Abigail comes in....

It was maybe five minutes later when Abigail Gates entered Aurthur's room. He looked over to her as she approached and nervously spoke up, "Hello Ms. Gates," he said as she sat in the chair his mother recently vacated.

Abigail let out a single bark of nervous laughter, "It's Abigail Mr. Wolfe, this isn't your classroom, nor is this as simple as a parent-teacher meeting."

"Okay Abigail, and it's Aurthur. From what my mother said it's not entirely unlike a Parent-teacher meeting, though probably a thousand times more complicated and scarier for all parties involved." Aurthur took a couple of deep, calming breaths before saying, "I know and understand we have much to discuss but let me ask one question before we continue. How is Aryca or Jax or," he stopped for a second, "How is she coping with everything, is she okay?"

Abigail flashed a sad smile, "She is doing good, I can't say great but better than when she initially woke up. I understand that it can't be easy learning to be a different person than you once were. I want to thank you for the concern you have for, I want to say both of her, but I'm not sure how to properly describe the situation in so few words." Abigial looked down for a second before raising her eyes back to him, "I wanted to speak with you before bringing Jax here to see you for your benefit as well as hers."

"I appreciate your concern for their well-being too. I don't know how much you know about Aryca and I, or our relationship," Aurthur said.

"When she first got out of the hospital and came to stay with me, Aryca told me the two of you met in your freshman year at college. She told me it was love at first sight and that you worked so hard that you managed to complete your degree a year early as not to be separated after she graduated. She also told me you had proposed to her shortly before the accident happened," Abigail explained.

"So, you pretty much know everything," he sighed. "My mother told me a little about your relationship with Jax, not all that she knows apparently but some basics like how she came to live with you and that she was special to you. I guess she wanted me to give you time to speak without inundating you with only concern for Aryca. However, this all works out, I want to know about Jax as well since she is the reason Aryca is still alive and a sacrifice like that must be honored. Please tell me about Jax as you knew her and Jax/Aryca as you've gotten to know her over the previous weeks?"

"I can see why she speaks so fondly of you Aurthur," Abigail said, not revealing which see, Aryca or his mother. "If you know how Jax came to live with me, your mother told you about her being an exchange student and her family's passing," she looked at Aurthur and he just nodded. "Well, Jax was an exchange student staying with my family you already know, however what you might not know is she was in her senior year. She was 15 years old, a true genius that was the cliché Asian super student. I was on a break in my first year of law school when we met, and I started to help her out of the shell she was in. I loved her as much as I did my own sister and after the car wreck that killed her family, she didn't want to lose her new one by going back home and into foster care with strangers. I tried to get my mother to attempt the adoption, but my father refused, said that they had raised their children and were not adding another. Needless to say, that this made me very angry with him, which was made worse when he tried to block me from adopting her. He thought that I was insane, trying to become a single mother to a second child barely nine years younger than myself. Truthfully, most people who knew me thought the same, but they at least heard me out about my reasons for it and supported me in whatever way they could. My father tried to block the adoption in several ways, not the least of which was closing the college fund account that was in his name, said he was willing to pay for my education, not for me to ruin my life. He said I was already a single mother and didn't need to compound that mistake. He called my first daughter, his own grandchild a mistake," She had a sad and somewhat angry look on her face at this, then calmed and continued with the story, "Fortunately, I was pretty much set financially for my education and living expenses. I had gotten an internship with an established law firm while still studying pre-law in college. This earned me a scholarship for law school and the position as an associate upon graduation. I also was working for the firm part time which was enough with roommates to pay for living expenses. I went to professors with questions regarding adoption law and advice on international adoption law and procedures. My faculty advisor come to me one evening after hearing about my research to ask me why I hadn't spoken with her about choosing Adoption Law as a topic for the assignment as we had previously discussed me writing my paper an aspect of criminal law that I won't bore you with. I explained that this wasn't for a paper and then told her the entire situation. Professor Carrde immediately made a couple of phone calls to people she knew, and the ball was in motion. She had a family law attorney who worked with her firm come and meet with Jax and me. The lawyer prepared us with brutal honestly about what may and actually was most likely to happen due to my being a single mother and student as well as other details working against us. Professor Carrde came to me a few days later to drag me to a bank. She walked me into the building, introduced me to a friend of hers who then led us into the bank managers office. About a confusing hour later we walked out of the bank, and I was holding the account information listing me as a signer. The account was named for Jax's family and was for her care, adoption and education. I'm still not sure who the gentleman was, but I am forever in his debt because with that account and the support I got from Professor Carrde and the lawyer she sent me the adoption went through. As soon as the adoption was official Jax and I went to the school administration and she tested out, graduating with her high school diploma and a GPA of 4.2. Like I said she was a genius. She moved in with me and my roommates where I finished law school while she started college herself. Since then, we've been inseparable, and I wouldn't have changed that for anything." She paused in her tale, tears running down her cheeks freely now, "Jax was my adopted daughter and older sister to my first child. Her loss as hit Kasey hard but I couldn't lie to her and pretend that Aryca was the same Jax she knew. Aryca agreed completely with this before she even got out of the hospital and Kasey knows not to speak of the change to anyone. Since then, I've been spending a large amount of time with Jax/Aryca getting them used to who they are now and coming to love that person also."

"Thank you for telling me all of that Abigail, there were portions of that you could have kept to yourself without losing the message," Aurthur spoke with sincerity. "You keep saying Jax or Aryca and then sometimes both together or referring to her as they, so I have to ask for clarification on this? I'm apologizing not if my speech and manners are stiff and formal, it's a way of me dealing with stress and remaining calm since I don't want to be knocked out again or have you leave before we talk more."

"That's fine Aurthur, this can't be any easier for you, given how much you love Aryca," Abigail said. "I will explain as best I can from what the doctors told Jax, Aryca and I. As you might remember, they only transplanted portions of Aryca's brain into Jax's body, grafting the two portions of brain together, mostly this was the portions of the brain controlling autonomic functions that were left from Jax. It seems that those same portions control muscle memory, knowledge of skills and apparently, or at least the prevailing theory is, the subconscious is partially in those sections of the brain. This means that while the prevailing mind, conscious and memories are Aryca there are bits of Jax in there as well. The good news is that there is complete control of the body, they can move normal and feel everything the way they should be able to. The other side of thing is that her taste buds have changed, as Aryca has said she likes things she wouldn't eat before and some of her old favorites don't taste right anymore. This is why Jax wanted me to talk to you before you saw her, another subconscious thing, Jax/Aryca seems to see and speak with me like I'm her adoptive mother, not exactly like Jax but similar. She's a little scared to come see you as her new self, thinking you won't see Aryca beneath the surface, scared that since she looks different your feelings for her won't be there. That being said, before I agree to bring her to see you, you need to convince me you'll be able to handle her with care because I already love that young woman like she was my own and I won't see her hurt."

"I understand Abigail and the last thing I would want to do if hurt Aryca/Jax or anyone really. Given the strange situation I also don't want to hurt you or Kasey. I want so much to see and speak with Aryca, however you're right that I need to respect her fears and be sure of my own feelings. I haven't even seen her family since the accident, do you know what's happening with them?" Aurthur asked.

"That's something you'll need to discuss with her yourself. However, I'll tell you not to expect to see them anytime soon. Beyond that, its Jax's story to tell you. That's the other thing, she has been throwing herself fully into becoming Jax and wants to be called Jax in private as well as public. I'm sure she'll understand you calling her Aryca, but I need to call her Jax as she asked me to. I'll be going now, and I'll call you in a couple of days to see if you're ready to see and speak to her." She stood up and headed out, stopping in the doorway she turned back, "Thank you for hearing me out and being patient. You're just like your mother and Aryca described. Take care of yourself and get well quickly for both of your sakes."