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whew!
Glad that situation ended well for Liz. But Paul is still a danger, and his mom is going to have a rough road to recovery. I like the idea of the doctor helping with Liz's project.
Dorothycolleen
Whoosh!
That was some crisis. Poor Mrs. Bailey.
Now that the Doc is read into the secret, he can be a lot more useful.
What's Phil thinking? Is he being an idiot, or is there really a reason for him not to marry Sharon?
Hmmm, do you know what?
I think that incident waaay back then has hurt his self-confidence and trust in his own self quite a bit. In short, he isn't convinced anymore that he is the man, the right kind of person, to make Sharon's life complete.
Faraway
Big Closet Top Shelf
Where you can fool around like you want to and most you get is some bemused good ribbing!
Faraway
Big Closet Top Shelf
Where you can fool around like you want to and most you get is some bemused good ribbing!
That Sounds Like...
a good guess, re Phil.
Not sure I understand the get-Paul-and-Charley-together idea. I'd be doing my best to keep them apart.
On the mundane hospital-staff level, letting Paul into the same room with the identical twin of the person he just tried to rape doesn't sound like good strategy for either of them.
On the transformational level that we and the doctor know about but the staff doesn't, putting them together sounds even worse. Assuming Paul can convince Charley who he is/was -- the impression I got was that Charley may know vaguely (did Liz mention it in assigning the name?) that there was another clone in the institution, but Charley and Emily never met -- Charley will now know that there IS hope in getting his original body back, courtesy of the evil agency. Paul, for all his sanity issues, may even be able to convince Charley that Liz knew about this but concealed it, since that has to be a very tempting scenario.
There's an assumption in the rules here that Paul can solve Charley's primary problem with a kiss (and Paul could probably do that even if he's in a straitjacket). But it seems to me that it doesn't matter much whether the evil entity does it directly or through Paul, as long as Charley acknowledges evil's authority in the matter. The rest, as the saying goes, is logistics: finding an unknown naked man on the premises will be another blow to the place's security issues, but even Dr Marston would seem hard pressed to hold Charley's male self there for long once he's identified by former friends or associates.
(Someone suggested that Paul now has the Midas syndrome with kisses -- whether desired or not, they all change the victim's sex. I'm inclined to doubt that, because it'd get awfully complicated: it'd seem that if he kissed someone multiple times, they'd be yo-yoing back and forth.)
Eric
Interesting...
So Liz (just about) escaped, Paul is back at the Institute, keeping Charley company (ouch!) while the doctor's now become aware of the supernatural goings-on.
The only unfortunate is Paul's mum.
As for keeping Paul and Charley together, in one way it makes sense, but in another, it could have further unintended consequences (you never know with this tale!). Maybe Paul will avoid Charley. Maybe Charley will avoid Paul (especially given how the transformation is achieved). Maybe if Paul carries out Charley's wish, it will undo his meddling - so returning him and his mother to girlhood while Charley returns to manhood. Hopefully without the 'kissing curse' as an unwanted extra.
Now, as far as we know, they (together with Liz) are the last surviving victims of Mary. Unless there's still a few unaccounted-for victims - perhaps ones who were not only strong-willed enough to be transformed by Mary, but also strong-willed enough to make the best out of (what is to their eyes) a bad job, and so have managed to avoid the attentions of either predators or mental health professionals. It's probably unlikely, but given all the ups and downs and unexpected events so far in this story, anything's possible!
There are 10 kinds of people in the world - those who understand binary and those who don't...
As the right side of the brain controls the left side of the body, then only left-handers are in their right mind!
Unintended consequences indeed
The biggest and worst unintended consequence I can think of with putting Paul and Charley together is if Paul (with or without the voice's help) is able to coerce, manipulate, or bribe Charley. Charley may be more emotionally stable than Emily/Paul was/is, I could see Paul offering the kiss whammy (if it's not target specific) to Charley in exchange for her aid. Is that an offer Charley could refuse?
Honestly, I was hoping to see some kind of atonement and redemption for Emily/Paul, but that seems increasingly unlikely now. I hate saying it, but short some kind of supernatural (or however you want to define it) intervention (and a pretty big one at that) he will remain a very real threat for as long as he draws breath.
Also, Phil better have a damned good and unselfish reason for that last response.
Another great chapter by the way.
As another poster mentioned in the previous segment
When Paul realizes his power will do this to ALL women that he realizes he will never be able to kiss another woman he loves or cares for ever again. It will be his own private hell. I think the kindest thing is to put him out of his misery. I agree that there is little to be done for him and all he will live for now is revenge once he realizes what position he is now in as he will still blame her for making him so desperate enough that he wound up making a deal with the devil (literally.) He is close to being stark raving mad and will probably become so very soon. He got his manhood back, a lot of good that will do for him now. I suspect he was not the best of men before all this as his poor qualities surely shines through now.
Jerk.
I hope there is some resolution for his poor mother who has had her womanhood stripped from her by her no good son.
Kim
OTOH if he is gay or bi
... then well that's all right but it is unlikely since he had actively pursued Mary and got kissed by her so being gay is even less likely but not impossible as there are plenty of men who deny that they were gay.
Kim
You Meant it for Evil - 21
Good for Liz, But I still wonder if a kiss from her can restore Paul's mother to her female form.
May Your Light Forever Shine
May Your Light Forever Shine
minus 1
so 1 guy under the influence of the evil one is now taken out of play, mostly at least.
But we now know something creepier, that he can make more when/if he wants to. maybe the old changer needs to be dead before he can, but he can make more.. This needs to be dealt with on a more permanent basis to keep her safe.
I've got a feeling a talk with the man from the park is coming up before too long.
Keep up the fantastic work, i've really been enjoying this story so far!
Love,
Amber Talamasca
minus 1
oops.. double post.. remove this if possible?
Just thought...
Paul is tagged as being a threat to women, as he could change them into men via a kiss. But given he nearly tried doing the reverse to Liz, and seemed to be planning on doing likewise to the doctor (well, he was planning on doing something revengeful with the doctor)...
Then again, as he won't be having any visitors (female or otherwise), even if he did do the transformation thing with staff, it wouldn't exactly get him out of the institution any faster...
There are 10 kinds of people in the world - those who understand binary and those who don't...
As the right side of the brain controls the left side of the body, then only left-handers are in their right mind!
Nooooo....
He was planning on turning Liz into a man. His revenge on the doctor was to demonstrate his power to turn women into men. The doctor's blinkered view of a world with no miracles was shattered when he transformed his mother, and he would have been stuck between the world he believed in so insistently and the world he was forced to accept for a lot longer had he not been stuck with Liz and Mrs Bailey (and DI Chubb) chatting so matter of factly about the things they'd experienced.
As it is Paul's in the right place now. Cared for by people who know what he can do. I guess we'll see what they can do for him (if anything)
Really enjoying this
Lots of twists and turns, ups and downs. Please Keep them comming
Just one question...
... whatever did become of her wristwatch?
my guess
The police would have taken the things Paul had on him when he was taken into custody, so they'll be at the police station. Whether there's any way of getting them released to Liz I haven't figured out. 'Cos there's the angel wings pendant as well...
Direct Action Approach
At least it included some of the possibilities that I projected/guessed. The clean up is certainly messy this way with the possibility of further problems.
Thanks for posting today. This series continues to hold my interest.
Could have been... messy
And possibly rather prurient (aint that a word) but Liz and Mike getting 'together' was lovely and sort of how it ought to be, comfort and love with a kick. Whew, glad things more or less worked out, not sure I'd have been keen to be taken into custody again. I too feel rather sorry for Mrs but we can hope and just maybe Pauls madness will inadvertently allow Charley to return before he descends into gibbering darkness.
Great stuff, keep on.
Kristina
Hum, VERRRY interestink! -- he says in bad german accent --
I know from tradition, other stories and this story with the example of Mary the devil/demon/whatever lies, period. Mary started out to avenge a great wrong and soon found it was a curse, a trap with no apparent way out.
Paul may not have precisely the same deal but likely it is similar. He, if he ever can find a way to get out if the hospital without killing someone thus soon being killed by the police, will eventually find he has been cursed to a loveless life. Plus he has harmed his innocent mom in a most cruel manner almost exactly as HE was harmed as Emily. This should tear him apart emotionally once he realizes the truth. This is assuming any semblance of the old Paul is left, if he has any compassion remaining. If he is totally a nutcase all bets are off other than his dying locked-up in the hospital an old a bitter vegetable.
Charlie MIGHT get his wish if they put him in with Paul but .... It is VERRRY RISKY. IF this is the curse I think it is then for maximum pain Charlie must be stuck as a girl or tricked into killing/harming someone to get turned back. IE what will the PRICE be? Charlie is a very manly male with a strong will. Would he fall for such a line of crap?
Perhaps if well warned of the risk and that the doctor now knows she really was Charlie it might work out though he'd likely have to pretend to be Liz just long enough to get Paul to attack on instinct. I doubt Paul would do it to be kind, he is so full of rage and so near the edge of insanity now. As to multiple kisses? Mary KNEW Liz was not a bad man, did not deserve the curse yet in their love making Liz always remained Liz, so the yoyo-ing from female to male is not likely.
I considered Paul becoming a woman again after the next attack -- IE his CURSE is to get a brief taste of his manhood only to lose it the moment he tries to be intimate with a woman -- but ruled that out. All women turning into men when he kisses them whether he intended to harm them or not seems a likely curse on him.
That the bad guys have seriously interfered in Liz's life again and that of others suggests to me -- as others mentioned -- divine intervention may now be allowed. Wish they could do something for Paul's poor mom. And as far as we know ALL of Mary's victims became Liz clones, beautiful 19 year-olds or so. Does that imply all of Paul's victims become an old man?
So can Liz and her allies do anything to save the day or is salvaging the remnants of Paul's betraying of them is the best they can do? Powerful chapter.
John in Wauwatosa
P.S. I understand Liz's intense need to have sex with Mike. After seeing what Paul did , after his near rape of her and attempt to make her male again she HAD to reafirm her womanhood. She HAD to know what it was to BE a woman if only to chase away her fears. Very loving and tasteful scene between her and Mike IMHO.
John in Wauwatosa
Paul-and-Char-ley, in the same cell! =D
...FAR-too-ris-ky, can't the doc and Liz tell? =P
Sharon
Wow she better convince him to do it.
hugs :)
Michelle SidheElf Amaianna