"Chloe! Oh my gosh!" Nicole cried, "You can actually do that!?"

I smirked, "Of course I can." I shifted Nicole to a cat, and Jessie picked her up and jumped with glee. Nicole hissed at me and I merely smiled.

Barry began to laugh uncontrollably, which startled me. I had never really heard him laugh very much, and it was a wonderful sound. I shifted into a ferret, and climbed up the chair into his lap. He was able to calm down with a chuckle, and rested his hand on my back. Out of nowhere, he procured the first aid kit again, and I tried to see where he might have put it.

I splayed myself out, and Barry re-applied the bandages and cream to my receding burns. When he was done, he lightly ran a hand down my spine, and I felt very little pain.

Suddenly something plopped beside me, and I turn to find a glaring cat.

"Hi," I greeted Nicole, "What do you want?"

She pursed her lips, "Pineapple."

I rolled my eyes, Barry must have told her. In a flash, I shoved her off Barry's lap and under the table. Before my action registered to her, I shifted her back so she was her normal height. She bumped her head on the table, but soon recovered and reached for me. Out of panic, I became invisible.

She blinked, and I took the opportunity to jump off Barry's lap, and he pretended to pet me still. Nicole reached for that nonexistent ferret, but grabbed at nothing. She huffed in frustration and looked up to Barry for answers.

He shrugged, and leaned back in his chair, lacing his hands behind his head. I quietly scampered to my room, and curled up in the cat bed, waiting for something to happen.

After half an hour of nothing, I shifted Jessie back into a cat, and Barry into an invisible ferret. I slowly walked out into the kitchen, but no one was there. So, I went to the living room, and saw the group now talking, and circling around where Barry was located.

I walked up to Barry, and dragged him in my jaws to my room. He protested and writhed, but didn't make a sound. The group continued to be circled around where Barry once stood, talking to open space.

When I got into my room, I dropped him on the cat bed, and nudged the door closed.

"Chloe, why!?" Barry nearly shouted, "You are just shifting everyone when you want to, you can't just do that! You always say you will stop, but you really don't! I can't ever fully trust you!"

I scrunched up onto a ball, shifting Barry back and making him visible. To be honest, I had no idea where my mood was at. It seemed pretty normal, but I don't even know what was strange about it.

I scampered underneath the bed, not knowing what to do. What did I do wrong? It was quiet in the room for a time, until Barry spoke.

"Chloe, I'm sorry. I don't know why I said that. I just...get frustrated when I can't figure you out. For some reason it just troubles me. Can you forgive me?"

He was sweet, and I did forgive him, but I just wasn't ready to admit it. I knew that sounded kinda stuck-up, but I didn't want it to be. I was not some four-year-old that is forgiving by kiss and make up. I would wait a little bit, and collect myself before I spoke. And besides; I would need to shift to talk to him in person without Lizzie "secretly" listening in, and so I would ruin the bandage job Barry had just done.

I heard Barry sit on my bed, and I suspected that he was running his hands through his hair like he does when he is stressed or worried. I didn't like to make Barry suffer, it saddened my heart to make him sad. I sighed and edged out from under the bed, and became gradually visible. I began to climb up carefully, trying to make sure that I didn't tear the sheets. But I was able to manage, and scramble over to Barry's lap. He let out a surprised gasp of air before picking me up tenderly and holding me to his chest. Tears glistened in his eyes as he looked down at me with joy. I soon wriggled out of his grasp, and accidentally fell down his shirt.

His heat calmed me, and I curled around him as I embraced the little accidental slip. He chuckled, sending a rippling feeling through me. He looked down at me with a playful grin on his face. I chattered up at him, as he scooped me up and held me in his arms. He began to slide into my bed, supporting me gingerly the entire time. He set me down, and climbed into bed, and I got back on as our heartbeats slowed together. I awoke to find myself enclosed in heat. I looked up and saw Barrys sleeping face above me. His arms and legs enclosed me in a tight ball that had just enough room for me to move my head. I looked back up towards Barry, and lightly licked his nose with a smile. He didn't react to my action, so I nuzzled his forehead.

His eyes fluttered but no other movement indicated him waking up anytime soon. I huffed, and began to squirm around, trying to do what I could to wake Barry up. After ten minutes of this, I gently nipped his arm. His arm retracted quickly, and he opened his eyes to stare at me.

"What was that for?" He said innocently, his voice slightly raspy.

"I was cramped, and you wouldn't wake up." I replied simply, although he wouldn't know what I was saying. Suddenly my memory came back to me as my ears perked up and I ran out of the room. I halted in front of the empty living room, and turned to Barry for answers.

He smiled, "Well first of all, it is ten in the morning. Everyone went home. I spoke with Lizzie when we got into bed, and they went home soon after. So what exactly do you want to do today? We can go for a swim!" He seemed excited, and I nodded, but then turned towards my bandages and his face fell.

My main question was this; why didn't my bandages shift with me like my clothes? It was just annoying, but it wasn't the worst thing that could have happened to me.

I came back to Barry, who picked me up and held me to his chest. I purred deeply, and he walked into his room, and set me in his lap as he set to drawing. I couldn't tell what it was until it was finished. Then I nearly sprinted out of the room, but Barry held me firm, expecting my reaction.

He blew on them, and out came the worst. Things. Ever.

Now on his desk was a ferret sling, or a human kangaroo pouch for pets. There was also a decorative basket with a sun roof, and finally, a ferret stroller. I wanted to get out of the room, but Barry held me firmly against his chest, and continued drawing.

This one was actually quite nice, but still awkward.

He looked down at me, "Do you want to wear it?"

I nodded to satisfy him; it wasn't that bad. He blew across the top, and out came a little outfit for me. 

He looked at me shyly, "You can put it on, I need to do something." I nodded again as he got up and left the room, leaving me on the table.

I shimmied into the outfit, with a great deal of pain that I tried not to show, and once I finished it I looked at myself, and I actually started to like the outfit more. It had a short flowery skirt, a cropped ruffly top, and a bow headband. The outfit successfully covered up my bandages, and I was rather cute. I looked up at Barry who was smiling down at me. When had he come back in?

"Which carrier do you want?" He asked slyly, and without a second thought I darted towards the basket that matched my outfit. Maybe the other stuff was going to be for another time, but I wasn't ready for my pride to be damaged by the other selections.

As I situated myself in the roomy cushion nestled inside the basket, Barry grabbed the handle and set me outside his room while he changed. He was outside in a matter of moments, and we were heading outside for a walk. 

There was a light breeze that ruffled my fur, and the sun warmed me up, and it was a perfect day. I breathed in the refreshing scent of the morning air, but was interrupted by the sound of footsteps. Lizzie and Nicole were also taking a walk, and it just so happened that they were approaching us.

"Good Morning," Nicole yawned, "How are you feeling?"

"Pretty good, actually. I should be better in a day or two." I responded.

"Chloe! I love your outfit! You are so adorable!" Lizzie exclaimed.

Nicole shook her head, "Yes, but I still don't understand why you need to be an animal when you're healing. But, you do look very cute."

Barry scratched me behind my ears, and I leaned into his hand. We began to walk once more, in no specific direction, and it was nice.

When the sun became intense, Barry slid the roof of the basket down. I stretched myself out to find I felt no pain. Sometimes I find it strange to have nothing wrong with me, I was completely healthy.

Then the moment was ruined.

"How many pets do you have?" I growled at the sound of her voice. Barry turned around to look at Sophia.

"More than than your amount of 'friends'," Nicole retorted, "Be more social."

I turned to see Sophia dumbfounded, and I had to try so hard not to laugh. She regained her composure, sadly, but then grabbed at me and got a hold of me. 

I hissed and squirmed in her grasp, but she didn't let go. She pinned my arms and head so I couldn't scratch or bite her. I turned my head to look up at her, though. She was smirking down at me proudly, and I bared my teeth at her in response.

She rubbed her thumb down my back before she dropped me seemingly not of her own accord with a surprised gasp, and I scampered into the bushes and waited.

"Thanks," I said to Lizzie.

"You're welcome. I'm not going to let her torment you." She replied.

I peeked through the bushes, and saw a woman approaching, much to Sophie's dislike. This was the first adult I had actually seen here.

"Let's stop, okay sweetie? Is this how you would like to be treated?"

Sophie bowed her head, "No, Aunt Martha."

"Now come on, let's go have some pie."

Sophie's face brightened as she lifted her head, and then skipped after Martha, leaving her friends stranded.

They looked around awkwardly as I walked back out of the bushes.

One of the people from the group approached Barry and I climbed back into the basket.

She stuck out her hand, "Hi, I'm Hannah. Sorry about that, are you okay, Chloe?"

I froze, and looked up at her worriedly.

She laughed, "Come on. We aren't as stupid as Sophia. It's really quite obvious. The group carries around a ferret but Chloe isn't there, there are random sighting of animals with your group, I could go on. My Gift is teleportation by the way."

I shook myself off, "Then why in the world would you be friends with Sophia?"

Nicole translated for me and Hannah frowned.

"Aunt Martha makes great food."

I laughed so hard, and it came out in a strange chattering noise mixed with a gagging sound.

I received odd looks, but I knew that Nicole understood that it was laughter.

When I composed myself I needed to ask, "What makes her an aunt?"

Nicole said it back, and Hannah shrugged, "They apparently came in together, she is her actual aunt, but that's it."

"You know you don't need to be her friend, right? I am a pretty good cook myself..."

Nicole laughed at my statement, then relayed it back.

"Yeah, I have been wanting to back out, but just, she's Sophie. Probably soon though. I do know a few people that I think she might like."

I nodded, but still didn't approve of what they were doing. Simply being friends for food, and then just being mean to lots of people, and leaving that friend.

"Well, I guess I'll see you around." She said before vanishing out of nowhere with the group. That was odd; they hung around to talk to us, not following their leader.

I shrugged it off, and Barry rested his hand on my back protectively.

"It's okay Barry. Let's just go do something," Lizzie saved, "How about a picnic?"

I sighed but nodded, and we went to my house to pack some food. We always seemed to have the most food, probably Barry restocked it continually, now super happy with his Gift.

When we went inside, Barry set the basket on the table, and I scampered out. Lizzie sprinted towards the pantry, and Nicole kicked back, and put her feet on the table.

"Get your feet off the table, come on!" I yelled at Nicole. She started, and her legs were down in a flash.

Barry walked over and hoisted her up, and gave her a job to do as they prepared for the picnic.