleared her throat.

"About twenty years ago, a young man came into my store.  His heart was cold and he was horribly mean.  So, I placed a curse on him."  she started.  Leena gasped.

"What kind of curse?"  she asked.

"The worst kind.  The kind that lets the evil inside of you come out.  He walked out of my store and he thought he would never be back.  But he was wrong.  A few hours later he returned with a young lady.  He didn't look like they way he did at all."  she said.

"What did he look like?"  Leena asked again.  Agatha smiled.

"I shall show you dear child."  she said.  She got up and picked a bottle off of her shelf.

"Come, I will show you."  she said, motioning to a giant cauldron.  Leena looked inside to see nothing but liquid.  Then Agatha poured in the stuff from the bottle and it sizzled.  The smoked cleared and Leena gasped at what she saw.

"He looked like one of those creatures on an old cartoon show."  she said.  She could see the wings, the claws.  The whole body except the head.  When she went down for a better look, it quickly disappeared.

"Yeah right!  This thing must be wired with t.v. signals or something.  We are going now Leena!"  said Alex.  Before Leena could say anything, Alex grabbed her and pulled her out of the small room.  Agatha followed them.

"Don't hurt her!  She did nothing to you!"  she said sternly.  Alex turned.

"Shut up you old bag and mind your own business!"  he yelled.  Suddenly, the front door banged shut.  Agatha looked mad.

"I warned you boy!  I told you about that young man but you wouldn't listen!  I place the same curse upon you!  May your evils come out and destroy you!"  she yelled.  Now Alex and Leena were scared.  Alex grabbed the doorknob and opened the door.  They ran out and slammed the door behind them.

"You idiot!"  yelled Leena.  He began to walk down the road.

"Yeah yeah, the old lady can't do anything!  She's a fake."  he said.  Leena stopped stopped where she was.

"Alex, that wasn't fake.  She poured that stuff in the pot and the image came up.  There was no trick to it."  she yelled.

"Yes it was!  She scammed you out of your money and thats that.  Now come on, were going back to the hotel."  he yelled back.  This time Leena didn't fight it.  Her brother was always like this.  As they were walking down the sidewalk, Leena noticed Alex rubbing his mouth.

"What's the matter?"  she asked him.

"Nothing.  My teeth just really itch and hurt." he said not even looking at her.  She pulled on his arm.

"Let me see."  she said.  He sighed and opened his mouth.  Leena let out a loud gasp that shocked Alex.

"What?"  he asked.  Leena again grabbed his arm and pulled him into this little alleyway.  "Lee, what's your problem?"

"Alex, you have fangs!"  she said with a whisper.  Alex stood in silence.

"Please don't tell me your serious."  he said.  All she could do was nod.

"Look in that window and you'll see."  she said, pointing to a dusty window in the corner.  He rolled his eyes and walked to it.  He dusted it off and looked inside his mouth.  He to gasped at what he saw.

"Oh my god, you were right!"  he said.

"We have to go tell Mom and Dad.  It's the curse Alex!"  she said with fear.

"No!  It's probably nothing.  Just the sunlight.  Now come on."  he said.  Just as he reached for his sister, he double over in pain.

"Alex!"  screamed Leena as she rushed to her brothers side.  He looked up at her.  His eyes had gone blood red and Leena screamed louder.

"Help me!"  he said softly.  His hands had began to change shape.  His heels began to lift from his shoes.

"I going and getting Mom and Dad."  Leena said quickly.

"Lee, no!"  he yelled but she didn't listen.  She took off out of the ally at full speed, leaving her brother behind.  She didn't stop until she reached the hotel again.  She opened the doors and ran through the lobby.

"Whoa, slow down there missy." said the guys at the desk.  She didn't listen, she just kept on running.  She even took the steps to make it faster.  She ran down the hallway and finally stopped in front of her parents door.  She began to pound on it.

"MOM!  DAD!  MOM!  DAD!"  she yelled.  The door opened and she grabbed her mother around the waist.

"Leena?  What's going on, where's your brother?"  asked A.j..  Leena couldn't talk yet from all the running.

"Leena, Lee honey.  Did something happen to Alex?"  asked Amanda with concern.  Leena nodded.

"We were in this store and this really cool fortune teller lady gave me my fortune and then told us a story about this one guy.  Alex was being really mean and she did something to him and now he's hurt."  she spat out through tears.

"WHAT!?  We've gotta go find him.  Lee, take us to where you were."  said A.j..  He quickly went to the door and pushed his family out.  They to took the stairs and were out the door to the open streets in no time.   Leena brought them to where she had left Alex.  Sadly, he was no longer there.

"Oh my god, something's happened to my son."  Amanda said under her breath.  A.j. began to look around and small ally.

"Daddy!  Look."  said Leena.  He looked down.  There were Alex's now torn up tennis shoes and pieces of clothing.

"Leena, you need to tell us everything."  A.j. said.

"He turned into something.  I don't know, I left before most of it happened.  All I know is that he has red eyes now."  she said, still crying.

"Turned into something.  Oh no."  he said.  He looked to his wife.  Then back to his daughter.

"This lady.  What store did she run?"  he asked her.

"The Blue Tiger."  Lee answered.  A.j. and Amanda's eyes went wide.

"We have to go there."  he said.  Now Leena's eyes grew wide and she began to lead her mother down the walkway.  She stopped in front the old shop.

"Just as I remember it."  said A.j..  They walked up the stairs and went inside.

"Agatha?"  yelled Leena.  They all looked to see a small head poke out from the back area.

"Why, little Leena.  Why have you returned?"  she asked in surprise.  Thats when she saw A.j. and backed up.

"Hello Agatha.  Remember me?"  he asked.  Agatha stood up straight.

"Yes, yes I do.  I never thought you would return to my store.  Not after what I did to you."  she said.

"Agatha.  They want to know what you did to Alex.  My brother."  said Leena.

"That boy was your son?  Oh my."  she answered.  She motioned them to some with her to the back and they followed.

"Listen, all I want to know is what happened to my boy."  he said.  Agatha turned to him.

"The same thing that happened to you so many years ago.  The same way you got that way to."  she said with slits for eyes.

"Aggy, why don't you show us like you showed me that one guy earlier."  the small girl spoke up.  A smile came to Agathas wrinkled face.

"Why, thats a wonderful idea little one.  Just a second."  she walked back over and picked up the same bottle as before.  She opened it and poured some into the cauldron.  It flashed and an image came to it.

"My son!"  cried Amanda.  The thing that they were looking was indeed their son, but he was now changed.  He had two wings, a tail and claws.  His eyes were blood red and had a few protrusions from his skull.  His heels went upward so it looked like he was walking on his toes.  This was all to familiar to A.j. and Amanda.

"Just like me."  whispered A.j..  He shook his head in sadness.  Suddenly, they saw the image jump up and was gone.

"Alex!"  Amanda yelled, now in tears herself.  A.j. put his arms around his wife to comfort her.

"You must go find him Alexander James.  He may look like you did but he has an evil inside.  Who knows when that could come out."  Aggy said in horror.  A.j. looked at Amanda and she looked at him.

"Your right.  Lets go, we have to cover as much ground as possible."  said Amanda.  She took her daughter by the hand and was about to leave the room when....

"Wait.  I have an idea."  said A.j..  His wife and daughter stopped.  The young man turned to the old woman.

"All of us going by ground wouldn't make the matter easier.  One of us should go by air."  he said.  Amanda put a hand to her mouth.

"You mean, return you to that form you once were?"  Aggy said in shock.  A.j. nodded.

"A.j., honey, no!"  Amanda cried out.  A.j. gave her a look of compassion.

"We both love our son dearly.  If we are ever to find him, this is the way."  he said.

"Wow, nice speech Daddy."  Leena suddenly said.  A.j. snickered.  The turned back to Agatha.

"Well, what do you say?"  he said with one eyebrow raised.

"It can be done, but it cannot be undone unless you return to me."  she warned.

"That can be done, believe me."  he answered.  Aggy went back to her little rack of potions and pulled on down marked with an X.  she then pulled out a small dropper.  She opened the bottle up and drew some up into the dropper.  She then handed the dropper to A.j..

"Put two drops on each wrist.  Then prepare for a little sting.  Then you will be set to go."  she instructed.  A.j. looked into the eyes of his wife and daughter.  Amanda was crying again.

"Don't worry Mandy.  I'll be fine.  You'll see."  he said softly.  He let two drops of the greenish liquid onto one wrist.  It was absorbed almost instantly.  His hands were shaking.

"Daddy, don't be scared."  Leena said softly.  With those words, A.j. took a deep breath and let two drops fall to the other wrist.  A red light engulfed him and he let out a scream.  The light grew to bright for anyone to see him.

"A.j.!"  screamed Amanda.  The light flashed, forcing her to back up with her daughter.  Then the light died.  Amanda looked up to see her loving husband not the way she had married him.  The way he was that one fateful night.

"Whoa.  You look cool Dad!"  smiled Leena.  He smiled back.  His fangs gleamed in the light.  His eyes returned to Amanda, who was still shaking.

"Amanda look, I came out o.k..  There's nothing to be afraid of."  he said careingly.  He took one of her hands into one of his massive claws.  She gazed into his blood red eyes.

"I think you'd better go find your son."  spoke up Agatha.

"I think your right.  We'll look everywhere down here.  A.j., be careful up there."  said Amanda.  He gave her a kiss on the cheek and was ready to go out the door when Agatha stepped in front of him.

"I think it's best you go from the back.  I don't know about you but seeing something like you would hit the papers faster than anything."  she said.

"Oh, yeah right.  Great idea."  he said quickly.  She opened the door in back and he walked out.  He then opened his wings and jumped up.  He was air born.

"Bye Daddy!  Bring back Alex as soon as you can!"  yelled Leena.  He waved to her and flew upward.  He didn't know if he was going to find the son he loved, or lose him forever.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"This is not happening.  This has to be a dream."  Alex thought to himself.  He had come to rest on top of a high building.  Away from eyes.  He just kept looking at his hands.

"Alright Alex, you can do this.  This is just one of those flying dreams only this time it feels real.  There's no old lady and there was no vacation to start with.  I'm home in my bed right now safe from anything."  he said to himself.  He stopped.

"Who am I talking to?"  he asked himself.  He let out a sigh and looked up at the dark blue sky.  He looked down at himself again.  His feet looked more like an animals than his own.  His skin was a bluish purple color and his wings were wrapped around him like a cloak.

"Leena, i'm sorry I didn't listen to you.  I'm sorry for this all."  he whispered.  He climbed onto the ledge and looked down again.  The city was lit up with headlights and streetlights.  How he longed to join the people down there.  A tear slid down his cheek as he jumped from the ledge and spread his wings.  He had to get away from here.  But where would he go?  His uncles wouldn't understand.  Not even uncle Brian.  His Aunt Kari would scream.  He couldn't go to his girlfriend Christa. There was no where to go.

"Nobody wants me."  he whispered again.  Suddenly, he got this strange feeling that he was being followed.  He turned his head to see something flying at him.  Something like him, only bigger.

"Holy crap!"  he yelled and began to move as fast as he could.  The thing continued to follow him.  He tried flying higher and it still followed.  He tried going into a dive and that didn't work.

"Think Alex, think!  What would my buds do in this situation."  he said to himself.  As he thought, the other creature gained some ground.  It's eyes were glowing a fire red.

"I know!"  he yelled.  He turned around and stopped.  "You wanna piece of me?  Bring it on!"  he yelled at it.  It's eyes gave Alex the feeling that it was shocked, but it still didn't slow down.  When it came close enough, he scraped his claws down its arm and punched it in the face.

"Bullseye!"  laughed Alex.  The creature screamed and begin to fall.  Alex watched it as it descended and hit the top of a building.  He just laughed at it.  Yet, a part of him told him to go check on it.  He brushed that off but never forgot it.  He was just happy the thing was gone.  He then flew off, not knowing if it were dead or alive.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

A.j. slammed into the rooftop with great force.  His arm bleeding and his head hurt.  He never knew his son could do something like that.

"Ow."  he said softly as he pulled himself up.  He checked out the injury on his arm and was relieved to see that his son didn't hit anything major on his wrist.  But his arm was still bleeding.  He pulled a bandana out of his pocket and wrapped it around his arm.  It didn't cover the whole thing but it was a start.

"Thats gonna leave a mark worst than those tattoos."  he said.  He then grabbed a small walkie talkie and pressed the small button on side.

"High flier to hot honey, come in hot honey."  he said into it.

"Hot honey here.  What's the news Daddy?"  Leena relayed in.  A.j. laughed.

"Where's your mother?"  he asked her.  The next voice that came over was Amanda's.

"A.j.?  Where are you?  Did you find him?"  she said quickly

"I'm on a rooftop somewhere in town and yes I found him."  he answered.  He heard her gasp in excitement.

"You found him!  Is he there with you?"  she asked.  A.j. paused.  He didn't know what to say to her.  I guess he should just come out with the truth.

"Honey, he didn't know it was me.  He attacked me and scratched me up pretty bad.  I have a feeling that he's watching me right now."  he answered.

"Attacked you?  Oh my, is it that bad?" she said

"It's alright, i'm alright.  Don't worry sweetie, i'll catch him.  Lets just hope he doesn't kill me first.  High Flier over and out."  he answered.  Amanda was about to say something but he turned it off.  He looked up at the sky again.  Indeed, he was still there.  Watching A.j.'s every move.  It was now or never.

"You hurt me again, and you are so grounded."  he said to himself as he leaped from the building.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Coming back for more?  Well come and get me!"  Alex yelled as he saw it fly up.  He could see it was coming at him, injury or not.

"If you want me, you gotta catch me!"  he taunted.  He spun around and began to fly in a zig-zag pattern to try and lose him again.  It worked a bit because the creature was weak.

"Stop!"  it cried out.  Alex again laughed.

"No way dude!  After you butt ugly!"  he said to it.  This made it kind of mad.  It's eyes began to glow again.  This went on for about an hour and they both began to tire out.  Alex could see the other one was still bleeding, but he did notice something else.  The blood was red.  Usually monsters had different colors of blood but this ones was like humans blood.

"You!  Your that guy Agatha showed!"  he realized.  He stopped where he was and just hung in the air.  The other stopped to and they stared at each other.  The creature kept in shadow.

"I don't want to hurt you Alex."  it said in a breathy voice.  Alex had heard that voice before but didn't know where.

"How, how did you know my name?"  he asked.  The creature cam closer but Alex backed up.  "No!  I don't want to be like you!  I have a family and girlfriend.  You can't take me!"

"I too have those, but I have a wife rather than a girlfriend."  it said.

"And what?  Little demon children?  No, You stay away from me or i'll make you hurt even more!"  he screamed.  He turned to leave.

"Wait."  it said.  Alex stopped and turned back.

"What now?"  he said sarcastically.

"My children are not demons.  Although the sure act like it sometimes.  I have a son and a daughter whom I love very much.  I have a wife and four best friends who are like my brothers."   it called.  Alex had the look of shock.  It didn't fear getting hurt by him, but was telling him a good reason not to.

"You know, that sounds like my family.  I have a little sis who's a pain in the butt, my Mom's pretty cool, and my Dad and my uncles were in a band together."  he said.

"I know."  it said again.  This was getting plain weird.

"How the heck would you know?"  he asked again.

"I just do.  Come back with me Alex.  Please trust me.  I can help you."  it said.  It held out a hand and Alex could see it's entire arm.  It had several tattoos and was wearing a ring Alex knew right away.  He gasped in horror and shock.

"Oh my god, Dad?"  he said loudly.  The thing chuckled and came into the light.  I was his Dad.

"Yep, it's your old man."  he answered.  Then he cringed in pain.  Alex flew to his side to catch him.  He felt the bandana that covered the wound in his hand.

"Oh Dad, I'm so sorry.  I didn't know.  We have to land, now."  he ordered.  He guided his hurt father to another rooftop.  A.j. fell on his side, to weak to stand well.  Thats when Alex heard something come from his pocket.

"A.j., A.j. dang it I know you can here me!"  it said.  Alex reached into A.j.'s pocket and pulled out a walkie talkie.  The voice was his mom's.  He pressed the talk button.

"Mom?"  he said into it.

"Alex, is that you?"  She said with excitement.  Alex smiled.

"Yeah Mom, it's me.  Listen, Dad's in really bad shape.  We're coming back.  I love you."  he answered

"I love you to Alex.  Please come back quickly.  If anything happened to you two, I don't know what I would do."  she said with a bit of fear in her voice.  Alex placed the walkie talkie into his own pocket and turned back to his wounded father.  He put one arm around his shoulders.

"Thank you Alex."  A.j. said softly.  Alex smiled and jumped from the roof, heading back to the old shop.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Mom, is Dad o.k.?"  asked Leena after over hearing the radio conversation.  Amanda looked up.

"Oh sweetie, of course he is.  He found Alex and now Alex is helping him.  Both of them are going to be fine."  she answered.  She knew she was lying and that she really didn't know but, why worry someone who probably doesn't really understand the whole thing.

"Daddy and Alex are going to come back and be normal again?"  she asked again.  Agatha cleared her throat.

"Yes dear.  I have something special that will restore them to their natural state."  she explained.  Leena calmed down a bit.  Suddenly, there was a loud thud next to the backdoor.  Everyone looked up to see Alex and A.j. coming in.

"Your alive!"  cried Amanda as she ran up and hugged them.  A.j. was still in bad shape but he could stand again.  His wife looked at his arm and face.

"Oh honey."  she gasped as she saw how serious they were.

"It's my fault Mom.  I didn't know.  I'm sorry."  Alex said with tears in his eyes.  Amanda took him into her arms.

"I can cure the scratched but the black eye will have to heal on its own."  said Agatha.  Once again she went to her shelf of stuff you don't even want to know about and grabbed two bottles.  She set one down and picked up something that looked like an oversized Q-tip.  She then approached A.j. and took the bandana off his arm.

"What will that stuff do?"  asked Leena.

"It will close the wounds and make it so it was like it never happened."  answered Agatha.  She turned her attention to A.j.  "This may sting a bit but not for long."  She dipped the Q-tip thing into the bottle and brought it back up.  She swiped the yellowish stuff across one of the scratches.  In a few seconds, there was nothing left.  She repeated this until the scratches were all gone.  A.j. looked down at his arm.

"Wow, thank you."  he said.  Agatha gave him a half smile.

"Now to change you back.  You might remember how this is done Alexander James."  she said.  She poured some of the stuff into two cup looking things and handed them to the two.

"Good-bye new body, hello old one."  sighed Alex.  At the same time, they drank the liquid.  There was a flash of light and then it was over.  Amanda and Leena looked up to see Alex and A.j., they way they always were.

"My boys!"  laughed Amanda.  She hugged them both again and the Alex grabbed his little sister into a hug.

"I owe this all to you worm.  If it weren't for you, I probably wouldn't be here."  he said to her.

"Um, Alex?  Leena can't breathe."  she answered.  He laughed a bit and set her down.  A.j. turned to face Agatha.

"I don't think I can thank you enough."  he said.

"Just once was enough.  I think you'd better get going.  The little one looks tired."  she said.  A.j. looked at Amanda.

"I think your right."  said Amanda.  The two took each other by the hand and the family left the small store.  Never to return again.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

A few days later the Mclean family pulled into their own driveway.  They were all glad to be home after that vacation.  Leena and Alex jumped out of the car.  Their Aunt Kari came out of the house.

"Hello all.  Did you guys have fun?"  she asked.

"Oh yeah!  The place we went to had a waterside!"  giggled Leena.  Kari smiled.

"That sounds like fun."  she said.

"Well, its great to be home again.  You never really know what you miss until its gone."  smiled A.j.  Kari then turned to Alex.

"There's somebody waiting inside to see you."  she said to him.  His eyes went wide.

"Really?  Who?"  he asked.

"Just go and see."  she answered.  Alex ran for the house and through the open door.  There he saw a girl sitting in the living room.

"Christa!"  he yelled.  She turned around to see him.

"Alex!"  she got up from her seat and they hugged each other.  Then they gave each other a little kiss.

"You have no idea how much I missed you."  he said.  She laughed as he let her go from his arms.

"Well, how was it.  Was it as horrible as you kept saying it would be?"  she asked.  He chuckled a bit.

"If only you knew Christa.  If only you knew."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*


Well, it's me again.  I guess Alex never really had any evil in him at all.  Thats a shame.  Here I thought I was going to have a son of my own.  Better luck next time.  Escaped evil is so hard to come by.  But luckily, I have that witch to help me out.  The next one could be any of you.  (beep beep.)  Blast!  I have to leave you now.  Eminem's angel side is trying to come out again.  We can't have that happening now can we?  NIGHTY NIGHT!