Jim felt as if a lump had settled in his throat. He felt nervous and a bit sweaty. Barbara waited for him in the kitchen, awake with her second mug of coffee.

"So, where should I start..." – Jim began.

"How about when it all started. I had some suspicions something was up but you breaking into a museum confirmed it." – Barbara looked at him and took a sip.

"Well... I kinda became the magical protector of troll kind, especially the ones currently living under Arcadia." – he said sheepishly.

"What?!" – she almost dropped her mug on the floor.

Then Jim proceeded telling her how the amulet found him, his meeting with Bular, the museum, Changelings, being chased by goblins and finally about the fight with Draal.

"James Lake!" she shouted and that was never good "You went to a battle of possible life and death in the very place you have feared and didn't tell me?! How could you be so irresponsible?! What if you hadn't returned?! Do you know how worried I would have been?"

Jim's heart felt like it was shatter by her words. Before he could open his mouth, she hugged him, tears streaking down her face in a strange mix of frustration, relief and sadness. He hugged her back and they stayed like that for a while.

"OK. You can let go now, your mom's back started hurting."

"Sorry!" – he hadn't realized how much force he'd started putting in the hug.

They sat on the couch in the living room.

"So, this amulet, you can't get rid of it until you die?" Jim nodded at her question "That's ... a terrible design, actually..."

"Yep! I said the same thing." Jim glared at the magical item now sitting on the coffee table "I AM trying to figure out what charms, enchantments and materials were used to make it and somehow, hopefully, get free of it or making it think I am dead and letting me go on its own. I haven't made a lot of progress with everything and now Draal living in my study..."

"Yeah, about that. There's another troll living in my house right now, right? Should I go down and greet him? Should I stay away? Do I pretend he's not here? Your appetite for metals is quite big, so it may put a dent in the budget..."

"Mom, don't worry. I will figure it out, just, don't go and try to greet him today, he may be spooked by you." – Jim suppressed a chuckle.

"I am not that scary. But fine, I will not go down into the basement today. Just, warn me next time you decide to do something reckless like that. OK?"

"OK. I will call you next time, though I prefer not getting into fights at all..." – Jim almost pouted.

=== With Claire ===

"Waaaah~! WAAAAAAAAAA!!"

"Claire, can you check on your brother? I'll be there in a minute."

"Sure, mom!" – Claire shouted from her open door.

She walked into Enrique's room with a sigh. He was crying, yet again. Her brother was cute and had been a quiet but sociable baby. He was still sociable but he had become very loud and needy. It had happened overnight and she got a stage, uncomfortable feeling every time she thought about it. Maybe if she found his toy, he'd stop... Claire shook her head.

"Oh, Enrique!" she pinched her nose "You definitely need a change."

He squirmed and wailed the whole time. Claire was frowning the whole time.

"I am going to take it from here." Her mother took Enrique "Thanks for changing him."

"No problem, mom." She bit her lip "Mom, do you think something's wrong with Enrique? He's been acting a lot..." she struggled to find a word "strangely? Unusually?"

"Oh, don't worry. You know how babies are, this is completely normal." – she cooed at her son.

'Yes, but it doesn't happen overnight?!' – Claire wanted to shout but she didn't.

.................................

|PAPA SKULL CONCERT! Welcome all!!| - Clare stared at the poster put on a telephone pole.

She read further and almost went wild. Her favorite band was playing in town! She waited for such a moment to come! She'd go out and- OH! Right... that night she had to watch over Enrique. Claire groaned.

She'd figure something out! This is a rare opportunity and she's determined not to miss it!

.................................

"Mary! You promised!" – Claire was shocked at her friend's sudden change of plans.

"I am sooo sorry! But love can't wait!" – Mary once again was in her dreamy world.

"Sigh... Are you refusing because of Enrique?"

"No! It's not that!" – Mary quickly denied it.

"Come on! You promised. Yes, Enrique may have become a bit fussier after losing Suzie Snooze but I doubt it'll be any more difficult than the last time! Come on! You are my last option! Darci oi out with her father and I can't leave Enrique alone nor take him with me!"

"But I was asked out..."

"Excuse me." – someone said, startling the two girls.

They looked in the voice's direction and was Jim, Toby standing by their bikes.

"Yes? Do you need something?" – Claire was a bit confused.

She hadn't had much contact with Jim outside of the play and the boy kept to himself most of the time. In fact, he'd almost never spoken to her outside of school work or when she initiated a conversation.

"Well, I didn't mean to overhear but... does this Su-Su..."

"Suzie Snooze." – she added.

"Yes! Is it maybe, possibly a white plush rabbit with button eyes? A bit droopy, quite old?" – he sounded unsure but the description made her eyes widen.

"Yes! That's how she looks... How do you know?"

"I found it, on the street. It looked a bit too clean to have been thrown in the trash, so I picked it up."

"That's great! Do you have it?"

"No, I left it at home. Maybe I can bring it to your house after school and maybe even babysit your brother for a while." – his smile was strained and awkward.

Claire felt like he had some ulterior motive but Jim had done nothing to make her not trust him, so she grabbed the chance.

"OK. Let me give you my phone..."

.......................................

"Woohoo! Way to go C-bomb! You've totally got him!" – Mary patted her.

"Got who?" – she was confused.

"Lake! He's so totally into you! Why would he offer to watch over your brother out of the blue? Even listening to our conversation! He WANTS to impress you!"

"Don't know Mary. I'm not even that familiar with him, nor am I interested in a boyfriend right now."

"Come on C-bomb! You have to take the chance! Even if it doesn't work, you'd get some experience for when you do fall for someone."

"I am not sure..." – Claire was not comfortable with the idea.

Jim was nice, responsible and he was cute but she wasn't close to him at all.

"Come on, girl? What can happen if you do date him? He'd turn into a monster or something?" – Mary said jokingly.

"Yeah... I guess you are right. Let's go to class. Darci is probably waiting for us."

=== With Jim ===

He had been looking into whose baby might have been stolen. Unintentionally, he'd overheard Claire complaining about her brother's sudden change of behavior, so he'd suggested looking after the baby. With a bit of luck, he may be able to get some information and maybe help more. Still, it was too soon to jump to conclusions. He had to make sure the toy was the same Claire was looking for.

~Later~

Jim knocked on the door and soon after Claire opened.

"Hey! Jim, you came!"

"Yes." He entered the house and put his bag on the couch "Is this the toy you were looking for?" – he pulled the rabbit out of his bag.

"Yes! This IS Suzie Snooze."

"Are you sure? I found it quite far away from your home."

"Yes, I can recognize the toy I practically grew up with. Strange though... What was it doing there?"

Jim's fears were being confirmed. He was almost 100% sure her brother had been exchanged. Either that or he'd be talking to a baby for a few hours. He wins either way... although he'd never been alone with a kid younger than 3.

"...and if something happens, call me first. NOT my parents. Me first. Got it?"

"Oh, yeah. Totally! You can go and have fun."

"Thanks a lot Jim! I owe you one!"

Claire walked outside, followed by Jim holding Enrique. Soon a scooter came with... Steve on it.

"Hey, Lake! Like my new ride?"

Jim got so pissed. He'd been interested in human vehicles but he had to wait so his human ID can get a driver's license. He wanted to derive one of those giant trucks but a scooter was also fine... aaand he got distracted again.

"Watch out! Make sure to not break something so soon!" – he shouted after Steve.

Maybe he was a bit vindictive but it felt nice. Jim went inside and placed Enrique on the couch.

"OK. I know that you aren't actually the real Enrique. You are a changeling and I want information."

"Gaa~! Gyaah~!" – the baby gurgled.

"Is this how we are gonna play, huh? I can also play this game!"

===With Toby===

"So, what is this 'babysitting' exactly? Does sitting on a baby mean so much that master Jim can't come?" – Blinky asked Toby.

"Ugh! Look, babysitting doesn't mean actually sitting on a baby. You just watch over someone's child when they are unable to."

"I see... And we are going there to?"

"To surprise Jim, of course! He must be bored out of his mind right now."

"Like surprises." – AARRRGH added.

"Is it alright to do so? I mean, won't it cause trouble?" – Blinky insisted.

"Nah, don't worry so much! The baby's probably asleep by now and we'd be out before Claire or her parents even come back!"

They went through the back, not to be accidentally seen by a neighbor. As they approached the house...

*CRAAAASH!!*

The sound of something breaking reached Toby's ears.

"Quickly! Something is wrong!" – Toby ran ahead.

"... that all you have?! Bular knows me! Don't even try to threaten me with him!" – Jim's muffled voice came from behind the locked door.

"AARRRGH! Open the door! But be careful!"

AARRRGH lightly pushed the door and it fell off its hinges. They were momentarily blinded by the stream of light coming from the kitchen. The sight that greeted them was Jim in his armor, pinning a squirming baby on the counter. The kitchen was a mess – broken glasses and plates, the fridge's contents was spilled on the floor and there were even a few knives and forks imbedded in the walls... also a lone spoon sticking out of an impaled tangerine.

"JIM!! What are you doing?! You are hurting him!!"

"WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" – the baby wailed.

Blinky and AARRRGH stared with open mouths, not sure what to do.

"T-Toby?! What are you doing here?" – Jim finally noticed as his friend scooped the baby from under his grasp.

"There, there." He tried to calm the baby and Jim glared "What happened Jimbo? I know babies can be a bit annoying but you shouldn't try to choke them!"

"He is not a baby, Tobes! He's a changeling! Claire's brother had been exchanged and I was trying to get some information out of him!"

"A changeling?!" – Blinky exclaimed in shock.

"Have you gone bonkers? A bit too paranoid, maybe?" – Toby couldn't believe what his friend was saying.

"Do you have the Gaggletack on you?"

"Yeah, in the back pocket. Why-"

Faster than he could react, Jim had already pulled out the horseshoe. Enrique wailed louder and squirmed. The moment the iron touched the baby, there was a flash and a green changeling was in Toby's hands.

"Welp! Guess I was busted... again." – a deep voice said.

"AAAAH! What is this?!" – Toby was shocked and dropped the changeling.

He took the chance and tried to run away.

"Don't let him escape!!" – Jim shouted.

Before he could run out, AARRRGH's big hand pressed him to the floor.

"Let me go ya stinkin troll!" – he squirmed but AARRRGH was much stronger.

"Listen now, changeling. You will talk! I didn't go through all this so you can get out scot free! Tell us where the bridge is!"

"Bridge? What bridge? I see no bridges near here?"

"Squash him." – Toby said to the surprise of Jim and the others.

AARRRGH started pushing.

"Wait, wait!! I'll talk!"

"OK. Now tell us where the bridge is kept. It wasn't in the museum when we went to check last time." – Jim looked the changeling in the eye.

"Listen, you didn't hear this from me! I'd get in a lot of trouble if the boss learns that I- "

*VRRRM~!*

A car stopped in front of the house.

"Quick! Get out of here!"

The two trolls and Toby ran out of the house, somehow putting the door back in its frame without it falling again. Jim deactivated his armor held the now baby Enrique in his hands.

"Oh, hi Mr. and Ms. Nuñez! I-I'm Jim, the babysitter..." – he said awkwardly in the ruined kitchen.

"Oh..." – Claire said when she saw the mess and her parents.