FicWad

All they could do was to wait: Nothing worse than sitting around and waiting. They were helpless. Steven was quiet; it was unusual for him to be so quiet. He didn't say anything; Joe wished he would. Just so he could see what kind of mood he was in. Joe knew he was scared; the rug had been pulled from under him. Steven had lost his physical identity.
Once in a while, Steven would fan himself with a folded newspaper; Joe could see the sweat glistening off his face. Other times, he'd shudder and pull his coat around his shoulders. He had left for a while; Joe was thinking of going to see what was keeping him, but then he walked back into the room.
Joe felt terrible, keeping this secret from Steven; he understood why he had to keep it, but he didn't like it. He didn't like the entire thing. Joe wandered around the room, studying some of the antiques that sat on the shelves. There was no television, radio, no true modern equipment at all. Joe was actually shocked that there was electricity.
Steven sat on the couch, his shirt was pulled uncomfortably tight across his chest; he picked up his newspaper and began to fan himself again. He looked miserable. He was bit his lip as he watched Joe walk back and forth in front of him. He finally blew up at him. "Damn it Joe! You're starting to get on my nerves! Why can't you just sit still? Just for five fucking minutes? You're gonna wear a groove in the goddamned floor!" And with that, Steven threw down the paper and rubbed his eyes.
"Sorry, Steven." Joe knew it wasn't his pacing; he knew the time, too. The fifth hour had come and gone, and then the sixth; Steven was getting nervous. When they came all he had was five hours. Alex must be having trouble. Great.
Joe figured he'd better sit down. Steven was supposed to stay calm, the calmer the better. He sat down next to him; he put his arm around him. He noticed that Steven was softer, not so muscular. "Steven, it'll be alright. Alex seems like he knows what he's talking about."
Steven nodded; he continued biting his lip. He looked at the stone; it was darker. "Tell me the truth Joe: Is my voice higher?"
Joe couldn't lie to him again. "Yeah, it is."
"I knew it." Steven rubbed his eyes again, and looked down. "My chest really hurts now."
Joe looked away when he noticed Steven's nipples protruding through the cotton tee. "Anything else hurt?" Joe looked back at Steven's face.
He ran his hands over his stomach. "My stomach, it feels like I got kicked."
"You haven't eaten, it's probably hunger pains."
Steven nodded. "Yeah, I'm getting shaky." He pulled his coat over his lap. "I'm sorry I yelled at you; it's not your fault."
"I understand."
"How can you?" Steven snorted. Joe could see that Steven instantly sorry for this outburst. Steven nervously fiddled with the button on his coat, "Maybe it wouldn't be so bad to be a woman."
"Oh, Steven!" Joe scoffed.
"Well they always say a woman has better orgasms than a man."
"Alex can say a lot, he's not the one that's changing!" Steven snapped. His shoulders sank down. "I don't have much time left. I've been trying to think positive, but I know that I'm too far-gone. I just went and took a piss, and well, let's just say that nothing's down there. I mean there's something, but not-well you know. It's gone. I'm a woman, Joe."
"Alex will be here, Steven." He knew Steven needed him; Joe tightened his arm around him. He was a bit shocked when Steven rested his head on his shoulder. Joe put his other arm around his friend. He felt Steven's arms around him. They held each other close. He felt Steven's chest on his; he winced, he was trying not to think about Steven's new curvaceous body. They both tightened their holds. They stayed like this for a long time, not saying a word.
But Joe felt awkward. It wasn't like Steven had never hugged him; Steven was always touching or hugging him, but they had both been men. Joe hadn't ever been sexually attracted to Steven before. Sure there had been rumors, but they were just that. The rumors about them had always bothered him, and it bothered him even more when Steven would play up to them when they were onstage. That really pissed him off, but Steven would laugh and just shrug them off.
Joe's thoughts wandered to 'what if'. Steven would be the perfect mate: They shared so many likes and dislikes. He wondered what it would be like to make love to his best friend, to be the one that creates the ecstasy on Steven's face. Joe broke that thought; he was trying not to get aroused. Steven had to return to his normal state. Steven Tyler had to be a man: case closed.
"Joe," Steven said softly, in his ear.
"Yeah." Joe quietly said back.
Steven looked at him; his face glisten with tears.
"I didn't hurt you! Did I?" Joe exclaimed.
"No, you didn't hurt me. I guess I'm crying cause I understand. I get it now. Now I understand what all those women see in you. You try to act tough, but we can see that you're so gentle. You're so handsome; so wonderful. I can't think of anyone else I'd rather have here with me right now."
Joe eyes were locked onto Steven's beautiful, soulful eyes; he brushed his tears away with his thumb. He forgot that Steven was Steven: He just saw this beautiful woman in his arms.
Then he remembered that he was holding Steven Tyler. But Joe kept his cool; he couldn't let Steven know the truth. He could never let Steven know that he wanted him. "That's what friends are for." He managed to say.
Then Steven reached up and brushed the hair out of Joe's eyes. "You should get that cut; it's always hanging down. You should show off your eyes more, they're so beautiful."
"Yeah, well, I'll get it cut, Steven." They stared into each other's eyes for a moment. Teresa didn't matter; Billie didn't matter. Joe really wanted to kiss him; it was a hard urge to control. He was trying to weigh the pros and cons in his mind. Thankfully, Steven broke the silence.
"What would I ever do without you?" Steven's head went back onto Joe's shoulder. He was sobbing. "What am I gonna do Joe? What am I gonna do as a woman?"
"It'll be OK, Steven." He looked up and saw Alex standing in the doorway; he was holding a tea service. "Alex! Did you bring Kali?" Joe exclaimed.
"Yes. Would you care for some tea?" Alex asked.
"Yeah, sure." Joe said, but Steven was silent.
"Stephen? Some tea?"
Steven broke from his hold on Joe. He wiped his eyes. "No thanks."
"How are you holding up?"
"I've been better."
"Don't lose hope: You will be your old self soon."
Steven gave an unconvincing nod. Joe kept his arm around Steven's shoulder. "Where's Kali?" He asked again.
Joe stood and blew up at her, "What the hell is this all about? Why are you doing this to him?"
"Please." Kali said; her word made Joe sit. "I had planned this moment for a long, long time."
"Why?" Steven asked, "Why are you doing this to me?"
"Steven. You don't remember me, do you?" She sat down and crossed her legs.
"No. Where did we meet?"
"Benny's on 64th."
"That was a long time ago."
"Not that long ago. You don't remember me? You don't even remember her! Do you?" Kali was angered by the blank expression on his face. She leaned forward and clarified her point. "My sister was Elisabeth, remember Elisabeth?"
Elisabeth," Steven whispered. "Yeah, I remember her. She's real pretty."
"She's dead. You killed her."
"I killed her! How the hell you figure that?"
"You introduced her to smack; you made her into a glassy-eyed freak."
"Yes. I was going to make you-"
Joe knew that there was no way in hell Kali was going to stop this. "Damn it, Steven!" He suddenly exclaimed. "Why didn't you listen to me? Why did you buy that damned thing! I knew that fucking necklace was bad news!"
"Buy?" Alex echoed, "He bought that necklace?" He said in disbelief.
"Yeah, fifty bucks!" Joe heard his own voice shake. "He paid her in cash."
"Kali! You didn't give it to him? You made him .buy this?"
Kali shrugged, "I have to make a living. Yes, he paid for it."
"You made him pay, and you didn't tell him the consequences. My dear, you have made a huge mistake. If you would have given it, fine, you could go through with it; he bought it. He had a right to know! You didn't give him that right! Kali, end it. You must end it NOW!" Alex tone scolded her.
Steven's head slowly went down, until his chin was nearly on his chest. Then his head shot back up, he blinked his eyes.
"Steven? Are you OK?" Joe asked.
"I'm tired."
Alex frowned, "Please don't go to sleep. It wouldn't be that good right now."
"You're the one that wanted me to relax." Steven rubbed his temples.
"Relax, and sleep are two completely different things."
"It just hit me, I feel like I could sleep a week." He rubbed his temples again.
"Here, drink some tea. It will keep you awake."
Steven did drink some, but he was never a tea lover. He was just looking in his cup; he didn't hear them talking.
"If you would have let me finish," Kali sneered at Joe, "I was going to make him pay, but I have had a change of heart. I will reverse the spell."
"Steven? Didn't you hear Kali?" Joe looked at Steven's face, to see why he wasn't reacting to anything. Steven was almost asleep again; Joe shook him violently.
"Just let me go to sleep for an hour, that's all I really need."
Alex knelt down to Steven, the he looked at Joe. "He's upset, he's blaming himself; it's speeding everything up. He doesn't have much time left. Try to keep him awake."
"I do need a few minutes to prepare-" Kali began.
"Hurry it up, girl!" Alex shouted.Joe looked at his necklace; the stone was almost black. He took the cup from Steven's hand and forced the brew down his throat. He held on to Steven's shoulders. "Steven! You can't go to sleep! Not yet!"
"It's over Joe. I can't say you didn't try." He looked at Joe; his eyes filled with tears. He ran the back of his hand over Joe's cheekbone, "I love you, Joe."
"I love you, too, Steven."
"No, Joe, you don't understand-"
"Yeah, I do." He got right into Steven's face. "If you love me then you'll stay awake! You can't go to sleep: You have to stay with us! Steven! Wake up!"
"I can't. I'm sorry." Steven fought to hold his head up. "Please, Kali, help me! I'm sorry about Elisabeth! I didn't mean to make her an addict! I didn't mean for her to die! If I could change time, I would! If I could bring her back, I would!" Steven's head bobbed back down; Joe shook him awake.
Kali stood over Steven. She held Steven head in one hand, as she chanted some more phrases that sounded like Latin, and made some marks with her finger on Steven's forehead. Then she grasped the necklace and pulled it off Steven's neck. She went to the table.
Steven's eyes were transfixed on Kali. She kept chanting then took the necklace and smashed the stone with a small mallet. Steven's head snapped back, his entire body lunged backwards as if he'd been shot then he collapsed.
"Steven!" Joe shouted. He shook Steven's shoulders, but he didn't respond.
"He's fine. It's over. The spell's been broken. Help me lie him down." Alex said then he covered Steven with his coat. "When he awakens; he will be as he was before."
Joe stayed beside him, he really had no idea what he'd do if Kali changed her mind, but he was willing to fight her. Steven seemed to be sleeping peacefully. "You said he'd be alright?" Joe asked.
"Oh yes, he should take it easy for a couple of days, but he shouldn't have any long term effects. It's over with, Joe."
Kali sat silently at the table, staring at the broken stone. Joe went over to her.
"Kali, thanks for changing your mind. Steven is really a wonderful, beautiful person. I'm sorry that you and Elisabeth only saw the bad side of him. What made you change your mind?"
"I did see a good side to him." She pulled out a small wad of money and pressed it in the palm of Joe's hand. "Go get something to eat. Don't spend it all on booze!"
Joe stared at the money, then at Alex. "You were watching us? At the store?"
Kali nodded, "Yes, I saw how nice he was to Doc."
Alex sat. "Tell him the truth." He scolded her again.
"Yes, well, I was Doc. I wanted to send you here so I knew where he was. I knew if Alex heard that Doc sent you here, he'd let you in." Kali shook her head. "I couldn't believe that this bastard could be so caring and kind; I changed my mind about him right there. Elisabeth always claimed that he was kind, but I never saw past the drugs and booze. I need time to return to my normal state; I got here as soon as I could."
Joe felt safe enough to sit down. "Did Elisabeth die from an overdose?"
Kali cleared her throat. "She died, three years ago. My sister died in my arms, she died a smack addict that was infected with full-blown AIDS. She didn't even weigh ninety pounds! And you know what the last word that came out of her mouth?"
Joe managed to shake his head.
Kali leaned back in her chair, "The last thing she ever uttered was 'Steven'. He was the only man she ever loved. She was always true to him."
Joe drew a deep breath, "Yeah, that's love alright." He looked at Steven, Christ; it would tear him apart if he knew that she had died that way.
"You only saw half of it. My plan was not changing Steven simply into a woman; my plan was making Steven become Elisabeth."
"Oh, Kali!" Alex stood. "How could you?"
" I thought it would be appropriate: He would be my sacrifice, he was the one that caused her death, therefore, I would take his life to bring her back. I'm sorry; I thought it would be great to have her back, but I guess, it's best to leave the dead to their own place. I'll have to be content with the fact that I will see her someday."