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[x-firestar.livejournal.com]

On the way home from church, Angelica and her mom realize the hard way that Angel is different.



"...and then we'll get in touch with Dr. Morris, alright, Angel? Angel? Sweetie, wake up, I know you're not feeling good but you'll get car sick..."

Angelica Jones jerked up, shaken out of her light doze by her mothers hand on her leg. "Sorry, mom," she muttered, scrubbing her face with her hands. Lifting her head, she blinked as the buildings flew by. "Wow, I really dozed off for a few, didn't I?"

Elizabeth glanced over, smiling, as she reached up to smooth down Angel's mussed up red hair. "Must have been all the talking I was doing. Good thing that's never happened to me in court."

Giggling slightly, the younger woman ducked out from under Elizabeth's mothering, whining, "Moooom, stop it."

"Yes, dear."

"You're laughing at me."

"Maybe a little bit. How are you feeling now? I know you said you were feeling sick in the middle of church."

"About the same, I guess," Angel said, unbuttoning another button on her white shirt, "just all overheated and stuff. Felt like Reverend Gains forgot to put on the air conditioning, you know?"

At that, Elizabeth frowned as she navigated traffic. The AC had actually been on full blast, most of the congregation had been pretty comfortable, if not downright chilly. But there Angel had been sweating up a storm like she had been for the last two weeks.

"That does it, you're going to see Dr. Morris tomorrow. It has to do with the fact that you just started your period the other week, there's no other explanation and..."

"Mom?" Angel interrupted miserably, unbuckling her seat belt and hunching over to get closer to the cold air coming out of the cars vents. Though she really had no idea if it was cold, everything lately had felt luke warm...except now it felt like the heat was on. She knew the AC was on, she could feel the air brushing against her skin but it felt so off. "I really, really don't feel good...can you pull over?"

"Hang on, sweetheart." Grimly, her mother put on her hazards and started to slide over, the shoulder looking impossibly far away.

It felt like she was on fire, the weirdest sensation running up and down her skin. With shaking hands, Angel hastily rolled up the sleeves on her shirt, trying to get as much skin as she could exposed to some moving air. Hunching over even more, she stared miserably down at herself as she did this, wondering if her mom was right and this was tied to her period. She'd gotten it really late, fourteen and a half, and the first time had been pretty painful.

Dr. Morris had delivered her...he'd know what was wrong and he'd be able to fix it so she could...

"Ow," Angel whimpered, hands clenching on her upper arms. It felt like the heat was trying to push its way out, trying to ooze its way out of her skin because maybe it had no where else to go since the rest of her felt hot and feverish. "Just...ow."

A flicker of blue caught her attention and she nearly pitched into the dashboard as her mom slammed on the brakes, honking at someone who wouldn't let her over. Angel's breath caught in her throat as she stared down at her feet, one hand now bracing herself.

Her shoes were on fire...no, that...no, just no.

Close eyes, concentrate on breathing, open eyes.

The small fire had spread, eating it's way merrily along the floor board and, in the other direction, up her pants leg.

"Mommy!"

The scream, filled with panic and raw fear, cut right to Elizabeth's heart and she paid no attention to the traffic as turned to look at Angelica. In one terrifying glance she saw her daughter hastily scrambling to put out the blue--blue--flames licking up on her legs.

Turning the wheel sharply, she finally managed to cut through traffic and somehow put the car into park, unbuckling her seat belt all in one frantic move. Grabbing the suit jacket that she'd tossed onto the elbow rest in-between the front seats, Elizabeth lunged for Angel, grabbing her around the shoulders as she scrambled for the handle of the door.

Both of them tumbled out of the car, unknown words rushing out of Elizabeth's mouth.

"Roll, Angel, come on sweetie just help me it's okay I love you love you love love oh my God love you..."

What felt like hours but meer minutes later, Angel was huddled around Elizabeth's midsection, clutching her tightly for all she was worth. The ruined suit jacket covered the remains of the teenagers slacks, tucked under slightly to protect her skin from the gravel and whatever else was littered on the side of the road.

And as Elizabeth dialed 911 on her cell phone, one arm holding Angel as tightly as she could without hurting her, neither of them could stop staring--both through tears in their eyes--at the hands that clutched the mothers front.

The perfectly unburned, shaking hands that wouldn't let go even when the ambulance arrived.