One Her Own Part 1 free porn video

There is a funny paradox that goes on in Hollywood. Fame isn't all it's cracked up to be. Fame is more of a curse than a blessing, especially when you are the less-than-famous relative of celebrities. For 99.9999% of the time, you live in a bubble. Your entire life is scripted. Nothing happens without a reason and it is often for the benefit of others that it happens, not yourself. Being a child in Hollywood is even worse, especially if you aren't the, "Chosen" one among your family. Being the second child, the one that neither looked like your leading-man father nor your starlet mother is essentially a death sentence for your social life. You aren't the one that they tout in front of every one of the cameras constantly pointed their way, you aren't the one they talk about with glowing terms to the media while hocking their latest project- you are lucky to even get one mention in the press about your existence let alone remembered by anyone in awards speeches. Andrew Woods was the second child of two of Hollywood's top stars. Well, they were the top stars- that was before their darling daughter Aubrey decided that she was more important than the star and tried to sabotage the production of a movie. It didn't help at all that the person she complained about was the niece one of the producers, upsetting the star who also happened to be a producer, and angering the movie's studio head/producer- all in the span of several minutes. Aubrey was a decent actress but suffered from delusions of grandeur. She was spoiled rotten and was of the belief that everyone was wrong but her. Her actions on the set of one of the biggest movies of the year three years before turned out to be legendary and caused the family to lose face in Hollywood. For all of her claims in the past about helping charities and accepting anyone different, Aubrey was in a heap of trouble after getting caught lying to the director and producers about why she was missing her casting calls while trying to extort more money for her salary from the producers. She took offense to the stunt double that was hired to do stunts for the lead actress and made transphobic and homophobic remarks that ended up getting around the set, all while she was supposedly sick with the flu while at the same time arguing with the producers for a pay raise and more screen time. When she tried to cause a scene outside the studio regarding the hiring of a non-union transgender stunt double, she was caught on camera making multiple slurs then blaming it on the woman- whom she had never actually met. Andrew relished his sister's downfall, but suffered as his parents started to think that they could groom him to be the next star and replace his sister. He hated acting, after watching his parents and Aubrey act for years it held no attraction to him. He liked to perform, but he could never tell his parents that. Aubrey struggled to find work and had to take bit-parts in independent movies produced by people who were known to the family and who owed them money and favors while trying to make it back into mainstream movies. She resented that Andrew shoved off any attempt to get him to act in those same movies and made it known that he wasn't worthy of their family, he should have been forcing himself out there and acting on one of the teen shows yet refused to do any acting whatsoever. He even refused to be a part of his parents' reality shows, forcing them to scrap two shows that were meant to make him into the next big teen actor as he rose from the ashes of his sister's mistakes into his own acting career. Home had became a living hell for him as his parents constantly tried to put pressure on him every day. He refused to budge and tuned out all attempts by them to look into their projects. He refused to speak with the people who were lined up to be his agent and wouldn't let his parents act on his behalf as they tried booking him in small roles on TV. Aubrey took every chance possible to torment him, making him see just how far she'd go to make him pay for tossing away what should have been her future. He refused to speak to her and ignored her at all family functions, holing up in his room so he couldn't be disturbed. He only came down to get food, and only eating alone in his room with nobody allowed to disturb him. His parents were no better, often chastising him for abandoning his heritage and making himself into a piece of trash who would never amount to anything. He tuned them out and stayed away from them as much as possible the first summer that he was home from school after Aubrey's meltdown, working on schoolwork and practicing music, art, and writing. He would only leave his room to go for a swim or a day at the beach amid the general public and safe from paparazzi. The solitude was needed, as only away from others could he spread his creative wings and be his true self: an artist. He loved to dance, paint, write, sing, and play musical instruments. He was good at all of the things that he tried, with his love of music being front and center. He played the piano, drums, saxophone, flute, and harmonica with a strong degree of competence that had his music teachers at his private boarding school all but demanding that he attend music school so he could perform compositions of his own creation. He was could play well, but he struggled to bring together the words and notes in ways that would be deemed fit to perform outside a private setting. It was clear why they were pushing him to create his own things: they wanted to claim credit for "discovering" his talent and use him to further their own fledgling careers. School was a lot of fun for him, especially as he wasn't too far from home but was far enough away from Hollywood and the mess that he had grown to hate. His classmates were well-aware of who his parents were and what they could do to them if they caused him any issues, so they left him alone to be himself. He appreciated the solitude and was able to be himself without the pretentious facade most put on outside of school, with most finding it best to be themselves and save that for their parents. He had some who tried to befriend him to benefit themselves, but they were exposed immediately and he kept wide of them at all costs. They didn't take the hint that he didn't want anything to do with them and would never introduce them to his parents, making for several anger- filled outbursts that led to the wanna-be actors getting detention and Andrew having to spend the afternoon alone in his room to cool off. It was time well spent as he concentrated on his art and writing. His teachers knew to not press him after an outburst, his home life was documented and nobody could fault him for venting when someone tried to get close to his family for their own needs. As he was on top of his homework and wasn't a disciplinary issue outside of the occasional outburst, they left him to his own devices and offered a caring ear to him when he needed it. He appreciated their efforts and had a lot of time spent in their offices talking about schoolwork and getting insight into the real Andrew. His hopes and dreams for the future shocked them, but it was in line with how he was as a person. He was artistic, yet he wasn't one to seek the spotlight. He wanted to hone his art and be his own person, but with his family issues he'd end up being put on a pedestal and made into more than he really was. To help him achieve some semblance of artistic freedom, he was deeply involved in the school's drama program. He was the go-to for ideas for productions and acted as the assistant director as well as the music coordinator. He had an ear for the right compositions to accompany the plays, with the director finding no fault with his choice of score as the pieces supported the acting perfectly. He was able to avoid the spotlight the first two years of school but during Freshman year the lead had to withdraw from school due to poor grades and money issues, thrusting Andrew into the spotlight. He was the only one who knew all of the parts and was forced to act as the lead actor until the understudy learned his lines. This was meant to be temporary but with him doing so well in the role that he stuck with it until the end of the production. This spotlight caused trouble as the news reached his parents, which was soon followed by their sleazy publicist and the various producers who always kept close to the couple. The Woods family drove out to see their son in his starring performance, making a huge scene as they arrived and nearly caused the show to become derailed as they ensured that all knew they were the star's parents and were there to support their son. Andrew blocked them from his mind and acted as he normally did, with his castmates sensing that it was for the best to just go with the flow and ignore the Woods family for now. The show was the worst that had been done, with the cast struggling to act normal as they were under the watchful eyes of several known producers and the famous Martin and Sondra Woods. The duo had a way with you as your eyes instantly fell on them, causing focus to be lost while Andrew had to work around the flubs and make it look like it was part of the show. They were grateful that he was able to be there to carry the load, but cursed themselves for getting starstruck over Martin and Sondra being there. After the play finished, Andrew fled to the dressing room and told everyone to keep his parents out at all costs. He rushed to get changed and leave, but the director wouldn't let him leave without doing the dog and pony show. Andrew tried to protest, but it was futile as the man had his own agenda- it was a chance for him to use the school to get a real shot at directing real actors. It didn't help matters one bit that Andrew was dressed as a girl- it was an all-boys private school, after all. His parents were going to demand to know why he was humiliating himself in front of the crowd after the well-wishers and students were led away by the headmaster. Andrew didn't care one bit about the dress nor that he was wearing makeup, it was a performance and he loved taking part in it. Sondra and Martin made their way to the dressing room and did their usual dog and pony show for the cameras while the director and headmaster did their best to put on false facades until the press left them alone to change. The Woods family were granted time alone and once the door closed Martin smacked his son for humiliating them. Andrew didn't react, letting his father get his anger out before Martin did something that would hurt the family's image. Andrew got up, smacked him back, then dared him to do more. He was used to being hurt by his father but this was going over the line. He didn't care one bit why Andrew did what he did, only that Andrew made the family look bad because of how he was dressed. Sondra ensured that nobody was around then angrily told him, "What the hell were you thinking? We didn't raise you to be a pansy! You are going to be a laughingstock when this gets out. You are going to give the press the wrong belief- that you are gay! I won't have you sullying our image that way!" Martin smacked him again, then added, "Don't you ever agree to do any acting without our consent. I don't care if this was some 'emergency'- you clear everything with us first so we can get the proper press in place. This could have been your big break! Now you can't even acknowledge it without it hurting your career. Don't ever take a part without my approval or you will regret it!" Andrew got up, went to the small bathroom, changed, then walked out. He didn't bother to give them a response, he refused to let them have the satisfaction. He went right to his dorm and told his roommate that if his parents came by to tell them that he wasn't to be disturbed no matter what that demanded. His roommate Todd Marshall didn't bother asking what happened, he knew enough to know that Martin was angry at his son and Sondra was doing her best to exploit Andrew for their gain. Being the son of one of the richest producers in Hollywood, Todd had seen it before and would do his best to abide by Andrew's wishes. Neither Martin nor Sondra would dare do anything to Todd or come to their room to confront Andrew further, Todd's own family was too powerful and he could destroy their careers with a simple phone call home to his parents. The next day, Andrew told the director that he was done with the production and wouldn't perform in the play due to parental interference and that the understudy was more than ready to replace him in the role. There was a token protest but Andrew shot back, "They aren't going to help you. Todd has already been told that you aren't cut out for Hollywood but may be Broadway material if you work at it. With all due respect, I think you are too hands-on and shortsighted to direct a TV show let alone a movie. And I do mean 'hands-on'. If you ever try put you hands near another actor's privates again you will be lucky to get out of a prison sentence and can kiss any career in performing arts goodbye! Be glad that we haven't told the headmaster about your attempted molestation- you'd be in handcuffs immediately." Andrew playing the part of a girl made the rounds of the media and led to his parents playing it off as a fun bit of understanding and trying to help the production be true to the writer's visions. In private, they were fighting Andrew over how feminine he had made himself look and how much better he was as a girl than he was as a boy. He didn't notice that fact despite everyone around him noticing it, he did what came natural to him and as the part was of a female it was playing the role as any actor would. The reviews were glowing and Andrew was praised for his vocal range as well as for looking like he had been born a girl and not a boy dressed as a caricature of a girl. If he hadn't been known since birth, it was speculated that he was really a girl pretending to be a boy at the school. Andrew had a laugh at the claims, with his classmates joking that he was probably a better girl than his sister Aubrey. Aubrey called him as soon as she saw the reviews and images. Her so- called friends were laughing it up at her expense and needling her about her weird younger brother being a girl. Andrew ignored her and let her vent, then countered with a disarming, "Are you upset that I looked better in that dress than you did when you played the part at your school or that you can't look as good as me as a girl?" He set her up for a meltdown, knowing full well that she would go out on the town to drink her troubles away and get into trouble with the law yet again. She'd blame him for doing it, but all she was doing was using him as an excuse for what she had planned to do already. He didn't really care, her career was dead and no matter what he did she'd still react the same so he defended himself as best he could. Andrew secretly loved the image of him in the dress, he looked so much like his great-grandmother it was scary. His hair was styled in a 1950s bob like she had worn and his makeup was light yet brought out his eyes, a style she favored during her lifetime. The best part was she had a small bust so his false breasts weren't too large and accentuated the dress instead of drawing attention away from it. It felt odd that he felt so comfortable being a woman. It was causing him confusion and the more he had his eyes on the image the more he felt like it was how he should actually look. He never had those kind of feelings before, but he couldn't shake the thoughts nor the image from his mind. Todd sensed his issues and told him that he should talk with somebody about what was going on. It was a kind gesture, but Andrew knew that his parents would find out and take their anger out on him. His seeing a counselor would be damaging to their image, even if it wasn't a big deal to anyone but them. Class was normal for Andrew after that. His classmates respected him too much to bully him and had a legitimate fear that he'd ensure they were shamed if they went after him. It was also helped that Todd was quick to let slip that the school would expel all who tried, especially as it was homophobic and was a death sentence for any college acceptance chances by the offenders. Andrew threw himself into his studies and honing his musical skills. He started to become a master of the guitar and could perform just about any song on electric and acoustic models. His piano skills were lacking, but he could perform well enough to harmonize his guitar chords into a moving ballad. When he added his voice to his instrumentals, things came together in ways that surprised his musical teachers as well as Todd. He had a naturally high voice and when he tried, he could sound feminine and give a sultry, high voice that sounded natural and left him blushing. Todd had to hide his look of shock as he too couldn't believe Andrew's vocal range nor that it wasn't a girl singing right in front of him. Through the six years at the boarding school, Todd and Andrew grew closer to the point that they were always together. Andrew spent as much time away from his family and with his parents' forced blessing he spent his summers with Todd at the Marshalls' private Caribbean island. They were happy to host him and treated him like part of the family, especially as they were closer to him than his own family. Todd harbored feelings for Andrew that Andrew didn't share. Todd knew he was gay and wanted to be more than friends with Andrew, but Andrew cared about him as a friend and brother not as a lover. It was awkward at times as Todd was clearly turned on by Andrew, but a discrete hug and whisper that he didn't see Todd that way was enough to calm Todd's growing sexual frustration. The Marshalls were fine with Todd's sexuality, he just wasn't ready to come out to the world and didn't want the Woods family to destroy Andrew's friendship with him in retaliation. Andrew supported him and told him he'd always be his friend, and offered a few names for boys to date should he stop keeping his sexuality hidden. Andrew was serious about supporting him, and the boys he recommended were at the top of the list for anyone to date as they were great guys who were closeted alongside Todd. Todd was finally forced to come out after being caught kissing a boy in the library. He had no qualms about admitting the truth and was severely disappointed that the boy chose to claim Todd forced him to do it, a claim nobody believed and led to detention for the boy. Todd didn't receive any bullying, he was too protected and to bully him would earn an immediate expulsion as well scorn from their family. Andrew was questioned about his relationship with Todd, he proudly told those who were trying to get dirt on the duo that he and Todd were roommates and close friends, but he wasn't gay and he cared too much about Todd to ever destroy their friendship by rejecting him as a friend because Todd was gay. It worked beautifully as there was no way to counter Andrew without appearing to be homophobic or looking like a fool for trying to create rumors of their being secretly a couple. Martin and Sondra tried to capitalize on the duo's relationship but Todd's parents quashed all attempts and got the couple to back away in shame or else they'd lose everything that they had in a hefty slander lawsuit. The Marshalls knew full well the extent of the relationship between the two boys and ensured that Andrew wasn't bothered by Martin and Sondra the few times when he was at home. Aubrey didn't care one bit about her reputation since it was already ruined but she did have to back off when Todd's maternal uncle had words with her while at his nightclub, sending her into a rage and causing her to be arrested for disorderly conduct outside of the nightclub earning a ban for life from the chain. Andrew and Todd worked a lot their senior year in the theater and took part of numerous musical acts. It was more fun and attempting to make the time go by than trying to further their abilities. Todd wasn't in it for himself, but Andrew relished the spotlight to the point of winning the school's talent show- one done doing an original song and dance routine alongside Todd's straight-man comedy bits. With the talent show win, Andrew was encouraged to attend music school. He loved the idea but hated to be the center of attention or competing with others for a position at the school. It didn't matter, the school had seen him perform and after discussing his abilities with the school he was awarded one of the most coveted spots at the Boston School of Music. His plans were kept from his parents until late April, during which he boldly told them that he was not going to go to UCLA to study acting like his parents and sister had done. When asked what he had up his sleeve, he proclaimed, "I've been accepted into the Boston School of Music in their musical theater program. The school specifically asked for me to attend and gave me a full scholarship. I'm going to be helping the Marshalls with some musical scores this summer so I don't need any money from you again. I have a job waiting with them whenever I graduate, in music or in the office working directly with them on whatever they have lined up. I'll be making a pretty penny so I don't need your money." The die was cast and he dared them to say something. Music was an area that the Woods family wasn't strong in, and to go after Andrew would cause the Marshalls to retaliate against them in full as they had already told Martin and Sondra would happen if they ever crossed the line with him. Andrew had them at a disadvantage, they had no choice but to leave him alone and work on his music in peace. Todd wasn't going to join Andrew in Boston, he had opted to join the family business and attend film school in the hopes of directing or writing in addition to the producing his father had lined up for him. It suited him well, Andrew was going to always be his friend and Andrew happily told him that he was closer to him than anyone could be. He tearfully hugged Todd, he meant every word of it and loved Todd deeply as a brother in all but name. At graduation, Martin and Sondra made their presence known but were ignored by everyone. The duo had no interest in their son's ceremony and only attended due to needing to keep up appearances to the press. The school showcased the class's proudest moments with their annual plays being a big hit with the families, especially as the guys had no qualms about acting as women and doing it so convincingly. Andrew blushed at seeing his performances, three times he performed as a boy he did well but it was clear to all that his best role was playing a girl and doing it so well that you wouldn't believe that it was a boy underneath the dress. Martin shook his head in disgust at the clip, he hated that his only son had a dress on and acted better than his sister and doing so with little professional training. Sondra fought the urge to scream at her son, but it was three years before and she would only harm her career if she did anything that wasn't supportive of Andrew. The ceremony was your typical private school stuffiness but saw the school touting each student's next step in their education, with Andrew being applauded for being awarded a full scholarship with an open invitation from the boarding school to perform whenever he chose. It was a big deal to the school as it was telling him that he would never be for want of a job and had their backing in his professional life. Most other students would either live off of their parents' hard work or follow in their footsteps, he was going to be making a name for himself on his own and had contacts at the ready to use at any time. After the ceremony, Andrew reluctantly hugged his parents then reminded them that he was going to stay in LA with Todd to be part of the production of his parents' newest movie but was not going to be going home again. He already had his belongings packed by the maid, with the butler sending them to the Marshalls' guest house. They were more than happy to help get him away from his parents, he was the only Woods family member who treated them like a person and not just hired help. At the Marshall guest house, Todd and he hung out with some of Todd's friends and enjoyed time out at the few underage clubs that were free of alcohol and drugs. Aubrey tried to barge into them each night, but was always stopped at the door then told to never return. She noticed Andrew immediately but was forced to leave by security before she made a scene, with the security officers loudly restating the fact that she was still on probation and banned from all clubs in the chain as they escorted her entourage down the street away from the club. Todd's friends liked Andrew and included him in their own fun. He found out that two were secretly drag performers and asked him to join their act for a mutual friend's birthday bash. He only accepted if they ensured that nobody found out about it and no pictures were taken of the performance. Todd agreed on their behalf, with his friends having no problem keeping things a secret and away from the press. It helped that all of them had endured issues with people harassing them over being gay and transgender, with Todd being the lucky one among them. Andrew was glad to be lucky to have avoided their issues but his family being vultures was almost as bad so they understood one another's pasts well. The club was a rousing success as they enjoyed serenading one another as well as dancing to different kinds of music with their costumes and exaggerated moves. Todd ended up in a duet with Andrew and had the others smiling at the love between the two, with Andrew giving him a hug and peck on the cheek which made Todd blush deeply. Andrew happily told Todd that he loved him like a brother and it was all in fun, he could never date him but he cared deeply about Todd as more than a friend. In the bathroom, Andrew was asked about his own outfit and where he learned to modulate his voice like he had done for the songs. Andrew happily told them that he watched videos and the ladies helping their drama classes and perfected his own style that helped conceal some of his normal features making him look as if he was a whole other person. There were clearly false shadows near his nose and chin and heavy doses of concealer in spots but otherwise his face was naturally feminine and only needed some mascara and lipstick to look girly. His moves were easy to explain as they were simply learned as part of dance classes. As for his voice, it was helped that his vocal range was wide and he hadn't fully developed a deep voice like other males. His doctor told him that he wouldn't get much deeper, he was stuck with a mid-range voice that could be female or male if he chose to go in either direction should he happen to be transgender. That last part shot out too fast for him to take back. He quickly told the others, "I'm not transgender, I'm a regular guy who was stuck with a feminine body and voice. I accepted my body long ago, I have no interest in being a woman and can live with men feeling threatened by my smaller size and high voice. Besides, it helps with my singing to be able to sing in different ranges naturally instead of falsetto. It hurt like hell for my classmates to do so, they could only do one performance a day at the most." Back at their table, Andrew was a bit down but tried hard to hide it from Todd. Todd hugged him and assured him that they weren't going to joke about his looks and he was more man than any other man he knew. It helped ease a lot of their tension but Andrew still felt odd around the others, especially as the ladies were actually transgender and had jealous looks that were impossible to mask. Back at the guest house Todd kissed Andrew deeply and told him, "You'd make a lovely woman, but you aren't ready to see your true self. I know what you are, I can see it in you. You are not Andrew Woods, you are someone more than anyone realizes. Man or woman or in-between, you are my friend and I will always love you for who you are." The kiss resonated with Andrew, but he felt no sexual feelings nor attraction. It was a kiss done to get him out of his fugue state, one that only Todd could do and have no lasting impact. Todd needed to do it for his own sake, but it made things clear that Todd loved him no matter what he was inside. The summer wore on as work kept the duo from thinking too much about what happened. Andrew was a big help on the Marshalls' current movie project as he worked with the composer on several tracks for the movie, seeing what the director was aiming for and helping to get the music tempo and dynamics to fit that vision. The rookie composer was out of his depth and was saved from total failure by Andrew, with the director and Marshalls giving Andrew credit for co-composing the score while also ensuring that Andrew received proper royalties for his hard work- something that he'd need later on. In an ironic twist, he was listed as the main composer as he had done more work on the score than the original composer and had fixed or created the majority of the compositions that were used, particularly the score for the most important scenes as well as the thrilling climax. It was the best thing that could happen for him as his score would be talked about in Hollywood circles for a long time and earn him work whenever he sought it. He had no plans to follow through on it, but it helped immensely. The work was tedious and grueling, but he loved every minute of it. He worked well with the various musicians and learned more from them than anyone else before. When the summer finished, he had a large amount of contacts in the classical and pop music industry who vouched for his raw ability. The highlight of the summer was the annual two weeks at the Marshall family island, one that saw the family and Andrew relaxing and doing nothing all day. Andrew had grown so close to the Marshalls it was almost a given that he'd be around them, so much so that the press started rumors of him and Todd dating. Things weren't helped as Martin and Sondra tried to make it seem like the two were engaged to be married and were keeping things a secret but had planned out everything already. Todd met a special young man on their return from the island, causing chaos for the family as his new boyfriend was the son of two celebrities and who had a known relationship with the Marshalls. It was further hurt as the relationship with Andrew was mentioned, causing Todd to tell the paparazzi that they were making up stories and he and Andrew weren't dating nor engaged and Andrew was happily single. Todd's and his boyfriend's parents forced the paparazzi to back away, while Martin and Sondra had to take a discreet meeting with lawyers for the two families to get them to stop making false claims and to leave Andrew alone from now on or they'd sue the couple. Andrew angrily told his parents, "I'm not gay, I'm close to Todd but we are neither in love nor are we lovers. Stop trying to use me for your own benefit, I don't want to be your retirement plan. You aren't my managers, nor my agents. I'm living my own life on my terms and if you continue to meddle in it I'll get a restraining order against you." Todd's father Yuri added, "If you ever try to use my son like this again I'll end your careers. Todd and Andrew are off limits to both of you. You are washed-up hacks who are coasting by on your families' good name and your parents' reputations. I knew all four of your parents from birth and was babysat by them more times than I recall, the four of them would be sick to their stomachs seeing what the two of you have devolved into. You haven't had good roles in four years and all but ruined your careers when you banked on your daughter being a leading lady. She will be lucky to get dinner theater roles in the middle of Utah after all of her off-screen antics. You had your chances in the past, you couldn't get over your egos and chose terrible roles for quick pay the past four years and now have to suffer with those consequences. I know you are struggling, your parents' estates went to Aubrey and Andrew so you are flat broke and hoped to use them to fund your life. It won't work with Andrew and Aubrey is done as an actress no matter how much you try to spread rumors of a comeback." The truth hurt, Martin couldn't deny any of it so tried to act like he wasn't phased. Sondra was upset and nearly in tears, if the Marshalls were strongly against them then they were finished in Hollywood. She was going to have to force Martin to leave Andrew alone, if only for their own sake. The meeting ended with Andrew not bothering to give his parents the satisfaction of looking them in the face. Yuri's wife Petra hugged him deeply and told him that he was the greatest thing to ever happen to his family and would make his grandparents proud if they were alive to see him now. Andrew smiled at that, it was the motherly love that he needed at a time that he needed a mother. The next day, he flew east to begin school in Boston. He was staying in the dorms and was assigned a roommate by the name of Blake Reynolds, one who was campy and focused on musical theater and boys but was a total fraud as he wasn't gay and whose voice wasn't as strong as a leading man's voice needed to be. He immediately disliked the quiet, focused Andrew and always had insulting remarks about Andrew whenever they saw each other. The two didn't get along and after two days they wanted to kill one another. Blake would find any way he could to criticize Andrew while Andrew was often left seething at Blake's constant jabbering with his friends back in New York City. Most of the talk was intended to upset Andrew, which he tried to hide leading to Blake getting more and more upset and leaving the room in a huff. Andrew was neat and tidy, preferring to keep his room in order because he didn't like to clean that often and had learned early on from his grandparents that a person takes pride in their home. Blake, on the other hand, was sloppy and left his clothes all over the room while making a mess of the floor with his food, nail clippings, and makeup. Andrew tried to keep things clean but it was futile with Blake doing his best to ensure that Andrew was upset over the messes. Blake was in and out at all hours of the night, often coming in when Andrew was trying to get ready for the day. It was clear where he was going, he slept with a lot of people in the clubs around the area and was always with a different person each night. If not for Andrew practicing in the rehearsal halls and the dorms having strict rules about visitors, Blake would have brought them there just to upset him and likely cause a fight with Andrew. Andrew tried and failed to endure Blake. It was made worse as he constantly teased Andrew about his being with people while Andrew was stuck alone. He knew about Todd and thought Andrew missed him, needling him about Todd's absence which only caused Andrew to laugh at Blake's ignorance. Andrew didn't bite the bait and ignored him. It was obvious that Blake was jealous of Andrew due to Andrew having what he lacked: multiple useful talents, people clamoring to work with him, faculty who saw a bright future in him, and money to be made and spent as he wanted. Even if Andrew's money wasn't accessible until he turned 21, he still had money coming his way. As the school year began, they saw less and less of each other. Andrew knew where Blake went and was glad that he kept as far away as he could. He had his own worries to deal with, BSM was a tough school and he had to work hard to keep up with the other students in his classes. Two weeks into the school year, he went out with several classmates for a night on the town. Andrew was the designated driver, he refused to drink and had fun without alcohol thanks to their choice of venue. It was a drag club that catered to everyone, with the performers being surprisingly convincing in their roles and proud to tell anyone who asked which ladies were in drag and which were transgender. His classmates joked that he should get a job there, to which Andrew shot back a laughing, "I don't want to put any of them out of the job. Besides, I couldn't be half as convincing as the ladies." The, "Ladies" laughed and smirked, he wasn't being mean and showed respect to them- a rarity for young patrons. Towards the end of the night, Andrew was forced to get up on stage and take part in a song with several of the ladies. His companions let slip that he was studying performance art and was a good singer, so he was dragged onstage to show what he could do while giving the dancers and singers a short break. He was stuck in a tight spot, but he managed to nail the song and even showed his range by doing the next song as both male and female voices causing the club to cheer wildly at his special ability. As he sat down, the manager tried to convince him to go work for them as their new star act. Andrew was adamant that it was only a one-time thing and he wasn't interested in being a performer in that way. It also wasn't helped that he would most likely have to perform incognito as he didn't want to risk being recognized by anyone from the school on the off chance that they went there. Back at the dorm, trouble was brewing as police were waiting for him to appear so they could speak to him about what they had found in his dorm room. He was scared to death but agreed to go with them to the police station so he could clear his name. It was the first time that he had been in trouble with the law and he hoped that it would never happen again. In the police station, he asked to call an attorney so that he wasn't railroaded or had words put into his mouth- two things that he feared would happen as he wouldn't last long under their direct questioning. Seeing no alternative, the police officers let him make his phone calls and waited patiently until his lawyer showed up for the interview. They tried several times to get him to waive his rights by making him answer questions in a roundabout way, but he kept silent after he finished his call. Being desperate for help, he called a specific number that the Marshalls had given him just in case he ever needed to speak with a lawyer about being accused of a crime- something that they feared may one day happen to him. The woman who answered the phone wasn't happy to receive a phone call so late at night but when his name was mentioned and who gave him the number she let out a sigh, pulled herself together, and happily told him to tell the two police officers, "Valerie Finn will be representing me and until she gets there I am invoking my right to not speak to you. Further, she will be asking the specifics of the case and ensuring that I'm not the victim of false accusations by the person who may be the actual perpetrator of the accused crimes." The name drop caused the officers to stop cold and stare at him. After a couple of minutes, one told him, "Whomever got you to hire her had better have their ducks in a row. She doesn't take cases unless she is sure there's something going on that we aren't seeing. We are done for now, but we will talk again. Don't think that you can get away with this, we know that you are guilty." Andrew was led to a private room and after an hour he was introduced to a tall, slim, scowling middle-aged woman as well as two men and a woman. He realized that he was about to do what he hated the most- he would have to call his parents for money to help pay for a lawyer, especially one who seemed to be highly touted as Valerie Finn was. Martin and Sondra would be happy to give him the money, but it was going to end up costing him in the end as he repaid them through following their orders and end up being their ticket back into the spotlight no matter how much he didn't want to be that. Valerie didn't waste any time and introduced the three people with her as Savannah Stoner, Cameron Byrne-Toro, and Ricardo Vincent. Andrew was too afraid to say anything, his mind was on how he was going to explain the need for money to his parents and how long it would be before he was pulled from school to return to LA. Valerie sensed something was going on and let him calm down, he needed it. When he was calm enough, Valerie asked what was going on and why he was being detained by police. Andrew confessed to her, "I don't know. I honestly don't know. I was out at a club with classmates for much of the night and when I tried to enter my dorm room I was stopped by the police and brought here. I don't know why they want to talk to me, all I know is that they say I committed a crime. I've never so much as had a parking ticket let alone broken the law- I'm not my sister, I hate it when I get in trouble so refuse to break any laws- hell, I don't even jaywalk!" Valerie asked if he had any proof that he wasn't there, to which he showed the club stamp and receipts from his soda purchases at the club. All four recognized the stamp and seeing the times on the receipts it was clear that he was out for hours, fitting the timeline. He added that he was the designated driver so he was sober, thus the sodas and not alcohol the others had drunk. It was all Valerie needed, she asked about Blake Reynolds and was told, "I don't know what he does but he is always out with a different person each night. He claims that it's guys but I know damn well that he isn't gay and only acts like he is to make you think that he's harmless. He's dated so many women that I think there's more to what he does with them. I don't know how he pays for school but I think I realize how he does it now- he's a giggalo." Valerie nodded, while the other three tried to not grin. Andrew might have been mistaken for what his roommate was doing and gotten the wrong end of the stick legally. It all came down to what the raid was seeking and what they found, from the sound of it they had found something big. When she was ready, the four led the police inside and sat down again. The officers laid out what they had found inside the dorm room and had Andrew gasping complete shock and disgust. Andrew was facing serious drug possession charges- they found the drugs in his closet and under his bed. Valerie saw the reaction and nodded to the others, he was innocent and either they were planted or they were looking in the wrong place for the drugs. She smirked at the officers and happily told them, "I'm sorry to tell you this but your investigation is about to suffer greatly. My client is innocent, what was found was either planted or was found in the wrong person's closet. I'll let you explain how you knew just where to look and how you know it was his when you barely had time to look through the room." She had them. They had to come up with a good excuse as it was true- he would have been arrested at the club if it had been more than a half hour before the arrest. They were going to be facing down the one lawyer all cops knew to never lie to, never cross, and never try to trick- Valerie Finn. Valerie grinned and asked the officers if they were aware of where Andrew had gone, when he returned, what Blake Reynolds had done, where he had gone, and who he was around. They were not in the least bit happy of her bringing up Blake, but she wasn't going to back down from what she had brought up. If she mentioned Blake, Blake was the one they had to go after now. She laid out exactly where Andrew had gone, who he was with, how to verify, and why their raid was a ruse to get him in trouble while the real criminal got away with his crimes as he was likely the one who tipped them off...if he wasn't already informing them about what he himself had been doing. She was vicious, then had a look in her eyes that told the officers that they had better follow her suggestion or she'd make them pay. Andrew was scared of Valerie, so much so that he regretted calling her for help. After a few minutes, the officers stood and arrested Andrew for drug possession, trafficking, and intent to sell. Valerie nodded to Ricardo Vincent and told the officers, "This will be investigated by IA. I'll be in contact with your superiors and the DA directly while my client is being processed. Expect to explain arresting him and not his roommate, Blake Reynolds, whom I note isn't in the building nor under any kind of surveillance as he should be." Andrew was led away and endured a long, sleepless night in holding. He looked terrible in the morning as he was dragged alongside the other detainees to court in Roxbury for his arraignment. He was met by Valerie as they entered, with the ADA and several state troopers taking him off of the court officer's hands for a private talk in the ADA's office upstairs. Valerie sat him in a chair and told him to rest for a while, his arraignment was postponed per order of a higher court while the state investigated the circumstances of his arrest. He slept for four hours and was awoken by Valerie's gentle nudge, with Andrew immediately standing up in shock. Valerie led him out to the courtroom when he composed himself, then stood by him as the ADA had all charges withdrawn and his arrest deleted from all records. The judge looked over the charges and demanded to know why they were in his courtroom. The ADA looked at Valerie then at the arresting officers and stated, "Last night Mr. Andrew Woods was arrested in haste by these two officers after an illegal search of his dorm room by the officers at the request of a tip called in to their office by an anonymous caller. Upon review of the evidence, it was determined that the origins of the call was Mr. Woods' roommate, Mr. Blake Reynolds and after examination by state forensic technicians it was determined that Mr. Woods was not the one who handled the evidence. The placement was specific, only someone with intimate knowledge of their room could have known where to tell officers to look and when to look to find the evidence. Mr. Woods was also out for the evening with verified receipts and witnesses stating where he was. Mr. Reynolds, however, has no alibi." The judge nodded and dismissed the case. Andrew watched as the two officers were placed under arrest by state troopers and fellow officers then immediately arraigned on charges of falsifying reports, false arrest, lying to investigators, and perjury. To Andrew's shock, Blake was then brought into court and arraigned on what Andrew was to be charged with, with additional charges of lying to police, perjury, and prostitution added as the state troopers had caught him in the midst of sex with a known, "John" in the parking lot of a state-owned park just a few hundred feet from the dorms. Valerie led Andrew out and saw his arrest eliminated from the system with the ADA ensuring that no media inquiries were made into someone other than Blake being arrested. She drove him back to his dorm and watched as he was confronted by the school's legal counsel and the RA, both of whom were not the least bit happy that he was arrested nor that the school was being discussed by the media. It was the worst thing that could happen to Andrew, he would be kicked out of school due to Blake's actions. Andrew had to go for a meeting with the school's disciplinary council. Valerie casually walked with them to the administration building then entered behind Andrew and sat next to him, not even trying to say anything while keeping a steady eye on the legal counsel and administrators. The deck was stacked against Andrew, no matter what he said he was going to be expelled for his roommate's actions. Valerie's presence was questioned and she was threatened with removal from the conference room by the school's head of discipline. Valerie just smirked then casually explained to them, "Do that and I'll have your jobs before the ink is dried on the lawsuit I file on behalf of my client for violating his rights. You are here with counsel and have already made up your mind in regards to what you will be doing to my client, I am not about to let you do that and will make you pay if you do." She was handed the evidence that they had and waited for them to begin the inquisition. Valerie told him multiple times not to answer certain questions, with the administrators growing angrier as she had cut them off before they could entrap him several times over. They had little actual evidence and what they did have came from Blake, with Blake actually having done what Andrew was accused of doing. Looking over the claims, she countered by stating, "I have copies of Massachusetts State Police, Suffolk County District Attorney, and Massachusetts Attorney General reports that directly refute every one of your claims. In fact, the source of those claims is sitting in Nashua Street Jail awaiting trial for multiple drug and prostitution charges as well as lying to police, perjury, and extortion charges. My client is innocent and has done no wrong. His arrest was done by officers who were removed from the job and are themselves awaiting trial for violating his rights. You can continue to go after my client, but it will be your jobs on the line as my own support will ensure you are all fired for violating my client's rights while that Attorney General investigates your attempts to violate my client's civil rights." None of them were phased by her, they brushed her off while the head of discipline stated, "We have a zero tolerance policy for drugs and arrests. Unfortunately for you, we refuse to allow anyone who has been arrested to live in our dorms. You are also under strict rules regarding your scholarship. You are hereby evicted from our dorms and stripped of your scholarship with the requirement to pay back all of the money spent on your education thus far. We expect payment in full by the end of the week." Andrew was in shock while Valerie gave them her best shark-toothed grin. She led him out and entered the room again, this time telling them, "My client will transfer to your rival school and will sue for the wrongful expulsion by you. Don't try to claim it isn't expulsion, you pulled his scholarship without any reason. Your 'zero tolerance' policy allows for wrongly accused arrests. You know the facts, you are the one who let the police into his dorm room without a search warrant. You know that the evidence was planted and you know that it was Blake Reynolds who was the one who planted it. Save the theatrics and threats, see you in court. And word to the wise, don't try to hide the money paid to you by the Reynolds family. All of it will be accounted for and you will have to explain it to the state. Andrew has been the victim in all of this and will get his due while you endure criminal investiagations." She walked out, told him that she had a place for him to stay if he chose, and called in some help to get his things together to leave. Andrew was at a loss for words but kept quiet, with Valerie directing the teenage boys who arrived to where she wanted them and oversaw all of Andrew's things being packed away. She was thorough and led him off to a house in another city, with Andrew not bothering to ask where they were heading and why she was doing all of that for him. Andrew kept quiet but did have to put some things away on his own. He blushed as the boys snickered at a picture of a girl wearing a flowing dress and sequins, with Andrew's reaction causing one of them to raise an eyebrow about the reaction. They didn't say anything about what the had seen, but it was a source of looks between them as something was off about it. At a house in a neighboring city, Valerie showed Andrew inside and told the ladies sitting down to give him some time before they interrogated him then thanked them for letting him stay with them for a bit. Andrew blushed deeply as they looked him over to assess him, with Valerie groaning and telling them, "He won't be any danger to you and will pull his weight. He comes highly touted and is known through his friend's parents. Give him a chance to decompress before starting the inquisition." Andrew was shown up to a bedroom, with the ladies helping him put his things away while the boys and Valerie left. The ladies introduced themselves as Aggy, Tabby, and Melinda Stoner. The ladies had a weird vibe about them, Tabby smirked and told him, "We are cousins, our fathers are brothers." Seeing the items that Andrew had caused Tabby to smirk and ask what instruments he played. Andrew looked down in shame and confessed, "I play piano and the guitar. I have trained on the saxophone, harmonica, clarinet, and flute but I never liked the rigidity of the teachers' styles." Aggy and Melinda laughed and told him, "She's the same way. She can play anything well but does her best when she's playing guitar. Our friend Trinity is the best piano player around and taught her all she knows about the piano- and at 10-years-old no less!" Taking a closer look at his music then spotting some written pages Tabby asked if he was a songwriter as well. He blushed and explained, "It's just some ideas that I had, the lyrics were just idle thoughts. I don't like to waste good lines so I jot everything down in case I wanted to use them later." Tabby smiled and added, "I'm studying songwriting at the New England School of Music. We were told that there was a hot new musician going to BSM, I guess that must have been you. It looks like we will be getting you too now, I doubt Aunt Valerie will let your school get away with expelling you for what you didn't do. Our faculty is better, anyway. BSM is too stuffy, NESM is so much better." He looked down in shame, he doubted any school would accept him let alone welcome him the way that she was describing. Drugs and arrests were death sentences for academic careers, especially ones that are in highly competitive schools like BSM. He'd have to find a new school and major soon. The ladies asked about the girls he had pictures of, noting that they looked familiar. Andrew had a look of shame but admitted, "They are all of me performing at my school. I played the part of girls in a couple of productions when the lead couldn't go. It's humiliating to admit it, I only did it because nobody else could do it and the director wanted to use me to get at my parents to get a job directing in Hollywood." Tabby asked how he looked so girly, Andrew blushed deeply but confessed, "I practiced a lot before the performances. I was into the character and dressed a lot to get used to the heels and dress. All of my classmates were used to my look and didn't say anything about how I dressed, but it was awkward as a few of them started to get feelings for me. A few of them thought that they might be gay because I was so girly in their eyes. My roommate and best friend fell in love with me, it was a bit complicated but eventually he only loved me as a brother and not a lover and is dating someone else now." The way he was talking about how he dressed showed that it was more than just dressing, he seemed to actually like dressing as a girl and the attention that it brought to him and his facial expressions were ones of long to be like a girl instead of acting like a girl. The girls didn't dive further as it was clear from his tone that he didn't want to talk about it once he came out of his nostalgia trip. They helped him put his clothes away and adjust his bed to his liking, with Tabby all but acting like a sister to him so he didn't feel like he had to appease them or feel anxious around them. When they were finished, the four went downstairs to the living room to talk. The girls told him every possible thing they felt that he should know then asked him about himself. He looked down in shame and told them, "You have heard of my sister. That movie Aggy's boyfriend's cousin starred in? My sister was kicked off of it for trying to extort the producers into paying her more money then had that epic meltdown in front of cameras when she was fired. My parents were the ones who orchestrated it, I was lucky to not be around or else I'd have been stuck doing their dirty work for them like sabotaging the set and destroying wardrobe. She got what she deserved, she's a terrible actress and mom and dad were only using the movie to springboard their own production company. They wanted to buy into the movie but the studio and the producers refused." The girls laughed while Aggy happily added, "We met her during the pre- production meetings that were held in Boston and she is lucky to have been on camera once. She sucked and if not for looking good nobody would bother with her. I swear Donald wanted to smack her hard, and Francesca had to fight laughing during her few scenes that they had together. The woman who replaced her was a lot better and the re-shoots ended up being better than the original scenes." Things calmed a bit as the girls fielded phone calls from boys. They were visited by another girl, an older looking girl who they happily said was their cousin. She looked upset and grumbled about her nephew and three younger siblings being pains in the neck now that they were running around on their own, causing the girls to laugh as she was given yet another reminder about safe sex and why babies weren't all fun and games as they tended to grow faster than expected. She introduced herself to Andrew as Piper Stoner, with the girls telling her why he was there and why it was going to be a long-term stay. Piper didn't bat an eye, she chose to stay with her boyfriend's family and through that act had allowed Andrew to stay with them. She actually knew already about Andrew, he was talked about the night before by her fiance's mother: Valerie Finn herself. The girls talked about their boyfriends and gossiped about a lot of things that they wouldn't normally do with a guy present, but Andrew didn't seem to care and understood them in a way that others didn't. When Piper finally left, she grinned at Andrew and told him that the boys weren't as manly as him as he had done what they refused to do: perform as a girl and make himself look so darn convincing. At home, she told Valerie about the visit and got her input about Andrew and his reactions. She shook her head and explained to her, "There's more to him than he lets on. He's facing a lot of scrutiny and use by others and is in fear of his own shadow. He isn't able to be himself due to the media, his parents, his school, and his profession. He is struggling to be himself, the girls will help him out immensely. I think they might even get him to admit his true sexuality or his true gender. He's closeted, I can see it in his reactions. We have seen it too many times to count, eventually he will be honest with himself." Andrew slept soundly and woke up before the girls. He made breakfast, hoping that it would help earn his keep while he struggled to find out what his next step would be. The girls eagerly dug into the food and thanked him for cooking, with Tabby telling him that they rarely ate more than cereal and coffee. Valerie entered soon after the girls left, with her taking him to see her colleagues and talk about what he was going to do next. She had forms ready for him to sign admitting him into NESM, with her adding that they knew about him and were more than happy to swipe a student from BSM that they had no appreciation for. She also added that he'd have to be careful with his money for a bit as it'd take time for his lawsuit against BSM to settle but with the right pressure it would take a few months. He filled out every bit of information and verified his composition credits, performances, and what he had done as a musician and a composer that wasn't readily able to be verified. It felt like he was being put under the microscope, but he had the proper links to videos and phone numbers of the Marshalls, the director of the movie he helped compose the score of, and the copyright filings of his compositions. He was careful to cover himself legally, he filed copyrights for everything he composed just in case he needed to fight in court even if the piece wasn't ever going to be performed by anyone else. He waited for three hours as everything was verified and those who knew him were talked to. Valerie was by his side and helped him remain calm, but it felt like he was going to be rejected by the school as the time wore on. Finally, he was given the all clear to be a student alongside Tabby. Valerie thanked the officials and stated that he'd pay in full shortly. Andrew had enough to cover the cost, but barely. He'd have to find a job soon to pay rent and food, but he was all clear as a student. Once that was out of the way, Andrew was taken to Valerie's home to talk about his financial situation. He showed how much money he had saved and what he was going to receive shortly from residuals as well as what he would receive in the future from his inheritance. He was strapped for cash, but he had an ace-in-the-hole in the form of not having to pay rent nor food thanks to the Stoner girls. Valerie thought about a few things and made a Skype call to someone out in California. She had a big smile as a little girl answered the phone which caused her to show her maternal side for a bit. When the girl lost interest and headed off to play elsewhere Valerie grew serious and spent several minutes talking with a man before ending the call, first telling the little girl to be good for her parents. She took a minute to pull herself together then explain to him, "I asked my son-in-law to look into your financial situation, particularly your inheritance. I want to make sure that you aren't able to take your share yet, sometimes it's only until you turn 18 or are in dire need of the money. You are in need of it, but from your family history it sounds like your grandparents wanted you to wait until you were 21." He asked what that whole other conversation was about, she blushed then explained, "My granddaughter is a lot like her parents and wants to make sure I'm OK since I'm not calling at my usual time. She was afraid something happened to one of her cousins or aunts and uncles, but they are all fine. We love her, but she's getting too much like her parents that it's scary not to see them in her. She likely will ask her father about you and then ask her uncle and cousins just to be sure she's not being lied to." Valerie's train of thought was interrupted by the arrival of a grinning teenage version of herself. The girl was gorgeous and had a grumpy looking boy alongside her complaining about her actions. Valerie told the two, "Homework, then you can go with Julio and Willow. No excuses, I know you have a lot to do!" The girl complained while the boy simply did as he was told. Not long after the girl entered and started to ask about Andrew, with Valerie trying hard to find the right words to explain him to her. She wasn't letting up until Valerie finally told her, "He's staying with Tabby, Aggy, and Melinda. He's waiting for the girls to come back. He's going to school with Tabby but had to take care of a few things today." She didn't buy the excuse and introduced herself as Cat Finn, with the mopey boy being her twin brother JD. Cat gave him a funny look and smirked, grabbing onto Andrew to take him upstairs and get away from her mom's watching eye. Valerie was about to say something but it was futile- Cat was vetting Andrew in her typical Cat way. Up in her room, the 13-year-old grabbed some makeup supplies and started to work on her face. She was doing this with purpose, she wanted to get a reaction from him before she started to do her usual vetting fun by making the boy endure a makeover and some humble pie before she was called off by her parents. She didn't notice that he was cringing as she did her makeup, and was in for a surprise. When she turned around, he boldly asked her, "Do you always slather on that much blush and eyeliner? It looks terrible on you. Sorry, but you don't need much of it at all. You look perfect as it is. Just look at what your mother has on- a little goes a long way with your face." She was shocked at his reaction to seeing her makeup, nobody had ever had that reaction to her makeup and nobody had ever turned things around on her to make her look like she had no clue what she was doing. She was intrigued by him, so much so that she had to get him to show her what he meant by her going overboard and turn things around on him to get back in control of the situation. She gave him the makeup and told him firmly, "If you think you know so much, then prove it. Show me. Make me over and show me that you aren't talking out of your butt like so many other boys!" Andrew wiped her face clean of all of her makeup then went to work on her eyes, lips, and cheeks. He covered up some of the redness that was starting to show near her hairline then around her cheeks that she hadn't noticed yet. He spent a while on her eyelashes, slowly making them look fuller and stand out while also making them separate instead of congeal into just a few larger lashes. Her lips were the last to be worked on as he tried to find the right shade of lipstick from her makeup. She had only a few shades and they weren't working for her, so he grabbed some lip gloss and used it to make them stand out without adding much color. Last, he put on a light line around her eyelids as the eyeliner worked with her lashes to make her eyes stand out a little more and not comically. When he showed her she was at a rare loss for words and had tears in her eyes. She tried to complain but he bluntly told her, "I learned at school, on my own. I spent a lot of time and makeup perfecting my look so I can pass as a girl on stage. You are trying too hard and I highly doubt your mom is happy with how you look in your makeup. You are trying to look older, but you don't need to. You are fine as-is." Valerie was grinning at her daughter as she watched him defuse the situation and deflate Cat's ego. Her little girl was growing up fast and Andrew had just pushed her away from womanhood and back into being a normal 13-year-old girl. She hated to admit it, but Cat needed that smackdown. Valerie made her presence known and told Cat in a scold, "You know you aren't allowed to be alone up here with boys, especially not ones you just met and who you don't know. I know you like to vet new people who your cousins and siblings befriend, but this an 18-year-old boy! You are barely allowed to be upstairs with your boyfriend Gavin, if I catch you up here with a boy again I am banning you from being alone with boys in the house. That includes Gavin!" Andrew tried to apologize but Valerie explained, "She wasn't thinking. She does this all of the time with new people and didn't think that it's not a good idea for a 13-year-old girl to be alone with a teenage boy. I know it wasn't your choice, she dragged you up here. She needed to be told the consequences." She looked over Cat and nodded to her, telling her, "Now you know how it feels to be on the other end of the makeover. Remember how you look, this the most I'm allowing you to wear. You know the rules of your school, only eyeliner, mascara, and lip gloss. You are too beautiful for all of that makeup." She led Cat and Andrew back downstairs and had to smile as JD did a double-take as he saw Cat. It was tough to not say anything, but JD shook his head and ignored her look. When Cat walked away, JD told her that she really didn't need all of that stuff as Gavin liked her just the way she was. The little bit of family bonding warmed Andrew's heart. Aubrey was never like that to him and would have mocked him if he was a girl wearing the same makeup. She put on a ton of it to make herself look older, a lot more than Cat wore and was even worse than Cat had done making him grin at the thought. Tabby and the girls entered with Piper and their boyfriends as he was recalling the image, with Valerie having to divert their attention to Cat and how she looked. Piper asked why she toned down her look while Tabby quickly told her, "She had help. Andrew did it for her." Andrew tried to look away in shame but Tabby told him, "It's the same look you had in your sophomore play picture that you showed us last night. All that she's missing is the frilly dress and she'd be you. Her breasts are a little bigger than the falsies you were wearing, though. You could have used a larger cup size to fill the dress out more but we understand why you didn't go larger." The boys cringed while JD walked away before Cat said something to him. Andrew shot back to Tabby, "I refused to wear the big falsies that they had. Sorry, but I prefer a more natural look if I'm going to be out in front of an audience. You might like lugging big breasts around, but I don't. I did once and it was the worst rehearsal I ever had." The girls were laughing at Tabby now, with Cat looking at her with a mischievous look that screamed a revenge-fueled dress-up for Tabby. Tabby casually shot back, "I don't mind having big breasts, I think I can carry them well. You are right, you look better with smaller ones. Still, a C-cup would have been a good fit for you but a B-cup didn't look out of place." Valerie stopped any further back and forth joking as Cat was on the verge of making a joke at Andrew's expense and might cause a fight that he didn't need. Cat saw the look in her mother's eye and walked on to where her brother was waiting for her to go out back to visit their friends Willow and Julio. Valerie told the four remaining boys, "Don't press him. He's an artist, acting at an all-boys school. I'm sure that you know exactly what he's talking about with looking the par, Ethan." Ethan Smith, Melinda's boyfriend, blushed and nodded while Valerie told Andrew, "He went to a school like yours back before 3rd grade and acted the part of a girl in 2nd grade. He hated doing it and it was nothing like your school in terms of quality so it's a sore spot for him. He knows how to look the part as a girl and how to try to hold onto your masculinity while en-femme for the enjoyment of others." The other three boys were silent as it was an old memory Ethan hated recalling. Andrew left it alone as the girls led him out to drive on to their home and talk about their days. Tabby was happy to tell him he was expected the following week as his new professors were happy to help him get caught up. At the house, Andrew asked what the story was with the boys and their reactions, it didn't make much sense to him as they were a little too sensitive to what Ethan and Andrew went through. Tabby gave him a look that said she didn't want to say much, but Melinda confessed, "They have all had issues with being bullied and called girly by jerks. Junior was abused because he suffered from serious infections due to his premature birth. Neil was small and in a school that only cared about the big and strong. Logan's birth mom was a lesbian and his sister had a birth defect that nobody wanted to correct. And Ethan was small and his family are titled nobility but his birth father wasn't going to inherit the title." Aggy further explained, "Neil, Ethan, and Junior grew up a lot while Logan was always bigger than the others. They know isolation, pain, suffering, neglect, and abuse. Don't tell me you don't know that as I know darn well about your family. We all looked up your family and Uncle John and Aunt Valerie had a long talk about them last night. It's why Cat tried to be close, the little weasel tried to act like she was vetting you but we have known her too long to not notice when she's keeping an eye on you." The girls told him the boys' backstories and filled in a lot of the gaps. He gasped in shock to learn that their cousin Sydney was transgender, as well as their aunt Savannah and many other guys and ladies. It was the first time that he had been around a transgender person and not had them acting campy or in an exaggerated manner, he knew several through Todd's friends but never one not acting the part. His world was changing rapidly as he was seeing people from a whole new perspective. People were not what you might think they are and people can be both real and fake at the same time. He was glad to know that he was learning to see people as people, not as they appear to be. His night was spent dreaming weird thoughts. He liked remembering being a girl and seeing his face in the dresses in the plays. He regretted becoming a boy again, the first time he ever felt that way before. In the morning, Tabby took him to the NESM to meet some of his professors and to give a true test of the musical abilities that they would have to work with. He was getting rusty in some instruments but his guitar skills were top notch as always and his piano skills were better than they had thought. He was not likely to perform in a major classical production, but his range worked well with most other music. It took all morning and most of the afternoon before his acting and vocal skills were checked. He could act well and could improvise a scene with little input and make it seem like he had practiced for hours, but he had little interest in it and explained why he chose to not be an actor. It was hard to argue given what they had learned about him before, so he was moved on to his vocal testing. He tried to be masculine in his singing but his falsetto baritone singing was clearly forced and not what he was best at. His attempt to modulate only served to showcase his higher range and ability to sing in a register that few men could sing at. There was more to his range but he tried hard not to sing in it. After some serious prodding to force him to perform what he didn't want to, he stopped fighting and sang in his feminine style voice in the female register. He kept at it as he talked with the vocal coach, not realizing that it was getting tough to get back to his normal voice. He was humiliated, but he had the head of the vocal department applauding him and telling him he had a rare gift in his voice. The testing complete, he was told what courses to take and what extras would benefit him. Tabby was in several of the classes and happily told him that she had the instruments in their basement so the two could practice in peace while Melinda and Aggy studied upstairs. Their advisor told the two that their songwriting class would be special as the two together formed a powerful team. At home, Aggy and Melinda joked about them performing concerts for their mice which led to Tabby giving her a grin and joking, "We can't help it if they appreciate good music. Don't worry, maybe when you become a lawyer and businesswoman you might be as useful as us." She dodged a couch cushion as the girls pelted her for the joke, but it was all in good fun which Andrew learned quickly. His night was spent thinking a lot about the day and how things were different than before. The girls were a lot of fun and cared for one another, with each including him into their conversations and not trying to talk around him as his parents and Aubrey did. The girls were great fun to be around and had a strong understanding of him even if they didn't say it. He shed tears over this realization. The girls were true family, with friends and boyfriends who were the best people he had ever met. Valerie was a doting mother, he didn't have to see much to see that she was the kind of mother who cared about her children and wanted what was best for them. They were what he hoped family would be. Siblings, cousins, parents, friends- they were what he was missing in his life. Todd and his parents were amazing people, but this was a different kind of love. In the morning, he felt a lot different. He had more energy and was eager to start the day. He cooked and was ready to go before Tabby was even done with her morning coffee, forcing him to calm down and let her finish while giving Melinda and Aggy something to talk about as they left for school. Tabby and Andrew took the bus and train to school, with Tabby explaining that it was to Andrew's own benefit that he learned the route so he didn't need her to drive him everywhere. He understood and it did help him immensely, especially as it was an easy route with frequent buses. Plus, it was also not as far as he was accustomed to as the Boston area was tiny by comparison to LA. At school, Andrew spent the day working hard and getting into the groove of being a music student but in a whole different path than the music classes that he took in boarding school. Much of them were self-directed and were meant to work with his skills rather than a strict curriculum, which was ideal for a field of study that can't be conformed to naturally. His natural talent was one of the best in the school but he needed refinement that they were able to give to him. During one of the breaks, he talked with classmates about performing outside of school. He got invited to try out for one of the shows by several of the guys, ones who needed to work for a living to pay their expenses that their scholarships didn't cover. It was enticing, but he wasn't told what they performed as. That evening, the girls went with him to see the performances. Their boyfriends were at home working on school projects while Piper was stuck babysitting. Andrew hated to see her upset at not going, but it was family obligations and she refused to let her parents miss a night out because of her. At the venue, the girls laughed as it turned out to be a drag show. Andrew felt odd being there but held together as the girls enjoyed watching the flamboyant acts dance and lip-sync to songs. He had fun, but it was tough to realize that he was being setup for a job doing the same thing as them. During one of the intermissions, Andrew was shown to the owner and asked to show what he could do. He struggled but was able to nail several snippets of songs by popular artists while dancing the same dances that they performed. He did it entirely in his feminine voice, making it tough to believe the sight of a teenage boy standing right in front of her. When he stopped, Andrew was told that he had the job and could perform as soon as the next night. He accepted, but kept conditions that allowed him to cancel for any reason if the needs of school called for it. It was either work around his schedule or do without him, Andrew was a jewel so it was accepted. Normally the girls would never be allowed inside of the club, but as they were with Andrew they were given the OK to enter but kept to the side and backstage. The club's owner had the detail police officer clear it with the city so the club wasn't in trouble, especially as the girls' boyfriends' family was known to him and the city. The officer had no problem telling the bartenders to refuse to serve the girls any drink other than soda or water and to refuse any attempt by others to give drinks to them, with all of the bartenders giving a look of disbelief but the club's bouncers letting slip they were VIP guests and any attempt to serve or give them alcohol would be the end of their careers. Andrew watched in shock but knowing Valerie Finn and Piper's mother Savannah were lawyers it all made sense. When the officer explained to him that Valerie's family had numerous law enforcement officials it all came together- it was to protect the girls and the club. The girls just groaned at not being able to do anything except watch, but Andrew's job mattered to them so they followed orders. The club job paid well for a college student, even if it was only one to three nights a week. He could afford clothes and food, while also sharing in the utilities and entertainment expenses. The girls didn't really need the money from him, but didn't want to make him feel bad by refusing to accept payment. The club was fun for the most part, even if it could get rowdy as the more campy performers strutted to their songs and got the men and women laughing and dancing. Andrew fit in with the fellow ladies to the point that he was using his feminine voice whenever he was inside the club. It was unintentional, he was so used to it that it was default to keep up appearances while in makeup. The Friday of that first week, Andrew received word about his inheritance. Valerie was joined by her son-in-law and his two senior partners for the meeting. It was tense for Andrew, but he was ready for a lot of bad news as it wasn't something his parents would let him have willingly. Valerie explained to him, "Your grandparents left you a tidy sum of money that your parents, as we had expected, have held in trust for you until you turn 21. You have the option of claiming your inheritance early if you choose, but you have to do so in person and explain to the executor why you are claiming it so early. Your parents have no say in the matter, but the executor might choose to deny it if he feels you are going to disgrace your family. I am sure that it's due to your sister's actions that he is reluctant to allow you early access, but you are in the right and will be fine when the time comes to claim it." The money actually didn't matter to him, but facing down his parents did. He asked about their using the money to which her son-in-law explained, "They have a stipend from it and their own inheritances that they live on alongside their TV show and movie residuals and movie profits. They have used your inheritance to fund a few of their movies and saw a strong return on their investment, all of which we have sued to recover. As it currently stands, you have $50 million in base inheritance and $15 million in money owed to you. It'll take time to recover all of it, but you aren't for want anymore." Andrew was astounded, Valerie explained to him, "You don't have to move out and live on your own. The girls appreciate your being there and have acted more mature since you entered their lives. Tabby is happy to have you as a friend, especially one who can understand her artistically. They are hoping to stay roommates with you, but understand if you want to move to Boston to live on your own." He didn't say anything more, he was too busy letting the revelations process. Valerie and the lawyers talked further about him going west to lay claim to the inheritance but he tuned it out. All was set and he had a place to stay as well as some people who'd appreciate talking with him, if he let them. While they were talking, Andrew got a text from someone claiming to know his secret and would let his parents know what he was doing with his free time in Boston. Included was a picture of him dressed as a girl for his performance, with a video of him singing and dancing on stage. Valerie caught his look and grabbed his phone, swearing out loud while her son-in-law boldly told her, "They didn't take long. It has to be his parents again, only this time they might have gone too far. Tell the guys to lay back, let them come to you before you rip them to shreds. I don't want to know what Logan would do to them." Valerie's son-in-law Rick Samuels and two women who had been introduced as his bosses, the Kaplans, signed off to let Valerie get to work, but first told her that they were expecting her phone call with who hired the extortionist and what their reaction would be. Valerie just gave a nod and told Andrew, "It's a moot point but they are going for your reputation. Your new school isn't like the BSM, they have had countless LGBT students attend and only ever has any issues with it when those students make it an issue and only when it's for that student's own benefit not all LGBT students." He looked down in shame and mumbled a timid, "I'm not gay. No matter how many times I tell people, I'm not gay. I don't even know what I am sexually! I only wear the clothing because it's needed for the job, I'd prefer to perform as myself. I'm not gay, I'm barely a man." Valerie offered him a surprising, "Are you transgender, though? Before you get upset, you may very well be transgender and are hiding your true feelings from others out of this same fear of exposure and the abuse your family has undoubtedly given to you over it. You haven't had much exposure to what most would call 'normal' people, especially ones who are transgender. You may be just a crossdresser, a male or female who enjoys dressing as the opposite gender, instead of transgender. I think you might benefit from talking with some of them and learning more about yourself." Andrew was too stunned and humiliated to say anything. Valerie asked him to come with her, she had the right person to talk to as he might be just like her. He didn't fight her on this, he followed her to the building across the street and spoke to the woman inside then let her lead him over to the dining room. The woman introduced herself as Kennedy Pena and was just like him. She boldly told him, "I didn't get to lead a normal life until college. I struggled with my identity for years and when I was finally away from my abusive family I broke down and was forced to speak with someone about my real self. I am transgender, I don't have to know the full story about you to know that you are about to have the same breakdown thanks to your parents, Blake Reynolds, and what you are doing at work. You are conflicted in your feelings, you like how you are there but you are trying to be what everyone else thinks that you should be. You are free to be yourself, yet you can't accept that you aren't what you think you are." He looked away in shame and confessed, "I love being on stage and performing. It's getting harder and harder to stop being the girl everyone sees up there. I love letting loose and not trying to be Andrew. He isn't as good as her, he can't command an audience while she has the club following her every word. I want to be her, I want to be that confident person. I can't stop thinking about her. I want to be Andrew but she is too powerful. She is taking over. I can't stop her anymore." Tears were rolling down his face as he proclaimed that. Andrew wasn't Andrew, he hadn't been since he started performing as that girl on stage. The facade of the young man trying to be himself was starting to break apart and the real person inside was finally released. Kennedy let him stop then told him warmly, "That's the first step in your transition: accepting that you aren't the person that everyone believes you to be. The signs were always there, you don't just become transgender overnight. You were girly all along, you just hid it better than a lot of us. You had help but you didn't have the right kind of help. You can get it now, all you have to do is talk with her and she will guide you to where you need to go- be it crossdressing or all the way to surgery." He thanked her then told her, "I don't believe that you are transgender. It's impossible. You look so great and nothing like the girls I've known. They all look like they are in-between, you look fully woman." She blushed then told him, "I told you I was like you. I was smaller than most guys and didn't gain any muscles. My body took to hormones quickly so I didn't need large fake breasts. I just look average, it helped me a lot to blend in and go unnoticed. I'm grateful that my husband fell in love with me early on after we got back together as friends so I didn't have to try the dating pool. Believe me, there's a lot of guys who want what I didn't have anymore." Kennedy looked at a picture then added, "My own daughter is like us. She's a delightful sprite who fell in love with a wonderful girl. You might find love, give it time and find your real sexuality." She read his mind as he looked up at a picture. She added, "Before you ask, the trio are adopted. My husband and I had them fall into our lives and are grateful for them. A lot of us adopt children, I'm sure you will learn about the others soon enough. I hate to admit it but I don't think you are going to, "Father" any children due to your biology, but don't give up hope- there's nothing wrong with adopting kids. The children need love and are more open to parents like us than anyone else normally is." The talk helped him immensely. Piper entered with Logan and drove him back home, with Piper trying to ask what happened but only seeing him clam up. Logan put things together and boldly told her, "He got a bit of bad news that we shouldn't pry into. I think mom is on the warpath because of it, it's why he was at Aunt Kennedy's house. If he decides to tell you then so be it, but don't pry into it too much." Logan nodded to him and left it alone, while Piper was a bit upset at her boyfriend keeping something from her. At home, the girls were awaiting him and had four toddlers with them. Piper groaned at seeing all of them while Logan chuckled at their bad luck, Melinda told the trio, "Aunt Savannah had to do something on Andrew's behalf while Uncle Justin had some school-related work to do that couldn't be put off any longer. We got stuck with little Justin too because Sydney didn't want to stay home since Rose is out studying with classmates." Piper introduced Andrew to her big sister Sydney as well as her little sister Lydia and younger brothers Nathan and Phillip. He noticed the four looked similar to one another while Piper had different hair and eyes. She sensed his looming question and proclaimed, "They are all related by blood, I'm adopted. The triplets are dad's and mom's children as is Sydney. Justin is Sydney's son and yes, he is younger than the triplets. The idiot forgot to wear a condom when she had sex and ended up getting Rose pregnant." Andrew's eyes went wide at hearing that, Logan told the four, "He's got some things to work out on his own. Mom was setting up an appointment with Granny Gina. Don't press him, he's already talked with Aunt Kennedy so probably knows about her. I don't think he knows about the rest." Sydney led him away, first moving the clingy Justin to his aunt and uncles so she could move. Inside the kitchen, she sat him down for a private talk. She looked him over and grinned before speaking. He asked her what they meant by her getting Rose pregnant. She smiled then admitted, "I'm transgender and had sex with her when she was a senior in high school resulting in Justin. She's a great girl and loved me despite my penis. She always knew that she was a lesbian and was setup by her brother to date me so we'd be close even if we didn't hit things off. It's the only times that I've ever used my penis sexually, I never masturbated let alone had sex with it before being with Rose." He was shocked to hear that. She added, "I started transitioning at 13. I knew for years that I was a girl but hid it inside me. I dressed when my mom was alive but stopped when she married my stepdad. She knew I was a girl, I didn't realize it in full until I met my roommate's huge family. They told me about girls and boys born the wrong gender and opened up my eyes. I've lived as a girl ever since, and even had my surgery once I turned 18. I didn't know that I had already gotten Rose pregnant at the time." Her story intrigued him, she explained further, "Dad didn't know I existed because of family issues. I'm a child prodigy with a high IQ and two PhDs as well as multiple patents and a huge amount of money in the bank from licensing my patents to companies for use. I found dad and moved in with him and was allowed to be my true self ever since. Dad's family is terrible but his sisters-in-law are great people and their daughters amazing. Piper came along two months after I lived with dad and got the girls involved with the boys, which led to all of them dating and staying together. Then dad and mom had the triplets through surrogacy and a major error giving both of them kids at the same time." She knew his next question and explained, "Mom is transgender. She married dad after I came to live with him. She saved semen and was supposed to be the 'father' but both ended up 'fathering' the kids." She asked him the truth: was he feeling like a girl. He shed a tear and tearfully told her, "I can't help but be a girl anymore. I tried to be as masculine as possible but it's harder and harder to stop. I don't want to be like this. I hate that I'm not normal. All I ever wanted was to be normal and be just like everyone else. You don't know what it's like to have everyone trying to use you! You don't know what it's like to be what others want you to be! When I'm a girl, I'm me. I can be what I want to be. Everyone else sees the beautiful girl and not the sissy boy. I can't fight her. She is taking over my life. The only time I'm not her is here or in school. I hate feeling this way, I hate being a fraud. I'm not a girl, I'm just a pathetic excuse for a boy. I'm a total fake. I'm just like my parents and sister- a total fake." He broke down further, almost wailing but doing his best to keep the kids from hearing his cries. It was a sad sight, the normally composed Andrew had become a sobbing mess. Sydney hugged him tight and let him cry himself out, it was the toughest thing to admit but it was the first step on a long road. When he stopped, she authoritatively told him, "I know exactly what you are feeling. We all do. Being a genius and earning my first patent at 12 I am used to people using me for their own benefit. First it was my stepfather, then it was my PhD advisor, then it was people trying to get me to sign away my life to their companies. Everyone I have met outside of the family has been the same: they want to use me. Your parents are lice who are going to lose their careers if they haven't already and your sister will end up in prison in a year or two. Those losers at your boarding schools won't be anything but rich snobs, the teachers will never get far in the academic world. You are among people who care about you for you and don't need you or your money yet care about you. I can see it in the girls, they like you for you. Give them a chance to prove their friendship, they want to be friends with you. They are true friends." The girls hugged Andrew while Sydney took a breath. The kids were giggling at all of the hugging with Justin begging for hugs from Andrew as well. He lifted Justin up and hugged him deeply, crying into the boy's shoulder as he felt the warmth from his show of affection to him. Andrew's crying sapped all of his energy as he fell asleep with Justin in his arms. The little boy did the same and was followed by the triplets taking the cue to take a nap as well. The Stoners used this lull in their babysitting to talk about Andrew and what they should do next to help him. Sydney was deep in thought which meant she had ideas and counter-ideas formulating in her head. She took a few minutes but finally blurted out, "He needs to talk to Granny Gina and fast. If we can't get him help he might do something to himself to stop his pain. He's in need of someone to talk to, this is more than just feeling like he might be female inside. We have pushed him more than we should have, Aunts Valerie and Kennedy might have done more harm than good talking with him today." Granny Gina was Dr. Gina Allen, Sydney's grandmother-in-law and a gender identity therapist. She was the therapist for many of the children and young adults who were transgender in their family and knew best how to help Andrew with his issues. She would take him on as a patient immediately, especially as he had a pressing matter that was going to be addressed whether he was ready or not. Sydney called Gina and listened as the woman explained what all four of them had to do and why it was so important that they followed her every instruction. All four of the girls had to keep an eye on Andrew until the morning and ensure that he didn't leave the house without at least one of them with him, she feared that he might do something to himself or someone may force him to leave unwillingly. He was in no state to leave anyway, but having an escort with him would ensure that he couldn't do anything no matter how badly he was feeling about himself and what they had told him. Gina ended her call and asked Valerie to help Andrew while his situation was sorted out legally. She caught the drift and smirked, if he was being watched by people then his being with them would lead to the usual "caught in the act" extortion foiling and lead back to the masterminds. Gina wasn't one to be so daring, but being part of their family for the past few years had made her see that the family was the one group of people who could entrap an entire organization by way of going after a single person. Andrew slept until the kids started to stir and awaken. He endured Justin refusing to let anyone else get close to him and made Andrew change his wet diaper while his mother looked on in humor, Justin was acting just as his mother Rose always did when Sydney or the triplets were sick. He knew how to make you do what he wanted but also not do too much unless you had to. Sydney's wife Rose came by followed by Savannah, with both asking about Justin's closeness to the still tired-looking Andrew. Sydney asked that they hold off the inquisition for a while, with Savannah seeing that it was something that wasn't for the little kids' ears while Rose countered, "Granny asked us to give him some time, I take it if she's asking that it has to be connected to him." Savannah shook her head while Sydney added, "There's a lot going on that he needs to talk about with her that is wearing him down. He might be like me, he might not be. But he also has people after him and his parents are likely sending people to spy on him to get something to use against him and may have found just what they needed. Aunts Valerie and Kennedy tried to talk with him about it but all they did was make him feel worse. Please don't try to talk with him, only granny can help him now." Justin hugged and kissed Andrew goodbye, with the little boy giggling at his mothers and grandmother as he did so. Andrew felt a lot better but was still not feeling well mentally. Savannah led the triplets out and told them that they will be able to play with Andrew in a couple of days, with the trio happy to be told the truth and not fighting leaving Andrew's side like they usually did with people they liked. The little boy had Andrew dreaming of kids and motherhood. He had pleasant dreams of him cuddling a sleeping child while his husband cooked dinner and of giving baths to a child while getting drenched in soapy water. His husband was always close by, kissing him as their child giggled at the affection. It was the first time that he had ever had dreams of a husband, but the man was vivid and nothing like the guys he had known in LA growing up. This was an average looking man, with an average build and regular clothes. He could have been an accountant or businessman, not a famous actor or musician. When it came to the couple having sex, Andrew shivered but it was amazing. His body reacted to the dream in a normal way, which was noticed by Piper and the girls as they kept watch over him. They had a big giggle over what might have caused it, with the girls realizing Andrew was coming into his sexuality without knowing that he was coming into it. When Andrew finally awoke, the girls hugged him and told him about what he was doing in his sleep. He blushed deeply, but Melinda needled her cousins by telling him, "It happens and you needed that. I know darn well that Aggy and Tabby have rubbed their crotches when they slept and Piper was rubbing her leg on Sydney and moaning once when they slept over when the triplets were sick with the flu." Tabby smirked while Aggy added an embarrassing, "She glossed over her own bit of personal sleep fun- she was masturbating while sleeping! The minx had her hand in her panties rubbing her vagina while asleep and had at least two orgasms before we woke her up to snap her out of it!" The girls got what they wanted from him, he blushed but wasn't afraid of their reactions to what he had done without knowing. The girls cooked then told him that he had an appointment at Granny Gina's office and had to get a move on or they'd be late and she'd be angry at the trio. Andrew was scared after that, but the girls assured him they were the ones who'd be in trouble- not him. They were met at the office by Gina and her wife Martha Perez, with Gina taking Andrew inside while Martha gave the girls a look that told them, "Tell me what's really going on." In a side room, Tabby told her, "He's having issues that are more than the usual gender issues. His family is total crap, his sister is that mega-bitch who trashed Taylor Turner to the media while trying to hijack Francesca Herman's movie. And if that wasn't bad enough, someone is trying to extort him for performing in drag at the club we told you about. And to boot he's been having mental issues for years that went undiagnosed and now needs our help to keep him from completely breaking down. Aunts Valerie and Kennedy made it worse when they talked to him yesterday in the hopes of getting him to see that he needs help to find himself, Sydney calmed him but he needs to talk with someone who can help more than us." Martha dismissed them then called Valerie to get more information about what was really going on and wouldn't let the seasoned lawyer weasel out of the truth. Valerie tried but gave in, telling her everything and waiting for her reaction. Martha only nodded, told her to ensure Rick did his homework, then hung up and walked outside to wait with the girls while the two talked in private. In her office, Gina sat Andrew down and talked with him about his life and family. He was reluctant to say much about either but with some gentle prodding he told her about his parents' actions towards him and how his sister was all but invisible unless she needed him for some publicity piece. He was acidic to both, with Gina seeing that he had massive unresolved anger and abandonment issues. He told of his parents shipping him off to school when they got roles overseas then sending for him to be part of a photoshoot only to ship him back once that was over. He hated traveling and feeling like a piece of meat, and when he expressed his feelings his father struck him hard across the face for making him look bad in front of the, "Help." Over time, he grew to hate any interaction with them to the point he only went home for holidays and even then he stayed in his room and had his food brought to him. His relationship with Aubrey was worse, with Andrew not shying away from telling Gina how much he hated her as a person. She was constantly abusive to him to the point that she would hit him in front of the staff just to show that she could do it and then blame him for upsetting her. His parents would react with anger and slaps across the face, all while Aubrey laughed from across the room. He told of days where Aubrey locked him in closets and told his parents that he went to visit friends, then left for two days before returning in a drunken stupor. She only let him out when he banged on the door to awaken her from her slumber, with the angry Aubrey striking him for waking her. His parents had no idea where he went and didn't care, with only his friends noticing his absence but not saying anything to anyone out of fear of Aubrey and their parents while his friend Todd got his parents to send child services to the house to threaten Aubrey and their parents about the abusive actions. That only led to his parents striking him hard once the child services social worker left, with his father ensuring that the woman's report showed that it was a false claim while she was paid a hefty price to cover their actions. The Marshalls weren't fooled and forced Martin and Sondra to sign a contract that allowed Andrew to stay with the Marshalls during all breaks, with Andrew only returning home for the Christmas break but in reality only staying the night there. He was all but cutoff from the family, but it was what he had wanted and left Martin and Sondra on the hook for his living and school expenses. Gina got a clear picture of a life of abuse and neglect, with Aubrey being the real power in the family. She asked if Aubrey ever got in trouble, with Andrew angrily telling her, "Only when she was fired from a movie for trying to destroy the movie unless she got more money. She only got in trouble because my parents ended up looking bad because they were the ones who got the media involved, hoping that the media would support Aubrey and get rid of Francesca Herman. They didn't know anything about what Francesca meant to the movie and what her connection was to the producers and the studio." Gina had to stifle a laugh, Andrew added, "Mom and dad lost a lot of money because of her. They were borrowing it to finance taking over the movie. She had to pay them back in full from her own money." She redirected the questions to his feelings about being a girl. He tried to look away in shame, but she pressed him on. It took him a while to say something, every time he tried he lost his voice. Gina gave him time to answer, when he finally did he explained, "It felt right to be dressed as a girl. I love being a girl on stage, I can be someone else. Up on stage I don't have the burden of masculinity nor the family drama constantly overtaking my life. I guess I was lucky to be able to talk like a girl so naturally, it was so easy to lose my male self and be a girl and not have to worry about acting the part of a guy. Nobody harassed me, nobody said anything bad about me. I loved being a girl." She asked when those feelings first started, he looked up at the ceiling and tried to recall the memories of times past that he hadn't thought about for a long time. Images of him playing in his sister's dresses when he was a toddler in the care of a nanny and playing with the maids' daughters while the kids were home for the summer came flooding back. He smiled at some of them, with the girls telling him that he needed a girl's name because he was a girl like them even if he had a wee wee and not an innie. Gina took note of his reaction and for the first time he looked calm, almost relieved. He told her what he was remembering and why it stopped- Aubrey found out about it and assaulted the housekeeper and nanny. They and the rest of the staff quit over the abuse, with Andrew being blamed for the whole incident even if his parents didn't believe a word of Aubrey's claims of Andrew dressing like a girl. He explained how he buried the incident deep and kept the feelings from resurfacing no matter how he felt about dressing and being a girl. He shed tears as he told of the girls in his school telling him that he was the perfect girl even if he was a guy, with him telling them that he was a boy and not some freak. The girls didn't hold that against him, they saw how abused he was by bullies at the school because he was seen as an easy target and the one boy who wouldn't fight back against them no matter what. When he got to talking about his all-boys boarding school, his mood changed again. He admitted that he allowed himself to be girly because the school needed someone to be a girl for the plays they were performing and nobody else would dare do it. He earned a lot of respect and was the best singer in the school, with the boys not daring to bully him as he had won over the entire school with his acting and singing and was seen as man enough to be a woman in their eyes. She knew the rest of the story after that, so she asked about his feelings while working. He tried to fight it but he confessed, "I'm myself onstage. I am a girl up there. I love singing, dancing, and talking as a girl. It's the most fun I have ever had and the crowd likes me a lot. Nobody hassles me, nobody makes fun of my smaller size, nobody acts like I'm less than human for being smaller than the guys." Finally, Gina asked about his sex life. Andrew sighed and explained, "I never had sex and never thought of it. Mom and dad try to set me up with some rich debutante but I refused each attempt to get me to date- it was all about them, not me. They tried to set me up with boys after that, I told them that I wasn't gay and if they continued I'd out them for their affairs with certain powerful celebrities and watch as the couples sued them for slander while their own marriages fell apart." He sighed then added, "Last night I dreamed of being a mother and having a husband who loved me no matter what. I've never seen guys as sexual before, all I've ever done with a guy was kiss him as part of the play. Even my friend Todd only got a peck on the cheek from me, and he's the closest I would ever get to having a boyfriend. But last night I dreamed that my husband was having sex with me in my vagina. I couldn't believe it when the girls told me, but it's so vivid. I guess I like guys, I never did before but I can't stop thinking about the man in my dreams and how perfect he was for me." Gina ended their session and led him out, but first told him, "You may be transgender but I think you have a lot of suppressed feelings that are now coming to the surface. Most of them deal with your parents and sister, I can understand how that is impacting you. What you need most is time away from them and a lot of talk with me about them. You may well be a woman, it sounds like you have all of the makings to be a woman inside but are still unsure about it. You need more time to find who you really are. You should experiment with being a girl, let the girls help you with that. Let Kennedy talk with you, she knows your situation best. She wants to help you, let her do it for your own sake." The girls were about to ask if she was a girl, but Gina explained, "He needs time as a girl to find out the truth about himself. It's one thing to dress, it's another to be dressed all of the time. You girls know the drill, you know who best to talk to him and who will be best to help him get situated." Tabby softly told Gina, "He's going to Aunt Valerie's house for a bit. She wants Andrew there so he can be safe and secure. I don't know what's going on but Aunt Valerie has plans in the works." Gina nodded, then added, "Then Cat will be his best bet. She needs to temper her libido and focus on her schoolwork, I think some time helping Andrew would be best for both. The little scamp is overdue for a prank on her brother, I doubt she will try anything with Andrew there. She might even learn something from all of this, he had an impact already so she is open to learning from him." The girls drove home and gathered all of Andrew's things, with Piper meeting them outside to drive in with Andrew so he was prepared for the usual chaos at the house. She pulled over and explained to him, "It's the weekend so more than likely Cat has her best friend Willow Reagan over. JD will be next door with his best friend Julio Lopez. Their older sister Ella is going to be home but she usually spends much of her time talking with her girlfriend Flora Nelson. There's a strong chance that you might be asked to be a babysitter, especially if Cat demands it. Don't get overwhelmed by the large number of people who try to get a peek at you, most of the people on the block are family to us in one way or another by blood or marriage. And don't get intimidated if you meet the guys, especially Miles." Andrew thought she was joking but seeing a bunch of people talking to one another waiting outside the Finn home showed that she wasn't kidding. Cat ran for the car and all but dragged Andrew inside, with Logan taking Andrew's bags inside as Valerie gave a signal to the onlookers to disperse. JD had a look of relief, he didn't have to do anything thanks to Logan doing the heavy lifting for him. Cat led Andrew to the room next to hers, with Cat grinning widely as she told him that her father had her in the only room that didn't have a tree branch or porch. Andrew asked why he did that, to which JD shot in a quick, "She got punished for sneaking out at 1 AM trying to go to a high school party back in July. Mom is the one who made her move, dad was too exhausted from searching for her to do it." Cat gave him a glare while Andrew was relieved to know that the family cared about her enough to do that. Aubrey did that all of the time back when she was her age, she even got brought back home by deputies several times when she got caught in parking lots with college boys. It was a sign of love, one that parents showed yet kids seemed to mistake for hate or being overbearing. JD ran off before his sister could retaliate, with Logan bringing the rest of Andrew's clothes and to the surprise of him- makeup. Andrew sighed and explained to Logan, "I use it to perform. You know that I perform at the nightclub in drag, I have to wear it to look the part. I have wigs and fake breasts too." He blushed and walked off, while Cat dug into his things in search of the wigs and breasts. Andrew got to it first, telling her that it was private which only led her to complain about knowing that he was like Sydney and her sister already. Andrew asked her what she meant, causing her to say, "Oops!" JD popped in and explained, "Our sister Jaimie is transgender. She had her surgery seven years ago. She has a daughter, husband, and is in medical school trying to become a doctor like Granny Gina and Aunt Allison. She didn't get to become a girl until she was in 6th grade and dad took her in as a foster child. Mom and dad don't talk about things before we were born because a lot of bad things happened, but she was the one who started to get all of the family together." Cat shooed him out and helped Andrew put away the clothes. Andrew blushed as she looked over his dresses and some of his bras and panties. She was going to say something but let it go, instead looking at the large supply of makeup that she hadn't seen in a while and hoped to be able to use. Cat asked if he could help her with her makeup, ever since he did it the first time she had trouble with the lipgloss and eyeliner. He agreed, provided that she got her parents' permission first. Cat hugged him deeply, telling him, "Mom is fine with me wearing it but dad doesn't like me wearing it. He doesn't want his baby girl to grow up. He hates that I have boobs and had my first period." The two went downstairs so Andrew could relax and meet the neighbors. Willow didn't say anything but Julio looked at him oddly but kept quiet about him being there. He looked like he wanted to speak about Andrew, but he also seemed weirded-out by Andrew. Valerie entered with a man who was the spitting image of JD. Cat instantly ran for him and gave him a big hug, to which he told her, "You're still grounded. I told you no see-through clothes. I don't care if it was just for going to and from Willow's house, I know you wore it for Gavin. Your aunt won't let you do those kinds of things, you know she hates those kinds of clothes." Cat gave him a dirty look while Valerie added, "You stole it from Ella so don't complain, we know it's hers because she found the second piece of the shirt on the floor. You are too young to show off your body like that, especially when he is struggling to accept that you are a blossoming girl. One week at the daycare changing diapers and another at the beauty salon sweeping floors. Don't try to use Andrew as a way of getting out of your punishment, it's insulting to him to do that." Valerie came towards him and hugged him deeply, then told him, "She's a master of deception but she is too much like me so I see through her plans. I'm a tougher punisher than John because of Cat. She's an excellent student, but keeps trying to be smarter than everyone else. Her father is easier to trick, but he is strict when it comes to wardrobe and boys. His little baby is growing up and he's cracking down on her trying to be too mature too fast, for her own good." The man returned to which Valerie explained, "This is my husband John. He knows all about you, more so than you realize. Your sister has him to thank for her career tanking, his money financed Francesca's movie and he put it in every contract that no bigotry is allowed by anyone on set for any reason. She thought that she could bully him into getting rid of Taylor Turner and Francesca and making Aubrey the lead, but he has known Francesca since she was 11 and Taylor's family for years." He looked at John and couldn't believe a word of it. The man was average to the point of being boring, he couldn't have the kind of money to throw around to force his views on others in Hollywood. Valerie sensed his unease and explained, "He's now worth well over $1 billion. He has built up his fortune from $50 million through a lot of shrewd investments, he spent over $50 million on the production and saw it reach $650 million with only a small $50 on publicity. It wasn't supposed to do more than $150-200 million total, but the books were a lot bigger than anyone realized. He made $400 million gross from the movie while Francesca and the studio each made $75 million. Your sister tried to destroy the movie to pad her paycheck and get your parents to be the producers at the expense of John, all because she was jealous of Francesca's abilities and that of Taylor Turner's stunt acting. And to boot Taylor out-acted your sister with little preparation for the role!" He was shocked but John chuckled and added, "It wasn't just me, the whole family chipped in money. I was just the face of the investment, everyone got a proportional share of the profits. I've seen you act, I know you are miles ahead of your sister and all of your acting was done under duress at school." He wanted to refute John, but John countered, "Your friends the Marshalls asked me to look after you. I was shown your performances and saw a spark in you that your parents and sister lacked. They act as a profession, you did it out of love. You belong on stage performing for audiences, even as a girl." He didn't say anything else and let Andrew process the high praise. John didn't care about Andrew's life and was happy to host him while things were set in motion for Andrew's protection. He was a friend of Piper and the girls and someone that his friends the Marshalls cared deeply about, which was enough of a reason for John to open his home to help Andrew. Piper entered with Logan followed by a girl who was about 16-years-old and had large breasts, wide hips, and long brunette hair. She asked who the guy was, to which Piper shot back, "That's Andrew, he's staying here for a while. Don't bug him or you'll have to answer to Tabby and Sydney." She was about to say something but Valerie explained, "It's complicated, he will tell you when he wants to. All you need to know is that he's not any danger to you and is doing what you were supposed to do with your sister last month. By the way, he's the one who got Cat to lay off of the makeup." She didn't have a comeback so walked away, with Valerie explaining to the concerned Andrew, "She has trouble with new people. She knows what you are going through but tries hard to forget her past. She's not transgender, she had a birth defect that made doctors think she was male. She's normally quiet but will open up to you over time, just let her get used to you. She is also feeling down about failing to be the big sister Cat needed with that makeup. She never wears any except lip gloss, she hates makeup." Cat came out to get Andrew and lead him downstairs to the media room to decompress until lunch was finished. Andrew hadn't realized the time but was starting to get hungry. Cat complained that her dad was trying to make another dish and nobody wanted to try it so they were stuck with it, which he was fine with as it wasn't as bad as the garbage his mother made when she was in her, "Method acting" phase before she starred as yet another housewife with attitude- her usual role since he was born. Lunch wasn't too bad, John had done a good job of getting the spices right on his taco dish but still had to master the timing for the meat. Andrew thought it was tasty, especially when coupled with a rice dish that was impossible to mess up. Ella was silent and studied Andrew while Cat, Logan, Piper, and JD ate and left to visit their eagerly awaiting friends, leaving Ella to talk with Andrew alone. Ella waited for Andrew to help clean the meal then talked with him in her room. Ella kept looking at an old picture on her desk before finally telling him, "That's me when I was forced to be a boy. We were all alone because mom's wife was always away having sex with our uncle. I know I'm not like you but I hated having to act like a boy and hide my real self at home. Mom wanted us to be ourselves even if it wasn't what people wanted us to do. I love being a girl, stop acting like a boy because you aren't. Don't say you aren't because we all see it. I saw it in Jaimie's pictures, I saw it in Kylie and I see it in Flora. All of you were girls even when you were dressed as a boy. You are what you are, stop acting." Andrew tried to say something but all he could do was shed tears. Ella mumbled a soft, "Flora tried to cut off her balls before Aunt Alison approved of her taking blockers. Aunt Kennedy had a breakdown in the showers at school. Sydney broke down at Rick's house when she was almost kidnapped. Everyone struggles at the start, it's hard to get the courage to make the change and be a girl. Everyone said you are a natural, all you need to do is see yourself as a girl and you will accept who you are for good." Ella started to go towards Andrew's hair and brush it out into a girlier style. Andrew tried to fight it but she held firm on the hair and moved it around so his shaggy, dirty-blond neck-length hair looked like it was a girl's haircut then moved the hair near his forehead around to give a look of bangs. The more that she worked on his hair the less masculine he looked and the more Andrew started to transform into a young woman with hair much like Piper's hair but with less highlights. Ella smiled brightly and held up some makeup that she took from Andrew's room, put on some basic eyeliner, mascara, and lipstick and stepped back to admire her work. The only thing missing were two breasts, which she wouldn't added yet without Andrew's OK. She leaned back and smiled, then showed Andrew what he looked like in the mirror and caused him to want to cry- the girl in the mirror was the same girl from his dreams the night before, with the same hairstyle but no breasts. Andrew finally broke down in tears which caused Ella to hug him and explain, "It's the real you. You are what you see, no more hiding behind a masculine facade and attitude. I didn't change anything, all I did was show you what was already there. Your hair is your hair, the makeup only enhances what you have, if I put you in a dress you'd be as good looking as Cat and Willow....don't you dare tell them I said that. You are meant to be a girl, your heart knows that you are a girl." Andrew mumbled a stilted, "She called herself 'Anita' to her husband. I am her, aren't I? I'm Anita. My name is Anita and I'm a girl." Ella hugged him tight, whispering to him, "Andrew never existed. Andrew was Anita acting as a boy for 18 and a half years. You are a girl inside, and with help from Granny Gina- on the outside." The newly minted Anita needed to rest so went to her room to sleep. Ella walked downstairs to where her parents were and told them what happened to Anita. Valerie didn't say anything while John told her lovingly, "You did what we wanted you to do. She needed to talk to someone who had the same feelings and experiences. Cat can't understand and the other girls are much different than her to help. Kennedy was going to do what you did but you saved her the trouble. All of us are happy that you did this, Anita will sleep easier tonight and start her first day as a woman with a clear conscience."