Abby reflects.

Lucy looked up at her sister as the car rumbled to life. Abigail smiled back at her older sister turned pet. She had been so excited to follow along with the progress updates of Lucy's first day as a pet, only to be horrified as she listened in on her parents' phone call on the long drive to pick her up. She didn't know what she'd do if the things she'd overheard about Lucy becoming violent were true.

But the moment she'd seen Lucy's delicate form in that cage her worries had fallen away. It wasn't good that she was still talking, and it broke Abby's heart to see her so scared, but she wasn't acting like some dangerous animal. She'd probably just lashed out because she'd been pushed too hard. Now that Lucy was back with her family they could set things right.

If only Lucy hadn't been at college when it happened! What awful timing, things would have gone so much smoother if she'd heard the truth from her parents instead of being mistreated here. Abby started playing with Lucy's hair sympathetically, and her thoughts were confirmed when Lucy closed her eyes and snuggled deeper into her lap.

For a while they just drove on like that, the parents in tense silence up front and the sisters in comfortable silence in the back. Their mother hadn't reacted well to seeing Lucy in that cage, but she'd been enthusiastic about her transition before. Abby was sure she could get her to accept Lucy again, and keep her dad's attempts to be strict at bay. Lucy needed tender care and support, not tough love and discipline. She would never accept what she was if it was beaten into her, someone had to show her that letting go of her humanity could be a good thing.

So when they stopped at a gas station for a bathroom break and to fill the tank, Abby bought a bag of gummy bears. But instead of opening the bag, she tucked it into her backpack and pulled out the bag of treats instead. Her parents thought nothing of it when they heard the crinkle of plastic and soon Abby was feeding Lucy again, this time dropping the treats into her mouth one by one. It was a shame Lucy couldn't lick them off her hand this time, but also a good thing; her parents would know something was up if they heard her giggle because Lucy's tongue tickled her palm.

And so they drove on, mile after mile on their way home.